A/N: April fools! Hah. The joke is that this is not a joke. Okay. I'm lame.

Anyway, I finally had the strength to revise and update. Also, recently concluded another story of mine. Although, this update's shorter than the previous ones 'cause I meant for this to be a filler chapter of sorts before I pick up the pace and drop the angsty, messy feelings stuff. No sciencey things because this is in Kyulkyung's POV.

Word count: 2,734 words

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Nayoung peppering kisses down her neck is not something Kyulkyung was expecting to deal with at six in the morning. She knows she is to blame for teasing the girl with ‘I bet you can’t make my heart race within 15 seconds’. A quip that had stemmed from Nayoung’s nagging of her always sleeping in instead of exercising despite her promises that she would, one of these days. (In her defense, she really thought her heart rate would remain steady for at least 15 seconds).

Nayoung’s hand starts to feel under her sleep shirt, the tips of her fingers dancing down her stomach in a slow waltz that sends her blood rushing down south. She tries (and fails) to make an effort to calm herself down, her heart-racing at an unhealthy rate, proving the older girl very much capable and her, a loser. Not that it should matter. The truth is, Nayoung is just really very good.

At that moment though, the doorbell rings anti-climactically, loud buzzes in quick successions, as if a bored teenager could be the one ringing in. Nayoung groans as she rolls off Kyulkyung, mutters profanities under her breath as she exits the bedroom.

Kyulkyung tries to decide if the interruption is welcomed or not to her. As she sits up in bed, a loud voice starts booming in the hallway and Kyulkyung gets up to check whose it is.

“… I told you my pay has not come in yet from that shoot two days ago. Can’t you be a little bit more considerate to your friend, unnie?” Kyungwon’s still dressed in her training clothes like Nayoung is which makes Kyulkyung wonder if she even went home or if she followed Nayoung without the girl knowing. “Oh, hey, Kyulkyung.”

“What’s up, Kyungwon unnie?” Kyulkyung greets her back, tries to be subtle with fixing her disheveled hair, courtesy of Nayoung.

“I dropped by in hopes of getting some sympathy.” Kyungwon says with a blank face.

“I’m feeling sympathetic already. Can you please go now? You’re making so much noise in the morning. The neighbors will complain.” Nayoung deadpans right back.

“Please extend your sympathy to, let’s say, a plate of toast, bacon, and scrambled eggs, yes? And, c’mon, I’m your neighbor too, you know.” She says, looks a little hopeful.

Kyulkyung wonders if the girl can be considered as a neighbor in this context. She does live in the building across the street.

Nayoung rolls her eyes. “I can’t believe you have the nerve to-” She stops, feels Kyulkyung clinging to her arm. “What?”

“Let’s just feed the poor girl. I’ll help you with the cooking, I promise.” She stares at Nayoung intently and Nayoung holds her gaze.

“You heard her! Feed the poor girl.” Kyungwon exclaims with a triumphant smile as she waltzes off to the living room. She turns on the television and drops down on the couch. Even putting her feet up on the coffee table.

“You’re too nice for your own good.” Nayoung mutters to her with a pout but heads off the kitchen anyway. Kyulkyung giggles, feels giddy at the knowledge that Nayoung can’t say no to her.

 &&

They’re on the rooftop, lying on a laid-out blanket. Again. She realizes that this is becoming a regular thing – star gazing. Nayoung’s hand draws random shapes on her arm, of lines and curves on her skin with her finger. The feeling tickles but Kyulkyung stays put, too mesmerized by the look of concentration on Nayoung’s face to do anything else.

“Hey, Kyulkyung?” Nayoung suddenly calls, her hand now on her wrist.

“Yeah?” She hears herself say.

“Just out of curiosity… what’s your real name? Like in Mandarin. Clearly, Kyulkyung is Koreanized.” Nayoung whispers as if they aren’t the only ones around, as if she doesn’t want anyone but her to hear. Her hand also stills.

Kyulkyung looks into her eyes and finds herself looking at her own reflection on the older girl’s eyes.

For a moment, she might have even forgotten her own name but she eventually catches herself, swallows before speaking.

“It’s Jieqiong. Zhou Jieqiong.” She whispers back.

“Jie- can you say that again? A little slower?” There’s a determined look in Nayoung’s eyes and she’s incredibly aware of how fast her heart is beating in her chest.

“Ji-e-qiong. Zhou Ji-e-qiong.” She says, finds herself smiling.

“Ji-e-qiong. Ji-e-qiong.” Nayoung says under her breath. “Jieqiong?” She asks with eyebrows raised.

Kyulkyung giggles at the cute look on Nayoung’s face. “Yes, that’s right. Jieqiong.”

The next day, Kyulkyung hears Nayoung saying her name multiple times in front of the bathroom mirror. When it’s time for them to eat breakfast, Nayoung starts addressing her by ‘Jieqiong’ instead of ‘Kyulkyung’.

&&

Jieqiong’s back at her hotel for the night. She had been staying at Nayoung’s for the past three days already and she tells herself she should come back to her suite every now and then. Her parents are still paying for it after all. And really, they shouldn’t be up in each other’s spaces all the time or there won’t be chances for them to miss each other (even though she’s missing Nayoung already despite the fact that they’ve just had dinner and the older girl literally just walked her to her door).

There’s a gentle knock on the door and Jieqiong runs the few steps it takes to get there, not wanting to waste a second. She’s greeted by Nayoung who’s leaning against the door frame with a sheepish look on her face and a hand at the back of her head.

“Do you think it’ll be all right if I just crash here tonight? I never did get to take my stuff from last week.” She says, all shy.

Jieqiong smiles from ear to ear, decides to quote the older girl. “Why are you so awkward?”

“And so, the tables have turned. Funny, huh?” Nayoung chuckles, shakes her head.

Jieqiong gets on the tip off her toes and gives Nayoung’s lips a peck. The older girl looks back at her with a look of surprise.

“Stay. I don’t want you going home this late anyway.” I don’t want you going anywhere far from me anyway.

“If you’re so insistent…” Jieqiong rolls her eyes at the older girl’s feigned look of defeat. “Okay, I’ll stay. But I’m gonna have to decline any type of alcohol because the last time led to me being seduced by a certain woman.”

Jieqiong blushes.

“You’re very… tempting, Miss Zhou, but you and I both have a lot of work to do tomorrow so...”

Jieqiong coughs. “Okay then. I’ll keep my hands off then.”

“But cuddling is fine. I mean, we could cuddle. Could we… cuddle?” Nayoung gives her a hopeful look and she laughs.

Because despite the blank expressions occupying her face, her tough exterior, and her stern discipline to follow rules, Nayoung is just a soft girl who needs affection like everyone else. Jieqiong delights in the fact that only she can see this side of the older girl.

&&

Jieqiong sits in front of Nayoung’s laptop without her knowing how she got there. Nayoung is right next to her, sets up a skype call to a contact named Chungha.28. The screen comes alive and a pretty girl with fierce looking eyes greets them cheerfully, waving her hands and all. Her eyes lock on Jieqiong and she gasps.

“Oh my god. Nayoung!”

Nayoung chuckles, nods all the while.

“You’re Kyulkyung? Hi, Kyulkyung!”

“That’s Chungha. She’s my best friend of ten years? Was it ten?” Nayoung makes the introduction.

Chungha nods from the screen. “Yes, ten is right.” She smiles at Jieqiong. “And you’re Kyulkyung. Aww. It’s so nice to finally meet you. Nayoung’s told me a lot about you.”

Jieqiong turns to Nayoung quickly, wants to ask what she told Chungha about.

“Do congratulate her. She’s just handed in her master’s thesis which she’s been working on for almost two years now.” Nayoung jumps in to avoid having to answer her questioning gaze.

“Congratulations, Chungha, uh, unnie.” Jieqiong squeaks, shyly.

Chungha and Nayoung exchange looks.

“I should be the one congratulating you though, Nayoungie?” Chungha says, a playful look on her face. “You really are charming, Kyulkyung. I’d like to meet you in real life. Double date with me and Sejeong?” The last part she says to Nayoung.

“That would be… nice. When are you coming to Seoul?” Nayoung says with a smile, catches Jieqiong’s eye who smiles back.

“At the end of this month? Sejeong’s finishing her internship in a couple of weeks but she’s going to see her dad in Osaka before we can fly back to Incheon.”

“Chungha and her girlfriend are both taking their master’s in Japan.” Nayoung explains to Jieqiong.

“Been living here for four years already. Moved here as soon as we got our bachelor’s degrees.” Chungha adds. She looks over her shoulder and perks up. “Sejeong’s coming in! Babe! Nayoung’s on skype with her Kyulkyung! Come say hi!”

Chungha scoots over and another girl enters the frame.

“Hey, Sejeong.” Nayoung greets.

“Oh, hi! Hi, Nayoung! And Nayoung’s Kyulkyung, hi!” Sejeong greets back.

Jieqiong’s heart stops for what feels like a good minute. Nayoung’s Kyulkyung. Huh.

“We were just talking about how we should double date when we come to Seoul.” Chungha gives Sejeong a smile.

“Sounds good.” Sejeong replies, rubs Chungha’s shoulder.

“Right, babe?”

“You know what, maybe we shouldn’t.” Nayoung suddenly says, alarmed at the couple’s excitement.

“Why? You’d rather double date with Minkyung and Yebin?” Chungha asks. Sejeong laughs in the background.

Nayoung erupts into a fit of coughing, appalled at the idea. Because she wouldn’t put it past them to make out in front of her and Jieqiong.

“No, not really.” Nayoung looks away.

“Yeah, I thought so.” Chungha says with a smug smirk. She turns to Jieqiong. “You really are lovely, Kyulkyung. And it is so nice to meet you even through video call like this. I really would love to talk longer but Sejeong and I have dinner plans so we have to go now.”

Nayoung opens to say something but Chungha cuts her off.

“Nayoungie, could you, I don’t know cover your ears for ten seconds?”

“What? Why?” She protests but Jieqiong already does it for her.

 “Aww, babe. She listens to me.” She squeals to Sejeong. “We’ll get along really well. Anyway, I just wanna tell you… Please take care of our Nayoungie. She’s going to be stubborn every now and then but it’d be nice if you can bear with her. See you both soon!”

 Jieqiong looks back at Chungha with confusion but Chungha only smiles at her.

“You’ll know what I’m saying soon enough.”

Nayoung finally gets Jieqiong’s hands away from her ears and pouts at the betrayal.

“Oh, god. You’re both so cute! Anyway, we really have to go now. Bye bye!” Chungha waves her hands at them until the screen turns black.

“Really?” Nayoung gives her a look of disbelief which she dispels with a quick peck on the older girl’s lips.

&&

Jieqiong didn’t know group dates would be this fun. Yebin had been hyping up the idea of going on group dates to her since she started staying with Nayoung. Something about being more comfortable about their identity as a couple around other couples? Which doesn’t really make much sense to her. She’s already pretty comfortable of being with Nayoung.

Either way, Jieqiong and Nayoung along with Minkyung, Yebin, Sungyeon, Yewon, Eunwoo, and Kyungwon set out to the amusement park for the day. Kyungwon came up with the plan to take their youngest friends to a group outing since the two will be starting university in the fall. However, she must’ve been too caught up in the idea of helping their maknaes out that she failed to realize that this group date would result in her being coupled up with Eunwoo. Nayoung and Minkyung can only share exasperated eye rolls while she so insistently claims that the case with her and Eunwoo is completely platonic.

Jieqiong finds that Nayoung is considerably less touchy with her when their friends around, only holding her hand under the table when they eat or putting a hand on the small of her back when she thinks no one is looking as they’re walking to get to places, but it’s fine with her. She likes this shy side of Nayoung. And if she’s going to be perfectly honest, she thinks there isn’t a side of Nayoung she doesn’t like.

When most of them had tire themselves out (Eunwoo and Yebin are still full of energy), someone suggested that they all head over to the Han River for the annual summer fireworks festival. And so, they went.

Jieqiong turns to look at Nayoung who’s walking beside Kyungwon and she almost collides with a hyper active Yewon who runs to the direction of the river. She sees the worried look on Nayoung’s face, hears Sungyeon scold her girlfriend for not being careful but she just smiles at all of that. It’s a good evening and they’ve come to see the fireworks together. Nothing’s going to ruin it for her.

“Are you okay?” Nayoung asks as she steps by her side.

“I’m good. I’m having the time of my life.” She replies, grins back at Nayoung.

“That’s good then.” The older girl mutters, sighs in contentment.

They walk to the edge of the river and lean against the railings, feeling a light breeze blow over them while they wait for the show to start.

Warmth spreads through Jieqiong’s chest, extending to her arms and legs and to the tips of her toes and fingers. She wonders if it could be the July evening weather, or humidity, or the orange glow of the nearby streetlamps. She looks to her right, sees Nayoung quietly looking up at the sky, waiting. Without a word, she takes Jieqiong’s hand in hers.

She follows Nayoung’s gaze to the sky, marvels at the bursts of yellows, greens, and reds up there. She feels the warmth from before engulf her whole, feels it become a bubble that wraps her and Nayoung at first, then Minkyung and Yebin who stand next to them with their arms around each other. It catches on to Yewon and Sungyeon who stand a bit further away, yelling out their promises to each other in the wind. Even Eunwoo, who squeezes in the space between Jieqiong and Yebin, and Kyungwon, who stands behind her, are in it too. And Jieqiong can’t help but to smile. It’s perfect. Everything is in place.

“Wanna hear something cool?” Nayoung speaks really close to her ears. Jieqiong turns her head too fast, leaving their faces mere inches apart.

Nayoung blinks a couple of time before her eyes dart from Jieqiong’s eyes down to her lips.

“You were gonna say something?”
 

“I-I was but I already forgot…” Nayoung trails off. Jieqiong giggles, leans her forehead against Nayoung’s.

“You don’t have to say anything then. Just stay close to me.” For a while. For a long, long time. For forever.

“I’m not going anywhere.” Nayoung whispers back.

Someone says something about a room (she thinks it’s Eunwoo, or could it be Kyungwon?) and Nayoung is so quick to pull away, looking very flustered. Jieqiong feels at a loss so quickly, wants so much to throw hands at whoever ruined the moment for them but Nayoung tugs at her hand again, getting her attention again.

Right.

She’s still here. She’s still holding her hand. And she said she’s not going anywhere. She’s isn’t going anywhere. They’ll still have tonight, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, and the day after the day after tomorrow, and all the days following that. All the nights in between too.

Even when the time comes for her to go back to Shanghai, they will still have each other. They can text each other, call each other on skype or facetime like what Nayoung does with her best friend. Nayoung can come with her. Or she can transfer schools. There are endless possibilities for them. They’ll work something out. They’ll figure something out. What Jieqiong has learned from the past weeks is that what they have is too beautiful and too strong. She’s convinced, she’s even willing to bet with all she has that this is something that even time or distance can’t put a stop to. And really, she isn’t going to let anything get in their way.

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A/N: I feel bad about the less science tidbits because y'all might think it's clickbait since I have it on the foreword and all. But I promise it's not and I'm working on it! Please be patient with me still. Anyway, thank you for reading once again! Thank you to the new subscribers and upvotes as well! I'll try to get the next update done before this week ends so y'all can have it next week but no promises! Have a great week ahead, everyone!