Junsu sauntered off the field with his teammates after another successful soccer match. After shaking hands and slapping backs, he slipped into the shower to rejuvenate. Reflecting on the past few days, he grinned to himself. His thoughts automatically drifted to his date with Mari earlier that week.

He had picked her up from in front of the community center at exactly 3 o’clock. She was waiting by the entrance in this adorable empire-waist summer dress and oxford heels. Her hair was tied up in a loose bun and she peacefully fiddled with her phone as she waited for him. Junsu struggled to breathe normally as he got out of his car and approached her. He couldn’t believe that she was really there for him; he still expected her to change her mind and run away in the blink of an eye. When she noticed his presence, she smiled a smile that could surely send off fire works; at least they did in his chest. They greeted each other and he led her to his car, where he held the door open for her and she thanked him. He could barely hold a coherent conversation in the car due to his nervousness, however once they reached the pizza parlor in Itaewon he had planned to take her to, he had calmed down a bit.

To be honest, it had been the best date of Junsu’s life. He hadn’t been on a lot, but in his mind, this was exactly how a perfect one should go. They shared a pizza and talked about everything from music to soccer to dance to work to life. There was no stone left unturned. It was like her mere presence made him want to open up, to rely on her for moral support. He had learned so many things about her as well. He learned about her family and how close they all were, much like his own. He learned about how she was bullied when she was younger because of her looks and because her mother was foreign. He learned about what made her want to dance. Every little piece of knowledge about her, every little quirky habit, he absorbed. Junsu had never considered himself an exceptionally observant person, but when it came to Mari, he seemed to notice everything. The way she flipped her hair, how she would avert her eyes when she talked about subjects she didn’t like or how her pupils would widen when she talked about subjects she was passionate about, he noticed it all. Junsu found himself not wanting the meal to end.

Afterwards they had gotten Turkish ice dream and roamed around Itaewon for an hour or so, pointing out funny signs and people watching. Everything just felt so comfortable and easy. When he drove her home, she hummed along to the songs on the radio and stared out the window. Every once in a while she would turn and thank him for the wonderful time, making his cheeks flush over and over again. Once they reached her apartment, he walked her to her door and she kissed him on the cheek before going inside, saying she hoped they’d be able to go out again. Junsu practically floated back to his flat before immediately calling his brother and relaying the entire date to him, asking for advice on further action. The same thing happened again with Jaejoong and Yoochun. Junsu ended up calling Mari the next day, starting out with light conversation about how her day was going. When he finally got the nerve to see about asking her out again, she suddenly had to go and promised to call him back as soon as she could.

That had been three days ago. Junsu didn’t want to seem too eager by calling her back again, he didn’t know if she was in the middle of something really important. However, he couldn’t help but wonder if she was avoiding him. He sighed as he finished his shower and walked back out to the locker room to change. He hummed to himself and tried to think positive thoughts, hoping he would receive a call soon. He just knew that this one couldn’t be too good to be true.

------x------

Pure euphoria filled Changmin’s heart as he walked into the bakery. So many treats, so little time. Why did he have to watch his eating to keep up appearances for his fans during promotions? Why couldn’t everyone just leave him to eat whatever he wanted and play games in his room to his heart’s content every once in a while? What was so wrong with that? Days like this were too far and few for him. He felt that lately, between the stress of work and his recent breakup, everyone close to him was suddenly breathing down his back to make sure he was okay. He knew everyone’s heart was in the right place, and he knew that he had to keep pressing forward. However, that didn’t stop him from getting tired of it all sometimes. It didn’t stop his need to get away for a bit.

            And that’s how he ended up here. Beanie and shades on, he approached the counter to order one of everything. He tapped his foot impatiently as the girl behind the counter struggled to fill his order. After a long and overly dramatic sigh escaped his mouth, the girl looked up.

            “Sorry it’s taking so long. I’m new here and not used to such big orders.”

            “Perhaps instead of prematurely apologizing, you should just focus on getting me my food.”

The young woman responded with a surprised grunt before returning to her work. After a few more heaving sighs and a couple of looks to his watch, his food finally arrived. Changmin paid the disgruntled worker before turning and briskly walking out of the shop. He was in such a hurry to get back to his apartment that he didn’t notice the woman running down the street, books in hand, attempting to make a class she was hopelessly late for. Unfortunately for the pair, a messy and noisy collision happened next.

            “My report!”

            “My food!”

            Yoojin quickly recovered from lamenting over her report before angrily looking up at Changmin.

            “How can you be worried about your food?! Look what you’ve done to my report! To my books! You should apologize immediately!”

            “Apologize? You should look where you’re going! I was innocently walking down the road at a normal pace when some lunatic came crashing into me, spilling all the food I bought with my hard earned money. You should be thanking your lucky stars I’m not making you buy me more!”

            “Are you serious?!”

            Yoojon rolled her eyes at the unusually tall man before her. Never in her life had she been spoken to like that, and by a stranger no less. The pair hastily picked up their things and angrily pushed past each other and on their own way. Days and moods ruined, both went on to continue with their respective plans.

            Luckily, Changmin still had a bag of food that hadn’t been wasted, so he continued towards his apartment. Once inside, he the TV and tucked into his meal. A few minutes later he heard ringing. He searched around him until a found a phone he had never seen before inside the bag his food came in. He stared at the phone for a moment before answering.

            “Hello?”

            “Oh my god, you have my phone. Yes! Can we meet so you can return it to me?”

            “Who is this?”

            “The girl you ran into earlier, idiot!”

            The memory of the girl he collided with earlier came to him as he settled back into his chair, willing her to go away.

            “Hello?”

            “Yes, I’m here. I remember, and I’m not an idiot.”

            “Whatever you say. I just need my phone. Now.”

            Changmin realized the day was no longer going as smoothly as he’d previously planned while he worked out a time and place to return the phone. Of course this would happen on his one day to relax.

            Couldn’t he ever just have a moment to himself?