SONG: Red Velvet – Candy (사탕)

Wheein curses herself as upon realizing things. She had yet again pushed her beloved Moonbyul unni away.

It’s not her fault. Right? Like, she’s only downing her 6^th bottle of beer so basically whatever she says or does can’t be held against her, right? People would understand- should understand because who doesn’t do things out of their own will under the influence of alcohol?

She stares at her now empty 6^th bottle and gets lost in thought. Why did am I drinking again? She blinks. She already forgot but she still remembers screaming into her phone, telling Moonbyul to not bother coming to see her tonight. She picks up her phone and sees there are missed calls and unread messages from her one and only beloved unni, Moon Byulyi.

She sighs, she faintly remembers. She called her Moonbyul unni out this fine Tuesday night because she had just broken up with her boyfriend of two weeks and wanted to get wasted to forget such love but her beloved unni, her oh so dearly beloved Moonbyul unni said “I can’t tonight because I still have things to do at work and besides, you do this at least every other week”

She hissed, she shouted “FINE THEN!! PICK YOUR WORK OVER ME I DON’T CARE!! I’LL JUST GET DRUNK AND SLEEP ON THE STREETS AND MAYBE GET KILLED BY SOME PSYCHO ON THE LOOSE WHATEVER!!!” earlier into her phone when she called Moonbyul (after her 2^nd bottle) to ask where the older was, if she was on the way and she hand up before the older even got to think of what to respond to her sudden outburst.

She didn’t mean those. She’d never say those, if sober. And if she was sober, she would’ve admitted that what Moonbyul said was true and that she’s sorry. And now here Wheein is, regretting it. Aish… She sighed again and looked up and raised her hand and shouted, “Ajjumma!! another bottle please!!” It probably came out gibberish but she couldn’t care anymore. She just wanted to drown her sorrows and regrets tonight. She’ll probably call Moonbyul again later anyway to apologize so she decides she could use more beer for that.

“Wheein!” A voice called out and made Wheein freeze, you’d actually think she had sobered up. Wheein turned to see and was greeted by the sight of a panting and worried looking Moonbyul.

Maybe it’s the alcohol taking control but she coldly asked. “Didn’t you say you had some work to finish? Why are you here?” but really she’s screaming inside and is very delighted to see the older. Jung wheein! What is your problem!!!

Moonbyul frowned and looked at the ajjuma who was shaking her head at Wheein. “Ajjumma, how much?”

Wheein whined. “I’M NOT YET DONE!!!!” Moonbyul ignored her and approached the counter to pay for Wheein’s bill, later on walking over to Wheein, trying to calm her down so she could bring the younger home.

Wheein wakes up the next day in Moonbyul’s apartment, like any other night she’d decide to drink. It was already nearing three in the afternoon, based on the digital clock on Moonbyul’s bedside table and there was a note.

I already called you in sick to your manager. Hangover soup’s in the pot, just reheat it. And you know where that aspirin is. I’ll be back back as soon as work is done, with dinner.

Sweet.

But what was the use?

Moonbyul was always like that to her, sweet and caring,because she sees her as a kid. Someone she needs to look after for. Someone she needs to care for. Which is also the reason why she’s like this. Dating people she meets in bars and break up with them when she’s bored. She’s trying to find someone, who she can love greater than her beloved Moonbyul unni. She wanted to find someone and rid herself of the older girl but every time she breaks up with her lovers, she finds herself crawling back to her.

She’s stuck. Very much stuck in love with Moonbyul.

Moonbyul had always been there for her and Wheein grew up looking up to Moonbyul, as the older practically claimed her under her care since that day when Wheein moved into a new city and entered a new school.

She was in second grade when she met Moonbyul. She was a new student moving from the countryside to Seoul, so she got teased because of her accent when she first came and got called as a country bum. She didn’t understand why but she just found herself isolating herself from the other kids. Every break time, she would sit alone on one of the benches far away from others and eat alone.

Until one day, a kid older than her, approached and sat down beside her. She looked at the older weirdly because no one ever approached her, even the teachers because she runs away from them when they try, as she looked at the older girl skeptically, the older girl turned her face and smiled at her. “You’re always alone. I’m here to change that. Hi! I’m Byulyi! You are?”

Wheein’s forehead creased. She thought for a moment before saying. “I’m the country bum.”

Byulyi looked at her with sad eyes. “Who said that?”

Wheein began to gather her things. “Everyone.” Byulyi just watched her until she finished gathering her things, pouting. “What?” Wheein asked.

“I don’t want to call you a country bum so why don’t you tell me your name? I told you mine already.”

Wheein stands up. “I’m the country bum. No one wants to be friends with me.” and with that she sets off to find a new place to finish her sandwich and milk before heading back to her classroom.

Byulyi didn’t say anything else and let the girl go, deciding she’ll try again tomorrow.

The next day,

Byulyi looked for the younger girl at the bench she saw her on yesterday but she wasn’t there. She grips tightly on her lunchbox and began to walk to look in the other areas.

She had seen the girl eating alone for a while now and it bothered her so she decided to do something.

YAH PABO!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!! THIS IS OUR TREE!!

I-i’m sorry i didn’t know..

*THUD* YOU CAN’T EAT WITH US!!

Byulyi turned around and saw that there were kids under the big tree in the playground, fighting. She took a better look and realized what exactly was happening. Her eyes widened and she immediately ran to towards them. “YAHH!!”

The kids looked up, saw her and fled, leaving poor young Wheein looking down on the ground, where her lunchbox was thrown on and is now open, her food already spilled on the ground.

Byulyi saw it and sighed. She walked towards Wheein and put a hand on her shoulder. “Hey, it’s okay, we’ll share mine.”

Wheein didn’t look up and just let her tears fall. Byulyi frowned and bent down to hug the younger girl. “Hey, it’s okay. I’m here now.”

Years have passed since then and yet, things haven’t really changed much. Except for that fact that Wheein is stuck and very dependent on Moonbyul. She just can’t rid herself of the older girl, no matter how hard she tried. She once attempted to move back to her hometown, after she graduated college. She wanted to get away from Moonbyul.

Because that was also the time she knew, she heard it coming from Moonbyul’s mouth even, that she’s just a kid to her. She was just realizing her love for the older and she heard that. They were out with friends and she was just approaching the table, arriving late, when someone asked Moonbyul why she and Wheein weren’t official yet, since both of them have now graduated college.

Wheein expected.

She shouldn’t have and she knows that now.

Because Moonbyul answered, “Wheein? I like her but not in that way. She’s a kid to me.” And her tone was so endearing that Wheein couldn’t even be furious upon learning that she was in a one-sided relationship with Moonbyul.

Two weeks after that dinner meeting, Wheein decided to move back to her hometown, wanting to start anew, and maybe wanting the older to stop her from leaving. But Moonbyul just supported her and even helped her with the preparations.

But all it took was one visit from the older and she was back in Seoul. She just spent a month in her hometown.

Wheein rolled over to lie on her other side, facing the wall and closed her eyes. She decided to sleep a bit more.

She wakes up later, due to Moonbyul gently tapping her shoulder to wake her up. She turned to face the older and was greeted by the older’s warm smile. She groaned.

“Hey, grumpy.”

Wheein rolled her eyes and covered her face with the blanket, she heard the older laugh.

“I see you haven’t gotten up yet.”

“How’d you know?”

“Soup’s untouched.” Moonbyul pulled the blanket off Wheein,making the younger squirm because the cold air embraced her whole. Moonbyul chuckled. “Get up, you need to eat.”

“You’re not mad?”

Moonbyul looked at her while she put the blanket away. “What for?”

“I shouted at you over the phone. You hate me doing that even when I’m excited.”

Moonbyul hummed. “You were drunk, it’s okay. It happens. Now, get up, will you? I’ll go prepare the table, you still have to tell me about what happened between you and Jude.”

Wheein didn’t reply. She just sat up, watching Moonbyul’s disappearing figure through the door. She sighed.

This was also the reason why she was stuck. Moonbyul is very good to her, very considerate, even if at times she shouldn’t be.

Wheein is sure there’s no one else. She won’t find someone else to replace Moonbyul with. That’s why she’s stuck.

There’s no one else like Moonbyul and she knows that she can’t let her go, even if they’re only gonna be friends.

She’s stuck and she’ll stay stuck, just because it’s her beloved Moonbyul unni.

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this was requested by @byuliesus on twitter lol
as i haven't really written anything for a while, this is kinda a writing exercise for me, so forgive me if it's a little off andif it is a bit short...hope u stillenjoyed!

feedbacks are very much appreciated! let me know what you think :)