Song recommended: Arcade - Duncan Laurence

Bbbbzzzzzz bbbzzzzzz bbbbzzzzz

The vibrating phone on the bedside table keeps screaming to be picked up for only God knows how many times but the owner doesn't even bother by it.

"Urgh.."

Yena groans hard as she turns her body facing upward the ceiling and spreads her arms widely on that queen size bed. She really doesn't give a damn about the phone since last night and even turn the data off but this morning, and it still choose to annoy her with that non-stop vibrating.

"I ing told already I need some ing alone time!" She yells to no one in the room.

Bbbbzzzzzzz bbbbzzzzzzz bbbbzzzzzzz

Yena flicks her gaze upward before grabbing the nearer pillows and covers her ears and lets out another loud groan.

 everything!

*** *** ***
[Flashback Yesterday]

"Looks like a new cafe will be opened at the next building." 

They chose the table with enough seats for all of them and the incoming two and as usual, next to the window. 

"I hope it sells those custom drinks. It's tiresome to go walk the other two roads to reach Starbuck." Yujin comments while settling down beside Minju. 

"RIP our money." Minju chuckles. 

"Oh please, I'm surrounded by all the hella rich spoiled unnies. Don't you dare use those words in front of me." The youngest rolls her eyes. 

"For nth times, I want to point out hella rich status doesn't mean we can easily get damn money from the parents like snapping out our fingers and boom! A suitcase with thousands Won appears in front of us right away. Just look this brat, she even begs me to lend her 10$ to refuel her damn scooter." Chaeyeon smacks Yena's shoulder beside her with her wallet. The girl groans hard but does not leave her Nintendo alone. She doesn't bother to deny what Chaeyeon said because it's true, she only has 20 bucks left for the lunch.

I need to use my secret weapon later to ensure my survival on the earth. What's the purpose of having a rich brother? I swear I love my Sungmin!

"I can't believe she was the same girl that coolly jumps into the scene and piggybacked injured unnie to the nurse's office." Yujin sways her hands in front of the older to distract her from the game and she succeeds in one go.

"I take that as a compliment. Thanks." Yena winks. She puts down her Nintendo and notices a stare from Minju so she raises her eyebrow and that makes Minju knocks back and abruptly smiles. Yujin notices that.

"You guys become a hot topic among the students after what happened. They said you are dating and Minju is insecure right now." Yujin got nudged by the mentioned girl in a split second and now she cry in pain.

"Oh? Everyone knows about us already?"

Minju gasps. Her eyes widened towards the talking girl.

"What do you mean?" The younger almost believe her words until Yena bursts into a laugh.

"I almost got heart attack too. That's not funny, unnie." Yujin scolds. She too almost fell into the prank.

"Sorry sorry. Ah, that was good." She wipes her teary eyes. "Don't be. I did that as a friend. You don't have to worry about it, Minju." She clarifies after that.

"Ah." Minju blushes so hard when she knows that Yena knows about her feelings towards Chaewon.

Of course, they are close after all, Chaewon unnie would tell it to her, right?

"Now tell me why do they take so much time to come here?" Chaeyeon pulled her phone out of pocket and checked the group chat. Hyewon did send some messages there.

"Hyewon unnie said they already on their way." Yujin took the role to summarize the message.

"Why were they not with you guys?" Yena asked.

"She left us right after you brought Chaewon unnie away." Yujin answered without delay.

"And Hyewon follows her." Minju added the details.

"To where?" The answers given were not enough and Yena needed more.

"Eh? You didn't meet them? I thought she went to you guys?" Yujin exclaimed.

That made Yena even more confused.

"Not at all. I didn't meet anyone there other than Hitomi and Nako. They came to us right at the time we walked out of the room and they volunteered to bring her home."

The table went silent for a moment.

Chaeyeon turned her head to her precious one that had been so quiet since they met back after the event finished.

"You have been so quiet, Sakura. Are you okay? Wasn't you too went after them that time?" Chaeyeon notices the sudden gasp from the girl after she asked that question. She then shifts her attention to Minju.

"And you went there too, right Minju?"

Chaeyeon remembered clearly who left that time and why. Wonyoung went home early because of an urgent call from her mother. Hitomi and Nako were at the field until the closing finished as they joined the cheerleading team and they went after Chaewon right after their closing performance ended. 

"Huh?" Yena was the most confused person right now. What she understood from Chaeyeon's words was Minju and Sakura did come after them but the thing is, she didn't even see any of them there.

Chaeyeon rests her both arms on the table with her eyes pinned on her girlfriend. Her expression looked calm but her stare aren't. It silently urges the older to tell everything and that was the reason why Sakura can't sit still in her place right now. She pondered while glancing at Minju, trying to understand what their eyes want to tell.

"Actually.."

"Something did happen.."

The moment the two girls want to open up was the same moment Hyewon and Yuri arrived and what grabbed attention from the girls right now was the intertwined hands between these two.

"Sorry for being late." Hyewon was aware of the stares but she didn't have any intention to release the hand she was holding. Besides, there was no attempt from the younger to release it too and Hyewon took it as a yes.

Sakura and Minju turned their heads away while the other three frowned hard at the sight. Want to know who had the strongest stare there? Yena.

"Mind explaining?" Yujin folded her arms as she squinted her eyes towards them.

"Ah, we were late because-"

"Not that. I mean.. that." Yujin pointed out their hands. 

Hyewon cast her eyes down to her hands holding Yuri's tiny hands tightly before shifting them to her quiet girlfriend. The girl returned the gaze, and Hyewon gave her a slight nod to assure the younger that she can handle the situation.

"It's because we-"

"Are together now?" Her words were cut off by the blonde girl sitting beside the window. 

All eyes were on Yena right now but the one she focusing her firm gaze on was Yuri. Yena wanted that question to be answered by that girl but the younger literally avoided the gaze and Hyewon stepped a bit forward and blocked the view when she spotted the strong gaze.

"Yes. We are." Hyewon answered. Instead of Yuri, the strong gaze was now shifted to Hyewon. 

"What?!" Yujin's jaws dropped. Chaeyeon frowned hard while Sakura and Minju stay silent looking at each other because they already know about it earlier. Yes, they saw what happened in front of the nurse's office.

"Oh, what a surprise."

It's unexpected to hear such a calm remark from Yena. She leaned her back and rest her palms on her laps under the table but her eyes never left what she stare at right now.

The others at the table were so confused at Yena's reaction that their faces are all same, frowning hard and stole quick glances between each other in silence.  Chaeyeon was the first one that caught the staring competition between the two best friends so she decided to cool them off to avoid the worse. She now understands why her girlfriend behaved so odd all this time. She bet this was her reason. On top of that, she didn't expect the table could be turned upside down like this.  

They are together now? Yuri liked Yena, didn't she? 

No time to think, I have to step forward and do what is needed.

She cleared before speaking.

"Everyone is here so let's order first before I turn into a zombie and eat everyone."

"Ah come on, Chae." Sakura muttered under her breath as she pinched the girl from under the table causing her to yelp.

"What? I tried my best." Chaeyeon addressed seriously.

"That's the worst." 

Yena quickly picked up her phone when she felt a continuous buzz on it and that ended the staring competition between her and her best friend.

"Yes, Hitomi?" The other eyed her for the second time.

"Her phone? Wait." She brought down her phone. "Chaewon's phone is with you, Minju?"

"Oh yes!" Minju facepalmed herself. That was her errand when she went after the girls to the nurse's room, to pass Chaewon's phone which she helped to keep during the race but got distracted by the shocking scene in front of the nurse room.

Yuri ah.. Ah, I don't understand

She quickly dig up her tote bag and handed in the familiar yellow-cased phone to Yena and the older started to pack her things up that made everyone questioned.

"It's okay, I will bring it to her." That was the last sentence before she hang up the call and stood up from her seat.

"You are leaving?" The action was so obvious but Yujin still want to ask.

"Yeah. I need to bring this to Chaewon." Yena showed the phone in her hand.

"You can do it after lunch. You eat nothing before, didn't you? " Sakura suggested with a concerned face just to be rejected firmly by the blonde girl.

"I'm okay."

"But-" Sakura paused when she felt her wrist being grabbed by Chaeyeon under the table.

"Don't forget to update us about Chaewon." Chaeyeon interrupted to give the green light. Chaeyeon can read through the girl from their eye contact, this girl wanted to get out from here desperately and as an understanding friend, Chaeyeon must help.

"Will do." The older beams a smile, thanking the captain in her mind. She pat Hyewon's shoulder when she walked past the girl.

"Congrats to you two. We should celebrate it next time."

She managed to meet eyes with Yuri as the girl glanced up at her.

"I am happy for you, Yuri."

She walked away, not looking behind and the moment she stepped out of the restaurant, she broke down in tears.

[End of flashback]

*** *** ***

"So I was wrong all this time?" She snorted. 

Yeah, she found it funny.  So funny that she thought she was the one that has that one chance with that girl because she is really sure the feelings are mutual but..

"What a plot twist we had." She laughs. A miserable laugh to herself for becoming a foolish person that trust everything would turn out well. 

At the moment she saw their clasping hands, she knew her future already turned dark. Her heart heavily said they already say yes to each other. Yuri didn't answer her simple question and even turned her head away. 

"Now I get it. That's why you gave me that same cold reaction when I confessed to you before. You like Hyewon. Not me. Why I didn't realize it sooner? I'm so dumb." She turns her body on the bed facing the ceiling back and a warm liquid slips from the corner of her both eyes, flowing down to her cheekbones and dripping down onto her bedsheet, just like the whole yesterday night. 

She recalls back the first time she met that girl, it was during the welcoming ceremony for the first-year students. Some students dumped their morning classes and sneaked into the hall to check out the freshies. Yena and Hyewon were included too because they both hate the Korean Language class, not because of the subject, but the teacher, that ing annoying Hyungdon. While having fun with Hyewon checking the freshies and made few nonsense bets with each other about who gonna be the target among the school casanovas, Yena's eyes fell on a tiny figure standing humbly among the crowd. Yena found the girl so small and cute, like a hamster. The next day, she spotted her again when she had P.E class. While warming up with her classmates, she wandered her eyes out of boredom to the school building and caught the familiar figure sitting by the window with a sleepy look on her face as she listened to the lesson. Since then, she never misses the chance to watch that girl whenever she had P.E class or just casually walking by with the other. There was one day when she had to stop by the field to get back her forgotten baton and when she turned around and looked up to her favorite view, the girl was smiling so wide while playing around with her friends at her seat and Yena thought that was the prettiest smile she had ever see in her life. That was the day she knew she had a secret crush on that girl. She didn't expect they would ever have interaction until that day when their eyes accidentally met during her P.E class and who knows that would be the beginning of their friendship and..

her suffering.

Yes, it started when she knew her best friend also like the same girl. She can easily tell it, because she already witnessed how deep Hyewon fell for their senior in their first year at the school. The way she stole glances, showing her care and all to Yuri, they were all same as she did to the senior. Yena witnessed all the progress she had with the senior even when her best friend broke down when she knew the senior was together with another person. It happened because Hyewon didn't confess sooner and someone else took the chance.

"This time, you didn't miss it, Hyewon and you succeed. I'm proud of you, bro."

The tears now keep flowing out like a waterfall and her body starts to shake hard as she tries har not to sob.

"I'm happy for you."

She clears out the tears that seem doesn't want to stop falling.

"I really do."

Bzzzzzz bzzzzzzz bzzzzzzzzz

She turns her head to her phone. No, from the angel of her view right now, the sight is straight to another phone beside her buzzing phone. It was the same brand and model but different case color.

Ah, I forgot to send it back to Chaewon. I was too overwhelmed with my emotions and went straight home instead of her house. Stupid me.

She sighs heavily.

I should go to her house and send it today. No one can live without their phones.

Lazily, she gets up from the bed and walks to the mirror, staring at her messy self.

How am I supposed to see her when I looked ing terrible like this. This is not cool, Yena. This is not cool.

Bbzzzzzzzz bbzzzzzz bbzzzzzzzz

Before that, let's settle this ing annoying thing first.

She grabs her phone and slides the screen as she clears to hide whatever that could hide before answering the call.

[On call]

"Choose your fate now. Die or die, stupid?"

"Unnie! Wait, there's no option there. How am I going to choose?"

"Exactly! Can't you see I'm busy?" 

"I can't see through this call, want to video call?"

"Hell no, dog." 

Yena presses her fingers against her forehead. She regrets her decision to answer the call. It's not easy to deceive this brat but she has to work hard.

"Unnie, you okay?"

 The voice suddenly changed into a soft tone and somewhat throbs Yena's heart. 

"What do you mean? Of course, I am!" 

She tries to sound confident so she won't get caught. She's grateful that her husky voice is an advantage to this kind of situation. 

"You know I'm always available if you need my help, right?" 

Yena bites her lower lips, staring at herself again through the mirror.

"Yeah. I need your help, Yujin."

"Oh?! What is it? You want a consulting session with me? I'm free right now. Want me to go to your house? Well-"

"Can you lend me some money? I still didn't refuel my scooter."

"What the- unnie can't you be serious?"

"I'm serious, puppy. What do you expect then?"

"You were sad about Hyewon and Yuri, weren't you? Sorry for asking. I just worry. You suddenly left yesterday and didn't answer any call and chat from us until now."

"Bruh, if you call me just for this nonsense, you are wasting my rest time. Why would I be sad about it? My best friend got what she want, not just her, we all want to see her happy after what happened to her- "

"You also want Yuri unnie."

Yena loses her words and Yujin takes chance to proceed.

"Don't try to deny. Chaeyeon unnie and I already know about it. You shouldn't lie, unnie. At least, to us. We are best friends, we have each other. You can talk to us, unnie." 

Yena heard a crack in Yujin's voice at the end. That builds up guilty inside her. 

"Yujin.."

"Yes?"

"Between love and friendship, what would you choose?"

"..."

"That's... hard to answer."

"It's not that hard. We are best friends, we have each other. That's what you said just now."

"... So, you gave up on your love and choose friendship, unnie?"

"..."

"But, you are hurting, unnie!"

"It doesn't matter anymore. The one Yuri likes is Hyewon. Not me-"

"No, unnie! I swear Yuri likes you- No! She loves you, unnie. Every one of us knows that! Something must go wrong about this, unnie!"

"It won't change the fact they are together now. Ah, stop it already. I already said I'm okay. Now lend me your money. I need to refuel my scooter."

"I don't have it!" 

"Then, shoo."

"Wait, unnie. We are going to the mall later. Join us."

"For what?"

"Aigoo, you should open your Kokotalk, unnie. Tomorrow is Chaewon unnie's birthday."

"Oh?" 

Yena checks the date on her phone. 

Oh? 31 August? 

"We are planning to throw a surprise party for her tomorrow and later we will meet at Lotte Mall. You should come too-"

"I don't have money right now. See ya!"

"Wait unnie-"

She quickly hang up the call and put it on airplane mode.

There's no way I would join them.. It's like willingly jump into hell. Those two will be there two and it will just give me pain to my eyes and heart.

She almost throws her phone into the bed when she notices a few miss call from an unknown number.

"Who is this?" Her eyebrows knitted together. "Maybe another scammer."

She turns on the data to check her Kokotalk and regrets her decision later. Her phone becomes freezes because of too many notifications coming in at once and her screen suddenly turned off exactly after the lag stops.

"Nice. No battery. At the right time~" She throws the phone into the bed, not curious about anything on it, and slumps her body afterward. Her eyes feel heavy all of sudden. 

Now it's a great time to sleep. No distraction, peace!

[The house's bell ringing]

"Oh Lord, I won't ask more, I just want a peaceful sleep right now." She grips a clump of hair in frustration and kicking the air.

[The house's bell ringing again]

Wait, Is it a parcel delivery? Did Sungmin buy things again?  Ah come on! Why does he always use my address instead of home? or he can just put his dorm's address instead. So annoying! I hope he bought something interesting. Maybe PlayStation 5? Or Nintendo game? Damn, I should take a look!

She jumps off her bed and runs to the main door with that fun thought on her mind and presses the microphone button on the remote immediately instead of checking the camera monitor first.

"You can just leave the parcel in front of the door, I will go get it in two minutes." She instructs with her lazy voice and presses the other button on the remote to open the gate. Better to wait for the delivery man to leave first and she can get out with this messy look.

"Err.. Hello, it's Chaewon."

Yena lifts up her head, eyes widened to the monitor upon hearing the familiar voice.

CRAP!

In a flash, she dashes back to her room to change her shirt to whatever looks better and tidy up her hair and her face in front of the mirror and curses again because of her swollen red eyes, and then clumsily runs back to the main door.

"Hey!" She greets the girl as if the hectic moment before didn't happen.

"Hey." her heart beats faster than before when she met eyes with the older. 

She still looks good in casual wear. Wait, why are her eyes red and swollen?

"Ah this, I was watching a sad movie just now." Yena caught the younger's stare and she knows what is it for so she lied to cover up. She leans to the door-side, folding her arms, and her gaze wanders at the younger up and down. The gaze stops at her knees covered by that black slack pant.

"How were your knees? Still hurt?" 

"They are good, The scars are getting better with all the treatment I received." Chaewon answered as she follows Yena's stare to her knees. She just come back from the hospital to get off the bandage and now she's free to walk comfortably. 

"Technology nowadays." Yena shows a relief smile.

"Thanks to you too, unnie." Chaewon returns the smile.

"No biggie. Oh, what makes you come here? I didn't expect you would remember my address?"

"I need my phone back actually." The younger answered, actually more to remind.

"Ah, I forgot!" Yena smacks her own forehead. 

"And about the address, my driver remembered it. I tried to reach you using my assistant's phone but you didn't pick it up since yesterday so here I am, to see what's going on... I guess." Said Chaewon with a quick glance towards the older.

Yena runs her eyes to another place, stealing some times working out her brain to find another excuse.

"Sorry.. I .." She rubs her nape. "Yesterday I fainted out after arrived home and just going back to life this morning."

"And you chose to watch a sad movie in the first place instead of checking your phone?" Chaewon raised her eyebrows.

That's weird.

"I wanted to check but the battery was dead so I chose the second option." Yena fluently explained and her laid-back expression make Chaewon consider believing her words.

"It's surprising that you prefer that genre." There is still a piece of doubt inside Chaewon. 

"Why? I can't be sentimental?" Yena chuckles.

"It just.. you, the genre, in the morning, you know..." Chaewon gestures her hands awkwardly towards the blonde girl. Yena is amused watching the younger getting all confused. 

"Well, it depends on my mood."

"You mean-" 

"I will go get your phone." Yena quickly changes the topic and walks into her house but seconds later she appears back in front of the younger.

"You came here with?"

"My driver is waiting in the car." 

Yena nods as she pounders for a while before running back to her room. It takes a while that makes Chaewon question what in the world the older is doing at the moment.

Did she lost my phone or what?

Chaewon almost makes up her mind to enter the house when Yena suddenly appears back but in a different entire. She is now wearing a sleeveless white top covered with a not-so-thick cropped top black jacket and a snapback cap covering her long ponytailed hair. The mentioned outfit is matched with tight black ripped jeans showing her good shape besides leashing out a badass vibe and Chaewon can't help but stands in awe of the look. 

"Here, your phone." Yena gives out the device and Chaewon accepts it with no words coming out because of her still-in-daze state.

The older checks back the door for the last time to make sure it's well locked before heading out to the car parked in front of her house with Chaewon's hands in hers. 

"Let's go." 

Chaewon couldn't think of anything but she still let the older leads her because... it's Yena.

Yena knocks on the car window and the same driver as that dinner lowers it in a quick response.

"Hello sir, can I borrow your principal for a day? I promise I will send her home safe and sound." Yena shows her cheeky smile.

The driver eyes the speaking girl up and down and then tilts his head a bit to get a better view of his principal. He can't do anything other than waiting for the order from the daughter of his President so only Chaewon can decide on that instead of himself.

"Miss?"

"Ah, yes. You can go first. Please tell Mr. Hu I won't be back for lunch." Chaewon finally speaks.

"Alright, miss. Please stay safe." The driver nods to both of them before drives away.

Now, only two of them, in front of the empty road. 

Chaewon rests her both arms on her waist. "I don't remember making a plan with you to hang out together. "

"We never need a plan-"

The older turns around and grins widely at her.

"Just like our first escape."

**** **** ****
[Flashback]

"We will get going now. Bye."

The girls send their goodbye to the couple. Since they arrived until now, the two girls really behaved like a real couple. Hyewon really took good care of Yuri and Yuri shyly act along with it.

"They were not joking when they told us they are together." Yujin punching the air to release the tension in her body and mind.

"Now I found the answer why you were not talking at all before." Chaeyeon addresses as she stares at Sakura.

"You never know what both of us witnessed." Sakura massages her temple. As more members already get to know the truth, she can ease her mind a bit for now. She inhales as much air as she can to calm herself back.

"What did you see?" Yujin becomes impatient as her gaze moves back and forth between the girls. "What did you see, Minju unnie?" She shakes Minju's shoulders to gain her attention.

"They kissed." Minju answered in a flat tone.

"They what?!"

Both mouths fall open. Same reactions as Sakura and Minju when they first witnessed the incident.

"Yep. You didn't hear it wrong." Sakura adds.

"And you didn't see it wrong, right?" Yujin still can't accept what she heard. 

"We wish we can say that." Minju mutters in a low voice but everyone can capture it. An obviously disappointed face was shown on her when she collapses on the bench outside the cafe. Sakura takes the seat beside her while the other two standing in front of them, looking at each other as if they understand what's in their mind.

"You are right, unnie. We are in big trouble." Yujin sighs heavily.

"At least we get the puzzles right." Chaeyeon shrugs. 

"But we guess it wrong on Yuri's part." 

"That got me curious about what's behind it." Chaeyeon kicks the small stone she sees on the street.

"What do you mean? What kind of puzzle?"

"What are you talking about? I don't understand it."

Two pretty girls are staring hard and if you are Yujin or Chaeyeon, do you dare to avoid their question? Can you hold yourself from getting swayed by fear when you see those scary big eyes glaring at you like they can eat you alive? Nah, you can't escape from them. Especially Sakura. Her eyes can haunt you even in your sleep.

"It's about.. that.. umm .." Yujin sends a pleading look to her captain as she shows some awkward gestures to cover up her anxious feelings getting stared like that.

Chaeyeon curses under her breath. She forgot for a second the girls are there too. It's too late. They can't avoid it.

"The puzzle of love chain. Both of us already talked about this since the camp." She explained afterward.

The two girls still can't digest and it hints Chaeyeon to explain in details.

"We figure out Hyewon likes Yuri..." Chaeyeon sends a quick glance to Yujin, and Yujin did the same.

"And Yena unnie likes Yuri too."Yujin ducks her head as she speaks.

Sakura and Minju are at a loss of expression. It takes them a while to calm themselves and digest the shocking fact slowly.

"So it's mutual feelings for Yena unnie and Yuri." Minju gets the connection there and she still can't throw away her shocking face.

"Well, I guess not anymore after what happened today." Yujin shrugs.

"Argh, Yuri ah! What are you thinking you are doing!" Minju stomps her feet in place to show her dissatisfaction with Yuri's unexpected action. "

"Chaewon knows about this?" Sakura asked with a concerned look on her face.

"She knew, I bet." Chaeyeon answered.

"Oh no." Sakura covers her face in disappointment. Chaeyeon senses that her girlfriend knew something that Yujin and her don't want Minju to acknowledge.

"Why, unnie?" Minju questioned with her naive look.

"Ah, nothing."

*** *** ***

[Writer's note]

Hello~ I'm so sorry for taking a long time to update. . As we all can see, Hyeyul thing happened you must be frustrated by Yuri's sudden decision xD At the end of this story soon, I will tell you why I made her character like that. 

You guys must be thinking about Ssamyen will happen right? You are on the right path. But I'm telling you, it's not gonna be an easy plot for them but You will enjoy the development of their relationship. Hehe~

There will be a second poll for you guys, like I said before, your choice will affect the story. You need to choose wisely~ Here you go:

A. Birthday Celebration at Yena's house

B. Birthday Celebration at the new cafe.

Good luck~ *wink*