Weeks later, they were still at the rink, hiding on the carpeted platform between two rows of bleachers. Mock exams were coming up for Chaewon. She studied before every practice, and Minjoo would help her by asking questions—believing the answers when she couldn't read the messy science notes. Sitting facing her, Minjoo asked Chaewon to explain the dissolution phenomenon in detail, looking at her rather than actually listening to whatever she was saying with elaborate words—even figure skating terms were easier to understand. Trying her best, the hockey player couldn't help but just heartily admire Chaewon reciting all that. The figure skater looked out of a cartoon with pink hair, and now she was even more unrealistically pretty with light brown hair and highlights. 

"I'm all good?" Chaewon asked with a raised eyebrow, bringing the younger back to earth.

Minjoo ran her eyes over the notes with a cold sweat dripping down her forehead, turning livid as soon as she noticed Chaewon's intense gaze. She squinted, trying to find anything close to what she's been saying for the past two minutes, "I guess..?"

"Ugh," the skater exasperated, grabbing her notebook to check.

"I don't understand your handwriting," Minjoo defended herself, hoping her unfortunate voice would soften her uncompromising girlfriend. "You'll make a very good doctor, though."

"It's not that bad, is it?" Without a smile, not very serious either, Chaewon asked, quickly scanning her notes.

"It is," Minjoo whined as if she'd just performed the labours of Hercules.

Chaewon rolled her eyes, still offering her a conscious smile. "Maybe that prescription for glasses shouldn't have ended up in a trash can…"

Going out with Kim Chaewon was fun. They were always giggling together despite what could appear as a terrible sense of humour to anyone who wasn't part of their inside jokes. In a way, they were acting more and more like best friends. Just like on their first date at the hair salon when the skater had foil in her hair while the hockey player asked the hairdresser absurd questions—the woman answered them all, probably not realising she was telling them about what she'd eaten on a Wednesday night twenty-six weeks ago. 

They knew each other well enough to allow each other things, making the new relationship even more natural and comfortable without the fear of being judged or misinterpreted. Chaewon opened up through humour, and Minjoo was learning how to listen to her this way, also letting her keep control by, unfortunately, being infuriating sometimes. And Chaewon liked that space, being with someone who would let her say whatever and treat her like the young adult she was before the talented figure skater. They found a perfect balance between alone time, sitting together in silence and not shutting up for hours. 

Dating Chaewon was also opening up to the new world she was offering her. If Minjoo wasn't a lover girl fond of big gestures, Chaewon never required as much. For them, it was all about little attentions, touches, soft smiles across the crowded cafeteria, snuggling whenever they could, sending a picture of whatever they were doing with thumbs up. For instance, Minjoo didn't resist, grabbing the skater's cheeks to a little, then shifting to sit next to her, comfortably placing an arm around her shoulders. Chaewon grumbled something, then rested her head on Minjoo's shoulder, returning to her notes for a few quiet minutes. Albeit it was fun, their relationship was also calm, composed, and almost comforting. Yeah, it was cool.

"I feel like I know almost everything," the skater sighed, closing her notebook for good once. "I just hope they don't ask too many things about last years."

"They wouldn't do that in science, I guess," Minjoo remarked, naturally running her hand down Chaewon's spine as she was leaning over, packing her things into her school bag.

"You can never be sure," she replied, snuggling back into the hockey player. "Though I don't know about mock exams."

"It's gonna be okay." Since she still had a semester before hers, Minjoo didn't personally worry much. However, she knew Chaewon was stressing over them. The teachers already talked about the SATs all the time, saying it would be better to know this and that—quite everything, but seeing Chaewon's lessons, she supposed that all her years of education wouldn't fit on a few sheets. But then again, the skater was the type to work harder than average, making notes and studying everything. She was a perfectionist. "And you still have time. By the way, are you going to study with your friends tomorrow?"

"I don't know yet," Chaewon captured her arm to put it around her neck and settled more comfortably, her hand on Minjoo's legs, playing with her sweatpants folds.

"I don't have practice 'cause of the pro league," said the latter.

"Cool," the skater grinned, intertwining their fingers. "You can come over."

That was new too. Sure, always hanging at the rink remained their little thing with the fondest memories, but why settle for the cold and the carpet when they could lie on the skater's bed? 

The first time Minjoo went to Chaewon’s dorm, it felt as if she’d discovered a secret place. Because one, Seohan had visited before and informed her that the chambers were much better in the other building and two, it was the second favourite place of the skater after the rink, her little haven. Chaewon couldn't go home every weekend because of practices and probably because she felt better here. It showed in the way she decorated the dorm. Jimin's side was much more minimalist while Chaewon's side appeared more personal. They went to her dorm for the first time a few days after making their relationship official, as soon as their classes ended. 

That day, Minjoo had proudly waited for the world champion's class’s end on the third floor—she’d bragged about that to Yena for days. Hyunjin had literally pushed his best friend against her, making the skater curse and blush at the same time. They'd left together, walking through the corridors, giggling, stopping at the little mart to get some snacks. 

The room was indeed more spacious and lit by a large window overlooking a mini balcony where several clothes were drying. There were only two double-sized beds since they occupied more space, separated by a chest of drawers with various lip glosses, headphones, chargers and elastic bands on top of it. Two wardrobes faced each other, one with a door, the other with a curtain. From the desks, it was easy to tell who took biology, and who had literature. There were tons of books above Jimin's desk and binders full of science handouts on Chaewon's.

Unlike Minjoo and Yena, who used the spare bed as extra storage for their stuff, the skaters had a small cupboard where everything was perfectly organised. Their white skates contrasted with the wood tones of the equipment and matched the walls. Sheets and notebooks filled the small table because of studying—once, opening the window to air out and enjoy the spring temperatures, Chaewon had confided that they had been eating on the carpet for a week. Their fridge was, unlike the hockey players', full. There were Tupperware of all kinds, a dozen protein smoothies and other diet meals—Minjoo added a few snacks too.

And finally, Chaewon had several polaroids sticked above her bed, which Minjoo had observed many times. There were many pictures of Hyunjin, Jimin and Wonyoung at competitions. But also familiar faces like the skater's friends from outside the centre. Minjoo recognized Yunjin, her best friend since primary school, and Kazuha, her friend from the dance school. There were two polaroids with her parents, probably taken on her birthday and another with her sister, probably from years ago. There were several music albums above the headboard, including Dean's and other artists she loved, as well as gold trophies and medals. She'd stuck some posters on the wardrobe's side, visible from her bed, including the famous Grand Prix poster where she appeared prominently with pink hair and a white jacket.

And then, stuffed animals would surround them when they were lying down on the pale sheets smelling of shower gel, brume and clean linen. Since that time, Minjoo would go there more and more frequently. Every so often, she would crash in the skater's bed and sleep while the two older ones studied, and sometimes, she would do her homework with them. She felt serene there. 

Yena had even been allowed to come for a snack after her special training, from which Minjoo was exempt for a few more days. It'd been funny for her, by the way, to find herself on Kim Chaewon's bed, her school crush Kim Chaewon, with the same Kim Chaewon sitting on her best friend's laps—Yena was their biggest fan.

So, reminiscing all those moments, Minjoo hugged her tighter, sighing with ease as the skater relaxed comfortably, scrolling on her phone, sharing the screen for both of them to see.

"Will you ever get your necklace back?" Minjoo asked after a few minutes of silence spent with her fingers running softly in Chaewon's brown hair.

Chaewon tilted her head, then shrugged, "I hope I won't anytime soon."

"Mhmh," the hockey player understood what she suggested. She was hoping for the same thing. "Does it have a meaning, though? It looks expensive."

"I told you my grandfather owned a fishing company, right? Some day a weird woman gave it to him saying it was made by a siren. He gifted it to my grandmother when he was about to die, and she gave it to my mom when she got engaged and...here we are," Chaewon replied so seriously that Minjoo didn't question any of it.

She widened her eyes, "Woah?"

The skater straightened this time, softness in her eyes, placing her palm on the ground for support. Her eyes glinted, a tender smile wrapping her lips as her slender fingers caught the brunette's jaw, only to caress it while chuckling, "I could really tell you anything and you'd believe it."

Minjoo mocked her face, freeing herself from the hold, "so what does it mean?"

"It’s a gift," said Chaewon. "From me to me. It looked cute online."

"Okay," Minjoo only replied. They looked at each other for a few seconds, and she lost a little of her composure, speaking again, still feeling nervous whenever Chaewon had that gaze on her. "When I was little, my brother always told me that the thing around sushis from supermarkets was edible. I ate it until someone told me I'd choke on it."

"It's edible," Chaewon laughed at first before becoming serious again. She leaned a little more on her hand over the hockey player's legs, bringing her face closer.

"Oh yeah?" Minjoo raised her eyebrows. Minsung always had fun playing on her gullibility when she was young enough to believe everything he said. He'd told her the magpie who would pick children's teeth by the window is, in fact, a parrot, that the transparent wrapping around sushi is comestible, that some mosquitoes are invisible and that toads are the male frogs. As a result, she was still suspicious of everything coming out of his mouth, especially when he’d told her every weekend that he was finally engaged or that a disaster had occurred at home in her absence. But in any case, even though Chaewon took every little opportunity to make her lose her mind, Minjoo still knew what to believe. "I know right! You should've seen their faces when I ate the wrapper? Like I did something illegal."

Chaewon remained silent for a few seconds, pursing her lips to hold back a smile. Minjoo realised the deception, and the skater yielded, grabbing her cheeks again to kiss her, then on both cheeks, nose, forehead, and a final one on the neck, provoking a shiver that the rink's coldness alone couldn't equal—she would never be free.

-

Yena, although now used to the idea, having endured a few moments in the company of the new couple, complained all afternoon. Once again dressed in tracksuits to avoid the uniform skirt, sitting between the latter and Jiung, Minjoo fought back as best she could. It wasn't her fault that her Korean teacher preferred to devote an extra hour to the third-year students taking the mock exams in a few days instead of them, let alone that she had a slight muscle strain in her leg for the past few days. Seohan scoffed, saying that this injury must have come up now that she knew the way to the world junior champion skater's dorm, and the hockey player didn't have anything relevant to defend herself. She was about to skip a game party with the team but thinking of white, lightly scented sheets comforted her in her decision—who would've thought she'd ditch the guys and games for long, straight hair and deer eyes?

Classes finished an hour early, as scheduled by her teacher, and she hurried to her room to change. Chaewon was strict about cleanliness and refused access to her bed with the day's clothes on. So she hurriedly showered, grabbed sweatpants and a comfortable t-shirt, leaving the dorm, making sure that Yena's card was not in the small Boston Bruins bowl—meaning she had it with her.

A few minutes later, she found herself in the lift with some runners judging by their clothes, then quickly, she stumbled into the hallway she was getting to know. She knocked a few times on the door, suspiciously glancing around in case someone did the same, wondering what she could be doing here. Again. But she didn't have to worry about it for very long, as the door quickly opened on the girl.

"Hi, Chae," she beamed, entering the dorm. "You’re pretty."

"I know," Chaewon rolled her eyes. She was, as usual, wearing Lululemon gym shorts and an oversized hoodie, the hood tied around her head. She pecked her lips once the door slammed but didn't look back after.

Not knowing where the attitude came from, leaving her shoes at the doorway, Minjoo walked over to Jimin, giving her a high-five. She was on her bed, studying her lessons like they'd been for a week already. The solo world champion was used to her presence by now. They even chatted for a few moments while Chaewon gathered some of her scattered belongings on her desk, still not minding her girlfriend that much. Eventually, Minjoo even sat at the corner of the dark blue sheeted bed, scanning the third year's notes about Korean literature.

"By the way, I'm going out with my parents tonight," said the skater with long raven hair and a mole on the corner of her lips.

Minjoo nodded, turning the page to skim more notes, "What are you going to do?"

"There's a play they really wanted to see," the elite skater replied, sorting some of her papers. "Dorm just for you two."

Now that had never happened before. The hockey player usually arrived as soon as her practice was over, then left when Chaewon had to go to hers. The literature notes made no sense as soon as she realised what it suggested, so she closed the notebook and dropped on her back, sprawling on the legs of the taller skater, "well, I'll take care of that for you."

"You'd do that?" Jimin joked. "She's been moody all day. Hope you can handle that."

"Oh?" Minjoo tilted her head a little, then got up from Jimin's legs after noticing Chaewon was finally looking at them, a thin smile on her face. It was always fun to , so she whispered in the solo figure skater's ear. "What's up with her?"

"I don't know," the tall brunette shrugged, then glanced at her best friend.

But before Minjoo could say anything, Chaewon finally spoke, "or you can just ask me, you know?"

It might have been funny if she hadn't gotten up without giving her another glance, instead heading for the fridge, opening it, taking nothing from it and finally returning to her bed, lying down towards the wall. After months by her side, Minjoo could tell when the skater was not in the mood or didn't necessarily want to joke around. She didn't say anything, kept it to herself and just waited for it to pass. At first, it was hard to understand. Chaewon wanted to communicate, so Minjoo didn't get what she was supposed to do in those situations. But after a few blunders, she comprehended that she had to engage, but not always with words, learning to speak through their love language.

Jimin got up, probably more used to her friend's mood swings, still giving the hockey player a sympathetic smile. She then began to pack her things for the night, and Minjoo walked to the right bed, understanding that going first to Jimin's ones might not have been the best idea.

She lay down, snuggling to the skater's back, burying her nose in her brown hair, her hand sliding around her waist to pull her close. She knew Chaewon was tense these days, so she just tried to comfort her. She pulled her even closer, then closed her eyes, immersed in her natural scent, their breathing slowly coming together. Lulled by Jimin singing along to her music and the wardrobes opening and closing, the two girls dozed for a while, waking up just in time to wish Jimin a good evening as she teased them one last time before slamming the door.

Chaewon turned around just enough to grab her phone and set the alarm for her practice before lying back down again, grabbing Minjoo's hand to slip it under her shirt. Just like in the program. I'll put you first. Just close your eyes and dream about it. It was quiet when the skater loosened enough for Minjoo to lean on her forearm, resting her head on her palm, noticing her girlfriend's red cheeks and tired look. She broke the silence, "hey."

"I'm sorry," said Chaewon, the vibrations of her voice burning under Minjoo's palm as she gently caressed her belly. "This is a lot more stressing than I thought."

"I understand you’re feeling stressed, really," the hockey player hurried to reassure her. She ran a hand through her hair, then caressed her cheek before returning to her belly, tenderly tracing circles on the warm skin. "It's gonna be okay. It's mock exams. It'll prepare you. There's no reason you won’t get a good score, you’re working so hard."

The skater didn't answer anything, but she sighed contentedly, bringing their bodies closer together if that was possible. For sure, the exams coming up just before the Olympic qualifying competitions added a colossal emotional charge. Chaewon managed it well, though. She knew how to divide her time, trying not to get overwhelmed, teachers assisting students regardless. Chaewon was under a lot of pressure and sometimes a little too irritable—almost rude, but that made her even more irresistible for someone who was reckless enough to love the challenge. So Minjoo tried being there for her anyway. She knew it was never Chaewon against her; it was them against the defenseman, the fear of not landing right or the problem. 

-

The alarm rang two hours later, waking the skater up. She silently pulled herself out of the hockey player's arms to get ready. However, a minute later, Minjoo opened her eyes to find out it was night already, that there was music playing in the room and that the brunette was tying her hair up, sitting in front of a mirror. Minjoo smiled, half-awake, comfortably lying down on the perfumed white sheets, watching her girlfriend's every move as she hummed some Dean song, putting gloves and a bottle of water in her bag. Still, she closed her eyes again when Chaewon ordered her. Well...The hockey player couldn't help but peek a little, so the skater threw her hoodie in her face before locking herself in the bathroom for a moment. In a spontaneous, habitual gesture, she kissed her cheek, grabbed her skates, and left, taking care not to slam the door.

Minjoo smiled again, then fell back to sleep, hugging the hoodie, lulled by the music of their shared playlist playing from Chaewon's phone left on her side of the bed.

-

Minjoo figured she could prepare a bowl of instant noodles in case the skater got a peckish after her late-evening practice. Facing the microwave, in flip-flops, wearing the navy blue hoodie that smelled of some expensive perfume she wasn't the type to wear, Minjoo was falling in love. Slowly, very slowly, but surely. Not in the way that her heart had missed a beat the first time they'd actually noticed each other, nor the nervousness of running into her before practice and the weird feeling in her stomach every time their eyes briefly met. No, that was just a crush. The eager excitement of meeting her at the rink, the dangerous challenge of finding out if she liked girls, feeling intimated in her presence, not knowing what to do around her. These feelings were still here, of course. Minjoo would never get used to them. But the cold temperatures of winter were slowly going away, at least during the day. 

Some trees were naturally getting their green leaves back, and the flowers were blooming. So were her feelings, as it was no longer just a silly crush on that figure skating champion. It was a little more every day, accompanied by this feeling of getting to know her, not just what she represented. To appreciate who she was in her room, on bad days or excited about a new reality show episode. But to be honest, Minjoo wasn't even thinking about it that much anyway, taking out the steaming bowl. She figured she was falling in love to be making noodles for the pretty girl who would soon come back, red and sweaty, probably in a bad mood and all sorts of things that Minjoo loved to discover.

-

Finally, Chaewon arrived a few minutes after the end of her practice, entering her room visibly exhausted. She immediately tossed her bag, cursing as she noticed that she’d forgotten to wipe her blades and locked herself in the bathroom without saying a word.

Practice sessions were getting more and more strenuous. Having attended the previous one, Minjoo noticed Hyunjung and Eunbi's intransigence regarding the quality of execution of the movements. A slight mistake was fatal, both technically and artistically, and for an international competition, it was not tolerable. Add mock exams, academic pressure and some family problems, and Minjoo could totally understand where the bad mood came from. Therefore she wiped the skates with the cloth, tied the laces neatly, put the soakers on the glittering blades and placed them on the right side of the shelf. The sound of water was almost relaxing, especially when a honeyed voice echoed through the wall, softly singing, a sign that a good hot shower was the best way to lift the spirits after two hours on ice.

About twenty minutes later, Chaewon finally came out, shuffling, her hair still wet. Without another word, the world's misery on her shoulders, she left Minjoo no choice before wrapping her arms around her. Amused, her heart missing a beat, the hockey player hugged her back as tight as she could. Minjoo knew how coming home and hugging her mother after a week away, classes, hockey games and challenging practices was one of the best feelings in the world. And because she knew, she could only rejoice when the skater sighed in consolation, finding comfort in her embrace. 

Plus, Chaewon smelled like shower gel, shampoo and probably some skin and hair products. Enough to make her heart melt like ice under the warming sun. So she tightened her grip around her, rocking them a bit before letting go, proudly pointing at the hot ramyeon.

They sat down on Jimin's bed—she'd evidently never know they utilised her bed as a table, using this time to finish the stream replay they'd started watching earlier in the week before practices. And though Minjoo focused on the video and the streamer's comments, she couldn't help but smile a little more every time the brunette beside her giggled, rebuked the gamer as if she knew whatever was going on or wiped the corner of with the back of her hand—Minjoo tucked Chaewon’s hair behind her ear when she brought the noodles close to again, making her blush in embarrassment.

Finally, since they, in fact, both didn't know anything about the game, they finished the little snack by watching dance covers, judging clothes and performances. Only to be terrible at the dance challenge they were doing in front of the bathroom mirror. 

"It's not that one," Minjoo corrected, her face dripping with water as the skater performed the wrong moves. Sure, the hockey player was definitely not a dancer. If anything, she didn't possess any sense of rhythm, and it showed through the figure skating practices where she moved along the flow, not the counts. However, she still had basic knowledge.

"Yes, it is. Wait," the skater replied, stubborn enough to keep dancing the wrong choreography.

One thing about Chaewon; she was always right and always had the last word. As much as it was annoying sometimes, it was also funny to see how far she could go. Minjoo let her do her thing, executing the moves everyone having access to the internet knew by heart. She shot her a smug look through the mirror when the girls sang the famous catchphrase, and the skater rolled her eyes, immediately switching to the good dance. And then, at least, they got the next song right without fighting like cats and dogs. Brushing their teeth in perfect sync, they finished the dance after another countdown. And Minjoo fell a little more when Chaewon reproduced that famous move. So she teasingly pushed her away, too much cuteness and outdancing to bear.

"That's the type of song you like," Chaewon laughed after spitting out the toothpaste and returning the shove with less force.

"And it's just ," Minjoo retorted, spitting out in turn—fortunately, the roommates had spare toothbrushes because she would've never run to her dorm to get one and would've shut for the rest of the night. "You don't know me at all, darling."

"You have terrible taste sometimes," said the skater, taking advantage of the fact that the other bent over to run an affectionate hand down her back. She was like this, the perfect balance between sweet and annoyingly aggravating. "I know you enough."

"Is this why you're my type," the hockey player raised an eyebrow at the figure skater through the mirror, making her theatrically gasp. "For once, you're actually right, how does it feel?"

"What the ," Chaewon grabbed her neck in pure outrageousness, and it was Minjoo's turn to gasp in surprise. "That's mean."

Ignoring the way her heart missed a beat, the hockey player struggled out of the skater's grip, forced to grab her wrists to keep her from choking again. The music and countdowns were still going on, and thankfully because Chaewon finally stopped attacking her when she recognised a song, promptly starting to dance as if nothing happened. And the worst part was that she was doing it too well. She was way too lovely, smelling so good, with the prettiest voice ever. Too much for Minjoo, who sighed before getting attacked again as soon as the song changed.

"Let me put on your other girlfriend's song because I know for sure that dance," she said, grabbing her phone. "Like a finale."

A little absentminded, too busy checking the girl in an oversized T-shirt and leggings, Minjoo answered as the words came to her mind. "Which one?"

Chaewon stopped moving, "there's more than one?"

"Oh," she immediately shook her hands, unable to hold back a laugh at the other's expression. "No, no, play it."

"Love the fact that you don't even try," the older girl sighed slowly, raising her eyebrows exaggeratedly, leaning over the sink to select the music, unable to see the way Minjoo was looking at her with so many stars in her eyes.

So over the moon, Minjoo, once again, didn't thoroughly grasp the words, answering without thinking twice, "try what?"

"Ugh." And there it was; the ugh of exasperation that came whenever the skater lost patience. Nevertheless, Minjoo was getting used to it, always making her giggle. She didn't mind  being lost most of the time as long as Chaewon was there to ugh by her side. "Nevermind. I only know the chorus for now. Hold on. You don't even deserve this."

"I deserve the world," corrected the hockey player, poking the skater's ribs.

"True," she affirmed, hiding a smile before running a hand through her hair. "Baby, watch this."

Minjoo barely had time to get over the sarcastic nickname before Chaewon began to dance to her favourite group song. In another context and if it'd been anyone else; Minjoo would’ve found this a little embarrassing. Especially for her, who didn't keep up with music that much and didn't know much more than a few songs and the choreography that went with them. But as a skater—and the best in the world, Chaewon had control, incredible precision, light movement, grace and flexibility in everything. She took ballet lessons for years, and it showed in the way her body mastered every move. Plus, she took it very seriously, flipping her hair, using facial expressions and her fierce gaze, and not forgetting to give Minjoo a wink after a spin. It goes without saying, she left like the luckiest person on earth.

She was her fan. All the time. Chaewon could perform a triple axel, brush her teeth, chew on her pencil while resolving equations, be lifted in the air on the ice in front of thousands of attentive eyes, concoct a protein shake, spin, judge people from the top of the hall's railing, hydroblade, sing, lift her leg above her head, spin, dance, and have a random burst of energy after a wearisome day that Minjoo was her biggest fan. So naturally, she cheered the dance with an improvised fan chant, imagining herself clapping louder than the entire applauding crowd when the skater stopped in front of an imaginary camera, faking being out of breath, striking a pose anyway. 

Minjoo laughed, softly hitting her cheek, making the other giggle too. She was particularly fond of Chaewon when she would let herself go in her presence, as she could be on her own, totally natural, revealing her spontaneous, witty, careless side.

Chaewon ran her hand through her hair another time, quickly arranging her bangs, and she looked so lovely the hockey player couldn’t resist. She grabbed her by the neck, tilting her head enough to fill the little height difference, kissing her the way she would dream about every night. The figure skater sighed through the kiss, her breath hitting the other cheeks as she intensified it, wrapping her hands around her neck. But then, she giggled, moving back, softly scratching Minjoo’s nape with her nails, “don’t do this again.”

“Why?” The hockey player sulked, trying to steal a kiss, pulling her closer by the waist.

“There’s sides of me you don’t know yet,” she said, looking away for a second before their eyes met again. Minjoo’s stomach instantly dropped, her ears becoming red, feeling warm under this gaze.

Still, she could be bold when she wanted to, shooting shots, hoping for the best, “then introduce them.”

The figure skater smiled, eyes wandering. A coy smile she let dance on her rosy lips before she slightly tiptoed, going quickly as close as possible to the hockey player’s ear, speaking softly, “they’re shy.”

Her gaze lingered a little longer on Minjoo, then she left the bathroom, switching the lights off, probably thinking it was the funniest thing in the world. 

-

The mood slightly changed as it was now too late to do anything but go to bed. There was that little something in the air, wanting to get close, yet somehow running away. That heaviness some would dissipate right away or, on the contrary, maintain to make the feeling last. Feeling this tension, Minjoo sat on the edge of the bed, watching Chaewon as she was ordinarily having her night routine.

She must have noticed it through the mirror above her desk, so she said, "Jimin's so generous, right?"

"Yeah," Minjoo replied. After weeks of dating, they could finally get to sleep together. As it was, napping before practices had become a habit. The hockey player reluctantly ditched her team more than once after classes only to play online with them, lying in Chaewon's bed. Sometimes the latter tried to keep up, asking what mid-lane and support meant, then she'd get bored of it, going back to scrolling on her social media. Then they'd play their shared playlist and doze for a few minutes before hurrying to the rink—Viderski had an eye on them since that time they both arrived late while laughing out loud. But it wasn't like spending a whole night together, falling into deep sleep and dreams, clutching the most pleasant one in her arms, feeling her closer than ever. "She's so nice for giving me her bed."

Chaewon shrugged, playing along, "I mean, you seem to like it a lot."

"It’s comfortable," Minjoo teased, slumping onto the white-sheeted bed. "Might sleep in it for real."

"You do you," the skater shrugged again, this time not glancing at her, applying another night cream. Then she stayed silent, and the hockey player rolled her eyes.

"I know that pissed you off," she said, playing with her HTC slippers, still observing the other taking care of her skin. Of course, she comprehended that in addition to being tense from classes, exhausted from practices, and drained from the addition of everything, Chaewon hadn't tremendously enjoyed seeing her so close to her roommate. The more they got to know each other, the more natural they became, and therefore, the more the skater allowed her feelings to come out.

Minjoo actually appreciated that Chaewon allowed herself to feel and express the emotions she was used to bottling up. But the hockey player wasn't really used to being this close to a girl, let alone this type of girl, and had yet to adjust some of her ways.

Her pride guaranteed she'd done nothing wrong, but perhaps coming over to give all her attention to the roommate had been a silly choice. It wasn't jealousy, not at all. On the contrary, Chaewon was delighted to see Jimin and her girlfriend get along. Come to think of it, the skater had been looking down all day, maybe she needed someone to take some of the weight off her shoulders at that moment, and Minjoo regretted now that she hadn't paid more attention.

"Sorry, you know I can be a over nothing," said the skater.

They were national athletes and students, so Minjoo knew how physical exhaustion and pressure could affect their mood. Every minor inconvenience would be the end of the world—she once cried because she couldn't tie her laces the exact same way on both skates. Therefore she gently but sincerely smiled. "Don't say that, Chae. It's alright. I'm sorry, I should've asked you first but…you know…let me know when you feel down."

Chaewon briefly glanced at her, lifting her eyebrows. It was her way of smiling when she was too shy to do so, Minjoo knew by now, and it warmed her heart.

Letting her back fall onto the bed, she stared at the ceiling. The centre's physiotherapist had advised her to stretch a lot, so she complied as best she could. Obviously, being temporarily exempted from leg exercises allowed her to spend more time with the brown-haired girl, but it was terribly frustrating. Every missed training was a hindrance, especially as the season was coming to an end, with the final of the Asian League approaching. She hoped to get back to physical training as soon as possible, missing leg presses and burpees like missing breathing when catching a cold. So she broke the silence, knowing Jimin wouldn't potentially switch dorms with her, and she wouldn't want to miss that moment with Chaewon, "you’re already flawless, why are you taking so much time?"

"Why are you not?" The skater retorted promptly, shooting a glance over her shoulder, snickering at the other's absurd position. The hockey player frowned, resuming to stretch her leg even though she was probably funny looking. "My skin when I'm stressed is... yeah, this is just damage control."

"I put the lotion you told me to buy," Minjoo defended herself, shifting her position, severely challenging her flexibility, and giving up.

"Aw," the older girl mocked, brushing her hair. "Do you want a reward?"

The hockey player straightened up, not sure if these stretches would do good or even more muscle pain. The physiotherapist would have lost his few remaining hairs if he'd witnessed that. "Depends on what you have to offer, but I would love to."

The figure skater rolled her eyes, a small laugh escaping her lips as she finished combing her hair. Acting like Minjoo was the silliest was a very Chaewon thing, as if she wasn't the one who had a burst of energy a few minutes ago. "You're lucky you have great skin."

"They used to call my ancestors doll faces," she replied, getting impatient. She settled comfortably on the bed, arms crossed under the pillow, melting into it.

Chaewon caught this and fondly smiled, turning her head away to hide it, "mine were Joseon's it boys."

After what seemed like an eternity, the skater approached the bed. Minjoo realised how down bad she was when her heart missed two beats only because Chaewon passed over her to be on the wall's side. It was already too much to handle. "You smell good, Miss world champion."

"You smell good," the brunette repeated. "Is that cologne?"

"Yep, lavender, I think," Minjoo said. She rolled over the covers, getting closer to the other. "My mom made it."

"Smells so good," Chaewon scrunched her nose, exaggerating sniffing while plucking her phone to charge. "I wanna bite you."

But as the lights were off, only their phone screens lighting their faces, the heavy tension set in again. Although Minjoo was distracted by the active conversation on the team's group chat—It was Dahyeon trying to find a way to get the money he accidentally spent on a skin come back, Minjoo felt that anticipation weighing on her chest. It was getting heavier and heavier every time her thoughts raced, reminding her that her girlfriend was lying right next to her for hours to come in the dark. Typing something fast, being the rational one and saying there was no way he could get his money back, Minjoo bit a smile, also thinking about her next move. She perfectly knew how to handle the puck, despite the pressure and tension; she was the best at it—or so she thought.

"So..." once she sent the message, she locked the screen. "Are they still shy?"

"Who?" Being the only one with her face lit up now, Chaewon glanced at her before understanding, suppressing a smile, shrugging. "Yep. Kinda."

"Okay," Minjoo grinned back. "Introduce them when we aren't so tired."

"Oh, you're tired?" The skater raised an eyebrow, smiling coyly. "That's too bad."

Suddenly all signs of fatigue evaporated from Minjoo's body. She was ready to get up, put on her skates and do drills on the ice, forward, backwards, sideways, blindfolded and wearing a weighted vest. But the physiotherapist, Coach Oh and Seohan wouldn't appreciate that, so she only replied, "well, I'm not that tired."

Chaewon chuckled, then finished typing something in turn, "No, but for real, we got early practice, let's sleep."

Minjoo received the text. She hastily glanced at Chaewon, and the latter innocently shrugged, amused. That only made her ears heat up even more. If the other knew what her every move, gesture, and word brought out in the hockey player, she would find it profoundly troubling.

Anyway, Minjoo finally settled under the blanket, ready to sleep for good, taking out her phone one last time to see what the guys had replied. Failing to grab her headphones, she played the voice notes aloud, resulting in her phone being smacked away by the one who was irked hearing anything related to Dahyeon.

"Move. I was into it," Minjoo grumbled, trying to get her phone back from the other's hands, nearly getting scratched by long nails.

"His voice pisses me off," she replied. "And he's dumb as hell."

"It's fun," said the hockey player, taking her teammate's side as a good player. The team over girls—Dahyeon was, in fact, dumb as hell, but it was, in fact, entertaining how he was incapable of making good decisions. "Look how silly."

And as much as Chaewon pretended to despise him or hockey players in general, she leaned in, sneering at the game character wearing a chicken suit. But Minjoo couldn't pay attention to that as a warm hand had just slipped under her shirt. Strange enough, she shivered at the touch. Chaewon gently caressed her skin, tracing patterns in delicate movements, sending chills through her entire body. Minjoo was used to this, though. Chaewon was probably the touchiest person ever, but it felt even more lovely now.

Phones off, the room was dark except for the bright spots of the electronic devices, microwave and air conditioning. Chaewon slid under the blanket in turn, turning her back to her. She breathed comfortably, snuggling up to the Ryan plushie Minjoo could have punched for stealing her place. But violence is never the answer; she experienced that well as a hockey player. Coaches taught them to handle things as best they could—communicating first, fighting second, so she spoke, breaking the silence, "I'm sorry for all my mistakes. You're too far, I feel like I can't breathe anymore."

Chaewon chuckled, making the blankets tremble over their bodies, "I just sleep better on this side, baby."

True, every time they napped together, she would face the wall. Minjoo nodded, her heart, once again, skipping a beat as it would every time the older girl let that cheesy—she loved it, nickname slide. They both giggled another time when a stomach grumbled until it fell silent again. Not even footsteps upstairs and whispers in the corridors. They were in a big city, in a school with enormous sports structures and mechanics, but it was so silent Minjoo could hear their heartbeats. However, as tired as she was—she wondered why she always felt too sleepy around Chaewon—Minjoo couldn't think of sleeping yet. After another few minutes, she scooted closer, passing her hand around the skater’s waist, under her hoodie. “Not even a 'good night, Minjoo'?”

“Goodnight,” answered Chaewon. A knowing smile painted through her voice, yet it felt like she was holding a breath.

And Minjoo realised she was holding hers too when she sighed, her chest suddenly feeling lighter before it heavied again. “And not even a goodnight kiss? I thought I deserved the world.”

Chaewon giggled again, but then she turned around. It was too dark to see much more than her eyes and how they shined. Minjoo noticed they were slightly darker, but she couldn’t see much more. Not because it was too dim but because she closed hers when Chaewon kissed her cheek. Again, lingering, again, coming closer, again, gently holding her face. She stopped and asked, keeping her hand on Minjoo’s warm cheek, “good night. Is this not enough?”

The hockey player's breath itched, gulping when the skater’s leg passed over hers to cuddle. Even though Chaewon couldn’t see it, she raised her eyebrows, “just a little bit more.”

“More?” The figure skater asked close to Minjoo's ear, coming to prop her head up on the same pillow, letting her finger run through her hair, grazing her temple. “Like what?”

She was too close to her ear for the hockey player not to shiver. Her belly flipped, and her heart missed another couple of beats. She guessed Chaewon felt it as she giggled, her breath hitting her burning ear. Slowly, she kissed her cheek multiple times again and as cute as it was, Minjoo wanted more. And the girl was starting to realise she could get anything she wished for if she wanted to. It could be the national figure skater as her girlfriend or a goal. If she acted for it, she would have it. So she turned her head towards Chaewon's. She grabbed her jaw to find her lips in the night and caressed them softly before leaning in.

It melted her heart how Chaewon smiled against her lips as if it was still their first kiss, even after weeks. It melted her even more how the cold athlete was affectionate and warm towards her. They caught their breath once, but the skater chased after her, kissing so slowly that all the sensations and tastes multiplied. The figure skater scooted closer, holding her long hair back to stop it from getting in the way. Minjoo giggled, brushing the strands back. Though once again, Chaewon didn’t let her think about anything else.

But Minjoo wouldn't complain. She drew the skater closer, remembering what she was supposed not to do. She did it and heard a soft sound she never knew could be so enchanting. Her heart went crazy, and Chaewon stopped, playfully her lip before grinning coyly, “why’s your heart beating so fast?”

“Yours’ beating faster,” her fingers sensed the pulse on the girl’s neck, pulling her closer again, missing the feeling.

“I know,” she said between kisses. “Always when we’re together. Never noticed?”

“I did,” the hockey player whispered back, pressing on her hips, fingers melting on her warm skin. Yes, she did a couple of times. She noticed Chaewon would blush after she complimented her, even when she rolled her eyes or pushed her away. She knew the skater felt giddy every time her hand was somewhere on her, holding hers, around her shoulder. She knew. She felt her heart beat so fast when they kissed, she knew all this, and she loved it.

It was so slow she breathed in the other mouth, feeling it again, how her body reacted to this. Her kisses gradually left her lips, and the hockey player thought it was the best sensation she had ever felt when the skater tenderly kissed her neck. Something quite incredible, if she had to put words on it and not just cry and perish in delight. It felt so good she nervously laughed, and Chaewon said, “what? I’m saying good night.”

“Do you wish everyone else a good night like this?” She asked, and Chaewon pulled away, sitting on her stomach. Tilting her head, Minjoo realised that she indeed had the figure skating world champion on top of her. She shyly covered her face, keeping her hand on the girl's warm skin.

“Yes,” Chaewon grinned, passing her thumb over the hockey player’s lips, wiping them tenderly. She took the arm away from Minjoo's reddened face, staring at her with affection, then coyly smiled, unable to contain it. "I’m not in love with anyone else, though.”

“Oh yeah? Miss world champion is in love with me?” Minjoo couldn’t help but smile either, grabbing her hand.

The skater looked away, intertwining their fingers, faking hesitation before she stared deep into her eyes for a brief second—they shined even more in the dark, grey clouds and coldness replaced by glowing sparkles and warm tones. “I guess… Yeah. I’m in love with you.”

More than the snowflakes or the fireworks, Minjoo felt a wave of warmth seize her heart, warming her chest before spreading throughout her body. It was like wrapping herself in a thick sweatshirt and crawling under the thick blankets after a session at the ice rink or drinking a hot chocolate after spending some time in the winter cold. A soft sensation of warmth that arouses the senses. A feeling similar to that of returning to her room after a week in a boarding school, getting a good mark after working on a test or smelling her favourite food from the living room. 

Chaewon squealed and shyly buried her head into her neck, snuggling so close Minjoo could feel her heart beating, embracing hers. They fell asleep, cuddling, and that felt like stepping on the ice for the first time yet knowing exactly how it feels and skating, going fast without fear of falling, being reckless and bold. It felt like giving out her hand for Chaewon to take it and take off, finding the perfect harmony. It felt like being genuinely happy. It was nothing grandiose, just a few words, but it was Chaewon’s, and Minjoo knew that to her, it felt like Axels, spinning and skating to the music she loved. Maybe it felt like love.

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omg hey😭😭 sorry this took so, so long but finally we’re back to writing!! 
chapter 20 will be the last but idk..two weeks be looking like a rom-com so maybe i’ll keep writing some chaps here and there after it’s finished😭 alsooo a lot more of os and aus are coming, i’m trying to stay productive so feel free to send prompts and ideas!
anw thank you for reading and u can always leave your thoughts/recs or prompts in my cc😸🫶
https://curiouscat.live/eyesonemi