Shelly woke up with a weight on her chest. She looked down to see Hoya was laying half on top of her. His head rested very close to her but she didn’t mind. His arm was thrown across her stomach and lay heavily there.

            She smiled down at him. It was the second day in a row she had woken up next to Hoya. Her smile just got brighter as she thought about that. I could get used to this. Without thinking she brought her hand to rest on top of his head. His black hair was silky under her fingers. She couldn’t stop herself from moving them through his dark hair and massaging his scalp.

            He stirred a little in his sleep, but only to cuddle up closer to her. His arm that was merely resting on her stomach before wrapped around her hip and squeezed her there in an attempt to move her closer. His face was on her now and he nuzzled his nose against her sleepily. It was highly inappropriate but all she could do was giggle. When was the last time I giggled?, she thought to herself with awe. I don’t giggle.

            Her body shook a little from her amusement and he finally seemed to wake up. She couldn’t see his face from her current position, but she saw how he lifted his head and seemed to stare at her chest. He stared for a good 10 seconds while he tried to decide what was going on. He turned his head to look at her smiling face. He looked apologetic, but when he saw her smile his face morphed.

            He smiled sheepishly when he looked into her bemused eyes. He seemed a little lost in them and just stared at her a moment before they heard a sudden crunching sound. They turned their heads to the side to see Myungsoo and Sungjong standing by the kitchen doorway staring at them. I forgot we were in the main room.

            Myungsoo was holding a bowl of cereal as he stared at the two of them with a shocked grin. Sungjong stood beside him and ate out of his cereal bowl while Myungsoo wasn’t looking. The cereal crunched in Sungjong’s mouth noisily as he took a second bite before going back to watching Hoya and Shelly with a bright smile. Shelly’s heart had already been warmed by Hoya and she felt it about to burst when she saw Sungjong’s happy face.

            When Sungjong saw that they had been discovered he laughed. “Don’t let us disturb you,” he grinned before taking Myungsoo’s spoon and eating even more of his breakfast. Myungsoo finally snapped out of it and looked down at his half eaten meal.

            “Sungjong get your own cereal,” he complained before he went back into the kitchen to get more.

            “But yours tastes better,” Sungjong giggled as he followed Myungsoo into the kitchen.

            Shelly loved living in this house. She loved all seven of these guys. She had to admit she especially loved Sungjong. He was like that little brother she had always wanted growing up. There were other members she liked especially too.

            She looked back to Hoya and saw he was grinning at the maknaes as well. Both of their grins vanished though when they noticed that they still weren’t alone.

            “Morning noona,” Sungjong proclaimed when he stepped back out of the kitchen holding his own bowl of cereal this time.  

            Shelly hadn’t noticed Julia standing by Sunggyu’s door. She was staring at the two of them lying on the floor with an unreadable expression. Hoya bolted to his feet quickly and stood awkwardly.

            “How’s your dad doing, Hoya?” Julia finally asked in a bright, but slightly strained voice.

            Shelly perked up to listen since Hoya never mentioned it to her himself. Hoya still looked uncomfortable with the position they had been discovered in as he moved towards his bedroom door.

            “It was a . He’s unconscious and the doctor’s aren’t sure exactly when he will wake up… or if he will,” he finished weakly. Actually saying the words aloud seemed to do something to him emotionally. He suddenly withdrew himself from the room and the conversation while still standing right in front of them.

            He stared down at the ground blankly while Julia approached him. She was reaching out to touch his shoulder when he snapped out of it.

            “I’m fine noona. I’m going to change and go back to the hospital,” he said before disappearing into his bedroom.

            “I want to give him a hug,” Sungjong said with big sad eyes. Shelly had forgotten he was still there. Myungsoo was standing beside him again and he seemed withdrawn as well.

            When one of them is hurting they all feel it, she thought to herself sadly. Like a real family.   

            Shelly felt the start of fresh tears sting her eyes and she quickly hid herself under the blanket so no one would see. Why am I crying? I don’t cry. Why do these people make me want to cry all the time? They’re changing me. They’re love and warmth is infecting me like a slow acting poison.

            Her thoughts were interrupted when the blanket lifted at the bottom and her cousin began crawling under it. She came up beside Shelly and lay by her side. They stared at each other in their blanket bubble like they were in their own little world.

            Shelly remembered when they were little girls they used to make tents out of chairs and blankets. They would sit in their makeshift home for hours just talking about everything they wanted to do. Julia had always wanted to be a Firewoman or a Police woman. She wanted to help people. Shelly never knew what she wanted to be. She always just said she wanted to be happy. It had seemed a reasonable dream at the time.

            She couldn’t tell if Julia was thinking the same thing as her, but she seemed sad as she stared into Shelly’s eyes.

            “You know that I love you, right Shell?” she asked quietly.

            “I love you, too Jules,” She responded. “I missed you.”

            Oh god, why am I crying?

            “Hyung, can we fit under there too?” She heard Sungjong whisper to Myungsoo.

            “I think we should give them some time alone, Jongie,” Myungsoo said. Shelly could almost hear him smirking.

            “Hyung, why’d you raise your eyebrows like that? They aren’t kissing or something. They’re cousins,” Sungjong was saying. His voice began to fade as they went back to Myungsoo’s room.

            “Jeez Jongie learn to take a joke,” Myungsoo’s silky voice came quietly from the hall before they heard the door close.

            As soon as they disappeared the cousins both burst out laughing. Even though Shelly was larger than her cousin she was the one wrapped up in an all encompassing hug. Julia held her protectively to her chest and nearly suffocated her. It was the kind of hug she may have received from her mom before Julia’s parents died and everything was turned upside down.

            “Hoya’s strong. He’ll be okay,” Julia assured Shelly quietly. Or was she assuring herself? Wait why would she tell me this anyway?

            Shelly backed away from her cousin to look in her knowing eyes. Julia just smiled at her and fiddled with Shelly’s hair; tucking the random red curls behind her ears. She knows I like him. Am I that obvious?

            All of Shelly’s walls seemed to be crumbling down around her after being with these people for just two weeks. She wasn’t sure whether to panic or feel relieved. Her body certainly couldn’t decide.

            “Um Julia? I hope you are with your cousin under there and not one of the guys because you would have some explaining to do,” They heard Sunggyu’s voice come from above them. Their little world kept getting invaded by Idols. Shelly could think of worse things.

            “How do you know it’s me?” Julia said in a weird deep voice. She sounded like a fifty year old smoker all of a sudden. Shelly had to hold back her laughter.

            “I’d know this cute little foot anywhere,” Sunggyu shouted as he grabbed Julia’s ankle and abducted her. Julia was pulled on the slippery floor and out of Shelly’s sight while she screeched at her fiancé.

            “Sunggyu, we were having a moment,” Julia whined. Shelly got out of the blankets and stood in the middle of her living room camp. She should probably put it away.

            “Well I see at least you’re both dressed,” he said with relief before dropping Julia’s foot and heading for the kitchen.

            “Gross. We’re cousins. Why are you boys so filthy minded all the time,” she complained as she followed him.

            Shelly was standing in place just smiling about her goofy cousin with her grumpy fiancé and the sweet Sungjong with his joking boyfriend Myungsoo, when Hoya came back out of his room. He was dressed in a pair of black jeans now that fit him snuggly. His shirt was plain, but it fit him perfectly. Shelly could see just a hint of his collar bones and muscled shoulders. He was frowning and looking towards the ground, but when he saw Shelly he stopped in his tracks. He saw her smile and the way she looked at him and his frown vanished. He gave her a comforting and almost shy smile before leaving without a word.

            “Omo, Shelly!” She heard Julia shout from the kitchen. “I almost forgot. We have to go dress shopping today. I should have done this months ago, but I need your help. Can you go?” Her voice rose with nearly every word. When she came back into the main room her eyes were wide and excited.

            “Of course, Jules,” she said with a laugh. “What am I here for anyway?”

            “Shelly, please keep my fiancé in mind when you help her pick a dress,” Sunggyu warned as he too came back into the main room holding a mug of hot tea. They already looked like a married couple standing there. “I don’t want her walking down the aisle in something tight, revealing, and hot pink.”

            Shelly scoffed at him. His voice was dead serious.

            “I want you guys to make sure you cover all of these general areas,” he said as he waved his free hand over nearly every inch of Julia. He even bent at the waist so he could wave all the way down to her toes and back up to her neck. Once again he was dead serious.

            “I don’t know if they make wedding dresses with turtle necks,” Shelly said in a mocking tone.

            Sunggyu gave her a withering glance as he stepped back into the kitchen. Before he disappeared he gave Shelly another serious look and motioned towards Julia’s chest as if that area in particular needed special coverage.

            Wedding dress shopping with Shelly was a blast. Julia was just so happy she wasn’t alone. If not for Shelly she wasn’t sure what she would’ve done. Maybe ask Sungjong to go? He’d have opinions, but it was refreshing having a female around. Especially one that she loved more than any other female in the world.

            For some reason as the dress shopping dragged on Julia began to lose her patience. Her mind began to wander and all she could think about was her cousin.

            Julia had been thinking all along that Shelly was acting different with them because she was a visitor in a new country living with 7 strangers. There were many reasons for Shelly to not act like herself, but she seemed more than comfortable now. Julia was shocked when she woke up to find Shelly and Hoya snuggling on the living room floor. It was a little more than comfortable.

            They had seemed completely at ease. The way Shelly had been moving her fingers through Hoya’s hair was familiar to Julia. She did that to Sunggyu a lot. It wasn’t something she consciously thought to do. It was just natural. It wasn’t a ual thing; it was purely affectionate. She saw fondness coming from her cousin and something that could even have been love sparkling in her green eyes. For some reason an odd anxiety built up in Julia’s stomach. She wasn’t sure who she was fearful for though. Who needed protecting?

            She had watched them; silently battling her own thoughts. She likes Hoya? Hoya likes her? Hoya seems happy. His smile is so cute. Julia loved it when he smiled like that. He deserves to be happy. So does Shelly. She had never seen her cousin smile like that before. But what were they doing? Shelly doesn’t even live in the country. She has her own family to think about getting back too. What must Hoya be thinking? Hoya never wanted a relationship. He told Julia before about his fighting through life to become exactly what he wanted to be. He had made so many sacrifices along the way that he had ruled out relationships entirely. He was so stubborn and focused all the time. Was Shelly breaking his walls down?

            She was worried. Julia didn’t want either of them broken. They seemed happy, but that could quickly change. She wasn’t sure which of them she was more worried for. They both had tough exteriors and a sweet gentle person hid beneath. Now that she thought about it. Why was Shelly so tough all the time? Hoya she understood because Hoya had told her everything himself about his relationship with his father. When they were kids Shelly was open and honest like that. She was actually a bit like Julia. Innocent and sweet.

            She exited the changing room in her 8th dress of the day. It took the longest to get on because the beaded top was delicate and needed to be handled carefully. She stepped out of the dressing room with a little frown. She stood in front of the mirrors and faced Shelly where she sat in patient anticipation.

            Shelly’s breath caught as she came out in the dress, but then she looked up at Julia’s face and became concerned.

            “You don’t like it?”

            “I don’t know. I haven’t looked at it,” Julia mumbled as she played with the gauzy layers that puffed out below the waist.

            “What’s wrong?” Shelly asked sounding a little anxious.

            “What are your intentions with Hoya?” She asked bluntly.

            Julia realized she sounded like someone’s anxious father asking the visiting boyfriend about his relationship with his daughter. The truth was even though she was barely older than these boys they were like children to her. She had to protect them all. She had to protect Shelly too, though. She’d ask Hoya the same question, but she knew his heart. For some reason she wasn’t sure about Shelly.

            Suddenly the air seemed to be choking her cousin. “Wh-what do you mean, Jules?”

            “You have feelings for him right?”

            She met Shelly’s eyes seriously. She looked like she was panicking for some reason. Since when can’t she just talk to me?

            “I really like all of your band mates,” she answered neutrally.

            “But you like Hoya especially. And not in the same way,” she wasn’t asking her anymore she was telling her. She used her leader voice she had developed over the last few months. Firm, but still caring.

            “Would that be bad?” She asked quietly.

            “I just don’t want anyone to end these three weeks with a broken heart. I mean, what will happen when you go back home Shell?”

            Shelly looked like she had been slapped, but Julia couldn’t figure out for the life of her why. Was it the broken heart comment? The going back home comment? Why would that bother her though? She never said anything bad about home. She never said anything great about here.

            “Your mom must miss you a lot right?” Julia questioned. She watched her cousin’s face carefully. Her eyes seemed to darken and she suddenly wouldn’t look at Julia. What is wrong with her? She remembered the comments Shelly had made at the club and just became more worried about her. What is she hiding from me? Why didn’t I see it before?

            She couldn’t bring herself to ask. Her cousin looked oddly defeated. Julia didn’t like it. They had been happy before. All she wanted was for everyone to be happy.

            “Well, let’s not fret about this right now. Okay Shell? I just want you and Hoya to be careful. I love you both,” she said brightly.

            Shelly seemed to clear her head a little and looked back at her cousin.

            “You look beautiful,” she said quietly as she came to stand beside her.

            Julia finally looked at the dress in the mirror. The intricately beaded top fit her perfectly. It came in at the waist before fanning out at the bottom with layers of gauze. It made her body look more shapely. She had an hourglass figure like her cousin now. The top covered her chest modestly. Her arms and shoulders were entirely bare, but for once she didn’t mind that.

            “You look like a princess.”

            “Is that a bad thing,” Julia asked with a little frown as she stared at her reflection.

            “No, it suits you perfectly. You’re like snow white with your seven dwarfs,” Shelly said with a sad smile. She didn’t sound bitter, but there was a hint of jealousy in her voice. Julia realized that she was truly a lucky girl to have all seven guys in her life. 

            “You definitely picked Grumpy though, Jules. You realize that right?” She said with a chuckle.

            Just the mention of Sunggyu made Julia smile; grumpy or not.

            “I didn’t pick him. You don’t choose who you love Shell,” she said seriously. Shelly seemed lost in thought for a second before she smiled again.

            “Give it a spin Jules,” Shelly demanded as she stepped back.

            Julia smiled as she twirled in the dress and the light layers floated up like a puffy cloud. Julia couldn’t help but giggle like a child.

            “That’s the one.”

            “But what about Sunggyu? He said he wanted me covered,” Julia whined with a little pout. She really did like this dress, though.

            “Jules, are you really going to let a man tell you what you can or can’t do? You get the dress you want. And trust me I have a feeling he will love it,” she said seriously.

            Julia was beaming when they finally left the store to head back home, but she had decided that there was something she had to do. She didn’t want to go behind her cousin’s back, but her curiosity was getting the best of her.

            When they got back to the apartment she thanked Shelly for her help and watched her disappear to their bedroom. Julia had been spending more and more time in Sunggyu’s room anyway so it wouldn’t seem too suspicious.

            She grabbed her cell phone from her bag and closed herself in Sunggyu’s room. When she came in he popped up in bed and didn’t hesitate to reach over and grab at her. She withheld her usual giggle as he pulled her into the bed and into his arms.

            “I can finally rest comfortably,” he sighed in her ear. He pulled her closer and used her as his own personal body pillow. “Did you find a dress?”

            “Yes and shush for a second I have to make a call.”

            She looked around to see that Woohyun wasn’t in the room and they were completely alone. Sunggyu seemed to pick up on her nervous behavior and popped up in the bed. He lifted her so they both sat cross legged on the mattress.

            “Who are you calling,” he asked as she went to her contacts and found the right number.

            “I’m calling Shelly’s parents,” she whispered as if Shelly might hear her from the other side of the apartment.

            “I thought you never called there because they didn’t want to pay for the long distance charges,” he whispered back. She placed her hand directly onto his face to shut him up. He didn’t hit it away and just left it there as he watched her.

            Shelly’s family had always been on the poorer side ever since they were kids. Julia’s family wasn’t much more well off, though. When she moved to Korea they had talked on the phone initially, but then only communicated through letters because the bills became too high. Julia had only just now been able to call again because she had plenty of money. But Shelly had oddly told her that she preferred writing letters.

            The phone rang eight times. Julia was about to give up when someone picked up. The voice at the other end of the line didn’t sound familiar. The person sounded tired or drowsy.

            “Who is it?” The woman answered with a slight slur.

            “Umm Aunt Kathy? It’s your niece Julia,” she tried to say happily.

            “Julia? Julia in Korea? With the band? What is it Infinity or something? Shelly was always talking about some Infinity thing.”

            Why did she sound so terrible? She sounded like she might be drunk, but that was nothing like her. She never drank before.

            “Yes, it’s me! I was just calling to check-”

            “Shelly isn’t here, Julia. She ran off again without telling me where and she took all her stuff. She even took that damned rat. If she writes you one of those letters and it says where she is you let me know. I can’t run this house alone. I need her help paying these bills,” she said with a hint of anger.

            “Wh-what do you mean she ran off? Didn’t you and Uncle Sam get my invitation? She told me you guys couldn’t go to my wedding, but that you were alright with her coming.”     Julia was thoroughly confused and a little scared as she looked into Sunggyu’s concerned eyes.

            “Uncle Sam? Never heard of him,” Aunt Kath said angrily about her own husband. Sunggyu stiffened when he heard her tone. Julia realized that Sunggyu couldn’t understand any of this, but he knew something was wrong. “And what invitation? You’re getting married? You’re just a child. Wait, are you telling me Shelly is there? She’s with you?”

            Her aunt rambled on and Julia had a hard time understanding parts of it, but her voice had risen with hope at the end and for the first time genuine concern.

            “Yes, she’s here. She’s safe,” Julia assured her.

            “Well you tell her, from me, to come back home before she gets fired from her job. If she hasn’t already. I need her here. I need her.”

            Her aunt sounded on the verge of drunken sobs by the end. What had happened to them? When did this happen? How could Shelly not tell her?

            “Okay I’ll tell her. Thank you and it was nice talking to you again,” Julia managed to say before dropping the phone from her hand.

            Her other hand was still on Sunggyu’s face and she removed it quickly before crawling into his lap and wrapping herself in his arms.

            “What happened? What’s wrong?” He said in her ear while he hugged her to him tight.

            “Shelly ran away from home.”