Your brother has caught a mild illness—Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease—from a classmate of his. He is the main culprit for passing it to you and your mother. Hearing this news, your father doesn't even want to be home, lest he catches the sickness as well.

The three of you are separated from each other, never leaving your rooms at all. The maids—clad in masks and gloves—merely come in and out of your room to serve your meals and medicine, then to clear the utensils; other than that, you're not to leave your space. You've been stuck in your room since Sunday and today is Tuesday.

You haven't been to school in two days and it isn't bothering you. It saves you the trouble to actually keep up looking like you don't want to kill anyone. You have been diligently studying at home as well, so it helps.

Your phone never really rings since you don't have much friends. The most you get are texts from Tao, Luhan or your mother. The Chinese boys text you from time to time but they are busy with their school work, so they text only to keep you updated. Also, to keep themselves updated about you.

They have been texting you frequently the past few days, worrying about you. But they know you are strong and you are probably going to live through this. They don't even think of coming back to visit you. It is fine by you though. You don't want to see anyone and you don't want them getting the illness too.

But your phone rings today and you frown when you see that it is an unknown number. You answer it warily, only to deepen your frown even more.

"Hey..." His voice is lower than usual through the phone but you recognise it almost immediately; which throws you off balance. It is quiet at his end and you can actually feel him being nervous. "Sehun told us that you haven't been to school for two days already. Are you okay?"

You bristle for a moment but reply him, "I'm sick. But I'll be fine."

"Can I visit you?" The boy requests quietly and you shift uncomfortably even though he's not here.

"What for?" You ask, not unkindly. "And how did you get my phone number?"

"I wanna check if you're on your death bed or not," he replies. When he doesn't hear a word from you, he chuckles and says softly, "I'm just kidding. I just wanna see how you're doing."

"And my number?" You urge for his answer.

"I kinda stole it from you," he at least has the right to sound sheepish. You make a noise at the back of your throat but don't say anything. "So can I see you?"

"We're not friends."

"I thought we established that before!" The boy actually sounds like he is about to pull his hair out.

"My sickness is contagious."

"I'm strong. And I'll wear a mask. And wash my clothes right after I get back home."

You hear the door bell buzz but you don't bother because the maids are going to get it. Besides, you're not expecting anyone.

"I don't want to risk it," you actually sound sincere.

The boy hums through the phone. You hear a gentle knock on your door and a maid opens it.

"Someone's here to look for you, Miss," she bows and stands aside for the guest to enter.

There he is, with his phone to his ear and a mask covering his mouth. You stare at him in shock while he chuckles at your reaction. As the maid leaves, the boy takes his phone away from his ear and waves it in front of you before hanging up.

"Baekhyun-ssi!" You sit up.

The boy beams, although you can only see the way his eyes crinkle and walks towards you. He looks awkward standing before you, so you pat a space on the edge of the bed. He sits and stares at you.

"What are you doing here? How did you get here?" You narrow your eyes at him.

"I told you I'm here to visit you," he rolls his eyes as if he is sick of your questions. "I tracked your phone."

"So you stole my number and then you tracked my phone ID..." You frown and then you finally conclude, "You're so weird and stalker-ish."

His eyes crinkle once more and you see him unhook the mask so that it dangles off his other ear, his lips brandishing a wide smile. You widen your eyes and move forward, slapping the mask on again.

"You're not getting my sickness," you look sternly at him.

"Aww," he tilts his head annoyingly. "Look at you being all caring for your friend."

You pinch his mouth through the mask and scowl at him. Baekhyun merely laughs.

"You're not as unfriendly as you are outside at home," he notes.

You shrug, "I'm sick and it's getting into my head."

He gives you a naughty look, "I hope you're so sick that you have to enter the hospital then." You kick him with your leg that is under the blanket. He laughs again, "I'm just kidding. But I really do like you like this." 

"Then I will try hard to be just like before," you look away.

"Aww, don't," he whines. You look at him weirdly because of his whining and he clears his throat, trying to regain part of his manliness. "So... How do you feel?"

"Like I am going to kick you out of the house," you mumble.

"Great!" He claps his hands. "You'll be up and back in school perfectly fine in a few days!"

You groan, flopping back onto your bed. You really don't have the energy to bicker with him right now. He nudges your thigh through the thick blanket and you glower at him.

"Help me choose with university to accept when I apply for it," he pleads.

"Ask Chanyeol sunbaenim to help you."

"He's too busy with his applications," the boy whines again. 

"You don't see him coming to me for help though," you point out coldly.

Baekhyun grasps his hands together in a praying manner, "Pleeeeease?"

You point a stern finger at him, "No."

"But I brought my stuff!" He flings his bag onto the bed.

You hadn't noticed that he was actually carrying a backpack. You roll your eyes inwardly. If you help him, he would leave you eventually right? You mumble inanities to yourself as you struggle to sit upright in the mountain of pillows and blankets.

Baekhyun stands immediately to grab onto your arms, helping you up gently. When you're sat cross-legged, you gesture to the spot directly in front of you on the bed.

"Sit," you command. He does as he is told, although with an amused look on his face. He settles comfortably by crossing his legs. "Let's see what you have."

The male pours out the content from his bag onto the space in between you and him in a barbaric fashion. You scowl at this behaviour. When his bag is empty, he throws it on the ground next to him. This boy must be really messy.

He shuffles through the papers and brochures, presenting different universities to you. At the same time, he is explaining to you about their good and bad points. You notice that he is very detailed when it comes to this and you approve of it.

"How did you do for your SATs?" You ask him, truly wanting to know.

He tells you his score and you are impressed. You never thought he would have gotten such high marks. He smirks at your reaction but you manage to pull a stoic face.

"How else would you think I could track your ID so easily?" Baekhyun actually has the cheek to look smug.

You throw him a dirty look, "Do not remind me to cut you into pieces."

The boy makes a face before gesturing to zip his lips.

"So what do you want to major in?" You cross your arm when a maid comes in with your meal on a tray. Before she leaves, you stop her, "Bring some food for the guest too. Thank you."

"I'm not hungry," Baekhyun shakes his head at the maid.

You fix hard eyes on the woman, "Bring food for him."

"Yes, Miss," she gives you an amused smile and leaves the room. 

"I like how you're so worried for me," the boy teases.

"I like how you shut your mouth," you snap at him. When he shakes his head, chuckling, you slap a hand down in between the both of you, "Back to what you want to major in." 

He thinks about it, "Drama?"

You nod and mumble to yourself, "You are a drama queen."

"Otherwise... Engineering?"

You shake your head, "Too dangerous and tiring. Something else?"

He gives you another knowing look before offering, "Music therapy."

"You're doing that," you nod in confirmation.

"Why that?" He smiles charmingly.

You shrug, unfazed by his antics. "Suits you."

He nods happily before pushing aside a number of brochures and papers. The same maid from before enters the room and places a tray of food next to Baekhyun. She reminds the both of you to eat while the food is still warm and she leaves.

The two of you set the tray on your lap while still talking about the choices. It is now down to four. They are all prestigious schools, two based in Seoul while the other two in other provinces.

"Where do you like?" You question while you fed yourself a spoon of rice.

"Anywhere near you~"

You roll your eyes, getting used to his tricks and charms. "We're talking serious here."

He chuckles being tapping the corner of his lips while eyeing you, "You have something." You clean your mouth with a tissue and look up at him with expectant eyes. He nods in approval before eating a spoon of rice with beef. He chews and answers after swallowing, "Seoul, I guess. Since my friends are all here. Or maybe Bucheon, since my parents are there... But these few choices are not in Bucheon."

You take two of the smaller universities' details and put them aside in the rejected pile. "Seoul!"

Baekhyun beams, "Seoul U... Yonsei... Hmm... What do you think?"

"Seoul U has a better ranking," you furrow your eyebrows in contemplation. "I think Seoul U should be better—but since you choose the completely opposite of what I suggest, it's up to you."

"Ayyy, you can't still be mad about that," the male gives a pouting look.

You make a face, "I'm not mad."

"You sound like you are."

"Well, you don't know me."

"I eventually will."

And you do not miss the way his eyes sparkle with the same determination you see during that first dinner.

△▽△▽△▽△

"Come to the basketball practice please?" Sehun begs you with his best aegyo.

"I just recovered, Sehun-ssi."

"We're not asking you to play," Jongin rolls his eyes. "Girls would die to have us inviting them to watch us practice."

"Too bad I'm not a girl, huh?" It is a rhetorical question. "I'm tired just walking from the school gates to class," you sigh. "I don't think I can..."

"We'll take care of you, promise," Sehun looks at you with pursed lips.

"How long are you going to reject us, huh? Just how long are you going to avoid us?" Jongin asks, finally.

You knew they were going to ask something of the sort because honestly, you really have been trying to avoid them. You glance at them with a sorry look on your face. You don't even know how you could feel such emotions when almost your entire life, you have been closing yourself off from everyone and any emotions.

This is wrong. If they get any closer, you're going to drown. And you're not going to be able to save yourself.

"Please..." Now even Jongin has dropped his pride to implore you. "Let us in. You don't see us doing this to any other girls. Heck, not even guys."

Sehun nods his head earnestly, "It's been what, close to four months and we're still trying to get you to hang out with us."

"Tao oppa and Luhan oppa took two years for me to feel comfortable with them," you remind them. "Almost a year for them to make me open up to them. It's been four years and—you can ask them—we're still not as close as you think we are."

"You—" Jongin sighs. "Fine. We're still asking you to practice today. If you don't show up, we'll promise to stop harrassing you."

The boy stalks away in frustration, leaving Sehun looking at you with pleading eyes. This boy really do like you a lot. And you think he is adorable. Too bad you are a cold witch.

"Class is starting, come on," you tell him as you walk into class.

You sit in your seat and contemplate whether or not to go to the practice. You truly do not want to go because you don't want them thinking that it is this easy to get to you. But you feel bad at the same time, that you are causing the two boys frustration.

In the end, you go straight home after school, blowing off the practice. Not only are you tired, but you think that this would be the perfect thing to do.

If they continue trying even after saying they'll stay away from you, you'll accept them fully and assuredly as your friends.

They're not coming back, you know for sure as you think to yourself.

△▽△▽△▽△

It has been almost two days since that incident where you forewent the basketball practice. Jongin and Sehun have never bothered you since. But you see Sehun glancing a lot more frequently at you now in class.

You were right, as always. People don't try hard enough to get to know you. Just like the two boys. They were determined, sure. But when they said they are going to stop, they really did.

This is what you hate about people. They say they want to do something but their actions don't carry out the talk. They boast about doing something but they actually do not do it.

You still give them a look of acknowledgment when you see them in the hallways or anywhere in school though. That is at least the best you can give them after their hard work in attempting to break your concrete wall of trust.

Presently, class has ended and you are taking your time to pack up. Your seatmate has already ran home since it is a Friday. You notice two people approaching you and you look up just in time for Jongin to slump into the seat next to you just like before.

"You really blew us off, didn't you?" He chuckles amusingly.

"You said you guys were going to stop harrassing me," you raise an eyebrow, stopping your hands from moving.

Sehun though, helps you instead. He neatly and gently stacks the papers on your desk into your folder, your pens and pencils into your pencilcase. What is going on?

"We've come too far to stop," Sehun looks at you with a look you cannot decipher. "You're different—"

"Not in a good way," Jongin makes a face while Sehun glares at him for being so insensitive.

"And we just can't leave you."

Well. That was unexpected.

"We've been talking about it and I think you might be mentally ill," Jongin nods his head wisely. "But don't worry, we'll be h— Hey, are you okay? Why are you smiling like you're on crack?"

You chuckle and they look at you, completely bemused. You shake your head while in your mind, you are popping champagnes for the two boys.

"We can have dinner together, if that's what you want," you offer. Thanking Sehun for his help, you start packing your bag.

"Really?!" Sehun beams.

You nod slightly, "We'll meet two hours from now—which is about seven—at Hongdae station. Just us, okay?"

"Y-yeah," Jongin stutters as you walk away from them.

△▽△▽△▽△

Wearing a simple jeans and shirt, you leave the house with your sneakers. You feel comfortable like this. You decide to get a driver to drive you to the subway station, instead of actually taking the subway. You reach the station a little later than seven. You thank your driver and go off in search for the two boys.

They do not have your number, so it is only up to each of your spotting ability. You catch a glimpse of them first, seeing how they are just standing there, attracting female attention.

Walking over to them, they see you and straighten up. "You're late," Jongin tells me.

"What is a few minutes?" You scoff at his pettiness.

You lead the way to the famous shopping district, already decided on a restaurant in mind. The two boys fall in step with you easily, one on each side of you.

"What was with the sudden invitation?" Jongin questions suspiciously.

You shrug, "To apologise for standing you guys up."

"You mean for the basketball practice? Or all the other lunch invites, dinner invites, study d—"

"Yeah, okay, I get it," you make a face.

"I was just joking," Jongin laughs.

"So why is it just us?" Sehun asks quietly.

Because I don't know if I can accept the others too.

"Because I don't know if I can handle the five of you."

Sehun nods, "We can get a bit rowdy sometimes."

"Sometimes?" You sneer. "More like all the time."

"How nice of you," Jongin makes a face at you.

"How nice of you to think me as a mental patient," you counter.

"Why are you so talkative today?" Jongin notices.

Sehun cries dramatically, making you laugh when he asks solemnly, "What have we done to you?!"

During dinner, you guys tease each other and you feel a lot more comfortable with them now. Just like when it was with Tao's and Luhan's acceptance, you wonder why you hadn't accepted their offer in being their friend earlier. Life would have been so much easier. 

Being the smarter and more logical one out of the two, Jongin pipes up, looking at you seriously, "You've let us in, haven't you?"

You eye the both of them before looking down, "Just eat, will you?"

△▽△▽△▽△

You don't think it is necessary for you to eat lunch with the two boys when you are not comfortable with the idea. But you decide to go for their basketball practices throughout the week, which is four days out of five. Sometimes you watch them train but most of the time, you are doing your homework and studying.

And just like they had promised, they make sure that you are alright almost every 20 minutes. Whenever they have a water break, they would jog up to you with sweat dripping down the ends of their hair. You would talk to them before they have to leave to practice again.

After every practice, they would bring you home personally. Otherwise, they would wait with you until your driver comes to get you. But as time passes, you start getting your driver to drive you, as well as the two tired boys, home.

Every morning, the two of them would wait for you at the doors to the school building. However, if you are early, you would leave without even waiting. When they noted this behaviour of yours, they always make sure that they are earlier than you are.

It is only during lunch time and classes that you are not with them. Otherwise, the two of them would follow you wherever you go. They know you are not a submissive girl. In contrast, you actually have a really dominant character whether you know it or not. Situations are based on how you feel and there is no other options or opinions.

Your seat mate seems estranged lately and you don't really feel comfortable with it. But you eventually got used to it. It isn't like the both of you talked a lot before. If anything, it is only a one-sided thing.

You are solving a calculus problem at the bench near the basketball court during one of the boys' trainings when you hear a ruckus. You look up, realising that it isn't actually a 'ruckus' but the three graduates.

"Coach~" Jongdae runs to the coach of the team who grunts in return.

The coach and you share a bench-table. He is a very irascible old man. The two of you don't talk at all when seated together. But when he shows displeasure to everything and everyone, he seems to accept your company.

The three newcomers bombards the coach with questions and chats up with him. He mostly criticises them or yells at them for being stupid. But you could see that they know that's his way of showing affection. When the coach shoos them off so that he can do his job, they glance at the bench where you are and they are pleasantly shocked.

Chanyeol was just a blur when he hurls himself at you. You make a face, "Chanyeol-ssi, please."

Jongdae chuckles at your uneasiness and helps you by pulling the giant away from you. "Still uncomfortable?"

"Stand maybe in New York, otherwise yeah," you nod.

They laugh at your attempt at teasing. You never fail to amuse them. They never know when they'll encounter a quiet you or a feisty you. Chanyeol sits next to you while Baekhyun and Jongdae sit opposite you.

"What are you even doing here?" Jongdae asks amiably.

"Studying," you blink at him, Is it not obvious?

"And not watching sweaty hot guys playing basketball?" Chanyeol shakes his head, clucking his tongue. "Are you even a girl?"

You give him a look, "Sorry I don't have your hormones."

The other two boys laugh at your comeback, pleased to see Chanyeol being shut up like this. Since Jongin and Sehun hang out with these boys a lot, you would have thought they would have almost same traits. But in reality, the five of them are all so different individually.

Baekhyun is slightly annoying but he is really caring. He is sassy too and has a glib tongue, meaning he knows the right things to say at the right time. He acts really cute and his height doesn't show his manly side.

Jongdae is an empathetic one who doesn't bother you when you obviously do not want to be disturbed. He can sense the atmosphere and aura around him really well; he is the one who prevents you from tearing Chanyeol's hair out, actually. 

Chanyeol is a handful. He is hyper and happy all the time. He knows how you don't really like him touching you but he still does it because you believe that he thinks you will one day accept him. He is really optimistic, you guess.

Jongin is quiet mostly before but now you realise that he teases people a lot. However, his height and his visual suits his personality though. His manliness on the outside is exactly what his inside is like. He makes sure that you are safe and comfortable every time you are together.

Sehun is a sweetheart and you really adore him. Even though he is older than you by a few months, you still treat him like he is the youngest. He cannot even look away from his food when he eats, much less pay attention to you. He is also quite cheeky as he likes teasing and annoying you.

You are so used to just Jongin and Sehun, and now that the other three have joined, you feel disorientated again. You go back to your own world, safely shut off from the others on the other side of the fence. While they talk, you continue studying.

After training, Jongin and Sehun jog towards you guys, panting. Sehun stands beside you, hovering over you as he watches you work out the problems.

"Is this the next lesson Miss Jung is going to teach?!" He exclaims while his sweat droplets fall on your book.

"Ew, dude!" You glare menacingly at him, wiping the moisture from the page and cleaning it on his shirt. "And yes, it is." 

"Nerd," he mumbles and drinks his water.

You pinch his waist and he merely smirks at you naughtily. You don't see how Baekhyun looks disturbed by the way you are acting with the two youngest ones though...