"Did y'all run away because of K's body?" Riki teased the four as the group of six settled down at 20 CUBE.

The quartet would be performing later that same evening.

"No." They deadpanned.

"I dunno, Chaejin, bu-"

Serena glared at Riki.

"Nishimura Riki, shut up or no more dinner for you."

"Aww, don't be like that."

Serena ignored him as the others laughed while Linna changed topics.

"What songs are y'all preparing?"

"There's a lot actually." Kana replied as she flashed them a smile before speaking again.

"We have different performances on different days. Thursday, sixth of May at the high school and Friday, seventh of June at the university."

Kana cast the four with an amused look.

"You could even join the female team as we don't have that many members."

"What do you mean?" Kierra inquired.

"If you haven't noticed, but the dance team is made up of more guys than girls."

"Oh, a lot are interested, but don't join due to the fact that the male members got some super fans."

"We don't have super fans." Riki denied, but the five shot him a knowing look with Kana speaking.

"You're pretty oblivious to these sort of things."

"Oh, how's the other girls for later this month?" Serena inquired as Kana smiled.

"They're doing well and we're all praying for good health and safety."

Riki looked from his sister and their friends while changing topics.

"What are y'all talking about?"

"Nothing." The quintet responded with a laugh as Riki rolled his eyes in good-nature before remembering something.

"What are you guys doing for Black Day this year?"

"Cheering up Jangmi and Haeyoon." Linna responded.

"Why?"

"Relationship stuff." Melanie commented.

"I heard about that." Kana frowned, sympathetically before shaking her heads.

"I really don't get some people."

"Do what?" Riki inquired, but Melanie brushed him off.

"Relationship stuff."

"Why are you asking anyway?" Kierra probed.

"I figured y'all would have a boyfriend by now."

"Technically, we're not looking, but if it happens, then it happens." Serena said with a shrug.

"Maybe we should go on one of those group dates I keep hearing others talk about." Melanie suggested with an amused look.

"Oh, I agreed." Linna chimed in before looking over at Riki.

"Maybe we should set up one for little Riki here."

"No thanks." Riki declined immediately.

"I'm down for it!" Kana happily chimed in.

Serena saw this chance to sister and cousins some more.

"Yeah, Kana's totally down for a group date. Help her out."

The trio shot her a not so amused look as Serena giggled to herself. Riki felt lost and decided to shift the attention elsewhere.

"Anyways, does hanging out with those two have to do something with their boyfriends?"

"Ex-boyfriends." The quintet corrected as Riki's eyebrows furrowed.

"Ex-boyfriends? I always see Sangwook and Howon around, but not for too long."

"Don't worry about it." Melanie informed him.

"Now, let's order."

They continued to converse about various subjects and enjoyed their dinner amongst one another. The Nishimura siblings also participated in the Friday Open Mic Night with the pair showing off their dancing abilities. Riki watched the quartet do a mini show while thinking they seemed familiar somehow, but got distracted when the 20 CUBE staff passed out free snacks and drinks.

"Hey, Chaewon, if you need more tutoring due to midterms next week, let me know." Jake informed Melanie, coming up to her after class.

"I'm free to help you study before dance practices."

Melanie glanced at him with a grateful smile.

"Actually, that would be great, Jake. I could use all the help with it."

Jake flashed her a smile.

"Great. We could even have a study session later today."

Before Melanoe could agree, she then remembered something.

"Ah, I already plans for today."

"Oh."

Jake's smile dimmed a bit. Melanie didn't notice as she continued packing up her things.

"It's alright. We're still on for tomorrow right?"

"Oh, most definitely. There's another formula I don't get and hope you'll explain it better than my professor."

"I'll try my best."

Jake nodded with a chuckle as he waited for Melanie before noticing the green-eyed bear plushie once more.

"That's a cute stuffed animal."

"Huh?"

Jake pointed at the stuffed toy and Melanie followed to where his finger was pointing to.

"Oh, yeah. Isn't he cute?"

She chuckled as she finished stuffing the her last material into the backpack.

"Yeah, very cute."

Just as Jake was about to ask where she got it from, Melanie spoke instead.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"Huh? Oh, yeah."

Soon the pair headed towards the doors to exit the classroom before separating in different directions.

"Gosh, this banana oreo cream cake is delicious." Haeyoon gushed over the dessert with Jangmi doing the same thing.

"I really love the oreo parfait the best."

Both turned to the quintet with a thankful look.

"Thank you."

"Welcome."

Kana suggested for them to try today's special.

"We definitely have to try today's special. It's coffee based."

Serena and Kierra made a face, but decided to order it anyways as they'll be sharing it. As the group of seven continuing conversing and eating their desserts, two 20 CUBE staffs, Yejin and Seoah, had set up the karaoke section with one of them tapping on the microphone to grab the customers' attention.

"Good afternoon everyone!" Yejin greeted when all eyes were on her.

"Today's an exception. So, the karaoke machine is here for y'all to sing your heart out!"

Seoah joined her with an excited look.

"Please enjoy, whether good or bad. Thank you and have fun! Now who wants to sing first?"

Meanwhile, the trio cast the four a knowing look.

"What?"

"Y'all should sing." Kana suggested with a gleeful look.

"Yeah! What Kana said." Jangmi agreed with a serious expression.

"We're serious." Haeyoon said, just as serious as Jangmi.

"The two of you should be singing today." Linna suggested instead, looking between Haeyoon and Jangmi.

"Listening to and even singing sad or breakup songs will help you two get over your ex-boyfriends, too." Melanie informed them.

"Really?"

"Mmhmm."

"We'll each sing a song if one of y'all joins us." Both Haeyoon and Jangmi chimed with an eager expression.

After much persuading, Haeyoon and Jangmi got Melanie and Linna to sing a duet with them. Melanie found herself singing What Do I Call You with Haeyoon while Linna joined Jangmi for a duet of FRIENDS. Soon the pair dragged the other three for a song or two until they were singing on their own or as a duet with others. The cousins along with the other customers of the cafe watched the pair sing to their hearts' content.

"I seriously blame Serena and Kierra for jinxing us with the whole cliche drama life stuff." Linna grumbled as she joined Melanie in the library.

"My path with those people have crossed more in like two months than it ever did in three years of attending this school."

"Tell me about it." Melanie sighed as the pair slumped against the table.

"I realized Jeonghee's in my Monday and Wednesday's morning class."

"How's that going?"

"She just gives me the stink eye because none of her friends are in the class to do anything."

"Typical. Park Gaeul is like the biggest headache ever."

"What she's doing to you?"

"Same thing, but talks about me and Jake which isn't relevant at all. She has a boyfriend so I don't get it."

Melanie ran a hand through her hair.

"I'm debating if I should ditch my extra math tutoring for today."

"Don't you need it?"

"I do, but missing one extra lesson for today won't hurt me."

"True, but it is midterms."

"Yeah, but weren't you supposed to meet up with Jinah?"

"It ain't happening."

"Why?"

"She's out for a month. Bad car accident the other day."

"Can't you get tutored by someone else?"

"She's the only one I trust to teach me."

"Wow."

"I know, but that's the furthest thing from my mind at the moment."

"What's on your mind then?"

"I wanna forget how much I'm noticing Park Sunghoon all of a sudden, too."

"So what's your deal with him?"

Linna shrugged.

"Nothing much. I'm just tired of seeing and hearing that almost every girl in my class wants to be his partner and almost all the guys thinks he's cool or are envious of him. It's kinda cliche and never thought I would actually witness it. How about you?"

Linna re-directed the attention onto her cousin instead.

"So, what's your deal with Jake though."

"I thought we were done talking about him."

"Nah."

Linna chuckled, more amused than before.

"Your life is more interesting than mine."

"Right, when you're the one that hasn't mustered the actual courage to confess face to face with Sunghoon."

"That isn't interesting. Besides, not like I can get that close to him when Ahra's around."

"Really?"

"Yup, but enough about me. As for you and Jake though, that is interesting. I really thought y'all were chill and cool with one another."

Linna re-directed the topic onto her cousin as Melanie shrugged nonchalantly.

"I dunno. It feels like he wants to be close friends now."

"Weren't y'all friends before though?"

"He was just a friendly classmate that happened to tutor me in math before that whole love letter incident occured."

"But...?"

"Now people think he and I do have something going on."

"I thought that died down."

"Me, too, but they won't say anything to my face about it. Pretty dumb."

"Sounds dumb, but why don't you just address it properly?"

"There's no point in trying to explain something to someone when there's nothing going on in the first place."

"But it's bothering you, right?"

"Somewhat. Still, Jake treats me the same as before, but he's a little more attentive. I guess, a little more friendlier than before."

"So, your new crush is becoming a bigger crush?" Linna teased as Melanie swatted at her.

"Not even. Unlike you with Sunghoon."

Linna made a face.

"It's not the same."

"You actually like Sunghoon while I'm just associated with Jake."

"Same difference."

Melanie stopped the teasing and sighed deeply while placing her head onto the table's surface.

"I rather go home and sleep."

Linna mirrored her cousin's actions.

"Maybe our sisters could help us out."

"They're swamped with their own studying and helping Riki and Kana with theirs."

Linna chuckled.

"So they're at the high school campus then?"

"Mmhmm."

The cousins were unaware that two other people have joined their space shortly after.

"Hello, ladies."

The cousins swiftly lifted their heads to see the two young men they were talking about earlier.

"How about we all go somewhere else for a change of pace?"

"I'm bored. Let's do something else." Riki suggested as he glanced from Serena to Kierra.

The trio were in one of the high school library's study rooms from outside distractions. Kana had finished her own study materials along with the worksheets Kierra and Serena had prepared for her. She left to hang out with her other friends. The pair were currently reviewing their own notes, leaving the male to do the same. Yet, he didn't want to studying further, becoming bored.

"We all have our midterms to worry about, kid. Just finish yours and you can leave like Kana." Kierra reminded him while not looking up from her notes.

"I'll be fine. I did a majority of the problems y'all assigned me anyway."

Serena paused, glanced up, and held out a hand for him to pass her his work.

"Let me see."

"There's nothing to see."

Riki immediately closed his books and put away his materials. Serena rolled her eyes with a small smile before resuming her work.

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