Previously on Project X...

“Seems like Jack Frost paid a visit…” 

“X-Xiumin?!” 

“I bet you’re with ‘the others’ too, huh?” 

“I can kill that girl of yours over there quicker than she can cry for help” 

“Oh yeah, I hope you’ll like your little present in school, Ji-Eun…I made it myself” 

You couldn't sleep. You were tossing and turning in your bed for hours. It was one of the worst feelings; being tired but your mind not turning off and letting you rest. After uncomfortably rolling around in bed, you gave up and sat up to turn your desk lamp on. “How annoying” You mumbled to no one in particular, still feeling fatigued. You sat in silence for a while, staring at your front desk with several blinks before deciding on looking through your desk, just for the hek of it.

You came across the cushioned box that held your mothers necklace inside and a small smile lit up on your face. You turned to your guitar case leaning on your desk, the case having collected dust after being untouched for a few days. “Haven’t played you in a while…” You murmur, slightly apologetic. Mianhae omma…

You sighed, letting your gaze drop to your shoulder bag. Might as well…You pulled the straps up and looked through the contents. Finding a few coins and debt collecting letters, which could only bring your mood down further. “Shoot” You urged, feeling a sudden weight on your shoulders. The debt deals had completely slipped your mind. Before you could check the letter, the purple velvet pouch that professor gave you caught your eye. Now would be the time to actually look through it properly.

After taking out all of the contents, you eyed them in curiosity. They all looked like regular, every-day items. One was just a high tech watch, what you’d use that for apart from telling the time- you didn’t know. There was a see through earpiece, a little different from what you see EXO-K wearing, but you remember professor telling you that yours was a little different after all. Another was a pen. But after seeing those spy movies, you were too scared to try and see what it did just in case you accidently cut your bed in half or bored a hole in your ceiling. There were other regular things; a compact mirror, a fingerless hand glove, weird looking handcuffs and a miniscule white notepad. You flicked through the plain pages out of curiosity and found a little message at the front page.

Just for fun ^^

Professor.

You chuckled at the little message before arching your eyebrows. Am I just supposed to doodle in this? You wondered. Your eyes went to the little see-through packet of silver gems. There really should be an instruction booklet…how the hek am I supposed to know what these things do? “Maybe I should ask them in the morning” You said to yourself, referring to EXO-K when you were reminded by something…Is…Baekhyun still in a mood with me? Yours eyes drifted to their door. “I don’t think I did anything wrong though…or have I?” You plopped back onto your bed, wondering whether or not the boys would be in dreamland yet.

But, of course, they wouldn’t enter dreamland so easily.

“…Kai?...You awake?” Chanyeol whisper-yelled. But there was no response.

Chanyeol felt lonely despite being in a rather small room with two friends…mostly because there was a gap between the two friends- a purposeful gap as it seemed. Kai was sleeping on one side of the room, facing the wall, Baekhyun doing the same with the other side, leaving Chanyeol in the middle to be staring at the ceiling.

“Baekie?” He whispered hopefully to the other male.

“Get to sleep, Chanyeol” Baekhyun decided to respond, knowing that Chanyeol could keep it up all night if he really couldn't get to sleep. But it wasn’t the response he was hoping for.

“Easier said than done” Chanyeol sighed, pouting at the ceiling. “I never liked that Xiumin guy, he hung out with those bad people” He remarked. “He…he wouldn’t…actually hurt Ji-Eun…would he?” He asked, hoping for the response he was looking for. 

"...Who knows..." Baekhyun mumbled in honesty. Saying it himself...he couldn't even stomach the thought of something dreadful happening to you, or to any of the other members...but what could he do?...Nothing much...Not when he didn't know how to help. 

Silence followed. None of them spoke because they were too deep in thought to do so. A couple of minutes had passed when Chanyeol suddenly decided to spring up. “Toilet” He randomly urged before pushing the covers off of his body and headed out of the room. He walked to the main room, puzzled to find that some sort of light was still on. Did she forget to turn it off? Chanyeol wondered before sneakily peering into your room, surprised when he found you asleep on the couch instead of your bed. 

"Ji-Eun?" He mumbled, wondering whether or not to wake you up. But as he gradually stepped closer, your peaceful expression made him soften, warmth spread in his body and his face lit up with a content grin. At least she can get to sleep, that's good. He thought before he grabbed your covers from your bed and laid it over your body as carefully as possible, in fear of waking you up. You shifted in your sleep, making him jolt from surprise, but you hadn't woken up.

For a moment, he'd forgotten why he'd come out of his room in the first place, but once he remembered, he was distracted by the gadgets laid out at the coffee table. So these are the new gadgets from professor...He thought, hesitant however deciding to snoop anyway. He looked through and noticed that the designs were slightly different from his. He took out the high tech hand cuffs that were currently 'turned off'. Handcuffs?...He slightly scoffed, "Why would she need..." Before he could finish, an idea sparked in his brain. An ingenious idea, yet a devious little grin appeared on his face.

You sluggishly got yourself up the next morning, suspicious as to how you ended up on your couch before brushing it off and getting ready for school. 

"Good morning, Ji-Eun-shi!" Suho greeted with a bright smile as soon as you entered the kitchen, his radiating smile made you feel better already. 

"Good morning, oppa!" You beamed, trying to imitate his grin. 

"Oppa?" D.O scoffed, "Favoritism much?" He arched his eyebrows. You shot him a look before replying, "What, you want me to call you oppa too?" You questioned, a little surprised. D.O slightly blushed before he covered it up with a gag. 

"N-No thank you!" He passed, stuffing a bread roll into his mouth. Suho shook his head at his friend before turning to you again, "Ready for school?"

"Yeah but, where are the others?" You wondered, looking left and right for a sign of them. "Don't tell me they're not up yet! We'll be late at this rate!" You said, about to run to their rooms when Chanyeol suddenly jumped into the kitchen.

"Ji-Eunnie!~" He chimed, suddenly embracing you in a tight back hug and lifting you up into the air. 

"WAH! Yeol! You scared me!" You slapped his arm to signal him to put you down. But right when he did, you started laughing. "What was that for?" You asked him, still chuckling at yourself. 

Chanyeol shrugged, "Just wanted to hug you!" He grinned, and you had to admit, you felt your heart melting at that. 

"Be sure to go for a shower afterwards, mate" D.O urged. You shot him a look before he lifted his hands up in defense. "Joking!" 

"Don't worry, the others should be out soon" Suho reassured. But a thought suddenly popped up in your head...

"Er...you know what, why don't i go on ahead first?" You suggested, forcing a half-hearted smile. The boys glared at you in puzzlement. 

"What? Why?" Suho blinked at you innocently. 

Chanyeol pulled a face towards D.O, "Great going dude, you made her mad!" He accused before smacking D.O's arm. The boys round eyes widening even further at the accusation. 

"I-I didn't mean it!" D.O defended, suddenly feeling guilty as he looked at you. You couldn't help but laugh. 

"No! No! It's not that! It's just...I feel like walking alone for today" Total lie. "You know, get my mind straight" 

The boys didn't buy it. They already saw this coming. That was just what they would expect from you, it was a typical thought. They knew you didn't mean it, but you were too caring. 

"But...But..." Chanyeol quivered his lower lip as he pouted at you. But before you could respond, you felt something hard hit the back of your head and yelped in pain. You turned angrily and noticed that the weapon was the purple pouch that sat on the floor. 

"Baekhyun!" Suho scolded the culprit who entered the kitchen with a straight face.

You gawked at him, "Ya! Did you just throw that at me?!" You yelled. 

Baekhyun blinked at you as if he didn't know hot from cold, "Yes" He bluntly remarked, shoving his hands into his pockets casually. "Maybe next time your brain would actually remember to take it with you" He added, not even in a teasing tone.  

You reached down to grab the pouch before swishing it in his face, "What's wrong with 'hey, Ji-Eun, you forgot to take this with you'?" You barked at him. Baekhyun raised an eyebrow before sighing. At that, you grew agitated, "Did you wake up on the wrong side of bed today or something? What with you these days!? PMS?" 

Suho suddenly choked on his orange juice, surprising the oblivious Chanyeol who wasn't sure what you'd meant.

Baekhyun scoffed with wide eyes, surprised by your remark, "What?" 

"I'm just saying! What's with your sudden attitude?! Have I done something to make you mad? Or are you naturally bratty?" You snapped. 

"Morning guys!" Sehun beamed as he entered. 

"Aren't you being slightly bratty right now?"  

"Excuse me?!" 

"See ya guys!" Sehun decided it was the wrong time to enter and exited, however was stopped by Kai who just pushed him back into the kitchen. 

"Hey, what's with the ra-"

"Did you just call me bratty?!" You fumed. Chanyeol and Suho awkwardly glancing at each other, wondering when it would be the right time to step in. Suho couldn't exactly understand the meaning behind the argument that started over nothing...And he couldn't understand why Baekhyun started acting so blunt and harsh towards you all of a sudden. But he knew Baekhyun well enough to know, he wouldn't be doing it without a reason. 

"Er, l-let's get to school guys-"

"Why? Little Miss Perfect not used to someone insulting her?"

Your eyes widened, "Little Miss- Okay! Now you're just picking an argument! If anyone here thinks they're perfect then it's you, Mr. I'm-good-at-everything" You spat.

"E-Er, Ji-Eun-shi, we're going to be late for-" 

"Is that supposed to be an insult?" Baekhyun sniggered at your failed attempt at a comeback. You were so enraged and agitated that you didn't notice Chanyeol take the pouch out of your hands and root inside it. 

"I-I-I was being sarcastic!" You continued. 

"Really?" 

"Really!"

SNAP! "[Hand cuffs engaged. Lock]" -BEEP-

...What.

You and Baekhyun stared down at the robotic voice that came from your wrists and finally noticed something tightened around them. Baekhyun lifted his hands, shocked when yours came up too. Both of you stared at the silver chain that dangled from the cuffs that chained both of you together. Your eyes widened, "CHANYEOL!" You both screamed at the boy who stood there seemingly innocent. "What did you do?!" You urged, glaring at the cuff on your left hand the the other cuff on Baekhyuns right. 

"I handcuffed you two together" Chanyeol stated with a victorious grin, "Now you have to let us stay with you Ji-Eunnie, whether you like it or not!" 

Suho hid a grin. Clever.

"Haha, very funny Yeol, now take it off" You said in a sarcastic tone. 

"I think it's a good idea" Sehun commented

"But if we're up against Jack Frost then wouldn't it be safer for her to stick with 'Blaze' over here?" Kai mentioned whilst gesturing towards Chanyeol with his eyebrows crooked. 

Chanyeol shrugged, "Any of us will do" Although he was actually planning on handcuffing himself to Ji-Eun to start with, he didn't like how Baekhyun and Ji-Eun started to argue so often now. Maybe you'll be able to get along better if you were forced to? 

You glared down at the metal at your wrist, "Y-you're not serious are you? We're not even in the same classes!" You protested. 

"...Actually" Baekhyun started, taking you by surprise "We have music today" He reminded with an as-a-matter-of-fact tone whilst wearing a straight face. You snorted dramatically and gawked at him. What's with this guy?! 

"Are you seriously going along with this?" You said warily, getting highly suspicious as a devious smile suddenly crept up on the boys face. 

"Think of it as a charm bracelet, Ji-Eun-shi" Suho remarked with a subtle wink. 

EXO-K glanced at each other, all with sneaky, happy grins on their faces. Now one worry was out the window. You couldn't get rid of them now even if you wanted to. It might be extreme but at least now you wouldn't be able to try and keep your distance. Kai peered over to Baekhyun, the boy too busy gazing at your face to notice. If anything happens to her today...I'm blaming you, Byun Baekhyun. 

"...That was a quick visit" The voice echoed, suspicion in his voice. Xiumin sniggered at the remark as he played with the snowflakes at his finger tips that didn't seem to melt, "Sounds like you were expecting me to stir some trouble"  

"And did you?" 

"Maybe..." He smirked,"Don't worry, i didn't touch the girl...In fact..." The snowflake suddenly melted at his touch and instantly froze again, leaving a harsh icicle at the tip of his finger. "I even left her a little present..."

___

A/N: Don't shoot me! I'm soooooo sorry for not updating in a while! A bit of a relaxed chapter- nothing too serious going on but i hope im not boring you. You have the right to stone me >_< Well, it WILL proceed from here, DRAMA IS COMING! I love your guys so much. Now that my exams are out of the way, i can hopefully update more often ^^~ Question: Who's your favourite character so far? ¬_¬