Aera had her head down in class and Soomi stood beside her and rubbed her back in comfort. She remembered everything she did and was hitting herself in the face for it.

          “You’ll be fine Ae. It could be a lot worse. Remember when you made out with that pizza delivery guy two months ago?” Soomi soothed her.

          “I was trying to forget that but thanks.” She grumbled. “I did something so bad.”

          “What is it?”

          Aera wiggled a finger and signaled her to lower her head. She whispered in her ear and sunk her face back into her arms.

          “Oh my googles!” she squeaked.

          “I know!” Aera whimpered.

          “How? What? Why?” she gasped.

          “It’s not my fault! How am I going to face him today?”

          “He’s here.” Soomi warned her. “Oh my God you really bit him!” she gasped and put on a cool face as he approached timidly.

          “Is she ok?” he asked.

          Aera felt herself sink lower.

          “She’s ok, just… regretting.” Soomi bowed awkwardly and fled to her seat.

          ‘You coward!’ Aera squealed in her mind.

          “Aera.” Chen spoke to her softly. She winced before slowly turning her head to face him. “Hey, how are you doing?”

          “I’m sorry.” She whimpered before hiding her face.

          “It’s fine.” He chuckled. How could he be ok with this?

          “No it’s not. I gave you that thingy.”

          “It’s fine. There’s no need to sweat about it.” He assured her.

          “You don’t care?”

          He shrugged. “It happens.”

          That was Chen. He had his charming smile and nonchalant attitude that looked so good on him.

          “Now sit up and get ready to learn.” He thumped her forehead, earning a pout from Aera. She was definitely back and he was enjoying it.

          “Chen… why are the boys looking at me weird…” she asked him as she spotted Kai, Chanyeol, and Baekhyun smirking at her.

          “Because they are jerks that’s why.” He sighed. A pencil was then thrown across the room at his head in response.

          “Aera, are you ok? You look down.” Xiumin asked at lunch.

          “I’m just regretting.” She sighed.

          “Aaw, want to go out for some smoothies after school?”

          “Can I go?” Sehun asked.

          “Do you have your period?”

          “… No…”

          “Then no. It’s just me and Aera, no annoying brats. She needs some cheering up not a headache.”

          “Who said you can take my sister out?” Tao glared at him.

          “Aish you punk! Respect your hyung and noona! Do you really think I would do anything to her?”

          “Thanks Xiumin.” Aera smiled at him and ate her lunch. She looked up and saw Soomi staring in the distance and followed her gaze to Chen. “Would you stop staring!” she hissed.

          “The thing on his neck is just so… damn girl!”

          “What?” D.O asked.

          “Nothing!” Aera squeaked.

          “What about his neck?” Tao asked her.

          “Nothing.”

          “I think it’s a hickey.” Sehun observed. Tao’s face then turned furious and he looked at Aera with piercing eyes.

          “It’s not my fault!” she yelped.

          “Did you give that to him?” he growled.

          “Huang Zi Tao calm down!”

          “Don’t worry, we can get him at try outs tonight.” Sehun tried to make the situation better.

          “Oh shoot, we have try outs.” Xiumin remembered. “Aera, let’s reschedule for tomorrow, ok?”

          “Ok.” She was too focused on her angry brother.

          “I’ll take her out, don’t worry.” Soomi added in. “Tao quit glaring at him from across the room!”

          “I hate him.”

          “Tao.”

          “I want to kill him.”

          “If you kill him I will kill you.”