Chapter 22: Entangled Desires

Yoo Ji-eun likes girls.

She only realized it since middle school.

With her sociable skills that allow her to be the center of attention anywhere, a thick wallet to back it up, and above all, a stunning appearance… she was a flower.

A flower on the edge of a cliff.

No one knows that she likes girls.

This is because there was no girl who caught her eye.

But recently, she has been intensely captivated by a girl.

Moon I-hyun.

Gray hair, bright eyes, fair skin, and a petite frame.

At first, she was drawn to Moon I-hyun’s appearance.

With movements like a small animal, her body was slender and delicate compared to Ji-eun’s.

If she pushed with force, it felt like she would be overwhelmed by that fragile strength.

Everything hit directly in her strike zone.

Even the self-harm marks seemed to signify her frailty, which only excited Ji-eun more.

Although she looked like a minor, Ji-eun didn’t care.

As long as she found her attractive, societal norms didn’t matter.

And Ji-eun had never failed to get what she wanted until now.

This time, she wanted Moon I-hyun.

She wanted to possess not just her body but her heart as well.

So she made her send selfies and had her call every night to build a bond and keep watch.

As she indulged in her desire for conquest and slowly strategized her approach,

that’s when the moment came.

“Unni.”

Thinking of that word made Ji-eun tense her jaw slightly.

An unsettling feeling kept creeping in.

So she invited her to dinner.

To flaunt her relationship with Moon I-hyun.

To dampen her spirit.

**

Song Chae-hyun stood quietly, waiting for her party.

Her tall stature, long legs, flowing blonde hair, and beautiful face were enough to draw attention, even when she was just standing still.

She wore a crisp white shirt with black pants.

It was a polite outfit, the complete opposite of her usual street fashion.

The reason was that she received an invitation to a buffet restaurant from someone she didn’t know through Moon I-hyun, which included the name and location.

What the heck.

Just looking at it…

It was clearly a very upscale place.

When she checked a blog review, it seemed there was no specified dress code,

but somehow, she felt like she had to maintain a certain level of formality.

Wearing leggings and a jersey there felt a bit inappropriate.

However, she wasn’t just excited.

Looking at the photos of the buffet displayed on the blog, Song Chae-hyun suddenly thought of her younger siblings.

“Is it okay for me to eat something so delicious alone…?”

True to her nature, she felt a slight guilt.

“But who could this person be?”

That question crossed her mind.

“Could they be a long-time friend of I-hyun?”

If they were treating her to such a meal, they must have considerable wealth.

While lost in such thoughts,

familiar-colored hair entered her line of sight.

When she turned to look, there was Moon I-hyun.

Moon I-hyun, after glancing around, brightened up as soon as she found her.

“Unni!”

Running over, Moon I-hyun.

For a moment, Song Chae-hyun wanted to open her arms, but she quickly held them back and walked forward.

She had no way to confirm if that thought of hers was just lewd or not.

“You’re already here?”

“No, I just arrived too.”

“Hehe. That’s a relief.”

Moon I-hyun smiled and looked up at her closely.

At that sight, Song Chae-hyun’s heart raced.

Again, that warmth and touch from that moment surged back.

“Hmm?”

But I-hyun’s outfit was a bit different.

From a distance, she thought it was the one she had bought for her, but it wasn’t.

“Oh, this.”

Moon I-hyun explained as if she sensed her gaze.

“This was bought by that person.”

“Hmm, I see…”

As she spoke, Song Chae-hyun tried to smile.

“But… did it have to be a similar style of clothing?”

“If I-hyun is satisfied, that’s fine, but…”

Feeling slightly uneasy as she looked at it, she finally asked Moon I-hyun.

“I-hyun, did you choose this outfit?”

“No, that person chose it.”

“Then, you didn’t dislike my clothes.”

Upon hearing that, Song Chae-hyun felt a bit relieved.

“…Wait a minute.”

When she looked closely, it wasn’t just an ordinary brand.

“Emelres…?”

One of the top luxury brands.

Moreover, both the shirt and skirt were new arrivals.

“Did they buy that for someone else?”

With a slightly trembling voice, Song Chae-hyun asked,

“I-hyun, what does that person do…?”

Then I-hyun awkwardly smiled and replied,

“I don’t know either…”

As they exchanged such ambiguous conversations, Song Chae-hyun and Moon I-hyun walked to the buffet.

**

“Heh, heh…”

Song Chae-hyun stared blankly at Moon I-hyun.

It had been 30 seconds since they started climbing the hill. I-hyun’s breathing became ragged in real time, and eventually, she struggled enough for it to be noticeable.

Finally, Song Chae-hyun said,

“I-hyun, you should exercise more. Your stamina isn’t great.”

At that, Moon I-hyun shook her head as if to rebel.

“No, that’s not true. I have good stamina.”

Saying this, Moon I-hyun strained to lift her slender legs and managed to overtake Song Chae-hyun head-on.

‘She’s stubborn about strange things…’

Song Chae-hyun thought, laughing to herself inwardly.

… right in front of her was I-hyun’s swaying hips and short skirt.

Looking up from below, she saw her fair, delicate legs in more depth.

Song Chae-hyun stared blankly at it.

Shaking her head vigorously, she surged ahead of Moon I-hyun.

Having dealt with many children throwing tantrums, Song Chae-hyun knew what to do in situations like this.

Don’t help overtly; just provide a tiny bit of support.

Song Chae-hyun reached out her hand in front of Moon I-hyun.

Breathless, Moon I-hyun looked at it.

“Let’s hold hands. I’ll help you.”

Then, Moon I-hyun hesitated as she looked at the hand, but deciding it was okay, she placed her hand on it.

‘As expected. Kids are all the same.’

Song Chae-hyun thought to herself, secretly enjoying the small hand and warm body heat.

**

After walking for several minutes, they arrived at their destination.

Fortunately, there were no more uphill paths, so Moon I-hyun wouldn’t tire out anymore.

Still, Song Chae-hyun didn’t let go of that hand until they arrived.

As they turned the corner,

Moon I-hyun suddenly lifted her head and said,

“Ah, Ji-eun… I mean, unni!”

At that moment, Song Chae-hyun turned her head from I-hyun to look at the person in front of her.

In front of them stood a woman in an elegant dress.

They stared at each other for what felt like an eternity.

A subtle tension filled the air.

Their eyes narrowed slightly.

The person they were supposed to be happy to see, as she was hosting their meal.

But as Song Chae-hyun looked at Yoo Ji-eun, she felt a quiet repulsion,

and as Yoo Ji-eun looked at Song Chae-hyun, she felt an underlying discomfort deep inside.

Although Yoo Ji-eun was about 168 centimeters tall,

Song Chae-hyun was significantly taller.

Yoo Ji-eun wore high heels, bringing her gaze to the same level as Song Chae-hyun.

“Is that her?”

Song Chae-hyun whispered, lowering her head to Moon I-hyun.

“Ah, yes. It’s Yoo Ji-eun… unni.”

Moon I-hyun hurriedly changed her form of address.

In their chat earlier, Yoo Ji-eun had suggested that I-hyun call her unni to avoid misunderstandings.

“Hello, I-hyun.”

“Hello.”

Moreover, it was also her suggestion to speak informally to her.

Yoo Ji-eun stepped closer and looked at I-hyun’s outfit.

“You wore the clothes I bought you?”

“Yes? Yes.”

‘Did she really wear it because I told her to?’

I-hyun thought.

‘She asked me to wear it!’

Even while thinking this, she nodded her head.

Yoo Ji-eun smiled and said,

“Since it’s expensive, you should wear it.”

Yoo Ji-eun glanced at Song Chae-hyun while saying this.

Her slender, curved eyes gazed intently at her.

Song Chae-hyun momentarily froze under that gaze.

‘What’s this?’

What’s with this subtle discomfort?

Thinking briefly about the reason, Song Chae-hyun lowered her head.

“Hello, I’m Song Chae-hyun, I-hyun’s acquaintance.”

“Hello, I’m Yoo Ji-eun. I’m also in the same circle.”

Seeing two tall people bowing their heads, Moon I-hyun thought it was somewhat cool from below.

**

“Wow…”

Song Chae-hyun was genuinely amazed.

She had thought about it while moving the food, but this place wasn’t an ordinary buffet.

High-quality foods like steak, lobster, and sashimi were prominently displayed.

Song Chae-hyun piled her plate high with food and said to Yoo Ji-eun,

“Thank you so much. I’m sorry for eating something like this…”

In response to her gratitude, Yoo Ji-eun answered,

“Hehe, it’s no problem. If you want, I can treat you often. This is a reservation payment, so even if you feel sorry, you can’t pay without my knowledge.”

Ending with a joke, both laughed together.

Moon I-hyun felt somewhat excluded watching them.

It felt like an adult conversation.

‘… I’m an adult mentally too. What is this?’

She thought,

when she suddenly spotted the dessert corner from a distance.

Red velvet cake caught her eye.

Moon I-hyun’s mouth watered.

“I’m going to get that.”

“Are you sure? You might get sick if you start with dessert.”

Song Chae-hyun asked.

“It’s okay. I have a separate stomach for desserts.”

“Hehe, okay.”

Song Chae-hyun affectionately patted Moon I-hyun’s head, who looked happy to receive it, then she walked toward the dessert corner.

As Song Chae-hyun watched Moon I-hyun move away, she suddenly felt a chill.

Turning her gaze to the source,

she found Yoo Ji-eun’s cold eyes staring at her.

“… Is something wrong?”

Song Chae-hyun forced a smile.

At those words, Yoo Ji-eun narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth.

“Did you say your name was Song Chae-hyun?”

“Yes.”

“I’ve heard a lot about you from I-hyun.”

“What did she say?”

“She said you’re a nice unni, that you buy her clothes and food, and that you take her to fun places.”

“Really?”

Song Chae-hyun couldn’t hold back her laughter.

‘When she comes back, I’ll have to pet her a lot.’

Yoo Ji-eun continued with her questions.

“By the way, what kinds of things have you bought for I-hyun?”

“What do you mean?”

“Clothes and food.”

Of course, Yu Ji-eun knows what she ate and what she wore.

‘As for her clothes, I’m not sure; she bought them from a store on the street.’

“Oh,”

“And she had a hamburger and mala soup for her meal.”

“Is that so?”

With that, Yu Ji-eun continued,

“By the way, it seems like I-hyun likes luxury brands. I bought her an Ameles last time, and she liked it so much. Seeing what she wore today, I guess my gift was quite well-received.”

She covered her mouth with her hand and laughed.

“What is this?”

“Is that so?”

Feeling a slight discomfort, Song Chae-hyun forced a smile and said

“When I took I-hyun to a Korean beef omakase, she even shed tears. It was so cute. She probably had never tasted anything that delicious before.”

As she spoke, Yu Ji-eun slightly covered her mouth.

Though it was a subtle reaction, Song Chae-hyun could sense the mockery slipping out from Yu Ji-eun’s partially covered mouth.

At this point, Song Chae-hyun began to realize something.

She stiffened in her seat.

“Ah, this person.”

She recalled the discomfort she felt when they first met and the cold gaze she received when they held hands.

“She’s not just I-hyun’s ‘sister.’”

Though she still wasn’t sure if her feelings for I-hyun were genuine,

being provoked like this was bound to elicit a sense of rejection.

“This person must like I-hyun.”

From her earlier instinct and her current behavior, she felt confident about it.

“They still seem to keep some distance from each other, though.”

“If that’s the case,”

Song Chae-hyun smiled slightly.

At that moment, Moon I-hyun returned with a happy expression, holding a cake in both hands.

“It looks delicious.”

As Moon I-hyun muttered that and tried to sit down,

Song Chae-hyun pulled on Moon I-hyun’s wrist,

making her sit on her lap.

“Ah…!?”

“What…?”

Yu Ji-eun flinched at the sight.

While it might look strange at first, their significant difference in physique made the position seem fitting.

“What are you doing? Let me go.”

Moon I-hyun squirmed, embarrassed.

“Just stay like this, okay?”

“Uh….”

As Song Chae-hyun stroked her hair, she quickly settled down.

Song Chae-hyun cast a quick glance at the flustered Yu Ji-eun before smiling again and raising a spoon towards Moon I-hyun.

“Here, say ‘Ah~.’”

“I-I’m too embarrassed…”

“Don’t be shy. Ah~.”

“Ah, ah…”

Moon I-hyun ate the piece of cake from the spoon.

“Th-that’s enough…”

Yu Ji-eun mumbled softly.

But perhaps she didn’t hear, as Song Chae-hyun smiled at Moon I-hyun and said, “See? Isn’t it delicious?”

“Yes…”

Yu Ji-eun lost her composure.

“I need to get her back here quickly.”

“I-I was thinking about how I gave I-hyun some pocket money last time—”

But, as if on purpose, Song Chae-hyun interrupted her.

“Let’s try this cheesecake too. Open your mouth.”

“Ah, ah…”

This time, Moon I-hyun felt it unnecessary to say “Ah.”

Watching this, Yu Ji-eun clenched her fists under the table.

“This isn’t what I wanted.”

Yu Ji-eun’s desired scene wasn’t this.

She wanted to show off her wealth and put Song Chae-hyun in her place.

She wanted to talk about how she bought more expensive clothes, treated them to meals, and gave them money.

Song Chae-hyun was definitely a lesbian.

Though she didn’t know if she was trying to hide it or what she intended,

Yu Ji-eun could say that much for sure.

But as things didn’t go as planned, she grew angry.

Her face turned red, and she felt somewhat ashamed of her desperate self.

“Excuse me, may I ask where you live?”

“Hey, shall we go shopping together?”

“Let me tell you about my previous overseas trip…”

“Oh, medium steaks are delicious too. Try mine.”

“Ah, ah…”

Her attempts to regain her composure continued to go to waste.

Thus, the meal ended as a feast of hidden rivalry,

with a clear distinction between winner and loser.

**

Before long, the time for parting had come.

Yu Ji-eun slightly bowed her head and said, “I really enjoyed the meal today… I hope to see you again.”

“I really enjoyed it too, unni.”

Moon I-hyun smiled brightly, unaware of her own feelings.

“It was truly delicious.”

And, perhaps it was just her misunderstanding, but Song Chae-hyun wore a victorious smile.

That made Yu Ji-eun feel quite upset.

She gritted her teeth and forced a smile as she said goodbye and walked out.

**

After parting with Yu Ji-eun, on her way back with Song Chae-hyun,

as she thought to herself how delicious it had been,

how Yu Ji-eun was such a great person, and gazed contentedly at the sky,

the sound of a KakaoTalk notification rang twice in succession.

Song Chae-hyun: “I-hyun, don’t get too close to that person. She’s strange.”

Yu Ji-eun: “I-hyun, don’t hang out with her.”

“What the…?”