“Hey.” Sana whispers in a hushed voice.

 

“Hmm?” Dahyun’s eyes were heavy with sleep but she tried her best to keep them open when she heard Sana right beside her ear. A few slow blinks and she turns to the other girl, but it wouldn’t take to much to do so. Sana was too close. Too close that she swore they’re were sharing the same air that the gap between their lips could allow.

 

Sana’s cheek was so tempting to touch until Dahyun realized that her hands were occupied. Both were resting on her lap, holding her phone to keep it from slipping. On her other ear were people talking. Laughing. Lame jokes and corny music.

 

“Oh.” she chuckled. Running Man has been playing on her phone, although she can’t remember what happened between the 3:02 to 32:17. When did she even fell asleep?

 

“You okay? You want to sleep a bit?” Sana offered in hushed tones like they were secret lovers in a secret world. “We’re not boarding for another hour.”

 

Dahyun sighed, but it quickly turned into a smile when Sana sat up straight, offering herself as a pillow. Airports aren’t the best sleeping spaces and it’s annoying how this place forces people to do just that.

 

“What are you listening to?” Dahyun finally speaks. As she leaned her cheek against Sana’s shoulder, she gazed down on the other girl’s phone.

 

Sana removed Dahyun’s earphone and  tucked her own earpod into the other girl’s ear. As Dahyun descended into a permitted sleep, the Japanese slouched back to make the other a bit comfortable. People rest easy when they sleep on purpose.

 

“Look at those two.” Momo speaks in Japanese so the other members wouldn’t catch it. Sitting beside her, Mina gazed towards a familiar sight of Dahyun snuggling closer to Sana.

 

“What about them?” Mina responds in the same language as she tilts her water bottle to Momo’s direction, prompting the blonde to open it for her.

 

“This is a boarding area. Business class. There are no paparazzis here to feed their fan service.” She gives Mina her opened water bottle as she went back to her own bag of potato chips. Mina just smiled at the other girl and shook her head.

“It would’ve been a fan service if it wasn’t real.”

 

“What do you mean?” Momo frowns. Mina speaks cryptically sometimes. Or maybe she doesn’t and it’s just that Momo is too slow to pick things up. She can’t tell between the sound of crunching chips in her head.

 

“Fan service is doing it for the sake of the fans.” Mina takes another gulp of water. “Does that look like ‘doing it for the fans’ for you? Right now, these two might be the last people to know that they’re a couple.”

 

---

 

It started out with the interviews on who among the members are each other’s ideal type.

 

Dahyun’s consistent answer was Sana, and the Japanese took it as an open invitation to being Dahyun’s on-screen girlfriend who spends 80% of the time chasing Dahyun, and with the other 20% chasing other girls.

 

The twenty percent were playful banter. The eighty, on the other hand, are composed of on-screen kisses on the cheek that Dahyun never really gave back. It’s composed of Sana streaming selfie videos while Dahyun is sleeping beside her, waking her up, and turning her into a regular guest during these shenanigans. The eighty percent is all about telling the perfect narrative of how Sana, the flirty and adventurous senior, tries to make Dahyun break all the rules. And how the younger church girl, with her charming wit and innocence, tames Sana’s consuming wildfire through seemingly uninterested reactions.

 

And the people loved it. So much so that they baptized it with the eponymous SaiDa: one of the best fan service marketing maneuvers that the industry ever had.

 

But aren’t hearts made of fickle feelings that weakens and gives under the frequent pressures of closeness and pretends? The first times are always easy, like how Sana just gingerly pressed her lips against Dahyun’s soft cheek. Dahyun jumped in surprise and Sana found herself quite confused on why she just did that. It ends in a sweet laughter, and fans swooning over their gay heroes.

 

No harm done. All playful gimmicks.

 

Until someone has to break.

 

---

 

Sana’s resolve never dampened despite being turned down by Dahyun one too many times. She would frown whenever Sana kisses her, or maybe make faces to feign disgust. She’d free herself from loose, awkward hugs, and she’d even look for Chaeyoung, even if Sana is around.

 

One time in Switzerland, Dahyun kept on calling whoever is within earshot that’s not Sana. Chaeyoung, Jeongyeon, Momo. She called Mina, too, if Mina wasn’t too busy screaming her lungs out as Tzuyu wobbled the wire that she was stepping on.

 

Anyone who has been denied like this would’ve quit the first day. If this was high school, Sana would never show her face ever again. But in offense such as these, Dahyun always makes it impossible for Sana to walk the other way.

 

“You’re sulking again.” Dahyun tries to match Sana pace. It was quite a walk back to the hotel, but the cobblestone streets and the scent of Swiss snow is best enjoyed on foot.

 

“Tch. No, I’m not.” Sana rolls her eyes playfully, giving out a scoff to convince Dahyun that she wasn’t actually sulking. Although, in fact, she is. But the other girl doesn’t need to know that. “Fan service girlfriends don’t actually get that kind of privilege.”

 

“I guess you’re right.” Dahyun’s voice was laced with second guesses and defeated expectations that she never wanted to acknowledge. She looks down on her feet, instead of glancing back to the beautiful girl walking beside her. Her steps and cadence exactly matching Sana’s now, and their pace made them lag behind the entire group. “I never got the chance to thank you, though.”

 

“For what?” Sana chuckles.

 

“For looking out for me? As you may have observed, I’m biologically unequipped to deal with heights.” Dahyun nudged Sana’s shoulders with hers, trying to lighten up her mood a little bit.

 

“You were quite cute. Legs like jelly, face like you’re going to puke, and how you crawled like a drunk person.” Sana teased, a much sincere smile drawing up on her lips. “You know that I’d always look out for you.”

 

And here comes Sana coming in like a strong rain, and Dahyun had to muster enough sense into herself so she could stop assuming anything. She glances at Sana once, seeing her looking ahead of the street. Dreamy eyes, and slight smirks. Dahyun thinks that she’s being serious.

“For the fans.” Dahyun gave out a rather shaky chuckle.

 

Sana can’t say that she didn’t expect this. After all, this has always been the case with Dahyun.

 

“Whatever you say, Dubu.” Sana placed her hands in her jacket pockets. She walks on a bit faster, and Dahyun suddenly realizes how much she missed the other girl’s immediate presence. “Wait up, guys!”

 

“Sana. Hold up.” Dahyun feels the urge to catch up and wrap an arm around the other girl. “You said you’d look after me, remember?”

 

---

 

Feelings get a little bit more complicated when Dahyun suddenly flips the tables and catch Sana off guard. There are times during post-performance where she would sneak slowly behind Sana and wrap her arms around the other girl’s waist. She would tuck her chin between Sana’s neck and shoulder, then she would realize what warmth means.

 

“Honey!” Dahyun calls out from the phone, and suddenly Sana forgot her basic functions. There was a distinct hint of giddiness laced in her open-mouthed smile, because Dahyun would never do this.

 

“You just called me ‘honey’ on national TV.” Sana looks out of the car window and watched the buildings and people meld into seamless zoetrope. The online streaming is over now but their phone call wasn’t.

 

“Well, it is half-true so I don’t see anything wrong with it. Do you?” Dahyun asks. It would take a while before Sana could make up an answer that wouldn’t scare Dahyun off but whenever she rehearses it in her head, it ends up sounding a bit different.

 

“If only we could make it full-true.” Sana imagines out loud.

 

A full truth. Dahyun quietly chuckles at the thought of it. It does seem weirdly comfortable calling Sana “honey”, if she’d just be a bit more honest to herself After all, isn’t that the aspiration that they’re aiming for? Fingers interlaced, soft lips pressed together, and maybe hugs that would never end. Sana isn’t all bad, as Dahyun would always convince herself. She just comes in too strong at times, that you can get a bit confused on what her motives are. And being always the prudent one among the two, Dahyun became more guarded and cautious. Except, of course, when she’s in the mood for banter.

 

Then it comes as another thought. Dahyun could always choose Chaeyoung, Tzuyu, or the ever-charming Jeongyeon to play banter with. But somehow, she always ends up sharing a moment with a certain Japanese member.

 

If it was on purpose or not, she can’t even tell anymore.

 

“Well..” Sana speaks softly, and Dahyun realizes that she had been thinking quietly for too long. Too long that Sana’s first question was left excruciatingly unanswered. But before she could even react, the defeated Sana was determined to get out of the conversation. “I’ll see you back at the dorm.”

 

Then a click.

 

“.” Dahyun shuts her eyes tightly. “?”

 

There was a mild case of panic when she stared down at her phone for a good couple of seconds. Quick on her feet and with her fingers, she plopped in a message to Sana.

 

“Mister.” Sana calls out politely to her driver. “Can we stop somewhere to buy chocolates?”

“For Miss Kim again?”

 

“You know how she is.” Sana smiles softly as she rested her head against the window. There are times that she think she’s trying way too hard to win the other girl’s attention, but there are times that she thinks she’s breaking through. She did call her ‘honey’ earlier.

 

When she got back, she greeted the members who were still awake. Nayeon was watching TV with Jihyo and Jeongyeon. Chaeyoung and Tzuyu are sleeping. And of course, Mina and Momo are locked up in a room.

 

Her feet were heavy as she made her way to Dahyun’s room. But what else can she do with the chocolates that she bought specifically for her? Maybe, if it’s any consolation to herself, she could just drop them off and go to her bed straight away. After all, it has been a pretty long day.

 

“Dahyunnie.” she knocked softly. Nayeon and Jihyo were distracted by online make up sales, so it was only Jeongyeon who craned her neck and watched. “Are you still up?”

 

“Sana!” a voice from the other side of the door called out. “Wait up!” Sana sighed at sound of the other girl’s voice because it would always make her heart beat faster than they should. The door swung open and her heart almost pounded. Dahyun’s hair was tied up in a messy bun, much like Sana’s thoughts on everything about them. Soft ivory skin clad in thin shirt and boxers, now Sana had problems on staying true to her consolation.

 

“I, uhh..” she hushed her voice down. “I got you these. I know how much love these.” it was a box of chocolates that Dahyun usually buys.

 

“Aww, thank you! You’re the best. Really.” Dahyun takes them heartily, flashing out a beaming smile to show her appreciation. “You can share them with me if you want?”

 

“I’d love to but I need to wake up early tomorrow with the J-line.” Sana blinks her eyes sleepily as she brushed her hair back messily.

 

“Oh.” Dahyun purses her lips together. “Long day, huh?”

 

“Yeah.” Sana suddenly feels bad so she gives her a smile.

 

“Go get some rest then, honey.” Dahyun reaches for Sana’s sharp nose and gives it a light pinch. Sana just crumples her nose and acted cute.

 

“Good night, honey.”

 

As Dahyun retreated back to her bed, she grabbed her phone to send another message to Sana. Surely, she must’ve done something to deserve this late night treat. But as she opened her message thread to the Japanese member, she noticed the red exclamation point to the last thing that she sent.

 

[!] [Take care, honey. Bring me something when you get home? Fighting!]

 

It was not sent. She didn’t do anything to get a treat like this.

 

Sana just remembered.

 

---

 

Humans are creatures of habit. And that’s what  Sana hates about all of this. It’s easy to commit to their charades in front of the cameras, but when they are left to their own devices, both of them unconsciously gravitate towards each other. Or at least, she does.

 

Afterall, they’re always close to each other, whispering crude jokes and sweet nothings that are confusingly half meant. Their synthetic affection becomes instinctive. Automatic. Like they’ve grown comfortable to each other’s patterns, and somehow, she found a way to fit into Dahyun’s empty circle, squares, and blank stripes.

 

It was Jihyo’s idea to have a drunken movie night. A way for them to unwind after the relentless work that they put in for their new release. All of them huddled into their cozy common area, with boxes of chicken that Tzuyu, most probably, smuggled using shoelaces tied together. Of course, Momo would hoard the potato chips and the buldak with cheese, but Mina was quick to rectify by reprimanding her.

 

“You just ate dinner!” Mina presses Momo’s cheeks together.

 

“I know what I am made of, non-believer!” Momo defends but with Mina staring right back at her with a raised brow, the blonde couldn’t really do anything. So Mina takes away the bag of chips and passes it to Chaeyoung, whose arms are already open to receive the bountiful grace. “Mina, do you really want to see me hungry?” Momo pouts to win Mina’s mercy.

 

“You don’t even remember how worried I was when we almost rushed you to the hospital?” Mina takes away the cheese kimbap beside Momo and passes it to Jeongyeon. “Also, stop acting cute.” but she taps Momo’s nose anyway.

 

“Cheese kimbap.” Dahyun mouths to Sana, who’s en route to Jeongyeon’s spot.

 

“Hmmm?” Sana raised both eyebrows while pointing to the bottles of beer beside Jeongyeon. Dahyun smiles and shakes her head profusely. “This?” Sana mouths her reply as she points to the bag of fish chips.

 

“Cheese! Kim! Bap!” Dahyun points to Sana for every syllable she whispers.

 

“Ah! Cheese kim-!”

 

“Cheese kimbap, god damn it.” Jeongyeon raises the container to Sana. “Your girlfriend wants this.” It took both Sana and Dahyun by surprise when the ever-charming dad that’s Yoo Jeongyeon tagged Dahyun, not as a member of the group, but as the Japanese member’s girlfriend. And Sana almost dismissed Jeongyeon’s remark, but the other girl stood up and whispered “Really, Sana? Midnight chocolates? You think I’d miss that? There are no cameras in this place for fan service.”  

 

“So what? I can’t give her chocolates now?” she feigned annoyance when she took the container from Jeongyeon, trying to make the other girl sound like she’s claiming absurd accusations.

 

“Your girlfriend’s hungry. Hungry girlfriends are the worst enemies.” she made a quick glance at Nayeon before pushing Sana back into the huddle.

 

“Oh, shut up and just drink!” Sana scoffs, making her way back to Dahyun who was sitting on the couch.

 

“What did Jeongie say?” she eyes the food expectantly.

 

“Nothing. Just out there to annoy people. Much like her usual annoying dad self. Here.” she placed the container of the kimbap beside Dahyun before settling down on the floor. Dahyun takes a bite from a piece of the rice roll and squealed mid-chew. Good food was meant to be shared, so Dahyun offered it to the first person that comes to mind.

 

“It’s good.” she offered a roll against Sana’s lips. The other girl pulls her head back, takes a quick look around to see if there’s anyone watching before taking a bite.

 

Habits. It becomes dangerous when couple-y things turn into habits. And Sana hates this part more than anything.

 

---

 

Ultimately, the group winds down as Nayeon starts mumbling drunken nonsense. It makes Jihyo laugh so the entire group was okay with this version of Nayeon. Chaeyoung and Tzuyu bid their good nights as they both crawled back into their room. Kids, after all, are not yet equipped with a fortitude of Mina’s metabolism.

 

“Give me more food!” Momo waves her chopsticks groggily, prompting the more sober Japanese girl to drag her up. Meanwhile, Dahyun and Sana are in the kitchen, fixing up the mess of things that the nine of them managed to create. Sana arranged the empty and half empty bottles while Dahyun busied herself in transferring the leftovers in smaller containers and putting sliders on chip bags. When Sana finished ahead of Dahyun, she went ahead and placed the repackaged leftovers into the fridge. Not without a casualty, of course.

 

“Hey, cut that out. You had enough already.” Dahyun slaps Sana wrist lightly, as the other girl tried to sneak into the ddeokbeokki container.

 

“What? I haven’t tried this one. What’s in that container?” Sana switches her attention to the container that Dahyun was holding. It awfully looks much like fried chicken, and Sana definitely wants last dibs.

 

“No!” Dahyun hides the leftover behind her and puts a hand between her and Sana. “Enough!” she laughs.

 

“I want that.” Sana steps in closer. Dahyun steps back.

 

“No!”

 

“Yes!”

 

“Sana! I’m warning you!” Dahyun has her back pressed against the kitchen counter. With no space to run away, Sana held onto the shorter girl’s hip and used her other hand to reach for the container that Dahyun was holding behind her.

 

“No, stop!” Dahyun giggled as she suddenly held the chicken high above her head. Sana reached for it, placing on her weight against the other girl. “Hey! Stop! You had enough!”

 

“Just one!” Sana insisted. She let go of her grip on the Korean girl’s hip and changed her tactics altogether. She, then, wrapped an arm around Dahyun’s exposed waist as her shirt was tugged up when she tried her best to stretch her hand high away from Sana’s reach.

 

The more Sana reached, the closer her face hovered over the other girl’s. And now she made an irreversible position that closed in all the gaps between them. Chest pressed against chest. Hip pressed against hip, with Sana’s jaw just floating a bit over Dahyun’s lips. So when the taller girl looked down, the tip of her nose touches Dahyun’s.

 

And oh how warm Sana’s breath was. Or maybe it’s hers. Dahyun can’t tell.

 

“It’s almost bed time, Sana. Enough of the food.” Dahyun reprimands calmly. Sana could swear that she could feel Dahyun’s lips move and graze against hers.

 

“Fine.” not pulling her head back, she rolled her eyes playfully.

 

“Promise?”

 

Sana nods.

 

Tick, says the clock, and all the other members were about to sleep or fast asleep. Tock, it says again with Sana and Dahyun refusing to move. Except for when Dahyun placed the container down on the counter, to which, her hand and arm only moved.. Tick, it says again. And now it’s Dahyun’s turn to make the call.

 

“I..” she whispers. “I need to fix the other things.”

 

Sana’s closes her eyes as she chuckled. Of course, she’d call it off. It won’t be Dahyun if she gave in. Sana could’ve been imposing, but she’d never force herself onto the other girl. Dahyun is china that a bull of a Sana refused to break. Too delicate. Too careful. Too precious.

 

So she slowly pulls her arm away, ending both her hands on Dahyu’s hips. With a light squeeze, she sighs, then lets her go. Dahyun lingers for awhile, eyes chasing Sana’s. But after a few moments, she walks back to the fridge to arrange the leftovers.

 

“What the ing hell is wrong in this world?” Jeongyeon sits on one of the dining chairs. “Did I, as your father, fell short on anything?”

 

Sana and Dahyun looked at each other quietly with confused expressions before turning their attention back to Jeongyeon who, they both presumed, is drunk.

 

“Dahyun, is Sana not a great girl?” Jeongyeon used her hand to point to the entirety of Sana. “She’s smart. She’s crazy. She’s pretty, and always looks after you.”

 

“Jeongyeon, but Sana is..”

 

“Don’t you dare lie to your dad, Dahyun. Eventually you will. Like maybe you’d do drugs or rob a bank. But tonight, you’re not gonna lie to me.” she waved her finger.

 

“Jeongyeon. I think this is not a-”

 

“Sana. Calm. The.  . Down.” then Jeongyeon turns to Dahyun. “So?”

 

“Are you drunk?” Dahyun laughs nervously. Jeongyeon looks up to the ceiling and her shoulders drop down in frustration.

 

“Must I do everything?” she asks some heavenly power that may or may  not be there. “Look.” her head drops down suddenly. “Sana’s super into you and I think there’s no point denying that. You know who she looks for first every morning? You.” she points to Dahyun. “You know who she checks on with me when you’re not around? You. And you know who runs to you whenever you cry because you miss your family so much? That’s right. You guessed it. It’s you.”

 

“Me?” Dahyun points to herself.

 

“No! Ugh!” Jeongyeon waves her hands in utter frustration. “I meant, Sana! God!”

 

“Jeongyeon.” Sana sternly says her name.

 

“And you.” the girl on the dining chair turns to the Japanese. “Who sneaks behind you during performances to give you a back hug? Dahyun. And who asks you first about how your day went whenever you’re out? Dahyun. And who the hell calls you honey on frickin’ national TV? It’s Dahyun.” Jeongyeon stands up and takes the container of chicken from the still stunned Dahyun. “So, you see? There are things here that the both of you are afraid to acknowledge. I see that. Mina sees that. Momo sees that, but mostly she sees the food that you guys are sharing to each other, but that’s not the point. The point is, Kim Dahyun. You’re too cautious. You’re too safe. And you’re too unfair. And you, Minatozaki Sana. You’re too afraid. You’re too defeatist. And you’re too sacrificial. It hurts me sometimes to see you this way. So here’s how it will go..” she places the chicken inside the fridge. “The kids are too drunk. I’ll carry Nayeon and Jihyo to our room. Sana is now practically locked out because Mina is inside your room with Momo. We have a couch. And we also have Dahyun’s room. Tonight, you’ll choose one place to wake up in, Sana.”

 

Jeongyeon finally walks out of the dining area with a glass of water that’s most probably for Nayeon.

 

“But, really. Do us all a favor and just share Dahyun’s god damned bed.”

 

---

 

The lights are off and the house finally sleeps. Or at least, seven members are already sleeping.

 

Inside her room, Dahyun stared at the ceiling with her arm folded over her forehead. Meanwhile, in the living room, Sana wrestles to the weight of Jeongyeon’s words while trying to get a more comfortable position on the couch. Now, she can’t even tell which of the two is keeping her awake.

 

The kitchen encounter wasn’t one of the best episodes of her life but Sana thinks that she needed that kind of confrontation. It didn’t help that Dahyun treated her normally after that, despite getting a clue of what she truly felt. It only made her overthink the entire thing.

 

“Too afraid? Tch.” Sana mumbled grudgingly as she pulled the blanket over her shoulders. “I’m a goddamn risk taker.”

 

“Too unfair.” Dahyun sighs, eyes still glued to the ceiling as if she’d find an answer there. “Am I too unfair?”

 

“Too defeatist?” Sana shifts to one side again. “Mama raised no quitter. I’m a Minatozaki, god damn it. Who the hell does she think she calls a defeatist?”

 

“Am I too safe?” Dahyun mumbled to herself. “I mean.. She’s not entirely wrong. I might not be risking enough.”

 

“Like, what the hell am I supposed to do?” Sana scoffs at the thought of how stupid Jeongyeon sounded. “Walk to  Dahyun’s door and confess?”

 

---

 

Back inside the room, Dahyun jumps out of her bed and musters her courage to march to her door. If someone needs to be braver tonight, it would be her. And if Sana manages to turn her down, they could all agree that Dahyun just said those words laced in alcohol.

 

She reaches for the door and goes out of the room. With a quick turn towards the living room, she finds Sana standing, most probably walking, and is already midway towards her room. Dahyun’s heart stops because suddenly she’s quite unsure on how this would all play out. But Sana is there, standing in the dark. And even with the lack of light, she could see her hazel eyes glisten like the stars were contained in them. Her head was firing up as it patched up the best excuse on why Dahyun was making her way to the living room.

 

And Sana, the ever hopeful Sana, found herself wanting to ask Dahyun the things that she rehearsed in her head a few moments ago. But Dahyun’s longing gaze made Sana forget even the simplest skills.

 

“I..  uhh..” Dahyun started. “Where.. Wh-where you headed?” and she mentally curses because why the hell would she stutter?

 

“I was..” Sana searched for a good reason inside her head. “I was on my way to the.. Uhh… bathroom.”

 

Of course. Bathroom. Why did Dahyun even think that Sana had the same motive as she did. Why the hell would Sana confess to her under the light of the midnight moon?  

 

“Ah..” Dahyun wished that Sana didn’t catch the disappointment. “Alright, then. I’m just gonna get my charger. Good night, Sana.”

 

“Good night, Dahyun.”

 

Then they walked past each other, attending to their made-up objectives.

 

Back in her room, she still found herself staring at the ceiling. But, what if Sana became too careful because she turned her down so many times before and she was just afraid that she’d get the answer that she was expecting from Dahyun? If Sana didn’t have the same agenda as she has, then why would it matter to whether she’d come clean or not?

 

“Too safe.” she repeats to herself. “Too safe?” then Dahyun turns to her head and looks at the the boxes of chocolates that she got for the past couple of months. All of them are from one person alone.

 

[Tonight, I'm caught in a feeling. Can't get you off my mind, you're in my body.]

 

A song blasts through Sana’s earphones.

 

[And I, I can't keep it a secret. Forgive me if I said too much, I'm sorry.]

 

And Sana was still very much awake. Defeatist. It was a chance and she stuttered her way out of it. Frustrations began to settle in when she realized that all she did in the bathroom was stare at her pathetic and lovesick reflection.

 

[But it feels like I've been falling forever. Just hoping, praying we'd be together]

 

In the darkness that filled the house in slumber, a heart fills in with a bit more courage. A pair of feet started to march. A hand turns a knob. The door swings open and Dahyun was ready to get to the living room and pull out Sana from the hopelessness that she buried her in.

 

But how? When Sana was standing right in front of her, eyes containing the brightest stars and consuming hunger. Sana’s intentions are good, but not entirely pure.

 

“S-Sana.” Dahyun voice shakes in a mixture of relief and fear.

 

“I was afraid that Jeongyeon is right. And Jeongyeon is rarely right.”

 

“Right about what?” Dahyun grabs onto the ends of Sana’s thin shirt.

 

“This.” a pair of arms wraps around Dahyun’s waist, and she felt herself being pulled closer to Sana. So close that she could hear Sana’s heart pounding wildly in her chest. She tilts her chin up to meet the taller girl’s gaze, and she prays that she’s not dreaming. Because when soft wanting lips pressed against her expectant lips, every fear that Dahyun had faded into the same darkness that enveloped them.

 

Courage is self manifesting from one’s own volition. But courage is also fuelled by another one’s fire. And so Dahyun kisses Sana harder like she’s taking everything she could get before she wakes up from this cruel dream. As Sana’s lips parted, Dahyun’s tongue slithers in. It was only then that she realized that no chocolate would ever come close to how Sana tasted.

 

“Honey.” she smiles against Sana’s lips. “You wanna share the bed with me?”

 

“I thought you’d never ask.” Sana pecks Dahyun’s lips as the younger girl jumps onto her and lets herself be carried off to bed.

 

---

 

The next morning, everyone groaned in pain.

 

Mina was holding a cold can of coffee against Momo’s temple while Jihyo was being nursed by Chaeyoung and Tzuyu.

 

“What the hell happened last night?” Nayeon mumbles.

 

“I honestly don’t remember.” Jeongyeon answers, staring at Dahyun and Sana, whose fingers were interlaced under a throw pillow.

***