Miyoung, my girlfriend of five months, broke up with me today.

She was the soft-spoken girl from the other class. I didn’t know much about her except for that fact. The only time I would see her was whenever we exited the class. Being seated at the farthest end of the room, I was usually the last one to go out. The same goes for her, too—maybe—because she was also the last person to leave the room.

Miyoung was the petite girl blessed with porcelain skin and pale pink lips, but cursed with the inability to socialize with others. Those moments of bumping into each other were filled with her profuse apologies and eyes that wandered everywhere. I found it quite adorable, and being the shy type myself, I always responded with a small “It’s okay.”

Tao was the first one to notice our small interactions. Of course it had to be Tao; no one liked to gossip as much as Tao did. I thought the worst was over when he had to fly to China for another competition, but no. He just had to tell Kai and the others.

He just had to.

After a month of suffering from their painful banter, and excruciatingly awkward situations with the wallflower of the other class, Miyoung approached me one day, a small pink envelope in hand. With her tiny face blushing for a reason I knew nothing about, she asked if she could talk with me in private.

And that’s how we got together.

Ironically, that’s also how we broke it off.

“Se Hun-ssi, I… this relationship is awkward. Two shy people…that’s not the best combination, huh?” she laughed weakly. I didn’t know why I agreed to her suggestion so fast. I just did, and the moment I walked out the door, I heard her soft sniffles. But I didn’t turn back because I knew my presence wasn’t going to help.

Miyoung was my first girlfriend. And truth be told, while I did agree to date her, while I did find her cute, I just didn’t know how I felt about her. I agreed on a whim. At that time, I thought, “Hey, why not? You don’t hate her, and she doesn’t seem like a bad girl.” It was a spur of the moment that only freshmen like myself understood. We’re young and innocent, and we want to know what something as reckless as “dating” feels like.

Even until now, I didn’t know what I felt for her. And so, even after breaking up, there was nothing I wanted to cry about, there wasn’t something precious that I lost. Still, there was that empty feeling in the pit of my stomach. Five months was a pretty long time, enough for me to get used to her constant appearance in my life. And now, without her, I will admit that if feels a bit different, a bit new.

But that empty feeling in the pit of my stomach was something milk tea could solve.

The timing was perfect: Xiao Lu decided to visit today. At least I didn’t have to be so down in the dumps, but he noticed how unusually quiet I was. He looked at me with worried eyes, and asked me what happened. Xiao Lu knew about Miyoung, but news of the break up hadn’t reached him yet. I didn’t want to tell him because he’d just go all Hyung mode on me, and the topic of our conversation would just be my relationship with Miyoung.

Aish, Hyung, I appreciate your concern, but seriously, you came here to have fun with us and not give counseling sessions!

But before Hyung could even open his mouth to continue his probing, I made a dash for the school’s milk tea place.

“I’ll order milk tea for all of us. It’s my treat, Kai, so you better behave!”

That should keep his mouth shut.

“Try our new Chamomile Tea collection!” the chalkboard said. I grimaced, however, because chamomile tea was the kind old people from England or whatever European country, liked to drink. That’s what I think, anyway. And besides, I preferred Asian tea.

“Se Hunnie!” the kind cashier-ahjumma greeted me, “Want to try the new item?”

I smiled apologetically and refused, telling her that I would be ordering my usual, along with Kai’s and Xiao Lu’s usuals. She gave me an understanding nod and turned around to prepare our drinks.

“Oh, it’s you, Lu Han’s kid.”

I blinked in surprise: there, right beside me, was Hyung’s handsome roommate. She gave me a slight salute and a small smile that didn’t quite reach her dull, onyx eyes. Silence followed as she looked up at the colorful menu. Her face scrunched in what was probably confusion over the variety of tea beverages.

“Damn, I’ve been here so many times, but I still don’t get the difference between ‘Taiwan Classic Milk Tea,’ and ‘ShareTea Classic Milk Tea.’ What the hell,” Noona muttered. Clicking her tongue, she rolled her eyes and gave out a tired sigh before looking up again. I inwardly laughed at her little problem.

"Okay, whatever, it's not like I'm here to get any of them."

That sparked my curiosity.

I took a step forward. "Really? Then what are you getting, Noona?" I bobbed my head to the side, suddenly recalling that she wasn't a fan of bubble tea. "Ah, wait, Noona, I thought you didn't like milk tea." How odd.

"I'm here to get Lu a drink. Actually, I'm here to get you a drink as well. Lu told me to fetch him at around 5, but my class was cancelled, so I thought why not go to you guys at an earlier time and buy you something to drink. But seeing as you're here, I guess it's just Lu Han and Kai I'll be buying milk tea for."

Noona chuckled, then fished something out of her pocket. "Normally, I wouldn't do this for you guys because milk tea is just so damn expensive, but look," she grinned, showing me some coupons, "I won some gift certificates at a class activity today, and luckily, ShareTea's a participating store. And because I don't like milk tea, nor am I interested in the other eligible stores, I decided to spend these on you guys."

I smiled because of two reasons: partly because of how nice Noona was, and partly because of that tickling sensation in my stomach (was it the comeback of that weird feeling after the break-up?). Noona was the exact opposite of what she usually showed with that heartless face of hers.

Xiao Lu often told me stories of how surprisingly caring his roommate was. I was his confidante during the first few weeks of the term, gladly lending an ear to listen to him badmouthing her. After a month, however, those complaints turned into compliments mixed with strange but amusing stories of his adventures with her, Kris-hyung, Xiu Min-hyung, and Suho-hyung. Most of his narratives, however, were centered on her showing an act of kindness he thought she'd never do, especially for him and the guys.

It was kind of hard not to like Noona based on what Xiao Lu told me.

"Ah, Noona! You don't have to get anything then!" I blurted. "I already bought for Hyung and Kai. They're waiting at the school garden."

"Oh. Well, that , since I won't be able to use this--Ah, maybe I'll get something for Kris and the others then." Noona nodded to herself.

It would be nice, I thought, if I had a sister like Noona.

My stomach started hurting again.

Noona and I decided to sit down while our orders were being prepared. The moment I sat, though, my stomach began doing somersaults, as if air was swishing up and about in the hollow pit of my stomach. My hand flew to my belly, squeezing it to stop the pain. I cringed; it just got worse.

And to think I was recovering pretty well from the break-up.

"Stomach ache?" Noona turned to me, blinking at my hunched up posture. "Did you eat something bad or...?"  

I shook my head.

"Is it because you're hungry?"

No.

"My stomach feels weird," I croaked, forehead thumping on the table. "It hurts, but not really. I don't understand it myself, Noona." There was wind in my stomach--wind that danced wildly, wind that continuously hit the walls of my ribcage. It was the kind of pain that would disappear as soon at it appeared--over and over again. It was like being pricked with a thousand needles, waking up to discover that it was all just a dream, and then going back to sleep so that the cycle could repeat.

I hear Noona standing up, "Maybe I should call--"

"My girlfriend broke up with me today, Noona," I whimpered, clutching tightly onto my stomach.

Ah, crap.  

"But the funny thing is, I don't feel sad. I guess it's because I never really knew what I felt for her. Dating her was a spur of the moment kind of thing."

Shut up, Oh Se Hun.

"So maybe, this stomach ache is my punishment for being so nonchalant."

It hurts, Noona.

All of a sudden, I felt a weight on my head as Noona sat back down.

Noona was petting me.

It felt so nice, enough to subdue the sting from below. "This scene looks all too familiar," I heard her mumble, and I furrowed my eyebrows in wonder. "Anyway, don't think like that Se Hun," she assured me, although I'm not quite sure because Noona's tone hadn't changed. "I don't know what's going on, or what happened, but don't think like that, all right? You're at the age where you want to try a lot of things--the stupid ones, mostly--so don't think as if this is punishment. It's part of life."

I don't say a word as I try to understand Noona's "advice."  

I frowned at the absence of her hand as she withdrew it. "...I'm sorry, I'm not good at comforting people. What I said probably added fuel to the fire," she said, clearing .

I smiled weakly and slowly sat up to look at Noona: her face scrunched up in a funny, ugly ball of confusion as she scratched her cheek. "Thanks, Noona, I do feel better."

Noona gawked at me. "Seriously? That was the worst advice you could ever receive from someone, and you actually feel better? That's a first," she shrugged.

I nodded, a bit more giddy now. "I'll take your advice over Lu Han-hyung's any day, Noona! Hyung's even more of a hopeless case than I am!" I laughed, or at least tried to. I flinched again as a sharpness hit my stomach.

Noona frowned. "The pain still hasn't subsided, don't push yourself, kiddo. I don't know if it'll work against this kind of stomach ache, if you can even call it a stomach ache, but chamomile tea is a good counteragent. You're lucky that this store sells some. I'll get you a cup, okay?"

Noona pats me one more time before heading to the counter.

Chamomile tea.

Well, that .  

"Hey, why are you here so early? It's only 4 pm," Xiao Lu told his roommate when the both of us arrived. I was feeling better, thanks to the chamomile tea. I didn't think it would work, but it did--just like magic. And it didn't taste as horrible as I thought it did either.

"What, I can't be early?" Noona retorted.

Xiao Lu pouted. "Yes, because now that you're here, Se Hunnie's and Kai's undivided attention won't be mine anymore."

Noona snorted, trying to stifle her laughter. "Lu Han, you're such a . If you want their attention so much, then I'll gladly leave and spend the next hour with that tree over there," she pointed at the huge tree that stood at the center of the garden.

Hyung pursed his lips. "I was just kidding," he muttered. "And don't me call a ''!" he exclaimed, standing up and towering over Noona. "It just so happens that I'm their favorite Hyung, right, guys?" He looked expectantly at Kai and I, his big eyes telepathically sending messages to our brains.

Say, yes!

I laughed, hooking an arm around Hyung's shoulder. "You bet you are, Xiao Lu!" I cheered.

"Ah, but if Lu-hyung is our favorite Hyung, then Noona is our favorite Noona!" Kai grinned, stepping closer to Hyung's roommate. He smiled at her. "Am I Noona's favorite?" he cheekily asked, a sneaky finger pointing at his lips.

Kai's plump lips. The lips that no girl could resist.

And, whoah, did he just bat his (nonexistent) eyelashes at her?

Bwoh?

Hyung's eyes narrowed at Kai, and I couldn't help but do the same.

Stay away from her, man! 

Whoah, Oh Se Hun, where did that thought come from? 

"Jong-in," Noona said, "Acting cute doesn't suit you. It makes me want to vomit, honestly," she shrugged. "Go back to being you."

Hyung and I guffawed as Kai's smile faltered. He turned to the both of us, face red as a cherry, and stammered, "S-stop it!" He turned to her, puppy dog eyes armed and ready for battle. His lips jutted out to complete the look. "Noona~! I thought you said I was cute!"

"Yeah, when you're normal you. But when you try, it just becomes disgusting, Kai." She pats his head once. "Go back to the stuttering Jong-in who thinks he's so cool, okay?"   

Ouch. If I were Kai, I would probably just dig my own grave or something. That was harsh, Noona. Thank goodness it was directed at him and not at me.

Hyung and I continued to laugh as Kai grabbed his tea and threw the straw away. He tore the seal, and began taking huge gulps of his drink. He downed the beverage in one go, and once he was done, slammed it on the ground. "You just totally broke my heart, Noona," he said bitterly, biting his lip.  

Noona smirked. "That may be so, but I'm still you're favorite Noona, Jong-In. That, I'm sure of."

"I know," he mumbled, fiddling with his fingers. "I promise I won't ever try to act cute ever again," he vowed, raising his right hand.

"You better keep that promise!" I , "Because I don't think I would ever want to see Kim Jong-in try to do aegyo again!"

Like, seriously, Jong-in, what made you think you could compete with me?

Kai jumped up, pointing an accusing finger at me. "You spoiled maknae!" he hollered, "Just because you were blessed with the talent of aegyo does not mean that you can mock the inability of others to do it!"

"And besides," Kai crossed his arms and gave me a triumphant smile, "Your aegyo is futile against Noona!" He stuck his tongue out childishly.

This is war, Kim Jong-in.

"I'll come and visit again soon!" Hyung beamed at the two of us, wrapping his arms around Kai and I.

"Take Noona with you, Hyung!" Kai said, smiling at Noona.

Noona blinked, pointing at herself. Kai and I nodded, to show her how eager we were to meet her again. Even though it was mostly Hyung who was doing all the talking, Kai and I enjoyed the moments when Noona would give her own input to the conversation. It was usually a snarky comment or an indifferent response--either way, Noona was very blunt and didn't hesitate to say anything cynical.

 "Well, I guess it's not too much trouble if I did..." she shrugged. She then gave us a small smile, her eyes meeting mine.  

(I think. I don't know. It felt that way to me.)

"Sure."

Hyung, however, was displeased--evident from the frown that formed on his baby-face. He folded his arms, and looked at Noona full of contempt. "Great, now I have to share my favorite dongsaengs with you."

Noona rolled her eyes and grabbed the back of his shirt. "Whatever, Lu." She started to pull at it, causing Hyung to stumble backwards. So as not to lose balance, Hyung turned around and let himself be dragged by Noona towards her car.

"Hey!"

"Come on, man, we better get going. I don't want the others' drinks to start tasting awful just because they weren't consumed within the first two hours of being bought."

"Wait, you bought Kris and the others milk tea?"

"Yeah."

"What about me? You didn't buy me one?"

"Se Hun already bought for you. Now shut up, Lu Han. Back at the dorm, you're really quiet, but when you're with your friends, you're too loud. It's embarrassing."

Kai and I chuckled at their conversation. Soon enough, their voices grew faint as they disappeared into the walls of Noona's silver car. She started the engine, and drove off to return to university.

In less than a few minutes, Noona's car had already exited the campus.

"Hey, Se Hun, why didn't you drink the chocolate milk tea you bought for yourself?" Kai asked me as we made our way to the bicycles.

"Hmm, oh, that's because I drank chamomile tea back at the tea store," I answered, unlocking my bike. The lock clicked open, and I unwound the chains to free my bicycle.

Kai raised an eyebrow. "Chamomile? That sounds awfully fancy, man."

I laughed. "I know right. Anyway, while Noona and I were at the store, my stomach started to hurt. She said that chamomile tea was good for stomach aches. I didn't drink the milk tea anymore because it might just react with the chamomile."

Kai hummed in response, unlocking his bike as well.

"You know," I said, getting on my bike. "I told Noona about my break-up."

"Whoah! Really?" Kai exclaimed, almost dropping the handles of his bike. "You wouldn't even tell Hyung!"

I grinned awkwardly and my lips. "Yeah, I know...It's just...My stomach started hurting and there was no other explanation but that, so...it just slipped, you know?"

But deep inside, I'm glad it was Noona whom I told my story to. Had it been Hyung, it would have ended rather predictably. He would have fussed over my love life, and I want that to be the least bit of my problems. Noona, meanwhile, was very cool about it. And while in most circumstances, I would have felt bad if someone felt apathetic about my situation or my feelings, I appreciated the fact that Noona wasn't thinking of any of those. She gave me advice without considering my perspective.

It was a raw slap from reality.

"Hey, Se Hun," Kai's voice rang over the sound of our wheels turning.

"Yeah?"

"Tell me I'm not the only one who thinks this but...Noona and Hyung...They look good together, right?"

I stopped pedaling, and firmly planted a foot on the ground. Kai halted as well.

"Se Hun?"

Do they look good together?

If they do, then what of it? Does that mean that they'll end up together? But, even if they don't look good together, that doesn't guarantee that they won't end up together, either. 

Just what am I thinking? 

Snapping back to reality, I chuckled nervously then grinned at Kai. "Yeah, of course they do!"

That sounded so forced, Oh Sehun. 

Kai flashed a lopsided smile, "They really do, don't they? They should hook up as soon as possible!"

I clutched my stomach as I felt the impending sting of a familiar sensation. 

Note to self: get chamomile tea at the nearest grocery store tonight. 

Author's Note:

Hi, guys! This idea popped into my head after visiting the two neighboring/rivaling tea stores in my village :)) 

I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Comment if you can, okay? :-) They make me happy!

Thanks for reading!