Chapter 2

“You,” Tei replied.

Chae Yeon then answered, “Why are you staring at me? It’s been 5 minutes since I opened the door, oppa.”He gave her a smile and said, “I’m staring at you because you look pretty.”

Chae Yeon blushed, smiled, and looked down.

She did look pretty.

She wore a cute little black dress, with little flower designs. Her belt looked very classy on her, and so did her sandals. Her hair was not tied up; it was long, flowy, and resting up to her shoulders. It was curly, but not too curly, just the way Tei liked. The color of her hair made it look like it smelled good (Tei wanted to smell it). And that smile. Ohohoho, how he loved that smile.

Chae Yeon was melting inside. If Kyung Lim made Chae Yeon feel good this morning, Tei definitely made her feel twice that happiness. She likes it when she hears things like that, especially when
a. It’s early in the morning (because it can definitely start the day right)
b. She herself feels pretty (doesn’t she always?)
c. The one who tells her that is smiling and looking at her intently
d. That person who’s telling her that is Tei

Tei continued to stare at her, smiling from ear to ear, as if he won something.

“Oppa!” She laughed. And gave Tei a playful punch to the shoulder. “Why do you always do this!”

“Do what?” Tei pouted.

Chae Yeon could do nothing but laugh at how stupid and cute Tei looked. He rarely pouted or acted cute to her.

“You stare at me like that! And you do THIS!” she explained, and imitated Tei’s pout.

“Bah. You’re doing it wrong! Don’t pout like that! The day is just starting, and you’re already ruining it for me,” Tei said after laughing at her.

Chae Yeon lifted her eyebrows, crossed her arms, and tapped her feet. Tei simply smiled and took her hand.

As soon as Tei took her hand, Chae Yeon wanted to let go because she was embarrassed and shy, but Tei held on even tighter. He glanced at her and gave her a smile that always made Chae Yeon fall to her knees. As soon as he looked at her, Chae Yeon felt an immediate feeling of comfort, that nothing can go wrong, and that Tei can and will always find a way to keep her happy, not that he has to try because seeing him and just being with him makes Chae Yeon feel good already.

“C’mon. We’re going to be late if you just stay there being pretty,” pulling her to his car.

They both laughed it off. This is really going to be a good day.

They reached the studio minutes later. They had plenty of time before the show started recording, so they both decided to go to one of their rooms and spend time over a cup of coffee.

They walked backstage, through the corridor. It was early; there weren’t much people yet; just some PDs and crew members, getting the stage ready for another show of X-Man.

“Ya!”

Chae Yeon stopped walking. Tei looked back. It was HaHa.

“Annyeong, HaHa!”

HaHa was Tei’s close friend. They weren’t really best friends, because they didn’t tell each other mushy love stories, or played dolls together when they were little (they’re boys, what can you expect? But they were really good friends. They complemented each another, and knew each other from the head to the toes. If one was sad, the other one knew what to do or say.

“Annyeong!” HaHa said, patting Tei in the back. “Why didn’t you pick me up today? Aish. I had to drive again… You know how I don’t like driving so much in the morning. Traffic is crazy and I almost ran over a dog in the parking lot! I think it was one of DBSK’s dogs. Dongsaeng! If I ran over one of their dogs, caan you imagine what Cassio-”

“HaHa.” Tei interrupted.

Tei gave him a look, and then smiled sarcastically. He then was signaling to HaHa. Pointing at something.

“Dongsaeng? What are you pointing at? Bah. You’re going crazy again. What have I told you about wa- Oh.” HaHa saw her. He stopped talking, and gave Tei a distorted smile.

HaHa looked behind Tei. “Annyeong, Chae Yeon-ah,” and flailed his arms in the air to run up to her and give her a hug. He pushed Tei aside and gave Chae Yeon a big hug. Like he always did every morning.

Chae Yeon laughed, bowed and smiled. “Annyeong,” and kept her head down. She was still very shy when people saw her and Tei together, especially when it was HaHa who saw them together.

As soon as Chae Yeon greeted him, HaHa looked at her for a moment. He came closer to her, circled around her, having his fingers to his chin, and inspected what Chae Yeon was wearing.

“You look really pretty today. What did you do to your hair? It’s curly, ne? And you're slippers, are they slipperaaaaaa~ Yaaaa! I almost forgot! Did you hear what I just said? About the dogs I almost ran over? Nuna!!! Don’t tell anyone I almost ran over DBSK’s dogs. They might kill me! Cassio-”

“HaHa.” Tei gave HaHa a stiff smile. Almost as if he was signaling him to just go away.

“Aish. Why do you always cut me off in the part where I talk about Cassiope-”

“Aish. Just go! I’ll bring you home later, okay?! GO AWAY, Hyung. You know I love you, but this is one of the moments where that love has to be put on hold. See you in recording later,” Tei said, waving his hand.

“Goodbye, oppa.” Chae Yeon laughed and put her arms in the air to signal HaHa for a goodbye hug.

"Hmph," HaHa gave them a look. “Don’t call me oppa. You still look older than me.” He stuck out his tongue like a kid, and left. “Pft, lovers...”

“Lovers??”

Both Tei and Chae Yeon whispered to themselves, and secretly looked at one another.
Both thought. We’re not lov… Muo-ya? That’s crazy. Are we?

Awkward as it became, the two decided to shrug it off and go to the room already to relax a bit before the show. Tei and Chae Yeon finally reached Chae Yeon’s room, after what seemed to be an eternity of answering questions about couples or compliments about how pretty Chae Yeon looked today.

Sitting down in one of the chairs, Tei said, “Ya! Why must you be so pretty today?” and playfully swung his hair like it was long like Chae Yeon’s. “Now no one will ever notice me anymore, and to think that I styled my hair differently today. I’m becoming uglier and uglier because of you!”

Chae Yeon obviously was smiling from ear to ear when she heard this. “Mianhe.” She stood up.

Chae Yeon jerked up and came close - so close to him. She held on the arm-rests of the chair that Tei was sitting on. Their faces were touching, almost as if she was about to…

“YA! What do you think you’re doing?!” Tei shouted. He put his arms up to his chest and raised an eyebrow.

She smiled. Looked him in the eyes, and said, “Oppa, don’t worry. I still think you’re pretty.”

She bent her head to the side and raised her eyebrow, almost as if she was examining Tei’s face. “But you should stop pouting. You ARE becoming uglier and uglier.”