[07] BELIEVE, mumford & sons
I had the strangest feeling, your world’s not all it seems

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“Oh, you! You’re Soojung’s friend, the rapper boy! Uh… This is awkward. Where the hell is my sister?”

He and she ended up being sat on the couch next to each other, morning breaths and messy mops of hair on heads that hung low, while her sister droned on and on about the importance of waiting, that it was good he could control himself this time, but please, “please, no more falling asleep within a distance of minimum two kilometers from my baby sister.”

It was rather funny: Her sister trying to be stern but coming off as awkward and uncomfortable.

He and she shared mocking smiles whenever they thought her sister was not looking. “Don’t worry, J. The Hugeboy Mino Starter Pack comes with a complementary box of Trojan and Durex.”

Her sister would have fainted if only he did not any sooner clarify, “No, Jessica sunbaenim, Soojung’s just messing with you! I! I wouldn’t dare!”

She filled the room with her laugh and mischievousness, while he and her sister each heaved a sigh of relief.

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He went back to his dorm and the first thing he did was confront Seunghoon. “Why did you lie to Krystal, man?”

Seunghoon put on his puppy eyes. “Aw, Mino oppa, I don’t like seeing you lose it because of her.”

Mino oppa was not in the mood to horse around. “What? I didn’t lose it, Hoon. I never do.”

Seunghoon put away his puppy eyes. “Don’t make me laugh. You drank the pain away. You locked yourself for days. If it wasn’t because of a girl—because of her—what else was it for?”

“Excuse me? Are you serious? Did you hear yourself talking ? I—”

“Besides, I’ve been observing you for a while now. You’ve changed. Aside from group schedule, you no longer spend time with us. Zico told me you didn’t even see him as often anymore.”

“What the , Hoon? Are you jealous?”

“What? No. Rule number one, Minho: Bros before hoes.”

“But Krystal’s no ing hoe, you !”

So much for a confrontation, really.

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The air felt cleaner, the sun shone brighter. When she ordered “one caffè latte with more milk,” Sunyoung lifted one of her eyebrows.

“No more Americano?”

She shrugged, hiding the pink on her cheeks. “Americano is for gloomy Soojung.”

“Soojung’s no more gloomy?”

The air felt cleaner, the sun shone brighter. The birds were chirping, the flowers were dancing. Her cheeks were still pink as she answered, “No. No, she’s not.”

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He kicked those small rocks on the side of the street. He had just called Zico, “Hey, Hyung, what’s up?” but Zico only said he was busy then Zico hung up.

He kicked those small rocks lying on the side of the lonely street.

The images were hazy but he recalled having said the same thing to people on the other end of the line, too.

Zico might be or might not be included.

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He was almost asleep when she found him on her front porch.

“Minho?! You’re here? Why didn’t you call me?”

He stood up, dusting off his pants. He walked up to her and cupped her cheeks in his freezing hands.

“Why didn’t you tell me that you’re here? And why is your face… Is something the matter, Minho? Did anyone hurt you?”

He leaned a little closer and landed a chaste kiss on one of those cheeks. “You won’t leave me even if one day I act like a , right?”

She pushed him off, grumbling, “You have been one, remember? You’ve left. And I don’t know why—maybe I hit my head or something—but I’m. Still. Here.”

Softly smiling more to himself than to her, he echoed what she said, nodding, “You’re still here.”

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“What’s with him? Why was he so weird? Different? A little sorry? And what’s with the kiss? Aye, it wasn’t one. It was just a peck. Why did he give me a peck, though? Aye, who cares? He was being weird and—”

“Krystal, quit talking to yourself while having dinner.”

“…”

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What Seunghoon said kept ringing in his mind. Was he really forgetting all his other friends because of Soojung? He confronted Seunghoon again and apologized, “Sorry for calling you an .”

Seunghoon grunted. “Sorry for indirectly calling Krystal a hoe.”

Two hours later found them huddled in front of the TV laughing at something Yoo Jaesuk said. Boys made up quickly, Seungyoon noted as he passed them on his way to the bathroom.

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“Hey, Soojung, what if you see Seunghoon again? With me, too, of course. We can hang out together or do something.”

“Why should I?”

“I want my friends to know you, too.”

“But I don’t like him.”

“That’s fine. He doesn’t like you either.”

“Then why do you insist?”

“Please, Soojung? Pretty please with a cherry on top?”

She had grumbled then and she was still grumbling now as she entered a tiny bagel shop not far from her house.

“Do you want me to order something for you?” he softly asked, knowing well that she was still mad.

She shook her head, pursing her lips. She diverted her focus onto the other guy, “Surely it’s nice to meet you again.”

Seunghoon scratched his head. “Yeah, right, Evil Ice Queen.” He gulped. “I meant Krystal!”

She judged him quite hard before dismissing it. “Shouldn’t you be saying sorry for having lied to me?”

“I’m sorry. Minho was in distress for days. I thought it was your doing.” Seunghoon bit his lip, thinking that this girl in front of him had quite the talent for making people uncomfortable. It was very strange how Minho seemed to be unaffected by her—her aloofness—insincerity. She was sort of glaring—not listening—not there. Then she glanced at Minho and whispered something along the lines of “what did he mean by your being in distress? ‘Cause of me?”

Minho shook his head. “No, not you. I was stupid, remember? Want to try my bagel? It’s good.”

She studied Minho for a while before giving in. She took a bite of his bagel. Then two. Then three.

“Those