~ a lily among thorns~

"how to be a man"

"Why do I feel so groggy?" Nari grumbled to herself, the covers of her bed wrapped around her entire body snuggly.

She had just gained consciousness but her eyes still refused to open. She scrunched up her face as she stretched out her arms and legs, feeling a little more awake as her muscles loosened. Slowly, she forced her eyes open, only to be confronted with five large faces staring back at her.

"Argh!" she screamed, bolting upwards, only to groan with pain as her head began throbbing almost unbearably. "What-What happened?"

Nari clutched her forehead, wincing with agony. She glanced at the faces again.

Ah-Ro...Yeo-Wool...Hansung...Ban-Ryu...Suho...

Her eyes stayed locked on Suho, a sudden realisation coming to mind.

"No one thumped me on the head with a chair, did they?!" Nari gasped, causing Suho to look around in confusion and the others to shake their heads. "No? Then why does my head hurt so much?"

She looked at those surrounding her once again.

"And why are you all here?"

Yeo-Wool rolled his eyes with annoyance at the fact she didn't remember her own reckless and life-threatening actions from the night before. Hansung was the only one calm enough to explain.

"Well, last night you-"

"What were you thinking Nari?!" Ah-Ro interrupted harshly, her face wrinkled with anguish. "We JUST had a conversation about how scared you were about people having knowledge of your identity! But then you go and do this!"

Nari's eyes widened with fear.

"What did I do?"

All five sighed as the clueless girl looked earnestly at them all, begging them to elaborate.

"Let's just say you had a bit of a wild night," Suho chuckled with a flirtatious grin, causing Nari to cringe.

"You told the whole population of Hwarang your backstory and your mission for revenge whilst slurring and spitting your words like a drunken donkey!" Ah-Ro hissed. "I even heard from Yeo-Wool that you nearly let your gender slip!"

"I did what?!" Nari cried, looking at Yeo-Wool for an explanation.

"I suppose Ji-Dwi and Seonu will be suspicious now, if they weren't already," Yeo-Wool sighed with a shrug. "And the rest of the Hwarang House as well."

He began combing his hair, pretending not to care about the matter.

Nari's face, however, melted with regret and disbelief as she realised what she'd done. She shot a look to the silent Ban-Ryu, as if asking him to tell her this was all a stupid dream. However, his eyes went straight to the floor like they always did, causing her to groan with despair.

"What am I going to do?!" she wailed, hitting her already sore head onto the corner of her bed.

"Nari, calm down," Ah-Ro sighed, cooling off her own anger. "There are things that can be done. The details you spilt about your life story will wear away with time. We need to focus on the one thing that could get you in big trouble. "

"What do you mean?" Nari's muffled whining came from the place in her blankets she'd buried her head.

Hansung thought for a moment.

"Well," he began. "You don't exactly look like a man. You don't really talk like one either, let alone walk like one."

Nari slowly raised her face to Hansung's, a slightly displeased expression on her face.

"You mean after all the effort I put into being a guy, none of it worked?" she asked as calmly as possible, irritated at her useless endeavours.

"Let's be honest." Ah-Ro said, looking straight into Nari's eyes. "You're just not...quite that...manly."

Nari shoved her head back into the blankets.

"As if I didn't already know that!" Nari thought to herself.

"But can't I get away with being a teenage boy?" she questioned.

"Boys your age would be hitting their transition years." Suho stated frankly.

"Trans-transition years?"

"The period of time they begin turning from a boy into a man." Suho continued. "You really have no excuse."

Nari groaned again, wishing the Earth would swallow her up.

"Any suggestions?" she pleaded, raising her head back up to face her friend and fellow Hwarangs.

Yeo-Wool thought for a moment, before standing up and walking to towards Nari. To her surprise, he grabbed her chin, pulling her face closer to his. Her eyes widened at his unexpected gesture, however he seemed quite unnerved.

"Let's start with this," Yeo-Wool said, tapping just above her upper lip.

Nari blinked with a baffled look.

"What about it?"

"It needs a little touch up...Hansung, pass me the ink," Yeo-Wool instructed, as he was handed a small ink container and pen. "Stay still."

Nari stood bewildered as Yeo-Wool began drawing fine lines just below her nose. She tried to protest, but Yeo-Wool wouldn't have it, making her stand motionlessly. After a minute or two, he straightened up, looking at his work of art smugly.

"Much better."

Nari lightly touched her face.

"Did you just draw a moustache on me?" she asked quietly.

"I wouldn't call it a moustache; just some fluffy lip hair, perfect for a teen boy like you." Yeo-Wool proclaimed proudly.

"Fluffy lip hair...never heard that one before," Nari laughed internally.

Suho snorted, amused at her new facial growth. She shot him back an unamused glare, causing him to hide his laughter.

"Could you do any better?" Nari retorted.

Suho shrugged, standing up.

"No, but you certainly could," he sighed. "Your walk is also too feminine."

"Well, what do you expect," Nari grumbled to herself.

"Watch me," Suho said as he demonstrated his own walk. "Lots of broad shoulder movement, slightly clenched fists, a cool but expressionless face and large wide steps."

"Doesn't seem too hard," Nari thought.

"What more advice to do you all have to offer...I mean, if you would like to offer it of course?" she asked, scratching the back of her neck awkwardly.

Hansung smiled.

"Don't worry Nari!" he comforted.

"Yes, don't be anxious." Suho added. "We'll teach you all there is to how to be a man."

Nari looked at the group in front of her, smiles on each and every face. A little doubtful, she nodded her head hesitantly in agreement...and so the lessons began.

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A/N

LOVE Y'ALL ENJOY