Imperfectly Perfect 3

2 : Permission

Both Mina and Chaeyoung watched the retreating figure of Lee Chaeryoung in awkward silence.

Then, as soon as the cheer girl had walked away enough to be far out of earshot, the soccer ace immediately called out. "Minari."

"Hmm?" The council president innocently hums.

Chaeyung raises one of her eyebrows and gives the other girl a knowing look. "What had just happened?"

"Huh?" Mina stifles a smile. "What do you mean?"

The soccer ace squints and slowly raises her pointy finger to her. "That was way too obvious, Myoi Mina! Did you just use me for your own accord?"

The council president scoffs. "What do you think of me—"

"Don't even try to deny it!" Chaeyoung playfully pokes the other girl's shoulder. "That indirect kiss stint was definitely not your style!"

"What are you saying?" Mina starts laughing. "I'm sorry. I'm not sure what you're talking about, Son Chaeyoung."

"Hey, hey, hey. Myoi Mina."

"Okay, okay. And what if I did, huh? What would you do?"

The soccer ace pauses for a while to think, then casually shrugs. "Nothing."

"Tsk." The council president rolls her eyes. "Too much for making me admit it."

Chaeyoung flashes a wide smirk. "Actually, I think you should do that more often. I think I like being used by you."

"Huh?"

"Minari, you can even kiss me directly next time in front of other people. You can even do it directly on my lips." The soccer ace tries to hold her chuckles. "I think that will be very much more effective with whatever goal you were trying to achieve like earlier. Or, I can do it for you. I can grab you in the waist in the middle of nowhere, out of the blue, and then I can kiss you like crazy. I can also—"

"Stop, stop, stop." Mina dramatically massages her temples. "Ugh! I should've known that it would always snowball into something else when it's with you."

The soccer ace laughs at her. "But I promise I won't complain!"

"Of course you won't!" The council president rolls her eyes. "So no, thank you, Son Chaeyoung."

Chaeyoung pursues the teasing. "Pleaseeee."

The council president gives her an unamused look. "Why are we even talking about this now? It sounds so weird."

"Why?" The smaller girl sits beside her on the bench. "You're the one who just impromptu did it."

"N— No. I did not."

"Yes you did." Chaeyoung leans closer to Mina's face. "My smarty pants girl."

"Whatever." The council president just playfully rolls her eyes and scoots away from the other girl.

The soccer ace also moves, placing her body awfully close to Mina as she puts her arm over to the council president's shoulder.

Mina removes Chaeyoung's arm on her and playfully glares. "You're sweaty."

"Who cares?"

"Wow." The council president scoffs. "A couple months back and you were even sorry when your fingertips touched me after you got all pumped up in your soccer practice."

"Things change, my penguin." The soccer ace flashes an unfazed smile, bringing back her arms over Mina's shoulder. "If you can't accept the sweaty me... You don't love me at all."

"What kind of argument is that?" Mina laughed loudly, shaking her head a bit in disbelief. She didn't shake off Chaeyoung's arm this time and just eventually relaxed herself on the bench.

The two of them stayed quiet on the bench for a while, savoring the moment they were together at the side of a busy place.

There is a slightly cold breeze from the direction of the open field. There are students passing by, either athletes jogging or casual students making their way to school grounds.

Mina and Chaeyoung both don't know when it began but the two of them are now able to be comfortably close to each other physically in public.

Of course, it is ninety percent that it was Chaeyoung who was always clinging onto Mina but the majority of the school's population don't care about that specific detail. They just believe now that the two of them are dating. And the two girls involved, although not officially dating in technicality, never cared to clear up the rumors.

"Chaeng." The council president softly starts.

"Hmm?"

"I think... you should let your high school friends throw that party for you."

"Wh— why are you saying that to me so suddenly? I mean, Minari. If you don't want to—"

"Chaeng." Mina slightly tilts her body to face the other girl. "I hate to tell you this because I'm still not comfortable with those cool kids and I don't know them personally but... like me... you also left them without any explanation when you suddenly disappeared."

Chaeyoung looks down and puts both her arms to her side, seeming unsure about what to reply.

After a moment of silence, the council president decided to speak again. "If they are just nothing to you like casual acquaintances, then it's fine. You don't have the obligation to tell them anything. But, for those who really cared for you and were close to you like RM... don't you want to at least apologize and let them know that you're back for good? I'm sure they have been as worried as I was five years ago."

"Minari."

"Hmm?"

Chaeyoung just stayed silent and is currently looking at Mina with dreamy eyes. She is wearing a sweet smile with her dimples on full display.

After a minute of simply staring at each other, the council president asks to follow up. "What is it, Chaeng?"

The soccer ace paused for another couple of seconds before finally responding. "I want to hurry up and marry you."

"Hu— HUH? Why are you suddenly bringing that—"

"I don't think I'll ever find a girl like you." The smaller girl continued to wear her wide smile. "You really are the most understanding person in the whole wide world."

Mina playfully rolls her eyes as she stifles a gummy smile. "Then, hurry up and do something about that fixed marriage. I can't be single for too long, you know."

"Hey!" Chaeyoung scrunches her eyebrows. "What does that—"

"I'm just kidding!" The council president chuckles. "Of course, I'll wait for you. I promised, haven't I?"

"Wow." The soccer ace moves again to drape her arms over Mina's shoulder. "I really love you so much."

"I bet you do!" Mina wears a proud smirk. "I'm the best girl in the whole wide world, ain't I?"

"Oh my—" Chaeyoung fakes a gasp in teasing. "Already getting these praises onto your head, huh? I think I should turn down the compliments a notch these days."

The council president just squints at her, still in faint chuckles. "Maybe just a little."