They ate breakfast in silence. Aside from the obvious awkwardness of the situation, Junsu didn't know how to act around somebody who's dying. He watched her carefully breaking her Saltine crackers into four regular sized rectangles, then placing them between her lips and nibbling on them. The crackers went into like a glass sheet to be tempered on a conveyor belt. After a whole rectangle was consumed, Liv would always smile with content and wiggle a little, as if she was completely intending to play with her food.

"You seem too happy for someone... who's having a hard time." Junsu said, slowly and carefully, avoiding the word "dying".

"I've lived my life as if it was my last. Wise decision that was." Liv smiled warmly, " What you're seeing here is how I am everyday. It..." Her smile faded a little, "... makes me a little sad, though."

"What does?"

"The fact that most people wait until they're dying to live. It's ironic, isn't it?" she replied, raising her tone at the question mark, as if she was just asking for the time. She sang a little verse to emphasize her point:

An old man/ turned ninety-eight/

He won the lottery/ and died the next day/

It's a black fly/ in your chardonnay/

A death row pardon/ two minutes too late/

Isn't it ironic/ don't you think?/

Junsu couldn't reply. What she said made him think about his life and how monotonous it was.  Everything is the same:  get up, follow your schedule, smile for the fans, head home, sleep in the car, get home, get some sleep and repeat the whole cycle again. It was all the same. Yes, on the outside, it was a glamorous life... but in his heart, there was nothing beautiful about it at all. It was a pathetic excuse of a life, if he was being honest with himself.

"You know, I'll have to apologize for imposing myself on you like this so suddenly." Liv mentioned after finishing all of her crackers, " You seriously looked like you needed a break from all this. Like you needed something different for a change."

Junsu looked at her and wanted to ask her how she seemed to read his mind. But he bit his lip and decided to keep silent.

Liv collected the plates and the glasses on the table. She stood up and said, "Well, if I'm going to be here then I might as well make myself useful. Do you need help with things around here?"

"Not really. I have somebody to take care of that." Junsu said, "And you're sick. I can't tire you out."

"I have an aneurysm, not a disability, buckwheat." She giggled while she lathered up the sponge and started cleaning the glasses, "But since you say you've got chores covered, what are you supposed to do today?"

"I uh..." Junsu scratched his head, "Wait, I'm gonna check with my manager." Liv nodded and proceeded to cleaning the dishes.

Junsu picked up his Blackberry and dialled his manager's number.

"Junsu, what's up?" His manager's voice rang on the other line.

"Hey! Hi... I just want to ask about my schedule for today."

"I know you have a rehearsal for your play today. Did you forget?" the manager asked.

"To be honest, I did. A friend--" he looked at Liv who was wiping the sink dry, "--suddenly dropped by unannounced this morning... said something like she's gonna stay here for five days. But I know I'm gonna be busy... So I was wondering if I could tag a friend along during my activities for the week?"

"As long as your friend won't cause us any problems, I'm sure it's okay." the manager replied.

"She won't." Junsu assured his manager.

"It's a she?" the manager asked curiously. Junsu, feeling cornered, hastily said goodbye and put down the phone. He looked at Liv again and saw her trying to put the dry glasses back up the cabinet, but she was so short that she had to tiptoe to reach the handle. Junsu noticed how she puffed her cheeks and crinkled her nose in sheer effort to return the glasses when she can barely even open the cabinet door. 

So full of life, this one. Junsu muttered to himself. He slowly approached her and she looked at him. She smiled.

"I was blessed with a lot of things. Height wasn't one of them, unfortunately." She grinned.

Junsu slowly pried the glasses out of her hands and placed them inside the cabinet. He closed the door and motioned Liv to come to the living room. Junsu explained to her that he already talked to his manager regarding her presence for the next five days. He told her that his manager ok'd her tagging along, provided that she doesn't cause any trouble. Liv listened intently, with eyes looking straight at his. Sometimes he could feel that she wasn't looking at him but rather, she was trying to see beyond him. Liv would stare at him like how one would stare at a deep well and wonder how deep it went.

"Do you understand me, Liv?" Junsu asked.

"Perfectly clear. Thank you for calling me by my name." Liv closed her eyes and eased the corner of her lip into a one-sided smile, as if she just heard some really beautiful music.