"Listen Minji, I love you and all, but you really need to get out of the apartment."

This is the third time this week Yoohyeon has said this to Minji--the girl had been hounding her to leave her apartment for over a month now.

"But I do leave the apartment when I go to work." Minji points out. Technically she does leave the apartment because she works everyday.

Yoohyeon draws a heavy exasperated sigh, and Minji knows that was definitely the wrong answer, "Yes but, you work nine to seven everyday, all you ever do is work."

Of course all she does is work, what else is she supposed to do than pay off her crippling student debt and rent for her apartment?

"But I go shopping too, isn't that enough?" Minji's voice comes out hoarse and she clears . They'd been discussing this for over an hour now, "I work on the weekdays and go shopping on the weekends, surely that's balanced."

"That's not balanced, Minji." Siyeon says next, and Minji almost forgets that Siyeon is on the couch next to Yoohyeon too, "You barely have time for yourself, how are you even managing?"

How is she managing? Perhaps just barely if she were to be entirely honest with herself, but she doesn't want to admit that outright--it would hurt the little pride she has left in herself.

"I'm managing just great, I go work, shopping--"

"Online shopping." Yoohyeon interjects.

"It still counts as real shopping!"

"Are you sure?" Siyeon asks calmly, and Minji has to avert her gaze from her stare. She knows Siyeon is far from intimidating, but in times like this, it's a little daunting to talk to the girl face to face.

"I'm sure Singnie, really." Minji musters her best reassuring smile, "You guys don't have to be worried about me. I have you two anyways."

"Listen Minji, out of the three of us I'm the one who stays home the most, but now I think you've taken that spot as the homebody, and it's really worrying." Siyeon says, her voice careful.

Minji blinks. Siyeon is...right. There was a time when Minji would avoid staying home because she'd become restless and it was Siyeon that was the hermit. When had the that all changed? Minji remembers a time, but doesn't want to ponder it further, it didn't matter now anyways.

"Even so, I'm healthy and I take care of myself, right?" Minji lets out a airy laugh, "I'm grateful that you two are worried about me, but I'm fine. Really."

The couple stays silent and Minji takes a sip of her tea. It's bland now and doesnt relieve the dull ache that's blooming in her chest.

Siyeon's voice is low, "It's because of her, isn't it--"

"Siyeon!" Yoohyeon whispers loudly, nudging the girl's shoulder. Minji pretends she didn't hear her comment with another sip of her tea. She doesn't want to acknowledge it, not when she's been doing much better now.

"I've been doing well these past few months," Minji says, a slight tremor in her voice betraying her, "I'm just getting by day by day. I know I have you two to rely on, and for that I'm so grateful."

"If you say so, Minji." Yoohyeon sighs.

"You know we're always here for you." Siyeon says, and offers her a smile.

"I know." Minji manages to smile back, before taking another sip of her lukewarm tea. Watching the couple sitting across on the coach made her feel as if she's in an intervention right now.

Yoohyeon's face then suddenly lights up, "Oh, right! Have you been to the new coffee shop across the bakery yet?"

She hasn't. She's never found the time to go, even if it was across from the place she works in. When she did have time after her shift was over, the coffee shop would be already closed. Minji shakes her head and expects the chorus of disappointed sighs, but she doesn't expect Yoohyeon's next proposal.

"Let's go visit then! Since it's morning I'm sure the coffee will be nice and warm, we'll get some fresh air too."

"Wait, right now?" Minji gapes as Yoohyeon's enthusiasm sky rockets, bouncing off the coach to grab her coat.

"Yeah! What do you think, babe?" Yoohyeon goes down and pecks the crown of Siyeon's head.

An amused smile graces on Siyeon's lips as she looks up at the beaming Yoohyeon, "I don't see why not. I've been wanting to try their coffee for awhile now anyways."

Yoohyeon giggles and avoids Siyeon trying to kiss her chin, and Minji can only watch in silent disbelief at the couple display their PDA infront of her.

The dull ache returns, along with the buried memory of orange neon hair and a lazy chesire smile that used to make her heart flutter. Minji clears , averting her eyes from the couple. She's not sure if it's to distract herself from them, or her.

"Looks like it's two against one then." Yoohyeon chimes as she makes her way to the door, Siyeon closely trailing behind her, "We should go before it gets busy."

"Minji?" Siyeon calls, an encouraging smile on her face that grabs Minji's attention.

If she were to be honest with herself, a part of her didn't want to go. Yet, a part of her did.

She's tired of seeing the same beige walls and coming to an empty apartment everyday. Although the place is her home, it doesn't feel like home. It's contradictory and she loathes it. Everywhere she looks there's traces of her and she hates being reminded every second. It's suffocating and Minji doesn't know how long she can keep this up before she does something she knows she'll regret.

A defeated smile makes way on her lips and she slowly lifts herself up from the couch, "Alright, alright, I'm coming."

Yoohyeon lets out an excited squeal and shakes Siyeon's shoulders in victory, and Minji can only laugh breathlessly at the sight. Perhaps some fresh would do her good, and maybe she'll finally have a clear head again.

--

They're now standing outside the coffee shop, and Minji feels a sense of reluctance going inside. The coffee shop looks cosy and warm from the outside, and Minji wonders why she's never bothered to visit once. A tug from Yoohyeon's hand brings them inside, and when they finally enter, Minji feels as if her breath has been taken away.

It's a small coffee shop but it's cosy and reminds her of what home should look like. The warm dim lighting and the faint jazz piano help set Minji's beating heart at ease. The aromatic smell of coffee beans hits her nose immediately, and Minji inhales the relaxing scent in all at once. She doesn't remember the last time she's ever visited a coffee shop...or gone out at all.

"Wow..." Siyeon breathes out, and Minji silently agrees with a nod. The coffee shop is small but it's bustling with quiet noise and chatter, and Minji knows she'll probably visit here again.

"C'mon, lets find a table first." Yoohyeon offers, leading the way.

Minji trails behind the two, in awe of the place. She passes by a young looking barista with fox like features, and she offers a polite smile when they meet eyes. The barista beams a smile back, before going off to give an order at a table.

"The staff are nice here too." Minji muses, settling onto the table booth that Yoohyeon picks. They're near the counter, with Yoohyeon and Siyeon sitting together, and Minji across from the pair.

Yoohyeon grins, "I know, right? Everything about this place is so nice."

"It really is." Siyeon agrees, picking up the table menu, "Anyways, can we order now? I'm starving."

Yoohyeon rolls her eyes, "You're always hungry, you know that?"

Siyeon makes a noise of exasperation and Minji laughs at her expression. Yoohyeon pokes a teasing tongue out to Siyeon, and Siyeon nudges her with a pout.

Minji can only watch with the pair with a small smile, a small pang in her chest at another buried memory of orange hair and stolen glances. She averts her eyes to distract herself from the thoughts, opting to watch the front counter she's facing.

The counter is busy with customers and she notices the friendly barista from before, taking orders at the register. Minji's eyes sweep over the other barista's behind the counter, landing on one that seemed to be an odd sheep out of the rest.

She seems young just like the others, but while the others have a polite smile on their faces, she has a deep set scowl that Minji recognizes all too well--the girl definitely hates her job.

Minji squints her eyes to fish out her name tag, but the barista is too far away preparing the coffee. For some reason, Minji can't seem to tear her eyes off the girl, intrigued. Especially with the rather ridiculous coffee hat she has on top of her head, a bright yellow that contrasts against the green gown she's wearing.

When she thinks she's done staring--the barista turns around and they lock eyes, and Minji's heart feels like it leaps out of her chest as she quickly looks down, hoping she just didn't get caught staring.

Siyeon's voice quickly pulls her out of her rooted embarrassment, "Minji? You okay?"

"Yeah? Yeah--I'm good." She quickly shifts the glasses on her nose, and looks up to see Siyeon and Yoohyeon staring at her expectantly.

"You know what you want to order?" Siyeon asks again, her voice laced with clear concern.

Minji clears and nods, "Yeah--I'll just get a black coffee and a croissant."

Yoohyeon begins to stand up to go order but Minji quickly stands up before her, speaking fast before her head catches up, "No, let me pay. It'll be my treat."

"What? No way!" Yoohyeon makes a noise of protest and Siyeon quickly refuses too.

But Minji relents. She assures them that it's because she's finally left the house and it's her way of thanking them, but a small part of her knows it's also because of something else. The couple give up and relay their orders, and Minji finally makes her way to the counter, rehearsing their orders in her head.

When it's her turn to finally order, it's the friendly barista from before, and Minji sees that her name is Gahyeon.

"Welcome! What would you like today?" Gahyeon's voice is cheery and bright as she flashes her a dazzling smile. Minji relays her order with ease, and watches as Gahyeon nods attentively when she punches the numbers in.

Then Minji sees the odd sheep, grumbling away at the corner of the coffee station. She's trying to fix her overly ridiculous coffee hat that seems so out of place for such a velvety coffee shop. The barista then huffs and gives up on fixing her hat, and a small smile makes way on Minji's lips. The sight was slightly endearing to watch and honestly, she'd hate her job as well, if she had to wear such a ridiculous hat too.

Gahyeon finally gives her receipt and Minji thanks her with a polite smile, making her way to the waiting bay. She gets a better look at the annoyed barista now, but makes sure not to meet eyes with her again. She honestly didn't mean to stare before, but the coffee hat was quite the huge distraction.

Minji also sees that from up close, the annoyed barista is actually...quite pretty. Her features are delicate yet sharp, and her rather red lips make Minji want to apply some lip balm on her own. Her hair is dyed a dark burgundy red, and Minji's not sure if she's ever seen someone own a color that well before.

Then the barista approaches the counter, announcing Minji's order--which makes Minji realise she has to talk to her now.

"Order for Minji." She announces, her voice loud yet lacking in enthusiasm.

"Here!" Minji says, a little too loudly, rushing her way to the counter and making sure to avoid her gaze in case the barista recognizes her.

"Here's your order of three black coffees, one croissant and two--" The barista stops adruptly, and Minji has no choice but to meet her gaze.

"Yes...?" Minji asks hesitantly, finally noticing her name is Bora from the name tag, and Bora's expression is a clear mix of both surprised and offended.

"You...you're the one that was staring at me before!"

Oh, so she did notice.

Minji grimaces, making the mistake of shifting her eyes to Bora's ridiculous looking coffee hat, then back to her eyes.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, really--" Minji quickly starts, not sure whether to look at her hat or her eyes, but hitches as Bora suddenly huffs.

"It's the stupid hat, isn't it?" Bora mutters, clearly peeved, "I told Yubin I didn't need to wear it, but she told me it's good for business--yeah right. Good for business my ."

Minji is at a loss for words, and Bora continues ranting.

"Tell me, does it make me look ridiculous? It does, right? You can be honest. Your staring was a clear giveaway."

"I mean--I don't..."

"Don't what?"

Minji sees that some people are starting to look their way, and she feels like she's been cornered with no way out, "I mean--I didn't mean to stare. I wasn't staring to be rude, I swear. The hat looks great on you...only you can pull something like this off!"

Minji isn't lying, the hat looks less ridiculous with Bora being the one to wear it, and she really does pull it off. But with the way Bora slams Minji's tray on the counter, some coffee spilling on the baked goods, Bora definitely didn't find take the comment to heart.

"You...you're making fun of me, aren't you?"

Before Minji can say anything to save herself from this mess, Siyeon and Yoohyeon quickly usher to her aid and rescue her.

"Hey! What's going on here?" Yoohyeon steps infront of Minji protectively, blocking her from Bora. Siyeon is next to Yoohyeon too, a deep frown on her face.

"No, no, it's fine! It's just a misun--" Minji manages to say until Gahyeon finally rushes to Bora side, followed by another barista trailing behind her.

Bora huffs when she sees them, grabbing her hat from her head and throwing it onto the counter, before turning to face the barista that Minji doesn't recognize.

"Dammit, Yubin. I told you the hat idea was stupid!"

Oh, so that was Yubin. The girl seems unfazed, as if this wasn't the first time this has happened today.

"That's not very professional, Bora." Yubin mutters, "We've been through this multiple times already, you need to wear the hat."

Bora ignores her, and Gahyeon looks apologetic as she tries to drag the girl to the back, but Bora doesn't budge a muscle and instead she crosses her arms.

Yubin turns to face them, her eyes clearly tired and Minji feels really bad now, feeling like it was her fault for staring in the first place.

"Please excuse her." Yubin says as she eyes Bora with a strained smile, "She's new here, but that's no excuse to be rude, right Bora?"

Siyeon and Yoohyeon seem to have the same idea as Minji because they all stay quiet, watching as Bora looks like a ticking time bomb with the way she's tapping her forearm impatiently.

Then she laughs, but it's dry and Minji can only wince at her tone.

"You know, I'm sick of working here, and I'm sick of wearing this dumb hat, I'm so sick of everything."

"Bora, not now…" Gahyeon pleads, tugging at her arm but Bora relents.

"And you want to know the worst part?" Bora faces Yubin as she begins to untie her apron, "I can't even quit if I wanted to!" She then throws her apron roughly onto the counter, her chest heaving loudly.

"Bora--" Yubin tries, but Bora doesn't stay and storms off to the back of the kitchen, and soon she's out of sight from all of them.

Yubin sighs again and turns to face them, her eyes clear with remorse, "I'm so sorry about everything, she uh, she does that all the time."

Yoohyeon can only let out a laugh, and Siyeon follows, uncertain at what just happened. Minji finally finds the courage to speak again.

"No, I'm really sorry, I'm the one to blame." Minji says regretfully.

Yubin quickly shakes her head, "No, please. It's our fault for not providing proper customer service. Please, if you'd like a refund or anything--"

The trio quickly deny and shake their heads with light laughter. Yubin looks so tired, and Minji doesn't want to trouble the poor girl further.

Then Gahyeon perks up quickly with an offer, "Then free coffees! It's on the house, and it's the least we can do."

The trio have no choice but to agree at the offer. They decide to take their breakfast to go at Minji's expense, partially because she's not so sure if she wants to stay anymore. There's a sense of shame now, knowing that her face has been ingrained in the mind of Bora and every single other barista she locked eyes with.

The trio make their way outside the shop, and Yoohyeon is the first to speak up with nervous laughter.

"So like, what just happened back there?"

"What happened is that we're definitely never going back there again." Siyeon says as she takes a sip of her coffeen then she sighs, "It's sad too, because the coffee is actually pretty good."

Yoohyeon hums, disappointed. "Well, there goes another place we're never coming back to."

Minji stays silent, trailing behind them while swishing the liquid in her coffee cup. She hasn't eaten her croissant yet, her appetite long gone now. There's a silent agreement between them not to mention what had just happened back there with Bora and it helps because they quickly switch to another topic of conversation.

The more they walk back to Minji's apartment, the entire situation becomes long forgotten, a thing of the past now with light laughter and the promise of a better tomorrow taking over. The rest of the day is spent of Minji thirdwheeling with the couple, but she doesn't mind.

It's much better than being alone, after all.

But when Minji goes to sleep that night, she remembers again, and her heart grows anxious at the thought of crossing paths with Bora again. She decides then that she'll never go back to the coffee shop again--she can't bear to imagine what Bora could say to her if they ever meet again.

It'll be too awkward, and even though it wasn't her fault, Minji still feels a sense of guilt that she can't shake off so easily.

--

Days pass and Minji soon forgets about the debacle with Bora as she buries herself in her work at the bakery. Sometimes she remembers when she steals a glance at the coffee shop through the front window, but she always finds a way to distract herself. It's what she's best at, after all.

And today too, Minji remembers as she eyes the clock, her shift ending very soon at 5PM today. The coffee shop closes soon too, so there's a high chance of stumbling across Bora again. As Minji prepares her till for Yoohyeon, she glances out the front window, a habit or rather--a self defense mechanism she's formed in case she notices Bora.

Since that morning, she hasn't seen Bora around and she'd love to keep it that way--but a part of her still wonders if she's doing well. It was clear that Bora held some sort of resentment that went past just working at the coffee shop. But Minji doesn't think further about it with a mental shake of her head, it's none of her business anyways.

"You're going now?" Yoohyeon asks, pulling her out of her thoughts as she takes her place at the register.

"Yeah, goodluck with dinner rush." Minji replies kindly, laughing at the way Yoohyeon groans into her palms.

Minji offers her a comforting pat on the shoulder, before bidding a cheerful goodbye. She makes sure to pick up a few baked goods after paying, opting to have it as her dinner for tonight.

When she steps out of the bakery, the winter wind sweeps through her bangs, and Minji inhales the cold air in. She pulls the scarf to , glancing at the coffee shop across, seeing there's no sign of Bora thankfully.

She looks up to the darkening sky, noticing snowflakes begin to flutter down. She smiles appreciatevely, the week had treated her well despite everything.

It only takes five steps until Minji hears the coffee shop door across jingle open, and she makes the mistake of shifting her eyes to the source of the sound.

Right across from her is Bora.

Minji suddenly stops in her tracks, like a deer in headlights. She's not sure whether to avoid her or keep walking. It seems Bora hasn't noticed her yet by the way she's humming to herself as she wipes the door with a cloth, her back facing her. Minji sees that she's still wearing the ridiculous coffee hat too.

Looks like things between her and Yubin worked out, afterall.

Minji slowly takes a small step back, then another, before she spins on her heels and takes another walking route back home. She's still not ready to talk to Bora again, even though it was all just a clear misunderstanding.

Soon Minji is far away from the bakery and coffee shop, and suddenly she feels her face go hot. Did she really have to go to such lengths to avoid a stranger? The last thing Minji ever wants to do is upset Bora again--so she makes a plan that night. In order to avoid conflict, she'll continue to avoid her altogether.

--

But life never goes according to plan. Minji should've realised this sooner--they were technically neighbors after all.

They cross paths again, this time at Minji's bakery. Bors had entered in, still in her apron and Minji assumes she came in for her break. When Minji had seen her, she had panicked and hidden behind the counter near the shelve of bakery goods. A last attempt before she has to do the inevitable--serve her.

And still, Bora hasn't noticed her even as she's looking down at the hot goods, while Minji is across, her face hidden by the stainless glass.

"How much is this one?" Bora asks politely, pointing at the freshly baked apple pie. Minji manages a swift reply, realising that Bora still hasn't recognized her yet by her voice.

Bora continues to look, humming away to herself and Minji takes this time to peek at her face. Bora looks better than the last time she's seen her, and she seems to be in better mood too.

In a way, Bora looks much different with the way she is right now. Perhaps it was a one time thing for when she had gone off on her--because Bora looks so docile right now and Minji has almost forgotten what she had looked like when she first met her. It was like two completely different people.

But then time runs out, because Bora has finally picked out her goods and makes her way to the counter. Minji takes a deep breath, chanting a mantra that everything is temporary and she will be okay.

She watches as Bora fumbles with her wallet and Minji puts on her best smile, finding the courage to speak again, "Is that all for today, Miss?"

"Ah, yes that's everything-" Bora finally locks eyes with her, and Minji has never seen someone with so many different expressions all at once.

It shifts from one that is unreadable, to one of plain shock, and perhaps a mix of embrassment too.

"Y...You're the girl from last week! You work here?!" Bora's mouth gapes open wide and Minji can only laugh nervously.

Bora fumbles with her wallet and her hands, her expression shifts to one to guilt.

"Oh...oh my god, I'm so sorry about last week, I overreacted, and you didn't deserve any of that--"

"Minji? Is everything okay?"

Yoohyeon comes out of the back, and her expression changes when she sees Bora, who looks just as horrified.

"Wait--you're the barista across the cafe who yelled at Minji!" Yoohyeon exclaims, pointing an accusing finger at Bora, "Are you here to yell at her again? Because if you are, I swear--"

Minji quickly intervenes, "What? No, Yooh! She's just here to buy--"

Bora quickly raises her hands, defensive. "No, no, I really am just here to buy! I didn't even know you two worked across--If I had just known earlier--"

"What? You would've come yelling again?" Yoohyeon scoffs.

Bora's face looks crestfallen, and Minji sees that Bora really does look guilty. She quickly grabs Yoohyeon's shoulders and pushes her, ignoring her noises of protests.

"Don't worry, I got this, keep doing your thing."

"But Minji--"

"Hey, it's all good, okay?" Minji flashes her a smile, and Yoohyeon sighs.

"Alright, but if she gives you trouble, call me okay?"

Minji offers her a grateful smile, patting her shoulder before rushing back to the counter. Bora quickly speaks again when she sees her.

"Listen, I'm really sorry about last week--"

"I know."

Minji offers her a smile, and Bora casts her gaze down, becoming silent. Minji continues to pack her goods, seeing that Bora is fidgeting with her fingers.

"I get it, you were probably stressed." Minji starts, a light laugh escapes her lips, "I would be too, if I had to wear that dumb hat."

She averts her eyes to Bora's coffee hat, and Bora looks momentarily surprised, and soon relief washes over her features as she lets out a light laugh as well.

"I know...but, that's no excuse for the way I treated you, stressed or not." Bora says quietly, "Can you let me make it up to you as my apology? How does coffee sound?"

Minji packs the last of her goods in the paper bag, before looking up at her again, finding the confidence to flash a teasing smile to her, "I don't mind hut, do you even like coffee yourself?"

Bora looks surprised, "How do you know that?"

Minji gently hands her the paper bag, "I heard it while you were grumbling away at the coffee station, the whole world could practically hear how much you hate coffee."

Bora lets out a groan, slapping her palm to her cheek, "You heard all of that?"

Minji nods with a smile, "By cash or card?"

"Card." Bora mumbles, fumbling with her wallet again.

Minji taps away at her register, before looking at her again. "You know, someone who works in a coffee shop usually likes coffee themselves."

Bora lets out an amused laugh, "And your point is?"

Minji shrugs, handing her receipt with a smile, "Nothing, I just find it interesting."

Bora gathers her food, before looking at her again. Her smile is meek, "So...no coffee then?"

Minji feels endeared by her rather shy smile, "How about just lunch? I get off early tomorrow."

Bora's face relaxes, and her shoulders drop as a huge smile spreads on her face, "I can do that! How about after you get off work tomorrow, you drop by?"

Minji notices another customer approaching and she nods, matching Bora's enthusiasm with a beam of her smile. "I'm looking forward to it then."

Bora lets out a light sigh, before bidding her goodbye with a slight wave and soon she's out of the door.

When Minji finishes serving the new customer, her knees finally begin to buckle and she has to lean back on the counter to really process what had just happened. She hears Yoohyeon come rushing to her side, and she has to close her eyes for a moment.

"Is everything okay? Did she say anything bad?"

Minji shakes her head in response, everything had occured so quickly and effortlessly. "No...no, we're good now, Yooh."

"Wow...seriously?" Yoohyeon looks really surprised and Minji doesn't blame her, she's just as surprised.

"She's treating me for lunch, can you believe it?"

Yoohyeon covers and gasps, "She's treating you to lunch? Like a date lunch? She's quite forward--"

 

"What--no!" Minji panics, "Just lunch. No dates." She hits her shoulder lightly, but Yoohyeon still looks surprised.

"I got to tell Siyeon this, no way."

Minji rolls her eyes as she pushes her back to the register, "You can tell your girlfriend later, your break's over now."

"But...but Minji!"

"Hey, no buts!"

Minji glances out of the window to see Bora enter the coffee shop across, and her heart finally begins to feel at ease again.

--

Minji's next day at the bakery is a blur, and before she realises it, her shift is finally over and she has to meet Bora for lunch. She assures Yoohyeon she'll be fine by herself, and that she'll make sure to tell her every detail.

She's been giddy for the whole day, not sure if it's out of nerves or excitement. But it spikes when she walks in through the coffee shop door, immediately noticing Bora by the counter, chatting and laughing away with Yubin and Gahyeon who are still on the other side. Minji is far, but she can hear Bora's loud laughter even by the entrance, and it's endearing in a way. Bora's still in her uniform, and she's still wearing the coffee hat. It's still a little harsh on the eyes but Minji thinks if it's anyone that can make it work, it's definitely Bora.

Yubin is the first to notice Minji approaching, and waves her over. As Minji makes her way to the counter, Bora waves too, along with Gahyeon.

Minji quickly introduces herself to Yubin and Gahyeon, but it seems that Bora had already filled the two in.

"We're really sorry about last time, Minji." Yubin says, and Minji can only laugh and shake her palm, assuring her it's all in the past now.

"If we had know you and your friend worked across, we would've made sure to send Bora to apologise right away." Yubin says, eyeing Bora who suddenly looks guilty once more.

"I'm treating her to lunch as my apology." Bora mumbles, and Gahyeon and Yubin exchange a look that doesn't go unnoticed by Minji. Bora notices the exchange too, and suddenly she becomes flustered and begins to push Minji away, "Anyways! We should get going before a seat gets taken!"

Gahyeon snorts, "But there's plenty of--"

"Be quiet, you!" Bora throws her a look, and Gahyeon shrugs with a smile, Yubin shakes her head with a sigh.

"Uh, good luck with work!" Minji manages to say until Bora drags her to the farthest table away from the counter.

They quickly settle into the booth, and a comfortable silence settles between them as Bora gestures her to look at the menu. Minji scans over the menu once, before breaking the silence, "You all seem rather close."

Bora doesn't bother to look at the menu, already knowing her order. Instead she leans her cheek on her hand--a fond smile on her face, "Yeah. They're annoying but...they're like family to me."

"Yeah?" Minji becomes silent, listening. She feels something stir within her at Bora's soft voice, a comforting contrast from her loud demeoner from before.

"Actually, I'm the annoying one, and I cause a lot of trouble, especially for Yubin but..." Bora laughs, it's quiet and comforting, "But they always look out for me, you know?"

Minji smiles, she knows just as well. She thinks of Yoohyeon and Siyeon, perhaps the two people in her life she only considers family, "I understand."

Bora looks up at her, her face suddenly uncertain, "Your tall friend from the other day looked really pissed at me."

Minji laughs, settling the menu down, "You mean Yoohyeon? She's just protective, you were quite riled up yourself too."

Bora groans, "God...I'm still sorry about that. I'll never be able to live that one down."

Minji can see how regretful she is and smiles, "Hey, I accept your apology, okay? Can we order already?"

Bora looks dumbfounded, then she lets out a loud laugh, shaking her head, "You're really something else, you know that? If it was anyone else, I'm sure they would've sued us by now."

"I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing."

They share a knowing look, before bursting into a fit of loud laughter, and Minji can't remember the last time she's ever laughed so hard before.

Soon they settle down, and Yubin comes by to take their order. Bora smugly teases her that she's the one who has to serve her and Yubin lightly threatens to cut her pay, which gets Bora to become quiet. Minji can only watch the whole exchange with a giggle.

When Yubin comes back and leaves with their orders, they ease into their food and begin to have conversations about everything and anything.

It's easy to talk with Bora, and it's refreshing for Minji. Bora talks animatedly at times, but she's a good listener too.

Minji learns that Yubin is the one that manages the coffee shop, and Gahyeon and Bora work for her because of their respective dreams. Gahyeon wants to open up a nail shop one day, and Bora wants to open up her own dance studio. The revelation explains Bora's rather amazing physique, but Minji tries to not dwell on such a thought further.

Bora also tells her she hates the smell of coffee, and that's why she hates coming in everyday.

And now they've landed on the topic of relationships, and although Minji is usually reluctant approaching such a topic, she realises she doesn't mind if it's Bora.

"I was in relationship before, but it didn't work out." Bora starts, "We weren't right for each other, but we tried, and that resulted in us become more distant. He was a ty guy anyways."

"Do you still think about him?"

"Not really. I mean, sometimes I wonder if he's doing okay, but that's really it." Bora shrugs, then pokes at her half eaten steak, "I don't miss him, and I'm way happier now. Being single is the best."

Minji hums, she's not so sure whether she's relieved at the fact that Bora's out of a bad relationship, or if it's that she's single.

"How about you? You got someone?"

Minji doesn't respond straight away, she's not sure if she's actually ready to talk about it just yet. Bora seems to quickly picks up on her apprehension.

"Hey, if you don't to talk about it, that's okay too! I don't want to force you."

Minji smiles, shaking her head. She settles her utensils down, easing Bora's panic. "No, no. It's okay, it's just--I haven't talked about it in long time, and it kind of feels like the right thing to keep it that way."

"Ah," Bora nods, "does talking about it...make you feel like you've given up?"

"What do you mean?"

"It's like, you think you're over them, but at some point, you just need to talk about it. It eats away at you before you realise it."

Bora then lets out a light laugh, "I guess, what I'm saying is--it's okay to let it out sometimes, they'll never know anyways. You're not weak, and your power belongs to you, and only you."

And that was it for Minji.

It was exactly what she had desperately needed to hear for such a long time.

She suddenly has the urge to cry, and she quickly casts her gaze down, but Bora is quick to notice.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry, was that too forward of me? I'm such an idiot--I should've just dropped it--"

"No, no!" Minji lets out a laugh, fanning her tears away. She looks back up at her again, beaming a smile at her, "I think...I think really needed to hear that, thank you."

Bora's worried expression shifts to one of relief, "I'm sorry, it's just...You look like you have a lot on your mind."

A comfortable silence settles over them, and it's Bora's invitation for Minji to continue if she's ready.

"Her name was Handong." Minji finally says, her name sounding foreign on her tongue. It's the first time she's said her name in a long time, "She was my first love."

Minji pauses, realising that she's just outed herself to Bora. But judging by the way Bora doesn't seem to be fazed in the slightest, and how her eyes continue to stay warm and empathetic, Minji pours it all out.

She tells her everything, perhaps more than she'd ever like to, but Bora silently encourages her to keep going.

"She was a university transfer student, and I was assigned to show her the campus." Minji says, the memories flooding back, "then one thing led to the other, and I fell in love with her."

Bora hums as if she knows all too well the same feeling.

"Two years, we were together. She moved in and we lived together. It was the happiest I ever was in a long time." Minji then lets out a quiet laugh, "But our goals were completely different in life, and she was the one who called it quits first."

Bora lets out a soft gasp, "I'm...I'm so sorry to hear that."

Minji musters a small smile. Strangely, she thought mentioning it again would be painful but rather, she feels a sense of liberation now.

"No, no...it's okay. It's been five months since then, but the world keeps telling me I should be over it by now. That's the hardest part."

"I...I know what you mean. It took me four months until I felt like I really moved on from him, but then, it really took six months."

Minji lets out a light laugh, "Looks like I'm not too far behind then."

Bora shakes her head quickly, "No, not at all! It's always different for everyone. And for a two year relationship...I can't even begin to imagine."

Bora then looks at her again, her voice soft and her eyes sincere, "It's never easy to move on, but when it happens, it happens. And it's the best feeling in the world. You just have to be patient with yourself."

Minji doesn't reply, she doesn't have the words to express how she's feeling right now. Bora's comforting words have continued to ease her heart more than once today.

"Thank you." Minji can only say quietly, and Bora seems to understand, a gentle smile on her face.

"Hey, I mean, I knew I'd treat you to lunch as an apology, but I never thought we'd bond over our exes out of all things." Bora says with a grin, picking up her utensils again.

Minji feels the same way, she never figured they'd bond over so much in such little time. But then again, Bora always seemed to be full of surprises.

"Coming here, I was scared you'd yell at me over something again." Minji starts, giggling at the way Bora fake gasps loudly, "But I'm glad I agreed to this."

"Well I'm glad I exceeded your expectations." Bora replies with a small huff, "I'm not actually a scary person, seriously."

Minji snorts, "Why do I find that so hard to believe?"

"Hey, I'm serious! I'm not a scary person at all!"

Minji eyes Bora's sudden raised utensil, "You're threatening me with a fork right now, next thing you know, you'll probably throw it at me."

Bora realises and quickly becomes flustered, trying to defend herself but Minji continues to tease the woman, amused with her animated reactions. They continue to banter away, and soon Minji forgets about Handong altogether, finding immense joy in Bora's company.

She doesn't remember the last time she's ever felt this genuinely happy in a long time.

--

Before Minji even realises it, Bora and her continue to meet up for lunch, and they regularly stay in touch. Minji, along with Yoohyeon and Siyeon, become a regulars at the coffee shop.

And Bora becomes a regular at Minji's bakery too, and she always drops in to hand Minji a free coffee when she least expects it. Bora tells her it's because she needs to be energized for the day, but Minji wonders if it's an excuse to just talk to her again. Minji herself drops by with croissant or two, sometimes because she too, wants an excuse just to talk to Bora again.

Yubin and Gahyeon drop by as well during their breaks, and sometimes they help out with the bakery when the coffee shop closes early. Minji insists they don't have to, but they tell her it's the least they can do.

And now everyday, Minji has something to look forward to when she comes to work. Her weekends are suddenly filled with Bora always dragging her out somewhere now. Sometimes she drags her to a movie, shopping, karaoke, it's akways something different, but she doesn't mind because it's Bora.

And today too, Bora drops by for her lunch break with a different order--Minji's favorite choco ice tea. But Minji realises she's never once told her it is her favorite.

"I observe too, you know." Bora answers her quickly when she asks and a warm feeling arises in Minji's heart.

Bora had been doing that a lot to her lately, and Minji's not sure if she can continue to handle every small action Bora does for her. Her heart picks up faster whenever she's near Bora, and she wonders if Bora feels the same, but she knows it's just wishful thinking. Bora probably views her just as a friend, and Minji is more than okay with that.

"Yubin's birthday is coming up next month, and you're invited." Bora says, her voice suddenly quiet, "you'll come, right?"

Bora looks so vulnerable with the way she's looking at her right now, like she's the only thing that matters--and Minji has to avert her eyes away from her gaze, a sudden urge to protect her. "Of course I'll come."

Then Bora lets out a loud squeal that gets a few customers looking her way, but Minji's gotten used to her loudness by now. She can only smile at the smaller woman leaping with joy, and a part of her wonders just what she means to Bora.

--

The weekend rolls around and for this Saturday, Bora's invited her for a karaoke session, and Minji is more than willing to attend. She realises she's willing to go anywhere, as long as it's with Bora.

They settle down into a singing booth with instruments and drinks. Minji already knows Bora is the human embodiment of a megaphone, but even in a soundproof room, somehow, her screams can still be heard from a mile away. Halfway through a particularly loud song, an attendant has to knock and ask if everything's okay, but it's just Bora being her typical self.

When he leaves, they crack into a fit of laughter, and Minji wonders just how Bora does it. How is it that a woman like herself can be so free and without a care in the world? Their total opposites of each other, and Minji wonders how she can fit with such a free spirited person such as Bora.

"I'm envious of you." Minji finally says as Bora is picking another song.

"Why?" Bora asks, it's innocent and she looks at her with pure confusion, and Minji can only laugh, but it's directed more at herself.

"You're so full of life, and you do whatever you want to do." Minji says, gripping the mic in her hand, "I wish I could be the same."

"Minji..."

"I always second guess myself, but you always go with the flow. I wish I could be a free spirit too." Bora frowns, and Minji lets out another dry laugh, "I'm sorry, I ruined the mood, huh?"

Bora settles her mic down and turns to face Minji, her eyes filled with warmth.

"Minji, look at me. There's nothing wrong with second guessing yourself. It's better than being impulsive mess like me."

Minji furrows her brows in confusion, "But you're not an impulsive mess."

Bora shakes her head, "I really am, seriously. And to be honest...I envy you too, you always seem like you have everything together. You're like, what a proper adult should be."

"Me? An adult?" Minji pauses, "I'm far from being a proper adult."

Bora lets out a small smile, "Then I guess we both have our insecurities, huh?"

They share a look, and Minji can only let out a light laugh, "I guess we do."

"Listen, you only live once," Bora starts, picking up the remote, "and it's not healthy to take ourselves so seriously with all this adulting. So, just for tonight, how about we let it all go?"

Then Bora looks at her in a way that makes Minji realise that everything really will be okay. She's hesitant at first, but as Bora gently hands her the remote, she offers her the choice, and Minji decides to take it. She pauses, then she punches a number in, and Bora's mouth gapes open at the realisation that the song Minji picks is definitely out of both of their vocal ranges.

"Drinks are on me tonight." Minji says with a beam of her smile, and Bora recovers from her shock with a squeal and she bounces in excitement.

"Kim Minji!" Bora supportively screams into her mic, and Minji doubles with laughter.

She quickly flicks the disco lights back on, and offers another grin to Bora, who gapes open as Minji lets out a scream into her own mic. Bora follows by screaming again into her own mic, and they laugh at the way it echoes throughout the room.

And finally, Minji finds it within herself to let it all go.

-

One drink turns into two, then three and Minji realises that she's lost count and she's become quite buzzed from all the alcohol she's ordered. Bora's barely managing herself, she's stumbling her words and Minji has to keep an eye on her in case she tries to order another round.

She's not so sure how many songs they've lost their voices too, but she's had the time of her life so far, and that's all that matters.

An instrumental is playing from the TV that Bora tried to sing along to, but she had given up halfway and now they're passed out on the couch staring up at the cieling. The disco lights are in a frenzy, and the pair find it mesmerizing to watch.

"Wow...it's like watching a light show." Bora says with a slur, before letting out a snort, "I feel like a rock star."

Bora makes a drunken imitation of an electric guitar and Minji laughs. It's not even that funny but laughing becomes so easy to her now, and she's hooked on the buzzed sensation. Bora continues to slur and make random noises with , and Minji watches with a fond smile at the smaller woman next to her.

Then Bora laughs again, it's bright and melodic all at once, and Minji's eyes flutter from her eyes down to her red lips...and then there's a sudden urge to kiss them.

She quickly blinks her eyes away at the impulsive thought, and decides to take another sip from her bottle.

"Aww, no fair. How come you get another drink but I can't?" Bora asks drunkedly, trying to grab the drink off Minji.

She's quick to dodge her rather weak snatching with a teasing smile, "Anymore drinks and you'll probably get alcohol poisoning, Bora."

Bora blinks confused, and Minji sees she's still staring at the drink in her hand.

"So? It's not like I'm gonna die or whatever."

"Wow, you're really drunk out of your mind, huh?"

But then Minji doesn't expect what happens next.

Bora tries to snatch once more as a last effort attempt, but instead her whole body comes toppling forward and Minji's back sinks onto the couch, Bora now straddling on top of her. The bottle's fallen out of Minji's hand, but Bora doesn't go after it.

Minji catches her gaze, and something shifts in Bora's dark eyes. Minji's throat becomes dry as she looks up at her red parted lips, the temptation running thin now. She sees the way Bora's eyes flutter down to her lips, but she doesn't dare lean down to close the gap--and Minji realises that Bora is also trying her hardest to restrain herself too.

But Minji wants to let herself go. She doesn't want to think of the consequence of her actions. Bora's alluring gaze seems to pull her in and there's a growing desire forming in her chest. Minji just wants to close the gap between them, and she slowly begins to edge closer and closer--

Then there's a sudden knock on the door, and Minji snaps out of her trance and Bora quickly gets off of her with a cough.

The person at the door tells them their session will finish soon, and Minji manages a prompt reply.

They're on opposite ends of the couch now, a clear gap between them. Minji's head begins to pound at the sudden movement from before, and there's a sense of trepidation between them, and Minji can see how tense Bora is from the corner of her eye.

"Sorry about...that." Bora finally says, she sounds sober again, and her voice is husky from losing her voice, "We should...probably get going."

"Yeah." Minji can only reply, and they quietly pack their belongings and leave the room without a word.

They don't dare mention the incident as they walk out of the karaoke building, and the walk back to the subway is both quiet and suffocating.

Minji doesn't want to acknowledge what had just happened, partially because she's afraid.

And she hates that she is. She doesn't want to stay as a coward, especially when it comes to Bora--someone who deserves nothing but the world. She's been dancing around the way she feels about Bora for a long time now, and she's not sure if she's ready to label her feelings for her.

Soon, they arrive at the subway, and this is where they part ways. Bora has been quiet the entire time, and it's slightly unnerving for Minji.

"I'm sorry about earlier. I...I don't know what I was thinking." Minji finally says to break the silence.

Bora's expression is unreadable, and Minji feels a spike of fear rush through her when Bora doesn't immediently reply. She fears there's a shift in their dynamics now, and that she might have pushed a boundary with Bora.

"Do you regret it?" Bora finally asks quietly, and Minji is taken aback at the slight tremor in her voice.

She thinks about it for a moment, but she can't think of an answer, or rather--she's too afraid to say hers, so she deflects, "Do you?"

Bora lets out a quiet laugh, and there's a hint of vulnerability to it. "Is it bad that I don't? I...I really wanted you to kiss me back there. I don't regret anything when it comes to you, Minji."

Bora's confession alleviates the pressure she's been feeling for a long time, and Minji desperately wants to tell her that she also doesn't regret it, because she really did want to kiss her too.

But she can't bring herself to say it. She doesn't understand why she's hesitating so much, something continues to keep holding her back. Or rather, someone.

"Listen, Bora, I..." Minji tries, but she struggles to find the words. She's not sure if she's ready to really start again, and the last thing she ever wants to do is hurt or lead her Bora on.

And Bora seems to sense Minji's hesitation, she always does.

"I understand," Bora says, a small smile makes way on her lips, "I'll wait until you're ready."

"No, no. You don't have to wait for me, please, I...I don't know how long I'll take."

And Minji truly means it. She doesn't want Bora to waste her time waiting for her, and it's her way of offering an exit--that Bora has and always will have the right to leave.

But Bora shakes her head, and gently takes Minji's hands into her own. "I don't mind, and I'll wait for as long as it takes--because it's worth waiting for you, Minji."

Minji is speechles, and suddenly she feels as if she's on the brink with tears, and Bora quickly speaks once again.

"And besides, I'm actually quite patient, so I'm pretty sure I'll be fine." Bora offers her a grin at her joke, and Minji can only let out a choked sob at Bora's stubborness.

"Are you sure about that?" Minji asks quietly, and feels endeared at the way Bora nods proudly.

"Of course! I'm the most patient person on Earth. You don't believe me?"

Normally, Minji would say she doesn't, but with the way Bora looks at her with so much love and sincerity, it's overwhelming, and she knows she doesn't deserve her.

But as she watches at how Bora continues to crack more jokes in an attempt to make her laugh, she realises Bora doesn't need to wait for long.

A part of her already feels like she's ready.

--

When Monday comes around, Minji still feels hungover from the weekend with Bora, but it soons alleviates when Bora drops by with some soup from the coffee shop. Without realising it, she pecks Bora's cheek as a thank you for the sweet gesture. It's only until Bora leaves flustered, that Minji realises what's she's done--and Yoohyeon had witnessed it all.

"Hey, are you two dating or something?!" Yoohyeon asks, and Minji quickly denies, telling her it's all kind of complicated.

"Well if I didnt know any better, it looks like you two are." Yoohyeon mutters, and Minji's face grows warm at the thought of it all, "anyways, you'd tell me first that you two are dating, right?"

Minji can only sigh and nod, and Yoohyeon snorts.

"Even though she's kind of annoying and gets on my nerves, I think you two would make a great couple."

"Wow, thanks for the heads up Yoo."

"No problem, what's stopping you two anyways?"

Minji doesn't have the heart to reply with an answer, she's still not so sure herself. Yoohyeon doesn't ponder it further anyways, too distracted by a new text from Siyeon.

Soon they carry onto their morning, and afternoon rolls around and it's quiet again in the bakery shop. Yoohyeon's gone out for her lunch break, and Minji waits for Bora to drop by for hers too. Each jingle of the door gets heart beating faster--searching for a red haired woman. But she becomes disappointed everytime it's not Bora that walks through the door.

Then the door jingles open, and Minji thinks it's really Bora, but this time, it's neon orange hair that fills her vision instead.

She locks eyes with her, and then she feels a sense of dread pit her stomach because it's the last person she wants to see right now.

"Handong..." Minji can only utter, and Handong matches her surprise with a small gasp. She still looks the same, her orange hair flowing past her shoulders. She looks like she's full of life, and Minji doesn't know how she feels to finally see her again.

"Minji?"

Handong slowly approaches her, she looks both surprised yet uncertain at what to do with herself. Although Minji is behind the counter, she has to take a step back to further distance herself from the woman.

"It's been so long, I..." Handong seems to be at a loss for words, and so is Minji herself, "When did you open up a bakery?"

When you left me--Minji thinks to herself, but she doesn't tell her that, instead, she dodges the question. "When did you decide to come back from China?"

The question seems to strike a cord within Handong, an old wound from their past that Minji remembers all too well. They always argued about whether or not Minji should have moved back at Handong's hometown when she recieved the business offer. At the time, Minji hesitated for too long, and it was the breaking point for their already damaged relationship.

"I came back a few weeks ago," Handong says, and there's a tinge of sadness to her voice, "I'm only visiting for a little bit, then I'm going back home again."

"Oh."

It's all Minji can reply with, she doesn't even know what to say.

"Have you been well?" Handong asks, and Minji wonders just exactly what's she referring to.

Since the breakup? Minji wants to ask, but instead, she tells her she's been doing well, and this time, she knows she's not lying just for the sake of it. She truly has been doing well.

"And you?" Minji decides to push the conversation, and Handong smiles. Minji realises that it doesn't make her heart ache like it used to.

"I've been doing well, my offer went well too. I've been offered a position at several companies for my research." Handong says.

Minji hums, a sense of pride swelling within her. She always found Handong's work ethic to be admirable.

"I'm happy that it worked out in the end." And Minji really means it, she truly is happy for her.

"Thank you. That means a lot to me." Handong says with a small smile, and Minji finds it within herself to smile back. The months of pain and resentment seem like nothing now, knowing that Handong is in a better place.

Minji's about to ask her another question, but the door jingles again, and an unfamiliar man peeks his head through the door and calls out to her, and Handong beams a smile at him. Minji sees the way her eyes light up when she looks at him, and it's just like how she used to look at her too.

"I'm coming in a moment." Handong says sweetly to him, and Minji expects for her heart to drop, but it never does.

Handong turns to Minji again, and her face shifts to one of uncertainty when she realises.

"He seems like a nice guy." Minji says, a gentle smile on her face, "You two must be happy together."

Handong looks like she's on the brink of tears, "I'm sorry, Minji--I know it hasn't been awhile."

"No, no, it's okay." Minji starts, and she begins to start taking out some bakery goods from a pile, "I understand, it's different for everyone."

Minji thinks back on Bora's words of comfort she had offered in their lunch date, and a smile spreads on her face, "All I've ever wanted is the best for you, and I'm happy to know that you're doing well."

Minji finishes taking out some pastries and she packs them in a paper bag, before gently giving it to Handong. "This is on the house."

"Oh Minji...I...I don't know--"

Minji lets out a light laugh, "It's okay, really! You can share some with your boyfriend too, I baked them fresh today."

Handong blinks back away her tears, and her voice is fond once more, "Thank you for this, I'll never forget you, Minji."

Minji smiles, and it becomes easy for her again, "Yeah. Please have a safe trip back."

Handong nods, and she's about to open the door and leave, but then she looks at Minji once more,

"I hope you find it within yourself to be happy again, Minji. You deserve that and so much more."

Handong catches her eyes, and Minji can only nod with a content smile, and soon she's gone with a jingle of the door. Minji wonders if they'll ever cross paths again, and a part of her doesn't mind if they do. There's a sense of peace within her now, and it's like she's been granted the permission to finally move on.

Minji hears the door jingle open once more, and this time it's Bora coming through the door with a smile that could light up the sky, along with that stupid coffee hat still on her head.

And then she realises she's finally ready now.

--

Minji waits until there's a time when they're alone, and she decides she'll tell her at Yubin's birthday party.

The evening is spent with a small celebration at Yubin's apartment and Minji wasn't alone, Siyeon and Yoohyeon were invited too. Bora as usual, teases Yoohyeon when she sees her, and Yoohyeon still in mild distaste towards Bora, teases her back. But because of Minji, they behave the best they can around each other.

"Oh look, it's the midget." Yoohyeon snorts when she sees Bora approaching them by the couch.

"What?! Why you--"

"Guys, can you please not fight on Yubin's birthday? She already deals with enough."

"Wha-but she started it!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

Minji sighs, watching the exchange with a shake of her head. Bora then huffs, promptly siting down next to Minji on the couch. "If Minji wasn't here, I'd have locked you in a choke hold and-"

"Bora."

"--In a hug. A nice tight hug."

Yoohyeon snorts at her from Minji's side, "Yeah, right. You can't do anything to me anyways because Minji would protect me, right?"

Minji groans, "Don't drag me into this."

Bora lets out a proud huff from her nose, "Looks like I win this round."

"Wha-you didn't even win anything!"

"You wanna take this outside then?"

"As if, you're too small to do anything-"

"Guys."

Yoohyeon raises her hands up in defeat, a smug smile on her face.

"Fine, fine. But if there's one thing we can agree on, it's that Bora is super short and I'd totally win."

"You god damn tree, now you're just begging to get your kicked--!"

And then Minji can only watch as Yoohyeon bolts away from the couch, Bora ready to manhandle her into oblivion.

Siyeon shortly returns, two drinks in her hands and a confused look on her face.

"What happened?"

"Yoohyeon called Bora short."

"Again?"

"Yep."

Siyeon pauses, "So the usual then."

And then Siyeon hands Minji her drink, and together they sip in content and watch as the respective love of their lives rough house each other.

"You're not going to help this time?" Minji asks lightly, and Siyeon laughs.

"No way, I'm sure Yoohyeon started it first anyway."

Minji giggles, taking a sip from her bottle, "She did."

"Thought so." Siyeon smiles, and a comfortable silence settles between them, "Are you going to ask her out tonight?"

"I am." Minji doesn't hesitate saying this time, and she doesn't want to anymore.

"Do you love her?"

Minji watches the way Bora has stopped wrestling Yoohyeon, and they've already moved onto another topic of conversation--they're talking and laughing away again, as if it never happened. She can hear her loud laughs from even across the room, and she nods with a fond smile. "I do."

Siyeon nudges her shoulder with a teasing grin, and suddenly Minji's face grows warm. Gahyeon and Yubin approach them to catch up, and soon Yoohyeon and Bora return to them too, still lightly teasing each other, but Minji can see they've gotten closer--in their own special way.

They cut the cake and begin to catch up on the dinner table with drinks. As they talk, Minji feels her hand being touched and she realises it's Bora's hand under the table, who gently plays and intertwines their fingers together.

When Minji catches her gaze, Bora sends her a warm smile, and Minji tightens her grip on her hand.

--

Minji finally finds the time to be alone with Bora on the balcony, it's past midnight now and everyone's passed out in the living room from the excessive drinking and partying thanks to Bora. Even Yubin has passed out, being on the very top of the sleeping pile of bodies on the couch.

"I'm surprised you're not drunk." Minji says, watching the bright city lights from below, "I thought you'd pass out too."

Bora hums quietly, and rests her head on Minji's shoulder. Her warmth brings comfort for Minji, and she wraps an arm around the smaller woman to bring her closer.

"I'm not a heavy drinker." Bora replies, Minji can only let out a laugh, amused.

"Really? Last time I remember, you were the one trying to snatch another drink off me."

"That was a one time thing, don't remind me."

"If you say so." Minji hums, and Bora buries her head closer in Minji's embrace.

They continue to watch the busy city life buzzing below, and it's calming to be with Bora like this. Minji wants to spend the rest of her days with her like this too, and finally, Minji finds the courage within herself to finally say it.

She shifts herself to face Bora, and Bora is momentarily confused at their change of position.

She silently gazes at her, and Minji sees just how breathtaking she truly is infront of her. Her eyes trail over Bora's face--from the tresses of her dark hair over her shoulders, to her warm eyes, to the curve of her nose, and down to her slightly parted red lips. Bora is breathtaking.

And she sees the way Bora's throat hitches, and Minji rests a gentle palm against her cheek to ease her. Bora leans into the touch immediately, her eyes questioning.

"If you told me two months ago that I'd finally fall in love again, I wouldn't dare believe it." Minji says softly, watching the way life begins to seep into Bora's eyes.

"I was afraid, and I held myself back because I wasn't ready." Minji flickers her gaze down to Bora's lips, then back to her eyes, "But now? I don't want to hold myself back, not anymore. I'm ready now, Bora."

She seems to be at a loss for words, but Minji waits for her reply. She'll wait for just as long as Bora has waited for her. Always.

"Minji...I..." Bora trails off, she lets out a light laugh, and Minji understands.

"Can I kiss you?" Minji whispers, her gaze flutters down once more at Bora's lips, a gentle smile on her face.

"I thought you'd never ask."

Bora whispers it against her lips, and Minji thumbs her side of her cheek once more with her thumb, and then she finally kisses her.

It's soft and light, and she can feel the slight tremble of Bora's lips moving against her own. Bora tugs at her shirt to pull her in closer, and soon she's clinging onto her, and Minji pours out everything she's ever felt and hidden away for Bora through their kiss.

Bora slightly pulls away for a moment, breathless and Minji smiles against her lips, before placing another chaste kiss, and then she pulls away entirely. Bora's cheeks are flushed, and Minji is sure hers must be too.

"You're so beautiful." Minji can only whisper, and Bora lightly hits her chest with a small whine, but it doesn't hurt at all.

"Dammit, Minji. Look at what you've done to me, I've become a sappy mess because of you." Bora says quietly, and Minji can only smile as Bora pulls her in for another kiss.

--

As per Yoohyeon's request, Minji tells her first that they're dating, and soon Siyeon knows too. And then, everyone knows, and they're supportive and that's all that matters.

But then it comes as a shock when they come to learn that Yubin and Gahyeon had placed a bet on them ever since the day Bora's laid eyes on her, and Yubin was the one that won the prediction.

(But then again, it is Yubin after all, no surprise there.)

For this weekend, instead of going out, she invites Bora over and they stay in for a movie date. As they set up their popcorn, Bora goes exploring around the place, and then she says something that piques Minji's interest.

"You've never called your apartment home before." Bora says, "Today is the first time I've ever heard you called it home."

Minji is taken aback by the comment. She's never had the heart to call her apartment home since her seperation with Handong, and everything in the place had continued to remind her of the orange haired woman.

But then Minji averts her eyes to the freshly pastel pink walls she had painted with Bora the other day. They're no longer a white biege, and Minji can finally bear to look at them again.

She watches as Bora walks in front of the pink walls, and as slowly approaches her, Minji realises her answer.

"It's because you're here now." Minji says, pulling Bora in by her waist, she gently presses a kiss to her forehead, "You're my home."

Bora lets out a loud whine, but she doesn't pull away from Minji's embrace, instead she just looks up at her with a small frown, "Stop saying sappy stuff like that. You know I hate it."

Minji smiles, pressing another kiss to Bora's forehead, "Says the one that declared her love for me first. What was it again? I'll never regret anything when it comes to you?"

There's a hit to her chest from a small fist, and Minji fakes a pained cry. Bora huffs, but Minji just tightens her embrace.

"You're so annoying." Bora mutters, and she wraps her arms around Minji's waist and buries her head in the crook of her neck, "I hate you."

"You love me." Minji says as she peppers Bora's head with another kiss, inhaling her jasmine scent. Bora sighs contently against her neck, and Minji flinches at the feather like sensation, and Bora is quick to notice.

Then Minji feels lips onto her neck, and she shivers when Bora begins to press light kisses from her neck down to her collarbone.

"Bora..." Minji flutters her eyes shut, and she can feel Bora's smirk against her neck, the woman already knowing the effect she has on her.

"I'm not doing anything." Bora says quietly, then there's another light press to her neck.

"The popcorn..." Minji manages to say, but Bora hums and continues, another press to her neck.

Then she suddenly feels teeth drag across her neck, and Minji opens her eyes and lightly shoves Bora away with a whine.

"Bora! You were going to leave a mark again!"

Bora grins smugly and her voice is teasing, "But I didn't though!"

"Because I stopped you!" Minji huffs, and raises a hand and massages the skin on her neck, "Honestly, sometimes I wonder if you're actually a vampire with your biting kink."

"Hey! Don't kink shame me!" Bora exclaims with a rather amused grin, and she quickly bounces away and flops on the couch. Minji rolls her eyes, Bora reminded her of a bird sometimes, a tiny one probably--but she'd never tell her that.

Once the popcorn has finished, she prepares it into a bowl, and joins Bora at the couch. Bora quickly settles between her legs, and Minji wraps a blanket over them, making sure Bora gets most of it.

"I'd make a hot vampire, right?" Bora suddenly asks halfway through the movie, and Minji is in utter disbelief at her question.

"Is...Is that what you've been thinking this entire time?"

"Maybe."

Minji gently swats her thigh and laughs, "Honestly, you're so shameless sometimes."

"But I would, right? Gahyeon said so herself."

Minji ponders it, and she's not so opposed to the idea, "Yes, yes you would."

Bora makes a noise of excitement, and Minji can only laugh at how happy Bora can become at the littlest of things.

"Okay, sorry. I'll shut up now."

Minji takes it with a grain of salt, but she doesn't mind. She enjoys it when Bora spouts random things out of nowhere, and it's endearing to listen to her talk about everything and anything.

Bora settles back onto her and she intertwines their fingers together on her lap. Minji smiles at the small gesture, and she presses a kiss to Bora's hair in kind.

Being with her like this, she realises she's truly found a place to call home, because Bora is with her now. She hopes that never changes, because she wants to spend her forever with Bora, and only her.

"Minji?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you uh, do you think I'd make a hot kind of vampire, or a leather hot kind of vampire?"

Minji lets out a laugh, Bora can really be so shameless sometimes.

"Both are fine too, Bora."

And Minji still loves her just the same--she always will, hot vampires and all.