Like his ex-girlfriend, Lee Donghae dealt with anger in a healthy way - by venting all his frustration through a hard workout. Honestly, he didn’t need to spend any extra time in the gym. The hours spent perfecting a new dance routine or creating new choreography kept his body dancer lithe unlike Kangin and Shindong who had compulsory gym time scheduled daily.

Still nothing got rid of angst and bad feelings better than pounding out on the treadmill or letting loose jabs on the punching bag. Prepared to whip himself until reduced to a puddle of sweat, the Super Junior dancer’s steps came to a halt when he realised he wasn’t alone in what he thought was an empty gym.

The maknae of Exo - the current darlings of Lee Soo Man - was leaning against one of the treadmills in the row. The older man could recognise the other familiar back even from miles away. Two of them probably assumed they were the only people in the gym. After all, it was almost 12 midnight.

As Donghae was contemplating whether to leave to avoid a possible argument - his ex girlfriend’s anger probably had not defused - he heard Sehun ask Amber out.

Without any sound, he lunged towards a wall in order not to be discovered in the quiet gym. Leaning against the mirrored surface, his heart beat fast from the sudden burst of adrenaline. So this was how it was like to witness someone ask your ex out. It wasn’t pleasant yet there was none of that angst that flooded him whenever he saw Minho orbiting around Amber.

It was common knowledge in the industry that Amber Liu was extremely popular with the opposite . The man had long been aware that Shinee’s Flaming Charisma held a torch for the tomboy. In fact, Donghae was surprised that Minho had not managed to lay claim on the girl as his own - Amber had been single for a good period of time - a departure from the latter’s competitive nature.   

And now Exo’s baby too? She was really in a league of her own when it came to admirers.

No sane person would hang around any longer in such an awkward situation. Amber had already shot his nerves earlier - how could she have found out about that one night stand? His guilt was unfounded, he had slept with that woman after they break up.

Changing at a speed Superman would be proud of, Donghae was out of the gym in minutes. Seems like he needed to resort to the next best way of dealing with angst - a stiff drink.

There was always one constant the man could count on no matter how much his life changed. Eunhyuk was already planted at the bar when Donghae walked through the non-descript doors of the bar. A glass of whiskey was placed before the regular with a greeting from the bartender.

Nursing the drink in a hand, the dancer wondered whether it was a good idea to share what he had just seen with his best friend. He knew everything about Eunhyuk and vice versa although the latter had been puzzled when he initiated a break up with Amber - OK so there were some things he still couldn’t tell or didn’t know how to tell Eunhyuk.

He recalled how irrationally disturbed he had been when his ex had named Sehun as husband material on Ryeowook’s radio show. Why did this bother him still? And of all people, why did she pick the youngest boy?

“Wook told me about how Kangin demanded you talk to Amber today,” said Eunhyuk before the words could spill out from the other man. “So how did it go?”

A sip of whiskey on the rocks was needed before Donghae answered, “We agreed to be civil with each other.”

“That’s an improvement.”

“I guess so.” With another swig, Donghae surveyed the small area and tipped his glass towards a pair of twittering girls.

Eunhyuk followed his line of vision and said, “Obviously you still care about her.”

“It would never have worked out between us.” Donghae kept his smile on, despite himself.

“Then you have to move on.”

“And that’s what I’m trying to do,” said Donghae before he stood up and asked the bartender to send over two Martinis to the girls whom he had made eye contact with.

That night was somewhat of a one-off. It was the final of the filming of Ms Panda and Mr Hedgehog when he ended things with Amber and also ended up getting drunk with his castmates. So inebriated the singer was that when he woke up in an unfamiliar hotel room, he had no recollection of what had happened after the endless rounds of soju shots. He had never blanked out till this extent. Donghae had not remembered a thing about having with the actress, however she had been there, lying next to him on the bed, wearing only her lingerie.

It had not been his finest moment.

In order not to repeat that incident, Donghae made sure he didn’t go drinking without his main wing man even though that meant that the Super Junior pair were easily recognised as a duo. A natural flirt, Eunhyuk didn’t need to be asked twice to pick up women. Some nights resulted in torrid make out sessions and others, they got lucky. Meaningless with someone he would never see again numbed the resultant pain from the failed relationship. However, the man made sure that he was always in control of the situation, including being sober enough to make sure no chance gold or fame digger was able to dig out her phone to take any pictures of him.