“I look ridiculous!” Changmin whined as he surveyed himself in front of the mirror. He was wearing furry dark brown and gray vertically-striped long sleeves, baggy brown pants and matching accessories – a moose antlers headband, big furry brown mittens and a few small stuffed toys hanging around him. For an eighteen-year old like him, dressing up like this is really humiliating.

Jaejoong gave him a glance and said, “No, you don’t. Yoochun-ah looks more ridiculous than you.”

“Yah! I do not.” Yoochun said, but his tone hinted uncertainty. He pouted as he pushed Changmin away from the mirror and looked at his reflection. He was wearing a loose furry pink (why was he the one wearing pink?) hooded shirt on top of his clothes, a pair of large-sized pink furry boots, a pig ears headband and, like Changmin, a few toys going along with his costume.

“Aish! Why are we doing this again?” Changmin asked, annoyed.

“Because,” Jaejoong started as he got the party prizes ready in a basket. “Ahjumma offered me an extra job as a mascot for Jun Hae-sshi’s birthday party. She also asked me to find others. The more the merrier.”

“And we’re here… why?” the youngest asked again.

“Yah! You were whining to all of us last week that you need to find another way of earning money besides your job at the bookstore. You’re lucky I even found you one.” Jaejoong shot back.

“But…” Changmin said softly. He didn’t continue what he was about to say. Jaejoong was right about him needing more money but he hadn’t expected that he will need some silly costume for it. Changmin just sighed, hoping to himself that Ji Soo wouldn’t see him like this. He was sure she’ll laugh at him if she does.

“Yah! Come on, guys! Be more cheerful! It is a birthday party right?” Junsu cheerily squeaked as he came into the garage. He was happily wearing a huge furry white shirt, white pants with blue circles on the knee caps, two large furry white mittens, bunny ears headband and a furry blue backpack. Junsu, unlike Changmin, was feeling happy about what he was wearing. He saw this as an opportunity to “win” Syae Ri by showing her his cute side. It was a fifty-fifty chance since Junsu wasn’t sure if Syae Ri will be coming to the party or not. But, he thought, it was better to be ready.

“You seem happy about this.” Yoochun muttered.

“It is a PARTY, a children’s party, but a PARTY all the same.” Squeaked a reply, emphasizing again and again on the word “Party”.

Yoochun just shook his head. He wasn’t like Changmin that felt childishly embarrassed at what he’s wearing, but he wasn’t that excited about it as Junsu was either. He only agreed to this because Jaejoong had asked – begged on his knees – him to. What annoyed Yoochun, however, was the fact that Yunho was the only one who didn’t get to dress like this.

“Yah! Why is Yunho-hyung not doing this again?” Yoochun asked Jaejoong.

“Aish! You know him… We wouldn’t want to cramp his style by asking that playboy to dress up like this, would you?’ Jaejoong sarcastically replied. “Besides, he said he had some business to attend to.”

“By business, you mean another date?” Changmin asked.

“What else?” Jaejoong muttered as he hurriedly picked a few accessories from the box of costumes he rented at the party store. He then went in front of the mirror and arranged himself. He placed the cat ears headband on his head to match the furry leopard jumper he was wearing over his brown shirt. He took the remaining ridiculously sized cat mittens and placed them on his hands.

“Excuse me,” Dae Pyo-ahjumma said as she entered the garage. “Could you help me get more chairs? Some of the guests are starting to arrive.”

Yoochun, Junsu and Changmin got up and walked out to the Lee’s garden. Jaejoong motioned a hand, silently telling the others he’ll be catching up. He went over to one corner and started to arrange the left over costumes in the box. He was about to finish up when he heard soft giggling from behind him. Jaejoong grinned. He turned around and saw, as he expected, Da Hae watching him.

“Yah, what’s so funny?” he asked amusedly.

“You. You look ridiculous.” She said with a wide smile on her face.

Jaejoong pouted as he walked closer to her. “Yah! You’re mean.”

“I know.” She said mischievously, giving him a hit on the elbow as he came closer. “But this ridiculous costume suits you well. Cute.”

Jaejoong grinned more. “I’m cute?”

“No, the costume is.”

Da Hae smiled more widely as she pinched Jaejoong’s cheeks. The latter responded by moving his face forward and giving her a small kiss on the lip, making Da Hae weak kneed.

“I better go…” Jaejoong dejectedly said. He took the basket of prizes from the table and carried it. Da Hae pouted as she followed him out of the garage. Seeing that, he looked at her and mouthed a “later”. He then went on to make the final arrangements before the party will officially start.

♥;♥;♥;♥

Da He gave up on trying to fix Jun Hae’s fairy wings. The birthday girl in the fairy costume was stubborn enough to ignore her older sister’s efforts and to keep running and playing with her friends. Da Hae sighed as she stood at one corner of the garden.

“Yah! Da Hae-unnie!”

Da Hae turned and saw her four friends beaming at her with various presents in their hands.

“Yah! You guys are here!” she said.

“Of course!” Ji Soo replied. “It’s Jun Hae’s birthday, plus I wouldn’t want to miss the chance of seeing my older brother in some funny mascot costume.”

Da Hae rolled her eyes then giggled.

“So, where’s the birthday girl?” Syae Ri asked.

“She’s over there. She’s busy playing but you can leave her gifts on that table.” Da Hae said, pointing to the table on the far left.

They all went to the table and placed their gift on it.

♥;♥;♥;♥

“Omo!” Changmin exclaimed in panic as he saw Ji Soo about to go towards them. His cheeks instantly went red as he hurriedly looked for somewhere to hide.

“Yah! Changmin-ah!” Junsu asked as he saw Changmin moving away from their spot. “Where are you going?”

“Uh… Just somewhere. I’ll be back.” Changmin said. He then hurriedly ran away.

“Aigoo…” Junsu said as he watched Changmin circle the garden.

*Click* *Click* *Click*

Junsu turned around and saw his younger sister snapping pictures of him on her camera phone.

“Yah! Why are you here?”

“Aish. Why, can’t I be here?” Ji Soo asked sardonically.

“Whatever.” Junsu shot back, sticking his tongue out. “Shouldn’t you be looking for Changmin?”

“Eh? He’s here?” Ji Soo asked. Luckily for Changmin, she didn’t get a chance to see him earlier before he flew.

“Yes, he went somewhere just now. You’ll see him.”

Ji Soo nodded and snapped a few more pictures before finally going to her friends. That was when Junsu’s eyes darted to the girl with the shortest hair in the group. He stopped in his tracks, swallowed then silently cheered for himself in his head.

Junsu-ah, Hwaiting! He shouted in his mind.

♥;♥;♥;♥

“Omo! Ji Soo-ah! Junsu-sunbae suits his costume well.” Seun Yoo said.

“Yeah, he’s pretty dorky. I think he actually likes what he’s wearing.” Ji Soo replied.

“Hmm, are they all here?” Sae In asked, looking for one particular guy.

“I don’t know.” Ji Soo said. “I’ve only seen Yoochun-sshi and Junsu-oppa. Jaejoong-oppa and Changmin-sshi are also here but I haven’t seen them yet.”

“Oh…” Sae In said in a low voice.

“Yoochun-ah’s here?” Seun Yoo reacted as soon as she heard his name. She tried but failed to hide her excitement.

“Yah. What’s with you and Oppa so suddenly?” Syae Ri half-jokingly asked with an eyebrow raised. “You go to our house and you hang out with him more than with me.”

“I do not.” Seun Yoo replied, though not making eye contact with her unnie. She craned her neck, hoping to see Yoochun in a funny costume amongst the crowd of mostly five or six-year olds.

“Aigoo… If I know Seun Yoo-ah has a crush on Yoochun-ah that’s why she’s like that.” Ji Soo joked but Seun Yoo didn’t seem to hear her.

“Gotta go…” Seun Yoo said as she dashed off as soon as she spotted what looked like Yoochun’s messy hair wearing a pink headband.

“Aish… That girl!” Ji Soo said.

“Hey guys…” Jaejoong said cheerily though his smile was directed more to the tallest girl.

“Oppa?” Ji Soo chuckled as she eyed her cousin in his costume.

“Aish, Ji Soo-ah. You haven’t seen Changmin yet.” Jaejoong said.

“Is he really here? I haven’t seen him yet.”

“Aish. He’s here. He’s just goofing off.” Jaejoong replied then turned his attention to Da Hae. “Da Hae-ah, I need your help with, uhm, the food.”

Da Hae nodded, suppressing a wide smile as she did so. She then followed Jaejoong inside the house, careful not to hold his hand while they walk.

“♪Wae jakku cheodabonee wae eh eh
Naega geureokeh yehpeunnee ee ee
Ahmuree geureodago geureokeh cheodabomyeon
Naegah jom sukseurobjannee ee ee♪”

Sae In’s phone rang. She flipped it open and answered it.

“Yeoboseyo? Harabeoji?

“Now? Araso. I’ll be right there.”

Sae In hung up. She heaved out a sigh as she placed her phone back into her purse.

“Unnie, what is it?” Ji Soo asked.

“I have to go now. Harabeoji’s waiting for me.”

“What’s it about?” Syae Ri asked.

“Molla… But he said it’s urgent.”

“Oh, araso.”

“Tell the others I’ve already gone. See ya.”

“See ya.”

“See ya, unnie.”

Ji Soo and Syae Ri watched as Sae In went out the gates.

“Yah, Syae Ri-ah. Let’s go to the bathroom.” Ji Soo said.

Syae Ri saw Junsu in the corner of her eyes and she quickly responded a “yes” as she dragged the younger girl into the house.

♥;♥;♥;♥

Junsu saw Syae Ri and Ji Soo hurriedly going inside the house. He was about to follow when…

“Oppa…”

A girl about four years of age came up to him.

“Could you tie this balloon to my arm?” she asked as she handed him red balloon.

“Sure…” Junsu said with a wide smile. He took the balloon and tied to the girl’s arm.

“Yay! Kamsahamnida.” She said when he finished.

“No problem. Yah, what’s your name?”

“Chae Rin…” the girl responded.

Junsu smiled again as the name sounded like the name of the girl he likes. “Wow. That’s a really cute name.”

“Hmm…” Chae Rin mumbled as she eyed Junsu curiously. “Oppa, what are you supposed to be?”

“Oh… I’m a bunny see.” Junsu cheerfully said as he pointed to his bunny ears.

“You don’t look like a bunny.”

“But I am! I’m a really cute bunny!” Junsu said, pouting.

“Oppa’s costume is cute but you are not!” Chae Rin said as she stuck out her tongue.

“Y-yah, yah, yah!”

“Chae Rin, honey.” The child’s mother called out.

“Gotta go! Bye bye weird oppa!” Chae Rin said cheerfully before going to her mother.

“Aish…” Junsu mumbled to himself. “Why do girls with ‘ae’ and ‘ri’ in their names think so badly of me?”

♥;♥;♥;♥

“Here you go.” Da Hae said as she handed Jaejoong the fork he was asking.

“Thanks.” He said. He took the fork with his right hand then used his left to hold Da Hae’s.

“Yah! Focus on decorating the cake, will you?” she said but she actually didn’t mind Jaejoong holding her hand.

“Yah! I can still focus on it while I hold your hand.” He replied, grinning.

“Fine.” She said, feigning irritation. She was grinning widely and was tightly holding onto Jaejoong’s hand.

His fingers played with hers as they were entwined, both smiled as they enjoy their moment.

“Aigoo… Need to hide… Need to hide… Need to hide…”

Changmin suddenly walked into the kitchen all worried. Da Hae and Jaejoong quickly let go of each other’s hand and walked two steps away from each other. Changmin was too absorbed into his own thoughts to notice what the two had been doing.

“Yah! Changmin-ah, what’s up with you?” Jaejoong asked exasperatedly. He was a little bit annoyed at the younger guy since he suddenly came barging in.

“Aish! I need to hide!” Changmin said, panicked.

“Uh… why?” Jaejoong asked with an eyebrow raised.

“I just NEED to!”

Changmin then hastily ran out of the kitchen, still chanting “Need to hide, need to hide, need to hide.”

“Uh, what was that?” Da Hae asked.

Jaejoong merely shook his head.

“Unnie, unnie, unnie!” Jun Hae’s excited voice rang throughout the house.

“I’m in the kitchen.” Da Hae yelled.

“Unnie!” Jun Hae cheerily greeted as she poked her head through the kitchen doorway.

“Jun Hae-ah, what is it?”

“Unnie, look who’s here!”

Jun Hae grabbed an arm and pulled the person into the kitchen.

“See!” the child said.

The guy smiled brightly at Da Hae.

“Da Hae-ah!” he greeted.

Jaejoong noticed Da Hae’s face lit up as she smiled back. She ran towards the guy and gave him a hug.

“Dong Hae-oppa!” Da Hae said happily.

“O-oppa?” Jaejoong asked himself in his thoughts. He eyed the newly arrived guy. Jaejoong couldn’t help but feel something inside him roar angrily.

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Comments are L♥VED!
A/N: I edited Chap 16, changing Da Hae’s little sister’s age from seven to five. I think a birthday party like this is more appropriate for someone younger than 8. kekeke…
It's obvious where I got their costumes (minus Yunho - you'll find out soon enough why he's not here)^^
Yayy! Dong Hae's here. More appearances from Super Junior members soon! xD
Aish... I think my stress is reflected on my writing style for this chap... sorry! I'll try to make the next chaps better...