1. Beautiful Stranger (by f(x))

Today was the day, finally she would be able to leave her dorm and meet new people and show off her skills. Yeri was packing her last bag. As she tried to remember what she possibly could have forgotten she heared a loud scream. She didn't bother to look who it was, because she knew that it would have been Joy who saw another spider. Yeri looked through the room, she had everything, her backpack, her phone, her suitcase, her favorite lip balm... she looked once again and saw it, the bracelet her grandad gave her, it was on the table beside her, she took it and put it on, it was a lucky charm and something that reminded her of someone important to her.

Yeri was heading out of the building, her manager would bring her to the destination her and the other roommates would meet, it was awefull that she didn't know who the other people were, what if all of them were old? What if they didn't like her? What if she didn't like them? How would she survive one year?

Yeri tried to put her huge suitcase in the trunk, when she finally maaged to do so her bandmembers were standing there waiting to say their goodbyes. They would see eacother but not as much as when they live together. Yeri was nervous and Wendy noticed, she told her that she could do it and that she was stron and independent. Yeri turned around one last time and Wendy shouted: "Fighting maknae, you can do it!"

"Do you know who that is?", Yeri nearly shouted, her manager turned to face her and looked the same direction Yeri was looking. Her manager, Mr. Lee, knew who the guy standing there was, who didn't? Kim Soohyun. He was the only one around, Yeri was nervous, more than when she was auditioning, more than when she talked to her crush in 3rd grade, more than ever, she was nervous and it was obvious. Mr. Lee told her to put herself together, to breath and to act as normal as possible, since she was famous too she had to handle situations like this. She opened the door and her manger walked to the trunk to give her the suitcase. Soohyun was looking towards them, he stepped to the car and greeted friendly: "Hello, I'm Kim Soohyun, you must be a roommate." Yeri played it cool: "Hello, yes. My name is Kim Yerim, but please call me Yeri. Nice to meet you." She felt the urge to talk to him more so she addes a question: "Did anybody else arrive?" Soohyun looked at her: "No, I guess we are to early. And, you can drop the formalities." Yeri covered : "I'm sorry,.. sir." Soohyun started laughing at her action: "It's fine, you can drop the formalities. I wasn't joking." Yeri was a little uncomfortable, how could she be that rude. She knew he was older and still she talked carelessly, if her mother heard her she would give her the stare. After waiting and looking around and thiking about how to start a conversation again, Yeri noticed a small coffeeshop, across the street. She pointed there and asked Soohyun if he wanted something. He pulled out his wallet and said she shoul get him whatever she was drinking, he would pay. She took that as an order and didn't even think of taking Soohyuns wallet.

"I'll be right back, just look for my stuff so nobody takes it."

Soohyun put his wallet back and laughed, this situation was somewhat different, usually he was the one buying and paying. After waiting for abou 15 minutes, Yeri came back with two cups of something.

"One macchiato for you", she handed Soohyun the cup: "And one macchiato for me."

"Thank's. How did you know this is my favorite?"

"I didn't, I just bought what I like the most."

"Well, it seems we are similar", Soohyun took a sip.

Soohyun and Yeri didn't talk while drinking their macchiatos. It got colder and darker and both of them were hungry. Soohyun looked at Yeri, she was sitting on her suitcase, her eyes closed, her hands in the pockets of the jacket she took out of the suitcase a few hours ago. There still were only the two of them waiting for the other roommates to arrive, but there was no sign of anybody alive except for them. Soohyun was angry, he took his phone and dialed a number. It was the producer. The producer was in a good mood, he seemd to talk to someone, Soohyun heared a male voice and the producer and he got angrier, the producer seemd to completle ignore him. Soohyun was walking up and down and Yeri watched him quietly. She knew something was wrong. They were waiting for the other roommates to arrive the whole day, it was getting dark and the wind was beyond cold. Yeri's hair was everywhere and Soohyun was angry. She looked at her phone, no calls, no messages, nothing, she had no connection. She looked up and Soohyun was standing infront of her. He seemed angry, but he still managed to sound nice: "Let's go eat something. I don't think they will arrive anytime soon." 

Yeri and Soohyun were dragging their luggage along, as they walked down the street Yeri was feeling uncomfortable again. They were together, the whole day and still they didn't talk as much as people would in their situation. It was awkward, maybe because of the age difference. Yeri was deep in her thoughts, she didn't realize Soohyun stopped walking and bumped into him. She looked up and mumbled a sorry. Soohyun smiled and asked if they should eat there, pointig at a door infront of them. Yeri nodded. It was a small shop/restaurant, there was ramen in shelves and chips and all kind of soda. Yeri went up to the girl working there. She asked if she could have a table for two. The girl showed them to their place and said she would be back to take their orders. There was nobody else, just Yeri, Soohyun and the girl working there. 

"What do you think, where are the other roommates?", Yeri aske curiously.

"I don't know."

"Do you think they forgot us?"

"If they forgot us, I'm going to sue them."

Yeri smiled. Soohyun and her were talking about everything and anything, it wasn't awkward at all and they wern't angry anymore about the producer.

"Do you have siblings?", Soohyun looked at Yeri.

"Nope, you?", she asked back.

"No. I always wanted to have a little sister."

"I want an older brother, you know those movies where the older brother protects his little sister and is super nice and helps with everything. And the little sister looks up to her older brother and knows that all her friends like her brother and are jelous. I really wanted that, but it won't happen."

Soohyun chukled.

"I can be your brother, but only if you are going to be my sister. You know I really like you, you are someone I know I can trust."

Yeri looked at Soohyun, this was like one of the movies where the guy askes a girl to be in a relationship, but it was different Soohyun asked Yeri to be his sister, what do you call that? Siblinghood?

It was about 8 p.m. and still nobody called. Soohyun was about to dial the producers number when his phone started ringing in his hand.

"Hello?"

Yeri was trying to figure out who the caller was.

"We are at a restaurant. I don't know what it's called."

Yeri looked at the menu, 'The Rat', that was a weird name for a restaurant. She turned the menu to Soohyun and pointed at the name.

"The Rat. The name of the restaurant is 'The Rat'."

Yeri looked at her phone, there was a new groupchat she was part of. She opened it and saw random numbers, one of them seemd familiar. She decided to ask if it really was the number she recognized.

Hyojin, is that you?

Yeri?

Yessss

How are you?

Where are you?

I'm at a restaurant. Are you a roommate?

I am. What about you? Why are you not here?

Me too. I'll tell you later.

Can you talk in a private chatroom. It's not like I care about your convo.

"Thank you. Really nice of you, after we waited for the whole day."

Soohyun put his phone aside, but Yeri still was looking at the last message. Rude. Soohyun told her that the other roommates were already at the house and that they were going to be picked up by two of them soon. He added that there would be cameras, too.

"Do you think they are older than me?", Yeri asked.

"I'm not sure, but I don't think there is anybody younger than you. You are 16, right?"

"Ugh, yes. I'm the maknae once again."

"Being the youngest is not that bad."

"They said, there were no cameramans in the car and in the rooms, right?", Yeri changed the topic, but she didn't get an answer. Someone entered the restaurant, to be exact a girl and a guy. Soohyun and Yeri were curious who they were. The girl was wearing big sunglasses and a purse. She was pretty. Really pretty. Yeri knew her. It was Naeun. The scandalous actress.

"That's Naeun", she whispered. Soohyun nodded.

It seemed they were looking for someone. Now Yeri looked at the guy. He was tall, but his turtleneck covered half of his face. He was handsome, the beautiful stranger, Yeri thought to herself. He seemed familiar but Yeri didn't really know who he was. He looked like an idol for sure. This could only mean they were roommates, and not only that but they were probably the two roommates to look for Soohyun and Yeri. The girl seemed uninterested but the guy was nice. He looked at the table where Yeri and Soohyun sat and walked towards them.

"Hello, I'm Choi Junhong, but please call me Zelo. You must be the two lost roommates."

"Hello, I'm Kim Soohyun and she is my little sister Kim Yerim."

Yeri didn't really know what to say, she only nodded, Naeun was somewhere in the back looking at her nails. She really was something. Zelo looked at Yeri and Soohyun: "Should we go? I'm glad I found you guys. I don't think I would've returned alive if I didn't find you."

On the carride back Zelo told Soohyun and Yeri that they didn't choose rooms and that they would do that when everybody was there. Zelo was nice, he explained everything and told them about the other roommates. When the car stopped Yeri remembered something, she turned to Zelo and told him she needed to talk to him. Zelo nodded and smiled at her. Yeri was still confused why Naeun was driving her own car. She seemed way to focused on herself to be on a show like this. Yeri had a bad feeling about her.

They arrived, it was a nice house. There for sure was enough space for everyone and it looked pretty. Yeri was satisfied. After what Zelo told her about the other roommates she knew she was the youngest, but there were people who were not that much older than her. Zelo was walking besides Yeri.

"He's not your real brother, right?", he asked.

Yeri smiled to herself: "No he's not."

They went inside and Zelo tried to help as much as possible with the luggage. The living room was upstairs, so everyone would be there, waiting for the remaining two to arrive. Zelo was the first one to go in, all eyes were on him.

"Did you find them?", someone asked.

Zelo was facing the ground, the other roommates thought that Zelo didn't find Soohyun and Yeri.

"I knew, I should've gone. I knew you wouldn't find them", a girl started talking.

Zelo started laughing and Soohyun and Yeri came in aswell.

"Hello!", Yeri nearly shouted.

Everyone was looking at her. She noticed there were less girls than boys. Shortly after the awkward silence, where all roommates only looked at Yeri, Soohyun started talking: "Hello, I'm Kim Soohyun." 

Why would someone as famous as him need to introduce himself everytime. Maybe he liked it that way, pretending that nobody knew him until he introduced himself. 

They were welcomed warmly and everyone seemed friendly, Yeri's phone vibrated, she took it out and saw it was a message.

Now that all roommates are here, I want you all to know that there is going to be one surprise tomorrow. It's the last member. You can guess who it is. 

-P.D.

Yeri was reading the message loudly, so everyone could here it. When she finished, she noticed Naeun wasn't there.