“Wait. So basically your grand scheme of reconciling me and my sister is to force her to spend as much time as possible with me?” Youngjae clarified, his voice colored with disbelief. “That is so…anticlimactic. And lame. That is so lame, Lili! This is not gonna work!”

Lili sighed exasperatedly. “Youngjae, can you just trust me? Honestly, it’s not like she’s going to run away at the sight of you.”

He raised his eyebrow. “Really. I seem to recall her doing just that on more than one occasion.”

“Well, you’ll be in a locked room with a single exit so just don’t let her run away!” Lili threw up her hands. “I don’t really know! It just so happened that I planned to meet Soyoung today to play piano but I forgot that I have to go take a bunch of makeup tests and this is a great opportunity for you guys to bond so I just grabbed it and you should too!”

Lili felt extremely hassled. She had panicked when she realized she had to ditch Soyoung today and decided last-minute to have Youngjae take her place and get the gears of her plan turning. She had so many tests to take today and she’d only done some emergency studying during boring classes and breaks so she was panicking because she could not fail these tests. She was just operating on adrenaline at the moment.

“Hey, hey, hey, it’s okay, Lili, calm down.” Youngjae noticed the deep worry lines between her brows. “You’re gonna be fine. You’re annoyingly smart, if your notes are anything to go by, so I don’t know why you’re so worried.”

“Tests in general are worrying!” Lili blurted. “I’m a bad test-taker!”

Youngjae rolled his eyes. “Somehow, I really doubt that.”

They arrived by the music room and turned to face each other. Youngjae fidgeted and Lili took a few deep breaths so she could reassure him.

“Hey, you’ll be fine. She’s your sister, right? She’s family. No need to be so nervous.” She smirked a little. “But don’t let her run away, or I’ll never let you live it down.”

Before he could reply, she bounded into the room and greeted brightly, “Soyoung!”

Her friend looked up from the piano keys and smiled. “Hey, Lili.” Her smile faded as Youngjae hesitantly entered the room. “What’s he doing here?”

“So, I’m really, really, really sorry, Soyoung, but I just remembered that I have a bunch of makeup tests to take today! I’m really sorry!” Lili smiled and gestured to Youngjae. “So I brought him to keep you company, since I didn’t want you to have been waiting for nothing.”

Soyoung rose from her seat. “That’s sweet but unnecessary—”

“And I thought you could play something and he could sing to it and you guys could have a musically good time!” Lili clapped without waiting for either side’s response. “Great! I’m off to die! Have fun and wish me luck!”

She smiled widely at Youngjae who looked really intimidated as she flew out the door and closed it on Soyoung’s “I know what you’re trying to do!”

As she sat down to take her first test, she thought a little prayer for herself and the two siblings. She hoped all would go well and the two would come out a little closer than before.

After all of her tests—which were really simple and she had finished with more than enough time to spare—Lili returned to the music room to find it empty. She frowned but shrugged. She hadn’t expected much this time.

She texted Soyoung and Youngjae separately—How did it go?—and then walked home.

On the way, her phone vibrated in her pocket. She pulled it out to find a text from an unknown number and was too curious to delete it right away, like her parents told her she should do for unfamiliar numbers. She opened it and read: LILIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII HOW WERE YOUR TESTS YOUNGJAE TOLD US ABOUT THEM ARE YOU FREE THIS WEEKEND

Giggling, she added the number under “Idiot Jackson” and replied: Jackson, did Youngjae give you my number? I feel so betrayed. But my tests went well and why are you asking about my weekend plans?

Immediately, her phone shook again.

HOW DID YOU KNOW IT WAS ME OMG YOU’RE AMAZING I FALL HARDER FOR YOU EVERYDAY ALSO WE WANNA HANG OUT WITH YOU THIS WEEKEND PLS

It was obvious. Stop typing in caps, it makes me feel like you’re screaming in my ear which is not pleasant. And I have homework to do.

DON’T BE SUCH A PARTY POOPER ALSO I LIKE CAPS BECAUSE THEY EXPRESS MY EMOTIONS but just for you I’ll stop ;D see how much I love you?

Lili flushed at his casual use of the phrase “I love you.” Stupid Jackson, she thought, quickly stuffing the phone away before she texted him something really undignified like “Don’t lie, idiot.” His words were not words to be tossed around whenever.

As she approached herself, she squinted and saw someone sitting on the curb near her driveway. His hair glinted red in the sunlight and her eyes widened as she came to a sudden halt.

He could only be Mark.

“What’s he doing here?” she whispered to herself as she thumped her chest uselessly and inched forward.

He noticed her soon after and jumped up, grinning. “Lili! Finally!”

“Sorry, I was taking makeup tests,” she explained, trying not to smile too wide as he jogged toward her. “Didn’t Youngjae tell you?”

“Yeah. Don’t worry, I was kidding. I’ve only been waiting for a few minutes.” He fell in step beside her and walked with her.

“So…what are you doing here?” she asked, curious.

“Well,” he scratched his head in a vaguely shy manner, which Lili thought was adorable, “I came to ask you out.”

Lili’s heart thudded, but she remembered Jackson’s texts and said as nonchalantly as possible, “Oh, to hang out with you guys this weekend, right? Jackson texted me.”

“Of course he did,” Mark chuckled, shaking his head good-naturedly. “He always jumps the gun. I bet you don’t wanna go now, huh?”

Lili smiled. “I’m still deciding. I don’t know, I should probably study and practice piano.”

Mark sped forward and turned, blocking off her path. He stared at her seriously. “Lili. Come on. You cannot actually be considering blowing us off to study?”

“It would be politely declining, but yes, I am actually considering it, because grades are important,” Lili replied just as sternly.

Mark exhaled into a laugh, turning away and allowing her passage again. “Oh man, you are priceless! I’m so glad we met you, Lili, because I love how different you are from all the other girls.”

I won’t be any different if I fall for you, a part of Lili’s mind whispered, but she just said, “This is just how I am. I didn’t realize all the girls here were so pathetic. Except Soyoung. Speaking of,” she added, “if I agree to hang out with you guys this weekend, you have to let Soyoung come too.”

“That’s your condition?” Mark raised his eyebrows with a smile. “Sure, invite her, we don’t mind. Except maybe Junior. But Youngjae will be ecstatic.”

Lili smiled widely. “I wonder how their sibling bonding time went today.”

“I couldn’t believe it when Youngjae told us.” Mark laughed. “He wanted to wait for you today—actually they all did, but none of them know where you live.”

“They’re silly,” Lili giggled. “All except Yugyeom, right? I think he hates me.”

“Nah, he doesn’t.” Mark shook his head. “If he hated you, you wouldn’t just think, you would know. Hundred percent.”

Lili shook her head. “I think he needs to work on his people skills.”

“Don’t tell him, but I agree,” Mark stage-whispered, and they laughed.

They had arrived in front of Lili’s house a while ago, but neither had wanted to end the conversation. Finally, Lili said, “I should go in. I’ll see you at school tomorrow.” She smiled up at him. “Thank you for waiting for me and walking me.”

“No problem. See you.” He leaned forward and kissed her forehead softly before smiling and running off, waving.”

She waved until he disappeared from sight and then allowed herself to release the breath she had been holding.

Another kiss. Was this going to be a thing for them now? She didn’t mind that at all.

A/N: HOLY--

I'm so sorry, guys. I can't apologize enough, but I just haven't been able to write forever because I've LITERALLY had school nonstop all year and I have so much work and I want to write so much but I don't have time and I just cranked this out really quickly when I should've been doing homework and--

Enough excuses. I'm so sorry, but I hope you like this update! I had to reread the story a couple times to get back into the plot, so I hope it doesn't sound too disconnected. I know it's very filler, but I needed to get back into the swing of things. Next chapter, the "date"! Probably. xD If there are any short scenarios you'd like to see in this story, leave a comment and I'll see if it fits in anywhere!

I'll try not to leave you hanging for too long again, but no promises. It is winter break soon though...I'LL TRY MY BEST!!! I love you guys, seriously!

Enjoy!

skyblaze208, OUT!

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