When we finally arrive at the ramen restaurant, everything happens in a click. We all order, everyone begins talking at once, time feels like nothing by the time the food arrives, and the whole experience puts a smile on my face. Listening to my new friends chaotically yelling and laughing about random topics that change every two seconds while shamelessly slurping down their ramen, I begin to think about how weird yet endearing their dynamic is. They're like a big happy family, and let's just say I feel lucky to be able to watch it all.
So many things are happening at the same time. Jisung and Changbin are rapping random songs way too fast for my brain to process, as if there's an MP3 player lodged inside their throats except they set the speed to 200%. Jeongin is doing aegyo and Felix is making barfing expressions. Hyunjin is talking about his day to everyone except he's acting like he is in a Shakespearean tragedy, complete with fake faints and very extra hand expressions.
And Minho is just...sitting there, watching it all happen with that indecipherable expression of his. He is so silent, yet it feels like he belongs. It's like he's engaging just as much as his friends, but by listening to them as they talk and laugh. Sometimes he giggles along or adds additional comments when something particularly funny is said.
Soon, I find myself captivated by him. Not just by his perfect face, but also by his calmness, and this mysterious side of him.
Questions begin to flood my mind. What's going on? Am I supposed to hate him for being a jerk or love him for literally saving me?
And what about me? Does he still hate me? What exactly are we? Strangers, or friends?
Why is it that after all this time, I still want to be friends with him so badly...
I'm snapped out of my trance when I suddenly realize that Minho's staring at me. It doesn't take me long to also realize that he's staring at me because I've been staring at him for who knows how long. I quickly look away, embarrassed. A few moments pass before I allow myself to sneak a glance at him again, and... he's still staring at me.
"Why aren't you saying anything?" he asks out of the blue.
"huh?"
"You've just been silent."
"You have too?" I argue, more like a question than a statement.
Minho says nothing but just waits, like that's not the response he wanted to hear from me.
"...it's okay." I say instead, smiling, "I like listening to you guys."
Minho smiles back, and leans in closer.
"But I like listening to you."
Both the statement and the action accompanying it take me completely aback, and I have to contain my gasp that nearly escapes.
"Of course you do. I'm the coolest, prettiest, funniest girl in our grade." I joke, trying to play it off coolly.
"You are." he agrees.
Well that backfired.
Minho smiles again. "You know what I just realized? I actually know nothing about you. You know about me since I told you so much yesterday, but you weren't able to tell me anything so," he said, resting his head on the palm of his hand leaning on the table, "Tell me about yourself."
I swallow, nervous for no reason. It feels like just yesterday when I tried to introduce myself to Minho, only to have him push me aside and walk away.
I should have stopped thinking about it. I should have kept hating Minho. Then, everything would be easier and my thoughts wouldn't be so convoluted. But after everything that's happened, I don't think I can do that anymore. And a part of me still really wants to be friends with this mysterious boy.
And this time, he's the one asking about me.
"I really like drawing." I begin.
And that's the icebreaker to our newly bloomed conversation. We start chatting like two friends who haven't shared the tea in ages, though it's mostly me doing the talking and him doing the nodding. I tell him about my hobbies, my interests, my weirdest quirks, and which subjects I'm currently failing in school.
"I may be failing history, geo, science," I begin to list, " and English, and math, Korean..."
"You can just say you're failing all of them. I won't judge." he teases.
"...BUT, shush, at least I'm getting straight A's in gym, art, and music."
"So you're failing all the academics and you're acing all the easy ones, like literally everyone else."
"Nooo..." I scoff, "music is much harder to pass than you think!"
"Then why have I been getting straight A's since 7th grade?"
"Oh yeah, I forgot you write songs and stuff."
"I don't. That's just those three. Also known as 3RACHA." He points to Changbin and Jisung, also paying homage to an imaginary Chan, the missing member. "I'm just too good."
"...I should've stayed quiet when you told me to talk. That's like a once in a lifetime opportunity, you know. To keep me quiet."
"No, please keep talking. This is fun."
So I do. I tell him which celebrities I like, my favorite foods, and what music I listen to. And he just sits there, listening attentively. Like he actually takes interest in how "I used to have such a good sense of hearing that I could hear a bird singing from a mile away and identify it, but I lost that ability because I keep my earbuds in for too long but I don't regret it because music is life and it's totally worth it."
As the night drags on, the others stop at whatever funky engagement they were previously doing and gradually begin to join in on the conversation.
"Wait." Jeongin cuts me off. "What did you say your favorite song was?"
"GO HARD by TWICE."
"No way." he stands up abruptly.
"WE FOUND ANOTHER ONE!" Changbin yells a little too loudly, making the few heads populating the restaurant turn to stare at us. I feel slightly embarrassed but the others don't seem to notice, or care.
"Are you a ONCE, Yeona?" asks Felix.
"..Yes?" I say, unsure of which response they are expecting.
Are they going to make fun of me for being a K-pop stan or something? because if they do I swear I'll—
"OH MY GOSH SO ARE WE!!!"
"IM SO EXCITED IM SO EXCITED~"
"NOONA WHOS YOUR BIAS"
They all start talking at once, and immediately my worries disappear. Soon I feel myself getting even more comfortable with this newfound group of ONCEs. Having a best friend who stans literally every K-pop group is already great, but meeting more fans of your favorite group is always so satisfying.
"I like Jeongyeon," I answer, giggling.
"OH MY GOSH YAY"
"I LIKE MINA"
"TZUYUUUU"
"CHAEYOUNG AND SHE'S SO UNDERRATED"
"I RESPECT Y'ALL BUT CAN WE TALK ABOUT NAYEON"
I can't help but burst into laughter at the chaotic energy. If people are staring, let them. On the bright side, maybe this will bring Twice some unintentional attention.
It's really a messy and chaotic process, but soon I learn that Chan's bias is Jihyo, Hyunjin's is Mina, Felix's is Dahyun, Changbin's is Chaeyoung, Jisung's is Sana and Chaeyoung, Seungmin's is Nayeon, and Jeongin's is Tzuyu.
"What about you?" I ask, turning to Minho. "You haven't told me your bias yet."
"Hm..." Minho thinks. "Momo. And...Jeongyeon."
I hear snickers around me, and someone just spat out their water.
"What's wrong?" I ask the group, confused.
"Nothing." Felix reassures, grabbing a napkin to help Jeongin clean up the mess he made. Turning to Minho, the former inquires teasingly, "Minho, I thought your bias was just Momo?"
"When did I say that." Minho responds, giving Felix a side eye.
"Like two days ago, you said Momo was your bias and Jeongyeon was your bias wrecker."
"So? Clearly I've been bias wrecked!"
"In two days?" Jisung questions, "What changed?"
"Guys she has good vocals okay. And I obviously have the best vocals among us."
I internally agree. From what I've had the pleasure to hear, Minho's voice is beautiful. Angelic.
"pFT—" Jeongin spits his water again.
But then again, I haven't heard the others yet so maybe I'm wrong. Because immediately after he says that, Jeongin and Seungmin begin attacking him.
"Not even close." Seungmin deadpans with a smug expression on his face.
"Keep dreaming." Jeongin continues, wiping his lips with his sleeve.
"Did you mean to say 'eighth best' or should we just assume?" Seungmin asks sarcastically.
Those two really are brutal.
"Be quiet kids, he's clearly trying to change the subject." Changbin commands, shushing the two youngest. "Are you sure there isn't another reason, Minho?"
"I don't know what you're talking about. Just let me stan Jeongyeon, please."
"Yeah guys!" I jump in. "The world needs more Jeongyeon biases, please do not rob me of my happiness right now."
That only makes them giggle more, and for a fleeting moment I catch a blush on Minho's cheeks, before tossing the thought away and blaming the effect on the lighting coming from the strange lamps of the restaurant, having been turned on as the sun is setting.
That's precisely when I focus on the windows, noticing how dark it's become outside. Promptly, Minho follows my gaze out the window.
"A-And look at the time! It's literally so late, we have school tomorrow and we're all so far from our houses because of someone's picky food choices..."
"Ahem, Felix," Changbin coughs
"Ahem, Changbin," Felix coughs at the exact same time
"So...we should go. Come on Yeona." He stands up, grabbing my hand and leading me away.
I hear Felix shout "Binnie hyung you're paying!" as he pushes his chair back and leaves the table. Changbin groans, but the frown on his face turns into a smile when he realizes Felix is teasing him, having already paid.
The bus ride home is much quieter than the restaurant, or really any other moment during this wild ride of a day. With everyone being full and sleepy, not much can be said. But the ambiance is very nice.
"Where do you live, Yeona?" Minho asks out of the blue, interrupting my thoughts.
"Uh...like my address?"
Minho tilts his head. "I meant like what stop."
"Oh right," I chuckle, remembering we're on a bus. I tell him my bus stop.
"I can take you home." he suggests after considering the provided information.
(a/n: take me home by ateez T~T MADE ME CRY FR)
I blink. "What? No it's fine, why would you do that?"
"Because it's nine PM. And you're too pretty to be walking that late on your own."
"You do realize that's something creepy people say, right?" I tell him with a laugh. "Besides, I've walked out in the dark before, there's nothing to really be afraid of."
"I wasn't talking about that." he grins devilishly, "what if there's a spider?"
He gets a shove for that.
~~~
(a/n: so...hi?
i decided to pick this up again after a really long time cuz like i was cringing but fjvbhekb whatever maybe theres people who want to read it!! yeah idk i just stopped writing it. after not a lot of chapters. theres still a long way to go! but hopefully i'll get there.
Thanks so much for all the reads and votes yall! i love u this is great motivation <33
*in bang chan*: it's good for....uuaahm *mmotivation*~
ill post once or twice a week from now on ^^ wichever day I have the least homework tbh. (not today but shh)
love you !! <3)