Let's Not Falling In Love (1st Book) (FIXED)

Pretty Noona

​“Fuck alcohol!”
​She remembered everything she had done the night before. Her drunkenness was a strange kind: it either made her brutally honest with herself or summoned a mischievous prankster from deep within her soul. The worst part was that she remembered every bit of her own madness, leaving her to endure a full day of regret.
​She stared up at the ceiling, dozing off as the memories of last night drifted back to her.
​She smiled, touching her lips and then staring at her hands. She remembered the warmth of her skin, the soft curve of her body, and the taste of her lips. Everything had been way too good.
​The girl crush chuckled, a wave of mild guilt washing over her. "Dammit! In your drunkness, you almost took the most precious thing that girl has," she whispered to the little brother sleeping soundly beneath her sweatpants.
​"It's better than watching you suffer," she recalled Momo saying last night.
​That stupid girl, she thought, burying her face in her hands.
​It was already ten in the morning, but she hadn’t heard a single sound from the other girl’s room. She stepped out to grab some breakfast and found Sana already in the kitchen, carefully slicing a sausage.
​"Omg!" the purple-haired girl gasped, startled. She hadn't realized Jeongyeon had been standing beside her for minutes.
​"Yah, you scared me!" Sana slapped Jeongyeon’s shoulder, only to wince immediately.
​"Ouch..."
​Even though she was the one who had landed the slap, Sana groaned, feeling a sharp sting on her index finger.
​"What's wrong?" Jeongyeon asked with concern, noticing the small bead of blood on Sana's hand.
​"You're so clumsy." Without a second thought, Jeongyeon reflexively brought Sana’s bloody finger to her mouth and sucked on it to stop the bleeding.
​"Y-yah! What are you doing?" Sana flushed deep red at the sudden intimacy.
​"How did you not even realize you cut yourself?" Jeongyeon scolded her gently, entirely oblivious to the girl's bright red face.
​"Because you appeared out of nowhere!" Sana protested.
​"Ah, sorry about that," Jeongyeon softened. "Let me finish making breakfast. Go put a bandage on that cut." She gently took the knife from Sana’s hand.
​"Yeah..." Sana stammered, flustered by her attentiveness.
​She's really making my heart race, Sana thought to herself. She wrapped a bandage around her finger while standing by the far counter, well out of Jeongyeon's way as the latter prepared sandwiches for breakfast.
​"Eat up," Jeongyeon said a few moments later, sitting down across from Sana at the dining table.
​"Thanks," Sana replied, while the girl crush kept casting glance towards Momo’s bedroom door.
​"Where's Momo?" Jeongyeon asked.
​"Still sleeping. She probably stayed up late taking care of you, miss drunkard!" Sana teased.
​"Hmm, hehe... I don't remember a thing," Jeongyeon lied. It seemed Sana was blissfully unaware of what had transpired between her and Momo.
​"There's something on your lip." Jeongyeon reached over with a tissue and gently wiped away a stray smudge of ketchup from Sana’s mouth. As the fingers brushed past, Sana looked down at Jeongyeon's lips, her mind wandering back to the kiss they had shared.
​"Thanks for the food," Sana murmured, looking away quickly as she pushed her chair back.
​"Let me do the dishes. Your finger is still hurt," Jeongyeon insisted, stopping her.
​"Hmm, thanks. I'll go to the washroom then," Sana said, leaving Jeongyeon alone at the sink.
​"Done!" Jeongyeon finished rinsing the last plate.
​Should I take some breakfast to her room? she wondered, looking at the plate of extra sandwiches she had prepared for Nayeon, Mina, and Momo. Is she awake yet?
​She walked over to Momo’s door and knocked softly.
​"Come in!"
​Jeongyeon smiled at the sound of her voice, pushing the door open.
​"Jeongyeon?" Momo sat up abruptly in bed, surprised to see her guest. It was unusual for Jeongyeon to come to her room unprompted.
​"Is this really a girl's room?" Jeongyeon teased, scanning the clothes scattered randomly across the floor and bed.
​"Did you come in here just to judge my room?" Momo asked, giving her a mock stern look.
​"Good morning. I made this for you," Jeongyeon said shyly, setting down a tray with a glass of milk and two sandwich slices on the nightstand. She knew a single slice would never satisfy Momo.
​"Eh? So sweet," Momo blinked, momentarily dazed.
​Jeongyeon sat down on the edge of the bed, facing her. "Stop day-dreaming and eat." She chuckled, picking up a piece and feeding it to her.
​"Hmm, thanks," Momo said, munching happily.
​"Is it good?"
​"Yummy!" Momo nodded eagerly, her cheeks full.
​"Cute," Jeongyeon smiled softly.
​Out in the dining room, Nayeon and Sana were sitting together, while Mina remained tucked away in her room. Since it was Sunday, the girls had nowhere to be.
​"Sana, can I have this one?" Nayeon asked, pointing to a sandwich on the table. When she received no reply, she noticed Sana staring dreamy-eyed at her bandaged finger, smiling like crazy as she replayed the moment Jeongyeon had sucked the blood away.
​"Sattang!" Nayeon raised her voice.
​"Ah! Yes?" Sana snapped back to reality.
​"Jeongyeon made those for us," Sana clarified.
​"Hmm... is she still our usual cold Yoo Jeongyeon?" Nayeon asked with a smile.
​"Well, she's still mostly expressionless, but her actions are definitely softer now," Sana observed.
​"Good to hear." Nayeon narrowed her eyes thoughtfully and took a bite of her sandwich. Then, a thought crossed her mind.
​"Did you watch porn without earphones again last night? How many times have I told you to use them?!" Nayeon asked, annoyed.
​"What?! No! I was fast asleep all night," Sana denied vehemently.
​"If it wasn't you, where was that sound coming from?" Nayeon asked, genuinely puzzled.
​"What sound?"
​"Moaning."
​"Wait..." Sana paused, her curiosity piqued. "Was Momo still in Jeongyeon's room when you heard that?"
​"Yeah, she was," Nayeon confirmed, completely missing the implication.
​"Woah, that girl..." Sana stood up immediately and marched toward the bedroom, with Nayeon trailing behind her.
​"What's wrong?"
​"We foolishly left her alone with our Jeongyeon all night! We were blinded by her innocent face," Sana said.
​Back inside the room, Momo finished her breakfast. She leaned close to Jeongyeon, wrapping her arms around her shoulders and tilting her face up in anticipation of a kiss. But the grey-haired girl turned her head away.
​"Why?" Momo whispered, keeping her hands draped over her shoulders. "Don't you remember? We did much more than kiss last night."
​"I... I remember, but I was drunk last night. That's why..." Jeongyeon stammered.
​"You said your consciousness had returned by then?" Momo asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.
​"I'm sorry... it's a bad habit of mine when I drink," Jeongyeon admitted softly, lowering her head in guilt.
​Momo’s stern expression broke, and she let her hands fall, letting out a light laugh. "Honestly, I just came in here to make sure you were okay. Do the marks on your chest hurt?"
​"It's okay, Jeongyeon-ah. I know you weren't fully conscious. I just wanted to make you feel better." Jeongyeon smiled, feeling a deep sense of gratitude for how caring Momo was.
​Momo wrapped her arms around Jeongyeon's neck again, leaning close to her ear. "And if you want to make sure my chest is okay... you can touch it," she whispered seductively.
​Jeongyeon pulled back abruptly, her heart hammering. The sensation of Momo's breath on her ear was ticklish and dangerously electric. She took a slow breath in and out, trying to steady herself.
​"Eh? Why are you blushing?" Momo giggled teasingly. Did she really get turned on just from me touching her ear?
​"Come here, I want to tell you something," Momo said, beckoning her closer.
​"What? You can say it without whispering in my ear!" Jeongyeon shook her head, laughing nervously.
​Momo leaned back in anyway, hovering close to her ear. "You can touch them... just to make sure I'm okay."
​A nervous laugh escaped Jeongyeon’s throat. She stared at Momo's chest, trying to rationalize it to herself: Just to make sure she's okay. No problem. I don't have any dirty thoughts.
​Hesitantly, she reached out one hand and touched her chest, her expression shifting into a silly, focused grin. Then, she brought her other hand over to touch the other side.
​"Does it hurt?" Jeongyeon asked softly, looking into Momo's eyes.
​"No," Momo shook her head with a chuckle, amused by how earnest and sweet Jeongyeon was being.
​"Should I put some ointment on it so the marks disappear?" Jeongyeon suggested with a light chuckle.
​At that exact moment, the bedroom door swung open. Sana and Nayeon froze in the doorway, staring in utter shock at Jeongyeon's hands resting directly on Momo's chest.
​"We lost," Nayeon whispered, staring hopelessly. "She's a step—or maybe ten steps—ahead of us."
​The two standing at the door felt entirely invisible, as if Jeongyeon and Momo had retreated into a world of their own. Nayeon knocked sharply on the doorframe to break the spell.
​Jeongyeon snapped out of it, instantly pulling her hands back and standing up. "Excuse me! I just remembered I have to do laundry!" she stammered, rushing past them.
​Nayeon and Sana stood with their mouths agape. They were practically convinced something scandalous had happened, given how frantically Jeongyeon needed to "do laundry."
​"Ah! Jeongyeon, the tray!" Momo called out, grabbing the empty dishes as an excuse to escape the wrath of the angry squirrel and bunny.
​"Oh no, you stay right there," Nayeon commanded, wrapping an arm around Momo’s shoulders and pulling her back onto the bed. "Interrogation time."
​"What actually happened between you two last night?" Nayeon asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
​"I just brought her to her room, took care of her for a bit, and went to sleep," Momo replied, avoiding eye contact.
​"Don't lie to me. I heard your sexy moaning last night!" Nayeon demanded sternly.
​Momo sighed softly. "We were just making out."
​"Just making out?! Yah, you!" Nayeon stood up, her voice rising with a mixture of anger and jealousy.
​"Hold on, Unnie," Sana intervened, catching Nayeon's arm before she could do anything rash.
​"You have no right to be angry with me," Momo said quietly, her tone turning gentle and sad. "I was just trying to comfort her. You know she just got her heart broken... I don't think she believes in love right now. Maybe she's traumatized."
​Momo remembered how, during the night, she had been content just watching Jeongyeon sleep peacefully, until the grey-haired girl had stirred from a bad dream, crying out softly: "Let's not fall in love... I'm afraid."
​Momo had wiped the tears from Jeongyeon's cheeks, whispering to the sleeping girl, "Unfortunately, I've already fallen in love with you."
​Looking up at Nayeon and Sana, Momo offered a small, bittersweet smile, her eyes glimmering with unshed tears. "I don't mind if both of you do the same for her. As long as it makes her feel better, we shouldn't burden her with our crushes. For now, all we can do is try... maybe one day, she'll fall in love with one of us."
​Nayeon's expression softened, her anger melting away. "Okay. I understand," she said with a warm smile. "Let's promise that no matter what happens later, we won't fight over her."
​They linked their pinkies together in a silent pact.
​"What about Mina?" Sana asked softly.
​"Mina..." Nayeon pondered. "I'm not sure if she feels the same way about her as we do."
​"Then we can just let her be," Momo said. "She isn't the type to cause trouble anyway."
​Later that afternoon, Momo, Sana, and Nayeon went out to hang out together. Jeongyeon stayed behind at the dorm to finish her laundry, while Mina—a total homebody—preferred staying in her room playing video games rather than going out.
​By evening, Jeongyeon noticed that Mina still hadn't come out.
​She hasn't even eaten her breakfast yet, Jeongyeon thought, looking at the single sandwich remaining on the dining table.
​"I'm so bored," Jeongyeon muttered, lounging lazily on the couch with her phone. "Maybe playing Mobile Legends with her would be more fun."
​Just then, the door opened, and Mina emerged from her room like she was waking up from hibernation. She walked straight to the kitchen to pour herself a glass of milk.
​Jeongyeon walked over. "Minari, let me play Mobile Legends with you!"
​Mina raised her head, gave Jeongyeon a cold glare, and returned her attention to her milk without saying a word.
​Eh? Her eyes are puffy...
​"Your eyes are so swollen," Jeongyeon said, concern filling her voice. "Did something happen?"
​"You had better not talk to this boring girl," Mina muttered quietly, rolling her eyes as she took a sip of milk.
​"What do you mean? Did I do something wrong?" Jeongyeon asked, her brows furrowing in confusion. Mina ignored her completely.
​It was always hardest to deal with quiet people when they were upset; you never knew how to react when they refused to say a word. What on earth did I do to her? Jeongyeon thought frantically.
​She stared at Mina, who resolutely looked away. Jeongyeon racked her brain, trying to remember if anything had happened while she was drunk.
​"Ah, I get it!" Jeongyeon exclaimed suddenly. "Whatever I said to you last night, I was drunk! Please don't take it personally. I'm really sorry."
​Mina remained silent. Giving up, Jeongyeon turned around to walk away, assuming Mina just needed space.
​"After what you said to me last night," Mina's soft voice stopped her in her tracks, "I realized... I really am a boring person. I—"
​"No, you're not!" Jeongyeon interrupted, turning back to face her directly. "I really enjoy my time with you. I love playing games with you, and I'm so happy to have a dormmate who shares my hobbies.... If I were a guy, I would be so grateful to have a girlfriend like you."
​Mina looked up, her gaze locked with Jeongyeon's. Slowly, a soft smile spread across her face. She lowered her head shyly and turned back toward her room, leaving Jeongyeon standing alone in the kitchen, completely dumbfounded.
​"My stupid mouth..." Jeongyeon facepalmed, mumbling to herself. "It felt like I was confessing to her..."
​Still, seeing that smile meant Mina wasn't angry with her anymore. Jeongyeon found herself smiling like an idiot.
​"Ah! I just remembered I have an exam this week!" She slapped her forehead. "Stop thinking about girls! Study, study!"
​She hurried back to her room, muttering frantically to herself.
​Late that night, the rest of the girls returned to the dorm, bringing back a bag of warm fish cakes for Jeongyeon and Mina. They gathered on the living room floor, showing Mina the new clothes they had bought while snacking together.
​Nayeon walked over to Jeongyeon's room to invite her out.
​"Jeongyeon-ah! We bought fish cakes for you!" she called out, pushing the door open gently.
​She found the grey-haired girl hunched over her desk, completely absorbed in her textbooks.
​"Hmm, good girl," Nayeon murmured affectionately. She stepped inside and set the plate of fish cakes on the desk. "Here, eat up."
​"Thanks," Jeongyeon said without looking up from her book. "Why are you still standing there? Can't you see I'm trying to study?"
​"You're studying for your exams, right?" Nayeon leaned down until her face was level with Jeongyeon's, patting her head like a child. "You can always ask this Noona if you need help with your studies."
​"I don't need help from a Halmeoni (granny)," Jeongyeon smirked.
​"Yah! You said you wanted to call me Noona!" Nayeon pouted playfully.
​"That sounds like the title of a new drama series," Jeongyeon giggled. "'The Pretty Noona Who Taught Me Business Correspondence.'"
​Nayeon burst into laughter, making a frame around her face with her hands and winking. "Well, if you need any help, you know where to find this pretty Noona!"
​"Woah, what an eyesore," Jeongyeon teased, covering her eyes in dramatic horror.
​"Stop lying, I know you love it!" Nayeon slapped her shoulder playfully before leaning in and placing a quick, warm peck on Jeongyeon's cheek.
​Before Jeongyeon could react, Nayeon darted out of the room like a quick little thief.
​Jeongyeon sat frozen, touching her cheek where the kiss had landed, staring blankly at the open door.
​"She completely ruined my concentration..." she whispered, realizing every bit of information she had just memorized had completely vanished from her head.