Your POV
Staring in disbelief as five boys continue to scream, you notice Jinyoung nervously scratching his neck. The smell in the room hits you immediately—vanilla bean, which you expected, was nowhere to be found. Instead, the air felt thick with something unfamiliar, even though Jinyoung himself smelled like vanilla bean.
The commotion doesn't stop. You pause, scanning the kitchen to see how many people were causing the chaos.
"Yooha! Hi!" A voice calls out, making you snap your head toward the direction of the sound.
"I didn't know you knew Jinyou—Bambam, my phone! Put it down—no, stop vlogging!" A very familiar voice shouts.
"Jackson?" you ask, concern creeping into your voice as you turn back to Jinyoung. "You know Jackson?" you ask, brows furrowing in confusion. Jinyoung nods, but hesitates, his expression clearly showing his frustration as he watches the boys struggle to calm each other down.
"Jinyoung, stop standing around and help me!" Another voice calls over the racket, and Jinyoung's ears turn red with embarrassment. He shakes his head once more before giving you a sheepish "yes," and joining the commotion, offering a quick apology as he steps into the crowd.
*
Jinyoung, finally managing to get you and the boys seated on the couch, starts introducing you to everyone, who are now sitting calmly and innocently.
"I tried getting all of them in order, but one of them is missing. He's isolating himself again," Jinyoung explains, turning to you with a small smile tugging at your lips.
"It's fine, thanks for inviting me," you reply, returning the smile. Jinyoung nudges your shoulder slightly, gives you a quick glance, and motions toward the boys for you to introduce yourself.
A small "oh" escapes your mouth as you turn to face the five boys who are staring at you curiously. "Hi, I'm Chae Yooha. I hope we can become good friends."
You say, smiling shyly as the boys stay quiet, turning to look at each other. Confused, you glance at Jinyoung for help. He shrugs before one of the boys starts clapping, and soon, the rest follow. Whistles and louder claps fill the room, and you flinch, covering your ears as a small laugh escapes your lips.
"I love her already!" one of the boys shouts, followed by another response. "She barely speaks, and you're already in love with her?" He rubs his temples in annoyance before turning to you.
His eyes are sharp, making him look intimidating. He holds the gaze for a while before his expression softens into a smile, and your heart melts at how gentle it is. "Don't mind him. I'm Jaebeom, by the way. Nice to meet you, Yooha."
Jaebeom seems to be one of the oldest and probably the only mature one in the apartment. His well-kept look compliments his sharp jawline and nose, which makes him undeniably attractive.
You remember him from earlier when you were near the doorway—he had been shouting for Jinyoung's help and scolding someone whose name you had already forgotten. Seven boys in an apartment was obviously not the best idea.
One by one, the rest of the boys start introducing themselves, and you focus on memorizing all their names.
"Hi, I'm Mark, the eldest," Mark says, smiling and waving. His strong, masculine features make him stand out, and you'd be lying if you said he wasn't attractive. He tilts his head slightly as he continues to smile, showing his front teeth clearly.
"Youngjae here!" Youngjae exclaims happily, and you hold back a smile. His smile is so contagious, his round face and long eyes easily recognizable as he beams with cheer.
"I'm Bambam!" He says, waving his hand and grinning jokingly. His plump lips and small nose stand out, and he reminds you of a baby, which starts to remind you of Yugyeom. The thought immediately makes your heart drop, and you hope you don't make it obvious among your new group of friends.
*
It had been about 30 minutes of chatting with the boys. Their personalities were distinct and different, but you seemed to fit in easily with them. Jaebeom's mature appearance was spot on, he often took the lead and was known as the "father" of the group, always taking care of the boys and making sure they didn't cause trouble.
Mark was one of the quietest members. He hardly ever spoke unless necessary, and Youngjae described him as the type of person you wouldn't even notice was in the room unless you saw him.
Youngjae was one of the loudest members, like Bambam, and often laughed easily, sometimes hitting Jackson in the process. It was the only thing Jackson ever vented about.
Youngjae and Bambam were both troublemakers, and Jaebeom had warned against putting the two together, including the mysterious one who was always isolating himself. The three of them were the youngest, so they tended to be the most immature.
When the conversation dies down and everyone shares their last laugh, curiosity about the boy who's hiding in his room suddenly sparks your interest.
"By the way, you said someone was missing, who was it?" you ask seriously, and Jackson scoffs jokingly while the others fall silent.
"He's always annoyed. We leave him alone to let him cool off. He's in an arranged marriage, but he also has a girlfriend, so things aren't as simple as he'd like them to be," Jackson explains, and you feel the slightest ping of pity and empathy. You nod understandingly, and just as you're about to reply, a familiar voice calls out from behind you.
"Who mentioned my girlfriend?" Bambam's eyes light up, as do Youngjae and Jackson's. Jaebeom, Mark, and Jinyoung remain the same. Just as you turn to see what made their eyes brighten, Jackson starts yelling again.
"Hey! You finally decided to join us! Introduce yourself to Yooha!"
You turn around, your eyes widening at the sight of only one person.
"Y-Yugyeom..?"
*
word count: 1067
song of the day: exo- 24/7
so sorry for taking long to upload! i promise ill try and upload reasonably 🥺 thanks so much for almost 9k reads! stay safe everyone!!
YOU ARE READING
Arranged Marriage
Fiksi Penggemar"You don't hate me, Yooha. You just wish you did," Yugyeom steps closer, his eyes locking onto hers as she steps back. "I wish I could hate you," "Because it would be so much easier than admitting I can't stop thinking about you."
