ERIE’S POV

It's Friday.

It is elven pm.

No one is asleep.

We are waiting.

I am shitless scared.

I scoot a little more towards Xiumin.

“Hey don’t worry it’s going to be fine.” I am not sure if he is consoling me or himself.

“Oppa does it hurt? Like a lot?” I ask Xiumin.

“No, it tickles.” Sehun deadpans at me. We have grown close the past days.

“I hate you.”

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

“Ughhh.” He is such an idiot. He doesn’t even knows how to sooth someone. Sighing I go in the kitchen to grab some ice cream.

‘What if this is my last ice cream? What if I cannot bear the pain? I heard Tao and Kris talking. What if they are right? What if I die due to pain?’

“Heyyy snap out of it. You are not going to die.” I snap out of my haze.

“You are going to be fine Erie.” Sehun assures me. When did he come in the kitchen? “Look I am not going to lie. It hurts like a bitch. It hurts like hundreds of bones breaking at once but then again hundred bones do break. But we all went through it and we all came out alive. You are one of us. You are strong Erie. You will make it.”

His voice feels so comforting like it would change everything wrong to right.

“Come here you scared baby.”

He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me close, gently rubbing my arm. Despite the heaviness in my stomach, it fluttered at the gesture. I sunk into the warmth of his side, appreciative of the simple gesture. It was nice and cozy and I actually didn’t want to leave the newly discovered comfort zone until…

“HELLO PEOPLE.” The voice is painfully very familiar to someone I have lost. Someone I have been yearning to hear again. I can never never I mean ever mistake this voice even if it’s been years.

I push Sehun and make a run towards the living room. I am greeted with three new backs, two girls and one guy. I just stand there observing.

“Where are the rest?” Kris asks.

“Mark had a recording to complete. So Taeyong decided since we three are free and since you guys mainly needed the girls, we should come first.”

“Yu...Yuk-hei?” The moment he turned my heart broke. Yet it was a good breaking... the type that leads to healing and new ways onward. Sometimes, the loss of words says more.

His stare had the same effect on my breathing as I was having on his, constricted and hard to take in. There was shock behind those eyes.

“Do… Doori?”

Tears welled up in my eyes. And why won’t they my best friend is alive and healthy. The cause of my dreams… my dreams... insomnia... stress... anxiety.‘Oh this asshole.’

“Yaaa you son of a stupid donkey!!!”

I don’t know what to do suddenly. I don’t know what to hit this 6 ft long human with. I want to kill him and hang him so I did the first thing I could. I took of my slippers and started throwing them at him. He ran around the living room with me behind him, trying to hit him with anything that comes in contact with my hands. 

“I know you are angry but I had reasons.” He cries.

“You over grown baboon you think I will buy your shit? Come here. If I lay a finger on you I will crush you with only my pinki finger, you asshole.”

TAO’S POV

There goes the mug. Oh and the plate. The sofas are upside down. By the end of five minutes our living room was not a mess but a disaster. Several plates were now shattered on the floor. Coffee was spilled on the table and Lucas was hiding behind, a poker face, Oh Sehun while Kris held Erie and Chen took the wooden chair from her.

“Give me the chair Chen. I will kill him. He will be dead just like I had thought for the past fifteen years.”

“I am sorry I couldn’t just come to you and go like hey Doori. I am alive. I was saved by werewolves so I gotta dash you know gotta hide n change identity.”

“YOU STUPID BRAINLESS POLL COME HERE I WILL CHOKE YOU TO DEATH. YOU MADE ME GO THROUGH INSOMANIA AND NIGHTMARES. DON’T LET ME LAY A SINGLE FINGER ON YOU. UGHHH LET ME GO KRIS!” Erie said struggling in Kris’ grip.

“Erie, come on sweet heart it's ok be happy your best friend is alive.” Chen continued telling Erie positive stuff while Lucas was hiding behind Sehun begging him to save him. ‘Pfff as if Sehun would.’

After fifteen minutes of calming her down we finally get the by-product of it, she finally agrees to the idea of peace.

“Come out from Sehun’s back or I might really choke you to death.”
Slowly but surely Lucas comes out and stands in front of Erie. Head a little down and still slightly scared for dear life.

“So you go by the name Lucas eh?”

“Yeah.”

“I heard NCT members are handsome what’s wrong with your face? You were cutter when you were a baby. You ain’t even the H of Handsome. Pffff”

“Excuse you. I have millions of fans who can die for my looks talk about yourself.”

“Your fans are blind Yukhie. B L I N D. Blind.”

“Oh pleaseeeee you are blind you still look like a dehydrated cow.”

“Well you look like an arrogant baboon.”

“Ice Queen”

“Velociraptor”

“Dimwit”

“Soppy Git.”

“Retarded Lizard”

“Are you both really best friends?” Lay asks as confused as always.

“Of course.” They voice in union.

“Coffee?” Erie asks.

“I mean why not.” Lucas answers.

“None of you will get a single drop until I see my house clean.” With one glare Kyungsoo managed to make them clean the whole living area.

After thirty five minutes the house was clean and we were all finally able to sit in the living room.

“So now that we all are finally back to normal. Let me introduce Akari and Aana to Doo… no um Erie and Kyungsoo hyung.” Lucas said. Kyungsoo hyung knows Akari but not Aana. Aana became a member of NCT when he was gone to the military.

“Well this is our Akari she is 22 and this is Aana she turned 23. They both are models and have no connections with us in front of the world but I don’t know what we would do without them…"

KYUNGSOO’S POV

‘Aana.’

The girl has a nose like a cartoon character, or one drawn by a lazy artist at least. The bridge was so low-profile as to be barely there at all but its like it was made specifically for hee, she is cute. She isn’t artificial beauty no golden curls or modern looks; no piercing eyes. She is beautiful and elegant. She is like a perfect mixture of beauty and simplicity. Her black eyes like shooting stars excellently polished with shine. Perfect chocolate colored hair against skin so white and fresh, if only I could brush my hand through… what the bloody hell?

I get a grip on my unearthly thoughts and focus on the scene. I dust the close to invisible dust on the sofa and show my finger to Erie.

“Young lady I thought you were cleaning.”

“I did clean.”

“Then what is this.” I narrow my eyes at her and show her my finger.

“Soo there is nothing on your finger.” Erie says. ‘Tch people these days.’

“Hyung, there really is nothing on your finger.” Lucas adds. ‘Tch best friends these days.’

“No Lucas there is dust. Look carefully.” I hear Aana saying and I feel my heart skip a beat. ‘Tch heart these days.’

"You and your OCD Noona." Lucas says while rolling his eyes.

“When do you start?” Suho asks Akari.

“I dunno prolly when Tae comes n gives us his blessings.” She says giggling. “I am kidding tomorrow morning. The rest are coming in like an hour.”

“How do you know that?” Lay asks.

“Oh Akari can feel it. It’s like she has stronger feeling she knows when the family is near.” Lucas answers.

“Okheyy so anyone up for ice cream and movie?” Everyone agrees with Jongin and we make our way to the basement and dig in the little ice cream tubs while waiting for the rest.