Meet Park Jiyoo, the only girl in a squad of five siblings, and the undisputed princess of her four overprotective brothers.
With their dad out of the picture, her brothers-especially Park Jay and Sunghoon-take their role as her protectors to heart...
It was another groggy morning in this city for me. No blaring alarm clock meant more precious sleep, but why did it seem like everyone who could enter this house was a morning person?
"Let's go, baby brat!" Sunghoon's voice echoed from my doorway.
"Go away!" I groaned, burying my face deeper into my pillow.
A familiar presence lay down beside me. "Now, that's a little harsh to your older brother, Princess."
Recognizing the voice, I turned to see Chanyeol. I hugged him tightly, seeking comfort in his familiar embrace. Sunghoon rolled his eyes at our sibling moment.
"Hey Jade," Chanyeol greeted, returning the hug. "Sorry I missed your first day of school. How was it?"
"It's fine. I already made a friend," I replied, feeling a hint of excitement about my newfound acquaintance.
I rolled onto my back and asked Chanyeol, "Where's Akira?"
"She's downstairs, waiting for you," he answered with a smile.
Grinning, I threw off my covers, leaving Chanyeol to fix my rumpled bed, and rushed downstairs, his laughter trailing behind me.
In the kitchen, Akira and Jay were engaged in a light-hearted conversation while Jay cooked something delicious on the stove.
"I don't know, Jay. She seems kinda into you," Akira teased, glancing at Jay with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.
"That's what everyone says, but I just... I don't see it. She's my friend," Jay replied, a hint of uncertainty in his voice.
"Are you seriously telling me I have no idea what's going on?" I interjected, wrapping Akira in a hug.
"Not something for you to worry about, sis," Jay reassured me.
"Hi Jade," Akira greeted warmly, hugging me back. I knelt down to her level and gently placed my hand on her rounded stomach.
"Hi baby," I cooed, feeling a kick against my palm. "Are you being good to your momma?"
Akira chuckled. "From all the kicks, I'd say this baby takes after their daddy."
I leaned in to press a kiss on her stomach, feeling a surge of affection for the little one growing inside her. As I sat down with them at the dining table, I poured myself a cup of coffee.
"How are you feeling, Akira?" I asked, sipping my coffee.
"Tired of this decaf already," she replied, glaring playfully at her cup.
"So when do I get to find out if I'll have a nephew or niece?" I pressed eagerly, glancing at Chanyeol who had joined us in the kitchen.
"Oh, I don't know. We'll surprise you all," Chanyeol teased, dodging the question with a grin.
"But Jimin said you've known for two weeks already! Come on, spill the beans," I insisted, shaking my phone in emphasis. Chanyeol chuckled, and Akira playfully nudged him.
"We'll let you know soon, promise," Akira assured me, giving Chanyeol's arm a playful slap.
Jay poured himself a cup of coffee, nudging my shoulder gently. "Go get ready for school, Princess. We've got to leave soon."
We had a habit of teasing each other, especially Sunghoon, who despite being the earliest riser, often got lost in his thoughts. Jay hurried off to find him while I finished my breakfast.
After bidding everyone goodbye, I headed upstairs to get ready for school. Opting for a simple outfit of a sweater and joggers, I descended the stairs just in time to hear the doorbell ring.
"Jade, could you get that?" Chanyeol called out as I approached the front door, only to trip over Jay's shoes.
"Oh god, Mr. Park Jongsaeng, your shoes are down here... again!" I exclaimed, tossing them aside.
I swung open the door, just as Jimin shouted from the stairs, "Please don't throw your brother's shoes around, Princess!"
"Princess?" a voice queried from the doorway.
I turned to see Ni-ki standing there, a grin spreading across his face as he unabashedly checked me out.
"What the hell are you doing here?" I demanded, crossing my arms defensively.
"My mom wanted to bring these over to our new neighbors," he explained, holding up a pan filled with warm cookies shaped like penguins and puppies.
"Why would she send you to do that?" I asked, accepting the pan with a skeptical look.
"We're your new neighbors. Lucky for you, we live right next door," Ni-ki smirked, running a hand through his hair, clearly enjoying the banter.
Suppressing a sigh, I said politely, "Well, please tell her we said thank you. It was very kind of her to welcome us."
Ni-ki nodded, glancing around before meeting my gaze again. "I'll see you at school, Princess," he winked before I shut the door firmly.
Ugh, he's our neighbor? This should not be interesting...
aAs the door closed behind Ni-ki, I leaned against it with a sigh, trying to process the fact that he was now our neighbor. I could already foresee the potential for both excitement and complications with him living so close by.
"Who was that?" Chanyeol asked, walking over with a curious expression.
"Ni-ki," I replied shortly, not wanting to dwell on the encounter. "He brought over cookies from his mom."
Chanyeol raised an eyebrow. "Interesting... Seems like he's making an effort."
"Yeah, well, he could make less of an effort," I muttered under my breath, making Chanyeol chuckle.
"Just ignore him if he bothers you," Chanyeol suggested, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder.
"Yeah, easier said than done," I grumbled, pushing myself off the door and heading back towards the kitchen.
The rest of the morning passed in a whirlwind of getting ready for school and packing my bag. Jay and Sunghoon were already in the car when Chanyeol and I emerged from the house, Akira waving to us from the front porch.
As we drove towards school, the morning sunlight filtering through the trees, I couldn't shake the feeling of anticipation mixed with a hint of apprehension. Ni-ki being our neighbor was definitely going to make things interesting, whether I liked it or not.
Arriving at school, I spotted Ni-ki talking with some friends near the entrance. He glanced in my direction and flashed a grin that made my heart skip a beat - not in a good way.
"Just focus on your day, Jade," Chanyeol advised as we parked. "Don't let him get under your skin."
"Yeah, I'll try," I replied, though I knew it wouldn't be that simple.
Stepping out of the car, I took a deep breath and prepared myself for whatever this new twist in our lives would bring.
As I walked towards the school building, I couldn't help but wonder how being neighbors with Ni-ki would change things for me, my family, and maybe even for the worse.
⚊
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
