"Kai-bai-BO!"

Miyeon threw her fist out in rock formation, and I looked down at my fingers in the shape of scissors.

"Best two out of three?" I asked. She raised her eyebrow smugly and took the stance.

"Kai-bai-BO!" I threw paper down, so did she. "Kai-bai-BO!" this time, I threw paper and she threw rock.

"Oooh, this is getting intense," Jaesoon pretended to watch intently, "Who will get the shower first? Song-E, I am now taking bets!"

"500 won on maknae," Song-E said without looking up from her phone.

"You're on!" Jaesoon laughed, "You're cheap, leader."

"Kai-bai-BO!" I threw down scissors and again, Miyeon beat me with her fist. She laughed and ran to the bathroom.

"It's okay, you'll get her next time!" Jaesoon smiled and ruffled my hair while I pouted.

"Guys," Song-E had on her freak-out face. My stomach dropped. I hoped she was about to tell us some good news, "We have a slight problem." She was staring at her computer screen in point-blank shock. Jaesoon and I rushed to her side as she yelled for Miyeon. On the screen was a picture of Gikwang, in his usual public-attire of a hat and sunglasses. But he wasn't alone.

"Oh shit," Jaesoon mumbled, "That's you, unni!"

"What could possibly be more important than my sh—Oh shit," Miyeon saw the screen and the headline.

"BEAST Gikwang's new girlfriend?" Song-E read, "Question mark? Do we look like a couple?"

The four us looked at the picture again. Gikwang and Song-E were smiling at each other and their shoulders were touching. To us it looked normal because the two of them were friends, but to the outside world…

"Check twitter," I suggested.

"He's already told his followers that its only a rumor, and that "the girl in that picture is only a friend" so I'm not worried," Song-E looked slightly deflated. With Gikwang, it was a situation where there was a very obvious yet unspoken fact: Song-E and Gikwang were crazy for each other. They couldn't look at each other for more than a few seconds without smiling or giggling. It has always been like this, from the time they had first met several years ago.

"You look sad, unni," I dared say. She just laughed at me.

"Do they know anything about you?" Jaesoon tried to read on but Song-E closed the screen.

"They don't know anything yet but I'm sure they will. No need to freak out."

My phone rang, and the screen said Dongwoon. I wondered if I should answer, already knowing that it would be about this whole thing. He'd tell me that we couldn't hang out tonight in case we were seen. But I answered anyway.

"Hello," I said brightly.

"So do you guys know?" he asked.

"Yes," I answered, "and if you don't want to hang out, that's fine," I sighed. I hate being right. There was a long pause. I hate those, too.

"I was just going to suggest you come over. Not to the dorm. To my apartment." He said this so happily that I couldn't resist saying yes. Dongwoon had recently began renting his own apartment that wasn't even 5 blocks from Beast's dorm. It was his first place on his own and he was really happy about that. He always tried to show it off. But he wasn't allowed to stay there when Beast had schedules to do, so we'd only be there for hanging out, I'm sure.

"I'll see you soon then?" he asked.

"Yeah I'll just meet you there," I said, knowing it would take me longer than "soon" to get there. But I wouldn't mention that to Woonie.

"Jinhwa get off the phone this is serious business!" Miyeon slapped the phone out of my hand and made me drop it.

"Yah, ask nicely!" I whined while picking up my phone. It had closed when it fell so the call had ended, but I didn't bother calling Dongwoon back.

"What are you going to do if they start stalking all of us?" Jaesoon asked Song-E.

"We'll ask Jiyoon-ssi when we see her tonight. If she's not already on her—"

Just then Jiyoon walked through the door and sighed, "Seriously guys?" Jaesoon, Miyeon, and I pointed at Song-E, who pouted innocently. Jiyoon sighed and walked over to us, "It's fine. It's not the end of the world. Gikwang and Cube have it under control. But seriously? Why do you two have to be so—"

"Cute?" Miyeon suggested.

Jiyoon paused, then shrugged, "Well yeah. Cute."

Song-E stood up and went to the kitchen. She was embarrassed and disappointed at the same time. Jaesoon followed her while Miyeon and I just sat with Jiyoon.

Jiyoon sighed, "I can't say I'm that surprised. Those two… well, you know." She smiled at us knowingly.

"Am I cool to take a shower do you think?" Miyeon asked.

"Is it really still a good idea to go—"

"Last time I checked," Jiyoon defended, "Taecyeon isn't part of Beast."

Miyeon smiled in thanks at her, and Jiyoon looked at me, "It'll be nothing. Let her have her fun."

"Is it okay if I go to Dongwoon's apartment?" I asked.

"He has an apartment now?" Jiyoon asked back, then chuckled, "If I haven't heard about it yet, then I'm guessing it's safe."

Song-E and Jaesoon came back out of the kitchen, and Song-E looked as though she had cheered up.

"Unni, can we see a movie?" Jaesoon asked with pouty lips.

"I thought you'd never ask," Jiyoon sighed and smiled, "I've been bored lately. Let's go do something!" She turned to me, then the smile faded, "Oh wait, you and Miyeon have plans, better not ask you to change those."

"I'm sorry unni," I pouted and looked at my hands.

Jiyoon nudged me, "Yah, I'm just kidding. Go have fun while you're still young."

When I finally made it to Dongwoon's apartment, I let myself in with the hidden key. He was asleep on the couch, so I slipped the remote from his hands, lifted his feet up as slowly and gently as possible and squeezed my way under his legs. I took this time to catch up on my dramas that I had secretly set to record at Dongwoon's for occasions just like this. After less than 15 minutes of the latest episode of We Got Married: Khuntoria, I fell asleep, too.

I woke up to Dongwoon poking my face.

"Jinhwa please wake up, you're scaring me," he said in a worried tone.

"Huh?" I peeked a look at him and instantly got embarrassed.

"It looked like you weren't breathing!" Dongwoon said, relief coating his deep voice, "You just sat there with your mouth open, like a zombie." I could feel my face getting redder while he continued, "I tried to shake you awake, but you just flopped on top of me. You really scared me."

I let out a nervous chuckle, "My bad… I was watching Khuntoria but—"

"You've had a long day. I understand, really, I do," he touched my cheek and smiled. We stayed like that for a minute, smiling at each other. It would've been awkward for someone else to touch me like this, but for Dongwoon this was normal behavior.

"You hungry?" I finally snapped out of it and stood up toward the kitchen.

"Starving, what are you going to make me?" he smiled and leaned against the kitchen counter while I explored his fridge.

"You expect me to cook when all you have in your fridge is bottle water and strawberries?"

Dongwoon pouted, "I guess we'll order in. Unless you want to go grocery shopping for me."

I sighed. That was the very last thing I felt like doing, so I gave Dongwoon a "dream on" look. He chuckled and made the call to the Chinese place 3 blocks away.

"So," he set his phone down and sat on the kitchen counter, "tell me about your day."

"We had a hellish practice and it feels like nothing got accomplished," I pouted, "I can't get the choreo down to save my life. Jaesoon is the only one who can get it—"

"How is Jaesoon?" Dongwoon asked, "Her and Doojoon haven't been out in a while. Are they still friends?"

"I don't know what's going on with that, to be honest," I sighed.

"What about Miyeon? She used to hang out with him, too," Dongwoon was observant but he was talking about the wrong things. This wasn't my battle, and I didn't want to get involved, so I just shrugged.

"How about Song-E?" Dongwoon asked, "She okay?"

I looked at him and bit my lip, "She's kinda hurt, to be frank."

Dongwoon look utterly confused, "Hurt? Why?"

I sighed, "You really want to go there?" His face didn't change at all, so I continued, "Well Gikwang just kinda dismissed her off, don't you think?"

"No," Dongwoon said, "They're not together, so why shouldn't he dismiss the rumors?"

"They're obviously insane for each other. The entire world can see it, except those two. I don't understand why—"

"It just doesn't work like that in the idol world, Jinhwa," Dongwoon started to sound oddly wise, "Gikwang has created a huge name for himself, and we'd be foolish to say he's not a huge part of Beast's popularity. If he gets a girlfriend, our fans—"

"Why is that the issue here all of a sudden?" I asked, a little overly defensive.

Dongwoon sighed, "What if it was me and you? Would you be mad if I dismissed you like that?"

I paused. The answer was yes, but I scoffed it away and instead answered, "No, because we're different than those two."

Dongwoon mumbled, "Not by much."

There wasn't much to say after that. There was so much I wanted to ask Dongwoon, and so much more I wanted to bring up about Song-E and Gikwang. But I kept quiet. Quiet through eating Chinese, and quiet through the movie he rented. I was tired, but I couldn't close my eyes without my mind racing, so I stared at the TV blankly.

But then something strange happened. There was a sort of silent apology that both of us felt. I knew it was there when he pulled me to his side by wrapping his arm around me and giving my arm a gentle squeeze. I couldn't keep the small smile off my face. I rested my head against his shoulder, like I always do, took in a breath of his smell, barely turning my face to catch it off the skin of his neck, like I always do. Dongwoon's breath slowed down, and soon his head was drooping. Asleep—exactly where I wanted to be, but I knew I had to get home soon. I checked my phone for the time, but I had two texts. First was from Jaesoon.

( Song-E and I are sick, so Jiyoon cancelled practice tomorrow. )

The next was from Jiyoon.

( I don't suggest you stay at Dongwoon's tonight, but if you're just too tired, don't worry about it because we aren't practicing tomorrow. )

I sighed. This was Jiyoon's way of telling me to stay put. It was already late and she didn't want me out by myself.

I texted Jaesoon back.

( Feel better unni! How did you guys get sick? )

Dongwoon woke up and blinked at me, "Why'd you let me fall asleep?"

"I know you must be tired," I said simply, sending a text to Song-E.

( I hope you feel better soon unni! Do you want me to come home and take care of you? )

"Who are you texting? One of your boyfriends?" he teased.

"Yes," I chuckled, "Actually I'm texting all of them."

I sent a text to Miyeon, too, for good measure.

( Are you home/going home tonight? )

Miyeon was the first to text back.

( Taecyeonie and I are out clubbing, but I'm sure I'll make it home. )

I laughed a little to myself.

( Tell Taecyummy that I still want to meet Khun and preferably Toria, too. )

Dongwoon took my phone and held it over his head, "Pay attention to meeeee!"

I laughed and tried to reach my phone again but he held it away from me. "I am paying attention to you sleepy head."

"No, you're texting," he peeked at my phone, "Your boyfriend Jaesoon texted you back, can I read it?"

"Like I care," I laughed, and climbed on him enough to grab my phone back.

( Not sure. It's a fever and cough sort of thing, so make sure you and Miyeonie don't get it. It sucks. )

"Aww, Jaesoon is sick?" Dongwoon was reading over my shoulder. He rested his chin there and I noticed his hand on my other side.

"Yeah, her and Song-E," I said, my voice was full of concern for my unnies, "I hope Miyeon and I don't catch it, too."

"Then you better stay here," Dongwoon kept a serious face, "You shouldn't go back while they have fevers. Everything they touch could make you sick!"

I laughed, "I'm sure it's fine to go home. Someone needs to take care of them." I tried to stand up but Dongwoon pulled me back down.

"I'm serious, Jinnie, you can't get sick!" he whined and suddenly he looked about 10 years old, "If you get sick, then I'll get sick and then all of Beast will get sick and it'll be your fault!"

I blinked, "You can't put that kind of responsibility on my shoulders."

"I just did," he smirked, "So restart the movie and let's actually try to watch it this time."

"But I already watched it all," I pouted.

Song-E texted me back.

( It's probably better if you bunk on Woonie's couch. )

"See? At least someone agrees with me," Dongwoon kept reading over my shoulder. I sighed.

"I didn't bring my toothbrush or anything!" I pouted.

"Go to the corner and get a toothbrush and I'm sure I have some old pajamas that will fit you."

I frowned, "I have to go? All by myself? But I'm scared."

Dongwoon chuckled, "Then I'll go get you a toothbrush after I find you some pajamas. Come on," he jumped up and held out his hand. I followed him to his room, which still had a bunch of boxes. He went straight to a box to find me something to sleep in. He held up some sweat pants that had an elastic waist and a drawstring tie.

"These will be long but the bottoms are elastic too so you can push them up if you want," he handed them to me and I examined them for a minute.

"These are huge," I said with a little giggle.

"They're the smallest ones I have," Dongwoon pouted.

"They'll do," I patted his cheek, "Now go get me a toothbrush."

Dongwoon laughed and ruffled my hair, "Make yourself comfortable, I'll be back in 10 minutes."

I decided it wouldn't hurt to lay down on Dongwoon's bed for a few minutes. It was comfortable.. much of an improvement from the one at the Beast dorm. Not like I'd spent a lot of time there… I took a nap there one afternoon but no one else was there besides Junhyung, and he was watching TV. I remember I could hear the TV while I was falling asleep… Yeah, this bed was much more comfortable…

And thus, I drifted off to sleep in Dongwoon's bed.