Imperfectly Perfect [Chaelisa]

thirty eight

“Did it hurt?”

“Yes.”

“No, but like,” Lisa stops Chaeyoung and turns her around, looking at her girlfriend’s new tattoo, “how much did it hurt? On a scale of one to ten.”

“It started at a five, and then… um, it was a six and a half when he was finishing it.” Chaeyoung explains. “But- um, do you like it? I think it’s really pretty. I have wanted my dragonfly tattoo for so long.”

Lisa looks at the intricate patterns on her girlfriend’s dragonfly tattoo. “I love it. It’s really beautiful and it’s making you really happy, so obviously I’m going to love it.”

“I think for my next tattoo I will get the number eleven in roman numerals.” Chaeyoung says. “Maybe on my arm. I haven’t decided yet, so I will need to think about it. Thank you for coming with me today, anyway.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Lisa smiles. “I told you I’d be here. Plus, Jules basically pushed me out of the door when I mentioned that you were getting a tattoo. It took her a while, but she said that ‘Camp’ would need me.”

Chaeyoung smiles. “I would like to see her. Can we go back to your house at some point? I can show her my dragonfly tattoo. And- um, I can show your parents, too. I am excited for everyone to see it. Will you take a picture and send it to the group chat?”

“Of course,” Lisa nods as they get in the car, and she quickly texts their friends a picture of Chaeyoung’s tattoo before setting off. “Did it really hurt, though? Because that’s basically the only reason I’d never get a tattoo.”

“Well, um… I’m not sure if it more for me, because of sensory differences and all that.” Chaeyoung rubs on her leg. “But it wasn’t as bad as I thought it’d be. Why? Do you want to get a tattoo one day?”

“Well, I was thinking about getting love only tattooed somewhere. Definitely in the distant future, though.” Lisa says. “Also maybe a bow on one of my toes. But like I said, possible pain puts me off.”

“You should- um, get a piercing. Like, a cartilage one.” Chaeyoung says, and Lisa frowns. “We should go now! You should get a piercing, because it’s not like it’s permanent or anything. I think, um- pull over for a second.”

Lisa does as Chaeyoung says, and frowns when her girlfriend pushes her hair behind her ear. “You should get a helix piercing. I think that’d suit you.”

Lisa frowns. “I have no idea what that is, Rosie.”

“Oh, I have a double helix piercing,” Chaeyoung says, pointing to the two studs in the top of her left ear. “It’s that. But I think you should get just one helix piercing. And it’d be really pretty, and they don’t hurt much. Plus, the age limit for ear piercings is sixteen, I got my double helix piercing when I was sixteen. And my nose piercing when I was seventeen, but I don’t think you’d like that, because they hurt a lot. Also you need ID, and you don’t really look like you’re eighteen.”

Lisa bites down on her bottom lip, and eventually shrugs and thinks fuck it. “Yeah, alright. Let’s go to a piercing place. Right now.”

Chaeyoung blinks in surprise. “I didn’t think you’d really listen to me. But I am glad you’re doing it, piercings are really great, I love them. I might get my second lobe piercing while we’re there, actually. That way I’ll have seven piercings. And you’ll have one. Jennie has a double helix piercing like me, actually, but hers have rings in rather than studs. And Jisoo has her second lobe done, that’s what they both got done when they convinced me to get my nose pierced.”

“How much does it hurt, though?” Lisa asks. “Like, getting my earlobes pierced didn’t hurt at all, but then sometimes I think that’s just because I don’t remember doing it since I was like eight when my mom took me. But cartilage? That’s got to hurt more, right?”