Juyeon felt Ahyoung stretch her legs as the lady on the screen screamed in bloody murder, he flinched as turned his gaze away, just like most of the people in the room. But Ahyoung yawned and reached for her popcorn again.

“You said this was scary.” She heard her speak to Haneul.

“It is!” Haneul replied, the girl was hiding behind her wallet.

“It’s kind of predictable.” She narrowed her eyes at the screen as dark shadow started to appear behind the male lead.

“You chose this movie.” Haneul muttered, speaking in English.

“Jikyung said she didn’t want another boring flick.”

“I doubt she wanted to have a heart attack today.”

Juyeon glanced behind them, noticing that some of the moviegoers were casting them dirty looks.

“It’s~” Ahyoung stopped when he gently tapped her arm, the girl faced him.

“This is the third movie, right? It’s a franchise.” Juyeon whispered, the girl nodded in reply and Haneul rolled her eyes at him.

“Not your kind of thing?” She whispered back, leaning back on her seat, Juyeon scrunched his nose briefly as another jump scare occurred, Ahyoung chuckled, sensing his distress.

“Not really.” Juyeon murmured back, then Ahyoung stretched her palm to him, the male paused and turned to her.

“Just focus on holding onto my hand, it’s a good distraction. My brother does that too.” She grinned at him, Juyeon slowly nodded back and carefully laced his fingers with hers. He felt Ahyoung relax onto her seat again and she focused on the movie.

Juyeon looked at their entwined hands and his lips quirked ever slightly.

“You know,” Ahyoung leaned in and spoke in hushed tones.

“We probably should have went with a rom com.”

“You’d still yawn at that.” Juyeon replied with a squeeze on her hand, he notice her smile and shake her head.

“True, but at least you four won’t be stressed~” She paused when the screen darkened and screaming ensued, Juyeon squeezed her hand tightly. Ahyoung grinned and her thumb rubbed soothing circles on the back of his palm.

“Let’s…discuss that later, Juju Bear.”

“True, she is a picky eater. I noticed when she first started eating with us.” Chaerin said as their food arrived.

“You have no idea how difficult it was back then, there were weeks when our cafeteria would serve just soups and all these spicy dishes. You’d never see Ahyoung at lunch.” Jikyung chuckled as she picked up a piece of chicken.

“She always has sandwiches, right?” Haneul spoke, Juyeon shook his head.

“I used to but some people just love giving me if I eat that now.” Ahyoung muttered, the two girls looked at Chaerin.

“Not me. Him.” Chaerin jutted her lips at her best friend, Juyeon blinked at the two before slowly putting down the rice cake he was about to chew.

“Don’t give him a hard time guys, he’s like her Younghoon, you know?”

Jikyung hid her grin and leaned on the table.

“What is Younghoon to you exactly?” Haneul baited on, Ahyoung paused in mid chew, she swallowed before speaking.

“A best friend. These two are besties. So, leave them be, besides, I know a certain someone who would be really happy about this info,” She picked up another chicken.

“Who?” Haneul grinned, Chaerin paused and looked at the other girl. Ahyoung was about to speak when her phone pinged, her brows rose before quickly typing in a reply.

“Speaking of Kim Younghoon,” Ahyoung muttered under her breath, she glanced around them briefly before focusing on her food again.

“Is something wrong?” Jikyung asked, Juyeon glanced at her and gently pushed the napkin towards her.

“I think, anyway, a certain someone likes that you two are just good friends.” Ahyoung grinned before biting into another slice of pizza.

“Babe, please stop talking in circles.” Haneul eyed her warily, Ahyoung started to smile and her eyes went to Chaerin.

“Well,” Her phone started ringing, Juyeon glanced at the screen.

Younghoon Oppa

His forehead creased briefly, but he pulled his gaze away.

“My brother.” Ahyoung said.

“No, that’s Younghoon oppa calling.” Jikyung pointed out, the other girl sighed.

“I mean, it’s my brother. He’d be delighted knowing these two are just friends.” Ahyoung chuckled as she hurried with her slice. The whole table grew silent while the Hyunjae’s sister devoured her pizza slice.

“W—What?” Haneul blurted out, Chaerin was frozen on her seat.

“Oh, it wasn’t that obvious enough?” Ahyoung blinked as she grabbed a napkin and dabbed it on her lips.

“Ahyoung-ah,” Juyeon murmured, the girl pressed her lips together.

“I thought…you already sensed it. Anyway, something came up, I kind of have to go,” Her eyes went to the glass panels, Juyeon spotted a familiar male standing a few meters away, his eyes on Ahyoung.

“It’s Angel oppa.” Jikyung elbowed Haneul.

“It was nice hanging out, let’s do this again and with everyone. I’ll take care of the bill.” She kissed Haneul and Jikyung’s cheeks and grabbed her purse, her eyes went to Chaerin furtively and she opted to give Juyeon a pat on the shoulder before leaving.

The male turned to his friend, Chaerin had set her fork down.

“Well, that’s her.” Jikyung carefully said.

“Yes, trust Ahyoung to always leave an impression. A..big one.” Haneul muttered under her breath as she watched her friend jog towards Younghoon. She turned to Juyeon and realized that the male was also looking at the two.

“Oh no.” She whispered to herself.

“What’s the emergency?” Ahyoung asked as she reached the older male, Younghoon gave her a worried smile before taking her hand in his.

“Oppa, you~”

“I was..feeling better earlier, so I decided to watch the meet instad. But, I didn’t know we had guests so,” He sounded sheepish as they got on the escalator.

“So?”

“Eomma asked me to show her around since she hasn’t been in the country for years…And, she’s a girl, I was hoping~”

“Oh my god, is that what I think it is?” Ahyoung started to laugh, Younghoon eyed her warily.

“Did you auntie just set you up on a blind date? Wow.” She chuckled as they got off the machine.

“Ahyoung-ah, please~”

“Hello,”

Ahyoung looked up just as a girl walked up to them, her brows rose and she glanced at Younghoon briefly.

“Younghoon mentioned that one of his close friends was here too, it must be you.” The girl said as she walked to them.

“Yes, I’m Ahyoung. We…grew up together, my brother and I are close friends of his.” Ahyoung mused, it was just so awkward.

“Young-ah, this is Eunhee.”

“Yes, I’m Eunhee, and apparently, our mothers claim that we used to be best buddies when we were kids. But now, I’m not so sure.” Eunhee said, Ahyoung grinned, liking the girl already.

“Then, should I call you unnie?”

“Only if you want to.” Eunhee mused at her, Younghoon chewed on his lower lip and glanced around.

“Look, we don’t have to do this. I can actually go around myself, I may not be as fluent but, I can read still.”

Younghoon caught the girl’s elbow before it could hit him on the ribs, Ahyoung narrowed her eyes at him.

“No, there’s actually somewhere we can go to. And I think I should not be around my friends longer.” She grinned, Eunhee and Younghoon looked confused.

“Did you cause trouble? What about your brother?” Younghoon asked her, Ahyoung gestured for the older girl to walk with them.

“Oppa too, I don’t think I should see my brother today. He might..kill me.” She said to herself as she led the two towards the doors.

“Her brother and you are the same age?” She heard Eunhee speak as they walked towards Younghoon’s waiting Audi.

“Yes.” His reply was short.

“You all go to the same school too?”

“Yes.”

Ahyoung wanted to pull all her hair from her scalp.

“Don’t worry, unnie. He knows other words too.” She mused as she got on the back seat, she felt Younghoon’s gaze on her and she stuck her tongue out at him.

Juyeon was in the middle of finishing a paper when his phone started ringing, he glanced at the screen and paused.

“Yes, sunbae?” He said as he stood up with his phone.

“Hey, are you still outside?”

“What? I…I’m home.” He replied, he could hear the older male walking from the other side.

“Is Ahyoung with you? She said she’d get a ride from you.”

“She’s not home yet?” Juyeon paused, his eyes were already on his denim jacket on the rack.

“Yes, I tried calling her but she won’t pick up. I’ll~”

“I’ll go and check, sunbae. Her friends already went home.”

“Good, I’ll look around too. Thanks, Juyeon-ah.”

Juyeon grabbed his coat and headed down the stairs, the male quickly got in his car but he halted. He chewed on his lower lip before sliding down the vehicle and running out of the house. He made his way towards the mini convenience store a few blocks away from their home.

Juyeon stopped when he saw Ahyoung sitting right outside, with a can of coffee before her.

“Hey.”

The girl looked up, her brows rose seeing how he was panting.

“Were you out..on a run?” She blurted out, but she closed , noticing his denim jacket and jeans.

“Or, you just got home?” Ahyoung offered, Juyeon didn’t reply and took the seat across her.

“Where were you?” He asked her, Ahyoung puffed her cheeks.

“I escaped from Kim Younghoon. I’m still in hiding.”

“Why?” Juyeon asked, not biting into her joking tone.

“He..was kind of set on a blind date of some sort, he..wanted me to get him out of it. But the girl’s so nice and cool. I decided to~”

“And, you didn’t tell your brother you’d be coming home late? How..How did you even get here?”

“I took the bus.” She replied, Juyeon raised one brow at her, Ahyoung sighed and pushed her coffee towards him.

“I asked the driver to tell me when to get off.” She mumbled under her breath, Juyeon exhaled and looked around them.

“Why are you still out here? It’s almost dinner time.” Juyeon replied.

“See, that’s the problem. I don’t think I should see my brother now.”

“Why?”

“Whoa, you can be scary when serious.” Ahyoung blurted out, the male simply pressed his lips together.

“Okay, I’m sorry, I know I should’ve called. But I think…I think I just dropped a bomb on Chaerin, and I’m being honest when I say I thought my brother was being obvious about and she knew. I mean, how can one not notice?”

“Ahyoung-ah, before you joined us, Chaerin and your brother has never spoken.”

“Oh.” She murmured, brows creasing.

“But how come he knows her?”

“What?”

“When school just started, I mentioned that I met the class president, he knew her name. Well, he said that when Younghoon oppa wasn’t around. He even mentioned that she’s friends with Changmin.”

Juyeon tilted his head again.

“And, I think my being friends with her helped because the moment he realized that we got along, he started talking to her….while using me as an excuse.”

“It’s worrying how you’re making sense.” Juyeon nodded.

“Hey!”

But he broke into a smile and looked at her.

“Is that why you’re…hiding here? Out in the open and not inside.”

“I feel guilty for spilling the beans. I mean, come on, you were supposed to pick us up today, right? But my brother, my usually busy brother volunteered to do it.”

“The thought is great, but the execution is terrible, seatmate.” Juyeon mused at her, Ahyoung sighed again.

“But, how did you find me here? Why are you~”

“Come on, I’ll walk you home.” Juyeon chuckled and stood up, Ahyoung grimaced but she let him pull her out of the chair.

“Did my brother call you?”

“Yes.”

She groaned but Juyeon felt her arm loop around his as they crossed the street.

“So, did you have fun today?”

“I was until you decided to bolt out on us.”

“But, you met new friends! Girls!” She chuckled, teasing him as she leaned the side of her head against his arm.

“You left. That’s not fun.”

“Okay, fine. How shall I make it up to you, oh so great varsity player Lee Juyeon?” She mused, feigning an apologetic tone, Juyeon chuckled.

“Be at my game this coming Friday.”

“Deal. That’s easy, are you sure that’s it?” She replied, Juyeon glanced at her briefly, the girl was looking ahead but she was already smiling.

“Y—Yeah, that’s it.”

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