Hilton Hotel, Kuala Lumpur

Khun’s still staring at her, since she’s not answering him. She just sits there and stare him back.

“Oh girl, I am pretty sure I’ll win this no matter how witty you are” Khun thinks, smirking at her.

“He and that evil smirk of his. Did he think he’s the only person in this world can do that?” she thought to herself.

“What you said just now? You can go without sleeping for three days straight? Oh, God..don’t you know it’s a piece of cake for me?” Her thoughts still running wild across her mind.

“Oh boy, if you think you’ll win this game you need to see a shrink to check your sanity. You don’t know me and you dare to play this mind game thing. Hell yeah, you’re definitely messing with the wrong person. I pity you kid.” She thinks, glaring at him, raising one of her eyebrow.

“Tch, tch, tch, you really don’t know how to step down do you?” Khun asks her, after they have staring for like……. infinity?

And for that question she just replies with her sweet smile and raised shoulder.

She’s continues focusing on her paper. For a moment, Khun just sits in front of her and take multiple sips of his coffee; gives up to disturbs her and decides to let her finish whatever she’s been working on right now.

While waiting for her, Khun looks at her face; up close. As he has seen she’s not that beautiful, but something about her keep attracting him, making him keep coming back for more. She’s addictive.

When she has finished her works, she looks at him and said.

“What is it?”

Her sudden movement caught Khun in the middle of action; action of staring her, drinking her charms. Khun’s cheeks turn a shade darker.

“What..what?” he asks her back.

“What is it that you curious about me?” She asks him, since she needs her sleep and she refuse to give him her phone number. So, it is better to settles it, once and for all.

While waiting for his answer, she starts to organize her belongings, arranging it neatly and put them aside; at the end of the table.

He somehow just looks at her swift movement. He’s dazed.

“Well, I guess you’re not curious anymore…. or….. have you became mute out of the blue?”

Khun was shocked with her sudden words and stare her, again.

“I guess this is not going anywhere, so I think I’ll go.” She said, standing up to leave.

“Wait miss, I think I started with the wrong way with you.” He suddenly said.

Elyssa just stands there and looks at him, weirdly.

“O Allah, what has gotten into him? What is he saying right now? Can’t you just shut up and let me go?”

“My name is Nichkhun Buck Horvejkul, and you are…?” He added, since he saw her confused face.

All he wants is just to be friend with this lady. But, since they’ve started with the wrong feet, everything falls down, just like domino effects.

“And you are concern with my name because…?” She asks him.

“Wow, for the first time in my life, a woman hesitates to tell me her name!” Khun exclaimed

“Well, just so you know, I might not one of the average women.” She said, tilting her head to one side and smirks.

“Damn, the more I talk to her the more attractive she’s become. Is she some kind of drug? Well, that I don’t know. But I am positive she is my drug.” Khun’s thoughts hopping wildly in his brain.

And she just walks away, leaving him behind alone. There’s no use being friends with celebrities. She didn’t want to be dragged into their chaotic life.

She walks faster, not to let him catch her up.

He calls for her.

“What’s wrong with this girl?” He thinks and runs to her. Thanks to his long pair of legs he catches her up in no time.

“Why are you so keen to keep your distance from me?” Khun asks her.

“Well Mr, please don’t flatter yourself. This world didn’t revolve around you. It’s not about you. I just like to keep a decent distance from all of public figure in this world.  I’ll avoid any glamour person.” Elyssa answers as a matter of fact.

“But, why? Isn’t being friends with popular people interesting?” he asks her again.

At that time they have arrive in front of the elevator. They’re waiting for the elevator to come down.

Elyssa turns to Nichkhun and said,

“Isn’t it my right; how do I choose to live my life? Why would I need to explain anything to you?”

Khun frozes there. Well, it is true. She has every right with what her do in her life.

With that, she enters the elevator as soon as it opens the door for them. He follows her in and thinks. What should he do to bring the gaps between them closer?

“By the way, if you worried about our first encounter, then don’t. I won’t tell a single soul. Furthermore I am nobody, who would believe my words? With no proof on top of that. So just rest and don’t think about it.”

By the time she finished her words, the elevator bell rings and the door open. She has reached her floor.

She bid him goodnight and walks away.

He was left, dumbfounded.

“Did she just reject me? For the first time in my life. I have been rejected!” Khun  screams in his head. The door close back, and the elevator continues climb up to Khun’s floor.

Khun walks lifelessly to his room. He stops for a while in front of his door to recollect his sense, his pride and his mind.

***

Elyssa sigh in relieve when she saw Nichkhun is not following her anymore. She walks faster and enters her room. She saw Natasha has fast asleep. She even emitted a soft snore sound.

“She really tired isn’t she?” Elyssa monologue out loud.

Elyssa just put her belongings on the table near the television and walks into the bathroom. She washes her face, brushes her teeth and get ready to sleep.

She is damn tired but her eyes don’t seem like it will closes anytime soon. Her mind keeps rolling; on the first day they met, their second encounter and today’s incident.

A long time ago, when she’s still a student she has dreamed of meeting her favorite celebrities. She’s been thinking how interesting life will be if she is one of their friends. She has dreamed all type of dream if she is a friend of celebrities.

However, as days passes by she became more mature and understands; pros and cons of having a celebrity friends. Whether you like it or not, their chaotic, messy life will influence you. That was what she learns as she ages.

So, currently she has this belief. It is not wise to be friend with a celebrity, a public figure. She always wants a calm, quiet life. Actually, she really satisfied with how her life right now. So she tries her best not to let her life ruins, if possible.

She feels sleepier after her deep thoughts to herself. And she didn’t even realize when she fell asleep. The next thing she knows, Natasha wakes her up the next morning in a complete prayer attire.

***

He walks out of his room this morning with a high hope. He wants to wait for her today. Judging from her behavior yesterday, she must have an early day today. Plus he notice a banner hangs out of the hotel yesterday.   

“Psychiatry and Surgery; How are They Related?”

She might be a doctor, attending the conference. Or she might be one of the speaker for the conference.

He manages to read a title of paper she read yesterday. “” It sounds so medical to his ears. So she’s definitely a doctor. And she must waken up early to get ready for the conference.

7.30 a.m.

He peeks at his watch.

“I guess this is decent time for her to be out and have her breakfast before their talk begins.” He thinks.

He stands, pacing back and forth, plays with his hand and do whatever he can to lessen his boredom. Waiting is a torture itself.

Well, this girl has torture him more than most of people he has known.

***

His lips carves into a big, huge, enormous smile when he saw her walking towards him; towards the elevator actually, but since he’s standing near the elevator he just assume she is walking towards him. He didn’t even realize he’s capable to smile that wide before, he just smiles. Genuine, pure smile that comes out straight from the happiness he felt when he saw her face.

She didn’t realize him standing there. She’s too absorbed in her conversation with her beautiful friend. Yeah, her friend is beautiful. Stunning in fact, with height of 5’ 8”, 60 kgms at most she absolutely eligible to become a model.

But still, she glows the brightest rays in his eyes.

So he waits in patience. He takes this opportunity to drink her glow. Her calm expression, her soft smile, her melodious laugh and her cute small giggles she make each and every time she finds whatever her friends said to her is funny.

And that 20 seconds period of her walking to him seems like eternity, a moment he didn’t want to pass by. He didn’t want to let it go. He will treasure this moments.

“Good morning, Miss.” He greets her as polite as he can be. With an angelic smile he possesses. He knows women will melt with his smiles. His smiles plus his winks on the other hand, is a killer. Nobody can get away from his charms.

Yeah, yeah this girl is no ordinary lady. But still, he wants to try.

Elyssa shocked when she saw Nichkhun stands there, near the elevator and smiles.

Seriously, she swears the sun will hides today, embarrassed to how bright his smile is.

She smiles and bow her head a little as a sign of greeting to him, while Natasha’s face has glow; happy to see him early in the morning. Nichkhun is one of her bias in 2PM.

She greets him excitedly and asks him everything she can think of in one breath.

Khun smiles at her and answers her diligently. He takes small peeks at Elyssa. She looks so indifferent.

Why can’t she be like her friends, glad and happy to meet him is all he can think of at that moment.

“Nichkhun-ssi, we’re on our way to have our breakfast. So, would you like to have a breakfast together, with us?”

“Oh no. She didn’t just ask him that. What if he says yes? O Allah, I am doomed.” Elyssa thinks to herself, shocks with Natasha’s suggestions.

“Really?” he answers simply.

He nods his head and smiles, brightly.

“Well, I am hungry right now, and all of my members are still in dreamland so I guess joining you will be a win-win situation.” He answers, after he pretends to be thinking for a while. He don’t want to be seen as a desperate celebrity.

Elyssa shakes her head, and walks faster leaving those 2 people behind. She picks her breakfast and settles at a table, near the pool.

She looks at them, choosing their meal and having a light chat she guessed. Natasha looks completely happy and excited; since she gets the opportunity to breakfast with her favorite idol.

“I am sorry for being rude. I am Natasha, and my friend here is Elyssa. She is also a hottest you know.” Natasha introduces both of their name to him.

Elyssa just hangs her head low. She starts to regret, whether or not this the right thing to do was all she could think at that time.

Khun just nods his head. He smiles a satisfactory smile.

“Well, if we done with introduction things, can we proceed to eat? I am starving right now.” Elyssa said, trying to divert their thoughts.

Both Natasha and Elyssa raise up their hands at the level of their chest, and make a cupping form as if they’re expecting something to be given to them, and both of them mutters something, silently. They rub their face with both hands after a while.  Then they start to eat.

“What are you doing? Aren’t you hungry?” Natasha asks him when he sees him just stares at her and Elyssa.

“No, I am hungry. But what are you both do just now?” he asks her.

Natasha smiles and starts to explain.

“We just saying our before eating prayer. I guess Christians also pray before they have their meals, it just we have different approach.”

Khun nods his head and asks again,

“What exactly that you mutter while you’re praying just now?”

“We are hoping for blessing in each meals we gonna have and we seek protection from the torture of the hell.” Natasha explains it again, patiently.

When Khun nods and satisfied with her answers he starts to eat his meal. Then, he pours his hot coffee into the saucer and sips from it.

Natasha and Elyssa were both shocked when they saw that.

“Wow, you know how to drink your hot beverage, huh?” Elyssa said, out of curiosity.

Khun flashes his beautiful smile and simply said,

“Well, I do my homework before going to a foreign country. The best way to adapt well is to get friendly with their custom right?”

“Well, impressive.” Simple answers from Elyssa and Natasha just laughs.

“Did you realize Elyssa, that was you first two sentences since we bump with Khun today.” Natasha’ sharp comments.

“Oh really? Khun? I am sorry sir. She’s carried away with your nickname.” Elyssa apologizes on behalf Natasha and Natasha’s cheeks turns into tomatoes. She’s so red. Elyssa laugh at her and then continues to munch her food.

“It’s okay. It doesn’t really matter actually. In fact I love that nickname. It makes us feel closer to each other, as if we are friends for a long time already.”

Khun answer, and take another sip of his coffee.

“And Miss Elyssa, I think you can call me Khun also. It is more friendly and I loves that.” He added then.

Elyssa almost sprayed her food in to Khun’s handsome face.

She coughs, and Natasha pats her back gently. Khun worries that she will be in trouble.

“Well, Khunnie.. it is only fair if you also drops the honorifics to us, don’t you think so?” Natasha said when Elyssa has stops her coughing.

“Khunnie? I like how that sounds coming out from your beautiful lips Natasha,” Khun’s flirty comments make Elyssa wants to gag her food out of her stomach.

Natasha and Khun laughs ot loud with Elyssa’s reaction.

“Are you sure you’re not being jealous here Elyssa?” Natasha asks her.

“Jealous? Not going to happen. Don’t you know its dangerous to play with fire?” Elyssa asks her back.

Natasha frowned her eyebrows and make what-do-you-mean look.

“Well he’s taken, in case you forgot that. Plus I love Minjunnie the best not this dude right here.” Elyssa answers her with a straight face and then she grins widely.

“Minjun hyung is your bias?” Khun asks Elyssa, shocks with her honest statement just now.

Elyssa nods her head several times.

“But why?” he asks again, curious. Not many women will choose Minjun over him.

“Well, let just say I looks at their talent rather than looks. Plus, for me Minjun is an attractive young man. Why can’t I love him more?” she answers him and also throws him a question.

“Well… it’s not… like you cannot… love… him more. You… have.. every right… to love… any one you wanted to.” He stutters.

“Well Mr, why are you stuttering? Are you intimidated by our Elyssa? Uh uh?” Natasha teases him and poking him here and there, using a clean chopstick.

 “Ani, aniya.” He denies strongly.

“Natasha, stops that. You making him nervous. See, he even speaks Korean with us” Elyssa laughs and stops Natasha from teasing him any further.

**of course she talks to her using Malay language, to avoids Khun from understands what she said**

“What? What did you said to her just now?” Khun asks since he didn’t understand what Elyssa is saying to Natasha.

Natasha just shrugged her shoulders, and make a zipping motion, locks it then she throws away the key. Indicating she’s not going to say anything.

“Ani, amogotto aniya, Nickhun-ssi. Hurry, finish our meal. We’re getting late.” Elyssa said then laugh.

Khun just smiles at her and do as she says. They finish their sweet breakfast and went their way.

Elyssa and Natasha direct to the conference, while Khun returns to his room.

***