Chapter 10

The sky had turned dark decorated with stars and the moonlight shone through the night. Loud cheer of the fans had risen up an uproar in the stadium waiting for the start of the concert. Among the crowds spotted one pair of two females with different reactions.

Enthusiastic Jihyo and lethargic Soojung; two different girls were seemed with opposite actions. While Jihyo had was obviously rejoiced waiting for the official beginning of the concert stage, the older girl kept mum in her seat and strangely quiet despite the noise. Her younger girlfriend had gotten anxious.

The most awaited moment was about to begin. Finally after years of debut, Korean girl group Oh My Girl held their first concert after New Year in Seoul. Jihyo was first of course ecstatic as it was not a secret she’s a big fan of the idol group. The VCR started to play in the big screen and once again loud cheers erupted rising the hype for the concert even more.

Music played. The group of girls finally emerged on the stage as the crowds voiced out the fanchants, not excluded Jihyo. Some fans got emotional and began to cry tears of happiness. The day of their most anticipating moment had come and the first concert would remain as a memorable history and iconic in their life.

It wasn’t long after Jihyo’s birthday. Soojung came to the concert with her girlfriend as a part of fulfilling the girl’s birthday wish. She willingly obeyed, she claimed to Jihyo but it seemed otherwise as the older girl remained quiet and indifferent. Jihyo wasn’t convinced. Soojung rather looked like forced.

As expected, Oh My Girl delivered powerful and high quality performances. Their cute and unique charms captivated the hearts of fans. Not letting the memorable moments passed, Soojung sneakily seemed captured them with her own camera. But even doing so, she had this poker expression wore on her face. Jihyo was quite scared if the concert wish was a burden to Soojung.

The 3 hour concert closed its curtain with a tearful ending. The members of the group said out their gratitude to their management company for giving them the chance to have this concert with fans made this possible. It was even sadder for the fandom with given name Miracles to witness the usually cheerful and bright leader Hyojung burst into tears during closure speech. Jihyo too dangerously got tears in the corner of her eyes. She quickly wiped them away as an attempt to hide her emotional state. But it wasn’t successful as she felt a hand on her shoulder, softly patting her soothingly. Jihyo tilted to the side to see it was Soojung’s small hand but even so her eyes weren’t looking at her.

Oh My Girl bade their farewell for the last time after putting their emotion away for a second and ended the concert officially.

*
*

After the concert, the couple decided to grab something to eat, satiate their growling stomach and chose tteokbokki as the final option. Eating something hot and spicy seemed a good choice in the cold weather. Walking in the street heading to a night market, Jihyo nervously glanced to Soojung by her side. The older girl hadn’t said anything about the concert and it made her a bit upset.

Soojung suggested a stall she claimed to be her favorite and Jihyo agreed. They settled down on the chairs as Soojung ordered spicy rice cake, blood sausage and some fish cake. While waiting for the old woman to serve their food, Jihyo hesitantly asked Soojung. “Are you okay?”

The night market filled with chatters and the noise made Jihyo’s usually loud voice turned into a whisper. Soojung almost couldn’t her hear but managed to grasp the situation. “I’m just fine. Nothing’s wrong,” she replied with a small smile formed on her lips.

“Is the concert not enjoyable?” Jihyo carefully asked. Upon hearing her question, Soojung raised her eyebrows. “No…” she paused and saw Jihyo’s face fell. “I liked them all.”

Jihyo’s lips itched to form into a grin but she quickly controlled herself. “Is that really? Then why you don’t look too happy?”

Soojung innocently blinked her eyes before letting out a chuckle. “I wouldn’t do that. I enjoyed every bit of their performances,” she persuaded with a small cheeky smile. Her eyes twitched hinted she was teasing Jihyo. The younger girl pouted and crossed her arms sulking. Soojung laughed and when the fish cake was first served, she took a stick and fed her girlfriend.

“Eat up. You must be hungry and exhausted after screaming all out at the concert,” she said and stretched her hand out to coax the sulky girl. Jihyo grimaced before switching into a wide smile and gleefully taking a bite of the fishcake. Her hand naturally covered , the steam then warmed her palm as she munched on the food. “This is really tasty!” she cooed delightedly like a small child and Soojung giggled pleasantly. The older girl then proceeded to tell her girlfriend to sip the broth of the fishcake in the plastic cup. Jihyo gladly obeyed and tasted the broth inside .

“Wow it’s really refreshing! So warming,” she claimed right after the taste of the warm broth of fishcake met her tongue. Soojung was pleased to see Jihyo being happy and she assumed to have granted the girl’s wish successfully.

The couple continued to eat as the blood sausage and tteokbokki were following to be served. Jihyo forgot about the concert for a while and just treasured the yet another moment she created with her beloved girlfriend, love Soojung.

*
*

Monday followed the week after the concert they watched on Friday. Weekly meeting held as usual in the morning of the blue day for the management staffs of Twix clothing brand. Nayeon as the head director led the meeting, proposing a new design she had recently worked on while having a date with her girlfriend. If not for the formal meeting, they girls already pretend to be disgusted at the eldest among them.

After reaching final plans and agreements, Nayeon ended the meeting. Jihyo prepared to leave but held back by her business partner. “Tell me about the concert,” the older girl demanded excitedly and her smile reminded which Jihyo of a bunny wore on her face. Finding Nayeon’s action funny, Jihyo giggled lightly. The other girls had left leaving the three Japanese girls stayed back interested in the topic as well.

Jihyo wasted no time and proceeded to narrate her experience attending her favorite idol group’s concert to her currently-not-colleagues-but-friends. She told the concert was really fun and wasn’t wasted since Oh My Girl really delivered the best of the best performances, according to her if no other words to describe her feeling, a bit exaggerated. “But really overall, I don’t regret going to the concert!”

Nayeon squealed upon hearing Jihyo’s side stories. Apparently she had read reviews about the concert in the internet, obviously excited yet upset because she didn’t get the opportunity to watch her idols before her eyes herself. However she was happy that her fellow fan of the same group, Jihyo got to watch them for her.

“But…” Jihyo’s next word caught their attentions. Nayeon and Mina raised eyebrows while Momo and Sana mimicked the girl’s “but” in anticipation of her full sentence. They noticed Jihyo’s face fell solemn in the mid of all the exciting feels they got from the concert.

“I think it’s a bit wasted not giving the ticket to you.” Her intonation and expression was a little uncanny. Nayeon exhaled lightly before asking carefully. “What happened? Didn’t you give it to your girlfriend? Soojung didn’t like it?”

Jihyo took a moment before slowly nodding her head. “I think she doesn’t like it. Soojung was really quiet the entire concert.”

Nayeon’s forehead changed into frown as the other three girls sighed. They were a bit disappointed at Jihyo’s girlfriend but didn’t express it. Nayeon signaled Mina to take Momo and Sana outside, let her and Jihyo alone. Mina was quick witted and did as she was told without hesitance.

As soon as they left and the door was shut back, Nayeon began interrogating. “Did you talk about it?” Jihyo instantly nodded her head vigorously. “But she denied. I really can’t understand her.” The younger girl looked like about to cry. Nayeon was worried if she really did and quickly patted her shoulder in consolation attempt.

She thought and arranged proper words to say to Jihyo. “Maybe it’s just the way she expressed her feelings. As long as Soojung doesn’t show her disliking in a hurtful way, I don’t think it’s something. Jungyeon was honest with her words but they were just to tease me. Soojung is perhaps different. Don’t take it to heart, Jihyo.”

The way Nayeon explained indeed make Jihyo felt a lot better. “Even if she really doesn’t like it, at least she went with you and let you have all the fun. Tell me did Soojung treat you differently or give you cold shoulder after the concert?” Nayeon resumed and asked a tricky question. Jihyo hummed for a while before answering no.

“See, I told you.” The head director had this satisfied look on her face that broke Jihyo into a smile as well. She admitted the older girl was right about that. Nothing had really changed although if it’s true Soojung didn’t like the idea of them attending the concert. Jihyo thanked Nayeon gratefully and the latter was glad to be of help and reduced the burden on her younger friend.

They threw the sudden rising sentiment feeling aside and Nayeon clapped her hand to brighten up the mood. “Let’s forget about that. Tomorrow is valentine and we planned to meet up and gather. Can you bring Soojung along? It’ll be nice since we haven’t met her officially,” Nayeon told about the plan she made with the rest except her business partner and Jihyo’s eyes lightened up at the brilliant idea.

“I love it and Soojung might like it too. We have planned to see you guys over dinner too but never made it,” she claimed excitedly. Nayeon was lighthearted to see Jihyo was back to being enthusiastic which was a good sign. “Okay call! We’ll meet tomorrow at our usual place. Time will be decided and told later