Hot and Cold

After wrapping up the Japanese concert tour, the girls are rewarded with a week-long vacation. Mashiro and Hikaru didn't go back with them to Korea as they'll be spending some days with their families in their hometown. The same goes for the Korean members living near Seoul. That leaves roommates, Chaehyun and Xiaoting, and leader Yujin together.

The three of them didn't stay at the dorm though. They are at a resort in Gwangju. It's originally just Yujin who'll go, but she felt bad to leave her members at the dorm, knowing full well they wouldn't leave their beds. So, even if she haven't made it up with Xiaoting yet, she asked Chaehyun to convince her to come.

The trip is planned not by Yujin, but for Yujin, by Seola. It's her gift for the success of their concert. When Yujin told her that only two of her members will be left at the dorm, Seola said to invite them over. As the saying goes, the more, the merrier.

That's how the four of them, Seola, Yujin, Xiaoting, and Chaehyun,  ended up on a three-day trip together.

Their first day was spent freely. Mostly it was Seola and Yujin were inseparable, with the leader checking her members from time to time. They only gather to watch the sunset over a view deck on a resort nearby.

Their second day is when they did a lot of activities. They went back to the resort where they tried fishing and canoeing. This time, the four have an interaction all day. Yujin didn't have to try hard when creating an atmosphere that makes everyone feel comfortable. The two younger members now call Seola, unnie. Surprisingly, Seola clicks with Chaehyun easily. It seems like the two know each other for so long. While for Xiaoting, as expected, it will take her more time to be comfortable.

The activities left them tired so Chaehyun hit the sack early. The three are left on the terrace. Yujin is leading the conversation and it's mostly just her and Seola talking. Although both still try to engage Xiaoting in their conversation.

"Seola unnie, don't force yourself to stay awake. Go to sleep now." Yujin said as she noticed Seola trying to blink away her tiredness.

"Chaehyun is a ball of energy! How are you keeping up with her?" Seola said making Yujin laugh.

Seola beats Yujin and Xiaoting in being the most competitive. So, she and Chaehyun were keeping their burning passion in check earlier leading to games of who can row the fastest, who can catch the bigger fish, and some other silly ones in between.

"Good night, bun bun." Seola greets and leans in to give Yujin a peck on the cheek. It surprised Yujin, but she also returns it. "Good night. I'll come in a while."

After saying good night to Xiaoting, Seola left.

"Bun-bun? Woah. So she calls you by a nickname now?" Xiaoting urgently commented. "A good night kiss too?"

Her tone came out as commanding. Like a parent who just found out their teenage daughter is dating. It surprised her that she reacted like that, but she can't think of any excuses to make her appear less nosy.

"Why? Are you jealous?"

Yujin turned to her member. It's not that she wanted to ask that anyway. It's just her by default question when members react strongly to topics like this.

"And if I say yes?"

Xiaoting also turns to Yujin. She looked and sounded serious that the latter has to weigh if the younger means what she said. But she reminded herself this is Xiaoting she was conversing with. The Xiaoting who never owns her words, only when it comes to her.

"Then you'll take it back. Saying it was a joke. That's what you do." Yujin fakes a laugh, trying not to make it appear she meant it. But Xiaoting knows the weight of those words. She's sure the leader is aware of that.

There was a dreadful silence after. It has been so long since the two of them have this kind of conversation after Yujin asked her about that night she drank.

It didn't get better for the two of them anyway. Yujin became more careful around Xiaoting, worried she could give the younger a chance to put her back in their usual hot and cold situations.

It's not that Yujin wanted Xiaoting to like her back anyway. Her member makes it look like she can't return her feelings. She's fine with that if only it stops there. Xiaoting could just reject her from the start. That would be easier so she can proceed to move on.

But, heck no. She was begged not to like anyone else, then told that those words are meaningless. Yujin could decide in an instant: it was better to not be given any signals at all than to be sent mixed signals. It's the worst to be dealt with.

The room is so quiet that footsteps could be heard when it come. Xiaoting turns to see Seola came back from the room to fetch Yujin.

"Bun-bun? Come on." She said, reaching out her hand to Yujin.

Xiaoting looking at the two, feels her stomach drop to her feet. She usually likes romance, but she feels horror after seeing the two being so lovey-dovey with each other. Yujin took Seola's hand and pulls her for a hug. Xiaoting can see how comfortable their leader is resting her head on Seola's shoulder. After parting from the hug, Seola pats Yujin's head and gives her an air kiss, which the latter returns but came out too close that their lips almost touched.

Xiaoting reacts with a loud "Eh?", something she says when she gets surprised. Well, Seola and Yujin didn't also expect the closeness but just laugh it off.

Xiaoting cleared her throat and quickly stood up. Her chair squeaked against the floor making the two turn at her.

"I think I'll just go first." She glanced briefly at Yujin. "Good night." She said and hurried to their room.

It's good that it's Chaehyun and Xiaoting share a room together. The other two wouldn't see how the Chinese member is still awake, pondering on what she observes between the two since the start of their trip.

'Are they dating? No, no. They couldn't be. 'Cause it doesn't make sense if---'

"What doesn't make sense, unnie?"

Xiaoting almost let out a shriek hearing Chaehyun suddenly talk. She was into her thoughts she didn't realize she was thinking out loud.

"Gosh, Chaehyun! You surprised me! I thought you were asleep! "

"I was already up when you came. Then I heard you murmuring. Unnie, why are you even bothered if they're really dating?" Chaehyun asked. She now sits back to face her roommate.

"I was just thinking our priority should be the group and not anyone... I mean, not anything else."

Chaehyun looks at Xiaoting like she grew two heads. "Really, unnie? Do you think our leader would stop prioritizing us if she dates? Really? You know how she gives this group her all. You're just worried she stops liking you."

There was silence. Chaehyun immediately picks up from her roommate's expression that she might have offended her.

"Sorry, that wasn't--"

"It's fine. She can like anyone else anyway."

The younger sigh a relief.

"Oh? Where did the confident Xiaoting unnie go? I was expecting your usual line: 'Nah, Yujin unnie will find me better. Bet.'  What happened to that?"

Chaehyun asked. Xiaoting used to surprise them with her "conceited" remarks, but now she's not feeling that spirit any more.

She shrugged as an answer and smiled at Chaehyun for not pressing any further questions. Because after seeing the scene earlier and noticing the sweetness of the two, how can she be confident that Yujin would still find her better?

She can't.

Not anymore.