The morning air feels refreshing as Chaeyoung dons his casual yet charming attire, ready to grab breakfast with Mina, Jihyo, and Tzuyu at the new coffee shop near their campus before starting the day.
Arriving at the girls' building, Chaeyoung taps out a quick message to Mina. "Babe, I'm already outside..."
Mina reads the message and quickly grabs her bag from the bed, calling out to Jihyo, "Jihyo-yaa, are you ready?? Chaeyoung's already waiting outside."
Jihyo nods and follows Mina out of the house. "Morning, Chaeng," Mina greets Chaeyoung as she slides into his car, taking the passenger seat while Jihyo settles in the back.
Chaeyoung looks at Mina expectantly. "That's all?" he asks with a playful grin.
Mina adjusts herself in the seat, puzzled. "Um, what else?" she responds, her brow furrowing in confusion.
"Where's my morning kiss?" Chaeyoung teases, his tone playful.
Mina's eyes widen in surprise at her boyfriend's playful request, glancing subtly at Jihyo in the backseat.
"Ugh, fine," Chaeyoung sighs, feigning disappointment.
Jihyo, engrossed in her phone, remains silent during the banter between the couple as they make their way to the coffee shop where Tzuyu is already waiting.
"Guys!!" Tzuyu waves to them as he notices his friends emerged into the coffee shop.
Chaeyoung takes Mina's hand as they walk toward Tzuyu with Jihyo walking in front of them. "I haven't ordered yet...waiting for you guys," Tzuyu explains as they take their seats. Chaeyoung sits across Mina, who is now seated beside Jihyo.
"Why haven't you ordered yet?" Chaeyoung asks Tzuyu, his eyes scanning the menu on the table.
"I'm waiting for you guys," Tzuyu replies casually.
Chaeyoung, teasing Tzuyu, ignores his words and focuses his attention on Mina. "What do you want, babe?" he asks.
Tzuyu shoots him a sarcastic side-eye. "Does only your girlfriend now have all your attention, Chaeng?"
Chaeyoung bursts into laughter. "Yaa, are you jealous of Mina?" he teases, playfully grabbing Tzuyu's hand on the table. "My cute Tzu," he adds, continuing to tease him.
Tzuyu flinches, feeling a shiver run down his spine at Chaeyoung's teasing. "Arghh...I think I need to wash my hands with holy water," he jokes.
Jihyo and Mina watch the two guys goofing around, unable to suppress their chuckles.
"What a gay," Jihyo giggles, amused by Chaeyoung's attempts to tease Tzuyu.
"Stop it!! Your girlfriend is about to vomit just looking at you, Chaeng," Tzuyu retorts, trying to put an end to their banter.
"Don't worry about her, she knows how straight I am," Chaeyoung says with a wink to Mina, who shakes her head with a smile, understanding what Chaeyoung is trying to convey.
"We'll see. After Mina goes back to Japan, I will completely ignore you, Chaeng," Tzuyu teases, prompting a chuckle from Chaeyoung.
Jihyo's eyes widen at Tzuyu's words. "Uhh?? You're going back to Japan? When?" She turns to Mina beside her, seeking clarification.
"Um... the exchange program ends next week, so I'll go back to Japan," Mina replies, her gaze shifting to Chaeyoung. His face momentarily falls into silence, though he still manages a smile, trying to conceal his sadness.
In recent days, he's been a bit quieter ever since learning that Mina will be returning to Japan. Mina, too, has been more clingy to Chaeyoung, sometimes she also cries thinking that she will need to leave him. However, they both know they have no choice but to finish their studies and navigate a long-distance relationship for now.
"But you'll come back here again, right?" Jihyo's voice carries a tinge of sadness and concern.
"Of course, I'll come back here after finishing the semester," Mina reassures, her hand searching for Chaeyoung's on the table, giving it a few taps.
"I'm glad we're graduating soon, so I can stay here longer after this," Mina adds, flashing a smile at Chaeyoung, trying to lift his mood.
"Yeah, you could just stay here forever after the semester ended, couldn't you?" Jihyo's voice is filled with warmth and welcome.
Mina chuckles at Jihyo's suggestion. "Why not?" she replies softly.
Chaeyoung tries to compose himself from the lingering sadness. "I'll go order now," he announces, standing up. Mina suddenly stands with him. "Hey hey...I can order alone. You just stay here, okay?" his words soften.
"Who says I want to follow you ordering? I'm going to the toilet," Mina giggles, looking at her boyfriend with affection for his constant generosity for her.
"I'll go with you to the toilet then," Chaeyoung blurts out.
"Chaeng, don't be nonsense. Go order now, I want ice tea and mint chocolate croissant if they have it" Mina says before she walks away from them.
Chaeyoung looks at Tzuyu and Jihyo, asking what they want before making his way to the counter.
As Chaeyoung stands behind the counter, placing his order, he feels a tap on his shoulder. "Chaeyoung?" a familiar voice reaches his ears, prompting him to turn around to see her.
His eyes widen in surprise. "Yunjin?" Chaeyoung's lips twitch into a smile upon seeing her. "When did you come back?" he asks casually.
"Uhh I just arrived this morning. I decided to join class for today..It's Miss Kazuha's class anyway, I won't ever skip hers" Yunjin replies, her eyes sparkling as she talks to him.
"Did your exchange program end earlier? I thought you would be done next week," Chaeyoung remarks, engaging in casual conversation with her.
"Yep, it's sad but at the same time, I enjoyed it. It should be you, Chaeyoung-aaa," Yunjin says, lightly hitting his shoulder.
As Chaeyoung and Yunjin engage in conversation, Tzuyu suddenly notices them. "What the hell is Chaeyoung talking to Yunjin?" he mutters to Jihyo, his eyes subtly scanning the surroundings in case Mina appears.
"Yunjin?" Jihyo redirects her gaze to Yunjin and Chaeyoung at the counter. "Wow! He's really asking for trouble, that idiot," Jihyo murmurs, then suddenly notices Mina approaching the counter. Jihyo then looks at Tzuyu again, who is now stunned and shaking his head.
Mina's gaze fixates on Chaeyoung and the unfamiliar woman as she walks toward them. Her heart feels uneasy seeing her boyfriend talking to another woman. "Babe?" Her voice is stern as she stops beside Chaeyoung.
"Uh? Babe, are you done?" Chaeyoung smiles at her while Yunjin still stands there with them.
"Um..." Mina's eyebrows furrow, signaling for Chaeyoung to explain about the girl.
"Uh yaa, by the way, this is our classmate, Yunjin. She's also joining the exchange program like you, but she went to America for the programme" Chaeyoung smoothly explains, although his heart is pounding faster.
"So, let me guess, you're Mina, right?" Yunjin offers her hand for a handshake.
"Yes, and how do you know me?" Mina reciprocates the handshake, she flash a slight smile eventho her face still tinged with confusion.
"Maybe because you're Chaeyoung's girlfriend... Don't misunderstand, but you know, even I hate to accept this, but people say he's quite famous on our campus," Yunjin says, her gaze shifting to Chaeyoung, hinting at playfulness.
"Ugh... right, I hate to accept that too," Mina huffs in disbelief. "By the way, are you done ordering, babe?" Mina intertwines her arm with Chaeyoung's, catching Yunjin stealing a glance at their linked arms.
"Yes, let's get back to our seats," Chaeyoung suggests. "We'll go first, Yunjin-aa," he adds gently before walking away with Mina, who still tightly holds onto his arm.
Chaeyoung's face pales as they return to their seats, exchanging glances with Tzuyu and Jihyo.
Tzuyu suddenly nudges Chaeyoung's arm as he sits beside him. Chaeyoung looks at Tzuyu, who smirks at him. "Idiot," Tzuyu whispers slowly to him. Chaeyoung just gulps, feeling it's hard to breathe now.
As they immerse themselves in conversation again while digging into their breakfast, suddenly Yunjin and her friend, Chaewon take a seat at the table next to them. Tzuyu coughs, signaling to Chaeyoung that Yunjin is nearby.
"Are you guys okay?" Mina subtly observes the two, feeling a weird sensation laced in her heart as the guys now act strangely.
"These guys are always weird, don't mind them, Mina-yaa," Jihyo interjects, trying to dispel any lingering curiosity around Mina until suddenly Chaewon from the next table speaks out slowly but still audibly to them.
"Yunjin-aa, isn't that Son Chaeyoung, your ex-boyfriend?" Chaewon looks at Chaeyoung, then back to Yunjin.
Mina is suddenly taken aback hearing what Chaewon says. Her utensils hang in the air, she stops eating her food, and her gaze fires at Chaeyoung.
"Shh...don't say anything, unnie...he's with his girlfriend," Yunjin slowly says to Chaewon to not bragging about Chaeyoung, afraid that Mina will overhear them.
Chaeyoung feels a knot tightening in his stomach as he licks his dry lips and glances at Mina, who seems on the verge of exploding at any moment. Despite her visible struggle to suppress her anger and sadness, she maintains her composure, aware that Chaeyoung's ex-girlfriend is present and that Chaeyoung had just conversed with his ex in front of her without she knowing that Yunjin was his ex beforehand.
Jihyo sighs in frustration, predicting that this situation would unfold exactly as it has. She shoots a disapproving look at Chaeyoung, shaking her head at his foolishness. "Tzuyu-yaa, I'll go to campus with you after this," she says, directing her gaze at Tzuyu, who remains silent across her.
Mina huffs in frustration, declaring, "I'll go with you too, Tzuyu," as she snatches her bag and stands up abruptly, marching out of the cafe without waiting for anyone.
Tzuyu watches Mina's departure, quickly wiping his mouth with a tissue and finishing his coffee in one last sip. "I'll take her to the campus, Chaeng..don't worry," he reassures Chaeyoung, giving his shoulder a comforting pat before motioning for Jihyo to follow him. "Let's go, Jihyo-yaa," he says, and they leave Chaeyoung sitting alone, massaging his temples in frustration.
"Chaeyoung-aa, I'm sorry," Chaewon says from the next table, her palms together in a gesture of apology.
"It's okay..." Chaeyoung smiles faintly, glancing at Yunjin and Chaewon. "I'll get going first," he says slowly, feeling the weight of his steps as he watches Tzuyu's car drifts away from the cafe.
"Mina-yaa, are you okay?" Jihyo turns her head around from passenger seat beside Tzuyu, she steals a glance at Mina in the back seat of the car. She could sense, despite Mina's efforts to hold back her tears, her heartache because of Chaeyoung is palpable causing tears to silently roll down her cheeks.
"I'm fine," Mina responds, struggling to suppress her sobs and keep her emotions in check in front of Tzuyu and Jihyo.
Jihyo reaches out her hand to gently rub Mina's thigh, offering a comforting gesture and a warm smile to her friend.
As they reach the campus, Mina immediately heads to the restroom. Standing in front of the mirror, she wipes away the remaining tears under her eyes and applies some eye cream to soothe the area. Taking a moment to fix her appearance and arrange her hair, she then takes a deep breath, trying to calm herself and regain composure before stepping out.
The class is about to start any minute now. Mina pushes the door ajar, revealing her classmates inside, but her eyes immediately dart to Chaeyoung. He appears to be sleeping, his head resting on his arm on the table. There's an empty seat beside him, seemingly saved for her.
However, Mina hesitates to approach him and searches for another empty seat nearby. Finally, she settles into one behind him, distancing herself for the moment. Just then, the door opens again, catching her attention.
Yunjin emerges from behind the door, wearing her spectacles and carrying her backpack on one shoulder. She looks stunning, and for a brief moment, Mina can't help but wonder if this is why Chaeyoung used to date Yunjin, because she's pretty and looks decent? Quickly shaking off the thought, she blinks, refocusing her attention on the upcoming class.
Yunjin scans the room for a vacant seat, but her gaze remains fixed on the empty seat beside Chaeyoung. Despite sensing Mina's existence behind him, she hesitantly approaches Chaeyoung, who still seems unaware of both Mina and Yunjin's presence.
Mina, noticing Yunjin's approach, bites her lip in frustration before groaning and standing up while grabbing her bag. With swift movements, she changes her seat to be beside Chaeyoung, unwilling to let him sit next to his ex-girlfriend. Her Jealousy and angriness might escalate over her at the thought.
Yunjin pauses in her steps as she notices Mina's spontaneous actions, she flashes a light smile at Mina before taking a seat at the empty table where Mina was previously seated.
Feeling someone's presence next to him, Chaeyoung lifts his head. "Babe?" His voice is husky as he looks at Mina, who is now staring at him. He then straightens his posture, sitting upright in his chair. "Where have you been? I've been waiting for you," Chaeyoung gently says, but Mina shifts her gaze to the front of the class.
"Why? Am I that important to you that you wait for me?" Mina's voice is low but stern, enough to make Chaeyoung feel a pang of guilt.
"Of course you are..." Chaeyoung trails off.
"Your ex is behind us. Why didn't you talk to her? I want to focus on the class, so please," Mina places her bag on the table, creating a barrier between her and Chaeyoung. Chaeyoung blinks, trying to suppress his sadness as he looks at his sulking and angry girlfriend.
Yunjin, from behind them, notices their silent fight. She can only watch, feeling guilty as she observes the tension between the two because of her.
During the class, Chaeyoung is consumed by the situation between him and Mina, causing his focus on the lesson to completely waver. He massages his temples a few times and shakes his head, feeling a wave of dizziness wash over him. It's as if someone is repeatedly hitting his temples, causing his head to throb faster.
Mina steals a glance at Chaeyoung from the corner of her eye, noticing the discomfort her boyfriend is experiencing. Despite knowing this, she keeps her composure as her heart still stings because of their current situation.
After about 2 hours of class, Chaeyoung stands up and slings his bag over one shoulder. "Babe... Let's grab something to eat before heading to my place, okay?" he asks Mina softly, even though he knows she is completely ignoring him.
"I'll go home with Jihyo," Mina firmly says without even bothering to look at Chaeyoung, and she leaves him behind.
Chaeyoung sighs, trailing after Mina as she walks away. Though he really wants to chase after her, the escalating headaches he feels make him surrender to the idea of persuading Mina for now.
Chaeyoung finally arrives home and throwing himself onto the couch. His headache shows no signs of improving, but he's relieved he managed to drive home safely. Above all else, he reaches for his phone and starts composing a message to Mina, hoping to keep her in check.
Chaeyoung sighs heavily, feeling the weight of Mina's cold treatment. He sets his phone down on the coffee table and lays down his body on the sofa, his arms cross over his head. His mind yet still beating fast, filled with fragmented images of Mina and Yunjin, and the tension between them weighs heavily on his heart. As clock tickings, he gradually drifts off into a deep sleep, hoping to find some solace in slumberland.
Mina is lost in her thoughts, her mind consumed by the recent argument with Chaeyoung. She sits at the table, barely paying attention to the meal before her. Her utensils clink together as she absentmindedly moves them around her plate, her gaze fixed on the food without taking a single bite. Emotionless, her hand moves casually, stabbing the meat with fork, still her feeling stir with sadness, annoyance and anger for Son Chaeyoung.
"Mina-yaa," Jihyo interrupts her by snapping her fingers in front of Mina's face. They sit across from each other, having lunch at the girls' place. "The food isn't Son Chaeyoung, you know."
"Ehh?? What do you mean?" Mina returns to reality with a start.
"I think you might want to give Chaeyoung the death stare you're giving the food right now," Jihyo teases, her laughter filling the room. "And maybe stab that meat like you want to stab Chaengi's heart," she adds mischievously.
Mina giggles at Jihyo's jokes, finding some relief in her friend's light-heartedness. "Aaa, you noticed it," she admits, setting down her utensils and leaning back in her chair.
"Don't worry, I might do the same too if my boyfriend talked to his ex," Jihyo reassures her, trying to convey her understanding of Mina's feelings. "But... that guy is an idiot," she groans in frustration.
"I know... he's an idiot... I don't know what he was thinking," Mina growls, her frustration evident in her tone.
Mina falls silent for a moment, her gaze fixed on Jihyo as she eats her meal, feeling hesitant to ask about something that has been weighing on her heart for a while now.
Jihyo notices Mina's stare and reacts with widened eyes and a furrowed brow. "What is it?" she asks, sensing that Mina has something on her mind that she wants to share or ask about.
Mina's tone carries a hint of pleading as she asks, "Would you mind if I ask you about them? You've been friends with him for a long time, maybe you could share some info with me."
Taking a sip of her drink, Jihyo listens to Mina's request. "I do have some tea, but I didn't want it to cause trouble for you and Chaeyoung," she responds gently, mindful of not hurting Mina's feelings.
"Trouble?" Mina scoffs. "He's already caused some trouble with me now, Jihyo-yaa," she says, rolling her eyes.
"Uhh..Right?" Jihyo smiles sheepishly, amused by Mina's mischievous side when it comes to digging up information about Chaeyoung. "Well, if you say so."
"So, how did those two meet? And how long have they been together?" Mina's curiosity makes Jihyo to lean in, placing both hands on the table.
"Well, if I'm not mistaken, they met because they were classmates from the first semester and they've remained classmates since then," Jihyo begins, furrowing her brow as she tries to recall the details. "As for how long..Actually I'm not sure, their relationship is kind of complicated," she adds with a grin.
"Complicated?" Mina repeats, her mind swirling with questions.
"Yeah, it's a bit of a mystery. Even we don't really know when they officially became a couple because Chaeyoung and Yunjin seemed more like friends than a couple," Jihyo explains, letting out a sigh. "But Chaeyoung did mention that he dated Yunjin about a year ago"
"Really? That sounds complicated just to hear," Mina remarks, her lips twitching with uncertainty. "But when did they break up?" she adds, prompting a stunned expression from Jihyo.
Jihyo replies hesitantly. "Mmmm..., it hasn't been too long, maybe around 5 months now?"
"Ehh?? Only 5 months?" Mina clenches her jaw, feeling a surge of emotions burning in her heart. The realization that Chaeyoung hadn't been apart from Yunjin for long, yet still talked to her ex in front of her, stung deeply. "He's really idiot" Mina groans.
Jihyo observed Mina's reaction closely. "But listen, Chaeyoung and Yunjin actually broke up on good terms. Chaeyoung mentioned that they realized they were better off as friends rather than soulmates," she hurriedly explained, hoping to prevent any misunderstandings.
"That doesn't change anything, though. He still talks to his ex. No one can be friends with their exes anymore. That idiot Son Chaeyoung really wants to make me explode," Mina fiercely says.
"Mina-yaa, I know you have the right to be mad and sad, but actually, the way Chaeyoung treats you is really different from how he treated Yunjin. We all can see that he's head over heels for you," Jihyo softly explains.
"What do you mean he treated that woman differently?" Mina asks, waiting for Jihyo to reply.
"Well, like he never brought Yunjin to hang out with us," Jihyo hesitantly suggests.
"But I hang out with you guys because Jeongyeon is my cousin," Mina counters, making Jihyo chuckle in understanding.
"Yeah, you are right, maybe that's one of the reasons," Jihyo nods. "But another thing is, he never shared anything with us about Yunjin while they were together, plus most of the time, he spent time with us rather than Yunjin. But now, he's different when he's with you. His time is always occupied by you. He even listens to everything you tell him. He has become more of an idiot for you. I know he's already an idiot, but he's too much of an idiot for you," Jihyo chuckles, looking at Mina's soft expression. "Mina-yaa, you've turned his world upside down. I'm glad you accepted him into your life, and I'm even more glad that you can make him behave now, otherwise, he and Tzuyu will never stop annoying people."
Mina smiles, blushing as she attentively listens to Jihyo. After a moment, she sighs. "It's great to hear that, but the last one... I don't think I ever make him behave. He has become more wild, I guess," Mina giggles. "But... Jihyo-yaa, still, I can't get over this sadness and anger for him," Mina bites her lower lip.
AUTHOR'S NOTE ;
Don't forget to vote and comment 🫶🏻 till now, thank you for the support 🤍