𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐑 ,, min ho (xo kitty)

-08. chuseok & poopy baby

KITTY, MINHO, AND CHAERIN all stood in the farthest place in the room, watching people file in. "well, this escalated." kitty said in a worried tone.

"mm-hm." minho hummed. "wow. people are calling this chinguseok." q said as he walked to them with florian.

"what?"

"it's a pun on chinggu, which means "friend," and chuseok. you started a new tradition." florian said.

"aw."

chaerin turned to minho, "don't you think that's a bit weird?" she whispered to him, in korean.

"and disrespectful to chuseok. yeah kind of..." he said, in korean as he put down a bowl.

"oh, no. no, no, why is professor lee here? kitty said, as he walked in. "because he's sad and alone." chaerin said.

"he hates me and it's mutual." kitty continued. "don't worry. it's not like you have to sit with him." q said.

chaerin spotted madison walk up to minho, and even heard her say hi to him in korean.

"she does know he speaks english right?" chaerin said to kitty.

"stop obsessing over them!" kitty said back. "you're making it seem like you want to be with him instead."

"ew no, never." chaerin said, going over to get another platter of food.

as minho walked away, madison caught chaerin before she got to the platters. "he's so meosisseoyo." she said holding onto her shoulders.

"i speak english. so please stop using korean when you don't have to. weirdo.." chaerin said pulling out of madison's grip.

chaerin and minho both carried two platters of food, placing them down onto two of the tables.

"wait! um, i think minhо wanted to sit with professor lee, actually." kitty said as alex and professor lee started to sit.

"i need you to sit with lee." kitty whispered. "that sounds like a you problem" he said back.

madison then came over. "minhо. where are you sitting?"

"with lee." chaerin answered. everyone sat down, and then q spoke, "how about a toast, kitty?"

"okay. uh. thank you so much for coming, everybody." kitty said standing up.

"this is my first chuseok, and from what i gather you are not supposed to do it alone. maybe your family is thousands of miles away, like mine, or maybe you don't really have family, or maybe you just really like school, no judgment."

"whatever the reason, i'm grateful we all have somewhere to be today and for this chance to honor all our ancestors. so, here's a toast. to all of those who came before us." kitty said, and everyone picked up their glasses.

"thanks, mom, wherever you are. without you i wouldn't be here, literally on this earth, or here at kiss and there is nowhere else i would rather be in this moment. cheers."

the school chuseok went on, full of laughter and talking at the tables.

then minho got up and left, and chaerin knew it was for his date.

she had this weird feeling in her stomach, like she didn't want him to leave, to go on a date.

it was the same feeling she got whenever madison and him were talking.

chaerin didn't know what it was, but she sure it wasn't love, or jealousy, or whatever the heck kitty said it was.

speaking of kitty, her plan to talk to alex had failed, as he moved next to lee as minho left.

"have you tried them yet? kitty made then." alex said as he handed the bowl of mashed potatoes to professor lee.

"its really good, it's my dad's recipe. the secret ingredient is goat cheese." kitty said and then lee put his scoop back in the bowl.

"no thank you.

"i'm in the lactose-intolerant majority. it's a commonality among east asians." professor lee said.

"i'll just have more of minho's japchae."

suddenly chaerin got a text, and shockingly it was from minho.

the last time they texted, was years ago. chaerin had deleted all they're conversations, and honestly thought she deleted his contact.

"oh shoot!" chaerin said, as she read the text and then got up running away.

"chaerin!"

"gosh!"

"sos!"

"help me!"

"you have terrible choice in friends!"

chaerin got outside, looking around for minho. "minho! hey, where are you!" she called out, walking around.

"what the hell did kitty put in those potatoes?" minho said, popping up out of a bush.

"a lot of lactose. milk, cheese..." chaerin said. "oh...gosh."

chaerin started to laugh, "poopy baby, is that you?"

"shut up."

chaerin continued to laugh, as a black car pulled up. "that's lulu. you have to get rid of her. she can't see me like this. if her fans find out, i'm done for." minho said.

"do something!"

"seems like a you problem." chaerin said crossing her arms.

"look, i'll take you out for tteokboki all you want." minho said.

minho knew tteokboki was chaerin's favorite korean dish, and would not hesitate an offer wirh it.

"okay, okay."

"oh, oh. but don't ruin this for me. keep her interested." minho said.

"how?"

"i don't know. you're the one who's friends with a matchmaker. didn't she give you some tips!"

chaerin groaned, and then walked to lulu as she stepped out the car. "minny. i'm here!"

"hey, minhо's running behind." chaerin said. "who are you?" lulu asked.

chaerin thought to herself, and then put a hand on herself. "i'm minhо's 6:00."

"that jerk double-booked me?" lulu said. "you didn't think you'd keep him all to yourself, did you?"

"he's the... hottest guy in school." chaerin said, and she could feel the food she just ate about to make a u-turn.

"he's just so sexy and the way that he...never mind."

"let me just say that he's ruined me for other boys and...men." chaerin said.

"that's intriguing."

"but i refuse to be sloppy seconds. you tell minhо i'll be back at 6:00 tomorrow night. he better clear the rest of his schedule. when he has a night with me, he won't be seeing anyone else after." lulu said, walking and going back to her car.

"okay."

the car started to drive away, and chaerin walked back to minho, "you're a genius! i could hug you right now."

"please don't.." chaerin said with a sarcastic smile on her face. "bye poopy baby!"