Hello readers! I hope you aren't too angry at me, but I have an excuse. WORK kkkk and writer's block. But it's done! And chapter 5 is almost done too...

Hope you like this!

[For you, Assyung, who believes in me, gomawo!]

4^th Brick: Shopping Time

February 1^st

Friday evening. The guys were rehearsing and fooling around in the studio with the rest of the dancers. Their choreographer stopped the track for five minutes to get some water. Minwoo’s phone kept ringing and one of the girls took the mobile from a chair.

“Minwoo-oppa, your phone is ringing!” She handed the mobile.

“Thank you, Heeju-ssi. Hello?” He answered without knowing the number.

“Minwoo!” The other party giggled. “It’s Mia.”

“Oh, it’s the pretty girl!” He passed his towel over his neck and face.

“Yeh! Are you busy, Minwoo?”

“We were rehearsing, but we’re resting now. What can I do for you, pretty girl?”

“Shopping!” She cried and Minwoo smiled.

“Call! When? Where? What time do I pick you up?”

“How about now?” Mia giggled and suddenly hung up the mobile.

“Mwo?” Minwoo looked at the mobile confused.

He was about to call her back but suddenly the people around him started to whisper and talk about the foreigner girl at the door with wavy pink hair. Minwoo looked up at the door and then he saw her, popping her head inside the studio, looking around and greeting his friends.

“Mia!” Junjin said astonished while the rest of the boys gathered around her. “What are you doing here?”

“Well, I wanted to annoy you a little, Choongjae~” she sang, pinching his arm while shoving her tongue.

“Princess!” Andy hugged her suddenly.

“Ew! You’re all sweaty, Andy! Go away!” She tried to push him but she just earned an evil grin from Andy and another sweaty hug from her brother. “Sunho!” She cried and the one mentioned laughed like a kid.

“What are you doing here?” Andy asked without removing his arm around her shoulders.

“I want to go shopping for tomorrow night” she explained, “And Mr. Fashionista promised he’ll go with me, right?”

“Tomorrow night?” Dongwan asked.

“Didn’t we make plans to party this weekend?” Mia blinked confused.

“Of course!” Minwoo grabbed his bag. “Your wish is my command, pretty girl! Just let me take a quick shower.”

“Yah! Minwoo-ah!” Eric scowled when ran into the showers. “We were supposed to keep rehearsing!”

“Oh, leader-nim, please~” Mia clasped her hands in a begging pose and looked at the leader with puppy eyes.

“Oh my God! The puppy eyes,” Eric rolled his eyes. “Damn you Spoiled Princess!” Eric scolded her, defeated. “Geez! You must be happy, Little Prince; you have found a spoiled Little Princess.”

“YAH! I’m not spoiled!” Hyesung and Mia’s voices mixed together and looked at Eric annoyed, but Eric just laughed and with him the rest of the Shinhwa members laughed.

Fifteen minutes later Minwoo appeared at the rehearsal room, completely clean and changed.

“C’mon, let’s go!” Minwoo was at the door waiting for her.

“Bye-bye guys!” She smacked a kiss on Andy’s cheek and waved her hand to the others.

“Yah! Where is my kiss?” Junjin whimpered.

“You haven’t earned it yet!” Mia jogged to meet Minwoo who chuckled. Both disappeared from their view.

Minwoo parked at the mall and went hurriedly to grab a bite, since any of them had eaten properly. Just after eating, the dancer dragged Mia all over the place looking for dresses and skirts.

“How about this one?” Minwoo joked with a long dark blue and dull dress.

“Wooie, it's horrible!” She made a horrified face and he laughed.

“I'm kidding! Let's go to another shop.”

Minwoo grabbed her hand and walked towards the exit; but just after getting outside she released her hand from him a little bit uncomfortable. The man stood there looking at her while she looked away; Mia passed her hair behind her left ear and hesitated.

“What's wrong?” Minwoo tried to take off his sunglasses but Mia stopped him; the guy looked a bit sad. “Pretty Girl?”

“It's nothing…” She smiled kind of absent. “Shall we continue?”

The girl passed him and kept walking until Minwoo joined her. The man got shocked when she flashed a big smile as if nothing really happened, but she was pretty much upset, he could feel it. Despite her earlier behavior, Minwoo dismissed it and tried to keep his act cool; he wasn’t going to ask her to spill what happened. Minwoo knew that sooner or later she’ll open up to him or whoever was with her in the time being.

Mia noticed his change; Minwoo was being cautious and more quiet than usual and she knew it was her fault. It was not that she didn’t like Minwoo; on the contrary, he was one of the members she liked the most because he was funny and kind of carefree. But there was a time when she gave absolutely everything to a person who was like that and the story didn’t end really well.

“Minwoo, I’m sorry” She said while looking into a rack of clothes. Minwoo stopped his searching and looked at her; Mia had this kind of pained look which surprised him. “Some time ago, I had a… friend, if I can call him like that, who seriously hurt me. I’m kind of distrustful with the people around me. And…”

“And?”

“I don't want to cause any harm to you all. I promised Andy.”

“Harm?” Minwoo looked confused and suddenly the realization came. She was talking about their private lives. He smiled softly and took Mia's hand; she tried to take her and back but Minwoo didn’t let her. “So you are trying to keep the distance with us but Andy.”

“Andy has been my friend for twelve years, Minwoo,” Mia sighed and looked at him. “He’s all I have. The only one I can call family.”

“We can be family too, Mia; and if you don’t trust me, you shouldn’t be here” Minwoo moved his sunglasses down and winked at her.

The next couple of hours she talked about her life in LA, how she used to hang out with a bunch of friends but she always ended up hurt by someone. She was a good friend, she helped others whenever they need it, but when it came backwards she realized no one was really for her. Although she was a shy and quiet girl, meeting Andy twelve years ago changed her into a disinhibited girl who talked to everyone, but when he left and her friends kept letting her down, she just went back to who she was before.

“The friend that I talked about earlier, remember? Isolated me from my girl-friends,” Mia was talking while she was in the fitting room. “I tend to attach to people immediately but they just let me down” she opened the door and walked outside with a light yellow dress with embroider all over the fabric, plus a thin light brown belt over the waist. “I'm just being protective of myself.”

Minwoo firstly stared at the dress which looked lovely on her; it wasn’t revealing since it had no sleeves and it was line-A which make Mia looked beautiful. He cleared his throat.

“So, in other words, you’re afraid of being hurt again,” he said and she nodded.

“But also, I want to keep you from harm. You’re a public figure, Minwoo, and I can’t allow myself soiling your image. I’m not that special” Mia looked at the dress in the mirror with clouded eyes.

“Yah, don’t ever say that again” Minwoo took her arm and turned her around to face him, Mia’s heart sank. “What would Andy think if he hears you? You’re special just because you’re our Andy’s dongsaeng,” the dancer was looking at her softly. “Forget about public image, Mia. We’ve been together for fifteen years so we can afford having a friend like you” Minwoo winked at her again. “But, let us get to know you just as you are, ok?”

Mia nodded and turned to her right side to see the dress again. “So, what do you think?”

“It’s perfect!” Minwoo took her hand and turned her around. “Now, shoes!”

Two hours later, their shopping day was done. Minwoo took Mia to her hotel with some shopping bags; during the trip back they talked as old friends. She asked for their jobs in Shinhwa Company and that made Minwoo feel that she was totally worth it. Mia was a caring and sweet girl, despite her attempts of being distant with him; she joked with him but also was really calm and composed. Minwoo realized how comfortable he was with her, like a childhood friend; it had been so long since he felt this way towards someone. He had friends, of course, but a friend nearly similar as s none; and Mia, was like that. Like another member of the family.

They bid goodbye just after Mia told Minwoo that Andy will pick her up tomorrow night. The girl approached him and hugged him briefly thanking him for the shopping day and the dress, since he insisted in paying for it.

Saturday, February 2^nd

7:45 PM. Mia looked at the clock and finished her make-up. She looked at the mirror and smiled; her hair was tied over her shoulder with a gold ribbon and her hair was all curly; her make-up was in golden tones. Just then, her doorbell rang and she ran to the door.

“Andy!” Mia hugged his brother, who wore black jeans, a white shirt which was slightly ed and a gray vest over the shirt. He looked so handsome!

“Aigoo, is this girl my baby sister? You look gorgeous!” Andy kissed her cheek. “I must warn my hyungs!” The man was about to reach for his mobile but Mia stopped him.

“Oh, don’t!” Mia chuckled. “Let them be surprised! Let’s go!”

They arrived in less than twenty minutes. Andy held her hand like a gentleman could do and walked with her into the place; Minwoo and Junjin were already there and the main dancer stood up like a spring when he saw them coming in. Minwoo wore dark blue jeans, and a plain red sweater who made him look younger; Junjin, on the other hand, had blue jeans and a plaid red shirt. Both looked amazing.

“Andy-ah!” Minwoo waved his hand and Junjin looked up just to see the beautiful woman walking next to Andy.

“Minwoo-hyung!” Andy hugged him and then Mia did it too.

“You look so pretty!” Junjin approached her.

“Thank you, Choongjae~” She smiled and let Junjin help her with her chair.

A few moments after Eric and Hyesung arrived too. Eric, handsome as always, wore dark jeans with a blue tee and a gray suit Nateet over his shoulders, it was carefree; Hyesung looked spectacular too, with a pair of white jeans and a sweater that made him look like a prince. Both got a shock when saw Mia completely transformed into a grown up woman.

“Do I have something on me or what?” She asked Andy, a bit annoyed with Eric and Hyesung’s stares.

“It’s just that you look stunning, Pretty Girl!” Minwoo winked at her and she smiled.

“I know, right?” She chuckled with Minwoo. “Hello boys!” Mia gave them a broad smile. Eric was the first one to react and smile.

“Hello, princess” the leader greeted her.

“Sleeping Beauty!” Hyesung called her and also leaned to kiss her cheek. “You look splendid.”

“Well, thank you!” Mia smiled brightly and Hyesung though that was the most beautiful smile he had ever seen.

Just a couple of minutes after, Dongwan arrived too with brown pants and a white shirt, a big smile and his camera securely on his hands. Just then, they had dinner between laughs and light chatting. Hyesung couldn’t avert his eyes from the girl; he smiled every time Mia said something funny and even when she was messing with Junjin and Minwoo he felt like the girl was just another part of them. He admitted he liked her, but he put aside that feeling reminding him that she has been in Korea for just four days and he had a lot of time ahead to know her better.

At 10 the music in the place began to get loud and crazy. Mia was over her second drink, an apple martini, and her feet were moving down the table with the rhythm of the music; she chorused the song under whispers but Andy could see her eagerness to jump on the dance floor. “Moves like Jagger” by Maroon 5 started playing and Mia smiled broadly; it was one of her favorites songs!

Andy stood up and tended his hand due to Mia and everyone’s surprise. “C'mon! Let's dance!” Mia didn't hesitate at all and held his hand, joyful.

“Andy-ah! I was about to take her to the dance floor!” Junjin complained.

“Too late, JJ” Mia walked towards her best friend and both started to move on the dance floor.

Everyone looked at the couple dancing around, laughing and singing with the song; Minwoo looked to Junjin and both stood up and went to Mia and Andy who welcomed them dancing around.

“Why don’t you go there and have fun?” Eric asked Hyesung who was looking at his friends and the girl.

“You know I don’t dance” Hyesung sighed.

“C’mon, Sungie, it’s supposed to be her welcoming party” Dongwan intervene and took off his Nateet. “Aren’t you going Eric-ah?”

“Yeah, why not…” Eric stood up too and flashed a big smile when Mia looked at him from the dance floor, moving her hands calling for him.

Eric and Dongwan got into the crowd and managed to dance with the others. Mia danced with Shinhwa, one by one; she sang every song the place played from “California Girls” by Katy Perry to the newest hit “This Kiss” by Carly Rae Jepsen. Even when Eric and Dongwan weren't the best dancers they were having fun on the dance floor. Just then she realized that the Little Prince was still sitting at the table, looking a bit dazed. Mia said to Dongwan that she would be back and went straight to the table.

“What are you doing here?”

“Picking you up, Steve,” she clasped his hand due to Hyesung's shocked expression.

“W-wait! I don't dance!” He screeched and pulled his hand from her; his hand felt like burning.

“C'mon, Steve… Everyone is having fun, don't be a party pooper,” Hyesung was about to argue when Mia took the change to drag him into the crowd.

Junjin and Minwoo welcomed him with big grins. Hyesung stood in the middle, stiff and moody because he surely didn’t want to be there. But Mia had other plans for him because she held his hands without warning and started dancing with him; Hyesung rolled his eyes when Dongwan pinched his ribs, eyes saying to be more relaxed with her. Junjin pushed him too and told him almost the same; she was doing everything for him and he was being like that. The vocalist sighed and released his hands from her grip; Minwoo nudged Hyesung and after a few minutes the vocalist started to move along with the others.

Mia smiled happy, she clung into Andy’s arm and kept moving around with the music. She knew how much Hyesung disliked dancing even when he was in a dancing group. Half an hour later, when everybody was sweating, Mia excused herself into the restrooms while Shinhwa went back to their table to have something to drink.

When Mia went inside the restrooms, she found three girls in the middle of the tiny space looking into the mirror. The first one, a tiny and skinny girl had long blonde hair, completely straightened, she had small brown eyes; the second one was tall and gawky, as someone who lost too much weight in a short time, short black hair, and excessive make-up; the last one, was kind of pretty, her face was delicate and her eyes medium sized, dark brown hair, though she had thick make-up.

“Hana, did you see who’s at the table in the corner?” A girl said.

“You mean the handsome and famous Shinhwa’s Eric Mun?” Another girl said, with a shrieking voice. “Of course I did, Minah.”

“The attractive Lee Minwoo-ssi was there too,” added another one. “Isn’t he eye-catching?”

“Absolutely delicious, Jiwon-ah” the second voice retorted, the one called Hana. “Such handsome men hanging with a north American .”

Wait, what did she just say? Mia blinked a couple of times, fixed her clothes and opened the door; the girls were speechless once they saw her, but she feigned ignorance and went to the sink and washed her hands. She could see the girls eyeing her and she felt disgusted, Mia was tired and sick of the girls trying to be cool but failed miserably.

“Isn’t she the one?” Asked the blonde, the redhead at her side eyed Mia too.

“What’s with her fake pink hair?” The redhead said. Pff, yeah, and your unnatural red hair sure isn’t, Mia thought.

The pretty one looked at Mia, well, saying look is kind of gentle, because what the girl did was scan Mia.

“Never mind, nothing special,” surely, she was pretty, but with a naughty personality. Mia snorted. The blackhead looked at her, kind of annoyed with her giggle. “Excuse me?” She asked in english.

Oh, Mia was going to enjoy every single part of this. “Hana, right?” Mia began in korean, guessing her name; she was right because the black haired girl gasped in awe. “I’m sorry for being American, seriously, I didn’t ask being born over there, but I’m not ashamed of that. And for the record, sweetheart, I’m not the one half trying to gain the attention of men around me. Excuse me.”

Mia fixed a buckle that was about to fall from her ponytail and with a smirk she went out the restroom. The woman approached the table with the guys grinning and giggling, hiding her teeth with her hands. Andy and Minwoo looked at her curious; Junjin gave her way in the table and offered a glass of water.

“What’s with you?” Andy asked, curiosity showing on his handsome features.

“Oh, nothing,” she dismissed the issue, but kept the huge grin on her face.

Sometime later, Mia spotted the three girls sneaking a look into her direction; each one of them had a drink on her hands. Mia leaned against the one next to her, Andy, who immediately placed her arm around her in a friendly way, smiling to her warmly. Mia glanced at the girls who were still looking in her direction. The one named Hana, straightened her back and made a motion to the girls behind to follow her. Oh no. They were coming their way. Mia giggled again.

“Princess, share the joke with me!” Andy whispered, she smiled mischievously and kissed his cheek.

“You’ll see soon enough, brother.”

Just then the three girls made their appearance next to the table, really close to where Mia was sitting next to Andy and Hyesung; the three girls smiled falsely and placed a fake cute expression on their faces. Mia rolled her eyes. God, seriously?

“Annyeong,” Hana said and flashed a full teeth smile to the six men.

“Ah, annyeong…” Minwoo smiled at her and the blonde just couldn’t hold her excitement; she giggled too obvious.

“We were thinking if we can join you,” the blonde asked. “My name is Noh Jiwon, she’s Lee Hana and Kim Minah” Jiwon pointed to each of the girls.

“Well…” Junjin rubbed the back of his neck hesitating, they were celebrating Mia’s welcome party and he didn’t know if it was a good idea.

“Oh, don’t be rude, Jiwon-ah, they are trying to have some fun,” Hana interrupted. “We don’t want to intrude, oppa…,” the black haired girl finally said. “Excuse us…” But when Hana turned around, Minah gave her a push and she deliberately emptied her drink over Mia’s dress.

Mia stood up with the cold feeling running through her face; she was drenched in something sticky and red, the dress was a mess. Andy and Hyesung rose from their seats, kind of annoyed with the issue.

“Oops, sorry!” Hana and her gang giggled playfully.

“Are you okay?” Hyesung was behind her with a cloth napkin on his hands. Mia nodded and then focused her eyes on the gang.

She smiled crookedly. “You want to play dirty, Hana-ssi? Fine.” Mia took the glass closer to her, Andy’s, and splashed the drink over the three girls. “Oops, sorry!” She faked an annoying tone.

“Yah!” The three girls yelled at her, Hana jumped over Mia and was about to slap her but the American blonde stopped her hand in the middle.

“You started this, remember? Calling me a ?” Mia said in english and released Hana’s hand; the woman turned her back to her and walked through the crowd with her gang behind, obviously humiliated. “And I thought I wouldn’t ever come across with this kind of girls. God, my dress is ruined!” Mia whined. The dress was totally a mess, and she liked it so much.

“Give me that…” Andy snatched the napkin on Hyesung’s hand and started to clean her face. “What’s the problem with you?” He asked, without knowing how to act in front of her and his friends.

“Well, she called me a ! What was I supposed to do? Smile and let her has her way?” Mia frowned and crossed her arms, sitting in the chair. “Plus, the old hags were coming over Eric and Wooie!” She pouted.

Dongwan sniggered; Mia looked his way and he grinned to her giving her thumbs up. Mia giggled too and lifted her eyes to Andy, who was sitting next to her. The maknae didn’t know what he was supposed to tell her.

“I’m sorry, ok? But I wasn’t going to do nothing! She insulted me!” She explained a little offended.

“Well, that’s so you, princess” Andy chuckled too, and after him, Minwoo and Junjin began to laugh uncontrollably. Eric had a smirk on his face, while Hyesung just couldn’t hold his wide smile.

A few minutes later, Minwoo and Junjin slip the bill and they were ready to go home. When they placed a foot outside, Hyesung saw how Mia trembled and braced her own arms; he took off his jacket and with a carefree movement, he placed it over her shoulders. The woman smiled and inhaled his scent, something between citric and lavender.

“Thanks…” she whispered.

“Keep it,” Hyesung winked at her and Mia nodded.

“Wah! My dress is ruined! I’m gonna kill that old hag!” Mia whined again.

“Take it to the dry cleaner,” Dongwan suggested. “By the way, you looked fabulous! Did you just see their faces? Priceless.”

“I know hahaha, they look for it!” Mia frowned. “Anyway, I had fun today!”

“We did also!” Minwoo went and gave her a bear hug. “See you next time, ok?”

“Sure!” She hugged him back.

One by one the boys hugged her and said good bye. Minwoo took Dongwan and Junjin to their places, while Hyesung drove Eric to their building. When they separated, Andy took his best friend to her apartment, during the trip back Mia was still giggling, remembering the scene with the women in the restaurant.

“Stop it, silly,” Andy rolled his eyes, but then sighed.

“What?” Mia asked.

Andy shrugged. “Sometimes I just forget you’re a grown up woman. I think I’m seriously repenting for not being at your side all these years.”

“I’m a grown up woman, but I will always need my big brother” Mia placed her head over his shoulder.

“I feel like I don’t know you anymore…”

“There is always a solution, Sunho, just meet me again,” Mia smiled and let Andy drive.