Junhyung and I set up this dinner so I could tell the boys that the Deans adopted me, which makes me kind of nervous about this. So to get my mind off it Junhyung is just talking to me about random things. “So what topics came up yesterday with Ilhoon, you gave me the I’ll-tell-you-later-look.”

I shake my head, while I do welcome the distraction, maybe I’d like to talk about something else, but I guess I don’t have much of a choice. “I’d mentioned that Ilhoon’s birthday is coming up next week, he said we could exchange gifts late for both of our birthdays.”

“Ah, I suppose you both started hanging out a little after you birthday.” Junhyung says while nodding his head, parking in his usual spot. Getting out of the car Junhyung watches me as I pull my bag out with me. “What did you guys decide on?”

“Not to celebrate either,” I answer with a shrug. “Anyways, Oppa how’s getting ready for your solo?” I ask him worriedly, he’s been a bit moody as of late. Then again it could be unrelated to his album too.

“It’s going well, I’ve worked out a lot of the problems I was having with it.” Junhyung admits while rubbing his face. “You have another appointment tomorrow morning right?” He asks changing the subject.

“Yeah, Ian wants to know if you can take me.” I say absently, Junhyung rolls his eyes as we walk towards the elevator, as we get on he nods his head. “Sorry, I’ve had a lot going on.”

“I know, you did really well on Music Bank,” Junhyung praises me. “Mom and dad called, they want to have dinner next week with everyone.”

“Sounds like fun.” I say smiling, I love having dinner with all of Beast, Prodigy and my parents. “Remember the last time we got together and Iseul and Yoseob dropped the cake on Doojoon?” I ask chuckling, that though had been nearly two years ago now.

“That was too funny,” Junhyung agrees laughing as we get off on Beast’s floor. “Do you know how you’re going to tell them?”

“Quickly,” I answer taking a deep breath. “Oppa, you’ll always be there right?” I ask in a very quiet voice, grabbing his hand before he unlocks the door.

“Yah, I’m your big brother, I’m always going to be there for you.” Junhyung reassures me. Wrapping his arms around me and hugging me tightly he kisses the top of my head. “I don’t want you to worry about those kinds of things; I’m not going to leave.” Junhyung says sweetly.

I hug my brother tightly; his words making me feel much better already. “I won’t leave you either.” I tell my older brother happily.

Letting go of me he unlocks the door. “We’re here!” Junhyung and I call as we slip our shoes off and head towards the kitchen where everyone is busy cooking.

“Did you take the long way back from the studio?” Kikwang asks looking up from the carrots he’s currently chopping.

“Yeah,” I answer walking to the sink and washing my hands, I help him chop the remaining vegetables. “Anyways I have an announcement.” I tell the guys while concentrating on the task at hand.

I’m fully aware that I’ve gotten all of their gazes on me now. “Well then, why don’t you help with me over here after that?” Hyunseung asks gently, letting everyone get back to their own responsibilities for dinner.

After chopping the last bit of the carrots I walk over and help Hyunseung cook some of the meat that they’d bought. Helping out with dinner is always fun with the guys, though I do stop myself from eating through the process, they nag more than Junhyung does whenever I do something I shouldn’t have and when I steal bits of food when Sooyoung and Yoora make dinner.

As we all finally sit at the table, served and ready to start I take note that everyone is watching me and waiting. “It’s kind of about my breakdown,” I say starting, Junhyung rubs my back to give me some support. “About my parents, the Deans,” I say finally. The words seem a bit stuck, kind of like they just won’t come out. “They adopted me too.” I finally get out looking up at them; I take a very shaky breath after the words fall out.

No one says anything; Doojoon looks around the table before smiling at me. “Dayoungie, you’re our family too.” He says reaching over from his seat next to me, rubbing the top of my head affectionately.

And that had been the extent of it, which made me feel all the more relieved that I finally got it out.

“Have you thought about any universities?” Junhyung asks as we all sit around the living room. I send him an annoyed look, which causes some chuckling. “Dayoung, you need to think about it.”

“There wasn’t so much a need for me to look around you know,” I tell Junhyung while rolling my eyes, very comfortably. “Or for me to even think about what department I was considering, more over if I’m capable of doing it or not.” I answer my brother looking away.

“What school have you been thinking about?” Dongwoon asks curiously.

I haven’t told Junhyung what school my dad taught at, but I’m sure he can guess what department I’m thinking of. “Yonsei University, the English Language and Literature Department,” I answer honestly.

“That’s where he taught, isn’t it?” Junhyung asks when the others are at a loss. “You know, you’ll have to study really hard and focus on that. It isn’t exactly easy to be a university student and an idol.”

“That’s why I want to wait.” I tell him stubbornly. “I know that it is important I go to a university, but right now I want to focus on what I’m doing.” I say determinedly.

“Junhyung, whenever she gets that look you end up losing anyways.” Doojoon says chuckling. “Our Dayoungie can wait a little if that’s what she’s decided she needs to do.”

“Besides, shouldn’t she focus on one thing at a time anyway, being an idol and then being a student, right?” Kikwang says lobbying for me, much to my brother’s annoyance.

“Oppa, I know you worry, but I promise things will be okay.” I say smiling at him. I only say it because I mean it. Maybe everything is a little bumpy right now, but that’s how things go sometimes.

Yoseob nods his head happily while draping an arm around me. “Besides, I’m more interested in how Dayoung will cope with Ilhoon being gone for three months.”

And just as I was feeling better about things, I’m not so happy. I elbow Yoseob in the side as hard as I can manage. “Oppa, I was trying not to think about that until I had to.” I whine. We’ve been texting on and off since he landed in Busan earlier this afternoon. Getting up from the couch I head to my overnight bag by the door. Digging my phone out I check to see if I have a message from him, which I quickly reply to, I’m getting better at replying in a timely fashion.

“You rarely text us,” Hyunseung states watching me from the couch we’d piled onto. “I mean, you hardly reply back to Junhyung even.”

“I reply to the girls.” I answer looking up as I press send. I’m met by six unsatisfied looks. “Look, I’ll do better about replying to you guys too.” I say while rolling my eyes.

Junhyung’s look changes to something I’ve connected to being over-protective. “What do you guys even talk about?” He asks irritably. Oppa probably is very bothered that I don’t text him back all the time and that now that I am finally texting someone, it happens to be a boy, and that boy happens to be Ilhoon.

“Songs, dances, stress, anything really,” I answer honestly. “Oppa, you worry a lot.”

The guys chuckle, seeing as Junhyung is only getting worked up. “Yah, you’re too young to be telling me that, besides you give me too many reasons to worry.” He rants as he lets his head fall back against the cushion.

I roll my eyes in reply. Walking down the hall with my bag in tow I head to the bedroom, slipping in and laying on my brother’s bed. I continue to text Ilhoon, rather happily. Eventually I hear someone else come in, looking up I see Doojoon taking a seat on the bed next to me. “It’s just Ilhoon.”

“And that’s why it works him up so much.” Doojoon says smiling at me much like he always has. It’s the same smile you’d give a little kid. “You’ve never put another boy before Junhyung, as a brother it’s a little devastating to him.” He explains reaching over and rubbing the top of my head.

“Does it worry you too?” I ask looking at him as my bangs fall in my face; Doojoon pushes them out of my eyes and lets out a sigh. “What?”

“It only worries me because you can disappear in Cube with him, one minute you’re both in a break room or practice room, and the next thing anyone knows is that you two have suddenly dropped off that map.” He smiles at me again, an older brotherly smile. “Though you’ve always had the act for that.”

I can’t say anything without feeling bad either towards my brother and the boys who are just like brothers to me or towards Ilhoon, who I like, a lot. I watch Doojoon as he waits for a reply. “I have a good time with him, we can laugh and I don’t have to worry about anything.” I say finally, watching to see for any changes in his expression. “But I suppose you’ll see a lot of me since he’s gone for now.” I sum up with a shrug.

“Dayoung, your brother and I have both noticed just how fond you are of him, even Kikwang has noticed.” Doojoon says seriously. “And while you may be a schemer and tend to get in trouble, I know you’re smart. I’m not saying that you and Ilhoon are bad for each other, because I’m glad you’ve made more friends and opened up more, but you’ve also had a lot of emotional baggage coming out.”

“You’ve talked to Junhyung too much.” I mutter looking away, though I do feel happy knowing that they’re all looking out for me, even if they can be a little overboard sometimes. “I’ll be careful.” I answer letting out a sigh.

Doojoon smiles at me and holds his arms out for a hug. “Aigo, I wish that kid had told us about you before.” He mutters when I happily get up to hug him. “We’d have a lot.”

“You guys still a lot.” I respond giggling as he lifts me up and takes me back to the living room where the guys are all laying. I’m set down into my brother’s arms and hugged. “Oppa, you should have Doojoon delegate more often, he doesn’t yell at me as much.” I answer jokingly as I hug him back.

“Yah, I didn’t yell at all.” Doojoon answers seriously as he takes his own seat back.

Junhyung doesn’t say anything; he just has me kept close to him. So I sit next to my brother letting him get as much company from me as he can. I do however fall asleep against him, just like when we were kids.

~~~

I watch Iseul and Jinri study diligently, to calm Junhyung down I picked up some study books, by picked up I mean accepted the ones he bought me, and by some I mean a lot. I glance down at my own book, answering the questions easily.

“How are you doing?” Iseul asks as she and Jinri decide to take a break. We’ve been sitting together at the kitchen table for a couple of hours now, each of us making quite a bit of a dent in our study booklets.

Looking up from my book I smile at them. “Pretty good, and you guys?” I ask slightly amused, they’ve been worried since Ilhoon left two weeks ago, most of their worry is probably because Umma started asking about my eating habits, sleeping, making sure I was being healthy.

“It’s just, Ilhoon has been gone for a while and you’ve been here or with Beast.” Jinri says gently. “You know, you should try spending some time away from Cube, dorms or any place for schedules.” She says smiling.

“I go to the movies with you guys,” I point out, though I’m met by disapproving looks. “What?”

Iseul and Jinri share a look. “Unnie, you’re such a recluse!” She says in a very exasperated tone. “Besides it’s weird studying with you. I’m afraid to ask any questions!” Iseul says covering her face in her book.

I watch her with an amused look, since she got her rankings last week she’s been like this. Jinri and I both nod our heads. Getting up I walk to the freezer and pull out the tub of ice cream we bought last night. “You’re stressing about you exams, you know if you want me to get out more I will.” I say setting the tub on the table as Jinri grabs three spoons.

“But we’re a team still so if you need any help just ask.” Jinri finishes patting Iseul’s back soothingly. “We’re supposed to be there for each other.”

Iseul nods her head grudgingly; reaching out to me she grabs my shirt. “Unnie, it’s just you did really well on your tests, and I hardly know anything.” She says venting. I smile down at Iseul; she’s really stressed out about all the testing that’ll be starting.

“I’ll help you study if you want, but if it’s math we might need to call Dongwoon.” I offer letting her relax a bit. Eventually she lets go, but Jinri and I move her to the couch with the ice cream and spoons.

“Unnie, how did you do so well?” Jinri asks looking over at me as I take a spoonful of the chocolate ice cream, my absolute favorite.

I glance over at the two girls just watching me. “Miyoung helped me study; whenever I stayed the night at school she’d give me some pointers.” I answer while shrugging my shoulders.

Iseul rolls her eyes. “Dayoung, I meant even when you couldn’t. You just breeze through your lessons, and Jinri and I had both looked at your homework, it wasn’t a cake walk.” She says sounding slightly exasperated.

I smile at Iseul and wrap my arm around her. “Iseul, I think you need to just remember that you know a lot of stuff too, stop worrying so much about it.”

Jinri smiles in complete agreement. “Iseul, you’ll see.” She says supportively. “You’ll do amazing on your tests.”

“And when you get your scores, no matter what they are, we’ll celebrate with you.” I tell her eating another spoonful. “Sooyoung and Yoora will take us to that BBQ place and then we’ll stay up all night having fun.”

“Unnie, you sound more excited about food than about me doing well on my tests.” Iseul says slyly, in her teasing voice. “But then again I suppose, you wouldn’t be Yong Dayoung if you didn’t get excited about BBQ.”

“Hey, I’ll have you know, that everyone should get excited about BBQ.” I tell her grinning happily. Iseul, Jinri and I all giggle as we talk about other things than school for a bit. “Jinri have you picked a song for the dance cover yet?” I ask after we’ve calmed down.

“Unnie, it’s your turn to pick a song.” Jinri and Iseul say together, I must have had a blank look on my face because both girls are rolling their eyes. “You’re too forgetful; no wonder why we haven’t had practice for a song.” Jinri says chuckling while shaking her head.

“Well then, I suppose I should pick a song then.” I say with a goofy grin on my face. “I thought it was strange that Sooyoung was asking me about it yesterday.” I murmur while shaking my head. “Ah, well I’ll just have to pick something super fun then.”

“Not One Shot.” Iseul says eyeing me; she has a tired expression on her face, one that looks like she’s trying to imagine doing that song.

“While I would love to do that song, I’m absolutely positive that I do not have the will power to complete that song all the way through once.” I agree trying to picture doing that song over and over until we get it perfect. “I’ll think of something not so…exhausting.” I say finally. Getting up I put the ice cream back in the fridge and the spoons in the dishwasher.

“I thought you three were having a study day,” Yoora says. “Where is Dayoung?”

Coming through from the kitchen I smile at her. “Putting the ice cream up, a bit too much stress was getting built up.” I explain as I take my seat back on the couch, resting my head on Iseul’s shoulder. “Is it cold outside?” I ask watching as she peels off layers of clothing.

“It’s getting chilly,” Yoora mutters as she pulls her sweatshirt off. Walking around the table to sit next to me we watch the entry hall. “Sooyoung and Ian were behind me.” After a while we turn our attention back to the table instead of waiting for Unnie and Oppa. “So, has a song been picked?”

“Dayoung wasn’t even aware it is her turn to pick.” Iseul says giggling, more so when I nudge her. “She’s thought it’s been Jinri’s turn.”

“How are you so forgetful?” Yoora teases as our Leader and Manager come through the door. “What happened?”

“Oppa got a call for a drama,” Sooyoung says shaking her head. “Anyways, what shall we have for dinner?” She asks collapsing next to Yoora.

Ian comes in and sees us, a smile spread across his face. “You all look tired,” He says taking a seat in what we’ve dubbed to be his chair. “We can order pizza tonight.”

“I like pizza.” I second with a huge grin on my face. “What about you Iseul, pizza, pizza is good for studying.” I say enticingly.

“Oppa, look what you’ve done.” Yoora says giggling when I get a nod from Iseul.

Sooyoung chuckles nodding her head in agreement. “We haven’t had pizza in a long time, besides I’m not sure I have it in me to make dinner tonight.” She says yawning. “How was studying?”

“Long,” Iseul, Jinri and I answer mimicking Sooyoung’s yawn. “We decided to distress some.” Iseul answers as she cuddles into the couch.

“That sounds like a plan.” Yoora says as she yawns as well. “Unnie you brought home yawns!” She giggles as Sooyoung yawns again.

“I’ll go order; you guys should get some proper rest.” Ian-oppa says getting up, stretching as he goes to the counter. “The usual pizza?”

The five of us chorus a unified answer. “Yes, thank you oh great and wonderful Ian!” Giggling when he snorts in reply, muttering something about me being too big of an influence on the other four girls.

I actually wrote this last week, I'm trying to write a chapter ahead so that
I can update on a weekly basis again.
^^
Let me know what you guys think~!