IZ*ONE University

Chapter 8: It was like the romance of travel

Choi Yena's POV:

"Yiren," I whispered out her name.

"Hmmm?" she asked as she looked back at me.

"How long will we keep this up?"

"What do you mean, Yena?" she pretended as if she didn't know.

"It's nothing, Yiren," I smiled at her and grabbed her hand, "let's go get ice cream," I lead her to the ice cream truck by the park, "wait here. I'll buy us some ice cream."

I lined up and waited for my turn. I hated being all pretend, but I felt safe somehow with Yiren and that I didn't have to worry. On the other hand, my heart longed for Yuri but I was a coward. I didn't want to risk it and the fact that she might not even be into girls is also one I should look into. I was snapped back to reality when the woman called me because it was my turn to place an order.

"Ma'am, what would you like to have?"

"Oh, one strawberry and chocolate ice cream please," I told the ice cream woman.

"Here you go, ma'am," the lady smiled at me and she was really pretty too.

"Thank you ..." I looked at her name tag "Chaeyoung", "Chaeyoung!" she smiled at me, "you know I also know someone named Chaeyoung."

"Hehe I think I know her too," she said giggling.

"Oh we might know the same Chae-"

"Hey, stop flirting!" a random dude yelled behind me, "you're holding up the line."

"See you next time, Chaeyoung!" I yelled and ran back to Yiren.

"I see you've met someone else now," she said as she was now standing up, tapping her foot on the ground.

"Nope, she's just a friend and I already have you," I smiled and handed her, her ice cream.

"You got a text by the way and I answered it for you," she said shyly.

I trusted Yiren with my phone because I really had nothing there but games.

"Oh who texted?" 

"Toothpaste Lover?" Yiren said unsure, and I just laughed so hard that tears went out of my eyes.

"Oh, it's Chaewon," I said as I tried catching my breath and Yiren just mouthed "oh", "what did she say?" 

"She said that the hamster had a huge fight with a smol dwarf and that she needed you quick," I wanted to laugh, but I knew that Yuri and Nako rarely fight so that it had to be an emergency, "I told her that you'd be there in awhile. "

"Thank you, Yiren," I gave her an apologetic smile, "I'm so-"

"You don't have to say it because I was the one who invited you anyway," she said as she held my hand and at times like this I wondered if I maybe I did genuinely like her at some point.

I ran to my car and drove back as fast I could because Yuri might need me. I arrived in front of the mansion in just 15 minutes instead of 30 because I kind of ran the red lights. I ran as fast as I could to Joyul's room and knocked on the door.

I saw her huge smile disappear once she saw my worried face and she then slammed the door on my face.

SLAM!

"Yul? Did I do something wrong?" I asked as I slowly placed my hand and forehead on the door.

Silence.

"Yul, please talk to me ..." I sighed, "are you alright?"

Silence.

"I heard you had a fight with Nako ..." I looked at the door, but I still heard nothing, "you can always talk to me, Yul."