After an eventful and busy spring, summer had arrived with warm and sunny days and the dreaded finals in June. When it came to studying, they preferred quite different methods. Hyemi and Jaehyun basically moved in the library, Jaehyun mostly in order to check up on Hyemi since she forgot to eat and drink if she wasn’t reminded. She ran on caffeine and four hours of sleep, even in her dreams reciting what she had learnt. 

Johnny was the procrastinator. His books were open in front of him but his attention was always on his phone, watching funny videos and checking out girls on his new dating app. He watched Netflix and eat junk food and the nights before his exams he would pull an all-nighter to revise everything. He didn’t really care about the outcomes, he just wanted to pass every one of his class then relax. On the other hand, exams definitely took a toll on Nari. She was freaking out all the time, repeating that she wouldn’t pass her exams while she studied until she passed out. And for Lee Haechan… Well, he was being Lee Haechan. 

“What do you mean you don’t even know where the library is?” Hyemi yelled angrily after Haechan had the audacity to ask her to take a picture of the college library so he could send it to his father, as a proof that he was indeed studying.

“It’s not like I needed to go there in the past years.” he shrugged and turned his attention back on the game he was playing on his phone.

“Sometimes I really feel like punching you.” she rolled her eyes and put on her shoes, ready to leave. She opened the front door when she heard Haechan’s pleading voice.

“Then will you take a picture for me? Please Pinku! I beg you! I’ll give you anything, make a wish!” he looked at her with puppy eyes.

“My wish is that you start studying.” she crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes.

He rolled his eyes and threw back his head with a loud whine. “I grant you two wishes instead of that one.” he held up two fingers and Hyemi had to laugh.

“Bye Haechan.” she closed the door behind her and still could hear him wailing.

Nonetheless, Haechan aced his exams. 

All were hanging out in the shared apartment’s living room which became the headquarter of their meetings, despite Johnny’s continuous nagging that they should relocate it to Haechan’s mansion so they could make a good use of that damn pool. It was their first gathering after the finals so they thought they deserved to relax and have a few drinks. They were sitting around the coffee table, accompanied by bottles of beer and bags of snacks while talked about their tiring month.

“I just can’t understand how does he get always a 100 when he doesn’t even study.” Jaehyun groaned. “I basically lived in the library.”

“And yet you couldn’t even pass one of your class.” Haechan snickered and threw a handful of beef jerky into his mouth.

“Was he this smart in high school?”

Nari snorted and shook her head. “I had already told you he’s a genius.”

“Looks like you’re no longer Mr Perfect, Jeffrey.” Haechan teased and Hyemi gave him a glare as she patted Jaehyun’s shoulder.

“It’s okay, you retook it and passed. That’s the point.”

Jaehyun was still gloomy. It wasn’t the fact that he failed an exam, it was the mere thought that Lee Haechan aced that . Haechan was basking in the pride as he watched Jaehyun’s frown deepen. He couldn’t help but a little more. 

“Hey, Jeffrey, wanna bet? Choose whatever, I don’t mind. Can be something you’re confident in winning.”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea.” Hyemi clicked her tongue.

“Okay.” Jaehyun nodded confidently. “I bet I can chug a bottle of beer in 10 seconds.”

“Jaehyun, please.” she patted his thigh but he chose to ignore her pleading. His eyes were set on Haechan. It was a battle of pride between men.

“You’re an idiot.” Nari added.

“And a coward.” Haechan arched his eyebrows in his direction and a suspicious half smile curved his lips. “Make it in 5.”

“Lee Haechan!” Hyemi shrieked. 

“If you throw up, I don’t clean up.” Johnny stated and handed a bottle for him.

“Why are men so frustrating?” Nari sighed.

“This will be ing hilarious.” Haechan leaned back snickering, grabbed another handful of beef jerky then fished out his phone and opened the camera app.

Jaehyun poured the beer in a glass, had a few deep sighs and closed his eyes like he was gathering strength. The girls shared a worried look, Nari even slapped Haechan’s shoulder. Johnny simply didn’t care since his view on inner peace and tranquility in life was ‘not my ing problem’. 

Jaehyun’s competitiveness was something that Hyemi couldn’t get used to yet. She’d noticed the first time they’d met that he tends to be very critical of himself, expecting his best all the time, and when something doesn’t go as planned, he beats himself up. Now she knows it’s because of his insecurities but still. Healthy competitiveness is inspiring and motivates you to do better, but at the same time he can bring it to such an extreme level where he even competes who’s peeing quicker among the guys. Yes, it happened at the college’s restroom.

Among her friends, Haechan was the one who also had the same trait but even Haechan wasn’t that competitive. He mostly agrees to do all the small bets and challenges to mock Jaehyun and push him to his limits. He says their rivalry was his purest kind of affection towards him, that also fits his aesthetic. Johnny isn’t that competitive, he mostly doesn’t care. Nari and Haechan have this small rivalry between them but it’s nothing serious. 

Not to mention, Simon had been way too different from Jaehyun. He’d always let the younger kids win when they’d played. He’d cared more about the people around him enjoying themselves rather than winning. But why was she comparing the two? She knew she shouldn’t, but it always lingered in the back of her mind when something like this stupid beer bet nonsense happened. However, she rather accepts this side of him too than living without him. It was the least she can do since Jaehyun successfully deals with all of her so far. That’s how friendship works after all.

Jaehyun held his glass and told Johnny to start the timer on the count of three. When he heard three, he raised the glass and poured the content into his mouth, swallowing the cold liquid as fast as he could. He scrunched his nose and furrowed his eyebrows but managed to gulp down all the beer without choking. He slammed the glass to the table and exhaled with a loud ah. 

“4.8 seconds.” Johnny said in disbelief. “Holy .”

Jaehyun straightened himself and winked at the camera. “You’re turn Chaebol.”

The younger stopped recording and set his phone down the floor. “I respectfully admit my defeat and call you hyung from now on.” he bowed with his head. “You beat me.”

“What? No! You have to try it!” he shouted in outrage.

“You’re undefeatable.” Haechan smiled innocently.

Jaehyun scoffed and glared at him, his ears turned red from anger. “I am disgusted and feel betrayed.”

The girls burst out laughing after realizing that Haechan actually pranked Jaehyun and had no intention chugging beer in seconds. 

“Now I know why you failed in Knowledge Management and Decision Making.” Johnny chuckled, shaking his head.

“I failed because I didn’t turn the page so I didn’t write two ing essays!” he cried out, scratching the back of his head in frustration.

“It’s okay.” Hyemi patted his shoulder. “You making mistakes justifies you’re a human too.”

“Aww my adorable little squishy scoops of strawberry ice-creams, comforting each other!” Nari cooed. 

Hyemi narrowed her eyes at her friend but Nari simply ignored her.

Johnny looked out the window, staring at the setting sun, a sigh escaped from him. “Summer is really here.”

“I should throw parties every other day.” Haechan exclaimed. 

“Oh please no. My liver cannot bare it.”

“Park Nari you are the definition of heavyweight.”

“Actually I thought of an idea. My uncle lives in Sokcho, near the beach.” Jaehyun fished out his phone and showed a few pictures of a house. “There’s a sauna right next to the house. He and his family will be out of town next weekend. I can ask him if we can stay over at his place. We can check out the beach and Seoraksan National Park.” he suggested and Nari clapped her hands in excitement.

“Sounds like a plan. I’m in.”

“Well, we’ve been done with our exams so, why not?” Johnny shrugged while scratched Tofu’s back.

 “I… don’t know. I can’t leave Tofu alone.” Hyemi wondered unsure.

“We can take a detour to Hanam. We drop him at your parents’.” Johnny said and she flashed a smile. That was actually a pretty smart idea.

“Aaaaand…” Haechan started. “We can have lunch at Parktaurant.” he wriggled his eyebrows at Nari.

“Parktaurant?” Jaehyun looked questioningly at them.

“It’s my family’s restaurant.” she enlightened him.

“They have the best food in town.” Johnny nodded, earning a thankful smile from the girl. 

“Seems like we’re going to Sokcho.” Jaehyun smiled and held his newly opened can of beer, the others clinking theirs against his.

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