Between Me and You

Two

Mingyu was just about to leave their locker room after early morning swimming practice, his duffel bag on his shoulder when his teammate and close friend Seo Myungho put an arm on his other shoulder, a heavy sigh escaping his lips.

"Damn, I'm so tired." He complained.

"It never gets easier, man." Mingyu agreed. "And don't lean on me, you're heavy despite how you look." He jokes, shaking Myungho's arm off, earning a glare from him.

"Hey guys, wait up!"

The two boys looked back and saw their other friend Lee Seokmin trying to catch up with them, his hair still dripping wet. He finally caught up with the two and stuck himself in between them. The three then made their way to the classroom.

"Gyu." Myungho started, breaking the silence.

"What's wrong with you?" Mingyu stopped and stared at him, he's never heard him this serious before.

"What are you gonna do with Taehyung?"

"Why are you asking me that?"

"Well, it's just that we saw him and Sujeong walking home together last week." Seokmin explained. "When did that happen anyway?"

"Why are you so concerned with who Taehyung goes home with?" Mingyu chuckled at them.

"We're just worried about you, that's all. I always thought you had a thing for Sujeong." Myungho confessed.

"Me too." Seokmin added. "You always acted different around her."

Suddenly, Mingyu was taken back to his conversation with Yein. He wonders how he has been acting around Sujeong that his friends have been ganging up on him like this. Sure, if he's being honest, he's uncomfortable with Taehyung hanging out with them, but that doesn't mean he's jealous of him. He's just used to hanging out with just Sujeong and Yein, that's all.

"No need to worry about me, I'm fine with whoever those two date." He says nonchalantly.

Myungho and Seokmin stare at him curiously, Mingyu feeling small under their gazes despite him being much taller than the two.

"Well, if you say so!" Seokmin said brightly after a few moments.

"But don't go whining when those two start to date!" Myungho retorted.

Mingyu ignores the two and just walks faster to their classroom, thinking how he needs new friends.

--

It was dismissal time and Yein was almost done with packing her things when she noticed Sujeong walking towards her, her bag already slung on her shoulder.

"Wonwoo already left? He's pretty fast!" Sujeong said, sitting on Wonwoo's already empty seat.

"Yeah, he looked like he was in a hurry." Yein replied while shoving her pencil case inside her bag.

"Look! I have free dinner coupons to this new barbeque restaurant across town! Some guys at the train station were giving these away yesterday!" She fished out a few coupons and waves them in front of Yein's face in excitement.

"Wow, that's great!" She exclaimed.

"Wanna go? It's a Friday anyway and we don't have that much homework! I'd invite Gyu but he has practice."

"Sure! Let's just go with him next time when he's free!"

They made their way to the restaurant to a lively part of town with bustling restaurants and cafes.

"Hey, looks like different bands play here every night! A band called SVT will be playing here tonight!" Sujeong says to Yein as she peers at one of the posters on the restaurant's front door.