It was summer, several summers before Kim Myungsoo had become a colder version of himself, and Sungjong was a sassy yet considerably less rude teenager, slumping over the kitchen table in and trying to stay awake long enough to eat. He had just gotten home from night study. For once, he and Woohyun were getting along beautifully, and the older boy stood at the stove, stirring a pot of ramyeon and singing in a low voice. Woohyun always sang. Sometimes Sunggyu would join him.

“Hyung, I’m hungry,” Sungjong mumbled.

“Chin up!” Sunggyu said, clapping Sungjong on the shoulder as he passed by. “You might be the maknae, but you have the most fight in you. Don’t forget that, alright, Sungjongie?”

Woohyun turned away from the stove. “Do you also want ramyeon?”

Sunggyu nodded slowly. “Eh...just a little bit.”

“Hyung, you’re going to end up eating all of mine,” Sungjong said sleepily.

“Yah! Sungjong-ah, your mother called while you were at night study. She said to give you her love. She really misses you.”

Myungsoo wandered into the kitchen, camera in hand. “Sungjong, would you mind posing for a moment?”

“What?” Sungjong blinked.

“Actually, never mind; don’t pose. It’s better candid. Just act normally.”

Sungjong sighed and let his head fall to rest in his hands as his eyes fluttered closed. Myungsoo snapped the photo.

“Trials of a high-school student in the Republic of South Korea,” he declared.

If the viewer looked close enough, Sunggyu was just barely visible in the background, sneaking some ramyeon from the pot. But no one ever saw the photo. Myungsoo forgot to develop the film until the next summer, and the final photo now lay forgotten at the bottom of a drawer, just as the people in that snapshot of time remained frozen, unable to change or feel.

Park Yoojin wiped down the countertop as the last customer left.

“Yah, Lee Sungyeol!” She called. “It’s your turn to wash the coffee cups!”

Sungyeol meandered out of the back room. “Is it?”

Yoojin nodded.

“Alright, alright,” Sungyeol grumbled, picking up a sponge and heading for the sink. He had barely disappeared into the kitchen when the bell tinkled as someone walked through the front entrance.

“We’re closing n-” Yoojin stopped when she saw who was standing on the other side of the counter. “Kim Myungsoo-ssi. Hello.” She bowed.

Myungsoo regarded her with his usual blank look and bowed in return before letting his eyes wander around the coffee shop. “Is Sungyeol here?”

“He’s washing the dishes in the back. You can go see him if you like. It should be alright since we’re closing anyway.”

Myungsoo shook his head. “I’ll wait. Ah...” He took out his phone and typed something in. “Can we make an appointment?

Yoojin looked confused. “An appointment?”

“For the photos,” he said plainly. “I can capture what you need, but I’ll also need you to come along to ensure that the end result is favorable for your boss.”

“Oh!” Yoojin nodded. “Of course.”

Myungsoo checked his phone again. “Does Friday evening work for you? I can meet you at six o’clock.”

Yoojin did a mental check of her schedule. “Yes, that’s fine. I’m not working, and I don’t have any classes after two.”

“Good.” Myungsoo said briskly, and typed something into his phone. “I think Hongdae is the best place to shoot. It’ll still be light out. You can decide where to meet and text me the location.”

“Okay.” Yoojin smiled. “It’s a date.”

Myungsoo regarded her for a moment. “It’s not.”

“I didn’t mean it that way,” Yoojin said, mortified. “I mean I’ll see you then.”

At this point, Sungyeol emerged from the kitchen, removing his apron. He looked up, startled, when he saw Myungsoo standing there.

“Myungsoo-yah!” He called. “What are you doing, chatting up Yoojin?”

Yoojin blushed against her will. She might hate Myungsoo’s cold demeanor, but he was still one of the most attractive men she had seen in her life. And Yoojin saw male students every day.

“I am not.” Myungsoo said acidly.

“Oh?” Sungyeol turned to Yoojin. “I’m surprised you got him to talk. Myungsoo doesn’t enjoy conversing with people he doesn’t know.”

“We know each other a little,” Yoojin said cautiously, studying Myungsoo’s face out of the corner of her eye.

“It’s business,” Myungsoo informed Sungyeol.

Sungyeol shrugged. “If you say so. Let’s go, let’s go.” He headed for the door. “Bye, Yoojin.”

Myungsoo blinked a few times, exhaled loudly, and faced Yoojin.

“Goodbye,” he said with unnecessary formality, and followed Sungyeol out into the twilight.

Yoojin watched them go. Friday evening was certainly going to be interesting.