"And they lived happily ever after",
But who said together?

"F-friends...?" Jiyoon sniffled. That single word was so nostalgic and it was ages since someone ever said they wanted to be friends with her.

"Of course we are friends!" Xiumin beamed, rushing to Jiyoon's side. "Don't tell me you forgot about our ice-cream date!"

"Xiumin oppa...." Jiyoon croaked, a lump forming in . "I'm sorry!"

"I'm so sorry!" she burst out crying again, muffled cries in Luhan's chest. Xiumin rubbed her back soothingly, trying to calm her down.

"Y-yah, what are you so sorry for her," Chanyeol patted her head, "We are the sorry ones here."

"I was mean!" she wailed, "I intentionally ignored you guys and pushed all of you away but-" she hiccuped, "y-you came back for me."

"No you weren't being mean," Chen stubbornly denied, nudging the boys.

"Of course you weren't!" they chorused together.

"Stop crying," Sehun threw her a packet of tissue which landed squarely on her forehead. Before Suho could yell at him, he duck away behind Kai. "You look ugly."

"You'll look less pretty." Lay glared at Sehun while handing a piece to Jiyoon who took it gratefully. She knew she looked horrible in this state but that was far from her concerns now.

"I'm sorry." she repeated, sniffling. "I t-thought it'd get better if I-I leave.

"We can't undo things that are done." Suho sighed.  "We are the one who made this mess."

Jiyoon peered up to find a determined Suho staring back at her. "And we'll be here to fix it."

Suho averted his eyes to Kyungsoo who didn't spoke a single word the moment he entered the room but leaned against the windows silently. He caught Suho staring at him and rolled his eyes. Suho turned back to Jiyoon, "I won't let this happen a second time so please. Don't avoid us. We want to be friends."
 

"We are f-friends?" Jiyoon questioned again, unable to believe what she just heard.

"Friends!" Baekhyun pumped a fist into the air excitedly.

"I guess..." Jiyoon trailed off, slightly pinking from what was going through her mind. "I won't hide from you guys anymore."

"Jiyoon ah! Do you know how happy we are to be friends with you again? We can play soccer together, study together, have dinner together. Do everything together! It will be so much fun, right right right?" Xiumin regained all his energy that was depleting like the days when Jiyoon stopped speaking to them but hearing that they were friends again sent a wave of relief  in him.

"Manners." Suho chided the eldest. He didn't think that Xiumin would be reacting so strongly to this and he guessed he had underestimated the powers this girl held within her. 

"I'll whip up something delicious when we get back to the dorm." Kyungsoo spoke for the first time, coming out of his corner. He caught Suho's eyes and a smile tugged at his lips, knowing he won the mental battle.

"I'll help!" Chanyeol volunteered enthusiastically and Kyungsoo immediately remembered the first and last time Chanyeol entered the kitchen to cook ramen which ended up in a total disaster.

"No thank you, I'd rather have my kitchen in tact."

"What, are you saying that I'm bad at cooking? Yah Do Kyungsoo!"

"You at it, hyung." Kai smirked smugly. "Even I can do it better than you."


"Kim Jongin, yo-you! Heol, now all of you are against me huh? Jiyoon help me!"

A smile tugged at her lips and Jiyoon could really get used to the familiar bickering ringing in her ears.

Friends.

"Did you hear that, he said he's gonna cook for her!" the tiny girl standing behind the door whined, stomping her feet in anger. "Why!"

"Hyerim, Hyerim who?" the girl at the taller boy's blazer upon hearing the familiar name. Fishing into his pocket, he brought out a photograph of the girl.

"Oh her, that obssessed freak who thinks she's pretty? She's the one who caused this mess?" the petite girl scoffed, "How dirty."

She stole another look at the jet-black hair boy leaning against the windows and sighed in admiration. He still looked the same when she first met him two years ago. "Well, at least she's not into my D.O oppa. Can we stay for a bit more?"

"Missy," the boy glanced at his silver watch. "You have piano lessons at 5pm."

"Alright." she pouted, knowing that the elder won't take no for an answer when it comes to studies and what not.

"Do you want me to," the boy paused, taking a final look at the fragile girl in the infirmary surrounded by the 12 boys.

"Destroy her?"

Jiyoon hugged her textbooks, exiting Chanbaek's room into the living room with her head hung low. Not looking where she was going, she felt herself bump hard into something sturdy.

"Ouch." she instinctively placed a palm over her forehead and a familiar voice could be heard.

"Idiot."

That annoyingly familiar voice.
 

"What did you say?" Jiyoon glared at the boy almost a head taller than she was.

"Nothing," Sehun sang, walking towards Kyungsoo in the kitchen. Pulling a face behind his back, Jiyoon plopped down on the dining table and spread her textbooks and homework on the table in a messy pile. It was time for work.

"You're smiling."

"What?" Sehun stopped pouring his glass of water, puzzled by Kyungsoo's words.

"I thought the great Oh Sehun doesn't smile at people like that?" Kyungsoo continued chopping the green onions at an incredible speed. "But  you just did,"

"With her."

"No I didn't." Sehun denied, gulping down his glass of water and walked out of the kitchen briskly. He stole a last glance at the girl with furrowed eyebrows, chewing onto her pencil in deep thoughts. It was as if nothing had occurred that afternoon and everything was so peaceful about her, her hair bundled up in a messy bun and her legs swaying to the music playing on the radio.

I didn't.
 

Kyungsoo took occasional peeks at the girl sitting silently at the dining table from the kitchen. Her exposed calves had large patches of blue blacks that were unbearable to look at and the right side of her face was slightly swollen with her lips bloodied and chapped. Still, he never understood how she could manage the smile on her lips as she continued to write on her assessment book. The first thing when she returned to the dorm was to ask her for homework and not even Suho could stop her. 

She was different. The first time he met her in Chanyeol's room, he already knew. The way Xiumin described her, the way Luhan acted around her and she even made the ice cold maknae melt. The way she could make everyone love her.

She was a blinding light, warm to the touch.

He turned his attention back to the boiling pot of water and added two chicken stocks into it. His sleeves were rolled up revealing his milky white skin. His gaze fixated on the silver bangle which wrapped perfectly around his wrist with the words Kyungsoo deeply engraved on it. 

Kyungsoo, what was Kyungsoo?

“Kyungsoo, do you need help?” Jiyoon stepped cautiously into the kitchen, the aroma of chicken soup wafting towards her. She her dry lips thinking of the good food that was soon going to enter her tummy.

“Yah… where's your manners?" he clicked his tongue and spun around with a bright smile."Why are you still not calling me oppa?"

What he said caught Jiyoon by surprise and she let out a small shriek, "Eh?!"

“By right you should address all of us here oppa. We’re all older than you.” He wagged his ladle dangerously with jealousy evident in his voice. “Not only for specific people but all of us!”

“B-but… it seems stra-“

“Oh ho! You’re speaking back now!” the back of his ladle landed on Jiyoon's crown lightly. He wasn't trying to act fierce but he'd rather get over this barrier before they get any closer.

“But it will be impolite…”

“I think I like it.” he paused, "And I'm sure the boys will."

“R-really?” Jiyoon stuttered, biting down her lips in deep thoughts. Maybe, she should be the first one to take a step to reach them...?

“Of course!” he chirped, shoving the pot of soup into her arms. "Bring that to the table."

“Neh Kyungsoo oppa!” Jiyoon grinned, running to the table. However, she wasn't careful enough to see the mat lying outside the kitchen and before she could reach the tab