“Chaeyeongie-ah~” a very loud and overly cheerful voice called, stopping the mentioned girl in her tracks.

 

Chae turned to find Jaehwan hurrying to join Hongbin at his locker as he waved at her. Classes had just let out for the end of the school and the start of the study groups and after-school lessons and Chae, having never been fond of cram school, gathered her things to go home and study alone.

 

Sanghyuk had stolen Wonshik away before the second years had even made it to their lockers, the youngest boy wearing a determined expression the entire time he was dragging the elder off. Chae assumed that Hongbin was going to be heading to the soccer field to watch Taekwoon and Hyunwoo practice with the rest of the boys.

 

Chae still did not feel comfortable enough with Taekwoon to ask Hongbin to let her tag along with him, and was too shy to ask Hyunwoo about when the practices were so she could cheer him on too. They were on their way to becoming more than just gym class partners, stopping to talk to each other on occasion even without the presence of Hongbin and Wonshik, and Hyunwoo seemed to like her well enough by herself.

 

Still, Chae was afraid of becoming intrusive and was wary of coming to watch the practice without an invitation.

 

She pushed her locker shut and turned to welcome Jaehwan’s arrival with a friendly smile.

 

“Hey, Jaehwan-ssi,” she greeted brightly, ignoring Jaehwan’s usual insistence that she call him oppa – it was actually pretty funny to get him worked up over her refusal to use casual language with him despite her friendly attitude, which was why she did it so often.

 

Jaehwan stuck his tongue out at her. “You’ll call me oppa someday! Anyway, we better get going or Hakyeon-hyung will be annoyed with us for being late. I’ll carry your books for you, Chaeyeong-ah~” Jaehwan grinned brightly, holding his hands out so she could place her bag in them.

 

Chae did not move, bag held firmly in hand as she stared blankly at the older boy. “Carry them where?”

 

Jaehwan sighed dramatically, hands going to his hips. “To the soccer field of course! Taekwoonie’s practicing today and we said we’d come watch him for once.”

 

“When did I become part of this we…”

 

“Since now.” the elder boy grinned, snagging the strap of her bag and tugging it out of her grasp entirely. He ran away before she fully realized what was happening. “Come along, Chae!”

 

The girl spluttered, lunging after him too late. “Lee Jaehwan! Yah, Hongbin-ah! Do something about your hyung!”

 

Hongbin blinked at her innocently as he closed his locker and moved to join her. “Jaehwan-hyung? Sorry, I can’t~ But you can probably catch him – at the soccer field! Here, let’s go together.”

 

Chae gaped at him. “What is this? A hostage situation? Why couldn’t you just ask?” she exclaimed, looking between the two of them in disbelief.

 

“And give you the chance to make an excuse to run away?” Hongbin said lightly, linking arms with Chae and dragging her off after Jaehwan. “You still think Taekwoon’s scary, right?”

 

“Intimidating.” Chae corrected, allowing herself to be led away. “I don’t mind coming to watch him practice if no one has a problem with it – after all, Hyunwoo’s on the team too. Next time, just ask instead of kidnapping me.” Chae grinned and nudged Hongbin playfully, showing his that she was not upset about the turn of events.

 

That dimpled smile appeared, stopping a few of the other students they were passing in their tracks. Hongbin’s smile was dangerous to anyone exposed and even Chae was not immune to his charms.

 

She sped up, overtaking Hongbin’s stride and reversing their roles, Chae leading the way instead.

 

Hongbin yelped as he tried to catch up to the girl’s pace, nearly tripping over his own feet as they made their way off of the sidewalk and onto the grass.

 

“Jaehwannie! Hongbin-ah!” Hakyeon greeted brightly, bounding down the bleachers to greet them. “Oh – you brought Chaeyeong-ah too! Hi there!”

 

“Hey yourself, Hakyeon-sunbae!” Chae called out happily, enjoying the fact that there was someone so happy about seeing her.

 

“Hakyeon-sunbae?” Jaehwan wailed, giving Chae a look of despair. “Why does he get to be called that and you won’t even call me oppa? Jeon Chaeyeong!”

 

Chae ignored him with ease, snatching her bag back while he was distracted. “Jaehwan-ssi, you’re being kind of loud. The coaches might get mad at you for being disruptive. Please, don’t get yourself kicked off the sidelines.”

 

Hongbin howled with laughter at Jaehwan’s dumbstruck expression. Chae had effectively learned to deal with the more eccentric hyungs so quickly!

 

“Chaeyeong-ah, sit beside me.” N took the younger girl’s hands and led her to sit beside his things on the bleachers, setting her bag on the bench next to her and then quickly took the empty space between her and his bag before Hongbin or Jaehwan could. “Can you see Taekwoonie? He’s number eight – he looks cool, right?”

 

Chae grinned at the elder’s enthusiasm. “He does. He must be one of the tallest guys out there too! I can see Hyunwoo-ssi – number twelve, that is.” She waved when the other second year turned in their direction.

 

Hyunwoo cried out in surprise, words indecipherable because of the distance between the field and the stands, and waved happily back at Chae and Hongbin.

 

“Hyung,” Hongbin complained, slumping onto the seat in front of Chae. “Are you trying to steal my friend or something? Why did you make her sit next to you – she might catch your ‘annoying’. Chae-ah, don’t encourage him, alright?”

 

“You’re the annoying one!” Hakyeon cried, lunging forward to drag Hongbin into a headlock and jabbed at his neck in retaliation.

 

Hongbin yelped as he tried to fight off the sudden assault and Chae shrieked with laughter as she avoided the younger boy’s flailing hands and elbows.

 

Jaehwan, not wanting to be left out on the action, dove over Hongbin’s lap to pin him down, grabbing at Hakyeon’s hands as well to ward him off. Chae was not sure which one he was trying to help, if either, but watching him play was fun.

 

Even she was willing to join in on the roughhousing, helping Hakyeon out by grabbing Hongbin around the ribs and waist to tickle him and prevent him from defending himself.

 

The younger man was practically crying through his laughter and Chae’s cheeks were aching from the force of her grin. She had not had a reason to laugh so hard in a very long time.

 

“Stop! Stop!” Hongbin wailed, tone begging and chest heaving with exertion. He looked like a mess, hair and clothes mussed and his face scarlet. “You’re not annoying! You’re not! Please, hyung!”

 

Hakyeon released him with a satisfied grin and Chae’s mischievous fingers gentled as she moved to Hongbin’s hair as he leaned against her legs to catch his breath, the motion helping him calm down. His laughing fit tired him out and Hongbin found himself becoming drowsy under the combination of Chae’s gentle petting and the familiar warmth of Jaehwan’s body against his. He sighed contently.

 

With Hongbin having been thoroughly ‘punished’ for his remarks, Hakyeon turned back to watch the soccer team as Taekwoon gained possession of the ball.

 

The other third year did well on a sports team, despite his extremely reserved nature, and had quickly mastered the game. Working with his teammates who were more experienced only served to help him improve his own skills.

 

Hakyeon cheered proudly as Taekwoon scored a goal for his team in the practice match. The boys playing against him groaned at the change of score, but still congratulated him. Despite having been placed on different ‘teams’ for the practice, they were still on the same side overall. Taekwoon was everyone’s teammate on the field in a real match, so an improvement in his skills was nothing to complain about.

 

Taekwoon, however, had folded in half at the praise being heaped upon him by the players and Chae giggled at the sight, finding the elder’s bashfulness endearing.

 

“Ah, you were right, Jaehwan-sunbae. He’s cuter than I expected.”

 

Jaehwan beamed at her. “Right? Our Taekwoonie’s adorable~”

 

Hongbin echoed the sentiment as Hakyeon hummed in agreement.

 

“You guys are all so affectionate.” Chae remarked, looking at the boys’ proud expressions. “You must be very close to each other.”

 

“Jung Taekwoon, fighting!” Hakyeon called out as the younger scored another goal. Taekwoon refused to acknowledge his presence. “Eyy, this guy… Don’t let that attitude fool you, Chaeyeong-ah. We are all close. Taekwoonie acts cold here, but at home he’s a good little husband.” Hakyeon joked, the words falling from his lips like an often repeated phrase.

 

Jaehwan and Hongbin did not act like Hakyeon had said anything weird and did not even turn away from watching the practice.

 

Chae’s fingers stilled against Hongbin’s bangs, rousing the younger from his sleepy daze. The girl glanced at Hakyeon thoughtfully.

 

She did not know many boys who joked so openly about having a ‘husband’, let alone with such a sincere tone, and knowing that Hongbin had a boyfriend in Wonshik made Chae curious about Hakyeon and Taekwoon’s relationship.

 

“Say, Hakyeon-sunbae,” she began cautiously, not wanting to upset any of the boys with her question. “Could it be… that you and Taekwoon-sunbae are dating?”

 

Hakyeon froze at the inquiry and Chae felt a stab of trepidation from the response.

 

She had offended him, she just knew it – and now he was going to get mad at her and hate her and have Hongbin stop seeing her –

 

“Yes.” Hakyeon confirmed, expression abnormally timid. Chae had only ever seen him full of confidence and good humor and she found the change in his demeanor striking. “We’re dating…” It seemed as if there was more to be said on the matter, but the eldest boy seemed hesitant to continue and Hongbin was lying stiffly against her legs and Jaehwan was watching them all with wide, fear filled eyes.

 

Chae smoothed a hand over Hongbin’s bangs, resuming her petting, and smiled. “Taekwoon-sunbae’s lucky then. To have his boyfriend come cheer him on so cutely.”

 

Beside her, Hakyeon slumped in relief, a grin spreading over his face. “I am pretty cute.” He made a few faces at her, adding sound effects and batting his eyelashes in typical aegyo fashion.

 

Jaehwan looked similarly brightened by her acceptance and jumped back into motion, claiming that he was much cuter and challenging Hakyeon to outdo his charms.

 

Hongbin laughed, the tone seeming almost disbelieving, and the sound vibrated through his chest and the air, joining the third years’ voices and lightening the mood surrounding their little group.

 

The flower boy tipped his head back into Chae’s lap, grinning that heart-stealing grin, eyes filled with mischief. “Chae, how can you say hyung is cute? He’s just a weirdo~” He teased playfully, making a face at Hakyeon.

 

The elder boy dropped his hands from his face, expression warning that he was not going to take the comment lightly.

 

Once again, he reacted dramatically, jumping on Hongbin again and starting a chase around the bleachers when the younger managed to escape.

 

Jaehwan took the opportunity to steal Hakyeon’s spot beside Chae, wiggling with excitement as he alternated between cheering for Taekwoon and Hongbin.

 

Their joy was contagious and Chaeyeong found herself becoming filled with emotion, feeling lighter than she had in a very long time. She felt like a balloon, ready to float away freely into the sky.

 

Being around Hongbin and around his friends that accepted her so openly brought her a sense of relief.

 

To be someone who brought others joy, to be someone others looked forward to seeing and sought out the company of was something Chaeyeong felt that she could never get used to.

 

Once upon a time, before her mother’s passing, Chae had been that person for both of her parents. They had loved her so openly and so freely, their only child they were able to have together, that the emotions filling Chae could have made her burst from all the love in her home.

 

After losing his wife, Chae’s father had pulled away from his daughter and for the first time in her life, Chae felt unwanted. Unloved and unneeded.

 

She still believed that he father loved her beneath all the hurt and loss that resided in his heart, but to acknowledge that love also forced her to question why he failed to stay with her if the feeling was so great.

 

She missed the feeling of being missed, of having someone search her out just to be in her company, someone who showed her how much they enjoyed seeing her after an absence.

 

Hongbin greeted her with happiness every morning they saw each other and always seemed eager to be back at her side, was comfortable enough with her to lean on her (literally) and into her touch when she reached for him. Chae did not think what she felt for him was a romantic attraction, but something reserved for the presence of a best friend.

 

They had not known each other long, but Chae could feel love for Hongbin building in her heart.

 

She did not feel the desire for romance, by both a lack of interest and the knowledge of Hongbin’s real romance with Wonshik, looking for a friend at the base of it all. Still, she found pleasure when he was happy, the feeling always seeming contagious in his presence, and concern when he was sad, anxious to help her friend with the weight of his problems so he didn’t have to shoulder it all alone.

 

Chae could even find interest in the most mundane of things Hongbin wanted to talk about. She liked knowing about what caught his attention and what he was passionate about, even if she did not share them, because it made her feel like she was seeing more of the person Hongbin was on a deeper level. When he returned that interest in her, it made those doubts that lingered in the back of her mind fade away.

 

Someone thought that she was interesting, did not find her too annoying to stand. Someone wanted to accompany her around to different places, went to a cafe because she recommended it, and brought her along to meet other people she had a chance of befriending too.

 

Chae felt more confident about herself and in the things she said and did. She felt like a better person and more able to return the affections Hongbin offered her in turn.

 

She wanted to recognize when he was upset and use her concern to try and help him feel better. Chae could see that Hongbin had troubles that he didn’t want to share with her, but she wanted to be someone who was there for him in the moments when he felt sad or overwhelmed. Even if she did not know everything about him, even if she did not entirely understand, Chae’s heart felt heavy when she noticed Hongbin become upset and she wanted to do all that she could to ease his mind when she was able.

 

Putting up with Wonshik and helping him for Hongbin’s sake, not allowing some group of girls to run her off and abandon him to save her own neck – they were not things Hongbin knew about, but Chae would still do them gladly without recognition.

 

Playing around with Hakyeon and Jaehwan made her feel hopeful that she might build similar relationships with them as well. She had already begun to do so with Sanghyuk, their cute maknae, and had formed an acknowledgment of their feelings about each other with Wonshik, which could be a step closer to a relationship between them that was based on tolerance instead of dislike. Taekwoon was still a mystery to her, but she did not think being on good terms with him was hopeless either.

 

Not everything always fell together at once and Chae was aware that getting to know people took time and effort.

 

To have more friends as dear to her as Hongbin, to fill her heart with even more love and joy – these were things Chaeyeong was more than willing to do all that she could for.