The Close Strangers

f i f t e e n

"HOW WAS IT?" Lucas asks his friends loudly, causing the people in the cafe to turn their heads spontaneously.

"One word to describe," Mark lifts his index finger, "Bye, London."

Lucas squints his eyes right away, "Aye, I don't believe that. I saw how amazing your dance moves were when you're practicing yesterday."

"He did well, honestly," Yoojung says while patting Mark's shoulder.

Mark along with Felix, Yoojung, Chan, and Yerim has just done their audition for the dance competition in London. He has been getting the uneasy feeling ever since he came out of the audition room. He must admit that it wasn't his best and he could have been done better.

It's been a long time since he dances and he knows that it's affected him a lot.

And also today, Mark and Lucas have a basketball tournament and their friends promise to come and support them.

"Where are the others?" Felix asks as he takes a seat on the only sofa that left on that table.

"I think we chose the wrong place to gather. This cafe is too small," says Mark while pushing Chan slightly, so he could at least drop half of his ass on the sofa.

Don't call him Lee Chan if he doesn't complain right away.

"The girls are in the restroom," Lucas responds to Felix.

Yerim decides to buy some drink for her, asking Yoojung to come with her.

"Felix, anyway, don't you have any souvenir from Australia for us?" Lucas asks Felix about his promise to bring something once he goes from his hometown.

He went there for a day just to celebrate his grandmother's birthday. Well, don't be shocked, it's Lee Felix, the candidate of Crazy Rich Australian.

Felix suddenly nods in excitement before pulling something out of his bag.

"This," He shows a little jar in his hand.

Mark bursts into laughter when he sees that, "You bought us some vegemite?!"

Lucas takes it from Felix in curiosity since he doesn't have any idea about that yellow jar thing.

"And I also bought each of you guys coat hangers," He continues, "Specifically, in a shape of Sydney Harbour Bridge."

Mark laughs even louder in response, meanwhile, Chan and Lucas still don't understand. He watches how his friends are trying to open the jar. They try the vegemite by taking a little bit of it with their fingers.

Lucas spits out spontaneously, causing the others to frown in disgust, once his tongue can recognize the taste.

"What's that?" Yoojung asks once she comes back with Yerim.

"I don't know, but ramyeon definitely tastes better," Lucas gives the jar to Hyewon who is also just got back from the restroom with Yuqi and Chaeyoung.

"A vegemite?" Hyewon says in a questioning tone, receiving a nod from Felix.

Yerim chuckles when she hears that since she suddenly remembers about her days back in Germany. Her mom really likes that thing, so she always found it in her house, but never got interested to try it on her toast.

She puts her wallet back to her bag after she puts down her drink on the table.

Mark, who is sitting right beside where she stands, drags her drink closer to him, so he can take a sip from that, but she immediately glares at him, giving a warning for him not to do it.