The sweet aroma of baking chocolate chip cookies clouded the kitchen as muddy Physics problems and thoughts about the shirt dilemma clouded my mind.

            Hyoyeon was experimenting with cookie recipes while Naeun and I were helping each other with homework, even though she really didn’t need any.

            Naeun looked at my paper before circling a formula in red pen – her sign that I had messed up yet again.  I dejectedly groaned as she let a small smirk find its way to her face.

            ing physics.

            I looked over at her English homework, looking for a mistake, and like the majority of the time, there were none.

            Naeun was the maknae of our house, and she was a genius.  She was incredibly smart, and had begun college two years early.  She had dozens of math and science awards hiding under her bed, and it was rare for her to not be listed as top student for any class – except for English and Literature, the two subjects I shined at.  Our freshman year, the two of us had begun our little study-tutoring sessions, and they were very useful, for me at least, since the start.  Naeun was majoring in Quantum Physics and Vocal Music.  Her second choice in major surprised myself and my other housemates as Naeun rarely spoke.

            When we had all first moved in, we thought beautiful, big-eyed, long black-haired Naeun was mute.  We treated her no differently than we did each other even though she never spoke.  It was about Christmas time when she opened for the first time; Hyoyeon had passed out while cooking, and we were all trying to steady her, when our little maknae in the most beautiful voice I have ever heard uttered the words, “Unnies, the food is on fire.”  Hyoyeon who had woken up, passed out again at the sound.

            Naeun still did not speak or converse very much, but she did much more than she had previously.  Aside from a perfectly placed snide remark, Naeun only spoke when it counted, and we all respected that.

            That is why when Naeun opened that evening, I knew brushing off any other questions from my housemates would be impossible.

            “Hey, Unnie,” she interrupted my work.  “You seem a bit distant, what’s wrong?”

            “I agree, you’ve been acting weird!” Dara shouted from the living room.

            “Did somebody hurt you?” Hyoyeon growled, turning away from her cookie dough to give me intense eyes.

            “Um- I- Well- And,”

            “Hana’s guilt stuttering again!  Everyone in the kitchen!” Hyoyeon shouted before taking a seat at the table, Dara and Alice ran in from the living room.

            Though Naeun and I were the quiet ones of the house, we were vastly different.  Naeun was graceful and chose when to remain silent and when to use her words.  I, on the other hand, was simply painfully awkward.  And, I was terrible at hiding my feelings, especially from people, like my housemates, who knew my mannerisms well.

            “Just tell us everything, Unnie, start from the beginning,” Alice encouraged.

             I guess the truth will be coming out… I thought with a sigh.

            “Well,” I began with a cough, “you know how I got laid at the party on Saturday?”

            “Yeah, and we couldn’t find you, so we assumed that and left, I thought you were okay with that?” Hyoyeon confusedly questioned.

            “Um, you see, Unnie,” I awkwardly mumbled, “I never left the Exo house.”

            There was a puzzled silence.  I looked around at my housemates, none of them seemed to understand what I was implying.

            And then, Hyoyeon’s face contorted into disbelief.

            “Oh, Hana, you didn’t!” she moaned out.

            “She didn’t what?” Alice asked.

            “Hana, you took the Exo shirt!” Hyoyeon shouted.  “We’re all dead – ing dead.”

            I laughed nervously, as it finally clicked for everybody.

            “Wait, a minute,” Dara cut in.  “You slept with Park Chanyeol!  That’s not ing fair.”

            “Unnie, we have bigger problems at hand,” Alice tried to reason.

            “I have been trying to land an Exo boy since Freshman year,” Dara whined.  “And at what, her third Exo party, she lands Park ing Chanyeol.  Not even Lay or Kai who take somebody up every party, but Park ing Chanyeol, the one who never takes anyone up!  This isn’t fair.  I’m the residential here, and you bedded an Exo boy before me!”

            “Calm down, Unnie!” Alice yelled and slapped Dara’s back as she went into hysterics.  “We have the Exo shirt, if anybody finds out we have no social life ever again!  it, I’m moving back to France.”

            The kitchen was in pure chaos.  Dara continued to crying about how she was a failed ‘house ,’ Hyoyeon was in a state of shock, muttering about how none of us were going to live, and Alice was whispering to her cell phone angrily in French.

            “CAN YOU ALL JUST SHUT UP”

            Immediate silence and looks of shock found their way to Naeun.

            We had never heard her yell before.

            “Hana Unnie, continue please.” She quietly ordered, acting as if her outburst had never happened.

            If Naeun can show strength, you can push past your awkwardness…

            It was like my Confidence had been a light switch, and had been miraculously switched on because what was to follow was basically unprecedented for me as explanations usually came out in a jumbled word-vomit like fashion.

            “Chanyeol was sleeping on top of my tank top, so I only used his shirt as a cover-up for the walk home.  I didn’t even know there was anything special about it, or that there was a shirt.  You two know that,” I said, looking over at Dara and Alice.

            “I get that we’re all kind of screwed, and it’s my entire fault, even though I didn’t want to go to the party in the first place…but, I need your support because I’m scared, and I can’t do this alone.” I truthfully stated.  “I’m so scared, and I honestly have no idea what I’m going to do.  I just know that I need to get the shirt back quick and without anyone seeing.”

            I gave a run-down of the conversation between Taemin and the three Exo frat boys in my Algebra class, leaving out the portion of the conversation where Yixing showed interest in me and asking Jongdae for my number.

            “Well, them not knowing it was you is definitely an advantage.  Nobody knows about your American name apart from us,” Alice positively pointed out.  “But, that doesn’t mean this whole operation is going to be any less easy.  James Bourne is from your country, if you share any heritage with him that will be out best bet at getting the shirt back without anyone knowing.”

            “Or we could just keep it,” Dara muttered.

            “No, Unnie, you can’t put it in your collection of ‘trophies.’  It wouldn’t be your trophy anyway,” Hyoyeon scolded.  “We have to give it back.  Tomorrow, after everyone has finished with classes, we’ll discuss a drop-off.  I think we all need some sleep.”

            Nobody objected, heading up stairs for bed.

            “And don’t anybody tell Luhan.  Once he finds out, it’s only a matter of time until all of Asia does.”

Hey guys!

This chapter is shorter, but I think its pretty important for things to come.

Next chapter - I am beyond excited for it!

I won't spoil anything, but another IMPORANT  character may or may not be introduced ;)

Thank you for all of the comments and support - I treasure it

Please continue to read, upvote, comment, subscribe, and enjoy!

Winnie