“Yongguk’s girlfriend?? No way!” Misun looked between Sera and Himchan incredulously.

Sera laughed nervously and blushed. “Yeah, that’s me.”

Himchan came over and wrapped both arms around Misun from behind. “You might be able to take Yongguk from me, but you can’t have Misunnie. She’s mine.”

Sera frowned and folded her arms across her chest before opening to argue. “Hey, you can’t just claim peo-”

“Oppa, be nice!” Misun interrupted, patting her friend on the arm. “She’s helped me twice now. Yesterday she bandaged me up after I beat up my bag too hard. Today she stood up to Sooyeon for me.”

After hearing this, Himchan’s eyebrows rose. “Really..?” He regarded the red haired girl in front of him with a different look. It was silent for a few moments as Himchan thought. Finally he groaned and hid his face behind Misun’s hair. “Now I feel like an idiot.”

Misun smiled and turned around, engulfing her friend in a giant hug. “It’s okay, oppa~” She looked toward Sera, who was watching everything curiously. “Please don’t mind him. He’s just an overprotective teddy bear.”

She pulled away from him to see him pouting. “I’m a little more dangerous than a teddy bear…”

Misun laughed. “Okay, how about a black bear with that black hair of yours?” She ruffled Himchan’s hair and a slow smile grew on his face.

“I guess that’ll do.” He told her as he flicked his head to the side in an attempt to get his hair back in place.

Sera gave the two a small smile. “Alright, black bear and.. Misun, right? I’ll have to catch up with you two later. I’m late for a date with my homework.”

“Oh, okay!” Misun let go of Himchan and bowed slightly to the girl in front of her. “Thank you for your help again. I’m sorry you had to step in.”

“No worries. I’ll see you guys later.” With a smile and a small wave of her hand, Sera turned and walked toward the school’s east exit.

“Now that it’s just you and I,” Himchan slung his arm across Misun’s shoulders and started to direct her towards the main gate. “I think we should go get some food.”

Misun nodded. “I am hungry, it’s been a long day.”

“Oh yeah, why’s that?” Himchan asked while he pressed the button for the pedestrian crosswalk.

Misun thought for a moment as she considered how she wanted to tell Himchan about last night. “Daehyun-ssi and Youngjae-ssi helped me go fabric shopping last night.”

“Really? That was nice of them.” Himchan smiled because he already knew this story. Daehyun had texted him in a frenzy last night. He had been so excited to be getting closer to Misun.

“It was! I really appreciated it.” Misun replied with a nod as they walked along the street, which was lined with restaurants. “But Daehyun-ssi said something that I’m having a hard time processing.”

Himchan frowned at this. “What did he say?”

Misun sighed. “He said that I’m a worthwhile person, that I deserve better friends than Sooyeon, and that I deserve happiness.”

“That is a lot to process. But I’ve told you all of those things before.” Himchan reminded her, giving his friend a light squeeze around the shoulders. He opened the door to their favorite Italian restaurant and the two went in. After being seated at a table, the two of them continued their conversation.

“I know you’ve said that and more. But it felt.. different coming from someone else.”

“Well fine, see if I ever give you advice again.” Himchan teased, looking away with a pout.

“Nooooo, oppaaaa” Misun reached her hands across the table in an act of begging forgiveness. Himchan looked back at Misun and smiled, making her roll her eyes and grin back at him.

Himchan sighed a little and held Misun’s hand. “Misun, Daehyun is a very kind person. He thinks about others before himself and he’s a really great guy. I think he meant what he said.”

Misun nodded and seemed to be deep in thought. Himchan let her think while they waited for their food. When it finally came, she looked up at him. “Oppa, do you think it would be okay if I ask him to be my friend?”

He had to resist the urge to roll his eyes at her innocent request. “Aren’t you already friends?”

“I don’t know how friendship even works anymore.” Misun said with a resigned sigh, making Himchan feel sorry for her.

“Misun, I think Daehyun would be delighted to be your friend. He really, really likes you a lot.” Himchan let this last bit slip out on accident and hoped Misun wouldn’t look into it too deeply.

She looked up at him in surprise. “Re-Really?”

Himchan nodded as he ate his food. “Youngjae, too. They all want to be friends with you, dummy. Why else would they try to be around you?”

Misun gave him a pointed look. “They could be trying to get to me for my money like Naeun did. They could be trying to be friends to meet someone else like Sora did. They could be-”

“Okay, stop, I see your point.” Himchan held up a hand to silence her and let out a resigned sigh of his own. “Misun, I know you have plenty of life experience telling you that people just want to use you. But seriously, not everyone is like that. Look at me or Yongguk. We’ve been friends with you for a while now and haven’t asked for anything in return. We’re happy just to know you. The rest of the boys are like that, too. You can trust me on that.”

Misun was quiet for a few moments as she thought about what Himchan had said. “Alright, I’m going to trust you. But if you’re wrong, I’m going to punch the heck out of you.” Misun threatened lightly.

Himchan laughed and nodded. “Alright, that’s fair, I suppose.”

They ate quietly in silence for a few moments before Misun thought of something. “Tomorrow is Wednesday.”

“Yes, it is.” Himchan told her while raising an eyebrow, wondering why she was making such an obvious statement.

“I have theater club tomorrow.” She said a little sullenly.

“Again? How often do you have this club anyway?” His eyebrows knit together in confusion. It seemed like Misun always had club.

“Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.” She told him while ticking the days off on her fingers. “So I have to see Sooyeon three times a week. It’s great.” Her tone dropped into sarcasm and Himchan felt bad for the girl. As they finished their food and stood up to go pay, he thought of what to tell her.

He offered an alternative. “Maybe don’t think about it like that. Try this: ‘I have to see Daehyun and Youngjae three times a week.’ That’s much scarier.”

Misun blinked at him for a moment before smiling. “You’re right, that does sound pretty scary.”

“Do you think you can handle that?” Himchan challenged as he opened the door to let them both out into the brisk fall air.

She grinned wider and nodded. “I think so. Thank you oppa.”

★☆★☆★☆