*3^rd Person*

And so, just like that, another transition of life takes place. It’s strange, to think that such a dependant little girl who spent the long, unwanted days hiding up a tree was now about to own her own home, her best friend of all but half a year supporting her alongside.

She would make the most of the moment while walking up the unfamiliar corridors to the apartment, she told herself. Remember how the air smelt, the time of day, what she was wearing, which public bathroom stalls were occupied that morning…

And of course, the occasional touch of calloused yet comforting fingertips brushing her knuckles nonchalantly, the gentle exchange of lingering smiles.

Although, the normally cheery and refreshed boy was finding that smiling had suddenly become an unexpected ordeal, a scowl unconsciously etching his features when Meili became distracted in her own world.

Even though Kai knew that this was for the best, that the younger girl would live on her own and earn her independence and all those other reasons that made sense in his head, they didn’t want to make sense. He wanted her by his side, creating serious and deep conversations out of ice cream flavours and gummy bear anatomy. But he couldn’t be selfish. Not when he knew this choice was making her happy, when it would benefit them both, even if he didn’t want to acknowledge it.

She was only on the other side of the building anyway, right?

He sighed mentally, not wanting to slice the pleasant silence that had settled between the two. The older boy was already in a bad mood, and yet here he was, voluntarily going to meet Kris, to see his face and even potentially talk to the boy. He imagines a depressing evening, quite possibly involving stacks of Korean drama DVDs and peanut butter.

They find the apartment number easily, located at the very end of the hall coated in crisp, yellow paint and newly fitted skirting boards. The carpet is thick, yet Kai makes extra effort to make as little noise as possible, shifting his weight from sandal-clad foot to foot anxiously.

Maybe Kris isn’t home. Maybe he never owned the apartment in the first place. Maybe he was just a figment of Kai’s overactive imagination.

But then Meili decides to knock all too suddenly, rapping confidently with an odd sense of rhythm.

They hear heavy yet muffled footsteps inside, and Kai feels his heart wrench in the most uncomfortable way.

The door is flung open all too soon, and the older boy reveals himself in the doorframe, bright and refreshing as usual. He’s dyed his hair blonde, Kai observes despite himself, complimenting his pale skin and toothy smile.

Kris and all his 187cm smiles gently down at his cousin, exchanging a polite yet awkward nod before he moves his gaze to Meili, where his smile suddenly vanishes, transitioning into a strange contortion of surprise and confusion.

Meili must have realised something too, because she’s staring at him wide-eyed, jaw slacked and opened dangerously.

“Squirt, is that you?”

Meili nods in a daze, trying to understand the concept of speaking all over again.

It was incredible. Who would have known that Kris, the Kris would have been the one out of many that was standing in front of her?

Kris and Meili had a kind of friendship only found in bedtime stories and cheap comics sold at the entrance to sweet shops. They met at the usual formal party, about half way through, where Meili was at the point of screaming in irritation and depression at all the potential husbands she was forced to engage small-talk with, most of which were a decade too old for her. She was wandering around the hall when suddenly the model’s son, growing yet still tall enough to miss Meili’s frame completely, bumped into her, his plate of green tea cheesecake smearing her face an dress in, what he can remember, the most amusing way possible.

The room erupted in vicious laughter. He was going to die by her hand, he knew. He was going to help her gather firewood and burn at the stake.

However completely isolated thoughts were occurring in Meili’s mind. She knew she wasn’t allowed, and she was trying the best she could to fight temptation, but there was freaking cheesecake on her face and she could practically smell the sugar and the syrup and she hadn’t eaten since yesterday and-

She swiped her finger across her cheek and stared at it, covered in the green gunk. Bringing it to her lips cautiously, she quickly looked around for her parents before sticking it into , smiling happily at the unfamiliar taste.

It was a strange and hilarious sight for Kris, and it led to him searching for Meili at every formal party he went to, establishing a slow yet tight friendship between the two.

“I can’t believe it! You’re the Kris everyone was talking about!” Meili ran happily into his arms, bringing them both back into the present.

“No kidding…to think the cute girl auntie was talking about would be my little Shorty…” he whispered playfully into her hair, “but why are you here? Why are you renting out my old apartment?”

Meili pulled away slowly, looking up at Kris with serious eyes.

“I ran away from home…but I didn’t come here to talk about that, alright?” she rushed, looking at the ground pitifully despite herself.

“A-alright…” he met her eyes, letting her know they would talk later.

“AHEM.”

Kai began to clear his throat as obviously as he could, probably more confused and a hell of a lot more irritated than the two reunited in front of him.

“Could someone tell me what the heck is going on here?”

“Ah,” Kris throws an arm around Meili’s shoulder, achieving nothing but fuelling Kai’s irritation, “dear cousin! Shorty and I go way back, but I haven’t seen her since she randomly stopped attending formal parties. Isn’t this great? I finally get to meet her normally.”

“Yeah…wonderful…”

Formal parties? The word stuck in Kai’s mind, opening doors he’d forgotten he once left unlocked.

Who exactly was Meili? Where were her family? What in the world was so traumatising that she felt that running away from home was the only solution?

He scrunched his eyebrows, rattling his mind carelessly for answers before realising that Kris still had his arm around Meili, and they were still in this ridiculous hall with its stupid fire extinguishers and yellow paint….well, you know, as opposed to intelligent fire extinguishers and yellow paint.

“Uh…shouldn’t we head inside?”

“Haha, alright. Let’s get all this paperwork done and I’ll show you how to work the heating and emersion,” Kris opens the door and follows the two inside, smiling to himself when Kai trips over the raised part of the floor.

The apartment is smaller, a lot smaller, but it’s bright and cosy. The front door leads them to the kitchen and dining room, clad in sky blue walls and large windows soaking up the view of the city. The furniture is simple and solid, and Meili sits with the two boys at the mahogany table all-smiles, slightly giddy and drunk on happiness.

They spend the good part of an hour filling out paperwork, Kai helping Meili with terms she doesn’t understand and Kris, smiling somewhat knowingly at how his favourite cousin acts around his close friend.

“All done!” Meili puts down the pen triumphantly and stretches with a sigh.

“Alright, let’s finish up here. I hate to leave so suddenly, but I’ve got an appointment in like, half an hour,” Kris stands up hastily, “you’ve got my number right? Call me when you can.”

“Okay, we should all meet up like this again soon!”

Kris nods and ruffles her hair fondly, before turning to his cousin.

“You have a long college year ahead, Kai. Take care of yourself, alright? And of course, don’t forget to have a good time.”

“…D-don’t tell me what to do…” Kai stares at the ground now, biting his lip, before looking up to see that Kris is already leaving through the front door, his laughter resonating even when the door is long shut.

“So…” he begins, feeling a sudden sense of awkwardness in the air.

“So!” Meili plops back into the chair, happily taking in her new surroundings.

“What happens now?”

“Well…” she reaches into her backpack slung lazily over the chair and places two cups of instant ramyun on the table,

“I need to tell you something.”

“You’re WHAT?!” the noodles drip from Kai’s lips unpleasantly, splashing drops of broth onto his shirt. Meili cringes and reaches over the table, dabbing his shirt and mouth gently with a napkin.

“I’m auditioning for your school next week,” she repeats, pulling back,”I sent in the form two weeks ago.”

“And you’re only telling me this now?!”

“I wanted it to be a surprise!” Meili’s pouting now, and Kai feels every inch of resolve he had slowly seep out of his brain and form a gloopy puddle on the floor.

“Wait…when did you decide this?”

“Hmm…maybe a week before I sent in the form?”

Aish..this girl…

“Meili…you do realise how serious these auditions are right? You need to spend months preparing a completely original piece, a flawless routine, it’s not something that you just decide on impulse!”

And then she smiles. It’s strange, because it’s a smile that Kai doesn’t recognise, a smile traced with confidence and pride.

“I’ve been prepared for years.”

@ Coralie_X_SHINee: That's right! You started university! I'm so happy! ^^ Later, tell me about the whole university experience, it must be so fun, but hard work too *_* Haha, I can imagine ^^"" But anway, hwaiting! >:D

@ YourObsessionSuju: lol I'm the same! xD There's always that one family member...O.o 

@ jonghyunluv: What episode are you on? I'm scared I might accidentaly spazz about something and ruin it for you at one point...O.o OTL

@ siyeon: Hehe, thank you so much and hello! ^^...that should have been the other way round >.> I'm so glad you're enjoying it so far! :D

Hello everyone!
I hope you're all doing well, there's another bug going around since the weather is getting colder, I hope you all are healthy and well and whatnot! ^^
If there's any mistakes in this chapter, I'm sorry, it's just I'm really really tired and I'll end up proofreading tomorrow or something instead xD
This chapter's pretty long, although I'm not sure why I did that O.o Not all that much happens xD

On a side note, I realised I have suuuch a soft spot for Tae Joon's rival in TTBY TT.TT I mean, it's easy to relate to how he's feeling, and sometimes I feel so sad about his situation with high jump that I wanna punch him .....wait what? O.o
What do you guys think of Hyeon Jae? ^^ 
Uwahhh I'm tired...night guys~ :D