“Hearing this song worries me about what runs through your mind,” I tell my best friend honestly as he shows me the latest song he composed. Ravi rolls his eyes, but looks at me with an expectant look. He’s still the good-looking guy he’s always been and is still constantly changing his hair color. His latest look is black with a blue-ish tint that I hope he sticks to for awhile. It suits him. “It’s still really good though.”

“Thank you!” he beams happily, putting the headphones around his neck. We’re sitting in his makeshift studio in his apartment. It’s in a small room with wood floors and walls. There’s a keyboard, computer, headphones and whatever other equipment you need for composing songs. He’s had a love for it, just music in general, since we were in high school. We just graduated college this spring; him with a double major in music composition and dance and me with a major in marketing and advertising.

Ravi and I have been friends ever since music class our freshman year of high school. He already knew all the dynamics, tempos and road maps of music while it was all completely over my head. Being the nice guy he is, he helped me out. We ended up becoming best friends, going to the same college and even living in apartments next door to each other. Our friends tease us about how we’re technically a “married couple” already, even though Ravi is actually seeing someone. He just hasn't told us who it is. The doorbell rings and I’m jogging to go answer it.

“Hey, it’s the wife,” Hongbin teases as he enters the apartment. I roll my eyes. Hongbin is tall, like Ravi, with dark hair and a seriously adorable dimpled smile. “Where’s Ravi?”

“In the studio,” I answer as I close the door behind him. “He’s working on a new song.”

“Already?” I nod.

"You know how he is once he gets inspired." Hongbin nods in agreement. I've known Ravi's friends almost as long as I've known him, so they're basically my best friends too.I hear them laughing in the other room and show myself to the kitchen.Being neighbors, we basically make ourselves at home one anothers place. I'm sipping tea from a mug when the two of them come out the studio twenty minutes later. I pout when Ravi takes my mug from me and takes a sip of my drink. 

"Ew, how do you drink tea so much?" he asks with a sour expression as he's slipping on his shoes. 

"It's better than that liquid crack you call coffee," I retort with a glare. 

"Don't let Leo hyung hear you say that," Hongbin laughs. "Come on, we're going out to eat." 

"Why do you always steal food off my plate?!" I snap, stabbing at Ravi's hand with my fork to chase it away from the meat. "You have your own." 

"But mine doesn't taste good," he answers, hissing when I stab his knuckle. 

"You two really do act like you're married," Ken states from across the table. He has dark hair, big eyes and full lips not to mention is tall. I'm pretty sure the whole group stands around 180 centimeters.

"No we don't," Ravi and I protest in unison. Hakyeon shakes his head on the other side of Ravi. He's been Ravi's best friend for as long as I can remember. He has dark hair, a handsome face and golden-bronze skin. 

"Did you check your sugar?" Ravi asks me as the table erupts in conversations once again. I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes eight months ago. I'm still learning how to manage it, but Ravi's been really helpful through all of it. My parents were really thankful for that since they aren't close by. I nod. 

"It's fine," I answer quietly. The rest of the group don't know about it. He really wants them to know in case something happens when he's not around and they can help; but it's really personal and I don't know if I'm ready for a lot of people to know just yet. "Thanks."

The next morning finds Ravi and I grabbing our morning coffee and walking to work in the busy downtown area. 

"I just don't understand why you don't want them to know," he says, taking a sip of his espresso. "You know they care about you almost as much as I do." I acknowledge that statement with a nod. "Did Hyuk know?" 

"No," I sigh with a shake of my head. "I didn't even go to the doctor until you forced me to and that was months after we broke up. I kept the symptoms a secret for the most part. He was stressed out with school, so I didn't want him to worry about me on top of that." 

"I still can't believe you dated the maknae." I roll my eyes because I got that reaction for about a year and a half, basically the whole time Hyuk and I were together. I'd known him for a while and after a long conversation at a party, we started hanging out more. Three months later, we were together. Some worried about the age difference even though I'm only two years older than him, Ravi and Hongbin's age. It was a happy relationship and I really liked him, but after a while, we got too busy to see each other. I was about to start my final year of college and Hyuk was trying to juggle school and working at a dance studio nearby. We broke up ten months ago, ending on really good terms. We're still good friends and it's not awkward between us or for the group. 

"I have to go, but I'll see you later for dinner." 

I work at a advertising firm downtown. I did an internship here two summers in a row and before I graduated they offered me a full-time position at the firm. I'm the youngest here so I havne't made a ton of friends yet, except for the two interns that work on the floor above me. The company is currently working on a new project for some event that's happening in the first week of August. It's been stressful and I've been working long hours, but it'll get better. 

"Hey, it's the working woman!" Ravi exclaims as I walk into his apartment. I weakly smile at him as I slip off my heels. "You look exhausted." 

"I feel the same way," I reply, hanging up my purse. "What are you making?" 

"That's an excellent question." I raise an eyebrow at him as I grab a water out the refrigerator. "Leo hyung gave me the recipe so it should be good, right?." I shrug. "Him, Ken and Hakyeon are coming over to eat too. I think they're all bringing something as well, but Hongbin and Hyukkie have evening classes so they won't be here until later." 

"I still find it cute you guys see each other everyday." He laughs, looking happy yet slightly embarrassed at the same time.

"They're my best friends, along with you of course." I nod. "Plus, I have to tell you guys something." I raise an eyebrow at him. "It's about the girl I'm seeing." After the latecomers are done eating, Ravi sits us all down in the livingroom. 

"So," he begins with an uncertain look on his face. "I want you guys to meet Hanna." My eyes widen and I look at Hyuk to see the same expression on his face. Hyuk's grown up to be quite the hangsome guy with dark hair, a lithe yet muscular frame and a sharp jaw line.

"Hanna...the girl from my dance studio?" Hyuk asks slowly. Ravi's ears turn red and he nods. "Hyung...are you sure about this? Hanna's kind of flirtacious. She even flirted with me when noona and I were dating." I feel a slight shudder when I remember her always flirting with Hyuk when I came to visit him at the dance studio. She was always touching his arm, pinching his cheek or winking at him in a really seductive manner knowing the whole time that we were together. I don't like her to say the least. 

"She's great once you get to know her," Ravi defends in a surprisingly calm voice. "But I really like her and I want to bring her around you guys more." Hyuk and I look at each other, but both know that if Ravi really likes her we can't keep them from seeing each other. We both look up to see Ravi giving us an expectant look. I flash him a thumbs up as I stand to go get a glass of water from the refrigerator. The room spins violently, but I'm still able to keep my balance. At least, that's what I thought until I'm almost falling over the counter. Hands guide me into a chair and when everything comes into focus, the six of them are staring at me. 

"Are you okay?" Hyuk asks.

"I'm fine, I just got a little lightheaded," I explain.

"You're always getting lightheaded. Maybe we should take you to a doctor-"

"NO!" The group gives me looks between suspicion, worry and confusion. "I-I'm fine. I just...need to eat something. Yeah, I'm probably just famished or something. I only ate dinner today after all." They don't look super convinced, but I don't want them to know just yet. "Hyuk, please. Just get me a sandwich or something. I'm fine, honestly." He nods with saying another word. 

"I don't like this," Ravi states once the guys have left and we're watching a movie in his apartment. I roll my eyes. "Really, there is no harm in the guys knowing you're diabetic. If anything, it would benefit you because there'd be more people to help take care of you-"

"You mean more people to baby me," I whine, leaning my head back against the couch. "You and my parents do it enough already." He frowns at me. "Ravi, I love that you guys care. I really do, but it'd be nice if you guys didn't...suffocate me so much about it. I get asked six times a day if I checked my levels and you're always monitoring my sugar intake. I just feel like people think I can't take care of myself. I'm twenty-two years old! I'm not a kid!" He's quiet and I automatically feel like a jerk for snapping at him. "I'm sorry, it's just...this condition is manageable and I don't like people looking at me like I'm super fragile." I feel an arm drape across my shoulder and then he's pulling me to him. He pecks the top of my head as I rest it on his shoulder. 

"I'm sorry if I've been suffocating you as you so put it," he says sincerely. "We just really care about you, that's all." I nod. "And I'll keep your secret until you're ready." 

"You're the best." 

"You're the worst." 

"Oh come on! Just one group dinner. It'll be fine." Half and hour later finds the eight of us around a table at a pizzeria down the street. They're flirting and being all cutesy and the only thought that keeps coming to mind is-

"I really don't like her," I say under my breath. Hyuk chokes on his drink and Hongbin snorts and I know they've both heard me. Luckily the couple across the booth didn't notice and are chattering happily with each other. 

"So, you two are still together?" Hanna asks, gesturing between me and Hyuk. We shake our heads in unison. She pouts. "Bummer, I thought you two were really cute together." We both smile awkwardly, not sure how to take the compliment. "Why'd you split?" 

"Too busy," Hyuk answers simply. 

"Nonsense," Hanna dismisses with a slight wave. "You two were always together. She always visited you at the studio, for entire afternoons even." I raise an eyebrow as her tone changes slightly. "How would you not have time for each other?" 

"Well, I was graduating soon," I explain to Hanna as politely as I can manage. "And Hyuk had to balance school and dance. It was for the best." 

"Sure about that? You don't really seem to be doing better." She looks right at me and I feel my temper start to flare.

The date ends and I don't talk to Ravi for a week, for many reasons. He's busy with interviews, I'm working extra hours, and because I felt personally victimized by Hanna, as said by Tina Fey, and it was all his fault. 

"You're still holding that against me?" he asks when we're in the studio one night as he's working on a song. I nod. "It wasn't that bad." 

"You weren't on the receiving end," I retort. "She basically blamed me for ending Hyuk and I's relationship when it was a mutual agreement that we not see each other anymore." I make a frustrated sound and he chuckles. 

"Well, I really like her," he says quietly. When I look up his cheeks are dusted pink and it's quite an unusual sight from the confident guy I'm used to being around. "Just be civil with her, okay? I plan on bringing her around more to get to know you guys better." I cross my arms over my chest and pout. The last thing I want to do is spend more time with her. "Please?" He pouts and I really don't want to give in, but his pout is cuter than mine. 

"Only because I'm you're best friend." He beams and I sigh in defeat. He's lucky I like him.