Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

We find the love unplanned that only fate can know; and underneath a veil of my wide eyes is a heart unafraid to let love inside.

~Godsent by Ben & Ben

Mina is ten years old when they move to Korea, her arms wrapped tight around her stuffed penguin all throughout the plane ride from their home in Japan and in the backseat of the car on their way to their new house. She’s nervous, maybe a bit scared; barely able to make out or understand the words of an entirely new language that’s so different from her own.

There are only a few phrases that she knows – important ones like how she’s going to introduce herself, or things like it’s nice to meet you, how are you, and thank you. For someone as young as her, it’s a lot to take in, having to move away home and leave the friends she’d made and into a place where she doesn’t have family or know anyone else except for her parents.

Are the people nice? Will their neighbors have children who are the same age as her? Will the other kids look at her funny when she fumbles around for the right words to say only to slip back into Japanese in the end?

Mina squeezes her stuffed penguin tighter, fidgets with the tiny arms that flap around when played around with.

Then the car stops, and her mom and dad turn around to smile at her. Mina relaxes a little at the warmth beaming down on her, giving them a small smile of her own in return.

“We’re here,” her dad announces; Mina nods and eases her embrace on her penguin.

She hopes she doesn’t get made fun of for being quiet, either. Sana and Momo never did. Maybe there’ll be someone like Sana and Momo who would be okay with her being quiet.

“Oh, this is a nice neighborhood,” her mom says brightly as they step out of the car, breaking Mina out of her thoughts.

Mina gingerly steps foot on the pavement, the sun shining overhead bathing her in in its warmth. Her dad told her that it’s summer, which Mina is grateful for because she gets cold easily; so, having the sun out would be nice.

Their new house is as big as their old one, maybe even a bit bigger and the same size as the other houses around it. There’s a small garden in the front, with neatly-trimmed bushes and a path that leads to the porch.

Mina wonders if there are tulips here, too, because those were her favorite flowers. She always did like how pretty and bright their colors are.

Her dad talks to the people who are going to help them move in; her mom hums and stretches, smile still on her face; Mina shuffles her feet against the ground and waits in silence.

And then she hears the sound of a door bursting open, startling Mina into snapping her head towards the source of the noise. It’s from the house right next to theirs, and running out the door and onto the sidewalk is a girl her age with round cheeks, pale skin, jet black hair, and a grin so wide it almost takes over her entire face.

“Dahyun-ah! You’re going to bother our new neighbors!” comes a woman’s chiding voice, which Mina thinks is the girl’s mom.

Mina’s face starts to burn when the girl – Dahyun, was it – ignores her mom and instead turns to look at her, eyes bright and filled with excitement as Mina bites down on her lip and shyly meets her gaze.

“I’m sorry about that,” Dahyun’s mom apologizes to Mina’s parents with a deep bow, then tells Dahyun to do the same. “I hope my daughter didn’t startle you.”

“Oh, no, it’s alright,” Mina’s dad waves the apology off with a laugh. “It’s nice that we have someone all up and excited to welcome us, actually,” he adds with a grin that’s directed towards Dahyun which she returns with ease.

Mina’s parents then launch into conversation with Dahyun’s mom; and, barely able to understand anything that they’re saying, Mina awkwardly shuffles around while Dahyun approaches her.

“Hi, I’m Dahyun!”

At the happy greeting, Mina lifts her head from where she’s been staring at the pavement to look at Dahyun. Up close, she can see how pretty Dahyun’s eyes are, and Mina almost giggles at her cute, chubby cheeks. Almost, because she’s still shy and doesn’t want Dahyun to think that she’s weird.

“Hi, I’m Mina…” Mina introduces herself, testing out every syllable to make sure that they come out right. To her relief, Dahyun doesn’t laugh at her broken Korean; if anything, she lights up even more, encouraging Mina to continue speaking. “It’s- it’s nice to meet you, Dahyun.”

It’s the first words she’s spoken to someone else since their plane landed, and Mina is glad that it’s with a girl who looks happy to listen to her, even if she still has a lot of practicing to do.

“It’s nice to meet you, too, Mina,” Dahyun answers, also slowly, but not in a way that makes Mina feel stupid. Mina appreciates that, and a smile of her own breaks across her face to show it. This causes Dahyun to blurt out, “You’re pretty!” which prompts Mina’s grip on her penguin to loosen.

Then, for the first time since she got on that plane, ten-year old Mina giggles, the furious blush burning Dahyun’s cheeks after her outburst tickling her.

“S-sorry,” Dahyun apologizes, sheepish, and bows her head.

Shaking her head, Mina smiles, then whispers, “Thank you,” that causes Dahyun’s eyes going wide.

“Y-you’re welcome.” Dahyun coughs, feet shuffling against the pavement, gaze landing on Mina’s penguin. “That’s cute,” she says, pointing to the stuffed toy. “Does it have a name?”

Mina looks at it, then back at Dahyun, and nods. “His name is Pingu.”

“Ah! Like the one that goes noot noot?”

Smile growing into a grin, Mina nods eagerly. “Yeah! Like that one!”

“I love that show!” Dahyun beams, voice filled with excitement that Mina can’t help but feel herself. She’d been afraid that it would be hard to make new friends, but Dahyun is really nice and Mina can’t wait to tell Momo and Sana about her soon.

Dahyun doesn’t even mind that Mina doesn’t talk as much as she does, and Mina likes that. It’s also really cute, how Dahyun waves her hands around and how she knows not to talk too fast so Mina can catch up with her.

After a while, Dahyun’s mom ushers her away so Mina and her parents could get some rest. Dahyun pouts, but eventually relents and lets her mom push her along, but not before telling Mina that she’ll see her soon with those sparkling eyes and bright grin.

Mina answers with a shy wave of goodbye and a soft ‘see you later’, with the hopes that she and Dahyun could become good friends.

Little does she know that there’s so much more in store for the two of them in the future; or that there are more firsts with Dahyun that await her in their due time.

-----------

The heavenly smell of pancakes being cooked over the pan fills the kitchen of Dahyun’s home when Mina comes over one morning only a week later, after both Dahyun and her mom have invited her to help Mina learn Korean.

With her parents already needed at work and with school still out for the summer, they’d made arrangements with Dahyun’s family for Mina to stay with them during the day so she wouldn’t be left alone at their own house.

Mina is glad for that, because she doesn’t want to go to school without being able to speak in straight sentences yet. Dahyun’s mom is also nice, even going out of her way to make Mina feel at home by also giving her a generous serving of pancakes.

“My mom makes the best pancakes,” Dahyun says proudly as she pours syrup over hers. Mina bites back a laugh at how her cheeks puff out while she chews on her food.

“They’re delicious,” Mina agrees, letting out a happy hum at the buttery taste that melts in her mouth.

“Right?” Dahyun grins, midway through cutting into another piece with her fork.

Even when she’s eating, Dahyun’s bubbly personality doesn’t disappear, making Mina wonder if there was anything that could make her sad. Hopefully there isn’t, because she likes how happy Dahyun is.

Likes how it makes her happy, too, even if Mina doesn’t know much about Dahyun yet.

After they’re finished eating, Mina volunteers to help with the dishes, but Dahyun’s mom waves her off with a smile and tells her to wait in the living room with Dahyun instead. Mina bows in thanks, then follows Dahyun out of the kitchen and into the living room, her eyes widening when she spots the grand piano sitting at the side.

Noticing this, Dahyun suddenly turns shy and ducks her head, to Mina’s surprise. “My dad plays the piano and he’s teaching me how to,” she explains.

“I dance,” tumbles out of Mina’s mouth as an answer, her cheeks flaming up when she realizes what she just said. “I mean- ballet. But I’m also still learning.”

Dahyun blinks, then breaks into a sunny smile that reminds Mina of yellow tulips. “Yeah? That sounds cool!”

Having run out of words to say, Mina can only laugh shyly in response; Dahyun seems to sense this and stops talking, too, then motions for Mina to sit on the couch. While they wait for Dahyun’s mom, Dahyun teaches Mina a few words, even making a few puns using some of them that Mina giggles at.

Because of Dahyun’s jokes and enthusiasm, Mina finds it easy to remember the simple words she’s being taught; she repeats them back to Dahyun until she’s pronouncing them right and until they don’t feel awkward rolling off her tongue anymore.

In the whole day she spends with Dahyun and her mom, Mina starts to gain confidence in her Korean; especially because Dahyun looks and sounds genuinely ecstatic whenever Mina gets a sentence right, even if it’s something simple.

It’s the first time Mina thinks that maybe learning a new language isn’t too bad or too difficult, if someone as patient and encouraging as Dahyun was the one to teach her.

-----------

The closer and closer the time to go to school gets, the more nervous Mina becomes. Unsure how to approach the other kids and make friends with them, she’d always ended up keeping to herself by staying in the corner of the room while busying herself playing with the toys she’d chosen from the shelves.

Until Momo and Sana came to her desk one day, more than happy to simply sit there and talk with Mina. Her silent nature hadn’t bothered them the smallest bit, and Mina feels like she can say the same about Dahyun.

Throughout the days Mina had spent hanging out in Dahyun’s house, she never felt the need to speak too much to try and please Dahyun or match her pace. But when Mina does talk, she talks, and Dahyun is always kind enough to sit still and listen earnestly to everything that Mina says.

At first, the attention made Mina feel shy; but as time passed by and as she became better and better at speaking in Korean, she’s grown to be comfortable enough with the language to not slip into Japanese as often as she did before.

Dahyun’s mom had reassured her by saying that she doesn’t need to learn the more complicated stuff yet, since she’s still so young and has a lot of time to develop her skill. Then, Dahyun had jumped in by saying that she’ll study with Mina, too, and that they’ll become experts at the language together.

Mina hadn’t hesitated to accept the offer, which brought out that bright, sunny grin that Dahyun always seemed to have ready to show her.

They’re currently sitting on the floor inside Dahyun’s bedroom, Mina fidgeting with her pants as she lets her eyes wander across the walls. Displayed above the headboard of Dahyun’s bed is a framed picture of a drawing of flowers in an assortment of colors that Mina likes to imagine are tulips; pushed against one side is her desk with notebooks and pencils and crayons organized neatly on top; the walls are painted a warm shade of yellow that’s close to the color of the sun; and, lastly, there’s Dahyun herself, writing on a piece of paper, lying down on her stomach with her bare feet hanging in the air.

“I’m nervous,” Mina confesses, prompting Dahyun to stop and turn to look at her.

“About school?” Dahyun asks, just asks, not looking at Mina like she’s being silly for being worried over something like this.

“Yeah…” Mina nods; watches as Dahyun moves into a sitting position and grabs a stuffed Charmander from her bed. She then holds it out, smiling for Mina to go ahead and take it.

Hesitantly, Mina takes it from Dahyun’s hands, the soft material instantly soothing her. But maybe not as much as the way Dahyun scoots closer to her.

“He probably isn’t as comfortable as Pingu,” Dahyun starts, and the mention of her stuffed penguin brings a smile to Mina’s face, “but I like hugging him a lot when I get nervous.”

Curiosity brimming in her eyes, Mina raises her head to look at Dahyun. “You get nervous, too?”

Dahyun nods, holding out her hand to pat the Charmander on the head. “I do,” she answers. “It happens when I play the piano for other people, like my aunts and uncles and strangers.”

“Oh,” Mina says in understanding. “It also happens to me when I’m about to show my dance teachers what I practiced.”

Dahyun stops patting the Charmander, and, struck with an idea, Mina wriggles her fingers against its chin like she’s tickling it. To her delight, Dahyun shakes her head around and giggles; Mina then pokes it on the stomach, and Dahyun reacts by clutching her own while making a pained expression.

They both burst out laughing, the sound of Dahyun’s bright, ringing laughter echoing throughout the room filling Mina with joy from the inside out.

Then she remembers that she and Dahyun are going to the same school, and the thought that they might even become classmates makes Mina feel better and less worried.

-----------

Luckily for the two of them, they do end up being classmates; the first thing Dahyun does when she finds out is squeal in excitement and grab Mina’s hands to swing them around, pure glee written all over her face that Mina is quick to mirror.

“Yes! We’re in the same class!” Dahyun exclaims, buzzing with so much energy Mina wonders if she ever gets tired.

“We are,” Mina laughs, relieved that she won’t have to worry about not knowing anyone in her class.

“Dahyun, hey! Over here!”

Dahyun and Mina whip their heads towards the direction of the voice, and, for a moment, Mina is afraid that Dahyun might leave her alone so she can be with her friend. Right. Mina had been so busy enjoying her time with Dahyun over the summer that she forgot to think about the fact that Dahyun has other friends, too.

But Dahyun doesn’t leave; instead, she waits for her friend to approach them, Mina’s hand still firmly grasped in hers like she doesn’t plan on ever letting her go.

Dahyun’s friend is also the same height as her, but has bigger eyes, hair cut short, and a mole found at the corner of her lower lip. Mina resists the urge to shy away, not wanting to leave the comfort of Dahyun’s presence.

“Chaeyoung! Hey!” Dahyun shoots the new girl a huge grin. “What’s up?”

Chaeyoung huffs and pouts. “It’s going to be sooooo boring, Dubs! Why aren’t we classmates?” she whines.

Knowing the feeling of being in a different class from her closest friends, Mina can’t help but feel bad for her. Still, she never did know what to say in this kind of situation, so she chooses to stay silent instead.

“That sucks so bad,” Dahyun agrees with a pout of her own. Mina tries not to think of how cute she is whenever she does that. “But, ah! Chaeng, I want you to meet Mina!” she squeezes Mina’s hands, then glances back at Chaeyoung. “Mina’s our new neighbor that I’ve been telling you about, and Mina,” she tells Mina, “this is Chaeyoung. She also lives near us.”

“So, you’re Mina!” Chaeyoung flashes Mina a grin. Mina tries not to think about how it pales in comparison to the broad, toothy ones Dahyun has. “Hi, I’m Chaeyoung!”

Mina smiles and shyly murmurs, “Hi, I’m Mina… It’s nice to meet you, Chaeyoung.”

“You too!” Chaeyoung chirps. Then, a mischievous glint crosses her eyes.

“Chaeng, don’t you dare!” Dahyun warns her, but it goes ignored when Chaeyoung looks at Mina.

“If Dahyun does something stupid, don’t be surprised. But that’s if she hasn’t yet,” Chaeyoung says, which earns her a forceful smack on the arm from Dahyun. “Ow! Hey!”

“Shut up, Chaeng,” Dahyun grumbles. “And you say that as if you haven’t done your fair share of pretty dumb stuff, too.”

“That’s only because you keep dragging me into it.”

“Excuse me!? What about the time when-“

“Oops, no time to listen, gotta go!” Chaeyoung hurriedly says, leaping out of the way from Dahyun who’s about to come swinging in for another hit. “Bye, Dubs! Bye, Mina!”

And with that, Chaeyoung dashes off, leaving Dahyun to roll her eyes and huff in exasperation. “Sorry about that,” Dahyun apologizes sheepishly. “She can be, er, crazy.”

“Oh, no, it’s okay,” Mina says with a laugh. “I’m pretty used to seeing crazy, too. But why does she call you ‘Dubs’ by the way?”

“Ah, that.” Dahyun flushes, scratching at her cheek. “So, you know how my skin is so pale? Like tofu? That’s where my nickname came from.”

Mina glances down to where their hands are still clasped together and compares how Dahyun’s are milky white to her slightly darker ones. Now that she thinks about it, she doesn’t think she’s ever seen anyone with skin as white as Dahyun’s is, and it makes Dahyun even more unique to Mina.

“So, Dubu then?” Mina asks.

Dahyun laughs and nods. “Yeah, it’s Dubu.”

The sound coaxes out another smile from Mina, and, with her hand still secured in Dahyun’s grasp, they walk to their classroom.

Every now and then, Dahyun squeezes, and Mina shyly squeezes back each time.

-----------

Dahyun lets her choose where she wants to sit, and, for a moment, Mina’s gaze flickers to the lonely chair sitting at the corner of the room. But the urge to walk over to that seat and claim it as her own for the whole year isn’t there; rather, she finds herself wanting to sit somewhere else instead.

She ends up choosing a place near the middle row, Dahyun immediately following her lead by sitting on the one right next to Mina’s. It’s as if there shouldn’t even be a question about it – as if Dahyun would be happy to be wherever Mina wants to.

Even if Mina would choose to be in the corner instead.

“You’re okay here?” Dahyun asks.

Mina touches her desk, looks at the blackboard, then back at Dahyun. She smiles and nods. “I’m okay here.”

At that, Dahyun grins and scoots her chair a little closer to Mina’s. Around them, the other kids talk to and greet each other excitedly, still unaware of Mina’s presence. Mina doesn’t blame them; she’d always been so quiet that only a few people manage to notice her.

Except Dahyun. Mina thinks Dahyun would be able to spot her even when she’s being hidden behind all these other kids.

Soon, their teacher enters the classroom, and the loud chatter immediately dies down. The teacher introduces himself as Mr. Park; then, he calls on each of them for their own introductions afterwards. It’s when her name is called that the other kids finally notice her, their eyes wide and curious as they watch Mina take tentative steps towards the front.

Mina swallows, tries not to focus on the curious stares thrown at her and instead searches for Dahyun’s face. There, amongst the unfamiliar faces looking at her, is Dahyun’s bright, toothy grin, the sight of it helping set Mina at ease.

“Hi,” Mina starts, smiling at the thumbs-up Dahyun shoots at her. “I’m Myoui Mina, and my parents and I moved from Japan. I’ll be in your care from now on…” she then bows, and, face flushed at the kind smile their teacher gives her, Mina murmurs her thanks before stumbling off the platform and back to her own seat.

“You did great,” Dahyun whispers as the next kid nervously stands from his desk.

Cheeks tinged pink, Mina lets out a shy laugh. “Thank you, Dahyun.”

When Dahyun visibly lights up at the mention of her name, Mina thinks it’s becoming her favorite word to say out the many ones she’s learned until now.

They’re eleven when she and Dahyun walk past a flower shop with tulips displayed at the front on their way home, their hands clasped together like they’ve always been for the past year. In that year, they’ve become closer, rarely ever one without the other.

Close enough for Dahyun to notice the way Mina perks up in her own, quiet way when they reach the shop.

“Do you like flowers?” Dahyun asks, when Mina’s steps have started to slow down.

“I- yeah.” Mina looks down at the ground and blushes. “But I love tulips the most. They’re just so pretty and colorful…”

Without letting go of Mina’s hand, Dahyun reaches inside her pockets with her other one, frowning when she comes up empty. “That sucks.”

Confused, Mina tilts her head and asks, “What does?”

“I don’t have money.” Dahyun juts out her lower lip into a huge pout that Mina finds cute.

“Eh?”

“Guess I’ll have to do something else, then,” Dahyun mumbles, which adds to Mina’s confusion.

“Dahyun? What is it?” Mina probes, eyebrows drawn together.

“Ah? No, it’s nothing.” Dahyun grins and shakes her head, but Mina doubts that it’s nothing given the look in Dahyun’s eye. But before Mina can press her for answers, Dahyun starts to walk again, leaving Mina with no choice but to follow her lead.

She gives the tulips one last, longing look, unaware of the plan currently brewing inside of Dahyun’s head.

-----------

Dahyun is late.

Mina frowns at her shoes, wondering where Dahyun is, and if she’s already on her way here at the park where they promised they would meet. It’s weird, because Dahyun is never late. Even if their houses are right next to each other, Dahyun always shows up on Mina’s doorstep at exactly seven thirty in the morning so they can walk to school together.

But today…

Mina checks her watch one more time, her frown deepening when she sees that Dahyun is already fifteen minutes behind. Concern starts to bubble within her – what if something bad happened to Dahyun and she can’t make it?

She’s about to stand up from where she sits on the swing when the sound of familiar, hurried footsteps catches Mina’s ears. “Mina! I’m sorry I’m-“ a breathless Dahyun starts to explain, but is cut off when Mina suddenly bolts upright and lunges at her for a hug. “Minari? What’s wrong?” Dahyun asks worriedly.

Sniffling, Mina hugs Dahyun tighter, voice shaking as she answers, “I thought something bad happened to you. I was so worried, Dahyunnie…”

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. I’m okay.” Dahyun pulls back to show that she’s alright, then quickly hugs Mina again when she sees the wobbling of her lower lip. “I’m sorry I worried you…” she apologizes, patting Mina on the back to try and soothe her.

Comforted by the feeling of being wrapped up in Dahyun’s arms, Mina nods against Dahyun’s shoulder and fists at the back of her shirt. Dahyun continues to rub Mina’s back, until the tears that threaten to fall are kept at bay and until Mina’s grip on her shirt starts to loosen.

It’s the first time Mina thinks that she wouldn’t know what to do if Dahyun were to ever leave her side.

“I won’t be late again next time, I promise,” Dahyun murmurs, the reassurance in her voice prompting Mina to lift her head and look at her. Believing her, Mina nods again, then reluctantly lets go of Dahyun. “I got you something special, by the way.”

With a nervous smile and hopeful eyes, Dahyun shows her hand that she’s been hiding behind her back, Mina gasping in surprise at the yellow tulip that she’s holding. It’s a pretty, happy shade of yellow that reminds Mina of both the sun and Dahyun’s cheerful chirps of ‘good morning’ that greets Mina every morning.  

“So uh, I was late because I helped the auntie that owns the flower shop with watering her plants. Then she gave me this, and I wanted to give it to you because I saw the-“ Dahyun doesn’t get to finish her rambling, having to stop midsentence at the way Mina lights up at the sight of the flower. She blushes, scratches at the back of her neck. “Anyway, I- this is for you, Mina-yah,” Dahyun mumbles, shyly holding the tulip out for Mina to take.

Gently, Mina eases the flower out of Dahyun’s equally careful grasp, the tips of her fingers brushing against the back of Dahyun’s hand as she does. Dahyun shifts her weight onto her right leg, then back onto her left, waiting for Mina’s response.

“I like it,” Mina says, voice soft as she clutches the tulip to her chest. “Thank you, Dahyun-ah…”

Dahyun settles her weight back onto both her feet, her ever-present grin blossoming across her face as she stretches out her hand. Mina sees the color yellow in it, sees and feels the sunshine in the way Dahyun’s grin grows wider when Mina twines their fingers together.

Mina thinks that she loves tulips, but she loves them even more when they’re being held by Dahyun.

For her twelfth birthday, Dahyun receives a bike as a gift from her parents. On the sidewalk connecting their houses together, Mina sits with her legs close together, heart thrumming at the ecstatic laugh Dahyun lets out as she zips back and forth on her bicycle. Her elbows and knees are covered in bandages, protecting the scrapes she got from falling over the first few times she’d been riding.

But Dahyun never let any of that deter her – in fact, they just made her even more determined to learn until she can balance herself without swaying from side to side or tilting over.

It’s one of the many things Mina has come to admire about Dahyun; but more than anything, she likes the way Dahyun glows with joy and pride when she overcomes an obstacle. And when she does, Mina feels like she’s on cloud nine herself.

There’s a funny feeling in her stomach when Dahyun skids to a stop directly in front of her, flushed and breathless from riding back and forth pretty much nonstop for the past half hour or so. The feeling becomes more pronounced when Dahyun hops off her bike and plops down right next to Mina, heaving out a sigh as she leans back on her arms and tilts her head backwards.

Mina shakes it off and reaches for the bottle of water, then offers it to Dahyun. With a hum, Dahyun twists the cap open and takes a long swig, Mina watching the bob of her throat as Dahyun swallows.

“Thanks, Mina.” Dahyun’s eyes crinkle into a smile; Mina purses her lips and nods, taking the bottle back from Dahyun’s grasp and cupping her hands over it.

They fall back into silence, leaving Mina free to wonder what the fluttering in her stomach could mean and why it always happens when Dahyun is around; leaving her to wonder if Dahyun can feel it, too. She runs her thumbs over the label plastered on the bottle, does a little jolt when Dahyun’s knee suddenly bumps against hers.

“Sorry,” Dahyun apologizes, sheepish. Mina just smiles and lets her head fall onto Dahyun’s shoulder. Then, without her being aware of it, Mina’s eyelids flutter to a close, a comfortable kind of warmth settling in her chest when she feels Dahyun’s cheek squish against the top of her head.

Like always, their hands find their way to each other, but this time, it’s Mina who guides them to her lap. The past two years have flown by so fast, and Mina thinks it might be because she’s been having a lot of fun with Dahyun.

It’s hard not to when Dahyun has a way of making everything they do together enjoyable, the excitement sparkling in her eyes contagious and near-impossible to say no to. Had it not been for Dahyun, Mina would have kept to herself in her room day after day, wishing she could go back home and be with Sana and Momo again.

If not for Dahyun, she would have gone back to being that shy, quiet girl who stayed in the corner of the classroom; left confused and uneasy dealing with an entirely different environment without knowing how to adjust to her new life.

But Dahyun made those two years a whole lot easier and much more bearable, the comforting weight of her touch easing the homesickness Mina had been going through.

“We should go biking around sometime,” Dahyun says, breaking the silence.

Mina raises her head and gives Dahyun a confused look. “I don’t have a bike, though?”

“Yeah, so I was thinking that maybe you could stand at the back while I pedal?” Dahyun suggests thoughtfully.

“Is… is that even allowed?” Mina asks, uncertain.

“Technically, no,” Dahyun answers with a grin. “Not out on the streets outside, at least. But there should be no problem if it’s just around the neighborhood.”

Something about the way Dahyun looks at her pushes the doubt away from Mina’s head, replaced with the trust that she’s been holding onto for Dahyun since the day they first met.

It’s that trust that Dahyun would keep her safe that has Mina agreeing with a soft smile and a whispered, “Okay.”

The excitement it sparks in Dahyun’s eyes fills Mina with that same fluttering feeling moments ago, only, it starts to spread within her chest as well.

Tulips are pretty, but Mina thinks the joy and laughter etched in Dahyun’s eyes are a lot prettier.

-----------

Dahyun’s laughter and Mina’s giggles are swept along by the pleasantly cool breeze, their hair flowing about in the wind as Dahyun starts to pedal a little faster. With her hands on Dahyun’s shoulders, Mina looks ahead, focused on the blur of the trees and flowers and the sound of the wheels spinning around and gliding smoothly against the pavement.

“How are you feeling?” Dahyun says loudly, her voice resounding in the open air around them.

“I feel great!” Mina laughs.

“Yeah? It’s really awesome, huh!?”

“It is!”

They pass by a group of children playing on the sidewalk, whose eyes grow wide with wonder as they follow Dahyun and Mina with their gaze. Dahyun greets everyone she sees, and Mina doesn’t need to see her face to know that she must be grinning from ear-to-ear right now.

Mina feels so light, feels like she’s soaring in the air and flying amongst the clouds littering the sky so blue above them.

It’s almost like she’s five again, sitting on the swings for the first time, her feet kicking off the ground as her dad gives her a firm push that sends her rocketing high up in one rush.

And Dahyun’s whoops and cheers only brings Mina to even greater heights – greater than if she didn’t have Dahyun by her side.

They’re thirteen when it occurs to Mina that she hasn’t ever seen Dahyun get mad. She’s been so used to seeing Dahyun so light on her feet with the sunlight in her eyes never fading, even when the sun has already long set and the sky has turned dark that Mina didn’t think Dahyun was capable of being angry.

At least not until now.

Sitting alone on the park bench with a book on her lap, Mina looks up at the boy that had approached her while she was reading. “I’m sorry, can I help you?”

The boy sneers. “You could if you spoke louder.”

Mina fights off the urge to flinch at the hostility in his tone, her hands coming to fidget with the hem of her shirt. No one has ever made fun of her for having a soft voice, this being the first time for it to happen in her entire life, leaving her unable to find the words to respond with.

“Or maybe-“ at the sound of Dahyun’s voice and heavy footfalls, Mina stops worrying her lower lip, relief beginning to course through her, “-you could have your ears checked because I can hear her just fine.”

When Mina glances up again, it’s to find Dahyun standing in front of her, back straight and shoulders squared in defiance as she gives the boy a long, hard stare. Not wanting things to take a turn for the worse, Mina reaches out to curl her fingers around Dahyun’s wrist in hopes that it would calm her down.

“Dahyun-ah…” she coaxes, afraid of Dahyun getting hurt because of her.

Dahyun starts to relax, but it only lasts for a second because the boy starts to retort, “My ears don’t have any problems, it’s your friend over here who-“

Before the boy can finish his sentence, Dahyun grits her teeth and, with a strength Mina never knew she had, decks him straight in the jaw. The force of the punch causes him to stagger back; and, though at least a head taller than Dahyun is, he backs away when Dahyun takes a threatening step forward.

Shocked at the turn of events, Mina freezes in place, her book sliding off her lap and onto the ground with a resounding thud.

“Go away and leave her alone. Now,” Dahyun growls, which sends him scampering away without another word.

It’s only when he disappears that Dahyun deflates and turns around, a deep frown Mina isn’t used to seeing etched on her face. Her gaze drops to where Dahyun is cradling her knuckles, fear and worry flooding her at the thought that Dahyun had gotten hurt – could have gotten much more hurt.

Because of her.

Slowly, Mina reaches out to gently pry Dahyun’s uninjured hand away from her fist, stomach plummeting at the sight that greets her. Against the paleness of Dahyun’s skin, small bruises blossom across her knuckles, the deep purple color popping out and impossible to miss.

As tenderly as she can, Mina runs her thumb along the wounds, ears picking up on the low hiss of pain that slips past Dahyun’s lips. Then, picking her book up off the ground and tucking it underneath her arm, Mina takes Dahyun’s uninjured hand and starts leading her away from the park.

“Wh- Mina? Where are we going?” Dahyun asks, confused.

Mina pauses to glance at Dahyun, voice soft as she answers, “I’m not letting you walk around without taking care of your hand first.”

She feels Dahyun soften at that, and, with a croaked, “Okay…” she lets Mina continue to pull her along.

The entire time, Mina doesn’t loosen her grip, not even in the slightest.

-----------

After taking their first-aid kit that’s mounted on their bathroom wall, Mina makes her way back to her room and finds Dahyun perched on the edge of her bed, her injured hand gingerly paced above her knee. Fighting off the wave of guilt that threatens to crash over her, Mina pads inside, her footsteps quiet against the wooden floorboards.

She pulls her chair away from her desk and positions it in front of Dahyun, then sits down. Neither of them says a word, Dahyun watching in silence as Mina opens the first-aid kit and takes out the bag of cotton balls and a bottle of disinfectant.

Then, as Mina pours some of the disinfectant onto the cotton ball, Dahyun breaks the silence. “It’s not your fault, Mina... you didn’t do anything wrong. He was being a jerk for no good reason.”

Mina sucks in her lower lip, voice strained and barely above a whisper as she answers, “Still, you could have gotten hurt more than you did. What if he fought back instead of running away, Dahyun-ah?”

“Then I would’ve kicked him where it really hurts,” Dahyun mutters. She then heaves out a sigh and runs a hand through her hair in frustration. “I just- I couldn’t stand how he made it sound like there’s something wrong with the way you talk.”

Silence falls between them again; Mina reaches out for Dahyun’s wounded hand and carefully dabs the cotton over her wounded knuckles. Dahyun winces, but makes no move to pull away from Mina’s gentle grasp.

“But I like the way you speak, Minari…”

At the softly-spoken confession, Mina raises her head, heart thumping against her chest when she finds Dahyun looking at her in that way. The kind that makes Mina feel like Dahyun can see right through her; like there was a promise she’d made the moment their eyes first met back when they were only ten without her being aware of it.

Unsure how to respond, Mina simply sits there, watching the early afternoon sunlight spill through the windows and onto Dahyun in a way that gives her a golden glow. Dahyun scratches at the back of her neck, her gaze dropping to where Mina shields her bruised knuckles with her palm.

Mina ducks her head to hide the growing blush in her cheeks. “Dahyun-ah…”

The quiet chuckle Dahyun breathes out only makes it worse. “Minari…”

Mina tries to fight off the smile that tugs on her lips, she really does, but the way Dahyun wriggles her fingertips against her palm only turns it into a round of giggles.

“Yes! She’s smiling again!” Dahyun declares triumphantly as she pumps a fist into the air, the pure glee in her voice making it sound like she’d just finished solving a complicated math problem.

Mina gives Dahyun’s shoulders a playful shove and mumbles, “Not fair, you tickled me.”

“But it worked, didn’t it?” Dahyun grins.

Mina shakes her head and laughs. “Okay, fine, it did.” Then, she continues dabbing at Dahyun’s cuts. “And-“ she pauses, peering at Dahyun through her lashes. “Thank you for protecting me, Dahyun-ah, but please promise me you won’t do anything reckless like that again…”

Sucking in a breath, Dahyun nods. “Okay,” she murmurs, looking straight into Mina’s eyes. “I promise, Minari.”

Mina tries to ignore the fluttering in her chest at the way Dahyun says her name; at the steady way Dahyun holds her gaze.

They’re thirteen years old when Mina realizes that her hands are meant to take care of Dahyun, too.

Much like the way Dahyun’s hands have kept her safe and at ease all this time.

At fourteen, Mina is chosen to have a solo part for a recital at one of the smaller theaters’ production. So, every day after school, she heads straight to the studio for rehearsals; meaning that she and Dahyun have rarely gotten to walk home together for the past few weeks.

But it’s okay, because every time Mina hops off the car and onto the pavement that leads to her house, Dahyun is always there - always waiting for her to arrive. Mina tells Dahyun that she doesn’t have to, but Dahyun is stubborn and Mina doesn’t really mean it anyway, so here they are.

Despite being tired and sore from practice, Mina perks up when they round the corner to their street and finds Dahyun standing at the same spot where she waits, hands in her pockets and her windswept hair sticking out in different places.

Then, when her dad pulls the car to a stop, Mina flings the door open and almost stumbles on her way out. She’s quick to right herself, and, at the sound of her footsteps, Dahyun’s head snaps towards her, a lopsided grin breaking across her face as her eyes lock onto Mina’s.

It gives Mina a warm, fluttering feeling in her chest that only intensifies when Dahyun meets her halfway.

“Hey,” Dahyun greets, cheeks flushed a bright pink from the cold air that surrounds them. Feeling playful and chilly herself, Mina smiles, removes her hands from her coat pockets to squish them against Dahyun’s cheeks. “Wh- Minari! Your hands are cold!” Dahyun protests with a laugh that rings loud and clear.

Mina giggles at the pout that forms on Dahyun’s lips, then lets go of her face. “Hello, Dahyun-ah.”

“Well, that was definitely one way to say hello,” Dahyun deadpans.

Before Mina can respond, her dad walks up to them and grins at Dahyun. “Dahyun, why don’t you come inside for a bit?”

Dahyun opens her mouth, clearly about to decline the offer until Mina juts out her lower lip. “I- okay. Thank you, uncle,” Dahyun answers with a bow, then follows Mina and her dad inside the house.

“Honey, we’re home!” Mina’s dad announces as they step inside.

From the kitchen, Mina’s mom appears to greet them with a warm smile. “Honey, Mina, welcome back! Dahyun-ah, it’s good to see you here, too!”

Smiling in return, Dahyun answers, “Ah, you too, auntie! Thank you for having me.”

“It’s always nice to have you with us,” Mina’s mom says, reaching out to give Dahyun an affectionate squeeze on the shoulders. “I made hot chocolate for you and Mina, by the way. Go and enjoy it together – my husband and I will just be upstairs.”

Mina’s parents then leave them be, while she and Dahyun shuffle towards the kitchen where they find two freshly-made mugs of hot chocolate sitting on the table. There, they sit across each other, Mina cupping her hands over the mug to warm herself up.

Her eyes widen in surprise, however, when Dahyun reaches out to cover her hands in her own. Then, grinning that crooked grin of hers still somehow manages to shine despite the faint glow of the kitchen lights, Dahyun asks, “How’s this? Toasty?”

Releasing a steady exhale, Mina nods, tries not to think about how the weight of Dahyun’s touch is the one that’s keeping her warm instead of the heat that radiates across the sides of the mug and onto the tips of her fingers.

It isn’t a secret that she gets cold easily, but what is a secret is that having Dahyun near her makes Mina feel warm just as quickly. She doesn’t understand how or why, but it happens all the time.

And Mina finds that it’s Dahyun who can bring that kind of reassuring warmth – only Dahyun and no one else.

Just Dahyun. Always Dahyun.

Mina takes a sip of her hot chocolate, the hint of pink dusting Dahyun’s round cheeks from the earlier cold and the happy crinkle of her eyes making Mina feel fuzzy all over. Looking at Dahyun is like gazing up at the stars, Mina thinks, bright in all the soft ways that illuminates everything around her.

It’s a realization that doesn’t come across as a surprise – Dahyun always did have a way of chasing the clouds away after the rain with nothing more than a smile of her eyes.

And it’s with that smile, along with the touch of her hand that gives Mina warmth in the coldest of days.

Just like always.

-----------

Her last day of rehearsals ends early so she can have time to rest in preparation for the concert, and to say that Mina is surprised when she finds Dahyun waiting outside the theater instead of at home is an understatement.

“D-Dahyun-ah?” Mina exhales, too stunned to be able to say anything else.

Dahyun lets out a sheepish laugh and scratches at her cheek. “Hey there. I remember you said your practice was ending early today, so I decided to come instead of waiting in front of your house.”

“B-but how did you get here?” Mina asks, wide-eyed and in absolute awe that Dahyun would go to such lengths to see her.

Shrugging, Dahyun answers, “I rode my bike.”

Mina gapes. “Y-you what??? Dahyun, that’s-“

“Whoa, relax!” Dahyun bursts out into laughter, a teasing glint in her eyes that causes Mina to blush furiously. “I was just kidding. I took the bus.”

“O-oh.” Embarrassed, Mina shuffles her feet against the ground. Dahyun chuckles and steps closer. “I- you didn’t have to, though…” she pushes her tongue against the inside of her cheek. “It’s already more than enough that you wait for me outside of our house everyday…”

“Yeah, but I wanted to. Plus…” At the sound of the rustling of a plastic bag, Mina looks up to find a small carton of strawberry-flavored yogurt milk being waved around in front of her. Mina gasps, much to Dahyun’s delight. “You wanted to try this one, right? I got it from the convenience store around the block.”

“I- but- you shouldn’t have-“ Mina stammers in protest, but Dahyun isn’t having any of it.

“You must be thirsty from practice, right?” Dahyun continues, ignoring Mina’s half-hearted objections as she inserts the straw through the seal. “The cashier also said this drink is good too, so I thought it would be nice if you had some.” She offers the drink to Mina with an expectant look, almost like a puppy with a ball in its mouth begging to play catch.

Long story short, Mina ends up accepting the drink, because Dahyun can be very stubborn about these kinds of things.

“Thank you, Dahyunnie…” Mina says as she accepts the milk. Bringing the straw to her lips, she takes a sip, eyes widening at the burst of sweet and sour flavors that blend perfectly together. “T-this tastes really good!” she exclaims.

Dahyun perks up at that. “Yeah?”

Mina nods enthusiastically, happy noises bubbling at the back of her throat as she continues to drink. “It isn’t too sweet or too sour, it’s perfect!”

Thrilled with Mina’s elated reaction, Dahyun flashes a wide grin, content to watch Mina enjoy her drink. After she finishes, Mina lets out a satisfied sigh, then reaches out to squeeze Dahyun’s wrist in appreciation.

Dahyun answers in kind by linking their fingers together. “I told your parents we’ll be taking the bus home together, by the way, if that’s okay with you?”

A soft smile tugs at the corners of Mina’s lips, her heart settling easily in her chest as she murmurs, “Yes, it’s more than okay, Dahyun-ah…”

As they walk outside the theater, Dahyun shields Mina’s hand from the frigid air by clutching it closer to her side, the firmness of her grasp causing Mina’s heart to skip a beat. Even as they take their seats inside the bus, Dahyun doesn’t let go even though there’s no reason for her to keep holding her hand, but Mina chooses not to say anything.

She lets her head fall on Dahyun’s shoulder instead, thumb pressed against Dahyun’s knuckles the entire ride home.

-----------

At the night of the recital, Dahyun visits Mina at her dressing room to wish her luck before the performance. Shuffling her feet against the floor, Dahyun sucks in her cheeks, then holds out a beautifully-folded origami pink tulip that has Mina’s heart fluttering.

“I asked Chaeng to teach me how to do origami since tulips don’t blossom anymore at this time of the year,” Dahyun explains, blushing faintly as she scratches at her cheek. When Mina doesn’t respond, she rambles, “I don’t know if I got it right though. Chaeng’s always been the better one when it comes to-“

Mina cuts her off by surging in for a hug, a giddy giggle bubbling out of her as she exclaims, “It’s beautiful, Dahyunnie!”

Blush deepening, Dahyun lets out a shy laugh and rubs at the back of her neck when Mina lets go. “R-really?”

“Mmm!” Mina affirms, eyes sparkling bright with joy as she takes the gift. “Thank you, Dahyun!”

Tearing her gaze away from Mina, Dahyun clears her throat and nods. “Y-you’re welcome… and, uh-“ she glances back at Mina, reaching out to touch her wrist that gives Mina a bolster of confidence and reassurance in the face of her nerves. “Kill it out there, yeah? I’m sure you’ll do great.”

Mina laughs at Dahyun’s choice of words and nods. “I will.”

After a second more or two, Dahyun withdraws her hand, waving Mina goodbye before walking out the door. Then, as the door swings to a shut with the sound of Dahyun’s footsteps fading away, Mina lets out the squeal she’s been holding in and does a little happy dance with her feet.

She doesn’t know why, but every sweet, thoughtful thing Dahyun does makes her feel like she’s on cloud nine; makes her feel like she could fly and stay among the stars without ever having to come down.

And maybe she could.

-----------

She does, with every leap and hop she does across the stage, her eyes seeking out and finding Dahyun’s sparkling ones ever so often amongst the many others that are watching her, too. Every time their gazes meet, Mina soars a little higher, twirls a little more energetically, her arms and legs flowing along to the rhythm of the music.

Midair, she kicks her feet, landing squarely before repeating the same steps; her heart skipping a beat every time she remembers that Dahyun is watching her.

If the stage is the night sky, then Dahyun’s eyes are the stars she wants to land in.

Before Mina can fully process it, they’re already about to enter their first year of high school; she and Dahyun are still classmates, and so is Chaeyoung. Dahyun, unsurprisingly, is the most excited out of the three of them, while Chaeyoung complains about how short their summer vacation was. Mina giggles when Dahyun rolls her eyes and bluntly points out that no, their summer vacation was not short – Chaeyoung is just making up excuses because she’s too lazy to go to school.

They search for their names on the bulletin board, Mina lighting up when she finds that she, Dahyun, and Chaeyoung are assigned to the same class. Upon seeing this, Chaeyoung does a complete one-hundred and eighty, her frown turning into an excited grin as she raises her hand for a high-five which Dahyun and Mina reciprocate.

Afterwards, they make their way to the classroom where they decide to sit together, with Mina and Chaeyoung on either side of Dahyun. Slowly and steadily, more students start to file into the room, giving Mina a sense of déjà vu.

Then, a girl with short, bobbed hair and a reliable and mature air about her sits beside Mina, whose name she soon learns is Park Jihyo. Mina is struck with the impression that she must be one of those diligent students who are also able to lead and guide others.

She’s soon proven right because halfway through their first class, Dahyun has to stifle a laugh when Jihyo shoots Chaeyoung a disapproving look for drawing on her notebook instead of paying attention to their teacher.

Scared and thoroughly chided, Chaeyoung is quick to close her notebook and shy away from Jihyo’s stern expression, which impresses Mina and amuses Dahyun.

It isn’t until their teacher leaves that Jihyo does relax, her eagle-focused demeanor melting away into a friendly smile that she directs towards the trio. “Hi, I’m Jihyo! You guys are Mina, Dahyun, and Chaeyoung, right?”

Stunned that she remembers their name just from the class introductions they had earlier, Dahyun stares at Jihyo with wide eyes while Chaeyoung’s jaw drops to the floor. Mina, on the other hand, is more composed in showing her surprise, though Jihyo seems unfazed by their reactions.

“Yes, that’s us,” Mina answers for the three of them, allowing Dahyun and Chaeyoung time to school their expressions. “It’s nice to meet you, uhm-“

“Just Jihyo is fine,” Jihyo supplies, smile still in place.

“You have a really great memory,” Dahyun says in awe, shaking her head.

“Yeah, that’s amazing,” Chaeyoung adds in agreement.

Jihyo lets out a slight chuckle. “Thanks…”

The teacher for their next class then walks in, prompting Jihyo to snap her attention towards the blackboard. This time, Chaeyoung does listen, though Mina thinks it might mostly be because she’s terrified of Jihyo.

Dahyun, on the other hand, has little to no trouble keeping her focus – she always was serious and diligent when it came to her studies even if her goofy front says otherwise. When their teacher pauses to write on the whiteboard, Mina sneaks a glance at Dahyun, fighting back a giggle at her furrowed eyebrows.

Unbeknownst to her, Jihyo observes them with piqued interest and curiosity, which only grows when Mina pokes at Dahyun’s cheek to grab her attention.

-----------

Despite all of them being the same age, Jihyo becomes the ‘mom’ of their group; so, it comes across naturally for her to notice every single detail about Mina, Dahyun, and Chaeyoung without miss. It shows one day when, for the first time since they started going to school, Dahyun doesn’t have a packed lunch and Mina’s mom had prepared two bento boxes instead of one.

Mina offers one of the bento boxes to Dahyun with a smile and says, “Here you go, Dahyun-ah... my mom made this for you.”

“Woooah!” Dahyun’s eyes go wide as she takes it from Mina, face splitting apart in a huge grin as she opens the lid and finds a variety of food inside: rice balls, sausages sliced in a way that are made to look like octopi, egg rolls, and a small assortment of fruit. “Thanks, Mina! Man, it’s been a while since I had your mom’s bento!”

At her unrestrained excitement, Mina giggles and reaches for a pair of chopsticks inside her lunchbox and hands it to Dahyun.

“You two are super close, aren’t you?” Jihyo observes; Mina blushes and Dahyun nods eagerly.

“Yup!” Dahyun pops a grape into her mouth and bumps her shoulder against Mina’s. “We live right next to each other and we’ve been best friends since we were ten.”

Jihyo looks at them with an awestruck expression, causing Mina to shyly tuck a lock of hair behind her ear with Dahyun beaming at her. “Wow, that’s amazing!”

“Yeah, it’s amazing how you two are practically stuck together like glue,” Chaeyoung deadpans.

Dahyun smirks and pokes Chaeyoung on the sides. “Aww, are you jealous, Chaengie?”

Cheeks flaring a bright red, Chaeyoung huffs and swats at Dahyun’s arm. “S-shut up! Don’t call me that!”

“Sure, Chaengie,” Dahyun emphasizes, clearly enjoying getting a rise out of Chaeyoung.

“Minaaaaaa!” Chaeyoung whines, turning to Mina for help. “Help me out here, please? This tofu is being stupid again.”

Mina giggles and shakes her head. “Sorry, Chaengie,” she teases.

“Noooo, not you, too!” Chaeyoung laments, then shoots Dahyun a glare. “Dahyun, what have you done to Mina!?”

With an exaggerated gasp of mock offense, Dahyun clutches at her chest and exclaims, “Excuse me!? Are you saying I’m a bad influence on Mina?”

“Heck yes, you are!”

While they continue to bicker, Jihyo furrows her eyebrows at Mina. “Are they always like this?”

“A lot of the time, yeah,” Mina answers with a laugh.

“And you and Dahyun…?” Jihyo trails off, the look in her eye giving Mina the impression that she noticed something else about her and Dahyun - something deeper, whatever that could be.

“Not- we’re not really like that?” Mina says by way of answer, her eyes involuntarily flickering back to Dahyun who scoffs at something Chaeyoung says. How does she even find the words to describe her relationship with Dahyun? Or explain how she just feels so… at ease and comfortable whenever they’re together?

Or that instead of the occasional bickering and teasing, their hands automatically reach out for each other like it’s second nature to them?

Thankfully, Jihyo doesn’t probe her for more details; just smiles as if in understanding and laughs when Chaeyoung steals a rice ball from Dahyun in retaliation to the teasing. Biting back a laugh at the half-annoyed, half-stunned expression on Dahyun’s face, Mina discreetly replaces the stolen rice ball with one of her own.

Confusion laces Dahyun’s features as she stares at the rice ball that magically appeared out of nowhere, then at Mina, then back at her lunch, and then back at Mina before she’s finally able to figure out what had happened. “Mi-“ she starts to protest, but is quickly shut down as Mina takes the rice ball between her chopsticks and pushes it inside Dahyun’s mouth.

She does so gently, of course, because she doesn’t want Dahyun to choke.

Left with no choice but to eat it, Dahyun starts to chew and then swallows, cheeks turning red as Mina leans in to brush off the leftover crumbs from the corner of her mouth. Jihyo and Chaeyoung share a look and an arched eyebrow, which go unnoticed by both Mina and Dahyun.

-----------

When the time for club recruitment rolls around, Mina, Dahyun, and Chaeyoung are introduced to Jeongyeon, Jihyo’s friend from another class and also her childhood friend. Apparently, Jeongyeon is planning on signing up for the softball club, and she’s trying to convince Jihyo to join her.

Try being the operative word, because Jeongyeon has been at it for three days and Jihyo still isn’t showing any signs of budging.

“Jeong, you know I’m not a sports person,” Jihyo reminds Jeongyeon for the nth time, exasperated.

Jeongyeon scoffs and shoots back with, “Yeah, because you’d rather do boring student council stuff. I know, I know.”

Affronted, Jihyo raises a hand to smack Jeongyeon, but Jeongyeon is quick to move out of the way and dodges the swing. “Student council is not boring. You just don’t know how to handle responsibility!”

“Aaaaaand here we go,” Jeongyeon mumbles, feigning a disinterested yawn as Jihyo starts to lecture her about the importance of student council duties and whatnot.

“-are you even listening!?”

“What do you think?”

“Jeongyeon, I swear-“

Completely ignoring Jihyo’s ranting, Jeongyeon sweeps her gaze over Chaeyoung, Dahyun, and Mina, looking as though she’s making a rundown inside her head. Eventually, her eyes settle on Dahyun, a grin breaking across her face. “Hey, Dahyun, right?”

Dahyun looks at Jeongyeon with a confused expression. “I- yeah, did you need something?”

“You catch on quick; I like that.” Jeongyeon says in approval, grin broadening and eyes shining like she just thought of the best idea ever. Jihyo narrows her eyes in suspicion. “And yeah, there is something I need, actually.”

“Jeongyeon…” Jihyo trails off in a threatening manner, but Jeongyeon seems unaffected by this as she slings an arm around Dahyun’s shoulder to continue where she left off. Dahyun’s confusion grows, though she doesn’t shake off Jeongyeon’s arm.

“Anyway,” Jeongyeon continues pointedly, smirking at Jihyo. “Since my good old buddy Jihyo here won’t join the softball club with me, I was thinking of inviting you instead?”

“What the hell-“ Jihyo starts in disbelief, then scoffs and pinches the bridge of her nose. “Jeongyeon, you didn’t even know them until a week ago, so what makes you think Dahyun is going to say yes?” she then turns to Dahyun and flashes her an apologetic look. “By the way, you don’t have to agree, Dahyun. And please forgive my friend-“ she shoots Jeongyeon a glare, “-for being a dumbass.”

Jeongyeon raises her hands in the air and fakes a kicked puppy expression, to which Jihyo rolls her eyes. “Ouch, Hyo, what else was I supposed to do when you’re so hellbent on saying no?”

“Oh, I don’t know, maybe join the club on your own instead of pestering people you barely know to go with you?” Jihyo says sarcastically.

“What, are you jealous that I asked Dahyun here instead of bugging you?”

At that, Jihyo scoffs like Jeongyeon just said the most absurd thing in the world. “You wish.”

Throughout the entire exchange, Mina and Dahyun have a silent conversation with their eyes, while Chaeyoung cuts in with, “But weren’t you planning on joining the music club, Dubs?” leading to Jeongyeon’s face falling in disappointment.

“I- yeah, but I was already part of the music club back in middle school, so maybe I could try something else this time,” Dahyun answers with a shrug, which has Jeongyeon lighting up again.

“That sounds like a good plan,” Mina agrees. “Plus, your piano practices are also still ongoing, so this could balance things out.”

“Right? I always did want to try out a sports club sometime,” Dahyun admits.

“Awesome!” Jeongyeon exclaims, lighting up with excitement as she raises her hand for a high-five which Dahyun gives her. “Ha! See, Jihyo?”

Jihyo rolls her eyes. “Whatever.”

“What about you, Chaeyoung?” Jeongyeon asks.

“Hmm? Oh, sorry, I’m gonna have to pass because I’m going for the art club,” Chaeyoung apologizes.

“How about you, Mina? Any club in mind?” Jihyo asks Mina.

Mina purses her lips, tossing over the different clubs in her head. She’d originally planned on joining the dance troupe like she did back in middle school, but Dahyun’s choice to try something new now has Mina debating whether she should stick by her decision or go for a change of scenery herself.

“I’m… I’m not sure yet,” Mina admits.

“Then how about the student council?” Jihyo suggests.

At that, Jeongyeon coughs. “Sorry, what was that about not pushing people you barely know again?”

“Oh, shut up,” Jihyo huffs. “Besides, they’re my classmates and I’ve known them longer than you have.”

Jeongyeon simply shrugs and makes a show of zipping her mouth shut.

“Anyway, what do you think?” Jihyo continues, eyes wide and expectant as she turns her attention back to Mina.

When Mina hesitates, Dahyun gives her a gentle nudge and an encouraging squeeze of the fingers. “I’m not that good when it comes to speaking or leading, though…” she voices out.

“It’s okay, you don’t have to do all that stuff,” Jihyo reassures her. “There are also a lot of other jobs you can focus on, like take care of the paper work and help with organizing events without necessarily being in the spotlight.”

“And your organizational skills are incredible,” Dahyun praises Mina, which causes her to blush and duck her head.

“Yeah, it’s thanks to Mina that your sheet music isn’t scattered all over random places inside your house anymore,” Chaeyoung remarks with a snort. Dahyun stomps on her foot in retaliation. “Ow! Hey!”

“But there’s no pressure if you don’t feel like it,” Jihyo adds, ignoring Chaeyoung’s pained whines.

Mina pushes her tongue against her cheek, thinks that being on the student council will look good on her college application and improve her chances of getting into the university she has her sights on. Sure, it might be overkill for her to already think that far ahead when she’s only in her first year of high school, but she’d rather have a solid plan to follow through with than be lost and uncertain about the future.

Eventually, she nods and, with a smile, says, “Okay, I’ll do it.”

Lighting up in excitement, Jihyo happily blurts out, “You will? Yes! Thank you, Mina!”

Ever supportive and unfailing in showing this, Dahyun flashes her a huge grin and a thumbs-up that has Mina feeling warm and fuzzy inside. It’s as though no matter what she chooses to do, Dahyun would always have her back and give her the push that she needs to step out of her comfort zone.

For that, Mina would forever be grateful to Dahyun.

-----------

They all sign up for their respective clubs later that afternoon, and both she and Jihyo are welcomed with friendly smiles as the officers and staff introduce themselves. Afterwards, they’re given a brief overview of what being part of the student council entails and some of the duties and responsibilities that come along with it.

Throughout the short meeting, Jihyo listens with an eagerness that Mina doesn’t think she’s ever seen in another person.

Well, with one exception, maybe.

Then, after a few reminders given to them that Mina makes sure to jot down, they’re dismissed by the members. Once they’ve left the office, Mina pulls out her phone to check if Dahyun had left any messages and finds one.

Dahyunnie: Hey, Mina! Jeongyeon and I are in the field rn, just in case you and Jihyo finish ahead of us. But I’ll text you again when we’re done :D

Minari: Hi, Dahyunnie! We’re on our way to the field now. See you there! ^_^

“Was that Dahyun?” Jihyo asks as Mina puts her phone back inside her bag.

Mina nods and answers, “Yeah, I texted her that we’re going to the field to meet them.”

“So, you two always walk home together?”

“Yup, and with Chaeyoung, too.”

Just as Mina finishes talking, Chaeyoung appears from one of the rooms which must be where the art club is, face breaking into a grin when she spots Jihyo and Mina approaching her. “Hey! You two also done?”

“Yeah, we’re just heading down to the field to meet Jeongyeon and Dahyun,” Jihyo says.

“Oh yeah, Dahyun texted me, too.”

They round the corner leading to the stairs, chatting about their respective clubs as they make their way out the back doors and into the field where they find a group of students sitting around together in a circle on the grass. In front of them stands who Mina assumes to be is the coach, given the whistle hanging around his neck and the tracksuit that he wears.

Her eyes then zero in on Dahyun, leaning back on her hands and paying close attention to what the coach is saying. It takes all of Mina’s willpower not to smile fondly at the sight; at Dahyun who somehow still manages to stand out despite the many people surrounding her.

Maybe she’ll always just stand out to Mina no matter where they are, especially with how Dahyun’s eyes always seem to have that happy glint to them; with how Dahyun’s eyes shine so brightly like the sun that reminds Mina that there will always be good moments to outweigh the bad.

Beside Dahyun sits Jeongyeon, who gives Dahyun a subtle nudge to the side before nodding over to where Mina, Jihyo, and Chaeyoung are standing. This time, Mina can’t help the giddy feeling that swells within her chest when Dahyun’s eyes fall onto her first.

Dahyun flashes her a lopsided grin in greeting, which Mina returns with a gummy one of her own along with a small wave of the hand. Jeongyeon, on the other hand, smirks at Jihyo and earns an annoyed roll of the eyes in response.

The smile that twitches at Jihyo’s lips when Jeongyeon diverts her attention back to the coach gives her away, though.

After a few more minutes, the coach claps his hands together to signal their dismissal, and Dahyun and Jeongyeon scramble to their feet along with their fellow club members. They bid their goodbyes to the rest before trudging towards Mina, Jihyo, and Chaeyoung; Mina laughing as she runs her fingers through Dahyun’s hair to fix it.

With an expectant expression, Jeongyeon takes a step forward and bends down slightly in front of Jihyo.

“What?” Jihyo asks Jeongyeon with narrowed eyes.

“Aren’t you gonna fix my hair?” Jeongyeon coaxes.

Jihyo stares at Jeongyeon like she heard the most bizarre thing ever. “Why would I do that? You’re a grown up high-schooler, Jeong, you can fix your own hair,” she refuses with a scoff.

“Aw c’mon? Pretty please? Mina’s even doing it for Dahyun,” Jeongyeon pleads.

“Well, too bad for you but I’m not Mina,” Jihyo deadpans.

“Fine, be that way.” Jeongyeon shrugs and ruffles a hand through her hair instead. The way Jihyo bites her lip and quickly averts her gaze doesn’t go missed by Mina, though she chooses not to make a comment on it.

She chooses to focus her attention back on Dahyun instead, who reaches out to take Mina’s hand and asks, “You ready to go home?”

Mina doesn’t think she’ll ever get tired of hearing Dahyun ask that. Doesn’t think she’ll ever stop wanting her hand in Dahyun’s whenever she answers yes.

“Yes, I’m ready,” Mina answers softly.

Then, with a voice full of warmth, Dahyun says, “Let’s go home.”

It’s so simple, those three words, yet they never lost their magic in the countless number of days Mina has heard them from Dahyun.

She doesn’t think they ever will, no matter how much more time passes them by.

Doesn’t think she’ll ever stop wanting to come home with Dahyun.

-----------

Halfway through on their way home, Jihyo and Jeongyeon go their separate way from Mina, Dahyun, and Chaeyoung; Jeongyeon casually slinging her arm around Jihyo’s shoulder as they walk away. Once they’ve left, Chaeyoung and Dahyun start to engage in a clumsy rap battle with awkward pauses in between bars that has Mina stifling her laughter.

After a few more minutes of this, they start arguing which one of them did the better job; and, seeing that they’re not going anywhere with this, they turn to Mina in perfect sync.

“Mina, which one of us is the better rapper?” Dahyun says, beating Chaeyoung to it.

Chaeyoung huffs and gives Dahyun a light punch on the arm. “Hey, Dahyun! No fair! You know Mina is going to say it’s you!”

The outburst causes Mina to flush a deep scarlet and avert her gaze – because as much as she wants to deny it, Chaeyoung may or may not have a point. Though to be fair, Dahyun does seem to have a good flow, even though Mina doesn’t know much about rap music. Chaeyoung, too, of course. They could both be amazing rappers if they practiced enough.

“Well…” Mina starts tentatively, which earns her eager and expectant looks from both Dahyun and Chaeyoung. “I think you’re both good.”

Upon hearing that, Dahyun whips her head towards Chaeyoung and exclaims, “See! Mina can be fair!”

“I don’t know why you’re more upset about that than the fact that you didn’t win, but go off, I guess,” Chaeyoung deadpans with a shrug.

“You didn’t win either, you know!”

“Yeah, but I will next time. Just you wait and see, Kim Dahyun, because I’m going to kick your ass!”

And with that confident declaration, Chaeyoung skips off in the opposite direction, leaving Dahyun to yell after her, “Not before I kick yours first, Son Chaeyoung!”

Chaeyoung laughs as she disappears from Mina and Dahyun’s line of sight, and Mina tells Dahyun, “It’s true, though. I do think you and Chaeyoung are good at rapping.”

“I can definitely be better than that, though,” Dahyun says, stroking at her chin thoughtfully. Then, with a smirk, she adds, “I’m going to practice really hard, Chaeyoung won’t even see what’s coming to her.”

“Well, as long as you don’t let it distract you from practicing the piano,” Mina reminds her.

“It won’t,” Dahyun reassures her. “Heck, maybe I can even rap along while I’m playing!”

“Okay, you and I both know that’s not what I meant…”

Dahyun merely shrugs and says, “Yeah, but you have to admit it’s a pretty good idea.”

“Until you start rapping in your sleep,” Mina deadpans.

“Wh- I don’t even talk in my sleep?” Dahyun furrows her eyebrows in confusion. “Do I?”

Then, noticing the look of mischief in Mina’s eye, Dahyun lets out a small whine and puffs out her cheeks, trying to look angry but only comes out as cute. Mina laughs at Dahyun’s disgruntled expression; Dahyun turns to storm away but stops a few steps in to rush back to Mina’s side.

Dahyun mutters something under her breath that Mina can’t quite hear and grabs her hand. Mina would have teased Dahyun for not being able to leave her behind, but she’s reeling herself from the fact that Dahyun really won’t.

So, she just lets Dahyun drag her away, her gaze fixed on Dahyun’s back and heart thumping louder and faster with every step that they take.

Mina can’t- she doesn’t understand why her heart is beating so loudly and differently when she’s with Dahyun; doesn’t know what it’s supposed to mean or what the twinge in her chest is whenever Dahyun flashes her that beautiful, sunny-bright smile that Mina has come to love over the course of the years.

It’s confusing, these unnamed feelings and emotions Mina struggles to decipher; but she can’t bring herself to be scared or anxious when Dahyun makes her feel safe all the time.

Not when Dahyun has never left her side, not even once.

Not when Dahyun is always reaching out for her hand.

-----------

Dahyun scrapes her right knee during one of their practice games, and Mina all but jumps from where she’s sitting on the stands to get to the field, worry knotting her eyebrows together when she sees Dahyun wincing in pain. When Dahyun plops down on one of the seats, Mina immediately drops to her knees to inspect the wound. Her frown deepens when she realizes it’s a little deeper than she expected, but not anything too bad that they would have to go the school clinic.

“Sorry about this,” Dahyun says apologetically, prompting Mina to look up at her.

Mina places her hand on Dahyun’s uninjured knee and shakes her head, then flashes her a soft, reassuring smile. “Don’t be; this comes with the territory, after all.”

Dahyun nods and smiles back, and Mina pats her leg for good measure before opening the first-aid kit. She cleans the wound and the surrounding area first before dabbing on some disinfectant and plastering on a bandage, the small hisses of pain that Dahyun lets out briefly giving Mina a sense of déjà vu.

“There,” Mina says in a gentle voice as she rises to her feet. “All good.”

“Thanks, Mina,” Dahyun says with a small grin. Then, jokingly, she adds, “I really don’t know what I would do without you.”

At that, Mina laughs and fondly shakes her head, then teases, “It’s a good thing I’m here, then.”

“Yeah…” Dahyun rubs at the back of her neck, grin still in place. “It really is.”

Jeongyeon then calls for Dahyun to go back, cutting their conversation short. Mina squeezes Dahyun’s shoulder before playfully shooing her away, which earns her a bright laugh in response.

And as she watches Dahyun exchange high-fives with Jeongyeon and the rest of the softball club, Mina finds herself thinking the same thing:

She’s really glad that Dahyun is there for her, too.

-----------

The following weeks pass by in a blur and find them both busy – Mina with her student council duties and Dahyun practicing almost every day for an upcoming tournament that their club has. Sometimes, the student council finishes before the softball club; other times, it’s the opposite. What stays the same, however, are Mina and Jihyo waiting for Dahyun and Jeongyeon or the other way around. Then, there are times where Chaeyoung would hang back and wait with them, and times where she would go home ahead of them so she can work on a new painting or sketch for the art club.

Right now, it’s only her and Jihyo left in the office to lock up, and just as Mina picks up her bag, the door slides open, revealing Jeongyeon and Dahyun who both have huge grins on their faces. Like always, Dahyun’s gaze immediately falls on Mina, and Mina clutches at the strap of her bag with one hand while she waves at Dahyun in greeting with the other, her gummy smile making its appearance when Dahyun steps away from Jeongyeon to shuffle over to her.

Chaeyoung follows inside soon after, who strikes up conversation with Jeongyeon and Jihyo after greeting all of them hello. Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung have been getting along well, Mina notices, and Jihyo has dryly pointed out on occasion that they already aren’t funny by themselves, but somehow are even more unfunny when they’re together.

Throw Dahyun into the mix, however, and chaos and craziness are sure to ensue.

On their way to a milkshake place just a short distance away from their school, Jeongyeon and Dahyun fake-throw invisible softballs at each other, with Dahyun making exaggerated movements and stretching of her limbs as she ‘catches’ the nonexistent ball in her hands. And when she does, Jeongyeon feigns an expression of awe and claps her hands, with Chaeyoung eventually deciding to join in on the fun.

Mina giggles at their antics while Jihyo reminds them to keep it down because they might disturb the residents living nearby, and this goes on until they reach the store. They settle into one of the booths by the window, with Mina and Dahyun sitting next to each other on one end and Jihyo, Jeongyeon, and Chaeyoung cramped together on the opposite side. Even though there’s more room on their end, Mina and Dahyun sit with their shoulders touching, neither one of them minding this since they’re more than comfortable being close to each other as much as they possibly can.

Dahyun, unsurprisingly, orders a chocolate milkshake, while Mina chooses a mint chocolate one. Chaeyoung goes for strawberry; Jihyo with caramel fudge; and Jeongyeon with peanut butter.

With both of them knowing full well what’s going to happen once their orders arrive, Mina and Jihyo also ask for glasses of warm water just to be prepared. Sure enough, as soon as their milkshakes are right in front of them, Dahyun grins at Chaeyoung and Jeongyeon and goes, “Hey, wanna see who can finish first?”

Jihyo and Mina then share a look; Jihyo pursing her lips and shaking her head in exasperation but otherwise doesn’t say a word.

Jeongyeon smirks. “You’re on!”

“Then, on the count of three?” Chaeyoung asks; Dahyun and Jeongyeon nod in agreement. “Alright, one, two, three!”

The three of them immediately start sipping on their drinks, and Mina winces at how fast the contents are being drained while Jihyo grimaces and rubs at her temple. Halfway through, Chaeyoung is claimed as the first victim, going shock still with Jeongyeon and Dahyun almost choking on their drinks trying to contain their laughter.

Shooting them both a look of disapproval, Jihyo gently pats Chaeyoung on the back and encourages her to take a sip of water. Chaeyoung gratefully does so, the color slowly returning to her face the more water that she drinks.

“Honestly,” Jihyo mutters under her breath when Dahyun follows not long after, “the three of you are huge idiots.”

Mina rubs small circles against Dahyun’s lower back while pressing the glass of water against her lips, and Dahyun chokes out a strained ‘thank you’ after she recovers.

“Yeah, but at least I’m the idiot who won,” Jeongyeon says smugly once she’s finished her drink. “Totally worth it, if you ask me.”

“Next time,” Dahyun huffs, narrowing her eyes at Jeongyeon. “I’ll get you next time.”

“Hey, don’t count me out just yet,” Chaeyoung interjects.

Jeongyeon merely laughs and ruffles Chaeyoung’s hair. “Sure thing, bud.”

“They just never learn,” Jihyo remarks with a click of the tongue.

Mina chuckles in agreement, then holds back a smile when she catches Dahyun not-so-subtly staring at her own milkshake. Nudging their shoulders together, Mina slides her glass towards Dahyun’s direction while Dahyun pushes her own towards Mina. They both hum out of happiness as they drink, laughing as Jihyo and Jeongyeon bicker over which one of their flavors tastes better.

Chaeyoung, on the other hand, doodles something on her tissue; and after snapping out of their debate, Jihyo and Jeongyeon crane their necks so they can get a better look at what Chaeyoung is drawing. A faint blush creeps across her cheeks at the attention, and she whines something about feeling pressured and then snorting when Dahyun suggests that she should draw a penguin with eagle wings.

They’re loud, the five of them together, but her and Dahyun’s hands manage to find their way to each other underneath the table, fingers intertwining easily without them even having to think about it.

-----------

Mina admits that being part of the student council is helping her learn to interact with people more, making her feel less shy whenever Dahyun’s friends on the softball team greet her in the hallways. They’re all nice people, Mina thinks, and so are everyone in the student council. It helps that Jihyo is there, too, and Mina feels like she can speak her mind more freely and offer suggestions during their meetings because of Jihyo’s influence.

When she tells Dahyun this one day while they’re taking a break from studying inside Mina’s bedroom, Dahyun turns on her side from where they’re lying down on the carpet so she can look at Mina and proudly says, “I knew you could do it!”

Mina blushes and lowers her gaze, her heart beating faster the moment she realizes just how close they are to each other – the distance so minimal that Mina could move her leg the tiniest bit and her knee would brush against Dahyun’s. Something about that thought thrills Mina, though she can’t really understand why. All she knows is she likes being this close to Dahyun; knows she wants them to be closer still.

Dahyun blows a loose strand of hair away from her face, then grins at Mina, causing her cheeks to warm even further. “So, you like being in the student council?”

Sucking in her lower lip, Mina nods and answers, “Yeah. Everyone is really nice and helpful…”

“Is there anyone as scary as Jihyo?”

This causes Mina to laugh. “No,” she says, then, eyes twinkling with mischief, she teases, “should I tell Jihyo you said that she’s scary?”

Dahyun visibly pales at that, and, shaking her head vigorously, she pleads, “N-no, please don’t tell her!”

The look of pure terror on Dahyun’s face causes Mina to burst into a fit of giggles, her shoulders shaking and her knee brushing against Dahyun’s leg without her being aware of it. Puffing out her cheeks, Dahyun pokes at Mina’s stomach, which only makes her laugh harder. She laughs loud enough that it echoes off the walls of her bedroom, not realizing that there’s a touch of softness in Dahyun’s gaze in that very moment.

Once she’s sobered down and caught up to her breathing, Mina lets out a sigh and bumps her forehead against Dahyun’s shoulder.

“And hey, Dahyun starts, breaking the silence, eyes shining with mirth as Mina lifts her head to look into them, “feel free to call me if you guys need help carrying and moving around heavy stuff!”

“Duly noted,” Mina says, wanting to indulge Dahyun. “You’ll be the first one we ask, Dahyunnie.”

At the lopsided grin Dahyun flashes at her in response, Mina chuckles and pinches the tip of her nose.

-----------

In support of Dahyun and the softball team for one of their official games, Mina wears a plain pink shirt with Dahyun’s jersey number plastered over the back in electric tape. She wanted to surprise Dahyun with it, which is why she chose to go with Jihyo and Chaeyoung instead of Dahyun. Admiring her handiwork, Jihyo whistles in approval and pats Mina on the shoulder.

“Man, Dahyun’s going to be insufferable when she sees that,” Chaeyoung remarks.

“If you think she’s bad, then try Jeongyeon,” Jihyo says, clicking her tongue. “She’s already got enough of an ego as it is; I don’t know want to know what’s going to happen if someone does the same thing for her as Mina did for Dahyun.”

For some reason, Chaeyoung blushes and hurriedly averts her gaze after Jihyo finishes speaking, which instantly arouses Jihyo’s suspicion. Then, quick on the uptake as always, Jihyo’s eyes dart towards the small backpack Chaeyoung is clutching tightly onto – almost as though it would spell her doom if Jihyo ever found out what was inside.

“Chaeyoung…?” Mina asks, and though she does so softly, Chaeyoung winces and hugs the backpack more tightly.

Jihyo, however, isn’t as forgiving. “What’s in that backpack?” she asks with narrowed eyes.

Eyes wide, Chaeyoung shakes her head vigorously and splutters, “I- it’s- n-noth-“

Arching an eyebrow, Jihyo unceremoniously yanks the backpack from Chaeyoung’s deathly grip and zips it open, ignoring Chaeyoung’s weak cries of protest as she rummages around inside. Her eyebrows shoot all the way up to her forehead when she pulls out a pink shirt her size with Jeongyeon’s jersey number taped across the back.

Mina would have laughed at the coincidence, if not for Chaeyoung’s obvious fright and Jihyo’s thirst for more answers.

“J-Jeongyeon gave it to me!” Chaeyoung stammers, fidgeting nervously with the hem of her shirt. Sweat breaks out of her forehead when Jihyo continues to stare at her, unamused. She then quickly adds, “S-she asked me to bring it with me and give it to you before their game.”

Once Chaeyoung is done explaining, Jihyo scoffs and holds out the shirt in front of her. “I was wondering why she wasn’t bugging me about what I would bring with me to the game, and I guess now I know why.” She then glances back at Chaeyoung, seemingly still unsatisfied. “But knowing Jeongyeon, there’s probably more, isn’t there?”

Somewhat reassured that Jihyo isn’t going to snap even further, Chaeyoung carefully takes back her backpack and grabs what appears to be two rolled-up banners. Sheepish, she waves one around and says, “She said I could use this one.”

Jihyo heaves out a sigh and rubs at her forehead. “Of course she did,” she says, exasperated.

Turning to Mina, Chaeyoung offers her the other one and says, “Jeongyeon said this one is for you. It’s a banner for Dahyun.”

Cheeks turning warm, Mina takes the banner and thanks Chaeyoung. “I’ll have to thank her later when we see them.” Then, to Jihyo, she asks, “Are you going to wear your shirt, Jihyo?”

Jihyo sighs again and mutters, “She’ll be more annoying if I don’t, so I’ll just wear it.” She looks at Chaeyoung and Mina and adds, “This will be quick, and then we can leave right after I change.”

Mina and Chaeyoung nod and plop down on the couch while they wait. Curious as to what the banner’s design looks like, Mina undoes the string tying it together and carefully unrolls it. The banner itself is colored red, and printed in the middle is Dahyun’s name and their team name in brightly-colored ink that blends well with the background.

A smile tugs at the corners of her lips as she runs her index finger over the characters that spell out Dahyun’s name, and Mina thinks back on the time where she wrote them out for the first time as practice all those years ago. She had been clumsy back then, getting the order of the strokes wrong but Dahyun never laughed at her or made fun of her for it. And when she’d finally gotten it right, Dahyun beamed and pulled out a few of her notebooks then asked Mina to write her name on them.

In exchange, Mina gave Dahyun her own notebooks and asked her to do the same. From that point on, it had become something they did at the start of a new school year - Mina would write Dahyun’s name for her on her notebooks, and Dahyun would also do the same thing for her.

“Hey, Mina?”

Chaeyoung’s voice snaps Mina out of her reverie, and, curious, she turns to look at Chaeyoung. “Yes, Chaeng?”

Chaeyoung hesitates for a moment, then sucks on her lower lip and carefully says, “There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you for a while now. It’s uh, it’s about Dahyun.”

Confused and unsure as to where this is coming from, Mina furrows her eyebrows at Chaeyoung. “What about Dahyun?”

“I was just wondering…” Chaeyoung trails off, dropping her gaze to her lap before glancing at Mina again. “Do you li-“

Chaeyoung doesn’t get the chance to finish, however, as Jihyo suddenly cuts in, “Okay, I’m ready to go!”

Mina does a little jerk of surprise, and though she wants to press Chaeyoung for what she wanted to ask, she ends up not being able to because Jihyo is now rushing for the three of them to leave. But with the way Chaeyoung hesitated and seemed to be choosing her words, Mina could tell that it wasn’t something trivial.

Still, no matter how much Mina tosses it around inside her head, she can’t figure out why and how Dahyun would be involved.

-----------

Her worries are forgotten in an instant, however, when they get to their school’s field and spot Dahyun and Jeongyeon doing warm-up exercises with the rest of the softball team. They sit at the front row of the bleachers, and the moment Dahyun looks over to where they are, Mina breaks into a huge, gummy grin as she turns around to show Dahyun the back of her shirt. Jihyo then does the same for Jeongyeon, albeit very reluctantly.

The broad, lopsided grin Dahyun flashes at her causes Mina to burst into a fit of giddy giggles; her heart swelling at least twice its original size when Dahyun winks and points cutesy finger guns at her. Mina then rolls out the banner and mouths out ‘good luck’, and Dahyun responds by forming a giant heart on top of her head with her arms.

Jeongyeon, on the other hand, shoots Jihyo a smug smirk, to which Jihyo scoffs and rolls her eyes.

When the coach whistles for them to gather around, Dahyun waves at Mina before jogging over to the bench. Mina sits between Chaeyoung and Jihyo, feeling both excited and a little nervous about the game.

After a while, both teams take their positions on the field; Mina fiddling with the edges of her banner as she watches the game unfold with rapt attention. For the most part, though, her eyes keep straying towards Dahyun, noting every subtle shift in her expression; from the slight grimace when her teammate misses hitting the ball; to the deep furrow of her eyebrows as she observes the opposing team; and then the triumphant sparkle in her eyes when they score.

Out of the three of them, Jihyo is the loudest while they’re cheering, while Mina and Chaeyoung clap vigorously and wave their banners around. Every now and then, Dahyun’s gaze lands on Mina, her hair and forehead sticky with sweat; though she keeps smiling nonetheless.

Mina can tell that Dahyun is having the time of her life like she always does, and it’s more than enough to make her happy, too.

-----------

To everyone’s glee, their team wins, and Mina, Chaeyoung, and Jihyo yell and jump around in celebration while hugging each other. After they break apart, they hear Dahyun and Jeongyeon calling out their names from the field, and the three of them hurriedly scramble down the bleachers to meet the two. At the sight of Dahyun’s disheveled appearance and sweat-matted hair, Mina laughs, her steps becoming lighter and quicker as she runs towards Dahyun.

It might be because of the rush of the victory, or it might be because of how contagious Dahyun’s upbeat energy is – Mina isn’t entirely sure - but she propels herself towards Dahyun and engulfs her in a hug, causing Dahyun to let out a small squeak of surprise.

“Congratulations, Dahyunnie!” Mina exclaims happily as she pulls back and squeezes Dahyun’s shoulders.

Face lighting up like the sun, Dahyun removes her cap and places it on Mina’s head and says, “Thank you, Minari! I really liked the banner and your shirt.”

Mina blushes and pulls the cap lower at the mention of the shirt. “I wanted to surprise you with it, so that’s why I came with Jihyo and Chaeyoung instead.”

“Well, it’s definitely the best surprise I ever got!”

This causes Mina’s blush to deepen further and her heart to skip several beats, her lips forming a shy smile as she tugs on Dahyun’s wrist.

“Hey, so you did wear the shirt!” Jeongyeon exclaims, slinging an arm around Jihyo.

Jihyo clicks her tongue and pushes Jeongyeon’s arm away, mumbling, “Only because you’d get on my case if I didn’t.” Jeongyeon opens her mouth to speak, but quickly shuts it again when Jihyo shoots her a glare. “But really, Jeong? Asking someone else to give it for you?”

Unbothered by this, Jeongyeon simply shrugs and grins at Jihyo. “Pink looks good on you, though.”

“Whatever. Just apologize to Chaeyoung for bothering her.”

“Right, okay, gotcha mom,” Jeongyeon says casually, which earns her a smack on the arm that she ignores as she smiles sheepishly at Chaeyoung. “I bet she scared you, huh? Sorry about that, and thanks again for the help.”

“Ah, no, it’s okay,” Chaeyoung answers, waving her hands around. “I’m glad I was able to help out.”

Jeongyeon then smiles at Mina and nods towards the banner in her hand. “So, how’d you like it?”

“Ah- it was made really well and I liked it a lot. Thank you, Jeongyeon,” Mina answers, returning the smile.

“Hey, no worries!” Jeongyeon assures her with a grin, then adds, “I just figured you might want something else to support my softball bud over here,” while ruffling Dahyun’s hair.

Dahyun groans in displeasure and shoves Jeongyeon’s hand away, then wriggles her fingers through her hair that now looks like a bird’s nest in an attempt to fix it. Cute, Mina thinks, except she might have said it out loud as Jihyo, Jeongyeon, and Chaeyoung all turn to look at her simultaneously.

Realizing her slip-up, Mina blushes furiously, feeling the heat spread throughout her entire face and neck. Thankfully, Dahyun doesn’t seem to have heard it, since she’s still too busy trying to make her hair look at least presentable. The other three don’t make a comment, either, as though having decided between themselves to spare Mina from any further embarrassment.

Before an awkward air could settle around them, though, Jeongyeon rushes in with, “So, do you guys want to grab something to eat after we shower and change?”

“Sure! How about that fast food chain with the fried chicken?” Chaeyoung suggests.

“Yeah! Their fried chicken tastes great!” Dahyun agrees enthusiastically.

“Alright, then Jeongyeon’s going to pay for the first serving,” Jihyo announces with a grin.

“Wha-“ Jeongyeon snaps her head towards Jihyo, her mouth hanging open. “What the he-“

Before she can finish, however, Jihyo whistles and starts to push Jeongyeon and Dahyun in the direction of the locker room. “So, you two better take that shower now, alright?”

Relief courses through Mina at the change in topic, and she flashes Jihyo and Chaeyoung a grateful smile. In response, Chaeyoung shoots her a thumbs up while Jihyo throws in a wink.

-----------

Despite her initial protests, Jeongyeon eventually agrees to pay for the first round of fried chicken, and everyone thanks her with bright grins on their faces as they reach out to take their chosen pieces from the tray. Upon taking the first bite, Mina is unable to contain the noise that spills from the back of her throat at the perfect crunch of the skin and the juicy flavor of the meat itself.

“Delicious, right?” Dahyun says, right before she bites into her drumstick. A deep groan rumbles in her chest as she swallows, causing Mina to giggle.

“Yeah, it’s delicious,” Mina agrees, then starts to take careful bites with Jihyo and Jeongyeon watching in awe. Flustered by the attention, Mina asks, “Is- is there something on my face?”

“Huh?” Jeongyeon asks, confused. “No, you’re fine.”

“We’re just amazed at how you always eat so neatly,” Jihyo says by way of explanation. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you make a mess while you’re eating, Mina.”

“O-oh.” Mina blushes and shyly tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Really?”

“Yeah, it’s true,” Dahyun supplies with a nod. “That’s also what I noticed since we were kids.” She then chuckles and nudges their shoulders together, which somehow makes Mina’s pulse race faster. And yet, she can’t avoid looking into Dahyun’s eyes and at the way they form into happy half-crescents. “I always thought it made you look like a princess.”

Mina is grateful that she isn’t chewing on anything because she’s sure she would have choked on it after hearing what Dahyun had just said, which would have been really embarrassing. She’s been so used to Dahyun calling her cute, pretty, and beautiful that it never occurred to Mina that Dahyun would come up with something else – and most definitely not a princess, of all things.

Then, to make matters worse, Dahyun remains unfazed while Mina’s face has now turned a bright red. Chaeyoung snorts and points her fork at Dahyun. “And what, you’re Mina’s knight?”

Puffing out her chest, Dahyun confidently answers, “The one and only!”

Jeongyeon almost chokes on her water and struggles to keep a straight face, only barely managing to mask her snort with a cough at the last second. Jihyo, on the other hand, simply stares at Dahyun incredulously, then at Mina, then back at Dahyun.

Mina buries her face in her hands, though it’s more to hide the giddy smile that she fails at holding back than any feelings of secondhand embarrassment for Dahyun’s childish declaration. Still, to her amusement, Dahyun brandishes the drumstick she’s holding like a sword, but hurriedly puts it back down when Jihyo shoots her a disapproving look.

“No playing with your food, Dubs,” Chaeyoung says smugly, which earns her a kick on the leg from Dahyun. “Ow!”

Dahyun laughs at Chaeyoung’s pained expresson, and Jihyo shakes her head in mock exasperation. In retaliation, Chaeyoung steals the drumstick away from an unsuspecting Dahyun’s grasp, the look of pure shock that colors her face causing Mina to giggle.

“Why must I be surrounded by children?” Jihyo mourns, burying her face into her hands.

Mina just laughs in agreement as she watches Dahyun lean across the table to try to take back her stolen drumstick from Chaeyoung.

-----------

Twilight has already begun to set in by the time they leave the diner, the sky painted with a pretty array of a light pink and vibrant orange that color the dark blue horizon that settles overhead. Ever so often, Mina would lift her head to admire the breathtaking blend of colors and the way they dull and fade over time to give way for the moon and the stars to shine in the night sky.

And when Mina turns to glance at Dahyun, she sees the stars in her eyes, twinkling brighter and clearer than the countless ones that glimmer above them from a faraway distance. But the ones that are home in Dahyun’s eyes are always within reach – whether it be during the day or at night.

Mina feels that strange twist in her chest again at the thought, though it isn’t unpleasant by any means; just… more pronounced this time, for some reason Mina still can’t quite pinpoint.

She’s broken out of her reverie, however, by Jihyo’s piercing shriek and Jeongyeon, Chaeyoung, and Dahyun’s boisterous laughter. It turns out that an insect had randomly landed on Jihyo, and Mina carefully shies away before she falls victim to it, too. Dahyun, being the one to have mercy, sweeps the insect off of Jihyo’s arm without so much as batting an eye, and Jihyo thanks her over and over again while engulfing her in a hug.

Mina, on the other hand, breathes out a sigh of relief, thankful that it wasn’t her that it happened to.

“Oh, man, you should’ve seen the look on your face,” Jeongyeon sighs as she wipes away a nonexistent tear from her eye. “It was like you got a jump scare at a horror house.”

Face burning red, Jihyo huffs and smacks Jeongyeon’s arm. “S-shut up! You wouldn’t like it either if a bug landed on you!”

“Well, yeah, but I don’t think I would scream my head off the way you did,” Jeongyeon answers with a shrug.

“Oh, really?” Jihyo arches an eyebrow. “What about that time when-“

It’s lightning fast, the way Jeongyeon immediately jumps into action by clamping her hand over Jihyo’s mouth to cut her off. “Don’t you dare finish that, Jihyo!” she exclaims, her expression one of pure panic that Mina doesn’t think she’s ever seen before.

But it’s too late. Chaeyoung already looks interested in whatever Jihyo had been planning to say to expose Jeongyeon, and so she helps Jihyo break free off Jeongyeon’s grasp. Then, throwing Jeongyeon a triumphant smirk, Jihyo pulls Chaeyoung and they both start running, leaving Jeongyeon to chase after them while shouting in a panicked frenzy.

Grinning broadly, Dahyun grabs Mina’s hand and chases after them, too, the sound of their laughter and the racing of Mina’s heart echoing in the night sky as she tightens her grip on Dahyun.

-----------

It feels like Mina just blinked once and suddenly, all she can hear are the girls at their school talking about chocolates and asking each other who they plan on giving them out to. A few are even planning confessions, and the first person that jumps into Mina’s head when she hears this as she makes her way to her locker is Dahyun. The thought makes Mina feel nervous for some reason, but she pushes it down as quickly as it comes, and she tells herself it isn’t anything like that.

Dahyun is her best friend – of course Mina would feel strongly about her than normal when they’ve known each other and been practically inseparable for so long.

When Mina arrives at her locker, Jihyo is already there, ever the early bird as usual. Mina smiles at her in greeting, and as she opens her locker, Jihyo asks, “Hey, Mina, do you want to make chocolates together this Saturday?” Surprised, Mina stops from rummaging around for her books and turns to glance at Jihyo. “What?” Jihyo says, giving Mina a funny look. “Why do you look so surprised?”

“Nothing,” Mina says hurriedly, but the twitch of her lips gives her away.

Jihyo narrows her eyes suspiciously. “You were totally thinking that I don’t look like the type to do that kind of stuff, weren’t you?”

“I-“ at the puff of Jihyo’s cheeks, Mina decides to backtrack. If there’s anything she learned from being friends with Jihyo, it’s that it’s impossible to lie to her and not get caught. “Maybe,” she admits.

“Well, sorry to disappoint you then,” Jihyo deadpans, causing Mina to giggle. “But seriously, would you like to? Jeongyeon is planning on asking Dahyun and Chaeyoung to hang out with her that day, so I think it’s the perfect time to do it.”

Mina doesn’t even need to think about it. She had been planning on making chocolates for Valentine’s, and truth be told, she’s excited to see how Dahyun would react when Mina gives her homemade ones that she made herself for the first time. Plus, she’s sure it would be more fun and less nerve-wracking if she had someone to make them with her.

“Sure,” Mina says with a nod, much to Jihyo’s delight. “I was thinking of making some myself, too, but it’s going to be my first time and I’m afraid that I might mess up,” she confesses with a soft chuckle and a shake of the head.

“No worries, I got you! My mom already taught me how to before, so you’re more than good,” Jihyo assures Mina with a grin and a small nudge of the shoulder, Mina nudging back with a gummy smile.

“Then, is there anything I should bring?” Mina asks.

“Nah, we’ll take care of everything so just bring yourself,” Jihyo answers, waving off Mina’s protests.

Knowing full well that Jihyo won’t budge, Mina decides to give up trying to change her mind and instead promises that she’ll be there.

-----------

By the time Mina arrives at Jihyo’s house on Saturday, everything that they need is already laid out and arranged neatly on the kitchen table; from the mold, to the whisk, the weighing scale, and the bags of chocolate – everything is right there, much to Mina’s amazement. Really, leave it to Jihyo to go all out with the preparations.

Jihyo offers Mina an apron, which she puts on before washing her hands in the sink.

“I hope you don’t mind,” Jihyo says, sheepish, as she gestures towards the table filled with the utensils and ingredients. “I wanted to prepare everything beforehand so we don’t have a hard time finding the things that we need.”

“Oh, no, I think it’s great that you did, actually,” Mina reassures Jihyo with a smile. She then glances at the heap of cocoa butter on the table and asks, “Uhm, how much are you planning on making, by the way?”

“Oh.” Jihyo blinks, rubbing at the back of her neck. “I was thinking of giving some to everyone in the student council and the softball team, and uh…” her voice then drops to a low, incoherent mumble, a faint blush adorning her cheeks.

Even though Mina didn’t catch the last part, she already knows who Jihyo is referring to; and she’s unable to help the teasing tone in her voice as she says, “And ‘some’ for Jeongyeon, too, right?”

The blush on Jihyo’s face worsens, and, with an embarrassed huff and a glare, she swats at Mina’s arm. “Please, as if you’re not going to give ‘some’ to Dahyun yourself,” she retorts, which all but sets Mina’s face on fire. “Besides-“ she smirks at Mina, nodding towards the gift bag that Mina had left on the kitchen counter, “-don’t think I don’t know that the huge tin inside that bag is only for Dahyun.”

Mina opens her mouth, trying to think of an argument to defend her case, but all she can come up with is a weak, “Dahyun loves chocolate.”

Jihyo shoots Mina a look that says that she missed the point, while Mina frowns at her in confusion. First, there was Chaeyoung, and now, there’s Jihyo, too. The two of them sound like they’re trying to bring Mina to some sort of realization or revelation, but she could never quite figure out what they’re trying to get at for the life of her.

One thing is for sure, though – and it’s that Dahyun plays an active role in whatever it is they want her to understand.

When Mina continues to stare at Jihyo with an uncomprehending expression, Jihyo decides to give up altogether and lets out a sigh. “You know what?” she pushes the bag of cocoa butter into Mina’s hands. “Let’s just focus on making those chocolates.”

Despite her confusion, Mina nods anyway and follows Jihyo’s lead, thinking the conversation is already over and that Jihyo has left it at that. Without even glancing at the recipe that often, Jihyo gives Mina clear and precise instructions at a pace that doesn’t feel overwhelming at all. It’s clear as day that Jihyo is no stranger to the kitchen, if the minimal amount of trouble they encounter is anything to go by; and if Mina had any doubts before as to how reliable Jihyo is, then they’ve definitely vanished now.

They decide to split making batches between the softball club and the student council; with Mina assigned to the former and Jihyo with the latter. Then, they make their individual batches for Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Jeongyeon – Mina wisely choosing not to make a comment about the particularly large container Jihyo also has herself.

For her gift to Dahyun, Mina makes an assortment ranging from plain chocolates to ones filled with nuts, dried fruits, and a mix of both. She puts great care into preparing each one, and by the time they place the molds inside the fridge, Mina feels a strong sense of accomplishment with her work.

While they wait for the chocolates to harden, they work together in cleaning up the kitchen and putting the utensils in their proper places after they’ve been washed and dried. There’s still some time left by the time they’ve finished, so they spend it hanging around and talking; the conversation eventually drifting to Jeongyeon at one point.

Jihyo suddenly looks nervous, fidgeting with her fingers and barely able to meet Mina’s eyes. It’s a strange sight and a surprise to witness, especially given how calm and collected Jihyo normally is – well, at least until Jeongyeon is involved.

Mina thinks they might be alike in that regard; except that instead of Jeongyeon, it’s Dahyun who makes the ground underneath her feet feel like it’s both shaking and staying steady at the same time.

“So,” Jihyo gulps, then pauses for a beat, and Mina smiles at her in encouragement. Taking a deep, steadying breath, Jihyo nods and pushes forward, “I like Jeongyeon. Well-“ she hesitates, pushing her tongue against the inside of her cheek, “-I’ve liked her for a long time now.”

When Mina gives her a knowing look instead of one of surprise, Jihyo blushes to the tips of her ears and lets out a huff. “I kind of figured, to be honest,” she teases Jihyo, which might partly be to get back at her for earlier.

This earns her a good, long stare from Jihyo. “Wait, let me get this straight, you already knew that I like Jeongyeon but you don’t-“ she stops abruptly and heaves out a sigh, shaking her head in exasperation. Instead of continuing, however, she clicks her tongue and shifts the conversation back on track. “Anyway, sure, she could be annoying and a right pain sometimes-“ Jihyo rants, rolling her eyes, but it soon melts into a fond smile as she continues, “-but she can be really sweet and thoughtful when she wants to be, and she always knows how to lighten the mood with her dumb jokes. And I’ve been thinking about it for a while now, and I think I’m ready to tell her how I feel.”

Every word Jihyo says is touched with a kind of fondness Mina knows is reserved only for Jeongyeon; and a part of her wonders if she sounds the same when she talks about Dahyun. For a moment, Mina sees herself in Jihyo – sees the same, gentle spark of affection in her own eyes and the ghost of a laugh on her lips as she recalls the countless times Dahyun has cracked a random pun or told a silly story.

And the more that Mina listens to Jihyo, the more she feels as though she had just been splashed by a bucket of cold water, hit by a ton of bricks, and had a train barreling towards her at full speed – all at the same time. Over the years, what she always thought of and dismissed as mere friendly feelings towards Dahyun have somehow grown and deepened into something much more; something stronger and more tangible which Mina could no longer deny and can finally put a name to.

She likes Dahyun. She’s liked Dahyun all this time, but she’d been too blind to see it.

Now, however, Mina’s eyes have been opened.

The feeling of being on cloud nine when Dahyun smiles at her, bright and radiant like the sun; the pressing, almost overwhelming need to reach out whenever Dahyun is less than a hair’s breadth away from her or simply when they share the same space; the giddiness that fills her from the inside out each time Dahyun says her name; the comfort and surge of affection that comes with how perfectly her fingers fit the spaces in between Dahyun’s every time they hold hands…

Oh.

“So, do you think it’s a good idea?” Jihyo asks, snapping Mina out of her daze. The nervousness Jihyo had previously felt becomes apparent again, and, deciding to push her inner turmoil aside for later, Mina reaches out to squeeze Jihyo’s shoulder as a sign of her support.

If what Mina has seen of the way Jeongyeon looks out for Jihyo even with their constant teasing and playful bickering, then she’s sure that nothing could go wrong if either one of them were to confess.

“Of course,” Mina says, nodding. “I don’t think there’s anything to worry about; you’ve been best friends for a long time, after all.”

Relief courses through Jihyo then, and, patting Mina’s hand, she murmurs, “Thank you, Mina. That means a lot to me.”

“What are friends for, right?” Mina answers with a light chuckle. Then, she pauses, contemplating whether to tell Jihyo about her earlier, albeit unexpected realization or to keep it to herself for now. But she knows that if she hides it, it would only gnaw at herself when she gets home.

Sure, she could twist her wording and make it sound like a hypothetical situation, but given how sharp Jihyo is, Mina would get caught right off the bat. Plus, Mina isn’t sure if she could do the same thing with Dahyun without slipping up and giving herself away – and that’s the one situation she would like to avoid at all costs.

She must have stayed silent for longer than she intended, however, as Jihyo draws her eyebrows together and glances at Mina with a concerned expression. “Mina? Is something wrong?” she asks gently, placing a hand on Mina’s arm.

Mina opens her mouth, then clamps it back shut again, unsure as to how she’s going to break the news to Jihyo. It’s as though she’s in unfamiliar territory right now, her head and her heart a jumbled mess of overpowering feelings and emotions she had never experienced in her life until Dahyun entered the picture.

Thankfully, Jihyo doesn’t push her; instead waits patiently until Mina can gather her thoughts and put them into words. It takes a few more moments for Mina to do so, lower lip sucked between her teeth as she tries her best to look Jihyo in the eye.

“I like Dahyun,” Mina croaks out, her voice hoarse and a little scratchy around the edges; the weight of the words spilling out of her lips for the first time nearly causing her knees to buckle underneath it. She then swallows; thinks of the warmth of Dahyun’s fingertips grazing the inside of her wrist as she repeats in a quiet whisper, “Jihyo, I like Dahyun…”

In an instant, Jihyo rushes to her side; Mina expecting a smug remark or something along the lines of ‘it sure took you long enough’, but Jihyo does neither of these things. Instead, she places a comforting hand on Mina’s back and softly asks, “Are you going to tell her, too?”

“I don’t- I don’t know,” Mina admits, biting down on her lower lip. A huge part of her wishes she could be brave like Jihyo; wishes she had the resolution to say that she would do the same thing as Jihyo and confess to Dahyun.

But she’s not.

Unlike Jihyo, she isn’t as headstrong or self-aware of her own feelings – especially since it took so long before she managed to connect the dots and reach this point.

“Well,” Jihyo starts, rubbing Mina’s shoulder comfortingly. Then, she smiles at Mina and pats her back. “You don’t have to tell her yet if you aren’t ready, but don’t shut the door on it yet, okay?”

With her heart in her throat, Mina can only muster a nod and a small, “Thank you,” in response.

“Hey, what are friends for, right?” Jihyo echoes Mina’s earlier words, which coaxes out a grateful smile. “If you want to talk more about it, then I’m here. You don’t need to rush or pressure yourself, and I’m sure you’ll know when it’s the right time to tell Dahyun.”

Flashing Jihyo a grateful smile, Mina allows herself to be drawn into a hug; feeling as though the years she’d spent being puzzled while going around in circles had been lifted off her shoulders then, giving her a sense of perfect clarity that she had been longing to find for so long.

“So then, let’s check those chocolates and make sure yours turned out perfectly so that Dahyun falls for you too,” Jihyo teases with a wink as she pulls back, which both lightens the mood and causes Mina to blush to the tips of her ears.

More than anything, Mina hopes that Jihyo is right.