Chapter Text
The streetlight flicked on as Yujin and Wonyoung strolled down the quiet neighbourhood street, their steps falling into an easy rhythm.
The older girl carried her basketball bag slung over one shoulder. Beside her, Wonyoung twirled a loose thread from her sweater between her fingers, her steps light and a little bouncy.
“That was the worst game I’ve ever seen you play, Jinnie,” Wonyoung teased, nudging Yujin’s arm with her elbow.
Yujin turned her head, her lips twitching into a smirk. “Oh, yeah? Maybe you should stop distracting me from the stands with your cheering, Princess.”
Wonyoung rolled her eyes but couldn’t stop the grin spreading across her face. “I was supporting you. You’re the one who couldn’t make a free throw to save your life.”
Yujin chuckled, it was soft, almost bashful. Her gaze flickered to Wonyoung’s profile—how to glow of the streetlights caught the edges of her features, how the corners of her lips curved upward. She quickly looked away, her grip tightening on the strap of her bag.
“Whatever helps you sleep at night,” Yujin muttered, her voice quieter than usual.
Wonyoung turned her head, her eyes narrowing. “What’s wrong with you today? You’re unusually soft. Did someone knock some sense into you on the court?”
“Soft?” Yujin scoffed. She shoved her free hand into her pocket, feeling uncharacteristically self-conscious under Wonyoung’s gaze. “Maybe I’m just tired of carrying the whole team.”
“Uh-huh.” Wonyoung didn’t look convinced, but she let it slide. Instead, she reached out and tugged at the strap of Yujin’s bag carefully.
‘C’mon, superstar. Let me carry that for you. You look like you’re about to collapse.”
Yujin blinked, her heart doing something strange and unfamiliar in her chest.
“I’m fine,” she said, her voice softening again without her meaning to. She glanced down at Wonyoung, her hold on the bag firm. “Besides, if you carried it, you’d fall over.”
Wonyoung pouted, sticking out her tongue. “Rude. I’m stronger than I look, you know.”
“Sure you are, Princess,” Yujin said, her smirk returning.
They walked the rest of the way in a comfortable silence, the occasional sound of their sneakers against the pavement filling the gaps.
As they reached Wonyoung’s house, Yujin stopped, her hand loosening its grip on her bag strap.
“See you tomorrow?” Wonyoung asked, her voice light but her gaze lingering.
“Yeah,” Yujin replied, a smile tugging at her lips. “Don’t stay up too late reading your little shakespeare lines.”
“Don’t stay up too late missing free throws,” Wonyoung shot back, her grin wide and teasing as she stepped inside her house.
Yujin chuckled under her breath, shaking her head as she turned around and started crossing the quiet street. Her footsteps slowed as she approached her own door, the cool metal of the handle brushing against her fingers.
Her eyes flickered back across the street. For a moment, she stood there, her basketball bag hanging limply over her shoulder.
Wonyoung was special.
Yujin didn’t know when she started thinking about her like this, with her chest feeling so full it might burst.
Maybe it had always been there, buried deep, waiting to surface. Or maybe it was new, growing quietly, unnoticed, until now.
She smiled to herself, soft and helpless, her fingers tightening on the door handle.
“Goodnight, Princess,” she murmured under her breath, stepping inside her house before she could think about it too much.
The moment she closed the door behind her, a whirlwind of energy collided with her legs. Yujin barely had time to blink before she was tackled into a hug by her little sister, Hyunseo.
“Unnie!” Hyunseo squealed, her arms wrapped tightly around Yujin’s waist. “You’re finally home! Did you win? Wait, no—don’t tell me, I saw you miss that free throw! That was so bad, oh my gosh.”
Yujin groaned, playfully ruffling Hyunseo’s hair with her free hand. “Wow, great to see you too, brat. Do you always greet your unnie with such insults, or is this a special occasion?”
“It’s called tough love,” Hyunseo quipped, grinning up at her. “You need it after that game.”
Before Yujin could retort, their mother appeared from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dish towel. “Welcome home, Yujin,” she said warmly, her eyes crinkling as she smiled. “I left some dinner for you. It’s on the table.”
“Thanks, eomma,” Yujin straightened up, still dragging Hyunseo, who clung stubbornly to her side.
Their mother gave Hyunseo a pointed look. “Let your sister breathe, Hyunseo. She just got home.”
Hyunseo huffed dramatically, letting go but sticking out her tongue at Yujin. “Fine. But only because I’m hungry too.”
Yujin shook her head, unable to hide her smile as she set her bag down by the door. She followed her little sister into the dining room, where a warm plate was already waiting for her on the table. Sliding into her chair, she sighed, grateful for the food.
Hyunseo sat beside her, munching away happily, occasionally humming some silly tune.
“So,” her mom began, casually but with that look that meant she was about to say something nosy, “how’s Wonyoung doing? Haven’t seen her around here this week.”
Yujin paused mid-chew, blinking. She swallowed quickly. “She’s fine, just a little busy. The school play’s coming up soon, and I’ve helped her out a bit in the auditorium.”
Her mom raised an eyebrow, not looking entirely convinced. “Helping her out or bothering her during rehearsals?”
Yujin frowned, her fork pausing mid-air. “Why would I be the one bothering Wonyoung? If anything, she’s the one bothering me!”
At that, her mom let out a hearty laugh, her hand patting the table as if she couldn’t hold it in. “Oh, come on, Yujin. We all know if there’s anyone doing the bothering, it’s you. Poor Wonyoung has to deal with you all the time.”
Hyunseo snickered, nearly choking on her food. “Eomma’s right. Wonyoung’s probably running away because you’re annoying her.”
Yujin groaned, putting her head in her hands. “Why is this a gang-up-on-Yujin moment? I’m not that bad!”
Her mom just laughed harder, sipping her tea like she’d won. “Sure, sweetheart. Keep telling yourself that.”
Yujin muttered under her breath, shaking her head as she went back to eating. She finished her meal quickly, offering a quiet “Thanks, eomma,” before heading upstairs to her room.
Once inside, she dropped her bag near the desk and flopped onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling.
She wasn’t exactly tired, but the idea of cracking open a textbook made her groan internally. She has a few tests next week, and she should be studying. She should be a good student right now.
But the thought of sitting at her desk and pretending to care about equations or historical dates sounded unbearable.
She rolled onto her side, burying her face in the pillow for a moment before flipping back over, staring at the ceiling again. She let out an exaggerated sigh, as if trying to convince herself she was genuinely debating what to do with her time.
But deep down, she already knew. She’d known the second she walked into her room.
Yujin laid there for a few more minutes, pretending she was weighing her options like some thoughtful, logical person. She even picked up a pen at one point, as if she might take notes. But when her fingers brushed her phone on the nightstand, the decision she’d definitely not made yet became painfully obvious.
She grabbed her phone, unlocking it in one smooth motion, her thumbs already scrolling to Wonyoung’s contact.
It wasn’t boredom, not really. Yujin always told herself it was. A quick, harmless excuse. But the truth? She just wanted to talk to Wonyoung. All the time.
Her mom’s words from dinner rang annoyingly clear in her head. “We all know if there’s anyone doing the bothering, it’s you.”
Yujin groaned softly, but her lips quirked into a helpless smile. Fine. Maybe her mom had a point.
Yudaeng 🐶🏀: hey princess, are you ignoring me already?
She hit send before she could overthink it, tossing her phone onto the bed beside her. But it took less than five seconds for her to pick it back up, staring at the screen like her life depended on Wonyoung’s reply.
And it always came. Because Wonyoung always replied, no matter how much Yujin “bothered” her.
Yujin smiled when the message popped up almost immediately.
Wonnie 🐰💖: ignoring?? we were just together not that long ago, and now you’re saying i’m ignoring you?
Yujin snorted, rolling her eyes as she quickly typed her reply.
Yudaeng 🐶🏀: i’m just saying.. you could be ignoring me.
Yudaeng 🐶🏀: you’re probs too busy with ur play or whatever
She stared at her phone for a moment, trying to act like she wasn’t eager for a response. But when her screen lit up again, she couldn’t help the grin that spread across her face.
Wonnie 🐰💖: i don’t have time to ignore you jinnie
Wonnie 🐰💖: i’m busy with the play but you’re always in my thoughts
Yujin blinked, reading the last part again just to make sure she hadn’t imagined it. Always in my thoughts.
Yudaeng 🐶🏀: wow, that’s a lot of pressure wonnie
Yudaeng 🐶🏀: are you sure im not distracting you from being a good actor?
Her phone buzzed again, this time even quicker than before.
Wonnie 🐰💖: you’ve been distracting me for years, it’s nothing new
Yujin let out a breath, almost laughing aloud at how easily the conversation flowed.
Yudaeng 🐶🏀: guess im just too irresistible, huh?
She waited a beat, her thumb hovering over the screen as she felt the familiar warmth spread across her cheeks. When the reply came in, she could practically hear Wonyoung’s teasing tone in her head.
Wonnie 🐰💖: you wish.. but, maybe.
Wonnie 🐰💖: just a little.
Yujin bit her lip, fighting the grin that threatened to take over her face. She quickly typed back, her fingers moving faster than usual.
Yudaeng 🐶🏀: ur lucky i like you princess, you can get away with a lot
Wonnie 🐰💖: i know, but i’m not sure how long i’ll be able to get away with it
She stared at the screen, blinking a few times as she let the message sink it.
Yudaeng 🐶🏀: what do you mean by that?
Wonnie 🐰💖: guess you’ll just have to wait and find out
Yujin could practically hear her laugh in the back of her mind. Before she knew it, she was dialing her number without thinking twice. The phone rang once, twice, and on the third ring, Wonyoung picked up.
“Hello?” Wonyoung’s voice came through, sounding a bit surprised, but still light.
Yujin smiled softly, “Hey Princess,” her voice soft, almost like a whisper.
Wonyoung’s voice was gentle, the teasing tone she often used slipping in. “You’re calling me at this hour? After texting all that, now you’re calling me?”
Yujin couldn’t help but tease her right back. “You answered on the third ring. What does that mean, huh? Were you waiting for my call?”
There was a beat of silence, and Yujin could almost picture the amused look on Wonyoung’s face. “Not saying,” Wonyoung replied in her usual teasing manner, her voice practically dripping with playfulness.
Yujin pouted slightly, even though she knew Wonyoung couldn’t see her. “You’re so mysterious. What do you mean by that?”
Wonyoung laughed softly on the other end. “I’m not saying,” she repeated, making it clear that she was enjoying the little game they were playing.
Yujin sighed dramatically, falling back onto her bed with a soft thud. “You’re impossible,” she muttered, half-smiling.
But Wonyoung’s response was the same as always—teasing, a little cryptic, and full of that warmth Yujin couldn’t quite put into words.
“I know,” Wonyoung said, her voice shifting slightly, “But you like it.”
Yujin’s breath caught for a moment.
“I—” She stopped herself. What was she supposed to say? She couldn’t exactly argue with Wonyoung, could she?
The truth was, Yujin did like it. A lot more than she was willing to admit. She liked everything about their conversations, about how Wonyoung could make her feel like the center of the world with just a laugh or a teasing word.
But it was more than that.
She like the way Wonyoung made her feel… special. She liked the way Wonyoung would smile at her, or how her voice could send shivers down her spine, even over the phone.
Yujin didn’t say any of this out loud, though. Instead, she just let out a quiet sigh. “I guess I do,” she muttered, her voice a little softer than usual.
Wonyoung’s voice came through, more playful again. “I knew it. You just can’t help yourself.”
Yujin rolled her eyes, though her lips curled up into a small, fond smile.
She tried to steer the conversation away from whatever this was.
“Wait, hold on,” Wonyoung said, her tone shirting into something more curious. “Why did you actually call? You’re not usually this… random.”
Yujin’s heart gave an unexpected lurch. Her mind blanked for a second. She wasn’t expecting to be put on the spot like that. SHe opened her mouth, only to close it again, trying to form the right words.
Wonyoung waited patiently, but the silence felt like it stretched on forever.
Yujin finally let out a sigh, her voice quieter than before. “I… I just wanted to hear your voice,” she admitted, the words tumbling out before she could stop them.
There was a brief pause on the other end of the line.
And then, Wonyoung’s voice came back, soft but teasing. “You really are something else, Jinnie.”
Yujin flushed, her stomach flipping nervously. “What? I—I mean… It’s just, I don’t know. I wanted to hear you. Is that weird?”
Wonyoung chuckled. “Not at all. But I don’t mind hearing it.”
Yujin gripped the edge of her bed, trying to steady herself, though the words she had just said had made her feel like everything was a little more… real now.
“Good,” Yujin mumbled, her voice a little shy now. “Glad to hear that.”
Wonyoung’s laughter was gentle this time. “You’re not really good at hiding it, huh?”
Yujin could feel her face heating up, and she let out a nervous laugh to cover the awkwardness. “Shut up, Wonnie,” she said, but it was half-hearted, because she was actually smiling to herself.
“You know,” Wonyoung said slowly, “I don’t mind that you called. I like hearing your voice too.”
They talked a little more, the conversation flowing easily, as it always did when they were together.
But slowly, the responses from Wonyoung became slower, and more spaced out. Yujin noticed it, and when there was a long pause without an answer, she furrowed her brow.
“Wonnie?” she called out, hoping for a response.
But there was nothing.
“Wonnie?” she called again, a little louder this time, but still, no answer.
And then, she heard it. The softest little noise on the other line—a quiet, sleepy breath, followed by a tiny, almost inaudible snore.
She smiled to herself, her lips curving into a gentle grin as she laid back on her bed. “So cute,” she muttered under her breath, the words escaping before she could stop them.
Yujin couldn’t help but feel her heart soften. She loved how comfortable they were with each other, how it was okay to just be like this.
“Goodnight, Princess,” Yujin whispered softly, her voice tender as she spoke to the sleeping girl on the other end.
She stayed quiet for a moment, almost as if she was waiting for Wonyoung to stir, but she didn’t.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Yujin murmured, almost to herself.
And with that, she ended the call quietly and placed her phone down beside her. She closed her eyes, her heart still full from the call, from hearing Wonyoung’s sleepy voice.
A smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she settled into her bed, feeling a quiet, contentedness that lingered in the space between the soft breaths she took.
It wasn’t anything grand. It wasn’t anything new. But it was something that felt so right.
Yujin drifted off to sleep with a smile on her face.