Low Tide Love

Chapter 36

(Y/N)'s POV

"I want you to accompany me to my parents' mansion tomorrow. I don't care if you're free or not"

Those words lingered in my mind like a pesky tune. Why should I accompany this bossy-dramatic queen to her parent's mansion tomorrow? Does she know I'd rather endure a day of food poisoning than stay by her side? What am I to her? A royal guard? A parasite? A slave?

She should have invited Dahyun and Chaeyoung to meet her parents, not me.

I groaned in frustration. I scribbled away in my diary to vent my feelings. Today's endless argument with Sana had left me exasperated. And to top it off, when I tried to apologize, she made it even worse by refusing to forgive me. She left me looking like a fool. All I wanted was to make amends but she played hard to get.

She's got some serious psychological issues; maybe she needs a stint in a mental hospital.

Suddenly, a knock on the door jolted me from my thoughts. I swiftly hid my diary beneath my pillow. I put on a facade of composure as I invited the visitor in. Dahyun and Jeongyeon entered. Their cheerful energy contrasted sharply.

Jeongyeon approached me with an infectious energy. Her words flowed in a rhythmic, rap-like cadence. "Yo, (Y/N), we're about to turn up the heat with a lit barbecue in the garden! You gotta join us, man!"

"I can't" I replied bluntly. Dahyun approached me with an air of determination. Her nails anxiously bitten as she pleaded with me. "Come on, (Y/N)! You can't miss out on the best steak ever grilled in the history of the world! It's gonna be legendary!" she implored urgently.

I reiterated my refusal with a small chuckle. "I appreciate the offer, Dahyun. I really need some rest right now."

Jeongyeon sighed and held my shoulder. "This ain't the time to rest, buddy! It's time to make some friends, spice up the barbecue scene! Come on, join us!" she exclaimed in a motivational speaker, a rap-like tone.

I reluctantly relented and agreed to join them. "Okay, okay, I'll come. Is Sana joining us for the barbecue too?" I hoped she's not there. Dahyun shook her head sympathetically. "No, she's got a headache" she concerned.

I suppressed a smirk. I knew the queen was pretending to avoid seeing me. It was a small victory for me. "Ah, I see. Well, let's all pray for Sana's headache to vanish so she can join us at the barbecue next time" I feigned a concern.

Jeongyeon was getting antsy and urged me to join them immediately. "C'mon, bro, we're starving over here! Time to feast, be the barbecue king with us now!"

I nodded and gestured for them to go ahead without me, citing the need to prepare myself before joining them. Once Jeongyeon and Dahyun left my room, I couldn't contain my joy at the thought of not having to deal with Sana at the barbecue. I rolled over my bed as I muffled my screams of happiness with a pillow. Victory was mine this time and I relished in it.

However, my triumph was short-lived as I remembered Chaeyoung. If Chaeyoung is there too, it'll be like walking on eggshells. She witnessed the whole awkward episode between Sana and me.

How on earth am I supposed to explain that to her if she asks?

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Arriving at the garden where the barbecue was set up, I noticed Chaeyoung enjoying her steak alone on the bench while the others were immersed in laughter and chatter as they grilled the meat. The weight of the awkwardness settled on my shoulders.

"H-hey" I muttered awkwardly.

Chaeyoung looked up and gestured to the vacant seat next to her as she silently invited me to join her. I accepted her invitation and settled down beside her.

Before I could speak, Chaeyoung cut me off with a knowing smile. "I know what you're going to say" she teased and I nodded.

Chuckling, Chaeyoung continued,"Sana mentioned the same thing to me just now. She seemed embarrassed when discussing it with me earlier and asked me not to think of it in a negative light."

I felt relieved at Chaeyoung's understanding. "That's good to know. I guess we're all on the same page then" I felt grateful for the reassurance.

Chaeyoung nodded in agreement."Exactly. There's no need for any misunderstandings" she said in a steady and reassuring tone.

Feeling relieved after Chaeyoung's explanation, I decided to delve further into the matter. "So, why did you suddenly go to Sana's bedroom earlier?"

Taking a sip of water, Chaeyoung cleared her throat before responding. "Well, I heard Sana's scream from her bedroom and I was worried something might happen to her."

I chuckled at the absurdity of the situation. "Ah, the infamous scream. It seems to have caused quite a stir" I shook my head in amusement.

Chaeyoung nodded in agreement, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Indeed. But thankfully, Dahyun and the others had left the living room by then so they didn't hear it" she replied.

"That's good to hear. I must admit I had a bit of trouble persuading Sana to lower her voice." I was grateful for Chaeyoung's timely intervention.

Chaeyoung chuckled as she shook her head in amusement. "You always seem to find yourself in the most interesting situations." Her comment carried a touch of amusement.

I could feel the weight of the recent confrontation with Sana. "Well, she accused me of betraying our friendship. It's utterly ridiculous. And to top it off, she was screaming at the top of her lungs to demand that I leave her bedroom" I let out a heavy sigh.

"In the end, I had no choice but to pull her into a tight embrace and cover her mouth with my hand to stop her from screaming."

"That must have been quite a sight. And to think I stumbled upon such a compromising moment" Chaeyoung recalled the chaotic scene.

I felt a wave of embarrassment wash over me."Yeah, it was rather... unexpected" I scratched the back of my neck sheepishly as I chuckled nervously.

"Luckily, I managed to make a swift exit before things escalate any further. It would have been a disaster if Dahyun or the others had walked in at that moment" she added.

"Well, thanks for being there to cut the scene" I offered her a grateful smile.

"No problem" she replied to put me at ease.