Doyeon was pretty sure she stood outside of Somi’s apartment for a solid thirty minutes before she finally found the courage to knock.

It was terrifying. Doyeon had been interested in Somi since Somi started her internship. She’d been this outspoken, confident intern among a mass of sweaty, nervous messes. Anyone would’ve been intrigued. It turned out Somi was from a long line of surgeons, something that brought on a lot of scorn from the other interns, so Somi had been a bit of a loner until Kyulkyung had befriended her.

After that, it hadn’t been long until Doyeon formally met Somi when Kyulkyung brought her to a night out with her and Yoojung. Somi had been everything Doyeon had thought she was: bright, energetic, and a bit of a know-it-all in the most endearing way.

Doyeon had brushed off her initial interest as nothing more than attraction, something that would pass with time. It seemed like that was true at first, but Doyeon noticed how she specifically sought Somi out, even when she was with Yoojung. When she realized this, Doyeon had panicked and kept track of her actions until it was irrefutable that she liked Somi as more than a friend.

When Doyeon had confided in Yoojung, she’d just gotten a weak smile and shrug. She assumed it was because Yoojung feared their friendship might be affected, so Doyeon made sure to spend time with her. However, the lack of help left her at a loss.

So now here she was, awkwardly perched on the edge of Somi’s expensive leather couch, afraid of ruining it with her mere presence. Doyeon hadn’t quite put it together that if Somi came from a family of surgeons that meant she was not hurting in the least for money, so when she saw the nicely furnished townhouse, she’d gaped and let Somi usher her in.

“I know I said we aren’t partying, but you could at least look like you want to be here,” Somi teased as she walked back from the kitchen, carrying two mixed drinks.

“Sorry,” Doyeon smiled sheepishly as she took the drink. She took a sip and fought against the urge to gag. Just how much alcohol had Somi put in this? “I was just thinking that we’ve never hung out just the two of us.”

“Huh, that’s right,” Somi said. She sat down next to Doyeon so closely that their thighs were pressed against each other, and Doyeon fought the urge to move away. Somi didn’t notice her friend’s struggle though and merely relaxed into her couch, saying, “Well, there’s a first for everything. How does a movie sound? I’ve got Netflix.”

“A movie sounds good,” Doyeon nodded. It’d keep her from saying anything, and once it was over, she could escape without seeming suspicious. Though, she’d have to pace herself on the drinks if she wanted to make it back in one piece.  

They ended up talking through the movie.

It started as humorous comments about the movie, but they quickly forgot about the movie entirely as they spoke. Somi told Doyeon all about her family, especially her younger sister who she adored. In turn, Doyeon talked about her past as a cheerleader in high school, something Somi had laughed about for fifteen minutes straight. They just traded silly anecdotes about themselves, and Doyeon couldn’t remember that last she felt so comfortable around someone not Yoojung.

“Thanks for coming over,” Somi said, laying her head on Doyeon’s shoulder.

Doyeon flushed but managed to reply, “No problem. It’s been fun.”

“We should hang out more,” Somi hummed. Doyeon felt her smile against her shoulder. “I’m really glad I met you. Before I met Kyulkyung, Yoojung, and you, it was tough being around the interns. It’s so competitive, so once they learned I was already a few steps ahead of them, it was like I was suddenly their enemy. With you guys, I don’t have that kind of pressure.”

“I’m glad,” Doyeon said softly. “I’m glad I met you too.”

Suddenly, Somi’s phone started ringing. With an apologetic smile, Somi picked it up and moved out of the living room to speak.

Doyeon was immediately curious. Somi wasn’t all that private of a person, uncaring if people knew her business. The fact she felt the need to take the phone call elsewhere meant it was serious. Before Doyeon could wonder too much, Somi walked back in.

“Sorry about that,” Somi apologized.

“Don’t worry about it,” Doyeon said. She bit her lip and asked, “Who was it?”

Somi laughed awkwardly and blushed. The reaction made Doyeon’s heart stop, and she knew what Somi was going to say before she even said it. “It was just my boyfriend checking up on me,” Somi said.

“I didn’t know you were dating anyone,” Doyeon said stiffly, trying not to feel hurt. She wasn’t dating Somi, and Somi didn’t even know Doyeon liked her. Somi was allowed to date someone if she wanted, even if it wasn’t Doyeon.

“It’s a long distance relationship,” Somi shrugged. “He’s doing his residency in the United States right now, so we really only see each other in person during holidays or the odd weekend.”

“Oh, he’s a surgeon too?”

“Yeah, his specialty is neurology.”

Doyeon felt like flinging herself off Somi’s expensive balcony when she heard that she shared the same specialty as him. Nonetheless, she forced herself to ask more about him, to convince herself this wasn’t some nightmare, to tell herself she needed to get over her silly crush now. Doyeon learned he was her age, and he and Somi met through their ridiculously wealthy parents. It sounded like a match made in heaven, and when it all felt like too much, Doyeon excused herself to go home.

“Already?” Somi frowned, seeing the time as only being half past nine.

“It was a long day,” Doyeon lied.

“Okay,” Somi said slowly, as if she wasn’t sure if she should believe her. She walked Doyeon to the door and smiled. “Text me when you get home, okay?”

“Sure,” Doyeon smiled back, the action feeling forced and uncomfortable.

When Doyeon got home that night, she didn’t text Somi. Instead, she crawled into Yoojung’s bed. The other girl looked at her in confusion, but when Yoojung saw Doyeon’s tear-streaked face, she said nothing and merely hugged her.

A/N: To clarify, they aren't over yet, I just love pain.