Chapter 23

Sara sipped her strawberry milk, and waited for Eunhyuk to speak. He had brought her to the kitchen, and had asked her to fill him in on everything that had happened since she had met the members. She had even told him about her plane ride with Siwon, and her photo shoot with Donghae.

Now he sat still, contemplating everything with his head placed on the counter. He couldn’t believe it all. This girl had been deeply involved in their lives for almost a month, and he hadn’t known a thing.

Now he remembered how solemn Siwon had been after he had come back from London, and he remembered how Ryeowook had kept on talking about a girl he had met before the KRY concert.

He looked at Sara. She was sitting there quietly, looking around, and drinking her milkshake. He tried to picture her with Donghae. She didn’t look anything like a supermodel. Right now she just looked like an innocent young girl. How could Donghae have treated her that way?

Eunhyuk felt like he needed to protect her. He had only just met her, but he couldn’t deny the effect she had on him. Maybe it was this exact quality of hers which had mesmerized all the other members.

Regardless of what had happened that day, she was the reason why Donghae had finally come to his senses. He couldn’t change what had happened in the past, and he felt sorry for all that she had been through, but he realized that she was special. For one person to have such an effect on every one of the members was extraordinary.

It wasn’t just coincidence, it was…fate.

“Sara…Sara…..wake up….”

“Saraaaaa……..Aish…..this child wont wake up….”

Sungmin let out a let out a deep sigh and just sat down on the bed instead. He knew that they only had about five minutes to hide Sara before the apartment was infiltrated by their managers; but he just couldn’t help it. The peaceful look on her face really made him feel at ease.

But he had to spoil it for now. Everyone had a schedule to go to, and Sungmin had to hide Sara in the other room before anyone from their staff could see her.

“Alright Sarang-ah, time to wake up”, Sungmin said in a more authoritative voice while shaking Sara’s shoulders. Sara mumbled something, and tried waking up, but her body felt too heavy, so she just fell back down, and was asleep again in seconds.

“Sungmin-ah! Hurry up and get her out of there! Everyone will be here in a few minutes! Yesung said while rushing about.

He stopped at Sara’s door and saw Sungmin’s predicament. “Yah! There’s no time for that! Just pick her up and lock her in Eunhyuk’s room. She won’t even notice anyway.”

Sungmin let out another sigh. He was so tired himself. All he wanted to do was lie down next to Sara and fall asleep too…but there was work to do. Sara slowly smiled in her sleep and snuggled into her pillow.

“Ohh…, stop tempting me” he said to her pleadingly. And with that, Sungmin picked her up from the bed, blankets and all, and made his way out of the room. He laid her carefully onto Eunhyuk’s bed, and then rushed out.

They had already planned on keeping Sara a secret from everyone. If people got to know that there was a girl living in their dorm, there would be no end to the trouble they would be in. He closed her door, and locked it just in time, because in the next instant, their apartment was flooded with people.

Sungmin quickly pocketed the key, and joined everyone else in getting ready for their schedule. He had to leave the apartment first, so he told Ryeowook to open Sara’s door if he was the last person to leave.

Unfortunately, Ryeowook couldn’t get rid of his manager that easily, so he ran upstairs, and left the key next to one of his hyung’s bedside tables, with a note attached. Satisfied, he ran back downstairs, and then left the building.

Donghae turned about in his bed, and then felt around for his cell phone to check the time. He found it, and wearily opened his eyes to look at it, but when he did, he found himself staring at a bright pink note attached to the screen.

“What’s this?” he asked himself sleepily.

He recognized Ryeowook’s handwriting, and pulled off the note to read it.

“Hyung-ah, I left Hyukjae hyung’s key on your bedside table. Please go downstairs and open his door as soon as you wake up. And remember to keep whatever you find inside a secret.” – Wook

Donghae sighed and pulled his blankets over himself. He really didn’t feel like going anywhere, even if it was just to the bottom floor…But what could Hyuk be hiding in his room? New clothes? His unlocked laptop…? Strawberry milk?

And why did Wookie have his key?

Donghae got up in a huff, put on his slippers, grabbed the key, and took the lift downstairs while still in his pajamas.

He reached the apartment, and headed towards Eunhyuk’s room. Once there, he unlocked the door, and pushed it open. Super Junior music was on play, but there was no one inside. He walked about the room, and found Eunhyuk’s “One Piece” Manhwas strewn about. He was about to leave the room, when he heard the sound of water coming from the adjoining bathroom. Someone was in the bath. Was it Hyukjae? Did the boys lock him in his room as a prank?

Donghae chuckled and shook his head. He walked towards the bathroom door, and casually opened it, ready to laugh at his friend, but what he found inside almost made him faint in shock.