Chapter 11
Chaeyoung slammed the door behind her and carelessly kicked off her shoes. She heard voices coming from the kitchen and called out, "Jihyo?"
The hushed whispering immediately stopped. Chaeyoung frowned in suspicion. "Hello?"
No answer. Chaeyoung reached for the wooden bat Jihyo kept in the corner. She always made fun of her roommate for being a paranoid freak, but if there were robbers in the apartment then she would never make fun of Jihyo again…after she beat the crap out of the robbers first, of course.
Chaeyoung shuffled closer to the kitchen, sticking close to the wall. Her hands were getting sweaty as she twisted them around the bat. Should she try to sneak up on the robbers from behind, or should she go all-out kamikaze smash and bash?
Fuck this shit! Chaeyoung squared her shoulders. Son Chaeyoung wasn't scared of you; you were scared of Son Chaeyoung!
Brandishing the bat, Chaeyoung jumped out from behind the wall. "Hold it right there!"
Sana and Jihyo stared at her. They were sitting at the table, while a huge banner with bold black letters reading "INTERVENTION" was strung up behind them.
Sana raised an eyebrow. "I didn't know you liked playing baseball, Chaeyoung. What other kinds of balls do you like?" She wiggled her eyebrows.
Chaeyoung scowled and tossed the bat away. "Jeez, I thought you guys were robbers."
Jihyo looked smug. "And you thought it was stupid to have a bat lying around."
"Is that why it took you fucking forever to walk the five steps from the door to the kitchen? I thought you got lost," Sana deadpanned.
"Shut up. What are you guys doing?" Chaeyoung read the banner and looked at her friends in confusion. "An intervention?"
"No, it's a literacy test. She can read, Jihyo! Our work here is done," Sana said sarcastically.
Chaeyoung shot her an annoyed look. "Where'd the sign come from?"
"Oh, Sana's parents loaned it to us," Jihyo explained before frowning. "Wait, why do your parents have that, Sana ?"
Sana snorted. "Please, having an intervention is a Minatozaki tradition."
"Did you have one yet? Because I'd be glad to participate if you didn't," Chaeyoung said.
"Of course I did—I was the first. Being the youngest of seven children drives you insane," Sana said wryly. "But enough about me, today is your intervention."
Chaeyoung ignored her. "But I'm not addicted to anything."
Sana scoffed. "Denial—a classic symptom of addiction."
Jihyo cleared her throat. "We have something to say."
"Okay?" Chaeyoung said bemusedly.
"Now, I didn't think a confrontation would help, but Sana insisted on—"
"Hey Sugar Tits, don't go blaming this on me! You agreed to do it—"
"Sugar Tits? Just what are you insinuating, Sana —"
"Spit it out, already!" Chaeyoung growled.
Sana and Jihyo stopped bickering to look at their annoyed friend. "There's really no need to shout, Chaeyoung" Sana said mildly.
Jihyo held up her hand to forestall Chaeyoung indignant retort. "We think you should tell Mina the truth about Mira ."
Chaeyoung blinked. "Why?"
"Because you love her, dip shit." Sana said in a bored tone.
"Oh." Chaeyoung shrugged. "I already knew that. Aren't interventions supposed to surprise you?"
The two girls exchanged stunned looks. "Whoa! No flat-out denial, no temper tantrum, no spiel about how hunger is the only feeling you're capable of?" Sana asked incredulously.
Chaeyoung frowned. "I'm capable of feelings! For example, you're annoying the hell out of me right now."
"You know what she means, Chaeyoung," Jihyo chided. "You don't like to get emotionally attached. It's kind of surprising to see you act so differently around Mina ."
Chaeyoung huffed. "I don't know what it is I feel for Mina , but she's important to me."
"You don't know if you're in love with her?" Jihyo frowned.
"Back to denial, I see," Sana added dryly.
"It's complicated, okay? I don't know how to tell if I am or not," Chaeyoung said defensively. "And even if I'm not, I'm going to tell her the truth and hope she forgives me."
"My God." Sana looked at her with wide eyes.
"What?" Chaeyoung asked cautiously.
"You've grown a soul."
Jihyo smiled at Chaeyoung's indignant 'what-the-fuck' expression. "Hush, Sana ! You'll make Chaeyoung feel self-conscious and reverse all the progress we've made in her emotional growth."
Sana played along. "God forbid! Don't worry, Chaeyoung, we'll help you figure out your feelings for Mina !"
Chaeyoung glowered at them. "I don't need any help, thanks."
"Doesn't matter if you don't need our help, we're giving it anyway,"Jihyo easily replied.
"I don't see how you can, unless you plan to watch my every move around Mina ," Chaeyoung said dryly.
Sana and Jihyo exchanged sly smiles. Chaeyoung buried her face into her hands. "I walked right into that one." She looked up with a glare. "Don't do it."
"Okay," Jihyo agreed.
"Seriously, don't."
"You got it!" Sana nodded.
Chaeyoung groaned.
____
Chaeyoung and Mina usually met in the empty student council meeting room for lunch, where no one would bother them. It had become sort of a game between them to see who brought the better lunch.
Chaeyoung playfully held out a forkful of pasta to Mina . "Taste and despair, because I so won today."
Mina opened her mouth to accept the bite and chewed thoughtfully. "Oh Chaeyoung wins this round. Tell Jihyo that she is an excellent chef."
Their heads whipped around at hearing a muffled "thanks!" followed by a loud "shh!" Chaeyoung narrowed her eyes at seeing a flash of red through the small window of the door. She strode over to the door and yanked it open, but no one was there.
Chaeyoung frowned. Strange.
___
Chaeyoung fiddled with her bag as she headed towards the parking lot, walking by the track field along the way. Afternoon gym classes were apparently taking place outdoors today, since uniform-clad students were huffing and puffing along the track.
"GO, MINA, GO!"
Chaeyoung immediately looked up at her girlfriend's name. Students were cheering as Chaeyoung was sprinting around the track, her long legs a blur. She slowed down to a stop and bent over with her hands on her knees, breathing hard from the exertion.
Chaeyoung couldn't bring herself to look away from the rise and fall of Mina's chest with every pant, the light sheen of sweat covering her face, the smooth expanse of skin exposed by extremely short shorts—
Chaeyoung yelped when she walked into a lamppost. "Ow, fuck!"
A boisterous cackle that sounded suspiciously like Sana's rang out from behind a nearby car. It was immediately stifled when Chaeyoung spun around, looking for the source.
Okay, what was going on?
___
It was a lovely day to be outside in the park, especially underneath the shade of a large maple tree that blocked out the sun. Occasional breezes stirred the air and relieved what would have otherwise been a hot and humid day.
Mina seemed to be utterly content with sitting against the tree, looking uncharacteristically casual with one leg bent to support a sketchbook and the other leg stretched out. Chaeyoung was reclining on her elbows near Mina's feet, but she seemed uncharacteristically twitchy, looking this way and that.
A nearby bush rustled. Chaeyoung whipped around to glare at it, relaxing when it turned out to be a squirrel.
Mina was still focused on her sketchbook, but her lips twitched. "Is Chaeyoung going to tell me why she's been so paranoid this past week?"
Chaeyoung blanched. "What? I don't know what you're talking about."
Mina finally looked up from her drawing and raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so chaeyoung doesn't know why she looked like she wanted to murder that poor squirrel?"
Chaeyoung gave what she hoped to be a charming smile. "The furry bastard was looking at me funny."
Mina gave her an amused look. "If Chaeyoung says so."
Chaeyoung sighed in relief when Mina directed her attention back to her sketchbook. It was a good thing she was so talented at coming up with excuses on the fly. Somehow, she didn't think that the truth would go over so well: 'Oh it's nothing, Mina , I just thought Sana and Jihyo were hiding in that bush. They've been stalking me all week to see if I'm in love with you, no big deal.'
Chaeyoung folded her arms behind her head and scowled into the sky. Wasn't her life complicated enough already without nosy stalkers?
"I spy with my little eye a beauty and a beast," an annoyingly familiar voice called out. "Three guesses who the beast is, and the first two don't count."
Chaeyoung's head snapped up to see Jihyo and Sana ambling towards them. Chaeyoung scowled. They had the audacity to stalk her in plain sight? This was just ridiculous.
"Don't you two have school? Work? Any place else to be except here?" Chaeyoung growled.
Sana plopped down on the grass with a grin. "I just wanted to say hello to Mina . Hello, Mina !" She waved, looking pleased when Mina giggled.
Jihyo shrugged. "We were in the neighborhood." She gestured to the sketchbook in Mina's hands. "I didn't know you liked to draw, Mina ."
"Sketching is a secret pleasure of mine,"Mina said pleasantly. " Chaeyoung decided to tag along today while I complete an assignment for art class."
Chaeyoung narrowed her eyes at her friends. "Oh, so you just happened to be 'in the neighborhood?' Funny, lately it seems like you two are always around."
Mina placed her hand over Chaeyoung's and raised her eyebrow in question when Chaeyoung turned to look at her. Chaeyoung's scowl melted away at her reproving look.
Jihyo and Sana exchanged smirks at the display.
Jihyo looked at Chaeyoung innocently. "You look a little tense, Chaeyoung. Maybe you need something to cool off?"
"No. I'll be fine if you go away."
Sana sighed loudly. "Well, I'm sure Mina is curious to know why you've been acting so paranoid lately—"
"Hey Mina !" Chaeyoung shouted to interrupt Sana .
Mina looked startled at her outburst. "Yes?"
"Could you, uh—" She looked around frantically for an excuse and spotted an ice cream stand in the distance. "Could you get me some ice cream?"
Mina looked skeptical. "You want me to get you an…ice cream?" Jihyo smiled in amusement and Sana stifled a laugh.
"Uh, please?" Chaeyoung winced. She sounded like the biggest idiot in the world.
Mina chuckled and stood up. "I suppose Chaeyoung wants her favorite flavor?"
"Did I ever tell you how amazing you are?"
"Yes, but I think I can stand to hear it some more." Mina bent down to whisper in Chaeyoung's ear, "And don't think you've gotten away with your strange behavior. I fully expect an explanation."
As soon as Mina left, Sana burst into cackles. "Oh my God, you are pathetically lame. What were you thinking, coming up with an excuse like that?"
Chaeyoung punched Sana in the arm. "What were you thinking, telling Mina about our—no, your—little stalker escapades? Maybe I wouldn't be acting so paranoid if some people weren't following me around! I mean, you can at least be a little discreet about it!"
Jihyo nudged Sana . "I told you she would get annoyed."
"Annoyed? No, I'm pissed!" Chaeyoung snapped. "I said I could handle it myself!"
Jihyo and Sana finally looked chagrined. "Sorry, Chaeyoung, we just thought we would help," Jihyo explained. "We weren't really going to tell Mina ; Sana just wanted to bother you."
"C'mon, Chaeyoung, don't be mad," Sana wheedled. "You have to admit that you can't properly judge your own actions. It helps to have some outside perspective!"
Chaeyoung relaxed slightly. Her friends, no matter how annoying and intrusive they were, at least had good intentions.
She turned to look for Mina and stiffened when a man walked up to Mina . She couldn't hear what the guy was saying, but he was obviously flirting with her girlfriend. Chaeyoung smirked when the guy left looking disappointed, but frowned when someone else walked up to Mina .
"Why are all those people suddenly hitting on Mina ?" Chaeyoung growled.
Sana looked sheepish. "Ah, that's kind of my fault. I might have told everyone in the general vicinity that Mina was single. In my defense, I did this before you threw your little shit fit about our help." Jihyo face-palmed.
"WHAT?" Chaeyoung shot to her feet.
Sana frowned. "Relax. I know you said Mina likes to flirt a lot, but I don't think she'd actually accept any offers when you're still around—"
Chaeyoung impatiently waved a hand. "It's not her I'm worried about; it's the people with grabby hands who don't understand that Mina is not available!"
"Is this a bad time to ask if we're forgiven?" San called out as Chaeyoung stormed away. Chaeyoung flipped her off in response.
Mina looked relieved when Chaeyoung pushed her way through the small circle of starry-eyed suitors surrounding her. "Chaeyoung!" She paused when the mob didn't seem discouraged at all. "Chaeyoung, my darling girlfriend!"
Most of the potential suitors had the decency to look embarrassed and walk away. Mina turned to Chaeyoung with a sigh. "Hey, they came out of nowhere." She smiled and handed Chaeyoung an ice cream cone. "Here's the ice cream Chaeyoung so desperately begged me for."
Chaeyoung took it without smiling, still glaring at the few hopeful who were muttering mutinously at Chaeyoung's sudden appearance. "Thanks."
"Why so serious? Chaeyoung knows she's the only girl for me…until the next one comes along, that is," Mina teased, pressing a kiss to Chaeyoung's cheek. She held out her own ice cream cone— Chaeyoung guessed it was green tea-flavored, Mina's favorite. "Want a taste?"
"Sure." Chaeyoung dropped her ice cream cone and pulled a shocked Mina in for a passionate kiss. Mina responded enthusiastically, dropping her own ice cream in favor of wrapping her arms around Mina .
The kiss seemed to last for an eternity…or at least for a considerable amount of time, since the disgruntled suitors had scattered by the time they separated for air. Chaeyoung leaned her forehead against Mina's. "Oh, did you mean a taste of the ice cream?"
Mina managed a chuckle. "It doesn't matter; I dropped it when Chaeyoung pulled that stunt. I thought Chaeyoung didn't like public displays of affection…not that I minded."
"I don't, but I hate when people stare at you like a piece of meat."
"I don't think the kiss helped. Now people are staring at both of us."
"At least they'll know you're taken," Chaeyoung grumbled.
Mina smiled slyly. "Jealous?"
"Hell yes."
Mina's lips turned up. "There's no need to be."
Chaeyoung sighed. "I know. It's an involuntary reaction. Can't say I blame them for staring, though," she said sincerely.
Mina blushed and stuck out her tongue. "Smooth talker."
"Don't stick out your tongue unless you plan to use it," Chaeyoung playfully warned.
Mina smiled wickedly before sticking her tongue out again.
__
"Took you long enough," Sana drawled when Chaeyoung and Mina returned. "What, did you have to make the ice cream yourselves?"
Jihyo snickered. "No, it probably melted from the intensity of that kiss. The temperature went up 200 degrees even from here."
Chaeyoung flushed. "You saw that?"
"I think the entire park was watching. See, you made that guy bike right into a tree." Sana pointed at a man groaning on the ground next to a mangled bike.
"Ow." Chaeyoung and Mina both winced.
"Anyways, your sketchbook fell open, Mina . I couldn't resist a peek; I hope you don't mind," Sana said apologetically. "They're really good!"
"Don't you understand the concept of privacy?" Chaeyoung scowled at Sana .
"It's fine. Thank you, Sana ."
"I mean, that portrait of Chaeyoung was almost spot-on! You just forgot the devil horns," Sana said.
Chaeyoung turned to Mina , who studiously avoided her gaze. "You drew me?"
"Just a doodle."
"Just a doodle? That's like saying the Mona Lisa is just some random chick," Sana said in disbelief.
"Wasn't she?" Mina's eyes twinkled.
Sana paused. "Not the point."
Jihyo held out the sketchbook to Mina . "You're quite the artist, Mina ."
"Oh, not at all—"
"Okay, now I want to see this. Mina's only humble if she's really good at it; otherwise, she's as arrogant as they come." Smiling at Mina's scowl, Chaeyoung swiped the sketchbook and flipped through the pages.
Mina looked on nervously as Chaeyoung stopped on the last page and looked at it in awe. It was a beautifully-rendered sketch of her reclining on her elbows and looking off somewhere beyond the paper. Mina had captured every detail perfectly, from the blade of grass being twirled between Chaeyoung's fingers to the contemplative expression on her face. So this must be what Mina had been so diligently sketching before. A lump formed in her throat.
Chaeyoung handed the book back to Mina . "They're right, you're amazing." She cleared her throat before half-smiling. "You made me look much better on paper than in real life."
"Not possible," Mina said affectionately.
Jihyo and Sana exchanged looks that were half-aww and half-discomfort at intruding on a private, intimate moment. Luckily for the two girls , a distraction came in the form of a small blonde girl.
Mina staggered backwards as a blonde blur plowed into her midsection. Chaeyoung raised her eyebrows. "Well, who do we have here?"
"Mina ! Chaeyoung! Jihyo! Sana!" Amy squealed.
"Fancy seeing you here, Angel Face," Chaeyoung said playfully, tugging on one of the girl's pigtails.
Amy giggled and turned to Mina . "I'm glad you're here,Mina ! Ayato and Mira brought me here, but they were being boring so I left them. Will you guys play with me?"
Sana frantically shook her head. "If Bitchy Myōi's here—"
Jihyo smacked her. "Language!"
"Sorry. If Rhymes-with-Witchy Myōi—no offense, Mina —"
"None taken."
"—if she's here, then that's my cue to leave. And she's probably bringing Ayato , so Jihyo might not want to stick around, either."
Jihyo scowled. "Not at all. We'll see you guys around."
Chaeyoung sighed as the two girls left. She turned to Mina with pleading eyes. "Can't we take Amy and run?"
"Amy! Where are you?"Mira's voice rang out.
Mina groaned. "Too late."
"There you are, Amy!" Mira ran up to them before doing a double-take at seeing her sister. "Hello, Minari." She turned to Chaeyoung, her tone turning more flirtatious. "Chaeyoung."
"Hello,Mira ," Mina answered neutrally. Chaeyoung didn't even bother answering.
Ayato came up behind Mira . "It would've been nice to have some warning before you took Amy away," he said, mild irritation lacing his voice.
Chaeyoung snorted. "You can thank your fantastic babysitting skills for that one, since she's the one who came to us."
"You were being boring, Ayato," Amy chided. "I asked you to play and you said you just wanted to sit."
Ayato was visibly annoyed with the child. "My apologies, Amy; it's just that my outfit isn't suitable for running around in."
Mina nudged Amy in the direction of the playground. "Look, Amy, there's some kids that look your age. Why don't you try to make friends with them?"
"Okay,Mina !" Amy happily skipped off.
Mira and Ayato's jaws dropped. "That's all we had to do to make her leave us alone?"Mira asked incredulously.
Chaeyoung frowned. "If you didn't want to spend time with her, why did you even come here in the first place?"
"My father needs the deal with Andrews Industries to go through. The CEO, Alexander Andrews, dotes on his daughter. See the connection?" Ayato asked condescendingly.
Chaeyoung glared at him. Mina placed her hand on Chaeyoung's arm to calm her down before turning to Ayato with a scowl. "I don't think your plan will work out if you insist on being boring, Ayato ."
"Good thing she likes you, Minari " Mira cut in. "It would be good for the Myōi's too if the Kizan Corporation manages to sign the deal."
"Always thinking of what's best for you—I mean, our family," Mina said dryly.
"Of course, 'mina . Don't I always?"
"Bullshit," Chaeyoung coughed into her fist. Mina chuckled.
Mira shot her a look. "I'm sorry, did you want to say something?"
"Not at all."
Mira turned to Ayato . "Ayato, can you get me a drink? I'm really thirsty."
Ayato obliged, looking none too pleased about it. Mina turned to Chaeyoung. "I'm going to get a drink, too; does Chaeyoung want anything?"
"Take me with you," Chaeyoung hissed. Mina grinned.
Mira pouted when Chaeyoung made to followed Mina . "Ehh, is Chaeyoung going to leave me all alone?"
Chaeyoung looked pleadingly at Mina . Mina gave her an apologetic shrug that clearly said "Sorry, you're on your own," before turning away.
Chaeyoung scowled. Betrayed by her own girlfriend! She turned around with a frown. "Okay, I stayed. Happy?"
"Very," mira said mischievously. She sat down on the grass, motioning for Chaeyoung to do the same. Chaeyoung reluctantly sat three feet away.
Mira regarded her with amusement. "You know, for some strange reason, I get the feeling that you don't like me very much."
"Really? That's weird," Chaeyoung muttered.
"Isn't it?"
"Chaeyoung! Look where I am!" Amy shouted from the playground. Both of them turned to look at Amy waving from the top of the tallest slide. Chaeyoung waved back, causing Amy to beam.
Mira regarded Amy with a contemplative look. "You know, I don't think I like children very much—they're adorable, but they get too messy and whiny."
"Oh, too bad. Mina and I are thinking of having ten kids," Chaeyoung said hurriedly.
Chaeyoung turned at hearing a familiar melodious chuckle. Mina sat down and leaned into Chaeyoung's. "Twenty kids, actually." Chaeyoung laughed.
Amy came over holding a disgruntled Ayato's hand, but she quickly dropped his hand in favor of sitting in Chaeyoung's lap.
"She seems quite taken with you, Chaeyoung" Ayato observed. "Then again, she wouldn't be the first, I suppose."
Chaeyoung looked uneasily at Ayato's smirk. He looked like he knew something about Chaeyoung that he shouldn't have.
Ayato looked at his phone when it beeped. "Father wants me to come to his office, Mira . Can you handle Amy?"
"By myself?" Mira didn't look too happy. "I told you that I literally had to trade my soul to get this day off—"
"That explains everything," Mina muttered to Chaeyoung, making her laugh.
"—and now you're telling me you have to go to work? A little selfish, don't you think?"
Ayato sighed. "I'll take a day off later this week to help you plan the wedding. Satisfied?"
"You're still leaving me alone to watch a rambunctious child," Mira muttered.
Mina barely refrained from rolling her eyes. "I'll take Amy, Mira . Why don't you go back to work and get your soul back? God knows you need it."
Chaeyoung laughed and gave Mina a high-five. "Nice one."
"I try."
"Fine, I will," Mira sneered. "Have a nice time with these two children, Chaeyoung." She stood up and followed Ayato.
"A real charmer, that one," Chaeyoung commented.
Mina laughed and looked down at Amy. "Oh, she's sleeping. Should we take her home?"
Chaeyoung shook her head. "Nah, she'll probably wake up if we move around. We can just let her stay put; it's not like I need my legs or anything," she said slightly sarcastically.
Chaeyoung noticed Mina looking at her with a strange smile. "What?"
"Nothing." Mina leaned forward to whisper in Chaeyoung's ear. "You're cute, you know that?"
"Tell me something I don't know—" Chaeyoung paused, thunderstruck. She suddenly remembered the last time Mina had leaned down to whisper something in her ear.
"Would you still love me if I were ugly and senile?"
"Why do you want to know?"
"Mira said you like to move on to fresh meat every few weeks or so. I'm not fresh anymore!"
Mina leaned down and murmured in Chaeyoung's ear, "Yes, I'd still love you—even if you are drunk out of your mind."
Chaeyoung looked at Mina in astonishment. The blonde had her sketchbook open, focused on sketching a small flower.
Mina loved her. Mina loved Son Chaeyoung. Holy fucking shit, Mina loved her!
Mina looked over strangely when Chaeyoung burst into giddy laughter. "What—"
Chaeyoung awkwardly twisted to cut Mina off with a kiss, Amy still in her lap.
When they broke apart, Mina looked at her in astonishment. "Two kisses in public in one day? Chaeyoung's on a roll." She cleared her throat. "What was that one for?"
Chaeyoung smiled. "No reason. I'm just happy."
Unbeknownst to them, two people were watching from behind a tree. Dahyun fruitlessly tried to tug away a gaping Momo.
"Uh, look, Momo, there's an ice cream stand—"
"WHAT THE FUCK?"
___
A/n: I'm really sorry for the lame update guys. Your author is really tipsy right now.😅 I really think I drunk too much beer gosh. .
Happy reading.