THANK YOU CECI FOR THE UPDATES OF MY DEAR BOYS (even tho they look like frat boys to me but what the hell)
My OngNiel heart is well fed heheeeet

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“Didn’t I tell you to edit this article last week?” Minhyun’s calm yet intimidating voice can be hard clearly along the busy hallways of the university. Tiptoeing outside the journalism club’s for a little rain check, Jinri wrinkled her nose as she watched Minhyun rub his nape out of frustration. Being the editor-in-chief of the university’s newspaper is a big responsibility and Jinri knows how this position makes Minhyun a little moody than he usually is.

University hell weeks can really be hell. Students can be considered coffee-fueled zombies walking around the campus, sacrificing their beloved sleep for a decent grade which can either make or break their transcripts. Just like any normal student, she’s recently on the edge due to lack of sleep and too much caffeine intake (even though she knows that she has a high tolerance of it). Jinri knows that even though she feels like hell, Minhyun’s current situation is worse than hers since he has a lot on his plate: hell week assignments and the deadline of their newspaper’s second copy for the semester.

Deciding to just barge in and try to make Minhyun’s mood a little better, Jinri took a deep breath, holding tightly on the bag of chips and iced coffee before knocking on the door. She opened it and took a peak, looking around the place before her eyes met Minhyun’s. With a small smile, she asked, “Can I come in?”

Minhyun nodded and gestured for her to come inside. He gave his junior writer permission to go before taking a seat. “You got no one to bother, huh?”

Jinri nodded with a sheepish smile as he sat on the chair in front of Minhyun’s desk. She laid out the bag of chips, canned iced coffee and a few sweets on his desk before handing out the remaining bag of food to Minhyun’s hoobaes around the office. "Mm. Jaehwan’s at soccer practice so yeah, I’m completely lonely and sleepy.” She took a pen from her bag and used it to poke a hole on the bag.

“It kinda hurts that I’m not your first choice but at least you considered me.” Minhyun chuckled softly as he opened both cans of coffee. “Thank you for bringing some food, I haven’t had lunch yet.”

Jinri wrinkled her nose as she flicked Minhyun’s forehead. The boy winced in response, rubbing his forehead while mumbling words Jinri cannot hear clearly. “Dude, it’s already six, why didn’t you eat your lunch?”

Minhyun shrugged as he ate a few chips. “Too busy.” Were only words he was able to come up with, not even bothering to look at his friend as he continued to edit the article on his laptop.

Jinri pursed her lips as she watched Minhyun get busy. If only she had the knowledge in this field, she would’ve helped him. Unfortunately, she doesn’t. The only thing she can do for him is to bring him food to eat every now and then since Minhyun tends to set aside eating in order to finish the things he needs to do. She does the same for Jaehwan too, nothing too special. Even though she bickers a lot with her two good friends, she ain’t that mean to let their health suffer due to busier schedules than hers. She also assumes that it is one of the reasons why Jaehwan likes to about falling for him, which clearly isn’t the case because her relationship with the two guys is purely platonic in nature.

“When’s the deadline of all these?”

“We need to bring it to the printing press two days from now, but I want to finish it by tomorrow so we’ll have time to proofread everything twice.”

“Such a perfectionist.” Jinri shook her head as she ate some chips. Minhyun is the kind of person who likes his works perfect and completed in advance. If most students like to cram their works, Minhyun likes to do them as early as he can to ensure that it is on its best condition. He does the same to the university’s publication as well, and it is one of the reasons why most members voted for Minhyun as their EIC. It can sometimes be a hassle for most people, but they all know that Minhyun is only pushing them to be at their best. “C’mon, Minhyun. Take a break. Let’s eat lunch, well, early dinner for me, but anywho. Let’s eat, eat eat eat. Please, pretty please?”

“No. Too busy. You ugly.”

Jinri faked a gasp and threw her handkerchief at Minhyun. “Oh my gosh, you are much meaner during hell weeks.” The boy just laughed as he threw the handkerchief back at her.

“Come on, Minhyun. Let’s go out for a few minutes. Take a break, you know you need it.”

“Nope.” He emphasized the p at the end, shaking his head at the same time.

Jinri pouted her lips slightly as she laid her head on the desk. Minhyun’s busy and she knows it, but she also knows that her friend needs a break. She can sense that he’s already worn out, and that anytime soon, he’s going to explode.

“Just date already.” Minhyun’s sunbae and the publication’s former EIC, Jung Dongsu, said as he passed by the two.

“Ew.” Jinri and Minhyun said at the same time, both monotonously, making the people around the office laugh.

Dongsu shook his head in amusement as he placed a bunch of papers on Minhyun’s desk. “Take a break, man. Go eat lunch with Jinri. Let’s do this tonight, the kids are all worn out.” He gestured at their hoobaes who looked like they were going to fall asleep anytime soon.

Upon hearing this, Jinri sat up, smiling cheekily like a child who just received a lollipop. She looked at Dongsu and mouthed the words ‘thank you’, and the older boy gave her an acknowledging nod in response.

Minhyun let out a sigh of defeat and took off his glasses before nodding. “Alright, hyung. Let’s take a break and continue the presswork tonight.”

Dongsu shook his head. “No, you are worn out. You need to rest. Go home and we’ll pull an all-nighter tomorrow.” He looked at Jinri, who’s grinning gratefully at him. “Make sure he gets to eat and sleep properly, okay?”

Jinri nods as she stood up from her seat, pulling Minhyun with her. “Yes, sunbaenim. Got it. Sleep and eat properly.” She then looked at Minhyun as slung her bag on her shoulder.

“Let’s go, Minhyun. Let’s eat and then bother Jaehwan afterwards, his practice is almost done anyways.”

“I told you to get decent food for yourself, Hwang Minhyun. Why on earth did you buy three kinds of kimbap instead?” Jinri stared at Minhyunin disbelief as the guy holding a bag of kimbap walked towards her.

Smiling, Minhyun just shrugged nonchalantly and sat beside Jinri on the bleachers. “I’ve been thinking about kimbap since this morning, so yeah.”

Knowing that she cannot do anything about it anymore, Jinri just nodded and decided to focus on her sandwich. Minhyun has eating habits that she can never understand. The important thing is that her friend does eat well when he decides to eat.

Instead of eating in the school’s cafeteria, the two decided to just their own food and eat it while waiting for Jaehwan’s soccer practice to get finished. Even though Jaehwan’s dream is to become a singer, he had to set it aside and choose soccer over it. He was able to get in the university through a scholarship provided by the school’s sports committee, and in return he has to play for the university’s soccer team. Both Jinri and Minhyun acknowledge the fact that Jaehwan really is a good soccer player. Maybe if his singing career doesn’t work out in the end, Jaehwan might make it big in the soccer industry.

Minhyun took out his first batch of kimbap from the bag and unwrapped it, glancing at Jinri who is busy picking out the cucumber from her food. “Give it to me.” He held his plate of food in front of Jinri, gladly receiving the slices of cucumber she doesn’t like to eat. “Is that your dinner?”

Jinri nodded slowly, chewing on her food she stared at the wide field where Jaehwan is. “Jisung oppa’s still in Jeju for a certain seminar or something.” Jisung, Jinri’s older brother, usually goes out of town for seminars and meetings related to his job. Jinri isn’t really sure what it is, but she knows that it has something to do with the hotel industry.

“Tell him to bring home some jeju oranges, I heard they taste good.”

“I already did. He’ll be arriving tomorrow morning, I guess?”

Minhyun groaned, not being able to talk since his mouth is filled with kimbap. Jinri looked at him with an amused expression on her face, waiting for the boy to be able to say what he wanted to say. “Presswork, tomorrow. Save some for me, don’t let Jaehwan that pig inhale them all.”

“Wow, look who’s talking. As if you won’t inhale them all if you’re there.” Jinri shook her head in amusement as she pulled out another slice of cucumber from her sandwich, placing it on Minhyun’s plate afterwards. “I think oppa will bring home a lot since he’s going to send some to mom and dad at home as well. There’ll be lots fo—”

“YOON JINRI MY MAIN MAN WASSUP!” Kim Jaehwan’s voice can be heard across the field, fully grabbing not Minhyun’s and Jinri’s attention, but also, of the other guys in the field as well.

What the actual , Kim Jaehwan, Jinri cursed in her head, trying her best not to do so in actuality. She gave Jaehwan a sarcastic smile and a small wave.

“Is that food? GIVE ME SOME! COME HERE SWEETIE!” Jaehwan, who’s fully drenched in sweat, chanted as he jumped repeatedly. The rest of the guys on the field laughed as they watched Jaehwan dance like an ahjussi.

“SWEETIE MY .” Jinri shouted in response before standing up from her seat. “When will he ever run out of energy?” She asked Minhyun as they went down the bleachers to go to their friend. Minhyun was walking slowly, trying to balance his bag of kimbap and the small plate and chopsticks he was holding.

“What are you eating, Jin?” Jaehwan cheerfully asked as he ran towards Jinri, stopping in a full halt as the girl held her hands quickly in front of her.

“Don’t get any closer, you sweaty person.”

Minhyun laughed at Jaehwan, and if he could, would’ve pointed his fingers at him as well, but his hands were too busy with his kimbap.

“How sweet, Jin.” He walked closer to her, not close enough for the girl to hysterically shout ‘ew’, to take bite from her sandwich. “What’sh thish, chicken?” He asked, mouth full.

“Yeah, chicken.”

“Why on earth are you eating your brother? Or sister?” Jaehwan looked at her as if she committed a severe crime.

Jinri blinked, trying to decode what Jaehwan meant, but was at a loss. She really doesn’t understand how his mind works. “What?”

“Chicken?” Jaehwan said in a matter-of-factly tone while pointing at the burger then at Jinri. “Like the literal sense, and as the actual epitome of a chicken when it comes to social interaction.. which is you?”

“ you. I’m not giving you any of this.” The girl glared at the said boy, holding her food possessively and as far away from the other.

“Oh come on, don’t be selfish!” Jaehwan whined like a little kid. “Don’t be selfish in front of the man of your dreams!”

“You’re not the man of her dr—”

“I KNOW, MAN.” Jaehwan immediately cut Minhyun off. “I’m talking about Ong Seongwoo. He’s here.”

From her burger, Jinri’s attention was suddenly switched to the sweaty friend of hers. With an eyebrow raised, Jinri looked at Jaehwan as if he was speaking alien language. “..what?”

“Ong Seongwoo is here.”

“Bull, stop teasing me.” Jinri rolled her eyes as she took a bite from her food. Minhyun, who is too busy eating his kimbap, just watched the two from time to time.

“I’m serious!”

“Dude, isn’t your soccer practice today?”

“Yeah, and it finished early so a bunch of guys came to play. And that includes Dongho hyung, Jonghyun hyung, and your man.”

“He’s not my man.”

“Don’t deny it.”

“Ha. Ha. Stop teasing Jinri, Seongwoo’s not there.” Minhyun confidently looked at the group of guys walking towards the bleachers, and his smile was slowly replaced with a blank expression. “Yeah, he’s there.”

Sulking, Jaehwan took Jinri’s burger and started to eat it. “You treat me as if I’m a liar. I’m actually hurt, you know. I tease you a lot, but you know I’m not a liar. I m— where the are you going?” He was a little surprised and dumbfounded at the same time as soon as Jinri started walking away.

“Hey, Yoon Jinri! Where are you going?” Minhyun said as he watched their friend walk away.

Jaehwan looked at Minhyun, and the latter just shrugged. “Yoon Jinri! Are you pissed at me? Hey!”

“Just let her, Jaehwan. Seongwoo’s here, maybe that’s the reason why.” Minhyun handed Jaehwan a slice of kimbap.

Jaehwan let out an exasperated sigh before rolling his eyes. “Alright, alright. There she goes again. Walk away you chicken!!!!!!!!!!”

Jinri isn’t sure what to call it, but she does know that the universe is trying to send her a message.

After that day in the soccer field, she began to see Ong Seongwoo more around campus.

When she went out of the classroom one time to go to the bathroom, Ong Seongwoo was there, standing by the hallway with Jonghyun and Dongho. She had to go back inside and decided to just pee after class.

The next, she was headed to Minhyun’s office to get her things since her classes were going to start soon, but then Seongwoo’s locker had to be in front of the journalism club’s office, so she went to class with nothing but her phone. They had a quiz that day and she had to beg Jaehwan to lend her a pen and give her a sheet of paper (the whole time Jaehwan was looking for the pen he was laughing at Jinri while chanting the word chicken over and over again). Jaehwan failed the quiz, Jinri passed.

After that, while crossing the street with Jaehwan, Seongwoo was there at the other side, busy texting as he waited for the bus. Jaehwan greeted Seongwoo, Jinri just walked quickly away from the sidewalk as possible. Jaehwan laughed like he usually does and she received endless teasing from the boy that day as well.

Jinri kept on thinking that maybe, just maybe, the universe is trying to tell her something. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have time to listen to the universe during their finals week.

People say that when you’re in a hurry, the universe decides to in and make your life a living hell. Jinri proved it to be right on that specific day.

During that specific day, Jinri wasn’t able to sleep properly. The night before, she had to finish the draft for her pre-thesis class which she was barely able to salvage. She had to start over again since she figured out that her analysis isn’t on point. Even though she isn’t a perfectionist, she wouldn’t settle for a ty work. It was a good thing that her mind works better when in a hurry, so she was able to finish her paper by dawn.

The paper’s deadline is at noon, and it’s almost eleven in the morning. If she wouldn’t be able to pass this subject, she’s going to repeat the same subject next year and not be able to graduate on time.

She took a quick shower and wore the first pair of jeans she could get hold of, a simple white shirt and her favorite hoodie. On her way to school, the taxi she rode decided to take a different route, and that was where she spent most of her time. On top of that, the driver’s an . She knew that he only took that route so the rate would go higher. She still wasn’t able to print her work since there were a lot of computer café around the university.

The first computer cafe she went to ran out of paper; the second one didn’t have a working printer since it’s exclusive for gamers, and the third one had a freaking long line so she had to find another one if she wanted to make it on time.

As soon as she reached the last computer café near the university, she bumped into Jaehwan who’s already holding a print out of his work. The two didn’t have time to bicker, the only thing Jaehwan told her was: “If you get a little late, I’ll try to stall Professor Nam for a few minutes.” During times like this, Jaehwan is a really reliable friend.
Jinri went inside shop and waited in line for her turn. Due to all the running that she did, she was all sweaty and looked like she needed to comb her hair. I look ty, she thought as she fixed her hoodie, but what the hell, it’s not like I’m going to see Seongwoo today.

Unfortunately, you never know when the universe will try to make your life worse than it already is. For Jinri, it just had to be that specific day.

Even from the back, she knew that that guy is Ong Seongwoo. However, she was trying to use up all of her lucky cards to pray to anyone who’s listening that she just saw wrong.

But no. It just had to be that specific day.

The guy took a glance behind him, and the moment their eyes met, Jinri knew that she really is doomed.

Oh .