Disappointment settles in the pits of Jessica’s stomach, resting in its new home. It’s been a month since her discharge, and the one person she wanted to see had been missing from her sight.

She’s gone through the month, repeating the same cycle. Wake up. Go to Work. Go home. Eat dinner with whoever is at home. Sleep. Then, repeat the cycle. Even on weekends she works. The doctor informed Krystal that it’s normal for recovering patients to immerse themselves in productivity. So, Krystal left her sister alone, as well as Nichkhun and Tiffany. But what they don’t know, is that Jessica is waiting for that one person to repair her.

“Hit the showers, boys!” The man with the whistle screams across the field. A blow from his whistle brings relief to the team players as it signals the end of practice.

Lee Donghae is on his knees, heavily sweating from the coach’s intense work out. The other guys are teasing him that it’s a sign of him getting old.

“Hey, man,” his old friend/teammate/co-captain, Eunhyuk, slaps him on the back. He’s sweating as well but not as much compared to Donghae. “Are you going tonight?”

“Going to where?” Donghae slowly gets up on his feet with help from his friend. Fatigue is taking a serious toll on Donghae’s body.

“Don’t act dumb, Hae,” Eunhyuk sighs, scratching the back of his neck. They’re in the locker room, changing. Eunhyuk flings his towel, smacking Donghae’s . Donghae does the same. It’s a ritual of theirs as a sign of ‘good job’ after practices and ‘good luck’ before games. “Sungmin’s coming back from his honeymoon. He invited the whole group from college to have dinner for old times. Remember?” Donghae didn’t go to college. Neither did Eunhyuk. But their good friend Kyuhyun did, and Kyuhyun introduced them to his college friends.

“Shouldn’t he spend time with his new wife?” Donghae asks, opening his locker and throwing in his dirty shirt. (He’ll laundry that later.) Jealousy reigns in the pit of Donghae’s stomach. He’s happy for his friend. For real. But he can’t help but wish that Donghae could marry the person he loves.

Donghae and Eunhyuk exit the locker room after saying goodbye to the coach and team players.

Eunhyuk says, shrugging. “I told you. He wants to have a get together for old times. Probably because he knows there won’t be many chances left for us to see him that much. Kangin told me that Sungmin is trying to have a kid.”

A kid. Donghae dreamt of having a kid by the age of twenty-five. He’s twenty-four (in Korean age) and doesn’t have a girlfriend.

To be honest, Donghae could have been married by now or be, at least, engaged. Being a famous soccer player, many females, including female celebs, admire him for his sweet boy-next-door charm. Nine ladies have asked him out, so far; however, he’s rejected all of them. Because there’s only one girl he wants, and she’s the one he can’t have.

Despite the doctor’s words, Donghae could not handle NOT seeing her, knowing her situation and condition. He built up the courage to see her, but once he got there, he was informed by a nurse that she was already discharged the other day. Maybe, Donghae thought, that’s how it’s supposed to be for them. Apart.

“Minah,” Jessica calls out, as she enters the store from the back, “close up for me.”

Minah nods from the counter, reading a magazine featuring the popular actress Emma Watson. On Jessica’s way out, she bids farewell to Woobin, Shinhye, and Minho. Her plan is to go home, eat dinner, and sleep right away, afterwards. But something within her, a feeling inside of her, motivating Jessica to change her mind. She spins, whipping her hair in the hair, and announces, “Lets close the store early and have that promised dinner.”

“You’ll be eating dinner with your employees? That’s good to hear,” Nichkhun says, smiling. He’s ecstatic to hear that Jessica will be doing something outside of her normal routine. “Don’t party too hard now, Jessica,” he jokes.

He hangs up the phone and returns to the task of cooking dinner for him and the remaining two girls in the apartment. Tonight, it’s rare steak paired with bacon-filled mashed potatoes and grilled broccoli.

“Dinner time!” He calls out.

However, only Tiffany responds to the call.

“Where’s Krystal?” Nichkhun asks, placing two plates on the table.

“She hasn’t come home, yet. But she did text me, though, saying that the date auction had a late night practice.”

“Why would they need to practice for a date auction?” Nichkhun muses. Tiffany shrugs, but in truth, Krystal texted her, explaining that she’s on a date with a classmate of hers. Tiffany lied, because she knew how protective Nichkhun grew over Krystal. She also noticed how he grew distant from her, disappointing Tiffany.

“Nichkhun,” Tiffany her lips, “I think I will go out as well.” Nichkhun, feeling pleased that all the girls are developing the need to spend time outside the apartment, sadly glances down at the delicious food he prepared. But, oh well. Tiffany’s social well-being is more important than food.

“Don’t stay out too late, Tiff,” he gently smiles, drawing a small breath from Tiffany.

She wanted him to tell her to stay. That he wants to be with her. To show that he’s just preoccupied with helping Jessica regain footing in life. But how could she even think to ask for something like that? They aren’t a couple. They haven’t been one in years, and to ask him to tell her to stay is too much. Still, there’s hope in Tiffany’s heart. She has decided a long time ago, after many trials and obstacles, that she and Nichkhun are meant to be. Why else would they end up living together if fate did not want them to be together. However, it’s been difficult, considering that Nichkhun wants to get away from her.

Tiffany is almost out the door when Nichkhun stops her. Is this it? Has Nichkhun realized what she wanted him to do from the start? Nope. Nichkhun simply wraps a blue cottoned scarf around her neck.

“It’s cold outside. Don’t want you to be getting sick now.” Afterwards, he lets her leave.

“Cheers!” Eunhyuk, Sungmin, and the boys hold up their glasses of wine and cheer. In Donghae’s circle of friends, there’s Kyuhyun, Eunhyuk, Sungmin, Kangin, Leeteuk, Zhoumi, Henry, Shindong, Yesung, Ryeowook, and Heechul.

(If you do not remember, Ryeowook and Heechul are from the main characters’ hometown. Ryeowook was Tiffany’s boss from the bakery, and Heechul is a friend of Jaejoong, another former boss of Tiffany. Donghae met them when he returned home for a visit. Of course, Tiffany wasn’t there to welcome him back, being stuck in her own little world. Since then, Ryeowook and Heechul have been traveling to Seoul for some get-togethers.)

Normally, they would meet in some bar. But, with Sungmin married, they relocated their usual hangout spot to a diner that Ryeowook found online. The diner was like the one from the movie Grease. Except, it didn’t play old fashioned music. It did, but it also played modern music for the younger people.

The group were seated in a secluded area.

That’s what happens when you know Lee Donghae.

Dining in a secluded area and getting free wine.

“Ah, refreshing,” Heechul comments after chugging down his wine and wiping his mouth. “I haven’t had a glass of any beverage in so long.” He orders one more for himself.

Ryeowook reprimands him, saying it was supposed to be Heechul’s turn to drive tonight.

“Lay off me, you mom,” Heechul fights back, thinking it was a clever comeback; but in reality, it was stupid. Especially, with the way his cheeks flushed. “We’ll just stay at Leeteuk’s apartment for the night. Right, Leeteuk?”

And all Leeteuk could do is sigh. Being the eldest, he feels the obligation to not drink and take care of his dongsaengs, since he knows he’ll have to take some “children” home tonight. And that definitely includes a certain Mr. Kim Heechul.

At the other end of the table, Shindong is drowning out his sorrows and crying, “Why doesn’t Dr. Kang Shinae not like me?” Zhoumi and Henry drink and watch in amusement and pity.

Next to that group is Kangin and Eunhyuk teasing Sungmin for the honeymoon details.

“Did you do it every night?” Eunhyuk asks, bluntly.

“Do what? Sungmin’s cheeks are turning a bright shade of red.

“You know what,” Kangin says, firmly.

“I don’t know what you mean,” Sungmin lies.

“Bruh, we’re all bruhs here. No need to feel ashamed,” Eunhyuk says.

Giving in, Sungmin nods his head.

“Woah! You lucky man,” Kangin says in admiration. “You’re lucky. My past girlfriends would never let us do it every night. They would always complain how tired they are, or how late it is.”

“I feel you, bruh,” Eunhyuk says, placing his hand over where his heart is located. “No matter how much I tell them I love it, they would adamantly say no.”

“But,” Sungmin says, quietly, “you have to think of your girlfriends. They have feelings, emotions, and are not some objects for pleasure.”

“But how could you say no to a night of dancing?” Eunhyuk exclaims.

“Eh? Dancing?” Sungmin asks, surprised. “So you guys … You guys weren’t talking about …”

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