Life isn’t easy. Some people have it all. Some people have nothing at all. And some people are wedged nicely in the middle, not quite living it up but not quite having a difficult life. Being average is a hidden blessing for most, not having to worry about starving, not having to worry about having a roof over your head. But people don’t see it, they always want more, always want what they can’t have. Minju and Yuri aren’t any different. 

 

Kim Minju. Jo Yuri. The two were same aged friends, or more accurately acquaintances. Sharing a group of friends, contact wasn’t exactly avoidable. The two were part of the local yacht club, just a casual ‘club’ where people with money gather to flaunt their wealth or make connections. The two were pulled in by a mutual friend, Jang Wonyoung, a run off the mill rich heiress of a gigantic multinational conglomerate. Having met Wonyoung at different points in their lives, their first meeting was on Wonyoung’s yacht.

 

******

 

‘So this is the friend you were talking about Won?’ Minju questioned, eyeing Yuri from top to bottom and then back up top. It was the first time Minju was meeting the other girl. She had been hearing stories from Wonyoung for ages: ‘She’s the most adorable cutie ever!’ ‘She sings like an absolute angel, you wouldn’t believe it.’ ‘She’s super nice to everyone, you’ll love her!’. Minju couldn’t see the girl Wonyoung was always talking about, all she saw was a pompous rich spoiled brat. ‘So what if she’s beautiful, she looks like she would pay her way through everything with daddy’s money.’ Minju scoffs internally, already forming her own image of Yuri.

 

‘Huh, this is your childhood friend? I see.’ Yuri huffed in response to Minju, meeting her scanning glance with a glare. She could see the other girl wasn’t too thrilled with their first meeting and Yuri certainly wasn’t going to take that lying down. Wonyoung always told her Kim Minju was an angel, the sweetest girl with the biggest heart. ‘Tall, nice figure, insanely pretty… she probably lives through life relying on her looks’ Yuri imagines, also forming her own negative first impression. To say the least, they didn’t like each other very much. 

 

******

 

The two were often called along to Yacht club meetings, being Wonyoung’s best friends. The first few meetings went exactly the same. Snide remarks here and there while Wonyoung tried to play peacemaker. The two were very obviously at odds, arguing about literally everything. Sometimes about who should clear the rubbish (seriously why didn’t the rich snobs hire a helper?). Sometimes about their favorite movies, Minju could never understand Yuri’s obsession with the Twilight saga. By the time they made it to their eighth meeting, Wonyoung had to seperate the two, afraid to see an inevitable physical fight. 

 

‘Yea go tell that pretty face to stay on the other side of the yacht, don’t let me catch her anywhere near me.’ Yuri scowled, voice filled with annoyance. She didn’t have any real reason to feel such animosity towards the other girl, but first impressions last a long time after all and she never had the courage to get to know Minju better, Yuri was never good around pretty girls. The judgemental gaze Minju first placed on her also bugged her to no end. Yuri really hated feeling the looks of judgement upon her. Ever since the earlier years of her life, everyone around her has looked at her with eyes that displayed all forms of emotions: pity, jealousy, anger, disgust and more. Wonyoung could only sigh in response, proceeding to get her sister to accompany Minju in her stead.

 

‘What’s up babe? Why so moody?’ Hyewon questioned, lost as to why her girlfriend was always butting heads with Yuri. ‘It’s nothing. Come here let’s go for a swim.’ Minju responded. The two girls had been in a relationship for a period of time, meeting through Wonyoung. Their first meeting was favourable, at least to Hyewon. Minju had visited Wonyoung’s home for the first time in the then 8 years of friendship and she was flabbergasted at the sheer enormity of the Jang family’s mansion. 

 

Minju stalked her way through the halls silently, tiptoeing for no apparent reason. The girl was paranoid, extremely so. She had seen enough horror movies to know that getting lost in a large mansion with one too many doors and dim lighting would never have a positive end. She was told the restroom would be a right turn away from the end of the hallway, but what she wasn’t told was that the restroom’s door was as luxurious as every other room. So she managed to walk right past it and into a maze of endless hallways. By the fourth minute she had realised she must’ve missed the restroom but she couldn’t find her way back. As her resolve started to crumble, she reached into her pocket for her phone just to realise she had left it with Wonyoung. ‘Oh lord this is the end of me, I should’ve never-‘ Before she could finish her train of thought, an approaching footstep was brought to her attention. It was a dull and painfully slow rhythm. *tap… tap… tap… tap…* Creeped out of her mind, Minju broke into a sprint, running for her dear life. Unbeknownst to her, the owner of the footstep ran right after her, cutting through the hallways and making her way in front of Minju. Minju crashed right into the stranger while incoherently mumbling, burying her head in her hands out of defensive instinct. ‘Please please leave me alone… don’t take my body… don’t eat me i’m so thin you wouldn’t even enjoy it… please lord help me…’ then the stranger reached out and grabbed her shoulder, causing Minju to scream at the top of her lungs. ‘OH MY GOD STOP! STOP SCREAMING! WHO EVEN ARE YOU?!?!’ the stranger beckoned, obviously annoyed that someone she didn’t recognise was sneaking around her home and then screaming in her face. Minju finally raised her head at the sound of human voice. If her adversary was human at least she wouldn’t be possessed or eaten. What met her gaze was surprisingly not a monster… or a ghost (unless…) but a beauty. Long straight black hair cascading down her shoulders like waves of the ocean. Big bright brown eyes piercing through Minju’s own like a shooting star across the night sky. She was charmed. Instantly.

 

Enjoying their alone time in the water, the couple was drifting into their own world, flirting like the yacht with their friends weren't in the water right next to them. Minju had been happy with Hyewon for the past 3 years. It took them a long time to figure out one another’s feelings, both having the habit of keeping to themselves so often. ‘Babe, stay with me okay? Forever.’ Hyewon whispered into Minju’s ear, cuddling her from behind in the water. It brought a blush to the younger girl’s face, Hyewon doesn’t usually show her affection so bluntly, neither does Minju. Maybe it was the sunset, maybe it was the rocking of ocean waves surrounding them or maybe Minju’s just in love. ‘I promise you. I’ll love you forever and more.’ 

 

******

 

It all happened so quick. None of them were paying attention, each off in their own worlds. The storm had hit sudden and strong, flinging both the yacht and everyone on board all across the ocean surface. Yuri couldn’t swim, so when her head went under, all she could do was struggle. Waves crashed across the ocean hard, and by some form of miracle, Yuri was kept afloat by the very storm that threatened her life. Gasping for air, she flailed her limbs all over, barely managing to grab a couple lungfuls of air. Her strength was waning quick, it wasn’t long before she eventually went fully under, skin wrinkling from the extensive amount of water. She lost consciousness just as quickly as the storm had wreaked havoc upon the group.

 

The couple were floating upon the water side by side when the storm raged. In a flash, Minju had lost sight of Hyewon, desperately screaming and crying for her. What went through her mind at that moment was not her own safety, nor was it the pain in her lungs. The only thing she cared for was Hyewon. When the storm eventually hit too hard, Minju was dragged down under. The girl could swim well, having been taught the basic survival skills since young. But a storm was a whole different ball game. Despite her distressed attempts at trekking through the water, it was like a large amount of lead had cuff itself onto her ankles. It didn’t take long before she too lost consciousness.

 

******

 

First day

 

When Yuri woke up, she gazed blankly at the bright blue sky towering over her. The sun was at peak brightness, shining harsh rays of heat upon her. Golden sand surrounded her body, soft to the touch yet extremely rough and grainy. Naturally, the first thought that crossed Yuri’s mind was ‘Soooo, this is the afterlife?’ Coming to terms with the fact that she was most likely dead, Yuri tried to pull herself together. ‘Oh cool. My body can hurt and feel like absolute crap even when I’m dead’  Even sitting up was proving to be a challenge, her body felt like gravity was a hundred times stronger in the afterlife. She was dehydrated too, throat parched like rough sandpaper. Letting out a cough, she gathered just enough energy to pull her hefty upper body upwards. What filled her vision was nothing like she was expecting. No gigantic gate guarded by angels. No fiery throne occupied by the demon lord. No fluffy clouds all around. Instead it was the ocean, the vast wide ocean, waves crashing onto shore lap after lap. ‘Where the am I? I’m not dead?’ Yuri muttered under her breath, trying to fight the creeping fear rising from within. 

 

‘You’re not dead … and I don’t have a clue either.’

 

‘MINJU?!’

 

The two had been strolling in silence by the shore for a couple of minutes, trying to come to terms with the reality they were facing. Of all things that could happen, a storm hit like in the movies? Getting stranded on an island like in that lame arc every romcom anime had? The cliche of being stuck with an ‘enemy’? It all seemed so ridiculous to both girls, it took more than a second for them to accept the situation. 

 

‘So, we were hit. By a storm. And then washed ashore on this island. Our phones are gone and we have no way of contacting the outside world. Basically we’re stranded. How long do you think we’ve been here?’ Yuri broke the ice, listing whatever she could come up with off the top of her head.

 

‘Maybe a few hours. I highly doubt it’s been any longer than that… say, you doing okay? You were out like a light for a pretty long time.’ Minju asked, partially out of concern and partially afraid that Yuri would become a burden. Minju had already done a quick scout of the area earlier and it’s most definitely an uninhabited island. Expecting help any time soon is a luxury they couldn’t afford.

 

‘I’m not doing too bad, just thirsty. Very thirsty. How long are we gonna be stuck here? They’re gonna come and get us aren’t they?’ Yuri questioned, voice cracking from the lack of water. She tried to stay hopeful, that she wouldn’t be stuck with Minju for long.

 

‘I… I’m sure they will. Wonyoung and Hyewon are strong and they will stop at nothing to find us. We should take a look in there.’ Minju responds, beckoning towards the forest that stood a few meters away from the shoreline. ‘We need to at least secure a water source and some food to wait for them. They might take awhile.’

 

******

 

Thankfully, the two managed to find a fresh water spring not too deep into the forest. They were both hesitant to travel too far inward, so the fortunate find brought some form of comfort. Minju was the first to make her way towards the spring, preparing to finally quench her thirst. 

 

‘Wait! Minju! One moment. The water might not be safe for consumption. We should follow the currents to the source of the spring. The closer to the source the safer it should be.’ Yuri stated, making her way against the flow of the water.

 

‘How do you know this?’

 

‘I used to go camping a lot with my father… He taught me all sorts of survival tips and tricks. You’re lucky you’re here with me. I even know how to start a fire.’ Yuri answers with a smirk, grateful for the knowledge she never thought would prove to be so useful.

 

Finding the high point of the currents, Yuri observed the water flowing from the source. After taking a few quick sips, she turns to face the other girl with a wide smile. ‘The water’s good. We shouldn’t have to worry about much. We’ll drink from here and wash up in the spring. That way we won’t be contaminating our own drinking water.’ Minju was thoroughly impressed, she would never have expected a pompous brat like Yuri to have a knack for survival. Putting aside their muddled thoughts and fears, the two quickly went about consuming the water, quenching their unforgiving thirst.

 

‘We need some sort of food source too. Water will be enough to keep us alive for a period of time, but i’m sure you wouldn’t want to stay hungry while we wait. The trees around us seem promising, I spotted some nuts and fruits on our way here.’  Yuri declared. Apart from the thirst and fatigue, Yuri had also noticed the grumbling of her stomach and she was eager to rid herself of it. Without waiting for a reply, she made her way to the berry tree she had spotted earlier.

 

‘These look pretty good. Their colours are an indication that they’re safe for consumption too.’ Yuri informs Minju. Even if she disliked her, Yuri definitely didn’t want someone’s death on her conscience, she has enough on her plate even without this whole situation. 

 

‘Thank the beings up above for Jo Yuri. How does she even know all this stuff???’ Minju thanked silently, she didn’t want to give the other girl a chance to be snarky but she was extremely grateful for the guidance on survival. If she were to be stranded on the island alone, she would most definitely have done all the wrong things. 

 

The two sat under the shade of a large tree in silence, processing their predicament. Yuri had found a good spot for the two to rest. A decent distance from their water source and enough grass and space to get comfortable. Complete with shade from huge palm leaves, it was a mini paradise within the unknown environment. By the time the two had satisfied their needs, including a quick rinse in the spring, the sun had gone down, inviting a gloomy night sky. The two had spent the last hour of sun rays collecting a variety of nuts for the following morning’s breakfast and a stack of different shrubbery to use for bedding. The night also meant lowered temperature and Yuri didn’t have enough energy nor time to gather the necessary materials to start a fire. Opting for the next best option, they snuggled into makeshift blankets crafted from grass and leaves. Before nodding to sleep, Yuri heard a small whisper from the other side of the three. ‘Thank you Yuri. Thank you. You really are kind.’

 

******

 

Second day

 

When Minju woke up, she was dazed and confused. The fatigue from the previous day had driven her into extremely deep sleep. Waking up on the island initially gave her a shock, almost as if her brain had casually forgotten the situation she was in. Processing reality, Minju reached for the nuts they had collected and immediately dug in. The nuts weren’t delicious by any means, but they fulfilled their purpose and kept Minju’s hunger at bay. Energised by the meal, she pulled herself together, determined to be of some help to Yuri, she couldn’t just keep being a burden after all. When she crawled her way out of her makeshift blanket, she was greeted by a surprising sight. Yuri had somehow made articles of clothing out of random greenery. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail using vines and her body was clad in what almost seemed like a dress. Minju felt her heart skip at the sight, ‘What the hell? How does someone look good in literal rubbish?’

 

Yuri had woken up slightly earlier than Minju, her slumber interrupted when anxiety had struck her. Despite having the skills and knowledge to survive, it was Yuri’s first time being caught in a situation like this. Being in an unfamiliar environment without anyone’s guidance and having to rely on pure survival instincts just to stay alive. She couldn’t keep still and decided to take another rinse in the spring. Her clothes were starting to feel gross on her skin so she took the chance to wash them as well. Anticipating that Minju would find herself in a similar situation, she quickly prepared a set of temporary clothes for the both of them. This wasn’t something she was taught but she could figure out quickly enough how to put together different pieces of shrubbery to make just enough to pass off as clothes. When she noticed Minju stirring awake, she quickly put on her new outfit. ‘She’s eating right off the bat? She probably hasn’t even fully woken up yet.’

 

******

 

The two girls dressed in their green garments were exploring a little more of the forest. Judging from the position of the sun, it was definitely still pretty early in the morning so they had plenty of time before nightfall would come again. The two exchanged some words but not really having a full conversation. Yuri would tell Minju what things to look out for: wildlife, firewood, more kinds of fruits and nuts and Minju would just listen and keep an eye out. The atmosphere wasn’t a soothing one, both of them were still pretty on edge with the problematic situation they were in. Eventually they had decided enough of the forest was explored. Whether it was a good thing or not, they weren’t sure, but there were no animals within sight. This meant a couple of things. Fire would be safe to start as there wouldn’t be any curious animals lurking around and they could sleep more soundly at night with the knowledge that they were the only sentient beings on their side of the island. But no animals also meant no meat, so their staple food would have to stay nuts and berries. Neither were too bothered though, it wasn’t like they had plans to stay longer than they needed too.

 

After spending what was probably a couple of hours on gathering the appropriate resources for a fire and to upgrade their makeshift home, the two girls retired back under the shade of the tree. The heat from the sun was getting harsher at this point, roaming around recklessly would just tire them out. They had collected enough edible food items to last the rest of the day and enough firewood for a bonfire to combat the night breeze. 

 

The two were lost in their own thoughts for the rest of that afternoon. Yuri was thinking about all the things that could go wrong from that point on. ‘What if they never find us? What if we run out of food before they even find us? What if the rest of them had died at sea when the storm hit? Wonyoung… I really hope you’re doing alright.’ She had tried her best at staying strong for both her and Minju, but the fear and anxiety was catching up to her. Stifling a sob, she retreated further into the shade, hugging her knees to her chest.

 

Minju on the other hand was a bit more on the optimistic side. She was confident that the two sisters were alive. ‘Even a bullet through the head wouldn’t deter them from fighting to survive, a small storm means nothing to the Jang family. Hyewon… I really miss you, come get me soon alright?’ Immersed in her own thoughts, Minju failed to pick up on the silent crying coming from the other side of the large tree.

 

When the sun eventually set, the two were already tucked into their respective sides of the tree. Yuri had managed to start a small fire after a couple of tries. Afraid that it could be dangerous in their sleep, she kept the bonfire closer to the spring. Fatigue took over and lulled the two to sleep. For Minju, it was a nice and pleasant dreamland, her friends appeared in her dreams. All safe and healthy, desperately searching for her. Yuri on the other hand, wasn’t quite as lucky. What played in her head was the moment the storm struck, over and over again. She was sweating profusely, body shaking from the fear that took over her. When the waves crashed in, pulling her violently towards the water, away from Wonyoung. She screamed hysterically, shock overtaking her body as she found herself struggling within the water. The last thing that plays out is a scene of Wonyoung sinking into the ocean. She shrieks as she shakes out of her sleep, tears flooding from her eyes. She could no longer control her emotions, having been holding back the past 2 days. She cried in anguish, afraid of everything around her. 

 

Minju was stirred from her sleep by Yuri’s pained sobs. She was much better off than Yuri, her thoughts a lot more optimistic and hopeful. But she could understand, who wouldn’t? The situation they were in was ed up. She felt for Yuri, after all, they were both stuck on the same island. Choking back her tears, Minju moved toward Yuri. ‘Hey hey Yuri, calm down. You’re okay, you’re okay.’ She reassured the younger girl as she pulled her into a hug, smoothing circles onto her back. Yuri was surprised, but not unhappy. She needed this. Needed someone to wrap their arms around her and tell her everything was going to be okay. She snuggled into the crook of Minju’s neck, crying into it. ‘Thank you.’ They fell asleep side by side that night, Minju’s arms tightly wound around Yuri’s waist, wanting to make sure she didn’t feel alone.

 

******

 

Third day

 

The sun was shining brighter than the past 2 days, sweltering heat consuming the space between the two. Yuri was stirred awake by an unfamiliar feeling of warm, overly warm arms wrapped around her. ‘what’s this bull????’ She couldn’t quite remember how she fell back asleep after the series of nightmares plagued her rest. ‘Minju? Get off me.’ Yuri mumbled, pushing the sleeping girl aside with just a wee bit too much strength. ‘What the hell? What's wrong with you? I was asleep!’ Minju responded, mind still bogged down by sleep. She seemed to remember that it was Yuri who needed her the night before, ‘why is she getting all annoyed at me?’.  Yuri kept mum and made her way to the spring for her morning rinse, not wanting to engage in conversation.

 

The morning was pretty awkward to say the least, neither of them said a word to one another and just went about their day. Collecting fruits, nuts and some weird mushrooms (Yuri decided she would let Minju know not to eat the mushrooms at a later time). Yuri enjoyed the company though, as much as they disliked one another. Through the past 2 days, Yuri had realised she never had any real reason to dislike Minju. The rest of the day crawled by slowly, a lot of exploring and a lot of resting. And a lot of sitting by the shore hoping someone would drop by, eventually, the sun began its descent.

 

They sat by the sea, enjoying the rhythmic percussion of crashing waves. Their eyes were trained on the distant horizon, still holding on hope that a ship would make its appearance known. Watching the hue of orange disappear beneath their vision, the two found a sense of warmth and comfort. Unknowingly, Minju had been shifting her posture toward where Yuri sat. Maybe she was seeking comfort on the lone island or maybe she wanted to provide comfort to the lonely girl, she wasn’t sure. One thing she was sure of was how it felt so comfortable being by Yuri’s side. The two were stuck on an uninhabited island, in the middle of god knows where, but at least they were stuck together.

 

‘Minju…’ Yuri mumbled, voice low and inquisitive. She didn’t know what came over her but she felt a sudden urge to converse, to know more about the person she was with. ‘Tell me about yourself, we’ve never really talked have we? Always bickering for no good reason.’ She continued with a chuckle. ‘Well, I’m not a very interesting person. What do you want to know?’ Minju responded, she wasn’t expecting Yuri to strike up a conversation, especially after they awkwardly bumped shoulders. Something about the atmosphere and the beautiful view was giving Yuri the courage she didn’t know she needed. The courage to get to know Minju better. ‘How about hobbies? childhood memories? anything goes.’ And so they talked. and talked. and talked. 

 

The two warmed up to each other rather quickly, discovering that they had a lot of similarities. For one, neither of them were rich. 

 

‘You're not the daughter of some sort of multimillionaire business owner?!?!’ Minju exclaimed in shock.

 

‘No! Why would you even think so? My father used to work at one of the Jang’s companies, just a mid level manager. We were never rich but we weren’t poor either. I met Wonyoung when my dad brought me to work once and we’ve been friends since.’ Yuri responded, confused as to why Minju would assume she was one of them.

 

‘Well, pretty girls like you always have rich parents… look at the Jang sisters.’ Minju mumbled under her breath, not loud enough for Yuri to hear.

 

‘How about you? I heard from Wonyoung that you have known each other since you were young? Your family some kind of national powerhouse?’ Yuri questioned. She wanted to know more about Minju, not the other way around.

 

‘Pffft. Where did you get that idea? We only met because of school. My family is very average I'll have you know.’ Minju stated matter of factly. People have always mistaken her as an heiress because of how close she was with Wonyoung, so it isn’t something she’s not used to.

 

‘No way?! I’ve always thought you were rich too?! Wait, so neither of us are rich but both of us assumed the other was?’ Yuri muttered while processing her thoughts. Immediately breaking into laughter, Yuri continued. ‘Girl, I hated you because I thought you were a spoilt brat.’

 

‘OKAY WOW! Firstly, that’s offensive. Secondly… same? I thought you were a pompous .’ Minju responded.

 

Finally realising the misunderstood situation, the two girls laughed and talked into the night. The conversation was a lot more enjoyable than it had any right to be. It was almost like they were camping and not in a life threatening situation. They talked about everything under the night sky, their lives growing up, their school, hobbies and even past relationships. Yuri felt like she’d found a friend in Minju.

 

‘Hey… Min? Do you mind if we… slept together again tonight?’ Yuri asked, twiddling her fingers together, face turning a pale shade of red. 

 

‘You’re welcomed anytime Yul.’ Minju replied as she moved to make space for Yuri. Before they drifted off to sleep, Minju placed a light kiss on Yuri’s forehead. ‘You’re not alone Yul.’

 

They had their most comfortable rest since they wound up on the island that night, cuddled into one another.

 

******

 

Fourth Day

 

‘Yul? You awake?’ Minju asked in a whisper. Much to her surprise, Yuri had still been asleep when she woke, the first time since they were stranded. Whining in her sleep, Yuri pulled Minju back onto their makeshift bed, locking her arms around her upper torso and burying her face into the older girl’s neck. Minju was slightly taken aback but she can’t deny that she enjoyed the cuddling, it gave her a sense of home in this god forsaken place. Basking in the warmth of Yuri’s body, Minju allowed herself to be lulled back to sleep.

 

When she awoke for the second time, she was disturbed by the lack of warmth. Despite the bright heat emitted by the sun, Minju couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable without Yuri’s hug. ‘I guess i’ve grown too reliant on her.’  

 

‘Yul? You there?’ Minju asks as she searches her surroundings. Yuri was usually the one to wake her up in the mornings so she never had to wonder where the girl was. She was getting worried with the lack of response and thus quickly forced her tired body up, rushing to the spring in search of Yuri. When she got there, she was greeted by a surprising sight. Well for her, less surprising than it was breathtaking. 

 

‘KIM MINJU?! WHAT THE ARE YOU STARING AT?!’ Yuri shrieks as she dips back into the water, hoping it was opaque enough to take her exposed self out of Minju’s line of sight. ‘I- I- SORRY! I’LL EXCUSE MYSELF BYE’ Minju shouted in response as she scrambled backwards, tripping over some overgrown tree roots and stumbling away. Her face was flushed bright red at this point and she had no idea why.

 

The rest of the afternoon was spent avoiding one another. Minju couldn’t face Yuri not because she walked in on her showering (seriously it was an open air spring what was she supposed to do?) but because it made her realise just how gay she was. She’s been on an uninhabited island with an absolute beauty for the past 3 coming up to 4 days, even cuddling to sleep. She felt guilty, towards Hyewon, towards Yuri, that all of a sudden things felt different. She wasn’t innocently following behind Yuri in hopes of surviving anymore, she cared about the girl. A bit more than she really should.

 

‘Min… I’m not mad about the whole staring at me while I was showering thing, it was just a little awkward. Don’t keep avoiding me. We are literally the only 2 people on this island.’ Yuri pleaded, the tip of her ears turning red remembering the incident. The sun had completely set by the time Yuri had the courage to speak to the older girl again. It wasn’t easy spending a whole afternoon all alone when there was literally nothing to do, she could only rinse in the spring so many times. 

 

‘I… I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean to. I was just looking for you and-‘ Minju responded before she was cut off. ‘Shush, I really don’t care.’ Yuri continues, gazing into Minju’s deep brown eyes with one hand cupping her blushing cheek. ‘I… I don’t mind it.’ Yuri finishes, bringing a troubled look to Minju’s face. Minju isn’t dense, she’s a pretty bright girl. She knows where this is going hell she knows where this has been going since the night they laid in their makeshift bed together. But can she really afford it?

 

‘Yuri, I… I love Hyewon.’ Minju tries her best to say, moving to pull the hand away from her cheek.

 

‘I know. But Min, you can’t deny that you’re falling for me.’ Yuri responds, keeping her hand in place against Minju’s pull. Yuri had noticed the way Minju looked at her, like she was the most beautiful thing she’s ever seen.

 

‘I can’t do this Yuri.’ Minju firmly stated, her guilt outweighing her growing feelings for the younger girl.

 

‘Minju. We’re on an uninhabited island. All by ourselves. Who even knows if we’ll ever be saved? I’m certainly not optimistic of the prospect.’ Yuri argued, she knows she likes Minju and she knows she wants to love her.

 

‘What are you even? You think they won’t come get us?.’ 

 

‘Just... what if they don’t? What if we’re stuck here for good? Shouldn’t we at least live the remainder of our ty lives happy with one another?’ Yuri has never been an optimistic person and the situation had just brought out even more of her pessimism. She was starting to believe maybe accepting their fate was the best way to go about things.

 

‘Yuri! They’re looking for us. Don’t think like that!’ Minju says with a slightly raised voice. She was getting frustrated, how could Yuri say such things? She’s been waiting for Hyewon to find her all this while.

 

‘Oh please Minju! For all we know they might all be lying on the ocean floor. Wonyoung, Yena, Chaewon and your girlfriend too!’ Yuri yells, at much too loud a volume. Flinging her hand away from Minju. ‘Don’t you think you should face reality?’

 

‘D-don’t ing say that. Stop Yuri. We-We’re not having this conversation.’ Minju stutters, tears slowly filling her eyes. She’s been avoiding the thought, desperate to keep her mind sane and optimistic. Now, she can’t control it anymore, the tears are spilling against her will and she can’t do a thing about it. Turning her back towards Yuri, she makes a run for their tree, diving into the bed of green and burying her face into her hands.

 

‘I’m sorry… it’ll just be better for both of us to see reality for what it is.’ Yuri mumbled under her breath, towards the figure that had long left her. She feels terrible for what she said, she knew she wasn’t the only one having a tough time. On the nights where Minju held Yuri in her warmth and provided her comfort, she could feel Minju sob every now and then. Even so, her feelings are real and it wouldn’t be fair to anyone to keep them silent. 

 

The two slept separately, each facing their own demons, each shedding tears for their own reasons.

 

******

 

Fifth day

 

‘This isn’t about you Yul. You’re great, you really are. But I have a girlfriend.’ Minju states, voice with a hint of frustration. Yuri had been bugging her since they woke up, wanting to continue the conversation from before. Yuri spent the whole night wallowing in self pity and drowning in her thoughts. When she finally woke up nearing sunset, she made up her mind to talk it out with Minju. Minju on the other hand had barely gotten a wink of sleep and was on edge, from both Yuri’s words and her own worries. 

 

‘Min, I’m not trying to hurt you. But you have to face it, neither of us know if we’re ever getting off this island, don’t you think we should try to live for ourselves?’

 

Minju stared at the setting sun, it reminded her of the conversation she shared with Yuri days prior. She enjoyed it thoroughly, learning about Yuri. She learned about the younger girl’s hardships and how her initial impression was completely wrong. She appreciated how Yuri was much stronger than most people her age and she loved her for it. 

 

‘I know… I know but-‘ Minju tries to say, but a sudden movement from Yuri cuts her off.

 

‘I like you Min. I really do. Can’t we give this a try?’ Yuri whispered under her breath, leaning in closer to Minju as she held her hands. 

 

It was like something clicked like clockwork in Minju’s head, like a long dead lightbulb had suddenly found life. Minju mirrored the younger girl’s movement, bringing their foreheads together. Closing in and pressing their lips together, suddenly everything felt right. To Minju, it felt like she was no longer stranded on an island, it felt like she instead found a new home. To Yuri, it felt like she was safe, safe in the older girl’s embrace.

 

‘You’re right Yul. You’re right. I like you too’ Minju confessed as they broke out of their short gentle kiss, wearing a tender smile. 

 

The two slept cuddled up, slept like babies. Both feeling like maybe, just maybe this island was their new home.

 

******

 

Sixth day

 

‘Sooo, should we plan our lives out?’ Yuri asked with a hint of playfulness. The two had been cuddling all morning, simply enjoying one another’s presence. 

 

‘Hmm, well firstly. One of us needs to learn how to fish. I’m sick of all these nuts and berries. Secondly, let’s build a house!’ Minju responds. She had been thinking about it. If they were really going to live their lives out on the island, their makeshift beds aren’t gonna cut it.

 

‘A house? Wow Min, you’re thinking big aren’t you? How about we start with a tent.’ Yuri replied with a chuckle. There was going to a whole lot of things they had to figure out moving forward, living a life on a random island isnt as easy as it sounds. And it doesn’t even sound easy. ‘I just wish we had our phone, at least we could watch some diy tutorials’ Minju said half-jokingly, earning a hearty laugh from the other girl.

 

About three hours into their tent building (it may have even been thirty minutes or eight hours, tracking time isn’t easy without a clock), the two girls were exhausted and ready to give up. They tried using vines, small tree branches and large palm leaves to create the shape but it wouldn’t stay standing. ‘Yul, now that I think about it, wouldn’t the leaves decay after a period of time?’ Minju asks, realising that maybe they needed different materials. ‘ you’re right, maybe we should just make a wooden hut.’ Yuri replies. But without the necessary equipment, it would be difficult to even tear through a tree bark, much less build a whole damn building. 

 

They experimented with a couple of things, making stone knives, making fishing rods, exploring more of the island. But they didn’t manage to get much done, it’s difficult to focus when you have an absolute beauty like Jo Yuri coming over and giving surprise kisses and hugs every once in a while. Minju can’t deny that she enjoyed it, the cute way Yuri was asking for attention, but something was gnawing at the back of her mind. Something that didn’t feel very pleasant.

 

They retired to their temporary bedding with nothing accomplished, except for the discovery of a bed of flowers slightly west from where they were. Minju had gathered a bouquet and presented it to the other girl, a sweet gesture but completely pointless on the island. Nevertheless, Yuri accepted it with joy, peppering Minju with kisses in return. The two once again cuddled together and drifted off to sleep, content in one another’s arms.

 

******

Seventh day

 

Maybe Yuri had a really good sixth sense or maybe her instincts were just tuned to max settings on this island, but when she woke up, she had a small inkling that something wasn’t right. The two spent the morning on their usual routine, showering in the spring and collecting more nuts and berries. It was the only damn things they had available as food. ‘Maybe we should start a farm, I’m sure we could find a way to grow rice or something.’ Yuri suggests, drooling at the thought of rice. ‘Mhmm sure, but we gotta get fishing down first, I want meat.’ Minju answers with a pout. The two then picked up their makeshift fishing rod and headed for the shoreline.

 

They had been trying for hours at this point, their rod was made of vines and they didn’t even have a hook or bait. Even they wouldn’t be able to answer if someone asked them how they thought it would work. But they were just having fun, messing around by the sea. That is until Minju saw a sea craft approaching from the horizon. Yuri hadn’t noticed it in her daze, busy admiring Minju’s perfect features. But she definitely noticed when Minju suddenly started jumping up and down on the spot, waving her arms frantically and shouting ‘WE’RE HERE! WE’RE HERE!’. Aligning her vision with Minju’s, she sees the boat the older girl was shouting at. Squinting her eyes, she could see familiar figures on the bow of the boat. Her heart stopped for a second, recognising their faces. It was Wonyoung and her sister. Teardrops made their way out of her eyes uncontrollably, a sense of relief washing over her.

 

‘MINJU! YURI! OH GOD THANK GOD WE FOUND YOU!’ Wonyoung screamed as she rushed towards the two, engulfing them in a warm hug. She was crying uncontainably, happy beyond words to finally find her two best friends. After she had released her hug, Minju ran towards Hyewon, leaping into her arms. ‘I finally found you.’ the older girl wept, pulling Minju in tight. ‘What took you so long?’ Minju sobs. ‘It was so difficult. This island. Being stranded. Eating damn nuts and berries all day long. Thank god for Yul-‘ Minju continues as she shifts her gaze to Yuri, her words getting caught in as she registered the pained expression on Yuri’s face. Yuri was glad, truly glad to have finally been found, to finally be able to get off the island. But she had been getting used to her new life, with her new partner. She had dreamt of living happily on the island just last night. She had thought about how she was gonna love Minju for the rest of their lives. The scene before her caused her heart to sink. Minju wasn’t her girlfriend, Minju had Hyewon. That was the truth, way before they even met, Minju was already in a relationship. And now that they’ve been saved,  Minju is going back.

 

A strong pang of guilt struck Minju then and there. She had been too caught up in her relief of being saved. Of seeing Hyewon again that she had forgotten Yuri. Forgotten the feelings she shared with her. The guilt she felt towards both Hyewon and Yuri tripled when she saw Yuri’s tears. Her expression was hurt. Hurt and jealous. And Minju knows that she’s the cause. She had given false promises to Yuri, promises she knows she can’t keep, that she doesn’t want to keep. ‘Yuri… she, she saved us. She got us food and water, made us clothes, made us beds. She kept me alive.’ Minju continues, finishing her sentence. When Yuri broke down and fell to the ground, Minju tore her eyes away, willing herself to not run to Yuri’s side. After all, Hyewon is here. The girl whom she had promised to love forever and will continue loving forever. Her emotions were all over the place, but one thing’s for sure, she knew she couldn’t let herself be swayed.

 

‘I loved you. I really did, even if it was just for a week.’

 

________________________________________________
 

A/N: Thanks for reading my nonsense! I swear I’ll stop writing Minyul angst I just couldn’t help myself. You can find me on twitter @yuriornothing ! Thanks!