赤い糸 - Red String of Fate | JeongSa - MiChaeng

Chapter 20 - Guilty or What?

Jeongyeon woke up around early afternoon, her stomach twisting with a faint, uneasy feeling. Not pain—just discomfort, like a tug she couldn't explain. It wasn't her own. It was Sana's.

Is she okay? I feel a slight uncomfortable feeling in my stomach. I think she should be fine?

"Yah. Mina" She turned over and shook the girl beside her.

Mina groaned, rolling deeper into her blanket burrito. "Nooo... I still want to sleep"

"It's already 2 P.M.! You've slept like ten hours straight!" Jeongyeon tugged the blanket until Mina's shoulder popped out.

"Yeeeeh..." Mina mumbled, finally sitting up with her hair pointing in five different directions.

Jeongyeon sighed. "Come on, we're checking next door"

[ Room 230 ]

Jeongyeon comes in with Mina trailing behind her. Sana was still sprawled across the bed, face buried in her pillow. But Tzuyu was nowhere to be found.

"Wake up, wake up," Jeongyeon pinched Sana's cheeks with both hands.

"Yaaaah!" Sana swatted at her. Her voice was raspy, still half-asleep.

"Sana, where's Tzuyu?" Mina asked, rubbing her eyes.

"She left... with her brother" Sana muttered without opening her eyes.

"Ohhh, okay. Then you're coming with us. We're getting food." Jeongyeon leaned close to Sana's ear. "If you don't get up, I'll pinch you again"

Sana's eyes flew open. "NE!" She sat upright instantly like a soldier reporting for duty.

Both Jeongyeon and Mina burst into laughter.

—

Most malls around campus were closed that day, but luckily, the one nearest still had its restaurants open. Not many choices, though—half the stores had their shutters down.

Jeongyeon dragged them toward a western restaurant, insisting. "Trust me., you'll thank me later"

They took a table by the window. A waiter appeared with menus. "Would you like to order now?" he asked politely in English.

"Yes," Jeongyeon said smoothly, pointing at the menu. "Steak three, please"

The waiter nodded. "And for the drinks?"

Jeongyeon leaned forward, lowering her voice like she was requesting a top-secret formula. "A mix of orange, carrot, celery, beetroot, lemon... and a little rosemary"

The waiter blinked. Mina blinked. Sana blinked.

"Uh... certainly, please wait fifteen minutes"

As soon as he walked away, Mina frowned. "What the heck kind of juice is that!?"

Jeongyeon straightened her back. "One of my favorite combinations"

Sana tilted her head. "Ooh, then it must be good. I'll trust you"

Mina smirked, already pulling out her phone under the table. Two taps later, her grin widened. Hangover juice. She bit back laughter and slid her phone toward Jeongyeon.

Jeongyeon shot her a death glare. Don't you dare tell her.

Mina's shoulders shook with silent laughter, but she shut her mouth. Sana, meanwhile, pressed her hand against her stomach, quiet. The dizziness from last night hadn't left her completely, but she didn't complain.

. . .

The waiter returned with three plates of salmon steak and tall glasses of suspiciously reddish-brown juice.

"Enjoy your meal, ladies"

"Jal meokkesseumnida," Jeongyeon said, clasping her hands together.

She took a sip first to test it. The taste was... odd. Sour here, earthy there, a slap of rosemary in the middle. She forced a grin. "Mmm delicious" I hope this could cure her hangover.

Mina covered her mouth, clearly enjoying Jeongyeon's struggle.

Sana, brave and trusting, raised her glass and took a long sip. She paused, then smiled. "The flavor's random... but not bad. I kinda like it."

Jeongyeon exhaled in relief, her shoulders sagging. Thank God.

Sana slowly but surely finished the juice and her steak, color returning to her cheeks as the dizziness faded. Mina kept snickering, even tilting her phone screen again—this time showing an article titled 'Best Hangover Food: Salmon.'

Jeongyeon slapped the phone face down on the table. "Stop it" >:I

"Okay, okay" Mina chuckled, hands raised in surrender.

Still, her chest warmed. Mission success. Sana was eating, smiling, alive. That was all Jeongyeon needed.

—

After lunch and some lazy window-shopping, the three returned to the dorm. Or at least, that's what Mina and Sana thought.

"My sister's coming to pick me up," Jeongyeon lied casually. "You guys go ahead"

She waved and waited until they disappeared into the building before heading in the opposite direction.

The truth? Jeongyeon had unfinished business.

The arcade glowed with neon lights, the sound of coins clinking and machines buzzing filling the air. Jeongyeon slapped down enough bills to get a hundred tokens and marched straight to her nemesis.

The claw machine.

Inside sat a smug, fluffy Shiba-Inu plushie, staring back at her like it knew.

Jeongyeon cracked her knuckles. "I will get you today! No matter how many coins it takes"

She shoved in the first token, jaw set with determination.

I will get you! You Shiba-Inu!