"What the hell happened to the both of you?" Hoya retorted when he found Yoomi and Onew.

Both of them were covered in dirt and leaves, and they had strawberry juice all over them. Onew laughed and scrambled up, holding his hand out to Yoomi, hauling her up.

"We got a little carried away with eating strawberries?" Yoomi responded meekly.

Hoya shook his head in amusement, taking a piece of tissue from his bag and wiping her face. "You're such a kid, Yoomi." he chided. "And you too Onew. Never expected you to join in the nonsense."

Onew rubbed the back of his neck bashfully and ruffled Yoomi's hair, getting rid of the dirt and leaves stuck inside.

"We should get cleaned up." Onew suggested. "How about the bathhouse? We can go for sauna first!"

Yoomi beamed brightly. "That's a great idea! Let's go there now!!" she ran off excitedly. Hoya shook his head and looked at Onew. "She's like a child, doesn't she?"

Onew smiled. *That's what makes her charming.*

Yoomi, Onew and Hoya sat in a circle inside a sauna. All of them were red in their faces and were perspiring profusely. They bit their teeth and puffed their cheeks, enduring the heat.

"It's... Hot." Hoya coughed, hinting that he wants to get out.

Yoomi giggled. "If you can't stand the heat, you can always leave any time, Hoya Oppa." she suggested cheekily.

"Never!" Hoya made a face which made both Yoomi and Onew laugh.

They had been inside for a full five minutes now, and the heat was clearing bothering Yoomi. She fanned herself and wiped her perspiration with her towel repeatedly, biting her lips till they were swollen.

Onew noticed this and looked a her worriedly. "Are you okay, Yoomi ah?" he asked, concerned. "If you can't take the heat you can always get out of her."

Yoomi shook her head stubbornly. "I won't lose! I don't want to be the first person to go down!"

Hoya shook his head in amusement. "Don't try if you can't make it. Yoomi." he advised.

Yoomi bit her lips and puffed her cheeks, looking defiant. She was stubborn in her own way, though rarely, but when she decides to be stubborn, she'll stick to it no matter what.

Onew frowned worriedly. It seemed Yoomi really didn't want to give up, but she looked like she could faint from a heat anytime. He didn't want anything happening to her, he wasn't sure if his heart could take it.

Hoya noticed Yoomi's uneasiness as well, and with his understanding of his best friend, he was sure Yoomi would faint instead of admitting defeat.

Just as he was about to get up to surrender for Yoomi's sake, Onew stood up. He blinked up at the Dubu leader, surprised.

"I can't take it anymore." Onew pretended to whine. "I give up." he ran out of the sauna.

Yoomi let out a cheer. "Yay I'm not last!" she chirped, her voice a little weak, dashing behind Onew.

Hoya raised his brows. He knew very well Onew wasn't perspiring much yet, and it didn't seem like he couldn't take the heat. Did Onew give up because he didn't want Yoomi to remain stubborn and faint?

*I think he makes a good friend for her.* Hoya nodded in approval.

When they came out of the blasting hot sauna, Onew already got them cool barley drinks and boiled eggs, a must have at saunas. Yoomi downed the cool drink in an instant, her flushing face cooling down a little.

Onew frowned and used his towel to wipe her face of perspiration. "You could've fainted if you stayed in that oven any longer." he muttered.

Yoomi beamed. "But I didn't!" she responded innocently. She was silently thankful that Onew gave up before her, not knowing that he did it on purpose. She recalled the last time they went to the bathhouse.

"If only Woohyun Oppa was here." she whispered to herself, reminiscing the old times when the three of them spent tome together.

Onew flinched while Hoya frowned. *He isn't exactly the l best best friend now.* Hoya shook his head.

"WOOHYUN OPPA!!" Yoomi's eyes doubled their size when her favourite Oppa came into view. He had a scowl on his face, but that didn't prevent him from looking hot and y despite the towel cap on his head.

"You're here, Hyung?" Hoya raised a brow teasingly. "I thought you didn't want to join us."

"Shut up." Woohyun grumbled. "I got bored of the Internet okay? And Soyi isn't returning my messages and calls. I don't know what happened."

Yoomi seemed unfazed by the mention of her love rival. She seemed so satisfied just by Woohyun being there, even though he was there more of boredom than choice.

"Have a boiled egg, Woohyun Oppa!" Yoomi beamed. Woohyun scoffed, but took it from her. "Don't think I forgave you for mixing with the wrong people." he shot a glance at Onew.

Onew flinched. *I know I'm a nerd and loser in his eyes, but can he not say it in front of me? It hurts.*

"Don't say that, Oppa." Yoomi convinced. "Jinki Oppa is a really nice person! He's funny and kind and caring! Why wouldn't I want to be his friend?"

Onew blushed from her compliments. *God Onew you're behaving like a Fangirl now.*

"I agree." Hoya nodded. "Onew is a good friend to Yoomi." he supported from what he saw earlier. "You shouldn't stop Yoomi from making friends she wants. It's her choice."

Woohyun rolled his eyes. Everyone was ganging up on him. "Whatever." he hissed. "You'll regret it someday. Don't say I didn't remind you for mixing with nerds and remaining as a nerd."

Onew's eyes widened at Woohyun's words. Not only did he insult Onew being a nerd, he's indirectly despising Yoomi for being a nerd. Was this what best friends did?

Apparently Yoomi didn't mind what Woohyun said to her. She was a little bothered inside, she knew she wasn't worthy of him. But the fact that he was there with them, the precious time she got to be with him, it mattered more than anything else.

"Let's sit on those massaging chairs, Woohyun Oppa!" she chirped.

23 December 2006

Dear Diary,

I know I'm pathetic.

Woohyun Oppa was mean to all of us.

He wasn't exactly kind to Hoya Oppa, he dissed Jinki Oppa about being a nerd and even tried to stop me from being friends with Jinki Oppa, and the worst, he actually implied that he looked down on me being a nerd.

It hurts. It hurts really bad knowing that even your beat friend thinks you're not worthy.

But aren't I pathetic, Diary? I'm not mad.

Because with Woohyun Oppa's presence, the fact that he isn't spending his time with his girlfriend but instead with us, although it wasn't out of choice....

I'm happy because he's there.