(a/n: Hey there, everyone! Apologies for the wait—I've been drowning in the world of online classes. But guess what? I'm back in action now! 😄)

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It seemed as though the punch hadn't been intentional, yet it couldn't hide the fact that it was the cause of her roommate's bleeding lip.

"I'll give you some space to cool down; we can talk about this later," Yoona awkwardly uttered before swiftly closing the bathroom door, hoping to offer Jennie some privacy.

She sighed as she observed her own split lip. What in the world had just happened? It wasn't entirely her fault that the door wasn't locked. Then again, she hadn't knocked either. No, this was a shared blunder. How can I even think of kissing someone with a bleeding lip? Damn, Jennie's punch packed a punch.

Her internal musings were disrupted by the creaking bathroom door. She met her own reflection, only to find Jennie fully dressed. A scoff escaped her as she anticipated an apology. However, Jennie's actions seemed to brush the incident aside, exiting their room as if the embarrassing encounter hadn't occurred.

"Where do you think you're going?" Yoona's voice cut through the air.

Jennie's reaction was less than warm. "What?" she hissed back.

Arching an eyebrow at Jennie's attitude, Yoona's voice grew stern. "No 'what'. I deserve an apology, Jennie Kim. You can't just hit someone in the face like that."

Jennie retorted sharply, "You walked in on me when I was still . That's enough reason for people to react."

"Don't twist it like I'm some sort of ert. The door wasn't locked, and I didn't even knock. It's both of our fault. I'm offering my apology, so how about hearing yours?"

Frustrated, Yoona couldn't believe it when Jennie shook her head, refusing to apologize. Just as Jennie moved to walk away, Yoona seized her wrist, forcing her to turn around, effectively blocking her exit.

"What's gotten into you?!"

"I won't let you walk away until you apologize."

"We're going to be late for our first class!"

"I don't care about being late, we'll both miss 30 minutes of our first class. It's your call: apologize now or lose that time."

"But I was the one who felt violated here!"

Yoona let out a weary sigh, feeling a headache already coming on. Why did she have to push Jennie's buttons? The girl was notorious for being stubborn. She could already foresee the headache of trying to persuade her, but she wasn't going to let this slide, not in a million years.

"I didn't touch you or do anything against your will; it was purely an accident. Why are you being so obstinate?"

"And you're the one insisting that I apologize to you!"

"Because you physically injured me. You punched me right in the face, on my lips, and now they're bleeding. You're the one who violated my personal space!"

"Fine, whatever."

Yoona huffed in exasperation, closing her eyes for a moment. Why was she bothering to waste her time trying to force an apology out of Jennie? "So, you're really not going to apologize? Then fine, suit yourself," she declared resolutely before heading back to their shared room.

Inside the bathroom, she shed her clothes and inspected her reflection, wincing when she touched the tender area around her wound.

Arriving at school, Yoona was already 30 minutes late for her first class. Now she found herself standing outside the classroom, balancing two books on her head in an old-fashioned punishment that still seemed to endure in this modern age.

During the break, after two subjects were over, Yoona walked through the bustling canteen. She couldn't help but notice Jennie and her boyfriend engaged in a passionate kiss by her locker. The sight made her cringe. Way to ruin my morning, she thought sarcastically.

"What happened to your lip?" Momo asked as Yoona settled down beside her, helping herself to Momo's apple. Momo didn't argue, as she knew better than to provoke Yoona.

"Why don't you ask your childhood cousin? Hmmm," Yoona replied, casting a sideways glance at Jisoo.

"What's wrong? Did she beat you up or something?" Seulgi teased between bites of her burger. Her ability to indulge in food without gaining weight was a marvel to the rest of them.

"Come on, spill the tea. You bailed on us last night," Dahyun chimed in dramatically, pretending to cry over Yoona breaking her promise.

"Yeah, don't be a party pooper. What's the story?" Jisoo added.

Yoona glanced over at Lisa, noticing someone familiar behind her. Their eyes met briefly before Yoona averted her gaze. "Jennie Kim punched me in the lip because I accidentally saw her in the bathroom," she confessed, shaking her head at their shocked reactions. Jisoo even prepared to throw her energy drink can at Yoona, but a warning look from Yoona made her reconsider. "The door wasn't locked, and I didn't even knock. We both share the blame here, so I apologized to her, but she didn't bother to return the favor, and it infuriates me."

Lisa chuckled at Yoona's explanation. They all knew that Yoona had a strong aversion to anyone avoiding responsibility and not offering an apology. "Well, she's Jennie Kim, the classic Jennie Kim. If I were in her shoes, I'd probably do the same thing," Lisa admitted, then quickly added when Yoona gave her a look. "But I have to say, punching someone for something that wasn't intentional is a bit much, right, guys?"

"Exactly!" Yoona exclaimed before playfully attempting to snatch Momo's food, eliciting a whine from Momo. "Now how am I supposed to kiss anyone with my injured lips?"

"Can you please stop stealing my food? You have your own money, so buy your own," Momo said, wrapping her ordered foods protectively in her arms as Yoona playfully tried to swipe a bite.

"You're not going to order?" Lisa asked, confusion etched on her face as she observed Yoona refraining from placing an order, despite having 15 minutes left before their next class.

"Nah, not in the mood," Yoona replied casually.

"You can still kiss even with your injured lips," Seulgi interjected with a mischievous wink. "That's just my opinion, not based on personal experience," she added hastily, sending the group into a fit of laughter.

Yoona shook her head and let out a sigh. "Anyway, I'm looking for a job. Anyone have any suggestions?"

"What about a 24/7 store?" Dahyun suggested, recalling that a nearby convenience store was hiring cashiers.

"Nah, night shifts aren't my thing. Any other ideas?" Yoona replied, dismissing the option.

"How about being a waitress?" Jisoo proposed.

"Too lazy to keep moving around," Yoona retorted.

Her friends could only shake their heads in response to her answers.

"Construction worker?" Momo suggested hesitantly, offering a sheepish smile.

"Too thin to handle heavy lifting," Yoona dismissed with a smirk.

"But you're stronger than most of us," Momo pointed out.

"That's true, and I intend to keep it that way. Let's move on to the next suggestion," Yoona responded, laughing at the disbelief in her friends' expressions.

The suggestions kept coming, but Yoona continued to turn down each one. Her friends grew increasingly frustrated at her pickiness, especially given her urgent need for money.

"Why did you even ask us for suggestions if you're just going to reject all of them?" Seulgi complained, voicing the collective exasperation of the group. Their expressions conveyed a mix of annoyance and mock annoyance, as they playfully shot imaginary daggers at Yoona.

"Lisa?" Yoona turned to Lisa, humming as she regarded her with curiosity. "Didn't Rosie own that café? You think they might be hiring?" she asked, her eyes alight with hope.

Her friends exchanged knowing glances, smirks playing on their lips.

"Well..." Lisa's response held a mischievous twinkle, and Yoona had an inkling that this wasn't going to be a straightforward answer. "Why don't you go and ask for yourself? You're the one on the job hunt, after all."

Yoona heaved a theatrical sigh, her frustration apparent. "I can't believe you guys sometimes. Is this what friends are for?"

They shrugged innocently, unrepentant smiles on their faces. "You shot down all our suggestions. It's only fair that you figure things out on your own."

"And why the interest on Chipmunk's Café? Oh, I see. You enjoy the scenery, don't you? It's just a plus that there's a beautiful woman involved," Lisa quipped, a self-assured grin on her face.

Jisoo couldn't help but facepalm at Yoona's antics. "I can't believe you're studying law, but you don't exactly fit the bill," she muttered, slightly exasperated.

"Eh? You don't see any potential future lawyer in me?" Yoona asked, feigning innocence.

Her friends exchanged a series of glances and then shook their heads in unison. "Not even a hint of a resemblance," Momo replied, backing up the sentiment.

"First and foremost, lawyers need to be presentable. And, well, you're quite far from that," Seulgi chimed in, unfiltered honesty in her words.

Rolling her eyes at Seulgi's observation, Yoona inspected her tie and found it haphazardly done. She adjusted it and looked back at her friends, nodding in gratitude.

"Check out your polo, it looks like it's been through a battle or something. More like someone ripped at your clothes," Momo pointed out, grinning at the crumpled state of Yoona's white shirt. "And yes, it's like you emerged from a brawl."

"I'm still amazed at how people seem to fawn over you here. If it weren't for your looks..." Yoona sent a pointed look at Dahyun, who wisely decided to hold her tongue.

"And lastly, your attitude and behavior. How are you going to make your parents proud when you keep getting detention? Like today, you were reprimanded for being late," Jisoo added, her tone maternal and concerned.

Yoona shrugged in response, an unapologetic grin on her face. She was well-acquainted with Jisoo's role as the group's unofficial mother figure.

"Why are you telling me this now? You could have given me this advice earlier, and we wouldn't be having this conversation," Yoona exclaimed, her frustration evident in her tone.

"Oh my God, Lim, you're giving me a headache!" Jisoo groaned, earning a chorus of laughter from the group.

"You're perfectly capable of making your own decisions and choices," Seulgi added, offering Yoona a small smile, though Yoona didn't return it. Instead, she frowned and playfully nudged Lisa, who protested the gentle shove.

"Alright, alright. I guess it's time for me to start taking things seriously if I'm really going to pursue a career in law," Yoona begrudgingly admitted, scoffing at her friends who gave her teasing smiles, clearly challenging her to follow through. "But that doesn't mean giving up my personal life. And don't give me that look, I can balance both."

"Sure, we believe you," Lisa replied with a grin.

"I'll go talk to Rosie."

Her friends nodded in agreement before heading over to where Chaeyoung was sitting. Yoona's gaze landed on a familiar figure at the table – with her boyfriend. She huffed and winced as she accidentally bit her injured bottom lip.

"Rosie," Yoona called out. The group at the table acknowledged her presence, and Chaeyoung couldn't help but smile at Yoona. This was the first time Yoona was approaching her without the backup of her friends, and it made Chaeyoung's heart flutter. Her cheeks turned a soft shade of pink.

Yoona's confusion deepened when she noticed the tall guy beside Chaeyoung. What was his name again? Chanyeol, right?

"Hi, Yoona," Chaeyoung greeted, flashing her a smile along with the others at the table. Jennie, on the other hand, seemed uninterested. "What brings you over to our table?"

"I need to talk to you in private. It won't take long, I promise. I just really need to discuss something with you," Yoona said, hoping she wasn't disrupting Chaeyoung's date. She didn't intend to intrude, especially with the tall guy beside her. She glanced at Chanyeol, who appeared slightly taken aback by her courteous request.

"No need to ask him, Yoona. We can talk," Chaeyoung assured her, standing up from her seat and excusing herself from her friends. They as she left, leaving Chanyeol and Kai bewildered. Jennie, however, sent a cold glare in Yoona's direction.

"Alright, where can we talk?" Chaeyoung asked, offering Yoona a friendly smile.

"Follow me," Yoona gestured, signaling that she was taking Chaeyoung away. She couldn't help but notice the playful teases from her friends as they left.

"Sorry for interrupting your time with your... boyfriend," Yoona sa