Imperfectly Perfect [Chaelisa]

thirteen

"I don't want to do that."

Lisa huffs. "Why not?"

"I'm not good at it." Chaeyoung glances at her from over the top of her book and shrugs. "I want to stay here and read my book."

"Rosie," Jisoo sits down on the lounge chair Chaeyoung is sat on, "come in the pool. Please? Just for a few minutes?"

"I don't want to," Chaeyoung doesn't look up from her book this time. "I'm not a very good swimmer."

"You have a pool in your back yard. You have plenty of time to practice." Lisa points out, perching on the other side of Chaeyoung's lounge chair. "Just five minutes. Somi didn't want to come in either, but now she's having loads of fun."

Chaeyoung looks over her book at Somi, who is chasing Jennie around the pool. "I want to read my book. I don't like swimming because I'm not good at it."

"You don't have to be good at it to have fun with us, Chaeng," Jisoo rolls her eyes, "besides, I'm sure we can find some armbands somewhere if you're that worried about drowning."

"Leave me alone," Chaeyoung turns over a page in her book, "I don't want to swim. I want to read my book."

"You're so boring sometimes, Chae," Jisoo replies with an overdramatic huff, "but fine. Whatever. Lisa and I will go and have fun. Bye."

With that, Jisoo walks back towards the pool and jumps in, making sure to splash Somi and Jennie as much as she can. Lisa, however, stays with Chaeyoung and gently touches a hand to her girlfriend's leg. "Are you sure you don't want to swim, Rosie?"

"Uh-huh," Chaeyoung hums and picks up her phone, plugging her earphones in. "I want to read my book. But I'm not boring, Jisoo is lying, I'm lots of fun to spend time with. I just want to read right now."

"I know you're not boring, Rosie," Lisa laughs, "I've hung out with you plenty of times, like on our dates. The girls just don't want you to feel left out."

"But I don't," Chaeyoung finally puts her book down and glances up at Lisa, but the younger girl doesn't get to see her eyes, as they're hidden behind her sunglasses. "I like reading. Maybe when I've finished I'll come in and play with you guys. But I don't feel left out."

"Okay, as long as you're sure." Lisa pauses for a second before tugging on the sleeve of Chaeyoung's black sweater. "Aren't you hot in this? I'm too hot and I'm only in my bikini."

Chaeyoung looks Lisa over with flushed cheeks and then shakes her head. "Um, I like wearing sweaters. They're nice and cuddly and I love it when they're big on me."

"You didn't answer my question," Lisa points out with a small smile, "I've noticed that you do that sometimes. I ask you a question and you ramble about something else."

"Oh, um... I'm sorry," Chaeyoung apologises and starts fiddling with the sleeve of her sweater. "I don't mean to do it."

"I didn't say it was a bad thing, Rosie," Lisa replies, "I was just making an observation. I think it's cute."

"You think I'm cute?" Chaeyoung repeats with a small smile. "Why? Is it because you're my Lili?"

"I guess it's partially because of that, but mostly you're just adorable and anyone with eyes can see it," Lisa shrugs, not sure if Chaeyoung took her compliment in the right way. "But yeah, aren't you too hot in that big sweater?"

"A little," Chaeyoung plays with the hem of her sweater and sends Lisa a shy smile, "I don't want to take it off, though. This is my favourite sweater. I love it."

"Still, you don't want to get overheated," Lisa reminds her, gently brushing a hand through Chaeyoung's hair. And yeah, Chaeyoung feels pretty hot. "Do you have your swimsuit on underneath there?"