Strictly No Dating

Chapter 25

“We have to do this, I hope you understand that,” Eunbi said, while tugging on Sakura’s fingers.

Sakura let out a heavy sigh and looked up to meet the older girl’s eyes. A smile slowly formed on her lips.

“I know,” she replied slow.

They were sitting at the rooftop of their apartment building, sitting closely together near the edge of the building. It was in the evening, and the sky had turned orange, waiting for the sun to set completely. They have recently discovered the rooftop while walking up and down the stairs to exercise. Turned out the door to the rooftop is used by the maintenance staff and it’s unlocked most of the time. It had become their new secret hideout.

“Come visit me often, okay? It’s going to be lonely without you at night,” Sakura said with a pout.

Eunbi glanced at the younger girl’s face and smiled. She reached for her cheek and gave it a playful pinch.

“Okay baby, I will.”

Sakura took the older girl’s hand and kissed her knuckles. Eunbi was bursting inside, but she hoped she didn’t look too red on the outside. The little things that Sakura do still give her butterflies, and she’s quite embarrassed to admit that. It would give Sakura so much pride.

She looked at the skyline, trying to calm herself.

“It’s just that I won’t forgive myself if another young member walked on us like that again. We’ve already scarred Yujin pretty bad. I feel terrible,” she said.

Sakura nodded, “I feel the same way. Yujin is just a kid. It was entirely our fault.”

Eunbi sighed, “I really don’t want Nako or Wonyoung to find us like that. They’re too young and we’re… selfish.”

“Yes, and now we’re being responsible adults. I’m moving back to Dorm 1 with the excuse of setting up a game room. But this changes nothing between us, right?” asked Sakura, turning sideways to face her girlfriend.

But Eunbi didn’t say anything.

Her silence was killing Sakura inside. She squeezed Eunbi’s hand and pouted.

“Don’t just look at me like that, unnie. Say something, you’re scaring me.”

“Well, of course we’re still together,” said Eunbi.

Sakura let out a relieved sigh.

Eunbi adds, “But-

The Japanese girl frowned.

“I was thinking that since we’re going to get busier with the comeback and promo, maybe we can use this opportunity to take things slow. Let’s focus on work, first.”

“S-Slow? What do you mean by that?”

Eunbi cleared , “Maybe, less… or something.”

Sakura looked at her blankly.

Eunbi looked into Sakura’s eyes, “Baby, we’re too intense sometimes and it’s affecting our work ethic and also the people around us. I think it’s best if we use our focus and energy towards work, for now.”

Sakura was silent for a while, and now it was her who made Eunbi worried. She hoped she phrased that well. She practiced that in her head repeatedly before talking to her.

“Okay,” Sakura replied short.

Eunbi raised an eyebrow, “You’re okay with this?”

“Yeah. I mean, it’s for the best. I won’t deny the many times that we were almost caught red handed, and it’s dangerous. We did it practically everywhere.”

Eunbi looked away, her face had turned red.

Sakura adds, “We can still flirt through phone and video calls, right?”

Eunbi chuckled, “Of course.”

**

Dorm 1 are very welcoming of Sakura. They helped her tidy up the spare room that they used as closet for her to use. Sakura told everyone that she needs a room for her game equipment and that there’s no space in Dorm 2. Sakura’s new game pad is simple, there was a mattress on the floor, and the desk where her computer is. They still use one side of the room to store their clothes, though. But Sakura didn’t mind.

Being away from Eunbi did help, in some ways. Sakura used her free time playing games in her room, so much that she sometimes didn’t even come out. She even has her meals in there. Yena and Hyewon crashes her room often, playing games together, all three of them cramping on the small single mattress.