Having a sprained ankle can be both a blessing and a curse. A curse for many and obvious reasons as walking around, showering, sitting, laying down or even sleeping have become all very hard tasks to do. In fact, Zoa has never thought how hard her life could become with just a sprained ankle and how hard it would be for her to move around and do so many things that didn't even cross her mind that could be so hard to attempt in any other case before. 

A sprained ankle can't possibly be a blessing, seemingly, but apparently somehow, for Zoa, it seems like it can be. It is because that sprained ankle has given her the opportunity and chance to spend a lot of time with her girlfriend that she didn't get to do before. 

At first, the girls had all helped her get back in her room and had kept her company for a while before they let her alone to rest. When she woke up however she was met with Jihan's frame as she would refuse to leave Soojin's side and would help her out to take care of the younger one way too much. After Soojin's countless protests she finally left after lots of hours in order to get herself some rest but also to study a little bit but that lasted only for a few hours because later on she got back into their dorm room along with her books saying that she has to be by Zoa's side no matter what and he can just study when the girl is sleeping. 

And so, somehow, kind of like that… a couple of days pass by with Jihan never leaving Zoa's side and taking a lot of care of her. She's basically moved in with them and at this point Soojin isn't even helping her out that much because Jihan is doing most parts. 

Right now, it's Wednesday afternoon and Soojin has gone to MonSsong's apartment to study along with her girlfriend, having left Jihan behind to take care of Zoa. The two younger girls have been laying on Zoa's bed and have been playing board games for a while now as Zoa has gotten a little bored laying down on her bed all day everyday. Jihan is trying her hardest to help out the girl with everything and she surely understands how tiring and boring it can get being in bed all day everyday. At first watching movies and playing games on Zoa's phone seemed fun but it soon got tiring as Zoa also didn't want to spend her whole day on some screen that could easily cause her headaches after a couple of hours so here they are now, trying their luck and aiming for some source of entertainment hidden in board games. Jihan has made a list of the few board games they could try out along with a few other couple of things they could do after playing board games in order for Zoa not to get bored. 

They're in the middle of a long and kind of tiring game of Monopoly when Jihan found herself simply staring at Zoa's face, smiling softly. She can't find the right words to explain how she's feeling right now but she's sure she knows that she can't stop staring or feeling that soft, fluttering feeling in her chest, that familiar warmth in her heart and that deep, strong endless love for the younger girl right in front of her. They're sitting on the bed right across each other, Zoa is laying on it while her back is resting on the headboard of the bed, and Jihan is sitting across from her, on her bed, making sure her legs don't get tangled with Zoa's —especially with her injured one. 

Zoa giggles as she points out at the next city Jihan's pawn has landed at before she exclaims that it's a city she's bought so Jihan has to pay her —again. Jihan can only smile as she watches the girl's eyes lighting up in glee because she's just about to receive some more money, her full, round, soft glossy lips curving up in a happy toothy grin, her bright, big teeth on full display. The perfect smile of a supermodel. Jihan can't help but fall for it even harder even though she knows she shouldn't in the first place. Though, unlike every other superstar that has those perfect smiles having achieved them after lots of plastic surgeries and those smiles being totally completely fake as they have no feelings behind it other than depression, Zoa's supermodel-like smile is genuine, meaningful and truly deeply happy. 

“How much do I have to pay you this time?” She asks as Zoa's round, big eyes land on her own, staring at her deeply. Jihan swears she will never be over her stare, that deep stare, those big round dark brown eyes that always look so beautiful and filled with so many feelings, always looking like they're staring deeply into Jihan's soul, like she's paying full attention on Jihan, like she cares so much for her, like as if Jihan is Zoa's whole world —which is true by the way. Jihan will just never be over the was Zoa always stares at her, as if she knows her deepest secrets and feeling, as if she can read through her mind and see her thoughts, as if she knows Jihan way better than she knows herself —which are all also true by the way. 

“200€” She replies with a bright smile on her lips and Jihan gasps, having given up on this game long ago. Zoa has been leading the rounds for a while now and has obviously received way much more money so Jihan has given up on trying long ago. She just keeps playing because she can't get enough of Zoa's happy smile. Even if the game is a little tiring and boring now to her, she doesn't mind at all as long as she gets to see that smile, those happy expressions and those gleeful eyes that she adores the most. 

“Is that so? Okay then.” Jihan replies softly, forming a warm, small smile. She looks at the money in her hands before she raises her eyes again and looks back to Zoa saying,

“Can I give you my heart instead?” And forms a small heart with her index finger and thumb. Zoa giggles shyly before she leans closer to Jihan and pecks the girl’s finger heart. 

“That’s really cute Jihannie. But I want my 200€” Jihan pouts before she sighs. 

“I don’t think I have that many. You’ve taken 400€ on my previous stop and now I’m left with only 120€” 

“Oh! Then I guess you owe me.” Zoa says before she takes a small notebook from her nightstand and writes down Jihan’s amount of money that she owes her. Jihan laughs softly. 

“I thought this would mean game over but you just really love torturing me.” 

“No, I just really like this game.” Zoa argues with a cute grin at the end and Jihan smiles lovingly at her, staring at her deeply. 

“I’m glad you do.” Jihan says, placing her right palm on Zoa’s left cheek. Zoa smiles shyly as she places her own hand on top of Jihan’s, holding it in place, loving how Jihan holds her or touches her. They stare deeply into each other’s eyes before Zoa replies shyly,

“You haven’t been focusing on the game for a while now, unnie.” 

“That’s true. I haven’t.” Jihan admits, somehow not being that shy to confess the obvious. 

“Don’t stare at me. I’m not planning on going anywhere anytime soon. Not like as if I can anyway. So please, play with me hm?” Jihan hums slowly before she shakes her head slightly. 

“I have a better game that we can play in mind though.” At that, Zoa’s eyes widen in glee. 

“What is that?” 

“Cuddle.” Zoa giggles. 

“You do that all the time with me these days though!” 

“Yes and ever since I’ve laid down with you I realized that it’s something I really like doing with you.” Zoa smiles shyly at that, looking at the game board beneath them instead of Jihan’s eyes. 

“Here you go again with your sweet words.” She mumbles before she looks back at Jihan. Jihan smiles.

“Trust me, the sweet talker oke is you. Not me.” Zoa shakes her head about refusing but Jihan places her fingers in front of Zoa's lips as in to stop her from saying anything else. Zoa simply just stares at her. 

“You're really beautiful, unnie.” Zoa mumbles as her eyes wander on Jihan's facial expressions and characteristics, finding every little detail and characteristic cute. If cuteness  was a human being it would totally be Jihan, Zoa is sure of that. Then Zoa's eyes land on Jihan's lips as her own fingers trace from Jihan's cheek that she's placed them seconds ago to Jihan's lips. Her fingertips touch Jihan's soft, cute lips and she can't help but like the feeling of them. She's curious. She's curious about how they feel like beneath her fingers, their texture, their… 

taste… 

“You have very beautiful lips too.” She ends up mumbling. Jihan's smile falters as her eyes widen, her expressions getting serious and nervous as she stares deeply into Zoa's eyes, wondering what has gotten into the girl. 

“I… uh… thank you…” She mumbles in a small voice. Zoa takes a deep breath and gulps a little nervously before she takes her fingers away from Jihan's lips, looking away as she tries to calm down. The mere thought and realization that sje actually wants to kiss Jihan right now drives her insane and completely nervous. 

“I think you're right. I'm a little tired. Maybe we should cuddle now.” She mumbles as she quickly starts gathering the pawns and board of the game placing them all in the box. Jihan helps her out mutely, not adding a word, not entirely sure as to what she should say or what she should do. She's pretty sure she saw it in Zoa's eyes earlier, she saw them getting darker, she saw the girl staring at her with so much love and and care. She's sure she saw something different in those eyes. She's sure she saw the want and need and… 

But then again Zoa is Zoa and she always takes her time to accept things and to realize them so even if the need of kissing Jihan might have appeared, she's not going to attempt trying it out anytime soon. Jihan sighs a little before she stands up and places the board game on Zoa's desk. She returns back to Zoa's bed and lays down, next to the girl, placing her head on Zoa's chest, her right hand hugging Zoa's waist. That's their usual, comfortable position the past few days as Zoa also hugs the girl closer to her and combs her hair with her fingers. 

“You're really beautiful too. And very very adorable. Do you know that?” Jihan adds in a soft, cute voice, replying to Zoa's compliment from earlier as she raised her head a little to look at Zoa. Zoa giggles a little and Jihan smiles brightly as soon as she realizes the awkward silence and nervousness from earlier has all been gone long ago now. 

“I guess I'm aware of it now.” 

“As you should.” Jihan says as she pecks the girl's cheek. She sees Zoa giggling shyly so that's a sign that she likes all the affection and attention she's getting, it's a sign for Jihan to continue. She leans closer and pecks Zoa's cheek again. She smiles happily to herself, satisfied with the effect her kisses have on Zoa as the girl smiles shyly and squirms a little beneath Jihan's hold, shuddering by the mere kiss on her cheek. 

She leans again and steals another kiss, and another and… another one, loving to pepper Zoa with kisses because she believes the girl deserves it and because she likes showing her affection and love to her. It feels nice doing so. It feels nice letting go and feeling her feelings, letting them breathe and act on them. She leans in again and as she's about to peck Zoa's cheek again the girl turns her head suddenly about to say something along the lines of,

“You're spoiling me too much unn-” but never gets to continue as Jihan's lips end up crashing onto Zoa's, not being able to stop herself as she's already moved her head forward that it takes way too fast and good reflexes to stop that motion before it's too late. 

It's just a peck. A short one but a very significant one as it's the start of it all. 

It's just a small innocent peck as Jihan quickly moves back and the moment she does she's faced with Zoa's confused expressions and wide eyes filled with shock and surprise. She blinks fast and apologizes immediately, altering her lying position in a sitting one now, wanting to somehow properly face the girl who also adjusts her own position in a more sitting one slowly. 

“I'm so sorry Zo. It was meant to be on your cheek. I'm sorry.” Jihan apologizes softly, not even being able to process the short kiss she just had as she's too worried out of her mind as to how Zoa would take this. She doesn't want to upset the girl in any way possible and surely doesn't want to step over the girl's boundaries and move on too fast. She wants them to be on the same level, no matter how slow that means. 

Zoa doesn't seem to be able to focus on her words though as her eyes stare at her legs, seeming to be deep in her thoughts, her fingers playing nervously with her lips and after a few long seconds of awkward thick silence she finally lets out a soft, barely audible,

“I think I want more of it.” which of course catches Jihan off guard. The girl's eyes widen as she stares at Zoa in shock before she exclaims,

“I'm sorry what?” 

“I want to kiss you, unnie.” Zoa confesses, sounding like she means it, because she does. She stares back at Jihan and even though she looks very shy and her cheeks are turning red, she doesn't hide how much she wants that kiss to happen. It was way too short for her brain to process it but even the little seconds that it lasted it felt… nice… 

“If that's ok.” She adds at the end, smiling shyly. Jihan's shocked expressions break as they're replaced with the caring ones she always had around Zoa. 

“Of course it is. In fact, I want it too, I think.” Jihan admits, running her hand on her left arm shyly.

“You think? You're not sure?” Zoa asks, tilting her head to the side and Jihan immediately shakes her own head. 

“No no! I'm sure. I haven't been more sure in my entire life.” Zoa giggles at Jihan's eagerness to make things clear in between them. She smiles as she adds a soft,

“Ok…” 

“I'm not sure how to do this though.” She adds as she scratches the back of her head awkwardly. Jihan giggles before she admits that she's also not sure. She moves closer to the girl, making sure to sit in between the girl's legs in order not to accidentally hurt the girl's injured leg somehow. Zoa smiles shyly before she says,

“I'm nervous. You make me so nervous whenever you're this close to me, you know.” She confesses. 

“Really? Why is that?” Jihan asks before she admits that she hasn't actually noticed it because Zoa always smiles at her and seems the happiest around her. 

“It's because I love you so much and whenever you're this close or look at me for too long it almost looks way too dream-like. Too unrealistic. And my heart doesn't seem to be able to handle it. It just keeps beating way too fast inside my chest like as if it's about to explode!” Zoa explains and Jihan giggles softly before she places her hand over Zoa's chest. Zoa takes a sharp breath and now Jihan is sure she's noticing how nervous Zoa is. She mumbles,

“I can feel it.” And it's the truth. She does. She feels Zoa's fast heartbeat over her chest. And the mere thought of the fact that the younger girl's heart beats so fast because she loves Jihan is driving the girl insane. 

“To tell you the truth, the same happens to me too.” Jihan whispers as if it's a secret only they could know, as she places Zoa's hand over her own chest to feel her own heart in order to make the girl feel slightly less nervous. 

“Your eyes always seem like they know me the best, like they know how I feel or what I'm thinking, like as if they know everything about me. Like as if they know how much I love you and I can't hide from them no matter what. They're the main cause of my nervousness, just so you know.” Jihan adds in order to make Zoa aware of how much power she has over Jihan without even knowing it, until now that is. 

Zoa moves her hand from Jihan's chest to Jihan's cheek as she places her other one on Jihan's other cheek. Jihan places her other hand on Zoa's thigh and they stare at each other deep in their eyes for a few long seconds. 

“I love you, unnie. I just love you. If you think I'm looking at you in any different way there's just no such a thing. I just love you. There's only love in them.” 

“I'm glad to know that.” Jihan says leaning closer and resting her forehead on Zoa's as she closes her eyes, just wanting to feel their warmth and close proximity for now before the lines fully blur and there's no way back. 

Zoa doesn't close her eyes just yet, as she instead stares deeply at Jihan's facial expressions, wanting to capture them all. Her fingers trace over Jihan's lips once again, just like how she's done minutes earlier. She can't believe how soft Jihan's lips are and her curious self wants to feel them once again beneath her fingertips. She wants to have an idea of how their texture feels like. She just wants to know. But touching them only doesn't always feel enough. She wants to feel them in so many other ways and one possible way is surely by kissing them, feeling them with her very own lips on top of them. 

She closes her eyes as she leans in, her lips finally landing on Jihan's as her fingers are now placed on Jihan's jaw, her other hand holding Jihan's side of her neck. The kiss isn't long, but it's slow, soft and shy as they both try to figure out how this goes. Jihan's one hand is on Zoa's thigh while her other one is on the girl's side of her neck too. 

Zoa moves her head back to take a breath but realizes pretty quickly that she's not done kissing Jihan just yet as she quickly leans in again and kisses the girl again. She's not sure how to explain this but it feels addicting and euphoric kissing Jihan. The girl's lips feel even softer beneath her own lips than when they felt beneath her fingertips and the feeling alone of kissing Jihan is so intense that Zoa can't get enough of it. She feels so extremely giddy and addicted to this giddiness, to this enthusiasm that simply kissing Jihan brings her. Jihan's lips taste like strawberries, just like how the girl's perfume has always been and Zoa is sure she's way too addicted to it by now. 

She moves back slowly to take another short breath before she leans in again to capture the older girl's lips again. And again. And again. It's short slow kisses that barely last half a minute but none of them mind. They need to breathe too and for now it's more than enough. They need to process things and they need to take it slow too. They want that too anyway. 

Zoa then gives one last longer kiss to Jihan than the previous ones —by just a few seconds that is— before she moves back and hugs Jihan, burying her face on Jihan's neck out of how flustered she feels. Jihan on the other hand has her eyes widened, cheeks flushed with color as she touches her lips in shock, not being able to believe what has just happened. Before she can fully focus on her own shock however she realizes that she has a very flustered Zoa hugging her and hiding her face so she has to focus on the girl instead of herself. She giggles lightly, not being able to believe the surreal situation that she's in. Zoa has just kissed her, not just once but plenty of times, —what she's been dreaming of for so long— and now she's flustered and shy? It's indeed surreal. 

Then again, if Zoa made her extremely nervous seconds ago and with her amazing kisses that made Jihan feel like she's flying, now Zoa has surely returned back to the adorable, innocent girl Jihan has always fallen in love with. She giggles feeling relieved somehow because the kiss has been exactly how she's dreamt it of, because nothing has changed between them after this, because it's still them, it's still the adorable Zoa and the shy Jihan. And they're just fine. 

“You don't have to be shy.” Jihan says as she combs Zoa's hair, caressing the top of her head and hair. She doesn't take any response, only Zoa humming but still hiding on Jihan's neck. She giggles. 

“I liked it.” Jihan confesses, in a soft, shy mumble in order to make the girl feel at least a little proud of what she did and stop being embarrassed and shy. Which works by the way since it makes Zoa flinch and ask slowly a muffled,

“Really?” 

“Mmm. I did. A lot.” She feels Zoa's lips curving up in a smile on her neck’s skin and she shudders at the motion but tries to stay calm. Zoa is unaware of how sensitive Jihan can get or how easily flustered she gets and she surely doesn't want to break it to her now that the younger is also flustered and just needs some hugs and comfort. It's not like she's doing anything on purpose anyway. 

She then feels Zoa removing her head slowly from her head before she stands right in front of Jihan's face again. 

“I did too. A lot.” Zoa admits, smiling like a dope as her cheeks are flushed with color. It's not easy to see Zoa blushing because usually even if she gets shy it's not like she's embarrassed about her feelings. She's always been clear and blatant and straightforward and has always acted on them. 

Jihan smiles at that.

“That's good because kissing is a very important way of affection and a way to show somebody that you love them, you know.” 

“Really?”

“Yeah!” Zoa leans in and captures Jihan's lips in another short kiss before she smiles shyly and exclaims,

“I love you. Is this enough to show it to you?” Jihan blushes madly before she nods her head. 

“Yeah. Yeah it is.” She takes a breath to calm down before she clears and says,

“I believe you should rest now. We've been playing board games for hours, you must be tired.” Zoa nods her head as she lays down before she frowns saying,

“You won't lay with me?” Jihan blushes before she nods her head and buries her head on Zoa's chest, taking her position in between the girl's arms that has always been her spot. Feeling the girl's heartbeat and slow breathing through her chest is a very comforting and easy way to fall asleep and Jihan has started getting addicted to it. 

“I love you too.” She mumbles as she squeezes Zoa's hand that's trapped in her hands right before she falls asleep. Zoa smiles softly in her light sleep before deep sleep finds them both. 

[...]

“Something has changed between you two.” Soeun exclaims as she smirks knowingly, observing both Jihan and Zoa. 

It’s Friday night, and usually the girls would either party or gather at MonSsong’s apartment to hang out. Only this Friday of course, since Zoa is injured they ended up hanging out at hers and Soojin’s dorm room instead. Soojin has been busy preparing some snacks for the girls along with Monday’s help who has surprisingly enough volunteered to help her out, Jaehee has been sitting by Zoa’s side and has been drawing and decorating the girl’s bandages in order to look prettier ⏤her exact words⏤ while Soeun has been sitting at the girl’s desk, observing the young couple as Jihan has been helping both Soojin and Zoa out as much as she can and however she can.  

“What do you mean unnie?” Zoa asks, forming a bright, innocent and clueless smile. Soeun mirrors the smile before she pats the girl's head saying,

“Nothing! I'm just stating a few things I'm observing. You know how good I am at reading the vibe in a room, right Jihan?” Soeun says as she looks at the girl now who totally blushes at the statement but shakes her head hesitantly. She denies it with a soft, simple, “No.” As she places the tray of Zoa's dinner on her nightstand. Zoa smiles at her and Jihan does the same before she quickly gets all nervous and serious as soon as Soeun catches them. 

It's not like she's planning to hide it from their friends. But she's trying to find the right moment to say it. And surely not in front of Zoa. She just can't go and say, “yes guys your help was very much needed. You know what? We finally kissed! Isn't it awesome?” Right in front of Zoa and right out of the blue? She's just too shy and embarrassed to admit it in front of her girlfriend and surely in front of their friends as blatantly as that as if she won the jackpot or something. 

“I believe you're pressuring them too much Soeun ah. Let them be and if there's anything going on they will tell us.” Soojin says before she walks up towards them, placing the snacks on Zoa's desk. 

“I heard Yunho sunbaenim has collected two new members for the first game.” Monday starts the conversation as she sits on Soojin's chair, legs spread as she rests her elbows on them, taking a basically more boyish position but no one among her friends has ever judged her for this because they know how Monday is and who she is and no one really cares about what's boyish and what's not between them. 

“Two? Why two? Only Younghoon has left the team!” Soeun exclaims. 

“Maybe they're trying to kick out Zoa too. In the most subtle way.” Jaehee says, shrugging her shoulders before she fishes more chips from the bowl on Zoa's desk. 

“No they're not. Yunho sunbaenim is just caring a lot about Zoa so if Zoa isn't fully well on Monday he will already have a substitute and won't get all stressed on finding one.” Soojin states the obvious. Soeun smirks before she exclaims,

“Aww how nice of him! Caring so much for our little Zo. Don't you think Jihan?” She teases Jihan who clears awkwardly saying,

“Yeah, it's nice. He's a good leader.”

“A little too good to be true.” Soeun says and smirks as she and Monday exchange glances and smirk knowingly at each other. 

“What are you trying to imply? That he likes Zoa more than a teammate should? Come on guys, that hypothetical story belongs to the past! Zoa has already denied the existence of such a theory!” Soojin says but now it's Monday's turn to argue with Soojin.

“That was at first. What about now?” 

“Things haven't changed, unnies. But even if they had, I can't do anything about that. I have a girlfriend whom I really adore and I wouldn't leave her for anyone else.” Zoa says and smiles happily at Jihan who smiles shyly back.

“You sure are a charmer Jo Hyewon. You sweet talker!” Monday teases Zoa and hits her lightly on her shoulder as they chuckle. 

“Now spill. What has happened between you two? We're not dumb. It's pretty obvious guys. You both shine brighter than diamonds!” 

Though they've all passed by to see Zoa pretty often throughout the week they hadn't had the time to fully hang out properly at her place throughout the week so no one has really had the time to fully notice the difference between the two before and after the kiss or the time to properly talk about it at least. 

“Nothing out of the ordinary has happened. Jihannie has been around here the whole week. Maybe that's why we look happier.” Zoa says. 

“Hmmmm. That makes sense. So, since Jihannie has been around for a week you two have spent a lot more time together, is that right?” Soeun says, using Jihan's nickname just to friend. 

“Yes. That's correct.” Zoa says and giggles.

“So you did a lot of things together.” Soeun continues. 

“Yes. We watched a drama together, a few movies, played lots of games on my phone and on Monday's PS5 too, which by the way unnie I'm so thankful you lent it to me.” Zoa says before she adds, excited to share her news with her friends,

“We also played lots of board games. Oh and Jihan cooked a lot. She likes cooking for me and has tried out lots of different cuisines. All dishes were really delicious, unnies you should have been here to try it out too!” Jihan only smiles happily, feeling happy just by seeing Zoa talking with so much enthusiasm even when she's laying in bed, is injured and in pain and must have gotten tired laying down on the bed for so many days in a row now. She's never losing her brightness no matter the circumstances and that's what Jihan has fallen for the most. Along with a lot of other things that make Zoa, well, Zoa. 

“That's nice to hear. I wish we were here too.” Jaehee says. 

“I've tried out some of the dishes. They were indeed delicious, she's not exaggerating by the way.” Soojin sides up with Zoa. 

“These all sound so fun. Anything else significant that might have happened? Maybe something that has brought you closer with Jihan.” Soeun asks. Zoa furrows her eyebrows as she thinks deeply for a few seconds before her eyes light up as she smiles shyly. 

“We cuddled. A lot.” She says and Jihan blushes at that. 

“Awwww you guys are adorable!” Monday exclaims.

“And we're gonna end up grannies when they will eventually decide to get married at this point.” Jaehee states. 

“Hey! Let them be! Some people like taking their time!” Soeun defends them before she smiles excitedly at her friends. They're all just happy with the two younger girls' relationship. 

“Anything else?” Soeun presses and now she's sure she's witnessing Zoa blushing before the younger one shakes her head. 

“Hey! Don't lie to us! We can see there's something more!” Monday says, hitting Zoa on her side lightly. Zoa looks at Jihan, hesitant as she's shy herself to talk about it and she's not sure if Jihan wants to share it as well. She's been very shy after the kiss so the mere thought of saying it aloud makes her feel even more shy. Jihan gives her a nod and although she's blushing madly she's surely encouraging the girl to say it because it's fine, it's their friends and they won't judge or anything. If anything, they're supportive of them, actual