VI. The Curious Case of Jealousy

A D O R A

My short legs could only take me so far.

Thanks to some unknown force out there, I made it into class on time just before a second too late. I gave a relief sigh when I spot students still entering class.

Score one for, Adora!

I walked down the rows of desk but stopped to smile and wave at Sehun and Baekhyun, they were lucky to be seated next to someone they knew. Yesterday, I was stuck sitting next to a boy who wouldn't stop staring at me as if I were a piece of tantalizing meat.

Talk about uncomfortable. I internally shudder.

Trying to push aside a shudder, I took the seat right behind Sehun and Baekhyun. Luckily for me, today a girl was seated next to me. It was a shock to me, seeing as I had originally thought all the girls at school detested me for being friends with EXO.

The girl was very slim and thin but she still was a pretty girl with short black hair that was styled into a neat bob and had nice brown eyes. Besides that, she was wore the same uniform as me, styled in a tidy fashion with black flats.

She gave me a nervous smile, before she taking out her notebook and pen. I wondered why she was nervous, but I hoped I wasn't the reason. I knew exactly how that felt when I was walking in the halls with EXO this morning.

The silence was slowly killing me, until I made a bold move for it to end.

I've been doing a lot of those lately.

I inhaled a deep breath and smiled at the girl next to me. "Annyeong, I'm Adora Summers." She gave a squeak of surprise when she heard me greet her. Her eyes widened almost comically as if she was expecting this to be some kind of joke.

She looked around us and quickly noticed the confused look etched into my features. "A-are you talking to me?"

"Well I wasn't exactly speaking to my desk." I tried to joke. There was a sudden uneasy feeling that started to form in the pit of my stomach.

"O-oh!" She silently gasped, to not attract any attention from our teacher. "I was just shocked that someone like you would actually talk to me...-"

I wrinkled my nose. What was that supposed to mean?

"I'm sorry?" I ask.

The girl looked down nervously at her notebook that were filled with doodles. "It's just that you're extremely beautiful and with looks like those I thought-"

"That I would be stuck-up." I finished for her.

There was no use in lying, but I did feel a deep sting in my heart. I always hated when people assumed that about me, even when I try my best to act friendly. It was one of the reasons why I didn't make much friends before meeting EXO.

"W-well yes..." She stammered. "I figure you'd ignore me, especially since you're friends with EXO."

"Oh... do you think I'm still like that?" I swallowed the lump in my throat. I desperately tried to ignore the familiar sting of tears in my eyes, but it was becoming increasingly difficult.

I know I was a very sensitive person, but I had hope coming to this school, that people would see me as Adora, not as a conceited queenka or a snob. I knew if people were to ever find out that I was to become S.M.'s new trainee, the animosity from the girls would get even worse.

"NO!" She hurriedly answered. "No, I don't think that! I mean- after all it was unfair of me to think you were like that, before even meeting you."

I still didn't look too convinced.

"I'm sorry..." She sincerely apologized. "I'm not very good when it comes to dealing with people, everyone at school usually ignores me, can we please start over?"

I gave a small nod. "I'd like that."

"Great! I'm Jung Haeun, we have history together." Now I had a face with a name. She held out her hand in greeting.

I smile back at her. "It's nice to meet you Haeun, I'm Adora Summers." I gently shook her hand with mine and was relieved to see a smile of her own.

"It's nice to meet you too, Adora. Wow, that was a lot easier than expected." She murmured in slight disbelief.

I laughed at her clueless expression, seeing as she knew nothing about making friends.

Neither did I... until I met EXO.

Which reminds me, I had to thank them for some of the many things they've done for me. In a span of one day.

...

Class could have not ended faster, I was extremely relieved when I heard the loud bell ring.

Most students hurried out of class, but Sehun and Beakhyun waited patiently for me. Haeun must have noticed because her cheeks began to slightly color.

It was hard to not notice how handsome they were, but there was a sudden ache in my heart when I noticed her eyes linger on Sehun too long for my taste.

Could she like him? The sudden thought made me very anxious.

Pushing my feelings aside, I started towards both boys with Haeun trailing right behind me. I beamed brightly at them before giving both of them a big hug, however my hug with Sehun lasted a tad bit longer.

We broke out of our embrace with pink cheeks.

I cleared my throat, wearing a bright smile. "How are my Oppas doing this fine morning?"

"Tired and bored." Baekhyun answered in a monotone voice.

I looked at Sehun with a raised eyebrow. "What's wrong with him?"

"He fell asleep during class. He's a bit cranky now." Sehun teased.

"Am not!"

Biting back a laugh, I nodded. "I can definitely see it."

Baekhyun huffed with crossed arms. "I'm right here y'know, and I'm not cranky!"

"Whatever you say, Hyung. You wouldn't be so tired if you slept instead of talking to Chanyeol the whole night."

A giggled slipped past my lips, but I quickly silence it when I see the mock glare, Baekhyun sent me. "I'm sorry, but what exactly were you two talking about?"

He let out a big yawn. "It was important at the time okay?!"

"Okay..." Sehun and I, slowly drawl out.

"Anyways, who's the girl?" Baekhyun asked, quite bluntly I might add.

"Baekhyun!" I hissed, slapping his arm at his sudden question.

"Ow! How could my goddess hurt me?" He whined, his bottom lip jutted out in an adorable pout.

I slightly began to feel guilty when I see him rub his arm. "I'm sorry, Bacon, but that was a rude way to ask a question, please be more polite next time." Sehun bit his fist to stop himself from laughing.

"Aish... fine. Sorry." He sounded childish as he rubbed the spot I hit, I smile at the tone. "Now who's your friend?"

"Better." I smiled at him. "This is my new seat mate Haeun, Haeun this is-"

"I know who they are." She quickly cuts me off. "Everyone knows who they are."

Both Baekhyun and Sehun began to look skeptical around the girl, they didn't look to surprised over her behavior, but at least they were still polite. "Uh, hi?" Sehun greeted her rather awkwardly.

"Hello." Baekhyun gave a friendly wave.

"Oh my god is this really happening? Are two members of EXO actually speaking to me?" Haeun almost sounded as if she were hyperventilating. "Hello! I just have to say I am a huge fan, ever since all of you debuted. I have seen all your music videos and you guys are just amazing! I even bought all your songs and I'll be supporting you-"

I quickly covered with my hand. "Haeun?"

She raised a confused brow at me.

"Haeun, their used to this from other girls, but now your scaring them even more." I say, pointing to the astonished boys.

Sehun turned to Baekhyun. "Hyung, is it even possible to talk that fast?"

"I... don't know."

"Now if I remove my hand, do you promise not to start freaking out?" I asked. The blushing girl before shyly nodded. "Good." And with that said, I removed my hand away from .

Haeun cleared . "Sorry about that, I may have got carried away."

"May have..." Baekhyun murmured solely to himself.

Sehun waved it off. "It's fine, we're used to it." When he said that, I suddenly realized how right he was. EXO was always going have fangirls surrounding them.

It made me wonder about Sehun and I's relationship, if it could ever be something more than it is right now.

With girls practically throwing themselves at them, what chance did I have?

Baekhyun must've noticed my sudden saddened state, because he gave me a comforting smile. It did help somewhat, seeing my Bacon Oppa smiled meant a lot to me. It was weird, but all of EXO meant the world to me, even if I just met them a day ago.

I offered him a small smile in return.

Sehun noticed this exchanged with worried eyes, and I felt myself internally jump for joy when his hand reached for mine. "You okay?"

Haeun noticed the exchange, and there was a flash of jealous flashing through her eyes, but I was thankful that she didn't hold any animosity towards me because of it.

Trying to ignore the blush on my cheeks, I look up at him. "I'm fine." I answered him, and I was the moment his skin met mine. I gently squeezed his hand before looking at Baekhyun. "You two better get going to class before your late-"

"ADORA!" All of us were startled by the loud shout coming from the other end of the corridor. We all turned to the source of the voice to see Chanyeol and Luhan running down the hall like maniacs.

And they didn't look like they were going to stop anytime soon.

"What is going on-!" I screamed in surprise when I felt Chanyeol's arms wrap themselves firmly around me before lifting me up over his shoulder and running down the halls

"CHANYEOL!" I screamed, my face red from embarrassment.

"CHANYEOL!" I heard the distance shouts from Sehun and Baekhyun. Their faces were frozen in shock from what they had just witnessed. My ears detected the loud laughter coming from Luhan.

I was already plotting my revenge.

"Sorry it had to be like this Adora, but you were running a little too late to class." Chanyeol explained, as if it would justify his actions.

I squirmed in his hold, but he held a firm grasp. "So instead, you decide to kidnap me!"

"It's more like an abduction, if you will." Luhan unhelpfully added.

"THAT'S STILL A KIDNAPPING!"

Oh, I was totally right... with EXO around, my life would be anything but boring.

...

S E H U N

I stared down the hallway where Chanyeol and Luhan practically kidnapped Sarah. "What the hell just happened?"

"I don't know..." He was just as speechless as I was.

Haeun cleared , causing both of us to jump back, I didn't even realize she was still standing there. "It appears to be that Chanyeol and Luhan picked up Adora from class to take her to their next one. Although the way they did it was... shocking."

"Tell me about it..." I mumbled.

Baekhyun chuckled. "Don't tell me you miss her already, Sehunnie." I glared at him, as he clapped his hand on my shoulder. "Seriously, don't tell me. I already know the answer."

"Can you really blame me?" I asked, before I began walking to my own class with Baekhyun at my side. I realized we rudely left Haeun standing by herself, so I called out from behind me "See you around." Baekhyun did the same.

I swear if her face had become any more red, she would resemble a tomato.

"Come on lover boy, you have class to get to." I groaned at his recent nickname for me.

"Don't remind me."

A D O R A

Seating myself in between Chanyeol and Luhan, I refused to crumble from their big puppy-dog eyes, no matter how much I wanted to give in. They had to learn their lesson, for manhandling me like that in the middle of the hallways.

Although, I had to admit... it was getting much harder to resist them.

"Oh come on Adora, can you please just forgive us already? We said we were sorry!" Chanyeol's mouth curled into a pout.

It was Luhan's turn to pout. "We're really sorry Adora, we promise to never kidnap you from your precious Sehun."

As soon as he said those word, I was sent into a huge coughing fit, which garnered a few concerned stares. "I-It's okay, I'm fine!" I shot Luhan the darkest look I could muster, unfortunately it must've looked like the opposite of intimidating since it sent both Chanyeol and Luhan into spiraling laughter.

They were so lucky that our teacher couldn't hear us.

A devilish smile graced my lips as I focused back onto the two boys. "Fine, if you want it that way, I could just give away a certain two peanut butter and banana sandwiches."

I heard a dramatic gasp slip past from Chanyeol lips.

"I'm sure someone else will enjoy these sandwiches."

"You wouldn't dare!" Chanyeol hissed.

I faced him with a challenging grin. "Try me."

That was the straw that broke the camels back. "I'm sorry! Please forgive me! I'll do anything, anything I tell you! Just don't give away my food!"

"Anything you say, huh?" Titling my face at him, my lips curl into a wide smile.

Luhan stood his ground. "Chanyeol, no! Don't give in too easily!"

"I can't, Hyung! Not when it comes to my food!"

"Well, well, well.. it seems you two are at an impasse." I said with a wicked smile.

I heard a loud groan come from the left of me. "Alright, fine! Adora, what can we do to make up for our caveman-like behavior."

I placed an index finger on my chin for a dramatic effect. "Hmm... I want you to buy me a banana milk at lunch."

"That's it, that's all you want?" Luhan asked dubiously.

"I'm a simple girl with simple tastes. That is all that I request... for now." I pause in mid thinking. "I also want a favor."

Chanyeol eyebrows furrowed. "A favor?"

I nodded. "I want a favor that I can cash in any time I want."

Both looked hesitant at the idea, as if I was a evil mastermind plotting to embarrass them. Although, that day will come...

Luhan gave Chanyeol a knowing look. "Alright, deal."

I clapped my hands and smiled at both of them. "Okay! Then your both forgiven."

"That's it?" Chanyeol asked, before a wide smile took over his face. "Oh thank god!" He reached over and pulled me into a tight hug. "I thought you were plotting my murder."

"Now your just being silly." I said, while I patted his back albeit a bit awkwardly. "If I wanted to plot your murder... you wouldn't know." I added in a low voice.

I didn't need eyes in the back of my head to see that his eyes widened in horror. I heard Luhan cackling on the other side of me.

Yep, I'm going to enjoy life in Seoul.

Class soon ended, and I was off to chemistry. Of course, not without these two fine gentlemen to me to class.

Lunch could not have come more fast. I was thankful for one, I really wanted my banana milk, and two because...

I really want to see Sehun.

Okay, if I really was being honest, my first choice would be to see Sehun, but getting the banana milk is an added bonus.

Walking to the cafeteria was a lot more easier now since I knew where I was actually going, and going to the canteen actually made me really happy since I had actual people who I could sit down with and enjoy lunch with.

I smiled at the table being occupied by twelve lovable boys. I quickly hurried my pace along and was immediately greeted by wide toothy grins. "ADORA!"

"EXO Oppas!" I greeted them as I took my seat next to Sehun.

I saw every member look hungrily at the bag in my hands. I felt a smile find its way onto my face, but as soon as it came, it was gone. The boys began to pout a little, and it made my heart ache.

Aw, those faces are my now weakness. "Alright, you guys. You don't have to look so down." I placed the bag full of food in the middle of the table. "Dig in."

As soon as I said those words, the boys attacked the poor bag and ripped into the ziplock baggies. Poor ziplock bags...

Even Sehun, stunned me with how viciously he ripped open his ziplock bag and hungrily bit into the sandwich. I stared at all of them in amazement. Were they that hungry? As all of them took their first bite into each sandwich, I heard a chorus of loud satisfied groans, that admittedly made my own cheeks flush.

"This. Is. Paradise." I heard Chanyeol say through a mouthful of peanut butter.

I held in the urge to cringe.

The rest of them nodded in agreement. "How could something so simple, be so good?" D.O asked rhetorically.

"It's so yummy!" Baekhyun squealed. "I'm surprised Kris-Hyung hasn't said 'This is not my style', yet." He said in a somewhat lower voice, in what I'm assume was an imitation of Kris.

Kris shrugged his shoulder. "I would have said that... but this is just too damn good."

I laughed behind my hand. "If I knew you guys would enjoy eating my food this much, I would've prepared something else for you."

Kai swallowed another bite of his food before speaking. "Does that mean you know how to cook?"

All eyes zeroed in on me with interest.

"Uh... well, yeah." I answered, albeit a bit awkwardly.

Lay grinned excitedly, and immediately I was charmed by those sweet dimples. "Hyung! She needs to cook for us at our dorm!"

My eyes widened at his proclamation. "That's her choice if she decides to cook for all us, we can't just drag her to the dorm." Suho said as munched on his food.

All eyes were back on me. I couldn't resist the puppy dog eyes everyone was giving. Especially Sehun's. "I wouldn't mind cooking for all of you."

"YES!" They cheered, who cheered the most loudest would have to be between Baekhyun and Chanyeol.

I smiled to myself and began eating my fruit salad. "Boys will be boys." I murmured jokingly, before munching on a strawberry. My smiled widened a bit when I felt Sehun clasp his hand around mine under the table.

Thankfully the group was too busy to notice. I thought now was a good as time as any to announce my good news or what was hopefully good news. "Oppas?" I called out carefully.

Shockingly, all eyes focused on me. No pressure there... "Yes, Adora?" Suho asked in a motherly fashion.

He truly is the mother hen of the group.

Trying to push aside my nerves, I take a confident breath. "Last night I thought hard on miss Park's offer, and I've come to a decision."

"And...?" It was silent, deathly so. All of EXO looked anxious for my answer, it did help take some of the pressure off my shoulders.

A slow grin appeared on my lips. "Today after school, I am to go to S.M. for my appointment and to pick up my schedule."

"Meaning...?" Chanyeol trailed off.

"I am going to be S.M.'s new trainee!" The grin on my face was quickly replaced with a beaming smile, all of their faces went from to shock to happy grins.

"That's great news, Adora!" Sehun pulled me into a tight embrace, I didn't want him to let me go as I felt my heart quicken in my chest. My limbs instantly relaxes in his soothing arms.

I turned back to the rest of them and heard rounds of "Congrats!" And "You'll do great! Make us all proud!" I'm pretty sure the last one came from Baekhyun.

Chanyeol looked at Luhan strangely. "Hey Hyung, why didn't you look too surprised by Adora's news?"

Luhan gave a tiny shrug. "Because she already told me."

"Bwoh?" Sehun eyebrows furrowed slightly.

"She told me during our free period-"

Sehun quickly cut him off. "Yah, you two were alone together?" There was a slight edge in his tone. I felt my my heart stop a bit when his hold on me slightly loosened.

I was a bit flustered from his unusual behavior. "Sehun, it wasn't intentional! I heard someone playing a piano and decided to follow where the music was coming from. I found out it was Luhan and we just talked." I explained to him, my eyes shining big and hopeful up at him. "I wanted to share my good news with someone and Luhan was there to listen."

He looked down at me with slightly narrowed eyes, but he must've noticed the sincerity in my eyes when he relented with a defeated sigh. "Arasso..." His eyes flickered over to Luhan. "Sorry I overreacted, Hyung."

"It's fine." He smiled before turning back to his food.

I was confused with Sehun's reaction and as to why he acted like that towards Luhan, he nearly acted like a...

A jealous boyfriend.

Surely, I'm not just imagining things?

I noted the knowing looks some of the EXO members shared with each other. Just what are they not telling me?

From what I could see, it definitely had something to do with Sehun and I.