“So, why am I the only one to show up tonight?”

 

The ends of her backpack’s adjustable straps sway in the air before her cracked dry hands twirl them around her slim fingers (she’s never been one to make moisturizing her hands a priority). Anything to distract herself from ogling at her best friend dressed simply in an oversized sweatshirt with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, the apron she had given her for the girl’s 16^th birthday covering her favorite pair of shorts that she always wore on the weekends.

 

Her fingers pull at the straps of her backpack tighter when she feels the pit in her stomach return for the nth time (she stopped counting once she figured out exactly why she almost always felt it).

 

“Irene unnie had to go back to Daegu, Joy is on a family trip, and Yeri isn’t on break yet. Did you know that junior high isn’t on break ‘till next week? I would’ve made time for all of us to be together... though this sleepover was kind of sudden.”

 

Seulgi takes her eyes off of the wet ground the same time a heavy gust of wind from behind sends chills down her spine, her slightly unkempt hair now strewn across her face. Wendy brushes away several strands of hair caught on her own eyelashes, doing the same for Seulgi, who could only notice how the girl’s delicate facial features looked so attractive under the dim front porch light as she swept a gentle finger across her face, setting her hair back into place.

 

The small creak of the front door Wendy leans against breaks Seulgi from her short daze, eye contact with Wendy didn’t used to feel this way, did it? Seulgi can’t recall the last time she didn’t feel nervous with Wendy’s eyes on her (she always did have a gaze that seemed to pierce through anything, or maybe it was because it made people comfortable enough to say what was really on their mind, trustworthy. Seulgi doesn’t know how much longer she can last).

 

“Can I come in?” She doesn’t have to pretend to be cold as she rubs the sides of her arms in hope that her goosebumps would go away. “You do know that it’s the middle of December in Korea, and that I’m standing outside wearing a thin button up, right?”

 

Wendy takes a microscopic step back. “The door’s been open this whole time.”

 

Seulgi feels the immediate temperature difference as she steps inside Wendy’s home, slipping off her old worn sneakers, neatly placing them off to the side for them not to be in the way.

 

“Just thought I’d ask. I have manners you know, I’m a very kind person.” Seulgi gives her best goofy smile, where only the ends of her lips seem to creep upwards.

 

One of Wendy’s eyes closes as she laughs, a soft crinkle of her nose. Seulgi’s heart skips a beat, her own eyes curving into two small smiles.

 

“We’ve been friends for four years already, ever since I moved here during junior high. This isn’t your first time at my house either.”

 

A younger shorter version of Wendy points a finger at Seulgi’s then junior high uniform on Seulgi’s way home, exclaiming that she just received the same one at school earlier that day. Seulgi is almost overwhelmed with how much she learns about the younger girl: they’re the same age, share the same birth month, are in the same class, that she likes to cook, mostly bake, enjoys music to an unmeasurable extent.

 

It’s during one specific dull math class years later when Seulgi lets her mind wander, head propped up with one hand, a pencil in the other, faintly tracing lines into her empty notebook. She doesn’t think much of anything. The music signaling break time brings her pencil to a halt, her class bids the teacher a goodbye, she glances down at her rough sketch, curved lines that take the shape of someone too specific.

 

Her relationship with Wendy changes too radically after that, at least on her part (almost enough for her not to acknowledge it herself). Too afraid to ask if her friend had noticed anything different with her, or if she had felt that something was off (she concluded that she didn’t when Wendy soon started dating some boy, not in the least good enough for her during their second year of high school. It only lasted a week. Seulgi had counted the days).

 

“It’s still polite to ask.” Seulgi closes the door behind her. “So what’s the plan for tonight? Oh, and are your parents here?” Several steps toward the dining room are made. “I should say hi, after all, I’m practically their third daughter by now—”

 

“They’re not.” says a small husky voice.

 

“What?” Seulgi turns, catching herself swallowing in surprise. “So we’re the only ones here tonight?”

 

Wendy’s hair moves with every nod of her head. Innocent doe eyes staring her down like some sort of trapped prey.

 

“Some of their friends went on a ski trip up in the mountains and invited them last minute this morning.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“Sorry I didn’t mention it earlier.”

 

Seulgi’s grateful her light red stained cheeks could be excused with the cold weather if Wendy were to question why she was blushing so suddenly.

 

“I was just getting ready to bake your favorite cookies, you want to help?”

 

Seulgi kick starts their usual banter. “You started baking without me? I’m appalled that you, Son Seungwan, would start without the help of a true baking master, Kang Seulgi.”

 

Wendy scoffs, “Don’t get ahead of yourself, I said I was getting ready! I only just grabbed all the ingredients, dummy.”

 

Wendy walks past Seulgi and into the kitchen where Seulgi follows, admiring the shorter girl’s back along the way. Seulgi’s always enjoyed Wendy’s ability to keep conversations going, she’d saved Seulgi from too many awkward situations to count, one of the many traits she’s come to adore, and another reason why they get along so well she figures, they complement each other.

 

“I bought some more sprinkles to decorate them with, so be happy.”

 

Seulgi grins at the vast amount of colors spread out on the kitchen counter. Wendy’s always prepared (just like she was when Seulgi had forgotten to bring her pencil pouch to school the day of their final exams and Wendy happened to have about five extra pencils available to lend. Seulgi continues to use hers instead of her own).

 

“Here.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

The chair makes a soft grunt as the bag lands on it, Seulgi kindly accepting the apron from Wendy’s extended hand. She soon realizes she doesn’t have a hair tie, too lazy to ask for one she settles for tucking her hair towards the back of her shirt while the apron strap holds it down.

 

“Could you mix the dough while I measure everything else out?”

 

Seulgi hums a response as she puts her hands under the warm running water.

 

“And Seul, please don’t eat the dough before we put it in the oven this time.”

 

“That was one time! And I’m fine, it tasted good too.” Seulgi flicks the remaining water droplets at Wendy and flashes her signature lopsided grin when she flinches and turns around.

 

She raises her right hand in a salute, “I mean, yes chef!”

 

Seulgi joins Wendy at the counter before she feels the extra weight on her left shoulder, knowing well that Wendy is resting her head against her, the way she always does when they stand side by side, laughing and enjoying themselves together.

 

-----------------

 

“Seul! Stop eating all the cookies.” Wendy slaps her wiggling fingers away from the finished tray.

 

“This one’s broken! Just one more, I promise.”

 

Seulgi doesn’t hesitate to grab the half broken cookie, (she’s baked with Wendy long enough to know that she can’t argue over an unpresentable cookie and a killer pout). Her offer to share the ruined cookie is declined with an easy smile and shake of a head.

 

She the small bits of crumb off of her lips as she watches Wendy begin to focus on frosting the very last bare cookie, her brows furrowing inwards, her tongue slowly slipping past her strawberry flavored lip gloss covered lips.

 

Seulgi finds herself reaching for her glass of milk.

 

“Done!”

 

She holds back a cough, relieved to have finished swallowing the last drop of milk before Wendy’s sudden burst of happiness.

 

Her voice comes out quieter than expected, still trying to clear , “Is that a bear?”

 

“Yeah, it’s you!”

 

“I look cute.”

 

Wendy only rolls her eyes, carefully placing the cookie with all the other completed products as Seulgi calms down from her self-praise.

 

“So what’s next on the sleepover schedule, my dearest Seungwan?”

 

“Do you want to help decorate the small tree up in my room?”

 

Wendy doesn’t see the way Seulgi fidgets in her chair, too busy wiping up the kitchen counter and perfectly folding her sky blue apron into a square.

 

“Yeah, sure.”

 

She taps the apron into a specific drawer. “Alright, let’s go!”

 

They’re halfway up the stairs before Wendy suddenly stops, forcing Seulgi to grab ahold of the railing to prevent herself from falling backwards. Her friend turns around, somewhat apologetic.

 

“I just remembered the decorations are in the closet downstairs, could you grab them?”

 

“I’ll meet you up there.”

 

She hears a loud shout overpower her light steps down the stairs, “You’re the best!”

 

Seulgi makes her way back down and heads towards the closet near the bathroom. She opens it, searching for a box labeled in neat handwriting. She finds it up on the top shelf, grabbing it with ease, all the while smiling. No wonder why she had asked her to grab them, she would’ve needed a stool to stand on otherwise.

 

“I got ‘em, so let’s get started!”

 

She walks in on Wendy applying more lip gloss. Her room still the same as it was last week when Seulgi visited, clean and organized, her guitar on its stand in the corner, her blue polka dotted blankets (she gets cold fairly easily) and bed neatly made, her desk filled with shiny good as new office supplies.

 

Seulgi shifts her attention to the tree in the other corner of the room, near the window.

 

“Just set the box down by the tree and we’ll get started!” Wendy claps her hands in excitement as she stands up.

 

Seulgi chuckles at the fact that the tree is just as tall as Wendy (if not taller) but fails to mention it out loud. She grabs one end of the lights only for the whole clump to follow.

 

“Uh, Wendy, all these lights are tangled together.”

 

“You better start untangling them then.” Wendy cracks up and grabs the ornaments underneath the lights.

 

Seulgi follows orders with a cheeky grin, handing the other girl the free part of the light to decorate the tree with.

 

“That’s it for the lights.”

 

“Now grab the tinsel.”

 

“Do you mean these things?” The fuzzy sparkling strips tickle her hands.

 

“Yup! And last but not least, the star! It should be in there.”

 

“Here!”

 

She watches Wendy struggle on her tippy toes, trying to place the star on the very top of the tree, making cute grunts to help her reach higher until Seulgi finally decides to help, grabbing the star with her left hand, gently setting it atop of the tree. She looks down at her friend and smiles widely, missing the way Wendy’s cheeks flush with red, just as bright as the flashing decorative lights.

 

Seulgi double checks the box for anything left and unused.

 

“Wendy, what’s this?”

 

“What’s what?”

 

Seulgi holds the small piece of plant in her palm before holding it with the tips of her fingers, just above Wendy’s head. “This.”

 

Wendy takes in a breath, exchanging looks with the carpet, where her feet are itching to move. The ends of her sweatshirt sleeves wrinkle as her hands try to find something to grasp.

 

“Did I say something wrong?”

 

She notices part of Wendy’s bottom lip turn white, her teeth sinking deeper, afraid she was going to start bleeding.

 

Her odd behavior disappears just as quickly as it had appeared. “It’s a mistletoe.” Her eyes no longer staring towards the ground, only focused on one thing.

 

“Oh, what do you do with it? Is it a decoratio—”

 

Seulgi isn’t sure what to do next. What is she supposed to do? This isn’t the time to be thinking about every possible option, at least she knows that for sure. Her brain processes the information at a painstakingly slow pace, Wendy doesn’t say anything; she knows Seulgi is thinking. She waits. Waits for her to say something. Do something. Anything.

 

Seulgi lifts a hand to where her lips should be, unconsciously them like she always did when she was nervous, except they’re not dry like they normally are. The taste of something pink floats across her tongue.

 

Strawberry lip gloss.

 

She blinks, feels close up, too dry to mutter anything other than a pathetic, “I-I…”

 

“It’s a mistletoe and when two people are under it,” Wendy takes a step closer, “they kiss.”

 

“Seungwan.” She sounds more confident than she thought she would.

 

“Hmm?”

 

“Did you kiss me?”

 

“I believe that would count as a kiss, yes.”

 

“Do you like me?”

 

Was like the right word to use? Of course she liked her, they’re friends. Friends like each other or else they wouldn’t be friends, right? What would Seungwan say? Seungwan liked her, right?

 

“Do you like me?”

 

“We’re friends of course I-I…” Seulgi makes eye contact with Wendy, she can’t think of anything else to say to her besides an honest, “I do.”

 

Seulgi doesn’t see Wendy turn away in fear, she sees her own reflection and the lights from the tree shimmer on and off through Wendy’s eyes (she imagines Wendy seeing the same view through her own eyes). Were Wendy’s hands always on her hips, holding onto her shirt? She disregards it the moment their lips meet for a second time, the same taste of strawberry stronger than the first. Faces angled, lips soft and sweet, light but determined.

 

Seulgi separates their lips to speak in a hushed voice, “Are you sure this is okay?”

 

Wendy laughs through her nose and lets out a sigh, their foreheads pressed close together.

 

“Seul, do you think I would be kissing you if it wasn’t?”

 

“Right.”

 

Seulgi’s imagined kissing Wendy once or twice here and there, never thinking she would enjoy it this much, already growing addicted to the way their lips work together.

 

“And Seul?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

Wendy cracks a smile. “You don’t have to keep holding the mistletoe anymore.”

 

Seulgi breaks their gaze to look at her right hand still in midair, holding the mistletoe as if her life depended on it.

 

“Oh, sorry. I forgot.” She places it on Wendy’s night stand before wrapping both her arms around Wendy’s waist, “Now back to—”

 

“Seul!” Wendy pats her back repeatedly, “It’s snowing! It’s snowing, look outside!”

 

She turns her attention to the window where small powdered flakes float down and stick their landing. Wendy can’t seem to hold still in her arms.

 

“Do you want to go outside?”

 

Wendy’s voice sounds like a child’s. “Can we?”

 

“Only if you give me another kiss.” Seulgi closes her eyes, sticking out her lips as far as she can. She opens an eye when she doesn’t get an immediate response.

 

“You’re ridiculous,” Wendy leaves a quick kiss on Seulgi’s puckered lips. “Now, Come on! The snow isn’t going to last forever!”

 

Wendy’s out the door before Seulgi blinks; she can hear her little rushed footsteps jump down the stairs. She peers through the blinds one last time, the first snowfall of the year only getting heavier the longer she stares.

 

Her socks slide against the carpet in a rush.

 

“Seungwan-ah! Wait for me!”

 

---

 

A/N: Well wasn't that a very bad  decent attempt at being cute. Most of the events in the story were based of off real things that happened to wenseul, like little bits and pieces from their ufo replies about each other and how Seulgi ate all the broken cookies wendy baked for the fans at a fansign etc. This definitely could've been better in many ways but I'm not that good of a writer so this is what you'll have to accept. Also dedicated to my number 1 fan (i hope it made you happy). Until next time (if there is another next time), happy holidays. (gif credits: wenseuljoy)