I know we've been growing closer but, a kiss! No way! How am I supposed to do that! ShinB panics on the interior upon the suggestion. Her lips are pursed together, while she stops her fidgeting with her hand still around Eunha's neck. I've been so excited for Yuju unnie's birthday, I was counting down at midnight, I was so happy the whole day, but this is not what I was expecting!

ShinB laughs along with the other members to hide her anxiety, though genuinely stunned by Yerin's use of the word "kiss".

"Today is my birthday, I'll grant everyone the permission to give me a peck one by one," Yuju calmly says, unaware to the frenzy occurring within ShinB. ShinB tries to voice out her objection, but no one gives her any attention.

"Since it's Yuju's birthday..." ShinB feels Sowon's hard stare on her. Wait, why does this unnie really want me to do it?

"I'll do it in place of ShinB," Eunha volunteers. ShinB pretends not to hear that. If the unnies are all doing it... I'll do it too, she thinks.

"I'm being pressurised," ShinB states and decides to make it sound like an excuse, before loosening up and beginning to enjoy the situation as does everyone else in the scene, in spite of the distress she feels while watching the unnies try to give Yuju a peck on her cheeks. 

"Do I have to do it? Do I?" ShinB asks with her hands over , her fearful eyes on their leader. 

ShinB gathers her energy and finally brings her face near to Yuju and hastily presses her lips against Yuju's cheek after putting the side of Yuju's fringe away. Immediately after, she runs out of the camera in a frantic. Her ears burns up and her cheeks redden; how could I have done that? Nonetheless, something tells her that it did feel good.

While the other members continue to shower Yuju with expressions of affection, especially when ShinB cannot help but eye Sowon who sweetly gives Yuju a peck on her cheeks, ShinB wonders, why do I feel that I want more? Ignoring her feelings, ShinB decides to get back into the excitement of her favourite person's birthday and sends repeatedly kisses from her lips to the back of Yuju's head with her hands.

And for a last time, ShinB hides her face in Yuju's hair and shyly gives the side of Yuju's neck a quick, soft peck.

ShinB was not expecting for her actions to be intentionally recognised, but Yuju remembers and keeps close to her heart every celebratory act for her birthday exhibited by ShinB.

That night, Yuju sleeps with a slumber free of nightmares. "Thank you, ShinB yah," no one catches her whispering in her sleep.

On the other hand, ShinB stays wide awake, the heat in her ears never dissipating, the thumping of her heart in her chest still accelerating. ShinB knows she has been looking forward to this day, excited to celebrate Yuju's birthday together and enjoy it with her. Now, she begins to question why she has been particularly enthusiastic about it. The stillness in the bedroom without any movement from the three other beds in the room ironically intensifies the whirlwind of emotions in her. She realises then that Yuju has always been a special person to her, though with no sense of epiphany; perhaps, I've known this all along. But why has celebrating her birthday become a huge thing to me, or enjoying our time together become a priority? 

The scene of herself leaning in to press a kiss on Yuju's cheek replays in her mind. Agitated, she kicks her sheets before pulling them over her head. Burying her face in them, she rolls around in her bed. She only realises the scale of her reactions when she senses Eunha stirring in her sleep. Immediately, ShinB tries to stay still. 

ShinB recalls again the situation and remembers the warm, fuzzy feeling in her. Is that what people call love? The question pops up in her head.

No way, ShinB stops herself. No!

She chews on her lower lip and anxiously considers the question. 

As she scans through her memories of her time with Yuju, her emotions seem to point her to a yes. However, feeling apprehensive to admit, ShinB shakes the thought away and wills herself to sleep.

ShinB doesn't know how long it took before she finally falls asleep, after rolling around her bed in agony of the conjecture. In the morning, ShinB wakes up groggy, forgetting the dilemma in her head from the restless night. Nonetheless, she doesn't realise that she returns to being cautious around Yuju like she was before, until Yuju's natural interactions with her help her warm up to return to normal again.

author's note:

yesyes this is from the vlive for yuju's birthday in 2016 :) rewatching it to write this chapter gave me so much nostalgia, i remember watching it on that day and oof when they were talking about the movie miss peregrine's home i was so sentimental uwu i watched that in theatres in 2016 too!! ahhh how time flies we have grown up so much now!! anyone notice as well that shinb and yuju had matching checkered patterns that day? hehe

anyway this is sort of a bonus but a part i've always been wanting to write since i was writing this story in 2016-2017! i'm so glad i can finally write it and give it to you guys. it's been ages, so much has changed. gfriend was still in their power innocence concept, they were still so youthful (i'm not saying they aren't now) and look at right now when they're doing fever, and oh i'm going on to university already! how time flies. this makes me so sentimental.

anyway i hope you liked this surprise update! i've been writing lots of sinju still so do check them out! there's a recent sinju shortfic, and one ongoing sinju chaptered that i have right now~ see you guys around uwu much loveeee xoxo

[230730] it's been AGES i know but i am making some edits to the storyline, starting from this chapter, let me greet you all in a proper author's note soon ><