Summary: You offer to help Yeri practice kissing. It doesn't go as planned.

When she opens the door to her dorm and walks outside, Yeri found you leaning against the wall, like you had been waiting for her.

"You look like you could use the help of a friend."

Yeri snorts at the odd greeting. "Too bad no one I consider a friend is around right now. Let me know if you see anyone who may be of help?"

You press your hand to your heart. "Your words are too painfu. Too much for my old, weak heart. Take responsibility for the consequences."

"Can't take the blame for something already damaged."

"Ouch. Just for that I might retract my generous offer." Despite the 'threat,' you fall into step besides Yeri, throwing an arm around her shoulders.

"What's your offer again?"

"What kind of friend would I be if I just let you into the post-high school world without ever being kissed?"

"What?!"

If there's anything she has learned about you in your close to three full years as classmates, and later, friends, it's to expect the unexpected. You were a walking contradiction—you don't say what you feels despite it showing plain in your actions (if you look close enough, which Yeri definitely knows how to do by now); you hide what you mean—and Yeri has grown used to that. She knows that she's observant and perceptive enough to pick up on those small idiosyncrasies you try to hide or play off as nothing. Actually, she's kind of proud of acquiring that skill, of essentially getting this down better than anyone else at school.

But this comment, or 'offer' as you called it, that comes out of nowhere completely flies past the range of unexpected and lands somewhere that's totally out there, somewhere that completely threw Yeri off balance.

"Please don't tell me you forgot the secret you revealed last week." You were trying to sound serious but ultimately failed at hiding the laughter in your voice, behind your words. "I know you must be trying to repress it after revealing the sorry state of your romantic life to half the class in a game of truth or dare, of all things, but fear not! There's an easy fix in sight."

"If you're the one offering help, I seriously doubt anything about this fix is easy."

Still, even though she tries to avoid thinking about it, her thoughts wander and fixate on the exact memory you were talking about.

See, last week, part of the study group, which consisted of half of their homeroom class, had suggested they play a game in one of their usual nights of overtaking your room for themselves and the social purpose of "group bonding."

While Yeri had been under the wrong and innocent assumption that something like karaoke or video games would be fine, there were other plans afoot.

Truth or dare. The lame game "every high schooler ever must play!" according to one of the girl's words and definitely not your own. More or less, everyone had agreed or at least resigned themselves to what the majority had wanted.

It would be fun, they said. Nothing could go wrong, they said.

Well, then, Yeri might have agreed.

Now? Maybe not so much.

She'd stupidly taken a truth after taking a few dares and got asked the dreaded question that had led to this whole exchange with you. Have you ever been kissed?

Honest answer? No. No, she hasn't.

And when majority of the team had laughed and joked about the revelation then, Yeri thought that had been the end of that. The final traces of the dumb truth or dare game would free her from its clutches.

She was wrong.

You bringing the game, Yeri's own 'tell the truth or you lose' confession back up again is anything but escaping.

"Just hear me out," you insist, squeezing Yeri's shoulders a little tighter, pulling her closer.

"Why should I?" She makes an effort to pull away from you. "I've got better things to do than listen to you make fun of me."

"It's a good offer!"

"What're you gonna do? Find me someone to kiss? Because I really don't trust your judgement in picking someone."

"Actually, I already had someone in mind."

"Who?" Yeri deadpans, trying to mask that she's actually sort of curious of where you were going with this 'elaborate scheme.'

"Me!"

"You?! Why the hell would I do that?"

"You need help, and I'm willing to offer you my expertise."

It takes a moment for Yeri to put this all together. "Wait. You're asking me to kiss you?"

"Don't be silly!" From this angle Yeri can't fully see your expression but you're definitely avoiding eye contact. At least a little. "I'm not asking you. I'm offering to help you."

"Who says I need your help?!" She tries to ignore the warmth of her cheeks, the strange racing of her heart. It's not that kissing you is something she wants to think about, wants to do, but the sudden suggestion of it, thought of it catches her so off guard it's hard not to be embarrassed. "And you couldn't pay me money to kiss you!"

You laugh as Yeri pushes herself away and punches your shoulder lightly. It's like the moment's been broken and they're falling, falling back into normalcy, the usual. Your usual. "Okay, okay. You can't say I'm not generous, though. Very generous. Something tells me you'd be a terrible kisser."

" you."

"You're so awful. Kicking me to the curb like this when I'm offering you genuine kindness. I'm hurt."

"Go be hurt after dinner." She takes two steps ahead of you, but looks behind her, waiting for you to follow. "Your bull wasted a lot of time. We're gonna be late."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say."

For a moment, just a moment, it looks like there's the tiniest flicker of hurt in your expression. But it disappears as quickly as Yeri thinks she saw it and she's not even sure it's real to begin with, or something she's just imagining instead. So she swallows the urge to say something, to bring it up and looks forward again, calling "Race you!" over her shoulder.

"It's not a race when you cheat and take a head start!"

Yeri was too busy laughing to respond.

"Are you positive you don't want to take me up on that offer, Yeri?"

"What are we talking about again?" Your words force her to look up from where she buried her head in her arms, trying to nap on her desk as you finish lunch.

"Don't play dumb. I know it's natural for you, but I'm being serious."

"It's natural for you to be an too, but that doesn't stop you from doing it."

You snort and kick her leg under the small, shared space for legroom beneath your desk. Revenge for the snide comment.

Yeri kicks you back. Returning the gesture in full.

"Just imagine. You graduate high school without kissing anyone. When you get asked to do a kissing scene for a drama or music video, you'll be completely unprepared and regretting not taking the opportunity to practice when it was dangling right in front of your face. And then you'll come groveling to me, who despite the kindness to offer my services in the first place, will regretfully have to retract the previous offer. Poor you."

"See, but your twisted version of the future implies that I'll actually regret not taking your ty offer. And that I'd call you to complain about it after graduation. Both wrong."

"Please. You don't have the luxury to break contact. If anything, I'll do it first."

She groans, overdramatic, exaggerated as she tries to hold back a laugh. "You mean I'm stuck with you?"

You avoid the question, only laughing at Yeri's response before adding, "Someone who knows the true events of the other day has gotta stick around to remind you of it."

"We're on this again?"

The thing is, she doesn't actually completely mind being on this topic again. Mainly, they've been joking about your silly kissing practice offer for the last few days. At first it had been kind of embarrassing, but now, it's a little less so. It's even kind of funny. The thought of it simultaneously embarrasses Yeri and makes her laugh.

"It was a good offer."

"According to you."

You ignore Yeri's answer, still talking, "Like friends with..."

"Without benefits," Yeri finishes, laughing as you bristles at her choice to fill in the blank.

"Excuse you, being able to kiss me is definitely a benefit."

"Maybe in your own mind."

"Is that supposed to hurt me? Because it's not working." You grin. "I'm immune to your nasty comments, Yeri."

Three years does that, Yeri supposes or maybe she's just losing her touch.

"Guess I'll have to think of some more, then." She reaches over and steals some of your remaining food, shoving it into .

"Ugh. You're gross. Why do I put up with you again?"

"You were just offering to kiss me a minute ago and now I'm gross? You change your mind fast."

"Unfortunately, I kind of like you. The heart makes you do funny things."

Yeri snorts at the ridiculous answer. "Well, turns out I kind of don't like you."

"Please get to work at thinking at better comebacks."

This time, she doesn't need words, only aims a playful kick at your leg again before she takes more of your leftover lunch.

Yeri may have told herself that kissing you wasn't something she wanted to do. She may have kept up that image, reinforced that thought for days.

She also may be lying to herself but just a little. Only a little bit.

It's not like she's constantly thinking about it all the time or god forbid pining after you or anything. It's nothing like that at all. It's just...

When you're close like this, across from each other on the floor of your room, heads almost close enough to bump, the only things gauging the distance between you is the homework laid out on the floor in front of you, the thought might creep into her mind.

Just a little bit.

And it's not so much that she wants to indulge your stupid offer that's been impossible to forget about for the past week. It's not like she has actual feelings for you or anything. It's just... more like... convenience.

If that makes sense.

It's more like Yeri would never admit aloud that you might have a point and her suggestion can't hurt anything, in theory, but she does sometimes think about that. It's more like you were there and willing so why not just get it—kissing—out of the way. Better to do it with someone she's comfortable with than to spend 99% of Forever embarrassed or nervous to kiss someone else later down the line. It's more like an option rather than a guarantee—something she can try, no strings attached, and laugh about later when it's all over and done with.

It's more like—

"Quit looking at me like you're trying to win a staring contest." You look up from your homework, grinning cheekily at her. "Which you definitely would not win anyway, if that's what we were doing."

The words, the sudden accusation that you had caught her and had known she was looking at you for who knows how long catches Yeri off guard, but she recovers quickly, falls back into place once again. She's good at pretending. You both are.

Yeri groans. "Don't even go there with me."

"Oh?" You move closer, suddenly interested, clearly eager for any excuse to shove your history homework aside—you've been working at this for a while, after all. "Where would you suggest we go instead?"

You were close. Too close for Yeri to really fully process and then, she doesn't know what she's doing, as she starts to lean closer. This shared space between you both growing smaller and smaller.

What you do know is that Kim Yerim doesn't give up. She's all hot-blooded determination and passion and she sure as hell isn't going to pass up the chance to show you up after a full week of teasing.

You don't pull away, and Yeri doesn't chicken out halfway on the path to your face.

Your lips meet. Well, your lips collide, really. It's too rough on Yeri's part—your lips smashing together and noses bumping. It's completely ungraceful. A little awkward. Totally unplanned and sudden.

Even you weren't prepared for it, despite all the teasing and antagonizing until you finally hit this point. Even then, Yeri wants to say that you had to have known that this would happen. That if you teased and bothered her enough it would lead you here.

"If that's where you wanted to do, you should have just said so." You grin, rubbing a thumb over your lips. "How was it?"

"Terrible," Yeri says. Her flushed cheeks and pounding heart might say otherwise, but that doesn't matter.

You smile, even as Yeri insults you, like you can read the opposite, plain on her face. "Like you have any room to talk?"

Yeri groans, burying her head in her arms. She should have known something like that would be the comeback of choice. "Aren't you supposed to be the expert?"

She looks up when there's a tap to her shoulder, a hand on her cheek. You grinning like before—coy, mischievous and leans forward, closer to Yeri's face again. "Want to find out?"

In hindsight, Yeri might try to convince herself that the only reason she let you kiss her again is to prove you wrong. To make a point. She's not going to just lay down and be insulted like this. That's it. That's all.

She doesn't have to be completely truthful with herself. Not yet. She doesn't have to piece anything together or admit that maybe, just maybe the feeling of your lips on her own is kind of pleasant. Something she wants again.

This practicing kissing thing isn't half bad, actually.

After Lesson One: The First Kiss, followed by the Thrilling Sequel: When You Accuse Your Best Friend of Being a Terrible Kisser and She's Gotta Prove You Wrong.

Kissing for practice becomes a lot more frequent. Like once the initial idea had been breached it was hard to stop after. Or something like that. Neither of you really need to put a name to it besides just what it is: practice.

Yeri was learning. You were learning. Not that there's really much to learn about kissing, but still, neither of you can call each other terrible anymore after various kissing sessions over these past few weeks. First one, then two, then almost daily.

Honestly, an idea like this has probably been put in the absolute worst sets of hands to act on it. You're both competitive and will constantly try to one-up each other. That's normal now, maybe something you've grown used to incorporating into your daily routine with each other.

"Bet I can kiss you better," or other variations of the concept—spoken or unspoken, implied—become as commonplace as other daily things you do—eating lunch together, doing homework together, texting late at night.

It's not surprising that this has stuck and you make it part of what you're used to like this is what you've been doing for a long time rather than just a few weeks.

Over the next few weeks it's easier to refer to these lessons as just that.

It's easy to joke around and refer to quick kisses you sneak in the hallway at school or before dropping Yeri off at SM, making sure no one was looking. Strategies just waiting to be practiced and held fully loaded in an arsenal, ready for immediate use later.

It's easy to refer to the kisses that aren't as quick or as simple that come later—the lazy, slow ones you might share spontaneously while you're doing homework and want to distract each other or take a break or you're just too close to really avoid it any longer, just like the first time—as simple lessons.

Yeah, it's easy to play it off as a joke, a game, simple practice with an end goal in sight—getting better, living in the moment now to capitalize on something that might happen later. Then there are times that while it may be easy to keep up the mask that this is what you're doing, this is what you've been doing, there seems like there's a lot more to it than that. It's not that simple, even if neither of you will admit it.

There are the times when Yeri will lean against you in your bedroom, when you're alone and huddled together, playing video games or at least keeping up the facade that you're playing when really, you've lost interest a while ago and touching each other is more intriguing instead. Then, you'll forget what you were doing before, and just look at each other, sitting close together, touching, which leads to kissing.

But it's not like the other times, then. It doesn't feel like a joke or a game or even a bet anymore. Not when you both lean back, laying on your bedroom floor. Her hands in your hair and one of your hands on her cheek, the other curled around her hip.

Then, it doesn't end quickly. It doesn't finish and you laugh about it. Then, it feels like there's more feeling, more message to convey behind this kiss, in your motions, in your eyes, in what you don't say, then there ever has before this. Like it was all building to this point, slowly, gradually.

Now, now it's not like before either. It's not like when you first started this.

Now, you can't even think of a lame excuse of what this lesson is, of what you're supposed to be practicing for. Don't bother to, don't have time to when you're both caught up in each other like this.

This: When Red Velvet wins for the first time with Yeri as an additional member. Now, she's finally reached the goal she been aiming for since her first trainee years.

This: When Yeri throws her arms around you when you surprise her in the waiting room, blinded by happiness as you reach for each other, jump onto each other, hug each other. It's like a moment on high, and maybe all of that—the emotion, the excitement, proximity, adrenaline—clouding your judgement or maybe this is what you've always wanted because you're not sure who makes the effort to initiate a kiss first; you're both going for it, reaching for it, wanting it, taking it.

Like this is what you're both meant to have. Like you're both supposed to be here, with each other.

No one actually seems surprised. Not even the staff. Which in itself should be... kind of telling, but when you pull away and try to play it off like it's nothing, it's difficult. It's impossible to pretend it's just that anymore.

Yeri wanted to kiss you more. She doesn't want to pull away. Doesn't want to lose this.

But that's not how this works. It could be how it works, if you went for it. This could be what she could have, if this and everything gradually building to this big realization moment hitting her—every brick added to the pile until it was ready to smack her square in the face, no chance of catching it, of stopping it.

You weren't just her kissing partner, not just her friend. At least on Yeri's end. Maybe you've deluded yourselves from the beginning if you tried to pretend so long that it was just a game, and never had undertones of anything else supporting it. Why would you continue this for so long if you didn't actually enjoy kissing each other or want more? Why can't she have more?

"What're you staring at?" You asks her on the ride back home, when you're sitting next to each other in van, a grin on your lips as you turn away from the window.

"Not you," Yeri lies. "Why would I want to do that?"

"Seems like a good choice. Definitely wouldn't blame you."

"Keep dreaming." Still, despite the words, despite the exchange, her hand reaches for your. The touch is experimental at first—to make sure it's okay—but you don't pull away, only looks down, curious at your now intertwined hands resting between you both and lets Yeri tangle your fingers together.

"Okay." You say, turning back to the window again, cheeks red, and you don't say anything about it the rest of the way.

You don't let go until you get back to her dorn, but when you do, Yeri thinks she definitely could have held on for longer. That she wants to hold on for longer.

There's something that feels different now and Yeri isn't exactly sure if it's for the same reason it feels different for her, after letting the realization that she actually likes you, that she actually wants something more than this hit her.

But all this makes her realize that she really does want this. More of it. For real, this time. Permanent.

Yeri wants to say so, to take a chance and see what happens, but you beat her to it.

"Well," you say swiveling around in her desk chair. "I think it's time you graduated. Take the knowledge you learned and go forth into the real world. Use it wisely."

What?

"Are you..." Yeri trails off, pauses, has to take a few seconds to process that you were just out of the blue ending this. Ending whatever's been growing between you both since this started, maybe even before that. "Are you serious?"

"Why wouldn't I be serious?" You look down, like you don't want to look at her right now. "We're graduating in a few months, anyway. How would we be able to keep this up?"

We would, she wants to say. If it's us and we wanted to, we could do anything.

You already have.

"Yeah... I guess." She hopes she doesn't look as upset as she feels, but that's probably a shot in the dark. Yeri might be good at hiding things, at pretending, at being closed off. But it hasn't been that way with you in a long time. She knows, that despite herself, she wears her heart on her sleeve when it comes to you.

"Don't look so upset, Yeri." You stand up now, crossing the room, closing the distance between you as you both stand face to face now. "There are plenty of other people out there to kiss."

"I'm... I don't care about that!"

"Then what's the problem?"

"Are you that stupid?"

"No, what are you—?"

"Was it really all just a game to you?"

You visibly wince at the accusation. "It's not for you?"

"It hasn't been for a while." She laughs bitterly, running a hand through her hair, figuring if she's being honest here, she might as well go for broke. "That's not the way I wanted you to find out. But maybe I'm an idiot, and maybe this was the stupidest thing I've ever done, but I like you. I don't care about who else is out there! I want to kiss you and only you."

For a moment, you don't say anything else, and there's silence between you as you look like you're processing, trying to piece together Yeri's sudden confession.

"And what about you?" Yeri asks when she can't sand the awkward silence anymore. "You're the one who offered to start this. Did you mean it?" Any of this? All of this? "Did you mean it or was it just an excuse to make fun of me."

Finally, you speak. "You think that badly of me?" You laugh, almost in pain. "You think I'd go through all of this just to make fun of you?"

"Then why?"

You shrug. "Maybe I wanted to kiss you. Did you ever consider that?"

At that, Yeri softens. "You... you went through this elaborate scheme just to get me to kiss you?"

"Terrible idea, right?"

"Maybe not..." She takes a step towards you. "But if that's what you wanted, why are you trying to stop it now?"

"I didn't... I didn't expect anything to actually become of it. I didn't think you'd want any of it to begin with, and when you did I thought it'd last like a week and we'd be done move on like nothing happened. I guess it was easier when I thought you didn't really want anything more than what it was. But then... then it was different. It got different, and I didn't want it to end."

"So you tried to end it? What kind of logic is that?"

You ignore Yeri's comment, frown, but doesn't pull away when Yeri's arms rests around your neck. "Because it's... it's not supposed to be this way. We're graduating soon. Everything's going to change."

"So what?" Yeri finally says what she'd been thinking since you first brought it up. "I still want to kiss you now, and I'm still going to want to kiss you then, and I'm still going to want to kiss you after that."

"Romantic," You murmur, slowly wrapping your arms around Yeri's hip. Like you're warming to the idea. Like hearing the promise, the confirmation from Yeri herself is melting away the fear you had before, taking away the desire to run from this. "You mean that?"

"Yeah. I mean it." Of course she does.

Then, it's you who leans in and kisses Yeri, this time. And this is by no means your first kiss, but in a way, it feels like it is. Like it's a fresh start between you both, the start of everything, for real.

"Looks like you're not graduating after all." You grin, and Yeri is seriously tempted to ruin the moment by stepping on your foot. "It's a good thing too, because even though you were good enough for me to pass you, you definitely have room for improvement."

"Oh really?" She smiles at your joke, tightening her grip gently. "You wanna say that after I kiss you?"

"I'll have to get back to you on that." You laugh, leaning your forehead in the crook of her neck, holding her tightly.

Yeri laughs too. "And besides, don't think you're any better. I wouldn't give you top marks either."

"You want the truth?"

"Oh god what now?"

When you look at her, you're smiling, shoulders shaking with laughter. "Before you I never kissed anyone either."

"You liar!" Yeri is laughing again, too happy right now to stop laughing. "And you tried to make me feel bad about the same thing?"

"I'm not the one who confessed it during a game of truth or dare."

Yeri grins. "Terrible idea, right?"

"Maybe not." You lean in, kissing her again.