"Looks good, Youngseo." Jake said as he handed Melanie back her paper.

"Thanks, Jake."

She let out a deep breath, feeling slightly relieved after hearing those words.

"I really thought I wouldn't get it in the end as this seems way difficult than before."

Jake chuckled.

"Like I keep saying, you're a fast learner and easy to teach. Have more confidence in yourself."

"Thanks, Jake, but I still think I'll do poorly on the finals coming up in two weeks though."

"No worries, Youngseo. Just keep doing what you've been doing all this time. Besides, you still got me."

He flashed her a smile as a small smile graced her lips, too.

"Thanks and I do, don't I?"

Melanie happily scanned the paper while Jake quietly observed her with a soft smile on his face. The pair were nearing the end of their math tutoring despite a mishap from earlier. Nara happened to followed Melanie to the library in hopes of seeking Jake's help with her own mathematic studies just the two of them. Of course, Jake politely declined. Nara persisted, stating she needed the extra help and continued the argument that was until her boyfriend came to drag her away. Jinwoong was not pleased while roughly pulling his girlfriend away and staring daggers at Jake.

"Hmm, maybe I'll definitely be ready for the finals coming up." Melanie commented unaware of Jake watching her.

Another smile graced Jake's face.

"Hey, when our session ends, Youngseo, do you, perhaps, want to get something to eat or drink after?"

Melanie surprisingly looked up from her paper at Jake.

"Why?"

It was more out of curiosity than suspicion.

"Don't you have dance practice after this though? I'm pretty sure the Summer Dance Showcase is more important than a small date, Jake."

Despite the two just going with the flow of everything with their overall situationship and their friendship blooming even further, Melanie still regarded to keep herself and her feelings to herself. Although, Melanie had a feeling that her feelings were starting to feel some sort of way over time and not something in just the friend's zone. She wasn't sure if she wanted to put her heart on the line like that when Jake has just been sweet and caring towards her and even more so since the whole fake dating started.

"I did, but I thought we could hang out, doing stuff just the two of us instead of with Sunghoon and Jiyeon this time around."

A slow smile brightened Jake's features once again. He leaned closer and spoke in a whisper-like manner.

"Besides, I need to commit better as Kim Nara has been too persistence despite having that boyfriend of hers around."

Melanie laughed as Jake continued, enjoying the fact he made Melanie laughed.

"Of course, she confessed she wrote the letter, but I knew it wasn't you based on your handwriting. I didn't think things would turn out like this at all. Also, I'm a man of my word to keep you safe, Youngseo."

He flashed her that same charming smile of his at her.

"So, what do you say?"

Melanie laughed again before nodding.

"Sure, Jake, I guess."

Melanie hesitated a bit.

"Are you sure your teammates won't be mad at you for skipping practice?"

Jake shrugged nonchalantly.

"Nah. They'll be fine without me for one practice."

"Are you sure?"

"Definitely."

He grinned as she slowly nodded, accepting Jake's answer. Maybe Melanie could ask him about their current relationship and see if they'll actually get that 'later' talk and can decide how to actually go about what they got between them without pretending.

"Great, because there's this cool place nearby that has a VR Zone where you can play football and we can go there."

"Oh, I see."

Her response didn't sound all that positive to Jake.

"Um, did you want to do something else?"

"Oh, no, no. It's all good and I really don't mind. It sounds like a nice place, so let's go with your idea."

Melanie flashed him a reassuring smile despite not being into the physicality of sports, especially digital, all that much in general despite growing up and being force to participate in such activities by the boys. However, her sister and cousins made it bearable from time to time over the years, so maybe she wouldn't mind for a change of pace every now and then.

"Thanks a lot, Yonghee."

"You're welcome. If you do need further help, then don't hesitate to contact me."

Linna made a suggestion.

"Do you think you'll be free to tutor me more often leading to finals week though?"

"Yeah of cou-"

Just as Yonghee was about to agree to it in a nonchalant manner, his eyes happened to catch something from behind Linna and he stopped in mid-sentence.

"I would, Jiyeon, but I don't think I'll be able to do that."

Linna's brows furrowed.

"Why not?"

"I know, but..."

He chuckled sheepishly as Linna awaited for the rest of what he would say.

"Well, I don't think your boyfriend would appreciate me spending too much time with you like that though."

"Boyfriend?"

Linna was puzzled.

"What do you mean?"

Yonghee discreetly motioned with his eyes for her to check behind her. So, she briefly glanced over her shoulders, noticing Sunghoon standing several feet away, staring at the pair intently. Linna reppressed a smile and a laugh from escaping as she faced Yonghee again.

"Don't worry about him. Sunghoon's not the jealous type and I won't let him beat you up for helping me with schoolwork either."

Despite Linna saying that, she actually wasn't sure if Sunghoon was the jealous type or not. However, Yonghee nodded with a sheepish laugh.

"Hopefully, because I dealt with a few in the past that concerned Minseo and was another reason for our breakup."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Minseo hated the jealousy and enviousness of others that interferred in our relationship, causing issues for us than between us. So, Minseo decided to end our relationship because of that."

"Oh, wow. That makes so much sense now."

"Yeah."

"Well, thank you for that and again, don't worry about Sunghoon bothering you, Yonghee."

"Welcome, and thank you, Jiyeon."

"So, I'll see you next Tuesday, yeah?"

"Yeah, see you then."

"I'll be leaving first then to ease the tension."

Yonghee laughed once more with a nod.

"Okay and thank you, Jiyeon. Take care."

"You, too, Yonghee, and you're welcome."

Linna gathered her things as Yonghee remained seated in his chair while waving goodbye before making her way over to Sunghoon. She watched as he watched her coming up to him.

"Could you please not glare at my tutor, Park Sunghoon?"

"I wasn't glaring, Jung Jiyeon."

"You were because he felt like you were gonna do something to him."

"I would never."

"Right."

She eyed him knowingly, but dismissed the matter.

"Anyway, why are you here?"

Sunghoon didn't want to say the real reason on to why he was present, but he figured he might as well tell her some of the truth.

"Rika sent me a photo of the two of you a while ago again, making a big deal about it like last time."

"Oh, I see. So you ended up ditching your dance practice to come check in on me, hmm?"

"Mmhmm. I didn't want her to cause you any further trouble than she already has and so here I am."

"Ah, okay. Well, thank you, Sunghoon. Now, I'll be on my way home and you can get back to dance practice since y'all got that showcase coming up."

Linna flashed him a small smile before walking past him. Sunghoon strided alongside her. She eyed him before facing forward.

"Shouldn't you be going back to dance practice?"

"They won't miss me."

"Are you sure?"

"I could miss the rest of this one for today."

"Oh, I see."

Before she could tell him something, his question caught her off guard.

"Could I hold your hand, Jiyeon?"

"Excuse me?"

Sunghoon repeated his question, but Linna wasn't sure why he wanted to hold her hand all of a sudden. However, Linna should've been used to it by now and wasn't anything new, but still every time it does occur, it gives her these warm-fuzzy feelings. Sunghoon flashed Linna a small smile and she nodded a bit shyly, but trying to play it off nonchalantly.

"Yes, I guess you can hold my hand, Sunghoon, if you want to."

She partially lifted her left hand that was closes to his as Sunghoon gently took it in his own right hand. It felt warm as the two exited the library, talking causally, but Linna was unaware that Rika had lingered around after taking a photo of her earlier. Rika thought no one noticed her hiding behind the bookshelves yet Sunghoon knew the other female was still watching them and stuck around after sending him that photo of Linna and Yonghee. Sunghoon flashed Linna another smile while starting up conversation again.

"So, do you want to grab something to eat right now?"

"On a mysterious and unmarked island, there stood a colossal mansion where five handsome yet enig-"

Serena was reading a piece she had revised a few nights ago to Kierra after coming across this story idea again, looking for some inspiration for one of her writing assignments. The pair were just chilling outside on campus, waiting for their sisters to be done with their tutoring session. Serena glanced at Kierra as the latter was tuning in on the story, but before Serena could continued, Kierra intervene.

"I bet you that they're vampires, too."

Serena rolled her eyes, but nodded with a good-nature smile as Kierra was correct.

Just then their phone went off at the same time as they each checked to see who it was, seeing that it was the group chat between just the four of them. Their sisters informed them that they shouldn't wait for them as they would be having an impromptu date with their so-called boyfriends without the other couple joining them. Both of them looked at one another, wondering what they should do now.

"Wanna bother Seohoo for bubble tea and snacks?" Serena asked a moment later as Kierra.

"Yes, but have you owed the other boys with their snacks and plushies yet?"

"I only got Taeyoung his Pochacco because I bought myself one, too."

"Wow. You would."

"Of course."

"Maybe we should make them cookies instead, yeah?"

"I guess although Hanjun's been bothering me since then and won't stop pestering him."

"I mean, he's always been a bigger brat than the others, but he just wants your love and affection."

"And that's why I'm still gonna give him burnt ones though."

The two shared a laugh as they left their school's campus and went to buy ingredients to make cookies.

Melanie had just stepped out of the play zone when she overheard Jake's coversation with three others she's seen around campus, but didn't actually know them all that well. Neither noticed her coming out as she wasn't aware there were others around before she went inside to bat.

"She's really not good at this, Jake."

"Yeah, Jake, like she couldn't even kick one of them."

"Sorry that you have a girlfriend like that, Jake."

The other three strangers were talking about Melanie not being able to kick any of the penalty kicks. This was the first time she's done something like this as she was used to playing with the real item and not a virtual one.

"Oh, yeah, she's not my girlfriend, guys." Jake corrected them.

"She's just a classmate and someone I tutor for math."

"Oh, that's good. I can't see you dating a girl like her."

"Yeah, me either. I would prefer a girlfriend that's more lady-like than into sports and all that."

"Me, too. A girl that's into something I'm not is eaiser to deal with."

Jake laughed with a nod.

"Oh, yeah, no. She's really just a classmate to me and I'm just treating her out as a reward for doing well in her studies."

Melanie quirk a brow upon hearing their words, not amused at all about being talked like that by people that didn't know her. However, Melanie honestly didn't think that Jake would be like this either, especially behind her back despite him being the one to invite her out in the first place. She recalled that it was him that got them into their current situation in the first place. Sure, she didn't think much of it, but Melanie noticed she started to slowly fall for Jake over time. Yet, with all that she has seen and heard right now, that quickly went down the drain despite the sting she felt in her chest. Well, at least Melanie didn't have to have that 'later talk' with Jake about their current situation now since he claimed they weren't a couple to his three friends.

"Yeah, we're just classmates." Melane interjected herself into the conversation startling the four males.

"We definitely have different preferences for sure."

"Oh, Young--"

Just then, Melanie's phone rang, causing the four to jump upon hearing the sudden sound and interrupting Jake from speaking. Melanie quickly grabbed her backpack from Jake's hand. She ignored him to answer her phone, seeing Serena's name popped up.

"Yo, Serena, what's up?"

Melanie spoke in English, not caring if Jake found out or not that she could speak the language. She had no reason to play nice with him now.

"Nah, I'm not busy."

She glanced at Jake, seeing how surprised he looked.

"Yeah, I just got done with the so-called date. It's over now for sure. What's up?"

Melanie briefly glanced at the other three as they watched her, shocked themselves.

"Yeah I can pick some up on my way home. I'm leaving now."

"Young-"

"Hold on, Serena."

Melanie moved the phone from her ear to her chest so that she could focus on Jake as she spoke to him in English instead of Korean.

"Just tell everyone that we broke up today and we'll only associate if it's school related."

She flashed Jake a vague smile before turning away and walking off, not even bothering to acknowledged the other three males.

"Yeah, sorry about that, I just needed to settled something, but just send me a list so that I don't forget."

Jake just stared after Melanie, too stunned to react. As his friends joked about Melanie's behavior, Jake quickly shut that down and told him that he was leaving, too.

"Whoa, Sunghoon? Hi! It's been so long."

Sunghoon and Linna were in the midst of casually talking about their day so far and waiting for their meal to arrive when another young woman came up to their table. The female stranger directed the greeting at Sunghoon as his face brightened upon seeing her.

"Oh, Eunsoo! Hi! Yeah, it has. Wow, it's been