Practice was as grueling as I expected it to be on a Saturday morning, but it bugged me even more that Yoseob sat on the bleachers over-looking the field reading his book. I should have expected him to bring a book with him. He probably didn’t even like sports, that’s what I figured.

Despite that in the back of my mind I was repeatedly reminded of his presence I pushed through practice and focused on the upcoming game. I had to keep my head on straight no matter what.

“In coming!” I quickly reacted to the ball that flew my way. I stopped the ball with the flat end of my stick and dribbled the ball forward towards the goal. There was an opening so I drew my stick back and slap-shot the ball into the net past the goal keeper.

My team screamed in praise. “There you go Mi Kyung!” Numerous hands patted my back as we ran back to the center of the field to start another play.

It was only a scrimmage we were playing, but I played every game with all my effort so I pumped my fist in approval. Just keep it up Mi Kyung.

Unintentionally my eyes slid to see if Yoseob had noticed, but the freaking jerk still had his body bent over delved deep into his book. I pursed my lips. “Sheesh, can’t that guy at least glance out from his book for one second?”

I shook my head and started running as the play restarted. It’s ridiculous to bother with such useless things. There was no point to even care whether he watched or not.

I cursed. “Focus!” I yelled to myself, but as lowly as possible.

The practice continued with no bumps in the road so the coach was merciful and allowed us to leave a little early.

The girls cheered in triumph. Na Kyung poised her stick on her shoulders and thumped me with its end. “Let’s go hang out with some of the girls.” I immediately knew that Yoseob would refuse for me to do that.

He would have to follow us around the whole time, and he hates walking around. He’s such a home body. “Sorry, I don’t think I can.”

Na Kyung crossed her arms and frowned at me with wide eyes. “Why not? Is it because of Yoseob? Listen, I don’t know what’s going on with you and those brothers lately. I’m definitely curious after they took you home when you passed out during practice, but you didn’t want to talk about it so I let it go. But seriously, you never hang out with us anymore! It’s like they practically own you or something!” She stomped her foot in frustration.

I sighed and scratched the back of my neck. Well at that very instant they kind of did own me because of what I knew, but clearly I could not tell Na Kyung that.

All of the girls were coming out from the locker room changed and heading home. I scratched the back of my head. “It’s not like that. There’s just certain reasons why I haven’t been able to do much often, but it will all be over by the time my parents get back.”

Na Kyung groaned. “When will that be exactly?”

I winced in response. I already knew she wouldn’t like what I would say. “Well they didn’t say exactly when they would be back.”

Na Kyung threw her arms up in the air. “Seriously?! You know Mi Kyung can’t you just bring him along with us?” She pointed to Yoseob still glued to his book.

I opened my mouth to protest, but she interrupted me. “He can come and hang out with us. I’m sure he’ll have fun. We don’t bite and we’ll talk to him so he doesn’t feel awkward. I will do anything, but I just want to see my best friend.”

I sighed and rubbed my head. I looked back up at Yoseob. This would be torture for him. Na Kyung then crossed her arms again. “I won’t stop bugging you about your relationship with those brothers unless if you come along.”

I weighed my options and saw that realistically there were no options because I knew she was persistent. She would not give up on asking me all the time. It already gave me a migraine to imagine the amount of times she would ask me the same question.

I put my hands up in defeat. “Fine, I’ll go ask him.” Na Kyung, finally happy, hopped up and down and clapped her hands together. “Awesome it would be so fun! And it’s only like two other girls from the team coming so there’s nothing to worry about!”

I nodded and proceeded over to the dark haired boy reading.

I was most definitely not scared of Yoseob anymore. At least since he didn’t have any killing intent towards me anymore, but I could already sense his disapproval emanating off his body and he wasn’t even looking at me.

Na Kyung said it would just be two other girls from the team, but for Yoseob that would probably be like two hundred.

I trudged up the bleachers until I came to a standstill next to him. “Is practice done?” I gulped. “Yes, but-”

He swiftly shut his book. “Let’s go home then.” He was already standing so I quickly blocked his way. “Na Kyung said that we have to hang out with her and two other girls from the team or else she’ll keep asking what my relationship with you and your brothers is.”

He scoffed and grabbed a satchel that I had never noticed he brought. He slid his book inside. “We don’t have to do anything. Last time I checked she wasn’t royalty.”

He tried to walk past me so I side stepped to stop him. His eyes looked extremely irritated now. “Step out of the way. We are going home.”

I shook my head. “She will find out the truth if we don’t go today. I know her.” He groaned and slid his hands into his pockets.  He turned his head to look out at the field as if some sort of solution would be over there.

“I won’t have to speak a word?” I raised my pinkie. “I pinkie promise. I will do all the talking.”

His eyes brushed over my pinkie in contempt, but a moment later he wrapped his pinkie around mine and we shook on it.

A low sigh exited his mouth. “I swear, you really owe me Big time.” I smiled and nudged him in return. “Oh come on. How bad could it be?”

Bad could not define the torture that afternoon was for him.

The girls and Na Kyung all insisted on going to a new café that had opened the week before. Apparently this was the new place to be. I didn’t really mind, but Yoseob on the other hand trailed behind us. He was still near us, but farther than what a normal group of friends would look like.

It resembled more of a ert following a group of high school girls, which to my discontent made people in the streets keep throwing stares our way.

Sitting inside the café wasn’t as fun as I imagined either. It was as if the girls were conducting some sort of interrogation on him. Well Na Kyung was right, they really were definitely not leaving him out. The girls that had joined us were Miho and Haejin.

They just had to be the most talkative girls on the team.

Miho leaned forward. “So Yoseob why do you and your brothers wear gloves all the time?” Haejin decided to give her two cents. “Yeah, doesn’t it get hot?”

We sat at a round table and the seating arrangements were Yoseob then Na Kyung and I on both of his sides, and then the other girls in front of him. Since the girls leaned forward Yoseob edged back in his seat. His face was a stiff slate of awkwardness.

Clearly he was not used to talking to people.

I almost scoffed. The guy had no problem with picking on me, yet when he’s in front of three girls he goes completely silent.

I kept my end of the promise to do all the talking, but I figured that there wouldn’t be anything wrong with using this opportunity to have some fun.

“Oh well him and his brothers have slight hypothyroidism. It’s basically a disease that one of the symptoms is they are sensitive to the cold. Even when it’s not that cold they think it’s cold, especially their hands feel cold. So they wear gloves all the time.” I saw Yoseob look at me with a questioning stare.

I went on proudly despite this. “There are many symptoms from the disease, but out of all the brothers Yoseob is the only one to have constipation at times.”

For the first time ever I saw Yoseob’s cheeks redden. I wasn’t exactly sure whether it was from embarrassment or anger.

Miho gasped dramatically. “Oh that is terrible!” Haejin nodded her head also. “That is. It explains though why you guys always wear gloves. You know Yoseob my mom always tells me that the best cure for constipation is lots of water. It just helps it slide out.”

I had always known Haejin to have no filter, but I nearly choked as she spoke. I side glanced to see that Yoseob was for sure going to let me have it later on.

Na Kyung who hadn’t spoken for a while leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms. “How do you know all of this about Yoseob and his brothers?” She suspiciously eyed me. Miho and Haejin’s interests peaked as well.

I clasped my hands together beneath the table nervously. While Yoseob on the other hand seemed prepared to strangle an answer out of me. “Um, well you see… We’re family friends! In fact the reason why I’ve been around the guys lately is because their house is the family friend’s my parents are having me stay with until they come back.” The lie sounded better and better the more words poured out of my mouth.

All three girls didn’t seem to doubt my claim. Na Kyung smiled in relief. “That explains a lot. No wonder. Everyone was so surprised you were suddenly close with the brothers.”

Miho giggled along with Haejin. “Yeah I mean it made absolutely no sense why someone like you would be around them.”

My eyes widened in shock by the words that left Miho’s mouth. I figured she would realize what she said was wrong, but she and Haejin seemed unaffected. Na Kyung grew quiet. Quickly I glanced at Yoseob, but his focus was solely on the table.

I clenched my fists. Damn it, the last thing this guy needs is more reasons to alienate himself. “Why can’t I hang out with the brothers?”

They both stopped laughing. Haejin smiled at me as if the answer was obvious. “It just doesn’t make sense.” Yoseob was as still as a statue next to me, but I could see the hint of dejection in his face.

My fingers wrapped tightly around the loose fabric of my pants. “What doesn’t make sense about it? They are humans just like me. Maybe not regular humans, but nonetheless they have souls like humans and they have hearts like humans. What doesn’t make sense to me is how you can laugh so easily while insulting good people.”

On a spur of the moment I gathered my bag and stood from my seat. “Come on let’s go.” I gripped onto Yoseob’s sleeve and was able to yank him out of his chair and pull him outside.

I didn’t dare look back at Miho or Haejin, but I most definitely could not look at Na Kyung. I kept pulling Yoseob along until finally he stopped and made me turn around.

“Why are you stopping now? If you’re about to get upset with me for saying too much or stepping over boundary lines or whatever then save your breath.” He cleared his throat then pointed in the opposite direction. “You’re walking the wrong way.”

I groaned then trudged past him. “I know that, I just wanted to blow off some steam.” He chortled, luckily back to normal compared to the statue he became in the café. “Your lies are terrible.”

We walked in silence for a while until we reached the park. The scene in the café just kept replaying in my head. “You know I never liked those girls. They’ve always had such big mouths. They spread so many rumors it’s ridiculous.”

Yoseob didn’t respond and it was killing me. “Look I’m sorry for what happened. You can blame it all on me and rub in my face that we should have just gone straight home to cause less trouble. This is just my fault so I’m sorry ok?” That was probably one of the worst apologies I had ever said, but I had no clue what else to say.

I was hoping to get a response out of Yoseob, but he was silent still. It wasn’t until we walked into the forest that he stopped walking.

His sudden stop made me walk straight into his back. I rubbed my sore nose from the impact. “What the hell? Don’t just stop walking like that you know that-”

Just as suddenly as he stopped walking he turned around then wrapped his arms around me tightly. My face collided with his shoulder then came to rest there. My heart thumped wildly by the sudden contact of all my body parts to his. 

“What ae you doing?” I wasn’t sure what would be best to say in the situation. His arms tightened around me. “This is a reward.”

My whole body relaxed against his and my chest shook from laughter. “A reward for what?” I could tell he was trying his best to keep his face’s bare skin from touching me. “A reward for earlier.”

He was not very good at expressing himself. I smiled. “What happened earlier? I think I need my memory refreshed.”

I could hear the smirk in his voice and his arms began to loosen around me. “You know what I’m talking about idiot.”

His arms released me and swiftly he his heel to start towards the house clearly he wanted to end the conversation. I barely managed to grab onto his sweater before I could lose him in the forest.

I realized something. “Hey, why do you think I would consider a hug as a reward?” He shrugged. “Because you have a massive attraction towards me.”

My heart stopped cold in my chest. I couldn’t help how shrill my voice came out. “What the hell are you talking about?!”

He laughed. “Chill, I’m just joking. I already know that wouldn’t make any sense.”

That wasn’t what I wanted him to think, but I didn’t know what I was supposed to say. I wasn’t sure how I felt about him myself.

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It was night time after a study session I had in the garden. I was walking upstairs with my books under my arm. The mansion seemed empty because of how large it was, but just as I was going up the stairs I caught sight of Kikwang coming down.

He smiled as brightly as ever. “Hey Mi Kyung! How are you doing?” I smiled in return. “I’m fine.”

My curiosity peaked so I poked a bit at him. “Hey, why couldn’t you take me to practice today by the way? I’m just curious because Yoseob told me something came up.”

Kikwang chuckled a bit then slightly leaned closer to me to whisper. “Honestly I didn’t have anything to do.”

My eyes nearly bulged out of my head. “What do you mean by that?!” He raised his index finger and motioned for me to keep it down. “That idiot just suddenly came into my room and ordered me to let him take you.”   

I was confused, but Kikwang didn’t seem like he would let on anything else. He began to walk past me, but stopped to place his gloved hand on my shoulder. “Keep that a secret alright? Yoseob would murder me if he knew I told you.”

Then just like that Kikwang left me on the stair case puzzled and flustered by Yoseob’s intentions.

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Hey there guys! Sorry for the wait I got busy with school starting up soon, but I hope you enjoyed the update and will continue to read:) As always please subscribe, comment, and or upvote!

~Happyfeet