“Umma, you’re home! I got you something!” I beamed, glad that my mother was finally home.

She let out a small laugh as she took off her shoes and entered the kitchen to cook up some food. “What is it, sweetie?”

I took out the scarf and wrapped it around her. “You like it? It’s warm, right? Look, I even got one for myself too. We’re matching!”

“Omo… I love the scarf. Thank you~” she smiled, my hair. “I’m going to make you your favorite tonight.”

I cheered. “Yay!”

After my mother finished cooking our dinner, we sat and had a casual mother-and-daughter chit chat.

“Amber, have you found a boyfriend yet?” she asked me.

I shook my head. “Guys don’t want me.”

She frowned. “Why not? My daughter is very pretty!”

“Only in your eyes.”

“How about Chanyeol? You both are always together. Might as well date.”

“Umma! We’re just friends! Just thinking about it is weird. Don’t even mention it.”

“Aigoo, what am I going to do with you?” she joked. We continued to eat for a little until my mother decided to speak up.

“Amber, for now on I’ll be going home very late.”

My heart sank. She already does home late on some days. “How late?”

“I probably won’t be home until midnight or 1 AM. My boss requested me to work more hours because more workers during that time is needed.”

“You work too much, you need to give yourself a break!” I said out in frustration.

“I don't want to anger my boss. And I'll make more money at least. You know every month is getting more difficult to pay for the bills…”

She was talking about last month, when we were almost kicked out of our apartment because we paid our rent late.

I took a deep breath. “Don’t worry. I’ll find another job.”

I was in one of my least favorite classes, language class. I didn’t have Chanyeol with me. I didn’t even have Baekhyun, Suho, Kyungsoo, Kai or even Sehun here, who I considered my friends now.

“I have an announcement to make." the teacher informed. "I will be assigning all of you a project!”

Groans and whining filled the room.

“Good to know that all of you are happy.” The teacher said with a hint of sarcasm. “Anyways, this project will be a group project. I will be nice, so I will allow all of you to choose your group partners. Each group needs to have exactly four people. No more or no less. Before any of you argue with me, I did the math, so I know there are enough people in this class. You can choose your partners now.”

I watched everyone scramble, trying to find their partners while I stayed seated, waiting to be with the remaining people that needed partners.

“We still need one other person.” I heard.

“Why can’t it just be the three of us?” one of my classmates Lay whined, who was with Xiumin and Kris obviously since I knew they are all good friends.

“We’re still going to need to have another person in our group.” Xiumin reminded them.

“Ms. Liu," my teacher called out. "You don’t have anyone to work with?”

“No.”

“Then I’ll assign you with a group.” She scanned the classroom. “Aha! You can work with Lay, Xiumin, and Kris.”

My stomach dropped. Why out of all the groups, it had to be the one with him in it...

I wanted to hide in a hole everytime I remembered how Kris saw me cry... twice. God, he must think that I was so weak and pathetic.

I slowly and unwillingly walked up to them.

“Why are you