I'M (NOT) MARRIED || YUCHAE

TWENTY-ONE

chp. 21

"So, what do you do?"

Chaeryeong turned to her right, seeing a red haired girl with squishy cheeks.

'This one is... Ningning, right?'

"I work for a magazine," Chaeryeong smiled. "Actually, a lot of magazines, I get called around a lot."

"That's so cool! I've never met anyone who works for a magazine before," Ningning replied, her eyes widening with interest. "What kind of articles do you write?"

Chaeryeong thought for a moment, trying to find the best way to explain her work. "Well, I mostly write lifestyle and entertainment articles. Sometimes I do celebrity profiles or interviews. It's a fun job, getting to learn about different people and their stories."

The two then chatted among themselves, talking about their lives and the interesting stories. Turns out that Ningning was actually a singer, a famous one at that. Chaeryeong wasn't surprised.

"Chaeryeong!" a voice called out from a distance, causing her to turn her head. It was Jisu, waving her arms.

'Finally, someone I'm familiar with.'

She sighed out of relief and smiled, waving back. "What's up?"

"We're going up the hill!" Jisu shouted from her spot, near the entrance of a park. She pointed up at a big hill just behind the local park.

"Okay!" Chaeryeong threw up an OK sign and turned back to Ningning.

They had been walking towards the park for the past few minutes, and Yuna's friends had spirited her away from Chaeryeong, pulling her aside for a conversation about their experiences in Korea since most of them hadn't returned since leaving.

Chaeryeong had been growing closer to Yuna's friends, particularly Ningning, who seemed comfortable sticking around. Eunchae had also introduced her to some of Yuna's family friends, including Jungwon, a professional dancer, Jinsoul, a pianist and the younger sister of a man Chaeryeong had met at an event, Jaehyun, and Yena, a guitarist with a passion for culinary arts.

It was a lot to take in, and that was only the family side of Yuna's extended circle. There were still friends and cousins to meet.

As they reached the top of the hill, Chaeryeong saw the group gathered there, enjoying the view and engaging in lively conversations. Yuna stood with Jaemin, engrossed in their discussion, while familiar faces mingled around them.

Jisu linked her arm with Chaeryeong's, and they began ascending the hill. The setting sun cast a warm orange glow over the landscape.

"Are you having fun?" Jisu asked, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Chaeryeong nodded, a genuine smile forming on her lips. "I am, actually. It's overwhelming, but everyone has been so kind to me."

Jisu chuckled. "Yeah, they can be a handful, but they're good people. They treat Yuna like family, and now, you're part of it too."

Reaching the hilltop, Chaeryeong took in the breathtaking view. The city stretched before her, bathed in golden light. A cool breeze ruffled her hair, bringing a sense of serenity.

Yuna noticed their arrival and walked over, her eyes brightening at the sight of Chaeryeong. She wrapped an arm around Chaeryeong's waist, pulling her closer.

"Enjoying the view?" Yuna asked, her voice filled with warmth.

"It's beautiful," Chaeryeong replied, her gaze fixed on the horizon.