It’s been a month since the two shared a kiss, and yet none of them have ever declared anything. The relationship has grown, of course, with Myungsoo frequently visiting Soojung at the bakery and waits for her until she’s done there, and she sometimes would follow him to go to wherever his photography takes him. She wants to ask what they are, but never has the guts to do so.

She’s only about to take a break when Naeun suddenly rushes into the bakery, and Soojung wonders how she’s still pretty despite anything. She doesn’t fail to notice that secret smile that leaves from Jongin’s lips when he sees the girl, but just like what she expects, that smile only lasts for less than a second. She chuckles and the said boy gives her a questioning look, in which she just shrugs it away.

“Hey, Naeun! What brings you here?” she cheerfully asks.

Jongin’s almost answering for Naeun when she rolls her eyes, cutting him off. “Definitely not you,” she heartlessly says as she puts on an annoyed smile. “And can you get me a caramel frappucino please?”

Jongin narrows his eyes towards her but leaves immediately to get her order done. Naeun then shifts her gaze to Soojung again and asks, “Are you free?”

Soojung raises her eyebrow. “For?”

“Helping me out,” she answers and when Soojung gives her a confused look, she continues.

“There’s a guy,” she says a tad too loud and again, Soojung doesn’t fail to notice that her eyes run to the side, as if she’s checking something out, before they go all the way back to Soojung’s. “From the photography store across the street, and I went there the other day, and I don’t know, he asked me out??? And—“

“He what?!” Jongin suddenly butts in, doesn’t really realise that he’s being loud that people’s head are turned to him. He clears his throat, ignoring the stares as he puts the transparent cup with Naeun’s order in front of her. “I mean, wow, I’m not trying to be mean but he’s for sure has a poor taste,” he says. Behind the counter, Soojung gives Jongin’s wrist a pinch, in which he chooses to ignore it.

Naeun only puts on a smile, even though she somehow gets offended by his words. “At least I get myself a date,” she replies through gritted teeth. “rather than just making other people’s life miserable,”

Sensing the atmosphere is getting tense, Soojung decides to speak. “Wow! Congratulations, Naeun! How can I help you with that?” she asks.

“Can you accompany me to the mall, please? I know you’re working right now but the date is tonight and I don’t have anything to wear so I need new clothes to—“

“As if that would make you any different,” Jongin quietly mutters and Soojung has to pinch him again, this time at his arm.

Soojung then gives the girl a smile. “It’s okay, and sure, let’s go?” she says before she turns her head to Jongin. “You know what to do, right? I’ll be back in a few hours.” She quickly takes off the apron and grabs her bag.

Soojung grabs Naeun’s arm and drags her but then stops when Jongin suddenly Naeun calls out. He sheepishly rubs the back of his neck and Soojung wonders if he’s being shy at the moment.

“You forget your drink,” he says, pointing to the cup.

Naeun shrugs. “That’s for the pony,”

+

Soojung helps Naeun with all the bags, and even though it’s only a date, the girl actually buys a lot of things but rather than complaining, Soojung gives comments on her choices because she could feel the date is somehow, important for her. It’s only after 4 hours they’re finally done with the shopping spree. Naeun brings Soojung to a fast food restaurant to treat her, and she comes back to their table with their orders.

Soojung’s eyes turn big upon seeing the food. “Wow! Are you sure we can finish all these?”

Naeun only laughs. “Myungsoo says you eat a lot, and I’m a big eater too so yeah, I’m sure we can finish all these,”

Soojung nods her head, wondering what else he has said to Naeun about her. She begins eating after that, chattering with her in between bites, laughs at some places with what the girl says, and she seems to get it why people are into her. Naeun has this aura, a bright, magnetic one that will attract one to her, in a good kind of way. No wonder Myungsoo has been friend with her too. And now Jongin seems to be drawing into her as well.

“Speaking of Myungsoo, how long has you two known each other? I asked him before and he said it’s not my place to know. Geez that kid,” Naeun rolls her eyes at the end of the sentence before she feeds herself some french fries.

"7 this year. We were schoolmates,”

“Only schoolmates?” Naeun asks, a playful smile creeps up on her lips.

Seeing that smile, Soojung couldn’t help smiling too. “What is that supposed to mean?” she mumbles as she plays with the straw of her drink.

“Nothing. It’s just, I’ve been friend with him for 3 years now, and never have I ever seen his eyes light up so bright before, not until he went back to Korea 2 months ago. And I could say it’s because of you,” Naeun spills the beans. “I had to ask him to stop talking one day because he had been talking about you a lot! Can you imagine that? The oh-so-cold Kim Myungsoo suddenly being too loud, and it was because of a girl, and I was like, ‘I need to meet this girl as soon as possible’. And I did. And I get it why,”

Soojung’s heart begins to beat wildly against her rib cage. Naeun’s words ring loudly in her ears and then she reaches out for her drink before sipping on it. After that she says, “You’re being ridiculous,”

Naeun laughs out loud as she waves her hands. “I know I’m always a ridiculous one, but I am so not being one right now!” she gives Soojung a sincere smile. “I don’t know what’s going on between you two, or what you both had in the past, but I know it’s not something that could be thrown away just like that.”

Soojung gives Naeun an undefined look, in which she takes that as a cue for her to continue.

“I’m no love expert, Soojung. But I could tell things. I’ve never been in love, but I could tell because I keep people who are in love in my photographs. I know the looks they have when they look at their partners. They look like as if nothing else matters whenever they’re together, and that’s how he looks at you when you two are together. He looks at you like you’re his universe. To be someone’s world is amazing, but to be someone’s universe, is a completely different story. It’s beyond that. I wish someone will look at me like that too.”

Soojung shifts in her seat. Her chest feels heavy out of a sudden. She feels like crying but holds it in. Naeun doesn’t say much but she feels like she has received a lot that her brain couldn’t take anything in anymore, but she wants to hear more. And she feels like running away, too. To wherever he is right now.

“Have you looked through his collections, by the way?” Naeun suddenly asks.

Soojung slowly shakes her head, indicating a ‘no’. Naeun’s gaze softens after that when she sees the look the girl in front of her has on her face. She looks confused, unsure but her eyes show fire and determination. Maybe fear too. For what reason she doesn’t know. But everyone has fear, and it’s good to have fears but why would one let fear to decide their fate?

“I asked him once, what does he photograph? The element. And you know what he answered?”

Soojung shakes her head again.

“He said he photographs the things he’s afraid to lose.” Naeun says, spilling secret that she knows Myungsoo wouldn’t love to know, but she knows she would regret if she doesn’