"That took you at least ten seconds less to crack than the last time you came over!" Said the woman who was standing behind the Choi residence solid metal door. That's right. Metal. Eunji stared at the gleaming surface as if the structure were going to bite at her. Who in this day and age would have a house almost covered with the type of metal visage one would only find in spy movies? She blinked and avoided the purge to scratch at a stand of hair tickling her cheek.
"Well, I have become highly well versed in Arabic since this dullard refuses to change his passcodes," Jaehee sighed. Her head drooped either from exhaustion from dealing with the hooligans who lived inside the metal house or the fact that she was still carrying her pile of folders and papers. Eunji guessed that, no. That beaten down expression was from both.
Eujin almost jumped out of her black flats when a dark shadow appeared above her. A shadow with messy bright red hair and crazy striped glasses. Was it chuckling? Eunji turned to face it,half expecting one of Youngmi or Woojin's jokes, only tohave her theory disproved when the figure spoke in a righteous tone.
"That makes two fluent speakers of the Arabic language excluding myself. I'm helping Education's vast cause! Gasp, I'm now Defender of the Literate!" Oh, it wasn't a shadow monster at all. This was a man around her age. He was handsome in the-boy-next-door sort of way. He was wearing a complimentary off red button down shirt, slightly baggy dark black jeans, bright green sneakers, some outrageously expensive headphones, and a devious smirk. Eunji reassessed her previous categorization of this man. He walked a fine line of being the "bad boy" hidden behind a swath of boyish charm. Save for now, she could tell. Especially with those dancing golden eyes. He could charm anyone into his clutches if he so chose.
"Or maybe you should just change the damn thing unless you really want us to be attacked." Another redhead materialized from behind the first, his voice lower and lighter. He must have been the first man's twin. Everything was much too alike physically to have it any other way. But they were similar in looks alone. This new man seemed as though he had just been through Hell. It was as though he had been Sisyphus the Greek myth himself, rolling a massive boulder uphill for eternity, and just now coming to the conclusion that there was no longer a boulder to roll. No hill. No Hell. His purpose was gone. Eunji felt as though she needed to comfort the man in his light colored sweater and baggy blue jeans. The problem was, she wanted to pat his head like he was a cute Irish Setter. Eunji unconsciously hooked her fingers together behind her back to resist the need to pet him.
"Come on you two, we have a new guest. You've both been excited to meet her until now." Eunji swiveled, remembering the woman at the metal door's entrance. She had a pleasant smile on her perfectly shaped peach lips. Her light brown hair glimmered from the waning sunlight, although her bangs covered most of her light brown eyes. Or Eunji thought they were brown. Hazel? She couldn't tell. The woman had a ribbed white sweater on paired with a jean skirt and sparkly golden sandals. The woman was at medium height, but was still shorter than Jaehee. Eujin also took in the bulge at the woman's belly. Pregnant, hmm? Perhaps in the second trimester.
"Umm, yes. My name is Eunji. Nice to meet you," Eunji politely said. She dipped her head, and the woman motioned the group inside. They obeyed the woman's calling gesture, and one of the twins closed the metal door behind them.
"Nice to meet you, too!" Chirped the handsome woman. "My name is," the woman bent to whisper her name into Eunji's ear and then pulled back, "but you can call me MC."
"MC, alright. I like it." Eunji nodded, catching a glimpse of Jaehee frantically flipping through some of her papers. She had checked out of the hub bub a while back, stuck in whatever work world she was in-prisoned in. The twins flanked MC's sides, and she grabbed the wild one with the crazy glasses by the arm with a child-like giddiness.
"This redhead here with the headphones is my husband and Defender of Justice, Saeyoung Choi."
Saeyoung. The one who threatened her about elimination. Mr. Hyper Man in the flesh. Said man raised his free hand, cupped it like a cat's paw near his cheek, and then said, "Meow!" as a form of greeting. His twin rolled mint blue eye in aggravation, audibly sighing. MC noticed and snatched at the other twin's hand.
"And this redhead with the persistent frown and attitude as sweet as lemonade is Saeyoung's brother, Saeran Choi."
"Great meeting you, Eunji," Saeran muttered. He glanced away, seemingly nervous. Eunji nodded cautiously, still feeling that need to pat his head prickling at her fingertips.
"Now, how about we sit at the den, and I'll grab us some snacks." MC took everyone to a cozy enough area that housed a sectional couch, a coffee table, and a few red plush chairs. Saeyoung flopped into a plush chair while everyone else piled onto the sectional. Jaehee wrestled with her papers, but paused long enough to give MC a pleading stare.
"Please, I must insist on anything that aren't those horrid chips and soda." She pushed up her glasses with a delicate finger. "I know you are at least eating nutritious meals for the babies, but I understand you like to indulge Saeyoung."
"That's fine. I'll grab something nice for you, Jaehee. What about you, Eunji?" MC began to absently rub her belly as she sauntered away from the den.
"I'll take what Jaehee is having." Eunji wanted to avoid anything called 'horrid' when it came to food.
"Awww, jeeze!" Saeyoung pouted, puffing out his cheeks. "But Honey Buddha chips!"
"We'll have some tonight. Gotta fuel you up!"
"Yes!" Saeyoung fist pumped and collapsed even deeper into the cushion chair.
There were a few minutes of Eunji taking in the surroundings like a vast wall of computer screens, a table set up for tinkering with mechanical toys, a shrine that looked to be all about cats, and a pair of jeans that were securely tucked away under a computer chair. After her quick scan, MC came back into the room with rich smelling tea and a plate full of blueberry muffins. Eujin thanked her and began to eat. After her first muffin, she at last noticed that Saeyoung was staring intently at her. She stalled her last bite and wiped her mouth with a napkin. Oh boy. What was going to happen now?
"Hmn, so you're the woman that's carrying around Jumin's body pillow?" Saeyoung bluntly asked.
"I! You see, my friends-" Eujin spluttered.
"Now, I don't want to disappoint you, but he may not even be interested in women. Why, a while back, I tried asking him." Saeyoung nodded his head, eyes closed and pleased with himself. MC smacked her face, and Jaehee buried herself deeper into the work on her lap. Saeran only stared at her. Was he even blinking?
"And…what did he say…" She cautiously asked.
"Oh! He never gave a straight answer." The man chuckled, slapping his knee. His glasses slipped from his face, and he readjusted them with both hands. There was the sound of teeth grinding teeth, and a flash from Jaehee's own glasses frames.
"Saeyoung, I do have to Eunji back home safely in exactly forty minutes in order to finish three projects by the end of the night. Could you do what we came here for instead of gossiping about a well worn topic?" For a moment, Eunji could picture the Assistant brandishing a whip and snapping the item at Saeyoung. He must have seen that image as well, because he gulped and held out his hand for Eunji's phone.
"Whew, okies. I can do that," he squeaked. Eunji quickly padded over and deposited her phone into his hand. He immediately began to tinker with it, breezing by her passcode with ease. She would have blanched if she had the energy for it.
"You know, you could have just remotely downloaded the file onto her phone. That way there'd be no need for her to come over at all," Saeran mentioned in a monotonous manner. Eunji and Jaehee both whipped their heads over to glare at Saeyoung in mild annoyance. He sucked in his lips, momentarily alarmed, and then turned to Saeran with a mischievous smirk on his face. His golden irises flashed gleefully.
"Nonsense, dear brother! Weren't you the one who secretly found her picture? You wanted to see her, too. Didn't you? Otherwise, you would have told Jaehee not to bother coming."
"I told you to knock before coming into my room!" Saeran stood up, fist clenched. There was a flurry of emotions that flashed on his face; anger, hurt, loneliness, and, for the briefest of milliseconds, humor. Eunji noted that Saeran's eyes were sharper, more fierce than his brothers, so when they landed on you, they cut deep. For some reason, he was looking at her with that cutting glare.
"Technically my house. My room," sing songed Saeyoung. He played around with the phone for a couple more moments before plopping the device back into Eunji's awaiting palms. She plugged in her passcode, half worried he wipe the entire thing, only to find that there truly was just one new app in her inventory. The RFA messenger. She barely noticed when the twins began to fight, using words, not fists. They bantered until MC got to her feet, her face covered with darkening bangs. The boys shut their mouths.
"You!" She pointed at Saeyoung, who then flinched. "Stop provoking your brother. And you!" She pointed at Saeran, who looked down at the floor. "Stop stalking our guest." MC sighed and then turned to Eunji. "Eunji, the RFA may be comprised of a few numbskulls like these two here, but they are like a big, warm family. I hope you eventually become comfortable with us." She rubbed her belly like one would touch a calming gemstone.
Eunji glanced at the brothers, who had already calmed down enough to nibble on the blueberry muffins. She then looked at Jaehee still scribbling down crunched numbers. Then MC, who steadily at back down, grinning at her silly husband. Eunji licked her lips, recalling Jumin. How he seemed stoic and emotionless at first glance, but then there was something, just…more to him. She wanted to find out. Not just him, but everyone. Even the other two members she hadn't met with yet. That odd, warm feeling bubbled beneath her chest, so hot and searing that she almost cried out.
"I guess I came into the RFA under, err, odd circumstances. But, I can see how much you all meld together already. I wonder if I can be like that with you guys, too." To have more warm and loving friends like her Youngmi and Woojin would be wonderful. She truly wanted to impress these people. And maybe Jumin, too.
"Of course it will take time. Ignoring the pillow incident, you seem sane enough. I'm sure you'll be a lovely person to chat with in the app," said Jaehee, barely looking up. Eunji's ears turned red.
"Thank you, Jaehee. Everyone, actually. So, when is the next party?"
"Ah jeeze, Masako. The next party is going to be in four months."
Eunji was safely delivered back to apartment in the exact forty minutes Jaehee had earlier prescribed. After a a couple more rough and tumbles from Saeyoung and Saeran, all ending with MC instilling fear like an Iron ruler, Jaehee was able to pry Eunji from the Choi clan and back to the limo.
"And all of that was without their sugar drinks," Jaehee had heaved.
"I have a couple of prankster friends myself. I guess they were my training wheels," Eunji laughed.
"I am glad that they didn't scare you off. They are genuine friends, but sometimes a bit abrasive. I am a fool to love all of them."
"I think I'm going to be fast friends with you, Jaehee," Eunji said while giving her her warmest smile. Jaehee returned the grin.
Now Eunji was back at her apartment, dressed in her T-Shirt and short combo pajamas, and with a big cat cuddled on her lap. Masako purred at her master's effective petting style.
"I don't know how I will be able to find anyone influential or big wig enough for this party." Her shoulders dropped, and the cat rubbed her head against her owner's palm to entice even more pets. "I don't know why Jumin chose me. Or why the others are all on board. I don't want to fail them."
"Meow!" Meowed Masako.
"Thanks, but that doesn't help." Eunji grabbed her hard cider and took a long, calming sip of the tart liquid. She usually had one of these at last once a week. Monday just had to be the perfect day for a drink, right? "I think I'll open up the messenger. MC said the other two members are called Zen and Yoosung. I wonder what they are like. Will they be able to help?"
Eunji fumbled around, trying to reach for her coffee table without disturbing Masako. The cat was somehow able to mold herself to Eunji's stomach and stay on her master during the entire endeavor. The woman grumbled about suction cup cats, and turned her phone on in order to open the new app. Instead, her screen became dark, and a number popped up. Someone was attempting to call her.
"An unknown number? Who would be calling me?" She flipped the green phone icon, and brought the phone to her ear."
"Good evening, this Eujin."
"Hello, Eujin."