[7:30 p.m] Yerim slaps Seulgi’s hand away when she sees her trying to nick her fries while Seungwan obnoxiously slurps on her banana smoothie.

. . . . .

They’re out for dinner at RETROGAMEBAR smack dab in the middle of Hongdae. The trendy, western fusion restaurant is fast growing in popularity. Various rustic signs hang from retro cafe aesthetic walls and an iconic vintage jukebox booms throwbacks from eras long passed. The food is served on millennial pink pastel plates and, if you’re lucky, you’ll catch your favourite video game characters in time for a quick selca. It’s not really Seungwan’s scene, but Yerim insisted they had outstanding MangoPlate reviews. And of course, Seulgi was just hungry.

“Unnie,” Yerim calls, poking her chopsticks into the roof of as their main course is being served. “You know Joohyun unnie is like way too cool for you.”

Seungwan is too busy thanking their waitress to respond. But Seulgi catches it and chokes on a mouthful of steak. Her eyes balloon and she nods so hard it looks like her head’s about to fall off. “Right? I–” she remembers she has to swallow to talk. “I really thought we’d have to pay her to come to our study group at first.”

Yerim shakes her head in disbelief, absentmindedly poking the little toothpick umbrella chilling in the whipped cream of her strawberry shake. She swipes a of cream then interrupts Seulgi’s chewing with a nudge to her side. “What do you think someone like Joohyun even sees in this greasy loser?” She whispers over the noise of the bustling restaurant.

For a moment, they quietly watch poor Seungwan innocently munching on her sushi burger. She glances up after a second. 

“Hm? What’s wrong?” she blurts through stuffed cheeks, staring back at them, confused. “Is there something on my face?” 

A cat-like curiosity suddenly graces Yerim’s tone. “What do you and Joohyun unnie even talk about?” She suddenly grabs her paper straw threateningly. “Stop holding out on us! If you don’t spill all the deets before I finish this smoothie, I’m sleeping in your bed tonight.”

The inquisitive bear gleefully concurs. “Yeah, Wan. Yerimie, that looks mighty delicious. Give me a few sips.”

The pair’s teasing remarks have Seungwan swallowing her food and her nerves all in one. She’s flooded with memories and suddenly it’s so hard to secure a linear course of events. What is she supposed to say? A month ago, Bae Joohyun was a complete stranger and now they dutifully send each other morning calls so they can catch the same bus and walk to class together? That she keys in the employee discount for her whenever she isn’t making her coffees for absolutely free?

Is that what these knuckleheads want to hear? Probably. And she should probably tell them the whole truth after keeping them in the dim for this long. All they know is that her and Joohyun have been spending more and more time together recently and their blossoming friendship is pretty much fully bloomed. Perhaps now is a good time to come clean. But that’s before she catches Yerim casually pinching one of her juiciest onion rings off her plate.

Huh, what do you know? Seems like they can wait a little longer, after all.

The girl sits back, hoping the caramel wisps of her fringe hide the impish twinkle in her pupils. “Uh, well, a bunch of stuff, I guess. Literature, coffee, poetry, books, I dunno– anything honestly.”

The youngest goes slack against the back of her chair, defeat written across her face as she clutches her stomach. “Poetry? Gross, that wasn’t worth chugging for,” she groans.

Seungwan snorts and Seulgi slaps a hand to her forehead. “Ugh, you’re telling me you’ve spent every waking hour with the Bae Joohyun and all you talk about is work?!”

She’s is about to interject when she remembers she’s also a freaking barista. 

. . . . . 

[9:08 p.m] Seulgi and Yerim gift Seungwan knowing smirks and jeers when she returns from the bathroom after leaving her phone unlocked on the message board and for all to see. Howl’s Moving Castle is paused on the living room TV.

. . . . . 

“Only for the project?” Yerim accuses with a wagging finger, lips curling up in a huge, -eating grin. “Tsk, liar, liar.”

Seulgi teasingly elbows her. “Don’t be so quick to judge, Yerim-ah, maybe horoscopes are part of the grading rubric.”

The defendant palms her cotton-candy cheeks, mumbling something no one can hear. 

It doesn’t matter though, it’s not like the other two were ever going to listen to her excuses. Seulgi victoriously snags the tail off Seungwan’s Melona fish ice-cream (earning her an unamused frown) and bites straight into it– despite the winces aimed at her.

“By the way are we going to Taeyeon sunbaenim’s party on Saturday? Have we decided? I need to know if I need to cancel dance practice.” Seulgi cards a hand through her towel-dried hair. 

Seungwan charily eyes her. “Why are you asking us? Didn’t you blow off your dance buddies right after Sooyoung asked you?”

Yerim dips a Ruffles potato chip into her scoop of vanilla, cringing when it doesn’t taste the same. “Yeah, like a week ago.”

The dancer blushes harshly. She’s about to reassure them with the classic ‘bros before h’– hang on. It’s a text from Sooyoung. She holds a finger up and starts typing, ignorant to the pointed eye-rolls.

Seungwan taps her delivery app while Seulgi is preoccupied. “C’mon Yerm, I’ll order us real fries. This ice cream needs a kick anyways.”

“A Big Mac too, extra pickles.” Seulgi snaps around to slip her order in right before the caramel-haired girl presses order.

She gasps in shock when a pillow is chucked right at her nose. She throws it across the room, revealing Yerim’s disgusted face. “Extra… dude, you’re seriously freaky.” She half-heartedly leans into one of their many sofa cushions next to Seungwan. “But we have to go to the party.”

“Ugh whyyy,” Seungwan groans. “Our deadline is right round the corner. The timing .”

“Oh come on, this is our shot!”

“Yeah, at fail–”

“At getting to know our seniors! Who knows what kind of stuff could happen?” she winks suggestively.

Seulgi and Seungwan can already see the schemes unravelling behind their friend’s eyes. They smother the urge to throttle that cocky smile plastered across her face and let her go on.

“As your leader and friend, I’m willing to share some of my tips. Listen, ‘cause I’m only gonna say this once.” She stresses the word ‘once’. “Let’s say you find someone you like, right? How do you know they like you back? Is it gonna go any further? Here, for example, here’s Seungwan unnie and Taeyeon sunbaenim sitting at the same table.” 

Yerim swipes a protesting Seulgi’s half-eaten ice-cream fish, holds it out next to hers and proceeds to demonstrate. “Every chance you get, inch your chair closer to hers, like this. Who cares what you’re talking about, just don’t make it obvious. Then check to see if she’s moving away from you or staying the same. If she doesn’t move away, well then…” 

The older girls regard, motionless as the ice-cream fish faces are smushed sloppily together. Seulgi slowly applauds. “Wah, daebak… that’s the worst advice I’ve ever heard.” Seungwan laughs. “Why not just talk to her about what she likes or dislikes?”

Yerim beats at the air in frustration. “Hey, this isn’t a game, okay? It’s super psychological stuff. Thanks a bunch for not appreciating my wisdom, sheesh.”

Seulgi reclaims her liquified dessert as Seungwan pats the love guru on the shoulder. “Yah, who are you even telling? You know I’m not interested in anyone there. And Seul won’t even look at anyone who isn’t Sooyoung. Is there something you’re not telling us, Yerimie?”

Before the girl can defend herself, Seungwan’s screen lights up with a ping! Two notifications.

Their midnight snack order is on its way and the goldfish-brained friends are now calling dibs on each other's food before the delivery boy even arrives. 

. . . . .