Yoong and I continued with constant communication throughout the days of Christmas break. It's not exactly something like flirting. It's more like casual and friendly chats through phone messages. Sometimes, there are some video and phone calls. But, totally hanging out, as in physically together? No. He has not really asked me out or something. I guess he really wanted to take it slow this time. I sighed. It's like Taeyeon all over again.

Anyway, that is why here I am now, right in his front door in an early afternoon of New Year's Eve.

I knocked on his door. A few moments later, he opened. "Jessica. Hi. I didn't know you'll be coming here early.  Aren't you and the Kwons supposed to come here at a later time?"

"Yes. But remember the cleaning service voucher you demanded from me? I think you didn't notice it's only valid up until this year."

"Really? I didn't place any expiration of some sort." He pulled out his wallet and took the voucher out. "Oh. Drat. You snuck in that clause under your signature."

"You got that right."

"But, how generous of you to offer it now a day before the year ends. You can just wait for it to expire to save you from cleaning."

"Nah. I'm not that evil. Besides, when you told me you need to clean your place today, I have a feeling you are struggling right now on doing it."

"What?" He then chuckled nervously. "What makes you say that? I mean, there's really not much to clean here, you know."

"You didn't respond on my text message for three hours so I assumed something came up and I thought, why don't I make you a surprise visit?"

I started to walk inside. He was like trying to stop me from coming in, though. And yes, my hunch was right. This place is total wreckage.

"What. On. Freaking. Earth. Has. Happened. Here?"

"Errr---uhmmm---"

It was very, very, very horrible. Lots of trash all over the floor from his snack containers, to the Chinese food boxes, pizza boxes, even spoilt food splattered around. Oh. Goodness. There's a very big pile of dirty laundry too. And stains... totally lots of freaking stains at the wall, floor and ceiling of everywhere in the house. And let's not start with the ing smell. It's like I am in a gigantic dumpster container.

Gross. A total gross!

I shouldn't have offered. And I cannot believe this guy is the one I thought the one for me. Really?! Really?!?!?!?!?!?!?! Can I even take this?!

I looked at him in so much confusion and disbelief, "What is going on with you?"

"Huh?" he said and laughed nervously again. "What are you talking about? Nothing's going on with me."

"When did all these trash started to pile in? The last time I was here, there's not a speck of single dirt at all."

"Yeah, I know. It's just that uhhmmm---"

"Do you even wash yourself?"

"Of course, I do!" he said in total defense. "Even if my place is an utter mess, my body cannot ever be touched by germs, you know! It has natural repellant from dirt and bad odor!"

"Fine. But I really don't understand why. I mean, I know you're the kind of guy who is very very organized. Why on Earth you can't even make your house cleaned up and in order?"

"Wow. Look who's talking. Your house was exactly like this before!"

"I was depressed before, okay! I got my reason! But this?! This is freaking even ten times worse than what I had!"

"Look." He sighed loudly. "I'm not perfect. This. This is one of the things I am not proud of myself." He sat down on his very dirty couch, right exactly on the mustard stain. Eiw.

He continued to explain, "My mind is very very organized. I really have everything set up in my mind structured, organized and in total order... Like, I already planned what to wear for the coming 365 days of next year. I have already devised what exactly I'm gonna do every day. I have it all straight planned in my mind. I just have to execute it."

"And cleaning is not part of your plan?"

"Of course yes! But it's for next year.", 

"Still, that doesn't explain why you didn't even bother to throw your leftovers directly at a trash can. Or even wrap them up inside a plastic bag. Or even at least try to consider wiping those bloodstains on the wall. Why do you even have bloodstains there?"

"Oh. Those are just ketchup and chili sauce. Some are just chocolate stains. I ran out of tissue papers so..."

"Damn it, Yoong!"

"Fine! Judge me all you want! This is me! If you can't accept me even as your 'friend' then just--- freaking forget about my existence!"

Tsk. Tsk. What a drama king. Seriously, this guy, out of all the four dorks, is the most dramatic one. He's even more of emo than me. Yeah, he's even worse than Taeyeon too.

"At least give me an explanation why, you know. I'm not really judging you."

"Alright." He sighed loudly again. Then, he started on a very very long explanation,

"I need to do this. As you said, I am a very organized person. But at this moment of the year, I need to balance myself. I am always messy every year-end that's because my mind is in a complete squeaky clean state at this phase. Consider this something like a business. Every year-end, a company has to plan out its strategic objectives for the coming years. This is the same for me. But, there's a downside. During the planning phase, I need to have a medium to let out the negative side of being organized. So, that's why everything's a mess. Also, my reason I decided not to join my family on a vacation trip to the US this break because this year-end is the start of my strategic planning process for the next three years. I have a cycle of three years, by the way."

"Fine. But, don't you realize you're gonna have visitors tonight? You think you can clean this up in a half-day?"

He groaned as he pulled his hair out o frustration, "You're right. I cannot. Yeah, you're right. I was struggling. I couldn't start on cleaning up. I don't know where to start. I am not really done on planning for my 2013 yet!"

"This would be more than my cleaning service offer, Yoong."

"Yeah, I know. Maybe, we can just move the celebration back to Yuri-hyung's place?"

"What date you have scheduled the cleaning of this place for the next year?"

"The earliest cleaning schedule is on the 29th of January."

"You don't even plan to hire a legit cleaning service?"

"I don't like random people touching my things."

"These aren't exactly your things. They're just gonna clear out the trash."

"Still, these are my things!"

"Fine!" I sighed deeply, "We better start cleaning up."

"Are you sure about this?"

"Yes. And you better help out. I cannot do this alone."

He then smiled childishly, "Okay!"

---

It was a total challenge. The effort in cleaning his place up was like for six people. But, I got no choice but to continue helping up. Yeah, I know, I know, I dug my own grave. But this is the only subtle way I know for me to spend time with him. Good thing, he has lots of sports electrolyte drinks for us to keep up with the cleaning.

Anyway, it's kind of worth it for me, though. Why? Well... Yoong is kind of playful as we did the cleaning. He teases me throughout the whole time. We had soap bubbles fight. We even had tickle fights. He even helps with lifting me by his shoulders on dusting high places of shelves. Consider it some kind of an annoying moment of any romantic film. 

Yes, Yes. I am guilty. I've been craving of doing things like this. I am still a girl, okay. I do melt on cheesy things.

And I swear to you. My gosh. Yoong is very very dreamy. He's like the very epitome of perfect oppas you just want to end up with. Yeah, he got a bit of imperfection which is his untidiness at home but that doesn't really matter, right? If ever we get married, I will do the household chores for him, really.

Okay. I think my fangirling is now getting out of hand. I have to stop.

Anyway, finally, after almost seven hours of the strenuous chore, we're finally done. Now, we're just waiting for a while for ourselves to ease up the tiredness before cleaning ourselves up.

"See the difference?" I said as we're currently seated on his couch.

"Totally."

I sighed, "Never do this again, Yoong."

"I can't help, okay."

"Then, try hiring a cleaner."

"Nope. No stranger shall ever touch my things."

"Date someone who will clean then."

"Are you suggesting your own self?"

No, but actually, yes.

"Wow. Really. I just did you a favor because you also cleaned mine before. Don't think too much about this gesture."

"Alright. I believe you." he said and winked.

I sighed, "It would be a major 'turn on' to the girls you are hitting on that you clean your place up. It's not enough that you're just clean when it comes to your personal hygiene. It should show on your place too."

"Okay, my sweet pretty noona." He then pinched my cheek. "Thank you for letting me use the cleaning voucher."

"No prob."

"Hmm. I think we're good at cleaning ourselves up. Our bodies already relaxed from the tiredness." Then, he looked at me while wiggling his eyebrows. "Say, wanna take a shower together?"

"Sure."

"Come o-- wait." He looked at me in so much confusion. "Did you just agree?"

"Yeah. It would save time if we shower together."

He then blushed madly. He looked away and laughed nervously. "I was just kidding around." He forced a laugh then stood up clumsily. "Anyway, I better go ahead take a shower first. You need to take a rest more." And he rushed to the bathroom without even bothering to hear my response.

Seriously, that guy. It's not like we didn't have days ago. What's wrong with showering together now?

---

After a few hours, the Kwon family has arrived. Tiffany and I are the ones assigned for the food preparation this time. The boys, on the other hand, are the ones tasked to set up the roof deck. Little Sunkyu was downstairs hitting on Yoong's neighbor, Luna, who's the same age as him, though.

Yoong's condo unit is actually the best place to celebrate the countdown to the New Year. His place is actually a penthouse model, thus, he has his own roof deck for us to launch some fireworks and to party all night too. Yoong bought various types of liquor and some Chinese firecrackers for tonight’s celebration yesterday. He told me he has never tried this kind of celebration before.

Tiffany and I started to prepare snacks for tonight. As we were busy preparing, she uttered, "You know, when I arrived here I thought we entered the wrong place. This place is so freaking squeaky clean! It's totally different compared to the first time I was here after that fake-bomb incident at school."

"You got that right. Totally different." If you would only see the before and after pictures, bestie, you'll see how awful it was.

She then teased, "I have a feeling he's starting to become a tidy person just to impress you."

I chuckled from the thought. Really? I was so freaking turned off when I first saw this garbage place.

She then asked, "So, how are you and Yoong?"

"What about me and Yoong?"

"Oh come on. I have not heard from you in a week. Is there progress with your relationship?"

"Not really. Same same."

"Jessi. You're making it sound like we never had this conversation last Christmas."

"Look. I just wished he's the one, alright? That doesn't mean we're officially dating now or something."

"So, he didn't ask you out?"

"No. Not really."

"Wow. Yuri always tells me Yoong's like the sleekest in their group when it comes to hitting on women. Why it sounded now like he's a shy boy?"

"If you ask me, I think Yuri is the fastest one. Bestie, you two spooned and made out in just a week you've known each other."

"Yah! Why are you making it sound like I am an easy woman?"

"Aren't you?"

"Shut up! My situation with Yuri is not typical, okay."

"Tell me a valid justification why it's not typical, Tiff."

"Well... First, we had an agreement. I will act as Sunkyu's mom."

"But that doesn't mean you will also pretend to be his wife."

"It's given, okay! Sunkyu will not believe if we don't act like husband and wife."

"Okay. Let's assume you are right. But, is spooning and torrid make-out sessions part of the act? Are you two showing those kinds of things to Sunkyu?"

She then groaned in defeat, "Fine. I am an easy woman! You win, Jessica! You win!"

I chuckled, "That's alright, Tiff. If I would be in your shoes, I would definitely already had with Yuri in just a week or two."

She then blushed as red as a tomato, "Yah, bestie! What are you implying?! That, I surrendered myself to Yuri already?!"

"Aren't you?"

"No! I have not! Really, I have not."

"What base are you now, anyway."

She ignored my question.

"Yah, Tiff."

She looked away, still blushing madly, "Third." 

Tsk. Tsk. My bestie sure is more liberated than me, I guess. I think if Yuri and Tiffany continued to grow up together, they could have had even in the earliest adolescent days. Oh. Just in case you also forgot, they were once childhood friends around nine-ish or ten-ish.

I chuckled and , "Third base in just three months. Look at you, bestie. Where's the innocent you?"

"How about you, huh? How long did it take for you to get laid with your Taengoo?"

"Hmm. Around six to seven months after we became official?"

"Whoa. That slow?!"

I sighed, "Yes."

"How about with Yoong?"

I looked at her quizzically, "What are you implying?"

"That you have already done it with Yoong."

"Nope."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes."

"Let's have an estimate. If you two become official, how many weeks are you estimating before you give in to him then?"

"Hmmm. I don't know..." But, I do know. We became a couple-for-a-day and we already did it in less than 24-hours. Hmmm. Right. Yoong is the sleekest out of the four, I guess?

"I think you'll give in about a week too." she said.

"Why?"

"Come on. Yoong's hot, okay. And uhhmmm..."

"What?"

"Yummy?"

I looked at her in disbelief, "Are you having a crush on Yoong?"

"What? Heck no. I only see him as a younger brother."

"And with you describing him that way? Yummy? Doesn't that sound taboo?"

She chuckled, "Yoong's hot. Admit it. He's like a white chocolate version of Yuri. Or Yuri's version on a three-times higher brightness filter."

I chuckled too, "Right. Right. You do have a point."

Then, she sighed loudly as she stared at the ceiling, "You know, bestie. I find Yuri sooooooo damn i