Victoria was having a wonderful time, she didn’t think she would be having this much fun in a snotty charity gala. She giggles at what Se Young was saying to her, “Don’t believe her! She likes to exaggerate things.” She glares at her friend. She smiles at the group, his friends had been so nice to her.

Se Young was telling everyone the adventures they did while they were in school back in San Francisco. “No I am not!” she grins, she turns to Nichkhun, “Your beloved other half just happens to know a thing or two about terrorizing bullies!”

“Se Young!” Victoria exclaims, she turns to Nichkhun, “It just happened the one time, they were making fun of a small boy so I figured I had to get in there to even the odds.” She explains.

The whole group laughed out loud, Victoria turns into a pretty pink.

Nichkhun chuckles, “That was very nice of you, Babe. I bet the little boy was infatuated with you.”

Se Young giggles, “Yes, he was. He started following her around.” She pauses as she tries to remember something, “And later on he even asked her out on a date, except he was not a scrawny boy anymore but our hot high school jock! Do you still keep in touch with Brad?” she was asking her friend, thoroughly curious, her eyes full of laughter but she sobered at the dark look from Nichkhun. She clears and laughs, “It was a long time ago, Khun.”

Victoria laughs, “We email back and forth.” She gave her boyfriend a smile when he tugged her closer to him, “He is now married with two children.” She tells him as she patted his arm to reassure him. He still looked unconvinced but smiles when his friends laughed.

Their laughter was interrupted when somebody approached their group.

“Hi! Glad to see you guys are all here!” Tiffany greets them brightly.  

Junho gave her a small smile, “Hi there, Tiff.” he looked around the group since everyone fell silent after her greeting. He clears his throat and takes a sip from his drink. The atmosphere was suddenly awkward.

It didn’t seem to bother Tiffany, she smiles at Victoria and Se Young, “It’s nice to meet again, Victoria, Se Young.” She gave each of them a nod at their smile; she smiles up brightly at Nichkhun, “Khun.”

“Tiff.” Nichkhun nods her way, he unconsciously rubs Victoria’s back.

“You look smashing. Tiff!” Jun.Ki compliments her, “Who is your date tonight? You can’t have come alone.” He smiles at her while keeping his arms around his date’s waist.

“I came with my, Dad.” She says with a smile, she waves behind her nonchalantly, “he is somewhere back there talking to his friends.”

Silence followed after that, Tiffany smiles up at Nichkhun, “So I was wondering when you’re finally taking me out to lunch.”

Jun.Ki’s date, Gyuri, suddenly frowns after she gasps audibly and was just about to say something- and judging by the look on her face it was not going to be pleasant - when Jun.Ki pulls her closer and turns her to him, “Now, hon,” He whispers to her pleadingly, he clears his throat, “We are going to get drinks, anybody interested?” he smiles sweetly at everyone.

“We’ll go with you!” Junho volunteers, but his date, Hara looked at him sternly, “I will stay here.” She tells him, her eyes shooting daggers at Tiffany. Junho laughs nervously, “But we are going to need your help.”

Both men were smiling as they pulled at their dates, promising to be back with drinks for everyone.

Tiffany just giggles at the retreating back of the two pairs, “Well?” she was still waiting for Nichkhun’s reply even after being interrupted.

Nichkhun smiles, “I haven’t found an opening with my schedule, I will get back with you.”

“She can join us on Tuesday.” Victoria suddenly says up at him, she smiles at Tiffany, “We are having lunch out on Tuesday, and you are welcome to join us.” She tells the woman sweetly.

Tiffany looked surprised but was able to recover and smiles back at her, “Sure, I would love that!” she gushes.

“Babe.” Nichkhun was frowning down at his girlfriend; he was not expecting that from her. He was expecting her to threaten him later never to go out with Tiffany.

“It will be fun, Babe.” Victoria says to him sweetly, “I would like to get to know all your friends.” She emphasized the last word, she spotted Se young smirking in the corner of her eye and Wooyoung coughed to hide his grin.

He chuckles and bends down to kiss her on the forehead, “Alright, your wish is my command.” He turns to Tiffany, “We’ll see you on Tuesday then.”

“Great!” Tiffany beams, “I’m excited!” she smiles up at Nichkhun.

“That sounds like fun, you guys mind if I tag along?” Se Young asks sweetly, she smirks at Tiffany’s sudden look of annoyance, one that she was able to change back into a smile.

Nichkhun chuckles, “You’re welcome to come too, Sey.” He presses Victoria right next to him, he looks down and they share a laugh.

A very distinguished looking man suddenly appears by Tiffany’s side, “There you are my dear.” He smiles at her, “You have to excuse me, but can I borrow my daughter for a few minutes?” he says to the other four.

Wooyoung nods furiously, “Of course, Mr. Hwang!” he grins at the older man.

Mr. Hwang turns to his daughter, “Your godfather wants a word with you.” He smiles back at the group, “Gentlemen,” he nods graciously at Victoria and Se Young, “Ladies.”

“See you guys later!” Tiffany waves as she gets guided away by her father.

Wooyoung lets out a breath, “Phew, that was awkward!” he exclaims just as Jun.Ki and Junho approached with their dates in their arms.

“You can say that again!” Junho winced and takes another sip from his drink after giving the other glass he was carrying to Nichkhun. Se Young hurriedly told the girls what transpired while they were away.

“She had the nerve to just ask?!” Gyuri snarls, her eyes still sharp at Tiffany’s retreating back, “I’m sorry, Khun, I know you still hold her in a certain regard but I was just about to lose it earlier! Can she not see that you are with Victoria?!”

“Calm down, Unnie!” Hara says laughingly, “I really thought something was going to happen earlier.”

Se Young giggles, “No kidding! I was holding my breath, Gyuri. I was slightly disappointed when Jun.Ki decided to step in.”

Gyuri laughs, “You had no idea!” she glares at the man beside her.

“Now girls, that is not nice.” Nichkhun tells them with a frown.

Gyuri chose to ignore him, she smiles at Victoria, “For the record, we like you very much and I am very happy that Nichkhun met you, he’s finally found someone we actually like to be around with.” She gave Victoria a warm smile.

“That’s right, Unnie!” Hara gushed, her smile brightening her face, “We all sort of tried to remove ourselves when she was around, it was a chore to be around her. But I have no problems hanging out with you, especially since you promised to make me dessert!” She was already bouncing on her heels with excitement.

Se Young sniggers, “Hara here has the same sweet tooth as Wooyoung, she is going to turn up at the shop announced, mark my word.”

Victoria smiles at Hara, “She is welcome to come anytime.” She laughs at the obvious delight of the younger woman.

“They’ve forgotten that we are here.” Wooyoung says pointedly. The women had been slowly moving towards each other and are now in a close circle and they have been delegated to stand on the side.

Nichkhun chuckles, he was watching Victoria, she was very comfortable with the other women. SeYoung and Gyuri work at the same studio while Hara is Gyuri’s next door neighbor. Jun.Ki had been wooing Gyuri forever he would show up in places where she was, that was one of the reason why Wooyoung got to meet Se Young while Junho was introduced to Hara in one of the times they happened to each other in a club. He was the only one attached at that time with Tiffany.

He suddenly remembers that when they were together with the girls before he didn’t see them this animated, they were always awkward around his ex-girlfriend; they didn’t make jokes or whispered to each other with eyes glinting with amusement. He wonders what the difference was.

“Isn’t that a wonderful sight?” Jun.Ki says with wonder in his voice his eyes fixed on the women, he suddenly looked hopeful, he turns to Nichkhun, “Maybe you can tell Victoria to have Gyuri give me a chance!”

Junho nods, “Yeah, me too!” he chuckles at Jun.Ki’s dark look, “with Hara, I mean.”

Wooyoung laughs, “You two tell Victoria, she likes to help, she may be the answer to your prayers.”

Nichkhun frowns at him, “Be careful with the words you use man.”

“Arrasso, arrasso!” Wooyoung nods as he laughs at his bestfriend, “We already know she’s yours!”

Nichkhun laughs with his friends, he was having a wonderful time, usually parties such as this one is dragging for him, he and his friends often chose to leave early to have fun in a different venue but