Aloft the Ddukseom Looper Cultural Observatory, the view on the city of Seoul sparkled like a thousand diamonds and the city lights mirrored like broken glass  into an abyss of silky black waters. The Cheongdam bridge, on the far left, lit up with green and ochre lights that radiated into the V-shaped beams and leveled girders. Underneath, the infamous Han River flowed peacefully, rippling occasionally on the crusing boats that carried tourists and travellers in the night. The whole panorama was just a breath-taking picturesque of a bright, living and breathing capital.

"Seoul has changed a lot after I've gone. Japan's so different from this. It's so different to be home"

Sigh.

"Three years...three darn years...such a short time but I feel like I've left this place more than that."

The short female figure bent over the rails of the open area in the egg-shaped observatory as she beheld the scenery in her eyes. Her red Dr. Dre earphones hung around her neck as it softly blared a familiar siren wail. She closed her eyes and listened closely to the sound of the singer's weep.

sarang doe obseo ugiji maraijen neol naega jibalb-abeolikkeoya....ruuuuuuuuuuuuunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn....

"Tch. Your voice is still like no other.  Although, now, it's filled with sadness even if you try to hide it...ever since that day..."

ruuuuuuuuuuuuunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn....

The wind blew along the heights of the observatory and the lady in her star designed gray jacket shuddered at the cold zephyr.

"I wonder how you've been Tae. I wonder if you still remember me."

"My devil's CRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!"

As the song ended, another strong blow from the night wind crashed into the small frame, sending her moss green army cap flying off her head. She tried to reach her hand out from the balcony rails but to no avail, her favorite cap had been pushed far and spun downwards to the tiled grounds below.

"Oh no."

Rushing down from the gallery porch of the observatory, the small figure quickly ran through the tube hallway across the flattened bamboo laden floors. She quickstepped descending down the white bars  of the steel stairs. Not losing a breath, she parried some of the tables in one of the small cafes in the middle of the first floor and bolted out through the glass-doored entrance of the building.

--------------------------------

The gentle wind blew softly throughout the streets of Ttukseom Hangang park. Some families on picnic bankets have gone out in the middle of the night. Small kids pranced and playfully splashed water from the dancing fountains. some just enjoyed squatting down on the grass enjoying the cold breeze. Some young and old couples strolled along the parkway and marvelled at the city lights in the distance. Most of the teen partners had their arms linked together. Most of the older ones held hands while occasionally whispering to each others ears. It was a perfect place for a romantic evening escapade.

Yuri walked beside Jessica as they took each step slowly. Jessica glanced from one side to the other, watching people pass by. Yuri, on the other hand, paid no attention to other people in her surrounding and just watched the water from the great Han river flow slowly, rolling calmly like retreating tidal wave. 

"What are you thinking Lily-ah?" Jessica nudged Yuri as she noticed the other was lost in her thoughts.

"Huh? Nothing. Nothing really. Just enjoying this quiet evening." Yuri replied, quite surprised.

Close by, some kids had run from the trees and shrilled in joy as they played tag with one another. Nearby a park bench, a rather loud music from a portable player blared beats to which some local performers sang and danced. 

Pabo. What quiet evening are you talking about Yuri-ah?

Yuri's thoughts blurred into oblivion again as she stared down to her boots and back into the waving waters.

"Brr...it's quite cold." Jessica murmurred as she tugged on her coat with her right hand and brought it near her face, leaving her left swinging close to Yuri's.

Yuri turned her head from the river bank and glanced at Jessica then her gaze shifted from the blonde's face and to the swinging arm next to her. Yuri's lips pursed into a smile as she withdrew her right hand from her pocket and caught Jessica's left hand. Jessica stopped in her tracks and her brows furrowed in question upon Yuri's abrupt action.

"Mwo?" Yuri asked, her hand outstretched as it was now linked to Jessica's. Backstepping, Yuri inched closer to Jessica and tucked both hers and the blonde's hand into her chocolate brown jacket's pocket.

"You said you were cold right? Gaja." Yuri gradually smiled as she breathed in deeply and started to walk again.

Jessica just blushed as she blew air into her fringe. She felt cold against the whistling breeze but Yuri's palm against hers was so warm, better than any kind of hotpack. Yuri, at the same time whistled her way, feeling all fuzzy inside as she played it cooly and secured her grip into Jessica's fingers inside her pocket. Slowly, they tredged their way along the river side of Songpa-gu section and the number of people around had thinned down.

Jessica stared into the bare night sky and initiated a new conversation.

"Lily-ah...tell me more about yourself...and your past relationships" Jessica started.

"Hmm? Why the sudden topic of my past flings?" Yuri questioned, kicking a pebble on her path.

"Molla. I guess I just wanna know how you became such a player. Just wondering how many girls you've smitten." Jessica joked timidly.

"Aish.I told you, I'm not a player." Yuri halted between her words.

"Gureyo?" Jessica mumbled in question.

Yuri chuckled a bit before replying. "It's just that...uhm..girls...girls just like to be around me so much. I guess they can't resist my charms."

Jessica smirked at Yuri's haughtiness and kicked the taller girl's leg with her own.

"Oww. I was kidding. That was a joke." Yuri groaned.

"Yah. You deserve it" Jessica scolded as she pouted at Yuri.

Yuri rubbed her leg behind her other leg's knee and skipped a step to resume walking.

"Jessica?", Yuri asked, as the mood suddenly turned silent.

"Yup, Ms. Lily-ah?", Jessica replied as she crossed her legs over the other while walking.

"Uhm..remember that morning?" Yuri hesitated.

"Which morning?" Jessica replied back with a question.

"Well, after the club thing. I took you home and you showed me my first text to you." Yuri said, almost stammering from her nerves.

"Hmm..yeah..what about it?" Jessica continued asking. She remembered how she playfully snatched a cheek kiss from Yuri that time.

"Well, I just want you to know I'm serious about it." Yuri tugged on Jessica's hand inside her pocket."As long as you don't delete that message..."

Yuri stopped walking abruptly and turned her head towards her strolling partner.

"As long as you don't delete it, you're in charge of keeping my heart" Yuri's voice trailed off as she raised her free hand to her left chest, referring to her own beating heart.

"Mwo?" Jessica chuckled but she was slightly blushing from Yuri's flattery. "Cheesy. I guess this is how you let girls fall for you, isn't it?" Jessica said softly.

"Ugh. No, Jess--- I'm serious." Yuri grumbled.

"Cheongmal?" Jessica said and nudged Yuri's arm with her hand in the dancer's pocket.

"I am."

"Oh..."

"Jessica... I don't know if I'm moving too fast but I just wanna let you know that I really like you." Yuri paused and breathed deep. "I'm willing to wait for you to accept me. This is not the player Yul that's talking. You know what, forget that player. She doesn't exist anymore. It's just going to be me from now on. Just me. Yuri."

Jessica broadly smiled at Yuri's unconventionally swift confession. She felt her blood rush to her cheeks and ears. Her heart pounded to the sweet moment they share at this night.

"Nado Yuri-ah. I'd also like to know you better" Jessica replied. "But for now, let's keep it this way. I want us to become closer and start from there."

"I understand Jess. I will wait."

Silence fell upon the two women as they had just sauntered through the cemented paths and the cut grass. Amidst their mummed trice in the park, a loud fire of a gunshot broke the sound of chirping cicadas from the river birches. 

Quickly, the sound of spinning wheels and huffing men started to emanate from a distance, getting louder by the second. Wails from the crowd suddenly emerged as a night bicycle competition had started. Out of nowhere from the corner of the road beside the river bank, a crowd of cyclists rushed towards the couple's direction.

"YAH!!! Watch out! Get out of the way!!!"

"Omo!!!! Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!", a dolphin scream pitched into the air.

Yuri saw one of the cyclist going towards their direction and Jessica was right in the middle of the bicycle's path. Instinctivey, she twirled and pulled Jessica's whole body and hugged her away from danger. Jessica didn't realize what just happened since she was taken by surprise at the raging cyclist that plowed through the crowd. The next second, she just felt her body being flung from one side and she impacted into a warm and protective embrace.

The ahjussi riding the bicycle swerved at that moment and shouted an apology. He sped quickly back into the race as other cyclists zipped by the couple who held each other tightly. Jessica had broken into small sobs, frightened from the close brush with danger.

"Jessica, gwaenchana?", Jessica heard Yuri whisper above her head as the taller girl pulled her tighter in her clasp.

A few more cyclists sped by on both their sides and Jessica just closed her eyes from the whizzing sounds and bell ringings that the bicycles made. She buried her face into Yuri's chest as tears still flowed to her cheeks and her palms were pressed against Yuri's abdomen. She kicked her heels to the ground, releasing her mixed emotion of fright and ire from the incident. Encasing her strong arms, Yuri comforted the other, hushing her slowly. Jessica felt like she was inside a coccoon, protected from anyone in the perilous world, as she still clung to Yuri's embrace. 

"Jess, are you okay?" Yuri asked again, worried as she stretched her chin over Jessica's crown and brushed her hair.

The petite blonde nodded but her head laid still as she nuzzled into Yuri's bossom. Yuri peeled Jessica from her hug and leaned forward to check the shorter lady's face.

"Come on, let's go inside that tower. Let's get you somewhere safe." Yuri coaxed and Jessica nodded lightly as a response.

The two slowly climbed a few steps up towards the tube shaped observatory tower that was not far from where they were. Yuri helped Jessica up by letting Jessica use her strong arm as leverage. They reached the last step and Yuri noticed a cap flipping on the ground as the wind sweeped it across the tiles.

Suddenly, someone bolted through the doors and chased the army cap by swooping down to her knees. The person's honey butter blonde pixie-cut hair shone like the moon amidst the darkness as she bent over her waist. Flapping the army cap against her thighs, the short tomboy blonde resumed standing up and donned the moss-colored headgear.

Jessica stood frozen in her steps as her eyes widened at the sight of the shorter character in front.

"S--S--So--Soonkyu", Jessica stuttered in disbelief. Yuri turned her heads toward Jessica and panned back to the short haired gal with the army cap.

Upon hearing her old name, Sunny whipped her head towards the source of the voice. She slowly gasped upon recognizing the other female blonde and raised the back of her hand in front of her face. Sunny's eyes pierced above her fingers and shot through towards Jessica's image.

"Sooyeon..."

Yuri stared at the two individuals across and beside her, baffled. "Wait, Jessica. Do you know her?"

"Cheosonghamnida. Excuse me." Sunny apologized, gritting her teeth and pulled her headphones back to her ears. She hid her face from the other two using the collar of her jacket and escaped apace past Jessica as she dashed down the stairway from the observatory.

"Wait! Soonkyu!" Jessica appealed as she tried to catch the other blonde down the steps but it was fuitle since Sunny had already disappered into a crowd of youngsters.

Yuri stepped in beside Jessica and held Jessica's hand, hoping that the girl beside her would explain what just happened. Jessica wore a worried expression as she uttered a sigh and muttered the other girl's name again under her breath.

"Why are you back? Soonkyu?"

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finally done with this chappie. i had to search so much on the location of the plot and ended up watching videos on the Han river projects. No, I haven't been to Korea and I myself am not Korean. However, I would love to visit the country one day.