NaNa’s POV

♪ ♫ “I’m in d-d-d-danger Pinocchio, 
Remember me.”..... ♪ ♫

Ugh.. Who called this early in the morning? I stretched my hand to search for my phone on top of the small table between my bed and Seungyeon. My eyes still closed shut. I answered the call. 

“Hello.” I said groggily.

A pause at the other end.

“Hello?” I said again.

“H-Hi NaNa.” A voice at the end finally spoke. Uncertainties clear in that voice. My eyes opened wide and I sat up from bed immediately. The voice belongs to none other than Key. My heart just beat erratically again. I felt the disappointment then anger started to surge in my veins.

“...”

“...”

“...”

“NaNa? Are you still there?” Key asked. “NaNa. I’m sorry. Please hear me out okay. Don’t hang up on me.” Key pleaded.

Funny. This is the first time I heard the so called Almighty Key plead. If this is under normal circumstances, I would have and laugh at him. But sadly this is not a normal circumstance. Not after he suddenly forced a kiss on me last night. I put my hand on my lips. I can still taste his kiss. Gosh, why did he do that?

“I don’t think I have anything to say to you again Key.” I said angrily.

“I know you must be angry at me now. I understand. It’s my fault. I’m sorry. I know there’s no any good excuse for what I have done.” He said quickly. 

I heard him gulped before he continued, “But let me at least explain to you. It’s okay if you decided not to forgive me.”

I considered at what he said to me. I don’t really know why he acted like that towards me at the time. But, I don’t think I can stay angry at him. We’ve been close throughout the time when we were planning for the OnYeon project and we get to know each other. Though I can’t say I know everything about him and him of me. But, at least there’s a bond there. And I’m always comfortable around him. I’m not ready to let go of this friendship yet too. But I have my pride. So I won’t let him go that easily.

“What will you do if I decided I can’t forgive you?” I taunted him. I know I’m a bit evil to taunt him when he’s already pleading me. But like I said, I have my pride.

“I-I will understand it if you can’t forgive me. And I won’t force you to forgive me. But at least let us finish our plan for Onew hyung and Seungyeon neh.” He pleaded again.

So he really regretted his action if he try to understand that I can’t forgive him. I felt a tugged at a little corner of my heart. I don’t really want him to regret everything about the kiss. I mean, yes, I don’t like it that he force it on me but I don’t actually mind that he is the one who kissed me. Gah!!! What am I thinking? Shut it up brain and stop tugging my heart. Aish. Whatever happened to me?

Wait, he said at least we finish our plan for Onew oppa and Seungyeon. So he really cares for those two. I can’t say no for that. Not only because of Seungyeon but because I know he sincerely wants to help them. I know he really cared for Onew oppa. How can I deny such a good heart?

“Okay. I’ll give you a chance to explain yourself. But don’t expect me to forgive you that easily.” I said to him.

“Cheongmalyo? You will meet me up?” Key said surprised and gladness can be heard from his voice.

I smiled a little when I heard him like that. Thankfully he can’t see me smile now.

“Neh. Meet me at the park near the cafe that Onew oppa and Seungyeon’s first date in an hour.” I said then I hung up the phone without waiting for his reply.

I looked at Seungyeon’s bed. It was arranged perfectly. So, she already went to work. I glanced at the clock on the table. It read 9.30am. I glanced back at Seungyeon’s bed.

“Seungyeonie, I’ll make sure you’ll end up with Onew oppa no matter what. You two deserve each other.” I spoke to no one in particular.

I got up from my bed and started to get ready to meet Key.


Key’s POV

After NaNa told me to meet her later in an hour time, I quickly rose up from my bed and get ready. I want to dress as nice as I can. I know it doesn’t matter what I wear. It’s not like we’re going out on a date. But it’s only times like these I can be with her now. Since Jonghyun hyung is going to ask her out in the near future I guess.

I slowed down in drying my hair after I took my shower. I know it’s going to be hard for me from now on. But, I will try my best to act as if I never have any other feelings toward NaNa other that platonic and I will help Jonghyun hyung with NaNa. At least I get to meet her than not meeting her at all. Tsk. How did I end up like this? I am the Almighty Key and the Almighty Key won’t mope around like this. Well, the Almighty Key never had this strong feeling towards anyone else before. Sigh. 

I shook my head and continue to dry my hair then picked my clothes for the day. After I finished dressing up, I quickly went out of the room to go out of the house. But before I reached the main door, Taemin called out to me.

“Key hyung.” He called out while bouncing towards me and hugged me close to him.

I turned and hugged him and patted his head. “Neh, *uri adeul. What is it?” I smiled at him. Glad that last night's incident doesn’t affect him much. It seems that a good sleep make him forget most of it. Since he was woken up by Jonghyun hyung’s voice, he must be in between the land of dream and reality.

“Where are you going? I’m hungry. Everybody left the house early in the morning and I only had a bottle of milk that Onew hyung always prepared for me. You woke up late.” Taemin whined.

I actually woke up early and aware that Onew hyung and Taemin left the room. I just pretended to sleep to think and gathered my courage to call NaNa. 

“Aigoo Taeminie. When are you going to prepare your own meal?” I said while ruffling his head.

“I can prepare my own meal but since you’re still in the house, so I waited for you.” He explained.

I glanced at my watch. Well, I still have half an hour to spare and it’ll only take me 10 minutes to get there. 

“Okay Taeminie, come and let’s have our breakfast.” I grabbed his wrist and led him to the kitchen.

“Yay hyung. Pancake please.” He said.

“Nope. No time. I’m gonna be late if we are to prepare pancakes. Let’s eat ramen neh. I’ll cook you pancakes tomorrow.” I said.

“Hmm, ‘kay.” He complied.

****

I arrived at the park and relieved that NaNa is still not there yet. It’s going to be difficult if she’s the one who arrived first. I sat at a bench and waited for her. 

The weather today is very sunny. I’m glad I didn’t put on extra light jacket on my sleeveless white tee with graphic in front. I observed my surrounding and realized how busy the park is at this time of day. I guessed everybody wants to be out when the weather is sunny. I smiled to myself, closed my eyes with my face facing the sky and enjoy the feeling of the sun on me.

“Waited for a long time?” I heard a voice in front of me.

I opened my eyes and stared at NaNa in front of me. I scrambled to my feet and put my hands in my jeans pocket.

“Umm, not really. I just got here too.” I said and smiled at her.

She just stared at me then sits on the bench. So I followed suit and sit on the bench beside her too.

“So, spill it out.” She said.

“Well. First off, I’m sorry for what I had done last night. It’s just that, I had a lot on my mind last night and your teasing just get into me.” I rambled on. I can’t possibly tell her that I was seriously jealous of her with Jonghyun hyung right. 

“I’m truly sorry, NaNa. If you want to beat me now, I won’t mind at all. Give it all you got.” I said and closed my eyes to wait for her blow.

I waited and waited but none came. So I opened one of my eyes and then the other. I looked at NaNa and she just sat there and looked at me with twitching.

“You don’t want to beat me up?” I asked her quizzically. I thought that’s what all girls do when something like that happened. I mean all the girls in the drama show anyway. So I thought NaNa will do the same thing.

Then she suddenly bursts out laughing. I mean really a huge laugh. She doubled over on the bench. I reached out my hands to her in case she drops from the bench to the grass. 

“What are you laughing at?” I asked her. “Aren’t you angry with me?”

She still laughing and tried to stop from laughing. After several tries, she finally sat up straight and answered me.

“Y-Your face is just so funny when you offered to be beat off. I can’t help but to laugh.” And she continued to laugh. It’s good that she didn’t get angry with me but to have her laugh at my face?

“Yah. I was trying to be the gentleman here.” I said.

“I know. I appreciate it. But, hahaha,.” She tried to stop her laughter again. Then she quieten down. “But don’t think I have forgiven you, yet.” She said quietly after she burst of laughter.

My heart sank. I thought she will forgive me after watching her laugh. I guessed it’s not that easy for her to forgive me. I’m really stupid to let my emotion get a better hold on me last night. If last night I didn’t do that stupid stunt, we won’t end up like this.

“I’m sorry NaNa. I understand it if you are still not able to forgive me. But I hope through time, you will find it in your heart to forgive me.” I said while staring into her eyes.

She stared back at me and didn’t say another word about it but instead she talked about our project. 

“So you said on the phone about to finish up the OnYeon project?” She said and arranged her hair from the waft of wind just now.

I clasped my hands together. Okay, at least she is still willing to work on the OnYeon project with me. “Yeah. I was thinking that we do it tonight after you and Seungyeon’s shift tonight.” I said. If my relationship is not working out, then I’ll make sure Onew hyung’s relationship will.

“After our shift tonight? Okay, sure. But then you need to be there unnoticed okay. I don’t want them to suspect anything out of the ordinary at all.” She said.

“Yes I will. I’ll park my car a block from the cafe. You need to be fast too alright and just act normally.” I said to her.

“Of course. Don’t underestimate NaNa.” She said while placing her hand on her chest.

I smiled at her act. “Bring it on then.” I raised my hand for her to high five. She hesitated for a while but then she bring her hand to mine for a high five.


Seungyeon’s POV

I glanced at the wall clock behind the cashier counter. It’s already 5pm. Sigh. Finally my rest time for an hour before I continued with my night shift.

“Mia,” I called to one of the waitress, “I take my rest hour first ‘kay.”

Mia who has a tray of food and drinks on her hands to deliver to the customer glanced at me, “Sure thing Seungyeon. Go and take a rest. You looked tired. I can handle this with Junho until NaNa come and you had your rest.” She said with a smile.

I smiled at her back. “Komawoyo Mia. I don’t know what would I do without you and Junho.”

Junho who just passed us and heard me said, “You’d be distraught without us.” And laugh at me.

“Yah, Junho.” I said to him and he just laughed again and went behind to the preparation room/kitchen.

“Go already.” Mia said and went to deliver the food and drinks.

I shook my head and headed to the employees' room at the side door near the cashier counter. After closing the door I stretched my whole body. Ah. My whole body ached. Why do I have a full day today and there’s so many customers today. I guessed it’s because it’s so sunny outside that brings people out. 

I dropped on the couch that was prepared in the room for us to rest. I dropped my head on the couch and thought a happy thought such as Jinki oppa will come later at night to help me close the store as usual. I smiled just thinking of him coming in later. I really do like him. But I’m so afraid to confess to him my feelings. What if he only thought of me as his best friend? He never indicates anything to me at all about having any relationship more than a friend. Aish. This is confusing.

Sometimes I thought that his gaze was so intense that I think he might like me more than a friend but the next minute, he would act like nothing happened and innocently smiled at me and talked random things. I seriously don’t know what he was thinking about. I didn’t realize that I dozed off while thinking about Jinki oppa until I felt someone shook me on the shoulder and calling out my name.

“Seungyeonie, wake up already.”

I opened up my eyes and saw NaNa in front of me. “Hmm? NaNa, *waso?” I covered my face and tried to wipe off my sleepiness.

“Neh. I’m here already. Come on. It’s 6pm already. Your rest time is up.” She took my hand and pulled me up.

“Umm. I just need to arrange myself first.” I said and went to my locker to look at the mirror and straightened my uniform and do my hair.

“Okay. I’ll wait for you outside alright.” NaNa said.

“Neh.” Uhh, I dozed off while thinking of Jinki oppa again. How long am I going to be like this? Do I have the courage to say anything to him?

I walked out the room and continued with my work and shoved my confused thoughts out of my head.

****

Ahh. Finally the last customer has left. Me and NaNa started to clean the cafe’s table and floor. Junho and Mia at the cashier counter counting the money. Then Jinki oppa came in through the back door as usual. 

“Yo Onew. You’re here to help us out as usual?” Junho asked and high five Jinki oppa.

“Neh, what can I help tonight?” Jinki oppa asked with a bright smile.

“Come and help me mop the floor after I sweep the floor oppa.” NaNa said.

“Yeah, you can help NaNa tonight. Sorry mate, I need to go right after I count the money with Mia. We are going back to her hometown for her parents asked for her.” Junho explained.

“Oh I see. Of course. The three of us can manage it. You go on with Mia.” Jinki oppa said.

“Thanks Onew-shi.” Mia said beaming. Then they continued to count and after that they took off.

“You okay with cleaning the table Seungyeon?” Jinki oppa said behind me. 

“Neh. You go and prepare the mop then.” I said to him. All my thoughts when I took my rest came back to me and I became nervous beside him. 

“Okay.” He said and left me to take the mop equipment.

NaNa had already finished sweeping the floor and now went to the front door and went out to slide the outer door down and locked it. Then she locked the glass front door.

“Seungyeon, I’ll take out the thrash tonight okay. Since it’s always you who took it out.” She said to me. I saw Jinki oppa started mopping the floor at the front corner.

“Sure. Thanks NaNa.” I said and finished cleaned the tables. 

“Jinki oppa, I go the employees room to change and get my things first then we can go alright.” I said to him who already mopped more than half of the room. He’s fast alright. 

He glanced at me and smiled. “Sure. Go on.” And went back to his task.

I went to the room and change my clothes to my casual blouse and flowery skirt. Hmm, weird of NaNa. She usually will whine at me every time I asked her to take out the thrash. But today, she herself volunteered to take it. Must be because she saw how tired I was just now. My heart warmed at her thoughtfulness.

Suddenly it rained heavily that the pitter patter of the rain drop can be heard loudly in the room. Mwo? It rain? I thought of NaNa who was outside throwing the trash. I turned to go out of the room but noticed that NaNa’s locker was hanging open and I went to see inside and shocked to see that it’s already empty. What is going on? 

I went out and saw Jinki oppa on the way to the back door and I followed suit.

“It suddenly rain and NaNa is outside right.” Jinki oppa said worriedly. “I don’t want her to get wet and get sick.”

“Neh. I was just going to go and find her myself but I noticed that her belongings are not in the locker anymore.” I informed him.

“Mwo?” He asked. 

Then we quickened our pace to the back door. But before we can get to the door, we heard a clicked and a loud screeching sound outside as if the outer door was being closed down from outside. What has happened? 

Jinki oppa quickly turned the door knobbed but it won’t budge. We were locked from the outside. I quickly went to the door too and tried to turned the knob but to no avail. I bang on the door.

“Hey, who is it outside? Let us out.” I shouted while banging on the door.

“Hey. Open up.” Jinki oppa shouted out too.

There’s no answer from outside the door. The only sound that greeted us was the sound of the heavy rain. Not long after that, my phone rang to indicate the incoming message. I took out my phone from my skirt’s pocket and read the message.

Have fun with Jinki oppa. This is the time that you can confess to him. We won’t let you two out tonight. Kekeke. You’ll thank me for this one day though I know you’ll be so angry with me now. Cheers. (^.^)v –Your heroic and pretty friend, NaNa-

I stared hard at my phone. I can’t believe she’ll do this to me. She knows that I can’t possibly ‘fess up to Jinki oppa. Argh, NaNa, you’re so gonna get it from me when I get out from here. Then another message came up.

Believe it that I am doing this for you and yeah you can get to me later if you still feel like it. Kekeke. Annyeong Seungyeonie. (>.<)v –Your heroic and pretty friend, NaNa-

Argh. My mouth hung open. It’s like she can read my mind. Just as I thought that she was very thoughtful of me just now. Sigh.


***


To be continued...


A/N:
* uri adeul = my son
* waso = you arrived

So, it's still a bit awkward with Key and NaNa but they get through it in time.  The OnYeon plan has started.  How was it? Though it's only the first part. Kekeke..  Cheeky of NaNa and Key to plan it like this. I know it may be a typical situation but I like it this way. Hahaha. Hope you readers like it too.  Thank you for commenting and subscribing. Until the next update.  Annyeong.

@lolisho: Lol.. Ah I see. So you came back to comment again after being lazy for awhile neh. :) Onew is isn't it. :) Well, they're still a bit awkward but yeah. That's how it goes for now. :)

@theclusywitch: Yeah, it is. :( 

@sujufan4life: Hahaha.. The impromptu kiss. Well, Key was not really rejected. He never confessed anything to NaNa anyway. :) Just that it took time for NaNa to overcome the shock. :D