Milk in My Tea

7. Rice

Quinn’s POV

It was easy to convince Michael to take over my teaching schedule for BTS. I knew I was being childish and unprofessional by actively avoiding Namjoon this way, but every picture that surfaced of him just reminded me of our failed relationship.

Namjoon was constantly spotted in public with his new girlfriend now. They were “the” topic among celebrity gossip sites and I could barely stomach it. I dove into my work with the Jhang Hotels headfirst, working longer hours and later into the night. It made it easier to completely ignore everything related to Kim Namjoon.

Shinhwa noticed my new and improved focus, but thankfully, chose not to comment on it. He was starting to be a bit nicer and a little less aggravating as hell. He bought me lunch every day and if we worked late, he made sure to get us dinner too.

I started to fall into a routine that was astoundingly simple: work, eat, and sleep. It was this stability that helped me keep it all together. It kept me from calling him. It kept me from showing up at his dorm and making an absolute fool of myself.

So I stuck with it for as long as I could.

“Quinn-ssi, are you bringing a date to the charity auction next week?” Shinhwa asked me one morning, while I worked on adding subtitles to an international Jhang Hotel commercial.

I didn’t even glance up from the computer, “Why would I bring a date? I’ll be working.”

“So come with me.”

I paused in my typing to actually look at him, a skeptical look on my face, “Why would I agree to that?”

“Quinn-ssi, you said yourself that you’re working-”

“Exactly, and you’ll be kissing up to everyone all night. I don’t have time to be your ‘exotic arm accessory’,” I waved him off, dismissing him immediately.

“I’ll buy your dress,” He said with a smirk, and I rolled my eyes.

“Despite what you think, I’m not that desperate for a pretty dress. Try again,” I retorted, going back to work.

“Fine. If you don’t go with me, I’ll consider it a breach of our contract,” he stated simply, rubbing his fingernails on the lapel of his suit jacket.

I glared at him, stilling in my movements, “You’d think you’d get sick of me telling you how much I hate you constantly. But no, you’re still doing things to make me dislike you.” When he didn’t reply, but just looked at me pointedly, I shook my head, realizing that it was pointless, “Fine. I’ll go with you. Whatever.”

“I’ll still buy your dress, as promised.” He said with a smug smile, walking over to my desk to hand me his credit card. I took the plastic card and nodded, giving him the most over exaggerated smile I could manage.

“Oppa, my dress is going to cost more than your car!” I told him with saccharine sweetness, and Shinhwa actually laughed. I couldn’t help the slight smile at my own ridiculousness, but I was being completely serious.

“I look forward to it,” He replied, before strolling out of the office. I took out my phone to text the girls and let them know I needed to go dress shopping tonight. They both eagerly agreed to meet me at the nearby shopping complex after work. Some retail therapy actually sounded nice.

Niah and Karissa were already waiting for me at the mall by the time I pulled into the parking garage. When I walked up to greet them, Niah was hugging Rissa, who was wiping her eyes. Worriedly, I picked up the pace and hurried towards them.

“Rissa, what-?”

“Before she starts, just know that this has nothing to do with the guys,” Niah warned, patting Rissa’s shoulder as she tried to get herself together.

I hugged Karissa close and then pressed my hands to her shoulders, “Baby girl, what happened? Who do I need to beat up?”

“N-No one, Quinn. It’s… the school says… I have to go back home.”

I blinked in surprise, not at all expecting to hear that come from , “What?!”

Karissa gave a watery laugh at my expression, “B-Back home, the study abroad program can only last for three years max.” She dried her eyes one more time, and took a breath, continuing with her story, “After this year, I’ll be at my two year mark. If I stay for my junior year, then I can’t spend my senior year in Seoul.”

“So you made the choice to go back home and restart the clock,” I said slowly, trying to understand what Karissa was telling me.

She nodded, “I don’t have to leave for an entire year, just a semester or two. I came here after my first semester at KU, so I have to go back… at least for a little while.”

I hugged Karissa again, “Will you be okay?”

“If it means I can spend my senior year of college in Seoul, I’ll definitely be ok. I just really don’t want to leave everyone...”

I nodded and Niah hugged us both, “Ugh, I’m going to miss you so much, Kari!”

“I don’t have to leave until the end of this semester,” Karissa replied, with a slow smile.

I poked her cheek, “We’ll make sure to party hard in May and throw you a huge going away party.”

Karissa giggled, “I’ll hold you to that!”

I smirked, “You know what will make you feel better? Running up the biggest bill ever on Jhang Shinhwa’s credit card. Tell me what you want, ladies, it’s my treat.”

“Whoa?! Fareal?” Niah asked, gasping in surprise. As proof, I pulled the credit card out of my purse and waved it in the air.

“It’s his punishment for asking me to be his date at the charity ball,” I said, with a mischievous smile.

“Oh, we can definitely run up a bill.” Karissa replied, with an evil grin.

I gave my friends a mock bow, “After you.”

Namjoon’s POV

“Oppa~!”

I sighed heavily as I heard Aera’s loud voice from the door. Yoongi-hyung laughed at my misery, sliding his headphones over his ears. I wondered if I could ignore her that way too but Aera had already opened the door and bounded into the room.

“Oppa, there you are. I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”

“You found me,” I deadpanned, and Jimin snickered from his position on the couch. Taehyung patted his knee, trying to keep him quiet.

“My family has been invited to this charity thing and my manager thinks it’ll be a wonderful public date for us,” Aera continued, twirling a lock of her hair around her finger, completely ignoring my obvious displeasure.

I sighed, “I can’t go; I’m busy.”

“But I haven’t even told you what day it is! Silly oppa,” Aera said, with a bat of her eyelashes. I rolled my eyes.

If it was one thing I learned in the last month, it was just how fake Aera could be. She latched on to me like no other and because she had caused the social media explosion, of course, we couldn’t force her out. My company’s solution to the problem was to “wait it out”, whatever the hell that meant.

“We’re working on our comeback album, Aera-ssi,” I tried again, hoping that would at least get through her thick skull.

It didn’t though, “Oppppaaaaaa,” she whined, and I rubbed my temple in annoyance.

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