Jonghyun widened his eyes and looked straight at Taeyeon sunbae.

"What's wrong Jonghyun? You look like you're in pain." Taeyeon crouched over, placing her hand over Jonghyun's back.

Jonghyun blinked his eyes hard, his eyebrows furrowing.

"I don't want to surprise anyone but I think I have some kind of allergy or something."

Everyone looked up from what they were doing to bring all concern towards Jonghyun.

Key leaned over to his friend, pushing away the rest of his lavender tea.

"What do you mean, what is happening all of a sudden with you?" Key's tone was stern, but his expression clearly showed he was worried.

"I don't know." Jonghyun shook his head, "Actually, since before my chest, er, heart was kind of hurting. It kind of felt like it was clenching."

"What the? And you only tell us now?" Onew rushed over, his chair screeching in anger against the hardwood floor.

"Your chest hurts?" Taeyeon's lips pulled downwards, her eyes twinkling with panic.

"Mm well, I guess it’s more of my lungs." Jonghyun smiled, "It's not that bad, it just kind of bothers me. There's no real pain so don't panic sunbae."

Ji Eun calmly stood up at the word 'lungs' and swiftly walked over to the windows. She was so silent, only Jonghyun noticed that she had opened the windows that were only spread a notch to a full 180 degrees.

"I'm fine, really." Jonghyun said when Key couldn't erase the immense worry from his eyes, "See? I'm already fine. I swear, it was only just annoying. Nothing painful, really." He repeated, shifting his gaze from person to person in an attempt to calm each and every one.

Ji Eun was muttering something, her fingers adjusting her glasses in an unconscious habit of worry. She scanned the room for anything that would impact Jonghyun's lungs or chest area.

"What's wrong Ji Eun?" Onew turned at the sound of mumbling from the school genius, all studies interrupted by Jonghyun's notice.

"I may not be correct, but..." Ji Eun trailed off, her eyes flowing from item from item. Everyone else found themselves analyzing the room as well, following Ji Eun. Jonghyun laughed quietly at the situation, feeling a bit burdened of the attention and care he was getting. He and Onew made eye contact, and they both snickered. Jonghyun mentally sighed with relief.

At least one person was not as worried as he was.

"Stop laughing guys." Key hissed, which shut both of the smiling boys to a snicker to a muffled chortle.

"Are you really fine?" Taeyeon tried her best to laugh along.

"Yeah, I think the windows cleared the air or something." Jonghyun shrugged, tapping his chest to show his perfect condition.

"Hm."

All heads turned at the sound of Ji Eun.

"Maybe..." The genius scampered over to the window and pulled the closest branch of its leaf. After she struggled in plucking it off, she walked over to the brewing table and took a pinch of both lavender tea leaves and rose tea leaves. She walked over to Jonghyun, with the items from her hand and gently placed them under his nose.

Jonghyun couldn't help making a face when Ji Eun tucked a tree leaf under his nose which led Taeyeon to quietly laugh and Onew to mirror his expression unconsciously.

"What." The only word that managed to leave Jonghyun's mouth only further influenced the mood to go from worried to lighthearted, leaving Ji Eun the only one to be thinking about Jonghyun's little "attack".

"I have no idea what she's trying to do, but since it's her..." Key snickered, looking away from the residue left from the leaf on Jonghyun's upper lift, Ji Eun carelessly leaving it unattended.

"Earth to Ji Eun, what are you doing?" Onew slowly let his grin spread, eyes darting from side to side at his small pun.

It took a moment for everyone to slowly turn their heads towards the smiling boy and slowly change their expressions from worried to disbelief.

"You did not." Taeyeon tried to hide a smile with her exaggerated shocked expression and wide eyes.

"Don't laugh that'll only encourage him." Jonghyun squinted his eyes, peering at his punny friend.

"Guess that'll only leaf me to find this funny."

Silence.

A snort.

Everyone skidded to halt when they realized the snort came from Ji Eun who had just removed the lavender tea leaves from Jonghyun's nose. Her face was growing red at the realization she laughed at the most ridiculous attempt at a joke that no one else found funny. She pretended like she didn't make any noise and reached for the rose tea leaves that she had placed earlier on the table.

When no one made a move to continue the conversation, Ji Eun paused, ears growing red again.

"...One two tree." Onew whispered.

Ji Eun muffled a snort, swiveling around with embarrassment, the tea leaves crinkling like her soul.

"Are you serious?" Key raised his brows, "You find this funny?"

"It wasn't even a real joke!" Jonghyun complained.

"Well at least we know now what we can say if we ever find Ji Eun down in the dumps." Taeyeon giggled, almost feeling embarrassed for Ji Eun.

"Ji Eun, you are now my favorite person." Onew clapped, beaming with pride.

Jonghyun scoffed.

"He's just jealous. You can take his place as best friend number 1." Onew tugged Ji Eun's sleeve, trying to get her attention.

Everyone could just see the embarrassment radiating like heat from Ji Eun's small back.

"Wait what the- Does that mean I'm best friend number 2?" Key yelped, swiveling his body direction to face Onew.

"HAH!" Ex-Best Friend No. 1 clapped his hands in victory.

"Hey, you don't get to say anything 'cause now Ji Eun is best friend number 1." Best Friend No.2 sneered.

"But wouldn't that make me Best Friend No.2 and that'll make you Best Friend No.3?"

The male trio stopped in realization.

"HEY THAT'S NOT FAIR!"

"I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING THAT WAS A LIE!"

"GO BACK HOME YOU EX-BEST FRIEND."

"WAIT GUYS I WAS JUST KIDDING! WAIT JI EUN THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU ARE NOT MY BEST FRIEND."

"I don't really ca-"

"ON SECOND NOTE, HOW DARE YOU JUDGE YOUR FRIENDS?"

"YEAH KEY'S RIGHT, DON'T YOU KNOW ABOUT EQUALITY?"

"But Key nags too much."

"Tru."

"WHA-HEY JONGHYUN YOU TRAITOR!"

"WACHOOO!"

Everyone stopped with their mouths in mid shout, Taeyeon snuffling her laughter in the background, when Ji Eun pulled the rose tea leaves away from Jonghyun.

"Hm." Ji Eun tilted her head to the right, holding the rose leaves slightly closer this time in the direction where wind was blowing the scent towards Jonghyun.

"Everyone knows you're still embarrassed, stop pretending you aren't." Jonghyun snickered.

Ji Eun rolled her eyes, bringing the leaves closer.

"What are you doing interrupting our debate anywa-" Jonghyun winced slightly at the same clenching numb pain that came not long after the aroma of roses hit his nose.

"She's getting revenge, everyone, run for it." Jonghyun fake-wheezed, his hand reaching for Key.

"Hey..." Eyes slithered to the rose leaves Ji Eun was holding and looked back at Jonghyun.

"Are you allergic to... Rose leaves?" Onew finished the sentence, looking at Ji Eun for confirmation.

"I think so. This may be his first time having reactions to it, but that's common for allergies." Ji Eun concluded.

"Ohhhh." Everyone said in unison.

"But you may want to still go to the doctor to check up what truly is wrong with you. It's just a guess after all." Ji Eun's face lifted from worry, relieving herself from the mystery of Jonghyun's pain.

"Damnit. Of all things, I have a rose allergy." Jonghyun sniffed, frowning in annoyance.

"What a hectic study session." Taeyeon commented after a small moment of silent thinking, everyone agreeing unanimously.

"The sun's is just beginning to set and I swear it felt like hours passed." Onew slumped back into his own chair, the chair's front legs lifting.

The sky was still bright but towards the horizon, a smooth gradation of warm oranges and passionate reds were beginning to show their heads from behind the trees that were now like curtains, beautifully sending moving shadows over the colored grass. It was a sudden shift from hectic childishness to calm peacefulness. It didn't take long for the oranges to seep into the room, blending all the shadows and brown woods together into a warm palette of comfortable silence.

"But we learned a lot." Key added, Onew shrugging in a wordless agreement.

Taeyeon smiled, looking up at Ji Eun, who was hiding behind her bangs and glasses.

"Thanks Ji Eun, for letting us come here."

Ji Eun bit her lip, mustering up the courage to say something, opening with hesitation.

"Um." Ji Eun coughed, "If anyone has time... You can... You can come here to study."

"Or read?" Onew leaned into Ji Eun's view, smiling like a puppy.

Ji Eun cracked a very small smile, nodding softly.

"Or read."

 

"Bye Ji Eun! See you tomorrow!" Onew waved from the door, hanging up on a call.

"It's too bad we can't walk home together or something, my boss is already getting mad that I'm not early for work." Onew muttered, pouting. Onew slightly tapped Ji Eun's shoulder and smiled cheerfully. "Let me treat you to something next time! It'll be like my thank-you present for teaching me."

Ji Eun rolled her eyes and gently placed Onew's hand to his side. "Don't buy me anything." Ji Eun stopped at Onew's disappointed expression and sighed, "It'll be worthless if you fail your tests, so you can buy me after we finish exams."

"No problem. With you and Key here, I'll bet you I'll at least get a 70." Onew's lips spread into a smile, and threw his backpack over his shoulders.

"At least a 70?" Key jabbed Onew's side which earned a groan, "You'd better get at least an 80 if two people are doing their best to teach you."

"Again with the nagging, you never give me any slack-" Onew plastered a wide exaggerated and almost robotic smile when Key shot his famous glare, "I mean yes mom thank you mom I'll be going now mom."

Jonghyun rolled his eyes at Key chasing after Onew's retreating figure, closing the door after Taeyeon.

"Oh and school genius." Key skidded to a halt, looking over his back at Ji Eun.

Ji Eun cocked her head.

"See you tomorrow." Key mumbled.

Ji Eun blinked at Key's blur of a back, silently wondering at if Key was usually that good at running. Jonghyun stopped himself from visibly cringing at Key's lazy attempt to seem cool and made a mental note to never be like his friend.

"I have never seen him run like that." Jonghyun voiced Ji Eun's thoughts, "He's always careful not to ruin his hair or clothes."

"He had an Onew to catch after all." Taeyeon laughed, her hands going to cover .

"Thank you sunbae, for helping us." Ji Eun turned her body towards Taeyeon, "It was so sudden, but you stayed until the end."

"No no! It was really fun." Taeyeon smiled widely, "You'd better invite me for the next study session."

"It's strange, I'd have never thought of fun and study being in the same sentence." Jonghyun grinned, earning a small chuckle from his goddess.

"Me neither." The way she brushed her hair out of the way almost distracted Jonghyun, almost missing the intense stare Ji Eun was sending behind Taeyeon.

Taeyeon shuffled to adjust her bag straps, gently tossing her light eco bag onto her right shoulder.

Ji Eun coughed, her eyes urgently sending a silent message.

Are you really going to let Taeyeon sunbae leave like this?

Jonghyun gulped at Ji Eun's passion for her project and smiled at Taeyeon who was about to turn towards the exit.

"Taeyeon sunbae!"

The two girls flinched at Jonghyun's sudden raise of tone and Jonghyun cleared his throat in awkwardness when Ji Eun sent an exasperated look.

"Taeyeon sunbae," He tried again, "should I walk you home? It'll be dangerous for you to go alone. It's getting dark."

Ji Eun's eyes grew a notch softer.

"Home? You don't have to. I ride the bus anyways so by the time I get home it'll be too late for you to go back." Taeyeon said, pulling her sleeves down at the chill of autumn wind.

"More the reason to walk you home." Jonghyun cheekily grinned, leaning towards his sunbae.

"Oh..." Taeyeon looked away bashfully, "You don't have to really."

"How about you walk her just to the bus stop?" Ji Eun recommended.

"Yeah. At least let me walk you there." Jonghyun said and paused before he added, "I want to."

Taeyeon bit down a smile at Jonghyun's sweet words and swallowed a nervous clump in .

"O… Okay." She laughed, nodding.

"Okay let's go-"

"Wait Jonghyun, you left your pen in the room." Ji Eun interrupted hastily, her hands reaching for the doorknob.

Jonghyun blinked in confusion, but threw an assuring smile towards his sunbae, and followed Ji Eun into the room.

"I don't have a pen." Jonghyun said and stepped back when Ji Eun threatened him wordlessly to 'quiet down'.

"Remember what I told you before?" Ji Eun asked and continued when Jonghyun gave her a blank stare, "Don't make small talk. Let her start it first."

"Oh oh. Okay. I got you." Jonghyun made a gesture of snapping his fingers, toning his voice down to a whisper.

"Remember, until now it was all fun and games to be blunt." Ji Eun grabbed a stray pen from her pencil case and placed it into Jonghyun's hands.

"The real mission starts now.”