Author's ramblings:

I apologise for the long update. I am swept by the concert and the SC album, showcase, press con, interviews and concert again.

We've been blessed. I've been happy. Enjoyed myself too much that this draft chapter remains in its draft for weeks. 

Well.. finally I manage to get it edited to some comprehensible chapter. Forgive me for its many shortcomings. 

Promise I'll try to drag myself away from youtube and twitter and spent some time writing.

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Sumin half listened to the conversation at the lunch table. Jin Goo, Freddy and Suet Ying were discussing about the movie they watched last night. She did joined them at the movie and thought the show was just watchable, nothing worth the heated discussion the three of them were having. Anna, who didn’t join them at the movie was also lost in her own world as she busied herself with texting her new boyfriend.

“Su, what do you think of the hero? Is he a 9?” Suet Ying asked.

Sumin pursed her lips and gave it a thought. “7.5 or an 8 maybe? Too buff for me.”

“What’s wrong with buffed up guys. So strong. You don’t think they are hot?” Suet Ying questioned in surprise.

“Nothing wrong with them. I prefer lean guys, that’s all.”

Jin Goo raised his hand for a high-five. Indulging him, she smacked his hand making him very happy.

“What about the girl? She’s gorgeous right?” he looked at her expectantly, wanting further validation for his views.

She nodded and couldn’t help but giggle at the excited glee coming from such a manly guy.

Now it was Freddy that was disappointed with her response. “She’s flat as a board. Only has a pretty face. Nothing to drool.”

“You only think of ! If only Beatrice know how you ogle at these actresses, I bet she dump your the next moment,” Jin Goo scoffed.

Sumin turned towards JinGoo. “y celebrities don’t turn you on?”

“Of course. But pretty face is fine too. But Freddy, the face can be ugly but as long as the girl has big s and y , then he is a goner,” JinGoo sneered at Freddy.

Pursuing her lips, she thought for a moment. She took out her phone and showed them some photos. “What about this girl?”

“Isn’t she the SwimSuit Illustrated Calendar model?” JinGoo asked, his eyes widened at the photos at the gorgeous model.

Grabbing the phone, Freddy looked at the photos. He whistled. “She’s a Victoria Secret model. Russian, right?”

Sumin nodded.

“She is sizzling hot. And I really mean hot, hot, hot!!” Freddy continued. His eyes focused intently on the ier photos.

“Would you sleep with her if given a chance?”

Everyone turned to look at her curiously. It was a question that no one expected from her.

“I meant, hypothetically, if she were to come onto you, for a.. lets say, one night stand.. would you do it?” she explained herself nervously.

Freddy glared at her. “Did Beatrice put you up to this?” he asked defensively.

Sumin shook her head. “I’m just curious. With that face and that body, if any guy can resist if she were to be one that did the pursuing.”

“Huh!!” JinGoo scoffed. “As if someone with that face and body would ever does the chasing. She probably has too many in hands to have her own pick.”

“Hypothetically speaking only,” Sumin emphasized.

“I think every guy would. She’s known as one of the iest women in the world. Which guy doesn’t want that score on their ego?” Suet Ying pointed out. “Freddy?”

He bit his lips with his eyes were still on the photos. “Hypothetically, yes! I’m only a man,” his voice had a touch of wistfulness. Suet Ying laughed and punched his arm.

“Why are you asking this hypothetical question?” she turned towards her friend.

Sumin shook her head lightly. “Just curious, I guess. If a man can resist such .. charms.”

On the way back from work, Sumin was walking past a mirrored pillar when she paused and stared at herself in the reflection. She was dressed in her typical office attire of black pants and a blouse; lightly powdered face and a lip tint. Her long hair falls straight down her back up to her shoulder blade. She blended in with the rest of the working crowd, nothing stands out nor special about her. That had never bothered her before but today, she stared hard at the plain looking girl in the mirror and felt her heart thumped heavily.

The guys were messing around during a break from practice. Sehun and Baekhyun teamed up and played pranks on Jongdae. He stood facing the guys, flabbergasted at being pranked, “Ah whae..................” he whined.

The two boys ran towards the opposite end, doubling in laughter.

Junmyeon walked into the room and immediately noticed the state Jongdae is in. He turned his head and saw Sehun and Baekhyun rolling around in laughter while the rest of the guys just laughed along and he just shook his head. These are young adults that are old enough to have their own children, yet they can’t be left alone without behaving like kids themselves.

Going towards Sehun, he nudged. “Go help Jongdae clean up.”

“Why me? What about him?” he pointed to Baekhyun.

“One of you is enough. The two of you would just make it worse.”

Shaking his head and stomping his feet, Sehun refused, declaring it was unfair. Junmyeon was annoyed. He was glad to see Sehun genuinely happy again. But the kid has been so hyper since he got back with Sumin. As if three years of restrained childish antics was unleashed. Sehun always teamed up with Baekhyun or Chanyeol to play tricks on one of them. He himself has woken up from the dorm to find his feet tied up when he stumbled down the bed. Jongin had his hair tied in tiny ponytails. The only guy so far that has not been pranked was Kyungsoo, but that was because most of them do not want to be in his bad book.

At dinner later, Jumnyeon asked the maknae about his relationship.

“Sehunnie, how are you and Sumin getting on?”

“Good! Very good!” His face broke into a huge smile. He couldn’t help it. Any thoughts of her made him happy.

The other guys had stopped eating and turned towards Sehun. They’ve been curious about the relationship since the couple got back together. But Sehun has not been sharing much, brushing off questions or just told them it’s good. They knew things are doing well from the change in his behavior.

“How is the long distance relationship working?” Jongin asked.

Sehun nodded. “It’s fine.”

“Com’on Sehun. Spill. Why are you so secretive about it?” Jongdae persuaded.

Sehun pursed his lips. He knew he has not been sharing much with s or anyone else. Somehow he feels more protective about the relationship now as compared to before. But as he raised his eyes to look at his brothers, he knew they can be trusted.

“The distance has been hard. Especially when we just got back together, I want to be with her even more. But its ok. As long as I still have her; we can text or call. Knowing she is within reach helps,” he explained. The wistfulness in his voice touched Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo really liked Sumin. She has a calmness around her that he is fond of.

“How is she?” Kyungsoo asked.

“She’s good. Still the same but not the same,” he answered in circles. There is a change in Sumin that he felt but could not pin down but at the same time, she is the same person, someone who still feels so right, someone he can easily opens up, someone who is home.

“It’s been three years. And she lives in Hong Kong. Change is not unexpected,” Xiumin pointed out.

Sehun nodded.

“How are you keeping this a secret?” Chanyeol asked. “Are you going to listen to her now?”

“Yeah. I’m fine with us keeping it just between us and no one else. Ok, you guys, Yerim and our parents included. No one else needs to know.”

Junmyeon stared at Sehun, someone whom he really loved. The boy has matured the past three years. It wasn’t that Sehun previously wanted to flaunt his relationship. He just wanted to have a normal relationship, be able to bring his girlfriend out, introduce to his friends and family. He had harboured a niggling fear that Sumin would tire of the secret dating. Truthfully, it is a challenge for a lot of relationship. Having to keep a relationship in the dark often put a toll in the couple. But Sehun was lucky. He has found a girl who is contented to be with him, just him, so that being in a secret relationship did not bother her. She valued their relationship a lot more than sharing it with anyone else. Junmyeon was happy for him.

From TheOnlyOne

Hey sweetheart, what are you doing?

Can talk?

Sumin smiled to herself. She has been feeling moody but just a text from him could lift her mood.

Not a second after she gave a positive response then her phone rang.

“Aren’t you filming an MV?” she asked.

“Yeah. We are just waiting for the set to be ready. Manager Hyung let me have my phone,” Sehun explained.

They chatted for a bit.

“Su, Su, you remember the guy I mentioned that I’m close to in Europe. The model Rob Evans? We are going to do 3 shows together!! I can’t wait to introduce you to him! We’ll facetime, ok?”

“Oh!”

“Is that it?”

“OK. We’ll facetime,” she replied softly. Sehun was chuckling as he talked about Rob and how flamboyant he can be.

“Su?” Sehun called out again when he realized that there was silence on the other end of the phone.

Sumin's mind had wandered. To Anishka. Even as she tried to push the girl away, her thoughts lingered at that gorgeous woman.

“Do you have any show with her?” she asked hesitantly.

Sighing, he couldn’t help but be disappointed that she was still hung up about Anishka. He was regretting on telling about her. Sehun had not given a single thought on the girl, someone who was a distraction for him to get over her and he had hope Sumin would have too.

“I don’t know,” he answered truthfully. At silence to his respond, he elaborated. “There are many shows that week. We don’t know each other casting. I only found out about Rob’s because we usually share our schedules to see if we do have jobs together.”

Sehun didn’t add that models that are not in shows together could still see each other at gatherings after the shows and at the party held for the models. He wasn’t trying to hide it from Sumin but he knew the added info would worry her unnecessarily. He has no interest to rekindle or be near Anishka or any other model.

“Ok.”

“Su, what is this about?” he asked.

“Nothing. I was just curious,” she assured him.

“Hun, you think you can get for me something when you in Japan?” Sumin suddenly changed topic. She has no justifiable explanation for her obsession over the girl. She can’t really understand it herself.

“Wasabi kit kat. Yerim told me the taste is unique.”

Sehun could smell the diversion a mile away. Somehow he knew that would not be the end on the issue. He contemplated pushing her on her concern on Anishka but he also has nothing to offer besides asking her to trust him. But he was determined to get this behind them, so he planned to have a good talk when they next meet. For now, he simply agreed to get the snack for her.

After work, Sumin decided to go out shopping. She walked to the department stores, looking at usual racks of clothes that she bought for herself. As she took the clothes and stared in the mirror at her reflection, she bit her lips. Smiling guiltily at the assistant that was waiting for her, she decided to put them all back.

She entered a different store that carried beautiful clothes, that was flashier and ier. Fingers touching lightly at these clothes, Sumin felt lost. She doesn’t even know where to start. Her brows furrowed, she tried to imagine herself in one of the dresses when a girl of about her age, approached.

Glad that the store was empty, Sumin blushingly told the girl that she was looking for something that is probably less dowdy that what she wears.

“Ahh.. You want something ier?” the girl gushed excitedly.

Quickly shaking her head, “No, No. Well yes. No..” words were tumbling out of .

“Is this for a special occasion? A party, dinner?” The girl probed further.

Sumin shook her head. “Just for work and normal outings. Err..” she looked at her current outfit again and then with a sheepish smile, “something less boring.” With that, her face pinked in embarrassment.

The sweet salesperson chuckled. “Shall I suggest some things that are pretty, but not overly y?”

Sumin nodded.

“You got the figure, and the face. So that’s not going to be a problem. Are you ok with spaghetti straps, showing some tummy? How short is the hemline are you willing to go?”

When she saw Sumin just blinked uncertainly, she gave her a wider smiled and pulled Sumin to the dressing area. Placing Sumin at the sofa, she asked her to wait while she picked out some clothes. The salesperson is happy. She had been bored since there have not been many customers on a Tuesday night. And often, the girls that come to the store knows what they want, even though some may not have the figure to pull it off. She has been told to just encouraged sales, and not to comment negatively. But now she has an opportunity to dress up a pretty girl that just needed a nudge in the right direction.  As she picked up a little back dress, she shook her head. “Nah! We’ll start her slow.”

Two hours later, Sumin walked out empty handed. Well, not 100% empty. She left with many photos of her in 8 different outfits that was suitable for work or for outings to the moviews and dinners and a promise to buy from the girl those she finally decided on. Sumin wanted Yerim’s opinion but she had liked those she was photographed in.

During their weekly call the next day, she showed them to Yerim.

“Waa.. what’s the occasion?” Yerim asked as she scrolled through the photos.

“No occasion. I just thought my wardrobe is boring. Just spice it up a little bit?” she explained uncertainly.

Yerim nodded slowly. “Are you going somewhere with Sehun?”

“Ani.”

“Then why?” she raised her head from the photos and stared at her best friend through the laptop. Sumin looked very pretty in the various outfit. She would definitely encourage her to get 5 or 6 of them. But this sudden need