"I see that you're making new friends in your school, Jieun-nim." Hyun-woo commented as he pours Jieun her tea.

The said girl hums as she sets down her notes she was reviewing. 

"I'm glad I am, but I can't help but feel so...awkward." Jieun grumbles, "Plus I met them all at detention! Eomma and Appa might think I'm a delinquent!" she groans resting her head on her hands in distress. Hyun-woo only smiles comfortingly

"You don't have to worry about Mr and Mrs. Park-nim, they'll be away for a few more days." Hyun-woo reassures

"I just feel like their relationship with me is really fragile right now..." Jieun mumbles sadly as Hyun-woo sets down the cup of tea that

"How so?" he inquires, "You're a wonderful daughter and one of the top students of the school."

"A top student that earned detention in her first week, scratch that, her first day!" Jieun retorts irritably.

"For the sake of protecting that first year student, I assure you Jieun-nim, you are in the right here." he inclines.

Jieun can only sigh and take a scalding sip of tea. She doesn't like to admit that Hyun-woo was right since he's always so politely smug when offering her life advice, but in this case she was spot on.

It's not like she had to face any other punishments aside from detention anyway, unlike that Yuki girl who bragged about how she was made to run ten extra laps for warm up three days in a row. Speaking of talking, she finds herself entering into the conversation during downtime when Miss Yongsun inevitably falls asleep amidst watching a random K-drama and the rest of the group socialize by bringing their desks together.

In the time when she was already finished with her schoolwork, she accommodates her mindspace with the best descriptions she can give to each of the girls    

Na Goeun, fellow third year, is the somewhat unofficial leader of the bunch and is the most outgoing, easily pulling others into conversation. Extremely adept in academics combined with borderline OCD regarding anything related to her school work, she would be quite reliable to have as a close friend.

Reason for detention: Correcting a teacher on a fatal math mistake.

Lee Eunseong, another third year. She's the type of person who wears a blank mask at all times, never divulging any of their feelings. She is also versed in nearly every school subject despite never been seen to study during class time. Almost never chimes into conversation but in the case that she does the entire table listens intently to what she has to say. Seems to be a closed off person and keeps her sentences reserved and concise.

Reason for detention: Falling asleep in class where she had an exam grade of 98/100 on a surprise pop quiz

Lee Chaeyoung and Cho Seoyoung, two second year students. Ruled by themselves as inseparable, and are often regarded as pathological pranksters. They often engage in conversations that more often than not don't make sense to anyone other than them. Mid range intelligence and often don't give themselves enough credit for their grades despite doing virtually no studying before an exam. They are attached hip to hip at every point of the day and mentioned that they asked the principal along with their mother about having the exact same schedule.

Reason for detention: Prank that involved clear rolling tape and a teacher that swears to the heavens that she will press charges on a couple 16 year olds.

Park Sujin, a first year student that confronted Jieun's bullies and went to detention with her. She has a strong interest in people and their different quirks and personalities. Despite her young age, she is very level headed and mature when it comes to the treatment of other people.

Reason for detention: Intervening with an instance of bullying against Park Jieun

Lastly, Mori Koyuki, a second year student has built up quite the persona as the school delinquent and a troublemaker. However as the ace of the baseball team she is often exempted from disciplinary actions other than the detention that she brags is the longest stay-in in all of the school.

Reason for detention: Knocking out a ist player during tryouts and possibly most definitely giving him a concussion

"Jieun-unnie, how about yours?"

Jieun snaps out of her trance realizing she had been staring at the same page of notes for ten minutes.

She slightly shakes her head, "Huh?"

Chaeyoung, who asked the question, rolls her eyes, "Your house, what's it like?" she inquires.

Jieun thinks for a moment, then replies, "It's...a normal home."

"Is it big?" Seoyoung asks curiously

Jieun shuffles in her seat not knowing how to answer the question, "It's...maybe bigger than average."

Goeun nods her head and adds, "I bet it's really nice!"

Yuki was now the one to talk,

"Can we visit?"

Jieun freezes in her seat

"V-visit?" she stammers out, "You mean like a tour?"

Chaeyoung nearly spits out her water, "Tou-, this unnie really-"

Goeun glares at Chaeyoung who instantly shuts up, "We're thinking more just to hang out and bond."

Jieun was nervously ecstatic. They wanted to hang out? Like a playdate?!

'I've never hosted a playdate before' Jieun groans inwardly, 'Maybe Hyun-woo will know how to set up one.'

She glances up to see the hopeful faces of the entire group sans Eunseong who was dozing in and out of sleep with her head on the desk.

"Um...if it's okay with you all, I'd love to have you all over." Jieun smiles awkwardly

The other five look relieved as they all nod their heads together like a synchronized team.

"Great!" Goeun cheers, "How about this Friday after school?" she asks

Jieun simply nods her head and smiles back at Goeun and then turns to face Sujin who was sitting next to her with her hands clasped nervously on top of one another

"What's wrong Sujin-ah?" Jieun asks concerned

Sujin shakes herself out of it before speaking up, "Ah, nothing, I'll just be a little late then on Friday, is that okay?"

The group is a bit confused but doesn’t question it.

"So, we're going to meet outside the gate right after school?" Seoyoung asks stuffing her cheeks with chips she sneaked into the room; false, because Miss Yongsun says that the girl can keep the chips as long as she gets a cut.

"Yes," Jieun replies with a smile, "It's not far from our school."

They all nod their heads together agreeing on this plan

Eunseong suddenly rose her head from the desk and looks at Jieun with a blank expression,

"Would you like us to bring anything?" she asks tiredly

"Oh no," Jieun replies with a reassuring smile, "I'll provide all the commodities there."

"Commodities?" Goeun chuckles, "Unnie, it's just a hangout, not a gala."

Jieun was taken slightly aback

'Those aren't the same thing?! Am I this out of the loop that I don’t even know what to do during hangouts?!' Jieun questions herself in panic as she tries to think what else she could possibly offer her guests that would be 'hangout'-like

Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud groan from the front of the class. The group quickly shuffles back into their original positions as Miss Yongsun rubs the sleepies from her eyes

"W-what did I miss?" she asks with a sleepy voice

Yongsun blinks several times before looking up at them all with an exhausted expression on her face before breaking into a gentle smile, "Good detention, class." she says cheerfully as her tiredness fades away and she gets up out of her desk to stretch her back.

The students all exchange amused expressions before going back into the familiar silence of afternoon detention.

Jieun bursts through the front door upon entering her house

"Hyun-woo-ah I need you to call our family's best gala organizer stat." she demands slightly out of breath

Hyun-woo who was watering one of the indoor plants just looks at her in confusion, "You're hosting a gala, Jieun-nim?" he asks incredulously

Jieun nods her head, "Yes, I've figured that a hangout is essentially the same as a large gathering including a gala so I must organize the house like so for their arrival."

'That makes sense.' Hyun-woo thinks 'A playdate is basically an extended version of a small get together with more people involved;

"However, Jieun-nim." he starts, "Don't you agree that a gala would be a minor bit too extravagant for a small gathering?"

Jieun pouts, "You think so?"

Hyunwook shrugs his shoulders, "I'd suggest a nice comfortable tea party in the patio, I'm certain they'd enjoy the garden and the lake." he says with confidence

Jieun looks around her house as she tries to visualize what Hyunwoo had just said, it's true that the backside of her manor would be far more suitable for a pleasant 'hangout' of tea and cookies.

She decides that this would indeed make sense, "Alright then," Jieun agrees with a nod, "Let us set up a small gala!"

***

"Jieun-nim, I advise that you do not purchase that whole tin of caviar for a simple gathering." Hyun-woo suggests as he pushes the cart full of junk food. 

They were in a Mokpo supermarket looking for some snacks and food for their hangout on Friday. She and Hyun-woo have been shopping for quite awhile now but Jieun was still undecided about what she should buy.

"But what if they're secretly pretentious and will gag at the sight of common food?"

Hyun-woo only grins, "You have mentioned that Chaeyoung and Yuki-ssi have been gorging themselves on several bags of prawn chips."

Jieun nods her head as though this makes sense before turning back around to look at the shelves once more; there's no way that these girls would be so picky when it comes to eating right?

"Also should I request for a private jazz band to play on Friday?"

Hyun-wook chuckles, "You're going overboard Jieun-nim." he says, shaking his head, 

"I think we can just go with some light music. Perhaps request one of your friends to bring alongside an external speaker?"

Jieun nods but thinks deeper, 'How will one of them be able to lug around an external speaker? Those can take up an entire room.'

There were so many decisions she hadn't accounted for, but regardless she swears she will host a hangout of the utmost fun and enjoyment. No stone will be left unturned in the eyes of Park Jieun. She isn't a top student for nothing after all

"Jieun-nim I believe we have the essentials here with us, shall we pay for them?" Hyun-woo asks with an amused expression on his face.

Jieun nods triumphantly, "Let's."

***

"Make sure everyone enjoys themselves." Jieun reads with as much acuity as does during exam week, making sure to scan every word and phrase on the internet article on how to host a successful hangout.

The sun had already set when she finally decided that it was time for her hangout plans to take shape. She checks through all the snacks that were bought earlier that day.

"I really hope they will all enjoy these." she sighs, rummaging through the boxful of chips and sweets.

She turns when she hears knocking on her door

"Jieun-nim"

"Come in!" Jieun calls out as the door opens with Hyun-woo entering with his cell phone in his hand

Hyun-woo bows, "Your mother would like to talk to you." she shows the device that read Mrs. Park on the dial

Jieun nods wordlessly and takes the phone from Hyun-woo who bows and leaves the room.

"Hello?" she says to the microphone

"Hello? Jieun?" she hears her mother's voice

"Eomma" Jieun acknowledges, "Good evening."

"Good evening." the other line responds plainly, "What are you doing right now?"

Jieun's eyes shifted over to her monitor which still had the site regarding hanging out open.

"I'm just...studying, Eomma."

The other line went silent for a moment, "And have your efforts with studying reflected on your performance?"

Jieun inwardly sighs but kept her composure

"Yes, Eomma, I am ahead on my studies-"

"Don't speak like such, Jieun, you can never be too ahead for your future."

Jieun bites her lip, "Yes."

"Remember Jieun," her mother states, "you only put out the work you put in. Don't fool yourself into thinking complacency is an option."

Jieun shifts in her seat as she closes the website

"Yes, Eomma."

"Your father and I will return in the near future, that will be all."

Jieun fake coughs, "Yes, Eomma. Good night." and the line goes dead.