‘I’m glad I invited you over.’ I kept repeating to myself as I slowly scrambled around the bedroom, trying to see with what little light the rising sun cast through the thin curtains. Every so often, I’d glance over at the sleeping man in the over sized bed. It wasn’t over sized last night . . .
   I smirked. He looked so beautiful, innocent.
   My phone buzzed in my pocket for the millionth time. I flipped open my phone, aiming the screen away from Ji-Hoon so the light wouldn’t wake him. There was a long series of texts from Junho, mostly consisting of ‘where are you?’ and ‘text me when you’re on your way home’. I scrolled up to the newest one. I winced as I read it. ‘you DO remember about our 7am dance rehearsal, ne?’
   !!!I kicked mentally kicked myself and looked at the clock on my phone. Oh . . . I have time. I finished getting my clothes on, tip toeing over to the bed and leaning over the sleeping Adonis with a whisper. “I’ll see you around, hyung.” I kissed his cheek and snuck my way out of his apartment.
   By the time I got back to the dorm, it was still over an hour before rehearsal. Shower time. I nodded to myself, fiddling with the lock on the front door. The is with this thing?! The door suddenly opened by some force other than me. I blinked at the raspy yell-whisper from behind the threshold.
   “Do you have any idea what time it is?” Junho pulled me inside. “And you didn’t even text!” He pushed me shoulder, rather weakly, as he glared at me. 
   Who did he think he was, my mom? I pushed past him and made my way for the bathroom. All the lights in the dorm were off, so I navigated through the hallway damn near blind.  “Wait!” Junho whispered as I opened the bathroom door. I looked back and he eye smiled. “You have to tell me everything!”
   I smirked. “After my shower.”
   Half way into my shower, someone pounded on the door, bringing me out of my daze as I leaned against the wall, letting the water pour over my body and reminisced on last night’s events. “Suuuu!” Taec pounded on the door again. “Get yo outta there! I gotta take a piss.” Then it sounded like he was banging his head on the door, over and over and ing over. I rubbed my temples with a deep sigh because our tiny dorm only had one bathroom. This would definitely cut into my frequent shower relaxation therapy time. All part of being a trainee, I guess . . .
   I turned the water off and wrapped the towel around my waist, opening the door and blinking at the line of people standing in the hall. Wooyoung was behind Taec, Nichkhun leaned against the wall behind Wooyoung with his eyes closed, and then on the very end there was maknae. They all looked tired, except Chansung, of course. He perked up at the sight of me, like a creep, and gave a big smile. “Morning hyung!”
   Taec pulled me out of the doorway before I could respond, closing the door behind him.
   I went back to my room to get dressed, pulling on the new pair of practice clothes I scraped together just enough money to buy right before I moved in here. I laid down on my bed, fully dressed. 
   Yes, I was tired.
   Coffee. Coffee required me to get out of bed, which was just not possible.
   An idea popped into my head and I reached into my pocket with what little strength I was willing to sacrifice, sending a quick text.   Not even five minutes later, Junho slipped through my bedroom door with a cup of steaming drink in his hand. Thank god for loving dongsaeng’s who care about their elders.“Good Junho, I’ll buy you japchae.” I reached for the coffee, propping myself up on my elbow as he sat down. 
   He snorted. “You know I only did this ‘cause you promised me gossip after your shower.”
   “Yah! I didn’t promise.”
   It was almost funny how defensive he got, standing up and giving me a ‘that is so not fair’ look. “You can’t just say you’ll do something and then not do it!”   I almost spit my coffee, laughing.
   “You think that’s funny?” He snapped. “No one’s ever gonna take you seriously.”
   “Junho,” I quieted him with the single word. “Sit down and I’ll tell you how my night went.” I smirked when he sat down as if his was a magnet to my bed. 
   He eyed me, expectantly.
   “He cooked for me.”
   Junho’s face lit up. “Omo, really?! Is he a good cook? What did he make? What does his kitchen look like?”
   I blinked at the series of questions, shaking my head. “I didn’t see his kitchen . . . but the food was actually really good, he made hanjeongsik.” I smiled a little. “And we drank like, two bottles of champagne,” Junho’s mouth was in a perfect ‘o’ shape. “Expensive champagne.” I added, just to brag.
   “Whoa . . . what does his place look like? I bet it’s nice!”
   I nodded. “The carpet in the lobby is more expensive than the stuff in our dorm. And the inside his apartment is like . . . from a magazine.” I sipped more of the coffee, finally ready to wake up fully.
   “So,” Junho looked over at Taec’s side of the room, eyes flashing back to me with a sly smirk. “Is he as good in bed as I’ve always imagined?”
   That time I did spit my coffee, choking. “It was our first date! How can you just ask something like that?”
   He wasn’t fooled. “Well for one, you’re now calling it a ‘date’ and you got home at six in the morning . . .” I blushed, only proving him right. “I know a walk of shame when I see one.”
   I knew that the longer I didn’t say anything, the guiltier I would appear. Not that I wasn’t completely guilty, I was just afraid to be pegged as ‘that guy who sleeps with people he doesn’t know’. I looked over at Junho. “He’s phenomenal in bed.”
   “I knew it!” He pushed my shoulder with a big smile. “I can’t believe this . . . how the hell does a brand new trainee bag Rain?”
   “Umm . . . h-his name’s actually . . . Ji-Hoon.” I couldn’t help but smile as I spoke those two syllables and my heart fluttered. Weird.
   “You’re calling him by his first name?” Junho blinked. “Oooooh, you guys are gonna start dating!”
   “Stop that!” I hid my face in embarrassment. I thought of the idea of dating him. It was beautiful. Like, really . . . My heart fluttered again and I blinked at myself. What the is wrong with me?
   “Stop what?” Junho giggled. “You’re the one going out all night with Rain and sneaking back in like you guys are secret lovers!”
   I knew my face was red. Bright red. I felt it in my cheeks. I hate this boy so much. I balled my fist, wanting to punch him in that eye smiling face. Taec opened the door, probably saving Junho’s life. “What are you doing in here?” He blinked at Junho.
   “Nothiiiing.” Junho jumped up and left the room, leaning up to kiss Taec’s cheek before he closed the door.
   I looked away when Taec pulled the towel away from his waist. Ugh, why doesn’t this guy at least TRY to be discreet? I rolled over in bed so I was facing away from the ness. My mind only wanted to see one person’s ness . . . again. My stupid smile was back. What’s with that? It seemed every time I thought about he-whose-name-is-too-holy-to-mention, I’d get the same, stupid, dorky, cheesy, Cheshire cat smile. And worse, I’m sure people would notice it. I hate attention. I snorted to myself, realizing that I had clearly made the wrong career choice.
   “Huh?” Taec asked. He must have thought I was snorting at him.
   I looked back, closing my eyes before the sight of him still could burn me. “Yah! Put some clothes on already, jeez!”
   Taec chuckled. “I like to air dry.”
   “You are so dumb.” I hid my face under the pillow and tried to think happy thoughts.
   Eventually, someone – I think Nichkhun – knocked on the door to let us know to ‘hurry our asses’. It seemed like Taec and Khun cursed at each other a lot . . . actually, they cursed at everyone a lot. But it was never hostile. “C’mon Broseph.” Taec nudged me on his way out and I followed.
   Practice was painful. And slow. Annoying. There were lots of arguments and basically, it was just a big ball of everything that irritates me.
   The odd thing is that it was incredibly fun.
   Each time someone messed up, there was a round of playful criticism, followed by joking and laughter. But each time we learned and each time we got better. I learned to stay out of Jaebum’s way, since every time I got too close to him, he gave me ‘the look’. A few times, he would mumble something in English, which wouldn’t bother me . . . until Taec would nudge him. Only making it apparent that Jay was talking about me.
   Ugh . . . this is dumb, what did I do to him?
   We all went out for dinner after practice was done for the day. I was way too tired to pay attention to the conversation that was mostly Taec arguing with Jay about some American TV show I’d never seen before. The only time the two of them shut up was when they were eating. I shook my head in disbelief when Taec ate three servings of bulgogi which made Chansung challenge him to a contest, Nichkhun refereed of course. In the end, maknae won, eating nine servings of bulgogi over Taec’s seven and a half. His prize . . . a cookie. Though, how either of them could want to eat anything at all for the next week, I had no idea.   I was thankful when we headed back to the dorm. Eager to be in my own room where I could fantasize about seeing himagain without fear of who might see my stupid smirk, I walked faster than everyone. Junho ran to catch up to me. “Hey, you’re leaving everyone behind.”
   “They should walk faster.” I grumbled as we got to the entrance to our apartment building. Oddly, Junho followed me up the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator with the others. He didn’t speak, he just walked next to me. Huh, maybe he CAN shut up after all. I noticed him bend down when I went to unlock our front door. “Hyung!” He held up something small, it looked like a key chain. “This was on the doorknob.”
  I held out my hand, taking the thing from him. It was a cell phone charm shaped like a panda. I smiled, examining it closely.
   “Look! There’s a note.” He pulled it from where it sat, halfway under the door, and read the cover before handing it to me. “It’s for you.”
   “Me?” I raised an eyebrow. I looked at the tiny sheet of yellow lined paper, unfolding it and reading it.
   “Make me a happy panda and actually be home when I drop by to have lunch tomorrow? I’ll be here at noon”
   I smirked at the poorly drawn smiley face next to the words and then looked at Junho. “It’s from Rain.”
   “He gave you a present?” Junho beamed. “That’s so cute! What does the note say?”
   A hand snatched the note from me when I held it up to read it to Junho. “What’s this?” Jaebum eyed me down and then read the note. He made a disgusted face and gave the note back to me, pushing his way past Junho to head inside.
   Wooyoung came up to us. “What’s hisproblem?” He motioned to Jay as he disappeared behind the door at the end of the hallway.
   “He’s just jealous,” Junho looked at me, frowning when he saw my face. “He’s been trying to be friends with Rain since he came here from America.”
   “You’d think someone who was trying to make friends wouldn’t have such a sour attitude.” Woo snorted.
   I just chewed on my lip, fighting off a frown.
   Taec stayed behind when everyone else went inside. “He’s really not a bad guy . . . just give him time, okay?”
   I sighed and headed for my room

To be continued . . .