"You have to get the golden star, Sehun!" Kai yelled.

"I'm trying, I'm trying!" Sehun yelled back.

The pair pressed the buttons on their Wii remotes repeatedly as they fixated their gaze on the TV screen. It was early in the morning and the EXO members were still on their short but, well-earned holiday.

"Get the mushroom!" Kai ordered.

"I don't want it. I want the helicopter power" he replied.

"There's no time to be picky. Ah--" Kai was caught off guard. "Great, we lost it now."

"I didn't want it anyway."

"Why do you want the helicopter so much?" Kai asked as he continued to play the game.

"Because it's the closest to my power."

"Hah?" he looked curiously at Sehun.

Sehun glanced at his direction. "The power of wind."

Kai smiled. "You're such a pabo."

The pair continued to play the game together when they suddenly spotted Nami passing by. "Ah, Nami-ssi." Sehun called her. He saw that she was carrying a large laundry basket. "Do you wanna play Super Mario Bros with us? It's a four player."

Nami looked at the screen and replied, "I love that game!" she placed the basket down and stood behind the pair who were sitting on the sofa. "But I prefer Mario Kart, you guys got that?"

"Of course we do!" Kai answered.

"Ha! You guys are so gonna lose. Mario kart's my jam, brudda"

"Your jam?" Kai retorted, "Hah! You can't even get past the starting lane!"

"Well, I'm in if you're gonna play it," Nami said as she grabbed a remote. "I'm the reigning queen at this."

"Reigning queen?" Both of them repeated in unison. They exchanged looks and then burst into laughter.

"You didn't even know how to work a Wii remote a few days ago!" Kai reminded her in between gasps of breath.

Nami blushed. "I did! I was just rusty..."

"Well, the main competition's between you and I, Kai" Sehun declared. "You can just aim for tenth place, Nami-ssi."

Nami scowled at Sehun, "Oh, I am so gonna whoop you in this game!" She sat down on the sofa, in between Kai and Sehun. Once the game started she exclaimed to the pair, "It is on like Donkey-Kong!"

~*~

The sound of laughter from downstairs caught Xiumin's attention. He turned to Chen, who was on his bed, quietly reading a book. "They sound like they're having fun downstairs" he commented, as he put down the manhwa he was reading.

Chen glanced up from his book. "They're playing games again," he stated as he rolled his eyes, "kids these days."

Xiumin laughed softly. "Do you wanna do something as a group together? It's been a while since we'd all hung out outside of work."

Chen put his book down. "Sure." He leered, "As long as you're paying."

Xiumin replied nonchalantly, "I'll get Suho."

Chen sniggered, "What did you have in mind?

~*~

"We're going to a karaoke bar!" Suho announced from behind us. I tore my eyes away from the TV screen for a brief moment. Kai and Sehun were still engrossed playing.

"Karaoke?" I repeated. "Right now?"

A few moments later, Chen and Xiumin joined us downstairs and they were dressed to go out. Suho spoke again, "Yeah, it's rare that everyone's together during a day off so, we might as well do something as a group."

"But hyung," Sehun replied without taking his eyes off the screen, "we see each other every day. Why do would you want to spend more time with each other?"

Suho frowned. "Yah, Sehun! What's our motto?"

I watched as Sehun rolled his eyes. "We are one" he replied lazily.

"C'mon guys, it'll be fun!" Xiumin joined in. He was eyeing me specifically. "And we can have a welcome party for Nami-ssi too. We hadn't had an opportunity to celebrate you coming to live with us."

"I'm not really feeling it" replied Kai who was absorbed with playing the game. "You guys can go without me--"

"We'll order chicken."

"--Okay, I'm going." Chen had Kai's full attention.

"What about you, Sehun?" asked Xiumin. "You're coming too, right?"

"Of course he's coming" Suho answered for him. "Chen, go and get the others. We'll leave in fifteen minutes."

As Chen left to call the others, Xiumin turned to me. "I hope you don't mind going to a karaoke bar, Nami-ssi. We would have gone to a club or something in the evening but, we have work again tomorrow."

"It's fine" I replied. I wasn't that keen on clubbing in the first place. "But karaoke, huh? With a bunch of idols too." I laughed nervously.

"What's up? You don't like karaoke?" queried Kai.

"It's not that I don't like it," I said slowly, "but my singing is a little..." I twisted my wrist to represent how shaky it was.

Xiumin smiled at me reassuringly. "It can't be that bad!"

~*~

The members were in awe at Nami's singing voice.

Xiumin turned to the others and saw how almost everyone had their jaw hanging open.

Nami continued to belt out note after note of BTS' 'I Need U' with enthusiasm and spirit but, somehow, she never managed to hit the right key. Xiumin expected Sehun or Kai to say something but everyone was too stunned to react. When she finished, everyone plastered on their poker faces and started clapping.

Nami was flustered. "It was bad...wasn't it?"

Unable to contain himself, Chanyeol's poker face broke and he started giggling. "It was awful."

Xiumin was annoyed at Chanyeol for saying that. It was okay to roast the other members because they had been together for so long but, not Nami. She was still a girl and, girls were more sensitive. Xiumin was about to say something when Nami suddenly spoke.

"I'm not that good at singing in general." She lifts up the karaoke remote and starts punching in the numbers for another song. "But I do have a different musical talent."

"Please don't tell me this is another BTS song" Kai begged. "You sang three of theirs already."

Nami stuck out her tongue. "And you sang a lot of SHINee's songs too."

"But that's because he has a bromance going on with Taemin-hyung" Sehun interjected.

Nami finished punching the numbers and the sound of piano keys and drums started playing. She tossed her mic to Sehun. "You're gonna sing with me."

"What?" Sehun was startled.

She picked up another mic and threw it at Xiumin. "Xiumin-ssi, you take the chorus."

She turned to Chanyeol and smiled challengingly at him. "Let's see what you think of this when I'm done."

The title of the song came up. It was 'Can't Hold Us' by Mackelmore. The rest of the EXO members watched intently as Nami picked up a mic and started rapping along with the soundtrack. It was an English song but the EXO members were sure they had heard it before. Nami exhibited the same enthusiasm and spirit as she always did for every song but, this time she sounded so natural. It was like she had spent many hours rehearsing for this moment. She was in beat and, to Chanyeol, she looked like she was feeling the music. She rapped without hesitation and it impressed him.

Howls of cheer were heard after Nami finished the song. She thanked Sehun and Xiumin for accompanying her even when they had difficulty keeping up.

"It seems we have another rapper in the house!" Baekhyun declared. "Better watch out Chanyeol, Nami-ssi might end up replacing you."

Chanyeol snapped out of his thoughts. "Hah, you wish!" he retorted. He watched as Nami took her seat by Xiumin, at the other end of the karaoke booth.

His smile widened, he didn't anticipate Nami to be a secret rapper. It just made chasing her even more interesting. Chanyeol felt determined to learn more about her and who knows? Maybe she had other secrets to reveal.

Chanyeol looked across to Nami again and noticed that it wasn't only him who was captivated by her. It seemed like everyone had their eyes on Nami. But there was one person he noticed that wouldn't stop gazing at her direction. And it bothered him.

When they got back to the dorm, Chanyeol carried this uneasy feeling with him to the living room, where Sehun and Kai resumed playing their game. Nami had gone to the kitchen to finish doing the laundry and the rest of the members had locked themselves in their rooms again. A few moments later, D.O came to join them.

D.O sat opposite Chanyeol which was facing opposite the kitchen. He had his script in his hands. "Can you help me practise my lines, Chanyeol?"

Chanyeol extended his hand in reply as if to ask to see his script. He glanced at the lines and then straightened up. "You want me to say this?" he asked. He flicked through to the next page and his eyes rounded. "This scene is pretty intense."

"Which scene is it?" asked Sehun without looking away from the screen. He added deviously, "Is it the kissing scene?"

"It's one of the most difficult scenes in the film" replied D.O. "It's the love confrontation scene."

"Ooooh. D.O-ah, are you confessing your love to Chanyeol-ah?" Kai laughed for a bit and then added seriously, "Yah, Kaisoo shippers would faint if they found out."

"And so will Chanbaek shippers" added Sehun.

"Well, it's a good thing they'll never find out" Chanyeol replied. "And anyway," he teased, "Chansoo is one of the most popular ships out there."

Kai turned to Chanyeol. "Fight me, bro!"

"Can we just practise the lines?" D.O asked wearily.

"Why are you asking Chanyeol-hyung? If it's the love confrontation scene, shouldn't you get a girl to do it?" Sehun asked, still busy playing the game.

Kai agreed, "Yeah, you should ask Nami-ssi, D.O-ah."

Chanyeol watched as D.O's gaze fixated on Nami's profile from across the sitting area. The sound of her humming along to yet another BTS song could be heard faintly. The uneasiness Chanyeol felt earlier returned.

"I'll help you practise," Chanyeol said quickly before D.O had time to ask Nami. "Nami-ssi is busy anyway"

D.O tore his gaze away from Nami and focused on his lines. "Okay, shall we start?"

Chanyeol nodded.

"This ought to be good!" Kai said as he paused the game to watch. Sehun turned around attentively.

Chanyeol read his lines and followed the stage directions. D.O got up from his seat and approached Chanyeol, his expression unreadable. His round eyes narrowed into half-moons to portray the intensity and seriousness of his character. He drew close to Chanyeol, without saying a word, until their faces were only inches apart. They locked eyes. "What about me?" D.O said in a deep and serious voice.

Chanyeol gave his best confused look.

D.O continued, "How do you..." he paused for dramatic effect, "feel about me?" His words hung in the air and the tension between them both was tangible. Sehun and Kai were leaning forward in their seats, their eyes bulging and their breaths bated.

"Um, well..." Chanyeol tried his best to express his nervousness, "you're my best friend so I feel comfortable around you--"

D.O drew even closer which caused Chanyeol to stutter. "And--"

A loud thud interrupted Chanyeol from finishing his line. All four members turned around to see Nami staring at them in bewilderment. She was so startled at the sight of D.O leaning over Chanyeol that she had dropped the laundry basket. Nami quickly blurted, "Don't mind me!" her voice was squeaky, "I mean, I'm sorry for interrupting your confession!" she quickly picked up the basket and the clothes that had fallen out.

Chanyeol and D.O exchanged looks and realised what it looked like to Nami.

"It's not what you think!" Chanyeol rushed to explain as D.O pulled away to create distance between them.

"We were just practising some lines!" D.O exclaimed.

Sehun and Kai had exploded into fits of laughter at the misunderstanding.

"Practising some lines?" Nami sounded doubtful. She saw the script in Chanyeol's hand and then nodded. "Oh, okay."

D.O and Chanyeol sighed in relief.

"I thought I had interrupted a Chansoo moment" Nami commented while feigning to wipe her brow.

Kai perked up at this. "You know about the ships?"

"Of course I do" Nami replied as she picked up the laundry basket. "It's all over the internet. EXO-Ls can really be adventurous when it comes to bias pairings."

"Oh yeah?" Kai quickly glanced at Chanyeol, "which one is more popular, Chansoo or Kaisoo?"

D.O raised his brow at this, "Are you seriously asking her that?"

"What?" Kai defended himself. "I wanna know what Nami-ssi thinks."

Nami thought for a while. "Actually, I don't know." Kai was disappointed at her answer. "But," she continued, "I do know that there are a lot of Chanbaek fanfictions out there."

Chanyeol seemed pretty pleased with himself, "Of course there would be a lot of those. I'm good-looking after all."

Nami rolled her eyes.

"You can have Baekhyun" Kai stated as he linked arms with D.O, "but I'll get D.O-ah."

"Yah!" Sehun protested, "What about Sekai?"

D.O pulled away from Kai's grasp. "Okay, okay, guys. That's enough pairings for today." He turned to Chanyeol, "Will you still help me practise my lines? You were doing well before."

"Why don't you ask Nami-ssi to do it instead? She's here now" Kai suggested.

D.O locked eyes with Nami and something in his heart stirred again. It's been doing that a lot frequently. Whenever she passed by, he couldn't stop noticing her presence and before he knew it, his eyes were always following her. He shook his head to be rid of such thoughts.

Chanyeol quickly interjected, "No, it's okay. I'll practise with him." He glanced at the script again. "Shall we start from where we left off?"

D.O turned his attention to Chanyeol, "Er, yeah." He couldn't help feeling a little disappointed that he wouldn't get to practise with Nami, after all.

"Can I watch?" Nami suddenly asked.

D.O shifted uncomfortably. "As long as you don't get the wrong idea" he joked.

Nami smiled. "The misunderstanding's already been cleared" she reassured.

The pair commenced their scene again with D.O's face only inches away from Chanyeol. Chanyeol stared into D.O's eyes and tried to deliver his lines with the same nervousness as he acted before but, Nami, being in his line of view, made it difficult for him to maintain a straight face. As D.O delivered the most cutting line of the scene, Chanyeol burst into embarrassed laughter. Kai and Sehun giggled as well.

"I'm sorry," Chanyeol said in between giggles, "I can't concentrate with Nami-ssi here."

"Yah, what did I do?" she asked but she couldn't help smiling. "A true actor would be able to pull it off regardless of the audience."

D.O huffed at Chanyeol. "She's right, you know" but he was smiling as well.

"Nami-ssi" Sehun called her, "why don't you give it a go?" he tossed the script to her and she caught it. "Show them how it's done."

"Don't tell me you're also a secret actor?" Chanyeol teased.

Nami scanned the script. "I may be" she replied playfully. She turned to D.O, "Let's swap roles. You be the girl."

"What?" D.O was surprised. "Why?"

Nami smiled sneakily. "I'll show you how it's done."

Kai resumed his spot on the sofa, "Things just got interesting!" Sehun joined him while Chanyeol leaned back on his beanbag.

"When you're ready." Nami signalled to D.O.

He nodded.

Nami approached D.O and did exactly what he did to Chanyeol. Her expression was solemn and unreadable but it was evident that she was serious. Her eyes weren't round like his, they were almond-shaped but they carried a lot of emotion. D.O sensed desire, affection and nervousness all in that gaze she had him locked in. As she delivered her lines, her voice was quiet, hesitant and almost uncertain of herself. It was as if she was afraid of knowing the answer. As if she was scared that if she dared ask the final cutting line, she would be rejected and there was no going back.

Nami approached D.O slowly, her eyes never wavering from his. When she was finally only a breath away from his face, she broke her gaze and sneaked a glance at his lips. By this time, D.O's heart was literally jumping against his chest. He knew what the final line was and yet, he was holding his breath in anticipation. Was this how Chanyeol was feeling when he was acting as the girl? Or was D.O only feeling like this because it was Nami who was making him feel this way?

Nami bit her lip as her eyes lingered on his. At last, she asked, "Can't I be the girl you like most?"

D.O stood rooted to the ground, unable to shift away from the trance she had him trapped in. Nami was so close to him that he could feel her breath against his lips. His mind was in total chaos and it didn't help that his heart felt like it was running a marathon. Many things raced through his mind but, one thought overrode them all. And that was the sudden urge to kiss her. Right there and then.

But before he could, Nami pulled away and the spell was broken.

She smiled at him and at the others too. "And that, gentleman, is how it's done." She glanced at everyone's expressions and saw that they were all gobsmacked. Chanyeol's expression was especially satisfying to her.

"Well, if that's all, I'm gonna go and finish off the laundry," she said as she walked away, leaving a poor unsuspecting D.O blushing and the maknaes' eyes trailing after her profile.

Once she was out of earshot, Kai exclaimed, "Wow. Nami-ssi's has got some dangerous charm!"

Sehun agreed. "We should take tips from her."

"Especially when we go and pick up girls."

"I thought you had a girlfriend" Sehun mentioned.

"Oh yeah" Kai realised, "don't tell her I said that."

While the maknaes engaged in their own conversation, Chanyeol observed D.O.

The uneasiness in him was loud and clear now and he couldn't deny it. As he watched Nami act with D.O, something in the pit of his heart lurked. It was only small at first but as he watched Nami get closer to D.O, the feeling got stronger and seeing D.O now, flushed pink, only confirmed what he suspected he was feeling.

But he won't say it out loud. Not yet. Because if he did, it would be like admitting defeat. After all, he was meant to make Nami fall for him, right? Not the other way around.

He looked across to where Nami disappeared to and warned himself to be careful.

Kai was right.

Nami was dangerously charming.

And he almost let himself get swept away by her.

~*~

Author's Note:

Hi! Thanks for reading chapter 11 of Our Little Dorm Mother!

I'm sorry this chapter is a lot longer than the others. I had so much fun writing it! What do you think of Nami's relationship with the EXO members so far? It's definitely advancing nicely and I hope you will stick around to find out more.

I couldn't help referencing SHINee in this chapter. It was only last year that I heard about the terrible news and even though I'm new to K-pop, I felt that I should pay tribute to them. It was during December 2017 when I started planning for this fanfic so it felt really relevant.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please comment, vote and share! Your support will be highly appreciated.

Happy reading!

Next time...

P.S. Next update will be tomorrow (6/2/18)