{Jihae}

“Wake up.” A voice snaps me from my dream.

Refusing to open my eyes, or do anything else for that matter, I just shove my face deeper into the pillow and pretend to be oblivious to it.

“Get up!” This time the voice is louder and sterner.

“Go away Luhan!” I groan into the pillow and turn over to the other end of the bed, not wanting anyone to disrupt my beautiful sleep. I am just about one hundred percent sure the person calling me would walk away when he replies.

“Who’s Luhan?”

My eyes shoot open instantaneously and the realisation that I am not at home hits me all at once. I am at Baekhyun’s house. And if this person doesn’t know who Luhan is, then he isn’t Baekhyun. Which means…

I slowly turn around and my eyes find their way onto the boy that shares the same height as Luhan. In fact, they look rather similar but his cheek bones are more defined, his lips thinner and of a lighter shade. The person standing just a metre away from me is none other than Sehun.

“I-I’m sorry.” I stumble on my words, probably due to the fact that I just woke up. “I thought you were someone else.”

I catch him rolling his eyes before saying, “Baekhyun asked me to wake you up. Seems like you’re a heavy sleeper.” My cheeks blush as I think about what I had said to him earlier on.

He then laughs, “I don’t know what that guy sees in you.”

“What?” I didn’t understand what he is getting at.

He shakes his head and narrows his eyes on me. A grin smacked on his face, “Baekhyun might do his best to protect you. But trust me, not all of us will.” Sehun then turns and leaves the room, leaving me drenched in a puddle of confusion and doubt.

Not all of us will. Is he referring to himself? I know he doesn’t like me but does he really dread me to the extent that he’d turn against his own pack and hurt me?

But there is no reason for him to be protecting me anyway. It’s not his duty and that applies to all six of them. Not that I had asked for their protection in the first place. I never wanted all of these. Any of it.

When I get downstairs, I realise everyone is already up and washed up. At the thought of this, I immediately tie my hair up, hoping that is enough to salvage a bad hair day. The six of them are seated around the living room, a bread in their hands.

It is then I realise how much I don’t fit in. Not like I ever do in school, or even at home. But there is no way I can ever mix well around six boys. Normally being by Baekhyun’s side would give me a sense of security. But after the incident in the kitchen yesterday, it feels as though an invisible wall has built its way between us.

Indeed kissing should make two feel closer to each other. Because physical contact should bring about a closer bond right? Wrong. Because all I feel now when I look at Baekhyun is awkwardness. As though I’m thrown back to the first time I met him. When I bumped into him and how I had made his books fall to the ground. The embarrassment is flowing back all at once.

The growling from my stomach forces me to walk over to the kitchen to grab some bread. But before that I have to pass by where Baekhyun is seating. I try my best to be as invisible and unnoticeable as possible, but that doesn’t work.

Baekhyun sees me and says, “Hi.” A smile etched on his face as he greets me. The moment I turn to look at him, the only thing I focus on is his lips and how I had been so rash to throw myself at him yesterday.

“H-hi…” I whisper over, lowering my head as I do.

“What’s wrong?” He stands up and nears in on me, making me back away. “Is something troubling you?”

Yea you are. I think but of course I don’t say it aloud. Its times like this I’m thankful he can’t read my mind. “Nothing it’s just—”

“It’s what Sehun said to you isn’t it?” A sombre expression melts away his sweet demeanour. “Don’t listen to him okay. He’s just scared.”

“How did you—”

“I read his mind.” He answers my question. “And I know he doesn’t mean it. It’s just now that you’re here, the five of us are focusing on protecting you and I guess that guy is just jealous that he can’t be the playful maknae he was.”

“Oh I see.” I try to play along as though I had been really troubled by Sehun’s words. Where else in actuality, I’m not as compared to the awkwardness I feel around Baekhyun now.

“Don’t take it seriously okay?” He grabs my hand tightly before I’m able to pull away.

“Okay.” I say and try to avert my gaze from Baekhyun because he had come uncomfortably close to the point that I can feel his warm breath on my cheek.

As soon as he releases his grip on my hand, I sprint away from him and into the kitchen. I try to regulate my breathing and heart rate as I look around for something to fill my stomach. What is with me? Since when does mere skin contact with Baekhyun make my pulse go into a frenzy? I think as I source the cupboards.

“There’s bread on the third shelf if you want.” Baekhyun’s voice comes from behind me.

“Oh,” I say. I quickly open the cupboard on my left, fish out two pieces of white bread and slide out of the kitchen, trying to get away from Baekhyun.

“Why are you avoiding me?” His voice halts my movement.

“I’m not, I’m just hungry that’s all.” I reply.

“I may not be able to read your mind Jihae, but I’m not a fool so quit lying.” He snaps.

“I’m really hungry!”

“Am I that a bad kisser?” He suddenly brings up about last night, all the more making me want to run away.

“No it’s not that, it’s just—” My words are interrupted when Baekhyun’s lips shut my mouth up, sealing it with a soft peck on my own. My eyes enlarge and my lips curl inwards after he pulls away.

“Will you be my girlfriend?” His voice is sweet and soothing. I let the melody of voices charm my eardrums as his dashing gaze melts me. I’ve never been in a relationship before and so I want to capture the moment.

But when I open my mouth, laughter escapes my lips. I try to stifle the smiles but to no avail.

“What’s so funny?” Baekhyun asks me.

“I’m sorry I just ruined the whole moment.”

“Moment?” He looks at me puzzled.

“Nothing. I was about to say yes but I just laughed when I opened my mouth.” I explain to him, hoping he won’t be pissed or anything.

“So that’s a yes?” The eagerness present in his tone.

“I guess so.” I smile at him, as though all the previous awkwardness melted away. “What took you so long?” I had meant it as a joke but Baekhyun didn’t interpret it that way.

“I was just not brave enough.” He lowers his head.

His reply sends torrents of laughter exploding from my mouth. “You’re not brave enough? You announced to the whole school you’re planning to woo me and you even told my brother. And you’re not brave enough to ask me?” I ask him.

“Yea. I’m sorry.” He apologises even though there isn’t a need to.

“For what?”

“Everything. Anything.” He says.

I laugh, “Well there’s no need to Baekhyun. Yea you were kind of a jerk then and sure you kept many things from me and yea you did get me into this load of mess…”

“You’re just taking this chance to get back at me aren’t you?” He snickers.

“My point is...I’m grateful for it.” I whisper into his ears.

“You are?” He seems flabbergasted at my words.

“Yea. I’ve never told you this before or anyone for that matter, but I have many doubts about everyone and I feel like I can’t trust anybody.”

“Even your brother?” He asks me.

“I do trust him but not to the full extent.” I sigh. “But Baekhyun, you’re different. When I’m with you I feel happy, like real genuine joy. Even after the many lies you’ve said, I still feel like I can always trust you, that you’d never do me any harm.”

He looks at me for a while, blinks and says, “Even after all this mutant trouble I’ve gotten you into?”

“Yea. Just remember that I will never regret meeting you Baekhyun.” I smile at him and he smiles back. “Ever.”