"You gotta be kidding me," Aeri mumbled into her pillow as she blindly reached for her phone.

With one eye open, she groaned when she saw the caller ID, although by now it wasn't surprising for Jimin to be the one disturbing her from her beauty sleep.

She perched the phone on her ear hands free as she hit the green answer button. "You better be dying," she let her annoyance be known.

"Yeah, dying for a milkshake. Put your shoes on, we're right around the corner!"

Although it was Jimin calling, Minjeong was the one talking. It was unsurprising. The two were practically attached to the hip.

"Girl, it's like–" Aeri pulled the phone away and squinted at the time, "almost midnight. I was sleeping."

"And you're not anymore. We'll give you five minutes to change if you want."

"I don't want to." And Aeri hung up.

She put her phone on do not disturb (which she should've done in the first place) and tried to go back to sleep. Keyword TRIED.

A loud honk broke through the tranquil serenity of her room and she panic bolted out of bed and ran toward her window. She tripped and lost her footing, falling knees first, but she scrambled back up and stuck her head out to see Jimin in her car and alongside her, Minjeong. When they saw Aeri, Minjeong stuck half her body out the window and waved enthusiastically while Jimin got out and circled the car and beckoned her over with her arm.

"Come on!"

"Are you two insane?!" Aeri shout-whispered.

Jimin squinted, not understanding what she just mouthed and looked at Minjeong to ask if she caught that, but she got a no. Instead she opted for a booming "hurry up!" Hands cupped around and everything.

Oh my God, her parents were going to kill her if they woke up, which her friends seemed to have as a mission.

All summer long they had dragged her along on their crazy ideas, like going floating down river rapids, go-karting at night in an empty amusement park, zip-lining at the national park, bungee jumping from the highest tower in their city, spontaneous road trips to small towns they'd never even heard of, beach camping (mind you she didn't like camping), and the jet boat incident.

To be honest, milkshakes at night was the most sensible thing they had come up with, she just really didn't like going out this late. They always dragged her out of her comfort zone but somehow they always ended up having fun. God damn it...

"Fine!" Aeri huffed and closed the window.

That Jimin and Minjeong understood and the two shared a high five to celebrate. In five minutes, just like Jimin had said, she was out the door and running over to the back seat, but not without smacking Jimin and Minjeong in the process.

"What the hell is wrong with both of you!" She exclaimed as Jimin got back in.

"Milkshake run." Minjeong turned her head and answered simply.

"Milkshake run, my . It's crackhead hours. Something bad could happen. We could DIE–"

"Relax," Jimin interrupted her. "We're going to The Diner. We'll be fine inside."

"Can't we just hit a drive-thru?" Aeri bargained. She wanted to come back home and sleep.

"To where? McDonald's? Hell no!" Minjeong intervened. "I want a real milkshake made with ice cream. Not fake milk with artificial color for flavor."

"Oh for crying out loud, we have school tomorrow! I'm a senior guide, I have to wake up early!"

"It's our last day of summer though!" Minjeong countered. "We're all going to get busy again and won't be able to have spontaneous outings."

Jimin agreed from the driver's seat.

Somehow Aeri doubted that. The two were too unhinged to give that up. Still, she leaned back and didn't protest any longer. There was no point. Whenever they got an idea in their head there was no way to change their mind.

Jimin stole a glance of her through the rear view mirror. "We'll pay for you."

Aeri crossed her arms. "Of course you're paying for me. It's the least you can do for dragging me out at ungodly hours."

"Love you Aeri," Minjeong tried.

"Well I don't love you right now."

Minjeong pouted but only Jimin could see from the front. Aeri was still huffing in the back but she'd come around soon enough. She always did. And if she didn't, they had their ways to convince her.

When they reached their destination, Jimin and Minjeong did their best to get on Aeri's good graces, which meant hugs and kisses. Minjeong was holding onto her arm like a koala and rubbing her head against her shoulder, while Jimin placed several kisses on her cheek from the other side.

Aeri couldn't keep a serious face. "Okay! Okay!" She tried to shake them off.

"Don't be mad!" Minjeong snuggled closer.

"ALRIGHT. I GOT IT!" Aeri said between giggles. "LET ME GO!"

With one last squeeze and smooch, finally they pulled away, but still held Aeri close by the hand as they led her inside The Diner. The bell above the door chimed as the three girls made their way to a table in a corner. At this hour the place had a seat yourself policy.

A waitress came over to them no later than thirty seconds after picking a table.

"Welcome in. My name is NingNing and I'll be your server tonight. Can I get you started with anything to drink while you look through your menus?"

Jimin gave her a friendly smile and handed her the menus back. "Actually we just came here for milkshakes."

The waitress took them under her arm and got out her notepad. "Then if you're ready I can get those started for you."

The three told her their order and as she was writing it down, Aeri couldn't help but stare. She looked young. Young enough to be their age actually. The words were out before she could even stop herself.

"Are you a student?"

NingNing's eyes snapped back up at the sudden address. Normally people that came in this late at night didn't want much conversation and just wanted to eat and leave as soon as possible.

She finished writing and showed a polite smile. "Me? Yeah. Just moved here a couple months ago."

"SM High?"

"Huh?"

Aeri chuckled. "SooMan High School." Her eyes did a little crinkle.

Jimin and Minjeong shareda  knowing look. Jimin then leaned her chin on her palm and Minjeong held in her laugh as they let Aeri do all the talking.

"Oh. Yes," NingNing replied.

Aeri frowned in confusion. "Tomorrow is the first day and you're working this late?"

"It is?" Her eyes went wide.

NingNing then took out her phone to check something (the date most likely) and gasped.

"Thanks for telling me. It totally slipped my mind."

"Do you know anyone?" Aeri continued to voice her interest.

Jimin and Minjeong were practically trying to not bounce off their seats.

"Umm no. Not really. Moved here with my mom. No other relatives."

"We go there. We can show you around tomorrow. Being new on the first day can be tough. Been there before."

"Oh. Wow." NingNing was taken aback by the random hospitality. "That'd be really nice actually."

Aeri gave her a cute nod. "Cool then."

NingNing stood there waiting for something more until she snapped out of it and remembered who she was and what she had to do.

"I'll be back with your milkshakes shortly."

"Thank you." Three voices echoed this time as they saw her walk away.

Finally when they saw her disappear through the door to the kitchen Jimin and Minjeong finally laughed.

Aeri glared at them instantly.

"What was that?" Minjeong asked between her the fingers covering .

"What do you mean? It's me being nice!"

Minjeong shook her head and put up her hand to stop her. "No, no. That was different."

"Shoot your shot, Aeri. Ask how old she is though. We're going to be seniors, you don't want to be dating a freshman," Jimin winked.

"Oh come on. There's no way she's a freshman." She denied. "She's working past midnight."

"So you admit you are interested in her?" Jimi