“Not gay?” Hyoyeon asked again, wanting to make sure of my answer. We were now walking back to the apartment after her shift ended at the coffee shop. I did explain before at the coffee shop that I wasn’t gay, lesbo or whatever you call it.

I forbid myself to think the guys I’m living with are attractive and can make girls swoon of their feet. I can’t think of things like that while I live with them, it’s just not proper.

If the time comes that I’ll have some weird feelings on my skin for any of them, then it’s time for me to leave. So I can’t, I had to keep it that way so I can have a place to stay and friends to keep me company.

“Don’t make me repeat, Hyo.” I warned her, getting a bit annoyed that she’s still thinking that I might be gay. We became close in just one day so I had the courage to call her by nickname I wanted. Hyo. It was unnatural for me to be friends in just a day but with her it seems so possible.

“Fine. I was just playing with you.” She laughed, her voice the only sound echoing around us. It was a quiet and cold night. I guess that’s why no one seems to be outside. This coldness the whole day makes me miss the sunlight seeping through my skin. I miss the warmth, the beach, and the tanned boys since guys in here are all pale white or somewhere near to that.

The things around me make me wish I didn’t leave home but I know I had to face the consequences of my decisions.

I tuck my hands on my jacket’s pockets, wishing for them to warm it up. I never really expected that Korea would be this cold so I didn’t brought winter clothes and other stuffs much.

“Are you alright?”

I blinked back to real world. I almost forgot that I wasn’t alone. “Yeah, fine, just thinking.”

 “Family?” She asked. I could feel her curious eyes staring at me. I didn’t look back, fearing she might see the sadness in me.

“Sort of.” I talk two or three syllables when I really don’t want to talk about something but Hyo didn’t know this so she kept asking.

“Boyfriend?” Her voice evident with excitement, thinking finally got my thoughts right.

I shrug. “Don’t have one.”

She whimpered. “I can’t read you.”

This time I glanced at her. She looked like a little kid, pouting and frowning. I almost laughed, “Of course, you can’t. You’re not a mind reader.”

I turned my gaze back to where we are walking. Somehow the boyfriend question made me think of my ex. We were perfect but then a came along and ruined it. Pathetic, isn’t it?

We were like the high school sweethearts that dreamt to be married, have kids and be a happy family in our own dream house. Many people think we would achieve such dream but when college came, reality comes crushing down on us. All the dreams were nowhere to be real.

And the came at the picture and ruined everything, we dreamt, more. I had my fair share of relationships before him but with him, it felt like my first love, my first kiss and all the other firsts.

That’s why it hurts the most when our relationship finally ended. He told me he wasn’t right for me and his feelings changed and that he love the more.

At that moment, I was itching to slap his face but I controlled myself not to. I told him it was okay and that I love someone more than him and that I was about to tell him that but he beat me to it. By the shocked expression he had, somehow made me feel like I had achieved something.

After taking in his remorse expression, I hugged him with a fake smile and walked away.

People may think I was tough to do such thing and to handle it so normal but deep inside, I was breaking into pieces and I had no idea how that will be fixed in time.

I just thought at that moment that the best way to get revenge is to slap him in the face that you were fine and that you had already moved on before he talks you into breaking up.

That’s one of the reasons why I wanted to meet with my best friend from the other side of the world. I wanted to be away from the memories of my ex and relax and talk with Dong-Wook. Anything, just to forget.

“Is there a reason for your deep-as-the-pacific-ocean thoughts?” I heard Hyoyeon ask jokingly that made me realize that I was spacing out for quite a long minute. “And you can’t tell me ‘nothing’.”

I giggled a bit. “Nothing much but a memory of an ex.”

“How’s the job and the new friend?” Khun greeted me as he opens the apartment door for me due to the fact that I forgot to ask them what the set of numbers should be punched into the automatic lock. I rang the doorbell and here he was, opening the door for me.

As I went inside, I noticed no one’s back yet except Khun.

He placed the home slip-ons beside my feet before I could remove my shoes. I smiled at his thoughtfulness to help. “Hyoyeon’s nice as well as the job.”

“So…are you starting that job soon?” He asked as we walked our way to the living room.

“Not yet. I still haven’t got the job. I have to pass the training process before the decision to be hired. Tomorrow’s the start.” I threw myself at the couch feeling so tired after a whole day of being stuck at a coffee shop with nothing to do but observe and from time to time, talk to a new friend.

“It looks like a hard job, having to train first before getting hired.” He sat next to me and grabbed the bowl of popcorn from the coffee table. I looked at the TV and realized he was watching a movie before I came.

I shrug. “I guess. It looks a bit difficult mixing things the way the customer wants it.”

“Are you sure you really want to work? It looks tiring you know and I don’t wanna see you dead on the couch after a long day.” His voice full of concern that made me look at him instead from the television, as I turned my head, he turned his face back to movie, fast. Then he awkwardly pushed the bowl of popcorns at me, “You want some?”

I smiled and grabbed a handful. “Thanks.” He just nodded twice. “I really wanted to work and have money. It’s too much if I stay here for free.”

“Well then, if you insist. But don’t hold back if you need help from us. We’d be glad to help.” He said before he stood up, “Do want anything to drink?”

“I’ll just have water.” I answered him.  After that, he left to the kitchen. I looked back at the tv screen. I noticed the movie he’s watching was Fast and Furious 5 without translation of Korean hangul.

“So you understand English?” I asked as he came back with a glass of water and a can of beer.

“Well, yeah. I was born and raised in Cali and I’m not Korean, I’m actually Thai.” He explained as he sat beside me again, placing the glass and can on the coffee table.

I shifted on my seat to face him more, getting interested that he was born and raised in California just like me.  “Omg, really? Why did you leave and flew here then? There are a lot of cool universities in there.”

He smiled widely at my eager expression. “It all started two years ago, when some famous korean music entertainment came up to me and asked if I wanted to audition and be a singer. My parents at that time refused with two reasons. First, I wasn’t Korean. Last, Korea is such a far country from United States.

“So I declined but after years of being under my parent’s rules, I had enough. I told them it was my life and not theirs. I wanted to be a singer so here I am, one step at a time to achieve my dream. ” He finished, with a wink.

I turned my head a bit to hide the forming blush on my cheeks. I’m still not attracted, okay. He’s just so pretty that caused my body to react, my cheeks in exact. “So how did you guys meet? And do all of you have stories like yours?”

He chuckled. What a heavenly chuckle that is. “We all have our own stories, Dara-ssi. Just like you. You have your own story as to why you are here. Let’s start with your first question. We met somewhere in a train station going to Seoul. DongHae, Gikwang, Mir and I sat together while TOP sat across us with no seatmates.

“There was a sudden stop on the train, some difficulties were experience as said from the train’s speaker. At that stop, the four of us except TOP, talked. It was a long ride so we talked to pass time. DongHae, as the nicest person in the world, went to TOP’s and sat across him.

“Intrigued as to what DongHae and Top were talking about, all rest of us went to him. We had realized after spending time talking with each other that we all have the same dreams, to be famous with our talents. That’s where we all get so much closer and decided to buy an apartment and share it with each other.”

As for their stories as Khun continued…

TOP- ran away from home to achieve his dream. The other side of the story wasn’t told.

Gikwang and Mir – their parents saw their talents as they grow up and pursued them to show it to the world someday.

DongHae- he was raised with only his mother. He forgot his dream as he took care of his ill mother. Before she died a few months ago, her last wish was for him to achieve his dream. He promised his mother that so here he was.

 After the long stories Khun told, I felt drowsy. I guess he was too after drinking beers after beers. It was a Friday night so getting drunk won’t be that regretful after tomorrow where I bet he has no classes at. Who would want to take a subject on Saturdays anyway? Tomorrow’s like a lazy day so who wants to study at such?

The next morning, I found myself on DongHae’s bed. I stretched my arms a bit before heading to the bathroom.

After cleaning up, I went out.  The smell of something yummy greeted me. Still sleepy, I walked sluggishly to the kitchen. 

What I saw made me yelp, “What the fu-dge!” and covered my eyes. Top was cooking with only his boxer shorts on. I could still remember how nice his back was.  Gah!

Can’t he show any modesty knowing a girl lives here too?

The pan he’s holding almost went out of hand but then he caught it before it fell. “What the hell? Is this your first time seeing someone in boxer shorts?” He asked, throwing me a glare.

“Well don’t you own a shirt?” My mouth suddenly spoke without asking permissions from my brain. I face-palmed myself after realizing what I said.

“If you’re gonna live with five guys for a month or so, you should get used to seeing them half-. I thought you were liberated, seeing as to what country you are from.” He said, not even giving a glance this time as he focused on his cooking.

“Its just different seeing Koreans doing the same. Anyway, where are the others?” I asked as I looked around us. I don’t wanna be left alone with this snob again.

“The two little kids are out grocery shopping. Khun are dead to the world. DongHae, just the same on my room.” He cooked with focus. I took a peek and saw that it was kimchi pancake.

“Didn’t know you cook.” I told him as I sat at the dinning chair.

“What, you think you’re the only one good at cooking?” He countered back then I heard him say something like ‘self-centered-California-girl’.

After cooking, he placed the plate of kimchi pancake in front of me. He sliced it into two. One for him and the other for me. “Eat up, hope it doesn’t offend your high cooking skills.” He said as he sat across me.

I snickered at him and started forking the pancake and eat it bits by bits, just like Mr. Snob Korean Guy.

As I looked at him eat, I think I just earned two friends more in two days…

“Don’t be so flattered that I cooked for you. I just don’t want to look selfish so I shared my pancake.” He spoke harshly as he glared at me. My lips twitched as I looked away from him and into the pancake he was forced to share with.

Or maybe not friends, more like frenemies.

I brutally forked the pancake and the same goes as I ate it. Damn! I wish it was his snobbish personality I’m eating and destroying up. How can someone like him lock himself to a kind California girl like me? I wondered if he can even smile sincerely without faking it.

“Hey! Respect my cooking, will ya?” He said, with annoyed expression on his face, as he glanced at what I was doing to his creation.

If I wasn’t so hungry since I didn’t ate last night and if his eyes were not scaring me, I would’ve thrown the pancake into his face and yell, ‘there’s your damn pancake.’

And well let’s also consider that this kimchi pancake tastes awesome so yeah, guess what I did.

I obeyed him with a pout on my lips.

AN: Comments guys! It makes me happy and feel loved through my stories (: