Wonbin had been feeling out of sorts for days, consumed by his quiet concern for Jiwoo, who had not returned to school. Two days had passed, and the weekend was on the horizon. He even contemplated skipping his jamming sessions with Suyoung, opting to head straight home because the absence of Jiwoo had left him inexplicably bored.

"Hey, I can't help but notice," Seunghan began as they strolled towards the bus stop. Wonbin hummed in response, his attention occasionally drifting to his phone as he checked for any text messages from home.

"Do you like Jiwoo?" Seunghan's question caught him off-guard, causing him to halt his steps and look at his friend as though he had said something amiss.

"What makes you say that?" Wonbin raised an inquisitive brow.

Seunghan shrugged, his lips pursing in thought. "Well, she's been absent for days now, and it's the first time I've seen you so affected by someone's absence," he said, struggling to articulate his observations. "Do you understand what I mean?"

"Hmm," Wonbin nodded. "She is kind," he replied, "But as far as I'm concerned, I am not romantically interested in anyone right now," he answered candidly.

"Then what makes Jiwoo different from Suyoung?" Seunghan inquired.

Wonbin's eyebrows furrowed as he pondered the differences between Jiwoo and Suyoung. "Not sure exactly. Maybe it's that my personality is more compatible with Jiwoo, much like you and me."

Seunghan smiled, "Now you're talking! You're sure you're not in the mood for love just yet?" He laughed.

"Hell no," Wonbin replied.

"That's good because I have to get a girlfriend before you do! I don't want to be the first one left alone. Got it?" Seunghan pouted, draping his arms around Wonbin's shoulder, though Wonbin promptly pushed him away in annoyance.

~

The dreaded day of the first-quarter quarterly exams had arrived, and it was met with collective dread from students. All-nighters seemed to be the norm, even for those who typically excelled in their classes. The fear of losing their academic rankings spurred them on.

In class 2-A, while most students were diligently reviewing their notes, Eunseok's attention wandered outside the window. The weather was so inviting that he daydreamed about lounging in the shade after school.

Miyoung, their class representative and the student council's secretary, approached Eunseok and tapped his desk. "Hmm?" Eunseok acknowledged her presence. Miyoung handed him an invitation card to her upcoming Saturday birthday celebration. "It's your birthday?" he asked, surprised.

"Yes, I thought it'd be nice if you could come. My parents would love to see you," Miyoung chuckled. "I also invited Sungchan just in case you'd decline the invitation because I didn't invite him first," she added, knowing that Eunseok typically had Sungchan by his side.

"Okay, thanks for inviting me. Is there anything specific you'd like me to bring?" Eunseok inquired. While he generally came across as a nice guy, he had a tendency to switch off when confronted with even the slightest flaw. He could warm up to people as quickly as he could distance himself.

Miyoung's face lit up at his question. "You can surprise me! I know you're more thoughtful than you appear."

Eunseok chuckled and nodded, "Okay, whatever you say, Miyoung. Thanks for this," as he placed the invitation card into his bag.

Just as