“Remember, enthusiasm is a turn-off. If you want a person to willingly waltz into your waiting arms you have to radiate an enigmatic air. People love mystery, it intrigues them. So the best way to let a person know you're interested? Act disinterested. In other words, be aloof, detached, indifferent. Executed perfectly, this plan will not fail. Remember, two words is all it takes!”

“You've been talking to my sister, haven't you?”

“Two words.”

…

I was on my lovely pink laptop typing the night away while staring at the gorgeous half- Rain (poster, sadly) on my wall when my dearest brother opened the door into my room. I watched him peripherally from the corner of my eye, because that's from where you usually sneak glances at people. Kwang thinks I don't pay attention to him, oh but I do, I notice every little movement he does. He leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms on his chest, his weight clearly off to the side nearest the doorframe. It was times like these I wish I had some sort of power to move objects or make them disappear. Imagine how fun it would be to move the frame just a little bit and have my baby brother lose balance and topple over to the floor, but one can only ask for so much. Even from here I could sense the gloating that radiated off him. Did he honestly think he could use this afternoon's events against me? I think not. My escape may have been less than graceful, but I'm pretty sure it was enough to throw him off-guard, for now at least. And as per usual, I would never give Kwangwoo the satisfaction of acknowledging his presence first.

“Should I feel honored you felt the need to stalk me?”

I would say he was using his sarcasm voice, but really, that and his normal voice weren't really any different from one another. “Don't think too highly of yourself.” came my lazy reply. I kept my eyes on my screen as my fingers continued tapping away on my keyboard. “Is there a grander reason for you to be here?”

“Obviously,” he answered, rolling his eyes, “because it's normal for me to drop by this dark, dank, and desolate dungeon us normal people refer to as your room.”

Now you see, I was at a difficult dilemma here, I was so torn that I actually had difficulty coming back with a comeback. Do I comment on his dominant use of Ds, or do I question his deranged classification of himself as normal. Oh the decisions I have to make in life. “Your excessive alliterations, and you thinking you're normal astounds me.”

“Nice, you're making me sound so smart.”

I rolled my eyes. Why was Kwangwoo here? He couldn't just be here to gloat, thats more of a me thing to do than him. I was curious, but asking was giving him the pleasure of baiting me and then leaving me hanging because he receives too much entertainment from messing around with my fragile mental faculties. And so, I continued to ignore him.

…

Kwangwoo stared warily at the doorknob now only a few centimeters away from his hand, debating whether he should go through with this idea of his or not. He would be first to admit that, yes, it was an absurd idea, but he attributed this decision making instant to temporary insanity induced by, yes though he was reluctant to admit it, a girl. No, not a girl, a woman. Someone who was beautiful like...like...

“Why is it so damn hard to think of a math or chem analogy for beauty?” I asked, tugging at my bangs covering one side of my face.

“Why would you even do that?” Jay asked, palms up and fingers clawed. I could imagine a single spotlight focused on him as he fell to his knees on the ground crying out to the heavens, asking why of all things should beauty be likened to math.

“Because it's Kwang, and his math and chem sense tingles like that?” Taec answered, pulling a face I couldn't really define as fear or disgust, maybe both.

“So? He came to your dorm, then what?” I pressed the matter further knowing whatever piece of advice these boys had given my brother was blackmail-worthy.

“Well, he didn't actually talk to us.” Jay started tentatively, “He was there for Khun, was he was out that day. So...it was Junsu and Wooyoung-”

“Wooyoung?” I had to admit, that surprised me. Him asking Khun about advice on how to woo a girl was not at all surprising, the same for Junsu, but Wooyoung? Woo...Wooyoung...hehehe.

Against his better judgment, Kwangwoo grasped the cold metal handle and twisted the knob to enter the premises. The door had been left open beforehand as its occupants had been pre-informed of his arrival. He stepped into the dorm, scowling at the litter of shoes and socks at the landing, his room would never be anything but spotless. He immediately sighted his purpose for his visit, but it was not a good sign at all as his Nichkhun-hyung was dressed and on his way out.

“Hyung! Are you leaving?” he asked.

Nichkhun nodded at him, his attention on his phone, “Schedule, last minute thing, we'll talk later okay?” And with a little less than a flourish, the Thai disappeared through the door, and Kwangwoo was left face to face with Junsu and Wooyoung.

“So he didn't have a choice?” I asked, amused at my brother's awful luck.

“Yeah,” Taec shifted on the floor, pulling out another pillow and laying on his back, “They were talking in our room and Wooyoung pushed me out before I could get any more details, I think they noticed I was listening, I heard your name, I was curious.”

“Okay, so this is when you first found out about Boa, right?”

“Yup, he was asking about ways to confess and whatever. Then your name came up. Junsu said something about asking a girl...”

Jay rolled over onto his back as well. I swear, I feel like I have two pets instead of two friends. “Asking a girl about girl advice?”

Taec nodded, “Yeah, then Junho suggested Alex-”

Jay was laughing even before Taec finished that statement. I glared at both guys, but it was pointless as my glare tactics were ineffective on these two...I'd insert some derogatory term in here, but there isn't a word that would do them justice. Besides, I wouldn't want to insult the word by associating it with these two. Instead, I picked up one of my pillows and chucked it at Jay's face, he let me hit him before taking the pillow and hugging it close. Was asking me for advice really that bad?

“Yah, fix your face.” Taec said, rolling over to prod my foot with his toe. “You're not actually offended by that are you? I mean, not even you would ask yourself for advice on how to confess to a girl.”

I quirked a brow. “I happen to know a lot of things, thank you. Just because I won't apply them myself, doesn't mean I don't know the theory of it.”

Taec rolled his eyes, “Yeah, yeah. The point is, he ended up asking Junho and the two of them bonded. They're as good as brothers now.”

Junho? Really? “What did Junho say?” I asked, curious.

“Well, we'll find out tomorrow. Kwangwoo's meeting Boa at the shop again.”

…

Well, not exactly meeting as being there at the same time Boa was. I had to hand it to my brother, he was almost as good as I was. Almost. He was obviously anxious as he sat somewhere in the middle of the shop. The other SHINee boys were there, and as much as I would have liked to join them- or rather, have Taec and Jay join them, we had a mission to do.

We were in our usual booth, a little behind where Kwangwoo and his friends usually sat. Jay and Taec ordered some ice cream to go with the french toast we were having, if you took one of us out of the picture, you'd think the remaining two were out on a date.

“You really have no idea what Junho told Kwangwoo to do?” I asked, quite possibly for the nth time that day.

Both guys shook their heads, “No, we told you, we don't know. We can call Junho if you like.” Taec answered. “Or better yet, call him yourself.”

I sneered. I was not going to call Junho to ask about my brother. In fact, I was not going to call him at all. There was absolutely no reason for me to even call him. None at all. No.

Jay took a forkful of the toast, “Dude, just call him, I'm sure he'd like that.”

I ignored him and focused on the task at hand. Boa had just arrived.

Kwangwoo stood up and greeted her, bowing slightly and smiling- the smiling honestly scared me. I knew he was much more sociable and likable when I wasn't around, to the point that I think he consciously puts effort into being mean and evil when he's around me. Boa sat next to him already with a fruit drink in her hands, she looked like she was having fun- she was smiling, but she was always smiling. I scooted closer to listen.

“Kwangwoo-ssi, hi! Been doing good?” she asked, turning slightly towards him, her head tilted off to the side. Did Kwon Boa really just say hi to my brother? Granted, most of the artists, and the staff really, knew who we were.

Kwangwoo kept his eyes straight, reached out for his drink, and after a slow deliberate pause after drinking, he nodded ever so slightly. “I'm okay.”

“How was school? A lot of homework? Or is that okay? You're somehow enjoying yourself, right?”

I had to lean back a bit to see his reaction, but it was worth it. Kwangwoo had his serious face on, that meant a rather constipated look as he seemingly racked his brain for an appropriate response. I didn't understand, it was a very simple question, well, they were very simple questions.

“Enjoying, yes.”

I had to bite the insides of my cheeks so I didn't burst out laughing. It was very hard to do that, mind you. What was Kwangwoo even trying to do?

“Oh, I see. How's your parents? You have an older sister, right?”

Again, Kwangwoo struggled with an answer. By now I would have expected him to be smiling, all bright like the world was about to end, just as he was the last time he was with Boa, but there was none of the sort now.

“They're okay.”

By this point I was deathly curious. I turned towards Taec and Jay, like me, these two were already red in the face and ears about to explode from laughter. “What exactly did Wooyoung and Junho tell my brother to do?”

Taec shrugged and pulled out his phone, “Dunno,” he tapped the screen a few times and then held it to his ear. “Yo, Junho, Alex wanted to ask you a question.

I glared at Taec as he slid the phone towards me. “Hello?” Junho's voice was easy on the ears as usual. Easy, but also very disorienting at certain times of the day. “Noona?”

“Uh. J-Junho...hi.” Yes, I'm this eloquent. Impressive aren't I? Taec and Jay were highly amused, snickering in their seat, I shot them my most vindictive sneer-glare combo, but they didn't even flinch one bit. “Yeah...Kwangwoo...what exactly did you tell him to do?

“Ah...ah well, noona, uhm...”

Ah well. Aren't we both very articulate.

…

Kwangwoo merely shrugged, “What do you like to eat?” he asked.

“You're serious?” Was he serious? Was Kwangwoo really asking that question? One would think he didn't need to ask as we have been living with each other for the whole of our lives. He is my brother, and I would like to think his observation skills did not equal that of a rock (no offense to the rock). “I like cake,” I said, suspicious of what he might do with this piece of information. “Banana and blueberry.”

“Thanks.”

“And why exactly are you asking me this?”

“No reason.” It was his grinning that gave him away. While his reasons may not have been of epic scale, any piece of information can be used against someone if you're creative (or vindictive) enough. There was the other option of Kwangwoo just messing with me, but I was more inclined to think the former. “Tell me.”

“Like I said, no reason.” If Kwangwoo hadn't snickered I would have considered letting him off easy, but things weren't looking up.

“You're purposely doing this because you know it irks me.” I said, keeping my voice low and steady. “Just tell me.”

“No.”

“Yah, Park Kwangwoo.”

“Uh, I can't. I have to go.”

What a dumb response. Well, fine then. He asked for it. “Fine.” And just as he was about to leave, I added one more little thing. “You just got home. Bake me some cake.”

“But I can't bake!” he whined.

“Too bad.”

He frowned, but acquiesced to my not so little request, albeit reluctantly. Ah. Sweet, sweet victory.

…

“Are you feeling alright Kwangwoo-ssi?” Boa asked, her voice and face visibly concerned.

I resisted the urge to just go over to their table and have my fun (which translates to torture for my dearest brother). Like the last incident, I wanted to see this through, and unlike the last incident, I wanted no complications.

“I'm okay.” Kwangwoo replied. Boa was clearly annoyed, either that or she was very much weirded out by my brother's behavior. Junho was still on the phone, still as articulate as ever.

“Eh...noona, I- we, me and Wooyoung...Kwangwoo, he asked how to, you know, talk to a girl.” Yes, Junho stuttering may be considered cute on a good day. I honestly don't know what's wrong with him, he and my brother were definitely acting strange.

“Tell me.” I said.

“Ah, noona...Kwangwoo...he just wanted to...talk to Boa-ssi.”

“That's it?”

“Ah...no, not really, I-uh, we, we told him he has to make sure he keeps an mysterious air to keep Boa-ssi interested.” His last statement came out more of a question than a declaration of fact.

“Idea where?” It was not my fault that only two words managed to come out of my mouth. The whole ploy of creating a mysterious air, by Kwangwoo no less, had completely thrown me off balance that whatever eloquence and dignity I had left was soon after thrown out the proverbial window.

“Well noona, experience?” The utterly hesitant tone in his voice was not a good indication.

“Never mind.” I said, ending the call and tossing the phone back to Taec. In theory, it might have been a good idea, but seeing as how Boa-ssi was more disgruntled than interested, well let's just say results may vary. “Apparently two words is all it takes. Who even does that?”

Taec and Jay, again, exchange knowing glances and I'm tempted to smack them both upside the head and back. What in the world were these two possibly thinking?

“I guess you're not in a mood to talk then.”

All three of us turned to the other table where Boa was already halfway up from her chair. Kwangwoo was suddenly panicked with the way his eyes flew up and his hand jerked towards the table. He stood up in a fluster, and in his moment of glory to try and stop Boa from leaving, his knee hit the table causing it to topple forward and the drinks to spill on none other than Kwon Boa herself. It was a lovely international incident, though I had to admit, Kwangwoo won this round.

Kwangwoo's lovely object-of-affection had started laughing, covering with a delicate hand as Kwangwoo tried to remedy his little situation. Boa helped him up, and he handed her a cotton towel, and it was pretty much impossible for me to not notice the little look that passed in between them.

…

“I'm starting to think it only worked for you.”

“You just did it wrong.”

“No, I just think there's something wrong with your head.”