I didn't proof-read it yet but I hope there are no major mistakes! Please enjoy this chapter.. 

- - - - - - -

Soojin couldn't believe who was standing right next to her. No matter how hard she tried to imagine what her cousin would look like right now, it definitely was not this. Jinyoung's face was much more defined; a sharp jawline and a dark pair of orbs staring right back at her. His hair was dark brown and styled into typical bed hair. Even his choice of clothing was breathtaking. To sum it up: Jinyoung was gorgeous and disturbingly handsome. Nothing like the guy she remembered; with torn clothes, dirty skin and matted hair. 

"You okay there, Soo? You look awfully awestruck." A hearty chuckle was heard and a second later Jinyoung was sitting next to his cousin, an omnious grin on his lips. It wasn't only the appearance, no. His voice was a lot deeper as well. It sounded like that of a narrator or famous actor. "Is my handsome self shocking you that much?" 

Even if Soojin didn't see this guy for years now, he was still just as cocky in his very own way. Somehow this reminded her that the guy sitting next to her was, indeed, her dear cousin. It seemed so unreal with the way he approached her and the way he looked. Still, she found herself giving him a bone crashing hug a second later and to her relief the male hugged her back just as tight. "I missed you, bastard. Why did you never call us?" Do not get her wrong. She was more than happy to meet Jinyoung again, but somewhere in her mind she was still the thirteen year old girl, that never understood why her favorite play buddy had to move awayy suddenly. 

"I wanted to, but I wasn't sure if you'd be angry or extremely pissed at me. To be honest I was.. a tad bit afraid of your reaction." Typical. Not calling at all is way easier than risking a small argument. Sometimes boys could be so dense. "And after a while I thought it'd be dickish to call you and be like 'Oh well, it's me. Your long lost cousin, Jinyoung.'" Unsurprisingly, the boy earned a painful hit to his thigh for that. Unbelievable. If it wouldn't be for the location both of them were in, Soojin would yell at him for being such a . Not calling because of such reasons was not a reason at all. There was something else and the girl didn't even want to find out anymore. 

With an heavy exhale and the turn of her head to face the window she plucked her earphones back in and was relieved that her cousin decided to give her this small moment to herself. She had a lot to think about and while other people would be jumping out of their seats and talk about all the things that happened while the other was gone, Soojin just wanted to grasp the mere fact that she, indeed, was sitting in a train that'd convey her to a city she wasn't familiar with. There she would live with her 'long lost cousin' she just happened to meet on her journey, and attend university as a sophomore with lots of students and teachers she wasn't familiar with either. 

It was making her head hurt, a million thoughts spinning around as if the matter would decide over life or death. All the excitement and adventorous happiness she felt earlier now gone. Somehow she imagined all of this to be less exhausting. While she was excited for new possibilities and experiences, she didn't think about all the change and adjustement that'd be there as well. University was hard enough for her but now this complex circumstance was even worse; Soojin had no idea how the teachers grade their works and exams, if the students were welcoming to newbies or not. In the worst case Soojin could become an outcast or drop behind with the subjects and topics.

"Soo, I can hear you overthinking a lot of stuff you shouldn't even worry about." she suddenly heard the voice of her cousin speak up. Out of politeness and the manners that were thaught to her she removed one earbud and turned her head to face the male next to her. "How is the university you attend in Wongju?" Her voice was almost hesitant and petite, not wanting to reveal the fact that she indeed, had been thinking and worrying a bit too much. 

"Well, it depends on what you study to be honest. Some topics are harder than others but the profs and tutors are mostly nice and courteous. It's not as big as the one you attended in Seoul but the food is a thousand times better they say. Moreover it's only three stations with the bus from where I live." One could easily hear that Jinyoung tried to assure his cousin that everything would go well. His whole calm and carefree attitude showed so and Soojin instantly felt relaxed and less anxious. 

"What do you study? You should be a freshman in the comming school year or?" Jinyoung nodded and presented a big grin. His eyes formed into little crescent moons and his whole face emitted a somewhat proud look. "Yes! You have no idea how thankful I am that I survided the sophomore year with English Language and Literature. God knows why I chose that subject, really."

Soojin had to smile at that. Not only was she surprised by the choice of her cousin - he never was the type to enjoy languages and literature - but did she choose the same subject as him. English Language and Literature has always been her main interest, even in High School and while most teenagers in her class had troubles with pronounciation and grammar, Soojin had been the best pupil. Not that she bragged about it often but she had to admit it was something she was quite proud of. 

"Then I can borrow some material from you because I study the same." she answered in English with an almost perfect pronounciation. While it was now her turn to smile, the male next to her only groaned and threw his head against the back rest. "Not even during my holidays I can escape it!" Soojin had to laugh at that and this way the tension that spread uncomfortably earlier, was gone in a second.

They spent the whole train ride talking about the pro's and con's of English, as well as the choice of their dinner and why clothes should always smell of lavender (because it soothes the mind, was Jinyoungs answer) Somehow Jinyoung seemed a bit nervous but Soojin didn't want to probe any further. It was probably a huge change for a guys in his twenties to suddenly share his home with a girl as well and while said girl had no troubles with living together with a guy, she knew that many males did not adapt well to the sudden girly power in their house.

- - - - - - - ​- - - - - - - ​- - - - - - - ​- - - - - - - ​- - - - - - - ​- - - - - - - ​- - - - - - - ​- - - - - - - ​- - - - - - - ​- - - - - - - ​- - - - - - - ​- - - - - - - ​- - - - - - - 

As both of them finally arrived in Wongju, the tension Soojin was noticing earlier, only seemed to get bigger and bigger. Therefore she decided to approach her anxious cousin as soon as they entered the entrance hall of the train station. It was a huge but cold place and the young woman regretted not packing a jacket into her backpack. She wasn't in the mood to unpack her suitcases in the midst of all these people though and so she simply tried to endure the cold as good as possible. 

Not a second later she felt the soft fabric of a cardie around her arms and as she turned her head, Jinyoung was smiling brightly at her. "Wouldn't want my little cousin to get sick right?" It was touching her in more ways than one and for a moment she forgot that the male was ever gone. His kindness didn't change one bit and neither did his affection towards her. He was never afraid to show how much he fancied his cousin - even back then when other boys would mock him because of that. 

"Oppa, why are you so nervous? Is it because you already pictured all my underwear laying around in your house and all my girl friends coming over to talk about guys, nail polish and magazines?" Both of them erupted into laughter that nearly filled the whole hall but Soojin could still see the uncertain gaze her cousin threw at her. Maybe there was something else, something serious. 

But before any of them could answer or dismiss the topic, a guy with a snapback and a remarkable jawline stepped up to them. He was wearing a black leather jacket and looked awfully overdressed for a place like this. Two shiny little earrings were decorating his head and as she looked closer she could also see a necklace that looked a lot like the one Jinyoung was wearing all day. 

"Okay. You said your cousin is pretty but you didn't mention she was /this/ pretty, Jr." Soojin widened her eyes at that. Did that stranger just call her pretty? ..and did he just shoot her a wink? Confused and slightly irritated Soojin turned her head to look at the red face that was once her cousin. Good. At least she wasn't the only embarassed one. Now she just had to find out who that guy was. 

"Jackson.. hush. I didn't even meet her for two hours and you are already ruining my nice cousin image." he sighed lowly but it was obvious he wasn't truly pissed at the other. "Soojin, this is Jackson. He's attending the same university as me and somehow managed to become my friend. Please don't ask how, I don't know so myself." Obviously displeased with that introduction, Jackson bowed exaggerately and reached out to kiss the back of Soojin's hand, shooting another wink at her. 

"Forget that idiot. I'm Jackson Wang and I am the first human being to meet an actual angel." Was this guy for real? Even Jinyoung groaned beside the so-called 'angel' and Soojin herself was trying hard to not roll her eyes. How did her cousin manage to befriend such guys? It wasn't that he seemed odd or mean. Just, the whole act was slightly unusual to the young woman. She never met anyone like this and back in Seoul they call people like him machos. Ahjummas would yell at him for acting like a casanova. 

"Could you be so kind and keep your grubby lips off my cousin?" Jinyoung pulled her closer at that and Soojin had to smile somewhat proudly. Why she didn't know but it was always nice to know that there was now someone to protect her from.. his own friends. "It's nice to meet you, Jackson. I hope you won't get blinded by my immense shininess." She raised a hand to her head, dramatically re-acting a faint and as she heard both boys laughing out loud, she was starting to become confident and sanguine. The six months probably wouldn't be so bad at all. 

"Let's head home for now. There you can spend all the time with Jackson you want. Not that I'd allow it since I am your guardian now!" Soojin was sure that Jinyoung would use that guardian excuse very often now. He did the same back then when he was supposed to watch out for her when Hyemi and Hyungsik were out to buy groceries or things like that. Jinyoung then always ordered the poor girl around, pretending to be her father or guardian. This earned him many slaps on the head though, just like right now. 

"Watch out, Jr. She is a independant woman and can decide on her own if she wants to spend her time with the amazing me or the six other dimwits that live in the same house as her." She was surprised that Jackson knew Jinyoungs old gang name, Junior. He definitely was not a part of Get It! and his name sounded pretty foreign as well. The girl quickly dismissed that thought though at the mention of six other guys living in one place with her. What? 

"What?" she asked, dumbfounded and utterly speechless. 

"Well, I may forgot to tell you a small something." Jinyoung rubbed the back of his neck and threw his cousin an apologetic look. "I don't really live alone anymore. I'm part of a living community and we're kind of like.. seven boys?" Soojin could swear her jaw was on the ground by now and the high pitched laughter of Jackson in the background did not help at all. 

"You didn't even tell her? Dude, the poor girl." Indeed. The poor girl. Her cousin, okay. But seven guys at once, how the hell was she supposed to survive this?! 

"Soojin-ah.. it's not that bad, believe me. I was afraid you'd jump out the train so I kept it to myself until now. Also, you know Jackson already, as well as some other guys in it." At that Soojin and Jackson looked equally surprised. 

"I know another guy in there apart from you?" Her voice was curious and also a bit scared. She didn't know many people that Jinyoung knew as well - only the old members of Get It! but most of them wouldn't even be at the age of 18 by now; Soojin and Jinyoung were the eldest. 

"Yes.. but you'll see when we get there." Jinyoung grabbed her suitcases and began to make his way through the mass of people running around wildly. With an unsettling feeling in her gut and the thought of anyone else she could know, Soojin followed her cousin and his friend to a taxi car and while Jinyoung stuffed the luggage into the trunk and climbed into the passenger seat afterwards, Jackson opened the door to the back seats for her. She mumbled a small thanks and got in, still somewhat deep in thought. 'How am I supposed to survive six months of utter testosterone and wannabe adults?'