The clock ticked unusually slow that day, or it did to him at least. It is a slow day in general, and he couldn’t quite believe that he glanced at the clock for what felt like ages ago only to see that only a minute or two has passed.

The room was silent as a crypt with Mrs. Han standing in front with a sheaf of papers in her hand. She was a terror as far every student in Yeonhwa was concerned and it did not matter to her what someone’s standing is. If she wants to terrorize a student, she would with just a single stare.

No one dared to talk and no one dared go against her with her wish to have a quiet class especially during quiz times as such. Wonwoo was finished with the essay they were tasked to write and he could assume that everyone else is done, but the sound of pencils scratching against paper did not stop just yet.

The sound irritated him more than the lethargic ticking of the clock did, but then, there were many things that were irritating him at the moment. He scoffed on his seat remembering the scene he had to witness at the café the previous day.

He did not understand why, but the sight of Jaera and Mingyu together made him lose his appetite for a good cup of bubble tea, and he knew it was shallow to be blaming them, but he just couldn’t help it.

Jaera really had every intention to make him see that she is over him and that he does not exist in the world she moves in. The last time she retaliated against his antics, he already knew that she has forgotten what he used to be to her and none of it matters where every fiber of her being was concerned.

Just as she continued to ignore him despite the fact that they were seatmates in seventy five percent of their classes and that they were project partners in Chemistry. She did all the work without consulting him and would pass. It was just to his surprise that their teacher was not calling his attention which made him assume that she includes his name in them.

He glanced beside him and saw her writing the last part of her English essay at the very end part of the paper they were issued earlier. He was amazed at how much thought runs in her head and how much of that she could translate into words on paper, but then again, she is not Yoon Jaera if she did not have a big brain.

Finally, she put a period on her work and set her pencil down. She started re-reading her work, but in the middle of it all, she spoke, and said, “Done?” as if she has forgotten the hatred she made sure she expressed towards him.

It was just like her to be acting casual about matters despite the chaos she is in, but then, Wonwoo thought he spoke to soon as when he nodded, she said, “Staring is rude.”

He arched a brow at her. “I wasn’t –”

“Yeah, right.” She rolled her eyes.

“I have nothing else to do and I wasn’t staring,” he hissed at her.

“Then check your work. If you worked that fast on an essay which requires sense and depth then I am betting you’re gonna get a C or even a D.”

She just insulted his intelligence and yet he was not able to say anything. Instead, he read his essay again and realized that he missed some points. Damn, he thought to himself, glancing at her. She’s right about it.

Jaera set her paper on the desk upside down and glanced at Wonwoo. “You’re welcome.”

“Shut up,” he whispered back, ticked off. He could almost feel the smirk making its way across , but when he looked up, she was staring ahead with a neutral, even bored, look about her face. Ice Queen Jaera is back.

The bell finally rang just as he was about to turn his paper in, about to say yet another retort to Jaera, but she was gone. When he saw her again, she was standing by her locker. He was about to approach her, but Mingyu came into view and said, “Hello, love. How was your class?”

Wonwoo stopped dead on his tracks when he heard how Mingyu addressed Jaera. Love? He couldn’t believe his ears, but he was able to process the fact that they are a couple now. It was not an impossible thing as they hung around each other more than friends should.

He smirked and walked past them. Just as he took a step by them, he saw the other male put an arm over Jaera’s shoulder, pulling her close to his side. He shook his head and walked towards the cafeteria, mind made up and somehow accepting that she is forever out of his reach and it was time for him to acknowledge that.

**

“Hey guys!” Hyeri greeted Mingyu and Jaera out loud, being her high-strung self again.

“Hey,” both said in chorus and laughed at the same time.

Jisoo arched a brow at them while his girlfriend just stood there, gingerly pulling a chair out for herself. They just watched as the two people laughed together while Jaera pointed at the empty seats in front of them.

Hyeri assumed that they have been laughing about something before she came with Jisoo at the table and they continued to do so.

“I told you,” Mingyu said to Jaera, leaning close.

“You’re crazy,” she replied, trying to calm down before facing the couple who joined them. “What’s up?” she asked them as if they were an afterthought.

Jisoo fixed their trays on the table. “Good.” He arched a brow at them. “What’s up?”

Jaera giggled. “Nothing, Mingyu here was just telling me something about our German Language teacher. You’re late today.”

“We passed by the clinic. Sunyoung wasn’t feeling too good today,” he explained.

Hyeri narrowed her eyes at Jaera. “He was turning green.”

“What’s wrong with him?” Jaera asked, her brows furrowing. Just then, Jisoo noticed how Mingyu placed an arm over the backrest of the chair she was sitting on.

Jisoo lightly bumped his leg against Hyeri who nodded at him inconspicuously as she answered Jaera’s question, explaining that Sunyoung might have eaten something bad or even had some drinks the previous night.

Jaera rarely smiled that much all in one go. If anything, she’d flash someone a bright smile and never again for the next few weeks unless she’s really entertained. Hyeri was afraid that she spent too much time with Wonwoo in the past that all she knew to do was either threaten everybody with that glacial look or smirk.

“That’s too bad,” Jaera commented, her gaze straying to Mingyu. “Maybe we can go see him together before lunch ends.”

Mingyu smiled tenderly at her. “That would be nice.”

“Okay.” Jaera popped some of the shoestring potatoes on her tray into , chewing thoughtfully on it when the chairs and tables beside them began to move with the arrival of Hansol and Wonwoo.

She accidentally smeared some mayo over the side of as she ate more, but before she could wipe it off, Mingyu did pretty much the same thing at the café the previous day and wiped the thing off of her…with his thumb...and it. The only difference this time is that it was called for, but it didn’t stop Jisoo and Hyeri from almost doing a synchronized double-take, not to mention how Hansol whistled sarcastically.

“It’s off,” Mingyu assured Jaera, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth as if he was enjoying a private joke. The latter, startled beyond her wits, stared at him meaningfully as if she was conveying a hidden message to him with her eyes, but Mingyu made it seem like he didn’t notice and even flashed a mega-watt smile at Jisoo and Hyeri’s direction.

Hyeri, unable to help it, leaned forward in an imposing manner as if he was going to reach over and slam Jaera and Mingyu’s heads together. “Guys, is there something you’re not telling us?” she asked pointedly, looking harried.

Jaera snickered, completely understanding the other female’s reaction. She almost always knows something before anybody does and it’s going to be strike two for Jaera who did not announce her arrival and her supposed rel