thai friends

⋆ 𐙚 ̊.CHAPTER 21✶⋆.˚

🇽​​🇴​, ​🇪​​🇻​​🇪​​🇱​​🇾​​🇳

Evelyn rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she trudged out of her room, still groggy from the night before. The argument with Kitty had left her drained, and even though Q had done his usual job of diffusing the tension, a lingering heaviness sat in her chest.

But that heaviness was quickly replaced by amusement when she stepped into the common area.

Q was on the floor, mid sit-up, his face scrunched in concentration.

Minho, however—

Evelyn stopped in her tracks, her lips twitching.

He was sitting on the couch, lazily dragging a jade face roller across his cheek, his expression as serious as ever.

Evelyn couldn't help it. She snickered.

Minho didn't even flinch. "Laugh all you want, but this is why my skin is flawless and yours is—" He finally turned to glance at her. "...Yeah."

Evelyn gasped, pressing a hand to her chest in mock offense. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me, Raven." He switched the roller to his other cheek, looking far too pleased with himself.

Evelyn narrowed her eyes. "Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot you were Korea's Next Top Model."

"Not yet, but they should be scouting me any day now."

Q, still doing sit-ups, groaned. "Can you two stop flirting for five seconds?"

Evelyn and Minho simultaneously snapped their heads toward him.

"We are NOT flirting!" they chorused.

Q just gave them a knowing look before going back to his workout.

Evelyn huffed and crossed her arms. "For your information, my skin is perfectly fine."

Minho let out a long, exaggerated sigh. "You poor, delusional girl."

Evelyn scowled. "At least I don't roll a literal rock on my face every morning like some lunatic."

Minho clicked his tongue, setting the roller down with great care. "You wouldn't understand. This is self-care. Unlike you, I actually put effort into looking good."

Evelyn scoffed. "Oh please, you'd still be annoying even if you looked like a potato."

Minho smirked. "But I don't."

Evelyn opened her mouth to argue but found herself at a loss for words.

Damn it, he had a point.

She grabbed a throw pillow from the couch and chucked it at his face.

Minho dodged effortlessly, his laughter ringing through the room.

Minho rolled his eyes, tossing the face roller onto the table. "You say that like you're not a hopeless romantic deep down."

Evelyn shot him a glare. "I am not."

"Uh-huh."

"Anyway," Evelyn huffed, turning to Q, "how's it going with Florian?"

Q sighed, sitting up and resting his arms on his knees. "He's... going through some stuff. I don't wanna push him, but I'm always there for him, y'know?"

Evelyn gave him a small nod. "Yeah, that makes sense. Just being there means a lot."

"Exactly," Q said, running a hand through his hair. "I just wish he'd talk to me more about what's on his mind."

Before Evelyn could reply, a loud yawn interrupted the moment.

Kitty stumbled into the common area, rubbing her eyes. Right behind her was Dae, looking equally half-asleep.

And then, without a second thought, they stepped toward each other and wrapped their arms around one another in a warm, sleepy hug.

The room fell silent.

Then—

"Ew," Evelyn deadpanned.

Q dramatically clutched his chest. "Oh god, my eyes."

Minho made a gagging noise. "Someone get a bucket, I think I'm gonna hurl."

Kitty pulled away from Dae and blinked at them, confused. "What?"

Evelyn scrunched her nose. "I dislike couples."

Dae raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? Then why were you and Minho making heart eyes at each other last night?"

Evelyn's face instantly burned. "We were not—"

Minho, of course, had the audacity to smirk. "You heard her, Dae. She hates couples."

Dae snorted. "Yeah, yeah. Keep telling yourself that."

Kitty just shook her head, muttering, "You guys are exhausting," before flopping onto the couch.

Minho groaned, rubbing his temples. "It's too early to be this cheery."

Kitty, still smiling, turned to him. "I am this cheery not only because I have the best boyfriend in the world," she said, squeezing Dae's arm, "but also because it has come to my attention that I am failing almost all my classes. So if I don't do amazing in the finals, I will flunk out of school."

Q blinked. "And it brings you cheer because...?"

Kitty shrugged. "Because if I dwell on the fact that I was considered super smart back home and here I can barely keep up, I will start sobbing."

Dae immediately pulled her into a comforting side hug. "We have a week before finals. We're gonna make study plans for you. Everyone will help you."

Minho scoffed, taking immediate offense. "You didn't even ask, and I am extremely busy, so—"

"You're helping," Dae cut him off smoothly. "Guys, Kitty and I are finally together. I'm not gonna let her fail out of school now."

Q held up his hands. "I'm in."

Evelyn sighed but nodded. "Yeah, me too."

Minho crossed his arms. "This is emotional manipulation."

Dae patted his back. "So you're in?"

Minho exhaled loudly. "Fine. But I'm not happy about it."

Kitty beamed. "Thank you, Minho."

—

Later That Evening...

The moment Evelyn finished her last class, she rushed to her dorm, excitedly throwing open her closet. She had plans with Hanni.

She hadn't seen her in months—since Chuseok—and while their video calls were frequent, it wasn't the same.

Tonight, they were going to the arcade, so Evelyn put together the perfect outfit: a tomboy Y2K look. She pulled on black cargo pants with chains, laced up her black boots, and layered an oversized black tank top over a black-and-white striped turtleneck. Chains hung from her neck, a few rings glinted on her fingers, and her triple ear piercings—two fake—added the final touch.

To top it all off, she tied a black bandana around her head, letting a few loose strands of hair frame her face.

She grinned at her reflection. Perfect.

By the time she reached the bus terminal at 4 PM, the sky was still bright, but the night ahead was going to be long.

And standing near the entrance, waving enthusiastically, was Hanni.

(evelyn's outfit is very similar to this except she's wearing a turtleneck and the tank top is oversized and tucked in. plus the bandana)

(hanni's outfit. in the story hanni is a careless girl hence this fashion to portray her character but she's still killing it tho)

The bus ride was filled with excitement as Evelyn and Hanni eagerly planned which games to hit first. The moment they arrived, they rushed inside, their eyes darting to the rows of neon-lit games and flashing screens.

Their first stop? The claw machine.

Evelyn's gaze locked onto a Pikachu plushie. It was fate. Determined, she inserted the tokens and carefully maneuvered the claw.

Fail.

She tried again. And again.

And again.

By the ninth attempt, she groaned, gripping the machine like she wanted to strangle it. "This is rigged."

Hanni smirked. "Or maybe you're just bad at it."

Evelyn shot her a glare. "You do it, then."

With one smooth move, Hanni guided the claw perfectly, grabbing the Pikachu and dropping it straight into the prize box.

Evelyn gaped. "You have got to be kidding me."

Hanni handed her the plushie with a smug smile. "Skill issue, bestie."

"I hate you," Evelyn grumbled, snatching it from her.

Hanni laughed. "No, you don't."

Armed with plastic rifles, they obliterated every zombie that appeared on the screen. Their teamwork was impeccable—headshot after headshot—until they beat the high score.

Victorious, they exchanged a smug fist bump.

They dominated the bowling alley, air hockey, and even a dance battle. Hanni won effortlessly, but Evelyn redeemed herself in the basketball hoops game, scoring nearly double Hanni's points.

By the time they passed the Haunted House, they were buzzing with energy.

Evelyn smirked at the flickering neon sign. "Wanna go?"

Hanni grinned. "Obviously."

The eerie music, dim lighting, and occasional jumpscares didn't faze them at all.

Instead, they started rating the ghosts.

"This one's got nice shoes," Hanni commented as a ghoul crept toward them.

"Respect," Evelyn nodded.

They continued their casual tour through the haunted attraction, completely unaffected—until something cold suddenly wrapped around Evelyn's ankle.

She yelped and stumbled forward, instinctively grabbing onto whoever was in front of her.

Strong hands caught her before she hit the ground.

"Whoa, careful there," a familiar voice chuckled.

Evelyn straightened immediately, face heating up.

She looked up to find Kavin, the guy from the school trip, smirking down at her. Beside him stood another guy—who had a calm expression, hands casually in his pockets.

Kavin raised an eyebrow. "Did you just get scared?"

"No," Evelyn huffed, quickly stepping away.

He grinned. "I think you did. It's cute."

She rolled her eyes. "It was a tactical stumble."

Kavin pressed a hand to his chest, mocking sincerity. "Of course, of course. You just wanted to throw yourself into my arms. I totally get it."

"This is Ren." He added.

"Hanni." Evelyn motioned towards her.

Hanni snorted. "I like this guy."

Evelyn groaned.

Meanwhile, Ren, who had been watching silently, finally spoke. "You're Evelyn, right?" His voice was calm and smooth.

She nodded, still side-eyeing Kavin. "Yeah."

Kavin flashed his signature flirtatious grin. "Small world. I was just thinking about you, you know."

Evelyn gave him a blank stare. "Oh, please."

He chuckled, completely unfazed. "I'm serious. It's not every day you meet someone who makes bus rides fun."

She sighed. "I don't know if that was a compliment or an insult."

"Both," Hanni supplied helpfully.

Ren simply shook his head. "You walked right into that one."

Evelyn groaned again. "I hate both of you already."

Kavin smirked. "You'll learn to love us."

Before she could argue, Kavin stretched his arms and grinned. "So, since fate brought us together, what do you say we grab dinner after this?"

Evelyn glanced at Hanni, who shrugged.

"Sounds fun," Evelyn finally said.

And just like that, the four of them became friends.

The restaurant had a warm, rustic ambiance, with golden fairy lights strung along the wooden beams and the comforting aroma of garlic and basil filling the air. The soft hum of Italian music played in the background as Evelyn, Hanni, Kavin, and Ren settled into their booth.

Hanni, still flipping through the menu, looked a little lost. "Okay, I recognize pizza and pasta, but what the hell is Osso Buco?"

Evelyn chuckled, resting her elbow on the table. "Braised veal shanks. Super tender, slow-cooked in wine and broth."

Hanni made a face. "Yeah, I'm gonna stick to pizza."

Kavin smirked, leaning back in his chair. "I'll trust the expert. What are you getting, Tesoro?"

Evelyn gave him a deadpan look at the nickname, but he just winked.

Rolling her eyes, she ignored him and told the waiter, "I'll have the Tagliatelle al Ragù."

"Good choice."

The voice came from across the table—Ren. He had been quiet for most of the meal, but now his eyes were focused on them. "It's one of the best pasta dishes. Most people just call it Bolognese, but the original version is much richer."

Evelyn raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "You know a lot about Italian food."

Ren simply nodded. "I like to cook."

Kavin grinned. "Ren's basically a Michelin-star chef. If you ever want authentic Thai food, he's the guy."

Evelyn's eyes lit up. "I love Thai food."

Kavin leaned in slightly, resting his chin on his palm. "Oh? What's your favorite dish?"

She didn't miss the way his tone was just a little too smooth, but she answered anyway. "Probably Pad Krapow Gai—spicy basil chicken."

Kavin's grin widened. "A girl who can handle spice? I might just be in love."

Hanni choked on her water. Evelyn kicked Kavin under the table, making him laugh.

Ren, unfazed by Kavin's antics, turned his attention back to Evelyn. "You don't look Korean," he said thoughtfully. "Are you mixed?"

Evelyn paused, a little surprised by his directness. "Yeah, my dad's American."

Ren nodded. "I thought so. You have distinct features."

Evelyn tilted her head. "Is that a good or bad thing?"

Ren, in typical fashion, gave a simple, matter-of-fact response. "Just an observation."

Kavin, however, grinned. "It's definitely a good thing, Tesoro."

She sighed, but this time there was a small smile tugging at her lips.

By the time they finished dinner, the night had settled over Seoul, the streets illuminated by neon lights and glowing shop signs. The air was crisp, carrying the scent of rain-soaked pavement and street food from nearby vendors.

The four of them walked in pairs—Hanni and Ren leading ahead while Evelyn and Kavin trailed behind.

Kavin, ever the flirt, nudged her playfully. "So, if I hadn't caught you, would you have fallen for me?"

Evelyn scoffed. "Such a bastard"

"Quirky. I like that."

She shot him a look. "I feel like you say that to every girl."

He put a hand over his heart, mock-offended. "Tesoro, you wound me. I'm deeply genuine."

Evelyn snorted, but before she could respond, Hanni turned around, walking backward.

"So, Kavin, Ren—how are you guys liking Korea so far?"

Ren answered first. "It's different from Thailand. More fast-paced."

Kavin, on the other hand, had a completely different take. "The food is great, the people are interesting, and the girls? Stunning." He threw a wink at Evelyn, who groaned.

Hanni laughed. "Oh, he's dangerous."

Evelyn just shook her head. "You have no idea."

They turned a corner, and the dessert shop came into view—a cozy place with large windows showcasing beautifully decorated cakes and pastries. The warm glow from inside spilled onto the street, inviting and familiar.

That's when Evelyn looked up.

And there, leaning against the shop's entrance, stood Minho.

His hoodie was slightly oversized, his dark hair messy in a way that looked effortlessly styled. Hands in his pockets, he looked casual—but his eyes?

They were locked onto her.

Evelyn's steps slowed.

Minho had seen her first. And by the look on his face, he had already taken in the group she was with.

Something flickered in his expression—annoyance? Frustration?

Or something else entirely?

Evelyn wasn't sure.

But she did know one thing.

Today was not a 'Minho' day.

So, she ignored him.

Without breaking her stride, she walked right past him, heading straight for the counter.

She could feel his gaze burning into her back, but she refused to acknowledge it.

Big mistake.

Because, of course, Minho wasn't the type to let things slide.

A few moments later, he casually strolled up to the others—where Kavin, Ren, and Hanni were still waiting outside.

Evelyn sighed. Great.

There was no escape now.

Resigning herself to fate, she turned around, forcing a neutral expression. "Minho."

He raised an eyebrow, then looked at Kavin and Ren. "And these are...?"

"Kavin and Ren," she said. "We met at the arcade."

Kavin stepped forward first, offering his hand. "Nice to meet you, man."

Minho hesitated for a fraction of a second before taking it.

And that's when it happened.

The handshake that lasted a little too long.

Firm. Tense.

It wasn't just a greeting.

It was a silent challenge.

Minho's grip tightened. Kavin smirked.

Ren, observing from the side, exhaled quietly. He definitely knew what was happening.

Evelyn? She was completely lost.

Finally, the handshake broke.

Kavin grinned. "Strong grip."

Minho smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Likewise."

Evelyn narrowed her eyes. What was that?

She looked at Ren again, expecting some kind of answer.

Ren?

He just sipped his drink, looking entirely too amused.

ruka:

hii loves!! haha sorry for introducing new character and that too none other than P'Kavin and P'Ren.Kavin is just their to raise your heartbeats, the storyline still remains the same haha! (ill be adding many twists tho so be ready)