˜”*°•.˜”*°• 12 •°*”˜.•°*”˜
_________________________________________________

◉●❀●◉

 

Yena finally loads the last bag into the trunk, closing it with a thump. Her right hand wipes out the invincible sweat on her forehead, feeling proud as she does so. She turns towards the elevator just on her left, to check for her best friend, frowning when she sees no sign of the girl.

 

 

She leans on the car, choosing to play on her mobile phone as she passes the time. Ultimately giving up when she loses ten minutes later, forehead creasing when the girl is still nowhere to be seen.

 

 

“Where is she? We’re going to be late,” she mutters, making her way over the driver’s side as her hands get busy on her phone again in an attempt to contact the girl.

 

 

But before she could press the call button, she hears the elevator ding and sees Sakura finally emerging from it. “Yah, unnie! What took you so long?” she asks as soon as the girl steps out and started walking towards the car. But the model ignores her, choosing to continue her trek, passing Yena without as much as a single glance. Yena watches her the whole time until she disappears inside the car.

 

 

Yena opens her door following her inside, head immediately turning to her bestfriend staring at her, confused, “Did something happen, unnie?”

 

 

Sakura does not look back, merely shrugging as she grabs the seatbelt behind her and clicking it into its slot.

 

 

Yena’s eyebrow raises at the girl’s reaction, adding the weird expression donning the girl’s features, she can’t help but be curious, “Why are you smiling? It’s creepy.”

 

 

Sakura appeared flustered for a millisecond before regaining her composure as her usual stoic expression makes its reappearance, “Just drive duck, we are going to be late.”

 

 

Yena, arguably appalled yet knows the girl is right, decides to let it go because they really are going to be late if she doesn’t start moving, “Geez, it’s not my fault if we do.” She mumbles, finally starting the car.

 

 

After almost 2 hours, an hour flying, the other 30 minutes in the cab, the two best friends finally arrive at their hotel in Jeju. To Sakura though, the journey felt more than that because of how Yena was during its duration. The girl was so aggravating the entire flight even as they were at the cab that it felt like Sakura’s ears would fall off anytime soon. The girl has continued to pester her like a broken record, complaining about why they just ran like wild women at the airport.

 

 

That might be an exaggeration, but no, they did run like wild women because when they got to the airport back in Seoul, they were left with only just a few minutes to spare before the plane left without them.

 

 

Because they can’t afford to miss this one, Yena took the matter in her own hands and had begged the staff to let them in, which thank God they did. But now, she’s making it her mission to squeeze out the reason why they had to go through that embarrassment.

 

 

“Come on, unnie, the least you could do is tell me what took you so long to come down.” She says as she lugs half of their bags with her, following behind the model who was walking ahead.

 

 

Sakura ignores the question, “Just go and check us in,”

 

 

“Yah, you know we aren’t athletic so we can’t run that fast without almost passing out. Which I think we almost did.” she says in an afterthought, remembering their ashen faces on the plane, “Plus, I just begged that woman, literally begged her on my knees to let us in.” she shivers as she remembered how embarrassing that was.

 

 

Sakura stops her steps as she turns and looks at her with an eyebrow raised, “I did not tell you to kneel, you did that on your own accord.”

 

 

Yena blinks but sighs, shaking her head. She knows she’s not going to get through to her anytime soon. And truthfully, Sakura is right, no one forced her to do that, and she did it anyway. But she acted on instinct! And it did work so she won’t stop until she knows. But for now, she stops and finally places the bags she’s carrying beside Sakura, who, not surprisingly, is already settled in a comfortable chair in the lobby, fiddling on her phone. She spares her another glance, then without another word, she walks over to the counter to finally check them in.

 

 

Sakura watches as Yena makes her way to the counter, she feels terrible, but she does not want to share what had happened yet. She wants to keep it to herself for now, although she will eventually tell Yena about it later… just that for now, she wants to keep Chaeyeon to herself for a few more moments.

 

 

◉●❀●◉

 

Chaeyeon could finally see the store from where she is. After choosing to walk back instead of riding the bus, she honestly doesn't even know how she got this far without getting in an accident. Her gait is different, walking like a newborn with its first steps, all the while fighting the smile that continues to etch itself on her lips. Her feelings are all jumbled about and head filled with thoughts about a certain model 453km away.

 

 

Assuming if the girl had already arrived. And no, she did not just search how far Seoul is from Jeju or how long one gets there. She just happened to read it while she was scrolling the net.... some few minutes ago.

 

 

She walked for almost an hour, trying to shake off the unexplainable yet understandable giddiness, opening the door with a bounce on her steps like she didn't just lumber all the way. She fails to notice the two people inside who were watching her the whole time.

 

 

"Here, she is," Hitomi announces once she's inside, as the door behind her closes.

 

 

She looks over and finally takes notice of their presence. She sees Chaewon right at the counter with Hitomi behind, currently smiling at her.

 

 

"Where'd you go?" Chaewon asks

 

 

Chaeyeon shrugs, "Just somewhere." But the smile on her face does not fade.

 

 

Hitomi and Chaewon look at each other, finding Chaeyeon's actions peculiar. Chaewon was too busy scrutinizing her friend that she was albeit surprised when she felt a hot gush of air against her ears, it took her a second to realize that Hitomi had suddenly leant closer to her, "I think something good happened." she says

 

 

Chaewon flinches on instinct, "Uh yeah… I guess..." she stutters.

 

 

Hitomi eyes her weirdly as she moves back while Chaewon desperately tries to control her expression.

 

 

Chaeyeon does not notice the small interaction as she was busy looking down at her phone, frowning at the empty screen. She pockets her phone and looks at Hitomi, “I’m sorry I took off like that, Hiichan, “she says as she finally looks up and stops beside Chaewon.

 

 

Hitomi shakes her head, turning her attention towards Chaeyeon, “No, it’s okay unnie, there weren’t that many customers, and Chaewon unnie kept me company anyways.” she answers moving towards the other end to pick up something.

 

 

Chaeyeon does not fail this time to notice Chaewon’s reddening cheeks and how the girl seemed to be avoiding looking at Hitomi. She eyes her friend curiously, trying to study her.

 

 

“What’s wrong with you? Are you sick?” she asks.

 

 

Hitomi hears it and turns towards them eyes full of concern, “Chaewon unnie you’re sick?”

 

 

Chaewon’s flinches, turning her head towards Chaeyeon, eyes wide, clearly avoiding the other girl, “What? No. I’m not.”

 

 

But, Hitomi still walks over, searching Chaewon’s face, hand reaching over to feel her forehead. Chaewon could feel her face heating up once it comes in contact with her forehead, she could feel her face warming up, feeling like she might actually be sick after all, “Your face is red. Are you sure you’re not sick?”

 

 

Realizing what is happening, Chaewon moves back, surprising both Hitomi and Chaeyeon at the suddenness, “I- I’m really fine.”

 

 

The two looks at her weird, before Hitomi’s attention, turns to the customer they did not notice come in and was already lining up at the counter.

 

 

Chaewon clears as she releases a sigh of relief. She was too focused on trying to compose herself that she forgets that Chaeyeon was still watching her, discerning the little implications she was displaying, only waking up when the girl pulls her aside.

 

 

She stares at her and it makes Chaewon uncomfortable.

 

 

“I now understand what you mean, Chaewon ah.”

 

 

“Huh? What do- you mean?” she tilts her head, still baffled.

 

 

“Attraction.” She smiles sheepishly, pauses, as if that simple word explains everything. Before Chaewon could let a word out, Chaeyeon’s smile widens, eyes twinkling with mischief, “You should tell Hitomi soon.”

 

 

Chaewon eyes grew wide, turning to look at Hitomi, checking if she heard. She sees Hitomi still entertaining the customer before suddenly turning to look at her, head tilted. Chaewon looks away when she got caught.

 

 

“I’m going to the backroom, see you later, Chaewon ah,” Chaeyeon takes this as an opportunity to escape, only giving her a teasing smile before walking towards the backroom. As she stares at her friend’s retreating back, Chaewon feels found out.

 

 

“Is everything okay, Chaewon unnie?” Hitomi suddenly calls her attention.

 

 

Chaewon turns to her and scratches at her neck and nods, albeit awkwardly, “Uh yeah. Everything is fine, Hitomi.”

 

 

“Okay.” Hitomi smiles at her before going back to entertain the second customer.

 

 

Chaewon turns away from the girl, exhaling. She can’t help but feel her insides tingle, seeing Hitomi’s stunning smile.

 

 

Chaewon left before Chaeyeon could reappear, telling Hitomi she needs to go back to work. She leaves at Hitomi’s words, “Please take it easy Chaewon unnie, don’t get sick.”

 

 

Chaewon smiles inwardly as she sets off back to the studio.

 

 

Chaeyeon does not notice Chaewon’s absence at first when she left the room, since she immediately felt the exhaustion as soon as she came out. Now that the adrenaline has come down, she felt her legs aching.

 

 

“Are you okay, unnie? You look incredibly tired.” Hitomi asks her when she sees her stretching her legs.

 

 

“Oh, I’m fine Hii, I’m just feeling that hour walk right now, haha,” she says, placating the girl’s concerns.

 

 

Hitomi nods but is still inquisitive because Chaeyeon didn’t have to walk that far, “Why didn’t you take the bus?”

 

 

Chaeyeon shrugs, a small smile adorns her face, as she continues to massage at her legs. “I just felt like walking for some reason.” And that’s the truth. She was feeling giddy, and it felt like she can’t stay still, so she just walked it out, not even realizing that she walked that much. She honestly did not feel the fatigue as she was busy thinking about what happened to care.

 

 

Even right now, as she remembers, she could feel it bubbling out and the grin does not wane.

 

 

Hitomi watches her, she’s glad that her Chaeyeon unnie is finally smiling again. She was worried since the girl has been dispirited the last couple of days, and seeing the girl’s demeanor right now it seemed like everything is okay again, “I guess whatever is making you down is finally resolved?”

 

 

Chaeyeon’s eyes widen and she clears and nods, “Yeah. I finally understood some things.”

 

 

Hitomi hums, “I’m glad.”

 

 

After that, the two were well on the rest of their shift. Chaeyeon manages to get her work done despite her aching legs. Hitomi, worried, tells her to rest a couple of times but Chaeyeon insists on it. And just like that, time just flew by, and it was already the end of the shift when Chaeyeon sees their two replacing workers come in while she was wiping the counter.

 

 

They greet each other as the two disappears into the backroom.

 

 

“Great work today Hii,” she says when Hitomi rounds the corner.

 

 

“You too unnie.”

 

 

Chaeyeon is sitting on the stool, waiting for Hitomi to finish packing up. As she waits, her mind wanders back to what had happened earlier. She still can’t help but think of Sakura whenever she is left alone and there were a couple of times where her thoughts would venture towards it, like when she is cleaning or putting away packets on the shelves.

 

 

Her hand goes up to her lips as she touches it subconsciously as if she could still feel the model’s soft lips still against it. That was her first kiss. Okay maybe it wasn’t the first kiss if you count the one at Han river, but it was the first one where she initiated it.

 

 

She did not expect it would happen that way, it never even crossed her mind. But meeting Sakura has made her experience new things, things that are thought to be foreign to her and she can’t explain why.

 

 

“Unnie?” Hitomi appears beside her, “You’ve been spacing out a lot.”

 

 

Chaeyeon wakes up from her reverie, nodding “haha, I just have a lot of thoughts Hii.”

 

 

Hitomi watches her for a while, she knows something’s up with Chaeyeon, but the girl seemed to be set on keeping it a secret, so she does not probe. Her eyes, in turn, takes notice at the phone on the table. “Unnie, I think your phone is lighting up.”

 

 

Chaeyeon immediately looks down, hands reaching for her phone. She saw that she got 2 messages. One from 2 hours ago and a latest one just now, lips curving up into a big smile as she opens it.

 

 

Hi, I just got here. And I want to go back.
Saku chan (5:34pm)

 

 

Are you still at work?
Saku chan (7:45pm)

 

 

Hitomi watches as Chaeyeon’s eyes sparkles, smile widening as she continues to look down at her phone. This must be someone special to her unnie; judging from her expression. Hitomi does not even get a response when they part ways outside the store. She tells her that she’s going ahead anyways and this time, Chaeyeon finally looks at her and says, “Okay Hii, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

 

 

As she walks away, she could not forget the expression on Chaeyeon’s face. And can’t help but think how nice it must be for her Chaeyeon unnie to have someone that can make her smile just from a simple text. She wishes she’d get someone like that someday.

 

 

◉●❀●◉

 

 

Sakura was lounging on the bed, staring at the ceiling. She does know how long she stayed in that position when she felt her phone vibrate beside her. She sits up and eagerly grabs it, leaving her switch abandoned.

 

 

Saku chan! Hi. I just finished work. Did you arrive okay?

 

 

She could not stop the excitement she felt once she saw the text. She has been waiting for Chaeyeon to finally reply ever since they arrived that she even let Yena attend the welcome meeting alone, saying she was too exhausted and wanted to rest up in the room.

 

 

Yena looked at her suspiciously and clearly presumed that she’d only be playing games. Which she does not even bother denying, “Okay unnie, I’ll come back with dinner after.”

 

 

Originally, that was what Sakura would’ve done. But every time she tries to play; her eyes were constantly checking her phone waiting for it to light up, hopefully with a message from a certain someone. She did that for hours on end until she decided to just lay down, when she couldn’t even win once because she was so distracted.

 

 

Reading the message now, Sakura had felt impish because of excitement and thought of teasing the girl. Plus, knowing Chaeyeon, she will most likely succeed.

 

 

I did. Almost got left behind though.

 

 

She smiles when it doesn’t take more than a minute for the reply to come.
 

 

What? Why?

 

 

She moves back until her back hits the headboard, grabbing a pillow and laying it on her lap, as she focused on her phone smirking as she types.

 

 

Becoz someone came n ambushed me.
We almost had to buy new tickets.

 

 

Sakura watches the three dots, come and go, the corners of her lips lifting up, knowing she caught the girl off guard. It goes on for a few minutes before the reply comes.

 

 

I’m sorry.

 

 

The smirk disappears instantly, and her eyes grew. That wasn’t what she intended to happen. What did Chaeyeon mean by that apology? Obviously worried, she hurriedly types.

 

 

waiChaeyon! Iw asjust teasin yyou.

 

 

Sakura does not even care, or she just did not notice the typos. She was too focused on her phone that her body inadvertently leant forward, eyes glaring at those three dots, nerves growing each time it disappears. What’s taking her so long? Did she perhaps regret it?

 

 

After those three dots completely vanishes, her nerves finally got the best of her and was about to call, but her phone vibrates before she could.

 

 

Wow the typos hahaha I got you! :P hehe

 

 

Sakura felt her whole body drop as relief washes over her whole body. Okay she got played, Lee Chaeyeon turned the tables on her. Normally if Yena did that, she would have chewed her head off but somehow when Chaeyeon does it, she felt amused.

 

 

You cant do that. you almost gave me a heartattack.

 

 

Chaeyeon was on the bus home when she gets the reply. She giggles when it looked like she got the girl just like she had hoped. When she lived with the model, Sakura and Yena would always . So, when she was reading the model’s message, she instantly knew the girl’s antics and did not want to let Sakura get away, so she decided to turn it against her.

 

 

I’m sorry hehe. But, I’m also sorry for making you late.

 

 

Even if the model was joking, she still did ambush her and made her unintentionally late. Although that much is true, Sakura’s reply gives her relief.

 

 

No. don’t be. I’m happy you came actually.

 

 

Sakura couldn’t help her lips from curving up into a smile when she remembered what had caused her tardiness. She didn’t know what to do about her constant irritability on the days after Chaeyeon had left. To the point that Yena had noticed.

 

 

Yeah. I need to thank Yena for that.

 

 

Sakura takes a mental note to thank her best friend who apparently, got Yuri involved too.

 

 

Speaking of that duck, did she rub off on you?
Or were you always like this? 

 

 

I guess you need to know more about me Saku chan.
You don’t know what else I’m capable of ;)

 

 

After getting off the bus, Chaeyeon, phone in hand and a smile on her face, continued to walk the small distance, arriving in front of Eunbi’s apartment. She felt her phone vibrate just as she reaches a hand towards the knob. Her eyes look down at it as she twists it open, feet halting as she reads the message.

 

 

Yeah. I didn’t know you were good at kissing so I’m quite curious to know more.
So, tell me, what else is Lee Chaeyeon capable of?

 

 

Chaeyeon felt her heart jump once she registers each word, she could feel her face heating up and her heartbeat quickening as she lingered on one. She knows they kissed, and she still feel tingles in her body whenever she remembers it, but somehow reading it, brought back the feelings from earlier. The feeling of a thousand butterflies flying around her belly, the warmth on her face and the tingling soft pressure on her lips.

 

 

Seeming to have heard the door open, Eunbi greets her by the hallway, apron on, “Welcome back Chae…what’s wrong with you?” she asks head tilted to her side.

 

 

Chaeyeon snaps back as she moves further inside, closing the door behind her, “Uh yeah. I’ll be in the room.” she quickly says and makes a beeline to her room.

 

 

“Wait don’t you want dinn----er?” Eunbi watches as Chaeeyon passes her, head hung low, disappearing behind the door. “What the hell?”

 

 

Once Chaeyeon is safely inside, her back immediately rests on the door as she tries to control her rapid heartbeat. To say she did not expect that is an understatement, to be honest she can’t ever predict what the model would do next. She always has this expression as if she’s silently judging you. Thus, things like this always manages to stun her. She did not expect she would blatantly say that even though it was through text. And yet, then again, she knows Sakura has always been bold. Just not this bold.

 

 

She stayed in that position, until she felt her phone vibrate again. She looks down at it with careful eyes, preparing herself for what the model would say next, but before she could open the message, she could hear Eunbi’s voice behind the door accompanied by two knocks.

 

 

“Is Everything okay Chaen?”

 

 

She takes a deep breath, “Ah yes, everything is okay Eunbi unnie,” she says as she moves away from the door.

 

 

“Can I come in?”

 

 

“Yes, of course.”

 

 

The door opens and Eunbi’s head pops out from behind it, “You sure you’re okay? Your face is red.”

 

 

Chaeyeon nods, “I’m okay. Just tired.”

 

 

Eunbi knows something’s up, but seeing as the girl is hesitant to say anything, she tries a different approach, “How about dinner? I cooked.”

 

 

“I’ll eat after I change. Thank you unnie.”

 

 

Eunbi watches her for a while and could clearly see how the girl is avoiding her gaze. She is contemplating whether to call her out about her avoidance or just let the girl come and tell her herself.

 

 

“Alright, come out after then.” She chooses the second one feeling like the girl will be telling her soon, seeing as Chaeyeon is not totally avoiding her if she agreed to dinner, so she might as well wait.

 

 

Eunbi takes her leave, but before she could step out of the room, she looks back at Cha