'Seohee? Come out for a moment'

You giggled as Chen opened your bedroom door and Seohee slipped out. A few seconds later, she returned with a grin on her face.

'What a big softy.'

'Goodnight kiss?' You asked

She nodded and smiled, settling down in the blankets on the floor.

'He really cares about you' you said wistfully, 'I'm jealous.'

'Jealous? Of what?'

'Of you. You have Chen who loves you so much.'

Seohee blushed. 'So you want someone too?'

You shrugged. 'Yeah, I suppose. I'm old now. I'm in university. Almost everyone has a boyfriend here.'

'Is there someone in your mind?'

'Not at the moment, no. I'm waiting for the right guy'

'Do you not think... Well, what if you've already met the right guy? And you just don't know it?'

'What, like... the guys? Andwae, it's impossible.'

'Why do you say that?'

'I live with them. They know me so well. They know all my horrible habits and what not. Lay's seen me practically half twice! Twice!'

Seohee raised an eyebrow, obviously amused. So he's already seen her?

'You know, the first time we met was when he walked in on me changing.'

'So what was the second time?'

You cringed remembering the night at Daehyun's.

'Let's just say it's a night I'd rather like to forget'

'Ooh Haneul! What did you do, eh?!'

You rolled your eyes. 'I didn't do anything with Lay if that's what you're trying to hint at. More like... He rescued me out of a bad situation along with some of the others and he took care of me.'

'Lay's a really nice guy.'

'Yeah. He is. Although what he said to Taejoon tonight was out of line. I'm going to tell him off tomorrow for that.'

'Don't be too harsh on him. They all really didn't want you to leave.'

'I know. I keep doing that to them- leaving them. I need to stop thinking I'm helping them whenever I leave because all I do is hurt them more. Just like how I'm hurting Taejoon...'

'Even as your ex, you still care about Taejoon?'

'He's the boyfriend I left behind that came to find me. Even if I don't love him anymore, I still care about him. He's a good friend.'

'Nothing more?'

'Well... I don't know. I can't tell if I really like him or if I'm just falling for him because he's the only guy after me'

Seohee bellowed with laughter and you stared at her.

'Why are you laughing?'

She clutched her stomach tightly and took a few deep breaths in and out.

'Oh no, oh no. It's nothing, Haneul. Just... Open your eyes a little, you silly girl.' 

'What are you saying?' 

'There are more people than just Mr Ahn Taejoon after you.' 

You widened your eyes, staring at her in disbelief. 'What? Oh my God, who?! Tell me who!' 

The excited teenage girl in you had come out and you bounced up and down on your bed.

'Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!' 

Seohee shook her head. 'It's not my place to tell you.' 

'Oh please!' 

'No.'

'Please!'

'No! If they want to tell you, they will. I'm not doing it for them.'

'Not even a little little hint?...' You pulled a face like a sour peach. 'A teensy weensy ittle bittle hint?'

Seohee smirked and turned off the light.

'No way.'

 

---

 

The doorbell rang at the Park residence. Jaemin answered the door in his bright yellow pajama bottoms and university sweatshirt. 

'Oh... It's you? Come on in, I'll get Jinri.'

Aaron was led through and took a seat next to Jaemin on the couch who was busy playing video games. Jaemin took out his phone and swiftly sent a message to his sister.

 

Fat , you've got a visitor.

DON'T CALL ME FAT . CALL ME THAT AGAIN AND YOU WON'T LIVE TO SEE TOMORROW.

Come down, you've got a visitor!

Who?

Ahn Taejoon

Taejoon?

Yeah

I don't want to see him

Don't be a grump now, come on Jinri-ah

 

Aaron looked up from the television screen and Jaemin glanced over nervously.

'Erm, I'm just going to go see what's up with her. I think there's... a problem with our... printer or something.'

Aaron nodded. 'Yeah, sure. I'll wait, it's fine.'

Jaemin raced up the stairs and knocked on his sister's door.

'Oppa, go away.'

'Jinri-ah, what are you doing?'

'I don't want to see him if all he's going to do is talk about how upset he is because of Haneul.'

'She's one of your best friends! Look, open the door. I'm not having this conversation on the landing.'

Jinri opened her bedroom door and let her brother in. He took in the empty ice cream pot and red eyes of his younger sister and sighed.

'It's really eating up at you, huh?'

'Don't mock me. I know you like the girl in your team who's got a boyfriend.'

'Let's not bring in my personal love life when all I'm concerned about now is you, okay? He's downstairs and waiting.'

'I don't want to talk to him!'

'Why?!'

'Because... Because...'

'Hey, come on. I know you like him and you're jealous he likes Haneul but think about it a little. I already told you that she's not going to move in with him.'

'But now he's here to whine and mope about and tell me all about how sad he is. Do you know what it feels like when he talks to me about how much he likes her?'

'Hey. The girl I like tells me about how badly she's in love with her boyfriend but you wanna know what I do? I listen to her. I stick it out and stay by her side. If all I can do is be by her side as a friend then that's good enough and that should be good enough for you too.'

'Oppa-'

'Go and listen to him. Let him know he can always count on you to be there for him. Don't let this anger eat up away at you.'

'... Fine.'

'I'll send him up in 5 minutes, okay? Hide that empty ice cream tub and get out of your pajamas. We wouldn't want to scare him off now, would we?'

Jinri smiled. 'Thanks, You always seem to be able to cool me down.'

'What other use am I? As your brother, I am either your personal punchbag or your calm and sane destressor.'

'I love you'

'I know you do.'

 

A few minutes later, Jinri could hear Aaron gently padding up the stairs. He knocked on the door and came in. She smiled at him and gestured for him to lie down on her bed beside her. He took in a deep breath and exhaled loudly.

'Your parents aren't home?'

Jinri smiled. 'No, it's just oppa and I. We paid for them to go on vacation to Jeju for a few days.'

'God, I could do with a vacation.'

'Couldn't we all?'

'Anywhere but here.'

'Mmm.'

'I'm beginning to regret coming here.'

The duo lay there in silence. When it was a little past midnight, Jaemin was heard coming upstairs and at this point, Jinri turned to the boy lying beside her who had fallen asleep. She felt comforted seeing him beside her in such a state of peace and gently shook him to wake him from his slumber.

'Hey, it's late. Do you want me to get a bed ready for you?'

Aaron shook his head. 

'If you don't mind... I'd rather stay here and lie next to you.'

Jinri felt her heart skip a beat. 'What did you say?'

'I could just really do with a friend right now. I don't have anyone here in Korea but you.'

'You have Haneul.' she corrected him

'No, I've lost her to those stupid exo guys. I'm never getting her back again.'

'Well do you know what I think?'

'What do you think?'

Jinri gently placed a blanket over the both of them in the most innocent manner possible.

'I think that if she can't see what an amazing guy you are, you're better off with someone who really does care about you.'

 

---

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apologies for lack of EXO but hey, I think we needed a lil break from our boys... no? ok no, we can NEVER have a break from our babys urgh