“Eomma, Appa, it’s time. I’m boarding the plane,” Siwon waved goodbye to his parents.

“Take care of yourself, neh?” his mother sniffed and wiped a tear.

“Siwon-ah, don’t forget to contact us immediately after arriving in Korea, arasseo?” Siwon’s father reminded.

“Neh, Eomma. Appa,” Siwon pushed his luggage and took out his passport and with it was a brochure of Korea Institute for the Arts. “I’m coming home,” he whispered to himself.

5 DAYS LATER (2 WEEKS BEFORE THE SHOWCASE)

Tiffany was now feeling a little guilty about her last encounter with Donghae and she’s now wondering why he still hasn’t texted her. Tiffany mustered up the courage and decided to talk to Donghae personally.

On the other hand, Donghae was contemplating whether to send Tiffany a message or not—worried that maybe Tiffany was still not in a good mood to work on their performance for the Showcase. Like the girl on the other side of the wall, he decided to talk to his partner personally.

Donghae went outside his room just to catch Tiffany doing the same. She was closing the door behind her and staring at the ground.

When Tiffany looked up and saw Donghae standing there, a little shriek escaped her lips and she jumped back a little.

“I was going to see you,” they said at the same time.

“I wanna say something,” the same words escaped their lips at the same time again.

“You first,” both of them offered.

Tiffany giggled.

Donghae just scratched the back of his neck and said, “Ladies first.”

“Okay,” Tiffany started, “I just want to apologize for my mood swing last time. Choisonghamnida.” She bowed at 90^o.

“That’s okay. I’m sorry, too—for not taking things seriously,” Donghae bowed, too. “I promise to try and be a little more matured.. for the Showcase.”

“For the Showcase,”the words resounded in Tiffany’s head. She felt a little knot in her stomach but quickly shoved the feeling away. “Yeah.. for the Showcase..” Tiffany laughed nervously.

They started working and from time to time, Tiffany would steal glances of the now-serious Donghae and she would think, “He’s keeping his promise. He’s not his usual naughty and playful self today.” She would even give Donghae chances to tease and make fun of her but no, Donghae just sat there, fully-focused on what they were working on.

“Tiffany-ssi?” Donghae interrupted her thoughts.

“Neh?” she asked while twirling her pencil around.

“Listen to this, I experimented on your music mixing software and did a little something,” Donghae removed Tiffany’s earphones from his ears and put it on Tiffany’s.

Tiffany listened to the music and bobbed her head to the beat. When it finished she genuinely complimented, “It’s not bad for an amateur.”

“Amateur? OUCH!” Donghae pounded his chest and closed his eyes dramatically.

Tiffany found it funny and smiled but then she remembered what happened the last time she smiled in front of this same guy—they fought. She quickly erased the smile from her face and frowned at the thought of their last fight.

Donghae saw it all. When she smiled, his heart kinda fluttered. But when she frowned, his heart sank. “Why can’t I have a comfortable relationship with this girl?” he regretfully asked himself. He decided to put his thoughts into words and ask Tiffany the same question on his mind. “Tiffany-ssi, don’t you think it would be a lot easier for both--”

He was interrupted by Tiffany’s ringing phone.

“Excuse me, Donghae-ssi. Can I get this?” Tiffany asked.

“Neh, of course,” Donghae faked a smile. “Aish! Wrong timing!” he screamed in his head.

-TIFFANY’S POV-

“Yeoboseyo?” I answered the call.

“Miyoung-ssi?”I recognized it and it was Jessica’s voice.

“Hey, you called~” I replied in English. With Jessica, I’m used to speaking in English.

Jessica answered in English, too. “Are you free tonight? I mean you and your friend Hyoyeon that you’ve told me so much about..”

“You know I can clear my schedule for you, right?” I laughed; she was a good friend of mine now, after all. I glanced over at Donghae and realized that he was still busy marveling over his experiment. I smiled at the sight of him really focusing—with his tongue sticking out like a little boy.

“Let’s eat dinner out tonight, then!”

“Sure, sure thing,” I agreed, “Can you, like, just send me the details because I’m kinda with someone right now.” It’s embarrassing to ask Jessica of this but it was true, though. I’m in the middle of something right now.

“A boy?”Jessica snooped.

I don’t want to lie and after hearing her question, I let out a laugh. “Yes, but it’s not what you think.”

“Okay, whatever you saaaaaay~”something in Jessica’s voice told me that she did not believe me 100%.

“I swear! It’s not like that!”

“Then why be so defensive?”Jessica laughed and continued, “Okay, I’ll give you two some time alone now. Bye!”

“You’re crazy, bye!”

Then we hung up. I quickly turned to Donghae and said in Korean, “Sorry for that.”

-END OF TIFFFANY’S POV-

-DONGHAE’S POV-

“Yeoboseyo?” Tiffany answered her call.

“Hey, you called~” Tiffany said in English. Aish! This will be challenging with my limited understanding for English.

I wonder who the caller could be that Tiffany’s face suddenly brightened up. Hm. I pretended to do continue what I was doing—she might catch me eavesdropping.

“You know I can clear my schedule for you, right?” Tiffany laughed and her voice sounded like bells to my ears. Schedule? That’s the only word I understood and there were so many English words (and fast, too) that I don’t know now what they are talking about.

I continued to secretly listen but I can’t seem to follow their conversation anymore. All I noticed is that Tiffany’s voice suddenly sounded so enthusiastic and cheerful. She never used that tone with me =.=

Suddenly, I heard ‘Bye.’

Next thing I knew, Tiffany was talking to me, in Korean, of course. She apologized, “Sorry for that.”

-END OF DONGHAE’S POV-

“Sorry for that.”

“Aniyo, it’s okay,” Donghae said.  “You speak English so fluently, blood almost came out of my ears,” he joked.

“Jinjja?” Tiffany laughed but this time, she did not hold anything back.

“That’s more like it,” Donghae whispered to himself.

The rest of the time that the two spent together had a comparably lighter atmosphere—they laughed, told jokes and they were starting to open up.

“If it’s not too intrusive for me to ask, who were you on the phone with?” Donghae asked cautiously.

“A friend who recently came back from America.”

Tiffany’s answer flooded Donghae’s mind with memories of Sooyeon. Jung Sooyeon who was separated from him because she was sent to America.

“America,” Donghae muttered under his breath.

“What’s with it?” Tiffany noticed Donghae’s change in mood.

“I’ll tell you someday, I promise,” Donghae sat up straight.

“If you say so,” Tiffany shrugged trying to ignore the hard-to-miss dark cloud that had cast over Donghae’s aura. Just then, she received a message..

From: Jessica Jung

Miyoung-ssi, I’ll see you in SuGen Resto Bar at 7pm. My treat :* See you there and don’t forget to bring Hyoyeon with you~ I can’t wait to meet her! :) Go! Go! Xing!

P.S. Have a great time with your guy friend!

Tiffany laughed after reading Jessica’s message.

“Your friend seems to be very funny,” Donghae snooped—trying to get Tiffany to reveal her friend’s identity.

“That’s true~” she agreed and continued, “I’ll meet my friend later so if it’s okay.. can we.. like..” Tiffany fumbled with her words.

“Wrap up early?” Donghae guessed.

Tiffany fiddled with her fingers and nodded.

“Sure!” Donghae approved.

“JInjja?” she leaned forward on the table in excitement.

“In one condition..” he challenged.

“Aish! Okay what is it?” Tiffany rolled her eyes.

“Tell me your friend’s name.”

Tiffany laughed and said, “That’s too easy. Her name’s Jessica!”

“A girl?” Donghae asked with a sense of relief and surprise.

“Yes! Why did you ask, though?”

“Because I don’t want you going out for dinner or even hanging out with other guys. That’s why!”Donghae thought but no word escaped his lips.

“I think I know why,” Tiffany sang.

“YOU DO?!” Donghae felt shocked and scared and embarrassed at the same time.

“Aigoo~ You want me to introduce her to you, don’t ya?” Tiffany innocently .

“MWOH?!” Donghae exclaimed. “This girl’s totally clueless!” he screamed in his head. Tiffany’s oblivion kinda sent a pang in his heart.

“Oh. I guessed it wrong, I think,” Tiffany went on thinking with her head cutely tilted to the side. “Let me see..” she stared at the ceiling.

Donghae gave up and out of frustration, he said, “Enough of this! Let’s wrap up NOW!” He stood up & started gathering his things.

On the other hand, Tiffany sat back, surprised by Donghae’s sudden outburst. “We’re wrapping up already?! But it’s just 5:00PM! We still got time!” Tiffany pointed as she tried to snatch Donghae’s things. It was her turn to feel hurt. Unwanted.

“Aniyo. You may go. Now,” Donghae put his things away. ”Why can’t this girl get a hint?! I was jealous! Not interested!” he felt frustrated.

Tiffany felt like she was being sent away. She stood up and stormed out after sarcastically saying, “Thanks a lot, Mr. I-don’t-want-Tiffany-here!” She slammed the door behind her.

For a moment, these two people thought that things had improved between the two of them but after what happened.. Could they be mistaken? Hm. Guess everything’s still the same.

“Oh, Miyoung-ah,” Hyoyeon welcomed her friend.

Tiffany just nodded.

“Is something wrong?” Hyoyeon asked.

“You bet there is,” Tiffany slumped on the couch.

Hyoyeon stopped what she’s doing & sat next to Tiffany. She asked, “You and Donghae-ssi again?”

Tiffany smirked.

“Aigoo~ You two fight like you are lovers!”

“MWOH?!” Tiffany’s eyes widened.

“It’s true,” Hyoyeon said it like it was a fact.

Tiffany looked at Hyoyeon like she was some crazy person and tried to change the topic, “Hyoyeon-ah! We’re eating dinner out!”

“We are?” Hyoyeon asked. If there was one thing that can distract Hyoyeon, it’s the idea of food.

“Yes, with Jessica,” Tiffany half-smiled.

Hyoyeon clapped in excitement and said, “At long last! I’ll get to meet her!”

“Yes, so we need to prepare now,” Tiffany said as she checked the time. It’s a few minutes before 6:00PM.

“What time and where?” Hyoyeon asked,

“SuGen Resto Bar. 7:00PM.”

“Okay! I can’t wait!”

AWWW.. SORRY FOR THE LONG WAIT.. Anyhoo.. HA! Siwon is entering K.I.A., too?! What a fated school that is! Keke~ Donghae’s Sooyeon a.k.a. Jessica Jung is also getting tangled up with the other characters. Donghae was just in front of Tiffany when his ex-girlfriend was on the phone with her. Oh myyy~ And about Tiffany’s e-mail from the previous chapter.. is the answer coming to you guys already? Clues are on the ‘COUPLES’ section in the foreword >:D TA-TA FOR NOW! I’ll try to update as soon as possible. Comments (even CRITICISMS & QUESTIONS) are much loved ^.^

FOR THE AH-MAZING CHAPTER BANNER, CREDITS TO Ahjussi & Chicken Graphic Shop's MusicChibi! ^.^

COMMENT REPLIES

@VampireKnightFan4Eva. HAHAHA! i'm a big 'meanie unnie,' huh? that's ironically cool.. Gyuri here is a meanie, too, though.. hmmm.. >:D

@haefany09. thank you! LOL :D your username says it all, neh? HaeFany eh? ^.^ komawo for leaving a comment~

@HeeSicaLin. did you overreact? oh no no, it's great you bothered to leave a comment! :) and your persistence touched me.. awww, thanks for the support!