Angel

Chapter 55 - Surmenée

The fair was always a place of unrestrained joy. The costumes lit up the winter's day, a riot of color to rival any gardener's paradise. Music filled the air, beats lifted the spirits and made the people want to move, jump and sing. It was a time to celebrate being alive, celebrate the wonders of creation and be one with the community. The colorful neon lights drew children and teenagers to the rides and the air tasted so heavenly with the chefs alongside the parade, every delicious thing ready to be shared with friends.

Chaeyoung felt good being in this type of environment, but she felt as if something was missing. She grew tired of following her two best friends around who were acting all lovey-dovey towards each other.

The sun was setting now, and the sky had bled orange and pink colors along with spot of blue just beneath the white fluffy clouds. Sana and Tzuyu were on some ride and had invited Chaeyoung to join them, but she politely declined, not feeling up for it. She sat on one of the benches that stood around in certain areas watching kids, adults, or even elders play the little fair games to win prizes. Some won, some didn't. There was always going to be some three-year-old crying somewhere about how he or she didn't get the stuffed animal they wanted.

Chaeyoung sighed and dug into her pocket, pulling her extra ticket out-the one that was meant for Mina. She had the urge to rip it apart, seeing out it was quite useless now and due to the fact that she had practically lost all the hope in her system that there was a chance she would come last minute.

Before she could even take a hold of it with her another hand to tear it apart, Chaeyoung's phone rang unexpectedly in her pocket, almost startling her. She sighed and put the ticket back in her pocket in exchange for her phone. She was surprised to notice that it was Mina calling, but she answered it immediately.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Chaeyoung?" Mina asks.

"Yeah, it's me," Chaeyoung felt her voice strain a bit, not noticing how the disappointment had laced her voice.

"Hey, I'm sorry I didn't call earlier, but I couldn't make it," the older girl apologizes, "They're really holding me back over here, and I don't think I can even spare a minute. I'm not even supposed to be on my phone, right now, and they're making me finish some song lyrics. I'm so sorry."

Chaeyoung could hear how sincere she was. She wasn't mad at her. She just felt left out at the moment being with Sana and Tzuyu and she felt disappointed given that she had been looking forward to being with Mina for the night.

The blonde sighed, "It's okay, Mina. Maybe next time."

"Yeah, of course," Mina says, "I'm really sorry."

"Stop apologizing, I said it's fine," Chaeyoung smiles, looking down at her boots.

When Mina hangs up the phone after apologizing one last time, Chaeyoung wasted no time getting up and running towards every food truck in the entire place. She orders all kinds of foods and leaves out the one's Mina doesn't like. She makes sure to but some fries and a funnel cake. People around her might've thought she was crazy, holding that much food in her hands, and Chaeyoung, herself, thought she was a bit crazy, too. She almost couldn't carry all of it.

She quickly made her way towards her car and placed all the food safely in the passenger's seat, hoping that they wouldn't tip over. The drive towards the studio was a good ten minutes, and the food was still sitting warm in her seat. She grabbed them all and rushed inside the large building. People looked at her strangely and almost couldn't believe that they let her in, until Mina's manager noticed her and allowed her to come through past the guards.

Chaeyoung raced down the halls after her got off of the elevator, in search of Mina's studio room. When she found it, she stopped in her tracks to catch her breath a bit. She could see through the glass windows, watching her write something on a paper with a guitar in her hand, and how her head lolled forwards a bit, and her eyes fluttered to close wearily. She was trying to keep herself awake and every second that passed, it had gotten harder for her.

The blonde sighed and knocked on the door with her foot. She waited for a bit before watching the door swing open, revealing a very tired Mina, who had raised her eyebrows in shock as she stared at the girl before her.

"Chaeyoung?" Mina's mouth dropped, especially when she looked down at all the food in the blonde's arms, "Wh-What-What are you-"

"I bought all the food I could see at the fair," Chaeyoung panted, "If you couldn't come to the fair, I thought I'd bring it to you. Well, the food at least."

Mina stepped aside and let the blonde in, her heart feeling heavy at the deed she had done for her, "Chaeyoung, you didn't have to-"

"I wanted to, though. Just let me be a good friends," Chaeyoung fought the pout that was playing at her lips, hearing her words coming out of her own mouth.

"Thank you," Mina told her sincerely, sitting back down in her seat, pulling her guitar back into her lap.

"How long have you been working?"

Chaeyoung sits down next to her in one of the red spinning chairs, stealing a couple fries from the cup in front of her. Mina had started eating as well. She was grateful for what Chaeyoung had done. She bought all her favorite foods and even though she was supposed to be on a diet, she decided to cheat it for now.

"Five hours," Mina says like it's nothing, "But it's the usual."