{ 06 }

“The food here is great,” Hanbin commented as he gobbled up a bowl of sundubu jjigae on his own. He had a huge appetite too, just like Bobby, which made the food they originally ordered insufficient for the three of them. Apart from the free food they got, Bobby even ordered some more just to satiate their appetites.

Rosé could only stare at the two boys as they inhaled the feast in front of them. She does admit that the food was wonderful, there’s not much Korean restaurants around with such an authentic taste around, but she couldn’t believe her eyes as she stared at the two.

“Rosé-yah, eat more!” Bobby’s voice snapped her out of her reverie. She caught him placing a handful of samgyupsal on her plate before going back to his own.

“I’m okay, Bob–” She was about to protest when he cut her off. “Nonsense. We have so much food and I bought this for you! Definitely not for Hanbin here,” he scoffed before side eyeing Hanbin who didn’t even gave him as much as a glance. The latter kept on chewing his food as if it was his last day on Earth to have a feast.

Bobby suddenly stood up from his place in the middle of eating. “Bathroom,” he said before leaving her with Hanbin.

“Have you been friends with Bobby for long?” The other male started the conversation, curiously looking at her. Rosé thought that just like the waitress, he might be in disbelief that someone as handsome and cool as Bobby was an acquaintance of someone like her.

No, I have no idea who he was until about a week ago, she answered honestly in her mind but she held herself. She bit her tongue before swallowing the lump forming in . “W–We were childhood friends until he left to migrate to the States,” she stammered.

Hanbin slowly nodded his head, as if carefully digesting this fact. Her fear was instantly awoken that he might ask more questions about her supposed past with Bobby. Rosé quickly prayed for the other guy to come back from the bathroom to avoid any more questions from Hanbin, afraid that she will eventually slip about the lie she was feeding them.

As if answering her quiet prayer, Bobby emerged from the bathroom carrying a wet handkerchief. “Here,” he said as he brought the towel in front of Rosé. “You should put this in your lap.”

Rosé’s heart was warmed. In her whole life, there was no one other than her family who cared for her so much. She wasn’t used to this kind of thoughtfulness from a stranger.

Yes, a stranger, her inner voice guiltily reverberated in her head. Kim Bobby is a stranger to you, Park Chaeyoung.

“Rosé?” Her attention snapped back to Bobby who was still holding the cold handkerchief in front of her. “Do you want me to accompany you to the bathroom?”

She shook her head vigorously, smiling a little. “No, I can handle it myself. Uh, where did you get this handkerchief, by the way?”

“Oh, I bought it outside.” He responded with a smile, his eyes forming into small chinks again. “I noticed someone selling this outside.”

The guilt in Rosé’s heart was only becoming heavier. It was so evident how kind Bobby is to her, but at this moment she just couldn’t bring herself to confess the truth. She was even surprised that she really was keeping up this charade. “Tha–thank you, Bobby-yah.” She softly stated.

“You’re welcome, Rosé-yah.”

--

After a trip to the hospital, the three of them confirmed that there was nothing much to worry about Rosé’s burn. It was a simple case and the doctor just advised her to be a little more careful with it before prescribing her with an ointment to help her heal.

“Thank you so much, Bobby-yah, Hanbin-ssi.” She bowed as they were leaving the hospital. Hanbin had been so kind to drive them to the hospital even if he wasn’t even supposed to be involved.

“It’s okay,” Hanbin was the first one to reply. “I had nothing else to do, anyway, and it was nice to see Bobby and meet you too.”

“Yeah, Hanbin’s right,” Bobby seconded. “We’re happy to help.”

Rosé only smiled at the two boys. “I hope this won’t hinder you from going out with me again, Rosé,” Bobby laughed.

Her cheeks involuntarily turned crimson at the thought of going out with him again. Her heartbeat was slowly rising and she quickly berated herself for such a reaction. Bobby’s only being kind because he thinks I was his friend!

That thought was still in her mind, but she tried hard not to let it show. After all that the two had done for her, she felt that it was not right to bother them with her emotions anymore. After all, it’s not like she can admit to them what was really going on in her head.

“Yah, bring me with you.” Hanbin suddenly quipped, catching the attention of the Rosé and Bobby.

Bobby’s brows met in curiosity. “Bring you where?”

“When you go out.” Hanbin shrugged. “I don’t know anyone else here, I don’t have a childhood friend like you guys. Let me hang out with you.”

“Bobby turned to Rosé. “Will that be okay with you, Rosé-yah?”

She slowly nodded, her earlier negative thought fading again. She couldn’t believe that she gained another acquaintance who doesn’t bully her because of Bobby! “I think that would be nice,” she responded. It was already a miracle to someone like Rosé.

Bobby clapped with a happy smile painted on his lips. “It’s set, then!” He excitedly stated before turning to face Hanbin. “Yah, aren’t you enrolling at Ilsung, too?”

“I’m still thinking about it, but I think I would,” Hanbin replied with a shrug, as if he doesn’t have any care in the world. Rosé couldn’t help but think that perhaps the two boys bonded over their mutual easygoing demeanors.

“You really should! So that you, me, and Rosé will have more time to hang out!”

“What if our schedules don’t fit?” Hanbin amusedly asked, but it did not deter Bobby. “We’ll figure out our way around that!” The latter still happily responded as he slung an arm around Hanbin’s shoulders, his other arm on Rosé’s.

“Ahhh, friends are nice!” Bobby merrily said as the three of them walked out of the hospital.

Rosé internally smiled. Yes, friends are nice.