Archive of Our Own ^beta

The arrival of Wonhee in their prestigious highschool in Seoul didn't go unnoticed. Granted, it was already around half of the school year, and Wonhee wasn't really the type to blend in the background. Her bulky figure already attracted stares – and then, other details too.

Dodo has been a bit surprised the first time she saw her: Wonhee was tall and had broad shoulder like Hyunwoo. She was more used to slim figures like her own or Minji's, or tiny girls like Yeojoo. It didn't mean that Wonhee wasn't good looking. The white obligatory shirt of their uniform stretched a bit over her chest, and she prefered to wear her skirt at knee-length, not above like most of them, which worked for her. She always wore her black bob with a colorful headband; her short strands would bounce around her smily face at every of her moves.

She was really different from the girls in this school, and despite being a little uncomfortable at first, Dodo noticed the shy and kind gestures of Wonhee, her efforts to exchange with others, and how her smile would light up her face.

When she talked, it was with those intonations you only find in the countryside, making their korean language a bit more melodious, swirling gently like a merry-go-round, if that made sense. Some people found Wonhee's accent bumpkin and hillbilly. Dodo found it adorable and warm, like a blanket her old nanny would put around her shoulder when it was chilly in the living-room, when she was still a child.

Wonhee stood out, not only to Dodo's eyes, but everyone's. However, where Dodo would silently observe Wonhee (it was an habit of her, she called it shyness but others called it snobism and desinterest), others would clearly make fun of her differences. It didn't seem to destabilize Wonhee, which surprised Dodo a lot.

She herself was accustomed to sly comments. Dodo was tall, really thin, liked to wear short skirts to emphasize her legs, and took care of her long hair to make her haircut look wavy and shiny. There wasn't any problem in taking care of her appearance, and she wished others would mind their own business. But her natural bitch rest face, coupled with the fact that her parents were on the really wealthy side and that she had done a few fashion photoshoots, had put her on the list of people others liked to criticize, or to be fake with.

Dodo was too tired to deal with this kind of drama, and had since long opted for keeping by her side her two best friends only, Minji and Yeojoo. It was so much more simple to bear their constant bickering and comments. (Even if it didn't seem like it. At least, they were genuine and spoke their mind without any sugar coating, which was refreshing in this highschool where a lot of things were only façade.)

Where Dodo chose to keep her interactions with others at the strict minimum, Wonhee seemed to crave for human contact, and she participated in class and talked to different persons in the hallway. To Dodo, it didn't look like deep friendships though. However, if that's what Wonhee wanted, she wouldn't judge her preferences, right?

(If Wonhee could, like, say one or two words to Dodo on her own initiative, that would perhaps make Dodo happy. But she never said that, okay?)

(˶◕‿◕˶✿)

“That is like, so cliché,” Minji exclaimed, and then she took a sip of her strawberry milk loudly. If there was an adverb you could add to everything Minji was doing, it was indeed this one: loudly.

“It doesn't seem to faze you,” Yeojoo noticed, scribbling down a chemistry formula.

“Of course it doesn't faze me, I live for cliché stuff, come on,” she puffed. “Remember how Hyunwoo and you became a couple?” she teased, and Yeojoo became red (a mix between the red she arbored when she was angry, and the one when she was embarrassed; all in all, it was still cute).

“What is cliché?” Dodo asked, detaching her stare from her nails (she should change her nail polish brand; the new she had found had pretty colors, but it was already peeling off after two days), and looking at Minji instead.

“The pretty and naive new girl from the countryside arriving in our elitist school full of wolves, with the haughty, cold, well-known and doll-like girl becoming curious about her.”

Dodo raised an eyebrow, then flushed a bit, but however managed to regain back a neutral expression.

“I'm curious about Wonhee? What does make you say that?”

(She genuinely wanted to know, because it was a bit embarrassing that her inner thoughts could be seen. But at the same time, it was her best friend who'd noticed, and Minji knew her well.)

“You don't talk with her, but you always have an eye on her when she's present. It's cute,” she sing-songed, teasing.

Dodo shrugged – awkwardly, but she didn't know what to add. She perhaps wanted to know Wonhee more, but she didn't know how to approach her, and act the right way so they would maybe become friends. It's been too long already she had this kind of thoughts, and her social skills weren't prepared for it.

“Next time, try to talk with her? You know, she looks like she wants to talk with you, too,” Minji commented.

(If that warmed Dodo's chest, no one needed to know.)

“Does she really?”

“Yeah, we talked a bit together the other time. She told me she thinks you're mad at her, because you look so cold, but she doesn't know why you would be like that toward her. She genuinely wants to know you.”

Dodo felt a little bit guilty that she caused this distress to the other girl. It wasn't her intention at all; she didn't even know Wonhee was attentive to the point of noticing her facial expressions.

“I'm not mad at her,” she says.

“Of course you aren't. But maybe you should tell her directly, so she'll be more at ease.”

Dodo hummed and said that she would when the occasion was here.

At her side, Yeojoo had totally neglected her chemistry homework to talk animatedly with Minji instead.

“Have you seen when she does a pout? She's so cute! Can we adopt her?”

“She's not a pet, Minji,” Yeojoo sighed.

“She reminds me of a bunny, though?”

(Dodo got a mental image of Wonhee with a bunny ears headband, and maybe she found it really cute.)

(˶◕‿◕˶✿)

Dodo knew she liked girls pretty quickly. She's been with boys, before – the guys you hold hands with when you're thirteen; those you find cute and athletic, and that Dodo thought looked good next to her; those who made her laugh. There wasn't that much, maybe three, until she realized that kissing them was weird, their inexperience felt gross (she didn't need a tongue to clean her chin, thank you very much), and at first she wondered what was the problem. Boys didn't repel her per se, but week after week, she didn't understand anymore where was all the hype about them.

Then she noticed that she was more flustered around girls. Oh, she didn't fall in love with every girl she talked to, just because she discovered that she was gay. But it's normal to appreciate a high-pitched laugh, or to let her stare linger on a hairstyle that highlights a girl's cute ears. Boys or girls, it doesn't really change anything when it comes to attraction. Dodo knew her preferences, and when she took the time to think deeply about it and to be comfortable in her own skin, she realized it wasn't that much world-changing. She was still Dodo, right?

When she told Yeojoo and Minji, they just both looked at her, a bit surprised, but soon nodded with a big smile. “Okay,” they simply said, and then they hugged her, and Dodo felt a wave of relief wash through her, and she also realized that her best friends' reaction to it was something she'd stressed about, but that went all well. It felt so simple and she felt loved whole-heartedly, which was kind of really good for her mood, with, you know, being a teenager and all.

She'd never dated a girl, though – flirted a bit, outside of school. She wasn't loud about it, either. If one of her classmates suddenly discovered it, she wouldn't deny, because her nature was like that: she knew she wasn't the only one, and even in the kind of society she lived in, she was ready to fight back to live as she wanted. She knew a lot in her case wouldn't react like her, but if she could bear it for reassuring others more scared, she'd gladly do so.

However, she still hadn't talked with Wonhee, and that was becoming a problem. Because she was dying to become closer to her.

Her stillness annoyed Minji and Yeojoo; they knew she was quiet most of the time, but Dodo wasn't supposed to be that shy. Wonhee's smile could be blinding, but Dodo's pining was becoming unbearable, so her two best friends decided to do her a favour. Dodo wasn't at the stage to ask Wonhee to date directly; if they were friends, it was already a good step, and Yeojoo and Minji would let her take care of everything related to the other field. So, they did that first: become Wonhee's friends.

It was easier than they thought: even if Wonhee seemed to talk to several persons in school, she wasn't attached to someone in particular. Minji had already talked with her a few times, and it became usual to invite her for lunch, or to stay with her during break. Soon, Wonhee too began to look out for them, and she timidly engaged conversations so they would be in each other's presence longer. It was surprising to Dodo at first, because why did Wonhee seem shy, when she saw her talking to more people than she herself had in the first half of the year? She then realized that exchanging to make their friendship work was harder and scarier than small talk to pass the time.

“Dodo?”

She hummed and raised her head from her book, to look at Wonhee who had timidly called her name. The overall mood when they only were the both of them at school during break time still was like this: timid. Dodo tried, ok? But she was... surprisingly self-conscious when she was with Wonhee. She knew she should losen up, because Wonhee was clearly making efforts for her, and Yeojoo and Minji nagged her to do the same.

“Do you know this nail polish brand?” Wonhee asked her, showing on her phone a website with colorful nail polish bottles displayed.

“I don't,” Dodo replied, looking more carefully at what she was showing her. “Oh god, they got golden sparkles, I love this one,” she exclaimed.

Dodo heard Wonhee's sweet chuckle, and she tried to hide her red cheeks with her hand by brushing a strand.

“Is it a good brand?” she asked, to focus on something else.

“I heard it is. You told the girls last time that you were searching for new colors, and I thought of you when I found this.”

(That totally did not make Dodo's heart flutter. Wonhee remembered what she said even if it wasn't that much important, and thought of her.)

Wonhee continued, “I honestly don't wear nail polish, because it wasn't convenient anyway when I needed to help my family with work when we still lived in the countryside. I didn't pick up the habit to do my nails here either. Also, my hands aren't pretty enough for it,” she mumbled at the end, putting her hands on her laps under the table after she put her phone down, self-consciously.

“Wha– Wonhee, that's not true, your hands are pretty too,” Dodo reacted right away after the first shock at her friend's words.

“Next to yours, they are pitiful,” she said with a little smile.

“Oh my god, don't say that to me, please.”

Dodo moved so she could take Wonhee's hand in her's (if she felt happy to hold her hand, she didn't show it, because it wasn't the point here). It was a serious situation; Wonhee looked unsure in front of her, and as her friend, she wouldn't let her think that.

“Your hands are bigger than mine, that's a fact. But I don't see it being a problem. You're more muscular than me because you work out a lot, and that's what you like to do, right? So if it's something you enjoy, you should be proud of it,” she said, not looking directly into her eyes, but at her hand, tapoting the end of Wonhee's thumb.

“You don't have to have 'pretty hands', whatever you mean by that appelation, to wear nail polish, it's not a priviledge, nor do you have to wear nail polish if you don't want to. Your hands are pretty. But I think it would look cute if you wear nail polish, too. We can go shopping together and I can do your manicure, if you want,” she got the idea while talking and said it without thinking much more, but she realized it would be great, like, really nice, if the both of them could go out and look at cute stores and maybe she would buy Wonhee a necklace she liked or–

“I would– I'd like that,” Wonhee stuttered with an adorable faint blush.

(That's it, Dodo fell a little bit more.)

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Dodo nodded, and Wonhee too, and they laughed a little, and everything was fine.

“Ok, let's organize that soon, then.”

It's funny, to try to build a friendship. It's a bit awkward, because sometimes you overthink, but at some point you just forget how careful you were and you begin to relax more, to try a joke, to stop being scared of offending someone (the fear is ungrounded), and soon enough you know their favourite drink for lunch and you share one or two embarrassing childhood memories. You trust more and more, and at one point you wonder how you lived before without your new friend.

(Three days later, Minji told Wonhee that she liked her peachy nail polish, and a proud smile bloomed on Dodo's face.)

(˶◕‿◕˶✿)

Dodo learned more about Wonhee as time went by. She was everything she thought she was before being her friend, and it proved how genuine Wonhee was. However, there was one thing that Dodo became aware of, and that she couldn't ignore.

The problem with Wonhee was that she was painfully oblivious. Dodo couldn't stand it at all. Why couldn't Wonhee be aware of what was going on around her? Didn't she hear the students talking? Didn't she see the eyes on her? Wonhee was all about broad shoulders and naive smiles. It seemed like her ears couldn't pick up the (often mean) comments others made about her, or that her eyes couldn't catch the (sometimes) disguted or (god forbid) interested stares on her.

Wonhee was in her little bubble, talking gleefully with Minji or Yeojoo, and Dodo couldn't help but find it so– so– upsetting. It wasn't cute to be so unaware of what was going on around her. Dodo was angry at Wonhee for that, and sometimes, when she wasn't careful, her face arbored a scowl. Did Wonhee really realize where she was, now? It was Seoul, it was the capital of Korea, where trends began and where people always looked at each other and judged because that's what they thought were right. And Wonhee wasn't like that.

Dodo was mad. She was mad that Wonhee smiled at everyone around her, talked to them with a little tilt of her head to show she was carefully listening, helped them when sometimes she was requested for something. No one cared really about her, but she was still trying– with such a pure mind–

Dodo was full of hatred, but not against Wonhee. She hated all those fake people who dared to use Wonhee for their own benefits, who dared to talk bad about her and then act like saints when the bulky girl was there. She didn't like either those who said mean comments with a ton louder than usual so Wonhee would hear them. But Wonhee didn't even understand this ridiculous hate was directed to her, because she was. Painfully. Oblivious.

Dodo was mad, because she didn't know how to make these people stop; and she was also sad, because she didn't know how to protect Wonhee, how to tell her what was on her mind. And she felt so useless.

(˶◕‿◕˶✿)

An unexpected free period allowed the girls to join Hyunwoo, Jooheon and Changkyun in the cafeteria to chat together. Yeojoo sat next to her boyfriend once she saw him, and everyone feigned to not see the way her little hand was gripping Hyunwoo's blazer pocket, while Hyunwoo's arm was nonchalantly put over Yeojoo's chair.

They were having a conversation about how the midterms went; it had been a stressful period for everyone, but the teachers published their grades pretty quickly. Being in a school that pushed the students to do their best, they made sure to display the official rank and results of each student in the main hall. That way, you could know who were the top students, and position yourself.

Without much surprise, all their little group of friends had good results; they didn't brag about it, because they knew they all worked to get those results, and even if one did less than an other, it was irrelevant to them.

Since Wonhee was a new addition to their circle, the day the ranks were out, it was the first time they saw how well she did; and for once, there was someone better than Yeojoo. Wonhee got higher grades than her tiny friend, and when Minji saw it, she didn't wait to tease Yeojoo about it. Yeojoo had whined and Wonhee had blushed, almost apologizing to her friend for being at a higher rank than her, and trying to highlight which subjects Yeojoo did better than her.

(That day, Dodo had felt a weird feeling in her chest; like her lungs changed into floating balloons. It was so endearing and cute to see Wonhee focusing on her friends' success instead of her own wonderful achievements. At the same time, Dodo couldn't help but wonder if Wonhee was aware of all the hard work she had put to get where she was. She didn't want her to belittle what she achieved. Wonhee deserved as much praise as everyone else, even if she didn't ask for it or seemed shy about any compliment. Dodo would tell her every compliment in the whole world, if she was more open about what was going on in her mind.)

“I got admitted into the advanced class for literature,” Wonhee said quietly, during a lull in the conversation.

“Wow, that's impressive!” Jooheon commented.

“Isn't it the class that everyone wants to have in their record to have bigger chances when applying to college?” Changkyun asked.

“It is! I've never got the chance to get into that class, but you got such good results in literature, it's normal the teachers decided to give you this opportunity,” Yeojoo warmly said.

Wonhee blushed and her eyes were too shy to make contact with anyone. She fumbled with her hands on the table – her sleeves were rolled up and it emphasized her arms, strong thanks to the amount of time she was in the gym.

She doesn't know how to take a compliment, Dodo thought. Was it cute or sad? Why couldn't Wonhee be aware and proud of her hard work? Others who did less than her didn't think twice before loudly bragging to anyone. Wonhee was really too shy and insecure about this.

“Hey guys!” a voice disturbed Dodo from her thoughts.

“Hi,” Hyunwoo greeted back.

A guy from Hyunwoo's class, that they all more or less knew – except Wonhee – came to them and took a chair at their table to mingle and have a chat. Dodo barely hid a frown, because he disturbed their little group's conversation, and she prefered to talk with lesser people. Moreover, Wonhee had put her hands on her laps (she often did that when she wasn't at ease), and seemed shy.

“Everyone's talking about the midterms results. I saw you didn't get your usual spot, Yeojoo, it's insane!”

She shrugged, not really interested.

“I still got good ones like usual. It's Wonhee who got a higher rank, she deserves it as much,” she added fondly with a smile.

Wonhee smiled back – her cheeks always seemed pink, and Dodo loved the contrast with her impressive figure.

The guy turned his head toward Wonhee, and scrutinized her without any shame.

“Ah, yeah, Wonhee? You did get high results.”

“I-I got admitted into the literature advanced class,” Wonhee specified, with the beginning of a proud smile.

(If Dodo was happy that Wonhee bragged a bit, she didn't let it show. To her, Wonhee could brag about everything she did if she wanted, and she wouldn't be annoyed, because Wonhee was that sweet and genuine.)

The other raised an eyebrow, and after a pause, he added:

“A lot of people hate you for that, by the way.”

The shy smile that Wonhee had suddenly disappeared and fear tinted her expression.

“W-What?” she stuttered.

Her friends were all dumbfounded by what he dared to say. He didn't seem fazed, nor did it seem like he understood in which mood he put everyone, and went on:

“Yeah, because you're new and suddenly you're that high in our ranks and get that priviledge? Heh, I got nothing personal against you, but I understand them. I would be upset too. Did you know that the teachers refused to put Park Sowon in the advanced literature class because you stole her spot? She's so disgusted.”

“I-I didn't want to steal her spot,” Wonhee quickly stuttered, looking horrified. “Do they really think so?”

The guy nodded.

“I really didn't know it would upset someone, I feel bad... It was never my intention to–”

“Honestly, who the fuck do you think you are, accusing Wonhee like that?” Dodo suddenly spat to the guy's face, interrupting Wonhee in her ramblings that honestly made all of her friends' heart hurt.

Wonhee became silent and looked at Dodo with big round eyes. Dodo bursting like that wasn't usual at all. She kept silent, and assisted to what was unwinding before her.

“Come on, I'm not 'accusing her',” the guy replied, air quoting the words.

“That's totally the fuck you're doing, and don't give me that patronizing stare, oh my god, you little–”

“If your friends wanted Wonhee's spot in this class, they should have worked for it even harder, don't put the fault on someone else, and certainly not Wonhee, for your own failures,” Yeojoo cut Dodo and coldly stated.

The guy frowned.

“Come on, it's not that deep. Stop being all whiny about it and looking down on us because we're not as clever as you are.”

“That's not what we're doing, oh god,” Minji said, “you totally miss the point.”

“Whatever.”

The guy, obviously fed up with the conversation, and lacking good arguments (Dodo's guess), stood up, patted Hyunwoo's shoulder and left them without a word. A few seconds later, everyone at the table began to talk; Yeojoo asked Hyunwoo to kick the guy's ass during their next PE class as a revenge, Minji went on about how little shits there were in this school, and Changkyun and Jooheon mimed to fight the guy.

And Dodo was looking at Wonhee who still stayed silent. She couldn't help but worry about her a lot. The others noticed Wonhee's state quickly too, and didn't wait to reassure her.

“I'm going to find out who said those dumb stuff, don't worry,” Minji told Wonhee, with repressed anger making her voice shake.

“It wouldn't change anything though, it's not like I'd do anything,” Wonhee commented with a little voice.

“But I will do something for sure, so it's okay.”

Minji's words made a little smile bloom on Wonhee's face; it was still tensed though.

“Did it... did it really annoy them that much? I don't even know who it is, and those people surely haven't ever talked to me at all since I arrived here.”

She seemed really shaken up by the fact that people she didn't know could hate her; and in a way, it was understandable. Dodo knew that Wonhee wanted everyone to be at ease around her. Being hated for such a poor reason must make her think that maybe she did something wrong, after all. (Oh god, Dodo was so ready to fight those who put Wonhee in such a sad mood.)

“Wonhee, whatever they are feeling, nothing is your fault,” Dodo began to speak, and she looked intensely in her friend's eyes so she would understand how serious she was, and listen carefully. “Being allowed into that advanced class isn't a priviledge the teacher gave you. You worked hard for achieving what you did, and you're rewarded for that. If those people wanted so bad to get what you had, they should have worked as hard as you. Coming after you like that like spoiled children is so immature of them, I'm honestly happy they didn't get ranks like yours. You deserve every bit of recognition for your work, and you don't listen to them, okay? They are just jealous.”

Wonhee's plump mouth was slightly open, surprised by how long Dodo talked about the issue. It wasn't often Dodo reacted like that, and it made her feel cared for and a little bit giddy (in a good way).

Dodo cleared her throat, a bit embarrassed, and ended her speech by squeezing Wonhee's hand in hers for a few seconds.

“We're here for you, okay?” she smiled at last.

(She wanted to say, I'm here for you, but maybe it was too soon.)

Wonhee smiled back, and said, “Thank you.”

(˶◕‿◕˶✿)

Following the incident that happened to Wonhee, all of her friends were a little bit more attentive to what were said around them. Wonhee never did anything about the comments she sometimes got, as if she didn't know about them. Yeojoo had always found it a bit weird, because she herself was the kind to stand up right away if someone dared to disrespect her. But while the situation made Dodo's blood boil (Yeojoo could read her best friend so easily, and even without knowing her well, it was obvious Dodo cared for Wonhee), she remembered one time she was with Wonhee only, strolling through the school during a break.

It was an insult Yeojoo had heard from someone, petty words thrown through the air to hurt, and the nameless irrespectuous student quickly escaped the scene after letting out what he thought of Wonhee. It wasn't too loud nor was it made to make the whole corridor laugh at it; but Yeojoo did hear it and she had felt anger rise in her.

“Did you hear that fucker? What he said to you?” she told Wonhee with a big frown, as if she could puke – on that bastard's shoes, that would be a good lesson. She was ready to go after him to lecture him (and insult him, too).

Wonhee, who never stopped talking to Yeojoo until then, was surprised to be interrupted, then seemed confused by her friend's words.

“Hm? What? Someone said something?” she asked, looking behind her – but the guy wasn't here anymore, anyway.

Yeojoo's frown deepened.

“Wonhee, are you even aware of your surroundings?”

Wonhee seemed almost ashamed she indeed wasn't.

“I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention. What did he say?” Wonhee asked, and Yeojoo was a bit taken aback because she didn't want to repeat those words, and she also felt awkward that she made a fuss about what happened while Wonhee didn't seem to care. (Everything was a bit hard to understand, because Yeojoo obviously didn't have the same personality as Wonhee. But she was willing to try to understand her.)

Yeojoo opened her mouth, but then closed it and tried to regulate her frown not to make Wonhee feel any discomfort.

“He said... mean things. Useless and false things, anyway. I'm sorry you have to endure that, but some people are just dumb, don't listen to them.”

“Oh.”

Wonhee stayed silent for a few seconds, with a pensive yet intense stare. She was fidgetting a bit – her fingers, way bigger than Yeojoo's, callous but still soft, picked at the end of her shirt, twisting it.

“Well, if I don't hear them, it's like it doesn't exist to me.”

Yeojoo was ready to counter (she didn't want to hear people hating on her friend), but Wonhee was already going back to exactly what they were talking about before they got interrupted. (It was Yeojoo's new cheesecake recipe. Wonhee wanted to know if white chocolate tasted better with strawberries or speculos.)

At that moment, Yeojoo realized something, and she looked at her friend – bigger, taller, but way softer than her.

It's not like Wonhee was dumb and didn't realize people talked about her. She just willingly chose to ignore them and focus on what was important to her.

A warm sensation bloomed in Yeojoo's chest and her throat felt tight, but she acted like she didn't want to cry – no, Yeojoo doesn't cry, she's not soft, she's a tiny bitch and she's a shark.

(But, she was soft for Wonhee, too. Just like Minji, and, of course: Dodo.)

Yeojoo thought of this day again now that someone hurt Wonhee deliberately in front of them, not weighing their words and making Wonhee feel guilty, of all things. Wonhee could ignore all she wanted, and look strong, but Yeojoo's heart still ached when she saw how her friend, when she couldn't ignore it and was in front of harsh comments so bluntly, was clearly hurt by the words. And how it seemed like she thought she deserved those mean feedbacks in a way. It wasn't right.

Yeojoo sighed sadly.

“What's up in your pretty head?” Hyunwoo asked, sitting beside her at his desk in his bedroom. (It was their usual study date in Hyunwoo's house, and it would be lying to say they didn't use this time together to do other stuff, too.)

“I'm worried about Wonhee.”

“With what happened in the cafeteria?”

She nodded, her stare lost on her notebook's front cover.

“I don't really understand her reactions toward a lot of things, but I know that she's uncomfortable or hurting sometimes and it's so sad. She deserves so much more, and I don't know what to do. She doesn't even ask for anything, if she has a problem, and I wish she did.”

“If you're here if something similar happens, don't hesitate to speak up. If Wonhee doesn't like it, she can tell you and explain why. I don't know if you can ask her more for now, though. Maybe she'll open up later. It's not that long we know her, and even if we're fond of her, she has her own pace to trust us, right? Just continue to show you're here and you care for her.”

Yeojoo nodded at her boyfriend's words, and let them sink a bit.

“You know I like it when you talk more?” she teased, to change the subject, because she didn't have anything to add, and because Hyunwoo was usually more quiet.

“Good thing then that I do that when we're the both of us,” he said back, messing with Yeojoo's bangs, and carressing her cheek just after that.

They exchanged a smile – and then ignored their homework, for a good cause.

(˶◕‿◕˶✿)

If Wonhee didn't seem to be concerned by getting hate from others undirectly, it wasn't the same for Dodo. The tall girl was beyond annoyed. It wasn't everyday she heard something, but it was already too much, and her patience was getting thin. She could give bitchy and mad glance at every person she caught saying dumb stuff, but it wasn't enough.

Dodo couldn't calm down about the matter. It was swirling and swirling in her head and that was the only thing she thought of; but it didn't mean that it was a productive process. It was an obsessive thought that made her more and more mad. That went totally nowhere and she was conscious that she had to stop being like this, but it was so hard.

Consequently (and sadly) even if it wasn't logical, the care Dodo had for Wonhee was mixed with anger. And the fact that Wonhee wasn't talking about the whole situation and that Dodo kept everything for herself too made the tension grow between them. (Because Wonhee saw that Dodo was mad about something, but didn't ask her what it was. Dodo knew they weren't friends since that long, but she thought they were close enough to not be scared to ask anything.) It was so weird.

It was another day at school and Dodo has been fidgeting and trying to calm down all day long, without success. She was alone with Wonhee in the empty art room no one ever used around this time, hence why it became a room they often used for their doing their homework. All of their friends had something to do somewhere else, and it was calm.

(Tensed a bit. But nothing Wonhee couldn't ignore.)

Dodo decided that she couldn't stay silent more. Minji had already told her earlier that she should losen up or do something to stop being that tensed like a thong a few sizes too small. (Minji's words, not her's.)

“You need to be careful of what is said around you, Wonhee.”

The comment made Wonhee look at her. Dodo gulped, because she didn't want to have this conversation, but at the same time she felt like it was needed. She was still scared she was the only one to make everything a big deal, but oh well. Anything to stop this tension (that she maybe was the only one creating). Wonhee didn't seem at ease either.

(It was sad. Dodo found it so sad.)

“Why that?” she asked, clearly trying to– to make it seem benign. (It was often like that, with Wonhee. She didn't want to make a fuss about anything. Dodo knew Wonhee had opinions on stuff, and if she could just open up a little bit more–)

“It's not okay that people tell you hurtful things, like that time at the cafeteria.”

“It happened only once...”

“No. In the corridors too. You know people have nothing else to do but search for shits to say. It's not okay, they need to stop.”

Wonhee hummed, but didn't comment further. Dodo felt annoyance bubbling in her stomach.

“Wonhee, are you aware of anything at all? They need to stop shit-talking about you. Seriously, do you listen to them even a bit? They–”

“You said that I shouldn't care because what they say is false anyway, and at the same time now you tell me to listen to them?” Wonhee interrupted her, her grip on her sparkly pen tightening, making her knuckles a bit white. (Her mood had changed drastically. She didn't seem that well, but at least she was speaking.)

“Not– not listen to them!” Dodo replied instantly. “I mean! You should do something about it! It's obvious they are not stopping anytime soon, and you still act like they are not being little pieces of shit. Stop being so fucking nice to those assholes!”

“What's wrong with trying to still be kind?”

Dodo was ready to tear off her long wavy brown strands. Why couldn't Wonhee understand–

“You're really dumb, you know that?” she spat in the heat of the moment.

Dodo regretted it instantely. She saw Wonhee closing up – not like she left the room like a summer storm and slammed the door behind her in anger. Dodo could read Wonhee easily – a lot could, because she couldn't hide her real feelings – but suddenly, the Wonhee in front of her was different. Her eyes, that always glimmered gently, looked cold. Her pouty mouth – not as plump as Dodo's, but looking just as delicious and soft – was closed in a straight line. Dodo couldn't see her lovely cheekbones nor the little wrinkles at the corner of her eyes she always seemed to have because she looked constantly happy.

Wonhee closed herself to her, and Dodo was painfully aware of it. And it hurt.

“Ah, because you think I'm too dumb, you believe their comments don't hurt me?”

Dodo froze. She didn't– she didn't mean– she wasn't aware that Wonhee was hurting like that–

“I'm sorry for dealing with this not with the way you want,” Wonhee said, and her voice was tight. Icy, like the river Dodo remember swimming in a few summers ago. Wonhee told her that she loved swimming in the river by her house, back in her countryside, even if it was cold. When she had told her that, Dodo had wished she would have swum with Wonhee, that the water would have seemed less cold, and more refreshing. (Now it wasn't, though.)

“Wonhee, I didn't–” she tried to make up something, to apologize, anything so the cheerful Wonhee would come back. But maybe she didn't deserve to be blessed by this side of Wonhee, now.

“I will go now. Bye, Dodo.”

She didn't leave like a summer storm, but behind her, it felt like a stormy winter night for Dodo.

(˶◕‿◕˶✿)

“I just wanted to protect her,” Dodo sniffed – but if you asked her, she wasn't crying. That was one thing she had in common with Yeojoo (not wanting to acknowledge they were showing weakness), even if the both of them denied having anything in common.

Dodo was sitting on Yeojoo's desk chair, her long legs against her chest, her chin on her knees and long strands dramatically covering her face. Yeojoo, cross-legged on her bed, rolled her eyes and sighed.

“Well, you did a really bad job at showing it.”

“I didn't need this kind of comment,” Dodo hissed.

“The situation was already kinda tensed and sad, and she was clearly distressed by it and by your own opinion on it, and the only thing you found to say is to tell her she's dumb.”

Dodo groaned sadly for the umpteenth time since she arrived at her best friend's.

“Dodo, the only thing you have to do now is to apologize to her tomorrow.”

“And if she doesn't want to talk to me, or even look at me?” Dodo commented, raising her face painted with fear.

“I don't think Wonhee is the kind to do that. As I know her, I'm sure she's as distressed as you. … Or maybe you crossed a line and she hates you a lot now.”

“Don't say that!” Dodo cried, throwing her arms in the air.

“You'll see tomorrow,” Yeojoo ended the conversation here and ruffled Dodo's hair when she stood up, walking in the direction of the door. “You're staying for dinner? I can make fried shrimps.”

“Yeojoooooo,” Dodo exclaimed to express how in that instant, Yeojoo was the person she loved the most on earth.

(Eating her own weight in shrimps seemed like the best solution for forgetting a bit what a bitch she's been.)

Dodo wasn't the only one distressed over her argument with Wonhee.

Wonhee had spent her own evening going from anger to fear of having lost her friendship with Dodo. Maybe it was an extreme thought, but the fact was that Wonhee hated yelling at her friends, or creating a conflict, or generally being upset at anyone. In that case, she felt bad that she talked so coldly to Dodo, but she had felt so hurt and mad at that moment that she couldn't help herself. She was scared now that she had ruined something.

(Obviously, she had not, because it's also part of a relationship to disagree and argue and make up to grow together. But the feelings were so strong for Wonhee that she could only see the feelings of hurt and anger that they threw at each other.)

Before going to school the next day, Wonhee texted Minji to ask if they could meet up to go to class together. Wonhee felt like she could talk to the girl about what happened, and she would relieve a bit of her stress and get advices, too.

The two girls met at a park nearby, and on their way, Wonhee shyly explained what had her all stressed. Minji nodded at her words at regular intervalls to show she was listening.

“I don't want to be mad at Dodo,” Wonhee explained, “I was hurt... but I really don't know how to deal with a quarrel,” she pouted.

Minji wanted to squish Dodo's cute cheeks, and she didn't question herself twice before doing so. Her friend was adorable.

“First of all, don't feel guilty for telling Dodo how you truly felt. It's important that you can express yourself, and it's okay to be mad, if you try to talk about it later to understand each other's point of view and reconcile. Knowing Dodo, I bet she was blaming herself after your argument. She will listen to you today, if you want to talk. And I'll be here to support you if you're nervous, if you want, of course,” Minji finished with a kind smile. She could be mischievous, but also serious when her friends needed her. (Honestly, she'd tease more if she was talking to Dodo herself, but with Wonhee, there was always this urge to be more soft, to cuddle her and soothe all her worries; Wonhee just had this power over her.)

When they arrived in their classroom, Dodo was already there, sitting at her desk. Hearing people entering, the girl raised her head and it made her wavy locks move around her pretty cheeks. Her eyes widened a bit when she noticed Wonhee, and Wonhee tried to hide a sudden blush. She was uneasy because they left on an argument the day before, and her heart made a little pinch. She looked at Minji, who smiled widely and put her hands on both her shoulders, pushing her in front of Dodo, who bit her plump lower lip in a sign of distress. The two girls exchanged a shy glance, and then looked somewhere else.

“Don't make it too weird either,” Yeojoo commented with a chuckle, from her seat behind Dodo's, “it'll be all good, right?”

Minji nodded at her friend's words, and she went to her own seat to give Dodo and Wonhee a bit of space. The classroom wasn't that full, nor was anyone focused on them, so they still got a bit of intimacy.

“I'm sorry I snapped like that yesterday. The dumb one was obviously me,” Dodo began.

“And I'm sorry I left like that,” Wonhee said back.

“No, I totally get why you did that. I upset you because I couldn't understand what it meant to you, and I'm sorry I didn't think of your point of view better.”

“You still have a point, though... They should stop. But I– I don't really know how to deal with this, so I try to ignore it. It's not the best, I know,” she whispered the last sentence.

It was weird, for Wonhee, to talk openly like that about what she felt and what she thought of some people's attitude. She still felt a bit anxious that she wasn't saying the right words, but they were out now, and it was the truth. Dodo would understand. She snapped the other day, but she wouldn't today, right? She apologized, and listened to her carefully–

“If you're hurting, you can tell me– tell us,” Dodo stuttered.

(Dodo clearly heard Yeojoo's snort at that. That bitch.)

Wonhee got this little laugh she did when she was happy yet a bit embarrassed.

“Yeah. Yeah, I'll do that,” she said.

The smile she then did really made Dodo melt.

At that moment, she knew she was really head over heels for this sweet girl. There wasn't any reason acting oblivious. Even Yeojoo and Minji had understood her. Pretty sure Hyunwoo, Jooheon and Changkyun too. But not Wonhee; surely, Wonhee hadn't caught up on Dodo's affection (read: feelings) for her.

They talked a bit more until the bell rang, and for the rest of the day, they both were internally relieved that there wasn't this cold tension between them anymore. Step by step, facing problems together.

(˶◕‿◕˶✿)

They say highschool life is full of drama. And bitch were they right.

Dodo was barely forgetting her argument with Wonhee that she already got other reasons to question her life all over again. This time, once again, was because of a comment she heard in the corridor. At this pace, you'd begin to believe that it was all highschool life was about: people commenting on stuff during their free time.

Dodo was so sick of it.

The tea here, as Minji called it, wasn't really the comment in itself. The tea was how Dodo reacted, as always.

She looked like a spoiled little kid who had to see his friend being liked by other kids. Dodo didn't want to share Wonhee with some guys, thank you very much. And only one comment about a totally unknown and irrelevant student, a “I'd totally date Wonhee, to be honest, she looks hot yet really sweet”, gave a sour expression to Dodo.

Wonhee was hot and was sweet, but–

“You're such a jealous bitch,” Minji sing-songed, “it's not healthy, sweetheart.”

“What is not healthy is how those guys look at Wonhee,” Dodo replied, still glancing at the one she heard. God, he wasn't even cute. Wonhee deserved the cutest.

“He was talking about her and she's not even there, what kind of stare are you talking about?” Yeojoo asked, puzzled.

Ok, maybe Dodo was petty. She was jealous and threw anything against the guy just to vent.

“I'm sad to tell you that, but Wonhee isn't yours either, and you kinda look at her with smitten eyes, too,” Minji commented.

“It's not the same!”

“Oh come on, I know you, sweetie. I know you'd totally go for being her girlfriend, but do you only think about kisses? We're both 18-year-old girls, if you know what I mean,” Minji added, wriggling her eyebrows, with a smirk and then a wink.

“You are disgusting,” Dodo hissed.

“Not in front of my salad, girls,” Yeojoo sighed.

“We are literaly walking in the hallway? And you're the one with a boyfriend!”

Yeojoo rolled her eyes ostentatiously, “doesn't mean I want to talk about this kind of stuff when we're going to eat soon. We're joining Wonhee at the cafeteria, are you two so brainless that you forgot what we were doing?”

They quickly arrived, not taking too long to buy food, and when they searched for Wonhee, it was easy to spot her waving gently toward them. Dodo's irritation melted right away, and she didn't wait to join her with her tray. She sat in front of her, and put on Wonhee's tray the extra yogurt with grapes that she had bought for her.

“Here, you can eat it for your dessert.”

Wonhee's eyes sparkled – Dodo knew it was her favourite and she was so glad she had surprised her – and she thanked her profusely.

“Taking good care of your girlfriend, I see,” Minji teased, plopping next to Wonhee.

Dodo immediately glared at Minji, mouthing a “are you serious?!” that she hoped Wonhee hadn't noticed; the bulky girl was arboring a blush and looked, panicked, at Minji too, flailing her arms and muttering some “that's not like that!” and “she's just really kind with me!”. She was anormally fidgeting, and seemed to take the joke seriously. If Dodo was even more petty than she usually was, she would be offended that Wonhee denied so strongly being her girlfriend.

“Relax, Wonhee, I was only teasing.”

She stopped to gesticulate and lowered her head with a sheepish smile, her hands on her laps. The girls were looking at her, thoughts making their way and connections in their mind, and to avoid any possible other embarrassment, Wonhee took a huge bite of her ramyeon bowl.

The others acted like nothing had happened; Dodo still poked harshly Minji's tibia to show her displeasure and to prevent her from doing this kind of joke again.

They barely touched their plates when Yeojoo squinted her eyes in direction of the food display.

“Oh my god, Chae Dodo! They refilled their grilled shrimps and chicken! Quick!”

(Because you thought they'd only settle for the salad they took? Nah.)

Wonhee looked with disbelief at them making their way back to the food. They unfortunately had to queue for a bit, but apparently, nothing could stop them for grilled shrimps (Dodo) and grilled chicken (Yeojoo).

Minji laughed, and propped her chin on her hand, turning her head in direction of Wonhee. The girl looked at her, curious, waiting for the other to speak. Minji didn't wait long:

“You're a real phenomena, sweetheart. People here seem like they can't stop talking about you. I was dying to tell this, but I also heard you have some admirers.”

“Heh, do I?” Wonhee said, tracing her glass edge with her fingertip.

“I know you were shaken up by the mean comments lately, Dodo too, but yeah, there're some nice comments too.”

“I didn't know.”

Minji smiled gently. Of course. If Wonhee chose to be oblivious when people said mean comments about her in the hallways, it also meant that she didn't catch when it was more positive remarks – like that guy who found her pretty.

“You really don't catch up a lot of what's said around you, do you?” Minji asked, and it wasn't a blame. An observation. An invitation to talk a bit more, to explain, if Wonhee wanted to.

Wonhee looked at Minji. Her friend made her feel so at ease; Yeojoo and Dodo as well. (Well, maybe Dodo was a challenge a bit harder, but Wonhee had her reason – her heart had its reason.) She felt like she could really talk with Minji.

“It's just... It's maybe dumb, but... Hm...”

She fumbled with her headband.

“I'm pretty shy with what people say around me? And I'm scared to meet eyes with someone. I'm always panicked like, should I smile? I'd like to, but would it be weird? And what will the other think, you know?”

After a pause, she added:

“It happened that I assumed wrong things, and I felt so dumb after that. It was silly stuff, like, thinking that a smile meant more, and literaly creating a whole scenario in my head, to just come back to reality and be bitterly aware that it's not possible. I made myself sad a few times for this kind of foolish stuff, so now I prefer to avoid it by ignoring deliberately what random people say around me. Hence why I look like my head is constently stuck in the clouds.” She chuckled, “ah, I'm weird, right? I don't even understand how I react, sometimes.”

Minji wanted to say, it's okay, it's okay to be scared, we're gonna help you overcome it so you can daydream again if you want, and realize you're worth so much. Her heart ached a bit when listening to Wonhee, who was so bright and sweet but didn't seem to understand how precious she really was. Under her soft appearance, there was so much more. Under each one of her simple smile, each one of her silence, there was a thousand thoughts that no one could really hold onto.

Something laid heavy in Wonhee's chest. It wasn't uncomfortable, per se, but it was still something that she would be glad sharing to alleviate the weight a bit. Something you keep for yourself, that you know you can't say to everyone, but badly want to tell someone, like an itch to talk, but with the uncertainty of what sharing would lead to.

Wonhee could trust Minji, right? She was savage but seemed to have a soft spot for her, right.

“Can I tell you something secret?”

Minji's eyes lighted up with curiosity, and she nodded. Wonhee looked over Dodo and Yeojoo; two more people before their turn for the food.

She inhaled, exhaled, and went closer to Minji. After a little tingling in her stomach, she murmured:

“I like Dodo.”

The tingling continued. Wonhee felt a little bit more light, and happy, even giddy.

“You do?”

“Yes.”

Minji smiled brightly, “that's cute. That's really cute, sweetheart. I'm happy you trust me enough to tell me that.”

“Is that... okay?”

She bit her lips. Minji wasn't the type to say anything rude after this kind of confession, right? Wonhee didn't have any reason to worry. (It was too late, anyway, she had spilled the beans.)

“Of course it's okay!” Minji beamed.

“You won't tell her, right?”

“My lips are zipped, I promise,” and she mimed it by passing her hands over her mouth.

Wonhee chuckled, and when Dodo and Yeojoo came back with their treasure, Wonhee asked if she could taste it. Dodo immediately put a shrimp in her ramyeon bowl with a smile.

(Minji didn't ask anything: she took a bite of Yeojoo's plate, which made the tiny girl scream.)

(˶◕‿◕˶✿)

The following weeks were a bit weird. Dodo had a hard time suppressing how much she was infatuated, Minji couldn't help but tease her friends more even if she never spilled what Wonhee had confessed, and Yeojoo finally got to make the insults about Wonhee stop by giving an example of her many years of martial arts (she didn't hurt anyone, because she wasn't dumb to get detention, but she was threatening enough to prevent other bad words.)

It was a friday afternoon and Dodo was having a usual lesbian breakdown like she used to lately. It was either alone in her room, contemplating her ceiling, or with her friends (minus Wonhee, of course), whining about how perfect the bulky girl was and how she would never find the right way to confess to her.

Hint: Yeojoo was sick of it. Jooheon and Changkyun usually laughed a bit but listened to her complaining and offered a shoulder to cry on.

“Did you see? She's wearing her yellow headband today. It's her cutest one. I'm suffering,” Dodo whined, walking back and forth in the art room.

“You say that like, each time she wears a headband.”

“Not the point. She's beautiful.”

“This is cute and all, but when will you like, tell her directly?”

“So she finds out I like her and never talks to me again? Are you crazy?”

“Dodo, you're being dramatic. There is no way she will stop talking to you.”

“But–”

“Stop. It's becoming unhealthy, and as your friend, I need to tell you to calm down.”

Dodo pouted, standing back to the open door, and sighed.

“I can't wait for Wonhee to finish her apointment so she'll be here and you'll stop saying dumb stuff. It's more fun to see you trying not to melt each time she breathes,” Minji commented with a smirk.

“I swear you like to see me suffering way too much. This is unhealthy.”

A teacher wanted to check on Wonhee to talk about how she adapted to her new school; nothing really alarming. Wonhee followed the classes even better than the majority of the students, had made precious friends, and felt more at ease, now that she wasn't the center of attention anymore. The girls had told her they'd wait to hang out later. That was also the moment Dodo chose to be dramatic.

She couldn't help but let her feelings escape her lips a bit. It felt good to put words on it outloud. To make it more real. She even felt giddy, surprised she was capable of so much affection toward someone. If she could tell Wonhee directly...

“I really can't help myself. Wonhee is so cute and adorable. I like her so much. I'd like to tell her that everyday, how precious she is to me,” Dodo sighed.

Minji and Yeojoo stayed silent after her words. Well, they didn't have to reply to that statement, after all. But it honestly didn't seem like a usual silence between them. She raised an eyebrow and looked at her best friends: Minji looked like she had a hard time suppressing a laugh, and Yeojoo arbored a little smirk. Fishy.

“What is i–”

“Dodo?”

Dodo froze, and a cold sweat ran down her back. Was it... Did she... Why did she suddenly hear Wonhee's voice?

“Well, that will help the situation for sure,” she heard Yeojoo whisper under her breath.

Dodo turned slowly. And here she was, Wonhee, at the entrance of the room, in all her glory, looking at Dodo with the beginning of a blush. Oh god. Oh god. She heard her, right? She heard all of her ramblings? She knew, now. Oh god.

“You know, I'm often oblivious, but when you're the one talking I always listen with extra care,” Wonhee said, and she was standing straight (spoiler: her heart wasn't though) with her hands playing with the hem of her shirt, looking into Dodo's eyes with faux confidence, her cheeks burning a million degrees with how embarrassed and shy she was, yet very sure of herself.

Dodo was speechless, eyes widening and red growing on her cheekbones and her ears, and her heart was also beating faster than before (was she going to die?). Wonhee looked so cute, flustered and sweet, softer than ever, and Dodo wanted to look at her forever and be able to hug her and kiss her and worship her. She's never craved for something so much before.

Their friends, who could read the mood and see the obvious way better than the two blushing girls, almost cooed outloud at the scene before their eyes. But because they knew that this kind of moment needed intimacy, they took their leave quietly. Minji did push Dodo toward Wonhee, though, before disappearing with a wink.

Dodo stumbled a bit and was ready to insult Minji, but when she looked up, her brain melted instead; Wonhee had made a step toward her with her hand mid-air, as if to catch her before she fell on the floor. Damn. Dodo was so in love.

Wonhee scratched her head and let out this little embarrassed giggle that Dodo couldn't have enough of.

“What do... what do we do now?” Wonhee whispered.

“We could hug,” Dodo blurted out, and then she slapped her arm slightly. “I'm sorry,” she added with a wince.

Damn, what kind of lesbian was she. Is that what you call panicked gay?

“I guess we're both really awkward,” Wonhee laughed, and maybe that cured Dodo. “We could talk too? You know, about, hm, us,” she added with this shyness that surfaced here and there when she talked.

“Yeah. Yeah, we can do that. Hm, let's, let's sit down,” Dodo stuttered, and once again she wondered what powers Shin Wonhee had over her.

They sat down on two chairs, and Dodo didn't hug Wonhee, but she took her hand in her's, which, you know, felt really good.

“Did you mean it, what you told them earlier?” Wonhee spoke, after a few silent seconds.

That was the part that scared Dodo a bit; because acknowledging how much you liked someone to that someone made her feel really vulnerable. Like she was giving all of herself and would not be able to fight back if something went wrong. But Wonhee looked so soft, with this cute distressed lopsided smile, her lips trembling a bit as if she tried not to say something she was dying to let out.

“I mean it. I really like you, Wonhee.”

“I like you, too.”

Wonhee looked like an excited puppy who finally got her favourite and long-awaited candy. Her eyes were sparkling, and she bit her lips to prevent her smile to be even wider – she didn't have too, Dodo wanted to see all of it and to be blinded. Dodo felt like her heart had become a balloon which was now floating high in the sky; she felt a bit light-headed, and was smiling a lot, too.

Ah, is this what they call happy ending? Even if it was the beginning of everything. Oh god, someone stop Dodo and her cheesy thoughts.

Dodo didn't think twice: Wonhee was too beautiful in front of her, and she couldn't resist any longer now that she had the right to show how much she liked her. She leaned toward Wonhee (that made her widen her eyes), nuzzled her cheeks (that made her blush), looked one last time at her to be sure (that made her give a soft smile back), and then Dodo kissed Wonhee on her pretty pink and shiny lips.

(That made both of them sigh of happiness, as if they had finally found somewhere to feel at home.)

(˶◕‿◕˶✿)

Wonhee laid on the bed, with her head and shoulders comfortably against several pillows, and she scrolled through her phone while Dodo read at her desk. They often spent a lot of time together in a cozy silence, and enjoyed every little second of it.

Dodo closed and put away her book, before standing up and joining Wonhee on the bed. She smiled at her and teasingly laid almost only on top of her, bringing up the excuse that the bed was too narrow (spoiler: it wasn't, it was a queen size bed because Dodo was, guess what, a queen). It didn't bother Wonhee, though, who put her phone on the nightstand and opened her arms properly so Dodo would cuddle with her.

Ah yeah, finally being together meant a lot of cuddles. Billions of them. Damn, Wonhee liked cuddles.

Dodo sighed of happiness, her nose snuggled in the crook of Wonhee's neck. Her little breathes tickled the girl, who whined, but didn't make much more to avoid it. Their legs tangled, they stayed like that comfortably.

Wonhee stroked Dodo's arm gently with her fingertip, absentmindly. The repetitive move lulled Dodo, and she was ready to take a nap, when Wonhee took her hand in her's, and interlaced their fingers. Then, she raised both their hands, and looked at them. Dodo had done Wonhee's manicure a few days prior, and it was shining softly in several shades of pink. The immobile gesture puzzled Dodo a bit, though, so she asked:

“What are you doing?”

Wonhee made a little pout, brought down their hands, and replied after a few seconds:

“Do we look good together? Aren't I too bulky to be with you who are perfect like a mannequin?”

The comment made Dodo choke on her saliva.

“What the– where do you get this nonsense from?”

Wonhee shrugged, and looked elsewhere, as if she was ashamed and regretted that she explained her mind.

“I'm sorry.”

“Don't apologize, sweetheart. I just want to understand?” Dodo soothed her, and stroked her cheek to ease her. When their eyes met again, Dodo smiled and kissed the tip of her nose.

“You are so thin and tall, you even did some photoshoots. And here I am, with wide shoulders and big arms... Ah, I'm not jealous! I just wanted to say, I don't want people to look at you weirdly if we're seen together, because I look so weird.”

“You don't look weird, sweetheart, you look absolutely gorgeous. Hey, you hit the gym so often because you like it, right? And you work hard for having the body you have. You're so strong. I have noodle arms, while you can carry me bridal style without breaking a sweat. That is so hot.”

Wonhee blushed. Good. Dodo wanted her to know how proud she was of her and that she liked her so very much.

“And I swear, if people look at us in the streets, it's because we're the hottest couple out there. We are perfect together, sweetheart, whatever the shape of our bodies, yeah? I like you for a billion reasons.”

“I like you, too,” Wonhee whispered, and she seemed less distressed, tightening her embrace around Dodo's waist.

Dodo was proud of Wonhee for voicing her insecurity. She wanted to help her so they would both be comfortable and grow together and resolve their problems step by step. Damn, she wanted to do so much for Wonhee. She was so happy they confessed, because her happiness now felt almost surreal, and she felt so blessed.

“By the way,” Dodo commented, “you got awesome boobs, and don't let me talk about your plump ass.”

Wonhee laughed, half embarrassed and half pleased.

(It was always, always like that with Wonhee. Damn, wasn't she the cutest. So endearing.)

“I got an idea. What about we go outside and we create our own little photoshoot? It'd be so much fun!” Dodo exclaimed excitedly.

“Really?”

“Yeah! It's sunny, we could go in the garden. Let's do our make-up together and bless the camera lense.”

Wonhee giggled, and she kissed Dodo, her tongue lazily carressing her plump lips to ask for more.

Ok, yeah, they could kiss first. That was a really good plan.