Yoobin never expected her second encounter and group hang out to be at Hyejin’s party. She actually never expected their second group hang out after her return to be a party. In fact. And more specifically, it wasn’t Hyejin’s party. It was Hyejin’s best friend’s party, Siyeon’s. But since the girl’s parents were always around the house, Hyejin offered to arrange her party at her own home instead. And yeah, I know what you’re thinking. Why was Hyejin living at the dorms if her house was only like… 10 minutes away from college? Well… as I’ve mentioned before… the dorms were huge and could accept any student at this point. Not just students that were living too far away from college but also students that didn’t have money to afford to pay for a rent for their own apartments or something. So a lot of students just prefered staying there because it was more convenient. Pretty cool right? But also really chaotic. I think you can remember Junsun’s chaotic party last year, right? That chaotic and even worse at times.

 

Yoobin also never expected to be dressed this elegantly for a party. But oh well, here she is, wearing a pair of black pants, a fancy crop top, having a slightly heavy but pretty make up on and her dark blue shoulder length hair falling in waves. She never expected that Hyejin’s house would be this big, fancy and spacious at the same time. Where did she say her parents were once again?

 

Wherever they are, it’s better that they’re not around. The party just started and it’s already going wild. Loud music everywhere, students already dancing and singing loudly while drinking. Yoobin doesn’t even want to think of Hyejin’s parents' faces and reaction if they ever saw this. It seems like Siyeon wanted a big party, Yoobin thinks. After all, almost everyone is invited. Everyone as in their group of friends and classmates. In total, people they all knew.

 

And… there they are. Her friends. They’re all sitting by the couch. Or… half of them at least. Yoobin’s eyes catch Hyojung talking and laughing with Hyejin and her friends and she sighs slightly as she walks carefully towards them. It’s been a few days already and Hyojung and Seunghee try their hardest to avoid each other whenever they’re in the same place. For how long will this go on?

 

Her eyes land on Seunghee, standing at the other corner of the room, talking with Mihyun and Shiah but she knows this is all just a facade. Seunghee can’t stop glancing over at Hyojung and her sulk is visible for miles away. At least to Yoobin. She knows her friends too well at this point.

 

“Hey.” She hears a soft voice from behind her as a huge female hand rests on her right shoulder. She turns around to her right to see Jiho who smiles at her. She feels another pat on her other shoulder on her left and turns around to see Yewon, the own of the voice seconds ago.

 

“I wasn’t expecting you to leave your precious books and come to join us.” Jiho teases her. Yoobin laughs.

 

“Truth to be told… I couldn’t find not even one single reason to come here. I don’t know Siyeon. I mean I probably know her slightly more than you do but… still. I just thought that it’s better if I’m by Seunghee’s side since Hyojung doesn’t seem to want to try for them so… Seunghee only has us now.”

 

“Aww! You’re such a good friend Bin!”

 

“Plus Hyejin couldn’t stop trying desperately to convince me to come so… here I am.” Jiho laughs at that.

 

“Seems like you guys are close already.” She comments.

 

“Kinda yeah. We’re roommates so… she’s easy to talk. She’s the one talking all the time honestly and sharing everything about her. I feel like I already know her for years and it’s only been days!” Yoobin says, a slight enthusiasm could be heard in her voice.

 

“Careful to not fall for her then.” Yewon comments which catches Yoobin off guard. She stares at Yewon slightly surprised and Yewon stares at her back as well, not backing down.

 

“It seems like she has a lot of charms, I mean. She already lured Jiho unnie.” Yewon says again.

 

“Hey she didn’t actually lure me- actually no forget it. She did.” Jiho exclaims plainly and smirks at herself. It goes on deaf ears though as it looks like the girls are already into their own world.

 

“Maybe. But I already made that mistake once. I’m not planning to fall for any other luring girl again.” Yoobin says seriously as she stares at Yewon hard. Yewon knows this was meant for her basically. She was the mistake Yoobin was talking about. She sighs and lets it slide. She doesn’t want her and Yoobin to bicker. She wants to fix things, not make them worse. She just… can’t help but get slightly jealous so to how Hyejin, of all people, Hyejin who’s still new to their group of friends, has Yoobin’s attention and enthusiasm already while she, herself, can’t.

 

“Woa there. Calm down you two. It’s all in the past, haven’t we said that already? Yoobin?” Yoobin sighs and stares back at Seunghee. At least she has some company. Mihyun and Shiah look like they’re entertaining her well. Her eyes fall on Hyojung who’s still busy with Hyejin. She can understand why Hyojung can get so carried away with Hyejin. She does herself. But she’s just wondering… does Hyojung remembers about her break with Seunghee? Or is she this occupied and excited about Hyejin? Is she willing to fight for them or is she just giving up? And why? Yoobin needs to have a talk with the girl for sure.

 

“So… since you’re close with Hyejin… how about we go talk to her?” Jiho suggests trying to sound cool and indifferent about it. Yoobin laughs and Yewon rolls her eyes.

 

“Now I see why Seunghee unnie is jealous.” She mutters. Both Jiho and Yoobin stare at her. The latter, seriously. But she refuses to explain herself.

 

“Are you that desperate? I thought you didn’t want to get involved.” Yoobin says to Jiho as she smirks.

 

“Um… I’m not getting involved. We’re just going to talk to her. I’m not going to be alone with her anyway!” Jiho tries to defend herself as she scratches the back of her neck nervously. Yoobin laughs hard.

 

“You’re already in too deep Kim Jiho! And it’s so funny!”

 

“Ya! Stop it! I’m not! You should be grateful I’m taking you with me and not leaving you here alone with Yewon!” Yoobin’s eyes widen and her jaw drops but she still can’t stop the amused smile forming on her lips.

 

“Wow. Now I think I should be feeling offended but I’m actually not. I’m too surprised by how much you like her, actually.” Jiho feels like blushing but refuses to.

 

“Why are you being so mean?” She groans and pouts. Yoobin laughs.

 

“Ok fine. I’m coming with you.”

 

“Yay! Knew I was going to convince you anyway! Yewon? You coming?”

 

“And get lured by this witch? No thanks.” Yoobin stares at her for a few seconds and Jiho laughs.

 

“Yoobin! Hey! You’re here!” Hyejin exclaims happily.

 

“Did I have any other choice?” Hyejin laughs.

 

“No. Of course not!”

 

“Your party is fancy. As a really party person, I can say you did a nice effort.” Jiho says as she looks around the house, trying her hardest to avoid looking at the girl. Yoobin almost wants to laugh. Sometimes, as much cool as Jiho might seem to the girls around her, Yoobin just knows her too well. And she looks so uncool at times! Like now. But Hyejin can’t see that of course because she doesn’t know Jiho.

 

“Really? Thanks! That’s how Siyeon likes it so…”

 

“Where is she by the way? She’s the birthday girl.” Yoobin says.

 

“I think I saw her somewhere around here with some dudes.”

 

“Are you girls, friends for long?”

 

“Yeah since middle school. They’re weird and loud but I love them. You’re gonna love them too.” Hyejin says as she turns to Hyojung.

 

“I already love them! They’re all so unique! Like our group of friends!” Hyojung exclaims happily.

 

“Speaking of it… Hyojung let’s go have some drinks. Yewon also doesn’t know which one to choose.” Yoobin says as she winks at Jiho knowingly and drags Hyojung away. Hyejin glares at Yoobin who just smiles at her innocently.

 

“What? Arin can’t drink! She’s still a baby!”

 

“I heard you! And I’m not!” Yewon says as the two come towards her.

 

“In Hyojung’s eyes you’ll always be.” Yoobin says and Yewon pouts cutely.

 

“You’re really pretty by the way.” Yewon says as she stares at Yoobin.

 

“Who? Me?” Yoobin asks as she points at herself in disbelief.

 

“Yes you idiot. You. Who else?”

 

“Hyojung unnie?” Hyojung groans.

 

“I know Yewon thinks we’re both pretty but sometimes you’re too dumb Yoobin. She’s trying to compliment you here and you just ruined it!” Hyojung says. But I’m not dumb though. I just don’t want her to compliment me!

 

“Hey! You’re dumb too, don’t you think?”

 

“Huh? Why?”

 

“Because you let Seunghee go.” Yoobin says shortly and blatantly, she picks a cup of beer from the table they’re standing in front of at that moment and sips her drink. Hyojung stares at her in shock.

 

“I didn’t! To your information she asked for that break!” Hyojung grumbles and crosses her arms. Even when she’s annoyed she’s still cute.

 

“If I remember correctly, she also asked you to fight for them. What did you do about it? Nothing. Seriously? Is fighting for someone ignoring them? Since when?”

 

“Hey! Don’t judge me! I’m not perfect here! And you aren’t either! I never judged you for what you did!” Yoobin lowers her head, feeling guilty again.

 

“I’m sorry Yoobin ah.” Hyojung says in milliseconds as soon as she realizes that she hurt Yoobin.

 

“It’s ok. I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t interfere with your problem.”

 

“No it’s… fine. I just…” Hyojung never finishes. She just prefers to drink from her drink instead. For a few seconds, Yoobin swear she sees Hyojung’s gloomy eyes return back but Hyojung is fast to put up on a smile and her forced happiness is back again.

 

“I’ll get going. Chungha has promised to show me some moves and I’m into a dancing mood now. I’ll leave you two alone~ Don’t do anything dirty~” Hyojung says playfully and leaves them alone.

 

“What? We weren’t going to-” Yoobin says but decides to not continue her sentence. As soon as her eyes are set back on Yewon though, she sees the girl slightly blushing while staring at her.

 

“I think we should better keep Seunghee some company. Mihyun looks kinda tired and annoyed already. It must be hard having Seunghee at their dorm.”

 

“Yeah. Can… do you… I mean…” Yoobin was about to walk away when she hears Yewon mumbling on her own. She turns to look at the girl and sees her fiddling with her fingers nervously. Yewon was never nervous around her before. Why is she now?

 

“Yeah?” She says softly.

 

“Do you wanna dance with me?” Yewon blurts out. It almost sounds forced, because honestly she forced herself to finally say it out loud before Yoobin would leave.

 

“Um…” Yoobin wants to reject her. Her heart says otherwise though. And she’s once again in that position, of having to choose whether to listen to her mind or heart. So far, she has only listened to her mind. After all… Yewon is single, she’s single, what’s so wrong with them dancing together? Or even getting together in a relationship? No. Yoobin shakes her head. She can’t think like that now. Yewon hurt her. And she hurt her best friend. How can she get together with her best friend’s ex and very first love? It sounds so wrong! Then again… it’s only a dance.

 

“Is it that hard?”

 

“Hm?” Yewon sounds slightly annoyed.

 

“Is it that hard? Facing me again, after a whole year. Actually, what do you think every time you see me? That I’ll hurt you again, right? That I’m a , right? That’s what you’re thinking right? And now you’re thinking of a nice way to reject me, right?” Yewon says. She talks so fast that it almost sounds like rapping. She sounds mad, frustrated and annoyed. But she’s not. She’s not mad at Yoobin at least but at herself and all the mistakes she’s done with Yoobin. It’s all her fault that Yoobin is avoiding her and thinking of her in that way.

 

“You’re Jiho’s ex. That’s what I think.” Yoobin answers her blatantly.

 

“Again with Jiho.” Yewon says and rolls her eyes. Maybe she should just accept her defeat then.

 

“Is she always going to be the reason for us to not be closer? Look! She’s over it! She’s head over heels for Hyejin! You said it yourself before! Why should she be the reason for us not getting along well?”

 

“She’s not. It’s just a fact.” Yewon groans. She doesn’t get Yoobin at all.

 

“You said you don’t hate me. Then why is it that hard for you to interact with me? It’s just a dance! I’m not going to eat you!” Yoobin bites her lips.

 

“I need time to get used to this. This... whole thing. That’s all.”

 

“Then let’s make a start. Come dance with me. If you keep avoiding me you won't ever get used to me.” Yoobin sighs. Maybe Yewon is right. But she’s also wrong about something. I don’t want to get used to you, Yewon. I just want to be sure about you. You’re so unpredictable, so passionate that… it scares me. I just don’t know whether things are stable or not. I can’t feel… safe around you.

 

Yoobin takes Yewon’s hand and tries her hardest to convince herself that this isn;t just another mistake all over again.

 

“Since you’re good at arranging parties, should I assume that you also like them?” Hyejin laughs.

 

“Yeah you can say that. I’m not the party animal myself but I have fun. Yeah… parties are fun. Not so fun when you have to clean up the mess later on though.” Jiho laughs as she nods her head in agreement.

 

“And-” Hyejin cuts Jiho off.

 

“Do you think Hyojung is over her phase with Seunghee?” Jiho is caught off guard. Why is Hyejin asking her that? Why is she making it so obvious to everyone that she likes Hyojung? Why is she doing this? She knows Jiho and the rest are Hyojung and Seunghee’s friends, why is she telling them that!? She doesn’t care. That’s it.

 

But Jiho is determined that there must be something else. Hyejin can’t be this bad that she shows she is. Or else Hyojung would have noticed that bad side of hers too. Hyojung isn’t that dumb!

 

“Phase? Woa there girl. Do you really think it’s a phase?”

 

“A 100%.”

 

“Then why isn’t your crush on her a phase as well?”

 

“It’s not. I assure you.” Jiho sighs.

 

“Why Hyojung?”

 

“Why not her? She’s so pretty, so happy and energetic and dorky and-”
 

“And taken.”

 

“She’s not though. She’s over with Seunghee.”

 

“Technically they’re on a break- mmm damn you Bae Yoobin you and your statistics! Now I’m talking like you too!” She mumbles to herself. Hyejin looks at her weirdly.

 

“What I’m trying to say is that she loves Seunghee. A lot. And she’s really sad right now. And so is Seunghee.”

 

“Then I can comfort her! Hyojung I mean. And she will forget about Seunghee.” Jiho sighs. It hurts her hearing Hyejin talking like that but she ignores her own feelings for now.

 

“Don’t you feel bad for hurting people?” Hyejin sips from her drink slowly, as she stares at Jiho for a few seconds before she quickly looks away.

 

“No. People’s feelings change all the time anyway. Now it’s Seunghee for Hyojung, tomorrow it might be me and the day after tomorrow someone else.” She says but she sounds sad about it.

 

“That’s what you think of love?” That’s such a depressing way to think of love!

 

“Kinda yeah.” Jiho nods her head. She doesn’t want to pressure the girl any further but she’s sure there’s something else in there.

 

“Then, if you don’t get attached to feelings, why don;t you try it out with me instead?” Hyejin looks at her surprised.

 

“You don’t want to date me.” Hyejin says and laughs.

 

“Why?”

 

“You just… don’t.” Hyejin says seriously this time and shakes her head.

 

“Come on! You can’t at this more than I do!” This actually makes Hyejin laugh.

 

“You know… you’re a nice company to go to when I feel sulky about Hyojung.” Hyejin says as a soft smile spreads on her lips. Jiho feels her heart warming up and beating rapidly at that smile. Why is she falling harder for Hyejin? This is bad…

 

“Then you can come to me more often. Because Hyojung and Seunghee will get back together. Just wait.” Jiho says surely. Hyejin giggles.

 

“You’re also a dork. Tell me, is everyone in your group dorky? Hyojung is, Yoobin definitely is. And now you too.”

 

“What can I say. Our dorkiness brought us close.” Jiho