Waking with a start, Natalie looked around, only to realize that her fellow classmates were getting up to leave. She must have fallen asleep without realizing it and ended up missing half the class. Gathering up her things, she quickly packed them away into her bag and left, assuring herself of how unlikely it was that the professor could have noticed her among the hundred and fifty other students in the lecture hall.

She knew she hadn't been getting enough sleep lately. Trying to keep up with school while stretching her sleeping habits and staying up to odd hours of the night to talk with Seunghyun had certainly started to take its toll. That was the trouble with long distance relationships, it just required that much more effort. But she always tried to make sure that it didn't affect her school life, and even prided herself in being able to balance the two. She left campus feeling heavy with regret, kicking herself for falling asleep in class. She thought about the tough schedules that idols must have to endure, knowing that they never had enough time to sleep, either. No matter how busy she thought she might be, she knew it was probably nothing compared to Seunghyun's schedule on a daily basis. Even if he was so far away, it was like Seunghyun was a source of strength for Natalie.

She smiled as she made her way home, the whole time thinking about the five people that had changed her life so much last summer and that one boy in particular, wondering what he was doing now.

:.

"SEUNGHYUN," Jaejin's voice called out, and Seunghyun's chin slipped off of his palm, almost falling onto the table in a daze. "Wake up, Yoonho hyung is waiting for us outside."

Seunghyun glanced out the window, noticing their manager's van parked by the driveway. Before long, everyone was ready and had gotten into the vehicle. Seunghyun yawned, leaning his head against the headrest.

Hongki raised an eyebrow at him. "Tired?"

"You were talking to Natalie again last night, weren't you?" Jaejin asked slyly.

"We don't always get a lot of sleep as it is, Seunghyun. Be careful you don't wear yourself out," Jonghun advised him lightly.

"I'm not tired," Seunghyun brushed off their words, but they just looked at him skeptically. "Really, I'm fine."

"No, you're a terrible liar, that's what you are," Minhwan said with a grin, and laughter filled the van.

First stop in their schedule was the salon to get their hair styled, then the sound studio to work on the new OST they'd be releasing, which was in its final production stages, and later a fan signing event in the afternoon followed by rehearsals all the way through until evening, leaving them with the night off. It was a busy day, but nothing out of the ordinary for FT Island.

"So who do you think would win in a fight," Jaejin inquired as they entered the FNC building midmorning, "Me or Minhwan?"

"Obviously me," Minhwan whispered.

"Not a chance," Jaejin flicked the maknae's forehead, and Minhwan rubbed the spot with a sharp intake of breath.

Hongki nodded, "Minhwan."

"YAH," Jaejin stared at him in disbelief, "I'll have you know, I'm a lot stronger than I look."

"No you're not," Seunghyun laughed, and he and Minhwan high-fived.

Hongki laughed as they rounded the corner and, not watching where he was going, suddenly bumped into someone. He reflexively gave a slight