Our next agenda was to have a break at a nearby Starbucks. The weight of the bags hanging down our arms was beginning to take its toll, and our feet were in dire need of a rest. The cool air-conditioner greeted us when we walked in, and we took a minute to savour the feel of the cold air on our skin.

Hyunji stood on her toes and scanned the interior. “Full house,” she reported with a frown.

“Let’s just go order. Maybe someone will get up,” I suggested.

We got in line, scanning the menu while debating our choice of drinks. Hyunji insisted I tried something caramel. I wanted my standard mocha with a squirt of chocolate.

“It’s better,” she insisted.

“I prefer my usual tastes,” I told her.

“Suit yourself,” she said with a shrug, rummaging through her purse for her wallet. The bags were proving to be hindrances; she could barely move her arm. She sighed in annoyance before passing them all to me. When she finally managed to extract her wallet from the depths of her purse (although average in size, I had no idea how she could fit everything in the drawers of her make-up table in there), she exclaimed in triumph, but it quickly turned into a cry of dismay when her cell phone (which somehow ended up being pulled out too) skidded across the floor.

Before she could make a grab for it, someone already did. He straightened up, and our eyes widened in surprise when we realised it was the guy with whom we made an unfortunate encounter with earlier. He flashed a smile that looked like a pleasantly amused half-smirk and held the phone up.

“Are going to drop anything else for me to pick up?” he asked jokingly. I saw Hyunji’s cheeks pink.

“It was an accident,” she said, holding her hand out for the phone.

“Good thing that it has a protective cover,” he remarked, handing the phone to her.

Their fingers brushed slightly as she took the phone from him, and I saw Hyunji fidget.

“So, are you going to order or should I go first?” he asked, the smile lingering on his lips as he gestured towards the counter.

We whirled around, and sure enough, we were already at the front of the line. “No, it’s okay. You go first,” Hyunji said, gesturing him forward. I blinked at her in surprise.

The guy regarded her amusedly and sauntered forwards, placing his order. Hyunji turned to me while his back was on us and scrunched up her face in embarrassment. I laughed quietly and nudged her forwards, back into the line.

After ordering, we found him standing by the next counter to claim his order. He looked up and smiled at us. “Since this is a second encounter, I guess I really should introduce myself. My name is –”

“Order for Mr Kim Jonghyun!”

He paused and accepted the cup. “That went a bit less ceremoniously than I expected but, either way,” he chuckled and shrugged. “What are your names?”

“Lee Hyunji,” she said shyly.

I glanced at her before introducing myself. “I’m Go Aeri.”

“Well ladies, seeing as it’s a full house, I feel inclined to offer you to join me at my table.” He gestured towards a nearby table with a jacket draped across one of the seats. “I have two extra chairs.”

I had no idea if Hyunji noticed this, but that look in his eyes, the way he seemed to be addressing her when he extended the invitation –all were blatantly obvious to me that he was flirting with her.

“Or,” he added, noticing her discomfort, “you two could have the table and I’ll just enjoy my drink at the park.”

“No!” Hyunji said, sounding alarmed. “We’ll come, and you can stay.” Her cheeks pinked at the end of the statement.

Jonghyun grinned. “Thank you.” He gestured towards the tray. “Grab your drinks and come on then.”

Hyunji and I exchanged looks and followed him. I studied him from afar, watched as the overhead lights played with the highlights of his hair and defined the smooth curves and planes of his features. Jonghyun was indeed very handsome, and I knew that Hyunji was enchanted by him.

Guilt clenched at my chest. Would Yixing be upset if he knew that I did not direct Hyunji away from this encounter? But then again, it was just a coincidence. Seoul was a large city; the chances of she and him meeting again was almost second to none. This was just a misfortune.

I commended Hyunji for keeping her cool throughout whole time we were in the company of Kim Jonghyun. I tried to find his faults, reasons that I could use to discourage her rising interest on him. I was disappointed; there was none.

Jonghyun was as charming as any boy could be –the opposite of Yixing in every sense. Yixing hid behind his feelings, relying on logic and biting sarcasm to mask the attraction he had for her; Jonghyun, on the other hand, showed his interest plainly enough, relying on wit to dispel all reservations we had for him. 

His inquiries were curious but polite. He wanted to know what we were looking for and where we were going next. Could he help direct us if we needed any help? Was the coffee good? Which school did we go to?

“Which school do you go to?” I asked after Hyunji gave him the answer. He was leaning back in his seat and smiling, fingers absently tapping on the glass top of the table as if we had said something very amusing.

His eyes twinkled. “Me?” He reached forward to grab his cup. “It’s not far from here. I go to West High.”

The surprise that showed on our faces must have been comical, for he leaned back and burst into laughter. “I assure you, ladies. I don’t believe on stereotyping an entire population based on what had once been a minor issue. I have nothing against EH.”

His eyes were still twinkling, and he leaned forwards to scrutinize our faces, or to be specific, Hyunji’s. “You don’t resent me, do you?”

“I don’t hate someone because of where they come from...” Hyunji said, trailing off. I couldn’t refute; although Hyunji enjoyed immersing herself in the pool of gossip, she had not actually shown any form or abhorrence towards WH.

Jonghyun smiled softly, leaning back in his seat in satisfaction. His phone rang then, and excusing himself, he rose to answer it.

“So,” I prompted once he wasn’t within hearing range. “What do you think?”

“Of what?” Hyunji asked, sipping her drink.

“Of him,” I said, nudging her.

“He’s a nice guy,” she said. “Why do you ask anyway?”

“For one thing,” I said teasingly, “you’re being awfully lady-like.”

“Aren’t I always like this?” she joked in posh voice.

“Please!” I exclaimed, before we both broke out laughing.

“Aeri,” she said once we had both calmed down and silence had settled between us. “Let’s keep everything that happened today to ourselves, okay?”

I looked up from my cup, contemplating her words. She gazed expectantly at me, pleading to me. The request was odd, and I had no idea if it was made because she wanted save us from being mercilessly hated on, or because she was afraid that the memory would lose its novelty if it was shared with anyone else. In the end, I looked up and smiled.

“Okay.”

Perhaps it would be the best thing for Yixing too.

“How was the match?” I asked Yixing that Monday, after I had witnessed the usual routine of Hyunji jumping at him from behind and clapping her hands over his eyes.

“It was a tie,” Yixing replied as he rearranged his hair, smoothing the stray strands that Hyunji had messed when she ruffled it.

“I’m surprised you didn’t declare another match,” I commented.

“We had to stop. Tao was injured and we didn’t have anyone else to replace him.”

“That’s why he didn’t come to school!” Hyunji exclaimed. “Poor guy.”

“It’s nothing too bad. Just his waist acting up,” Yixing said.

Tao’s waist began developing problems since last year, when a heated wushu match had caused him fall and injure it. He was confined to the hospital for three days before being deemed fit enough to be discharged. Kris, concerned for his health, had demanded (almost forced) him to quit the team, but Tao was just stubborn and ardently loyal. The argument that ensued was heated and fierce, but somehow, the result ended with Tao staying. Yixing claimed that it was due to the boy’s practiced skill in persuading –that, or he threatened Kris that he was going to give him a wushu stick to the head if the subject was broached any further.

“How did Kris take it?” I asked.

“He’s not pleased. Tao’s officially benched for the week,” Yixing said flatly, “but that’s not the only thing he’s not happy about.”

“What else?” I asked curiously.

“Apparently, the team captain of the WH team let it slip that there was going to be an exchange program between our two schools sometime within the next few weeks.”

Both my and Hyunji’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“Yeah. It wasn’t announced.” Yixing shrugged. “They’re probably trying to put it off until the last minute so that they wouldn’t have to deal with the dissension.”

Hyunji and I exchanged looks. “This is going to get interesting,” she commented lightly.

A/N: And now, in comes SHINee's resident vocal powerhouse ;)

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