EERI'S POV

I was in the kitchen fixing myself breakfast when I felt another presence but I ignored it and continued my work. Now the air is more delicious than any flavor. Somehow the scent of wood captures everything good in here. But no matter how alluring this scent is the owner is completely opposite.

No matter how remarkably handsome Sehun is (not that I would actually agree to it in front of someone) I see him and my insides curdle like milk with lemon.

Ever since 'that day' Sehun has been either awfully quiet or awfully nice. I have heard he feels guilty but I just cannot bring myself to even talk to him normally let alone forgive him. I have been called a loner, a nerd, the one who never fits. I have been ignored, hated as well but never in my life have I been called such words. Therefore I ignore his existence totally and completely not that he tries to talk to me. He never came up and apologized.

It's been a week since Yeol found his happiness. Everything is nice. We all joke around; we hunt and be the lazy asses we are. I have learned a lot about them. Turns out every word manager oppa told me about them is true and I cannot be happier in my life.

As soon as I am done fixing myself some toast and eggs I ignore the guilty gaze and walk out of the kitchen to join the others. They look like they are in some weird conversation. They all probably teasing Chanyeol and Baekhyun (It's our favorite time pass these days).

The scene is actually very funny to look at. Everyone one is biting the edge of their lips, a vain attempt to keep their creeping grins at bay even Baekhyun is trying to suppress his laugh, while Suho and Kris have a very straight face and are trying to interrogate the shit out of Chanyeol.

I sit on the floor in front of Chen and Xiumin who are sitting on the sofa I have gotten attached to them a lot in the past days not that I wasn't before. Sehun did the same but in front of Baekhyun and Chanyeol. We made eye contact. He isn't worthy of his eyes. His eyes are like dark hot chocolate that gives a feeling of warmth in cold winter nights. Those deep pools of his eyes are so captive actually he himself is very captive. Sometimes when we all are chatting away or even watching a movie, in the basement, I find myself staring at him. His expressions are worth million dollars and his affection with Baekhyun is so nice even with Luhan. Sometimes I want to know him I almost wish I was someone he actually liked someone he would have accepted someone like Luhan but then I remember what he said. I almost want to forgive him but then I remember the hatred that was filled in his tone and it makes my heart ache. It makes me feel like I was stabbed by a million of needles and no one took care of the wounds.

"Tell me Chanyeol." Suho's anxious voice filled my ears.

"Hyung I uh... I uh... why are you doing this to me?" I watched in awe at Yeol's expression. I saw nothing but shyness on his face, almost embarrassment, as he buries it in his hands.

"Suho is doing nothing to you Chanyeol he is just asking when do him and I get to be grandparents?" Kris still has his straight and serious face while Kai is losing his shit behind a snickering Luhan.

"But hyung we both are males and..."

"Nothing is impossible in today's date Chanyeol. I am sure science has its ways."

Oh so this is what is going on. 'Poor Chanyeol'. I know they are just teasing him and making fun but damn Yeol looks so helpless. He is one hell of a funny sight. His face as red as a tomato and ears even more redder. He looks at me for help and me being me I just shrugged and leaned back again so Xiumin can continue finger brushing my hair. Chanyeol looks at Baekhyun, who tries to resist his sparkly pleading eyes but eventually gives up. 'Pfff lovers.'

"You both already have a grandchild from me why do you want another one?" Baekhyun says in a matter of factly tone. Everyone froze in their positions. Xiumin's hand did not move in my hair. Tao's mouth remained open with the sandwich still near his awaited mouth yet he didn't dare to put it in or close the mouth. Luhan and Kai stopped sniggering. Chanyeol and Sehun looked at Baekhyun as if his skin turned blue while the rest of us had our jaws dropped on the ground.

"B...Baek what are...are you saying?" Chanyeol stuttered.

"What? I mean Suho and Kris have Sehun. Why do they need another grandchild?"

Everyone visibly relaxed. For a minute no one says anything probably taking their time to relax.

"So you are saying Sehun isn't my baby but yours?" Suho interrogated.

"Haven't I made it obvious? Haven't I made it clear every time? This wolf..." he ruffles Sehun's hair "...is my baby not yours therefore he is your grandson and since Yeol is my man you don't get to demand stuff from him."

"THEN I GET TO OFFICALLY CALL DIBS ON ERIE! THIS IS MY CHILD." Chen's yell is like a booming bark, it makes us jump like scared rabbits every time and this time isn't different.

"NO." came Suho's voice.

"But hyung Baek and Yeol get to have one. I want her besides she already thinks of me as her appa."

"For God's sake Jongdae I was kidding about the grand child thingi and I..."

"He is right Hyung let us have Erie."

"See hyung let me and Xiumin have Erie. We may not be a couple like them but come on." Wahh they are fighting over me without my consent great parents I got here.

"If this is the case I want Erie." Kyungsoo voiced.

"Are you kidding me Soo? You can't have her. You both are too evil to be put together." Luhan declared. 'Tch am I evil?'

"Yaah Luhan hyung I am not evil and Erie is nothing but a pure baby." Kyungsoo defended.

"Hyung, once at the department store you told a 3 year old if he didn't give the last piece of candy to you, you will haunt him in his dream."

"He knew I was joking Jongin."

"So he cried the shit outta him because he knew you were joking?"

"Okhey I may be a little evil but Erie..."

"Wakes Yeol up by throwing water on him and Tao by throwing a rope on him and shouting snake." Lay stated the facts and I realized that I indeed am evil.

"Alright shut it." Kris said in his most commanding tone then thought for a while. "Let's give them the kids. You both..." he pointed at Xiumin and Chen "...can have Erie I really don't care after all she is still in the family. Anyone else wants to change parents?"

When everyone shook their heads indicating a 'no', Kris smiled and left for hunting along with Lay and Tao.

"My baby... ouch Xiu it hurts."

"OUR baby." He corrected him after kicking him and sending him millions of invisible daggers. 'Do I even want to be their so called adopted child?'

"Yes our baby." They hugged me with so much affection and love. 'Yes I do.'

"NO I AM NOT CALLING CHANYEOL APPA AND YOU EOMMA! DON'T PUSH YOUR LUCK BAEKHYUN HYUNG." Ignoring Sehun's screams I come up with a rather dumb question.

"So who is my eomma?"

"ME." "Xiumin." They both said in union. I should have known Chen always labeled him as my appa.

The ring of Xiumin phone suddenly hit our ears, like an annoyed rattlesnake. He scooped it up, spoke into it, listened for a moment and bid good bye.

"Okhey everyone NCT will be here by Friday midnight, 3 days from now." he announced.

TAO'S POV

The newly made sub-families and the rest of us instantly muted. We were all looking at Erie. The days of her shift are coming.

"I will go make sure the hut and cellar are clean. It's been long that they were put in use." I offered.

"We will help you." I turned around to see Sehun and Kai standing up.

We start walking towards the hut that is a located a little far from the cottage almost a ten minute walk. We were quiet through half of the journey probably thinking about our own times of shifts. It's a painful process I mean who wants to have his whole bone structure break and change, three times?

"I don't want to hear her scream in pain." Kai said and we all flinched.

"Neither do I." we both heard Sehun's confession.

"A little birdy told me you kissed her while she was asleep?" This is not how I planned to ask him this but for some reason I felt this is the right time. Ever since the fight, no one has mentioned it they almost act as if nothing happened but I know everyone is curious.

"I... uh yeah I did."

"Why? Do you like her?" Jongin has this weird suspicion that Sehun likes Erie but lack of communication between both parties doesn't lets me decide if it's true or not.

"W-what? No. No hyung it was just a spur of the moment thingi."

"Explain?" we demanded from the youngest, as we looked at our destination.

The abandoned hut stood in a composed way. The walls stood firm, the window frames strong. All in all, it looked like a horror movie-set, a place waiting for life to come. The only give-away, that no one has used it in years, was the odor of old wood and the dust otherwise the hut stood strong. It was musty and dry, but nothing opening the doors and windows couldn't solve. The hut was a compressed form of a very small kitchen, a bedroom (if you can call it that) above the kitchen which is reached by the help of a ladder and a little space to move with an average size couch, hiding the underground access hatch. In all honesty if you see the hut you will never even think that it has an underground cellar. We cleaned the hut with zero words exchange and then moved to the caller. This is a place with only painful memories.

The access hatch beneath the couch is a nightmare. In some households it might be a sign of a house power room or a normal store room, but not this one. As we step down in the cellar the smell of it awakened memories long forgotten, echoes of screams jarred my mind and I am 100% sure it's revolving around the other two brains present here as well.
There are stairs that lead us down, but it's been so long since they were used that there is a creek sound produced with every step we take. It smells musty but in the dim light provided by the single bare bulb that dangles from the ceiling I can't see any water seeping in. It's larger than it seems from the hatch, and there is alcove built in. The walls are thicker than a medieval castle, but the hut on top is just wood.

Chills ran through me when my gaze stopped at the far end wall. Rusted chains attached to the wall, screamed for release. The long chains are hung motionless and silent, yet they still took the central attention. We were all tied to these so we don't go running in town during our shifts. Nail marks are evident on the walls. I have no idea how Kris Gege managed to live above every time any of had to shift.

While we were cleaning, I don't know exactly what, Sehun started talking.

"I was going in my room that night when I found her room door open." He started and both I and Kai stopped whatever we were doing and motioned him to continue. "Of course I peeked inside. For some reason I had to see if Chanyeol hyung was in her room or not. I and Baekhyun hyung had caught them cuddling once or twice and it would always make my blood boil yet I wanted to know. So when I peeked in she was alone. Sleeping like a cute little baby. I don't know why I went in her room but nevertheless I did. It's no secret that at that time I had assumed that she was in some kind of a relationship with Yeol so I started studying her features. I wanted to know what was so good about her."

He remained silent and so did we. We said nothing so he continued.

"Her lashes long, thick, and dark. And below that a nose so cute. It may be a little beaky but it suits her a lot. Her lips were a pale pink that reminded me of a rose bud. The top lip was thinner, but not too thin, and it had a natural cupid's bow; the bottom one was larger and plusher. Suddenly I wanted to feel her lips against mine. I know this doesn't sounds like me and sounds like a pervert but there was a swirl of emotions in me, what, how and why I don't know but there was. So I leaned down and I kissed those lips. I won't call it a kiss tho hardly a peck. When I did the deed, and regained my consciousness, I was so shocked that I ran out of her room straight to the forest. I had no idea she was awake or why she didn't slap me, killed me or whatever she could do, right there and then."

"You should apologies to her. I know you have been acting nice to her but this step is after someone apologizes. Fix things in between your selves no one can do it for you but we are always here to help." Jongin said. No words were exchanged after that. We came back home told the guys the hut and cellar are ready and went back to normal as if the talk never took place.
.....................................................................

I didnt recheck it so if u peeps find spelling mistakes or grammar mistakes n all then kindly ignore them 😅😅

Blue 💙