Imperfectly Perfect (MiChaeng SaTzu)

23 : Seems Close

The sun is about to set yet there are still some university athletes training in the open field. Needless to say, both the men and women's soccer team are pouring their hearts out in their practices for the ongoing League.

"Nayeon?" Mina inquires to a girl whose back is facing her and is sitting on the grass near the track. Wearing a jacket that says 'Soccer Team Manager', the council president assumed that the said student is Jeongyeon's girlfriend.

"Oh, Minari! Hi!" The soccer manager replied enthusiastically as soon as she turned around. "Looking for Chaeyoung, I presume? She is currently running some extra laps."

Nayeon promptly pointed at the far side of the open field. Mina genuinely smiles in return, then glances at the direction the soccer manager is pointing.

The council president's smile got wider when she recognized Chaeyoung's figure from afar. The soccer ace is visibly running comfortably like she doesn't care how many laps she has left to do or even how late she will finish running.

"Am I making you uncomfortable by calling you Minari?" Nayeon suddenly asks.

"Ah— No! Definitely not." Mina immediately answers while shaking her head. She smiles sheepishly, "I— Chaeng just invented that nickname out of nowhere so I honestly don't mind."

"That's good to hear. Please don't think that I'm a weirdo or something—"

"Hey!" Chaeyoung cuts in the conversation as she yells with all her might, now running frantically towards the two other girls.

Nayeon waves both of her hands and shouts back at her, "Hey your face, Son Chaeyoung! You still have three more laps to go! Keep moving!"

Chaeyoung smirked naughtily and didn't change her direction. She still jogged directly towards them.

The soccer manager crosses her arms in dismay and glares at their ace intensely, "You know fully well how I don't want to hear Momo's protests saying I'm giving you unnecessary breaks, don't you?"

"Spare me one moment, Nayeon the most high." Chaeyoung then turns brightly to Mina, "What brings you here?"

The council president looks back at her unamused, "Finish your laps. You shouldn't be putting other people in trouble."

"Oh, come on! It's fine. Plus, I don't like seeing my girl talking to dangerous people when I'm not around."

Mina scoffs, "'My girl'?"

Nayeon also scoffs, "'Dangerous people'?"

Chaeyoung just grins widely at the two girls.

The council president closes her eyes and massages her temples for a while. She then glares at her, "Just... go back to finishing your laps. We'll talk later."

"But Minari—"

"Now, Chaeng."

Without any more complaints, the soccer ace obediently went back to running, continuing her laps.

Nayeon was holding her laughter until Chaeyoung got back on the track. She sits again comfortably on the grass while uttering in between softer chuckles, "Wow. I never thought she could be put under control like that."

Mina playfully grins in response and joins to sit beside Nayeon. "By the way, why is she running some extra laps today? What trouble did she get into this time?"

"That is punishment for her absence last week in practice."

"Tsk. I knew she was making trouble for herself that day."

Nayeon shakes her head with a subtle seriousness on her face. "Please don't think about it that way. The coach notified us that he won't be at the practice that time which means Momo is in charge by default. In my opinion, it was better that Chaeyoung did not attend practice. You know... to avoid bloodbath."