The empty convenience store felt cold. It was eerily quiet with a few cars passing by in front of the said store, the wind blew pass her sitting figure, she looked up; staring at the star filled sky. She released a sigh, a small cloud had formed, reminding her that winter's coming.

Seulgi grabbed a cup of ramen and payed for it, the store's assistant uninterestingly punching the orders and heating it up before giving it to Seulgi. Seulgi sat herself at the corner of the store, the table facing the wide windows. 

As she slurped the scalding hot noodles, she heard a noise of annoyance behind her, making her look back and see a small woman with a black backpack in hand while her other hand grabbing junk foods from the shelf and into the said bag. 

What's wrong with this woman?

She caught the sight of the cashier dialing someone on the phone, probably to call for someone who could deal with the thief. Seulgi sighed as she stood up, approaching the small woman and grabbing the black backpack. She ignored the woman's questioning eyes as she walked down the aisle and unto the counter.

“I'll pay for these.” Seulgi sent a small smile as she held the backpack upside down, letting the products inside be shown. 

She saw the small woman walk out of the door with heavy steps. 

“Do you know that kid?” Seulgi heard the cashier ask with a face of aggravation. She ignored the question and grabbed the bag with the things she had payed. 

As she walked out of the door, she was met with the woman sitting on the pavement with small stones in hand, the woman looked up, staring at Seulgi's warm eyes, she looked away.

“Here. Next time don't get caugh—” the girl stood up and grabbed the bag, she walked away, leaving Seulgi hanging, an amused scoff and Seulgi thought she shouldn't have helped that rude girl. 

“Wow.” she amusedly murmured, staring at the small woman's retreating back. “Be thankful that you're pretty.” she whispered, a small smile on her lips.

ΔΔΔ

She didn't expect to see the woman again.

Not in the middle of the night while she's lazily walking around town, she didn't expect a hand grabbing her own and pulling her with the owner, she didn't expect to follow and run with her either but she did. Seulgi ran, she even held the tightly wrapped hands around her wrist to put it on top of her opened palm instead, she smiled at the questioning eyes as she ran, keeping up, this time she's the one leading the smaller woman. 

She doesn't even know why she's running with her.

“Turn right!” The woman she's holding squeaked. “What?”

Without further ado, she was pushed into a small corridor, she couldn't make out what's around as there was no light to shine the place but she knew, from the way the woman's breathing so near her, she knew that they were facing each other. She audibly gulped. 

Damnit.

“Keep quiet.” Seulgi didn't even made a noise. Now that her eyes are quickly adapting to the dark surroundings, she could now vaguely see the woman in front of her, her chest heaving, her lips parted in the slightest way to breathe, and her eyes darted to the opening of the corridor. Seulgi wanted to ask why are they pushed into this small space but chose to shut instead when footsteps came nearer. She held her breathe.

The footsteps halted and she could feel the woman in front of her stiffen. She eyed the woman who has her eyes closed shut, lips pressed and hands clutching her own, now that she noticed it, they never let each other's hand go. surprisingly, Seulgi didn't mind. She pulled the woman closer to make her feel that she isn't alone; that Seulgi's there with her. 

A few more moments of holding the small girl, the footsteps faded, it sounded that they were headed to the opposite direction and that made them calm down. 

“I swear, You're always finding trouble whenever I see you.” Seulgi chuckled, the smaller woman looking at her with blank eyes. Different from the one's that are filled with fear just a few minutes ago. Seulgi almost thought this isn't the same woman.

“Yeah, it seems like trouble is my last name.” the smaller woman took a step back to look around, keeping her guard up in case the people who were chasing her earlier comes back.

After she made sure that no one's around, she stepped into the main road, leaving Seulgi behind again, but this time Seulgi didn't just look, she chased the girl before she could turn into a corner.

“That's it? After pulling me a few kilometers down the road, you're leaving me behind?” Seulgi sounded amused, the woman isn't. She jerked the hand from her shoulder and ignored the tall woman who keeps on tailing behind her. “Hey, atleast tell me your name.”

She sighed, annoyed at how this girl is so determined to make her talk. She doesn't know if this girl's dense or she's just ignoring the fact that she doesn't want to talk to her. 

“If it isn't clear to you yet, I don't want to talk to you so leave me alone.“ she blurted out without difficulty, she expects the girl to look crestfallen and downright sorry for bothering but it didn't happen, instead, a bright annoying smile showed itself on the taller girl's face making her groan in irritation.

“You pulled me with you so I'm sticking with you whether you like it or not.” She concluded, the same bright smile on her face as she stared at the smaller girl's annoyed eyes with determination. 

She rolled her eyes, turning her back on the girl and walking down the pavement of Seoul. She ignored the steady steps and the sound of breathing behind her, instead, she counted the stars above to keep her mind off the annoying girl.

She almost forgot about her.

Almost.

“So, what's your name?” she swears, she groaned loudly that she thought she woke the whole neighborhood up.

“Can you please shut it?” she seethes. But even with the most piercing glare she could manage, the woman didn't even flinch, she blinked like a lost child confusedly. “But you were the one who made the noises.”

She groaned.

This time she's sure she woke the whole neighborhood up.

ΔΔΔ

“I'm Kang Seulgi.” she introduced herself, knowing full well that the woman beside her wouldn't state her name. 

“I'll call you trouble.” Seulgi continued, smiling triumphantly as if it was a big accomplishment for her to create such nickname. The woman looked at Seulgi in annoyance but maybe the girl took it as if she was questioning the nickname she gave her. “Because you told me that trouble is your last name.”

“You're dumb.” she muttered under her breathe. “No, I'm Seulgi.” Seulgi cheekily said, successfully annoying the girl even more. 

“Wait here.” Seulgi stood up, leaving the girl alone to sit on the curb of the road, she entered the same convenience store where they first met to buy a few things before going back to sit with the stranger. “Here you go.”

She eyed the cup of steaming hot coffee being offered by the girl with disgust in her eyes. Definitely not coffee. She stared hard at Seulgi, boring holes on her confused face. Of all the things she could offer, it'll be the drink that she hates the most. Just.. Great.

“No thanks, I don't drink coffee.” She dismissively said, she looked back at the empty road, free from pollution that the cars make, free from noise, free from children playing around loudly, free from everything chaotic. She feels calm during the night. 

“Oh, really.” she saw Seulgi look at the hot cup of coffee as if she was examining the brownish liquid inside the cup, she then smiled, offering the girl the other cup that supposed to be for herself but since the girl doesn't like coffees, she changed her mind. 

“Here, hot chocolate. I hope you drink hot chocolates, trouble.” there's the bright smile again, that smile that reaches her big ears, that smile that makes her eyes turn crescents, that smile that makes her feel weird things inside. Damn. The nickname almost slipped her mind as Seulgi's blinding smile is all that she could think of.

She nodded, grabbing a hold of the cup but not without Seulgi's warm warning that it's probably too hot for her to hold so she offered a few napkins for her to cover the body of the cup. She almost broke into a small smile at Seulgi's caring gesture. 

“I hope it'll melt your icy heart too.” She choked, almost spitting the liquid inside unto Seulgi's face, she swallowed it before sending Seulgi a hard stare. Seulgi only smiled, her cheeks raising and her eyes disappearing. “Just kidding.”

“Do you want something to eat?” Seulgi asked, breaking the silence between them as she looked around the quiet neighborhood for any signs of life. “Hey, trouble.” Seulgi nudged the quiet girl.

“Can you please stop calling me that?” She glared. “Why? It's no trouble for me to call you trouble.” 

Seulgi laughed. She's hypnotized. She stared at Seulgi's laughing figure, at how her shoulders shook, at how she doesn't care how loud her laugh is, she probably doesn't even care if she wakes the whole neighborhood. She just stared, and God, she thinks she couldn't take her gaze off those eyes the Seulgi owns. Those gorgeous monolid eyes that she had been staring from the first time she met the taller girl.

“Anyway, I'll go get some kimbap for us to eat.”

Be quick. She wants to say but chose to shut instead, letting Seulgi enter the store again. She shouldn't be so clingy to a person that she barely know. She might have helped her before but that doesn't mean she should trust her. Although, she's a rebel, she still follow what her mom had said before, do not trust strangers. 

Is she still a stranger?

She shrugged, letting the question fade into thin air.

ΔΔΔ

She found Seulgi inside the convenience store, consuming a cup of steaming hot ramen, she sat beside the tall girl which caught the girl's attention, she almost giggled at the sight of Seulgi staring at her with wide eyes and strings of ramen dangling between , she chose to dart her eyes unto the cup instead. She grabbed the cup and the chopsticks that Seulgi was holding and ate. 

“Wow. You appear out of nowhere just to steal my ramen.” Seulgi chuckled amusedly, letting the girl eat, she stared at the girl who quietly ate beside her, she didn't even spared Seulgi a glance. Seulgi stood up to leave, the girl stopped eating, worried that she made the girl upset by rudely devouring her ramen. 

She was about to stand up and follow Seulgi but stopped when she caught sight of a smiling Seulgi on the other side of the aisle, pringles on her hand while grinning like a fool. “You were worried, weren't you?”

Of course. She wanted to answer but chose to roll her eyes and turn around to continue eating her cup of ramen. 

“The night really calms me.” she jumped on her seat, a hand pressed on her chest as she glared hard at Seulgi who was giggling beside her. “Can you please not startle me.”

“Didn't know you were a scardy cat, Trouble.” she rolled her eyes at the nickname before ignoring the tall girl once again. 

“You calm me.” she actually choked this time, her fist lightly punching her chest to help her breathe. She saw Seulgi standing up before grabbing a bottle of water and giving it to her.

Wait, she didn't pay for this. The is she doing?

She waved her hand and pushed the bottle away from her as she eyed the girl ridiculously. “Just drink it. I'll pay for it later.” Seulgi worriedly said while opening the bottle and handing it to her. 

“Are you okay?” Seulgi's eyes were warm and worried, a hand rubbing her back to soothe her, it was like Seulgi's cooing a baby, but the truth is, she's cooing a big beautiful girl. She felt her heart skip beats, she's not sure if it's because she just got choked or because of Seulgi's warm eyes. 

“Can you please stop saying nonsense things?” she reprimanded, coughing lightly while sending the tall girl a glare. “But it's true!” Seulgi whined like a kid, a pout forming and her foot unconsciously kicking the ground lightly. She didn't notice the smile ghosting on her own lips.

“Wait, did you just smiled?” and it dropped. Seulgi chuckled at the lightning speed of how the smile vanished. “That was cute.”

“I didn't, and stop calling me cute.” she felt the room getting hot yet it was fully airconditioned. She fanned herself using her hand, she turned her face towards the other side to hide her face. This is getting dangerous. “You're blushing, trouble!”

“Shut it.” she didn't know why her voice sounded timid and small and maybe that amused Seulgi because the girl was gracelessly laughing at her side, her laughter echoing through the small store. 

She found herself staring at Seulgi who was still laughing, and gosh, this is really getting dangerous, she found herself wishing that she could watch Seulgi laugh everyday, she would never get tired of watching Seulgi.

I think you're the one who'll bring me trouble, Seulgi-ah.

ΔΔΔ

She stopped in her tracks before she could even enter the convenience store.

Why am I here so often?

Now that she thinks about it, she realized she's getting attached. Maybe she's attached to the store for being open 24/7, being there whenever she wants to escape her life every night, being there when she's hungry or when she's just bored, or maybe she'd grown attached to something else.

Or rather, someone who have monolid eyes that disappears whenever she laughs, or someone that makes her cheeks grow hot, someone that could make her heart skip a beat. She'd grown attached to the woman inside the store.

She smiled. That's right. She's attached.

When she finally stepped foot inside the convenience store, she caught the sight of the store's cashier looking at her with worried eyes instead of those usual glaring ones, maybe because she still couldn't move on from the fact that she almost stole something in the store, if not for Seulgi's help. 

Speaking of Seulgi.

She heard sobbing at the corner of the store, a figure hunched, her head on top of the table, hands grabbing her own hair. She grew worried. 

“Seulgi?” she asked, a hand automatically patting Seulgi's bowed head. She felt the girl flinch at her touch, the sobbing ended but the hiccups didn't stop. She sat beside the tall girl who wore her usual denim jacket that's a lot bigger than her figure, she questions herself why does Seulgi likes this Jacket so much when it's obviously tattered and used a lot. Maybe because it holds value. 

“Hey.” she nudged the hunched girl to grab her attention. This doesn't seem right. All this time Seulgi had been the one who tried to talk to her, tried to initiate things between them, tried to grab her attention but this time, the tables had been turned and she's the one doing those things. 

But she doesn't mind. Really, she needs the old Seulgi back.

“Hi.” her voice was muffled as she was still burying her face on the table to avoid looking at her eyes. She frowned, Seulgi never avoided her eyes. In fact, she's the one who avoids Seulgi's eyes. “Look at me, Seul.”

The nickname slipped, she held her breathe, anticipating Seulgi's reactions. She expects Seulgi to be cheeky and start teasing her, but it didn't came. All she received was a mere shake of her head. 

“You know what, I'll take you somewhere.” she stated, grabbing a hold of Seulgi's arms as she pulled her towards the exit of the store and unto the bright colorful lights of the road, empty as ever.

“W-Wait.. Where are we going?” Seulgi asked. She didn't stop pulling the taller girl with her, she looked back and smiled at Seulgi, not noticing how Seulgi's cheeks grew red at the sight. “Just trust me.”

ΔΔΔ

“Dye your hair green.” she chuckled at the sight of Seulgi covering her head with her hands, eyes wide and head shaking in disagreement. 

“No. Definitely not. It'll be a disaster. I'll look hideous.” Seulgi took a step back, almost stumbling on her steps making her giggle at how terrified Seulgi looked at the moment. 

“Come on, I'll dye my hair purple.” She nonchalantly said, grabbing a hold of a lock of her hair and twisted it around her finger. Seulgi obviously froze at the ethereal sight, with the neon lights shining down on her companion, the girl looked gorgeous. “How about you dye your hair blonde? Is that okay?”

“It'll still look hideous. Let's just not make a fool out of ourselves, trouble. Let's leav—”

“It's Irene.”

“W-What?” Seulgi blinked, her hold on the girl's wrist loosening as she eyed Irene as if she had grown another head. Irene grinned at the sight. 

“My name's Irene Bae.” she said, giggling at the sight of Seulgi opening just to close it again, not knowing what to say. “Yah!” she flicked the taller girl's forehead to bring her back to reality.

“But I thought your last name is Trouble?” 

“You really are stupid.”

ΔΔΔ

They ended up dyeing their hair anyway, with Seulgi closing her eyes shut while doing so and Irene grinning beside her, both seated on a salon chair just by each other's side, their hands intertwined because Seulgi started freaking out the moment they sat. 

The first few minutes were hell for Irene and for the salon's staff as Seulgi kept on murmuring under her breathe nonstop, mentioning about something related to nightmares, waking up, and Irene. 

Soon enough, everything grew quiet and Irene couldn't help but to grab her phone and take a picture of Seulgi with eyes closed, mouth slightly opened and light snores escaping from her. The sight was too cute to resist. Even the salon staff were ogling at the sight.

“I can't believe she actually fell asleep.” Irene giggled, scanning through the pictures and setting a particular picture as her phone's wallpaper. This will surely cheer her up when she's down.

ΔΔΔ

“Time check, it's still 2:30 am.” Irene couldn't stop staring at Seulgi who now had bright blonde hair that surprisingly suits her beautiful face. She now regrets suggesting Seulgi to dye her hair because she thinks that this version of Seulgi would bring more trouble to her and her heart. 

“I look hideous, Irene!” Seulgi whined, feet stomping on the ground, hands covering her head while making that small pout that Irene thinks would be the death of her. 

You look gorgeous, stupid.

“No you don't. It suits you, actually.” Irene dismissed, pulling the sleeves of Seulgi's denim jacket to drag her with her. 

“You're unfair.” Seulgi sighed which perked Irene's interest as she looked back with a brow raised questioningly. Seulgi had a small smile on her beautiful face as she pulled Irene's hand to stop her from walking and made her face her. She touched the mole just right beside Irene's brows as her eyes trailed the smaller one's flawless face.

“Everything looks good on you, even with that weird hair color.” Seulgi then ran her hands on Irene's purple hair. Irene wanted to pull away, afraid of how her heart beats loudly, afraid of the thought of Seulgi hearing the beats, afraid of the butterflies, afraid of the sparks. 

Afraid of everything that she's feeling for the first time.

“You still look ethereal.” and Seulgi smiled, and damn, Irene feels like melting under her touch, under her gaze, under her warmth. 

I'll gladly be in trouble.

ΔΔΔ

They both found themselves inside a 24/7 deserted shopping store. The moment they stepped foot inside the store, Irene started running around, giggling at everything and pointing at nonsense things like dog foods and actually saying that she could eat a whole lot of it. 

And now, Irene's nowhere in sight. 

Seulgi feels even worried. She may or may not actually eat dog food, right? Seulgi starts looking around the huge store, peeking through every aisle, searching for that familiar small girl with purple hair. 

“Seulgi!” Seulgi stopped on her tracks, stepping a few steps back and there, the whole of Irene's beautiful figure at the end of the aisle, waving like a small kid for Seulgi to come closer. Seulgi laughed and jogged to approach the girl.

“Help me.” Irene stated, walking towards the corner of the store where the push carts are. “I want to ride this one.”

“Are you crazy?” Seulgi looked horrified at what Irene had said, pointing a push cart while her other hand on Seulgi's arm to slightly shake it. “Please.”

How could Seulgi say no? With that small pout, a shake of her arm, and a few stomps on the ground made her nod like a lost puppy. 

“Be careful.” Seulgi murmured, a hand supporting Irene's waist to help her get inside the cart. Irene's hand were on her shoulder for support, and Seulgi thinks this position is actually cute if not for the fact that she's trying to get inside a shopping store's push cart. 

Seulgi's touch burned her skin. Burned her in a good way. The hand on her waist didn't go unnoticed as she herself were blushing at the contact. Irene bit her lip to stop a growing smile to appear, her hand on Seulgi's shoulder almost didn't want to let go, she didn't want to be away from Seulgi's warmth.

The moment the contact was removed, both girls were sighing in both relief and longing. 

“Go. Go. Go!” Irene enthusiastically said, hands on the air while urging Seulgi to push the cart, and with a hearty laugh, Seulgi obeyed.

They went around the store, pushing the said cart with laughters accompanying them both. They both felt free, as if the real world doesn't exist, as if they were in their own little world, in their own little castle. Just the two of them.

Their laughter stopped when a whistle echoed around the store, looking back they saw the guard pointing at them with a baton in hand, and the whistle between his lips. Seulgi's eyes went wide and panic surged inside her.

“Push, Seulgi! Just push!” Irene urged the girl and Seulgi obeyed once again. Pushing the cart quickly towards the store's entrance, once they were infront of the entrance Seulgi stopped and went beside the cart to help Irene off.

“Come here.” Seulgi said, before Irene could react she was sweep off her feet, Seulgi carried her bridal style to help her get out of the cart. Irene shrieked, startled at how Seulgi could easily carry her. Seulgi let out a laugh before safely putting Irene on the ground as she held her hand to intertwine it with hers before they started running again, away from the store.

They ran laughing, hands still intertwined with each other as they journeyed the deserted road of Seoul. 

Once they were running out of breath, they settled themselves by the curb of the road, eyeing the colorful neon lights that shines above them. 

“That's crazy.” Seulgi said, laughter dangling on her lips as she stared at the skies above. “We're crazy.” She continued.

“I know right.” Irene answered, giggling while she does.

“You know what, I was crying just a few hours earlier because of a broken heart and here I am, doing crazy things with someone who I barely know. This is insane.” Seulgi said, eyes wavering slightly when she mentioned about her crying a few hours earlier. Irene's ears perked at the reason, the waver in Seulgi's eyes didn't go unnoticed, her own eyes softening at the sight. 

“I know how to mend a broken heart.” It was too late when Irene had realized what she said, she saw Seulgi turning her head to look at her with amused eyes and a teasing smile on her lips. “Really? How?”

Irene didn't want to be dared, so to save her ego, and maybe to help her wildly beating heart to calm, she grabbed a hold of Seulgi's denim jacket and pulled her in to press their lips together.

And God, it felt like fireworks exploded inside of her chest as their lips made contact. She felt like flying, she felt her brain getting hazy, felt her stomach doing backflips, felt her heart stopped beating. 

“I think I need a lot of that to be healed.” Seulgi cheekily grinned, a hand now on Irene's waist, urging her to come closer and Irene did. Their lips met once again and they both smiled at the contact.

Night outs weren't the same anymore. 

They both met the person that they could not only share their late nights with, but also their whole life. 

T H E E N D

a/n: finallyyy, my midterm exams just ended and I think im going to fail lol. i have a sad life. enjoyyy.

Ps. The first scene was actually inspired by bts' V's scene in Love Yourself.