“Wen Jun Hui…”

“In the flesh, baby,” Jun said, grinning at her in amusement, at the same time, he couldn’t help but arch a brow at the tall person standing a step behind her. He continued to look at the other guy as he said, “I heard a certain Yoon Jaera came back to Busan unannounced. That’s rude.”

Just then, recognition dawned to him and the name of the familiar guy standing by Jaera suddenly popped in his head. Kim Mingyu? He smirked, but he couldn’t be sure as he did not see any reason why his lot would be anywhere near where he himself was standing at the moment.

Jaera approached him, whacking him on the arm before hugging him briefly and looking at him at arm’s length. “You’re one to talk! You said you were gone for good…Oh my god, I missed you!”

Jun ruffled her hair out of habit. “You’re looking good, princess,” he said, addressing her with the nickname he gave her a long time ago. His sharp eyes did not miss how the other boy flinched at the way he spoke to Jaera and he figured what he heard from his sources was right.

“And you are?” he asked, bending sideways to acknowledge the other one’s presence as if he needed to when he was a good foot taller than Jaera and could clearly see him over her head.

Jaera turned towards Mingyu with a wide smile. “Oh how rude of me. Jun, this is Mingyu, my boyfriend,” she said, “This is Jun, a world class , but nonetheless a very close friend.”

Jun scoffed. “Apparently not. You haven’t been in touch for a whole year!” He feigned offense and even did a dramatic eye roll at her direction before approaching Mingyu, smiling to himself when his notions were confirmed. “Nice to meet you, Mingyu,” he said, seeing how Mingyu was also looking at him as if he was trying to remember something.

He shook Mingyu’s hand. The latter smiled at him with that unmistakable warmth. Jun thought that Mingyu always had that friendly look about his face, but he wasn’t really the sort to be kind to everyone around him. He remembered how cold the boy was towards him years before. It was unnerving to see the Kim Mingyu the way he was now.

Jun looked at Jaera and said, “Wow, you really traded off,” making the female eye him quizzically and Mingyu to stiffen before him. At that moment, Jun knew something was amiss with everything he was seeing.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Jaera demanded, arching a brow at him. “You return and you actually comment about that?”

He blinked, confused. It’s as if she knew, but it could also be something else together.

“What do you mean what do I mean?” he asked, also feigning innocence. “Mingyu here surely looks like he could do better than that bastard, Jeon.”

Mingyu’s eyes almost bugged out when he said that while Jaera couldn’t help but silently agree, not that she had to say so out loud. Of course, she had to shoot him glares or being tactless with his words as always.

“Speaking of that person, where the hell is he? Like you, he’s gone off the radar. Too heartbroken, huh? He didn’t even see me off to the airport when I left and ignored me like I never existed after.” Jun frowned. “Some best friend he is.” He narrowed his eyes at Mingyu then. “Maybe you could be my new best friend. Hansol is busy with his ‘sister affairs’.”

“Sure?” Mingyu said hesitantly, smiling at Jaera who seemed to be happy that they got along alright.

Jun, on the other hand, could not figure out why Mingyu doesn’t seem to remember him, but he let it slide and said, “Are you doing anything today?”

Jaera shook her head. “Not really, why?”

“I happen to be hungry right now, and I think I shall see everyone now.” To Mingyu, he said, “You can come with us. I trust you’re in good terms with them…have you even met them?” He looked at Jaera for confirmation.

“I go to the same school they do, so yes, I have and we pretty much get along fine.”

“Hansol?” Jun asked, arching a brow. Everyone knew how difficult that person was.

Mingyu nodded. He could see why Jun should ask, but he did not really dislike Hansol despite everything he has learned about him since day one.

“Okay, good. Let’s go and just meet them there.” He turned to Jaera then. “I’ll meet Wonwoo some other time. I think that guy and I have to settle certain things.”

**

Once again, the Jade Manor is open as its young master is back in Busan. Jaera was glad to see Jun. He was one of the closest people to her apart from Hyeri and Jisoo, but it was a definite breath of fresh air being with the Chinese guy for a change since Hyeri was being antagonistic to everyone like she was on a full-blown PMS all the time.

Jun wasn’t really a pleasant sort, his attitude leaning towards something similar to that of Hansol, who was currently annoying Hyeri to no end. They seemed to have patched things up after their argument at the cafeteria the previous day. However, she was relieved that Mingyu got along with him somehow. They seemed to have found common ground with cars.

However, she couldn’t help but feel like Jun was being his shrewd self again, interrogating Mingyu as if he wanted the guy to say something only to be disappointed whenever the other answered. It was very natural for Jun to be protective towards her, but she thought he was going overboard or he just had another agenda up his sleeve again. She had to assure him several times that Mingyu is a nice person.

At the same time, she had to make sure that Mingyu was okay with Jun and she was glad that he always had a positive outlook towards things. It just had to be a shame that he had to go.

Apart from that, Jaera felt relieved that everything seemed to be the way they used to be with the exception of Wonwoo. He wasn’t there when everyone was. Though Jisoo and Hyeri seemed to have developed a rift with Hansol and Sunyoung in the past, they seemed to be in better terms now. As always, Jun is the unifying force among all of them.

“So,