A/N: Hi y'all! How's everyone? Pristin won their 1st Rookie of the Year Award. Sejeong slayed on Fantastic Duo 2 with Ailee. It's a good time to be alive. So here's this week's update featuring the last of the cameo pairings. The last few chapters will focus solely on Najeong  the end is drawing near. Thanks for all the new subs and the new upvotes! Please leave comments! And I hope you'll enjoy this update 'cause I had fun writing it. Have a great week, everyone! :)

Word count: 2,407 words

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Thursday.

Nayoung lies in bed for nearly an hour after waking up. Her mind wanders through thoughts of what they, her and Sejeong, are going to do today. Since Eunwoo, Yebin, Minkyung, Jieqiong and the other Nayoung had gone back to Seoul yesterday, it’s going to be just the two of them again. She feels conflicted at the thought, part regretful (because they seem to always get left behind) and part excited (because she’d get to learn more things about Sejeong!).

However, the past days have been so eventful that she considers if she should even get out of bed today. Because, truth be told, she’s done a lot of socializing and moving around the past four days than she ever did in like the past five months.

She turns on her side and finds Sejeong’s spot empty which gets her to sit up. She hadn’t even noticed the younger girl get up. Hearing the shower turn off, Nayoung’s eyes dart to the bathroom door and out steps Sejeong, all dressed and ready.

“Are you going somewhere?” She asks.

Sejeong scratches the back of her head sheepishly. “You know how I stayed up to cram my article last night? Well, I have to go meet my boss now.”

“Meet your boss? Where?”

“In town. She’s with another one of my colleagues. It’s probably gonna take me the whole day and-” Sejeong pauses, sees the look on Nayoung’s face. “Would you maybe wanna come with me?”

“Would it be alright if I do?” She asks, shy all of a sudden, hoping that she’s not overstaying her welcome.

“We’ve already spent the past three days together. It’s no biggie.” Sejeong says with a shrug and a smile.

“I mean, will it be alright with your boss and your colleague if I tag along?”

Sejeong gives her a smile that makes non-existent butterflies flutter in her stomach. “Yeah? I have feeling my boss will like you.”

Not more than an hour later, they’re on a rental car heading into the town proper.

Nayoung takes the time to look out the surroundings while Sejeong drives. She thinks about their friends of Heehyun and Chaeyeon, of Doyeon, Yoojung, Mina, and Yeonjung, of Nayoung, Jieqiong, Minkyung, Yebin, and Eunwoo. She thinks about how they’re doing. If Heehyun and Chaeyeon are somewhere safe together. If Doyeon and Yoojung are having fun on their trip with Mina and Yeonjung. If Nayoung was able to catch up to Jieqiong to tell her how she really feels. Her mind wanders about the girl next to her too. If it’s all right to feel this safe around Sejeong. If it’s all right to wish that they can be together for a bit longer. If it’s all right to think that she might be feeling something stronger for her than friendship.

Sejeong pulls the car over the side of a rustic café with a robust garden up front. The other girl gets off and Nayoung follows. As they reach the door, Sejeong stops, looks at her.

“Listen, Hana and Mimi can get a bit too nosy. They can make you feel rather uncomfortable but don’t take it personally, alright? They’re good people.”

Nayoung nods, stops herself from saying that there isn’t anything to worry about, that she’ll be alright because she has her. Sejeong offers her a weak smile and they push through the door.

“Sejeong!” A girl, not that much older than them and probably around Sejeong’s height, waves from a booth across the room. Sejeong leads the way to her with a serious look on her face.

“Oh, who’s your friend?” The girl asks, nods at Nayoung.

“Mimi, this is Nayoung. Nayoung, this is Mimi. She’s our resident food feature writer and one of our editors.” Sejeong introduces Nayoung to Mimi who gives her a gummy smile and a firm handshake.

“Please, sit.” She says to Nayoung. “Hana’s in the washroom.” This she says to Sejeong.

“Has she said anything about the article yet?” Sejeong nervously twiddles her thumbs together. A look Nayoung’s never seen on her before. She always seemed to be full of confidence when they’re together.

“Nope. But I think I have something to say about that.” Mimi gives her a smirk. “It’s her, isn’t it?”

Sejeong groans, rolls her eyes at Mimi. “Don’t even start. I’ve had a very hectic week.”

Mimi’s smirk grows wider. “Well, you were only supposed to cover day one of the rock festival but here you are with-”

“Sejeong.” A strict voice calls behind them. Nayoung and Sejeong turn their heads at the same time to find another girl there.

The girl narrows her eyes at Sejeong but gives Nayoung a rather curious look. “Who’s the pretty lady?”

Nayoung blinks, surprised at being addressed that way. Is she even the one in topic?

“Nayoung, this is my boss, Hana. Hana, this is Nayoung, my, uh, friend.” Sejeong says, rolls her eyes at the way Hana gives Nayoung what she could only describe as a very charming smile. Mimi coughs obnoxiously on the side.

“Can you please not?” Mimi asks Hana who only shrugs.

“Nayoung is very pretty.” Hana replies, eyes still on Nayoung.

“But she’s with Sejeong.” Mimi interjects.

“Meaning?” Hana feigns a look of innocence.

“Can we please get to business here?” Sejeong interrupts, almost pleading.

“Okay. Fine.” Hana huffs. “Sejeong, go take pictures of the premises. Mimi, start editing Sejeong’s article.”

“You haven’t read it yet?” Sejeong asks, incredulous.

“Hello? You sent it in at 2am? I was asleep?” Hana sasses. “Now go take pictures.”

Sejeong pouts, picks up her camera and walks off to the far corner to take pictures of the interior. As soon as she’s out of earshot, Hana turns to Nayoung.

“Tell me, Nayoung. Where’d you and Sejeong meet?” She leans forward on the table.

“At the bus stop in my neighborhood. In Seoul.” Nayoung replies, leans back, feels flustered at the other girl’s interest on her.

“Do you mean you didn’t know each other before this?” There’s a hopeful tone in Hana’s voice that causes Mimi to bang on the laptop’s keyboard very loudly.

Nayoung clears then shakes her head.

Mimi catches it and there’s suddenly a dark glint in her eye. She stops what she’s doing and leans towards Nayoung too. “Ooh. So how far did you two go?”

“I was with her from the bus ride to Ansan. Then from Ansan to Moppo to here. We’ve been sharing rooms too.” Nayoung explains, leans back fully until her backs against the headrest of the seat.

“I meant, how far did you go?” Mimi emphasizes. Nayoung looks at her confused. “I meant with the y stuff. Hanky panky. Like third base, second base? Though knowing Sejeong, she’d take it all the way, right, Hana?”

“What? No! We didn’t sleep together if that’s what you’re implying. I mean, we shared the bed but we didn’t do any of that!” Nayoung replies, feeling her face burn up.

Mimi looks at her with eyebrows raised in surprise. Hana looks rather relieved and Mimi sees it at once.

“Why do you look so relieved?!?!” She shrieks.

“Because she’s my type and I can’t bear to think that she just ended up being one of Sejeong’s play things!” Hana says as if it was obvious.

Mimi looks very scandalized at that and she slams both palms on the table top. “Hana, I thought you were seriously going to consider being in an actual exclusive relationship with me? You told me you would! What are you saying now?”

Hana just crosses her arms over her chest sulkily.

Nayoung doesn’t want to interrupt the weird undeniable between the two but she needs answers. “Wait up. Are you both saying that Sejeong is a player?”

Hana and Mimi look at her. Both sigh before answering. “Yes.”

Nayoung must’ve looked really taken aback because Mimi’s hostile look softens.

“You didn’t really think she was a normal… loyal person, did you?” She asks, tone somewhat gentle now.

“You make her sound so evil. She’s a pretty good friend and a great employee.” Hana interrupts.

“Good friend? Is that why you were friends with benefits with her too?” Mimi frowns at Hana who opens ready to argue.

“Actually,” Nayoung raises her voice to sustain the two’s attention. “I did think that. She seemed very nice and put-together.”

“Oh, dear. Your innocence is so attractive.” Hana swoons and Mimi clenches her fists together, bites down on her lip. “But no, Sejeong’s got secrets of her own. Now that I think about it. It is kind of surprising that she hasn’t slept with you yet.”

“You think she’s another exception to the rule? The only one after Chungha?” Mimi asks Hana, now looking optimistic.

“She could be.” Hana shoulders sag. “And if she is, then she’s off limits.”

Mimi pumps her fist in the air. “Guess you’re really gonna have to think about seriously being my girlfriend, Shin Hana.” She says in a sing song voice.

“Yeah, well, I guess you’re not so bad.” Hana mumbles.

“Of course, I’m not. I’m cute. I’m a great cook. I’m faithful. I can make you laugh. I can make you scream. I’m 100% girlfriend material.” Mimi says, flips her long hair over her shoulder and wiggles her eyebrows at Hana.

Nayoung has remained silent long enough so she chooses to speak again. “Who’s Chungha?”

Hana turns to Nayoung with a curious look. “Chungha? She’s Sejeong’s childhood friend.”

“Long-time crush which is code for unrequited love.” Mimi adds.

Sejeong walks back to their table, immediately takes notice of the serious look on Nayoung’s face.

“Okay, what did you two just tell her?” Hana and Mimi look back at her innocently.

“The truth and nothing but the truth.” Hana says.

“The truth of what?” Sejeong asks. Nayoung looks at her and for the first time in the last few days, she doesn’t feel her stomach fluttering or her face lifting up to a smile when she did. “Nayoung?”
 

She gets up from her seat and walks straight to the door and back to the car. Sejeong follows her.

“Nayoung, what’s wrong?” She asks, watches Nayoung try to open the locked door to the passenger side.

“I want to go back to the resort. Take me back to the resort.” Nayoung replies, without even sparing her a look.

“But I’m not yet done here. I-I could take you back if it can’t wait. Are you not feeling well?” Sejeong asks, worried.

Nayoung frowns at the ground, still not meeting her eyes.

“Fine. I’ll wait for you.” She says, turns on her heel and walks back to the café.

Sejeong becomes aware of how the air has grown cold and she curses under her breath. She shouldn’t have left Nayoung alone with Mimi and Hana for even one second.

--

They get back to the resort at around 4 o’clok, accompanied by Mimi and Hana who were both behaved by then, quietly holding hands in the back seat of the car. Nayoung still seemed to be in a sour mood. Sejeong considered if leaving her alone to blow off some steam would be good but she decided against it when Nayoung said she’s going to try out the canoes. She can’t let her go on her own. She could fall in or get stuck somewhere in the water.

So now, they’re in a rowboat in the middle of the lake some three kilometers away from the hotel with no one but the two of them, leaving them no escape but to face the heavy and awkward tension in the air.

“Are you mad at me?” Sejeong figures she’ll start first. She switches the oar from her left side to her side.

“No.” Nayoung answers too quickly, tries and fails to lift her own oar.

“You are.” Sejeong concludes, eyes taking note of Nayoung’s knotted eyebrows and scrunched forehead.

“No, I’m not, Sejeong.” Nayoung says but fails to unclench her jaw when she looks back at her.

“See? You are.” Sejeong confirms. “What did I do?”

“You didn’t do anything. I told you, I’m not mad at you.” Nayoung replies, paddles a little harder.

“If you’re not, then why are you opposing every turn I make?” Sejeong asks. Nayoung stops rowing, finally realizing what she’s doing. Evidently, their boat is still in the same spot despite all the paddling they’ve both been doing.

“Look, I’m sorry. But can you at least tell me what I did wrong so I can try to make it right?” Sejeong asks, gives her a weak smile.

Nayoung takes a deep breath before answering, feels her lungs fill up with fire or something.

“I can’t believe you. How long are you gonna keep this up?” She spits.

Sejeong looks back at her surprised. “Keep what up?”

“Keep leading me on! I know, Sejeong. Mimi and Hana told me.” Nayoung stands up, causing their boat to rock. “You’re only being this nice to me because there’s something you want from me. And to think I was actually falling for you.”

Sejeong eyes widen in both surprise and confusion.

Nayoung takes another deep breath as if finally making up her mind. “Okay, fine. Let’s do it. I’ll give it to you so you can stop pretending to be nice to me. I’ll give it to you so you can leave me alone!”

“What are you talking about? Let’s do what? Give me what?”  Sejeong is totally lost.

“Let’s sleep together! And I mean have !” Nayoung rips her life vest open and throws it to the side.

Nayoung leans towards her and pounces on her. However, Sejeong is quick enough and moves to the side just in time to evade the lunge despite her shock. And so, Nayoung falls straight into the water instead.

Sejeong is too deep in shock to do anything but try to steady her heavy breathing. She might be hyperventilating. She pinches her cheeks, wondering if she’d somehow fallen asleep and is in some sort of crack dream. But when she feels the sting, she realizes that she’s not.

She becomes aware that Nayoung hasn’t resurfaced from the water yet and starts to panic. She looks around her surroundings and calls her name repeatedly, when she gets no response, she sheds off her life vest too and jumps in the water with only one thought – to save Kim Nayoung.