Something happened. 

Bomi isn’t sure what happened, but something happened. An almost palpable tension fills the air any time more than two of them are in a room together, especially if it’s Chorong and Eunji. When it’s those two, Bomi almost can’t breath with how suffocating it is between the two of them. There’s a deep anger when they so much as glance at each other. There’s something else too.

Something happened.

Bomi doesn’t ask about it though. She accepts that something happened between them and tries not to question the way Chorong clings to her now. They always spent their time together before, but now, Chorong seems unwilling to part. She’s especially touchy when Eunji is around. Bomi tries not to think about what that means.

Because she likes Eunji. Eunji is fun and silly and charming and friendly. She’s one of Bomi’s closest friends. This is why it makes Bomi feel so guilty about feeling so happy that she’s not talking to Chorong. She doesn’t want them to be fighting, but she does like that the girl she likes isn’t talking to someone who might like her. It makes Bomi sick. She doesn’t want to feel this way.

One day, Bomi tries to talk to Eunji about it, about whatever is going on. All Eunji does is brush her off and say, “Just drop it, Bomi. Chorong will always do what she’s always done. Whatever she wants.”

The words and the way Eunji says this doesn’t sit well with Bomi. It’s all bitter and resigned and resentful. Bomi might not want anything to happen between Chorong and Eunji, but she doesn’t want them to be like this either.

So Bomi tries to talk to Chorong about it. 

“Are you and Eunji okay?” Bomi asks carefully one afternoon. She and Chorong are stretched out by the lake, the sun glaring down on them. 

“We’re fine,” Chorong replies, but her voice makes it clear that they aren’t.

Biting her lip, Bomi says, “Oh, I was just wondering since you two don’t really talk as much.”

“She’s busy with Naeun,” Chorong says, and it’s hard to deny the jealousy in those words. Then Chorong looks at her, all smiles, and adds, “It’s fine. I’m happy with you.”

It’s so hard not to just drop it when Chorong says stuff like that. It makes Bomi’s heart all fluttery and nervous. She just wants to enjoy the pretty girl smiling and flirting with her. If only it were that easy.

“I like spending time with you too,” Bomi says. She shrugs a little, avoiding eye contact as she continues, “It was just nice spending time with everyone else.”

Chorong snaps her gaze towards her, but Bomi is too busy staring up at the sky and ignoring her. She knows she probably hurt Chorong with that, but it’s true. Since whatever happened, they haven’t spent any more time with the others. Bomi really likes hanging out with Chorong alone, but she also misses hanging out with her friends, especially when they’re here and hanging out with each other. More than once, Bomi has happened to glance out the window to see Eunji, Namjoo, Naeun, and Hayoung all together doing something. Everything feels so messy, and Bomi doesn’t know why or how she managed to be in the middle of it.

“Eunji isn’t talking to me,” Chorong says abruptly. Then she looks to Bomi again, but Bomi doesn’t know what to say. She already knows that. “She doesn’t want to see me.”

“Why?” Bomi asks. 

“She just doesn’t want to see me,” Chorong says.

Okay, that’s not entirely a lie, but Bomi knows that isn’t the whole truth either.

“You’re so stubborn,” Bomi mumbles.

Chorong sighs and says, “Can’t you just drop it?”

Hearing the same words that Eunji told her, Bomi feels herself getting annoyed. “I’m just worried about you,” Bomi snaps. “Is that so wrong?”

There’s silence, and Bomi thinks Chorong has left her. When she turns her head though, she finds Chorong sitting up and staring at her with a weirdly pensive look on her face. “I’m sorry,” Chorong murmurs after a long moment. She reaches out and squeezes Bomi’s hand. “It’s just… complicated.”

“How complicated?” Bomi asks, sitting up so that they’re eye level. 

Chorong purses her lips then says, “Really complicated.” She shakes her head. “There’s just a lot of history between us, including Namjoo. It’s hard.” She squeezes her hand again and smiles weakly. “You make it harder too, in a way, but easier too.”

Without really thinking about it, Bomi leans in and kisses her. It’s no more than a press of their lips, but Bomi feels herself reddening as she pulls away. “Sorry,” Bomi says quickly. “I don’t know why I did that. I just… You make me feel–” She flounders with her words. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize,” Chorong reassures her gently. “It was nice.” She bites her lip and glances away. “It was different.”

“Good different?” Bomi asks hopefully.

Chorong laughs and nods, “Yes, good different.”

“Good,” Bomi smiles. She holds Chorong’s hand and gives it a squeeze back. “We should go on a date some time then. Maybe go out on the lake at night. It’s so pretty with the moonlight. I saw some men down there the other night, probably drinking and enjoying the view too.” She wants to say more but trails off when she notices Chorong has gone pale, a new look in her eye. “Hey, are you okay?” Bomi asks.

“You were by the lake at night?” Chorong asks. Her voice is faint. Like she isn’t really there. “And you saw men?”

“Yeah, I couldn't sleep so I went down there,” Bomi says slowly. Was that bad? “Chorong–”

“I need to go,” Chorong says suddenly, climbing to her feet. “I have to go talk to Eunji.”

“Eunji?” Bomi repeats incredulously. “The Eunji you just said five minutes ago that doesn’t want to see you?”

“It’s important,” Chorong says, but it’s robotic and panicked. She barely spares Bomi a glance. “I need to go.”

“Chorong,” Bomi tries again.

“I’ll talk to you later,” Chorong says. 

She’s already walking away, missing the worried look Bomi gives her as she does. She’s not thinking about Bomi anymore though. Well, she is, but not right now. Not like that. Instead, she’s freaking out and wondering what Bomi might have seen. The fact that she saw those men at all is a problem. A big problem. This decision to invite Bomi and her friends here is finally blowing up in her face. Chorong feels light-headed as she all but runs to Eunji’s house. She needs to end this before it ends like last summer.

The front door is unlocked, and while part of Chorong is worried about that, a much larger part of her is just relieved she won’t have to knock and wait. She rushes through the familiar halls without much thought. She can make it to Eunji’s room with her eyes closed after so many summers together. 

When she gets to the last door on the left, Chorong pushes open the door without thinking. Maybe if she had just taken a moment to think, she wouldn’t be seeing what she is. She stands there in the doorway, out of breath and digging her nails into the wood of the doorway. Eunji and Naeun stare back at her, , except for a thin sheet that hides nothing.

Chorong isn’t sure how long she stands there, gaping at the two of them in bed. A bed that Chorong spent so many summers in, sleeping as children and doing so much more just a year ago. She feels like she can’t breath for a whole new reason. 

“Eunji, we need to talk,” Chorong finally blurts out. When the other girl makes no move to get out of bed, Chorong clenches her hands into fists and adds, “It’s about the lake.”

That gets Eunji moving. Her eyes grow wide as she reaches to grab her shirt from the floor. Chorong looks away when she lets the sheet fall from her chest to put it on, and when she looks back up, Eunji is saying something to Naeun, too quietly for Chorong to hear. Whatever she says makes Naeun give her a cold look. 

“I’ll be out in a minute,” Eunji tells Chorong pointedly. 

Chorong presses her lips together then nods. “I’ll be out in the hall.”

True to her word, Eunji emerges from the room not long after with wrinkled clothes and messy hair. She runs a hand through her hair then asks, “So, what happened?”

Instead of answering, Chorong says, “So, you and Naeun.”

“That isn’t any of your business,” Eunji scowls. She pushes past Chorong and starts heading down the hall. As Chorong follows her, she continues, “Besides, it’s not anything serious.”

“No?” Chorong murmurs, eyeing Eunji carefully. She knows Eunji. She knows what she looks like when she loves someone. She’s getting there with Naeun. When Eunji says nothing, Chorong sighs and explains, “Bomi saw some men by the lake the other night.”

This stops Eunji mid-step, causing Chorong to run right into her. Chorong barely has time to balance herself before Eunji is turned around and demanding, “Are you sure she saw something?”

“She said she saw men,” Chorong says. “I don’t know from how far away or if they saw her, but she saw them.”

“Meaning she’s a liability,” Eunji finishes her train of thought. She looks away and mutters a curse under her breath. “Goddammit, Chorong.” She shakes her head and turns back to her. “We need to get everyone out here as soon as possible.” 

“How?” Chorong asks. 

Eunji throws her hands in the air. “I can’t have all the answers, Chorong. This is your mess.”

“I didn’t think—”

“No, you didn’t think at all,” Eunji cuts her off. She closes her eyes for a moment then says, “You know what, fine. Tell Bomi that we need to go because our fathers are inviting business partners here, so we need to clear out by tomorrow morning. I’ll find Namjoo and tell her what’s happening, and we’ll tell Naeun and Hayoung.” 

“Eunji—“ Chorong tries. 

“Not right now,” Eunji tells her tiredly. “I have to go clean up your mess now.” With that, she leaves her in the hallway. 

Chorong scrubs at her eyes angrily, cursing the tears welling up in them. She shakes her head and storms out of the house. She doesn’t need Eunji to clean up her mess. She’s perfectly capable of taking care of it herself. Chorong walks back to her house and finds Bomi sitting on the porch, looking small with her knees tucked to her chest. 

“Are you mad at me?” Bomi asks whenever Chorong is close enough. Her voice is small and scared, and Chorong is immediately sitting next to her and wrapping an arm around her. “Did I say something wrong?”

“No, I just,” Chorong begins. She hesitates the continues, “You mentioned men by the lake, and I remembered something. I had to go check with Eunji, but I remembered that our fathers are inviting business associates here. We’ll need to leave in the morning.”

“That’s it?” Bomi asks with furrowed brows. “You looked like you saw a ghost, Chorong.”

Chorong forces a smile and jokes, “My father isn’t the kind of person you want to make angry.”

The joke falls short because Bomi just stares at her with more concern. “I wanted to talk to you about that,” Bomi says. She stares down at her hands and says, “The other night… I saw your dad talking to some men by the dock, and I…” 

Chorong knows where this story is going, and she feels the first tendril of fear close around her heart. 

“It didn't look like a friendly conversation,” Bomi finishes quietly. She chances a look at Chorong, but when she’s met with fear and resignation, her eyes go wide, “Chorong—“

“I should have never brought you here,” Chorong murmurs, standing up. “I never should have..” She shakes her head. “Come on. We need to go to Eunji’s, now.” 

Bomi stands but stares helplessly at her. “What? Why?”

“Because,” Chorong says, “it’s time for you to know what happened last summer.”

a/n: chorong is still a mess and the big reveal is happening soon!! i wonder if any of y'all can guess what happened... sorry for the lack of naeun, namjoo, and hayoung but they'll definitely be more present next chapter. thank you again for reading!