“ Jaejoong, Junsu, Yoochun! You’re already here!”

“Yes, good evening President Hae Jung In, Vice President Dan Chin Ho,” they bowed again.

“Good evening, too. Have you ordered for your meal already?” the president answered them as we get into our seats.

My uncle smiled towards them as he sat, “Nice to see the three of you. Oh, meet my niece, almost like my daughter, Raya.” Then he turned to me,

“Raya, I know you’ve heard about them but let me introduce to you Jaejoong, Junsu and Yoochun.”

“Nice to meet you all,” I managed to say even though my mind was trying to come up with any reason why my uncle didn’t tell me beforehand that we will be dining with JYJ.

“Nice to meet you,” the answered simultaneously.

Once all of us were settled, the president started to explain, “I know I called for a dinner for you guys to meet our families. However, our wives and children apparently can’t make it. Good thing, Raya is free to join us. She is family, so I decided to go on with the dinner anyway.”

Junsu smiled and said, “It’s alright, Sir. We could still have dinner anyway next time with them.”

“Yes that is right. Well, my daughter actually wanted to be here but their flight from the Philippines got delayed so they couldn’t make it. Raya here will then just have to tell them all about how was it having dinner with JYJ. Haha. They are your fans.”

I have to act normal so things won’t get awkward, “So I guess I should ask many questions from the three of them so I would have a lot to tell when we get home? Or should I just stay quiet and observe their every move so that I could tell them in detail how JYJ eat and talk? Haha.”

My uncle turned to me, “That is very much like a stalker Raya. Haha. But I think I would rather have you talk like a paparazzi rather than stare at them all night.”

“Please excuse her absurdness. Hahaha.” He said to the three.

I heard Jaejoong’s signature laugh, then his voice saying, “You’re a weird person.”

Yoochun poked him then faced me, saying, “Please excuse him for saying that.”

“It’s okay. Even I call myself weird sometimes. Thank you for recognizing that. Let’s enjoy this dinner really well.” So much for trying to be normal.

The whole time we talked about each other’s family and how each one was doing at home. The two bosses were good at keeping their promise that they will not talk about work during the dinner. That way, too, I was able to talk freely since I didn’t have to bring up my work with their rival company.

We were in the middle of a conversation while waiting for our dessert when my uncle got a call. It seemed to be an urgent matter in their company that he had to leave with the president immediately.

They insisted that we should stay to finish our dessert and so we did.

“Do you guys love eating sweets?” I asked them as our ice cream cakes are being served.

Jaejoong looked up at me and smiled, “I like strawberries.”

“That isn’t necessarily sweet,” Junsu commented, with a teasing smile on his face.

“Peanut butter isn’t even always sweet,” Jaejoong retorted.

“I didn’t say it was sweet. But I would say I am fond of eating it,” Junsu went on to eat the ice cream on top of his cake.

Yoochun started laughing, so did I. “We enjoy most of the sweets that fans give us.” Finally a normal answer.

“Yoochun,” Jaejoong is handing out his spoon filled with ice cream to Yoochun.

“Don’t eat it!” Junsu exclaimed. Yoochun ignored him but as he was about to eat it, Jaejoong withdrew his hand and ate the ice cream himself. I joined him in his laughter.

Yoochun turned to me, “He always does that to me.”

“And I still always get to fool you. Hahahaha.”

“But instead of getting back at Jaejoong hyung, Yoochun will pick on me instead,” Junsu said with a pout.

I cannot help but laugh harder. “I wonder how much more chaos there will be if my bandmates are here with us. Jine will definitely get along with Junsu.”

Yoochun stopped eating and pointed his spoon at me, “Oh! That reminds me. I’ve been listening to your band’s music—”

“Only you are listening? Yah, who told you to listen to them in the first place?” Jaejoong interrupted.

“We are all listening and enjoying their music. You see, we each bought your album.” Junsu can really be naturally cute. I want to pinch his cheeks right now with that smile and faint blush on his face.

“Okay, okay. We have been listening to your songs. You really are amazing. All of you composed your songs in the album, right?” Turning to Jajeoong as he emphasized that "we."

“Yes. We make sure that at least one of us had a contribution in all our songs. You should meet Haru, our leader, he is a genius,” I said as I myself indulged myself in eating my cake. “Maybe we can jam sometimes. The guys love it when we randomly get together and play whatever music comes to us.”

“That sounds fun,” Yoochun commented.

“Haha. Haru is so good at it. So good that at times Changmin gets frustrated for not yet being very good in playing the guitar.”

For a second all I could hear was my spoon knocking on my plate. I realized I said something off. “I mean—” I was lost for words.

Jaejoong smiled at me, but it didn’t reach his eyes, “Yeah, maybe we could also jam with you in the future.”

To drive away the now awkward air among us, I just suddenly declared, “What song in our album do you like most? I can play it here for you guys.”

Junsu’s face lit up and immediately blurted out, “Me to You, You to Me. I liked your version of that classic song.” I saw Jaejoong and Yoochun’s faces relax.

“It would be an honor for us to hear you sing for us,” Yoochun said.

“Yah. The honor is mine. Didn’t I say earlier? I am your fan. Hehe. Wait here.”

My eyes searched for where the grand piano was. The first time I was here there was a guest who suddenly played it and sang. I turned and saw that it was directly opposite where our table was. I stood up and started to walk towards it when somebody called out my name.

“Raya-ah!”

“Yey! She’s here!”

I froze as I heard those voices. My eyes can see Yunho and Changmin approaching me. They seemed to be too excited to join me that they didn’t immediately notice who I was with.

“Yunho oppa, Changmin oppa, what are you two doing here?” I asked facing them now. I am sure I am not wide enough to be a huge block to their supposedly view of JYJ behind me.

“We didn’t have anything to do tonight so we called Jine. He and Haru were out somewhere but he told me you are here having dinner with your—”

He turned to my companions on the table...

“—family...”

And when I thought there would be either a very awkward silence or a rush to exit the place, Junsu stood up and simply said, “Annyeong!”

“You are here.” I wasn’t quite sure if that really isn’t a question from Changmin.

“Hyung, Changmin,” was all Yoochun managed to say.

Jaejoong simply nodded towards them then Yunho turned to me, his face asking what in the world is happening.

Thinking this may be a good opportunity for— anyway, I offered, “Why don’t you join us?” I turned to Jaejoong, Yoochun and Junsu, “Is it okay for them to join us?”

The three nodded and the attending waiter cleaned up the side where my uncle the the president earlier occupied. Yunho and Changmin took the seats that the elder men occupied a while ago.

It seemed no one will speak again.

“Okay, have your dinner here. We’re actually done eating, but as you can see we’re still having our dessert. My aunt and cousin wasn’t able to come so it was just me who accompanied my uncle to this dinner with their company president and as you can see, with them. The two had to leave after my uncle got what seemed a very important call. They insisted that we should finish the dessert so we stayed.” I stopped for I was running out of breath. “Woah, that was quite an explanation. Will you excuse me then for a while? I’ll just go to the powder room. Excuse me.”

I went to the powder room ignoring whatever may occur as I leave. I called Jine.

“Raya-ah, what’s up? Yunho and Changmin called earlier inviting us for dinner. I said we can’t go but I told him where you are having dinner with your family. Did they find you?”

“Yes, and more than that. Didn’t you hear me earlier when I said it was a dinner with C-JeS president, his family and other C-Jes artists?” I snapped at him in a whisper. Just imagine it.

“Uh-oh. And Yunho and Changmin are there now.”

“Yes. But uncle and the president have left before they came. Anyway, but JYJ is still with me when they came.”

“Oh, great!” I took it that he was being sarcstic.

“Ugh... You are so dead when I see you. I’ll hang up now.”

“Hahahahaha. Yah, what gave you the right to threaten your oppa?” He laughed again. But before I ended the call, I heard him say, “I know you know what to do. Bye.”

When I got out, I looked for the manager first and asked that they keep secret the fact that TVXQ, all five of them, are in the restaurant tonight and to also keep an eye for any other guests who might take pictures or videos of seeing the members there. If there are any, I asked them to take care of it.

I got back to the table but it seemed that no one has uttered a word to another yet. Junsu, Jaejoong and Yoocheon were silently munching on their dessert while Yunho and Changmin were indulging on their appetizers.

When I got to my seat next to Yunho he looked at me and turned to look around, too. I patted his arm and said, “It’s okay. I’ve taken care of it.”

Changmin looked at me, “What was ‘it’?”

“Privacy,” I answered.

I continued to talk to Yunho and Changmin. “Before you guys came, I was about to play a song for them. Is it okay if I go and play now?”

Yunho stared at me, then nodded. He added, “It’s okay. It has also been a while since we last heard you play alone.”

I didn’t say anything more. With a bit of heaviness in my heart, I walked and sat in front of the piano.

This thing now, is it really just fine? I think this is the first time they’ve been together after 3 years. Should I play one of their songs instead of our song? Will they get offended? Argh..I should just play our song. I hope this will speak to them in some way.

I decided to address first the few other customers who were at the restaurant, “Good evening everyone. Please allow me to play a song tonight. This is for—” I paused for a while, “—my brothers and my new friends.” I was answered by a few but nonetheless encouraging clap of hands.

I started tapping on the piano keys. Then my voice, which was always described to be cold, but now has a distinct coarseness, started to sing out the lyrics of a hopefully, heart-warming song.

나에게 넌 내 외롭던 지난 시간을

To me you are like the sunshine

환하게 비춰주던 햇살이 되고

That shone upon my lonely heart

조그맣던 너의 하얀 손위에

빛나는 보석처럼 영원의 약속이 되어

[Can’t find the most proper translation of this part. Mianhae.x|]

너에게 난 해질녘 노을처럼

To you I'm like the sunset

한편의 아름다운 추억이되고

And a beautiful chapter of your memory

소중했던 우리 푸르던날을 기억하며

The memory of our precious younger days that has no regrets

우 후회 없이 그림처럼 남아주기를

I wish it'd be kept in your heart as a beautiful picture of the past

나에게 넌 초록의 슬픈 노래로

To me you are a sad song of green

내 작은 가슴속에 이렇게 남아

Remain so in my little heart

반짝이던 너의 예쁜 눈망울에

What was shining in your pretty eyes

수많은 별이 되어 영원토록 빛나고 싶어

Many want it to shine forever like the stars

너에게 난 해질녘 노을처럼

한편의 아름다운 추억이되고

소중했던 우리 푸르던날을 기억하며

우 후회 없이 그림처럼 남아주기를

[http://blog.naver.com/PostView.nhn?blogId=gjtjdals92&logNo=100056204950&redirect=Dlog&widgetTypeCall=true -- Since I can't find a good piano version of it in Youtube, listen to it from this blog.xD And yeah, imagine a girl voice singing along with it.]

I didn’t notice that I had closed my eyes as I sang the last chorus. I opened it only to see blur. Then from my eyes slid the first tears I have ever shed for TVXQ, for all five of them.

Good thing I could hide my face a bit behind the grand piano. I dried my face, stood up and received cheers from the people. I searched for the people I sang the song for. Junsu, Changmin and Yoochun were clapping their hands gently. But with their faces paired with their clapping, I get different impressions from them. Jaejoong had a calm smile on his face. Yunho was looking down at his phone in his hand.