“Is that…cheese?” Dani was staring at the grill, Rowoon followed her gaze.

“It is, noona.” Chani replied as he put more meat on the grill, the girl puffed her cheeks and tied her hair up.

“You don’t like cheese?” Rowoon asked her as he helped flip the meat, Chani hid his smile. This hyung has always been outgoing and chatty, he was always never aware that it might come off as too much for others. But, for Dahye, it was probably another case.

“It—It’s just new.”

And, Dani was never the type to stutter. Ever.

“You should try it, let me cut~”

“Hyung, it’s okay. I’ll do it for you, this noona can get so picky, I don’t want you to be scarred for life.” Chani mused, not wanting for the girl to grow jumpy as she is.

“You two grew up together?” Rowoon spoke again, Dahye looked up from her bowl, now she was a little bothered at his can of soda that was position close to the edge of the table.

“Yes, noona was there when I was born. Hence, that’s why she’s always around to pester me.” Chani said jokingly, Dahye was staring at the soda, getting more and more bothered.

“E—Excuse me.” She reached out as she pulled Rowoon’s can of soda closer to the center of the table, the male looked at her and chuckled.

“Thanks, Dahye-ah.”

“Y—You know, you could just call me Dani, like e—everyone else.”

Chani put some meat on her bowl, the girl picked up her chopsticks. Rowoon smiled, he picked up a slice of beef from the grill, put some cheese on it and looked at her.

“You don’t even call me by name.” He said as he put the slice on her bowl, Dani scrunched her nose.

“Fair enough.” She murmured as she started eating, Chani laughed.

“Did you just lose, noona?”

“Shut up.” She hissed at him, Rowoon shook his head and started eating.

Dani walked into her room and checked the time, she rushed towards her bed and took off her jacket. The girl took out her phone and started dialing a number, she leaned back, waiting for her friend to answer.

“This should be very urgent since I’m letting you disturb me.” A face came into view and she immediately grimaced.

“Are you in a bathtub? Ew!”

“I have a long day ahead, and I wont have time for you. So, take it or leave it.” He replied, Dani exhaled and ran her fingers through her hair.

“What is it? Do you hate it that much there?”

“No, no, it’s just…remember that time…when we volunteered for the shelter?” She murmured, keeping her voice low.

“Yes, I do. Why?”

“That…That friend, remember him, Hyoseop-ah?”

“What?” The male grew a little impatient, it was unlike her to mince words.

“That boy…That tall one.”

“Dani, I swear to go~”

“The one you kept teasing me with! That one!” She whined, Hyoseop broke into a fit of laughter.

“I hope you choke on your own bathwater.” She stated dryly, the male shook his head and looked at her again.

“So, what about him? Why bring up one of your rare crushes that are a lot harder to find than rare Pokemons?”

“That…It’s happening again, and I can’t seem escape him.”

Hyoseop turned quiet and he started to laugh again.

“You really think I’d fly to Korea for that? Really?”

“He’s everywhere, Ahn Hyoseop! Not like the guy from there, I only see him on weekends!”

“I know that, but aren’t you old enough to be able deal with a boy?” He said teasingly, Dani frowned again and glared at him.

“You haven’t been in Seoul for years, you should visit your family here.” She pointed out, the male rolled his eyes.

“At least come and check on me, I’m the only friend you have.” She mumbled under her breath, the male smiled and hummed.

“Paul.” She spoke again, the male smiled and ran his hand thru his hair.

“I’ll see what I can do, babycakes.”

“Ew.”

“Bye!”

“Hyung arranged lunch?” Hwiyoung asked as he was joined by his friends, it was one of those rare moments that none of them had classes.

“It’s probably a little gathering to welcome Dani back.” Zuho spoke, Chani nodded along.

“Or, he could probably set up a meeting between Junhee and his sister.” Taeyang mused, Rowoon turned to them.

“Tomorrow? I have a meeting.” He stated.

“Ah, right, your father has officially turned you into a slave.” Chani said jokingly, Rowoon shook his head, not reacting. The other three glanced at each other, Rowoon’s father had been badgering him since the beginning of the schoolyear to join him with running the company. And they all knew that the male had no qualms with that, but it was just he had a lot on his plate with school and soccer. And, Rowoon had been vocal about wanting to enjoy his last few months as being a student.

“Finish up early and join us, the other hyungs will be there too.” Taeyang said softly, and then a backpack gently landed on their table.

“Noona,” Hwiyoung said, Junhee was smiling at them.

“It’s a rare free period for you guys?” She asked, they all nodded.

“Will we be seeing for lunch tomorrow?” Taeyang asked her, the girl nodded back in reply.

“Dawon says its for his sister, he’s really excited about her being town.”

“You haven’t met her, huh?” Zuho asked, Junhee smiled and sat down.

“How is she like?”

“Pretty. Very.” Taeyang’s reply was simply, Hwiyoung chuckled.

“Ice princess.” Zuho chimed in, Chani shook his head and took out his notebook.

“Actually, she’s kinda…quiet, a little awkward, but she’s okay.” Rowoon intervened, the other guys turned to him.

“Dani? Awkward? Are you sure?” Taeyang murmured, the youngest in the table hid his grin.

“We have the same classes, remember?” Rowoon shook his head and started to gather his things.

“She doesn’t seem the type to be awkward, our Dani?” Taeyang seemed offended, Rowoon picked up his backpack.

“I have a paper to finish, see you guys later.” Rowoon waved at them before walking away, Chani looked at the older male as he left.

Of course she’d be awkward with you, she wants to run away from you.

Dahye was staring at her laptop’s screen pensively, she only had two hours to finish the report for one of her classes and she was starting to worry. Her brain wasn’t functioning well lately because of all the work that had been assigned to her.

She sighed and stretched her arms, the university library was deserted and she was thankful for that. Her fingers began moving over the keys as she continued typing.

“Lee Dahye, the library going type.”

She looked up, her eyes widened briefly.

Don’t panic. It’s okay.

He looks like that, but he’s harmless.

Totally harmless.

“I—I have a report to submit in two hours.”

“Me too, let’s work in peace.” Rowoon smiled as he took the seat across hers and opened his laptop, Dani chewed on her lower lips and looked up from the screen again.

Moving away won’t help.

I have to finish this.

It’s just harmless and good looking Rowoon, get over it, Dani.

Her eyes focused on the screen again, the girl found her rhythm and continued on typing while glancing at her notes. She eventually ended up bobbing her head with the beat of the song that was playing on her earphones.

And with that, the two of them started to work quietly, without disturbing each other. And for that period of time, Dahye was actually comfortable around the male, or maybe it was just because of her school work. But, not once did she try to move away from him, even when she felt the tip of his shoes touched hers, she didn’t flinch and only blamed his long legs for that.

“Uhm, excuse me, Rowoon sunbae,”

Dani was in the middle of typing in a filename for her report when a student approached them, she looked up from her laptop and saw the chocolates she was holding.

Rowoon was facing the girl with a small polite smile.

“I hope you can accept this.” The girl said shyly as she pushed the box towards him, Dani looked at Rowoon, waiting for his reaction.

Is this a teenage romcom drama?

People still do straightforward confessions?

Wow, I’m impressed.

And I would never do that, not even to Hyun Bin.

“Sorry, but I’m a bit busy right now.” Rowoon’s reply was warm but firm, the female student’s eyes went to Dani, she blinked back at her.

“H—He’s not busy with me, don’t get any ideas.” She quickly said, her eyes widened at her words.

Me and my ing filter!

She heard Rowoon stifle a laugh, the younger student walked away from them.

“Nice save, Dahye.”

“I—I was just, I didn’t want her to get any ideas.” She scratched the back of her head, Rowoon smiled at her.

“You finished the report?” He asked her, the girl nodded back and closed her laptop. She noticed that he had opened a number of his textbooks, her brows went up.

“Good for you, I have a few chapters that I don’t quite understand.”

Dahye chewed on her lower lip and leaned forward to examine the pages, Rowoon followed her gaze. The girl started to go through her notes and handed it to him.

“I—It might not be much, but I hope it will be of help.” She said, the male paused and browsed through them.

Maybe this is how I get over you.

Be friends with you, because I don’t have a choice.

“Thanks, Dahye-ah.”

“It’s Dani.” She murmured under her breath.

“It’s Rowoon then, not Denim Jacket.” He told her, the girl looked up and met his gaze.

“H—Have fun, I guess.” She murmured as she slowly stood up and gathered her things, Rowoon nodded back and watched as the girl walked away from him.

“She’s not an ice princess.” He said to himself before working on his report again.

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