Song recommended: Drivers License - Olivia Rodrigo

"You and him are siblings?!"

"You must be joking!"

"Unnie, it's not April Fool. Stop playing around."

Yena already predicted the reactions beforehand. She rolls her eyes to the three girls that exclaimed just now and she's ready to give the same towards the youngest in the house as this tall with a long black hair girl is the only one who doesn't respond yet.

Wonyoung was so deep thinking until she captures the idea. Her face turns brighter as she explains.

"Choi Yena .. Choi Sungmin! Oh! I get it! Same family name! They are really siblings. Wow! This is so fascinating!" Wonyoung exaggerated a bit because of how she feel so amazed to know the fact. Yena and the others could not help but giggle at her reaction. Wonyoung really looks like a baby when she's excited and her baby voice will come out.

"You prove yourself deserve to be called genius, Wonyoung." Yena compliments her. "Yujin needs to work harder to be on the same level as you." Yena's next remark makes the youngest blush madly.

"Oi, I heard that, unnie." Yujin reacts the same when she comes out from the bedroom and she's about to show her dimple smile but her frowned eyebrows come first when the youngest instantly diverts her eyes away when they make eye contact.
 

What's wrong?
 

"Where's the other? Aren't we supposed to start our preparation now?" Asked Minju. She walks to the fridge in the kitchen to store the ice cream cake she bought on their way here. Even though it's her first time entering the house, she knows where to go, and what to do because the floorplan of the house is quite simple. Less room, kitchen, and living room can clearly be seen from the doorway.

"Well.. about that.." Yujin and Yena knock themselves back to reality. The newly arrived still don't know Chaewon was already here.

"Great! Everyone's here." Chaeyeon chimes in as she walks out from the same room. "How about the cake, Minju?"

"It's safe inside the fridge." Minju smiles proudly. Her first task is well finished and she's so happy with it.

"Decorations stuff are here too!" Nako and Wonyoung show the plastics in their hands.

"Unfortunately, we still can't get in touch with Chaewon unnie yet. Should I check on her at her house? I could distract her for you guys. " Said Hitomi. Beneath those words, she's taking her chance to be alone with her crush.

"We can skip that part." Chaeyeon answers in a second, leaving a confusing look at the newly arrived girls.

"What do you mean-" Minju couldn't finish her question because it's already been answered by seeing a very familiar figure walking out from the room right after Sakura and Yuri.

"OH. MY. GOD."

Nako and Hitomi stone themselves, losing everything in their mind as if they see a ghost. Well, they did have that thought for a few seconds.

"I'm so confused. I mean, didn't we agree it's a surprise party?" Wonyoung takes the role to ask on the other behalf.

"We did. But now the plan changes." Chaeyeon explains as she shrugs. She sends a quick glance towards Yena and next shifts to speechless Minju. As she expects, this one girl gains the most impact.

"Change? What do you mean?" Hitomi's turn to ask. She seeks some explanation from the others in front of her but they are lacking in information so better let the main character answer.

"Let's keep that all and what's in your mind for later." Chaeyeon cuts off. Nothing will be settled if the talk keeps going on.

*** *** ***

Even though Minju is the one who proposes the idea, Chaeyeon was chosen by the whole group as the mastermind of the plan. Indeed, she's expert in it. Plan A is canceled and she already come out with a plan B so fast that now everyone is already doing their tasks, no one left behind.

"Did you get questioned?"

Chaewon turns her head to her right and the girl is already staring at her with such a serious face. She lifts her eyebrows and the girl replies the same, somehow tickling her inside.

"Yes."

"What did they ask you?"

"How did I know this place and how did I get into this house and why," Chaewon answered calmly while Yena turns panicked.

"And your answer?"

Chaewon diverts her eyes back to what she's doing and a little smirk appears on her face. Yena caught that and she can't get easy on it.

"You know our life depends on your answer, right?" Yena leans closer to whisper. Her eyes steal glances around to make sure they do not seem suspicious to others while in fact, it's so obvious.

"I said you told me before about your house and I came here to give you the things you forgot yesterday. About the password, it was your brother's help as I met him in front of the gate."

Yena pats Chaewon's back happily, really satisfied with what she heard.

"I know I can count on you." Yena grins.

"As you should." Chaewon shrugs, her eyes still pinned on the vegetables she's been washing and the older chuckles at her reply. They lowkey want some more moments with each other but hearing Yujin's loud voice calling out for Yena makes them change their mind instantly.

"Jeez, this puppy." Yena rolls her eyes. "See ya later." She taps Chaewon's shoulder for the last time before making her way towards the living room. Chaewon sends the older off with a soft gaze and lets out a small sigh.

"Feels like we are doing a crime."

"Unnie."

Chaewon's shoulders jolt up at the voice and her heart almost stop. She thanks herself for just saying those words in her mind.

"Chaeyeon unnie asked to bring it to the living room if you are already done with it." Said Nako. Chaewon responds with a nod. In her mind, Chaewon feels safe it was Nako.

Wait, who was I afraid of then? Yuri?

"Coming!"

Minju watches attentively as her crush comes toward the table they are sitting at. She sighs in her mind when the older chooses to sit beside Nako and Hitomi and starts helping them prepare ingredients, not noticing her obvious stare.

This is not what I want it to happen!

For some reason, she's not feeling excited about the party since the word 'surprise' doesn't exist anymore like she planned initially. She already imagine the older will be so surprised and touched and... it could be the right timing for her to confess to the older. Now, they are only stuck in her imagination.

"Thank you for just sitting there, staring like a stalker, and helping nothing." Yuri talks in a sarcastic tone. She snatches away the scissor from Minju's hand and continues her work without looking back.

Minju rolls her eyes.

"Why would I help such a betrayer?"

Yuri lifts her head. She is definitely aware of the last word referring to her.

"You don't know anything," Yuri replies before looking away.

Minju mimics Yuri's words in an annoying voice.

"I know everything." She says next.

Yuri rolls her eyes in annoyance.

"I bet you would do the same as me if you know 'everything'."

"No. If you know everything I know, you won't choose to be stupid like this."

"Excuse me?"

Yuri put the scissor down and looks back at her friend. Being called like that at the wrong time really pissed her off.

"Have you lost your mind? Why did you suddenly turn your back off her?" Minju doesn't have to mention the name because they both know who they are talking about.

"Pay attention to your surrounding, Minju. Especially to them."

At first, Minju didn't catch the meaning of the last word but she realize after she notices Yuri's shifting gaze.

Chaewon and Yena unnie.

"Yena unnie told her about this place but not to us. She even came here before us. Wasn't it obvious there's something between them?"

Minju bites her lower lip. She really doesn't want to admit what her mind thinks but after Yuri brings it up, it starts to haunt her again.

"Still, you made the worst decision ever-"

"Minju ah.." Yuri facepalms. " Why does it bother you so much? Do you dislike Hyewon unnie? Am I not allowed to try accepting someone who loves me?"

"I'm afraid you would regret it later."

"Why would you say that?"

Minju could not be brave enough, to tell the truth when she notices Hyewon is walking in their direction with a big smile on her face.

"Finish everything?" The way Hyewon peeks from above Yuri's head with a daring look towards her girlfriend and Yuri looks up to her, that scene builds more guilt inside Minju.
 

I guess I should not get involved in this matter. Better focus on my problem first.

 

*** *** ***

"Happy Birthday, Chaewon!"

"Happy Birthday, unnie!"

The entire room is dark and they could only see the light from the big firework candle on the cute Baskin Robbins cake in front of them. At first, they are all excited to see the fire but later on, they are freaking out, including the birthday girl.

"Quick! Blow it, Chaewon!" Yena is panicking. She keeps pushing Chaewon forward to do the job while at the same time making her a shield.

"How am I supposed to blow when it's that big?! You want me to get burned?"

In the midst of the chaos, Chaeyeon comes to the rescue, putting off the fire by throwing the candle into the wet sink. Nako quickly runs toward the light switch but she's too cute to reach it so Minju switches it on for her. The room is bright again and everyone loosens up.

"Who bought that ing scary thing?! We just need a small cute candle, not a damn firework!" Yena complains.

"W-we got it as a free gift from the bakery shop. Didn't know it would be that scary." Wonyoung stutters at the first word because of nervousness. It was her idea to light up the firework candle just now and she feels like she deserves the blame.

"Are you scolding our baby?" Hitomi glares at Yena and no lie it gives a chill to anyone who saw it.

"You dare to raise your voice towards Yujin's baby?" Chaeyeon cheekily chimes in and gains a laugh from the others.

"Quit it." Yujin rolls her eyes. She steals a glance at the maknae from corner of her eyes. She's upset twice today with the maknae's reaction but tries her best to hide it from everyone. She could not brain out her wrongs until now.

Sakura lights up the new smaller candle on the cake and offers it to Chaewon.

"Make your wish."

Now, everyone's attention is on her and Chaewon is troubled. Every word that comes out now will determine her fate or might be others' fate too. Should she just be direct or play it safe? She wonders. As she maintains her natural expression, Chaewon claps both hands and closes her eyes.

 

I wish Yena unnie to be mine.

 

Funny.

 

"I wish everyone's wish will become true."

She heard sighs coming from the people around her thus she opens her eyes back and look at them with a questioning look.

"That's so boring," Nako speaks up.

"We all want to know your wish, be specific, unnie." Wonyoung says after.

Chaewon's eyes impulsively make their way to the only wish that crosses her mind at the moment, just for a few seconds so no one is aware of it. That figure notices it and only raises her eyebrow in silence while tilting her head to one side.

 

Being naive, huh?

 

Chaewon smirks a little.

"Okay then! I wish... that I will receive an expensive present from each of you." She then blows off the candle. However, it doesn't receive a good response from some of her friends.

"That's why you should not ask twice." Yujin is one of them.

"I like the first wish more." Yena speaks later.

"Let's eat the cake now, I'm hungry." Hyewon quickly changes the topic. The older grabs a small spoon nearby and almost steals a bite of the cake when Sakura pushes her hand away.

"Wait until Chaeyeon cut it for each of us." Sakura uses her oldest card to stop the eager Hyewon. The girl protests hard followed by Yena's and Yujin's provocation toward her and the spotlight right now is on Chaeyeon doing her job. Food comes first!

The party went well as second planned and now they are all scattered around the living room after filling up their stomach. Of course, the gaming buddies don't miss their chance to play Yena's PlayStation and it's so loud at the gaming corner filled with their bickering and screaming. They choose to play a popular horror game and now they are suffering from it.

The youngest in the room is not so fond of the noise so she joins the same mood squad on the sofa, far yet not so far from the gaming squad. Wonyoung leans comfortably against Yuri's shoulder and they have their chat together while scrolling down their phone.

Minju is on the other side of the sofa, purposely isolating herself from the other as she stares at Chaewon from afar. She got one job tonight and now she's waiting for the right moment to accomplish it. The older is receiving presents from Hitomi and Nako at this moment and both presents look so exclusive. Hitomi gifted her a designer sling bag while Nako gave her a custom Airpod case. Chaewon seems so happy with them and Minju doubts herself if she chooses the right gift.

I want Chaewon unnie to think of my gift as the memorable one.  I work hard on this and I really hope it left a good impression on her.

"Why Minju unnie is staring so hard at them?" Wonyoung points out when she notices how focused and quiet the older is.

Yuri looks in the same direction as the maknae. She wears a smirk on her face afterward.

"Because she's in love with one of them." She doesn't hesitate at all to say that.

"Chaewon unnie?" Wonyoung straightens her back. Knowing Minju has a crush on someone is quite interesting to her because Minju never shows her interest in someone else apart from..

I know she had a crush on Yujin before.

"Shut up, Yuri." Minju sends her glare.

Yuri ignores the glare and proceeds to give a nod to Wonyoung. The maknae go excited and asks for more gossips from Yuri. Minju should be worrying about Yuri could making up stories but right now Chaewon is on top of everything in her mind. Her uneasy breathing already showing how determined she is right now looking for the right moment to make her hope come true.

In the middle not-so-focusing on the conversation beside her, Minju suddenly sits straight which startled Wonyoung and Yuri a bit, thinking she will beat them up but no, she steps away, leaving them in question, and walks straightly the kitchen. The one she is waiting for is there washing her plate at the sink and Minju feels this is a golden chance for her because only two of them were there.

Standing behind the older, Minju is thinking hard about where to start the conversation when the older turns around after drying up her hands.

"Oh, hey." Chaewon greets her first. "Are you okay?" the older asks, noticing Minju's uncertain expression.

Minju nods fast. "Done eating?" She tries hard to brush off her nervousness.

Chaewon smiles. "The cake is delicious. You personally choose it?" She approaches the counter behind Minju to take a glass of plain water, offering one for her but Minju politely refuses. Chaewon drinks on her own while waiting for Minju's reply.

"Yes. With the help from Wonyoung actually. She knows better about good foods in the city." Minju answered. Everyone admits Wonyoung has good eyes for delicious food in the city. Just ask what you crave, and she will immediately list down all the good places to have it.

"Indeed." Chaewon nods with a much more relaxed smile before stating her thank. A short moment hung between them, both figuring out what to say next.

Minju still can't find the courage to show the gift that she has been hiding behind her back and she hates herself because of it. Why can't she just act normal like other people so she can easily finish her goal today? It's so devastating but the time is ticking. She really needs to initiate something.

"Is there something bothering you? You seem... Lost?" Chaewon's question hit Minju back into reality. She was startled and the small white box with a well-wrapped red ribbon slips down from her grip into the floor. Wide eyes with fear and shock registered on Minju's face after getting exposed like that. Too much to process, Minju was only a few seconds late to catch the box when Chaewon bends down and grabs it first. The second drop in Minju's expression is not because of Chaewon's fast action but, because a well-hidden necklace that suddenly popped out from Chaewon's round collar shirt catches her attention more. Just like how the gift dropped down, her heart follows too.

"Is this a gift?" Chaewon still asks even though she already knows the answer. She shows the box as she eyeing Minju.

The girl in front of her deflates, shoulders dropping, and her breath hitch a bit before she could answer the question.

"Yes."

 

Who gives that to her?

 

"For me?" Chaewon points at herself.

 

I thought she never had anything on her neck? I already checked many times beforehand!

 

Minju shakes her head slowly, eyes looking down on her gift in Chaewon's hands. feels dry and stuck but she needs to say it.

"It's mine. It's from the sponsor."

 

A lie.

 

What's in the world to bring a sponsored gift to a party and hold it in your damn hands? With a ing premium gift box.

 

"Wonyoung wants to see it so I bring it here."

She quickly comes out with an acceptable excuse.

"Oh! No wonder it looks so exclusive." Chaewon carefully hands it back to the younger.

"Don't worry about your gift, I will give you the expensive one later in school, as you wish." Minju grabs the box back and hides it behind her.

Chaewon chuckles.

"I was just kidding. Don't take it seriously."

"Seems like the other take it seriously too. Especially the one who gifted you that beautiful necklace. I mean, it obviously looked expensive to me."

A pregnant silence fills in and Minju could tell the older is flustered by her words. But then, it changes to a thin smile.

"Your eyes are sharp." Chaewon stated as she gently hold the necklace.

 

Because it's you, unnie.

 

"That person got a good taste." Minju commented with a forced smile.

Chaewon doesn't show any reaction to the comment. Instead, she quickly hides the necklace beneath her cloth. Minju knows Chaewon doesn't want to talk about this matter but she doesn't want to let it pass.

 

"May I know who is-"

 

"A good friend."

 

The answer sounded so firm that makes Minju hesitates to dig deeper into it. It's like the girl really want to end the topic.

"It- It's beautiful." She blurts out different words instead of what she had in mind. Looking at how serious the tone was, Minju loses confidence in herself.

"It is." A calm smile can be seen on Chaewon's face after that compliment. Minju could feel Chaewon's happiness to receive that gift from her voice tone just now. She seems so proud of it as if it's not just from a friend but more than that.

 

Her reaction is what I've been dreaming to see after giving the gift I carefully prepared. Too bad, my dream got snatched by that lucky person. I wonder who is-

 

'Pay attention to your surroundings, Minju. Especially to them.'

 

Now it makes sense.

 

"Why does it feels like I know that person?"

 

"Pardon?"

 

A bullet-like stare was given straight into the older's deer-like eyes.

"Yena unnie gifted it, am I right?" Minju instantly wears a cheeky smile on her face. She decides to play it cool for the sake of the answer.

Chaewon freezes at her place and her smile instantly vanished at the question. This is not what she wants it to happen at all. Never expect she would get this question, from this girl, out of all people.

"Your reaction says it all." Minju winks. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone, unnie." She pats Chaewon's arm before walking away.

Chaewon could only stay quiet and send Minju a blank stare as the girl walked up to Yuri and Wonyoung and started talking to them brightly like nothing happened. Everything happened in a blink and Chaewon couldn't process it properly in her thought. It's not that she wants the reaction to be worse but this is weird.

Starting from the small white box falling into the floor, Chaewon obviously acknowledges the brand and it's really popular with their customizing service. She never heard the brand gives sponsor to anyone apart from their strict reservation procedure.

 

Could it be really a gift for me but she refuses to say it after noticing the necklace on my neck?

Oh, crap..

 

Chaewon has the urge to bang her head on the wall repeatedly for being so late to catch up on everything.

I should just use the chance to clarify everything with her and no more guilty haunting me but now... Oh God... you mess up with your own problem, Chaewon.

Her eyes wandered around before they fall on Minju purposely. Yes, Chaewon did that to check on the girl, to make sure she is okay and she is not sure why she wants that. Guilty? Yeah, that suits better.

 

She seems okay, right?

 

Seeing the girl smiling with her cute tiny dimples reassures Chaewon inside and she's about to clear her messy mind off but that smile suddenly vanishes after the girl turns her back off her friends. Now, a glazed look of despair begins to spread over that pretty face.

 

No, she's not okay.

 

Minju thought the older already left the kitchen as she looks over the kitchen randomly and was startled when she meets the older's strong gaze. Chaewon walks straight to her but Minju gets the hint first and quickly changes her direction to the bathroom and locks herself inside before Chaewon can reach her.

"Minju. Let's talk." Chaewon knocks on the door slowly and waits patiently for a response from inside but she receives nothing. "Minju?" She tries again but this time without knocking. Still, no response.

"Do you want to use the bathroom?" Nako appears.

"Ah.." Chaewon looks at the door for the last time before facing Nako at her back. "Someone's using it right now so-"

"Who? Minju?" Nako tilts her head, looking at the locked door. Chaewon gives her a nod.

"Minju! Are you not done-"

"Hey! It's okay!" Chaewon abruptly pulls Nako away from the bathroom door and covers , don't want to gain any other attention. Nako is struggling to release herself, murmuring inaudible words. She is tiny and weaker than Chaewon so it's hard to escape.

"Shh!" Chaewon is staring hard to warn the girl and Nako quickly obeys. She releases the younger and brings her to the living room, joining the others to give space and time to Minju.

Minju inside, has no idea how to face Chaewon if she walks out of this room. She knows Chaewon already figured it out when their eyes met just now. She definitely knows it. She thought her act previously was promising enough to hide the truth inside her. She thought the older is not aware of her expression and feelings or at least pretends not to, just how she has been doing all this time.

 

I'm okay with that... And I hope she keeps doing that until I have the gut to confess to her. 

 

As she leans against the wall, Minju takes out the present, holding it up at the same level as her eyes. She pulls the red ribbon gently and opens the box, exposing a rose gold customized necklace. It has a heart-shaped pendant at the center with a detailed design personally requested by Minju. As far as she knows by watching Chaewon, she notices the older prefers a minimalist design in almost everything that belongs to her. Minju takes note of that while searching for the right design. It has to be heart-shaped, Minju wants to convey a special message to that person. Minju turns the pendant around and embraces the small engraved eight letters at the bottom side of the pendant. It's really small, first glance won't recognize it.

 

'I like you'

 

Eight letters that take forever for her to say it. Because it takes forever, she chooses to engrave it in the hope the girl will notice it when she receives it.

Instead, she's the one who gets the notice. A strong notice that tells her... she doesn't have a chance anymore.

 

"There's really something going between them-"

 

'And Yena unnie also like Yuri.'

 

Minju gasps. She covers in shock.

 

"It's also a one-sided love. We are the same." she mutters under a breath.

 

Her palm slowly tightens its grip on the gift as she stares at it. She nods her head confidently.

I still have a chance!

She keeps back the gift carefully inside her jeans pocket before escaping from the bathroom and the first thing she hears is the loud exclaim of her favorite voice.

 

"THEY WHAT?!"

 

***
[Writer's Note]

Hey guys! After a decade the story is finally updated. I'm so sorry for it. I'm not gone yet I just pause it for a while because of my hectic life. Becoming an adult, moving out from my parent's and getting a job is what I'm doing during my disappearance. Haha

Right now I'm happily living with my girlfriend so yeah, the idea starts coming through and here I am.

I will try my best to continue writing and update regularly.

Thank you for your patience! 😉