"Why is it that when one man builds a wall, the next man immediately needs to know what's on the other side?"
― George R.R. Martin
 

I was right. Su Min thought as she kept her eyes on the closed doors. After all these years, he still hates me.

But then again, what else was she expecting? A warm welcome with open arms and an ear-to-ear smile? No. This reunion couldn't have played out any different from how it just did.

"Sorry Su Min," she heard a comforting voice apologize from the side. She turned around and found Suho now sitting a couple of feet to her right with a bottled water in hand.

"Jongin can be a little moody and unpredictable at times," he explained with a friendly smile.

"Junmyeon’s right," Chanyeol added in, giving her shoulder a light squeeze. "Just ignore him for now," he advised her innocently.

Though she was thankful for his suggestion, it wasn't exactly one she could easily follow—both on a professional and personal level.

Just then, the door opened, catching her attention. For some inexplicable reason, she glanced back, anxiously hoping for Kai to stroll in as if he didn’t just coldly walk out of the room.

But instead of him, it was one of EXO's stylists.

The woman in her mid-thirties poked her head inside the room and asked Chanyeol to see her. She needed to re-measure him for the outfit the group will be wearing to their mini concert, which will be held in approximately three months.

"Chanyeol! Let's go," she called once more, obviously tired from all the alterations she had been doing all day.

"Coming noona!" Chanyeol answered over his shoulder. He then turned to Su Min and hurriedly recited his remaining schedule. "I have practice for another hour or so when I get back, but we can have dinner right after. Unless you’re hungry and want to go on ahead and eat, I can ask Woojin hyung to buy something," he told her sweetly as he backed his way to the door.

Su Min gave him a faint smile and shook her head. "No, I'll wait," she replied, despite her grumbling stomach. With all the food back at the condo, she should’ve definitely eaten something before coming.

Chanyeol returned the smile then looked over to Xiumin, who was busy munching away on a granola bar by the corner. "Hyung!" he called, making the eldest member look up from his snack. "Don't let them near her!" he instructed and glared at the flirtatious and spirited lot. "You Don Juans and Casanovas! Stay away from her," he warned playfully.

"We can't promise anything," Baekhyun replied in the same manner, adding a taunting grin.

"Ya! Do you want to die?" Chanyeol threatened jokingly, causing everyone to laugh and cringe from his overprotectiveness.

"What is this? We've never seen this side of you Chanyeol," D.O. commented.

"Right? Su Min must be someone really special," Suho teased, looking at her.

Beaming with pride, her best friend flashed a dimpled smile directed to s. "She definitely is," he openly declared before he was dragged away by their impatient stylist.

When he was finally gone, Baekhyun rushed over to Su Min’s side like a nosey child and looked intently at her with another one of his adorable smiles. "Hey," he began, already in a tell-all mood. "Are you two really dating?" he asked, his eyes rounded with interest, unblinking.

With the others listening in, Su Min let out a laugh and tested their patience, "Hm…Are we?"

As a result of her disappointing answer, Baekhyun stared at her with his pouted lips and creased forehead. "Oh come on…" he whined, shaking his shoulders side to side.

Taking this as an opportunity to get closer to the members, she decided to make a bargain.

Su Min scanned their inquisitive faces and flashed a smile. "Alright. I'll tell you, but only if we can drop the speaking formalities," she offered, knowing it’ll be a lot easier to get closer to them if they could to speak comfortably.

Baekhyun paused for a second, somewhat surprised, but accepted the condition nonetheless. "I like your assertiveness so whatever floats your boat," he stated and reached out a hand, "Deal."

"Deal."

"Wait," Suho interjected, pulling everyone’s attention to him. "I don’t mean to be rude, but…how old are you?" he asked cautiously, wanting to confirm that it was okay to agree to her proposal. He wouldn’t want anyone thinking he and s were talking down to someone who was actually their senior (even though she doesn’t look it).

"Oh, I’m 26," Su Min clarified, recognizing the reason behind his hesitation. "We’re all practically the same age," she assured them.

With the air clear and the remaining members in agreement, Su Min spilled the beans.

Leaving out personal and intimate details, she told them about her close relationship with Chanyeol and how he, as her best friend, had taken up the role of a boyfriend without actually being one. As unoriginal as it sounded, she described him as the knight in shining armor, who easily entered her heart and eventually became her significant other.

Despite the shivers and squirms they got from her story, the seven of them understood and didn't ask