﹄✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ﹃

"eyy!"

jihye was greeted by a heart-shaped smile and a loud voice. "hoseok!" she laughed as she clapped her hand on her best friend's back. the two had decided to meet in the town market for some shopping.

"my bro, jihye," hoseok started, "i feel like we haven't hung out in forever."

jihye nodded in agreement, "that's because you're always busy." she protested.

"hey, you're busy too!" hoseok complained. "don't blame me."

"you're the one who's teaching a dance classes," jihye said as she raised her hands up in defense. hoseok sighed in defeat. "i guess." he said with a painful smile, "oh, i'm also babysitting now,"

"babysitting?" jihye gaped as the two of them crossed the street. "for extra money?"

"nah," he said, "i'm just doing a favor for my friend."

"you've got a packed schedule, huh?" jihye said as the two entered their usual convenience store. hoseok nodded slowly, upset that the two friends couldn't spend as much time with each other. "we need to catch up!" he said, his eyes sparkling, "any hot guys you're interested in?"

jihye scoffed as she grabbed a basket, "that's your go-to question?"

"shut up, it's not like i'm expecting a 'yes' as an answer." hobi snorted, "you haven't been interested in anyone since the ice age."

jihye bit her lip. i don't like yoongi.

frantically, she scanned the area and her face lit up as her gaze fell onto a tteokbokki stand. "hobi, let's get tteok!"

hoseok's face lit up just as jihye's did, and together they hurried over to the stand and placed their orders.

sooner or later, a flaming bowl of tteokbokki arrived and the two friends clapped their hands excitedly. "i'm starved bro," jihye said as she grabbed a pair of chopsticks. "let's eat!"

together, they chowed-down on the red-hot dish and their mouths were burning- but they didn't mind.

"you never answered my question." hoseok continued eventually, his mouth full.

"uh..." jihye muttered, "what was the question?"

"are you dating? interested in anyone? anything at all?" hoseok asked as he popped another piece of tteok into his mouth.

jihye's eyes watered as she thought of the only person who she was interested in. shit.

hoseok's smile melted instantly, "hey, you okay?" he asked, his brows furrowing.

"yeah, it's just... spicy." jihye said as she fanned her hand in front of her mouth for good measure. it wasn't a lie. the flaming tteok had practically burned all of her tastebuds off.

nevertheless, the two enjoyed the fiery meal.

"don't lie to me, bitch." hoseok said as he pointed his chopsticks at her accusingly.

"i'm not lying," jihye said with a frown.

"you blink a lot when you lie," hoseok said with a snort. jihye glared at her friend, "i do not! it's just- the food! it's spicy!"

"you can't blame everything on the tteokbokki, sweetie." hoseok said as he batted his eyelashes innocently.

jihye rolled her eyes. "fine. there's a dude."

hoseok beamed, "go on!"

"just to keep things clear- i don't like him." jihye said as she held her index finger up, "got it?"

"well, why are you bringing him up in the first place if you don't like him?" hoseok countered.

"i... uh... it's just that... well..."

"see bitch, you like him~!" hoseok sang. jihye shrieked and clapped a hand over his mouth. "shut up!" she cried.

"girl, calm down." hoseok said with a cackle. "anyway, continue...." he said, motioning for her to go on. jihye buried her face in her hands. "oh god... do i like him?" she groaned.

"what's so bad about liking this dude?" hoseok asked. jihye squirmed uncomfortably.

"he's not ready to date... he had a pretty rough past... i don't want to... well... " she trailed off.

"you don't want to...?"

"i don't want to get hurt!"

"are you saying that you like him?" hoseok asked, raising his eyebrows.

"no!" jihye denied as she held her hands in front of her. "of course not! he's too... he's... he's... well... uh... he's weird."

hoseok smirked at jihye's flimsy reply and she rolled her eyes in response, "shut up." she grumped.

"i didn't say anything."

"shut up!"

hoseok snorted and bumped his shoulder with hers gently, "you know what i think?"

jihye ignored him and shoved another piece of tteok into her mouth.

"i think you need to embrace the fact that you like him..." he paused to stab a piece of tteok with his stick. "... in order to move on."

"but i don't want to like him!" jihye cried. "i don't want to move on!"

"huh? you're confusing me."

"i don't know either, okay?" jihye whined, "i'm just as confused as you are. i'm hopeless! i'm never gonna find love!"

"woah, woah. slow down there partner." hoseok said as he offered his friend the last tteok.

"what, are you a cowboy now?" jihye retorted. she shook her head at the food, "you eat it. i lost my appetite."