Chapter 11
This Is Then Counted'Who on earth is that.' Ken muttered as he laid on the couch while the doorbell rang continued to ring. 'Can someone just give her the passcode. She's going to spoil the bell someday.'
'Good morning!' You exclaimed as soon as the door opened and shocked Leo.
'M-Morning?' Leo stuttered as you rushed past him. Something's different about her today. Terribly different.
'Morning morning morning~' You greeted the rest while Ravi looked weirdly at Leo who just closed the door, expecting an explanation. Leo just shrugged as he looked at you.
You were early, and loud. Which was never the case before.
'Did she have something wrong for breakfast this morning?' Ken nudged Hongbin with his legs. Everyone was eyeing you, but you did not realize it at all.
'Oppa! Clothes.' You said immediately as you grabbed onto N who just came out of the toilet.
'And her hair is down.' Hyuk said. To them, you were being absolutely abnormal.
'It's the first cupboard by the door in that room. I'm-'
'Thanks!' Before N finished speaking, you cut him off and quickly went in.
'-not sure if it will fit though.' N looked at the space where you were standing at seconds ago. 'Stupid pig.'
'Is she that happy that hyung opened the door?' Ravi whispered to Leo. If that is even possible. Leo ignored Ravi and saw that Hyuk was sticking to you, again.
'Sanghyuk oppa go away.' You muttered as Hyuk stopped you from closing the room door with his feet in between the door and the wall.
'Why? It's not like you're going to do anything in there.'
'I need to change.' Hyuk looked back blankly at you for a moment, as he tried to digest what you just said.
'Oh.' He barely got the word out, but still stood rooted to the ground until he got dragged away by the collar by Leo.
'Oppa where do I put these?' You held out your neatly folded hoody and pants in front of N.
'Just leave it here in case you need it some day. That fits?' N eyed you from top to bottom. You were in his checkered shirt and wearing his pants which reaches your knee.
'It's a little loose, especially the pants, but I guess it's okay. It was hard trying to pull it tighter oppa.' You were referring to the piece of elastic inside the waistband and wanted N to help as you tugged at the waistband of the pants you were wearing.
The other guys were taken aback by what you were doing and quickly looked away, while some of their faces reddened. N noticed this and quickly stopped you, pushing you back into the room. 'Yah! Can you pay attention to what you're actually doing. Oh my god you're going to be the death of me.'
That was when you remembered the presence of all the other members in the living room. Oh... Dang it.
'You kids really. Eesh.' N said to the rest of them as he entered the living room again.
'Sorry hyung...' Some of them apologized, while Leo was simply trying to get you out of his head, desperately.
'Did I miss something?' Hongbin asked as he stepped out of the washroom, drying his hair, while Hyuk just shook his head.
'Next time this happens, you're all dead. And are you guys done preparing yet?' N asked, to which everyone nodded except for Ken.
'Yah. Lee Jaehwan. Then what are you still doing there.' Ken did not move at all as he tried to remember what he had yet to finish preparing.
'Jaehwan oppa hurry uppp! We can't be lateee!' You whined as you pulled onto his arm.
'Okayokay shhh. I'll go get my stuff.' Ken could never stand you whining, and immediately stood up from the couch.
It was the time of the year when you would go to help out at the orphanage near your previous house in your hometown, before you moved here. Apparently, they did not have any schedules on, and N decided to make all of them come along with you since there were not much objections made. Until they realized the duration of the journey there.
'1 hour?!?' Ken shouted, and you looked at him.
'Compared to our schedules it's still shorter traveling time hyung.' Hongbin said, while Ken just sighed and shot you a look, which you did not miss.
I could have just went alone as usual. You didn't need to come along. You frowned and your mood was dampened immediately. You decided to fiddle with your phone to make sure that you had enough memory space left for taking photos later.
Just when you started, you felt someone fit a earphone into your left ear and turned to look at Leo who was immediately occupied with looking out of the window. Without thinking much of his actions, you adjusted the earphone properly into your ear and shifted your attention back to your phone. At least Taekwoon oppa isn't as mean and stupid Jaehwan oppa.
By the corner of his eye, Leo saw you looking back at your phone without questioning what he just did. Well, at least she didn't reject it...
It was not long before everyone fell asleep, except for you and Leo, but you thought that you were the only one left awake. You begin to softly hum along with the songs playing from the earphone in which you were sharing with Leo, thinking that no one could hear you, while Leo listened as he kept his eyes shut. Her tone is actually spot on... Her singing should be quite good too. If I could ever hear her sing, that is.
'Minyeon you're back!' A close friend of yours who volunteers at the orphanage hugged you as soon as she saw you by the gate of the orphanage.
'Inyoung-ah, how are the kids?' You asked as you hugged her back.
'You come back after months and the first thing you do is ask about the kids? What about me?' Inyoung frowned as she eyed you, while you simply grinned at her.
'But I brought helpers today?' You gestured to the members and they bowed to her as you introduced them to each other.
'Well then, looks like you finally did something good.' She joked as she smacked your arm. 'Your kids are inside waiting. They made a fuss since they woke up this morning, asking when you would arrive.' She comes here that often?
'You're okay with guys already?' Inyoung whispered to you as she hooked her arm around yours, while you headed to the main hall where the kids have gathered.
'It's only them. I think I'm okay with them 'cos of Hakyeon oppa.' You shook your head as you answered her. She always had to make sure that there were no male volunteers on the days which you would come over, in case you had a relapse again.
Leo's eyes was glued on you the entire time, and he saw how your face immediately brightened as soon as you saw the children. In many ways, you were similar to him, and he could tell.
You scanned through the crowd of kids, spotting familiar faces as Inyoung introduced the members to them as 'handsome oppas'. Hahaha. Joke of the year. 'Most of you should remember Minyeon unnie right?' Inyoung asked the kids, and was immediately greeted with a loud 'Yesss!'
Some of them who recognized you were already waving excitedly at you, trying to get your attention, and you waved back.
'So kids, don't cause too much trouble for them okay?' Inyoung sounded like a mother talking to her kids, and everyone answerd in sync again.
As soon as Inyoung was done with the introductions, the kids rushed over to the members, especially the girls, while a few waited by the side for you.
You suddenly noticed a little boy, aged around five to six years old, staring at you the entire time. However, he was one of the few children whom you did not recognize. When the rest of them ran away to play, he was left standing alone. Maybe he just came in. 'Jaeyoung. Park Jaeyoung. He came in not long after your last visit. And um...' You turned to look at Inyoung as she stopped halfway. 'He doesn't quite like people. None of the volunteers could get him to talk, or not cry. So yeah, be careful.' You looked back at Jaeyoung. 'Yeonie, I shall count on you to work your magic.' You eyed Inyoung's creepy smile.
'What magic?' Hyuk asked as he poked his head in between the both of you.
'You'll see.'
'I can't do it. He's already creeping me out.' You said as he continued staring at you.
'Stop being childish. Go do your work.' Inyoung hit you again, and headed off to help the kids.
You turned to Hyuk, and noticed that he was the only one who was not doing anything, while the rest already had kids crowding around them like they were interesting specimens.
'Stop being childish. Go do your work Sanghyuk oppa.' You muttered and pushed him towards a crowd of girls who were waiting for you.
'Yah. What are you doing.' Hyuk asked as he looked at you.
'We're here to play with them. So stop standing around and bothering me.' You muttered to him and turned to the kids. 'Nari ah, help me take care of this oppa okay? He's bothering me. I'll go see the others and come back later. If he bullies you, just come and find me!' You told a seven-year-old girl and patted the others' heads.
'Noona you've became prettier!' You looked at another girl who you've seen around as she tugged onto your shirt, and knelt down in front of her.
'And so did my Jinah! What did Inyoung noona feed you that you became so pretty?' You smiled as you pinched her cheeks gently, while she giggled back at you.
As you turned around, you saw Jaeyoung behind you, and realized that he has been following you the entire time.
'Jaeyoungie?' You called him gently as he stood a few steps away from you. You knew Inyoung was keeping an eye on you. It's not like she's the head of this place. Urghh. She shouldn't pressure me like this.
Jaeyoung took a step back from you, without moving his eyes away. You sat down, and did the same thing, staring back at him.
You could tell that Jaeyoung was finding your actions strange, as his gaze changed and he tilted his head slightly.
You saw Jaeyoung took a step closer to you, and you slowly held out your hand at him while you smiled reassuringly at him as you waited.
He's an obsessive little guy. You laughed as you look at Jaeyoung pulling onto your shirt when you were about to check on the other kids. 'Okayokay, noona will stay with Jaeyoungie.' He happily held onto your hand as he followed you around.
Jaeyoung was getting used to the rest of the members as he followed you, however, every time Leo came near you, Jaeyoung will start frowning and tried to pull you away from him. Everywhere you went, Jaeyoung followed, not that you mind him at all.
'Hyung, I think you should really stop staring at her.'
'I'm not! I'm-' Leo turned to see Ravi looking in your direction.
'Staring at the kids with her, yeah right.' Ravi left right after saying what he wanted to say, leaving Leo alone looking at him and then at you again.
'Oppa!' Nari tugged onto his shirt and he looked down, instantly smiling at the little girl.
'Yes?' Leo asked as he bent down in front of her, ruffling her hair gently.
'Oppa, can I get an ice cream?'
'But didn't you just have lunch?' Nari pouted at Leo. 'Okay, how about half an ice cream?' She nodded and dragged Leo to the fridge.
'Which flavour do you want?'
'Chocolate!' He looked at Nari and took the chocolate cone out. It's the same as- 'Minyeon unnie!' Leo immediately looked at Nari who was grinning widely. W-What? 'Minyeon unnie likes chocolate ice cream too!'
'I know. You like Minyeon unnie a lot don't you?' Leo asked as he held onto Nari's hand and led her back outside to a bench by the playground, where he could have a good view of you. Nari nodded as she ate her ice cream, noticing that Leo was looking at you. 'Does she come by often?'
'Unnie always come last time, but she said she was moving away so she will not be coming that oftten anymore.' Leo smiled as he saw you smiling cheerfully with the other kids. 'Oppa.' Leo turned back to Nari. 'Unnie doesn't like caramel and whipped cream.'
'Hmm?'
'Just letting you know.' Leo looked weirdly at Nari. Before Leo could ask about anything more, you were standing in front of them.
'Kim Nari. Didn't you just have lunch?' You eyed the ice cream which was now handed to Leo as she hugged onto Leo's arm.
'You eat ice cream after lunch too.' You looked at Leo.
'Taekwoon oppa!'
Nari started laughing and your heart skipped a beat as you saw Leo laughing along. Yah! Cha Minyeon! Don't act weird. It's not the right time. 'Oppa is sharing it with me!' Nari chirped as Leo ate the ice cream with his eyes glued on Nari.
'But-'
'I won't let her have the entire thing. We're sharing it. It's okay.' Leo said as he passed the ice cream back to Nari. You looked at him as he remained oblivious about the chocolate stain by his lips.
'Fine. Don't let her eat too much. And oppa, wipe your mouth.' You immediately turned away once you were done, and went back to an already unhappy Jaeyoung.
You could hear Leo talking to Nari behind you, 'Wait, it's dripping. Wait wait wait... I'll do it. Okay done. Be careful, you don't want to stain your clothes.' Leo's laughter rang through your mind again. Why am I being so weird about this? Is there something wrong with me?
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