Sheepish at the fact that Luhan dropped Minseok and herself (she makes a mental reminder to not neglect working out), Luhan was even more taken aback by the kiss Minseok laid on her lips.

Minseok’s kiss has left her totally muddled, raising two questions in Luhan’s mind. Did this mean that Minseok liked her or was the innocent kiss precipitated by Minseok’s inability to control her sugar urges? The latter seemed more probable, but Luhan certainly did not wish it for it to be true.

Luhan tries her best to lay Minseok carefully down on the bathroom floor, grabbing a fluffy hand towel and placing the item underneath the posterior of Minseok’s head. She brushes away a few strands from Minseok’s face, laying the back of her fingers against the latter’s cheek, checking for a reaction. Luckily, Luhan knew the girl was breathing, and that was all she needed.

Luhan loudly calls for Junmyeon since she seemed to be the responsible one here. Followed by Baekhyun and Taozi, Junmyeon rushes to the bathroom, clearly hearing the urgency in Luhan’s voice, and kneels beside Minseok’s limp, unconscious body.

Junmyeon starts to repeatedly pat Minseok’s round cheeks. “What happened to her?”

Luhan hastily responds, “Erm, I found her like this.”

Baekhyun giggles, handing Junmyeon a damp wash cloth. “She must’ve gave you a fright.”

Luhan shrugs. “Not really. Will she be okay?”

“Don’t worry, unnie.” Taozi chuckles. “She’ll be okay once she wakes up. Just be glad that she didn’t dance around the room in her underwear.” Taozi chirps, always amused by her unnie’s unpredictable sugar high rushes.

“Not the time, Zi.” Junmyeon grumbles. “Minseok?” Junmyeon pushes away strands of hair from Minseok’s face. “Unnie?”

Like a modern-day Snow White, Minseok’s eyes slowly flitter open, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion at the four girls hovering over her, each wearing a look of amusement and concern. “Wha… oww, my head.” Minseok gurgles, her lips forming a frown as she feels an undeniable throb at the back of her head.

“Do you remember anything before you passed out, unnie?” Baekhyun asks, peering down at the older girl.

Minseok scrunches her nose, searching Baekhyun’s face for a hint. “A-am I supposed to?”

Taozi cuts in, “Baekhyun-unnie just wants to know if you did anything embarrassing without us present.”

Minseok purses her lips, “Not that I am aware of. I think I just passed out.”

Junmyeon laughs, helping Minseok sit up straightly. “C’mon, unnie. Let’s ‘sober’ you up with a cup of coffee.”

Minseok cracks a smile, despite the fact that she had been lying on a floor that Taozi sometimes neglected to clean moments ago. “I won’t object to that.”

Luhan smiles down at the girl, feeling relieved that their secret kiss was not put out in the open in front of everyone, but she also felt disappointment. Did Minseok really not remember?

“I think I should take her home so a raincheck on the coffee, Joon.” Baekhyun says. “Coffee will only make her more agitated before her bedtime.”

Minseok pouts. “You make me sound like a child.”

Baekhyun grins, cooing, “Well, you are a child, little Kim Minseok.”

“You’re right,” Junmyeon sighs. “It is getting pretty late. I better text Sehun and tell him not to come over tonight.”

Taozi chortles, “Yeah, text Sehun and confess your love to him!”

“Yeah, you would like that, wouldn’t you?” Junmyeon pokes Taozi in the stomach before walking back to the living room for her phone.

Taozi shouts after Junmyeon, “I would indeed! You two can only play the dating game for so long before it’s not cute anymore!”

Baekhyun chuckles, turning to Luhan with a beaming smile. “It was very nice to meet you, Luhan-ssi. I hope we can see more of each other.”

Luhan smiles back. “Me too.” Luhan faces Minseok, the shorter girl meeting her eyes. “I hope to see you again as well, Minseok-ssi.”

Minseok nods, hiding the enjoyment in her voice. “I’m sure we will.”

(-)

Minseok wakes up the next morning at a quarter after 7. Instead of getting up to tend to her frizzy hair and wash her face she just lies there in her bed, staring at the ceiling. Thoughts of Luhan flood into her mind and she can’t help the butterflies developing in her stomach. Of course, the butterflies did not mean anything except in the hopes of making a close friend.

(-)

Luhan scribbles a task list in her journal the very next morning.

It’s Thursday and there was already an enormous amount of stuff she has to do today. She needed to change her mailing address to her new apartment, enroll in some classes, do grocery shopping, and she wanted to go to the bank to take out some money for the security deposit and last month’s rent. Junmyeon said she should just pay next month’s rent since she and Taozi already paid, but Luhan was determined to pay them back.

Luhan glances at the clock, 8 AM, and she figures that it’s time to make her appearance. Rather than worrying about fixing her hair and makeup, she waltzes into the kitchen, adorning a two-sizes too big white tee with her short hair ruffled.

Taozi and Junmyeon are sitting at the kitchen table; Junmyeon eating her cereal as she reads the business section of the newspaper and Taozi having yogurt for breakfast, babbling happily.

Taozi was already dressed from head to toes, ready for the day ahead of her. Taozi was wearing a black business skirt, a black cotton blouse, a gold chain necklace, and a pair of red pumps. Luhan was impressed by her fashion sense. She and Taozi will definitely get along with each other. Junmyeon, on the other hand, was wearing her blue and black plaid bottoms and a white wifebeater, her long hair pulled into a high ponytail. She looked as if she just woke up. 

Luhan smiles, “Good morning all.”

Junmyeon and Taozi both respond back with a ‘g’morning’ and smile.

Taozi looks at Luhan expectantly, waiting for a compliment on her choice of style today. She hoped to look y enough to capture Luhan’s attention, yet sophisticated enough to appeal to Luhan’s class. “Unnie, do you want my seat?”

Luhan shakes her head as she pours a cup of coffee. “You’re fine, Taozi. I don’t mind standing.” Luhan peers out the window. “The weather looks wonderful today.”

Junmyeon hums, stretching her arms over her head. “Yeah, they say rain is expected around the afternoon though. I better not forget my umbrella here when I leave for work.”

“Where do you work at, Junmyeon?”

“I’m a temp at one of companies here. Not the ideal job I’ve always wanted but it pays the rent.”

“I can’t imagine working and going to school. It must be overwhelming.” Luhan says.

“It’s eh.” Junmyeon shrugs.

Taozi laughs, “Besides, it’s not all that bad, right, Joon? Sehun works as a temp as well. In fact, that’s how they met.

“What do you do, Taozi?”

“I don’t go work, I go to school.” Taozi replies as she checks her reflection in her compact mirror. “And school pretty much takes up my time for anything else.”

Luhan takes a sip from her mug. “Oh, how did Sehun take it when you told him to not come over last night?” She directs her question at Junmyeon.

Taozi snickers. “How do you think he took it? I could feel his pouting all the way from his apartment.”

Junmyeon says, “Sehun was upset, but he’ll get over it. He always does.” Junmyeon giggles.

(-)

Minseok enters her kitchen and she sees Baekhyun in her sleepwear making breakfast. “Byun Baekhyun.” Minseok says ominously, trying her best not to giggle at Baekhyun’s surprised face.

“Kim Minseok! You scared me!”

“Oh yeah, did I make you period your pants?” Minseok cackles, snatching an apple from the kitchen table before Baekhyun has the chance to smack her hand with a spatula.

“I wonder how someone as clumsy as you cannot make a noise when you want to be sneaky.”

“It’s a gift.” Minseok throws as she munches on her apple. “What are your plans today?”

“Today is my anniversary with Yixing.”

“… So what?”

“I’ll be spending the day pampering myself.” Baekhyun beams. “Which means all-day spa and all-day no school.”

Minseok chuckles. “How you pass your classes baffle me.”

“What about you?”

“Classes until 4.” Minseok groans. “I have that class with the professor that expects everyone to participate in everything.” Minseok probably should’ve never signed up for that class, she hates interacting with absolute strangers.

Baekhyun sympathizes for her friend. “At least you look cute.” Baekhyun motions to Minseok’s outfit for the day, which consisted of white skinny jeans, a round-neck gray-and-white striped short sleeve shirt, and black sneakers. Minseok had straighten her frizzy hair so that she could leave her hair down for the occasion. Because it was Thursday and Thursday meant that it was the last day she would have classes for the week.

“Thanks! I better get going or else I’m going to miss my bus.” Minseok rushes to find her jacket and backpack. “I love you, Byun Baekhyun!” Minseok blows a kiss to her best friend, causing Baekhyun to laugh in response.

Minseok is out the door before Baekhyun has the chance to warn Minseok after the afternoon rain they were supposed to be getting.

“Wait, Minseok!... don’t forget your… umbrella…” Baekhyun says to no one. She shrugs, figuring that Minseok was a smart girl, she’ll find out about the rain from social media or something.

(-)

“Crapola!” Minseok groans as rain spatters the sidewalk. It’s a quarter after 4 and she has just finished her last class of the day, Geology, and before she can even step a foot out the door, she notices the dark stormy clouds hanging in the sky and the water droplets wetting the concrete.

Minseok likes the rain, but only when she is watching from indoors. Her hair has been an intolerable mass of frizz, and rain has repeatedly made itself an enemy to Kim Minseok. It took her over an hour— almost two hours— to get her hair sleek and straight.

She forgot her umbrella and the coat she chose to wear had no hood so Minseok reckons that she best settle herself in one of the lounge chairs of the science building to wait this rain out. Minseok throws her body onto one of the couches, letting out a long sigh.

Minseok pulls out her phone, opens her message app.

           Sent at 4:27 p.m.

Pretty please??

           Sent at 4:28 p.m.

Minseok awaits Baekhyun’s reply, sifting through the mind numbing news feed on her social media accounts. Never quite the one for keeping up with today’s news and blitz, Minseok has only kept these apps for references. Sometimes Baekhyun could go on and on about the latest artists or the newest electronics.

“Minseok-ssi?”

Minseok looks up to her name being called, and she is immediately uplifted from her current dilemma (i.e. the rain). “Luhan-ssi!” Minseok stands up, fixing her hair from the thrashing she did earlier.

Luhan walks up to Minseok with a small smile. “Surprised to see you here. Do you take a class in this building?”

“Yeah, actually I just got out of a class.” Minseok answers.

Luhan raises her eyebrows. “And are you just sitting here until your next class starts?”

Minseok cracks an embarrassed grin. “No, I’m done with classes. I’m just waiting for it to stop raining. And my bus.”

“Oh? Do you hate the rain?”

Minseok frowns. “N-no. I love the rain but I like not walking in it… even if my bus stop is only a few dozen steps away.” She laughs at herself. She knows how incredibly odd she must sound right now.  

Luhan pretends to understand so she offers a chuckle albeit feeling perplexed. How could Minseok act as if nothing happened? Did she not remember it? Luhan felt the need to ask Minseok to justify herself for last night, but that would be too excruciatingly awkward. “Do you wanna share my umbrella?” Minseok is about make an objection but Luhan cuts her off, “I mean, sitting here would be absolutely boring and I don’t want to put you through that.”

Minseok agrees, a light-hearted smile on her face. “Fine, but don’t pull a ‘Baekhyun’ and push me into a puddle.”

“A ‘Baekhyun’???”

“Yeah, a no-good-for-nothing turd who makes everyone else’s life a living hell.”

Luhan laughs at her imagination of when and how Minseok started using that term. “Ready, my Lady?” Luhan opens her umbrella as soon as Minseok throws on her coat.

“Yes, ma’am.”

The two step out, a red umbrella standing over their heads. Minseok sidles up to Luhan, taking notice of Luhan’s soft, feminine perfume. Luhan glances down at Minseok for a second before beginning to walk toward Minseok’s bus stop.

“So, if you don’t mind me asking, what were you doing in the science building?” Minseok asks after a few moments of silence. “You don’t strike me as the science type.”

Luhan grins at Minseok’s bluntness. “Why, Miss Kim, do you think that I am unqualified for science courses?”

“What— no! Of course not!”

Luhan laughs. “I’m only teasing you.”

Minseok gives a sigh of relief, along with a comfortable smile. “You know, it’s not wise to mock easily credulous.”

“So are you admitting that you are gullible?”

“Yes.”

“You know, many people do not so easily admit that trait about themselves.” Luhan says. “Why do you not deny it?” Luhan pays special attention to what Minseok has to say because she is sure that whatever Minseok says, Luhan will surely be amazed. And she was.

Minseok shrugs. “Because why not? I guess some people will see me as naïve, and that doesn’t matter to me what they think. There are people out there that want to be believed, and to have people believe in them, so if nobody else wants to do it, I will. Plus, I’m a great listener.” Minseok beams.

The two girls arrive at the bus stop.

“Thank you so much, Luhan-ssi.”

“Not a problem.” Luhan takes a seat on the bench.

“Are you waiting for the bus, too?”

“Nope. I just like watching the rain fall. It helps me organize my thoughts.” Luhan responds. With so much happening in her world, Luhan feels like she can only watch the rain patter onto the sidewalk. She sometimes feels powerless but she guesses that is normal. Still, if she could have some kind of reassurance, she would feel better.

Minseok nods, taking a seat beside Luhan. She observes the short-haired girl and her faraway gaze. She clears and faces Luhan. “Luhan-ssi, if you ever need to talk, keep me in mind. Remember, I’m a great listener.” Minseok offers a kind smile.

Luhan meets Minseok’s eyes, her focus instilled on the pretty face with youthful eyes and bright smile. “I would like that very much.”