A few hours had passed and Yixing could be seen a little tipsy along with Luhan and Kris. Xiumin was snoring away on the table either, because of the alcohol or just because he was tired. Before I could go crazy, trying to stop both Sehun and Kai from consuming any alcohol, Chen, the only other guy at the table not trying to drink a bottle of beer, asked for the bill.

 

"Stop trying to drink. You're underage. You have to be eighteen." I scolded the two boys.

 

"But Gege~! I'm eighteen in Korea~! Plus! The hyungs all drunk a little. Just a little isn't going to hurt." Sehun whined with Kai behind him, giving puppy eyes.

 

"No, in China, you're seventeen. Stop begging. I'm not letting you drink a sip of beer." I refused.

 

"Please hyung~ Sehun said you were awesome and chill everytime he came back from China. Also, they say we can drink in a presence of someone responsible. You clearly are responsible." Kai reasoned.

 

"I landed Sehun in the hospital in less than a week of him attending my school. I don't think I'm that responsible Kai." I sighed. Sehun whispered something in his ear and I suddenly became alert. They were planning something.

 

"Gege~ Let us drink pleaaaaaaaaase?" They both begged in Chinese. Curse Sehun for knowing my weakness.

 

"Sehun, don't drink." TianMi reached over me to slightly shake Sehun's arm before I gave in.

 

"See! Even TianMi says you shouldn't drink. Sehun, don't drink." I put my arm around TianMi, pulling her closer.

 

"Okay." Sehun muttered and his bottom lip, "Let's go home."

 

"What? You're giving up? I thought—" Kai started, but Chen cut him off,

 

"Hey, hey! You guys aren't going anywhere. I didn't bring money and these dumb hyungs combined don't have enough to pay for the meal."

 

"How much is needed?" I sighed as I pull out my wallet, removing my arm from TianMi. She seemed like she let out a breath she was holding.

 

"I need 300 yuan." He demanded.

 

Looking at my nearly empty wallet, I pull out the last few bills and pass it to him. When Chen left to the counter to pay, the three tipsy boys started spinning the bottle and each other's faces, laughing.

 

"They're so weird..." Sehun muttered.

 

"That's how they are when they drink." I sighed.

 

"Okay, now we have to bring them home before they start drinking more and get in trouble with their parents." Chen clapped his hands when he returned to the table, "I'll let Luhan and Yixing crash at Xiumin and my place, you, Tao, bring Kris him back home since you live nearest to his house." He said shaking Xiumin awake.

 

Slowly, we all left the place without disturbing the waiters too much. The four going to the Korean boys' place went separate ways at one point, leaving me with TianMi, a nonsense chatting Chinese boy and two Korean boys that are completely unfamiliar with the area.

 

"Now what do we do?" Kai asked.

 

"What did you say?" Sehun frowned.

 

"Your Chinese skills are worse than I thought they were." The older korean flicked his forehead.

 

"We need to bring him and TianMi home." I said, giving TianMi a look to make sure she was paying attention to what I said.

 

Before Sehun started complaining that his Chinese wasn't that bad, Kai gave me a thumbs up. Letting the two bicker a few steps behind, I lead the way to Kris' house. When I dropped him off, his mother thanked me and gave me a hug before closing the door and starting to scold the boy loud enough for me to hear.

 

"I'm tired." Kai loudly yawned as we got off Kris' house's front yard.

 

"Sehun, bring him back home. You know taking the plane is exhausting." I ordered, "The house is that way and you'll surely recognize your surroundings." I pointed in a direction.

 

"But we have to bring TaeMi home." Sehun stomped his foot like a kid.

 

"Sehun, bring me back home. You know taking the plane is exhausting." Kai playfully repeated my words, attempting to annoy the boy.

 

"I'll bring her home. You take care of your guest friend." I told him and he pouted with his arms crossed.

 

"Yeah Sehun, take care of your guest friend. Your guest friend is tired." Kai playfully said and laughed at his friend's pouting face.

 

"Why did you have to come?" Sehun grumbled as the two turned away.

 

"Because Kyungsoo burned down half of the school and I won the Rock Paper Scissors game against the hyungs. You know, Suho was thiiiiiiis close from winning, but I pulled out my second maknae card..." I heard Kai say before I was out of hearing range.

 

"Shall we go?" I turned to TianMi. I suddenly felt the urge to reach out for her hand, but I cleared my throat and walked away instead, my hands finding their way into my pants' pockets.

 

"Hey, wait for me." TianMi said and ran to me until we were leisurely walking side by side.

 

"You know, I had fun tonight. It was nice meeting Sehun's friend." She said, looking up at me.

 

"How did you know that we were at that specific restaurant in the first place?" I focused my eyes on where I was stepping.

 

"I saw Chen at the library and I asked him where Sehun was since he hadn't properly talked after the time I saw him with FangXue." I saw her fist clench when she said her name, "He just told me to follow him and I did. On the way, he was teaching me how to introduce myself in Korean since he said that Sehun's friend was there and he probably didn't know any Chinese. So that's how." She explained.

 

I hummed in response, looking up at the starry sky until TianMi stopped me with her hands on my chest. I didn't notice she had walked in front of me and stopped walking. I quickly brushed her hands away and took a step back.

 

"Uh... What are you doing?" I scratched my chest where TianMi's hands had been. I was confused at why she didn't hit the back of my head like she usually does.

 

"You weren't listening." She pouted.

 

"Uh... The sky has nice stars?" I was flustered that a girl like TianMi was pouting at me. I've seen Sehun pouting before, but he wasn't as cute as TianMi. "Oh my god. What the am I thinking? Did I just thought she was cute?!" I slapped both my cheeks and shook my head.

 

"Umm... I have no idea what you just said, but thank you for translating most of the time when the guys were speaking Korean and thanks for bringing me into the conversation when I felt really left out since I was the only girl surrounded by seven guys." She smiled. I felt the corner of my lips tug upwards, but I quickly cleared my throat and turned away.

 

"Not my problem you were the only girl! I was just trying to be nice!" I raised my voice to hide the good feeling I had.

 

"Why are you getting angry?! For being thankful to you?!" She yelled back at me with the same tone, maybe louder. Suddenly feeling irritated, I yelled back with the same voice,

 

"You're the one getting angry! Look at you screaming!"

 

"You're the one who started yelling!"

 

"You were yelling louder than me! I wasn't yelling! I just raised my voice!"

 

"You clearly were yelling in the first place!"

 

"SHUT THE UP! PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO SLEEP!" A man burst through the front door of the house we were standing in front of. He grabbed a broom somewhere and started charging at us with fuming ears.

 

"Run." I blurted and grabbed TianMi's hand, running as fast as I can without hurting TianMi who was struggling to keep up with my pace.

 

I stopped running when I felt that we were safe. I bent over and supported my weight with my hands on my knees. Remembering TianMi ran with me, I turned around to see her on all four, panting more than I was.

 

"Are you alright?" I asked and crouched next to her, worried that I somehow harmed her.

 

"You d*mned idiot. Why do you run so fast?" She glared at me.

 

"Sheesh. Sorry for having good endurance and leg muscles." I rolled my eyes. I lifted her to her feet and I only get a slap in the back of my head in return.

 

"What was that for?" I complained.

 

"That was for making me exercise without my consent." She spat.

 

"Pfft. At least it's something healthy." I reasoned.

 

"Where are we?" She asked, looking around. Mimicking her action, I came to realize I ran a little too much.

 

"We're at a park." I replied her.

 

"Oh really captain obvious?"

 

I stuck out my tongue at her and crossed my arms, "We're near my house. I used to always come here with Sehun when we were young. Our little hideout used to be under the slide."

 

"Ah." I turned to her. She was just watching the rusty swing that was dangling.

 

"Yeah... The park isn't in its best state. I heard they were going to renovate it soon although there was a big chance that they're going to tear it down." I started, "Are you sure you're alright?" I asked, seeing her deep in thoughts.

 

"Uh? Oh yeah... I just..." She bit her lower lip before continuing, "It's nothing."

 

"I think we should head—"

 

"What did you look like when you were a kid?" She cut me off, suddenly looking into my eyes.

 

"Uh... I looked like myself?" I smirked.

 

"You're so arrogant." She snorted and it was followed with a chuckle. Seeing her happy created this tickle with in my chest. I shook my head. What was wrong with me? I hated that a girl easily made me feel giddy.

 

"Hurry up! I don't have all night. I need to catch up on my sleep." I snapped and walked ahead.

 

***

 

“You think he’s awake?”

 

“Shhhh. He might hear you. He’s a light sleeper.”

 

“How should we wake him up? Should we blow air in his ear?”

 

I frowned in my sleep.

 

“No, you might get wushu-ed in the face.”

 

“How ‘bout a bucket of water?”

 

“Auntie is going to be mad for ruining the couch.”

 

“Sehun, Kai, get out of the living room!” I hollered as I sat up, sending my pillow flying in their direction. They quickly scampered away as I glared at them.

 

"Tao! Breakfast!" My mother called for me.

 

"Coming." I stretched my back and hear it crack a few times. I walked into the kitchen, massaging away the pain from sleeping on a uncomfortable couch. I'll never understand how Sehun slept on the couch for a few nights without getting back pain.

 

"Wow. You look like you're in pain." Kai commented while munching on a toast.

 

"That because you two both took my bed AND the extra blankets for the night." I rolled my eyes and I suddenly got a hit in the back of my head.

 

"Sit son." My mother commanded.

 

"How can you hit your own son!" I complained, sitting down.

 

"That because you were rude to Sehun's friend." My mother snapped. I grumbled something under my breath and smeared some strawberry jam over my toast.

 

Placing a freshly fried egg roll in front of each of us, my mother sat down with her own next to me. She pushed her plate towards Sehun, "Sehun, eat it all up!"

 

"But Auntie... You don't have anything to eat for breakfast." Sehun rejected the food.

 

"If you don't want I'll take it." I my lips, reaching over for the plate, but my mother slapped my hands away.

 

"You have your own plate. Stop trying to steal others plate." She scolded me and I sulked, "Sehun, don't worry about me. I can cook for myself. You're so skinny and you need energy for school. Eat it." She smiled.

 

"Aha~ Okay then~ Thank you Auntie!" Sehun chimed, "Ah Kai, what are you going to do when we go to school?" He asked.

 

"Lucky b*stard doesn't have to go to school." I muttered under my breath and I got another hit from my mother. She must have heard me.

 

"I was thinking of going sightseeing. I heard there was nice beaches here in Qingdao." He answered.

 

"He gets to stroll on the beach while I have to go to school?!" I exclaimed in jealousy. My mum gave me a glare and that shut me up.

 

"And then Sehun is going to have a special date today at lunch." Kai wriggled his eyebrows.

 

"YAH! What the heck are you talking about! It's not a date." Sehun whined, cheek flaring red.

 

"Please. It's a date. You two are alone, having lunch together. How is that not a date?"

 

"Is it with TianMi?" I asked, not liking what I was hearing, "I told you to stop going to her. She's a drama magnet!"

 

"Hurry and go wash yourself. You're going to be late." My mum scolded. I bitterly stood and went to get changed.

 

***

 

Lunch quickly arrived and I put my things away. I went to TianMi's class looking for her to bring her to the noodle restaurant before Sehun could have his date-that-he-doesn't-want-to-admit-it's-a-date. I felt like punching someone when I didn't find her or Sehun. Hearing my stomach growl, I decided it was more important to fill myself than to stop a date. I started heading to the cafeteria, but there was a huge crowd that was blocking the hallway on my way.

 

I forced my way through to hurry to the canteen to satisfy my hunger, but when I got to the center of it, there was a scene I didn't expect to see since my first year of highschool. TianMi had her back stuck against a locker and FangXue was looking at her with piercing eyes. What was worse was that FangXue had three girls keeping Sehun away from TianMi. The girl had bright red cheeks and she looked like she was trying to hold her tears.

 

"You, what were you doing with Sehun?" FangXue asked with a terrifying voice.

 

"I told you it was none of your business!" TianMi answered with anger, but it didn't seem like she was angry. She seemed like she was scared.

 

"Wrong answer!" FangXue raised her arm to slap TianMi and Sehun was struggling to get free from the three girls that were restraining him. TianMi shut her eyes tightly, preparing herself to receive another slap. I quickly took a step forward and grabbed FangXue's arm before the hit could land. She snapped her head at me with cold eyes, but she suddenly became the weak and innocent girl.

 

"T-Tao." She muttered, her lips shaking, "It's not what it seems like—"

 

"Then tell me. Tell me what's happening!" I raised my voice.

 

"M-my arm hurts..." She muttered. Seeing her avoid my request, I continued,

 

"You, let go of Sehun and TianMi." I commanded as I threw her arm away. The three girls quickly let go of Sehun and he rushed to TianMi's side.

 

"I see this one more time, it won't go well." I growled and she quickly nodded, running away with her little minions. I turned to TianMi. Instead of wanting to comfort the girl, I was angry at her.

 

"Why didn't you yell at her confidently like you usually yell at me!?" I yelled at her.

 

"Gege, why are you yelling at her? You should be comforting her." Sehun said quietly.

 

"Are you more scared of her than you're scared of me?" I yelled, ignoring Sehun. A tear left her left eye.

 

"Pathetic." I spat before storming away.

 

I spent my afternoon at the gym letting out my anger, but it didn't seem to be working, because on my way home, something was making me feel guilty.

 

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[A/N] 

I wanna know who you're shipping! HunMi or TaoMi /cough/TaoHun/cough/