Turn my brother into a man.

Donghae!

Excuse me, miss.

Donghae.

Lee Donghae.

Donghae.

“Ow!” Dara winced a bit as her brushing of teeth got harder. She spat, gargled water and looked at the mirror with her brows meeting on the middle. Why does he feel so familiar? “Have we met before?” She whispered, asking herself.

A knock on the door interrupted her. “Dara?”

“Yes! I’m coming.” She quickly told Minzy who was waiting for her that early morning. She was her roommate. She opened the door and flashed a very fresh smile. “Let’s go?”

Dara was an all-around. If she’s needed in the kitchen, she’s there. At the lobby? Dara would be smiling at you so bright. Room service? Getting your order? Someone you can ask your questions. Answering to your requests. It was tiring, but she wasn’t complaining. She was used to these type of jobs since she was in high school.

Three days passed, but she couldn’t really commence with any plan. She couldn’t even get near to her mission. If Lee Donghae wouldn’t be with the manager or some engineer or architect, he was busy being a monk in his office.

“What’s wrong?”

Dara turned to Minzy. They were both on their beds. Minzy was busy on Instagram while she on her own thoughts. “Huh? Why?” Dara asked her back.

Minzy sat up straight from lying on her bed. “You’ve been spacing there for about an hour. Is something bothering you? Are you hungry?”

“No. No.” Dara shook her head. “I’m good.” She smiled kindly.

“What are you thinking then? You look so serious.”

Dara stared at her for a while. Hmmmm. “How long have you been working in this resort?”

Minzy wasn’t expecting that. “Three years. Why do you ask?”

Dara was having an internal battle whether to ask her questions about Lee Donghae. She didn’t want anyone to have a whiff of whatever she was cooking. Or planning to cook. But under the circumstances, meaning no movement at all . . . “What do you know about our boss?” Dara felt stupid asking that when what Minzy only did was stare at her for a good minute. “Minji?”

“I get it.” And her roommate broke into that playful grin while shaking her head.

“W-what?” She asked nervously.

“I know what’s bothering you.” She pointed at Dara, still grinning.

“W-what are you-”

“You’ve got a crush on our boss.”

Dara blinked her eyes on that. “What?” She chuckled nervously, thinking she was busted already. Nobody can know about her $300,000 mission! Although, having a crush on Lee Donghae wouldn’t be impossible. She had admitted that three days ago. 

“That’s okay.” Minzy lay on her bed again, checking if someone messaged her on her phone. “A lot of ladies here feel the same thing. Mr. Lee is really way too good-looking to be real.” She wiggled her feet as she put a blanket on. “So, that’s okay. You won’t get anywhere anyway.” She giggled shortly.

“What do you mean?” She asked, fully knowing why. He’s gay. 

“Mr. Lee is gay.”

“Really?” Dara adapted that OMG-No-Way- look, putting a hand on her chest. “Are you sure? I mean, he couldn’t be! He doesn’t look-”

“Yeah. Yeah. He doesn’t look gay and all. I know,” Minzy chuckled even more. “But you gotta move on. He’s not like those gays who would wear girly clothes, speak like a girl, walk like a girl, basically just act like a girl. No.” She raised a finger again. “Mr. Lee is a man, but his heart is . . . beating for a man too? Something like that.”

Dara didn’t need to hear that. She knew that already. “So, he hates girls? Is he allergic to . . . us?” She chuckled fakely.

“No.” Minzy shook her head quickly. “Mr. Lee is a really good person. No matter what gender you are in, he would treat you the same. He has no problem working with ladies nor take advantage of male staff. Geez. Even straight guys here are having a crush on him. Crazy. Just don’t show how infatuated you are to him, or else he’d be very uncomfortable.”

Okay. Be subtle. “What about the manager?”

“Manager Leeteuk? What about him?”

“The boss is always with him. Are they?” Dara gave her a knowing look.

“Together?! No!” Minzy waved her hands in a crossed manner. “Mr. Lee has a boyfriend. He’s a very faithful guy.” She hesitated. “Or gay. Well, the boyfriend is in the states for the past months, while the manager’s boyfriend-”

“What?” That shocked Dara. “The manager is gay too?!” She couldn’t believe it. He didn’t look like. Well, if she didn’t know about Lee Donghae’s background from his older brother, she’d be definitely fooled as well.

“Oh. You don’t know?” Minzy laughed for a bit. “Yeah. He’s gay. You should see him drunk.” She laughed again. “You know Heechul oppa, right?”

“That snotty and peevish chef in Haru and One Day?” It was the resort’s restaurant. If there was one thing she hated there in the resort, it was that Chef Heechul. Dara grimaced, feeling tired as she heard the name. The guy made everything hard for her! She couldn’t even proceed with her plans or even glance at Lee Donghae whenever he passed by the restaurant, because Kim Heechul was always ready with his ton and ton of orders. Wash this. Give this to that. Go there. Take this. Do that. Mop this. Clean that. Buy this. Urgh. Now, to him, her gaydar worked well. She knew the chef was a hundred percent gay. Wait. Her eyes widened in shock. “Don’t tell me he’s the manager’s boyfriend?!”

“Bingo!” Minzy wrote a big check on air.

“Whaaaat?” Dara frowned. “I pity Manager Leeteuk.” She sighed, feeling bad for him.

Minzy laughed at her. “Why?”

Dara lay on her bed too. “That gay’s a .”

Minzy laughed harder. “Heechul oppa is really like that. He’s a diva, as he likes to get called, but he’s kind too. I’m sure you’ll get along well.”

“What? Him and me? No thanks.” Dara frowned even more. “He’s just insecure because I’m nautical miles prettier than him. Ha!” Dara was making that taunting face at the ceiling.

“Don’t let him hear you say that.” MInzy chuckled.

Dara looked at her roommate again. “About our boss again.” She paused. “What are his . . . likes? Habits? Character?”

Minzy stared at her for a while. “Why do you ask?”

Dara chuckled, trying to look so innocently. “So that, if I ever bumped to him, he wouldn’t have a chance to dislike and fire me. I mean, I’m beginning to like working here in resort.” Except that y chef.

Minzy just nodded to her.

“So?”

“Well,” Minzy faced her while lying down. “Mr. Lee . . .”

Drinks his orange juice every morning. The one that is freshly made by Chef Heechul. He drinks that in his office, as he checks some of his documents. He can’t go a day without it.

Dara had been sweeping the leaves that fell from a huge tree religiously, waiting for someone. Her eyes lit when she caught a glimpse of it. Immediately, she put the broom aside, and sprayed some alcohol on her hands. “Hey.”

“Hey.” A lady in uniform smiled back at her.

“I heard that the guests on Room 501 are creating a big fuss right now. I think the manager himself was about to go there.”

“Why?” The woman suddenly looked worried. “I just went there. I delivered their breakfast.”

“Oh. Was it you?” Dara looked concerned. “I heard that they said the ham and egg sandwich has a huge bite on it before they could even touch it.”

“But they didn’t order ham and egg sandwich. They have pancakes and fruit bowls.”

Dara’s mouth twitched. “I know. That’s why it’s so weird, right? Where’d they get that sandwich?”

“The manager knows about this?”

“I think so.” Dara nodded innocently.

“. What’s going on?” The woman was anxious, as the tray on her hands shook as well.

“You should go there. Like now.” Dara flatly told her.

“But I have to bring this orange juice to Mr. Lee.” She raised the juice to Dara.

“Oh. I can bring that to him.”

“Really? You would do that for me?” The woman’s eyes shone as if there was an angel she was talking to.

“Yeah. Sure. You are very much needed there, right? I can go back sweeping after I bring this to our boss.” Dara said. “You don’t want to get fired-”

“Okay. Okay. Thank you, Dara.” The woman handed the tray to her, and off she ran so fast.

“Yes!” Dara threw a winning fist up the air, as she sashayed her way to Lee Donghae’s office. She showed the guard the juice, and he let her in, telling the office is on 3rd floor. The first floor has the resort’s gym, a really huge one, while the 2nd and 3rd were where the official business commences. When the elevator opened at the third floor, she slowly looked around. Everything was in sparkling white. There was only one door in that floor and some leathered couch and chairs outside it. She put down the tray first on the wood table, inhaled as she brought out a mirror and checked her face. Still fresh. She took the tray again, knocked the door gently, and opened it. “Good morning Mr. Lee. I brought your-”

“I’ll take that.”

Dara stared at the old lady in front of her. Both of their hands were holding the tray. She looked slowly to her right and saw Lee Donghae sitting and talking to someone on the phone behind the clear glass wall. Her eyes went back to the old lady who looked very smart and strict on her suit. She was taller than Dara. She guessed she was on her 50s.

“What?” The secretary asked her, weirded at Dara.

Dara cleared , not giving up the tray. “I-I don’t want to bother you. I mean, I already brought this here. I can bring the juice to-”

“No. I’ll bring this to Mr. Lee.” She told her flatly. “You’re new here?”

“Y-yes.”

“I see.” Dara swore the old lady rolled her eyes at her. “You bring the orange juice to my table, then I bring it to Mr. Lee’s table. Do you get me? Now, leave.” How she enunciated her last line made Dara’s hands retreat. “Go.”

Dara hurried to the elevator, pressing the button. “Tsk.” She stomped her feet, getting inside the elevator, and glaring at the closed door of Lee Donghae’s office.

Every Saturday at 4:30 a.m., Mr. Lee jogs with his dog, Fluffy, going up the hills.

Dara had a few jumping jacks that early morning. She was on a complete sporty attire. White shorts. Bright orange Nike rubber shoes which Thunder gave her last Christmas. Her hair was tied up with her white cap on. She was only on her pink sports bra, showing her perfectly toned abs. She looked at her watch. 4:25 a.m. “He’s coming.” She told herself a bit excitedly, ignoring the weird looks other guests were giving her as they too were about to exercise that weekend. Despite that get-up, she looked weird, crouching behind some huge leaves near the Aurora’s gazebo entrance.

“Oh.” She took a yellow ball out her pocket and squished it as it made a sound. “Hi Fluffy. You’re so cute. Want to play some ball?” She imagined it already, planned it carefully, and now, she just had to execute it well. I’m a damn animal lover. Dara squished it again, giggling. She studied Donghae’s character that night. He looked an angel, so he’s got to have a Maltese or a Shi-Poo. Even a golden retriever suits him.

Donghae arrived, greeting the staff who were early that Saturday. He was adjust