“Hey can you help me with this problem?” Kevin turned around and asked you with his big brown puppy dog eyes

“Sure, which one?” You turned your attention to him as the bell rang and the rest of the class quickly packed up their things and left. You and Kevin were the only ones in the room. You helped him finish the problem as he began to pack up his things.

“Thank you, for helping me. I have so many questions for you to answer. I wish I could stay for longer but I can’t” Kevin said as he pushed the last notebook in his backpack and zipped up the bag.

“No problem. Where do you have to go? Maybe we could meet up after?” You said as he stood up and you stood up as well. He pushed one of his textbooks off of the desk and into his hand.

“Oh I just have to go to rehearsal for this little group that I sing and dance with.” Kevin tried to make it sound insignificant

“That sounds like so much fun!” You became excited as you packed your things away grabbing some of your extra textbooks in your hand.

“Would you like to come?” Kevin asked as he saw your face light up as you fervently nodded your head. He smirked as he turned and walked to the door. You followed him down the school halls as your sneakers squeaked against the newly cleaned floors. Kevin led you to a medium sized dance room.

“You can sit over on the couch if you want.” Kevin suggested as you nodded and headed over to the black couch as Kevin ed his shirt a little and took off his sweater vest, rolling up the sleeves. Other guys started flooding the space; you curled yourself trying to cover up yourself as more guys filled the space. They all huddled around Kevin, whispering and looking over at you. You felt your cheeks burn as you tried to cover yourself up, trying to make yourself invisible.

“Guys I would like to you meet ________. She helps me out in math, I thought that she could come and watch” Kevin held your hand and helped you from the couch as each of the guys looked at you thinking to themselves.

“Aren’t you in my English class?” One of them asked turning to another

“She is in my art class” One of the members whispered

“She is in my Music class” Another member commented

“I see her in the library quite often” Yet another member said

“So you all know her then” Kevin piped up, the other members got really silent and looked down at their feet, you did too. “Well I am glad to have her here” Kevin said trying to break the awkward silence that hung in the air. He patted you back as you mouthed ‘thank you’ to him. The members dispersed and undressed, just like Kevin had did. You pulled out your homework and tried to finish more before you got home so that you could rest. A song started playing after they finished warming up; you moved your head from one side to the other as the song carried you. You recognized the song, hearing it here and there on the radio. The guys started dancing and went over the newly acquired moves that they had learned last time. The song repeated through the speakers as you picked up the lyrics quite quickly.

Your books lay in your lap as you watched all of them dance, smiling and singing with them as they practiced for a couple of hours. When they finished one member came up to you as you closed your books.

“I am sorry that I didn’t say hi before. My name is Soohyun, this is Eli, AJ, Hoon, Dongho, Kiseop and you know Kevin. I am really glad that you came to watch us, feel free to come back again.” All of the members clapped as you covered your smile with your hands as you started to cry from all of the welcoming words that you had just heard.

“Yah you are making her cry, Soohyun!” Eli rushed to your side as the rest of the members followed making you cry harder.

“I think I’d better go” You said as you ducked around the members and pulled your bag and books from the couch. You ran out the door before any of them had any idea of what had happened. Seconds later you felt a buzz in your pocket from your phone.

Mianhae – K

You read the single worded text that Kevin had sent you, typing back

It isn’t your fault. I am just too shy around people. I really enjoyed your practice and friends.

You walked out of the building, leisurely walking to your house, under the dimly lit street lights that were barely flickering due to the sunset that was in the horizon.

I hope you come back tomorrow – K

I will!

Talk to you tomorrow then! – K

You reached your home as you finished your conversation with Kevin. You pushed open the door to an empty house. You sighed and walked to your room as your mind wandered to the new group of guys that you had just met. Your walls were plain as you were nobody special, just another face in the crowd. You sat on your bed as you pulled out your homework for the long night a head.

The next morning you got up early and threw on some clothes as you grabbed your bag and ran out the door. You walked hastily to the school as you pulled the door open. You found the room that the group had practiced in before. You the stereo as the song that was on repeat last time started to play. You danced like you were one of the members. Singing along to the lyrics that you had memorized when they were here, you danced through the song a couple more times before someone’s voice caught your attention.

“You are really graceful!” Kiseop said as he stood there in his sweat pants and old t shirt with a white cap on top of his head.

“O-Oh, thank y-you. I didn’t think that anyone was watching” You got suddenly shy as you wrapped your arms around yourself

“No problem, go ahead and dance some more before the other members arrive, I just have to stretch.” Kiseop said as he sat down on the hardwood floor, with his back facing you. The song restarted as you began to dance light heartedly, your singing voice as you practiced your stage presence. The singing started off soft as you began to grow more comfortable your voice grew; Kiseop looked over his shoulder at you, singing your heart out. The other members filed into the room, Kiseop pressed his index finger against his lips as the members filled the studio. Listening to you, they all grew a smile on their face as you finished the song reaching a high note. You held it softly as you faded, a roar of applauds began as you looked behind you. They were all there, all of them standing there applauding you. They clapped as you covered your mouth again with your sleeves, their clapping faded as they all hugged you in a group hug.

“You should watch her dance too, she is amazing!” Kiseop said as the rest of the members’ eyes widened as they looked at you.

“Maybe she should dance with us today then” Eli offered as the rest of the members cheered in agreement. Kevin ran back and started the song over again, everybody regained their positions. You stood in the center as everyone danced around you.

The hours seemed to fly every time that you went into that room; you began to become more comfortable with the guys. They asked you questions and you asked them questions. They sat with you at lunch, during class and just hung out if you were ever alone. It was like you had the friends that you always wanted. It was perfect, you had finally found some friends that respected you and made you feel like you were special.

One of the final days of school, you were all in the studio lying around on the cool floor. Kevin sat up from the floor as your head rested on one of AJ’s thighs.

“What if we did the summer show at the class party on the beach?” Kevin asked as he got up and held one of the posters that were tacked to the wall.

“What are we going to perform?” Eli asked as he turned his head which lay on your stomach as you played with his hair.

“I bet ______ has an idea” Kevin said as the rest of the members looked at you. “The one that you were writing in your notebook in math” Kevin coaxed as you knew what he was talking about.

“I have come up with a couple but they really aren’t very good.” You said

“Please” The members pleaded

“Ok, I will go get it for you” You said as you gently placed Eli’s head on a nearby towel. You pulled out your notebook and handed it to Soohyun where he started reading the lyrics.

“I think it would be better if you sang it” Soohyun said as he handed the notebook back to you. You took a breath as Kiseop your song over the speakers; the members looked at you as you closed your eyes and sang the song that you composed.

You opened your eyes on your final note; all of their eyes were wide and glued to you. You finished and they clapped for you once again.

“I think we have a performance” AJ said as hugged you.

For the next couple of weeks the group and you had memorized five songs with dances and a couple ballads. The beach party was only days away. The dress rehearsal was successful and you were more than happy to be in this group with them.

The morning fell upon you as you dressed in a white sun dress with your two piece navy swimsuit underneath. You curled your hair slightly to get those adorable waves in your hair. A knock on your door proceeded as you pushed your feet into flip flops.

“Annyeong!” The group members all called as you opened the door. The members stared at your appearance for it was different than something that you would normally wear.

“Do you like it?” You asked sincerely as you couldn’t tell from their mixed expressions

“I think we are going to have to keep an eye on her today” Dongho said as he leaned to Kevin who nodded with wide eyes, you blushed as they took you by your hand and led you out to the truck where you all piled into the back

“Did you think of a group name yet?” Hoon asked as you thought as the beach soon approached.

“Ukiss” You said as you exited the truck, the rest of the members nodded and smiled at each other all agreeing on the name that you had suggested.

In a few minutes you were about to go onto stage with the guys, they called you back into their huddle and wrapped their arms around you.

“We wouldn’t be here without you, ________. Thank you for believing in us and for helping us” Soohyun said as the members around you held you close

“I wouldn’t be here without you guys too, thank you as well” You said as their music started up. All of their hands congregated in the middle and yelled ‘Hwaiting Ukiss’ before they took their places on stage.

The first song that you performed was Neverland, Tick Tack, Standing still, Forbidden Love, Distance, and the song that you composed A Shared Dream, just to name a few. The crowd got into it and danced as you enjoyed the cool, salty air as the sunset cascaded against the water that rippled against the shore, lapping back for more. You all bowed after the amazing performance, and then you all hugged and thanked everyone.

“We have something for you, _____” Kevin said as the rest of the members ran off leaving you on the beach by yourself. A group of jocks came up to you and congratulated you on your performance.

“Thank you” You said as you looked over their shoulders for your Oppa’s

“What do you say that we go somewhere quiet and I give you something that you can write a song about?” His voice was quiet as he stood close to you; you took a step back as his hand wrapped around your arm.

“No thanks, I am fine. I got a lot of ideas” You said as you looked more desperately for your Oppa’s

“No, I think you need to come” He was more stern as he grabbed your other arm, you pulled away trying to get out of his grasp. It was no use. “Come with me now” He said as he raised a hand up in the air. You shook your head as you felt a pain on your eye, you were down in the sand, you kept shaking your head as you felt a pain in your stomach then your back and your shoulder, stepping on your wrist and jarring a sharp object into your shoulder after he slit your skin a couple times. Your vision became blurred as a familiar faces rushed beside you, you just cried as Kevin’s voice comforted you.

“It is going to be ok, I promise” Kevin said as you watched the other members push the jocks out of your way. Pushing them away, Soohyun and Hoon rushed over to you picking you up and running with you to the car. They laid you in the back and looked over you as they raced to their dorm.

“Hang on ________” They picked you up once more bringing you into the dorm, they laid you on the couch as Kiseop and AJ grabbed towels and grabbed water. Eli held you in his lap as Kevin pulled out the glass from your shoulder. Kevin wrapped your wrist in a bandage as well as your shoulder; he cleaned up the other wounds that you had received as well. They gave you some pain medicine so that you could sleep.

You woke up to the pain of cold water on a fresh wound as you looked up and saw Kevin cleaning your wounds once more, you saw all of the bloodied towels next to him as his eyes were bloodshot. The rest of the members lay around you, you were still lying on Eli but you were moved to the floor and the other members held your hands and snuggled up to you as you slept.

“Maybe you should give that a rest” You whispered as Kevin looked up at you

“I just want you to get better, jagi” Kevin said as you smiled at him.

“I will cause I have the best Oppa’s in the whole world and they know how to protect their sister” You said as Kevin crawled up next to you and you all went back to sleep together, just like a big family.

A family not made up of blood but of heart. <3