“Really?” I laugh when Sohee tells me the story about her cat clings onto her leg this morning when she’s about to go to campus. “That’s cute.” I comment.

It’s a typical day when I have no more class than one this early morning. Going straight to my flat is never an option for me so I choose to hang out around the campus. I’m with my own group of friends, relaxing under the shadow of the big cherry blossom at the campus park. One by one, others come after their classes end. They’re the people I hang out with for the past one year. They’re not the brightest student here and others avoid them just because they’re unique and different.

“Chanyeol, are you in tonight?” Hyubin ask, offering a cigarette which I decline by shaking my head –not feeling like it.

“Sure.”

“Didn’t you say you had a paper due tomorrow?” Sohee asks.

“I’ll get someone from the group to do it.” I shrug, start typing the message when a name from my group pop up on my head, telling him that I have something important to do tonight and unable to hand out my work. “Done.” I grin as I hit the send button.

Sohee looks at me in disbelief then narrows her eyes at me, disapproving. I wrinkle my nose at her then chuckle, patting her head.

“Chanyeol,”

A familiar voice I haven’t hear for a while making me look up almost instantly at the source. I‘m surprised to see Harin is standing there with her hand hold onto her backpack strap, looking at me with the look I can’t comprehend. It’s the first time she looks at me directly in the eyes after like a year or more. I can’t even remember as the time goes by. Just like what I said back then to mind our own business, we totally drifted apart. She’s biting her lower lip at the lack of my respond, probably also getting too uncomfortable by the curious look from my friends.

“Can we talk?” She takes a step, indicating to follow her.

I nod, pulling out my phone from my pocket first and hand it to Sohee. “Can you do the reply if someone from my group replied my message?”

She takes my phone then slap my forearm, making me chuckle again. “I’m going to say that you’re going to do the entire papers tonight.” She threatens.

“I’m pretty sure she’s not going tonight if Chanyeol doesn’t go.” Hyubin blurt out. Sohee yells at him and throws the empty plastic bottle at him, only to earn a good round of laughter from our group.

“Ohh,” The guys howls and the girls giggle at how flustered Sohee. “She’s as pink as the cherry blossom.” They continue teasing her, I almost afraid the next thing she throws at them is my phone.

“I’ll be back.” I inform her and turn around to find Harin’s still waiting for me at the same spot. “Let’s go.”

Harin guide me back to the campus lobby where there are a lot of students like us in group or alone. Most of them have laptop on their lap or table, enjoying the free hotspot the campus provide since it’s one of the places that have the fastest connection. It instantly becomes everyone’s favourite spot, but still too crowded for my liking.

“Here,” She pulls my attention back at her when she hands me a paper which I immediately recognize as the application for internship of this sixth semester requirement. I take it and read what’s written on it.

“Are you going to put me in your group?” I ask when I notice the application is already filled with her name and two others I don’t recognize.

She nods, “The professor allows the students to pick their own member for the group. I was thinking about the group of four people, allowed until five.”

My mind is thinking about this opportunity. Talk about being slacking off –I just simply plan to repeat it next semester that’s why I don’t take the application paper. But now that Harin offer me, it suppose to make me easier. Harin is a hard working person, seeing her name on top of the list of this paper; I assume she will be the leader of the group. Although I know when I involve myself in this, I should work at her pace. I know how perfectionist she is when it comes to the college project. Then again, I know how to make myself work when I need to.

“Can you add one more?” I ask, handing her back the paper.

“Five?” She asks and I nod in confirmation. “Do I know this person?”

“You saw her back then. It’s Sohee; she’s suppose to take the internship too this semester.”

“Oh, her.” I hear at her recognition on her tone, just like how everyone will react in this campus when they hear her name. It only adds up more pity on her as I hear this.

“Yeah, her.” I confirm. “She’s hard working person and willing to try, I assure you. You can put all the blame on me if something dissatisfies you. I’ll even do the whole report if I had to if I was wrong.”

I can tell she’s in big doubt. With the fact she choose me to join her group, I know she believe in my work performance. I’m also sure that the two others are hard working as she is.

“Sure. Let’s make it five.”

I grin and thank her almost instantly. Sohee will be happy to hear this. She and I agree to retake this internship subject next semester. She has different reason than mine. Even though she doesn’t tell me the real reason, the guys tells me that no one wants her in their group. That’s why she plans to retake it, hoping that she will join the juniors who know her less than the students in the same year.

“I’ll hand the paper today.” She is about to turn around but I stop her.

“Harin,” She stops, looking at me with questioning look. “Are we good now?” I hesitate for few seconds, remind me to how our friendship is lacking this past year. Then again, I don’t cherish making bad blood with people I consider as friend.

She’s lacking of smile ever since she initiate this talk. But then again, the only matter now is her answer.

“We are good.”

I grin at her respond.

Next thing I should do is informing Sohee about our change of plan for this internship

The internship takes our time four days a week, from eight to six. We use that one day on the weekdays to hand out our weekly report and short class. Basically, it’s exhausting but our group manage to do it well. Like what I predict, the two other guys, Jaehyuk and Jino are hard working people.

“I don’t understand this at all.” I hear Sohee’s voice from the warehouse of this retail company she’s in charge of today.

I peek inside to find she has her forehead on top of the desk, the books scatters as she mumbles incoherent words at herself, probably whining. My lips stretch out into a smile as I look at her. Whenever I ask her if she has difficulty on her part, she says none. She makes sure to me that she can handle everything well. I don’t doubt her when I look at her individual report every week. But looking at her state today, I’m sure she pushes herself too hard. I know she thank me for this opportunity. She repeatedly thanks me whenever she gets the chance. Jaehyuk and Jino also welcome her and only Harin who still so uptight on everything about her.

“Chanyeol,” I stop when I’m about to enter the warehouse. “Can you help me out at the marketing department?”

I look to the side to see Harin, wearing the dull company blue uniform as I do –as everyone in the company. I nod at her then pointing to the door in front of me. “Let me just check up on her first.”

“Wha—,”

Before she can ask further, I enter the warehouse and walk towards her desk. I can feel Harin is watching me as I get down on my knees, resting my chin on top of my folded hands.

“Mrs. Park.” I whisper.

Almost in instant, she straighten up with her wide eyes I had to chuckle at, holding up my head as she glares at me when she finds out the culprit.

“You surprised me. I thought it was the supervisor!” She slaps my hand, annoyed.

I wrinkle my nose out of habit, grinning at her. “I heard you.” I simply say. “Any difficulty?” I ask, eyeing the books on the table.

She quickly closes the opened books, “I’m doing fine.” She assures. The way she avoids my eyes tells me that she’s lying.

“Park So Hee.”

Slowly, she turns her head at me with wary glance. The look I give to her is enough to make her sigh in defeat as she opens back the book she closed earlier.

“I think I’m messing with the FIFO.”

I smile at her honesty and take the book away from her, looking for the mistake she did.

“Come here,” I beckon her to come closer as pointing to the book where I finally found her mistake. The explanation I know like the back of my hand flow from my lips as she listens tentatively. As we talked, Harin’s presence is completely forgotten by me. Sohee takes the best of my attention.

That day, Harin's last look before she leaves goes unnoticed.

“What is this?!”

Jino, Jaehyuk and I stop talking as we hear someone yell. We’re in the middle of discussing out last report in student centre campus.

“Is that Harin?” Jino guess.

“That’s all I can do.”

“And Sohee.” I immediately stand up and walk towards the source, followed by Jino and Jaehyuk.

It’s almost 6 PM and the student centre is almost cleared out from the students by now. We’re the few people who stuck here, not planning to go soon as we wait for the girls in our group. Harin and Sohee are standing by the door as we walk out and it’s only Sohee who notice our presence.

At her pleading eyes, automatically I walk to her side for her comfort. “What’s going on?” I ask.

“It’s the final weekly report. I think I messed up.” She mutters, biting her lips.

Before I can ask further, Harin cut me off by accusing words at her.

“You messed with the report, Sohee.” She hisses, holding out the paper to her face.

Sohee turns away from me, “I’m so sorry, Harin. It’s really the best I can do. But I will redo it. But please, I need time.”

Harin rolls her eyes, scoffing at her. “This paper is due in 7. It’s less then an hour from now. How can you finish it? You almost take a whole day to do one!”

I frown at her words.

“Harin, give her time. We will hand out the paper on time.” I interrupt as she turns at me.

“This is your entire fault, Chanyeol.” She hisses, shoving Sohee’s paper to my chest. She’s about to walk pass me when I stop her by grabbing her hand. I turn to Sohee, “Ask Jaehyuk and Jino’s help for now. I’m going to talk to her first.” I order her to go back inside.

Once they enter the building, I let go of my grip on her.

“Harin, you’ve been too hard on her.” I try to explain. I’ve been dying to say this to her since few weeks ago on how often I catch Harin scolding Sohee for her work, mostly about her weekly report. At first, I don’t do anything, considering they are both old enough to solve their own problem. When it’s way too often, I ask Sohee if she needs my help or not. But Sohee insists that