Chapter 9
Dong had missed a few more dates after that night. Always having to lie and say she passed out without texting Yoohyeon. She hated the feeling that came with it, but they were casual. Nothing tying them together.
Yoohyeon always believed her, knowing she couldn’t handle staying up late. Especially four times a week. She was barely functioning herself, but she was living off short naps and coffee at that point.
“Don’t worry about it,” Yoohyeon forced a smile, trying to hide how she truly felt.
“Are you sure? I feel so bad about bailing…” Dong frowned.
“Yeah, I’m sure,” Yoohyeon nodded her head, not even looking up at her now.
It hurt to see Minji and Siyeon. Yoohyeon felt like she was losing the game she had barely been playing with Dong. Her extremely anti-social friend had been dating for three months now. How did that make sense? She wasn’t sure.
“Aren’t you going out?” Siyeon asked when she saw Yoohyeon on the couch.
“I lost my spark to take photos of the stars,” Yoohyeon mumbled before looking at her best friend. “Oh, hi Minji.”
“Hi… You look down,” She frowned.
“I thought Dong would join you? You were crushing hard on her too…” Siyeon moved closer to her, frowning at the sight of her best friend.
“I just don’t understand… She loved everything we did together…” Yoohyeon sat up, looking at her best friend. “I know I’m boring as hell but like… No… It makes sense,” She frowned.
Minji stepped closer, frowning at the scene playing in front of her. Of course, she didn’t care entirely but, she had to phone it in.
“She’s gorgeous and a cheerleader… She could have anyone… I’m just me…” Yoohyeon whispered.
“And what’s bad about being you?” Minji blurted out. “Honestly this girl sounds like a total bitch.”
“What?” Yoohyeon looked up at her, slightly confused now.
“You said her name is Dong?” She asked, watching Yoohyeon nod her head. “I’ve heard things about her… She’s not a great person… She throws people away so quickly and dismissed their feelings and everything. She acts like she cares just to get good grades out of people and then drops them after she gets the grade she wants.”
It scared Minji how fast she was able to come up with so many lies. But it was working.
“Really?” Yoohyeon frowned.
Everything seemed to make sense. Everything started to go downhill after they turned in their group project and, of course, they had gotten a great grade. And now… She was being ghosted.
“Yeah… She uses everyone to get what she wants,” Minji whispered. She placed her hand on Yoohyeon’s knee, trying to ease the pain. “How about… We all go tonight?” She suggested.
“No offense… But I never want to take another picture of the stars…” Yoohyeon whispered. “I’m not even going to take the continuation class next semester…” She sighed.
“No!” Siyeon gasped, jumping over the couch to sit next to Yoohyeon. “All of the years I’ve known you… It’s always been about space, the stars, and everything!” She frowned. “You were really dead set on wanting to work on the machines that go up into space… You’re going to throw all of that away because some girl ruined it?!” She quickly stated, causing both Minji and Yoohyeon to stare at her in pure shock.
“You just said a lot of words… Very quickly,” Yoohyeon whispered. “Are you okay? Feel lightheaded?” She asked.
“I feel fine,” Siyeon rolled her eyes. “If I gave up my passions because of some idiot, I would’ve given up a long time ago,” She frowned. “Just… Don’t… Don’t let someone… Don’t do something you…” She let out a groan, running a hand through her short hair. “What you told me!”
“Don’t do something you aren’t comfortable with. And don’t let someone… Run your life…” She sighed. “You’re right… You’re right,” She muttered.
Her own advice was coming back to bite her in the ass. She was getting too involved in her own feelings and letting this rule over her love for space.
“I’m still not taking the class next semester… I need to take another class,” She muttered.
“Oh, you’re beginning the focus classes?” Siyeon asked, watching her nod her head.
“Oh, those are always fun. I remember my first remote sensing class. The amount of excitement I had…” Minji smiled. “Focus classes are what bring out the pure joy you get when you realize you actually love something.”
Yoohyeon looked over at Minji, seeing the same warm smile, but this time with a spark of passion in her eyes. When she looked over at Siyeon, she could see the adoration oozing off of her. A whole different side of Siyeon that Yoohyeon had never really seen before.
Then it hit her.
Minji hadn’t been mean… Manipulative... Nothing awful. She had been everything kind and nice… Loving and even made muffins for them…
How could they all be so mean and say she was so rude and mean?
“Now… How about we make some cookies and forget about this horrible person…” Minji whispered. “Does that sound like a good idea?” She asked while moving a few stray hairs out of the youngest’s face.
“It does…” Yoohyeon whispered.
Minji left the apartment late, stepping down when she heard a door shut and then someone rushing down the stairs.
“Minji! You forgot your bag!”
The eldest turned to see Siyeon holding a bag of cookies, and she forced a smile.
“Thank you…” She whispered. “I don’t know what I’d do without you,” She smiled.
“Um… I was wondering… Maybe we can have a real date?” She asked. “Like… the first one…”
“Oh? Uh…” Minji panicked. She didn’t want to be seen in public with Siyeon. Which was why she was more than okay with their study dates away from people. “I thought you didn’t like people?” She quickly asked.
“I don’t… But I don’t want you to get bored with me,” She frowned.
God if she knew just how bored she really was…
“Don’t worry about that. I love our study dates and staying inside with you,” Minji placed her hand on Siyeon’s arm, giving her a warm smile.