Chapter IV - Challenger Approaches

challenger approaches: Originated from fighting games and arcade games but is now seen in many other genres of multiplayer/pvp games that focuses on 1 v 1. This was a screen that would appear while a player wished to compete against another. 

“You sure you don't want us to hang around here?” Jisoo asked. “In case you need back up or something.”

“I'll be fine unnie,” I nodded.

“Aww~! I wanted to watch,” she pouted. “No fun.”

“Ah, crap. Same here.” SinB snapped. “But mostly so I can see you crash and burn.”

“Exactly!” I smiled. “Which is why I’d appreciate it if you left now.”

I would never be able to concentrate knowing these two were around and I'm already a mess as it is.

Keep it together! You can do this!

Currently, we were doing what normal young adult females do while waiting: messing with our phones and chatting. Chaeyoung was still working so the others decided to wait with me.

In the last couple of hours while waiting for her, I had managed to observe Chaeyoung for a total of 42 minutes. In that time frame, I only had to initiate the silent conversations and jokes 17 times while she did about 25. Also in that interim, I had caught her smiling that agape smirk for a total of 36 minutes.

A new record!

Of course, this is the first time we had ever spoken so that record didn't mean much. But, at the very least, it was progress.

“Chaeyoungie~!” called out a girly voice.

Click.

Flipped like a switch.

I was triggered.

And all I needed was the sound of the familiarity to disrupt me.

There was nothing in me. Nothing else to feel.

Nothing except… this… this… feral emotion.

This emotion spread from my chest out of nowhere. Like my heart went cold as I looked at the the back of the head of this girl.

Who is that?

Why is she extremely familiar with her?

And why is she holding her hand like it was nobody’s business?

She had long dark brown hair, obviously dyed. Her tight clothes hugged her petite frame and curved body. I watched her head tilt to the side as she then quietly spoke to Chaeyoung, making her laugh in the process.

The possibility that she could belong to someone else. I wish I could rip the thought out of my head before it got out of hand.

But it was too late.

I was already too far.

My mind was filled to the brim with thoughts of breaking this girl down.

Next to me, SinB mumbled something and took a step away, dragging Jisoo along with her.

I wish this girl would step away from Chaeyoung.

“Hello, Sana unnie!” Chaeyoung asked politely. “How’ve you been?”

“Great!” answered the long haired girl. “But where oh where’s my Dahyunie?”

Click.

The switch turned off.

Eh?

My head tilted to the side, now realizing who this person was.

Or.

To the very least, I was no longer filled with malcontent.

“Sana-chan?” I called out.

She spun around wearing a goofy smile on her face.

Sigh.

Yup.

It was Sana, another Japanese exchange student who stayed at the international dorms like I did.

Strangely, even though I knew who it was, I still found myself on edge.

“Wah! Oh my gosh! I didn't see you there, Minari-chan!” Sana took hurried steps to my side and wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug. “It's been forever!”

“Ye-yeah, it's been awhile… Ow!” Sana eventually let go of me but kept me within her reach. She was a very… touchy… person so you could see where my hesitation came from. “So… how’ve you been? You we're on vacation, right?”

“Oh yeah! It was great! Went back home to Osaka to visit the family and stuff. Shame you never go back.”

“Ah, yeah. I can't really…”

Really… I can’t.

The words hung in the air a little too long, making the conversation come to an abrupt stop.

“Subtitles please,” SinB spoke up behind me.

“Mina-bon actually sounds kinda cool in Japanese,” Jisoo added.

“Ah, sorry!” I apologized in Korean, not realizing we had switched to Japanese. “Um, this is Minatozaki Sana, by the way. Another international student.”

“Hehehe, nice to meet you all!” Sana finally let go of me to bow towards the others. “You have such cute friends, Minari-chan.”

Oh here we go…

“Kim Jisoo. Nice to meet ya~!”

“Huh? Oh. Um. I'm Hwang SinB…”

“Wah! Let's be friends!” Sana smiled before turning to me. “Where have you been hiding these girls from me? I’m so jealous!”

I was afraid this would happen.

“Before you do anything, I should point out that they are both taken.” I raised an eyebrow at her.

“So am I but it doesn't mean every time I talk to another girl I’m cheating on my Dahyunie.”

“Dahyunie…? That sounded familiar…”

“She's the other one who works here on my shift.”

Without me noticing, Chaeyoung was by my side. She had picked up my empty cup from my PC station and was on her way back to the counter.

“Ah, right!” I clapped my hands. “Thanks, Chae- Chae- shi? No, I mean. Uh…”

“Hahaha. You can just call me Chaeyoung. You're older anyway.”

“Ri-Right!”

And she walked away while wearing that adorable smile that I liked.

“Again. Are you SURE that you don't need us here?” Jisoo asked after Chaeyoung left earshot.

“Can we? Please?” SinB commented.

“Oh!? What's happening?” Sana tilted her head, letting her bangs fall as they may. “Mina doing something?”

“Mina-bon’s got a date with Chaeyoung.” Jisoo whispered excitedly.

That's one way to put it.

No wait!

“It’s not a date!” I retorted. “It's a meeting! Or hang out!”

“Ooooh~!” Sana hummed thoughtfully. “That sounds like a date to me~!”

“Please don't make this become something it's not. I really don't want to get my hopes up.”

“Ah, so you do hope it is?”

“I- uh…”

Yes?

No?

Maybe?

No comment.

I couldn't even complete my response. I just scrunched up my face in an awkward smile.

I don't have an answer.

Or…

No...

That's not it.

I'm just too scared to have one.

“You ready, darling?”

A cool voice came from behind Sana where arms expanded and embraced the girl into a hug.

“Wah! Dahyunie~!” Sana wiggled her body in the others arms.

Cold.

Watching them hug like that made me feel cold for some reason.

I know this wasn't on purpose or anything but I think I hated being alone like this.

Like I was the only one…

“Oh! Your Mina-shi right?” The girl affectionately named Dahyunie looked at me up and down, though not sure why.

“Oh, yeah,” I bowed my head slightly. “That's me.”

“Hmm,” she hummed, almost like she was happy with something? That didn't make sense. “You’re that girl that Chaeyoung has a date with right?”

“Yes… Or wait! I mean. Uh. Did she… say it was?”

The other three perked up at question, completely caught off guard by the abrasiveness. Hell, I was even surprised by it myself.

“Hahahaha. I mean, I could tell you… But then this wouldn't be as fun for me.” Dahyun threw out a knowing smile. “Anyway, Chaeyoungie will be just a minute or so. So hopefully you won’t have to wait too long. Come on, darling~! I’m hungry!”

“Weee~!” Sana squealed as she was being dragged off towards the front door. “Yay~! Later Minari-chan! Let's catch up later, okay??”

“Ah… wait!” I cried.

“Nice meeting you all!” Dahyun waved.

And out they went.

“...”

“And so the plot thickens…” Jisoo narrated mysteriously. She did another detective pose to emphasize the fact. “Did she? Didn’t she? Omo~!”

“Don’t…” I sighed.

“Alright, alright. We’ll get out of your hair.” Jisoo turned to SinB and put her arm on the younger girl. “Let’s get going, yeah?”

“Ugh… Fine.” SinB sighed into her phone. “Later, Mina unnie.”

After a hug and a wave, they left and I went looking for Chaeyoung. She wasn't manning the counter anymore as a single night shift person was now taking care of everything. I didn't want to be seen standing awkwardly around the cafe so I walked over to the lounge and sat in a comfortable chair.

Ah, but maybe I should sit more prettily?

Here was the problem I was facing.

Chaeyoung could come over at any moment and the moment she saw me, I wanted her to have the funny agape smile on her face again.

At the same time, does anyone actually worry as much as I do about this kind of stuff?

I looked around for a chair with better back support or something I could cross my legs on but nothing was available.

This required a bit of creativity.

My current seat of choice was a large cushy single person chair that was way too big for me. The arm rests were too far apart for me to properly drape my arms across both. Maybe just one? A slanted, more angled look could work.

“What you up to?”

Chaeyoung’s voice rang at my side out of nowhere.

“Well I’m trying to figure out a better way to sit here and-” I stopped speaking, realizing only then that this was complete and utter nonsense. “Or... Hey?”

An adorable smile. Fully in view and presented for me to appreciate.

But…

Chaeyoung was showing off more than just her pearly whites.

Her hair was redone, now styled over to give her long bangs towards the left side her face. Make up was redone, further accenting that beauty mark of hers. She even wore earrings that I swear she wasn’t wearing when she started work here before. Her outfit has changed tool, a red halter top with dressy black shorts that made her legs look longer that ended with some ankle high heeled boots.

“Wow…”

Yeah. That pretty much sums up my reaction.

To say I died at that moment was an understatement. My jaw went slack and I could barely concentrate on talking. Which isn't that weird all things considering. But I wasn't expecting this.

Girl crush status confirmed.

“Do I look okay?”

What should I say?

Oh! Quick time event!

Mina options:

1. "You look y!"
2. "Damn!"
3. "You are the most beautiful creature I've ever laid eyes on."
4. "If I could have you now, I would."

Choose an option now!

“Yeah…” I responded after a moment.

Or option 5: where I sound like some love sick schoolgirl pinning for their crush.

Very attractive.

I need to play more dating sims.

“Good~!” Chaeyoung tilted her head the other direction as she beckoned me to stand up from the chair. I happily obliged. “Thought I should pay you back for catching me off guard earlier.”

“Catching you off…?” It took a second or two for the words to land. “Oh!”

“Don't act like that wasn't on purpose.”

As we neared the door outside, I quickened my pace and opened it.

“Hmm? But- But- it wasn’t!” I tried joking with her a bit, barely giving what would constitute as an innocent smile. “I was just… warm.”

“‘Warm' my ~! You're a lot more sly than I thought, Mina unnie. Even opening the door for me…”

“Huh? Did I? I just kinda do that for everyone…”

“O- Oh…”

She almost sounded disappointed.

WAIT!

Why did I say that?

The conversation was already going so well.

Ugh.

I'm so dumb.

This is your chance! Don't mess it up.

“Or- I mean. Yeah. I do that… for some people. Not everyone… Just. Some…”

It took a moment for Chaeyoung to respond.

“Hehe, I see…”

She was seemingly distracted by something off the side of street as we walked.

“...”

“...”

The silence was deafening. Almost nerve wracking.

We continued making our steps aimlessly down the road. I wasn't sure where we were going and if we stayed out too long, we might freeze to death.

A minute passed.

Then another.

And another.

Before I couldn't bare it anymore, I took a cautious glance at the shorter girl, trying to read some sort of emotion.

Did I mess it up?

Did I lose my chance?

Was she mad?

Was she disappointed?

And what I saw was a smile.

A small smirk.

Happy?

She was happy?

But I thought I blew it back there?

No. She was definitely happy.

Her eyes wandered about here and there, like when she was typing something into her phone.

She was observing things. Taking it all in and finding something.

Something to make her smile.

The sunset.

The clean road.

The flowers on the side.

Anything.

Everything.

I wanted to watch her a bit more.

I guess the silence wasn't so bad then.  

So the conversation continued, just like when we were at the cafe.

She would bump into me.

I'd bump into her.

Constantly teasing the contact between us.

Testing the space between us.

It was the natural thing to do as the chilled air brought us closer together. Like that was supposed to be the case. There is warmth in proximity. Even just decreasing the space between us just a little bit helped a ton.

Suddenly, her body jerked a bit and she wrapped her arms around her elbows.

She was-

There wasn't even a second thought.

“Here.”

My jacket was around her shoulders.

“Um… I run kinda warm…” I started to explain, trying to find the right way not to sound dumb. “I don't get cold that easily… So… go ahead.”

Chaeyoung looked at me, eyes open wide with surprise.

“Th- Thanks....”

“Y- Yeah.”

One step.

Two steps.

Three steps.

The silence continued.

A comfortable silence.

Silence while talking.

Her arm, though shorter than mine, found the sleeves of my jacket.

“Eh?” I squealed, surprised by her hand at my elbow. Eventually, she was hugging my arm as we walked.

“I didn't want you to be cold… That okay?”

My mind went blank.

I forgot to ask her what we were doing.

I forgot to ask her what she wanted to talk to me about.

I forgot to ask her how she knew so much about me.

All that was left in my mind was this moment.

A moment that I wanted to keep going on.

And on.

And on...

So I nodded my head while smiling, continuing the silence.

Chaeyoung did the same, leading us towards the university grounds as I watched her observed the night sky.  

Author's Notes: Super fun times ahead!!! I like to think that i've successfully written an equaly cute but awkward romantic scene. More MiChange scenes to come!

Also! MORE TWICE SHIPS!!! YAY! That should relieve some of you who was hoping that Tzuyu was not dating Sana. Got you guys covered. 

Oh and that super fun Girl Crush moment... hehehe. Mina is shooketh. 

Anyway, the next post for this fic will be a DLC chapter. I'll explain later what that is but basically a side thing relating to stuff behind the scenes. Should be fun. I did one for Game Over so I wanted t continue that here. 

And as always. Have good memories and nightmares.