"Chansung, what were you thinking tonight?!" Wooyoung yanked Chansung's earphones out of his ears.

 

"Aish! What's your problem hyung?! I want to listen to Bruno Mars!" The maknae whined.

 

"Bruno Mars can wait. Now, tell me." Wooyoung hugged his pillow in front of him as he laid on his stomach. "Do you like Ara noona?"

 

"Of course." He proudly answered back and Wooyoung's eye popped with unbelief.

 

"Stop fooling around! Tell me the truth!" The hyung threw the pillow at the younger one.

 

"Ow! What do you want me to say?! You asked me and I answered!" Chansung defended as he blocked the object.

 

"Do you have feelings for Ara noona?"

 

"That, that I don't know. You'll have to figure it out yourself." Being the smart-mouth, Chansung placed his earphones back on just to be pulled out by Wooyoung again. Chansung was getting annoyed, yet be was obedient.

 

"What ever is going on in that peanut brain of yours, don't plan to snatch Ara. You know the business between Nichkhun and her clearly." Wooyoung warned.

 

"There's no business between them anymore. Khun hyung is a taken man and Ara noona is as free as me." 

 

His response earned a light hit on the head. "Maknae, don't be so stubborn. You're lucky I'm the nicer one who doesn't punish you." 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ara's POV:

 

I was off for the day without schedules. It was nice to relax, but I didn't know how to spend my day. Laying in my bed wrapped around my white comforter, I reached for my phone to dial a number. I sunk into my pillow as I waited for the ringing to stop.

 

"Hello, noona!" The voice expected me.

 

"Banana, are you and the others busy today?"

 

"Everyone's off schedule today besides Nich-"

 

Cutting him off shortly, I stated, "Whoever is free, ask if they'd like to join us for Korean BBQ at 12PM." 

 

"Ah, yes. I'll let them know."

 

 

After I hung up the call, I smacked my forehead. Was I stupid to be calling 2PM for lunch? This shoes my weakness towards the boys! This might give them the thought that I want to meet them only because I hope to run into Nichkhun too. It wasn't the smartest action at all. Now, I couldn't cancel. I'll have to go with it. I picked up my device and decided to call someone else.

 

"Newface, what makes you decide to call me this morning?" Lee Sang Woo answered.

 

"Hello Oppa. Well, I was wondering if you'd like to join 2PM and I for lunch.   I'm planning to bring Min unnie along too."

 

"Well, you're lucky because I am a free man after 11. I'll see you then after I finish my film shoot." I can tell he is smiling just by the way he speaks. I, myself, was smiling unexpectedly.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Tables were joined for the big party. One by one, each individual sat down and ordered their plates while some were in control of barbecuing the pork and beef. 

 

"Thanks for joining me this evening. It's nice to have close company." I announced before I stuffed my mouth.

 

"Thank you for acknowledging us. I've been craving BBQ for awhile but none of the members wanted to join me." The oldest, Minjun replied.

 

"It's because hyung never pays and always leaves it to us." Chansung tried to reason. Minjun shoved him in return.

 

"I'm the hyung i should be treated, but whenever I treat, Nichkhun always offered to pay." Minjun protected his ego.

 

The table shut silence at the name that was just mentioned. Junho who sat at the edge of the table sneered as he looked over to Ara. 

 

Junho cleared the cold air, "Ara noona, why didn't you invite Nichkhun too?" His intention was on purpose. He wanted to throw Ara into the hot seat.

 

"Oh, I called Chansung..."

 

"She called me to invite whoever didn't have a schedule to join her for lunch. Obviously, Nichkhun had a meet to go to." Chansung voiced to protect Ara.

 

"Oh, that's right. Nichkhun has a date with Tiffany. Isn't it their anniversary or something?" He his chopsticks trying to act innocently.

 

"Lee Junho, shut your mouth." Taecyeon whispered since he sat next to him.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Ara's POV:

 

I only nodded at Junho's statement. I turned to Lee Sang Woo to avoid hearing about Nichkhun. Plus, I didn't want Sang Woo oppa to feel left out.

 

"If you guys haven't met him, this is Lee Sang Woo, another great friend of mine." The boys bowed and shook hand.

 

"I can't believe I'm actually meeting Asia's famous boy band. It's a pleasure." Oppa shined his dying smile.

 

Sang Woo was always so professional in his character whether he's at work or not. It made him admirable and charming. His mature, yet kiddish side was a perfect balance. His looks and his heart were beyond gold. 

 

"Min unnie, eat more." I shifted a plate of pork belly to her.

 

As we all ate and chattered, a voice joined us as it made its way closer to the table.

 

"Here you guys are. The dorm was empty and I wondered where you all went to." His voice was recognizable.

 

"You made it in time. Sit." Junho was the only one who seemed to not be surprised at Nichkhun's existence.

 

The other four members where confused as they turned to peek at one another.

 

Taec spoke up, "Khun, how'd you know we're here?"

 

"Oh, Junho told me to come. Didn't he tell you guys?" Nichkhun now also joined the confused-face club. He gazed at Junho with a questioning look.

 

Lying his way out, Junho said, "I told you guys, but you all were too busy talking. Plus, Nichkhun is part of us. I don't see why we shouldn't invite him."

 

Already here, Nichkhun chose to sit down and picked at the food. Samgyeopsal is his favorite and that hasn't changed over our departure. I observed him carefully and the way he eats with his mouthful was still the same. First, he's scoop a spoon of rice and then followed it after 2 small strips of samgyeopsal. Second, he'd wrap pieces of beef into the lettuce after he dipped it in the spicy sauce. My observation was interrupted when Sang Woo oppa tapped me.

 

"Ara, have more of the lettuce wrapped beef." He wrapped a perfect one for me and stuffed it into my mouth.

 

I chewed awkwardly at how he just did it causally in front of the six pairs of eyes. I heard a couple throats clearing themselves. After seconds, I heard someone choke. It was Nichkhun. I knew why. It was because he overloaded his dose of the the spicy sauce. It happened almost every time we went out for Korean BBQ back then. They surrounding bodies didn't know what to do. They were surprised as if it was the first time seeing Nichkhun like this. I sped over to his side to hand him my untouched cup of water. Patting his back and slowly rubbing it, I tried to sooth him. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Nichkhun's POV:

 

It happened again. I accidentally took in too much of the spicy sauce and coughed. Damn it. It so happened to also be the timing of seeing that man and Ara feeding one another. Great, now everyone's going to think I'm a complete jealous idiot. Coughing and choking my way to breathe, Ara rushed over to my side with water. I drank it quickly as she rubbed my back in circular motion. That instant brought me back to how she'd laugh at me whenever this happened while we were out on a date. They guys didn't react too well because I've never choked in front of them like this. It was new to them whereas it was something seriously silly to Ara. As my throat cleared and calmed, I looked at Ara who seemed to try and hide her smile like every of the previous time.

 

"Thanks." I patted my chest for relief.

 

"Not a problem. It happened too many time to forget how to rescue you." She laughed lightly and comfortably.

 

Her character is different now. She seemed to have moved on well.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Ara's POV:

 

I trembled yet I hid that quite well. His gaze triggered me. I smiled because I had to. Again, it was also memorable because back then, I'd laugh at how reckless he was with the sauce, trying to be a man and prove me he can hold spice with dignity. I moved back to be seat and I felt eyes follow me.

 

"You guys better watch for Nichkhun. He has a tendency of not watching how much sauce he spoils himself." I casually said. "Water is the cure." I pointed out.

 

"Ara, you are always the savior." Min unnie praised me. "You've not only saved me many times, but you save others too. Power to you!" Min laughed.

 

Conversations carried on again.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Lunch was finish and everyone walked out together in a mob. Everyone talked amongst themselves besides the old lovebirds who are simply strangers acting friendly. Ara and Nichkhun fell behind the others.

 

"Sorry to crash the party. Junho told me I was invited." The Thai man stuck his hands in his pockets as they walked.

 

"You all were invited. It's just you were busy so you were they last to be notified." Ara made it clear so there wasn't any misunderstandings.

 

Nichkhun nodded and added, "Also thanks for what happened in there."

 

Not wanting to say much and being up the past, Ara shortly replied, "It's nothing to be thankful for."

 

"It is, actually. Who would've known. I could of gasped for air like crazy and those fools would've watched me shiver around like a psychotic man." He added a flavor of humor and Ara chirped a laugh.

 

"Well, good thing I was here." She laughed along with him and then realized what she just said. "I mean-"

 

"No, I get it." The angel smiled reassuring Ara he understood what she met by that.

 

 

In their hearts, they new it reflected their old selves. It was difficult to avoid the thought even though they indirectly mentioned the past. It placed them in an odd situation.