赤い糸 - Red String of Fate | JeongSa - MiChaeng

Chapter 12 - Coffee (ft.Sana)

The dorm was quiet when Jeongyeon and Mina returned, each retreating into their own rooms. Jeongyeon dropped her half-empty yogurt smoothie on the desk before heading straight for the shower. She still couldn't believe she had ordered it in the first place—something she was sure she wouldn't like—yet here she was, finishing it sip by sip.

The sound of the front door opening echoed faintly through the hallway. Over the hiss of running water, Jeongyeon caught Sana's familiar voice. Probably her, she thought, rinsing shampoo from her hair.

When she emerged wrapped in a towel, she spotted Sana sitting cross-legged with a steaming cup of coffee in her hands.

"You're drinking coffee this late?!" Jeongyeon blurted, eyebrows raised.

Sana tilted her head, wide-eyed and innocent. "Am I wrong?"

"Well, I bet you're gonna have a hard time falling asleep tonight" Jeongyeon smirked, rubbing her hair dry with the towel.

"I drank coffee in the evening once," Sana replied stubbornly, taking another sip. "And I slept perfectly fine that day"

"Stubborn" Jeongyeon muttered under her breath, amused. She reached for her smoothie.

Sana blinked. "Wait—you're drinking a yogurt smoothie?"

Jeongyeon nodded, lifting the cup. "Yeah. First time trying it. Honestly... it's not bad."

Sana's lips curved in satisfaction. "Told you it was good." She drifted to the wardrobe, humming as if she'd just won a small battle.

But Jeongyeon froze mid-sip. Something about the scene felt... strange. Coffee and smoothie. It was the exact reverse of the Maple Tree afternoon—when Sana had the yogurt smoothie and she had an Americano. Now it was flipped. Her chest tightened at the thought, and she quickly drained the rest of the cup, as though finishing it would erase the connection.

She retreated to her bed with a book in hand, desperate to distract herself. Anything but think about coffee and smoothies again.

Meanwhile, Sana took her time in the shower and later sprawled across her bed, scrolling lazily through her phone. She glanced over at Jeongyeon, who was propped against pillows with a book.

"What are you reading?" she asked curiously.

Jeongyeon adjusted her grip on the pages. "Astrology. You know, horoscope stuff"

Sana's eyes lit up immediately. "Ooh! Can you read people based on their sign?" She set her phone aside and padded over, plopping herself on Jeongyeon's mattress.

"Don't get too excited," Jeongyeon chuckled, flipping through the chapters. "I only read for fun. Just keywords. Nothing mystical"

"I'm not excited!" Sana insisted, though her grin betrayed her.

Jeongyeon shook her head. "Alright then, what's your sign?"

"Capricorn!" Sana announced proudly.

Of course Jeongyeon already knew. She remembered Tzuyu's text just days ago, plotting a birthday surprise. But she played along.

"Capricorn, huh?" Jeongyeon found the page. "Keywords: patient, dependable, wise, trustworthy..."

Sana nodded eagerly at each trait, eyes sparkling. "How about you?"

"Scorpio," Jeongyeon said, hesitating. "Doesn't really suit me though."

Sana pointed at her like a judge demanding evidence. "Read it."

With a sigh, Jeongyeon recited, "Mysterious, stubborn, passionate, sensitive, loyal, selfless lo—" She choked, skipping over the word lover.

Sana caught it instantly. Her smile grew mischievous. "Mysterious? Definitely. Stubborn? Oh, absolutely. The rest... you know yourself better."

Jeongyeon laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of her neck. "Okay, okay. Enough astrology." She flipped the book closed, hoping to move on before her face betrayed her.

But Sana wasn't done. "Lend me the book, maybe it'll make me sleepy." She wriggled onto the bed, pushing Jeongyeon aside.

"Yes, Madam," Jeongyeon teased, scooting over. She opened her phone instead, scrolling absently while Sana flipped through the pages.

Sana searched until she found Gemini—Tzuyu's sign. Cheerful, lighthearted, sociable... dysfunctional expression: cold. Her fingers lingered over the word cold, curious. She turned to ask Jeongyeon—only to find her already asleep, phone slack in her hand, screen still glowing.

"ㅋㅋㅋ..." Sana giggled softly. She gently slid the phone away and set it aside.

Sleep refused to come for her, though. The coffee buzzed in her system, and stubborn pride kept her wide awake. Left with nothing to do, she turned her attention to Jeongyeon.

It wasn't the first time she'd watched her sleep. She remembered the night Jeongyeon was sick, when Mina had occupied this bed instead. But tonight, so close, she noticed details she had never allowed herself to before.

Her jawline. Unreal. Sharp enough to cut glass. Sana bit her lip, then—like the dumbest idea in the world—extended a finger to lightly poke it.

"asdfytfwjhvc" Jeongyeon murmured in sleep, And turn her body around, facing Sana.

Sana froze, hands clapped over her face. When she dared to peek again, her heart dropped. Jeongyeon's face, so close. Too close.

She's... so cute this close...she has quite plump lips...

Sana shook her head violently, whispering to herself, Come to your senses, Minatozaki Sana.

What is that? The dim Red light below the blanket. Maybe she is holding her night lamp???

She reached an inch closer, hesitating—then snatched her hand back, burying herself under her own blanket instead.

Nope. Sleep, Sana. Just sleep.

But sleep wouldn't come. Not with her heart pounding, and certainly not with that faint red glow flickering just beyond her reach.