Tuesday, 11:49pm

I lied in bed staring at the ceiling. That seemed to be how I would always end my days as of recently. Because my mind could only wander and never rest. You could guess what my mind was always on.

Minatozaki Sana.

She had been hitting me left and right ever since I decided to give her that chance that Chaeyoung told me to. First, she goes off showing her determination to become a good manager; that and to become a better person for me to look to. Then I randomly run into her at the arcade and she shows me how she’s such a fun person to be around. Just by those little things, I began to feel like I really did treasure her as a friend. So much that I’d put myself in the way of danger to protect her, I guess.

Then tonight, she came over and gently wrapped my hand. I stared at her face while she did it. Her beauty kept me wide awake. I remembered everything I saw. I remembered them all too clearly that it continued to occupy my mind. The way her lips pursed at every word. The way her silky skin glistened under the living room lights. I also couldn’t sleep because of how bothered I was at how I had looked at her. It felt like I looked at her with that same lustrous gaze that she always wore. Everything about her was just so beautiful. And... Tempting...?

Why tempting...?

I found myself reaching over the end table for my phone. I unlocked it, opened my messages, and stared at the screen that read “Sana-chan” at the top followed by text bubbles. Where did I plan to go with this?

Oh right, I wanted to see her.

It was a strange desire. I only just saw her a few hours ago. Nevertheless, I submitted to this longing. It may have been strange, but it was not bad in any way. If anything, it was good. I could get to know the true Minatozaki Sana, which I had wanted to since the beginning—despite the hard feelings then. We were friends now, but I still felt like I didn’t know enough about her. At the same time, it was a great way for me to sort this confusing feeling that I only just began to feel. So I prepared to bravely send a text to ask Sana out.

“Hey” -Dahyun

To my surprise, she replied so soon despite the late hour.

“Hey Dahyunnie~!!” -Sana-chan

"I was wondering if you would be doing anything tomorrow?" -Dahyun

"I’m free all day!" -Sana-chan

"Would you like to hang out at the ice-cream shop together?" -Dahyun

"Are you perhaps asking me on a date, Miss Kim Dahyun? ;)" -Sana-chan

Okay, now came the time to drop a lame excuse.

"Haha no... We’re friends now! So it’s like a hangout and get-to-know-more-about-each-other kinda thing." -Dahyun

"Mm I’m gonna call it a date though ;)" -Sana-chan

"Ahh fine. Call it whatever you want." -Dahyun

"Anyway, just gimme the details on where and when and I'll be there!" -Sana-chan

"The local ice-cream shop at noon?" -Dahyun

"Sounds good to me! :) <3" -Sana-chan

And so, a date hangout was planned.

Wednesday, 11:34am

“Chae,” I walked between Chaeyoung and the TV, causing her whine at me. “Help me,” I held out my bruised hand and a roll of bandage.

“Why weren’t you listening when Sana-unnie came over to help with this?” she asked as she stood to wrap my hand.

“I wouldn’t do it anyway if I were listening,” I admitted.

Chaeyoung sighed and quickly wrapped my hand. It wasn’t as good as the way Sana did it, but it worked. After she finished, she sat back down on the couch.

I sat down beside her, “Make sure Ahri is properly fed, okay? And give him all the attention he wants.”

Chaeyoung groaned, “Why couldn’t Ahri have been a cat?”

I frowned, “You know I’m more of a dog person if anything.”

“If anything, you used to be scared of any living thing that’s furry!”

“You should be happy that I’m getting over that!”

“I was until you put all this responsibility on me!” Chaeyoung cried.

I frowned at her, causing her to sigh heavily. “Fine,” she said, “I’ll take care of Ahri.” Then she furrowed her eyebrows, “Where are you going anyway?”

“The ice-cream shop,” I replied as I sat down beside her.

“With?”

“With–uh,” I shyly scratched my head, not wanting to admit that it was Sana that I was going with.

“With?” Chaeyoung repeated as she leaned towards me, but I leaned away. She tried to read my face. Then I watched as she made the revelation.

“Oh–,” then she smirked, “I see~.”

I started to blush. “I-It’s not what you–“

“You’ve got a date with the manager~,” she said in a sing-song voice.

“It’s not–,” I raised my hands and flailed them about, “It’s not a date!”

“Oh c’mon,” Chaeyoung leaned back on the couch and raised her eyebrows, “You’re hanging out with a pretty girl, brag a little.”

“I’m hanging out with a friend!”

“You’re hanging out with a love interest!”

“When did she become a love interest?!”

“How can she not become one? She’s beautiful. I’d definitely go out on a date with a beauty like that.”

For some reason, I became bitter after she had said that.

“You have Mina-unnie!” I regretted my words as I watched her expression turn sour.

“Don’t bring her into this,” she said through her teeth.

“Why?”

“I’m over her.”

“That’s what you tell yourself to help you go to sleep at night.”

“I really am over her!” The way her voice trembled as she exclaimed that made her words less than convincing.

“You’re lying to yourself.”

“Just like how you’re currently lying to yourself!”

“How am I lying to myself?”

“When it comes to Sana, you deny everything! You said you hated her, but in reality, you don’t. You said this is not a date, but in reality, it so obviously is. And so now you’re gonna tell me that you’re not the least bit romantically interested in her?”

“I-I’m not!” I tried to exclaim, but I couldn’t help but stutter. Because what Chaeyoung said was half true, half false. Temptation, is that not a sign of romantic interest? Half yes, half no. It wouldn’t really be considered a romantic feeling. But then again, nor would it be considered a platonic feeling.

“You go on this date. Once you’re done, you come back here with a clear resolution about your feelings for her,” Chaeyoung said before standing and continuing, “If you find that she may be a romantic interest, you’re treating me to food, deal?”

She held her right hand out for a handshake. I hesitated before taking her hand with my uninjured left hand for an awkward handshake. “Fine, deal.”

She then turned and decided to leave on one last note. “And also... Don’t mention Mina-unnie like that ever again.”

Had the tone in her voice been different, I would have taken that as a threat. But she spoke in such a way that I couldn’t help but feel like she was pleading with me.  Like just the name sparked something that she would prefer to keep stored away.

Since the hangout at the coffee shop, it seemed like Mina went MIA. Neither of us heard from her. She never did come to any practices. I felt bad for Chaeyoung. Before every practice, she’d look out towards the bleachers as if exp