When We're Together [양정완]

28.

Kang Yoona impatiently tapped her foot as she waited for her earbuds to charge. Somehow, the night before she had forgotten to charge them and now they were completely dead. She listened to the drawl of the cars on the road and opened her mouth to speak.

"Baram, do you think-" the girl's words were cut short by a gasp coming from her friend who was sitting beside her. "Huh? What happened?" Yoona exclaimed as she leaned over to peak at Baram's phone screen.

"Baek Junhyun just followed me back on instagram!" Baram squealed as her friend froze with disbelief and disappointment. The two had made a bet. Whoever was followed back first by the one and only Baek Junhyun would have a meal bought for them by the other.

Yoona sighed as she stared at the girl's screen while eyeing her smirk in the corner of her vision. She pouted as Baram loudly cheered and pulled out her phone to text Aera about the result.

Five minutes passed and Chae Aera, who was usually quick to respond, still hadn't even read the message. The two girls shrugged and assumed she must be sleeping like she always was on car rides.

They were right.

~~~

Yang Jungwon was getting deja vu from the situation at hand. Chae Aera had fallen asleep once more on his shoulder and once more, he had ended up staring at her. He couldn't help it; her cuteness and aura made him want to look at her as much as he physically could.

Suddenly, the bus went over a bump and girl's head shifted, causing her lips to be just above the boy's shoulder, near his neck. He held his breath as he felt the girl's breath on his shoulder and it sent a weird sensation down his spine.

The girl remained in the same position all the way until the students' arrival at their hotel. At that point, the male's shoulder was beginning to cramp from trying so hard not to move or disturb her, so he sighed in relief as the girl finally lifted her own head.

Chae Aera blinked slowly, seemingly not realizing she had just slept on Jungwon's shoulder for an hour. By the time she and her friends had reached their room, the only words she had spoken were "Okay," and "Mhm," if the latter even counts as a word.

She was still sleepy from her nap and the girl sprawled out onto a fluffy white hotel mattress as soon as she saw one. Her friends had already decided the sleeping arrangements, so she was thankful she didn't have to worry about it.

Baram and Yoona would sleep in the same bed, Haneul and Eseo would share, and Aera, since her friends knew she moved a lot in her sleep, was going to sleep alone. Honestly, Aera was kind of bummed. She preferred sleeping with somebody else if given the chance, since she was definitely a cuddler, but she accepted her fate either way.

Baram excitedly began unpacking her clothes and turned to Eseo who was doing the same beside her. "Do you know what the schedule is for today?" she questioned the third year.

Jang Eseo shrugged and tilted her head towards Haneul. "She has the schedule."

Haneul reluctantly pulled out her cellphone and scanned the schedule from her camera roll. "Hm, today we don't have anything until dinner at 6'o clock. Unless you guys want to go check out the hotel, like swimming or something."

Yoona gasped excitedly, "SWIMMING?? BARAM, AERA LET'S GO!"

Baram responded with an excited, high-pitched squeal, but Aera groaned as she nuzzled herself into the hotel bed's fluffy comforter. "I'll join you later...." she mumbled as she shut her eyes once more.

Yoona and Baram shrugged and excitedly pulled out their swimsuits to change into. Haneul and Eseo, who seemed just as hyped, did the same. Aera was pleasantly surprised by Haneul's behavior. She was acting kind and hadn't even said anything regarding Yuhan. Weird.

The four girls were ready in a matter of minutes. They quickly made their way out of the hotel room, not forgetting to offer Aera another chance to join, which she refused.

But, for some reason, once they left, Chae Aera suddenly had a boost of energy. She pulled out her phone and checked the time. It was only 3:20 pm. She rubbed her eyes and decided she might as well join them, even if she joined late.

Just as the female exited her hotel room wearing a swimsuit beneath an oversized T-shirt and shorts, she bumped into a familiar face.