Squishy's POV 

When she first visited the shop

I just started working at a small bubble tea shop near a school. There were many student customers, and usually I don’t pay much attention to them. However, one of them caught my interest when she stuttered while ordering her drink. I was made to believe that she was fairly embarrassed by her own mistake, because her eyes didn’t meet mine for the whole transaction, and she ran off right after receiving her drink.

When she consistently visited the shop

Although it was awkward the first time we met, we gradually opened up to each other and I really liked the feeling.

Through the days, I found her to be really funny and she had nice friends too. She seemed to have a love-hate relationship with Kai, because sometimes they interacted like close friends, and in other times they bickered non-stop. That provided me with endless entertainment.

I am also usually shy when it comes to girls, but somehow I feel confident around her. I enjoyed her company and would constantly think of her over the weekends when I had no work. I was definitely starting to like her more by the day, though I would never admit it to Kai, who incessantly interrogated me about my feelings towards her.

When she sang

It was the day of the preliminary round of the singing competition I participated in, and honestly I never would have expected to see her there. Her presence made me so nervous that I forgot some of the lyrics to the song I was singing. Fortunately, I was made it through.

When the competition ended, I approached her, but she seemed eager to leave. We exchanged a few words before she left in a rush. She explained that she was participating in the Junior category, which caused me to swear inwardly since I missed her performance. Luckily, Kai recorded it and showed it to me a few days later.

Wow, she really sings well.

When she started working

It came to me as a surprise when I found out that she started working in the same bubble tea shop as me, but I felt happy, because her working here meant that I could see her more often.

What was I thinking when I told her she could use that nickname on me? She must’ve thought that I was weird.

I taught her how to mix the more complicated drinks, and she picked up the skills pretty fast. Only that her proportions are not correct at some times, but mostly it’s still fine.

I’m glad that I could make her feel better using Kai’s mistake (sorry, not sorry Kai), she wasn’t as bad as others who take ages to learn to make simple drink, so I don’t see why she’s so unconfident with herself.

She told me that she started working here because she was trying to kill time and earn some extra cash. I secretly hoped that she started working in this shop because of me, but that’s just my wishful thinking, isn’t it?

When she made a mistake

Today was the first time I saw her so confused and afraid. Tears were threatening to fall from her eyes when those boys tried to make a nuisance.

I could tell that she had no idea what to do, similar to a small kid who lost her parents in a crowded area, and it pained me to see her like that.

The boys didn’t stop, even continuing to snap at her when she couldn’t give a reply. That was when I decided to intervene. It was lucky I stayed a little later that day.

After the boys left, she just started blaming herself for not being able to do a good job, but I thought she was already good at it, only that she needed more experience in dealing with that kind of customers.

In fear of her breaking down again, I offered to stay until the end of her shift, although she protested. Can’t she see that I’m trying to protect her?

When she found out my nickname for her

Damn Kai and his stupid antics.

I should’ve known he would reveal the nickname I had for her sooner or later, since they worked together on Thursdays. This boy cannot keep his mouth shut for his life.

But then, I wonder what her reaction was when she first heard it. Aish, she must’ve thought I was even weirder now. Who even calls his crush ‘Cookies’??

When she started calling me oppa

I almost choked on my own saliva when she called me that. I thought she would never call me that. Of course, I didn’t want to show her my nervous state, so I tried to reply her as calm and cool as I could.

When she was preparing a drink for a customer, she accidentally slipped and spilled the contents of the cup on my apron. She yelled a ‘sorry’, but I wasn’t going to let it pass that easily. Grabbing an Oreo cookie, I threw it at her face, and it hit her cheek. I chortled when I saw her reaction, which earned me a cup of pearls flying my way. Most of it landed on the floor, but some managed to stick to my head and clothes.

I didn’t want to let her win like that, and since we already made a mess out of the kitchen, why not continue?

Having that thought in mind, I scooped a cup of syrup and tossed it over, aiming at her face. Unfortunately, she dodged it and the thick liquid poured all over her shoulder instead. A sly grin spread across her face before she scooped another cup of syrup and projected it at me.

The food fight would have lasted longer if her friend didn’t visit the shop. But then again, if we never stopped, the whole kitchen would be destroyed.

My eyes assessed the damage we did to the kitchen after our little ‘war’, when she was attending to her friend. Boy, do we have a lot of cleaning to do.

We spent the next two hours cleaning the mess, but it didn’t feel tiring at all, because our silly jokes made up for it. I think she looked cute when she was diligently mopping the floor.

We couldn’t just only clean the kitchen, we had to compensate for the ingredients we wasted in the shop, so I made a trip to the nearby supermarket to replace them. I wanted to pay for everything, but she insisted that she should pay as well, since she participated.

I realised how independent she was, and how she didn’t like to rely on others. It was a charming point, honestly.

When her friend asked me if I liked her

I was dumbfounded of course. The question came so suddenly, I didn’t have time to react.

I didn’t want to lie, so I told her friend the truth.

Yes, I did like her.

I seemed to have frozen in place without realising, because she asked if I was alright. Also, she suspected something suspicious going on when her friend started squealing. She looks cute when she narrows her eyes and slightly raises one of her brows at someone or something.

When she stared at me

It’s probably nothing much, since we were staring at each other because of the staring competition Hwajae suggested.

I wouldn’t admit it aloud, but my heart was palpitating so fast when she leaned in, her face just inches away from mine. I wonder if she was feeling the same. How I wish we could just stay like that forever…

When she went out with us

I was chilling with Kai in the food store, waiting for the ticket attendant to start admitting people into the theatre. They usually start admitting people in only fifteen minutes before the movie started. We arrived too early, so we had to wait somewhere nearby, which explained why we were sitting in the store, munching on some nuggets before we entered.

I was going to ask Kai about his progress with Hwajae, when she plopped down beside us. I was taken aback, to be honest. What a small world for us to be meeting at the movie theatre! However, I found out later that it was not a coincidence; Kai actually invited them to watch the movie with us. Why didn’t he tell me so I could at least prepare myself?

I bet Kai must have planned this long ago, because he sped down the steps and brought Hwajae along with him so Jihyun had no choice but to sit beside me, though it wasn’t as awkward as I thought it would be. All was well until this make-out scene popped up. I quickly reached for the shared drink with her, unaware that she was doing the same. Our hands brushed against each other’s, which caused us to look up. She retracted her hand, but mine stayed on the drink. I was glad the darkness hid my nervous expression.

After the whole movie, I brought them to an empty outdoor hall to hang out for a while. Kai and Hwajae relocated to another area of the hall, leaving me with her. We began practising for the competition we had a week later, with me giving her some tips on how she could improve her singing. She took my advice and indeed, she sounded better. I really liked her voice, I could listen to it all day and not get tired of it.

Also, I never knew she was in dance club during middle school. When she performed a part of her routine with Hwajae, I was mesmerised. With her standards, she could actually sign up as an idol trainee. I gave two thumbs up when they were done, to which she gave an eye-smile.

I was definitely falling more and more for her every single day.

When she explained her nickname for me

I was very interested in the reason she calls me ‘Squishy’, so I mustered up my courage and asked her about it. She almost dropped the cup she was holding when she heard my question and gave me a confused face, so I repeated my question. The confused expression stayed on her face, which indicated that she didn't exactly want to talk about it, but for some reason, I pressed on and finally got a decent reply.

 So my cheeks are squishy? That she would want to pinch them? To be honest, I wanted to pinch her cheeks whenever she had that cheeky smile on her face too.

She asked me the same question, and I tried to make a joke, but it only made the situation awkward. I quickly told her the real reason, and she turned away shyly. She was seriously adorable when she did that.

I was caught up with my own thoughts, not realising that she reached out to lightly pinch one of my cheeks. I almost jumped out of shock, but I reciprocated her actions by doing the same. Though I regretted giving her two pats on her head afterwards. What was I thinking when I did that? I wanted to hide in a hole then!

When her friend created a chat group

I could see that she was all for rejecting the idea of it, but I actually thought it was kind of interesting. Now I have a chance to talk to her inside the group (not that I couldn't talk to her privately, it’s just a better platform).

The chat group was all about ‘Squishycookies’, and I can’t deny that I wasn't secretly liking it, though she was seriously against the idea. I played along and went against the ship, since well, I can’t be too obvious!

When Baekhyun came into the picture

Ugh what was I thinking when I said “only with you”? I wanted to smash my head against a wall. She might think that I was cool all the time, but I’m just a nervous wreck inside. I was so glad that she was with me backstage, because she was the one who encouraged me when I couldn't concentrate.

Until this guy named Baekhyun came along.

I watched as they exchanged greetings and exclamations. Apparently he was her senior in elementary and middle school. I wonder if they were associated in any other way… The way they spoke to each other, it was like two close friends talking to each other rather than two friends who haven’t met each other in years, and I can’t deny that I was getting a tiny bit jealous.

Furthermore, he managed to get a position higher than me in the competition afterwards! I was disappointed, to say the least, but it didn't affect me too much, as Kai and her friends surrounded us in a group hug after the awards ceremony. Following the group hug was another one of her own, with her whispering an elated “we did it” into my ear.

Hwajae took a picture of us hugging, but I didn't mind, instead I gave a coy smile. Who needs Baekhyun? It wasn't like he was going to stay in her life for long.

When she fell into the same trap as me

The whole fan club ditched us so we had a chance to go on an outing by ourselves. I was hoping she treated it as a date, but that was just my wishful thinking, right?

I asked about her opinion on the shipping, but she gave me such a vague answer, it’s making me so frustrated.

We went to an amusement park afterwards. I sensed a couple following us while travelling there, and my guess was that the two were Kai and Hwajae. It was confirmed later on in the group, when they sent a bunch of photos they took whilst we were at the park.

She asked me which ride I wanted to go first, but I insisted that she chose before I did. I was hoping that she chose something exciting, and I wasn't disappointed when she suggested the rollercoasters. She pulled me to the seats at the back, since she mentioned that those were the most thrilling positions to be in. When we plunged down a steep slope, she screamed at the top of her lungs, and didn't stop even when we were already at the bottom. She hurriedly covered , which lead to me laughing. Ah she’s so adorable when embarrassed.

After many other rides, I suggested the haunted house, because in dramas, they always portrayed the females to be scared so the male lead could protect them and appear fearless. Bad idea. I got scared too and the both of us screamed for our lives inside, which meant I didn't do much of the protecting part. Though we got a good laugh out of it, I couldn't help but feel shameful that I only had as much guts as her, and not more.

Right before we went home, we visited the Ferris wheel and spent half the ride in silence until she spoke up. I seized the opportunity to rest my arm over her shoulder. I hope she didn't think I was being too obvious.

When she went crazy (in a good way)

We were reminiscing about the time in the competition we participated in, until she suddenly said that the memories made her want to sing. Without thinking, I encouraged her to do so. At first, she wanted to protest, but I started humming. Not long after, she joined in, and even sung the words out. Before long, we were singing along to our favourite pop songs, even dancing along to the more prominent ones.

We were having so much fun, I didn't want the moment to end. I could never get enough of her singing (sometimes off-key because she was trying to hit the high notes) and silly dancing. Even when the shopkeeper from another shop came to complain about us, I wanted to continue, but I figured that all things must come to an end, so I suggested to do that another time, lest we disturb other people.

When Soojoon was out of the picture

She told me that Soojoon confessed to her, and that she rejected him. Though I should be feeling sad for the guy, I didn't because that meant I had one less competitor.

Also, was that a signal for me to move a step further? If that was so, then I should hurry up and make my move!

When she accepted my confession

I wanted to ask her to be my girlfriend on Monday, but I couldn't work up the courage to, so I went home and devised a plan that allowed me to confess without really saying anything in person.

At first, I asked whether she wanted to have dinner together. She agreed, but there wasn't a lot of emotion in her response, so I couldn't tell if she genuinely wanted to have dinner with me or not. Ignoring that, we went to the nearby shopping centre and chose a place to eat. She seemed to be very hungry, because she couldn't stop stuffing her face once she sat down with her food. I took a few bites out of my food before getting her attention.

Slipping a piece of coloured paper into her hand, I made her promise to not open the letter until she reached her home. I could see that she was dying of curiosity, as her eyes darted to her wallet -where she kept the piece of paper- once in a while. I took my time to finish my food, just so I could make her feel more anxious. Call me evil but it was worth it since I could look at her for a longer time.

She rushed off once she noticed that my plate was empty. She was really eager, wasn't she?

I received a reply after approximately thirty minutes; a text message containing a “YES!”

We were finally a couple! I can’t wait to see her again!

When we held hands

I offered to send her to the bus stop where she took her bus home after dinner. She began humming halfway, and I joined in gradually. Our hands touched, which gave me the idea of holding her hand.

It was the first official time our hands locked in our relationship, since the other times were rushed. I didn't let go even when we reached the bus stop, though I reluctantly did when her bus came rolling in.

Aish, why did such a simple gesture give me butterflies in my stomach?

When we shared our past relationships with each other

So she had one ex-boyfriend. And his name was I joon. I should look out for this guy, since he studied in the same school as her. She seemed uncomfortable with sharing, but she did in the end. I felt guilty as it felt like I pressured her into sharing her past.

To compensate, I told her that I had two ex-girlfriends from the past, which earned a surprised exclamation from her. Hm, was she jealous?

When I changed the way I called her

Instead of calling her name, I started calling her ‘jagi’. She stiffened when she heard it, and the rest were just cheering. The girls started teasing her while I continued to call her that, causing her to quickly hide in the washroom. She’s cute when she’s shy.

She told me later on that she would continue calling me ‘Kyungsoo-oppa’, but I didn't mind (though I preferred if she called me ‘yeobo’).

When we danced

It was sudden, but I went with it anyway. Since I knew that she could dance, I tried teaching her a ballroom dance. I guided her through, but she didn't get it right the first few times, even accidentally stepping on my foot for a couple of times.

She wanted to stop, in fear of injuring my feet further, but I suggested for her to dance something else that was bolder in nature. I had no idea what got into me, but I reached for her hairband and yanked it off her hair before spinning her a few times and pulling her close to me. We were lost in the moment while our eyes locked, until we were interrupted by Jongjae. Why did they have to come at a time like this?

When she was drunk

Although I was extremely worried about her, I couldn't help laughing at her drunk texting. She thought that my was squishy?

I drove her to my house, because if I brought her back to her house, her parents would have killed her. And me.

It wasn’t helping that she was dressed so skimpily, with so much of her skin showing. Ugh, she drives me crazy at times. I knew that it felt wrong but I was actually getting quite aroused by that sight, which made the situation worse. I tried asking Kai on what I should do, but all he said was to “jerk it off”. I honestly need to re-evaluate the types of friends I had.

I was also infuriated at her friends. How could they just leave her drunken self wandering the streets alone?

Luckily, one of her friends came along to change her clothes for her, saving me the trouble and awkwardness if I were to do that. After her friend left, I sat down on the bed beside her, watching her sleeping form. her hair softly, I planted a kiss on her forehead, causing her to stir lightly. I exited the room and went into mine shortly after.

The next morning, I awoke to her screaming, which caused me to jolt up and hurry to the room she was in. It wasn't anything serious, which allowed me to heave a sigh of relief. She thought I changed her clothes, but I shook my head vigorously and denied it, mentioning that it was her friend who helped her change. I told her to check the chat group, and she obliged, only to find out that she sent out drunk messages to the group.

When we kissed

We went on our usual date and stopped by a cafe after dinner. It started to rain when we were halfway done with our drinks. She suggested to run through the rain since neither of us had an umbrella, to which I agreed by pulling her out of the cafe and into the rain. Her house was just a couple of minutes away, so a bit of running and we would be there.

I stopped in my tracks abruptly, causing her to crash into my back. I turned around in time to catch her before she fell, seizing the opportunity to engulf her in a hug. I leaned in, causing her to close her eyes. I waited, because I wanted her eyes to be open when we kissed, so we could look at each other as I felt that it was more genuine that way.

I crashed my lips into hers right after her eyes opened. That moment, it felt just perfect. I always wanted to kiss the love of my life in the rain, and now, that wish was fulfilled.

When I joon started pestering her

Like any other hot-headed male, the first thing I did was to pick a fight with him, though it was just a heated exchange of words. I swear if she wasn't there, I would’ve socked his face and punched his gut. He had the cheek to declare that he was going to win her back! That’s not going to ever happen while I was around.

When I joon knew he did not stand a chance

The only thing I did was to heave a sigh of relief. He was finally gone, so I didn't have to be as concerned about him.

When she showed her aegyo

We had a mini aegyo competition where we competed to see who loved who more.

She wasn't one to show a lot of aegyo around me, not that I was as well, so it was a rare sight for me to see her lash out all her cute words and actions. I didn't back down, showing aegyo of my own.

When Jongjae arrived at the shop, we asked them to choose the one who loved more in our ship, but they didn't give a reply. Instead, they tricked us for free drinks. Ugh, sly couple.

She let me win in the end, and I felt good about it, because I wanted to be the one who committed more in the relationship. Though it couldn't be proven by this competition alone, I still felt self-content. I loved her, I really did.

When she acted weird with her friends

That was the first time I saw her acting so flirtatiously. Apparently, it was a ritual for the girls on their girls’ day out, since it was the only time they genuinely acted like girls instead of behaving like men all the time.

I didn't think she behaved like a man, I think she was enough of a girl for me.

When she sassed

One of my ex-girlfriends made a surprised visit to the bubble tea shop. I didn't even need to say anything, my current girlfriend was doing all the talking for me. She even cursed and insulted her!

It was interesting to witness the two lash out vicious words at each other, but I was a little hurt when she said that I had bad taste in choosing to date my ex. After a last insult, my ex stormed off in anger. It was lucky she did before she could reveal any more information about me.

And to justify, I don't have bad taste in women now.

When Baekhyun made his appearance again

When she made that ‘Bacon’ joke, not only did Baekhyun seem unamused, I was also feeling the same. Not that her joke wasn’t funny, it’s just that nothing seemed funny once my eyes caught sight of that guy.

They were planning on catching up at one of the tables near the school, no way was I going to allow that, which was why I invited them into the shop after much consideration. He seemed to get my hint, because he suddenly said that he needed to leave. Good, leave and never come back.

When her brother visited

I didn’t know the teenager in front of the shop was her brother, and apparently, he caught us on one of our dates before. She offered to treat him and his friends to bubble tea to shut his mouth about us.

At first I thought that we could fool him into thinking that I was from the same school as her, but he already found out about Squishycookies through Instagram. Oh well, no harm done.

When we fought

I couldn't believe we were fighting over Baekhyun. He was just an acquaintance (whom I, for some strange reason, cannot trust to this day).

Okay, I admit that I was jealous that she was interacting more with Baekhyun recently, but wouldn't she behave the same if I was doing the same with another girl?

We didn't talk for the rest of the night, and I slept early to forget about the frustration the issue was providing me with.

When we made up

Surprisingly, she was the one who initiated the apology; dropping a visit to my house the next day with some movies she brought. I apologised as well, because I was partly at fault too. I couldn't stay mad at her for long.

I mentioned that Baekhyun looked shady, and unexpectedly, she agreed with me. Also, she revealed that she once had a crush on him. Aish this girl…

We watched a few movies while cuddling together on the couch. She suddenly asked whether I wanted to write a diary, to which I refused. I just wanted to take a break from all the writing and typing, so no way was I going to write anything else.

She said that she had a diary, but she wouldn't tell me what she wrote in there. Now I’m curious…

When I found out I had to leave

My father just informed me that I had to return to Seoul. Why now? When I have established friendships and a relationship here?

This wasn't fair, I didn't want to leave. I came here because of a fight with him anyway, so why should I listen to him now? I’m not going to leave.

When I started pushing her away unknowingly

I realised I had to leave despite my reluctance, because my father wouldn’t let me off this easily.

What I didn't realise was that I was treating her indifferently and making her worry about me. Even when she asked if I was alright, I brushed her off and I was stuck in my own thoughts.

Why didn't I cherish my last few days with her?

When she broke it off

I could understand why she wanted to break it off; she was scared, scared that we might end up hating each other for not letting go at the start. I was hurt, obviously, and I didn't want to let go.

Although we had only been together for a short while, I can feel that she is the one for me. Her personality is totally my style, and we can never stay mad at each other for long after our squabbles. I know that it’s selfish of me to wish that she will not fall for another person while I’m gone, but I hope that we can pick up where we left off.

They say that distance makes the heart grow fonder. Let’s hope that’s true when we meet each other again.

When I had to leave

My parents confiscated my phone and gave me a completely new number. I didn't get the chance to memorise any of their phone numbers. How am I going to contact them?

I guess that one’s up to fate now…

Some of you have requested Kyungsoo’s POV in some situations, so I decided to compile this! These are just some of his thoughts during his time with Jihyun, I picked the more interesting ones.

This is so long, it’s like a oneshot of its own XD

Yo guise, this should be the last time you’re hearing from me (I may add in some stuff though XD), feel free to ask me or any characters in the story any questions you have, I’ll compile the questions and answers into a single chapter!

By the way, I created the side story ‘Strayed’ already, visit it here! This side story is completely optional, and you won't be missing out on much even if you don't read it.

On a completely unrelated note, I went to a bubble tea shop near my school and there was this cute guy working there. I ordered my drink via another employee there, and when she went to prepare it, that guy stood up in front of me. I was contemplating whether to give the money to him or not, since he didn't hear my order, so I handed out the money, retracted my hand and repeated. He gave me this annoyed smile before laughing softly, and I joined in the laughter awkwardly… When we were waiting for my drink to be done, we were just smiling at each other awkwardly, and I ran off when I received my drink. Summary: it was embarrassing and awkward gosh.

That’s it from me! Hwaiting everyone!! <3

-Jihyun