Jongin left the university paper office minutes ago, and Chanyeol even wished him good luck with a brave face. He had agreeably given his best friend his car key as Jongin told him that he was picking up Kyungsoo from her dormitory.

Chanyeol sighed, staring at the enlarged picture of Do Kyungsoo on his screen. If truth be known, he hadn’t made a single progression with this project. He would do his other work for the paper and then when he came back to his desktop, there would be her beguiling face as his wallpaper and he couldn’t help but be mesmerized all over again.

He didn’t usually stay at the paper office this late, but tonight he would make an exception.

Junmyeon and Sehun were on their way out. “Chanyeol? It’s almost 8 p.m. The building’s nearly empty. You can finish whatever it is you’re doing next week,” Junmyeon said gently, coming up to his station.

He looked up at the couple, automatically opening up a web browser to conceal his desktop background. “Oh, uh... I’m having all these ideas for the Miss Saigon poster.” He smiled at Sehun. “I’ll leave soon, Myeonnie. I’ll lock up and give you the keys early morning Monday.”

Junmyeon still looked concerned but reluctantly gave the office keys to Chanyeol. “All right.” She smiled kindly. “Don’t work too hard.”

“Yeah, dude,” Sehun added, shaking Chanyeol’s hand. “It’s Friday, for crying out loud!”

Chanyeol laughed weakly. “I’m just about to wrap this up. Go, you lovebirds.”

Both laughed. “Oh,” Junmyeon inserted, “Baekhyun is still working on her article. Wait up for each other, okay?”

“Baekhyun?” Chanyeol sounded surprised. “Uh... okay. Thanks. Have fun, guys.”

With that, the couple waved and turned for the door. He heard them say goodbye to Baekhyun.

Chanyeol got up and looked for his friend at her workstation. He found her crouched down with her head on her folded arms.

He pulled out another chair and sat beside her. “Baek?” he called, worried. Then he looked at her screen. There was a slightly miniature picture of Kyungsoo and Baekhyun’s interview with her.

Then he heard her... sobbing.

He shook her. “Baekhyun-ah!”

When she looked up, her eyes were all red and puffy and her face was scrunched up from crying.

Chanyeol’s eyes widened, proceeding to wipe her tears with his sleeve. “What’s the matter?”

Baekhyun sniffed. “Chanyeol?” she asked, her voice cracking. “Do you think I’m pretty?”

“Huh?” His mouth dropped, her question catching him off-guard.

Baekhyun bawled, turning back to her table and burying her face in her arm. “See?!  You don’t even think so!”

“Wait, wait... Baek,” Chanyeol attempted gently, holding Baekhyun’s arms and making her look at him. “What is going on? Where is this coming from?”

“Answer my question first!” she demanded, sobbing. “Am I pretty or not?”

Chanyeol sighed and looked into her eyes. “Yes. Very pretty... in a... sisterly kind of way.”

Baekhyun turned away from him, grudgingly getting some tissue from her drawer and blowing her nose into it. “Gee, thanks a lot!”

Chanyeol couldn’t help a smile. “Well, what do you want me to say?” Then he chuckled.

Baekhyun hit him on the arm. “Don’t you dare laugh at me! I haven’t cried since the fifth grade and now... if I’m crying then it must be something really upsetting!”

Chanyeol narrowed his eyes. “You cried on the fifth grade because Jongin stole a kiss from you. D-Does this have anything to do with—”

“I don’t care what that does with his free time anyway! Jerk! He even asked me which perfume to wear for his date with Do Kyungsoo!” she snarled, trying to glare at the picture on the screen.

“Baek... that means you—”

Her lower lip trembled. “B-Before you get all analytical on me, Chanyeol, he... he... whats-his-name said that he never found...” She avoided