“Miya~! I know you’re in there!”

… Oh, why me!?

Immediately jumping back and beginning to panic, Miya widened her eyes as the situation dawned upon her and her breathing started to get a bit ragged – Her once calm heart now began to beat at a dangerously fast pace.

Sensing a loss in her composure, Chan Yeol averted his attention to his brother’s acquaintance and tilted his head in a questioning pose. Miya was looking at him with an expression of horror, which only caused the guest to feel a bit concerned and, admittedly, a bit frightened at how her expression could change so quickly.

Great! What am I going to do!? I can’t do this all in a few minutes! Baek Hyun can’t see him or else he’s going to start to suspect stuff and… ugh!

“Um… is there a problem, Miya?” As Miya was becoming increasingly anxious, she continued to stare at the giant sitting on one of her couches and flinched as she heard the call of her name.

“Lee Miya! Open the door~!”

…

“Um… shouldn’t you open the door for your friend?”

“Well… you see… I…” Moments like the one Miya was currently in were the ones that no one wanted to face. Having to make a split second decision when there was so much on the line – though… for Miya… it was slightly less dramatic – was something no one would ever want to do. She bit her lip as she thought of the first thing that popped into her mind.

… Ugh, this is going to seem so drama-like!

“Miya! Are you okay!?”

“A-Ah! I’m fine! Just give me a second!”

Miya raced over to Chan Yeol’s side as she clasped her hands together in a praying pose and squeezed her eyes tightly, begging him, “Chan Yeol-sshi, I know this is going to sound really weird, but, could you please just cooperate with me right now?”

At this, the confused young man blinked as he saw how desperate she was. Her head was bowed down, her hands were neatly yet firmly put together, and her eyes were closed shut as whimpering was heard from her. She was truly pleading. “Uh, what do you need me to do exactly?”

“I need you to hide for me, right now! I’ll explain it clearly to you later, but, in a nut shell, my friend is overly protective and wouldn’t like to see you since he’s never met you before!”

… Hey, it was the truth!

Put in a rather odd way…

“Are you sure? You’re taking a while!” Tears practically formed in Miya’s eyes as she continued to stay in the same pose and looked to him with a beseeching glint in her watery orbs. Seeing her so distressed and so sincere in her gesture, Chan Yeol couldn’t help but follow along whatever this girl was doing – his brother was living with her, so she couldn’t be that bad, he reasoned. She was also very kind from his first impression of her and, most importantly, she had actually asked him rather than just stuff him somewhere to hide him.

Though, it’d be a bit impossible if one were to compare her petite stature to his much larger one.

“Um… alright, so where do I hide?” Miya’s eyes instantly brightened as she stood back up and tugged at the short sleeve of his T-shirt, motioning towards a room that was near the couple. He quickly followed her, with little choice, since she was rushing, and Miya squeezed her eyes shut once again. Chan Yeol questioned her expression again, but once he directed his gaze to the spot that Miya was facing, he felt the urge to fall flat, face first, onto the ground.

It was a closet.

… A rather small one, at that…

“I’m really really sorry, but this is the only place where I’m sure my friend won’t look! I’ll definitely pay you back, I promise!”

And now, you have officially made yourself look weird in front of this guy… way to go, Lee Miya…

“Uh… alright?” Seeing him attempt to fit himself into the half-sized closet, Miya couldn’t wait any more as she paced her way to the door and shut her bedroom door behind her with one final glance. Quickly conjuring a situation to explain to Baek Hyun for her tardiness, Miya began to ruffle her hair a little and pulled up the hood on her hoodie as she attempted to look slightly sloppy – trying to bring on the appearance of just having woken up from a nap.

She gave herself a face palm as she realized what she was doing, but had no time to feel guilty as she turned the handle to reveal her worried yet disgruntled brother. His now stone eyes were narrowed into a suspicious gaze – his arms were crossed as he leaned against one of the metal railings which framed the stairs to Miya’s apartment.

“…”

“Baek Hyun… I’m really sorry, I was…” Miya scratched her head nervously as she willed herself to spit out the words, “taking a nap and I got a bit startled and made a mess on my table. So, I wanted to clean up a bit before I let you in…” Her lips curled into a timid smile. “After all, I didn’t want to get a ‘C’ on cleanliness… even though it does begin with a ‘C’… hehe,”

Smooth, Miya, smooth…

“… Don’t think I’m not onto you, Lee Miya. I know you’re hiding something,” Suddenly facing a stern Baek Hyun, Miya immediately cowered and her figure retreated as she was suddenly stricken with a pang of fear. He casually paced into her apartment, as he usually did, and the resident of the household almost refused to leave her spot as she became unsure of how to approach him or how to speak to him.

He had been avoiding her for the past week or so, most likely because he was still upset over the fact that Miya had refused to tell him anything that was going on in her life. Though it had bothered Miya a bit, she hoped – prayed – that her brother figure would forget about it and simply accept her again.

… It looked like things turned out much different from the girl’s expectations.

“Your house isn’t messy at all, Miya,”

“Um… yeah… I cleaned it up a while ago,”

“… I see,”

The uptight atmosphere was slowly killing Miya on the inside and she couldn’t help but whimper at the lack of friendliness and closeness between the two of them, at the moment. Her guilty conscience was beginning to eat her up and her front was gradually breaking down – she could feel the confessing words begin to make their way to , but did not allow them to pass through her lips.

As usual, Baek Hyun always started with the kitchen. He meticulously observed the countertop as well as the appliances to ensure that they were working properly and had no signs of possible danger – for example, an unprotected wire or a poorly sealed outlet. Once the brother figure deemed the cooking setting, as well as the eating setting, acceptable, he continued onto the bathroom, leaving Miya to fidget uncomfortably in her spot.

Miya knew that it was so painfully obvious that she was hiding something, but couldn’t bring herself to tell the truth. With the situation already given away, the secretive teenager was now conjuring possible excuses as to why she was so nervous.

Perhaps she could get away with telling Baek Hyun she was saddened by the fact that she had received a failing grade on a project? Or maybe she was feeling rather depressed due to a heartbreaking movie she had just watched?

Suddenly realizing a key factor which gave away her disposition, Miya quickly followed Baek Hyun to the guest room which he had just entered. While the older boy was conducting his inspection of his little sister’s apartment, the latter would often follow the former out of boredom and, also, to make sure that he was alright and did not hurt himself when he would sometimes go to extreme measures to check something.

As Baek Hyun was scanning the guest room, he noticed a few miniscule yet crucial details. There was now a neatly laid out futon on the stone colored carpet of the floor and there was now more furniture in the room – a desk, a stereo, and a clock to name a few.

He was able to come to a very likely and plausible conclusion.

There’s someone living here…?

“Is everything okay, Baek Hyun?”    

The wavering uncertainty in her voice was clear to Baek Hyun’s sharp ears and the very fact that Miya was trying to play off everything just sparked more hurt and uncharacteristic anger in Baek Hyun. A tight frown laid on his lips and he attempted to hide the upset façade he was wearing from Miya.

Was he really considered that unreliable or untrustworthy to Miya?

“Baek Hyun?”

He took in a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself, knowing that if he had gone off on a tangent and let out his anger on Miya, it would lead to nowhere except both parties getting hurt. However, what was Baek Hyun to do in order to convey his sadness to his younger sister?

“… You really won’t tell me anything that’s going on with you, huh?”

The words pierced a particularly tender spot in Miya’s heart as she was aware of the knowledge Baek Hyun possessed. He knew something was obviously up, but he didn’t know exactly what – her brother was hoping that she would be filling in the blank details.

Would it really be that big of a deal if Baek Hyun had found out about someone that was living in Miya’s apartment with her? If she had explained the situation and all, Baek Hyun just may be accepting of her new housemate.

Maybe I really was being doubtful of Baek Hyun?

Just as Miya shifted her head slightly to look at her brother, she noticed the sorrowful glint in his eyes, causing her to fully be aware of just how hurt Baek Hyun was. Seeing him in such an unhappy state, Miya felt her own chest start to get heavy.

I really hurt him…

There was just about one percent of Miya’s strong front left and her walls were just about to come crashing down until the thought of Chan Yeol hiding in her bedroom closet came back to her. She had gone so far in keeping the secret from him… she couldn’t just give up now, especially since she had Chan Yeol help her and Kai was a person directly involved in the situation, as well.

“… No, I’m really sorry, Baek Hyun,” The large lump that had formed painfully made its way down and she averted her gaze in order to prevent the last line of defense from crumbling down. Miya paced her way towards the door and murmured, “Um… you just have to check my room, right? I’ll be making some of the ddeokbokki you’ve been craving,”

With that, Miya left the room to leave Baek Hyun to continue his inspection.

However, she didn’t leave without taking the heavy feeling of guilt with her.

 “It’s really odd without you in school…”

“I know, babe, I’m sorry,”

A good hour or so had passed and the couple had finished eating their meals. They were now enjoying each other’s company and continuing their conversation that they had begun before the meal before being interrupted. Kai affectionately took Soo Yun’s delicate hand in his and enjoyed fiddling with her fingers while the latter smiled at his actions and allowed him to do so.

He seemed completely engrossed in how smooth her hands were and had to be snapped out of his trance as he heard his girlfriend’s voice once again. “I’m sorry I always seem to remind you of… well…”

No more words needed to be spoken as Kai had clearly gotten the message and mumbled a reassuring, “It’s not your fault,”

The pair had honestly tried to keep their conversation light and, while they were able to have plenty of good laughs and giggles, it never seemed to be enough to overshadow the underlying situation that was at hand.

Kai had run away and his life wasn’t even close to being normal anymore. Soo Yun was a part of his “normal life” and, well, putting the pieces together, there was tension as Kai was unsure of how to even get back to his “normal life” – other than being able to meet his beloved girlfriend.

Quite frankly, it did not seem as though he would be able to get back to his previous life – nor did Kai really want to if it meant being stuck in a prison and restricted.

A warm hand landed on top of Kai’s occupied one as he looked up to see a concerned look on his other’s face. He grimaced as he topped off the pile and murmured, “I’ll figure it all out. Come on, where’s that smile?”

“Jong In…”

“I promise, I won’t get married to some snobby rich girl that I’ve never met before. Especially since my parents are just doing it as part of a contract to combine with another company,”

“It’s not just that,”

A sigh.

It didn’t take too much for Soo Yun to see through Kai’s façade. – Quite frankly, even a truly blind person could probably pinpoint the trouble that was clouding his mind right now. It truly hurt her on the inside, seeing him in such a state and in such a predicament, but, in all honesty, she didn’t know if she would be able to help in any way at all.

What possible way was there for her to help him?

“Are you really doing alright? I know I’m being a bit nosy and all, but did you find a place to stay? Are you alright on money?”

“I’m fine, Soo Yun, no need to worry,” He began to rub the smooth skin of her hand with his right thumb – the action speaking the words “Don’t worry.” This only caused Soo Yun to further her eyebrows further, but let out a sigh, knowing that it was going to be impossible to get a stubborn Kai to talk about his problems. “Then… just let me know if there’s any way I can help you, okay?”

“Of course,”

He had said the words so leisurely… and yet…

“At least let me know about how you’re doing then?” In an attempt to somehow alleviate the atmosphere, Soo Yun made a pout with her lips which earned a chuckle from the male sitting opposite of her. Kai smiled as he began, “The neighborhood… is alright, I guess. It’s not an ideal place, but... I can manage. I’ve got a bed and a roof over my head. I’m eating alright,”

The girlfriend somehow had a little doubt that he was eating healthily… but he did look alright and well?

“You’ve been cooking yourself?”

“…”

Should I tell her I’m living with another girl? She wouldn’t get jealous, would she?

The thought crossed his mind as Kai pondered on how to answer Soo Yun’s question about him cooking.

Kai knew… that Soo Yun knew… that he couldn’t cook to save his life.

He got lucky with those pancakes way back then.

Soo Yun would often be the one cooking for him whenever the two were hanging out together and if they ever got hungry. There were plenty of episodes where Kai would epically fail at working a microwave oven or estimating the amount of an ingredient to add and, though it would cause laughter between the two, it ultimately spelled out Kai’s inability to take care of himself.

Should he just come up with the excuse that he was eating out all the time?

… But then, Soo Yun would probably scold him and invite herself over to his place to cook him a proper meal.

As Kai continued to come up with a list of possible excuses and scenarios, they all seemed to end with Soo Yun coming over to his new “home”.

There was no way to avoid it.

“Actually, my new roommate can cook pretty well…”

“He’s really good at it,”

Baek Hyun trudged his way to Miya’s room as he finished inspecting the occupied guest room. He let out an exasperated sigh – Baek Hyun was exhausted, not only from the examination, but from Miya’s stubbornness. Her exterior proved to be tough to break and it seemed that she would not move her lips to tell him anything.

There seemed to be no choice but to give up.

As the defeated brother walked out of the room to enter Miya’s, he heard the sizzling noise of boiling water and looked over to see his younger sister cooking the ddeokbokki she had mentioned to him a while ago. On the counter were his favorite sides, pressed fish cakes and bok choy. The very sight slightly helped Baek Hyun to forget the hurt he had felt as he remembered how considerate Miya was and how independent she was, as well.

He shook his head as he proceeded to finish the last of the rooms in his house check and entered the place.

Miya didn’t particularly care that Baek Hyun went around or hung out in her room. The few restrictions she had set were understandable, such as the obvious “Do not look through my closet or drawers.”

Looking over the appliances and the furniture, Baek Hyun was concluding the last of the things that needed to be checked. Just as he put down the last of the text books that laid on the desk, Baek Hyun heard a clatter coming from Miya’s closet.

The brother swiftly turned his head in the direction of the storage space and eyed it as he began to approach it cautiously.

What… -

… Making ddeokbokki isn’t a proper apology at all…

But it was the least that Miya felt that she could do for her hurt brother.

She let out a sigh as she continued to chop the green onions and prepare the ingredients for Baek Hyun’s favorite version of her ddeokbokki. Ever since Kai had decided to enter her life, it had turned out to be a lot more troublesome than it had ever been before. Excluding the time she actually had to fend for herself to find a new home and job, this moment in her life proved to be quite stressful.

… Just how long will I have to keep going on like this…?

CRASH.

BOOM.

… Oh no…

Had Baek Hyun fallen?

“Baek Hyun!” Almost throwing away her utensils and clamoring to get to her room, Miya’s chest began to feel heavier than ever as the guilt was added on and she felt the tears begin to form in her eyes.

Not only had she hurt Baek Hyun mentally – the worst kind of hurt – but physically as well…

Just as she turned the knob to open the door...

“Baek Hyun, are you-”

…

…

“… Miya… you have some explaining to do…”

You'll have to forgive this useless no good author of yours! OTL

As I've stated in the notice before, I'm currently in college/university right now and... let me tell you, it's all about doing work on your own and exams! Admittedly, I've just been slacking in my stories because I've grown so accustomed to just doing work and stuff, but I am going to get back on track now! The updates will be spread out a bit, for now. But, I can assure you, come Christmas break, the updates should be back more frequently than they currently are. ...This is also an unedited chapter, which you may be able to tell >.<

Again I apologize for the late chapter and I hope you can forgive me~! T.T

As always, feel free to comment, criticize, subscribe, etc.! I do love comments and I would love to hear your comments on the story!

What do you think will happen? What exactly has happened? What are your thoughts on Kai, Miya, Baek Hyun? etc. :3

Thank you to all my lovely readers~! <3 I love you all!