"Artificial Nature" was written big and beautifully on the board, no doubt with the help of an art student who asked Dr. Gregory for something to draw.

The only pictures I had on my camera were the one of Thalia, and this grubby old shoe I saw on the ground at the park with moss growing on it. However, one of the first people to present used something similar. She said, "A piece of clothing, though artificial, can adapt to nature and become a part of it."

So Thalia it was. I had no idea what to say about a girl I hated with all of my being.

'I've got you,' Jongin reassured me.

Oh, great, I said sarcastically.

When it was my turn to get up, my palms were sweaty. I shook as I slid my camera's SD card into my teacher's computer slot and found the file. "So, umm, I don't know if you know her, but this is Thalia Donnahue, a girl my age. She's the TA for Mrs. Lovkin's grade nine art class. And let me tell you, this girl has never had to teach anyone a day in her life. She's the youngest of her family, so no siblings to pass wisdom down to. She always had tutors in school, she never was a tutor. Yet every time I ask her how her placement is going, she says it's like her second instinct. It comes naturally to her. That's how I found artificial nature in the school."

'See, you didn't even need my help.'

That wasn't you talking?

'No...'

Then who gave me those words? I asked as I walked over to my seat and sat down.

'Jinhee, you did. You gave yourself those words. You secretly are totally over the Josh thing and actually like her now, don't you?'

Have I ever told you that you're kind of really annoying?

'Surprisingly, you've stopped.'

I should start again.

'Hey, by the way, I know Josh.' Was that a really weak threat? Of course he knows Josh, I told him about Josh.

You only know what I told you of him.

'No, I know him. As in, I've met him.'

What? How? How do you know what he looks like?

'He was in your dream last night,’ Jongin explained. ‘I mean, you saw him the way you last remembered seeing him-- younger than he is now, but he’s still recognizable. Hong Jisoo, right? Debuted this year.’

He what now? I mean, that was his name, but I had no idea what Jongin was talking about with this “debuting” thing.

‘Yeah, with Seventeen, the Pledis Entertainment group. Joshua.’

I secretly pulled out my phone under my desk as someone else presented their photograph and understanding of the assignment. I searched up this band he was talking about. On their Wikipedia page's picture, my eyes focused immediately on Josh. He looks so different. So much better. Wow.

It was weird to call him Joshua now, he'd always gone by just Josh. Also, his Korean name, a lot of his fans called him by that one. If only they knew he hated it on every girl but his Mom's tongue. Honestly, it was his name that surprised me the most, not his breakthrough into the music industry. He'd always been a good singer. He'd won countless awards as a choir boy in church. I had had a recording of him singing a lullaby to help me go to sleep. I'll admit, I still listened to it while he was dating Thalia, but I got rid of it when I got a new phone in the 11th grade.

The bell rang halfway through one girl's presentation, and she picked up her pace. "Andthat'smyartificialnature," she finished.

We all packed up and bolted for the door, Hana waiting for me just outside. I was still a little... unappreciative of last night's news, but I'd calmed down a little bit.

"Hello!" she sang as we walked up to our lockers.

Shooting her a look, I laughed. "Wow. No phone. What, now that you're dating, you don't have to talk 24/7?"

My best friend laughed with me and lightly punched my arm. "I don't always talk to him."

"You have been for, like, the past two months. Also, can I note that it's been only two months since you got his number? How is it possible that you're already dating?"

"Hmm," Hana hummed pensively. "Maybe we have been talking a lot. And it doesn't matter how long it's been. It just matters that we love each other and we care about each other."

I gagged. "Ew. I don't mind you dating, but please don't get sappy and gross."

"Hey, you were just like me at one point," Hana reminded me.

I scoffed. "Not even close." I cocked my head to the side. "Hey, by the way, were you aware that Josh debuted in Seventeen?"

She chuckled. "Yeah. Everyone knows. He's probably currently this school's most famous alumni."

"Why didn't anyone mention this to me?" I whined, twirling my locker combination.

"You didn't know? I just thought you were avoiding the subject on purpose, so I never brought it up."

I pulled my locker open and it hit the one beside it with a bang so loud I heard the librarian, inside the library, shush the students. She must've thought it was coming from inside. Hana stared at me, wide-eyed. "I didn't know."

Hana smiled. "As his first fan, I think you should send him a congratulatory message."

I sputtered and coughed. "Like hell I will. Watch, I'm going to get into Seventeen and stan every member but him."

For the rest of lunch and all of my subsequent classes, I sat back and watched whatever I could find of the group. As hard as I tried, he was still the only one catching my attention. It kind of hurt me that I was so attracted to him, and I don't even know why.

'He hurt you. What do you see in him?' Jongin asked.

He didn't hurt me. At least, not on purpose.

'He never acknowledged your relationship, but did it immediately with Thalia. That hurt your feelings, did it not?'

Well, yeah, but maybe he didn't know that it would...

'That's clearly bull.'

What's gotten into you, Jongin? You're normally so clean-mouthed.

'N-nothing.'

There's something. Remember, I can read your mind.

As if reminded of the fact, he tried building walls around his thoughts. 'He's not worth your time. That's all.'

Wait, did something happen when you met him?

'No, that's not it. Just-- never mind. Do whatever. I don’t care.'

When I got home, I started cleaning around the house. Mainly the living room and my bedroom, but I made sure they were spotless.

Jaeson came home from school in time to witness my crazy dancing as I dusted every inch of the house. "Is that Seventeen playing?" he asked, pointing to my phone. "You mean to tell me you like boy bands other than CoreA?"

"Oh, heavens no. Sure, I like other boy bands, but none as much as CoreA," I said.

"Not even EXO?" He winked and ducked under the pillow I threw at him. "What inspired this playlist? You miss Josh or something?"

I gaped. "Did everyone know but me?"

"You didn't know?"

"No! Why didn't you tell me?"

"Why would I? It's not like he was your friend, he was mine. You hardly even knew him."

I bit my lip and rolled my eyes at that comment, but otherwise kept quiet and let him believe it. Truth was, Josh confided more secrets in me than he did in Jaeson and Thalia combined. That, I knew for a fact, and was proud about. "Still, it would've been cool to be able to say I knew an idol," I muttered.

By the way, no telling my brother that I sort of, kind of dated Josh. He is never to find out, alright? I warned Jongin.

'Yeah, sure. It's not like I'm dying to talk about him.'

"Are we having guests over?" Jaeson asked, wiping a finger over the coffee table and shrugging to himself when it came back dustless. "I mean, what's with the cleaning?"

"Hana's coming." I wiped the TV stand. "We're watching 'The Search For Love', so you won't have access to the TV. Also, she's sleeping over."

"Hana's hardly a guest," my brother said and I chuckled.

"That's true. Just last week Mom and I were out getting groceries and she picked up a box of Mini Wheats. No one in this house eats Mini Wheats. It's literally just for Hana."

"It's basically like I have two annoying younger sisters rather than one," he joked with a wink.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, dissolving all the concentration I would've needed for a good comeback, so I just let him have that one and fell back into the couch. It was Hana. What could be so important that she had to text me mere hours before coming to my house?

《Hey, do you think Thalia can come over, too? She says she has something important to tell us, that she feels would be best to tell in person.》

《Why can't she tell us after school tomorrow?》

《Because i'm curious and i want to know!》

《Last time you and Thalia came over to my house just the two of you, she stole my boyfriend.》

《Are you honestly still mad about that?》

《Someone walks in on a date with Chanyeol, disses you, Chanyeol agrees, and then they start making out. Would you be mad? Would you hold a grudge?》

《Okay way to exaggerate. She didnt diss you nor did she start making out with him on the spot.》

《What made you think that scenario was Thalia-specific? I didn't name any names. SEE? EVEN YOU CANT DENY IT, THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT SHE DID!!!!》

《Okay, yes, it was a move on her part, but that was YEARS AGO, JINHEE. IF THAT HAPPENED TO ME AND CHANYEOL AND FOUR FREAKING YEARS WENT BY I WOULDVE FORGOTTEN ALL ABOUT IT.》

《Also, NOT MY POINT. I really want to hear what she has to say. But she wants to tell us both at the same time and in person and there's a possibility that Channie and I have a skype date tomorrow right after school, so please can she come over? P l e a s e look I spelled it out》

《Are you going to literally spell out the word please every time you want something from me and point it out?》

《Does it help my case?》

《Not really? But i guess its better than plz.》

《So is that a yes?》

《I guess?》

《Great! I'll invite her now!》

《What?》

《No! Not yes to THAT!》

《Too late already invited her.》

《I hate you so much. Why do I even associate myself with you?》

《<3 :*》

《smh》

I put my phone down and groaned. My brother, surfing through channels, glanced at me. "What's up?"

"Thalia's coming over too." That reminded me of something and I picked my cell up again. 《She's not sleeping over, though.》

《...oops?》

《Hana!!! Ur sleeping on the couch! Where is she supposed to sleep?!》

《Aww you're so kind! Months ago, you would've told her to sleep on the floor》

《Months ago, there would not be this problem because I would not consciously let her step foot into my house. You're lucky I'm growing as a person.》

"I'm still trying to remember," Jaeson spoke, "which one's Thalia?"

"Blonde. Rich. Annoying." His face stayed blank until I said, "Josh's ex-girlfriend."

"Oh, her. She's still around?"

"She was at my welcome party after I woke up. You greeted her by name."

"Oh. I never realized the two Thalia's were the same person, I thought one was Josh's ex-girlfriend, and the other was your friend."

"She's not my friend, but they are the same person."

He blinked a couple of times, before turning back to the TV, muttering something about teenagers being so weird.

《Honestly, where is she supposed to sleep?》

《Idk ask jaeson to sleep somewhere else and give her his bed》

《Hell no I'm not sleeping in the same room as her oh my God. Her news better be freaking world-shaking af or else i'm making her sleep on the balcony.》

《You wouldn't! It's December!》

《And this is California. At least we don't live in Canada.》

《But still!》

《You should've thought of that before inviting her over. She's not even my guest, she's yours.》 I knew if my mom ever read these messages, she'd chase me with a slipper for not being hospitable, but for goodness' sake, does no one understand the meaning of sworn nemesis?! What, does she want me to give up my bed for her, the little princess?

《What if you gave her your bed》

《First of all, no. Second of all, did jaeson suddenly stop existing in your mind bcuz i know he can be annoying, but hes not /that/ bad》

《Fine. I'll sleep on the floor and give Thalia the couch.》

《You're my guest. I will not allow that.》

《You are so frustratinggggg!!!!!!!!!1》

《That 1 was entirely unnecessary. This isn't a PC and we're not in 2002.》

《Grrr okay how about this; we all sleep on the living room floor in sleeping bags》

《So you're saying old-school little girl sleepovers where we paint our nails and tell each other secrets and play truth or dare?》

《Careful your sarcasm is dripping》

《Can you tell I dont like the idea?》

《Fine then. I'll get to hang out with Thalia all night long and we can become super mega besties and i'll just kick you to the curb》

《You know what? Fine. She can have my bed. But don't think I won't put a pea under the mattress.》

《That's a fairytale, but whatever makes you agree to this :)》

《She better not like somin istg》

《I don't think she does. Idek if she watches tsfl tbh》

"So, is Thalia sleeping over?" Jaeson asked.

"Umm... yeah. About that... do you think it's okay if she sleeps in my bed?"

Jaeson blinked for a bit, as if wondering why he should have any say in it, and t