off limits ✧ zb1 applyfic

✧ forty seven

It had been a while since Haewon had last been able to go clothes shopping with friends. To be frank, she hadn't made many friends in California, and same-day deliveries had managed to win her over. But today, she was accompanied by Yanmei and Jiyeon, as they looked through what felt like every single clothing store of Seoul. The one they were in right now though, was very cute and filled to the brim with nice pieces. As she looked through the aisles, Haewon could only wonder what sort of swimsuit Hao would like.

"Thank you again for inviting me," Jiyeon said, as her shoulder bumped into Haewon's. "I didn't have any swimsuit, and I was too embarrassed to go buy one alone..."

Haewon let out a small chuckle. "Of course. We'll help you find a cute one, if you help us in return!"

"Hmm, I don't really want to wear a swimsuit though," Yanmei interjected as she put back yet another two-piece. "I might just get a light, flowy outfit."

It wasn't like she was trying to show off, anyway. And as beautiful as beaches were, they were more for her to look at, than swim in. She would most likely spend her day sitting in the sand, sketchbook in hand.

"You don't want to swim?" Haewon asked, turning back to look at her. "Why?"

In response, Yanmei shrugged. "Eh, I'm coming so I can get some sketches of the beach, so I won’t need to go in the water."

As Haewon attempted to convince Yanmei that going into the water was essential for any beach trip, Jiyeon wandered a couple meters away, her eyes quickly drifting through every piece. Should she go for a simple, yet classy one-piece? Or a more playful, showy bikini? The flowery tankini on the hanger right in front of her seemed like the perfect compromise, but was it too much of safe choice? She grabbed it, and inspected it further.

"Oh, isn't this one nice?" she called out to her two friends, and they quickly abandoned their conversation to join her.

Yanmei narrowed her eyes as she looked the swimsuit up and down. "Hmm, it's fine, but I'd say it's not quite cute enough to make heads turn."

"Make... Heads turn?" Jiyeon repeated, confused.

"Well, aren't you trying to impress Jiwoong?"

The swimsuit almost jumped right out of Jiyeon's hand as she jerked her head back, her eyes wide as saucers. For a second, she almost choked on her saliva, as she swallowed too forcefully. She stood there, silent, under the pointed stares of her two friends. She could feel her heart racing in her fingertips, and the blood rush through her ears.

"Wha—" She attempted to regain her composure, clearing her throat. "Of course not! How... How do you even know about me and Jiwoong?"

Haewon quickly shared a glance with Yanmei, before turning her all-knowing eyes back on her. "So there is something."

"We heard from Hanbin, who heard from Irang, who heard from Yujin," Yanmei explained, unable to hold back a smile. "Well, we heard that Yujin was angry about something involving you and Jiwoong, but we don't know what exactly."

All Jiyeon could do was sigh. It seemed word traveled a little faster than she would've hoped. She should've known Irang would be made privy to the information, but she couldn’t have expected it to reach anyone else. Now her most embarrassing secret was brought to light. Well, it at least seemed they didn't know any of the details. That would just bring her shame she wouldn’t be able to withstand.

"Well, we, um... We used to date, a while ago. Didn't break up on very good terms, but we managed to make up," she added, feeling heat in her cheeks.

Of course, she didn't mention the dare. It was already bad enough that Yujin knew she'd been tricked like that by his own friend. She already had enough trouble as it was, trying to get over that part. She wasn’t quite at the stage where she could talk about it without awakening the pains of the past, yet.