“Don’t. Mind. Me,” said Key, in between barfing.

“Sure big boy?” I asked, while rubbing his back, hoping to ease his dreadful experience. “I told you not to drink! You’re underage even! God, Key!”

“Can you nag at me tomorrow instead? I’m. Busy. Go talk to hyung,” he said, shooing me away.

“How do you expect me to..” I continued, but was cut off by his shooing hand.

Walking back to the other side of the alley, I sighed and leaned against the wall, beside him. Feeling awkward, I looked up to him and smiled, trying not to gawk. “So..” both of us began. We looked down and smiled. He rubbed his neck and turned to me, giving that side-smile that made the whole nation fall for him.

“Thanks,” I said, “for bring him out. He’s quite a handful.”

“Not a problem,” he replied. “He’s my hoobae, after all.”

“Well, yea,” I replied. And then, silence. All I could hear was the sound of my beating heart, and well, our diva barfing, still. Being less than an arm’s length away from one of the Rising Gods of the East can take quite a toll on a very ordinary person like me. My thoughts were interrupted when he started speaking.

“What did you say?” I subconsciously asked him, in English. Well, it is my 1st language.

Looking up and seeing his clueless face, I then asked again, now in Korean.

“I said I know Key’s not gay,” he replied, smiling. Again. Here we go. Be still my heart. I’m trying to have a normal conversation here.

“Ah, yea,” I stammered. “I’m sorry about that. I just had a similar encounter just seconds before you came over.”

He laughed softly. “I see. By the way, I’m Kim..”

“Jaejoong. I know, I see you everywhere in Seoul. Posters, I mean. With the rest. Dong Bang Shin Ki. You look great. I mean you guys look great. I mean..,” I babbled on. Damn it. Introduce yourself, woman. “..My name is..”

“Ruby Chase. I know,” he said.

 “You know my name?” I asked, stumped.

“I heard Key mentioned it to some of the hoobaes sometimes,” he replied.

“Oh. Hope it’s nothing bad, heh,” I continued, trying to ease the awkward situation.

“Nothing like that. He’s proud of you, you know,” Jaejoong said, smiling. God, does he not know what his smiles do to people?

“Y-yeah, as I am with him too,” I replied, looking over to Key.

“So, listen..” I heard him say, before I saw Key fell with a thud. On his bottom.

“Babe!” I shouted.

Not waiting for Jaejoong to continue, I ran over to Key. Laughing, I asked, “Ok, love?”

“Is he ok?” asked Jaejoong, standing beside me. “Why are you laughing?”

Kid was pouting and throwing a tantrum, “B, B. I wanna go home. I don’t feel s