Jun, Harii and Setiawan continued to run through their dance routine, watching each other in the mirror while Jeri managed to watch all three for mistakes.

“Left hand not right, Harii,” Jeri corrected.

The lead vocalist quickly corrected himself and continued to run through the routine as Jeri sighed, subconsciously rubbing her bandaged knee only to wince in pain.

It’s been two days since Jeri’s surgery, and the doctors told both her and her brother that the procedure had gone without any problems. While this was a great relief, Jeri was still in a fair amount of pain, the others having to constantly remind her that she did just get out of the hospital so her knee would be tender. At her surgeon’s recommendation and her inability to walk on it, Jeri was forced to use a pair of crutches until her knee was better. While this didn’t bother her too much, it would give her reason to internally whine and complain when people crowded around to give her their sympathies, something she didn’t want nor appreciate.

With a huff and a great deal of effort, Jeri managed to haul herself off of the floor, throwing her crutches under her arms and call out that she was going for a quick walk, not missing Jun’s concerned gaze before she exited the practise room.

A few minutes down the hall and one of the practise rooms ahead of her opened.

“I thought I hear your clickety-clacks down the hall,” Henry laughed.

“Oh ha ha, you calling me a horse Pancake? How ‘bout this horse kicks you in the rear tire?” Jeri scoffed, continuing her way towards him.

“I was just kidding Clover, promise,” Henry laughed, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the doorframe.

Jeri simply stuck her tongue out at him and peeked into the room, Henry following her gaze to see Rino Nakasone talking to the others, the men all diligently listening as she gave them tips.

“Oh sure, you guys get to have her choreograph for you but she never choreographs for us,” Jeri scoffed.
 

"Well, you could always come over in and ask her yourself," Henry laughed, leaning down slightly so he was closer to her slouched posture.

"You better give her fair warning then," she laughed, re-adjusting her arms on her crutches.

Henry pouted when he saw the uncomfortable look on her face making her give him a questioning look.

"What's wrong?"

"You're in pain and you're uncomfortable, I just wish there was something I could do to help," he booed with a pout.

"Pancake, even if there was anything you could help me with, my pride wouldn't let me say anything anyways," she chuckled, patting his arm. “Or at least what’s left of it…”

Henry's pout grew as Zhou Mi walked over, having seen the two standing in the doorway.

"How've you been doing Jeri?" The taller asked, resting his arm across her shoulders.

"I've been surviving, although I have been desperately holding back my desire to maul Jun for the past couple days…" she replied with a shrug.

"And please continue to, mauling Jun would only make things worse," Henry laughed.

"A girl can dream can't she?" Jeri snickered, making Zhou Mi chuckle and ruffle her hair.

“Did you want to come in and sit in the corner with us?” Henry offered with a laugh.

“Sure, it’s not like I’m doing anything at my practise room…” she answered with a shrug.

Zhou Mi entered first while Henry matched his pace with Jeri’s. The others gave her either a round of shouts in greeting or a simple wave as they all got into their spots on the other side of the room.

“It feels so empty now that Tank isn’t here…” Jeri pouted once she managed to flop onto the floor.

“It’s a shame that he was all but conned into doing his military time so early, but he said that he’d use the time to reflect and “better himself” so maybe it’s for the best,” Zhou Mi claimed. “That and now that Kangin-hyung has gone it’ll surely start the trend within the rest of the group.”

Jeri made a distressed noise and shoved his shoulder, causing him and Henry to laugh.

“I don’t want anyone else to leave!” The girl whined.

“They’ll come back Jeri,” Henry laughed, pulling her lightly on the sleeve so she would stop her glaring at the older man.

“I still don’t want them to leave…” she pouted, crossing her arms stubbornly over her chest.

Henry and Zhou Mi simply chuckled, the taller standing and claiming he was going to go grab some drinks for the others, Jeri and Henry waving as he walked off.
 

Jeri watched the others dancing on the stage with a smile, then jumped when she felt her phone begin to vibrate in her back pocket. Ignoring Henry snickering beside her as she fumbled to reach it, she pulled it out and looked at the caller ID.

"What Jun? I'm busy," she grunted, rolling her eyes.

"What? I'm not allowed to check in on my baby sister?" he asked from the other end.

"What is there to check in on? I'm just hanging out with the guys," she muttered. “I’m literally down the hall…”

"Just making sure you're still alive, not smothering or getting smothered," Jun hinted making Jeri roll her eyes.

"You're a moron. And even if there was smothering happening I don’t think you have any right to but in," she scoffed.

"Listen, I know you've been having... issues-"

"Jun, just... stop!" she barked. "I'm eighteen years old, not five, I don't need nor want you hovering over me like I'm some sort of porcelain doll!"

Without waiting for an answer, she hung up and turned off her phone before shoving it back into her pocket. Henry gently nudged her in the shoulder and gave her a raised eyebrow when she turned to look at him out of the corner of her eye.

"You alright?" he asked, slightly concerned.

"Stupid older brother's a pain in the ," she grumbled, crossing her arms with a pout.

"It must just be yours," Henry laughed.

"That's right, you have an older brother too don't you?" she asked.

Henry nodded quickly, his smile growing, making Jeri laugh.

"How about we trade?" Jeri laughed.

Henry scoffed making her laugh again.

"What was that about anyways?" Henry tried, shifting slightly so he was bent over slightly and closer to her eye level.

"He's being over-protective and it's driving me insane. He calls me every time I'm out with someone, like you guys," she complained.

"He's that worried about you? What, does he think we're never going to give you back?" Henry laughed.

"Nah, you guys aren't that nice," she laughed back.

Henry gave her a smile and tilted his head to the side, making her mimic him with a grin.

"I'm sure he has good intentions..." he said.

Jeri sighed and pouted stubbornly looking away from the older boy. Henry gave her a look and reached out, carefully pulling her into his torso in a hug. He rested his temple on top of her head and felt her sigh.

"You two are just too cute!"

Henry  and Jeri both raised their heads to see Zhou Mi had returned, and at some point had brought out his phone and was either taking a picture or video of the two.

"Damn straight we’re adorable," Jeri scoffed. “It goes away with age though, sorry Tui~”

Zhou Mi simply rolled his eyes as Henry released a bark of laughter, quickly clapping his hands over his mouth so he didn’t accidently distract the others on the floor.

Zhou Mi joined them back on the floor and quickly brought up the apparent pictures he took and started editing them, adding way too many hearts in Jeri’s opinion.

“Careful Tui, at the rate you’re going you may even start…” Jeri paused to gasp and clap her hands over . “Writing fanfiction..!”

“Oh please, you two essentially write it yourselves~” Zhou Mi teased.

Jeri simply rolled her eyes as Henry let out a short round of laughter.

“I heard you guys and the rest of M are heading over to China in a few days,” Jeri began.

Both men nodded.

“Well.. maybe if you guys aren’t bombarded by schedules we can hang out; I think Tambourine is going to China iiiiinnnnnnnn… oh dear…”

Zhou Mi and Henry let out a round of laughter as Jeri racked her brain for dates and times.

“The 18th I think? If not it’s somewhere around there,” she hummed.

“Well, we’ll have to keep our schedules open and have some bonding time with each other then won’t we?” Zhou Mi chuckled, reaching over to ruffle Jeri’s hair.
 

-=-=-

Sure enough on the 18th of September, Tambourine had traveled to China for promotions and shows. Although Jeri was still confined to her crutches and therefore couldn’t do anything physically demanding, she still did her best to support the guys.

After two days of schedules, Jeri finally managed to get a hold of SuJu-M and ask if they had a night off. The eight men were all but ready to drag her over to their China dorm themselves. Jeri tried to con Harii into driving her, but once Jun caught a whiff of her trying to bail, he took everyone’s keys and refused to give them back. This ended in Jeri calling Zhou Mi and begging him to save her.

Half an hour later Jeri and Zhou Mi arrived at Super Junior M’s dorm, Zhou Mi having become utterly exhausted from having to carry the girl up the stairs to their dorm as she couldn’t climb them herself in her condition.

Diner was quickly made by Ryeowook with Jeri’s help and quickly devoured with the help of seven other mouths and bottomless pits.

"Maknae does dishes~!" Donghae sang, jumping up and dashing out of the living room.

"Awww, hyung!" Henry whined as the others laughed and ran away as well.

"C'mon Pancake, I'll wash, you dry," Jeri laughed, managing to stand and make her way into the kitchen with her crutches under her arms.

Henry collected all of the dishes and piled them on the counter while Jeri filled the sink with soapy water. Their little factory line of dishes was done in a matter of minutes, Jeri pouting at her now pruney hands, Henry laughing and wrapping the dish towel around them.

"Jeri-ah~! When do you want us to take you home~?" Eunhyuk called, poking his head out of the bedroom.

"Never!" she barked back, a pout on her face. "I want to live here with you guys forever and ever!"

“Don’t dust bunnies live under beds anyways?”

“Yeah and there’s lots of room under Zhou Mi’s!”

“Ya!”

Eunhyuk rolled his eyes but grinned along with the two youngers as the other guys laughed from inside the bedroom.

The two Maknaes walked in to see Zhou Mi, Kyuhyun and Ryeowook lounging on their bunk beds with Eunhyuk, Donghae and Siwon sitting somewhere on the floor. Henry crawled onto his bed and Jeri once again, stood near the door looking slightly awkward.

"Oh Jeri stop, we've been through this, just sit on the bed and relax!" Kyuhyun huffed, climbing up onto his bed.

Zhou Mi instantly spread himself out on his bed and laughed when Jeri pouted slightly. She looked over towards the other two bunks and grinned, walking over to them.

"Ya Wookie, move over!" Jeri laughed, managing to climb up onto Ryeowook's bunk and leaving her crutches at the bottom.

"Why are you coming up here with me?? Go snuggle with Henry!" Ryeowook laughed.

"But you're so small so both of us can fit up here," Jeri teased, pushing him over so she could sit.

"Ya! Was that a jab at my height! We're the same size!!"

"Yeah, that's not something you should be proud of," Kyuhyun snickered.

"Why is everyone against me today!" Ryeowook booed, flopping onto his stomach and covering his head with his pillow.

"Awww, it's a sign of love Wookie I promise," Jeri cooed, rubbing his back.

"Is this how you treat Jun?" Siwon laughed, watching the two.

When Jeri nodded the boys laughed.

"No wonder you two are always fighting," Ryeowook mumbled from under the pillow.

Jeri huffed and smacked his back earning a yelp from the idol and the others laughed again.

"You guys are mean! Pancake if I come down and sit with you will you treat me well?" she booed, swinging her head over the edge to look at him.

Henry laughed slightly but nodded making the others tease them, Jeri managing to swing down and sit on his bed instead.

"Aww, the two adorable maknaes," Eunhyuk teased.

"Damn right I'm adorable, and since this is a maknae only party you're not allowed in," Jeri teased back.

She lifted the sheet and tucked it under the bottom of the bar that held Ryeowook's mattress up, blocking the other's view of them as they whined in protest.

"You two better keep it PG back there!" Zhou Mi barked.

"No way! How many opportunities like this can a girl get?" Jeri snickered, giving Henry a wink.

The boy's face went blank for a second before he let out a loud round of laughter, the other’s soon joining in from the other side of the bed sheet, Jeri simply grinning over at her friend.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I'm trying to get back into the grove of things now guys, so hopefully I'll be able to get back onto my schedule of updating every Wednesday soon even though this one is a little late DX

Thank you for subscribing and following along with me as I attempt to bring you an even greater experience with Jeri and the gang~!

Thank you to all subscribers as well as silent readers, and a special thanks to arandomperson, iheartbts, FixRate, DolphinWorld and Arashi93 for upvoting~!