For the next few days, Haengbok wakes up before everyone else in the house, and by the time I get up, he’s already left the house. Grandma scolds me for “needing too much beauty sleep.” Mom laughed and said I don’t need beauty sleep, since I inherited all her pretty traits.

Suji hasn’t been showing up at school. I start to think that maybe she really is sick, because I kind of expected her to come to school, acting like she’s not feeling well to get Jongin’s attention. But as I think about it, I become more worried. Suji is as frail as a flower petal, but she would never skip school unless it was a deadly or urgent situation. Minyoung is equally concerned as I am.

Since the day of our encounter in the library, I still admired Jongin from afar, but I never got in his way like those other girls. I hope that Jongin doesn’t see me as a stalker after what happened that day...

I can honestly say I didn’t expect him to approach me again.

It was right after the school day ended. I was right outside the school gates, holding my English notebook in one hand and my phone in the other. I sent a quick text to a friend, then put my phone in my jacket pocket and started heading home.

Then, I heard my name being called, and I froze, knowing exactly whose voice that was. I turn back and see Jongin striding toward me, stopping an arm’s length away.

“U-uh...” I stammer. “Um, h-hello, Jongin.”

“Hi,” he says, showing off his perfect teeth with a smile. “Where’re you going?”

“Um—I was—” I can’t get my words out! “Just, um, going home,” I answer, silently praying that I didn’t sound awkward.

“Not waiting for Haengbok?” he asks. “I thought—you know, since you’re his sister—that you guys go home together.”

I shake my head. “Sometimes we do. I mean, most the time we walk together, unless we have our own stuff to do,” I clarify. “Just lately...” I sigh.

“Hm...are you doing anything right now?”

My eyes widen, and I know it probably looks like they’re about to pop out of my skull. I’ve never able to hide my surprise, my body always reacting before my brain can even process anything. “Uh—What?” Did I hear right? Did he just ask me—

“If you’re not doing anything, we could go together?” Jongin says, ending his suggestion as if he was asking question.

“Sure!” I smile brightly.

“So just waiting for Haengbok now,” Jongin says as he smiles back at me.

Suddenly, disappointment hits me. For a moment, I forgot about my twin. I forgot about a few days ago, when I trailed behind them like a third wheel. I forgot that I have no idea how Jongin feels about me... Although...doesn’t it seem like he likes me? Maybe just a little... I wish I knew for sure!

Before I can think of something to say, I see my twin, and then the three of us are walking side-by-side, Jongin being in the middle. I look past Jongin and see my brother rubbing his eyes sleepily.

“Ya, Haengbok, you should get some more sleep!” I exclaim, taking notice of the dark circles under his eyes.

“I’m fine,” Haengbok replies, sounding annoyed.

“You’ll start looking like a panda,” Jongin says.

“Like Zitao!” I laugh, and Haengbok lets out a little snicker, too.

“Uh, what?” Jongin asks, probably feeling a little left out.

I explain how we always teased our childhood friend for resembling a panda bear. Zitao always countered by saying that he was more like a tiger or leopard than a panda. To me, he seemed more like a cute kitten, rather than a big cat.

Then, Jongin tells us about one of his friends from Seoul, and before I know it, we’re all exchanging little anecdotes about our lives. I learn that Jongin’s best friends from Seoul are two guys named Sehun and Kyungsoo. There’s several times when I want to ask Jongin to tell me more, but I avoid doing so. I definitely don’t want to seem nosy again.

When we arrive home, I fish out my house key from my backpack and open the door.

“You should stay a while,” Haengbok suggests. “If you want.”

“Yeah, you should!” I add. “Unless you have to go somewhere?”

“Um, sure?”

I invite Jongin into the living room while Haengbok goes into the kitchen. I leave for a minute to set my stuff down in my room. When I return, our grandmother is also sitting on the sofa in the living room, talking with Jongin. I sit on the other sofa with Jongin.

Just then, Haengbok appears from the kitchen with a large bowl of grapes. He sets the bowl on the coffee table in front of us, greets our grandmother, and then sits down next to me.

“Thank you, Haengbok,” Grandma says. “Have some, kids.”

I eat a few, popping them in my mouth. Jongin hesitates before picking up a few grapes and eating them. “Thank you,” he says politely, bowing his head slightly.

“Grandma, you’ve already met Jongin before, right?” I ask. “Before we came back from China?”

“Of course!” Grandma responds. She starts talking about how Jongin’s father is a doctor, how his mother is so beautiful, how Jongin is such a good son, and how basically perfect their entire family is.

I smile and nod as Grandma speaks, but Jongin seems a bit shy. “My family...we're just normal,” he says, stressing on the last word.

“Aigoo, you’re so humble, too.” Grandma glances at the clock on the wall. “Well, I’ll be going out for my walk now,” she says as she gets up. “Feel free to stay as long as you like, Jongin.”

He laughs shyly, and reaches for a few more grapes, putting two in his mouth. Haengbok, who zoned out during Grandma’s rambling, snaps back into reality when Jongin suddenly leans over and holds a grape to Haengbok’s lips. He almost goes cross-eyed, staring at the dark red grape.

“Here,” Jongin presses. “You haven’t eaten any yet.”

My brother parts his lips slightly, only to close his mouth again. “Ummm...”

“He doesn’t like other people feeding him.” I giggle. “That’s one of the things different about us. I don’t mind as much as him.” I try to think about what we do have in common. It seems like that list has shrunk over the years...

As if he was reading my mind, Haengbok mumbles, “We’re not that different.” He eats the grape Jongin was still holding for him, chewing slowly.

Jongin plucks another grape from the bowl and this times holds it in front of me. “Here.”

“Th-thanks.” I can feel a blush burning in my cheeks as I take the grape in my mouth.

Jongin chuckles. “You’re cute,” he says all of a sudden. He eats some more and again feeds Haengbok, who is still shows some resistance.

As soon as he says “cute”, I get butterflies in my stomach and I’m pretty sure my blush deepens. I try to contain myself, try to stop myself from squealing because he just called me cute!

“Ya, that’s enough,” Haengbok says when Jongin tries to get him to eat some more.

Jongin withdraws and apologizes. “Sorry...”

“Here, Jongin,” I say cheerily, holding a perfect red grape to Jongin’s soft-looking lips. He lets me feed him.

Jongin checks his watch. “I should go now,” he states. “Stayed too long already. Sorry.” He gets up and grabs his jacket and backpack. I accompany him to the door.

“Seeya at school.”

“Um, yeah.” I smile at him one last time before he leaves.

“You should finish up your missing work,” says Haengbok when I come into our room. He’s lying on his bed, reading a book.

“What about you?” I ask.

“Done.”

I widen my eyes at him. “What? Already?” He ignores me and reads his book silently. I pout.

Half an hour later, I write the conclusion sentence of an essay. Skimming over it quickly, I check for any mistakes and smile to myself when I find none. I decide take a break. “Haengbok?”

My brother, who was still reading on his bed, replies, “Yeah?”

“Does Jongin really think I’m nosy?” I ask carefully. “Because, I’m really not like those kinds of girls, you know. Does he think I’m like them, like a stalker or something? Does he...hate me?”

“No.”

A wave of relief washes over me. He doesn’t think I’m like those annoying girls who follow him everywhere. He doesn’t hate me. But...does that mean...

“Do you think he likes me?” I ask my brother. I don’t even know why I said that, and I wish I hadn’t when I don’t hear any response. I sigh. Just because he doesn’t hate me, doesn’t mean he likes me...or loves me.

“You know what? He doesn’t really want a girlfriend,” Haengbok finally says. “He doesn’t need one. All those girls...should just back off. He won’t fall in love with them if they bother him all the time.”

“I don’t.”

“Yeah, I know. But Suji was spying on him a few times.”

“So why do you keep saying that like I do?” I almost shout, raising my voice. “Why are you accusing me of—”

“I’m not,” Haengbok says sharply. “I just... Nothing. Sorry.”

“...”

Haengbok sighs. “But you should know...Jongin...like I said, he doesn’t hate you. He likes you.”

“Wha—”

“As a friend, at least,” Haengbok adds.

“Oh,” I say dejectedly. I decide to look on the bright side, though. Being friends is a start. But am I really just a friend? He called me cute, didn't he? A small smile plays across my lips. He called me cute.

a/n: Longest chapter so far, I think. 1645 word count! ^^ A few other Exo members were mentioned in this chapter~ Still not sure if I should add some members to the story, or maybe just a in a sequel? Kekeke. Guess you'll have to wait and see~