Key wasn’t sure how he had managed to drive home safely in the mental state he was in, so when he pulled his car into his drive way with no more damage to his car (or himself) than what was already done at the mall, he breathed a small sigh of relief. He tried inhaling once again to calm himself down, but it didn’t help, so he rose from his car and stalked into the house. Inside, he flung his shoes off at the door, stomping his now slippered-feet on the expensive hardwood floors and up the stairs to his room.

“Oh, Kibum, you’re back! Please come down, we have company –“

Key slams the door to his bedroom, his mother’s voice being cut off. It wasn’t like this wasn’t normal – Key often came home in this particular manner.

His mother, even though she wasn’t, acted like she was surprised and gave a nervous smile to her guests. “Oh… you know kids,” she laughed, trying to make light of the awkward situation.

Cho Eunah loved her son, as a mother should, but didn’t understand how Kim Kibum had turned out the way he did. She did not raise him to be moody and sarcastic. She would be lying if she didn’t say she was disappointed.

Her guests just smiled and shook their heads. “Oh, no. Our son is the same age. He went through that stage as well.” The other woman said – Park Seunghee – married to Kim Yechan – who were the CEOs of the most successful entertainment company in Korean, Hyojung Entertainment.

Eunah smiled. “Yes, I’m hoping Kibum will grow out of this stage soon.” She said truthfully, even though she knew that this was no stage – this was unfortunately her son’s personality.

Her husband, Kim Hyobin, cleared his throat, signaling the end of the discussion about his and Eunah’s son.  “Again, we are so glad you arranged to meet with us,” Hyobin began.

“Well, thank you for inviting us to your home,” Yechan interrupted with a smile.

Hyobin chuckled. “Well of course. I hope we can become not only great business partners, but good friends as well.”

All four agreed, clinking their water glasses together in a toast.

“As far as the actual business affairs go...” Eunah begins. “Do you guys have any specific ways you wish to go about this, or are we thinking about doing the usual advertisements, press conferences, and the like?” Eunah asks the Hyojung Entertainment CEO couple.

Seunghee was the one to answer “Yes, I believe we should start simple to begin with. As some time passes, as we gain more momentum, I believe we could spread even farther and possibly develop a spectacular idea along the way that will blow everybody in our country away.” She explains, her husband nodding as she speaks. Hyobin and Eunah nod as well.

All have a flicker of thirst burning in their eyes and behind their too-friendly smiles. These four couple in Korea, richer than possibly half the population, all possess exclusive amounts of money, power, and social status.

However, all four were greedy and craved for more.

“I think that sounds perfect.” Hyobin declared.

The business partnership of Hyobin Entertainment and Daesoo Group officially takes off – which changes everything for everyone around them.

~*~

Key sits on his bedroom floor, back pressed up to the door for support. He takes several deep breaths, willing the air slowly into his longs, followed by a deliberately long exhale. This was his usual routine after eavesdropping on his parents’ business matters.

Once again, he thought he really shouldn’t do this, as he just became a hurricane of emotions after. Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale. Don’t think about it, he thought, I won’t have to deal with this soon. He kept repeating these words over and over, trying to reassure himself. If only he could hurry up and find a paid internship and a designing agency or even a modeling agency – he could finally get out of this household and start living his life. His own life.

When would his parents learn? When would they realize there was more to this life than just money and power?

Key inhaled once again. I will never become so power-hungry. I will never become them.

~*~

Jonghyun was curled up in the couch in front of his TV, several blankets piled on top of him, He had been home in this exact position since the ordeal at the mall, binging on his favorite films to calm himself down. After three of his old favorites and one of his newly purchased movies, he had almost completely forgotten about the blonde diva who crashed into his car.

Almost, except for Jonghyun couldn’t get the blonde’s brown eyes out of his head.

Jonghyun heard footsteps approaching the room, and immediately recognized them as his mother’s.

“Jonghyun-ah, we’re home,” His mother announced, appearing in the door way. Seeing only her son’s head exposed from the several blankets he was cocooned under, she gave a small smile, remembering a young Jonghyun wrapped in numerous blankets in front of the TV. It wouldn’t matter if it was the middle of summer, he would still be found under at least three blankets. His mother always wondered how he didn’t suffocate himself.

“Hi Umma,” Jonghyun said, not looking up, his eyes glued to the movie that was currently playing.

“I’m assuming you haven’t eaten dinner yet,” His mom commented, motioning to the position he was in.

He gave a small, guilty smile as his stomach theatrically growled.

“I’ll go make you some food,” She said, and then added more quietly; “I wish you would go practice instead of watching those movies, Jonghyun-ah.”

As she walked away, Jonghyun sighed. She was never going to understand, was she? Even though he could hear the gentleness in her voice, he knew she was disappointed. It wasn’t that she didn’t support Jonghyun’s dream, but it wasn’t like she did, either. He knew that when it came down to it, as a mother, she just wanted her son to be happy, but it was his father that just couldn’t accept it.

Sighing once more, he arose from his cocoon of blankets and paused his movie, heading down to the kitchen to eat his dinner.

When were they going to realize that he was different from them, and that he had his own dreams and plans and aspirations? When would they realize that Jonghyun wanted his own life, away from the power-hungry business scene?

~*~

It had been almost a week after the car accident, and Key was still angry over the incident. He was angry, but he couldn’t decide if it was because of the accident itself, or because he couldn’t stop thinking about the small brunette.

After Key had his obnoxious melt down, he had known it was his own fault. He let his emotions get the better of him once again, and should have known not to immediately get behind the wheel. And once again, he was a little to an innocent person – this time, an innocent person who just so happened to be a really hot innocent person.

Key snorted, just getting pissed off at himself. He really wished he could control his temper, but he was just too quick to react and had no filter or restraint for his sharp tongue. It used to be a cute thing, adding a little spark to his personality. Everyone loved the sarcastic, quick-witted boy.

However, his unappealing circumstances with his parents and the business scene and everything else had just made himself bitter – taking on his diva-like personality was more of a defensive mechanism than anything else. To be honest, Key hated it. He hated that all those years of rebelling and trying to deal with his parents had stuck and had transformed his personality to the darker side. He hated that he took everything out on anyone – the majority being innocent people. He hated that he knew he responded in this bitter way whenever anyone tried to get close to him.

Key really wasn’t a fighter. Under all of this put-on hard exterior, all he was was an overly-emotional young man with a craving for people to understand him, and love him for his true-self – something his parents had never given him.

Key sighed, playing with the business card that the brunette had shoved into his chest the week before.

Lawyer Choi Minho representing Kim Jonghyun.

Kim Jonghyun.

Key stared at the card. He knew he should call and say he was going to pay for the damages, but that involved owning up to the fact that the accident was his fault, and after the way he had acted, he was just too embarrassed.

God damn it, Key thought, throwing his hands into the air, causing the card to go flying out of his grasp and to fall on the floor, where Key decides to leave it as he grabs his car keys, deciding he needs to go do some therapeutic shopping.

~*~

The stores were crowded and the lines were long for a Thursday afternoon, and Key tried his best to exercise his patience and self-control. It wasn’t too bad, because shopping was a joy to him, so he was in somewhat of a relaxed state of mind.

He was on his way to his favorite store – a small vintage boutique that was not well-known to the everyday shopper, hidden and tucked away in the corner of the very top floor of the mall where hardly anyone usually went.

On the escalator, he watched the crowds of people scurry to their intended destinations, fascinated by how many different people there were, all going about their own lives doing their own things, being interconnected by being in this place at the same time. He loved how you interacted and saw so many strangers every day, and always wondered about what their lives were like. You weren’t expected to see the same faces twice in the same place – and something about that fascinated Key.

As he arrives at the top floor, he steps off the escalator and heads to his favorite shop. Once he steps inside, he immediately feels overwhelming happiness that no one would ever understand. He is a regular here, so the cashier waves with a bright smile and a “Hi Key” as Key returns the hello. He begins on the left side of the store, searching through the many racks of vintage clothing. Although he loves all the clothes in here, he is picky when it comes to what to buy – because, surprisingly, based on who his parents are, he is a cheap spender. He never pays full price for clothing – even for designer labels. His one true love are sales and bargains – and has a gift for scoring the best deals.

Key is in the middle of the showroom floor when a smaller dark-haired man enters the boutique. The cashier smiles with a friendly “Welcome” and continues her work. Key glances up from the clothing racks, quickly returning his attention to a pair of gorgeous jeans he had just found.

“Is there anything in particular you are looking for?” The young cashier asks the man.

“No, I’m just browsing. Thank you,” he replies, and Key’s head jerks up. That voice is wildly familiar, and Key cranes his head around the clothing displays to catch a better look at the man, finding him on to his right, scanning the jacket displays. The man’s back was to Key, but he recognized the fluffy brown hair and the smaller frame, but Key just couldn’t place him.

Key shrugs, but only half-heartedly, trying to return his attention to the pair of jeans he had discovered. However, when the man turns and begins walking in Key’s direction, Key takes in a small gasp, his eyes growing wide as he scurries to the other side of the shop.

Kim Jonghyun? The guy whose car Key damaged? No way. It wasn’t him, Key was just going crazy.

The man continued to make his way around the outside edge of the shop, coming closer and closer to where Key is now hiding behind a sale’s rack, stooping low so you can only see the top of his blonde head as he watched the small brunette.

Just when Key thinks he’s going to leave, he heads straight for the sale’s rack. Key cusses under his breath, having cornered himself with no escape route. With the man coming closer, he has now in fact determined that this is the same man that he had been confronted by just a week ago. He tries to squat down further so he is not visible, but just before he does he swears he made eye-contact with Jonghyun.

Jonghyun doesn’t seem to notice as he grabs a faded denim jacket from the rack, smiles, and turns on his heel to head for the cash register.

Key remains in his awkward position until Jonghyun finishes his purchase and watches the brunette exit the store. He lets out a huge breath, having been holding it for the past five minutes. He quickly goes to buy the single pair of jeans he has found, having lost the ambition to continue looking for the day. The cashier asks if he’s okay, and he nods with a smile, thanking her when she hands him the bag. He exists the store, deciding now is a very good time for a shot of coffee.

~*~

At the coffee shop, it isn’t too busy as it is outside in the mall. Key still wonders how there are so many people out and about on a Thursday afternoon, but that isn’t the greatest of his worries right now. He couldn’t shake the fact that this Kim Jonghyun showed up in his favorite store, barely a week after his small mishap in the parking lot. What were the chances? He didn’t understand.

He sat by the fireplace in an oversized chair and waited for his four-shot, five-pump vanilla latté, trying to clear his thoughts. When they called his drink, he arose from his place to accept his drink from the barista. He goes to sit back down in the chair by the fireplace when a brunette man catches his eye, ordering his drink.

Key almost spits out his coffee, seeing Jonghyun for the second time today, in a less than twenty minute time frame. Key chokes down his coffee, and hurries out the door, just quick enough to not see Jonghyun turning to watch his retreating figure.

At this point, Key is so confused he just heads for his car. Too much for today, it’s time to go home. He passes the crowded stores and the flood of people as he exists the building, the bright early-October sun blinding him momentarily as he reaches for his sun glasses.

As he reaches his car, he pops the trunk open to put his newly purchased items safely in his car. He shuts the trunk, and proceeds to open the door and sits in the driver’s seat. He starts the engine, only to realize that he has left his coffee on the roof. He snorts at how mindless he is, and gets out of the car to retrieve his coffee. However, when he does, he is met by a now all-too familiar small brunette man, opening the door to his car in the parking lot next to him.

Key is shocked, and resorts to the only thing he knows how to do: be a sarcastic .

“Yah, shorty, are you stalking me now?” He asks, an edge in his voice.

Jonghyun slowly turns around with a blinding smile. “I should be asking you the same thing, blondie,”

Key is taken a back for a moment, and Jonghyun takes his chance. “It’s not really normal seeing men hiding behind clothing racks, watching other customers shop.” Jonghyun quips. “Are you into me? Do you think I’m hot or something? Do you stalk guys that you think are attractive?”

Key opens his mouth with a smart comeback, but Jonghyun doesn’t let him. “I’m sorry, y rich kids aren’t my type.” Jonghyun smirks, and gets into his car.

This was the wrong thing to say, because Key is now pissed and has made it around his own car and is at Jonghyun’s door in three seconds flat. “What did you just call me?” He challenges, lowering himself to Jonghyun’s seated level and is almost practically in his car.

Jonghyun responds by leaning in even farther, closing the space in the same manner as he did the week earlier. He raises his eyebrows, a smirk forming on his face that makes him look like an angel being the devil’s advocate.

“Oh, was that not accurate enough? Okay, I apologize. What I meant to say is that you’re a spoiled, y diva who needs to learn his place.” Jonghyun said sweetly. Key’s brown eyes burn, and for a minute Jonghyun thinks the blonde might actually hit him. However, he doesn’t, but continues to keep Jonghyun’s gaze.

“My lawyer hasn’t heard from you. I’m expecting you to at least have the decency to apologize for the little incident you caused,” Jonghyun pauses. “But I’m also expecting you to pay for it too – I mean, I know you have more than enough money.”

Key blinks, unsure of what to say. In his right mind, he know what Jonghyun says is accurate, and he should do everything of what Jonghyun just said. However, this under-sized munchkin is really beginning to get on his nerves, the cool confidence and bravado that he exhibits, and Key once again lets his temper get the best of him.

“Yah, do what you want, you . Sue me! See if I care! Just like you said, I have more than enough money. But I know you won’t do it, because you this whole tough guy act is just that – an act. You wouldn’t try. I know you know who I am. Do you really want to see what I’m capable of? I assure you, you don’t. So just leave now, and forget this ever happened. Or you’ll have the entire Daesoo Group on your , and it will be the worst thing that has ever happened to you.”

Jonghyun actually laughs, causing Key to become even more livid. Jonghyun smiles, even brighter than before. “Okay. Sounds good. Could you please get out of the way now so I don’t run your skinny little over? Thanks.” He winks, closing his door, forcing Key out of the way. He starts his car, and rolls down his window. As he pulls out of the parking spot, he stops right by Key.

“Just keep in mind, you really don’t know who I am either. So I would play things safe for your own sake.”

With another wink, Jonghyun drives off, leaving Key to stand in a mere daze by his own car.

Who was this Kim Jonghyun, and why was he so confident that who he was could rival Key?