"So we are going to the same school?" Ahra's question was replied with a nod from Kai.

"Yes. Isn't it going to be fun? Sehun and Tao also. We won't be in the same class though." 

 

Ahra had returned home from her work. She wasn't really able to concentrate and even got a warning from JungShin after giving the customers the wrong change twice. She was secretly hoping that she can leave work faster and kept on turning around checking the time on the clock. When she reached home she was just thrilled to hear the noises in the house from the distance. The empty house seemed more alive to her now with all the noises and arguements and laughter. It was still a bit awkward for her but she had grown a bit closer to them.

 

They were now chatting in the living room; Baekhyun, Chanyeol, Kai and herself. 

"I didn't see you around today. Where did you went to? It's a Saturday." Chanyeol asked sipping a glass of milk he was holding. 

"I went to work. I'm so sorry I couldn't even say good-bye. There are just so many of you...."

The guys laughed at her eventhough she didn't find her answer funny at all.

"It's nothing really. Because there are just so many of us we find it funny when others feel troubled. No offense." Kai explained to her.

"It also bother us sometimes. Like when we need to buy food it took such a long time to decide what we want to order because some will want a certain menu and the others will have something different on their mind." Baekhyun added as the others nodded their head in agreement.

Ahra couldn't remember when was the last time she smiled so much and had such a good time except when she's with Sora. She could hardly remember the last time she feel so happy and not lonely at home. So this is how it really feels to be happy at home.

 

She left the group and went to the kitchen where she found two of the guys, D.O and Lay busy  with the boiling stoves and the piles of plates and bowls.

"Do you need some help?" She shyly approach them as she washed her hands  under the running water from the tap. Her offer was accepted gladly with a smile.

"Do you cook at home?" Lay who was busy preparing the plates and chopsticks asked as he handed her an apron.

"Thank you. Yes, i don't have anyone to do things for me so i need to do them myself. Are you two the one who cook in the group? It must be hard cooking for twelve people everyday."

D.O who was keeping quiet most of the time chuckled, "Yeah, it feels like we're cooking in a school canteen. When we're too lazy to cook we just order food."

Ahra started cutting some carrots and onions on a cutting board.

"You should wait till dinner time and see how these guys eat. Every dinner time just means war."he added as he started boiling the glass noodles in a pan of bubbling water.

At that time Tao entered the kitchen, skipping up and down along the way. He started stealing food with his chopsticks and munching them. D.O gave him a stare as he snatched away the chopticks in his hands. 

"Hey! I'm just tasting if there's anything lacking." he frowned as D.O put the chopsticks in the sink to wash.

"Tao seems like he actually got problems with his hypothalamus or something. He just can't control his hunger.." Kai suddenly appeared causing the others to crack up. They ended up chasing each other around the house. 

 

They had dinner together. It felt to Ahra like a school party that she often heard of. There were lots of food and not forgetting the quarrels over the last pieces of remains. It was a new experience for a girl like her. The boys ended up playing "paper-scissors-rocks" to decide the person to wash the dishes and the two maknae were the unlucky ones that night. Ahra was volunteering to help but the rest prevented her from entering the kitchen.

Tao was nagging the older ones all the time and acussing them on bullying him just because he's the youngest.

 

Ahra returned back to her room. Her heart felt lighter than normal and eventhough the day was busy and tiring, she was happy. Suddenly she heard a knock on the door and Luhan's face popped from behind the door.

"If you don't mind, can i borrow a scissor from you?" 

Ahra started looking in her pencil case and in her bag but could 't find them. She turned around and squatted down digging in one of the box on the floor.

"Ahra, i think they're on the table." Luhan pointed to the pair of scissor in the corner of her desk.

"Weird, i didn't even see this there when i searched in the pencil case." she took the scissor looking at it closely before handing it to him.

Luhan chuckled , "Maybe you wasn't looking very carefully. Thanks i'll return this soon." and he disappeared.

 

Ahra scratched  her head. She was sure they weren't on the table when she was checking her pencil case. She sat down and continued her mathematics homework which was done in no time. 

Putting on her slippers she walked down the stairs to see the boys gathering together in the living room. They seems like they were getting ready to go out.

 

Baekhyun was the first to notice her, "Oo i thought you were doing your homework?"

"I finished them. Where are you all going?" she asked looking at the clock which showed nine at night.

"We have a part time job everynight." It was Kris who answered her and she asked no more as they went out of the house. 

 

                  ............................

 

Ahra was asleep when they returned home. She have to admit she was curious before on where they were going to and what part time job they had at that time of the day. She shook her head thinking to herself that she should stop bothering about other people and minding her own business. She decided to review the new lesson their teacher taught them today on maecroeconomics and did a hobby she didn't get to do for such a long time. Origami or the japanese art of folding paper had always been her hobby since young. She made cranes ,flowers and unicorns and other shapes. It was an autodidact hobby which grew into passion and whenever she had time she'll be sitting in a corner of her room or on her bed folding them with her agile fingers turning the flat piece of paper into three dimensional pieces of arts. 

 

The next morning she was able to hear noises from outside her room. Assuming they had returned home she went downstairs for breakfast after her shower and there they were. 

"Morning, you must've been asleep when we got home." Chanyeol greeted her as he passed her a plate of toast.

"Thank you, i guess i was kind of tired." He gave her another bright smile. She liked him alot. Not only is he friendly and bright but being near him make her felt like being near Jungshin. She couldn't help but noticed his huge eyes and smiley face whenever they had conversation together. 

Luhan pulled the chair beside her and sat down, "So what are you doing today?" he was wearing a white hoodie and shorts, a comfortable home style clothing.

"I have another part time job in a dog cafe."

"What is that?" Tao who sat across her mumbled between his bites.

"It's like a cafe where you get to eat and hang out and play with the dogs there." she explained as he went, "Aaaaah, I see"

"How much did you get paid for that?" asked Suho who was curious.

"I'm not a permanent worker. Because they're missing some workers, i decided to take the afternoon shift every Sunday for a month until they get a substitute. I work there for the fun playing with the dogs rather than for the money." Ahra explained as the others who were busy eating stopped to listen to her.

"I want to visit the cafe!! Can i come with you?" Tao was getting hypered up as the others tried to calm him down.

"She's there for work Tao. We can't disturb her." it was Kris who silenced him down.

Ahra couldn't bear to see the disappointed expression on his face as he returned back to finishing his food.

"You guys may not be able to come there as my friends but you can come as visitors instead." 

Her words brightened his face as he started jumping up and down on his seat  while the others just shook their head.

 

At noon Ahra was ready with her bagpack and sweater as the boys greeted her downstairs. 

"Do you mind if we go together?" Luhan reconfirm with her. As much as he wanted to spend time together with her and the others he doesn't want their presence to disturb her work.

"No. Not at all." 

" Good. I don't want to have to change back my clothes after all these hardwork." Kai spinned around showcasing his style. 

Ahra laughed as she could see the others rolling their eyes away. There were Luhan, Kai,Chanyeol, Baekhyun, Xiumin, Chen and ofcourse Tao. It felt like a school trip together for her. She spotted Luhan disappearing into a room and dragging out Sehun who was walking lazily, looking bothered. They were all ready and they walked toward the MRT station. 

 

It was weird for Ahra as she could hear squeals and shouts as the walked along the busy road. When they passed by, teenage girls will start whispering and shouting at each other. When they walked across cafes and retaurants faces will be pressed against the glass window and many will run out with their phones taking pictures of these guys walking beside her. They seemed to take no notice at all and kept on chatting and joking with each other. Baekhyun slowed down his speed to match Ahra who was almost drowned in the crowd of girls.

"Hey." he gave her a friendly smile.

She smiled back at him, "Has this happened before? When you guys hang out together?" she whispered as a few girls started walking beside him.

He nodded, "Always. That's why we went out in couples or groups of three. So we can run away when we have the chance. Either that or we cover our faces with hats. They always mistook us as celebrities and follow us around. It's so stressful." Ahra nodded her head in agreement. Living a life where people followed her everywhere she go and having flashlights hitting your face every single day. She couldn't imagine the life of the poor kpop stars. But these ordinary guys having a kpop star life is just not right. But who are to blame for these faces? She admitted that she was in awe when she met them before.

 

The dog cafe was more crowded that weekdays. There were couples dating and families with kids visiting. 

"You guys can play with the dogs and the it's going to be feeding time soon so you can watch the them eat. You can buy drinks and snacks in the counter but should never feed them to the dogs. If you need something just tell me. I'll be back soon." she gave them a quick explanation before disappearing behind a door with signs in red "STAFF ONLY".

 

The boys started walking around mixing with the crowd. It was Tao who dragged Luhan to the snack bar to order drink and snacks. The rest were sitting on the wooden floor playing with the dogs.

Ahra soon returned with her uniform and went toward the owner or the cafe.

"Ahra we have a problem. Mari just called that she got into a small accident. Do you think you the two of you can handle all this together? Subin is working on all the orders now can you manage feeding the dogs alone??"

Ahra had known her for many years and she was a good friend of her mother. This is also why she had volunteered to help eventhough she wasn't promised that much in return.

"If you don't mind, I have a few friends coming with me today. I think they'll be willing to help us."

Ahra ran across the room to where the group was sitting."Any of you want to help me feed the dogs? We're missing a worker today."

There was immediate answer as Luhan rose up pulling Sehun together with him, "We'll help. Come on it will be fun." 

 

Ahra brought them back to the store room and taught them to measure the dog food poured into each bowl. They walked out carrying the bowls of food and water and were immediately attacked by the pack of hungry dogs. They gobbled their food greedily, Ahra making sure they got more or less the same amount. The two then helped her clean the cages and refill their water. It was soon done when she pulled their hands leading them into a room behind the staff room. The door creaked as she pushed it open slowly. The room was divided into two by a metal fence and on the other side snugging between the pile of warm blanket and their mother, slept five baby golden retrievers. They were soft brown in color and had small paws.

At the sign of their entrance the mother golden retriever barked as Ahra slide down the food bowl under her snout.

 

"This is Girin and her five pups. They're just a week old." she patted the dog's head and reached for one of the pups. 

"Sometimes Girin wasn't able to feed them so we are feeding the little ones milk for nutrition boost. They are a bit weak so we fed them using these instead of bottles." 

Ahra carefully taught them how to hold them and feed the pups with warm milk from a rubber pipette.

She could see how they very slowly scooped the puppies up and letting the warm milk dropped into their mouth without wetting their snouts.

Soon they were done and returned back to where the rest were staying.

 

"Was it fun?" Baekhyun tagged on Sehun's sleeves as he sat down beside the others. He nodded.

"Hey don't you think that look like Kris hyung?" Chen pointed at a grey siberian huskie sleeping at a corner of the room.

"And that one looks like Tao." Kai pointed at a brown mini pom who was playfully chewing the edge of the husky's left ear. "Always noisy and keep on bothering others."

Tao snapped back pointing at a black greyhound with a long snout and sleek body."It's you."

They were having such a good time comparing the similarities between the dogs and themselves that they didnt realize it's passed Ahra's shift. 

 

She returned back after returning her uniform and greeting the manager. While serving other customers and taking care of the dogs she could hear the shouts from the groups and she secretly laughed to herself how they could be so childish sometimes. 

 

"Are you done?" Kai was sitting on the sofa with a brownish toy poodle on his lap. He cuddled the head of the dog making  it stand on it's two hind legs.

She nodded. They left the place and returned home. 

 

"Kring hyung it was so much fun. You should've came." Tao was jumping up and down with excitement in the living room telling the others the fun he had during the visit. He was ignored as usual. While the others were busy with their own things Ahra was standing on her balcony looking around when she spotted Baekhyun going out of the door.

 

"Where are you going?"

He turned around searching foe the voice and spotted where she was.

"Supermarket, you want to come along?"

She nodded, grabbed her jacket and went out the door.

They walked on the side of the road eventhough there were no cars passing by.

"It was so much fun today. Thanks for letting us come along. I hope we didn't disturbed your work."

Ahra shook her head and tucked her hands inside her pockets. Autumn is coming soon. The leaves of trees are drying up and the temperature drop is supported by the strong wind. 

 

"Why don't you hang out with your friends during a weekend like this?" 

She forced a smile, "I'm just busy with the jobs. Besides i don't have that many friends. I think i'm just so stiff and awkward." she paused between her words and chuckled. "It is not that i don't want to have friends, it's just hard I guess. When I return home it's even more lonelier than at school so it's better for me to keep myself busy than stay at home.. Hahaha." Baekhyun could sense sadness in her voice hidden behind her laughter. "I was so nervous when we first met, i don't know how to react or what to say." she stucked her tongue out. It will kind of embarassing to express her feelings to him if Baekhyun is another stranger she just met less than 48 hours ago but she felt comfortable near him and her honest thoughts just spilled out.

 

"I have to admit you were a bit awkward. Hahaha..But we were all just as nervous as you were. I didn't even dream we'll be this close in such a short time interval. Besides you should never feel lonely anymore because you have us." His encouraging words warmed her heart. Why is he just so nice and sincere. Now she finally have someone that will be there for her. Atleast that's what he said.

 

"This feels funny because I normally don't talk about what i feel to other people that easily."

Baekhyun smiled as he saw her gave an awkward laugh.

"You can always come to me and tell me your problems if that makes you feel better."

She nodded, "Thank you~ we should be good friend from now on. Promise?" 

He gave her another smile which soon disappeared as she looked away in another direction.

 

" Ahra you don't know how much i want to share everything with you. But for now I can't...."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author's note:

 I think this chapter sounds awfulㅠㅠ I'm sorry ㅜㅜ I read this over and over but it just sounds lame.. I think my story is progressing very slowly so i need to speed it up soon.. I didn't intend to put that much of Tao inside but he just naturally appear everywhere lol~~~~ The EXO boys are in Germany right now:,) am i the only one who misses them ㅠㅠ #ignoremyexofeels