As a kid, Jinhae was a social butterfly.

She likes making friends and playing with them. She’d make an effort to befriend them even if they don’t like her. She was that kind of girl. But it was during her innocent times when her father’s words didn’t make sense to her young mind. It was when she didn’t know anything about her father’s, thus, their family, status in the society—

It was before her eyes and ears were opened to the real nature of the people that surrounded her and her family. It was all before those that she was the cheerful, sociable, and friendly girl everybody who she mingles with her knows.

After meeting so many people who pretended to be her friend, she learned to keep her circle small. She learned how to tell people who are genuine or who are there because of who she is. Because of it, she also acquired a habit she hoped she didn’t get—study people. She started to believe that everything would’ve to have a reason even in the slightest action a person showed.

Because for her nothing comes for free—

Even friends.

That’s why even right at that moment, in a table surrounded by Seulgi, Sehun, and Minseok’s friends, she was watching each new face as her mind studied them.

He looks like he’s from a chaebol family, looking at his designer clothes.

She thought, looking at Joonmyeon who was laughing at something Sehun had said.

She averted her gaze and was met with the tan boy’s ones. She was slightly flushed as the boy smiled at her.

“Juice?” He asked, pushing a glass of orange fluid to her direction. She blinked down on it unsure of whether to accept it or not when she heard the boy softly chuckle. “Don’t worry. I haven’t drink on it.”

Her cheeks visibly turned red as she shook her head. “It’s not it.”

Jong In just smiled and left the juice in front of her before turning to Sehun who was animatedly telling something.

Her eyes glanced at the tanned boy again before she turned away and grabbed the glass of juice in front of her, sipping from it.

He’s handsome. It would be no doubt that he’s a real head-turner and the type to be chased after girls.

So far, she could tell that really looked like they were all close. That there were no pretentious acts. They act like how they want to, like how a really close friend would. Like when Jong In smacked Sehun on the back when he said something that got him laughing out loud.

He wouldn’t act like that if he wanted to only be in Sehun’s good graces.  

She was pulled back from her thoughts when Sehun straightened from his seat, a mischievous grin on his lips.

“Here comes the ‘oppas’~” Sehun teased in a high pitched voice, making the rest laugh while she bit down on her lips, uncomfortable on joining in. Her head turned to the direction they were looking at and was surprised on who were coming towards them. Her gears slowly turned and that’s when it made sense.

They’re a part of this group.

Her eyes slightly widened as it spotted the boy she was trying to avoid since earlier. She averted her eyes and it landed on Seulgi who grinned at her. She mouthed ‘Let’s go’ but her cousin just pouted before shaking her head and looking away. She sighed.

He earned a smack from the boy on the beat box, and Sehun just laughed it off, like it was a normal thing. Maybe it was, she really didn’t know. She wasn’t already surprised because it wasn’t like it was the first and they were boys and boys are more…physical if she dare say.

“Are we going somewhere? What’s up with your clothes Hun?” Someone said, laugh in his voice.

“We just got back from a charity ball, that’s why,” Sehun said, rolling his eyes.

As the others gave their greetings to each other, she tried to avoid any contact with anybody, especially the smiley guy, as she decided to call him since he smiled a lot.

“I see we have a new face with us?” Someone said, the same guy who teased Sehun for his overdressed self, making her freeze in her seat and look towards the voice, only to see all eyes had turned to her already making her stomach flip. She immediately stood up.

“A-Ahh… I—“

“Guys, meet my cousin, Jinhae,” Seulgi introduced, something she was already used to since it wasn’t the first time she tried pulling Jinhae along. She had already tried a few times before and she would always have to help her since she gets all awkward and too shy. She always finds it weird yet amusing how her cousin can sit with the board of directors but not with a bunch of normal people. It will be always a mystery to her.

Jinhae looked at Seulgi, grateful and the girl just gave her an assuring smile.

“Hi Jinhae,” a voice said, startling her, and she spun her head around to meet eyes with the acoustic guitar boy, who had a soft smile on his lips. “I’m Yixing.”

He must not be Korean…Chinese perhaps…

A polite smile came to her lips as she nodded her head once, “Hello, Yixing-ssi.”

“Baekhyun here,” the boy who made all heads turn to her said, a grin on his lips.

“Kyungsoo,” the beat box boy said, putting a hand-up.

“Hi Baekhyun, Kyungsoo,” she said as politely as she did with Yixing.

Baekhyun looks to be the jokester while Kyungsoo is the serious one.

“I guess we’ve met eyes before?” A deep voice said, making her heart jump. She hesitantly turned her head, and for the second time that night, their eyes met. His was sparkling and a large smile was plastered to his lips. He put a hand out, “Chanyeol, Park Chanyeol.”

She could already feel the others looking at them with different glints in their eyes and she tried not to show her nervousness as she put her hand out. The Chanyeol guy took it and her breath hitched in .

“Nice to meet you…?” She said but it sounded more like a question, making her feel embarrassed but the boy either didn’t seem to mind or he didn’t notice it at all as he smiled wider at her, if it was even possible.

“My pleasure,” he said, his smiling eyes still on her. Her lips curled up on its own, as if it has a life of its own but she knew it was because of his contagious bright smile.

“That’s enough,” a hand intervened, pulling Chanyeol’s hand away, “I know what you’re doing.” Jinhae looked at the owner of the voice and saw Sehun with an obviously forced smile on but not menacing. More like playful as Chanyeol rolled his eyes on him.

“You and your dirty mind,” Chanyeol said, smirking.

Jinhae felt her cheek turn warm. She wasn’t that inexperienced—although she indeed was, quite. She’s more like naïve. She’d witnessed a lot of those things, especially spending a lot of her years with two boys by her side always but didn’t experience it firsthand. She was not even sure if she’d like anybody before. She understood what Sehun meant but it hadn’t occurred to her until her cousin mentioned it since shaking hands was like a formal way to greet someone. She always did it. With board directors and corporate people, that is.

Right. They’re not any of them…

“Don’t listen to this kid. His mind is just corrupted. You know it, right?” Chanyeol said and she blinked back before nodding, the same small smile on her lips.

“Ahhh… Yes,” she replied, and he smiled once more, before being grabbed on the arm by the guy named Baekhyun.

“Excuse me kids but I’m still pretty hungry. Can we order again?” Minseok asked, putting a hand-up like a student in class, and the others chuckled.

They all settled down, a little bit squeezed since they have four more people joining them. Jinhae just sat there, listening to them speaking out what they wanted. She didn’t feel like she was in place to order. They were all close to each other, she could clearly see it, and she isn’t. She just didn’t belong there.

“What do you want, Jinhae?” Joonmyeon, who was sitting beside her asked. She jumped, a little surprised and she saw some of them stifling their laughter. Her face warmed up.

“Ah… I’m fine.”

“C’mon Jinnie. It’s fine. He’s paying so order all you want,” Sehun said grinning, leaning on his side to the table to look at her. Joonmyeon glared at him but Sehun’s grin remained unfazed.

“You call her Jinnie?” Minseok said, and Sehun nodded. “But she hates it,” Minseok said, his eyes turning to Jinhae whose cheeks couldn’t get any warmer.

Sehun grinned, “It’s a childhood thing. I know she hates it.”

“So?” Joonmyeon turned to her and she bit her bottom lip out of habit. She looked at the menu.

There were a lot to choose from and all of it looked really good but then again, she wasn’t too acquainted with them yet to be so comfortable about saying what she wanted.

“Strawberry shake’s fine,” she replied, saying what her eyes landed on, not really knowing what else to order.

“You sure? Don’t want anything else? Cake? Pasta?” Joonmyeon asked, arching an eyebrow and she shook her head.

“I’m good.”

“Okay… But don’t hesitate to tell me if you thought of something to eat later, alright?” Joonmyeon smiled, before turning to his other friends who were busy pointing what they wanted to eat.

She pushed her lips together, looking across the table to Seulgi who was busy talking with Yixing, if she remembered it right. She inwardly sighed. She was just supposed to look for her cousins, ask for the car key, then leave. Staying for more than an hour there, with six people she wasn’t familiar with wasn’t part of it. Even if she wanted to talk to Seulgi or Sehun in private, it wasn’t possible as both are busy talking with someone else, and if she tried to talk to them, the boys might think that they were boring her out or that she didn’t like them, which wasn’t true. She was okay with them. It was just that she was naturally awkward with people she just met and she hates being awkward.

She bit her bottom lip. Two hours. That’s my deadline. I need to find a way out in two hours. She swiped her tongue on her yet dried lips and turned her head away, only to again meet the eyes of the guitar boy. His lips were still smiling, making her wonder if his cheeks weren’t hurting at all. There wasn’t a moment she’d seen him not smiling. But then, that was not the point.

Why is he looking at me and with a smile at that? Is there dirt on my face? Do I look funny?

His mouth opened but closed just when a voice interrupted him, and she was more than thankful for it. She hadn’t got any idea what to do than smile back awkwardly at him so what more if he starts initiating a conversation.

The waving incident hasn’t even left her mind yet.

“So you also study in SNU?”

She turned to the person who just asked the question and saw Baekhyun smiling up at her.

“You are Minseokie hyung’s hoobae, right?”

“A-Ahhh… Yes.”

She instinctively leaned back when the boy suddenly leaned over the table, decreasing the distance between them.

“You are studying Business Administration too? Eyyy, isn’t it boring? Joonmyeonnie hyung is also taking the same in Kyunghee.” His lips pout as he said so.

Her face warmed up again and she was thankful the lights were dim enough to hide her flushed face.

“Yah, you’re making her uncomfortable,” Chanyeol said shoving Baekhyun on the shoulder. “Sorry. He’s usually like that.” He grinned at her.

She wasn’t sure how to respond to it given that he was the one who she was most uncomfortable with so she just awkwardly smiled, and hoped it wasn’t obvious.

“Ah, no. It’s okay. He’s right. It could get boring, but…I guess it could also get fun at times,” she replied, smiling a bit to reduce looking uncomfortable, if it was even possible.

She just wanted to escape.

“See, I told you. It could really be fun!” Joonmyeon exclaimed, making her realize just then that the attention of the people around the table has already turned to them.

Baekhyun stuck his tongue out on the older boy who tried to reach over the table to hit him. He leaned back, hiding behind Chanyeol. They were like Sehun, she noticed, having the tendency to get childish. Not that she minds though. She finds it rather cute. The action, of course. It felt familiar too, somehow, to her, making it easier to loosen up.

“By the way, if you are Minseok hyung’s hoobae, then it could mean that you are also younger than Joonmyeon and I? What year are you in?” Yixing asked, folding his arms on the table.

“Oh, third year.”

“Wait. Then are you saying you are older than Sehun and Seulgi?” Baekhyun asked in surprise.

Sehun sighed out loud while Seulgi rolled her eyes.

“Yah, Byun Baekhyun, are you implying that I look old?” Seulgi narrowed her eyes on the boy who looked at her innocently and nodded. “YAH!”

Baekhyun laughed.  

“I doubt you are older than Sehun and Seulgi,” Kyungsoo said, which surprised Jinhae a little since the boy hadn’t said much since he introduced himself.

Sehun snapped his fingers at Kyungsoo, “Waaa, you are really so smart hyung.”

Kyungsoo raised an eyebrow at him. “I’m not saying you look young either, Sehun.”

Sehun scoffed. “Fine. She’s younger. By a few months only!”

This made the whole table gape at her and for her to squirm uncomfortable on her seat.

“Whoah. Then you must be a genius!” Baekhyun exclaimed.

Her cheeks flushed.

“No no. That’s not it,” she tried to deny, waving her hands in front of her but none of them seemed to be listening to her.

“I know right. She even takes advance classes so I have two classes with her,” Minseok said.

“Really?!”

A voice among the boys said, and with the attention focused on her, the thought of not staying for more than two hours were out of the window.

 

She was able to escape the table when their orders arrived and all the boys and Seulgi's attention turned to the food. The topic also quickly changed to something about a festival in one of the boys' university.

Quietly, she slipped away from the table, saying to Joonmyeon that she'll just leave for the restroom when he noticed her leaving since he just sat beside her and Jong In was facing the other side to notice it.

She tried to find her way to the restroom but with a lot of people milling around, although she could see the signage, it took time to reach it. Every time she would try to pass, it'll either be a waiter who will be coming her way which she had to avoid or a girl suddenly walking in front of her. She was also getting gazes from people around and just diagonal to her were a group of boys sitting around a table.

They were looking at her as they tried pushing one of their friends up. She tried to hurry in her steps as she noticed the boy finally standing up and going to her direction. She tried to think that maybe it was someone behind her but when she checked, it was just the wall.

Heart beating in her ears, she walked faster but in her peripheral, she could also see the boy coming nearer. The people blocking her way were also no help.

"Excuse me," she said but the music playing in the background joined by the loud chatters of the people around drowned it away.

Finally, there was a clear path for her to pass so she hurriedly walked to the restroom and after much struggle got safely inside it.

She sighed in relief before going in front of the mirror and looking at her face. She still almost looked the same as she left the ball except for her hair that was slightly messed already, given that she had fallen asleep in the car ride. She patted it down knowing removing it from the tie could make it look messier.

She checked the time on her wrist watch and read that it was almost eleven in the evening. She splashed some water on her face since her makeup was water-proof anyway then grabbed a few tissue towels to wipe it dry. She threw the tissue away before looking at herself in the mirror again.

She was really tired from all her activities that day and just a few minutes ago wanted to just hit the bed. But she wasn’t sure when she started to think that she could still stay for a few more minutes. It wasn't that they were boring to be with. She actually found them fun and many times she tried to stop herself from laughing out loud and probably that's why she thought that she could still stay and at the same time already wanted to leave.

She was starting to really really like them and their company, and that wasn't a good sign since she knew it was just a once in a blue moon chance to be with them. She was sure her parents, especially her father, wouldn’t like it if he knew about it.

She pressed her lips together, muttering a soft 'You can do it' to herself (for whatever reason) before walking out, the lady who just came in looking at her in surprise and she smiled at her embarrassingly before heading out, head bent down.

It was probably how dressed she looked that surprised her since some had also looked at her attire as she walked in the restaurant-cafe, or maybe, she heard her talking to herself. Either way, she knew it was embarrassing so she quickly left the restroom.

When she was out the restroom, she breathe out a sigh of relief before looking up but her heart jumped to when she saw the guy from the table who had been looking at her standing just at the opening of the hallway to where she was.

What is he doing here?

She was about to turn around when the guy felt her presence and looked at her.

"Uhm… Hello," the guy began and she awkwardly nodded her head seeming it rude to just ignore him. "I'm sorry for suddenly approaching you but—"

She was already chanting in her head for the boy to leave or maybe Seulgi or Sehun coming to look for her when a voice interrupted the speaking boy, startling both her and the boy as they looked at owner of the voice.

"There you are!" A deep voice said, glee in his voice as if he was really happy to see her. Maybe he is but Jinhae wasn’t sure of that and she wasn’t planning to know.

She looked at him, the boy smiling wide as he approached her and stood beside her, putting a hand on top of her head, freezing her on her position. She could feel her heart beating but she wasn’t sure if it was because she was trying to avoid him but he was there standing beside her or his hand on her head. Maybe both.

"What took you so long? I've been waiting around for you... Oh." She was unsure of what to do and what was actually happening as her heart beat loudly in her ears as she could feel his gaze on her when his eyes finally diverted to the guy standing in front of them. "Sorry, I didn't notice you there," he said, a smile still on his lips as if he really didn't see him.

Wait… Is he…

Her eyes widened, realizing what the boy just did and was doing. He tried to save her. If it was by coincidence that he was there, she’s still thankful. He came up and saved her from an awkward situation after all. It was embarrassing though, because it only meant that he could already tell that she’s an awkward person despite being called a ‘genius’ by them.

"You know him?" He asked, looking back at her and she blinked, finally returning back to her senses before turning to the guy watching them, seeming as confused as she was a few moments ago.

"Ah...I..." She wasn't sure what to say since she didn't want the guy to be embarrassed or anything but thankfully he saved himself from it.

"Sorry. I didn't know you have a boyfriend. I'll leave you two then. I'm sorry again," he said and walked away.

She was stunned at what the boy said that she just stared after him. She saw the boy approaching his friends, being asked something, before his friends laughed. If she wasn’t so distracted of what just happened, she would’ve frowned.

She just realized she held her breath when she heard someone talking.

"Well, that was easy," the guy standing beside her said, her heart skipping a beat at his voice.

"H-Huh?" She dumbly said, which was so out of character but Chanyeol just grinned at her.

"Sorry. I startled you, didn't I?"

"O-Oh. A bit but it's okay. Thank you..." She said, cheeks warming up as she avoided his eyes.

"It's nothing. I was just at the right place at the right time," he said, smiling widely.

“Oh…” She was still conscious at his hand on top her head that she couldn’t think straight since she was too distracted.

When he finally realized it, he pulled his hand away and rubbed the back of his neck while smiling in a sheepish way. "Sorry about that."

She thought it was so adorable that she unconsciously smiled more genuinely and widely more than any of the smiles she showed that night.

"Oh! You finally smiled!" Chanyeol said cheerfully and she felt her cheeks blush more if it was possible as she bit her lip. Chanyeol panicked, shaking his hands in front of him. "Sorry if that got you uncomfortable but I swear, it's okay to really smile. I mean, we're all friends now, right?"

Jinhae was stunned at the words she heard him say that she found no words coming out of her.

It’s been so long she heard someone calling her a friend like they really wanted her to be her friend because she’s Jinhae, not because she is the daughter of Wang Corp. She wanted to really think it was like that because if she would be honest, she would like to have them as her friends. She never felt that way in so so long that she had almost forgotten it until then.

And it was because of the smiley boy that she was reminded of the feeling of someone calling themself her friend.

Chanyeol thought that he was a bit too friendly again, seeing Jinhae’s surprised expression, so with a sheepish grin, he said, "I think I made you more uncomfortable."

Jinhae’s eyes widened and she wanted to tell him that it wasn't that but a voice beat her to it.

"There you are.”

They turned to the owner of the voice and saw Yixing walking towards them before stopping a few steps in front of them.

“Oh... Did I disturb anything?" Yixing said, looking at the two innocently as Chanyeol laughed.

"No. We're just about to head back. Something just came up," Chanyeol said, winking at Yixing which Jinhae missed. The older boy got it immediately and looked at Jinhae.

"Ah… Well, the others are already looking for you two. Let's go," Yixing said, smiling at Jinhae before turning back and walking ahead of them.

"After you," Chanyeol said putting an arm out and smiling.

“Thank you,” she smiled, a real smile, before walking away, leaving Chanyeol smiling wider.

 

It was already past twelve when they left the café, gathering in front of its doors.

After they came back to the table, Jinhae found herself loosening up a bit. She looked more relaxed and she already smiled and somehow, laughed with them. It might be the effect Chanyeol’s words had on her but nevertheless, she knew it felt good. If she wanted the night to just be over just an hour or two ago, now, she didn’t want to leave, and she knew it was impossible.

“What time is it?” Yixing asked, blowing to his palms to warm up.

“Nineteen past twelve,” Joonmyeon replied, stretching his limbs.

“We better get going,” Kyungsoo said, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“It was nice meeting you again, Jinhae,” Joonmyeon said, nodding and smiling towards Jinhae who stood beside Seulgi.

Jinhae nodded back, a more genuine smile on her lips.

“Me too. I’m glad to meet you all.”

“You should come again next time,” Jongin said, smiling at her.

A small smile came upon her lips before she nodded her head. “I’ll try but thank you.”

“Eyyy…Don’t just try. Come, okay?” Baekhyun said, putting up an okay with his hand.

“He’s right. It’s nice having someone new in our group,” Yixing said, smiling warmly at her.

They seemed to all look at her in anticipation and she can’t do anything but just smile and mutter a soft thanks. She can’t promise anything because she herself wasn’t sure if she can comeback. Whether she wanted to come back or not wasn’t up to her. It was up to her time and to her parents.

If she was going to be honest, if it was only about time, she could make it, if she had to stay up for nights just to join them, she would. But it wasn’t. It’s all up to her parents, more specifically, her father. If her father finds out about that night, she’s sure she’ll receive a lecture, and worse, Seulgi and Sehun might be reprimanded, even Kang Joon since he was part of it too, and she didn’t want that to happen.

“We’ll count on that, okay?” Joonmyeon said, grinning.

She didn’t know why and what happened but she just heard herself saying it: “Okay.”

She could feel Seulgi’s eyes on her, as well as Sehun who seemed surprised to hear it but her eyes met someone else’s.

He gave her his infamous smile and a thumb up.

Friends…I guess I can do with that.

She smiled, the brightest and widest she might have ever shown for the whole day.

---

A/N:

Hi Guys!!!

I know it's been so long since my last update but life has been so busy for me in the past two months so I wasn't able to type up anything worth putting up. I'm really sorry. 

I know this chapter is a bit boring since nothing much was going on but I promise it'll get better soon. Please be patient with me. /bows/

I was supposed to update this before Christmas eve but our internet was out for more than a week so I couldn't.

It's a bit late but Merry Christmas!!! I hope you had a happy time with your families and friends!