The president of the Japanese language club called out the names of the members, who raised their hands after their names were called.

"Kan Minhyoku."

"Hai."

"I Jonhyon?"

"Hai."

"I Jonshin?"

Silence.

"I Jonshin?"

Min Hyuk poked his friend on the face. Jung Shin stopped doodling and raised his hand.

"Hai."

"Jon... Jon Yonfa? Is this Jon Yonfa?"

"Ne...eeto...hai," Yong Hwa answered.

Sheesh. Why does his name have to sound so weird in Japanese?

"Paku Shinhe."

"Hai~~~!"

The president smiled as she raise her eyebrows.

"Uuri?"

"Hai."

"Uuri-san  no  namae wa  nan desu ka (What is Miss Woori's name)?"

Woori stood up confidently and introduced her real name. 

"I do not think my real name is necessary," she  bragged. "After all, as a Hallyu star, my stage name is well-known."

"I understand," the president said. "I will just call everyone else here with the name they prefer. But for grading purposes, I have to know your name."

Woori smiled, but deep inside, she hated the president.

"She's such a biatch," she thought.

The president introduced herself. She introduced herself as Karen Michelle, half Japanese, half Australian. She was in the Japanese language club eversince first year in college, and it was odd for their university to have clubs which will bring together people from different majors. She did part-time modeling every Saturday, and she loved painting and listening to music.

"Now, please introduce yourself to your clubmates."

Min Hyuk shot up his hands first because he was giddy and very interested to meet new people. For someone who wanted to be a rockstar on a big stage, that was an asset.

"Konnichiwa, minnasan! Watashi no namae wa Kan Minhyoku. Hajimemae? Yoroshiku onegai shimasu (Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Kang Min Hyuk. How do you do? I am pleased to meet you)," he said in perfect Japanese.

"Yoroshiku, Minhyoku-san," Karen said.

Min Hyuk talked about his hobbies and likes like skating boarding, planking, and food. Later, all the others introduced themselves. Woori introduced herself last and  bragged about her achievements as a star. Shin Hye looked at her in envy and wonder, because she had idolized Woori a lot. Yong Hwa, her boyfriend, told her to shut it, or else, Woori's head would blow up.

"Watashi wa Jonhyon-sempai takusan ga suki desu ne (I like Jong Hyun-seonbae a lot)," she revealed.

Jong Hyun's ears caught up the teasing of the people, including his besties Yong Hwa and Shin Hye. He only smirked, but eversince, he never liked Woori a lot, even if she was an actress.

"Well, I bet there will be a lot of love teams here in our class," Karen said with a smile.

Woori looked back at Jong Hyun from her seat and winked. He only glared at her and continued writing on whatever preoccupied him first.

****

Jong Hyun, Yong Hwa, and Shin Hye were already fourth year students in college, and they all took up the same course as the three of them liked computers a lot. Jung Shin and Min Hyuk, who were friends, were classmates with Woori in the music department, and they find the star irritating. In fact, most of their classmates hated her. Even their clubmates in Japanese language club hated her and planned to boycott any shows in which she starred. Karen Michelle, meanwhile, was fourth year in Fine Arts.

These are the chara of the story for today.

***** 

Woori knew that Jung Shin is Jong Hyun's brother, so she pestered him one club time.

"Jung Shin-ah," she said. "Can you please send this to your hyung?"

Jung Shin took the paper and spoke to her.

"Oi, we are in Japanese language club, so address my ani-ue (elder brother) the right way," he said, using 'oi' instead of 'ya.'

"Wakatta," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "If so, Jonshin-kun, please give that to your ani-san."

He took a look at the paper again. It was scented, and the paper looked dainty.

"Koibumi (love letter)?" he asked her. "You are giving my ani-ue a koibumi?"

"None of your business, baka!" she hissed at him.

(Japanese "baka" is Korean "babo")

"Ah, so now you have the right to call me 'baka'?" he hissed back. "I am not giving this to my ani."

"Onegai (please)~~~" Woori spoke in kawaii (cute) style.

"Aish," the long haired guy cringed as he handed the love letter to his hyung, who was busy answering some seatworks. Jong Hyun looked at his brother curiously before receiving the letter.

"From?"

Jung Shin pointed at Woori, who waved cutely at him. Jong Hyun heaved a sigh and gave a slight bow at her. Woori raised her eyebrow in satisfaction and turned back to her seatwork. 

Meanwhile, Shin Hye and Yong Hwa were gossiping while doing seatwork.

"Did you see that?" Yong Hwa aske his girlfriend. "Woori-san is unbelievable!"

"What a weird kouhai (hoobae)," Shin Hye whispered back.

They did not know that from the back of the room, Karen, who also silently doing her seatwork, was noting who among the students were misbehaving or cheating.

"Yonfa-san, Shinhe-san," she called them. "What are the two of you doing? Kawada-sensei will not be pleased if she heard that her students are misbehaving."

"Karen-san, we are not misbehaving," Yong Hwa explained. "Shin Hye-chan and I... we are just expressing our love! Right, Shin Hye-chan?"

Shin Hye let out a smile and pinched Yong Hwa's cheeks.

"Ee, Yong Hwa-kun and I are juuuuuuuust being sweet," she said.

"Ah, do not ever think of cheating because your behavior will be noted by your professors," Karen said.

"Hai," the lovebirds said in unison.

But they continued backbiting Woori. As for Jong Hyun, he folded the love letter and placed it inside his bag. He was gonna read it later, or probably, never at all.

****

Lunch time. Jung Shin and Min Hyuk were monkeying around in the garden. Yong Hwa and Shin Hye were exchaging ideas for a class project.

Jong Hyun came from the library when Woori caught up with him.

"Annyeong, Jong Hyun-seonbae," she crooned.

Jong Hyun began to hasten his pace, but Woori chased him. Just as Jong Hyun turned left to enter a classroom, he bumped against Karen.

"Jebal dowa (Help me please)," he said.

"Eh?" she asked.

"T...Tasukete kudasai (Please help me)," he rushed.

Karen cocked her head to the side in curiosity, and was shocked when Jong Hyun placed his arm around her shoulder. That was the scene that Woori saw. She saw a shocked expression on Karen's face, but a smirk on Jong Hyun's face.

"Sorry for snobbing you," Jong Hyun told Woori. "But I need to introduce you my secret girlfriend."

"Mwo????" "Nani????" Woori and Karen asked him in unison.

Jong Hyun gripped Karen's shoulder even more.

"Karen-chan, do not be afraid to admit it," Jong Hyun lied. "We had always had this secret affair, and I cannot hide it anymore."

Woori's face got pale, and Karen's mouth went through a drought. Feeling Jong Hyun's pressing hand on her shoulder made her want to faint in fright, but his musky perfume made her high.

"Ah, ee... Jonhyon-kun," Karen said unsurely.

Woori got pale again as Jong Hyun smirked at her.

"Mianhae, but I am Karen-chan's kareshi (boyfriend)," he told Woori.

Woori stepped back then ran away. Jong Hyun heaved a sigh and released his grip on Karen's shoulder.

"Nanda yo!" Karen freaked out as she hit him on the arm.

"Sumimasen," Jong Hyun apologized as he winced at the pain. "I just want to get away from Woori."

"And you are using your Japanese club president as a scapegoat?" Karen asked.

Jong Hyun grabbed Karen into an empty room and knelt in front of her.

"Onegai shimasu (Please)," he begged. "Please be my girlfriend for the time being. If Woori will keep on following me, it will kill me!"

Karen told him to stand up, and when he did, she kicked him on the knee.

"Woori-san will definitely kill me too if we fool her," Karen said.

Jong Hyun always looked cold and serious, but this time, he looked as if he was hanging for dear life.

"Wakatta (I understand)," Karen said in slight irritation. "We need a contract to be followed so that we will make our relationship look real."

"Wakatta," Jong Hyun said.

He was getting the hang of talking to someone in Japanese even if he had almost forgotten about it. And hanging out with a Japanese for a fake girlfriend was a lifesaver--especially when dealing with someone as obnoxious as Woori.

*****

Indeed, both of them sat on the chair and plotted out their contract. Absolutely, no kissing, no real falling in love. Dates will only be at the library and on weekends. He will act as the boyfriend in school, waiting for his girl and accompanying her home, no dates after school. Weeknights spent for studying. If someone should call, it should only  be related to the Japanese club and the lessons, nothing personal. Whoever breaks the bond and falls in love with his or her mate will pay a month's worth of allowance.

"Fine with me," Jong Hyun said. "After all, I was just asking for a favor. And I will be sure not to fall for you."

"Ah, watashi mo (me too)," Karen said. "I will not fall for you too. Aish, you get me into this mess."

"Sumimasen," Jong Hyun said.

"This requires more than just sumimasen," Karen said.

"Is there?" Jong Hyun asked in confusion.

Actually, there is. It is "moushiwake gozaimasen (I don't know how I can express my apology)." But he did not know that.

"Kinishinaide (Never mind)," Karen said. "Let's just go on with the plan."

So, starting that day, Jong Hyun did his duty as the ever-faithful boyfriend, and Karen did her job as the ever-supporting girlfriend.

****

Many girls got heartbroken because their cold vampire prince got a fairy princess, and Woori often had fainting spells everytime Jong Hyun and Karen passed by. Guys would get angry at Jong Hyun for stealing their Japanese darling away. It gave Yong Hwa and Shin Hye lots of time to tease their friend, and a lot of gossip time between the two of them. Yong Hwa's a guy, but he loved gossiping with his girlfriend--a way to bond with her who was too fond of other people's lives.

"How come Jong Hyun-ah never told us about it?" Shin Hye asked Yong Hwa.

"He is secretive, as always," Yong Hwa said. "Aish, had we known, we could have a double date with them."

"Ah, ne!" Shin Hye squealed.

Jung Shin was too happy that his hyung had a girlfriend because it would mean less annoying messages from Woori, and Min Hyuk rejoiced because eversince the "Jong Hyun-Karen Michelle" love story, Woori spent less time bragging about herself.

"We can rest from all her bragging," Min Hyuk said.

"I agree," Jung Shin said. "Woori is too annoying!"

*****

Soon, Jong Hyun forgot about the part of the deal wherein he only needed to call Karen when he needed to ask something regarding Japanese lessons for the club. Karen found him to be gentlemanly that she found herself falling for him. However, she could not tell him that she was falling for him because they had a contract to follow. Even Jong Hyun found himself attracted to his fake girlfriend that he wanted to just tear the contract and make the real move to win her heart.

But then, the contract still stood.

And so did Woori's obsession.

One day, Woori was walking to the library when she spotted Jong Hyun and Karen sitting near the last bookshelf at the very back. A guy came to the couple and pounded on the table.

"So, you are Lee Jong Hyun!" Woori heard the guy said. "You're Karen-san's new kareshi?"

It still felt weird to be called 'kareshi' instead of the Korean 'namjachingu.'

"Ne," Jong Hyun said stiffly. "And?"

The guy strode forward and grabbed Jong Hyun by his shirt. The guy had a very angry expression on his face.

"Karen and I may had our closure, but I still do not want her to go near guys!" the guy roared.

"Stop it!" Karen begged the guy. "Xander, stop this nonsense!"

Xander got Karen's hand and gripped it tight.

"Itai (Ouch)!" Karen winced.

"Don't you dare hold my girlfriend!" Jong Hyun shouted as he flipped the other guy's hand away from her.

Xander shot an angry glare, looking at the vampire prince looking at him with cold and murderous eyes.

"You're Alexander Eusebio, right?" Jong Hyun challenged him. "Don't ever hold my girl."

He pulled Karen away, and the two of them grabbed their books. Xander watched in anger, and far from them, Woori stood in jealousy.

*****

The two went to the garden.

"Arigatou," Karen said.

Jong Hyun may be cold, but he knew the people's story, including their love stories. He knew about Karen and Xander, and he was not willing to ask her about it.

"Ah, let's just forget about him," Karen said.

"I agree," Jong Hyun said.

The two of them decided it was time for her next class, so he accompanied her to her lecture room. When they arrived, the people inside the room were rushing to the window to get a glimpse of the lovers. Jong Hyun was shocked (but secretly happy) when Karen leaned and kissed him on his cheeks. He was rendered speechless that he just looked at her get inside the lecture hall.

"Sore ga ai deshou...(I guess that's love)," he sang to himself.

*****

Saturday afternoon. Jong Hyun called Karen up and asked her out on a date.

"Sumimasen, I am saving now," she said. "I have a lot of things to buy for my project."

"Watashi mo," Jong Hyun said. "I  have less money. But I want to spend time with you."

He proposed that they just go to the park and stroll, and if they need to eat, they could just settle for fish cakes or tteokbokki. Karen found it rather appealing, so she agreed. She dressed up and waited for Jong Hyun to come and fetch her.

"Your kareshi is very dedicated, ne?" Okaasan (Mother) said.

"Ah, ee (yes). Kare wa desu (He is)," she replied to her okaasan.

Her mother did not know that their relationship was fake, but Karen wished it were true. She had started to like Jong Hyun already.

"Study well, and get a good job," Okaasan said. "And if time comes, you can have a family. I want Jong Hyun to be my son-in-law."

Karen began to blush. She did not expect her mom to say that! If Okaasan knew that the affair was fake, she would be in shame!

Finally, Jong Hyun came and greeted Okaasan properly before fetching Karen and going on a date with her.

*****

"Sumimasen," Jong Hyun said. "I am  broke this week."

"Daijoubu (It's fine)," Karen said. "Tokorode, gomen nasai (By the way, sorry)."

"For what?"

"For making you speak to me in Japanese even outside the club," Karen said.

"Ah, gwaen...daijoubu desu..." he said, about to have the slip of the tongue.

"You are Korean, but I never took the time to study so I can converse with you in Korean," Karen said. "It was you talking to me in Japanese the whole time."

"I said it is fine," he assured her. "No worries, and no need to feel guilty."

They spent the rest of the afternoon strolling with less spending. They were enjoying it, nonetheless, but no one told the other why he or she was broke.

*****

"How come Jong Hyun did not tell us he will  be on a date?" Yong Hwa complained to his girlfriend. "We could be in a double date."

"Ah, gweanchanha, Jagiya," Shin Hye said to him. "I just preferred a date with the two of us."

Yong Hwa smiled and leaned to kiss her on her cheek. Shin Hye giggled like a school girl and shoved a spoonful of ice cream to his mouth. Yong Hwa accepted the offer with so much pleasure.

"Chocolate ice cream is the best!" Yong Hwa said.

"Ah, ne..." she replied as she ate from the same spoon.

Yong Hwa looked back at his girlfriend.

"I would not mind eating chocolate ice cream the whole day, if I am with you," he said.

"Oh, you are being corny!" Shin Hye .

"And I do not mind the two of us eating from the same spoon," he told her.

Shin Hye realized that she did not give him a spoon, so she looked at her spoon and grimaced.

"Eotteohke~~~~~?" she winced.

Yong Hwa smiled at her absent-mindedness, pinched her nose, then kissed her cheeks.

"You are the cutest," he crooned.

And Shin Hye giggled again. They just spent the afternoon in her house, eating ice cream while watching TV.

*****

One Saturday morning, as Karen was going to the grocery store to run some errands, Woori got in the store and went to her. Of course, she was in disguise so that fans will not realize that it was her.

"Karen-sempai," Woori called out.

Karen recognized the voice, so she turned and greeted her with a bow. She had a hard time pronouncing the Korean greeting, but she managed.

"You know, I have to constantly deal with ugly people and ugly events in my life, but I cannot deal with someone who will steal my eye candy away," the actress said in Japanese.

Karen cocked her head in confusion, then snapped her fingers.

"If Jonhyon-kun is who you are worried about, then I am sorry, but he really is my boyfriend," she said.

"How come you never told the club members that he is your boyfriend?" Woori asked her.

"Do you know what 'secret' means?" Karen countered in a sarcastic manner.

Woori was taken aback. Makes sense, right?

"I will make sure that both of you will separate, and Jonhyon-sempai will be mine!" Woori threatened.

Karen scoffed as the actress went away. She had that share of threats too when Alexander Lee Eusebio was still her kareshi. Besides, she cannot give Jong Hyun up because her attraction to him was now stronger than the promises in the contract.

*****

That afternoon, Jong Hyun called and told Karen that they would meet at the park. Okaasan was busy scrubbing dirty pots with Karen's younger sister when she noticed her daughter getting thoughtful after the call.

"Mondai ga aru (Is there a problem)?" Okaasan asked.

"Na..nanimo (nothing)," she said.

"Ah, Karen-neechan, if you are going out, please say hi to Jonhyon-niichan for me," the sister requested.

Karen stepped out of the gate and bid goodbye to her mother and younger sister.

"Itte mairimasu (I'll be back home)," she said.

"Itte rasshai (Please be back safely)," Okaasan said.

"Ki o tsukete (Take care)," her younger sister said.

Karen hurried to the park where she was to meet her namja. And there, she saw her boyfriend, standing under the tree. Karen noticed that Jong Hyun was bringing along a small backpack even if he was not one to bring bags during dates.

"Sore wa nan desu ka (What is that)?" she asked.

"Ah, nanimo (Nothing),"  he lied.

Jong Hyun saw her holding the contract inserted neatly in the transparent folder.

"What's with the contract?" he asked her.

"I think... we need to review it...," she said.

Both of them sat under the tree, and Karen began reading the contents of the contract. Jong Hyun felt sad that he was beginning to betray the contract because he had fallen for her.

"I...I need to say something," he stammered.

Karen looked at him get something out of his bag. It was a neat white fat envelope, which he handed to her.

"What's this?" she asked.

"Open it," he solemnly and sadly said.

Karen opened the envelope and found lots of money in bills in it. She looked at him, as if guessing what he had to say.

"That is my month's worth of allowance," he confessed.

And she realized. He had fallen for her.

"Since when?" she asked.

He stated that he had started to fall for her during their telephone calls almost every night, and he found himself talking to her of personal things instead of the Japanese lesson for the club.

"Hon...hontou (really)?" she asked.

Jong Hyun nodded.

"Karen-chan ga daisuki (I love you)," he confessed.

Karen bit her lips, not wanting to show her emotions  before she could do her part. Jong Hyun got confused when Karen got something from her bag and handed it to him. He opened the stationery envelope and found bills in it as well. He looked at her with animation in his eyes and an uncertain smile on his lips.

"Boku mo Jonhyon-kun ga daisuki (I love you too)," she confessed. "I also broke the contract when we started talking to each other on the phone."

"S..sou...sou ka (is that so)?" he asked in happiness, and she nodded.

Jong Hyun hugged her tight, and she wrapped her slender arms around his mascular back.

"Neomu haengbokhada....neomu.... (I'm so happy)," he said, forgetting that he was speaking to a non-Korean.

"Boku wa Kankokugo o benkyou shimasu (I will study the Korean language)," Karen said. "So that I can also talk to you in Korean."

Jong Hyun removed his arms around her and looked at her in the eyes.

"Yokatta (I'm glad)," he said.

Both of them spent the afternoon staying beside each other under the tree and enjoying the sights. They did not bother to count the money because they would do it at their own rooms.

"Now, Yong Hwa and Shin Hye can plan a double date with us," he said.

"Hontou ni?" Karen asked. "Tokorode, they really look good. If Yonfa-san and Shinhe-san would be celebrities, I will be the first in line to ask for their autograph."

"Ah, and I'll be... Ya!" Jong Hyun snapped. "They are my friends, so I get to have their autographs first."

"Iie (No)," Karen said. "I am your girlfriend, so please let me be first in the line, all right?"

Jong Hyun smiled with his dimples in view and told her that he yielded. Then, they continued looking at the scene far from them. It was a thin girl chasing a tall and lean guy, with another tall and lean guy chasing after them.

****

What they saw was actually Woori chasing Min Hyuk.

"Kan-kun, matte, matte (Min Hyuk-ah, wait, wait)!" Woori shouted to Min Hyuk in Japanese and in a cute way.

(Using of family name + kun in calling guys is common in Japan. Just try watching animes and J-doramas, and you'll see what I mean. Example: Sakai Yuji is called Sakai-kun by his classmates in "Shakugan No Shana", and Asou Haruto is called Asou-kun by Aya in "1 Liter Of Tears".)

"Waaaaaaa!!!! Jeori ga! Jeori ga~~~(Go away)!!!!!" Min Hyuk shouted in fright. "Waaaaaaaa!!!!"

And the other lean guy chasing after the two happened to be Jung Shin.

"Min Hyuk-ah!!!!" the long-haired guy shouted. "I will save you, Chingu! Ahhhh!!!!!"

He stumbled, and was not able to continue chasing the two. He shed his anime tears and replied.

"Mianhae, Chingu.... I cannot save you... buuuu....."

****

And while Jong Hyun and Karen were being sweet and all, Jesse and James of Team Rocket were being paparazzis with their binoculars while hiding behind bushes.

"Jagiya, did you see that?" Shin Hye said to Yong Hwa. "Kawaii ne (Cute, right)?"

Yong Hwa peered through his gadget and nodded.

"Indeed, they are," he said. "I wonder when I can ask Jong Hyun that he and Karen Michelle-ssi will have a date with us."

"Ah, probably, you can tell him this Monday, so that we will be on a double date next Saturday," Shin Hye said.

Yong Hwa got tired of peering through his binoculars so he asked Shin Hye if she was hungry.

"Ah, ne, baega gopeuda (I am hungry)," she said.

"Chokollit aiseu keurimeun yo (How about chocolate ice cream)?" Yong Hwa said.

"With vanilla syrup and cherry on top?" Shin Hye asked, and Yong Hwa nodded with naughty eyes. "Gaja!"

Shin Hye wrapped her arms around Yong Hwa and kissed him on his cheek. Yong Hwa reciprocated the act with a kiss on her forehead, then they stood up to grab some yummy chocolate ice cream.

~~~~END~~~~

(up next: a YongSeo fic that will turn out YongShin in the end ^_^)

~~~~