“Thank you for walking me to the station again, Yixing.” She smiles sincerely, and leans to peck Yixing’s cheek. He isn’t able to move for a minute, and he clears his throat to cover up for his embarrassment. “Coffees do taste better if you’re accompanied by someone special.”

Yixing can only tug his lips into an awkward grin as Seohyun bids goodbye to enter the station. Once she’s out of his sight, he heaves a deep sigh. Why isn’t his heart beating fast like when he first saw Seohyun? He shakes the thought off and convinces himself that he is too happy to even think like that.

Walking down the busy streets of the downtown, he notices a bookstore. He smiles upon remembering how much Seohyun likes to read. There is another person who enters his mind, and he feels his heart drop. How the heck could he forget his promised poetry sessions with Yoona?

He didn’t know what to do. He cannot text her to meet him right at that moment because he doesn’t have her digits. If he asks Kyungsoo for his number, he will smell something fishy and continue questioning him before giving her number. He is left with no choice but to wait for tomorrow and tell her he’s sorry.

He reaches home without even noticing. His mind is too pre-occupied with the thought of being too absorbed on his little dates with Seohyun that he has forgotten another promise. He is a man of his words, and never did he break a pledge.

Another thing is bothering him. Why didn’t Yoona remind him in the first place? And if ever she knew and waited in the café, why didn’t she get mad like how she always did? He is thinking that maybe it didn’t matter to Yoona and she thinks that it’s better off this way because atleast her time will not be wasted.

Yoona listens to what Jessica has to say as she continues to ramble on the issue about Seohyun.

“Come on, Yoona. We’ve known her since elementary! All the boys who wanted to date always, I repeat, always have undergone us!” She exclaims as she punches the pillow in frustration. “What could have gone wrong for her to be this distant to us?”

Yoona sighs, knowing what Jessica means. Seohyun is basically a sister for them because the five of them have basically grown up together. She, Victoria, Jessica, and Shin Hye have been friends since they were in their diapers, and they finally met Seohyun when they were in the second grade. They’ve known each other by hearts, and she didn’t know why there is a big gap between the four of them and Seohyun now.

“Victoria-unnie told us that we’ll be talking about this matter once we’re complete. Since Shin Hye unnie will be back from her volleyball competition tomorrow, why won’t we talk this out soon?” She moves closer to the latter and hugs her tightly. “We’ll get over this.”

“I just wish that she’d open this up with us, Yoong. I can’t be happy for the both of them if they keep on doing this behind our backs.”

*

Yixing fidgets as he walks around the room. He is debating on whether he should go apologize to Yoona or not. There are 20 minutes left before the lunch is over, and he knows that she’s just in her room. Seohyun has told him that they do not leave the room during lunch time because they eat their snacks together there.

After another minute of pacing around, he finally makes up his mind. He takes a deep breath as he proceeds to march off the classroom. He greets students along the way and when he finally reaches their room, he is greeted with the sight of Yoona laughing her off probably because a friend of hers cracked a joke up.

He is about to excuse her when Seohyun pops in front of him. “Oh, Lay! Are you here for me?” Her eyes twinkle so bright that he cannot tell her that he’s actually here for her friend. He releases a sigh before smiling lightly to the latter and nods his head. “Great! I was just supposed to go to the cafeteria!”

She excuses herself from her friends who did not seem to hear her. Yoona turns around only to see Seohyun walking beside Yixing. She sighs inaudibly, thinking that maybe Yixing is just joking about that poetry lesson. Shin Hye notices the discomfort of her friend and leans to whisper.

“Are you okay, Yoong?” She asks, and Yoona just nods. Shin Hye knows that something is bothering Yoona but she did not dig deeper because she knows that the latter will open up if she wants to. “Anyway, we’re going to the coffee shop later to talk to Seo right?” She diverts the topic to distract Yoona.

“Oh, right. It has been a week.” Irene sighs, as she pouts. She misses Seohyun a lot because she has been a very good big sister to her. They even call themselves “Joohyun squared” because they share the same first names.

Baekhyun notices that Irene’s mood dropped and he knows why. Aside from Yoona, Seohyun is probably the second closest to the latter. He pokes her sides, earning a glare from the brown-haired lady. “Oh come on, Baechu. Stop lurking, you look ugly.”

Irene just rolls her eyes and is about to ignore Baekhyun but he keeps on poking her sides causing her to almost fall from the chair. “Fudge you, Bacon!” Baekhyun makes a face and starts to run out of the room. Irene follows him immediately and the two of them are gone in a blink of an eye, causing the gang to erupt in laughter.

“I bet they’ll be together even before we graduate.” Victoria predicts, and nudges Joonmyun. “Looks like you lost from the other midget.” She wiggles her eyebrows and Suho throws her a look.

“I told you, it was just an old crush. I do not like Irene anymore.” Suho denies, his face is covered in red due to embarrassment. They laugh once again, remembering how he once told them that he fell in love with her at first sight when they met in middle school. Unfortunately, his friend who was once distant to the girls seems to take an interest on the latter because she is the only one whom he teased a lot.

“Just like what you say, Joonie.” Jessica says, as she turns to look at the group once more. “Anyway, if she doesn’t come with us later I swear, I won’t be coming after her anymore.” She crosses her arms as she leans on her chair as the others sigh. When Jessica has a word on something, she really does it.

Dismissal time comes and the 6 of them immediately fixes their bags. Before Seohyun can even disappear, Irene grabs her arm and smiles sweetly. “Unnie, we are planning to have a group study in our favorite coffee shop. Would you come with us?” She looks at the latter with hoping eyes, and she can only sigh.

“Of course, Irene. Let me just tell Yixing okay?” She says and Irene beams. Seohyun immediately sends a message to Yixing, telling him that he cannot go out with him today because her friends are planning to have a group study. Yixing says it’s okay and that she shall have fun.

The seven of them starts to walk out of the school happily. After a week, they are finally complete. It is a long time for them because back in the days, they will always go to the coffee shop thrice or more a week as a group.

They settle themselves on their favorite spot and ask the boys to order for them. The two groans but knowing that they cannot do anything they just agree and proceeds to go to the counter. The girls start to review their notes when Shin Hye clears .

Jessica looks at her and she starts. “So, Seohyun.” The latter raises her head to look at her. “How are you and Yixing?”

Seohyun’s notebook almost falls to the floor upon realizing that she’s being interrogated by Shin Hye. The latter doesn’t do this unless it’s a very important matter. She notices that the girls have stopped doing their works and she finally knows what they’re up to. “Is this why you’ve decided to have a ‘group’ study?” She calmly asks, though she feels a little angry at the time.

“Look, Seo. We just noticed that these days… you weren’t with us anymore.” Yoona says and looks sadly at her. “Yes, you were there but the next thing we know you’re gone.”

Seohyun looks at her with a skeptic look. “Is this all about Yixing?”

“It’s not –“

“Oh come on Yoona, you’re just jealous because I get to hang out with Yixing!” Seohyun snaps, causing the other girls to be flustered. She notices this and sinks back to her seat after seeing how Yoona looks hurt after she shouted at her.

Jessica is in utter disbelief after hearing Seohyun scream at her closest girlfriend. “Goddamn it Seohyun, we were just ing helping!” She tries to keep her tone down, but threat can be heard in her voice. “Our relationship with you is on the verge of falling because of your selfishness! Tell me, when did you start dating Yixing behind our freaking backs?”

Seohyun is taken aback. She bites her lip as she tries to not cry in front of them. “I am not dating Yixing, we were just hanging out.”

Jessica smiles sarcastically and crosses her arms. “Oh, you’re not dating? But you have been ditching us for him! Where is the Seohyun who doesn’t know how to keep secrets from her dear sisters?” Knowing that she has hit the bull’s eyes, Jessica calms herself. Of course, she feels sorry for snapping at the latter but all her anger just came bursting out.

“Seriously, we’re just friends.” She says in a much clearer voice and looks at them. “Look, I am sorry for being so distant with you. It’s just that… I was so overwhelmed after meeting a new person outside our group and I kind of forgot that I still have you guys. I’m sorry.” Tears finally come falling down her eyes and Shin Hye who is sitting beside her, hugs her tightly.

The other girls were also saying sorry to Seohyun, who soon calms down after the boys come with their beverages. As she takes a sip of her iced coffee, she looks at Yoona and reaches out for her hand. “Yoona, I’m sorry for being mad at you. I didn’t mean it.”

Smiling in relief, Yoona squeezes the hand of the latter. “I know you don’t, Seo.” She pinches her cheek with her other hand. “Just promise us that it won’t happen again okay?”

Seohyun nods and they all burst out laughing. “Gosh, I can’t believe that I almost kicked Seo out of our group!” Jessica says, earning all of them to giggle. Yoona is more than happy to know that they’re still indestructible even after the problem they have faced.

A/N’s

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVE EVERYONE!! SQUEALS BECAUSE IT’S FINALLY CHRISTMAS!! I am not that hyped for it this year, though. My brothers won’t be able to spend with us because they’re busy with works ; ; anw, I hope you all will have a very happy holidays!