BGM: Yesung Grey Paper [here]

"You know Leo, I'm not really mad that he stole my first kiss. You guys need to stop fuming over that fact." Hanseul chided. 

Leo was about to interrupt her, but Hanseul held up a finger. "I'm more upset that he treats me like an object. I'm not someone for him to claim or win over. I don't know. I'm mad because, well first off, he called me a . I'm the victim here." Hanseul huffed. "And second of all, his ego is gigantic, third of all, he needs a good smack to the face--" 

"I did it, and I can't tell you how good it felt." Leo almost sang. Hanseul ignored him and went on. 

"And if he's just going to treat me like every other woman on this planet, then what's the point of being his mate? I won't be special to him at all. I can tell. He just sees me as a burden. And I don't want that either Leo. That's why I'm actually mad." Hanseul finished. She didn't tell him the main reason though. She didn't want to admit that she would never be his only one... because he already had someone. 

Leo smirked. "Was he at least a good kisser?" 

Hanseul whacked him in the face with a pillow before he could say more, but her mind couldn't stop itself. Yes. He was an unbelievably amazing kisser. She could still feel his scalding plump lips against hers. She enjoyed it actually-- not that she'd ever admit this out loud of course, but it did feel somewhat right. It's just that he wasn't right for her. He wasn't even thinking of her when he kissed her. Snap yourself out of it, Baek Hanseul, she told herself. That kiss was for the girl he truly loves.

His kiss had sent tingles down her spine and left her weak on her knees, causing her heart to pound against her ribcage. But these symptoms crashed altogether when she realized... she had no chance of meaning something more than an object to him.

She didn't want that.

Who actually would?

Well, the girls who he took advantage of certainly did, but Hanseul didn't want that.

She was afraid. '

Because the one she was about to fall for would have broken her heart had she actually given in to him.

Because she would have been the one to suffer. 

Because she would be the only one giving. 

He would be the only one receiving.

She needed someone to lean on. If his shoulder was already taken and his eyes were already on someone else, then wouldn't it better to just give him up?

Chanyeol was the most comforting mate she could have asked for. Although he was childish and loved to play pranks a little too much-- he was the first one to reach out to her. He was the one who helped her realize she wasn't alone and that it was okay to depend on others. He was the one who helped her open herself up to others. He was just a person that made you feel warm, loved and safe.  

Kris was the most compassionate. He always considered how she felt beneath his cold facade which now she could read through. When his eyebrows grew closer together underneath his bangs, she could tell he was stressed and worrying for his younger brothers. He always seemed to put others first, and she loved that about him. Although he could be a little silly and bizarre at times, he always tried to understand other people's perspectives. 

Sehun was the most emphathetic. He was the maknae of the group and she felt a more empathetic bond towards him. He could understand her easily without her even speaking in words. Even though he may seem like a childish brat sometimes to his hyungs, he secretly slid his hand under hers when he noticed she was feeling stressed. He would be the one that understood her problems about feeling helpless and useless and about being young in general. 

But as for Kai, she didn't understand a thing about him. There were times he was nice to her. He seemed shy at times, and confident the next. He would be humble for one minute, then cocky as hell the next. And plus he had just been a major bastard to her a few minutes ago. Nothing was consistent, and she didn't even want to try and figure him out. He was confusing. Sure he was attractive-- scratch that, super hot and y... but she wanted assurance and stability in a relationship. He didn't have that. He had traits she adored, but they would be gone the next time they talked... and Hanseul was scared by that. And maybe she never would figure him out because this "Sora" was the one that was meant for him anyways.

Hanseul just wanted to know that her mate would be there for her no matter what. 

Chanyeol, Kris and Sehun had proven themselves to her that they would do more than just that. 

Hanseul was angry because she started to feel attracted to him. 

She was upset because she really actually shouldn't be attracted to him. 

For all she knew, Kai could have seen her as just his next 'target.' 

They both didn't know how one felt about the other because they were listening to their heads and weren't listening to their hearts. 

Their hearts were screaming out in pain, but they both closed the door to their hearts to each other. 

This would become a problem later on. 

 "Yah, Baek Hanseul! Spare me! I'm fricking sorry! I won't ever ask you anything about kissing again!" Leo squealed like a girl. 

Hanseul smirked as she set her pillow down. "Darn right, punk. Fear me and my pillows." 

The two kittens stopped their bantering when a knock on the door was heard. 

"Come in!" Hanseul said. 

D.O. peaked his head in, like a little kid would. "Feeling better?" he asked cautiously. 

Hanseul laughed as she looked at Leo. He looked like a chicken with feathers in his hair. Leo could have easily fought back but he let her win and she knew that so the sight was even funnier. 

"Yeah, thanks to this chicken over here." Hanseul rolled her eyes. 

Leo smiled and started shaking his feathers off on to her coat. 

D.O. smiled at their little squabble. "Anyways, I was wondering if you want to come with me to go grocery shopping?"

Hanseul smiled. "Sure, hold on, let me get my coat."

D.O. and Hanseul walked side by side as they scanned the items on the shelf in aisle 12.

"Hey D.O. oppa,  what else do we need again?" Hanseul asked. 

"We need eggs, milk, lettuce, meat and gochujang (chili paste)." D.O. answered casually. 

"Oh, are we having gogi tonight?" Hanseul asked again with a grin. 

"Yup." D.O grinned. 

"Awesome." Hanseul hummed as she pushed the cart. 

They soon finished shopping and D.O was checking out when he heard a crash.

", who do you think you are to be following around one of the princes?" 

"You're nothing more than his servant. Don't get to comfortable just because Prince D.O is one of the nicer ones." 

Hanseul winced. The three girls just appeared out of nowhere and knocked her over with their own cart, causing Hanseul to fall at the unexpected impact and scrape the whole right side of her lower leg against one of the concrete. Hanseul checked her leg. The cut wasn't that deep, but it still hurt like a . 

She looked up and glared at them. "What's your problem?" 

At that moment D.O caught up to Hanseul and the girls.

He paled. "Hanseul-ah, are you okay?" 

"Oppa, don't worry about your maid. She's the one who bumped into our cart and injured herself." One of the girls said as she batted her eyelashes at him. 

D.O. rolled his eyes and went over to Hanseul, putting his arm around her shoulder to lean against him. 

"She's not my maid. She's my girlfriend." D.O. said with piercing eyes. <