24 Dates || SOOSHU

Date three

"Shuhua," Tzuyu says back, though she looks more interested in Soojin. "And Soojin, right?"

Soojin's face heats up. "Yes. Hello."

Tzuyu laughs, and Soojin isn't quite sure if she likes the sound of it. It's forced up from the throat, dense. "I've - I mean, we all have been seeing a lot of you lately. It's a pleasure." She looks back at Shuhua who is stock still. Minnie and Miyeon are still nearby, but have put a little distance between themselves and Shuhua. "Can I steal her for just a moment?" she says, looking back at Soojin.

Soojin blinks, registering that Shuhua is leaving her. "I - I mean, sure."

Shuhua's eyes are wide, almost like she wishes Soojin would have said no. She gives a flimsy smile to Soojin before following Tzuyu off somewhere.

"What was up with that?" Soojin asks, watching them stroll off.

Minnie giggles, and Miyeon turns beat red.

"They um," Miyeon starts, then covers her mouth. "Well, it's probably not appropriate to talk about given that it was a while ago, and really wasn't that big of a deal, anyways."

Soojin looks at Minnie who answers with: "One night stand."

" Oh." She adjusts the neckline of her dress, feeling hot and bothered but not in the sexy way. Like, she's literally just hot and bothered - annoyed, frustrated. Not particularly angry at anyone because she can't be, but angry at the idea.

It's highly illogical, so Soojin tries her best to brush it off by smiling at Minnie.

"It was a long time ago. Shuhua just tends to get stuck up on it since they collaborate sometimes."

"Right." Soojin turns away for just a moment, letting her eyes wander off Shuhua and Tzuyu, both of them with their backs turned. They're talking to someone, and even though Soojin is all the way across the room she feels intrusive. "Right," she says again.

"And well," Minnie looks around her to make sure no one can hear them, and Miyeon eyes her cautiously. "Tzuyu is seeing Sana."

"Who?"

Minnie and Miyeon both kinda laugh at that before their eyes pop up. But they aren't staring at Soojin, they're staring behind her. She turns to see a very pretty woman - well put together, polished - smiling at her. Soojin feels like she's seen the woman before, but can't quite tell. Her hair is a light brown with bangs that cut across her forehead.

"Soojin, this is Yuqi from (G)I-DLE."

" Oh," Soojin says. She still has no idea who Yuqi is. She's heard the name before, though. (G)I-DLE...it's a music group, she thinks. Soojin skimmed an article on them once months ago because it had something pertaining to Shuhua in it. "Hi," Soojin says, a faint blush on her cheeks. She hates not knowing things.

"Seo Soojin," Yuqi says back, making Soojin's skin redden even further. "I've heard a lot of interesting things about you," she says. "It's very nice to meet you." And then, daintily, she puts out her hand. It's almost regal, like Soojin is meeting someone truly famous - which, obviously she is; but she's never really felt nervous because of that before.

Soojin takes the hand in her own and hopes that she isn't sweaty or gross. Yuqi has a firm shake, but when she moves her hand she lets go slowly, caressing Soojin's in turn. Soojin jolts her head up looking for Shuhua once again.

"You're very pretty."

Soojin swallows in. "Th-thank you?"

"I mean I wouldn't think doctor just by looking at you. Though, your father holds a very big name."

Soojin nods, her throat bobbing. She feels as if she's being eaten alive, though it may just be Yuqi's predatory gaze, the way her eyes are so relaxed. How calm her demeanor is. She flicks her eyes up and down Soojin, and once again Soojin looks up. Shuhua is still talking to Tzuyu and some other girl.

"Yes. He - our family owns the hospital down the road. Or not down the road, but nearby."

"And you have practice. Impressive." She smiles like she is a cat and there is a canary beneath her teeth. Soojin feels like the canary. "You're young too. Hard working I presume. All of these tabloids must be a bother."

Soojin nods. "It's very new, yes."

Yuqi gently places her hand atop Soojin's once again, letting it rest there. "I'm sure Shuhua takes good care of you?"

"I'm sorry, what?"

"What?" Soojin hears, and thank God - It's Shuhua.

Yuqi looks at Shuhua, and while Soojin would think that maybe she'd jolt at the intrusion, her demeanor stays the same. If anything she relaxes more. "I was telling Soojin that I hoped you were going to take care of this recent tabloid crisis - or at least help her adjust."

Shuhua squints at Yuqi. Soojin almost thinks she's going to say something snippy. She doesn't, in fact - she smiles. It's not a fake smile either. Soojin stares at both of them as if they were two creatures interacting on the discovery channel. "Of course," Shuhua says before turning to Soojin. "Soojin, I wanna show you something."

"Okay?" Soojin doesn't really have much time to respond before she's being pulled by Shuhua. They only walk a few steps before coming to a stand still. "What was that all about?"

Shuhua looks over Soojin's shoulder to where Yuqi is presumably standing. "Nothing as important as you." Shuhua winks.

Soojin rolls her eyes, though weirdly, her heart flutters - which is so totally gross considering how terrible that line was. "Smooth."

Shuhua glares, but her mouth is curved at the edges. "A girl tries to be romantic..." she shakes her head, then bites down on her lip. Soojin looks at the teeth clamped down around her bottom lip, then glances back up to meet Shuhua's eyes. Shuhua's looking at Soojin's lips. "I'm gonna kiss you, okay?"

Heat rolls through Soojin's body like liquid and she has to swallow in before speaking. "Because Yuqi is watching or because you want to?"

"Both. Is that a problem?"

Soojin leans in first with the faint knowledge that Tzuyu is watching too; not that she's super jealous or anything stupid like that.

When their lips meet, Shuhua's hand almost immediately goes around Soojin's waist. She squeezes, her hands splayed out. There is a kind of claim to it that - though Soojin would never admit it allowed - she likes it. She likes being Shuhua's and likes the way Shuhua's lips press against her and how warm she is.

How Shuhua's tongue peeks out to brush her lip as she breathes against Soojin. She likes how confident the kiss is; no she loves it. Shuhua doesn't hold back, she just goes for things - the thrust of her tongue and how she drags it along the roof of Soojin's mouth. How she teases knowing that Soojin will take the bait and always go after the chase of her mouth.

Soojin hears the faint flashes of cameras, a few murmurs - but it's all so easy to block out when she's like this.

Eventually Shuhua pulls away, tugging at Soojin's lip as she does and lingering to smile against her.

Compared to that, the rest of the night is boring. They chat about meaningless things with people Soojin doesn't know, look at art, occasionally meet up with Miyeon and Minnie - both of whom keep giving these little secret smiles to Soojin. She'd find it irritating if she wasn't still so affected.

She doesn't bring up Yuqi or Tzuyu or (G)I-DLE - but they do make out in the limo on the way to her place. Soojin toys with the idea of inviting Shuhua in, but does not.