Yongsun’s eyes fluttered opened as she woke up, feeling an arm around her and warmth radiating onto her back. She kept blinking until she came to her senses as she fully awoke, her eyes widening as she realized what position she was in. Yongsun bit her lip and in a bout of panic, she threw off Byulyi’s arm and jumped out of bed, turning to look at Byulyi. She sighed in relief and thanked Byulyi for being a deep sleeper. Yongsun had been finding herself being thankful a lot lately: thanking Byulyi for looking away and not being able to see her face, thanking the darkness for covering up her blushes, and now, thanking Byulyi for being a deep sleeper. All of these, she realized, had been for making sure Byulyi didn’t see what Yongsun was beginning to feel. That Yongsun was falling in love with Byulyi.

She took a deep breath and looked at herself in the mirror. She was still wearing the same clothes that she had on yesterday, and so was Byulyi; they must have been too tired when they came back from the date to change back. Yongsun walked over to the closet, grabbing a change of clothes and a towel as she entered the bathroom to take a shower.

When she finished with her shower and walked back into her room, Byulyi was still asleep. Yongsun wrinkled her nose and her teeth, moving over to the bed and pulling the blanket off of the sleeping girl. She then pulled the pillow from under Byulyi and began to playfully hit her with it.

“Wake up, Byulyi, wake up!” Yongsun let out a giggle as she continued to hit Byulyi with the pillow.

Byulyi woke up at the sound of Yongsun’s voice, groaning and burying her face into the other pillow as she replied to Yongsun in a muffled voice. “I don’t want to.”

Her reply only earned her another pillow beating from the older girl. “Come on, wake up and take a shower. And then come out for breakfast. If you don’t come out for breakfast, I’m going to eat your share.”

After that exchange, Yongsun tossed the pillow at Byulyi and left the room, heading to the kitchen as she thought about what to make for breakfast. She opened her fridge, eyes scanning the food to see what she could make from them before she moved to the cupboard and did the same thing. After seeing what she had at her disposal, she had decided to make a traditional korean breakfast, equipped with the soybean soup to the kimchi.

She took out all the ingredients she would be needing, then began to cook. She filled a pot with water and set it on the stove, turning it on and waiting for it to boil as she began to prep the vegetables. After finishing with that, she took out some meat and a pan, setting the pan on the stove and turning it on. She poured some oil into the pan and waited for it to get hot before placing the pieces of meat in there, the sizzling of it music to her ears. She then proceeded to season the meat with different spices and sauces, mixing it around with a wooden spoon. After the meat had finished cooking, she added some vegetables to it, letting it sit until they were soft, then turned off the fire. Just as she finished with the meat, the pot of water started to boil, and Byulyi had finished with her shower, coming into the kitchen with a towel around her neck and drying her hair with it.

“You’re not done cooking yet?”

“Well, as you can see, no. Since you’re here, help me with it.”

Yongsun handed her a small ladle, “Here, you can make the soybean soup. The ingredients for it are in that bowl on the counter.”

Byulyi took the ladle and moved towards the pot as Yongsun looked in the fridge, grabbing a jar and handing it to Byulyi. “Here’s the soybean paste.”

The taller one took the jar, opening it and spooning some of the paste into the pot and mixing it around, setting the jar down on the countertop. After letting the soup sit for a bit, she added the dried anchovies, tofu, and vegetables. Byulyi stirred the soup until the ingredients she added were soft, then turned off the stove, placing the ladle to the side.

“Since we’re done cooking, can you help set the table?” Yongsun asked, placing some kimchee into a bowl. “I’m going to finish up with some other food, like the rice.”

“Shouldn’t you be the one doing everything? I’m the guest, after all.”

“Hey, did I invite you though? You’re crashing here, so you have to help me.”

“Your words are so cold.” Byulyi feigned hurt, laughing before she grabbed some plates and began to set the table.

After finishing their breakfast, they cleaned up together and then went to chill in the living room, each one at one end of the same couch, both their eyes glued to the tv screen as they watched a show.  About an hour into not tearing their eyes away from the screen and no words coming out from either of them, Yongsun spontaneously and out of boredom, moved to lay her head on Byuly’s lap, looking up at her. Byulyi only looked down at the older girl with a raised brow.

“Byul ah, what should we do today?”

Byulyi turned back to watch tv, shrugging. “I don’t know, why are you asking me?”

Her reply only made Yongsun wrinkle her nose, squinting up at the other, her lips tugging into a sly grin as an idea came to fruition in her mind. She reached a hand up and poked Byulyi’s cheek. After not receiving a reaction, she continued to poke her cheek. This continued until Byulyi grabbed hold of Yongsun’s wrist, clicking her tongue and leaning down closer to Yongsun’s face.

“What do you want?”

The sudden closeness made Yongsun’s eyes widen and cheeks redden, her heart beating faster and faster as she began to feel warm inside. In nervousness, she sat up abruptly, her head hitting Byulyi’s along the way. They both exclaimed in pain, Byulyi letting go of Yongsun’s hand as her own went up to rub where Yongsun had hit her.

“What was that for? You decide to pester me, and then headbutt me?”

“Yah, you’re not the only one that’s hurt. And I didn’t mean it. Maybe if you didn’t hold my wrist and suddenly lean down like that, I wouldn’t have accidentally headbutted you.”

“Well, maybe if you hadn’t been poking my cheek, I wouldn’t have held your wrist and suddenly lean down like that.”

Yongsun tsked, rubbing her forehead as she leaned back against the couch. “Fine, I’m sorry.”

“You’re forgiven.” Byulyi said, then turned to Yongsun. “My question is still unanswered. What do you want?”

“Nothing, I just wanted to bother you.” Yongsun huffed, puffing her cheeks out in a pout.

“Okay.” Byulyi cleared , trying hard not to laugh at Yongsun, who was acting like a child. She moved closer to Yongsun, teasingly poking her cheek as payback for before.

Yongsun whined at the teasing, shaking in her seat before turning to Byulyi, the pout still on her face. “Why do you get to tease me, but when I tease you, I suddenly want something?”

“You’re such a child.” Byulyi laughed, pinching Yongsun’s cheeks before releasing them and getting up from the couch, leaving Yongsun and walking into the kitchen to get a cup of water.

Yongsun only huffed again, moving to lay down on the couch to leave no space for Byulyi once she came back. Byulyi entered the living room and, upon seeing Yongsun lay on the couch, raised a brow.

“What are you doing?”

“Not letting you sit.”

“You do know that there’s another couch, right?” Byulyi asked, motioning to the couch across from them.

Yongsun quickly sat up. “Fine, fine! You can sit here.”

“Oh? You’re awfully nice. I thought you hated me.” Byulyi sat back down in the seat she was in before, and right as she did so, Yongsun laid her head on Byulyi’s lap.

“I never hated you.” Yongsun replied, letting out a small sigh.

“I know you don’t. I’m just joking, babe.” Byulyi chuckled, her hand playing with Yongsun’s hair.

Hearing that, Yongsun’s face contorted into a grimace. “Okay, I take that back. I do hate you”

“Oh no, what did I do this time?” Byulyi asked, as if she had asked this particular question a million times before, leaning back against the couch.

“Do you think you can just call me, Kim Yongsunㅡethereal Princess Kim Yongsunㅡ babe?”

“First of all, who told you that you were an ethereal princess? Because they’re lying. Secondly, I can call my girlfriend babe, can’t I?”

“I’m not your girlfriend!”

“But will you be, is the question.”

“No. Never.”

“Ow. I didn’t think rejection would hurt this much.”

Yongsun laughed, shaking her head. “Oh my god, shut up. You’re not even hurt anywhere.”

“I’m hurt right here,”Byulyi said, her hand over her heart.

“Aww, poor baby, should I kiss it better?” Yongsun laughed again, teasing her.

“Will you actually?” Byulyi chuckled.

“Who do I look like?” Another laugh left her lips, shaking her head again.

Byulyi grinned in return, “The prettiest and most beautiful girl in the world and my girlfriend, Kim Yongsun.”

“Thanks for the compliment, but I don’t know if I want to be your girlfriend.” Yongsun wrinkled her nose, a small laugh leaving her lips.

“Why’s that?” Byulyi asked, suddenly curious as she looked down at Yongsun, who was still laying on her lap. “I think we’d be pretty good for each other.”

“Now I can ask you the same thing. Why’s that?” Yongsun raised a brow as her hand moved up to move Byulyi’s face away before sitting up again, changing her position so that she was facing Byulyi as she sat.

“Well,” Byulyi started. “You answer my question and I’ll answer yours.”

Yongsun scoffed, “Wooooow, I knew you would pull this.” She took a deep breath before continuing. “Fine. My reasons are….” She pursed her lips, thinking. “I’m not so sure, actually. I don’t have any reasons, but then.. Why do I feel like that?” She tilted her head to the side before shaking it off, waiting for Byulyi’s answer.

Byulyi raised a brow before giving her own answer. “See, we’re pretty similar, if you think about it. We’re both majoring in the same thing, and we are already friends. We can also bicker and make fun of each other while knowing that we’re just joking with each other.” Byulyi nodded as she finished reasoning.

“That makes sense. But still. I’m sticking to what I said.” Yongsun replied, grinning as she stuck out her tongue and laughed teasingly.

“Fine, fine. But I assure you. You’ll come around. You’ll fall for me too.” Byulyi nodded once again, her eyes closed.

The older girl rolled her eyes, “Sure, whatever you say.” She then hit the other’s knee, “Yah, let’s go get some coffee then go to the park.”

Byulyi opened an eye, a smile forming on her lips. “Sounds like a good idea, let’s go.”

The two of them stood up from the couch, shuffling to the door and slipping on their shoes. They were out of the door in a minute, and were now walking towards a coffee shop. Once there, they ordered their drinks, an iced caramel macchiato for Yongsun and an iced americano for Byulyi. After getting their orders, they exited, heading in the direction of the park.

Arriving at their destination, they sat on a bench, talking about whatever would come up in their minds.

“I don’t know how you can drink americanos. They’re so bitter.” Yongsun commented, wrinkling her nose.

“Because I have a mature palate.” Byulyi replied, in all seriousness, before breaking out in a laugh. “Just because I laughed doesn’t make it any less true.”

“Uh huh, sure, Miss Moon Byulyi.” Yongsun nodded, taking a sip from her drink.

After finishing her drink, Byulyi stood up and walked over to the trash closeby, tossing her plastic cup away before walking back to Yongun and standing in front of her. Her standing in front of Yongsun only earned her a confused Yongsun with brows furrowed.

“What are you doing?”

The corners of Byulyi’s lips tugged into a grin. She quickly tapped Yongsun’s shoulder, “Tag, you’re it.” After that, Byulyi turned around quickly and ran, glancing back every now and then.

Yongsun set her drink down on the bench, sprinting after Byulyi, slowly catching up to her. Byulyi ran around the playground, then back to the vast field that was the soccer field. Luckily no one was playing there, so she had plenty of space to run. But she ran out of time, because Yongsun finally caught up to her, pouncing on her and resulting in the two of them going down.

With heavy breaths, they laid on the grass, looking up at the sky before Yongsun turned to look at the other, a smile on her face as she did so. “I haven’t had this much fun in such a long time. I feel so free just being able to run in a big field like this.”

Byulyi smiled and turned to look at Yongsun. “I’m glad you’re having fun. You need to loosen up some more sometimes. You’re always too into your studies and work that you don’t have time for yourself.”

“Is that how I really am?” she asked, taking a deep breath.

Byulyi nodded before turning to look up at the sky. “Yeah. That’s kind of the reason we drifted apart too. You were always too caught up with school and work that you never had time for friends, much less yourself. I always texted you and called you to make plans, but you always just kind of.. Blew me off. Then you started acting cold and distant towards me. So I just kind of started to avoid you. I didn’t want to seem like a burden or someone that was just constantly bothering you. And that’s how we became sort of rivals, and then I found that as a chance to tease you, because that’s the only way I had a chance to talk to you.”

“Wow..” Yongsun scoffed at herself, “How can you still like me after all that?”

“Because I know you’re still the same Yongsun that I met. The bright Kim Yongsun, brighter than the sun itself.” Byulyi turned back to look at Yongsun, a wide smile on her face.

They spent the rest of the evening laying on the soccer field, talking about everything and anything that there was to be talked about.

And just like the iced caramel macchiato that Yongsun left on the bench, her own heart was melting for Byulyi.

aahhhhhhhh i'm so sorry for the long wait! but that's what happens when you go to school and try to balance schoolwork, social life, and 3 fics lol I hope you guys liked this chapter, and be sure to leave comments on whatever (questions, what you think might happen, or just nice comments in general!) and as always, stay tuned for the next update!