Moon Byulyi didn’t know what was more overhelming; an unfamiliar man’s voice coming from Yongsun’s phone, or the stranger himself informing that Yongsun was with him and, currently, unconscious.

Byulyi was never that athletic. Her physical education grades back at school weren’t impressive even a bit—it wasn’t like she ever talked about it, after all—and not only once or twice did she get underestimated by the younger ones in the group for her lacking in sports, excluding her dancing skills, of course.

However that was not the main case at the moment.

As unathletic as she was, Byulyi still tried her very best to dash to a fancy bar nearby, just around the corner, where the man had informed his and Yongsun’s whereabouts. It wasn’t like she was worried that the man would do something nasty, but still, the thought of Yongsun getting drunk and unconscious made her uneasy.

At least he’s a good man—otherwise he wouldn’t have informed me.

That’s what she had been repeating on her jumbled, anxious mind, as she stepped inside the bar. Looking around immediately without caring much about people recognizing her, Byulyi found it hard to spot Yongsun amidst the crowd and the dimmed surroundings. For a second she had thought about taking the mic away from the live band vocalist and shouting Yongsun’s name out loud.

Thankfully, just then from the corner of her eyes she saw a well-dressed man waved his hand to her. All her ragged breathings along with her tightened chest seemed to slowen down and loosen up as soon as she spotted the figure sitting across him with her hands crossed on the table, her head buried on them.

Kim Yongsun.

“Oh my God,” she breathed in relief as soon as she approached the table. “For God’s sake, Yongsun.”

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have brought her here,” the man said apologetically and stood as soon as Byulyi secured the unconscious, drunk Yongsun in her arms—reddened face and steady breathing were evident. “I never thought her alcohol tolerance was this low. It was inconsiderate of me.”

“No, thank you for informing me—“ Byulyi smiled sincerely, now having Yongsun sleep in her arms, she was able to think clearly. The man, after all, was probably just trying to get to know Yongsun better without attracting too much attention from the media, for the sake of their new program. “—Eric.”

“Well it’s no problem at all. I was about to drive her back to your dorm, but she,” Eric paused for a moment as he chuckled a bit, taking a glance at Yongsun and back to Byulyi. “She kept mumbling your name.”

This caught Byulyi off-guard. Her eyes widened for a second before she laughed awkwardly. “My name? Really?”

“Well aside from some face cleanser brand and persistent denial about her height, then yes, I’m certain ‘Byul-ah’ and ‘Byul-lie’ were the only things she mentioned.”

As if on cue, with half-lidded eyes, Yongsun’s ears seemed to perk up and she called weakly and dreamily, “Byul-lie..? Byul is heeeere?”

“See.” Eric shook his head lightly and snickered. Luckily it was kinda dim otherwise he would’ve witnessed how Byulyi’s face slowly turned as red as Yongsun’s.

“Stupid,” Byulyi muttered under her breath as she carefully moved in front of Yongsun without letting go of her hold, knelt down, and positioned Yongsun on her back—a piggyback to the dorm, she determined to do.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to drive you two back home?” Eric asked, guilt and concern were clear in his face. “I mean, it’s late and—“

“Our dorm is just around the corner, Eric. You know if you drive there, then you gotta make a long, long straight before you can finally make a u-turn back to your direction.”

“Yea, that’s.. true.” Eric sighed. “But at least let me walk you two home? You know, just making sure?”

Byulyi shifted Yongsun’s weight a bit and shook her head politely with a smile. “We’ll be okay, I promise. We’ve been living around here for years—I know this neighbourhood like the back of my hand. And this girl’s not that heavy.”

So with one last heavy sigh and an apologetical smile, Eric eventually gave in. He still insisted on staying in front of the bar door until the two disappeared from his sight, though.

The walk back to the dorm had been quiet until Yongsun suddenly made weird whimpering sounds.

“What the hell, Yongsun. Be quiet,” Byulyi tried shushing the older woman, but failed miserably.

“Hmmmm? Where’s Eric....?” Although it sounded like Yongsun randomly mumbled to herself, since her face was practically on Byulyi’s shoulder, the taller girl of course could hear it clearly.

“Oh wow, I wasn’t there and you looked for me, now Eric’s gone and you want him. You’re one insatiable woman, Yongsun,” Byulyi scoffed, even if Yongsun hadn’t meant anyhing bad it weirdly felt kinda hurt.

“You..? Who..? Me? Looking... you?”

There was a pregnant pause before Yongsun squealed in damn high pitch—Byulyi thought a dolphin had just given a birth inside her left ear. “You Byul-lie? You smell like Byul!”

“Shut up Yongsun, you’re drunk.”

“I ammmmm drunk..? And you are Byul-lie. We.. Drunkong Byulkong. Ehe.” Yongsun giggled, a bit too cutely, and Byulyi’s lips just had to curve upward, her nose muscle crinkling like an automatic response.

“Shut up, Yongsun.”

“Oooh touchyyy. But I can’t see your face.. Are you really really really Byullie? Aren’t you just a stalker trying to take advantage of meeee?”

Byulyi didn’t like it. Not that she was offended by the mindless accusation, but she hated the idea of someone taking advantage of someone as sweet as Yongsun. Someone as pretty, funny, and caring as Yongsun. She didn’t like it one bit. All Yongsun deserved in the world was someone who could take a really good care of her, sweep her off her feet, and make that adorable chin dimples appear daily as she laughed that peculiar laugh of hers. Because, really, a golden-hearted beautiful being like Yongsun didn’t deserve any less.

“Shut up or I’ll tell the kids that you do watch once in a while.”

“Omo,” Yongsun gasped loudly and Byulyi could picture her wide mouth forming a perfect round shape. “ YOU REALLY ARE MOON BYULYI!”

“Told ya.”

“But aren’t I heavyyy, like, really heavy, Byul-ah? I ate rice twice today. Normal servings. I feel soooo, so fat.”

“If that’s your best attempt to make me compliment you slim or whatsoever, then you have just failed, Kim Yongsun.”

“Hmph.” Byulyi felt a weak hit on her back, and it made her chuckle. “Meanie.”

“Just sleep and be quiet. You’re gonna have one hell of headache once you’re awake.”

“Mmmkayyyy, but Byul-ah?” Yongsun nuzzled her face on Byulyi’s shoulder, and although it was a bit ticklish, Byulyi wasn’t going to complain.

“What?”

“I’m glad you actually came, though.”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“Youuuu don’t like Eric.”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“Because,” Yongsun sighed, and from her tone, even without taking a glance, Byulyi knew the latter wasn’t smiling. Neither was she.

“Because?”

“Because you like me.”

And Byulyi’s steps halted abruptly right beneath the light street. Some cars passing and the autumn wind blowing, but for Byulyi, it felt as if the world stopped for a moment as her chest once again tightened. Her jaw clenched and she inhaled deeply. Her eyes were suddenly hot and it was as if someone was choking her neck when the truth hit her.

How could Yongsun say something that she had been hiding and holding inside all this time so easily? She knew—they both knew that as crazy as the butterflies felt when they teased each other in dangerously, flirty manners; they couldn’t go any further than that. At one point and another upon seeing Yongsun’s smile or laugh when she was with the younger woman, Byulyi had almost confessed. But being a considerate and conservative person she was, she had always succeded in stopping herself.

Therefore, Byulyi had been trying to make Yongsun’s new program as a farewell to her feelings, but now hearing the words coming out of Yongsun’s own mouth, it felt like her effort was restarted from zero, for now all the surpressed feelings reappearing to the surface.

Why couldn’t you just shut up, Kim Yongsun?  

“...Byul-ah?” Yongsun’s voice—which she wouldn’t mind hearing forever—softly called right beside her ear, and it brought her back to earth.

“Now that,” holding back her tears, Byulyi put on a crooked smile and continued their little late night journey to the dorm.

“Why wouldn’t I?”

Tell me what you think <3

-melts-

:]