“Hello? Im Wonyoung speaking. W-who is it?”

 

 

“Wonyoung-ah! It’s me!”

 

 

Wonyoung didn’t know why, but her heart was beating so fast, “Bae Yujin, what do you want? And why are you calling our house phone instead of my phone?”

 

 

“Well,” Yujin started, “I don’t know, it’s cool. Telephones are old school, I thought you liked these kinds of things. You’re cheesy.”

 

 

She did like those kinds of things. Has always dreamed of having someone call her through the telephone and receive love letters. But Yujin didn’t have to know that.

 

 

“Yah! I am not!”

 

 

“Wonnie,” Mina called from the living room, “tone it down, you’re scaring Ray,”

 

 

“S-sorry!” Wonyoung could hear her friend laughing in the other line, “That’s not funny, Yujin.” She rolled her eyes, as if Yujin would see how frustrated she’s becoming.

 

 

“Okay, okay. Why are you so grumpy?” 

 

 

“I am not. You’re just really annoying,” Wonyoung bit back.

 

 

“You love me,” For seconds, Wonyoung couldn’t seem to form words. She didn’t know why those three words made her feel nervous.

 

 

“Ha! You wish, Bae,” Wonyoung wishes she could just tell her.

 

 

“Ouch. So all this time, it’s been one sided, huh?” Yujin scoffed, but Wonyoung can’t possibly see if she was being serious. She wishes she could. She wished she was being serious.

 

 

“W-what ar—“

 

 

“Anyway, I just wanted to ask if Minjoo unnie is already home. I kinda saw her walking home alone earlier, couldn’t offer her a ride because we were on the other side of the lane.”

 

 

Oh.

 

 

“Yeah, u-unnie’s here. She’s in her room, I think.”

 

 

Wonyoung heard Yujin sigh, she wondered why.

 

 

“That’s good,” Yujin cleared , “So, are you going to audition for theater?”

 

 

“What? N-no. I don’t think t-they n-need another Im there.” She said in a hushed tone.

 

 

“Oh, well.”

 

 

There was a pregnant pause and Wonyoung wished that Yujin already dropped the call. Because her heart is beating so fast, not in a good way. 

 

 

“Hello? Are you still there?”

 

 

“Yeah, yeah. I kinda spaced out,” Yujin laughed, “But mom says I gotta go to sleep already.”

 

 

“Of course,” Wonyoung looked at the clock. 8:43. It's still quite early.

 

 

“I’ll see you first thing tomorrow, yeah?” Wonyoung just hummed.

 

 

“Alrighty. Good night, Wonyo. Dream of me!” Yujin made a kiss noise before ending the call.

 

 

“I.. always dream of you...”

 

 

 

 

 

_____

 

“Wonyoung, you gotta eat your breakfast!” 

 

 

The said girl was currently in front of a mirror in her room, trying to tie the ribbon on her school uniform, “Yeah, I’m almost done.”

 

 

With a few more attempts to knot the piece of fabric, Wonyoung flailed her arms in defeat, “How are these supposed to go together?” She huffed.

 

 

The rhythmic sound of feet against the marble stairs turned Nayeon and Mina’s head towards their youngest who’s basically skipping down the steps.

 

 

“Good morning!” Wonyoung greeted, rounding the dining table to give her moms kisses.

 

 

“Good morning to you too, baby.” Nayeon pulled the chair beside her. 

 

 

Wonyoung looked at the chair, then scanned the room, “Where’s unnie?” 

 

 

“Minjoo was off early. She said she didn’t finish arranging the posters yesterday, so she’ll do it today.” Nayeon answered, busy reading an email on her phone.

 

 

Wonyoung hummed before sitting down, her feet touching a lump of fur. She peeked under the table to find the old dog staring back at her and she couldn’t help but giggle.

 

 

“Wonyoung,” Mina reached for her from the other side of the table, “you really have to learn how to tie that bow.” 

 

 

Nayeon looked up from her phone to see Mina tying Wonyoung’s ribbon. She smiled, “Let her be. When she learns how to do it herself, you’re going to bawl your eyes out,” Nayeon teased.

 

 

Mina playfully scoffed while she flattened the ribbon against Wonyoung’s collar, “You know, I’m more worried that she won’t learn how to do it herself.”

 

 

“Mom!” Wonyoung whined.

 

 

“Then she’ll just have to find someone to do it for her, right Wonyo?” Nayeon said and Wonyoung looked at her mommy, confused. “I mean, I didn’t know how to do my tie for the first few times, so you had to do it for me.” She looked at her wife and Mina just nodded.

 

 

Wonyoung found herself envying her parents’ relationship once again and wondering what it would take to have what they have.

 

 

They continued to eat and joke around. It’s still quite early so Wonyoung decides to check her things one last time.

 

 

Upon entering her room, Wonyoung tripped on the jacket Yujin lent her in their last year of middle school when it suddenly started snowing on their way home. She can still remember how Yujin took off her baby blue jacket to drape on her shoulders. She also remembers her friend shivering from the cold, but still insisted that she was fine as long as Wonyoung is. 

 

 

That was the first snowfall they experienced together and the first time Wonyoung realized that Yujin is keeping her promise.

 

 

Under the shelter of local playground’s playhouse, two six year olds were getting frantic about the rain.

 

 

“Why are you crying?”

 

 

“It’s raining so hard! The clouds are angry at us, Yujin!” Six year old Wonyoung cried out.

 

 

“No they’re not. Why would they be angry at us?” Yujin cocked her head to the side, trying to get a look at Wonyoung’s face when the girl is burying it between her legs.

 

 

“Stupid Yujin! This is your fault! I wanted to play in my room, but you wanted to play here!” Wonyoung cried harder, the rain pouring as hard.

 

 

“I don’t like the rain! Specially when the loud light comes!” Wonyoung said and Yujin laughed, “What loud light? You mean thunder?” 

 

 

“I don’t know!” 

 

 

As if on cue, the loud light came and Wonyoung squealed deafeningly loud that Yujin flinched. Wonyoung cried even more.

 

 

“Hey,” Yujin moved closer to Wonyoung before grabbing her little hands into hers, squeezing them, “it’s okay. It’s not that scary, just really loud.”

 

 

“And I’m here. I’ll protect you, Wonnie.”

 

 

Wonyoung finally looked up, “Y-you promise?” She asked, raising her pinky finger.

 

 

“Promise!” Yujin linked her pinky to Wonyoung’s, “I’ll be your prince charming!”

 

 

Wonyoung sighed, “Stupid Yujin," she said to herself.

 

 

She picked the jacket up and hung it back in her closet. Wonyoung tried to give it back, but Yujin said she should keep it.

 

 

Wonyoung walked to her bed to pick up her bag and check her things. She sat on the edge of her bed while she fished her things one by one to check if they were complete. One thing was missing, her phone.

 

 

She grabbed her phone from the nightstand, dragging it along the wood material. She noticed a piece of paper fall off the edge of the nightstand. She bent down to pick it up before shoving the phone in her skirt pocket. 

 

 

The letter. 

 

 

“Wonnie! Yujin’s here!” Nayeon called.

 

 

“Okay, I’m coming!” She said, pulling the drawer and stuffing the paper in along with the pink envelope, not minding if the edges got a bit crumpled.

 

 

She slung her bag on and rushed down to see Yujin and her mom, Joohyun in the living room.

 

 

“Hey, Wonyoung!” Joohyun greeted with a smile.

 

 

“Hi aunty! I haven’t seen you in a while.” Wonyoung said as she pulled the woman in a hug.

 

 

“Oh, I’ve been busy. I only had time to come because it’s our driver’s day off. Had to drive this kid.” Dr. Bae said as she ruffled her daughter’s hair.

 

 

“How about Yuri?” Mina asked, “Oh, she has an appointment with her eye doctor early in the morning. Seulgi’s bringing her there.”

 

 

“Okay, I guess you kids better get going or you’re gonna be late.” Nayeon quipped from the couch.

 

 

Yujin grabbed her bag from their car and kissed her mom goodbye before they started walking to school.

 

 

 

 

_____

 

“I heard Minjoo sunbaenim edited and posted all the posters for drama club and she finished early in the morning!”

 

 

“Really? That’s so cool. She really can do everything.”

 

 

“I wonder why she didn’t run for council president. It’s a shame, she’s graduating this year.”

 

 

Wonyoung heard a group of juniors talking as they passed their table. She shuffled in her seat, feeling uncomfortable.

 

 

“So, I chatted with coach earlier and he said someone from the track team got a scholarship to SCU,” Yena said, still filled with kimchi fried rice.

 

 

“SCU? As in Seoul Central University?” Nako gasped, “Dude, that’s such a big deal!”

 

 

“What’s even shocking is that she’s just on second year!” Yena added.

 

 

“Why is she given a scholarship to a university when she’s just in year two?” Chaeryeong asked.

 

 

“They recently instituted a department for high school seniors.” 

 

 

The group looked up to the person who intruded their conversation to see Wonyoung’s sister.

 

 

“Unnie!”

 

 

“Sunbaenim?”

 

 

“Sunbae!”

 

 

“Hello,” Minjoo smiled, “just came by to say hi. I didn’t see Wonyo before leaving the house.” 

 

 

“You guys are so sweet,” Hwang Yeji, Minjoo’s friend poked her head over Minjoo’s shoulder.

 

 

Hwang Yeji? Wonyoung scrunched her forehead, trying to remember how she knows the senior. The letter!

 

 

“Your sister looks a bit grumpy today, don’t you think?”

 

 

Wonyoung whipped her head to the direction of the voice, displeased at what she said, “Excuse me?” The bunny girl couldn’t help but ask.

 

 

While Minjoo, she laughed and slapped the girl’s shoulder, “You’re so mean, Chaewon-ah!”

 

 

The girl, Chaewon, looked at Wonyoung in a way the latter just couldn’t understand. Was it curiosity? Playfulness? Or just pure hate?

 

“You don’t even know me and I don’t know you. So who are you to say that to me?” Wonyoung, although timid for most times, can get a little feisty.

 

 

“Woah, okay, Wonyoung,” She felt a familiar hand on her arm, slightly pulling her towards her body, “calm down. I’m sure sunbae’s just joking.”

 

 

“Yujin’s right, Won, Chaewon’s a joker.” Minjoo held her friend’s arm, basically clinging onto her.

 

 

“More like a joke,” Wonyoung muttered, loud enough for Chaewon to hear, but Wonyoung didn’t know that.

 

 

“We’ll get going before...” Minjoo eyed her short haired friend then her sister, “Yeah, we’ll just go.”

 

 

The group of seniors weaved their way into the crowded cafeteria and into their table. It’s only now that Wonyoung realizes her sister’s table is very much visible from where she is sitting.

 

 

“Well, that was annoying.” 

 

 

“You’re so jumpy lately.” Yujin commented on her attitude. “You were like that yesterday, too.”

 

 

“No, I’m not jumpy, Yujin. You and that Chaewon are just really making me wanna wring you to death.”

 

 

“Aw, look how much you love me,” Yujin teased. “I’m not gonna pair up with you for the communication class.”

 

 

“What? No! I’m sorry, Wonyoung! Please pair up with me. Pretty please.” Yujin hugged her friend and pouted. 

 

 

Wonyoung knows she can’t possibly say no to Yujin. Not when she’s the pretty in the pretty please.

 

 

 

 

_____

 

Yujin just hopped in the car her mom was driving and it’s Wonyoung’s cue to get inside their house.

 

 

She pulled her shoes off, not minding to untie the laces. She’s once again greeted by their dog, asking for a few pats.

 

 

Wonyoung heard the television was on so she assumed that one of her moms were there. She shuffled across the floor, enjoying the feeling of her sock-clad feet sliding as Ray chased her into the living room.

 

 

Call her surprised, but that night was one of the rare nights her sister arrives home before she does.

 

 

“Unnie,” She called and Minjoo hummed, eyes glued on the big screen, “you’re early.”

 

 

“Ah, yeah. Well, I went to school early today so I can finish everything that needs to be done and come home early.” Minjoo patted the space beside her and Wonyoung instinctively sat beside her unnie, the dog following suit.

 

 

“Where’s mom? And mommy?”

 

 

“They went grocery shopping. Mommy wanted pasta and we didn’t have any.” The older draped an arm around her sister’s shoulder as they continued to watch BBC Earth, sometimes laughing at how their dog would bark at the birds on the screen.

 

 

 

 

_____

 

Dinner was delicious, as always. Her mom cooks the best pasta, but her mommy says that there was a time that Mina would follow a recipe, step by step, including the measurements, just to make that awful spaghetti Nayeon had to endure for so long until Mina took cooking lessons from Jeongyeon’s father.

 

 

And Wonyoung just had to watch how Nayeon would talk animatedly and how Mina would laugh at every single gesture and facial expression her wife makes. She wanted that, so bad.

 

 

She’s currently finishing up her homework in Literature, just making sure she didn’t have any grammatical errors.

 

 

“And that’s done!” She exclaimed, starting to wrap up her things and place them in her bag.

 

 

After fixing her bed, she checked her phone for any messages and notifications from her SNS. 

 

 

@ch_chae1 followed you

 

 

Wonyoung, out of curiosity, clicked the profile and to say that she was disappointed is an understatement. Chaewon.

 

 

“Why is she following me?” Wonyoung huffed and threw her phone on the other side of her bed. She pulled the sheets to cover her face before letting out a muffled scream.