What are we?

9

Fuck!

Jeongyeon couldn't believe what she's hearing. She could feel the rage boiling inside her, as her face began to turn red.

Why would Bambam confess like that? But why wouldn't he? He doesn't have any commitment to anyone else. He's a free man, and he's feelings for Mina is 100% valid.

Jeongyeon gulped hard, clenching her jaw, hidden behind the ornament plants. She's feeling this extreme rage, she wanted to push forward and punch the boy hard.

But why would she do that? She didn't own Mina. Mina, with her gentle smile and eyes that held galaxies within, saw Jeongyeon as a sister, a confidante. Not some lovesick fool consumed by a jealousy so fierce it felt primal.

For God's sake she has a girlfriend! Jeongyeon swallowed, the metallic tang of betrayal heavy on her tongue.

But she couldn't take it, she doesn't want to hear Mina's response, she doesn't even want the girl to answer. It was a sight Jeongyeon couldn't stomach. Driven by a desperate need to shatter the fragile moment, Jeongyeon stepped out from her leafy haven.

The sight that greeted her was a mixture of satisfaction and a peculiar pang. Disappointment flickered across Bambam's face, a flicker quickly replaced by a simmering anger. But Jeongyeon, for all her turmoil, felt a twisted sense of victory.

With studied nonchalance, she shoved her hand into the pocket of her black sweatpants

"Mina," she called out, her voice deceptively light. "You left the front door open, why did you rushed out?" Jeongyeon asked, as if she didn't listen to the whole conversation between Bambam and Mina. "Oh, Bambam. Going somewhere?" She acknowledged the boy. Eyeing him from head to toe, damn he looked good, and it annoys the hell out of her.

"Uh..." Mina uttered, unsure what to say.

Bambam opened his mouth to speak, frustration evident on his face, but his words were cut short.

A man in a sharply tailored suit materialized beside them, his presence as imposing as the Range Rover parked a few meters away. He spoke in a low, gravelly voice, his Thai laced with a slight formality.

"Khaw dtua gawn krap (We have to leave)," he announced, his gaze lingering on Mina for a fleeting moment before flicking to Jeongyeon.

Bambam's jaw clenched tight. He shot Jeongyeon a withering look, while he apologetically glanced at Mina. But Jeongyeon just shrugged as if asking the boy what's his problem, to which Bambam ignored. At this point, Jeongyeon knew she's being childish and immature, but she doesn't care anymore.

"See you next semester," he muttered finally, his voice barely a whisper. He followed the man in black, who dipped his head in a curt bow towards both girls, which they returned, before striding purposefully towards the waiting vehicle.

Jeongyeon watched them disappear into the distance, the rumble of the engine the only sound that dared to break the sudden silence.

Silence that stretched, thick and heavy. Jeongyeon wanted to confess, to blurt out the jumble of emotions churning inside her - envy, possessiveness... But the words wouldn't come. How could she explain the depth of her feelings without revealing a side of herself that went beyond sisterhood?

---

Mina stared blankly at the food in front of her, its savory smell and delicate look, mockingly untouched.

Across the table, Jeongyeon ate with a quiet intensity, a stark contrast to their usual banter. The silence stretched between them, thick and heavy, a foreign entity that made Mina acutely aware of the shift in their dynamic. She stole a glance at Jeongyeon, her heart clenching at the sight of the girl's furrowed brow and pursed lips. Taking a shaky breath, Mina reached for her chopsticks, the clatter echoing in the sudden quiet.