The year finally changed, their practice for the comeback became more intense, not to mention the practice for the other comeback that got inserted sometimes in between. During those time, Sera always came along to watch them, sometimes got accompanied by Baekji or Jiae who currently didn't have any tight schedule. During those time too, L never made another close contact with Sera and even it did happen, it didn't last more than a minute because Sera always busily dragged everywhere by everyone except him.

But it's not like he will confess either. Sera doesn't seem to be interested in him so he'll save the embarassment for later.

Like falling on stages many times aren't enough, he doesn't need anymore of that.

So that's what he decided to do, to just keep it a secret.

But occasionally, there's some moment when he just wished that she knew. Like this day.

"Let's go eat!" Sungyeol raised his hand cheerfully.

"Yeah let's. But today who's going to stay with Sera?" Sunggyu asked.

L thought it would be Woohyun again so when there's no one who spoke out, he got a little bit anxious whether he should volunteer or not.

"I'm fine alone though," Sera suggested. After that L almost offering himself but as always, Woohyun beat him to it, but not to volunteer.

"Let's just bring Sera to eat with us," he suggested. "She's small and easy to be slipped in, just walk a little bit crowding her."

"Besides I don't see anyone suspicious today," he added.

"Or we could just bring Jiae along and then claimed her as Jiae's friend," Woohyun suggested further.

"Come on hyung just this time~" Woohyun started whinning.

"But Jiae is not here right now," Sunggyu pointed out, doubting about Woohyun's idea.

"It's fine hyung, really," he said convincingly "I guarantee you that."

L knew this wasn't a very good idea. He knew it somehow. Since the very first time they came out, Sera practically got shoved towards each of them due to the small space they left for her to walk, making her stumbled everywhere and mostly got stepped on from the back because her steps weren't as long as the boys, so she also tripped often. And to make it worse, L is one of the person beside her. And he is always not ready, so it would be someone on the back or on the other side who would catch her, which are Woohyun, Hoya, and Sungyeol, much to his dismay.

Jealousy is very bad. In L's case, frustrating. But again, the one he should blame is himself for being so timid.

"Yah L! Pay attention!" Woohyun hissed while stabilizing Sera's position. Apparently, she tripped again. "Did you really hate her or what?"

"I..."

Woohyun didn't wait for any answer as he dragged Sera to the cafetaria, which L just realized only a few steps left, now there's some wall to help them hiding Sera.

"I didn't...." He mumbled his answer wile seeing most of them already moved away to grab something to eat, then he felt a pat on his shoulder.

"Sunggyu hyung..."

"It's good to be thoughtful, but it could be bad if you don't know when to decide then just watch it fade away," he patted some more before leaving L to order food.

~~~

"Sooo... You hate me oppa?" On one random time after they finished eating and escorting Sera safely back to the practice room (with also some stumble and trip, but this time Woohyun kept Sera close by holding her hand, much to L's another jealousy), she asked while L's taking a bottle of water which located just beside the box Sera's sitting on. L immediately whipped his head, and if not because of the sad face Sera made, he maybe couldn't hold the water in his mouth. Her face really contoured into a sad form, making L more guilty.

"I'm not Sera, don't believe Woohyun hyung," he cooed while smiling softly, trying to ease the sadness that's evident in her face.

"But it's always like that though. I usually thought it's because you felt not too comfortable around me but when Woohyun oppa mentioned that, I think that make sense too."

"It's not. Here, listen--" L was about to explain but got called by Sunggyu because they were about to start practice again.

"Wait a minute hyung," L replied, still want to explain.

"L-ah, there's still many moves left, we can't waste time," Dongwoo got into his rarest time of strictness.

"I'm just--"

"You better continue practicing oppa," Sera smiled "the others are waiting you know, it's not right to delay just because of this matter. It's not that important anyway."

"But you need to know--"

"Go practice," Sera said along with a push on the back, making he once again got engulfed with the routine, and just like that, the problem went unsolved again.

~~~

"Surprise!"

Seven boys barged in to one room that got occupied by a girl, the said one was still sleeping though.

"Sera wakey wakey!" Sungjong exclaimed, shoving the blanket harshly to reveal the girl under it. But the girl remain still.

After some effort to wake Sera up (which all failed, it feels like it's not Sera to be this sleepy-head), their energy decreased more than half and some of the props they used were even got tossed of because it's kinda getting on the way.

"Sera-yah," Woohyun tried while shaking Sera's shoulder slowly, this time it worked.

"Five more minutes oppa," she mumbled against the pillow.

"She responded! She responded!" Woohyun suddenly got hyper because at first he thought that Sera had died, leaving them all just like the last time. He jumped around leaving Sera side, and soon L suddenly got the urge to occupy it.

"Sera," he said a little bit softer than his usual tone.

"Hmm..."

"Wake up for a moment, we have something to say," L continued and suddenly the room got quiet, maybe everyone want to hear their half-conscious conversation.

Sera remained still for a few moment, making them thinking that she might already fall into the deep slumber again, but then she slowly raised her body to leave the comfiness of the bed, still with her eyes closed.

"What is it?" She mumbled in that position.

"It's your birthday!" Sungyeol intercepted and blowing a sort of small simple trumpet which settled in between his lips.

Sera looked once towards her phone then mumbled "oh right" blankly.

"What do you want to do today?" Dongwoo said cheerfully, already wearing his paper party hat once again.

"I already requested Baekji to come here," she answered, scanning the room afterwards and see the clock on the wall "4 AM oppa, really?" She sighed. Turned out that Baekji and the oppas are nothing different in term of over excitement.

They were all sat on the living room in the 11th floor, pampering Sera with everything since it's her birthday, starting from the not so spicy ddeokbokki with some fishcakes by Woohyun, a birthday cake Sungyeol claimed the duplicate of Sera's, simple seaweed soup by Sunggyu, Dongwoo, Hoya (3 people just to make a simple soup, yes, they are that untalented in cooking), lastly L who made an experimental food with some help from Sungjong. The food got abandoned by the others because of it's saltiness. Sera then stepped in to at least made it edible. Baekji didn't help either by continuously teasing L because of his failure cooking.

Right, Baekji already arrived at 5 AM, another spirited soul.

"So have you packed everything Chae?" Baekji asked after almost all food finished, and this of course, didn't go unnoticed by the boys.

"Packed? Are you planning to go on a trip somewhere?" Dongwoo asked somewhat curious.

"No--" Baekji said halfway.

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