ACT VIII | SCENE XXXVIII

❝LUNCH❞

RIAN STARED AT her phone blankly until chanmi's voice snapped her out of her daze. "nurse son?" she called worriedly. rian's slightly hazy gaze found hers. "huh?" she answered. "why are you staring at your phone like you just got a call from a ghost?"

"i just got invited to lunch this saturday." rian mumbled out, still sounding like she was in a daze. the younger nurse tilted her head, one brow raised in confusion. "what's the problem? it's free food." she paused, contemplating something. "is it about haneul? i can watch her if you want."

rian shook her head. "no, that's not it. she was invited as well. it's just it's j— min yoongi's friend who invited us." she replied. "min yoongi's friend?" chanmi's eyes suddenly widened. "do you mean jin the model?!" she gasped. "shh!" rian's eyes searched around the cafeteria when her friend's voice suddenly rose.

"hey, not so loud!" she hissed, eyes meeting chanmi's when she saw that no one was paying them any mind. "you have his number and he's asking you on dates now? can we switch lives?" chanmi looked at her in disbelief. "first off, he's not asking me on a date." rian raised a finger. "and trust me, you don't want to." she added. "i think he's plotting something." she said more to herself than chanmi. "especially since haneul and mr min are going to be there."

"'plotting'?" chanmi echoed, finally calming down. "jin is freakishly smart and it's like he has a third eye or something." rian answered. "of course, he is. everyone knows he graduated with a degree in psychology. honours. and apparently, all his professors loved him." chanmi stated matter-of-factly. "well, excuse me for not religiously following the story of his life like you." the older nurse responded flatly.

chanmi chuckled at that. "you've one upped us, jintellectuals." she chirped. "is that what his fans are called?" rian arched a brow. "no, i just coined it. pretty witty, right?" the younger woman beamed. "and quite accurate too." the blonde answered.

the gentle clatter of a tray against their table made the two women look up. "what are we discussing, my lovely ladies?" taehyung flashed them one of his charming smiles as he took a seat next to rian. "nurse kim." rian grinned at the man. "are you managing an aquarium now? i heard you met a girl and you're dating now. but we're your lovely ladies?" chanmi arched a brow at him.

"calm down, nurse baek. it's not that serious." taehyung shot her look. "your relationship or—?" chanmi asked. "oh, my relationship isn't a joke to me." taehyung put a hand up. "oh, but obviously i am, since i had to hear from some other nurse that my friend is seeing someone. you're not obligated to tell me everything but i'd prefer it if i didn't have to hear things like this from gossiping go." she glared at him. taehyung's bottom lip pushed out in a pout. "i'm sorry, chanmi. i was going to tell you today, i promise."

"mhm," chanmi hummed in disbelief. "i wanted it to be official first!" taehyung said defensively. "does that mean you officially asked her out?" her eyes went wide. "oh, it does." rian nodded, nose scrunching slightly. "you knew too?" chanmi turned to her. "ugh, i wish i didn't find out." rian replied with a groan. "she overheard me talking to my queen on the phone yesterday." taehyung expatiated. the older woman groaned again, features scrunching even more.

"'my queen'?" chanmi echoed, brows raised. "his girlfriend's name is wang bitna." rian clarified. "like the actress? oh, so wangbi." chanmi nodded her understanding before her expression mirrored rian's. "and she lets you call her that?" she turned to taehyung again, head tilted to the side.

"oh, she doesn't mind." rian put in, still making a face. "oh, no. she's like him, isn't she?" chanmi asked. rian bobbed her head in reply. "good for you, tae. you found your match." the youngest of the three said. "just don't let nurse go overhear any of your conversations otherwise even the chairman will know what you talked about before you even get off the phone." she added.

"chanmi's right. that woman doesn't have a seal on her mouth." rian nodded her agreement. "she's a radio without an antenna. i wish she'd stop coming up to me with her 'did you know's' like she's some fun fact app." chanmi grumbled, clearly chafed. both taehyung and rian snorted in reaction, hiding their faces behind their hands.

"i'll be careful." taehyung told her. "you know, i always thought you two would end up together. i figured all that bickering would lead to sparks." rian commented after a moment's silence. both nurses turned to look at her, eyes rounded. they burst out laughing almost simultaneously. "us?" taehyung said in disbelief. "yes." rian was unfazed by their reactions. "that's funny because i always thought you two would end up together." chanmi pointed. "what?!" rian and taehyung chorused, the latter looking even more surprised than before.

"what? you're always flirting with her, and you're always coddling him." chanmi pointed out. "flirting? i try to charm her and she rolls her eyes at me. it's our dynamic." taehyung defended with a childish lilt to his voice, eyes wide. "and i coddle him because he's like a baby brother." rian put in.

"more like a baby." chanmi jibed. "you're not wrong there." rian conceded with a teasing tone that matched her friend's. "at least wait till i'm not here." taehyung said flatly. the two women chuckled at his unamused countenance.

"before you drag the rest of my dignity through the mud, what were you two talking about that i could see chanmi's eyes light up like fireworks from across the cafeteria?" he switched topics. "my eyes don't light up like fireworks." chanmi made a face. "yes, they do. especially when you're talking about your sister's baby or..." he trailed off. "were you two talking about the guy on all the billboards in this country?"

"jin." both women chorused. "yes, mhm." taehyung waved his chopsticks dismissively. "he asked her to lunch." chanmi leaned over, speaking excitedly. lips rounding, he let out a dramatic gasp. then he paused, brows pulling together. "wait, isn't he friends with millionaire min? ooh, triangle." he turned to rian.

"yes. stop calling him that. and it isn't like that." rian replied with a roll of her eyes. "millionaire min is going to be there. haneul too." chanmi interjected. "you too?" rian looked at her, shoulders sagging in disbelief.

"oh, good. i like your chemistry with him better. plus, he's low-key. the model is too famous. half of korea's population will come after you if you two ever date." taehyung commented with all seriousness, taking no note of rian's countenance. "that's true. probably me included." chanmi nodded her agreement, eyes shutting briefly.

"i told you, it's not like that." rian's eyes rolled heavenwards. "hey, do you think the model is playing wingman?" the male nurse asked chanmi, pointing his chopsticks in her direction. she gasped, hands coming up over her mouth. "maybe, he is." she said like it was the biggest revelation. rian groaned, letting her head drop to the table in frustration. they weren't listening to her.

"oh, my god, eonnie, you have to dress up. no scrubs rian." chanmi reached for her arm that was sprawled across the table. "what's wrong with scrubs rian? she's pretty." taehyung sounded defensive but looked confused. "yes, but pretty scrubs rian is different from pretty dressed up rian." chanmi explained. mouth forming an 'o', the young man's head bobbed slowly in understanding. "you're right."

rian let out another guttural groan, rolling her eyes upward. for the first time, she felt like a concurring taehyung and chanmi was far worse than a bickering taehyung and chanmi. "somebody, please save me."

🌻🌻🌻

i love writing rian's dynamic with her friends so much. i can't wait to actually get a scene of bickering taehyung and chanmi with rian having to deal with them sksnsks. anyways, lunch date coming soon hehe. what do you guys think will happen at lunch? stay safe and stay healthy, butterflies! 💛