~

The work actually worked pretty well.

We weren't as slow as I expected, we could work in a good tempo but we still could be relaxed.

I didn't had to talk to Hyunjin very much, everyone just did research by themselves, except for Esther, Hobi and Hani of course, they had to say something to each other all two seconds.

The bell just rang and we packed our stuff together.

Everyone gave Hani the papers.

"Hey, Soomin", Chaeyoung said.

"Hey Chaeyoung", I answered and gave her a little smile. The others were talking.

Chaeyoung smiled back.

"You know, I actually never saw you smile, today is the first time", she said laughing.
I smiled a little bit more.

"I don't really like to smile. I don't want to get wrinkles when I'm old. Believe me, when I'm 60, I'm gonna look 30."

She had to smile. "Yeah, but I mean, Hobi laughs enough for all of us together."

"Definitely. Sometimes it's a little bit scary. Don't you think a person can like smile too much? I mean this can't be healthy."

We both laughed. Chaeyoung understood me.

"So, what do you think about our group?", she asked.

"I hate it. So fucking annoying", I shortly answered.

"Yeah you're right. I mean, they are fun and it never gets boring, but I get headache after two hours of Esther's and Hobi's voice. Like, do they never stop talking?"

"And Hani. You know, I really like Hani but she's just so annoying when Hwang Hyunjin  is there. She's basically obsessed with him."

"I mean like, I can't deny it, sometimes I'm distracted too by Hyunjins face, he's just so handsome. It's not really fair how someone can look that good. But except for that, he's not that special", she said.

I didn't say anything. I didn't really knew what to answer to that. So she continued talking.
"But she's not the only one who is so fucking obsessed with him. It's literally everyone."

I nodded. She really understood me.

The others, that were a few meters away, came back to us.

"Guys, today was a great day! We already did so much!", Hobi started clapping, we also clapped, for ourselves. It's maybe a little bit cringe, but that really can motivate.

"But, we also have a very good group. We're the popular group, Am I right", Esther said while stabbing Hobi a little bit with her elbow.

Popular?

"What do you mean with popular?", Hani asked.

She also didn't understood what Esther meant.

The only one who is popular here is Hyunjin.

"Yeah, we have like Hani, you're very popular", she started explaining.

Hani smiled shyly.

"No, I'm not popular", she said, while looking to the ground and putting her hair behind her ear.

"Then we have Hyunjin, of course. And we have me", she said and flipped her hair.

"Stop being so narcissistic", I Hyunjin said.

But she was right. Everyone knew Esther. She she had her own personality, she was a Dramaqueen and many people think she's funny.

"We have Hobi. Everyone loves Hobi", she said and poked his cheek.

"And we have Soomin."
What?
"Soomin?", Hani asked.
"Me?"

"Yeah, you're popular. Everyone knows you. And you went viral."

"What the fuck?", I asked. I went viral? This isn't Tik Tok, this is the real life, you don't go viral.

"Yeah, you know", she made a head movement towards Hyunjin.

Hyunjin looked at Esther the whole time with a disgusted face.

He didn't seemed to like the whole talk about this popularity thing.
But me neither.

"Oh and- I'm so sorry Chaechae, we still love you, no offense.", Esther started to explain, when she noticed that she totally forgot Chaeyoung.
"Not taken. I know that I'm not popular and I really don't want to be. I'm better by myself", she calmed Esther down, who looked a little bit relieved.

Esther surely didn't wanted to hurt Chaeyoung's feelings.

~

"Guys, I can't find the papers", Hani said, after she looked in her bag for the twentieth time.

"What do you mean 'your can't find the papers'?", Chaeyoung said, with a little bit pissed voice.

"I looked everywhere, I can't find them."
There was now a little bit more panic and frustration in her voice.

"Are you serious? We did research the last two days". Hobi didn't sounded that nice anymore. He was also a pissed.

But for a reason. That was a lot of work.

"I'm so so sorry. I- I tought they were here, but they aren't and- and-", her voice cracked. She started crying. I wanted to comfort her, but I'm really bad at this. So I just let her cry.

"Okay, everyone, just check if you don't have the papers", Hyunjin said. Everyone checked their bags, but they were nowhere to found.

We were fucked now.

This was 4 hours of work. This was the whole work from the last week.

"Okay, do you guys still have the websites on your history? I'll do the research", Hyunjin said.

We all looked at him.

He can't be serious.

"Hwang, don't try to be the hero, that's way too much", I said.

"No, no, I should do that, I lost the papers", Hani said.

"No, I'm the leader, I take responsibility."

"And we Are a group, so we do this together. We'Re aLL iN tHiS tOgeTheR!", I started singing and dancing a little bit around, to cheer the others a little bit up, which made them laugh a little bit. It maybe was a little bit unexpected that I'm the one who cheered everyone up but I just didn't wanted everyone to fight over who plays the hero.

"Okay guys. This will be okay, it's not that big of a deal. We can do it", Hyunjin said and we all high fived.

And we immediately started.
Nobody said a word, we were so focused in doing our work.

And we couldn't believe it, but we actually finished.

We could do it in these two hours.

"I'm so proud of you guys. I knew we can do this", Hyunjin said smiling.
He has actually a really sweet smile.

Ew. Why did I even thought about that?

We all packed our stuff together and talked for a little bit.

"Should I wait?", Hani said. I was still packing my stuff together.

"No, it's okay", I said and gave her a small smile.

"Kay, Bye Soominnie". Then she left with Hobi and Esther, who both waved in my direction.

"Bye, Soomin", Chaeyoung also left a few moments after.
I was always the last one to leave in this group project.

I don't know why I am so slow, in the other classes I am always the first one to be out of class because I just want to leave this hell.

But when I stood up, I nearly bumped into someone.

I looked up.

It was Hyunjin.

"Why are you still here?", I asked, I tried to stay nice, but obviously I didn't. I'm not really good at that.

"I don't know", he answered and shrugged his shoulders.

We both started going towards the exit.

"Hwang, what the fuck was that earlier? You know you don't need to play the hero", I said and gave him a gaze from the side.

"I am the leader. I wanted to take responsibility. I wanted to to the right thing. For once", he sighed.

For once.

I didn't dare to say anything.

He really took that personal what I said.

But I didn't knew what to answer him now.

So I just walked away.

~~~~~