After two days of rest and medical care, Donghae was finally deemed healthy enough by Marcy to be walking around for a bit. We decided to spend a couple more days in Manila before going back to Seoul and resuming a hectic schedule.

Our first agenda: SHOPPING

I guess all of Leeteuk’s bragging talks about his two days of shopping got to Donghae and he wanted to go around the malls and experience it as well. We went to probably the biggest mall in the country. Thankfully, it’s a weekday and there weren’t a lot of people around.

Donghae: The malls out here are simply huge!

Me:  It’s not like malls in Seoul are tiny by comparison.

Donghae: We have huge malls too, of course, but I haven’t really been around them. I haven’t really been around malls much, except for mall shows and some fan signing. I don’t have much time. The one time I actually gave in to my urge to shop… it cost me something precious.

Me: Huh? Really? You must’ve spent a lot of money! What did you buy?

Donghae: (~Laughing bitterly~) Just some shirts, a couple of gadgets, some perfume…

Me: Designer ones?

Donghae: No.

Me: Then how much did that cost you?

Donghae: Not much money. But it kept me in Thailand for one day longer than I was supposed to stay…that cost me the Earth….anyway, I don’t want to dwell on such things! Come on, I want to see those shoes!!!

And so, the day was spent burning credit cards. We had lunch at a Chinese restaurant and then of course, watched another movie.

 We also went ice skating and tried some arcade games, but the main bulk of time was spent buying stuff. The one thing I can say, though, Donghae wasn’t just buying for himself. He bought three hats for Eunhyuk, shirts and perfume for everyone, a fancy bracelet for Heechul  and even a necklace for Siwon.

Me: How do you plan to bring all of that back home?

Donghae: Why are some people afraid of excess baggage tariffs? It’s all worth it, to see someone smile when you bring them something from a trip.

Me: You, my friend, are something else. Anyway, let’s have dinner now. It’s seven PM, we’ve been running around this place for nine hours, let’s not overdo things. And besides, we can’t buy any more stuff…we can’t carry them!

Donghae: Okay, but we’ll go back for more tomorrow…

Me: What else can you possibly have missed?

Donghae: I don’t know…uhm… okay! Instead of shopping, let’s go to a theme park instead!

Me: What? The theme parks in Korea are ten times more exciting than the theme parks here! I’m afraid we haven’t caught up in that aspect, I guess Filipinos are more fond of shopping than going to parks.

Donghae: I don’t care. For me, Philippine theme parks will be the most exciting theme parks ever in my life.

Me: How would you know? You haven’t even seen one.

Donghae: (~Suddenly turning serious~) Because I have you with me here.

Me: Aissshhh! Fine! Come on, feed me, I’m starving!

After dinner, we of course, had coffee before finding a taxi big enough to stuff all the shopping bags in.  We struggled with all of the shopping bags back up to the suite and practically collapsed on the floor with exhaustion.

Me: Aaaaarrrghh! I’m so tired! Hey, get up! The floor is no place for you to sleep…you’ll catch a cold.

I got up and pulled at Donghae’s arm, trying to get him to stand up. He was resisting with all his weight.

Me: Don’t make me use a judo move on you!

Donghae: (~Laughing~) Like you did on Heechul-hyung? I heard you almost killed him.

Me: He exaggerates. I may have almost maimed him, but I wouldn’t have killed him. Get up!

Donghae: (~Pulling at my arm~) No.

Me: Hae!

Donghae: It’s more fun to sleep on the floor!

And he gave me a powerful tug which upset my balance and I ended up on the floor, half on top of him!

Donghae: Ugh! You ate a lot!

Me: Aisshh! So did you! Let me up!!

Donghae: (~Wrapping his arms and legs around me playfully~) No. It’s fine. Let’s stay here for a while.

Me: Stop being a kid, Hae.

Donghae: (~Turning serious and pushing the hair back off my forehead~) If I stop being a kid right now, Rain, I start being something else…

I was nervously looking at him, at a loss for words, when the door suddenly opened.

“What on Earth….???”