11:07 pm, a bit late for someone who has something considered as a big event for tomorrow. Mina sighed, too nervous for what was about to happen. She looked up at the fogged bathroom as she rested the back of her head on the rim of her porcelain bathtub. The girl decided to take a therapeutic hot bath — hot enough for her to endure — to relax her tensed body and mind.

With a soaked body, "How did I end with this situation?" the penguin whispered as she continued her daze on the white ceiling. Her question was answered by an echoing chuckle, "Because she asked me in a sweaty and heaving state, plus her uncovered abdomen." She slid her head and completely submerged her whole body in the hot water. She opened her eyes and watched the distorted view.

She was nervous and overthinking the thought that maybe the reason the cub chose that place was because she wanted something thrilling as they'll celebrate for tomorrow, and she might disappoint because she wasn't good with thrills or theme parks per se. The girl held her breath since there was another thought that kept running in circles inside her brain. It was the thought that what will happen tomorrow will be practically an unconscious date for the cub. Her heart pounded and she can somehow hear it resonated under the water. It's not going to be a date, she convinced herself again for the hundredth time.

Mina re-emerged from the water, heaving and with a little creeping smile. "Oh, my God. Mina, this will not be a date," she blushed as she realized how traitorous her being was. She rested her head again similar to her previous position. The elegant girl kept on convincing herself that it wasn't, even if she had already decided that she'll absolutely dress to impress for the cub. Her heart and mind raced, both from excitement and nervousness. She closed her eyes and moved her hand on her raging heartbeat, and really tried to calm herself.

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The girl awaken from her night slumber, witnessing the same ceiling, tiled walls, and tiled floorings from last night. Mina fell asleep with body still submerged in her now cold bath. The top of her head and her face was dry while the lower end of her hair and the rest of her body was still soaked in untreated water. Her eyes widened and her heart panicked because she had lost the track of time, and apparently her bathroom does not provide a working clock for her to tell whether she was late for their meeting time under the bus stop.

Yesterday, the cub sent the penguin a text message indicating to be present under the stop at eight in the morning. Mina worked her pruned body and grabbed her bathrobe. The moment she stepped out of her bathroom, she directed her eyes on the countertop of her kitchen, 7:40 am. Not contented, she spared another few seconds to check another clock just to be sure. She looked up at her wall clock, still 7:40 am. Damn it, the girl cursed under her breath as she almost ran to her own room.

When she had faced her drawers, "So much for dress to impress," she sighed, then she grabbed a black ripped jeans and a white button up blouse. She dried her hair with her pink towel, put on her supposed dress to impress attire, folded her blouse's sleeves, put on her red Vans, and grabbed the keys of her unit. With only her wallet, keys, and phone, she left her flat. She ran to the elevator and repeatedly clicked the button. 7:52 am, her phone blared as she waited for the elevator to open. Mina got inside with a shoulder bump to the guy who just left the elevator, "Sorry," she muttered. The penguin tapped her right foot impatiently.

Once Mina got out, she ran to their meetup place. Good thing, the nearest bus stop from the campus was only a ten minute walk and probably a five minute run from her luxurious condo. She ran as the wind blew against her still wet hair. The girl heaved as she caught up with her breath when she arrived a minute before their agreed time at the stop. The penguin inspected the waiting people, but none of them was the very familiar baby tiger cub. She took her phone from her jean pocket and texted the cub.

To: Son Cubby
I'm already here.

After five minutes, Mina never received any kind of reply from the cub, but she felt a chin rested on her right shoulder, and arms slid under her own. "Hey, aren't you cold?" purred the cub as she continued to hug the penguin while her hands were still tucked in the pockets of her jacket. The cub was wearing black jeans, a white possibly long sleeves under her navy blue jacket, and her signature tiger-printed shoes. Chaeyoung moved away before Mina could reply. "No," the girl stated, just realizing what the shorter girl meant when the cold registered on her bare skin. After all, the country was currently entering its cold season. "Sorry, I was late. I kind of overslept," Chaeyoung offered an apologetic smile. Mina smiled back, "It's fine. I didn't wait long anyway."

"Great, I think after another five minutes the bus will arrive," the cub spoke as she looked over her watch. Mina hummed, "Okay." True to the cub's word, the bus arrived within the span of five minutes. The celebrating duo got in and sat on the farthest seats of the bus. Mina let the shorter girl to sit near the open window because it was quite freezing, and she didn't bother to take a coat for their little adventure.

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"You're awfully quiet today," Chaeyoung stated, looking on her left shoulder and feeling Mina's body heat against her. The penguin just looked at her, "I thought I was going to be late on our meet place, so I tried to run, chasing the eight in the morning agreement," she explained. "My body's cooling down," Mina smiled at the worried cub. "Okay," Chaeyoung sent a wondering and slightly bothered smile back because the penguin's words were quite farfetched to her heating left side. She dismissed the feeling, and she took her phone and earphones from her bag — this time it wasn't filled with snacks. "Here," the small cub said. The taller girl piqued from the spoken words as she felt the smaller girl put an earphone in her ear, "You're right, maybe we should save our energy." The music played and travelled both in each others' ear, "It's a thirty to forty minutes trip, until then we should relax," Chaeyoung smiled reassuringly.

The couple, a platonic one, sat next to each other as they waited for them to arrive at their destination. The rest of the ride was filled with the mellow music from Chaeyoung's playlist and the sight of moving buildings. The bus stopped and they arrived after thirty-three minutes. The cub stretched her stiffened shoulders and back when the two landed on the pavement just outside the park. "Let's go," she demanded to her friend. The penguin smiled and nodded to her statement.

The cub bought two tickets for their planned day. She handed one to the penguin and off they entered the place. Chaeyoung suggested that they would start their fun with something light, and the two started to line to the carousel. It was still a bit early and the line wasn't long, so after few minutes, the two were ready for their first ride.

"Sorry, but only one slot left," the coordinator of the carousel said as he halted the eager cub. "Really?" the penguin frowned, stopping and not intending to enjoy her first ride without the cub. The cub looked behind to see if they could switch to another person, but she was only greeted by a family of seven members. She also frowned with her discovery especially when she already planned to enjoy as much as they can and ride as many as they can for the day, a reason why the cub specified and indicated their early meeting time. "Hey," the cub called for attention, "We can fit in that lion," she said as she pointed the last vacant seat. "Couples do that, right Mina?" Chaeyoung asked for backup while pointing a waiting couple in the carousel. Mina nodded, a bit flushed, "They do." The coordinator offered a gentle smile and told them to be extra careful before he let them through.

"After you," the smaller girl said. The penguin just chuckled, "I don't think Jeongyeon would let me live if you injured yourself, baby cub." The cub arch a brow, quite challenging the other girl. "I don't think you can reach the handles, too, so off you go," the penguin argued, pinching the cub's adorable right cheek. Chaeyoung scoffed and shook her head before she smiled and swung her leg to the lion figure. Mina followed through and gripped the handles, securing both of them. She really meant to hold the cub for safety. If one would look at it, the action screamed innovative carousel spooning.

"This is genuinely fun even if we're a bit cramped up," Chaeyoung said, enjoying the circular movements of the ride. Mina comfortably rested her chin on the cub's shoulder, "It is," she breathed. Good thing that the cub couldn't see her blushing face. The ride stopped after a few turns and the two left their lion. Chaeyoung noticed how cold it was when Mina left her shoulder and body. She dismissed the feeling again even if it was quite unusual. The cub proceeded back in suggesting another ride. The next chosen ride was the bumper cars and the two managed to take two different cars. Chaeyoung rode the yellow one while Mina rode the red one. Despite the other moving cars, they aimed to competitively bump into one another. They left the area with laughters as to how Chaeyoung's small frame shook along her car and as to how Mina had attracted other riders.

The taller girl was quite exhausted after the two rides, but she still somehow anticipated their next target. Chaeyoung eyed the penguin before she spoke, "Hey, let's go try to win something," she said while pointing a shooting game on their side. Mina just smiled and followed the cub. The two observed the colorful booth. There were a lot of stuffed toys, various stuffed animals, themed shirts, and other merchandises. The man who greeted them was big and animatedly bearded which made the baby cub to squint her eyes to determine whether his beard was fake. "Care for a small fare?" the jolly man rhymed. "What does it take?" the small cub challenged. "Knock knock the cans within three tries and win a prize. Perfect knock-downs equals to stuffed toys and animals. Two knock-downs for shirts and one knock-down for the merchandises," he persuaded while rubbing his possibly fake beard.

Chaeyoung dropped some bills on the counter and looked at Mina, "I'll win you that penguin," she said as she pointed the white chubby penguin. Mina couldn't contain her smile and sent the cub a good luck. Her first shot missed, "There goes your girlfriend's penguin," the man said. "I'm not her girlfriend," Mina defended softly to the man, Chaeyoung was too determined to win something that she heard neither the jolly man nor her company. Her second shot missed then followed by another miss. The big man burst in laughter after the smaller girl's three failed attempts. "There, there. Little cub," the man tried to lift the cub's lost spirit, "I usually only give these to small kids, but please accept this," he handed a yellow lollipop. Mina snickered at the word small and Chaeyoung grabbed the offered candy. "Care for another fare?" the man rhymed and insinuated again.

"Why don't I try it?" Mina spoke as she paid for her fare. The still jolly man laughed before handing the toy gun to the penguin. After two minutes tops, cans were scattered on the flooring of the booth. Mina hit the targets easily without breaking a single sweat. The jolly man turned into a frozen and surprised man. "I would like that tiger plushie," the girl spoke. The man statically grabbed the tiger cub plushie and handed it to its determined new owner. Mina hugged the plushie and faced her also tiger companion.

Chaeyoung was also frozen and surprised by the fast pace of the events. She only managed to on her lollipop and blink to her partner. "Thank you," she muttered. Mina laughed at the tiger cub, "I didn't win this for you." Chaeyoung's mouth gaped, "Aren't you the penguin and I'm the tiger?" The penguin walked pass her, "I like this tiger," she sweetly smiled. The cub chased her penguin friend, "Are you sure that's not mine?" Mina just laughed again, "Where to next, baby cub?" In the end, the penguin kept her prized tiger.

"Ah!" the cub shot which made the penguin to stop from her wander. When the taller girl looked back to Chaeyoung, she saw her pointing somewhere from afar. "It's the horror place!" the cub excitedly exclaimed. Before Mina could save herself, Chaeyoung had link their arms and excitedly dragged her to the horror house's line. The line was moving fast and Mina grew nervous as they neared the entrance. "Are you scared?" the shorter girl asked. The taller girl looked at her, "I am kind of scared." "Well, you can always cling to your tiger," the small cub said. The penguin only looked at her plushie and frowned because she didn't think that her plushie can protect her.

Chaeyoung leaned until she was facing the penguin, "I mean me. You can cling onto me if you're scared," she chuckled. Mina just shyly blinked at her. "Because this here," she put her hand on the plushie's head top, "Is an impostor because I'm the original and the one and only cub." "That's really cute," Mina smiled because it was the truth. "Next please," another coordinator said. The cub offered a cheeky smile before they bravely entered the dark painted house.

They walked side by side as they entered the hallway, Mina clutching her plushie and Chaeyoung anticipating to explore the house. The penguin looped her arms around the cub's the moment they stepped inside the pitch black with flashing dark coloured lights area. She wasn't kind of scared; she was extremely scared of these kinds of things. "I'm scared," she admittedly whispered, "Don't suddenly run off when you're scared, okay," she added as she shut her eyes. Chaeyoung just laughed before she reassured the girl, "I won't go. I promise."

The two started to roam the eerie place. The visual and sound effects were on point that Chaeyoung almost praised it mentally. For every banging sounds, Mina held tighter — if it was even possible — onto the bigger tiger cub. There were chain sounds, eerie bells, and screams all over the place. The penguin completely shut her eyes and gripped the smaller girl as she trusted the cub for the directions. To be honest, Chaeyoung let out few screams because of the popping and surprising ghosts, dead men, murderers, and the man who was holding a chainsaw that almost gave her a heart attack. There were times that she would also braced herself with the other girl. She smiled, quite amazed how Mina never let out a single noise.

Ah, she realized the reason behind when she saw Mina was eagerly biting her lower lip, Cute. The two were almost at the end of their adventure and Chaeyoung was a bit sweaty, not really sure whether from the horror place or because of the penguin. Mina had been really hot ever since they sat next to each other. Maybe she's really just feeling hot that's why she only wears this thin blouse, she thought as she walked their party out and free from the horror house.

Mina slowly opened her eyes when sunlight peered through her eyes. She let go of the cub's arm, "You weren't just kind of scared," Chaeyoung said. The penguin just pouted which made the shorter girl to laugh. "Let's go get lunch and try the Ferris wheel later," the cub said as she pulled Mina by her right hand.

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It was past noon and was just the right time for hungry customers. It was a relief that Chaeyoung managed to spot a table for two. Mina sat on their place as Chaeyoung ordered their foods. There wasn't much considered as good food in most theme parks, so the two just decided to get some burgers and smoothies. If the penguin thought about it, this set will be her first meal for the day since she skipped her breakfast. Chaeyoung arrived with a tray on her hands and she sat opposite to Mina. "I can't believe these workers kept on handing me candies," she puffed her cheeks, showing a strawberry flavored candy. "Were they mistaking me for a kid?" she handed Mina's orders. "They might be mistaking you for a kid," the other girl answered. The shorter girl took a bite from her cheeseburger, "Well, I'm not." The pen