Chapter 4.

"Yes, hyung, the surprise is---" Hoseok's loud squeal cut off Taehyung, "AERI-AH!"

Aeri put the book down onto the stone steps and jumped into Hoseok's embrace. Tears began flooding her eyes again.

One by one Aeri was greedily pulled into her brother's hugs, enveloping her completely. Each one of their scents mixing fragrantly with her own.

When it was Namjoon's turn to hug her, Aeri narrowed her eyes but had a sly smile plastered on her lips, "Oppa, I thought you weren't interested," She pushed her tongue into her cheek, pretending to be agitated by Namjoon's words from earlier.

"Still our same cheeky Aeri," Namjoon sighed, pulling her arms so he could hug her.

"I'm hungry, can we go somewhere to grab breakfast, please?" Aeri begged cutely, her eyes wide and glistening, no one could could object to her.

"Ew, stop that. What happened to you?" Jimin distraughtly laughs while locking arms with her.

"Oops, I forgot. With you guys I have to say it in a commanding way. Get me food, punks," her voice was altered to a deep military-like growl. Her brothers laughed at her kiddish acts, "Haha, with others, they prefer if I act cute. It's weird how I can get everything I want with aegyo. But with you guys, you'll probably slap me for being girly,"

"Aniyo, we just want our little sister to be tough, so no one can push you around. We don't want that pretty angel face of yours hurt," Jin smiled sweetly.

"Eomma, I missed you," Aeri shot back at Jin's protective words. Jin rolled his eyes but couldn't stop smiling at the only girl, other than his mother, that he loves dearly.

Jin drove them to Aeri's and the boy's favourite Korean BBQ place as kids, luckily the Chevrolet Suburban they owned had 9 seats. Aeri was seated in the row behind the driver, sandwiched between Jimin and the maknae.

"So Anko-ah, tell us more about the U.S.," Jimin requested and everyone went silent, wanting to listen, too.

"Actually, there's not much to tell. Normal stuff, I guess, I was top student, even though I didn't have an IQ of 148," Aeri flipped her hair facing Namjoon who sat behind her, "I think I was bullied---"

"You think?" Yoongi asked from the passenger seat.

"Yeah, you see, I didn't care enough to listen to the gossip or whatever stupid rumours they made about me,"

"That's my girl," Taehyung ruffled her hair from behind.

"Yeah and you guys don't need to worry about boy business. As I already told Jimin, Taehyung and Jungkookie, I didn't like any of them. They're all so childish and dirty and weak, like they cried when they got punched. Unbelievable," Aeri ranted.

"Noona, you're the only one who doesn't cry when you get punched. The only day I've ever seen you cry, other than today, was the day you left for America," Jungkook stated.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. As I was saying, they think that their handsome face and muscular bodies could impress me, little did they know their brain is as empty as the Ramyeon cups you guys finish. I'm not one of those cliche high school girls who falls for the handsomest and most popular guy there. Sometimes my friends wonder if I'll ever date since my expectations and standards are higher than Joon-oppa's height," Aeri clarified, the boys laughed like proud parents knowing their sister is mature and can take care of herself well.

"But still none of them are as handsome as me right?" Jin narcisisstically asked.

"Yes, oppa," she rolled her eyes, "No one is as handsome as you. Gosh, how many times do you want to hear that?"

"Just wanna hear it from my sister," Jin winked through the rear view mirror.

"So what exactly are your expectations in your dream guy," Hoseok wondered, causing the boys to let out oohs and aahs.

"You know, the usual, handsome, sexy, cute, fit, sporty, smart but not nerdy, well built but not too scary, nice, loving, loyal, kind, taller than me, fun, humorous, accepts my weirdness, silly at times but also responsible, mature, tougher than me, yeah that's pretty much it," Aeri said, everyone was shocked by that massive list.

"Your friends are right, you're never gonna get a boyfriend," Hoseok sighed.

"What! I'm just kidding. Wait-no, I'm not. But most importantly, he has to be like a best friend, a brother and a lover to me. And he has to be someone you guys accept, that's the hardest part. Besides, there's nothing wrong with not having a boyfriend, I'm only 20, I still have at least 10 more years until I will get married," Aeri laughed.

"Yeah, we don't think we can ever trust you in the care of another guy, you're my little Anko," Jimin teased.

"Remember how I used to be so embarrassed when you called me that? Now I don't think anything can embarrass me anymore, you guys made me shameless!" Aeri whined.

"Of course you are shameless, if you walk around with Taehyung then you're automatically shameless since he's the biggest embarrassment we have ever encountered," Jungkook snickered.

"It's hyung, for you, muscle brat," Taehyung practically spit out those last words.

"Ahh...I miss these fights," Aeri giggled. Jimin's heart warmed at the sight of his best friend laughing, he hasn't heard that angelic sound for 8 whole years. Aeri would probably beg to differ, her voice was maniacal, her friends would say that it was a perfect impersonation of Janice from Friends.

They arrived at the restaurant shortly, everyone jumped out of the car, hunger filled their eyes. Once they finished ordering, Aeri decided to ask something she has been wondering since morning.

"Umm, guy?" everyone's attention was on her now, "I've been wondering why you guys don't date, I know you said that I was the only girl and blah blah all that but what's the real reason,"

"To be honest, we've all had girlfriends before, well except Jungkook. But we learned the hard way that they only want to be with us because of our looks with the intention of getting into our pants," Jin explained, "Jimin had it worst, his girlfriend was the most popular girl at the university and she was super clingy and overprotective, almost brutally addicted to Jimin, let's just say Jimin ended the relationship when things were getting out of hand,"

"Oh, where is she now?" Aeri curiously asked, wondering if she had to look out for this girl at the university.

"She moved to England, I think she had a psychological problem and couldn't cope with the fact that Jimin broke up with her," Jin said.

"Aish, Chim, how could you fall for such a pathetic girl, I know that you know better than getting girls who only got the looks," Aeri lightly punched Jimin's shoulder, her eyes screaming pity and disappointment, that her best friend allowed himself to be with a girl like that.

"I was stupid," Jimin chuckled guiltily.

"It's not gonna happen again, not on my watch. No bitch is gonna hurt my brothers. They're gonna get punched so hard, they can't see themselves in the mirror anymore. Huh, I guess I'll be doing them a favor by disabling them from seeing the ugliest thing on Earth," Aeri's skin started to heat up, boiling with anger knowing that those bitches will never stop trying to get these boys. She remembers well how the girls in the halls eyed her viciously.

"Noona? A-are you okay?" Jungkook stuttered, slightly scared of his noona. She still had her inner Maleficent since she was young. It's horrifying how one person can look like Sleeping Beauty and act like one but once a foot was out of line, specifically out of her line, she would transform into the Mistress of Evil.

"Never better, Kookie, darling," Aeri smiled almost too innocently. The rest gulped knowing what she was capable of.

"I can see your Adam's apple bobbing up and down for god's sake. You guys aren't supposed to be scared of me, I won't do anything to hurt them, I promise," even though she might be the roughest and the toughest girl around, her word is what she always kept, well except to those she disliked, but to her brothers, she would always keep her promise.

"I guess you'll be protecting us here, not the other way around," Namjoon joked.

"Oh, please, you guys can take care of yourselves, I still remember you guys getting black belts in karate only after a year and a half of learning," Aeri said.

"Don't act like you didn't get one the same time as us," Taehyung recalled and Aeri rolled her eyes, so far back she almost saw her brain.

The food arrived and everyone was on mute, digging into their food like it was their last meal. The table was cleared in a moment's notice, every plate, every bowl, licked clean.

"Knowing you since we were practically babies, I'm not surprised you eat like an obese merchant, but how in hell do you maintain that body, like damn girl if I wasn't your best friend I'd be making you mine right now," Jimin wiggled his eyebrows.

"God, you nasty. Do you just flirt with girls and reject them afterwards? Cos from that sentence I think that's the type of guy you are," Aeri mocked, but she knew her best friend wasn't that type of guy. Sure, he would flirt here and there or show off his charms and smoulders from time to time but he would never play with a girl's heart.

"Aww, Anko-ah, you know I'm just kidding," he stuck out his bottom lips cutely, his mochi form taking over. Luckily, Aeri was almost immune to those pouts, she managed to keep a straight face.

"Whatever. Even if you tried making me yours, you'd fail. I wouldn't choose you of all people to be my boyfriend," she flipped her hair elegantly, conveying her dominance in the subject.

"Oh, common. I know you'd fall for me in an instance if I flashed you with my charm," Park Jimin, you sneaky little mochi.

"Oh hell no, little boy. Your flirts only work on the weak and desperate," Aeri countered.

"Oh, yeah? At least I know that you'd rather date me than anyone on this table," Jimin's cocky side started to take over, but Aeri wasn't one to back down.

"Keep dreaming, rookie playboy," Aeri shot back.

"Then what number would I between the 7 of us from most likely to least likely for you to date," Jimin sneered, challenging her to answer.

"Let's just say, your not even number 7,"