Aera couldn't help feeling proud, seeing the surprised look on K's face when she entered the room with Heeseung. 

"You actually came."

"Of course I did," Heeseung said, throwing an arm around her shoulders and grinning at K. 

Aera wiggled out of his embrace and showed him her fist. "You want me to use this?" she warned. 

K laughed, shaking his head at the two of them. 

Aera ignored the two boys, looking around for Sunoo. She spun in a circle, not finding him. 

"You guys were taking too long, so he left," K said. "He got tired of waiting." 

"Do you know where he is?" she asked him. Gosh, getting these boys in one room, just for one dance practice, was already wearing her out. 

Why couldn't they cooperate? Why was it so hard for them to be in one room together? 

K shook his head. "No... but he just left a few minutes ago. Maybe you can find him?" 

She ran out of the door before he even finished. Into the elevator and out of the company doors, into the street. She looked left and right, debating between which one she should choose. 

She chose right, and kept running. She was running so fast that she almost didn't see him. Almost. 

He was in a connivence store, drinking chocolate milk. 

Aera ran into the store and over to him, tired from all the running, but giddy with relief. 

"I found you!" she announced, walking up to him. 

"Yay!" he said, smiling at her. "Why were you looking for me?" 

"To get you to come back to practice, obviously. Will you come?" 

Sunoo shrugged. "Sure?" 

Her eyes widened in surprise. "Really? You'll come? That easily?" 

He laughed. "Should I have made this harder on you?" 

"No!" she exclaimed, grabbing hold of his arm and leading him out of the store. "Please don't. You're the only one making my job easy. You and K." 

"Did you get Heeseung?" 

Aera nodded proudly. "I'll have to find Sunghoon next. And then, mission complete!" 

Sunoo laughed again. "Good luck keeping the two of them in one room. Heeseung and Sunghoon, I mean." 

She looked at him in surprise. "Why? They're in the same room at school all the time." 

"And you haven't realized that they kind of hate each other?" 

"Kind of?" 

Sunoo sighed, shaking his head at her playfully. "They're always fighting and arguing. Do you really not notice?" 

"I sit in-between them at school," she said, laughing at herself. "I see they're kind of tense around each other but... I thought they were just... joking around. I didn't realize they actually hate each other. Why?" 

Sunoo shrugged. "No one really knows. They used to be friends, actually. But they're the two most popular boys in school, so I guess that makes them clash a lot. Heeseung is especially popular. All the girls love him. He has a different one on his arm every week. Sunghoon is a bit more chill, but still definitely a player. He never seriously dates anyone, and he's harder to get to than Heeseung, who will date pretty much anyone who so much looks at him. And they're the most famous-" 

"Famous? But they haven't even debuted yet." 

"You didn't let me finish," he scolded. "Famous because, Heeseung is the heir to ACE Enterprises, and Sunghoon the son of two famous actors." 

Her breath caught, and she tried to control her facial expressions, to hide how surprised she was. "And you?" she asked, shooting a sidelong glance at Sunoo. "Are your parents famous too?"

"My parents are major shareholders at a few companies..." 

"Rich," she said, laughing. "All three of you are rich. Is K as well?" 

"I don't think so," Sunoo said, looking at her curiously. "Are you not?" 

She snorted. "Not in the slightest," she said, opening the door for him. They entered the company building, and she took the trip up to the dance practice room. 

Much to her surprise, K and Heeseung were actually practicing.

She stood on the threshold of the door, staring at them in shock. Heeseung glanced over and stopped dancing when he noticed her. 

"What? You're surprised at how cool I look?" 

"No," she said. "I'm surprised that you're cooperating." 

He sighed. "Well, I said I would, didn't I? I should keep my promises to my girlfrie-" 

"Hey!" 

Heeseung laughed, his eyes sparkling mischievously. He was really attractive. And she had to admit, her heart did a thing when he called her his girlfriend... 

No. Stop it. Get a hold of yourself. You are not here to date.

"Would you have any idea where Sunghoon is?" she asked the three of them. 

Heeseung sighed, loudly. "Do you have to bring him?"

Aera glared at him. "You said you'd cooperate," she scolded, putting a hand on her hip and glaring. 

"Fine!" he said dramatically, raising his hands in the air in surrender. "He's an ice skater. You'll probably find him at the rink." 

She grinned at him. "Aww, you're being helpful. Thanks." 

Heeseung wrinkled his nose at her. "Don't make me regret it. Go hurry up and get that idiot before I change my mind and leave." 

"You'll stay," she told him firmly. "Promise," she insisted, holding out her pinky. 

Heeseung walked over to her, and when he got close, her heart skipped a beat. He kept walking, and she backed up until her back was against the wall. 

K cleared his throat, loudly, but Heeseung didn't even blink. 

"I promise," he whispered, intertwining their pinkies. 

***

A/N 

Doing another special update this week because... 

College applications have me stressed, but reading your comments make me happy☺️ So I wanted to publish another chapter so I could talk to y'all for a bit/read your comments💖

Also... ACE Enterprises is a name I made up cause... you know, Heeseung is our ace. 

It had no relation to the ACE Hardware store😂 It's a different, made up company, okay? Just thought I should clarify that😭

As always, thank you for reading, voting, and commenting💖