Archive of Our Own ^beta

Second Year

It’s New Year’s Eve and the five girls are celebrating it together. It’s actually Hyein that they have to thank for it. According to her, a couple of her dad’s business partners have a tradition of hosting a large party for New Year’s Eve. A tactic to maintain amicable relationships and develop a sense of camaraderie within the various branches of the company, or something along those lines.

After talking about it and convincing him that it’d be fine just this once, she invited them to tag along with her. The only requirement is that they need to dress up a little and be on their best behavior.

It only worked out so well because Minji, Hyein, Haerin, and Danielle always return to Korea for the winter holidays. Hanni, on the other hand, was set to head back to Australia, but Hyein personally convinced the older girl’s parents to allow her to spend a couple of days in Korea. She even offered to cover the cost of the flight both ways, which Hanni’s parents graciously declined, and though they were uncertain about letting their daughter leave on her own, Hanni had won them over by pointing out that it was something not likely to happen again in the future.

So, Hanni spent a few days with her family back home before flying out and arriving at the airport where Hyein’s family picked her up. The first thing she did, according to Hyein, was complain about not being prepared for the sudden change in weather and take shelter in the younger girl’s jacket. (However, more than anything, Hanni’s been excited about returning as a considerable amount of time has passed since she and her family lived in the country.)

The room’s decorations are simple, yet tasteful. There are tables with food set out on them and now and then, servers will replenish whatever has been taken. It isn’t technically a formal event, but at first glance, it almost appears that way.

However, the various conversations in the room are casual enough that it eases the tension that the four girls might have (or at least it does for Haerin).

Hyein said she had something she wanted to show Hanni a few minutes ago and although Minji tried to appear disinterested, her curiosity got the best of her, and she followed the path that she saw them take not long after.

It leaves Haerin at their table where she sits, chatting about their school’s dance team’s last performance with Hyein’s mom. The older woman is sweet and attentive in a way that vaguely reminds her of her own mom. When she excuses herself to the bathroom, she almost feels guilty about leaving the woman, but her husband walks over and pulls her in the direction of some colleagues with a loving kiss on the cheek.

On the way back, she finds herself wondering where Danielle disappeared and peeks her head around a few corners. In the end, the girl is on a balcony that she hadn’t realized was there. Haerin carefully pushes the door open and knocks her knuckles twice against the doorframe before walking over, not wanting to startle the girl, and Danielle turns her head.

With a signature smile, she gives a simple, “Hey.”

“Hey,” Haerin returns the greeting and stops beside her. “What are you doing out here?”

“I wanted some fresh air.”

Haerin’s not sure if she completely believes that, but she chooses not to question it. Instead, she focuses on the cold air that enters her lungs with each breath and tries not to shiver. It seems like Danielle is doing the same, but it doesn’t seem to be working well if the way her shoulders curl slightly inward is any indication.

“Last month, I thought I’d be spending New Year’s Eve a little differently,” Danielle admits after a handful of minutes.

It takes a moment for Haerin to understand what she means, but it eventually clicks into place. Only a couple of weeks have passed since Danielle and her ex-boyfriend's breakup. It was mutual and he had been respectful about it, which was a relief since one boy that the Australian girl was involved with in the past hadn’t been as mature.

In a low voice, Haerin asks, “Do you wish that you could’ve spent today together?”

She doesn’t pry any further than that, only casts a glance at Danielle and waits. Haerin doesn’t like to assume anything—she doesn’t like experiencing it herself—but it sounds like the other girl might miss him. Something that would make sense with the months that they were dating.

“No. I don’t miss him,” Danielle answers decisively, a few beats of silence later. The silence prompts her to continue speaking, “It was for the best. Somewhere near the end, we both checked out of the relationship. I guess I’m still getting a little used to the change. It became a routine at some point, more than anything, you know?”

Haerin can’t say that she does because she’s never been in a relationship, let alone had a crush. Opportunities have arisen plenty of times, but it’s never quite interested her in the way that it interests their friend group. Love isn’t something she thinks about very often. (Though on the rare occasions that she has, she’s found herself thinking that she’ll have to know someone really well before falling in love.)

That doesn’t stop her from sympathizing with the girl though.

Haerin hums and leans her crossed arms against the railing. Beside her, Danielle does the same and they look down at the city below them. The night sky is adorned with handfuls of sparkling stars, some distanced from each other and some clustered into constellations. The party inside is roaring with increased energy, the noise lapping at the threshold to the balcony before being dragged back in.

“You can come to me whenever you need or want,” Haerin voices, cutting through the peaceful silence, and effectively capturing Danielle’s attention. “I know the break up ended on good terms, but if there’s anything that doesn’t, I just want you to know that I’m here. All of us are, Minji, Hanni, and Hyein too. You can be honest about your feelings, about anything, not just boys, and we’ll listen. It’s good to get things off your chest every once in a while.”

Neither of them says anything for a long moment, but then Danielle sniffles and lets out a watery laugh. Haerin turns to her, slightly alarmed by the sound, and the Australian girl is smiling. With tears in her eyes and all, Danielle always finds a way to smile.

“Haerin…” She breathes out and the aforementioned girl stares back at her. “I’m really okay after everything, but thank you. You can always come to me too.”

Releasing her hold on the railing, she wraps her arms around the back of Haerin’s neck in a hug. The force of it makes Haerin stumble back a step, but she regains her balance and places her hands on Danielle’s back. Although she isn’t one to usually initiate physical affection, being friends with people as affectionate as the four girls, it’s something she’s grown accustomed to. Besides, it’s common knowledge that no one denies Danielle’s hugs.

Almost as if reading her mind, she clarifies, “These are happy tears by the way. I’ve just been so happy that we’re all able to spend the day together.”

Haerin laughs, head pressed against the taller girl’s, and agrees, “Me too.”

The countdown begins inside and Haerin follows the chanting in her head. Faintly, she can hear Danielle’s whispered voice doing the same near her ear. They’re still wrapped in each other’s arms and the Australian girl has started to gently sway them with each beat.

When it reaches the end, cheering erupts and in the far distance, fireworks blast through the sky.

“Happy New Year, Haerin-ah,” Danielle says once they finally pull apart enough to look at each other. The tears have dried, but her eyes still shine with genuine excitement. Her lips are drawn into a wide smile that is impossible not to mirror.

(Haerin’s first thought of the year is that Danielle looks radiant even in the scarce lighting of the balcony.)

Something in Haerin’s stomach stirs, so fleetingly that she barely takes note of it. So brief that she can’t completely process it, aside from that it’s similar to the time she saw her favorite actress in a movie that remains one of her favorites to this day. It’s warm, whatever it is, and she thinks nothing else of it.

“Happy New Year, Dani.”

Whatever bubble of peace encompasses them is promptly burst seconds later at the sound of the door being flung open and loud laughter. One by one, the three girls reappear and run toward them. They’re not completely separated and are, therefore, pushed back together as Minji, Hanni, and Hyein mold themselves around the pair. An excited jumble of “Happy New Year” fills the air.

“Happy New Year, guys!” Hanni repeats, in English this time, with a bright smile and leans into Danielle. The group hug begins to tilt, but the latter recovers from the sudden shift in weight, and equilibrium is restored.

“We were looking for you two! We wanted to count down together,” Hyein pouts and looks like an adorably sad puppy. Haerin reaches her arm around the younger girl to pat her head apologetically.

“Sorry, we lost track of time.”

Minji pulls out of the hug first and rubs her hands against her arms in seek of warmth. “It’s cold out here, let’s go back inside.”

“But the stars are so pretty, and look”—Hanni points at the shower of fireworks ahead in an attempt to change her mind—“the fireworks are going off! Don’t you want to stay and watch, Minji?”

For a few seconds, the oldest girl seems to seriously contemplate it and Hanni’s lips begin to turn up into a satisfied smile. It doesn’t last long though because Minji shakes her head and grins like she has a hidden card up her sleeve. While walking toward the door, she calls out one last thing over her shoulder.

“They brought out more dessert.”

All four of them perk up at the piece of information. Then, they break into a run as they chase after her. The whole time, they push each other back and forth in a race to reach the exit faster. Haerin shamelessly laughs when Hanni barrels into Danielle and nearly takes them both down to the floor. She and Hyein quickly give up on bumping each other, and the younger drags her by the hand to keep up with the rest.

“Kim Minji, that’s not fair!”

The month of February has barely started and Danielle’s days are busier than usual. The school’s dance team is practicing diligently for the upcoming Valentine’s Day performance next week. It’s not actually on Valentine’s Day but instead on Friday since the romantic holiday falls on the weekend, but that detail doesn’t matter as much. Besides, they’re all working extra hard to polish the performance to lend a hand to the team’s co-captain and his elaborate plan to ask his girlfriend to the dance that’s held every spring.

They’re about an hour into their usual two-hour session and have finished running through the entire routine again. It’s still a bit messy with a few members forgetting small moves and formations that aren’t as clean as they can be. The opening group is making fewer mistakes and Danielle thinks that it’s likely because they’re dancing solo. Haerin and Minji, for example, seem to have their parts down for the most part.

On the other hand, many of the pairs are still working out some hiccups and trying to make the choreography look as natural as possible. Danielle and her partner are one of those pairs, and they run through their main part again to slowly smooth out the minor mistakes. Again, they run into trouble with the same sequence of moves and she can admit that the error is on her part.

She’s trying to push past it, at least until practice is over, but she’s been feeling under the weather since the night before.

Her partner excuses himself to the bathroom, assuring her one more time that it’s okay and they have plenty of time to work out the issue, then leaves her to practice by herself.

Danielle reties her hair into a ponytail and tries to ignore the nausea creeping up on her. Going over the spin that she keeps slightly under-rotating, she does it slowly a few times before attempting it for real. Except, while doing it at the regular speed, the exhaustion and nausea that’s been suppressed all day hit her full force. Maybe it’s partially her own fault for spinning too fast because one second, she’s standing, and the next, she’s falling to the floor so quickly that it leaves her blinking in a daze. The others who are nearby rush toward her, pulling her to her feet, and Danielle can only weakly say thank you.

Her head is pounding and her body temperature is uncomfortably high.

“Danielle, are you okay?” Their captain asks and closes her water bottle to set it down.

Although she nods, it’s not very convincing since two people are currently holding her up like she’s about to fall over any second. An arm wraps around her waist and for a second, she thinks that it might be her dance partner, but the long nails and familiar perfume say otherwise.

“I got her, Captain,” Haerin reassures and shifts to support more of Danielle’s weight.

“Take her to the nurse, okay? You two are dismissed for the rest of practice, so don’t worry about heading back,” the older girl says and gives Danielle’s shoulder a squeeze before holding the door open for the two. “I’ll send someone to bring your bags in a bit. Please drink some water and rest for now, Dani.”

The last thing she does is mouth “I’m okay” to Hanni, Minji, and Hyein through the mirror in hopes of easing their worried expressions.

The two girls begin to walk down the hallway and Danielle has to give Haerin credit: she still has enough strength after tirelessly dancing to practically hold her up. Truthfully, she can walk without the assistance, but she’s grateful for it nonetheless. Haerin, however, doesn’t seem to feel that she’s doing enough.

“Do you want me to carry you on my back?” The cat-eyed girl offers and begins to turn around, but Danielle stops her with a hand on her arm.

“No, no, it’s fine, Haerin,” she insists and can’t help but laugh a little. The laughter seems to ease Haerin’s concern because she gives a small smile and nods.

After grabbing onto Danielle’s waist again, they continue the rest of the walk to the nurse’s office. The nurse isn’t there when they enter, as expected, but the door is unlocked. Walking them over to a bed, Haerin gently helps the Australian girl onto it. Danielle’s thankful to be lying down, but she still feels sweaty and gross with the fabric of her shirt clinging to her skin and strands of hair stuck to her forehead.

Haerin presses the back of her hand against the surface of her forehead and lets out an audible gasp.

“You’re burning up,” she states, although Danielle can already tell. “Have you been feeling like this all day?”

“Yeah, but I thought it’d pass. It’s winter, so it’s probably just a cold.”

Frowning disapprovingly, Haerin shakes her head while lightly scolding, “You should’ve told us, Danielle. You shouldn’t push yourself if you’re not feeling good, you could really hurt yourself.”

“I’m okay, I swear! It’s just a little fever and dizziness,” she attempts to reason, hoping to convince the shorter girl, but it falls on deaf ears. Haerin is already moving around the room, shuffling around before locating an ice pack and a stack of paper towels.

Danielle wants to ask what she’s doing, but Haerin starts to meticulously dab at the perspiration on her forehead without speaking any further. It’s an odd feeling, like she’s suddenly the younger of the two and being cared for. However, she refrains from commenting and shuts her eyes instead, allowing the girl to continue her movements. Once Haerin sets her mind on something, there’s no persuading her to do otherwise. The delicate nature of the whole situation is also something that she finds herself grateful for, especially with the muted throbbing of her head.

The brush of paper towels against her skin halts for a few seconds, then resumes against her neck and her eyes threaten to flutter open at the ticklish sensation. Nevertheless, she fights against the urge and focuses on calming her slightly agitated breathing from the dance session. The steady rhythm of the wiping is making her drowsy if she’s being honest.

Eventually, Haerin stops again and Danielle thinks that she must be done.

As a result, the brush of paper towels against her stomach isn’t something that she anticipates and her eyes fly open in surprise. Her shirt is still tied into a knot in the back, leaving her abdomen and lower back exposed, which are covered in a thin sheen of sweat. She pushes herself hard during every practice, leading to her being a sweaty mess by the end, and the fever definitely isn’t helping in that regard.

“What are you doing?” She asks, propping herself up on her elbows, and Haerin’s eyebrows furrow in confusion.

“You aren’t going to feel comfortable when you’re all sweaty,” the girl replies, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. Danielle continues to watch her with parted lips, causing Haerin to draw her hand back. “Do you want me to stop?”

Danielle contemplates before laying back down and awkwardly mumbling, “Um, it’s okay. Sorry about that.”

Haerin nods her head silently and continues to dab at the taller girl’s stomach. Danielle wants to close her eyes again, but it’s hard when she feels conscious of every movement. Every time the coarse material makes contact with her skin, she involuntarily tenses.

After several seconds, it stops and the feeling is replaced by the brief sensation of Haerin’s cool fingers. It’s almost relieving to feel something cold in the midst of burning up. At the same time, Danielle’s stomach does a weird flip, one that leaves her wondering just how sick she is. (God, she hopes she doesn’t have to throw up later on.)

Haerin moves away to throw the paper towels in the trash and when she walks back, she wraps an unused one around the ice pack to carefully settle it on Danielle’s forehead. The cold temperature is welcomed with a small sigh. It turns out that she was right—she does feel better now that she’s covered in considerably less sweat.

“I’m going to get you some cold water, then stop by the practice room to check if I have Tylenol in my bag,” Haerin tells her. “Is there anything else you need?”

There isn’t, but that doesn’t stop Danielle from reaching out and grabbing Haerin’s arm. The girl tilts her head with a quizzical look and Danielle holds the ice pack against her forehead, then lets her head loll to the side.

“I don’t know if anyone else would be this attentive, so thank you, Haerinnie. Seriously,” she expresses with a sincere smile. The fluorescent light overhead forms a halo-like glow around the girl’s head that rightfully makes her look like the angel that Danielle currently sees her as.

Haerin blinks one, two, three times. Then she tears her eyes away, canines peeking out as her lips curve into a timid smile, and murmurs, “You’re welcome. But I’m also doing this because I want to, Dani.”

With a slight squeeze of her hand, she exits the room and Danielle shifts her head to stare back up at the ceiling. The only sound is the clock on the wall softly ticking and a door slamming somewhere down the hall. It doesn’t take long for her eyes to drift shut as she floats in and out of consciousness until Haerin’s return.

The store has racks and racks of clothes to entertain themselves with. The cool air feels so much better than being in the stuffy atmosphere of their school. Haerin’s interested in finding another pair of jeans, so she runs her hands along the various styles of denim pants to see if anything catches her attention. Next to her, Hanni is holding a pair of jeans against her waist while checking how it looks in the mirror.

“Be honest, do these glasses look good on me?” Hyein asks while pulling down a pair of sunglasses from where they sit on top of her head.

Of course, it looks good on the younger girl. Hyein is so effortlessly pretty that she can make a plastic bag look like a staple of high-end fashion. Haerin steps away from the jeans that she’s looking at to walk closer to Hyein with a smile.

“They really suit you, Hyeinnie.”

“You think so?”

“Hyeinnie, you look like a model!” Danielle chimes in from a few racks over.

Hyein’s cheeks stain pink at the compliment. The girl still hasn’t grown accustomed to receiving words of praise from them, but that doesn’t stop them from showering her with them anyway. Pressing her lips together to suppress a smile, she pulls the sunglasses off and folds them.

“I’ll buy them then. Thank you, unnies.”

Minji laughs as she reappears with a jacket in hand. “You’re too cute,” she tells the younger girl and makes a show of pinching her cheeks. Hyein whines and tries to swat her away, but Minji continues with a wide smile. Seconds later, Hanni pounces on Minji from behind, startling the taller girl, and successfully freeing Hyein from the playful attack.

“Leave Hyeinnie alone,” Hanni reprimands while smacking her arm. Minji pouts and despite being significantly taller than the Vietnamese girl, she seems to shrink for a moment. Hanni rolls her eyes at the dramatic display of dejection. “Stop making that face, you big baby.”

Haerin laughs and returns to looking at the pair of jeans that caught her eye.

“I need some advice on which pair to get, so let me know what you all think.”

When Haerin lifts her head, Hanni is holding at least a handful of jeans—all of which look extremely similar. She loves the older girl, but Hanni has a habit of running through the pros and cons of every piece of clothing before deciding to buy it. This is definitely going to take a while.

Someone delicately grabs her wrist and when she turns, Danielle is standing next to her with a cardigan and dress in the other hand.

“Haerin and I are going to try on some stuff,” she interjects and doesn’t wait for a response to start pulling them in the direction of the fitting rooms.

Minji and Hanni say something about it being a lousy excuse, but neither of them reacts to the accusation. They walk to the other end of the store and once they disappear out of sight, Haerin’s wrist is released and Danielle spins around with a light smile. Haerin glances down at the pair of baggy jeans between her own fingers.

“Are we actually going to try these on?”

“I just wanted to escape before Hanni talked our ears off,” Danielle admits with a giggle that tugs at the corners of the cat-eyed girl’s mouth, “but since we’re here now, we probably should.”

Danielle goes into the fitting room on the left and shuts the door behind her. Mirroring her actions, Haerin steps in the other one. However, when she shuts the door and tries to lock it, it refuses to budge. For a moment, she stares at the broken lock with a puzzled frown.

“Is something wrong?” Danielle asks, likely due to the noticeable silence on the other side of their shared wall.

“The door won’t lock,” Haerin responds and turns the knob to exit.

There’s some rustling, then the other door opens and Danielle’s head peeks out.

“Come in, we can share,” the wavy-haired girl offers with a beckoning hand.

“Are you sure? I can just wait for—” Haerin begins to say, but is quickly cut off.

Danielle reaches forward to pull her inside the room by the hand and shuts the door behind them. She reassures with an easygoing smile, “It’s not a problem, Haerin. I don’t mind and it's not like we have much to try on.”

Haerin thanks her before turning her back to give her some privacy. The fitting room is more spacious than most, so it doesn’t feel cramped in the slightest. She finally takes the opportunity to try on the jeans that she’s been carrying around.

Silence settles between them while they change; Haerin takes the initiative to break it first.

“How did your date go? I missed the first half of lunch and all, so I didn’t hear the details.”

“You didn’t miss anything interesting if that’s what you mean,” Danielle replies while Haerin observes how the jeans look from the front. The taller girl lets out an awkward laugh and confesses, “Actually, it didn’t go well at all.”

Haerin frowns. “Why, what happened?”

“He seemed sweet when I agreed to go out with him, but he talked about himself the entire time. I could barely get a word in before he took over the conversation.”

At that, Haerin can’t contain the scoff that flies out of her mouth. Meanwhile, Danielle’s tone isn’t biting, only frustrated, while explaining the unpleasant experience. It’s not a frequent occurrence for the girl to get upset, but as far as Haerin is concerned, it would be completely justified right now.

“You’re great to talk to, so that’s his loss,” Haerin jumps to assure that the negative outcome of the date was the boy’s fault. For good measure, she lightly questions, “Did anything else happen?”

“He tried to kiss me at the end.”

Haerin’s head whips around in shock. Danielle turns around too, now wearing the flowy dress that she brought along to try on. Upon seeing the cat-eyed girl’s raised eyebrows, she confirms with a nod (and a small grimace) that she didn’t mishear her.

“‘Tried to,’ so he didn’t?” Haerin asks warily, unable to control the way her face contorts into an uncomfortable frown.

“No, definitely not,” Danielle answers with a relieved sigh, only to giggle at the furrow between Haerin’s eyebrows. She reaches out to wrap her fingers around Haerin’s forearm and swipes the pad of her thumb against her skin. “You don’t have to be upset on my behalf, Haerinnie. I turned my head, so he kissed my cheek instead and he got the message pretty quickly.”

Haerin lets out a small sigh, relieved the boy hadn’t succeeded in his nonconsensual act, yet also in hopes of easing the weight that’s settled in her chest. “I know, Dani, but you didn’t want it in the first place and that’s not okay.”

“I know and I won’t be seeing him again,” a straight-faced Danielle responds with complete certainty. The serious atmosphere quickly shifts as her eyes curve into soft crescents and she notes, “The positive of that night is that I got to come home and FaceTime with you all until we fell asleep, so it didn’t turn out so bad in the end.”

Optimistic to the bone, only Danielle can consistently see the bright side of every situation, no matter how big or small. Haerin thinks it’s an admirable trait—one that she envies at times. Like right now, as the weird sensation lingers in her chest, even though Danielle should be the one more affected since it directly involved her.

“Let’s talk about something else, okay?” The Australian girl waits until Haerin nods her head, expression relaxing, and beams once more. With a curious expression, she seeks a second opinion. “What do you think of this dress? I like it, but I’m not sure that it fits the vibe of a dance. I was hoping to find something to wear, but I don’t think I’m going to find anything today.”

Haerin steps back partially, observing the appearance of the dress from a few different angles, and concludes that it’s very pretty. However, Danielle is right, it doesn’t feel like something to wear to a dance. It’s still too pretty to let go in Haerin’s opinion, so she expresses that, and through mutual agreement, Danielle decides to purchase it for other occasions.

(The jeans that Haerin’s wearing also win over both of them, letting her know she’ll be walking out of the store with them.)

“We should invite some of the other girls to go shopping this weekend. It’ll be fun! Do you have anything to wear yet?”

“Not yet, I still have to buy a dress.”

They’re changing again and Haerin finishes rather quickly, given that she only tried on pants, but she allows a few extra seconds for Danielle. When they’re both done, Haerin sits on the small area of flat surface in the corner and listens to Danielle talk as she pulls on the cardigan.

“Has anyone asked you to the dance yet, Haerin-ah?” Danielle inquires while adjusting the clothing item to sit more comfortably on her shoulders.

There’s a short-lived tug in Haerin’s stomach.

“Actually, someone asked me today after class. I was flattered, but I turned him down. I’d rather go with a friend than a date.” Haerin looks up at the ceiling and wonders if the manner in which she let her classmate down was polite enough. The boy is genuinely kind, not only to her but to others, to the point that anyone would be able to say that about him. Even so, with his hands nervously fidgeting at his sides, she didn’t want to give him false hope by agreeing to go.

Danielle turns away from the mirror and walks closer to place her hands on Haerin’s shoulders and give her a light shake. “Our little friendship-oriented girl!” She proudly exclaims and it makes Haerin giggle, slightly embarrassed by her volume.

“Minji said we can go together since she doesn’t feel like going with a date either.”

It’s true—Minji has already been asked a few times, but she wasn’t interested. Though, the other reason, the one that Haerin doesn’t even need to say for it to be known, is that she doesn’t want Haerin to feel left out. Last week, Hanni was asked by a boy who she’s found cute for months, and Hyein was asked by a timid boy who slipped a note into her locker. That’s two of them with confirmed dates.

Haerin flips the question, “What about you? Have you said yes to anyone yet?”

Like the oldest of their friend group, Danielle has already been asked to the dance. Tons of boys are interested in her and for good reason; she’s beautiful, kind, and intelligent, among countless other things. The girl is an absolute pleasure to be around, whether it’s because of her conversational skills, excitement for new experiences, or the positive energy that she emits in waves.

Danielle is the definition of the term "dream girl," at least if you ask Haerin.

“No, I haven’t,” Danielle answers, shaking her head. She’s putting the cardigan back on its hanger as she continues, “Honestly, I don’t know if I’ll go with any of them. I might just tag along with you and Minji.”

That statement causes Haerin’s ears to perk up. It’d be great to be able to spend the night with not only Minji but Danielle at her side. Of course, Hanni and Hyein are included, but most of their time will likely be spent with their respective dates. She can already imagine the three of them dancing together freely as the current most popular songs boom through the speakers. (Truthfully, it would probably be Danielle doing most of the dancing and jumping around while Haerin laughs and Minji tries to keep up with the Australian girl’s never-ending energy.)

Gathering her belongings and the jeans, Haerin jokingly points out, “It’ll be hard to slow dance with three people.”

The door to the fitting room swings open and the two walk out, but not without Danielle bursting into laughter. It tapers off and she shrugs her shoulders, looking at Haerin sidelong. The emotion in Danielle's crescent-shaped eyes nearly rips the oxygen out of her lungs.

“We’ll take turns then. It’ll save us from stepping on each other’s toes anyway.”

“That makes a lot more sense.”

“But I want the honor of the first slow dance with you,” Danielle declares in a suddenly serious tone. That is until Haerin holds her gaze for a total of about three seconds, resulting in them simultaneously cracking up.

Haerin nudges her with her elbow. “I doubt Minji will fight you for that, so I think you’ll be fine.”

The two of them continue to giggle the entire way back to the other three girls. Hyein even asks them what’s so funny, but they only exchange a glance and fall back into quiet laughter. Eventually, the hilarity of the situation wears off and they go back to casually browsing through other clothing items.

A few feet away, Hanni is still listing the best attributes of another pair of jeans.

It’s the last week of school, meaning that there are practically no obligations left for students, aside from attending class. The atmosphere is lighter, yet filled with anticipation as everyone awaits the beginning of summer vacation. Between periods, people linger for longer in the hallways before heading to their next class and after school, multiple groups remain scattered around the campus as they animatedly chat, no longer burdened by the need to hurry home to work on assignments.

Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein stand beneath the large tree on campus with a handful of their other friends. Three of them are dance team members with the five girls, while the other two they met elsewhere. The last bell rang nearly thirty minutes ago, but they’re too caught up in their conversation to go their separate ways just yet.

A boy apprehensively approaches them—Danielle is one of the first to take notice due to the fact that she’s facing the direction that he’s coming from—and taps Haerin on the shoulder twice. The girl turns her head to see who it is, then turns her entire body around. By now, the conversation has paused as the rest of the girls stare at the boy, wondering why he needs Haerin’s attention, with suspicion already starting to grow.

“Haerin,” he says and looks down briefly, dark bangs falling over his eyes and a blush blooming on his cheeks. “Uh, I’ve been wanting to do this for a while, but I didn’t know how to. The school year is ending though, and I can’t let you go without letting you know. I-I think you’re really pretty and I, uh, I really like you. Please accept this!”

After stammering out the words, he moves his left arm from where it was awkwardly twisted behind his back and reveals a large heart-shaped box of chocolates and a singular rose. Danielle can only see Haerin’s side profile, but she’s visibly surprised by the confession. Meanwhile, a couple of the girls whisper to each other and attempt to discreetly nudge each other’s side at the scene unfolding.

Following a few blinks, Haerin’s face stretches into a genuine smile and she gently grabs the two items from his hold. Their fingertips brush and the boy’s face grows even more red, but Haerin simply bows her head in appreciation. He shoves his hands in his pockets, mustering up a small smile of his own.

“Thank you—”

A group of boys is yelling in the distance. They’re lightheartedly teasing the boy, calling out a bunch of names, and from the way he peeks over his shoulder, it’s clear that he knows them. He spares one more glance at Haerin, appearing embarrassed, and bolts without another word. He chases after his friends and the group of boys only laugh as they disperse in different directions.

The girls watch his back until he disappears around the corner.

“Well, that was interesting,” Minji remarks and her deep voice is enough to snap everyone out of their daze, furious giggling breaking out between them.

“You just got confessed to, Haerin! How does it feel?” Hanni asks with a teasing grin.

Another one of their friends lightheartedly rolls her eyes at the short girl’s antics. She’s quick to correct, “Haerin has received confessions before.”

“Yeah, but never like this,” Hanni emphasizes with a hand on Haerin’s shoulder, like a proud parent whose child just won a prestigious award, “Usually, they get her alone or do it through text.”

The girls nod and murmur in agreement, except for Danielle, who is unsure of how to react. There’s a strange sensation in her chest, like an uncomfortable weight has settled onto it. Boys confessing to her friend or asking her out is nothing new, she's seen the countless messages that they've sent in the past, but this is the first time that she's witnessed it in person. A confused frown morphs on her face and she tries to get rid of it, but she’s not fast enough.

“Dani unnie, what’s wrong?” Hyein asks, pulling her from her thoughts.

Unfortunately, it draws everyone’s attention to her.

“Nothing. It’s just weird that he didn’t even introduce himself,” she mumbles, purposely straying her eyes away from Haerin’s. At random times, like this one, the girl’s intense stare makes her feel almost transparent.

Minji takes the rose from Haerin and inspects it. Afterward, she pulls the box of chocolates from her hands and flips it over. She lets out a hum of satisfaction, smiling in the process, and turns it over to display the finding.

A Post-it is stuck to the bottom of the box with some words clumsily etched onto the paper in ink. It reads: "I really like you, Haerin. I hope you enjoy the chocolates," with his name written underneath. Minji peels it off and places it in Haerin’s palm.

“So, are you going to reach out to him?” One of their fellow dance team members asks while wiggling her eyebrows up and down.

Haerin chuckles but ultimately shakes her head. “I’m really flattered and it was really—”

“Cute?” Hyein guesses.

“Nice,” Haerin finishes her sentence, albeit with a somewhat perplexed look, as if she can’t comprehend why the younger girl would suggest that. “It was really nice, but I’m not interested. I just wish that I could’ve thanked him properly for the chocolates and the rose.”

One of the girls even points out the costliness of the chocolate box, stating that it’s imported, and they can’t help but awe at the boy’s dedication. Danielle, who doesn’t feel as weird as before, admires the sincerity of his feelings. If it were her, she also would have been extremely touched, so she understands what Haerin means.

The cat-eyed girl offers a piece of chocolate to the five other girls before they part ways and the five friends start their journey down the sidewalk.

Danielle’s mind is elsewhere when Haerin walks beside her and presents the box of chocolates, missing a few pieces from what was shared. “Do you want one?” Haerin asks and the Australian girl blinks several times as she processes the question.

“Sure.” She plucks out the piece closest to her and takes a small bite. The texture is smooth and melts on her tongue in a matter of seconds. Although she isn’t particularly crazy about sweets, it’s incredibly palatable. “Thank you, Haerin.”

The mentioned girl grabs a piece herself and takes a bite. There’s only silence between them, aside from Minji asking for another piece and grinning when Haerin nods, that stretches until they reach a crosswalk. Thankfully, the light changes immediately and they’re able to cross the street.

“Are you okay?”

The words don’t register in Danielle’s head at first, but she realizes that Haerin is speaking to her. With chocolate still coating her tongue, she wonders why things feel slightly off. The days are longer now with the changing seasons and the tranquility makes her stomach flip, makes her feel free of any stress.

Whatever is getting her mood down doesn’t matter, she thinks, not when the weather is so serene. Besides, their friend group will be seeing less of each other soon with Minji and Hyein flying back to Korea in three days, followed by the other three’s own flights. It’s crucial that she enjoys the moment since their reunion won’t be until next month.

“I’m okay,” Danielle answers and turns to meet Haerin’s curious eyes. Once Haerin nods her head and looks ahead, she nudges the shorter girl with a smile. “These chocolates are high-quality. He must really like you.”

Haerin only hums and says a couple of brief words about being thankful. It always fascinates her how nonchalant the girl is about crushes when most people their age would lose their minds over receiving a public confession. Danielle almost expects her to elaborate when she speaks again, but instead, it’s to add, “I’m glad that I can share them too. I think Hanni and Minji are more excited about it than me.”

Laughter follows because it’s definitely true.

“What about you? How is it?”

“I’ve never had this kind of chocolate before, but I like it. The flavor is different from the kind you can buy at a grocery store. The texture is very smooth and sort of sits on your tongue if that makes sense. It’s sweet, but not in an artificial way, and…why are you laughing?”

Danielle can’t help but quietly giggle at the cat-eyed girl’s detailed description. It’s a habit of Haerin’s to thoughtfully formulate an answer to any question that she’s asked. Sometimes, she’ll even hum or momentarily look off to the side while searching for the right word.

Danielle gestures with a shaking hand that it doesn’t mean anything bad. “I’m not laughing at you,” she rushes to clarify, but Haerin doesn’t seem to have made that assumption either way. As her eyes continue to bore into Danielle’s, intrigued to know the reason for her laughter, she decides to change the topic. “Do you want another piece?”

Like a cat, Haerin’s head cocks to the side. (It’s an endearing sight, maybe even unfairly so.)

Although no response is given, Danielle takes the liberty of selecting another piece of chocolate from the box after scanning over each one. Holding it up to Haerin’s lips, she waits for the girl to take it. However, Haerin doesn’t move and instead shifts her eyes between Danielle and the piece of candy in front of her. It doesn’t discourage the Australian girl, who raises her eyebrows and then drops them, signaling that she’s, indeed, offering it to Haerin.

Another second passes, and then Haerin leans forward to take a bite of the chocolate. Her lips accidentally brush against Danielle’s fingers and she pulls back with an embarrassed smile, dropping her head. The corners of Danielle’s own mouth quirk up.

Her friend was calm and collected while a boy bravely put his heart on display, yet here the same girl is, embarrassed by being fed. The juxtaposition is as amusing as it is cute. Haerin can be a bit unpredictable at times, but it’s one of the characteristics that she’s grown fond of.

“Why is only Haerin unnie being fed?” Hyein’s voice halts the staring that Danielle’s doing at Haerin’s side profile.

The Australian girl cranes her neck to look behind her and finds the young girl sporting a pout. It causes her to laugh and she pops the remainder of the chocolate between her fingers in her mouth. Haerin notices the youngest girl too and urges Danielle to take a piece for her.

Danielle trots over with a bright smile while sweetly calling out, “Hyeinnie, say ‘ah’!” She moves the chocolate piece like a wild airplane through the sky, accompanied by an attempt at airplane noises, but the girl refuses to eat it.

“Unnie, it’s too embarrassing…”

After some fussing, Hyein ultimately obliges, and Danielle pats the girl’s head to compensate for any embarrassment caused.

Third Year

Unlike her second year of high school, the third year has come with twists and turns that Haerin would’ve never expected a few months prior. If she had been told that she would end up in a messy love triangle of sorts—can it even be referred to as that when Haerin doesn’t feel any attraction toward the boy?—with Danielle and a player on the varsity basketball team, she wouldn’t have believed it.

Yet, here she is, in the aftermath of discovering that the athlete has been the object of Danielle’s affection for weeks while simultaneously chatting with Haerin behind her back.

She feels culpable for her role, despite not being aware the girl’s crush and the basketball player were the same guy, especially when she recalls the expression on Danielle’s face on the day when the incident occurred. In the subsequent days, Haerin wasn’t completely certain of how to approach her. Danielle, on the other hand, hasn’t seemed upset or resentful toward her, so the awkward atmosphere between them has started to rapidly dissipate.

Like right now, as she gathers the last of her belongings, Danielle waits for her at the door of the room where the dance team practices.

Compared to previous years, the five of them haven’t been as involved with the team since the school year started, but they still try to pop in every other week. Once the holidays approach, they’ll be more involved because of the performances the team will be doing, but for now, they carve out time when they can. It was actually Hanni’s idea to go today, but Haerin thinks that it was mostly the girl’s attempt to give her and Danielle some breathing room from each other.

(She has already tried to tell the Vietnamese girl that there are no hard feelings between them, but Hanni isn't entirely convinced. Honestly, she can’t blame her for it either.)

Haerin has just finished tying her shoelaces and slinging her backpack over her shoulder when she asks, “Where are the others?”

“I told them that they could go ahead without us,” Danielle answers before taking a gulp of water from her bottle.

Oh.

Haerin knows that Danielle doesn’t blame her for what happened, but her footsteps feel slightly heavier as she shuffles out of the room. They haven’t hung out alone in days, though that’s mostly the doing of their three friends who have a recent tendency to hover in the vicinity at all times, so the thought makes her a little nervous. But it’s impressive that Danielle was able to get their friends to leave without them in the first place.

“Do you have something you want to do?” Haerin asks, unsure of what else to say. There is a bead of sweat dripping down the Australian girl’s neck and she watches it until it sinks into the divot of her collarbone.

“I’m so hot right now, I could go for ice cream,” Danielle admits, then softly adds, “I was thinking that I could buy some for the both of us.”

Danielle Marsh is truly an angel.

“I could go for some ice cream,” Haerin agrees as she pulls on the collar of her shirt for ventilation. “I can pay for myself though, so you don’t have to worry about it.”

Danielle bumps her hip into hers and Haerin startles at the contact. She’s rolling her eyes but without any malice, and the shorter girl questions if she said something wrong.

“I’m the one who invited you, so I’m paying for us. Don’t even try to argue with me about it either because I’m not changing my mind. It’s my treat.”

Then Danielle grabs her arm and pulls her along with her, leaving Haerin with no choice but to follow. (However, if it were a choice, Haerin would still follow. It’s her friend, it’s Danielle; she would follow every time without hesitation.)

They stop by a convenience store that’s a few blocks from the school and enter. It takes several minutes of hovering by the freezer to decide on which one each of them wants, but after much consideration, they bring the items up to the counter to be rung up. True to her word, Danielle pays for the ice creams, plus the drink that Haerin was eyeing.

Tired after a long day of school and a long dance session, they look for somewhere to sit down and eat their frozen treats in peace. Luckily, there is a bench near one of the nearby parks and the girls situate themselves on it. They recount the events of their day and poke fun at the other’s choice of ice cream. (The latter is mostly Haerin because only Danielle would purchase something based solely on the cute character displayed on the package rather than the flavor itself.)

It’s simple and it’s exactly what they need.

It grows silent again and Haerin bites on the end of her popsicle stick, thinking back to the matter concerning the two of them and the athlete. It’s something that she wishes never happened. The whole thing is frustrating because of how little consideration the boy showed when dealing with two girls who are friends. Although she can’t say that she’s surprised by his horrible personality and inability to understand the importance of friendship between girls when the only things that likely matter to him are the basketball team and figuring out the next cheesy pick-up line to use when flirting.

“Dani, about Sung—” Haerin attempts to cautiously ask, but quickly snaps her mouth shut when Danielle shakes her head.

“Not now, okay? We can talk about it later, but right now I don’t want to think about it,” Danielle explains and Haerin nods her head to let her know she won’t prod further. “I want this to be time for us to just relax.”

It isn’t Haerin’s intention, but she wonders if Danielle misses hanging out with the basketball player at all. They probably had fun with each other at the time, even though it came crashing down in the end. Does he even realize how lucky he was to be able to spend time with her?

(Does he understand how fortunate he was to have her undivided attention, to be on the receiving end of her affection? Haerin can’t wrap her head around the fact that anyone would take Danielle for granted. Even as the girl’s friend, the thought of doing so has never crossed her mind.)

Almost as if reading her mind, Danielle crumples the plastic packaging in her hand and says, “Don’t tell anyone I said this, especially the girls, but I always have the best time when I’m with you, Haerinnie.”

It takes her aback, considering that they haven’t done anything besides eating ice cream on a bench while talking. They’re still cooling down from a rigorous dance practice session that has a high chance of leaving their arms sore tomorrow morning. Everything has felt so weird lately.

Does Danielle enjoy spending time with her this much?

The wind rustles through the trees and a few leaves flutter to the ground. Strangely, it feels warmer than usual.

“Me too,” she murmurs, unscrewing and screwing the cap of the juice bottle beside her.

Danielle slides closer and tucks a strand of hair behind the shorter girl’s ear. With a giggle, she coos, “Awww, are your ears red? Haerin-ah, you’re so cute when you’re embarrassed, have I ever told you that?”

As a matter of fact, she has told Haerin that before, but the words get caught in her throat. Instead, she opts to grab the hand caressing her ear and pulls it down into her lap. She turns her head the other way and whines, trying to get Danielle to stop teasing her.

(If it were anyone else, she wouldn’t be so unashamed about expressing her annoyance in such a way, but they have a mutual understanding that whatever happens between them, stays between them. Especially if it’s something that could be potentially used as ammunition by their friends to embarrass them. So, if Haerin complains with a near pout, well, then the only witness is Danielle.)

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding,” Danielle laughs out while using her other hand to gently coax Haerin’s face toward her again. Once she succeeds, she asks, “Do you want to leave already, or stay a little longer?”

The sun is still shining, but the evening is swiftly approaching. Haerin’s muscles ache a bit and she knows she’ll have to stretch more when she arrives at home to prevent any stiffness. Having said that, the bench is comfortable and Danielle’s fingers are now intertwined with hers where their hands sit in her lap.

A few more minutes won’t hurt.

“Let’s stay a little longer.”

Danielle doesn’t say anything else, just offers a wide smile and leans back on the bench to gaze up at the sky. Haerin sneaks a few glances at the girl and bites back a grin of her own, happy to be sharing a normal moment with her since that day in the hallway. Their bond is one of the most important things to her, so knowing that it hasn’t put a strain on their friendship is relieving. Danielle is always going to matter more than some dumb boy.

Being a teenager is confusing, Danielle was informed of this by many different people in her life during her preteen years, but until these past months, the truth behind the words hadn’t fully sunk in.

Haerin, the girl she met during her first year of high school, has gone from being one of her dearest friends to being the reason behind the near-constant racing of her heart. Danielle has a lot of favorite people in her life, with her parents occupying the top two spots, but the cat-eyed girl has easily surpassed Minji, Hanni, and Hyein. It doesn’t mean that she loves them any less, of course not, but the feelings she harbors for Haerin are much different.

Haerin is special.

After coming to the belated realization, it’s like seeing the world through a new perspective. Every interaction between them feels as if there’s an undercurrent of something more. Everything that Haerin does and says is something that she’s conscious of.

The party on the weekend has only heightened her feelings.

Today, for example, she sat at Haerin’s side (something that she began doing weeks ago, an action that only received a shrug from Hyein as she accepted the change and plopped down beside Hanni instead) and tried to calm the butterflies flapping wildly in her stomach whenever their arms brushed together. It didn’t help that Haerin kept seemingly leaning closer to directly address her, or whenever she happened to let out a laugh. The action reminded her of the stolen moment they had during the party, in that tiny room among the countless others that comprised the upperclassman’s house, and it was impossible to move away.

Thankfully, nothing appeared out of the ordinary to the other girls because the two didn’t receive any strange looks. Maybe it signifies that Danielle is putting more meaning behind their interactions than necessary, but something has undeniably sprouted and started to bloom.

If she didn’t already think so before, then she definitely does now, a mere two hours after arriving home after running in the rain with Haerin.

.

.

.

The beautifully warm temperature on Saturday amidst the expectedly cool weather of the season should’ve aroused some suspicion in Danielle. The sudden change should’ve alerted her that checking the upcoming forecast would be an equally smart and beneficial idea for her to do. Sunday was a day filled with gray skies, slowly leaving behind the pleasant heat of the day prior.

Danielle, however, didn’t bother to check as she spent practically the entire day engrossed in texting Haerin.

When she left to head to school the following morning, she noticed the lack of sunshine but didn’t think too much of it. Some students that she passed in the hallways were carrying umbrellas in their hands or the side pockets of their backpacks. At that moment, she had raised an eyebrow but thought that they might just be taking precautious measures.

It wasn’t until her lunch period when she heard Minji offhandedly mention the high probability of rain after school, that she realized her mistake.

Earlier that morning, Danielle’s mom even asked if she took an umbrella, and the girl had absentmindedly nodded in response. As she now recalled the older woman’s words, it was due to the possibility that she wouldn’t be available to pick the girl up, and if she did, she would be running late.

With hopeful eyes, she asked each of her friends if it was possible to get a ride home in the event that her mom wouldn’t be able to pick her up. Unfortunately, Hanni and Minji had promised last minute to fill in for the dance team captain and co-captain during the session after school. Hyein offered an apologetic smile and informed her that she would be tagging along with a friend to work on a class project at their house for the rest of the week. The Vietnamese girl and the youngest didn’t have umbrellas because they would be getting picked up, so Danielle was unable to ask to borrow one. Minji, who did bring one, was taking the bus home, so it was necessary for her to keep it.

And Haerin? The girl was as clueless as Danielle about the heavy downpour that was supposed to happen and continue until later in the day, once their classes finished. Despite that, she offered to have her mom drop the Australian girl off if she needed the ride home.

It’s how Danielle ended up waiting beside Haerin at the end of the school day, maintaining a safe distance from the splashing raindrops as they stood near the main entrance.

As it turned out, Danielle’s mom was coming to pick her up, but she was going to have to wait a bit longer. The woman apologized profusely, but she stopped her mom from saying sorry again and assured her that she understood and it wasn’t a problem. The spot where they stood kept them dry, along with allowing her to spend more time with Haerin, so she had no complaints regarding the matter.

“Sometimes, I wonder if running through the rain is as fun as it looks in the movies.”

Haerin glanced at her from the corner of her eye. “Fun until you have to dry off, maybe.”

“You don’t think about it?” Danielle asked and turned her head to lock eyes.

“I have, but I never actually do it,” Haerin replied with a small shrug.

Danielle pondered for a moment before letting a sly smile grow on her face. She clasped her hands behind her back, tiptoed closer to the rainfall, and then turned to watch Haerin over her shoulder. The girl stared back with a curious expression.

“If I suggested that we do it, would you say no, Haerinnie?”

Haerin moved in her direction, slowly, as though waiting for her to say that it was merely a joke. However, when that sentence never came, the cat-eyed girl watched the drops of rain crash against the ground.

“Sometimes, you’re so unfair, Dani,” Haerin breathed out and said, but a smile began to creep onto her face. “You should know that I can’t say no to you.”

It felt like a bomb detonated in Danielle’s chest with the force by which her heart thundered. She wondered if Haerin knew the effect of her words, but guessed not as she observed the girl extend her hand to allow the rain to come into contact with her skin. (It felt hypocritical of her to call Danielle unfair when she could say something like that and continue as if it was nothing out of the ordinary.)

Instead, she sucked in a deep breath and asked, “Is your mom close yet?”

Haerin pulled out her phone and unlocked it to check. Her eyes flitted across the screen, and she reported as she typed back a brief response, “She said that traffic is busy, so it’ll take a little longer for her to get here.”

Danielle waited for her to finish and store her phone in her backpack pocket, safe someplace dry, before holding out her hand. Without missing a beat, Haerin took it and allowed the Australian girl to guide them into the rain.

A few moments were needed to adjust to the intensity of the falling droplets, along with the cool temperature, but they quickly grew accustomed. There was a large puddle accumulating a couple feet away and Danielle pulled them in its direction. Neither of them was wearing shoes made to withstand the rain, yet they splashed into the puddle anyway. The entire time they giggled and it taught two things to the taller girl: it is as fun as it looks in the movies, and to avoid wearing her favorite socks if she ever repeated the activity because they were soaked.

At some point, after jumping in more puddles and running around to feel the water against their skin, they moved toward each other again. Danielle’s hands wrapped around Haerin’s, pulling her closer, and then one came down to rest on the girl’s waist. The blonde-haired girl clumsily mirrored her, placing one of her own hands on the Australian girl’s waist.

It was an embrace until they started to move to a slow rhythm that Danielle created. Although it wasn’t the original plan, it made Haerin smile, so she continued.

“This reminds me of…” Haerin looked away, seemingly embarrassed by the parallel she was trying to make.

However, Danielle understood and softly laughed. “Of the spring dance, right?”

The answer came as a timid nod.

(During their second year, Danielle had turned down the offers from boys to go to the spring dance together. (Including an offer from the boy that she would go on to have a short-lived talking stage with.) She joined Minji and Haerin to form a trio and spent the night with her arms looped around theirs. It was a comfortable experience, not having to worry about a date, and instead dancing and chatting with her two close friends.

The oldest of the three wasn’t interested in the slow songs that played—although Danielle managed to convince her to dance with them, at least once, for the “full experience”—so the two younger girls paired up. As promised, Haerin saved the very first dance for her, and it was messy as they narrowly avoided stepping on the other’s feet, trying to fall into a rhythm. Eventually, they did, and with each slow song, they gravitated toward each other.

Giggling, they swayed and occasionally twirled the other. Danielle can still remember the weight of Haerin’s chin on her shoulder as she leaned in closer to speak into the shorter girl’s ear, above the loud talking from the couple next to them. The scent of her sweet perfume lingered on her even after she arrived home. The warmth wherever their bare skin touched remained a vivid memory.)

“We’ve gotten a lot better at not stepping on each other’s toes,” she joked to lessen some of the tension between them, suppressing the urge to fluster Haerin even more. It would have led to dangerous territory outside of the boundaries of friendship, which she didn’t want to push and risk causing the other girl discomfort.

Haerin grinned and brushed away her wet bangs from where they fell over her eyes. “Much better,” she agreed.

Soon enough, Haerin’s mom’s car pulled up. The girl ran toward it while Danielle took shelter from the rain for the second time. When Haerin opened the door and peeked her head in, the Australian girl could only imagine the look on the older woman’s face. After some fretting, she exited the vehicle to grab a towel that was kept in the trunk for emergencies and wrapped it around Haerin with an affectionate smile. Danielle also lucked out, receiving a spare towel that Haerin hand-delivered after her mom nudged her in the girl’s direction.

She waved them off from the main entrance, towel wrapped firmly around herself.

The look on her own mom’s face when she slid into the passenger seat of the car made her laugh. Following some explaining on why her clothes were clinging to her skin and her hair was dripping wet, the woman let out a small sigh and joined her laughter. It was impossible not to worry about the possibility of her getting sick, but her mom was content with seeing how happy it made her.

A warm shower was the perfect remedy when she got home. In the car, she had been texting Haerin, so when she exited the bathroom, more than one message from the girl awaited her. It seemed that Haerin had also been forced into taking a warm shower, courtesy of her worried mom, and asked if Danielle’s mom had insisted on the same thing.

A few texts later, after Haerin grumbled about having to dry her hair, Danielle convinced her to send a picture. (The reason was a flimsy one, but Haerin hadn’t questioned it and sent it a minute later.)

Danielle had clicked on the photo to enlarge it, allowing her eyes to trace over Haerin’s soft features and the strands of hair that hung by the sides of her face. As a result of her hair being wet, it was darker in color, similar to the way it had been before she dyed her hair in the days leading up to the first day of their third year. She smiled to herself at that moment, thinking back to the strange manner in which she observed Haerin after the reveal, unable to tear her gaze away from how pretty she looked.

(That day, she had all but ignored the basketball player’s messages in favor of clinging onto Haerin, murmuring compliments into her ears. It should have been a sign that he wasn’t the one carving out a space in her heart.)

Of course, Danielle sent one back; it would’ve been unfair if she didn’t.

The other girl responded with an abundance of compliments, stating that she looked pretty in every condition, as opposed to her who looked like a cat who had been caught out in the rain. Danielle immediately disagreed, voicing her opinion that Haerin is always cute. There was some back and forth tinged with undertones of something more than platonic, sparking a fuzzy feeling in Danielle’s chest, but it was put on pause when she couldn’t ignore the water dripping onto the back of her shirt any longer.

When she finished blow-drying her hair, she dove back onto her bed to continue texting the girl.

.

.

.

She’s working on some homework now—or at least, trying to—but every time her phone screen lights up, she drops her pencil in favor of checking the notification. Almost every single time, it’s from Haerin and the smile that spreads across her face is involuntary. They’re not even talking about anything particularly interesting, but Danielle doesn’t mind in the slightest. She imagines the expression Haerin’s making while sending each text and it makes her heart flutter.

She jolts from where she’s positioned on her stomach, peering over her shoulder, when her mom knocks to let her know that dinner is being cooked. She nods her head, murmurs a "thank you," and lets her head drop onto the bed when the door clicks shut.

Like clockwork, her phone screen lights up as she slowly lifts her head and she contemplates leaving it be for a couple of minutes. The work on her paper is staring back at her, still waiting to be completed. For one brief moment, resistance seems to prove effective as she scribbles down an answer to the next question.

It crumbles the second that she releases her hold on the pencil between her fingers again.

Unlocking her phone and opening her individual chat with Haerin, she reads the last few messages that the girl sent.

you were right about the rain btw…

running through it was fun ㅋㅋ

but it was even more fun because it was with you dani

Her heart frantically thumps against the confines of her chest and she has to roll around the surface of her bed a few times, trying to release the bundle of nervous tension in her body. When it feels sufficient enough, she slows to a stop and taps out a response.

i had fun too haerinnie ♡

ik i already told you that i have the best time with you but i’m going to say it again

i always have the best time with you 100% guaranteed

(p.s i told you so!!!)

The months have passed and the seasons have changed. The chill of winter has given way to the warmth of spring once more. Not that Haerin needs it much anyway, not when Danielle is beside her, serving as a constant source of physical and emotional warmth.

Their relationship is nearing five months and in that time, Haerin has done a lot of thinking.

Enough time has passed that she’s reflected and come to complete terms with her identity. She’s come to several realizations that she has crushed on and felt attraction toward a number of girls throughout her life. That vague feeling that she brushed off for years, the reappearing pit in her stomach that she learned to live with and never questioned. The unexplainable interest she took in certain girls, the faint fluttering that made her chest grow tight.

(In hindsight, the sudden and indescribable admiration she felt toward one of her friend’s cousins, a girl a year older than them, whom she had met on only a handful of occasions, was definitely a crush of sorts. It wasn’t uncommon for Haerin to feel awkward around new people when she was younger, but something about the older girl’s kind stare made her feel restless.

Or, the memory of the summer when Haerin had spent one month with her aunt, uncle, and barely younger cousin. Just nine years old, Haerin had quickly befriended a same-aged girl and they played together at the nearby park nearly every day. They chased each other around, climbed the monkey bars until their tiny hands lost grip, and raced each other up the slide. It started as any other typical friendship.

One day, however, after being comforted due to a fall, the girl planted a kiss right on Haerin’s mouth, much to the cat-eyed girl’s confusion. She explained that it was a special way of saying thanks.

(Haerin had never heard of that before, but she had no reason not to believe the girl.)

For the remainder of their shared days, when the girl felt appreciative, she would place small kisses on Haerin’s lips to her continued surprise and eventual delight. By the end of the month, she had to return home and the two exchanged well-natured goodbyes. Haerin thought of her fleeting friend for some weeks but seemingly forgot about the experience once summer ended.

When Haerin recounted the story to Danielle, the Australian girl had asked through disbelieving laughter how she could forget such a thing. In her defense, Haerin hadn’t remembered that it even occurred until shortly after her first kiss with Danielle. On one hand, she was thankful to have forgotten because it might have added to her confusion, but on the other hand, it would have been helpful if she hadn’t buried the memory so deep down because things might have clicked into place much sooner than they actually did.)

But none of the romantic feelings she harbored for friends, classmates, and celebrities measure to even a fraction of what she feels for Danielle.

Just as she couldn’t distinguish when she started liking Danielle, she can’t recall the exact moment that she started to fall in love. Yet, Haerin knows with certainty that she’s falling for Danielle and continues to fall with each passing day. It is an irrefutable fact at this point that Haerin is in love with Danielle.

When they first met, during their first year in P.E. class, she had no idea that the girl would change her life so profoundly. Being with Danielle has changed Haerin in ways that no one, not even herself, could have ever imagined. Within the first several weeks of their relationship, Haerin was already fighting the temptation to perform the type of romantic gestures that appear in the movies the Australian girl loves so much.

When the winter holidays came, and with it, the inevitable flights to visit family back home, it only seemed to intensify.

.

.

.

As much as the two girls would have liked, they couldn’t begin the year in each other’s arms as they had the year before. As expected, both of their families spent the winter holidays in Korea, even in the same province. However, both had important things that they needed to do, family that they needed to visit at the moment before having to wait another year for the next opportunity to see them again.

Nonetheless, Haerin nearly took the subway to see Danielle. She had somewhat jokingly mentioned it to her girlfriend while they were on a call two days prior and a childhood friend, one who Haerin grew up playing with around the neighborhood before her family had to move for her dad’s job, even offered to see her off at the station.

However, Haerin ultimately decided it wasn’t the best idea because she’d be traveling in the evening without letting her parents know, and because she didn’t want to suffocate Danielle with her presence. Hanni regularly joked that they were in their honeymoon phase, unable to stay apart from each other for more than a few hours, but the cat-eyed girl knew that time apart is a healthy, necessary part of relationships. Spending quality time with their families for the holidays, albeit while missing each other’s company, was more important.

Besides, distance makes the heart grow fonder. And when it came time for their return, the distance between them, although not large, did make them treasure each other more deeply the moment they saw each other.

Danielle’s flight had arrived the day after Haerin’s, so the Australian girl decided to immediately show up at Haerin’s front door to pay a visit. Opening the door to her girlfriend, wrapped in a puffy jacket and scarf, Haerin ushered the smiling girl inside from the cold. After shutting the door, she wasted no time in gathering Danielle in her arms to squeeze her in a tight hug, asking how her flight was.

She also wasted no time in tugging down the girl’s scarf from where it sat at her chin before warming Danielle’s lips with her own.

That’s how Haerin’s dad found them, in the hallway leading to the front door, as he entered with grocery-filled bags. The two girls didn’t notice his presence right away until the man exaggeratedly cleared his throat to watch the two spring away from each other. He grinned, calm eyes scrunching up in amusement, but the mild embarrassment he felt on their behalf was visible to Haerin.

He walked past them to the kitchen, but not before patting his daughter's head and musing that he and her mom had been the same way when they first fell in love, so it was understandable.

Haerin’s cheeks burned crimson at the comment. She let out a disbelieving yelp, then whined that it was too embarrassing of a thing to say. All she received in response was low, rumbling laughter and a notice that dinner would be ready in an hour and a half.

She dragged her feet all the way to her room, grumbling under her breath that her dad had no filter lately, with a giggling Danielle behind her.

(The humiliation was worth it, in the end, because Danielle’s initial kisses to comfort the sulking girl transformed into a longer, more affectionate version of the interrupted scene in the hallway. Now warmed back to her normal body temperature, Danielle’s warmth melted every one of Haerin’s thoughts away. There was something simultaneously healing and addictive about Danielle’s soft lips, about her touch when she slipped her hands underneath the hem of Haerin’s shirt to caress her waist. When she copied the action herself, she felt the slight curve of the other girl’s smile against her lips. 

With her heart thumping like it was desperate to fall right into Danielle’s lap, Haerin knew that her feelings had started to evolve into something deeper.)

.

.

.

Evidently, Haerin is head over heels for Danielle; so much so, that she does and says the kind of things that she didn’t understand just a few months ago. (Back when she had little interest in romance, when she wondered why the idea of adding boys into the equation never seemed to produce the fluttery feelings that everyone swore it would. Back when she pondered if the lack of butterflies for a certain basketball player meant that she was doing something wrong.)

She reasons, however, that she never stood a chance, not when Danielle is just so easy to love.

Danielle with her bright, twinkling eyes and breathtaking smile. Danielle with her cute laughter—both the short snorts that escape when something is unexpectedly funny, and the strings of giggles that spill out of her mouth—that never fails to make Haerin’s stomach swoop. Danielle with her innate skill of roping others into comfortable conversations, but also giving every ounce of attention when on the listening end. Danielle with her kindness and compassion, always so willing and sincere to help others to the best of her ability, that she always finds herself admiring.

Loving Danielle, her sunshine girl, comes naturally to Haerin.

The spring dance is in two weeks and although it is unspoken that the two are going, Haerin has yet to ask Danielle to the dance. When they had a conversation about it a few weeks ago, Haerin asked the wavy-haired girl for patience while she prepared the perfect way to invite her as her date (even though Danielle had assured her girlfriend that she didn’t need to do anything elaborate). It took some brainstorming and insight from friends to polish the minor details, but Haerin finally chose an idea.

Today is the day that she’ll be executing her plan.

Despite the fact that they’ve been dating for months now, Haerin still finds herself nervous when she wakes up in the morning. Her stomach ties into knots as she gets ready, putting her outfit together, and she nearly has a heart attack when a car honks outside her home. One look at her phone tells her that it’s Minji—the older girl recently obtained her driver’s license, but has held off on telling anyone, aside from Haerin, as part of the plan—and she rushes around her room to grab onto the large poster board on her desk. After hugging her mom goodbye, she goes to take the large bouquet of flowers on the kitchen counter but almost drops it.

“Let me take these to Minji’s car, Haerin-ah. We don’t want you dropping these now before you can deliver them to a special someone, do we?” Her mom asks with a teasing smile and Haerin shakes her head, slightly embarrassed.

Once situated in the passenger’s seat, with the bouquet of flowers buckled into one of the backseats and the poster beside it, Haerin receives a final kiss on the forehead and encouraging words from her mom. The older woman waves them off as Minji drives away, en route to their school earlier than usual. Haerin plays with her fingers in her lap, which Minji quickly notices as the car sits at a red light.

“Nervous?” Minji asks, placing a large hand over Haerin’s to stop them from fidgeting further.

“Yeah,” Haerin answers and the black-haired girl cracks a sympathetic smile. “I’m just worried that something might go wrong. I know Dani will love anything, but I want to do this right. She deserves so much.”

Minji pulls her hand away to go back to steering, but she glances at Haerin from the corner of her eye and chuckles. “Dani is just as crazy about you as you are about her, even if you were to trip while walking up to her, she’d still look at you like you brought a star down and gifted it to her.”

“Don’t jinx it!” Haerin groans, mostly as a joke, and lightly punches the older girl’s arm.

Amused, Minji apologizes anyway and reassures, “Everything’s going to go smoothly and she is going to love it, Haerin, trust me.”

When they arrive at the school, Haerin hops out first, then heads inside with her hands full, in search of her favorite teacher. Once in the classroom, the woman kindly lets her place the poster and bouquet into the storage cabinet beside her desk, safely locked away from prying eyes and hands. It’s a relief for Haerin that the woman agreed, eager to help out, because the two items wouldn’t have fit into her locker without becoming crushed and bent in the process.

Every period leading up to lunch, Haerin attempts to still her bouncing leg and focus on her assignments. She saw Danielle in the morning, before first period, and the girl greeted her with a warm kiss that soothed her growing nerves. Meanwhile, Hanni and Hyein made kissy faces behind Danielle (to Minji’s amusement), and Hyein even got down on one knee, passionately mimicking asking Hanni to the dance through silent gestures. (Haerin can admit that, although she rolled her eyes, she found the whole scene entertaining in a way that eased her tension.)

The bell rings indicating the current period has ended and Haerin shoots out of her seat to look for Minji. Normally, Danielle walks straight to her classroom to head to the cafeteria together, but Hanni and Hyein fulfill their duty of picking her up instead. While the two girls, plus some of their friends, are in the classroom with the two items and making small talk with the teacher, the other three girls are already situated at their lunch table.

Eventually, Hanni sends Haerin a text to let her know that Danielle hasn’t caught on to anything being out of the ordinary and gives her the green light to approach.

With that, Haerin starts the journey to the cafeteria, poster in hand, with Minji following. They bump into three of their fellow dance team members by the entrance and ask for their help in concealing the giant flower bouquet. From the threshold, Haerin can see the back of Danielle’s head and Hanni, who’s sitting across from her.

Careful to hold the written side of the poster toward her, wanting to prevent everyone from seeing the message before Danielle can, Haerin quietly walks toward the center of the room where their table is located. Around her, people are watching her with curious eyes and lowering the volume of their conversations.

Hanni peers over Danielle’s shoulder in the direction of Hyein, who’s standing near the cafeteria’s entrance, and exaggeratedly stretches an arm above her head. Seeing the signal, Hyein turns her attention to Haerin, who does a quick survey of the tables of students—curiously noting that neither the two-timing basketball player nor the boy who's been flirting with Danielle these days has snuck into their lunch period like they've done in the past. She flips the poster over and gives the younger girl a thumbs up.

“Dani, the vending machine ran out of the snack you wanted!” Hyein calls out in a surprisingly full voice.

As expected, Danielle turns her head to look behind her at the sound of Hyein’s voice but instead encounters the sight of the cat-eyed girl standing five feet away. Her eyes flit down to the poster before jumping back up to make contact with Haerin’s. By now, the other students have quieted down as they realize what is unfolding and Danielle, already sporting an adoring smile, fully turns in her seat.

"I thought of doing this a lot of different ways, Dani, but I kept coming back to this one. When we first started dating, you told me that you didn’t need to be publicly asked out with a poster. You're so thankful and understanding, I know that you’d appreciate anything, but I've realized that I want to do this. If it's you, I'm willing to make every romantic gesture there is. This year didn’t happen in the way either of us expected, but I’m so thankful that it led us to each other. Every time I think I can't fall for you any harder, you sweep me right off my feet all over again. So, Danielle, will you be my date to the dance?”

Sometime during Haerin’s dialogue, Danielle stood up and took a few steps closer. From the short distance between them, Danielle gives an enthusiastic answer with glistening eyes and throws her arms around the girl, while some students clap and offer congratulations. Haerin happily wraps one arm around the Australian girl’s waist and places the other behind her, signaling for her friends to discreetly hand her the bouquet.

When the two girls pull apart, Haerin extends her arm outward to present the flowers to Danielle. Upon seeing the larger-than-typical bouquet, she giggles and takes it from the Korean girl, cradling it close to her chest. Someone whistles at a nearby table and when Haerin looks over, a few of their friends are giving varying reactions of approval, making her lips curve into a wider smile.

Haerin timidly pulls at her fingers, conscious of the fact that people are still watching, and adds, “A-and do you want to go on a date after school? I have it all planned out.”

“Of course! Haerinnie, is that even a question?”

“Well, I don’t know if you have something to do or—”

Danielle leans forward and places a soft kiss on Haerin’s lips, effectively quieting the girl and causing her ears to burn from where they peek out beneath her black hair. “I understand what you mean, but even if I have something to do, I’ll always make time for you,” she reassures in that low, sweet voice reserved only for Haerin.

For a long moment, they stare at each other with mirroring expressions of honey-dripping eyes.

Their intimate bubble abruptly bursts when Minji wraps her arms around each of them, pulling them closer to her in a hug before announcing, “You two lovebirds will have the pleasure of having me as your chauffeur for the date and any future ones. Haerin’s crazy about you, do you know that, Dani? She sent me a whole PowerPoint on why I should be the designated driver.”

Off to the side, a loud slam is heard and the three girls whip their heads toward the sound. Hanni is standing with her hands on the table, jaw hanging open in a combination of disbelief and betrayal. Behind them, Hyein lets out a laugh as they can all anticipate what is going to happen next.

“Kim Minji!” The short girl shouts and briefly, the attention of those who already turned away is redirected in their direction. Hanni doesn’t pay it any mind. “You got your license and you didn’t tell me? No wonder you’ve been going home by yourself lately. How long have you been keeping it a secret?”

Minji’s hold on the couple loosens as she steps closer to an incredulous Hanni and raises her arms placatingly. “It’s only been a few weeks. I didn’t tell anyone other than Haerin because it would’ve ruined the plan.”

“We were part of the plan!”

“Yes, but you wouldn’t have been able to keep it a secret for that long,” Minji counters, and the Vietnamese girl glares in response. “Don’t give me that look, Pham, you know I’m right.”

“Fine, but you owe me a ride and I want shotgun,” Hanni grumbles and swats Minji’s hand away when the girl attempts to pinch her cheek for the sole purpose of annoying her. “You owe one to Hyeinnie too.”

They’re all sitting at the table now and Danielle, always considerate, offers, “You guys can come along today if you want.” She pauses, then says, “Oh, but Haerin planned the date, so I should ask her. Is that okay with you, Haerin-ah?”

Haerin shifts closer to Danielle with a small smile, nodding her head. “I don’t mind.”

It’s not as if she and Danielle never go on dates alone because they usually go on, at least, one every week. On top of that, it’s their friends. They’ll be more focused on Minji’s, undeniably, beautiful car than anything else.

Hanni’s face lights up and she repeatedly snaps her fingers. Haerin can see the wheels turning in her friend’s head as she leans forward to say, “If Minji’s the chauffeur, then I’ll be the live music. You remember that song that I said I was working on? I finally finished it, so I’ll help set the mood for your magical night.”

“Awww, Hanni, you really don’t have to, but thank you,” Danielle awes and reaches out to take Hanni’s hand in hers. At that, Hanni shoots her a proud smile, which Minji lets out a playful scoff at.

“I might just head home after school. I don’t want to tag along empty-handed, especially since Haerin unnie put a lot of effort into this date,” Hyein cuts in, after wiping away a bit of sauce from the corner of her mouth.

The four other girls shoot up in their seats in concern.

“Hyeinnie, you don’t need to do anything to come along,” Haerin says with a tiny frown.

“Yeah! Hyein, it won’t feel complete without you,” Hanni tacks on.

Hyein glances around at them, eyebrows slightly furrowed. “Are you sure? I can just go home, or go somewhere with another friend.”

“We’re sure, Hyeinnie,” Danielle reassures with a gentle smile, “Bringing your pretty face is more than enough for us.”

“Oh my god, Dani unnie.”

“There’s more than enough room for all of us in the car,” Minji states, and Hyein nods her head in understanding. Side-eyeing Hanni, she teases, “And don’t worry about not having a role to fill, Hanni totally made that up on the spot. Hanging out with No Face and not stuttering over her words has definitely made her more quick-thinking.”

The mentioned girl lets out an offended gasp.

“That’s not true! I’ve always been quick-thinking,” she retorts, but Minji simply gives her an unconvinced look. “And how many times do I have to tell you that she and I are friends now? If we’re going to talk about crushes, then let’s talk about Lime Boy.”

Hanni wears a smug expression while Minji narrows her eyes. “Don’t start this again. We’re only friends; I’ve gotten over my feelings for him.”

“Okay, then what about—”

Haerin decides that as entertaining as her two friends are, it’s better to interrupt them now before they never stop.

“Guys, guys, let’s not argue,” the cat-eyed girl says, and reluctantly, the two close their mouths. Danielle leans in and pecks her on the cheek, whispering a thank you for beating her to it, and as usual, Hanni begins her teasing. Haerin decides to ignore the girl and instead asks one last time, “So, we’re all okay for later?”

The other girls sound a chorus of confirmation before going back to finishing their lunch with the little time that remains. Haerin adjusts the poster from where it stands, upright beside her legs, only for it to slide down and fall flat against the floor. She moves her hand from where it lays, comfortably against Danielle’s waist, and picks it up to prevent it from staining. Danielle might want to keep it, so she wants to maintain its pristine condition.

“Oh, and we’ll kill time while you two enjoy your date in private. I might drop Hanni and Hyein off, then come pick you up when your date is done,” Minji says, although Haerin and Danielle already knew that their friends were going to give them space to be alone.

Grinning, Haerin turns to shoot her a thumbs up and next to her, Danielle does the same; neither of the two realizes that they inadvertently made the same gesture without looking at the other.

“Ooh, we should get something to eat while we drive around,” Hyein suggests with a bright smile and twinkling eyes. (If she were a puppy, her tail would definitely be excitedly wagging. The image alone floods Haerin’s chest with warmth.)

“We can do that,” Minji replies with a smile because, really, there’s no denying their youngest friend.

Hanni’s quick to ask, “Ooh! Can I pick the restaurant?”

“No.”

Minji’s response is immediate and so is Hanni’s pout. She reaches across the table to tug on the tall girl’s arm, who seems determined to finish the burger on her plate in one bite. Danielle chuckles at the interaction, shaking her head at their antics. The Vietnamese girl is looking at Minji with pleading eyes, but Minji’s resolve remains strong.

“Come on, don’t be like that. We should be treasuring our time together, you know? We graduate soon and you’re going to miss seeing my face all the time.”

“First, we’re literally going to the same university; second, who says I won’t miss you?; and third, you’re so dramatic sometimes.”

Hanni rolls her eyes, but not without letting out a small laugh, and decides to compromise. “If you let me pick, I’ll pay. It’s only fair since you’re driving, right?”

“Deal,” Minji agrees and extends her hand for a handshake. Hanni slaps her hand into the outstretched one and firmly shakes the two.

Truthfully, Haerin isn’t entirely paying attention to them because Danielle has started to tell her about a quiz that she had earlier. Still, she casts the two girls one last glance and smiles to herself, wondering how she got so lucky to have befriended them in the first place. Haerin loves Danielle in a different way than the three girls, but she definitely loves her friends with every piece of her heart.

When the next school year begins, it’ll come with Minji and Hanni’s absence, but for now, these moments that will turn into her fondest memories serve as her greatest treasures.

For Danielle, the past (almost) five months have been full of surprises that have been nothing short of amazing. Sometimes, she finds herself wondering what the version of herself from the previous school year would have thought if she had been told that she would be dating Haerin, one of her closest friends, less than halfway through their third year of high school. (Although surprised and possibly in disbelief, Danielle likes to think that, deep down, the past version of herself would’ve felt inexplicably giddy at the information because she always had an impressively soft spot for Haerin. Just the news of having a girlfriend would’ve been equal parts confusing and exciting for her past self and she thinks about how she really should’ve noticed her attraction to girls sooner.)

After the confession at the park, red-faced and still riding the high from stealing Sungjun’s basketball uniform, their friendship fluidly transitioned into the relationship that stands strong today.

Haerin has always been a dependable friend, someone that Danielle could rely on when she needed it most, so it makes sense that the Korean girl is just as reliable as a girlfriend. The girl is attentive, considerate, and sweet, among a list of many other things. To put it simply, Danielle is crazy about her. Whether through exchanging night-time calls or handwritten letters, she feels fortunate to see a private side of Haerin and be able to share the same herself.

The two were already affectionate as friends, especially Danielle because she’s a big believer that hugging has a lot of benefits, but the two have become even more affectionate. If the couple is anywhere near each other, their hands immediately seek the other’s as if controlled by a magnetic attraction. When they sit together, there is practically no space between them. Whenever they have a conversation, it often leads to flirting, or at least that’s what Hanni likes to say when, according to her, it seems like they need a moment alone.

In the mornings, before the first bell rings, Danielle and Haerin share their routine good morning kiss and frequently sneak more in during passing periods and after the final bell. (For their friends’ sake, they try to keep it a minimum during their lunch period, but that doesn’t mean that Danielle doesn’t pepper Haerin’s cheeks with light kisses at every chance.)

Just three days ago, Haerin asked her to the dance and after the school day finished, they enjoyed a beautifully romantic picnic that the girl planned out, courtesy of the warmth that has returned with the spring season. On the way to the location that Haerin had chosen, Hanni and Hyein were continuously awestruck by the sleek interior of Minji’s car. Hanni even managed to convince the taller girl to let her drive it once she obtained a driver’s license of her own.

Now, the two are searching for a dress for the upcoming spring dance. Minji, Hanni, and Hyein already have theirs chosen, but like Haerin, Danielle didn’t feel rushed to buy one. The spring dance is a fun night to dance and relax, but it isn’t an event that is as highly anticipated as homecoming or prom. Besides, Haerin has been busy with a project for one of her classes and she wanted to wait until they could go shopping together.

They both have a few options to consider, but two dresses stand out in particular. For Danielle, it’s a light blue dress with a flattering silhouette. For Haerin, it’s a dress in a pretty shade of pink, neither too flowy nor too tight. The two are the perfect length and weight for the increasing temperature, so feeling stuffy while dancing won’t be an issue.

“What do you think, Haerin-ah?” Danielle looks at Haerin through the mirror, watching how the girl smooths the dress out over her own legs.

Haerin walks up behind her and takes a moment to analyze the Australian’s girl reflection.

“I think it’s perfect, Dani,” she finally says as her lips curve upward and Danielle turns her head for confirmation. In response, Haerin pecks her on the mouth and firmly nods with a hum. “You look beautiful, but when do you not?”

Predictably, Danielle feels her face grow warm and she rolls her eyes, spinning around to come face-to-face with her girlfriend. “You’re a sweet talker today, aren’t you?”

“Because I called you beautiful? It’s the truth.”

“If it’s coming from you, then it must be true,” Danielle teases with a grin, reaching up to place her hands on Haerin’s shoulders and stop the girl from pulling her any closer. If they start kissing now, they’re going to forget what they came here for. In an attempt to get back on track, she asks, “What do you think of yours, do you like it?”

“Mmm, I like it,” Haerin answers and leans forward to steal a swift kiss anyway, causing a giggle to bubble at the back of Danielle’s throat, “Do you like it?”

Haerin looks beautiful in everything, even if it’s only sweatpants and a plain t-shirt, so the answer is an obvious one to her. The girl in front of her looks like the season of spring itself, like the lengthy sunsets that come with the warmer days. She looks soft, like the shade that her cheeks turn when Danielle makes her blush, or like the sensation of melting that she makes Danielle so often feel.

“I love it! It’s very spring-like and this shade looks really nice on you, Haerinnie. My pretty girl,” she compliments in English and when she achieves in making Haerin drop her gaze, cheeks turning pink, she can’t contain her laughter. Haerin is so cute when she’s shy and Danielle lets herself indulge in a few kisses (but only because they have their dresses picked already).

One of Danielle’s hands is molded into the curve of Haerin’s waist while one of Haerin’s is resting in the space between her neck and shoulder. They’re barely tilting their heads when a loud knock sounds against the door.

“Are you actually trying on the dresses, or are you just kissing?” Hanni’s loud voice comes from outside the changing room.

Danielle might be mistaken, but she swears she hears Hyein whisper, “They’re totally kissing,” and then an incoherent reprimand from Minji.

She chooses to ignore the question and apologizes, “Sorry for the wait! We have our dresses chosen. Give us a moment to get changed and then we can pay.”

“Okay, we’ll be waiting nearby. You can continue your interrupted makeout session in Minji’s car if—ouch! What was that for?”

“We’ll let you two change now. And for future reference, please don’t make out in my car, or at least not when anyone else is in there,” Minji says and presumably drags the other two girls away, all the while Hanni complains that her shoulder hurts.

Danielle and Haerin have already broken apart and spun around to change back into their clothes. At the older girl’s comment, they can’t help but burst into laughter. It’s obvious that Minji isn’t being completely serious, but the clarification is amusing. (She and Haerin are touchy, but they don’t kiss at every moment. In reality, they usually save the extensive kissing for more private settings because, as much as everyone supports their relationship, having an audience can feel uncomfortable.)

When they exit the fitting rooms, Hanni pokes Haerin’s side with a smirk and Hyein sends Danielle a knowing smile. Somewhere to their side, Minji chuckles under her breath. Danielle isn’t sure how her girlfriend is handling her fellow Aussie, but she wraps her arm around the younger girl’s shoulders, nuzzling their heads together, and tugs them to the counter to beat the others.

“Am I allowed to leave the room yet?”

“No, let her finish,” Hanni denies the request, leaving no room for argument.

A prisoner in her own home, Danielle can hardly believe it.

Hyein gives a small smile and adds, “I’m almost done! Some final touches and that’s it.”

Danielle hums and shuts her eyes, allowing the girl to continue sweeping the brush against her eyelids. In the next room, she can hear the muffled voices of Minji and Haerin as the two mess around. The sound of their mixed laughter is almost enough to make her smile, but she fights to repress the tugging at her lips, otherwise, her eyes will crinkle and Hyein’s work will be interrupted. After some minor blending, Hyein tells her she can finally open her eyes.

With Hanni no longer blocking the door to her room, she’s able to walk out and meet Haerin in the hallway. The mere sight of the girl, looking ethereal in her pink dress and with her silky hair cascading down her shoulders, makes Danielle’s heart jump in her chest. Their friends wouldn’t let them see each other as they got prepared, even though the two pointed out that the dance is only a minor event, because it would be their first time attending the spring dance as a couple and it “needed to be special.” As a result, Hanni, Minji, and Hyein bounced between the two rooms and helped the two girls get ready, along with getting ready themselves.

Danielle’s mom is sitting in the living room and when the girls approach, she brings herself to her feet with a smile as she looks at each of them. Of course, when they ask if she can take some photos of them before they leave, she doesn’t hesitate and tells them to get closer for the shot. Afterward, Danielle asks with rosy cheeks if the woman can take one of just her and Haerin, and to no one’s surprise and their friends’ amusement, her mom lets out a delighted laugh and urges them to pose comfortably.

(Minji, Hanni, and Hyein tease them from over her mom’s shoulder and Danielle knows from the curl of Haerin’s fingers in her own that she’s not the only one who feels utterly mortified by the entire situation.)

The moment doesn’t last long, however, and the girls eventually pile into Minji’s car to attend the dance. The sun is beginning its slow descent toward the horizon and the warm air that seeps inside from the slightly lowered windows washes over each of their faces. Hanni is talking to the girl in the driver’s seat, discussing the songs chosen for the dance team’s end-of-the-year performance, and Hyein is texting her date, letting him know that she’s on her way and that she’ll be waiting for him inside. Danielle and Haerin are exaggeratedly trying to take a peek at the girl’s phone to draw a timid reaction from her.

Once they’re inside, the only light source is the strings of warm light that hang over everyone’s heads. The decorations aren’t excessive, mostly floral-themed, and they quickly slip into the crowd of bodies to find their other friends. Hyein separates from the four to look for her date, who just arrived, and the rest stay behind to chat. Haerin is speaking with their dance team captain about one of the songs for their last performance when Danielle whispers in her ear that she’s going to grab them something to drink.

In the middle of grabbing a second cup for Haerin, she feels a tap on her shoulder. Upon turning around, she finds a familiar face.

“Hey, Danielle, you look pretty tonight.”

It’s the boy who has been unsuccessfully flirting with her for the last few weeks. At first, Danielle couldn’t fault him for not knowing about her and Haerin’s relationship because he was a new student with no prior knowledge of the school’s couples. However, even after Danielle tried to let him know, the oblivious boy continued his attempts to shoot his shot. Even Haerin is baffled at how the boy hasn’t completely put the pieces together.

.

.

.

Danielle watched the boy smile and bid farewell before rushing off before the bell rang. Behind her, someone placed a hand on her shoulder and she knew without having to turn around that it was Haerin. The two girls watched him disappear down the long corridor, blocked from view by other students, before the Australian girl closed her locker.

“Would it be correct of me to assume he was flirting with you again?” Haerin asked in a genuinely curious tone, her eyes finding Danielle’s.

“Very correct. He wanted to know if I was going to the dance.”

Haerin slipped her hand into Danielle’s and the two began to walk up the stairs for their next class.

“He does know that I asked you to the dance in front of everyone, right?”

“Honestly, I don’t think so. I told him that I was going with my girlfriend and all he did was smile and tell me that he’d see me there,” Danielle responded with a quiet sigh. The boy had never gone too far while talking to her, but she wasn’t sure if he was ignoring the fact that she’s dating Haerin, or if he genuinely lived under a rock. Every time he was around, Haerin wasn’t, so the two hadn’t crossed paths for more than likely a fleeting moment as people walked through the halls between classes.

Still, at this point, the whole school was aware that the two were more than the close friends they previously were.

“Did he make you uncomfortable?” Haerin asked as they arrived at the girl’s classroom. The bell had already rung, but the cat-eyed girl stopped her from entering, looking at her with a concerned expression.

Having someone flirt with the other wasn't something that either of them loved, but it didn’t make her or her girlfriend jealous. The two had talked about it before because, expectedly, their relationship didn’t mean that people lost all interest in them. Danielle knew that boys still looked at her and Haerin, with her captivating beauty, still received looks as well. They even garnered the attention of female students. Compliments still came, some innocent and some bordering flirtatious, but the two girls never made it something to argue over or blame the other for. They trusted each other wholeheartedly and knew that any flirting from other people wouldn’t be reciprocated.

But Haerin didn’t like to see her uncomfortable and Danielle shared the sentiment, so the thought of someone causing the other discomfort was a troubling one.

“He didn’t say anything weird, but it's a little weird to have someone continuously flirting with me,” Danielle responded and felt Haerin’s thumb tracing soft circles against the underside of her wrist. She continued, “I don’t bump into him often though. If he really doesn’t understand right now, then he’ll have to understand in a few days. You’re my date to the dance, after all, and I won’t be able to take my eyes off of you in that dress.”

“Dani, your classmates are inside,” a shy Haerin whispered with a shade of red creeping up her face.

“Haerin, everyone already knows how I feel about you,” Danielle reminded her with a giggle. She leaned in, pressing her lips to the corner of Haerin’s, then said, “Plus, we made out by your locker this morning.”

Haerin only turned a shade darker in response and released her hold on Danielle’s wrist. Although Danielle wanted to pout, Haerin leaned in to deposit a real kiss before urging her to head inside her classroom since the teacher had noticed them lingering by the doorway.

.

.

.

“Oh, hi. Thank you,” Danielle greets and thanks him with a polite smile. The boy is also dressed nicely, with neatly combed hair, but she decides against giving a compliment. Instead, she turns back to the table and busies herself with grabbing Haerin’s drink.

He steps closer to the refreshments, grabbing a drink for himself. After a sip, he inquires, “Did you just get here?”

“No, we’ve been here for a while actually,” she turns and points into the group of students toward her girlfriend and her friends.

Peering over, he lets out a sound of understanding and says, “I just got here with a few of my friends.”

“I hope you all enjoy yourselves then. I don’t know if you like to dance, but I heard the DJ this year is good,” she informs him and begins to step away, the polite smile still plastered on her face as she excuses herself, “I’m going to head back.”

It should be the end of it but it isn’t.

“Wait,” he hurries to say and Danielle comes to a stop at the urgency in his voice. He walks closer and, subconsciously, she takes a tentative step back. With a grip on his cup, he asks, “Do you want to dance with me?”

Danielle hasn’t dealt with someone as persistent as him since the entire incident with the long-haired basketball player. (Thankfully, he hasn’t bothered her or Haerin in months. The second time he attempted to talk with one of them alone after the two girls started dating, Haerin ignored him and rushed toward Danielle at the other end of the hallway to leave the school together. After that failed attempt, he hasn’t tried to approach them anymore and the couple is finally able to leave the mess that involved him in the past.)

An arm drapes over her shoulder and Danielle startles a bit at the contact but doesn’t spill any of the cups’ contents. It’s one of her dance team members that managed to creep up on her. The answer to the boy’s question is sitting on her tongue, but she opts to listen to whatever her friend has to say first.

“Hey, Dani, Haerin’s looking for you, so you two can dance,” the girl lets her know and, after a belated moment, seems to take notice of the boy in front of them. Unaware of the situation, she smiles at the boy and asks, “Do you need Dani for anything, or do you mind if I pull her away? Don’t want to keep her girlfriend waiting any longer. The fabric of the universe threatens to tear whenever they’re apart, I swear.”

A look of understanding dawns on his face and Danielle’s entire body floods with relief.

“Oh, no, sorry, you can go.”

And as simple as that, the two wade through the large group of students until they’re back with the others. Haerin’s eyes light up when she sees Danielle and in one swift motion, she takes the other cup to free her hand and presses a chaste kiss against her cheek. While they empty their cups, Danielle lets the cat-eyed girl know about the interaction with the boy and their member’s unintentional assistance in leaving her relationship status abundantly clear.

Before Danielle realizes it, her friends are dancing together. Most of the songs are familiar and upbeat, the type of songs that hold a coveted spot on music charts. Danielle and Hanni jump and move freely to the music, the two girls actively hyping each other up. Minji and Haerin dance as well, but the two are no match for the Australian duo’s explosive energy. Somewhere in the crowd, Hyein is dancing and grinning from ear to ear with her date, the boy nearly in sync with her energy.

Most of the slower songs are saved for the end of the dance, but when the DJ sporadically mixes in a handful, Danielle and Haerin are drawn to each other. True to her word, Danielle can’t pull her attention away from the dark-haired girl. Under the lights, in the makeup that their friends insisted on helping with, and wearing the pink dress that compliments her so beautifully, Haerin looks like she’s straight out of a dream.

(Haerin is everything that Danielle has ever dreamed of and more. The face that she regularly dreamed of in the aftermath of the terrible discovery that the basketball player she’d been seeing was talking to the girl too. The girl that pops into her dreams even now, a symbol of safety and security, only for her to wake up and find messages waiting for her each morning.

No, Haerin is better than any dream because she’s real.)

Over the months, their similarity in height diminished and now Haerin, who used to be slightly shorter than Danielle when they started high school, has grown taller. It’s not a huge difference, but it’s noticeable enough that when their friends took notice for the first time, they teased her about being surpassed in height. It initially came as a surprise, but Danielle’s grown accustomed and she smiles in content as she places her arms around Haerin’s neck. Their heels are the same height, so the gap is still accurate.

Once the song comes to an end, one of the school’s faculty members speaks into a microphone to announce, “The dance is nearing its end, so we’d like to thank you all for your attendance and nominations for spring king and queen! In a moment, we’ll be announcing the two nominees with the most votes, so they can come to the front and receive their crowns. Please be respectful during this acceptance and the pair’s celebratory slow dance.”

The spring dance has students vote for a king and queen, but it isn’t anything serious. It’s still something to be respectful of, but it’s usually regarded as an indicator of which two seniors will win the titles of prom king and queen in the following month. This year, Minji and Hanni are among the nominees for queen, although the nominees are a range of girls from each grade, and Danielle has an inkling about whose name will be called.

When the names of the two students are finally announced, Minji is one of them and the girls give her encouraging pushes to propel her to the front. The king is one of their friends, captain of the school’s varsity soccer team, and he gives the tall girl a resounding high five when he sees her. The two crowns are placed on their heads, designed simply with a couple of spring-like decorations thrown in, and the crowd of students makes space for them as the pair share a brief dance.

“Do you mind if we switch? Mine's cool, but I like your crown better,” the boy jokes and Minji rolls her eyes before handing him the crown atop her head. He hands her his own and when he places the new crown on his head, he turns to his girlfriend on the side and asks, “Be honest, do I look pretty right now? I feel pretty.”

Expectedly, his question evokes laughter that ripples through the body of students, and Danielle watches as Minji can barely contain her own. His girlfriend shouts her response, telling him that he does, and the soccer team captain shoots her a smile before returning to his dance with Minji. The soft music begins to fade out, the king and queen breaking apart to congratulate each other again, but Danielle notices that Hanni has disappeared.

When she looks around, she discovers the girl by the DJ’s table, leaning over to tell him something that receives an OK hand gesture from the man.

“Have you seen Hyein?” Haerin whispers in her ear, eyebrows knitted together.

On second thought, she realizes that the younger girl has also disappeared from view. “She was just here, but I don’t know where she went.”

Then, without warning, the two receive their answer about the girl’s whereabouts.

“Hey, everyone, sorry for the interruption,” Hyein’s cheery voice pours from the speakers and echoes through the room. She’s standing near the faculty member who’s been doing the night’s announcements, and when Danielle and Haerin notice, the girl shoots a mysterious wink in their direction. “We have one more slow dance, so if everyone can please give a hand to a couple that we all know. Will next year’s promising, future prom queens please come up? Danielle Marsh and Kang Haerin, come on up!”

The couple looks at each other while processing the words that are reverberating through the open air. Some hands are pushing them from behind and they stumble in front of Minji and the soccer team captain. Minji places her crown on Danielle’s head with a grin and the soccer team captain places his on Haerin’s. The two are still confused, but the students around them are applauding and stepping aside to make room for them.

“I have no idea when they had time to put this together, but I definitely won't waste the chance to dance with you,” Danielle eventually says, mentally shrugging her shoulders, and draws Haerin closer with one hand on her waist.

Haerin’s eyes curve and that shine that inhabits them when the two are together is gleaming at full force.

“You look pretty with that crown on. I guess that means you’re really cut out to be the queen,” Haerin playfully compliments.

Danielle lets out a quiet snort. “Actually, you’re the one wearing the queen’s crown, so I should be saying that to you,” she counters and the girl in front of her only rolls her eyes, biting back a smile.

The song isn’t long, so Danielle decides that she’s going to make the most of it while it lasts. She draws Haerin even closer, like the time before, when they were each other’s slow dancing partner during last year’s spring dance. The two differences here are that they’re more than each other’s slow dancing partner and Danielle’s chin is resting on Haerin’s shoulder this time around. (Haerin’s chin can rest on Danielle’s shoulder—she does it often whenever they’re lounging around at the other’s house, or anyone’s house for that matter—but in this case, there’s slightly less of a distance between Danielle’s and the soft surface of Haerin’s shoulder.)

“You know, this reminds me of the spring dance,” Danielle murmurs, and when Haerin’s steps falter, she knows that the deja vu that accompanies the phrase has hit the girl. “We were kind of like this during the slow songs. I remember the way my heart was beating when I got home, just thinking of the way I held you close. God, Haerin-ah, I wish I had realized it then.”

“Me too,” Haerin admits after a beat of silence. The hand wrapped around her waist tightens its hold and Danielle mirrors the gesture, lightly squeezing the cat-eyed girl’s opposite shoulder where one of her hands finds purchase. She continues, “But we didn’t know then. A lot needed to happen before we could realize it. I don’t like the way it had to happen, but we’re here now and that’s the positive side of things. We fell into each other’s arms when it mattered most and I wouldn’t change that for the world. I love you, Dani.”

It isn’t the first time that Haerin has told her that she loves her—they exchanged their first “I love you” some time back—but it makes Danielle’s heart swell all the same. Knowing that the girl that she’s in love with is also in love with her is one of the greatest feelings she’s ever experienced. Knowing that she wasn’t the only one unknowingly waiting for the other since the previous year, unaware of the chain of events that would flip her entire world upside down and reveal the feelings that had been growing over time.

“I love you too, Haerin,” Danielle says and pulls away, just enough for them to make eye contact. “I wouldn’t change any of it either. It wasn’t fun, but I’m glad that we were there to comfort each other. It was eye-opening because when everyone expected me to be thinking of him, the only thing on my mind was you. I couldn’t ignore it then, the fact that I wanted you…for longer than I even realized. So, I’m grateful for these past five months because they’ve been so special. I don’t know how the next months are going to go, but I hope that next year when it’s our time for prom, I can dance with you just like this.”

(Attending prom is something that Danielle looks forward to and hopes that it’s as fun as people say. Just the thought of everyone elegantly dressed and Haerin’s hand intertwined with her own produces a swarm of butterflies in her stomach. She makes a note to ask Minji and Hanni for all the details since the two are attending it in a few weeks with their respective dates.)

“I hope so too,” Haerin agrees with the same soft look in her eyes before leaning in and meeting Danielle in a loving kiss.

The Australian girl lets herself get carried away by the sensation of Haerin’s soft lips against hers. She tilts her head slightly, searching for more contact and quickly receiving it. The heat of Haerin’s hand against her lower back is something she can almost feel through the light material of the dress. Her own is on the back of Haerin’s neck, pulling her closer for a more meaningful kiss. Vaguely, the sound of the students around them slips past the Haerin-induced brain fog, but for another moment, she chooses to ignore it. The song is coming to an end anyway.

Once it does, the couple finds their way back to their friends with the knowledge that a teasing session is awaiting them. After the rowdy teenagers get all their comments out and calm down, the two girls let them know that, although the dance is nearly finished, they’ll be leaving early. Minji and Hanni regard them with a scrutinizing stare, but the pair simply states that they’re hungry and looking to buy something to eat. With that explanation, they bid their farewells and step into the dark night hand-in-hand.

“Is there anything you want in particular?” Haerin turns her head to look at her with slightly raised eyebrows.

Danielle’s face breaks into a smile, one that Haerin can easily read, and all she says is, “I know a place.”

For the umpteenth time, they end up seated at the same restaurant that they’ve been frequenting since sneaking into the basketball team’s locker room and stealing their clothes. With it being a Friday night, the establishment’s closing time has been extended, so the two are lucky in that regard. Even with the late time, there’s a decent number of customers scattered amongst the tables. Whether it’s full or empty, however, the two never seem to pay much mind.

Sitting at one of the smaller tables, the two have an unobstructed view of each other and seize the opportunity to play with their fingers atop the table. The menu isn’t something that they have to look at for too long because they have a habit of ordering the same dishes anyway. The food is delicious and consistent, that goes without saying, but Danielle likes the restaurant the most for its atmosphere. Whenever she goes, whether it’s with all the girls or only Haerin, it’s as if a bubble encompasses them, seemingly concentrating all the energy in the room in one spot.

“I can’t believe the school year is almost over,” Danielle laments, taking the final sip of her drink. “The fact that Minji and Hanni are graduating hasn’t fully sunk in yet. They’re still going to be in the city for university, but I’m going to miss seeing them every day.”

Haerin nudges her foot beneath the table and leaves it there. “I’m going to miss them too,” she comments with a serious expression, “but there’s still time left to enjoy ourselves. The Seniors don’t graduate until June, plus Hyein and Minji’s birthdays are coming up.”

“So is yours,” Danielle throws in, tapping her shoe against Haerin’s. “You really went to great lengths for my birthday, so prepare yourself for what I have in store. I’m still putting some things together, but I think you’re going to like it. I hope you do, but please tell me if you don’t, okay? Your opinion is something I value a lot.”

“Dani, whatever it is, I’m going to like it because it came from you. If it’s from you, it’s special to me. Even just spending the day with you is more than a good enough present.”

Danielle simply smiles at Haerin and knows from the pounding of her heart that this must be the expression that her friends always describe—all of the love in her body being transmitted through her eyes in Haerin’s direction. She’s seen it for herself enough times through photos and videos that were taken without her knowledge. She’s seen the same expression displayed on Haerin’s face, staring at her with utmost softness.

“What happened?” Haerin asks, tilting her head in mild confusion.

“I’m so in love with you, Haerin-ah,” Danielle breathes out in wonder, like it’s the first time she’s saying it. Her heart is racing in her chest, and her ears feel warm, but none of it is uncomfortable. Nothing with Haerin is ever uncomfortable.

If Haerin’s blushing, then Danielle can’t see it on her cheeks with the makeup she’s wearing; however, the ear that has a strand of hair tucked behind it is a bright red, and that lets her know that Haerin feels it too. Beneath the table, Haerin’s feet audibly shuffle against the floor.

“I’m in love with you too, Dani,” Haerin replies, canine teeth showing in her smile, and Danielle wishes that the table wasn’t between them, so she could tug the girl into a tight hug. For now, she chooses to intertwine their fingers together and press a kiss to the back of the cat-eyed girl’s hand.

Thankfully, they’ve finished their meal and they can pay. On the way out, the bell over the door chimes as it closes behind them and the temperature seems to have dropped a bit. However, the season’s warmer nights are in their favor and the slight breeze that passes by is far from cold to both of their delight. Danielle reaches out to grab ahold of Haerin’s hand again and they swing their connected arms back and forth as they wait for Haerin’s mom to arrive. (Minji sent them a text during their meal to offer to swing by and pick them up, but it makes more sense for the older woman to do so since the two girls are going to sleep at Haerin’s house.)

On the way to Haerin’s, the car is filled with a lively conversation about the dance. At first, Haerin is reluctant to share the surprise their friends pulled, bracing herself for a wave of embarrassment, but Danielle convinces her to add it in. Suffice it to say, the older woman is ecstatic and, at a red light, turns to give them one of the proudest smiles Danielle has ever seen. It reminds her of her own parents’ reactions and she can already sense that they’ll display a similar expression when she recounts the details the following day.

The night ends with Danielle and Haerin removing their makeup and changing out of their dresses into more comfortable clothes—the wavy-haired girl borrows her girlfriend’s because the cat-eyed girl always insists on them sharing to save the hassle of bringing clothes over. Sprawled on Haerin’s bed, they reply to the group chat to see how the rest of the girls’ night went.

(Minji’s prom date, one of their longtime dance team members, asked her to dance during the last song. Afterward, she drove with him, Hanni, and Hanni’s prom date to get something to eat. Hyein was driven home by her date’s dad and when the boy walked her to the door, the two shared a small kiss to end their night full of dancing. Minji begins a FaceTime call to barrage the girl with questions, wanting to ensure that he isn't like Hyein's last crush on the rude, artsy boy. In the end, none of them can deny that the boy is someone they can trust to treat their youngest friend well.)

For the remainder of the night, Danielle and Haerin share kisses and soft caresses, holding each other close until they start to grow sleepy. Haerin falls asleep first, the time between her blinks beginning to lengthen as her eyelids grow heavy with exhaustion, and the Australian girl rubs slow circles against her hip where her hand rests. She looks like a cat when she sleeps and Danielle momentarily watches her with an adoring smile before shutting her own eyes.

In the span of five months, so much has happened that she didn’t expect while the two’s bond still carried the label of a friendship. Danielle couldn’t see it then, much less understand it, but Haerin had been in her heart for longer than either of the two realized, and vice versa. Developing feelings for her to falling in love with her, all of that makes sense to Danielle. A firm belief of hers, one that she’s shared with Haerin, is that the two girls would have inevitably found their way to each other, regardless of whether the year’s earlier incidents occurred or not.

In a few weeks, their sixth-month anniversary will arrive, but their story has been unfolding for much longer. Maybe it began on the balcony, outside the New Year’s party that Hyein invited them to, or maybe it began in the nurse’s office when Haerin took care of her when she was sick. Maybe, one day, they’ll realize the seeds that would blossom into something unexpectedly beautiful between them were planted even earlier.

They were Danielle and Haerin, Freshman-year acquaintances, at one point. One year later, they were Danielle and Haerin, two of five in a close-knit friend group. The following school year, they were Danielle and Haerin, involved in the most confusing love triangle situation ever. Then, they were Danielle and Haerin, trying to figure out whether the unexplainable pull between them was mutual.

Now they're Danielle and Haerin, girlfriends who fell in love after being unintentionally pushed together in a series of events that they would experience a second time to be led into each other’s arms all over again.

Through every beginning and end, it has always been Danielle and Haerin.