"Seoul to My Heart" .... ( Asa and Chiquita)

Chapter 7: Unwritten Paths

Chiquita's POV

The next few days felt like we were stepping into new territory—Asa and I. The shift between us was subtle but undeniable, like the quiet hum of a new song just beginning to play. There were no big confessions, no grand gestures—just moments. Little things.

She'd started showing up more frequently and even join in my groups hangouts. She was quieter than usual, but not in a cold way. It was like she was taking everything in, observing. I noticed the way she looked at me sometimes, as if she was weighing something, considering a thought she wasn't sure she was ready to act on.

That night, we were all supposed to meet at a new karaoke bar in Sinchon. Our usual group of friends, a loud, chaotic mix of Rora, Pharita, Ruka, and Rami, along with Ahyeon, were excited. But this time, there was an underlying tension that made everything feel like it was teetering on the edge of something. Something big.

I wasn't sure if it was because of Asa or something else entirely, but I had a feeling that tonight was going to be different.

I walked into the bar with Rora and Ruka, already buzzing with energy. The neon lights of the karaoke bar flickered and flashed in vibrant hues. The place was packed, music blasting from the speakers as people belted out their favorite K-pop hits.

When we reached our reserved booth, Asa was already there. She was sitting quietly in the corner, nursing a drink and glancing at her phone. The moment she saw me, she straightened up, giving me a small but sincere smile.

"You made it," I said, sliding into the seat next to her.

"Yeah," Asa said, her voice soft, but there was something more open in it than there had been the last time we spoke. "I wanted to join in."

That simple statement meant more than she probably realized. It was a small step—a crack in the walls she'd built around herself.

I returned her smile. "Good. It's going to be fun. Rora's probably going to start a singing competition any minute now."

As if on cue, Rora appeared, her signature grin plastered across her face. "Alright, ladies and gentlemen!" she shouted, clapping her hands. "Time for the first round of karaoke. Whoever gets the highest score gets free drinks for the night!"

The others cheered, immediately taking their places in front of the microphone. Asa and I shared an amused glance, then I nudged her playfully. "You're next."

She raised an eyebrow. "I'm not a singer."

"Neither am I, but we're here for fun," I replied. "Besides, it's all about the experience. Just let go."

Asa hesitated for a moment, then, surprisingly, stood up and made her way to the front. Her movements were hesitant, but there was something about her energy tonight that seemed more present than I had seen in weeks. When she grabbed the microphone, she shot me a glance, as if to say, You better not laugh.

"I'll go first," she said, voice louder now, with a confidence I hadn't expected.

The music started, and she sang along quietly to the song that started playing—an old K-pop ballad. She didn't belt it out or try to show off; instead, she simply let the melody carry her.

I watched her with a small smile. She was holding back, but there was something freeing about the way she didn't care about being perfect. She just let herself exist in the moment.

When the song ended, Asa handed the microphone to Rora and slid back into her seat next to me. "See? I told you I'm not a singer."

I laughed. "You weren't bad, Asa. I liked it. You actually sounded pretty good."

She rolled her eyes. "That's because you're nice."

"I'm honest," I replied with a wink. "But seriously, you did well. You were brave enough to get up there. That's more than most people would do."

She gave me a small smile, her eyes softening. "Thanks. I... I'm trying."

We fell into a comfortable silence as the others took their turns singing, and I could sense that Asa was starting to let her guard down more. It wasn't as dramatic as a sudden confession, but I could see the subtle changes—the way she interacted with the group, the way she stayed in the moment instead of retreating into herself.

For the first time in a long while, I felt like I wasn't just watching from the sidelines. I was part of something real. Part of Asa's journey.

And maybe, just maybe, I was beginning to realize that I wanted to be there for every step of it.

Asa's POV

Karaoke had always been something I avoided. The thought of being judged, of exposing myself in front of others, was terrifying. So when Chiquita nudged me toward the microphone, I hesitated. But something inside me whispered that tonight was different.

I wasn't the same person I had been a few days ago. Chiquita had helped me see that there was more to life than just trying to be perfect. And maybe, for the first time in a long while, I was ready to take a step out of my carefully constructed bubble.

So when I stood in front of the microphone, I didn't try to be good. I didn't try to impress anyone. I just sang the song the way it came to me. Softly, imperfectly.

And you know what? It felt good.

When I returned to the table, I saw the way Chiquita looked at me. It wasn't judgment. It wasn't pity. It was something else—something warm, something encouraging.

"I told you it wasn't that bad," she said, smiling at me with that trademark mischievous grin.

I smiled back, feeling lighter than I had in weeks. "Maybe I'll try again."

As the night wore on, I found myself enjoying the chaos of the karaoke booth, laughing along with Rora's antics and letting myself forget about the pressures of my family, the plans they had for me, the expectations I could never meet. For the first time in a long while, I felt like I was just... me.

And it was terrifying.

But it was also... freeing.

Chiquita's POV

By the end of the night, the group was louder than ever. Rora and Ruka were trying to out-sing each other, while Pharita and Rami tried their best to dance along to the beat. Ahyeon, sitting quietly in the corner, had caught Rora's attention and was now blushing as Rora teased her mercilessly.

I kept an eye on Asa. She seemed to be laughing more, looking more alive than I had ever seen her. She was no longer sitting in the background, trying to hide her true self. She was present. She was here.

And maybe—just maybe—so was I.

I didn't know what this was between us, but I knew it was real. There was something about Asa that made me feel like I was seeing the world through a different lens. I wasn't sure where it would go, or even if it was supposed to go anywhere at all. But what mattered was that she was finally beginning to see herself the way I saw her—strong, capable, deserving of happiness.

"Chiquita!" Rora shouted, pulling me out of my thoughts. "It's your turn! Are you just going to sit there all night and look at Asa, or are you going to show us your talents?"

I rolled my eyes but stood up, walking to the front of the booth.

"Alright," I said, grabbing the microphone, "Here comes a performance that's going to blow your minds."

As I started singing, I couldn't help but glance at Asa. She was watching me now, not with expectation, but with something different. Something softer.

For once, I didn't feel like I needed to be perfect. I was just here, living in the moment, and that was enough.

And maybe, just maybe, Asa and I were starting to carve out an unwritten path together.

Asa's POV

I watched her sing, her voice clear and full of life. There was something about Chiquita's presence that made everything seem possible, even the things I had once thought were out of reach. She wasn't just living for the world around her. She was living for herself.

And for the first time in a long while, I was starting to think that maybe, I could do the same.