“What? You?” Eunmi blinked.

“No, Taemin.” He rolled his eyes and walked to her. “I’ll help you.”

“I’m not replacing Ms. Park so soon.” Eunmi said flatly.

“I’m not going to be a replacement.” Daehyun rolled his eyes again. “I said I’ll help you, I’ll mentor you through this competition thing. It’s closer than you think, and at the rate you’re going, you’re not going anywhere.”

Eunmi bit her lip, he had a point. She couldn’t have Chen mentor her, he was entering the competition as well, it wouldn’t be fair.

But Daehyun wasn’t, and he had one hell of a voice. If she didn’t get his help, she would have to do it by herself. And Eunmi wanted someone to go through with her for this audition- she needed someone. Someone with musical talent has to listen to you when you’re singing, otherwise you’ll never know fully where you’re going wrong.

“Okay, then.” Eunmi agreed quietly. Daehyun smiled a bit, he was happy that he would get to help her, seeing as how important this was to her. When he saw that she wasn’t going to do something that was so right for her, he felt a strong wave of emotions go over him. He could clearly see what would happen if she didn’t fulfill her heart’s desire.

“What song were you planning on doing?” he asked, leaning on the piano.

“Good Day, by IU.” She answered.

He smiled a little more, “Really? That’s a good song.”

“I guess.” She mumbled, playing with the design on her jeans.

“Are you going to play the piano too?” he asked.

“I was thinking about it, I learned a bit of piano from Ms. Park.” She told him.

“It would be a good idea.” He nodded. “If you can play the piano and sing that song, especially that note, you’ll pass the audition for sure.”

She shrugged again.

Daehyun was unfazed by her lack of enthusiasm, “Do you want to start now or….?”

“No, some other time.” she stood up and fixed her shirt.

“Okay. Tomorrow.” Daehyun nodded.

“I don’t want to do it tomorrow.” She muttered.

“Too bad. You still have to learn the song properly, plus the piano and you have to brush up on your vocals.” Daehyun listed the things they had to do. “Be here at 1:00.”

“Whatever.” She sighed. She walked to the door. But before leaving she turned around and sent him a grateful smile, “Thanks, Daehyun.”

He nodded in reply and Eunmi left.

He isn’t so bad.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Eunmi didn't go home right away. Instead she went to Jongin and Taemin's dance studio with fried chicken. It was a pretty big room and it was in an abandoned building no one took much notice of. Apparently, Taemin had always gone to this studio and said that he was allowed to use it. But that's just what Taemin said, who knew what the truth was.

She opened the door and quietly slipped inside. She sat down and watched both of them dance a complicated routine. They hadn’t even noticed her as she silently watched them.

Man, were they good or great?

Neither, they were amazing.

Eunmi was always amazed at how they could dance so well, how they could move their bodies in such a graceful, yet powerful way.

When the song ended both of them dropped to the floor, panting and breathing heavily.

Eunmi took two ice cold water bottles and rolled them over to them. That’s when they noticed her.

“When’d you get here, FatMuffin?” Taemin asked, sitting up and chugging down the water bottle.

“Thanks, noona.” Jongin gratefully drank all the water.

“A while ago.” Eunmi replied, taking the fried chicken out. “I brought chicken!”

Being the boys they were, Jongin and Taemin both ditched the water bottles and went for the chicken.

“Gee, thanks for saving some for me.” Eunmi muttered bitterly, holding up the one drumstick that was left for her.

“You can’t even finish that.” Taemin said with his mouth full of chicken.

“Shut up.” Eunmi muttered. But as Taemin predicted, she didn’t finish the chicken and gave it to Jongin. Instead, she ate the macaroni salad that came with the chicken.

“Wanna teach me some of those moves you guys were doing?” Eunmi asked hopefully.

“Nope.”

“Nu uh.”

“Aw, why.” She pouted.

“You're a klutz.”

“I have no patience.”

Eunmu patted Jongin's head, “Then develop patience. You can start by helping me!” She nudged him.

“Hyung, you do it.” Jongin mumbled.

“Well, if anyone were to teach her, it would be me since I'm amazing.” Taemin stated cockily. “Alright, get up FatMuffin, and don't let your fat keep you down.” He stood up.

“I don’t want you to teach me!” Eunmi got up and crossed her arms.

“Fine with me.” Taemin began to sit down.

“Wait! Whatever, go ahead.” She huffed.

Taemin smirked and put a different song on. He did a series of dance moves in front of her and when he finished he said, “Kay, your turn.”

Eunmi’s mouth dropped, “Umm, could we start with something a little less complicated? Like the Macarena?”

Taemin slapped a palm over his face and did simple moves that even she could handle. Eunmi managed to do them; kind of.

Taemin would trip her on purpose sometimes. He was Taemin, obviously he would.

“Yah! Stop making me trip!” Eunmi stomped her feet after getting up from her 4^th fall.

Taemin shrugged innocently, “You’re just clumsy.” He turned the music on again and yelled at her for messing up.

Eventually, Jongin joined them and the three of them were practising together. Eunmi being the one who was slower and about half a beat behind them.

“Wow! That was tiring!” Eunmi wiped sweat off her forehead as the music stopped. Jongin and Taemin stared at her, not a drop of sweat on their faces.

“Someone’s out of shape.” Jongin whistled.

“Quiet you!” she slapped his arm. She looked at the time, “Oh! It’s 8:30, we should go home.”

Jongin nodded and he and Taemin slung their gym bags over their shoulders. Eunmi picked the garbage up and threw it away. The three of them left the dance studio and went to the bus stop.

As Eunmi was walking up the steps of the bus, Taemin stuck his foot out and Eunmi fell with her hands on the steps.

She straightened up with a beat red face and quickly scrambled to a random seat beside Jongin after paying.

Taemin snickered as he dropped some coins into the coins slot.

He sat down beside Eunmi, who began pushing him off the seat.

“I hate you!” she punched his arm. But then retreated her fist when something on her finger began to burn. She looked at her index finger and found a growing blister.

Taemin laughed loudly again and Jongin covered his face. Why must I be seen in public with them?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Hey, Eunmi, who’s your friend?” Taemin pointed at the large blister on Eunmi’s finger. The three teenagers had gotten home at 8:45 and were eating dinner with Hyunki, Ms. Kim, and Taeyeon.

Eunmi rolled her eyes, “I got that when you pushed me on the bus!”

“Mmm, yeah.” Taemin nodded. “Good times. How’s the self portrait you were doing yesterday coming along?”

“It’s a clown!” she gave him a look. “And Taeyeon wanted it.”

“Yeah, self-portrait.” Taemin nodded.

Jongin snorted as he tried to hold back his laugh and Eunmi glared at both of them.

“Taemin, are you allergic to being kind and sensitive?” Hyunki questioned.

“Think so.” Taemin nodded again. Hyunki rolled his eyes and chewed on his rice.

“Yeon, don’t eat like a donkey, wipe your face.” Taemin wrinkled his nose at the piece of rice on Taeyeon’s face.

“Hey! Oppa, you’re mean.” She pouted as Ms. Kim wiped her face.

“Be nice, Taemin.” Ms. Kim chided.

“Nice? It’s not part of his vocabulary.” Eunmi snorted.

“You know what is part of my vocabulary?-” Before Taemin could finish his sentence, Jongin slapped a hand over his mouth, “Please, I'm trying to eat and I do not want to know what's part of your vocabulary right now.”

Taemin moved his hand, “Good call. Your hands smell like fish by the way.”

“Well, they aren't going to smell like beef if I'm eating fish.” Jongin snorted. Taemin grinned, this was why he liked Jongin; he was witty.

“Any plans for tomorrow?” Ms. Kim asked.

Eunmi thought about it for a while; maybe she would go to the community centre and get that help from Daehyun?

But she wasn't going to tell anyone that. Taemin would tell the whole world and would absolutely not permit those lessons.

“I could help around the restaurant for a while.” She shrugged.

“Me too.” Jongin agreed.

“I'll stay at home and uh, monitor our kitchen appliances.” Taemin yawned, finishing his food.

“You're going to stay at home and make sure our microwave is working?” Eunmi raised an eyebrow.

“Yup. I’m planning on becoming a microwaveologist.” He nodded.

“Just because you add '-ologist' at the end of a word, does not automatically make it a profession.” Eunmi rolled eyes.

“Does now, you're not the king of words for professions. Just stick to painting self portraits, FatMuffin.” Taemin held out a hand.

“Taemin, you are so-”

“That's enough!” Hyunki rubbed his temples. “You two need to learn to get along. Tomorrow, both of you will help me out at the restaurant and will learn to co-operate with each other.”

“What?!”

“Appaaaa, but-”

“No buts.” Hyunki shook his head.

“It’s his entire fault! He’s a jerk!” Eunmi stuck her tongue out.

“Excuse me? You big melonhead, you’re the one-”

“Enough!” Hyunki held a hand up again. He shook his head and muttered, “If you two could get along for one week, I’d give you both $45.”

“REALLY?!” Eunmi and Taemin both sat up.

Hyunki blinked but then laughed, “Yeah, right. You two can’t get along for one hour, let alone one week.”

“But if we pull it off, $45 each right?” Taemin asked.

Hyunki nodded.

“Deal!” Eunmi and Taemin agreed immediately.

Hyunki sat up with more interest, “Alright. Both of you can’t fight and have to get along for the entire week. If you fail, or one of you does, you owe me $45.”

“If one person fails then that person should owe the other person as well.” Eunmi grinned. “If we both do, then we just give the money to you.”

“I’m in.” Taemin agreed.

Hyunki shrugged, “Okay. We start right now.”

Jongin laughed, “Abeoji, you better make room in your wallet. They won’t last for the rest of the day.”

“Yeah.” Ms. Kim and Taeyeon agreed.

“Just watch me!” Eunmi huffed. “He’ll crack way before me.”

“Pfftt.” Taemin rolled his eyes.

“Do I detect a disagreement?” Hyunki sang.

“No.” Eunmi and Taemin answered. The other three laughed.

When dinner finished, Eunmi cleared the table and put the dishes in the dishwasher.

“Taemin, why don’t you go help Eunmi with the dishes?” Hyunki suggested when all of them were watching a reality show in the living room.

“I’d rather not.” Taemin yawned.

“Go.” He ordered.

Taemin sighed and went into the kitchen. He picked a plate up at the same time as Eunmi.

Eunmi tugged on it, “I’m putting this plate away.”

“I touched it first.” Taemin tugged on it as well.

“No, you didn’t!”

Hyunki came whistling into the kitchen to grab a banana, he leaned against the counter and smiled, “Is everything all right?” he asked, noting the plate that was moving back and forward between sides.

Taemin let go of the plate and Eunmi stumbled back, “Yup.” He grabbed another plate and put it in the dishwasher.

Eunmi smiled nervously and bit her lip. This might be a little harder than I thought.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Saturday morning came and Taemin and Jongin were sleeping in. Taeyeon and Eunmi were awake and eating breakfast. Ms. Kim and Hyunki had already left for work.

Normally, Eunmi would go to Ms. Park’s after breakfast.

Today was different. Today she’d be going to see Daehyun for practice.

After watching a sitcom with Taeyeon, at 12:30 Eunmi went upstairs to wake one of the boys up to look after Taeyeon.

Now which one? Both of them would ask her where she was going for sure.

She couldn’t tell either of them; Taemin had probably already ruined Jongin’s idea of Daehyun.

She sighed and went to Taemin’s room. If she lied, Jongin would catch it for sure.

Too bad she didn’t know Taemin could too.

“You, wake up.” She poked him.

Taemin rolled over on his other side, “Go away.”

“Is that an annoyed tone I hear?” Eunmi wondered, tapping her chin.

“What, my lovely stepsister, do you want?” Taemin turned around again and gave her a sarcastic smile.

“Wake up and look after Taeyeon, I’m going out.” She told him.

“Where you going Saturday morning?” he asked groggily.

“It’s the afternoon, and out.” She replied. “Now wake up. I’m leaving in 15 minutes.”

“Was that an order in a rude and demanding manner?” Taemin mimicked her.

“Nope!” Eunmi left his room before an argument could break out. She changed her clothes, stuffed her music sheets in her bag, and went downstairs.

Taemin was messily eating a bowl of cereal at the table while playing on his phone.

“Where are you going?” he repeated.

“Just out for fresh air.” Eunmi replied coolly, avoiding his eyes.

Taemin shrugged, “Whatever.”

“And wake Jongin up too!” Eunmi yelled to him as she put her shoes on in the foyer.

“Yeah, I’m not his mother.”

Eunmi rolled her eyes and left the house. She arrived at the community centre in 10 minutes and was walking to the ‘secret music room’. To be honest, she wasn’t even sure if he would be there. He was a bad boy after all, what if this was some sort of prank?

But Daehyun was there, lightly playing Good Day on the piano.

Eunmi walked in and Daehyun turned around at the sound of her footsteps.

“I didn’t think you would come.” Daehyun mused.

“I didn’t think you would either.” Eunmi replied.

Daehyun smiled and turned around. He patted the seat next to him, “Sit.”

Eunmi took her bag off and sat next to him. She took the music sheets out of her bag and placed them on the piano.

“The chorus and the piano aren’t the problem, I can learn those. It’s the high note.” Eunmi told him, a tiny bit of guilt inside her for ‘replacing’ Ms. Park

“First of all, stop feeling guilty. Like I told you, I hate cliché things like that.” Daehyun said. “And do you want me to show you how I do it?”

“You can do it?” Eunmi asked, astonished.

He nodded.

Eunmi looked at him suspiciously, “Sing it then.”

Daehyun took a deep breath, closing his eyes, and then he did the ‘I’m in my dream’ note perfectly.

Eunmi’s jaw dropped, she wasn’t sure who sang it better; IU or Daehyun?

Daehyun opened his eyes and smiled, “Believe me now?”

She nodded and suddenly wasn’t sure she would be able to do it as nicely as he did.

“How’d you learn that without your voice breaking?” she asked.

He shrugged, “It’s not that hard, I taught it to myself.”

“I wanna learn it too!” Eunmi exclaimed.

“Well, that’s why we’re here.” Daehyun rolled his eyes. He began to give her breathing exercises; that was the basis of the note. If you didn’t have a long breath, your voice would sound raspy and it would sound rushed.

Eunmi obediently listened to Daehyun’s advice; he was a really good teacher. She was now fully motivated to do the best audition ever and make Ms. Park proud.

Daehyun smiled as he watched her do vocal exercises, she really did have a beautiful voice. It would be a crime if she didn’t audition.

“Helloooo?” Eunmi waved a hand in front of his face. “Were you even listening to me? Did my voice sound weird?”

Daehyun snapped out of his thoughts, “Oh, uh no. It was fine.”

Eunmi blew a raspberry and began playing the piano again.

After half an hour more of practising Eunmi stopped and stood up.

“I have to go, I’m helping my dad at his restaurant.” She said.

“That’s cool.” Daehyun shrugged. “You were good today.”

“I’ll see you later!” Eunmi waved and walked to the door.

“Wait.” Daehyun walked behind her. “Give me your number, I’ll tell you when to come again.”

“Why do you get to choose when practises are?” she huffed, taking his phone from him.

“Because.” Daehyun said simply. “I’m a busy person.”

“Busy? What do you do all day?” Eunmi asked, saving her number in his phone.

“Just, uh, stuff.” Daehyun said uncomfortably.

Eunmi shrugged and handed his phone back to him, “Okay, bye.” She said.

“Later.” He mumbled as she walked down the hall.

When she disappeared, he went back to the piano and began playing an old tune. He began to remember old times, old memories, and old pain.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hey hey heyyyy

I was going to update yesterday but I was so sleepyyy

I caught a cold again~! No surprises there.

And my lips are purple…. That’s not good, right?

Anywhooo, I didn’t wanna dwell too much on Ms. Park’s death, so I didn’t.

So, you guys think Eunmi and Taemin will manage the bet? What about Daehyun, he’s so mysterious, I honestly don’t get his character :/ whatever, I’ll figure him out…..

You guys see Wolf?

……………..

Hey, at least they all looked good :D

The song just isn’t my cup of tea. Well, I don’t even like tea so yeah.

I liked their faces though :D

Byebye~! AFF is being stupid right now so I can't put this in colour :(

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