At dinner, Kris notices your unusual lack of appetite. “What’s wrong?”
“I lost…something.” You mumble as you take another bite into your food. Kris looks sweaty and tired from his practice, and yet he’s still worrying about you. The others eat quietly as they listen to the conversation. Their energy seems to have completely depleted.
“Do you want me to help you look for it after dinner?” Kris offers. You quickly shake your head. “It’s fine.”
Just then, Kai, Chanyeol, D.O, Sehun, Suho and Baekhyun arrive and they sit at the other end of the table, next to Xiumin and Chen. You sigh in relief that they aren’t anywhere near you.
“They have extra practice in their schedule compared to us.” Kris murmurs. “But they are making improvements, so don’t worry.”
You nod subtly and you glance over to where Kai is. He looks drained. Everyone does.

Kai stands and walks toward where Kris is. He averts his gaze away from you as he does, not wanting to make eye contact.
“What time is the dance choreographer coming over?” Kai snaps. You watch as he ignores you completely.
Oh. This is the real Kai.
“7PM. You have half an hour to eat.” Kris replies. Kai looks down at you briefly before leaving, and you quickly look away.
Kai notices that you aren’t wearing his necklace anymore, to his dismay.

“You sound so domineering.” You say to Kris, after Kai leaves.
Kris nods, seemingly glad that you don’t seem to be very affected by Kai’s presence earlier, “Yes. Now eat.”

Kai storms off to the direction of the dance studio. He was famished earlier, but now all he wants to do is lie down on the hard floor in the dance studio that he spent the whole afternoon in.
“Damn,” Kai kicks the air in frustration as the image of you and Kris appears in his head. And the necklace that you probably thrown away.
But who’s to blame?
“Someone who is going to become a celebrity shouldn’t be talking like that.” A voice says. Kai turns around to see a smug faced man with a camera hung over his neck. A paparazzi?
“You had guts to ask a question like that at the press conference. I’m guessing you know Wen?”
Holy . Kai scowls at the intruder. What is he supposed to say?
“So tell me,” the man says. “You and the other tall guy are going to be in the new boy group?”

Kris? Kai eyes him suspiciously. “What do you want?”
Is everyone in this industry like this? Kai gets reminded of how Lee Soo Man spoke to him in this same tone that makes him feel guarded.
This man here means nothing to Kai. Why should he stand here and listen to his bull?
But before Kai can turn around and continue heading for the dance studio, the man holds up a necklace too familiar to Kai. “I believe this is Wen’s.”
Kai instinctively grabs it from his hands. True enough, it’s the necklace that he gave you.
“Where did you get it?” Kai asks, holding onto it tightly.
“She dropped it at the press conference.”
Kai blanches, but inside him is relieved to know that you didn’t throw it away. Was that why you looked so dull earlier?
“Well,” the man extends a hand, “All the best in preparing for your debut. You’ll see me around when you start promoting.”
“…Thank you.” Kai replies, a tad embarrassed at his reaction earlier. He keeps the necklace in his pocket. Guess it’s back in his hands again.

The next day, you prepare for school after the guys leave for their training.
You have missed a few important classes the past few days, and you are looking forward to the workload, somehow. At least you can keep your mind off Kai…for now.
Mr. Lee had arranged for a chauffeur to pick you to and fro school. You doubt getting used to it, since all along you have been taking the bus with Kai.
You sit alone at the back of the car. It’s wide. The chauffeur doesn’t speak, but he takes occasional glances at you through the mirror to check on you, although you don’t know what could possibly happen for him to actually be worried.
Last night, Mr. Lee had passed you what he calls a ‘schedule’ that you have to stick to everyday.
He definitely has the tendency to control people.
You read through the schedule again for the umpteenth time.

Lee Wen's schedule (prior to changes):
0800 ~ 1300: School (to be fetched to and fro)
1300 ~ 1400: Lunch (choice of location flexible unless told specifically)
1400 ~ 1800: Free time (homework is priority)
1800 ~ 1900: Dinner (strictly only with EXO, EXO-M, Kris, or LSM)
1900 ~ 2300: Free time (again, homework is priority)
2300: Sleep

*Everything is to be reported to LSM
**Changes are possible, but are to be revised beforehand with LSM

As you idly wonder if you will be able to stick to this schedule, the chaffeur drops you off at the school entrance.
“Thank you.” You say, and you trudge off to your classroom.
Now that your only friends are not studying in this school anymore, you feel the loneliness creeping up to you.
Who knows, maybe you can make new friends?

As you walk along the hallway, the students watch you oddly as you make your way.
Actually, when haven’t they?
“She’s Lee Soo Man’s daughter… …Maybe that’s how the guys from 01/5 managed to transfer to SM Academy… …Kris and gang too… … What! Really?!... …I heard she’s transferring too.”
You hasten your pace, hoping to reach your classroom sooner, away from all the other students.
“Oh, Wen.” Someone calls out. You turn to see a familiar face, Hye Ri.
She smiles as she skips happily towards you. “It’s been a while, Wen!”
You notice the disapproving signals that her friends behind her are giving.
Ugh. Even Hye Ri’s friends?
“Yea.” You reply. “I’ll get going.”

“Do you want to hang out after school?” Hye Ri asks. The first thing that comes into your mind is the schedule.
But hey, lunch location is flexible, according to the schedule. And, you need company, somehow. You wouldn’t want to bother Kris or the other guys.
“Will your friends mind?”
Hye Ri looks at her friends, “Stop looking at Wen like that. She’s my friend.”
They scoff back at her, “Hye Ri, why did you make friends with the person who is involved with the worst rumors in school?”

“It’s fine,” You quickly cut in. “We can hang out some other time.”
Hye Ri rolls her eyes. You’re not sure if it’s at your sentence or at her friends. “But I insist. I’ll see you after school.”
She storms off and her friends follow her. Oh no. It looks like a storm is brewing. But you are comforted by the fact that you actually have a friend in school, although Hye Ri isn’t from your class. 

* * *

You meet Hye Ri at the school entrance, and she’s alone this time without her friends.
“Are you sure they are okay with this?” You ask carefully.
Hye Ri frowns. “Let’s go have lunch.”
“Ah,” You halt. “My chauffeur is about to arrive any time. He can take us there.”
“Chauffeur?” Hye Ri’s tone raises. “Right. Now that you are Lee Soo Man’s daughter.”
Not even Hye Ri, too!
“What I meant was, he would probably want you to be safe.” Hye Ri adds.
“I don’t know about that.” You shrug. The chauffeur arrives shortly, and you tell him to head to the meat restaurant that Kris took you to.
You had this craving for the meat there ever since that day, although you aren’t sure if you appetite agrees with it.

“How are things with you and Kai?” Hye Ri asks as she sweeps her fringe away from her face. Is she uneasy? Of course, since she used to like Kai. Or does she still?
You simply shake your head as you force out a sad laughter. “There’s nothing between us…anymore.”
Hye Ri stops herself from probing further as she sees your forlorn expression.
“Can you catch up with school?”
“I did manage to understand today’s chapters. But I’m not what I’ve missed.” You reply.
It’s the first time you have a female friend of your age, since the kids at the orphanage are all younger than you. It feels… nice.
“I can tutor you after lunch.” Hye Ri assures.
“It’s my treat then.”
“Of course.”

* * *

Although the meat restaurant is supposed to be only for SM Academy trainees, you managed to gain access into the place. 
Well, saves troubling Kris to come over.

“Only SM trainees are allowed here?!” Hye Ri yells as she was chewing on her food.
You nod as you hush her. Some trainees turn to look at the commotion.
“Kris took me here once, and I love the food here.” You say.
Hye Ri frowns at his name. “Kris? Why are you hanging out with him?”
Oh. You remember Hye Ri’s dislike for him. “He’s a very nice guy if you get to know him.”
“I’d rather you’d stick to Kai.”
You purse your lips together as you look down at your food, saying nothing. How you wish you could. But will you want that?
Or will Kai want that? Probably not.

“Wen,” a deep voice murmurs. You look up to see Kris in his usual practice outfit. “Oh, hey Kris. Did practice just end?” You pull out an extra seat for him.
Kris looks at Hye Ri warily before taking the seat. “Yeah. My friend told me that he saw you here. So I came.”
Hye Ri gives a blatant look of distaste, obviously towards Kris. “Wen, you should really stay away from some people you know?”
Kris shifts and gives her a sharp, piercing look, and you start to feel some tension between the both of them.

“Look. Wen has rights to choose whether she wants to be friends with me or not. I’d rather you stay out of this.”
Uh oh. This is not good.
“Kris. Eat. We have food, and you’re tired.” You groan. “Hye Ri, eat.”
They give each other a final glare before complying to your demand.

“How’s training?” You casually ask.
Kris shrugs, “Not too bad. The other half of the group has to practice more, as usual.”
You know whom Kris refers to when he says ‘the other half of the group’.
“Don’t they get to eat?” You sound worried. Maybe that’s because you are, since you haven’t heard anything from Kai personally for a while now.
“I think they will be making do without lunch today. The instructor is very harsh on them.” Kris states, his tone bland.
“Can I bring them food?” You accidentally blurt out before you can register the words in your head.
Kris gapes at you, the food clasped in his chopsticks in mid air. “I guess so. Do you want me to join you?”
You shake your head quickly as you stand, “Can you take Hye Ri home instead?”
Hye Ri’s eyes widens as she stares blankly at you, “What?”
“It will be safer for you. What if you get kidnapped again?” You scold. “Thanks Kris.”

You hurriedly pay for the bill and dash out of the restaurant as the bells tinkle.

* * *

a/n: sorry for not updating for sooooo long! Was busy with school, and my holiday had just started, yay me!
I hope you guys will like this chapter! i'm working on the next chapter now :)
Do leave comments~