It took a while for Changmin and Jaejoong to come back to their apartment. On the way there, they had a few chats about their lives. Jaejoong found Changmin's life amusing but hard at the same time.

"So your sister threw your precious iPod out of the window?" Changmin nodded slowly. Then it was followed by a series of laughter courtesy of Jaejoong.

"Hyung, it's not funny." Jaejoong stopped laughing and smiled.

"That's one heck of a sister." He continued. "Moving on, why did you choose to live with us? You have this luxurious house and all."

Changmin didn't answer and remained silent. Jaejoong was worried that his question offended Changmin in a way. But after quite some time, he said; "Hyung, why did you run away from your home?"

Jaejoong was startled by his question. "I don't want to be a burden to my foster parents." He smiled after saying that. "You know Minnie, I'm blessed to have such wonderful adoptive parents but, I don't want to be some type of leech and feed off of their money for the rest of my life."

Jaejoong's smile is a sad smile. Changmin felt sorry for his hyung. But he admired Jaejoong's braveness and determination. Jaejoong does everything for his parents. When Yunho and Jaejoong met, Yunho immediately took him in the group. Yunho introduced Jaejoong as 'a remarkable man' to them.

"I was happy when I found you guys. I love our Job; performing in different events and such. And someday, I want to be as popular as BoA is." Changmin smirked at what Jaejoong said. Jaejoong…is a sucker for BoA. He is an ultimate die-hard fan. "Wait what the heck Changmin! Answer my question!"

"I don't want to live the luxurious life anymore." He said; "I'm sick and tired of expectations and pressure hyung."

Jaejoong nodded. He perfectly understands what Changmin said. The older boy smiled inwardly. This magnae is seriously something.

After walking a few more blocks, they arrived at the apartment and were shocked of what they saw. There was a crowd of people and 3 fire trucks. The pavement of the street is wet; puddles were formed everywhere. A police car is parked at one side and beside it a police officer, Yunho and one of their neighbors are talking. They looked at each other before they made their way through the crowd.

Changmin and Jaejoong were startled and baffled at what they saw; their apartment is horribly and terribly burnt. The once white and cream walls of the apartment are now gray and black. The windows are broken and shattered. Ashes are piled up everywhere.

"Jaejoong hyung!" They looked behind and saw Junsu and Yoochun holding a few bags. "Thank goodness you're here!"

Changmin and Jaejoong walked towards them. "Yoochun-ah, Junsu, explain what happened."

"Jaejoong hyung, we don't know what happened either." Junsu said. "All we know is that, the fire started from one of the apartments upstairs. It seems like a child was playing with a lit candle."

"Mwuh?" Jaejoong said. Both Changmin and he were perplexed of what happened. They didn't expect something like this to occur at all.

"Here," Yoochun said tossing one bag to Jaejoong then another to Changmin. "We packed some of your clothes. Mianhe hyung, that's all we can get."

After some time, Yunho went to them looking problematic. "Guys, we have to find a place to live in. They'll be investigating here and as you can see, it's burnt."

"That doesn't matter right now. I'm glad that everyone is safe." Jaejoong replied.

The boys couldn't believe what has happened to them right now. Well, they could go back to their separate families but that would take up some time. They should let the situation cool down because surely, it would cause riot to the press.

"Where are we going now?" Yoochun asked.

"Surely not back to our families' right?" Junsu shook his head. "I can see the headline now! 'The house of the sons of Korea's biggest CEOs burned down to a crisp!'" Junsu made a gesture with his hands. "Now what would our parents think huh? We went dilly-dallying out of our houses just to burn down another one?"

"Calm down Junsu!" Yunho said his voice rising a bit. He didn't like the way Junsu is reacting to the situation.

"Then what are we supposed to do huh?" Junsu exclaimed, doing the same.

Yunho glared at Junsu. "Don't raise your voice at me!"

"Then think of something you worthless leader!"

Yunho looked ready to punch Junsu. Yunho walked nearer to Junsu. "Mwuh rah goo Kim Junsu?"

Yoochun stood in the middle of the two, while Jaejoong held Yunho back before things get ugly. He can't believe that they would fight at a time like this. "Yah, this is not the right time to fight!"

Their leader broke free from Jaejoong's grasp. "I know."


Yunho sat at one of the benches outside a convenience store. He ran a hand through his hair before sighing in frustration. What happened right now is a bizarre turn of events. He has to think of something fast. He can't leave his members homeless.

He glanced at the four boys who are sitting on the grass, sound asleep. He smiled.

These guys changed him; a lot. Before, he always does things without thinking and he'd end up in trouble.

Especially when he got fired from his job. He didn't know what to do. That's when he met Yoochun. Yoochun that time was a composer and at the same time a singer. Yoochun took Yunho in at that time. Later, they decided to form a small group that performs at different events. Their first gig was at a small bar. And later on, they went to parties, town programs and the like.

"Yunho Oppa?"

He looked to his right and saw Gong Minzy looking at him with curious eyes. "What are you doing here?"

Yunho smiled. "Annyong Minzy-ah."

She smiled in return and gave him a can of soda. He moved a little bit allowing her to have some space to sit at. She obliged and they both opened their sodas.

"Yunho Oppa, what are you doing here in the middle of the night?" She asked. Yunho didn't know what to answer. But he decided to tell her the truth. After telling her the whole story of what happened earlier, she gasped. "For real? That's horrible!"

Yunho nodded. "I have to find a place to stay in. Even just for a short while. We'll go back to our houses later."

"You, what are you doing here this late at night?" He asked.

Minzy smiled at him. "I'm about to go home from work."

He stared at her. "You're working?"

Minzy pointed to the near convenience store and laughed. "You didn't know? I work to help my unnis. Only temporary and part-time jobs though. I have to focus on my studies more."

"Wah, that's amazing." She laughed once again after Yunho's statement. And after a while, that laugh died down and is now replaced by a grin. "Hey, I thought of something!"


Minzy hanged her coat on the coat rack at the corner of the room. "Dara Unni, Bom Unni, CL Unni, Cho Hee-ah, I'm home!"

Dara peeked out of the kitchen and greeted her friend. She prepared late-night snacks for Minzy since she always comes home at a late hour. Minzy almost drooled at the smell of Dara's cooking. Then, Dara came out of the kitchen wearing her pajamas and apron.

"You're later than usual Minzy." She said. "What happened?"

"Ah, Unni. I picked up a few stray cats and I was wondering if we could let them stay here." Minzy said.

Dara raised an eyebrow. For one thing, she knows Minzy hates animals. "Mwuh? Wae (why)?"

Minzy whistled. "Oh nothing. They just looked pitiful that's all. Besides, I know they won't make a mess. So please…?"

Dara couldn't say 'no' to Minzy's puppy dog eyes. Sighing, she nodded and agreed to Minzy's request. Minzy squealed because of happinnes and hugged her unni.

"Komawoyo (Thank you) unni!" After that, she opened the door and gestured for the 'cats' to come in.

Dara's eyes widened at what she saw. "What the heck Minzy? They are anything but cats!"

Yunho, Jaejoong, Yoochun, Junsu and Changmin entered looking a little bit uncomfortable. Awhile ago at the park, Minzy offered Yunho to stay with them until they could go back to their families. Although he's hesitating a bit, Yunho agreed since he has no other option. And turning Minzy down is not an option for him.

"Unni! You already agreed. You can't turn back now." First, they explained what happened to the five of them earlier. Dara felt sorry for them so she complied with Minzy's request.

"Thanks for the hospitality." The five of them bowed.

Jaejoong smirked and looked at Dara. "Nice apron." He snickered.

Dara's apron has a design of a cute kitten in the middle and food stains are clearly visible. Dara flushed because of embarrassment. "You dare insult Mrs. Kittens you jerk?"

After hearing this, Jaejoong's laughter filled the place. "'Mrs. Kittens'? You're really that immature?"

"Is that the proper way two people in a relationship talks?" CL came out of the room rubbing her eyes followed by Bom. CL knew all about Dara's plan and right now, she's just messing with the two of them.

Jaejoong coughed and hissed; "Sorry babe."

CL smirked at Jaejoong's reaction. She also knows that they are doing this because of Cho Hee but she didn't know that they will go this far. Another thing that is unknown to her is the reason why they're keeping it a secret. But right now, she doesn't care whatever the reason is. She's having so much fun.

Changmin raised an eyebrow and eyed the two. "Up until now, they're still keeping up that act?"

"And I'm sorry for calling you a jerk." Dara said.

Bom blinked a few times then turned to CL. "CL-ah, slap me please."

"Wae unni?" CL is obviously startled by her unni's request. The other people in the room are also puzzled by Bom's sudden action.

"Just do it." After that, a loud slap was heard. Jaejoong, Yunho, Junsu and Yoochun's jaw dropped. Changmin covered his eyes.

Bom touched her cheek which was hit by CL. "Unni…kwenchana?" CL asked.

"Oh my god CL, that hurts!" She exclaimed. "But it means…I'm not dreaming. Oh my gosh, it means the monster in front of me is real!" Bom pointed a finger at her cousin.

CL, Minzy and Dara burst out laughing. They are used to Bom's weirdness. Yoochun glared at his cousin and protested; "Yah! Who are you calling a monster?"

Bom shook her head and went to the kitchen to get a glass of water. A minute after, she came out. "I'm going back to bed. Goodnight everyone, don't forget to turn off the lights."

Silence covered the room until Minzy spoke up, "Araso, where will the cats sleep?"

"Hm. Minzy-ah, since you're the one who has her own room, Yunho-shi will share a room with you." CL said.

Minzy scoffed and crossed her arms. "Mwuh? I do not agree. Plus, I only have a small room and a single bed."

"Is that a problem?" CL asked.

Yunho grabbed Minzy by the hand and said; "Not at all CL-shi, come on Minzy-ah!" Yunho dragged Minzy to her room afterwards.

CL blinked and was shocked by Yunho's actions. She shrugged. "Okay. Now, Junsu-shi and Bom's cousin will sleep in our room."

No one argued at all since Bom and Yoochun are relatives. Junsu didn't seem a least bit interested and CL doesn't mind at all.

"And now, the JaeDy couple will sleep in Cho Hee and Dara's room with Changmin!" CL exclaimed happily.

"Wait, what?" Dara said. "I will not share a room with that jerk!"

Jaejoong glared at her. "Why unni, Jaejoong-shi is your boyfriend. It doesn't really matter now, does it? And I don't think Changmin-shi has a problem with that."

The others immediately caught up to what CL is planning; everyone except the guy in question.

"Okay fine." Dara said.

"Speaking of which, where is Cho Hee?" Jaejoong asked.

Dara led the others (except for Minzy and Yunho) to their room. She opened it a little and inside was Cho Hee still awake, holding up a nebulizer to her nose. She looked pale and weak and she clutched her blanket tightly as if she's restraining herself from something. A book lay on her lap and at the same time, she looks absorbed to what she's reading.

This caught the attention of someone. If you're thinking its Changmin, well it's not. It's none other than DBSK's dolphin.

Afterwards, Dara closed the door quietly. "Hey, are you sure she should be here? She could be monitored better if she's in the hospital." Yoochun asked.

Dara shook her head and smiled lightly. "Cho Hee doesn't like staying there; it makes her sad so her recovery is an awful lot slower. Plus the environment is not good for her condition."

"Is she going to be okay?" Junsu asked. "Jaejoong hyung and Changmin, you better behave there."

"Relax Junsu." Jaejoong said.

CL went back to her and Bom's room followed by Junsu and Yoochun. After settling up, Dara led Jaejoong and Changmin to their room too.

When they arrived there, they saw that the nebulizer machine is turned off and Cho Hee fast asleep. Changmin walked to her and closed the book that was once opened and kept it in the desk near Cho Hee's bed. Afterwards, he tucked Cho Hee in and fixed her pillow.

Jaejoong and Dara looked at each other and smiled. It seems that their plan is working after all.

The next day, Changmin woke up and found out that no one is in the room. Last night, Dara slept in her own bed leaving Jaejoong and him sleeping in a mat. Nevertheless, Changmin found it enjoyable and comfortable.

He looked around and immediately stood up to fix the mat. Before going out, he decided to observe the room. The room is neat and the wallpapers are color white. There are two beds, one for Cho Hee and one for Dara. You can tell whose bed is which because of the bed sheet and blankets. Dara's bed sheet is color pink with animal prints while Cho Hee's is just plain beige. Cho Hee's pillow case also has her name embroidered on it.

He looked at the 2 desks in the far corner of the room. Dara's desk is messy; books and papers everywhere. There are also dozens of pictures taped here and there. An analogue clock also stood in one corner of the desk.

Cho Hee's desk is the opposite of Dara's. The table is neat; the books are piled up in one place, the papers are kept in a folder and there are only 3 picture frames. One frame contains a picture of Cho Hee and Dara, another contains a picture of the 5 of them and the other has a picture of an unfamiliar woman. Changmin is guessing that it's her mother.

He picked up the book that Cho Hee was reading last night. It's entitled, 'The Little Prince'. Changmin smiled a little.

He was about to open the drawer of the desk when a voice interrupted him; "Look, can you continue your snooping later? Jaejoong hyung and Dara-shi cooked breakfast."

Junsu stood by the doorway with toast in his mouth. "You wouldn't want to miss breakfast now, would you?"

Breakfast was very noisy and entertaining. Yoochun and Bom can't stop their bickering and the others are talking about random topics. Cho Hee and Changmin stayed silent though. Once in a while, they would talk but after that, silence would fill them again.

Bom and CL finished their meals first. "You guys come on, we have to buy groceries." Dara said.

Bom pulled Yoochun out of his seat. "Move fast cousin! It's a Sunday, it would be crowded if we come late."

Yoochun broke free from his cousin's strong grasp. "You don't need ten people to buy groceries!"

"Yes we don't. Cho Hee couldn't come with us, obviously. So Changmin, and Junsu will stay here too." CL said. "Bom, stop harassing your cousin. I will be the one to buy groceries with Dara, Minzy, Yoochun and Jaejoong. You stay here."

Yoochun, Yunho, Jaejoong, Dara and Minzy were practically dragged outside by CL. They were out in a flash and are on their way to buy supplies.

"I can't believe they left us here again to clean up this mess!" Cho Hee said. She placed all of the plates in the sink; some can't even fit in the sink. She shook her head and although it's not that audible, Changmin can hear her curse under her breath.

"Hey, I'll help you with that." Changmin grabbed one of the plates and started washing it himself. Cho Hee gaped at him; she didn't expect THE Shim Changmin to help with the dishes.

Bom smiled secretly and nudged Junsu. "Yah dolphin." By reflex, Junsu half glared, half looked at her. "I'll give you a small tour of our pad. Come." Junsu knows what CL is trying to do. But somehow, something is stopping him from getting Changmin and Cho Hee together. But he complied anyways.

Cho Hee and Changmin did not notice the disappearance of Junsu and Bom. Changmin got so absorbed with washing the dishes since it's his first time doing it. He smiled unconsciously and Cho Hee noticed it and she can't help but smile too.

She picked up one of the plates (which is probably the most greasy) and she was about to wash it, but she accidentally bumped into Changmin. Thus, spilling all of the grease to Changmin. Oh the glory.

Her eyes widened as she looked at Changmin's now stained shirt. "Oh my gosh…" she muttered.

Changmin took one of the leftovers and placed it on Cho Hee's hair. "Now we're even."

"What? That's not even!" She stuck her tongue out at him and did the same.

So now, maybe you have figured out what happened next. The inevitable war in the kitchen begun. They threw different things at each other; soap, leftovers and the like. But instead of anger, what they felt is happiness.

Cho Hee was about to throw something at him, when she slipped on something. And as if it's fate, she fell on top of Changmin, their face only a few centimeters apart. Silence filled the once noisy kitchen, and they did nothing but look at each other.

No one even dared to move from their position.

"What the heck happened here?" Bom said with Junsu beside her. The truth is, they have been watching for the past minutes but they can't say that. "What a mess!"

The two looked up and snapped out of their trance. Cho Hee stood up followed by Changmin.

"Cho Hee, go and wash yourself up. Changmin and Junsu, clean this mess." Cho Hee nodded and ran out of the room. Bom is acting like a mother right now and Junsu is using up all his strength not to laugh.

Bom took a minute to look at Changmin then to Junsu and after that, she walked away. Changmin and Junsu started to clean the messy kitchen.

"Jeez Minnie, this place is even worse than it already is before." Junsu chuckled. "But seriously, to make out in the middle of the kitchen floor?"

Changmin hit Junsu in the arm. "Hyung! I can't believe you would think that!" Awhile ago, Changmin was fighting with his inner feelings. He just got lost in Cho Hee's eyes that his whole body froze as if he was paralyzed.

Junsu smirked at him and then continued with washing the dishes. Changmin looked at his hyung because it looks like Junsu is thinking of something. He just shrugged and washed the dishes too.

After a few minutes, Cho Hee came out of her room feeling fresh after taking a long hot bath. She looked at the kitchen and saw that everything was clean and back into place. She smiled. She likes it best when everything is clean. And the effort given by the people who cleaned it is definitely plus points for her.

She walked to the living room and saw Junsu and Bom talking. Both of them looked happy and so interested in whatever they are talking about. This gave Cho Hee the idea of getting the two together. The only problem is, she's not very good at playing match maker. Plus, she's scared of her unni when she's angry.

"Ah, Cho Hee!"

She looked at her unni and smiled. She looked at Junsu and both of them exchanged smiles too. "I just talked with Junsu here and I found out that they write songs, sing and dance for a living! I know you love to write songs Cho Hee."

After hearing that Junsu's smile brightened. "For real?"

Cho Hee bit her lip and nodded. Right now, she hates her unni for telling that to Junsu. She looked at the lad and Junsu gestured for her to come and sit with them. "That's something we have in common then. Why don't we write one some other time?"

She smiled and nodded. She's beginning to feel comfortable with their company in the house. Junsu and she talked about music and composing songs while Bom just looked at them. Junsu mentioned that the one who's really good at composing out of the five of them is Yoochun and Jaejoong. Cho Hee found him very interesting and entertaining.

Bom on the other hand, is having a dilemma inside. She could see how Cho Hee's eyes glistened every time Junsu would laugh or say something. This is troublesome and a hassle for their plan. Junsu is a very nice man but for Bom, there is something in Changmin that makes him suitable for her friend.

She continued to look at the both of them until she noticed Changmin standing in one corner, looking at both Junsu and Cho Hee. She took a final glance at Cho Hee and Junsu then she walked to Changmin.

Changmin noticed Bom walking to him so he looked away and pretended to look at the painting. He thought that this act was enough to shoo Bom away but this even triggered Bom's nosiness even more.

He continued to pretend that he is admiring the small painting. Now that you think of it, the painting inside the fragile-looking frame is really amazing and breath-taking. He felt an arm drape around his shoulders and he realized that it was Bom.

"You know Changminnie…" He was puzzled at the nickname Bom said. "Cho Hee painted that."

He was perplexed but amazed at the same time. He thought this was painted by a famous or professional painter. The idea that a young girl like Cho Hee painted this never crossed his mind at all. Now, his respect for her has increased.

"It's pretty right? She painted it when she was stuck in the hospital for about a month." Bom said.

Changmin was about to ask her a question when the door burst open and Dara and Jaejoong entered laughing while each of them are carrying paper bags. They were followed by Minzy and Yunho who looked like they didn't talk to each other at all. Lastly, Yoochun and CL entered looking pissed off.

Bom chuckled at the sight of her cousin and at CL's facial expression. "What happened?"

"World war III." Dara replied after settling the bags down on the kitchen counter. "These two almost caused a commotion in the supermarket."

"It's not my fault that I almost got ran over by a push cart." CL said accompanied by a glare to Yoochun.

He glared back and stated; "Well it's not my fault you got in the way."

"Got in the way of what, canned tomato soup?"

"Those were Changmin's favorite, and they are on sale!"

Minzy shook her head and Bom can't suppress in her laughter anymore. "Alright, war's over. Cut it out you two."

They glared at each other for the last time then walked away. Dara smiled and pulled something out of one of the paper bags. "Cho Hee-ah, I bought your favorite."

After hearing that, Cho Hee excused herself from Junsu and rushed to Dara's side. Happiness was evident in her eyes and she squealed. Junsu followed and said; "Cherry-filled chocolates?"

"DARK cherry-filled chocolates." Cho Hee corrected. "Komawoyo Unni!" She hugged Dara and went to her room carrying the giant box of chocolates.

Jaejoong nudged Dara after Cho Hee was out of sight. "Yah, are you sure you're supposed to be feeding her with a lot of chocolates? Wouldn't that be bad for her?"

She winked back at him and said; "Don't worry. A little sugar doesn't hurt once in a while."


Dinner was over and the others are busy washing the dishes and tidying up the place. Changmin was bored and he got tired of watching the television. He decided to go back to his/their room to find something to do.

He slowly opened the door to his/their room and entered quietly. As usual he found Cho Hee sitting on her bed eating the chocolates, while reading a book. From afar, he could tell that it was the same book that she was reading last night; 'The Little Prince'. (a/n: By the way, I do not own this book. But I do suggest that you read this, it's a very good one. And, I'm also not sure if it has a Korean version.)

He sat on the edge of Dara's bed and just looked at Cho Hee. She looks very peaceful while reading the book, but at the same time, she looks like she's savoring the flavor of the delicacy that she's eating. Her eyes are very bright for someone who's not in a very good condition unlike others, whose eyes are lifeless and dull. He didn't even notice how much time he has taken just by looking at her.

After flipping another page, she said; "Don't you know it's rude to stare?" Her eyes are still glued to the book afterwards, she ate another chocolate.

Changmin snapped out of his reverie. He cautiously looked at her and asked; "Is that book good? I mean, you look so immersed in reading."

"Actually it is." She replied. "It tells about how life is complicated."

He raised an eyebrow after her second statement. "Complicated?"

Cho Hee stopped reading and looked at him. Then, she smiled and tapped her chin. She thought for a while before answering; "Yes, complicated. The little prince doesn't like the way adults think; the way they stress and panic over small matters. He also hates their superficial attitude. Sometimes I wish I could be like the little prince; a person who doesn't care about the problems but just lives life the way he wants. He's very affectionate and helpful to his loved ones too."

She paused for a while after saying those. Then she wondered why she is saying those kinds of things to Changmin. But she felt happy. She never thought that she could open up her feelings and thoughts to somebody. Changmin was also struck by what Cho Hee said. That's another thing that fascinated him; Cho Hee's broadmindedness.

"I see." He said after some time. "Then the painting in the hallway, you painted that didn't you?"

She nodded her head. It looks like she's uncertain of something and Changmin knew what it was right away. "Don't worry, I like it. It's a very nice painting."

"Komawoyo Changmin." She replied. "The flower that I painted there is my favorite."

"White roses?" She nodded. White roses…Where she lived before, their neighbor grows a lot of white roses. And she would spend her whole day watering them and looking at them. She admired the elegant yet pure appearance of the rose.

Then she noticed the box of chocolates on her lap and picked up one. She stretched her hand to Changmin. "You want some?'

Changmin shook his head. He's not a fan of cherries but he certainly loves chocolates. Cho Hee pouted and forced him to eat one. "I know you love chocolates. Ah, it's the cherries isn't it?"

With the chocolate still in one hand, she shifted from her position and also sat on the edge of her bed. That way, she sat closer to Changmin. "It tastes really good." She popped one chocolate in her mouth. "You don't know what you're missing…"

"Oh I think I know what I'm missing." He muttered.

She got irritated by Changmin's stubbornness so she stood up and picked up one of the cutters in her drawer. She then walked back, sat down beside Changmin and she held the cutter only a few centimeters before her wrist. "Yah, Shim Changmin. If you don't eat one right now, I'll slit my wrist and die."

He got a little bit nervous and scared but afterwards, he smirked. "You can't threaten me."

"I'm not threatening anybody." She replied with a serious look on her face. "Believe me, I will really cut myself. Do you want to see me slowly lose blood and die in front of you?'

And in this moment, he immediately felt Cho Hee's seriousness by what she said. He didn't want anything to happen to her, so he picked up one of the chocolates and popped it into his mouth. He chewed it and alas, he liked it. He gave out a micro-smile as he slowly munched the treat.

After seeing his expression, Cho Hee dropped the cutter and placed it on the bedside table. "See? It tastes good right? And you didn't lose anything by trying."

Changmin smiled and later on, laughed. Cho Hee is really something.

The door opened and Dara rushed in. She looks like she's in a hurry because she didn't even bother to look at the two persons inside the room. She walked to the bedside table to grab her purse when she noticed the cutter. She looked at Cho Hee and Changmin with an unexplainable look on her face. "Yah Cho Hee. Did you do something with your wrist again?"

Cho Hee shook her head fast. She didn't like that look on Dara's face so she can't say anything that would upset her. Dara smiled and grabbed her purse. "Okay then. Have fun you two!"

Another thing that they can't handle is Dara's serious mood swings. But Cho Hee, she could see through Dara. And she bets her life that it's not one of her mood swings. She looked and followed Dara's every step until she's out of the room.

"Changmin-ah, I think there's something going on with unni." Changmin looked at her weirdly and seeing that Changmin will not be saying anything anytime soon, she stood up and went outside.

Everyone was in the living room watching one of the horror movies that Minzy owns. But to her surprise, she didn't see Dara or Jaejoong in sight. "Where are Dara Unni and Jaejoong?"

"Out on a date." Bom replied.

Cho Hee raised an eyebrow and said; "But isn't it too late in the evening?'

"Ah, you're right. Why don't you go follow them Cho Hee-shi? Changmin-ah, go with her please." Yunho said eating another piece of pop corn.

Cho Hee is very close to Dara because she was the one who took Cho Hee in. She would defend Dara every time the bullies would gang up on her and she would always look for Dara when she's not anywhere near her. In short, Cho Hee treats Dara as her sister.

Without hesitation, she grabbed her coat and bag. "I'll be back soon with Dara unni." And in a second, she left and was out of sight.

Changmin was startled and he followed suit. After they were gone, Minzy turned off the TV and DVD player. "Okay guys, phase one is done; phase two, now commencing. Let's sleep."

Everybody stood up and went to their rooms. "Thank god. I'm beat." Yoochun said.

Yunho went to the kitchen and placed the remaining pop corn in the fridge. When he walked out of the kitchen, he asked Minzy; "This plan, are you sure it will work?"

"It better work." She replied. "Now come on, let's hit the hay."


Cho Hee eyed the two people walking only a few meters in front of her. Every step she makes is accompanied with watchfulness and vigilance. Right now, she's having an inner fight with herself. Whether what she's doing is the right thing but in the end, her closeness and care for Dara won over. Dara has been hurt before when her first love cheated on her. Cho Hee is a witness of the pain and agony Dara went through. She doesn't want this to happen to her unni again. Dara along with the others are the only family she has.

She saw Dara almost slip and Jaejoong caught her just in time. Both of them laughed and then continued to walk. Cho Hee shook her head and muttered; "Idiots."

Changmin caught up with her and tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around swiftly and after seeing him, she sighed in relief. "Oh, it's just you Changmin."

"Yah, are you sure you're supposed to be doing this?" He asked. Cho Hee nodded her head. Changmin saw her shiver a little and this worried him. "No you're not. You're cold."

"Don't worry. I have good resistance against the cold." She replied. The truth is, what Changmin said was true. This is certainly not helping her with her health problem at all. But as of this moment, it doesn't matter.

"But-" "I said I'm fine, Changmin." The sharp tone in Cho Hee's voice startled him a bit. But he can't argue with her and force her to do something.

"Araso. But I will have to come with you." Cho Hee started to walk but she looked at him over her shoulder with curiosity.

"Wae?"

"Well because your friends will surely kill me if I don't." He chuckled and Cho Hee laughed slightly. This is only the second reason of why he wanted to come with her. The first reason is of course, he is worried about her.

Cho Hee replied; "Yes, they probably will."

Cho Hee pulled Changmin by the arm as they followed the couple ahead of them. By this time, Changmin is more confused than before. He didn't know what his hyung's motive is by pretending to go out with Dara. But one thing is for sure; the result of this 'pretending' is trouble.

Their pursuing led them to the park; figures. This is one of Dara's favorite places. Cho Hee and Changmin hid behind a bush as they watched the two sit down on a bench and eat ice cream.

On the other hand, why don't we look at this part from Jaejoong and Dara's side of the story?

Dara licked her ice cream once before sneaking a glance at a rather suspicious looking bush. This bush moves once in a while and they would hear rustling from behind. She raised her eyebrow and turned to Jaejoong; "Yah, that bush, Cho Hee and Changmin are…?"

"Yes, they are hiding behind that bush." Jaejoong replied then chuckle; "Our friends are not very good at snooping and following, aren't they?"

Dara joined Jaejoong in chuckling but later on, she stopped and her expression turned serious. "Jaejoong-shi, can you kindly explain to me what this plan is about? Your first plan failed, so this better work."

"I know." Jaejoong licked his ice cream first before replying; "We'll head on to a hotel later."

Dara's eyes widened and instantly moved away from Jaejoong. "Yah Kim Jaejoong, what are you going to do with me?"

Jaejoong smirked at Dara's reaction so he decided to play with her for a little bit. He moved closer to Dara and trapped her by the bench using his arms. He leaned closer to her ears and whispered huskily; "Why, what do you think I'm going to do with you in a hotel? Hmm?"


By the bush, Changmin is using all his strength to hold Cho Hee back. She clenched her teeth at the sight of Dara and Jaejoong. "Shim Changmin, what the heck is your perverted hyung doing, huh?"

Changmin didn't know what to say. He doesn't like the way Jaejoong is acting right now but he is sure that he's not going to do something to Dara that he might regret later. His hyung is good at controlling himself and he is not that much of a pervert; well, maybe.

"Relax Cho Hee. Jaejoong hyung will take responsibility of whatever's going to happen to Dara-shi." Then he smirked. "But to do it in a park? That's sick."

Cho Hee smacked Changmin right up on the head. "I can't believe your consenting whatever your hyung is doing!"

"I'm just kidding! Jeez."


Dara glared at Jaejoong and kneed him in the stomach. Jaejoong pulled away and clutched his throbbing and now in pain stomach. "Aish! You really can't take a joke, huh?"

Dara huffed and crossed her arms. "Serves you right. Now can you tell me seriously what the heck you're planning?"

"You'll see." The corner of his lips tugged up. "Now finish your ice cream and let's go."

Jaejoong stood up and started to walk away. Dara immediately finished the rest of her ice cream and followed. Changmin and Cho Hee instinctively followed them with mixed thoughts playing on their minds. The two of them didn't know where Dara and Jaejoong are heading to.

Cho Hee's jaw dropped and Changmin's eyes widened when they saw the place they had arrived. "Changmin-ah, I hate your hyung so much right now."

Changmin looked at Cho Hee and saw that she has the same expression that he has. "I have no idea what hyung is thinking right now."

Changmin is having second thoughts whether Jaejoong and Dara are really just pretending or if they are going out for real. But he is determined to find out.

The next thing he knew, he is being pulled by Cho Hee inside the hotel. Then, he found himself being dragged across the hotel lobby. Cho Hee had that look in her eyes that sent chills in Changmin's spine.

"Yah, what are you doing? Let go of me!" Changmin tried to break free from Cho Hee's grasp but to no avail. Cho Hee then walked to the receptionist and asked her what number Jaejoong and Dara's room is. The receptionist asked first for their names which Cho Hee easily gave.

"Room 1487, 14th floor. You can take the elevator on my right Miss." Cho Hee said 'thank you' and dashed to the elevator. Finally, she freed Changmin from her pry. Changmin fixed himself and glared at Cho Hee.

"Sorry about that Changmin." She said. "I'm just so confounded right now."

He understood what Cho Hee was trying to say so he immediately forgave her. She gave Changmin one of her signature smiles but it faded soon because she saw Changmin shiver out of the corner of her eye. It was then followed by a series of coughs.

"Kwenchana?" Cho Hee asked. Changmin nodded his head. She doesn't believe him though.

The door of the elevator opened and the two stepped inside. Cho Hee pressed the button and the elevator started to move up. When they arrive at the 11th floor, the elevator started to shake violently. Cho Hee held on to Changmin and whimpered quietly. Then, the shaking stopped and the power of the elevator completely blacked out.

Cho Hee opened her eyes but still didn't let go of Changmin. "What…happened?" She said in an almost inaudible voice.

"We're stuck." Changmin replied. He looked at Cho Hee and noticed the position they were in. He smiled. He found Cho Hee cute at the moment; she's like a little girl afraid that her balloon might pop.

Cho Hee let go of Changmin and tried to press the different buttons. But none of them worked. Changmin sighed in frustration and he sat down on the floor. He is sitting in a ball-like position and he rested his head on his arms.

What a good timing. Changmin's phone doesn't have any battery at all and Cho Hee's phone doesn't have a signal inside the elevator. She sat down opposite of Changmin and waited for the elevator to work again.


"This is weird." Dara muttered. "Cho Hee should've arrived here right now."

Jaejoong heard her and said; "Relax, I'm sure she's alright."

"And just how sure are you?" She asked. "Omg, what did you do again?"

"I'm getting the two idiots together." He replied. "We've made the wrong friends and are paying for it."

Dara didn't argue with him. He didn't want to hurt Cho Hee but she trusts Jaejoong. She looked at the man sitting on a couch opposite of the bed she's sitting. "But still, how did you manage to get us this luxurious room?"

"Never underestimate the charms of Kim Jaejoong."


After waiting for several minutes, Cho Hee got impatient of waiting. She felt like she's already waiting forever but still nothing happens. They are still stuck in the same situation without any progress at all. She ruffled her jet-black hair and looked at Changmin. He has been in the same position for a while now and he hasn't talked or moved even an inch.

She crawled to him slowly and tapped him on the shoulder. "Yah, are you alright?" No reply from the young lad in front of her. She got curious and figured out that he has been asleep for the past 30 minutes.

Thinking that his position would cause him neck cramps, she sat beside him and slowly shifted his position; she leaned his head on her shoulder gently. Cho Hee accidentally touched his forehead and his temperature is very hot.

This movement woke Changmin up and he looked at Cho Hee. He wondered why his position changed.

"Changmin-ah, you're burning up." She placed his head on her lap and took of her coat. Then, she wrapped it around Changmin to keep him warm. "You're not used to the cold, are you?"

Changmin slowly nodded his head. "Mianhe…"

"It's alright. The only thing now is that, you should get better." She pulled out something from her bag; a box of medicine and bottled water. "Can you get up?"

Changmin got up slowly and elevated himself. Cho Hee gave him the medicine and the water. He gave her a disapproving look. "Just drink it." He obeyed and drank the medicine. He then went back to his position before.

"Cho Hee, why do you carry those around?" He asked.

Cho Hee smiled at him. "Because I don't know when I'll need those."

Changmin forced a smile and replied; "That's why you have to get better soon."

"I'll get better when you do. Now get some rest." Changmin closed his eyes and was bout to fall asleep. Not before muttering; "Doushite kimi wo suki na natte shimattan darou?"

The language was in Japanese and Cho Hee is not very literate when it comes to that language. "Mwuh?" She asked. But Changmin didn't reply.

That statement from him bugged her for some reason. Now, she's determined to find out what that sentence meant. Changmin smiled lightly and secretly.


Dara kept on pacing around the room, thinking of what happened to Cho Hee and Changmin. For the past hour that she's been staying in the room, she hasn't heard anything about Cho Hee; even a phone call or text message. This worried her to death. It isn't like Cho Hee to make others worry about her.

Jaejoong looked up from the book he's reading to Dara. "Will you please stop pacing? I told you before; everything's fine."

She stopped pacing and turned to Jaejoong. "Where did you get that book?" Then she started pacing again. "Jaejoong-ah, what if something happened to both of them because of your plan? Moreover, what is your plan? You did not explain anything before we left the house. Minzy and the others don't know about your plan too don't they? I want answers Kim Jaejoong!"

"I also told you before; relax. I got everything under control." He replied. His cell phone rang and he immediately picked it up. "Ah, Manager Lee, is everything alright?"

Dara raised an eyebrow. "Did you stop the operation of the elevator that my two friends are in?"

Her eyes widened at what she heard. She was about to say something (or rather complain, grumble, shout) but Jaejoong raised a finger indicating her to shut up. "Wonderful. Yes, I will tell Dad to reconsider it. Araso, I'll call you if I need anything."

The minute Jaejoong hung up, Dara pointed a finger at him. "Kim Jaejoong, what the heck is this about? Why did you trap them inside an elevator? Are you insane?"

He looked at her calmly and replied; "I am not insane, Park Sandara. And I would appreciate it if you would listen to me and stop pointing at me."

Dara put down her hand and crossed her arms instead. She looked at him with resentment in her eyes. "I'm waiting for your explanation."

"I trapped them in the elevator but I promise you, they won't be hurt. Besides, I'll let them out in the morning." He explained.

Dara doesn't know whether to agree to his plan or not. Somehow, she likes Jaejoong's idea but there's also a side of her telling that it's dangerous. "Araso. But I'm telling you, I have a bad feeling about this."

"Quit worrying. Just sleep okay?" Jaejoong walked towards the bed and lay down on one side. After making himself comfortable, he looked at Dara. "Well? Aren't you going to bed?"

She huffed and walked stubbornly and sat down one the recliner in the corner of the room. "There's no way I'll sleep with you on the same bed." She turned off the lamp that was once lit and the room fell dark. After closing her eyes, she could hear a faint sound of rustling. She then felt herself being lifted up. Dara instantly realized it's none other than Jaejoong.

He carried her up bridal style and let her down gently on the other side of the bed. He opened the nearest lamp before dragging himself to the same place where he laid down before.

"Yah, what was that for?" She looked at him as if he was some psycho but she still remembered to keep her distance from him.

He settled himself under the blanket before answering; "You'll get a back ache; that lounger is anything but comfortable."

"That is still not an excuse! I could've walked by myself, thank you very much. Ugh, that's why I hate you so much." Even though she muttered the last phrase, it didn't stop Jaejoong's sharp ears from hearing it.

"That lounger looks fancy but it is not that good to sit on." He looked at her with a gentle yet serious expression. "So please, do not judge anything by its looks or because of shallow reasons."

She was struck by what Jaejoong said. Silence filled them and she took this opportunity to examine herself. What is the reason of her hatred for Jaejoong? After searching herself, she realized that what he said was true. She hates him because of a shallow and an illogical reason. Maybe, she wasn't giving him enough chance to prove himself to become her friend.

"Mianhe." She said, "I was being irrational." She lay down on the bed now in accordance to her will and settled herself under the blanket. She stared at the ceiling aware of the growing awkwardness between the two of them.

Jaejoong faced her and smirked. "This is the first time I heard you say sorry. That feels good, doesn't it?"

"Honestly, yes." She smiled and faced Jaejoong too. Realizing that their faces is only a few centimeters away from each other, they pulled away and turned the other way.

Dara closed her eyes and got ready to sleep. "Kim Jaejoong, don't do anything perverted to me."

"Park Sandara, dream on."


Changmin slowly opened his eyes. After making sure it is already adjusted to the light, he looked at the sleeping figure ahead of him. He sat up and positioned himself beside her. Afterwards, he placed the coat he once used as a blanket to cover up Cho Hee. This woken the sleeping girl. She looked at him and the first thing she did was to check his temperature.

After touching his forehead for a few seconds, she smiled. "Your fever's gone. Thank goodness."

"Kamsahamnida Cho Hee." Changmin looked at her and then at her legs. "Aren't your legs numb?"

"It is a little numb, but I think I could manage." She replied. She stood up followed by Changmin. But the minute she did, she got unbalanced and was about to fall. Luckily, Changmin held her.

"Do you need help?" He asked.

"Aniyo, I'm fine." She smiled a reassuring smile at him. This is enough proof to him. She looked around and noticed that the elevator hasn't moved at all. "But anyways, when can we get out of this elevator anyways?"

"What time is it Cho Hee?"

She searched her bag for her cellphone and when she found it, she instantly checked the time. "6:30 in the morning. Changmin-ah, we've spent the night here! Aish, what would the others think? Oh no, my unnis are probably worried about me right now…"

"We should just tell them the truth," He replied. "Anyways, we have to find a way to get out of here."


Dara slowly opened her eyes and the first thing that greeted her is Jaejoong's smiling face; only a few inches from her face. Her eyes widened. "Aah!" She moved away but that was a wrong move; she fell off the bed as soon as she did so.

She rubbed her sore butt and heard Jaejoong laughing. She stood up and glared at him.

"Dara you are such a klutz!" He said in between laughs.

She crossed her arms and said; "Why were you staring at me anyways? Ugh, I hate you."

Jaejoong kept on laughing as he clutched his stomach. "It's not my fault you fell off the bed." Then he stopped laughing and looked at her with a gentle expression. "But you look pretty and peaceful while sleeping."

Dara could a blush creeping up her cheeks and she looked away to hide it. "Ah, by the way what happened to Cho Hee and Changmin?"

"I think it's time to go home now Dara."

The two of them fixed themselves before going out of the room. They went down to the lobby to check out. Jaejoong gave a small piece of paper to the manager and whispered something that Dara couldn't hear. Afterwards, they took a taxi to get home. They entered the small apartment and saw Bom, Yoochun, Junsu and CL sitting on the couch looking worried. When they saw Dara and Jaejoong, their expressions changed to a better one but soon after, went back to their worried state.

"Dara unni! We were so worried about you guys." CL said while hugging Dara.

"Where's Minzy?" Dara asked.

Jaejoong joined them and asked a follow up question; "And Yunho too?"

"They went out to buy something." Bom replied.

Yoochun looked behind Dara and Jaejoong. "Hyung, where is Changmin?"

"More importantly, where's Cho Hee?" Junsu asked.

Jaejoong sat down one of the couches and made himself comfortable. "Yoochun-ah, get me a glass of water please." Yoochun stood up and proceeded to the kitchen. "Don't worry guys, they'll be here."


The elevator started to move again and finally, it opened at the lobby. Changmin and Cho Hee felt relieved that they could finally come out of the place they have been trapped inside for many hours.

The two of them walked out of the elevator and are greeted by the hotel's manager. "We're so sorry for the inconvenience sir and madam."

"It's alright. No one was harmed." Cho Hee replied.

The manager escorted them out of the hotel and helped them get a cab. On the way there, Cho Hee fell asleep because of extreme tiredness. She leaned on Changmin's shoulders. He looked at her and memorized every inch of her face. He swept her bangs gently off her face and admired her angelic image. He smiled to himself but he couldn't shake off the feeling of uneasiness and worry. "Cho Hee-ah, why did I end up falling for you?" (A/n: that's the meaning of the Japanese sentence he said earlier inside the elevator.)

They arrived at their apartment and Changmin woke up Cho Hee. They entered the apartment and they were bombarded with questions. They didn't know what to answer. Jaejoong just smirked at them.

Bom held Cho Hee by the shoulders and said; "Cho Hee-ah, answer me honestly; where and what did you do last night? Omg, don't tell me you…"

"Unni!" Cho Hee protested. "I can't believe you would think that. And what are you doing here? What about school?"

"Mianhe. Well, since you've been spending so much time hiding at the clinic, you didn't hear the announcement. They gave us two-week vacation while they're fixing the pipes at school." She explained. "But tell me first what happened." Bom and the others looked at Cho Hee waiting for an explanation.

She fidgeted with her fingers and said; "Um, well,"

Changmin faced the others. "Guys, we had a tough night. Can you please let Cho Hee rest?"

Dara walked out of the kitchen and lead Cho Hee back to their room. As soon as they were gone, Bom dragged Changmin into the kitchen. "Shim Changmin, tell me everything."

Changmin sighed and explained everything that happened to them. From snooping on Dara and his hyung up to the point when they got stuck in the elevator. He doesn't want to tell everything to Bom but he knew that it was needed. Bom is one of the people who really care for Cho Hee.

After telling the whole story to Bom, she sighed. "Really then… Jaejoong might have gone a bit too far." Of course, she muttered the last part of the sentence.

"Pardon?" Changmin asked. Bom shook her head and said; "Thank you for taking care of Cho Hee."

"No, it's the other way around. I got sick and she took care of me." He replied.

Bom secretly smiled. At last, something is going on between the two.

Outside the kitchen, 3 pairs of ears are listening to Bom and Changmin's conversation the whole time. CL and Yoochun smiled while Junsu couldn't help but feel jealous at Changmin.

The door opened and Yunho and Minzy entered carrying bags containing food. Minzy set them down the table while Yunho looked for his members at once. When they are all in the living room, he broke the good news.

"I got a gig for us!"

Jaejoong's head snapped up and high-fived with Yunho. "That's great Yunnie!"

"Definitely. But where?" Yoochun asked.

Yunho held up a flyer and showed it to the others. Junsu snatched it from his hands and inspected it. "Music Core?" He said. "No way Hyung, this is awesome! We'll be seen on national television."

Yunho replied; "That's how remarkable your hyung is. We'll be singing two songs; one ballad and a fast one."

Changmin snapped his fingers. "Ah, why not Share the World for the fast one?"

"And for the ballad?" Yunho asked.

The five were silent for a while. They have a good number of ballad songs but they should choose the best one for this event. Music Core is one of the dream shows of DBSK. They could get discovered especially if they do well.

"Doushite Kimi Wo Suki Na Natte Shimattan Darou." Yoochun mumbled subconsciously.

"That's prefect!" They turned to their right and found Bom leaning against the wall with a lollipop in her mouth. She has a bright expression on her face. "Cousin, I have heard you sing that before."

"But it's Japanese Bom." Yoochun retorted.

"So?" She responded back. "It would be great; your first big hit is a Japanese song. It's something new, it's something unusual."

"I think she has a point. I agree with that song. Who else?" Junsu, Jaejoong and Changmin raised their hands. Majority wins; they will be singing Doushite at Music Core.

"We better start rehearsing. We only have 3 days before the performance." Yunho said.

Yoochun and Jaejoong went directly at the study room wherein Bom and the others keep their instruments and things for their musical needs. Junsu plugged his flash disk in the computer and started to work on their song. He needs to improve some of the lines and notes a little and to add to that, the whole piece needs tweaking. After the distribution of lines was done, the group didn't waste time and started to practice it right away. (a/n: I know that DBSK didn't compose some of their songs including these two, in my story, they did. I do not own the songs used in this chapter. ^^)

Bom and Dara watched them practice. Cho Hee came out of the room and saw Minzy watching TV alone. She joined her and looked at what she's watching; another one of her horror movies. She looked around and found no one inside but she could hear faint sounds of music coming from their study room.

"Minzy, where are the others?" She asked.

Minzy didn't even bother looking at her. "Inside our study room. They're practicing something for their performance at Music Core."

"For real? Wow, I'm happy for them." She said.

Yoochun came out of the study room looking worn and exhausted. Upon seeing this, Cho Hee giggled and Yoochun's head snapped up to look at her. "It's not funny Cho Hee."

"Must be one heck of a practice." She said.

Yoochun shook his head and sat down on the couch opposite of her. "I know. Yunho Hyung has been pushing us. I can't blame him though."

Cho Hee got up and fetched him a glass of water. "Good luck. I know you guys can do well."

He drank the glass of water in one gulp. "Komawoyo. Make sure you'll be there, okay?"

"Danghyunaji (of course)." She replied. "I'll be the loudest one to cheer for you."

"Yoochun-ah! Come back there, Yunho's going ballistic. It seems that you haven't even perfected your part. And you're the one with the fewest lines!" Bom pulled Yoochun from his seat and dragged him back inside the study room. She looked at Minzy before disappearing and said; "Minzy-ah, turn the volume down please."

Minzy shook her head and lowered the volume. She looked at Cho Hee with a bewildered expression. "They better do well with their performance." Cho Hee laughed.