Title: Could Be Wrong (inspired by Fickle Friends - Could Be Wrong)

Summary: Kyungwon finds warmth in the most unlikely of places.

Pairing: Kyungwon (Yuha)/Yaebin (Rena)

It’s not that Kyungwon hated her new roommate, not necessarily.

After all, it wasn’t Yaebin’s fault her old roommate Nayoung (whom Kyungwon had grown particularly fond of) had left spontaneously to travel the world with her girlfriend. Five months of a budding friendship, thrown out the window in a mixture of hopeful decisions and what Nayoung had called ‘true love’.

Lucky for some, Kyungwon remembered cursing, wanting some of that optimism for herself.

It’s not her roommate’s fault Kyungwon had little to no friends: Minkyung had stayed back home to work at her father’s accounting business and Kyungwon’s almost positive the Gods had made Eunwoo’s schedule the polar-opposite of hers on purpose, some lifelong goal of making her life as ty as possible it seemed.

Nor was it Yaebin’s fault that Kyungwon was practically milliseconds from dropping out, packing her bags and hiking up the nearest mountain away from civilisation. Hiding out there for the rest of her life, away from her parent’s judgemental eyes didn’t seem so crazy in the grand scheme of things.

And it was not entirely Yaebin’s fault that all this was driving Kyungwon insane.

Though the latter would make a strong case against that last point.

But no, Kyungwon didn’t hate her new roommate. An active disliking for the girl? Maybe so.

“You have got to be kidding me right now?”

Kyungwon thought maybe her day could’ve gotten worse after all.

Travelling all the way to her 10:00am class only to find out that it was cancelled had been a minor setback for her, but nothing she couldn’t handle.

The café on the corner being closed and Kyungwon being unable to buy her favourite cookies, maybe that pushed her buttons a little.

Eunwoo picking up the phone after 14 missed calls from a bored and restless Kyungwon, only to tell her she was neck deep in overdue assignments and couldn’t possible dream of neglecting her work right now.

I hadn’t realised you were such an exemplary student, Kyungwon had grumbled before hanging up.

It’s not that she was annoyed at Eunwoo, not at all, more so at how her day seemed to be playing out.

And so frankly, Kyungwon should’ve already guessed that on her way home, after stopping off at the library for a few hours to study, a speeding car would so graciously pass by and cover Kyungwon in a layer of rainwater that had pooled on a street corner, practically begging to be disturbed.

Because really, on a day like today, what else could’ve happened?

Maybe Kyungwon was naïve to think that back in the safety of her dorm, things would be better. She wasn’t asking for much, just a slight improvement on the events she’d already experienced.

But no, because this, well this was just the icing on the cake.

So much for wishful thinking.

“And so the day from hell continues.” Kyungwon mumbled, closing the door with her foot and aiming her bag towards the chair at her desk. It missed, of course.

There, in all her glory, was Kyungwon’s roommate Yaebin, and she wasn’t alone.

Entangled in Yaebin’s bedsheets was a person, boy or girl Kyungwon’s couldn’t quite make out, their face covered by sheets in a hasty decision when Kyungwon had entered the room.

“What are you doing here?” Yaebin’s voice sounded husky as she made no rush to grab the nearest t-shirt and pull it over her head.

Kyungwon’s eyes were wide.

“Excuse me?”

Dumbfounded may have been an understatement to how Kyungwon felt. Wasn’t this her room too? The audacity of the other girl to ask her what she was doing in her own room, as if that was the most unimaginable thing possible.

“You told me this morning you were going to be studying all day.”

The taller girl scoffed, “Well, my brain is fried.”

“You couldn’t have text me?” Yaebin remarked, helping the body beside her (a girl, Kyungwon now realised) out of the mess of bedsheets and into some decent clothes.

Kyungwon appeared even more puzzled Yaebin’s comment, her face scrunching up in a mix of annoyance and confusion, “Why would I text you?!?”

Giving Yaebin a little nudge that morning as she lay groggily in bed to let her know Kyungwon would be out for most of the day was one thing, but texting the girl hours later to tell her she had a change of plans? Now that’s a thought that wouldn’t even slip into Kyungwon’s mind.

These girls didn’t particularly have the warmest of friendships, if you could even call it that.

“Chill out,” Yaebin breathed, knowing this would anger Kyungwon even a little on a good day, and from what she had observed already, today was not a good day.

Yaebin gestured towards the girl perched on the bed besides her, from what limited chance Kyungwon had to look at her fully she was rather pretty, “This is-”

“I don’t care.” Blunt but affective.

Kyungwon was a nice enough person, she had a weakness for girls that she’d be reluctant to admit to, so seeing the disappointed look on the stranger’s face opened a surge of regret inside her.

“I’m sorry,” she rushed, apologising as the girl across from her (she didn’t even know her name) tried quickly to get a pair of pants on. “Could you just leave, please?”

Before Kyungwon knew it, too wrapped up in her own self-pity, the girl had already scaled the length of the room, retrieved her bag and coat and was halfway out their door.

“I’ll talk to you later okay?” Yaebin half shouted as the door closed with a quiet click a second later.

There was a moment of silent that fell between the two which Kyungwon revelled in too much, too absorbed in the peacefulness of no problems, no Yaebin and secretly hoped it would last forever.

But alas, all good things come to an end.

“So not cool.” Yaebin huffed disapprovingly.

All the while Kyungwon had been pacing across their room, not exactly sure what to do with herself. Only now had she come to realise just how exhausted she was.

She really didn’t have the time or the energy for this.

“You can’t keep bringing random girls back here at ungodly hours.” Kyungwon complained, flopping lifelessly onto her bed.

“First of all, the last time it was a guy,” Yaebin said with a smirk then a little look of pity, “And second of all, it’s 9pm.”

“Second of all, it’s 9pm.” Kyungwon mimicked, mocking Yaebin’s words. Probably not the wisest or most composed thing she’d ever done. Somewhat embarrassing in hindsight, Kyungwon notes.

“Real mature.” The smaller girl mocked, quite clearly finding enjoyment in the discomfort of her ‘friend’.

To say Yaebin and Kyungwon were friends was a little optimistic, ‘acquaintances’ may have been more fitting for the situation they had going on. Regardless of this however, Yaebin wasn’t completely heartless and even she could see something was bothering the girl across from her. She may even have a soft spot for Kyungwon, deep down somewhere, though that she would never admit out loud (let alone to herself).

“Yeah well, today hasn’t been so great.” Kyungwon settled. “And when I’m tired I get cranky. And when I’m cranky I act childish.”

Yaebin really tried to sympathize. Honestly she did, but the opportunity seemed too good to waste. “You’re tired all the time?”

“I swear to God-”

In a moment too fast for Yaebin to process, Kyungwon had reached for the nearest pillow (anything large enough but soft enough so as not to knock Yaebin out completely), positioned herself so she was leaning on her elbow and threatened to throw it at the younger girl.

Not entirely sure whether Kyungwon would launch the weapon at her or was just doing it for show, Yaebin thought it best to surrender. Lose the battle, win the war and all that.

“Okay, okay!” she managed to get out between quiet laughter, raising her hands up in mock defence.

Kyungwon stared at her with eyebrows furrowed, face scrunched up in a way that was supposed to portray her irritation. On any other day Yaebin may have for looking so much like an angry puppy, the least intimidating thing she could think of.

The frustrated girl sensed her roommate wasn’t taking her seriously. “I’m not messing around Yaebin.”

Yaebin eyed the other girl up and down sceptically, “The fluffy pink pillow in your hand states otherwise.”

With a defeated sigh, Kyungwon lowered the pillow in question and let out a hint of laughter that seemed so odd to Yaebin. She dropped the pillow, positioning it behind her as a headrest and leaned against her bed. Kyungwon’s whole body felt heavy, not entirely sure whether it was the long trek back to her dorm or this goddamn conversation with Yaebin that had tired her out more.

Yaebin almost felt sorry for the other girl, knowing Kyungwon’s calamity had partly been due to her and their mutual task to see how much they could push each other’s buttons.

After what seemed like hours (though had only been a few minutes), Kyungwon turned to face the dark-haired girl, left hand rubbing her temple, eyes dropping closed with fatigue and an innocent frown set in her lips.

Yaebin tried to ignore the pang in her chest, it had been small, but it was there.

“May I sleep?” Kyungwon mumbled, rubbing her tired eyes.

“You need my permission?” Her voice was laced with mockery.

Kyungwon span round in her sheets and threw her head back in exasperation, almost knocking herself out cold against the headboard.

Yaebin may have regretted her teasing words, but not so much that she’d apologise, not to someone like Kyungwon anyway. Someone like Kyungwon. Those words played on her mind more than she’d like to acknowledge.

Letting out a puff of air, Yaebin turned to peer over at the other girl who now had her back to her and held in a sigh.

“Goodnight Kyungwon.” She tried to speak gently, and again, but this time softer, hoping the older girl wouldn’t hear the sincerity in her words. “Sweet dreams.”

*****

The next day proved to be no better for Kyungwon.

Sleep had comforted her enough, the empty blissfulness of nothing offered her an escape, if only for a little while. She’d slept an extra few hours than usual it turns out, and for that at least she was thankful.

In the disoriented moments between unconsciousness and waking up, Kyungwon almost seemed to forget the day from hell she’d experien