To Athena_12, catwilled and Essang27, thank you for upvoting guys!!!! Take care!

Let's all pray for Donghae oppa's fast healing now that his knee surgery is done. Also, I am so excited for Suju's comeback this year and Ate Dara's solo comeback too! Kyaaaaaaaa!!! 2022! Please be good to my loveeesss! Kkkkk 

He was muttering curses under his breath while opening that rustic door of a coffee shop early in the morning. His head was throbbing, no, was killing him at the moment. He walked to the front and took his black sunglasses off, looking at the menu on the board. He could feel his stomach threatening to vomit if ever he dares to put something in it. . “One hot cappuccino.” Eunhyuk said lowly and paid for it.

“To go, sir?” A redhead waitress asked with a smile.

He really wanted to go to his office already, but he really felt dizzy that he wanted to take a seat. Even the cold shower didn’t help him this morning. “No.” He finally replied, he turned around to look for a place to sit inside.

“Okay, sir.” She beamed a smile. “Your name?” After Eunhyuk told his name, she wrote it on the cup. “We’ll deliver your drink to your table.”

Eunhyuk chose a seat which is the farthest corner. Another throb on his head and his right hand went to massage his temples. I shouldn’t have drunk much. He was regretting that now. It was a good thing there were a few customers that day. He didn’t think he could take the buzzing sound of people chatting around hi-

“Four shots guy!”

His eyes pierced to the owner of the voice now standing in front of his table. His brows were already in a knot if they hadn’t because of the pain in his head. The hell? He ignored the guy, smiling cutely at him. He wore his sunglasses again and looked outside the streets. He remembered him. He’s the bartender last night.

“Don’t you remember me?” Yesung asked, pointing a finger to his face. Sensing the man on a suit won’t reply to him, he chuckled. “Hangover got you that bad, huh?” He chuckled louder in amusement.

Eunhyuk finally turned back and glared at him. “Are you following me?”

Yesung laughed a bit. “No.” He shook his head. The contrast in their fashion was world’s apart. Eunhyuk was on his sleek black suit that while Yesung was wearing a simple blue shirt and ripped jeans. “It’s the only coffee shop that’s near my place, and I then I saw you and thought you looked familiar.” He explained, then pulled the chair across Eunhyuk and sat.

That made Eunhyuk want to stab him on the face or something. He’s the last one on Earth he wanted to have that stupid conversation when he’s suffering from a massive headache. “Look-”

But Yesung cut him again. “I’m right, right?”

“What?”

“Four shots of your favorite whiskey.” He grinned boyishly at him. “ful hangover.”

If Eunhyuk could take his brain out, he’d do it and punched the guy with it. “I really want this conversation to end, so can you shut up and off?”

Yesung laughed at that and put both hands on the air. “Sorry. I’m not here to add into your misery.” He took something from his sling bag.

Where’s that damn coffee? Eunhyuk looked at the counter, swearing if he won’t get it in three seconds, he’d leave that place.

“Here.”

Eunhyuk looked at him and then to the thing he was handing.

“It’s a painkiller.” Yesung said. “I always bring a bottle with me, in case I find my customers in random places and find them suffering like you.”

The glare in Eunhyuk’s eyes did not even decrease for a bit.

“As the one who mixes and gives drinks, I somehow feel responsible all the time.” Yesung pursed his lips to the side. “But hey, I really did warn you. So, it’s more your fault.”

Eunhyuk just stared and raised a brow.

“Take out for Yesung. Hot dark mocha and cinnamon madeleines.”

“Thank you.” Yesung stood and bowed to her.

“And a hot cappuccino for Eunhyuk.”

Eunhyuk simply nodded. He was relieved the annoying bartender got his take-out.

“Eunhyuk?”

He looked at him boringly again.

“So, that’s your name.” Yesung was nodding to no one.

“Aren’t you done pissing me off?” He asked a little hotly.

“Cool name.” That made Yesung chuckled again. “Drink that.” He pointed at the tablet on a napkin. “It helps.” He bowed and took his take-out.

Eunhyuk was shaking his head as he watched Yesung left the coffee shop. “How annoying.” He muttered and was about to drink his coffee when he glanced at the medicine. He felt another throb nudged him. He blamed the guy for that. He scoffed then called the waitress. He took the medicine between his fingers, staring at it quietly. “Can I have a cold water, please?”

Dara was combing her hair quietly, not really seeing herself in the mirror. To be honest, she did not even sleep the whole night. Her eyebags were screaming, but for some reason she looked like that Disney princess who has all the love and energy in the world. Her mind was completely somewhere else. Somewhere where Lee Donghae had kissed her as if-

As if?

Her right thumb touched her lower lip and swore his taste had not left there. A soft smile appeared on her lips, and she bit her pink comb to calm her giddy self.

“Eonni!” Minzy shouted at her.

“Eonni!” Dara jerked and shouted back. “Wha- what?” She turned to her.

“What’s wrong with you?” Minzy just finished taking a bath and was looking for her uniform that day in the cabinet.

“N-nothing.” She combed her hair again.

“You’ve been spacing out this morning, looking so high or something. You’re creepin’ me out.”  She said. “What happened?”

Dara took a deep breath, she knew she couldn’t tell Minzy the truth. Heck. She didn’t think anyone would even believe her if she told that person that their boss, the resort’s owner, THE Lee Donghae, kissed her last night. But she really needs to talk to someone! She bit her lower lip then went to sit on Minzy’s bed. “I watched this k-drama last night.”

“K-drama?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh. So that explains it.”

“Huh?”

“Those dark circles on your eyes.” Minzy pointed at her face. “You didn’t sleep last night.”

“Ah. Y-yeah. It’s just that . . .” She paused. “Good.” Dara felt her whole face heating up again. “A-anyway, in the series, the man k-kissed the woman.” She paused longer this time. “What does it mean?”

“Huh?” Minzy creased her forehead. “I don’t know. I’m not the one who’s watching it.”

Dara closed her eyes at that and puffed a breath through her nose. “I mean, they are quite comfortable with each other in the story. They are not a couple, okay. I think they’re friends? I hope.” She whispered those last two words. “The characters just had a moment alone and then . . .” Her mind played that time when Donghae lowered his head and kissed her gently.

“Maybe he likes her.”

“Mwo?!” Dara’s eyes shot wide open.

“Why?”

“That’s impossible.” She shook her head.

“It’s not. It’s an obvious rom-com. The characters will fall in love. Very predictable.” Minzy nodded. She was more on psychological-thriller genre.

There is nothing predictable in this. She thought. “The guy is different.”

“How so?”

He’s not into girls. Dara pulled her tongue back. “Just different.” More clues and she knew she’d get busted.

Minzy scratched the back of her head, not understanding why they were having this kind of conversation early in the morning. She does not even give her the right details to understand the gist of it. “Is he married? Is this something like The World of a Married Couple?”

“No! No!” She denied vehemently. “He’s single. He’s a really good guy.”

 “Was he drunk when he kissed her?”

“He had a few drinks.” She remembered the party. “But he’s not drunk.” If there’s one thing she was sure of, it’s that. She knew Donghae drank more when they were stranded in the island than last night, and he could totally handle his alcohol.

Minzy let a short laugh out. “Then, why would a guy kiss a girl if he doesn’t feel anything for her at all?”

Dara’s mouth parted as she stared back quietly at Minzy. Her heartbeat was beating so fast. “You think?” It came like a whisper.

“Yeah.” Minzy replied in an obvious tone.

“So-” Dara scratched her left eyebrow. “Do you think the girl should, you know, talk to the guy about it?”

“Yeah. I think they should talk about it to clarify things.”

“Right.” Dara nodded silently.

Minzy felt weird at how worried Dara looked at the moment. “You know, you can always watch the next episode, so that k-drama is not making you crazy.”

Dara simply looked at her and laughed in a fake manner. “Yeah.”

She was hoping she could see Donghae that day.

She didn’t.

It was after sunset when Dara finished cleaning the area near the hammocks, but Donghae didn’t come to read his book that afternoon. Maybe he’s busy.

The next day, when Dara was chopping carrots, she heard the manager mentioned his name.

“Where’s Donghae?” Leeteuk smiled to all the staff who greeted him in the kitchen.

“In his office.” Heechul replied, as he finished the sauce for the filet mignon. Everyone was busy since it was lunchtime. Haru and One Day restaurant was packed with guests.

“I thought he said he wanted to discuss about the cruise line plan over lunch.” Leeteuk took a piece of bread on the side and dipped it on a spoonful of the sauce Heechul just did.

“Good?” Heechul waited for his boyfriend.

“Damn good.” Leeteuk gave him two thumbs up. If he wasn’t working out everyday, he didn’t think he could sustain that fit bod for Heechul’s cooking was always tempting. He could never say no.

Heechul went to whisper in his boyfriend’s ear. “My lips taste yummier.”

Leeteuk almost coughed while chuckling. He playfully kicked Heechul on the back of his knee. “Here?”

“Here.” Heechul nodded confidently.

Dara and the other two staff who were cutting vegetables behind them couldn’t help but looked at each other and giggled. The whole resort staff are shippers of the couple.

The smile on Heechul’s face dropped as he looked back at them with a glare. “If I don’t have those vegetables in five minutes, I’ll serve all your bloody fingers at 12:30.”

Dara and the others straightened their backs and worked in haste. “Yes, chef!”

“Yah.” Leeteuk reprimanded him. “Stop scaring your staff.”

Heechul just shrugged. “Donghae said you’ll have your lunch in his office. I’ll just have them delivered in 10 minutes. I’m sure he’s waiting for you there already.”

 “Since when did he like having lunch in his office?” Leeteuk asked.

Again, Heechul shrugged.

Dara’s hand paused. She guessed she wouldn’t see him today either.

“The vegetables!” Heechul’s voice roared again.

Dara almost jerked from standing up and cut the carrots faster.

It was 2 in the afternoon. Dara was cleaning the tables in the restaurant, when the chef came to her. “Dara. Meeting. Now.” Heechul did not even pause and continued walking out the restaurant.

“In the kitchen, chef?”

Heechul stopped and turned to her with that annoyed look. “Do I look like I’m going to the kitchen?”

True to that, he was going in a different direction, but it didn’t make sense to her.

“In Donghae’s office.” He told her in an almost scolding way. “Finish that faster. We’re not gonna wait for you.” With that, he left her, standing catatonically.

In Donghae’s office.

That made her swallowed something that blocked . She’s going