*Moonsun vs exes

 

---

 

Solar teases open a crack between the curtains using her fingers and aligns her eye with the narrow band of light to sweep her vision across the street in front of her apartment complex. Other than the old man from down the hall walking his dog or the young couple from next door making out in the shadow of the telephone pole, all is clear.

 

Angling her head from side to side to gain a wider range of view through the sliver of uncovered window space, she whispers into her phone, “Are you sure about this, Wheein?”

 

“Moonbyul will definitely be able to solve your problem!”

 

“I’m not good with strangers though.” Solar lets the curtains fall back to a close and walks across the room to flip on the light switch.

 

“Don’t worry. Moonbyul’s easy to get along with.”

 

“You really think so?”

 

“She’s got a certain appeal. She even got along well with Hwasa. Anyways, she said she’ll be at your place in a few minutes. Just don’t be too shocked when you see her, alright?”

 

“Why would I be shocked?”

 

“She looks...well, you’ll see when you meet her.”

 

“Wheein? Wait, Wheein?” Solar lets the hand holding her phone drop as the call cuts off. “Damn it.”

 

She wonders if she ought to call Wheein back and demand the whole explanation. But before she can make up her mind, the ringing of her doorbell stirs her out of her couch and shuffling towards her door.

 

“Who is it?”

 

“Moonbyul. Wheein sent me.”

 

The sound of the girl’s voice is muffled through the thick wood of her door.

Solar places her eye against the peephole and the side profile of a slender woman with long brown hair comes into view. Nervously, she unhooks the chain lock, slides the deadbolt right, and finally twists the doorknob free. Her purposely unoiled door hinges squeak as the door opens.

 

“Oh hey, Solar-”

 

The moment the girl in the hallway looks up from her phone and greets Solar, Solar lets out a shrill shriek and slams the door back in her face.

 

With trembling fingers, she dials Wheein’s number and paces back and forth while biting her fingernails.

 

“Solar? What’s up? Is Moonbyul there yet?”

 

“Is this what you meant? I nearly had a heart attack!” hisses Solar. “I almost thought it was Minhyuk!”

 

“I know she looks a lot like your ex. That’s why I told you to brace yourself and not freak out.” Solar can hear the prolonged sigh of the younger girl crackle through the speakers. “Just hand the phone to Moonbyul. Let me speak to her first.”

 

“Uh…” Solar twitches as a series of rapid knocks rattles the door frame.

 

“What are you waiting for?”

 

“Give me a sec.” Her shoes scuff against the floor as she nears the thumping door and yanks it open only for Moonbyul to tumble in and fall flat on her face with a raised fist held mid-knock.

 

“What the ing hell,” mumbles the girl into the wooden boards. Her joints creak just as loudly as the slowly closing door as she pushes herself off the floor.

 

“H-Here. Wheein wants to talk to you.”

 

Annoyed, she snatches the phone that Solar has towards her and shoves it to her ear as she sits and leans against the door.

 

“It’s me.”

 

“So, how shocked was she?”

 

“She’s literally hiding in the opposite corner of the room right now.” Moonbyul rubs the side of her head in exasperation as the owner of the apartment warily sits down on a chair and ensures that a kitchen table, a bookshelf, and a lamp stand between the two. “What the hell did you send me to, Wheein.”

 

Wheein’s barely restrained giggles over the phone are not helping explain the situation any better.

 

“Wheein I swear I’m going to--”

 

“It’s because you look like her ex.”

 

“The stalker you want me to get rid of?”

 

“Yep.”

 

“Wow. Plan of the century. She looks like she’s going to keel over the minute I go over and talk to her.”

 

“Put me on speakerphone.” Moonbyul obliges, and Wheein’s voice booms out of the little device. “Solar, listen to Moonbyul. She’s probably your best option at this point. Even though she may look like your ex, she’s nothing like him in reality.”

 

Moonbyul nods her head mechanically to Wheein’s claims. Shuffling feet on the flooring signal Solar’s hesitant approach.

 

“And it’s been weeks since you’ve probably seen daylight, Solar. I know he’s a persistent one, but you’re letting your paranoia get the better of you. So trust in us, ok? Let Moonbyul help you deal with him.”

 

“Fine.”

 

Wheein hangs up and the two are left to stare at each in a swelteringly uncomfortable silence.

 

Solar can't get over Moonbyul's uncanny resemblance to Minhyuk.

 

 

---

“I’m Moonbyul.”

 

“I know.”

 

“You’re Solar?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Moonbyul almost facepalms as her attempts at conversation turn up nothing but meek, one word answers. At least they’re sitting across from each other at Solar’s kitchen table now, instead of shouting across the room. At least.

 

But Solar seems more interested in playing with her sweater sleeves or the salt and pepper shakers than in talking to Moonbyul.

 

There’s no other option than for her to be blunt then.

 

Moonbyul clears and Solar looks up from tracing the lines in the wooden table. “Can you tell me a bit more about the problem with your ex?”

 

“Minhyuk?”

 

“Who else?” Moonbyul has to stop herself from tearing her hair out in frustration.

 

“We had a bad breakup.”

 

“But he’s stalking you?”

 

“He keeps chasing after me and asking for us to get back together.”

 

“You could tell him no.”

 

“I don’t want to see him.”

 

“So you just hide inside your room all day? Don’t you think talking to him and settling things will be better for everyone?” Moonbyul shifts around in her seat, with Solar monitoring her every move.

 

“Minhyuk...Minhyuk is a little difficult to talk with sometimes. He can be a bit...obsessive?” Solar chews her lip, eyes downcast as she fiddles with her fingers.

 

“I hope our plan will actually work in that case then,” mutters Moonbyul.

 

“Plan?”

 

“To make him give up on you by showing that you’ve already moved on.”

 

Solar’s eyes widen at Moonbyul’s casual statement and even her nervous hands freeze in front of her. “W-With who?”

 

“With me, of course.” Rolling her eyes, Moonbyul sighs as she continues. “I really don’t understand. Why do none of you ever actually read my job description before calling me?”

 

“Y-You--”

 

“I provide dating services.” Moonbyul holds a hand up, palm facing Solar to stop the incoming barrage of questions. “Before you start babbling away, let me just get things straight. Do you want help getting rid of Minhyuk or not? I can always leave if you’re against the idea.”

 

“I do want to chas him off. But to fake a relationship…”

 

“That will be one of our options. I still think you should go talk to him first and try to settle things that way.” She frowns as Solar’s expression, shadowed by the dim lighting in the room, twists into something unpleasant at the idea of meeting with the man. “It’s a little too dark in here to dis cuss properly. Let me go open the curtains.” She stands and walks around Solar to the window.

 

“W-Wait--”

 

With a grandiose motion, Moonbyul whips the cloth to either side of the window frame, sun pouring into the room that has been bereft of natural light for so long. “Ah, that feels so much better! Seriously, Solar why don’t you open your curtain more often--”

 

Solar sees Moonbyul back tense and suddenly, the room is awash in dark, dim light from the lamp once again as Moonbyul stands, head down before the curtains she has hastily closed.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

Slowly, Moonbyul turns around to face Solar, who is leaning on the back of her chair, facing her with a quizzical look.

 

“I changed my mind” she mutters, eyes landing with sympathy on Solar’s tilted head. “Let’s not go face him. We’ll just do it the other way.”

 

Poor Solar doesn’t know what’s happening, but she nods with a relieved smile.

 

Moonbyul is glad Solar hasn't seen Minhyuk, standing on the opposite side of the street facing the window as she opens the curtains, hopeful face contorting with irritation as Moonbyul, not Solar stands behind the panes.

 

---

“Stop shivering. And staring around like that. You’re looking suspicious.” Moonbyul stirs her iced latte with her straw and sips, relishing the cold sweetness along with her daily caffeine fix. When Solar does not respond nor heed her requests, instead flitting her gaze around the cafe, Moonbyul reaches forward, takes hold of Solar’s mocha, and eases the tip of the straw into the girl’s unsuspecting mouth. “Just drink and calm down.”

 

Solar does take a sip. And another. The smooth chocolate sliding down brings her a faint smile, and she clasps her hands over Moonbyul’s to tilt the plastic cup closer.

 

“The coffee here is good.”

 

“Good cafes are essential knowledge for dates.” Moonbyul winks at the older girl before darting a glance to her far right.

 

He’s not here yet.

 

“It’s been a while since I’ve been out. I’ve kind of missed this.” Nostalgia fills Solar’s face as she stares at her coffee cup, inhaling the scent of freshly roasted coffee beans and the soft murmur of neighboring conversations.

 

“Hopefully after today, you’ll be able to make up that lost time.” She squeezes Solar’s hand, grip involuntarily tightening as her corner vision catches a glimpse of a familiar man step through the glass doors of the cafe. “Game time.”

 

Solar’s head begins to turn, but Moonbyul’s hands shoot out to cup her cheeks, forcing her gaze to remain directed towards her.

 

“Don’t look his way. Remember, the whole point of this is to make him realize that you don’t care about him anymore. That I’m the only one you see. Got it?” When Solar nods, Moonbyul releases her and playfully flicks her forehead.

 

“Ouch! What was that for?” whines Solar, rubbing the spot with the back of her hand.

 

“Because you were misbehaving and almost ruined the plan. Does it hurt?”

 

“Of course!”

 

“Sorry, honey.” Moonbyul grins as she stands, leaning over the table to land a soft kiss on Solar’s forehead. “Feel better?”

 

Hands dropping to the table, Solar’s lips stick out in a pout. “So sly. You’re a smooth player, aren’t you, Moonbyul?”

 

“I have been told I’m a bit greasy. But it works out in this line of work.”

 

“Are you sure this will work though?” Uncertainty flashes across Solar’s face, only to be dispelled as Moonbyul’s warm hands take hold of hers across the table top.

 

“We just have to be a believable couple. I can definitely make that work.” One of her hands reaches up to squish Solar’s cheek. “My god, all of you have the softest cheeks I’ve ever felt.”

 

“H-He’s looking this way.”

 

“Ignore him. He’s sitting too far away to hear us anyways. Eventually, he’ll either give up on you and leave, or he’ll come for a fight. Just watch. If he comes, I’m going to crush his balls.” Her charming smile and giggle while squishing Solar’s cheeks is a deadly contrast to the threat implied in her words.

 

Across the cafe, Minhyuk feels a shiver pass over him for some unknown reason as he peeks over his newspaper to watch the two girls.

 

“Here. Let’s amp things up a bit.” Moonbyul tears off a corner of a french toast, offering it to Solar who hesitates before craning her head forward to nibble the edge, tugging it free from Moonbyul’s hand.

 

She sees Moonbyul crinkle her nose in a restrained laugh, and the girl’s hand reaches forward once again, wielding a tissue, and wipes the crystals of sugar off her lips.

 

Moonbyul then opens her own mouth.

 

“What.”

 

“Ahh. Ahh~” Moonbyul gestures towards her parted lips with a finger and looks at the plate between them.

 

“Ohhh.” Solar delicately grabs piece of the toast and brings it towards the expectant girl.

 

She has barely enough time to register the faint smirk on Moonbyul’s face before she bites down on the piece of bread. And as Moonbyul’s mouth slides over the piece of bread, she finds herself unable to move her arm away with an iron grip on her wrist keeping her hand in place. She can only bite her lips and look down with pinkish cheeks as Moonbyul finishes off the bread and proceeds to gently the excess sugar off Solar’s fingertips.

 

Solar hesitantly looks up only to meet Moonbyul’s smouldering gaze. Quickly dropping her head back down, she somehow feels that the blind caress of Moonbyul’s tongue against her bare skin is even more stimulating than before.

 

When she releases Solar, Moonbyul her lips as she appreciates the flushed face in front of her before turning to meet the owner of the sharp, clipped steps coming her way.

 

“You!” Minhyuk stops short of the table, entire body quivering in rage as he points a threatening finger towards Moonbyul. “You better get away from Solar!”

 

Solar quickly stands up and moves to intervene between the two, gritting her teeth as she says “Minhyuk, don’t-”

 

“Shouldn’t you be the one getting away from her?” Moonbyul also rises, arm snaking around Solar’s waist as she draws the girl closer to her. “Who are you anyways? Solar, who’s this idiot?” She presses her lips against Solar’s ears, muttering, “Play along.”

 

“T-This is Minhyuk. A-An ex.”

 

“Oh, an ex?” Moonbyul scoffs as she looks up and down at Minhyuk with disdain. “Don’t worry, baby. He’s not worth your time.” She tucks her finger under Solar’s chin, turns the girl’s head to face hers, and, ignoring the fuming ex sputtering wordlessly beside them, gives her a quick but firm peck on the lips. “Let’s just go.”

 

“S-Sure. Anything you say.”

 

“Don’t you dare leave---” Minhyuk reaches forward to grip Moonbyul’s shoulder.

 

Seconds later, he is doubling over, choking on an inaudible scream as Moonbyul twists out of his clutches and lashes forward with an expert kick at the area between his legs.

 

“See.” She looks down in satisfaction at the squirming and Minhyuk, “Always aim for the crotch. It always works--oh , the staff are coming our way. We gotta go!”

 

Solar turns one last time to see Minhyuk still on the ground giving her a pleading look. However, she only shakes her head and follows behind Moonbyul out the store, feeling the heavy burden on her chest lifting each step she takes away from Minhyuk and towards Moonbyul.

 

---

“Woooo! How was that!” Moonbyul whistles through her teeth, out of breath from running as they finally slow down. Her face is still flushed with excitement.

 

“Never. Again. No. More. Running.” In much worse physical shape than Moonbyul, Solar can barely force her words out. “You’re crazy.”

 

“And you love it.” She playfully nudges Solar in the side as she sits down next to her.

“Well, how do you feel?”

 

“Other than dying? You do realize I haven’t moved from my room since weeks ago?”

 

“Ooh.” The corner of Moonbyul’s mouth quirks up. “You’ve gotten more talkative and cheeky since I first met you. I like this change.”

 

“This is the normal me. Before Minhyuk happened.”

 

“So, is this the happy you?”

 

Solar shrugs and answers, “Yes?”

 

“Why is that a question?”

 

“It’s a conflicting emotion.” She brings her legs up and sits cross legged on the stone surface. “I’m relieved that I’m now free from Minhyuk, but there’s a surprising emptiness as well. Do you know what I mean?”

 

“Maybe you’re just missing the monotony and the normality of everyday life. Just take some time to get back to your routines. All that stuff you’ve neglected recently. Go outside, catch up with your friends, meet new people, you know? I’m sure Wheein and Hwasa miss your company.”

 

“What about you?”

 

“Me? Hmm.” Moonbyul decides to play around with the girl. “Should I? We’ve only met today.”

 

“Yah!” Solar’s unrestrained push topples Moonbyul from her seat into the fountain.

 

“Solar…” Moonbyul drags her dripping body out of the water. “I’ve realized something just now. You’re rather violent. And spontaneous. And terrible at expressing your emotions. Kind of like my ex actually.”

 

“Do you want me to push you again?”

 

“You’re very sweet and beautiful.”

 

“That’s more like it.” As she watches Moonbyul wrings out the excess water from her shirt, she asks again, “Will you? Visit me again?”

 

“You three are really out to ruin my job, aren’t you?” Face filled with mock regret, Moonbyul flicks the water droplets clinging onto her fingertips at Solar. “How am I supposed to make a living if everytime I go out, I come back with a new friend that I’ll have to visit on my own time, not on company hours?”

 

“So?”

 

“So, Solar, it means, of course I’ll come visit. Maybe we can go get coffee again without your ex glaring at us across the room every time I even smile at you."

 

"I'd like that." Solar's smile radiates an unbridled excitement.

 

"We'll probably have to go to a different cafe though."

 

Moonbyul chuckles as the talk bring up memories of the day and yet another store she is banned from.

 

Then, she cups some water from the fountain in her palms and splashes Solar in the face, skipping away hastily before the now drenched and screaming girl can catch her.

 

---

 

Part 2

 

“I don’t get you sometimes,” remarks Moonbyul as she strolls down the sidewalk, slowing her pace to match Solar’s. “I did say I would visit you guys. So why did you call me during work? And why are you paying?”

 

“I figured, if I wanted to bother you during the day, I’d have to hire your services.”

 

“That’s not a very convincing argument, Solar.”

 

“But money is.” Solar skips in front of Moonbyul before spinning around to give her a cheeky grin. “And since I’m paying, I expect your behavior to be on point. As a date.”

 

“Oho. An actual date, this time around?” A smile creeps up Moonbyul’s face. She strides forward, hand smoothly grasping Solar’s. “You sure you don’t have another ex you want me to scare off?”

 

“Best behavior, Moonbyul. Or I’ll give you crappy customer ratings in that review your staff keeps pestering me about.”

 

“. Not my base pay,” mutters Moonbyul. She steps back and straightens up her posture. “Right. Yes. Date material. On it!” Moonbyul gives her a suave bow, one arm curved in front of her torso, other extending along the sidewalk path. “If you please, let’s continue on then?”

 

Rolling her eyes, Solar slips her arm around Moonbyul’s and after a few minutes of walking, they slow down in front of a cafe.

 

“I recall you saying something about another coffee the next time we met?” Without waiting for an answer, Solar pulls Moonbyul by the arm into the small, homey shop.

 

Moonbyul fidgets incessantly next to her as they line up to order, discomfort more and more apparent each time they move up a slot. Solar’s quite curious what has gotten the normally bold, unwavering girl so antsy.

 

When they finally reach the front of the line, Solar looks up at the menu, before ordering her usual mocha. She turns her head to look at Moonbyul, who has yet to order and is strangely quiet.

 

“Moonbyul? What are you getting?”

 

The girl at the cashier is already typing another order into the screen. “So one mocha and a latte, extra milk and half the sugar?”

 

Slowly, it dawns on Solar that the two must know each other. After all, the part-timer is holding back her laughter behind a customer service styled smile as she watches Moonbyul nod briefly in confirmation before returning her wandering gaze around the store.

 

“That’ll be $8.50. This order is for Moonbyul and…?” Her hand is poised midair with her sharpie, ready to scribble their names onto the cup held in her other hand.

 

“Solar.” Moonbyul fishes out her wallet and drops a ten dollar bill onto the counter as she answers in a low voice. “Is she here, Seulgi?”

 

“She’s working in the back, making the pastries. But she’ll be switching with me soon.”

 

“Damn.”

 

“$1.50 is your change.” Seulgi places the bill and 2 quarters in Moonbyul’s twitching palm. “Please wait for your name to be called on the side.” Lowering her voice, she whispers, “You should escape as soon as your coffee’s done.”

 

“Thanks, Seulgi.” With the change clutched in her fist, she grabs Solar’s arm and drags her over to the ‘Pick Up Here’ section. She positions herself behind the large espresso machines, hidden from the direct view of the back kitchen entrance, and occasionally tiptoes and peeks over the glass divider to watch for movement.

 

“Moonbyul.”

 

The girl jumps, eyes shifting back towards Solar when she calls her name.

 

“Mind telling me what’s going on?” Solar crosses her arms and stares Moonbyul down. “I seem to be the only one missing out on this little secret here.”

 

Moonbyul darts one more glance behind her before answering, “I know some people that work here. The girl who was at the cashier was Seulgi, a high school friend of mine.”

 

“Who’s the person she was asking you about?” Solar presses forward for details.

 

“Iced mocha for Solar!” Seulgi hands the drink to Solar as she approaches the counter, questionable smile on her face as curiosity fills her eyes that flit from Moonbyul to Solar, and back.

 

But another customer calls for her attention and she turns away from Solar, questions left unasked. Solar returns to Moonbyul. “So who?”

 

“Um…” Moonbyul wrings her hands, clearly agitated by the decision of whether or not to tell Solar. After all, they’re supposed to be on a date. No one wants to hear about an ex on a date.

 

“Cat got your tongue?”

 

“I’m not sure if you really want to know. It’s not something you should bother yourself over on today’s date. Just listen to me this time and leave when they finish my latte.”

 

Though still unconvinced and skeptical of Moonbyul’s deflection of the topic, Solar shrugs and proceeds to sulk while drinking her mocha.

 

“Latte. For...Moonbyul.” An unfamiliar, colder voice calls out the order behind them.

 

Moonbyul doesn’t move.

 

“Moonbyul? Your latte’s ready. Get it and let’s go.”

 

Moonbyul still doesn’t move.

 

Nearly throwing her hands up in exasperation, Solar grabs one of Moonbyul’s stiff arms and drags her towards the counter.

 

“Here.”

 

As Solar looks up, she gasps and nearly drops her drink in surprise. Seulgi is gone and the worker who stands in her place, holding the steaming latte out in front of her, is one of the most gorgeous beings Solar swears she’s ever laid eyes on.

 

“Hello?”

 

The chilling yet simple question startles Solar out of her reverie to see the girl the cup forward, this time with a mild annoyance sitting at the edge of her tone. Solar reaches out to take the coffee, secretly wishing that the girl’s attitude was even remotely as beautiful as her physical appearance.

 

However, as her hands extend outward, the hand holding the latte retracts.

 

“Moonbyul. This latte is for a Moonbyul.”

 

Solar scrunches her eyebrows at the strange specificity with which she calls the name. Sensing movement beside her, she turns to see Moonbyul hold her hand out in her stead.

 

“It’s been a while.”

 

“I hope you’ve been well, Krystal.” Moonbyul’s hand is still held out in front of her but Krystal looks as if she has no intention of releasing the cup anytime soon.

 

“Are you still working there?”

 

“Can I have my latte please?”

 

“Is she,” Krystal turns her gaze towards Solar, “one of the girls you pointlessly entertain these days?”

 

There is silence as all three of them look towards the steam rising from the open ended up. A customer taps impatiently against the counter as he waits by the cash register but Krystal ignores him.

 

“W-What do you mean-”

 

“Solar isn’t like that.” Moonbyul cuts off Solar’s words harshly. “Stop forcing these baseless accusations on people you haven’t even met.”

 

“I’m just warning her.”

 

“Warning her about what, Krystal? The only danger here is you.”

 

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that.” Krystal slowly smirks as she finally hands the latte to Moonbyul, whose playful aura has slowly iced over to become a mirror of Krystal’s.

 

“I’m nothing like you. I would never play with others’ feelings or treat them so lightly as you did to mine.”

 

“It’s only painful when there are feelings. Look at her.” Both Moonbyul and Krystal turn towards Solar, who shrinks beneath their gaze. “You tell me, Moonbyul. Aren’t you worse, when you actually delude them into thinking they have a chance? At least I never pretended to be with you. What a hypocrite.”

 

She sighs exaggeratedly and shakes her bowed head, clicking her tongue before returning to the cashier.

 

Moonbyul stands stock still, hands shaking as her grip tightens on the cup and inadvertently causes some of the scalding coffee to drip onto her hand. The heat is nothing compared to the storm that boils within her as Krystal’s contemptuous words run through her head again. And again. Hypocrite. Hypocrite. Hypocrite. She ignores the pain.

 

However, Solar notices and yelps as she see more and more of Moonbyul’s latte splash onto her exposed and reddening skin. Rushing over to grab a fistful of napkins, she hurriedly takes the cup from Moonbyul’s hand and dabs at the droplets and patches of milk and coffee remaining on Moonbyul’s hand.

 

The sudden contact jerks Moonbyul out of her self-tormenting daze. She looks down to see Solar’s forehead creased in concern as she gingerly holds Moonbyul’s tender skin in one hand.

 

“W-What-”

 

“You’re such an idiot! How can you not notice burning hot liquid spilling all over your skin?”

 

“I-I--”

 

“Let’s go treat this back at my place.”

 

“B-But--”

 

Solar shoots her a deadly glare that immediately melts the frozen layer of defense Moonbyul has erected against Krystal. She meekly follows Solar out the door.

 

---

“Stupid.”

 

Solar bustles around her kitchen, looking for ziploc bag.

 

“Idiot.”

 

Moonbyul, who sits dumbstruck in the living room, can hear Solar muttering under her breath while scooping ice cubes out of the freezer into the bag.

 

“Jerk.”

 

She returns to the living room in a huff and plops down next to Moonbyul to press the ice bag against her hand. Moonbyul takes the bag from her and clutches it tightly, staring down at the dark carpeting moodily.

 

“I’m sorry for ruining this date, Solar,” she says in an unusually solemn voice.

 

“I-It couldn’t be helped.” Solar nervously chuckles. “I guess we all had a pretty bad past relationship.”

 

Her attempt to lighten the mood doesn’t quite work, but Moonbyul does look up at her words, giving her a faint, but clearly forced smile.

 

Solar’s heart aches, seeing the strong girl crumble so fast and so entirely.

 

“Yeah. It does .” Moonbyul stands up, eyes half closed, and says, “I’m sorry, I don’t think I can continue this today. I’ll come by another day to get you your refund though.”

 

But before she can leave, Solar’s hand is on her wrist, eyes cast upwards in concern, mouth shaping the words, “Please stay.”

 

The plea is soft, but it thrums heavily through Moonbyul’s chest. And it scares her. Because she sees something else in Solar’s eyes, something not quite foreign, but something that has been unknown to her for a long time. Something that Krystal had taken away when they broke off contact years ago.

 

But what paralyzes Moonbyul and roots her mute, dazed self to Solar’s living room floor is the fact that that stare of Solar’s forces open a crack in the great walls that Moonbyul has shut her heart in for years.

 

She wonders if those penetrating eyes of Solar can truly see her.

 

Though ashamed to admit it, Moonbyul has not been very honest. Sure, she treats people straightforwardly, without going over the top with her flirting and respecting their wishes. But it can also be said that this behavior itself is a lie. That her ease and grease with her customers is yet another defense she has erected to safely hide any genuine feelings. Her partners believe it is just another flirtatious remark, another smooth action by Moonbyul, the rent-a-date master. And Moonbyul coats any budding emotions from her end with her grease as well, so she herself can be made to believe it too.

 

“I really should go. The refund--”

 

“I don’t give a damn about the money! Moonbyul, can’t you see?” Solar’s agitated voice rings out.

 

“Please be more clear.”

 

“Moonbyul. Why can’t you stop pretending, for once?”

 

Pretending. Hypocrite. Moonbyul winces as Solar echoes Krystal’s words, raw honesty biting her even more than back at the cafe.

 

For Moonbyul, it had always been easier to pretend. Because pretending was as easy as hiding from the truth.

 

And no, she couldn’t see. She refused to see. Because seeing was acknowledging, and acknowledging meant there was something there.

 

It has always been quite a vicious cycle to Moonbyul.

 

“Do you think I don’t care about you?”

 

“I appreciate your concern, but--”

 

“Stop pushing me away!”

 

That request is much more difficult than any other Moonbyul has ever had to satisfy.

 

But somehow, another crack weaves through the crystallized barrier around her heart. Somehow, Solar’s unrestrained honesty burns hot enough to melt and thin her defenses that took years to build up.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

“You’re scared. Is it because of me?”

 

“I’m scared of my emotions.”

 

“What about mine?”

 

It’s somewhat strange. Solar and Krystal are polar opposites. Moonbyul doesn’t quite understand why both of them are able to stir her feelings into a endless storm as they are now.

 

Moonbyul has always considered Krystal to be the epitome of her ideal type. It’s an otherworldly beauty that forces others to kneel before her and Moonbyul to endlessly be bombarded by the love that simply reflects back at her, rejected without hesitation. It’s an exquisite jewel that drives people mad when they can only stare, lust in their hopeless eyes, as it sits far behind an array of defenses.

 

Solar, Moonbyul admits, is also very pretty. But her beauty is warm and grounded and completely unlike Krystal’s. It is that campfire one returns to after a chilling night hike, whose warmth gradually spreads through those frozen, outstretched hands to the rest of the body as time passes.

 

Solar’s warmth is clearly felt in the hand that wraps around Moonbyul’s own. And slowly, the heat travels up her arm toward her chest, where the walls crack, tremble, and thin as chipped, icy crystals fall off in an ever increasing frequency.

 

“Other people’s emotions are something I have no control over.”

 

“Even if they give it to you? Will you just throw them away then? Like Krystal?”

 

“I-I don’t want to be like her. I refuse to be like her.”

 

“Then will you throw away my love?”

 

Solar can see it. Moonbyul’s stoic, impenetrable facade slowly disappears. And piece by piece, the confident girl she first met resurfaces.

 

Moonbyul’s past with Krystal is something Solar knows must be traumatic. Why else would the girl break down so easily from a few, biting remarks? And why else would her heart be so guarded and cynical of true love?

 

Everyone has faults with love. Krystal clearly despises it or just does not find it worth giving. Moonbyul is just a little too free with her affection but too stingy with her love. And Solar, she is just as much at fault as the rest. For she falls in love too easily.

 

“You shouldn’t be so loose with love, Solar. You’ll get hurt.”

 

“Only if you hurt me.”

 

“...”

 

“Say something.”

 

“...”

 

“I love you. Will you still stay quiet after that?”

 

Solar realizes Moonbyul may be broken. But she’s willing to help be the one to piece her back together, if Moonbyul is willing to let her.

 

“No one’s ever said that to me before.”

 

“I’m being honest here.”

 

Moonbyul feels the corners of her lips lift, her eyes softening as she takes in what Solar words.

 

When it comes to love, or her one attempt at love, she’s had the fault of falling too hard in love. So much that when Krystal did not reciprocate, she fell into quite a deep void of despair, of self-disgust.

 

But as she takes both of Solar’s hands in hers, kneeling in the plush of the carpet until they are eye level, she sees warmth in Solar’s eyes, much different from the ice in Krystal’s on the day she was told to leave. And there is an innocence in her gaze that differs from the manipulative stare Moonbyul has long encountered in the past.

 

She can trust Solar, she thinks. It won’t be too painful to fall too deep in those pleasant, smiling brown orbs.

 

“I don’t get you sometimes.” A smile fully stretches across Moonbyul’s cheeks. “But I’ll believe in your words.”