“Here’s to the boys going to finals!” Dawon cheered as he raised his beer, the others followed while Dahye eyed the bucket of chicken dubiously.

She felt Chani tap her shoulder, and she turned to him.

“Are you okay?” He asked her, the girl nodded back.

“Congratulations, you big baby. You did great.” She said before giving him a quick hug, Chani chuckled and hugged her back.

“For the record, noona,” Chani spoke, loud enough for Rowoon to look at him who sitting beside the girl.

“What?” She pulled away from him.

“I never asked for you to be there.” Chani said, Dani blinked at the younger male. Rowoon’s eyes widened and he tried to reach for the male. Chani guffawed and left his seat, he transferred beside Junhee.

“It looks…flammable.” Dahye murmured as she picked up a drumstick, she turned to Rowoon when she heard him chuckle.

“I ordered another bucket.” He announced as he leaned over to reach for the other bucket, Dani pulled back.

“Here.” Rowoon put another drumstick on her plate and she thanked him before beginning to take the meat away from the chicken.

Rowoon watched as the girl nibbled on a bit of skin and he smiled when she nodded to herself.

“This is..actually bearable.” She nudged him, the male chuckled.

“Dahye, it’s not even spicy. It’s their plain flavor, the ones they serve to kids.”

“Hmm, I’m not going to argue with you since you won the game today.” She hummed back, Rowoon laughed and shook his head.

“But, Rowoon-ah, that guy earlier,” She turned slightly so that she was facing him, Rowoon blinked, noticing how close her thigh was to his.

“Y—eah, which guy?”

“The one with the flowers.” She replied with a scrunch of her nose, Rowoon nodded back, recalling his teammate approaching her.

“Can…you tell him to stop? He did that last week, and it’s..a little uncomfortable.”

“You actually do feel sorry for the guys you heartlessly reject? Wow.” Zuho chimed in, they all looked at him.

“What? How many guys have tried to win her over?” Junhee was grinning as she picked up another piece of chicken.

“It’s not that, I just don’t like the attention it comes with.” Dahye mumbled, peeved. Rowoon looked at her and he smiled.

“Why? Is someone bothering her?” Dawon asked, Hwiyoung snorted and shook his head.

“How could someone even try to bother your sister, oppa?” Junhee commented, Taeyang nodded, agreeing with the girl.

“Why?” Dawon was confused.

“I don’t like this.” Dahye murmured as she removed the bits of cheese flavored tater tots from her plate and carefully dumped them on Rowoon’s.

“Dahye’s always stuck with Rowoon. His presence alone is already intimidating as it is.” Junhee pointed out before chewing.

“You don’t like this?” Rowoon asked, not minding Junhee’s comment, he noticed how the girl had put her utensils down, and her fists were curled on her lap. His brows went up.

“I—I have to use the restroom, excuse me.” She said as she stood up, Dawon and Chani glanced at her.

“Dahye-ah,” Rowoon said, the girl paused.

“I’ll be back.”

“I kinda get it. A guy would be interested,”

Eunwoo looked at his friend, the two were making their way back towards their cars. They had finished dinner with a few friends from high school and were already on their way home.

“She’s always surrounded by these dudes, her brother was a popular athlete too, and she’s not the approachable type. I get you.” Moonbin finished, Eunwoo glanced at him and he rolled his eyes.

“And, it also doesn’t hurt that she’s really pretty. And super unattainable.”

“It’s not that, when I talk to her, she doesn’t hold back, you know. She doesn’t sugarcoat things and that’s….refreshing.” Eunwoo said as they passed by through an alley filled with new and trendy restaurants.

“Oh, and it’s also refreshing that the guys around her aren’t just plain students, they’re practically, the pride of our school’s soccer team.” Moonbin said cheerfully, Eunwoo attempted to kick his shin.

“Oh, come on, I’ve seen her around campus. She’s always with the tall one, Rowoon sunbae.” Moonbin mused, Eunwoo buried his hands in his pockets.

“Do you think there’s something going on between them?” Eunwoo caved in, Moonbin started to laugh.

“What do you think?” He replied, Eunwoo sighed and shook his head.

“All I bring her is bad news, you know how we officially met.”

“Look at it this way, what if you stop resisting your parents and actually get to know the girl? I mean, she doesn’t seem to hate you, she’s never asked you to go away like the other guys at~” Moonbin halted, his gaze was elsewhere.

“What are you looking at?” Eunwoo stopped and followed his gaze, he paused.

It was them. Dahye and Rowoon.

The girl was standing outside a chicken place, her arms crossed and she had a frown on her face.

“Well, this is…weird.” Moonbin murmured, Eunwoo his lips as he heard the two talking.

“Should we eavesdrop?” Moonbin nudged his friend, the latter shook his head.

“We shouldn’t. Come on.” Eunwoo’s brows were knitted together as he pulled his friend away. They were already a steps away from the restaurant when he glanced back at them, the two were crossing the street. Eunwoo didn’t miss how the girl had linked arms with Rowoon while they were walking.

The Cha son’s forehead creased again, and he looked away.

“Noona’s been going through a lot of stuff lately, don’t mind her.” Chani said as he noticed how Junhee was staring at the vacates seats.

“Right,” Dawon piped in.

“Abeoji assigned this big project to her, she’s been..a little out of the weather lately.”

“You don’t have to hide the fact that she’s uncomfortable around me,” Junhee said with a small thoughtful smile, Zuho paused and glanced at the older male.

Hwiyoung winced and looked at his plate.

“I didn’t really introduce myself properly, and I’m sure she has questions.”

“She didn’t even ask us anything about you, Dahye’s really something.” Taeyang added, Dawon leaned back on his seat and nodded.

“I don’t want her to hate me.”

“She doesn’t, noona.” Chani said in a firm tone, Junhee smiled at him.

“How are you so sure?”

“If she really didn’t like you, then she would never talk to you. That’s how Dani noona functions, there are some things she can’t express, so she’d rather stay away.” The youngest spoke, his eyes went to Dawon briefly.

“And, it’s not you. These two siblings haven’t spoken to each other in days.” He continued, Taeyang grinned at the older male.

“Really? Why?” Junhee turned to her boyfriend, concern was written all over her face.

“L—Let’s talk about it later.” Dawon nodded at her, Junhee pursed her lips and nodded.

“Luckily, we have Rowoon hyung to diffuse the bomb, he can pretty much handle her iciness.” Hwiyoung said jokingly, to which Junhee nodded quickly.

“I know, it’s crazy because, he’s so into her and I don’t think he knows.”

The whole table went silent, Dawon turned his head to the girl.

“He’s…what?”

Chani and Taeyang grinned to each other, Junhee put her chicken down.

“Rowoon. He has the googly eyes for your sister, it’s so cute.”

“Dahye-ah,”

Dani paused and she glanced over her shoulder, Rowoon was walking towards her.

“Hey,”

“This doesn’t look like the restroom, not that I’m hovering or anything.” Rowoon murmured, the girl shook her head.

“I just…I just…” She trailed off, not knowing how to continue.

“Is it Dawon hyung?” Rowoon said as he gently tugged on the sleeve of her coat, wanting her to walk with him.

“I..I have nothing against her, Rowoon-ah. I actually do like her, but..she’s sitting with us, joking around, I don’t really mind but it’s just…” She ran her fingers through her hair, Rowoon tilted his head.

“I don’t like how she’s…doing this to my brother.” She finished , Rowoon nodded quietly.

“Like he’s something that should be hidden and…almost every night, I hear him go home late, and I know they were together. Why can’t they just be a normal couple? Oppa has to wake up early for work and he has to meet her up at night so that no one would see. I mean…” She looked up and sighed, she felt Rowoon nudge her and she looked at him.

“The pavement is a little slippery.” He said softly as he offered his arm to her, Dahye wordlessly hooked arms with him.

“You’re worried about that. You’re not angry with him.”

“I’m not. I just don’t do well with the whole keeping it together when things bother me.” She explained, the male nodded and slowly pulled her closer, away from the edge of the sidewalk.

“Have you tried talking to hyung?”

“Actually, no. I don’t want to seem like I’m interfering. But I think should. Should I?” She turned to him.

“I think you should, it bothers you this much. You didn’t even touch your food.” Rowoon told her, she gave him a sheepish smile.

“You know, most people would tell me not to say anything.” Dahye pointed out.

“Most people can’t sense how stressed out you are, or they’re just scared to tell you what they think.” Rowoon mused. Dahye eyed him, and then she let out a sigh, giving up.

“Let’s go back, they’re going to~”

“It’s fine, let’s go somewhere else. You don’t like fried food that much.” Rowoon said, the girl gasped.

“Was I that obvious?” She said mockingly, Rowoon snorted and the girl let go of him.

“Can we have noodles? I think I ate way too much popcorn earlier.” Dahye murmured as they crossed the street, Rowoon glanced over his shoulder before placing his hand on the middle of her back, but still careful not to touch her.

“Let’s have that.” He replied, Dani grinned at him, noticing his gestures.

“What?” Rowoon blinked at her.

“In case you haven’t noticed, I’m kind of one of the boys. So, I don’t really mind holding hands, linking arms or whatever. I hope it doesn’t bother you, because it never bothered me.” She said.

“Huh. Is this your way of explaining that you don’t mind holding hands with Jungho? Because, I bet he’s okay with that too.” Rowoon said jokingly as he stretched his hand to her, and that earned him a slap on the arm.

“You can hold his hand if you want to.”

He started to laugh.

“You see, this is why our ice princess should always be fed. I always suffer the consequences.” Rowoon stated to himself as the girl stomped away from him.

“Kim Rowoon, you’re paying!” She called back, Rowoon chuckled as he jogged after her, he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and he opened the text message.

Hyung, you’re being too obvious. -Chani

Rowoon peeled his gaze away from the device and looked across the street, Chani and Taeyang were grinning at him. He was about to react, but the two had ducked their heads and rushed back to the restaurant.

Rowoon exhaled and looked at Dahye again, she was already reading the menu of a ramen place.

“Rowoon-ah!” She looked up and waved him over, Rowoon swallowed and took a deep breath before making his way towards her.

It’s just Dahye.

I’ll be fine.

It’s just harmless Dahye.

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