Maybe This Time | Saida

Chapter 14: The Art of Assumptions (Part 1)

It was quite unusual for the ever workaholic Im Nayeon to throw a party on a Saturday night. Normally, she'd still be in her office at this hour typing her computer away to finish any remaining tasks so that she wouldn't have to work on them on Sunday.

She would still be doing that if she was still employed in that godforsaken company. But she wasn't anymore as she's finally free after six long years of corporate hell. It's safe to say that throwing a party in celebration of her liberation was an absolute must. That, and she also wanted to find an excuse to celebrate her birthday early.

Plus, it's a perfect opportunity to gather all of her college circle now that Mina had returned to Seoul since she wasn't there the last time they went out for Dahyun's birthday.

(That's another excuse that's not entirely an excuse. Really, her nosy ass badly wanted to know the tea between those two. Jeongyeon got her bouncing in anticipation at the mention of them seeing each other for the very first time after the breakup.)

Nayeon's eyes squinted as she eyed the two exes. They seemed... normal? They weren't sitting next to each other but they weren't ignoring each other as well. In fact, Mina was giggling at the lame jokes that Dahyun was cracking at their table; very different from what Jeongyeon told Nayeon a few months ago. Jeongyeon said that 'awkward' wasn't even enough to describe the air of when Dahyun and Mina unexpectedly met again at Momo's place. She even had to pretend to have fallen asleep just to escape the uncomfortable atmosphere.

A tap on her shoulder interrupted Nayeon's quiet observation.

"What took you guys so long? And why the hell are you looking spicier than the birthday girl?! Aren't you here to celebrate my day of birth, not find someone to fuck?" Nayeon quipped as soon as she faced the two women who had apologetic smiles.

"Sorry, we got lost! And of course I'm here to celebrate the day that you popped out of your mother's womb. Happy early birthday, unnie!" Sana immediately went in for a hug to which Nayeon happily received.

However, in the corner of her peripheral vision, she saw a familiar pale head whipping to their direction so hard that she's sure the girl gave herself a whiplash. Nayeon's brows momentarily furrowed in confusion when she caught Dahyun staring at Sana's back with wide eyes.

That's... interesting.

Before anyone would notice, Nayeon quickly averted her attention to Momo who was handing her a paper bag and a bottle of champagne.

Meanwhile, Dahyun hadn't even swallowed a single drop of alcohol yet she already found herself in a daze—one where she had absolutely no control of her gaze going lower and lower in a painfully slow manner.

Well, she didn't have to consume anything as her eyes were doing the job of drinking in the sight of Sana in that alluring, daring outfit. She was wearing a plain black spaghetti crop top paired with a red plaid skirt that hung just a little above her mid-thigh. It wasn't as tailored as the black and silver dress she wore the last time they went clubbing but the two clothing pieces perfectly hugged the dips and rises of her curves. It made Dahyun feel overdressed in her white long-sleeved shirt and black trousers. In her defense though, she just came right out of campus where they had a mock trial.

Not wanting to look like a pervert, she glanced back up and their eyes met for the first time tonight. Sana was looking at her in a certain way while licking her lips, and it sent chills down her spine. Dahyun's immediate instinct—out of panic, of course—was to break eye contact by abruptly turning her head to the side, where she met Mina's amused face. She didn't even notice Chaeyoung, who was sitting in between her and Mina, standing up to go to the bathroom.