Kwon Yuri opened the door to their dorm and stepped in, shrugging off the snow in her clothes in the process. She took off her shoes and padded her way to the living room. There was Sooyoung, munching a bag of cookies whilst lazily switching the channels on the television. Poor little thing can't entertain a bored Sooyoung with its programmes, she idly thought. The tanned girl kept sealed, trying to pass the room without gaining any unwanted interest.

"Hey, Yul, come back already?"

A lazy Sooyoung was sensitive to her surroundings, unfortunately. Yuri halted, unconsciously tilting her head so that the bruise in her face wouldn't be seen, and glancing at the source of the voice. She breathed out in relief when she found out that Sooyoung spoke without looking at her.

"Yeah," answered Yuri with what she hoped sound like a normal tone. "I, um, will be in my room. See you later," she added hastily before the other could think of looking at her. Then she walked faster from there, ignoring Sooyoung's question of "Your room or danshin duo's?".

She actually took in Sooyoung's question when she was about to ascend the stairs.

Right, I can't go to Sunny—she'd notice my bruise and ask. Yuri ran her fingers through her hair and sighed. I need to find a quiet place. Somewhere quiet and humanless. Where's...

A place popped up in her mind almost immediately, and she decided to abandon her bag to the nearest table present before ascending the stairs and heading off to only God and her knew where.

- : A : - Y - : F : -

Sooyoung had sprawled lazily on the couch, occupying it like a boss with the TV already turned off when someone made an appearance in the living room. The figure shivered slightly, and Sooyoung noticed a thin layer of snow was present on top of the figure's head.

"Yoong!"

The younger looked at her and forced a small smile. "Hi, Sooyoung unnie," replied Yoona with tiredness sounded clear. Her eyes, though, quickly swept around the room as if they were searching for something. As she found nothing, Yoona looked at Sooyoung again. She opened , hesitated for a tiniest bit of second, and finally asked,

"Unnie, um... has Yuri unnie arrived there yet?"

Now that was new. The two had refrained themselves from asking about the other's whereabouts nowadays. Did something finally happen? Sooyoung studied the younger's face. "Yes," she answered carefully, and she could see anxiety began appearing in Yoona's stance. Something bad, then, concluded Sooyoung with a frown.

"Do you... do you know where she is now?"

Sooyoung shook her head. "You can try the danshin duo's room, though," she suggested, remembering Yuri's quick excuse earlier.

"I see," mumbled Yoona. "Okay, unnie, thank you." She spun around and made her way out of the living room, but not before Sooyoung called hesitantly,

"Yoong."

"Yes?"

"Well, uh... you have snow on your head."

- : A : - Y - : F : -

Taeyeon rolled on her bed with plushies in her embrace. Dookong's plushies, to be exact. An amused Tiffany watched the dork in the edge of the bed contentedly.

"Honestly, Tae, one might wonder if those plushies are your babies, judging from the way you act."

Taeyeon stopped rolling around and lifted her gaze to meet Tiffany's. "They might as well be," she answered, squeezing the plushies lovingly.

"Such a kid," commented Tiffany, not unkindly.

"They call me The Ultimate Elementary School Kid for a reason, don't they?"

"According to a book I read, a kid won't have babies, Tae-Tae," said Tiffany with a chuckle. "Especially a plushie kind of baby. Now that's something human can never give born to."

"But plushies are cute!"

Tiffany was about to quote Seohyun that plushies were supposed to be cute or else what's the point of making them anyway, but the door opened and Yoona popped her head.

"Unnie," Yoona halted in her words, "oh hi Tiffany unnie. Where's Sunny unnie?"

"Got swallowed by something called life?" It's Taeyeon's way to say 'I don't know'.

Yoona scratched her neck. "Riiiiiight," she said, "anyway, I just want to know... is... Yuri unnie here?"

No answers came. The other two girls fixed their gaze at the questioner instead.

"Right," Yoona cleared awkwardly. "I don't see her here, so she mustn't be here. Okay. Get it. Thank you, unnies!"

And before anyone could say something, the door was closed again. Taeyeon looked at Tiffany who looked back at her, silently wondering what's just happened in front of them. Taeyeon petted one of the plushies and sighed.

"It goes long, doesn't it? Their... disagreement," mumbled Taeyeon.

"I thought it's a fight," said Tiffany. "Why do you call it disagreement?"

Taeyeon shrugged, "Define fighting."

Tiffany raised her brows. "Wasn't that Yoona's words when we... you... interrogated her?"

"Yeah." Taeyeon stopped petting her plushie, and looked up to meet Tiffany's gaze. "I asked Seohyun—don't look at me like that, I'm just curious and Sooyoung said Seohyun is a walking dictionary—and she desribed fighting as..."

- : A : - Y - : F : -

One could describe stars as big exploding balls of gas, or massive, luminous spheres of plasma held together by their own gravity, or even those famous people who held so much recognitions from human population all over the world. For Kwon Yuri, though, stars were the epitome of hope. Always so shiny among the darkness called reality, yet so far from where she was standing. Always twinkling merrily to shy away monotonous black in your nights, yet so silent in the matter of sound. Always visible, but out of reach.

And like today's night sky which didn't have any stars, Yuri wondered brokenly if she held hope no more.

The tanned girl lifted her left hand and lightly brushed the bluish part of her face. However lightly, she winced at the stinging sensation that was sent into her brain. She traced her lips where it had bleed earlier—it had stopped bleeding since an hour ago, and Yuri wondered when would her heart stop bleeding too.

Some rustles were heard, indicating that someone or something—she wished it was the latter—was ascending the stairs towards the place she was in. Some more rustles indicated that the door to her place was opened, and a barely heard-able call of 'unnie' deliberately broke her wish.

She looked to the now opened door and immediately kept her hand far away from her face as she recognized the figure standing there. Yoona. Now, if her heart coud actually stop bleeding, Yuri was sure it would be later rather than sooner. Maybe very, very, very later.

Of course, it'd only happen if her heart was actually capable of doing that.

- : A : - Y - : F :

In something one would describe as timidness, Yoona walked to where the other girl sat. She pointedly tried to ignore her nervousness which seemed to be groming more and more wild with each step she took. There were several other feelings beside nervousness, though. She was afraid. She felt nauseous. She couldn't kill her guilt, either. Especially when she had noticed Yuri's gesture as the older girl noticed her presence earlier.

When her legs had stopped approximately a meter before the other girl, Yoona was too overwhelmed by her own stacked, stupid, mixed feelings that she found it hard to open . When Yuri looked up and their gaze locked, her mind had failed to work up an intelligent conversation-opener.

"Hi," was all Yoona could say.

Yuri broke their contact and stared off to the sky instead. "Hi to you too."

Silence enveloped as neither parties found words easy to be said. One shuffled on her feet at the awkward silence, while the other dealt with it by staring at some non-existent stars. It gone off for nearly two minutes, before the younger between the two shivered lightly.

The snow had thickened by two milimeters.

Yoona looked down to the ground, feeling ashamed for her involuntary shiver. She knew it was wrong to go to the rooftop without a jacket, or a scarf, or a jumper. It had been snowing outside since two hours ago. The trouser she wore hadn't been the longest she had, either. Now even her legs had started to give off some slight trembles at the cold wheather. Hang in there, Yoona. Get yourself together, seriously. It's just a little bit cold—

Her internal musings froze along with her body as something was thrown over her head and covered her body. Warm. She looked up and noted with surprise that Yuri had moved from sitting to standing, and she was actually helped Yoona to wear the jacket since the younger's body seemed unable to move.

The jacket...

Yoona's gaze flickered to the jacket as Yuri grabbed her left hand and slid the sleeve into it slowly.

Her jacket.

She took off her jacket and gives it to me.

Yuri reached for the younger's right hand, but stopped when she noticed that it was holding something.

"Unnie, your jacket..."

"First aid kit?"

Both looked up as they spoke at the same time. Doe eyes met brown orbs. Questions met questions. Each tried to identify emotions the other held, as the nature chose this very moment to watch them in silence.

Yuri released her hold from Yoona's right hand and took a step backwards. "Why are you here?"

At the younger's lack of response, Yuri broke off their contact and sighed. Not aware that her actions made Yoona suddenly felt colder than before, she spun around, sat back at her earlier spot, and looked up into the sky again.

- : A : - Y - : F :

"Why are you here, Yoona?"

Yuri repeated her question again. She closed her eyes, preparing herself to meet her question yet unanswered again. She didn't prepare herself, however, to hear a sincere statement from the younger girl.

"I've searched for you everywhere," came Yoona's soft reply.

"Did you meet Seohyun?" asked Yuri without shifting her gaze. She had encountered the maknae when she made her way to the rooftop. "I told her I want to be alone."

"Apparently Seohyun thought otherwise," said Yoona. Then before she could stop herself, she added, "Why did you want to be alone? Running away again, now, aren't we? Last time, you also..."

"Why does it matter to you?" remarked Yuri though her gritted teeth. The mention of 'running away' had spiked the wrong places in her heart. "Besides, correct me if I'm wrong, but today I reckon I'm not the only one who run away..." an exhaled and inhaled breath taking place, "...that is, if wanting to clear up one's feeling in silence is classified as running away in society nowadays."

Yoona didn't need to ask to know what Yuri was referring to. "I'm sorry, okay?" was all Yoona could say. She gripped the first aid kit in her hands and went on, "That's why I searched for you, I want to treat your wounds..."

"Right," Yuri exhaled harshly. "Let's treat my wounds and then wipe the slate clean."

"At least I'm trying to make amends, okay?!" snapped Yoona.

"Oh, right, I'm sorry that I'm not trying to make amends like you!"

"Finally have a little bit logic, aren't we?"

"Go away," said Yuri, her voice dropped several notes, her hands fisted in the sides.

- : A : - Y - : F :

Yoona was trying to backpedal from her words. She was trying hard. But the situations slipped out of her hand way too faster, and she didn't have any idea how to prevent that.

"I'm sorry..." she pleaded once more.

"Just go."

Yoona watched in despair as Yuri refused to look at her. This was not what she had hoped to achieve when she stepped into the rooftop. This was not what she had wanted this day to end with. This was not what they supposed to act around each other.

They usually weren't like this. Whatever... thing they fought over, it hadn't supposed to go this long. If Yoona was about to back down now, she didn't know what'd become of their relationship.

That, if there would still be a relationship between them.

Gathering every inch of courage she had, Yoona shrugged off the older girl's words and moved to sit beside her. She quickly opened her first aid kit and fished out a bottle of neosporin used to discourage infections of the wounds while her left hand gently reached to touch the other girl's face, causing the other to jerk away in shock.

"What—"

"Please," murmured Yoona softly. "Just let me treat your wounds this once. And then I will go."

When Yuri made no movement, Yoona lowered her left hand and sighed. "If I don't do this, I won't be able to sleep peacefully tonight. And tomorrow Mr. Park will give our class a quiz." She deliberately left the information that she had failed to really sleep the other nights too, ever since Taeyeon swapped room with the older girl.

Fortunately, the tanned girl's shoulders relaxed slightly. "Fine, just this once."

Yoona nodded. "Just this once."

"But first, you need to wear the jacket properly."

- : A : - Y - : F : -

Yuri watched as Yoona fixed the jacket she wore silently. She knew that tomorrow Yoona wouldn't have Mr. Park's class, much less a quiz. She had memorized the other girl's schedule, just like Yoona memorized hers. Therefore, it was understandable that her mind questioned her decision. Why did she agree to the younger's plead? The deal was more than dodgy, she knew it.

Yoona coughed, gaining the older's attention. She had done fixing the jacket properly, and was now looking at her shyly.

"I haven't thanked you for the jacket yet, unnie..."

Yuri only nodded and waved her hand dismissively. She then looked away, trying to ignore the defeated sigh that escaped the younger's lips. The next following minutes was spent with Yoona applying antibiotic and stopping every now and then when Yuri as much as winced no matter how slightly.

Applying the band-aid, Yoona carefully pressed the wound, earning an inevitable flinch from the older girl.

"'M sorry," mumbled Yoona guiltly. If she was to be honest to herself, everytime Yuri flinched make her flinch internally too. She gave the edge a light preasure for the finishing touch, and for a few seconds she let her hand lingered there. Then, when she felt she was way over the appropiate time allowed, she brought her hand back to her lap.

"It's okay," said Yuri, chuckling weakly. "We do tend to forget how strong Him Yoong is when she wants to be, sometimes."

Yoona looked down to her lap, the joke didn't sound that funny when it was Yuri who's being hurt by her strength.

"I'm sorry."

"Right," Yuri released her breath. "It's okay. I deserved it, I think. After all, that kiss happened."

Yuri closed her eyes as she was reminded of what made her heart bleed on the first place. The moment she knew that Seunggi gave Yoona a rose. She had been brokenhearted so deeply that even when the others said that Yoona rejected Seunggi, she still avoided the other girl. She was suddenly so conscious about the fact that Yoona could find a boy she'd love someday and her feelings wouldn't be reciprocated. That thought had, and still, scared her endlessly.

"You must be really really like him, yeah? For Him Yoong to appear... you must've liked him a lot. If I've known, I wouldn't... I wouldn't let him be in the same room with me."

Yuri opened her eyes and looked at the still-empty-of-the-stars-sky. She idly thought back about that moment. Seunggi said he wanted to discuss a thing about Yoona, and while Yuri had tried to avoid Yoona with all cost, a part of her wanted to see what kind of a guy Seunggi really was. What Yoona saw in this guy, she wanted to know. She had failed to see anything, but if Yoona liked that guy enough to slap her... who was she to object?

"If you like him that much, you don't have to say the opposite," said Yuri as she recalled what Seunggi had said. He must've kissed her because Yoona rejected him. But if Yoona took back her words, her rejection, then maybe they could hook up...

The tanned girl could feel the wound on her heart re-opened again.

"I won't stand between you guys," blurted Yuri before she could stop herself. "I won't... if that what it takes to make you happy... I won't say a word about it."

- : A : - Y - : F : -

Yoona was confused.

She had wanted to explode at Yuri's conclusion that she liked that Seunggi guy because how the hell did she come into that? Then there's Yuri's suggestion for her to take back her rejection; now that's unheard of. Yoona was thoroughly confused and had every will to explode by that point.

But the explosion never happened, because when she looked up to confront the issue, she saw a crystal ball rolled down the older girl's cheek. Her world seemed to stop spinning then.

Yuri unnie is crying.

Accompanying her confusion, Yoona now felt another feeling she recognized as sadness worming its way to her heart. Yuri was crying. Somehow in Yoona's mind, Yuri's tears enforced her belief that Yuri liked Seunggi—liked him enough that the option to stand back and watch him with Yoona made her tears show up. And the knowledge made her feel hopeless. Made her feel so little. Made her feel like she stand no chance.

Not that there'd been that option from the very start.

Yoona gulped down yet another pain that greeted her heart.

She lifted her left hand and reached out to wipe the tear on the older girl's cheek. Her action made Yuri aware that she was crying, it seemed, because she blinked and hurriedly tried to wipe away the tears herself.

"Oh my God, Yoong, I'm so sorry... I don't know what's come over me..."

Love, that's what, Yoona thought with a sad smile in her lips. She didn't retreat her hand, instead she caressed the other's cheek gently and when the other's didn't jerk away, she continued doing so.

"Unnie, is that why you said that it's about time for us to stop being friends?"

At the question, the tanned girl looked away, and Yoona's hand fell into the air.

"Yes..."

Yoona closed her eyes and took a deep breath. So it's true...

"Unnie, look at me..."

It took about ten seconds before Yuri finally looked at her, and Yoona heaved a deep breath to steel herself over what she's about to say. She stared into those brown orbs...

"Unnie, you like him, don't you?"

As the other's eyes widened, Yoona continued quickly,

"It's fine. Really. It... it makes sense. I think I should have noticed sooner... it makes sense." Yoona laughed, although her laugh sounded so false in her own ears. "You... should have told me."

"But you..."

"I don't know how you come into your conclusion, unnie," Yoona cut off before Yuri could go further, "but I never really like him..."

"I barely know him, truth to be told..."

"But you..."

"You like him, don't you?"

"That's why you're suddenly cold towards me, and it... it explains that kiss, too..."

"And if you can be happy with him, who I am to judge? My feelings—" Yoona caught herself at that, "I mean... your feelings... is what matters. I... I won't stand between you and him, I don't like him. You don't have to feel bothered about me. I promise. So..."

Yoona choked up her next words. It was then that she was aware about the wetness on her cheek. It was then that she was aware that what she's about to do and say will piece her heart together, before crashing it back with full speed.

Yuri was now staring at her with emotions she couldn't comprehend.

And Yoona leaned in, quick, and brushed her lips on top of the band-aid she applied earlier.

"If that what makes you happy, unnie, go for him."

Then she turned away, fully aware of her heart shattering into million pieces at her own words.

- : A : - Y - : F : -

The first reaction Yuri had was touching the place where Yoona had kissed her.

The second thing she was aware of was that Yoona was leaving.

The third thing she knew, she had grabbed the younger's wrist and told her, "Yoona, wait. Stop. Don't leave."

She shall not leave. Not with their conversations ended this way. Although Yuri hadn't proceeded everything fully, she just knew that she couldn't let Yoona walk away just like that. The younger had tried to break free, but then she gave up and sat back down, although still not looking at her.

"Yoona, look at me..."

Yuri felt it was ironic that a moment ago it was Yoona who asked her to look at her.

"Yoong, please..."

The nickname finally did that. Reluctantly, Yoona glanced at the older girl and Yuri knew that it was the best thing she could have at the moment, so she carried on.

"What was that?" asked Yuri, careful to not sounding rude. But Yoona was silent for more than a minute, and she ruffled her hair in defeat. So that question wasn't going to work. No surprise there, though. Yuri heaved a deep sigh and decided to try another question, then.

"So... you said you don't like Seunggi?"

Yoona shook her head slowly. Yuri closed her eyes and heaved another sigh. Okay, now that's one thing I do not expect.

"Then, were you jealous when you find that Seunggi kissed me?"

Yoona nodded however hesitantly. Yuri sighed again. Now, that's confusing.

"If that's not the sign that you like him, then what is it? Someone won't be jealous over nothing—"

"That's because I'm not jealous of you, unnie. I'm jealous of him!"

- : A : - Y - : F : -

Yoona wanted to slam her own head at the bricks nearby for her unfiltered remark. She had blurted it out before her mind could process its appropiateness. Now, her outburst had reasulted Yuri to wordlessly gape at her, which had been going for almost a minute.

"You... what?" sputtered Yuri finally. Now there's no backing down, Yoona thought dejectedly. She steeled her heart for the worst. Eyes trying to look at everywhere but those brown orbs, she answered, with what people would call as whisper:

"I don't like him, unnie... I like you."

There, now she'd dropped the bomb. As silence enveloped them, Yoona wondered what's better; a laugh, a silence, or a flat-out rejection? Maybe if Yuri laughed at her, she could laugh too and said she was joking...

"You like me?"

Yoona didn't trust her voice to speak, so she only nodded with her gaze fixed to the ground

"But you never say anything..."

"Well, I kissed you just now, didn't I? But that doesn't matter, really. It's just a hopeful part of me that reacted as if you're going to like me back," replied Yoona tiredly, wanting to end this conversation as soon as possible. She grabbed her first aid kit and decided that either way, no matter how it delivered by, rejection would still hurt her, so it's better that she leave sooner than later...

Before she could act upon her thought, though, a pair of hand cupped her face and everything went so fast. Yuri's face was suddenly so close with hers, and she heard her heart pounding fast against her chest,

"After this, you better know that I like you too," whispered Yuri before leaning down and slowly sealed their lips in a kiss.

- : A : - Y - : F : -

Hyoyeon looked at the residence's maknae who was munching down a bag of goguma chips.

"Seohyun?"

"Yes, unnie?"

"Have you seen Yuri or Yoona?"

"Yes, why do you ask?"

Hyoyeon scratched her neck. "Well, I'm just wondering if their fight is over already..."

"They're not fighting, unnie."

"Huh?"

Seohyun closed the book she was initially reading and smiled at her roommate. "They are not fighting. A fight is when someone has to cry in order for the other to laugh. A fight is when there's a winner and a loser. So, when both parties are hurt, it can't be classified as fighting..."

"And tell me, do one of them ever look happy nowadays?"

- : A : - Y - : F : -

When they finally parted to take in some air, Yuri hadn't release her hold from the younger's face, and Yoona hadn't grasped fully of the situation. It all seemed so absurd. Yuri seemed to know the confusion that invaded her mind, because she leaned in and left a soft peck at the younger's lip.

"I like you too, Yoong."

Now if Yoona misheard the words Yuri said before the kiss, this time she definitely heard it right. The first aid kit dropped to the ground as Yoona lifted her hand and put them on top of the older girl's hand. Slowly, the doe eyes looked up to brown orbs.

"You like me too?"

"Only you," answered Yuri softly. Yoona blinked, once, twice, and then thrice, and when the words registered into her brain, finally, her lips broke off into a smile.

"Really?"

"I'll endure another hour of cold to prove that point over and over again, Yoong," said Yuri with a chuckle. She kissed the younger's forehead and pulled her into an embrace. As she closed her eyes to enjoy the warm that engulfed her, she whispered to the younger's ear,

"Yeah, I like you."

"But Seunggi kissed you, didn't he?"

"And I slapped him," corrected Yuri. "But you must've ran away already to notice that following detail."

Yoona broke off their hug and bit her lower lips guiltily. "I'm sorry..."

"I think we have our fair share of guilt in this case, Yoong," assured Yuri gently. "It's okay. Aren't we, now?"

Yoona smiled. She had missed Yuri calling her by her nickname. She liked it before, and she loved it now.

"Okay. But... let's go in? Your hands are cold. We can discuss everything further inside."

Resisting the temptation to point out that hugging her could make her body temperature went considerably warmer, Yuri nodded her head at the suggestion.

"Agree."

Holds were released, but their hands soon intertwined as they approached the door. Before they exited the rooftop, though, Yuri stopped in her step.

"What is it, unnie?"

"Just curious, though," said Yuri softly, "do you want to room with me again?"

"Of course."

"Do you want to cuddle together tonight?"

"Of course."

"Do you fancy the idea of being mine?"

"Of course," answered Yoona, smiling, without hesitating one bit. Yuri gave a loud 'whoop!' of joy, wincing afterwards from opening too wide, and they exited the rooftop with excited steps, descending the stairs to greet their first night after their heart were pieced back together.

Above the rooftop, a star was twinkling merrily to the now closed door.

An epitome of hope, indeed.

THE END