So, you like me?
sanapomu:
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Let's go on a real date, shall we?
Nayeon didn't expect to get five stars from Sana after making a fatal mistake (read: sleeping) in the middle of their date that day. She was sure that she would get a low rating. She also thought that Sana might 'take revenge' on her for giving her three stars a few days ago. But apparently, none of the things she thought of came true. Sana surprisingly had another idea that never crossed Nayeon's mind.
"Did she just throw a flirty comment at me?" Nayeon muttered as she lay on her bed staring at her phone screen. She finally learned to be more flirty, she thought with a grin.
Nayeon didn't think much of it after that. She thought Sana's comment was just a tease and nothing serious. She thought Sana was just implementing what she taught her. She even felt proud because she had 'helped' someone else who worked in the same industry as her.
"Ah, damn. I forgot to ask for her number. I wanted to say that her comment was really good," Nayeon muttered before locking her phone and putting it on the nightstand.
Nayeon stared at the ceiling of her room as she recalled what she had just gone through that day. She grinned from ear to ear. She had been doing this job for two years and she had been on many 'dates'. However, this was the first time she had ever felt so lighthearted after a 'date'. She even had a few moments where she forgot that it wasn't a real date.
What made this date different? Honestly, I don’t understand, Nayeon began to wonder. She then slowly closed her eyes and drifted off with thoughts filled with Sana.
Sana, Sana, Sana..
That night, she dreamed that she was on a date with a girl. At first, she didn’t see the girl’s face because her back was facing her. As her curiosity grew, she slowly walked up to the girl and touched her shoulder. The girl then turned around and smiled. Oh, Nayeon dreamed of Sana that night and she thought it was one of the nicest dreams she had ever had. (Nayeon kept it to herself and didn’t tell anyone about it.)
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Nayeon wished she had exchanged numbers with Sana back then. As the days went by, she regretted it more and more. They might have been friends by now if she hadn’t forgotten to do that. She thought it would be nice to have a friend who worked in the same industry as her. They could share stories and tips with each other. They could understand each other better, unlike other people who could only imagine what they were going through.
Nayeon thought about booking Sana again, but she wondered if it would look weird. The first time she booked Sana to be her girlfriend, it was because she wanted to see how great Sana was. If she booked Sana a second time because she wanted to be friends, would she look like she was desperate to get her as a friend? Nayeon wondered if Sana would want to be her friend. Sana could have asked for her number back then instead of her asking for Sana's number, but Sana didn't do that. Was that a sign that Sana didn't want to see her anymore?
Nayeon decided to forget about Sana and not dwell on her regret. She went back to living her life as usual. She went to her classes, went on 'dates', went to the bar where Jeongyeon worked when she had free time, and went back home to rest. Nothing changed in her routine. But every now and then, she would think of Sana when she read the ratings that people gave her. She couldn't help but sigh every time she read Sana's rating.
"This is the third time I've heard you sigh. Did someone give you a low rating?" Jeongyeon asked as she slid the drinks to Nayeon and Jihyo. At that time, Nayeon and Jihyo were hanging out at the bar. Jeongyeon accompanied them as much as she could while serving other customers.
"It's nothing," Nayeon replied with her brows furrowed.
"It's nothing, but your eyes are still glued to your phone and I can see hundreds of wrinkles on your face." Jeongyeon shook her head. "Hey, Jihyo." She then gestured for Jihyo to look at Nayeon's phone.
Jihyo was actually not the type of person who liked to invade other people's privacy. As an idol, she understood how valuable privacy was. Her life was full of people who wanted to know her personal life. Wherever she went, paparazzi could always find her. That's why she knew privacy was something that must be treasured. However, this time, the curiosity got the better of her.
Jihyo had never seen Nayeon so gloomy reading the ratings she got. She usually bragged about them while grinning widely. So, it was no wonder that Jihyo was worried about her best friend that day.
"Sanapomu. Five stars. Let's go on a real date, shall we?" Jihyo finally read the rating that had Nayeon so upset. At first, Jihyo thought it was a positive rating, but then the comment on that rating made her think of a bad possibility. "Is this person forcing you to date them for real?" She gave Nayeon a worried look.
"Huh, what? No! It's not like that.." Nayeon looked away and lowered her head.
"Then tell us what really happened." Jeongyeon crossed her arms against her chest. "We're your best friend, you know."
Jihyo reached for Nayeon's hand and that made Nayeon shift her gaze to her. "We're worried about you, Nayeon."
Nayeon took a deep breath before darting her eyes back and forth between her two best friends. She knew there was no point in hiding this from them. “Okay, fine. So..” She felt a little nervous seeing two pairs of eyes glued to her. “The one who gave me that rating was Shasha, the girl who got the first place in Top 10 Agents.”
"Oh, I remember! You said you were still better than her," Jeonyeon replied. Silence fell between them for a few seconds before Jeongyeon realized something. "Holy shit! She hired you to be her girlfriend?"
Nayeon nodded. She then told them what happened during their second 'date' and the thing she regretted the most about it. She also asked her two best friends for their opinions on what she should do to get back in a good mood.
"You seem very fond of her." Jihyo smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. Out of the two people who saw that smile, only Jeongyeon understood what it meant.
“Yeah.. she's just.." Nayeon couldn't find the right words to explain why Sana was different from her other clients. "She's just like me, you know? So, it's easier for me to relate to her."
Is that it? Somehow, Nayeon wasn't sure that was the only reason she liked Sana. She felt like there was something else that made her keep thinking about Sana.
"Just book her again. Why are you making this so complicated?" Jeongyeon suggested.
"I told you that she probably doesn't want anything to do with me anymore." Nayeon huffed.
"You're making it sound like you're going to ask her out." Jeongyeon snorted and shook her head.
"What if.." Jihyo suddenly spoke and her two best friends turned their attention to her. "What if she really asked you out on a real date? That comment might not be a joke. Maybe she was serious?"
They fell silent for a few seconds before Nayeon suddenly burst out laughing, drawing everyone's attention. "If she really wanted to ask me out, she should have asked for my number before we parted ways."
Jeongyeon just sighed and raised her hands in defeat. "I give up. You really seem to believe that she doesn't want to see you anymore. So, just forget about her."
"That's what I'm doing!" Nayeon rolled her eyes before rubbing her face in annoyance.
Having this conversation with her best friends turned out to be useless. She still couldn’t find a solution to stop thinking about this. Hence, she just accepted the fact that several times a day she would think about Sana and couldn’t do anything about it.
Nayeon thought that time would help her forget about Sana. After all, Sana was just someone she had only met twice. They were basically still strangers and nothing more. But somehow, the universe said otherwise. The universe chose to bring them together again in an unexpected situation and it made Nayeon wonder if this was her second chance.
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Momo spotted Mina sitting at a picnic table outside their campus. Across from Mina, sat two people she didn't recognize. She guessed those people were Mina's groupmates that they often talked about. Momo walked over to their table while slinging Mina's laptop bag on her shoulder.
"Hi," Momo greeted shyly.
"Oh! I didn't see you coming," Mina said before patting the empty spot on the bench she was sitting on. "Come sit with us."
"Eh?" Momo looked at Mina in confusion. "I just came to bring your laptop. Won't I just be a bother to you guys?" She shifted her gaze to the two people sitting across from Mina.
"Nah, it's okay." Chaeyoung waved her hand dismissively. "Actually, we wanted to get to know you, sunbaenim." She smiled before turning her gaze to Tzuyu. "Right?"
"Yeah, right. So, come sit with us if you don't mind, sunbaenim," Tzuyu replied.
"Alright then," Momo said as she sat down beside Mina. She then put the laptop bag on the table. "Ah, no need to call me sunbaenim. You can just call me by my name," she continued.
"We'll call you unnie then," Tzuyu replied and Chaeyoung nodded.
"So, which one of you is Chaeyoung and which one is Tzuyu?" Momo asked as she darted her eyes back and forth between the two people across from her.
"I'm Chaeyoung." Chaeyoung pointed at herself before pointing at Tzuyu. "And this is Tzuyu."
"Ah, I see." Momo smiled and it reached her eyes. "I'm glad to meet you guys. I hope we can become close after this."
After that brief introduction, the three of them started to continue their project and Momo just watched them while occasionally giving comments or asking about what they were working on. It should have been boring for Momo because she was just watching them and not doing anything else, but she found herself entertained by their dynamic. Somehow, she loved watching them work on their project.
*buzz* *buzz*
"Oh, wait a minute," Chaeyoung said before grabbing her phone from the table. She then answered the call. "Hi, babe."
When Momo heard that, she thought Chaeyoung was talking to someone was dating. So, when Chaeyoung finished talking and ended the call, she immediately asked about it. "Your boyfriend? Or maybe girlfriend?" Momo grinned playfully.
For some reason, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu suddenly became tense when they heard that question. They exchanged glances for a brief moment before Chaeyoung opened her mouth to say something. "Eh.. it was actually—"
“They’re actually dating,” Mina interrupted as she pointed back and forth between Chaeyoung and Tzuyu.
“Oh no, I’m sorry! I just blurted it out. I didn't know you were dating.” Momo panicked after that. She thought Tzuyu might be offended by what she said. “No wonder you two look cute together.” She laughed nervously. It was her last attempt to save herself from this situation.
Chaeyoung laughed nervously. "That's good to hear.. I guess." She shifted her gaze from Momo back to her own laptop.
Chaeyoung and Tzuyu still looked tense after that, but only Mina noticed it. For the first time, Mina noticed the tension between her two friends. However, that tension felt different from the tension that usually arose between Momo and Sana.
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This was the most awkward 'date' Sana had ever been on. It wasn't because her client was so nervous around her. She had met plenty of clients like that. This date was especially awkward because she could stop catching Nayeon glancing at her. It wasn't just once that their eyes locked and Sana had to quickly look away.
Please stop looking at me!
On the other hand, Nayeon couldn't stop herself from being surprised by Sana's attitude. She had been paying attention to Sana since the moment she sat down at the table next to her. The way Sana treated her client was very different from the way Sana had treated Nayeon on their previous dates. She wasn't nervous or shy at all. She was even very flirty and touchy with the client, as if they were really dating. It seemed like Nayeon didn't know her at all.
Is this the Sana I know?
They didn't stop stealing glances at each other until Nayeon finally had to end her 'date' with her client. For the first time, Nayeon panicked when her alarm went off. It was a sign that she wouldn't see Sana again if she didn't do something. She pondered whether she should go to Sana or not before she left the restaurant.
Oh god, I don't want to regret anything else..
Sana heard Nayeon's alarm go off and she felt relieved because of it. It was a sign that Nayeon would be leaving soon and she wouldn't have to feel awkward around her anymore. However, she also felt a little sad because she wouldn't see her crush anymore.
There's a part of me that doesn't want to be apart from you..
Sana saw Nayeon and her client leave their table and start walking away. She imagined Nayeon turning around and walking towards her. She imagined Nayeon greeting her and slipping a piece of paper on her table. She imagined the paper had Nayeon's number and an invitation to meet at a cafe.
Wait a minute.
Since when did the paper in Sana's imagination become real? Why was it in her hand now?
Hey, I didn't expect to see you here :)
Let's hang out at a cafe later.
Let me know when you're done with your 'date'.
010-XXXX-XXXX
Nayeon
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Okay, this is the Sana I know.
Nayeon stared at Sana while Sana stared at the table between them. Sana looked very nervous to see Nayeon again. She hadn't even said anything since they sat down in the cafe. All the words she wanted to say seemed to be stuck in her throat and it was suffocating her. The only person who could save her from this situation was Nayeon. She had to speak first so that Sana could get the words out of her throat.
“Do you have a twin?” Nayeon finally broke the silence.
“Huh? What?” Sana lifted her head and finally looked at Nayeon.
“Where’s the Sana I met a few hours ago?” Nayeon grinned playfully. “Is she home now?”
"What are you talking about?" Sana smiled and started to feel at ease. Nayeon knew how to lighten the mood. It was one of the skills she was always proud of and it helped her in her work.
“You seemed so confident when you were with your client earlier. I felt like I didn’t even recognize you at all. Why are you so nervous around me?”
"I think I already told you why." Sana chuckled before lowering her head again to hide her blushing cheeks.
"Huh? When?" Nayeon tried to remember.
"When you first hired me to be your girlfriend.." Sana trailed off. "You also said about how nervous I was and I said it was because I was dealing with a pretty woman like you."
"Ah, ah, I remember!" Nayeon nodded repeatedly. She then fell silent for a moment and Sana was nervous again waiting for what she would say next. "Wait a minute.. are you serious?"
Sana gave her a strange look. "Of course?"
"Like are you really serious you're nervous because I'm.. pretty?" Nayeon didn't understand why her heartbeat was getting faster.
"Of course. I have eyes to see you're pretty." Sana giggled.
"Oh.." Nayeon looked away and her cheeks started to turn red. This wasn't the first time she heard someone call her pretty, but she blushed when Sana called her that. "So, you didn't just say it without meaning it?" She said in a low voice as she lowered her head.
"I really meant what I said. I'm not lying." Sana smiled as she shook her head. "I'm really.. seriously.. interested in you.“
Oops, did I just blurted it out?
“Well, I’m flattered to hear that.” Nayeon crossed her arms and smiled smugly. At that moment, Sana’s last words hadn’t sunk in. Nayeon only understood that Sana thought she was pretty. It took her a while to realize that Sana didn’t just find her pretty, but that she was also interested in her. “Wait.. what did you say? You’re interested in.. me?”
Sana laughed nervously as she scratched her temple. “I thought it was obvious? I asked you out on a real date.” She felt embarrassed again at the thought.
“Oh..” Nayeon tapped her fingers on the table before laughing nervously as well. She finally knew that comment wasn’t a joke. She could feel her cheeks heat up after realizing that. “So, you like me?”
"Totally." Sana smiled and it reached her eyes. Nayeon's heart fluttered at the sight. "But, I understand you're not interested—"
Nayeon held up her hand. "Who says I'm not interested in you?" In that moment, she finally understood why she couldn't stop thinking about Sana. She apparently had a (big) crush on her.
"Well, you didn't look for me after I left that comment." Sana shrugged.
"You didn't give me your number." Nayeon raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms against her chest.
"I forgot, but you could have booked me again. Why didn't you do that?" Sana also crossed her arms and pouted.
Nayeon now felt stupid for not doing that. Jeongyeon had also told her to do that, but she stubbornly refused to do it. She had made herself suffer because of her own stupidity.
"Well, I'm sorry.." Nayeon scratched the back of her neck nervously. "I thought you were just joking when you made that comment."
"You thought I was just joking?!" Sana gasped. "Do you know how heartbroken I was because I thought you rejected me?" She puckered her lips and furrowed her brows.
"I'm really, really sorry, Sana." Nayeon closed her eyes tightly, put her hands on her lap, and bowed 45 degrees to Sana. After that, she raised her body back and smiled nervously. "I'll make it up to you by taking you on a real date. What do you think?"
“Next Friday.”
“Next Friday? Hmm.. I think I—”
“I don’t want to know. I only have free time that day.” Sana playfully looked away, but she peeked at Nayeon’s reaction out of the corner of her eye.
"Next Friday then. I'll plan our date and text you the time and place."
Sana finally shifted her gaze back to Nayeon and smiled from ear to ear. "Okay. I can't wait for our first real date." She giggled and Nayeon thought she could listen to that all day.
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Momo was watching an episode of a k-drama on TV when Sana came home with a beaming face. She was lying on her right side on the couch with her head propped up when Sana slowly blocked her view by standing between the couch and the coffee table. Momo growled and smacked Sana's butt after that.
"Hey, I'm watching!" Momo grumbled.
Sana bent down and matched Momo's eye level. "Pay attention to me, please?" She pouted cutely.
Momo shifted her body to the backrest and patted the part of the couch in front of her. She asked Sana to lie down with her and Sana happily complied. Sana plopped herself down on the couch before turning around and lying on her left side. She slowly snaked her arms around Momo's waist and hid her face in Momo's chest. She inhaled Momo's scent while smiling widely.
"I think I've seen this before," Momo said as she rubbed circles on Sana's back with her free hand. Her gaze was still on the TV.
"What do you mean?" Sana buried her face deeper with a giggle.
"You coming home with a smile on your face... this isn't the first time I've seen this." Momo started playing with Sana's hair. "Did you get a new crush? Don't tell me it's the client you went on a date with earlier."
"Hey!" Sana smacked Momo's side. "I don't have a crush on every client I meet!"
"Then tell me what just happened. You wouldn't be smiling like this if nothing happened," Momo said as she looked down.
"I'm going on a real date with her." Sana nuzzled her face against Momo's chest excitedly.
"With who?" Momo raised an eyebrow.
"That girl.. Yuri.." Sana started to blush.
If Sana paid close attention, she could hear Momo's heart skipping a beat when she said that name. Momo suddenly stopped playing with her hair and she was a little disappointed by that.
"H-how come?" Momo asked in surprise.
Sana pulled her face away from Momo's chest and looked up. "I ran into her earlier and the rest is history." She giggled.
"What do you mean the rest is history? I want to hear the full story!" Momo grabbed Sana's arm and furrowed her brows.
So, Sana told the full story and Momo tried her best to keep her heart from falling apart. Her heart was already broken by that time and she was just keeping the pieces from falling to the ground so that no one else would get hurt. Momo had been in situations like this countless times, but she would never get used to it.
—————————
Momo was now alone in her room. Her phone was in her hand and she had been staring at it for ten minutes. She didn't know if what she was about to do was the right thing or not. This might lead to her doom, but she didn't care that much. All she knew was that this nagging feeling wouldn't go away until she made sure of something.
Momo closed her eyes and tapped book on her phone.
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Nayeon was watching funny videos on Youtube when she received the notification. Her thumb moved quickly to open Rental Love and she saw that someone had just booked her for next Tuesday. She smiled when she saw that the client didn't have any specific requests regarding the location. That meant she could choose their date spot. However, the smile on her face faded when she saw the name of her client.
Hirai Momo
"Another Japanese?!" Nayeon rubbed her face in frustration. "Luck won't be on my side again, will it?" She let out a sigh before going back to YouTube and searching for videos about learning Japanese.