chasing girl wonder

ribbon stage

"Did you plan a picnic at midnight? I said I only wanted to watch the stars and get half-drunk, not bloated for tomorrow." Lisa threw the question while Roseanne set up a small, plaid blanket in front of them. She watched Roseanne place six cans of OB Bear Lager Beer, potato chips, cheese puffs, chocolate macadamia nut cookies, water bottles, and tissues. She ordered Love to sit on her side, but he went over to Roseanne's other side and sat there, leaving her muttering in a whisper, "Bitch."

They were in a gazebo tree house that stood in a park in Seocho district, called the Yangjae Citizen Forest. While Lisa waited at the parking lot of the café earlier, Roseanne packed her emergency tote bag, which Lisa discovered the blonde also kept in her office at the café. Roseanne gave Lisa the directions toward the park, claiming she knew the perfect spot to watch the sky.

"Hi, handsome. I didn't forget you, sweet boy." After feeding Love some treats, Roseanne tucked the strip of hair that fell on her face behind her ear and sat cross-legged beside Lisa. "Quit complaining, asshole. You didn't even bring anything to contribute aside from the beers."

Lisa felt her right pocket for something. "I think I have," she pulled all the contents of her pocket and then checked the other, "four lemon candies." When Roseanne looked naïvely at her, she beamed. "It's good with the beer."

"Okay, I'll trust you, chef," Roseanne said, earning a side eye from Lisa who then opened a couple of beer cans and dropped one candy in each.

Going back to her sitting position—bent legs, crossed hands with arms wrapped around her legs—Lisa watched Roseanne produce the black teddy bear and a wool blanket from the said emergency bag.

After placing the blanket over her shoulders, Roseanne hugged the teddy bear, its face looking ahead. "Sorry, but there's no more room for your kiddie milk because this teddy's occupied the whole bag."

"Why are you even bringing it for an emergency?" Bewildered, Lisa took her time looking at the plushie she did not get to scrutinize up close. She just went ahead and bought the first black teddy bear she saw at the mall, and now she worried it was not cute. But the way Roseanne was smiling down at it was enough proof it was cute.

Roseanne said, "This brings more comfort than your sweetened milk. You should be jumping right now that I bothered bringing him." Lisa turned her head to the front, wearing an aggravated expression and she further jested, "Goes to show how appreciative I am of your efforts—not just for driving for three hours but also considering you're currently unemployed..."

"I accept cash, actually. For the gas and that stupid teddy?"

Roseanne's mouth fell, and she hit Lisa's arm. "Stupid teddy?!"

Lisa winced. "That's roughly two hundred fifty thousand," she said, reaching for the can to take a huge gulp of the lager beer.

"Sweet." Pinched lips, Roseanne eyed Lisa crossly. "Everything here costs twice that in total, not to mention you're basically taking some of my pastries for free. I don't recall ever asking you to pay for anything since you visited my café."

"Who keeps offering me stuff for free? Besides, I haven't even eaten anything yet so don't charge me," Lisa said, taking another sip from the can. "You didn't even ask me what I wanted. I wanted those egg tarts!"

Eyes narrowed, Roseanne raised an index finger. "That's 3k Won apiece, but since you're my friend, I'll give it to you for three hundred less."

"Bugger. What's in it, donkey's milk?" Lisa said, heating a tobacco stick.

"Definitely not your Wang Wang milk!" Roseanne giggled and heard Lisa cursing a silent 'fuck.' She shifted in her seat to reach for her emergency tote bag again. "Oh, by the way, I also brought this."