"Do you know what do you want?" Kierra asked Jay while glancing over at the male.

The pair were at a cafe near their school with Kierra treating Jay as a part of his birthday gift. Kierra finally got around to completing the photobook several days ago and messaged Jay late last night to meet up today before classes started.

"Um, a regular bagel with cream cheese, please." Jay answered.

"Okay. Anything else?"

Jay told her what else he wanted before she relayed the message to the worker along with her own order. Kierra had to convinced Jay that she was treating him and not the other way around. It took a lot of persuasion and Kierra's patience of not snapping at him to just let her be nicer for today. The worker then gave Kierra a number tent and she followed Jay to a table for two. Despite her open reservation for the guy to her sister and cousins, Kierra really didn't mind Jay all that much. Of course, Kierra wasn't gonna let him or them know that for sure. Once settled, Jay initiated conversation.

"So which photo assignment got the best mark?"

"Surprisingly, the couple aesthetics one."

A soft chuckle left her lips as Jay observed her with a hint of a smile gracing his face while she continued speaking.

"Mr. Seo said it reminded him of himself and his wife back then."

She glanced up at Jay, having caught his observant eyes upon her. Kierra averted her gaze to behind him with a sheepish laugh.

"So, um, yeah, that's about it, Jay, and thanks."

"You're welcome, Hayoun, and thanks for the treat."

"Yeah, you're very welcome."

Kierra remembered the gift and brought her bag to retrieve the item. Jay once again noticed the bear keychain.

"You must really like that bear, huh?"

"Hmm?"

Kierra glanced up at Jay as he pointed to the plush keychain in a somewhat nonchalant manner. Kierra's eyes followed to where Jay was pointing as her eyes landed on the white furry toy. She smiled before focusing on Jay again.

"Yeah, YanGom's quite cute and gives me comfort when I see him."

Jay didn't expect that kind of response from her and so was shocked although he tried to play it cool.

"Must be a nice gift from your boyfriend."

"I don't have a boyfriend." Kierra stated as she patted the white bear with a soft smile.

"I just really like cute things in general."

Kierra grabbed the photobook and set it on the table, pushing it towards Jay.

"Anyway, here's your late birthday gift and your own copy of the photos, too."

Jay stared at the item, but glanced up at her a second later.

"You don't have a boyfriend?"

"No."

She let out a laugh with a shake of her head.

"Still, I don't think it'll concern you if I did have a boyfriend, Jay."

"Why not, Hayoun?"

Jay's question caught Kierra off guard as she carefully responded.

"Because that's my business."

Just as Jay was about to respond, Kierra redirected the conversation back on to the photobook.

"Anyway, aren't you gonna look through it?"

"Oh, yeah."

Jay's attention went back onto his gift.

"Um, thank you."

"Welcome."

He flipped open the book as his eyes widened with realization.

"Oh, wow. There's even words for each photograph."

"Huh?"

Kierra's hand reach for the photobook, but Jay held onto it tightly.

"What are you doing?" They both questioned as Kierra responded.

"I need to check that there's nothing weird in there."

"Is there something weird within this?" Jay mused as Kierra tried to remain calm.

"I dunno, but that's why I wanna check to see if there is or isn't."

Kierra checked it the other day and it was fine, but now that she thought about it, Serena might have gotten into it last night without her knowing. Kierra scolded herself for being careless as Serena's done these several times for Kierra's past assignments at the last minute and Kierra knew she should've double-checked after the first and second time, but always forgot. However, Mr. Seo enjoyed each and every short story or caption given to the photographs, believing them to be real and fitting for each one.

"I'm sure it's fine, Hayoun." Jay reassured her as Kierra wanted to argue back, but removed her hand and let it go.

Jay chuckled at her reaction and once again went through the photobook intently. Kierra grew anxious as he turned each page after reading and scanning, believing that Serena had written a fake confession in there of sort and causing her and Jay to have an even more complicated relationship of sorts. However, nothing of the sort occured and Jay just commented that the so-called short story and captions were fitting for each photograph. However, Kierra still insisted on checking the photobook herself and Jay returned the item to her. She breathed a sigh of relief after scanning the pages and returned the booklet to Jay. He put it away as he tried to lightened up the mood or at least ease the atmosphere around them, but that just put them back into their usual interaction.

"It's good to see you being nice, Hayoun."

"I'm always nice, Jay."

Jay laughed, wrily.

"Not to me. Even during our high school days you were always like this."

"That's only because you're just asking for a punch to the face."

Jay scoffed.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. Seeing your face every day made me wanted to punch you."

"You want to punch my face? For no reason?"

Kierra nodded with a smirk.

"Yes. Yes, I do. And I do have a reason though."

"And what reason is that?"

Kierra was about to respond, but immediately closed . Jay's brow quirked, intrigued as a teasing smile graced his lips.

"You're not gonna tell me?"

"No."

Kierra would never tell him the real reason and maybe that's the reason why they had the sort of situationship and relationship that they have now because of it.

"Oh, c'mon. It can't be that serious. Or is it?"

"I'm not telling you."

She gave him a firm look.

"Besides, it's not like I've actually done it despite thinking about it. Even if I did push you and hit you several times, but a majority of the time are just deserved."

Jay's jaws dropped before recovering a second later, still wondering why Kierra wanted to punch his face, not worrying about the other times she's been physical with him since the years that he's known her.

"Seriously, Hayoun, why do you wanna punch me in the face?"

Truthfully, Kierra's reasoning was just childish and a personal matter. She disliked the way Jay's face always made her feel every time she stared at it since the first day she laid eyes on him. She figured him to be a confident, cocky, and arrogant person, but he proved her wrong time and time again with his caring nature and vast intelligence. Yes there were times when his confidence oozed out, but not in the jerk of a way she thought it would be. So, Kierra was just in denial of what she wanted to think of Jay compare to how he actually was as a person. She disliked how kind he was and not an she wanted to perceive him as. Anyway, Jay cocked a brow at the sudden silence as he place his arms folded on the table, a slow smile graced his face as he leaned closer towards Kierra.

"Why so quiet all of a sudden, Jung Hayoun?"

Backing away with an aloof demeanor, Kierra turned her attention off to the side, playing cool as to keep herself calm. Kierra realized at this point, the denial she kept up for several years now were starting to crumble and her cousins and sister's words were turning out to come true day by day.

"Because you might get offended if I tell you the truth, Park Jongseong."

She cast him with a playful look to ignore her own feelings and thoughts.

"And then you'll sulk like a baby afterwards like Ni-Ki."

Jay frowned.

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do."

"There's no way that I'm just as bad as Ni-Ki about that."

Jay paused in his argument and re-directed the topic to Ni-Ki instead.

"By the way, how do you know Ni-Ki so well?"

"I just do with the amount of time he bothers me."

Jay chuckled with a nod.

"Okay, true, but like I mean, it's the same thing with K, Hanbin, Fuma, Nicholas, Taki, and the others not from here."

He shot her a gentle gaze.

"I remember you being a part of the International Club in high school although I don't remember if you excelled in other foreign languages though."

Kierra didn't feel like explaining to Jay that she was a foreigner living in South Korea despite being half-Korean from her father's side and her other half being Thai from her mother. The same went for the other three, too. Kierra also didn't want to inform him that she excelled in English and was able to converse in Japanese, too. She didn't want to give him another option of communicating in other languages.

"Oh, yeah, huh." Kierra vaguely responded, not engaging further.

Just as Jay was about to probe further, an employee came by with their meal before leaving quickly afterwards. Jay left the topic alone upon seeing Kierra becoming excited when their order arrived.

"Yay! Okay, let's eat!"

Kierra cast him a bright smile while sorting out their order and a soft look graced his face while watching Kierra happily do her thing. She noticed his stare and tried to make him focus on his own meal instead of her.

"Eat." Kierra urged, breaking Jay from his trance.

"Oh, right."

Jay picked up his bagel and took a bite or two, still observing the female before him while chewing. Kierra felt his eyes on her still and eyed him suspiciously.

"What?"

"Nothing."

He smiled as he chewed, but she still felt weird about the whole thing.

"Really?"

"Mmhmm."

Jay cast her with a smile while eating his breakfast. Still, Kierra felt weird and wanted to ditched him. Maybe Jay was right and she was normally mean to him over the years without thinking about it. Then again, her and the other three's tolerance was high and treated the opposite gender the same that they would do back home with their neighbors, childhood friends, and cousins. Still, Jay didn't have to know that and so she wouldn't be informing him of her realization either.

"So, um, how's the preparation going for your guys' dance showcase for June?"

Luckily, Jay didn't mind the change of topic as he talked about the many performances they had planned, other stuff that happened during practices, and other things related to the subject. Kierra felt relieved to let him talk about something he was interested in, filling the space between them so early in the morning.

"Maybe I shouldn't have agreed to playing basketball with the boys so early in the morning, especially before classes." Serena mumbled to herself once she stepped onto Hyebi University's campus.

"This is what I get for replying after waking up."

She sighed.

"I knew I should've ignored Seohoo's calls."

She sighed once again while heading towards the school's gymnasium. On her way there, she thought she heard a familiar voice calling her name, but ignored it upon thinking she was just hearing stuff. Then, the voiced called out for her again and this time around, Serena turned her head to see Heeseung in the distance, waving at her with a smile. She paused in mid-step to wave back with a blank look and for him to unconsiously catch up to her.

"Good morning, Minseo." Heeseung greeted with a bright smile, but noticed the expression she wore.

"Um, are you okay?"

"It's just my face and I'm up earlier than usual. That's all."

Serena rubbed at her face to take the opportunity to fix her expression before she cast him with a small smile before greeting him back.

"But um, yeah, good morning, to you, too, Heeseung."

"Are you headed towards the gymnasium?" Heeseung asked her a moment later as the pair continued walking in the same direction.

"Uh, yes. You?".

Heeseung nodded as he .

"Don't worry. I'm not stalking you or anything."

She eyed him while playfully slapping at his arm.

"Shut up."

Heeseung cocked a brow as Serena realized what she had done. She awkwardly patted his arm.

"Sorry, sorry."

She immediately stopped and kept her hands to her side.

"Anyway, you're not by chance going there to play basketball are you?"

"I am. Why do you ask?"

"Just asking."

Serena inwardly groaned as she thought to herself that she should stop teasing her sister and cousins about their love life and crushes. So lost in her thoughts, she wasn't paying attention to where she was walking as she almost tripped up the steps to the gymnasium until she felt herself being pulled back by Heeseung and from falling forward.

"Whoa there, Minseo, be careful." Heeseung cautioned her as Serena glanced at him.

"Um, thanks, Heeseung, and sorry."

"No problem."

Serena quickly removed herself away from his grasp, bowed her head at him as she continued up the steps in a hurry now. Heeseung soon followed afterwards with a hint of a smile as the pair entered the gymnasium. When Serena entered the gymnasium first and before she could even have time to scope out her friends, she was playfully tackled to the ground with someone screaming her name.

"PARK MINSEO!"

She groaned before slapping at the person to get off of her.

"Get off of me, Lee Geonu."

"Aww, but I miss you!" He cooed, hugging her annoyingly.

"I messaged you yesterday."

"But I didn't see you yesterday."

"You're so annoying. I dunno why we're friends."

"Because you like me."

"I'm sure it's the other way around."

Geonu laughed before getting off of Serena and helping her get back to her feet, but not even a moment later, Serena was playfully tackled to the ground once more with the other person laughing at what he had just done.

"PARK MINSEO!"

"Yah! Chu Jimin! You did that on purpose!"

Jimin laughed, still lying on top of her to keep her pinned down.

"And if I did?"

She eyed him, annoyed.

"Get off."

"No."

Serena began wrestling with the male and he finally got off of her once he knew she was about to put him in a headlock.

"Okay, okay."

"Dumb brat."

Jimin laughed once again as he helped Serena to her feet while she playfully punched him for knocking her down. However, a second later, Serena was enveloped into Nicholas's arm as he aggressively hugged her.

"Hi, Minseo."

"Yah, Nicho!"

Serena tried to pry herself out of his arms, but that was proving to be futile.

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