A/N: double update, long chaps ;)

11

I chuckled and shook my head, closing the door behind them. Then, I remembered something I read online about making people feel welcome by keeping my door open on the move-in day at university. So, I opened the door back up and walked back over to the box, putting it on my chosen bed. I started unpacking.

Several minutes passed and I deducted that the boys must’ve gotten distracted by either girls, each other or music. Or all of the above.

The door opened behind me and I turned around. A girl with long, light brown hair and pretty features entered the room, large white suitcases trailing behind her. She had on white shorts, a baggy red sweater and matching high heels. She was beautiful, albeit tiny.

“Oh! Annyeong, roomie!” she beamed, bowing. I smiled and bowed back. “I’m Kim Taeyeon. I’m majoring in journalism. Nice to meet you!”

“Annyeonghaseyo,” I greeted, trying not to let my awkwardness show. I felt very uncomfortable all of a sudden, vulnerable, too. I wasn’t used to meeting new people that weren’t already friends of my friends. “I’m Kim Nara, I’m a psychology major. Nice to meet you, Taeyeon-ssi.”

“Can we speak informally?” she asked and my eyes widened. “We’re the same age, right? First years?” I nodded. She grinned. “Great! Let’s not be awkward, chingu.” She dropped her suitcases and pulled me into a hug. I stiffened, completely baffled by how easily she displayed skinship with a stranger.

“A-ah, ne,” I stuttered, shifting out of her arms.

She tilted her head and openly scrutinised me. She clicked her tongue, “Ah, you’re one of those types.” My brows shot up. “You know, the type of girl who isn’t comfortable with skinship, very awkward, probably an introvert…never been to a party, doesn't have any friends. Trying to break out of her shell in university but already struggling.”

“M-mwo?” Who was this girl?

“Am I wrong?” she asked, still smiling. I was getting very conflicted vibes already from this Kim Taeyeon.

“Eung,” I said, complying with her request to speak informally, “you are. I’m not uncomfortable with skinship, I just don’t appreciate it from someone I’ve just met. Yes, I am awkward but only with strangers. That’s not weird, it’s actually pretty normal. I’ll admit to being an introvert but I have been to quite a few parties and I have friends, thank you very much.”

“Well…” she looked me up and down, “I guess I was wrong.” She let out a brief hum before she rolled her suitcases to the empty bed and started unpacking her things. She looked over her shoulder. “Sorry, I’m a bit…sharp-tongued or bold with my words. You either love me or you hate me, y’know?”

“I know the type,” I replied, staring blankly at her. She was similar to Baekhyun in that sense. But I couldn’t be sure, yet, if she could handle someone as rude as Kim Jongin. Only time would tell, I supposed. I sat down on my bed and waited for Baekhyun to return.

“So, Kim Nara, where are you from?” Taeyeon asked as she continued to sort through her possessions. 

“Gwangmyeong,” I answered.

“Oh, cool! You guys have the biggest IKEA store in the world, right?” she gasped and I nodded, an easy smile tugging at the corners of my lips. “Cool. I’m from Pyeonghwa-dong. Boring, nothing special about it. Nothing like IKEA, at least.” She grinned and I rolled my eyes. “When’s your birthday?”

“When’s yours?” I countered.

“March,” she answered. 

“January. I’m older.”

She clicked her tongue in annoyance, “dammit. Ah, well, what’s a couple of months between friends?” She shrugged good-naturedly. “So, Kim Nara of Gwangmyeong, tell me a little about yourself.”

“There’s not much to tell,” I lied. But I didn’t like lying, so I added: “My parents died when I was five, I lost my best friend this year and…I’m kind of a mess.”

Her smile faltered and she sat up on her bed, staring at me intently. “I’m sorry to hear that. I’m a mess, too.” When I snorted, she continued, “No, really. I was diagnosed with depression two years ago and bipolar disorder last year. I hate taking my meds because they make me feel crazy but if I don’t take them, I’ll actually turn crazy.”

“Wow,” I said after a while. “You’re right.” She tilted her head. “You are a mess.” A laugh surged from her and her eyes twinkled with humour.

She shrugged, “Told ya. Wow…I think we’re a match made in heaven. This is too convenient, why would they put us together?”

“Misery loves company,” was all I could come up with.

“Taeng!” a girl with long, dark hair rushed in, freezing when she realised she’d interrupted what must have looked like — because it was — a somewhat serious conversation. “Mianhe~”

“It’s fine,” I brushed off. I got to my feet and bowed, “Annyeonghaseyo. Kim Nara imnida.”

“Annyeonghaseyo,” the girl replied, returning the gesture. “Stephanie Hwang but I got my Tiffany.” She looked like she was about to explain herself so I raised my hand to stop her.

“No need,” I said, “I’m used to it.” And I was, thanks to Kai, Kris and, at times, Jongdae. “It’s nice to meet you, Tiffany-ssi. Are you from the States?” I was trying hard, for some reason, to prove Taeyeon wrong about me struggling to make friends. That, and Chanyeol had always said I needed to try harder with my own .

I’d just never really had a reason to.

“I am,” Tiffany replied with a grin, “Born and raised in San Fran.”

“So you speak English?” I asked and she nodded. I decided to practice there and then. “It’s nice to meet someone who’s fluent. I don’t get to practice a lot.”

Her eyes widened, “You’re fluent?”

“I’d like to think so,” I laughed. “One of my friends is from Canada. He taught me English, as well as Mandarin and Cantonese.”

“Wah,” she breathed out, her eyes going to Taeyeon. “Taengoo, you got a cool one.” I blushed and shook my head. “No, really. My roommate’s boring as . Some girl called Juhyun or Seohyun, I don’t even know.”

“What can I say,” Taeyeon smirked, “I only attract those worthy of my presence.” Tiffany rolled her eyes and walked over to me, putting a hand over .

“Keep an eye on this one,” she whispered all too loudly, “her head might suddenly burst one day from all the inflation.” At this, Taeyeon threw a plush toy at her. The darker-haired girl laughed and hugged the toy.

“So…how long have you guys known each other?” I asked, the concept of friendship always interesting me. I guess it was because of the relationship I shared with my own friends, and the weird ties that connected us all. “If you don’t mind my asking.”

“Um…about…ten years now?” Tiffany mused, furrowing her brows in thought. “Yeah, ten years. We’re BFFs.”

“Nara lost her best friend this year,” Taeyeon revealed and I choked up. My eyes flew to her and her own eyes widened. “Oh, , was I not supposed to tell her?” 

“No…no, it’s fine,” I coughed, scratching my neck. “It’s fine, it’s just…I don’t like talking about it. Even if I do love talking about him.”

“Oh,” Tiffany mumbled. “First love?”

“Unrequited,” I clarified.

“Oh,” she repeated. “How long did you two know each other?” I sighed and she threw a hand over . “Sorry, you just said you didn’t—”

“Thirteen years,” I answered, my voice quiet. “Thirteen short years…he saved me. I loved him for it and more.” The topic was putting a damper on my mood so I decided to direct the conversation elsewhere. I cleared my throat. “Anyway, I should go get the rest of my—”

“Oh, Kim Nara-ya~~~~” Baekhyun sang, just like he had the day I’d found out about Chanyeol and Krystal. He did it all the time but that particular day stuck in my mind. Baekhyun entered the room with another box, Jongdae behind him with the last one. “Sorry we took so long.”

“Got distracted,” Jongdae smirked, “Do you know how many hot girls are on campus? No, in this very building? Hundreds, Nara-ya!” 

I chuckled and shook my head, “Pabo. You’re here to learn, not ogle at unwitting girls.”

“Oh, I’ll fill them with wit,” he said and I blanched. “I’ll fill them with all kinds of—”

“Yah, Kim Jongdae!” I barked, cutting him off. He chortled and shoved Baekhyun aside, strolling into the room. Then, his eyes landed on my roommate and her friend and he dropped my box. “YAH, KIM JONGDAE!”

“Omo,” he gasped, turning to the two girls. He bowed. “Annyeonghaseyo! Kim Jongdae. I’m Kim Nara’s faithful friend — only a friend, not a boyfriend. Ever. At all, in any way.” My eyes slacked at his sleazy nature.

“You,” I said, looking him up and down, “are hopeless.” He grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck. I shook my head as Taeyeon and Tiffany giggled girlishly. So, it seemed, Taeyeon and I were not as similar as I might have thought if she was falling for this troll’s charms. 

Ha.

Charms.

“Nice to meet you, Kim Jongdae,” Taeyeon smiled, “I’m Kim Taeyeon.” She bowed. “This is my best friend, Tiffany Hwang.” Tiffany then bowed. The girls’ eyes travelled from Jongdae to Baekhyun and widened. “Omo…hi! I’m—”

“You know I was right here the whole time, right?” he teased. “I heard.” She looked at a loss for words, exchanging glances with Tiffany. I stepped forward.

“Excuse my rude friends,” I said, fighting a smile because, hell, I couldn’t help but love them. “They’re just…well, rude. That’s my best friend, Byun Baekhyun. He’s a year older, so is Jongdae oppa.” I turned to my friends. “Taeyeon is my roommate.”

“You didn’t say you had such a beautiful roommate, Nara-ya,” Jongdae purred, to which Taeyeon blushed. His eyes slid to Tiffany. “And you certainly didn’t mention her goddess of a best friend.” Tiffany turned fifty shades of red.

“Oh dear god,” I sighed, rubbing my temples. “This is going to be a long year.”

“Four years,” Baekhyun corrected and I groaned. He laughed and walked over to me, setting my box down on the bed and throwing an arm over me. He kissed me temple. “Don’t worry, our Nara…you still have the remaining three of us to drive you crazy.” I groaned again, louder this time, making him laugh harder.

Tiffany and Taeyeon exchanged cryptic glances but I didn’t care enough to ask into them. 

“Yo, what the hell is taking so long?” Kai’s voice rang through my Jongdae-induced headache and I had to stifle another dramatic groan. “We’ve already unpacked everything and all you’d done is one box?”

“You mean you paid people to unpack for you,” I retorted, “and I would’ve unpacked sooner but two idiots,” I looked pointedly at Baekhyun and Jongdae, “took too long to bring my things up.”

“Don’t you have legs?”

“I could ask you the same thing, Kim Jongin.”

He scoffed, “Whatever. Hurry up.” Sehun appeared behind him, leaning against the doorframe. I heard awed gasps from Taeyeon and Tiffany. It didn’t take a genius to know that they were probably smitten by my friends. Even I had to admit that I had a handsome bunch. Jongdae with his greasy charms, Baekhyun with his sarcasm and sass, Kai being Kai and Sehun, well, Sehun was almost a God in terms of looks.

He was truly blessed.

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