“Really?”

 

 

“Really.”

 

Chaewon’s jaw dropped, “You’re student council president next year?”

 

 

Wonyoung felt her heart jumping in happiness. She’s always wanted to make Chaewon proud.

 

 

“Yup, yup!” Wonyoung didn’t mind the tone of her voice, the cafe wasn’t packed during most of the morning. Which is also why she’s sitting across Chaewon while in her employee uniform.

 

 

“That’s— surprising.” Wonyoung’s brows twitched, “What is that supposed to mean?”

 

 

“Nothing negative,” Chaewon took a sip on her unnecessarily sweet drink, “Usually, you’d be on the side, watching, but now you ran and won for council president.”

 

 

Wonyoung smiled and reached for Chaewon’s hand for the latter to squeeze, “Also, what is this?”

 

 

They laughed, Wonyoung even snorted, “That’s something I’ve been working on. I haven’t come up with a name yet.”

 

 

“How about Too Sweet For You or something like that?”

 

 

“Hey!” Whined Wonyoung, “Is it that bad?”

 

 

“What? No! I didn’t say it’s bad. It’s just a bit too sweet.” Chaewon took the half filled cup and waved it in front of Wonyoung.

 

 

“But isn’t that bad?” Chaewon’s brows knitted at the sight Wonyoung looking like a dejected bunny, “No, princess, it’s— what I mean is that it can be a bit too sweet for other people. But—“

 

 

“Don’t bother trying to soothe her,” Yujin just came in the cafe with Minjoo trailing behind her, “just tell her if it really doesn’t taste good.”

 

 

Chaewon eyed Yujin as the latter pulled a chair to sit on, “But it’s not bad.” The older girl tried her best not to glare at the junior to the point that her eyes were twitching.

 

 

“Okay, okay, let’s not fight over a cup of... whatever that is,” Minjoo held Chaewon’s shoulder as she sat down, “We’re not fighting. This is not fighting.” Minjoo rolled her eyes at Chaewon. She doesn’t remember her friend being this childish.

 

 

Yujin reached for the cup of Wonyoung’s contraption and took a sip, immediately choking up on it, “What is this, Im Wonyoung?”

 

 

“Is it bad?” Wonyoung pouted, “What? Bad? This is like diabetes in a cup!”

 

 

“Bae Yujin, I swear to god, if you don’t shut that big mouth of yours I’m gonna kil—“

 

 

“Hey, you said you aren’t going to fight,” Minjoo was Yujin’s back while the latter was coughing.

 

 

“Unnie,” Yujin said, wheezing from coughing, “try it yourself.”

 

 

Minjoo took the cup without hesitation while Wonyoung just looked at her innocently. She took one sip, “Oh..”

 

 

“Oh what?” Wonyoung looked like she was anticipating a bad reaction from her sister, “It’s.. nice. Maybe just a bit too sweet.”

 

 

Chaewon nodded, encouraging Minjoo to speak further, “Just hold your reigns on the sugar next time.” With her sister’s affirmation, Wonyoung smiled.

 

 

“What are you talking about? How can you save this death cup?” Yujin took the cup and waved it in front of Minjoo. The older Im just laughed, but Wonyoung wasn’t so happy about it.

 

 

When Chaewon saw Wonyoung pouting and fidgeting her fingers, she slammed a hand on the table, “That’s it. I’m seriously going to kill you, kid!”

 

 

“Im. Won. Young!”

 

 

The four flinched at the sound of the voice, specially Wonyoung, “Y-yes?”

 

 

“Come back here and put your apron on,” Eunbi motioned to the counter while holding Wonyoung’s baby blue apron. The girl came running back to her station, her hair dangling in a ponytail.

 

 

“You can’t kill my girlfriend,” Chaewon averted her eyes from Wonyoung towards her friend, “Only if she shuts that fly trap.”

 

 

“Unnie, it’s true. I felt like dying.” Yujin leaned on Minjoo’s shoulder, seeking comfort from the older girl.

 

 

“But you didn’t have to say it harshly.” Chaewon propped an elbow on the table then leaned on it, facing the counter’s direction.

 

 

Minjoo and Yujin silently watched Chaewon as she observed Wonyoung move behind the counter, the way she smiles and talks. Sometimes she would lean in to hear the customer better and her lips would part to form an o shape once she does understand them. It’s cute, Chaewon thinks.

 

 

Yujin taps the table to get Chaewon’s attention, “You know, I was so worried for Wonyoung at first because I thought she became so dependent to me.”

 

 

Chaewon eyed Yujin without turning her head to her direction, “Ever since we were little, it’s been the two of us against the world. I’ve been her sword and shield against everything and everyone since day one and I promised her that I’ll always be there for her, that I will never leave her side, but that’s unrealistic. We’ll have to go our separate ways one day and I was afraid that she wasn’t strong enough to face the world on her own when we do part.”

 

 

Chaewon hears a sniffle and she couldn’t help but sigh, “That’s why I was so scared to tell her that I was leaving. But,” Yujin choked on her tears, “that just made me realize that it was me who wasn’t strong enough to stand on my own. She was perfectly fine, just hurt, but me, I was a wreck. I couldn’t sleep or eat properly, I kept on thinking that she’s gonna hate me forever.”

 

 

Minjoo hugged the younger girl, pressing a kiss on the side of her head, “I forgot how beautiful and strong her heart was and I got scared over nothing. And then you came and I realized that I was just merely her knight in shining armor and you— you’re the real prince charming.”

 

 

Yujin wiped her tears, “So make sure to always keep that smile on her face. Never make her sad or I’ll be the one to kill you. I’m gonna break your bones into puzzle pieces and I don’t care if you’re the daughter of some Taiwanese millionaire and a famous singer or that you’re two years older than me, I’m really going to hurt you.”

 

 

Chaewon chuckled at what the girl said. She doubted that the younger girl would hurt her, but when she turned to finally look at Yujin in the eyes, she was met by a blazing fire of determination and she thinks again, maybe she was serious.

 

 

“So,” Yujin propped her elbow on the table and raised her little finger, “promise me that you will never leave her side. Always make her feel special and loved. And she’s the biggest dork and she loves cheesy stuff so deal with it.”

 

 

The short haired girl only stared at Yujin’s pinky, “I’ve seen her hurt once and I never want to see that look on her face again so you have to promise me that you will never let that happen, sunbae.”

 

 

Chaewon hooked her pinky finger with Yujin’s, “It’s not like I’m stupid enough to hurt Wonyoung,” The senior used her other hand to wipe Yujin’s tears, “But, I promise I’ll keep her safe and loved and happy, treat her like the princess that she is. I would have done it even if you didn’t ask me to.”

 

 

Yujin nodded before crying in Minjoo’s arms again, “She’s always like this,” Minjoo’s fingers grazed the skin of Yujin’s arm, “She acts tough, but she cries over everything.”

 

 

Chaewon smiles to herself when Yujin detached her finger from hers only to tickle Minjoo. Suddenly, she sees a glimpse of what Wonyoung sees in Yujin. That cool, tough exterior paired with such an approachable and  comforting personality.

 

 

Wonyoung saw it all from where she was standing. The tears Yujin shed, the pinky promise, the way Chaewon reached to wipe Yujin’s tears and the banter between Minjoo and Yujin. Her smile reached her ears as she untied her apron, getting ready to end her shift.

 

 

“Why are you smiling like that?” Eunbi takes the apron from Wonyoung before folding it and stuffing it in one of the drawers across the counter. She glanced at the direction where Wonyoung is looking at, “Ah, the girlfriend.”

 

 

The girl blushed, “N-no, it’s bot because of her. I just think Yujin and Minjoo unnie are cute.”

 

 

“Oh, okay,” Eunbi’s smirk said otherwise, but she lets it slip. Wonyoung is already flustered, “I’ll go get changed.”

 

 

Wonyoung rushed to the staff room to change her clothes. She throws on a lose purple shirt and tucked it in the same light washed jeans she previously paired with her cafe uniform. She also doesn’t bother to take the pony off before slinging her bag and dashing out. “Bye, unnie. Have a nice day!”

 

 

“Enjoy your double date!” Wonyoung smiled and waved at the manager.

 

 

Eunbi leans onto the counter and watched as Wonyoung immediately clings to Chaewon’s arm and the short haired girl laced their fingers together. The older Im was already out of the store, dragging Yujin by her shirt’s sleeve. Watching the two girls, Eunbi is reminded of Mina which made her smile and say to herself, “They’re going to grow up just like you, unnie.”

 

 

 

 

_____

 

The four have just finished their biking agenda along Han River, taking this time to go out on a double date since the school year just ended. It’s starting to feel like Spring and they couldn’t let the opportunity to race pass. Yujin and Minjoo won, of course, considering the fact that Wonyoung doesn’t know how to ride a bike and is terrified of the thought of it.

 

 

“You don’t know how to ride?” Chaewon dragged the couple bike while walking beside Wonyoung. “I never learned. Mommy didn’t want me getting tired. She knew if I learned how to ride, I’d always bike around the neighborhood with Yujin.”

 

 

They found a vacant bench under the shade of the tree. Wonyoung immediately plops down while Chaewon kicked on the pegs of the couple bike to reveal its metal stand. The older sat beside Wonyoung and watched Minjoo and Yujin continue biking along the paved path a few meters from where they’re sitting.

 

 

“I can teach you,” Chaewon took a sip from the water they bought in the convenience store beside the bike rentals. “I’m turning 18, unnie.”

 

 

“So?” Chaewon closed the bottle and placed it in Wonyoung’s bag before standing up, “Biking isn’t age restricted, Wonyoung.”

 

 

Chaewon pulled the younger girl to her feet, “You have to start learning now so that by the time you turn 18, we can already go around Han in separate bikes.”

 

 

They had to return the couple bike and rent two separate bikes for Chaewon to teach Wonyoung with. Then, the two of them spent about 10 minutes trying to get Wonyoung to mount the bike and when she did, they had to work on her balance. So like any other teacher, Chaewon held onto the seat and the handle of the bike while Wonyoung pedaled, enjoying the squeals the younger girl lets out when she feels like she’s about to fall.

 

 

“This is fun,” Wonyoung said and Chaewon couldn’t agree more.

 

 

“Do you trust me?” Wonyoung hummed and nodded, her eyes were busy looking at the path she was taking, just like what Chaewon told her to do.

 

 

“Do you trust yourself?” Wonyoung chuckled, “Yeah, I guess.”

 

 

Wonyoung doesn’t feel it when Chaewon lets go of the handle and the seat, but she

realizes this when Chaewon’s voice sounded far away, “You’re doing well, Wonyoung-ah!”

 

 

All of a sudden, she lost her balance and fell on a grass patch, Chaewon hurrying to her side, questions slipping from her lips like rapid fire. Wonyoung only looked at the panicking girl and right there and then, she realizes, love is like learning how to ride a bike. You have to trust yourself and the other party in order to find balance. But if you do stumble and fall—out of love— you don’t stop there, you continue to learn from your mistakes, with the help of a better teacher—a better partner.

 

 

But Wonyoung thinks there’s no need for a better teacher, thinks she found the best.

 

 

 

 

_____

 

“How can you both stand the taste of mint chocolate?” Yujin garbles, the dark chocolate ice cream filling most of .

 

 

“Why? It’s nice,” Wonyoung ate another scoop of her beloved mint chocolate ice cream. Yujin looks at her in disgust. “It tastes like toothpaste, though.”

 

 

Minjoo hums in agreement, “I used to like it, but now, it just taste like frozen toothpaste to me.”

 

 

Chaewon eyed Minjoo before taking a spoonful of mint chocolate ice cream and stuffing it in , at the taste. She made the noise unnecessarily loud to make Minjoo feel uncomfortable and laughed when the latter squinted in disgust.

 

 

They’re in an ice cream parlor just across the bus station near Han River, enjoying their time. It’s dark and they’re about to go home, but Wonyoung insisted on buying ice cream, so there they were.

 

 

“We should really do this often,” Wonyoung leans her head on Chaewon’s shoulder, looking up at the latter as if she was pleading.

 

 

“Okay, okay,” Chaewon cupped the bunny girl’s chin, “I promise I’ll find time for more dates.”