☆ | pretty barista {Seungmin ff}

VII

They stood in silence for a moment, tension hanging in the air, before Sukja finally spoke. "You're in the same class as Hyunjin, right?"

Seungmin looked up, intrigued. "I am. Why?"

"Nothing. It's just that he'll probably ask you to join his stupid little gang." She sighed, rolling her eyes, her disdain evident. "He usually picks on us-me, Yeorin, and a couple of our friends."

"You better stay away from him. He's a real nut job." Sukja crossed her arms, her expression serious. Seungmin nodded, but his confusion was clear. "Will do... but seriously, how do I get close to Yeorin?"

Sukja raised an eyebrow, impressed by his eagerness. "You really are dedicated, huh? Alright, so..." She leaned in closer, her excitement palpable as she began brainstorming.

As she shared her ideas, Seungmin absorbed her every word, nodding eagerly, his eyes sparkling with determination. He was like a puppy learning new tricks, each suggestion igniting hope in his heart.

After detailing her strategies for approaching Yeorin without making it awkward, Seungmin thanked her profusely and rushed off, leaving Sukja momentarily stunned. A smile spread across her face; she felt a rush of pride at the thought of playing matchmaker.

Hurrying back to class, she arrived just in time, breathless from the climb. Yeorin's gaze landed on her, a mix of confusion and curiosity clouding her features. "So? What was that all about, running off like that?"

"It's not 'running off'! It was important," Sukja protested, trying to maintain her innocence, a playful pout forming on her lips.

"Really? Then what was it?" Yeorin pressed, her skepticism evident.

Sukja gulped, scratching the back of her neck as she scrambled for an excuse. "I told you I'd fill you in later! My mom called about something urgent. I didn't want to take the call in class!"

Yeorin sighed, shaking her head with an unamused expression. "You could've just said that..." With that, she turned her attention back to her phone, dismissing the topic.

Internally, Sukja let out a sigh of relief. She had evaded Yeorin's scrutiny, her heart swelling with excitement at the thought of Seungmin and Yeorin potentially growing closer. The thrill of being the architect of something special filled her with anticipation.

[Time skip]
10:30am

As the day unfolded, Sukja found herself unable to shake the image of Seungmin's eager face from her mind. What if he actually approached Yeorin? The possibilities electrified her.

After class, she lingered near the door, her eyes scanning the bustling hallway until they landed on Seungmin, making his way through the crowd towards their class. Her heart raced. Was he really going to make a move?

"Look! There's Seungmin," she nudged Yeorin, who was busy packing her bag.

Yeorin glanced over, curiosity flickering in her eyes. "What's he doing?"

"Maybe gathering the courage to come over? You should talk to him," Sukja suggested, her excitement bubbling to the surface.