The rest of the day at work was pretty uneventful. I didn't embarrass myself anymore and no one bought me any more pity coco. Jungkook and my bickering never ended though. Like the Earth to the Sun, our conversations are fated to continuously circle the same sole purpose of insulting each other, hopefully, to the point of tears. Of hurt or happiness? Depends on the perspective.

For me right now, it was happiness. You see, Kookie is a sensitive weeb.

He doesn't like it when you make fun of his animes.

But I like it. I like it a lot. It's my joy and pride.

"If you don't back the F-"

"WATCH your proFAniTIes!" I yell laughing.

"ff-ff-fudge off me and MY hobbies, I will One Punch you dead!" JK says, steaming.

"Boi, whatchu gonna do? You can't "One Punch me dead"" I say with air quotes "you watch too many anime mangos."

JK closes his eyes in frustration, breathing out his nose.

I think this is it, I think he's gonna cry!

"It's mangas, not mANgOs. And you can't WATCH mangas, you READ them. you don't- Anime is- " Jungkook throws his hands around, scrunching up his face, trying to explain. He yells in frustration, giving up. "DON'T MESS WITH ME WOMAN! I HAVE THE POWER OF GOD AND ANIME ON MY SIDE!" JK takes a karate position and I die of laughter.

A customer comes in and we both quickly bow, greeting them as we gather our sanity. A last chuckle escapes me and I wipe a lone tear, mentally congratulating myself on yet another great win. The customer quickly looks around, gets what they want and checks out, probably scared to death about what kind of craziness they had walked into.

"How was the quiz by the way?"Jungkook asks calmly now, sitting down in the only chair.

"eh, I forgot about it but I don't normally have to study anyway, so I'd say I'll get at least a B." I say, sitting up on the counter, we're closing in a few minutes anyway so it doesn't matter. "What about you? Don't you have midterms soon?"

He scratches the back of his neck looking away"Yeeaaa...... I'm probably gonna fail to be honest. There's no hope for me. I'm lucky if I get a C."

Geez, he sucks at school, does he even try to study? He probably wastes his time, " watching too many mangos.."I mutter under my breath, smiling to myself.

"Huh?"JK says, leaning forward to hear me better.

Frick.I panic."I said it takes two to tango" Idiot.

"........Huh?"JK says again, still confused.

I think fast, trying to save myself "I mean, it helps to have a study partner."

He stares at me like I'm an idiot, which, I am. ".......that's not what that means" He rebuttals, shaking his head at my stupidity.

"Oh sure it does"

"It really doesn't"

"Oh whatever," I say giving up. "What I mean to say is, I can help you study if you'd like."

Jungkook turns back to look at me, assessing my offer after I had literally just said something stupid. After a moment of a stare down he bluntly replies "yea, definitely not." He scrunches up his face in disgust and observes the store. Well frick you too, I didn't wanna help anyways.

***

I lock the store's doors and swing the key around my finger. "Okay Kookie, see you see you tomorrow!" I pull out my phone and begin to walk away.

It's so late already, 8:40? Am I gonna have time to buy food and cook? Do I even have enough money?

"Hey Momo?" JK says

I turn back to face him but continue to mess on my phone, checking my card balance online. "yeah whats up?"

8,900 won. Nope, no dinner for me. not unless I wanna walk to school and work!

"Listen, bout that study offer,....IknowIsaidnoandall butireallyamfailingmyclasses...."

"Hmmhmm?" I say absent mindedly.

I guess I could buy some ramen and just endure walking for one day, or take the bus, I'd have to wake up early though,...

"Ihonestlycouldusethehelp. I reallywannagetintoagoodcollege and work towards being a cinematographer, Ican'treallydothatwithfailinggradesevenifIhaveasportsschoalership." Jungkook rubs his eye in embarrassment, speaking quickly as if to get it all out of his system.

"yeah?" I repeat. I should eat healthy though, I could buy some veggies and endure the bus for two days, I'd have to wake up early anyway to cook. My stomach growls at the thought of food.

"Could you help me?!" Jungkook erupts, frustrated that I wasn't paying attention and still slightly embarrassed. "Geez, I'm over here ppouring myheartout, askingyouforhelp aaand you'renotevenlistening. I justneedaknow, can you or canyounotactuallyhelpme?.........I can pay you"

I stop and consider his offer, have to deal with Jungkook for longerbut have more money for food. Hmmmmmmm

"We can study during work, barely anyone comes in anyways. And it'll just be for the tests, just two weeks."Jungkook entices.

Two weeks of the same amount of time with Jungkook just with less making fun of me and more shutting up and doing homework and I get paid?

"DEAL!" I snap my fingers at him with a smile."Can you pay in advance? I'm hungry."

***

I pat my full belly, satisfied. After a long hard day, Kooki and I combined ate 9 servings of grilled meat at our favorite barbecue place. Here, It's only 10,000 for all you can eat. Big mistake on their part. suckers have been played, thinking we couldn't possibly eat more than 10,000won worth of meat. Plus, I've snuck some in a baggy for later. They've been double played.

I could be a con-artist. A food con-artist. An eating con-artist? These just keep getting lamer and faaarr less exciting.

I take a deep breath, mentally preparing myself to get out of my chair. I push myself up, muttering incoherent groans like an old man. Kookie laughs as I struggle to get up.

"Geeeez now I see where all that food went, when's the baby due?!" He motions to my protruding belly.

I lovingly caress my food baby, glancing at Kook's swollen belly sticking out from his shirt "Same goes to you!" I throw my napkin at him.

He smiles at me, patting his own baby. "Tomorrow morning. I'll send you a pic when it comes out." He says wiggling his eyebrows.

"Ew" I look away, disturbed at the thought."Do not."

That reminds me.

"Actually, give your phone number. and not your work one, your actual one."

"Why?" JK wiggles his eyebrows again." Change your mind?"

"No idiot, you need to be able to text me if you need help."I say, grabbing his phone out of his hand, exchanging our numbers. Then throwing it back at him." I'm gonna make a group chat."

"a group chat?" He questions, perplexed.

".....yeah." I add his number to the chat.

".....for two people..." He says slower

"Yup!" I pop the p

"whytheheckwouldyouneedagroupchatfortwopeople? It's TWO PEOPLE. That'sliterally theexactsameasjusttexting" JK throws his hands up in confusion

"So we can have a group name." I finish typing the name and press save.

Jungkook's phone lights up with a notification.

"Burn it."Jungkook exclaims, wide-eyed from both the cringe and the fear "burn it with fire."