Jungkook glanced at his wristwatch for the nth time since he arrived, checking to see how late Yuna was going to be.

“Thirty minutes,” he muttered just as the chimes by the door rang.

“Sorry, I’m late!”

Jungkook looked up and casted a displeased look at Yuna who was clutching her chest while trying to catch her breath.

“Do you know how long I’ve waited?”

“I know. I’m sorry. I didn’t catch the bus.”

“I’m not supposed to believe you but I’ll let it pass since I was also late last time.”

“That makes us even,” she replied before taking the seat across Jungkook. “Did you already order?”

“Not yet. I was waiting for you. I don’t know what you like.”

“I’ll order for us, then.”

“Okay. I’ll just have an iced Americano.”

“Okay, one iced Americano coming right up,” Yuna exclaimed as she stood up before proceeding over to the counter.

“Isn’t she being too nice these past few days?” Jungkook thought as she watched his companion for today from a distance who was busy conversing with the cashier as if they were the best of friends trying to catch up on each other’s lives. Unconsciously, a smile made its way to his lips. “She’s such an unpredictable woman.”

“Here’s your drink!” Yuna chimed in a singsong voice as she approached their table with their orders on hand. Once she reached their spot, she placed Jungkook’s drink down on the table to his side before placing hers as well. As she did so, Jungkook watched amusingly with his chin rested on his palms and a playful smirk gracing his face.

“What?” Yuna asked when she noticed the expression Jungkook was giving her. “Why are you laughing?”

“I’m not,” Jungkook simply replied before returning to gaze at her with the same face.

“Stop that,” she said as she threw him narrowed eyes.

“Stop what? I’m not doing anything,” Jungkook retorted, playing innocence. He had to admit. He does enjoy moments like this with Yuna- moments wherein she’s wound up and he’s enjoying seeing her get annoyed. Not once did he imagine to have this much fun with a girl before because usually, the only feeling he gets whenever he’s around the opposite was irritation. He only gets irritated especially when they throw themselves at him as if their lives depended on whether he accepts them or not. The worst part is that he had to give everything he got at rejecting them so as not to lead them on. Unfortunately for him, they never learn. So, being with someone like Yuna, someone who showed not a bit of interest in him felt fresh. It felt completely different yet it was a good kind of different.

“What’s this?”

Jungkook clutched his chest at the sudden sensation within him. It was an abrupt surge of foreign feeling- something he’s quite not sure what it could be.

“Is something wrong?” Yuna asked after taking a sip from her iced tea.

Jungkook shrugged away the weird feeling and shook his head. “It’s nothing. I just remembered something I have to do tonight with the hyungs,” he lied.

“Okay. Anyway, did you bring the list? Can I see it?” she responded, completely changing the topic so as not to pry further. She knew it was not nothing and she could feel he wasn’t telling her the truth but she decided not to talk about it more considering that she, herself, has a lie of her own and it’s probably even grave than his.

“Yeah. I have it with me.”

Jungkook pulled out the piece of paper from his pocket and handed it over to Yuna. Upon receiving, Yuna immediately unfolded it and scanned its contents, nodding while in the process.

“Uh-huh. I know this girl.”

“Who?” Jungkook gave a puzzled look over to Yuna who just gave a grin in return.

“The next one on your list. She’s a friend of one of my friend’s friend.”

Still, Jungkook was unable to follow with what his companion was blabbering. He raised one of his eyebrows and said, “You’re not making sense.”

Yuna let out a breath as she straightened her position, ready to begin explaining to the slow-witted boy in front of her. “You see, I have a friend. Her name’s Joy and Joy has a friend. Her name’s Yeri and Yeri is a friend of the next person on your list. Do you get me?”

Jungkook thought for a moment, internalizing everything. As he did so, Yuna was anticipately waiting for his reply.

“Ah!” Jungkook exclaimed as he slammed his palms on the table with a look that evidently portrays his pride in himself for finally getting something.

“Ah!” Yuna mirrored while nodding her head back and forth.

“I get it now!”

“Yes!”

“You’re friends with the girl on my list!”

Yuna’s face fell as she took in Jungkook’s words while slowly retreating to her seat.

“It’s not a wonder this boy fails Math. He’s as slow as a slug.”

“What’s the matter? Am I wrong?”

“I don’t know how you came to reach college.”

Jungkook, too, sat back down as he pondered on what he might have done or said that seemed to displease Yuna. “I do basically own the school.”

“Oh, heavens above, please help me.”

“Are you really this much of an idiot or is this just occasional?”

“Come again?”

Yuna slumped her head on the table as she rubbed her temples to relax herself.

“I give up.”

“What?! You can’t just give up now. I thought you told me we’re going to finish this. Where’s your motivation now?” Jungkook dramatically said as he shook Yuna’s shoulders while she continued to stay motionless, discouraged at the boy’s stupidity. “Oy! Get yourself together.”

“I swear this idiot will be the death of me.”

“Will you stop that?” Yuna voice out in exasperation as she removed Jungkook’s hands from her, sitting back up in the process.

“What’s the problem?”

“You. You’re the problem. Gosh, I might go insane dealing with you,” Yuna replied, trying to calm herself.

“You should’ve ended things when you had the chance,” a voice in Yuna’s head whispered.

“Shut up, stupid conscience. You’re the one who made me do this in case you forgot.”

“You should have not listened to me.”

“So, now it’s my fault?”

“Of course, I’m you. Remember?” the voice mocked, adding fuel to Yuna’s flames.

“I hate myself.”

Jungkook snapped a finger in front of Yuna to grab her attention as she stared blankly ahead as if she was in a trance. “Earth to Yuna. Hello?”

Yuna came back to reality as soon as she noticed Jungkook leaning over to her with a questioning look but what was more noticeable for her, though, was the fact that he was leaning close…too close that she could already feel his breath and her chest getting all jumpy.

“I must have already gone insane. First I’m talking to myself and now I’m having these weird feelings.”

“Uhmmm…I think you’re getting too close,” she whispered, looking away as a small part of her cheeks tinted red.

“Get yourself together, Choi Yuna.”

Realizing his embarrassing mistake, Jungkook immediately drew back to his seat as a blush also appeared on his face. “Sorry,” he apologized, not making eye contact at Yuna who was also busy averting his gaze.

“It’s fine.”

“No, it’s not,” the voice returned to tell her otherwise.

“Shut up.”

“What?”

Yuna quickly covered as she became conscious of how she said that out loud. It was supposed to be only for her. “Nothing. I said nothing.”

“Oh.”

Silence passed between them as neither has anything to say to break the awkwardness before them.

“Uhhh…” they spoke at the same time.

“You go first,” Jungkook offered being the ‘gentleman’ that he is.

“No, you go ahead. I think what you have to say is more important.”

“No, I’m fine. Tell me what you have first.”

“I’m okay…really. Go ahead.”

“No. Ladies should always go first.”

Yuna contemplated for a few seconds before finally agreeing as she grew tired of arguing over such a petty matter. “Fine. I’ll go first. Listen carefully.”

Jungkook put on a stern face to make her believe he was serious in hearing her out when in fact, he was still a bit shook over what happened earlier.

Yuna breathed in deeply before beginning. “I just thought about this last night.”

Jungkook nodded, prodding her to go on.

“I…I mean if…if ever I succeed in finding your unidentified girl for you, I think it would be better if we stop seeing each other.”

Jungkook blinked. He was quite not getting what she was saying for the second time today.

“I mean…I think we should not acknowledge each other’s presence once this is over. We’re not even friends to begin with. I believe it would be better if we go back to being the way we were before…like ordinary schoolmates.”

“Why am I saying this again?”

“Duh! Isn’t it obvious? It’s because you’re scared,” the voice returned to enlighten Yuna.

“Scared?”

“Yes, scared. You’re afraid you’ve already gone too attached to him. You’re afraid you’re already grown fond of the boy to the extent that you almost threw yourself away.”

“Is that it?”

“Of course, that’s it. When was I ever wrong?”

“Like you’re the one who put me into this mess. Stupid conscience…”

“What?” Jungkook broke Yuna from her thoughts as he was trying to deny what he just heard. Sure, he may have hated her at first but he can’t help but accept the fact that after all those encounters he had with her, he had just grown to acknowledge her as a friend. Never did he thought that she didn’t consider him as one. A small frown started to grow evident on his face as he continued to think about Yuna’s words. Every thought was bugging him.

“I said I want us to go back to not being friendly with each other after this,” Yuna clarified while trying to put on a grim face for Jungkook.

“Why?”

“We were never this close to begin with. I was only putting up with you out of pity. So, please give me this one.”

“Oh.”

Jungkook lowered his head, ashamed of himself for being too clingy to Yuna without even noticing it. He thought he was just being friendly toward her when the truth was he was trying to force himself to her who was never keen on him, a conceited guy. The part where he was supposed to tell that her that he was inviting her to come with Eunha and the others for a night at his family’s vacation house over the summer completely went down the drain.

Yuna bit her lips as she stared at Jungkook who seemed to be dejected at what she said.

“Don’t worry. This is for yourself, Choi Yuna. You already thought hard about this. This is what’s best for you. Never mind what’s in front of you now. It’ll pass and everything will go back to what it once was before you made that mistake of exchanging notes with someone you never even knew,” she assured herself in her mind to somehow minimize the sympathy she was feeling.

“You’re right,” Jungkook blurted out of the blue, surprising Yuna a little. “Thanks for helping me all this way, though.” He looked up to meet her gaze before giving a smile, one which Yuna could see was forced.

“You’re welcome,” she replied while smiling back in return. “It’s the least I can do.”

“Why did you do that?” Eunha asked her best friend with full of chips.

“Why should I not do that?” Yuna retorted as she reached over the table for some chips for herself. It was currently Sunday and Yuna felt like she needed to vent out everything she’s been thinking ever since her encounter with Jungkook on the day before. It had been disturbing her to the degree that she only had three hours of sleep. And not only that. Everything she does, yesterday’s events would always pop up in her head like those bothersome online advertisements that show up whenever they want to. When she was brushing her teeth, she’d be reminded of Jungkook’s bunny teeth and then she’d think about yesterday. When she was having breakfast, she’d be reminded of his Americano and then she’d think about yesterday. Heck, even when she was feeding Toby, her dog, she’d be reminded of Jungkook for no reason and then she’d think about yesterday. She was sure keeping it more to herself would drive her mad. Yesterday’s memory wasn’t what she could exactly call annoying but it was frustrating to think about. It made her felt miserable knowing how mean she must have sounded to the guy. Just when he started to be on friendly terms with her, she had to go and blurt out those things. But what can she do? Not doing so would possibly spill the beans regarding their little note exchanges and she would not want that. She’d rather break her connections with him than admit her identity.

“Don’t you think you’ve been too hard on him? I mean from what I could see, he’s starting to see you as a friend. Don’t you think what you did might have hurt him?”

“I know that but…”

“But?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I think it’s for the better. That way, we can both go on with our lives as if nothing ever happened. He can be satisfied with that girl I plan to make as replacement in my stead and I can live peacefully without the pressure of being friends with the school’s superstar.”

“That’s being selfish, Yuju. Since when have you become like that? Not only are you deceiving Jungkook for your own good but you’re also using another girl and these benefit only you.”

“They benefit them too. Jungkook can finally settle himself down and stop being that paranoid who’s constantly looking for an unidentified girl while this girl, who I learned is also a fan of Jungkook, by the way, can have her dreams come true. Now, tell me. How is that being selfish?” Yuna burst out in minor anger over at her best friend. Eunha’s been the one she trusted in this problem of hers and yet she thinks she’s being selfish? Yes, she has been mean but selfish? She’s even trying her best to look for a solution where they can all gain advantage and yet now she’s selfish?

“Yuju, I know you’re stressed out about these stuffs that have been happening recently but that doesn’t mean you could just go ahead and use other people for yourself. What I’m trying to say is we could look for another solution,” Eunha said in a composed manner so as not to intensify the tension that has begun to build up between them. Her best friend was already on the verge of fury and she doesn’t want the worse to happen. They have already fought before and it was not what she wanted to happen again. She does not want to be separated with Yuna for two whole months ever again.

“This is the best shot we got, Eunha,” Yuna replied, her voice much lower than before which tells Eunha that she also probably wants to avoid a heated argument between them.

“I’m not being selfish. I’m just afraid. I’m afraid for myself,” Yuna continued in her thoughts the words she could not muster to say.

“Are you sure about this though?” Eunha inquired, feeling a flow of empathy for her best friend as she drew herself closer to the said girl who still had her head hung low.

Yuna gave a short nod as a reply before Eunha began to rub circles on her back for comfort.

“I say we give it a try then but if all fails, we’re going my way. How about that?”

Yuna looked up to meet her best friend’s face and she was greeted with the heartening smile she grew to appreciate from Eunha over the past years they have been together. Every time situations like these would come up, it’s always that look that gives Yuna an assurance that everything will be okay in the end. It’s one of the reasons why she’s grateful of her best friend.

“Thank you.”

“A favor? Sure. What is it?” Joy said as she conversed with both Yuna and Eunha in the middle of lunch break.

“It’s nothing too difficult. We just need connections.”

“Well, let’s hear what you guys have to say.”

“Script?”

“Check.”

“Smartphone?”

“Check.”

“Empty classroom?”

“Check.”

“Empty Student Affairs Office?”

“Check.”

“Envelope?”

“Check.”

“Jungkook?”

“Check.”

“Did we forget anything else?”

“I don’t think so. I think everything is set and ready to go.”

Yuna nodded as she went through the list one more time. It’s too risky to miss just a single part of their plan. “Good. Should Operation Make Jungkook Believe That Another Girls is Behind the Notes commence?”

“Yup! We’re ready to initiate!” Eunha exclaimed while making a salute.

“May the odds be ever in our favor,” Yuna quoted a famous line from one of their favorite movies as Eunha nodded and with determined expressions, they began.

AAAAAHHH! This story's almost finished. I'm already working on the last chapter but I won't be posting the next chapter at the same time as this though. Tomorrow, perhaps. And again, tell me what you think. I'd like to know your opinion on the near-end of this story. ;)