“Wow look at this place,” HoDong said as he placed the suitcases on the floor by the door. It was large and spacious and there was a view of the city from the hotel window.

“Eunsun-ee and Soo-yoon-ah will have the room next door,” Youngmin handed Eunsun the key who let it slip through fingers.

“Eunsun-ee?”

“Huh? Oh sorry,” she bent down to pick it up, Eric shuffled past her with his bags.

“Man I’m stiff,” he said cracking his back and then doing his shoulders, “that was the worst plane flight I ever went on.”

“It didn’t help you were kicking us in the back,” Donggun frowned as he and Hyori stood unimpressed.

“Where are you grumps staying?” Eric muttered as he carried his stuff to one of the rooms.

“We’re on the fourth floor,” Hyori said with an air to her voice, “the floor above this one.”

“Right.” Youngmin joined them all with HoDong coming from behind, “how about we take a walk?”

“Sounds like a good idea,” HoDong agreed grabbing his scarf and shoes while Eunsun helped Soo-yoon with her shoes.

***

Soon they were outside amongst the people, the street lights and the signs.

“How come no one’s approached you yet for an autograph?” Eunsun joked as they walked side by side.

“Usually the palace keeps it hushed where we go so that the king’s visits are as undisturbed and as pleasant for the locals as possible.” Eunsun nodded.

“Brrr it’s cold,” HoDong rubbed his hands together as he walked on Soo-yoon’s side while Eric was on the opposite end.

“You can talk you have enough blubber to keep you warm enough to walk around in your underwear.” Eric glared at Donggun.

“Coming from a man who’s as cold as ice seems almost a bit ironic.” The two looked as if they were about to have a fight when Hwang stepped in between them.

“Let’s get something to eat and for the meanwhile what about something to drink too?”

“There’s a vending machine in that store should I get us some?”

“Are you sure Eunsun-ee? Do you have enough change?”

“Yes,” she jiggled her pocket, “do we want tea or coffee?”

“We all drink coffee,” Hyori stated blankly. Eunsun nodded as she went into the convenience store. She put her coins into the machine and calculated the cost.

“Oh no.”

“Is there something wrong?” She turned around. There was a woman with short black hair dressed in jeans and a red coat. Something about her was familiar but Eunsun couldn’t put her finger on it.

“Oh, I just realized that I’m short on change.”

“Would you like some?” The lady held out some coins in her hand, Eunsun quickly added up the amount. It would just be enough.

“Oh I couldn’t—“

“its Christmas eve consider it to be an early Christmas gift,” she took Eunsun’s hand and tipped the change into it.

“T-thank you…” Eunsun bowed.

“You look familiar, are you the future queen…?”

“Shh,” Eunsun made a shushing noise. The woman’s mouth went into an ‘o’ shape.

“Please do not tell anyone,” she whispered, “our whereabouts is not supposed to be known.”

“Ok, but can I ask you a favor?”

“Sure it can be my way of repaying you for the money.”

“Take a picture with me?” Eunsun had to think, she peered behind and around the woman before agreeing. They stood together; the woman was a few centimeters taller than her.

“Thank you,” the woman then pressed some buttons on her phone.

“W-what are you doing?” Eunsun asked anxiously.

“Oh…Is it ok if I show my mother? She’s a fan of yours.”

“Umm I guess.” She would rather she didn’t but it felt rude to say so.

“Thank you,” the woman finished with her phone and then put it back. Suddenly something began to start playing:

‘Keep your head down…’That was when Eunsun realized who it may have been.

“Hello? Oppa what are you…? You saw the picture? What are you doing with eomma’s phone? Oh ok.”

“I think I should….”

“Hold on one second,” the woman turned to her, “he wants to say hi.”

“Who?”

“My oppa.”

“Who’s your oppa?”

“He’s in Dong Bang Shin Ki,” Eunsun’s eyes widened.

“Huh? Oh sorry oppa I forgot to ask that. I will be back soon so tell appa not to worry.” Eunsun was handed the phone.

“Sorry but what is his name?” Eunsun asked her holding the phone in limbo.

“Oh which one did you want, his stage name or real name?”

“Yah why didn’t you tell her dongsaeng?!” Eunsun almost dropped the phone, the person’s voice louder than she expected.

“Sorry it’s on loud speaker,” she replied, “sorry oppa,” she said to the phone.

“It’s ok Jihye-ah,” Eunsun’s face went pale, “you still there?” He suddenly asked in the phone.

“Yes oppa, did you still want to speak to her majesty?”

“I-I’m not anyone royal…”

“That’s her,” Eunsun turned the loud speaker off and placed it to her ear.

“Hello? This is Kang Eunsun-sshi speaking.”

“Eunsun-sshi! This is U-know from Dong Bang Shin Ki.”

“Ah right,” Eunsun was surprised at how dim witted she was sounding, “I think I may know who you are.”

“That’s a first,” he chuckled on the line, “normally people say ‘oh I love you oppa,’ and ‘Hwaiting,’ but this is kind of refreshing to hear something different.”  

“I suppose it is,” Eunsun turned to Jihye hoping she would want the phone back.

“Do you listen to our music?”

“Ah I think I have one of your CD’s,” Eunsun told him, “I’ve forgotten the name of it though…”

“That’s ok; we did a lot of music. Do you have a favorite song?”

“Umm,” Eunsun paused to think, “What is that one to do with the word Begin?”

“Begin?”

“Yes that one, I think,” Eunsun hit herself in the forehead and was relieved for a moment that he couldn’t see it. The likelihood that this was even going to happen had been low.

“Eunsun-ee?” Someone called from outside the shop, “we’re getting cold!”

“Oh sorry Donggun-sshi,” Eunsun bowed to him.

“Are we keeping you from something?” U-know asked her over the phone.

“Ah it’s alright,” Eunsun hastily added, “are you and your having a good Christmas?”

“Yes Jihye-ah was meant to grab some flour for us but then she ended up sending that picture of you two to my eomma’s phone and eomma had her hands covered in batter so she asked me to check it when it went off.”

“I thought it was your eomma that was my fan,” Eunsun said in a low voice to Jihye.

“Ah actually I am too,” this caught Eunsun by surprise.

“You like me too?”

“Yeah, we were chilling out at our dorm when your interview with his majesty came on TV after Inkigayo. Normally we turn it off after that but Changmin wanted to see it so we watched it and well… You seem like a nice approachable person.”

“W-w… Thank you,” she bowed causing Jihye to giggle.

“Unnie he can’t see you.”

“He can’t…?”

“You’re an unnie? By how much?”

“Umm… How old are you?”

“I am twenty four.”

“I’m twenty eight…” Jihye mouthed a ‘whoa’ while her oppa spoke on the phone.

“Wow you sure don’t look it,” U-know added, “can I call you noona?”

“Eunsun we’re waiting.”

“Sorry I have to go, yes you may U-know, is there anything else you want me to do quickly?”

“Aegyo?”

“Wow that’s a first,” Jihye commented, “he doesn’t normally ask for that sort of thing.”

“Umm I don’t have…” Eunsun had to make up something on the spot, “ok umm… Be happy U-know-sshi.” She said in the cutest high pitched voice she could possibly think of. Jihye was laughing while Eunsun felt herself being swallowed into the ground.

“You don’t do it a lot right noona?”

“No not really…”

“That’s ok I appreciate it, I’ll let you go, Merry Christmas Eunsun-sshi.”

“Merry Christmas U-know-sshi.”

“Call me Yunho-sshi.”

“Ok, until next time, take care.”

“You too, thanks for talking to me,” he hung up and Eunsun handed the phone back to Jihye before she grabbed the cans of drinks.

“Thank you.”

“Please don’t tell anyone,” Eunsun begged, “at least until January anyway.” Jihye nodded.

“Ok sure, merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas.”

***

“How long does it take to get drinks?” Hyori snapped as Eunsun handed them all a can of the coffee and giving Soo-yoon a hot chocolate.

“Sorry someone figured out who I was.”

“Did they say anything!?” Donggun was in her face, Eunsun was leaning backwards. Donggun was pulled back  by someone who appeared to be Youngmin.

“Yes…They wanted to take a picture and then their oppa spoke to me on the phone.”

“What?!” Donggun gave an exasperated sigh, “we’re done for… Your highness we will have to move the vacation…”

“Hold on, we will just wait and see if the news gets out first,” Youngmin said sounding perfectly composed, “did you ask them to keep it secret?” Eunsun nodded.

Yeah….You probably know that I like Yunho right?- Ultimate bias right here JThat’s why he had to make some appearance. I needed a place name and Gwangju was the first name I thought of (obvious reasons LOL) I hope we liked his brief guest appearance. I will include more later on down the track. How many do we have so far? It’s four or five XD.