Hard Love: Reminiscence - Michaeng || Book II

-6-

"Guess you'd be my date then." Chaeyoung said with a shrug and sigh, "Somi said something came up so she can't join us." Dahyun raised a brow at the saying even though she's happy she didn't have to be a third wheel there. 

"Something?"

"Family matter she says." 

"And you believe her?"

"Please, not that crap of yours again Dubs. Let's just go." The cub put on the seatbelt after swaying her arm up to the road, asking the pale Korean to start the car. Dahyun chuckled at her friend, thinking she must be exhausted after that last photoshoot. An hour ago, right before heading towards the restaurant, Chaeyoung forgot there was supposed to be one more photoshoot that she needed to cover up for Brandon which she gladly was reminded of by one of the co-workers at the last minute when she was about to head home for a change. Jeonghoon, her brother, has already told her to hire an assistant due to her forgetful self, yet the cub kept refusing, saying she is adequate without one. 

Putting in the destination and turned on auto-pilot so she could relax a bit as well on their way. "Have they changed?" Chaeyoung hummed, slightly bobbing her head left and right as a sign of no. "Can't wait to see them again!" Dahyun said in all excitement while the cub next to her is already in a slumber.

She really tired herself out. The pale girl thought to herself after getting no more replies from her friend, looking through the reflection on the window only to find the cub is fast asleep with her mouth slightly open. Dahyun chuckled, tuning on some soft music then leans her head on the back, relaxing as well. 

A certain time passed, they finally arrived as the feminine voice inside the car conveyed. Outside in front of them, it wasn't a fancy modern restaurant but a not-so-big traditional stall, street food if you must label it, and it's quite hard to find these kinds of stalls now ever since technology has flourished. Nayeon suggested eating here since the latter is not into all that fancy stuff, saying she had just enough of steaks and wines in Korea due to her position as a CEO. She rather prefers simple foods than expensive ones that empty half of your money but not our hollow stomachs with those ridiculous one spoon of noodles and merely two pieces of vegetables. 

"We've been here once, haven't we?" 

"Hm, thrice for me. I was here the day we came to LA." The cub replied with a smug as if she just won a game. In return, Dahyun rolled her eyes at the childish cub who is not competitive over their works and ranks but nonsense tiny matters. 

"Whatever." The pale Korean scoffed then walked in, ignoring the cub who's trailing behind her while chortling. "I thought it's only us?" She suddenly spoke as she spotted the spouse from not afar, with their back facing them along with another two people beside them. Chaeyoung followed her gaze feeling a bit confused though shrugged, not minding it much. 

"Probably some friends they knew who moved here too." Dahyun nodded, though they did not halt on their way earlier discussing whether who the two other people were, which they reached the table at a slow pace. Chaeyoung felt her heart thumping loudly for no reason, she shrugged it off thinking it might be due to her tiredness, noting herself to sleep as soon as the day finishes later. Dahyun reached the table first, her wide smile dropped as her gaze landed on the two mysterious guests. 

"Hey-" Chaeyoung's hand stopped in the middle of the air with her mouth slightly agape, staggered to see the view in front of her, the one who gave her happiness and pain at the same time. 

"What is this?" Dahyun emitted first, glances at the cub aside, and helps to lower her stunned hand down. "I thought it was the four of us only?" Her forehead is now creased along with her brows, frowning hard at the situation. Chaeyoung is still dazed, cannot engross the sight in front of her. It is as if she was sent back to the summer of 2017, the day when she first met the girl who made her heart jolted like a deer dashing around, bumping onto the walls like a headless fly. Although now, it is not the thrill, the excitement, nor the joy anymore. The yearning is still there, but the pain is stopping her from reaching it.