Minah tried to shake off the unsettling feeling that her female classmates all had their eyes glued to her back. She was in an awkward position of being half-dragged on her unwilling feet, as Seungcheol had uncharacteristically swung his arm around her neck when he surprised her by picking her up at school. She was sure that he overheard that the boys had their training today, and so it was the perfect time for him to catch her alone. 

Minah could only imagine how it looked, because even she could not deny that Seungcheol was a good-looking boy, despite knowing him as an annoying roommate. There was a mild commotion in class when one of the girls by the window spotted him lingering outside the gate, clearly waiting for someone. So when he approached Minah when she stepped out of the school gate, she could tell that her classmates were both shocked and to a certain extent, jealous. A college senior? And such a good-looking one? And not to mention, stylish?

And he was waiting for Kim Minah? The unflattering runner who was sister of Kim Mingyu and good friend of Lee Jihoon? What luck did this girl have to deserve the attention of all these heavenly men in her life? 

School would be filled with unnecessary gossip and questions tomorrow, she figured. But that was problem for tomorrow. The bigger problem now was knowing where exactly Seungcheol was dragging her to. 

"Help me get groceries," he drawled lazily, his voice dangerously close. From afar surely it would look like he was whispering words of love to her, but no. It was really getting the stunned Minah to help carry groceries at the supermarket. 

As it turned out, he was teasing her. All he needed at the supermarket was a bottle of shampoo, which he easily fit into his school bag. He decided to drag the still-confused-girl to a nearby cafe. One that he had been going to recently. 

Except that he did not know, this was also her frequent spot. 

"Oh, you're back! It's been a while." 

Jisoo's familiar and soothing smile greeted the two roommates, and Minah was quick to wave back happily. Seungcheol observed this exchange with a raised brow, but did not comment. 

"The usual?" Jisoo turned to Minah when Seungcheol had made his own order. The girl nodded, glad to be back on familiar ground andclose to one of her favourite persons outside of school. 

When Jisoo brought, as usual, an extra biscotti for Minah, Seungcheol cound no longer refrain. 

"What's going on?" Seungcheol whispered loudly when Jisoo had left their table. 

"What?" Minah looked at him, pouting in mild annoyance. 

"You two! He was flirting with you, and you were reciprocating!" He said, looking almost scandalised. 

"We're not," Minah almost choked on her coffee, "Jisoo is just really nice! I come here often, and we talk a bit." 

Seungcheol did not look half-convinced, but nonetheless let her go for a moment as he sipped on his own cup of Americano. 

Jisoo returned shortly, after checking the coast was clear of his boss. "Well, how has it been?" 

It was clear that Jisoo wanted to join them at the table, and Minah could tell that the gears in Seungcheol's head was spinning in their own strange way, trying to assess this situation again. But Jisoo sat down before he could say anything to reject. 

"You look happier lately," Jisoo commented, looking at Minah. The girl blushed ever so slightly. 

"Well, looks like I'm not the only one who noticed," Seungcheol said, "has she been sulking here too?" 

Jisoo seemed unaffected by Seungcheol's sudden decision to hijack his conversation, and replied in a matter-of-fact manner, "well, sometimes."

Minah was baffled by the easygoing interaction between the two, and all the more because they were discussing about her. 

"I was actually intending to check up on you today with this mini outing, but if someone else can tell you're better, I guess my hunch is right. Your problems are solved huh?" 

Minah shrugged? Were they solved? Did she still have feelings for Jihoon? 

Or did she just see things differently now? 

"I guess you can say that," Minah said, biting on her biscotti. 

"Relationship?" Jisoo asked, genuinely curious. 

Minah nodded after a momentary pause. She did not like to admit it, but it was. 

A relationship problem involving her best friend. 

"The absolute worst," Seungcheol added, "the on-and-off kind." 

Minah frowned at the odd description for her and Jihoon, but then realised that Seungcheol still did not know they were dating to ward off his advances. Would this be a good moment to tell him? She wondered. She was touched that he thought about cheering her up. Yet she decided to swallow her words at the sight of Seungcheol and Jisoo discussing excitedly how miserable she had been, and how worried they both were. 

"You guys sound like my parents," she said after a very long moment of watching them discuss how Jihoon and her were on-and-off, and how they were both frustrated at Jihoon for apparently very similar reasons. The two looked at each other, and in one of those rare moments of chemistry between new friends, somehow decided that they were allies in ensuring the welfare of Minah. 

"Well I saw you guys laughing together after going out that day," Seungcheol said, "you sure you know what you are doing?" 

The day they caught the robber. 

It was exhilarating, and Minah was willing to give anything to live that moment again. 

Jisoo looked lost, and seemed like he wanted to clarify, before the unmistakable voice of his boss sounded behind him. 

"Jisoo, I believe there are more customers in this cafe than this table alone."

Jeonghan, was he? Minah looked at the young owner of the cafe, appearing with a new short blonde cut today. Minah seldom had such a thought, but up close, Jeonghan was a beautiful person. His skin was flawless, his voice soft, yet it was clear he had a charisma that held the place together, and scaring the daylight out of Jisoo everytime he turned up. 

The only surprising thing was, Seungcheol froze in his seat when he heard the voice sounding from behind him. And even as Jisoo left with his boss, he did not relax. 

"What's wrong?" Minah asked quietly. 

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