“So how do you find the company?” Mr Kim Minseok asks as he drives out of the parking lot and onto the road. “Your team leader? The cafeteria food? Your colleagues?”

Jaera sits as primly and properly as she can with her seatbelt strapped on. What can she say? Oh, her team leader is in a scandalous predicament with her teammate, the cafeteria food looks too unappetizing to be presented in public, and her colleagues didn’t even know each other’s names.

She makes eye contact with him through the rear-view mirror. “It’s all great, sir. My team leader helped us with our sketches, I finished all my food on the first day, and my teammates are very talented.”

Jaera gives herself a pat on the back for answering so calmly. She didn’t even have to lie.

“That’s good to hear. I can’t wait to see all your sketches tomorrow. I heard that this year’s batch of interns are quite excellent.”

Junmyeon turns around to face her. “Did you finish your design yet?”

“It’s sort of complete.” She fidgets. “I’ll probably do some touching up later.”

“I’m sure you’ll do great.” He smiles warmly, and it makes her stomach flutter. Or, it could be fluttering because she only had a packet of biscuits to last her the day. He turns back in front. “Jaera’s actually from Chungdam High School, Mr Kim. We went to school together.”

“You’ll have an advantage then,” Mr Kim says. “Because you’ll know which design matches the look and feel of the school overall. Plus, the clients are your ex-teachers, so they might praise you a bit more than the others.”

Junmyeon adds on. “The CEO decided to do annual projects for Chungdam High School, starting from a few years ago when the company grew bigger. They charge the school at a much lower price, because the CEO used to go to school there, and because they make the interns design it all.”

She nods, processing their words. If this is really the case, she might actually have a shot in getting her design chosen for the school. Her motivation grows.

“Junmyeon’s design for the fountain got chosen last year when he was an intern.”

That must be how he had gotten absorbed into the company so quickly. Jaera marvels at how he is not only a handsome face, but a talented artist. “So we’ll get to see it later? I didn’t go back to visit since my first year of uni so I haven’t seen any of the projects.”

“Yeah, I can show you the previous years’ works from Kim Corps. If we have time, we can even meet a few of our old teachers. Remember our Art Club teacher? I really want to meet her.”

Jaera sneaks a glance at the man driving. He has a curious expression on his face as he listens to Junmyeon speak. She can’t quite decipher it.

Suddenly, her stomach growls. She quickly covers her belly with her two hands, apologising swiftly to her superiors. She can already feel the heat moving up her neck and spreading across her cheeks. She wants to crawl into a hole.

“Wasn’t your lunch break just twenty minutes ago?” Mr Kim asks amusedly. “The cafeteria food must not be as delicious as you told us just now.”

“That’s not it, sir! It is true that I finished my food yesterday, but today I chose not to have lunch in favour of completing my design properly, and it’s definitely not because of the food! Also, my stomach doesn’t usually make unladylike noises like this, but I didn’t get to have breakfast today so I might have been hungrier than usual!”

The two men chuckle, making her sink deeper into her seat. Mr Kim looks at her through the mirror. “We know the cafeteria food isn’t all that good. That’s why a lot of us pack our own lunch or buy it from outside. You don’t have to be so worried.”

“Yeah, Jaera, relax,” says Junmyeon as he rummages through his bag. “I know we weren’t all that close back in high school, but now we’re in the same company. I’ve got your back. Here.”

He passes her a packet of biscuits, the exact same type that Sooyoung had given her earlier. Her instinct is to immediately refuse it. “Sunbae, no, I couldn’t.”

“Just take it.” He takes her hand and places the packet firmly in her palm. His hand feels warm. “You can’t work on an empty stomach. Don’t think too much about it. It’s no problem.”

She thanks him softly as Mr Kim assures her that he’s fine with her eating in his car. With a smile unconsciously forming on her lips, she tears open the biscuit packet. So many people are showing her kindness today. She can’t help but feel glad.

The biscuit tastes really good. She has to buy it the next time she goes for a grocery run.

Before she knows it, they’ve already arrived at the school and it’s just like how she remembers it. The football field, the buildings, car park, everything. Her lips twitch upwards at the sight as she steps out of the car.

She feels Junmyeon’s gaze on her and she looks up at him. He is grinning at her. “Feels good to be back, doesn’t it?”

She bobs her head. “I feel like I’m a high schooler all over again.”

“You didn’t change much anyway. You-“

“Are you all coming or not?” Mr Kim is already a few meters ahead of them. Junmyeon’s sentence remains unfinished as the both of them rush after the man.

Jaera lets herself wonder what Junmyeon was going to say. She has to admit that she was quite nervous and uptight, only slowly easing into comfort during her second and third year. He must’ve meant that she was still like that.

They reach the group soon after. The look on Sooyoung’s face is intense when she looks directly into Jaera’s eyes. As if by instinct, she averts her gaze. It falls towards the field where a group of boys are playing football. They all look so young to her.

“Good afternoon everyone, thank you for coming.” The principal appears with a few other teachers. “We are very pleased to have your company design our covered pathway for us. I see this is the new batch of interns, yes, how are you all?”

A chorus of I’m fine and Good afternoon sir resounds through the group.

“We’re here to let the interns see what the school looks like so they can come up with better designs,” Mr Kim explains. “We’ll present the official set of designs on our promised date, which is tomorrow evening.”

“Of course, of course. Now, the teachers here will lead- Kim Junmyeon!” All eyes turn to him. “You’re already working for Kim Corps? Wasn’t it just last year you were one of the interns? Your fountain design was truly remarkable, really. Expected, as a student of Chungdam High School.”

“Ah, thank you, sir. Yes, I’m working with the company now,” Junmyeon answers with a polite smile on his face. “In fact, there’s another ex-student of Chungdam High School here as an intern.”

As he points to Jaera, her eyes widen. After fumbling for a moment, she dips into a bow. “Good afternoon, sir. I’m Park Jaera, and I studied here about three years ago. I was one year below him.”

The principal smiles and nods, but it is clear that he can’t quite remember her. How would he, with new students coming in every year as the old ones leave? One of the teachers with him, who she remembers as her English teacher, waves. At least one teacher remembers her.

“Feel free to look around the area. The teachers here can help you if you get lost, but I’m sure Junmyeon and Jaera can help you all as well. I have a meeting in about fifteen minutes, so I’ll take my leave first. Work hard, everyone!”

The group bows as he walks away, and the teachers point out where the facilities generally are. They decide to explore the area themselves, giving the teachers a nice break instead.

Sooyoung grabs Jaera’s arm before they can get separated. “Why on earth did you volunteer to change cars?”

“Why? Did the both of them flirt all the way here?”

“Not exactly, but Yerim couldn’t stop talking. I think Sehun almost cried.”

“You’re exaggerating.” Jaera peers over her shoulder to see how he is doing, though she is secretly afraid that Sooyoung is telling the truth. He catches her gaze and walks over to the both of them.

“Traitor,” Sehun calls out. He is smiling, so it shouldn’t have been too bad.

She merely rolls her eyes in response. “C’mon, let’s go.”

As they walk around, they spot Yerim and Mr Lee together, by the football field. He is explaining something to her quite animatedly, with h