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It's A Pleasure Meeting You

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It's not like Chaeyoung could do anything other than to roll her eyes in exasperation. Her life's always been cliché, anyway.

(Plus, with the person's arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her to him a little too close for comfort, how the hell could Chaeyoung possibly not?)

"Okay. I am so sorry." She forces a chuckle, shaking her head. She even had to take matters into her own hands and release herself from his hold before looking up at the chuckling ash-haired boy in front of her.

"Did I hurt you somewhere?"
"Are you okay?"

They asked that both at the same time, causing the boy to laugh even more, and Chaeyoung to just scoff amusedly while shrugging in place. "You didn't, no worries."

"And I am okay, thank you for asking." The boy reaches over to offer his hand. "I'm Chanyeol." He introduces, eyes remaining glued on the still slightly surprised blonde's direction.

(It's almost uncomfortable, Ella had to squint her eyes at both of them.)

And so, Chaeyoung had to break eye contact, (she wouldn't be able to come up with a decent response if she didn't anytime soon.) She, instead, reached her hand out as well to take Chanyeol's offered one, mumbling somehow almost inaudibly.

"Rosie." She croaked out. (And maybe she had to clear her throat in order to regain slight confidence in her voice.) "So, uhm, are you from around here, Chanyeol?"

In all honesty, it's quite amusing to see Rosie initiating an actual conversation, yet not being able to look at him in the eyes as she does so.

Chanyeol is amused, (and he doesn't even dare to hide it anymore.) "No, actually. I just flew in yesterday to visit a friend. There's this gala thing he's talking about and he needed a plus one so, here I am." He lifted the bouquet of roses in his grip to show the blonde. "Bought him a little something, too." He joked, the charming boyish grin on his face still not faltering a bit.

It's troubling, mostly on Ella's part, who just remained silent in her spot despite the intended humor in his statement.

And she hated that it actually cracked a rather hearty giggle from her sister.

Glancing up, Ella saw Chaeyoung biting her lip in order to stop herself from smiling even wider than she already is. "I'm sure he's gonna love it." The blonde laughs, looking up to finally meet the smiling boy's gaze.

Meanwhile, the response earned another chuckle from the latter.

"Now, I'm not so sure if that's a real laugh, or you're just simply one of those unbelievably polite strangers who would do anything just as to not leave their first impressions awkward and too painfully cringy to forget." Chanyeol laughs lightly, making Chaeyoung roll her eyes, (still with that, according to Ella, stupid smile on her face.) (She also internally wonders why she couldn't seem to wipe it off. The guy is not even that funny!) "And I'm kidding. These are for his wife, a good friend of mine too." Chaeyoung nods in understanding at the boy's explanation, a soft "Ah," escaping her lips. Chanyeol smiled. "Are you from around here, Rosie?"

"I've been around for a while." Chaeyoung shrugs, almost too comfortable and engrossed in the small talk, she wouldn't have remembered she was with her sister if it wasn't for Ella clearing her throat on purpose. "Oh, and this is my little sister, Ella."

Chanyeol sent the little girl over a friendly smile along with a subtle wave. "Hello, Ella. It's nice to meet you."

"Hi," Ella says almost sounding forced (if Chaeyoung would somehow overthink it.) She ducked her head before mumbling under her breath, "Whatever," in which Chaeyoung, on the other hand, didn't miss, as well.

She glanced at her sister, but the eleven year old just rudely stared down at the pavement with a frown gracing her lips.

"Ella," Chaeyoung warns, but the little girl only releases her grip on the blonde's shirt and took a few steps away.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom."

Chaeyoung sighed. She didn't know what suddenly turned the girl into such mood. Watching for a few seconds the way her sister walks with her shoulders slumped, she hurriedly turned back to the equally confused boy in front of her.

"So sorry about that. I don't know where that came from all of a sudden. I mean, she was just happily skipping around, not even a minute ago—"

However, Chanyeol cuts her off, insisting with a rather reassuring smile, "Oh, no, don't worry. I actually have a little cousin about her age. I completely understand."

Chaeyoung breathes out a sigh of relief at the retort, feeling her smile growing back on. "Thank you." She whispers, tone this time far more genuine, as she made eye contact with the grinning ash-haired boy once again.

Chanyeol just shrugged nonchalantly in return.

"So, I, uhh," Chaeyoung gestured with her finger towards the direction of the movie house where Ella disappeared into, barely stuttering out, "It's probably better if I go after her, you know...?"

Fortunately, Chanyeol seemed to get it instantly, snapping out of his daze. "Yeah, yeah. Sure." He stepped out of the way in order to make some for Chaeyoung to walk in, hand gesturing politely with a fond grin. "It's a pleasure meeting you, Rosie."

Smiling back, Chaeyoung only offered him a thankful nod.

"See you around, Chanyeol."

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"Ella,"

No response. Chaeyoung sighs in defeat. It's almost half the movie and her sister still hasn't said a word.

It kills her. After all, it's Ella's last day of visit in Manhattan, and Chaeyoung knew it'd take them another good month before they see each other again in person.

(Things are a little tough when your little sister lives with another family thousands of miles away.)

And so, Chaeyoung reached out to gently stroke the girl's hair. "Honey, is there something wrong?" She asks, making Ella finally let out a soft sigh.

"It's nothing, unnie."

Chaeyoung hummed. "Do you really think you can hide secrets from me, young lady?" She smiles softly when Ella finally turned to meet her gaze. Chaeyoung tucked a strand of hair behind the little girl's ear. "You know you can tell me anything, right? We're the best of all best friends."

She expected her sister to giggle at the phrase like she usually does, but Ella just frowned, and Chaeyoung couldn't deny a slight sting in her chest.

"Baby–"

"I'm just bummed, unnie, okay? That wasn't what I wished for back at the fountain." Letting out a tired exhale, Ella lifted her gaze up to finally meet Chaeyoung's once again. "I may have wished for a reason for you to smile so widely again, because I've noticed you've been nothing but down since you picked me up this morning. But I didn't mean him!"

Now Chaeyoung feels guilty— and a little bit confused. "What's the matter, sweetie? Chanyeol did grant your wish, though, didn't he?"

"I wasn't thinking of him when I wished for that! I don't like him!"

"Ella, you shouldn't say things like that. That's not nice." Chaeyoung retorts, instead, tone scolding, causing the little girl's face to turn downcasted.

Ella lets out an exasperated sigh, mumbling a soft, "Sorry," before focusing on the movie once again.

Chaeyoung was only left looking for the proper response.

-

She never had the chance to say it, anymore, because she never found the proper response, anyway. Chaeyoung was guilty for not being able to hide her despair from her sister; her, sulking over the whole Jisoo in Vegas with Nayeon situation when she and Ella were supposed to be spending the day together having fun.

Now their day has ended, and she didn't even realize she was already walking the little girl towards the convertible parked at the side of the street, window rolled down, and Ella's foster dad waving towards them as he peeked through the open window of his car.

Chaeyoung smiled at Mr. Gross before leaning down slightly to plant a soft kiss on Ella's hair.

"I'm sorry we fought." She whispers weakly as she sent the young brunette a sad smile.

However, instead of responding with words, Ella just wrapped her arms around Chaeyoung's waist and hugged her tightly.

"I'm sorry too, unnie. I was mean." She buries her face deeper into the blonde's arm before mumbling softly. "I love you, Chaeyoung-unnie."

"I love you, too, baby." Chaeyoung hugs the little girl tighter before kissing her cheek. They pulled away, Chaeyoung smiling sweetly when she looked into her sister's eyes. "I'll see you again in a month, okay?"

But Ella's smile wasn't as sweet. "I'm gonna miss you."

Chaeyoung sighed, not liking the way her heart breaks inside her chest. She still couldn't find herself getting used to them parting once again, and her, feeling guilty for acting so selfish earlier was only making it worse.

She hugged Ella one last time, mumbling in her ear. "Me, too. But I'll call you tonight, okay, my love?" Chaeyoung felt Ella nod against her shoulder, so she pulled away before sending her a rather reassuring smile. "Now, don't make your parents wait too long over there. We don't want you guys missing your flight."

Ella finally smiled back, more genuinely this time. Chaeyoung feels hers growing as well. "Take care, unnie." The girl says, kissing Chaeyoung's cheek and waving as she ran towards the direction of where her parents' car was parked.

Chaeyoung waved back when Mrs. Gross waved at her, as well, through the open window of her husband's side, while Mr. Gross just nodded at her goodbye.

When the convertible disappears completely from her sight, Chaeyoung finally lets her smile fall once again. She swallowed hard, hugging her arms tight when the cold breeze brushed harshly against her skin. She turns around, attempting to walk her way home when suddenly, an old man pushing his hotdog cart came bumping against her side, causing her to lose her balance and stumble multiple steps back.

There were no arms to catch her, this time, (at least Chaeyoung thought there wasn't,) but her back, instead, collided with another person's who was just about to pass by behind her. "Oh— I'm so sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going."

That voice.

Chaeyoung instantly froze in her spot, eyes widening they almost jumped out of their sockets, feeling her heart skip an abrupt beat. She knows exactly whose voice was that.

(She'd long to hear that voice again for over half a year, now.)

And so, Chaeyoung carefully faced her, fear and anticipation snaking around her rapidly beating heart as seconds continued to fly.

She thought there was no worse feeling than that, but the second she met gazes with the brunette she bumped into, scent of spring and lemongrass and Jisoo englufing the very little, remaining space in between their bodies, it was when Chaeyoung felt an even more brutal dropping inside her stomach.

(She immediately learned she was wrong. There was a feeling far more worse than that.)

"Jisoo," The name involuntarily escapes her parted lips, eyes round and wide and kept glued on the equally surprised brunette.

She's here. Chaeyoung blinked, not trusting her own eyes and forcing herself to wake up if ever she was just hallucinating again. But Jisoo was immovable. She was still there.

She's back.

She came back.

Chaeyoung watched Jisoo's eyebrows furrow, bow lips slightly parting at the sight of the frozen blonde in front of her she most certainly didn't expect to see in a ridiculous instant after just flying back to Manhattan.

But Jisoo was quick to snap out of her trance, lips pressing together in a thin line as she sent Chaeyoung a rather easy smile.

"Rosie."

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