A full week has passed and Sunggyu is thankful to say that everything had returned back to normal. He’s back in university, still pursuing his Philosophy major, and (thankfully) no one knows the fool he made of himself just a week ago at Nam Woohyun’s ball.

And of course, that was because no one he knew was there. What would college students such as him be doing at such an expensive formal party, anyways?

So for the most part, Sunggyu is happy. Actually, more than happy; he was relieved. It was like he was starting anew again.

Not to metion, no one brought that fiasco up again after that night. No one.

“Hey Sunggyu! Is it true that you and Sungjong sneaked into Nam Woohyun’s ball last week?”

No one, indeed.

And then Sunggyu’s mood suddenly turned good to fowl.

“Sungyeol, who told you?” Sunggyu growled through his teeth, though he already knew. Who else, but his good friend Sungjong.

“I heard from Sungjong,” Sungyeol said, as they were walking through the university campus together to their classes. “We were talking about you, and then he just brought it up. So, did you?”

Just ing great.

“I’m going to kill him,” Sunggyu said lowly. “I swear, I’m going to kill that brat.”

“No, don’t do that,” Sungyeol shook his head. “Well, at least he didn’t say it willingly. I sort of, uh… forced… it… out of him?” Sungyeol’s words trailed off.

“That’s it!” Sunggyu couldn’t take it anymore, as he rubbed his temples with his fingers. They had no right to gossip, when Sungjong agreed to keep it a secret. He was going to kill Sungjong, and then he was going to kill Sungyeol.

He glared at the younger, “Sungyeol. Nothing happened. Nothing. Do you hear me?”

Sunggyu pronounced those words, slowly and painfully, with a deathly tone that would probably even make Nam Woohyun run for his life, Sungyeol thought.

“Yes, sir,” Sungyeol squeaked out. “Nothing.” He wouldn’t want to mess with an angry Kim Sunggyu. No, he would not.

“Good.” Sunggyu let go of Sungyeol’s shirt, and was even surprised as he didn’t remember when he had taken a hold of it, but Sungyeol sighed in relief and they resume their (now quiet) walk.

Sunggyu thought about the happenings of last week and cringed. Seriously, just when he had finally succeeded in forgetting about everything, Sungyeol just had to remind him and now he couldn’t stop thinking about it. Sunggyu had never felt so embarrassed in his life, last week. That’s the exact reason he never goes to these flings. Smart Kim Sunggyu does not go to social events, dances, parties, or anything of that sort. It’s not his thing, he just doesn’t like it.

He would rather stay home and read. Sunggyu loved reading; sometimes he would spend entire weekends just reading, up to fifteen hours a day. He didn’t know why; time passed so fast to him as he read. Sometimes he reads novels (one of which he was reading right now was Pride and Prejudice) but mostly he enjoys books that talk about philosophical teachings and experiences. For the past few weeks, he’s gotten into the teachings of Mohammad; he was reading Islamic teachings, and he found them more than fascinating.

“Sungjong!” Sunggyu called out as he saw Sungjong across the lawn, sitting on top of a picnic table and talking to a group of giggling girls. If Sunggyu didn’t know him that well, he would’ve thought that Sungjong was flirting with them, but he knew better than that. Sungjong was more of the type to understand girls and be their best friend, rather than approach them with seductive endeavors. Sungjong was quite sweet at times, Sunggyu would say, but at this time Sunggyu was just disgusted. “Sungjong! You’re dead, do you hear me?!”

Sungjong yelped and got down from the tables, and made a failed attempt to hide behind a few girls. Sunggyu growled, and started walking over.

Sungjong wasn’t making his job easier, was he?

“You lying snake!” Sunggyu yelled and grabbed the younger away from the group of people. Sometimes he wondered why he was friends with this person anyways. “I thought you said that you wouldn’t tell anyone!”

“I didn’t!”

Sunggyu gloated maniacally, “Oh? Then why did I just hear Sungyeol asking me about it just a minute ago?” He pointed a finger accusedly at Sungyeol, who in turn shook his hands in front of his body, in some lame attempt for Sunggyu-doesn’t-know-what.

“It was just a slip of the tongue! We were just talking about how perfect you were, Sunggyu!”

“Oh, really?” Sunggyu said bitterly, an eyebrow lifted up in feigned amusement. “I’m sure you were.”

“I’m serious! Sungyeol was all like, ‘Sunggyu’s so perfect, he never studies and yet he aces all the exams, how do I become like him’ and I was like, ‘no, don’t say that, Sunggyu’s not all that perfect’ and then it all accidentally slipped!”

Sunggyu could not put up with Sungjong’s babbling any more. He sighed and rubbed his eyes in annoyance. “Did you tell anyone else, then? Other than Sungyeol, I mean?”

Sungjong shook his head profusely. Sunggyu turned his head towards Sungyeol in unasked question, who also held the same response.

Sunggyu sighed, “Good. Sungjong, just… never do that again. Watch your tongue next time.” For the most part, Sunggyu was thankful. At least, Sungjong and Sungyeol were his close friends; they wouldn’t go about the entire university spreading rumors of that one night. He was safe.

“I so sorry, Sunggyu. Really sorry,” Sungjong actually looked ashamed, and Sunggyu felt a bit sympathetic. Just a bit. “I’ll never do it again, I promise.”

The elder took a deep breath. “And to make it up to me, you’re doing the dishes for the next three months.”

Sungjong gasped. He absolutely hated doing the dishes. “Two months,” he tried to compromise.

“Two months and a half,” Sunggyu’s firm voice hinted that this was the last stand.

“Fine,” Sungjong sighed. “Two months and a half… Again, I’m really sorry Gyu.”

Sunggyu scoffed, “I know you are, idiot. But sorry isn’t going to change any of your mistakes. It’s not going to redo what happened last week and it’s definitely not going to redo the fact that you already told someone!” Sunggyu shouted the last few words in Sungjong’s face for added effect, to which the younger cringed.

“Sorry.”

Sunggyu growled in response.

“So Sungjong, what are you going to do today?” Sungyeol decided to change the subject.

“Oh!” Sungjong lit up; he was not going to miss an opportunity to change this dark subject. It was Friday, and college Friday nights were always full of fun. Well, for everyone but Sunggyu, anyway. “After my classes, I’m going shopping!”

“Ew,” Sunggyu scrunched his nose in disgust. Sungjong was so girly sometimes.

“I’m not girly!”

Sunggyu looked up in question; had he said that aloud?

Sungjong continued his rant, “I keep on telling you, Gyu, it is not girly to have good fashion choices! Is it girly to want to look good? We’re talking about style, here!”

“Well, you already have enough clothes,” Sunggyu protested.

“And he needs to get more,” Sungyeol finished, and Sunggyu mentally face-palmed. Great, now Sungyeol was teaming up with Sungjong? Just great.

He bet he knew what was going to come next. He just knew. Any time now.

“Gyu, you should go with us!”

Yep. Knew it.

Honestly, sometimes Sunggyu laughs at himself at how he knows Sungjong so well; it’s always so predictable.

Just as predictable as his response.

“No.”

“Pleeaase?” Sungjong begged, clasping his hands together. “It’s always more fun to go with someone! It’ll be fun, I promise! Since when is shopping not fun? And it’s not like we’re sneaking in or something! I swear, if shopping didn’t have such a feminine connotation, you would want to go!”

“No, I won’t!” Sunggyu complained. “I don’t even see the point of going shopping anyways. You already have clothes!”

“It’s not only for me, we need to find better clothes for you, too! You dress too plainly, especially with all your polo shirts!”

“Well, why am I trying to look good, then? I’m not trying to attract anyone, it’s not like I’m interested in a relationship right now,” Sunggyu crossed his arms and frowned at Sungjong.

“Well, that’s not the point,” Sungyeol pointed out. “Just because you want to look good doesn’t mean that you’re trying to attract anyone.”

“Yeah!” Sungjong added. “You’re spending time with friends!” And then Sungjong decided to play Sunggyu’s game. “And you’re bonding more with people, learning crucial social skills that will help you in your future. It’ll be good for you!”

“…”

“Please?” Both Sungyeol and Sungjong were begging by now.

And they were using those puppy eyes.

Good God, those puppy eyes, and Sunggyu groaned. He would never admit that he had some sort of weakness towards those. He felt so ashamed of himself for that.

He was losing their game. Inevitably.

…Fine.

Sunggyu gave a long sigh, “Just this once, alright? And I’m just tagging along; I’m not going to buy anything!”

“Yay!”

Sungjong’s smile outshone the sun.

“OMG girlfriend, look it’s a Nam Woohyun cardboard cutout!”

“What?! The Nam Woohyun? Where?!”

“Right there. He’s endorsing the store’s clothing line, see his cardboard cutout?”

“Oh my god, he’s so dreamy!”

“He’s rich, too. Heir to Nam Corporations, and,” a whisper, “I heard his father’s looking for a wife for him.”

“That’s it, where do I sign up?”

“You can’t sign up, he’s mine.”

“No, he’s not! I’m way prett-”

Sunggyu growled to himself as he saw a cardboard cutout of none other than Nam Woohyun himself, donning the latest fashion trends, right in the front entrance of Sungjong’s favorite clothing store. Those two girls were talking about Nam Woohyun and all of his godliness and glory. Apparently he works as a part time model. Sunggyu is pretty sure that it was his last name that landed him the job, not his skill or anything like that.

Well, it.

Seriously, his bad luck was making sure that Nam Woohyun follow him all day, wasn’t it? After a whole week of non-Nam-ing-Woohyun, too.

“Stupid ing bastard,” Sunggyu muttered lowly to himself.

“What was that, Sunggyu?” Sungjong asked, looking through a rack of clothes in the clearance aisle.

“Nothing.”

Sungyeol smirked, “Probably talking about that Nam Woohyun cardboard cutout at the entrance of the store.”

“No, I wasn’t!” Sunggyu said a little bit too quickly, and then blushed at his unconvincing façade.

“Seriously, hyung. It wasn’t that big of a deal. It was a week ago; everyone probably forgot about it,” Sungjong assured.

“Yeah,” Sungyeol agreed, “probably Nam Woohyun forgot what you looked like already, much less who you are. Don’t worry!” He patted Sunggyu assuredly on the shoulder.

“It’s not that!” Sunggyu grasped at his hair, frustrated. “It’s just… I don’t know! Nam Woohyun is the most pretentious I’ve ever come across! And all the girls want him! I just don’t get it!”

“Well of course it makes sense. He’s rich, handsome, and famous. What else could a girl want, hyung? Anyways, why are you so caught up about him? Did he call you names or something?” Sungjong asked.

“No. He’s just arrogant, spoiled, bombastic, the biggest jerk I’ve ever seen! Pray tell, why do girls even swoon for him? He’s nothing but a stupid flirt that has nothing but his own money!”

Sungjong mentally giggled. And now, Sunggyu was on his ranting side. He doesn’t show this side often; usually Kim Sunggyu is more reserved, that is, unless if something is really pissing him off. And apparently, Nam Woohyun is pissing Kim Sunggyu off.

And who else for Sunggyu to vent to, other than his two best friends?

Sometimes, Sungjong just loves listening to Sunggyu’s rants. They are very entertaining and funny, but he will never admit that to Sunggyu.

“He’s just some rich- pretty-boy that was raised by rich parents. Bastard lives in a huge mansion and gets whatever he wants! He doesn’t know a single thing about respect, since he’s ‘oh so high up on the social table’,” Sunggyu rolled his eyes and raised his hands for added effect. He was on a roll, and he couldn’t stop.

“His type of people… are the types I hate the most,” Sunggyu frowned.

“Are you sure you’re not jealous, Sunggyu?” Sungyeol finally asked.

“What?!” Sunggyu sputtered, “No, why would I want to be a spoiled like him?”

“Well, you’ve never talked to him, don’t be so prejud-”

“I have talked to him,” Sunggyu huffed, crossing his arms. “And I have to say, he was the most distasteful human being I’ve ever come across.”

“I meant really talked to him. As in, more than 3 minutes worth. Like a full out conversation.”

“I don’t need a full conversation with Nam Woohyun to know that he’s a worthless, good-for-nothing, pretentious .”

“Ah, I found it!” Sungjong suddenly called, a par of jeans in his hands and interrupting Sunggyu and Sungyeol in their conversation. “I’ve spent the past ten minutes looking for these in my size!”

“Good for you, Sungjong,” Sunggyu said bitterly.

“Aw, you’re making this shopping trip no fun!”

“Well, you were the one who dragged me along, so your fault. You shouldn’t drag me anywhere next time.”

Sungjong smirked. He knew what Sunggyu was trying to do.

“I’m not letting you go that easily, Sunggyu. The next ball is in two weeks. Let’s hope you don’t embarrass yourself in front of the ladies this time,” Sungjong went to check out.

“Wait, what?” Sunggyu almost screeched. “I was never informed of this!”

“Hoya said he wouldn’t mind us coming back,” Sungjong said, “I think he likes you, hyung.”

“What?” Sunggyu blushed, “N-No, he doesn’t.”

And at that moment, a sudden sound of gasps and murmurs were heard at the front entrance of the store. Sunggyu, Sungjong, and Sungyeol turned their heads, curious at what the ruckus was all about, and then all three just froze at what they saw.

There Nam Woohyun and Lee Howon stood, looking hot, tall, and stunning, at the front entrance of the store and protected by security guards, shopping bags in hand. There were girls surrounding the two of them, but Sunggyu could easily see over their heads.

Well, speak of the devil.

And holy , Lee Howon had spotted him.

He was staring right at Sunggyu, rendering him and his body completely frozen and disconnected from the rest of the world around him.

“Excuse me, sir?” A store employee tapped Sunggyu on the shoulder but he didn’t seem to hear. “I am going to have to ask you three to leave now; we’re clearing out the store for those people over there.”