I waited outside the school for Daehyun, hoping to walk with him to the library for studying. He finally appeared, walking towards me.
"Hey, ready to go?" I asked. Daehyun shook his head, and I braced myself for him to turn me down, tell me he couldn't make it. At my expression he sighed, appearing defeated.
"Okay. Show me, I don't know the way." Daehyun said, making me smile. We were quiet for the walk, but it was a comfortable silence.
"So...do you have any siblings? I mean—" I stuttered, realizing what a stupid question I had just asked. Daehyun looked up, watching me struggle, then surprised me with a smile.
"What's so funny?" I asked warily. Daehyun just shrugged, smiling still.
"Do you know how many years it's been since somebody asked me that? Since somebody treated me like a human being instead of a glass doll." Daehyun said. "That, and your face when you realized what you had asked."
"So you find my face funny?" I said, pretending to be angry. Daehyun held his hands up with a shocked look, laughing slightly.
"No, that's not what I—"
"Gotcha!" I smiled, making Daehyun roll his eyes. I was pleased I had made him smile, thinking he was much cuter when he smiled.
"Here we are!" I said, opening the door to the library. Daehyun immediately sobered, walking inside quietly and sitting with me. Yong Guk and Himchan looked up, examining Daehyun from head to toe.
"Yong Guk oppa, this is Daehyun. Daehyun, this is Himchan oppa." I introduced them, watching as Yong Guk smiled widely and bowed.
"Nice to meet you." Yong Guk said, prompting Himchan to do the same. Daehyun simply bowed in reply, sitting down and opening his textbook. Himchan rolled his eyes, gesturing me into the chair between him and Daehyun.
"How was shopping with Tika?" Himchan asked. I told him enthusiastically about the pedicure, bubble tea and bracelet.
"Maybe someone special will get it for you on your birthday." Himchan shrugged. Why were all the boys saying the same thing?
"When's your birthday?" Daehyun asked suddenly, shocking me that he was listening.
"It's on Monday." I said, earning a nod from Daehyun. He went back to working nonchalantly, but I noticed him listening from now on.
"Tika wants to take you out again on your birthday." Yong Guk said. I nodded, excited already to see unnie again.
"What the hell is a Tika?" Daehyun muttered to me. I laughed back at his teasing tone, smacking his arm gently.
"Yong Guk's girlfriend. She's like a sister, don't challenge the Tika." I warned, making Daehyun smile. He nudged me with his shoulder and I nudged him back, looking up to see Himchan and Yong Guk's mouths wide open in shock.
"It speaks!" Himchan muttered sarcastically to Yong Guk, getting a glare out of Daehyun. He stood, putting his books back in his bag and standing.
"Thanks for inviting me, but I have to go now." Daehyun said to me. "It was nice meeting you." I nodded back, seeing him walk out of the library.
"Himchan oppa!" I said, hitting his arm. He held his hands up with a questioning look.
"What?!" Himchan asked, getting a disapproving look from Yong Guk.
"You know what you did!" I said, making Himchan look down sheepishly. "I'm gonna head home, goodbye."
"See you at home." Yong Guk said, and Himchan nodded.
"What, are you living with us now?" I asked Himchan. He nodded, smiling.
"You have better food...when it's not ramen." Yong Guk smiled shyly, looking down at his book and pretending to have not heard Himchan. I walked home, eating dinner and falling into bed. I considered Daehyun's mood swings until I fell asleep, surprised when he appeared in my dream.

I woke up early on Monday morning, taking my time with my shower and doing my makeup perfectly. It was my 17th birthday, and I was excited. I went downstairs, greeted by a hug from Yong Guk.
"Happy birthday! I'm proud of you." Yong Guk said, holding out a wrapped box. I smiled, taking it and sitting down.
"You didn't have to get me anything..." I said. Yong Guk smiled, gesturing for me to open it and smiling when I gasped in surprise.
"Is this the dress I wanted?" I said, holding up a dress I had seen in a store with Tika. Yong Guk nodded happily, smiling.
"Tika told me about it. Do you like it?" Yong Guk asked. I hugged him, nodding, and looked up when the doorbell rang.
"Thanks so much! Bye oppa, love you!" I called, opening the door. Zelo hugged me, wishing me a happy birthday.
"Thanks, Zelo!" I said, seeing him take something out of his backpack.
"Don't thank me yet..." Zelo said, holding out an envelope. I opened it quickly, squealing when I held up two tickets to an EXO-K concert.
"What?" I said, looking at Zelo happily.
"Will you go with me?" Zelo asked. I nodded happily, thanking him profusely as I left the tickets in my house and walked with him to school.
Jong Up, Himchan and Youngjae all greeted me with hugs, and I smiled at them hanging around my locker. Jong Up presented me with a large box of chocolates, Himchan gave me an EXO cd, and Youngjae gave me a photo album of last year. I laughed at him, remembering him following everyone around with his camera and arguing with Jong Up over poses.
"Thank you all so much! I love everything!" I said, making them smile. I saw Daehyun watching from afar, and gave him a small wave. He smiled softly in reply, walking away.
The bell rang, and the boys all waved goodbye. I opened my locker, surprised when a small box fell out. I frowned, putting down the boys' gifts and picking up the box. The second bell rang again, making me put the box back and grab my books. I would get it at break, and I hurried off to my first class.
All through my first two classes, curiosity ate me up. What was in the box? Nobody else knew it was my birthday today, and the boys had already given me their gifts. Maybe Tika had given it to one of the boys to pass along? As soon as the bell rang, I stood up and rushed to my locker.
Taking a deep breath, I picked up the box and slowly opened it. I took a quick peek before Zelo caught up to me and waved at me. I huffed in frustration, putting the box down without seeing what was inside and smiled at him quickly.
"What's up?" I asked. Zelo shrugged, smiling at me hopefully.
"Could you help me with the math homework? I have math next and I didn't do half of it." Zelo asked. I nodded, putting the box away. Gifts could wait, my friends couldn't.
Helping Zelo took the entire break, but I didn't mind. His grateful smile was reward enough for me. Still, I rushed to my locker as soon as the bell rang and tore open my locker.
I picked up the box, opening it hurriedly and staring at it in shock. Staring up at me was the beautiful bracelet from the mall. Tika had bought it for me? She was so sweet, I resolved to thank her later.
I barely made it through the day, waiting for Tika at the entrance to the school. I was impatient, hardly containing myself.
"Hyowon!" I turned my head, looking to see who had called me. Daehyun waved and I smiled.
"Happy birthday." Daehyun said, smiling at me.
"Thanks!" I smiled back, seeing Tika pull up. I cut off whatever he was saying with an apology. "Sorry, I have to go." Daehyun only nodded, not hurt at all by my interruption.
I climbed into Tika's car and erupted into thank you's and hugs. She smiled, looking at me questioningly.
"What's this for?" Tika asked as she pulled out. I smiled, rolling my eyes.
"You know, the bracelet! It was really sweet of you to buy it for me!" I said. Tika gave me a confused look, shrugging.
"What bracelet? Did someone give you the bracelet from the mall? It wasn't me." Tika said, making me pause.
"Then who—" I suddenly remembered Daehyun watching me outside my locker this morning, and him wishing me happy birthday just now.
"Daehyun." I said. I smiled, and Tika gave me a confused look.
"Gorgeous and rude Daehyun?" Tika asked. I nodded, smiling.
"He's actually really nice." I said, taking the bracelet out of the box. Tika nodded, smiling.
"I'll say. He must like you." Tika said. I laughed, rolling my eyes and shaking my head. There was no way Daehyun liked me, he was just being a nice friend. Right?