Serendipity (Ryeji)

Avoidance

'Chaeryeong.'

Immediately, Yeji bombards her friend with phone calls, texts, and messages from every app she can reach her on. There were a multitude of ways, yet she got no response, and naturally, she assumes that Chaeryeong is avoiding her because she found out.

The brunette gives her the benefit of the doubt, supposes that her friend might simply be busy. She settles down on the edge of the bed, allows herself to fall back against the mattress, arms spread wide, starfish style. However, in a matter of minutes, her thoughts ran loose. It didn't take long for her to revert to the previous assumption.

Yeji rolls off the bed, picks up her phone to check the time, tries to call the younger girl once more, and as expected, still doesn't get an answer. That's fine, though. She'll just go directly to Chaeryeong.

She slips the device into her pocket, rushes down the stairs, and when she hears the shower running from the bathroom, she sends her mother text stating she'll be at Chaeryeong's house for a little while before she steps outside.

It's a little dark down the road, the yellow tint of the street lights not doing the best job at keeping it lit, but it was just enough for Yeji to not trip over anything. The gentle breeze is relaxing, peaceful... but peace isn't what's running through her mind right now.

The brunette eagerly marches straight through the grass upfront. Once she reaches the door, she knocks on it softly, and shortly after, Chaeryeong's father greets her. "Oh! Good evening, Yeji."

"Hello, Mr. Lee. Is your daughter home?"

"Ah, yes. She is. Let me just go get her— " He pauses when he takes a glance behind himself. A cough echoes from inside, and his eyes grew wide for a moment before he faces Yeji. "Oh, it seems I got my daughters confused. No, Chaeryeong isn't here."

Though he claims the opposite of what was initially said, he stoops a bit forward, gives the girl a small head nod toward the side of the house. Graciously, Yeji acknowledges the hint and thanks him quietly.

She hurries around to the side entrance, hears Chaeryeong's voice alongside her father's when she enters, mentally thanks him for stalling on her behalf. The brunette carefully removes her shoes, tiptoes over, passes by Chaeyeon's room, who gives her a big smile and giggles softly. Yeji finds it hilarious how her friend's family willingly let her in despite Chaeryeong's wishes.

Now in the correct room, she sits comfortably on the bed, waiting for the latter to walk in at any moment. Seconds later, Chaeryeong peeks her head through the crack as if she has a gut feeling something is up, and Yeji grins proudly.

"Hey, Chaeryeong."

"You've got to be kidding me... I appreciate the loyalty, dad!" Chaeryeong calls out to her father, obviously displeased with how this turned out. They hear him shout "you're welcome." She groans, shuts the door behind her. "So what brings you here?"

"Very funny. You know why I'm here." Yeji glares at the girl. Playing dumb is pointless. "Fess up."

"Alright. You've caught me. But I swear it wasn't my idea."

"Then who's idea was it?"

"It was— " Chaeryeong gets startled by the sound of her phone ringing, practically jumps at the noise, but the panic never left her eyes. She gulps when she reads the contact name.

Yeji takes a peek at the screen, quickly puts two and two together while the latter answers the facetime, and because of the silence in this room, nothing went unheard.

"Hey, did you do it? Has she talked to you? How'd it go?"

"Uhm... " Nervously, Chaeryeong slowly turns the phone toward Yeji, gives both of her friends a clear view of one another.