"I don't care about that stupid Zhang Yixing. I don't care about that stupid Zhang Yixing," you muttered. "I don't bloody care about that stupid idiot poo-face Zhang Yixing. I don't care about Zhang Yixing."

"You know, someone might think you're casting a curse on him if they didn't know any better," Jaemin said, coming into his office just as you had carefully put his keys in his drawer, "you might get called a witch."

You rolled your eyes, "just watch out I don't curse you next."

"You wouldn't dare," Jaemin sang mockingly, dangling his car keys in front of your face. "Should we go for a meal? Let's talk. Girly gossip."

"Girly gossip?"

"Well, you can tell me all about Chanyeol's sister for a start. Am I older than her?"

"Oh yeah, much older- definitely."

Jaemin's eyebrows shot into the air, "really? I didn't think I was quite a bit older though. Are you sure?"

You nodded, "yeah, you're older. I mean, you're 40 right?"

"If I'm 40 then why don't you call me 'ahjussi' instead of 'oppa'?"

Damn it. Beaten at your own game.

"She's two years older than you and has been modelling for about 5 years now."

"She hasn't had a thing with Kris, has she?" Jaemin asked cautiously. He soon took it back when you furrowed your eyebrows, "you know, because he was a model too back then and all?"

"You know about Kris' modelling days?"

"Who doesn't? He was in publications here too. Probably doesn't realise he made the Top 100 Asia Best New Models list, does he?"

"He never mentioned it."

"So modest," Jaemin said wistfully, "for a model at least. Seriously, why is Kris just so amazing? He's always got girls following him around and he could definitely have any one of them but he's just not interested. He's also so clever- always studying in the library and-"

"I would necessarily say Kris is clever simply because he's in the library trying to catch up on late essays all the time."

"Okay well he's diligent then and at least tries to hand them in eventually. He also looks after all the people living in your weird family clan thing you've got going on."

"Are you sure it's not Kris you have your eye on?" You teased, "because I won't judge you if it is."

"Haneul, you know I like the opposite . I'm pretty sure Jinri's told you all about my past tears over the girl I liked."

"Liked?"

"I say liked because I'm making a conscious effort to get over her. She's engaged now."

"Engaged? To her boyfriend?"

Jaemin nodded, "who else would it be? To me? If only."

"Sorry..."

Sighing, Jaemin shrugged. "She had to let me down properly once and for all. I'm glad she told me. It would have been selfish of her not to."

"Yeah..." You said quietly, "it would have been selfish, wouldn't it?"

"I've got your brain ticking now, haven't I?"

"I should let them know, shouldn't I?"

"Surely you don't need me to tell you?"

You sighed heavily, "I know, I know. I'm just scared. I don't want the responsibility."

"I don't blame you. You're turning down some real catches, you are. That Park Chanyeol- woah. I mean, woah."

"Oppa, are you sure you don't like men too?"

"Hey, hey, hey, can't a guy have guy crushes too?"

 

***

 

"Wow, look at those bags under her eyes..."

"And... Hey, Minwoo-ah, is that drool?"

You awoke to whispers and hushed voices in your room. Feeling a little groggy from eating your weight in noodles with Jaemin, when you had arrived home all you did was hang up your swimwear and dump your bottle and plastic tupperware in the sink. Kyungsoo would definitely tell you off for it, or if he didn't then Xiumin would. Or if Xiumin didn't then Baek-

"Haneul, you have visitors!" Baekhyun yelled, bounding into your room. You sat up straight, sending your guests staggering back and you opened your eyes just in time to see Chanyeol drag Baekhyun out by the collar, waving good morning with one hand for a few seconds.

"What? Why... Why are you here?" You asked, still in a daze.

"Isn't she cute like this?" Jenny said, pinching your cheeks until you turned your face away from her.

Minwoo grinned, "you sleep really weirdly, Haneul."

"No, I don't."

"Yeah, you do!" Chanyeol shouted, "you sleep all contorted like you've got no bones."

"How do you know that?" Jenny asked curiously.

"Just because!"

"Hey, Park Chanyeol!" you yelled, "come here right now!"

Chanyeol slithered into your room, a snapback neatly placed backwards on his head. "Yes, princess?"

"P-Princess?!"

Baekhyun peered through your door as he stalked past, "don't even ask. Those two have a weird relationship. Their nicknames for each other make me sick."

"Your nicknames make me sick!" Chanyeol retorted, "in fact, everything you do makes me sick! All this 'Chanyeol, it's sooo cute. Whenever Maddie calls me Baek-oppa, I think she's saying she's hungry. Oh Chanyeol, what should I do? She's just too cute for words!'" Chanyeol said, putting on a voice far too high for him to cope. "You make me sick with all your stupid lovey-dovey, baby talk rubbish!"

"You're just jealous that I have my Maddie and you have no one."

"Go to hell."

Baekhyun winked, pointing his finger and lifting his foot like a pathetic fairy, "I'll see you there!"

 

It certainly wasn't everyday that you had a morning visit from friends but after the fiasco regarding Huiling's leaving party and the sheer aftermath of it, news had spread around the university and even though Jenny and Minwoo had been present, they figured they should at least check up on you.

"I can't believe Jaemin let you go to the pool again afterwards!"

"It's not like I've lost the ability to swim, you know. I just got a little intoxicated."

"Psh!" Jenny snorted, "a little? You got Daehyun-style intoxicated."

"And that's big- real big."

"You're quite the heartbreaker, aren't you? I heard you slapped Lay!" 

"And you're giving them hell by not telling them too," Minwoo added, earning himself a slap on the arm from his girlfriend. "I saw the way Chanyeol acted this morning. God, he's treading on eggshells around you."

"Hey, don't say that. She's got enough pressure as it is."

"Yeah, don't forget. You two were treading on eggshells around each other not that long ago either," you said. 

"True."

"Very true."

"But still-"

"You need to tell them-"

"You do know who you like, right?"

"Because-"

"Man, you two are even finishing each other's sentences now." You said, pulling a face, "ah, how frustrating."

"That's what happens sometimes when you spend too much time with the person you love."

"Oh you two make me sick. Even Sehun is nowhere near as sickening as you guys and him. You're as bad as Baekhyun."

"Is someone jealous?" Jenny cooed, "maybe you and Chanyeol should just hook up and start making us all vomit."

"You won't believe how divided people are. We've been guessing who you're going to choose since the world began."

"You turned this into a competition? What? Are people betting on me or something?"

"No, not betting."Minwoo said, trying to explain, "it's more like each of the guys have their supporters. Seohee supports Lay, I know that."

"Lay's a fart, I know that."

"And we're all for Chanyeol."

"What about the others?..." you asked cautiously. You weren't sure if you really wanted to know but you decided you wouldn't let it get in the way of your decision. "Does anyone support Kai or Kyungsoo?"

"Taejoon's for the both of them."

"Taejoonie? Really?" You were surprised that Taejoon even had an opinion. It was strange hearing how he was rooting, or at least supporting, someone who had recently been his rival. It suddenly occurred to you that perhaps he finally was moving on and that if he was, it might be onto Jinri.

"He mentioned something about liking the way Kai first treated you when you arrived. He heard about it from Sehun, I think."

"And for Kyungsoo, he likes that he's kind."

You nodded in agreement. Kai had been the reason you had survived the nightmare when you first arrived. He, along with Kris, had been the reason for meeting such an amazing group of people. As for Kyungsoo, there were no words really. Kyungsoo was caring and thoughtful, calm but funny and lively when he needed to be but first and foremost, Kyungsoo was always kind.

"Jinri's biased. She likes Chanyeol because he's good-looking."

"Jaemin's the same," you laughed, "he's got a bit of a man-crush on Kris and Chanyeol."

"Must be a sibling thing..." Minwoo said, his chin until Jenny pretended to punch him. "But I didn't know that hyung likes tall guys."

"Whatever you're thinking, stop it." Jenny said, "he'd never go for you, even if you both did like guys."

"Are you saying that I'm short?"

"Well you are, aren't you?"

"Yeah but-" Jenny raised one lone eyebrow only adding to her boyfriend's frustration, "but-"

"It's okay," you said, patting the poor soul's shoulder, "you're... funsized."

Minwoo stood up abruptly, "I hate girls. What's wrong with being funsized?!"

Jenny rolled her eyes and pulled on Minwoo's sleeve, making him sit back down. "Nothing's wrong with it, okay. Nothing. So shut up and quit complaining, okay?" she said, smiling sweetly and fluttering her eyelashes, "love you, oppa."

"I love you too."

The sight was sweet. And hearing about the things Chanyeol had to deal with whenever Baekhyun began talking about Maddie was sickening. But deep down, there was a longing. You weren't lonely, no. You had friends and brothers and people to depend on but there was still a sort of empty void that just couldn't be filled. What was it? Love- and not the platatonic kind. It was the longing to be held in such a way and to be worth the world to a person. And although you knew there were 3 and perhaps 4 if Lay could be included that did think of you in that way, you wanted them to feel the same. You could only give love to one person- one person alone.

 

 

 

---

Righty o! We're back here, back at the start. So let's put the official ending aside for a moment and now concentrate on this alternate ending. Ah, sorry for taking so long to get back up and started again... I had to do a little celebration dance for finishing the first ending! Wahoo!