“Did he ever tell anybody about there being a new member and a sub-unit?” Gayoon asked seriously, looking from one member to another.

“He didn’t say anything to me at all, and I’m the leader,” Eunjung sighed, running a hand through her hair in frustration. 

“Well, I don’t even know why she’s in our dorm anyway,” Jimin said, folding her arms over her chest in defiance. “It only sleeps six people, and guess what? There’s already six of us here. Looks like she’ll be sleeping on the couch.”

“We can’t make her sleep on the sofa, Lee Jimin, yah,” Subin reprimanded, poking the visual in the shoulder. 

“Well, Sigma are still in Japan, so their dorm is empty for another week or two until we figure out what we can do with sleeping arrangements,” Eunjung said thoughtfully, tapping her chin with her fingertips. “All we’d have to do is figure out who would be staying with her.”

“Excuse me?” Seohyeon piped up nastilly. “I don’t think I understand you, leader-nim. Someone stay with her? We all already have our beds and our place in the group. I don’t see why anybody has to stay with her.”

“Well, would you like to be on your own in the dorm? When you don't know anyone?” Eunjung asked, turning on the maknae. “I thought not,” she continued after getting no answer. “So who’s it going to be?”

“I see no reason why it shouldn’t be you, Jungie,” Jimin told the younger girl. “Seeing as it’s your idea and you are the leader, after all.”

“Oh, for God’s sakes! Fine! I’ll stay with her, are you happy?!” Eunjung yelled, throwing her hands into the air in exasperation. “Now let’s get inside and introduce ourselves and I swear to the heavens, if you brats aren’t nice, I’ll ban you from eating take out for a month and you’re not allowed to ask Subin to cook for you, either.”

Together, they entered the sitting room and studied the girl who was sitting on their sofa, looking lonely and more than a little lost. Her long dark brown hair was all but covering her face and her luggage was sitting in a neat pile at her feet.

“Hi!” Eunjung greeted brightly, no trace of the argument they had had outside in her tone at all. “I’m Eunjung, Polaris’ leader and lead singer!”

“I’m Chaerin, the voice of the group.”

“Jimin, face of Polaris.” Jimin said shortly, not looking at the poor girl.

“Hey, I’m Subin, otherwise known as ‘umma Subin’, the oldest member and lead rapper of the group,” Subin smiled warmly.

“I’m the maknae and lead dancer, Seohyeon,”

“And last but not least, I’m Gayoon, main vocals and main dance.”

The mystery girl flashed them a nervous smile, stood and bowed a ninety degree bow. 

“Hello, it’s nice to meet you. My name is Elizabeth Song, or Suji, and I am going to be the new member of your first sub-unit.”

*

It wasn’t until much later, when Acid Teochii and a few of their SM Entertainment sunbaes were sitting in the common room that had been designed for Polaris and Sigma to hang out in (it hadn’t been used since the last time Sigma had been in Korea, which had been October), that Jimin worked up the effort to talk to their new member properly. 

“So, Suji,” she said curtly, dropping into the empty seat to the left of the younger girl. “Do you know anything about this new sub-unit? Who will be in it, for example?”
Suji looked up in alarm - nobody but Eunjung and Subin from Polaris had spoken to her all night, although D.O and Suho from EXO had been very welcoming. Acid Teochii had seemed a little distant, and the pink-haired delicate-looking girl that had trailed in after them seemed to be in a highly emotional state. 

“I don’t know much, really,” she began politely, smiling at the birthday girl. “I don't know the name or anything, but I was told that right now, it'll be myself, Eunjung-ssi and Seohyeon-ssi and the musical style will be different to Polaris'. I won't be in the actual main group, so you guys don’t have to worry about me intruding into Polaris’ stuff. I’ll only really be around when the sub-unit is promoting, and I guess we’ll all find out when exactly that will be tomorrow.”

“Fair enough,” Jimin shrugged, scrutinising the girl before smiling suddenly. “You know, I was pretty sceptical about you when Daeseun manager-nim dropped the news on us when we got back from our comeback stage earlier, but whatever. You seem okay. I feel like at least one of our groups has to accept their new member, anyway,” she added, glancing over at Yue, the newest addition to Acid Teochii (she had also been added that day) and her boyfriend, Hanni, who seemed to be taking care of the girl along with Cho.

“What do you mean?” Suji asked, curious.

“Well, seeing as you’re going to be my newest dongsaeng... You see that pink-haired girl over there? That’s Yue. One of Acid Teochii’s members left a few months ago and she’s the new dancer. Needless to say, they aren’t too happy about it. Hanyeul has decided to be friendly to her because he’s a sweetheart who can’t bear to see anyone left out for any reason,” she added affectionately, waving at him when the rapper in question looked up and caught her eyes.

“I’ve heard that you two are going out. Is that true?” Suji asked, hesitating slightly, wondering whether she was overstepping her boundaries by asking such a personal question when she had only known Polaris for a few hours.

“But you can’t tell anybody else,” Jimin warned sharply. “We don’t want it getting out, you know?”

“Oh yeah, of course,” the newest member agreed quickly, nodding. “I was just wondering. 

“Eunjung had a few... Choice words about it, of course, but whatever,” Jimin flipped her newly dyed dark brown hair over her shoulder. “She can’t say anything when Kyungsoo oppa is always hanging around her.”

“D.O sunbae? Really?” Suji was surprised. “They’re close?”

“Oh, yeah, way close,” Chaerin gossiped as she threw herself into the seat on the other side of Jimin. “They’ve been best friends since before EXO even debuted, to be honest. Don’t go spreading rumours about them, Lee Jimin,” she added with a light smack to the back of the visual’s head.

“I’m saying nothing but the truth, Rin!”

*

Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, Eunjung was talking with Kyungsoo and Seohyeon about their comeback stage that day, which was due to air on TV the following hour. 

“You mean you didn’t trip once? And you didn’t mess the dance up? I’m proud of you, Eunjung,” D.O teased and she grimaced at him.

“I’m still taking every available opportunity to remind everybody that it was Subin and not me that couldn’t learn the dance this time. And while it may seem that I’m the worst dancer in the group, at least I’m not the slowest at picking up the choreography.”

“Seohyeon had trouble, too, so I guess you might actually be the winner this time around,” a voice stated from behind Seohyeon, who jumped and then glared at the owner of the voice reproachfully.

“Do you always have to do that?”

“I like butting into conversations! What’s wrong with that? It’s called mingling,” Kai answered defensively, shoving into the circle by bumping Seohyeon across so that he was in between his band mate and his legacy. 

“Yah, Kim Jongin,” Eunjung called loudly, glaring at the dancer. “Stop sniffing around my maknae or I’ll decapitate you. She’s seventeen.”

“And?” Kai challenged. “I’m her favourite dance teacher! What’s wrong with wanting to see how she’s doing?”

“I don’t trust you!” the leader announced, pointing at him dramatically. 

“Ah, leave him alone, Jungie,” D.O placated her, patting her on the shoulder. “He’s only being nice for once. He’s not nice to the rest of us, so at least he’s being pleasant to someone.”

“I thought we were supposed to be friends, hyung,” Kai teased. “I guess I was wrong!”

Yay part 2 (kind of) of chapter 13 where y'all meet Suji! She's pretty cool and REMEMBER HER! She pops up again later... I can't believe Jimin is the one who took her under her wing, bless.