Letting herself in using the hidden spare key, Hayoon padded into Baekhyun and Chanyeol’s flat. She could hear soft strumming of a guitar, the notes floating through the seemingly empty flat. Slowly approaching the source of the music, Hayoon gently knocked on Chanyeol's door, holding her breath as she waited for the door to open.

“Baek, just leave me alone,” Chanyeol warned, still strumming the guitar. “You’ve already given me an earful, go bother someone else.”

“It’s me.”

The music stopped, followed by a long pause. Hayoon strained her ears, hearing the sound of shuffling footsteps and then the door creaked open, revealing a disheveled and fatigue-ridden Chanyeol. Seeing the small girl standing in front of him, eyes overwhelmed with worry, Chanyeol engulfed her in a hug so tight that Hayoon had the air knocked out of her.

"I think I screwed up,” Chanyeol mumbled into Hayoon hair.

“You think?” Hayoon muttered jokingly while delicately combing through Chanyeol’s tangled hair with her fingers.

Feeling her soothing touch, Chanyeol visibly relaxed, the tension slowly fading from his body. Humming an unfamiliar tune under his breath, the tall male swayed his body back and forth, using Hayoon’s body as a pivot. Hayoon exhaled into Chanyeol’s chest.

“How are you holding up?”

Deflecting her question, Chanyeol simply responded with another question.

“Baek said that you were with Soojung last night?”

Sensing the girl nod, he continued.

“How is she?”

“She’s…” Pausing, Hayoon gathered her thoughts, thinking of the most delicate way to summarise the state Soojung was in. “Alive.”

“Very descriptive.” Chanyeol chuckled, followed by yet another pause. “Hayoon, you really are a great friend.”

“I know,” Hayoon replied cheekily.

Pulling away from Chanyeol’s embrace, Hayoon held onto his hands, squeezing them softly. Her thumb drew invisible circles on the back of his palm.

“Well, since neither of us are planning to go to class, let’s go for coffee.” Hayoon declared.

Raising his eyebrow at the girl, Chanyeol let out an chuckle.

“Go Hayoon, didn’t take you for a skiver.”

“And who do you think corrupted me huh?” Hayoon joked, nudging him with her shoulder. “Come on let’s get going. I’ve finally found the coffee shop that roasts those amazing beans. I was planning to visit after submitting all my assignments but screw that. We deserve a break from life.”

Nodding in agreement, Chanyeol picked up his phone and wallet, and pulled on his jacket. Combing through his hair roughly using his hands, he exhaled loudly before announcing that he was ready to depart.

The two spent the half an hour walk to the coffee shop in silence, enjoying the peaceful presence of each other. Neither commented further on the events of the previous evening. Looking around, Hayoon noticed that the streets became less and less busy the closer they were to their destination. Most students would most likely not be willing to walk half an hour just for a coffee shop, something that satisfied Hayoon greatly, as it meant she could truly call the place her escape. It would also mean that she was unlikely to run into Sehun who somehow would always appear in the most unexpected moments, when he was least desired — not that Hayoon desired his company to begin with. The classmate of her’s simply had a way of pushing her buttons. Plus she was still holding a grudge over him for not revealing the source of the coffee beans. Petty? Maybe. But he definitely deserved it thought the girl.

Making a final turn, the duo found themselves standing by the edge of a magnificent botanical garden, the branches of an ancient oak tree sneaking through the gap of the fence. Across from them stood a charming coffee shop, positioned in the centre of two intersecting streets. The walls of the coffee shop consisted of wide windows that welcomed the early afternoon sun. By the entrance, there was a golden retriever, dozing off in the shade, its owner most likely a customer inside the coffee shop. Approaching the coffee shop, Hayoon’s eyes gravitated towards the sign hanging off the wall, an oval shaped bronze piece with the familiar coffee stain logo and the name of the coffee shop Dear Me engraved on top.

Smiling contently, Hayoon forged her way into the coffee shop, hand tugging only Chanyeol’s sleeve, pulling him along. Chanyeol grinned, finding the girls excitement simply adorable. Swinging the door open, the two were welcomed by a smiling male. His hair was styled in loose waves and his sharp feline eyes were framed by round, gold-rimmed glasses. The name tag on his navy apron read ‘Kim Minseok’, meaning he was the proprietor of the place, and the magic hands that roasted the coffee beans Hayoon could not get out of her mind.

“Welcome,” said the man from behind the counter, his smile growing wider pushing up his cheeks, causing his face to turn rounder.

Seeing that, Hayoon stifled a chuckle, remembering how Junmyeon had commented on Miseok’s resemblance to baozi. Stopping in front of the counter, Hayoon took a deep breath, inhaling the aroma of freshly roasted beans permeating through the air. Exhaling in satisfaction, Hayoon’s grin widened.

“Hi, I was wondering, could you explain a bit about your pour over coffee?” Hayoon asked, focusing her attention on Miseok.

“Sure thing. For our signature brew, we use a V60 to extract the maximum flavour of the single origin bean. As for the beans, our house brand is a top quality robusta bean, rich in flavour but light in texture. We roast the beans ourselves and it's pretty damn good if I say so myself,” Miseok answered confidently. “We also have guest beans from around the world. We switch every month or so. This month it’s barako, originating from the Philippines. It has notes of cacao nibs and dark chocolate, with a rich fragrance.”

Chanyeol’s eyes widened in shock while listening to Minseok’s explanation, his brain struggling to register the meaning of th