"Well, what do you like?"

Minji had been staring up at him in silence, a quizzical look on her face. Her brows now knitted together, a deep crease forming on her forehead. A lit cigarette sat balanced between two fingers, she took a pause as if deep in thought before blowing a plume of smoke sideways against the wind.

"I don't like troublesome guys meddling in my friend's life" she used her spare hand to wave at the smoke before quickly tucking it back into the warmth of her coat.

A sly smile tugged at the corner of his lips, something between a sigh and a laugh escaping him as he shook his loose curls in defeat. Though she was almost two feet shorter than him she stood defiantly. He had seen videos online of family cats bravely standing up against wild bears, at this moment he couldn't help but relate to the bear. In retrospect, he knew that his question had been futile.

Minji had always served as a quasi bodyguard for Haneul. For as long as he had known Haneul, Minji had never been too far away. Even now, despite the fact that her friend was nowhere to be seen, her protective streak prevented him from getting closer. In truth he didn't blame her, when he had first met Haneul he had felt an overwhelming protectiveness over her. Maybe it was her bubbly personality, or the fact that she plunged head first into every situation with a sense of childlike naivety. In a way he admired her carefree nature, on the other hand, he felt something like fear tugging at his chest every time he watched her navigate through difficult life lessons.

Jaehee subconsciously rubbed at his chest, the cold breeze shocking him back out of his thoughts.

"Well I certainly know a lot more about what you don't like." he added with a smirk before taking another drag of his cigarette.

Minji glared up at him as she swapped the cigarette to her opposing hand, shifting her now cold fingers into her pocket. Her cheeks were flushed from the cold, a thick scarf wrapped around her lower face which she tucked her pink tinged nose into, only occasionally peeking it out to take rushed puffs from her cigarette.

They certainly made for a funny duo in the department. While Haneul was eternally optimistic, upbeat and blithely unaware of the effect her aloof nature had on guys, Minji seemed much more stoic and mature, despite being the same age. Though Mincheol played a big part in keeping away potential suitors, Jaehee knew that the real obstacle in winning over Haneul was getting on Minji's good side. If he could just get her on his side, he knew that her approval would go a long way in prying Haneul away from that over-protective oaf.

Unfortunately for him, Minji was not the type of person to be easily sweet-talked or succumb to flattery. He knew his good looks and smooth talk would get him nowhere.

"I'm just trying to be friends. Is it so bad for a sunbae to want to make friends with his underclassmen?" Jaehee shrugged, his arms outstretched in the cold, an overly exaggerated look of hurt across his features.

Minji rolled her eyes at his mock agony and flicked her cigarette to the ground before stamping it out under a fur lined boot. "It's cold, I need to get back inside"

She adjusted her scarf before turning towards her dorm room.

Jaehee watched as she walked away, a look of amusement on his face. At the very least, this endeavor would prove to be entertaining. He could see smoke billowing up from her hot breath against the cold night air, the light from the overhead lamps illuminating her receding figure. Suddenly she paused, her eyes peeking over her shoulder at him "She really does hate smokers you know"

Jaehee nodded his head in acknowledgement and smiled as she walked away into darkness. He put out his cigarette against the brick of the building.