Chapter Text
After audible yelling was heard from the room, Dior stepped out quickly from the door. Her light brunette hair bouncing along with her movements. Closing it, she let out a sigh. Sliding her back down the door a bit.
"Sounds like things went well," mocked a low voice. Dior looked up from the floor to a slim figure propped on the counter.
"Oh yeah, went great Dodo," she stated cheerily. She shot up from her spot, walking over casually before setting down next to said girl. Dodo sat with her legs crossed, wearing a red and black plaid skirt with a black turtleneck, a matching plaid ribbon tied around her collar. Her brunette hair swept to one side her long arms propping up her head.
Dodo laughed placing a hand over her mouth, attempting to stifle her laughter. She practically screamed diva. Dior and Dodo had been friends since they moved into the dorm.
"What did you do this time?" Dodo questioned. This happened quite a few times. Dior either running or getting kicked out of Yeojoo and Dodo's shared room. Her own being on the bottom floor. Still the sight of Dior upstairs was more common. Dior straightened her grey blazer, squinting in thought.
"Actually, I guess it's what I didn't do this time," Dior stated proudly, sitting up straight,"yup, progress!" Dior stuck both of her thumbs up in triumph, full of energy. Her chest puffed up and her chin held high. She sighed, satisfied. Her eyes in crescents flashing back to just moments ago.
Dodo watched, amused, as the light brunette beside her beamed at her own words. Dodo always admired how positive and unwavering Dior was. People thought she was silly and untamed, and they were right but Dodo thought she was brave. Dior was never afraid to wear her heart on her sleeve and share honestly and shamelessly with the world. When she moved into the dorms she wasn't shy about how she liked girls, specifically a certain shorty.
"What about you Dodo?" questioned Dior.
"Hmm?" Dior's sudden inquiry had brought Dodo out of her thoughts.
"What about you," she restated, "Get lucky at all? Well I guess, any guy get lucky?"
"What? What do you mean?" Dodo asked.
Dior smiled, straightening the ruffles out of her blouse. "Dodo," she said, placing a hand on the other's shoulder," when a man and a woman-"
"OH! No! No,no," interrupted Dodo. " You've got the wrong idea," she ended, red creeping on the tip of her ears as she rolled her eyes. "I don't like anyone." At least not any guys.
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Yeojoo stood in front of the bathroom mirror, examining her reflection. Her fingers trailing on the path of her lips, a rosy blush washing over her pale skin. "Stupid Dior," she thought to herself. Tying her hair up from her face, she splashed her cheeks with cold water. Patting it dry with her towel, she caught her eyes in the mirror. "Dior's a dummy, what's your excuse?" she muttered, shooting a look at herself.
Walking back to her dorm room, Yeojoo spotted Dodo on the couch. Her brown locks half draped over her face, staring down at her phone. "Hi Dodo," she called, waving at the common area. Dodo turned her head towards her nodding back nonchalantly before looking back to her phone. Yeojoo looked underwhelmed, continuing to walk back to her room.
Yeojoo walked into the dorm room. Standing at the door she contemplated whether or not to lock it behind her, ultimately deciding to leave it open. Inside the room there were two beds, adjacent to each other on opposite sides of the room. On Yeojoo's side was a meticulously organised desk and next to it, her tidy closet. On the other side, was Dodo's. Her clothes lay draped on her desk chair, her sheets still untucked from the morning and her notes stacked all in one pile. A site that was common for the two. Yeojoo hung her towel up grabbing a tiny vacuum from the bottom of her bed, inching towards Dodo's side.
Dodo got up from the couch. There was no longer anything interesting on her feed. "Knock, Knock,"
"It's Open!" Yeojoo called.
Dodo walked in and stared at Yeojoo on the floor. She was silent, focused on picking up the tiny bits of lint and crackers on the carpet. "Yeojoo, don't do that. I'll get it myself, I'll buy a Roomba." Yeojoo looked up at her, "That'll just enable your behavior." Dodo frowned, walking over Yeojoo and face planting on her bed. Rolling on to her back she listened to the light whir of the vacuum, staring at the ceiling. Glancing over, she watched Yeojoo at the foot of her bed. She was quietly gliding the vacuum across the carpet, her lips poised and her eyes focused on the task in front of her.
"What?" Yeojoo asked, glancing over at Dodo.
"You look like a maid," Dodo retorted.
Yeojoo gasped, glaring back at her,"Maybe you should hire one."
"Wouldn't that just enable me," Dodo sarcastically replied, grinning to herself.
Yeojoo rolled her eyes, catching a glimpse of to the back of her head. But she couldn't help the smile growing on her face and began to laugh along with her. "Oho, Dodo!" she laughed, hitting Dodo's legs by the bed. "Put your clothes away!"
Dodo sat up giggling still, and walked over to her chair. "Did you eat yet?" she asked. "No, not yet, have you?" Yeojoo inquired.
"Yeah, Dior treated me,"she replied, "celebrating something apparently,"she teased. Yeojoo's face turned to crimson, looking around, trying to busy her thoughts"Oh."
Dodo chuckled to herself, sneaking a glance at Yeojoo's expression.
"I could treat you," said Dodo.
"Hm?" Yeojoo perked up in surprise,"Well you should, for helping you clean." Not what Dodo was expecting.
"Ugh, sure, if you stop with the cleaning tonight." she responded.
"Deal," Yeojoo happily stood up from her spot and walked over to her bed, sliding off her house shoes and grabbing her jacket. Dodo slacking along behind her, locking the door.
"Okay, what do you want?" Dodo asked, turning the key through the lock.
"Chicken,"Yeojoo enthusiastically stated.
Dodo looked over to her. Her eyes were filled with excitement. Dodo rolling her eyes,"Of course."
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The autumn air was cool and crisp. A refreshing scent in the air. A deep blue sky cascading over the city. Yeojoo and Dodo walk side by side, just two steps off of campus. A few street lights already on by the sidewalk. The leaves on the trees already tinted by the colors of fall but still clinging to their branches. On the ground ahead of them lay dry leaves sparsely scattered, gathering by the storm drain. A crisp crunch in their steps as they walked.
"It feels nice," said Yeojoo. Walking next to Dodo she took a deep breath, before exhaling, feeling refreshed as she looked around. Her eyes curving to crescents as she spread her arms.
"Feels cold,"said Dodo. Her hands dug deep in her black jacket. She wore a dampened expression on her face, ready to sit down already.
Yeojoo laughed, "It's cause you're skin and bones!" She poked while laughing at Dodo. Dodo turned around to her frowning unamused.
"Yeah whatever Shortie, call the kettle black,"remarked Dodo.
Yeojoo punched Dodo playfully, laughing. As they walked along the sidewalk, two men came along, walking briskly towards them. When they got closer, their pace suddenly slowed. Dodo watched as the taller man's eyes scanned along Yeojoo's body. Yeojoo watching the other eye Dodo suspiciously. Dodo wrapped her arm around her, bringing Yeojoo closer to her chest. Yeojoo laying her head against her, trying to increase the space between the strangers. Dodo glaring at the two men as they crossed paths. Her eyes were fierce, her grip on Yeojoo's waist growing tighter. Yeojoo ignoring their existence, looking away from them trying not to acknowledge them. After they had passed Dodo chained her arm to Yeojoo's, squeezing her as close to her body as she could, still feeling annoyed.
Dodo looked down in surprise as she felt a warmth engulf her hands. Yeojoo's fingers wrapping around hers before interlocking. A blush spreading across her features as Yeojoo stuffed her hand into her pocket. A lightness seemed to take hold of her body, no thoughts running through her head, not knowing what to do. It felt like she was walking next to a candle flame. A light ember soaking through her skin. Yeojoo chuckled, "You're palms are already sweaty."
Dodo only smiled sheepishly in reply. The both of them walking in silence til they made it to the restaurant. There were still people inside, mostly couples and a group of friends. They sat beside the windows, across from one another. Yeojoo picking out their order.
"You come here a lot Yeojoo?" Dodo asked, surprised at how quick Yeojoo was to decide.
"Mhm, I came a lot last year with some of my friends," Yeojoo replied.
"Ah," Dodo responded,"okay."
"A couple friends," Dodo repeated in her head. Including Dior maybe? A picture flashed in her mind, Yeojoo laughing with a group of her friends, Dior sitting beside her.
Looking around the place, it was well kept and cozy. There were maybe four or five booths in all and two separate tables in the middle. In the booth across from them sat a couple. There was a boy and a girl. They smiled brightly at one another, holding hands and talking casually. 'They seem to fit nicely,' Dodo thought to herself. Yeojoo followed Dodo's eyes to the two. "Thinking of someone?" she asked. Dodo turned back to her, her hand still holding up her chin. Looking at Yeojoo her eyes focused on her lips. Yeojoo noticing, suddenly felt nervous, her face getting warmer. Dodo's hands left her chin and stretched across the table. Reaching for Yeojoo's chin. She looked up to meet Yeojoo's surprised expression. Smiling to herself, she let her thumb glide a bit on her lips. Slowly and painfully, before picking off the loose strand of cheese that hung from the corner of her lips. Pinching it off she popped it into her mouth looking back to Yeojoo.
"No,"she stated flatly.
Yeojoo avoided her eyes, reaching for her bottom lip, a bit embarrassed. Yeojoo cringed at herself, 'What did I think was gonna happen?' No. No, it's just cause it's embarrassing you know. Having food on your face, yeah, that's what it is. Yet she still couldn't look back at Dodo with confidence. The blush she had been trying to hide already creeping to the tip of her ears. Dodo on the other side of the table, smoke practically blowing out of her nose from blowing up her own chimney. Clearing her throat Yeojoo looked around the room, before finally settling on the girl in front of her.
"Dodo, is there someone you like?" she inquired.
Dodo paused. Recalling the conversation she had with Dior. "You-" she paused "What about you?" Very slick Dodo
Yeojoo was taken back a bit. It was a simple question, in theory, but she didn't know what to answer. Her mind first flashed back to Dior but she didn't even know what they were. Yeojoo suddenly felt awkward, very awkward. Her gut retreating into her rib cage, her chest feeling full yet shallow. A nervous wave sweeping her body. Why did she make Dodo buy her dinner. This is weird, she thought to herself. Wait no it's not, why did I think it was weird?!?
Just as Yeojoo opened her mouth to answer the waitress walked over with their order. Great timing.