The chosen ramen shop was a Mom & Pop establishment, owned by an a kind elderly couple who was more than happy to give the large group of 15 guys and one girl a more secluded area in the restaurant for them to unwind and enjoy their meal.

It was large group of smaller tables made into a big rectangular one, and XiuMin was sitting across from Amber, “What I don’t understand is, why you didn’t just come here by yourself? I mean, it’s not like you can’t eat by yourself once in a while, you know?” he questioned, referring to the conversation they had stopped on the way to the shop. Amber bristled, “No, I couldn’t do that. I mean, coming here by myself would just make me look like a loner…,” she drifted off, trying to hide her reddening ears and driving her whole attention to the laminated menu in front of her.

Kris laughed, “Is that why we’re you’re ‘test subjects’? Because you’re too chicken to have come here by yourself?” he scoffed, and Amber only proceeded to ignore him and the chatter around him, willing her stomach to be patient for the waitress to come by for their orders.

As the boys chattered around her, she noticed some unfamiliar faces. I should really get to learn their names, she thought.

So, she did.

“Hey, what’s your name?” she asked, referring to the guy laughing beside LuHan, “Me? Sorry for not introducing myself earlier, my name is BaekHyun!” he chirped, pretty energetic. Amber decided she liked him; he seemed like the laid-back and outgoing type. Amber smiled at him, “It’s fine, I should’ve asked you your name earlier. What’s his name?” she asked next, moving her eyes to the boy sitting next to him.

“I’m YiXing, or Lay; whichever is fine.” The boy answered, smiling a bit. Amber didn’t quite know what to make of him, for he seemed like the shy type. But, soon enough he was immersed in the conversation with JongDae next to him; joking around and laughing loudly.

Kris snapped her out of her head, “The waitress is here,” he said, and Amber promptly gave the waitress her order with the rest of the guys.

Things were quiet for a bit, “How do you know Kris-gege?” the boy asked, who was sitting beside XiuMin. Amber thought for a bit, “Tao, right?” she asked, and Tao nodded. Amber smiled, “Well, believe it or not, he was my Mandarin tutor for a while. Which is kind of embarrassing to be honest? God, he was such an ogre during the tutoring sessions; always pushing me to study more and be more productive during the study lessons. I guess I wasn’t that good a pupil, because I can still only understand basic Mandarin.” She laughed, and Kris laughed from beside her.

“I wasn’t an ogre, is just that you fooled around too much during our lessons! And see now, you can’t understand a of Mandarin when I speak it. Aren’t I right, Tao?” he asked the boy, Tao looked a bit confused, “She really can’t understand a thing?” he asked, and Kris chuckled, “Not a good word of it.” He enunciated.

Amber huffed, “Yah! Stop it with the Mandarin! I’m not stupid, stop talking about me!” she exclaimed, shoving Kris’ shoulder and leaning across the table to slap Tao’s hand. Tao was surprised, she got close to people fast; and no inhibitions were in her way in the matters of skins ship.

Amber noticed his rigidness, though, “Sorry, I really don’t know how to set my boundaries. Sorry for making you uncomfortable, okay?” she asked him, and Tao nodded quickly to placate her worries.

Before any awkward silence could settle, though, the food quickly arrived and interrupted any attempt to conversation by making all the members, and Amber, fight over their respective rations and other side dishes.

LuHan intercepted XiuMin with a mean hook of his chopsticks, “Hey! That’s unfair!” MinSeok exclaimed, indignated. LuHan ignored him quietly, “If I were you, I would keep my eyes open for Tao; he’s the silent killer.” He said, stuffing the stolen pork dumpling in his mouth.

Amber was to be watched too, of course, “Hey! Everyone needs to stop stealing my food XiuMin complained again, noticing he had no more of the pork dumplings he had just fought dearly against SeHun. Amber laughed, “You snooze, you lose!” she responded, quickly sneaking a bite of Kris’ chicken sew beside her.

“Hey! Eat your own food!” he protested, stealing one of XiuMin’s (now Amber’s) pork dumplings from her plate, but Amber only smiled and let him eat the dumpling.

Among the entire ruckus, though, a sullen looking boy watched Amber with guarded eyes; eating his pork-rib soup silently. Amber noticed that he hadn’t spoken even once, “Tao? Do you want a dumpling? They’re pork and really good!” she said, offering to place a dumpling with her chopsticks on Tao’s plate.

Tao shook his head, “It’s fine Amber-ssi; I don’t really like dumplings.” He answered back, and XiuMin snorted from beside him, “That’s a complete lie and you know it, Tao. But, if you don’t want it, I’ll gladly eat it for you!” he laughed, leaping forward to steal the dumplings.

Amber was quick to react, “You’re not having any of these, greedy! Besides, Tao is younger than you! And still growing! He needs the nutrients! And also, Tao; please call me Amber, it’s fine!” she reassured, looking at Tao with raised eyebrows in an attempt to encourage him to eat some of the dumplings.

Tao gave a wry smile, “Alright, thanks,” he said, abashed, and Amber laughed, “A growing boy needs to eat!”

JoonMyun was laughing at their exchange, “Amber, you do know that Tao is just, like, 9 months younger than you, right? He’s not a boy any more. Just like you, he’s old.” He teased, and Amber fired back just as quick, “I’m not listening to an old gramps like you. You’re older than us.” She said, gesturing to herself and Tao; Tao laughed at her silliness.

Kris watched them with a faint smile; I knew she would grow on him. He thought, looking at how Tao was slowly coming out of his shell and letting Amber stuff his plate to the brim with food that she would steal from the boys’ plates surrounding them.

Amber could breathe easier now that she could see that Tao was less awkward around her; she frankly didn’t know he would be this shy around her. It was endearing in a way; to have a boy be shy around her for once, and not immediately treating her like one of his ‘bros’.

At least he’s just not watching me from a corner now!

As it always is with a big crowd of men, the food was gone quickly; leaving the boys’ stomachs filled and their eyes droopy from the big meal.

EXO’s manager got up from the table, “I’m going to go pay the bill,” he informed, looking at Kris and SuHo, and they both nodded.

Amber heard him, though, “What do you mean? I thought I was treating you guys?” she asked, confused.

LuHan scoffed, “Like Manager-hyung, or any of us for that matter, would let you do that! The bill is for 15 people, and it’s probably massive!” he leaned in, speaking teasingly to Amber.

Amber wasn’t having it, though, “But, I promised?” she tried arguing, but LuHan only shook his head.

Amber was quiet for a bit, and Tao thought she might be angry; which, in turn, made him angry.

We’re being kind and  so far!treating her to dinner and she complains that we won’t let her pay the bill? Ungrateful, much?

Amber snapped him out of his little reverie quick enough, “Guys, thanks. Really; I’ll make it up to you! I promise!” she spoke, smiling happily at everyone.

Tao couldn’t help but smile back, “Thanks, Amber-noona,” he insisted on the honorifics, and Amber just smiled back in acknowledgement.

The Manager came back and told them it was time to go, so the boys (and Amber) got up from their seats and stretched sluggishly; the stress and excitement of the earlier happenings winding down on them.

And so, back to their respective cars they went, ready for a good night’s sleep.

Is it only me, or is this getting really boring? Or repetitive? I don't know; my style of writing is really slow, sorry!

How was this chapter, huh? I liked the interactions~

Also, can you guys tell me if you only want TaoBer or any other pairings? It doesn't matter how random it is~!

Can you guys guess who my biases in EXO-M & EXO-K are? I'll give you a tiny clue: my bias in EXO-K has one line in the whole story so far!

As always, thanks for reading~!!!

-Taiyou<3