Chapter 5

Life must go on. Although Jihyo’s mood had crumbled down, she still managed to smile brightly in order not to spoil Nayeon’s birthday celebration. All seven, excluding the birthday girl who’s with Jungyeon, were already gathered in their favourite place. Dahyun and Sana were busy preparing balloons near the front door while playing around. Sana being Sana, she acted very touchy towards Dahyun who had very smooth skin, not exceptionally kissing her as well. The youngest couple, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu was at the front, waiting for the time to alert the others until Jungyeon finally came with Nayeon. Momo and Mina were with Jihyo to serve food that they bought on the table.

Mina noticed Jihyo was lost in her thoughts, had to ask. “Are you feeling better now, Jihyo?” Her voice was very slow and if the former was happened to be totally lost in her thoughts, she wouldn’t hear it. “Huh?” Somehow, Mina’s slow speaking voice at times reminded Jihyo of her.

Why am I always thinking of her now? Jihyo wanted to forget about Soojung even for a moment. “Did you rest well earlier?” Momo inquired, also concerned about the younger girl. “Y-yeah, I did get enough sleep and rest in the day. Thanks for asking anyway!” Jihyo flashed her bright smile to ensure her two friends that she was fine, but the look on Mina’s face was showed that the latter wasn’t totally convinced. After all, Mina is her good friend.

“I’m really fine, Minari. Please don’t give me that look!” Jihyo assured as her eyes stared directly into Mina’s like they were having conversation. Mina finally nodded in order to not pressure Jihyo further. Maybe Jihyo still needed time until she told things to her, Mina thought.

On the other hand, Tzuyu was alerted that Jungyeon’s car had already arrived, meaning that the surprise for Nayeon was about to start. “Guys, they’re here!” Chaeyoung shouted and hurriedly ran inside to find a good hiding spot along with her tall girlfriend. While the others were all hiding closely to the front door, planning to explode the confetti to Nayeon, Jihyo stood on the other side a bit far from them while holding the cake.

They could hear the oldest couple’s - among them – from outside the workshop. Nayeon was literally whining to Jungyeon how it wasn’t even bit necessary to blindfold her when she knew it was Jungyeon’s workshop they were heading to. The girls inside were laughing at how silly the plan had become. “Jungyeon unnie must be a babo!” Chaeyeong claimed and Jihyo joined in. “No… she’s just so whipped with Im Nayeon!” They all had to agree with that. Jungyeon could be a fool because she’s whipped.

As the main character of the day was making her way in with her partner, Jungyeon suddenly tore off the blindfold from shutting Nayeon’s eyes and pushed the girl inside until the latter stumbled to the front.

“SURPRISE!” The girls chanted in unison as Dahyun and Momo exploded the confetti from both left and right sides of Nayeon’s. The girl was so surprised that her eyes were getting teary. Then suddenly the lights were out, cuing Jihyo who had managed to hide herself with the cake and the candle before Nayeon and Jungyeon came in.

The workshop’s only source of light was from the candle on Nayeon’s birthday cake which Jihyo was holding and bringing it over closer to the former. “Happy birthday to you…” Jihyo began to sing as the girls followed after her.

It was a happy celebration, yet Jihyo’s heart was still heavy with unsorted feelings.

*
*

The girls were seated and enjoying the feast. All of them were having fun as they spent time together like this after quite a while and of course with respective, beloved partners. “The cake is so delicious!” Nayeon remarked at begged Jihyo to tell her which shop did Jihyo go to buy the cake. The younger girl had to tell her after Nayeon’s oh-so-annoying-aegyo’s pleaded her.

 Jungyeon even prepared a song for Nayeon, ‘Winter Child’. Although it was sweet and romantic of Jungyeon, the thought that the older girl did something like that made Jihyo cringed and confirmed the others that Jungyeon was absolutely whipped for Nayeon.

But Nayeon teased Jihyo back for it. “You’re just envious, aren’t you?” Nayeon playfully asked while raising her eyebrow at the younger girl. Jihyo rolled her eyes and retaliated. “Envious of what, Jungyeon did that to you?” She definitely had an idea what Nayeon was referring to but pretended to be oblivious.

“You’re envious that you have no one to do that for you!” There, Nayeon said it and stuck out her tongue. Jihyo made a face like she’s in denial when out of sudden Tzuyu had to bring up that topic again. “But unnie, did you really not have someone in mind?” All attentions were shifted to Jihyo and made the girl felt uncomfortable.

She had been single all her life, and her friends must be curious if someone as sweet as Jihyo really didn’t have any thoughts regarding romance. But to be honest, she really didn’t pay attention to that, until…

“By having someone in mind, what do you mean?” Jihyo had to ask because she wanted to know the answer as well. “You know, like you can’t stop thinking of that person either it is bad or good at first. Sometimes, a relationship can happen from a start that didn’t go well.” Dahyun shared her point.

Chaeyoung added next. “Just someone that you keep thinking of, that made you felt wrong somewhere.” The whole room suddenly got silent, anticipating responds from Jihyo. “Even if it’s just someone that always made you felt wronged all the time?” Her question raised curiousness from her friends. Nayeon had now turned serious and looked at Jihyo sincerely.

“Hey Jihyo, do you really have someone in mind now?” Usually, the girls would goof around and teased each other when relationship topic came up but didn’t know why somehow, they were being serious for the first time for Jihyo who had never experienced dating life. “We don’t mind even if you prefer boys!” Jungyeon said.

It was too serious that Jihyo suddenly burst out of laughter. “Aish!” all of her friends sighed and complained. They were close to believe that Jihyo was seeing someone without them knowing, but it was all a trick and Jihyo fooled them. “You guys should have seen your faces!” Jihyo joked and laughed. And they couldn’t even be mad at Jihyo, even laughed along with her.

“You really acted well!” Momo said while laughing in between.

But deep in Jihyo’s heart, who actually knew?

*
*

“Ah right! Jihyo, I met Baby Soul this evening!” Nayeon told as Jihyo was startled when Baby Soul’s name was mentioned when the two partners were the only ones left seating together in the dining table while the others were already fooling around and doing other things. “What?”

“She said she’d like to make another deal with us. It seems like Tzuyu, as the model, not only raise our sales but also raise expectations for their business.” The statement just made Jihyo frowned in confusion. Nevertheless, Nayeon told further. “Ms. Lee Soojung said that Tzuyu was a popular demand for her project. It’s already arranged that Tzuyu’s shoot will start next week, and I thought you should go with her.” It was all too much for Jihyo to comprehend.

“Why it has to be me?” The younger girl inquired, not so pleasant with the task that she just received. Nayeon sighed. “I’d like to go instead of you, but I have another deal to attend to. Momo will come and be with me. Mina should be able to accompany you there with Tzuyu!”

Did Jihyo even have the guts to say ‘no’?

“Alright, I’ll do it.”

No.

*
*

Tzuyu is a hot demand.

It’ll be good to have worked with her.

It would benefit both Baby Soul’s article and Nayeon’s clothing business.

To Lee Soojung, they were all just excuses. It’s the only way she could do to amend to cold shoulder that she had given to Jihyo, who literally got nothing to do than just a victim of her remainder anger and sadness.

Ever since Mijoo had left