Minah found herself awkwardly seated between Wonwoo and Mingyu among the audience of the music hall. She had sensed something was amissed after her Busan trip - the two giants greeted each other with curt nods and their eyes never met since. She was glad that Seungcheol had found a way to sneeak in to the school compound today so that both of them were sandwiched between the quiet boys. Yet today was not about them. Today was about Jihoon ending his semester of painful guitar practices by playing his solo on stage. 

"He's actually good," Seungcheol, seemingly unaffected by Mingyu and Wonwoo's little cold war, was seeing his housemate in a different light. "At least all those sleep nights for his practice were worth it."

Minah beamed. She wasn't musically-inclined, but she always sensed that Jihoon played differently. Maybe it's because she had seen his earlier days in Busan, but she felt that the way he handled the instrument was a bit less clinical, a lot more passionate, and his playing always made her think of home. Her mind drifted, for a moment, to the Chuseok weekend that she had just spent a week ago. 

The performance was a success, and Minah clapped a bit too enthusiastically as Jihoon (and his instructor Jisoo) received a standing ovation. 

Backtage, the twins were a step behind girlfriend Mina, who brought an extravagant and boldly pink cake that looked like it was ripped out of the Barbie movie. Jihoon's expression was hard to read as he looked at the cake, and his girlfriend congraulating him a bit too loudly, as if to make sure that everyone knew the soloist was her boyfriend. Seungcheol scoffed and rolled his eyes exaggeratedly, and Wonwoo excused himself after congratulating Jihoon briefly. Meanwhile, Mingyu looked like he did not want to be in the same space as her (and Wonwoo), so he gave his best friend a firm congratulatory pat on the shoulder and the escape room tickets that the Kim twins knew Jihoon really wanted, before leaving the venue too. 

"Awesome!" Jihoon snatched the tickets eagerly, and Mingyu swore he was about to ask the Kim twins to go together before his girlfriend promptly interrupted, "OMG this is great! Jihoon oppa, it's a date then!"

"Hey."

Minah turned around, feeling a soft tap on her shoulder and a familiar voice. Hong Jisoo, no longer clad in his barista uniform, was standing before her while holding several congratulatory bouquets in his hand. It appeared that although he was only an instructor to the guitar ensemble, female students in the school did not miss the opportunity to try to know him. 

"Jisoo oppa! Congratulations! Here," Minah reached into her bag and pulled out a jar of cookies she had bought for the older male, "got you something. I'm not sure if you'll like it but I thought it goes well with coffee. You did a great job guiding Jihoon and the rest this semester!"

Jisoo seemed surprise, but his face was quickly rearranged into a wide grin as he took Minah's gift. 

"Thanks! I didn't know you'll get a gift for me. And speaking of Jihoon," Jisoo blushed, "I might have been slightly harsher with him because...well I thought you were attached and he had been making you upset. That's why you kept dropping by the cafe! But I just found out...well..."

"Ah yes," Minah smiled, "It's the other Mina. He's not dating Kim Minah. Thanks for sticking up for me though. But I'm good."

Jisoo shifted his steps uneasily, much to Minah's surprise, before he blurted out sheepishly, "If that's the case, uhm, do you think I can have your number?" 

Minah froze momentarily, but an arm casually circling her shoulder brought her back to her senses. 

"Here you go, this is her number," Seungcheol's drawl was loud and clear next to her, as he offered her number to Jisoo. "She is single and mostly available aside from track and field practice twice a week." 

It was tell who was blushing harder, but Seungcheol was thoroughly enjoying the scene as Jisoo bid a very rushed farewell after diligently taking down Minah's number, while Minah stayed rooted to the spot and muttered, "See you around" after Jisoo. 

"Seungcheol, you are a terrible roommate."

"Someday, you will thank me," he winked at the younger girl. 

He did not miss Jihoon's dismayed look from the corner of his eye, as he stared after Hong Jisoo. 

And with that, the adventures of a new semester awaited the three Busan friends. 

_______________

Minah felt like the universe was finding new ways of tormenting her this semester. It started on a h