Outside, a tired figure approached her room as the wild carefree laughter escaping from 2pm’s room got louder and louder. She turned the key and pushed open her door, sighing heavily as she dumped her huge luggage onto the floor. She dropped the file that she was holding onto the wooden desk, fanning out her folders. She still had work to do. Her mother was right, working here in Korea was not as easy as she thought. She yanked off her heels. She looked around, exploring the room. She couldn’t help but feel disappointed. So this is how people working for JYP who choose to live in the dorm live, she thought silently. Back at the flat which she had rented to stay for the past 2 weeks, at least it looked like a decent place for a young girl to live, with a nice TV and nice rooms. Colorful wallpapers lightened up the atmosphere paintings hung around, with dainty little curtains. Here, it looked nothing but...a dorm. It felt as if she had returned back to her student years when she lived in the dormitory with her bunch of besties, all lousy sixteen year-olds, studying and laughing together, having midnight feasts. But now things were different, she didn’t even have a friend. She was, alone. A wave of loneliness suddenly hit her. She sat down and whatsapped her mom for quite a while, missing her terribly. She wondered how her siblings were.

After her shower, she felt more energetic. She wiped her make-up off and ruffled her hair. She tried to find where the hair dryer was, unfortunately without any success. After 15 minutes she still couldn’t, so she decided to go to find her neighbours and ask them where it could be. She didn’t want to bother 2pm so she went to the opposite direction. It wasn’t because she didn’t like them, it wasn’t because she was shy; she just felt it was weird as they would be working together. But nobody answered. Apparently the others were not there. She sighed, walking slowly to 2pm’s dorm, her towel still wrapped around her shoulders. She rang their doorbell once, twice.

Inside, the group of boys were unaware of what was happening, still discussing about her.

“Shh...” said Junsu, walking cautiously. “I wonder who is it. Why would anybody come to visit us at the middle of the night!” groaned Wooyoung, pouting. Junsu peered through the keyhole, tugging at his shirt nervously. His eyes widened as he turned around. “It’s a girl!” He said, excited. “A GIRL?” exclaimed the others, all gushing forwards. Junsu opened the door, to find Emile Stanely standing outside, her hair cocked to one side.

Chansung's pov 

Inside my bedroom, as I repeatedly slammed my hands on the wall, I heard a doorbell ring. I felt mad, all of the sudden. Like, seriously mad. Who would be disturbing us in the middle of the night? And why would my hyungs bother me when I felt down? I just wanted them to leave me alone, I had enough of them. Sometimes, they could be just so immature. We had always tolerated each other and bore each other’s stress and troubles. Together, we were a team, we were one, we were 2pm. But now, I just felt like I wanted to kick the daylights out of them. Their happy laughter outside made me exceptionally annoyed. I hella wanted to slap them unconscious. Junsu especially. He was so loud and lousy. The voice of a girl outside suddenly brought my thoughts to Emile ssi, the girl we met today. For some reason I had shown dislike towards her, it had been adrupt---my feelings. I kind of felt icy when I saw her. Yet inside I felt so uncomfy, but in a sort of nice way, I guess; and my heart would beat so loudly I feared my hyungs would hear it. What the hell was wrong with me? For a brief moment I did not have an answer.

***

“Mianhamnida! So sorry to disturb you at such a late hour but could any of you kindly tell me where the hairdryer is?” She asked, indirectly directing the question to Taecyeon. She felt exhausted, too exhausted to use Korean. She didn’t even bother to think. It had been a long day. She reached her hand up to tousle her thick, brown hair, which cascaded to her back. She found the silence awkward when nobody replied. She noticed Nickhun gulp as he looked at her. She felt embarrassed, afraid that she had disturbed them in a sort of way, then extremely cautious, wondering was it that she had a stinky breath or a pimple on her nose or what. Junho looked at her and blinked continuously, afterwards sending her numerous eye-smiles. It was kinda obvious that Junho thought her pretty. But then Wooyoung looked at her and gave a surprised look, then bowed his head down like a sorry kid. And how on earth was she supposed to know what that was supposed to mean?  Her gaze turned to Taecyeon as she glanced at them intently through her long lashes, still waiting for an answer. Taecyeon showed no sign, his face blank. She thought she had caught him eyeing at her, but then when she stared again he wasn’t. She decided she was dreaming. He cocked his head and raised an eyebrow, heading towards a drawer next to him. “They don’t provide a hairdryer. But we can lend ours to you for today if you want it.” Her lips formed a small ‘o” shape as she peered around at their room, which was basically 4 times as large as hers. She thanked them quickly and bowed, turning around to leave. “ANNYEONG!” Yelled an enthusiastic Junsu, his voice echoing loudly in the corridor as his dongsaes shut him up. As soon as the door closed giggles and extremely loud “whispers” erupted once again from the door. She was sure she was the topic they were gossiping about. She felt bad; did she not remember all of the rules her senior had told her? Or by any chance had she acted inappropriate or impolite? She wandered back to her room, pondering, afraid once again to have offended anyone.

The guys were ecstatic. Junho kept “woah”ing and smacking Wooyoung on the shoulder while the two of them exchanged astonished glances. What she didn’t know was that the boys didn’t think she acted impolite or inappropriate. They were, in fact, extremely impressed. Moreover, by her beauty.

 Nickhun's pov 

 God knew she could look so damn good in her casuals. Hair let down, still wet from her shower, dark and thick, with scents of vanilla seeping out as she ran her fingers smoothly through her silky hair. She was, indeed, hot; the guys concluded. There was something special about her though, which differentiated her from the other dolls they saw or flirted with. She was hot, but in a different way. She wasn’t cute or super y or what, she was simply, purely, downright pretty in the most natural way. And she had a certain aura of intelligence around her, which impressed the guys. Just by the way she walked, or greeted others, you could see she was very knowledgeable and had a very unique hint of sagaciousness and sophistication. She made the guys want to act all mature and wear suits in front of her. Her deep-set gray eyes, sparkled, yet were so dazzlingly gentle and velvety in a way that they seemed to speak to whoever it was looking at which made it elegant and beautiful. The nose was slender, and led to the face which ended with a smooth v-shape, her petite lips forming a rosy petite smile so delicate it made you want to kiss her. I tried to compress my feelings, hoping that they would not be made too obvious for my hyungs. I excused myself to the toilet, where I decided to spend my next twenty minutes in.

Taecyeon's pov 

Just one look at that Nickhun guy and you’d know he was trying to console his feelings for the girl. I was also, quite stunned at her sudden outburst of beauty, I would have to admit. For I had not paid too much attention to her during the day. What you could also tell, was that the other guys were very impressed. Like, seriously. Junho couldn’t have made it even more obvious, it was like he had words stuck to his forehead saying “Woah. I’m trying to flirt right now cuz I likkkeeeee you!” As for Wooyoung he couldn’t tell, either she didn’t attract him or he hid his feelings really well; but as far as he was concerned, it seemed as if it was the first one rather than the second. She didn’t seem to be the type Wooyoung would chase after.

 But Junho and Nickhun’s likings towards her seemed different; in a way. Junho was kind of the totally-head-over-heels-attracted-due-to-her-beauty-and-would-do-anything-to-please-her-and-would-gape-at-her-and-then-swoon-everytime-he-saw-her-and-call-to-her-in-his-dreams-and-go-like-oh-my-goddess-omo- type. Nickhun was the crush type, who secretly liked her but would rather let himself go through uncountable internal struggles than to express his feelings. My two brothers could be so utterly different. I gave myself a small smirk as I rested my hand on the sofa. How about you? A sudden voice asked myself. I was caught straight on the spot. The fact that you can’t give an answer, does that mean you like her? “Aniya!!!” I yelled, not realizing that I had shocked my bros straight on the spot. Junsu looked at Junho, then burst into tears of joy at my crude behavior. “Michin salam!” yelped Junho, falling helplessly on the sofa. Junsu pounded his chest as he rolled on the floor. “Yah! Don’t do that! Stop exaggerating!”I yelled. Seriously!

“Aniya!! We did NOT!” yelled both of them at the same time, mimicking my peevish tone.

I was halfway rolling my eyes. Then I decided to turn around and get myself a cup of water instead. I was not going to waste my time on them.

“Yah! He’s angry because we got him!” “Nae! How can a man like you be so stingy!” “C’mon. You are THE beast Ok Taecyeon!”

They were totally unworthy of mentioning.

“Yah why are you taking so long in the toilet!”I yelled, knocking on the door, trying to advert the attention to Nickhun. The toilet flushed as soon as I said so and the guilty guy rushed out, trying to act as if nothing happened; huh, who was he trying to fool? Maybe Junsu the pabo,  but definitely not me! Even Junho noticed something was wrong. He peered at Nickhun quietly, his face anxious. ‘Aish jinjja...’ Nickhun grunted, then stuttered back to his room with his hand ruffling his hair. I knew he liked her a lot. I just knew it. Wooyoung stared at me and giggled, shaking his head at Nickhun. “I THINK HE LIKES HER!” said Wooyoung, crossing his arms. Seriously, that whisper was so loud Nickhun could probably hear it even if he stood fifty miles away, and did he even have to say that?  It was just the same as saying that lemons were yellow. That was our Wooyoung, always stating the obvious. “I know.” I said, glaring, annoyed at him. He looked hurt. My expression softened as I said, “Yah. It’s been quite a while since Khun was so serious about a girl, right?” Wooyoung nodded as he made his way to the room. I turned around at Junho, who was absolutely shocked. I raised an eyebrow. That’s when I thought of it---Junho was supposed to like her too. Geez. Love triangle? No way. I would have to bring one of them out before things got worse.

I suddenly remembered the hairdryer. She probably did not remember to return it back. I grunted. I went back to my room, feeling extremely tired all of the sudden. Why did my playful mood suddenly turn so dejected and grumpy? I should probably be feeling happy now, that my bros were finally gonna get a girlfriend. Why did I feel like I wanted to stop both of them from liking her instead? I decided to ask myself one more time. Taecyeon ah, do you like her? The voice rang in my mind silently. The image of her smiling eyes rippled in my mind. I pictured her smile, her laugh, her soft lips. “I don’t know.” I replied, landing my chin on the top of my knees, bracing myself. “I don’t know.”