Gifts
Disco QueenThe next weeks went peacefully. Sehun sometimes called her (not every day) but diligently texted her at least once a day. He also sent pictures of the stuffs he just bought, a really delicious looking chocolate cake (since they both loved chocolate), a leather jacket and just anything random. Lisa could only rolled her eyes when receiving them. Show-offer.
EXO has finished their American tour and came back yesterday. The only text she received from him was 'Lisa-yaya I'm going to hibernate'. She took it as a sign to not disturb him, so she only replied with an 'Okay'.
She stretched her body. Ahh Disco room's still mine for now, thought Lisa happily. She knew it would be long until she could ocuppy the room again now that Sehun's back.
She twirled to the mp3 player and hooked on her iPod. Tinashe's 2 ON filled the room. It didn't take long for Lisa to warm up to the music.
There was a knock on the door fifteen minutes later. She froze, remembering the last time someone knocked on the door of her dance room.
He said he's going to hibernate, right? So it couldn't be him. Maybe Yoona unnie is checking up on me again? She shook her head. Somehow she already knew who was behind the door.
Lisa opened the door to find a huge Rapunzel plush pillow greeting her.
"AKH!!" She jumped back in surprise.
"I'm a grown man carrying a really big Disney Princess pillow. You better let me in", said a muffled voice behind the pillow.
She stepped aside and let him in. She noticed him carrying 3 other shopping bags on both arms. Sehun quickly transferred all of the things he carried to Lisa once he got inside.
"Huh?", asked Lisa confused. She couldn't see a thing because of the pillow.
"I was bored in the US and got these for you", explained Sehun nonchalantly.
She struggled to put the gifts at the other side of the room where she put her bag. She arranged them neatly on the floor (putting the pillow on top of her bag because she didn't want it to get dirty) then turned to him.
"Thank y--", her words were cut short at the same time Sehun took his beanie off.
They both gasped when they saw each other. Both pointed at one another.
"WHY IS YOUR HAIR ORANGE???"
They had a bewildered expression on their faces.
"I dyed mine before coming home", said Sehun.
"I just dyed my hair three days ago", explained Lisa.
She quickly took her nonagon hat and put it on her head.
"Ya why are you covering it up?!", he demanded.
"Because what if Yoona unnie suddenly opens the door and see our matching hairrrr??"
He looked confused. "Huh? She never walked in into a used room."
"Can't you tell I'm just being paranoiddddd????", replied Lisa with a let-me-be-paranoid attitude. She put both of her hands on her hat.
He laughed. "Hahahaa I forgot how weird you can be! It's good to be back." Sehun put on his dark gray beanie back then took off Lisa's hat from her head.
"Hey!", she protested.
"I've already covered mine up so you don't have to cover yours. Besides, I want to see the orange haired Lisa-ya", he cheekily grinned.
She pouted. "Why do we have the same hair color??"
"Your mind has unconciously drawn to mine", mumbled Sehun, remembering a quote he saw in one of the bookstore wall in New York. Or is it the other way around?
"Huh? What?", asked Lisa who didn't understand the Korean words.
He shook his head, now moving his eyes to the girl in front of him. Except for the orange hair, she didn't changed a bit. She wore a black wife beater tee (with a black sport bra peeping underneath it) and short denim. As usual her hair was messy from dancing. Well I've only just been gone for a month and a few days. Felt like a long time though.
"You look healthy", commented Sehun after a long intense gaze (that made Lisa glared at him).
"You look... like you need more sleep", she spoke honestly. The man before her still looked handsome but his eyes looked somber and there were dark circles under them. He wore a long sleeve pink salmon shirt and dark denim distressed jeans.
Her words reminded him of the state that he was in. He was ready to complain to Lisa.
"I can't sleep....."
She tried to sharpen her ears because his voice was so low. "I'm sorry, what?"
"I can't sleep, Lisa-ya. I tried for the last hours. I just can't!", complained Sehun a little frustrated. He was now pacing before her while grabbing his head. "I arrived home at 11 PM last night and couldn't sleep until 4 AM. I woke up at 8 AM and still sleepy. I had a restless sleep after that. It's like... This jetlag is making me so tired but my eyes won't freaking close. I feel a bit dizzy." He looked at her with a devastated expression.
Lisa tried to calm him down. "Okay. Okay. Inhale. Exhale." She guided him to sit down on the floor, next to the things he brought her. An idea appeared in her head as she sat beside him.
"By the way Sehun sunbaenim, what are all of these?" She tried to distract him.
"Huh?" He looked at the shopping bags then grinned. "Open it."
"Let's start with this first", she said while reaching for the huge plush pillow.
He nodded. "Aah I went into a toy store. You said you like Rapunzel, right?"
She hugged the pillow. "Yes I do! I can't believe you remember it! And even bought me this huuuuuuuge one."
He smiled when he saw her smile. The embarrassment was worth it after all. He had to send this particular item through DHL from New York to Seoul because he just had to hide this from his hyungs. Not to mention the teasing smile he got from the toy store staff (starting from the cashier and customer service). God knows what kind of never ending teasing I'll get if they find out I bought a large Disney Princess pillow for a girl.
She opened the pink shopping bag. "Wow what's this??" She read the brand and name on the box. "Monster High Picture Day Frankie Stein doll?"
He shrugged. "It kinda looks like you."
She put the box beside her head. "You're saying I look like a zombie?"
He chuckled. "She's Frankenstein's daughter, not a zombie. I just picked it up because her hair is the same like yours in Whistle MV. I mean, look at her bangs."
She tilted her head. "Hmm Sehun sunbaenim, I think we better check you to an eye doctor", joked Lisa.
He pinched her left cheek. "Agh if only I can take a picture of you and the doll and show it to people I know they would agree with me!"
She patted her cheek. "Ouch!" She put the doll back in the shopping bag. "I will treasure this as a reminder that you may have an eye problem."
"Ya Lisa-yaya!" He felt like pinching both of her cheeks but his chest instead. "Be patient, Sehun. Patient."
Lisa laughed while opening the black shopping bag. Her eyes looked like they were going to pop out from the sockets. "This.....?" She held up the blue leather bomber jacket with her hands. Wait, isn't this...?
He tried to read her expression. Does she like it?? ......Or not?
She raised an eyebrow at him. "Didn't you send me a picture of you wearing this one? And you also posted the picture on instagram if I'm not mistaken, right?"
She remembered!, thought Sehun surprised. "Wait, you check my instagram posts?"
Whoops! She shrugged, pretending that it wasn't such a big deal. "You watch my vlive."
He chuckled. What kind of reason is that?
Lisa cleared . "Anyway, why did you buy me the exact jacket as yours?" She quickly added, "Not that I'm being ungrateful."
Sehun replied, "Because they were sold as a couple jacket. I couldn't buy just one if I wanted too. So I figured I'll just give you the woman's jacket. I found it at a store that sells indie labels clothing so you won't find it anywhere else." That was a sweet lie, because they were sold separately and he actually could buy the man's jacket only.
"Why don't you give it to your girlfriend? Is it okay to give this to me? Won't she get mad?", asked Lisa naively. Her big eyes full of wonder were looking into his.
His mouth hung open. "You... think I have a girlfriend?"
She frowned. "Don't you?" An attractive guy like you?
He was amused. "You think?" You think I would do all of these if I had a girlfriend???
"Geez, calm down, Sehun sunbaenim. I was just wondering", replied Lisa with a shrug. Just making sure. Why do I feel relieved though? "Thank you for the jacket. You shouldn't have. I mean, it looks expensive and I don't want you wasting money on me." Why did he shopped all of these for me anyway? Does he go shopping for all of his friends?
Hmm she's right there, I really don't like wasting my money. But while in America, he couldn't help but remember her whenever he saw random stuffs, from dolls to pillows to clothes--especially when it was her favorite or he thought it would look good on her.
"Don't worry about it. Let me enjoy the moment", he commented while faking a bored expression.
She gave a small smile. "Okay then. But you know it's going to be hard for me to wear this in public, right? People might accuse us of being a couple."
! He didn't thought of that.
"You're right.....", said Sehun weakly while trying to think of occasions where Lisa can wear the jacket.
Next thing he knew he felt a soft pat on his back.
"Don't worry, I'll wear it whenever I think I can get away with it", spoke Lisa softly after seeing his troubled face.
He unconsciously gave a goofy smile when he replied her, "Okay."
Lisa grabbed the last shopping bag, the black one. "And what do we have here?? Whoahhh~!" Her tone turned into an exciting pitch.
She held the basket full of Aigner chocolates in different kinds available.
"Wow wow wow. There are so many of them!"
Sehun grinned. "I didn't really know what kind of chocolates you prefer, so I just bought all the popular ones in the store."
There was a twinkle in her eyes. "Thank you! I will surely eat all."
He wanted to nod but a yawn escaped from his lips instead. "Aah I think I want to try to sleep again."
Her eyes widen. "In here?"
"Yeah." He changed into a sleeping position and put his head on Lisa's lap. "Here."
Red color crept over Lisa's face as she froze after his action. She quickly regained her composure then stood up abruptly. Sehun's head hit the floor with quite a loud thud.
"Aw! Meanie!"
Her cheeks were still pink when she replied, "Ugh just stay there for a while." Then went out of the room in a hurry.
He yawned again. "Where is she going? Ah no fun."
Five minutes later she returned with a pillow and a blanket.
He raised his eyebrows. "What? How? Where?"
"I borrowed it from Yoona unnie." Lisa knew that Yoona most of the times spent her nights here, guarding the studio. It was her second home, therefore she treated and decorated her own personal office room as if it was her bedroom.
She gave the pillow and blanket to Sehun. "Yoona unnie is now thinking of buying a small sofa for each room thanks to you."
They both knew that the reason there was no sofa in the dance rooms was because Yoona wanted the people who hire her dance studio to fully commited to dancing. She dislike the idea of someone renting the dance room for other purpose (like sleeping). Well of course people can still actually sleep in the room but she made sure it was less comfortable for them to do so. She only provided each rooms with a cool stereo, mineral water dispenser, a rubbish bin and a modest wooden chair.
"What did you tell her?", asked Sehun with a grin.
She answered, "The truth. That you are still jetlag but stubborn to come here because you miss your Disco room so much."
He patted the pillow and tried to find a good sleeping position. Later he put the blanket on the floor then slept on top of it. "Aah much better", he commented. He put his beanie beside the pillow.
Lisa sighed. She took the blue jacket from the shopping bag then covered his upper body with it.
Sehun was surprised.
"What if you catch a cold again?", muttered Lisa. "Should I lower the temperature of the air conditioner?"
He shook his head. "Nah. I didn't really feel cold in the first place." Now I feel warm but I'm enjoying it.
She nodded. "Okay. I'll lower the music volume then."
"You're still going to practice?", he asked.
"Of course. I've booked this room for three hours and just spent like around fifteen minutes dancing before you came. It would be a waste if I don't use my remaining rent time, right?"
Another yawn. "Right. Right. Well I guess I can finally watch Blackpink's ultimate dancer practice her awesome dancing skill", he said. Lisa had never let him watch her dance practice. Ever.
She frowned. "You wish, Sehun sunbaenim. I'm going to practice once you've fallen asleep."
"That just makes me want to stay awake more", replied Sehun who tried to open his eyes wide but failed.
She grinned. "And I thought you said you had trouble falling asleep a few minutes ago."
I did. It's strange. Maybe because I finally got to be here. In my lovely Disco room. Maybe I was restless because I couldn't rest comfortably until I'm here in this room. Maybe because she's also in this room. Maybe.... She's the reason after all. He pushed the thoughts away. Nah Sehun. You're just being sentimental. You're probably just hungry. And sleepy at the same time. These hormones and their false alarms...
"Hey Lisa-yaya... Sing me a lullaby...", he managed to say before drifting away.
She leaned closer to his face, making sure he was fully asleep.
Why does he look cute when sleeping? Although his eyebrows can't really stop furrowing huh.
Lisa stood up then continued her dance practice.
Sehun meanwhile was drifting in and out of his dreams.
At one point he opened his eyes to find a dancing Lisa concentrating on the mirror wall before her. He remembered thinking 'Aah finally I can see her dance practice...' before sleep caught him again.
After an hour of dancing, Lisa gulped down her mineral water then sat next to him. She glanced at the sleeping Sehun. His body was fidgeting, as if he was in a bad dream.
"Sing a lullaby, huh?"
Dinosaur Chen was chasing him in the woods. He tried to yell for help everytime but his voice would get drawn by Dinosaur Chen's singing voice that sounded more like a whine. He managed to enter a very dark tunnel but Dinosaur Chen managed to shrink himself, and so the chase still went on. The tunnel branched into two, both equally dark, he didn't know which way he should go. Panic crept in as he heard Dinosaur Chen's high note echoing through the walls. He tried to calm himself. Then he heard another singing voice. A girl.
"This song resembles you, a sweet melody that only makes me cry eh eh~"
He knew the voice and ran towards it.
Sehun opened his eyes with a jolt of surprise.
What a weird dream. Why the f Jongdae hyung appeared in my dream?! And in his dinosaur costume??
He wanted to move when he noticed something. The voice that was in his dream was still singing.
"If you feel the same way, do not leave my side. Don't ask me why but it has to be you. Be by my side and stay with me. It goes a little something like la la la~"
He just realized that Lisa was singing and gently his hair. He froze, not daring to move.
"I don't expect a lot of things from you right now. Just be by my side and stay with me."
He recognized the song. Stay by Blackpink. Her voice and touch were so gentle that he laid still, afraid of making any movements that would break this moment.
Is she... singing me a lullaby?
He closed his eyes again, secretly wishing he could stare at her while she was singing.
I get to see her dance practice and hear her singing in one day. AND SHE'S MY HAIR who gave her permission meh but it feels nice so okay. The day just gets better. I feel warm and fuzzy.
"So stay, whatever that may be. Sometimes, when darkness comes, I'll be your fire. In this world full of lies, the only truth, it's you. This is a letter from me to you."
It didn't take long for him to enter dreamland again, Lisa's voice carried him to sleep.
She rubbed her eyes. "Why am I getting sleepy too?" The clock on the wall showed that it was 3.16 PM.
I wonder how long will he be sleeping? I can't fully concentrate on dancing since I'm afraid of waking him up. Should I just book another room?
Then she looked at his sleeping face.
"Oddly I feel bad leaving you alone, Sehun sunbaenim."
"... Mmmmh call me oppa....."
She was surprised and backed off automatically, but then realized that he was only sleep talking.
"Ahh that gave me a shock", said Lisa while patting her chest. Call you oppa? It was true they had been interacting a lot for these last months but she still called him sunbaenim. Will it be weird to call him oppa? Well I call my sunbaenims oppa too, but I dunno... It just feels weird if it's HIM.
She shook her head then sighed.
"What am I going to do with you?"
He had a good sleep. So good that he didn't want to open his eyes. But then he felt the thirst, he needed a drink.
Sehun slowly opened his eyes, trying to adjust to the lights. To his dismay, the view of a sleeping Lisa filled his sight. He froze, wondering whether it was a dream or not. He pinched his cheek then contained himself from yelping.
It's not a dream...
The girl who was sleeping on the floor across of him looked undisturbed, her body following the rhythym of her breathing.
What is she doing sleeping on the floor? He moved forward a bit, drinking in the view. I can't believe I get to see her sleep now.
"Hey... Don't you think you're the one who is going to catch a cold now?", whispered Sehun. He slowly put the jacket on her body, trying carefully not to wake her up. She stirred a bit but remained asleep.
It will be more perfect if the lights were out and the disco ball was . He could imagine the lights illuminating her sleeping frame. It would be his favorite scenery ever.
He put on his beanie then gently tucked a few strands of hair away from her eyes. And in that moment, her mobile phone (that was placed beside her) rang loudly. A surprised awaken Lisa quickly flung into a sitting position while Sehun immediately put his right hand on his beanie, pretending to fix it.
"Sehun sunbaenim! You're awake...?" Lisa was looking at him with dazed eyes of having been awake abruptly. Then she realized her phone was still ringing. She quickly answered it while trying to stand up, her jacket fell off of her body.
"Yes this is she", said Lisa to someone on her phone. Her eyes darted from her jacket to Sehun. She looked at him questioningly but he just replied with a shrug.
"Yes that's the right address, please wait, I'll go out. Thank you." She hung up her phone then took her new given jacket and wallet. "Wait here", spoke Lisa before she closed the door.
Sehun scratched his head. "Why do I feel like Vivi....."
A minute later she came back bringing a large food bag in her left arm.
"Here you go~", said Lisa as she put the bag down between them. She sat across him while taking off her jacket.
A confused Sehun asked, "What's this?"
"Snack", replied Lisa while she put a bowl of jjajangmyeon in front of him and one for herself. She handed him his chopstick and mineral water.
"I figure you haven't eat properly since you came back home because of the jetleg stress--since you didn't mention eating in your story. And I'm famished because of the dance practice." She opened the plastic bowl lid while humming, oblivious to the fact that Sehun was staring at her with an unreadable expression.
I... Why does she keep doing this to me?
"Sehun sunbaenim? Aren't you going to eat?", asked Lisa who disturbed whatever thought he was having. "Don't tell me... You don't like jjajangmyeon?"
He could see that she was ready to give a sad face so he quickly shook his head. "No. No. I like it! I just... I mean, thanks."
She smiled. "Eat while it's warm."
He nodded. "Jal meokkesseumnida."
The first few minutes went by without talking, both enjoying the silence and comfort of food.
"This is actually good", commented Sehun.
She gave a cute satisfied expression. "I know right? Yoona unnie recommended it for me."
"It's not Pad Thai but hey it'll do", he grinned cheekily at her.
She sighed dramatically. "Aghhh you just don't want to let it go, huh?"
"What, and pass the opportunity to torment you with my request? Never", he replied.
"Wait until you become special", blurted out Lisa who immediately put a hand to .
He looked at her confusingly. "Sorry, what?"
"Nothing! Haha~", she laughed awkwardly.
Sehun smirked. "Don't eat and talk at the same time, Lisa-ya. I can't hear clearly what you're saying."
"Yes Sehun sunbaenim. Sorry", replied Lisa.
Eight minutes later, each bowl were already clean. She put the dirty bowls, chopsticks and tissues inside the food bag then dump it in the rubbish bin.
Sehun checked the time and quickly turned to Lisa. "Wait Lisa-ya, isn't now way passed your booking time?"
"I asked Yoona unnie for two hours of extension", she answered.
"Really? No one else booked this room besides you?"
She rolled her eyes. "Have you ever seen anyone else booked this room? Even Yoona unnie said I can book this room as long as I want. As far as she knows, it would be either you or me who book this room. She said all of the other customers have given up on this room because it was always already booked when they wanted it."
"It's not my fault that I've booked it first before anyone else wants to. It's not like I'm here everyday also", said Sehun with a frown.
Lisa shrugged. "I guess it's a matter of bad timing for the other guests."
He patted the floor lovingly. "Or it's just destiny that this room is for m--I mean, us."
She squinted her eyes. "Are you saying you're happily sharing this room with me?"
He looked like he was thinking for a moment before replying, "I guess I am. I mean, I'd rather you use this room than other people when I'm not using it."
She chuckled. "Such a posessive sunbaenim."
He smiled meaningfully. You have no idea.
"Lisa-ya?"
"Hmm?"
"Thanks for the food. And... the company." And the lullaby. And your attention. And your presence.
This feels like dejavu. She replied, "I'm glad you're feeling better."
He watched her as she turned off the lights then walked fast across the room to turn on the disco ball.
Lisa then sat quietly besides him.
Aah the sanctuary that I missed...
"Sehun sunbaenim?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks for the gifts. I really like them."
He hid his shy smile in the darkness then pinched her cheek fondly.
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