The bus ride to the trip was loud, chaotic, and full of excited students. People argued over seats, music blasted from someone’s speaker near the front, and half the class looked like they hadn’t slept either.

You avoided most of it. The back seat of the bus was quiet enough, especially once you put your headphones in. You settled into the corner seat by the window, jacket zipped up, a book resting in your lap. Soft music filled your ears as you opened the page.

Kitty had said she’d sit with you. You expected her to appear any minute. The bus engine started. Students were still climbing on, voices echoing through the aisle. You didn’t look up from your book. Then someone slid into the seat beside you just as the bus began pulling away from the lodge. You assumed it was Kitty. Until the faint scent of expensive cologne reaches you. You slowly looked up. Minho.

He had barely sat down before the bus started moving, the tires crunching over the snowy road. Your eyes narrowed slightly. Minho leaned back in the seat like he had every right to be there.

You stared at him for a moment before sighing quietly and putting your attention back on your book. The music in your headphones continued playing.

Eventually Minho sighed. He rubbed the back of his neck slightly. Minho sat beside you in silence. Then you noticed him digging around in his bag. At first you ignored it. Until he placed something in your lap. You looked down. Your favorite drink. The exact brand. That wasn’t sold anywhere near the ski lodge.

You glanced at him. Minho was already pulling out something else. A small pack of those specific snacks you liked. Then another. Every single item was something you liked. And every single one could only be found in convenience stores miles away from KISS.

He leaned slightly closer and reached toward your ear. Before you could react, he gently pulled one earbud out. Then he placed it in his own ear.

“You’ve been ignoring me. I wanted to spend time with you.”