“Omo!” Da Eun stumbled over the threshold and tripped, falling forward.

Junhyung, who had been standing in front of the door, stepped aside and watched her descend as Hyunseung rushed forward to catch her, falling to his knees.

Hyunseung glared at him and roared in a voice the complete opposite of his normal one. “Yah! She could’ve been seriously hurt!” He looked at Da Eun, brushing her hair back. “Yah…” He hesitated before dropping the formalities. “Da Eun-ah, gwenchana?”

She looked up, eyes wide. The lack of formalities seemed natural to her and she smiled. “Mm. Gwenchana. Annyeong… Bambi,” she greeted him.

“Ah, good. Annyeong, Da Eun-ah.” Relief made the informality come easily this time, and Hyunseung winced as he got to his feet, lifting Da Eun up with him.

“Oh? Hyunseung-ah, gwenchana?” She asked, noticing his pained expression.

“Gwenchana, really. I’m just… Sore,” he reassured her, smoothing his features into a smile. “So, shall we go?” The three of them stepped into the elevator.

“Mm! But where are we going? Dong… Woonie didn’t tell me anything,” she asked, tripping a little over what she should call Dongwoon.

Hyunseung’s smile faltered at her intimate use of his dongseng’s name. “Me’n Junnie are taking you shopping. We heard you don’t have much to wear, so we’re gonna go all out today.”

“What?” Da Eun stopped in her tracks as she was walking out the doors. “But-“

“Woonie also told us you were to ignore anything you say,” Hyunseung hid a smile. Dongwoon had predicted this would happen.

“But-“ Da Eun continued to protest.

“Yah, don’t argue,” a bored voice came from behind. “You should be grateful.”

Da Eun flinched. It was the first time she’d heard Junhyung speak, and it scared her. She trembled slightly. “A-araso,” she ducked her head. “Kamsahamnida…”

“Yah! Yong Junhyung, what do you think you’re doing, scaring her?” Hyunseung reproached him.

Before Junhyung could reply, Da Eun did. “Gwenchana.” She drew herself up, remembering Dongwoon’s words. It’s like an evaluation period. She repeated firmly, “Gwenchana.” Bowing slightly, she thanked them again without a quaver in her voice. “Kamsahamnida.” She looked Junhyung straight in his eyes and repeated politely, “Jeongmal kamsahamnida.”

Speechless, Hyunseung stared after her as she walked out the doors. “Ah…” He turned to Junhyung. “You!”

Junhyung looked thoughtful. “Hm…” He walked out, ignoring his hyung.

“Yah!”

“You coming?”

“Oh, uh,” Hyunseung fumbled. “Coming.”

***

“Whew!” Dongwoon sagged against the door. “That was close.”

“Eh?” Gikwang yawned. “What was close?”

Dongwoon shook his head at him. “Nothing.”

The doorbell rang.

“Hm? I wonder what that is?” Dongwoon opened the door.

“Ah, hyung! I thought you had an appointment?” He stood aside to let Doojoon in, dressed in a black tank and shorts.

“Nah, the guy cancelled. I’ll be free on Saturdays for a while.” Doojoon smirked. “Was probably cause his wife was checking me out.”

“That’s… Great. Da Eun just went out with Junnie and Seungie, like we planned,” Dongwoon told him.

“Mm.” Doojoon answered after a slight pause. “What’s Kwangie doing?” He changed the subject.

“Erm… I think he’s sleeping.”

“Wake him up. We missed our training session yesterday, so we’ll just go to the gym now. You have nothing to do anyway.”

Dongwoon started to protest. “Don’t argue.” Doojoon cut him off.

Muttering, Dongwoon did as he said. “Yah, hyung, wake up. We’re going to the gym.”

“Hm? What? Hnghhhh…”

***

“So, where do you want to go first?” Hyunseung asked casually, eyes on the road.

“Um… I go to a store near where my flat was,” she suggested.

“Araso, tell me where to go.”

***

 “Yah… Hyung…” Dongwoon panted. “Should we… call… them?”

“Nope.” Doojoon said, watching his thigh muscles bulge. “Should I add another weight?”

“No! I’ll… just… shut up.” He flinched.

***

“This is the store you were talking about?” Hyunseung asked.

“Mm.” Da Eun nodded.

“This is a secondhand store.”

Da Eun looked down, hair swinging in front of her face. “Yes.”

“This is the only store you know?”

A pause. “Yes,” she whispered. Sighing, “That’s the only store I could afford, and in the end, I couldn’t afford that either.”

Junhyung cleared his throat.

“Well, we’re just going to have to introduce you to some new ones,” he said nonchalantly.

Da Eun’s eyes widened and turned hesitantly, not daring to believe it.

Hyunseung grinned. So Junhyung liked her now, huh?

Junhyung couldn’t meet her eyes. He cleared his throat again, uncomfortable with Da Eun’s spreading smile.

“Kamsahamnida,” she said, this time sincerely. She paused. “Kamsa,” she grinned before getting towed away by Hyunseung.

“Come on, let’s go!”

A smile crept onto Junhyung’s face. “Strange girl…” He shook his head. “Come on, Yong Junhyung, let’s go.”

~

Da Eun gaped.

“Shut your mouth, you’re going to swallow a fly,” Hyunseung teased. “You’re not going in? Should we just leave?”

“Ah, no, I’m going!” Da Eun shook her head and ran into the mall. She looked back, beaming excitedly.

Hyunseung chuckled and looked at Junhyung, who had his hands in his pockets, earphones in his ears, and was jamming by the window. “Yah, I know you’re glad you’re here, so stop acting so… Cool.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Junhyung said nonchalantly.

 “Junnie, I know you, remember?” He reached over and pulled the cord out of Junhyung’s pocket. Waving the unplugged end of it in front of his face, Hyunseung smirked. “Now come on. We’ve got some shopping to do.”

Looking at Da Eun’s smiling face, Junhyung felt his lips curve despite himself. What was it about this girl that was… Different?

***

“Yah, hyung! Look!” Gikwang stood shirtless in front of the mirror in the side of the gym.

“What?” Doojoon inquired exasperatedly.

“I think I can almost see my abs,” he answered excitedly.

“Let me see,” Doojoon said, grunting as he lowered the weight.

Now’s my chance, Dongwoon thought as he lowered his also. Sneaking his phone out of his pocket, he dialed Hyunseung’s number.

***

“How’s this?” Da Eun asked timidly, stepping out of the dressing room.

Hyunseung hesitated, looking her up and down. “Uh, Junnie…?”

Junhyung, who appeared to be looking uninterestedly through the clothing racks, glanced up and shook his head.

“Yeah, I thought so.”

“Wae?” Da Eun asked. “All the ones I’ve chosen…?”

“Da Eun-ah… You seem to have a penchant for black.”

“Oh.”

Hyunseung barreled on, determined to make her see the depth of her fashion blunder.

“Black is good for formal wear, and as an offsetting color for, say… a bright color like turquoise, for example. The contrast is nice.” He paused, taking a breath.

It was the most Da Eun had heard him talk at one time. She opened to speak, but closed it again when Hyunseung continued.

“Another thing… You’ve been hiding yourself. Everything you’ve chosen covers you entirely. That hoodie, those jeans…” Hyunseung stopped, seeing Da Eun’s downcast expression and b eyes. “Yah, what are you crying for?” He asked gently, pulling her towards him. Placing two fingers under her chin, he made her look at him.

She sniffed, wiping her tears away. “Mianhamnida,” she whispered.

Hyunseung felt a pang at the reinstatement of formalities, but he made nothing of it. “Yah, normally when someone gives a compliment, the other person says gomawo.”

“A- a compliment?”

“Mm.” He nodded. “I was just going to say, wae? Even idol stars don’t have legs as slim and long as yours. You should be proud of your figure.”

“Re-really?” She asked, trembling.

“Yup! And, um…” He looked embarrassed. “Your face is really pretty too,” he whispered, blushing.

At that, she beamed, wiping the last of her tears. “Oh; you aren’t so bad yourself, Bambi,” she teased, regaining her spirit.

“It’s just… that hair of yours always gets in the way…” Hyunseung trailed off, lost in thought. “Tell me, Da Eun, when was the last time you got a hair cut?”

***

“They didn’t pick up,” Dongwoon said, eyes wide. Could something have happened? He had to go, quick!

“Yah, where do you think you’re going? You think your hyungs can’t take care of themselves?” Doojoon grabbed his shirt, reining him in.

“Hyung, I-“

“No arguing. Get back on that treadmill right now.” He turned. “Yah! Lee Gikwang, stop admiring yourself, you narcissist! You won’t have those abs for much longer if you don’t listen to what I say!”