It's You Chapter 6

I was stunned. Then I remembered reading that DongHae didn't really like physical contact, but he adored hugs. I felt very very warm, and not because of the fact that I was blushing. I really should have counted the number of times that I'd blushed in a day. Maybe then I would have written to the Guiness Book of World Records.

I felt incredibly happy.

The sun had set pretty quickly and the air had turned cold (it was, after all, still winter) although the day had been quite warm. Maybe it was because I was drenched too. Aside from the fact that I was freezing, I was still smiling. DongHae must have felt me smile, because he pulled away.
"So are you coming back?" he asked hopefully.
I nodded. I had made up my mind. I didn't care so much that DongHae was part of the hottest group in Korea anymore, to me, he had become an ordinary boy with ordinary feelings. I wished that I didn't use so much time looking him up. I wanted to get to know him now.
But not from others, from him.
I peered out of the booth. The rain had slowed down to a drizzle and I stepped out of it. DongHae followed me. I handed him back his coat, because I didn't want the others to think that there was actually something up between us. EunHyuk and KyuHyun gave us a funny look as we entered, but other than that we were left alone.

After I took a quick shower and dried my wet clothes in the drier, I looked at myself in the mirror and wondered what DongHae saw in me. I looked... ordinary. Dark brown hair just a little bit longer than shoulder-length, dark brown eyes that were quite big, I didn't even wear make-up most of the time. I wasn't even super thin, just nicely fit. I ate what I wanted when I wanted, but my legs were a bit bigger in proportion to my body. And even I had to admit that I was a bit boyish.
Maybe that was why he liked me. I wasn't like the average teen, always needing to be stick thin, always needing to wear make-up, always wanting to have dyed hair. I wasn't that type of girl. I knew that I wasn't going to change for anyone, not even DongHae.

Someone knocked on the door and I jumped. "JaeHwa sshi, are you ready? HanKyung wants you to eat his fried rice," came a voice that sounded like RyeoWook. He laughed. "And he sounds desperate!"
I opened the door. The wonderful smell of food flooded the room immediatly. "Wow, it sure smells good though," I said as RyeoWook led me to the kitchen. He laughed.
"Say that to his face and he'll love you for life," he said, handing me a plate of steaming rice. I smiled. They were as loveable as what they portrayed in their videos.

"Come on, YeSunggie!" yelled DongHae and EunHyuk as YeSung pressed furiously on the game controls. They had decided to play a racing game on the game console, and ShinDong was beating all of them flat. "Awwww..." everyone said as ShinDong crossed the line for the 9th time. YeSung flopped on the couch.
"Nooooo, I can't believe I lost!" he groaned, making the others laugh. "I worked so hard for it, what did I do to deserve this?!"
"You played ShinDong, that's what happened," replied KyuHyun, smiling. He turned to me. "Hey JaeHwa sshi, want to have a turn?"
"Umm, ok, but I think I might lose too," I replied, taking the controller from YeSung.
"Hey, you never know," said HeeChul. "Maybed he might go easy on girls. You know, ladies first and all. Right ShinDong?" he said, winking at ShinDong.
"If I gave girls chances, you would have won Chullie," retorted ShinDong.
"Don't call me Chullie!"
"Chullie!"
"Aaaargh!"
"Okay JaeHwa, are you ready to take on the master?" said ShinDong, stopping HeeChul in mid yell. The countdown on the screen started. I revved up, and looked at ShinDong. He gave me a cheeky grin.
"GO...!" yelled EunHyuk and SungMin.
I accelerated, getting faster and faster, and rounded the corner easily. I said I was boyish! I loved racing games, and I usually played with HyunJae's brother when I went round to her house. Did I mention that I usually won as well?
"Wah JaeHwa sshi, you're really good," said LeeTeuk wonderingly. I smiled. ShinDong's car was right beside me as we went on our 2nd lap. The guys started cheering.
"Whoooooo! Go JaeHwa! Kick him out of the race!" yelled DongHae and SiWon. As we neared the finish line, I pressed the turbo button, which I always saved for last, and sped through the finish line. The living room burst out in laughter and yells.
"Congrats JaeHwa sshi, you beat the Race King!" said KyuHyun, smiling.
"HAHAHHA ShinDong, that's what you get for calling me Chullie!" yelled HeeChul, jumping around.
"Don't worry ShinDong sshi," I said. "I'm only here for today, you'll get back your title soon." He smiled at me.
"Even if I do, these jokers will never live it down" he replied. "But you're a nice girl, so I don't mind." I laughed.
"Okay people, time for bed, we've got an early start tomorrow," said KangIn, who had had a good rest and looked a bit embarassed at what he'd said earlier. "And.. uh... JaeHwa sshi.."
"That's okay, KangIn sshi," I said before he could apologise. "I totally understand." I smiled at him and he instantly relaxed.
"Hey DongHae, can you choose girls for me next time?" he said, slapping DongHae on the back. "You always get the really nice ones." DongHae rolled his eyes.
"Whatever hyung," he said. He smiled at me. "How about we get to bed? You can sleep on my bed, I'll sleep with SungMinnie."

My heart stopped.

After I had called my parents in Japan and changed into a pair of SungMin's old pyjamas (which were, incidentally, pink, which I wasn't very keen on), I entered DongHae and SungMin's bedroom. The first thing that struck me was one of the cupboards at the end of room, which was stuffed full of pink. EVEN I DIDN'T HAVE THAT MUCH PINK STUFF!
"A bit overboard isn't it?" said a voice behind me, and DongHae sauntered into the room wearing a pair of blue pyjamas with a duck on it. It was so cute I nearly went "awwwww".
"That's my bed, and this is SungMinnie's," he continued, flopping on to the bed nearest the wall. I went and sat on it, looking at him. A silence settled over us until SungMin bustled into the room and climbed into bed next to DongHae.
"Can I sleep in? I like the wall," said SungMin, an I laughed. "Hey JaeHwa sshi, do you want a teddy? I've got alot," added SungMin. I thought about it for a while.
"Sure, I don't mind, I like teddy bears," I said. SungMin, grinning, nudged DongHae, who sighed and walked over to the non-pink cupboard. He pulled out an adorable looking white and blue teddy bear and gave it to me. I was pretty sure the non-pink cupboard was his...

"Goodnight JaeHwa sshi," said DongHae, and he turned out the light. I lay down and pulled over the blanket, hugging the teddy bear. I felt a bit lonely though, without my usual array of stuffed toys by my side. I also felt incredibly cold. There was only me on the bed and a thin blanket. They must have forgotten to turn the heating up. I sneezed.
In an instance, I felt a presence beside me. I turned around and came face to face with DongHae. I very nearly screamed, but clapped a hand to my mouth. "DongHae sshi!" I hissed. "What're you doing? You're in a room with SungMin!"
DongHae gave a quiet laugh. "SungMinnie always falls asleep the moment his head hits the pillow. I... I usually have a hard time sleeping at night. Want to talk? It's usually lonely with no one to talk to."
"Uhh, sure," I said. DongHae climbed on to the bed and sat next to me, pulling the blanket over his knees.
"Are you cold?" he asked. I shook my head. Truthfully, I wasn't anymore. Not when he was sitting next to me. "Good. Why can't you sleep?"
"Well, I guess I'm not very comfortable not sleeping in my own bed," I admitted. "I usually have a bunch of soft toys next to me, just to cuddle."
"That's cute," said DongHae, and in the darkness I saw him smile. "Well, you can always cuddle me when you feel lonely." I felt incredibly lucky that the room was almost pitch black. My face was probably like O.O "As for me, I usually find it hard to sleep at night because I miss my family. And since my dad...." he trailed off. I could feel that he was very tense. I took a deep breath.
"My dad passed away last year," he eventually said, his voice cracking, and even though it was dark I could tell that he was crying. "I... I really m-m-miss him." I could feel myself tearing up as well.
"I... I'm so sorry, DongHae sshi," I said softly. "I had no idea." I squeezed his hand sympathetically. He took another deep breath and looked at me.
"He knew he was dying. It was cancer. He never told me about it until much later. W... when we debuted, I went to give him my first earnings... but he.... he was... he was gone."

I threw my arms around him. It was an impulse. "Please don't cry DongHae," I whispered. "I'm so, so sorry about your dad. But he'll always be with you."
DongHae was hugging me back. "I love him, he was my best friend." He pulled away, wiping his eyes. "Sorry to keep you awake, JaeHwa. You can go to sleep now." He started to climb out of the bed. I don't know why I did, but I stopped him.
"You can sleep here if you want, DongHae."
"What?! Are... are you sure?"
I nodded. I knew that he wouldn't do anything to me. I was telling him that I trusted him. I think that he needed to know that.
I lay down with my back to him and closed my eyes.
And then.
I felt his hand slip around my waist.
My face went into O.O mode again. I instantly tensed up.
"I'm not going to do anything to you, relax," he said, laughing a little. "Goodnight JaeHwa."
I relaxed. I trusted him.
"Goodnight DongHae."