BATTLE 1: THE DRESS

 

Yunho threw a halter dress at her. Nodding in agreement, Jaejoong ordered her to try it on. 

 

Shaking her head, Tae Hee refused to even touch it. Although she had to admit, it was a pretty sleek evening dress.

 

“WHY NOT? WHITE SUITS YOU!” Jaejoong shouted. Junsu motioned for him to shut up; everybody in the store had turned their heads towards him.

 

“No. I want this one.” She pointed to a barf-colored dress with major ruffles from the waist down to the ankles. 

 

“No. You’ll look like a piñata,” Yoochun said, showing his obvious distaste for it.

 

“But...” She glanced at disapproving Yoochun and shut up. “Fine. I’ll try the dress.” She looked at him again and saw a smile light up on his face; she felt safe, finally finding a real human being in this savage group of spoiled guys.

 

Stupid Yoochun oppa. If it weren’t for him, she would’ve easily been victorious in this fight.

 

Jaejoong smirked. She had seemed like some tough tomboy. Who knew she would’ve been as soft as tofu (not even fried tofu)? Maybe winning over her heart wouldn’t be as hard as he thought---but then he wouldn’t have as much pleasure when it was time to crush her heart. Nevertheless, when it was time, she would get what she deserved... which was?

 

 

 

BATTLE 2: THE SHOES 

 

Jaejoong, still annoyed at her rebellion, plopped upon on a sofa and let his hyungs decide which shoes would fit his date best. She was giving him a headache. Tae Hee sensed an easy success since Yoochun had accompanied Changmin and Yunho to the Food Court, leaving Junsu all alone to help her decide.

 

Junsu stared, glassy-eyed, at a pair of Chinese Laundry stilettos. “Pretty...pretty...” he murmured. Tae Hee laughed; he was way to cute for his age. After Yoochun, she liked Junsu. He wasn’t mean to her nor did he give her evil glares.

 

“Hm...Junsu oppa, you like them, huh?” Tae Hee asked quietly. She was depressed for some odd reason.

 

He nodded happily and smiled at her. Aw crap, the smile...it was weakening her. “Try it on, Tae Hee!” He handed her the shoe box. No, please don’t give it to me, no. She needed to win this battle, and he wasn’t helping.

 

Unwillingly, Tae Hee accepted them. Breathing a sigh of relief, she said, “Aw...sorry Junsu oppa. They don’t fit me. I’ll just have to look for another pair.” ^__^

 

“That’s okay. I’ll get you another size!”

 

“No. No. There’s no need for that.” Desperate, she turned around and pointed to a random pair of heels, without carefully studying them. “I like that one more.”

 

“Hm. Good choice,” Jaejoong complimented, walking over to the heels. “Chanel stilettos. $599. What a bargain!” Observing her feet, he said aloud, “Size 6 ½. Come on, after this, we’ve got a lot more stuff to buy.” Gosh, talk about rich.

 

Tae Hee watched him helplessly as he had the saleswoman ring up the shoes. She scolded herself mentally for being so stupidly blind; she glanced over at a pouting Junsu and smiled. “Next time, Junsu oppa, next time.”

 

He grinned. Hm, he hadn’t approved of this “Random Girlfriend” decision Jaejoong had made, but she wasn’t all too bad. In fact, she was better than her, ten trillion times better.

 

 

 

BATTLE 3: THE ACCESSORIES

 

Never underestimate your enemies. Who could’ve thought that innocent Junsu would’ve been that powerful, making her backstab herself. This time, she couldn’t afford to lose. Tae Hee was just warming up.

 

“Purses, necklaces, earrings, bracelets...” Jaejoong declared to them. “We’ll buy the purse at Coach; vintage is good. The jewelry...we’ll buy whatever’s attractive” 

 

Straining from the bags she was carrying (who knew shoes could weigh so much), Tae Hee dared herself to look at her watch. 4:23. School had ended at 12:30, so they’d been shopping for 4 hours?! And all she had bought were a pair of heels and a dress. What a pain. And what was worse was that none of them had offered to help carry them. She started fuming, not good. 

 

“OOOO! Look at those little evening purses!! TAE HEE! DO YOU LIKE THAT ONE, ‘CAUSE I DO!” Junsu giggled. The others rolled their eyes. 

 

She squealed. “ME TOO!!” 

 

“C’MON! LET’S TRY IT!” He grabbed her hand and pulled her into the store.

 

 

 

As the apathetic ones watched Junsu and Tae Hee giggle over the purses, Yoochun spoke up, “Perhaps she isn’t as bad as we thought she was...”

 

Jaejoong glared at him. “Oh shut up Micky hyung.”

 

“I was just saying...” 

 

Yunho gave a soft glance at Yoochun. “Don’t...we can’t---“ He was cut off as Tae Hee and Junsu exited the store. 

 

“Where to next?” she asked excitedly. 

 

“No more rebelling, I see?” Jaejoong queried sarcastically. Her cheery smile turned dark. Oh crap, she’d forgotten... How could she be won over by his friends? She had been determined to win...and now? She could’nt care less what the outcome was. What was happening to her?

 

She glared at him. Attempting to lighten the mood, Junsu offered to carry Tae Hee’s many shopping bags, and of course, she let him.

 

 

5:03. What precious time wasted. One whole hour just for jewelry. Tae Hee shook her head, disappointed at herself. And that Jaejoong was a monster--- a monster loaded with money, that was. He didn’t even hesitate when he asked for the most expensive jewelry they had aka diamonds. She swore, he was just crazy. But like they said, diamonds were a girl’s best friends. She let him win this time. He was lucky: the diamonds were on his side.

 

 

 

BATTLE 0: BREAK TIME!

 

Due to Changmin’s incessant whining over his grumbling stomach, Jaejoong let them stop and have a bite. 

 

Tae Hee stared at Changmin. He started listing all he wanted to eat to the waitress---even the waitress was having difficulty recording it all down. He just didn’t stop, did he? Finally, after who knows how long, he ceased the ordering AKA the listing of basically everything on the menu. 

 

“And what about you, miss?”

 

“Hmm... I think I’ll have a Rigatoni with Hearty Lamb Sauce.” Changmin gave her an odd look. She shrugged. It was the only thing he HADN’T ordered. XD “Oh yes! May I have a...Raspberry White Chocolate Mousse. Thanks”

 

She was an interesting girl, never like one he’d ever met before. The others either ate salads or nothing at all. But this one...this one ordered PASTA, a dish full of carbs, and even a DESSERT! She was a good one; Jaejoong better not screw this up.

 

When the dishes came, Tae Hee stared at her pasta happily. It was just so pretty; she didn’t want to ruin the beauty. Aw whatever. Pasta’s food and food is meant for eating, not admiring. She dug in. Looking up, she noticed the guys watching her. 

 

“What?” she asked, mouth half full with pasta. “Want some?” 

 

“OMG. Yes please! Tae Hee noona, the way you eat it...makes it look so...GOOD!” Changmin grinned. He took a spoonful. “Mmm...Yummy.”

 

She beamed and looked shyly at him. “Can I try some of that?” She pointed to a dish. 

 

“Go ahead!” he answered.

 

She looked so happy while eating the food. Yes, he decided, this one was like a Tiramisu at his favorite patisserie: the best of the best. 

 

“I’m so ordering this next time!” she declared.

 

Jaejoong mumbled to Yunho. “She better act more elegant tonight.”

 

 

 

BATTLE 4: THE HAIR

 

Feeling recharged, Tae Hee was determined to win this last battle. Yoochun, Changmin, and Junsu had left early so they could prepare themselves too---leaving Yunho and Jaejoong to “baby-sit” her.

 

“I want her to look mature and sleek, but don’t overdo it. I don’t want to look as if my partner’s a forty-year-old.” Jaejoong told the stylist.

 

She pouted, attempting to throw a tantrum. “But I don’t want that type of hair. I want body-waved hair so I can dance like crazy and still look good.”

 

He glared at me. “You aren’t dancing. This is a function, not a high school party.”

 

“I don’t care.” Tae Hee huffed, crossed her arms, and stamped her foot. “I want to dance.”

 

Yunho watched her, interested. “You like to dance? Me too!”

 

“Really? But I don’t really like ballroom dancing, ‘cause isn’t that what all you rich people do, ballroom dance?”

 

“Yeah, pretty much, but I like break-dancing. Yes, I know, I’m breaking the stereotypical picture.” Yunho was engrossed in the conversation with Tae Hee, leaving Jaejoong feeling neglected. 

 

“Well... I guess I don’t really like break-dancing, more like BoA type dances.” 

 

“Hm... I like you.” Of course, he didn’t mean that in a romantic manner but just in an approving way.

 

“Erm... thanks?” She replied, a bit confused as to what to do next.

 

Yunho turned to the hair stylist. “Give her body waves. Don’t put it in a bun or anything, make it look natural.” He grinned at Tae Hee, and Tae Hee smiled back. She had finally won a battle. She smirked at Jaejoong who looked quite frustrated. 

 

Hehe, loser!

 

 

 

BATTLE 0: THE AFTERMATH

 

Still disgruntled, Jaejoong handed Tae Hee her shopping bags. “I’ll pick you up tonight at 7. You better be ready by then.”

 

“Wha---? But you don’t even know where I live!”

 

He winked at her. “Sure I don’t, Tofu.” He drove off, leaving her with Yunho.

 

 

“Don’t worry, Tae Hee, he knows. He knows.” Then, starting the engine, they too left the shopping center for rich people.

 

“WTHCK? TOFU?” she contemplated aloud.