Being the center of attention made me feel uncomfortable.

I never liked having all eyes on me. During class recitations, performances, even now as my stepbrother's friends examined me as if I'm a science project.

We are seated around the coffee table in the living room. My mind wondering why there are seven of them when I should only be meeting one guy in this house. I shifted my eyes to the boxes on the floor, suddenly interested in the packages that look like deliveries.

Seokjin said that he'd introduce us to each other but none of them are actually saying anything. The air hang cold and dry as tension built up. Seokjin cleared his throat, breaking the silence.

"Well, since we're all here, this is Yoongi, Jimin, Hoseok, Namjoon, Jungkook, Taehyung. Guys, this is my stepsister, Rachel." He pointed at them one by one, of course I did not follow, he was talking too fast. The mention of "stepsister" almost sounded too offensive.

"Why are you even here?" Yoongi followed after my stepbrother's attempt to clear the awkward atmosphere. I furrowed my eyebrows, not understanding his question. I mean, I should be the one asking that.

"I... live here ...now," I said slowly, still unsure whether I said the right words. The tension grew as six set of eyebrows were perked and wrinkled. A dead silence dropped in the midst of us all so I took the small bag beside me to check my things if they are still there. Not like my things would suddenly disappear but I did it anyway to keep my mind somewhere else.

"Sure," he said before getting up and tapping Namjoon on the shoulders. He seems to understand and followed him upstairs. One by one, they left, Seokjin grabbed the arm of one of them, the tall one with the hoodie and boxers on, and whispered something to him. He nodded and continued upstairs until the only persons left were my stepbrother and I. I stared at him questioningly, pulling out the journal in my bag that was wrinkled in all places from being crammed in the bag. I straightened its creases.

"They asked for my help in their PComm (Purposive Communication)," he started. "We're making a video presentation about mental health." I almost forgot, he majored in Mass Communication during his college years. Although, they can't all be in the same class, right? For starters, they're not even the same ages. Still confused, I nodded my head.

"But why was that one giving me the attitude? What's his name again?" I asked in a slightly annoyed tone. I wanted Seokjin to take my side and maybe talk it out with him to at least be nice to me. Respect is one of the things I value and if I don't get it here then it'll be a problem.

"That was Yoongi, don't worry he's really nice. He's just not ready for your arrival." He sighed and slouched in his seat, finally relieved of the pressure that the earlier encounters caused. 

"How come? Dad talked to you," I remembered how quick the dial tone went off when my stepfather told him about my migration. I grew accustomed of calling him "Dad" since he's been my father figure for a very long time now, which he wasn't bothered about. If I know, he grew fond of me as well.

"Actually, he did but I was in an important meeting at work so I had to hang up and I guess it slipped my mind until Jungkook saw your arrival, he warned us, thinking you were a stranger who went to the wrong address," he chuckled a little at the naïve boy.

Jungkook, the boy with doe eyes and bowl cut hair. Yoongi, the grumpy guy with pale skin.  I made a mental note in my mind. If I was to stay here I should know his friends, too. But how come they don't know me? Does Seokjin never talk about me with his friends? My chest tightened at the thought. I was someone important to him, wasn't I?

I pushed the idea to the back of my mind. "So what time are they leaving? It's getting late." I checked my watch and it read 7:18 in the evening. The air was already heavy. I suddenly felt the urge to lie down, my head becoming heavy and my body feeling like giving up. This must be jet lag.

"Umm, actually..." he trailed off. I grew concerned at how he shifted his gaze from the floor to me and bit his lip.

"What is it?" I asked him a little demandingly. He faced me and with one quick motion, he cupped my face with his big hands.

"You need to promise me that you won't tell Dad." He stared into my eyes with his pleading ones. I swallowed and nodded an okay. He's never did this to me before and I can't help feeling a little flushed. I mean, we still are not blood-related, and he can't just pull my face in front of his without second thoughts at how intimate that would be. Or maybe I just wasn't prepared for the skinship.

"They're staying here. I don't know for how long." He let go of my face and leaned back. I picked up what he was trying to say.

"You mean, stay as in they live here?" He nodded to confirm my assumption.

My head pounded more and I felt sick to my stomach. I really need to rest and the couch seemed so inviting. Maybe I'll just close my eyes for a few minutes. I sighed loud and moved to make myself comfortable to lie down. Seokjin grew confused at me.

"What are you doing? Why are you sleeping there?" He started to push me up.

"No, please, I'm feeling nauseous." I waved him off. I closed my eyes to try to stop my vision from swirling. I thought of how to tell my stepbrother that I don't think I'll approve of them living here with us.

They are his friends, I know and I understand. But things are different now that I'm here, and I hope he'll consider that. But right now I need to rest as my body can't handle the weariness it feels. Maybe I'll talk to him when I rest up.

After a while, I felt a pair of arms carrying me, but I didn't protest. I'm too exhausted to even open my eyes.

JIN'S POV

As soon as Rachel closed her eyes, she immediately fell asleep. I stared at her face for a few seconds, realizing her dark circles, the big bulge under her eyes, her pale and almost unhealthy, beige skin, a darker shade of brown on her eyelids – she looked tired.

I carried her to the spare room, making sure the guys' things were already taken out as I've asked Namjoon to do.

They've been staying with me for four weeks now, no one knew, I didn't want my Dad to know. He would let them stay but now that Rachel is here, I doubt he'd even give me a chance to explain before saying no.

I watched her as I lay her on the small bed. At the contact with the soft mattress, she sank and splayed comfortably, a little smile spreading across her lips. Cute, I mumbled. She's still the little girl I loved as my own sister, she just grew taller and grew boobs and maybe a few weight but she's still the same.

"Come on, hyung," I jumped as Namjoon's voice boomed at the background. I almost forgot about the project we were working on. More like Jungkook's group project, but his members left all the editing and script to him. We only offered to help with the content.

I followed him out the room and to the game room at the other end of the hall, I didn't bother closing her door.

After a few minutes of useless bickerings about what title we should put on the video presentation, we still couldn't think of how to put 'Say No to Bullying' in better words to make it sound more appealing.

The idea has already been spread like a virus for many years but no one seems to internalize it and apply in their lives. Isn't it useless to try to repeat over and over when we should focus on practising it instead of talking issues, laws and effects of it?

Our voices got loud as we suggest titles for the presentation, most of them were just jokes and nonsense. We were interrupted by a loud crash right outside the room's door. Everyone turned around in horror, except for Yoongi, who was fast asleep on the couch.

"Hyung, open the door," Hoseok nudged me. I quickly protested and said, "You should do it since it's your idea!"

Another argument went on until we voted for Jungkook to see what happened. We were all admittedly scared and our baby boy Jungkook is our ace when it comes to these things. He'd just laugh at us before doing what we intended him to.

Jungkook tiptoed towards the door and slowly peeked to the hallway. He immediately shut the door and faced us, stiff. We all huddled further from the door, to the corner of the room when we saw how he reacted. He was truly shocked.

"It's her," he said. It gave me a feeling of relief. But then he opened his mouth again.

"She's unconscious." I couldn't register yet what he just said. I felt the hair on my skin stand up with chills running down my spine.

"Say what?" I took a step closer to the door.

"She's out there. I don't think she's awake," he rephrased his earlier statement. I turned the knob and opened the door wider.

Sure enough, she was curled up in front of the door and sleeping rather peacefully. The vase on the table at the hallway was lying on the floor with cracks all over. A wave of relief spread through me, her jet lag must have caught up on her and she sleepwalked.

"Help me," I motioned for Jungkook as I took her arms up. Jungkook assisted me in carrying her over my shoulder and I held onto his shoulder as he guided us to the spare room, which is now Rachel's. He pushed the door to help me come in effortlessly and I laid her once again in the bed that was already messy.

I put my hand on my hips and breathed in and out, trying to catch my breath. She grew heavier, too. Jungkook tapped me lightly.

"Hyung, let's go finish up. I'm tired, too." I nodded and we walked out the room, this time I closed the door and made sure it was locked.