Daehyun his lips nervously as Youngjae passed him and So Eun a test paper that he had come up by himself. They were sitting in the foyer at a table, with the rest of the BAP boys at the other table watching them.

Daehyun glanced at So Eun and she sent him a grin, wriggling her brows. Daehyun looked away, not willing for any emotion to be betrayed from his eyes.

He HAD TO win this.

To avoid getting any closer to So Eun, he had to. He had to make sure there were physical barriers between them or he wouldn't be able to control himself when she approached him, especially when they would be staying in the same house together everyday.

He had a thousand years of patience training yes. But that also meant a thousand years of missing and longing and he had a feeling he would give in to that sooner or later.

Youngjae cleared his throat and Daehyun snapped out of his daze, looking up at Youngjae. Youngjae grinned at So Eun and Daehyun. "You have one hour for this paper. I'm personally rooting for So Eun," Daehyun sent Youngjae a glare and the latter just shrugged. "Your one hour starts....now!"

Daehyun glanced at So Eun and noticed how she looked at him at that instant. She mouthed a "good luck" and grabbed her pen to start. Daehyun took a deep breath and flipped to the first page, swallowing hard.

The BAP boys watched on curiously and waved their SO EUN banners. An hour later, the winner would be revealed.

-----

"Who do you think will win?" Zelo whispered as Youngjae stopped both Daehyun and So Eun from writing and started marking their scripts.

"Of course it's So Eun." Jongup smiled cutely, nodding and firmly believing. "There's no way So Eun wouldn't win."

"Agree." Himchan nodded. "My daughter will win, definitely."

Yongguk looked over at Youngjae's progress in marking. "But Daehyun hasn't had a single mistake until now. Seems like he worked really hard this time and he really doesn't want to stay with So Eun." he grinned at that thought. "Now that I can understand!"

Jongup pouted and shook his head. "I don't get that though. Why wouldn't Daehyun hyung want to stay with So Eun?" he mumbled in confusion. "I wouldn't mind." he pinked at the confession.

"Jung Daehyun, 82 points!" Youngjae announced, moving on to So Eun's script. Daehyun's face fell and sighed, shaking his head. An eighty two was a sure fail now since he was against So Eun. It was like So Eun against him in History.

Youngjae took half the time marking So Eun's paper since it was practically the answer sheet. "So Eun, 100 points." he grinned in interest. "As expected."

Daehyun groaned and buried his face in his hands, biting his lips and squeezing his eyes shut. So Eun pouted at his response and poked his shoulder. "Yah is it that bad? My parents are nice people and they're looking forward to your arrival too!" she grinned.

Daehyun scowled, sighing softly. Oh why was fate so mean to him? Or should he say nice?

"Hooray now Daehyun hyung is our neighbor!" Zelo danced towards them in a robotic manner. "Let's start moving the stuff right now and have dinner together tonight!!!"

So Eun smiled brightly at the thought and Daehyun avoided her eyes. Oh crap that sounded inviting. TOO inviting.







Daehyun swallowed as he stood there with a single duffel bag at his feet in the living room of the house he had stared at for so many times in the past. His eyes darted about from the two adults that were smiling at him so brightly and he swallowed.

"Hi Daehyun." Mrs Kim approached him with a warm smile. "Have you got all your things? I hope you'll make yourself home, don't feel like a guest or anything. You're a new family member."

Daehyun felt a lump rise in his throat and he his lips. Gosh he actually felt himself tearing at that little warm introduction. He missed a motherly figure in his life for too long and he cared for himself. He never had someone care for him for too long.

Mr Kim smiled at him and gave him a friendly pat on the back. "You've suffered by yourself but now you have us, you know that right?"

Daehyun gave a curt nod and Mr Kim caught a glimpse of his eyes. He was surprised to see the depth of those brown orbs, how wise and steady and full of emotion.

Those eyes didn't belong to a 19 year old. They belonged to someone who had gone through a lot.

Mr Kim felt a gush of emotions as he remembered his younger tough days and he desperately wanted to be a good father and role model for this boy.

"So Eun, why don't you show Daehyun to his room?" He asked, smiling warmly.

So Eun nodded and pulled Daehyun by the hand, smiling excitedly. Daehyun pulled his hand from hers, clearing his throat as a blush fought up his cheeks.

He appreciated Mr and Mrs Kim's efforts for giving and not expecting anything in return. In the past, they would have been the noblemen who gave peasants medicinal packets and offered them jobs. The type of people that everyone respected.

So Eun glanced back and caught Daehyun's preoccupied expression and she smiled softly. *I guess a lot of things are running through his mind right now.*

They reached his room and So Eun stopped, her hand on the door knob. "My room is directly opposite yours, so you can find me if you're bored or need anything." She offered.

Daehyun gave her a look and So Eun shrugged. "Don't say I didn't try, though I know you wouldn't. Don't expect me to stay in my room now since I know you're living here. I'll disturb you whenever." She grinned.

Daehyun rolled his eyes and flicked her forehead. "Open the damn door." He muttered.

So Eun made a face and pushed the door open, spreading her arms wide. "Tadah!!!"

Daehyun got inside, his eyes darting around and taking in everything.

The room was painted light blue and there was a white wardrobe at the side. There was a single bed and a night lamp for reading, together with a wooden study table.

Those were things Daehyun never had.

So Eun grinned and ran to his bed, plopping herself on it. "Like the bedspreads?" She pointed to the bedspreads with pictures of a grumpy pug face.

"I chose it you know, it reminded me of you." She made a grumpy expression. "You look like this all the time."

Daehyun cracked a smile without meaning to and So Eun beamed back, glad that she managed to get a reaction from him. He set his duffel bag down and took out his few belongings to put them in the wardrobe.

So Eun made herself comfortable on his bed and rolled around in the fluffy softness. "The boys are coming up in a bit with their gifts." She told him.

Daehyun turned back to look at her. "Gifts?"

So Eun shrugged. "I'm not sure. At least that was what Yongguk told me. I think they should be here in no time-"

"HELLO PEASANTS. YOUNGJAE IS HERE!"

So Eun rolled her eyes and Daehyun shook his head, turning to continue with his work. Youngjae popped his head in the room and looked around. "Hmm looking good."

The boys file into the room and the ample space suddenly seemed cramped but homey. Zelo fought with So Eun for the bed and both of them rolled about.

"I brought you a gift, son-in-law." Himchan wriggled his brows. "This!"

He held out a roll of masking tape. So Eun blinked in surprise and everyone looked puzzled as to why he brought that.

"It's really important to protect yourself you know." Himchan wriggled his brows at Daehyun. "With you sleeping just meters away from So Eun, who knows when she'll feel in the middle of the night huh? Tape her to her bed at night to prevent her from doing anything to you, man. Safety first." He patted Daehyun's back.

"YAH Kim Himchan!" So Eun hollered, red in the face. "You should be giving me that! I'm the girl!"

Yongguk was laughing so much that he crouched down, clutching his tummy. "Yes Daehyun, protect yourself from So Eun."

"Which is why I prepared this for you too!" Himchan produced a Bruce Lee like yellow track suit. "You two protect yourselves from each other!"

Daehyun eyed the masking tape and considered strapping himself to his bed at night. Knowing that she was just meters away didn't really help.

"I brought a Polaroid and Zelo brought photo frames." Jongup took out his camera. "We can take pictures later to decorate the room for a more homely feel."

"Now that's what I call a better gift." So Eun muttered as she stared down at the suffocating tracksuit. "Masking tape indeed."

Yongguk produced a few rolls of paper and he unravelled each one. "To make it more homely, I sacrificed some of my favorite posters for you." He told Daehyun. "Which teenager's room doesn't have posters?"

He held out his favorite collection of SNSD, f(x), Afterschool and even Lee Hyori posters. Even one of Justin Bieber.

Himchan shot Yongguk a puzzled look at the last one and Yongguk shrugged. "Who knows if he likes guys?"

Youngjae produced a cute calendar which he put on Daehyun's desk. "I wrote all our birthdays done so you know what to do eh?" He wriggled his brows.

Daehyun bit his lip to force down a grin. These boys just knew him for a few weeks and they were treating him like a brother even though he had been rude to them at first.

So Eun really chose her friends well.

"Ahem, thanks." Daehyun muttered, turning away to hang his clothes.

So Eun's eyes rounded and a smile graced her lips. Youngjae grinned and bumped Daehyun's shoulders. "Say that again?"

"Don't ask for too much, brat." He muttered, sending the younger one a look.

Youngjae laughed and smiled, meeting So Eun's eyes.

He was opening up. Bit by bit and really slowly, but still.