All mine (Kittyz)

n i n e

"That is unfair." I reply.

"It's for your safety, that sounds stupid, but it is." she places her hand gently on mine.

"Okay, I guess." I smile.

"Thank you, Haerin, for being so kind. It's hard enough to have anyone live with you, let alone seven girls, it's a lot, we understand. But you're helping us so much." her smile reaches her eyes, and she pats the back of my hand before standing up to leave.

~

When me and Hyein finally come back from another dreadful day at school, I'm pleased and surprised to find them all in the house.

"Haerin!" Minji stands up from the crouch when she lays her eyes on me.

"I missed you too, unnie." Hyein replies, tossing her backpack on the ground.

"Hanni has been talking about the ramen you made for her, can you make some for us? Please?" she smiles.

I lean sideways to see Hanni smiling, the rest of the girls waiting for an answer, "Uh, sure, if you'll help me set the table." I start to put my hair up, and she claps her hands.

"Yes! Thank you, you're incredible. Come on!" she says to the rest of them, they slowly follow.

Hanni is just behind them, still smiling to me.

"Sharing secrets are we?" I tell her, walking into the kitchen with them.

"I didn't know that the 'Haerin special' was a secret." she raises her brows.

"Could've been." I shrug.

~

When we're all gathered at the table, their reactions are loud and clear as they each take a bite of my ramen, side dishes scattered across the table.

I giggle as they all thank me for the food.

I missed another person's presence in the house for the last few days, let alone seven.

When they finish, they each take their dishes to the kitchen, washing it and then going into the living room, their laughs filling up the house.

I'm still at the table with Hanni, whose as slow as me with eating apparently.

"It's weird how accepting you are." she says, I look up.

"Huh?"

"Of all this." she gestures her hand towards all the noise in the living room and herself.

"Oh. Well, Hyein said she really needed a place, and you guys aren't so bad."

"Really? It's only been a few days."

"Yeah, and if the person is a good one, then you can start to like them quickly." I eat the last spring onion on my small dish and wipe my mouth with a tissue.

"So, we're good people to you?" she asks.

"Yep." I nod.

"That's nice." she smiles.

"What? Are you not taking me seriously?" I smile back, her own is too contagious.

"No, it's flattering." she defends.

"That I like you? I like all of you not just you." I stand up with my empty dishes in in hand.

"What a shame, it would've been nice if it was only me." she follows me with her own dishes.

"Get used to disappointment then."

"Ouch." she imitates pain, her hand splayed out across her chest, I roll my eyes, a smile still on my face.

"Can I ask you a question?" I suddenly blurt out as we wash the dishes by each other.

"Anything." her eyes are focused on cleaning.

"Have you ever been in a relationship?" my question brings her eyes to mine.

"One, that's it. Why?" she asks, suspicion clear in her voice.

"You got to ask last time, that's all." I shrug, wiping my hand on the kitchen cloth before giving it to her to do the same.

"Ah, so this is a game now?" she asks, one brow playfully raised, a smirk on her lips.

"If that's what it is to you, then yes." I nod.

"Fine, then."

"Explain your relationship."

"Not a question." she goes and sits on the high stool by the counter.

"What was it like?" I say, walking over to lean by the counter opposite side to her.

She shakes her head, "Toxic."

"Which side?" I dare to ask.

"Her." she looks down, which tells me to stop, but then she grabs the collar of her shirt and slightly pulls it down to show me a long, pink, healed cut across her chest.

I place my hand over my mouth from surprise, "Oh my god, I'm sorry."

She moves past it, "My turn." she leans back against the stool, "Have you had your first kiss yet?" she then asks.

"Ugh! Ask something else, why do they all have to be related to love."

"You asked me about relationships." she replies.

"Because I was trying to catch you off-guard like you did to me." I then walk around the counter to sit by her on another stool.

"Answer." she says, her face closer to mine now.

"No." I say, feeling splatters of heat across my face.

"Good." she says quietly.

~