“why are you still up?"” -seulgom

“cant sleep :(” -baejoo

“why?” -seulgom

“idunno.” -baejoo

Seulgi's perfectly shaped brows met in the middle of her forehead the moment she read her unknown chatmate's reply.

They had been chatting for over six months but they never had the chance to meet, maybe because no one bothered to ask for a meet up. They met in an online chatbox that used a codename to not let their real identity be exposed, after chatting for a few minutes, they already clicked and before they knew it, they became friends. 

It never bothered Seulgi that she's always chatting a random stranger online, she found a friend. That's it.

But the thing that bothered her was the feeling of butterflies inside of her everytime they talk(chat). She knew she was already falling for the unknown person, and she knew this wouldn't end up nicely.

What if the other person is a creepy old guy with a big tummy and smells like smoke? Or a ? Or worse, a murderer? 

That's why Seulgi never asked for a meet up because of that scary thought. She didn't want to shatter her daydream, she imagined a handsome guy at the other side of the computer, after all.

“drink some milk.”-seulgom

“too tired.” -baejoo

“you're tired but you cant sleep?”  -seulgom

“yes.” -baejoo

Seulgi sighed, she looked at the clock on top of her bedside table, 11:49.  It's already late, she still have classes tomorrow, she needs to sleep. 

beep.

“go to sleep, you still have classes tomorrow.”  -baejoo

A smile painted itself on Seulgi's face, she felt her heart beating wildly inside of her chest, she might think it'll break her ribs if it wouldn't calm down.

damn this baejoo.

“i can wake up early tomorrow.” -seulgom

“really?” -baejoo

“yes.” -seulgom

And that's where they started talking about anything they could come up to, they talked about what they would eat for breakfast, they talked about their dogs, they talked about school, they talked about literally everything.

But they never talked about themselves. 

They we're up until three o'clock. Seulgi knew she was going to be late tomorrow.

--

Seulgi was late.

The moment her mother banged against her room's door, yelling at how irresponsible Seulgi is for not waking up early for school, Seulgi knew she was going be late. 

She immediately jumped out of her bed, ran for the bathroom and made the quickest bath she had ever done after seeing her bedside clock. She didn't even ate her breakfast, she just grabbed a piece of bread and started running again to catch the last bus.

“Ms. Kang, stay outside.” the professor said, not even glancing at the heaving girl with messy hair, crumpled blouse and loose tie. 

Seulgi dejectedly sighed, turning around and leaving the classroom, earning some pitiful looks from her classmates, particularly, from Seungwan.

--

“So? You stayed up late again, didn't you?” Seungwan asked, grabbing a bread and putting it on her tray while Seulgi stared at her empty tray with lost eyes. She must still be sleepy.

“Yeah.” Seulgi answered, she focused on her tray again after seeing Seungwan putting a carton of strawberry milk on it, she smiled at her friend and started putting more foods on her tray for lunch.

“Baejoo?” Seungwan didn't need to ask, she already knew but she needed to be sure. Since the day she heard Seulgi talking about this unknown stranger online, she knew that person will be always Seulgi's reason to stay up late and arrive late on school too. She knew the routine, it'll always be the unknown Baejoo.

She just received a hum from her friend, placing her food on the table, they started eating quietly. Not until Sooyoung and her side-kick Yerim, the School's notorious duo arrived at their shared table with their own trays.

“Yo Seulgi.” Yerim enthusiastically grabbed her bread and waved it to catch the older girl's attention, Seungwan glared at the younger but got ignored as she was still trying to catch the girl's attention.

“The Baechu online--”

“It's Baejoo, Yerim.” Seulgi corrected.

“It's the same thing. Anyway, he's a guy right?” Yerim dismissed the correction Seulgi made, Seulgi's brows met in the middle as she was confused why Yerim asked. 

“Actually, I don't know.” Seulgi honestly said, she felt a pat on her shoulder, she looked up and saw Seungwan's comforting eyes. She smiled at her friend and just continued eating.

 “Why won't you ask?” Sooyoung tried to steal a piece of bread on Seungwan's tray but got her hand slapped by a spoon instead, she hissed at Seungwan and changed her hand's direction instead, she successfully stole a piece of bread on Seulgi's tray since the girl was distracted by Yerim's question.

“I.. We never talked about those things before.” Seulgi dropped her head low, Yerim just nodded, understanding that she should stop questioning the girl now since she's already feeling down but Sooyoung didn't think the same way.

“You should ask for a meet up.” Sooyoung cheerfully suggested while chomping on a piece of chicken wings that she also stole from Seulgi's tray. 

“I.. I don't think that's a good idea.”

--

“are you a good singer?” -baejoo

Seulgi didn't know what to answer. Truthfully, yes, she is a good singer, she holds an important role in their school's glee club, the club needs Seulgi's strong alluring voice to keep them going. But she didn't want to sound like she's bragging if she'll answer truthfully, so with an uncertain heart, she replied

“I dont know? but i do sing sometimes.” -seulgom

“sing me a song.” -baejoo

Her heart started to beat uncontrollably, she wanted to but she's afraid that maybe her voice wouldn't be enough to impress the person on the other side. 

Wait. Why do i need to impress him? 

She sighed cause she already knew the answer. Of course, she likes him (or her. she's still confused.) and every girl really wants to impress the person they like. That's a given.

“How?” -seulgom

“idunno. this is hard.”  -baejoo

“I'll definitely make you sing the moment i see you.” -baejoo

“im serious.” -baejoo

Seulgi's already cackling, she imagines baejoo whining and being frustrated not hearing her sing. But her heart started to beat nervously the moment the words sink in. This is the closest thing that they talked or mentioned about meeting each other and Seulgi can't help but to feel nervous. Maybe Sooyoung's words are starting to get into her head. 

Should we meet?| 

She was about to send the message but got the shock of her life when a beep sounded indicating a message from baejoo.

“let's meet.” -baejoo

Baejoo wasnt even asking, he or she was like telling that whether Seulgi liked it or not they're going to meet, Seulgi knew she wasn't planning to reject it either. But the thing is, is Seulgi ready to see the person on the other side? 

She wasn't. 

She knew she wasn't. But she accepted it anyway.

It's now or never. 

--

When Seulgi arrived at the café they planned to meet at, she's wearing an orange shirt inside her black jacket. The two planned to wear a certain color to recognize the other person immediately, Seulgi said she'll wear an orange shirt while baejoo's going to wear a purple one.

Seulgi's still not sure if she's ready or not so she brought her jacket with her so that in case she wants to back out, she'll just leave while hiding her bright orange shirt. She's a coward, she knew.

She seated herself in a table for two near the café's door and just beside the window, she ordered her usual caramel machiato and banana cake. She was glad when they had planned to meet in this particular café because this is her usual café, she practically lived here. This is where she pulled an all-nighter just to finish her projects, this is also where she spends her free time, eating snacks and sometimes she eats here, whether it's breakfast, lunch, dinner or just anytime she wants. This place is her comfort zone, she's glad they picked this place where she felt home and comfortable.

The bell of the cafe's door chimed which caught Seulgi's attention, she looked up and saw a very beautiful woman, bright eyes, button nose, pink lips, and silky black hair. Seulgi felt she saw an actual angel walking on earth, it was like love at first sight. 

But what caught Seulgi's attention most was the purple off-shoulder blouse the woman is wearing, she looked like she was searching for someone, Seulgi felt her heart drop the moment she realized that maybe this is baejoo. The stranger online. 

No. It couldn't be. She's too beautiful to be baejoo. 

Seulgi tried to reason out but she realized she hadn't even seen baejoo. What does she expect? She didn't even know what the stranger online's gender is. 

She glanced at the woman again who was now like a lost child in the middle of a crowd. The café's already full when she arrived and there aren't available seats anymore. Seulgi saw the woman staring at an ahjussi that's wearing an orange shirt sitting in a table at the corner of the room, upon seeing this, Seulgi zipped up her jacket to the top as to hide her bright orange shirt from sight. 

She definitely isn't ready for this.

Seulgi searched for her phone, dialing Seungwan's number to ask for immediate advice. 

"Seungwan!" the moment the line got connected, she half-shouted half-whispered on the phone as to not catch the other customer's attention, especially the woman in purple. 

"hey. What? What happened? You're meeting baejoo now, right?" Seungwan worriedly asked, she knew this wasn't a great idea to meet the stranger online. Maybe Seulgi was in trouble, maybe this baejoo  was a creepy ert, she was ready to run for Seulgi's whereabouts when Seulgi answered.

"It's a girl! Baejoo's a girl!" 

"what?

"what?"

"what?!"

"Seungwan help me. She's really beautiful and i dont know what to do. Oh  my go--she's comming." 

Before Seungwan could answer, Seulgi ended the phone call, Noticing that the woman was heading towards her direction. She needs to be calm and collected and not freak out or give any hints that implies that she's seulgom. 

"Is this se--?" 

"I'm not wearing an orange shirt." 

"..." 

Seulgi wished that the ground would open and eat her whole, she's aware that her whole face was bright red, she felt the room getting hotter and hotter every second that passes. She was about to excuse herself when the woman chuckled lightly, disbelief and amusement tainting her bright eyes.

"I was just going to ask if this seat is taken. Well, I think I got the jackpot." 

Yup, she is baejoo. 

"I'm s-sorry, I was just surprised." Seulgi tried to save herself from the embarrassment but her red face wouldn't let her. The woman was still giggling, she looked really beautiful in that moment, Seulgi didn't know how she survived that kind of ethereal beauty.

"So, is this seat taken?"

"N-No." 

The woman was still giggling while she seated herself, this girl's really interesting and she don't mind talking and sitting with her, even though she's practically a stranger.

"You're Seulgom, correct?" she gave a shy nod. She studied the woman's features, she's much more beautiful up-close and Seulgi really thinks that she's an actual angel. Her eyes are more beautiful up-close, her nose is tall and cute, her lips (God, Seulgi's going to die.) is so pink and Seulgi imagines how it feels like if she's going to kiss it. 

Wait. what?

To avoid those thoughts, she shook her head and dragged her eyes lower, she might really faint because of how prominent the woman's jaw is and how her neck, collarbones and shoulders are displayed because of her off-shoulder blouse. 

Gosh, I look like a ert. 

"Hey, Seulgom. Are you still there?" the woman asked which pulled Seulgi back to reality and away from those creepy thoughts that she just had. 

"It's Seulgi." 

"What?" the woman looked confused but after a second, realized what Seulgi meant and smiled, Seulgi really thinks she's going to die, the woman is so beautiful, she doesn't even look real.

"I'm Joohyun. Bae Joohyun." 

ah, so that's where baejoo came from. 

"I assume that seulgom came from your name and the word bear because you look like one." Joohyun stated, sporting a teasing smirk which had Seulgi's stomach do backflips. 

"Yeah. You got it right." she answered timidly, still shy at how unreastically beautiful this girl is. 

"You're much more outgoing when you don't see me, aren't you." 

"I-I didn't mean it that way. I-I'm just shy because you're really b-beautiful in person." she admitted feeling like her face was set on fire because of how it felt hot. She lowered her head and covered her face with her hands because of embarrassment, it didn't help how Joohyun giggled at how cute Seulgi was acting.

"It's okay, Seul. And thank you, you're still sweet whether I talk to you online or in person." Seulgi felt her pride boosting up as she watched how Joohyun's smile brightened up, she'll treasure this moment and keep this inside her heart until the day she dies. 

"You still owe me a song." Joohyun reminded, she could no longer hold her laughter as she watched how Seulgi's expression changed from dazed to a horrified one.

"Oh, Come On!"

T H E E N D

a/n: idunno how to end it so yeah, wtf. This is pureee ewwy. what did i just made?