KALEIDOSCOPE, l. jeonghyeon

✯ SEVEN

Ahram pulled uncomfortably at the dropping neckline of the white tanktop she'd decided to wear, with Yena's persuasion. Her outfit was rather simple for a date, but she figured since it would be dark at the carnival, her outfit wouldn't stand out much anyway.

The tanktop cut at her waist, leaving a sliver of exposed flesh showing above her jeans. She paired the outfit with a tan cardigan that nearly touched her knees and a pair of matching tennis shoes.

Yena had her hair in a half up half down style, her body wrapped delicately in a light pink dress littered with tiny red heart details and a deep pink sweater that covered her hands. She wanted to wear her favorite pair of red heels, but the older talked her out of it since they'd be walking most of the night.

"I'm so nervous," Yena stated with a smile as the pair began walking to the carnival entrance. "But like, the excited type of nervous!"

Ahram couldn't help but giggle at the younger's enthusiasm. She'd helped Yena prepare for dates before, but she'd never seen her this nervous before. Or excited, for that matter.

Taking Yena's hand in hers, Ahram gave it a squeeze and let the jumpy girl pull her through the extravagant entrance. They gave their tickets to the teenager manning the booth and made their way to the heart of the fair.

The friends walked around for a bit on their own, looking at rides and games the carnival had to offer, before Yena let out a loud, long sigh. She faced Ahram and slumped her shoulders. "It's not desperate of me to text him, right?"

Ahram knew who she was talking about without needing a name. She also knew that judging by the pleading look Yena was giving her, that she wasn't going to like that came next.

"Of course not," she rushed out, trying to keep what she knew Yena was going to say next from next. "You should text him! Right now! Here, I'll ever write it out for you..."

Yena flashed her puppy eyes at Ahram, and the older internally screamed. "Not fair. Not fair at all," she grumbled, biting her teeth together to keep her screaming and cursing on the inside.

Ahram angrily scrolled through her contacts as Yena did a happy dance behind her before her thumb landed on the "Chameleon Shit" contact.

It rang only once before he answered, and Ahram could feel herself filling with dread. She could practically hear the smirk in his smug little voice as Jeonghyeon said, "What took you so long?"

✯

"Is that a Rubik's cube?" Ahram asked in annoyed irritation as the two boys walked up to them. Within seconds, Yena had skipped over to Junghyun, taking his hand and pulling him over to the rides she wanted to go on. That left Ahram alone.

With her nemesis.

Biting hard on her cheek, Ahram forced a sickly sweet smile as she looked up at her "date". "So," she began in a voice full of fake ness. "How should we spend this glorious evening, then?"

The pair decided to just walk around after Ahram expressed her distaste for roller coaster rides. Whether or not Jeonghyeon liked them, he, surprisingly, respected her opinion and didn't request any rides for the rest of the night.

However, that didn't stop him from slowing past every carnival game where toys were being given out as prizes. Ahram turned every single one down until they came across one game that made Jeonghyeon's entire face light up.

"Oh, Acorn Head, you've got to let me win that for you." Ahram already had an excuse on the tip of her tongue before she turned and saw what he was pointing at. It was a plushie about the size of Ahram's torso, shaped like a character from Strawberry Shortcake, but with an acorn on her head instead of a strawberry. Ahram's chest clenched pathetically at the sight of it, and her silence was enough for Jeonghyeon to give the operator some cash. 

The game was basketball, something Ahram didn't particularly care about, but it took only one minute if Jeonghyeon missing nearly every shot for the girl's pride to come bursting out.

"Like this, hold the ball like this," she explained in a rather motherly way as she taught Jeonghyeon how to shoot. The operator (a jerk) explained that since it was Jeonghyeon's money being used, he was the only one allowed to play.

A few minutes and lots of dollars later, Jeonghyeon successfully made shot ten hoops. Ahram jumped up when he was declared a winner, a single cheer slipping last her smiling lips before she caught herself and wiped the look of joy from her face.

Her "date", who had seen everything, only grinned playfully as he handed the acorn-hatted stuffed plushie to her. "Here," he said with a not-as-smug smile. "You deserve it."

Taking a breath to cool the blush from her cheeks, Ahram took the plushie and hugged it to her chest. "I definitely do... Thanks."

Jeonghyeon nodded a quick, you're welcome, and pulled his phone out to check the time. "Munjung texted saying Yena wants to go on all the rides, so they'll probably be a while."

Ahram was busy looking at the sky and only hummed in response. She couldn't see many stars due to all the bright lights around the carnival, but her eyes fell to a small patch of field across the street with no lights.

Following her eyes, Jeonghyeon waved a hand in front of the girl's face and flinched back when she glared at him. Before she could snap at him, he opened his mouth and said, "We have a little while until they're ready to leave."

Nodding, Ahram hugged the plushie tighter to her chest and began walking in the direction of the field. Jeonghyeon had to jog to catch up with her.

"Mind if I come with?" He asked, not really taking no for an answer.

She knew this, so Ahram shrugged in response. "Suit yourself."

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wdym it's been almost three months...