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“You never had dolls as a kid, huh?”
Soyeon blinks, looking over at Yuqi as they walk side by side down the road. It’s too hot outside today, even in her summer clothes; she’d really prefer to stay indoors. But then, of course, the cameras. “Why? I did.”
“But the way you’re holding her,” Yuqi says, and there’s an underlying complaint in her tone that Soyeon doesn’t appreciate.
She glances down at the toy rabbit that’s been inflicted on her for the duration of this trip, the red one dangling from her fist by its droopy ear. Her grip is fine, it’s not so different from how Yuqi herself has been holding another rabbit for half the day. So Yuqi must be playing at her little concept again.
The other members have already jogged on ahead, leaving Soyeon to humour Yuqi by herself. And the crew won’t spare her at all while they’re still rolling.
Accepting the inevitable course of this conversation, Soyeon shrugs her off. “It’s the longest part, so it’s just easier that way.”
“But it must be painful.”
“No, it feels okay.” Soyeon smirks a little.
“Painful for Gigi,” Yuqi insists. She makes a grab for the rabbit, but Soyeon pre-empts the attack and swerves out of reach along the road.
“Yuqi, it’s a toy.”
Yuqi scoffs, all drama, holding her closed fist up to her mouth. “Gosh, you really are a monster.”
“I’ll rip the ear off, I really will.” Soyeon waves the rabbit at her, swinging it by the ear. If Yuqi wants a hostage situation, then she’ll gladly play the villain. “You made me carry it to begin with.”
“Didn’t I say before? Anything you do to Gigi, I’ll do right back to you.” Yuqi points at her in warning, and when Soyeon shakes the rabbit again she scowls darkly.
Soyeon bats her eyelashes and moves closer in the next few steps. “Oh? You’re going to rip my ear off?”
“I might,” Yuqi says, lowering her finger. She doesn’t seem committed to the idea.
“Which one? This one?”
Without warning, Soyeon reaches up with her free hand and pulls Yuqi’s head down by the soft skin of her earlobe. Not roughly, but Yuqi is sensitive no matter how you touch her, or at least she acts like it. She almost headbutts the pavement ducking over in the direction of Soyeon’s gentle yanking.
“Ah, Jeon Soyeon! Your nails, be more careful!”
“Hm? Sorry.” Soyeon lets go of her straight away, a little sheepish; it’s easy to forget sometimes how long those things are.
“Just hold Gigi properly, would you?” When Yuqi reaches out this time, Soyeon lets her take the rabbit’s arm. “Like this.”
Its tiny red mitt is swallowed whole by Yuqi’s hand, and Soyeon can’t imagine that’s any less painful than being carried by the ear. She’s no expert in doll feelings though, unlike Yuqi. Apparently.
“Now you hold the other hand,” says Yuqi.
Soyeon looks at her flatly, but those massive doe eyes (and the silent, judgemental camera lens) make a compelling argument.
“Fine, fine.” She releases the ear, letting it flop below Yuqi’s hand, and then grabs the other arm instead.
They walk like that for a short distance, the rabbit dangled between them. Always at risk of getting split down the middle if someone veers too far away, but Yuqi only inches closer every few steps.
After a while, she seems to think it’s time to let rip something freshly ridiculous. “We look like two parents with a baby.”
Soyeon doesn’t deign to answer this.
“You’re definitely the father,” Yuqi continues, swinging her arm with the rabbit, and therefore Soyeon’s arm too against her will.
“Listen, you—”
“You don’t like it?” Yuqi’s voice is sweet as syrup.
Raising a child with Yuqi? It sounds chaotic. They already fight like cats and dogs. “That aside...”
“Wouldn’t we make good parents? I think our kid would be a natural genius, you know. Smart, athletic, good at singing and dancing, and rap for sure.”
Yuqi’s grip is looser when she’s on a tangent. Soyeon takes the opportunity to yank the rabbit away from her and pass it across to her other hand, out of reach. This time she holds it by the body, but not because she feels bad. It’s just a toy after all.
Affronted, Yuqi stops in the middle of the road. “Hey! Don’t pull so hard, she’ll tear.”
Her hand is still outstretched for the moment, now hanging empty. Soyeon fills it with her own, their palms fitting together in a way that feels natural.
“I’m too young to be a mother,” she says, and then starts to pull Yuqi along behind her. “Let’s just start here for now.”
Yuqi makes a shocked little squeak of a noise, quickly catching up to walk alongside. She smiles and puts her other hand over her mouth to smother it. “Wow, so smooth. Now that’s charisma for you.”
Soyeon hums in passive agreement. The nice weather must be doing something for her mood, because she even lets Yuqi swing their arms back and forth all the way to the guest house.