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jaemin was sprawled out on the couch, hyerin sitting next to him, whilst i sat with my knees to my chest on the floor in front of hyerin.
one of hyerin's only habits was playing with people's hair, and as per usual, i was allowing her to twirl my dark locks into braids and twists.
none of us were particularly watching the tv, but it was just there as background noise, jaemin busy playing a game on his phone whilst i scribbled a couple notes i'd missed from class, copying from hyerin's work.
i heard jaemin shuffling around behind me, and he suddenly spoke, surprising me slightly.
"what're we doing about this project then?" he asked, watching hyerin twist a thin strand of hair into a braid.
"same as we always do ; ask if we can be in a three like usual because there's an odd number in the class." hyerin responded.
"what about..." i trailed off as i placed my workbook down, turning to my friends.
"exactly, we have chenle in the class now and i don't think he's spoken to anyone else." jaemin finished for me, making hyerin let out a small noise of realisation.
"well, uh..." we each looked from one another for a couple seconds, waiting for someone to speak up and just pick groups for each of us.
jaemin sighed softly.
"i'll go with chenle. you two can go with one another." he stated, taking both of us by surprise.
"o-oh? you're sure?" i asked, raising my eyebrows.
"unless you wanna go with chenle." he answered, wiggling his eyebrows, making me punch him in the arm with a decent amount of force.
"me and hyerin, and you and chenle." i confirmed, both of them seeming satisfied with the decision.
we all went back to how we'd previously been, but i put the school books neatly onto a pile next to me, slotting my pen back into my pencil case and gently placing it on the small pile.
my eyes drifted over to the piano sitting on the other side of the room, pushed against the wall just a couple feet away from the television.
there were a number of books and letters stacked on the top of it, and also on the stool tucked just underneath it, the cover caked in a thin layer of dust.
i didn't remember the last time i had touched my piano after deciding to quit lessons.
i'd originally planned on playing the clarinet afterwards, as my mom insisted she loved playing when she was my age, but i decided on not pursuing with any instruments, pleased with getting to a grade 8 in piano, and leaving it at that.
there were times that i missed how naturally my fingers drifted over the keys, playing beautiful melodies throughout the room, yet i would never touch the piano even when i had urges to play.
it was a shame really, but i didn't think too much of it.
maybe when i finished school and had more free time, i could pick up piano after.
besides, i already had experience.
as i was staring at the lonely, brown piano, a gentle melody had crept into my mind.
i'm not sure when it had started or how i even knew the piece, but the sound of a soft tune was playing in my mind, and continued to play in my head.
oh god, i thought to myself, how long is this gonna be stuck in my head for...
my attention was ripped away from the instrument as i heard the front door to my home burst open, followed by the laughter of a small child.
hyerin gasped as she practically pushed me over to get me out of the way so that she could stand up.
all three of us stood up, making our way in a huddle over to the kitchen which was right next to the front door.
my own mother shuffled inside, slipping her shoes off and sliding her slippers onto her feet as i greeted her, taking her jacket from her.
two more people were following behind me, one of which i definitely knew.
"noona!" he cried, scurrying over to me with his arms outspread as i was pushed backwards slightly from the impact of my younger brother wrapping his arms around my legs.
he spotted hyerin once he had greeted me and ran over to her.
hyerin absolutely loved kids, and my brother adored her and jaemin.
"me, mommy and nainai went to the sweet store opposite my school at the end of the day. we got some for you as well." he dug his hand into his uniform pockets, and pulled out a bag of candies, holding them up to hyerin.
"for me?" hyerin said, a shocked expression on her face as reached down to namgi as he nodded frantically.
"yes! but you have to share!" he demanded, rather excitedly.
"don't worry, i'll share with jaemin." she said, smiling at him.
"jaemin-hyung, i got ten out of ten in my test today, i'm doing really well in my multiplications!"
"wow, that's great. you're going to be getting all a's in math when you get to middle school." he grinned, ruffling his hair before namgi plodded into the kitchen with his school bag.
"wow, didn't even give me anything, the cheeky bugger." i said rolling my eyes as i put my mom's coat on the coat rack.
i turned to see my grandma standing in the doorway with a small shopping back, a small grin on her frail, wrinkled face.
"nainai, let me help you." i offered, speaking to her in my limited mandarin.
"don't be silly, i'll take it to the kitchen." she responded, waving my hand away.
whilst we were walking into the kitchen, she reached into one of the bags, pulling out something wrapped in a shiny foil.
handing it to me, a smile spread across my lips, the corners of my mouth pointing ear to ear.
"i got your favourite from the chinese store in town. don't eat it all at once though." she pointed a finger at me.
"i won't, thank you, nainai." i responded happily, clutching onto the bar of chocolate as i strutted towards my bedroom door, jaemin and hyerin seeing and scuttling up behind me.
"oh my god, that chocolate is the best." jaemin said, peering over my shoulder as they both followed me into my room.
"i know, and you guys aren't getting any." i enunciated with a sigh.
"that's not fair." he mumbled.
"not fair my ass, you guys got given a whole bag of candy by my own brother, if that isn't a good example of betrayal." i tutted, unfolding the foil around the block of chocolate carefully and sitting on the end of my bed next to jaemin.
we sat quietly for a couple minutes, hyerin and jaemin murmuring to eachother as they picked out candy from the small paper bag while i nibbled at the corner of my chocolate.
the familiar yet completely unprecedented melody was still stuck in my head and i was desperate to know what the tune was, knowing that i must've heard it somewhere but having no idea where.
i caught a glimpse of the small eighteen on my wrist, staring at it distastefully.
