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Eunsang had only ever dated one person before Yuna. It was a high school romance that lasted an impressive six months before she broke up with him, saying that she wanted to focus on her studies even though she started dating someone else within a week. So while he hasn’t had extensive experience in the romance department, he has some idea of what dating is supposed to be like. Or so he thought until he started dating Shin Yuna who is unlike anyone and anything that he’s ever known.
While his ex-girlfriend was fairly quiet and studious, Yuna is a firecracker in human form who seems to have an endless amount of energy. She seems to approach everything in her life with absolute gusto. Even the sight of a puppy would make her sprint over in excitement (one benefit of dating her in the past three months is that he’s gotten slightly more physically active since she’s constantly running around). He’s seen her squeal over things ranging from a bowl of pasta to getting a B on her Chemistry test. And yet, she just wears so much of her heart on her sleeves too.
Like last night.
He was walking out of class, exhausted after a full day of lectures and labs, to find her seated on the front steps of the building, humming to a song without care.
“Hey,” he greeted, “What are you doing here?
She pulled out her earphones. “Waiting for you,” she grinned, “You’re hungry, right? Have you had dinner? There’s this new ice cream shop that just opened and I heard that they have a unicorn flavor.” She grabbed his free hand and used him to propel herself to standing. “Sure,” he responded as she sprinted down the steps. But the moment they hit the pavement, the lightness in her steps disappeared and the usual 10 energy had dimmed to an alarming 2. So Eunsang tugged at her hand that’s clasped in his and leaned his head forward so that he could have a clear view of her face.
When her eyes met his, he smiled tenderly, willing for her to share whatever was on her mind and it worked because she looked up.
“We had a meeting for a group project today and Hye Won unnie was being so…” she sighed, “The way she speaks just makes me feel like I’m a high schooler in a college class. I know I’m young but I’m not incompetent. I know that.”
Her big brown eyes communicated so much anguish that Eunsang wished he could somehow take it all away from her. So he did what he could and just squeezed her hand.
“But maybe I am. Maybe I should have just stuck to floorball. Do what I do best instead of broadcasting. They say my voice is too high-pitched for television anyway,” she continued.
Eunsang remembered the first time Yuna told him about this particular insecurity. This was back when they were just friends - a very unkind senior had told her that she’s not cut for broadcasting during her second semester and she had come to the library in tears. Since then, even though she’s won competitions and have proven to herself and everyone else that she is in fact perfect for television, this insecurity would bubble up to the surface.
“I really should punch that sunbae of yours in the face for making you think that,” he sighs.
Yuna snorts and he grinned for a moment before pretending to take offense, “Yah. I’ve been in a fight and I won,” he said indignantly.
“A heated argument in sixth grade about the seating chart doesn’t count,” she shook her head.
“It does. A verbal fight is a fight.”
She laughed as she wrapped her arms around his torso, “You’re a lover, not a fighter. And you can only love meeeeeeee,” she looked up, her chin resting on his jaw.
“Will you fight other people for me?” he asked moments later as they continued their walk to the ice cream shop.
“Of course! As long as you keep buying me dessert and pizza.”
“Wow. That’s a real bargain.”
“Heeeeey!”
He laughed and kissed her forehead quickly before squeezing her shoulder affectionately. He knew that he fought her demons with her tonight and that’s enough.