“…I’m getting scared. Is Luhan ge a stalker?” Tao shivered

“Don’t be stupid Tao, he’s not that creepy…yet” Chen shook his head.

“Do you have to work today Chen?” Yixing suddenly asked

“No…” Chen replied warily “Why?”

“Great! Let’s go grocery shopping!” Yixing clapped and Tao’s face lit up as if he was a kid who was given ice cream. However, his smile was wiped off of his face as Yixing turn to him to announce that he has to do chores.

“BUT WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY?!” Tao shrieked, kicking his arms and legs in every direction possible.

“Because, Tao, you’re unemployed right now. I thought we agreed on the fact that you’ll do chores?” Yixing winced at the volume and moved himself a chair away from the shrieking boy before he tries to reason with him.

“I’ll do the chores! I swear I will! Just let me go grocery shopping with you!!! Please Ge!!!!!!!!!!!” Tao begged with the most adorable puppy eyes.

“You know that only works on Kris.” Yixing sighed and stood up. “Besides, you know well why we don’t bring you along. Until you fix that habit of eating everything in your path, I will not take you to the market.”

“But-but—” Tao whimpered

“Clean well, and we’ll bring back ice cream for you”

With that, the two older boys left with a shut of the door, leaving the youngest to scream profanities by himself in the living room.

---------------------------------------

“Miss Jang! It’s time for your lunch break!” A teacher called out and Jaerin nodded with a smile before continuing to stack the books neatly away.

“It’s lunch break, why are you not eating??” Luhan appeared next to her with a questionable look before gathering the scattered books on the ground.

“I want to finish putting the books away first” Jaerin smiled.

“Miss Jang! Skipping lunch is not healthy! And definitely not a good example for the kids!” Luhan waved his finger in front of her face with a disapproval look, teasing her while taking the books from her hands. “You go eat now! I will tidy up this place.”

“But it’s your lunch break too.” Jaerin playfully rolled her eyes at him and let him hoist her up by her hand.

“I know, therefore I will be quick in stacking these books away!” Luhan smiled and gently nudged her to the door, ushering her into the lunch room.

“Alright, Mr. Xi, thank you.” Jaerin chuckled and left the study room to head to the lunch room. However, before she could grab her lunch bag, her phone buzzed.

“Sehun?”

“Noona! Come outside for a sec!” Sehun’s voice chirped.

“What? Outside? Outside of my work??” Jaerin asked.

“Yes Noona, where else?” Sehun’s voice replied. “Hurry!”

“Okay, okay!”

When Jaerin stepped outside, she spotted two figures standing by the entrance to the Tutoring center. The slightly taller frame she could recognize as Sehun, however, the shorter frame was one that seemed familiar to Jaerin, but at the same time all too foreign.

It wouldn’t be him … right? He wouldn’t be here to see me…

At the sounds of her approaching footsteps, both figures turned around. Sehun’s face was lit with a smile as he close the distance between him and his noona while the other person’s eyes softened at the sight of Jaerin.

“S-Suho Oppa?” Jaerin’s voice cracked as she felt her knees weakened at the man standing before her. Her body felt weak but she stood frozen in her place, as if time had stopped. Staring at the man in front of her, she felt like she’s in a dream and not reality. It really is him, I’m not dreaming.

“Jaerin, it has been such a long time.” A gentle smile crept onto Suho’s face. I’ve missed you so much.

“Noona! We brought you lunch!” Sehun’s voice jolted Jaerin back to reality and she broke the eye contact with Suho. Turning to Sehun, she managed to pull a smile on her face and returned his affection with a hug and words of thanks.

“I figured since you haven’t met up with any of the old crew since you came back from China, we would surprise you at work. Unfortunately, the Hyungs are all stuck at work today, except Suho Hyung!” Sehun cheerfully explained as he pulled both Jaerin and Suho to sit down on a bench with him.

“I see…” Jaerin muttered with her head down, staring at her own feet. She was too afraid to look up and meet eyes with Suho. She didn’t want to get lost in his eyes or in the past memories. She vowed to lock those memories, along with her feelings away when she left Korea years ago. With that, she abruptly stood up and scurried to get back inside.

“I—I have to get back to work! Thanks for the lunch Sehun-ah. You too Suho Oppa.”

“Noona, wait!” Sehun quickly grabbed her wrist with a frown. “You’re forgetting the lunch!” He shook his head and handed her the bag.

“Jaerin…” Suho also placed a hand on her wrist and she flinched at his touch, making Suho pulled back in surprise as well.

“Sorry!” She squeaked and grabbed the bag from Sehun and squeezed his hand with a weak smile. “I’ll call you later Sehun. Thanks again!” With that, she disappeared behind the door, letting it close with a soft thud.

“Huh, Noona must be really nervous about this job.” Sehun muttered. “She seems so shaky and nervous about getting back to work…”

Suho, on the other hand, lets out a soft sigh as he gazed at the door. No, she just doesn’t want to be near me. I’m sorry Jaerin-ah, the pain that Oppa left in your heart is still hurting you.

-------------------------------------

As soon as Jaerin got back into the lunch room, she felt like she was going to collapse on the chairs. It took all of her strength to stay composed as she sat in one of the tables, her hands desperately gripping the table’s edge to stay calm.

Jaerin, you said that you were strong enough to face him now. You said that you can look him in the eye without quivering. You said all of those strong words before you left China. Were they all bluffs? Or did you overestimate yourself again?

“No!” She murmured and clutched her head, squeezing her eyes shut at the old memories that were creeping back into her mind. “No…I’m over that now!”

“Jaerin! Are you okay???” A warm touch and voice shook her gently back into the real world as she felt tensed at the memory. That one particular memory.

“Are you alright??? You look like you were in pain!!” Luhan’s voice was laced with worry as he sat himself down next to her. One of his hands was on her shoulder and the other was on her hand, grasping it tightly. “You’re shaking too!!”

“Luhan—I—” Jaerin struggled to find words but as she gazed up into his eyes, she felt comforted. Although Luhan is close to being a stranger to her, she felt oddly familiar with him. He gave her a sense of security that she felt she had known before from someone.

“I-I’m alright” She mumbled before pulling away from him. Jaerin, what are you doing?

“Are you sure?” Luhan gave her a questioned look but she nodded and began to unpack and nibble on her lunch, after offering some to him of course. To him, she looks far from okay, and he saw the way she trudged back into the building after her phone call. Her eyes expression was a painful one and her body nearly collapsed on the chairs. But Luhan knew that it wasn’t his grounds to question her further. At least not now anyways. Not until she opens up to him.

“This fish is delicious!” He quickly exclaimed, trying his best to distract her, and it worked as she looked up from her plate, a small smile slowing creeping back on her face as she watches Luhan’s silly one.

=======================================================================

Ahhhh updated! Sorry for the extreme lack of updates >.< Truth is, I lost inspiration for a while. Not just with this story but also my other story, Mr. Manners. However, I found inspirations again for this one and ideas are flowing again! (Same can't be said for Mr. Manners though, because I deleted that one ~_~) Anyhowssss, enjoy!

Thanks so much for reading <3

P.S. I feel this story is so Jaerin-centric. Will add more Minkyung-details in the next few chapters!