“I’m telling you, don’t touch me, even with your feet or I will make you sleep on the floor,” Sehun warned Chanyeol. After being forced to sleep with his cousin, he had come to know Chanyeol’s sleeping patterns intimately - too intimately. 

“But aren’t you especially lonely tonight?” Chanyeol whispered into Sehun’s ear. Sehun slapped his face. 

“Owww.” Chanyeol rubbed his face. 

“And don’t make that sniffing sound,” Kyungsoo threatened.

“Hey, what deals do you think Baek and Sung-kyung made? Since when do we make deals without consulting our House Masters?” Kai asked them. 

“I don’t think they had much of a choice,” Kyungsoo said. 

“Sung-kyung always gets herself into these messes and then what? I’m supposed to solve everything?” 

“Uh…” Chanyeol was the one to say it on all their behalf, “I don’t think she did it expecting you to swoop in here like prince charming hyung.” 

Sehun snickered. 

“Oh let’s not talk about your House Master working for this year’s number one psycho.” Kai retaliated against their teasing. 

“He sure tops the list.” Chanyeol agreed. 

“Okay, shut up and sleep now. Tomorrow is going to be tough. A whole 24 hours with those nutjobs.” Kyungsoo pinched Kai’s ear, “Don’t even think about causing me issues tomorrow.” 

“It’s his strategy to tire us out before the Competition.” Chanyeol teased cruelly. 

“That punk Lee Taemin tried to have Yifan killed.” Kai started on a new topic.

“SHUT UP.” Kyungsoo used his pillow to cover Kai’s face. 

***

“Do you think Baekhyun and Kris are fine?” Minah asked. They were in the room next door. “This place gives me the creeps. I can’t believe they were forced to stay here…” she hiccupped and started crying. 

“They are strong guys, come on now.” Taeyoon comforted her sister. 

“Besides, they had each other.” Arran reminded her. 

“She’s worried about Yeji as well,” Chen told Arran as he pulled Minah into his arms. 

“Unnie…” Arran wrapped her arms around Taeyoon, “Should we hug each other too?” 

“I don’t want to compete anymore.” Minah whimpered, “Did you see how many guards with guns they have?” 

Chen placed a finger across his mouth to tell Arran and Taeyoon to keep quiet. He rubbed Minah’s back and she eventually fell asleep. 

Taemin lay awake. He was alone. No one wanted to share a room with him.