There were times Kai didn't feel like being cocky. Times where he felt like being quiet. Times where he actually listened to the people around him. And although he was sitting in front of the TV once he finished his schedules, he felt like that wasn't the real him he was showing. Not even s knew the real him although they weren't that close to begin with though there was a time he felt like they were close. But that was perhaps only a fleeting moment. 

He wasn't on the mean side either. Just picking on people when he felt like it. Never on the same level like Chanyeol or Suho. You could say he was a follower. Someone who wouldn't stand out much with his personality alone. But someone who was pushed to the spotlight constantly. Someone who wasn't good with the criticism he earned from fans of other members either. It wasn't his fault to begin with but they were constantly hating on him. He was so young when he debuted and compared to Sehun, whose heart was out of stone, had he a weak heart. He wasn't as strong as the others, he was hurt by the slightest things, which was surprising by how tough he always looked. 

"Just drop dead, Jongin." It left her lips as quick as she felt the irritation rising inside of her. Hyunah was frowning for a moment at him. Missing the slightly different expression he suddenly pulled before leaving him on the spot. Kai stared at her for a moment before deciding to leave the living room as well. Leaving Baekhyun with his crackers alone. 

Hyunah was as harsh with her words as the boys, which was funny because Kai felt hurt by her insults while it was totally fine for him to pull jokes on her. But the most funny thing would be that they were only like that towards each other because of insecurities.

"Here." 

Kai looked up into the direction the voice was coming from. Hyunah was walking by before leaning forward on the backrest of the couch. She was taking a look at the show he just now before looking at her slight wet her which she tried to dry with the towel on her shoulder. She obviously took a shower and was just on the way back to her bedroom. 

"What should I do with that?" He asked after a while. She had thrown a herbal ointment towards him, which was already opened but the girl only shrugged. Thinking it was pretty much obvious why she threw it at him. 

"How 'bout using it?" She pointed out the obvious while rolling her eyes. "Your ankle hurts, right?" She then threw her hair to the side before eyeing Kai's foot he has been massaging ever since he flopped down on the couch. Without another word left she as soon as she came. 

There were times he hated Hyunah for saying the things she said to him. Although she didn't think her way of words were a big deal. The boys already knew that she was rough and that she was a 'foreigner' to their culture. Yet, he still felt uncomfortable when she tells him things like 'ugly' and 'dying'. He would never tell her those things that bothered him about her but he would've hated her forever for that. A little childish but that's how Kai dealt with things. Yet, he couldn't bring himself to ignore her very presence which he liked to do when he didn't like someone. He sighed to himself while rubbing the dark green paste against his ankle.

***

"What are we doing here?" Hyunah asked once Tao dragged her successfully up to the rooftop. It wasn't surprising to find the rooftop empty since the others preferred AC compared to the hot weather they were having now.

"Good no one's here." Tao muttered before facing her again. He gave her a once over before finally realising she didn't wear the trainings suit he asked her to. "Why are you wearing jeans?"

"I didn't see the need in wearing track pants. I already look like a hobo so why should I go and add to that unofficial nickname." Hyunah remarked as she clicked her tongue. Tao eyed her for a moment before muttering. "The nickname is pretty much official." 

"What?" She shot him a glare which he waved off before facing her now completey. She failed to notice earlier that he was wearing athletic attire just like he had requested from her in the first place. "C'mon.. attack me." Tao said all of a sudden and stepped back, inviting Hyunah to do just that. 

"Okey.. no." Hyunah shot straight a answer out as she stared at him like he was the crazy guy she made him out to be. "What the heck is up with you?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Tao said as he straightened again. This time looking at her as if she was the stupid one out of the two. She looked at him and shook her head. "I'm teaching you martial arts." 

"Ha?" 

"Well, the basics I'm not expecting from a amateur wonders-" However, Tao was caught in the middle of his sentence when Hyunah intervened. "Yeah, I got that! But why the hell do you want to teach me martial art?" 

"Hm.. instead of martial art let's call it self-defense of art or something?" Tao replied although not direct replying to Hyunah's question with that. She blinked at him for a moment before the frown disappeared from her face. "You mean art of self-defense?" 

"Whatever, isn't that the same thing?" Tao responded. 

The corners of Hyunah's lip twisted lightly upward as she stared at the taller guy. He was contemplating something at least he looked like it as he stared into the distance probably to ignore the intense she has been giving him. 

"Zitao." She called out to him. The smile didn't fade yet and it wouldn't probably leave either as she looked up at him. He along with Chanyeol, Kris and Sehun were probably the tallest guys. Kai too but she liked to ridicule him for some unknown reason to her.

Tao didn't answer her but he glanced at her. He heard her. "Why do you want to teach me self-defense?" She asked. It was the probably most obvious answer yet she asked him. A question so obvious that he thought she would never even question him when he asked her to meet up. Even assuming that she wouldn't find it weird at all if he asked her to fight him. She couldn't help but notice the red hue on his cheeks that appeared when she asked him that. He would probably shrug it off and pretend that it was due to the heat and not because of her question. That side of Tao made him actually look cute in her eyes. She would notice that side of him appear from time to time. 

"It's not what you're thinking." Tao was quick to gain his coolness back. He stuck his hands into the front pocket of his hoodie before replying once more. "Renjun asked me to. Nothing more and nothing less." He said and leaned forward as he stared at her with a grin.

"Renjun?" Hyunah looked taken aback for a while before Tao added. "He's the one, who was worried. That's why I'm here. So can we get this over with?" He impatiently remarked although he didn't had anywhere specific to go but she didn't need to know that.

Hyunah watched him as he stepped toward the middle of the rooftop. It was more secluded due to the few trees around them and therefore not letting people from other buildings see what was actually going on there.

"Well, I think I will talk to him. You don't have to feel forced." Hyunah replied. Tao lost in those few minutes already a few brain cells. He honestly wanted this to get over with because situations like that made him nervous and a nervous Tao was never good. "I don't feel forced." He responded. Hyunah stared at him as he continued despite her stare. "I mean.. Renjun asked me to." 

"Yeah.. right." Hyunah raised a brow at him while he looked elsewhere as he hummed. 

***

"That's quite good." She remarked when she found him as usual underneath the stairs. It was his favourit spot next to his studio to write lyrics and a hidden spot she all too knew. After all it was her who showed him this hidden place in the agency. Chanyeol looked at her before sliding his headphones down. He would forget sometimes that he was humming to his ideas. 

"Is it?" He asked a little lifeless. He hadn't seen er since a while and wasn't that energetic to see her too. She sensed the hidden hostility towards her from his tone. Who would she be if she didn't notice that? But Joy wouldn't be Joy if she didn't make someone talk, who didn't want to talk. 

"I heard what happened. How's your arm?" She asked when she noticed the bandage. However, Chanyeol pulled it quickly down to hide his wound from unwanted attention but it was already too late, Joy saw it. "Is it that bad?" 

"No, I'm fine." He muttered before closing his notebook with a slam. She didn't let herself be intimidated by Chanyeol's behaviour and with that was she probably one of the very few females. She even went as far as caressing his clothed arm carefully. However, Chanyeol didn't stay still for long and ripped his arm away from her. The all too quick motion caused him to rip the healing wound a little which made him hiss before pulling away from Joy. She startled upon that before looking at him again. Despite the pain he felt was the irritation towards her way more prominent. 

"What is it to you, huh?" Chanyeol exclaimed suddenly. 

"I-I'm just worried." Joy felt a little stupefied but answered what she felt and thought. But that didn't seem to calm Chanyeol the slightest. He was still looking at her like she caused World War III. To everyone else around them appeared she just like the pretty and nice girl she is but Chanyeol would have nothing of that. 

"Spare me with your pity. I don't need that." Chanyeol spat before raising up from his seat. He didn't feel like writing anymore especially with her presence. Inspiration wouldn't flow with her here. 

"How long do you actually intend to be mad at me?" Joy asked as she looked up at him. Chanyeol, who left his sitting spot turned around, just in time to catch her reddened eyes before responded without even blinking. "I don't know.. maybe one more week or even forever. Who knows but whatever the case.. just don't talk to me anymore."

Chanyeol didn't need to look back to know that he made her probably cry with that. Somehow he became a pro at hurting the opposite gender lately but he wasn't proud of it. He looked one last time back at her before quickly leaving before someone saw them together exiting the same place. 

***

After Tao's oh-so-wonderful-martial-art-class came she home only to find a notice of Jaehyun in her mail orders. She was angry. Very angry actually and he sensed that or else he wouldn't have choosen to write her a mail instead of just contacting her directly. He knew that she didn't check her mails daily but apparently she made it a habit to do that everyday now that she is working with, under and for Mr Kang, who's watching her like a hawk. 

"What's the meaning of this?!" Hyunah exclaimed. And to her luck were it only Sehun, Sunmi and Chanyeol. They were getting ready for their comeback showcase and that without Hyunah's notice. Chanyeol looked at her through the reflection of the mirror while Sunmi stopped completely. She haven't seen Hyunah angry yet while it was a completely normal scene to Sehun. He had seen her mad plenty of times but he was always curious what she was actually angry about. And today is no exception.

"Why are you guys all here, him especially?" Hyunah pointed out while all of them stayed silent. One of the three couldn't caught on while one kinda knew what she was talking about. The last one knew exactly what she was mad about. 

"Noona.." Sehun called softly out to Sunmi before pushing her gently towards the door where Hyunah stood. Sunmi reluctantly followed him with the hair untensils she has been holding and side-glanced Hyunah. They left Hyunah and Chanyeol alone with that. 

"The comeback showcase was postponed! I even asked Jaehyun if that was really okey! So why do I get the notice that the comeback showcase is today?!" Hyunah exclaimed. 

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