He woke up the next morning hung over. The pounding headache was a reminder of his mistakes and how he couldn’t save himself. He had twenty messages from his manager telling him how everyone was raving about his song. He woke up alone. His apartment seems darker and colder.

His frustration had reached a new level. Maybe it wasn’t frustration but depression or jealousy. He wasn’t sure but he didn’t like it.

He snarled at everyone. His manager, the stylist noonas, Hyori, and anyone who called him.

“Well someone is in a cheery mood for having one of the hottest songs.” Jungmin drawled as he saw the foul mood that he was in.

“Shut up,” he muttered, it made him feel ungrateful for what he had.

The stylist noona’s were going through his closet along with the clothes he had. It was a shoot of his home and who he was. It was fake, all fake.

“YAH!” He screamed as he saw the crew painting a spot in his kitchen. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”  He rushed over and used his sleeve to wipe the paint away. Faintly it was distinguishable the letters.

“Calm down HyunJoong, we asked you this morning if it was okay to do a few small touch ups, you agreed to it.” His manage slowly pulled him away from the kitchen. He could feel all eyes on him.

“I changed my mind, you touch ups. Do it on the computer.” He stalked away.

[Flash Back]

“Turn the radio on!” EunJi yelled from the kitchen. She was dancing around the room to imaginary music. He picked up the remote and turned the stereo on. “Like I was saying I was playing around in the studio with Junsu. I know why you feel comfortable in there. It feels safe. I could never be a profession singer…. Way too scary! BUT! I will perform for you!!” He smiled.  EunJi picked up a wooden spoon and sang along with the song. 

She looked up. She was wearing leggings and a long button down shirt. The slippers made her slide back and forth on the wooden floor. She slid over to him and tried pulling him up. He resisted.

“You are no fun.” She danced around him, messing up his hair. She ran and slid back over to the kitchen area. The scent of food cooking filled the air, and he got used to EunJi singing along with the songs. “Hyun if your song comes on you have to sing your part.” She was pointing the wooden spoon at him.

“And now DongBangShinKi’s long awaited new single! It has been highly requested! Here you go!”

“OHHHHHHH!” EunJi squealed, “turn it up Hyun!”

“You must have heard it millions of times already.” EunJi shook her head.

“Nope, it just came out yesterday plus I was filming so I wasn’t at the release party and they didn’t play it in the dorm. I heard the tune from Jae humming it…” He nodded. The song was catchy. He sighed, another hit single for TVXQ. It amazed him how they did it. Then suddenly a voice caught his attention.

“You said you didn’t know the song, how are you singing along to it?” He looked up to see the wooden spoon on the ground and hanging open.

“WHAT THE FU…..” She yelled making him jump in surprise. They both stared at the stereo. That was her voice coming from the speakers.

“Did you sign anything when you were playing around in the studio with Junsu?” She shook her head and glared at the stereo even though her voice was gone and was replaced by Changmin.

“Where is my phone? It’s dead. Crap. Hyun where is your phone? I can’t find it. WHERE IS IT?!” Hyun stood up and walked to a freaking out EunJi. He held her. He didn’t say anything. He felt her breathing calm down as the panic died down. Instead he picked up a pen and wrote on the white paint the date and time on the wall.

“This is the day and time you debuted as a singer. This is the first time you heard your voice on the radio.”

“I don’t want to be a singer.” EunJi pouted.

“Do you want to sue them for using your voice without your permission?”

“NO!” EunJi’s eyes widened.

“Jae must have had a reason.”

“Can I kick his anyways?” He smiled and held her,

“Just enjoy the moment.”

[Present Time]

They painted over it. He was fuming. Hyori had tried to paint over it to. What was with people wanting to paint his kitchen?

Hyori sauntered over to where he was steaming by himself.

“I heard you had a meltdown.” She sat down on his bed.

“It’s nothing.” He turned his back.

“Then get out there and do the photo-shoot. Why are you being such a child?” Hyori shook her head.

He sat there when after Hyori left. He had made a decision. He was acting like a child. It had always been him saying that. He would tell EunJi that she was being childish, and she needed to grow up. She had grown up. He hadn’t appreciated her.

He stood up and went to the photo-shoot. Everyone was wary and kept their distance from him. He didn’t care. He was a star, he needed to act professional. He needed to act in a way that EunJi would respect, because she didn’t respect him. He would settle for respect.

EunJi lounged. Ever since the release party she was moody. First she would get angry at the prick HyunJoong and question what she ever saw in him, then she would decide she was going to be happy and laugh a lot and smile, that would wear her down and she would become sad. After sad she would get frustrated with herself for letting HyunJoong affect her like this and then that would bring her back to anger at HyunJoong.

There was his undeniable attraction, connection, between the two. She knew they had everything against them, and that she couldn’t erase the past, but if he had been willing, she would have tried. She didn’t know if she could want anyone else; that made her feel pathetic. She always scoffed at those girls who would keep going back after they were hurt. Now she was one of those girls.

EunJi sat up. “Ericccc! Come play with me!” EunJI laid her head back looking at him upside down.

“What are you going to do for your birthday?” She scrunched up her nose.

“I don’t know, it’s too early to plan that. OOF!” EunJi looked up to see Minwoo sitting on her. “You’re heavy. Get off.”

“Awwwww our little baby is growing up.” Minwoo pinched her cheek. EunJi batted away his hand. EunJi went into her pocket and pulled out her phone, a call was coming in.

“Hello?” All she heard was background talking, and nothing distinctive. “Hello?”

“Do you remember when we wrote on the kitchen wall?” EunJi in air.

“Aren’t you working?”

“Do you remember?” It seemed as if HyunJoong wasn’t going to hang up until she answered. Part of her mind wanted to lie and tell him that she had forgotten, because he was unimportant to him. That other part of him wants to admit she could never forget that.  “EunJi….”

“I remember.”

“I’m doing a photo-shoot at my place.” His voice was rough, as if he hadn’t slept well the night before. ‘take care of yourself, you are a singer. Remember to eat. Remember to sleep.’ These things almost slipped from . It isn’t her place to say, it was Hyori’s.

“Ah, is that so.” EunJi walked out of the room. Minwoo and Eric were looking at her, examining her expression.

“Yes.”

“I’ll let you go. Work hard.”

“I just…” she heard HyunJoong mutter, “I just wanted to know if you remembered things like that too…” There was a click and the line went dead.

EunJi sighed. He was really making it hard for her to hate him and want to keep him from her life.