Imperfectly Perfect 2

32 : Heart's Day (1)

Mina simply glances unamused at the nervously looking girl who just suddenly walked in their council office uninvited. She immediately speaks while focusing back on the papers scattered on her table. "Having trouble getting away with your fans?"

"You—" Chaeyoung awkwardly laughs. "You could say that."

It is the early afternoon of the famously romantic Valentine's day. The council president is alone at the office, diligently doing some paperwork.

The soccer ace treads toward the table where the busy girl is. "Are you still working for the council on Valentine's day?"

Mina answers without looking at her, continuing to mark a printed document with her red ball pen. "What kind of question is that?"

"Well, some clubs... like the soccer team, had their practices or regular schedules canceled for today."

"That's the goodness of being the president of the student council." Mina flashes a fake smile and speaks sarcastically. "Your work just never stops."

Chaeyoung slowly pulls a chair beside the table full of stacked papers. "What are you doing then?"

"Umm... Drafting some budget proposals for the upcoming leadership camp... Reviewing some documentation for the past club events... and added to my tasks just now..." Mina pops her head up to look at the soccer ace, raising an eyebrow to the smaller girl. "entertaining an uninvited girl who barged into the council office because she has to run off somewhere out of sight of her too giddy fans because it's Valentine's day."

Chaeyoung playfully scoffs at her. She decided to simply shrug the comment off. "You're alone? Where are the other council members?"

Mina went back to scanning a new batch of papers. "Sana and Dahyun have classes while Jeongyeon is now wandering somewhere inside the school to find her girlfriend and personally deliver an unexpected fresh bouquet of flowers."

"Umm..." The soccer ace carefully calls out, scratching her nape in the process. "Minari?"

"Hmm?" Mina hums, still focused on her council task at hand.

"Do— do you also want some flowers and chocolates today?"

The council president abruptly halted the paper she was about to flip. She squints her eyes at Chaeyoung. "Huh?"

"I— I know I should've just prepared something and didn't ask! But—" The smaller girl was suddenly put in a mini panic, trying to find a decent explanation to blurt out as soon as possible. "but the thing is... I— Umm... actually—"

"Chaeng."

"Y— Yeah?"

"While it would be nice to receive that from you..." Mina pauses to find the right words she wanted to say. "I don't need it."

"Ugh." Chaeyoung didn't buy the council president's explanation and continued her apologies. "I'm really sorry for not preparing anything today! You see—"

"I know, Chaeng. You don't have to explain." The council president slowly elaborates. "I was actually surprised that you're still here at school. Shouldn't you be preparing for that dinner with your fiancée later?"

"Minari, I— Hey—"

"I was just teasing you." This time Mina flashes a genuine smile at her. "Don't look so worried. It makes me feel bad."

"Really?"

"Really."

"But, still." The soccer ace pouts like she is the one needing flowers and chocolates. "I'm sorry for not preparing anything today."

Mina faintly chuckles at her. She reaches out to gently hold Chaeyoung's hand that is resting on top of the table. "Hey. Don't be. We can just let this day pass and treat it as a normal one while we make tomorrow... and the next day after it... and the next, next after it... and everyday after this, extra special. What do you say?"

The two girls simply smiled at each other for a moment of silence.

Then, the soccer ace slowly draws a playful smirk to her face. "Minari."

"Hmm?" Mina hums at her innocently.

"I'm taking back my word earlier." Chaeyoung looks directly into the council president's eyes. "I think I could give you something today."

"And what is it that you—"

And Chaeyoung swiftly pecked Mina's lips. She flashes a wide and proud smile to the slightly shocked girl in front of her. "Just a simple kiss for now."

Mina blinks a couple of seconds before realizing what just happened. "Hey, Son Chaeyoung!"

"What?"

"It wasn't like you gave something to me!" The council president hits the soccer ace's arm. "It was more like you stole something!"

Chaeyoung is just loudly chuckling at her. "The meaning depends on who views it!"

"Ugh! That's not—" Mina pursed her lips, realizing it was pointless to try and explain. She then started hitting the soccer ace again on the shoulders and chest, seemingly to give up being the civilized person she always was.

"Hey, stop being so violent!" The smaller girl is just loudly laughing while shielding herself from the soft hits she is constantly receiving. "Where did my sweet Minari go?"

"Sweet Minari, your face!" Mina tried aiming for Chaeyoung's head but of course the athlete was able to swiftly dodge it, catching the council president's arm in the process.

"Then..." The soccer ace suddenly shifted into something playful. "if you insist..."

"Wha— what?"

"Given that idea..." Chaeyoung started leaning towards Mina's direction, glancing on the latter's lips. "should I..." She stopped right at the ear of the now frozen girl in front of her and whispered. "steal some more?"

With just those actions from the soccer ace, the council president is now visibly red as a tomato. "Chae— Chaeng..."

However, instead of stealing or giving Mina another kiss like how her teasing words implied, Chaeyoung leaned back. She looked deeply into the council president's eyes and flashed a sweet smile, fully displaying her dimple. She paused for a moment, wanting to take in and savor the view of the girl in front of her like it is the most beautiful scenery her eyes have ever laid on. She spoke like she was presently in daydream.

"I love you."

Mina faintly giggled at the slightly blushing girl in front of her, finding it adorable how Chaeyoung is oddly looking a bit shy right now. She stares back onto the soccer ace's eyes, feeling lost in the moment. She then flashes her gummy smile and casually replies in a way like it has always been the most normal thing she does whenever the smaller girl tells her those three words.

"I love you, too."

The next second was full of silence.

And nothing was still heard the second after that.

Counting a couple more seconds, both of the girls' eyes are now slowly blinking and widening at the same time. They are clearly shocked by those last four words that were uttered in between the two of them, even including Mina who was clearly the one who actually said it.

Chaeyoung then slowly raises her arm to point a finger to the council president. "DID— MINARI, DID YOU JUST—"