𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬 - 𝘚. 𝘑𝘢𝘦𝘺𝘶𝘯

Shopping

Yeri trailed behind Ningning as they moved from one store to the next, the bustling energy of the mall a pleasant distraction from the thoughts that had been weighing her down. For once, her world wasn't defined by deadlines or textbook chapters, but rather by the hum of excitement that came with planning for their upcoming trip. She could finally busy herself with shopping rather than burying herself in homework.

Ningning twirled in front of a mirror in one shop, trying on a sun hat with a dramatic brim. "Do I look like a rich housewife yet?" she teased, striking a playful pose.

Yeri giggled, shaking her head. "More like a villain in a drama."

"Perfect." Ningning laughed, grabbing Yeri's hand and pulling her toward the next shop. "Come on, I saw a beach store earlier. We need to check it out."

The beach shop was bright and colorful, with racks of swimsuits and cover ups lining the walls. Ningning's eyes immediately lit up as she made a beeline for the bikinis. She began rifling through them, holding up various pieces against herself.

"This one's cute, right?" she asked, holding up a vibrant red set that would undoubtedly look stunning on her.

Yeri hesitated, her smile faltering slightly as she glanced at the racks. She could already feel her heart growing heavier. Ningning was beautiful and confident, her bold energy effortlessly drawing people in. She had the kind of perfect figure that looked good in anything.

Yeri, on the other hand... She couldn't imagine herself in something so revealing. She tugged at the hem of her sweater self-consciously, pretending to browse the shirts instead.

Ningning, sharp as ever, quickly noticed. She placed a hand on Yeri's shoulder and leaned in with a teasing grin. "You know," she started, holding up a pastel blue bikini, "this one would look amazing on you. You'd definitely catch someone's attention..."

Yeri's heart skipped a beat. The forced smile on her face faltered. "What are you talking about?" she asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Oh, you know," Ningning said, wiggling her eyebrows mischievously. "A certain someone might not be able to take their eyes off you."

Yeri's stomach churned at the insinuation. Was she talking about Jake? No, that couldn't be it. Right? Yeri quickly turned back to the rack of shirts, muttering something about preferring more modest options.

But no matter how much she tried to shake the thought, her mind drifted back to Soojin. She was effortlessly modelesque, confident in a way that Yeri could only dream of being. Soojin would look perfect in anything she tried on. Jake would probably rather—
Yeri cut off the thought, scolding herself silently.

Meanwhile, across town, Jake slouched on the couch in Sunghoon's living room, his controller resting limply in his lap. The sound of video game explosions filled the room, but he couldn't bring himself to focus.

"Okay, seriously, what's with the sighing?" Jungwon asked, pausing the game and turning to Jake with a raised brow, clearly tired of the boys moody behaviour.

"Yeah, you sound like someone stole layla," Jay added, tossing a handful of popcorn into his mouth.

Jake groaned, running a hand through his hair. "It's nothing."

"It's never nothing with you," Niki chimed in, smirking as he nudged Jake's shoulder. "Is this about Yeri?"

Jake's ears turned pink immediately, and the group erupted into laughter. "It's not about her!" he protested, far too quickly.

"Oh, it's definitely about her," Sunghoon said, leaning back with a knowing grin. "Let me guess: You miss her?"

Jake didn't respond, which only fueled the teasing further. It's true, he was upset that he couldn't see her after school hours now that their project wss over.

"That's it. We're dragging you out of here," Jay declared, standing up and stretching. "Let's go to the mall or something. You need fresh air."

Jake tried to protest, but it was four against one. Reluctantly, he found himself wandering the mall with his friends, trying to ignore their constant thoughts about Yeri.

As they turned a corner, Niki suddenly stopped in his tracks, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "Oh, would you look at that?"

Jake followed his gaze and immediately froze. There, in a beach shop, were two very familiar girls. Ningning was holding up a bright blue bikini and laughing, while Yeri stood off to the side, fiddling with her sleeve.

The sight of her made Jake's chest tighten. She looked so... soft, so effortlessly beautiful in her quiet way. But before he could take another step, his friends were already whispering and elbowing him.

"Looks like someone's getting ready for the trip," Jungwon teased.

"Should we go say hi?" Niki suggested, a devilish glint in his eye.

"No!" Jake hissed, his face burning. He quickly turned on his heel, grabbing Sunghoon by the arm and dragging him in the opposite direction.

"What, why not?" Jay called after him, laughing.

"Because she'll think I'm a creep!" Jake shot back, his heart racing as he ushered the group away from the shop as quickly as possible.

Behind them, Yeri remained blissfully unaware, but Jake's thoughts stayed tangled up in her, even as his friends teased him mercilessly.

As Jake turned the corner, stealing one last glance over his shoulder, he caught a glimpse of Yeri brushing her hair behind her ear as she examined a floppy sun hat. The small, almost shy movement made his chest ache.

She didn't even realize it, but she had this quiet way of stealing the air from the room. She wasn't loud, she wasn't showy—but she was everything.

Jake sighed softly, a small smile tugging at his lips as he dragged his friends further away. "She's so... herself," he thought, and that was all he needed her to be.