It was a day like today—a fine summer day—that Yujin and Wonyoung first met. They are now at their favorite restaurant, hanging out and catching up like they have not seen each other for years; when in fact, they were just together yesterday and Wonyoung even had dinner at Yujin’s.

“How many glasses have you drank?” Wonyoung furrowed her brows as she looked at Yujin.

“I don’t know,” Yujin put her hand on her chin, “But what I do know is I could still keep going,” she said and Wonyoung sighed in frustration.

“You should stop now. You know that is bad for you,”

“It’s a harmless thing, Wonyoung. It’s just a drink,” Yujin argues.

Wonyoung rolls her eyes because she knows where this conversation is going, “Do you want me to give you a powerpoint presentation of how harmful iced tea could be?”

“You already told me a lot of times so no thanks,” Yujin scoffed and she crossed her arms as she leaned on her chair.

Wonyoung sighed in defeat because Yujin’s skull is really hard to penetrate. The younger girl is just worried because ever since knowing Yujin, the older girl would drink iced tea like it was water. To top everything off, Yujin never drinks water and only prefers iced tea.

Silence fell upon the two as they ate. Wonyoung starts feeling guilty for ruining the mood. She was about to open another conversation when Yujin raised her hand to call for the waiter’s attention. As the waiter arrived at their table, Yujin smiled and said, “More iced tea, please,” Wonyoung mentally rolled her eyes as fell open.

When Yujin finally received her iced tea refill, she began to drink it fast and the waiter was forced to just leave the pitcher at their table. Yujin thanked him before he left. On the other hand, Wonyoung just stared at Yujin until the latter finally noticed.

“Yes?” Yujin tilted her head like a puppy.

“Iced tea or me?”

“What?”

“If you don’t regulate your iced tea intake and keep ignoring my warnings, then what is the point of having me as your best friend?”

“Why would you level your self to iced tea?” Yujin got up and put her hand on Wonyoung’s forehead, “Are you not feeling well?”

Wonyoung removed Yujin’s hand on her forehead and proceeded to talk, “I can’t keep reminding you the same things over again. I just want you to live a healthy life,”

“Wonyoung, you literally eat at least two cans of Pringles a day,”

“No, Yujin. This is about you and iced tea,” Wonyoung stuttered as she realized that Yujin got her cornered.

“Aha! I got you,” Yujin pointed at Wonyoung and the younger girl stuck her tongue out.

Finally having something to debate upon, the two decided to finish their meals immediately. They were about to leave and find a new place where they could argue freely when Yujin stopped on her tracks and looked over to their table; specifically at her glass and the empty pitcher that was once filled with iced tea.

“You know what,” Yujin started to walk back to their table to sit, “Let’s just stay here for a while,” she said as she looked at Wonyoung. The younger girl looked back and she could only plant her face on her palm.

“Seriously, Yujin?”

“I paid for bottomless iced tea. It’s such a waste to leave early,”

“You’ve been drinking that since we came here and that was an hour ago,”

“Just an hour?” Yujin pouted.

“Who is the older one between the two of us again?”

Yujin smiled before answering, “When it comes to age, me; but when it comes to maturity, you,”

“Stop showing your dimples. That’s unfair,” Wonyoung pouted as she walked back to their table.

“Let’s stay for two more hours? Or make it four,” Yujin pleaded but Wonyoung stuck her tongue out.

Wonyoung took Yujin’s hand and forcibly pulled the older girl for her to stand up. When Wonyoung was successful, she immediately dragged Yujin out of the restaurant.

As they got out, Wonyoung could hear Yujin’s heavy footsteps and stomping. The younger girl looked  back, “Any complaints?”

“Pay for my bottomless iced tea,”

Wonyoung crossed her arms, “What if I don’t want to?”

Yujin pursed her lips to think, “I would say that I will be ignoring you but I know I can’t do that,” Yujin’s shoulders fell. Wonyoung giggled and went closer to hug the older girl, “Yujin is whipped for me,”

“Shut up. You are not iced tea,” Yujin started walking while Wonyoung is still clinging onto her. They looked like penguins that are attached to each other because Yujin is swaying left and right in order to walk while Wonyoung just follows the older girl’s movements.

They went on walking like that until they reached the bus stop. People were looking at them while they were on their way but since they are obviously kids, they were just admired because of their cuteness. They were sure some people were taking pictures or videos of them.

They got on the bus when it arrived and chose the seat at the very back. Yujin let Wonyoung sit first because she knows the latter likes the window side.

As the bus started moving again, Wonyoung turned to Yujin, “What is in iced tea that you love so much? It’s just sugar, Yujin,” Wonyoung started and she swore Yujin’s eyes filled with fire before it sparkled.

“Iced tea is just the perfect drink. Sweet but not too sweet. There is no fizz that would haunt you after you drink. It’s also fairly cheap compared to its quality,”

“It’s still a huge serving of sugar and it’s bad,”

“Do-ah drinks cola a lot but why aren’t you scolding her?”

“First of all, she is not my best friend and second of all, she gives me Pringles,” Wonyoung immediately shut as the last line slipped from .

“She what?!” Yujin’s eyes were wide open.

Wonyoung nervously laughed, motioning her hands up and down to calm Yujin, “It’s nothing, really. She just asks me to help her with some of her lessons. It’s more of a payment than gift,”

“You what?” Wonyoung now realizes that what she has been mocking at the cartoons she watches were true. She could see the smoke coming out from Yujin’s ears and nostrils.

Wonyoung smiled awkwardly but Yujin is not having any of it, “You never teach me my lessons telling me that I’m old enough and should be responsible. Plus, how do you even know our lesson better than us? What the hell, Wonyoung,” Yujin’s face was turning red and Wonyoung could not decipher if it was out of embarrassment or annoyance.

“It wasn’t my fault she always brings Pringles with her whenever she asks a favor,” Wonyoung pouted because Yujin is throwing a fit over something trivial.

“And I can’t believe I almost forgot about your Pringles addiction,” Yujin messed up her hair, “Each Pringle has a lot of salt, for your information, Miss Iced Tea Anti,” Yujin smirked.

“I drink a lot of water after I eat, though,” Wonyoung stuck her tongue out.

“Oh yeah? The sea has a lot of water but a lot of salt is still present,”

Wonyoung looked at her with a straight face, “Yujin, the salt in the body is removed through urine,”

Yujin blinked, “Oh yeah? But damage could still be done right? I mean the bean-looking filters will be filled with salt and they will turn into rocks,”

“It’s stones not rocks, dummy. Also, it's the salt that will accumulate and become stones. The kidneys don't turn into stones,” Wonyoung lightly hit Yujin’s arm.

“Doesn’t matter,” Yujin raised her brow thinking that she won.

“You act as if sugar does not do the same,”

“We’re talking about you here, Miss Jang Wonyoung,”

“Shut up, Yujin. The issue here is you and iced tea. It was you who changed the topic,” Wonyoung said and Yujin could not do anything but utter complete nonsense. They continued to bicker until they reached their stop. As they got down from the bus, they looked at each other.

“How about we just let each other be and not nag about eating or drinking too much?” Yujin tried to negotiate.

“Or we could try and help each other out in growing out of those bad habits,” Wonyoung looked proudly at Yujin.

“But old habits die hard, Wonyoung,” Yujin started whining again.

“Bad habits could kill you, Yujin,” Wonyoung crossed her arms as she raised a brow at Yujin.

“But—“ Yujin was about to reason out again but Wonyoung was quick to shut her up, “Let’s have a deal. Whenever the other gives in to the temptation, they have to treat the other with whatever they want; except of course the forbidden food because that would be endless treating,”

Yujin just looked at Wonyoung, “Just as I thought,” the younger girl bopped her head, “Whenever you crave for iced tea, just drink water. When I want Pringles, I’ll eat veggies,” Wonyoung suggested but Yujin was still hesitant.

They stared at each other for minutes until Yujin finally sighed, “Fine. I’m doing this just so you could shut up and your face whenever you eat veggies are funny. I’ll make sure to capture those,” Yujin giggled and Wonyoung smiled.

“It’s a deal then?” Wonyoung took out her hand for a handshake.

“Deal,” Yujin took it and that sealed their agreement of living a healthy life at an early age.