Skip to the bottom for an explanation.

    Aera woke up feeling different, and a lot more than happy because of Chen. She felt a strange sense of change as she got ready for school. Even the way she looked in the mirror seemed… different. She walked down the stairs to see Tao making breakfast.

    “Good morning jiejie.” He smiled.

    “Morning.” She sighed and sat at the table.

    “Something wrong?”

    “I don’t know. I feel weird.” She admitted.

    “Are you sick?” Lay came out of nowhere and put his hand on her forehead. She got a strange chill and pushed his hand away.

    “No.” she shook her head.

    “Maybe it has something to with your boyfriend.” He winked. Tao tensed and slammed the plates on the table.

    “I am guessing he still doesn’t approve.” She smirked and looked over at Lay. Her impression towards him changed but she realized she was looking at her cousin.

    “I will never like any guy you bring home.” He growled.

    “Good point. I’ll be the approving one.” Lay flashed a dimple.

    “Thank you for breakfast Tao.” She smiled.

    “Sure thing.” He sighed and plopped on his chair.

    “I’ll take you two to school.” Lay offered after breakfast.

    “Xie xie gege.” The Huang siblings chimed together as they gathered their things.

    “How could she just run off like that and not answer my texts and calls!? I thought she was my best friend!” Soomi fumed to Xiumin.

    “She’s probably with Chen and those other weirdos.” He grumbled.

    “You wouldn’t think…” she looked at him with wide eyes.

    “Don’t you ever suspect anything?”

    “Well… I did… but she always said there was nothing.”

    Xiumin let his eyes wander and saw Aera’s car pull up. She came out of the passenger side with Tao in the back. Lay hopped out and talked to the two with smiled and chuckles. Xiumin raised an eyebrow. Who was this guy? Tao waved and left to go find Sehun and D.O, not seeing Soomi or Xiumin on the side. Lay and Aera talked for a while and they seemed close, and as they said goodbye they hugged.

    “Bye gege!” she waved and walked off. “Good morning.”

    Soomi was no longer angry because she was relieved that her best friend was ok. “There you are. What happened yesterday?”

    “Sorry. Everything has just been a little stressful lately.” Aera excused.

    “And those marks and bites?” Xiumin’s curiosity still was not satisfied.

    “The one on my neck is a hickey. I was just really embarrassed, and I told you the biting thing was just Chanyeol and I fighting.”

    Soomi smiled. “Well, I’m glad you’re ok. I guess we were just really shocked. I see your cousin is back in town, too.”

    ‘Cousin?’ Xiumin could only assume it was the guy fro before.

    “Yeah. He’ll be here for a couple of days. I do have something to tell you, though.” Aera bit her lip to contain her happiness. “Chen and I…”

    Xiumin and Soomi exchanged glances. “What about you and Chen?” he urged on.

    “Don’t tell me.” Soomi, being her best friend, could read her mind and communicate without saying a thing. “You guys aren’t…”

    “We are.” Aera was ready to scream with glee, but Soomi beather to it first and hugged her. “I knew you two would get together, it was too obvious.”

    Xiumin was definitely disappointed. Very disappointed, but he had to smile. “Congratulations.”

    Aera looked at the person who used to make her heart race, and she felt nothing. “Thanks.” she spoke softly. “But, we have a game tonight so let’s focus on getting pumped up!”

    Soomi’s eyes were on the group of boys coming their way. “Going to be hard when your boo is around.”

    Before Aera could comprehend what she meant there was an arm around her shoulders. “Good morning.” Chen’s sweet voice whispered in her ear.

    “Hey.” she put an arm around his waist. “You’re meeting my cousin at the game tonight. He said that he needs to meet you.”

    “Really? Oh, ok.”

    “Don’t worry. Lay oppa is a sweetheart. He wouldn’t hurt a fly.” assured Soomi.

    “Ready for the game today guys?” Aera asked all the boys.

    “Ready as ever.” Kai puffed out his chest confidently.

    “How about you, Xiumin?” asked Baekhyun.

    “Gotta get our head in the game. We’ve worked really hard.” he encouraged, although not all of his heart was there.

    “Let’s get to class.” said Soomi since the bell was about to ring. She watched Aera and Chen from the side and admired them tenderly. She then saw Xiumin, who was sullen and quiet, and took his hand hopefully. “You ok?”

    “Not going to lie.” he spoke lowly so only she could hear him. “Not really.”

    Soomi felt her heart twinge in sympathy. “You’ll be ok. Any girl would be lucky to have you.” she looked up at Aera happily connected to Chen. “Just not that one.”

    Lay and Aera were packing the car for the game. Since the boys had to stay after school for a pre game warm up Lay would have to meet Chen there. A part of him was excited. He had never seen his cousin so happy before, especially after this past year.

    “I can’t wait to let you meet Chen.” she told him giddily.

    “You really like this guy, huh?”

    “I do.” she sighed dreamily. “He’s just so… I feel so…”

    Lay laughed and opened the passenger door for her. “I get it, I get it. But you have a game to focus on, so try not to be bias. Your brother is playing, too.”

    “I got it.” she rolled her eyes as she slid into her seat.

    When they arrived at the field the boys were stretching in the grass. Chen, who sat beside Kai and Baekhyun, looked up and immediately beamed. His true inspiration and motivation was there to cheer him on. He stumbled to his feet and ran to Aera with arms open. When they collided he latched on and didn’t let go. He took in everything about her: her scent, her warmth, and her touch.

    “I missed you.” he told her.

    “We were apart for a few hours.” she pointed out, although she wasn’t that bothered by his affection.

    “Felt like an eternity.” he said as he stepped back to see her face. The man standing beside her caught his attention and he straightened up, assuming it could only be her cousin.

    “Hello.” he greeted with a small bow.

    Lay grinned at Aera. “You must be Chen.”

    “That I am.”

    “Aera won’t shut up about you.”

    Chen looked at Aera smugly. “She won’t, huh?”

    Lay laughed and stepped close to him so his mouth was level with Chen’s ear. He placed a hand on his shoulder and said, “If you hurt her, I will not hesitate to come for you.”

    Chen’s face paled. Soomi had said Lay was a sweetheart and he had just sent a threatening chill down his spine.

    “Gege, leave him alone. I can take care of myself.” Aera chided in Mandarin.

    “I know, but love tends to put your guard down.”

    “We’re here!” Luhan announced as he and Kris walked onto the field. “Aera, hi!” All the boys gathered around their alpha and second in command to receive an encouragement speech.

    Lay looked at her and asked, “Who is that?”

    “Kris and Luhan. Chen’s guardians.”

    “Oh.” his face turned slightly astonished. “So they’re… a couple?”

    Aera widened her eyes and waved her hands in front of her. “No, no, no! They are not a couple, they’re just friends. They take care of Chen and his friends, they’re all kind of from troubled homes.”

    “Oooohh.” he nodded in understanding. After comprehending what just happened she burst into laughter to the point where she was on her knees tearing profusely from her eyes. Her hand was tugging on Lay’s shirt, hoping it could keep her up. Everyone looked at her strangely.

    “Um, Aera.” Xiumin approached carefully. “Are you ok?”

    “I’m sorry.” she said between laughs. “He just said the funniest thing I’ve ever heard in my life.”