CLOVER - KPOP GIRL GROUP

HYEMIN

"Lee Know, Lee Minho, Minho,"

The said boy rolled his eyes as Baek Hyeji approached him, his senior in the industry, but his best friend and fellow 98 liner behind the scenes.

Their friendship was light-hearted and bright, both fond of teasing the other and bickering, yet deep down they were protective, only wanting the best for each other. And it didn't help that over the years, feelings had began to bloom, small at first, both passing it off as a silly crush, but it had blossomed into something that neither could ever voice aloud.

It wasn't uncommon for the two to catch up after award shows seeing that it was nearly impossible to hang out together when they didn't have a schedule, so chatting after award events, texts and calls were their way to go.

"You look pretty," Hyeji's face lit up. "Pretty ugly,"

She scowled, earning herself laughter from the Lee boy. "I'm kidding, you look really good tonight,"

"Don't look too shabby yourself," She grinned before she fell into step with him, wandering around backstage together. "So, what have you been up to?"

"Nothing much, I have a blind date tomorrow,"

Hyeji froze, and when Minho stared at her, she raised an eyebrow, bursting into laughter. "You? A blind date? Now that is something I cannot see. Who even is it?"

"Blind date, dumbass, and all I know is that she's some model," Minho shrugged as though it didn't bother him, yet it certainly bothered Hyeji.

Despite the cool tone expressed on her face, inside, she was raging. Minho was hers, both Clover and Stray Kids knew that the two were close, that the two were practically inseperable, and now, he was going off on a blind date? She was fuming.

"Well, I hope you have fun," Her plump lips pressed into a line, before patting his arm. "See you later,"

...

"You what?" 

Bang Chan rubbed his head as though he couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. Minho had always been rather... amusing, but this was on another level.

"I may have lied about going on some blind date with a model to make Baek Hyeji jealous," He rambled, eagle-spread on the sofa. "Do you think she took the bait?"

"Well judging by her reaction, I think she's rather pissed mate. Are you sure that this is the right way of expressing the fact that you like her?"

Minho smiled at the thought. Angry Hyeji had always been so interesting to see, because she rarely got furious. The way her eyes practically gleamed with revenge, the way she'd respond in the most calm and collected yet passive-aggressive manner was always so fun.

"Trust me, hyung,"

...

"He's going on a blind date, and he had the audacity to tell me,"

Minju, Anastasia and Sooyoung all watched as the Baek girl paced up and down the living room, her hair tied into a ponytail, wearing pink pyjamas that Sooyoung had gifted her one time.

"Well, maybe you should tell him not to go?" Minju suggested, always the leader, always with the best advice, so calm and sincere. "That way you could get your feelings for him out too,"

"I agree," Sooyoung nodded earnestly, clapping her hands, excited at the prospect of her older sister dating. "You've been going on and on about how you want to tell him you like him, here's your chance,"

"What? Tell him that he shouldn't go on a blind date with some drop-dead gorgous, stunning model, and go out with me?" Hyeji scoffed, but there was a sadness to her eyes. "Like he would care,"

"Oh he cares alright," Anastasia leaned back in her seat, the eldest of the four and like the leader, had the best and wisest advice. "Remember the cover you did with Hwasa sunbaenim and Chungha? He certainly was not happy with the looks you had been receiving that night from other male idols,"

Hyeji stared at her members. She knew they were right, that telling him her feelings would leave her relieved of one thing that had stayed stuck to her mind, but the sheer terror was overwhelming. What if he didn't like her back? What if they lost their friendship?

"He likes you," Anastasia said gently, as though reading her mind (which the older girl often did). "Now go and tell him to not go on that date,"

...

Hyeji gazed at the contact name in her phone. She had placed a white heart next to his name, he was a close bond, her best friend. Calling him wasn't ideal but it was something she needed to do.

And taking a deep breath, she pressed call.

"What's up?"

"Don't go on that date,"

There was a pause as Hyeji mentally slapped herself for saying that as the first thing.

"Why?"

God, he was not making this easy for her.

"I don't want you to,"

"That's not a reason, Hyeji,"

"Because..."

"Because?"

"Because I like you," She mumbled. "And the thought of you going with another girl makes me mad at myself for not telling you sooner. And because I can't contain the feeling of being around you anymore, of wanting to be more than friends,"

Minho smirked from the other end, his eyes crinkling into crescents. 

"I never knew Baek Hyeji could be so sentimental,"

"I pour my heart out to you and this is how you react?"

"I lied about the date,"

"What?"

"I needed a reason to see you jealous, to finally get you to spill your feelings, and a way for me to say that I like you too,"

She wasn't even mad that he'd lied. Why would she be when he had admitted that he liked her.

"You like me?" She was smiling, grinning from ear to ear.

"I have always liked you, Baek Hyeji, my ego prevented me from saying it,"

"Well apparently our egos are supersized because I wanted to hear it from you first,"

"Was never going to happen,"

"A little birdy told me that you were jealous when I performed with Hwasa and Chungha unnies, jealous of the looks I was getting,"

She could already see his expression morphing into something of neutrality.

"Only I can look at you like that, no-one else,"