yuzuki
they're being weird...

yuzuki
karina and yeji and felix

yuzuki
they were eating lunch together
and when i walked up they stopped
laughing and just looked at me??

yuzuki
did something happen in the
group chat yesterday?

jeno
i wouldn't really know

yuzuki
if you're doing that thing where
you lie to spare my feelings, now
is not the time

jeno
i seriously don't

jeno
do you want me to ask
around or something?

yuzuki
i want you to be honest with me

jeno
but i am

yuzuki
i just feel like you know more
then you're letting on that's all

jeno
so now you don't believe me

yuzuki
did i do something? is that
why renjun's been blowing
me off too?

jeno
renjun's been ignoring you??

yuzuki
if i did or said something can
you please just tell me? i don't
want to be the odd man out in
my favorite friend group

jeno is typing...

jeno
i don't know much okay

jeno
someone just mentioned that you,
renjun, and i can be a bit annoying
in the group chat sometimes alright

yuzuki
but why would they say that??

jeno
idk zuki i told you
i didn't know much

yuzuki
do you agree with them?

jeno
yeah lol

jeno
not that YOU'RE annoying, just
that we can get a bit loud there
when we have our own perfectly
good group chat

yuzuki
okay

yuzuki
i understand. they have a point

jeno
that's what i said too

yuzuki
but if someone says anything
bad about me...

yuzuki
can you be on my side?

jeno
wdym

yuzuki
if they start teaming against
me for some reason

yuzuki
idk maybe they just don't like me

yuzuki
promise you'll side with me
and be my friend?

jeno is typing...

jeno is typing...

jeno
that's sus as fuck

jeno
but okay

jeno
you know i would never
just leave you right?

yuzuki
i love u

jeno
ew love u too

yuzuki
what's up with you and juniper

jaemin
um

jaemin
why?

yuzuki
well you took her to your mom's
wedding didn't you?

jaemin
no, i mean why do you think
you have the right to ask me
about that?

jaemin
it is not your place. at all.

yuzuki
damn
didn't mean to hit a nerve

yuzuki
i'm sorry

jaemin
you don't have to beat around
the bush. if you have something
to tell me just do it

yuzuki
do you like her?

jaemin
yuzuki.

jaemin
i told you that's none of your business

yuzuki
can i not be curious?

jaemin
no you can't.

jaemin
my life doesn't revolve around
you anymore. it never should have.

yuzuki
you make it sound like
i'm this awful person

yuzuki
do we remember our breakup
differently?

jaemin
we must

jaemin
because otherwise you wouldn't be
messaging me about my coworker.

yuzuki
okay

yuzuki
maybe i overstepped

yuzuki
but i do have a right to be worried
about my ex-boyfriend, don't i?

jaemin
i won't pretend to understand
your logic

jaemin
i don't worry about you or care who
you're interested in or seeing

yuzuki
i|

yuzuki
why can't|

yuzuki
i'm sorry, oka|

yuzuki
fine. none of my business.
understood.

jaemin
thank you.

"hey, jaem?"

jaemin flinched away from his phone, dropping the device into his lap as if it'd burned his hands. when he met her eyes, he failed to hold contact for more than three seconds before his gaze fell to his phone. "june, now not a good time."

she ignored him, plopping down on the empty couch spot beside him. "well, we could talk about it, even though it clearly bothers you, or," she turned to face him and wiggles her brows, "we could talk about something like mr. nam showing up to work drunk."

june didn't find either topic particularly interesting, but she enjoyed the fun of work drama with jaemin. it was probably her favorite part of the work day, besides selfishly going over her own troubles.

she knew whatever was on his mind was truly weighing on him, but after a few seconds, jaemin's shoulders dropped and he faced her with a smile. "not to mention ms. kim wearing the same clothes as yesterday."

"dude, i noticed that, too!"

"i was shocked, honestly. she locked herself up in her office so quick, i almost felt bad."

"i'm just glad she's finally getting some game after her divorce."

jaemin chucked and juniper felt the rumble deep inside her chest. "not sure about mr. nam, though. that's something we should probably be concerned about. you know, considering he pays our—"

"i like you."

jaemin's smile was slow to drop as he processed her words, but once he did, his lips fell into a tight, straight line. "oh."

"i mean i think i do? i don't know. i mean... soobin brought all this science into it and... shit, i totally pulled an eric again."

"pulled an eric?" the boy asked, eyes scrunching shut as he rubbed the space below his brows.

june was nervously twiddling her thumbs and knotting her fingers and she continued to ramble on. "you know, when you know you shouldn't say something but it just bursts at once and either screws you over or, bam, success, but now was really not the time—"

"it really wasn't."

"—so if you wanna just pretend i didn't say that, because honestly, that's cool; i'm still sorting my feelings out and i want to know how you feel? i think? because if there's no chance i can forget this, but jaemin, i don't know if i can ever go back to the way it was before. unless i flash the entire office, which, i would be willing to do—"

juniper's rambles came to a startling halt when jaemin dropped his hand onto hers, slowly intertwining their fingers and successfully shutting her up.

it took a few moments of neither of them talking to collect their thoughts. june wasn't sure if she wanted to pull away and apologize or lean in for a kiss, but thankfully, jaemin opened his mouth before she did. "you'd flash the whole office for me?"

red tinged the entirety of the girl's face as white-hot humiliation flooded through her bones. june groaned out a laugh and dropped her chin to her chest. "my entire unplanned masterpiece of a rant, and that's what you chose to focus on..."

"i've got to admit, it made my heart flutter a little."

"oh my god, you're ridiculous."

they laughed together, the sound bringing a familiar comfort to the break room. with a small huff, juniper turned to face her coworker-slash-one night stand-slash-potential crush-slash guy best friend and felt her brows draw together. "for real though, i'm kinda worried."

jaemin didn't have to ask why, he just settled his gaze on their folded fingers and nodded. "i get it. i am, too."

"do you know how you feel? about me?" she asked in a pitchy voice. the nerves were getting to her, that much was obvious. she'd never been nervous about talking to a guy before, and june wasn't sure if it was because she was uncomfortable or if she genuinely had feelings for the boy beside her.

with a small twitch to his lips, jaemin gently grazed his thumb over the back of the girl's hand. "i'll need some... time... to really think about it."

"what about a date?" the words rushed out before juniper could even think, and her eyes widened when she heard what she said. "i mean," she rushed out, "not if you don't want to! it's too soon! and i haven't even been on a legitimate date date before, so—"

"a date would be great." jaemin replied in a soft, smooth voice that made the hairs on the back of june's neck stand up straight.

"a date. okay. alright. let's do it. and by 'do it' i mean, like, go on a date, not, like, sex..." thankfully for her, jaemin found her stuttering flop hilarious, and began laughing his beautiful, contagious laugh. juniper had no choice but to laugh along.

"okay," he finally said once he caught his breath, "a date it is. i'll text you more after work, alright?"

"alright."

•
sooooo they're going on a date!!