“I think I need to go. The girls might be looking for me by now,” Heerin uttered as she wiped her lips.

Donghae held her hand, pouting, “Can’t you stay just for a little while? I mean it’s still 12:10 pm…you can just go back at 1.”

Heerin smiled, “…alright, just wait for me. I’ll go buy something.”

“Ara—“

 

As she was on her way from the Café, she bumped into Eunho.

“What a nice way to spoil my mood--again” she thought, as she tried to walk past him.

“Uhm…Heerin. Can I have a second?” Eunho started. “I have one favor to ask from you.”

The former rolled her eyes and faced him. “What do you want, again?”  She retorted.

“C-Can you come with me to our batch reunion this Saturday? Lina will be there.”

“Do I look like I want to go with you? Please excuse me—“  

When she was about to leave, his hand caught her arm.

“Please…just this once.”

“…I can’t, so let go of me.”

Eunho let go of her and watched her walking away.

“…I’ll make you go with me.”

 

When Heerin went inside the dressing room, she found Donghae sitting on the black couch, smiling while looking at his phone.

“Sorry, something’s came up.”

“Come here.”

“What are you looking at?” Heerin sat beside him. She peeked on his phone and found her pictures by the beach.

“Yeppeuda,” Donghae gazed at her.

“…Stop with the flattery.”

“I’m not flattering you…you’re really beautiful. The shape of your face, your dark brown eyes, your nose, your cheeks…and your lips…they’re all perfect.”

“Ahem,” she coughed. “Let’s stop talking about me…especially about my lips.”

“What about your lips?” Donghae .

“Yah Donghae! You’re starting again. We almost blew it off earlier.” Heerin pouted. “By the way, I’ve got you some cola and burger.”

“Thanks. Shall we eat?” he asked happily. “Perhaps we have to practice here all day.”

“That’s right, so don’t starve yourself, ne?”

“I won’t,” he scrunched his nose.  “Babe, take this,” he fed Heerin, as she was doing the same to him.

 

After a while, the two had finished eating. Donghae started yawning and scratching his eyes.

“Come, sleep on my lap,” Heerin offered. “I think the others won’t still be around by then.”

Donghae obediently followed and lie down, with his head resting on her lap. He looked at her for a moment, and then closed his eyes.

“Sleep well,” Heerin whipered. Her right hand brushed through his hair; while she was holding his right hand with her other hand, on top of his chest.

“Is it really alright for me to do this?” Donghae muttered, still with his eyes closed.

“Do you want me to leave, instead?” Heerin uttered, pouting.

“N-No, don’t leave,” Donghae sat bolt upright, facing her. “Stay for a while.”

“As you pleased,” the former pinched his cheek. “I’ll return to work at 1:30, so sleep, okay?”

“1:30?”

Heerin only nodded. “Don’t worry; I will finish my paper works later.”

“That’s a relief.” Donghae went back to sleep.

 

When it was already time, Heerin slowly got up and placed a small pillow under Donghae’s head. Not later, Eunhyuk came over. The latter found him sleeping soundly.

“Was he asleep while you’re here?” he asked.

“Not really. I guess he had just fallen asleep.”

“I’ll just wake him up a little later.”

“I shall take my leave first.”

“Ne.”

*************************************************************************************

Hours past swiftly, it was already evening. The girls decided to pull an all-nighter since they had been in vacation for the past week-end. Heerin together with Raseul went home to make some home-made dinner for everyone.

“Okay guys, let’s take a break,” said the choreographer.

“I heard the other workers and coordis, including the girls had pulled an all-nighter.” Leeteuk blurted.

“Yeah, JaeEun told me,” Eunhyuk replied.

“HeeYeon said that Heerin went home earlier to prepare some dinner for us,” Yesung informed them.

“She could just buy outside instead,” Kyuhyun blurted.

“Yah, Kyuhyun-ah. That’s what you call effort,” Sungmin retorted.

“…and sincerity,” Ryeowook added.

“Alright, alright. No offense. I’m just saying this so she won’t tire herself,” Kyuhyun defended, gesturing a big “X.”

 

Hearing this, Donghae went out and called her.

“Oh, Donghae-ssi. Why did you call?”

“Are you at home?”

“Ne. Waeyo?”

“Nothing. Please call me if something comes up.”

“Arasseo. Raseul is going to help me, so don’t worry. Annyeong.”

“I see. Annyeong.”

 

Heerin hanged up first, keeping her phone in her pocket. Raseul came inside the kitchen a few minutes after.

“Unni, who called?”

“…just manager-nim,” she lied.

“Ah…by the way, are you free this Saturday?”

“Yes, why?”

“Jaeeun-unni suggested that you should go attend your Batch Reunion. I’ll be meeting with my college friends, too! It’s been a while, since I last visited my school. You should visit yours, too.”

“She said that? I’m sorry, but I don’t feel like going.”

“Why? Is it because of that two-timer?”

“It just feels so awkward. I can’t even dare look at his face.”

“But unni, if you keep on running away, that would only mean that he defeated you. This is a small world.”

“…that university only reminds me of him, our memories and my stupidity.” Heerin lowered her head, closing her eyes.

“Unni... I know someday, you’ll find a man who’ll make you so special.”

“I think I already did…” she muttered.

“What did you say?”

“Ah—nothing. Just help me with this, ara?”

“Alright. What did you cook?”

“Just kimchi and samgyupsal. We still need to but some tonics.”

“Energy drinks? Wow unni, daebak!”

“Why? It’s SOP since they will be staying up all night.”

“I mean, you preparing all these. You can really make a good wife.”

Heerin smiled, “You people are so fond of flattering me. Let’s hurry, eh?”

“Us? Who?”

“Aish…no one,” she stuck her tongue out, slightly.

 

When all the preparations were completed, they rode a taxi and stopped in front of the 24-Hour Shoppe to buy some tonics.  Raseul went ahead, back in the taxi, while Heerin was still inside, looking for some stuff for snacks. As she was about to turn around a corner, she found Eunho buying some groceries. She immediately walked faster, but Eunho noticed him and ran after her.

“Wait,” he said, holding her left shoulder. “About the batch—“

“Stop it, okay?” she turned around to face him. “I still have some work to do.”

“Why are you like this?”

“You made me LIKE this,” she retorted.

 

She sighed, increasing her pace towards the grocery’s exit. She directly went inside the taxi and rested her head against the backseat.

“Ahjussi, please drive us to Apgujeong.”

“Ne.”

“Unni, are you alright?”

“I just find it difficult to breath. Don’t worry about me.”

“You should rest instead.”

“Anya…I’m alright.”

 

The moment they entered the building, the boys were back in practicing. Heeyeon and Jaeeun were in the office, checking the boys’ schedules, together with Junghoon (one of the managers).

“Glad to see you two back,” Junghoon uttered. “They’re having their break.”

“Sorry if took us too long.”

“That’s alright, Ms. Han.”

“By the way, unni made a lot for us to eat,” Raseul said cheerfully.

“Jeongmal? That’s great!”

“You can eat first,” Heerin gave them their share. “I’ll be eating later.”

“You can join us, besides it was you who cooked these,” Heeyeon offered.

“Don’t mind me. I’ll just go outside, breathe some fresh air. You can give the members their share ….and these tonics, too. Please give them these.”

“We got it,” the three girls chorused.

 

Heerin took the elevator and headed for the rooftop. There, she sat on a bench, rested her back against the wall and looked at the night sky.

“I wonder why there are only few stars tonight,” she muttered in nostalgia. She heaved a deep sigh and closed her eyes. Little did she realize that she had already fallen asleep.

 

“Please eat and drink well,” the girls blurted as they were distributing the packed dinner.

“How come I don’t see Heerin around?” Kyuhyun pointed out.

“He’s right,” Shindong and Kangin seconded.

“She said she’ll be out to breathe in fresh air,” Raseul informed them. “It’s been a while since she left.”

“Perhaps she is just tired from the vacation. Come to think of it, she was so stressed during the weekends,” Leeteuk uttered.

“Leeteuk-ssi is right,” Heechul seconded. “But has she eaten?”

“Omo—she hasn’t. She was too busy preparing and cooking.” Raseul pouted.

“I feel bad eating without her,” Jaeeun bit her lip.

“I’m sure she’s alright. Let’s just eat, okay? She will feel bad if we won’t finish everything,” Heeyeon said, reassuringly.

“Yeonnie’s right. Manhi meokgo!” Yesung blurted cutely.

“Whoa—delicious!” the members exclaimed and praised.

 

On the other hand, Donghae who was just sitting; stood up quietly and took his food with him. He took Heerin’s share secretly and left after.

“Where are you going” Eunhyuk asked.

“Just changing…” he lied.

“You’re bringing those while changing?” Eunhyuk became suspicious.

“I’ll eat in the dressing room,” he lied once again.

“Aish. You can’t lie, ne? Just hurry, because we’ll still have our practice.”

“Ara…Hyukjae-ah, you nag like an ahjumma,” Donghae retorted.

“Whatever.”

 

He took the elevator and went to the rooftop. When he stepped out, his sight searched the place and found her sitting and sleeping soundly, with her head resting on the wall. He silently walked towards her and sat beside her. He placed the food beside him, on his right. When he held her hands, they were cold. He immediately wrapped an arm around her, while holding her hands on his lap, with his right hand.

“You can’t get cold,” he whispered.

Slowly by slowly, she opened her eyes and met with his. Her heart started to flutter once more when she found herself in his arms.

“I didn’t know I had fallen asleep,” Heerin started to sit up straight. “Have you eaten?”

“…I haven’t finish and that’s because you had me worried here,” Donghae pouted, making her feel guilty.

“…mianhae. I didn’t know.”

“Shush…let’s just eat, eh?”

“Alright.”

He got their food and they started eating.

“Whoa—it turned out well! Perhaps I can do part-time job as chef. He-he,” she blurted all of a sudden.

Donghae who was looking at her, chuckled.

“What are you looking at? Do I have some dirt on my face?”

“There’s nothing on your face. I just find you cute.”

“Here we go again,” Heerin scrunched her nose. “I’m too full because of your remarks already.”

“Jinjja?

“By the way, is it alright to you if…” she didn’t finish her sentence.

“If what?” he asked.

“Aish. Never mind,” she shook her head. “You better not know about it. You’ll just worry.”

“Why are you serious?”

She only shrugged her shoulders, when suddenly, “Omo! Behind your back!” Heerin screamed covering .

“M-Mwoh?!” scared as he was, Donghae moved closer to her.

“I got you—“Heerin stuck her tongue out. “You’re the one who’s serious here.”

“Han Heerin!” Donghae placed a hand on his chest and sighed. “It scared the hell out of me.”

“Mi-an,” she uttered apologetically, trying to act cute in front of him.

Donghae wrapped an am around her, “You had me there.”

“Keke. Let’s go down, eh? They might find it strange if they see us together.”

“Aish,” he sighed. “I hope we can really date on public.”

“…it’s difficult. The girls find it awkward to show their true selves when they are out, especially with the members. Even though some may know about their relationships, they can’t just show their selves so casually.”

“That’s right. Every move you make, it’ll all be on the news. I guess I can’t help it, but either way, it’d be hard on you.”

“Gokjeong hajima. Just as what you told me in Meokpo, as long as you’re with me, I’ll have the strength. Besides, it’ll be harder for you since you’re a star.”

Donghae held her hand and they went inside the elevator. As they were standing next to each other inside the elevator, he held her hand more tightly, stealing a glance at her face.

“Hm?”

“Nothing,” he mouthed, regret showing in his eyes.

“I feel sorry. I should not have expressed myself back there in the beach.”

“Why not?” Donghae gently pulled her close to him.

Heerin bit her lower lip, “If it didn’t happen, I don’t know if we will still be the same as now. I just it find so surreal.”

“In any case, it’d have been the same…because my heart feels the same.”

The former heaved a deep sigh. “You always know how to captivate a woman’s heart—I didn’t know, Lee Donghae can be this mushy.”

“This is YOUR doing, Han Heerin.”

 

The two of them just chuckled and as the elevator was nearing the groundfloor, where the dance studio is, they adjusted themselves and walked out as if nothing happened. Heerin went out first. Ryeowook and Sungmin had dragged her towards the small backtable in the room next to the dance studio, where the drinks were placed, as well as extra food. Donghae entered the studio a little later, walking directly towards the large mirror in the dance studio.

When Heerin was done eating, she went outside the room, making her way towards the doorstep of the dance studio. Donghae danced a few steps of their new dance routine, while Heerin stole a quick glance at him.

“He’s cool,” she thought.

“Heerin-ah,” a guy held her shoulder, gently.

When she turned around, she found Kibum smiling.

“Kibum-ssi,” she smiled back. “What are you doing here?”

“Hmm…paying a visit?” he grinned.

“I see; it’s kind of different atmosphere here.”

“You don’t need to be formal with me. Afterall, we’re friends, right?”

“Uh--yeah. By the way, are you busy nowadays?”

“Sort of. I’m taking some workshops and I’m filming this drama right now.”

“Have you eaten? You seem weak,” she asked, concernedly.

“I’ve eaten so don’t worry. I’m just starting to go back working out.”

Heerin held his shoulder shortly, “Take care of yourself, Kibum-ah.”

“I will…” he muttered. “You’re so kind.”

“It’s because you’re my friend.”

“Ah—that’s right,” his smile was pale.

“I shouldn’t have said it,” she thought.

“Annyeong…nae chingu,” Kibum waved good bye and went to meet the other members shortly.

“Ne, annyeong,” Heerin replied, softly.

 

“Rinnie, it was Kibum, right?” JaeEun asked.

She said, “Yeah, paying a visit.”

“Did Raseul tell you about what I said?”

“Yeah…is it really alright for me to go?”

“Of course! It’ll be better to let our other friends know about you and him.”

“But they wouldn’t believe me that easily. After all, they’re closer to him.”

“Just think about it.”