“…And…?” Taemin drawled, unable to grasp his head around the current situation. “What in the world are you doing, Jung Soojung?”

Soojung had surged into Taemin’s classroom even before the lunch bell rang (Taemin had no idea how she made that possible) and had dragged Taemin out to have that ideal lunch date in which Taemin ‘ditched’ last night. After their ‘ideal’ spaghetti date, the two were now seated in a cozy café with Soojung sliding her fingers across her phone screen in Taemin’s face, showing endless faces of different highschool boys.


 

“Pick one.” She stated, slurping her strawberry smoothie.


 

“Will you please take the sensible time to explain what this is for?” Taemin asked in annoyance, bringing Soojung’s hand down from his face.


 

“Depending on your expertise, pick whoever you think would be the most suitable.”


 

“…Are you getting married off to save your family or something, ‘cause-”


 

“Oh my ing god Taemin!” Soojung lost her patience and snapped. “It’s for a set-up date, stupid.”


 

“…And how would I know who is the most suitable.” Taemin frowned and crossed his arms.


 

“I told you, I’m depending on your inborn jerk-ness, so pick the one that feels the most opposite from you.”


 

Soojung replied and furiously slid her fingers across the screen as faces of countless boys swished past. Cowering under Soojung’s threat, Taemin carelessly picked a random face and Soojung leaned back, studying the picture and smiling in satisfaction. Picking at the chocolate macarons in front of him, Taemin glanced at Soojung. 

“So… does this mean that you and I are…”


 

“What about you and I?” Soojung turned to Taemin, looking casual and nonchalant. 


 

“…Nothing.” Taemin smirked. “God bless you and your new date. What is he, your 195th boyfriend?”


 

“Hm… I haven’t counted but yeah, probably around there.” Soojung laughed, stealing the macaron in Taemin’s hand and popping it in .


 

“How does it feel?” She asked, putting her phone into her vest pocket. Taemin arched his eyesbrows questionably and Soojung rolled her eyes.


 

“That self-destruction thingy.” She scrunched up her face. “How exciting is that?”


 

“What kind of creepy question is that?” Taemin looked at Soojung, playing with the straw on his drink.


 

“Don’t you think that your concept of ‘self-destruction’ is creepier?” Soojung huffed at Taemin’s counter.

“It’s hella unromantic. Love isn’t a word for no ing reason, you know.”


 

Taemin felt the heat rush to his face as Soojung clicked her tongue at him. The girl was bound to rub that in his face for the next ten years and 324 days, Taemin was sure of it. Taemin groaned into his palms and Soojung chirped.


 

“I want to try it. Self-destruction.” Taemin glanced up at Soojung, and she grinned widely. “It doesn’t sound so bad.”


 

Slurping the last bit of her strawberry smoothie, Soojung got up to her feet.


 

“Well, if I want to get a head start I should be going now.” And before Taemin could take some kind of action, Soojung headed towards the exit. Taemin stared after her until she stopped, and Soojung turned around to approach Taemin’s table again.


 

“I’m just saying, but…” She began slowly, and Taemin blinked.


 

“…Yeah?”


 

“If I ever felt that Jongin was sincere about me, I probably would’ve dated him.”


 

“…….”


 

“I don’t think Jongin was acting or faking anything.” Soojung continued, tucking a strand of hair behind her ears.


 

“But he never liked me, Taemin. If I ever felt that he actually really liked me, why wouldn’t I have given him a chance?” Soojung chuckled at Taemin’s dumbstruck face.


 

“He just needed a really good, suitable excuse.”


 

“…What are you talking about?!” Taemin sputtered, after a good second passed to process what Soojung just said. “You have no idea how much Jongin pined for you for those eight years-”


 

“For ten years you had him for yourself… and you’re still cranky about the eight years Jongin said he liked me, huh.”  


 

Taemin shut his mouth. Taking another macaron from the table, Soojung smiled brightly. No matter how many times Taemin went through it, he would never get used to her frightfully dazzling smile.


 

“Even though both of you guys are equally stupid morons,” Soojung said as she brushed the crumbs off her hands. “I think you have a bit more courage than Jongin, Lee Taemin.”


 

“……”


 

“I really envy that.”


 

With that, Soojung turned around and left the café.




 

***




 

“Envious of what,”


 

Taemin muttered, as he went up the stairs of the school’s main entrance. The auditorium was holding an academic seminar today, and whoever that wanted to attend was free to go while the others could just spend the period for self-studying. As Taemin passed by the buzzing auditorium, Taemin’s phone in his hand vibrated with a text.


 

[come up to the rooftop for a sec  -Chanyeol]


 

And who does he think he is to order me around? Taemin frowned. But ever since the cabinet incident, Taemin had to admit that Chanyeol had become someone of slight (very slight!) more significance. Texting back a simple reply, Taemin headed for the staircase.


 

Walking down the hallway of the third floor, Taemin had his head buried in his phone and was reading the string of text messages that had been sent by Jongin before their relationship started warping into an enormous mess.


 

[where r u?]
[i’ll be there. in 10min?]
[omg stop being a and eat some real food. No chocolates!]
[wait for meee i dun wanna go home alone T__T 3]
[im in front of ur house right now retard get ur over here before i go find u-_-]


 

Reading the messages one by one, Taemin didn’t even notice a figure standing in front of him and bopped into her.


 

“Get ready for the sunrise trip on the 31st!” Sulli said cheerfully.


 

“……What?” Taemin uttered unintellectually, and Sulli beamed much too brightly for Taemin’s comfort.


 

“Remember? You promised!”


 

“What? I don’t remember making such promise!” Taemin cried indignantly. “And I thought I asked you to stop popping out of nowhere!”


 

“But I already told Jungie and Chanchan.” Sulli’s loud voice ceased with a pout.


 

“…What the- Since when did you start calling them Jungie and Chanchan…!”


 

Taemin gawked, dumbfounded by the adorable nicknames for the demoness and the ert.


 

“Forget it, I’m not going.”


 

Taemin coldy brushed past Sulli, and to his horror, Sulli started following him with a serious frown plastered on her face.


 

By the time Taemin realized that he was running out of breath, Taemin was practically racing down the hallway, trying to get away from Sulli with the unsatisfied girl tagging right behind his tail.


 

“AHHH CHOI SULLI!” Taemin screamed desperately. “STOP FOLLOWING ME!!”


 

Sulli continued chasing after him, and Taemin had to curve countless corners, hide in random classrooms and surge out of opposite doors to finally lose the girl. And when Taemin (somehow) made it to the rooftop, he looked half dead with his hair irredeemably mussed, startling Chanyeol to shift from his back leaned against the railing.


 

Panting out of breath, Taemin sauntered towards him and he plopped down on the floor next to Chanyeol’s feet. Giving Taemin a questioning look, Chanyeol handed Taemin the bottle of water in his hands, and Taemin took large gulps between his heavy breaths.


 

“What… is… even your… point… of… coming up… here?!” Taemin huffed, and Chanyeol shrugged.


 

“It’s nice up here. What time are you free today?” He asked, and Taemin squinched his eyes up at Chanyeol.


 

“Today?”


 

“For Jiyeon.”   


 

“…Oh.” Taemin said, collecting his breath and taking another sip. “Jiyeon.”


 

An interval of silence followed, and Chanyeol peered down at Taemin.


 

“What, are you scared?” Chanyeol smirked. “I guess five years of Taekwondo does sound pretty threatening. Don’t worry, she did like you enough to make you chocolates.”


 

“I’m not scared.” Taemin replied gruffly. “I’m free after school, I can go then.”


 

“Want me to go with you?” Chanyeol asked, his voice tinging with laughter.