Myungsoo leaned against the wall beside the front entrance of the mall, tossing his cell phone back and forth between his hands. His foot tapped anxiously against the floor, while his eyes scanned the area for you.

   When he saw you across the street, he quickly stood straight up and fixed his shirt. About to call out your name, he stopped when he saw you turn back and gesture to somebody.

   Jinyoung.

   Seeing Jinyoung’s figure – tall beside yours – catch up to you, he frowned as the two of you stopped and waited at a red light.

   So it was true, then? They really spent the night together?!

   Myungsoo shook his head, confused. No way…when he was going out with you, you guys had never had a sleepover!

   Myungsoo stared at the way you looked up at Jinyoung and smiled, talking about something which he obviously couldn’t hear. When the light turned yellow and you took a step forward, Jinyoung grabbed hold of your arm and pulled you back. He appeared to pretend to scold at you for stepping out too early, and Myungsoo watched grumpily as the two of you laughed.

   Myungsoo wasn’t used to this feeling in his stomach – this small, uncomfortable churning of jealousy.

   He tried his best to clear his face of his grumpiness when you walked up to him smiling, with a poker faced Jinyoung trailing behind you.

   “Hi, bunny,” Myungsoo called, using the affectionate nickname for you.

   Myungsoo’s eyes flickered to Jinyoung, who suddenly frowned at Myungsoo’s pet name.

   Good – he knows, Myungsoo thought smugly.

   You looked a little bit surprised, but you replied smoothly, “Hi Myungsoo ~ Jinyoung’s here, too,” smiling sweetly at him.

   The two of them merely exchanged nods.

   “Let’s go in,” Myungsoo said excitedly, lightly placing his hand on your back and guiding you towards the entrance.

   You followed obediently, somewhat stunned as you were practically pushed into the mall by Myungsoo.

   Jinyoung, who was left standing there, rolled his eyes at Myungsoo’s behaviour.

   He’s obviously trying to show me that he’s hers…

   Jinyoung smirked to himself, “Two can play at that game,” before following the two of you inside.

---

   “Want to go anywhere in particular?” Myungsoo asked you tentatively, walking on your right.

   Jinyoung caught up with the two of you, popping up on your left. “Actually, we were just here yesterday,” he said nonchalantly.

   “T-the two of you were?!” Myungsoo looked at you with wide eyes for confirmation. “Together?”

   You nodded and opened your mouth to speak, but was cut off by Jinyoung’s “Yeah, just the two of us.”

   “How did that manage to turn into a sleepover?” Myungsoo asked, his brows furrowed.

   Jinyoung looked at you teasingly and said, “Well, one thing went from another…and before I knew it…we were alone at her house.”

   You whacked Jinyoung on the head playfully, “DON’T PHRASE IT THAT WAY!” you turned to Myungsoo and hurriedly explained the cookies, the blackout, your mother, etc.

   By the end of the story, Myungsoo was nodding thoughtfully, but he was still somewhat grumpy about the situation. He wondered if Jinyoung had tried to lay his hands on you…

   “You didn’t do anything, did you?” Myungsoo asked Jinyoung accusingly.

   Jinyoung looked over and smirked casually, “Who knows?” Grinning at Myungsoo’s appalled face, Jinyoung put his hand on your shoulder and said loudly, “________, let’s get the same ice cream that we bought yesterday ~”

   You blushed silently, they couldn’t be fighting over me, could they?

   All you could do was walk as once again, you were pushed somewhere. When the three of you reached the ice cream store, Jinyoung leaned in and asked, “What do you want to eat?”

   Myungsoo leaned against the counter and said, “Her favorite’s cookies and cream. I thought you would’ve known…”

   Jinyoung straightened up and pretended to smile at Myungsoo. “Well, people change all the time, right? Sometimes they want something new.”

   Myungsoo caught the underlying meaning behind Jinyoung’s words and rolled his eyes. “Get whatever you want,” he said to you kindly. “My treat.”

   You refused immediately, holding up two hands, “No, no! I have my own money!”

   Jinyoung put a hand over yours and pushed down your complaints. “I’ll pay, it’s okay!”

   Myungsoo scoffed, “I guess you wouldn’t mind paying for me too, hot shot?”

   Jinyoung didn’t even reply as he asked you, “What flavor do you want?”

   You took a sigh, not knowing what to do. “Guys, it’s really alright…”

   Your comment was barely heard, because right afterwards, Myungsoo and Jinyoung started bickering again.

   You turned around pouting, and distracted by a cute shirt, walked into a clothes store.

   The two men, surprised, shot a look at each other and followed you. Jinyoung caught up to you first, but was lightly pushed aside by Myungsoo.

   You rolled your eyes at how childish they were being, and just walked off to look at clothes by yourself.

   Next, the two of them tried to follow you around the store, spouting random comments.

   “That’d look really good on you, _______,” Jinyoung stated sweetly as you held up a cardigan.

   “Yah, she’d look nice in anything.” Myungsoo said coolly.

   “Will you shush?”

   “Will you stop?”

   “I’m not even doing anything!” Jinyoung said indignantly.

   “Nobody likes annoying twats.”

   “No wonder nobody likes you then…”

   “Let’s not forget who _______ met first!” Myungsoo rebounded.

   You looked around, embarrassed at the employees’ stares. “Guys!” you hissed, but neither of them were listening.

   You walked out in a huff, and of course, they followed.

   You walked by a CD store, and paused, contemplating whether you still wanted to go in and check out a new album or not.

   “You want to buy a CD?” Jinyoung questioned.

   “Is it your favourite band again? Shining, or whatever they’re called?” Myungsoo raised his eyebrow at you.

   Giggling, you replied, “It’s SHINee, you dummy!”

   Myungsoo laughed, “Close enough.”

   Jinyoung frowned at the way Myungsoo knew about your favourite band but he didn’t. “I could introduce you to my favourite band,” he said to you. “They’re called B1A4. Their music is pretty fresh and – ”

   Myungsoo interrupted before Jinyoung could finish. “She likes specific types of music.”

   You bit your lip, getting annoyed at their constant bickering. Why were they acting this way? They were both perfectly normal alone…you didn’t want to think that you were the reason they were acting so…competitive. As if they were competing for you. What you didn’t know was that of course, they really were.

   You only got more bothered, however, when they continued to bicker even as you walked faster ahead of them.

   “YAH!” you stopped and spun around.

   They both froze, surprised at your raised voice. Myungsoo had rarely heard you yell even before, and Jinyoung had never even seen you angry.

   “Why’re you guys being like this?” you stomped your foot on the ground, frustrated. “Why’re the two of you so childish today? You’re like two kids fighting for attention!”

   If it were a different scenario, they might’ve laughed and tousled your hair, commenting on how cute you were when you were angry. But since your anger was directed at them, the two men just stood there, shocked and wide-eyed.

   The two men didn’t say anything, because they were fighting for your attention. Fighting for your love.

   “I don’t want to hang around immature children all day long. Grow up!” you said exasperatedly. You started to walk away, and they started to follow, worried.

   “Don’t follow me!” you said shortly without even turning back. They froze immediately, scared out of their wits. You took a deep breath and walked off, leaving them standing there in shocked silence.

   Jinyoung was the first one to speak first, letting out a frustrated sigh. “Damn it, Myungsoo!”

   Myungsoo squatted against the wall, ruffling his hand through his hair. “I can’t believe we got her angry,” he said.

   Jinyoung sat down beside him, crossing his legs. “At this rate…” he blew his bangs out of his eyes. “She won’t like either of us.”

   Myungsoo lifted his head, and the two rivals’ eyes met.

   “I’d rather you win than neither of us,” Myungsoo admitted.

   Jinyoung paused before agreeing, “Me too. Probably.”

   “This is stupid,” Myungsoo sighed. “We’re stupid. Why are we fighting over her? Feelings can’t be forced anyway.”

   “I think that might be the first thing that I agree with you on,” Jinyoung allowed.

   Myungsoo tilted his head at Jinyoung. “_______ deserves better than this. Please tell me you agree on that.”

   Jinyoung nodded, “Definitely.”

   “Maybe we should just both give up,” Myungsoo said, feeling defeated.

   “I don’t think I can.”

   “I don’t think I can either.”

   “But she won’t like either of us this way. Maybe we should just…let things flow.”

   “I guess…” Myungsoo trailed off, lost in thought.

   “Let’s at least do something?” Jinyoung suggested. “To make it up to her?”

   They looked at each other, and something clicked between them. Myungsoo reached out his hand, and Jinyoung, although hesitant, shook it. It was a seal; an agreement on both sides to this temporary truce.

   “What can we possibly do though?” Myungsoo hung his head low, then brought out his phone. “I’ll try texting her.”

   His text read:

   We’re sorry. Where are you?

   “What’re you good at?” Jinyoung questioned. “What’re we good at?”

   “I can cook, I guess,” Myungsoo shrugged.

   “I can’t do that to save my life. I can…shoot ducks,” Jinyoung said.

   “Wait, what?”

   “Nothing. Nevermind – I have good aim.”

   “…Okay there. Let’s try something else – what does _____ like?” Myungsoo tried.

   “You should know, you’re her ex-boyfriend!”

   “Well you should know too, you’re trying to be her new one! Aish, she’s not replying to my message.”

   Silence ensued as both men paused to think.

   They ran through their memories of you, randomly thinking of things that you liked.

   “Frozen yogurt.”

   “Decorative cakes.”

   “Upbeat songs.”

   “Well, she doesn’t like baking.”

   “Or scary movies.”

   Suddenly, both of them blurted, “Dancing.”

   They looked at each other, breaking into grins of relief and excitement.

   Now all they needed was a plan.