This was all her fault, Umji thought helplessly as Sowon and Yerin pulled up chairs to the end of their booth.

Every year, without fail, Umji loved going to Hogsmeade. She loved visiting the magical village. There was something in the air, magic most likely. It made Umji feel alive, and the butterbeer was always nice treat after doing schoolwork.

SinB learned Umji loved Hogsmeade not long after they met. The older girl had been reluctant to go, explaining she didn’t like to be crowded around the other kids, but she had agreed when Umji had begged. After the first few times, SinB invited Eunha along, and it had been the three of them ever since.

For the first time, Umji said she didn’t want to go to Hogsmeade this weekend. SinB and Eunha had immediately asked if she felt okay, as if the two of them didn’t look like they were about to fall over from the slightest breeze. SinB had been getting almost no sleep lately, sometimes from restlessness and other times from nightmares. Because of this, Eunha had been getting less sleep as well, since she frequently woke up to SinB pacing or screaming. Umji used to love the time around Halloween, but since meeting SinB, she hated it for what it did to her friend. Umji had happy memories of trick-or-treating; all SinB had was pain.

Umji had insisted she didn’t need to go to Hogsmeade, but SinB and Eunha refused to be the reasons she didn’t go to one of her favorite places. Then when they found out that Yuju had asked to go with her, there was no way to convince them to not go with her.

At first, it had been fine. Yuju was a complete sweetheart, so kind and open to both SinB and Eunha, when she could’ve ignored them the entire time. Umji felt herself falling even harder for the girl, and she smiled shyly when SinB watched Yuju and Eunha grab their drinks and said, “She’s good for you.”

Then it had all come crashing down when Sowon and Yerin walked over to join their dear friend, Yuju. Honestly, Umji just had to fall for someone who was best friends with possibly the worst people.

“I hope you don’t mind the intrusion,” Sowon said smoothly, wearing a polite smile.

Umji watched SinB and Eunha exchange a glance, silently communicating with ease that came from knowing each other for so long. After a short moment, SinB shrugged, and Eunha replied, “As long as you aren’t rude, we’ll have no problems.”

Sowon paused, eying her speculatively, like she was debating if she should refute the notion she was ever rude. Thankfully, she said nothing and excused herself to grab Yerin and herself some butterbeer.

“What’s a girl like you doing in a place like this?” SinB drawled, wearing a charming smile. It wasn’t her best delivery, given the bags under her eyes and the weariness in her voice.

Yerin snorted, but she was smiling. Umji had never really seen SinB and Yerin flirt, so seeing it for the first time was startling. They were almost… friendly? Did they even realize they were crossing the line from hate to love ever so slightly? Umji had seen SinB hit on girls for the pleasure of seeing them attracted to someone they claimed they loathed, but this was something else.

“I suppose the same reason a girl like you would be here,” Yerin replied with a smirk. She was clearly enjoying this as well.

Umji was stuck between wanting to bang her head against the table and banging their heads against the table. They were such idiots. She couldn’t believe they were fooling themselves into thinking this was nothing other than actual flirting. Umji knew there was still the underlying prejudice between the two of them, but there was also very real attraction and fondness between them as well.

“How are your classes going, Yerin?” Yuju asked awkwardly, eyes darting between Yerin and SinB in confusion. Interesting. That meant she probably didn’t know about the weird flirting that had started up between them, or she was witnessing it for the first time like her.

“They’re going well,” Yerin replied. “Thank you for asking.” She smiled, and Umji was surprised to see such a cute smile, her eyes curved into crescents. “Potions is giving me a bit of trouble though.”

“Is this you asking for help?” SinB teased.

“Only if it’s private tutoring,” Yerin winked.

SinB smiled, pleased at her wit, while Umji and Yuju gaped at them and Eunha rolled her eyes.

“Did I miss something?” Sowon asked curiously as she came back, setting down two butterbeers.

“We’re just talking about class,” Eunha said, covering the fact that SinB and Yerin had been flirting for some reason. “How’s the great Gryffindor giraffe doing in her studies?”

The group talked about classes for a while, but SinB didn’t say much. Umji kept an eye on her, watching as she slumped in her seat and occasionally fluttered her eyes shut. She wasn’t the only one who noticed. Eunha did, especially since she was sitting next to her. Eunha nudged her when it seemed like SinB was going to fall asleep and shot her worried looks as she did. Interestingly enough, Yerin also noticed, glancing at her every so often with thinly veiled concern.

When there was a pause in the conversation, SinB stood up and murmured, “I’m going to head back early and do some work.” It was clear to anyone with a brain that SinB was going back to sleep, but no one said anything to call her out on it.

SinB looked at Eunha seriously for a second, and Eunha nodded. They both looked at Umji, and Umji sighed, giving a small nod. She knew what this was about. SinB was telling Eunha to keep an eye on Umji and telling Umji to stay safe. It was both endearing and frustrating. While it was sweet of SinB to worry about her, Umji wasn’t a little girl anymore. However, she also knew that a part of SinB would always see her as the scared little girl she saved from bullies.

“Nice seeing everyone,” SinB said before she left.

Umji watched as Yerin stared after SinB, hands clenched in her lap like she was trying to stop herself from doing something.

“I’ve never seen SinB so…” Sowon struggled to find the right word. “Tired.”

“She had a long night,” Eunha replied simply, and it sounded innocent enough, but the way Sowon looked at her incredulously made it seem anything but.

Umji looked to Yuju to see if she knew anything and was surprised to see Yuju trying to hide a smile behind her hand. Sowon seemed to have pulled both Eunha and Yerin into some inane conversation while also trying to subtly decipher what Eunha meant.

While the other three’s attention was occupied, Umji leaned over to Yuju and whispered, “Does Sowon think SinB and Eunha are dating?”

“I think so,” Yuju replied, amusement evident in her voice. Then she paused. “Are they?”

Umji snorted into her butterbeer. She answered, “No, they’re just very close. More sisters than lovers.”

Yuju nodded as if she had expected that. She leaned close, breath warm against Umji’s skin. It made her shiver. “Should I drag Sowon and Yerin away, so you and Eunha can continue your trip in peace?”

“No,” Umji said immediately, hand covering Yuju’s. “Stay. They’re being civil.”

Yuju chuckled but nodded. She bit her lip and kissed Umji’s cheek shyly. She pulled away with pink cheeks but a pleased smile. “Thank you for coming to Hogsmeade with me,” Yuju said softly.

“Thank you for coming with me,” Umji parroted back to her with cheeks just as pink and a smile just as wide.

“Cut it out, lovebirds!” Eunha called.

Umji and Yuju looked away from each other, blushing harder in embarrassment. After a moment, Yuju just shrugged and wrapped an arm around Umji to pull her into her side. Umji let her with a smile and ignored the approving looks everyone else at the table sent at them.

“Jealous you don’t have your own lovebird to be cheesy with?” Sowon asked, and well wasn’t that direct?

Eunha just smiled and said nothing.

Changing the subject, Yuju asked, “Your first game is next week. Are you excited?”

“We’re gonna crush the competition this season,” Sowon said confidently. She added with a wink, “Including you.”

“Are you sure about that?” Eunha asked, and Umji couldn’t believe her friends were so blind to their own flirting. “I mean, SinB’s been working hard lately, coming back all sweaty and toned.”

“We’ll be fine,” Yerin was the one to answer, wearing an incredibly strained smile suddenly. “And I’d appreciate it if you not talk about whatever it is you and SinB do in your dorm.”

Umji and Yuju both choked on their butterbeers at the clear jealousy in Yerin’s tone and words. They shared a look of disbelief, but the other three at the table seemed unaffected.

“What’s wrong?” Eunha smirked. “Jealous?”

There was a tense moment of silence, and Umji wondered what Yerin would say to that. She glanced at Yuju, and she looked just as interested to see the answer. Just how did Yerin feel about SinB?

“We’ll see who’s jealous when Gryffindor destroys Slytherin in the game next week,” Yerin said finally.

Sowon and Yuju laughed while Eunha smiled in acquiesce. Umji could see now why SinB was so intrigued by Yerin. She was as smart and sharp-tongued as she was, providing the kind of challenge SinB was always looking for.

“We’ll see,” Umji said, speaking for the first time since Sowon and Yerin joined them. Everyone looked at her in surprise, but she just smiled innocently. “We’ll see how it all works out.”