It’s universally acknowledged that the best way to start a gloomy, rainy morning, is by having a good cup of something hot. Hot coffee, chocolate, tea, soup, take your pick. However, it’s also universally acknowledged that the real way to start off a gloomy, rainy morning, isn’t by starting it at all, but by sleeping in. In the Cho Household, this holds true.

It was a gloomy Thursday. The fog hung low in the city. The rain fell heavily. The air was cold and humid.

 And no one remembered to bring in the laundry that was drying out yesterday.

However, someone was already awake. There she was, sitting at the edge of her bed, staring at the rain falling carelessly unto the veranda. Taehyun needed to get out of her room, but she hesitated. She was scared that, outside, there would be no Jonghyun. No Krystal. No Suho. No Minho, or Taemin. Because of them, and a single instance played by fate, the weight of living didn’t feel so heavy. She felt excitement for once. Her life had almost ended, yet it was as if her life had just begun again.

But then again, she really needed to get out because her room didn’t have a separate bathroom in it, and she really needed to pee.

She decided that she’d face whatever was outside, or whatever wasn’t, after her morning prayer. She thanked God for the second chance He gave her, and she prayed that yesterday’s events weren’t all just a dream. Because, objectively speaking, Taehyun had just met a man who could ‘do some weird magic ’, and had more color in his hair than in her entire wardrobe. That kind of man only ever appears in dreams.

Or in carnivals, but Jonghyun looked remotely abnormally normal to be from the carny.

Taehyun got up from her bed, still wrapped up cozily in a thick blanket. She put on a pair of slippers and made her way outside. She thought that, judging by the way the sky was still dark, it was early in the morning, way before her first class on a Thursday.

Ha, ha, ha. Never assume the time, kids. You’ll think that you’ve made it just in time for your doctor’s appointment, when in actuality you’re already half an hour late, they called in the next person, you’ll leave for home because you can always just search up your symptoms on WebMD, and wow! Look at that! Looks like you have cancer! Again! No, wait… Looks like it’s a rare case of Pseudohypoparathyroidism! Wow! What are the odds?!

Taehyun walked past a few rooms, stopping at the room Jonghyun gladly claimed. She knocked on the door. Nothing but silence came from the other side of the room. She knocked again, this time much harder.

“Ya!” she called out, “Get up! You have things to do, and I still have both my kidneys!” still, silence. Taehyun decided to just barge into his room. The door swung open to reveal nothing. At first, her blood ran cold. She fought the anxiety rising from her chest with common sense. Unmade bedsheets, and the lingering scent of a sweet, floral uni perfume gave away the hint that someone was indeed here.

Taehyun sighed deeply, before making her way downstairs. She made her way into the kitchen to find Suho, Jonghyun, and Krystal already in the kitchen. Taehyun’s first thought was: ‘Why is there a piano in the kitchen?’ followed closely by: ‘YES, YES, YES! MANSAE! MANSAE! LONG LIVE THE MIRACLE MAN JONGHYUN.’

Taehyun felt like jumping around in relief, but she didn’t want to look that crazy this early in the morning. So she opted for just a lil’ crazy this early in the morning. She announced her presence, and complete set of organs, giving them their own little role call like: “Kidneys? Present! Liver? Present! Lungs? Present!”

Krystal, who’d been sitting at the table reading this month’s issue of Modern Men Embracing Color: A Feat, courtesy of Jonghyun’s subscription, got up and offered to help Suho set the table. She smiled at Taehyun and lowly greeted her a good morning. Taehyun took the seat beside Krystal’s. She placed her elbows on the table, and rested her chin between her fists.

“Jonghyun,” she said, “No pianos at the dining table.” Jonghyun whined comically.

“No elbows on the dining table either.” Jonghyun retorted. Taehyun rolled her eyes as she pulled her elbows aside. With a snap of Jonghyun’s finger, the piano rolled away from the dining room and out the door which slammed shut, followed closely by the neighborhood cat screeching and a loud metallic thump, suggesting what could only be the neighbor’s garbage can.

“The only one with the special gift is also the most irresponsible one here,” Suho said, placing a plate of food on the table.

“I’m the one with powers, ‘Hoe,” Jonghyun replied, “Not Minho or Taemin.” Suho felt a large headache coming on. He refrained from smacking Jonghyun for the use of his least favorite nickname, unforgivingly given but always lovingly used. Aside from Suho scolding Jonghyun, nagging at him until Jonghyun’s ears wanted to retreat back into themselves, everything was quaint.

“I see Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum aren’t awake yet,” Taehyun commented, “Should I wake them up?”

“No need,” Jonghyun said, “They’ll be down in a minute.” Jonghyun snapped his finger again, and this time, two loud screams erupted from upstairs. Footsteps thundered above them, before a completely soaked duo made their way to the source of their early morning woes.

The group burst out in laughter when they saw the two. You could compare them to the likes of a wet dog. You didn’t know how flat their fluffy hair could get until they were drenched.

“I can’t,” Suho exclaimed between fits of laughter, eyes tearing up, “I’ve never seen you two more handsome before!”

“Hyung!” Taemin exclaimed, teeth visibly chattering, “It’s so cold.”

“What do you expect?” Taehyun commented, still finding it hard to contain her laughter, “It’s early in the morning. I’m dry, and it’s still freezing.”

“Morning?” Krystal asked, confused, “It’s lunch time.”