Saffron Fringes | Chenle

Spectator

"What's obvious?"

Jisung pitied Chenle's oblivion, "Tell your friend to ask her out. If he likes her, he can find out if it's mutual by telling her."

Disappointment dawned on Chenle upon hearing the most mediocre advice one could come up with. Maybe a guy who's already in a relationship didn't have the excuse to comprehend the complexities of one-sided affection.

✎...

Eun's fingers were sore from clutching the scissors for hours, slicing through fabric after fabric. They have been working for the past 48 hours under the pressure of the deadline closing in with the major performance only days away. Breaks were scarce and only gave them enough time to relish cheap instant coffee.

Eun held a soggy paper cup in one hand and a pair of scissors in the other. Her gaze drifted to the doorway when it creaked open and a familiar face popped out.

"Have you seen Jeno? I thought he'd be here." Chenle pushed the door open.

"For an acting major, you really dont know how to stage a run in, do you? Cut to the chase Chenle."

"How's the prep going?"

"Clearly I can't seem to catch up cause now I'm wasting my time talking to you instead of sewing away."

Chenle sighed, "Do u need more coffee? Or maybe a can of coke?"

Eun's brow furrowed followed by a sidelong glance, "Why are you being weird?"

"Weird?" he averted his eyes, "I was just offering a friendly gesture seeing you're so caught up with work."

"Tell me when did you ever care? In fact you've always made me do all the work ever since we were lab partners in high school...unless you have a hidden agenda."

"What does that even have to– you're the one being weird now!"

"Oh don't put this on me now Zhong Chenle."

"FINE." He grumbled, vexed.

"FINE." She reciprocated.

"I hope you mess up your measurements and end up redoing all your designs!" He stormed out.

"That's more like it." She thought to herself after reigniting their good old banter game.

Eun was determined to keep their incident under the rug for as long as time allows, but Chenle showing up unannounced and far from his usual self proved he had other plans.

"Why do you guys fight over the silliest stuff? I wanted an hour long nap at the very least." Dana complained as she lifted her weight from the couch.

"The design studio isn't your bedroom Dana."

Dana yawned as she ran her fingers through her tangled hair, "Well you're usually the only one here plus the sound of your running sewing machine is pretty good asmr."

Dana crept up on Eun, sliding a stool beside her without notice.

"So..." she went, "what are you gonna do now that you found out it was saffron fringes and not a saffron beanie?"

"Nothing." Eun replied, her gaze remaining focused on the needle, "I was drunk and I made a mistake. That's it."

"I'll admit it was a mistake on your part but what about Chenle? There must be some reason why he didn't...resist."

"I know what you're doing Dana and I'm not gonna let you put thoughts into my head again!"

"I'm just stating the facts. You don't kiss someone back by accident–especially not a really close childhood friend," Dana argued, "unless you're willing to deal with the consequences or end the friendship. And I really doubt it's the latter."

Eun knew in her heart that Dana had a point. But she also knew that admitting it would mean repeating the same mistake with Jeno all over again. Never expect anything more in a friendship. She learnt it the hard way.

"Didn't you hear us arguing a while ago? Nothing has changed between us and you have no choice but to accept that." Eun offered a reassuring grin before returning to her tasks.

Dana got up from her seat, fetched her bag from the shelf and approached the door but retraced her steps to relay one last advice.

"Coming to a conclusion without confronting the matter may seem like a safe choice, but that's usually the x that marks the spot for what's buried beneath it. There is a lot of things you and Chenle have dismissed throughout your friendship...chances you've missed. If I were you, I'd start digging."

"And if I were you, I'd stop making up stuff to confuse people."

"Sometimes the spectators know better than the ones involved," Dana flashed a smirk, "and in this case, I'm the spectator."