Genre: Comedy, Slice of Life

Summary: Kim Chaewon is cold and aloof—or just simply have that resting face 24/7 that scares everyone. But why is it not at all shocking to see her all giggly and smiling lately?

Word Count: 3533

Hashtag: #SSBB_YoureSmilingIdiot

you're smiling, idiot

Seeing the ever-aloof and cold Kim Chaewon smiling like a fool on lunch was actually quite a common occurrence now. A common occurrence that Kang Hyewon only knew about it now, as the result of finally been freed of the endless torture everyone called monthly project.

Hyewon nudged the woman beside her, being Choi Yena—the aloof and cold Kim Chaewon’s seatmate. Not quite seatmate per se, as the college desk was long and there were actually more than four if Hyewon bothered counting—not important; what she meant was that Yena always sat next to Chaewon for whatever reason she couldn’t fathom.

Don’t get her wrong, Chaewon wasn’t a bad company. Nor was she scary because she reeked of death or something along the line. She was decent but just—simply unapproachable. Like she was oozing a certain aura. Hyewon had to collect 100 seconds of bravery to approach Chaewon back then, and it was a mere lucky chance Chaewon responded positively and even was willing to share her food. They had been friends since then.

But enough of that! Hyewon nudged Yena again, who seemingly is still drowning in a sea of Jo Yuri’s hypnotizing chocolate eyes. Hyewon couldn’t blame her for simping. Yuri is pretty and a great woman to boot. Yena is lucky.

“Ya, Choi Yena. Stop simping.”

Yena, snapping out from her trance with another sharp nudge of her ribs, quickly whipped her head to the direction of the poker-faced woman. She pursed her lips, her eyebrows knitting together to make a frown. “I wasn’t simping.”

“She wasn’t simping,” Lee Chaeyeon, another member of their group, confirmed; sipping her bubble tea noisily while raising an eyebrow in the same direction. “She was having a conversation with Yuri until you interrupted us.”

Yuri nodded. “Thank you for having our back.”

Chaeyeon shoved her open palm to Yuri. “It’s not free.”

Hyewon snorted, dutifully ignoring how Yuri placed real money to Chaeyeon’s palm. “You guys weren’t even talking.”

“Us staring into each other’s eyes is enough,” Yena sagely answered, smiling so widely and foolishly it took Hyewon all of herself to Not punch her in the face. “Isn’t that right baby?”

“Suddenly I miss the times where both of you hate each other’s gut.” Hyewon shook her head. “Not the point. Yena, fill me up on what’s happening with Chaewon.”

“Bro, she’s right in front of you. Ask her yourself.”

Chaewon looked up, sparing Hyewon a glance before going back to her phone. And continued to smile like a fool.

It was kind of creepy.

“She’s lost in her own world,” Hyewon said with a roll of her eyes. “Have you ever seen Chaewon looking like that when I texted her or you texted her? Never.”

Quite surprisingly, that invited Chaewon’s attention almost immediately.

Chaewon arched an eyebrow up, giving Hyewon her signature ‘are you kidding me’ gesture before opening . “It’s because you’re not there to see me respond. What’s the point of texting if we’re right in front of each other?”

Chaewon put her phone up—Hyewon could briefly see large emojis on the chat screen before the screen turned black—and swayed from side to side. “This particular electrical device, this sophisticated technology, this expensive gadget I bought with my own money—is created for the sole purpose of engaging in a long-distance conversation.” She stared icily at Hyewon, or rather the distance between her and Hyewon. “And unless you think less than 1 meter is considered as long distance...”

Hyewon immediately threw her hands up.

---

It’s a girl, was what Hyewon discovered accidentally after she did the greatest mistake of calling this mysterious person a boy.

Chaewon had the look of utmost disgust, her fist was already half-way flying down to hit her cheek before she pulled it back down and rubbed her chest tenderly with the same, furious fist. She took a great heave of breath before she calmed down—and regarded Hyewon with an unmistakable look that wanted to kill.

Perhaps Chaewon thought that hitting Hyewon and risking herself getting jailed wasn’t worth it. She couldn’t message her mysterious person in jail, could she? Sure she could pull some strings since she is rich rich—but is it worth it? Chaewon thought NOT.

“It’s a she,” Chaewon spoke up in a strangely, eerily, entirely traumatizing calm voice. “I’ve been texting a girl. She’s a girl. Last time I’ve checked, she has long brown hair, insanely amazing chocolate brown eyes, and her body is just flowing femininity.”

Chaeyeon whistled. “Is that another word for great s?”

“Flowing with femininity,” Chaewon harshly intoned, her eyebrows twitching and it all what it takes for Chaeyeon to mime on knitting her lips together and just stopped talking.

“I asked if it’s a boy or a girl,” Hyewon raised an eyebrow, inching away unconsciously. “I never asked for a short essay about how gorgeous your girl is.”

Chaewon was quick to reel back, looking as if she was surprised at the accusation rather than the sassy remark leaving Hyewon’s lips. “Oh she’s not my girl,” she said haltingly, deliberately rolling her tongue so slowly as she spoke, as if she was unwilling to admit that particular fact.

The reaction was imminent. Hyewon choked out a confused “What?”, her eyes were wide in surprise and it felt like her world had crumbled down just because of that one (1) shocking confession.

Hyewon watched, stupefied, when Chaewon placed her phone on top of the table, its screen facing up to show a picture of a cute girl posing together with the most gorgeous girl Hyewon had ever seen.

She dumbly looked up, tilting her head to the side as she observed Chaewon’s reaction.

“She’s not my girl,” Chaewon repeated, her voice sounding strangely emotionless and distant.

---

The Look on Chaewon’s face when Yena started to pester her with questions about this girl was a bit wrenching for Hyewon. But it wasn’t like Chaewon going to hide that information forever. Not quite. Chaewon would tell Yena everything sooner or later without needing any trigger or rather, just by simple questions. Meanwhile, Hyewon liked to gamble with her own life and push Chaewon’s buttons until Chaewon blew a fuse and told her everything.

Chaeyeon? She discovered things herself.

So yes, to have Chaewon hiding things from Yena was hurtful. But at least Chaewon told her from A to Z. “You’ve been texting a taken girl this whole time?” Yena pointed out accusingly after Chaewon relented and basically told her everything, except the girl’s true identity for reason understandable. “Chaewon-ah, I raised you better than this.”

Chaewon’s eye twitched. “You didn’t raise me.”

“Eunbi unnie raised you.”

“Not you.”

“It was a joint effort,” Yena said matter-of-factly. “Our Kwangbae too. Chaeyeon too! We helped you grow to become a slightly approachable person since the start of the semester.”

“That,” Chaewon frowned. “I can’t deny.”

Hyewon raised an imaginary scoreboard. “Point for Choi Yena.”

“What’s the current score?” Chaewon asked dryly.

“Over a hundred for you, and seventeen for Yena,” Chaeyeon answered randomly. “Going back to the topic, you know you’re chatting so passionately with a taken girl is highly concerning.”

“Heartbreak is imminent,” Yena quipped, nodding sagely. “Or if everything goes well to you, you won’t and can’t escape that regret of being one of the reasons she might break up with her current love to be with you.”

“I don’t chat passionately with her,” Chaewon choked out, cocking an eyebrow up in disbelief at the baseless accusation. “And I only said she’s not my girl. That doesn’t mean I’m romantically interested in her in any way possible and is about to snatch her away from her girlfriend.”

“You acted like Bobo the Fool every time this girl chatted you.”

“It happens that I like the way she types and how she has an endless stock of memes.” Chaewon shrugged her shoulders, swatting Yena’s pointing hand off her face. “She’s witty with her replies. I can’t compare the fun I get from reading her long replies with your short, full of typos, replies.”

Yena’s eyes grew wide. She coiled back, clenching her chest. “This is a hate speech against my cream bun fingers!”

Chaeyeon blinked innocently at her. “She never said anything about your cream bun fingers.”

“It was implied,” Yena insisted, glaring heatedly toward Chaeyeon, then pointed her finger accusingly to Chaewon. “Besides, you typed like you don’t care either! It’s only fair if I return that to you!”

“It’s impossible for me to not care for her,” Chaewon smirked. “If you’re in my place, I can guarantee