He sighed and turned over onto his side again. He didn’t want to do anything that day, so he decided on sleeping in a little more. When he shut his eyes someone started knocking on the door. His eyes opened and he groaned annoyed. Donghae continued laying there and tried to sleep again hoping that whoever was there would get the message that he wasn’t in and leave. However, the knocker persisted and Donghae felt like he was listening to some kind of wacko music. 

 

Swearing underneath his breath he pulled himself up, his head still throbbing. 

 

“What!” he screamed when he opened the door but quickly fluttered his eyes when he saw Siwon. 

 

Without a word Siwon walked in leaving Donghae lost. Turning around while closing the door Donghae frowned at Siwon’s back wondering just what in the world was going on. 

 

“What are you doing? And why are you here?” Donghae questioned. 

 

Siwon sat down on one of the stools and turned to Donghae with crossed arms. 

 

“Did you just wake up?” Siwon asked as if he’d been sitting there the whole morning and hadn’t just barged in. 

 

One of Donghae’s eyebrows deeply furrowed itself down, “What are you doing here?” 

 

Siwon checked his watch, “You haven’t showered yet? I’m giving you 30 minutes.” 

“What!? Yah!” Donghae screamed confused, lost, and a bit frustrated with his sudden presence. 

 

“Time is ticking,” Siwon pointed to his watch. 

 

With eyebrows furrowed and mouth gaped open he watched as Siwon got up and pushed him into his bedroom. 

 

“30 minutes, ok?” Siwon said before closing the door on him. 

 

“Tsh…” Donghae turned around to see the closed door, hands on hips. 

 

\ \ \ \ \

 

Seohyun arose from her bed and after rinsing her face with some water she stepped out to see Luhan sitting at the kitchen table flipping through an apartment magazine. 

 

“You finally looking up a place?” Seohyun asked opening the fridge. 

 

“Figure I should be out of here as quick as possible,” Luhan said, “but don’t worry, I’m taking my time looking. Victoria doesn’t mind my staying.” 

 

Seohyun glanced at him from the corner of her eye before grabbing the cereal box on the top of the fridge, “Cereal’s yours, right? I’m going to have some.” 

 

“No one asks for permission anyway.” he muttered. 

 

Seohyun frowned at him before sitting down in front of him with her bowl. 

“Where were you all day yesterday?” Seohyun asked picking up her silver spoon. 

 

“I wouldn’t ask about your business,” Luhan ran a hand up behind his ear to scratch it. 

 

Seohyun frowned at him again wondering what was up with him. He seemed to be acting more distant or rather he was putting up a front with her. Luhan glanced up at her and leaned back into his chair when their eyes met. 

 

“If I tell you, you tell me why I haven’t seen you on your computer typing up articles and why you go out every night in those dark outfits,” Luhan challenged. 

 

Her face cringed, heart stepped a beat ahead of itself, and felt her dry lips fall together. What did he know? Was Luhan suspecting them of something? 

 

“Ok, fine. I won’t bother you any more,” Seohyun gave up stuffing with her cereal. 

 

\ \ \ \ \

 

Victoria woke up when her phone beeped and sat up in bed with messy hair before reaching out for her phone. She hadn’t yet figured out why it’d been beeping all night and why in her dreams she’d been hearing it in the background. Finally unlocking her phone with a yawn she discovered a missed phonecall from Siwon last night at 11:24. 

 

Finally awake she stared at his name for the longest time feeling disappointed she hadn’t been there to answer it. Why had he called in the first place? The curiosity ceased to die before she forced herself up. She had to face the fact that she’d missed the first phonecall from Choi Siwon ever. 

 

After washing her face she sat down on her chair by the desk staring into space before her phone started ringing by itself. As the echo filled the room she immediately glanced at the name on the screen. Her heart leapt a thousand meters and a smile appeared on her lips. He was calling again! Siwon was calling her again!!! 

 

“Hello?” she slowly answered calmly. 

“I was going to stop by for breakfast at the café near your apartment. I was just wondering if you want to join us.” 

 

Victoria’s smiled disappeared at the realization that they weren’t going to be alone. 

 

“Us?” she repeated. 

 

“I’m going to be having breakfast with Donghae,” Siwon answered. “You want to come with?” 

 

Her mind ran backward. She didn’t want to go if Donghae was going. She wanted them to be alone. Swallowing she reran her thoughts. What if this was the only time he was going to call her out? Victoria doubted it instantly. He’d called her out before, well by text, but there was no real difference. All that mattered was he’d asked her out before and he was asking her out again. It didn’t matter. She’d go. She’d go if she could see him. 

 

“I’ll be there.” 

 

After hanging up, Victoria ran to her bathroom to doll herself up and chose a nice pretty outfit to wear before she was out the door. 

 

“I’ll be back!” she called to Seohyun before rushing out of the door. 

 

\ \ \ \ \

 

“What!? What, what, what!?” Donghae screamed in the passenger seat. 

Siwon placed his phone into the cup holder and continued driving down the road calmly as if Donghae hadn’t been screaming at all. 

 

“That’s why I told you to hurry up.” 

 

“But you didn’t mention anything about Victoria!” Donghae bellowed glancing down at his regular t-shirt and jeans then mumbled, “I could have worn something better.”

 

Siwon glanced at him through the corner of his eyes before smirking, “It’s fine. You look cool.” 

 

Donghae turned to face him, “You never said anything about meeting up. Why are you inviting me anyway? Don’t tell me you’re so inexperienced you need me to guide you through a meal.” 

 

Siwon glanced at Donghae again before laughing. 

 

“What!” Donghae questioned. 

 

“It’s just…you’re funny.”

 

“Funny!? This is funny!?” Donghae bellowed again before dropping back into his seat with a loud sigh. 

 

Siwon stopped at a red light and when it turned green he drove off again switching lanes. 

 

“You said you like her,” Siwon said, “I’m just giving you a hand.” 

Donghae muttered quietly, “I didn’t ask you to set us up.”

 

Siwon smiled. 

 

“Thanks.” Donghae half whispered. 

 

Siwon turned to look at him surprised. 

 

“What?” Siwon asked with a small laugh.

 

“I said give me a heads up next time!” Donghae shouted. 

 

Siwon laughed at the wheel. He was feeling optimistic. 

 

\ \ \ \ \   

 

The stairs flew by her as well as everything outside. The only thing Victoria seemed to notice on her way out was the young couple holding hands while walking down the street. Not even the sun seemed relevant through her eyes. 

 

She paused breathless in front of the door of the café and ran her hand over her new blouse and pants before checking out her own reflection. After being satisfied with how she looked she walked in, readjusting the strap of her purse over her shoulder. Business was quite slow, but customers were already eating away at their plates of food, and everyone seemed to be with another someone. 

 

Victoria enjoyed the sight of a family of three before she recognized Siwon sitting at a booth. An immediate smile appeared on her face like an idiot and she slowly walked toward them. When she got nearer she saw Donghae sitting beside Siwon and suddenly recalled Siwon was with Donghae. 

 

Pressing her lips together still unsatisfied with him being there she pushed herself forward and sat down across from them. 

 

“Good morning,” Donghae greeted cheerily. 

“Morning.” Victoria returned the greeting before glancing at Siwon wondering why he wasn’t saying anything. “Are you two grabbing something to eat before work?” 

 

“I have a meeting to go to right after this,” Siwon told. “Donghae’s off for the day, though.”

 

“Ah…really?” Victoria tried to sound interested. 

 

Was Siwon planning on leaving her with Donghae? Why? She couldn’t understand it. A part of her felt crushed and disappointed. They ordered and waited in momentary silence. 

 

“Do you like hash browns?”

 

Victoria’s head perked up toward Siwon. 

 

“Oh…uh…yes.” 

 

“Do you want to have mine? I don’t really like American food.” 

 

“Really? I love them.” Victoria smiled at him forgetting all about Donghae who glanced at her wandering attention. 

 

“I lived in America during part of my childhood, I didn’t like the food there,” Siwon shook his head. 

 

“Ah…really?” Victoria questioned. “I grew up here in Korea, but I like all sorts of food.”

 

“Wow,” Siwon commented, “I’m a very picky person.”

 

They laughed a little, talked some more, and ate. Once they finished their meals, Siwon bid them a quick farewell before Victoria watched him walk off. She wanted to spend more time with him, get to know him better, and just be with him to her heart’s content. Damn that meeting he had to go to today. Victoria sighed and turned to walk back toward her apartment forgetting she also had company. 

 

She dazed for a bit before she felt someone pull her to the side. Victoria turned to see Donghae smiling at her. 

“I’ll walk on the side of the road.” he said. 

 

She’d forgotten Siwon had left him behind. Whether it was on purpose or not Victoria didn’t want to know anymore. 

 

“Shouldn’t you be heading back?” Victoria asked staring straight ahead. 

 

“I have nothing planned today,” he told, “if you aren’t doing anything, should we go play around the city today?” 

 

“I have things to do.” 

 

Even if she said that, Victoria really had nothing planned either, but she wanted Donghae’s company last. She didn’t hate him nor dislike him, it was just she wasn’t as attracted to being around him as Siwon. Victoria wondered if that meant she was a superficial person. A headache started throbbing in her head and she figured she didn’t want to think about it right then. 

 

Victoria stopped and turned to face him, “Look, I have things planned for today. I need to head back to the apartment as soon as possible, so I’d like it if you’d stop following me.” 

 

He stared at her unmoved by her words. Victoria wondered if there was something wrong with him. Did he not understand the message in her kind words? 

 

“Can I tell you something?” he asked, a childish smile of delight on his face. 

All she could do was stare at him suddenly confused. He put his hands on her arms and leaned in to give her a quick peck on the lips. Victoria felt her eyes widen and watched him smile again before pushing him away. When Donghae flew a step back, Victoria was suddenly aware of the eyes that had turned to stare at them. She swallowed and glanced at the ground now flushed with embarrassment and a kind of frustration she couldn’t explain. 

 

“I like you.” 

 

Her eyes shot up and she stared at him again. It took a few seconds for the words to transmit into her brain. 

 

“I don’t…like you.” 

 

His childish eyes became still. 

 

Well, why not just go straight to the point?

 

“I like Siwon.” 

 

Victoria thought it looked like a forced smile on his face, but the more she looked at him the more she suddenly understood that it wasn’t a forced smile at all. He was too damn positive for her to face. 

 

“It doesn’t matter who you like as long as I like you.” he said brightly. “I’ll like you until you like me.” 

This time Victoria’s face stilled in expression. 

 

Donghae smiled at her before saying, “Alright, if you have work to do I won’t bother you. See you, Victoria.” 

 

He waved before turning around to walk off. Victoria stared after him surprised and amazed. 

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***Aww...Siwon helped set them up :)

 

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