[Year 19 of Exile]

"Jen sweetheart."

My eyes flew open at the familiar voice that I seemingly heard.

Grandpa...?

I stared up at the ceiling and remembered my current location, my present situation.

Oh. It’s unreal.

I shut my eyes tight, wishing that none of this ever happened; that I was back at the community and in my bed, waiting for grandpa to come wake me up.

A grunt from my side snapped me out of my wishful thinking and I turned my head to the right, where a sleeping healer laid.

His black fringe obscured his eyes and when his eyelids quivered, his long lashes grazed several strands, causing them to move slightly. I resisted the urge to brush them away and tore my eyes away from them. His sharp nose scrunched up when he sniffed while his lips pulled together into a slight pout.

So adorable.

In the end I gave up and allowed my fingers to graze his fringe, gently brushing them aside and mentally scolded them to stay away from his orbs. They disobeyed, for the strands soon fell back into place.

Nonetheless the boy continued to dream even as I flicked his nose softly and blew a morning flying kiss at him. Gently lifting his arm off my waist, I carefully edged myself off his bed.

Stepping in between his roommate’s opened legs, I flexibly maneuvered myself over a drooling Luhan and mentally facepalmed when I found two strangers in their room.

God, this Chanyeol and Kai.

Both of them slept side by side on comforters, their legs overlapping each other’s while they faced each other, their faces a palm away.

I squatted down next to Chanyeol, who had his back facing the door, and smiled down at them. Ever the worrywarts, these two. I softly brushed both their fringes away from their eyes and froze when Kai snored.

My smile grew larger and I almost burst out laughing when Chanyeol’s hand made its way onto the younger’s face. He his face.

What the heck is he doing!?

“Jen…” He mumbled while continuing to caress Kai’s cheek. “I love you.”

I stiffened. And the smile on my face slowly dropped.

W-Wha…?

I blinked profusely, as I tried to process what had just happened.

“Did he just…” I whispered, but I could barely hear myself even in the morning silence. “Say what I think I heard him say…?”

My suspicion was confirmed when he spoke once more, and I bailed for I could hardly believe the words that escaped his lips.

“I’ve always loved you.”

[Jongdae]

“Good morning Jongdae!”

Without looking up, I froze at her greeting and hastily packed the papers that were strewn over the dining table into my bag. I hope she hasn’t seen anything.

The stove crackled to life as she turned it on and before long, the delicious smell of bacon filled the air. “Have you had breakfast?” She scooped several pieces of the meat onto a plate and dished it in front of me.

I shook my head and held up an empty glass that used to contain milk.

“Alright then, one Jen’s special coming right up!” A grin that made her eyes disappear formed on her face as she deftly flipped the egg, that she had cracked into the pan, numerous times into a thick egg roll.

“Looks good,” I found myself swallowing my saliva as I inched my head up to get a glimpse of the sausages that she was pan-frying. “I’m hungry.”

She chuckled. “Wait a little while more, they’re almost done.”

Silence was apparent as we ate our breakfast.

She stabbed the sausage and I could feel ‘little me’ twitch. I recalled that day where she had stabbed another sausage out of anger and caused Zitao to be awfully afraid of her. Stifling a snigger, I plopped a piece of bacon into my mouth and lifted my head.

She was sawing away at her own piece of bacon, her brows furrowed in concentration and her lips pursed. This girl, haha.

"Tch! This bacon is so stubborn!" She fumed, and she continued to saw even harder and faster at the meat that refused to be cut into two. "Just like the one who's here!"

"Not so loud, Jen!" I laughed, unable to bite it back any longer. "You'll wake him up! And you know how he hates the food reference to his name."

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