cooked

⋆ 𐙚 ̊.CHAPTER 25✶⋆.˚

🇽​​🇴​, ​🇪​​🇻​​🇪​​🇱​​🇾​​🇳

THE NEXT DAY, the exam results were posted on the school bulletin board. A crowd had already gathered, buzzing with excitement and nerves. Evelyn, flanked by Kitty and Q, squeezed through the mass of students to see their grades.

"I can't look," Kitty muttered, covering her eyes.

"You passed, Kitty! Look!" Evelyn cheered, pointing at her name.

Kitty peeked through her fingers and let out a huge sigh of relief. "Oh my god! I did it!" she yelled, jumping up and down.

Dae, unsurprisingly, was perched at the top of the list again. But what shocked everyone was Evelyn—right below Dae, at second place.

"Whoa, Evie! Second?!" Q gasped, practically hugging her on the spot.

Evelyn grinned, her heart swelling with pride. But before she could even bask in it, Minho strolled up behind them, eyes locked on the results.

"Huh," he scoffed, crossing his arms, "Second place, huh? Guess even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes."

Evelyn spun around, rolling her eyes. "Oh, please. You're just mad you came in fifth."

"I let you win." Minho smirked.

"Keep telling yourself that, Meanhoe."

The usual banter made everyone smile. It was like their personal language.

Back at the dorm, the reality of the holidays settling in, Evelyn and Kitty started packing up for the long-awaited trip back to the US. Their room looked like chaos—half-filled suitcases, clothes thrown everywhere, and empty coffee cups scattered on the desk.

Q sat cross-legged on Evelyn's bed, hugging a pillow to his chest, his eyes misty.

"I'm gonna miss you both so much," he mumbled, his voice cracking.

Evelyn tossed a pair of jeans into her suitcase and turned to him. "Ay, don't get all emotional on me. It's not like we're leaving for good. We'll be back after the holidays."

"Yeah, and you literally live in America, Q," Kitty added, zipping up her suitcase.

Q sniffled dramatically. "Still... it won't be the same without you two here."

Evelyn smiled. She'd grown closer to Q over the year, and his soft heart was something she genuinely adored.

At that moment, the door flung open, revealing Minho standing there with a completely serious face. He held a small tube in his hand.

"Did you use my buckwheat cream?" he asked Evelyn, raising an eyebrow.

Evelyn blinked at him, deadpan. "No? What even is that? Sounds gross."

Minho squinted at her, skeptical, then gave a small nod and closed the door.

Before anyone could process that, the door creaked open again. Minho poked his head in/

"Did you take my eye cream?"

Evelyn groaned, tossing a pillow at the door. "Oh my god, Minho! No! Get out!"

He disappeared again, leaving the three of them in silence. Then Q turned to Evelyn, grinning.

"So... did you take his buckwheat cream?"

Evelyn snorted, crossing her arms. "Hell no."

A beat passed.

"...But I did use his eye cream," she added with a mischievous grin.

The three of them burst out laughing, tears forming in their eyes. 

Finally, after hours of packing, Kitty stood up and clapped her hands. "Okay, guys! We're all set."

Q's face fell again. "Aw, I'm really gonna miss you both."

Without saying anything, Evelyn, Kitty, and Q pulled into a tight group hug. It was warm and full of love—the kind of hug that felt like home.

A little later, as Evelyn was zipping up her last suitcase, the door opened once more. This time, it was Minho, fully packed, with his backpack slung over one shoulder and his luggage in hand.

He hesitated for a moment, eyes scanning the room before landing on Evelyn.

"I'm leaving, guys," he said, but his voice softened when he looked directly at her.

For a brief second, their eyes locked. There was something in his gaze—something that made Evelyn's heart beat faster. It wasn't loud or obvious, but it lingered just enough.

And then it was gone.

Minho looked away, tightening his grip on his luggage, and walked out the door.

Evelyn stared after him, feeling a strange emptiness in her chest.

Q noticed. "That look he gave you... that wasn't nothing, Ev."

Evelyn bit her lip, brushing it off with a laugh. "You're imagining things."

The airport buzzed with the usual chaos—people dragging suitcases, families saying their goodbyes, announcements echoing over the speakers. Evelyn and Kitty stood in the queue, their luggage lined up in front of them, waiting to check in for their flight back to the US.

"I still can't believe this year's over," Evelyn said, adjusting her backpack straps.

Kitty sighed, her eyes distant. "Yeah... it flew by."

Just as they were about to move forward, a familiar voice called out from behind.

"Kitty!"

Kitty spun around, her eyes widening as she spotted Dae weaving through the crowd toward her. A smile broke across her face as she ran to him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. They hugged tightly, the kind of hug that spoke of unfinished words and memories left behind.

Evelyn stood to the side, giving them space. She played with the handle of her suitcase, feeling a twinge of awkwardness until she noticed someone else in the crowd.

"Yuri?" she called out, spotting her a few feet away.

Yuri turned, her face lighting up at the sight of her. "Hey, Evelyn! What are you doing here?"

"I'm heading back to the US with Kitty. You?"

"Oh, Juliana's flying in today. I'm here to pick her up." Her eyes darted toward the arrival gate just as a girl with a cascade of extreme curls emerged, dragging her suitcase behind her.

"Yuri!" Juliana called out, her voice bright.

Yuri's face lit up as she rushed to her, their hug warm and full of excitement. Evelyn smiled at the scene, watching as the two reunited like pieces of a puzzle snapping back together.

Yuri turned, wrapping her arm around Juliana's shoulder. "Juliana, this is Evelyn—Kitty's best friend."

"Hi!" Juliana smiled, extending her hand. Evelyn shook it, feeling the girl's energy radiating off her.

Yuri pointed across the terminal. "And there's Kitty with Dae."

Juliana's smile faded ever so slightly as her gaze found them. "Yeah, I saw her. But I'm here for you, Yuri—not her. Let's go."

With a final nod to Evelyn, they turned and disappeared into the crowd, leaving her standing alone once again. Moments later, Kitty returned, her cheeks flushed from emotion.

"Was that Juliana?" Kitty asked, her voice soft but laced with sadness.

"Yeah... Yuri looked really happy to see her," Evelyn replied gently, studying Kitty's face.

Kitty just nodded, her eyes fixed on the floor.

Evelyn hesitated before asking, "So... you and Dae? Are you guys okay?"

Kitty took a deep breath, forcing a small smile. "Yeah, we're good now... but we also broke up."

Evelyn's heart sank as she gave Kitty a look of concern. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Kitty replied, but her voice trembled. "I will be... I guess."

They made their way to the boarding gate, and soon enough, it was time to board the plane. Evelyn glanced down at her ticket and grimaced.

"Uh oh... Kitty, I think my mom accidentally booked me in business class. I'm so sorry—you'll have to go to the coach alone." She pouted apologetically.

Kitty managed a small laugh. "It's fine, Evie. I'm sure I'll find someone to talk to. Don't worry."

They hugged briefly before parting ways at the gate.

Evelyn walked through the plush business class cabin, eyes scanning the rows until she found her seat. It was by the window, and the seat next to hers was already occupied.

The guy next to her had his hood pulled low, almost covering his face entirely. His legs were stretched out, and he held something in his hands—a small tube of buckwheat cream.

Evelyn's eyes narrowed.

She found herself staring at the cream, her mind racing, until the guy spoke, his voice laced with a familiar smugness.

"Ring any bells?"

Evelyn's head snapped up, her mouth falling open.

The guy pushed his hoodie back, revealing his messy hair and that unmistakable smirk.

"Minho?!" she gasped.

He chuckled, tossing the buckwheat cream into his bag. "Surprised, Raven?"

Evelyn blinked at him, still dumbfounded. "What—how—why are you here?!"

Minho leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms casually. "Last-minute decision. Figured I'd crash your flight and being the good friend I am I thought you could use a handsome company."

She huffed, but her heart raced uncontrollably. "You're unbelievable."

He grinned. "And yet, here I am. Looks like fate's got a sense of humor."

Evelyn didn't know whether to laugh or scream. 

Evelyn sat stiffly in her plush business-class seat, her phone glowing dimly in her hands. She scrolled aimlessly, pretending to read, but her mind was elsewhere—or more accurately, right next to her. Minho lounged back in his seat, earbuds in, head tilted slightly toward her, as if waiting for her to crack.

Her heart was on overdrive, every nerve hyper-aware of his presence. She could feel his eyes on her, and it made focusing on her phone nearly impossible.

Why is this happening? she thought, biting her lip. This is Minho. My childhood best friend. My current enemy. The guy who used to dunk me in pools and steal my snacks.

But it wasn't the same anymore. Somewhere between all the teasing, the random moments of care, and, let's be real, his infuriatingly attractive smirk, she'd found herself... catching feelings.

She swallowed hard, scrolling faster. Her heart betrayed her, pounding as if she was running a marathon while sitting still.

"A penny for your thoughts, sweetheart?" Minho's deep voice broke through the silence, dripping with flirtation.

Evelyn nearly dropped her phone. She shot him a glare, but her face was definitely heating up. Her heart sped up even more—if that was even possible.

"I—uh—it's nothing," she muttered, avoiding eye contact.

Minho's brow quirked. "Nothing? Your face is all red. Are you sick?"

Before she could stop him, his hand reached out, warm fingers brushing against her forehead.

Panic set in.

"Minho!" she yelped, slapping his hand away, her heart slamming against her ribcage.

He laughed, leaning back with a smug grin. "Jeez, feisty."

Evelyn crossed her arms, trying to hide how flustered she was. "I'm fine. Don't worry about it."

But she knew her face was betraying her. Her cheeks were burning. She could feel the blush creeping up her neck.

Get a grip, Evelyn.

Except she couldn't.

Because Minho wasn't wrong—her heart was racing, her stomach was doing somersaults, and her brain had officially short-circuited.

She was sick.

Not with a fever.

But with an incurable case of crush-itis.

Symptoms?

- Rapid heartbeat ☑

- Butterflies in stomach ☑

- Blushing uncontrollably ☑

- Constantly wondering what it'd feel like if he held her hand ☑

Evelyn sighed internally.

She was so cooked.

ruka:

ahrjkbtgjegtkvktgjwtkwjt I LOVE THIS CHAPTER. I have butterflies in my tummy now. i cant wait for season 3 anymore. also, TYSM LOVESS for 17.5k views. I'm more than grateful to each one of you and extra love to the ones who never fail to make me smile with their comments. i love reading your comments and replying to them !!🫶🫶🫶

(this user loves baby penguins)