The moment D.O.-hyung placed the bowl of rice on the table, I instantly reached for and grabbed it, earning a scolding from him and Suho-hyung. I pouted, but slowed down, nonetheless, because I didn’t want another round of their talk about table manners. “Sorry,” I mumbled, putting some rice onto my plate.

“Why are you in such a hurry today?” Chen-hyung asked me as I handed him the bowl of rice.

“Yeah, Se Hun? You’re usually not this excited during breakfast,” Lay-hyung commented as he slowly chewed on a piece of beef, exposing his deep dimples.

Well, where do I even begin, Hyungs? I thought to myself. For one thing, today was finally the day of the Taek Won Do competition. I had been looking forward to it all weeklong, because the way Noona talked about it made it seem so exciting. I’ve never heard Noona ramble about anything before, so to have her chatter relentlessly was a nice change of pace. The amount of passion and energy she invested on Taek Won Do was something I could never understand, but it was contagious and I found myself wanting the weekdays to be over so Saturday could finally come.

And because it was of importance to Noona, it was of importance to me, too.

…And the second reason?

Teehee.

Last week, Kris-hyung, Noona and I had agreed to go to the venue together, on Kris-hyung’s car. Unfortunately (or, fortunately) Hyung suddenly had to go to a meeting this morning, right after breakfast, and would just follow us later on in the afternoon. That means that it would just be Noona and I going there.

Together.

>V<

Lady Luck must really really like me.

“I’m just really excited for the competition,” I said, showing them a big, happy grin. “Really, really excited, Hyungs.” I couldn’t help but feel giddy and let out a giggle as I stuffed rice into my mouth. Gah, I must look really stupid right now, but huhu, I really can’t help what I feel.

(。⌒∇⌒)。

Noona chuckles as she receives the platter of beef from Chan Yeol-hyung. “If that’s the case, we should hurry eating, huh, Xiumin? So we could get outta here already.”

I stop chewing, partially embarrassed and partially grateful that Noona would do that for me. I blinked, growing red. “Ah, no, Noona, you don’t—“ My eyes widened when I recall her words. “Wait, what…? Xiumin-hyung’s going with us?”

Baozi-hyung swallows hard, then nods happily at me. “Yup! I wouldn’t miss this opportunity! It’s been a while since I’ve watched a Taek Won Do competition; I seriously miss the thrill!” he exclaims, leaning forward, unable to contain his joy. Hyung laughs and then proceeds to concentrating on stuffing himself with rice and beef. Despire being known for his obsessive compulsive disorder, Hyung was a messy eater, and after only a few spoonfuls, there were already grains of rice stuck to the sides of his mouth.

“But…” I mumbled, growing demotivated by the second.

But it was supposed to be just Noona and I in her car.

:(((((

“Are you sure you can’t catch up, Lu?”

What?

Hyung pouts and shakes his head. “I really want to watch, but I can’t. I have to…” Xiao Lu clears his throat, and looks down at his food as his cheeks flare up. “Cram some stuff…” He gives Noona a sheepish grin, scratching his head in embarrassment. “Haha, sorry.”

Even after so many years of being roommates, Noona never seemed to accept Hyung's constant procrastination. She pursed her lips, looking pointedly at him. “When will you learn, Lu Han?”

“Maybe…never?” he laughs, and then transfers a piece of beef onto her plate. “Here, have some beef!” he says, chortling at the displeased face Noona gives him.

“We’ll try to follow!” Baek Hyun-hyung and Chan Yeol-hyung chirped, raising their chopsticks in unison. The other Hyungs promised as well, with Jong In telling Noona that he’ll push Xiao Lu to finish his paper early so he could go with them and watch. When all was said and done, Noona smiled happily at all of us, and something in my heart just wants to do somersaults, because Noona’s smile is just alskfjlskdfjlksdfj

Ugh. Cute.

(And it makes me forget, for a few seconds, that I guess today won’t be a Noona and Me day)

“I could always count on you guys. Thanks.”

Ugh. Cute.

~

“Well, we’re off then, see you later!” she bids the others farewell. I say my goodbyes, too, and after a few more waves, Noona, Xiumin-hyung and I are walking towards the parking area. Immediately, I run to Noona’s car, and position myself in front of the passenger’s seat door.

“I want to stay beside you, Noona!” I proclaimed, smiling at her like a kitty. The seat beside Noona’s was practically mine, and I had claimed it as mine ever since I was in high school. Xiao Lu was probably the only one who could override my privilege, but only because he was her roommate. I mean, pfft, I’m still Noona’s favorite, okay.

Noona chuckled. “You always stay beside me, Se Hun. You don’t have to say it.”

“Yeah, and speaking of, why does Se Hun always get to sit beside you when he’s here?” Hyung pouted, crossing his arms. It was times like this that I question whether or not I really was the maknae of EXO, and that Hyung was the oldest among the 12 of us, because the man in front of me was nowhere near looking like a twenty-two year old.

“Hey, if I remember correctly, Se Hun is the one required to watch the competition. You’re just a third wheel,” Noona smirks at her own witty comeback, and Hyung is left to gawk at her. Noona laughs and pats him on the back. “Min Seok, be a good boy and stay at the back, okay?”

Hyung pouts again, but ends up laughing. And as with the Kris-hyung and Noona interaction a week ago, the adult humor is there again, and I am left feeling somehow sad and disconnected. “But treat me to some baozi later, okay?” he asks with twinkling eyes.

Noona rolls her eyes. “All right, fine. But only one piece. One, friggin’ piece.”

Hyung grins at her. “Okay, okay! I’m just happy that you’ll actually be treating me. When was the last time you did that, when were in first year? Wow, time sure flies.”

I don't know why, but Hyung's words affect so much more than it should. Oh Se Hun, you are just a kid. A voice inside my head rings, and it because it’s just so true.

“Yes, it does. But now’s not the time to reminisce. We have a competition to watch, don’t we, Se Hun?”

I snap back to reality and face Noona’s handsome smile and her deep, onyx eyes. And any sadness I was feeling just disappears. “Yup! And oh, look at this, Noona!” I exclaimed, waving the poster I had made and rolled. “I made a poster!” My cheeks hurt from the big- (sorry for the language!! ;A;) grin I had put on, but I couldn’t help it.

Noona smiles, and it’s just so lovely, I could die. “Good job, Se Hunnie. Give that to me after the competition, okay? I’d like to keep it.” I nod like an obedient puppy.

Finally, we enter her car, and Noona’s scent (which is a mixture of lavender and pineapples and strawberries and a lot of weird, happy things that make me happy) greets me, and I practically melt in my seat. Noona chuckles as she sees me snuggling into the warm interior of her small silver car. She gives me a pat on the head, and then finally plugs her keys in.

Gah, I could so just die. 

Author's Note:

I don't know why I'm getting so many maknae feels from Se Hun. I mean, this didn't happen even with Taemin (whom I practically worship because he is just so aslkfjalskdjf).

Thank you for reading, and I hope you leave a comment or two! :-) 

Next time: Amidst the crowd, a certain maknae can't contain his excitement, and a certain Noona captures that moment perfectly.