Minjoo rocked on her heels as she waited in the hallway in front of a male dressing room. She could hear faint murmurs inside the room until she caught a familiar sound of someone's voice.

"Thank you for today. See you guys on next session!" and the door to the dressing room opened up. A familiar figure walked out of the room with his back facing her. When the figure turned around and locked eyes with her, he had a surprised look on his face.

"Hey Mingyu," she smiled and stood properly on her feet this time. Mingyu, the young man who just walked out of the dressing room had an apologetic expression on his face as he looked at her.

"Sorry, Minjoo! Did I took too long?" Mingyu asked. The young woman, however, shook her head.

"Not really."

"You sure?" he asked, a doubtful look replaced his previous expression and Minjoo reassured him with a smile and a nod of her head.

"I'm sure of it."

Mingyu's smile quickly replaced his frown as he shrugged his shoulder.

"If you say so. So, shall we go?" he asked and the young woman nodded her head. Both of them head towards the elevator and along the way, they bumped into several familiar-looking faces.

"Well, well, if it isn't our favourite duo? Going on a date?" a man around his mid-30s said with wholehearted laughter. At the mention of the word 'date', Minjoo's face suddenly flushed red.

"Ha-ha, funny Mr. Jung. And just to put it out there, we're just hanging out as usual," Mingyu retorted to the man's statement – in a friendly way, of course. Mr. Jung is actually an acquainted photographer who is in charge of taking photoshoots of Mingyu and sometimes, Minjoo as well. It was safe to say, they were close enough to joke around and jabbed each other from time to time.

"Well, you can't blame me for thinking that way with how close you two have always been ever since I worked with both of you," Mr. Jung once again let out a laughter. The other nearby staffs laughed along and some gave them knowing smiles. While Mingyu acted indifferently, Minjoo on the other hand, felt embarrassed.

It's true that ever since she started working as a model and meeting with Mingyu, they always stick to each other. To be more precise, SHE would always stick close to Mingyu. After all, he was the closest one that she felt comfortable and easy to get along with due to the fact that both of them were the only younger models working under their model agency.

"Hey, even if we do end up going on a date, I still get to have fun while YOU GUYS are stuck here doing your work!" Mingyu emphasized his word to the others by pointing at them with a cheeky grin.

"Ouch, you just know how to hurt our feelings, don't you?" Mr. Jung feigned a deep, hurtful look but nevertheless, laughed afterward. Mingyu shrugged his shoulder and left the area as he bid them goodbye. Minjoo followed him from behind and did the same to them.

"Have fun kids!" Mr. Jung said from afar.

"Will do!" Mingyu replied and entered the elevator. They ended up bumping into more of the staffs working there and as usual, they would tease and ask if they were going on a date or something. Mingyu would retort them like it was nothing. Meanwhile, Minjoo would just remain silent and let Mingyu do all the talking unless he needed her help in persuading the others.

Eventually, both of them finally reached the cafe they always hang out after work. The doorbell rang throughout the cafe, signaling their arrival as they entered the small, peaceful cafe.

"Welcome," a familiar figure behind a bar counter greeted them and Minjoo broke into a big smile.

"Ah, Hyewon-unnie!" Minjoo walked closer to the counter with Mingyu following behind.

"I thought you said you didn't have any photoshoot session today?" Hyewon asked, raising one eyebrow at the young woman. Minjoo let out a nervous laugh before replying her question.

"I didn't but Mingyu had one today. And we agreed to hang out as usual after his photoshoot was over," she said and Hyewon hummed in an understanding manner.

"Alright then. Since you're hanging out here again, I bet you're going to order the same thing as before. Am I right?" she said, eyeing both of them. Minjoo and Mingyu looked at each other before they broke into small laughter.

"You know us so well," Mingyu replied and Hyewon smiled slightly.

"Alright, I'll go and prepare your drinks. Go on and sit down first. I'll let the waiter deliver your drinks once it's done." and just like that, she left the counter to prepare their order. Minjoo and Mingyu went to their usual spot at the corner of the cafe. With how rarely people would pass by their seat, it certainly gave them some privacy.

"Finally!" Mingyu let out a sigh as he let himself sink into the soft couch. Minjoo giggled at his actions and allows herself to settle down on the couch as well. As they waited for their drinks, Minjoo's mind wandered back to the moment that occurred at their workplace. Mr. Jung, as well as the other staffs' statement, messed around with her mind.

To be honest, it bothered her sometimes. Her relationship with Mingyu was nothing more than just a close friend. Yet, the staffs wouldn't stop picking on them as a couple or something like that. Letting out a silent sigh, she unexpectedly caught Mingyu's attention.

"Something on your mind?"

Minjoo looked at him and saw the young man giving her a questioning look.

"Ah, n-no. It's nothing. I was just thinking about something." She quickly averted her eyes, hoping that he didn't see through her defensive act. Mingyu hummed knowingly and didn't say anything. Minjoo was glad he didn't ask any further. It was then she realized a waiter had arrived with their drinks. Once the waiter had set their drinks on their table and left, Minjoo sipped her iced chocolate while Mingyu took up his iced latte and drank it.

Silence enveloped both of them until Mingyu finally broke it and spoke up.

"I'm guessing that this 'something' is related to what the staffs said about us earlier, right?" he asked and that took Minjoo by surprise. She looked up at him with wide eyes and she mentally slapped herself because her expression had given it away.

"Gotcha~" he said before he took another sip of his drink. Minjoo averted her eyes somewhere else. She was too shy and embarrassed to even look up at him after getting busted.

"Relax, you know they're just joking right?" the young man said with a reassuring tone. Minjoo slowly brought her eyes up only to find him giving her a smile. The same smile that he had always gave to her whenever she was down or sad.

"I know that. It's just..." Minjoo let out a sigh, unable to continue her words as she stared down at the table.

"Just what?"

Minjoo bit her lips as her eyes wandered around other than looking straight at Mingyu.

"I was worried if you were getting uncomfortable with it. And that it might have bothered you because, you know. We're always together, hanging out and...all those things," she said, looking up at him. Mingyu gave her a doubtful look before laughing it out. Minjoo certainly didn't expect that kind of response from him and it upsets her.

"Mingyu, I'm being serious here," Minjoo gave him a stern look which Mingyu took notice and stopped himself from laughing with a bit of difficulty. But nevertheless, he managed to stop laughing.

"Sorry about that but I just can't help it. I mean, come on, you know me better than that," Mingyu rolled his eyes before giving her the same smile he had earlier. Minjoo felt her heart soften by his last statement, although it was simple and vague.

"If I was really bothered by it, I wouldn't have asked you to hang out today. And in case you've forgotten, I'M the one who asked you out for today's outing, remember?" he said, raising an eyebrow at her.

And he was right. He did ask her yesterday if she was free to hang out with him once his photoshoot was done. Even though she had no photoshoot session on that day, he insisted on inviting her to go and hang out. In a way, it made sense why he wasn't bothered by it.

"I guess...you're right."

"I AM right."

The two of them laughed at each other, the heavy and tensed atmosphere instantly gone between them. Minjoo could finally look up at Mingyu properly with a smile.

"Thanks, Mingyu."

"Hey, no problem. Anything for my partner~" he gave her a thumbs up and Minjoo's face flushed red once more.

"Mingyu..." she tried to build up a stern look but failed miserably. She didn't like the word 'partner', especially since that word started being used when the other staffs gave them that name. The young man laughed at her before giving her a playful grin.

"Might as well get used to it. 'Cause whether you like it or not, you're stuck with me until they're done with all the teasing, partner."