The ice cream parlour

Sixteen

On Monday, everything returned to how it was. Ryujin made lunch for Chaeryeong and brought her to school before heading to school herself.

After going on a date with Yeji and sending her home, Ryujin dropped by the ice cream parlour and brought Chaeryeong home.

"Do you want to go out and eat tonight?" Ryujin asked.

"I'm really tired," Chaeryeong replied, her arms nearly slipping off Ryujin's waist.

"Alright. I'll cook at home," the older replied, chuckling a little at Chaeryeong's drowsiness.

"You're the best," Chaeryeong grinned, snuggling her head into the crook of Ryujin's neck. As much as she enjoyed how they were, the younger was troubled by how Ryujin seemed open to affection despite still dating Yeji.

"Ryu? I... why aren't you worried about how Yeji would feel if she sees us like this?" The long haired girl asked awkwardly, slightly withdrawing her hand from Ryujin's waist.

"Well... I'm not sure how she'll feel but if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have apologised," Ryujin replied.

"You apologised? Ryu, I was the one who apologised first," Chaeryeong teased. The older whined and pouted.

"I'm just telling the truth," she laughed. Ryujin groaned.

They kept silent for the rest of the ride home, feeling the wind brush against them.

When Chaeryeong noticed how Ryujin struggled to blow her hair away from her face, she giggled to herself before grabbing a hairpin from her pocket and pinning her hair up.

"Thanks. I'll tell Yeji to do that more often and tell her you thought of it," Ryujin said, a goofy grin on her face. Chaeryeong forced a chuckle and as soon as Ryujin turned away, her face fell.

What was I thinking?

Chaeryeong shook her head. She was silly to think that Ryujin might have fallen out of love with Yeji.

"Ryujin,"

She nodded.

"N-never mind," Chaeryeong stammered. Was she going to stay like this forever? Just as someone who has a crush on Ryujin? Would she ever be able to confess to her? Would she just remain Ryujin's best friend? She wanted to cry out loud and tell her that she liked her so much she felt like dying every time she saw her.

"Just tell me!" Ryujin coaxed. "I promise I'll keep it to myself,"

"What if... what- what if my friend confessed to me?" Chaeryeong asked, her voice trembling.

Ryujin halted to a stop. She turned around.

"When? Who? Why don't I know?" She blurted out, running her hand through her hair. Ryujin looked rather stressed as her eyes widened and she flinched.

"No one asked me out. I was asking for a friend," Chaeryeong replied hurriedly. Ryujin turned red.

"O-oh," Ryujin cleared her throat and laughed awkwardly.

"So?" Chaeryeong asked.

"I would reject her," Ryujin replied simply, shrugging.

The younger girl nodded, sucking in a breath.

But I like you.

Chaeryeong dabbed the corners of her eyes and rubbed her nose. She couldn't let Ryujin see her cry.

"You can sleep here. Just hold on tight to me. I promise I'll hold on to you too," The older said sweetly, caressing the back of Chaeryeong's palm.