Yifan

Sticking the last streamer to the corner of the wall, Yifan felt a hand pat his back. He turned to see Junmyeon smiling at him. He stepped down from the chair, sighing.

“She remembered a few more things we need,” Junmyeon started.

Yifan rolled his eyes. “This is the third time we’re going to the store.”

He followed Junmyeon nevertheless, through the restaurant to the front desk. There stood their boss with her third list for the day. And Nari stood beside her, avoiding eye contact but, not running away. Weird.

“Alright, boys, here’s the list. Don’t be gone too long.” She handed over the paper.

“No worries, boss.” Yifan smiled as he took it from her.

“Nari, why don’t you come with us? We could use the extra hands,” Junmyeon suggested.

Her eyes widened as she jerked towards the boys. It was all too easy to see she was going to say no.

Luhan waltzed over to them with a curious look, putting his arm around Junmyeon’s shoulder.

“What’s going on?”

“Oh, Luhan! You should come too. The more the merrier,” Junmyeon exclaimed.

And now she was definitely going to say no.

Yifan could see the conflict on Nari’s face as she was probably coming up with an excuse not to come. He smirked until, out of the corner of his eyes, he saw someone walk in through the front door. Chanyeol and his usual group of hooligans plus another unusual addition.

“You shouldn’t sit out in the cold like that, Sehun,” Chanyeol stated, strolling into the restaurant.

“I know, I just didn’t know what else to do…” he muttered.

A cool tension filled the air as Nari’s eyes locked on Sehun. Yifan felt chills crawl up and down his arm like pattering spider legs.

He hadn’t seen Sehun loitering around the restaurant for a while. Usually he’d drop by at least once a week and follow Nari around like a lost puppy until the dinner rush flowed in, disrupting the whole place. But these days, Nari was always alone. Especially since she fainted a couple weeks back. He thought he’d seen him standing outside a few times but, he never stayed long. And seeing her reaction at that moment, Yifan was beginning to piece together why.

“So, how about it, Nari?” Junmyeon cut through the tension like it didn’t exist.

Frantic eyes turned to them as she spoke. “Yes, yes. Let’s go. Right now.”

She rushed out of the room like she was never in it, the other boys speeding after her, a dejected Sehun left behind.

-

Junmyeon scanned the row of sticky tape brands carefully while Luhan talked his ear off about bombing his last university exam. Yifan paid no attention as he peered through the side of his eyes at Nari. His curious mind couldn’t stop thinking about what had happened before they left. It was all so … out of character. If he really knew Nari. Which he never thought he could claim to.

“What do you think, Yifan?” Junmyeon turned around, completely ignoring Luhan.

He cut his eyes away from Nari, looking at him with confusion. “About what?”

“I can’t decide which sticky tape to buy.” He held up two different brands.

Yifan shrugged. Junmyeon grumbled. Much to their surprise, Nari walked up to the shelves and picked up another one.

“This is the one mum likes.” She placed it in the trolley.

The boys stared at her as she moved, faces blank in shock.

“Right.” Junmyeon slowly put the other two back on the shelf. “That’s that then.”

He walked down the aisle as if it never happened, Luhan rushing after him with the trolley. Nari followed and Yifan matched her