Chapter 03 • Willing to Wait?

Chaewon have been sitting at the same spot for half a day now, Ah it’s raining. She was waiting for the rain to stop until she saw a familiar face holding an umbrella in front of her. Kim Minjoo. She stood up and hugged her. Her eyes were swollen, her face was messy, she probably crying nonstop.

“Chaewon? What are you doing here, don’t you have an umbrella?”

“Minjoo, it hurts! It really hurts!”

She knew what she was talking about. Minjoo dropped her umbrella and started caressing her back.

“I miss her so much! I miss Eunbi! I hate myself for breaking up with her!” She said between her sobs. “Now, she’s dating another girl! Eunbi didn’t love me!” she added.

Minjoo continued comforting her, she didn’t care even if there were a lot of people looking at them.

“Chaewon, let’s date.” She mustered up her courage to take her out. She found another, this means I can take her out.

“Huh? Are you insane!? I haven’t even moved on from her—”

Minjoo noticed someone from afar, running towards them through her peripheral vision. She kissed Chaewon.

It was Eunbi saw them. Her lips were left open in shock, the gift she bought with Yujin slipped down from her hand. This was even worse than what she felt with her break up with Yena. Her hand that was holding up her umbrella went down and her grip loosened, the umbrella fell along with the gift. Am I that easy to forget? She turned her back and ran back to where she came from, she hailed a taxi.

“M-Minjoo, why’d you do… that?” Is this what Eunbi felt that night I kissed her?

“I love you Chaewon, I’m willing to go through anything just to make you mine.”

Someone picked up the gift that Eunbi left on the sidewalk.

•••

Wonyoung remembered the night they just got home from their planetarium date, it was the day that Yujin won’t even let go of her. The night they did the forbidden, but who cares, they love each other anyway—at least during that time. It was also the night Yujin told her that she’ll be her princess, and will protect her whatever happens, the promise which Yujin wasn’t able to do because she still got bullied by her fangirls. She shook her head, Jang Wonyoung, this is not the time to think about that.

“Don’t touch me.” Wonyoung struggles to remove Yujin’s grip on her wrists.

“Wonyoung, please listen.” Yujin’s grip on her wrists gets tighter the more she tries to free herself.

“Yujin stop it! It hurts!” It came to when Yujin already pushed her against the wall.

“I-I won’t stop until you listen to what I have to say!”

Wonyoung tried fighting her off the other way, she moved her feet, and tried kicking her. It just made them lose their balance, they both fell on the wooden floor Yujin didn’t let this opportunity slide. She quickly removed her grip on Wonyoung’s wrist and wrapped her right arm on her back, and her left hand buried her head on her chest. The room was quiet, Wonyoung had stopped struggling. Soon, Yujin heard sobs again.

“I hate you. I hate you Yujin.” Yujin felt Wonyoung grabbing her shirt. Her shirt was getting wet.

“I wasn’t dating her Wonyoung. I asked Coach to come with me because I wanted to be able to choose a good gift for you. Since you were avoiding me in school and during training, I thought I did something really wrong.” Yujin started explaining, looking at the dimly lit ceiling.

“I don’t care.”

“I put my arm around her when we went out of the shop because I saw a group of people looking at her in a weird manner. I wasn’t with our family’s men so I’m not sure of what would possibly happen.” Yujin sighed heavily. “Wonyoung, I no longer hold any romantic feelings towards Minjoo. I’m only looking at you and nobody else.” She added.

“If you want, I’ll go and announce our relationship tomorrow during the assembly.” She started caressing her hair. Like a cat on top of its owner, Wonyoung looked Yujin while her eyes are still puffy from crying. Their eyes met, Wonyoung was just there, staring at her while sniffing the mucus supposedly going down her nose. Yujin smiled and kissed her lips.

“Yujin, are you really doing that?”

“Yes of course, I’ll do it.” When Yujin saw her calmed face, she planted a kiss on her forehead.

“Yujin, I love you. I’m sorry for not listening to you.” Now sitting back up, Wonyoung was sitting on Yujin’s lap.

“It’s alright, I understand Wonyoung.” Yujin pecked her cheek, “But next time be sure to tell me if there is something, okay? I don’t want to see you cry again.”

“I promise… I’m sorry for getting angry…”

“Shh. I told you already, it’s alright.”

•••

“Yuri, I forgot my shoes at home! Can you let me borrow your extra shoes? I forgot mine!” Chaewon was wearing her old shoes that had adhesive tapes and marks of super glue, not the one that she usually wore. Everyone from the South knew how Eunbi was always buying new basketball shoes for Chaewon since she always breaks hers easily.

“Chaewon, you see… I’m using my extra right now. My old one just started talking, haha.” Yuri apologized and went to the court.

Kim Chaewon knew she can’t get on the court wearing those shoes, it might just start talking and greeting her teammates on court. It would be embarrassing. She was left on the changing room, she was yet to make her decision on what she’ll do.

On the court was the usual fangirls and students, screaming Jinjoo’s and cheers to their favorite members. But once Yujin heard the certain group throwing painful words towards Wonyoung, she immediately went to the part where the group stood. She smiled at them politely at first, then her face changed. She turned her head and looked Wonyoung, she asked her to come close to her. Wonyoung agreed and ran towards her to meet her.

“Girls, I’d like y’all to meet my girlfriend. Jang Wonyoung.”

She even kissed her in front of them.

“I’d like it if you’d stop sending those threatening letters, and those chants that breaks her heart. Please also stop pairing me with Kim Minjoo, it might be annoying the other party.”

Chaeyeon and Sakura was reminded of what Chaeyeon did back when she told her fans that they were going official. She had the exact same problem that Wonyoung faced, hers was even worse— It was something that even involved spreading rumors that she slept her way to become a starter player. Sakura can just laugh while remembering that it really did happen to her before.

When Chaewon went out, she was on her slippers. She was about to get on the court when Yuri called her attention.

“Chaewon, are you really going to train on those slippers?” She asked, her arms crossed.

“Yeah, I don’t have shoes. I’ll have to make do with these.” Chaewon answered, as if she really had a choice.

“Use mine, we’re almost the same size if I can recall.” Eunbi was removing her baskerball shoes one by one, handing it to her, but Chaewon just glared at her as if telling her ‘What the heck are you doing?’

“No,” She declined her offer. “I can play with my slippers.” She added.

“Kim Chaewon, we’re going to try a new team play today. If you’re going to be stubborn, then I’ll have to remove you in the National’s line up.” Yuri threatened her, Chaewon clicked her tongue and grabbed the pair of shoes from Eunbi. While tying her shoe laces, she looked at Yujin who was happily holding Wonyoung on her arms. Looks like players will be players. I better shut myself.

When the training ended, Chaewon immediately removed Eunbi’s shoes and left it beside her. She went back to the changing room with only her elite socks.

They both had the same thought.

Am I really that easy to forget? Was everything nothing?

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