Minseok scanned the five other boys (Jongdae, Junmyeon, Baekhyun, Sehun, and Kyungsoo) that were currently sitting in Kyungsoo's closet-size room at the moment.

"Glad you all could join us." Baekhyun said, his tiny figure squished between Sehun and Junmyeon.

Kyungsoo has his own room, which is great, but the downside is that it's a closet.

Back when the group home was first getting over crowded, Heechul turned this storage space into a room. Eventually, Kyungsoo was given the lucky chance of having it all to himself. Though, the room is only big enough to fit one bed and a small dresser. The room is not big enough to house 6 boys all at once.

"Join?" Sehun repeated. "Hyung, you dragged us all in here."

Baekhyun rolled his eyes. "Yes, but only because I know you guys will be willing to help plan out with Heechul hyung's birthday party."

"Party?"

"Yeah. As we all know, Heechul hyung has never been thrown a party. So we," Baekhyun gestured to all in the room. "Are going to throw him one."

"How do you suppose we do that?" Jongdae questioned.

"Well, first we need to convince the others to help along." Junmyeon answered this time. "We can't throw a party with only half of us on board."

Jongdae nodded. "Okay, then my next question is, how do you suppose we get the others on board'?" 

"I'm glad you asked." Junmyeon smiled. ""I will take it upon myself to convince Chanyeol. Minseok hyung-" the oldest snapped his head up at the sound of his name. "- You will convince Luhan hyung, who will then convince Kris hyung, Yixing, and Tao."

"What?" Minseok stared in shock. "M-me?" All in the room nodded, including Kyungsoo. "But I don't think he will listen to-"

"Of course he will!" Baekhyun interrupted the older. "He will listen to you."

Minseok bit his tongue. "I don't thi-"

"Hyung, don't think, just do." Kyungsoo put a hand on the older's shoulder, smiling a little viciously. Minseok glared at the penguin.

"Happy to hear you say that, Kyungsoo." The leader continued, and the penguin's smile immediately turned upside down.

"What do you mean?"

"You will be in charge of convincing Jongin."

Kyungsoo gaped in shock. "Me? He won't listen to me, he doesn't even like me! I don't think-"

"Kyungsoo-ah," Minseok smiled viciously. "Don't think, just do." Minseok repeated the youngers words

If looks could kill, Minseok would be dead.

That shut the penguin up, who took to pouting instead.

"Okay, now that we got that cleared up," Junmyeon ignored Kyungsoo's whining. "Heechul hyung will be gone the day before his birthday, so we will have a substitute. During that time, we can decorate the house and make food for him, you know, party stuff."

"Great, but where and when do you think we can get decorations, or gifts?" Sehun asked.

"I know a guy." Baekhyun responded.

"For now, that is all. Everyone is dismissed."

The boys groaned, rolling their eyes and leaving like they so often did with their caregiver.

"Hyung," Kyungsoo muttered at their leader. "This is my room."

"Oh!" Junmyeon stood up quickly. "Sorry, forgot."

Minseok's mind was occupied with thoughts. There was no way in this lifetime that Luhan would actually listen to him. 

Luhan and Minseok barely talked, despite being roommates. Their relationship hadn't progressed much in the month-and-a-half Minseok has been in the group home.

"Luhan." Minseok said, disheveling his bed, getting ready to go to sleep. The younger boy looked over.

"What?" Luhan muttered.

"We were thinking of throwing Heechul hyung a birthday party,"

"We?" The younger hissed.

"Well - uh - the boys, were wondering if you could help. We need everyone." Minseok's face grew colored, his ears red. 

"No." Luhan responded, turning off the lights before Minseok could even get into bed.

"It would be a nice thing to do. I mean, Hyung has always been here for you, so maybe it would be nice to return the favor."

It was silent for a while. Luhan didn't say anything, and Minseok snuggled into the warmth of his bed. 

"Why does it matter if I help or not?" 

Minseok's heart raced fast. He wasn't expecting Luhan to say anything more, especially not of that context. 

"It's easier if everyone can help." No response. Minseok began to wonder if Luhan had fallen asleep. "And, I want you to help."

More silence, more nerve wracking silence. Minseok had started to drift off.

"Okay."

The older wasn't sure if he actually heard that, or if his half conscious brain was making up an answer he wanted to hear.

By the time morning rolled around again, Minseok was getting pestered with questions from Baekhyun.

"Did you convince him? Will he help? Will he convince the others? Do you think they will do it? Will they-"

"Baekhyun!" Minseok said, annoyed with questions that he didn't have the answers to. "He said he would help, but I don't know if he actually said it, or if it was a dream." Minseok responded truthfully.

The jumpy boy sighed. "Well make sure he agrees."

Minseok wanted to say something else, along the lines of how he is older and how Baekhyun shouldn't be telling him what to do. Instead, nothing came out, and the older boy just walked away.

School was a bore, as his normal routine continued on. He went to school, chatted with Chungho, got called a nerd when he got the highest test score in the class, and then walked back home with Kyungsoo by his side. 

Minseok's whole week was a perfect schedule, nothing ever changing much. But this party, it will change Minseok's boring schedule, which is why he was pretty excited.

The days passed on, and soon, they had their substitute caregiver in the house.

She was an old lady, with glasses and a cane. Her hair all white, and she couldn't even hold a cup without dropping it. 

Seriously, why would somebody send a 90 year old grandma to take care of 12 teenage boys?

"Boys! Boys!" The old woman yelled, even though the 12 boys were sitting around the table in front of her. "D-do your homework kids!" The grandma commanded.

"Miss, it's been over an hour, we have to do chores now." Junmyeon said, slowly standing up so he wouldn't startle the lady.

"Oh. Alright then, carry on. Just stop yelling!!"

The leader smiled bitterly, going off to get decorations that were stored in his room.

"Grandma, let's take you up to bed, okay?" Yixing tenderly placed a hand on the woman, tugging her along gently. Kris followed.

"Is it nap time already?" Minseok heard the lady say as she was being dragged upstairs. 

Minseok sat in his seat, waiting for the leader to come back down with everything.

All the boys were finally on agreement. Minseok wondered how Kyungsoo managed to convince Jongin to go along with the plan. 

Kyungsoo just told the oldest that Jongin didn't really care, so it was easy to persuade him. Minseok knew that was a lie, because Jongin was very verbal about his dissatisfaction of the party, but in the end he was still here. 

"Some of us will cook, others will clean, and others will decorate." Baekhyun said once Junmyeon returned with a box full of party supplies.

"I call decorating!" Jongdae raised his hand.

"I want to decorate too!" Chanyeol piped in.

"I'm not cleaning." Zitao added.

"Guys!" The leader yelled, stopping all the arguing that was starting to erupt. "I've planned all this out."

"Who put you in charge?" Zitao asked. 

Junmyeon squinted his eyes, resisting the urge to throw something at the tall Chinese boy. 

Junmyeon assigned everyone roles to do, and despite resistance from some of the boys, everyone went to do their job.

It was just his luck that the leader assigned Minseok to cooking with Luhan and Zitao. 

"Yah! Watch it!" Tao screamed at the oldest boy, who accidentally stepped on his foot.

Minseok didn't respond. He wasn't about to deal with the others loudmouth.

"Tao, stop." Luhan whispered. Minseok pretended like he didn't hear, but the fact that he did made him wonder. Why was Luhan suddenly caring? Minseok was oblivious to Luhan's feelings, but Tao sure wasn't.

"Sorry, forgot about your little crush." 

Luhan elbowed Tao in the ribs, hard. Minseok was turned around, so he didn't notice that, but he could sure hear.

Time went by, and the food was done, with little to no help from the younger of the three. 

"Minseok," The oldest turned around to look at Luhan, who had just called his name. "Your food looks great." Was Luhan actually complimenting him?

"O-oh. Thanks, Luhan." Minseok flushed, red from the nice comment. "But, you helped to, it wasn't all me."

"Still, you're a really good cook. I've always wanted to learn, but I never had the chance."

"Yeah, I know. I've tasted your food." Minseok joked. Luhan laughed. He actually laughed at something he said. Wow.

"Maybe you can teach me some time."

"O- I mean sure. But you usually are annoyed with me when I try to give you advice, Luhan."

"I will try to work on that from now on. I'm kind of impatient." Luhan smiled.

"Sure, kind of."

It amazed Minseok that the younger was actually smiling. Luhan had never smiled because of him, he wasn't even happy because of Minseok. But now, suddenly in two hours of just cooking together with a really annoying bully, things changed.

Minseok didn't understand why he was the one who had to persuade Luhan to help out with the birthday party in the first place, but now, he was starting to get it. 

Luhan didn't hate Minseok, he didn't even dislike the older boy. They were becoming friends, and now Minseok could see that. 

***

:p