KALEIDOSCOPE, l. jeonghyeon

✯ SIX

"I'm sorry."

Ahram flinched so hard she nearly jumped out of her skin. Her eyes passed over Jeonghyeon as she searched for who could have said that, finding no one else around. She narrowed her eyes at the chameleon boy. "Why..?"

He took a breath and awkwardly scratched at the back of his head. "Okay, so, I wanted to apologize earlier, but then Yena and Munjung showed up, and yeah... Anyway, I shouldn't have bothered you about her yesterday. It wasn't fair to you."

Am I dreaming? Is the devil incarnate apologizing to me?

"Um..."

"This is the part where you thank me and accept my apology."

Ahram shook her head and rolled her eyes and she fiddled with a loose string in the sleeve of her sweater. "Sure, fine, whatever. I accept your apology."

And just like that, her usual cocky Jeonghyeon was back. "Great!" He grinned. "So, I guess this means you wouldn't mind going out with me later like we planned."

Facing him, the girl's brows sat in a knitted mess on her forehead. "I'm sorry, what do you mean 'like we planned' ?"

"Did we not tell Yena and Munjung that we'd be spending the day together?"

Ahram fought the urge to scoff. "We did. It's called lying. You should know that word by now, considering how much you do it."

Jeonghyeon threw a hand over his heart, feigning hurt. "You've bested me this time, acorn."

"I best you every time, chameleon."

The boy rolled his shoulders with a shrug and decided to finally take a seat beside Ahram. She was used to his presence by now and didn't scoot away from him as she would have a few weeks ago. Strange, she thought, shaking her head to clear the thought.

✯

"A carnival?" Ahram asked, glancing between the papers in Yena's hand and her friend's excited expression. "Yes!" Yena exclaimed, practically bouncing in her seat.

Ahram couldn't help but be weary. The last time she'd been to the town carnival was when she and Yena were Freshmen and ate so many soft pretzels that they threw up on the ferris wheel.

And now, she had to go there on a fake date with the boy she hated.

Swallowing her complaints, Ahram forced a tight smile and handed the brightly colored flying back to her best friend. Yena's giant smile flickered a bit, thinking Ahram wouldn't notice.

Unfortunately for her, she did. Ahram's brows furrowed and she gently reached a hand across her bed to grab hold of Yena's. "Hey, what's up? You okay?"

Yena shrugged her shoulders and tried to smile, but Ahram saw through her. "Don't do that. What's wrong?"

Sighing, the younger girl squeezed her friend's hand. "I just... feel a bit jealous sometimes. If you and Jeonghyeon."

It took absolutely everything inside of Ahram not to burst into a fit of laughter or start screaming. She blinked, stared, and then blinked some more. "I'm sorry, you're what about what?"

Yena threw her hands over her blushing face and squealed. "I know it sounds crazy! I'm sorry, I don't mean to be a bad friend, it's just that sometimes I feel so distant from Junghyun..."

Ahram knew she should be comforting her friend and tell her that Jeonghyeon wasn't anything serious, but her mind instantly jumped int defense mode. "Why do you feel distant from him? Is he ignoring you? Has he done anything to upset y—"

"No! Oh my gosh, you sound like a mom," Yena cut in with a laugh. Ahram shot her a pointed look that meant 'talk to me'.

Puffing her cheeks out, Yena shrugged and said, "I know this is his first real relationship, but it's my first too! We're in the same boat, but I feel like he walks on eggshells around me whenever I bring something like a date up."

Ahram retook her friends hand and pulled it into her lap. "Maybe he just wants to make you happy? What if he's afraid to make you uncomfortable?"

"In doing so, he is making me question how engaged he is in this relationship." She said with the defeated sink of her shoulders. Her friend instinctively played with her lips as she thought of a way to help the new couple, considering she hadn't been in a real relationship in a long time.

Shaking her head, Ahram settled for a soft smile and released Yena's hands as she stepped off of her bed. "Let's get ready for our dates tonight." She forced herself not to grimace with her next words. "I can talk to Jeonghyeon for you, if you want. See if there's anything bothering Munjung."

Yena practically shot from the bed to take her friend by the shoulders. "Would you really? It wouldn't be too much? You don't have to if you don't want to!"

"It's fine," Ahram began with a small chuckle. "I'm sure it's nothing, but if it puts your mind at ease, I'll talk to Jeonghyeon."

"Thank you, Ahram!"

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next chapter is the date i promise 🫶