“They really were meant for each other,” Jinyoung stated softly.

            “Am not! We-we’re just friends,” Sandeul explained, about to get up from his seat again.

            “Please, don’t!” Baro, Gongchan and a select few of the other visitors exclaimed. Sandeul only pouted in his chair.

            “Well, shall we go? It’s getting kind of late,” Shinwoo suggested as he noticed the others slowly winding down on their eating. “We should really be getting back soon so the ladies have more time to relax. It’s been a long day for them, I am sure,” he explained compassionately.

            “Yeah, you’re right,” Baro agreed.

            “If these two could ever get done,” Gongchan sighed playfully, pointing his chopsticks at Alex and Sandeul now on their third bowl of udon.

            “Yeah, don’t mind her. If you think this is a lot, you should see her at a KBBQ. Girl has no shame over being a human garbage disposal, but you better believe she comes in handy for eating up leftovers,” you dismissed, waving your hand flippantly at the perpetually hungry pair.

            “Really?” Sandeul brought his head up brusquely, his eyes twinkling as he glanced down at her as she slurped another spoonful. You nodded slowly. “Well, just leave us be here, then! We’ll meet you back up there, we promise!” Sandeul almost pleaded, pulling off the best eye smile he could manage with a noodle dangling out of his mouth.

            “No! If we leave you two alone, the place might burn down and as we are slowly getting bigger, we can’t afford to buy these good people a new shop nor can we fully explain how our two pahbo friends managed to singlehandedly ruin their livelihood over udon and bad eating habits,” Baro explained.

            “How about you guys finish this bowl and then we all leave- together,” Shinwoo suggested. “We can wait. It’ll be a lot better than having to wait for firemen or police to show up because you guys were clumsy.”

            “We’re not even that bad,” Alex refuted. “We’re not children~”

            “Yeah, we are full blown adults here who know how to-“ Sandeul started haughtily.

            “How to make a mess, now chop chop. I wanna get Lenena back up to the dorms so we could-“ Gongchan began.

            “Don’t even think about it,” Baro scoffed. “You leave her be. All of us leave them be. We’re gonna go back up and watch a good movie together and then go to sleep.”

            “That sounds like a great idea. What do you guys usually watch?” Jinyoung inquired.

            “Anything with food,” Alex mumbled as she rushed to finish her food alongside Sandeul who was doing the same.

            “Anything, really,” you shrugged.

            “You’re not very picky, are you?” Shinwoo asked, looking at you through his glasses as he squeezed your hand. You perked up at the movement but immediately shrugged once more.

            “Good, I like that about my ladies,” Gongchan smirked.

            “Yeah, if you had any,” Sandeul teased after he set down his now empty bowl after drinking the broth from it. Alex finished soon after.

            “Wow, the girl has given him a run for his money on this whole eating thing,” Baro gasped in amazement at the close finish. At this, the waitress set down the bill for the meal. You instinctively reached for your wallet after years of having to pay for other people. Shinwoo glanced at you and shook your head. Sandeul also swatted Alex’s purse away.

“We will take care of you. You are our guests, ladies,” Jinyoung offered as all the other members brought out their wallets. “Whose turn is it to pay?” he asked moments later. You and Alex looked at him. “We have a system. We don’t always make the oldest pay because that’s rude.”

“But I think it is his turn to pay,” Gongchan pointed out, glad he was maknae anyway.

“O, well sorry, hyung,” Baro sighed, truly guilty that the system had played out that way.

“I don’t mind for someone I know will appreciate it. Anything for my biggest fan and a

pretty girl. It really is my pleasure,” he assured you. You immediately ducked your head down, hoping he did not see your blush.

            “I appreciate it as well. Are you sure you don’t want us to leave anything?” Alex piped up shyly. He nodded.

            “I’ll pay for your part of the meal,” Sandeul volunteered, much to everyone’s surprise since he rarely splurged on anything, a fact that had led him and the rest of you to the simple udon shop in the first place. Alex’ eyes widened.

            “A-Are you sure?” she stuttered. Sandeul nodded happily. The waitress came by moments later and then once again returned with any change and receipts.

            “Well, now that that’s done, shall we go?” Baro suggested, the first up.

            “Let’s go~ Movie time!” Gongchan exclaimed happily. You only looked up at Shinwoo. He smiled back warmly, his gaze comforting, but his grip strong as his fingers laced perfectly in the spaces in between your own.

            “Everyone get together! Movie time~” Jinyoung cheered as he scrolled through Netflix and tucked himself with a large body pillow comfortably on the floor with most of the other members. “Any suggestions?”

            “Nothing cheesey,” Gongchan discouraged.

            “Yeah, because we get enough of it from you,” Baro jested.

            “Any suggestions from you ladies?” Jinyoung asked, looking back at you two. You shook your head as you put your head on Shinwoo’s shoulder and Alex was preoccupied with shoving Sandeul over to make more room on the couch. “Well, here goes nothing. I will put on English subtitles.”

            “How about put on Korean subtitles so it is easier for them. We always watch in Korean anyway, it will be good to switch it up. We don’t want to have to make them work harder than they have today already,” Shinwoo urged.

            “No, no, no, it’s fine. We should brush up on our Korean anyway,” you tried to assure him.

            “No~ but you’re our guests. It’s the least we can do. We can always switch up every other night or something,” Shinwoo replied. You knew it was best not to argue and instead, you snuggled up closer to him, silently thanking you for his consideration.

            “Yeah, that’s true, and it will do us some good to actually pay attention to the movies. We usually fall asleep and leave halfway through without even knowing what happened,” Baro conceded.

            “O, speaking of. Where do we live?” Alex asked bluntly.

            “O, you live here with us! Isn’t that great?!” Sandeul clapped.

            “I-I’m sorry?” you asked in disbelief, immediately shifting off of Shinwoo to look up at him.

            “Yeah, we don’t have that much space unfortunately, but we are more than willing to give up our beds for you!” Jinyoung added.

            “You can always share mine, both of you,” Gongchan insinuated.

            “You are just awful, you know that?” Baro tsked at the youngest member. “Ya maknae.”

            “I will give up my bed for you any time,” Shinwoo guaranteed. Part of you wanted to share with him, but the much more rational part knew that was highly improbable on account that your heart would have exploded with anxiety as your brain was threatening to do at the thought of it.

            “Will you share my room?” Sandeul asked Alex, causing her own mental breakdown mirroring your own nearly.

            “Sure,” you and Alex managed to croak out to your respective offers.

            “You really don’t have to do that, Shinwoo. I’m ok with anything. I just really would like to share a room with you,” you muttered quietly as you pointed your index fingers together.

            “And I want to spend time with you, too. That’s why I offered.” You could almost hear your heart shatter at the speed it was thumping in your chest. “But, it would be indecent of me to climb into bed with you right away like that, so let’s take it slow for a little bit. See if I’m really the one for you and the one you think I am. It shouldn’t take long, but I still have to show my respect for such a wonderful lady as yourself,” he explained, all the whispering in your ear as he cupped your cheek, only for Sandeul to comically reenact it with Alex on the other side of the relatively long couch.

            “Well, I guess, it’s been decided? Movie time?” Jinyoung asked cutely, ready to press play for his eyes were already heavy.

            “Pfft, they’ll come running to me in no time,” you could hear Gongchan mutter under his breath. With a collective eye roll from the rest of you including himself, Jinyoung started the movie.

            What Baro had stated earlier was true. Midway through the movie- one you and Alex had already seen- the members were fast asleep, Jinyoung and Baro the first to go. You had your head nestled in Shinwoo’s shoulder, his head resting softly on yours as he nearly dozed off, but unbeknownst to you, staying awake only to make sure you were safe. You fluttered your eyes lazily to glance at the other side of the couch to see Sandeul upside down on the couch snoring, and Alex next to him doing the same. You shook your head, startling Shinwoo for he thought you were asleep.

            “Let’s take them to their beds,” he whispered. Knowing your responsibilities, you nodded. You got up first and, as Shinwoo turned off the movie, which surprisingly woke Baro, Gongchan, and Jinyoung, you nudged the sleeping puppies on the couch. The other three departed quietly and went to their own rooms, only Gongchan trying to act y with all the sleep in his eyes. The puppies groaned as they looked up at you, pouting while still half asleep. You nodded your head towards Sandeul’s bedroom, him getting up first as he grabbed Alex’s hand. You gave her a knowing look and she only rolled her eyes. Although you knew her heart belonged to Xiumin, you just had to make sure and look after your usually filthy dongsaeng.            Despite the amount of energy you thought you had, you flopped back on the couch, even too lazy to go to Shinwoo’s room. When he left, you contemplated leaving and following him before he quickly returned with a blanket.

            “Get up darling,” he whispered. You reluctantly did. He sprawled out on the couch in the dark, his back against the arm rest of the couch before he invited you to lie next to and on top of him.

            “Wh-what?” you asked, confused, not sure whether it was the sleep or the anxiety of sharing such a tiny space with your ultimate bias, the one who gave you so much hope, joy, and inspiration, causing you to tense up.

            “Lie down with me,” he encouraged, shrugging as if it was nothing.

            “We could just go to your room and I could sleep on the floor. What was all of that about indecency and what not?” you asked, flustered and trying not to raise your voice to the high pitched squeal ringing on the inside.

            “I said it was indecent to share a bed, but no one ever said anything about a couch, but if you would really like that, I will sleep on the floor right here by your feet or we could go back to the bedroom.” At this point, you weren’t sure if you could even take another step anywhere near his bedroom.

            “I-I hate to ask, but can you just go back to your room. I will sleep here on the couch. I just can’t deal with being with you… not like this. It’s making my heart…” you trailed off, embarrassed and glad the dim light from the kitchen was not enough to illuminate your blush. Without saying a word, he nodded. He understood. He always understood. He got up and let you lie down before draping the blanket over you and literally tucking you in. You hated yourself for putting him through all this trouble, but you couldn’t help but to think about his compassionate, sensitive side as he gave you a quick kiss on the temple. Though your heart was racing and your mind wired, your eyes were leaded and before you knew it you were asleep. He smiled in the dark, knowing you and he had a long ways to go, but he was willing to go that far with you. He only wanted you to realize how perfect- perfect to him and perfect for yourself- you were. He wanted you confident and he needed you in his life. With that, he left but couldn’t leave your side.

            The sun’s rays shone gracefully danced on your cheeks. You rolled over and stretched your arms out, hitting something hard. You immediately sprang up on the couch, still wondering if you were having a very realistic dream- until you looked down to see you had smacked Shinwoo’s forehead in your haste. With a chuckle as he put on his glasses, he sat up and smiled up at you.

            “Good morning,” he greeted you sweetly.

            “Did you really? This has to be a dream! Alex~” you nearly wailed upon seeing everyone else was already awake.

            “I did and this is no dream, but I think I finally have realized mine. Let’s try this again. Hello, beautiful,” he beamed.

            You never were sure if it was a blackout or you were still stuck in your nonexistent dream, but you awoke to the same smiling face moments later and Alex fretting over you. Shinwoo merely leaned down and grinned at you.

            “Don’t worry, I’m here. I’m always here,” he whispered. 

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A/N: Told you~~ I know I have mentioned Xiumin a few times now and don't worry Exo-Ls reading this because I'm one of those too and hes my ultimate ULTIMATE bias but theres a special place for him in this fic so this fic may not go where you want it to, but I promise, I will dom my best. Please stay tuned, so much more stuff to come. Thanks for reading~~