A/N: I'm sorry for being late :( I got stuck writing most of the scenes...

Day 14 - Wednesday

"Well, I didn't know this was going to be awkward." Jeongyeon states the obvious silence lingering atop their lunch table, which was extended so that now eight people can sit together.

Jihyo and Nayeon walked in to their usual lunch table only to find out it had been modified by Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung. The four foreigners were coerced to sit with them, Sana being the only excited one. Mina at one edge, followed by Tzuyu, Chaeyoung, and Jihyo, then Momo in front of Mina, followed by Sana, Jeongyeon, and finally Nayeon.

"You saying that doesn't help." Chaeyoung sips from her strawberry juice.

"So how's volleyball, Nayeon?" Jeongyeon nudges her shoulder to the right, trying to dispel the silence.

"Really? It took you two weeks to ask how I'm doing with what I do every day after class?" Nayeon scoffs. "I'm doing okay, by the way."

"Nice talk, Nayeon! Let's do that again sometime!"

"I hate you." Her smile says otherwise.

Jeongyeon shifts to her left, "How 'bout you Sana? How's work?"

"Great! It's less tiring now that you drop me off these past few days." Jeongyeon wonders how perfectly even Sana's smile is. "Thanks again!"

"No problem," Jeongyeon replies with a smile of her own as she felt the girl to her right shifting uncomfortably in her seat.

"...and that's how you find X." Tzuyu underlines her answer on Chaeyoung's notebook.

"Three days in and you're already asking her for lessons. Have you no shame?" Jeongyeon takes a spiteful jab at Chaeyoung.

"Shut up," Chaeyoung says, eyes rolling before grinning, wiggling a finger between Jeongyeon and Sana, "It's not like I'm sleeping with her."

With some impeccable timing, Nayeon, Jihyo, Sana, and Momo (even though the latter two have already heard it before) choked on their meal at the same time. Jeongyeon felt good a little to see Nayeon have a taste of her own medicine. Only a little.

"Aren't you over using that joke too much already?" Jeongyeon massages her forehead from a sudden headache.

"But," Chaeyoung places a hand flat on her chest in mock defense, dimples popping out as her smile grew wider, "it was not a joke."

With two sets of eyes (and gaping mouths) on her, Jeongyeon turned to her two oldest friends to explain, again, before their imaginations start to get wild. "We didn’t sleep sleep together. We just slept together. Literally."

"How did you two meet again?" Nayeon leans toward the table, adjusting her view so she can fully see Sana.

"We're neighbors." Sana answered.

"And you shared the same bed?"

For the third consecutive time, Jeongyeon had to make clear that it was only a caring gesture at the right time. It didn't mean anything to neither one of them, she thinks.

Nayeon scoffs at the explanation, clearly uncomfortable with it.

"Someone's jealous." An attempt to clear the awkwardness by Jihyo.

"Am not!"

"Typical jealous reply."

Then another moment of silence. Jihyo's efforts only made the uneasy atmosphere worse. You could practically hear cricket sounds through the loud cafeteria.

"This has been a fun lunch," Chaeyoung starts with every bit of sarcasm spewing, "but me and Tzuyu have to drop by the library before class starts. See ya losers." The shortest and tallest girls rose from their seats leaving the others with their uncomfortable atmosphere.

"I'm coming with." Mina stands up as well, all eyes on her. "I also need something from the library."

Jeongyeon saw a shy exchange of glances between Mina and Chaeyoung before the three left. She made a mental note to ask the imp next time what that was all about.

Jihyo, left alone in her row, scoots over towards the middle. "Is your group always this quiet?" A question directed at Sana. "Except you, I mean. You're decently talkative."

"Yeah they're really like that. You have to really listen to them when they talk. Momo here on the other hand," she wraps an arm around her best friend, "is just really shy around strangers."

Momo confirms with a hum.

"Don't worry," Jihyo uses her motherly tone, "I'll treat you girls well. Be comfortable around me. Take note I'm using 'I' here. I have no second thoughts that Jeongyeon and the others will drag you into trouble."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jeongyeon fakes hurt.

"Oh please, you and Nayeon had countless of bruises when I met you two. Chaeyoung almost broke a leg when you taught her that accident prone board."

"Tell me more!" Sana giggles.

"One time, I walked in on the three of them, each with a leg behind their necks, all crying because none of them can bring it back down. I was really tempted to leave them like that for a whole day just to teach them a lesson."

Sana went on and on asking about their childhood which Jihyo enthusiastically shared. Nayeon even pitched in, warming up to the idea of letting them in their circle. Momo eventually warmed up too, sharing a couple stories of her own, mostly her adventures exploring Korean street food which Jeongyeon vowed to help widen her taste buds experience.

"Hey Jeongyeon, can you give me a ride to the orphanage later?" Jihyo asked, calmed down from their story sharing. "I woke up in a weird position this morning. My knees hurt."

Jeongyeon gave Sana a look.

"It's okay," Sana reassures. "I'll walk like usual. We can go home together tomorrow."

Again, Nayeon shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

The library is supposed to be a place of quietness, hushed whispers and page flipping from books as the only acceptable sounds. An area where you could focus your studies or just simply rest in peace. But it was too quiet. Way too quiet as only the three of them and the librarian are in the area. Chaeyoung wanted to scream just to check if she was unexpectedly deaf.

"Are you even trying to help me with this research?" Tzuyu asked behind her book, beside Chaeyoung.

"Yeah, sorry. I just dazed off for a second." Chaeyoung replied, pretending to scan the withered literature book in front of her.

It's because of Mina. She can't get a read on her. With Tzuyu, it was kind of easy. You only talk when you need to. With Sana, you let her do all the talking. With Momo, well, she has no idea so far but her aura is soft, like you don't have to think about anything when hanging out with her. But with Mina, it's a thick unending fog. Chaeyoung has absolutely no clue how to act around her.

What is she doing here anyway?

Chaeyoung agreed to help Tzuyu understand more about Macbeth for literature, in exchange, Tzuyu helps Chaeyoung in math, thus the reason for the library visit. Mina was, is, just staring at them. Across the two younger's seat. Just like back in the alley. Is it her hobby to stare at people?

She catches Mina's eyes at one point. Most people would look away when caught. But not Mina.

"I thought you said you had to do something too?" Chaeyoung finally asks the third wheeler.

"I remembered I finished it already last night." Mina's face was stoic, as usual.

"So what are you doing here?"

"Do you want me to leave?"

"W-what?"

"Am I being a bother?"

"N-no!" Again, Chaeyoung's composure disintegrates.

"Then what's the problem?"

"Nothing." Chaeyoung returns her eyes on the pages in front of her. "Just not used at someone staring at me."

"Alright," Mina pushes herself up the table, "I'll find a book to keep myself busy." She disappears behind one of the shelves a few seconds later.

Chaeyoung sighs, emptying her pent up unease.

"You seem really uncomfortable around her." Tzuyu whispered, without looking away from her book.

"Does she always stare?" Unlike Tzuyu, Chaeyoung tilts her head, seeking some eye contact.

"Nope." Tzuyu left it at that.

"At least help me understand your friend a little." Chaeyoung pushes on.

With a tired sigh, Tzuyu close her book and returns the smaller girl's eye contact. "What's really bothering you?"

"I just can't read her." Chaeyoung didn't even consider restraining her thoughts around Tzuyu, whom she just started talking to two days ago. It just felt they had that special friend connection. "She's like a blank book," she adds a library metaphor because why not? They're in a library after all.

"But you can read me?" Tzuyu deadpans.

"Sort of." Chaeyoung shrugs. "I mean, we’re doing fine so far right?”

"Why don't you think of it this way," Tzuyu breathes deeply as if the need to explain is such a bother, “maybe she can't read you too."

Possible, Chaeyoung thought.

"Or maybe," Tzuyu adds with a smirk, "you can't resist the urge to fill her blank pages."

Chaeyoung's eyelids got hurt from opening them too much at what she heard. Tzuyu obviously placed an innuendo with that comment, already testing the borders of their fresh friendship. But before she could retort (or get all David and Goliath), Mina returns with a book in hand.

I'll get you next time.

"So this is where you disappear to." Jeongyeon looks up at the faded white two story building; cracks randomly spotted to show off its maturity. "What exactly do you volunteer here?"

"A lot of play time." Jihyo reaches for the door knob. "Sometimes we do sing-alongs. Generally taking care of them, you know. Like feeding, bathing, cleaning up, and the like."

"Unnie! Noona!" Fourteen kids, Jeongyeon assumes they're around the age of six to eight, ran towards Jihyo the moment she step foot inside the building, arms spread for a hug and swarming her in multiple direction.

"Right on time as always, Jihyo." A woman in her mid forties behind an office desk nods in her direction with a gentle smile. "Would you please watch over them for a while? I have to sort these papers out. Someone's getting adopted."

"No problem ma'am!" Jihyo salutes as the kids mimic her.

"Who's the boy, unnie?" A girl wearing a salmon pink dress too large for her asked.

Is my school skirt invisible to everyone?

"This handsome oppa is Jeongyeon." Jeongyeon shoved Jihyo playfully. "I'm kidding. He's not handsome."

"If they grow up actually thinking I'm a dude, it's on you."

Jihyo took the kids outside for playtime as Jeongyeon watched from the sidelines, mentioning "I'm not good with kids," as an excuse. Most were playing tag while a few are drawing on the ground with fallen tree branches.

"Do the two come here too?" Jeongyeon asks, elbows supporting her on a wooden fence.

"I drag Chaeyoung occasionally for art activities. Or when she's cooped up at her house for too long."

"And Nayeon?"

"I banned her from coming here."

Jeongyeon faced Jihyo, smiling and curious all of a sudden. "What'd she do?"

"You know how she is with kids." Jihyo rolls her head and eyes at the memory. "She took everyone's first kiss. I’m not even joking here. I turn my back one moment and find out they all have lipstick all of a sudden."

"I can actually imagine it," Jeongyeon said, recalling the first time she introduced seven year old Chaeyoung to her. "How long have you been volunteering?"

Jihyo leans down and picks up a fallen lily flower. "A little over four years by now."

"Wow... Are they my substitutes for being absent?" Jeongyeon half mocks. "Not that I mind being exchanged for cute kids."

"Don't be presumptuous." Jihyo approaches one of the girls, inserting the lily between her ears and said "you're pretty!" before