AJ’s P.o.V.

    “Okay, just let me see if we have any left.”
    “Chocolate-caramel!” Kevin’s cry comes out muffled over the sound of the shower’s running water.
    “Yeah, I already know!” I shout back before I start making my way towards the kitchen and an absent-minded Kiseop passes beside me. “Hey, Kis-” the door of his room closes before I can even finish my greeting “-eop...”
    Shrugging, I walk down the small corridor and enter the living room. Passing infront of Eli, I go to the kitchen, open the refrigerator's door and for my bad luck, we're out of ice-cream.
    "Nice." I sigh and go back the same way I came from, but stop this time when I notice the position Eli is currently in. "Hey, are you okay?" I ask him, putting a hand on his shoulder.
    "Yeah," Eli clears his throat. "M'fine."
    And I'm the king of Brazil! I think sarcastically, even though I know Brazil doesn't have a royal family.
    I shake my head and head back to my room to get my wallet and cell phone, which I stuff into the pocket's of my shorts.
    The bathroom's door opens and Kevin comes out followed by a cloud of steam, a towel wrapped around his slim waist, droplets falling from his still wet hair.
    "Baby, we've ran out. I'll go to the store to get some." I say to him as I near him.
    "It's okay; you don't have to-" My lips connect with his and his arms come up instantly to snake around my shoulders, pulling me closer to him.
    Kevin tilts his head back and I feel his tongue probe on my lips and enter my mouth, meeting mine. A groan rise in my chest and my hands grip his sides and it takes all of my willpower to not throw him on the bed and just spend the rest of the day there. Instead, I push him gently away. He blinks a few times and finding it hard to resist, I kiss him again; this time keeping it brief and just something above a peck.
    "I might be a bit late; gonna take Eli along." I inform him and start walking backwards towards the door.
    Kevin nods and turns around as he starts dressing. The towel is being shaken down his hips, pooling on the floor and, like in a trance, I'm left standing still by the door, staring at him. The brunet tilts his head to the side a little and says in a low, humour-filled voice.
    "Are you going to draw me or something, Jaeseoppie?"
    "I'd love to,"  I cross my hands over my chest and lean on the door's frame as I watch him putting on his underwear. "You'd look amazing as a stick-man." Kevin laughs and comes to me, he pushes on my chest and makes me move backwards and out the room.
    "I look amazing anyways." He smirks up at me. "Now go, I want ice-cream."
    "Yes you do." I lean in and kiss him before I turn and leave, walking back to the living room where I find Eli in the exact same position he was when I left him; resting back on the pillows, his head leaned back with eyes staring at the ceiling.
    Nearing him I punch him slightly on the shoulder to get his attention.
    "Get up; you're coming with me." I announce and yank him by the shirt when he starts complaining. "You're. Comin'.With." I command him and pull him off the couch.
    "Okay! Okay! Geez!" He exclaims annoyed and swats my hand away, fixing his shirt.
    "Good." I say and pace to the door, hearing the not-that-soundless stomps of his feet on the floor as he follows me.
    We stop to put on our shoes and he takes the keys to the car assigned for our personal use, before we exit the apartment and enter the elevator. We reach the lower floor, the garage and get inside the black Jeep. Eli settles behind the steering wheel and turns on the ignition as I buckle up and press the button of the garage door's remote control. Silence is taking over the small space as we wait for the slide-up door to...slide up.
    It's a few minutes after we've left the dorm's building behind us, driving in the busy streets that Eli turns slightly to me and throws me a brief glance.
    "Where are we going, anyway?" The blond asks curious, his lips settle into a frown.
    I rise an eyebrow and say in a mocking tone: "I thought you'd never ask!" He rolls  his eyes and punches my arm, making me chuckle. "A convenience store. Whichever you want."
    Eli simply hums and silence takes over the inside of the car once again. I watch him as he props his elbow on the driver's door window seal and rubs his mouth with his fingers, concentrated on the road.
    I notice that we drive past a convenience store and another one after a few minutes but choose not to point it out and let him be.
    Throughout the years, I've learned that whenever there was something bothering or troubling him, Eli liked going small-distanced 'trips' with his car. It was his way of relaxing, of finding the solution to whatever was on his mind.
    When we pass by yet another one market, I hear him curse under his breath and see him hit the steering  wheel with his fist.
    "Which number was that one?" He asks me sighing, dragging his hand over his mouth.
    "The third."
    "! Sorry, man." He murmurs, his gaze falling momentarily at me.
    "It's okay." I drawl and shrug, wanting to show that I don't mind.
    The quietness takes over once again, but this time doesn't last long as Eli notices another store and pulls the car into park in the parking lot.
    "Okay, so;" Eli turns off the car's engine and  looks at me. "Are we gonna have the chick-flick moment where I talk about my feelings and worries and you put your hand on my shoulder saying that 'everything's gonna be okay' now? 'Cause I can't take your staring any more; it creeps me out!"
    I chuckle humourlessly at his words and lean back in my seat. And just for the of it, I rest my hand on his shoulder.
    "Talk to me. Get it all out, man. I'm listening."
    Eli rolls his eyes and bats my hand away.
    "You're an idiot."
    "That's weird; Kevin tells me the same all the time." I rub my chin and jut out my lips.
    "Kevin's right." Eli nods his head slowly and I laugh.
    "Okay, now in all seriousness; what happened? Kiseop wasn't lookin' all that well when I saw him today." I ask him and wait patiently while he thinks how to reply.
    I can imagine the gears in his mind turn fast as he runs his eyes all around our surroundings.  He eventually sighs and leans his head back, closing his eyes.
    "I swear this is the last time I'm going over this crap." He murmurs mostly to himself and then wipes his hand down his face before he starts telling me all about last night.
    He tells me how the taxi driver set them up. How they were knocked out cold and woke up in the warehouse. How and why Ren was there and helped them. Finally he tells me how he avoided getting hurt thanks to Kiseop. Eli even tells me about the bastard molesting them -and especially Kiseop; something they haven't even said to the manager earlier today.
    Eli's words are coming out difficult and in a low, pissed off, full of regret and guilt tone and with every sentence of his I feel worse and worse for how insensitive I was yesterday.
    He ends his story with what happened today in his and Kiseop's shared room and after that in the living room and I can't but worry and feel bad about them, no matter that I'm sure they'll get over it.
    "What are you going to do now?" I ask him, my voice a little above a whisper.
    "I don't know. I'll just..." Eli shrugs and shake his head, his lips draw into a frown. "I'm going to give it- him some time and just...be there."
     I find myself agreeing with his decision.
    "I think that'll be the best." I look in my lap, trying to organize my thoughts "Sometimes even a 'simple' on the hand- if it's done in a certain way- can shake someone badly, even more if an event like that one -what happened to you two- occurs. Kiseop, he...he just needs time to get over it."
    "Yeah..." Eli covers his face with his hands for a while and drag them upward, passing them through his dyed, messy hair. "I just-"He heaves out a long sigh. "Things were going good for once- and for a little while- and now..."
    I can't resist any longer and I put my hand comfortingly on his shoulder. And we just stay like that for a while.
    Eli glances at my hand and a mocking smile forms on his lips.
    "You couldn't resist any longer, huh?" It's his usual defence mechanism; to turn everything into a joke and break the heavy atmosphere. So I can't but follow his lead; I give his shoulder a light squeeze and leave my palm rub down his upper arm.  
    "No," I sigh. "I find you irresistible. You're just so hot."
    "I know, right! But you're unfortunate; now I'm 'property of Lee Kiseop.'" He shakes his head and closes his eyes momentarily.
    I leave out a deep sigh and start nearing him.
    "But, I can't stay away from you, you ey beast!"
    Eli backs away, his back leans against the door and his hands come forward to push me away.
    "I'm sure about it but what will Kevin and Ki- eww, dude!" Eli grimaces and shoves me back when I start sending kisses to him.
    I start laughing, his reaction a bit too much for me, and after a few seconds he laughs too. A small chuckle in the beginning that turns into a hysterical, my-belly-hurts one soon after.
    "Hahaha, ah~." I wipe my eyes when my laughter subsides and I sigh. "Oh God. I'm gonna miss this." I say as I open the door and get out of the car.
    "What?!" I can hear Eli exclaim, still seated in the driver's seat, the laughter dying instantly on his lips.
    He gets hastily out of the car and locks it before he speeds up, catching up with me in my way through the convenience store's automatic doors.
    "Hey, Jae! What the hell was that?" Eli demands to know once he's beside me, his hands flailing at the sides of his body.
     I greet the bored-out-of-his-mind clerk and then glance at my friend.
    "I'll go to America."  I announce and move straight for the aisle with the frozen goods, leaving him standing frozen in place. I open one of the refrigerator's door and a cool wave comes forward, hitting me on the face.
    "When?" I hear him ask as I grab a medium sized ice-cream box and put it inside the shopping basket I grabbed in my way into the store.
    "Soon; last days of July when our tour will be over. I think I'll buy a second flavour, which one?" My voice holds an absent-minded tone as I don't really want to show my worries and stress over my decision to study abroad.
    "Strawberry;  Kiseop likes it. That means you won't be with us at Budokan?" Eli grabs the second box and leaves it in the basket.
    "Yes, I have to go back home to pack my things and then fly to America and settle in the uni's dorm." Closing the door I walk to another aisle. "I think we're almost out of snacks and soft drinks too."
    "Last time I checked my Redbulls were still enough to last me two months." Eli shrugs as we ponder over the snacks. "When did you made your decision?" Eli grabs a couple bags of various salty and sweet flavoured treats and throws them in with the ice-cream. We head to another section of the store and I start choosing out the soft drinks.
    "A few days ago. I've already talked with manager, the HQ's and Kevin."
    Eli stays quiet for a while and it's like I can see the turning circle with the words 'loading...' on his face, making me wait for his 'operation failed' reaction.
    As it seems I don't have to wait too long.
    "And you're telling me now?!"  He explodes, his hands flailing infront of him.
    "What makes you think I told anyone else earlier?" I put the bottles and cans together with the rest of our things and we head to the register. "Only yesterday I talked with Hwaseok-hyung and the president. And this morning with Kevin while you were still asleep." I leave the basket on the counter and turn to Eli who seems to be the slightest bit pissed off.
    "You should've told me earlier!" Eli folds his arms on his chest.
    "What are you, my boyfriend or my mom?" I scoff and mimic his stance.
    "I'm your buddy."  he points out making me roll my eyes.
    "Well, excuse me, but you were busy stressing off and freaking out over-" I lower my tone so he can only hear me, no matter we're already talking in Korean. "-Kiseop avoiding you."
    Eli's eyes become slits and he glares at me as he opens his mouth to retort but then closes it again. After a few tries and while he looks like a gaping fish, his eyes go back to their usual size.
    "Touché." Eli murmurs and I make a mocking move with my hands.
    "Thank you!" I turn around and take out my wallet to pay for our stuff, ignoring his complains that he should pay at least half and we exit the store, going to our car.
    Eli unlocks the car, open the trunk and leave the bags he holds inside. I imitate his actions and take a step back, letting him close the door. As I pass beside him, I give him a shove and snatch the keys from him.
    "I'll drive!" I yell ad I raise the hand holding the keys in the air, making them jingle. I know he's gonna be annoyed and, just for egotistical reasons, going to try and take the keys away but I'm not ready for what follows.
    "You little !" Eli exclaims and I can hear him rushing towards me, but it's too late to avoid his incoming attack and I feel his chest collide on my back as he jumps on me, making me stagger on my feet.
    He reaches out for the keys but I hold them just away from his reach while with my other hand I start jabbing his side, making him squeal - even if he insists it was a yelp, a manly one- and wriggle his way down from my back and away from my tickling fingers. What comes next is a five-year-olds-fighting battle with him jumping on me and shouting commands like 'give me the keys!' and 'you should respect me; I'm older than you', threats like 'I'm gonna make you cry.' and 'I'm never coming along with you again!' and 'you'll come home by foot if you won't give me the keys!' and whines of the 'that's unfair you're taller' kind as he jumps in the air trying to take the keys or attack me with head-locks.  And with me holding the jingling keys just a few inches away from his hand and counterparting with denies and things like 'and what if you're older?' and 'I'm gonna drive! You drove on the way here!' and  'you would be taller too if you ate your vegetables!'
    In the end, he succeeds taking them from my grasp as we hear a phone going off and we stop to look around the, luckily for us, empty parking lot curiously and Eli finds the chance to steal the keys away from me and emits a winning cry -but only because I let him-
    [-'Don't lie!']]
    [-'Eli get out of my P.o.V!']
    [-'Just tell the truth!']
    [-'Get- out!']
    "Is that you?" I ask confused.
    He shakes his head.
    "I haven't taken mine with me." The ringtone - an extremely girly one- continue playing and I notice Eli looking at me amused. "It's coming from you, miss Jaeseop." He mocks and I bark out an unamused laugh.
    "Yeah, yeah, whatever you-" I shut up as I take out my phone and realize the sound is actually coming from the black device. "Of course! Kevin messed with it again." I hear Eli laugh as I touch the screen to stop the annoying sound. "I wonder where does he find those songs."  I murmur and read the text message while we get into the car and, simply to annoy Eli, I sit in the driver's seat.
    Eli laughs and shoves me towards the other seat, making me chuckle while we buckle up and he starts the engine.
    "Did you two elope?"
    The message from Kevin reads and I take a look at the digital clock on the car's counter and I'm not surprised to find out that we're gone for over and hour.
    "Unfortunately Eli won't leave Kiseop despite my advances."
    I type back and change my ringtone to something better than what Kevin have chosen this time. It goes off again and I laugh upon seeing the text:
    "Kiseop's lucky. You're sleeping on the floor."
    Eli glances at me but doesn't say anything, just continues driving back to the dorm.

                                                                                                 ~*~


    Later in the evening we are all gathered in the living room. Take out boxes are left empty on the coffee table, taking most of its surface and some of us are already going through our second bottle of beer, laughing with a story Kyo is telling us.
    Me and Eli are seated on each side of the couch. Kiseop is being laid down between us, his head resting on Eli's lap and his legs on Kevin's who is sat on my lap, leaning his back on my chest. Soohyun and Hoon are seated in the comfortable armchairs on each end of the coffee table while Dongho and Kyo are sat on two big pillows on the floor infront of the couch.
    Kevin turns to me and kisses my cheek as I laugh.
    "Tell them." He whispers and I nod kissing his shoulder.
    I feel his hands grasp mine that rest on his belly and I interlock our fingers.
    "Guys." I say but my voice is lost under the sound of their laughing. Kevin give my hands a squeeze and I clear my throat to try again. "Guys!" I shout this time and get to get everyone's attention and suddenly I feel too self-conscious. I swallow the lump in my throat. "As you all know -except from you Kyo," I glance apologetically at him and he nods, urging me to continue. "I have gained a scholarship for Columbia University in New York." I glance once at each one of my co-members.
    "Cut to the chase, AJ!" Eli exclaims, slapping my upper arm lightly.
    "You've decided." Hoon says.
    "You're going." Kiseop looks at me and it's not a question.
    Complete silence falls in the room after I nod affirmatively.
    Kiseop blinks and look up at Eli, who in turn nods at the unasked question and cards his fingers through the red tresses. Soohyun and Dongho stay quiet, leaving Hoon to be the one to ask what everyone wants to learn.
    "When are you leaving?"
    "The day after we'll wrap our tour. Back to Korea to pack and then, after a couple days, to America."
     "For how long?" Soohyun is the next to ask, Dongho piping in.
    "You'll be absent from Budokan and A-nation?"
    "I don't know the exact time; maybe half a year, maybe less if I'll do good in exams etcetera." I answer Soohyun and then turns to Dongho. "Yes, I won't be here for Budokan," I reach my hand out and ruffle his hair. "but I still don't know for A-nation."
    Our maknae nods understandingly and turns infront of him again. I glance for yet another time on the faces all around me and feel my heart tug at the thought of my upcoming leave.
    "Hey! Don't be sad!" I say trying to lighten the mood. "You're not allowed to cry yet; we still have more than two weeks 'till my departure."
    A quirk of Soohyun's lips is the only reaction I get, so I gaze pleadingly at Eli beside me; in the end, he's U-Kiss' mood maker,
    Eli catches my silent message and turn to look at Kyousuke, -who ,to my surprise, seems to be sad too even if we know each other for a small amount of time.
    "So, Kyo, I've heard you're good at imitating animals." Eli says taking a sip from his beer.
    "Well, yeah I can imitate some of them really good." Kyo glances confused at the other blond.
    Eli's cool stance falls away and his eyes sparkle with as a sly smile form on his lips.
    "Let's have a countdown."
    This succeeds in drawing everyone's attention and I thank Eli silently as he gets up. Him and Kyo smiling  challengingly at each other as they stand opposite.
    Eli starts with his famous elephant imitation, his arm coming up to act as a trunk, his fingers wriggling while he exits air through his closed lips. The room is filled with cheers and chuckles instantly the dark and sad mood from earlier forgotten for the moment.
    Kyo's turn comes up and he falls on the floor, his face relaxing in a I'm-too-lazy-to-move-my- expression as he starts crawling on the floor mimicking a sloth.
    They continue like this for the next twenty or so minutes, the living room being filled with sounds and demonstrations of mammals, birds and various other kinds of animals, existing or not -like dinosaurs. The battle ends as a tie, none of the two succeeding to overcome the other.
    Eli sits back to his previous position being a pillow for Kiseop and leans down to kiss Kiseop when the later congratulate him, the smile on his lips frozen when Eli lean back on the back pillow again and act as if nothing's wrong.
    Kevin turns and looks questioningly at me upon having seen this, but I just squeeze my arms around his middle.
    A phone suddenly goes off and Kyo excuses himself, a smile forming on his lips as he glance at the caller's ID.
    "Hello, sweety!" He drawls and sit down on the pillow.
     Soohyun and Dongho start telling us about the baseball match they've watched earlier in the day but I have half of my attention on them. The rest of it is turned to the boy wrapped inside my arms.
    Kevin is leaning back on me, his cheek touching mine and I'm drowned in the way his eyes sparkle with interest, or the way his lips curve lightly to show his pearly teeth every time he smiles.
    I find myself being too used in having Kevin beside me and my heart stutters at the thought that I won't be able to hold him like this, to touch him or just be with him for as long as I'll stay abroad.
    I nuzzle my nose in the curve of his shoulder and he turns slightly toward me and opens his mouth to say something that is cut short by a loud cry coming from Kyo that draws everyone's attention.
    "What do you mean she's coming here?! In Japan here?" His face blanches and a small pause follows while the person on the other side of the line speaks. "No, no, no. Wait a sec! It's not that I don't want her here it's just- what? Mitsaki is coming too?!" Kyo's hand comes up to wipe at his face. "Wait-wait, Annita! Yes, of course I want to see them- yes, I missed them too, you know that. But...how come? Why now?" Another pause. "Yeah, I know that. Yes, I know about Artemis wanting to come here sometime, but she haven't mentioned anything last time we talked."
    "What's going on?" Eli asks Kiseop, but Kiseop signals for him to wait.    
    "I just don't understand why you'll be coming to the concert."Kyo furrows his eyebrows.  "Huh? Since when?" Kyo nods and pinches the bridge of his nose. "Okay. Don't worry; just leave everything on me." He smiles. "Don't think about it. Love you too, bye."
    Kyousuke sighs after he ends the call and puts the phone down, leaning his head tiredly on the couch.
    "What happened?" Kiseop asks.
    "My imminent doom; that's what happened." Kyo card his fingers through his hair and slides further down on the floor.
    "Why? Weren't you talking with Annita?" Kiseop asks, propping himself up on his elbow.
    "Who's Annita?" Eli wonders, asking the question that goes around my mind. "And how do you know her?"Kiseop looks up at the blond.
     "Her parents have the Greek restaurant I went to with Kyo the other time. Kyo's in love with her." That makes Eli scoff and push Kiseop down on his lap again.
    "Yeah, right!"
    "No, really! They know each other since they were just toddlers and he's in love -yes, in love- with her for years on end but can't seem to find the balls and say it 'cause he doesn't want to lose her." Kiseop explains and a dry laugh is heard from Kyo.
    "Thank you Kiseop, I wouldn't have said it better." The foreigner says sarcastically pointing with his beer at Kiseop.
    "You're welcome!" Kiseop smiles at him.
    Eli thinks about it for a while.
    "Okay...then why was he flirting with you?"
    "It's his defence-mechanism and anyway, he was hitting on you too!" Kiseop points out and his eyes sparkle with something akin to jealousy.    
    Eli grimaces.
    "He wasn't hittin' on me! It was you that he-" Eli's eyes open wide and he pokes Kyo's shoulder with his forefinger. "You weren't, were you Kyo?" Kyo throws him a deadpanned look and nods, making Eli's eyes go even wider -if that's even possible. "Oh God! Suddenly I feel violated!" Eli exclaims shivering, making all of us laugh at him. "Hey it's not funny!" Kiseop reaches out and ruffle his hair smiling.
    I can feel Kevin laugh quietly in my arms and I prop my chin on his shoulder, my curiosity taking the best of me.
    "Why are you doomed? Is her mother coming?"
    "No, no her mother is already in Japan. Two of her really close friends will fly here and all three of them will attend your last concert."
    "I can't see where's the problem." Hoon says confused and glances questioningly all around only for him to receive the same confused expressions as his.
    Kyo sighs and takes hold of his beer bottle, gulping down a big mouthful before he starts explaining.
    "One of her friends -Artemis- is something really close to a 'best friend' to me and she knows about my feelings. And the thing is that last time we talked she threatened that she'll skin me alive if the next time we'll see each other I still haven't confessed."
    "And you're afraid of a threat like that?" Dongho scoffs and drinks from his beer.
    "You don't understand. If Artemis says she'll skin me alive then trust me, she will." Kyo looks wide-eyed at our maknae. "She's a nutjob!"
    "I think I'll like her." Dongho shrugs, smiling and points with his bottle at our friend. "So, what you have to do is confess!"
    "No! It's not that easy; Annita and I-...we're friends, I can't-"    A hand rests on his shoulder and he turns to look at its owner.
    "I'm not gonna say that it's easy; but by being afraid of her rejecting you, something she won't do believe me, you're losing the chance to live all those moments you'll spend together if she won't." The ulzzang smiles sadly and interlocks his fingers with Eli's.
    Kiseop's words go straight to my heart and they make it clench at the thought of how many wonderful moments I would've lost if I haven't found the courage to confront Kevin back when we were still in Macau. Kevin must be thinking the same 'cause I feel him squeeze my hands with his.
    Silence falls in the room, everyone lost in his own thoughts until Kyo sighs and glance at each one of us.
    "Then what I'm going to do? I hardly get to see her as it is."
    Glances and unspoken questions are thrown between me and my fellow band-members until we all nod.
    "That," Soohyun says, rubbing his hands together mischievously. "leave it to us."
    Kyo looks surprised at us and then tilts his head back and chuckles, sipping from his beer.
 

E.L.: Ohhh Soohyun~ You're such a megamind~! 

Soohyun: I do what I can~

AJ: hmmm there isn't much time left for this story, right?

Kevin: E.L.! I want more time with AJ!

AJ: Kevin! Oh, my baby let me-

Kevin: So I can torture him to my heart's content!
AJ: Oh. Okay! 

Soohyun: AJ...You're such an M....


E.L.: I know right?! Oh Gawd!

Dongho:  E.L.? you forget a little something maybe?

E.L.: OMG YES! thank you sweety! My lovely readers guess what! Guess what!


Yesterday this baby e year old! Can you believe it?! :O 
I surely can't! One year of soooo much love from you all and I'm just sooo happy! From the bottom of my heart thank you very much! And as a gift for all of you here's an extra long chapter, written extra fast just for you! Hope you'll like it!!! 
 

Byebyebee~