IV. The Sleepover and the Offer

Back inside, Kyungsoo and Kris are filling the refrigerator in the kitchen with the grocery you and Luhan picked out... or more like Luhan picked out and you watched. Sulli and the other boys had pushed the tables and chairs aside and covered the wooden floor of the bar with two layers of thick blankets while you and Luhan were out.

"A-Are we... sleeping?" You your head in confusion.

Sehun neatly arranges a straight row of pillows for everybody. "Of course, it's almost four in the morning." He answers, counting the number of pillows. "Six... We have nine people. Kyungsoo's sleeping in the attic. Jongin doesn't need a pillow, so I need just one more." He nods to himself, staring at Jongin who had already made himself comfortable on the sofa.

The only image you have of the Jongin guy so far is him sleeping.

That aside. Did all these boys not have a home? Further more, why the hell did Luhan invite you here? It can't have been for just a sleepover, but again, you can't really gather up the courage to question him after that awkward speech that he gave you about his mother. 'This is just awkward. Sulli's probably feeling as awkward as me though.'

You glance over at Sulli who is giggling and already rolling around on the blanket like a boss. 'Or not.' Shaking your head, you sigh sympathetically for Suho who is busy attempting to command Sulli to stay still while straightening out the blanket she's messing up.

"You okay?" The tall guy Chanyeol approaches you from behind and squeezes your shoulder, misunderstanding your sigh as a sigh of your own frustration.

Actually, this tall guy has been confusing you for a while. Since you first met him, he's been acting like you two are friends when in all honesty, you only know each other's names.

Giving him an uncomfortable smile, you shrug his hands off your shoulder. Chanyeol doesn't take it as anything and collapses onto the blanket on the floor with a groan.

Where's that damn Luhan?

"Alright. Girls to the left and boys to the right where the sofa and Jongin are." Sehun announces in which Suho immediately reacts to by rolling the whiny Sulli away to the left of Sehun and scooting furthest to the right against the sofa and away from Sulli.

Frowning, you reach up and tap your cheek. You have make up on your face, and you know from experience how uncomfortable your skin will be in the morning when you wake up. Although you don't want to reveal your plain bare face to a bunch of boys you have met only just today, you should at least refreshen yourself and wash off the oil and bb cream sitting on your face. You'll leave your eyeliner on though, and of course you won't be sacrificing yourself only.

"Sulli, let's go wash off our make up." You direct towards your friend to which Sulli shakes her head. Double sacrifice fail. She obviously would rather feel her cheeks burn off than show her little exotic men her face without make up. "Where's the restroom?" You ask Kris who is scrunching up some plastic bags after emptying them of their veggie contents.

Kris silently points at the back door and returns to folding the black plastic bags. Will you ever hear him talk?

You head towards the back door which opens into a wide hallway. At the end of the hallway is a door with the familiar symbol of a red and boy stickman, each sitting on a drawing of a toilet.

When you reach the door, Luhan, who you have been searching for earlier, comes out of the restroom with a towel around his neck. He's grumbling something about his eyeliner not coming off. He seems slightly surprised to see you as his hand rubbing his eyes freeze in midair before coming down to his side.

It just doesn't feel right to not say a word and ignore him so you make small talk. "You wore make up? I couldn't tell."

Luhan shrugs and offers you the used wet towel around his neck which you politely decline. If Sulli had come with you, she would have probably accepted and conserved it till the end of time. "Performance. I wear it only during performances." He reply, reminding you that he had a mini concert a couple of hours ago.

"Right." You drag, not completely believing him, but whatever. It's none of your business anyways.

An awkward silence hangs in the air and you open your mouth again in the effort to clear the silence. "Do you not have a home?" Oops. That is perhaps not a good way to get a conversation going, but... too late.

However, he does not seem to mind. "Nah, I'm looking for a place now." Staring up at the ceiling, he combs through his golden brown hair. Assumably feeling awkward as well as you. "I'm a good roommate and housemate who can cook, clean and all, but I can't find any place that has a low rent."

You nod, not really listening but thinking more about how to end this conversation smoothly so you can wash your face.

"Do you know any place?" He asks and gives you a blank look that you cannot read.

"What kind of place?" You return a soulless question, still not paying attention.

Luhan suddenly chuckles, his shoulders bouncing up and down. Then, he tosses the towel on my head. "Listen to people when they're talking to you."

Cringing, you pick up the towel with two fingers off your face and throw it back. "Okay, I'm listening. Ask away." Finally, some of the tension of the atmosphere lifts slightly with that.

"I asked if you know any place that has a low rent. I don't mind if my housemate is a girl." Leaning in your direction, he sticks his flawless nose close to your face. "I can cook and clean too." He advertises himself once again.

You grimace, not sure where this conversation is going. "I don't really know much people who--"

Wait a minute.

You stop and take a step back to scan him up and down. 'He needs a housemate with low rent?' And your eyes brighten with an idea before they quickly fade dull. 'No, I don't even know this guy.' Then you stare at the ground. 'Then again, he said I remind him of his mom... he can't be a bad person, right?' With another glint in your eyes, you smile at Luhan who seems a little freaked out by your behavior.

"You need a housemate with low rent." You state the obvious after dwelling your thought on it. "I need a housemate who can cook and clean."

Luhan nods and makes a noiseless 'ah' with his mouth, understanding where this talk is going. "And I can cook and clean... and you have low rent?" He guesses.

"Exactly twenty* a month."

Luhan's face twitches into a small grin and holds out his hand. "Seems low enough. Deal?"

Smiling back at him, you take his handshake. "Deal." And done.

Cross your fingers and hope that this is not a bad idea you will end up regretting later.