˜”*°•.˜”*°• 06 •°*”˜.•°*”˜
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"Clearly. So are you gonna tell me or what?"

Yena blushes but ignores Sakura's question. "Let me play this first, It's not every day you let me play this easily."

Sakura quirks an eyebrow at Yena's actions. It's visible that Yena is not acting like herself today. Even for the better or otherwise, she is not herself. The way her body exudes restlessness perceives to Sakura that Yena may be excited about something and just doesn't know how to put it into words. She gives her a moment to collect herself and tell her story at her own pace.

As Yena seems preoccupied with the game, Sakura watches her best friend's disposition, she notes the slightly shaking of her hands and the bouncing of her legs, the unmistakable wide grin even when her character loses. All of which are clear signs of someone who is especially thrilled about something. But as minutes passed, Sakura's patience runs too. The longer she waits, the more impatient she became. So after giving a last glance at the playing duck beside her, she finally decides to break her silence.

 But before she could let a word out, her phone buzzes on the table, quickly diverting her attention with how loud it vibrated. But even that does not deter Yena's focus on the game before her. Only a side glance indicates that Yena had noticed, but otherwise she continues to play. Sakura shakes her head, but her expression softens when she saw who the text came from.

"Hey Sakuchan, my shift just ended and I'm on my way home, Did you reheat the pasta?"
Jjaeyeon (10:33pm)

Sakura smiles at the message. She was about ready to reply when she sees Yena dropping the controller on the table, turning to look at her with an almost bashful expression. Sakura looks back at her, "You ready to tell me now?"

Yena slowly nods almost immediately. Sakura, not wanting to break the girl's giddiness replies a simple text to Chaeyeon's and focused on her friend's storytelling. "Go on then."

"Well you see, I followed your advice" replies Yena suddenly too excited "And let's just say being my overly annoying self worked" she states as she remembers what had transpired earlier.

Flashback:

Yena and Yuri wear bashful smiles as the two exit the building. As soon as Yena had read the letter with a grin, Yuri shyly walks over with a timid smile.

"You couldn't have told me in person?" Yena smiles cheekily, "Not that I don't find this cute" showing off the letter proudly.

"Don't push it." Yuri remarks glaring at the girl

Raising her hands, Yena retracts "Right, no pushing. Got it."

The two walk-in silence, occasionally glancing at each other trying to be subtle at it but, every time they do, their eyes meet making Yuri's cheeks blush and Yena's grin wider.

"So where are we going?" Yuri finally asks.

Yena just smiles and takes Yuri's hands. "Follow me, and you'll know."

◉●❀●◉

"So that's what happened" Yena finishes, looking at Sakura for a reaction. But the model's face remains the same. After a few seconds, Sakura stands up and walks towards the kitchen. Yena's eyes follow her, she wonders why the girl does not say anything. Sakura soon comes back to the living room, now with a bottle of soda and a piece of bread.

She slowly makes her way towards her spot, places the bottle on the table and taking the controller while biting on her bread. Yena appearing more exasperated by the lack of words. "That's it? You're not gonna say anything?"

Sakura shrugs as she starts to play. "What do you want me to say?

"Yena rolls her eyes "I don't know.. just anything? You're supposed to be happy for me," she remarks.

Sakura's fingers stop, she pauses the game and looks at Yena. "I'am. I just don't know what to say."

Yena sighs. She knows how Sakura is. This new Sakura is so different. She can't blame her, but it still makes her sad. "Yeah, I'm sorry too. I was just so excited, I really like her unnie."

Sakura places the controller back on the table. "I can see that. And I'm happy for you" she says, placing a hand on Yena's arm and smiles. "Really I'am. But you took her to the streetscape? Really? Street food for lunch?"

 "Didn't you listen? She loved it!" Yena appears offended. "And it was just lunch, I'm bringing her to a great restaurant when she agrees to a date."

"IF she agrees."

"Of course, she will!... I think…"

Sakura raises an eyebrow, obviously doubting. She's doing it in jest of course and just wants to , but Sakura was indeed happy for Yena. After Juri, Yena hasn't shown any interest in dating again. Although she hasn't known much about Yuri, she's giving her the benefit of the doubt until she does because the duck seemed to really like her.

"Yeah Yeah, if she agreed to lunch, pretty sure she'll agree to a date, I mean I live with you, and I survived. I'm sure that Yuri girl could too."

Yena smiles back in gratitude. She knows that this is just Sakura's way of expressing her emotions. "You know what, all that talking made me hungry so suddenly," she says as she stretches her arms. "What should we eat?"

"Oh yeah, Chaeyeon said to just heat up the pasta, go and do that" Sakura says starting the game again.

Yena looks towards her in a skeptical look. "Are you sure you want to leave me in the kitchen, touching the stove? There's like fire, you know?"

Sakura seemed to pause for a minute. "Never mind then, Let's just order pizza."

Yena nods as she takes her phone by the table to order while Sakura stands up to get another bread after devouring her last piece.

 "Oh my gosh, it's midnight already? I wonder if we can still order."

Sakura's eyes widen as she looks back at Yena, who was busy scrolling through her phone. She hastily looks for her phone to check if what Yena said was true and if the statement was not from hunger. Once she had the contraption in hand, she opens it and sees that indeed Yena was telling the truth. Furthermore, she hasn't received any reply from Chaeyeon since her last text informing that she was on her way home.

Sakura immediately calls her; she stands tensely waiting to hear the ring but is ultimately worried that the call did not connect. She calls several more times again, but still the same.

"Where is she? She should've been home by now," says Sakura as she decides to text Chaeyeon a series of texts.

All the while, Yena watches as Sakura becomes more frantic, the way the girl keeps pacing around too focused on her phone. She approaches the older, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Calm down unnie. She might have met some friends."

Sakura stops her steps and glares at Yena, shrugging the hand off her shoulder. "How could you say that? Aren't you worried? She texted me that she was on her way home!"

Yena steps back at Sakura's outburst "You don't know how dangerous it is out there! Something could have happened."

Yena stays mum watching as Sakura continues to call Chaeyeon. Yena seems to realize something as if a whiplash suddenly hit her. How could she forget? She understands why Sakura is acting this way. She moves towards the model again, about to apologize when they hear the doorknob slowly turns, and the door finally opens, revealing an exhausted Chaeyeon just coming in.

"I'm ho--"

"Where the hell have you been?!" Sakura does not even let Chaeyeon finish when she started marching towards her. Chaeyeon's eyes widen, clearly taken aback by her upheaval dropping her bag in the process. "Uh..what...Saku chan?"

"You texted that you were coming home an hour and a half ago," Sakura states not bringing her voice down.

"Wait wait, don't shout-" Chaeyeon tries to calm the older down, raising her hands in a show of surrender.

But Sakura ignores her pleads as she continues to ask, "Where were you?" Sakura knows she's acting out but, she was so worried for the younger and the way Chaeyeon acted as if it's nothing, angers her and the word vomit comes out.

"I was on my way home, and I fell asleep."

"You fell asleep?! Who does that?!"

"I- wait..why are you so angry?" Chaeyeon, genuinely curious, she doesn't know why Sakura is acting this way. Even her last reply was out of character. When she texted her earlier, the way she replied was different. It seemed cold, a complete contrast to their earlier conversations. She didn't know what to respond to a message 'k.' And now here Sakura is being entitled about everything.

"Like I said I-"

"You could've texted or something" Sakura interrupts again, not even allowing the girl to say another word in.

Chaeyeon visibly sighs, fed up with being interrupted. "Why are you acting this way? You are not my mom! We just met! You can't boss me around like that!"

Yena could see the hurt in Sakura's eyes and guilt in Chaeyeon's as soon as the words left the latter's mouth, but she knows the two are still agitated, obviously not yet ready to admit their mistakes. Sakura really acted rashly without even hearing Chaeyeon's explanation. And Chaeyeon, who was usually so happy and calm, losing her cool because of it.

Sakura stares hardly at Chaeyeon before moving towards her room without another word and closing it behind her with a bang. Yena flinches at the sound, but Chaeyeon remains unmoving glaring at the door. Yena moves to say something but Chaeyeon raises a hand "I'm tired. Goodnight Yena," she says, picking up her bag as she too walks towards the opposite direction to her temporary room.

Yena sighs as she looks between the doors. She wonders what the hell just happened.

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The next morning, Chaeyeon wakes up early as usual. She washes up and cooks breakfast. The same daily routine. The sounds she makes wakes Yena up since her room is nearer to the kitchen. She steps out of her room and eyes the girl warily, slowly making her way towards the counter eyes fixated at Chaeyeon. She was obviously surprised when Chaeyeon turns her back to face her, placing a plate of french toast and bacon in front of her.

"Morning" Yena says awkwardly.

But Chaeyeon smiles in return, "Morning," she replies as she takes the seat in front of Yena with her own plate of toast and bacon. Yena stands up, walks towards the fridge, grabs the carton of orange juice. She grabs two glasses and pours into it, placing one cup beside Chaeyeon. "Thanks" And with that Yena retakes her seat and the two eat in silence.

Yena fidgets in her seat, she wants to talk to Chaeyeon about last night but does not know how to start. Chaeyeon notices this as Yena's fidgetting continues. "I have to leave early Yena, just wake her up," she says as if she knows what Yena was going to say.

It was apparent Chaeyeon was still mad about last night, since she usually wakes Sakura up. Chaeyeon believes that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and was greatly concerned when Sakura skips it most of the time. So on the second day, Chaeyeon took on the task on waking Sakura up for breakfast.

Sakura was not fond of it at first, but on the third day, she seemed to be in a better mood about it. She does not know how Chaeyeon did it but after noticing the difference between Sakura’s omelette and hers, she thinks she might have an idea. She knows Sakura loves cheese in her omelette, and it seemed Chaeyeon does too. Yena felt like it was favoritism but it was a pleasant change in the household since Yena hasn't seen grumpy Sakura lately.

"I--" Yena starts, but Chaeyeon stands up, taking the plate and glass into the sink. "Can I leave the dishes to you? I have work."

All Yena could do was nod before Chaeyeon walks away towards her room,

When Chaeyeon leaves, Yena stares at the model's room. She was contemplating talking to the older about what happened, since talking to Chaeyeon was a failure. But seeing as the girl had an outburst yesterday, Yena is afraid that she is still sensitive today and she'd rather avoid the impact. She finishes her breakfast and washes the dishes after, all the while thinking of that dilemma.

After minutes of cleaning up the kitchen, Yena notices the untouched plate by the stove, toast and bacon all the same, save for the cheese omelette that Sakura loves. Even if Chaeyeon was mad, she still cares, she is just that kind of person. That is one of the reasons why the girl had gotten so close to them this fast, especially Sakura. The older has taken such a liking to Chaeyeon which until now still baffles Yena as to why.

She doesn't understand what happened, and, unfortunately, it did. But she thinks this something not worth fighting with each other for. It is a misunderstanding afterall. So Yena makes up her mind and finally decides to confront her unnie. It's not like she's not used to the model's outburst.

She gently knocks on the door, slowly turning the knob. Even if she made up her mind, she is still scared. "Unni-"

And just like the other day, Yena was surprised to see Sakura already awake and was currently sitting in her gaming chair, looking like she was playing but is actually staring blankly at the screen that says, Game over.

"She left?" Sakura asks, suddenly taking out her headset and placing it on the table. Yena nods as she walks further into the room and sits on the bed, observing the older as she goes. After seconds of silence, Yena says something, "You played all night?"

Sakura does not say anything, she sighs as she leans back unto her chair. Yena knows Sakura won't say anything unless she is prompted to, so Yena did just that.

"What happened last night, unnie?"

Sakura sighs again as she massages her temple. She knows she was over the line last night, she didn't know what came over her, she just wanted Chaeyeon home and safe. Not knowing where the younger is, really scared her. "I don't know, I was anxious and I just-"

Yena nods understandingly. After what happened in the past, she knows where Sakura is coming from, she understands, but the way she did it is the problem. "I know you were, but shouting and demanding is not the best way, you didn't even hear her explanation."

Sakura stays silent, not knowing what else to say. What Yena is saying is right, the way she went about it was wrong. Chaeyeon’s words keeps repeating in her mind, she can still feel her heart clenching. She had wanted to knock on the girl’s doors last night so that they can talk but every time she gets the nerve to go, she remembers Chaeyeon’s exhausted face, like she was fed up and her nerves were gone just like that. As Sakura mulls over her actions, Yena stands up, walking towards her best friend and places a hand on the older's shoulder. "Just talk to her, I'm sure Chaeyeon would want that" and then she leaves her to her musings.

Sakura takes her phone and stares at contact, she sighs as she presses call and waits in bated breath for the call to connect.

"It's me. I need a favor."

◉●❀●◉

"Why did I say that?" Chaeyeon was currently at work, she was placing a pack of umeboshi back on the shelf. But said package, falls ceremoniously on the floor.

"Chaeyeon unnie, you're spacing out again" a girl with puffy cheeks appears behind her, picking up the fallen packet and placing it in the right place.

Chaeyeon wakes up from her trance as she smiles, sheepishly at her co-worker.

"Bad day?"

Chaeyeon's smiles disappear as she lightly nods "You can say that"

"Want to talk about it?"

Chaeyeon's mouth moves to answer, but before she could do so, the door opens." Are you sure you wanna put that dream on hold?" the person says in greeting

"What are you doing here Chaewon ah?" Chaeyeon asks clearly taken aback.

"What? I don't see any signs that say I can't come. This is a convenience store, right? Anyone can come in?" Chaewon answers sarcastically

Chaeyeon rolls her eyes as she smiles at her friend's antics. She is glad Chaewon is here, she needs a distraction.

"What did you mean earlier?"

Chaewon does not answer and just places an envelope on the counter. Chaeyeon eyes it then looks back at Chaewon. "Another envelope? Is this a thing whenever we meet