#03: curiosity doesn't kill cats. it kills me.

“How was your date?”

Jongin and Sehee are sitting in the living-room, Sehee hovering over her homework and Jongin over his phone. He has been fiddling with it for a while now, unsure if he could ask her so bluntly. He is her best friend, so it is okay to ask, but it’s not like Sehee is obliged to tell him about every part of her life, even less her love life. In the end, he couldn’t help. Jongin had to ask or his curiosity will kill him, just as the weird feeling in his stomach. He thinks there’s a headache coming up as well.

“You mean yesterday?” Sehee is looking at him, lips curled up into a smile. It doesn’t quite reach her eyes, is not the full eye smile that expresses her happiness, rather an amused one. Jongin nods

“It was nice,” Sehee replies, a real smile appearing now, the one with sparkles in her eyes. Jongin’s stomach drops.

“Minseok is a real gentleman. He was really sweet.”

Jongin has always been Sehee’s pillar and greatest supporter and even now, with her date in half an hour, Jongin is still her hero. He has calmed her down, his guidance helping her to finally clear her head and start preparing. She is clad in the outfit they have chosen on a shopping trip together prior and the make up she is wearing now is not professional, but it makes her beauty shine still, more so, because it has been carefully applied by her best friend. At least that is what Sehee tells him.

“Thank you,” Sehee mumbles as they start walking towards the bus station.

“That’s what best friends are for,” Jongin reassures her, squeezing her hand. As long as Sehee remembers, Jongin has held her hand to calm her down, whether during the short breaktime before an exam or the second before she has to transform into someone else, a different persona to pose with the charisma model Oh Sehee apparently has, but normal student Oh Sehee has not. Jongin’s warm fingers around hers are like an anchor to tranquility, to everything that feels safe.

“I hope I won’t embarrass myself,” Sehee whispers, barely audible, and gets another squeeze in return.

“You won’t,” Jongin reassures her, voice oozing confidence that Sehee absorps.

“I won’t,” she repeats, not quite convinced yet, but she sounds a little more secure than a moment ago.

They are standing there, facing each other as they wait for the bus. Both their hands are holding on to the other’s hands now.

“You will do fine,” Jongin says, smiling encouragingly.

“Can’t you come with me?” Sehee asks, panicked, when she sees the bus approaching.

Jongin shakes his head, laughing. “It is a date. You are not supposed to bring along a friend without having asked before.”

“Only to the restaurant?” Her eyes are begging now, but Jongin stands firm.

“Here’s your handbag. Don’t lose it,” he says, handing over the bag. Sehee is not used to carry it around because usually, she uses her backpack. On the few occasions that she would use it, it is still Jongin carrying it for her, a reason people sometimes mistake them for a couple. Because a normal frie