Since Wooyoung promised to switch shifts with Hyojong, that meant that he worked Saturday morning instead of the afternoon while Hyojong was off risking his life with Hongseok. 

 

He was off to clock out at 12, so since 11 he’s been staring at the clock every five minutes, slowly counting down the minutes till he was able to escape this sickening sweet place where Chanwoo, his boss, was now making a new recipe for mochi cookies. 

 

“Come on, I’ve never heard of mochi cookies being a thing,” Chanwoo said, trying to hand Wooyoung the cookie, Wooyoung slowly leaning away from him. “You have to try it, I would ask Hyojong but he doesn’t come in until four since he traded shifts with you.”

 

Wooyoung stole another glance at the clock. 11:31 AM. 29 more minutes, gosh, how he hated how he needed to work for money. “If I eat that, I’m going to throw up,” Wooyoung said truthfully. “I really can’t handle any more sweets today.”

 

“Oh, all right, wouldn’t want you getting sick on a Saturday afternoon,” Chanwoo said. “But you should take a batch anyways and eat them when you can, you’re an excellent baker and I could really use some tips, not gonna lie.”

 

“I mean, I guess,” Wooyoung said, shrugging. “I’ll let you know.”

 

Chanwoo put the cookie back on the tray and lifted it off the counter. “Well, I’m going to go put them away for now so that they don’t get cold and stale,” he said, heading towards the back. 

 

Wooyoung nodded when he heard the front door opened, turning his head around to see who entered the store-

 

“I NEED A LARGE WHITE CHOCOLATE MOCHA WITH EXTRA WHIP CREAM AND CHOCOLATE SYRUP ON TOP!” the guy who Wooyoung now recognized as San screamed, running towards the front counter and slamming his hands on it. “I’M ABOUT TO DIE!” 

 

Wooyoung widened his eyes at the sudden outburst but got over it two seconds later. He dealt with customers like this everyday. “Your total will be 6,200 won-"

 

“CHOI SAN, I’M GOING TO BEAT YOUR !” Wooyoung looked towards the entrance where he saw another guy there, murderous glare on his face. “DEADASS!”

 

“COME ON, SEONGHWA, I’M SURE YOU DIDN’T LOOK THAT BAD IN FRONT OF HONGJOONG- please give me a mocha, I’m begging you,” San said, screaming the first half to this Seonghwa and whispering the second half to Wooyoung. 

 

Wooyoung looked at Seonghwa. “Sorry, sir, but my boss doesn’t approve any more murders to happen in the cafe anymore,” he said with an unapologetic face. 

 

Seonghwa came to stand next to San, who was inching away in fear while Seonghwa looked at the menu board, arms crossed over his chest. “Well, instead of his death, I’ll just have a cappuccino, then,” he said. “How much will that be in total?”

 

“11,300 won,” Wooyoung said. 

 

“You talk about murdering me and now you’re buying my drink ?” San asked Seonghwa in disbelief. 

 

“Did you not just hear the man, his boss doesn’t allow any more murders,” Seonghwa reminded him, handing Wooyoung a twenty thousand won note. “Keep the change, sorry for his screaming-”

 

“I AM NOT SCREAMING!” San screamed. 

 

Wooyoung completed the order and placed the remaining won into his tip jar, which he was going to take home at the end of the day. “I’ll be right back and make your orders,” he said, heading away from the register to prepare their drinks. 

 

As he prepared to make the cappuccino first, he could hear the two friends argue behind him, and while usually Wooyoung would wish they wouldn’t make so much noise, there was a group of seven teenagers sitting towards the back with one shouting about his watermelon, so the cafe was already being loud in general. 

 

“Hongjoong isn’t that shallow and you know it,” San hissed at Seonghwa. “He is my best friend and I know him, and I don’t deserve murder like this.”

 

“You don’t understand anything about love,” Seonghwa said back to him. “Just because he doesn’t mind it for a friend doesn’t mean he’ll let it go for a boyfriend-“

 

“Jesus Christ, Seonghwa, why would there be a difference?!” San harshly whispered at him.

 

Wooyoung finished making the cappuccino and was now heading to make the complicated mocha order, wondering what in the world happened with this Hongjoong that was now resulting into someone’s murder-

 

“But know he’ll think I’m a liar!” Seonghwa exclaimed. “And I didn’t when I told him I’ve won every single hand of uno I’ve played until you decided to beat me today-“

 

Wooyoung suddenly turned around to stare at the two, eyes in disbelief. “You think someone’s going to stop liking you because you lost a round of- of UNO?! ” he exclaimed.

 

San  made an exactly face to Seonghwa. “See, Wooyoung here gets it!” San said. “And he looks like a rational person.”

 

“Do you even know the dude’s surname?” Seonghwa asked him.

 

San leaned over the counter to whisper to Wooyoung. “What’s your surname?”

 

Wooyoung signed. “Jung.” 

 

“He’s Jung Wooyoung!” San said to Seonghwa, standing back up correctly. “And he promised me and Hongjoong to teach us how to make cookies for the cookie club!”

 

Woah, woah, when did Wooyoung ever agree to that - oh, never mind, he remembered now.

 

Damn, curse that Hyojong for opening his mouth. 

 

Seonghwa raised an eye at Wooyoung. “You’re making cookies for the cookie club?” he asked, confused. “What did they bribe you with-”

 

“How dare you think that lowly of me,” San scolded Seonghwa. “I’m not the run threatening murder to people just because they can’t handle losing a game of uno-”

 

“YOU MADE ME LOOK BAD IN FRONT OF THE LOVE OF MY LIFE, OF COURSE MURDER IS GOING TO BE THE ACCEPTABLE OPTION!”

 

***

 

Hyunggu was busy doing some homework in his room that Saturday when he heard some random screaming happening outside in the hallway of his dorm. 

 

Confused, Hyunggu set down his pencil and put on his fuzzy slippers, slowly making his way to his door, opening it to reveal some teens running down the hallway, still screaming. 

 

“Uh-” was there a fire alarm? Did someone get hurt? Was there an emergency? Was there-

 

Hyunggu stopped the closest person running near him, who he recognized to be someone in one of his seminars, Jinho. “Uh, do you know what’s going on?” he asked him. 

 

Jinho just pointed down the hallway. “Someone is giving free sashimi downstairs in the lounge, and I’m sure it’s going to run out, you should come with us."

 

“Oh.” Were they really screaming over sashimi? “No, thanks, I’m good-”

 

“Come on!” Jinho said, grabbing his arm and running with him, not noticing Hyunggu’s unwillingness. “It’s going to run out!!”

 

Hyunggu let himself get dragged down the hallway, thinking about his homework that was still in his room to be done. Even though today was Saturday, that didn’t need to be productive, though some people here didn’t seem to think like that. 

 

As they ran through the hallway, Jinho kept talking to other people that he knew, everyone marvelling about the return of a so-called graduate Heechul and the sashimi he always brought to people, and Hyunggu couldn’t help but wonder about what he was dragging himself into. 

 

They went down the stairs, and while Jinho was talking to some of what Hyunggu supposed were his friends, Hyunggu said, “Uh, Jinho, you’re kind of-”

 

Jinho didn’t even get to hear the rest of Hyunggu’s sentence, as the minute they landed on the last step, Jinho let go of his arm (thankfully, though; Hyunggu was about to tell him that it hurt him a little), rushing with his friends to a table with food spread out, a small group of people surrounding it. 

 

Hyunggu stayed rooted in his spot, rubbing his arms together; the hallway was a bit chilly, and he left his sweater in his room. If he were honest with himself, he was a bit hungry, but he’s never really tried sashimi before.

 

“Hey.” Hyunggu jumped to see the guy who was now standing beside him, popping a roll of sashimi in his mouth. “I didn’t know you were in this dorm.”

 

Hyunggu looked at him, wide-eyed, trying to figure out why he looked so familiar until he remembered the Cookie Club meeting earlier this week. “Oh, I- yeah, I guess this is my dorm,” Hyunggu answered, trailing off.

 

Yuto crossed his arms as he saw the group of people in front of them. “People have been complaining about Heechul graduating,” Yuto explained. “His girlfriend is in the Japan Club and it’s lit, not gonna lie.” 

 

Hyunggu nodded, paying attention to every word. “Oh, yeah, the Japan club because you’re Japanese, right?” He asked. 

 

Yuto grinned. “Yeah, glad you remembered, Kino,” he said, using Hyunggu’s fake name - well, he didn’t know it was fake. “But, yeah, I love having sashimi every now and then. “You’ve ever tried it?”

 

Hyunggu shook his head. “No, I don’t think so-”

 

“Well, then you gotta try some,” Yuto insisted, walking to the table where the group was still bothering Heechul. “Jinho! Pass me that plate over there, it’s for Kino.”

 

Jinho grabbed two plates, keeping one for himself. “It better not be for you, you get to eat this every week, Mr. President,” Jinho complained, only to smack his friend beside him. “Changgu! I don’t deserve this slander-”

 

Yuto left them and headed back towards Hyunggu, stretching out the plate of sashimi towards him. “Come on, take a bite, I promise it’s good,” Yuto said. “Dare I say, better than cookies.”

 

Hesitating, Hyunggy grabbed a small piece, popping it into his mouth, eyes furrowing as he chewed on it, having never tasted something like it. “It’s…. I’ve never had something like this,” he said truthfully, continuing to eat it. 

 

“It’s the , I tell you,” Yuto said, grinning. “It’s amazing.”

 

***

 

“This is stupid,” Yoongi said, slamming his laptop shut. “I ing hate this school and I hate how society imposes this restrictions and regulations on us.”

 

Hoseok, who had earbuds in, took one out, having no clue what Yoongi just said. “Is something wrong?” he asked him. “What’s wrong with your homework?”

 

The two were in Yoongi’s dorm room, Hoseok having popped in earlier to see if Yoongi wanted to hang out. Yoongi was too busy doing assignments, though, but he didn’t have the heart to kick out his crush, so now they were in the room together, Yoongi studying at his desk while Hoseok played on his phone, staying quiet as to not disturb him.

 

Yoongi ran his hand through his hair. “I’m trying to do this stupid assignment but I hate this proffesor who is acting like such a snob in his email,” Yoongi explained, letting out a string of curses under his breath. “Stupid son of a , who the -”

 

Hoseok sighed, slapping his face. “Okay, maybe I can help you with your assignment,” he said, desperate to help his friend who was in trouble. “What’s wrong with it?”

 

“This wants us to write a five-page essay that’s FIVE PERCENT OF OUR GRADE and he wants it due tomorrow!” Yoongi screamed. “AND he just assigned it Wednesday! Like come on, he’s acting like we’re only taking his class, and god forbid someone asks him any questions because then he acts like we weren’t paying attention in class.”

 

“Oh, he doesn’t sound very nice,” Hoseok said truthfully. “How much of your essay do you have done?”

 

Yoongi slammed his head on his desk, not caring if his laptop broke or not. “Two paragraphs."

 

“And this is due tomorrow ?!” Hoseok yelled at him. “Yoongi, you have to get it done!”

 

“I’m trying but I can’t!!” Yoongi screamed back. “I’m too stupid for this-”

 

Hoseok slammed his phone down beside him. “You are not stupid, Min Yoongi, we have had this conversation before,” he said. He rolled up his sleeves. “Let me help you, we’re going to get you a good grade in this assignment.”