“You… like me?”

The corner of JunHyung’s mouth twitched and he wondered why today of all days he chose not to wear sunglasses.

“I, uh, I just meant that…” He knew that there was no way of talking himself out of this one. He got too arrogant, he thought. Of course RaeIn didn’t like him back. “I gotta go.”

RaeIn brought a hand up in an attempt to stop him, but when she tried calling out for him to stop, her voice wouldn’t comply. It was probably better that way, anyway, she figured. Both of them had a lot of thinking to do right now.

-----

“Julsuuu~” RaeIn whined, looking down sheepishly. She fiddled with her hands in her lap nervously.

“What’s wrong?” JulSu asked.

RaeIn looked at her with a guilty expression. In a whisper she said, “I ate ice cream.”

JulSu sighed. “Unni, that’s okay. How much did you eat?”

RaeIn shook her head. “That’s not the problem, though.”

“Stop trying to change the subject,” JulSu said sternly.

“I’m serious! Something happened today…”

“What happened?” JulSu asked, trying to be patient.

“JunHyung told me he likes me,” RaeIn cupped her hands around as she whispered. She expected JulSu to react in shock; to be as surprised as RaeIn was when she heard the confession. However, JulSu chose not to say anything to try to play off the fact that she already knew about JunHyung’s feelings. She inwardly rolled her eyes at the déjà vu of the situation though. Silly maknae.

“Did you hear what I said?”

“Yeah,” JulSu answered quickly, biting her lip to keep herself from saying more. RaeIn gave her a weird look, which pressured JulSu to speak. “Okay, fine! You made me talk. I knew about that already.”

“How does everyone know everything already?” RaeIn exclaimed, throwing up frustrated arms into the air. “How did you know?”

“KaHee told me.”

“She knows already, too?”

“Yeah, JunHyung-oppa told her.”

“Ugh, it all kind makes sense now that KaHee knows.”

“Did I hear my name?” the maknae asked as she strolled into RaeIn’s bedroom.

The three repositioned themselves so they were all seated on RaeIn’s bed. RaeIn then proceeded to fill in the other two on what happened during JunHyung’s confession.

“Hold up, so you just let him go?” KaHee asked disappointedly.

“Why did you even tell him that I liked him?” RaeIn retaliated, annoyed.

“I didn’t exactly say that. I told him that I think you like him.”

RaeIn pursed her lips. “Same thing!”

“Hey man, you have to agree – girls don’t eat when they’re in love!”

“I’m on a diet, KaHee! We’re on a diet!”

“Right… I forgot about that.” KaHee mused, chuckling to herself.

RaeIn sighed.

“Hey,” KaHee retorted. “It’s your fault we’re on a diet anyway! I didn’t want to go on this stupid diet in the first place.”

“How is it my fault?” RaeIn asked, shocked. “You and JulSu said you would help me!”

“You’re right. It’s JulSu’s fault that I’m part of this diet too!”

“Hey, why are you guys bringing me into this?” JulSu glared at the bickering MAKIKO members.

KaHee returned her attention to RaeIn, her eyes pleading. “So you don’t like him? Not even a little bit?”

RaeIn thought for a second. “It’s not that I don’t like him…”

“So you do like him!” KaHee’s excitement rose again.

“I didn’t say that!” RaeIn snapped. After calming down a bit she added, “But even if I do like him… isn’t it a bit soon?”

“You are correct,” JulSu stated. “It’s way too soon! How long has it been since you and DooJoon-oppa broke up?”

“Not too long?” RaeIn replied.

“Exactly. And don’t forget, we haven’t exactly squared away that rumor about the two of you yet,” JulSu reminded.

“You’re right…”

“That has nothing to do with whether or not RaeIn-unni likes JunHyung now,” KaHee instigated.

“Of course it does! She and DooJoon-oppa broke up pretty recently – of course there are still some feelings there!”

“Are you serious? After seeing…”

RaeIn tuned out the maknaes, as she tried to sort out her own thoughts. Did she really like JunHyung? “But I can’t like him,” she thought with scrunched eyebrows. “It’s too soon. That would only prove DooJoon right.”

DooJoon.

She couldn’t deny that she still cared for him deeply. She couldn’t deny that he still invaded her thoughts from time to time, including now. However, with the current situation she was not intending to get back together with him. There was a reason why they broke up, right? And though she saw the effort, she had yet to see any change in DooJoon’s jealous personality.

RaeIn’s sigh that followed remained unnoticed as her dongsaengs continued to bicker.

Now her thoughts returned to JunHyung; how he always seemed to make her laugh, and how they always seemed to have fun together. She did like his company, and she did get jealous when he was with KaHee instead…

RaeIn remembered the first time JunHyung and she worked together and found it very amusing that their friendship started out so bitterly. She remembered how it was so awkward to practice dancing together, and then they actually had to feed each other?! “Yeobo~” he called her. She giggled at the memory.

“Unni, why are you so weird, laughing to yourself?” JulSu asked, raising her eyebrow. RaeIn’s giggles distracted the two from their argument. RaeIn paused a moment, smiling awkwardly as she thought about what she would say next.

“I think I like JunHyung.”

-----

At the CUBE building, everyone took their place in their designated practice rooms. Everyone was working hard because of an upcoming festival that they were attending and performing at. However, JulSu had an appointment later in the day, so she left KaHee and RaeIn alone to practice together.

When KaHee and RaeIn decided to take a short break, they headed over to a vending machine to get a couple refreshments.

“Ah, eottoke, I don’t have my money with me,” KaHee said sadly. “Unni, could you get me something? I’ll pay you back.”

“Yeah, of course. What do you want?” RaeIn asked, digging into the pockets of her sweats to grab some coins. Once the first drink dropped down, RaeIn handed it over to KaHee before proceeding to buy her own. KaHee enthusiastically thanked RaeIn before chugging half of the bottle.

“Ahh~” KaHee sounded contently.

“What the… It ate my money! It’s not dropping down!” RaeIn panicked, hitting the side of the machine.

“Oh no!” KaHee said worriedly hitting the other side of the machine as well. “What do we do?”

“I don’t know! But I’m so thirsty!” RaeIn whined. KaHee looked behind RaeIn and grinned.

“Look who’s coming,” she pointed. “Ask him to help you!”

“Who is it?” RaeIn turned to the direction KaHee pointed in to find JunHyung walking towards them. She quickly turned back to KaHee as she began to panic again, only to find that KaHee completely disappeared. “Thanks,” she muttered to the missing maknae sarcastically.

“Hey,” JunHyung said once he neared RaeIn.

“Hey!” RaeIn replied, a little too perkily. “Great,” she said to herself. “How nervewracking is this? This is the first time I’ve seen him since I decided I like him, and more importantly, since he told me he liked me! What to do~”

“You need help with that?” JunHyung asked, referring to the vending machine. RaeIn nodded, explaining that it ate her money. JunHyung hit the machine in a certain spot, a bit higher than where RaeIn hit it, and like magic her drink appeared. “No problem,” JunHyung replied when RaeIn thanked him. “Everyone seems extra tired from practice today, so I’m glad I could help.”

RaeIn nodded as she continued to drink out of the bottle, barely pausing to breathe. Actually, RaeIn was glad to have her drink there as a distraction. “At least while I’m drinking we don’t have to talk about all that awkward stuff,” she thought happily to herself.

“Listen, I’m sorry about what I said the other day…”

RaeIn almost spit out her drink. Or not…

She quickly brushed a sleeve to wipe , feeling herself grimace, though she hoped that it wasn't so obvious.

“I just wanted to clear up what I meant.”

“Actually,” RaeIn started, raising her hands to distance herself; she was embarrassed by how loud her heart was pounding. “I have to get back to practice. KaHee’s probably waiting for me.”

“That’s fine,” JunHyung nodded in understanding. “We can talk another time. When are you free?”

“I… will let you know.” RaeIn inched herself backwards. “Bye, JunHyung!”

JunHyung watched as RaeIn scurried away before turning to the vending machine to get himself (and YoSeob) a drink.

-----

“He’s calling me, what do I do?” RaeIn exclaimed, dropping her phone to the table and pushing it away from herself.

“Answer it!” the maknae replied, annoyed. RaeIn shook her head stubbornly. KaHee sighed and grabbed the phone to answer it herself. RaeIn’s eyes widened in shock as she scrambled out of her seat and ran to her room, locking the door behind her.

“Hello, hello~” KaHee sang into the phone, more dully than she would have if she were answering her own phone.

“KaHee, is that you?” JunHyung asked from the other line. “I’m sorry. I guess I dialed the wrong number.”

“No, this is Unni’s phone,” KaHee stated.

“Oh, I see. Where is she?”

“She’s…” KaHee glanced towards RaeIn’s shut bedroom door. “…busy at the moment.”

“Do you know when she’ll be free?”

“Nope,” KaHee replied.

“You heard about what happened right? About my confession…”

“Yup,” KaHee answered.

“She hates me now, doesn’t she?”

“Of course she doesn’t hate you!” KaHee panicked; she was worried that RaeIn’s behaviour would give JunHyung the wrong impression – and she was right! She slapped her hand to her face.

“She’s been avoiding me ever since. It’s been so awkward, and I haven’t been able to have a real conversation with her. It’s obviously not like how it was before. I just… I wanna… I wanna turn back times.”

“Don’t worry too much about it, Oppa! Just wait a bit; she’ll talk to you eventually. I promise.”

“I guess so,” JunHyung remained unconvinced. “Well, okay… Could you let her know I called then? And ask her to call me back?”

“Sure thing,” KaHee said, saluting through the phone.

JunHyung thanked her, and they hung up the phone. KaHee sighed, still disappointed that RaeIn ran away. She brought the phone with her when she knocked on RaeIn’s bedroom.

“Unni, what are you going to do now?” she thought.

-----

“Unni, could you meet me in the practice room? I need help. I have a lot of things to bring back to the dorm.”

“Sure thing, KaHee,” RaeIn answered before meeting up with the maknae. She hurried, wanting to get back to the dorm room quickly – the haunted episode of “Picnic with Bakery” was airing today. She entered the first practice room she saw quickly and wondered what exactly KaHee needed help with.

RaeIn halted midstep when she noticed JunHyung, YoSeob and KiKwang in the room. She caught her breath as the three glanced lazily in the direction of the opened door, her eyes brushing over JunHyung’s. RaeIn slowly backed away, praying that no eye-contact was made. She squeezed her eyes shut and closed the door quietly before turning in the opposite direction. She sighed in relief, feeling safer, once she rounded a corner.

“You’ve been avoiding me.”

RaeIn jumped and turned to find none other than the Joker standing a couple feet behind her. He did not look amused. RaeIn immediately plastered a (nervous) smile on her face.

“What are you talking about? Of course I haven’t! We’ve all just been so busy lately, and the timing is bad, and…”

“If you don’t like me back… It’s okay. Just tell me. Don’t just toss me to the side.”

RaeIn stayed quiet; her smile was still there, but waning.

“Right,” JunHyung said after a couple of seconds, a hint of disappointment in his voice. He sighed. “I guess that says it all. I understand. You probably still have feelings for DooJoon, and—“

“It’s not that,” RaeIn interrupted. She thought a second then continued. “Well, of course I do still care for DooJoon; the feelings don’t just disappear like that…”

“Right,” JunHyung said again as he turned back, placing his hands coolly in his pockets.

“But,” RaeIn quickly exclaimed before he could get too far. “What I mean to say is…” Curious, JunHyung stopped and turned his head to listen, only to hear her indecipherable mumbling.

“What?” JunHyung asked confused. “You like my shoes?”

“No, pabo oppa!” RaeIn sighed in frustration and embarrassment at having to repeat herself. She looked around to make sure no one else could hear. “I said that I like you too!”

“You… like me too?” JunHyung repeated as he repressed a grin; he needed clarification before he could let himself get excited.

“Yes…” RaeIn replied, scrunching her eyebrows as her face grew hot.

“So… Now what?”

“I don’t know!”

“Then, would you be my…” JunHyung started. RaeIn froze and held her breath as she freaked out in her head, very unready for whatever JunHyung was about to say. “Ah, nevermind,” JunHyung smiled. He reached a hand out to ruffle her hair. “Well, I’ve gotta get back to Seobie and Kwangie…”

“I-I’ve got to find KaHee anyway!” RaeIn pouted, still blushing madly, as she freed herself from JunHyung’s wrath and ran off without saying anymore.

JunHyung watched her for a bit, chuckling to himself, before running off as well.

“What the…” RaeIn almost stumbled, startled by two arms that encircled her from behind; her body tensed. She turned her head and found JunHyung’s head resting on her shoulder. “What are you—” JunHyung wouldn’t let her speak as he turned her around to hug her from the front. She was still feeling very flustered, but loosened up a little bit, awkwardly reaching her arms around him too.

“Unni, there you are! What took you so long? I called you how long ago…” Her eyes widened when she heard KaHee’s voice. She quickly pushed JunHyung away and found KaHee with her arms crossed, directing an impish grin at RaeIn.

“I… I…” RaeIn stuttered. JunHyung adorned his face with a grin as well, unable to contain his amusement as he watched the scene unfold before him. “Don’t worry about it! I’m here now. Let’s just hurry up and grab your things!” With that, RaeIn ventured off ahead of the maknae, who followed but not before glancing back at JunHyung with a grin and a matching thumbs up.

“Ah, so it was the maknae’s doing, huh?” JunHyung thought. “I’ll have to thank her some time.” He shook his head and chuckled, lost in thought, until a voice called out for him as well.

“JunHyung! Where have you been? You just ran out suddenly. YoSeob and I have been waiting!”

“Arasseo!”