Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Chaewon didn't expect to start her senior year in the school's broadcasting club by sneaking into a performance hall to cover for one of the other club members who was sick. She usually was more involved in curating the morning announcements and covering the occasional school band performance. She didn't like the loud environment that sports events always brought on and she had honestly never thought much about their performance arts department.

The audience is quiet, focused on the dancers on stage, as Chaewon blends into the walls, notebook in hand to scribble down the most important parts. There's jumps, pirouettes and enough tutus to make her dizzy.

Still, she has a job to do as a member of the broadcasting club so she writes down the names of the dancers and the music pieces they're dancing to while she waits for the ballerina from their school that she had been instructed to pay attention to.

"From Hanlim Arts, Nakamura Kazuha. Performing La Esmeralda."

Chaewon's eyes lift up from her notebook, just in time to see the ballerina take center stage. Her smile is bright, practiced, and stays on her face throughout the entire performance. The tambourine rattles when she moves, accentuating the precise arm movements as the ballerina floats across the stage.

Chaewon thinks she looks like a doll moving on autopilot.

Still, she joins in when the crowd comes alive with roaring applause by the end of the dance. Her eyes track the ballerina as she takes her bows, disappearing into the dark wings of the stage. Another dancer takes the stage, and Chaewon loses interest. She catches herself trying to peek backstage, wanting another glimpse of the ballerina. The crowd cheers on another dancer as Chaewon tunes out the music. She stays until the end, waiting to see if the ballerina from their school would place.

"First place in the Junior category goes to…Nakamura Kazuha!"

Chaewon's breath hitches as she watches the girl step into the spotlight again. She gracefully accepts a small trophy and a bouquet, shaking the announcer's hand before posing for a few photos with the winners. Her costume glitters in the harsh stage lights and the color of her lipstick stands out against her fair skin, making her look even more doll-like. Chaewon's hand doesn't move, pen staying still on the paper of her notebook. Still, she takes note of all these things. The subtle crinkle of the paper wrapped around the bouquets and the way Kazuha is still smiling like she's being told to smile and not because she actually wants to smile.

-

The front hall is filled with excited parents and family members reuniting. Celebrations and congratulatory exclamations overlap and bleed into the faint smell of flowers as bouquets are gifted to students who were done performing for the day. Chaewon keeps to the edges, staying out of the way as she checks the bus schedule that would take her home. She finds room to breathe on the front steps of the building, sitting down in the afternoon sun as she checks her bag again. Her notebook is open, showing the last page she wrote on.

Nakamura Kazuha dancing La Esmeralda.

First Place in the Junior category.

Doll-like appearance and practiced smile.

Chaewon reads the last line again. Squints at the words scribbled at the bottom of the page.

She shakes her head, crossing it out.

Doll-like appearance and practiced smile.

The door bursts open behind her, pulling Chaewon's attention towards the people exiting. Flowers, tutus and pointe shoes peeking out of bags. Somewhere in there, the rattle of a tambourine catches her attention.

Before she knows what she's doing, she shoves her notebook into her bag and follows the gaggle of ballerinas.

"Excuse me!" Chaewon directs at the dancers.

Several heads turn towards her.

"Oh…I- uhm." she stutters, feeling her ears warm in embarrassment.

Her saving grace comes in the form of a girl peeking out from the group of dancers, eyes lighting up in recognition as she sees Chaewon's school blazer. The ballerina whispers something to the others, waving goodbye to them as they continue walking. Chaewon hears the distinctive rattle of the tambourine tucked under the ballerina's arm as she walks over to Chaewon.

"Hi, you're from Hanlim, right?" she says.

Chaewon straightens up, nervously wiping her hands on her blazer before holding her hand out.

"Hi, sorry, yeah. Kim Chaewon, senior and with the broadcasting club."

The ballerina takes her hand and shakes it, eyes squinting closed as she smiles at Chaewon. A genuine smile this time.

"Nakamura Kazuha, junior and from the dance department."

Chaewon barely hears her, stuck on how Kazuha's hand wraps around her own. Soft to the touch but strong.

"C-congrats on first place. You…uhm, I liked your…" Chaewon quickly looks around, scrambling to find her words, "…tambourine." she ends up saying.

She hopes Kazuha doesn't notice her wince.

If she did, she doesn't mention it, because the ballerina opens her mouth and giggles in a way that makes something small flutter in Chaewon's chest.

"You don't really know anything about ballet, do you?" Kazuha questions.

Chaewon averts her eyes, finding the ground particularly interesting. She figures that she should come clean.

"The girl that usually does this is sick today. I can barely tell a jump from a pirouette," Chaewon rushes out, "You did great, though! As far as I can tell."

Kazuha laughs airily, bashfully looking away as she clutches the bouquet of flowers a little tighter.

"Thank you…I was really nervous about my performance today. I have no idea about how my face looked during it. Probably not like how it's supposed to look like." Kazuha confesses.

Chaewon thinks about the words she crossed out in her notebook, feeling slightly bad. She pinches her fingers together in front of her mouth, miming a zipper closing her lips.

"I won't say anything if you don't."

"Isn't that kind of your job, though?" Kazuha points out, eyebrow quirked.

Chaewon shrugs. "I'm the one writing whatever goes in the morning announcements. If you don't want me to mention it I won't. You won first place in your category, I think that's more than enough reason for you to be able to influence what gets mentioned in a school wide broadcast about yourself."

Kazuha smiles again. A genuine one. Not that Chaewon's been counting, but if she was, she notes that that's the second genuine smile she's seen on Kazuha's face.

"So, Miss Nakamura, any comment on today's performance?" Chaewon asks, holding out her hand like she was holding an imaginary microphone.

"I'm very happy with my performance today, despite my initial nerves. I want to thank my teachers in the dance department, my fellow dancers that also did wonderful performances today and have supported me, as well as everyone who came to see me today." Kazuha plays along, leaning down slightly to somewhat match Chaewon's height.

Chaewon mimics writing it down on an imaginary notepad, even nodding for good measure.

"Thank you for your time, Miss Nakamura. I will be sure to relay the good news." Chaewon says, lifting two fingers to her eyebrow in a salute.

"Thank you for being here today." Kazuha replies, before fiddling with her bouquet and pulling out a rose from the midst of it. She hands it over to Chaewon, silently waving goodbye as she makes her way back to the other ballerinas waiting for her.

Chaewon watches her leave, running her fingers over the bumps on the flower's stalk.

-

"…And congrats are in order for Nakamura Kazuha from the dance department who placed first in the junior category at last week's competition. She danced La Esmeralda and expresses her thanks to her teachers, fellow dancers who supported her and everyone who came to watch her performance. Everyone here at Hanlim extends their congratulations to Miss Nakamura and wishes her good luck in future competitions." Chaewon reads off of her notes.

Her mic clicks off as another student wraps up the morning announcements. Their tech guy gives them a thumbs up once they're all done and Chaewon makes her way out of their little makeshift broadcasting studio. She waves goodbye to the rest of the morning team and gathers her things, slipping her blazer over her uniform.

When Chaewon has her morning broadcasting duties, she's excused from her classes, so whenever they finish a bit early it gives her just enough time to wander around the school grounds. On cold and rainy days she usually just stays in the broadcasting room, catching up with the other club members or taking a nap, but when it's sunny like it is today, she likes to walk around. Sometimes she stops for a quick snack from the cart run by the halmeoni across the street if she has some extra cash.

"Haksaeng-ah!" Chaewon hears the grandma shout as she passes the front gate. Her head turns, bowing automatically as she's waved over to the snack cart.

"Halmeoni." Chaewon greets once she's closer.

"Beautiful day, isn't it?" The grandma says, rearranging some of the snacks on her cart, "Colder too. The leaves are starting to lose their green."

Chaewon hums in agreement, "I hope you stay warm and sell a lot."

The grandma smiles at her, lovingly patting Chaewon's arm.

"Yah, you kids don't need to worry about me too much. Just focus on doing well with your studies," she fiddles with something inside her cart before handing Chaewon a bag, "You're a senior right? You must be so busy preparing for the suneung already. Eat this."

Chaewon takes the bag, feeling the warmth of freshly baked bread. She knows not to argue with a grandma giving you food.

"Thank you, I'll eat well!" she says, reaching into her pocket to pay for the bread.

Halmeoni lightly slaps her hand away, refusing the bill Chaewon held out.

"It'll be our little secret. Just for today," she winks as if to seal the deal, "Now go on! Don't be late to your classes!"

Chaewon beams at the old lady, bowing again as she crosses the street to go back into the school. The bread is light and airy as she takes a bite, perfectly crispy bottom and salt sprinkled across the top of it to give it that extra kick. She walks past empty classrooms on the ground floor, cutting across the courtyard to get to her class.

A window is cracked open at the end of the building. Just enough for Chaewon to hear the music playing from inside. Classic. Piano.

Her feet move by themselves, taking a detour to sate her curiosity.

The room is simple. One wall is covered in mirrors and barres are evenly placed throughout. In the corner, a grand piano stands. The ballerinas inside aren't dressed in the big sparkly costumes Chaewon had seen on stage, most opting for more causal training clothes. Some even still wearing sweatpants and hoodies to stave off the early morning chill in the dance studio.

There's a mix of people stretching on the floor and others warming up by the barre as Chaewon chews the last bit of her warm bread. The wind rustles in the trees and that's when Chaewon spots her. One hand gently gripping the barre closest to the window to balance herself as she stretches. As the sun peeks through the clouds, a beam of light falls perfectly on Kazuha, warming her in it’s light. In the same moment, the ballerina looks outside and sees Chaewon, frozen in place, watching.

Recognition paints the dancer's face, eyes lighting up as she smiles at Chaewon. The senior manages a meager wave at the younger girl, obviously not prepared for this scenario. She watches as Kazuha opens the window further, leaning on the window sill to greet Chaewon.

"Hi!" Kazuha says.

Chaewon walks over.

"Hi." she replies.

"Thanks for the shoutout during morning announcements," Kazuha starts, "People have been stopping me all morning to congratulate me."

"You're welcome," Chaewon mumbles, hands clenching around nothing, "Just doing my duties, you know?"

"Your duties, yeah," Kazuha giggles, "What's that?"

The ballerina points to the bag tucked under Chaewon's arm.

Chaewon takes the bag and holds it out for her to see. Some of the butter has started to seep through the bag.

"Oh do you know the halmeoni with the snack cart across the street from the front entrance? Passed by her earlier and she gave it to me. Something about encouraging me to study hard for the exam." Chaewon explains.

"That smells so good…" Kazuha mumbles, bottom lip jutting out in a slight pout.

"…do you want it?" Chaewon asks, despite already knowing the answer.

"Can I?" Kazuha hesitates, a slightly embarrassed flush to her cheeks.

"I already ate one. They're good," Chaewon says, taking it out of the bag, "Eat it while it’s still warm."

Nimble fingers reach out and take the freshly baked bread and Chaewon sees the way Kazuha absolutely melts as she bites into the baked goods. She groans in appreciation, eyes closing in content.

"I didn't get a chance to eat breakfast today," Kazuha mentions between bites, "Thank you, unnie."

Chaewon feels something funny flutter in her tummy at the words, eyebrows rising subtly in surprise.

"You should remember to eat properly," she says instead, "I'm glad I could be of help."

Kazuha smiles (a genuine one. That's number three, the senior counts), and that's when Chaewon notices the crumbs stuck on the corner of the dancer's lips.

"Oh you've got a little…" Chaewon gestures to the corner of her mouth. Her hand moves like it had a mind of it’s own, and it's only in the last second that Chaewon realizes what she's doing and stops in mid air. She stuffs her hand in her pocket and watches as Kazuha wipes the crumbs away with her own sleeve.

The bell rings.

Chaewon blinks. She had completely lost track of time. The door to the dance studio opens and a teacher walks in. Chaewon ducks out of sight, crouching down below the window. Kazuha giggles somewhere above her, leaving a crack in the window.

"See you around, unnie," Chaewon hears her whisper.

"Yeah, sure." Chaewon quickly replies, before sneaking off to head to her own class.

-

The universe must be playing a funny one on her because Chaewon does see Kazuha around. More than what can be considered normal. Suddenly the younger girl is everywhere that she looks. relaxing in the shade of a tree by the sports field when Chaewon is suffering through running laps in gym class or passing by her classroom when Chaewon just happens to glance up while studying her exam material. She's waiting by the bus stop in front of the school when Chaewon is done with her club meetings and she's just a few tables down during lunch.

Had she just not noticed Kazuha before?

"Hi Chaewon unnie." Kazuha greets quickly before heading down the hallway, in the direction of the dance studios.

Chaewon reacts by waving, watching as the sway of the ballerina's ponytail disappears around a corner. She had just stepped outside of the broadcasting club room for a breather, in the middle of editing a story for the monthly paper about an upcoming school festival.

Yena, another club member, sticks her head out of the door, squinting at Chaewon.

"Who was that?" she asks.

"Kazuha. She's a junior from the dance department." Chaewon replies.

"The ballerina?" Yena continues, "How do you know each other?"

"We don't." Chaewon answers honestly.

"She called you 'unnie'." Yena points out.

"Because I'm older than her?" Chaewon states, like it actually explains anything.

"Minju has been part of the broadcasting club for two years and she still calls you sunbaenim." Yena remarks.

Chaewon shrugs, opting for a nonverbal answer. Yena rolls her eyes at her, before disappearing back into the club room, tinkering with whatever it was she was doing before.

-

"Unnie."

Chaewon is dead tired. Her head is filled with different historical events from the Josean era and every time she closes her eyes she sees different verb conjugations and tenses in english. On top of that, there was this kid three rows behind her that kept trying to hide their sniffling and by hour two Chaewon could already feel the headache building behind her eyes.

Stepping out from the academy after hours upon hours stuck inside attending extra exam tutoring was like a breath of fresh air. Literally and figuratively.

She's a bit delirious and some things are kind of blurry when she turns her head too quickly so that would probably explain why it is that Chaewon completely missed a familiar figure standing outside.

"We need to stop meeting like this." the voice says again.

Chaewon squints, blinking a few times to rid herself of the dryness in her eyes.

"Kazuha?"

The ballerina giggles at Chaewon's confused state.

"What are you doing here?" Chaewon manages to ask.

"I have ballet classes in this building. Third floor." Kazuha kindly explains.

Chaewon blinks again, now noticing that Kazuha is carrying a bag and dressed comfortably in a tracksuit.

"Oh." Chaewon exclaims, "I never noticed."

"A habit of yours, I assume?" Kazuha fires back.

Chaewon furrows her eyebrows.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," Kazuha quips, a playful smile on her lips, "Are you busy right now?"

Chaewon checks the time on her phone. She still had two hours before the last bus home.

"Not particularly, if you don't consider the mountains of practice tests waiting for me at home as me being busy." she replies.

"Do you want to eat with me? I would die for some ramyeon right now." Kazuha asks.

As if on cue by just the mention of ramyeon, Chaewon's stomach grumbles. Loudly. Embarrassingly, even. Chaewon kind of wants the earth to swallow her whole right about now.

"I think that's a yes." Kazuha says, looping her arm with Chaewon's like it was something they did normally and pulling the older girl along with her. Chaewon doesn't protest. It felt natural, comfortable, even.

The flickering LED sign of a nearby convenience store greets them in no time. Kazuha pushes the door open and they both greet the sleepy employee behind the counter before bee lining to the food and snacks.

"What are you in the mooood for?" Kazuha asks a shit eating grin on her face as she holds up a bottle of banana milk.

Chaewon feels the corners of her mouth turn upwards, biting back a laugh. She turns to face the shelves with ramyeon, fondly rolling her eyes at Kazuha's pun. Kazuha's giggles fill the sleepy convenience store as they look at their food options.

Chaewon picks up a cup of Shin Ramyeon, pretending that she hadn't already made up her mind before they even set foot in the store. Kazuha nods in approval, before picking out some jjajangmyeon for herself. Before long, they've added cheese, sausages, eggs and a pack of steamed dumplings to their late night snack haul. Chaewon picks a soda, wanting something carbonated with her food, while she sees Kazuha take a bottle of corn silk tea.

The little eating area in the corner is quickly turned into controlled chaos as they start preparing their food. Kazuha takes care of the noodles while Chaewon hunkers down in front of the microwave to heat up their sausages and dumplings.

"Add a little of the spice powder to your noodles. Game changer, I promise." Chaewon says.

One of Kazuha's eyebrows hike in intrigue, before she rips the soup base package of Chaewon's noodles and sprinkles a bit over her own noodles before adding the rest to Chaewon's. She dutifully mixes them both, before carefully carrying Chaewon's bowl over to their seats and going back for her own. Meanwhile, Chaewon has brought over their microwaved food, placing the tray of dumplings in between them.

The smell of broth and steam rising off of the dumplings makes all the tension drain out of Chaewon's shoulders. She doesn't even care about how puffy her face will be when she wakes up tomorrow. She blows on the hot food, carefully slurping the first bite of noodles from the makeshift cup made from the lid of her bowl. The warm soup and spicy kick is just what she needed.

Next to her, Kazuha also takes the first bite of her food. Chaewon catches the way her eyes widen in surprise, childlike joy lightening up her face.

"Wow. That really is a game changer. I don't think I'll ever go back to eating jjajangmyeon the normal way ever again." Kazuha exclaims.

"I don't make promises I can't keep." Chaewon cheekily retorts, much to Kazuha's entertainment.

"Who taught you that trick?" she asks.

"My older sister." Chaewon replies.

Kazuha takes the sausages and widens the small opening Chaewon had made before microwaving them, letting them cool off before carefully wrapping a tissue around the stick and pushing it towards Chaewon.

"Do you have any more siblings?" the younger asks.

"Nope, just me and my sister," Chaewon says, "What about you?"

"It's just me," Kazuha smiles, "I have some older cousins in Japan, but it's been a while since I've seen them. They still treat me like their little sister, though."

"Seoul is not too far from Japan." Chaewon comments.

"It isn't, but ballet keeps me too busy to go and visit," Kazuha says, "I would love to go but…the dance world is competitive. Intense."

Chaewon hums in understanding. She sees a determination burning in Kazuha's eyes as she speaks.

"Why ballet?" she asks.

Kazuha smirks and confidently states, "Because I'm damn good at it."

Chaewon raises an eyebrow in intrigue, positively impressed by the certainty in Kazuha's words.

"Started when I was three and I've just kept at it. Went from bumbling around a dance studio to actually understanding the fundamentals," Kazuha takes a sip of her drink, "It pushes my body and my mind to the limit sometimes, but I like the challenge. It's not just an elite sport, it's also an art form. A way to tell a story without words." Kazuha continues.

"Audiences are certainly captivated by your storytelling." Chaewon says.

Kazuha laughs, "The awards weren't consolation prizes after all, huh?"

"As far as I can tell, no." Chaewon replies.

"So it really was your first time actually watching ballet?" Kazuha asks, "When you came and watched me."

"Yes," Chaewon admits, "I'm not really well versed in the dance world. Whether that be with the broadcasting club or just for fun."

"What do you do for fun, then?" Kazuha asks.

Chaewon stops and thinks for a moment, fiddles with the tab on her soda can.

"I like writing, I guess?" she finally says.

"Is that why you joined the broadcasting club?" Kazuha follows up.

"Partly. There's a lot more to it than just the morning announcements. Of course that's what most people know we do, but we're also involved with a lot of the school's communication. No day or task is ever the same," Chaewon says, "I guess it's kind of like you with ballet. I like the challenge of figuring out how to tell a story."

"A good writer can make you forget you're reading a story." Kazuha says.

"A good dancer can tell the same story without uttering a single word." Chaewon fires back.

"Touché." Kazuha smiles.

The electric bell rings throughout the store as another person enters. They both turn towards the noise. There's only empty wrappers and soup left over on the table. Silently they start to clean up their trash, before gathering their things and stepping outside. The air has cooled off and Chaewon buries her nose under the collar of her jacket for a moment.

"This was fun." Kazuha breaks the silence between them.

"Yeah." Chaewon agrees easily.

"You're a woman of a few words, huh?" Kazuha teases with a glint in her eyes.

Chaewon laughs at her own expense.

"I'm better with written words than spoken."

"I still liked talking with you," Kazuha states, like every word she speaks isn't sending Chaewon reeling, "I'd have to read some of your writing to make a fair judgment, though."

"Is that so?" Chaewon catches on.

"Mhm!" Kazuha nods enthusiastically.

"Well if you keep dancing like you do, I'll have something to write about, that's for sure." Chaewon leads.

"So does that mean I'll get to see you again?" Kazuha asks, perking up like a puppy.

Chaewon takes a deep breath, calming her racing heart.

"Yeah…" Chaewon trails off, gathering her thoughts for a moment so she doesn't end up saying something stupid, "I'd like that."

Natural. Casual. Not too risky. Like the cool upperclassman that she is.

"I'll look for you, then!" Kazuha says.

"Not before I find you." Chaewon replies.

Kazuha smiles and Chaewon doesn't feel the slight bite in the air.

(Fourth one, she mentally tallies.)

"Get home safe, Kazuha." Chaewon says, burying her hands in her pockets.

"You too, unnie." Kazuha parrots, before waving at the senior with both hands and walking back towards the academy.

Chaewon stays rooted in the same spot, watching the ballerina disappear into the crowd. There's a funny flutter in her tummy again. She untangles her headphones and sticks them in her ears. Some old song about falling in love starts playing.

The last bus home was half an hour ago.

-

"You shouldn't be doing this."

"I know."

"The suneung is in less than a week."

"I'm aware."

Yena sighs.

"Nothing I say will change your mind, will it?"

"Nope." Chaewon replies, popping the 'p' at the end for good measure.

"If your mother finds out…" Yena mumbles.

"I'll say I was adding experience to my college applications." Chaewon replies.

"By skipping your academy lessons that are for you to pass the college entrance exam." Yena stresses.

"Minor detail."

Yena shakes her head in disbelief, probably biting back some snarky comment.

"Just go. You'll be late." she eventually relents.

Chaewon's already slipping her jacket on, scarf haphazardly thrown around her neck. There had been a cold snap recently and it could be any minute now that the first snow started to fall.

"See you later, unnie!" Chaewon shouts as she runs out of the broadcasting club's room.

"You're insane, Kim Chaewon!" she hears Yena yell down the empty hallway.

-

The warmth inside the theater is welcomed. Chaewon caught a glimpse of herself as she walked in, cheeks rosy red from the cold. She accepts the program handed out by the entrance and scans the audience for an empty seat. She walks down the center aisle, sitting down somewhere in the middle just as the lights dim and the first dancer is presented. Chaewon watches all the performances with keen eyes, still trying to make sense of the different moves. She claps politely while her leg bounces impatiently. The dim lights make it hard to read the program, but Chaewon manages to make out that there should be about three dancers left.

"From Hanlim Arts, Nakamura Kazuha. Dancing Queen of the Forest from Don Quixote."

Chaewon doesn't even try and hide how she gasps softly, sitting up straight in her seat. Kazuha emerges from the shadow of the wings dressed in a light blue costume with floral details. A crown made of leaves rest on her head, standing out against her dark hair. She looks like she stepped directly out of a fairytale.

The music is soft, drawing the audience into the forest in which this act of the ballet is set in. Kazuha's movements are delicate, tiptoeing between fragile and gentle to create the image of a forest queen as she's supposed to. The audience is mellow, in a trance, as Kazuha spellbinds them with her dance. Her crown glitters under the lights as she hits her final pose. Chaewon feels herself being pulled back into the audience, like there was a rope tied around her. The applause from the crowd rushes back into her ears and she feels the sting in her own palms before she even realizes she's clapping along. Louder than anybody else.

Kazuha bows deeply, the same practiced smile on her face. She keeps her posture as she heads towards the wings, but just before the ballerina disappears, she looks into the crowd. Eyes search the dark, before landing on Chaewon. There's a slight pause in her movement. Something so minimal that only Chaewon notices it.

-

"You are not supposed to be here!"

Chaewon shrugs nonchalantly, dodging the light slap directed at her.

"You are interfering with important school business!" Chaewon jokes, "How am I supposed to work in these conditions?"

"You're not! You're supposed to be studying for the most important exam of your life!" Kazuha argues back, fighting a smile.

"And I am! It won't kill me to take a break for half a day." Chaewon replies.

"It's the last show before break," Chaewon continues, "Won't get a lot of chances to go to shows soon."

Chaewon kicks a loose pebble with her shoe. She hopes her words sound like an 'there's no other place I'd rather be'.

People trickle out of the doors, shivering in the cold evening air. Kazuha fondly rolls her eyes, burying her nose in the bouquet of flowers that she got along with her first prize medal.

"Thank you for coming, unnie."

She pulls out a single flower from the bouquet, nimble fingers holding it out for Chaewon to take. The senior eyes it for a second, before carefully accepting it. She thinks about the first flower Kazuha had gifted her. A rose. The one she had meticulously dried and pressed to preserve. This one would surely join the other one in a growing collection if Kazuha kept this up.

The ballerina smiles, eyes disappearing momentarily from how wide she's grinning.

(Chaewon's lost count at this point, thinks that she should maybe stop counting Kazuha's smiles, but it's not easy for her to stop noticing every little thing about Kazuha.)

The streetlight above them turns on, and Chaewon blinks. Small snowflakes glitter in Kazuha's hair, quietly floating down from the sky. It makes Kazuha look even more like an enchanting forest queen.

"First snow…" Kazuha gasps softly.

Her eyes widen in childlike joy, raising a hand into the air to try and catch one. Chaewon laughs at her endearing antics, breath visible in the cold air as she exhales.

"I've never experienced this before." Kazuha admits.

"The first snow?" Chaewon asks.

"Yeah…never managed to catch it happening." Kazuha says.

"Well, that just means it was meant to happen now…" Chaewon trails off, "Makes it more special, doesn't it?"

"It does." Kazuha agrees.

Chaewon tries to ignore how warm Kazuha's gaze on her feels. Her ears are so red that she can't really blame it on the cold weather.

-

"…And remember to double check the dates on the history section, just in case." Her sister says.

"Yes, unnie." Chaewon is hurriedly going through her flash cards.

Her sister was driving her to the exam site. Their mother had packed Chaewon a bag full of food and snacks to get her through the exam and hugged her enough times to make Chaewon dizzy.

"You have your ID, right?" Her sister worries, probably getting flashbacks to when she had to take the same exam a few years before.

Chaewon pulls out the card from her pocket, showing it to her sister. In no time they pull into the parking lot of the school. It's littered with nervous students being wished good luck by their families and underclassmen. Banners adorn the entrance to the school with messages of encouragement and confidence.

"You've got this," her sister pulls Chaewon into a tight hug, "Me and mom will pick you up after, and we'll get something delicious to eat. Your choice." she promises.

Chaewon beams at her sister, double checking that she's got everything packed securely in her bag.

"I'm gonna ace this test." she reassures herself.

Her sister lovingly pats her head, "Good luck!"

Chaewon takes a deep breath, and walks towards the school while waving goodbye to her sister. Parents line the street leading to the entrance, offering extra snacks and encouragement to all the students. Chaewon tunes the ruckus out, focusing on clearing her head.

"Unnie!"

Her brows furrow in confusion, eyes scanning the crowd for the distinctive voice cutting through the chaos.

"Chaewon unnie!"

Kazuha manages to squeeze through the wall of parents, waving excitedly at Chaewon. The senior blinks in surprise, speeding up her steps to make her way over to Kazuha.

"What are you doing here?" Chaewon exclaims, baffled.

"I wanted to wish you good luck!" Kazuha grins.

Chaewon laughs, shaking her head in disbelief.

"I didn't expect to see you here…" she mutters, looking at Kazuha like she can't quite wrap her head around the sight of Kazuha in front of her. The ballerina is wearing ear muffs that are almost as fluffy as her cheeks.

"Now we're even," Kazuha smirks, playfully nudging Chaewon's shoulder before unzipping her own bag and pulling something out, "Here, I got them fresh from halmeoni."

The ballerina holds out a familiar bag filled with warm, freshly baked salt bread. Chaewon takes it, feeling the warm bread through her gloves.

"You remembered?" Chaewon asks.

"Of course," Kazuha easily replies, "Didn't want my favorite writer to go bread less into the exam."

"Oh your favorite?" Chaewon teases.

"Don't rub it in," Kazuha rolls her eyes, giggling, "It's not like there's much competition."

"I have practice later tonight, so I can't be here when you're done." Kazuha pouts.

Chaewon disregards everything else, grabbing Kazuha by her sleeve and pulling the younger girl into a hug. She has to stand on her tippy toes to fully engulf the ballerina, but Kazuha kindly bends down, reciprocating the hug. Chaewon feels how cold the tip of Kazuha's nose is, when it presses against her neck, face buried in the crook of Chaewon's neck.

"Thank you," Chaewon whispers into Kazuha's hair, "This is just what I needed."

She hears Kazuha hum in response, swaying them gently from side to side. Chaewon wants to stay in the moment for as long as she can, but she reluctantly lets go when she feels Kazuha's arms loosen around her waist.

"Unnie…" she whines cutely, "You're going to be late."

Chaewon frowns, looking every bit like a disgruntled kitten.

"Aish, don't make that face," Kazuha smiles, smoothening out Chaewon's furrowed brows with a soft touch, "We can see each other during the break."

"That's in a week." Chaewon blankly states.

"Think of it as a reward for completing the suneung," Kazuha reasons, "Now go!"

Chaewon sighs, turning to walk into the exam hall. She stops after a few steps, turning back around to meet Kazuha's eyes.

"Wait, I don't know how to contact you?" she says.

Kazuha winks at her, gesturing at her to keep walking.

"I already took care of that too. Check the bag later!" Kazuha shouts.

Chaewon is impatient, so she inspects the bag of bread the ballerina gave her immediately. She carefully unfolds the opening, seeing a string of numbers quickly scrawled onto the bag with a small drawn puppy saying 'hwaiting!'. She smiles at the message, glancing over her shoulder just in time to catch a last glimpse of Kazuha in the crowd. She sees the ballerina shaking her head fondly at Chaewon's impatience. Chaewon grins innocently, and Kazuha crosses her fingers to wish the senior good luck one last time.

-

It almost feels weird to not constantly worry about homework or a test. Break was welcomed wholeheartedly by Chaewon. She shoved every exam prep book, test and paper into the deepest darkest corner of her closet, spending the holidays relaxing at home. She took Shiro on long walks and didn't feel guilty about binging half a kdrama in one day.

Her grandmother had done the usual ritual of feeding her and her sister like they hadn't eaten for a year over Christmas, and Chaewon still felt full from it days after.

"I'm just saying! You're not doing anything and I got some beer and a bottle of soju with our names on it!" Yena exclaims over speakerphone.

New Year's Eve was tomorrow, and Yena had spent half of her break trying to convince Chaewon to come over and celebrate. She hadn't been successful. So far.

"Unnie…" Chaewon sighs once more.

"Listen, I know you don't like the whole party thing and I promise you it's not going to be like that! Just a get together with a handful of people that you already know." Yena reasons.

Chaewon considers her options.

Usually the New Year was rung in at her grandmother's house, watching the countdown on her old TV and maybe a few sips of alcohol that her sister managed to sneak into her cup without their mother noticing. It wasn't something big, because they usually saved the big celebrations for Seollal later on and had just been together for Christmas.

Going to Yena's thing would be a change of pace.

"I can hear you considering it." Yena says over the phone that Chaewon had kind of forgotten was still connected.

"How can you hear me? You can't even see me." Chaewon grumbles.

"I'm psychic." Yena replies.

"Did you mean psycho?" Chaewon fires back.

"You're incredibly stubborn. Has anyone ever told you that?" Yena complains.

"You have. Multiple times." Chaewon says.

"Listen, I don't have all day to argue with you, but I will be expecting you to be here tomorrow! Come around 8pm!" Yena yells into the phone before hanging up.

Chaewon looks at the dropped call with slight disdain. Not much room for arguing. There could be worse things to do during New Years, and if worse came to worse Chaewon could sneak out of the party mostly unnoticed. A text from Yena pops up, breaking her train of thought.

'Dress nice, but comfy. It's not a full blown party but we're still celebrating!'

Just to be annoying, she only thumbs up reacts to the message before exiting the chat.

Right under that chat is her chat with Kazuha. The last messages they'd exchanged were a few days ago. The ballerina had sent Chaewon a picture of her with the mascot of a popular lamb skewer spot. Chaewon had seen it while out on a walk with Shiro and sent a selfie of the two of them in return.

Kazuha had replied 'Cute hihihi' a few minutes later.

Chaewon had spent ten minutes after that, wondering if she meant her or Shiro.

She scrolls further up in their chat, passing by Christmas greetings and their brief conversation about the most recent episode of a reality show they were both watching. They had tried to meet up a few times, but then a family thing came up for Chaewon that she couldn't escape one day and then Kazuha had to step in and help a friend from her dance academy last minute another day. The break was coming to an end soon and both of them had silently accepted that they wouldn't get to see each other before they were back at school.

She types out a message.

'what are you doing for new years? :)'

Her fingers hover over the keyboard for a second before she deletes the entire thing.

'hey, yena is throwing this thing for new years tomorrow if you wanna come?'

Chaewon bites her lip, mulling over the words before deleting it again.

Shiro perks up, waking up from his nap as he hears the lock on the front door beeping. Chaewon is distracted when the tiny dog uses her stomach as a launch pad, small paws skidding across hardwood floors to greet whoever came home. He yips at her sister, circling her ankles excitedly until she puts down the things in her hands to greet him properly.

"You're in the exact same place as when I left three hours ago." she comments when she sees Chaewon sprawled across the couch.

"I'm getting the most out of my break," Chaewon lazily retorts, "Don't worry. I'm going to Yena's tomorrow."

"For New Years?" her sister asks.

"Yeah, she's doing a small gathering." Chaewon confirms.

Her sister walks into the kitchen, opening the drawer where they keep Shiro's treats and gives him a dental chew.

"Who's going to be there?"

"I dunno. Probably some people from the broadcasting club." Chaewon replies.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do. And definitely do everything I would do!" her sister cryptically teases.

"What's that supposed to mean!?" Chaewon exclaims from her spot on the couch.

All she gets in response is the sight of her sister's retreating back, cackling as she disappears upstairs.

-

Despite her earlier hesitation, Chaewon is glad that she decided to go to Yena's place for New Years. The small group gathered was a mix of people from school and the older girl's friends from her neighborhood. Everyone was in good spirits, sharing stories about what they'd gotten up to during break or playing games that Yena had set out. There was less than one hour until midnight, and Chaewon was snacking on some of the left over fried chicken. She had a nice buzz going, fueled by two cans of beer and a single shot of peach soju. For someone who hadn't figured out their tolerance just yet, it was enough to tide her over with until the clock had struck midnight.

"Why are you hiding out here like a raccoon stealing food from the trash can?" Yena butts in. She enters the kitchen with a few stray glasses.

"It would be a shame to let it go to waste." Chaewon simply replies, taking another bite.

"Enjoying yourself?" Yena checks up on her.

"Yeah, I'm glad I decided to come." Chaewon smiles softly.

"See, I knew you would like it!" Yena cheers.

Chaewon jokingly rolls her eyes at her friend's antics, refusing to verbally admit that Yena was right.

"Yena!" someone yells from the living room.

"Coming!" Yena responds, walking out of the kitchen.

Chaewon follows a little bit after, fresh can of beer in hand, just in time to see Yena greeting someone at the door.

"Just in time!" Yena greets.

Yena steps aside to let the person in and Chaewon promptly chokes on her beer. Half of the people in the room turn towards the noise of Chaewon spluttering by the kitchen and the other half enthusiastically greet Kazuha.

"We have drinks in the fridge, and there's still a bit of food left if Chaewon didn't eat it all. Make yourself at home!" Yena says, playing the role of perfect host.

Chaewon catches her breath, subtly wiping beer off of the corners of her mouth, while reassuring everyone that she was okay.

"Chaewon?" she hears Kazuha ask.

Yena decides that that's the perfect moment to point her out in the gaggle of people gathered. Chaewon sees both of them turn towards her, managing a small wave. Kazuha smiles in recognition, returning the wave. To Chaewon's horror, the ballerina then beelines towards her, only stopping briefly to introduce herself to the other people in the room.

"Unnie." she says once she's right in front of Chaewon.

"Hi…" Chaewon meekly replies, feeling an embarrassed flush color her cheeks.

"Happy New Years." Kazuha greets.

"Happy New Years." Chaewon parrots.

Kazuha opens her mouth, obviously wanting to continue the conversation, but Chaewon catches Yena's eyes from over Kazuha's shoulder.

"I'm gonna be right back, just give me a minute, okay?" Chaewon quickly diverts.

Kazuha blinks, head tilting slightly in that puppy-ish manner that makes Chaewon melt a little bit.

"Okay. Come find me after?" Kazuha agrees, eyes following Chaewon as the senior heads towards Yena.

"Of course, I promise." Chaewon rushes out.

She locates Yena, in the middle of goading one of their friends from the broadcasting club to chug a beer, not so subtly pulling on her sleeve.

"Come with me." Chaewon whispers through gritted teeth.

Yena gets one last jab in, before standing up and letting Chaewon drag her down the hallway and into the bathroom. It's small, but Chaewon still manages to pace it a few times before facing her friend.

"Why didn't you tell me she was going to be here?" Chaewon starts.

"Who?" Yena squints at Chaewon.

Chaewon glares at Yena, "You know exactly who."

"Oh!" Yena's face lightens up in realization, "Well it was kind of last minute."

Chaewon raises an inquisitive eyebrow, silently urging Yena to continue.

"You know how I hung up on you yesterday?"

"Rude behavior." Chaewon interrupts.

"Shush," Yena disregards Chaewon's comment, "Anyways, I was out getting stuff for today and I happened to run into Kazuha. She lives close by, apparently! Who knew?"

"I asked about her New Years plans and she said she had some family thing, but when I told her about this get together she said she'd try and see if she could make it!" she continues, "And now she's here! Aren't you happy?" Yena finishes, a dopey smile on her face.

"Thrilled." Chaewon deadpans.

"Awe, c'mon! You like her!" Yena teases.

Chaewon harrumphs. She couldn't exactly deny that statement, and even if she tried, lying straight to Yena's face would be a disaster in and of itself. She would see straight through Chaewon.

"Hey," Yena starts, "No one's expecting anything to happen tonight. Kazuha's excited just to see you, and I know you haven't been moping around the entire break for nothing."

"I haven't been moping!" Chaewon refutes.

"Bitch please!" Yena replies, "Just go out and talk with her! What's the worst that could happen?"

"I embarrass myself so much that she won't talk to me ever again and I have to enter a witness protection program. Probably leave the country, change my name." Chaewon lists off.

Yena stares at her, blinking slowly.

"Dramatic much?"

"Realistic."

The older girl shakes her head, pushing Chaewon away from the door and opening it.

"The world is your oyster!" Yena states, before leaving the bathroom to rejoin the party in the living room.

Chaewon stays for a minute before exiting too. She takes a detour through the kitchen, checking that it's empty before sneaking towards the front door. She slips out without anyone noticing and heads towards the rooftop. There's a gush of cold air as she opens the door that leads up to the roof. Chaewon shivers, regretting not bringing her jacket with her.

Yena's house was on the top floor of a small residential building. The rooftop had a nice view of the city. The light pollution from the bustling city center of Seoul made it hard to see anything usually, but a few stars managed to peek through the sparse clouds littering the sky.

Chaewon can hear bits of the party from downstairs. She exhales, welcoming the sting in her lungs from the cold air. She doesn't know how much time passes as she watches the city.

The door creaks open behind her.

Chaewon hears footsteps coming closer, but doesn't turn around to look. She feels a weight being placed on her shoulders, the warmth of a heavy wool coat instantly engulfing her. There's a sweet floral scent clinging to the material. Not Chaewon's own perfume, but one she could grow to be familiar with.

"You're going to catch a cold like that." Kazuha softly fusses.

Chaewon turns to meet the ballerina's eyes.

"Forgot to bring my own jacket." she sheepishly replies.

A moment passes between them.

"Do you usually have a habit of disappearing from parties?" Kazuha eventually says.

"I usually don't have a habit of showing up to parties." Chaewon replies.

Kazuha giggles, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"I didn't expect to see you here." Chaewon says.

"Me neither. I thought I would never be able to escape my family in time." Kazuha replies.

"Why? Never sneaked out before?" Chaewon jokes.

"Kinda difficult when you're the only child and firstborn granddaughter. Unintentionally always the center of attention," Kazuha laughs, "I think I eventually wore them down by looking pleading enough."

Chaewon laughs too, making sure Kazuha's jacket doesn't fall off of her shoulders.

"Do you want your jacket back?" Chaewon offers.

"No, keep it. You've been out here for longer." Kazuha dismisses.

A few fireworks explode in the horizon, catching their attention.

"It must be close to midnight." Kazuha mutters.

"Yeah," Chaewon exhales, "Any wishes for the New Year?"

As she shifts her weight, she realizes that their shoulders are softly bumping against each other. Chaewon hesitates for a moment, but it doesn't seem like Kazuha minds. She turns to face the ballerina, waiting for her answer.

"I have one wish." Kazuha says, directing her gaze to Chaewon. Neither of them blink.

"Anything you feel like sharing with me?" Chaewon asks, almost whispering, afraid to disturb this fragile moment in time.

The space between them is decreasing. Chaewon can smell hints of peach soju on Kazuha's breath. Her shoulders rise and fall as she exhales slowly, mouth opening and closing, trying to find the right words.

Chaewon's head feels cloudy, but the little alcohol she's had tonight is only a flimsy excuse for her subtly leaning in. The strand of hair Kazuha had pushed back falls back down, fluttering in the wind as the ballerina leans closer to Chaewon as well.

"I-" Kazuha starts.

Fireworks explode across the night sky.

Both of them blink, pulling away from each other in an instant. Chaewon catches the way disappointment colors Kazuha's face briefly. Below them, excited shouts and new years greetings filter out through open windows.

"Happy New Year, Kazuha." Chaewon manages to say.

"Happy New Year, unnie." Kazuha replies, smiling when she sees Chaewon still looking at her.

They both turn, shyly looking out on the horizon. What almost happened lies between them unsaid, both too nervous to say the wrong thing accidentally. The fireworks are pretty, at least. Chaewon finds that she really likes watching how the vibrant colors are reflected in Kazuha's eyes, glittering like the smattering of stars in the night sky above them when she dares to take a glance at the younger girl.

There are worse ways to spend the first few minutes of the new year, Chaewon thinks.

-

The individual days of each month don't exactly stand out much to Chaewon. The first and last of each month come and go, marking the passing of time like the sun setting and rising again the following morning. A monotonous cycle that rinses and repeats. One day stands out like a sore thumb in the frigid winter months. A day where the hallways of Hanlim are doused in a sickeningly floral smell and trash cans are overflowing with empty chocolate boxes.

Valentine's Day.

Chaewon had always despised it.

Not the sentiment. She, like any other teenage girl, liked the thought of being pampered with gifts and sweets under the guise of romance. What Chaewon despised is the fact that she somehow missed what date it was when she woke up today. If she had had more time to mentally prepare for the sight of teenage boys somehow sweating through their uniforms in the dead of winter from nerves and girls occupying every bathroom to either cry or touch up their subtle makeup she would be blasé about it.

Today she had to face the chaos head on.

She waits an entire light cycle by the crosswalk by the front gate, already spotting the first few students waiting with bouquets. She's betting that at least three people from her class would be crying before second period due to not receiving something from their crush or straight up getting rejected. Chaewon winces at the thought already.

She walks briskly through the courtyard, avoiding eye contact with as many people as possible. Head down and walk with purpose was her plan until her escape route was blocked. Chaewon manages to stop before she crashes head first into whoever stood in front of her.

"Unnie, hi." Kazuha greets warmly.

The ballerina waves at Chaewon, completely unfazed by the chaos that surrounds them in the busy hallways. Chaewon squints at her. Kazuha looks like she walked straight off of the set of a commercial and it wasn't even nine in the morning yet.

"Are you in a hurry?" the younger girl asks.

"Not yet," Chaewon replies, "Just trying to escape this chaos." she grumbles, stepping out of the way when a couple bulldozes their way through the crowd, almost taking out Chaewon.

Kazuha acts quickly, pulling Chaewon closer and out of the way. The senior leans into Kazuha's side, welcoming the way Kazuha interlocks their arms to keep her close.

"I hate this day." Chaewon mutters.

Kazuha stands up straighter besides her, a slight furrow to her brow.

"You don't like Valentine's?" she asks.

"No," Chaewon deadpans, "Why does everyone have to confess on the same damn day?"

"Right…" Kazuha says, "That makes sense."

Chaewon watches a gaggle of giggling girls crowd around a locker, urging one girl to slip a letter through the crack, no doubt a written confession for a classmate.

"You'd think people would at least have the guts to confess in person." Chaewon wonders aloud.

"Maybe they're shy?" Kazuha offers, "It can be scary to confess to someone if you're not sure how they'd react."

Chaewon stares curiously at Kazuha for a moment.

"You speak like you have experience with it." she comments.

Kazuha diverts her eyes, fiddling with something out of Chaewon's sight.

"Something like that…I think." she eventually mutters.

The warning bell rings, and Chaewon breathes a little easier when people start to filter out of the hallways making it easier for her and Kazuha to walk.

"I usually don't see you at this time during school hours," Chaewon says, "What's up?"

"Me? Nothing!" Kazuha squeaks, "Your class is on the first floor right?"

"Yeah…" Chaewon squints suspiciously at the ballerina, "How'd you remember that?"

"You told me." Kazuha says.

Chaewon is fairly sure she didn't, but she lets it slide this time. She lets Kazuha lead her in the direction of her class, silently observing the younger girl. Her usual training gear bag wasn't dangling off of her shoulder, instead replaced by a normal backpack. It hung off of Kazuha's opposite shoulder in a way that made it seem like she almost didn't want Chaewon to be able to see it.

Instead of the school branded track suit Kazuha usually wore on top of her ballet clothes, the navy of their school blazer adorned the shoulders of the younger girl, along with a knitted vest underneath. Her red tie was slightly crooked.

Kazuha stops in front of the staircase, arm still interlocked with Chaewon.

"I have to head to the dance studio." Kazuha says, a timid smile on her lips.

Without thinking about it, Chaewon reaches out and fixes Kazuha's tie. Her hands tremble slightly, and her eyes fixate on the way Kazuha's neck moves as she nervously swallows.

"Thanks." Kazuha breathes out, a faint red flush coloring her cheeks.

"You're welcome." Chaewon replies.

Her hands hover near Kazuha, anxiously clenching and unclenching, before she smoothens out the fabric of Kazuha's blazer, softly patting her shoulders.

"I'll…uhm, I'll see you later, unnie?" Kazuha's voice raises at the last syllable, question hanging in the air.

"Yeah, if you want to." Chaewon agrees.

Kazuha nods animatedly, "Text me?"

"Of course." Chaewon answers.

"Okay," Kazuha grins, "Bye, unnie! Have a good day!"

Chaewon curiously watches Kazuha walk backwards, hand still keeping her backpack firmly out of sight. The ballerina turns the corner, fully disappearing. Chaewon turns to walk up the stairs before being met with the sight of an ongoing confession in the middle of the staircase. She shudders, trying her best to pass without making herself known. She had almost forgotten that it was Valentine's.

This was going to be a long day.

-

"Unnie did you like the surprise?" Eunchae asks the moment Chaewon steps into the broadcasting club's room at the end of the day.

Chaewon throws her bag by the couch, melting into the cushions.

"What are you talking about?"

Eunchae, a bright eyed freshman that had recently joined the club, sits down on the couch with Chaewon. Since the day she had joined, the freshman had been oddly attached to Chaewon. She followed the senior around whenever possible, trying to soak up every skill and bit of knowledge that Chaewon could divulge. The honorifics had lasted for a week at most until Eunchae had switched over to using 'unnie'. Chaewon didn't think much about it, so she never bothered to correct it.

"The surprise! Zuha sunbae said she was planning to do it before class today!" Eunchae explains.

"Since when do you know her? And enough to call her Zuha?" Chaewon questions.

"She approached me!" Eunchae states proudly, a wide smile on her face, "Asked me about what snacks you liked at the moment and when we had club meetings," the freshman stops rambling for a moment, "I told her you were really into bbungeoppang recently, or chocolate mushrooms! You always leave them laying around in here." Eunchae giggles.

"Eunchae! Slow down for a moment," Chaewon grabs the girl by the shoulders to make her relax, "Why are you telling me all this?" she questions.

"I thought it was obvious," Eunchae looks at her weirdly, "It's Valentine's."

Chaewon blinks, processing what Eunchae said.

It was Valentine's. Kazuha apparently had planned a surprise for Chaewon, even going out of her way to approach one of her club members to gain intel on Chaewon's preferences. It was Valentine's. Kazuha had sought out Chaewon before class, when they rarely saw each other during school hours due to their different class schedules and extracurricular obligations. It was Valentine's.

It was Valentine's.

Chaewon's eyes slowly widen in realization.

"Oh my god," she gasps, "I'm an idiot."

"Huh?" Eunchae exclaims.

"I'm an idiot!" Chaewon cries out.

She springs up from the couch, barely remembering her bag as she beelines towards the door.

"Where are you going!?" Eunchae yells after her.

"To explain that I'm not dense!" Chaewon replies before setting off in a sprint towards the dance studios.

-

It is eerily quiet in the wing of the performance department, save for Chaewon gasping for air in the hallway. She really hoped she was not too late. She turns the corner, almost crashing into some of the other ballet dancers.

"Is she," a deep breath, "Did she leave?" Chaewon manages to stutter.

Some of them walk straight past her, while others look at her weirdly. A girl just exiting the dance studio spots her.

"Can I help you with something?" she kindly asks.

"Do you know Kazuha?" Chaewon glances around, "And if so, where she might be?"

"Oh, are you Chaewon?" the dancer asks.

Chaewon looks at her quizzically, "You know who I am?"

"Kazuha doesn't shut up about you," she laughs, "She's in the studio at the end of the hall."

"Thank you…" Chaewon starts, looking for a name badge.

"Mina." the girl tells her.

"Thank you, Mina!" Chaewon says, heading towards the studio at the end of the hall.

Chaewon bursts through the door, scanning the empty studio before she finds Kazuha on the opposite site of the room by the lockers. The sudden intrusion startles the younger girl, who screams in surprise. Kazuha whips around with such speed that the door of her locker bounces off of the one besides it, leaving it wide open for Chaewon to see it’s contents spilling out. It seems to dawn on Kazuha that Chaewon has a clear view of the items inside at the same time as Chaewon gets her suspicions confirmed.

Flowers, her favorite snacks, a note.

"Chaewon unnie?" she exclaims, "What are you doing here?"

Chaewon lets the door close behind her as she crosses the room, while Kazuha is frantically trying to block her view of the locker.

"D-don't mind this," Kazuha stutters as Chaewon approaches, "It's nothing!"

"Kazuha," Chaewon frowns, "It's not nothing, isn't it?"

The ballerina looks at Chaewon with wide wobbly eyes, body wound too tightly for someone who lives and breathes dance. Dejectedly Kazuha looks at the floor.

"It's uh…it's a gift, which you probably could already tell." Kazuha mumbles.

She scratches at her nape, looking like a skittish puppy that was about to run and hide if anything breathed in her direction.

"Who is it for?" Chaewon gently continues.

Kazuha manages to look at her for all of three seconds, before staring at the wall behind Chaewon.

"I…I wanted to give it to you, unnie," Kazuha finally confesses, "But then you told me how much you dislike Valentine's, so I abandoned that plan and in hindsight you're right because confessing on Valentine's is stupid and this whole day is stupid and now I just look like a fool rambling in front of the girl I have a crush on!" Kazuha spills.

Chaewon is slack jawed, staring in mild surprise at the ballerina.

Kazuha's eyes widen comically like saucers, before she slaps a hand over her own mouth at the realization of what she's just said.

"You didn't hear any of that." she pleads.

"I heard everything." Chaewon states.

Kazuha makes some panicked noise, muffled by her hands, before turning away from Chaewon, trying to hide her furiously blushing face from the senior. Chaewon manages to pick her jaw up from the floor. She can see the red tips of Kazuha's ears peeking out of her hair and she has to fight really hard not to coo at the adorable sight of a flustered Kazuha.

"Can we just pretend this entire conversation didn't happen?" Kazuha mumbles from where she's hiding.

"Nope," Chaewon answers, popping the 'p' happily, "I would love for you to turn around and face me so we can talk, though."

"I think I might die if I do that, unnie." Kazuha admits.

Chaewon laughs at her ridiculousness, "You're not going to die, Kazuha."

"You promise?" the ballerina asks.

"I promise," Chaewon easily replies, "I'm very good at keeping those."

Slowly, Kazuha turns around, lips pursed and cheeks red from embarrassment.

"See? You didn't die." Chaewon remarks.

"I almost did." Kazuha exaggerates.

Chaewon fondly rolls her eyes at Kazuha's dramatics.

"You sure you don't belong to the drama department?" she quips.

"I might change departments after today." Kazuha cracks a joke, much to Chaewon's relief.

The senior clears her throat, "So…"

"So…" Kazuha hesitantly repeats.

"I feel like I should apologize." Chaewon winces.

The small smile on Kazuha's face falls and her entire posture changes in an attempt to make herself smaller.

"Wait, no," Chaewon hurriedly interjects, "I didn't word that right! Sorry!"

"Let me start again," Chaewon awkwardly laughs, "I meant I'm sorry for being so grumpy on Valentine's."

"It's not something you have to apologize for, unnie," Kazuha reassures, "I just kind of assumed, you know?"

"Well I uh…clearly didn't see this coming," Chaewon bites her lip, "Or else I wouldn't have said all that earlier."

"It's okay, unnie," Kazuha giggles, bashfully looking towards the floor, "I'd rather you being honest than fake interest in some flowers and snacks."

Chaewon rolls on the ball of her feet, hands fiddling with the hem of her skirt. She doesn't like how it sounds like Kazuha has already resigned to being rejected. It's far from the truth. Chaewon just has to make her believe that.

"But I am interested." Chaewon mutters.

"Unnie you don't have to…" Kazuha starts, before Chaewon stops her from finishing the sentence.

"I like flowers…and snacks," she says, "And I like them even more when they're from…you."

The words hang in the air between them. Chaewon feels the heat of a blush creeping up her neck and the weight of Kazuha's gaze on her.

"So if you can forgive me for being dense, I would love for you to ask me to be your Valentines." Chaewon exhales, breathing easier now.

The corners of Kazuha's mouth twitch, putting up little to no fight against the wide smile that takes over her entire face once it dawns on her what the senior's words mean. Carefully, she turns around to take the items in her locker out, shyly presenting them to Chaewon.

"The flowers are a bit…crumpled, sorry, " she rushes out, "I hid them in my bag all day and the snacks…I uh, I asked Eunchae from the broadcasting club about what you were snacking on recently. I hope you don't mind."

Chaewon cradles the small bundle of roses in her arms, heart racing when her hand brushes against Kazuha's as she takes the chocolate snacks. The ballerina had even tied a little ribbon around.

"I love them." Chaewon quietly gushes.

Kazuha is standing right in front of Chaewon now, hands politely hovering now that she wasn't holding anything.

"I wanted to get you bbungeoppang too, but they're best when they're freshly made and warm so it didn't seem smart to-" Kazuha starts to explain.

Chaewon watches the ballerina stumble over her words fondly, swooning at how Kazuha was making gestures with her hands as she explained. They're doing everything slightly backwards, but there's never been a single formula that fits all when it comes to confessions. Impatience becomes Chaewon's friend, not foe.

In a swift movement, Chaewon pulls the taller girl closer by the strings of her hoodie, softly kissing Kazuha and cutting off her endearing ramble.

She feels Kazuha freeze for a moment, brain processing the sudden turn of events, before she reciprocates. Chaewon smiles at the shy pressure against her lips, slowly pulling away and opening her eyes. The sight in front of her is one she knows she'll remember forever.

Kazuha, ears matching the red of the roses she gifted the senior, slowly chasing the feel of Chaewon's lips on her own as her eyes slowly blink open. The deep brown of her eyes glitter like stars, totally smitten with the girl who just kissed her.

"Breathe." Chaewon gently reminds her, smiling at the sight of the enchanted girl.

"Am I dreaming?" Kazuha whispers, unable to stop smiling, "This is a dream, right?"

"Do you want me to answer that?" Chaewon asks, eyebrow raised in amusement.

"Hmmm," Kazuha pretends to think for a second, "No, I'm still kissing you in my head."

Chaewon laughs heartily, playfully slapping Kazuha's shoulder in playful reprimand.

"Dork."

Chaewon feels Kazuha circle her arms around her waist, keeping the senior close in a loose embrace. Chaewon rests her arms on Kazuha's shoulders, leaning into the ballerina as her hands tuck loose strands of hair back behind a blushing ear. Kazuha sighs happily, leaning into Chaewon's touch.

"Unnie," Kazuha breaks the silence, "Can I kiss you again?" she asks.

Chaewon smirks at the younger girl, enjoying the eager look in Kazuha's eyes.

"You're cute." she says.

Kazuha pouts, pleading with puppy-ish eyes at Chaewon .

"I've wanted to do that since New Years." she admits.

"Well since you asked so nicely…" Chaewon trails off, "And you waited very patiently."

"Unnie…" Kazuha cutely whines.

The indignant noise dies on the ballerina's tongue as Chaewon circles her arms closer around her neck, pulling Kazuha into a quick kiss to silence her whines.

"So demanding." Chaewon teases as she pulls away.

"Tsk," Kazuha scrunches her nose, "You kissed me first, unnie."

"I did." Chaewon smiles, lightly brushing her fingers over Kazuha's lips.

Kazuha stills, completely captivated by Chaewon.

A loud grumble from Kazuha's stomach interrupts their moment. Kazuha pulls away slightly in surprise, ears now tinted red from embarrassment.

"Sorry! I was too nervous to eat all day," she sheepishly admits.

"Zuha-ya…" Chaewon pouts, lightly flicking Kazuha's forehead to admonish her, "You had double practice today too."

Despite the nagging from Chaewon, Kazuha grins, perking up like a puppy excited to reunite with it’s owner.

"I like that."

"What?" Chaewon stares, confused.

"You calling me Zuha," she explains, "Do it again, please?"

"Zuha." Chaewon calls.

Another smile.

"Again, please."

"Zuha." Chaewon repeats.

"Just one more time and I'll stop. Promise." Kazuha urges.

"Zuha-ya…" Chaewon drags out, affectionately rolling her eyes at Kazuha's antics.

"Yes, Chaewonnie?" Kazuha responds, giggling like a kid in a candy store.

"What am I going to do with you?" Chaewon wonders aloud, eyes probably overflowing with fondness for the younger girl.

"Feed me." Kazuha suggests.

"Alright," Chaewon laughs airily, "How about some bbungeoppang?"

"Sounds perfect." Kazuha easily agrees.

Chaewon misses the warmth from Kazuha as she lets the ballerina gather her stuff. Her own bag lies forgotten by her feet, until Kazuha casually picks it up and carries it for her.

"I can carry my own bag." Chaewon comments, amused.

"I know," Kazuha replies, "But you don't have to."

Kazuha takes the boxed chocolate snacks from Chaewon too, safely storing them in the senior's backpack.

"You can keep the flowers safe, unnie." Kazuha softly suggests, like it was equal to shouldering two heavy backpacks. Her hand hovers in the space between them, hesitating to close the gap.

"Can I…" Kazuha starts to ask, "May I hold your hand?"

Warmth blooms in Chaewon's chest at the polite tone Kazuha speaks with. The younger girl chooses her words carefully, with intent, and words her questions like she's asking permission to be that person for Chaewon instead of someone asking something of Chaewon. The attention to detail makes butterflies flutter in her stomach.

"Yes, you can hold my hand but," a pause, "On one condition," Chaewon pauses for dramatic effect.

Kazuha looks expectantly at her, ready to comply with anything Chaewon wanted of her.

"Ask me to be your Valentines. Properly." Chaewon says with a cheeky smile.

Kazuha's smile mirrors Chaewon's, "Oh right…I never got around to actually doing that, did I?" she lets out a sheepish laugh.

"Can I borrow those again?" Kazuha asks, pointing to the flowers. Chaewon hands them over, intrigued about what the ballerina had in mind. Kazuha clears her throat, squaring her shoulders and gently pulling Chaewon to stand directly in front of her.

"Kim Chaewon," she starts, "May I have the honor of being your Valentine?"

Kazuha smiles in that stupidly devoted way that has Chaewon feeling weak in the knees already. She holds out the flowers with steady hands, waiting for Chaewon to answer.

"Yes." Chaewon agrees. She is pretty sure this has been the easiest 'yes' she's ever said in her life so far.

She accepts the flowers once more, reaching out and intertwining her fingers with Kazuha's waiting hand. Kazuha gazes lovingly at their hands, as if she still can't believe that it's real. Chaewon stands up slightly, pressing a kiss to the corner of her mouth. She feels Kazuha breaking out into a smile, seeing the effect she has on the younger girl as she pulls away. Kazuha lifts their intertwined hands, dropping a soft kiss on the back of Chaewon's hand, before happily swinging their hands together.

"On one condition, though." Chaewon states.

There's a slight furrow to Kazuha's brow, confusion bleeding into the lovesick look in her eyes, "You already said that once."

"Okay but this is important too." Chaewon reasons.

"Ask me to be your girlfriend another day," Chaewon continues, "I refuse to have our anniversary be on Valentine's Day."

A moment passes between them, before Kazuha breaks out into full belly laughs.

"Yah, unnie!" she manages to get out in between laughs, "I thought it was something bad!"

Chaewon raises an inquisitive eyebrow at the younger girl.

"What? You think I don't mean it?" she deadpans, "It's going to be impossible to celebrate an anniversary on Valentines!"

"No, I know you mean it. It was just very unexpected," Kazuha hides the last few giggles behind her free hand, gathering her composure, "Don't worry, unnie. I'd love to ask you to be my girlfriend another time."

"Good," Chaewon nods in satisfaction, "Now let's get some food in you."

-

The light from the old desk lamp is the only thing on in the broadcasting club room. The sun was setting soon and most students had already gone home for the day. Spring brought along warmer weather, which also meant school festivals. The Spring Festival was tomorrow, and Chaewon was still putting the final touches on the cue cards for the hosts tomorrow. Earlier she had helped the music department with setting up the main stage, going over the placement of banners and posters that decorated the school.

Yena had left an hour ago, finally happy with the sound mix of one of the videos the broadcasting club would be playing in between performances, which just left Chaewon.

And Kazuha.

Kazuha, who had quietly slipped into the room right as Yena left, coming straight from the dance studios.

"I won't distract you, unnie," she had said, "I'll just be doing some homework while you finish up."

Chaewon had tried to tell the younger girl to just go home, but she was very stubborn when she wanted to be and Chaewon had lost that fight quickly. Kazuha, on the other hand, had also quickly lost her own fight against sleep if the soft puffs of air Chaewon had been listening to for the last twenty minutes was an indicator.

She peeks over her shoulder, seeing Kazuha curled up in the corner of the couch. Her notebook was laying abandoned on the small coffee table, chest slowly rising and falling as she slept. Chaewon looks at the work on her computer, letting the blinking cursor count the seconds for her. After a minute she quietly stands up, shrugging off her school blazer and draping it across Kazuha. She looked so peaceful while asleep. She smiles when Kazuha buries further into her blazer, as if her sleeping brain registered Chaewon's scent clinging to the item of clothing.

The old office chair squeaks when Chaewon sits back down. She skims the document of text a few more times before the words start to look like gibberish to her tired eyes. Chaewon knows it's good, but her sense of perfectionism never lets any of her written work escape without a thoroughly detailed overlook. She prints the text out, wincing as the old printer splutters to life with a loud noise. She looks towards Kazuha, afraid to have woken her up, but all she sees is the younger girl stirring for a moment before her breathing returns to the same slow rhythm.

Chaewon silently gathers her stuff, cleaning up the things she'd used. When she's done, she walks over to the couch, crouching down besides where Kazuha is resting, quietly admiring the ballerina. With a soft touch, she tucks a few strands of hair back behind Kazuha's ear. A new habit she had developed when it seemed like Kazuha's hair often just refused to stay out of her face. She gently runs a finger over Kazuha's face, tracing the shape of her relaxed brow and the supple curve of her Cupid's bow. Slowly, she leans in, pressing her lips to Kazuha's forehead to wake her up.

When she pulls away, Kazuha is blinking awake. Her nose scrunches in that cute way that Chaewon has quickly grown to adore while her eyes refocus on her surroundings.

"Hi sleepyhead." Chaewon coos.

Kazuha whines softly, stretching her arms to wake up properly.

"How long was I asleep for?"

"Not too long." Chaewon replies.

The ballerina rubs her eyes, blinking the last remnants of sleep away, "Did you finish what you had to do?"

"Yeah, I'm all done," Chaewon smiles, playing with a strand of Kazuha's hair, "Let's go home?"

Kazuha returns her smile, swinging her legs off of the couch and stuffing her abandoned homework into her bag before standing up. She holds out Chaewon's blazer for her, easily slipping it back over the senior's shoulders.

"Thank you for keeping me warm, unnie." she mumbles into Chaewon's hair, pressing a light kiss to her messy bangs once Chaewon turns around.

The weight of Kazuha's hand clasped with her own is a familiar feeling to Chaewon now. There's a buzz in the air and birds sing faintly somewhere on the school grounds as the day ends. Their walk to the bus stop is silent and the warmth of Kazuha's shoulder pressed into her own as they wait, is comforting.

The evening rush of office workers going home is evident as they step onto the bus. Kazuha leads Chaewon over to the last empty seat, choosing to stand in front of the senior and letting Chaewon rest her head against her stomach. Chaewon feels Kazuha's subtle touches against the back of her head, still shy about her affection in public. Chaewon reaches into the pocket of Kazuha's blazer, finding the tangled bundle of earphones that the ballerina always carries with her. She untangles the cords and connects them to her own phone. Chaewon takes one half of the earphones while Kazuha takes the other. She easily finds the playlist they'd started working on together, pressing play on the recently added song. The sentimental notes of a band song acts as the soundtrack for the rest of their journey home.

Even as Chaewon steps off of the bus first, she still hears the calm piano track that Kazuha had added last week play in her head. Inside the bus, earphones dangle from her hand as Kazuha waves goodbye. Her phone beeps not even a minute later. Chaewon pulls her phone out to see a text from Kazuha.

'text me when you're home :)'

Chaewon's heart flutters again, biting back a smile as she opens the door to her house. She types a reply to Kazuha.

'i'm home now. Call me before you sleep?'

Kazuha responds with a picture and Chaewon recognizes the buildings near the ballerina's house from the video calls they'd done while walking home after a long day at school where they couldn't see each other.

'almost home :p did you wanna talk about anything specific? I can call you earlier if you need'

This girl. This stupidly attentive and endearing girl who made Chaewon's stomach do flips on the daily like it was doing Olympic level gymnastics tryouts. It's kind of a miracle that her mother or sister haven't commented on how often Chaewon is smiling at her phone. They're nosy enough.

'nothing specific. Just wanted to hear your voice before I sleep'

She sees Kazuha typing for a bit, bubble appearing and disappearing.

'you're cute unnie'

Chaewon rolls her eyes fondly, even when she knows Kazuha can't see her. Another text from the younger girl follows shortly after. Chaewon reads it over and over again, wondering when Kazuha had become so good at interpreting her.

'talk to you later. i miss you too.'

-

The courtyard and sports field are lively. Students are spread throughout the festival area, indulging in food and games in the warm spring sun. Chaewon is stationed at the entrance booth, checking tickets with some other members of the broadcasting club.

"Thank you for buying a ticket. Enjoy the festival!" she says, smiling at the group of freshman as they head into the festival.

She feels a buzz in the pocket of her letterman jacket. A couple of fellow seniors come to the front of the queue before she can get a moment to check her phone. They're also wearing letterman jackets with their names, class and department stitched into the heavy wool. Chaewon's name adorns the back, followed by the department of broadcasting and entertainment on hers. She wears it with a sense of pride. She earned this. Studied hard for four years, got accepted to a great university and made her family proud and she's almost got a girlfriend!

The almost-girlfriend in questions comes into view as she's next in line. Chaewon can't help the smile that takes over her face as she spots Kazuha.

"Unnie!" Kazuha bounds over all excited. She almost stumbles into the booth's table with far less grace than one would expect from a ballerina.

"Careful, Zuha." Chaewon steadies the taller girl by her hands.

Kazuha sheepishly smiles, and Chaewon hears a snicker from behind her. Probably Yena being thoroughly entertained by the sight of them. Chaewon slips a wristband out of her pocket, easily wrapping it around Kazuha's wrist. Her fingers rest there for a moment, feeling the steady thrumming of Kazuha's pulse.

"Here, I saved you one. It'll give you access to the backstage area around the stage so you can find me easily later," Chaewon explains, "I have to help at the start of the big show, but other than that I'm all yours today."

Kazuha steps around the table, pulling Chaewon into a quick hug.

"Thank you, unnie! I'll text you later!" The ballerina says as she's called over to some of her classmates waiting inside the festival. Chaewon waves at her before redirecting her focus back on the small queue of waiting students.

A male student from the acting department is after Kazuha and Chaewon greets him with a polite smile.

"Hi, thank you for supporting the Spring Festival." Chaewon says as if on autopilot.

"Yeah of course." he replies, distracted.

Chaewon squints at him. She's seen him in passing before, but not to the point where she would even call him an acquaintance. His gaze is directed at something behind the entry booth and he hurries inside the moment Chaewon stamps his ticket. She turns and follows his retreating figure. An ugly green feeling claws its way up her spine, face set in a dark scowl as she sees why the guy was hurrying. He's approached Kazuha and her group of friends, trying to lay it on thick with the dancers.

Chaewon slams the ink stamp against the table. Yena flinches beside her, eyeing her friend in concern.

"Zuha-ya!" Chaewon calls out.

Kazuha turns towards Chaewon's voice in an instant. Much to Chaewon's satisfaction and the guy's disappointment. The ballerina tilts her head in question, like a puppy waiting for a command from her owner.

"Come over here for a second?" Chaewon asks with a saccharine lilt to her voice. She smirks when she sees the guy's bravado crumble as Kazuha walks away like he never existed, drawn to Chaewon's voice like a siren song.

"You okay, unnie?" Kazuha looks Chaewon up and down, making sure nothing was out of place. Chaewon steps into Kazuha's personal space, smiling as Kazuha showers her with her unbridled attention.

"Yeah," Chaewon mutters so only Kazuha can hear, "Wear this, I don't want you to get cold." Chaewon adds, shrugging off her letterman jacket and draping it over Kazuha's shoulders. The younger girl squeaks out a weak protest, before relenting and wearing the jacket.

"What about you, unnie?" Kazuha pouts, taking Chaewon's hands in her own and blowing warm air on them.

"I'll be fine," Chaewon reassures. She takes a good look at Kazuha in the jacket. The sleeves are only a little short for her and the jacket doesn't look as long on Kazuha as it does on Chaewon, "It looks good on you. " Chaewon compliments.

Kazuha blushes faintly, burying in the collar of the jacket.

"You just like that I'm wearing your jacket," she mumbles, "I'll keep it safe for you, unnie."

Kazuha pulls a hot-pack out of her own pocket, pressing it into Chaewon's hands, "Take this, then I'll know you're warm as well.".

Chaewon kind of wants to kiss her.

She doesn't. Aware of the many eyes around them, but she does hold onto Kazuha's hand for as long as possible before letting the younger girl catch up to her friends. The male senior is long gone.

"That was incredible to witness." Yena dryly remarks.

"Shut up." Chaewon fires back.

-

"…and when there's like thirty seconds left of it, call over the cheer team and keep them on standby." Chaewon whispers to Eunchae, going over the time sheet taped backstage.

The freshman nods, disappearing into the chaos. Chaewon queues the next segment, a video, and peeks out from backstage to check that everything was running smoothly. She sees Eunchae on the opposite wing, doing a headcount of the cheer team. The lights dim, and the crowd stirs, welcoming the next performance as the cheer team start their performance. Chaewon takes off her headset, happy to get the space to breathe for a moment.

She claps as the cheer team runs off stage, moving aside as Yena ushers a dance team onto the stage for their performance. She walks over to stand next to her as the older girl takes Chaewon's previous spot.

"All good?" Chaewon asks.

"Yup! Only had a small mishap earlier when a prop went missing, but we fixed it." Yena replies.

Chaewon watches as Yena queues up the next song, before being called over to someone else needing a hand. She looks back to the stage, humming along to the idol song the dance team are covering.

"We should've moved the band's instruments off stage so the dance performances aren't so cramped…" Chaewon offhandedly comments when she hears footsteps return to the mixing booth.

Arms wrap around her waist, and a head comes to rest on her shoulder, trapping her. Chaewon is about to flinch when familiar notes of sweet florals make her relax.

"Zuha…" Chaewon laughs airily, "I thought you were Yena unnie."

Kazuha giggles, tightening her hold around Chaewon, "Found you."

Chaewon turns her head, seeing Kazuha's comfortably nuzzled into her neck, watching the dancers on stage as her hands tap to the rhythm of the music on Chaewon's stomach. The ballerina is still wearing the letterman jacket and Chaewon feels warm as Kazuha wraps herself around her. She lifts her hand, gently petting Kazuha's hair as they watch the performance finish.

Yena shows up again, directing the dancers off stage as the MC's voice booms through the speakers. Kazuha lifts a hand to wave hello, before settling around Chaewon's waist once again.

"You guys can go," Yena directs at them, "We've got it covered, don't worry."

"You sure, unnie?" Chaewon asks.

Yena rolls her eyes fondly, shooing them away.

"Your teenage love cooties are interfering with my work."

Chaewon sticks her tongue out while Kazuha hides her laughter in Chaewon's hair.

"Text me if you need help later, then," Chaewon says, "And tell Eunchae we said bye!"

Yena gives them a thumbs up before wordlessly waving them off, turning back to check the time sheet. Chaewon wiggles out of Kazuha's embrace, interlacing their hands and pulling the younger girl with her as they exit the backstage area.

-

"Step right on up! Five three-pointers gets you the big prize!"

The bright lights of the dance team's booth attract a crowd. Chaewon doesn't even know where they got the hoop from. Throughout the early evening the pair had drifted from booth to booth, indulging in different carnival games with more or less success.

"Do you wanna try?" Kazuha asks.

"It's sweet that you think I posses an athletic bone in my body, Zuha." Chaewon winces, much to Kazuha's amusement.

Still, Chaewon lets Kazuha pull her up to the booth. She watches as Kazuha pays for one turn, getting a rack of six balls rolled to her side. A student in charge of the booth explains the rules to her and Chaewon watches in intrigue as Kazuha picks up the first ball.

She turns around to face Chaewon with a cocky smile donning her face and confidence oozing off of her.

"This one's for you, unnie!" she jokingly calls out, pointing to Chaewon. A few students around them look between the two, connecting the dots between the name stitched across Kazuha's back and Chaewon standing off to the side.

Kazuha then proceeds to miss every single shot.

Chaewon hides her laugh behind her hand.

Kazuha gets handed a chocolate bar as a consolation prize and she dejectedly turns towards Chaewon with a pout on her face. The senior walks over to her, patting her shoulders to cheer her up.

"Oh you poor thing." Chaewon coos.

"Unnie…" Kazuha whines like a kicked puppy.

Chaewon laces their fingers together, pulling the ballerina away from her bitter defeat.

"Come on, I'll get you something better than their prize."

Kazuha dutifully follows as Chaewon leads them through the crowd. The air gets thicker with the smell of fried food and sugar. She stops in front of a cotton candy stand.

"One small one, please." she orders, pulling a bill out of her pocket.

"Unnie let me pay." Kazuha interjects, gently pushing Chaewon's hand out of the way.

"My treat." Chaewon rejects her offer, finally paying.

Kazuha sighs, smiling as she takes the finished cotton candy. She plucks off a small bite, offering it to Chaewon first. The candy is sweet as it melts on her tongue.

"I don't think I've had this since I was a child." Kazuha mentions as they walk to a quieter part of the festival grounds.

"I feel like I've already gotten five cavities." Chaewon jokes, taking another piece of it.

"Don't worry unnie, I'll probably still like you if all your teeth fell out." Kazuha plays along.

"Yah!" Chaewon exclaims, slapping Kazuha's shoulder. It just makes Kazuha giggle more.

They sit down on a patch of grass. Chaewon leans her head on Kazuha's shoulder while the ballerina pulls her closer by intertwining their arms and resting a hand on Chaewon's knee. Music from the main stage spills out into the early evening and the two just sit in silence, enjoying each other's company.

"Congrats on getting into Ewha, I don't think I got to tell you," Kazuha says after a moment, "I'm…really proud of you. You're going to do great." she adds.

She offers the last bit of cotton candy to Chaewon, and the senior gladly accepts it. Kazuha stuffs the trash in her pocket.

"Thank you," Chaewon replies as the sugary sweet melts on her tongue, "It means a lot coming from you."

Kazuha smiles, fondly bonking her head against Chaewon's.

"Tired?" she asks.

"A little bit. I was up early." Chaewon replies.

"Do you wanna go?" Kazuha suggests.

Chaewon thinks for a bit, hugging Kazuha's arm to her and indulging in the warmth radiating off of the younger girl.

"Yeah, let's go." Chaewon says.

Kazuha stands up first, holding Chaewon's hand as she follows. They walk back towards the festival, clasped hands swinging gently in between them. Chaewon's noticed a few curious glances in their direction. The hand holding. Kazuha still wearing Chaewon's letterman jacket. She's sure they're about to be the talk of the town come Monday. The hallways of the school would be ablaze with whispers about them.

"Unnie! Let's do this before we go!" Kazuha's voice pulls Chaewon out of her thoughts.

The ballerina is pointing at a photobooth. There's a small line waiting in front of it, but it seems to be moving pretty fast. Kazuha leads Chaewon through the crowd, a warm hand on the small of her back as they join the line.

"Something to commemorate today with." Kazuha explains.

Chaewon blinks at her, confusion written all over her face.

"Did something special happen today?" she questions.

"Not yet," Kazuha replies, enigmatic, "But every day I spend with you is special, though." she ends up muttering.

"Charmer." Chaewon pinches Kazuha's blushing cheek, smiling brightly.

The people in front of them exit and they enter. It's cramped in there, and Chaewon ends up sitting half on Kazuha's lap as she swipes through the frame options.

"What about this one?" Chaewon asks, pointing at a Crayon Shin Chan one.

Kazuha tightens her hold around Chaewon's waist, making sure the senior didn't slip.

"Yeah, it's cute!"

"Let's do a normal one first," Chaewon says, gesturing for Kazuha to come closer. Their cheeks bump against each other as they smush their faces together, smiling when the timer reaches zero.

"Hey Chaewon…" Kazuha suddenly mutters.

Chaewon turns to face Kazuha immediately. She's become used to hearing 'unnie' from Kazuha, so the sudden change is noticeable. She spares a quick glance at the timer. Forty-five seconds until the next picture.

"Hm?" Chaewon looks at Kazuha, picking up on how she's nervously fiddling with the sleeve of Chaewon's jacket and opening and closing her mouth trying to find the right words.

"I…I was gonna do this earlier, but then there were so many people around and it didn't really feel like the right moment, you know? But then it got late and you said you were tired-" Kazuha starts rambling.

"Hey, calm down," Chaewon gently cups Kazuha's face to get her to slow down, "It's okay. Talk to me."

"I didn't want you to think I forgot, because I didn't! I've basically been thinking about it nonstop since," Kazuha continues, "…and this is basically the first moment we've had alone today."

"W-what are you talking about?" Chaewon smiles hesitantly.

Kazuha bites her lip nervously, eyeing the timer. Thirty seconds.

"I'm not good with words in the same way you are, so I've wracked my brain these last few weeks, trying to come up with the perfect thing to say…and I still don't know how to say it," Kazuha starts slowly, "What I do know is that…I've never been more sure of anything. Of anyone, and that the best way to do this is probably not something I can plan meticulously…so now I'm just speaking from my heart because honesty is better than me chickening out of doing this again."

Chaewon is staring at Kazuha as she speaks, hanging onto every word spoken.

"These last few weeks with you have been a dream. Ever since New Years I've been trying to make sense of my feelings for you. Told myself that you were just being kind, or that this would fizzle out into nothing," Kazuha continues, "…and then you kissed me. You kissed me and proved every single doubt I ever had about you wrong. You make me the happiest I've ever been. You make me feel safe. You've become the person I instinctively look for…and I hope that I can be that person for you too. I want to show you that I wanna be that person for you, too."

The camera starts beeping, counting down. Ten seconds.

"Kazuha…" Chaewon mutters, feeling overwhelmed by the sincerity in Kazuha's words.

"I promised you something back in February," Kazuha interrupts, taking Chaewon's hands in hers as a shy smile spreads across her face, "…and now I'm going to fulfill that promise to you."

"Will you be my girlfriend?" Kazuha finally says.

Click.

Chaewon barely registers the flash going off. The picture probably captured the nervous furrow of Kazuha's brow and Chaewon's pure surprise. None of it matters to them, though. Chaewon might be gasping like a fish out of water, trying to process what Kazuha just asked her. The silence drags on, and every second that passes probably feels like eons to Kazuha.

"You…I…" Chaewon manages to stutter.

Kazuha bites her lip, nodding slowly.

Chaewon gulps, feeling the weight of Kazuha's expectant stare on her. Time feels like it's slowed down. Her tongue feels like lead and she is kicking and screaming inside her head to get her body to move. Do anything, instead of letting this unnecessary silence go on any longer. she needs to speak. She wants to speak, but it's like her body is frozen in place and no matter how warm Kazuha's body pressed against her feels or how her honeyed words have Chaewon's brain melting into a puddle of lovesick goop, she cannot get her body to listen.

The timer beeps again. Counting down from ten.

Chaewon can hear her own heartbeat in her ears, a rush that makes her cheeks go red and head all fuzzy. The cotton of Kazuha's shirt is soft beneath her fingertips. It stretches when Chaewon fists the front of the ballerina's shirt, pulling her in and closing the minimal gap between them. She answers Kazuha's question in the only way her panicking brain would let her.

The taste of cotton candy is sweeter on Kazuha's lips. Addicting. Chaewon kisses Kazuha with fervor, fueled on by the tight grip around her waist. It's like Kazuha is afraid to let go of her, holding her close like Chaewon is the most precious thing she's ever touched.

"You're shaking…" Kazuha whispers against Chaewon's lips.

Dazed, Chaewon manages to focus her eyes. There's a slight tremble to her hands still cupping Kazuha's face. A calm hand runs up and down her back, steadying her stuttered breathing. Kazuha softly bumps their noses together, pressing a soft kiss to Chaewon's lips. Her eyes flutter to a close, blindly following the ebb and flow of Kazuha's reverent touches. When they break apart again, Chaewon feels the warm huff of Kazuha's breath on her lips.

"You make me really happy," Chaewon starts, voice rough around the edges, "And you care for me in ways I didn't know was possible in such a short time."

The artificial light in the photobooth is overpowering, but it doesn't dim the sparkle in Kazuha's eyes as she looks at Chaewon. There is only a flimsy curtain concealing them from the outside world, but it's enough.

"I'd be stupid not to say yes…" Chaewon exhales, swallowing the trickle of laughter spilling over Kazuha's lips as she kisses her once again.

Click.

The flash barely registers to either of them as the last picture is taken.

-

The day of her graduation starts like any other. Almost.

Her door creaks softly, slightly cracked open and swaying from the gentle early morning breeze flowing through her open window. A rule set by her mom when Chaewon had first asked if Kazuha could sleep over the night before her graduation. She had mustered up the courage a whole week in advance, dropping the question in the middle of dinner while her mother and sister were busy scooping rice into bowls. Silverware stopped clinking against plates and bowls the second the question had passed her lips and the agonizing seconds of silence that followed after had colored Chaewon's cheeks a deep red. Her sister had teased her relentlessly as her mother watched on with that tender smile only a mother has.

It was not the first time that Chaewon had mentioned her girlfriend. They had even met her several times before, but it was the first time any of them had stayed the night. A true sign of how special Kazuha had become to Chaewon.

Kazuha arrived in the afternoon the day before her graduation, overnight bag casually slung over her shoulder, greeting Chaewon and her family with a smile and her usual politeness. Shiro had run circles around her feet, almost tripping the younger girl while Chaewon had bee-lined towards her room with Kazuha in tow the second she had taken her shoes off. Less chance of her mother or sister embarrassing her. She still shivered when she remembered one of the first times Kazuha had visited and her mom had gone through her baby pictures.

Chaewon's twin bed is too small for two people, and her mom had not so subtly told Chaewon that the extra bedding and mattress was in the hallway closet. The pair easily set up Kazuha's bed for the night, pushing the mattress as close as it could come to the side of Chaewon's bed.

"You're more sentimental than you let on, unnie." Kazuha had commented, as she stood in front of Chaewon's dresser. Her hands barely graze the petals of dried flowers Chaewon keeps there. The collection is steadily growing, from the first rose that Kazuha had ever given her to the bouquet from Valentine's. The ballerina had saved a flower from each bouquet she's been given during competitions and gifted it to Chaewon, and Chaewon cherished every single one, meticulously drying and pressing the flowers to preserve them.

"They're like a diary." Chaewon shrugs, not shy about her quiet acts of devotion. She eyes the strip of photos from the night Kazuha asked her to be her girlfriend, in a small frame in her nightstand. It was the last thing she saw before she fell asleep and it was the first thing she saw when she woke up.

Dinner is nothing out of the ordinary. Kazuha helps set the table and asks a million times if there's anything more she can help with until all three Kim women tell her to relax. Shiro nudges against all their ankles under the table as they eat and talk, feeling left out until Chaewon throws a dental chew for him. Her sister and Kazuha manage to team up to tease Chaewon and despite her verbal protests it warms her heart to see Kazuha get along with her family so well.

"We have to leave at ten tomorrow." Her mom says.

"Got it! Goodnight, Mom." Chaewon replies, drying the bowl in her hands.

"Goodnight Miss Kim." Kazuha also says, turning away from the sink where she had her hands buried in soapy water.

Her mom leaves the kitchen, and the only noise in the house is some soft music coming from her sister's room. Kazuha hands Chaewon the last glass and drains the water, hanging the yellow plastic gloves to dry. The glass clinks softly as Chaewon puts it on the rack, and she turns around to hang the dish towel back when she feels a warm weight against her back.

"Tired?" Chaewon asks, letting Kazuha lean against her.

Kazuha softly whines into Chaewon's shoulder, "Practice today was rough." Kazuha sneaks her arms around Chaewon's waist, hugging the older girl to her front.

"Come on, let's sleep." Chaewon softly taps Kazuha's arms to get her to let go. She turns to see Kazuha pouting. Chaewon rolls her eyes at the ballerina's antics, reaching for her hand and intertwining their fingers. The empty kitchen is dark, and the late night noise from the city is muffled, shrouding them in tranquility. She pulls Kazuha close, standing up on her tippy toes to press a kiss to the corner of Kazuha's mouth.

They get ready for bed quickly and as the hum of the street lights filter through the window in Chaewon's bedroom they both shimmy underneath the covers. Chaewon scoots all the way to the edge of her bed, laying on her side to be able to look at Kazuha.

"Excited for tomorrow?" Kazuha asks.

"It's gonna be dreadful." Chaewon grumbles.

"But you'll be done," Kazuha calmly refutes, "And we're gonna celebrate you."

Chaewon reaches a hand out from under the covers, letting it hang by the side of the bed. Kazuha moves closer, resting her arm against the bed to hold her hand. The last thing Chaewon remembers is Kazuha softly tracing the back of her hand with her thumb, lulling her to sleep.

It's the creak of her door that wakes Chaewon on the morning of her graduation. Somewhere in the neighbourhood a dog barks. The weight of Kazuha's hand still rests in Chaewon's palm, warm and soft. When she peeks at her girlfriend, her heart jumps. Shiro had snuck into her room sometime during the early morning, now laying cuddled up to Kazuha's side and using her arm as a pillow. The slow breaths from Kazuha as she slept were only slightly obstructed by his fur. Chaewon carefully reaches for her phone, afraid to wake them both, and sneaks a picture of the adorable sight. Hushed whispers filter through from downstairs, no doubt her mother and sister already awake. Chaewon checks the time. She should probably wake up Kazuha soon so they had enough time to get ready.

Instead, Shiro uses Kazuha's stomach as a launchpad the second he hears his bowl being filled downstairs. Chaewon's eyes widen in surprise as Kazuha is abruptly woken up. She bites her lip to not laugh.

"Ugh…" Kazuha groans, blinking groggily. She's still holding onto Chaewon's hand firmly.

"Morning, sleepyhead." Chaewon greets, squeezing Kazuha's hand to keep her from falling back asleep.

"Morning," Kazuha replies, only letting go of Chaewon's hand to rub at her eyes, "What time is it?"

"Little past eight. No rush." Chaewon says.

Kazuha hums sleepily, running her hands through her hair to try and tame it. Chaewon watches her silently. She's never noticed how the light looks in her room in the morning, but now that Kazuha is here in her room it's like she's seeing the world with fresh eyes.

"What?" Kazuha mumbles, noticing Chaewon's prolonged stare.

"Nothing," Chaewon smiles softly, "It's just nice to wake up with you."

Kazuha bashfully turns away, corners of her mouth twisting upwards into a shy smile.

-

It's almost like Kazuha is more nervous than Chaewon, if the clammy hand clasped with her own is anything to go by. Kazuha had held her hand through the entire drive to the school and up until Chaewon had to join her class for the diploma ceremony. There's funny videos put together by some of her classmates shown and a few teachers share a few anecdotes and good advice for the future. Overall it's a joyous time spent with her classmates despite it being the last time. When the more formal part has passed, everyone relaxes more. Pictures are taken and promises to meet up during summer are thrown around. Eventually, they start to spill out into the hallways, looking for their families and friends from other classes to take pictures with.

Chaewon manages to slip out, squinting through the masses in the hallway to try and spot familiar faces.

"Unnie!" a voice shouts through the noise.

Chaewon turns instinctively, smiling as she sees Kazuha squeeze through the crowd with her mom and sister in tow. She gasps in disbelief once Kazuha fully comes into view. The ballerina is holding a big bouquet of flowers while her sister is wearing a congratulatory banner around her neck.

"What…is all this?" Chaewon questions.

"For you!" her sister exclaims excitedly, transferring the banner to Chaewon.

Kazuha laughs, waiting until Chaewon's sister is done wrapping the banner around Chaewon to give her the flowers.

"Thought it was about time that you got some flowers instead of me," she says, "Congrats on graduating, unnie. I'm proud of you."

"Aigoo…our Chaewon graduating!" her mother coos, pulling her youngest daughter into a hug.

"Mom! The flowers!" Chaewon splutters, freeing the hand she was holding the bouquet of flowers with from the hug.

She hears Kazuha and her sister laughing, probably also taking pictures of them, before Chaewon feels them crowd around her too, creating a big group hug in the middle of the hallway.

"Okay we need pictures before mom cries." Her sister urges after a moment, breaking away from the hug first.

Her mom reluctantly lets go, letting Chaewon breathe again as they line up for pictures. Chaewon juggles the flowers and her diploma in her hands as her sister takes the first photos of just her and their mom. They switch around a few times, some with everything and some without all the decorations, until Chaewon's sister gently nudges Kazuha to stand next to Chaewon.

"Come on you two. We can't leave without a picture of just you guys." she smirks.

Kazuha awkwardly shuffles closer to Chaewon, hand hovering over her back like she was afraid to touch Chaewon in front of her family. Her sister takes one picture, looking at it quizzically. Before she can say anything, Chaewon pulls Kazuha closer, linking their arms and leaning her head on Kazuha's shoulder. She feels the younger girl relax against her, smiling more easily now.

"Unnie, now." Chaewon prompts, matching Kazuha's smile.

Her sister eagerly takes more pictures, smiling when they turn out how she likes.

"Awe! We're totally framing these!" Her sister coos.

"Unnie!" Chaewon whines loudly.

-

In the midst of it all, Chaewon and Kazuha manage to escape to the rooftop for a moment alone. The air is clear, so they can see the Namsan tower in the distance.

"In a few months you'll be over there, attending Ewha's professional writing program in the department of English language and Literature." Kazuha mentions.

"Yeah…" Chaewon sighs, "I'm excited, but also nervous."

Kazuha looks at her, steady and reassuring.

"You'll do great." she says.

"I think you're very biased." Chaewon jokes.

Kazuha giggles, swatting at Chaewon's shoulder.

"What else am I supposed to be? Of course I am!"

Chaewon sticks her tongue out in a childish retort, giggling with Kazuha.

The sun is warm, and Chaewon had abandoned her blazer by the door leading back down into the school along with the bouquet of flowers. The faint chatter of fresh graduates and their families in the courtyard fill the air. A zephyr passes, rustling the leaves of the trees.

"I know it's a given, but I'll miss you," Kazuha mutters, reaching for Chaewon's hand, "I really liked knowing that you were somewhere close by throughout the school day."

Something squeezes painfully in Chaewon's chest. She's been afraid to mention it.

"We have an entire summer to spend together, " she starts, "…but even so, I know I'll also miss you like crazy."

Chaewon lets Kazuha pull her into a hug, breathing deep as she buries into her girlfriend's chest. The unknown future feels a little less scary in the arms of Kazuha. Her embrace acts like a soft blanket, shielding Chaewon.

"It's only one and a half hours with public transport from here to Ewha," Kazuha mentions, "Maybe two hours at it’s worst, but definitely doable."

"Weekdays might not be possible because I have classes and you have practice after school, but we can see each other during weekends." Chaewon says.

"And if weekend visits don't work out, I'll only be a text or call away." Kazuha replies.

Kazuha leans down, pressing a kiss to Chaewon's forehead.

"I spent so long admiring you from afar. A little extra distance between us won't change how I feel about you. I'll work hard to show you that nothing has to change with us just because everything around us is changing." Kazuha declares, hands gently cupping Chaewon's face and bringing their faces close to each other.

Chaewon feels Kazuha's soft breaths against her lips as her eyes slowly flutter to a close when the ballerina pulls her into a deep kiss. Her hands grip the back of Kazuha's shirt, probably wrinkling the cotton. It's the least of her concerns. She's channeling every bit of her adoration and yearning for the younger girl into this kiss. Spurred on by the fervency in her heart that's been set alight by Kazuha's reverent devotion.

The rooftop becomes their sanctuary for a brief moment in time. A corner of the universe carved out specifically for them. Far away from the heavy weight of expectations and unknowns. A quiet pocket of time where the sun shines and the skies are clear for them to enjoy.