Bonus chapter
"Ok, last. Ting! What's yours?", Shiro asks, nudging her same-aged friend beside her. The girls are in the living room and are playing a game.
"Hmm..." Xiaoting then flipped her paper to read what she had written.
"One, I am currently in a relationship now.
Two, I dated but we broke up recently.
Three, I am still so much in love with that person."
Silence.
A pin drop could be heard.
The girls exchanged glances and looked at Xiaoting who had a sly smile on her face knowing how shocking the statements she dropped. When they say write something surprising for their last round of Two Truths and a Lie, this isn't what they are expecting. Xiaoting willingly invites questions about her love life.
"Wow. Are you sure that there are two truths in that and not two lies? 'Cause it's just... unbelievable", Shiro finally breaks the silence. Xiaoting just keeps on nodding and smiling which makes the others more curious than they already are. It's not that they'll get something grand out of this game anyway. It's just the dinner and movie in line. If others fail to guess the correct lie, then that member will win. She gets to pick the movie she wants to watch and also gets treated with the meal she likes.
"So? Your answer?", Xiaoting asks when the silence prolongs. The girls, instead of discussing the choices and guessing it like earlier, wanted to just ask her directly so she could start telling stories. But a game is a game.
"Three is a truth. It's like a giveaway answer. I'm sure of that. Whether you're dating or broken up, of course, you still love the person." Youngeun started so the conversation will keep going. The others nod at that.
"We don't have any restrictions in dating, so number 2 could be true. If they dated and broke up, that would explain the change in Ting unnie last months. But to be in a relationship now doesn't sound true to me too", followed Chaehyun, confused.
Xiaoting couldn't help but chuckle at the discussion happening. It looks like they are decoding a mystery with how they analyze it. "Why are you so serious?", she asks.
"Hello? The statements you wrote are big news.", Shiro replied.
"Hmm, don't you think the lie is number one? Ting seldom goes out and we know who she goes out with. How can she be in a relationship?", Yujin then opened another thought to ponder. "We all know how romantic and clingy she is, so she needs her lover close. Don't you think?"
Xiaoting scoffed at what Yujin said. 'What a good instigator', she thought. The girls are silent for a while and then they started to agree.
"Oooh. That could be. I think Yujin unnie is right. I'll guess, Number 1 too. We're too busy to be dating.", Hiyyih said.
"Definitely! How will she date if most of our time, we spend together and in practice too? The break-up is probably true. Maybe they both became busy and didn't have time for the relationship. Possible, right?" Shiro added. The girls are more convinced by the explanations and agree to guess the same answer.
"It's number 1." , they all said in unison.
"It's unlikely you're currently dating now." , Chaehyun added.
"So, you think that's the lie? Sure?" Xiaoting confirmed and all the members nodded. "That is..."
She paused to build suspense. When she sees how frustrated the girls are, she laughs.
"Wrong! It isn't a lie. Your guess is wrong, so that makes me the winner. Yay!" She applauded at her victory, while the others were left dumbfounded.
They fell into a quiet shock, just exchanging glances. What?! There's a member who is dating? Currently? Xiaoting is in a relationship? How? With who? Questions flow through the members' minds, but they can't bring themselves to ask.
"The lie is I dated and recently broke up. I didn't. I'm still dating now and I could say we are so happy.", Xiaoting explains, her eyes glimmering with happiness, as she glances at her Yujin.
There's still no one talking, and the confusion is evident with the members' faces. It's as if they are laying down the options of who could Xiaoting be possibly dating. They get it, of course. Xiaoting is a beautiful woman with a beautiful heart and soul. It's not new that there are people who hit on her. But they all know how a homebody she is, how introverted she can get, and how it takes time to be in depth close to her to the point of entering a romantic relationship.
"Unnie, tell us who the lucky person is! Who? Who is it? Where did you meet? Since when?", Chaehyun started her queries continuously.
"Ah, Ting-jjang! Who is it?", said Hikaru as she sat in front of Xiaoting to rock her shoulders back and forth. As soon as the other members joined in bombarding Xiaoting with similar questions, Yujin gestured for Xiaoting to move beside her.
"Hey, hey. Give your Ting unnie some time." Yujin said, and the girls keep quiet right away.
"Ugh! I can't take this! Please tell us now.", Dayeon whines.
"Ok, ok." Xiaoting chuckles.
"Remember what Yujin unnie said earlier about how clingy I am so I need my lover close?"
Hums of agreement follow.
"She's right about it. I need her close." Xiaoting took Yujin's hand and intertwined it with hers. "Like this."
"Ah, you two and your flirting. Now that we know you're in a relationship already, Ting unnie, we can't just let you flirt with Yujin unnie like the usual." Chaehyun clicks her tongue.
"It's fine. I don't mind." , Yujin shrugs.
"No. Not you, unnie. It could be that you don't mind, but Ting unnie's girlfriend could. Doesn't mean that she is not seeing this, that it's fine.", Chaehyun shakes her head in dismay.
"Oh no. Believe me, I'm sure she won't mind." Xiaoting chuckles looking at Yujin. That gained a few eyebrows raising at her.
"Whatever you say." Chaehyun surrenders. "But that cannot go like always, ok?"
"Sure.", Xiaoting agrees cooly. Her hand still intertwined with Yujin's.
"Ugh!", Dayeon groans. "Can we focus on the important matter? We still don't know who Ting unnie is dating.", she complains.
Nods from the other members followed.
"Just please tell us before we lose our minds." , Hiyyih begs.
"Yes, of course. I'll tell you now.", Xiaoting said. The girls lean in her direction. Ears ready to catch up with the name.
Xiaoting looks at Yujin, asking through her eyes if it's ok to reveal them. Yujin is smiling. And she knows that smile. Her girl probably wants to tease the kids.
"Before Ting reveals who her girlfriend is, why don't you... give it a guess first. Come on. Game, game. Whoever guesses it, Xiaoting will grant her wish. " , Yujin suggested. It drove the members into more groans. They are seemingly frustrated.
"Unnie! We don't have any energy to think who that person is. Don't make us guess anymore.", Youngeun whines.
"No guesses? Just a name? We'll see if it's right. Come on. Ting will confirm it.", Yujin taunts. Her grin plastered on her face.
"Yujin unnie!", the members yelled in a complaining tone.
"You're so mean, unnie!", Shiro is laughing at the sight of the younger members expressing their disapproval.
"Ok, ok. I'm just kidding. Ah, you kids are really adorable to tease." , Yujin giggles. "Let's be quiet now and listen to Ting." , she continues. She taps Xiaoting slightly.
"If you're still not going to tell us, I'm gonna lose it. Who are you dating with, Ting unnie? Let us know. Please? Please?" , Chaehyun pursued asking.
"Relax, Chae. That's what I have been doing. I'm already letting you know who." Xiaoting snickers.
"Didn't I say that I need her close? Like this?" Xiaoting kissed Yujin's hand that has been intertwined with hers since earlier.
The members still thinking it was part of the two's usual acts, just gave the couple a confused look.
"Uhm... so, do I have to kiss her in front of you?"
With what Xiaoting said, the girls exchange skeptical looks. Even Yujin got surprised. Xiaoting shook her head to signal she won't do it.
Soon enough, they started to realize what Xiaoting meant.
"Wait... oh my gosh! Wait... you mean...", Chaehyun started. She's jumping, She points at Yujin and nods at Xiaoting. "You, and Yujin unnie... you're... you're..."
"dating? Yes. We are. I'm dating Yujin unnie."
Xiaoting finally revealed.
Gasps of surprise filled the living room. Some members talked about how they got goosebumps. Some look like they received the biggest shock of their lives. But it isn't quite like earlier. They are reacting loudly now; there's a repeat of "REALLY?", short screams, and tapping of random things on the table to show surprise. It's at this moment that they're thankful they could be loud like this and not be scolded by anyone in the building.
Meanwhile, the couple is enjoying watching all the sweet chaos happening. This is how they hoped the reveal would be: suspenseful, loud, and happy. They already got to the two, now for the "happy" part, they're keeping their fingers crossed.
"AH! I THINK I'M GOING TO CRY!" Shiro screamed, expecting it would just be drowned over the noise. Instead, it gathered the members' attention. She started to explain.
"I'm happy that Ting has finally gained courage to stand by what she feels. This kid is hard-headed, you know that, unnie, right?", Shiro directed her question to Yujin.
Xiaoting shook her head and chuckled at that comment, which made Shiro laugh too.
"But we kinda know she really likes you, unnie. I don't know when she realized it, I'm just so, so glad it turned this way. All those things, and now you're here. Ah, come here, my friends."
Shiro slides herself in front of the couple and wraps them both in a hug, squeezing them tightly as she says, "I'm so happy. Congratulations!"
Seeing the heartwarming scene in front of them, the other girls join in with the hug.
"So, when did it start? This week? Yesterday?", Chaehyun queried after they all settled back into their little circle like earlier.
"That..." Yujin started. She scratched her nape and bowed a little as if regretting something. "Well, remember that day we had our university festival performance?", she asked.
"Yeah? And?", Chaehyun answered for the others.
"That's when we started. I took Ting out after, that and I asked her then."
"I agreed, of course. Oh, that was... so romantic. Who would've thought Yujin unnie could be that sweet?", Xiaoting, reminiscing that day, smiled satisfyingly at Yujin.
Exchanged of 'woah' could be heard. The girls are trying to remember that exact date.
"Oh! So, it was more than a month already? That festival." , Youngeun commented after checking a picture she took then.
"You're dating for that long and we just knew it now? Wow!", Chaehyun scoffed. She sounded dismayed. "I guess, we're merely just co-workers to you two. You're all a family to me though."
Yujin is evidently surprised by that comment. She almost come to Chaehyun to hug her, but Xiaoting is still holding her hand.
"No, no. We wanted to tell you right away. We always talk about how are we going to say it. But, it wasn't like that. Sorry." , Yujin pouted as she apologized.
It was silent for a while until Chaehyun blurted. "Just kidding!" And all the other girls fell into laughter. There were comments of "Chaehyun should get into acting.", by how serious she looked earlier.
"Yujin unnie, it was a joke, ok. You must've worried how we'll take it." , Chaehyun explains.
"We were. Especially unnie. If only you knew how worried she is, so we're thankful of your support to us.", Xiaoting bows her head a little and smiles at the members. She also doesn't forget her girlfriend beside her: still holding Yujin's hand, pulling the girl closer to her.
Yujin took months after Xiaoting's confession to answer her back because this isn't a decision that is solely hers. She's the leader of the group. She has to uphold the group's' reputation. But, at the same time, she's also a person who likes to be with someone who she loves, like anyone else. So, bringing Xiaoting to that place to ask her to be in a relationship with her that night, was one of the toughest decisions she had made.
"You kids do not have to worry. Me and Ting have talked about this. As your leader, and us, as the oldest members, we will be careful with our actions. Thank you for accepting us.", Yujin said with all seriousness, that the members only see when they talk about work and business.
The girls smiled warmly at each other before coming together again to hug their always considerate leader.
"Unnie, it's only natural to accept and support you. You two makes a lovely couple. And just like I said, we are happy that it turned out this way. Thank you for letting us know.", Shiro replies with the same warmth.
"Now, we have something celebrate!", declared Hikaru. "Let's order! Let's order! I'm starving."
That comment broke the serious air going on and made the members laugh again.
"The game." , Xiaoting faked coughing. "I won the game.", she repeated, even more dramatically. That sent the girls into another fit of laughter as it's always refreshing to see their proper Xiaoting unnie do silly things.
Now, they are sharing an abundant spread of dishes for dinner. Although Xiaoting won the game earlier, she and Yujin insisted to pay for their food. The talk about the couple continues.
"No, cause back then, Ting unnie was obvious. Ting unnie liked Yujin unnie afterall.", Yeseo pointed out.
"Yeah, yeah! Those comments weren't empty words afterall. You were really jealous then." , Dayeon seconded, remembering how Xiaoting reacted with Seola then.
Xiaoting looked at Yujin. "That's right. I was jealous. Cause how couldn't I? They suddenly became close!"
"Chill, Ting. I'm already yours.", Yujin winked at Xiaoting.
"I know. I'll keep it that way.", Xiaoting replied. The two are smiling ear to ear at each other.
The girls, watching the interaction are still aren't sure how to react as this is the first time they'll see the two flirting after knowing they have a relationship.
"But what's interesting is that how you choose to reveal it to us. Really? Through a Two truths and a lie game?", Dayeon commented after.
"Yeah! Yeah! Who's idea is that?", Hiyyih asked, laughing.
Xiaoting and Yujin looked at each other and both answered "Hers." making the girls join in the laughter.
The light atmosphere continued, as well as answering the questions that the members have for the couple. A toast for the couple was initiated by Shiro.
"To Yujin unnie and Ting's relationship! Cheers!"
They all drank from their cups. The topics steered away from the couple already, but Dayeon shifted back.
"Oh wow. I didn't know there's something sweeter than this chocolate. ", Dayeon pointed at the couple's direction, and the girls see what she meant.
Yujin and Xiaoting, sitting beside each other, as usual, seems to be lost in their own world. They're whispering something to each other which makes them giggle among themselves. They look so much like a couple. A sweet and cute couple. Well, flirty too.
"And, we'll be seeing more of this in the future, so, we have to get used to it.", Shiro nodded at the girls smiling. They nodded back at her.
"Uhm, excuse me, unnies? Yujin unnie? Ting unnie?", Chaehyun calls. The two turned to her.
"Yes, Hyun-i?", Yujin asks.
"I get that you're in love, but please..."
Chaehyun paused and they anticipate what she'll say next.
"You two are making me feel so single! But, I have to admit that you two look adorable too. But, but still!", Chaehyun cutely complains. Her lips pouted, and her hands are on her waist.
"This is how it is when you're in love, Chae. It could not be helped.", Xiaoting answered giggling. She even shakes her head before continuing being lovey-dovey with Yujin.
"After we eat, you get a room you two!", Dayeon jokingly scolds.
"Oh, we surely will, Yoni. We'll surely will.", Yujin said smirking at Xiaoting.