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Jinsol had always been the kind of person people described with the same handful of words.
Reliable.
Kind.
Thoughtful.
She was the person who remembered birthdays without needing a reminder on her phone. She noticed the small change in a friend’s voice over a short call, and she always carried band-aids and headache pills in her bag because she knew someone, somewhere, would inevitably need them.
More than reliable or kind, the absolute best word to describe Jinsol was selfless. She was the sort of person who treated her own wants like minor inconveniences.
If a classmate forgot their lunch during a long day of lectures, Jinsol would split her container of rice and vegetables in half without thinking twice. Then she’d spend the next ten minutes casually convincing them that she wasn’t even that hungry, just so they wouldn’t feel bad about taking it.
If you asked her where she wanted to eat dinner, she’d ask what everyone else wanted first. She’d figure out a spot that worked for everyone’s budget, preferences, and travel time, leaving out what she was actually in the mood for.
If you offered her the last slice of cake, she’d cut it into three pieces before anyone could stop her.
If it started raining outside the lecture hall and she only had one umbrella, she’d hand it to a stressed classmate, smile, and say, “It’s fine, I actually like the rain,” and then walk four blocks home getting completely soaked.
To Jinsol, taking care of others wasn’t a chore, a burden or a martyrdom tactic; it was simply her baseline setting. She moved through the world like a steady current, easing the resistance in everyone else’s path so they could keep moving without ever realizing how much of the weight she had carried for them. There was no expectation of thanks, no hope of recognition. The only reward she ever sought was the exhale of relief, the softened shoulders, the small smile that appeared when someone realized, even for a moment, that they no longer had to carry everything alone.
The trouble was, Jinsol treated her own capacity as if it were infinite.
She would spend twelve hours solving other people’s problems, offering comforting words, and holding doors open, and then sit at her desk at midnight feeling mildly guilty that she hadn’t found time to review her own pharmacology flashcards yet. She smoothed down the rough edges of the world for everyone around her, but forgot that she, too, was made of soft skin that could bruise, eyes that grew heavy with exhaustion, and a heart that craved being looked after.
And that was why Yoona and Kyujin held onto her with such loving stubbornness; caring for Jinsol became their everyday mission, making sure the girl who cradled the whole world always had a soft place to land.
To them, Bae Jinsol is a natural treasure that requires constant, defensive pampering. It was an established rule in their shared apartment, whenever Jinsol spent too many consecutive days being selfless, the two of them would initiate counter-measures. They called it Operation: Restore Balance, though Kyujin just called it “Spoiling Jinsol Until She Remembers How To Let Us Take Care of Her."
Which brought them to Thursday afternoon.
The heavy doors of the Health Sciences building swung open, and Jinsol stepped out onto the plaza. She dragged her feet, lab coat draped over her arm, her heavy black backpack slung over both shoulders, a strict habit she’d kept to prevent her scoliosis from flaring up again.
She had just finished her four-week gross anatomy dissection module, a brutal, high-stress rotation of practical exams, cadaver lab practicals, and endless, eye-straining identification quizzes. She looked pale, exhausted, and remarkably free. For the first time in a month, she had three days off with absolutely no laboratory prep, no quiz schedules, and no clinical skills assessments hanging over her head.
Standing at the bottom of the plaza steps were Yoona and Kyujin.
Yoona looked absolutely chic, her dark hair swept up into a messy-chic high bun with long bangs framing into her face, styled in a sleek black coat over a black turtleneck accented by a delicate silver necklace. Beside her, Kyujin stood bundled in a cozy, dark casual jacket over a muted top, holding two warm, steaming drinks in a cardboard carrier like a trophy.
“She’s walking slow,” Kyujin noted,narrowing her eyes playfully. “That’s ‘I spent six hours looking through a microscope’ posture.”
“Be gentle,” Yoona murmured. “She’s been running on adrenaline and coffee for a month.”
The moment Jinsol reached the bottom, Kyujin trotted over and took her bare arm, pouting instantly. “Unnie, where’s your jacket? It’s cold out here. You’re shivering.”
“I’m not shivering, I’m just cold-adjacent,” Jinsol giggled, slumping her height slightly into Kyujin’s side. “I literally just got here and I’m already being nagged.”
“It’s quality care,” Kyujin huffed, pulling Jinsol’s folded denim jacket out of her bag and holding it open. “Put it on.”
Jinsol laughed softly, slipping into the sleeves while Yoona stepped in to help smooth down the collar with gentle hands.
Kyujin pressed a steaming cup of hot chocolate into Jinsol’s hands. “Drink up, unnie, it’s good for your soul.”
Behind her, Yoona was already taking care of the rest. Knowing how easily Jinsol’s back gave her trouble, Yoona eased the heavy backpack off Jinsol’s shoulders and swung it onto her own back without a second thought.
Jinsol took a sip, the comforting heat instantly melting away the lingering strain from the lab. Leaning down, she let her chin sink onto Yoona’s shoulder with a soft sigh. “You guys didn’t have to wait for me.”
“We had strategic planning to execute,” Kyujin said, instantly slotting her fingers securely through Jinsol’s free hand. “Specifically: how to spend the next seven hours pampering you because you have zero responsibilities until Monday.”
“I have responsibilities,” Jinsol protested weakly. “I should review histology—”
“Denied,” Yoona cut in smoothly, linking her arm tightly through Jinsol’s other side, effectively trapping her between them. “Histology does not exist until next week. Kyujin and I have officially taken over your schedule.”
“Where are we going?” Jinsol asked, letting them steer her down the path. “I thought we were going home so I could nap.”
“Napping is scheduled for 6 PM,” Kyujin dictated. “First, a mission. Remember what you said on Tuesday night while half-asleep on the couch?”
Jinsol blinked, her tired brain whirring through the fog of the past seventy-two hours. “I said a lot of things. Mostly about anatomy.”
“No,” Yoona said, her dark eyes sparkling with quiet amusement as she looked up at Jinsol. “You were scrolling through your phone, you stopped on a video, and you let out a little sigh. Kyujin asked you what you were looking at.”
Jinsol’s cheeks warmed instantly as memory sparked back to life. “Oh. That.”
“Yes, that,” Kyujin crowed with a proud beam. “You said you wanted the little green dinosaur from the Twinkle Twinkle series, unnie. So, off to MINISO we go!”
Jinsol ducked her head, suddenly feeling self-conscious. “I was just rambling. It’s silly, I don’t need—”
“Bae Jinsol,” Yoona said softly, stopping mid-stride on the sidewalk.
The three of them came to a halt under the shade of a yellow ginkgo tree. She turned, reaching up on her tiptoes to cup Jinsol’s face in both warm hands, forcing Jinsol to look directly into her eyes.
“You haven't asked for a single thing for yourself in six months,” Yoona said, her voice soft but unyielding. “You bought Haewon a study lamp because her eyes hurt. You bought me those gel pens for my journal. You bought Kyujin that thermos because she always forgets her lukewarm water when she rushes out in the morning. But when it comes to you, you won't even buy a small plastic toy because you think it's unnecessary.”
During the first few months of their relationship, Yoona and Kyujin used to worry constantly about Jinsol's endless selflessness. They used to wonder if she was holding back her own desires out of fear of burdening them, or if she secretly felt like her own happiness was less important than everyone else’s. Every time she stepped back to let them pick the restaurant, or insisted on paying for movie tickets while brushing off her own empty wallet, it made their hearts ache with a protective desperation.
They quickly realized that Jinsol wasn't being passive, she was simply so accustomed to putting herself last that treating herself felt foreign, almost wrong. It took months of gentle coaxing, stubborn affection to teach her that let alone asking for things, simply wanting something was more than enough reason for them to give it to her.
But still, Bae Jinsol was every bit as stubborn as the two of them combined.
“I just... don’t need it,” Jinsol murmured, her voice dropping small under Yoona's heavy gaze.
“We don’t care if you need it,” Kyujin chimed in, popping up at Jinsol's side and wrapping her arms tightly around her waist, chin resting on Jinsol’s shoulder. “We care that you want it. So we’re getting you the dinosaur, unnie.”
Yoona brushed a sweet, lingering kiss against Jinsol’s cheek before taking her hand back into a snug grip. “End of discussion. The display was restocked this morning.”
Shielded on both sides, tucked snugly into her denim jacket, her back finally at ease and her hands wrapped around the comforting warmth of hot chocolate, Jinsol felt an overwhelming wave of affection wash over her. Seeing the absolute determination and tenderness in their eyes, she knew that letting them spoil her, and playing right along, was the best way to make her girlfriends happy.
“Okay,” Jinsol whispered, a soft, crinkle-eyed smile finally breaking across her face. “Let's go.”
The moment they walked through the bright red entrance of MINISO, Jinsol got immediately sidetracked.
She didn't even make it three steps before she spotted the giant, human-sized statue of Stitch standing near the entrance. Her eyes turned into tiny moons as she trotted straight over.
"Kyujin, look!" Jinsol gasped softly, matching Stitch's posture by leaning her tall frame over and slinging her arm over his shoulder, throwing up two fingers in a peace sign.
"Hold still! That's so cute!" Kyujin squealed, whipping out her phone and crouching low to take photos while giggling endlessly.
Jinsol wrapped both long arms tightly around the statue, smiling like a sunbeam. Yoona stood nearby, watching them with a fond smile before pulling out her own phone to snap a photo of Kyujin taking a photo of Jinsol.
"Alright, model," Yoona chuckled softly, stepping over to lay a gentle hand on Jinsol’s waist. "As cute as Stitch is, wasn't there a green dinosaur waiting for us?"
"Right!" Jinsol gasped, taking Kyujin’s hand to speed-walk toward the blind box section.
They found the display for the Twinkle Twinkle Be A Little Star plush series right on the middle shelf. The display box showed all six fuzzy plush variants. Beside it was the Baby Molly Pocket Friends display.
Jinsol stared at the boxes nervously."I really, really hope it's the dinosaur," she murmured, chewing on her lower lip nervously as if she were preparing for an exam.
"Manifest it, unnie," Kyujin encouraged, while her own hands were already busy shaking and weighing a box from the Baby Molly display like a seasoned expert. "I’m getting this one."
Jinsol let out a soft giggle, then glanced sideways at Yoona with a sly, playful grin. "Well... even if I don't get it today, it's fine. I can always just whine at Yoona until she buys me another one.”
Yoona raised an eyebrow, letting out a soft, dramatic scoff as her lips curved into an unbothered, dangerous smirk. “Hey, what are you saying?” Though she rolled her eyes with an irritated sigh, her dark eyes practically sparkled with fond and helpless amusement.
"She's completely right," Kyujin hummed, sliding her hands around Jinsol’s waist from behind and resting her chin softly on her shoulder, her eyes twinkling up at Yoona. "You can't resist either of us, unnie, but Jinsol especially. If we miss, you're going to buy her another one, and I'm going to kiss you until you agree."
Yoona let out a soft, defeated breath, though the small smile playing on her lips completely betrayed her. She reached out, her thumb gently brushing over Kyujin’s cheek before dropping down to rest her hand warmly over Jinsol’s hip.
“You two are a menace,” Yoona murmured, her dark eyes softening as she looked between her two girlfriends. “Using extortion and kisses against me in a MINISO.”
“It’s effective management of household resources,” Kyujin declared proudly into Jinsol’s neck, giving Jinsol’s waist a gentle squeeze.
Yoona chuckled and stepped closer to the display. But as she scanned the shelf, a mischievous glint entered her eyes. She leaned down slightly toward Kyujin, hand cupped around her mouth to whisper loudly enough for Jinsol to hear, “I kind of hope she doesn't get it on the first try.”
Kyujin giggled, covering her mouth in eager agreement.
“Hey! I heard that!” Jinsol gasped, her cheeks flushing a faint pink as she crossed her arms.
Yoona just offered a smooth, unbothered grin, turning back to the shelf to look at the different designs. As her slender fingers casually touched and lingered over the cardboard corner of one specific box on the second row, Jinsol’s eyes locked onto that exact spot.
"Yoona touched that one," Jinsol thought, a soft, superstitious flutter rising in her chest. "Yoona has a lucky hand."
“Backup plan or not, this is the one,” Jinsol declared with total conviction, reaching over and snatching up the exact box Yoona’s hand had rested on.
They paid at the register and immediately rushed out into the sunlit street to open them right outside the shop windows.
Kyujin went first, eagerly ripping her box open. She pulled out a tiny pastel figurine, the exact piece she’d been hunting for weeks!
"Yes! I got it!" Kyujin shrieked, jumping up and down and holding it up proudly. "My luck is insane today!"
Jinsol’s excitement peaked. She carefully tore open her own box... only for her smile to instantly drop into a deadpan, flatline frown.
It was not the green dinosaur.
It was a puffy, lemon-yellow fleece doll with a colorful clock face embroidered on its stomach, two bright red plush alarm clock bells sticking out of its head like goofy ears, a little red button nose, and a bright orange plastic clip.
Kyujin stared at it for a full two seconds before letting out a loud, breathless snort that turned into a giggle fit. “Unnie, it's a clown! Why does it look like a sad little clown?”
“It’s... the clown looking alarm clock,” Jinsol whispered in utter, tragic betrayal. She held the soft yellow plush up by its orange clip, turning her wide, pouting eyes slowly toward Yoona. “Yoona-ya. You touched this box. You manifested this!”
Yoona buried her face directly into the back of Jinsol’s denim jacket, her whole body shaking with helpless laughter. “I was just looking at the shelf, Jinsol! I didn't know!”
“You cursed me!” Jinsol whined softly, leaning back into Yoona’s chest and stomping her foot in a dramatic mini-tantrum. “Look at his face! He’s judging me for sleeping in!”
“I think he’s cute,” Yoona wheezed softly, pressing a quick, comforting kiss to the back of Jinsol’s neck through her dark hair. “He has a red nose.”
“I don’t want a clock clown, I want the dinosaur!” Jinsol pouted, turning around in Yoona’s arms to look down at her with the most devastatingly wide puppy-dog eyes she could muster. She grabbed Yoona’s coat lapels, tugging lightly. “You whispered it into existence, Yoona. You have to go back and get me another one right now.”
Kyujin immediately chimed in, popping up next to them and pressing a firm, sweet kiss right against Yoona’s cheek. “See? The kiss condition has been activated. Hand over the card, unnie, your evil plan worked and now you have to buy round two.”
Yoona threw her head back and laughed, the clear, bright sound drawing a few amused glances from other shoppers in the store. She shook her head in fond defeat, pulling out her leather wallet from inside her coat.
“Alright, fine,” Yoona said softly, tapping the sleek black credit card against Jinsol’s nose before slipping it between Kyujin’s waiting fingers. “I accept full responsibility for the clock clown. Go buy another one.”
“Which means you have to pick the next one!” Jinsol declared, clasping her hands together and looking at Yoona with big, pleading eyes.
“Yeah, unnie!” Kyujin chimed in immediately, pressing into Yoona’s side and slinging an arm around her waist. “You cursed us, so your lucky hand has to fix it. We’re letting you pick!”
Yoona looked between her two pleading girlfriends, a warm, indulgent smirk breaking across her face. “You’re putting an awful lot of pressure on me after calling me a curse.”
Jinsol giggled, grabbing Yoona’s hand and dragging her right up to the front of the Twinkle Twinkle Be A Little Star display box. “Come on. Choose wisely.”
“Alright, alright,” Yoona chuckled, stepping in close so her front brushed against Jinsol’s back while Kyujin hovered right beside them.
Yoona wrapped her arms loosely around Jinsol’s middle, leaning over her shoulder to inspect the rows of boxes. As her fingers hovered near the middle shelf, she leaned in close, her lips brushing the shell of Jinsol’s ear as she began to tease softly.
“You know.. I don't really like green,” Yoona murmured in a low, playful whisper, her dark eyes sparkling with mischief. “What if the dinosaur knows I don't like green and decides to stay far, far away from my hands?”
Jinsol’s head whipped around, her eyes widening in bright, dramatic determination as a cheeky grin spread across her face. “That means you’re getting it! If you don't like green, the universe is definitely going to give you green just to mess with you!”
Kyujin burst out laughing, clapping a hand over her mouth. “She’s so right! The universe loves irony, unnie!”
Yoona chuckled, a low vibration that Jinsol felt against her back, and pressed her cheek lightly against Jinsol’s temple. “Honestly? That would be legendary. Imagine two sad little alarm clocks staring at you every morning to remind you of our terrible luck.”
“Don't encourage the universe!” Kyujin wheezed from behind them, holding her stomach from laughing so hard. “If she gets a second one, we’re starting a circus!”
Yoona grinned, her slender fingers gently tapping and picking up a single box from the center row. “Alright. Universe, don't fail us now.”
Yoona stepped up to the counter and tapped her card against the reader to pay for Jinsol’s second box, while Kyujin slipped into line right behind her, proudly setting down another box she’d snatched up, this time from the Pucky Tap Tap series, ready to add to their growing unboxing haul. Yoona just shook her head with a fond, helpless laugh as she paid for both.
The second the receipt printed, Jinsol grabbed the bag, whipped out her own wallet, and dragged her two girlfriends across MINISO like a woman on a mission.
“My turn to buy,” Jinsol declared, completely ignoring Yoona’s fond protests.
As much as Yoona and Kyujin really wanted to spoil Jinsol today and make this entire outing solely about her, Jinsol’s heart simply wouldn't let anyone be left behind, overlooked, or left out. Her mind just didn't work in a way that allowed her to sit back and be pampered while her favorite people stood by with empty hands. To Jinsol, love wasn't a spotlight meant for one person, it was a warm, shared blanket big enough for all three of them. If her girlfriends were going to surround her with affection, Jinsol was going to be twice as sweetly stubborn, ensuring they felt just as cherished, wrapped up, and loved right back.
Maybe that was the sweetest secret of their dynamic. They loved each other with a soft, helpless devotion that made it impossible to keep track of who was giving and who was receiving. Every attempt at spoiling one person inevitably spiraled into all three of them showering each other with affection until no one could keep track of who was pampering whom. None of them could ever offer a piece of love without the other two wrapping their arms around it and multiplying it tenfold.
She marched Kyujin straight over to the bag display and snatched up a vibrant, hot pink mini hand bag that Kyujin had been eyeing earlier. Kyujin gasped, her eyes turning into huge shiny ovals. Her brain instantly started racing through a dozen outfit pairings. It would look so cute contrast-styled against her oversized cardigan, and it was literally the exact size to hold her favorite lip tint, a backup gloss, and absolutely zero responsibilities.
“And for our favorite nerd,” Jinsol hummed, dragging them over to the gaming display and shoving a Minecraft Blind Box right into Yoona’s hands.
Yoona tried to maintain her cool, unbothered posture, but the second her hands touched the Minecraft box, her eyes lit up like shiny diamond ores.
Jinsol proudly paid for both items with her own card, clutching the shopping bag like a victory trophy.
"Wait, open yours now, Yoona-ya!" Jinsol urged, unable to contain her curiosity while they were still in the store.
Yoona carefully peeled open her Minecraft blind box right there, pulling out a super soft, sleeping orange Minecraft Fox.. A genuine starry-eyed smile broke across her face as she looked down at it in her black-sleeved hands. "He’s actually perfect," Yoona murmured softly, running a thumb over the fox's pixelated ears.
Jinsol let out a dramatic, playful whine, leaning her head onto Yoona’s shoulder. "How are you guys both getting your dream pulls instantly? Why am I so bad at this?! Yoona got her favorite fox, Kyujin got what she wanted, and I'm stuck with a clock clown!"
Kyujin giggled, hugging Jinsol’s denim-clad arm. "Your second box is still waiting! Let's go to the street plaza across the road to open mine and yours on a bench!"
The three of them strolled out of MINISO, holding hands as they crossed the bustling, tree-lined street into a bright, open plaza in the heart of Hongdae. They found a quiet wooden bench surrounded by leafy ginkgo trees and distant buskers, bathed in the soft, golden glow of the late Korean afternoon.
Jinsol sat right in the middle, with Yoona pulling her close against her side to shelter her from the chilly autumn breeze, and Kyujin sitting snug on her other side, holding their remaining unopened boxes like sacred treasure.
"Okay," Kyujin whispered, setting her new hot pink mini bag on her lap. "Round two. Unboxing on three!"
“One… two… three!”
Foil wrappers crinkled and tore in unison.
Kyujin pulled her new Pucky Tap Tap blind box open first, and the second the tiny figurine slid out into her hands, Kyujin completely froze. It was the exact pastel piece she’d been praying for. A sudden wave of intense cuteness aggression took over her, her shoulders hitched up, her teeth clenched, and she let out a high-pitched, muffled squeal of pure overload, physically vibrating where she sat. Unable to contain it, Kyujin buried her face straight into Jinsol’s shoulder, stomping her boots against the pavement while clutching the tiny Pucky figure like a prized gem before aggressively kissing Jinsol’s cheek.
Jinsol gasped at the sudden assault of affection, laughing softly as she stroked Kyujin’s hair. “I take it you like it?”
Kyujin aggressively nodded against her jacket, immediately stashing the Pucky figure safely inside her new hot pink mini bag right next to her lip tint and backup gloss.
Meanwhile, Jinsol took a deep, dramatic breath of her own. She closed her eyes as her long fingers reached deep into the foil wrapper of her second Twinkle Twinkle Be A Little Star box, the one Yoona had picked out for her.
“Please,” Jinsol whispered softly to the universe. “No clock clown. Just the sad green dinosaur.”
She pulled her hand out into the sunlight and opened her eyes.
It was not the green dinosaur.
It was a bright yellow plushie wearing a tall, red-and-orange striped conical hat topped with a little plush star. Its pale pink face had dark, hilarious squiggly eyebrows scowling deeply, tiny X-shaped band-aids on its flushed cheeks, and a pouty, grumpy mouth slanting sideways in absolute irritation. Slung across its fuzzy yellow chest was a black cross-body strap holding a little red pouch on its hip.
Jinsol blinked once. Twice. She let out a long, quiet sigh, staring at the grumpy little plush sitting in her palm.
Kyujin leaned in close to inspect it, her eyes lighting up as she caught sight of the detail on the tiny hip bag. She burst into an instant, wheezing laugh, pointing a finger right at it.
“Unnie! Look at his bag!” Kyujin shrieked, clapping her hands together. “It literally has a red ‘NO’ symbol printed on it! He’s literally saying ‘NO’ to your whole life right now!”
“Why is he so mad?” Jinsol whined softly, squishing the plushie's cheeks as the little red hat tilted dangerously to the side. “Look at his little squiggly angry eyebrows!”
Yoona took one look at the bad-tempered plushie's scowling face and its little "NO" bag, buried her face straight into the crook of Jinsol’s neck, and burst into a fit of breathless, body-shaking laughter. Her high bun wobbled as her shoulders heaved, her laughter muffled against Jinsol’s denim jacket as she tried and failed to regain her composure. “I—I picked that one,” Yoona wheezed out, gasping for air as tears of laughter pricked the corners of her dark eyes. “I’m so sorry, Jinsol, I really thought it was the dinosaur!”
Jinsol looked down at the "Bad Temper" plushie, then turned her head to look at Yoona, whose face was flushed and eyes were sparkling with pure, uncontrollable joy. A soft, helpless smile slowly spread across Jinsol’s own lips.
Sure, it wasn't the dinosaur she’d originally wanted. But looking at the grumpy little guy in his red hat and his unapologetic "NO" bag, she couldn't bring herself to be disappointed for even a second. Yoona had picked it out specially for her with such hope, and seeing how much genuine, wheezing laughter it brought to her girlfriends made it a hundred times better than any dinosaur could have been.
“You know what?” Jinsol hummed sweetly, gently tapping the little red "NO" bag on the plushie's hip. “I actually love him. He matches my exact energy when my alarms go off at 6 AM.”
Yoona finally lifted her head, wiping a tear from her eye, her dark eyes softening into endless warmth as she looked at Jinsol. “You’re just saying that because you’re sweet.”
“No, really,” Jinsol insisted softly, bumping her forehead against Yoona’s temple before turning to press a lingering, warm kiss against her cheek. “You picked him for me. That makes him special.”
Yoona’s smirk softened into a tender, genuine smile as she wrapped her arms tighter around Jinsol’s waist, pulling her close. “You’re far too good to us.”
“Look at our family portrait,” Kyujin giggled, proudly lining up all their haul on the wooden park bench in front of them: Jinsol’s hilarious yellow clock clown sitting right next to her new "Bad Temper" plushie with his tiny "NO" bag, Yoona’s sleeping pixel fox resting against them, and Kyujin’s Molly and Pucky figure perched neatly on top of her bright hot pink mini bag.
“They look completely ridiculous together,” Yoona said with absolute affection, tightening her hug around Jinsol while holding Kyujin’s hand snugly in hers. “Ready to go get some food now, my plushie collectors?”
“Only if you hold Mr. Bad Temper while I eat,” Jinsol hummed softly, leaning back into Yoona’s chest with a content, dimpled smile, surrounded by all the warmth in her world.
Morning came, or rather, afternoon did.
By the time Jinsol finally blinked her eyes open, the sun was sitting high in the sky, casting long, golden beams of noon light across their bedroom. Her phone on the nightstand read 12:15 PM. For the first time in four agonizing weeks of practicals, midnight study sessions, and gross anatomy exhaustion, her body felt completely, wonderfully light. She had reclaimed every single lost hour of sleep in one glorious, uninterrupted stretch.
She stretched her long limbs under the thick duvet with a soft, cat-like groan, letting her back decompress against the mattress.
Beside her, the bed was empty, but before she could even wonder where her girlfriends were, the bedroom door gently pushed open.
Yoona walked in first, looking impossibly cozy in an oversized cardigan, carefully balancing a tray loaded with iced tea, fluffy souffle pancakes, and sliced strawberries. Right behind her was Kyujin, wearing an oversized hoodie and proudly clutching her tiny, bright pink mini bag by its little top handle between two fingers. But more importantly, Kyujin was hiding something behind her back with a glowing grin.
“Look who’s finally awake!” Kyujin squealed, bounding over and hopping straight onto the mattress, setting her tiny hot pink bag down right on the duvet before burying her face in Jinsol’s neck to shower her with sleepy, afternoon kisses. “Happy 12 PM, sleeping beauty!”
Yoona set the breakfast tray down safely on the nightstand before sitting on the edge of the bed, reaching out to brush a stray strand of dark hair behind Jinsol’s ear and pressing a sweet, lingering kiss to her temple. “Good afternoon, Dr. Bae. How do you feel?”
“I feel... completely restored,” Jinsol whispered softly, her voice thick with sleep as a warm, bright smile broke across her face.
“We have a wake-up present for you,” Kyujin beamed, shuffling back onto her knees on the bed. With a flourish, she brought both hands out from behind her back and held up a bright, pastel-green plushie right in front of Jinsol’s face.
Jinsol froze.
Two giant blue embroidered teardrops rested beneath droopy, pathetic eyes, complete with a bright yellow star resting on its pointy head. The exact, sad green dinosaur she had hoped for yesterday.
“Surprise!” Kyujin cheered softly, placing the sad little green dinosaur directly into Jinsol’s open hands.
Jinsol stared down at the plushie sitting in her palms, tracing the tiny embroidered teardrops with her thumb. She hadn't even had to ask. She hadn't begged them to go back, hadn't complained, and hadn't made a fuss, she had just accepted the grumpy star with a smile yesterday because she was just happy to be with them. But they had noticed anyway. They had seen her subtle longing, remembered, and snuck out at 9 AM just to make sure she got the one her heart was set on.
A sudden, overwhelming wave of emotion hit her straight in the chest. As someone who was always naturally wired to put everyone else first, cater to their happiness, and make sure no one else felt left out, having that exact same thoughtful, observant love turned around and showered back onto her was almost too sweet to bear.
Her breath hitched. Before she could say a word, her eyes welled up with big, heavy tears, glittering bright under the midday sun.
“Oh—unnie, wait, why are you crying?!” Kyujin gasped, her playful posture instantly melting into pure concern as her eyes went wide.
Yoona’s smirk vanished, replaced instantly by deep tenderness. She moved closer, cupping Jinsol’s cheek with her warm hand, her thumb gently catching a stray tear before it could drop. “Hey… What’s wrong?”
“I didn't even ask…” Jinsol choked out, letting out a watery, soft laugh that was half-sob as she pulled the sad green dinosaur tight against her chest. “I didn't say anything, but you guys just… you just knew.”
“Of course we knew,” Yoona murmured, her voice dropping into that soft, steady register reserved only for Jinsol’s softest moments. She wrapped a strong arm around Jinsol’s waist, pulling her flush against her side. “You spend all your time taking care of everyone else, Jinsol-ah. You don't have to ask us for things for us to want to give them to you.”
“You’re always making sure we get what we want,” Kyujin whispered, shuffling in from the other side and wrapping her arms tight around Jinsol’s shoulders, pressing her soft cheek against Jinsol’s wet one. “It’s our turn to notice you. Always.”
Jinsol let out a shaky, contented breath, burying her face into the crook of Yoona’s neck while keeping Kyujin anchored tight in her arms. The weight of how deeply, effortlessly loved she was washed over her, melting away the lingering stress of med school, the fatigue, and any last bit of hesitation to simply accept being cherished.
“Thank you,” Jinsol whispered into Yoona’s skin, her voice thick and full of pure devotion. “I love you guys so much.”
“We love you more, baby,” Yoona hummed softly, kissing the crown of her head while Kyujin gently wiped the remaining tears from her cheeks with the sleeve of her oversized hoodie.
When Jinsol finally pulled back, her nose was a soft shade of pink and her eyes shone bright, filled with the quiet, happy feeling that only comes from knowing you are truly loved. She looked down at the soft green dinosaur in her hands, then over at the silly, mad star sitting on the dresser, and lastly at the two girls watching her with such gentle, sweet eyes.
A simple thought settled deep into her heart.
She had spent all of yesterday wishing on small blind boxes, looking for a little piece of magic to bring home. But sitting here tucked into their arms, Jinsol knew she didn't need to chase after a star in a box or hope for a lucky guess to find something special. She didn't need a tiny toy to keep the light close when she was already living right in the middle of it.
Her real stars had never been hidden inside foil wrappers, they were right here, wiping the soft tears from her cheeks, pulling her close against their chests, and filling every part of her day with a warm, steady love that made even her hardest, most tiring days feel like a distant memory.
Squeezing her dinosaur close, Jinsol rested her head against Yoona’s shoulder and let Kyujin hold her hand, melting into the safe, warm comfort of their own little world, knowing for sure that after giving so much of her heart to everyone else, she was finally right where she belonged: safe, cared for, and loved just as endlessly in return.