Ducking Duck: psst, Chaewon-ah

Ducking Duck: there’s a night carnival tonight

Ducking Duck: wanna go and hang out?

 

If Kim Chaewon had to be honest, she had to say that she wasn’t someone who liked massive crowd around her, despite her usual tendencies to stick out like a sore thumb whenever she was involved in a festive she initially wanted to avoid.

Parties and gatherings she avoided like a plague, each invites she declined with a colorful set of plausible excuses until the inviter gave up with her. Really, Chaewon preferred to stay inside the safety zone of her apartment, binge-watching Netflix or cute pets’ videos her friends usually recommend her with. Or study, once in a blue moon. Or reading some novels, even rarely.

It wasn’t her fault Instagram was a lot more attractive than dusty old books.

(though she understood why Eunbi preferred books rather than e-books.)

Such is the life of a miserable single young woman in her early twenties.

She quickly replied to her old friend’s message, choosing to reject rather flatly than humor her with empty promises of ‘next time’. She wasn’t going to open up some old wounds about the night festival, again.

 

Radish Fairy™: pass

Radish Fairy™: I’m studying

 

There was a ghost of a bitter smile as she pressed send. What a lie. What an awful lie. She closed the chatting app, choosing to focus her attention back to the novel she read even rarer than once in a blue moon. She was getting into the good part and how dare that duck interrupt—

Again, her phone buzzed noisily, vibrating against her that made Chaewon growl in annoyance. Colorful insults escaped her lips as she opened back the chatting app to see what kind of shenanigans Yena proposed her with.

 

Ducking Duck: nerd

Ducking Duck: go get a girlfriend or something and stop being a bitter nerd

 

This —

Humans were gifted with a mouth and a pair of hands. A mouth to talk and two hands to deliver the feelings the mouth wasn’t able to convey. Therefore, because Chaewon couldn’t verbally insult the duck (since she had a reputation to uphold, mostly, because her friends usually swear like sailors and she was the only one who never curse so openly), isn’t it fair if she delivered punches to her solar plexus, sometimes?

But Yena was a sly fox second after she was a quacking duck. She just knew what things she should say to appease her anger.

 

Ducking Duck: I heard there’s an event

Ducking Duck: wanna cleanse your eyes with something fresh?

 

Tempting, she thought. Even though she hated social events, Chaewon is still Chaewon. A girl who likes to see nice things to enlighten her mood. Although she had to admit she preferred books rather than human species—if, Yena was talking about people, at all.

Something fresh could be a lot of things, and usually, Yena had a different understanding from her—or other people, in general.

 

Radish Fairy™: what is this something fresh do you speak of

Radish Fairy™: is it human or is it something questionable?

 

Ducking Duck: What Do You Think?

Ducking Duck: hotcream on your eyes?

Ducking Duck: smh

 

Radish Fairy™: HELLO???? WHO ON THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD HOTCREAM THEIR EYES????

Radish Fairy™: YOU’RE THE ONLY ONE WHO THINKS IT’S UNHARMFUL???????

Radish Fairy™: SMH

 

Ducking Duck: no capslock please it hurts my head

 

Radish Fairy™: you are the one making my head hurt!

 

Ducking Duck: hshhshshshs

Ducking Duck: are we still going? I can fetch you if you want

Ducking Duck: does radish princess prefer going by car instead?

 

Radish Fairy™: why not

Radish Fairy™: I think not. You still have your motorbike, right?

Radish Fairy™: parking is a little hard for cars if it’s Saturday night

 

Ducking Duck: yeah ur right

Ducking Duck: I’ll pick u up at 6

Ducking Duck: and oh Chaewon

 

Radish Fairy™: ?

 

Ducking Duck: gas money, please

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And so our resident duck Choi Yena and radish fairy (or princess?) Kim Chaewon began their journey through the darkness of the night, riding Yena’s trusty motorcycle, heading toward the downtown, where the night carnival was being held until dawn breaks.

They didn’t bring a lot of money—they didn’t even think it was necessary to do so. Just loitering around the crowds, looking left and right, eyeing some good-looking people or just people in general. Chaewon didn’t like people, but who hated good-looking people, really? Instead of being tired, she felt energized just having a cute girl winking at her direction, causing her cheeks to heat up and a silly grin to play on her lips.

 

Who even hate cute girls!

 

Except if that person had a bad past with you and it was what Chaewon experiencing right now. Meeting a cute person that used to make her life a hellish nightmare.

“Kim Minju!”

, Chaewon groaned as she rolled her eyes, ready to turn on her heels if it wasn’t because of Yena who suddenly dragged her toward the owner of the name. Chaewon desperately tried to hide her face using her fans she had come to trust her life with, hoping Kim Minju didn’t realize it was her behind the fans.

But how couldn’t she recognize her? Not when Yena was brazen enough to pluck the fans from her hands, and thus, Chaewon had no chance of hiding her face.

The previous energy she had collected after looking at some pretty girls suddenly disappeared when Minju turned to her, greeting Yena warmly and… herself, with a sly smirk on her pretty lips.

“Yena unnie! I didn’t know you’re going out with Chaewon unnie, here.”

Chaewon snorted, annoyed at the outrageous statement. “Why are you even alive.” She flatly shot back, crossing her arms arrogantly.

“To help my PR division, mostly,” Minju grinned easily, giving out the brochures of an event. She hadn’t wanted to offer Chaewon and Yena a brochure, with how she just knew how the two older girls would come even without an invitation. Mostly because they would probably get dragged by their mutual friends. “How are you, unnie? Still single and miserable?”

Chaewon glared at her. “Single and ready to mingle, thank you very much.”

Yena cleared , her poor attempt to stop the bickering. She snatched one of the brochures, creasing her eyebrows as she scanned the content. “Anyway! What’s this?”

“We’re holding a K-Pop event next month.” A familiar voice answered from Yena’s side. “Seeing Yena here is a common occurrence. But you, however…”

Chaewon rolled her eyes. “So good to see you too, Hyewon unnie.”

Hyewon, the owner of the familiar voice, smirked. “Likewise. I hope the two of you can join the event. It has free entrance. You only need to pay to enter the concert hall.”

“Come on, aren’t we friends?” Yena tried to bargain.

“No way in hell.”

While Yena was busy bargaining and Hyewon rejecting, Minju, now that she had finished her share, used her chance to try striking up a conversation with the grumpy older Kim.

“I have to agree with Hyewon unnie. It’s even rarer than a blue moon.”

Chaewon rolled her eyes for the nth time for today. “Just want to experience some new things.”

“New things or new someone?”

“One more word, one more word, I’ll cut off your tongue and sell it to Satan for a grain of chip.”

Minju was brazen enough to actually laugh out loud. The audacity.

“So you’re still bitter about that?”

“100 Points for Gryffindor.” Chaewon gruffly mumbled, looking away.

“Unnie,” Minju smiled. Her hand, cold due to the night, clasped around Chaewon’s warm, gloved own. The contrast of their temperature actually surprised Chaewon, but she didn’t show it. “Come with me, I know girls aren’t themselves when they are hungry and angry. Well, I included, of course.” She ended it with a laugh.

“I don’t bring any money.”

“I’ll pay.”

“…You got it covered, huh?”

“Hey,” Minju laughed. “It’s the first time we met after that incident. I have to make a good impression, somehow!”

.

.

.

After making sure that Yena was willing to leave Chaewon in her care, Minju brought her even deeper to the carnival, going to the part of carnival Chaewon never dared to venture before. Shoulders began to brush against each other, the number of people on this part of the carnival overwhelmed her.

She watched people roaming around her. Each one of them was unique—interesting, because that how humans are.

But yet, there was someone so interesting—so unique, that Chaewon could never forget nor yeet her out of her heart and mind, as Yena said.

 

(she despised how Yena’s vocabulary started to grow on her.)

 

Chaewon’s eyes fell to her hands, that, was grasping Minju’s own. It was then she realized that Minju wasn’t the only one holding on. She was, too.

But Minju did her wrong, and Chaewon wasn’t someone who forgive easily. “Let go.” She demanded, yanking her hand away.

Minju turned around, halting on her steps as she stared back at Chaewon with hurt on her eyes. She pouted, retracting her hand back to her side, tucking it inside her pocket. “Fine,” she said, “but can you walk beside me?”

Curse Minju and her ability to instill a sense of guilt within Chaewon.

“Yeah,” she found herself saying, and that goofy smile re her lips.

They continued their walk in awkward silence. Until Chaewon couldn’t take it anymore.

“How is Yujin?”

Minju stopped for a bit. If the younger was surprised, she didn’t show it. “Happy and healthy.” She turned to her. “Why?”

“I don’t know.” The older girl said. “But that’s a relief.”

Minju smiled. “You still like her, don’t you?”

Like? Like? Chaewon honestly wasn’t sure. Yujin was still special on her mind, yes, like any other first love—but is she still in love with her?

“How about you?” She reflected the question instead. Minju was always more—honest, and assertive as well. She lost Yujin to Minju two years ago, at this same weekly night carnival, just because Chaewon was a coward.

“I don’t know either,” Minju answered with a fleeting smile, her voice tone was strange and suspicious. “That was the past, wasn’t it?”

Chaewon frowned. “Past? You’re not—“

“We’re here!” Minju hastily announced beckoning Chaewon to walk even faster to the snack booths, and when Chaewon had her attention taken away by an ice cream booth (they were selling mint choco! MINTCHOCO!), Minju quickly secured her arms again and literally dragged her to a very crowded booth.

“Nako! Hitomi!” Minju greeted the seller, who had their backs facing the two Kims.

If Chaewon had to admit, there was nothing fancy about the booth. They were selling crepes and taiyaki—common street foods found everywhere but heck, the booth was way too overcrowded! Don’t get her wrong, the seller was quick on her feet and delivered orders proficiently, but customers kept pouring in, and there were only two of them.

The customers were crowding around the cook, and it seemed that she was holding a decent conversation with her customers if it weren’t for the fact that the customers were probably way too focused on looking at her face rather than what she was making.

Chaewon dared to say it, they were there to see these two girls, not their food.

And that theory was proven right, when Nako(?) Hitomi(?) turned her head around, momentarily pausing on preparing the package to smile at Minju. She had adorable dimples that reminded Chaewon too much of Yujin, and a smile too radiant and precious for this hour. Chaewon was mildly taken aback at the beauty the dimpled girl offered, and even when she wasn’t as Korean-standard pretty as Minju, Chaewon found herself unable to look away from this Nako or Hitomi.

“Minju-ya!” Oh God, even her voice was adorable. She beckoned Minju to come closer. “You’re back! We can finally use some help, you know!” then, she nudged the cook, who instinctively turned around to greet Minju, and finally, Chaewon had a proper look at her face.

Well, Chaewon wasn’t someone who believed in love at first sight. She was cynical at love after her own best-friend took away her first love and never had she try to get closer to someone who had a romantic interest in her. She was harsh with her admirers and even harsher with her rejection.

But this… this adorable, beautiful, cute, drop-dead gorgeous girl made her believe in love again. Almost as if her frozen heart started to beat again inside her chest, hammering and threatening to jump out of her chest because that amount of attractiveness must be illegal.

She didn’t even realize she was standing there, frozen, with jaw hanging open like an idiot. Like she was in awestruck after witnessing the 7 wonders of the world.

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.

.

Obviously, having a strange girl staring at you was uncomfortable, and that made the cook slowed down on doing her thing. Bad for business.

“Minju, who is she?”

“Chaewon unnie,” Minju answered her while helping the cook scoop the fillings and ice cream for taiyaki while the cook handled the crepe orders. “Nako, do you remember my childhood friend I told you about?”

Nako, the dimpled girl, nodded her head, momentarily pausing on her work as she recalled the times where Minju broke down on her dorm. Minju broke up with Yujin that day, but she was crying about her best-friend she lost.

Nako hummed, her eyes watching Chaewon closely. Then, a realization hit her, and a smile started to blossom on her lips. “Is she always this weird or is it just Hii-Charm effect?”

The taller girl looked confused at first, but then a knowing ‘ah!’ escaped her lips and a mischievous smile started to form on her lips. She walked over to Chaewon, nudging the older Kim on her arm to snap her back to reality before she was getting creepy with her stares.

“What?” Chaewon hissed, unhappy that her late-night daydream interrupted by Minju.

“Go on,” Minju smirked. She pushed Chaewon closer to the booth until they are in front of Hitomi who was still busy serving the remaining customers. “I know you’re dying to get to know her. Tell you what, if you can ask her number, I’ll buy everything you wanted tonight!”

“Are you crazy!” The older girl hissed, pink adorning her cheek as embarrassment started to settle on her. “We didn’t know each other how can you—“

Hitomi, now aware that the two Kims had been standing in front of her, interrupted their banter with a polite, “Unnie?”, and was totally unaware how Chaewon was freaking out inside due to cuteness overload.

Oh My God why was her voice sounded so adorable?!

Hitomi offered her brilliant smile at her, feeling slightly embarrassed at the awed expression Chaewon displayed. “Do you want to buy something?”

“Hi.” Chaewon coughed to her fist. “Yeah. Um, so… uhhh—“

“Original crepe!” Minju decided to help Chaewon just this time. She winked at the other girl who just glared at her. Minju chuckled nervously before moving away from Chaewon’s side and to Nako’s side, seeking shelter from Chaewon’s wrath as she said: “She’s a when it comes to trying things. Get her an original, Tomi!”

Hitomi laughed. Even louder when Chaewon was hissing at Minju. “Coming right up!”

Huffing because partially, Minju spoke the truth, Chaewon decided to just let her anger subside. She turned her attention to the cooking girl. “So… your name is Tomi?”

“Hitomi,” Hitomi corrected, smiling a little as she began her work. “What about you, unnie? What’s your name?”

“It’s Chaewon.” There was a slight sneer on her voice. “Bold of you to assume I’m older than you.”

“Bold of you to assume I’m assuming you’re older than me,” Hitomi shot back playfully. “Minju talks a lot about you. She referred you as unnie, and I’m younger than her.”

“Point.” Chaewon smiled.

They didn’t talk a lot when Hitomi was making her crepe, but Chaewon was satisfied by looking at the concentrating look on Hitomi’s face as she made her order.

“Here’s your order, Chaewon unnie.”

Instead of taking the crepe off Hitomi’s hand, Chaewon grasped the younger girl’s hand as she stared back to her eyes. With a determined expression, she quickly asked her, “Can I get your number?”

“Eh?”

Chaewon hung her head low, thinking that Hitomi’s surprised “eh?” was a rejection. “Forget it.” She said, embarrassed. She didn’t know where did that sudden bravery came from, but perhaps the annoying look Minju kept sending her was one of the triggers. That bastard. “So… how much it is?”

“Eh?” Hitomi giggled, her cheeks were pink in color. “Isn’t it going to be on Minju? After all, you asked for my number.”

“I—I did, yes.”

Hitomi giggled again, finding her antics adorable. “Give me your phone, unnie, I’ll type it down for you.”