The Humanity Formula

Betrayal, Beer, and Bobby

He nods, twirling a spoon between his fingers.

"Your roommate isn't going to be alone, is she?"

"Jimin?" I furrow my brows. "She's spending the holiday with the family she works for.

"Her family lives in Thailand, right?"

"Why are you so curious?" I snap.

"I'm not." He draws back, pulling his hat over his face with a huff. "It must be lonely for her to not get to see her family, that's all."

I purse my lips, staring at him with narrowed eyes. Was he really talking about me?

"She has her friends so I think she'll be fine." I tell him quietly, sipping at my drink that had gone cold from sitting untouched on the table.

For my drink to get cold, how long had we been sitting here? I check my phone, eyes widening in panic as I stand up quickly. Hanbin's head snaps up as he looks at me, alarmed by my sudden movements.

"What's wrong?" He asks as I loop my scarf around my neck and put my bag over my shoulder.

"I'm supposed to meet NamTae." I tell him as he stands up, staring at me. I button up my jacket. "I'm going to be late, I have to go right now."

"Why are you meeting Nam?" Hanbin's asking but I'm already on my way out.

"I'll tell you later, I have to go!" I yell back at him, waving my arms as I run off toward the psychology building.

...

"I don't want to go to an outdoor bar in the middle of a blizzard." Jimin complains over the phone as we sit side by side on the bus.

Our sides press together to share warmth. I look at Jimin's legs, covered only by black tights, and I see her skin turning red through the thin material. I wish she'd worn pants. No man is worth freezing to death. I rest my head against hers as I listen in on her conversation, my eyes focused on the falling snow passing by outside.

I try to count the snowflakes that stick onto the glass, then melt, as Jimin stubbornly argues her way out of meeting at a tent bar.

"Their spicy rice cake soup is the best, I promise." Jimin smiles, tucking a strand of black hair behind her ear. She tells the man on the other end she'll text him the directions and hangs up. She lets her head bonk against mine, letting out a deep sigh. "He's so dumb but I like him so much."

I laugh at her exhausted confession, "Are you bragging right now?"

We get to the restaurant first and Jimin orders, joking around with the shop owner like the two of them are best friends. It never ceases to amaze me how Jimin can act at home no matter where she goes. She has friends everywhere.

"Is Jackson on his way?" I ask, taking a small sip of water as I watch Jimin get started with her first beer.

"Yeah, I went ahead and ordered since he'll get here by then anyway." She shrugs and I laugh. She's probably just hungry and doesn't want to wait anymore. "Why didn't you invite Kim Hanbin to come eat with us?"

"It would be weird." Like a double date. I scrunch up my face at the thought. Hanbin probably would have felt awkward since he doesn't know Jimin well in the first place. Plus, we've been friends for a while but have never gone out for drinks. I don't think I've ever even heard him mention alcohol.

"How is our Hanbin?" Jimin grins. "Are you two still fighting?"

"When were we ever fighting?" I scoff, quickly changing the subject. "He asked about you the other day, he was worried you'd be lonely during the holidays.