yk i lowkey love pocket locket its a slay

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The next few days—and then weeks—passed in a blur. My routine was almost robotic: wake up, brush my teeth, take a shower, and head to campus with Jungwon. Every morning, like clockwork, he'd leave me at the main entrance, disappearing with Jay like they were in their own little world. I'd make my way to my friends, and we'd talk about anything and everything.

But one part of my routine was new. I was doing everything in my power to avoid Chan. Every time I'd spot him in the hallways or around campus, I'd take a sharp turn or duck behind someone else. It was honestly ridiculous, but I couldn't face him after everything that had happened. My stomach would twist up with nerves every time I saw him, and I wasn't about to deal with that, so avoiding him became my survival tactic.

My friends noticed, of course. Jisung and Felix would shoot me these knowing looks, and sometimes they'd tease me about it, asking if I was hiding from a ghost. But they didn't push, which I appreciated. My focus was on keeping things simple, and facing Chan felt anything but simple right now.

Walking home, I got a call from Arin. She sounded excited, talking about her upcoming date with someone new. It seemed like everyone around me had someone to gush about. I managed to make it through the conversation, congratulating her and trying to sound genuinely happy before heading straight to my room.

But as soon as I lay down, hoping for some peace and quiet, my night took a nosedive. Right on the other side of the wall, Jungwon and his very enthusiastic boyfriend, Jay, decided tonight was the night to go all out.

The thin walls between our rooms did nothing to block out the sounds—the moaning, the grunting, the endless skin-on-skin slapping, and don't even get me started on the pet names. "Daddy," "kitten," "princess"—each one hit like an extra nail in the coffin of my sanity. I buried my head under my pillow, praying for it to end, but no luck. They kept going until 3 a.m., completely oblivious to the fact that I was in the next room, regretting every life choice that had brought me to this moment.

By the time they finally quieted down, I was exhausted—physically, mentally, emotionally. All I could think was how I'd need about a year of therapy to erase this from my mind.

I decided to knock out early, hoping to avoid any chance of being subjected to *another* round of Jay and Jungwon's late-night escapades. I didn't want to risk Jay going for round ten and keeping me up all night again.

The next day, I woke up feeling surprisingly rested, albeit with a lingering sense of trauma from last night. I went about my morning routine, keeping my fingers crossed that today would be a little less traumatizing

I decided to try my luck with a job at the Blue Hour boba tea shop, known for its cozy vibe and crazy popularity around campus. The place was owned by Mr. Namjoon's husband, Mr. Jin, along with their best friend, Mr. Hoseok. When I walked in, I spotted Yeji and Ryujin sitting together, looking more than a little cozy. I knew they were a thing, but seeing them here just confirmed it.

At the counter, a guy with a fierce, almost cat-like expression was handling orders. He looked like he'd rather be anywhere else, but the second Mr. Hoseok showed up, his whole face softened, his eyes practically sparkling. I put two and two together—there was no mistaking that look. They were either dating or married, and with how he looked at Hoseok, I guessed it had to be serious.

It was the kind of warmth and affection that made me think, maybe, this was the kind of place where I could belong.

I found out the cat-like guy's name was Mr. Yoongi, and, apparently, he and Mr. Hoseok have been married for something like fifteen years. It was kind of adorable, actually, especially considering the way Mr. Hoseok looked at him—like pure sunshine, balancing out Mr. Yoongi's more serious vibe.

Deciding to go straight to the source of the warmth, I walked up to Mr. Hoseok, who was busy arranging the counter. He looked up with a welcoming smile, and I took a deep breath.

"Hello, sir! Could I possibly start working here?" I asked, trying to keep my nerves in check. "I need the money, and I'm good with people. I was actually recommended by a friend."

Mr. Hoseok's smile widened, and he glanced over at Mr. Yoongi, who gave me a quick nod of approval before returning to his work.

"Well, we could always use more help," Mr. Hoseok said brightly. "Let's get you started, then!"

"T-Today? Sure, I'll... I'll try," I stammered, trying to hide my nervousness as I followed Mr. Hoseok to the back of the shop.

As we entered, I noticed two other workers—a guy with sleek black hair and a sharp, puma-like look, and another with bright blond hair, resembling a mischievous fox. They were playfully nudging each other and whispering back and forth, clearly lost in their own world. I recognized them vaguely from around campus, and I was pretty sure I'd seen them with Jungwon before. And, just my luck, it looked like they were flirting too.

I sighed internally. The universe really had it out for me, parading all these happy couples around while I was still out here, single as ever.

I spent the day learning the ropes, getting the hang of things at the back. Apparently, they wanted me to practice here first before letting me handle orders next week.

Turns out, the puma-haired guy's name was Ni-ki—or Riki, as some people called him. The blond, foxy-looking one was named Sunoo. They both had this easygoing chemistry, bouncing off each other with jokes and playful banter, making the shift a little more interesting. Between Sunoo's laugh and Ni-ki's teasing remarks, I could tell they were close, and it made the job feel a little less intimidating.

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yk i almost feel bad for dragging jeongchan this long next chap will be chans pov