“How old are you?” JongHyun asked. I pulled my face out of my hands and looked up at him.

“17,” I said.

“Seventeen, eh? Then why are you acting like an immature child? What do you think you’re accomplishing by fighting with eachother like that?” I just stared blankly, wondering why I’m hearing this from him and how I should respond.

“Don't look so offended. I asked TaeMin the same things. And just like you, he had no answer,” he sighed, “How are you two like this? Don't you know how lucky you are to actually have someone by your side?” I nodded.

“I know, I know. But…” I paused, not so sure myself what it was I was trying to say.

“But?”

“I just… I just don't know what else to do when I get around him. He makes me feel odd and somehow I always end up making him cry…”

“You know he thinks you’re a total for that, right?”

“Yeah… but I’m not sure how to fix that.”

“Well,” JongHyun placed a comforting hand on my shoulder, “You can start by apologizing.”

---

I walked over to the door of the extra room that JongHyun said TaeMin and I would be sleeping in. I’m still unsure of how to approach TaeMin.

What if he cries again?

I shook that thought from my head and slowly opened the door to find TaeMin sitting on the floor with his chin resting on his knees.

“T-Tae…” I approached cautiously. “Are you oka-”

“Leave me alone.” He suddenly stood, grabbed one of the folded blankets next to him, and began to spread it out over the floor with some difficulty.

“Let me help.” I offered taking a corner of the sheet from him, only to have it snatched back.

“I said leave me alone.”

“I can't just leave you alone. I have to sleep in here too, you know.” The moment I said that, I instantly regretted it. Not because of what I said, but how I said it. I didn't mean for it to come out as harsh as it did.

He turned his face towards me, eyebrows furrowed, cheeks tinged with a deep shade of angry red. But along that, I could still see his eyes clouded with disappointment and tears.

“J-just stop talking to m-me. I don't wa-want to hear you.” He sniffled a few times before reaching up to wipe his nose with his sleeve. I walked over to him and stop him by the wrist.

“Don't do that. It’s gross.” I replied with a small smile while wiping his nose with a tissue I had in my pocket. He never took his eyes off me. Actually, let me rephrase that. He never took his glare off me. His eyes still lingering with anger and confusion behind those tears.

“Why are you-?”

“I’m sorry.” TaeMin’s eyes immediately doubled in size after he heard those two words from me. In all honestly, I was shocked myself.
Had I really just apologized to TaeMin? It was obviously a lot easier than I thought.

“You… you-you’re sorry?” I slowly nodded removing my hand from his face and sat on the freshly set out blankets. “Why? You’re never sorry.”

“Well, I thought about it and I… don't want to… you know. I don't think we should… uh…” TaeMin quietly sat next to me on the blankets, pulling an extra over his lap.

“Me too, MinHo. I don't fight anymore either.”

“Then what do we do?”

“We could try to be… friends?”

“What?!”  I asked out of pure confusion, “Friends? Us?  We were basically just mortal enemies 5 seconds ago!”

“That’s why I said we could try, you dummy!” he laughed lightly and pushed my shoulder.

“Y-yeah. Try. I guess we could. Um… try, like you said.” Okay, what’s wrong with me? why am I suddenly getting all tongue tied, nervous and hot?I touched my cheeks. They’re warm.

It must be all these blankets TaeMin put down! There must be too much wood in the fireplace! I should probably take off my jacket.

“MinHo? What are you doing?” TaeMin asked as he watched me pulled furiously at my clothing.

“I’m hot, so I’m taking off my jacket.”

“You don't even have your jacket on…” All my movements froze. I don’t have my jacket on? Then why am I so hot? “Are you ill?”

“Ye-yeah. I must be sick or something...” I’m just a little sick, that’s all. Yeah. I’m not nervous or anything!

“Here,” TaeMin slowly draped a blanket around my shoulders, “Try to stay warm, okay? I’ll go ask ahjussi for some hot chocolate.” He stood and left the room.

As soon as he left, the temperature dropped. What? How come when he’s gone I feel less hot? He must have a lot of body heat... When you cry, your body gets hotter right? I guess so.

I slowly leaned back, my head finding its way to a pillow. The pillow is hard, but not as hard as the floor. I wonder where the JongHyun guy sleeps. We didn’t take his room, did we?

Well , I already felt guilty about making TaeMin cry, now I’m taking some guy’s room...

----

“....ho... inHo....MinHo! YAH!!” I shot up when I felt a slightly-hard jab in my side. I fell asleep? I looked down to see I was covered in peanuts.

“What the , TaeMin?!” He flinched and backed away from me. It was then that I realized how close he was. His face was so... close. I feel hot again. “Wh-wha-why the hell am I covered in nuts!?”

“I woke up a little while ago. JongHyun was in the little kitchen eating corn flakes or something.” I frowned.

“That doesn’t explain why I-”

“Then he said, ‘Hey, Tae, I’m out of milk.’” He imitated using a deep voice. Hold up, Tae!? JongHyun called him Tae?! I call him Tae! Only I can call him that! It only makes sense, I was the first to call him that, it was my nickname for him, therefore, he has no right to use it!! “.... so when you didn’t wake up, I used the bag of peanuts from your bag and starting throwing em at you. That didn’t work, so I took my pinky finger and jabbed you in the waist.”

Okay. That explains that.

“Why were you trying to wake me?”

“JongHyun needs milk.”

“So? What’s that gotta do with me?”

“He said-”

“Not a damn thing, that’s what.” Here I go again. What part of this ‘friendship’ thing am I not understanding? The ‘friend’ part... Why can't I just be nice to him...?

“He said- Do Not Interrupt Me This Time!-... he said that if we wanna stay here for a while, we gotta go chores for him. Our first thing is to go to the market and buy these things on this list.” He explained as-a-matter- of- factly while holding up a small slip of paper. So it does have to do with me.

“Fair enough I suppose.” Just he was about to speak, I plopped a peanut in his mouth. “You owe me a bag of peanuts, pipsqueak.” I said playfully. He chewed before flashing a grin.

“If you would’ve woken up, you’d still have em. You owe yourself~”

“That doesn’t even ma-” Before I could finish, TaeMin made a dash for door. Peeking in with a smile.

“Let’s go Hyung.”

Okay, I have no idea what kind of witchcraft that boy possess, but he sure is using it! Why do I suddenly feel so hot with the little things he’s doing!?

Yesterday, it was his laugh.

When I woke up, it was because he was so close.

Just now, it was his smile... This is so stra-

DID HE JUST CALL ME HYUNG!? Holy sweet Mother of-... When did he decide to start doing that!? It’s so hot in here!

I yanked the blanket off of me, smacking my cheeks a few times, before walking out of the room into the kitchen where TaeMin was receiving a few bucks from JongHyun. He turned to me, money in hand, and smiled. Twice as big and twice as bright.

“I’ve never been to a market, Hyu-... MinHo. Is it like a grocery store?” He asked with a face full of innocence and curiosity. It hit me like a brick to the face. I couldn’t help it. There’s no other way to describe this annoying boy any longer.

He’s cute. And I hate it.

Guess I can add that to the list...

~~~~~~~~

Not really anything happened in this chapter. I guess it's a filler, so I can hurry and get to the Onkey~! I can already tell it's gonna be real fun writing their chapter ^^

I know,it's taking me months in between for updates, not just for this story but all of em. I could blame school but I've been doing that so much lately, lol. I'll blame myself for now and try to be more...punctual? Yeah... that.

Thanks to those who sub/commented! Even the silent readers!! Thank you for raising my views~

I love you guys berry much!!!

I'm just gonna leave this here...