“Put your phone in this bag, and your computer too if you brought one, please. They will be delivered to your apartment after exactly one week.” the woman informed him, holding up a carefully labeled plastic bag. Wow, they really took the 'no outside contact' rule of the first week seriously. Yunho grinned politely. “Excuse me, can I just make one phone call first, I won't be long.” he asked, hopeful, batting his eyelashes on purpose. He wanted to hear Yuna's voice one last time to get him through the terrifying week ahead. Just for a second, to give him strength and to remind him what was at stake. The woman blushed, looking down and waving him away, essentially giving him permission.

*dring* *dring*

Yunho listened to the ringtone, growing more restless with every ringing. “Pick up, pick uuup.” he pleaded, but he didn't get his wish, it went straight to voicemail. “This is Kim Yuna. Please leave a message.”. Straightforward and bright, just like the voice's owner. The beep rang in his ears.

“Yuna-ya, my ice princess, they are taking my phone for a week so I just wanted to hear your voice. You know I'm going to miss you right? Na-ah, I'm going to miss you more. I'm telling you.” he chuckled, knowing she would fight him on it if she were really there. “Take care and don't overwork yourself okay? I'll call you in a week. Love you.” he concluded. It wasn't as epic a message as he would have wanted it to be, but it would have to do. He hadn't expected her not to pick up, but she was the type to keep herself busy so it wasn't that out of the ordinary. He thanked the woman with a nod as he put his phone in the bag and sealed it.

He took a seat in the waiting room, looking around and seeing a lot of nervous but excited faces. He almost wished he could be as excited as them. He was curious, that he couldn't deny. What kind of girl would his blood conjure up? Did it really work? Would he connect with her instantly or at all? His number flashed on the screen. As he stood up to get his results, he crossed his fingers that he would be sent home with no match and a promise that he could take part in the test again in three years time.

'Apartment 404' the note said. He stared at the key in his hand, would it be able to unlock his heart? Or was Yuna the only one with the right key? He imagined himself entering the room, a beautiful girl sitting poised on the sofa, waiting for him, welcoming him home. Just by looking into each other's eyes a spark would be ignited, growing into a wild fire, burning everything in its path. Seeing he was tired, she would give him a back rub while the dinner was cooking in the oven. She was polite and considerate, but one could see that there was more to her than met the eye, a humorous remark slipping out once in a while. Laughing together at just such an instance their lips would accidentally meet and the rest was history. Later they would tell their grandchildren their True Love story as they prepared to take the test themselves. What was he thinking? He shook the image out of his head, temporarily having fallen for True Love's charm. Yuna was the one he wanted, Kim Yuna.

He had reached the door, but his heart had not. He wasn't prepared to find out what was on the other side. He considered knocking to announce his arrival, but thought better of it. It was better if he had the upper hand, the element of surprise. He took an extra deep breath and opened the door.

As he scanned the room his eyes found a guy sitting on the sofa. He looked like money, lots and lots of money. He was wearing a tight fitting suit, underlining his tall and slender figure. His face a work of art, his high cheekbones hinting at the possibility of royal ancestry. It was as if he had been plucked straight out of a magazine, a film star at the peak of his career, or perhaps a singer. No, he was too good looking to be a singer. He wondered if he had had some help from the world of plastic, but no human was talented enough to produce that face. It had to be natural. Supernatural.

The Greek statue crossed his arms, his eyes shooting sparks. Those rich guys always felt so entitled, thinking the world revolved around them, having no idea how hard it was to try and make a living when you were born with less than nothing. It rubbed him the wrong way. There had not been a day in his life where he hadn't worked so hard that his bones felt like they were breaking from the inside out. He didn't have much, but everything he had, he had worked hard to get. There were no freebies in Yunho's world.

But what was that guy doing in his apartment? Did he have the wrong apartment? He checked the number on the door again, comparing it with the number on the note. It was the same number. And the key had worked. Did they have to share? Maybe they had run out of apartments, underestimating the number of participants, putting two couples per housing as a last minute desperate measure. That had to be it. Or that guy was the one that was in the wrong place, but he didn't really look like a guy that would make that kind of a mistake very easily, sitting there like he owned the place.

“So we're sharing.” he noted and closed the door. It locked automatically. “Huh?” was the only sound that came from the sofa. “When are the girls arriving?” he asked cheerfully as he put his bag down, throwing in a smile to nudge the atmosphere in a friendlier direction. “The girls?” the rich guy repeated, his face one big question mark. Had he hit his head? How had the very point of this exercise escaped his attention? If he wasn't waiting for the girls, then what on Earth was he doing here?

“You know, the girls, the women we've been paired with.” he explained patiently in detail so there was no room for misunderstanding. The sofa prince snorted loudly, looking at him like he was looking at the biggest idiot he had seen in his entire life. “You are kidding right?” he retorted, smirking. Yunho didn't like his attitude, not one bit. Who was he to look down on him? He had asked a perfectly normal question in a very polite way, he was even making an effort to downplay his growing irritation towards that pompous prick, but he was not helping.

“This is apartment 404 right? I was told that my match would be waiting here.” Yunho told him, trying his best not to show his annoyance. “It's 404 alright, and I'm pretty sure you're looking right at it, him, me that is.” the chaebol kid smirked, taking joy in his confusion. Yunho just stared at him while the words sank in, causing his jaw to drop to the floor, hitting it so hard that it shattered into a million pieces.

“You're... it?!?” he exclaimed, feeling like he had been catapulted into opposite land, understanding nothing. “You're a guy!” he added outraged, but then he took another look. “Right?” he asked hesitantly. Could it be that he was just a really boyish girl? It was kind of a long shot, but his features were too graceful for a man, so it wasn't completely impossible. The sofa prince turned sofa princess sat up straight, unfolding his arms threateningly, his forehead wrinkled by his outraged disbelief. “Isn't it obvious!” he stood up, adjusting his suit, making sure to stick out his chest, his clearly less chest. So it was a guy. It was a guy?!?

“Whaaaaaat?!? I'm not gay!!” he declared in a loud voice that echoed through the living room. “Sure pal, just keep telling yourself that.” the guy shook his head as he sat back down, crossing his legs with obvious contempt, a devilish smile warming his lips. “Wait.. so you're gay?” Yunho asked him straight out, too confused to have the sense to tread lightly in the presence of such a sensitive subject. The prince raised his eyebrows, looking like he was ready to challenge whoever dared to find fault in his lifestyle to a duel.

Yunho felt dizzy. This had to be a mistake, it just had to. His results had been mixed up with the results of the poor bastard that was this prick's match made in heaven. Or hell more likely. “I have a girlfriend and everything!” he stated firmly, not appreciating how amusing that guy found this unfortunate situation. “Mhm, and no closeted gay man in the history of mankind has ever had a girlfriend.” Mr. Money retorted sarcastically, making himself comfortable on the couch again. “I'm telling you, I'm not gay! There has been some kind of a mistake, it has to be!” Yunho repeated, his voice giving off the scent of desperation. “Relax, don't get your in a twist, it's not like this actually works. You're not exactly my ideal type either..” the sofa prince frowned slightly.

Okay, okay, he was right, it had to be a mistake, a flaw in the process. A fatal glitch and he had been the poor er that fell through the cracks. He simply had to inform the staff and get this rectified. Wait. Why had His Highness sneered at the thought of him being his ideal type? And after only having met him a few minutes ago. He was tall, handsome and nice, what was not to like? What was he into then, ugly little trolls? Ah, his thoughts had been derailed. It didn't matter, he told himself. It was good that he wasn't into him, that just meant one less thing for him to worry about.

“There must be a way to reach the staff even though we're cut off from the outside, like for emergencies?” Yunho refrained from biting his nails, trying not to let the stress get to him. The Count del Sofa pointed at the door, there was a red button beside it, belonging to some kind of an intercom system. He pressed it a couple of times, and then a couple more.

“Please state your emergency.” a dry voice answered. He wasn't sure if it was the voice of a computer or of a human being impersonating a robot.

“Yes, there has been a mistake, I have been paired with the wrong person.” he stated, making sure to speak as clearly as he could.

“That's not possible.” the inhuman voice instantly concluded.

“Well, it's a guy and I'm not gay, so..” he retorted in a slightly irritated tone, shocked at the complete lack of empathy he was met with.

“Apartment number?”

“404”

“One moment please.” the voice told him before it went silent.

They had to realize there had been a mistake, it was ridiculous to think that he would have to spend the whole week with that sarcastic that had a special talent of being able to silently mock him with his every breath.

“What is your name?” the voice asked when it returned.

“Jung Yunho.” he stated, glad that whoever it was on the other side of the line hadn't abandoned him completely.

“Yes, your partner's name is Shim Changmin, is he currently on the premises?” the robot inquired.

He looked at the heir of Sofaland for confirmation, he nodded.

“Yes, but..”

“Then everything is in order.” the voice cut him off, speaking as if the conversation had reached a satisfying conclusion.

“No, everything is not in order, can I speak to a superior?” he objected, feeling the opposite of satisfied.

“No, that's not possible at this time, have a nice day.”

“Hello? Hello? HELLO!?” Yunho tried repeatedly without getting a response, panic setting in.

“I think they're gone. Probably a busy time for them today, loads of complaints I imagine.” Changmin shrugged, not really seeming to grasp the gravity of the situation. “But they can't just prohibit me from talking to a superior, what am I supposed to do now?” he complained, out of ideas and running low on hope. “I might be able to help you.. My dad has connections.. but it's going to cost you..” Changmin offered slyly, looking like he had an ulterior motive. Yunho got a pang of panic in his gut. . How far would he have to go to get him to help him. Would a simple kiss be enough? Or..

“I'm not going to sleep with you!!” he objected the moment the thought crossed his mind. Changmin snorted, “Oh please, give me some credit. I have taste, you know! Just because I'm gay doesn't mean I'd do whatever trash the wind blew in.”. There was that devious smirk again. Yunho was speechless. Calling a person you just met trash! What an insufferably rude ! He had absolutely no manners to speak of, and to make matters even worse, Yunho was pretty sure he was younger than he was! He took a deep breath, knowing it would not benefit him to get on the bad side of Changmin just when he needed something so important from him. He couldn't afford to piss him off. He was his only chance. So he calmed himself for the greater good.

“So.. what will it cost then?” he asked all business like. “Mmm.. let's just say you would owe me a big favor”. Changmin's eyes sparkled as he said it. “What kind of favor?” he inquired skeptically. “Any kind I want.” Changmin sang softly, clearly enjoying this. Yunho knew it was a risk, but it was a risk he was forced to take. He nodded hesitantly in agreement.

“But there's a snag in our plan, they took away our phones so there's no way to get in contact with him. So I guess we're stuck with each other for the rest of the week at least..” Changmin pointed out, a tiny wrinkle forming on his forehead. As Yunho gave up his last hope of getting out of here today, he realized something. If the mistake was brought to light a week too late, it would mean that it would be too late to pair him up with someone else, guaranteeing him a spot in the next testing. Which was exactly what he had been hoping for.

Okay, he could survive a week, he tried to convince himself, inadvertently glancing in Changmin's direction. His stomach churned uncomfortably.