Sojin's POV

 

Minhyuk insisted on eating with me everyday for that week. Even though I always refused to enter the cafeteria, he sat with me outside and ate with me. A part of me felt happy for having him, while the other part of me felt guilty. I wasn't the friend people wanted, and I knew that he got treated worse, only by hanging around me. The harrasment during the breaks stopped, since Minhyuk always looked out for me, but he had no power over what happened inside the classroom. Paperballs, words and notes, all of those things increased since they couldn't get it out of their system any other way. But I didn't show the hurt infront of Minhyuk, it wasn't his job to make my life easy. 

 

When friday came, I walked slowly home from school. The fact that Dongsung would be there when I got home was making me nauseous. Not that he was mean towards me or looking down at me, but because he was so perfect. Good looking, smart, kind, funny and popular. Never had he felt how it was to be unloved or unwanted. All that I felt everyday. When I pushed the door open, the first thing that I noticed was how it smelled. It was his cologne. He had arrived. I closed the door behind me, and laughter could be heard from the living room. They were laughing, and I was going to ruin their good mood. I slowly walked up to the door opening, and saw a happy family. Mom was sitting in her usual armchair, with an unusual smile on her lips and her cheeks had gotten a little red from eagerness. In the sofa, dad was sitting, with a proud look on his face and a discrete smile on his lips. And next to him, Dongsung was seated. His jet black hair was perfectly arranged on his head, and his radiating smile lit up his whole face. I felt like an intruder, and shifted my weight to my other leg. The small movement caught my brothers attention, and he turned his head towards me. He smiled even bigger and got up from the sofa.

 

"Hi, Sis!" he said as he walked up to me, pulling me into a hug. 

 

I awkwardly patted his back, waiting for him to let me go. His arms had gotten stronger. When he finally released me, he smiled down at me, looking at my face. I noticed the disapproving looks I recieved from our parents over his shoulder.

 

"How's it been?" he asked me, not noticing the sudden coldness in the room.

 

"Good", I answered shortly. 

 

"You sure?" he asked, pulling his eyebrows together.

 

"Yes", I answered.

 

"What happened with your cheek?" he asked me worriedly, focusing his gaze upon it. 

 

There was still a faint bruise on it, and I quickly covered with my hand. Dongsung was observant, seeing everything with clear eyes. Still, he'd never said anything about the situation at home or my school.

 

"I tripped", I answered quickly.

 

He gave me a serious look, obviously not buying my poor excuse, but he didn't argue with me. 

 

"I'm going to take a shower", I said, backing out of the room.

 

"Do it quickly, the guests are arriving soon", mom's cold voice told me.

 

Of course. They had to show off their son, that was visiting us from his exclusive and expensive school. 

 

Minhyuk's POV

 

I was lying on my bed, staring up at the ceiling. For two days, I wouldn't see Soijn. It felt like a terribly long time. But Peniel and Ilhoon had promised me to do something that saturday, so it would hopefully make the time pass faster. Two fast knocks appeared on my door, and mom opened it.

 

"Oh, good, you're not busy. Could you help your father to put up some boxes on the attic? I don't want him doing that on his own", she said, frowing disapprovingly over her husband.

 

"Sure", I said, swinging my legs over the bed and getting up.

 

Dad had been having troubles with his back, so badly that he had to stay home from work. He was a carpenter, running his own business, but for the moment he was just keeping out for his business, letting someone else do the physical work. I found the old man in the dining room, staring at the four boxes infront of him like he was preparing himself for something horrible.

 

"Need any help?" I asked, raising my eyebrows teasingly.

 

"It's just to take one, please", he answered with a grin.

 

I took two at the same time, just to piss him off a little, and then made my way up to the attic. There was some spiderweb in the ceiling, but otherwise the place was in good condition. I placed the boxes in a corner, where they wouldn't be in the way. Dad came right behind me, breathing heavily from the stairs.

 

"Well, I'm certainly not seventeen anymore", he breathed, placing the box next to mine. 

 

"You don't say", I said sarcastically.

 

He gave me a look, before he placed his broad hands on his hips. He was a kind man, and I looked up to him. He was also perfect for my stressed mom, making her take it slow when she got a little too worked up.

 

"Well, one more box, then we'll be completely moved in", he said happily.

 

"Again", I added.

 

He looked at me with a tired expression. 

 

"Minhyuk..."

 

"I know, I know. I'm just saying, this isn't the first time we've done this", I said, putting my hands up.

 

He pursed his lips while he looked at me with a pondering expression. I raised one eyebrow at his look.

 

"You like that girl? Sojin, was it?" he suddenly asked.

 

"Wh-what? No, I don't", I protested, my cheeks getting hot.

 

He grinned at me, patting my shoulder.

 

"It's okay, son", he chuckled.

 

I sighed, admitting my defeat. I looked at him, and he smiled kindly at me.

 

"How did you know?" I asked.

 

"You've been awfully smiley this week, like a little girl. And everytime you got asked about what it was, you just giggled", he said, making me blush harder.

 

"No I didn't", I protested.

 

"If you say so", he said, beginning to walk towards the stairs.

 

"I didn't!" I called after him.

 

"Mhm", he replied before he disappeared down form the attic.

 

But it was true, that I liked Sojin. I just wasn't sure on how I liked her, she was a bit more complicated than the other persons I'd met. But it was interesting, seeing her slowly open up to me. Keeping me hooked.