“Are you sure you’re telling me everything? Because I feel like you’re lying,” Daehyun accused, watching me with suspicious eyes from where he sat on his bed.

I grunted and waved him off, too busy trying to find a hair tie. My hair had been poking my eyes all afternoon and I was finally happy to get it out of my face. Unfortunately, I didn't own any hair ties, but as I rummaged through my draw, I found the headband I had worn the other day. As I pushed it onto my head, I purposely kept my face away from Daehyun, whose eyes I could still feel on me. 

All afternoon since I’d come back from Yongguk’s place, Daehyun, Zelo, and Himchan had been pestering my to know what happened. Naturally, I lied. There was no way I was going to tell them that Yongguk gave me his number or the fact that he’d somehow magically decided to be my personal tutor. Knowing them, they were all going to overreact and I really didn't want to deal with that. Himchan would have made a scene, taking the chance to spew some overprotective big brother crap, and Daehyun would have tried another of his ‘matchmaking antics’ which was more bothersome and embarrassing than actually helpful. And even though I barely even knew Zelo, the kid had been just as bad as Daehyun when I got back to the shop. Remembering how they had followed me around all afternoon was enough for me to shake my head. Yeah, there was no way they could know about this. 

But even though I thought I’d made it clear that I wasn't going to say anything, Daehyun was as persistent as ever and was still on it even now as we got ready for bed. 

“You two did the dirty, didn't you?” Daehyun asked, leading me to turn around to shoot him a confused look. 

“Did the dirty?” I repeated as I sat down on my bed, watching Daehyun give me a suggestive eye wiggle. 

“You two had se—”

He didn't get to finish because I hauled my bedroom slipper at him, where it smacked him in the face with a sharp slap. 

“Ow!” He shrieked. “You little rascal!”

“Why would you say that?!” I shrieked, palming my face with my hands to hide how red my face was. Now that he’d brought up the idea, I couldn't stop picturing it and it was causing me to get all hot and sweaty. I grabbed a pillow to hide my face in, trying to shake the idea out of my head. 

Daehyun snickered from across the room and I peeked over the pillow to glare at him. That only made him laugh louder. 

“I’m right, aren't I?” he asked eagerly, still snickering like a madman. 

I groaned loudly, smashing the pillow against my face a couple of times before I jumped off the bed. 

“Hey, where’re you going?” Daehyun called behind me as I made me way to our front door, grabbing a hoodie on the way. 

“Far away from you,” I snapped childishly, turning around to stick my tongue out a him. 

“Are you sure you’re not sneaking off to see a certain someone?”

I threw my hands up in exasperation, casting one last glare at a hysterically laughing Daehyun before I made my way out of our room and into the hallway. 

I grumbled to myself about how I needed better friends as I stalked down the brightly lit hall, pausing halfway to the stairs to tug the hoodie over my head. I didn't really know where I was going, but I knew I had to go somewhere private— somewhere without a nosy Daehyun snooping over my shoulder. 

Why, you might ask? 

Because I still needed to call Yongguk. I had been delaying it all afternoon because those morons wouldn't leave me alone at the pizzeria, and Daehyun had still kept it up even after we had made it back to the dorms. 

I was smiling like an idiot now as I climbed down the stairs, happily recounting what had happened with Yongguk. Sure I had made a fool of myself, but it had lead me to getting to hang out with him, so I wasn't complaining. 

I wondered down to the first floor and found my way into the student lounge at the end of the hall. 

There was a small kitchen in here right beside a large open room with couches and bean bags all set around a flat screen tv hooked to the wall. As I walked in, I noticed I had the place all the myself, not that I was surprised seeing as how it was almost eleven at night and everyone was in the comfort of their own rooms. 

I plopped down on the nearest sofa. I eagerly fished out my phone, going through my contacts until I came across the one that had me giddy all afternoon. I held in the excited squeal by biting on the neckline of my hoodie, anxiously staring at the number.

As I was about to press ‘call’, I suddenly started getting nervous, my eyebrows drawing together. 

What was I going to say if he answered? Was it too late to call? Should I maybe wait until morning?

I groaned into my hand. Maybe I should just send him a text… 

I was thinking over what I should say in the text when I heard a voice. 

“Hello?”

I looked around the room, scowling when I saw there was no one with me. 

“Hello?” the voice sounded again. 

It was then that I looked down at the phone in my hand. 

I gasped when I finally noticed I had accidentally pressed the call button. I quickly brought the phone up to my ear, almost having it slip out of my sweaty hands. 

“H-Hello? Yongguk?” 

I heard a sigh over the line. “Youngjae, hey. I was getting worried you wouldn't call.”

I don’t know what made me happier. The fact that I was talking to Yongguk or the fact that he’d been worried that I wasn't going to call. I was about to start giggling like an idiot, but I quickly swallowed it down. 

Yongguk was waiting for me to say something, so I said the first thing that came to mind. 

“I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

Yongguk chuckled over the line as I was smacking myself in the forehead. The first thing I say to him and it has to be that??? Not even a ‘hello’? Nice social skills, Youngjae. 

“I-I mean, I’m excited about studying… learning… and stuff,” I struggled to find something to say, but I think I only made it worse. I coughed awkwardly, fidgeting with the sleeve of my hoodie as I waited to see if he’d hung up. 

“That’s great to hear. I’m also looking forward to seeing you.”

Oh gosh, did I hear him properly? Looking forward to seeing me? The giggles were back, but I chomped down on the hoodie sleeve again. 

“W-What time did you want to meet up?” I asked timidly. 

“Whatever time is good for you. I’ve got all day,” he said. I pouted, trying to come up with a decent time. If it was too early, I would look like I wanted to spend too much time with him, but then if it was too late, we’d just have to study, and I wanted to actually talk to him. 

“Um, is one in the afternoon too early?” I asked hesitantly after a moment. 

“No, no, that’s perfect,” he said, making me smile. “How about I pick you up in front of your dorm tomorrow?” he suggested suddenly. 

My mouth dropped open. 

Was he offering to pick me up? Isn’t that what you do on dates? 

“I’ll be in the area and I wouldn’t mind walking with you,” he said after I was too stunned to say anything.  

“O-Oh, um ok,” I finally stuttered out, causing him to chuckle again. 

“Ok, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then,” he said. “Goodnight, Youngjae.”

“Goodnight,” I managed to say before the line clicked. 

I brought my phone down into my lap to stare at it for a moment before I brought my hands up and finally let out the giggles into the sleeves of my hoodie. 

I fell sideways on the couch and continued to wiggle around in excitement, thankful there was no one around to give me weird looks. 

It was a good ten minutes before I got myself to finally calm down, and by that time I’d tired myself out. Today was probably the most eventful day for me in a while. Aside from the Yongguk situation and being pestered to talk about it, Himchan had actually sent me on a few more deliveries, and I think I was getting used to it. Everyone I’d had to deliver to had been nice to me, so that definitely made the job easier. Plus, the scooter was kind of growing on me. 

I smiled, thinking that this whole job didn't turn out to be a bad thing. I noticed my eyes starting to get droopy, and I let them slide close after reassuring myself that I’d go back to my room after a few minutes. 

It was no surprise that I ended up falling into a deep comforting sleep on the couch, completely forgetting that I was still in the student lounge. 

I don't know when it happened, but in my sleep, I heard someone mumble something from above me before I felt myself being lifted up. I was too tired to completely wake up though, and soon fell back asleep, only to wake up the next morning in my room. I slowly sat up, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes as I looked around in confusion. I could've sworn I fell asleep downstairs. Just then, the front door opened and in Daehyun came holding two wrapped up sandwiches in his hands. 

“Look who’s up,” he grinned. He tossed me a sandwich as he plopped himself down on his bed, unwrapping his sandwich and biting into it. 

I was still blinking around, trying to remember if I had actually made it back to my room before I had fallen asleep. Daehyun seemed to notice. 

“What kind of idiot falls asleep in the lounge?” he asked through a mouthful of food. “If I hadn't brought you back up here, you would’ve woken up to a face full of sharpie maker,” he scolded, giving me that stern look that reminded me too much of Himchan. 

Finally understanding the situation, I mumbled a thanks, slumping back onto the bed, with the sandwich getting lost under the covers. Daehyun snorted at that, but went back to eating his. 

“So what time is your date with Mr. y?” he asked, once again not waiting until he was done chewing. 

My eyes were sleepily fluttering open and close as I thought about the question. 

“Mmm… I think at one,” I said lazily. I almost drifted back to sleep if I hadn't just realized what Daehyun had asked. 

My eyes snapped back opened and I peered over the blankets to glare at Daehyun. He caught me looking and looked away innocently. 

“So I might have followed you downstairs and happened to overhear you talking to what’s his face,” he shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal. 

I let out a sigh, deciding it was no use fighting it. I snuggled deeper under the blankets and was getting ready to get a few more minutes of shut eye before I felt something hit my blanket lightly. 

I groaned and peeked over the edge of the blanket again to see Daehyun had thrown his wrapper at me. 

“Don’t go back to sleep. We’ve got a lot to do before your date.”

“Like what?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at him. 

“You’ll see,” was all he said before he hopped off his bed to pull at my blankets. 

~ 

“I feel like I’m in a spy movie. It’s like we’re preparing for a mission.,” Daehyun chuckled, bringing his hands up to make a gun, pretending to aim it at me. “We should get walkie talkies to make it feel real.”

I rolled my eyes, knocking his ‘gun’ out of my face. 

It was nearing one and Daehyun insisted that he wanted to wait outside with me. Yongguk had texted a couple of minutes ago saying he was almost here. I had put up a fight, but in the end Daehyun won, and so now the two of us were waiting in front of the student building. 

Daehyun brought his hand up again, this time to pretend to talk into an earpiece. 

“The target has yet to arrive, calling for backup. This is agent Daehyun, I repeat I need backup,” he whispered in a hushed tone, still acting like a doofus. 

Just then, someone running across the yard yelling my name had us both looking up.

“And there comes my backup,” Daehyun snickered. 

When I saw who it was, I immediately turned to make a run for it back into the building, but Daehyun grabbed me around the waist, laughing as he hauled me off my feet and spun me around to see Himchan sprinting closer. I cringed when this little display started getting onlookers from people leaving for class. I fought to get out of Daehyun’s grip, but the dude had arms of steel. 

“You just had to call him, didn't you,” I accused grumpily, getting ready to throw a er punch backwards at Daehyun. 

“What? Pshhhh, no,” he laughed, keeping me in place for Himchan, who slowed to a stop, wheezing and panting like that old man he was. 

Daehyun grinned at my brother, still refusing to let me go as I went back and forth between glaring at both of them. 

“Look, Channie. I caught him for you,” Daehyun exclaimed happily. 

Himchan was still panting for breath, but he gave Daehyun a thumbs up before gesturing for Daehyun to let me go. 

Daehyun complied, although planting his arms down firmly on my shoulders so I couldn't run off again. 

There was only one reason Himchan was here, and that was most likely to confront Yongguk and try to play the overprotective older brother. It was just an embarrassment waiting to happen. 

“Jae,” Himchan crooned. “Why didn't you tell me you had a date?”

“It’s not a date,” I grumbled, casting back a dirty look at Daehyun, who was not even paying attention to me anymore as he’d moved closer to Himchan, seeking out a hug. 

Himchan, however, barely paid him any mind and moved to grab onto me instead. 

“Himchan,” I groaned, trying to pull away from the hug. “Shouldn’t you be at work or something?”

“No way,” he stated firmly as he pulled away. “I can’t miss sending my baby brother off on his first date. Plus, I gotta talk to that punk to make sure he doesn’t try anything when you two are alone.”

I groaned again into my hands, trying to block out the snickers coming from Daehyun. 

“Wait, I think I see him coming,” Daehyun exclaimed, causing me to peek through my fingers. Himchan’s eyes snapped up with a glare, looking around frantically to where Daehyun was quite obnoxiously pointing. 

Yongguk was indeed coming this way with a broad smile on, somehow looking at me and not at Daehyun who was waving his hands around to get Yongguk’s attention. 

“That’s him?!” Himchan looked beyond annoyed as he squinted at Yongguk who was still halfway across the yard. Yongguk was dressed simply with a black t-shirt and matching jeans, but damn did it make him look good. As he got closer to us, I could feel Himchan getting more pumped up, and I silently prayed that he wouldn't do anything too embarrassing. 

“Oh, this is gonna be good,” Daehyun whispered from beside me. “I think I’m going to film it.” 

I watched in horror as Himchan confidently marched up to Yongguk and got right in his face, startling Yongguk into taking a few steps back.

“Um, hi?” Yongguk greeted, looking like he had no idea why a little angry man was glaring up at him. 

“So you’re the guy my baby brother has been drooling over,” Himchan said as he scanned over Yongguk like he hadn't just said something completely humiliating. I covered my face for the hundreth time today, hoping that somehow Yongguk hadn't actually heard that. 

Yongguk seemed surprised, his eyebrows unknotting as he glanced over Himchan’s head to smile widely at me. 

I blushed bright red, ducking to hide behind Daehyun who I realized was actually filming. I went to jab him hard in the ribs, but Himchan was going at it again. 

“You look like a punk,” Himchan stated. “I don’t let punks date my baby brother.” 

“Himchan, it’s not a date,” I whined from behind Daehyun, but Yongguk just chuckled. 

“You don’t have to worry, we’re just going to study for his linear algebra class,” Yongguk assured. 

Himchan looked like he didn't believe him one bit. “How old are you?”

“I’m a senior,” Yongguk answered with a smile, although he looked like he was actually taking Himchan seriously. 

“Do you do drugs?” Himchan asked out of the blue. 

Oh god, someone make it stop. 

“No, sir.”

“Are you a ?”

I gasped at Himchan’s absurdity.

“Himchan!” I darted out from behind Daehyun and passed around Himchan to grab Yongguk’s arm to start dragging him away. Yongguk stumbled backwards, but then caught himself and started to follow as I kept pulling him in the other direction. 

“I’ll be back later, so don’t call my phone,” I called sternly over my shoulder before turning back to march straight ahead before they decided to follow us. 

I heard someone whistle from behind us and I didn't have to turn around to know it was Daehyun. 

Yongguk chuckled as I brought a hand up to rub at my temple. 

“Interesting friend,” he chuckled. “And your brother was no joke.”

“Sorry about them,” I mumbled. “They can be mentally challenged sometimes.”

Yongguk laughed. “It’s ok. I’m just glad we’re getting to hang out today.”

I blushed visibly, and kept my head forward, hoping he wouldn't notice.

“Hey, do you wanna get some ice cream?” he suggested, causing me to look at him with wide eyes.  

“W-What about studying?” 

“There’s plenty of time for that later,” he said with a grin.