My mind had been preoccupied with thoughts about what Baekhyun told me during lunch. He said he had broken up with Soojung and that he wants to talk to me if I just give him the chance.

'I'll think about it.'

I told him that I'm going to think about his offer, and I really am. I just don't know whether I'm ready for such confrontation with him. It's just that I find it befuddling why he has to say it now. If it's something about our past relationship, then he could have just told me about it earlier. Because I don't think that such a thing can even change something between us. And to be honest, I feel a little sorry that their break up could possibly be because of me—another reason why I don't want to talk to him. I just don't want to be labeled the third party who ruined such a beautiful romance. That would be a lot worse.

I strutted towards the entrance of our building as classes already ended. It has just been boring like the usual, and yet I still complain like I haven't even gotten used to it being like that all the time. Well, I would assume that none of the students my age wouldn't complain. We're still all the same in that aspect, anyway. 

Passing by the parking lot, I was expecting to see a set of extravagant cars, but even the lot that was reserved for the popular kids is empty and the said people aren't there. Could they have gone that quick? Impossible. I've contemplated about the hypothetical scenarios that could have happened to the rich asses while I was walking on my way out, but all the reasoning and troubles of putting up a story of my own as to how the cars were not there got cleared up when I saw the kids outside. They were standing at the side walk whilst chatting and playing with one another.

I gulped as I realized how I was supposed to pass by them in order to get to the bus stop. Why are they even there in the first place?! 

I tightened my hold on the straps of my bag as I slowly made my way towards the said pathway, and ducked my head down hoping that I would become invisible for a while so they wouldn't notice me. But someone's clearing of his throat told me otherwise. 

"Leaving without me?" The cockiness in the bastard's voice made me flinch in my spot.

I cocked my head to the side and nervously gazed at them. Kai was grinning widely at me, his eyes forming crescents as his face was filled with nothing but mockery. Baekhyun on the side, was rather surprised to see me, so were Chen, Sehun, Chanyeol, and Tao. Another familiar face that I had almost forgotten was also present, the most decent out of them all, Kyungsoo. I wonder how am I even only seeing that kid today. Could he have gone somewhere or something?

“Hello there!”Kyungsoo beamed as he waved a hand at me so casually.

“H-hello.” I greeted back nervously as I saw the others look a little impatient behind Kyungsoo.

Kai suddenly stepped out from the group and then strutted towards me with his hands inside his pockets. He peered down at me as I looked away, and then suddenly waved a hand in front of me.

“Are you okay?” I nodded to his query shyly.

He sighed and I saw him scratch the top of his eyebrow. “Well, you see—“

Kyungsoo suddenly appeared from behind him, and beamed me that sheepish smile that made him look very animated, “We would like to know if we can actually tag along on your way home? Is that just okay?” The boy asked inquisitively as he focused his big eyes at me.

“A-all of you?” I asked as anxiousness started to get to me, but Kyungsoo nodded in affirmation, making my hopes of a peaceful day crash into the trash.

Kai looked very much impatient. Seeing how panicked I was and all. “Well, you can decline if you want. It’s not like it’s even nece—“

“No! You can… it’s not like that’s so bad of an idea anyway. Is that why you didn’t bring your cars with you?” I beamed with a nervous smile tugging on my lips. There’s no turning back, whether this is just a ploy or not. It’s not like I’m still afraid.

Kyungsoo clapped his hands and beamed me a smile again. “You hit that right! You see, those boys over there wanted to make it up to you so we planned everything like this.” he told me as he pointed at Tao & Chanyeol who were still wearing sunglasses. Is there something wrong with their eyes today?

“Is that so? But they really didn’t have to—“

“Com’on! The day is starting to end, so how about we start travelling now?” Kyungsoo pressed as he wrapped his arm around me. I flushed a deep red at the contact, and so I bowed my head a little and nodded to hide my embarrassment.

He pulled me to walk, his hand tugging on my wrist as he was asking me for directions and inquiring about how do I commute from school going back to my house and the other way around. I politely told him my daily routine of riding the designated bus even if dad and Minhyuk owns a car, and he was more than amazed that I have managed doing that all these years.

“It’s a natural thing to me by now.” I told him and smiled.

We halted by the bus stop and waited for one. The air around felt somewhat tense since Tao & Chanyeol haven’t spoken even a word at all. Kyungsoo was a breath of fresh air though, since he was able to wash away the awkwardness I was feeling before by talking to me. When we rode the bus, I was glad that we managed to grab seats at the back most part since buses at times like this tend to be full, but I guess this one was an exception. Kai was to my right and Kyungsoo was to my left. The large-eyed boy talked to me nonstop, and I was more than glad that I was blessed with so much patience in me. I didn’t know that it can come handy at times like this.

“Oh, it’s our stop.” I announced, as I noticed the convenience store by the opening of our street.

“It is?!” Kyungsoo asked with a merry tone, and I bobbed my head to affirm it to him.

We got down from the bus, and started walking again, until I realized something—why did we even get down in the same stop? I wanted to ask someone but I was on the lead, and not even Kai walked next to me. Kyungsoo on the otherhand was busy having a conversation with Chen behind me. 

“What are we even going to do here Kyungsoo-yah?” I heard Chanyeol ask the said boy with nonchalance.

Kyungsoo chuckled and retorted with a simple, “I don’t know either. Perhaps we’ll all go home after sending Nana home?”

“Mwo?! Then why don’t we just hang out at Kai’s place?!” Sehun uttered out, disappointment evident in his voice.

“Dad is home. Sorry, but we can’t.” Kai responded monotonously.

The boys sighed altogether in utter disappointment, and I was more than sorry that they came all the way here for nothing. Well, actually I don’t even see the logic of following me and riding the same bus just to apologize to me. But then, since we’re already here, won’t it be ruder for me not to offer them anything before leaving?

I breathed deeply as I gathered all the confidence the gods can lend me, and I turned around abruptly whilst taking slow back steps. The boys’ eyes focused on me as they saw what I was doing, but I was too nerve-wrecked to even care that I just continued on my steps and opened my mouth to speak.

“Since you are all already here, how about you stay over in our house for dinner?” Eyes widened and mouths gaped at me as those words rolled off my tongue. 

“A-are you sure about that?” Chen suddenly asked, his eyes showing disbelief.

I contemplated for a while about it, but then ended up still on for the offer. I can’t just take back what I said, anyway, right? They will just stay for dinner, and that’s it. It’s not like they would even be able to do anything to me, so what would I lose if I would invite them over?

I bobbed my head and smiled. “Yeah.”

Slowly, small smiles tugged on each of their lips. Even Kai, who looked like he wasn’t in the mood a while ago, beamed a smile that reached up to his ears. I turned back and chuckled to myself when I found myself witnessing this side to them for the very first time.

I guess, they’re not as bad as I thought they were. Maybe, giving them all a chance is the smartest thing I can do to fix things up before I even leave that school.

When we reached the front of our house, mom was the one to open the gate for us. She looked surprised when she saw the boys since this is the first time I brought people over from Seoul High, but nonetheless, she beamed them all a warm smile and welcomed them in. 

“You can just leave your shoes by the foyer, and change into some slippers that are in the racks.” I told them as I walked behind all of them.

The boys did as I told them to, but Kai was left behind as he tried to search for something in the racks. I stopped in front of him, and he knowingly straightened up when he noticed me.

“What are you still doing here?” I asked him as I peeled off my backpack from my shoulders and changed into my home slippers.

“Have you seen my slippers?” He inquired as he got back into looking for them.

“Your slippers?” I pardoned, and then the idea came to me. Mom actually bought him his own pair of slippers when he visited often weeks back, and I remembered how she even kept it in the guest room along with ‘Kai’s other things’ that she bought for him.

“I’ll get them for you. I think those are in the guest room.” I told him, and walked past the living room where the rest comfortably sat together with dad and Minhyuk who were watching another soccer game.

I climbed the stairs hurriedly and entered the guest room which is just next to my room. When I got in, I was right when I said that his slippers are here. Mom placed them atop the dresser table nicely, making sure that it remained untouched since it was something Kai should only wear. She even told us not to come in the guest room so often, since it was a room meant for Kai if he even needs it. It’s certainly annoying that mom is treating him that well when he’s just the neighboring kid, but I am also starting to slowly like the idea since Kai & I are patching up things already. Even if he did me bad, I don’t know why I just felt like wanting to know him and yearn for his presence.

I grabbed the slippers and climbed back down. Kai remained in the foyer as I told him before, and when he spotted me strutting towards him with his pair of slippers, he beamed me a smile. 

“Her