The next morning, I realized that it was only two weeks more before Christmas. If I was in New York City, I’m probably holiday shopping with my Mom right now. She always says early shopping is a wise shopping, since almost all shopping stores are on sale at the first and second weeks of December.

My mom and I will shop for Christmas decorations, Christmas tree, gifts and other holiday stuffs. And if some winter clothes caught our eyes, we’ll buy it. After shopping, we’ll stop by at a coffee shop, to drink our preferred choice of coffee warm us up from the cold winter, and then talk about college, boys, professors and my roommate at my NYC apartment.

Right after the coffee stop, we’ll walk around some more to look at interesting looking people like some street band, people’s unusual fashion styles, and lovely couples cuddling while walking down the street.

Ah, suddenly I’m missing New York City and my family, of course.

“Good morning.” I hear a whisper on my ear.

“Oh gosh!” I shrieked and almost lost grip on my mug. My heart started pounding on my chest.

It was DongHae. He looked at me worried while I tried to regain my normal heart beating. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. Are you alright?”

I put my mug with hot coffee on the kitchen table counter. I turned around, facing DongHae. With my slight irritation, I punched his shoulder.

“Ow!” He holds onto his shoulder.

“Now, I’m alright.” I scowled at him. “You can’t just sneak up on me like that!”

He chuckles. The next thing I know he was hugging me. “Alright, I’m sorry again.” His hug really gives me warmth, security and comfort.

Then, that warmth suddenly left. He pulled away from me, looking embarrassed. I guess he realized that he just comfortably hugged me all of a sudden. “Uh… do you still have coffee left in the coffeemaker?”

Awkward.

“Yeah… I made quite a lot.” I moved passed him, going to the living room. “Help yourself.”

That was the same time, Seunghyun came out of his room. He was only on his boxer briefs, gray boxers as I’ve noticed.

Gah! I’m turning into a !

He rubs his stomach, I guess he was hungry or something and then his eyes widen and he looks up at me.

For a second, before he turned back to his room in a hurry, I saw him blush.

Yep, I’m not kidding. Choi Seunghyun really just blushed!

“Uh, Dara.” DongHae called me out from the kitchen.

“Yeah?” I sat on the couch and opened the flat-screen TV.

“Can you call out for a day off? I need company to buy Christmas decorations for our apartment.” He said, I hear him opening the fridge. Guess he’s finding something to cook for breakfast. “The guys all have classes today so they can’t come. I’m really not familiar on what to choose for decorations so will you help me?”

I’ve always liked buying Christmas decorations and decorate it on an apartment or house. So yeah, I’m happy to help. I just hope the boss will be okay for me to exchange my next Monday day-off for today.

I shifted, looking at DongHae. “I wanted to help but I need to ask my boss first. Meet me at the coffee shop around 8AM and then we’ll see through it from there, alright?”

He grins. “Sure, thanks in advance.”

I cocked my eyebrow at him and an amused smile on my lips. “You’re quite sure that my boss will agree, huh?”

He smirks at me. “I’m confident. He’s a nice guy, he’ll surely agree.”

“Good Morning,” Seunghyun steps inside the kitchen, going for the fridge. “What are you guys up to?” The blushing Seunghyun was now a calm and collected Seunghyun. Damn, I like him blushing.

“We’re planning on buying some Christmas decorations.”DongHae answered, he was warily biting his lower lip.

Seunghyun drinks from the water bottle. “Oh, that’s cool. Can I come?”

Seunghyun shopping for Christmas decorations? Well, that would be interesting.

“Don’t you have classes?” DongHae asked, frowning at his bedroom-mate.

“None,” Seunghyun retorts. ”Have you forgotten that today’s the Theather Arts’ Professors Seminar?”

I shifted, facing the TV. I could still hear Seunghyun and DongHae talking about Christmas decorations from the kitchen.

I can’t believe I’ve been living with five guys for a week or so now. They’ve been all sorts of nice and don’t really mind that I was the only girl in the apartment.

But I still wonder where Dong-Wook was and if he was okay or if he even knew I was looking for him. A few weeks more before its Christmas and I really want to spend it with him, that was the original plan. But since he’s nowhere to be found, I’ll be celebrating the holiday with the guys and Hyoyeon.

Wait… I can try to track him down through the internet, like on Twitter or me2Day. Why haven’t I thought about that from the very start?

“Guys, hey!” I call out to Seunghyun and DongHae who now looked at me. “Does anyone of you have laptop I can borrow for a while?”

“We all have one but you can borrow mine.” Seunghyun said, but it was kind of a question. I nodded anyway.  “Wait for a sec, I’ll get it for you.” He hurriedly walks to his room.

Wow, that’s really nice of him. And I’m still not used to this side of him but oh well, I have to it up and just go with the flow as what my Mom would say.

DongHae went to sit beside me. “Why do you need a laptop for?”

“I’m trying my luck to see if Dong-Wook updated his Twitter or me2DAY on where he could be.”

“You can’t wait to leave the apartment, are you?”

What? Did I insinuate that?

“What?! No! Christmas is a few weeks near and I wanted to spend that time with him…” The last word trailed off as I notice DongHae looking kind of sad. “…and all of you five and Hyoyeon!” I finish with an awkward smile.

He finally smiles then. “Well, I sure hope we’ll find some clue on where he is. But he also might visit the apartment before Christmas to get the rent.”

Suddenly, the apartment’s doorbell came off. I wonder if that’s Hyoyeon.

“I’ll get it,” I stand up and ran to get the door. I froze as I realize who was out the door.

I opened the door and there, standing in front of me, my horrible of a best friend Choi Dong-Wook.

I didn’t know if I should hug him or beat him up. I was torn between those two options but since I can’t seem to choose, I just gaped at him.

Dong-Wook looked definitely confused. “Dara? What are you doing here?”

“Dara, who’s at the door?” I hear DongHae ask from behind me. He abruptly stopped beside me before grabbing Dong-Wook by the shoulder. “Hyung!”

DongHae was kind of head locking my best friend.

“Wait, man.” Dong-Wook frees himself from DongHae. He frowned, looking from DongHae to me. “Why’s Dara here? And how do you know her? And why does she look like she’s been living here?” He sounded and looked angry for some reason.

And I can’t take this anymore. I’m choosing to beat him till he turned like smashed tomato. I first kicked his leg and he yelped, reaching for his leg. “How dare you ask? I told you I’ll be flying here to see you and I did, but you weren’t here!” Second, I punched him on the shoulder and he backed up. “You jerk! You made me worry for nothing!” Lastly, I pounded on his chest.

Tears were falling down from my eyes, not because I was sad but because I was so pissed off.

I kicked his other leg before I sprinted out of the apartment, I left him crouched on the floor attending to his bruised body parts.

 I need to cool down and breathe some fresh air. I went to a nearby park. And sit down at a swing.

I was really happy to see him but my feeling was overcome with anger or was it surprise? Whatever.

I knew he has reasons why he suddenly left that apartment to those guys and I didn’t let him explain because I was blinded with fury. I was feeling guilty now. Had I been too harsh?

After I cooled down, I’ll let him explain himself and it better be good.

I put a hand over my face and exhaled loudly. Truth be told, I really wanted to rejoice that I finally saw the person I came to this country for.

After a few minutes later, I hear footsteps coming my way. Must be DongHae or Seunghyun.

“Dara,” And I was wrong, it’s Dong-Wook. I didn’t look and just waited for him to make a move. Yeah, I’m a stubborn girl, sue me. I hear a movement beside me, to the other swing. “I didn’t mean to make you worry. I changed my number and I don’t know how to contact you and ask where you are. That’s why I came by to the apartment, and ask if you spoke to those guys and maybe they’ll give me information as to where you are.”

I finally looked at him, his expression full of sincerity.

“And then I was surprised to see you there, looking so at home. I was happy to see you but confused as to why you were there.”

I was about to speak but he held a hand out to stop me.

“The guys explained everything.” He started, smiling warmly at me. “It was really nice of them to do what they did.”

He stands up and went in front of me, kneeling down. He holds both of my hands, giving it a gentle queeze. “Sorry, this was all a misunderstanding. Will you forgive me?”

If I was in a different situation, I would crack up and laugh my off but since he looked so sincere, I kept a straight face.

 And he knows too well that I can’t resist him when he’s kneeling and holding my hands. Damn, I lost this round.

I sighed. “I’m sorry too. I overreacted, you know me, and I’m impulsive at times.” I glance at his shoulder and legs. “Are you alright? I mean, on where I hit you?”

He chuckles, standing up before enveloping me in his arms. “I’m okay. It hurts a bit but I can handle it.” He tightens his hold on me. “I missed you, D. I’m glad I’ve finally see you for real.”

He sighed before pulling away, smiling happily at me.

“Can you tell me why you left the apartment so sudden?” I asked. I was curious as to what was happening on his life to make such abrupt decisions. He was always in control and this sudden renting of his apartment is very unusual of him.

His smile fell and suddenly he looked so tired and then I noticed that he lost some weight too. “It wasn’t too serious... I just needed the money.”

“For what?” Is he doing drugs or something?

I guess, he realized what my frowning meant as he answered my telepathy style question.

“I got my girlfriend knocked up.” Wait, did he just said a word ‘girlfriend’ and knocked up at the same sentence?

He understood my unspoken words and nodded. Oh no, yes, he did.

My eyes almost bugged out of its sockets. “What?!”

“My girlfriend is pregnant with my baby.”

“WHAT?!” I can’t seem to grasp the idea that he would be a father soon.

“Do I have to repeat or rephrase for you to understand?” He scowled at me, getting irritated.

 “I… How… Why… -”

“How? We did the deed. Why? Because I forgot to use protection.” He irritably answered. “And now, I have an unplanned baby ready to be born into the world in five more months.”

After everything is properly processed on my brain, I looked up at him. “That’s so f**cked up, dude... Wa-… What’s your plan?”

“For now, I’m using the apartment rent that the guys are paying me to get my girlfriend for her occasional doctor’s visit and all other stuffs you do in the hospital to check the condition of the baby.” He raked a hand over his hair. He looked so stressed and tired which made me feel empathy for him. “My parents still doesn’t know it and so does hers. This is really a sh*thole.”

“You’re 21. Or was it 22?” He mouthed ‘22’. “Twenty-two! You’re old enough to have kids and family. Your parents would be a bit disappointed or something but that will pass. Just make sure your girlfriend is also in the legal age, you won’t have any problems except finding a job and raising the baby.”

“She’s 21.” I mouthed ‘good’. “We both are still in college and I don’t know if I can find a job without a diploma. And she stopped attending classes for four months now because of her growing baby bump. Make it worse, she’s been lying about college and all that stuff from her parents living in America.”

“Tell your parents and her parents and all will be fine. Just be ready for a few fury speeches from your parents. And if something goes wrong like her parents wants to keep her away from you, fight for her and your baby. That’s all I have to say.” I assured him with a smile. “And always remember that whatever happens, may it be that you got broke, I’ll be here, always.”

“It’s really nice hearing words of encouragement from my best friend.” He finally smiled, his face, somehow, immediately lightens up. “Thanks, Dara.”

Now, that’s the Dong-Wook I’m used to seeing.

But now that my best friend finally showed up, do I have to leave the guys’ apartment?

AN: Dun dun dun dun, Dong-Wook finally showed up! Is it a good thing or a bad thing? And next chapter, Christmas decoration shopping with Dara, DongHae and Seunghyun. Now that will be interesting, would it?

Well, anyway, see you all on my next update! ^^