A week later, Sohee had packed her lunch consisting of leftover food from last night's dinner. It was just her and Hye Rim last night, and naturally, she made Hye Rim's favourite foods. "What's this?" one of Jiyong's friend asked when Sohee opened her lunch box. "It's called pigs in a blanket," she answered. "Try," she nudged the box towards their direction. It was one of those snacks that Sohee learned in the United States and she would make them for Hye Rim when she refused to eat. Now though, even though Hye Rim has no issues with eating, she'd still ask Sohee to make them. "Pigs?" Jiyong eyebrow rose in confusion and Sohee fed him a piece in response. He chewed carefully before nodding approvingly. "What can you not cook, babe?" he asked after squeezing her against him, making her laugh. "Sohee-ya..." one of the guys closed his eyes and sighed in contentment after taking a bite, "Seriously. Wah... this is... really really good," he gave her a firm thumbs up before eating some more.

The pigs in a blanket became an absolute hit with everyone at the table munching away, while Sohee only managed to eat two. With one last piece on the container, Jiyong reached out to grab it and he was about to eat it himself when he stopped and said, "For you," while placing the pigs in a blanket in front of Sohee. She shook her head, "Just eat it." But he shook his head, "You only had a few. Come on. This is your lunch after all." She shook her head, "Eat it."

"If Jiyong doesn't want it, I'll eat it," one of Jiyong's friends volunteered, but before Sohee could react or say much, Jiyong immediately took a bite and finished it on his own. "Mine!" he said with his mouthful, earning laughter from everyone at the table.

"I'll see you tonight, right?" one of Jiyong's friends asked Sohee when they were getting to go back to their classrooms. He must've sensed Sohee's confusion and added, "The party? I'm having a house party. You should come with Jiyong."

Before Sohee had a chance to say anything, every walked on while Sohee stayed still.

Party?

***

"I hate parties," Sohee whined to Krystal when she called, saying that it's an outfit emergency. "You don't go to parties, Sohee. How would you know if you hate it or not?" Krystal bit back, making Sohee groan louder. Ever since she arrived home, she's been driving herself to the wall with choosing an outfit for the party. Should I wear a dress? Or a jumpsuit? Or... she kept thinking during dinner and as she did the dishes until she finally called her best friend for advice. "Just tell me what to wear, Krys," Sohee finally said. Jiyong is arriving to pick her up in fifteen minutes and she still hasn't decided on an outfit. Jiyong is no help either, because when she texted to ask him what to wear, he replied with an obnoxious answer: "Clothes."

On the other line, Krystal, who was sitting in the break room of the bookstore, laughed, "Okay... how about your high waisted shorts and that oversized tshirt?" Krystal began instructing and before they knew it, Jiyong was knocking on her bedroom door.

"Sohee?"

"Jiyong?"

"Are you ready?"

"Almost! Just... play with Hye Rim for a few minutes, I'm almost done!" Sohee replied as she hustled to put on a quick eyeliner and mascara before braiding it into a messy, side fishtail braid in super speed.

"Fine," she could hear Jiyong sigh.

When I finally came out, Jiyong was lying on his stomach next to Hye Rim who was enthusiastically showing him her nail polish collection. He looked like he was a little too glad to see Sohee walk out of her room. "Bye, Hye Rim!" he waved before Sohee kneeled next to her sister and kissed her goodbye. "I already told mom and dad that I'm leaving. They'll be back in a half an hour from their dinner. Don't open the door for anyone else," she instructed before scuttling after Jiyong who was already at the door.

"Ready?" he asked.

***

"Ready?" he asked when they stood in front of the door. The faint sound of the music could be heard and it made Sohee's palm sweat even more. "Uhh... not really," she twisted her hands against each other. "It's simple. Just act like you're in love with me. It shouldn't be too hard," Jiyong smirked, making Sohee roll her eyes. Deep down, Sohee was still nervous. She's been able to avoid going to parties with Jiyong for the past few months with excuses like homework and family obligations. But she knows that she has to do it eventually. After all, it's high school. "Your status as a couple are not completely validated until you make out at a party at least once," Jiyong had told her last week as he sulked when she said no to going to a party with him.

Walking in, she was hit with a warm air that smelled like beer. She found herself clutching to the hem of Jiyong's jacket tighter as they walk through the crowd towards the kitchen where Jiyong's friends were all gather