CHAPTER 3: AGAIN

“Jung Eunji, are you okay?”

That was the first thing she heard the moment her consciousness went back. She rubbed her eyes to clear her vision, and there she saw Chorong standing beside her bed. With her head still spinning a little bit, Eunji tried to observe her surroundings and noticed that the room was almost all-white, which is far from her bedroom’s interior color.

“Where am I…?” Eunji squinted as she looked at her friend. “Why are you here?”

“You mean, ‘why are you here?’.” Chorong emphasized the word ‘you’ as she stared at her, full of curiosity. “You’re supposed to be home at this time, right? But instead, you’re in the hospital.”

“I’m in the hospital?” She asked as she tried to sit up, adjusting the pillow on her back. Then she remembered what happened a while ago, after she met with Son Naeun. She felt that someone lifted her up before she completely lost her senses.

“This cute girl actually was the one who called and told me that you’re here. She said that you passed out on the street and I was so surprised that I actually left my mom in the airport. Did you know what you just did? I ditched my mom for you.”

“Cute…girl…?” Eunji looked around the room, but no one else was there.

Chorong just giggled as she described the person she was talking about, who turns out to be Naeun’s manager, Yoon Bomi. She can clearly saw her friend being attracted to the other girl, and it instantly made her laugh.

“Why are you laughing?” The older girl asked as she shot death glares at the sick one. “Oh by the way, she bought some medicines for you and she also said that they’ll be the ones handling the bills so you don’t have to worry anything.” She then handed the paper bag filled with different medicines to her friend.

“Miss Yoon said that?” Eunji asked in disbelief. She never thought the latter would go as far as paying her hospital bills just to help her.

“Yoon…?”

Eunji made a face and stuck out her tongue, obviously not answering her friend’s question. She gave a victorious smile after seeing her friend dejected. “Why do you need to know anyway?”

“Tch.” She replied with a resentful face. “Whatever. Just tell me where you went.”

“Ah well, she returned my umbrella.” Eunji then pointed the blue umbrella which was leaning on the wall.

“You met her again?” Chorong exclaimed. “Was she sulking under the rain again?”

“She actually waited for me outside the school and dragged me back to her car to personally return it.” Eunji explained as she tried to recall what happened before she was brought to the hospital. “Then I felt sick and…you know how I don’t like bothering other people when it comes to me.”

“So you left, then got caught under the rain again, and collapsed? Why did you even go with her? You could’ve just taken the umbrella from her and went home, right?”

Chorong was right. She could’ve just taken it from her on that spot, but Eunji doesn’t know either why she chose to follow the celebrity. All she knows is that she was already caught the moment she looked straight on the latter’s eyes.

“Her eyes…I don’t know…There’s something about it.”

“You actually sound like someone who just got love at first sight.” She teased, which made Bomi throw a pillow at her. “Who was she anyway?”

“Son Naeun.” Eunji nonchalantly said.

“What?!” The older girl blurted out with astonishment written all over her face. “What do you mean Son Naeun? You mean, the Son Naeun? The ‘It Girl’ of this year?”

Exactly at that moment, a doctor and a nurse came in to check on Eunji. Chorong covered as she saw her friend signaled her to keep it down. The older girl then just sent telepathic messages through her glares, obviously wanting to hear more about their encounter.

“Everything is okay now, Miss Jung Eunji. You can go home now.” Dr. Han said as she scanned her files. “You just need a full rest for 1-2 days, and you’ll be fine.” She smiled and left.

“Tell me everything on the way.” Chorong whispered as she motioned Eunji to prepare and go home.

--

“So, have you met Sparkling Yoon again?” Chorong sat down beside Eunji and whispered.

Eunji just gave a judging look at her older friend because of how she calls Naeun’s manager. She didn’t tell her Manager Yoon’s name until now, and she’s planning not to tell her at all considering the request they made; not only for the sake Naeun’s career, but also for the safety of her private life.

“Sparkling?”

“You aren’t telling me her name then that’s what I’ll call her. Besides, she literally was sparkling in my eyes when I saw her…”

“Right.” Eunji responded, disgusted at how Chorong is infatuated with a person she just met once. “And to answer your question: nope, I haven’t met any of them again. Besides, there’s no reason for us to meet again.” She explained.

“Wow, look who’s talking.” The older girl retorted, sensing the loath from her younger friend’s reaction. “I’m not the one who got lost in her eyes that’s why I went with her here.” She fought back. Chorong had her infamous mischievous face as she teased the latter.

“Shut up.” Eunji replied without looking at her friend. She was absent the other day, so she needed to copy the notes that are essential for their upcoming exams next week.

“I still cannot believe that you had that private date with…you know.” Chorong lowered her voice and avoided mentioning her name to prevent any bad thing to happen. “You’re one lucky girl. Do you know how many fans have been dying just to see her? You’re something else.” She continued to deride Eunji.

“Why don’t you play your favorite online game if you’re that bored?” she suggested, acting like she didn’t care.

“You’re no fun.” The dark brown haired girl pouted. “Well since you’ve talked about that, I think this will be the last time I can play the game before our exam week so I’ll follow your suggestion. Don’t you want to play League with me?”

“I’ll try to follow.” She responded before Chorong left her at peace.

After her friend disappeared, Eunji sighed because deep inside, she can’t really forget her moment with Son Naeun. She doesn’t understand why, but whenever she’s alone and have nothing to do, she spaces out as the scenes from three months ago replay in her mind: the first time she saw her drenched under the rain, and when she was asked to come with her.

This is…weird. She gave one look at the umbrella beside her before focusing back on her notes.

30 minutes has passed, and Eunji was able to finish copying the notes from 3 subjects. She then packed her things and went straight to the library to return the lectures that she borrowed from her classmates. Afterwards, she headed outside of the campus to go to the internet café where Chorong is currently playing.

She mentally cursed the rain as it started to pour once again. Good thing she was prepared and that the internet café is just across the street, which made it easier for her to travel since the rain isn’t that hard compared to the past few days. It was really crowded inside the premises, but Eunji was able to resist it because of Chorong.

“Hey, you came.” Her friend who was busy clicking and pressing the keys tried acknowledge her presence. “Join us after this game.”

Eunji sat on the available computer as she watched her friend furiously cursing and clicking. From the looks of it, it seemed like they were losing. A few more minutes passed, and Chorong slammed the mouse on the table, enraged, as the word ‘defeat’ came up on her screen.

“Why are you getting so mad over a game?” she laughed at the older girl who was sighing. “Come on, let’s try one more time.”

---

“So, you’re here again.” Eunji uttered as she sat down beside the girl who was already doused. She then lowered the umbrella, covering their faces even though both of them were already wearing a face mask.

“How did you know?” The latter asked with a dead voice.

“I don’t know.” Eunji gave a faint smile as she remembered what happened just a few minutes ago.

It all started when her heart skipped a beat after hearing that loud, cracking sound of the thunder. Eunji’s team was already winning, but then she suddenly lost her concentration from the game as certain thoughts filled up her head. Her teammates started shouting her name, questioning her behavior.

“Retreat!”

“Jung Eunji, get out there!”

“Where are you? Our turret is being massacred!”

“Stay in your lane!”

Chorong even took a few glances and saw her friend playing but instead of looking at the monitor, she was looking outside the window. She then kicked the foot of Eunji’s chair to bring her back to the game. Eunji turned and looked at her with a worried face.

“What are you doing?” she mouthed.

“I think…I think I need to go somewhere.” Eunji responded as she looked outside again.

“Why? It’s raining hard outside.”

“Exactly.”

“Whatever, Eunji. Just finish this game with us before you go.”

The younger girl didn’t even see the word ‘victory’ appear on her screen as she grabbed her things and bolted out of the internet café immediately after destroying the enemy’s turret. She hurried, walking towards the area where she first met her.

‘Don’t tell me…’ She thought to herself as she got nearer to the place.

She stopped on her tracks as she saw someone on the same bench, sitting and soaked under the rain. Eunji was amazed because she never thought that her gut feeling would be right, and somehow, it kind of bothered, knowing that they’ve only met twice.

Slowly, she approached her as she pulled out the face mask from her pocket and wore it.

“But I did feel like I would see someone here.” Eunji added. She inched closer to makes sure that the latter is also covered by her umbrella.

Naeun turned, with a searching facial expression and saw Eunji wearing a monkey designed face mask. “What are you wearing?”

“Oh.” Eunji smiled with her eyes as she pointed at the thing covering her face. “This is yours, right? I’m sorry that I forgot to return it to you.”

She herself might not notice it, but Naeun unconsciously smiled at the sight of Eunji being adorable, plus that Busan accent that was supposed to make you sound rough, somehow sounded gentle in her ears. Naeun then avoided the eye smile as she became aware of the grin on her face.

“I’m going.” Naeun suddenly stood up, which made Eunji follow her too. “Face mask.” She asked and gestured the latter to give it to her.

“I want my life to remain at peace.” Eunji answered, referencing what Naeun told her when she received the face mask from the celebrity.

“Okay.” Naeun sighed before walking away. Much to her surprise, Eunji extended her arm and continued shielding her from the rain. “I’m okay. Don’t follow me anymore.” She requested and then left.

Naeun thought she was able to push the older girl away, until she suddenly felt a grip on her wrist. Eunji then stepped closer, still holding Naeun’s wrist, to prevent her from leaving.

“Son Naeun.” Eunji called, loud enough for only the two of them to hear. Gathering all the courage she can get, she finally was able to ask her the thing she has been curious about for these past few months.

“Why are you here?”

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A/N: I know the story progresses slowly, and I'm sorry about that. I just tend to write in detail, so that you'll be able to undertsand everything.
          Also, a shoutout to Pandadada38! <3 You know that. ^^