Imperfectly Perfect (MiChaeng SaTzu)

64 : Prelude

"Chaeng... this is..." Mina softly gasps as she looks at the place where the cab dropped them off.

Chaeyoung is widely grinning, looking satisfied with the council president's initial reaction. "Yep, this is that place. You still remember?"

"Of course, I remember!"

They are now in front of a local park near the Senior High School that both of them went to when they were freshmen.

"Umm... Before we get inside... he— here." The soccer ace holds out the bouquet of flowers she had sneakily tucked in the shotgun seat of the cab that they rode. "This is for you, Minari."

Mina slowly reaches for it. Her gummy smile is obviously showing.

"Umm... I— I wasn't able to get a proper bouquet so... that is something that I just personally arranged from some separate flowers I got on the market." Chaeyoung shyly looks at the ground. "I hope that— that you would... still like it."

"What are you saying, Chaeng?" The council president lovingly smells the flowers she is holding while maintaining her gummy smile. "This is so beautiful. I love it."

The soccer ace's head shots up to look at Mina. "Re— Really? You love it?"

The council president nods energetically.

Chaeyoung looks again to the ground, trying her best to hide the wide smile she has right now. "The— Then, let's go inside?"

Both of them started to walk to the entrance of the park. There are quite a number of people occupying the tables and benches since it is still an early afternoon of a Sunday.

"When I came back here yesterday." Chaeyoung starts. "I was happy that there weren't a lot of changes in this park even after four years had already passed."

"Oh. You went here yesterday?" Mina quickly asks in amusement.

"Umm..." The soccer ace nods in a bit of hesitation. "I wanted to make sure that the park is still open and that it will still pass as a good place for... our first date?"

Mina slowly nodded while stifling a smirk. "I see."

"Do you want to go sightseeing around first?"

"Yep. I think that would be nice."

"Umm... Minari."

"Hmm?"

"Would you like me to hold that for you?" Chaeyoung points to the bouquet of flowers that she just gave the council president. "So— so that you don't have any kind of baggage while walking."

"Hmm..." Mina seemed to contemplate her response for a couple of seconds. "Okay."

The soccer ace carefully reaches out and gets the flowers. "Minari."

"Hmm? What is it this time?"

"Now that your hands are free..." Chaeyoung transfers the bouquet to her left hand that is sided farther from Mina. Then, she moves her right hand to slowly intertwine with the council president's left hand. "I can now freely do this."

Mina playfully scoffs. She wasn't able to hide her sweet smile though after watching their hands fit together.

As they started walking further inside, the two of them stayed silent and enjoyed each other's company around the luscious greens of the local park. The yelling of children playing in the open area of the park was heard. There are also sounds of cars revving faintly from time to time.

"AH! I think we sat..." The soccer ace looks around. "I think we sat somewhere... there!" She points out a spot a few meters away from them. "That Valentine's day when all the tables and benches were occupied."

"And we had no choice but to sit on the grass alongside that elevated cobblestone path." Mina quickly adds.

"And you ate almost all of the chocolates!" The smaller girl also comments in teasing.

Mina rolls her eyes. "That your fans gave to you."

They are now walking slowly towards the place that Chaeyoung pointed out earlier.

"Minari! Let's not start with that, please? I promise to not accept anything from anyone if that's what you would tell me."

"Really? You would?"

"Yeah!"

"What if I tell you to not talk to any of them?" Mina asks in a challenging tone.

"Then I will not talk to them." Chaeyoung quickly answers in a confident tone.

"Hmm... I think that will make all the members of the Changie fan club really sad."

"I don't care." The soccer ace continues in a smug look. "There's only one girl that I care about now."

Mina playfully scoffs. "Really now, huh?"

"Yep!" Chaeyoung widely grins. "And she is here with me right now on our very first official date."

They have now reached the place they were talking about earlier. The soccer player flashes one last teasing smirk to Mina before promptly sitting first on the grass, patting the place beside her. She carefully places the bouquet flowers in front of her. Then, she looks at Mina, gesturing to sit beside her.

The council president also sits on the grass slowly with a faint tint of redness seen on her cheeks.

Then, Chaeyoung's phone rings. After looking at the caller ID, she quickly rejects the call and turns her mobile device off.

"You won't answer it?" Mina curiously asks.

The soccer ace simply smiles and shrugs.

The council president decided to respect the smaller girl's response and just nodded in reply.

Both of the girls stayed in silence for a moment.

"Minari."

"Hmm?"

"I— I really love you."

Mina automatically flashes a gummy smile. "What is with this sudden confession, Chaeng?"

Chaeyoung gulps as she gazes into the council president's eyes with sincerity. "I love you. Even before that day when I had to unlock that door to the high school comfort room, I already had feelings for you. I had to awfully act like I was cool and wasn't trembling inside because I finally got the chance to talk to you alone."

Mina looks at her with a bit of disbelief in her face. "I still can't believe that every single time you say it. Like... Why in the world would the school's soccer ace be interested in someone like me back then?"

"And why in the world would I not?" Chaeyoung reaches out to hold Mina's hand. "Look at you right now. You are the most beautiful, amazing, strong, and kind woman that I know. It is me who should ask why in the world would a gorgeous person like you be interested in someone like me right now?"

The council president miserably fails to stifle her smile. The blush in her cheeks are now noticeably visible.

"Minari..." The soccer ace continues and shifts in a serious tone. "No matter what you are about to find out about me, please trust me and keep in mind that my heart only beats for you. There were times that I may have been coward and powerless in the past but— but—"

"It's okay, Chaeng." Mina softly smiled. "Whatever your past was or your current situation is... I will be here for you." She then slowly leaned in to the soccer player's direction and placed a short kiss on Chaeyoung's forehead.

After leaning back, the council president inhales deeply and consecutively looks at the far side of the park. "This is indeed a really nice place for our first date."

"Yeah." The soccer ace sweetly smiles and glues her eyes to the girl beside her, staring at her adorably. "And a really nice view, if I may add."