Trivial Rival (Lookism Zack)

03: Invalidated feelings

A fundamental principle that both Iseul and Zack always uphold is to be on time or even early for any event involving them and Mira to ensure that she never has to wait for either of them.

That being said, she was not supposed to be surprised when both of them arrived before Mira did at the Seoul library but given that it was meant to be just Iseul and Mira on the date, she was caught off guard by seeing Zack, all dressed up as if it was his date.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was supposed to ask you that, Zack."

"What?"

Guilt filled Zack's expression when Iseul pointed out that it was supposed to be her date with Mira, making it clear that he was not supposed to be there.

"Fuck, it was Mira who agreed for me to tag along." Zack mumbled, looking down and refusing to meet her eyes.

Iseul wanted to get angry at herself for getting so worked up over something that might come across as childish, but she knows it wasn't childish at all and that her feelings are completely valid.

The two of them had both taken up the responsibility to take turns taking Mira out on a date, as an alternate way of spending time with her and showing her their worth. It was understandable for her to be upset that Mira had allowed Zack to intrude on their date, especially since it was her turn to take her out, and the brunette was aware of that.

The once tense air between the two became awkward as neither seemed to want to speak. And while Iseul is in disbelief that Mira invited Zack over, the latter seemed to be more uncomfortable than her, likely due to the awkward circumstances. The tension grew even thicker as Mira's voice cut through the thick air.

"Zack. You're here early."

Immediately, the blonde let out a scoff, clearly upset that Mira had not only invited Zack along but also failed to greet her, the person who was supposed to be her date while she acknowledged that the boxer arrived earlier than expected, which further intensified the awkward silence. The air remained thick, making for an even more tense situation between the three.

The brunette, who had replaced her usual braids with a bun, stood in front of the two, her eyes were occasionally wandering over to Iseul but mostly focusing on Zack, who kept fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. It was apparent to her that Mira was trying to avoid addressing the situation, which only made Iseul feel even more upset and hurt.

"I-i don't think I should be here, Mira." Zack mumbled with a clear of his throat.

The male's comment brought a small smile to Iseul's, glad that he was being respectful despite the competition between them.

"Why?"

"It was supposed to be your date with-"

"I don't think it's that big of a deal." Mira stated, cutting Zack off.

As the conversation continued, the brunette's casual response only made Iseul's sour mood worsen. She had been looking forward to their date, only for Mira to treat it as if it wasn't important enough to even invite a third party.

Iseul was aware that Mira wasn't the type to invalidate one's feelings, which only made her even more puzzled and hurt as to why Mira was treating her like this at the moment. Iseul couldn't help but wonder if it was because she had finally made a choice between the two of them, but even if that was the case, she wished that the brunette would have turned her down properly instead of toying around with her feelings.

"I swore to win your heart. It isn't that big of a deal if I started courting someone else, is it?"

Iseul's sarcastic remark left both Zack and Mira stunned, their eyes widened as they watched her leave and head inside the library. The silence that followed was even more uncomfortable, with neither of them knowing what to say or how to react to the sudden change in events. The air suddenly felt even heavier, with the awkwardness still lingering in each of their minds.

"Let's head in." the brunette mumbled.

The excitement Zack felt before was nowhere to be found. All was replaced with worry over the blonde's feelings. He knows he shouldn't blame himself but he can't help but do so.

Looking around inside the library, Iseul was already nowhere to be found seeming like she went ahead first so the two decided to pay for their stay.

"I'll pay."

"Oh! Thank you. Awesome."

"Two students-"

As Zack was about to hand over his money to pay, the cashier stopped him, making him look up in confusion.

"The blonde earlier already paid for the two of you."

Despite being upset, Iseul was still the same kind person they had grown up with, only now she was ignoring them like a tsundere she is.

As Zack and Mira made their way up to the third floor, the male couldn't help but smile to himself in amusement, finding Iseul's behavior amusing. The prospect of spending time with both her and Mira had him feeling excited, as they were both two of his favorite women, along with his mom.