[EDITED]

2^nd Brick: Mocking Meal

After hugging and joking with each other, Andy and Mia pulled off from the embrace and laughed while Andy was taking away her treacherous tears. 

“I’m really happy to see you, princess” he said in english and smiled to her. “C’mon, the guys are waiting” Andy grabbed her hand but she refused to move, hesitant.

“Say, brother, shouldn’t you release my hand? You have a reputation to hold” she tried to take her hand back but Andy held her tightly.

“I see you as my younger sister, Mia, c’mon!” Andy pulled her and both started to walk into the restaurant.

Just as Andy had told her the guys were waiting already; they took their seats. Eric was at the head of the table, at his right was Hyesung and an empty chair; Minwoo, Junjin and Dongwan were at his left, leaving the other head available for Andy. Junjin was about to jump from his chair to be a gentleman and move her chair, but unfortunately for him Hyesung was faster and closer. Just then, Minwoo and Junjin realized that Andy and Mia were holding hands.

“Yah~, are you a couple or what?” Junjin said, looking as if his chance was flying away.

“We? A couple?” Mia looked at Andy with big eyes while Andy looked at her just equally shocked. Both made a disgusted face to each other and then laughed.

“She’s like family!” Andy answered and both smiled childishly.

They ordered something light since it was Mia’s first time in a foreign country and usually the korean cuisine is kind of spicy. They were chatting lively, Mia participated every once in a while since she was busy trying to grasp every little conversation they had; Andy looked her attempts to understand everything. He knew she was smart but sometimes his hyungs were pretty noisy and everyone talked at the same time.

“They are making me dizzy” she whispered to Andy and he chuckled.

“Hyung-deul, slowly, please” he said to his brothers.

“Hey! What side are you on?! Traitor!” she hit his shoulder playfully. “Sorry, guys, seriously I understand everything but everyone is talking just too fast!” she puffed her cheeks like a baby girl.

Hyesung looked at her dazed by her beauty and her pouty lips. How come she was so good at doing aegyo when she was from another country? He was about to ask this to Andy, but Junjin butted in.

“Say Mia, we’re curious…” Junjin started. “Ehm…, how old are you?” They looked how she smiled bouncy.

“Yah! You can’t ask a woman her age, Jin-ah!” Dongwan hit his dongsaeng’s head and she giggled. Then she looked at Andy who nodded.

“I don’t mind, Wannie~” she covered when she realized her mistake. “Sorry, Dongwan, I’m sorry” Andy laughed then, happily. “Andy, don’t make fun of me!”

But then everyone started laughing and she was taken aback at how wonderful their laughs sounded in unison. It was the first time Mia saw Hyesung and Eric laughing like maniacs since they were holding their stomachs; Minwoo and Junjin had tears in their eyes; and Dongwan was smiling and giggling behind his hand. Now everyone was laughing at her; oh she wanted to cry now. She hid her face between her hands and stayed there for about two or three minutes waiting for them to stop. She was going to kill her brother when she could.

“Mia, Mia!” Eric’s voice came and she just closed her eyes embarrassed, then a big warm hand held her shoulder. “Sorry, we’re not laughing at you, really...”

“I don’t mind if you call me Wannie, Mia” Dongwan said still giggling. “I really like it.”

“Oh really?” She lifted her head with a big grin on her face. Everyone looked at her confused, wasn’t she crying?

“Yah! We thought you were crying!” Minwoo said, shocked.

“Got ya’!” She then snapped her fingers and pointed to Minwoo, giggling.

“Andy-ah! Did you teach her every little aegyo you know or what?!” Hyesung said suddenly, smiling stupidly.

“More like she taught me every little aegyo she has” Andy surrounded her with his arm. “Right?”

“Oh, but you’re cuter than me” she nudged him.

“Hell no!” Junjin yelled, grinning. And everyone laughed again.

“So, where were we?” Andy said, after the laugh stopped.

“My age!” Mia answered cheerful. “Try guessing” she said, slurping from her beverage. She heard: 22, 24, 25, and smiled. “Oh boys, keep thinking that way, please…” She sang happily and chuckled. Andy trembled giggling.

“Yah! Now, why are you laughing like crazy?” Eric asked his maknae.

“She’s mocking you all” Andy told them and looked at Mia. “Tell them the truth; they aren’t going to believe you anyway.”

“Thank you, brother, seriously as far as I’m concerned they could keep that age in their heads” Mia left his glass on the table. “I’m almost 29, western age.”

“MWOYA?!” Junjin, Minwoo, Hyesung, Dongwan and Eric yelled at her, stunned.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Minwoo said in disbelief.

“Told you, sis’” Andy winked at her.

They kept chatting for about another two hours. Even when Mia told them to get back to their activities either of the members wanted to leave the place since the girl was taking all their attention. After their meal, Andy suggested take her to somewhere nice and calm; so they ended at a cafeteria near Han River having coffee. Every member were easily dazed and attracted to Mia; Andy saw how relaxed they were around his best friend and thought how much he missed her in the past 12 years.

She was telling them about her story; how she met Andy as her neighbor and about many things like what did she do the past twelve years in Los Angeles. She had a degree in business administration, plus a master degree in marketing; also she had a degree as an english teacher. They were amazed at how hard-working she was.

“How long are you staying in Korea?” Dongwan asked.

“I don’t know…” she took her cup to her lips, “I’m thinking to settle here for a while.”

“What?” Andy asked in english, not understanding her answer. “How about grandma?”

Everyone saw how the cup in her hands suddenly trembled and her beautiful gray eyes got clouded with sorrow and pain. Oh, granny, Mia thought of the past year she had in Los Angeles; a horrible year. The guys looked at each other, Hyesung even took the cup from her hands because she seemed flustered; she was so cheerful and suddenly this girl was just as blue as her coat.

“Are you okay, Mia?” Eric’s voice pulled her from her thoughts.

She blinked a couple of times. “Ah, yeah” she bit her lower lip and then took a deep breath. “Grandma… She…” Mia couldn’t dare to speak, the wound was still bleeding. She clenched her fists, fighting the tears and the void inside. She wanted to brace herself and try to calm the monster inside. “The cancer won…” it was everything she could say.

Then, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath once, twice; trying really hard to calm her feelings and the bitter tears that had formed in her eyes; it had been just three months. The wind blew just then waving her hair behind her back and she smiled calmly.

“What?” Andy murmured in shock; the rest of the members removed uncomfortable.

Mia shrugged and looked at her best friend, smiling bitterly. Andy felt so sorry for her. He knew that her grandmother was everything she had in the world. Her parents died in a car accident when she was five years old and she was raised by her grandmother on her father’s side; losing her was almost like losing her parents all over again. “I’m so sorry, Mia” and he embraced her in his arms, trying to comfort her. Andy felt when she placed her head over his shoulder in a sweet way, and he also knew that everyone was staring at them. But she was his best friend, so he didn’t mind.

“We’re sorry too, Mia” Dongwan smiled at her from his place; she liked him even more, he was like an older brother.

“Yeah, you came here to have fun and we reminded you about your grandma” Minwoo said and pouted.

“Yah, stop staring at me like I’m a pitiful puppy” she frowned and pulled off from Andy’s arms.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Andy asked in english.

“Oh, sure. Hi Andy, just to let you know, my grandma died, but don’t worry, I’ll be fine” she mixed both languages and looked at Andy rising an eyebrow.

“That’s not what…” Andy tried to justify himself.

“I know, Andy” she smiled, conciliatory. “It was a hell of a year though.”

“That’s why you’re here?” Eric asked.

“Yup” she nodded a little more cheerful, “grandma had this big amount of money from my parents when they were gone and kept saving money for me.”

“Why didn’t you stay in Los Angeles?” Minwoo asked.

“It was grandma’s last wish. She said that there were something bigger waiting for me outside the States” She sighed. “So I’m here! I’m trying to collect my pieces and build a new life.”

“That’s pretty awesome, princess” Junjin said under the astonished gaze of his brothers.

“Hey! Who are you to call my princess, princess?” Andy narrowed his eyes.

“It’s the first time I see you this jealous, Andy-ah” Eric mocked him.

“She’s my sister, for God’s sake! And he’s a womanizer!” He pointed to Junjin who was stunned.

“Hey!” Mia nudged Andy, “let me handle this, ok? I’m a grown up woman, you know.”

“B-but he’s a player!” Andy tried to reason with her.

“Well, nice to meet you, Mr. Player. I’m the Coach!” She said in english and offered her hand to Junjin who took it not knowing what she said.

Hyesung and Eric laughed fully understanding the meaning behind her words. She wasn’t stupid, and as far as they knew she was fully aware of Junjin and his antics. Junjin asked them to translate but Mia looked at them, significantly.

“Don’t you dare!” She told them pointing at each one; both raised their hands, afraid of her. “Andy, I’m tired. Can you take me to my hotel?” Mia asked to her brother.

“Are you staying at a hotel?” Andy blinked. “You could stay at my place, sis.”

“I don’t want to bother you, bro, and I’m a lady, so I need my space” she took her purse and the guys stood up immediately. “Ah, I can get used to this kind of manners” she said and smiled. “Thank you for everything, guys! It was nice to meet you!” She bowed her head.

“I’m surprised you didn’t jump over them and gave them a good bye-american-kiss” Andy .

“Shut up!” She said annoyed hitting Andy with her purse.

“You know, Hyesung-ah and I still can understand you” Eric sang and approached her; he leaned forward and gave her a peck on her cheek. “Bye-bye, Mia, it was nice to meet you!” Her cheeks turned a bit pink.

“It was a pleasure, princess” Hyesung leaned forward too and kissed her cheek.

“YAH! That’s low!” Junjin yelled and approached her too, giving her a sweet kiss on her cheek. “Hope to see you soon!”

“Good bye, Mia, give me a call if you need anything, ok?” Minwoo gave her a small card with his number; she nodded.

“You’re a good girl, I’m sure you’ll do it great here” Dongwan gave her a kiss too.

“Yah! Which part of she’s my sister you didn’t get?!” Andy frowned and pulled her from his friends. “Let’s go!”

“Bye-bye, guys!!” She waved to them while Andy dragged her out the café, sulking like a kid.