The first few periods are over and it is time for lunch.  I take a seat with Sylvia at a table near the doors that let us out for recess.  Sylvia seems to still be in a daze and I have given up on trying to snap her out of it.

"Sylvia, I have a problem," I start.  She looks at me now and looks as if she has possibly gotten over that Hyunseong came near her.

"What's wrong?" she asks.

"Okay, look, there was a guy that acted like a jerk to me so I have kind marked him as an enemy.  Later, we found out that we share a friend.  Now that friend is trying to fix things between us through a dinner.  I agreed to go but my guardian said she wants to meet him first.  HOWEVER, I don't want the dude and his friends over at my place.  What should I do?" I ask her.

Sylvia thinks about it a little.  "Hmm, that's a toughie," she says as she rubs her chin in thoughtfully.  She goes silent as she thinks and I'm about to do the same when her eyes widen a little and she gives me an excited look that includes waving her hands.  But just as quickly as she showed me the look, her face changes back to being stumped.  "I got nothing," she answers after a few seconds.

I sigh.  "I hope my oppa doesn't try to beat him up.  I told him that the guy who bothered me was the one who invited me and he said he wanted to meet him too," I say frustrated.  

"Wait, you have a brother?" she asks, going off topic.

"Yeah.  Well no.  I mean, it's a long story but I basically think of him as a brother," I tell her.  For some reason I just can't get myself to tell her that I am an orphan that lives at an orphanage.

"Oh, I see," she replies.  A few seconds go by and suddenly she is rising up to stand and has the excited look again although this time it seems to stay.  "I've got it!" she says as she slams her palms down on the table.  A few kids turn around to look at where the sound came from but look away again when they see it's Sylvia.

"Why don't you make them meet your brother first!  Don't let him know who the jerk is and introduce them!  Then..." she seems to frown at this but she continues.  "You're not gonna like this but I don't think there's a way around it," she says cautiously.

I sigh and nod at her to continue.  She exaggerates a huge breathe and continues.  "Okay, here goes.  You're going to have to take them to your place."  I knew she would say this but actually hearing it makes me let out a groan.

"Hear me out!" she responds defensive and continues.  "You can make yourself busy by like doing chores or something and have your brother take them to your guardian.  This way, you won't have to feel awkward 'escorting them' and then, after they are done, you can meet up with them again or just say your good-byes and go on with your life," she says smiling.

I ponder about this a little but I feel a smile coming on.  "This actually might work!" I exclaim.  No having to deal with their shock of finding out I'm an orphan and no need to be around the thieves and the jerk, I think.  Brilliant.

"Thank Sylvia!  You just made my day!" I say smiling and give her a hug.  Sylvia just smiles and hugs me back, giving me encouraging pats.  "You can do this Nabila!  Hwaiting" she says and then lunch is over and we're off to our different classes.

*     *     *     *     *

As school ends, I get ready to burst out of the building and tell Yoseob oppa the news.  We are having homeroom now and we basically just gather our belongings and prepare to leave.  I see Hyunseong and Jeongmin oppa in the midst of people and walk up to them.

"Hey guys!  Can you come over today?" I ask.

"Nabila!" Jeongmin oppa exclaims in a surprised way.  Then the look seems to vanish as quickly as it came and he's giving me a hug, wrapping one arm around my shoulders and smiling.  

"Yeah, Hyunseong was just telling me about that.  Is it okay if we come over?" he asks.

"Yeah, I just have to tell my oppa once we get out."

Both oppas look surprised with raised-eyebrows.  "You have a brother?" Hyunseong asks.

"Well, he's not my blood brother but I basically think of him as a brother," I explain.  No need to give them the news yet.  I'll let Yoseob handle that.

"Oh I see," he answers.  

"I'll meet you at the front of the building, okay?  Come, like, a few minutes later."

"Sure, meet you there!" they answer as the bell rings and dismissal is declared.

I hurry out of the building and, just like I thought, Yoseob oppa is waiting for me.  I smile as I see him and am about to run to him happily until I remember our little argument.  Okay, time to apologize.

I run to him and give him a pouncing hug.  "Hi oppa!" I say.  Oppa doesn't respond.  He seems to be still upset about what happened in the morning.  "Oppa, are you still mad at me?" I ask him, feeling my eye get big and puppy-like.  "Hmph," is the only reply he gives.

"Oppa!  I wanted to say sorry to you after that but you ran off and I was getting late for school," I say with those big eyes.  "Oppa, please don't be mad.  I'm sorry, okay?  Look, I'm even going to let you meet the dudes first, okay" I say as I spread an arm out in the direction of the oppas just coming out.

Now oppa stirs.  He sighs.  "It's okay, I'm not upset anymore.  I'm sorry too.  I guess I do sometimes overreact," he says as a smile comes on his face and he ruffles my hair, making me smile too.  "Okay, let's meet them."  Just as he is about to start walking, I stop him.  "Hold on oppa."  I bite my bottom lip as my plan starts rolling into action.  "I'll introduce you to them, walk with you home but them run inside first...okay?"  I look up into oppas eyes, wondering how he will react.

Oppa's eyes widen at first, but then he just nods as if understanding how I feel.  "Sure Nabila.  Don't worry, I'll handle it," he says patting my shoulder.  "Now let's go meet them."

As we walk towards them, the oppas finally notice us coming towards them as Jeongmin oppa points over at us.  "Hey guys.  Oppa, this is Jeongmin, Hyunseong, Minwoo, Youngmin, Kwangmin, and Donghyun.  Guys, this is Yoseob oppa."  Everyone exchanges greetings and then suddenly Donghyun oppa says, "Wait, aren't you the girl that bumped into me on the first day of school?"  Everyone looks up as I nod.  "Ahh, I see now." Donghyun says nodding and smiling while I just smile and nod, not knowing what to do with his reaction.

We walk home with the guys making small talk.  I talk too in case the oppas start to feel like I'm avoiding them but the tension of them finding out where I live is killing me.

As we get to the orphanage gates, I tell the oppas I have some things to take care of and that Yoseob oppa will get them there as I run ahead.  The oppas look like they want to object but keep it in for politeness's sake.  I enter the building, tell Ms. Yun about my "friends" coming over and run into my room saying I have some things to take of.  I change into some comfortable clothes and prepare for my long wait while doing homework and grabbing snacks from the eating area.  

I know the oppas are here when I hear all the kids running around excited and asking a lot of questions.  I crawl over to my door and risk a peek.  

"Are you all Nabila's boyfriends?" asks little Lily, tugging at Hyunseong oppa's pants.  I freeze.  Serioulsy Lily?  Wae do you do this to me?!  

"Umm, we're not her boyfriends but we are her friends...that are boys."  Oppa looked like he was going a little red but I couldn't really tell.  

"Right, so you're her boyfriend," Lily continued innocently.  

Oh god, I thought, feeling my own face go red.  Luckily for oppa, Ms. Yun came along to meet them and I saw her talk to Lily in a low voice and point to my room.

Oh no.  I scooted across my small room and landed on my bed with a book in hand as Lily opened my door.  "Nabila, your friends that are boys are here!" she said chirpily as she opened the door wide enough for the whole world to see.  "Thank you Lily," I said shooing her away and walking over to the oppas, closing the door behind me.

"Hey guys. You finally got here.  So, what do you think?" I said biting my lip.

"It's awesome!" Jeongmin oppa exclaims quickly but I feel like he is stretching the truth as the other oppas nod excitedly but in a daze.

"Okay, you boys can come with me.  We can talk, have some tea, then we can have Nabila here give you a tour before you have to go," Ms. Yun said clapping her hands together and smiling.  "Umm, Ms. Yun, I'm supposed to be on chore duty today," I said nervously.  I don't know if I could handle giving them a tour after they find out about my being an orphan and I hope Ms. Yun will get the message I'm giving her.

Fortunately, Ms Yun understood and asks Yoseob oppa to give the tour instead.  As the guys walk off, I slink off to do the oh-so-many-chores that are now popping into my head at random.

Minwoo's Perspective

Nabila ran off, leaving us with the adult.  Her so called "guardian".  I see Jeongmin and Hyunseong hyung looking a little upset but that's probably only because they are actually fond of her.  I haven't really liked her or coming here but then again I was the one who suggested this idea in order to try and get to know her better so we, meaning the maknaes, don't feel too upset with her being chosen.  Whatever.  At least there's another guy with us who Nabila claims is her brother.

We follow Ms. Yun into an area that looks like it's supposed to be a dining room but it has coloring books everywhere with a rug and little kid chairs.  "Sorry for the mess but this being an orphanage and all with a lot of young children, you'll have to understand it's hard to ever keep the place tidy for more than a few minutes," Ms. Yun says smiling reassuringly as we take a seat at a table meant for adults.  The table has steaming cups of tea already set out with a platter of cookies in the middle.  Orphanage.  Now that I look around, it really does look like an orphanage and I suddenly remember the sign I glanced at quickly when we entered the building.

"So how do you young men know Nabila?"

"We met her in school and now we're pretty good friends," Jeongmin hyung says smiling.

"Oh, I see.  Well that's nice.  Nabila used to have a hard time with making friends but I guess she's improving.  You'll have to understand.  Nabila has been through...a lot."  Ms. Yun looks next to us at Yoseob and when I follow her gaze I see him shaking his head.  Ms. Yun nods then continues.

"Well, if you young men could give me you contact numbers, I will be happy to let her go to your dinner on Friday," Ms. Yun says taking a sip of tea.

Donghyun hyung takes charge now.

"Actually, Ms. Yun.  We also have another matter to talk to you about."

Ms. Yun looks up from sipping her tea, her eyes a mix of anxiety and concern.

For some time Donghyun hyung gives her our full introduction and our real purpose for coming here.  Ms. Yun's and Nabila's brother's eyes both widen but then return to normal as we explain what will happen.

"That wonderful!  Oh, Nabila will be shocked and happy and- Oh my!  This really is wonderful!"  Ms. Yun has an extremely joyous glint in her eyes at this news while even Yoseob seems to grin.

"But you must keep it a secret.  Please don't tell her before we do," Leader hyung says, giving a stern look at both people as they solemnly nod.

*     *     *     *     *

After we finish our little snack (which I will say is more for adults), Yoseob hyung gives us the grand tour.  After getting past our talk, he seems to trust us now and has lost some of his mysterious gloom.

"Are you really Nabila's brother?" Hyunseong asks.

Yoseob hyung looks at him and smiles but he seems to look a little pink but that may just be his natural skin.  

"Well, we've known each other since she first came here, which was when she was around 11.  I was the first to approach her since all the other kids were too busy with their feelings of "unwantedness" and depression so we became close.  Why, is that what she told you?"

"She told us you weren't her blood brother but still basically a brother."  Yoseob just nods.

"Can you tell us a little about her?  She hasn't really said much about her past and we haven't really asked," Jeongmin hyung says.

We walk along for a bit until we come to a room with some little kids and babies.  Nabila seems to be baby-sitting with a baby in her arms and a small bottle of milk to his mouth.

"Well, I guess I can but don't bring it up too often to her.  She still a bit in grief even though a lot of time has passed."

He looks at us for confirmation and continues once we nod.

"Well, it's like this.  Nabila was from a pretty successful family.  Her dad had many businesses all over the world and her mom had a type of job that she could do while still have a family.  Nabila also had a younger brother named Rafi in her family with who she got along with for brother and sister.  Her family was the type that liked to focus on work but still somehow manage to have family time.  

When the tragedy happened, Nabila was on an overnight trip with her school.  I had heard that while she was there, her dad had gotten into a plane crash as he was returning from one of his many business trips.  We heard that the plane probably crashed because there was a huge storm happening.  Her mom took Nabila's brother with her in a car as soon as she heard what happened and started to speed over to the accident site.  However, the storm was still happening with rain spilling literally waterfalls and her mom was driving really fast.  So what happened was that the car slipped off the highway and BAM-" he claps his hands softly, "they had their own accident and they were gone."

Everyone looks over at Nabila now.  I guess you can say we all saw her in a slightly different light now.  Yoseob hyung continued.

"Nabila's school trip had finished by then and when she got home she was met by some officers.  You see, they would've had her family members deliver the news instead so she could grieve with close ones but her family was all in Bangladesh so they had to do the job.  After receiving the news, Nabila had two choices.  1) She could live at her house if they found a guardian willing to move in and take care of her or 2) sell her house, have all the money saved up and go to an orphanage.  After speaking to their family lawyer, which, lucky for her was a really close family friend, Nabila chose the second choice.  It also seemed that her dad had thought something might happen so he already had a will stating that all property will go to his immediate family and they could use it however.  Nabila's lawyer thought that what ever orphanage she went to, she and the orphanage should benefit by some of the inheritance money going there."

I look at Nabila again.  She looks like another person.  Not the crabby, childish person I saw when I first met her.  Sure, I still didn't like her but I felt more of an understanding for why she is the way she is.  I hear Kwangmin hyung mutter sadly, "I think I wanna give back the Pikachu" but have no idea what he means.

"Nabila is still a little upset because she feels that the deaths were her fault.  She had always begged her dad to come home quickly and then..." he starts to trail off, his eyes full of pain as he looks at Nabila, his jaw visibly clenching.

"Even though she acts like she hates the world at times or that she's tough and she can take anything, really she's still the scared little girl trembling from what other misfortunes might happen in her life."

We all look at Nabila again and this time, when I look closer, I see a tear start to roll down her cheek but she quickly wipes it away as she puts the sleeping baby in a crib and kisses it's forehead.  She seems to be scolding herself as she lightly slaps her cheeks and walks off towards another part of the room, shaking her head slightly as if to wake up.

We continue to walk on as Yoseob continues with his tour but everyone is pretty quiet now.  Some of the hyungs even look like they were the ones who became orphans.   But then again I kind of do too.  I guess that's how an orphanage makes you feel.

Once we're done, Yoseob catches up with Nabila and manages to show no sad emotions from what he told us.

"Nabila!  We're done with everything.  Ms. Yun got contact numbers, she said yes and I gave them the grand tour," he says smiling.

Nabila smiles too.  "That's great!  Thanks oppa."  

Then she turns to us.  "Do you guys wanna hang out more or do you have some things to do?"

"Oh, we actually do have to go.  You know, parents and school work.  But if you want, I guess we can spare an hour or two," Jeongmin hyung says trying to smile.

She just smiles again.  "No, it's okay.  I mean, having the same classes and all, I know we have A LOT to do.  See you guys tomorrow then?"

We all nod, saying our good-byes.  "Wait, Minwoo."

I turn around as Nabila runs up to us.  "For Friday, do I have to wear casual clothes or formal?"

What kind of question is that?  "Just wear whatever you want.  I don't think it matters."

"Oh but it does matter my friend," she says smiling like a know-it-all.  "I mean, what if I came in wearing jeans while you guys were wearing suits or something?"

Jeongmin hyung comes out of nowhere and says, "Formal.  Wear something nice and fancy, okay?"

Nabila nods happily, thanks Jeongmin hyung and runs off after saying good-bye.

Then I turn on Jeongmin hyung.

"Seriously.  'Formal.'  Why'd you have to say that for?"

"Well I think she wants us to wear suits or something and for her to wear something fancy.  Didn't she just basically say that in her example?" he says smiling and patting my shoulder then walking off to catch up with everyone else.

Jeez, what does he think he is?  A mind reader or something?

But since I can't change it now, I just run the distance between me and the hyungs and catch up in no time.

Oh the joy of running with wind rushing against my face.

Annyeong readers!!

I'm SO SORRY for not writing in like FOREVER

(Hey, I was upset too  :[ )

Anyway, hope this long chapter makes up for it!!

Hope you guys and girls like it!!!

Also, you know what imma ask so just "go with the flow" and please do it  ^0^ !!!!

Q of the Day:

How do you tease your friends both in school and out of school?
(If you wanna know my answer, look at my blog post of Name Meanings or something :3)