Despite Jinri’s assurances that she is done with sleeping around and promiscuity – for the sake of Jinah and their futures if nothing else – Yongguk doesn’t retract his offer to sleep with her. In fact, he doesn’t bring it up again. If anything, they have more often than ever before. It’s early February before Jinri realizes why.

“You’re graduating in a few weeks?” She stares at Himchan with a look of utter helplessness.

Himchan chuckles, reaching out to ruffle her hair. The two of them are at a little café near school, nursing their expensive coffees as the snow melts outside. Since Jinri has been following the rules and doing her homework, her foster parents are more lenient with her free time now and allow her to go out after classes end. “I’m a senior, silly. Of course I’m graduating.”

“But…what will you do?” Jinri demands. They both know that she’s really talking about herself. What will she do without Himchan? He and the boys have been her rock, the foundation on which she’s begun to build her self-confidence and lay the plans for a future.

“It’ll be okay,” Himchan assures her softly, taking her hand across the table. “I’m just going to university in Seoul, so I won’t be that far away.”

“But you’ll be moving out of your apartment,” Jinri says flatly.

“Yeah, my parents won’t be paying for it anymore after graduation, and I can’t afford a place that nice on my own,” Himchan admits. “I’ll be moving into the dorms at school. But you can come and visit me all the time. I’ll even take you to some college parties.” He winks at her, but she can’t bring herself to smile.

“So I’ll be all alone at school,” she says, unable to keep the sullen tone from her voice.

“You won’t be all alone,” her friend assures her. “You’ll still have Youngjae and Daehyun and Jongup. And Junhong will even be up at the high school starting in March, so you’ll have him, too.”

But Jinri freezes. Only one thing about everything Himchan has just said sticks out in her mind. “Yongguk,” she says, thick with an emotion she doesn’t even know how to describe. “Yongguk is graduating too, isn’t he?”

Himchan nods solemnly. “Yeah. He’s graduating too. But he’s going to the same university as me. And he’s even getting an apartment here and commuting to class. He’ll be closer than I am.”

Jinri doesn’t answer. She suddenly feels an acute sense of loss.

“I didn’t know you were that attached to him,” Himchan says.

She gives him a sharp look. “I’m not,” she grunts. “I was just a little surprised, that’s all. I can’t believe he actually passed his classes and is getting to graduate. That’s it.”

Himchan doesn’t answer, but he’s got a knowing look in his eye that Jinri doesn’t particularly like.

The day of graduation comes far too quickly for Jinri’s liking, and, along with the rest of the school, she watches as her best friend – and the guy she’s been sleeping with for the better part of a year – graduates high school.

The week after that is a flurry of activity. All of them pitch in and help Himchan move out of his big, fancy apartment, the place that has felt more like home to Jinri than anywhere else in the world. Because he’s moving into an already-furnished dorm at the university, he’s giving Yongguk most of his furniture, which they all move into Yongguk’s new apartment. It’s much smaller than the one Himchan is leaving behind, and the nice furniture looks a little out of place, but it’s homey and Jinri likes it despite herself.

They throw a housewarming party for Yongguk the Saturday before classes resume, college for Himchan and Yongguk and high school for the rest of them. Jinri has brought Jinah over to spend some time with her “uncles,” and it’s as she’s taking the little girl back to the bathroom that Yongguk grabs her arm to stop her.

“Nothing is going to change,” he tells her seriously, eyes locked on hers. “Nothing.” He gestures to Jinah, who is gazing up at him with a look of adoration on her face. “If you need anything, you know, for Jinah, let me know. I’ll make sure that she’s never lacking anything, okay? And if anyone is giving you a hard time at school, just tell me.”

Jinri surprises even herself when she reaches up and hugs him. “Thanks, Yongguk,” she says softly.

True to his word, things between Yongguk and Jinri don’t change much at all. And he continues to play an active part in Jinah’s life despite the fact that he’s working and attending classes at the university.

School without Himchan and Yongguk is all but torture for Jinri, who has come to depend on them without really realizing it, but the others are there and make it easier for her. She’s in the same class as Daehyun this year, and he keeps a careful eye on her. She’s grateful for that, and she loves Daehyun and the other boys, but they’re not Himchan and Yongguk. The loss of those two friends – because she might actually consider Yongguk a friend now – cuts deep.

“It’s going to be a hot summer,” Yongguk comments one afternoon. It’s a Saturday, and he and Jinri have taken Jinah to the park so she can ride her bicycle along the path there.

Jinri looks around them at the budding trees. “Why do you say that?”

“Because it’s only March and it’s already this warm,” Yongguk says, and it’s true that he’s only wearing a long-sleeved sweater without a coat.  

Ahead of them, Jinah’s bike topples sideways and she falls to the ground.

Before Jinri can even react, Yongguk is at the little girl’s side, helping her up, checking for any scrapes and giving her a big hug before any tears can form. Jinri scurries over too, finding a wet tissue in her bag and using to clean off Jinah’s hands.

“My, what a beautiful family,” a passing grandmother comments with a cheerful smile. “She looks just like both of you.”

“Oh, she’s not-” Jinri starts, but Yongguk cuts her off.

“Thanks, auntie,” he says politely, returning the smile. “She’s definitely a loved little girl.”

“I can see that,” the elderly woman says. Then, nodding to them again, she hobbles off along her walk.

“She thought we were married,” Jinri says stupidly as Yongguk helps Jinah back onto the bicycle.

“Mm-hm,” he agrees.

“She thought that Jinah was our kid,” Jinri says, a little more loudly.

Yongguk glances over at her. “It’s not that big a deal, Jinri. We may as well be her parents.” And then he’s helping Jinah ride again, heading down the path.

Jinri stares after him. She’s always considered herself Jinah’s parent. She’s the one that has always taken care of her sister, from the day that Jinah was born. Jinri’s mother and stepfather had never done a damn thing for that little girl; it has always just been Jinri. But the idea of someone sharing that responsibility with her…it’s refreshing.

But the thought of her and Yongguk married? Husband and wife? That is downright laughable.