“Unnie, don’t you ever want to, I don’t know, date someone?” Eunbi asks suddenly.

Chorong looks away from the movie they’re watching and gives her little sister a dry look. When she just smiles back innocently, Chorong throws a piece of popcorn at her and replies, “Don’t you?”

“I’m not the one turning twenty-seven this year,” Eunbi points out. She picks up the popcorn Chorong threw at her from her lap and pops it in . She chews on it thoughtfully then continues, “I’m only twenty. I still have a long time until I have your problem.”

“This is the last time I invite you over,” Chorong threatens, even though they both know she’s lying.

Eunbi pouts and says, “You’d let your poor sister eat the gross food at the university’s dining hall when you live a reasonable ten minute walk from campus?” She sighs and flops down into Chorong’s lap, barely missing the bowl of popcorn thanks to Chorong’s quick reflexes. “I still don’t know why you don’t just let me move in with you.”

“And have us kill each other within a week of living together?” Chorong laughs.

“We did it once,” Eunbi says with a crooked grin. “Before you left for college all those years ago.”

Chorong shakes her head and tells her warningly, “You get one more age joke before I really kick you out.”

“One more? You’re feeling generous tonight,” Eunbi teases. 

“Oh, look at the time,” Chorong says with a pointed glare. “It’s getting late. Don’t you have early classes tomorrow?”

Eunbi rolls her eyes but gets up anyway. She stretches her arms over her head and stifles a yawn. She holds out a hand and gently pulls Chorong to her feet too. She smiles down at her and wishes her good night. She shrugs off her sister telling her to let her know when she gets home and lets herself out of the apartment. Chorong’s always been so protective of her, and Eunbi knows it probably has to do a lot with their age difference. Chorong still sees her as a little kid, probably always will, but Eunbi doesn’t want her sister taking care of her for the rest of her life.

Holding back another yawn, Eunbi walks back to her dorm. It’s times like these that she’s thankful that her university is located in the middle of the city. It means she can live close to Chorong, who works at a law firm nearby. Because even if she gets tired of Chorong’s babying and wants her to get a life of her own, it doesn’t mean that Eunbi doesn’t treasure her older sister. She knows how lucky she got with her as a sister.

“You’re home early,” Yewon, her roommate, comments curiously when she lets herself into their room. She’s sitting on her bed with a book, glasses perched on her nose for the late night reading. “You’re usually at Chorong’s later than this, especially on Sundays.” Sundays are always dedicated to the sisters seeing each other and catching up. They usually see each other once or twice during the week too, but Sundays are a sort of tradition now.

“I annoyed her too much,” Eunbi explains with a huff of laughter. “I brought up her age and her love life.”

“Both? That’s rude of you,” Yewon clucking her tongue at her. “Why’d you bring it up anyways?”

“I guess I just want my sister to get out more,” Eunbi shrugs as she digs around her closet for some pajamas. She should probably do laundry soon. “I mean, she’s only had, what, one boyfriend before. It’s not that she doesn’t want to either. She talks about wanting to be a good wife all the time. I think she just needs a push.”

“I’m sure she just loves hearing that from her twenty year-old sister,” Yewon says.

Eunbi grins, “Oh, she just adores hearing me nag her about dating.” 

Yewon laughs and shakes her head. She goes back to her book, and Eunbi goes to shower. 

That night, Eunbi goes to bed thinking about how she can help out her sister. She can’t do anything too obvious, or Chorong will catch on immediately. Growing up together has given Chorong an innate sense for when Eunbi is up to something. It’s going to be difficult, especially if Chorong decides to try to set up Eunbi too. Eunbi doesn’t want to date anyone, not really. No one has caught her eye, and she doubts anyone will. The people in her classes seem like idiots. Rolling over, Eunbi decides she’ll come up with something tomorrow.

When Eunbi goes to her history class tomorrow, she finds her plans for finding a date for Chorong come to a crashing halt when the professor announces a group project. She fights the urge to slam her head against the desk as she half-listens to the instructions. It’s a research project that’ll require a written paper and a presentation to the class. Great. And they’ll have an assigned partner. Even better.

Eunbi spends the rest of class dreading who her partner might be. Maybe it’ll be that weirdo two seats over who’s always twitchy and drawing anime girls. Or if she’s really lucky, it’ll be that guy who tried to ask her on a date the first week of school and didn’t leave her alone until she elbowed him in the stomach. The options are endless.

Finally, Eunbi hears her name: “Hwang Eunbi and Jung Yerin.”

Eunbi immediately glances around to find whoever that is while mentally cheering that she’s with a girl. After a moment, she locks eyes with a girl two rows ahead of her. She pauses as she takes in the sight of her new project partner with soft brown hair and a cute smile. Hesitantly, Eunbi smiles and gives her a small wave. Her partner, Yerin, smiles and waves back. Ignoring the weird fluttering in her chest, Eunbi turns back to her professor to hear the final announcements for the class.

As soon as they’re dismissed, Eunbi lingers and walks over to her new partner. “Hey,” Eunbi says quietly. Her fingers nervously pick at the ends of her sleeves as she rocks back on her heels. “I guess I’m your partner?”

“I guess you are,” Yerin laughs. She holds out her hand. “Jung Yerin, third year.”

Eunbi takes her hand and fights the urge to blush. “Hwang Eunbi, first year.” She bites her lip and asks, “Sunbaenim, why are you taking an intro level history class?”

“Oh, I put it off until the end, so I wasn’t taking hard classes all at once,” Yerin explains with a bright smile. She reaches out and brushes her hand against Eunbi’s arm. “And call me unnie. Sunbaenim is so formal.”

“Right,” Eunbi mumbles, “Yerin-unnie.”

Yerin smiles at this and asks, “Can I call you Eunbi-yah?”

“Ah, that’s fine.”

“Great,” Yerin beams. She takes her hand off Eunbi’s arm and rustles through her backpack for a moment. She produces a sheet of notebook paper and a pen. “Here, let’s exchange numbers. I want a good grade on this project since it’s worth 30% of our grade.” She tilts her head as Eunbi writes down her number. “Actually, are you free right now? I want to figure out when we can meet and stuff.”

Eunbi pauses, freezing in the middle of writing the number eight. She swallows nervously then resumes writing. “That’s fine. This is my last class of the day anyways.”

“Perfect!” Yerin smiles. “I know the perfect place we can go. There’s this coffee shop a few blocks from campus if you don’t mind walking there. They have the best coffee, and it’s a reasonable price. It’s the perfect place to do some work. Plus, the owner is super nice.”

“That’s fine,” Eunbi shrugs, handing Yerin back the paper.

As they walk to this coffee shop, Eunbi lets Yerin do most of the talking. She learns Yerin is studying biology, hoping to work as a nurse after graduation. She moved to the city to attend school here, much like Eunbi, and she commutes from an apartment that is a train ride away. Yerin talks non-stop, bubbly and bright as she regales Eunbi with an entertaining story about her professor and TA.  She talks so much, but Eunbi isn’t annoyed by it. Oddly enough, she likes listening to her talk.

“Here we are!” Yerin cheers as they walk up to the coffee shop. 

The sign read Meung’s with a cute illustration of a puppy next to it. Eunbi follows Yerin in and immediately smiles. Instead of the uncomfortable and modern coffee shop Eunbi expected, this coffee shop is nothing but cozy and comforting. It’s all mismatched furniture and spunky art, a bookshelf full of worn books and board games in one corner.

“Nice, right?” Yerin says, bumping shoulders with her. She walks them up to the counter and grins at the woman behind it. “Hi, Eunji-unnie! It’s not often I see you behind the counter nowadays.”

The woman, Eunji, matches the coffee shop perfectly. She must be the owner. She has that same warm vibe. She smiles and shrugs, “I do it from time to time. Hayoung had to call in. She forgot about an essay due tonight.” Then Eunji nods at Eunbi and asks, “New friend?”

“Hopefully,” Yerin says, sending Eunbi a playful wink that makes her blush. “We’re partners for a history project. You’ll probably be seeing more of us when we come to work on it.”

“Sounds good to me,” Eunji says. She gives Eunbi a conspiratorial smile and whispers, “I love it when people other than stuck-up business people come here.”

Eunbi laughs and says, “I’ll come as much as I can then. I like it here. I should bring my sister some time.” As soon as she says it, it clicks for Eunbi. While Yerin talks to Eunji about something else, Eunbi tries to subtly stare at Eunji. The woman looks mid-twenties with short brown hair, but the most eye catching thing about her is her eye smile. Oh, she could work. 

Before she can think more on it, Eunbi has to order her coffee and gets whisked away by Yerin to discuss their project. When Yerin said she was serious about the project, she meant it. Eunbi sits there with her for almost two hours, figuring out a schedule and creating a rough timeline for when they’ll need to have things done. It’s kind of refreshing doing this, since Eunbi is a procrastinator more than anything else.

“Okay, I think we’re set,” Yerin says. “Thanks for agreeing to meet. I feel a lot better now.” She checks her watch. “I should go and catch my train. Do you want to walk together? The station is in the direction of school.”

Eunbi glances in Eunji’s direction then shakes her head. “Um, it’s okay. I think I’m going to stick around and try to work on some other stuff since I’m already here.”

“Okay!” Yerin agrees easily. She grabs her backpack and gives Eunbi’s arm a squeeze as she walks by. “See you next week, Eunbi!”

Eunbi replies the same then turns back to her papers scattered around her. She sighs and gathers them to put up. As she does, she tries to surreptitiously sneak glances at Eunji. She manages it a few times, but when she’s putting up her stuff and looks again, she finds Eunji staring right at her. Eunbi makes a distressed noise and ducks her head.

When she finishes zipping up her backpack, she looks back up and finds Eunji right in front of her. Eunbi lets out a startled yelp, making Eunji’s lips curl into an amused smile. 

“Mind if I join you?” Eunji asks, gesturing to the chair Yerin just vacated.

Eunbi nods silently.

Eunji plops down across from her and smiles breezily. “So, Eunbi-ssi, what’s got you staring so hard at me? I mean, I know I’m not half-bad looking, but something tells me I’m not your type.” Then her smile widens ever so slightly as she adds, “I think Yerin-ah might be more your type.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Eunbi spits out immediately. She reddens and looks away moodily. What does this woman know about her?

“Hey, forget it,” Eunji says, lifting her hands up and still wearing that breezy smile. It’s a weird mix between friendly and smug. “I was just teasing. Really, I’m curious about the staring more than about any of your feelings toward Yerin-ah.”

Eunbi can feel that her cheeks are still red as she mumbles, “I was just trying to figure out if you’re my sister’s type.”

“What was that?” Eunji says, even though she clearly heard her the first time given the amused, intrigued look on her face.

“I’ve been trying to get my sister to date more,” Eunbi explains awkwardly. “I was trying to figure out if I could set her up with you.”

Eunji sits back in her chair and teases, “Wow, we’ve just met, and you’re already trying to introduce me to your sister.”

“I was just going to bring her here sometime and see how she reacted,” Eunbi snaps. “Get over yourself.”

Instead of being offended by Eunbi’s rude tone, Eunji just laughs and says, “How about I help make it even easier for you? Show me a picture of your sister, and I can tell you if she’s my type. If she is, when you bring her around, I’ll do all the heavy lifting.” When Eunbi stares blankly at her, Eunji clarifies, “I’ll flirt with her instead of her having to make the first move.”

Eunbi frowns slightly, but slowly, she pulls her phone from her pocket and taps around for a few moments. Then, she holds out her phone for Eunji to hold. Eunji smiles her thanks then takes it. As soon as she looks down, Eunji already knows what her answer is. She takes a moment to admire the pretty woman in the photo with a cute smile and long black hair. She can see the family resemblance. 

Looking back up, Eunji finds Eunbi watching her with a childish curiosity. What cute kid. Eunji hands back the phone then smiles warmly. “Come by anytime. Your sister is really pretty, but more importantly, you seem like a good kid, Eunbi-ssi. I’d love to have you around more.”

“I’m not a kid,” Eunbi replies immediately, scowling.

“Skipping right over the part where I want you around more, huh?” Eunji chuckles. She reaches out and manages to ruffle Eunbi’s hair a bit before the younger girl ducks away and glares at her. “I mean it,” Eunji says. “Come around whenever you want.”

“What, for my pretty sister?” Eunbi says, and for someone who admitted to trying to set her up with her sister, she seems weirdly protective now that Eunji has said her sister is pretty. 

“For you, kid,” Eunji says, rolling her eyes. She gently cuffs Eunbi on the back of the head and grins when the younger woman swears. “Because you seem like fun to mess with.” 

Eunji bickers with Eunbi for a little while longer, and by the time she excuses herself back to the counter, Eunji can’t stop smiling. It’s been a while since she’s gotten to mess with someone like that. The only person she can usually get away with doing that to is Hayoung, but she’s been so busy lately. Eunji has missed it. She hopes Eunbi comes back, with or without her sister. She doesn’t think much about it as she continues her shift, and after Eunbi stops by to say bye before she looks, Eunji forgets about it completely.

At least, Eunji does until the door chimes mid-morning on Sunday. She looks up, ready to greet the customers with her usual charm, but she fumbles over her words when she sees it’s Eunbi and her very pretty sister. She hadn’t been lying about that. She really finds her pretty. This morning, Eunbi is dressed in casual sweats, but her sister is dressed in sweater that makes her look adorable and soft and–

Eunji glances away, clearing and her thoughts. It’s not like her to get flustered so easily. Taking a deep breath, Eunji turns back to them with a bright smile and says, “Good morning! It’s good to see you again, Eunbi-ssi.”

“You too,” Eunbi nods. Then she tilts her head at her sister and says, “This is my older sister, Chorong-unnie. I wanted to bring her here, since she’s a pretty big fan of coffee.”

“I hope I don’t disappoint then,” Eunji says, flashing Chorong a smile and feeling her heart skip when Chorong smiles back. “What would you like to order then?”

“Iced americano,” Eunbi says immediately. Then she pauses and turns to her sister. “I’m gonna use the restroom. Will you pay and wait for our drinks while I go?”

Chorong rolls her eyes, “Sure, go.”

Eunbi smiles and leaves, but as she does, she gives Eunji a pointed look that makes it clear she does not actually need to use the restroom.

Internally rolling her eyes at the kid, Eunji turns back to Chorong and asks, “And what can I get for the pretty lady?”

“Oh, um,” Chorong says, cheeks turning a lovely shade of pink as she blushes. She lets out a small, breathless laugh. “What would you recommend?”

“How do you normally like your coffee?” Eunji asks.

Chorong bites her lip as she thinks, and Eunji feels her eyes drawn to the movement. She snaps her eyes back and fights the urge to blush herself. “A classic taste?” Chorong says with a tilt of her head. “I don’t mind trying new things though.”

“I bet you don’t,” Eunji mumbles under her breath then hides it by smiling and saying, “I have just the thing for you. I recently added a vanilla lavender latte to the menu. A classic with a twist. It’s gotten pretty good feedback so far if you want to try that.”

“Sure,” Chorong agrees. She pays then lingers at the counter while Eunji makes the drinks. Again, she is the only one at the counter. Her other part-timer Namjoo is having car troubles this morning. Thankfully, it’s still early enough this Sunday that it’s slow. “So, Eunbi-yah seems to really like this place. She couldn’t stop talking about it when we were on the phone the other day.”

“Really?” Eunji asks in surprise, glancing over her shoulder to see if Chorong is joking.

Chorong nods with a shy smile. “She said you made it feel very homey.”

“Ah, well, I’m glad,” Eunji says, feeling oddly embarrassed. She didn’t think the kid had actually liked her that much given her teasing last time. “She seems like a good kid.”

“She is.”

Eunji goes back to making the drinks and tries to find something to fill the silence. When she slides Eunbi’s iced americano across the counter, Eunji meets Chorong’s eyes and hesitates. She smiles, trying to hide her nerves, and asks, “Do you live near here?” 

“Yes, just a few blocks actually,” Chorong tells her. “I might have to stop by here more often on my way to work.”

“Yeah?” Eunji says, not bothering to hide her pleased smile. She finishes Chorong’s latte and, after a moment of hesitation, scribbles her number on the cup. She turns around innocently and hands it to her. 

“Yeah, if your coffee is as good as Eunbi-yah says,” Chorong says with a playful smile. She takes a small sip of her latte, and Eunji watches as her eyes fall shut and a satisfied hum leaves her lips. Her eyes open again, and she says, “I’ll definitely come by again.”

“I look forward to it again,” Eunji grins. She thinks about just asking Chorong out right then and there, but then Eunbi comes back from the restroom and grabs her coffee from her sister. “See you around, you two. Have a good day,” Eunji tells them.

Eunbi and Chorong wave good-bye to her then exit to spend their day together. It’s still nice enough to walk outside, so they wander through the city as they decide what to do. Once they’re far enough from Eunji’s coffee shop, Chorong slaps Eunbi upside the head.

“Ow! What was that for?” Eunbi asks.

Chorong glares at her, “You aren’t as sly as you think.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Eunbi says stubbornly. 

“Oh, so we went to Meung’s just for coffee?”

“Yeah, what else would we be there for?”

Chorong hesitates, “Well…”

“You’re being so paranoid,” Eunbi complains. “I mention once that I want to set you up, and suddenly you think I can’t just show you a coffee place near your place out of the kindness of my heart.”

Chorong frowns, her gut still telling her that her sister is up to something. She sighs and shakes her head. She links arms with her sister and says, “Whatever, what should we do today?”

Eunbi suggests something like an arcade, maintaining her innocence on the outside, but on the inside, she’s high-fiving herself. Chorong is totally going to be dating Eunji by the end of the month.

a/n: thank you for reading!! there will be a part two of this where they actually get together so please keep an eye for that hehe