The Next Day

TAE

Mirae Are you dead?

Tae The last time I
checked, no.

Mirae Then why won't you talk
to me?

Tae Since school's out, my
parents have been
making me clean.

Tae I had to clean my room
and the basement.

Mirae And you're just now done
with it?

Mirae Tae, it's Tuesday.

Tae You bitches make huge
messes every time you
come over here!

Mirae Yeah, blame us.

Tae I'm not the one who left
popcorn under the couch!

Mirae I don't eat popcorn!

Tae You're guilty by association.

Mirae By that logic, so are you.

Tae 😑

Mirae So, you're done now?

Tae Yeah, just finished a
couple of hours ago.

Mirae Plenty of time to FINALLY
write me back.

Mirae What are you doing now?

Tae You're so needy.

Tae I'm gonna grab lunch
with Jimin.

Mirae He won't text me back either!

Mirae What is wrong with you guys?!

Tae NEEDY

Mirae Fuck you. Can I come with?

Tae I don't care if you do.
Check with Jimin.

Mirae You need his permission?

Tae No, of course not.

Tae You do.

Mirae You're an asshole.

Tae 😂

~~~~~~~~~~

JIMINIE

Mirae Can I go to lunch with
you and Tae today? Tae
said he was okay with it,
but to ask you.

Jiminie Today might not be a
good time. I need to talk
to Tae about something.

Mirae Oh, okay. I hope everything's
all right.

Jiminie Yeah, it'll all be good
soon.

Mirae Okay. Well, if you need
anything, you know I'm always
here.

Jiminie Of course I know.
Love you. 😘

Mirae Love you, too. 😘

~~~~~~~~~~

JOON

Mirae Is your class done for the
day?

Joon Yes. Heading to dinner
with the parents now.

Mirae Oh, okay. Text me later?

Joon Of course. ❤️

~~~~~~~~~~

JIN

Mirae Do you have plans tonight?

Jin Kinda? Just going to
sleep early.

Jin I had a long day.

Mirae Ahh. Okay. Maybe tomorrow?

Jin Definitely. 😙

~~~~~~~~~~

KOOKIE

Mirae Want to grab dinner?

Kookie Can't, sorry. Parents
all over me about chores
and shit.

Mirae Heh, you and Tae both, huh?

Kookie Seriously. Maybe a
conspiracy?

Mirae Oh, most definitely.

Mirae Stay strong.

Kookie ✊

~~~~~~~~~~

No one followed up with me that evening or at all the next day. I even texted a couple of the guys again, and they never even responded. I was becoming frustrated and I could feel myself beginning to feel down due to loneliness.

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN🫰

Mirae Okay, what the fuck?!

Hobi What's up? Is
everything okay?

Mirae NO!

Hobi ?? What's going
on?

Mirae Nobody's talking to me.

Hobi I'm talking to you.

Mirae No, I mean, nobody's
talking to me on individual
texts anymore.

Hobi You haven't texted
me...

Mirae Because you're out of town.

Mirae I didn't want to interrupt
your family time.

Hobi Please do, actually.
I'm bored out of my mind.

Mirae Have you talked to any of the
guys?

Hobi No. I guess none of
you want to save my sanity.

Mirae I'm sorry, Hobi.

Hobi I'm just giving you a
hard time. 😉

~~~~~~~~~~

HOBI

Mirae Have you really not talked
to any of the others?

Hobi I haven't. I'm sorry,
Haebaragi.

Mirae Do you know if they're mad
at me or something?

Hobi Not that I know of.

Hobi Why would they be?

Mirae I don't know!

Hobi Are you okay?

Mirae I guess I'm just a little lonely.

Mirae I'm about to resort to drastic
measures for company.

Hobi Meaning?

Mirae Yoongi

Hobi 😳

Hobi Are you sure you
want to do that? I
mean, he's kind of a
dick, right?

Mirae He's not as bad as you guys
act like he is.

Hobi Hmm. Well, from what
you've told us, he'll
probably say no, right?

Mirae Probably. But, I'll never know til
I try. 🤷‍♀️

Hobi Taehyung won't be
happy.

Mirae Well, Tae can have an opinion
when he stops ignoring me!

Hobi Fair enough. Good luck!

~~~~~~~~~~

YOONGLES😸

Mirae Do you like movies?

Yoongles😸 What kind of
question is that?

Mirae A simple one.

Yoongles😸 Who doesn't like
movies?

Mirae We should get together and
watch a movie!

Mirae Hello?

Yoongles😸 Are you coming
onto me?

Mirae 😂 Do you think I can't hang
out with a guy without it
being something more?
My only friends are 6 guys!

Mirae Well 7, including you!

Yoongles😸 We're not friends.

Mirae So, how bout that movie?

Yoongles😸 Hard pass.

Mirae What kind of movies do you
like? I'll pick one out for when
you eventually come around!

Mirae Hellooooo??

Mirae Okay, I'll pick something
I like, and you'll just have to
deal with it.

Mirae I love horror movies!

Yoongles😸 I hate horror movies.

Mirae You're coming around
Yoongles. 😉

I sighed as I dropped my phone onto the coffee table. I never expected him to say yes, but it was still disappointing to be reminded that I still have no one to see. I laid my head on the back of the couch and smirked as I examined the ceiling. At least I got to annoy him.

"'Are you coming onto me?'" I said out loud in a deep, mocking voice. I burst into laughter. I imagined that must be his biggest fear.

~~~~~~~~~~

HOBI

Hobi Hey, Haebaragi. How's
it going?

Mirae It's going, I guess.

Hobi Heard from anyone?

Mirae Nope.

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN🫰

Hobi Haebaragi, how'd
it go with Yoongi?

I was surprised and, at first, confused to see that Hobi's next message was in the group chat. But upon seeing three different lines consisting of three dots appear underneath his message almost immediately after he'd sent it made his intentions abundantly clear.

To say I've never loved him more would be an understatement.

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN🫰

Mirae Great, actually. Thank you for
asking! I'll tell you all about it
tomorrow.

Two other messages popped up at almost the exact same moment mine did. Smiling to myself, I sent one more.

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN🫰

Tae What's going on? What
happened?

Joon Yoongi??

Mirae Thanks for your help, Hobi.

Jiminie Wait, what?

Hobi Anytime! ☺️

I let the soft melody of my ringtone playing consistently for the next ten minutes lull me to sleep. Game, set, match, assholes.