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"Nani!" I wrapped my arms around my best friend and she does the same thing.

"I've missed you!" She said, squeezing me a little right before letting go. "Me too." I pulled away as I looked at her. Her skin was tanned to a perfect honeyed brown, her hair flowing down to her shoulders as the ends curled into a loose curl.

"How was Australia? Tell me everything." I instantly start as we made our way inside the cafe.

"It was great, but first, tell me. You and Jae?" She narrowed her eyes at me. "We're still together." I clicked, smacking her arm lightly. "Damn, to think things would've changed the 6 months I was gone." She joked.

"Well-" I sighed, "we haven't really spoken in a while." I say and she frowned a little.

"Did something happen?" She asked and I shook my head.

"I honestly have no idea but things have been changing recently. He's blowing off dates but when we finally do go out, he doesn't really show me attention, and he picks up fights about the smallest things." I groaned, brushing my fingers through my hair frustratedly.

She simply nodded silently, as though she knew everything that I had been telling her. "What?" I asked, the moment she gives me a look.

"Nothing," she raised both her hands in surrender, sipping onto the milkshake that was just brought to her.

"Seriously, come on." I nudged her slightly and she sighed.

"That's exactly what I've been saying since high school. He has always been that way, you were just too blinded to see it." She said, her eyes softening as she looked at me, as though afraid that I'd break any second.

"What? No." I tried denying but then she goes on to explain.

"He has never assured you, when all those girls came after him, he'd treat you like an option. But you still blindly went after him." She said and it hits me a little.

I leaned into my seat, gulping onto the air as I stared at her. "I'm sorry," She said, scared that her words could've hurt me. "I'm just so sick and tired of seeing you getting mistreated like this." She reached for my hand and pulls it into her own.

"If it's been going on since then, why am I just realising this?" I asked and her eyes light up a little.

"Who's the new guy?" Nani asked a little softly.

"What do you mean?" I frowned, not understanding her question.

"You wouldn't be feeling this way unless you felt a touch of being wanted. So who was it? Who made you feel wanted?" She asked and I feel my heart skip a beat, a face instantly appearing in my mind.

"No one." I coughed out a scoff and sipped onto my milkshake.

"The red in your cheeks is telling me that you're lying." She said and I choke on my chocolate milkshake, getting a little flustered.

"It's no one, okay? So just drop it." I said and Nani's phone buzzed. "Oh, Aera's coming over." She informed and I nodded.

Seconds later, Aera's form entered the tiny cafe, making her way towards us. "Nani!" She chimed, wrapping her arms around Nani's shoulders, giving her a firm hug. "You look amazing." Aera said, taking a good look at Nani who flipped her hair.

Aera finally took a seat next to Nani as she looked at me, "oh, how was dinner yesterday?" She asked and Nani peeped.

"Dinner?"

"Yea, Taehyung told me he brought Areum to the Moonlit Hotel for dinner. He didn't want to waste his deposit money." She chuckled at Nani but Nani's eyes instantly dart to meet mine.

I feel my cheeks go hot as I looked to my milkshake, trying to avoid her gaze.

"So how was dinner, Areum?" Nani almost sings as a wide smile gets plastered onto her face.

"It was fine. We were nerding out about old movies like usual." I said and Aera laughed a little right before getting up. "I'll be back, I want to get that." She said, pointing to my milkshake.

The moment she leaves the table, Nani placed both her palms on her table as she leaned in towards me, "it's Taehyung, isn't it."

"W-what? That's ridiculous." I stuttered, staring at the milkshake as I used the straw to stir it.

"Areum," She gasped dramatically, "what happened at that dinner?" She asked and my head snapped upwards, looking at her.

"Nothing. Nothing at all." I say quickly, not wanting her to get the wrong idea. "We just had fun, talked about our interests and then after he sent me home. That's it." I said, staring at her to make sure she understood me.

"If you say so." She shrugged as she sunk back into her seat.

"The barista's cute." Aera peeped as she came over to the table, placing her milkshake on as she sat down.

"Which one?" Nani pokes herself upwards, trying to catch a glance of the boy.

"Aera!" I snapped, brows furrowing as I looked at her.

"What?" She whined.

"Um, Taehyung?"

"Just because I have a boyfriend doesn't mean I can't find another guy good looking, sheesh." She slumped into her seat, sipping onto her drink. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a piece of paper, "it also doesn't mean I have to stop them from giving me their number." She joked, leaning onto Nani as the both of them squealed.

"Give me that!" I reached out, snatching the paper from her hands, but before I could crush it, she grabs it back.

"Damn, you get to know my boyfriend for a few weeks and you start acting all protective." She rolled her eyes, trying to get Nani to back her up but she remained quiet, giving me a look I couldn't quite distinguish.

"Enough." I let out, getting agitated. It annoyed me how Aera always acted like a child even though she was 2 years older than me.

"It's not like I'm actually going to call him." She gave me a silly look, her jaw slacked as her mouth remained agape, trying to emphasise her eye roll. "It's just fun knowing guys still want this." She pointed towards her body and I groaned.

"Of course you wouldn't know." She teased, eyeing my body judgementally and my patience ran thin.

"Nani, I'll message you when I'm home." I said as I stood up. I slung my bag over my shoulder and left the cafe without speaking another word to Aera. She always knew how to push me to my limit without saying the most.

I made my way back home and noticed someone sitting on the porch, face buried in the palm of his hands. "Hey, what are you doing here?" I asked as he flinched lightly, probably getting startled by my voice.

He looked up at me weakly, his fringe flopping over his forehead, partially obstructing his view.

"I was supposed to pick Aera up for dinner but she isn't answering." Taehyung let out frustratedly, running his fingers through his hair. Upon hearing that, I got even more upset than I already was. "Do you know where she is?" He asked and I shook my head.

"Nope." My mouth blurted before checking with my brain.

He simply nods, his expression cold and tired.

"Hey, do you wanna come in?" Once again, my lips had a mind of its own as I sprung out the question.

"Okay."