Yerim:

            It didn’t matter how many times she blinked rapidly. Jungkook was doing exactly what she thought he was doing. He was peacocking and she could see it from her safely hidden spot—behind the double doors of the science building. The secondhand embarrassment was too much. What surprised her was actually seeing how Joy was eating it up like nothing.

She had given Jungkook advice in doing things that she liked but. . . did he have to be so flamboyant about it? Yerim shook her head. He was a hopeless case in love—but it also was rather endearing seeing him try to find things in common with Joy. He was currently talking to Joy in the courtyard; in his hands was a book of Sherlock Holmes. Yerim hadn’t only agreed to stay with Seulgi and Joy because she needed more female friends but because she wanted to come up with more information for Jungkook on how to woo the girl he liked. He was behind. Yerim could tell that Joy did genuinely like Jin and when she found out Joy likes Taehyung; she could also see that.

Right now, she would have been fooled. Joy was a er for Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot stories. It's what made her want to go into forensics in the first place. She also was a er for Marvel films.

However, Jungkook . . . oh Jungkook. He dressed up like Holmes and she was ready to pull his ear and make him come back inside—change him out of his clothes. Why was her lab partner and friend, such an idiot? She wished him luck. Genuine luck in wooing the girl.

“Yeri!” she spun around and smiled at seeing Taeyong coming towards her. She had been crushing on him from the moment he approached her and called her cute. “Are you free this afternoon?”

Her smile faltered. No, she wasn’t. She was meeting with Jungkook who was having a harder time grasping the concepts of the new chemistry unit. But she did him a favor so he could do her one too. This time—she was determined to have a date with Taeyong and for it to not fall through. She forgave him because he had a family emergency. Or so he had said.

“I should have time. Why?”

Taeyong stepped closer to her, cupping her already blushing cheek. “I want to spend time with you, beautiful. Make up for our failed date. Also, I’m a bit jealous of you and your chemistry partner.”

“He likes someone else. There’s nothing to be jealous of.”

“Well, he’s an idiot to not see someone like you and not fall for you. I’ll text you. Can’t wait to see you.”

Taeyong left and she felt like she was in a puddle of goo. She watched him go to his friend—Jaehyun—who she only slightly knew. He smiled at her and she smiled back. She only jumped when someone wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

“Was that Taeyong? That dude who stood you up?” it was Jungkook.

“Kook, we’re going to have to reschedule our study session. I’m meeting with him tonight.” She gave him a side-glance as he still looked after Taeyong. “Also, what are you wearing?”

“I borrowed it from the theater department. Joy laughed and that is all that matters. She likes it. She also is gladly not dating Jin, after yesterday. But Rim I really need help and you’re going to ditch me for him?”

Yerim glared at him, trying to push him off but he trapped her in a side hug. Her shoulders fell, not even going to waste energy in trying to get him off. He was like a child. More immature than her and she was the younger one. She was the one to have skipped grades.

“Look here, Kook. I really like him, and I want to give him a chance. Like how Joy is giving you a chance.”

Jungkook pulled back and put his hands in his pocket. There was a pout on his lips, she found him somewhat cute. “Okay. Fair, I guess. I’ll just see if Joy has time tonight. Also, tomorrow is my birthday, are you going to come celebrate?”

Yerim hadn’t known it was his birthday. For two weeks, they studied, and she didn’t even know he was going to celebrate his birth. She nodded. Of course, she would be there. He turned out to be a pretty good friend. He cheered her up and he wasn’t as slow at chemistry as he thought himself to be. She wouldn’t miss celebrating his day of birth. She stopped. Didn’t that mean his date with Joy was coming up?

“That means your date with Joy is the day after tomorrow. What are you going to get her? Flowers? Do you know her favorite flower?”

“Actually, I don’t. Crap, Rim help me out. What flowers should I get her? What flowers do you like?”

She laughed at him. “Asking me what flowers I like won’t help you with her, you know.”

Jungkook shrugged at her. Making her stop laughing when he gently tucked hair behind her ear. It was such a tender action and so not what she was used to him doing. It didn’t even seem that he noted what he had done, he just kept smiling in her directions before speaking. “I still wanna know what your favorite flower is. I could use it as a way to get that information out of Joy.”

She nodded, stepping back and tucking the other side of her hair in to avoid him seeing her flush. When had their relationship gotten to be that comfortable? “I like daisies. I just always have liked them.”

He only nodded. He wasn’t going to remember, and she knew he wouldn’t. Nevertheless, it didn’t matter. Her mind had already drifted to Taeyong and wondering if she told him about her favorite flower, if he would give her some.

“Hey, you have time now, right?” Jungkook asked. She nodded. “Then let’s study now for a bit. I do have to return this to the theater department first though. Come on, Yerimie!”

She smiled, allowing him to drag her by the elbow. Their first meeting wasn’t ideal, but she did like their friendship. She picked on him as they walked. He bickered back but she kept making him speechless with her comebacks until he told her she was too savage for him and wished her future boyfriend luck—calling her a spicy nugget. She slapped him for that. His only retort was to hold her hand, making her freeze and her heart to thump a little bit faster as he hurried their steps to the theater department.
 

⇤〜⑉⑅﹎⑅〜⑉⇥

Taehyung:

“What is with the bag full of Pringles?”

He watched as Jimin sat down across from him in the cafeteria. Jimin glanced down at the bag and then back at him with a sheepish smile. “I’m trying to butter Seulgi up. I’ll be missing this whole week of practice. We’re having faux bar examinations and I haven’t picked up a book. I’ll never graduate this way.”

“I know another way for you to ‘butter’ her up, just ask her on a date.” Taehyung took a bite of his apple, looking down at his portfolio he had been going through since the night before.

“Yeah, okay … pfft. After you ask Joy out then I’ll do the same.”

He looked up, swallowing and blinked. Being with Jimin just brought him back to that time at the Han River. He scowled remembering how bitter he was and how he faked a smile around Irene, she most likely knew it was fake. He met his eyes with Jimin who was giving him a knowing stare. Too quickly, Jimin took his portfolio from under him and started going through the pictures.

Taehyung groaned, biting his apple and preparing for what was to come from his friend. He leaned on the table, resting his head on his hand. He peeked over to Jimin who sighed and slid back the portfolio. “Tae, please tell me you’re not as big of an idiot as I think you are. All these pictures—"

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