Chapter 6

Was it a dream or was it real? Soojung couldn’t distinguish between what’s real and what’s not anymore. Well, it’s more like she didn’t want to believe what she just heard from Jihyo.

“Because I like you!” she cried.

“I feel frustrated with your cold shoulder, even cried when you were being mean to me. It’s because I like you!”

The feeling of liking someone; since when it had been so easy! Soojung was in dilemma. But then, well, words could lie. Jihyo might have confused of her own feelings. However, Soojung could not lie that she was flustered because of the confession. Not only she was taken aback, but also many inquiries came into her mind when she heard what the younger girl said.

How could Jihyo fall for her when they barely knew each other? When Soojung sometimes treated Jihyo like a jerk even.

Someone came and joined Soojung at the dining table. “What could be the problem?” Jiae asked softly. “So what if Ms. Jihyo liked you? I actually see it coming though.”

Soojung wondered if she made the right choice by telling Jiae about it.

“You know about it, Jiae. I can’t…” Soojung replied softly. The atmosphere had suddenly turned sorrow as the older one heard the younger sighed.

“Until when…” Jiae paused to look at her cousin. “…will you suffer alone like this?” Soojung looked elsewhere. “You’d do that for the rest of your life?” Jiae inquired further.

“Unnie,” she called. “-you’re not being fair to yourself.”

“I have promised…” Soojung was cut off. “You’re fooling yourself with that promise. She’s gone Soojung unnie, gone!” Jiae said. “Why are you letting yourself be drowned in the past that cannot be undone?”

“Jiae…” cried Soojung. “Please, I thought you’d relate with them and understood me?”

“I do feel them and yes I understood the reason you’re doing this. But I don’t…” Jiae choked on her own tears. “I just want my old Soojung unnie back.” Jiae pleaded as she began to cry softly. “Ever since Mijoo had left us, you’ve changed. And I hate that!”

The two cousins seated in silence as they tried to reach and understand each other’s feelings better. After both had calmed down a little, Jiae spoke up once again.

“I know you’ve wavered when Ms. Jihyo came in our life.” Soojung tilted her head at Jiae. “I know you too much, Soojung unnie. Although I couldn’t read what’s on your mind, I see it how you’re slowly opening up and have a soft heart for her. If it wasn’t the case, you wouldn’t want to have accepted working together with her company. You wouldn’t bother to apologize for your mean acts. You wouldn’t arrange schedules and etc just so you could meet her in person to ask for an apology.”

Soojung gave no reaction to Jiae’s statements because as much as the former wanted to deny, it was actually the truth.

“I’m sorry if I misread your actions, but I could feel maybe, just maybe according to my hunch, that Ms. Jihyo might be the one…for you!”

Although she said that, Jiae shook her head right after. “But of course if you don’t want to accept her, it’s up to you. I’m in no place to question whatever decisions you’ll make for your own good.”

Soojung might know the answer…

…or maybe not!

*
*

If only she could turn back the time…

Jihyo just wanted to take back whatever things she had said towards Soojung. It was too embarrassing. Soojung must have thought Jihyo was a fool.

And that’s the truth. Jihyo was indeed a fool.

Where in the world would you see a person fell in love too easily, when it took over 20 years of Jihyo’s life to have felt that kind of feeling?  Jihyo must have gone crazy.

Many would question if Jihyo interpreted her feelings right. Yeah, it could be just a simple feeling of interest like how Jihyo felt towards Mina in the past, when she first knew the Japanese girl in her 1st year of college.

However, Jihyo was sure this feeling was a bit different and more excessive than before. She was no love expert, nor experienced. But Jihyo was smart enough to know what the feeling was like.

She wanted to confront with her friends regarding this matter, but she’s afraid to be judged. After all, it’s not like Jihyo met Soojung daily to be so sure that she liked the latter. Her friends were strict about that, especially Yoo Jungyeon. If anyone wasn’t against of her, it might be the Japanese line; Mina firstly, Momo and Sana subsequently. The younger ones might not have anything to say otherwise either, but Nayeon and Jungyeon would be top when it come to being overprotective.

If Jihyo wouldn’t get nagged for that, Soojung would be hunted down instead.

Either way, it’s better not to say anything at all.

Especially since she was sure Soojung wouldn’t return the same feeling.

*
*

The morning awakened and sun had shined when Jihyo came into the kitchen, she was greeted brightly by her housemates. “Good morning Jihyo!” Momo uttered cutely and blinked her eyes at the younger girl.

Jihyo however feeling dispirited in the morning and greeted back weakly. “Morning…”

Momo was of course too dense to notice, and Mina was always the one to catch fast. Sensing the down mood on her friend, Mina didn’t intend to say anything about it and entertain her girlfriend instead. She’ll have a say to Jihyo later when anyone else wasn’t around, Mina determined.

Throughout the breakfast, even when they were headed to their office, Jihyo’s quietness had started to make Mina became more concerned. She had never seen the usual loud and hyper girl being so quiet and down like that, which had her worrying.

When they were at work, Jihyo was too distracted to take note of what’s going around. Nayeon was being loud with Chaeyoung and Jungyeon in her office, she wasn’t even aware of that. Tzuyu was chasing Jungyeon around for teasing her, Jihyo didn’t even notice one bit.

When Jungyeon had left the office leaving them having meeting, Mina just knew that Jihyo wasn’t giving her best yet.

As Jihyo was in the pantry to have a hot drink, it was fortunate to have Mina observe her or else, Jihyo’s hand would be burned with hot water. “Jihyo, be careful!”

Jihyo actually poured too much of the hot water in her mug mindlessly that it’s almost spilled from overflowing. As Mina neared her friend, Jihyo quickly realized what’s happening and tried to not be panic. She took a deep breath and rubbed her face.

“Are you okay, Jihyo?” Mina asked slowly. Her eyebrows furrowed, proving her concern over the former. Mina held Jihyo’s hand and looked at her in the eyes.

“You know you can count on me on anything. Tell me what’s bothering you,” she told further and assured that she wouldn’t overreact or report to Nayeon or worse, to Jungyeon.

As Jihyo closed her eyes briefly and opened them back, she began to tell her agony.

*
*

As another month hit, Tzuyu had a meeting with Soojung regarding next concept for her photoshoot. When the model arrived at the studio, Soojung’s eyes instinctively searched for any trace of Jihyo’s figure but none came into her vision. There were only Tzuyu, Mina and Nayeon presented. She heaved a sigh from disappointment.

Mina who noticed Soojung’s eyes were on them, asked the photographer. “Are you looking for Jihyo?” Her Japanese slang was still quite strong but fortunately people could still understand her. Soojung who was flustered at the question just nodded her head.

“Jihyo has her share of works in our store and Nayeon unnie came in place of her,” Mina explained, trying her best suppressing the ultimate reason Jihyo didn’t want to be there.

They proceeded with the meeting and Soojung introduced a male model to them.”Tzuyu, this is the male model that will be working with you for the couple photoshoot concept.” A tall man seated beside Soojung stood up and bowed at the girls politely while flashing his charming smile. “Hi, I’m Kim Mingyu!”

The tall man landed his eyes on Tzuyu and began to talk sweetly to the model. “You’re beautiful!” Any woman would fall for his charm and sweet talks, but Tzuyu was not buying it. “I know,” she said and smirked. It made Mingyu chuckled in return.

“No flirting is allowed, you know my rule Kim Mingyu!” Soojung warned without looking up at him. Mingyu just laughed as he sat back down on his seat while shaking his head. “You know I was joking too, noona!”

“Do you know each other well?”Nayeon asked curiously. Mingyu nodded his head proudly as Soojung explained. “I used to work a lot with him before when I was still working in ELLE Magazine.”

Nayeon gasped. “You used to work for ELLE?”

Mingyu answered in her place. “Yup, but it was really short and after a year and a half noona built up her own studio and posted articles online,” he said.

“Why did you quit then?”

Soojung sighed when topic regarding her past was brought up. “Things were hard at that time, especially since I was freshly graduated so my skills were doubted a lot. I had to be put on a stop, and here I am…”

Soojung remembered when she hit the slump and if it wasn’t for the supports and strength she received from her friends especially her girlfriend Mijoo, she started to rise back and build her own name in the cyber world.

They proceeded with the meeting and discussed further for their next project until to the end. As they wrapped up the meeting and wanted to part ways, Soojung had an invitation for them.

“Ms. Im Nayeon,” she called as the head director of her company. “I would like to invite you and your employees over to our studio on Friday night for a dinner. It’ll be my treat,” she said which gained interest from the younger girl as well as Tzuyu and Mina.

“Sure, I’d gladly take them on that day. Thank you for inviting us, Ms