Euijoo

“Euijoo, did you not get enough sleep last night?” Taesan asks, sitting beside me at the lunch table.

My head is lying on the table, and I turn it slightly to face him.

“I had to work last night.”

“Again? Is your uncle not planning on hiring a new staff member?”

“Here, Joo,” Sungho says, placing a tray in front of me. “At least eat something.”

“Thanks.”

The unexpected shift last night threw my schedule out of whack. My uncle said he wouldn’t need me until Thursday, but called when I got home from school yesterday.

Now I have to babysit today.

“You gonna make it tonight?” Taesan asks. “Can you call Nicholas and tell him to sit alone?”

“I’m fine, really,” I say. “I’ll just go to bed early tonight.”

“You still don’t have his number, do you?” Jo asks.

Everyone turns toward me with the same confused expression.

“You really don’t have his number?” Sungho asks.

“He doesn’t.” Jo says, shaking his head.

I’m really not a petty person.

But this whole situation with me and Nicholas feels... petty.

I have no reason to avoid him...

and no real reason to befriend him either.