“No, you’ve got to adjust your fingers. Like this.”

“They were like that.”

“Yeah, but then you moved them.”

“Because they were cramping.”

“Well, you’ve got to get used to it.”

“I will hit you with this and you know I will.”

Chanyeol snatched the guitar right out of your hands with a horrified look on his face. You’d never actually damage his most precious item (he always corrected that statement, saying that you were the most precious thing to him, but you didn’t really believe that you came before the guitar), but at the moment it was definitely tempting.

This was currently lesson number three in which Chanyeol was trying to teach you to play guitar. Considering you already knew how to play one instrument, you didn’t need to learn another one. You used to be very proud of your piano skills. Until you heard Chanyeol play.

On a random day soon after the funeral, he took you to a music shop (a different store than the one you accidentally stole from) and sat down at one of the keyboards, testing out different ones to see which one he wanted to buy. The way his fingers glided over the keys took your breath away.

And he played you the song he’d written for you on the guitar.

He’d let you hear it for the first time when you were fully moved in to the farmhouse. Living with twelve - well, technically thirteen since Jongdae’s mate, Jiyoung, lived with them half the time - was going to take some getting used to, but it would help stave off the loneliness. And Chanyeol was the happiest you’d ever seen him.

When the two of you had settled in his bedroom, he didn’t hesitate to grab his guitar, sit across from you on the bed, and start playing without even indicating what you’d be listening to. But you didn’t need to be told. A soft melody was hidden underneath a slightly faster tempo. It was how Chanyeol saw you and brought a single tear to your eye. He’d blushed at the sight of how much you appreciated the song before you threw yourself into his arms. Then you asked to hear it again. You never wanted to stop listening to it.

After that you learned that Chanyeol was the ultimate definition of “one man band”. With a strange need to keep up with him, you begged for him to teach you how to play the guitar, knowing that you wouldn’t really had the coordination to learn the drums.

Okay, beg was a bit of a stretch. You were barely able to finish the question before that boy was pulling you back up to his room to get started on your first lesson.

The past month and a half hadn’t been the easiest. Learning the names of the entire pack and their mates was not a simple feat, but Dana helped you out the most as she, too, had a hard time connecting with them all in the beginning. Perhaps it was because of that day in the bakery, but you found yourself appreciating her the most and spending the most time with her outside of Chanyeol. It was kind of ironic after seeing how Chanyeol and Kyungsoo had a strange relationship. It was still a loving one, but Chanyeol also seemed to take pleasure in messing with the younger wolf who was not afraid to fight back.

The way they interacted and leaned on each other like a family made you miss Lon. According to his phone calls, he was doing fine, fitting in to his pack like a tailored glove. Being a part of your father’s pack really was fate.

He promised to visit soon and you looked forward it. It’d been too long since you’d seen your brother and you wanted to see for yourself that he really was as happy as he sounded over the phone.

Getting up from the bed, you stretched out your limbs and headed for the door.

“Where are you going?” Chanyeol asked as he followed you out into the hallway.

“I’m thirsty,” you replied, heading down the stairs. “Putting up with your poor teaching skills is making me dehydrated.”

You didn’t need to turn around to see the pout he was sporting. “Maybe you just have poor learning skills.”

Stopping just before you could get off the bottom step onto the first floor you whirled around. “Excuse me?”

“Ididn’tmeanit,” Chanyeol quickly defended.

“Mhm.”

Heading for the kitchen, you should have been prepared for the pair of arms that encase you and lifted you off the ground. But you weren’t, making you let out a squeak as he carried you into the room.

“Chanyeol, put me down,” you grunted. You were trying hard not to chuckle at the giant child, but you failed miserably. Man, you wished you could actually hold a grudge against him, but he made it so damn difficult.

He did as you asked, laughing as your feet touched the ground and the arms disappeared from your waist. Kris was sitting at the kitchen table while Sehun and Tao stood in front of him, the latter holding up a box of hair dye.

“Come on, Kris,” Tao whined. “Just try it. I think you’d look great as a blond.”

“He’s not going to do it,” Sehun said as he crossed his arms.

“You’re right,” Kris nodded. “I’m not.”

Sehun smirked. “Because he’s not as cool as us.”

That made Kris scoff. “You wish.”

You liked Kris. He didn’t take any of the members crap (of which there was an insane amount of), but he also was surprisingly full of wisdom that was never sugar coated. No wonder he was fated to be an alpha.

Stepping up behind him, you bravely ruffled his hair (something only you could really get away with) and said, “I don’t know, Kris. I have to agree. Blond might be a good look for you. Then you’d get all the ladies.”

The crooked smile that adorned Kris’ face ninety-five percent of the time slipped away. Without a word, he stood up and walked out the back door. You were stunned, unsure of what just happened.

“Did I say something wrong?” you asked to anyone who would answer you.

“Don’t take it personally,” Junmyeon told you as he entered the kitchen. His hair was wet, fresh from a shower. “That’s just a sore subject with him.”

You frowned. “It’s getting hard to decipher who it’s okay to talk about that subject with and who it’s not.”

“Basically everyone but Kris.” Tao tossed the box of dye down on the table. “Well, since that didn’t work, I’m going to go change for tonight. A new bar opened up and I’m itching to check it out.”

The two young wolves exited the kitchen while you turned to Chanyeol.

“Why is Kris sensitive about girls?”

“Later,” he replied, getting a clean glass down from the cabinet for you and filling it up with water. “Any fun plans tonight, Junmyeon?”

The alpha shook his head. “No. I’m holing myself up in my office for a while. I’ve got to prepare for the end of the semester.”

“Your favorite time of the year,” Chanyeol chuckled.

Junmyeon groaned. “I just want to fast forward to the beginning of the next semester.”

Taking the glass that Chanyeol held out for you, you sipped on the ice cold water before asking, “Why?”

“I don’t know,” Junmyeon shrugged. “I just like the possibilities the new school year brings. You never know the kind of semester you’ll have. Could be good, could be bad. You just never know.”

“You must really like surprises.”

“Part of being a professor.” Checking his watch, Junmyeon sighed. “Alright. I’ll get out of your hair. Too many papers to grade and too many students wanting last minute extra credit. Have a good night.”

It was his turn now to disappear out the back door, leaving you guys alone.

Chanyeol slid up next to you with a mischievous glint in his eye. “You know, that means everyone will be out of the house for a few hours.”

Putting the now empty glass down on the counter, you smirked at him. “Yeah? So?”

Not voicing his thoughts, Chanyeol picked you up and threw you over his shoulder. You couldn’t help but giggle as he carried you back up the stairs and to his room for some good old quality mate time.