Diamond nation

7. As slow as a snail

"Hi guys"

The trio gaped at the woman as she came closer. Jungkook had taken her to a salon to get her hair redone despite the woman refusing. And now the woman looked like someone straight outta a magazine.

"Who are you and what did you do to my Chae", Alison questioned. "Are you her evil twin or something?"

"What are you talking about Alison!", Chaerin furrowed her brows. "It's me!"

"Prove it", Alison crossed her arms.

"Don't be dramatic bitch. I know you are a little taken aback by the dress and blow dry and all but its still me!"

"Prove it", she narrowed her eyes.

Chaerin sighed. "Alison once we are done with this trip, you are sitting with me and solving each and every question from the guide. I don't want a repeat of the Corporate finance class where you ended up with a measly 11.5/100–"

"OKAY!", Alison clasped a hand around her mouth. "I know its you. But do you have any idea what you are wearing!? Its a mother fucking Hutch Henderson dress"

"He", Chaerin pointed to Jungkook. "Did this to me. I told him I didn't want it and he FORCED this on me. Tomorrow we are going to the bank to set up an EMI plan so I can pay him back €20,000 FOR A FUCKING DRESS"

"You don't have to pay me back", Jungkook shrugged his shoulders. "I told you. You can keep it. Think of it as a gift for spoiling your dress"

"Dude that was a $30 dress that I got on a 20% discount and further combined with a $5 off coupon. The barter doesn't even make sense. Its like you accidentally break my house of cards and decide to buy me a penthouse in manhattan"

"You can just wear it again", the man defended himself.

"Where am I to wear this again? I don't go to balls and formal dresses and stuff. Can we just return it and get a refund tomorrow?"

"No they had a policy of final sale", Jungkook said.

"BITCH WHAT!", Chaerin shook her head in disappointment as she looked at the ground. Alison pat her on the back. "We'll figure something out. I would have bought it from you but green doesn't look good on me. A lot of auctions will buy them. Actually one of Taehyung's friends runs a couture auction to help charities. Bingo! Hey Tae!"

"Tae!"

"TAEHYUNG!"

The man immediately snapped out of his daze as he looked at his sister.

"What is wrong with you? Why are you staring at Chaerin like this?"

Because it reminds me of every time I have realized that I was fucking in love with her, he thought to himself.

———•••———

17 years ago

"Sweetie, I am so happy to see you. Areum talks about you so much. I always told your mom to bring you to the hospital so I could meet you. But I am happy you came home today", Alison and Taehyung's mother said to a six year old Chaerin who stood by the door holding Areum's hand.

"Do you like hotdogs? Burgers? Milkshakes?", the woman asked and she nodded. "Are you hungry? I have made a lot of food, let's go"

The woman took the duo to the table. "Oh Taehyung-ah, did you finish your homework?", she asked a little boy sitting there writing something in his book with a pencil.

The boy looked up to reply to his mother but stopped as he saw somebody new. His eyes fell on the girl who was holding his sister's hand. He intently noticed her rosy pink cheeks, big eyes, long hair and the unicorn dress she was wearing. And for the first time he felt something different. Something that he could not explain.