“Seriously?  Did that , for real, just suggest the Pepero game?” Beki hissed.  “No wonder Yu Kwon was so reluctant to tell me about this show.”

            “Well, now wait a second,” Amelia piped up.  “Maybe they’re going to do it in their own groups, you know?  Like how all the celebrities do it on shows like this.  Maybe…oh, they’re pairing up with the girls.”

            After Block b paired up with A Pink, the show cut to commercials.  “Block b never does anything the way regular celebrities do them,” Jordan said, more proud than upset.  “They have ually suggestive lyrics, they swear in English sometimes, and they play the Pepero game with members from a girl group rather than between themselves.”

            The three of us turned to look at our timid, little curly haired friend.  She grinned and shrugged.  “You guys act like we just met these guys.  Like we haven’t been with them for years.”  I instantly turned my face back to the TV.  Kyung could very well make out with the A Pink member of his choice and I couldn’t say a damn thing about it.  “That goes for Kyung, too, missy,” Jordan added suddenly looking very sure of herself.  “I don’t care how stupid you were or how pissed he is, I bet he doesn’t let their lips touch.  None of them might, but I’ll put 20 on the fact that four members don’t even come close.”  She turned fully in her seat to face the rest of us.  “Any takers?”

            No one said anything for a second.

            “Forget that, it’s back!” Beki cried out when the MTV logo showed on the screen signaling that the show was back on.

            “Let’s get started, shall we?” the female MC giggled as she looked at the slightly awkward couples.  Block b was shifting nervously from foot to foot and smiling uneasily at the camera whereas A Pink smiled brightly into the camera, but made sure to keep a few inches between themselves and their male partners.

            The male MC went around and gave each Block b member a Pepero stick.  “Let’s start with the leader couple, ok?” he said after he returned to his place next to the female MC.  Zico and A Pink’s leader, Cho Rong laughed politely.

            “Oh, I’m nervous.  Zico is very popular.  I’m afraid if something goes wrong, Block b fans will hurt me,” Cho Rong added with a flirty laugh.  “But I love Pepero.”

            Beki leaned over Amelia and eyed Jordan.  Jordan batted her eyes at Yu Kwon’s girlfriend and shrugged a slender shoulder.  “If something goes wrong, it’s me she has to worry about, not the fans.  I’m going to sic you on her if she slips up.”  Jordan then crossed her arms over her chest.  “But I’m not worried.  Zico’s got this.”

            This girl, I thought with a mental shake of my head as I kept my eyes on the screen.

            “Ready?  Start!” the female MC cheered.

            Zico stuck one end of the Pepero stick in his mouth and faced the now blushing Cho Rong.  She put on the other end of the stick, but before she could even take a bite, Zico nibbled the stick to the middle – still inches from Cho Rong’s face – and then pulled away.  Smiling at the camera, he said, “Cho Rong noona said she loves Pepero.  I was worried she’d try to eat the whole thing.  This way we both get an equal share,” he explained, grinning into the camera like a little boy.

            “How polite of you, Zico,” the male MC chuckled.  “Let’s go to our smiling couple next.”  He gestured to a giggly Yoo Kyung and a slightly pale Yu Kwon. 

            “Unnie, Yu Kwon oppa must have many fans, too.  Will you protect me from Block b fans?” Yoo Kyung pleaded to her leader. 

            “Both of you do vocals for your groups and are known for your smiles, right?” the male MC asked after the laughter died down.  Both members nodded.  “And your names share a character.  Maybe you two would be compatible?”  The MC laughed with the female MC at the joke while both Yoo Kyung and Yu Kwon looked a little uncomfortable.

            Amelia patted Beki’s shoulder.

            “I’m going to find out where that MC dude lives,” Beki muttered.

            “But in that case, Yoo Kyung also shares a name character with Kyung, but him and I wouldn’t be compatible so maybe that isn’t true,” Yu Kwon pointed out with a smile.

            Both groups and the MCs broke out in more laughter and murmurs of agreement, especially from Kyung.

            Jordan continued to look smug.  “Good answer, Yu Kwonnie,” she stated, tilting her head in Beki’s direction.  “You should reward him later.”

            “Let’s see how this game ends first, little Miss Cocky Pants,” Beki retorted.

            “And start,” the female MC said, pointing at the smiling couple.

            Yu Kwon put the Pepero stick into his mouth and took a giant bite before handing Yoo Kyung the remaining piece.  She took the piece and looked at it oddly before looking to the MCs.  There was a split second of silence more, louder laughter erupted.  Yu Kwon smiled, covering his mouth in a gesture of embarrassment.  “Oh, I think maybe I misunderstood the game,” he said, apologetically.  When he uncovered his mouth though, the smile and the look in his eyes said he knew exactly how to play the game and he knew exactly what he was doing.  But I was sure you had to know him the way we did to catch the meaning of his expression.

            “You were saying?” Jordan sighed, inspecting her nails.  Beki snorted.

            “I should reward him and apologize for doubting him at the same time,” Beki replied, somewhat bitter toward Jordan continuous coolness.

            “Look at Tae Il,” Amelia cut in, stifling a giggle.  “He looks kind of scared.”

            She was right.  The eldest Block b member had been paired up with Eun Ji from A Pink on the basis of their roles in their groups, both as main vocals.  Eun Ji looked a little giggly and shy, but calm.  Almost too calm.  Actually, she looked scared out of her mind.  Tae Il was blushing furiously and he kept covering his mouth when he laughed.

            He put one end of the Pepero stick in his mouth, but as he leaned in for Eun Ji to take the other end, the stick was shaking and she began to laugh.

            “Tae Il oppa is as nervous as me!” Eun Ji exclaimed.  “I feel better now.”

           Block b began giving their eldest hyung a good natured teasing.  “Ok, ok,” Tae Il sighed.  “I can do this.  My dongsaengs are so mean to me,” he sighed, looking into the camera with a pout.  He pushed his sunglasses up to the top of his head.  “Watch me do this,” he stated with a nod, sticking the Pepero stick back into his mouth.  It didn’t shake this time.  Eun Ji came closer and took the other end into .  Both groups watched with intense interest as both singers nibbled towards the middle.  Eun Ji made a high pitched squeaking sound the closer she and Tae Il got to the middle.  Tae Il’s face remained emotionless.  Closer.  Closer.  Until either the program, MTV, or the government censors put a pink cartoon cloud between their faces, covering their mouths and part of their faces.

           It was only up for a second because Tae Il and Eun Ji cracked up and pulled away, covering their faces.  Both groups erupted in noise, cheers and gasps and guffawing laughter. 

            “Did you touch lips?!” the female MC demanded.  Tae Il and Eun Ji were still laughing, but even in the midst of his laughter, Tae Il shook his head and waved his hands in front of him frantically as his band mates approached him to high five him or to shake him by the shoulders, demanding him to answer the question with words.

            Eun Ji was immediately swarmed by her band mates.  “Tae Il oppa caught me by surprise!  I never saw that coming!  He’s very sneaky!  I thought he was nervous!”

            The camera panned over back to Block b.  Tae Il was now hiding behind Zico.  “I’m the oldest in Block b, I’m sorry, I had to give a good performance!”

            “Way to go, Tae Il!” Beki applauded.  “I love it!”

            They went to a commercial break after that incident.  When the show returned, it was Min Hyuck’s turn with Na Eun.  Min Hyuck stated before he put the Pepero stick into his mouth that he wanted to give a good show like his hyung Tae Il.  He got a few centimeters from Na Eun’s face before he choked and bit down on the Pepero stick and pulled away, laughing too hard.

            Then P.O.  Block b’s maknae and A Pink’s maknae Ha Young were paired up.  Ji Hoon bounced excitedly on his toes as he put the Pepero stick in his mouth.  Ha Young had mentioned the P.O. was her favorite member before they started, but she now looked a little horrified to be doing this.  She was the one to break the stick.  Giggling, she bit down and then bowed to P.O oppa, apologizing for not being able to last before she darted behind one of her unnies.

            “Handsome Jae Hyo and the lovely Nam Joo are next,” the male MC stated, still laughing at Ha Young, who was still hiding with her cheeks bright pink. 

            “Worried?” Beki questioned, looking to Amelia.  She was smiling fondly at the screen.  Beki groaned before she even answered.

            “No,” Amelia answered with a nod.  “I agree with Jordan.  Jae Hyo won’t disappoint me.”

            At that very moment, the camera focused on Jae Hyo.  He was munching happily on his Pepero stick.  When he noticed every single person in the room was looking at him and the cameras were fixed on him, his eyes widened and he stopped eating.  With a shy laugh and a bow, he handed Nam Joo the remaining tiny piece of the Pepero stick.  He bowed to her the way he had to the camera and grinned sheepishly.

            “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” he said as she took the Pepero piece and giggled at it.  “Strawberry Pepero is my favorite.”  He then turned to the camera and winked.

            Amelia squealed and clapped her hands together.  Jordan reached over to offer her hand to Amelia in a high five.

            “Well then, Jae Hyo oppa should finish the whole stick, “Nam Joo offered, handing him back the piece.  He thanked her and popped the leftover Pepero stick into his mouth.

            “Naughty Jae Hyo,” the female MC playfully scolded him.  “Ok, last couple.  The charismatic rap couple.”  She pointed to Kyung and Bo Mi.  My throat closed.

            Kyung’s expression showed no sign of nervousness or discomfort.  In fact, he looked kind of excited.  Bo Mi looked a little nervous, but not enough to stop her from putting at the other end of the Pepero stick. 

            I sat up a little in my seat as I watched her begin to nibble gnaw at the stick.  In reality, I didn’t have any reason to be upset or jealous or sad.  I had told him that he could kiss another girl if that’s what he needed to do.  Except now with the possibility of having to watch him really kiss another girl being shoved into my face, I felt all of those things.  Plus I was a little nauseous as the image of what he would look like kissing another girl flashed in my mind.  I knew it was crazy, not because it couldn’t happen but because we wouldn’t see it thanks to that cute little pink censor cloud.  I squeezed my eyes shut for a second before blinking and focusing on the show as if it were just any other show I’d watch with my friends.

            Kyung took maybe two or three tiny bites, barely making a dent into the stick before he scrunched his nose and broke away.  He chewed the small bite he had in his mouth with a disgusted look on his face and he stuck his tongue out at the camera.  He laughed a little before bowing slightly to Bo Mi.  “Blech,” he coughed, smacking his lips.  “Vanilla.  I don’t like vanilla Pepero.  Bo Mi, you can have it.”  Bo Mi accepted the stick politely before eating it merrily.

            Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jordan staring at me, expectantly.

           I slumped back against the sofa and pouted out my lower lip thoughtfully.  That had to be a good sign, I told myself, cocking my head to the side, still watching the laughter on the TV screen and purposely ignoring Jordan.

            “Vanilla is his favorite kind of Pepero,” I mentioned.