All too soon for my peace of mind, morning has arrived.

I know Mr.Han said I don’t need to go to the office for the next five days, but trust me, this job isn’t an office job anyway. My real “office” is anywhere there is the presence of those ten (at least, the other three aren’t my problem right now) rascals next door.

Fortified with three cups of coffee and my all-access key card, I headed for my “work”.

I knocked several times on the door, but there was no answer, so, as much as I feel like I’m invading their privacy, I used my access card to open the door.

I knew that Super Junior’s apartment would probably be big, since it occupies most of the 8^th floor of the building, but I had no idea it was THAT big. Upon entering, I come upon a large living area with a long black leather couch that basically wraps around three sides of the room, on the carpet are about a dozen huge pillows and there is a long low table in the middle. The only other furnishing is a large flat screen TV on the other wall. There were no pictures on the wall or anywhere else. On one side is a long hallway with at least a dozen doors leading off it, that must be the bedrooms.

Separated by a breakfast bar is a modern kitchen that’s twice the size of my own, with a fridge that looks like it belongs in a busy restaurant.  Working on the kitchen alone is Ryeowook.

Me:  Morning, Wookie!

Ryeowook: Hi, noona! Good morning! How do you know my nickname?

Me: Well, I’m not exactly ignorant on Super Junior. I have two special dongsaengs back in Manila who practically died when they learned of my assignment here in Korea. Actually, it was Janine and her cousin Ruth who gave me the lowdown on Super Junior.

Ryeowook: Wow! Will I be able to meet them? I want to!

Me: Just you? You don’t want to share them with the hyungs? Ha ha! Maybe if they’re really good in school, their parents will let them visit.

Ryeowook: (~Sitting on the breakfast bar, a slightly melancholic expression on his beautiful face~)Yeah, just me. People rarely notice me when the others are around…not that I mind, though! I’m glad I’m around such lovely hyungs!

Me: Aisshh, Wookie! Who told you that nobody notices you? You’re the first one whose name I remembered. You have a unique voice and frankly, a very handsome face. You just seem to deliberately shrink into the background when the others are around. You should try to speak more.

Ryeowook: Ah, you’re just saying that to be kind.

Me: Ha ha! Who said I’m being kind? I’m known at the Manila Office as The Bully. I don’t say things I don’t mean, too!

Ryeowook: Well, in that case, would you like some scrambled eggs and toast for breakfast?

Me: I would love some. But why are you alone here? Have the others left?

Ryeowook: No, they’re probably asleep or doing stuff in their rooms,I’ll call them when it’s time for breakfast.

Me: What?!? You’re not their cook, you know. They should help you out.

Ryeowook: I know, but I really love to cook. And the last time Shindong hyung and HyukJae hyung tried to help, they burnt the eggs and ate all the sausages before the others woke up.

Me: Shindong ate all the food and EunHyuk burned the eggs?

Ryeowook: Ha ha! No! Shindong hyung burned the eggs and HyukJae hyung ate the food. People assume that the one who eats most is Shindong, it’s actually Hyukkie.

Eunhyuk: (~from just outside the kitchen, all his hair standing on its end, obviously straight from bed~)Yah, Wookie! Telling tales about me?

Me: Good morning, EunHyuk. Have you ever heard of this wonderful new invention?

EunHyuk: What invention? Is it good? For my laptop?

Me: No, for your hair. It’s called a comb. Use one lest the paparazzi catches a photo of you looking like you electrocuted yourself.

EunHyuk: Aisshh! You are so harsh, Noona! Be careful I don’t fall in love with you. (~approacehs with open arms~) Wookie, what’s for breakfast.

Me: Whoa! Remember what I told you last night? About touching me and food?

EunHyuk: Ah, yes, yes…just joking. You’re grumpy in the morning! I’ll go wash up and wake the others,too.

Just then, the outer door opens to admit Shindong, Sungmin and Yesung, all sweaty and dressed in jogging clothes.

Sungmin: (~jogging over to my spot~) Noona! Great morning to you! (~he says this while doing jumping jacks~)

Yesung: (~out of breath and practically crawling over~) Hey, Sungmin! Enough! Just looking at you is raising my blood pressure!

Me: Geez, Sungmin! Are you on Red Bull or something?

Sungmin: Ha ha! No, I’m just always like this. Oh, by the way…Shindong hyung! Come over here and meet Rain noona! She’s our new PR manager.

Shindong: (~collapsed on the sofa~) Hi! Please excuse me for not getting up, Noona, I’m about to die here!

Me: It’s fine, Shindong. Why don’t you crawl to the bathroom and take a shower? You’ll feel much better afterwards.

Yesung: (~slowly getting up off the stool~) I think I’ll do the same…aaaaarrrgh, this is the last time Sungmin talks me into doing this…it’s worse than concert rehearsals!

Sungmin: You’re all lazybones!  How will we develop Siwon’s chocolate abs if we don’t exercise?

Shindong: I have chocolate abs…it’s a chocolate EGG!!

Just then Heechul comes in, still wearing my pink pajama top, his hair tied atop his head. I swear, that is a girl I’m looking at!

Me: Hey, do you have any plans to return that to me? Just asking, okay.

Heechul: Actually, if you don’t mind, I won’t. I look really good in it.

Me: Well, now that you mention it, you look much prettier than I ever did on that. Okay, you can have it, but you have to wash the sheets you soiled last night.

Heechul: Darn! But I might ruin my lovely hands! People pay good money to shake these beautiful hands! But for this pretty top…(~scratches his head as he sits on the stool~)

Then, a very loud argument begins in one of the rooms.

Kyuhyun: Hyung!!! You’re breaking my winning streak!! Get out of my room!

Eunhyuk: No! You’ve been in front of that laptop since we got in at 3AM! That’s my charger you’re using, too!

Kyuhyun: Just let me borrow it for a bit. I NEED IT!!!

Eunhyuk: Borrow? You’ve had it for two days now. My battery is empty! Give it back!

And I can hear scuffling and a loud scream..what? Is Kyuhyun being murdered  for a laptop charger?

Ryeowook: (~probably noticing that I’m getting a bit nervous~) It’s okay, noona, they won’t hurt each other.

Heechul: Not permanently, anyway. Speaking of hurt, do you realize that you have a blackeye?

Me: Yeah, I know. I can feel it. It’s thanks to a bony elbow that greeted my left eye last night with a loud kiss. (~I was looking pointedly at his elbow~)

Heechul: Maybe it was Leeteuk. He has bony elbows.

Me: Yeah, riiiiggghht…where is he anyway?

Kyuhyun: (~coming into the kitchen with his laptop, not even bothering to look up~) Probably still asleep. He sleeps like the dead. Good morning!

I noticed that his shirt was torn at the neck.

Me: Morning, GaemGyu! Are you okay? Eunhyuk practically tore you apart and you’re still playing.

Kyuhyun: Yeah, I’m okay. I need to play, I’m up for championship on this. Don’t worry, he’ll let me replace it with any shirt I want from his wardrobe. (~And he looks up briefly with an—evil?---smile~)

And so, that’s how most of the day went by. Being oriented into the unique habits and attitude of each member, either by tales told by others or by witnessing them with my own eyes. They argue a lot---loudly and sometimes a bit violently---but at the end of the day, they all love each other with a loyalty that is rare, even for true blood brothers. It was quite enlightening.

After lunch, prepared by Wookie and I, Eunhyuk, Shindong and Ryeowook went grocery shopping. Heechul did as he promised and washed my linen, then went to meet some friends. Yesung, Leeteuk and Sungmin went out, too. Only Kyuhyun and I were left on the apartment, he’s---yes, you guessed right---playing another game, and I watched TV for a bit.

I must’ve drifted off again, because the next thing I am aware of is feeling someone breathing on my face, when I opened my eyes, I saw an angelic face staring at me…with a hellishly mischievous smile on his eyes.

*********

Okay, I apologize for not bringing Donghae in yet...and Siwon only briefly. I'm still trying to figure out how to introduce our two main characters in. Donghae will come out REAL soon, promise!!