all women do is lie
Smiling to herself, Mina gathered her things a little bit faster than the usual, she knows Jeongyeon is already outside waiting for her. She still wonders how that girl manages to wait for her outside when she said their classes end at the same time. Maybe she runs? Mina stifled a smile as she imagines Jeongyeon rushing from the other end of the hallway to her room just to get here on time.
She hurriedly slung her bag and walked to the door, “Sorry,” she repeatedly mutters as she bump a few people on her way out.
She was excited to greet Jeongyeon with a huge grin, ready to tease her about that Fifty Shades reference, but when she got out of the door, she’s not there.
She’s late? Mina’s smile turned to a frown, that’s never happened before.
She leaned on the wall, clutching her folder close to her chest while looking around, maybe she got caught up in her class?
As she waited, another very possible thought came to her mind. Sana... Maybe she’s with her? But she has three important classes today, she wouldn’t skip that.
Groups of people slowly fill the room she once occupied thirty minutes ago but Jeongyeon is still nowhere to be found. Where is that Jeong-ass?
-
“So, how have you been?” Sana looked ahead as she asked.
Jeongyeon turned her gaze at the girl beside her as they walk side by side, I miss you like hell. “Fine.”
Jeongyeon wanted to hold her hand, say what’s really on her mind, what she really feels, how she still loves her, but she holds back. It’s not the right time. “You?”
Sana looked up at her and smiled a little, there’s something in her eyes that Jeongyeon would rather not decipher but did anyway, “I’m okay, Jeongie.” Are you really?
Jeongyeon just kept on walking, her mind drifting. She’s lying... why is she lying?
“Are you happy?”
The question brought Jeongyeon back to the ground. She realized Sana isn’t on her side anymore, so she turned to find her and found that she was left a few steps back.
“Are you happy, Jeongyeon?” she repeated the question a little insistently, almost like she’s demanding an answer.
I don’t think I’ll ever be cause you’re not with me.
Jeongyeon’s heart aches, she misses her so much. She wants to confess right here, right now.
“Of course,” but she can’t.
“I’m happy with how the team is performing, I’m doing well on my classes,”
Jeongyeon paused for a bit, gauging Sana carefully, assessing every emotion her eyes might give. I need to know, Sana... do I still have a chance with you?
“I’m happy with Mina, Sana-ya, she’s amazing,”
As if to answer Jeongyeon’s unspoken thought, Sana walked up to her and placed a hand on her neck, her thumb resting on Jeongyeon’s jawline. The other hand rests on her hips, pulling her close, clutching in the most familiar way. Her heart was erratic, this is the first time, in the longest time, that Sana has been this close to her.
Their breaths mingling, their noses almost touching, Jeongyeon could just lean down and capture Sana’s lips. Don’t, Jeongyeon...
The sweet strawberry scent is intoxicating, Jeongyeon’s breaths are becoming shallower in each passing moment. Sana’s thumb runs along her lower lip, her eyes looking up through those long eyelashes, and it’s putting her under a spell. She’s almost losing all her self control. Every fibre in her being is screaming, screaming for her to just give in. Jeongyeon wants Sana so bad.
The trance would have never broke, if it weren’t for Sana’s next words, “But you don’t love her, right?”
-
Jeongyeon leans against the wall adjacent to Mina’s classroom door, waiting for her to finish up her classes. People started filing out and she searches each of the girls’ faces, hoping it’d be her girlfriend’s. She smiles back at the girls who giggles when she meets their eyes. Four years in this university, and Jeongyeon still wonders why people smile and greet her. Maybe they’re just being nice.
She was busy smiling back at random girls when Mina emerged and rushed past them. Mina didn’t even bother to meet her eyes, “Mina, wait!”
Jeongyeon bowed and bid goodbye before running after the Japanese, “Mina!”
Mina didn’t slow down her steps, she kept her pace with a frown. Her intent is clear, she’s going to get back to her dorm as fast as she can. No afternoon walks, no trips to the park, no Jeongyeon.
Jeongyeon got a hold of Mina’s arms and pulled her back, “Minari, wait.”
“You’re giving me pet names now?” Mina glared at her and yanked her arm away before starting to walk again.
Jeongyeon groaned but still jogged to catch up with her, “Are you mad at me?”
“Why would I be mad at you?” Mina didn’t even bothered to look at her side, but Jeongyeon knew, just from the tone of her voice that she is, indeed, mad.
But why?
Jeongyeon stopped walking and watched as Mina strode away, “Minari, I’m sorry!” she slightly raised her voice, enough to reach Mina’s ears and a few other people’s.
She thought Mina would stop and turn around to prevent her from causing a scene, but boy, was she wrong.
It’s as if Mina didn’t hear anything and just kept walking. Jeongyeon only sighed in disbelief, is she really mad? She gave up and just walked towards her own dorm, furrowing her brows on her way.
Does she know?
Jeongyeon kept on racking up her brain for reasons, but there’s so many to be mad about if she were Mina.
Hmm, I don’t think she knows. She would be happy for me if she knew about Sana. Then a super far fetched idea comes up, is it the girls earlier? Pfft, why would she get jelly about it?
Then it hit her. Shit.
She forgot to text Mina yesterday and she didn’t even fetch her after her class. Aigoo, Jeongyeonie.
When Jeongyeon opened her door, she was surprised to see her roommate throwing rose petals everywhere on the floor of their dorm, “Uhh, Chaeng, what are you doing?”
Chaeyoung faced her with a confused look, “I’m preparing for later?”
Jeongyeon mirrors her expression with a slight tilt of her head as she looked around, their table is set up nicely, there are candles, flowers and fancy stuff on it, candle-lit dinner?
“Son Chaeyoung, are you trying to date me?” Jeongyeon snorts playfully, “I thought you’re serious about Tzuyu?”
“I’m breaking up with her so we can be together forever, unnie,” Chaeyoung smirks and continued the task at hand.
She knew her roommate is being sarcastic but she still has no clue why. Am I forgetting something?
Jeongyeon stayed rooted to her spot, she was busy remembering what she’s forgotten. What is it?
“Unnie?” Chaeyoung called her when she noticed that the taller girl didn’t move at all and was still wearing confusion on her face.
“Huh?”
“You forgot, didn’t you?” Busted.
Jeongyeon brought her index up and scratched the side of her cheeks, “Uhh, maybe?”
Chaeyoung put down the bowl of petals and chuckled whilst she shook lightly of her head, “Tzuyu’s coming over for our anniversary,”
Oh, shit.
Jeongyeon’s face says it all, it completely slipped out of her mind.
Then a gnawing realization struck her. Where will I sleep?!
“Chae, I love the idea so much, I’m sure Tzuyu will love you even more but, where would I sleep? I don’t know anyone who’d let me in on their dorms...” Jeongyeon blabbered worriedly.
Chaeyoung snickered at her roommate’s dramatics, “Unnie, we both know you can knock on anyone’s door and they’ll immediately let you in, even let you use their own bed.”
“I’m serious!” Jeongyeon whines a bit more, where could she crash for the night?
Just as Jeongyeon’s face deflates, Chaeyoung’s eyes lit up, “OH MY GOSH, YOO JEONGYEON, I AM A GENIUS!”
“What?”
Chaeyoung grabbed each side of her arms and shook it excitedly, “You’re dating Mina unnie! She’s Chewy’s roommate!”
Jeongyeon only got lost further, not understanding how it solves their dilemma, “So?”
Chaeyoung was bemused, are you kidding me?! “What do you mean ‘so’? Unnie, we can just switch dorms!”
“Yes!” Jeongyeon exclaimed with a grin, but it quickly disappeared as she scratched the nape of her neck, “But, uhh...”
“But?”
Jeongyeon hesitates, should she really be disclosing things like this to her roommate? Meh, it’s just Chae, of course I can. “She’s kinda mad at me right now.”
“What did you do now, unnie?” Chaeyoung asked, intrigued at what Jeongyeon may have done to make the ever forbearing, ever uncomplaining Myoui Mina mad.
“I don’t know...” Jeongyeon pouted, still unsure why Mina got mad at her, “I think she’s mad at me because I didn’t get to fetch her from her class yesterday...”
“Okay, but why?”
Yikes.
Jeongyeon looked down at the ground, she needs to divert her gaze or else, Chaeyoung would see through her. Although she’s feeling guilty about the lies that’ll come out of her mouth next, she has no other choice, “I kinda got stuck with my classes and I didn’t got to text her.”
Chaeyoung’s eyebrows shoot up, her lips only curled downwards, her eyes playfully judging, “Tough, maybe go sleep in the streets tonight, you deserve it.”
“Chae!” Jeongyeon cries out, to which the younger one enjoyed, it’s not often you see Jeongyeon begging for her help, “What kind of girlfriend are you, unnie? You can’t even text to let her know?”
“You need to help me!” Jeongyeon implored, she needs to change Chaeyoung’s mind.
The blonde only scoffed, feigning distaste towards her unnie for what she’s done. Jeongyeon grumbles more, trying to convince Chaeyoung to help her, but the amusement that danced in her roommate’s eyes gave away that she’s only playing her, “You’re lucky I love you, hyung. What do you have in mind?”
“Yes! Thank you, cub!” I knew she couldn’t resist me.
Jeongyeon hugs Chaeyoung tightly, almost like she’s squeezing the life out of her, to which the blonde just chuckled to, “Just text Mina that I helped you about your surprise with Tzuyu and we got so exhausted and my phone went dead?”
Chaeyoung gets out of Jeongyeon’s arms and pursed her lips, “Wow, that’s a lot of lying.”
“Please? I helped you get Tzuyu’s membership on the shelter!” Jeongyeon tries to point out the things she’s done, hoping it would be enough to persuade her.
“Okay, fair, but I don’t think it’s worth all the lies I’d have to tell to Mina unnie.” Chaeyoung still looked at her lazily, come on, Jeongyeon, think!
“I got your lunch for two weeks!”
“Hmmm, not enough.” Jeongyeon’s mind thought of things Chaeyoung couldn’t resist, but it’s not cooperating with her right now.
“One month!”
She only shook her head, “I can afford to feed myself for a year, unnie.”
“Then what do you want from me?” she wails as she couldn’t think of anything more, she doesn’t have anything her roommate would badly want.
But then a smirk grew wide on Chaeyoung’s face, “Switch dorms with Chewy at least thrice a month.”
What?!
“Thrice a month, are you insane?!” Jeongyeon was taken aback, that’s too much!
Chaeyoung frowned, clearly surprised why she acted that way, “Unnie, you were willing to move in to Sana unnie’s room back then and now you don’t want to with Mina unnie?”
Shit, shit, shit, she’s right. Jeongyeon’s mind was in panic mode, it’s setting itself on fire and no coherent ideas are being made. Jeongyeon, think!
“Of course, I do! I just thought you’d like to make it thrice a week...” under Chaeyoung’s pressuring stare, she randomly blurts out anything her mind has thrown to her.
Not a second has passed and Chaeyoung was quick to accept the offer, “Deal.” A huge grin playing on her lips, while Jeongyeon was left blinking, still processing what just happened.
Oh my god, oh my god, what the fuck... I only made it worse! Jeongyeon wanted to break down and beat herself up for not thinking things first before actually letting the words leave her mouth. God, why am I this dumb please...
Chaeyoung was more than happy to dial Mina’s number, smirking at how she just scammed her unnie, “Hello, Mina unnie?”
She was quick to lose the smug look and got into character, “Yeah, I’m sorry if Jeongyeon unnie didn’t make it on time yesterday... yeah, it’s my fault,”
Jeongyeon just stood there, watching Chaeyoung lie through her teeth to save her ass from her fake girlfriend, but at what cost... “She helped me with my surprise for the anniversary, it’s today, oh, thank you!”
Jeongyeon, you’re so dumb... she wanted to just vanish, staying with Mina thrice a week would be torture. More often than not, they just don’t get along well. Mina is great, sure, but what about the bruises my arms will get?!
Chaeyoung continues to chat with Mina, her tone was almost too real, Jeongyeon would have believed it, too, if she’s not seeing the glint of excitement in her eyes, that is, “Yeah, we got so exhausted and our phones were drained. Also, can unnie crash at your dorm? Just for tonight?”
This got Jeongyeon’s full attention, this is the part where she’ll know whether she’ll be sleeping on the pavement or on a bed tonight.
“Oh.” What does she mean by ‘oh’?!
“Yeah, I think she’ll be fine with it. Thank you, unnie, bye!”
“Well?” Jeongyeon asked, a bit worried, they didn’t exactly say whether she can stay at Mina’s or not.
“I got you a place to sleep tonight.” Chaeyoung winks at her and Jeongyeon was grateful.
She went to hug her again, “Thank you, my little bro cub. I owe you one,” Chaeyoung really just saved her from Mina’s wrath and from experiencing a night of being homeless.
Chaeyoung patted her back before pushing her with a chuckle, “Alright, alright, now go to training!”
-
Training was gruesome, but nothing the captain and the team couldn’t handle. Jeongyeon kicks some rocks as she make her way to the convenience store, her gym bag slung across her chest, her hair damp, the bangs hang on her forehead in a not so flattering way, but that’s the least of her concerns right now.
She hasn’t eaten dinner yet and the park is already closed. Some days, their trainings lasts for an hour longer than the usual, and this is one of them.
Jeongyeon clutched her stomach at the sound of its protest. Her stomach is growling at her, begging for her to eat at least something.
She thought the food Chaeyoung has stored in their fridge was theirs, but turns out, it’s for the anniversary she completely forgot about.
If only I remembered it, I wouldn’t have to go to Mina’s.
Her eyes searched for a 7-eleven as she continued to walk down the avenue, the loud laughters of the people who had flocked outside bars and restaurants got Jeongyeon’s attention for a bit. Well, it’s a Friday night, no reason for people to not get wasted. She smiled at the sight, they’re happily chatting with their friends, raising their bottle of beers, TGIF, indeed.
A few more steps and she’s already found what she’s looking for. She immediately went in and picked out her instant dinner for tonight.
As Jeongyeon waits for her ramen to cook, a few thoughts had crossed her mind.
If she did remember, where would she crash? Momo’s? No, Nayeon is there.
Seul and Jiyeon’s? Maybe... but where would they sleep? The rooks and juniors are too polite to let their captain sleep on the couch. Jeongyeon knows them well, they’re going to insist and one of them would lose their bed. No, I wouldn’t want to impose...
She tries to think of anyone else but she doesn’t have that many friends.
She’s never had many of them. People always looked at Jeongyeon as someone who’s intimidating, when in reality, she’s just shy and is just afraid to get hurt by them. More friends mean more people can hurt and leave you. She sighed, Mina’s dorm really is her only choice if she wants to sleep on a bed tonight.
The timer on her phone beeps and she stirred the noodles before eating them slowly, she doesn’t want a repeat of an episode where she suffered from stomachache when she ate her food too quickly. Mina’s already taking me in for tonight, she doesn’t need to deal with me being sick, too.
10:06PM
It’s late but Jeongyeon craves for coffee. When she got to the beverage section, she looked first for a lemonade. For Mina. It disappointed her that there aren’t any, what convenience store doesn’t have a bottled lemonade?
She doesn’t know any other drink Mina would like, maybe orange juice? but she’s never seen her drink anything orange.
Then it dawned on her, she still knows nothing about Mina. She knows she likes lemonade and Hawaiian pizzas but that’s it. You’re a useless girlfriend, Jeongyeon, aish.
Feeling the soreness of her muscles and the fatigue, she decided to just grab four cans of Iced Espresso, low-key involving Mina into her midnight coffee agenda. I hope she likes caffeine.
A few more minutes, and she’s already knocking on Mina’s door. When she heard footsteps, Jeongyeon brought up the plastic to cover her face, so that it’s not the first thing Mina sees, but her peace offering.
The door opened and peering down, she can see Mina’s grey sweats and her penguin slip-ons. Cute.
Jeongyeon tilted her head away from the bag and tried to pout her cutest, the one she uses when she’s got herself into trouble, the one she uses to disarm Sana when she’s mad at her. She hopes this charm works with Mina, too.
Gathering all the sparkle her eyes could, she pleads, “Peace?”