Jessica had really outdone herself with the road trip. Not knowing their last destination was better than actually knowing where they were going. She sure as hell hadn’t planned running out of gas but it was a benefit for both her and Yuri so she couldn’t say that was a bad thing.

“I have never seen anything so beautiful.” Sooyoung was almost teary-eyed.

A stream of water falls from the highest collection of rocks right into the body of water beneath it, the collision fading into one another as the sun gleamed against the stream. It was like a mini Niagara Falls. A very, very mini Niagara Falls.

They threw down their bags and instantly, Sooyoung already had her shirt off. “Man, if I could fall in love with you more…” She wasn’t looking at anyone but they all knew who she was talking to.

Jessica smiled, stripping and running into the stream with her friend. Yuri had followed right after grabbing Yoona’s hand and dragging her in.

None of them knew how Jessica found the place, but it seemed like a story for another day. If she revealed that information now, it wouldn’t feel the same as not knowing. She pushed Sooyoung into the body of water before splashing her. It was the happiest either of them had ever been.

Yoona and Yuri managed to hide behind the waterfall the entire time they were playing, watching the other two.

“Quick! Where is your favourite place to be right now?”

It was a sudden question but it wasn’t able to faze the younger girl. “Where I am most happy.”

“Where’s that?”

Yoona shrugged. “I don’t know yet.”

Yuri wasn’t really feeling that answer. It made her think Yoona was never sure about anything.

“Where is your favourite place to be?” The younger turned the question onto Yuri. The change was able to surprise her, keeping her mind blank. They hadn’t realised Jessica and Sooyoung were out of the stream until Yoona was aware of the lack of laughs.

She tugged Yuri back out from under the waterfall, smiling. “You can tell me later.”

Yuri didn’t realise they had been holding hands the entire time.

---

They laid out a blanket on the warm grass as they watched the start of a sunset. Yoona had gone to put a few of her belongings in the car, but when she had returned, someone was missing.

“Where’s Yuri?” It was the first thing she said when she walked up to her friends.

“She told us she wanted to explore a little.” Sooyoung nodded her head in the direction Yuri went, and the youngest girl had already set foot.

The two girls sitting on the blanket watched her leave before turning to each other. Sooyoung smiled first.

“You’re cute when you’re angry, you know?”

Jessica didn’t know such a simple sentence could make her blush the deepest red. She picked at the grass to find something to do to hide her nervousness.

“Is that why you always piss me off?”

“Probably.” Jessica let out a breathy laugh, contagious to the usual jokester Sooyoung. The latter tucked a loose strand of hair behind the shorter girl’s ear, a content smile across her face.

---

She didn’t know how long she followed the stream. It was as never-ending as the road they travelled along and she didn’t want to stray too far from her friends. She stopped at a riverbank, looking out ahead to the rest of the way before sitting down on a fallen log.

The area she had situated herself in was scattered with small stones that had been different shapes, sizes and colours – the majority being cement grey.

She looked down at her hand, the one that Yoona had held onto. She slowly traced along the lines on her palm.

“Why is this worrying me?” She sighed, looking back out at the river. She wondered if being herself was the best option – if being herself would be enough.

Wondering didn’t get anybody anywhere. Putting your mind to something. What did that really mean?

“Do you usually talk to yourself?” She hadn’t realised the presence of the younger girl until she heard her voice close to her ear, like calm breeze against her skin.

“Do you usually sneak up on people?”

Yoona shrugged before taking a seat. “Kwon Yuri, It wouldn’t be considered that if you weren’t always so lost in your thoughts.”

The said girl found it funny how whenever she was lost in her thoughts, it was always because of Yoona, but was that appropriate to tell the younger girl?

“Have you thought about your favourite place?”

In all honesty, Yuri didn’t need to. She had only wanted to hold Yoona’s hand again after being with her behind the waterfall. Was that bad?

“I…” Yuri looked down towards her feet. She hadn’t noticed it but one lone stone had miraculously propped itself up against her shoe. She had no time to question it as she picked it up. “…used to collect rocks.”

“Pardon?”

“I enjoyed it ever since I could remember.”

Yoona looked at the small stone in the older girl’s hand. It was a light blue with drops of white on one side of the surface. It certainly seemed pretty to look at but Yoona never enjoyed collecting things.

“My grandma said it’s nice to collect things because when you look back on them, they remind you of the memories you forgot you had.”

Yoona’s eyes were fixated on the stone, refusing to interrupt.

“So I’d go to the beach all the time. My dad could never take me because he had to run his business but when he did get time, it’d be the first place he’d think of.”

Yoona had to chuckle at that. Yuri understood how busy he was and never felt ashamed to barely have her father around. Yoona wondered if he had ever attended her swimming competitions.

“This is the Kwon Yuri I’ve heard so much about then.” Yuri felt the blush creeping up her neck. “Remind me to take you to the beach when we get back.”

It was a promise Yoona was willing to keep.

In the heat of the moment, Yuri took Yoona’s hand and opened up her fist. She placed the stone in the younger girl’s palm before clasping their hands together. Holding her hand gave Yoona a rush of excitement indulged in the warmth she never thought she needed. It made her feel new.

“My favourite place is my mind. That is where I feel the safest.”

Yoona smiled, having received an answer she was most eager about. “Then Kwon Yuri I do hope you think about me more often. In there,” Yoona placed a finger on Yuri’s temple, “is where I am most happy.”

And it was the little push Jessica had talked about. The little push that had Yuri crashing her lips against Yoona’s. The little push that had Yoona pulling Yuri closer, desperate to grab onto something – desperate to hold her.

It was the little push that started everything.

Knowing this, Yuri smiled into the kiss. There was a cloud of confidence above her head and a thought that everything would be okay – that being herself was the best person she could be.

Yoona and Yuri didn’t stop holding each other. They didn’t stop their tight grips on the small stone. They didn’t stop the soft touches against their lips. They didn’t stop the things they had to do.

---

Yuri smiles as Yoona runs her fingers through her hair.

If there was a moment in her life where she felt at peace, it’d be right then. With Yoona propped up on her elbow as she looked down to Yuri laying beneath her. With the morning sun spilling on their covered bodies.

If she had to choose, she wouldn’t hesitate.

She reaches her hand to softly trace the younger girl’s jawline, feeling the same butterflies in her stomach as the ones she felt the night before.

She smiles, having a brighter one returned back to her.

“How many times a day do you look at that stone?”

“I’d need more fingers and toes.” Yoona replies as she pulls the older girl closer into her arms. Yuri’s heart soars at the answer. It had been a while since that day, but it was a memory worth remembering.

It’d be the topic of conversation on some days, then the reason for their fights on others. But they understood each other enough to apologise before bed – to whisper sweet words of comfort as the other cried in their arms.

“Are you sick of me yet?”

A simple question that meant so much more.

Yuri shakes her head.

“I can’t be.” She leans in to meet the younger girl’s lips. “You make me feel like myself.”

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done! hope you guys liked it :-) not as long as my other fics but it'll have to do . see u in the next one maybe!