Imperfectly Perfect 2

70 : Boundaries (1)

Chaeyoung picks up her phone that has been ringing consecutively for the fifth time now. She didn't even look at the caller ID, already knowing who it was. "Hello?"

"He— Hello, Chaeng." Mina's soft voice is heard on the other line. "I'm in front of the sophomore dorms right now."

The soccer ace went silent for a second. It has just been about two hours since she acted up and left the other girl on the side of the open field. "So?"

The council president lets out a sigh. "Please get down here and meet me."

"Why?"

"Chaeng—" Mina speaks again, this time with an obviously pleading tone. "I think we have to talk. Please, Chaeng."

Chaeyoung walks to the room's window, looking down at the benches in front of the dorm building and seeing a feminine figure she knows so well.

Mina is indeed right in front of the sophomore dorms right now, ruffling her hair and biting her lip in a bit of nervous expectancy from the other line that just went silent.

The soccer ace stayed silent for another second before heaving in a deep breath. "Okay. I'll be there in five minutes."

"Thank—" The council president wasn't able to finish her statement because beeps were suddenly heard on the other line. The soccer ace just dropped the call. She rolls her eyes and looks at the window of Chaeyoung's dorm room unamused. "Ugh. Seriously?"

——Five minutes later——

Mina immediately calls out as soon as the soccer ace is within earshot. "Chaeng—"

"It's cold out here, Mina." Chaeyoung cuts the council president' sentence in a blunt tone. She speaks without looking at her. "Make it fast."

Mina lets out a sigh and watches her sadly. "You're colder to me right now, you know."

Chaeyoung annoyingly shoots her eyes to her, finally asking the question she was holding since she saw the other girl with the theater guy. "Who did you say again that you have to meet outside of the university earlier?"

"Hey. It's not what you—"

"You told me you were meeting someone outside who I don't know."

"Wait, Chae—"

"I should've known." Chaeyoung continued in a now exasperated tone. "The dreamy looking guy who always accidentally runs into you. What a great turn of events, huh?" She scoffs. "Turns out you now hang out with him on a—"

"Wait, wait, wait." Mina waves her hand rapidly in front of her. "Chaeng. What are you saying?"

"That annoying hoody... black cap... tall... annoying looking... super annoying guy." The soccer ace glares at the ground. Even in her current emotional state, it is evident that she still can't throw daggers at the girl she loves. "Tsk! He's just tall. And did I say he was annoying? Tsk. I can take him anytime if he wants. I'll kick the life out of him!"

"Chaeng. I think you got it all wrong." Mina massages her temples. "You're not making any sense right now. Please don't assume things."

"What? Oh come on, Myoi Mina!" Chaeyoung has raised her voice up a notch. "Are you two so close now that you even takes his side to—"

"You know that I love you."

The smaller girl was silenced for a second. She stares at the girl in front of her, suddenly confused of what she should feel at the moment.

"Chaeng. I love you." Mina slowly walked to reach out the soccer ace's hand.

Chaeyoung heaves in a deep breath, watching how the council president's hand slowly intertwines with her. "You— you can't have your way just by saying—"

"I love you, Son Chaeyoung. Only you. And I don't have any intentions of hurting you." Mina looks deeply into her eyes. Then, she softly smiles to the furious cub in front of her who is now visibly starting to calm. "Baby cub, before you jump to any conclusions... Please listen to me first."

"And what—"

"And before you start blabbering anything again..." The council president gives the smaller girl an unamused look. "For the record, I just happened to see Bambam when I entered the jog path. He also went outside and we just happened to be returning to the university at the same time. I didn't hang out with him outside or anything that you may think is close to that."

"Re— really?" Chaeyoung looks down, suddenly feeling embarrassed about her earlier bursts of emotion.

"You don't believe me?"

"I— I do!" The smaller girl pauses and tightens her hold on Mina's hand. "So that's what happened, huh?"

"Yeah. And moreover..." Mina adds. "I won't do anything like that behind your back especially when I know how you're kind of not liking him."

Chaeyoung loudly scoffs. "'Kind of not liking him' is a huge underestimation of how I feel about that guy."

The council president rolls her eyes and faintly chuckles. "And I think you cooked a really different scenario in your mind of what could've happened. Is that right?"

"Yeah. I did. I thought— Ugh. " The soccer ace pouts, though in apology. "I'm— I'm sorry about that."

Mina gives her a teasing look. "You should be."

"Hey!" Chaeyoung quickly replies. "I really did jump to conclusions and acted inappropriately to you. But just to you! I will never take back any words or actions I did or say to that guy. I still don't like seeing him with you!"

"Okay, okay." The council president faintly chuckles. Then, she shifted into something serious. "But, Chaeng. I'm also sorry. I've been thinking about this and with what happened today and how you acted... I think I certainly owe you a formal apology."

"For what? Specifically."

Mina gives the hand she has been holding a gentle squeeze. "I'm sorry for not telling you why I was going out of the university. I'm sorry for making you anxious by being vague on who I was meeting with. I'm sorry for being so busy these days to the point that I wasn't returning your calls and replying to your messages."

"Umm... Minari..." Chaeyoung calls out with a hint of hesitation. "Do you recall what I told you when we were at the vending machines yesterday night?"

"Yeah." The council president nods a couple of times. "I do remember."

The soccer ace looks into Mina's eyes with hope and worry. "Please tell me your apology right now doesn't have anything to do with putting my trust in danger."