A week passed and it was the day of the Midnight Jam. Normal school rules don’t apply to this day. Instead of reporting to school for lessons at 8 in the morning, students were supposed to report to school at 11 at night, but 10PM for those who were performing. The Midnight Jam will start at, well, midnight and end at 3 or 4 in the morning.

 

Luhan and you have been spending a lot of time together for the past week due to practices for the Midnight Jam. And when you weren’t practicing, you were out on a date with him. So basically, you’ve been stuck like glue to Luhan for 24/7 for the past week.

 

Baekhyun and your friends on the other hand, you were still giving the cold shoulder. You would talk once in a while, but it wasn’t the same.

 

There was still a lot of tension between you and the four of them. You were still pissed at the fact that the people who you thought you could trust had betrayed you.

 

You had to admit that you missed talking to them. You missed laughing and hanging out with them. You also had to admit to yourself that you knew that you wouldn’t be able to keep this up for long. You knew that you were going to forgive them at some point but until then, you didn’t want to talk to them.

 

You woke up at noon that day. You were glad that you could sleep in because you loved sleep. You were going to meet Luhan at 8 anyway.

 

You got out of your bed and made your bed. After that, you went out of your room and went to the bathroom where you washed your face and tied your hair into a messy bun.

 

After refreshing yourself, you went into the kitchen to make yourself a bowl of cereal and had a cup of your favourite tea. You took your brunch and sat on the floor as you placed your bowl and mug on the coffee table.

 

You the TV to your favourite channel and just as you started to eat, there was a knock on the door and you wondered who would come over at such this time.

 

“Coming!” You called out as you stood up and walked towards the door.

 

Without looking through the peephole, you opened the door only to find Chanyeol and Kai standing outside.

 

“Oh, it’s you guys.” You said, not caring. “What are you doing here?”

 

Kai and Chanyeol frowned slightly. You have never asked that before. Usually, you would be all happy and jumpy to see them and would invite them in without asking. Now they had to be interrogated to enter your apartment?

 

“We’re here to see Baekhyun. He invited us over to practice for the Midnight Jam tonight.” Kai said.

 

“Oh. But Oppa isn’t awake yet, I think.” You said. “But  you guys can come in and sit on the couch while I wake Oppa up.”

 

“Thanks, Haerin-ah.” Chanyeol gave you a small smile as he took off his shoes and placed them on the shoe rack.

 

Kai also did the same thing and the two of you entered your home.

 

While they sat down on the couch, you went into Baekhyun’s room to wake him up.

 

“Oppa.” You shook him. “Oppa, wake up. Chanyeol and Kai Oppa are here.”

 

Baekhyun opened one eye and took his phone to check what time it was. It’s not even 3 yet, why are they here?

 

“Arasso, I’ll be out in a bit.” Baekhyun replied as he got up from his bed.

 

You nodded and left his room.

 

“Oppa said he’ll be out in a bit.” You told the guests. “Do you guys want water, or anything?”

 

Kai and Chanyeol just shook their heads in response and turned their attention to the TV.

 

You sat back down on the floor and drank your tea.

 

The atmosphere was so awkward. It wasn’t as tense as before but it was still awkward because no one dared to talk.

 

Just then, Baekhyun left his room and noticed the three of you silently watching the television. It’s still so awkward. Baekhyun sighed. “I’m going to wash up first.” He said and left to go to the bathroom.

 

Few minutes later, Baekhyun came out of the bathroom all freshened up. He approached the three of you.

 

“Why are you guys here so early? You’re not supposed to be here until 3.” Baekhyun said.

 

“We had nothing to do at home so we decided to come earlier.”  Kai shrugged. “We thought you would’ve been awake by now.”

 

“Well I wasn’t. Thanks for ruining my sleep.” Baekhyun complained.

 

Suddenly, you just took your empty bowl and mug and took them to the sink and placed them there. Then you took a bottle of water out of the fridge and went inside your room.

 

“Damn, Baek. How did you survive living here for the past week?” Chanyeol sighed in relief that the atmosphere has lightened.

 

“She’s usually out with Luhan and won’t come back till late.” Baekhyun shrugged. “If she isn’t out, then we both just stay in our rooms by ourselves.”

 

The three of them sighed, wondering when will all this tension die down and everyone can return to normal.

 

Hours passed and you stayed in your room the entire time except for the fifteen minutes that you were in the shower.

 

It was almost 6 in the evening and you were starving. You thought about calling pizza for delivery but you’ve had pizza a lot for the past week and decided to just cook yourself a plate of fried rice.

 

“Should I cook for the boys as well?” You whispered to yourself. “They must be starving too.”

 

You walked out of you room the third time that day and pulled out the necessary things that you needed to make the dish.

 

In 45 minutes, the dish was done. You scooped your share of the fried rice onto a plate and scooped the rest into a separate plate. You brought the two plates with you and placed the one for the boys on the coffee table without saying anything and just went into your room with your share.

 

Before you shut your door, you heard the boys shouting their ‘Thank You’s in your direction. You smiled a little and ate your food on your bed.

 

“I miss Haerin’s cooking.” Kai said as he ate the fried rice. “Even if it’s only been about a week.”

 

Baekhyun and Chanyeol silently agreed with Kai as they ate all the fried rice that you had prepared for them.

 

Soon, it became 8PM and you had left your room once again. But this time, you were dressed to go out.

 

You were wearing your favourite navy blue pullover with your black leggings. You had your bag with you and in your bag, you were carrying your make up set and your hair curlers. You also had your outfit ready.

 

You went over to the shoe rack and pulled out your navy blue Converse high tops to match with your top.

 

As you were putting your shoes on, Baekhyun asked, “Are you going to school alone?”

 

“Nope. I’m going with Luhan.” You said as you tied the laces to your right shoe. “I’m leaving.” That was all you said and you left the apartment to meet Luhan outside the building.

 

“We should be leaving soon too. Aren’t you going to get ready, Baek?” Kai asked but Baekhyun was distractedly staring at the door. “Baek?”

 

“H-huh?”

 

“I said that you should go get ready now because we need to leave for school soon.” Kai repeated himself.

 

“Yeah, okay, I’ll go get ready now.” 

 

Downstairs, you greeted Luhan with a warm smile and a big hug. “Hey Luhan!”

 

“Hey, beautiful,” He said, bringing your hand up to his lips. He had been calling you that since your second date and you liked it.

 

“Come on, let’s go.” He pulled you along. “My beautiful girl has to get ready for our big performance tonight.”

 

Upon reaching the school, the two of you headed to where the waiting rooms were. The teachers had  simply turned the classrooms into waiting rooms where they had mirrors put up so that the performers could get ready. The classroom-turned-waiting rooms were all also allocated to the different performers accordingly.

 

The two of you looked at the doors of the different classrooms, reading the paper which had been pasted on it for your names.

 

“Haerin-ah, this is our room.” Luhan called as he opened the door to the waiting room.

 

When you entered, you saw someone inside and you recognized him immediately.

 

“Oh hey, Haerin!” The boy waved when he saw you enter the room.

 

“Xiumin Oppa? What are you doing here?” You asked, wondering why a senior was inside the same waiting room as a junior.

 

“This is my waiting room too.” Xiumin said, as if it was the most obvious thing.

 

“But you’re a senior.” You mused.

“Yeah, I know. I guess there wasn’t enough waiting rooms so they assigned me and Baekhyun here. Chanyeol and Kai are assigned this room too.” Xiumin shrugged. “Speaking of him, where is your brother?”

 

“Baek Oppa? Why are you asking for him?” You tilted your head curiously.

 

“I’m performing for the Midnight Jam with him.” Xiumin said. “You didn’t know? Huh, that’s a first.”

 

“Yeah, well, Baek Oppa and I haven’t been talking much lately.” You sighed.

 

Before Xiumin could ask for a more detailed explanation, Luhan had called you over.

 

“Should we practice our song a few times before we get ready?” Luhan suggested.

 

“Yeah, we should.”

 

When it was around 11PM, the Midnight Jam committee were doing their final adjustments to the lightings, the props and whatnot.

 

You were just heading inside the waiting room after changing into your stage outfit when you heard an unfamiliar voice inside. You peeked into the room first to see who it was and you saw a guy with dark brown hair, who was wearing a red beanie, laughing with the senior boys.

 

 

 

He felt someone looking his way and turned his head to see you by the door. Your eyes locked with his and you quickly turned to look away. You straightened up and walked towards your side of the waiting room and sat down in front of the mirror to fix your hair.

 

“Minseok ah,” The boy with the brown hair nudged Xiumin. “Who’s that girl?”

 

All the senior boys heard what he had said and turned to look where he was pointing.

 

“Oh, her? That’s Haerin.” Xiumin said.

 

“She’s pretty.” The boy stared dreamily at her.

 

“Give it up, Chen.” Kai chuckled and the boy, whose name is Chen, looked at him with confusion written all over his face.

 

“Yeah, if you want her, you’ve got to go through Baekhyun.” Chanyeol nodded over to Baekhyun whose eyebrow twitched at the sight of the intimate moment you had shared with Luhan.

 

“Why? Is Haerin Baekhyun hyung’s girlfriend?” Chen asked.

 

“Nope.” Kai said.

 

“Then why is he glaring at that boy like he’s jealous?” Chen mused. “It’s like he wants to rip his head off.”

 

Kai and Chanyeol chuckled.

 

“Haerin is Baek’s sister.” Kai explained. “But yes, he still does want to rip Luhan’s head off.”

 

“Why? Is that Luhan guy her boyfriend?” Chen asked, still curious.

 

“Luhan’s not her boyfriend. They’re just dating, I think.” Kai said.

 

“He’d better not be.” Everyone heard Baekhyun mutter under his breath.

 

Chen looked at Chanyeol and Kai for further explanation but they didn’t want to say anymore.

 

“Long story,” was all they said and they dropped the topic.

 

“So what are you doing here, anyways?” Kai asked Chen.

 

“I’m a transfer,” Chen explained. “I was supposed to start today, but you guys have this Midnight Jam thing so the principal asked me to come and watch it. And since the term is ending, the principal says that I’ll just start next term.”

 

“Then why are you here? In the waiting room with us?” Chanyeol raised his eyebrow.

 

“Minseok hyung told me he was performing and asked me to drop by here first before the whole thing starts.” Chen shrugged. “So here I am.”

 

“Do you know what classes you’re taking yet?” Xiumin asked.

 

“Yeah.” Chen said. “Singing, song-writing and piano class. But I don’t know whose class I’ll be in yet. The principal says I’ll get my schedule when I report to school next term.”

 

Just then, a teacher came into the room, “10 minutes till showtime! Be sure to be ready. I will come in again to call you out 5 minutes before your performance.”

 

“Alright, I guess that’s my cue to leave.” Chen said as he got up from the chair. “Break a leg, you guys!”

 

Chen sneaked a peek of you sitting on the chair with your eyes closed and ears plugged in with earphones. Unconsciously, he smiled to himself and left the room.