"I'm back~ Anyone home?"

"I am, Minmin!" Haneul ran out of the kitchen, pulling Miyoung with her. "Welcome back! I was getting tired of Hana-unnie being scary and Byul-unnie being boring."

"What about Mi?"

"I think Mi's getting tired." Haneul told her.

"Haneul-unnie, can I go sit down for a while?" Miyoung asked quietly.

"Go rest, Mi. I'll play with Eulli."

"Thanks, Minhi-unnie." Miyoung smiled with relief before walking off into the living room and plopping down onto a couch.

"So, what were you two doing?" Minhi asked Haneul.

"We're making a pineapple corn cake." Haneul grinned.

"Pineapple corn cake?" Minhi echoed in disbelief.

"Yeah. I made it before, but I think you were out that day..." Haneul said. "Do you like turtles?"

"Um... Sure."

"Anyway, about the cake. It's done baking. Wanna try it?"

Haneul linked her arm with Minhi's and led her into the kitchen, where she showed the other girl her golden creations. They looked tasty enough, but it was the chunks of corn and pineapples that worried Minhi. Haneul picked up a small piece she had cut out and handed it to her. She first stared at it suspiciously.

"Well, you only live once." Minhi mumbled before putting the piece in . Then she was silent.

"Is it good?"

"W-Well... I would tell you about the taste... If I can feel my tongue."

"Why? You can't?"

"What colour was the pineapple you put in?" Minhi asked.

"Green. Why?"

Minhi wanted to slam her head against the table. Why did she trust Haneul with baking? The whole gang knew that she was good at cooking, but when it came to baking, her recipes tend be to really bizarre.

"Why did you use a green pineapple?"

"I didn't want it to get all mushy after I baked it. Cakes should have something crunchy inside, shouldn't they?" Haneul asked innocently. "Does it taste bad?"

"No. No, it tastes good. Just... A little sour." Minhi said, not wanting to hurt the other girl's feelings.

"Oh. Then I should give some to Byul-unnie!"

"I wouldn't do that." Minhi said as she linked her arm with Haneul's to prevent her from running off. "She won't be able to talk for days. She's allergic to pineapples, remember?"

"Right. Thanks for reminding me."

"What's with that burning smell?!" Hana yelled form her room.

"Nothing. A little batter got burned." Haneul told her.

"Why do you even bother baking? It always tastes horrible!"

Minhi felt the girl beside her stiffen and felt irritated that Hana was being so rude. "Hana-unnie, you shouldn't be so mean to Haneul. She tried her best."

"She's had way too many chances. Next time she'll burn down the whole apartment."

Haneul, who could feel Minhi's anger start to build up, quickly interfered before the argument could go any further. "Min, it's okay. What she said is true. You don't have to get angry because of this."

Haneul really didn't want Minhi flipping when Hana was already in a rather bad mood. If the two of them blow at once, then the whole building would probably collapse. She was sure nobody wanted that to happen.

"Min, let's go feed the cats outside." Haneul said with a bright smile on her face. However, Minhi just continued to glare at the spot where Hana was.

"Minhi, Haneul, please stop arguing with Hana. I'm starting to get a headache." Byulbi told them tiredly from the living room.

"Maybe you guys can go out for some ice cream." Miyoung suggested.

"Fine." Minhi said.

"I know this ice cream store that lets you mix your own flavours!" said Haneul. "Wanna go try it?"

Instantly, Minhi's expression flipped. There was suddenly a wide grin on her face as she thought about all the new things she could try. She would be able to make whatever she wants and not have to follow the specific restrictions the other stores had.

"Where is it? I have to try this place." Minhi said.

"It's pretty close. Byul-unnie, Mi, Hana-unnie, do you want anything?"

"Vanilla cone, please." Byulbi called.

"Can you help me get a strawberry one?" Miyoung added. "Minhi-unnie, please keep an eye on Haneul-unnie and make sure she doesn't go overboard."

Hana just ignored her, which was expected.

"Okay. We'll be right back!"

The two girls left the apartment and went down the street to the store Haneul had described. Like she said, it was very close. They had their fun mixing up the most bizarre flavours before getting the things the others wanted and heading back. On their way, Minhi bumped into somebody, almost smooshing her ice cream against him and making him drop the drink he was holding.

"Sorry!" she quickly said.

"It's okay. Be careful." Instead of yelling at her, he simply smiled.

"Hey..." Haneul mumbled beside her. "You're the guy I saw earlier."

Minhi followed Haneul's gaze and it landed on a doe-eyed boy with messy brown hair behind the person she had bumped into. He also had a drink in his hand with dark pearls at the bottom. Minhi regretted not getting bubble tea instead.

"Hi, Haneul-ssi." he said with a light smile.

"What are you doing here?" Haneul asked. She eyed the two guys curiously.

"Going home after getting some snacks." the one Minhi bumped into earlier said.

"Where did you get that?" Minhi asked. "I haven't seen any bubble tea stores around here."

"It's not close. We took a long car ride before getting back."

"Min, we should get back. The ice cream is melting." Haneul said.

"Okay. Well, bye."

"See you tomorrow at the trade." He waved at the two girls leaving."

"See ya." Haneul waved back with her pinky; the only free finger she had at the moment.

Minhi was slightly surprised at what the guy said at the end about the trade. They were part of a gang? Sure didn't look like it. But she would have to wait to find out. She was distracted the whole way back to their apartment.

"We're back~" Haneul sang as she pushed open the door.

"Welcome back." Miyoung called before running over to help them. "Thank you."

"Anything for my cute Mi. Do I get a hug?"

Minhi walked past the two and into the living room, handing Byulbi her ice cream. She almost had to kick the other girl to get her attention though, since she was so immersed with her book. Byulbi thanked her before taking the cone.

"What are you reading?" Minhi asked.

"A fantasy story."

"About what?"

"I don't know."

Minhi gave her a questioning look, but then dropped the subject. She knew that Byulbi just didn't feel like explaining it to her. Sometimes getting information out of the girl was like pulling a tooth.

"When are the others getting back?"

"Dunno."

Minhi decided to just leave the girl who didn't know how to keep up a conversation. She just had to be patient and wait until the two oldest members of the group get back. They would know more about what was going to happen the next day.