~경수~

In the next few days, Kai actually makes it easier for me to avoid him: that is to say, his dance practice do. All his free time, intervals and afterschool, is grabbed by the practice room, in which he prepares for the school showcase, and trust me when I say, I ain’t complaining.

However, this makes the time we are forced to spend together even more unbearable. During breakfast, whenever Kai enters the kitchen (late as usual), I excuse myself and run to the bathroom – this proved to be a faulted plan, because then Eomma began inquiring after my health – I soon resorted to the excuse of having to complete homework, which works out better.

Then when we’re in the car, on the way to school, I fidget with my fingers, counting down the minutes to our arrival (an average of 24.6 minutes so far). Thank goodness I don’t have to go through this twice a day – Kai comes home later, with Sehun.

Class-time proves to me the worst so far. Kai sits right across the aisle from me, and I can feel his eyes on me the entire time. I don’t care how nerdy it makes me look, but I resort to appearing absorbed in my books the entire time. Fact is, I can’t concentrate. Not with kai’s eyes on me, probably smirking, probably planning some way to teach me never to cross that line he drew that first day after I got adopted.

Well, I’ll have you know that I don’t plan on ever crossing that line. I’m fine with not even looking his way. I’m fine with going so out of my way to avoid him so he can pretend I don’t exist, just like he wanted. He can live in his fantasy, for all I care. I’m fine with all that. Hell, you wouldn’t even think we lived in the same house.

And I’m perfectly fine with it.

But there’s just one thing that keeps nagging me:

Eomma.

She’s noticed, and I think she’s upset that Kai and I aren’t close like brothers should be. I came to this house with my mind made up that I will please Eomma in every way possible. But I guess I can’t.

Eotokke?

~

                    ~세훈~

     I stuff my hands into my pockets and stroll down the street, whistling a tuneless tune. Jong’s out today, practicing out all that jazz out of his system, so I’m basically without my usual Saturday-morning-hangout-er. (Doesn’t help that Chanyeol’s Eomma decided that this would be the perfect weekend to go to their summer house in Yanggu, in Gangwon, up in the hills.)

     “Yah, Sehunnah! Where you off to?” A voice calls from one of the apartment balconies I was passing. I look up to see Luhan, my idiot cousin, literally hanging off the railing. He quickly climbs down, yelling as he disappears into the building, “Wait for me, I’m coming!”

     I sigh; bad enough I don’t have my friends’ company, now this Pabo had to join me too?

Luhan runs to catch up with me, then drapes an arm over my shoulder: “So where are you heading off to?” he asks with a grin.

“Nowhere.”

“Oh, come off it. No one will be out on a hot Saturday like this unless they have someplace to go, and something to do,” Luhan waves his arms around frantically, trying to make me see his point.

“Not really,” I answer, “Just wanted to get out of the house.”

For this, I am rewarded with bug-eyes, filled with disbelief. “You’re saying that you’d rather be out in this heat than at home playing wit—”

“If you wanna go back to your dolls, I’m fine with it,” I cut Luhan off, causing him to go red in the face.

“I was NOT—!”

I cut him across again by pulling him closer and linking my arm with his. “Tell you what, hyung,” I say, “how about we go to that café you told me about last week?”

That café, I swear, is the only good thing I’ve come across from hanging out with this egghead, and that too, only because his best bud, Minseok, persuaded us to go there ‘cause apparently they serve the best latte in town. (Minseok there has a Coffee craze. We’re all one hundred percent sure he’ll become one of those professional coffee makers with white aprons, pouring coffee with a hand behind their back.)

Well, I’m not complaining. Because in this little café, wedged between two giants of buildings, I discovered the sweet delight of Bubble Tea.

Sure enough, as Luhan and I take seats in the empty shop, that is what I order.

“Will that be all?” the shop-girl asks, after Luhan orders piles of Hodugwaja, doughnuts, eclairs and banana bread.

      I shoot a glance at Luhan, which tells him he better have the money to pay for all that, then nod at the waiter, who disappears behind the counter. I am thankful when she comes back again with the food, because Luhan has launched into some story about someone’s puppy who had been fed something, and was feeling – actually, I really didn’t care! I just grab the walnut cake snack on the top of the pile, and shove it into his mouth to shut him up.

      Then I sink my straw into the Bubble tea, and zone out on the entire world.

~

                    ~경수~

This unplanned boredom of Saturday was killing me! I honestly have nothing to do; no books to read, all my homework is complete, and I am B.O.R.E.D.

I was roaming the house earlier (I’m free to do so now that Kai’s still at practice) and helped Eomma a bit, here and there, but there was only so much I could do before she realized she was “taxing her poor baby” and sent me off to watch TV.

I hate TV! The blaring light always gives me a headache. So when Eomma leaves the living room, I turn the volume low, and on second thought, switch the television off – (I shouldn’t waste electricity…) and go back upstairs.

I didn’t always hate TV – why, Abba and I, we used to have movie night every Friday. It used to be one of the things I used to look forward to the most every week. Just Abba and me. Spending time. Alone. Together.

So when everything changed, naturally TV time turned sour: It could never be the same, and could never hold the same meaning again.

     I find myself craving for the life I’d lost when I was eight. It’s the little things I miss… Movie night with Abba; sleepovers at Baekhyun’s; playing football (which I was useless at) with the guys….

     While I think, Baekhyun’s number flashes in my mind, and I am tempted to call. All the years I’d been stuck at the orphanage, I’d never had this chance, never been able to call, meet up and hangout with my friends, never been able to go over to their place, never allowed to even say ‘Hi’. And suddenly I am missing Baekhyun like crazy!

I wonder downstairs, and another worry enters my mind. Will it be okay just to use the phone? And even if it is, if I’m calling Baekhyun, I know the call will go on for hours, because not once in his entire life have I known Baekhyun to run out of things to say. Thinking all this, I pace near the cabinet on which the phone lies.

Eomma sees me. “What is it now, Kyungsoo? Are you hungry?”

She finally notices my nervous glances towards the phone, and says, “Oh, you want to call somebody?”

“Is it okay?” I ask feebly.

“Darling, you don’t have to ask, Just use, okay?” She pats my head. “You know this is your house too.” Smiling, she walks off, leaving me to take the call.

Trembling hands pick up the receiver. The number is printed clearly in my memory, yet I hesitate. What if six years have been too long? What if he had new, and better friends? What if he doesn’t consider me a friend any longer? I gulp. It would be completely my fault: not once had I even tried to contact him; I’d just given up, assuming that he, like the rest of the world, did not want me…

I don’t know what comes over me, but my hands fly over the dial pad, and before I know it, I hear ringing. What did I do…. What di–

The ringing stops. “Yeobuseyo?”

I do not speak. I’m nervous without knowing why. I have called Baekhyun countless times in the past, so why is now any different?

“Is anyone there?” Baekhyun’s voice prompts me.

“May… may I speak to Byun Baekhyun?” I squeak, although I know it’s Baekhyun at the phone.

“Yeah, it’s me,” he says, “Who–”

“Do Kyungsoo imnida,” I blurt out. Then silence on the line. That’s it. That is it. Baekhyun just…

     I am about to put the phone down, when the sound of “KYUNGSOOYAAH!” blares in my ear, threatening to deafen it. “Where have you been, buddy? I missed you so much! I mean, I knew you were in school all this time and all, coz I have seen you around, but you’ve been avoiding me, haven’t you? Haven’t you? What, you think the Dongsaeng’s in the grade below make better friends? Is that it?” Baekhyun rattles off, not pausing to breath. “And you could’ve called, man. You could have freakin called! I haven’t heard a squeak from you in the past six years and…”

     I turn redder and redder with embarrassment. It doesn’t help that Baek noticed the avoiding – what was I thinking?

     I cut him across and say, “Baekhyunah, Yah Baekhyunah!”

     He finally hears me. “Boya?”

“You think we can meet up?” I say, and immediately I start cursing myself. I hadn’t even thought about asking Eomma yet. Baekhyun was already jabbering excitedly, agreeing and naming a million places we could go to.

“Hold up, hold up,” I say, “I haven’t asked Eomma yet.”

“Eomma?” Baekhyun says to that, “Omo, I completely forgot to ask you! You did get adopted, so; how’s the family? What is–” I hold my hand over the receiver to stop his chatter and try to collect my thoughts. How was I to tell Eomma–

Luckily for me, Eomma walks in that moment and asks me if I wanted something. I bite my lip before launching into an explanation. “I hope it’s not too much?”

“No, it’s fine,” Eomma smiles at me. “You two gonna meet at the park? You want me to stay with you… keep an eye? Shall I go make some snacks now?” She walks out into the Kitchen without even waiting for me to reply, leaving me with a definite yes.

“So….?” Asks Baekhyun on the other end of the line, “What did she say?”

“Yes,” I squeak, “She said yes!” And my face breaks into the widest smile it has broken into in years.

~

                    ~종인~

Oh, how I wish to be sitting in the park, lazing around under the shade of a huge leafy tree, an iced drink in my hand, and slow music playing in the background, along with the chirping of birds, on this stifling summer Saturday. (Or maybe the ‘stifling’ part is only due to where I am right now, and what I am being forced to do.)

Ah, how I dream~

     “Yah! Kim Jongin! Snap out of it and try the sequence again.”

      I sigh.

      See what I mean? All morning in the practice room, and we still haven’t got a break.

      The music plays; I wipe my brow, and begin the sequence from the top.

~

                    ~경수~

Eomma insists on driving me to the park, and I can hardly say no after all she’s done for me. A basket of Gyerang Bbang and hot dogs lie on the backseat; I’m strapped into the front, beside Eomma.

As the park draws nearer, I point out our favourite hangout spot, and Eomma parks, helping me to set up the ground sheet. Then we sit and wait.

Baekhyun still hasn’t arrived.

I was just about to bite into a warm egg muffin, (What?! I was hungry!) when Baekhyun comes running from the other end of the park.

“Mianhae, mianhae,” he pants, hands on knees, and bent in double. Then he spots Eomma, and immediately straightens up. “I mean, mianamnida! You must be Soo’s Eomonie! Annyeong Hasseyo, Byun Baekhyun imnida!” Baekhyun bows quickly, a grin plastered to his face.

“Annyeong Hasseyo,” Eomma says back to him, nodding at him to sit, but instead of doing so, Baekhyun yanks me up by my arm. “Mind if I borrow him?”

“That’s the reason we’re here,” Eomma chuckles, allowing me to be dragged off, while I look back at Eomma, sending pleading looks. “Go play, it’ll be fun.”

I have a feeling Eomma finds it hard to remember I’m fourteen, and not four.

After snatching a couple of Gyerang Bbang, I follow Baekhyun to the trees just past the crowded play area, still in Eomma’s line of sight. Baekhyun has to help me with the climbing, which makes him observe: “Have you shrunk or what? I swear you’re tinier than before!”

“Nice to know, coming from you,” I snap back at my not-so-tall best friend, kicking off the ground and swinging onto a branch. (Climbing trees with food in your hands is never easy.)

“Hey, at least I’m past four feet now,” Baekhyun says, but I shove a muffin straight into his mouth. “Just take this already!”

He munches his, and I bite into mine, leaning back on the branch, sighing. This is bliss – hanging out with my best friend; falling asleep to his constant chatter; the familiar taste of Gyerang Bbang in my mouth; my tummy warm and full… It was like a trip to the past, when my life spelt happiness and nothing else.

~

                    ~종인~

“Everybody stop. Have a break,” the coach finally announces. The other three boys doing this sequence, and I, drag ourselves towards our belongings piled at the back of the mirrored room.

Let me tell you this. Water has never tasted this good in my entire life.

It’s nearly mid-day, so this counts as our lunch break as well. Eunhyuk and Yunho announce that they are gonna buy their lunch, and as usual, Changmin tags along with them like he usually does. Which leaves me all alone in the practice room with Lee Sooman Seonsaengnim.

Trying to ignore the scary dance instructor, I pull out my lunch parcel to see what Eomma has packed for me.

Rice. Kimchi. Tuna.

I hate Tuna!

And there’s no one here to trade with either.

I am muttering to myself how much more I prefer chicken to tuna, when I hear footsteps down the corridor. As I look up, a silhouetted figure block the entrance through which Lee Sooman Seonsaengnim was about to leave.

“Ah, student Lee,” I hear his voice. “You have finally arrived. We’ve waited long for you. You need not waste any more time. Student Kim will brief you up on the lead dance moves. You two have the same moves, mirrored, and will be performing on stage together.”

With those words, he leaves.

I look back to my food, hoping to eat at least a mouthful before I start training my ‘partner’ who didn’t have the decency to show up at practice till a week before the showcase. The said partner walks up to me, and I plan on ignoring him, except he uses this opportunity to speak his first words since entering:

“You.”

My head snaps back at the all too familiar voice. Standing before me was Lee Taemin.

I sneer.

“You.”

~

A/N:

AAAAhhhhh guys, so much to say!! (First of, I'm super sorry about the late update ~I was getting fat and lazy~ >_<")

BUT. [This is a message to me original readers, Noona and Tiacha: ] -I made a surprise for you guys! A new part to the chaper~ Hope yall enjoy~ (yes, I'm thinking of making Taemin a main character --and that's all thanks to Joelii, for writing http://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/850761/the-dark-kai-rises-kai-foursome-collegeau-taekai-sekai-chenkai -the first fanfic I read with Taemin as a 'not-bad-guy! ~I gots so many Taemin feels though I'm not a SHINee fan as such-- And I think that was the first 'outside-exo-gif, as well)

Tiacha: Loads of Sehun gifs today~ <3 And, and and.... Did you notice the cameo appearence of a 'certain waitress' in the Bubble Tea Cafe? *wink* (...she insisted, and.... I dunno what's wrong with me, but I obliged X'D - there's a reason her username is BubbleTj ;D) -oh, And Luhan is Sehun's cousin so that Hunhan isn't possible, was also on Tiacha's request.

Aaannnd... let the Baekhyun gifs roll~ *man, he just enters the story, and he's everywhere already!* -Doncha LOVE the running Baek gif X'DDD

Okay, here's my vote of thanks- Noona, as always helping me with my korean (like, telling me what the Formal word for Mianhae is, and the whole imnida thing.) and of course, for providing names for Cameo appearences (because I know no-one) --btw, I doubt Sooman is just a cameo... interprit that however you like to-- And for, again, helping me out with Korean food, And for being so efficent, that when I asked for where Baekhyun's grandma lives, she actually went on Google maps, and screen-shoted the whole area! (Maan, I've aLOT to thank you for, nah?)

​Oh, before I forget- for those who kept asking about 'Satansoo' :

Okay, I think I'm done with my A/N essay- again, thanks guys, for reading and enjoying (And subscribing!! 0.0 OMO~) Remember- I love comments ;D