SEVENTEEN

(Ji Hun's POV)

  "What are you doing standing around with a pile of suitcases?" I asked, poking my head out the car.

  Seorin looked at me sheepishly. "Um... I kinda got kicked out of my house for not paying the rent."

  "What?! At this time of the night?" I asked, concerned "Where are you going to stay then?"

  "I don't know," she said as I switched off the engine and got down from the car. "I think I'll have to call my parents." Seorin looked reluctant and I remembered that her brother was in hospital.

  "Don't trouble your parents. You can stay with me," I said. Seorin looked at me in surprise. Was that too blunt?  "Uh at least for tonight," I said quickly.

  "I don't know..." Seorin said "I really don't want to trouble you."

  "It's no big deal," I replied "You can't be wandering around at night looking for a place to stay. Just stay with me." 

  Seorin still looked unsure. "I promise I won't do anything to you, if that's what you're worried about," I said with a laugh.

  "I know you'd never do that!" she said looking horrified "I trust you." 

  I trust you. I smiled to myself, feeling happier just then than I had felt all week. "Then would you let me help you?" I asked and Seorin nodded. We loaded her suitcases into the trunk and got in.

  "Sorry about the mess," I said, hastily sweeping old coffee cups and other odds and ends into a bag.

  "It's ok," Seorin laughed her tinkling laugh that I loved so much. "Thank you for letting me stay with you."

  "Don't mention it," I said as I started the car and pulled into the road. "I have a small apartment near here. It's not much but it's home."

  "I didn't know you lived near me," Seorin said. She was looking out of the window, bright shafts of light from the streetlamps illuminating her face every now and then. A strand of hair was hanging over her cheek and my fingers itched to reach up and tuck it behind her ear.

  "I didn't know either," I said, carefully switching lanes. "Want the radio?"

  Seorin nodded and I switched on the radio. "It's an Exo song!" Seorin exclaimed, her face breaking into a bright smile. "And one of my favourites!"

  "I thought you said you don't really have time for idol groups," I pointed out.

  "I did. But I guess I do have time for them now," she said with a little laugh.

  "Because of Sehun?" I asked as Seorin looked up, surprised.

  "Not exactly," she said "I don't know..." She sighed and looked out of the window wistfully. I felt a prick of hurt. Does she like him?

  I cleared my throat. "Did he um... get in touch with you lately?" I asked.

  Seorin shook her head, still looking out of the window. "I mean he's an idol and everything. He's probably forgotten me," she said.

  "Do you mind it?" 

  "No," Seorin said, turning to me and shrugging "He was annoying anyway. He's probably bossing someone else around now." She smiled at me but I couldn't read the expression in her eyes.

  "Ah here we are,"I said pulling up in front of my apartment and killing the engine.

  "Cute," Seorin said as I opened the front door. "You really don't mind me staying?"

  "Of course not,"I said firmly and Seorin gave me one of her beautiful firefly smiles. My heart fluttered. "Just make yourself at home."

(Sehun's POV)

  I pulled up in front of Seorin's house but it was all dark. I got out of the car and knocked on the door but no one answered. Where is she?? I ran up and down the street to see if she was there, but she wasn't. 

   Please don't tell me that the she's wandering around at night! I thought as I dug in my pocket for my phone and punched in her phone number. "Where are you?" I demanded as soon as she answered.

  "Um.. I'm with Ji Hun," she said. Ji Hun!

  "Text me the address right now," I said

  "But why? You-"

  "Just do," I interrupted and ended the call. Why is she with with him?! Didn't she call ME for help? I thought angrily. My phone pinged as I got a text. It was Seorin. I got in to the car and drove to the address she had sent me.

  I screeched to a halt in front of the house and got down. Seorin opened the door when I knocked. "Get your things and come with me," I said before she could say anything.

  Serin blinked "Like right now?" she asked. 

  "Yes," I said. Why is this girl so stupid?

  Before she could say anything, the door opened wider and Ji Hun stepped out onto the porch.

  "Anything I can help you with?" he asked in that infuriatingly polite voice of his.

  "Thank you for looking after her, but I can take it from here,"I said equally politely.

  "Don't you have an epic action scene to get back to?" Seorin asked in a challenging tone. She turned to go back inside but I caught her arm. Ji Hun raised an eyebrow in surprise. 

  "You misunderstood me," I said "When I asked you what you wanted me to do about it, I was asking genuinely." 

  "Even so, you are too late," Ji Hun said pulling Seorin to him. That annoyed me.

  "Like I said before, thanks for your help. I can help her from here," I said "She's my assistant after all." I pulled Seorin to me.

  "Not anymore," Ji Hun pulled Seorin back.

  "Once an assistant, always an assistant," I shot back and pulled Seorin to me.

 "YAH!" Seorin twisted her arm out of my grip, looking furious. Crap, I made her mad. It's all that Ji Hun's fault. I shot him a murderous glare and he shrugged. 

  "What I meant was, that once my assistant, you're always my responsibility," I said quickly. "So come with me?"

  Seorin sighed and looked from me to Ji Hun. "You always make my life so complicated,"she muttered under her breath.

  "What?" I asked

  "Nothing," Seorin said. "Look, I already said that I'll stay with Ji Hun. I can't turn him down now after he's helped me so much." She shot Ji Hun an apologetic look.

  "But he won't mind right? If you come with me?" I asked turning to him and raising my eyebrows. He opened his mouth and then shut it again. I smiled.

  "No I don't mind at all," Ji Hun said finally "Go with him. As long as you have a place to stay, anything is fine with me."  I grinned and turned to Seorin who looked uncertain.

  "Are you sure?" she asked Ji Hun who nodded and smiled at her. He looked like he was constipating. I grinned and thumped him in the back.

  "Get your bags," I told to Seorin and she looked at us once more and went inside. Soon, we had put her suitcases in the trunk and got in.

  "Thank you for your help," Seorin said to Ji Hun.

  "It's nothing," he said with a shrug. "Goodnight." He turned and went back into the house without looking back.

  I started the car and started driving as Seorin settled into the seat. There was a moment of silence.

  "So where am I staying?" Seorin asked after some time.

  "Uh..."  

  "Why? You don't have a place for me to stay do you?" she asked with a sigh.

  "No. I do have a place," I said quickly "I assume you're fine with living with 9 guys??"

.  .  .