Nayoung has been staring at the same page for the past thirty minutes and is half-tempted to just toss her textbook out the nearest window. She loves psychology and has never doubted her choice in major until now. She’s been trying to study for her upcoming test for days. She’s been dreading this test since she saw it on the syllabus— the test covering statistics. Nayoung doesn’t care about the math; she cares about the people. She sighs and taps her pencil against her cheek in frustration.

So focused on studying, Nayoung startles when a pair of arms wrap around her shoulders. She struggles against the hold, until a familiar voice says, “If you stare any harder, I’m pretty sure it’ll go up in flames.”

“If I’m lucky, it will,” Nayoung grumbles as she leans into Sejeong’s arms.

“Don’t say that,” Sejeong says. “Imagine how much money you could make selling that thing.”

Nayoung chuckles, “You’re right. This textbook is easily worth two hundred dollars.”

“I thought you would’ve realized by now that I’m always right,” Sejeong says with exaggerated confidence as she sits down next to Nayoung. When Nayoung snorts, Sejeong pouts and probes, “Aren’t I?”

“Remember that time you caught ramen on fire?” Nayoung counters with a grin.

Sejeong shushes her immediately, looking around to see if she knows anyone. When she sees the coast is clear, she turns back to a giggling Nayoung. “I told you about that in confidence,” Sejeong whines. “Besides, how was I supposed to know that would happen?”

“That’s what happens when you forget the water.”

Sejeong shushes her again, covering Nayoung’s mouth with her hands to muffle her laughter. Nayoung lets her for a few moments before pushing her off.

“What are you even doing here?” Nayoung asks curiously. “You hate the library.” When they had first met, Nayoung thought it was strange for a pre-med student to avoid the library, so she had asked. Sejeong had shrugged and said something about the ambience.

“I do hate the library,” Sejeong nods, “but I don’t hate you.”

Unwittingly, Nayoung blushes and looks away. She loves and hates when Sejeong says things like that. It almost makes her feelings for her seem less pathetic, but then Nayoung has to remind herself that Sejeong is like this with everyone. Always friendly and always flirty. It drives Nayoung insane.

“What time is it anyways?” Nayoung asks to change the conversation.

“Almost two.”

Nayoung winces and immediately closes her textbook. “Shoot, I’m supposed to meet the girls at that coffee shop on the other side of campus.”

“The jellyfishes or–”

“Wendy and SinB,” Nayoung cuts her off, answering her unfinished question.

“You’ve been hanging out with them more lately,” Sejeong remarks lightly as she watches Nayoung pack up her things.

Nayoung avoids eye contact as she says, “Well, the jellyfishes live up to their name. I’ve been feeling sensitive lately, so I can’t really handle all the teasing right now.”

“Do you want me to talk to them?” Sejeong offers, but Nayoung shakes her head. “I know we all live to make fun of each other, but I’m sure everyone would back off if you asked. I’m sure Hana wouldn’t mind scolding everyone a bit.” Again, Nayoung shakes her head, so Sejeong frowns a little and asks, “Isn’t SinB pretty, ah, rude herself?”

“She’s not that bad,” Nayoung defends the younger girl. “Besides, if she was that bad, Yerin wouldn’t be dating her.”

“You’re right, sorry,” Sejeong says, raising her hands in surrender. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”

Nayoung sighs and forces herself to smile and reassure her, “I’ve spent a lot of time jellyfishes lately, so I just need a break, okay? And you’re right, SinB acts cold, but it’s just different with her.”

“Right,” Sejeong nods. She holds out her arms shyly and asks, “Truce?”

“Truce.”

Nayoung hugs her, internally sighing. She can’t tell Sejeong the real reason why she doesn’t hang out with the jellyfishes as often now. It’s because all they do is try to harass her into confessing her feelings for Sejeong, and Nayoung has gotten so overwhelmed by the pressure that she’s avoiding them altogether. She knows they mean well and just want what’s best for her, but Nayoung isn’t ready for that. Hence, the avoidance.

“Can I walk you to the coffee shop?” Sejeong asks after they pull away.

Nayoung’s eyebrows furrow as she asks, “Don’t you have class soon?”

“I’ll make it,” Sejeong reassures her. “It’s near the coffee shop.”

Unconvinced but unable to come up with a reason why Sejeong can’t, Nayoung nods. She’s glad she does because Sejeong smiles, eyes curving into those adorable crescents that just melt her heart. Sejeong holds her hand as they start walking, and Nayoung finds herself trying not to blush again.

Nayoung is content to listen to Sejeong babble about her latest chemistry lab and her weird lab partner. She remembers bumping into this girl almost two years ago already and absently wonders what would have happened if she hadn’t. Nayoung’s friends make up half of the jellyfishes, and Sejeong’s make up the other half. The thought of not having the jellyfishes all together makes Nayoung frown. She subtly shakes her head, so Sejeong doesn’t notice. It doesn’t matter now. They did meet, and Nayoung is glad, even if it leaves her in a frustrating relationship of unrequited love.

When they enter the coffee shop, Sejeong spots Wendy and SinB before she does. She drags Nayoung over to the table, hand still firmly holding hers.

“Hey!” Sejeong greets happily, coming to a stop where Wendy and SinB sit side-by-side in a booth.

“Hi,” Wendy replies with a smile while SinB merely nods her hello. “Are you joining us?” Wendy asks, confused but curious.

Sejeong quickly shakes her head and explains, “Nah, I have a class soon. I just walked Nayoung here.”

“That’s sweet,” SinB comments, getting an embarrassed smile from Sejeong, but Nayoung knows better. She recognizes the tone for it is– totally amused and about to tease the hell out of Nayoung.

“Well, I’ll leave you to it,” Sejeong says. “See you later.” She waves to the girls and kisses Nayoung cheek before she bounces away.

Nayoung is unable to stop the flush that runs over her entire body as she sits down. Seeing the way SinB is eying her, Nayoung glares. “Don’t say it,” Nayoung warns.

This does nothing to deter SinB because she asks coyly, “When’s the wedding?”

“I hate you,” Nayoung sighs, only half serious. She pouts as she accepts the coffee Wendy slides over to her. “You know, the reason I hang out with you guys instead of the jellyfishes is because you’re less likely to make fun of me about this.”

“Newsflash, we’re just as big of s,” SinB smirks.

Wendy frowns, “Speak for yourself.”

“Why are we friends with you again?” Nayoung asks, this time a little more serious even though she’d just defended SinB to Sejeong minutes before.

Again, without missing a beat, SinB replies, “Because you stink at calculus.” Nayoung grimaces, remembering her failing grade in her math class before SinB started tutoring her. “Also because I’m the same major as your girlfriend, and my girlfriend is friends with your girlfriend.”

“She’s not my girlfriend!” Nayoung whines.

Wendy cuts in, “Wait, if you’re friends with Nayoung because she’s bad at calculus, why am I friends with you?”

SinB rolls her eyes and flicks her balled up straw wrapper at Wendy. She grins when it successfully hits Wendy right between the eyes.

“You’re not helping your case, you know,” Wendy points out.

“Because you’re Canadian, and I’m bad at English,” SinB answers, “and because my girlfriend is friends with your best friend.”

“Why does Joy just get to be Wendy’s best friend?” Nayoung grumbles.

“Hey!” Wendy exclaims. “You say that like we’re dating or something.”

Nayoung and SinB share an exasperated look that has Wendy blushing.

“We’re not dating,” Wendy maintains weakly.

SinB sighs and takes a long sip of her coffee. “How is it, out of the three of us, that I’m the only one successfully dating the girl I like?”

Both Nayoung and Wendy pause... SinB has a point there.

“Because the girl you like actually likes you back,” Nayoung says after a moment with Wendy nodding in vigorous agreement.

SinB snorts and takes Wendy’s straw wrapper to flick at Nayoung. Nayoung tries to avoid it, but she moves too slowly, so the wrapper ends up hitting her eye. Both SinB and Wendy can’t help the laughter that escapes them as Nayoung whines and rubs at her eye.

“You’re idiots,” SinB informs them seriously. “You’ve got Sejeong and Joy so wrapped around your fingers that if you told them to jump, they’d ask how high.”

“It’s not like that,” Wendy insists.

“I didn’t know you were so stupid, Seungwan” SinB deadpans, and Wendy hits her shoulder for using her real name. “I’m serious though. If you both just womaned up and asked them out, I wouldn’t have to listen to you guys pine all the time.”

“I do not pine!” Nayoung and Wendy exclaim at the same time.

SinB raises her hands in mock surrender, saying soothingly, “I’m not saying you don’t have a good reason to pine. They’re very nice girls.”

“Nice is a huge understatement,” Wendy sighs.

“Oh, sorry, I meant they’re very hot girls,” SinB smirks. Both Wendy and Nayoung blush, hitting SinB in the arm at the same time. “Yah!” SinB whines. “I’m just stating the truth, aren’t I? There’s something strange about those ‘96 liners. Was there something in the water that year?”

“It must’ve been something amazing,” Nayoung sulks. “They’re all gorgeous.”

“Smart,” Wendy adds wistfully, “and funny.”

“Amazing, all of them,” SinB nods in agreement, a lazy grin on her face. “Go on, pine as usual.”

“It’s not my fault!” Wendy cries in frustration. She pouts while SinB laughs and Nayoung pats her hand consolingly. “I can’t help it. Joy acts all tough, but then she gets all soft, and I just– ugh!”

“Well at least she only goes soft around you,” Nayoung complains. “Sejeong flirts with everyone. Me, you, SinB, Joy, Yerin. Hell, we went for lunch the other day, and she had the nerve to flirt with the cashier!”

“How dare she flirt with another woman in front of her best friend who she has no idea has feelings for her,” SinB mocks her, earning herself another hit. She rolls her eyes and retaliates by flicking Nayoung on the forehead. “You’re both pathetic,” SinB says matter-of-factly.

“I know,” Nayoung and Wendy groan.

“Just ask them out,” SinB stresses the words as if by saying them slowly enough she can convince the girls. “It worked out for me, didn’t it?”

“Yerin was obviously in love with you though,” Nayoung argues with a pout. “I mean, she always brought you food, picked you up from your dance classes, kicked the skinship up a notch when you were around.”

Wendy nods, adding, “It couldn’t have been more obvious than if she’d had a skywriter spell it out in the sky: I’m in love with Hwang Eunbi.”

SinB groans before promptly pinching both Nayoung and Wendy’s cheeks. She ignored their cries of protest as she hauled them in, so their faces were only a few inches apart. “You’re both idiots,” SinB hisses, patience wearing thin. She releases their cheeks, and both girls retreat immediately, holding their throbbing cheeks.

“Wendy,” SinB begins, staring at the girl in question, “Joy is literally so whipped for you that it’s pretty ing pathetic. Do you know how much she normally wouldn’t do, but she does anyways for you? Do you honestly think she enjoys easter egg hunts with screaming children or ugly matching Christmas sweaters?” Wendy flushes and looks away, unable to respond.

Nayoung is amused, until SinB turns on her with a look of pure annoyance. “And you,” SinB growls, “I swear, you’re so blind. And forgetful. Sejeong walked you all the way here.” Nayoung opens to protest, but SinB cuts her off before she can speak. “Do not feed me that bull that her class is near her. I know her schedule better than you apparently. She has a lab that’s literally on the other side of campus that started ten minutes before you got to the coffee shop. Sejeong is going to have her handed to her by the TA, and why is that? Because she wanted to walk you here. Oh, and let me guess? You weren’t even hanging out together before this. She found you, didn’t she?”

Nayoung knows this is just a rhetorical question, since SinB clearly knows the answer. She steals a glance at Wendy, who is studiously staring at the cup of coffee in front of her. Nayoung sighs and decides to stare at her coffee.

After a few minutes of silence, SinB says quietly, “I’m sorry for blowing up on you, but I just want you to get your heads out of your asses and get with your girls.” Nayoung and Wendy both smile and accept SinB’s apology. However, they don’t say anything, unsure where to go from here.

“Do you believe me when I say your girls are just as pathetically in love with you as you are with them?” SinB asks.

Nayoung grimaces and says, “SinB, I appreciate your confidence in the possibility that Sejeong would want to date me of all people, but I’m pretty sure Sejeong will only ever see me as a best friend.”

“Same with Joy,” Wendy agrees sadly. “I doubt Joy would want to date a girl she has to constantly indulge and put up with her childish antics. Not to mention, I’m pretty sure she’s interested in Seulgi.”

“Seulgi is interested in Irene!” SinB exclaims in exasperation. “Also, Joy is such a closeted dork that I’m pretty sure she might actually like all those embarrassing activities you drag her to do. And even if she doesn’t, she’d do it for you. She doesn’t do that for anyone else. Stop making excuses! Don’t give me that look, Kim Nayoung! I’m talking to you too. Did it ever occur to you that you can be Sejeong’s best friend and her girlfriend?”

Nayoung shrinks away, embarrassed to be chastised by a girl three years her junior. She cam only imagine how Wendy feels, considering Wendy is even older than Nayoung.

“You know what,” SinB says, and Nayoung and Wendy immediately tense. Her tone of voice changed from frustrated to determined. They are worried what that means. “Both of you are going to come over to my apartment tonight with your not-girlfriends, and I will show you just how in love Sejeong and Joy are with you two.”

Wendy sends Nayoung a panicked look, and Nayoung quickly says, “You don’t have to do that, really. I’m fine dying alone.”

SinB looks at her with disgust and retorts, “Yeah, well I’m not fine with you dying alone. You two are coming over tonight, and that is final.”

This time it’s Nayoung that sends Wendy a look, this one filled with dread. When SinB gets an idea into her head, it is damn near impossible to convince her not to go through with it. Nayoung has only seen Yerin manage to do it, but even with her, it had taken nearly thirty minutes and a lot of bribing.

Sensing their defeat, Wendy hangs her head as Nayoung reluctantly says, “Okay, we’ll come over."

“Great!” SinB beams, and honestly, screw the other girl for being so adorable when she smiles. Nayoung sometimes forgets SinB is so young, but when SinB smiles like that, she’s too much like an adorable puppy to reject. “Come over at seven. Now, let’s get to studying!”

Nayoung and Wendy look at each other helplessly before opening their books with a heavy sigh.