It's not like Jinsol didn't have a choice— she could totally pass up Sooyoung's offer to tag along with her as she meets Kim Jungeun by the small milk tea shop down the suburban part of the city.

For some reasons she couldn't figure out herself, Jinsol agreed to it. Perhaps it's because going out somewhere with whoever is better than having herself rot in the comfort of her bedroom. On Valentine's Day. So even if it meant signing by blood drop to the idea of having to walk behind the couple on pavements, Jinsol let Sooyoung drag her wherever.

"Don't gross out on me like that. It's a hangout, not our date." is all Sooyoung had to say for Jinsol to impulsively go along.

The taxi slowed down and halted to a stop, and they both got off the vehicle after Sooyoung's payment, walking to the glass door of the shop. Sooyoung opens the door and Jinsol trails behind.

The walls inside were colored cream and a pleasing amount of vintage themed displays hung around, as well as the mild smell of beverages swirling in the small place, welcoming them in. There were tables placed close to the glass walls that weren’t crowding the place too much because people prefered ordering to-go. Their pristine tabletops hued the palest shade of flesh, save for a few stains of light drink spills.

Sooyoung stopped in her tracks when she spotted Jungeun occupying one of the tables, facing away from her side. Beside her figure is another of black hair, almost the same height as Jungeun. Jinsol behind her, busy scanning the place, lightly bumps into Sooyoung's unmoving body. Sooyoung yelps.

Jungeun turned at the familiar voice that came out of Sooyoung's mouth and her eyes immediately lit up as if automated. "Bubbie!"

Sooyoung's eyes flew back to Jungeun's direction after shooting Jinsol a sharp look. "Bub!" She sings. Jungeun spreads her arms out as Sooyoung runs to her. The younger girl closes arms behind her girlfriend and they wrap around her so tightly.

Jinsol followed and settled herself on the seat across from the girl Jungeun had brought with her. She looked up to see two crescent moons for eyes, realizing that the girl had been smiling warmly looking at the two.

Oh, god, girl alert! Jinsol blinked. And she's cute.

Once Jungeun pulled back to greet her, too. She pointed at the girl beside her. "I brought my cousin Jiwoo with me! You may know her as the center from the school choir."

"Yes!" Sooyoung said enthusiastically. "Hi, I suppose you've heard a lot about me from Jungeun." She offers a hand, ignoring Jungeun's playful smack on her shoulder.

Jiwoo giggled. Jinsol thought it's the most adorable thing to ever emit in the air.

"I do! You should've heard how. Jungeun's so in love with you!" Jiwoo raved out with an intent to chaff. Sooyoung just laughs when she catches her girlfriend's eyes rolling.

"And that's Jinsol!" Sooyoung gestured at her and Jinsol takes half a second to compose herself.

"Hey," Jinsol said.

"Hi!" Jungeun greeted lively. "Jung Jinsol? From the photojourn?"

The edge of Jinsol's lips climbed up to a smile. "Yes!"

"Jiwoo and I have seen you a lot! It's when you used to go to her recitals. For, you know, pics for school papers." Jungeun recognized, as Jiwoo nodded excitedly like a child.

"oh, Right!" Jinsol snapped as she realized. "It's nice to meet you again."

Jungeun tilted her head and smiled in response.

Sooyoung settles her sling bag onto the remaining seat. "You guys ordering anything?" She asks, offering to go to the counter for them. Jungeun answers it'll be their usual, Jiwoo's will be what they're having (say what now? I totally have no idea what it is.), and they expectantly look at Jinsol. "For me, too." She said, praying their choice of flavor doesn't send her into food poisoning.

Sooyoung hummed approvingly as she walked away, but not before Jungeun chased after her and pulled her girlfriend by the hip. Jinsol, endeared and grossed out at the same time, thoughtlessly rolled her eyes. So Sooyoung wasn't the only clingy one. Jinsol noted to find something else about her best friend to about.

"Hey," She - Jiwoo - said with the nonchalance of Jinsol's bland greeting.

Jinsol's eyes flew to the shorter girl in front of her and lingered to her godly features. She had the cutest almond eyes, black hair that fell straight down, fringe that stopped right above her brows, and her face was so small it could fit right in Jinsol's palm. (wait, what?) Oh, and she was wearing a refreshingly peach-orange tank top.

"Jinsol, right?" Jiwoo continued. Jinsol had to physically stop herself from smacking her own face. She prays it wasn't to pull her out from her not-so-subtle staring.

"Right." She confirms. Jinsol could still feel her eyes shaking and she doesn't know why. "Choir leader, huh? Who would have known our mutual friends would be dating?"

Jiwoo chuckled in amusement at the realization and it stuffed Jinsol's heart bigger. Really, it should stop acting up with Jiwoo's ultimate bare minimum— but it would be a lie too to say Jiwoo didn't have the strong unyielding magnetic force to Jinsol.

"I know, right? They're the cutest ever." Jiwoo gushed, smiling so hard that it could tear her skin. "I wouldn't mind third wheeling them, honestly."

"Yeah..." Jinsol responds with a low laugh. Even though, wow, she's guilty of tagging along for primarily self-centered reasons.

"Speaking of," This time, Jinsol initiated the conversation, "...is this, like, one of the instances or..." she starts out awkwardly and now she doesn't know how to continue. That was lowkey stupid to ask, seeing how Jiwoo's cheeks color an embarrassed shade of pink.

(Blushing Jiwoo gets the idea. She didn't, swear, but if that was the case it'd most likely be true.)

"Yeah. Honestly I didn't know Sooyoung would bring someone else too but hey! I could use someone's company. At least as fourth wheels we aren't gonna be alone behind Sooyoung and Jungie."

Jinsol laughed, throwing her head back. "You're right. That was a dumb question, Sooyoung basically dragged me off last minute." then Jiwoo joined the laughter, answering "Same with Jungeun!"

They compose themselves when they feel two silhouettes of girls heading towards their table. It was Sooyoung and Jungeun, both holding a sealed plastic cup in each hand.

"What's funny?" Jungeun asks ready to join the conversation. The girls that remained at the table shook their heads, and the topic dissolved quickly. Jinsol and Jiwoo reach for the cup of milk tea first set on the table at the same time, almost getting the same drink. Jinsol backed off immediately and saw Jiwoo doing the same, a wave of shame came washing over her. "Uhm, you go first." Jinsol nodded towards the drink. Jiwoo giggled lightly and reached out for the nearest cup, not before she slightly moved a further drink towards Jinsol's direction for the latter's convenience. "Thank you!" Jinsol chirped gratefully.

(What they didn't catch is the glance of the other two girls that shared the same meaning.)

"Now, Jungeun wanted to take a look at that new museum down a couple of blocks," Sooyoung initiated, "you guys cool with that?"

An approving smile was painted across Jinsol's face along with Jiwoo's excited "sure!" Jinsol swore that's all it would take Jiwoo for her to protect her infinitely.

I will crush whatever bug that goes near you under my feet.

They exited the place and the couple walked in front hand in hand - wow, we just had this conversation earlier - and behind them stepped Jinsol and Jiwoo side by side.

They sip on their ordered drinks on the way, too, and Jesus did the taste make Jinsol's tongue swear out if it were alive.

Why was this overly sweet?

She grimaced in disbelief, squinting at the cup of the unnervingly sweet liquid, the printed words Chocolate and 60-100% sugar level checked at their boxes.

"Who dared make this combination exist in the face of Earth?" Jinsol coughed out.

"Jungeun. You'll get used to this eventually if you hang out more oftenly." Sooyoung answered nonchalantly, sipping the liquid sugar away so normally.

Jinsol scoffed. Of course it'll be Jungeun. If anything, Sooyoung would be saying the same if she weren't so whipped for everything Jungeun.

Unbelievable - and the fact that Jungeun just referred to this as 'the usual' order? Sooyoung better not be taking diabetes-in-large-cups ordinarily.

"Bub, you should've looked at your reaction when you first tried it." Jungeun snickered at the memory.

"Shut up, you made me like it on the days I was busy pining over you, alright?" Sooyoung's face soured at that. Jungeun laughs so hard her body leaned