Archive of Our Own

wednesday

As her earlier text had informed them, Rachel was at the social studies section of Jeguk's library. Myung Soo quickly sat down beside her, Young Do taking the seat opposite her, something inside him sparking up, body tensing momentarily at the sight of her, his eyes lingering over her full mouth for short instants.

"I'm almost done. We can discuss Healer in about five more minutes, Myung Soo," she said, her tone shaded warm around its edges as she jotted something down on her notebook, her index finger kept on the book. Her hair was set over her shoulders, the fragrance of the products she used sharp and amazing this early in the morning, at once enticing and soothing and citrusy.

"Teacher Choi Jin Hyuk is cruel assigning a paper due the last Thursday before winter break." A beat, Myung Soo's stare filling with liveliness. "Very unlike my beloved mother, who is —"

"A mix of Myeongwol's looks riding over Yu Kwan Sun's kind, unbreakable spirit," Rachel put in as she wrote, her voice the most level of monotones.

"A mix of Myeongwol's looks riding over Yu Kwan Sun's kind, unbreakable spirit," said Young Do at the same time, his voice mirroring Rachel's exactly.

Rachel stopped writing to give Young Do a look, a small smile curling her mouth up as their eyes caught. Young Do returned her grin, glance kept on her as she went back to her history homework.

"Yes and yes. That is the fairest description of my mother. Who is, as you well know, both allowing me to throw and aiding me in organizing —”

"The costume party that'll be talked about through five generations of South Korean souls," said Rachel, breaking into her best Myung Soo tones.

"The costume party that'll be talked about through five generations of South Korean souls," Young Do put in simultaneously, raising his eyebrows and chuckling when he and Rachel reached their last words in tandem.

Rachel was chuckling as well, but she didn't look up from her notebook.

"Again: yes and yes. I just wanted to remind you of that because excitement leading up to this event must be kept at a maximum. And, also, because I want you to take these last few days to really stop and think about your costumes, and by 'you' I mean 'Young Do'." Myung Soo nodded in his direction, suddenly very serious. "Young Do, I know you enough to be certain you haven't yet bought a costume, so, I just wanted to remind you: we're only young once, so, at least give creative and silly and adventurous a chance and don't only go for cool. I've already given up Rachel, who… — does already have her costume?"

Rachel nodded her assent, back to writing now.

Myung Soo returned to Young Do. "… I've already given up Rachel, who does already have her costume, as a lost cause."

Rachel grinned wide, her head still bowed slightly as she scribbled, apparently very pleased with being thought a lost cause when it came to choosing the cool route where costumes were involved.

"Done," Rachel announced, putting her pen down before snapping shut the heavy book.

Young Do strategically waited until Myung Soo was gone for some of his social networking — (a routine practice for Myung Soo in the mornings, the span of his efforts usually varying from some ten to over twenty-five minutes) — before he tilted his head fractionally, fixing Rachel with a look. He was resting his weight against the locker neighboring Rachel's, long arms folded over his chest as she took out her things.

"He's right, you know."

"Not about his views on Healer. His views on Healer and 'right' belong in two different galaxies."

He laughed under his breath, silently agreeing with her. "No: about me and my costume. I don't have one yet. So,... — what do you say on Saturday afternoon you come out with me and we find something neither silly nor creative nor adventurous for me to wear?"

"Ah, I can't," she said, closing her locker before directing a very steady glance his way. "My mother arrives from New York on Saturday, so I have to spend time with her before the party."

Disappointed, he shrugged. "Which also works out for me because then I get to keep mystery on my side."

She adjusted her backpack over her shoulders. "I wish you the best of lucks finding a great costume, oh great entity of mystery."

He fell into step beside her as, half-spinning on her heels, she started them on walking down the hall.

He nudged her with his elbow a moment later. When she trained her attention on him, he was sliding his hands inside his pockets, shoulders kept almost at ease as they advanced towards one of Jeguk's open areas like they did most mornings. Morning sun did a person good. "Just so you know, I'd much rather lose mystery points if it meant getting to spend time with you."

It was an obvious thing to say. It was a cheesy thing to say.

It was also the truth.

Young Do followed the progression of her reaction to his words: Rachel's fingers tightened visibly around the straps of her backpack, and she bowed her head slightly, her curtain of dark, lustrous hair partly obscuring her face for short beats.

She nodded, and, guiding her hair away from her face in an elegant move, she raised an eyebrow at him, expression caught between amused and something else, something harder and more promising than that. "That's because I'm pretty fantastic, Young Do."

Yes, — he thought to himself, keeping his expression casual, a grin teasing at the corners of his mouth. Yes, — he thought again, tracing his thumb over the small adhesive bandage curving around his index finger inside his right pocket, stomach plummeting even as he chuckled when she seamlessly brought their conversation towards safer territories by asking him what his honest opinions on Healer were (Young Do had mostly kept to frowning disbelievingly at Myung Soo as Myung Soo talked about the new drama).