It Was Like A Dream

Chapter 10

-Yuna

"Okay, so let me get this straight." I said.

Right now, I was pacing back in forth in my room with Lia sitting on my bed and fidgeting her thumbs together and nibbling on her bottom lip.

"You and Yeji—"

"It wasn't like that! W-We just got caught up in the moment... I think." Lia stuttered.

I placed both my hands on the side of my hips and looked at her. "You think? Girl, how long have you been kissing each other before Chaeryeong and I interrupted?"

The moment I mentioned the scene to her, her face turned red, as if she thought about the moment. She then used her right hand to cover her lips and looked away.

"I...uh, don't know. A-About a f-few minutes... probably..."

I groaned in frustration and smacked myself on the forehead. "You like her, so what's with all the waiting? Don't tell me you're chicken."

"Of course I am!" She said as she covered her face in embarrassment. "H-How the heck do I even say something like that? Especially... t-to someone I...k-kissed."

I gave her a blank look. " 'Hey Yeji! Wanna know something? I actually like the person I kissed before and that person is you. Go out with me.' " I said nonchalantly. "There, simple as that."

Lia shook her head in disbelief. "How do you confess like that? You just sounded like total jackass."

I took out my phone and entered the password. I opened my messages and scrolled to Chaeryeong's number. I typed:

Me: Hey, Chaeryeong. I wanna say something. Do you wanna go on a date with me?^-^.

I pressed 'send' and showed Lia the message. Her eyes widened and she pursed her lips. "Did you really just ask Chaeryeong out?"

I shrugged. "Well, why not?"

As I pulled my phone back it immediately buzzed. Lia moved over to me and found a text message from Chaeryeong replying:

Chae: Aww, sure thing cutie boo. But let's resched. I'm kinda busy this week.

"Wha— that's not how you were supposed to respond, you idiot!" I felt my cheeks flush in embarrassment as I hid my phone in my pocket as Lia rolled on the ground wheezing out her laughter.

"Y-You must've...s-said that a lot to her!" She said in between her breathing and laughing. "N-Now she t-thinks it's a j-joke! Crap, I-I need oxygen."

I angrily sat down on my bed and crossed my arms. "Of course she would think I was kidding. I shouldn't have joked around with her too much. Ugh, this sucks." I said as I groaned and laid on my bed.

I saw Lia sit up on the floor and wiped the corner of her eyes. "Cheer up. At least try to calculate the right time to tell her your feelings." She said as she stood up from the floor. "Let's go get Dairy Queen at the mall. We should ease up with these kinds of complicated fiascos. I doubt we'll solve anything just by sitting here."

Lia made her way to her hand bag and adjusted it on her shoulder. I muttered an "Okay." Before putting on my shoes and leaving the front door.

We had to take a 20 minute walk on the way to the mall, and boy was I glad to be hit with refreshing air conditioner breeze.

Lia and I passed by a few stores before moving to an escalator to carry our bodies to the second floor. We made our way to the food court where there weren't a lot of people in. Nonetheless, there was a line for Dairy Queen.

Lia was on her phone texting someone, but I heard a familiar voice at the front of the line.

"One salted caramel blizzard and one s'mores blizzard please."

I stepped to the side of the line and it was Chaeryeong talking to the cashier. After what I had just texted to her, I didn't know how to deal with her reaction if she sees me now. I need to hide.

I looked left to right, but running away would just give away that I was here. She's definitely gonna call out to me. Why did my hair have to stand out!? I looked back at Lia and she was wearing a black cap.

I snatched it from her head and placed it on my own making sure it covered half of my face.

"What the— hey, give that back. What's wrong with you?" Lia complained. I placed my index finger on my lip and shushed her. Lia muttered a "Weirdo." And I smacked her arm.

I could see Chaeryeong taking two cups of ice cream and walking away. My eyes followed her direction, and saw that she was with a girl.

The girl was surprisingly tall. She looked like she was in her teens despite her height. She was on eye level with Chaeryeong, and smiling and talking to her. She takes one cup of ice cream from Chaeryeong's hand and walks over to our way.

"Lia?"

Oh god.

"Hey, it really is you." Chaeryeong says. I diverted my attention to Lia and was about to grab her arm to run away, but she already waved at Chaeryeong. I immediately looked down as to not draw attention and hope she doesn't recognise me.

"Hey Chae!"

"Wanted to get some Dairy Queen too? I didn't think you were the type to like ice cream so much." Chaeryeong said as she lets out a laugh.

"Are you trying to say that I'm lactose?"

"More or less."

Please don't notice me.

Suddenly a someone bent down to meet my gaze and it was Chaeryeong who had a cheeky grin on her face.

"What're ya looking down for cutie boo?"

"Shut up!" I said as I felt my cheeks heat up by the sound of the nickname. She chuckled and straightened her posture.

"Oh right." Chaeryeong said. "Guys, meet Somi. She's a friend from middle school." Chaeryeong used her free hand to point at the girl she was with and just gave me and Lia a smile. "Somi," Chaeryeong said as she now points to Lia. "This is Lia and," now she points at me. "This is Yuna."

"Hi! Nice to meet some of Chaeryeong's friends. Thanks for taking care of her." She said as she bows slightly in a polite manner.

"Likewise, Somi." Lia replied.

"It's a pleasure." I said, almost like a whisper.

"You make it sound like these two adopted me." Chaeryeong pouts.

"Your parents are gonna need all the help they can get to be able to raise and handle a monster like you." Somi says as she chuckled. Chaeryeong raised her fist at her in an attempt to hit her but she dropped it when Somi flinched.

"Anyway, we gotta split. It was nice to see you both. Catch you guys sometime. Let's go Somi." Chaeryeong then went ahead and Somi followed.

Before both of them could fully walk out of sight, Chaeryeong kept glancing down on Somi. The next thing I knew, she held her cup of ice cream for Somi to hold and she obliged. With Chaeryeong's free hands, bent down at Somi and tied a loose shoe lace. I see Somi tried to pull back her foot in a playful manner, but Chaeryeong tugged at her shoe and tied a knot.

After Chaeryeong stood up, both of them disappeared into the mall.

I felt myself sigh at the scene. I wished I was close to her as Somi and Yeji was. Sure, we text and call sometimes, but not really the kind of closeness I wanted with Chaeryeong. I at least would have liked if she would hit me up randomly to talk about things. I guess I have to step up my game.

"Stop looking like a lost puppy and tell me what you want." Lia said as she faced the cashier with the girl behind the counter looking confused. I could only nod.