Late night ramen
It was a chilly autumn afternoon, and the golden leaves fluttered in the breeze as Mai found herself at the practice room of SM Entertainment. She'd been friends with some of the NCT members for a while now, and today was a rare chance to hang out with them in between their packed schedules.
The sound of laughter filled the air as Mark and Jaehyun ran towards her, smiles wide on their faces. "Mai! You made it!" Mark shouted, running up and pulling her into a quick hug. "We thought you might be too busy."
Mai chuckled, adjusting her scarf. "Me? Busy? Have you seen your schedule?" she teased.
Jaehyun laughed, leaning against the wall as he shook his head. "You've got a point there."
Mai's eyes flicked to the others in the room. Johnny and Yuta were seated on the couch, deep in conversation, but they both waved as soon as they saw her. Doyoung, with his ever-watchful gaze, raised an eyebrow and offered a smile, always slightly more reserved than the others but no less caring. Then there was Haechan, whose grin practically stretched from ear to ear as he darted over to Mai's side.
"You missed the practice, Mai. I'm telling you, you should've seen Jaemin trying to freestyle—he tripped over his own feet," Haechan teased, earning a playful swat from Jaemin, who rolled his eyes from across the room.
Mai laughed, feeling a wave of warmth wash over her despite the coolness outside. Being around them always made her feel at ease.
"Well, I'm here now. And honestly, I'm more interested in seeing what you all do in your free time," she said, raising an eyebrow.
Yuta smirked from the couch. "Free time? What's that?"
Johnny stretched his long limbs and stood up, giving Mai a mock-serious look. "You've stepped into the NCT zone, Mai. Prepare yourself. We don't do 'relaxing.'"
Mai crossed her arms, feigning confidence. "Bring it on."
Just as she said that, Taeyong walked in, looking a little tired but smiling softly when he spotted Mai. "Hey, Mai," he said, his voice gentle but full of affection. "I hope they're not giving you too much trouble."
Before Mai could reply, Haechan interrupted with a dramatic sigh. "Taeyong, we're just trying to show her the real NCT experience."
Johnny, ever the jokester, nudged her playfully. "We could start with our famous late-night ramen cooking battles."
Mark perked up. "Ooh, Mai, you'd be on my team for sure. We're unbeatable!"
Mai grinned, looking around at all the eager faces. "I think I'm ready for whatever you guys throw at me."
Hours passed as they cooked, danced, and laughed, the bonds of friendship growing stronger with every joke and playful banter. As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a golden glow through the windows, Mai found herself nestled comfortably in the heart of NCT's chaotic but loving world.
It was the perfect mix of fun and warmth, the kind of moment that made her realize just how lucky she was to be surrounded by these talented, kindhearted boys.
