Love, Rosie

9

Chaeyoung always feels a little uncomfortable on days like these. It's not a particularly interesting day; by every standard, it's actually perfectly normal. Except that Jennie has a make-up test over lunch, which makes it pretty awkward for her. She's probably going to sit in the library with Pranpriya once she's eaten, so that's not so bad, but the librarian is pretty strict about enforcing the no eating rule, which means she has to go to the cafeteria for at least a little time.

So, as she glances around the cafeteria with her lunch in hand, she has no idea where to sit. She sees the table she usually sits at with Jennie and the rest of the soccer team, but she's not familiar enough with anybody else on the team to sit with them. But then she sees Lisa there, laughing about something with Seulgi, and she second guesses that thought.

On Halloween, Lisa had drunkenly offered friendship. But they'd not spoken at all since. It's probably more Chaeyoung's fault than anything; Lisa had sent her passing smiles in the hallway, but any time she looked like she was going to approach her, Chaeyoung had conveniently found something interesting going on in the opposite direction and escaped. She knows it's stupid and probably sending a bad message, but she'd freaked out at the way it felt to hold Lisa's hand. And she knows that Lisa only held her hand because she was drunk, but it still doesn't change the fact that she's insanely pretty and very, very intimidating. Even though she claimed she wasn't. And even though she's seen drunk Lisa, which is basically the equivalent of a puppy.

She glances away from the soccer girls and spots an empty table not too far away, so she goes and sits down, getting her food out and trying to occupy herself with refreshing her inbox to see if Yellow had sent her any emails. She misses Jennie, but she knows she only has to be lonely for a little while, because she can go meet Pranpriya once she's finished eating.

She's replying to Yellow's last email - a whole debate about whether or not the megalodon is still in existence (Chaeyoung is firmly yes, Yellow is firmly no) - when Lalisa Manoban sits down across the table and smiles at her. "Hi. Why are you sitting all the way over here?"

Chaeyoung blinks in surprise, locking her phone mid-composing the email. "Um. Because Jennie's not here, I guess."

Lisa frowns, "You're welcome to sit with us even when she's not there, you know. Besides, didn't I basically recruit you as my new best friend?"

She says the last part with the cutest smile, and something in Chaeyoung's stomach flutters. Which means this would usually be the part she'd make her escape. But that would make Lisa think she didn't like her, if she stood up and just ran away. And it's not that at all. She just doesn't want to like Lisa too much. Because of Yellow.

But she plays it off, trying to be a little less awkward for once. "In my defence, you were very drunk, so I didn't think you'd remember."

"Of course I would. It's a very prestigious position," Lisa grins, nodding over to the other table, "come on. Sit with us."

"Alright, but I did promise Pranpriya I'd go spend lunch with her once I'd eaten." Chaeyoung gets up, following her over to the other table, trying not to look as nervous and awkward as she feels. "Well, more like go annoy her after. I get the feeling she just wants to study."

"That's what she's like. Study machine." Lisa shrugs, sitting back down next to Seulgi. Chaeyoung puts her lunch down and expects that Lisa will just go back to talking to Seulgi, and she can return to emailing Yellow. "Anyway, I'm glad you guys are friends. I was getting a little worried about her, honestly."

Jesus, they both worry about each other more than they worry about themselves. Chaeyoung frowns, and waits until she's had a few more bites of her sandwich to ask, "How come?"