The metal of the knob clicked as Mina pushed the front door of her apartment before sliding inside. She just got back from Chaeyoung’s dorm after she had driven her back. Craning her neck side to side, she eyed the quietness of her spacious place – deciding what to do for the rest of her Sunday. She rubbed the back of her neck and sighed before she settled with cleaning the rest of her place properly. Studying was one thing but after last night, a smile crept to her glowing face and preferred not to. She coughed awkwardly to herself and closed the door again. Mina walked past a short hallway and headed to a small closet to take a handy black vacuum out. She also thought that after the party, her living room needed a thorough and better cleaning than from the help of her friends before they went home.

Plugging the machine to operate, the penguin began to walk the vacuum on the floor. The loud revving echoed, a good practice to create a little noise around her quiet place. She hummed as she cleaned inch after inch of her living room. Under her rose-coloured couch, a forgotten well-cut paper caught her attention. She switch the vacuum off and began to approach the said item under the comfy couch. “So this is where it ended up from last night,” she whispered as she dusted off the penguin party hat that the cub had customised and presented to her yesterday. Mina held on to it and continued to clean the rest of her living room. Not long, she then entered her bedroom and placed the found item on her night stand, joining her resting phone and night lamp. Both hands on her waist, she inhaled as she rounded her eyes in her private quarters. As expected, it wasn’t up for thorough cleaning unlike the used living room. After all, she always made sure not to mess around her apartment since she wasn’t the type to do so. It was just that last night she had a surprise birthday celebration from her friends, so a thorough and unplanned cleaning was quite expected after.

Deciding to end her cleaning and just conserve her energy, Mina pulled the plug of the vacuum from the electric socket and led the machine back to its respective place. She returned to her bedroom shortly and flopped down on her soft bed. The penguin sighed, turned to her side, and reached for her resting phone on her night stand. 6:27 pm, no texts or calls from anyone. Chaeyoung must’ve been studying or doing what was left on her university works, so she let her phone back beside the night lamp and then rolled on to her stomach. Mina buried her face to the softness of her pillow and inhaled through her nose. Her reflex was automatically activated as she bolted upwards, letting a surprised gasp to herself. She stared down to the pillow with reddened ears as she supported herself with the use of her palms. Strawberries, her bed smelled like those specific strawberries that could only be from Son Chaeyoung. The pinkish shade of her cheeks darkened to the memories of last night. She groaned in embarrassment and flopped back down to the softness. “We really did it,” she muffled to her pillow as the faint fragrance cloaked her in a soothing embrace.

Although subjected to few shots of alcohol from the celebration, she easily remembered everything from what came after – feeling again her hungry kisses and bites, her caressing touches, and her demanding words. Her body submitted and flushed weakly to the memories of last night. Only look at Chaeyoung, she remembered before she gasped for breath as she quite forgot about doing the involuntary cycle. She laid on her back and caught again the rhythm of her breathing. The elegant girl heaved from the lack of oxygen as she stared at her blank ceiling. Her right hand travelled from her side, to her abdomen, up to her chest, and onto the pair of her heating lips. “Four, twenty-three,” she whispered the special day directly to her fingers. A definite promise to be noted and fulfilled in the near future.

She pulled herself up once again and glanced down to the remaining space on her bed. Letting out a little chuckle, she stretched out her arms in the air to ease her blood flow a bit before pulling herself out of her bed. The penguin shook her head and then started to pull the tainted sheets. Right now, she could definitely use some new and fresh bedsheets even if the present ones were holding delicious memories in her head. She also took the pillow cases and covers before she neatly folded each related item. Mina was ready to pile the used sheets, covers, and cases when she audibly heard her front door slammed open and a call of her name came from the other side of her bedroom. “Mitang!” what seemed like Sana’s voice shouted out, “Belated happy birthday!” The elegant girl wiped the back of her left hand to her slightly sweating forehead and quickly stacked what she had just folded. “We baked a cake!” Momo added from the other room – the sound of television coming into life. “Give me ten minutes and I’ll be out there,” Mina tried to level her voice with her best friends’.

The elegant girl heard a series of okays from the raccoon and the hamster before she waddled quickly to one of the drawers and pulled out fresh clean covers for her bed and pillows. She hastily worked her hands and dressed her bed – tucking sheets under the bed cushion neatly, covering the whole bed with a warm comforter, and then fluffing her pillows. Her brows furrowed in thought as she felt that something’s presence was missing in the arrangement of her newly tended bed. She rolled her eyes when the gears in her head finally rotated, “Chaeng-Chaeng,” she groaned before hopping off of her bed. “Mina, hurry up!” Sana once again called impatiently. “Coming,” she answered before picking up the folded items on her floor and secured it into her arms. She rushed to her door and opened it, only to see the hamster freely lounging on the rose-coloured couch in front of her television. Apparently, Momo was nowhere to be found and also the tiger plushie, Chaeng-Chaeng. She was so sure that it was Momo’s voice that she clearly heard earlier. “Sana,” Mina began to seek the attention of her watching friend. The hamster moved from her position and looked back to the penguin, “What took you so long?” she asked demandingly. “I was,” the quiet girl hung her answer, “I was just changing my bedsheets,” she replied as she lifted the linens in her arms for indication. “Yeah, well, hurry it up and let’s eat the cake,” Sana enthused and sat back properly on the couch.

When she walked closer to the couch, she saw three plates and a badly baked cake on the coffee table, so it was safe to deduce that Momo was indeed present in her home. “Sana,” she called out again, “Have you seen a tiger plushie lying around the house?” she asked. The hamster shook her head as she began to slice the cake in triangular shapes. A slammed door rung again to her ears. “Stop doing that, Momo,” the penguin said after she whipped her head to the direction of her bathroom door. “What is wrong with your bathroom mirror, Mitang?” the raccoon mused as she walked towards the other two. Mina’s eyes naturally followed the toned lower half of Momo. In her hands, Chaeng-Chaeng was happily warmed. “There’s a lot of tiger stickers on it,” Momo added and then sat beside Sana. The eldest girl looked at the owner with disbelief before she opened again, “And why the hell a perfect in condition plushie was in your trash bin?” she asked exasperatedly.

Mina groaned loudly while Sana busied herself with mouthful of chocolate goodness. “Good thing your bin is squeaky clean at the very moment,” she said while caressing the soft body of the plushie. “I’m sorry for Mina’s rough behaviour,” she then cutely cooed to the lifeless tiger like she was apologising to a little kid. Momo will always have a soft spot for lifeless bed companions since she owns numerous of them both in Korea and Japan. Mina saved the explaining and headed to her bathroom to discard the folded sheets to her clothes bin. Sana quickly handed her out a slice of cake when she joined her and Momo. The three were now sitting accordingly from eldest to youngest. “Ew, Momoring,” the hamster exclaimed when she eyed the raccoon who was still hugging the fresh-from-trash-bin plushie. “Didn’t you found it in trash?” she disgustingly asked. Momo lightly kicked the hamster by her closest thigh, “The garbage plastic was newly changed so it was basically inside a clean black plastic. I wouldn’t be hugging it if there’s any remnant of dirt on it,” she informed intricately. The penguin took her first taste of the chocolate cake before she intervened to her quarrelling best friends, “Chaeyoung must’ve playfully dumped Chaeng-Chaeng in the trash bin before she left earlier.”

“Chaeng-Chaeng what?” the Japanese girls quickly shot back to her – both confused to the bringing of Chaeyuong’s name. She chuckled softly, “It’s called Chaeng-Chaeng and Chaeyoung has this adorable but ridiculous jealousy for it,” she smilingly explained. “Nothing really serious or alarming,” she told her raccoon friend. The two were still confused but they nodded to her words nonetheless. The smile of the penguin seemed too bright and blinding. “So you two baked this for me?” she asked – of course, with another of her beautiful smile. Momo nodded eagerly, leaving Sana with her own contemplation, “Yeah and we made a whole mess so we’re kind of late to give it to you,” she laughed to the memories of their earlier baking. “Satan cracked more eggs than needed because of her clumsiness,” she added teasingly to the suddenly muted hamster. The little tarnishing of her name sought her attention and Sana automatically rebutted to Momo’s accusations, “Momoring messed up with icing so it looks so bad,” she huffed cutely, couldn’t believe her roommate tried to expose her to the penguin.

The elegant girl let out a soft laugh and then covered her lips, leaving Momo and Sana entranced to her graceful actions. “What the hell?” the raccoon finally blurted out. To read out what was running on their minds, Mina was being extra beautiful at the exact moment in their eyes. “You’re glowing, Minari,” the eldest added as she continued her observation to her. The penguin just blinked her eyes and tilted her head slightly, “Eh?” “She got laid,” Sana exclaimed as she hit the raccoon’s arm excitedly, “She got laid, Momoring,” she enunciated, dropping the bomb and making Mina blushed heavily. “Right, right,” Momo replied when she caught on while happily nodding her head, her fork falling back beside her slice of cake. “What do you two mean?” the penguin questioned, trying to get away with their sharp observations. “I mean, we know that you’re slightly a bottom so yeah, you might be the one who got literally laid,” Momo answered nonchalantly as she shrugged both of her shoulders, “Like on a bed.” The penguin groaned loudly to Momo’s very direct description of her. Sana moved closer to her and faced her completely, “Or maybe the fact that Chaeyoung had a night over after the celebration slipped out of ,” she smartly pointed out. Mina’s rosy colour darkened quickly until she looked like a chameleon who could only morph the red shades.

“And the fact that she changed her bedsheets and covers just now,” Momo added teasingly. The penguin’s palms flew to her face until she could hid from them. The two laughed synchronously as they watched the youngest to her amusing demise. As if on cue, the raccoon also moved closer to the flustered girl, “So you two finally did it last night?” she mused innocently. Mina just shook her head in embarrassment and refusal to answer. She felt wandering warm hand slipped to her neck and parted away the covering hair on her skin. Her skin flushed redder upon realising that she didn’t need to answer Momo’s question for them to know the truth about the rest of last night. She peeked through her fingers, saw her friends grinning directly to her, and thought that she wouldn’t live properly again unless she will satisfy their curiosity. “Yes,” she blushingly nodded before showing her ketchup face again.

-------

Despite the audible scripted conversation coming from the television, two out of three girls were having a different focus for their attention. Sana and Momo were busy with alternatingly eating their slice of cake and laughing to Mina’s story. The penguin highlighted the story of the cub’s little sleepover and told only the tip of what truly happened for the rest of last night – preferring to leave most of the details as a sacred secret only for herself and Chaeyoung. She did, however, tell them some points that she thought were still part of the best friends’ privilege. For example, her total of seventeen combination of bite marks and hickeys all over her skin and the point where she passed out after the cub had demonstrated her naturally born skills in bed. Momo snorted from too much laughing while Sana tried her best to stop herself from doing the same. “You promised that you wouldn’t laugh to that,” Mina whined before crossing arms sulkily. “Right, right,” Sana replied while trying to compose herself again.

“We’re sorry, Mitang,” Momo added, wiping some tears off of her eyes. “But you really need to up your game with the baby beast,” the hamster offered teasingly. “I, uh, I was caught off guard,” Mina coughed and reasoned weakly, “And that she was just really good,” she then quietly mumbled with her fork in . Sana stood from her spot, put down her empty plate, and sat to her other side – now sandwiching the embarrassed penguin. She enveloped her in a tight hug and nuzzled really close to her. Momo automatically followed what the younger one did and hugged the youngest tightly. “It’s fine, you’ll do better next time,” the hamster said in their native language for better attempt of easing her nerves. “Ganbatte ne, Mitang!” the raccoon then exclaimed encouragingly. To be honest, Mina felt absolutely weird from hearing encouragement for her performance in bed, yet ironically, she couldn’t help herself but to feel uplifted from their words. “Okay,” she replied as she pulled the other two closer to her.

The Japanese girls stayed together for a little bit longer, watching movies and eating some of the penguin’s stock of snacks. It seemed like the after celebration of the elegant girl’s birthday will solely revolve with unhealthy salted and sweetened foods. Chaeng-Chaeng remained on Momo’s warm lap while at some point, Sana went to her bedroom and grabbed a blanket for the three of them. They cuddled as they watched the movie, something that they used to do a lot when they were in Japan. During the screening, Mina was suddenly reminded of a freshman – not Chaeyoung but her friend, Chou Tzuyu. There was a specific part in their conversation from last night that rushed into her conscious mind. I guess in the end, Chaeyoung will still prefer an upperclassman, the penguin remembered her staring eyes and her way of saying those words. For a second, she felt her heart faltered and somehow the said words didn’t sit right in her chest because she knew what Chaeyoung used to be for Tzuyu. She blinked her eyes mindlessly with her thoughts too far from the playing movie, How did she mean it? she thought silently.

Wariness and worries danced mercilessly inside of her. Her bones felt painfully heavy yet her skin felt inconclusively weightless. If she could describe the feeling, it was comparable to her heart that was secretly crying and hiding its tears – something like from before she saw Chaeyoung cried for the first time, “Does she still love her?” she quietly whispered. “Who?” Sana asked, interrupting her from her deep thoughts. She blinked her eyes before bowing her head in attempt to hide her now watery eyes. “Uh,” the penguin started, “I was talking about the movie,” she lamely excused. She blinked her eyes to fight real tears from falling as she heard Sana’s hum and felt Momo’s warm hand on hers. Even with her petty excuse, her best friends could still get the hint of the sudden and the slightest change in her mood. “Do any of you know Tzuyu’s university schedule?” she asked politely to the two. Breaking their focus to the television, Sana and Momo faced her with curious eyes. “I could ask Chaeyoung about it but I have a great feeling that she’s busy,” she explained before they could question her about not thinking of a more convenient way to fulfil her request through the art student's direct connection. It was more likely an excuse though, because she really just didn't want for her little cub to know about her important errand with the Taiwanese beauty.

The hamster smiled reassuringly, “What do you want to know? I could ask Dahyun instead if you want to,” she offered. On the other hand, the raccoon listened carefully to their conversation. “Thank you,” the penguin replied genuinely, “I want to know her class before campus break.” “East wing of the literature department,” Momo replied confidently, “Second floor, third room.” Sana’s eyes widened as she faced her roommate, “How did you know about that?”

“Nayeon said it was her duty to know the school meal club’s all around schedules,” the eldest chuckled to herself, “With how much she likes talking about the three, I practically know each of their schedules by heart.” The hamster was really amazed that she unknowingly started to pat her back, feeling proud of the raccoon. Mina nodded softly to their help as the other Japanese girls watched her carefully. They didn’t ask anything about whatever that was currently running inside of her head and instead just cuddled back to her sides before they properly continued to watch their movie. Whatever that was, they thought that the penguin preferred to deal with it in her own terms. “Thank you, Momoring,” Mina whispered before she leaned her head to Sana’s shoulder, “Thank you, Satan.”

-------

When Mina drove Chaeyoung to their dorm, she rushed to her own room, dropped off her bag on the floor, and turned her laptop on. Jeongyeon's lack of appearance would only mean that she was propbably still hungover from last night and must’ve been still sleeping in her room. She then read her to-do list that was written on post-it notes in front of her study table and began to cram the things she needed to finish before the next week even started. The cub practically spent the next hours rummaging her brain for conclusions and various research materials. Around 8:27 pm, she heard a knock from her door and a call for dinner, so the next thing she did was to take a break from all the necessary works she'd been doing.

With bloodshot eyes, Jeongyeon was seated by their small dinner table with another batch of takeout as she waited for her roommate. "I'm dying," she said when the tiger cub emerged from her den. "And you should also feel like dying right now," she simply added like it was the most righteous point at the very moment. Unlike herself, the cub was obviously feeling the opposite. The short girl didn't look drained, but rejuvenated instead. Chaeyoung walked closer towards the silver head and pulled a chair for herself with an evident smug on her face.

"Well, I simply am not," she simply stated with satisfied look. The silver head snorted with an ordered tteokbokki in , "Yeah, I figure," she replied, "Your little escapade from the cab wasn't so discreet anyway." The cub just nodded her head and proceeded to grab her own pair of chopsticks. Well, it was quite apparent how aware her best friend was for what happened next after her escapade. After that little discussion, the two were basked in complete silence as they ate their dinner – not until Chaeyoung remembered a specific event from the celebration.

"Hey, Jeong," she called out to the hungry dragon. "Wharf?" the older roommate poorly managed. Pointing out her chopsticks, the cub began to explain, "You spilled your feelings for Jihyo unnie last night," she paused and grinned, "Like really vocal about how you love her so much." Jeongyeon blushed and coughed awkwardly, "I have no recollection of it so that never happened." She gulped down a glass of water to cool down herself and casually ran her unoccupied hand through her hair, remembering little fragments of said event. While clinging onto Jihyo like her life depended on her, which was the definite case, she slurred out the three-words confession thrice. "Sure, whatever will float your boat," the tiger cub added with another grin on her face – sure enough that her best friend was remembering some of it.

The silver haired girl shrugged and started eating again. "I will not be bothered about it unless there's a physical evidence to it, a video or something," she argued back. Chaeyoung laughed heartily, "No one needed to record your mess because we all heard it," she teased, taking a firm hold of the upper hand. "Shut it," the taller one glared and the cub just laughed at her again. "A star sent or a goddess, was it?" the shorter girl nonchalantly continued. Jeongyeon groaned loudly and blushed redder, "Shut up." Yep, after the long hours of recovery sleep, she did quite remember what she had said. "If it'll help you, everyone had a fair share of embarrassing themselves by confessing loudly," Chaeyoung reassured with an underlying tone – well, except for her. She failed greatly at saying the I love you to the elegant girl. "But without me starting the whole sappy moment," the silver dragon mumbled under her breath.

Silence presented itself again but for the second time, it was a little tensed between the roommates. An unidentified cough from the two echoed first and then they ate quietly again. One of the things the No Jam Bros had in common was the overall hard time in wording out their feelings. Unlike Mina and Jihyo who were better with handling their words to feelings and vice versa, the No Jams simply at it especially in the endearment department. Unless they were deep in or living the moment, naturally saying the three words was a tad bit difficult for them – even with how strong they were feeling for the other two. Hell, they rarely say I love you to one another and they've been best friends for years. For heaven's sake, the penguin even played a great role to give the silver haired girl a gentle push to settle her dispute with the cub due to taking her relationship with Jihyo in secrecy.

Saying it through texts or calls was one thing and easier but to be perfectly honest, Jeongyeon would rather show how much she loves Jihyo through cheesy dates or wilderness exploration. She would rather spell and syllabicate it in kisses and comforting touches. If she knew how tongue tied the cub was with saying it last night, she would’ve started to sympathise her because she, herself, wasn't far behind from the same underperformance. Chaeyoung, on the other hand, could still feel the heaviness of the weight of saying the three words. The haunting events of last semester were still etched on her skin and it still burned fresh inside of her. It was too much of a burden in the process of forcing the words out. She had to conquer her fears and insecurities for her first.

Chaeyoung needs to improve herself better and be braver, so she can tell Myoui Mina how much she loves her. Without noticing, she had been staring blankly to her best friend for a solid minute. Also in deep thought, Jeongyeon met her round eyes when she lifted up her gaze from her food, "What is it?" she asked. "I love you," the cub dryly blurted, testing the feeling to say it aloud. The silver haired girl straightened her back and then replied aggressively, "What the actual , Chaeyoung?" She rarely cusses in her life but this one calls a fresh from her. "I am not into you like that," she added in disbelief. Of course, just messing around with her. Snapping out of her short-circuited brain, "Wha— that's not what I meant!" Chaeyoung shot back and angrily pointed at her, "And why the would you even think of it that way?" The cub, however, cusses when the situation needs it – just like this one. "I don't know," the dragon began, "But for starters, we don't usually tell it to one another. No jam bros, remember?"

"Okay, shut up. Better don't reason out at all," she replied with furrowed brows. It was her turn to shut the other up. "Mushy," Jeongyeon whispered before digging back to her tteokbokki. Chaeyoung took a bite and glared at her, "Well, you, too. You were literally crying out last night while you said I love you to Jihyo unnie!" "That was the alcohol talking!" the silver haired girl aggressively stated and raised her right middle finger along with her chopsticks. The cub scoffed and rolled her eyes; nonetheless, shutting from further arguments. They knew in themselves that the both of them were equally softies, anyway. "I couldn't say it to her, Jeong," Chaeyoung broke the building up silence and confessed without looking away from her bowl. "I was thinking of it as I stared down at her. I wanted to tell her and I tried, but I failed," she breathed deeply to shove down the sudden heavy feeling that was constricting her chest, "The words are stuck."

Jeongyeon watched her best friend grew smaller because of fears and insecurities. She felt sorry for her because Chaeyoung didn't deserve any of those. "Don't worry, the right time and moment will come for you to say those words to Mina and knowing your feelings for her is already a good sign," she advised softly, "Don't torture yourself inside and let the words flow naturally when it happens." Her left arm stretched across the table and patted the tiger cub's mane, "You don't have to force it out of you," she smiled. Chaeyoung's heart still stung stubbornly despite her reassurance, "It's just that," she stopped and looked conflicted than ever.

"I know," she sighed and futilely surrendered – once again ignoring the uncomfortable feeling and doubt in her chest.

-------

They finished eating and then teamed up in cleaning. After that, they resumed their own businesses. Jeongyeon, after a refreshing bath, went back to her room to fully recover from what she drank last night with Nayeon, while Chaeyoung continued to make progress with her works inside her four walls. Few minutes before midnight, she quietly dressed up and slipped into one of her warm jackets. With her bag strapped on her shoulders along with her trusty penguin keychain, the cub quietly turned the knob of her door and stalked outside of her room. The rest of their dorm was already blackened out because of the lateness of the night.

Her feet tiptoed as she closed their shut door. "You’re going to Mina's place?" she heard the dark called out for her attention. Illuminated by the smallest moonlight that slipped past through a murky glass of the window, Jeongyeon stood by the sink with a white bowl and a spoon in her hands as she carefully observed her short roommate. "Are you really eating cereal at this hour?" the cub asked with actual curiosity in her eyes. "Are you really going out at this hour?" the silver dragon asked back as sarcastically as she could, "Because I think your two side-idiots had already drunk their hearts out for this week." "I mean, yeah. I am going to Mina's place," the cub said nonchalantly, completely ignoring the interrogation. She ventured closer to the door – this time not so secretively – as she finished explaining, "She kind of passed out and she wasn't really able to return the favour so," she paused and then looked back to the older roommate, "Can I go now?"

With still observant eyes, Jeongyeon watched her fiddled with the door knob, "Yeah, sure," she sighed to her. "Do what you got to do to get laid," she added before slurping the milk of her cereal bowl. Chaeyoung smiled, disappearing behind the front door, and then went on with her nightly business. Without Jeongyeon's knowledge and with a satisfied smile on her face, she already sneaked back in their dorm as quietly as she could after one to two hours top and then slept peacefully in her own room in preparation for the start of the new week.

-------

Heads passed to her line of vision as she stood patiently just outside one of the freshmen buildings. It was campus break and Mina was anticipating for a certain freshman's company. She scanned every face and made sure that no one go amiss from her eyes. The freshman emerged from the building with practically bouncing heels of excitement – the striking beauty and the familiarity of the girl made the search easier. The penguin worked her feet and waddled closer to her long strides, approaching from her behind. "East is for arts department and west is for literature's. It's as easy as that," the freshman quietly replied when her presence surfaced to her vision, "Th