With the end of the semester and the start of the holidays, things were beginning to change on campus as well. Many of the residents staying in the building had moved back, especially the freshmen who missed their family after a semester worth of stay. Minghao and Jun had returned home to China for a month in their holiday, planning to be back by Christmas week (they said they preferred Christmas in Seoul). Many of the boys on Jeonghan's floor stayed since they were mostly seniors. Mingyu usually went home on holidays, but for obvious reasons, him and Hyeyoung were staying during the vacation just to enjoy winter together. Vernon decided to stay as well because Seungkwan practically pestered him into it. As for me, I had no choice. Both Jeonghan and I had to stay given our duties as residential assistants. 

Another big change was me taking up employment at the campus supermarket where Vernon was working at. This, as with other Vernon-related decisions, was partly due to Seungkwan. The two were hanging out a lot over the holidays, or perhaps since Minghao's birthday party, come to think of it. From what I heard, Seungkwan was showing up at the supermarket so much and because he was such a loud distraction (unlike the discrete me), Vernon had decided to just drop half of his shifts to just go out with his noisy friend. With their most capable employee gone half the time and other students off campus during the holidays, Vernon had nicely introduced me to the new manager running the place to get me a position. Unlike the retired manager who used to oversee this place with a stern countenance, the new manager was a much friendlier young man who accepted Vernon's recommendation with no second thoughts. The strange thing was that by some form of wicked coincidence or magical planning by our manager, Vernon and I were almost never on the same shift. Well it made sense, since I was there to fill in what Vernon (or more accurately Seungkwan) was leaving for th supermarket. 

Perhaps the only constant amidst all these were two things - me counseling/ babysitting Mingyu on his love, and me talking to Minghao. 

Mingyu had somehow decided that the supermarket was a love clinic, and he had no idea how much I had to apologise to Manager Baekho (though he said it was perfectly fine) each time he followed me around consulting me on his love issues. This could be very tiring - hearing him talk about things that were sometimes unsolvable, and some that were simply too obvious. There were so many times when I thought "Ah, if only Hyeyoung knew this would be his reaction..." or "ah, if only she knew this could cheer him up..." Things so simple between us, yet was sufficient for an hour of rant when it happened between the couple. 

Sometimes I wondered if amidst all the change, they would change too. 

I shook that thought off my head. What change? What change did I want to see in them? Better? Or worse? Those were terrible thoughts to have, even if it's at random moments like me packing cans on the shelves. 

And as if someone could read my heart from miles away, my KKT notification came and disrupted my unwanted chain of thoughts, bringing a smile to my midday work. 

Hao: Okay is that baby gone by now, you haven't replied since 45 mins ago. 

Me: Yes, he had to meet Hyeyoung for dinner. And to apologise. 

Hao: Again? Is there no end to their apologies?

Me: I have no idea. 

Hao:...

Hao: Are you alright?

Me: ?? Ya?

Hao: You're still counseling them on this...

Me: Hao hao I'm really fine. 

Hao: You better be. If he is making you upset, I'm buying a ticket back straightaway and beating his up. 

Me: Tickets are expensive...

Hao: ... Ok true wait till Christmas I will crush all of his presents. ALL. 

Me: Hao you're the best. 

Hao: Hehe. But really if anything happens, I will fly back. I can afford that ticket if it's to avenge you.

Hao: Qiqi says hi by the way. She wore your beanie during her street dance flash mob today and she did great.

Hao: Okay I'm just going to translate what she says "SOOYOON UNNIE YOU ARE THE BEST YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH Luck YOUR CAP ME LUCK I LOVE YOU I WANT TO MEET YOU"

*Picture attached of her and Hao in the twin beanie* 

Me: She's adorable. 

"Sooyoon-shhi, please help out with the new stocks in the back!" Manager Baekho's voice sounded in the distance. 

Me: Got to go. At work. Talk to you later! Send my love to everyone! 

Hao: I'll be travelling to Shenzhen city tonight to stay at Jun's for a week anyway. Will be out of reach for a bit. Hwaiting Sooyoon-ah! Miss you all! 

Manager Baekho's footsteps could be heard heading in my direction again, so I quickly stuffed my phone back into my pocket and rushed over. Perhaps it was the unconscious smile on my face, but my manager's expression softened at the sight of me rushing over and just helped me with the stocks. He's a lenient one. He was quite aware I had been texting all the time, but he would turn a blind eye since I was mostly efficient with my job. 

It's crazy how much Minghao's texts always seemed to be the energy boost to my work. Happy that he would be able to stay over at his friend's house for the rest of the two weeks in China, a smile crept on my face again as I joined my cheerful manager in humming to a song on the radio. The light mood must have been contagious, because Manager Baekho even tried inviting me out for supper that night after the day's work. If it weren't for Kim Mingyu and his consultation that tired me out that afternoon, I would have said yes. 

***

"Oh, you're here." 

Vernon looked slightly stunned when he turned up to work and saw me at the counter. 

"I work here Vernon. Of course I would be. It's actually crazy how we haven't met in a common shift yet," I said, looking at him quiz