The Academy of Gentlemen (TFboys and EXO fanfiction)

Chapter VIII - Bittersweet Cake of Memories

All of them agreed that Minseok and Zhi Hong should stay until Minseok reached his full health.

Lienne didn't mind, the two made great company and made her laugh as she cleaned the house or made dinner.

It was fun having Minseok and Zhi Hong over, the boys would come home from the Academy and would play video games or simple word games with them and it would be like a mini party. Chanyeol joined most of the time - but since he had Council Meetings, he couldn't make it a few days.

That night, Lienne set up the lounge room for the usual antics - gaming and then eating. She talked to Minseok as she did but realized that he was little out of it.

"Minseok?"

"What's the date today?" He asked abruptly,

"Twentieth of April... why?" Lienne looked at him with worry.

His face softened with a shadow of regret, "Nothing... sorry for asking."

Lienne stopped arranging things for a minute and sat down next to him, "What's wrong?"

"It's just that..." He inhaled sharply, "It's a very important day today."

She frowned and was about to ask more, but she heard loud knocks on the door then a hand fumbling with the keys. She got up and went to the door and there stood Zhi Hong with the groceries, "Guess who I picked up in the market?" He said playfully.

Then three faces popped up, "Hi Lienne!" They chorused,

Lienne smiled at all of them, "Hi guys," She greeted as she helped Zhi Hong with the bags.

"I wonder what game we should play today?" Karry asked, ignoring that Zhi Hong and Lienne were struggling with the heavy bags,

"I think we should play Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Revolution IIII," Roy said as he stuttered the title out, "Sorry, that was a mouthful."

"I suck at that game though," Jackson grumbled and slapped the two boys playfully as they smirked smugly at them - Jackson wasn't good at any video game at all.

"Some good you lot are," Zhi Hong huffed, "Even though you go to a fancy Gentleman's school, you don't even bother to help with the bags. Such gentlemen you are."

The boys immediately reddened in embarrassment and relieved Lienne of the bags. "Thanks, guys." She grinned at them.

Then they heard another knock on the door, "That'll be Yeol!" Karry said, dropping his bags to reach for the door. But as he opened the door, he not only say Chanyeol's face, but ten more.

"Hi guys," Chanyeol grinned sheepishly, "Brought the Squad over, d'you mind if we crashed here?" As he was talking, a hand shot up from the crowd,

"Hi Lienne!" A voice erupted from the crowd

Then they heard an oof and, "Shut up, Luhan."

They all blinked for a few moments and an awkward silence hung in the air,

"So..." Chanyeol said awkwardly, rubbing his hands together, "Are you gonna let us in? 'Cause it's friggin' cold."

Lienne immediately snapped from her shock, "Yeah! Sure, come on in!"

All eleven of the Seniors waddled inside like penguins - since they were stuffed with warm clothes. They broke out in a waddle/run to the lounge,

"Minnie!" Tao - the princess of the Seniors - cried out.

Shock registered on Minseok's face, he blinked a couple of times before stuttering out Tao's name.

Then they all huddled around him, "How've you been?" Kris asked, attempting a brofist with Minseok - who timidly shook his closed fist. "We heard from Yeol, you should've told us sooner," Kris said, as he casually changed from a brofist to a formal shake of the hand.