“Ow, ow, ow.” You whispered while sticking your injured finger into your mouth slightly.
It was close to midnight and you were wrapping Christmas presents. You didn’t want to wake up your younger foster sister, so you were trying hard to not make a peep.
You slid the scissors across the glossy, snowman filled wrapping paper as you plopped your older foster brother’s present in the space.
Your foster sister, Mihyun, stirred in her sleep and you froze completely. You stared at her with your large eyes and as if you hypnotized her, she fell into a deeper slumber.
You sighed in relief and checked the time; thirty minutes to 1:00 am.
You stuffed the remainder of the presents and wrapping paper back into the closet and quietly slipped into your bed to get some sleep for the night.
--
“Hanbi unnie.” Mihyun gently grabbed your shoulder from underneath the thin blanket and shook you,”The alarm you set is going to ring in five minutes. You told me to wake you up now.”
Your eyes shot open and you sat up, yawning and rubbing your eyes,”Thanks, Mihyunnie.”
She beamed up at you before climbing back into her bed and closing her eyes again.
You stretched your arms and turned off the alarm before it could ring. You grabbed your uniform and went into the bathroom to wash before your foster brothers would wake up.
Half an hour later, your older foster brother, Hyunwoo, knocked on the bathroom door and you opened it, combing your hair.
“You done?” He asked, his hair sticking out in different places.
You nodded, grabbed your pajamas, and left back to the room you shared with Mihyun.
There was another knock the the door and it opened with Hyunwoo holding your phone with a raised eyebrow,”You got a text from your boyfriend.”
“I don’t have a boyfriend, oppa!” You blushed and snatched your phone back from him.
“Whatever.” He closed the door again and you heard the shower turn on.
You unlocked your phone and read the text you received from your best friend, D.O.

School council meeting today in the library before school at 7:45 am. If you’re late then there’s a punishment! -D.O&Kai.

You chuckled and tossed the phone on your bed. You grabbed your backpack and strapped it on one shoulder as you went downstairs to make breakfast.
On the couch, you spotted Hyunmin lying on the couch in a fetal position. By the way he didn’t have a blanket, you knew that he couldn’t sleep well in his room again.
*Babo. What happened when you used to call me and Hyunwoo oppa whenever you couldn’t sleep?* You slightly shook your head as you poked his cheek.
“Hyunmin, wake up. You need to get ready for school.” You said, shaking his shoulder.
Just like his brother, his eyes popped open and he sat up instantly.
“Ow! My neck! My back! My body!” He groaned and stood up.
You could see that he was already your height. For a second year in middle school, he was quite tall.
“Aye, who told you to sleep on the couch?” You shook your head.
“Noona, don’t scold me! My body is already scolding me. Darn, I should’ve just slept in hyung’s room.” He muttered, rotating his neck.
“Go get ready and I’ll make breakfast. What do you wanna eat today?” You set your backpack on the couch and rolled up your sleeves.
“Just toast; I’m not hungry today.” Hyunmin nodded and jogged up the stairs.
After making breakfast for six people (the three siblings including you and the parents), Hyunwoo and Hyunmin were chatting as they walked down the stairs, looking more alike each day.
They sat down across from each other and Hyunwoo sat next to you, handing you your phone once again,”Mihyun said it kept ringing.”
You nodded and slipped it into your pocket,”Probably not important.”
He shrugged and began eating his breakfast as there was slight conversation in the air.
“Oh, you guys are awake already?” Mrs. Lee came down the stairs hand in hand with Mihyun.
Mihyun plopped down next to Hyunmin and he made a face at her playfully.
“Mommy! Hyunmin oppa’s making faces at me again!” She pouted at her older brother.
“Stop it, Hyunmin.” Mrs. Lee gently chided and Hyunmin rolled his eyes,”I was playing around!”
Hyunwoo elbowed him,”What? You practicing for a girl or what?”
“HYUNG!” Hyunmin gaped at him.
“Hyunmin and a girl sitting in a tree...” You started and stuck your tongue out at him.
“Not you too, noona!” He groaned and shoved his piece of toast in his mouth with a pout.
Mrs. Lee chuckled and sat down next to Mihyun,”You made breakfast, Hanbi? Thank you saving me the time!”
“You’re welcome, mother!” You beamed at her and ate your piece of toast.
“When are we leaving?” Hyunwoo looked at you.
“Mmm,” you drank some of your juice,”Let’s leave in ten minutes so we can drop off Mihyun first, take Hyunmin, and then go to class. I need to be there early because of a school council meeting.”
Hyunwoo nodded,”Alright. I’ll sit in the corner of your meeting then.”
“Aigoo,” Mrs. Lee proudly smiled at the two of you,”I’m proud to have the two of you as my children.”
You grinned at her,”I’m proud to have you as my mother too!”
She heartily chuckled and patted your hand,”Thank you, darling.”
Your foster father came down and blinked at all of you,”I should’ve know. All of you are too much of early risers.”
“Aye, at least we still go to school early!” Hyunmin blew a raspberry,”I feel like a nerd being there so early.”
“Girls dig nerds.” You nodded.
Hyunmin made a face,”Seriously?”
“Of course! Why else would so many girls like Hyunwoo oppa?” You laughed.
“Hey, don’t bring me into this.” Hyunwoo rolled his eyes and stood up,”Hurry, we need to go.”
“Yes, oppa!~” You and Mihyun sang and beamed at each other.
--
Ten minutes later, Hyunwoo put Mihyun on the ground and she waved at the three of her older siblings,”Bye unnie and oppas! See you after school!”
You bent down and affectionately fixed her hair,”Be good and listen to the teacher, okay? If you are, we can all get ice cream after!”
“REALLY?!” Hyunmin and Mihyun squealed together, and Hyunmin’s voice cracked due to puberty.
You laughed in amusement and nodded,”Yeah. So be a good girl! Can we see some aegyo before you go in?”
“Bye!~” She put both of her hands into a V shape under her chin and the three of you laughed heartily.
“See you.” Hyunwoo and Hyunmin both ruffled her hair and she disappeared behind the blue gates.
The three of you left the elementary school and went several blocks down to reach Hyunmin’s middle school.
“Hi, Hyunmin!” Girls waved as they walked by Hyunmin, batting their eyelashes at Hyunwoo as well.
Hyunwoo raised an eyebrow,”You know them?”
Hyunmin frowned and shook his head,”Nope. They’re just acting like they do ‘cause you’re here, hyung.”
“Hey, Hyunmin. Is that your sister?” Random boys walked by and asked.
You flushed red,”This is awkward.”
Hyunmin rolled his eyes,”Whatever, I’m used to it.”
You frowned,”Don’t pay attention to them.”
“I don’t. It’s just because hyung is attractive to the girls and noona is pretty to the boys. When you guys leave, I’ll be a normal second year that no one worries about.” Hyunmin muttered and began walking backwards towards the gates.
“Have a good day! Do well in your classes!” You reminded and Hyunwoo waved with you.
Hyunmin’s face twisted in contemplation and he ran over quickly.
“Did you-” You couldn’t finish your sentence as Hyunmin quickly hugged you,”Have a good day, noona. I love you.”
Your eyes widened. He never said that to you in return ever since he entered middle school.
He pulled away and waved at Hyunwoo,”Bye hyung. See you.”
Hyunwoo ruffled his hair as Hyunmin made a noise in protest,”See you.”
“HYUNMIN!” His best friend, a third year, waved him over.
Hyunmin gave one last wave to the two of you before he scurried over to his friend.
The two of you turned and Hyunwoo held out his arm while you stared at it.
“What? Just cause you’re a junior now means you won’t hold my arm like you used to?” Hyunwoo joked but you could see a faint pink shade creeping up his cheeks.
You softly smiled and hooked your arm through his,”Whatever, oppa.”
The two of you laughed and headed to school.
--
“YOU !” Kai threw his folder at D.O.
The members of the school council were squabbling about in the meeting and you fell over in laughter. Kai and D.O were bickering about the theme of this year’s prom.
“NO, YOU DO! I mean seriously, why do you want prom to be so gloomy?! Are all of the students emo in your eyes?!” D.O shot back.
“Why do you want it to be freaking blue?! IT WAS BLUE LAST YEAR. LEARN THE LATEST STYLES, KYUNGSOO.” Kai slapped his arm.
“You both are immature.” You shook your head,”Let’s go with a subtle shade, yes?”
Two other students nodded their heads in agreement,”Agreed!”
“What shade will that be, Hanbi?” Suho made a big show of putting his hands together on the table.
Sehun rolled his eyes,”Can’t we just ask Hyunwoo hyung? He’s a senior, anyway.”
Hyunwoo looked up from his book,”What?”
Your eyes lit up,”That’s right! Oppa, what theme do you want the prom to be?”
“Uh...” He looked around at the juniors,”I don’t know. I’m not part of the council.”
“Aye, hyung!~” Chanyeol pouted.
Baekhyun checked the time and began to put the papers back into his folder,”The bell is gonna ring soon. Let’s decide on this another day.”
Kai nodded,”Yes. I am the president, thus I will dismiss you all in a proper manner.”
You rolled your eyes,”Are you trying to make a good image for Hyeyeol?”
“Oh~ New girl and Kai hyung!~” Sehun teased.
Kai flushed red,”SHUT UP AND GET OUT.”
Chanyeol high fived the youngest and the members of the school council dispersed.
D.O held out an arm for you and made a show of courtesy,”Shall we head to class, my lady?”
You chuckled and linked arms with him,”Why yes we shall!”
The two of you laughed and left the library. Just as you had exited, you waved at Hyunwoo who was leaving just behind you,”See you after school, oppa!”
He merely waved and disappeared up the stairs.
--
You sighed a bit into your lunch,”I don’t wanna be in charge!”
“Why?” Hyeyeol innocently asked,”Isn’t it fun being the one who gets to buy everything? Everyone is basically forced to use the things you buy.”
Kai chuckled at her comment and put his arm around Hyeyeol,”Oh dear Hyeyeol, it’s not that easy to please the president’s taste in theme!”
Hyeyeol squirmed uncomfortably under his grasp,”Uh, Kai...”
You rolled your eyes and threw his arm off of her,”Dude, it’s only her second week. Stop being a creep!”
“Aye, aye. Stop the arguing.” D.O held out both arms to stop you and Kai from attacking each other any further.
Kai pouted and removed his arm,”Fine. Anyway, Hyeyeol, how good are your grades, anyway? Maybe you can join the school council too!”
Hyeyeol shrugged and put a spoonful of rice into ,”They’re pretty good. I don’t really wanna be in school council though.”
“Why?!” D.O asked in bafflement.
“I don’t wanna end up in a position like HanHan over there.” Hyeyeol laughed and sent you a playful shove, signaling that she was joking.
“Hmph! I don’t want you to be in it anyway!” You sent her a playful stare and the two of you laughed.
D.O slugged his arm around your shoulders and you were used to it since he did it since the two of you were in middle school,”When’re you gonna go get the stuff for the prom? I’ll join you.”
You noticed Hyeyeol wiggling her eyebrows at you and you remembered your conversation from a few days ago.
Hyeyeol glanced at you who was showing her around the senior classrooms.
“And this is your science room. I believe you have class with Kai so if you get lost, just ask him.” You nodded and smiled at her,”Any questions?”
“Yeah. Two, actually.” She blinked at you.
“What is it?” You hugged your folder against your chest.
“First, does Kai act like... you know, how he does everyday? Or is it because I transferred?” She questioned.
“Actually, I’ve known him since we were 13, along with D.O that is. He only acts like that around girls he likes.” You giggled,”What was your second question?”
“Oh, yeah. Are you dating D.O?” She tilted her head,”It seems likes you a lot. Especially by the way the two of you hugged on my first day.”
You flushed red,”No, of course not! We’re just... closer than how I am with Kai, that’s all.”
“Aye,” she elbowed you playfully,”You like him, don’t you? Admit it. You and him would be an adorable couple!”
You let out an embarrassed squeal and covered your face with your palms,”No!”
“I’m right, huh? You like him!” Hyeyeol giggled and poked your sides.
You flushed red at the memory and gently shrugged D.O’s arm off your shoulder,”Um, maybe on Saturday...”
You saw how surprised the other members of the school council were, including Hyeyeol, and looked down in embarrassment.
You felt D.O’s eyes widen and he awkwardly put his hands in his lap quietly.
An awkward silence lingered in the air as Baekhyun finally cleared his throat,”So, Hana and I have a date this weekend.”
Howls were heard around the table,”Oh~ Baekhyun’s finally stepping it up!”
“Where are you guys gonna go?” Sehun asked, nibbling on his lunch.
Baekhyun sighed,”I don’t know. It’s still undecided. I hope she doesn’t forget, though.”
That was all of the conversation you heard before you zoned out. *Why did Hyeyeol’s words confuse me so much? I mean, I don’t like my best friend, right? How can I?*
You glanced over at him and caught him laughing at a comment that you didn’t hear as your heart skipped a beat.

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

UWAHHH! I FINALLY WAS ABLE TO UPDATE! I'm sorry for keeping you guys waiting so long! (Too long, as a matter of fact. Or, to be more exact, like four months SOBS IM SORRY) I had a major writers block and ahdgbsahbgbahgb. anyway, i hope this makes up for it! ;A;

@puppylovers98: YOUR WORDS ENCOURAGE ME OMFG. im honored to be called your favorite author ;A; And LOL i know, i'd do the same thing if any of the members talked to me at all to be honest LOL.