Home

6

The lingering warmth of the bath still clung to my skin as I saw Chaeyoung, phone pressed to her ear, a frown furrowing her brow. A long, exasperated sigh escaped her lips, the sound echoing in the quiet bathroom. She turned, startled, as I stood in the doorway.

"You okay?" I asked, my voice soft. The steam from the shower momentarily obscured her features, but I could see the tension in her shoulders.

She offered a tight smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just...a few problems," she mumbled, already moving towards the sink. The way she avoided my gaze spoke volumes.

She picked up her toothbrush and toothpaste, her reflection a fleeting image in the mirror before she turned back to me. I hesitated, unsure of how to proceed.

"Oh, and by the way," I began, choosing my words carefully. She hummed, her gaze still on her reflection, a silent invitation to continue. I took a deep breath.

"A girl came by a few days ago. Around midnight. Looking for you. She was tall, blonde...looked foreign. Pretty. I almost asked her name, but she left when she heard you weren't home." The memory was hazy, the late-night visit a blur of details.

She turned, a flicker of genuine confusion in her eyes. "Can you describe her? Anything else you remember?"

I shrugged. "Tall, blonde, pretty. Foreign-looking. That's about it." The image remained frustratingly vague.

She returned to the sink, the rhythmic swish of her toothbrush a counterpoint to the silence. The gurgling of water, the soft click of the toothpaste cap-small sounds that somehow amplified the tension in the room. Finally, she turned, wiping her face with a towel.

"It was Somi," she said, her voice low. "That guy's...ex-girlfriend, I guess." She paused, a hint of bitterness coloring her tone.

"That guy?" I prompted gently.

"Hmm, the one who called me a bitch," she said almost casually, already walking towards the kitchen. I followed, the click of her heels a rhythmic beat against the quiet.

"Somi...was my girlfriend," Chaeyoung explained, her voice soft. "We're just friends now. We broke up amicably."

I nodded, absorbing the information.

She paused, a thoughtful expression on her face. "You're not...exactly a fan of...you know..." she trailed off, her gaze searching mine. The question hung in the air, unspoken yet understood.

"Please remember Sana, my friend Chaeyoung," I replied, a smile playing on my lips. "She's the gayest person I know. And I've seen her flirt with girls. Gays like her and you aren't exactly new to me."

She chuckled, the sound light and carefree. "Okay," she said, then her voice softened. "One night, she called, ranting about her toxic boyfriend. She was wasted, and I just...listened."

"So why was he so mad at you?"

"Apparently, someone saw me leaving Somi's. He was possessive. Somi broke up with him that day, and he blamed me for it." She chuckled, taking a long drink of water. "Who wouldn't be angry? It looked bad."

"So, that night...at the tent?" I asked, the memory still vivid in my mind.

"Oh, that," she said, a slight blush coloring her cheeks. "I went somewhere afterward. Tzuyu knew. We met in the parking lot. She was worried and pretended to call the cops. That's when he ran off." She laughed. "Tzuyu's scary."

"I agree," I chuckled.

"So, that clears things up, right? Any more questions?"

I shook my head, a smile spreading across my face. "Thanks for sharing."