SinB somehow easily wriggled her way into Yerin’s life, like she’d always been there. Before school, she was there with the girls and during lunch they sat in a circle with Yerin always sitting next to SinB. After school, it was just the same.

Every day that Yerin worked at the cafe, SinB would show up. She’d order a cappuccino like she did that first day then go to that same table or a booth if one was available. She just worked on homework then usually read when she finished her assignments. But some days, Yerin could feel her just watching her. On those days, Yerin would try to convince herself to go do more than just say hi and was successful about three-fourths of the time.

When she wasn’t, Yerin still suffered. Her co-workers, Joy and the new girl Sejeong, lived to about her crush.

About three weeks after SinB first came into the cafe, Yerin and her had fallen into an easy and casual friendship, even though Yerin yearned for it to be more. Though, she couldn’t really complain. Most days, SinB waited until eight when they closed to walk Yerin home.

“It’d be wrong to let a pretty girl walk home by herself,” was all SinB had said when Yerin asked her about it, and she had said it so sincerely that Yerin had blushed and fallen into silence. To this day, she wished she had said more.

For now, she settled for watching SinB do her homework like a creep while her co-workers poked fun at her.

“Yerin-ssi, just tell her. It’s so sad to see you pining over this girl,” Sejeong said. It was a slow day, so all three girls were just chatting behind the counter, surreptitiously stealing looks at SinB as she bobbed her head to some music and did her homework. “Imagine what you’re missing by just standing here and staring at her.”

“Yeah, she looks like she’d be a good kisser,” Joy teased, making Yerin blush and swat at her arm. “But seriously, what’s the harm in telling her?”

Yerin pretended to think for a minute before saying in a deadpan voice, “She could reject me and make all future interactions until I graduate awkward.”

Joy and Sejeong looked at each other in mutual exasperation, which Yerin thought was unfair. Joy was crushing on a girl from her vocal lessons, and Sejeong had only been working here barely a month, but Yerin already knew the other girl was in love with some dancer… Wait, a dancer?

“Sejeong-ssi, what studio does Chungha dance at?” Yerin asked suddenly, startling her co-workers.

Sejeong was confused by the question but answered anyways. “Source Dance Studio, why?”

Without answering, Yerin scurried over to SinB. She slid into the seat next to her, scooting close, too focused on her mission to be embarrassed by how she was practically pressed against the other girl. SinB, to her credit, didn’t so much as flinch. Over the past few weeks, she’d learned Yerin was all too fond of skinship. At first, SinB probably thought Yerin was purposefully being touchy, but soon enough she realized Yerin just really liked physical affection and it was better to just give in than try to fight most of the time.

“What’s up?” SinB asked as she tugged out her headphones.

“You dance at Source, right?”

“Yeah, you know that. Why?”

“Do you know a girl named Chungha?”

“Kim Chungha-unnie, a few years older than me, maybe like your age? Pretty, does some killer waacking. Again I ask, why?”

Yerin tried not to focus on the fact SinB had just called Chungha pretty and instead said, “My co-worker is in love with her.” She watched SinB’s face light up in mischief. If there was one thing Yerin had learned, it was that SinB loved setting people up. Not in a romantic way, but rather in a put-them-in-uncomfortable-positions-until-they-snap way. SinB had been merciless in her attempts to get Sowon and Eunha to confess, making them constantly sit together, making sly comments toward them, even “accidentally” pushing Eunha into Sowon’s lap once, all while cackling afterwards.

“Which one?” SinB asked, glancing over Yerin’s shoulder to the counter.

“The dork with the bangs, Sejeong-ssi.”

SinB’s face lit up again, this time in recognition. “Oh, Sejeong-unnie! Chungha-unnie mentions her all the time. I think I’ve even seen her pick Chungha-unnie up from the studio before.” She grinned the way she did right before she’d pushed Eunha into Sowon’s lap. “Tomorrow we’re having a showcase, free to the public. The two of you should come. We could work some magic.” SinB winked and wiggled her fingers when she said ‘magic,’ making Yerin both amused and flustered.

That was another thing Yerin was slowly learning about SinB. She might look really cool, but she was also kind of a huge dork.

“That sounds perfect,” Yerin nodded. “I’ll convince Sejeong-ssi to come with me. What time is it?”

“It starts at four. Do you need the address?”

“We should be good, since you said Sejeong-ssi has been there before.”

SinB smiled, and Yerin felt weak again. “It’s a date.”