Jeong Eunji has ten rules she tries to follow while living with her housemate and girlfriend, Park Chorong.

It's simple, really.

Rule # 1: She’s an early riser, so learn to wake up early…

“Jeong Eunji! Don’t make me break your ing door!”

Eunji wakes up to the angry warnings of a familiar voice along with loud banging against her door. She groggily grabs her phone from her bedside table and checks the time. 6AM. It’s early, way too early for her 8AM classes tomorrow. “Five more minutes.” She mumbles softly to no one, already closing her eyes as she settles her head back on her pillow.

… or at least be prepared when she storms in your room and pulls you off your bed.

“Eunji!” Chorong shouts again as she opens Eunji’s door loudly. She finds her girlfriend still asleep on the bed, buried under the thick comforter. Without hesitation, Chorong mercilessly pulls at the comforter.

Eunji wakes up with her hitting the floor, and opens her eyes to angry glares from her girlfriend, just like almost every weekday.

Rule # 2: She doesn’t mind doing chores…

Bomi burps contentedly as they finish breakfast. Beside her, Hayoung all but her plate clean before pulling at Bomi and Eunji to play a shooting game the three of them recently got addicted to.

Eunji excitedly waits for her laptop to boot up when she feels the hairs on the back of her neck stand. A few seconds later, she feels a sharp pain shoot from her ear as she realizes that Chorong is standing beside her, pulling at her earlobe. Chorong turns to her two other housemates with a glare, and the two of them scamper to find a broom and a mop.

… but make sure to offer to help.

“Let me wash the dishes for you, babe.” Eunji says as Chorong pulls her to the kitchen.

Rule # 3: She hates playing games, and she’s so bad at them…

After an hour playing the shooting game, the three girls decide to beat each other in a game of Splatoon. It turns into a bet when Eunji keeps beating Bomi and Hayoung, and the latter proposes a team game— where the losing team buys dinner. Chorong (who was quietly settled on the one-seater beside the couch) is automatically put in the player roster as Bomi pulls out their fourth controller.

“You can choose your teammate.” Hayoung says. It’s a trap, Eunji knows, and she hesitates, wanting to pick either Bomi or Hayoung instead. She glances at Chorong, already calculating how much money she has left, because she knows they will lose.

Chorong must have read her thoughts, because even before Eunji calls out her name, Chorong stands up with a frown and says, “I didn’t ask to be in your stupid game anyway.” she stomps to her room and closes the door with a sound bang.

… but she likes playing with you. Don’t hesitate to pick her as your teammate even when there’s a bet. Especially when there’s a bet.

“I’ll buy dinner.” Eunji combs fingers through her hair and sighs in disappointment at herself. She stands up and follows Chorong to her room.

Rule # 4: If you did something wrong, apologize and let her cool off...

“Chorong..” Eunji carefully opens Chorong’s door and finds her lying on her bed, encased in her blanket. It’s an impenetrable fortress, so Eunji settles to just sitting beside her. “I’m sorry..” she whispers. I don’t care if I lose that stupid bet. Of course I’ll still choose you, I was just pretending to hesitate as a joke… I’m sorry.”

When Chorong doesn’t answer, Eunji quietly leaves her room.

… she’ll come to you when she’s ready.

Chorong lets herself inside Eunji’s room two hours later and snuggles beside her while she reads.

“Not angry anymore?” Eunji asks, giving her a quick kiss on her forehead.

Chorong shakes her head and buries her face on Eunji’s neck.

Rule # 5: She easily gets jealous. Don’t give her reasons to be.

Eunji tiptoes at a stack of beer to try and reach a case while Chorong is somewhere else shopping for the other ‘more necessary' things. It’s unbelievably high, and despite stretching her whole body to its limits, she still falls a thumb short. She looks around for help, but there are no workers around. Not wanting to give up on her alcohol, she tries again.

She laughs at her self when she’s still a thumb away, feeling slightly dumb for expecting a different result from the same circumstances. But then, a pair of pretty hands reach over her and easily lift the case she was trying to reach.

Surprised, Eunji turns around and finds a tall girl smiling at her.

“Just one?” the girl asks, handing the case to Eunji.

“Soyoung!” Eunji all but shouts as she almost tackles her friend to the ground. “You didn’t tell me you were back!”

“I arrived yesterday!” Soyoung replies, squeezing her tightly. “Wow, I missed you and the gang so much!”

Soyoung has been away for two years, and so the two of them talk for a while, catching up as much as they could. Eunji forgets the beer and doesn’t realize that fifteen minutes have already passed until she sees Chorong approaching them with their shopping cart. Eunji internally panics as she laughs at something Soyoung said. Chorong stops beside her with a tight, forced smile, a sure sign that Chorong is mad or jealous, if Eunji missed how she jabbed the shopping cart on Eunji’s side. (which she did not. It hurt like hell)

“Ah, Soyoung.” Eunji croaks out as she quietly hisses in pain. She reaches out and gently takes Chorong’s hand and squeezes it gently, silently praying that her girlfriend isn’t that jealous, and is easily content by this sweet gesture. “This is Chorong, my girlfriend.”

Familiarity easily appears on Soyoung’s face after Eunji introduces Chorong. “Oh my god, you’re so pretty!” Soyoung shakes Chorong’s hand, almost catching the girl off guard. “I feel like I’ve known you for years, the way Eunji always gushes about you.” Soyoung says, making Eunji and Chorong turn as red as tomatoes.

“I do not!” Eunji denies. “Shut up, Soyoung.”

Soyoung ignores her. “I can’t believe you put up with Eunji for two years. It’s not too late to save yourself, you know.” Eunji curses at Soyoung as the girl laughs. When Eunji turns to Chorong and finds her smiling shyly instead of the jealous air she was starting to emit, Eunji feels the nervousness weighing on her chest dissipate.

After a few more minutes of small talk, Soyoung invites the two of them for a meal sometime and excuses herself, leaving the couple alone to go back to their grocery shopping.

Rule # 6: She doesn’t look like it to other people, but she’s stubborn…

As the couple walks back to their car across the parking lot, Chorong insists on carrying several bags, which is a little too much for her, in Eunji’s opinion; while Eunji is left with only two. She tries to grab one of the bags from Chorong, but the latter gets mad at her for even attempting to steal one.

“Stop it!”

“But they’re heavy!” Eunji says. “I can carry another one for you.”

“I can handle it.” Chorong huffs.

… more stubborn than you’ll ever be. It’s best to just let her have her way sometimes.

Eunji gives up and watches her girlfriend wobble (with much difficulty) and keeps a safe distance where she can catch her just in case she trips and falls.

Rule # 7: She hates PDA…

Upon reaching the restaurant to buy the dinner she owes Bomi and Hayoung, Eunji and Chorong are greeted by the cashier. They order their take-out, and as Eunji pays, the cashier offers them an on-going promo.

“Two extra servings of chicken..” Eunji repeats, checking if she understood the offer properly.

“Yes ma’am.” the cashier confirms. “It’s a x2 promo for couples, since it’s the owner’s wedding anniversary with his wife.”

“And we still get the family serving size, not the solo size?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“And all we have to do is prove that we’re a couple by kissing?”

“Yes ma’am.”

Eunji laughs softly and looks around. There aren’t many people at the counter, but there’s enough to call a crowd. She glances at Chorong and turns to the cashier. Chorong hated public displays of affection, and Eunji wasn’t going to ask for that in exchange for more chicken. Tempting, but she already knows Chorong won’t say yes.

“Well that’s too bad…” she starts, only to be cut off by Chorong.

“Two free family servings of chicken right? And we also get free sauce?” Chorong asks as Eunji looks at her rather confused.

“Yes ma’am. Completely for free.” the cashier answers again.

Hearing this, Chorong just shrugs and without blinking, she pulls Eunji nearer by her jacket and kisses her in front of strangers. It’s not a quick peck, and when it ends, she leaves Eunji dazed.

… but she’ll do anything for chicken.

“Don’t hold back on the sauce.” Chorong tells the cashier.

Rule # 8: She’s technologically impaired and she accepts that…

“How do I post that moving thing Hayoung does on her instagram?” Chorong asks after setting the table. She pulls out her phone and opens the said app.

Eunji watches her snap a picture of the dining table and fiddles with the options. Despite feeling famished, she waits patiently with Bomi and Hayoung. Chorong (finally) gives up after five minutes, and looks at Eunji with pleading eyes as she hands the girl her phone.

Eunji chuckles and easily does it for her. She snaps the boomerang quick, and hands Chorong her phone back, eager to be done with it and start eating.

Chorong has other plans, however.

“Okay, but how do you put gifs.” she asks again.

… but don’t ever joke about her age.

“Ugh, is 29 the new 60?” Eunji comments before she can stop herself. “I know you’re old, but you’re not that old.”

“What did you say?” Chorong asks in a high-pitched tone as the two other girls snicker quietly. It warns her to choose her next words, but Eunji decides she feels a little brave right now.

Rule # 9: Or call her a grandma

“I said, why is this so challenging for you…” Eunji pauses and looks at Chorong straight in the eye before smirking, and with the most annoying tone she could muster, “grandma.”

Before she can even breathe, Chorong is already charging at her and kicking her, hard and unforgiving— right on the shin.

As she drops to the floor, holding her leg and listening to her friends laugh, Eunji remembers the last and most important rule of all.

Rule # 10: If you’re feeling extra brave, always remember:

Chorong kicks damn hard.

A short and fluffy one-shot before my Apink-withdrawal-feeling- pours all the angst on ya'll. :)

Thank you for all the upvotes and comments!