"stop, give me that back, it's mine!"

 

"um no, i've been hassling you for months on end so technically, this is mines."

 

"you know this is called robbery, right? you are literally stealing this from me." 

 

"how can i steal something that has always belonged to me?" 

 

juyeon huffs in indignation, this pointless argument with luda has gotten her nowhere and given her a slight headache. yeah, luda's been asking for her hundred bucks for seven months - so what?! she'll give it when she's ready. 

 

luda bares a subtle, but smug smile at the younger's obvious defeat, pocketing the money before slipping into the seat next to hers, careful not to bump into jiyeon whose eyes were huge and mouth hung open, ready to unleash a verbal storm.

 

jiyeon leans in, her upper body practically sprawled across her desk as she whispers (how ironic), "oh my god, have you guys heard?" 

 

luda raises a quizzical brow, followed by a "heard what?" from juyeon. 

 

"we're getting.." jiyeon inconspicuously (at least that's what she thinks, jiyeon has never been good at being subtle even whilst being subtle - the entire class had already spared her looks when she ran into the room shaken with giggles) glances around to make sure no unnecessary attention was paid to them (there was) (but she doesn't notice) before leaning in even closer, her nose now inches away from luda's, in which luda instantly leans away from, face contorted in sharp disgust. 

 

jiyeon remains un-phased. if anything, she's gotten accustomed to luda's pretense at disgust whenever she comes closer - who was the girl fooling anyways? so she balls her fist around luda's thin white shirt and pulls her closer with a cheeky smile, gaze on juyeon all the while, "a foreign exchange student!" 

 

"jiyeon get off me." luda seethes through gritted teeth, but the facade is all in vain when jiyeon leans in even closer, eyes fixated in completely on the smaller girl. 

 

luda's visible ears turn alarmingly red and her fingers desperately clutch onto jiyeon's finger to try to undo them from her shirt.

 

jiyeon may be oblivious when it comes to the rest of the world but never when it comes to luda. she leans away with a light laugh when her eyes catch sight of the pink tinge on luda's cheeks and her tomato colored ears. 

 

"guys ssshh!" juyeon whispers sharply, hands smacking the air in hopes of getting the duo's attention.

 

as soon as jiyeon had mentioned the news of a foreign exchange student, a quiet figure had entered their classroom. juyeon notices right away because the door creeks when opened slowly and the entire class always come in with flying hands.

 

the stranger seems shocked at the incessant noise as well. she quickly turns around, eyes wide and fingers working a gentle tug on the cold doorknob - which makes it creek even more. 

juyeon bites back a laugh because she doesn't want to get caught staring.

 

a deep pout settles onto the stranger's features before she swiftly pulls the door close (in which the creaking stops).

 

juyeon's eyes never leaves the other girl and when she turned around and smiled that little smile to herself, a little jump in to her step,
my god, juyeon swore, right then and there - she was in love.

 

 

-

 

 

"oh my god she's so pretty." juyeon whips her head towards luda and jiyeon's direction after class finishes, voice a high squeal, a dreamy sigh following soon after. 

 

"yeah, but i'm prettier." jiyeon states. 

juyeon spares a look of mixed incredulity towards the smiling girl before shifting her attention to luda, "...as i was saying. she's sooooo pretty." 

 

juyeon falls over the table with a dramatic sigh, her own limbs giving up on her as her head collapses all over luda's bony arms.

 

"how do you pronounce her name again?" juyeon props her head up with her elbow, "chung xow? kung pao? she probably makes good kung pao, do you think she likes chinese food? wait, pfft-" she lets out a loud laugh, scoffing at herself shortly after, "she's chinese- wait, that doesn't mean anything- wait!" she picks her head up, mouth hung open and about to speak before luda beats her to it,

 

"alright, we're leaving now." 

 

luda takes this as an opportunity to feign annoyance and briskly grabs ahold of jiyeon's free hand. it's warm against luda's cold ones and fits snugly against the indents of her hand. she blushes madly at how much she likes it. jiyeon pretends to not notice. 

 

"wait!" juyeon let's out a wail, lips a deep pout as she falls face flat onto the table, desperate and pathetic, still contemplating whether or not cheng xiao likes chinese food.

 

 

-

 

 

juyeon is dead tired. physically exhausted. drained of stored potential kinetic chemical and whatever else type of energy there is in existence. 

 

she finds it difficult to just keep her entire body up, leaning against the cool, metallic locker for support as she groggily reaches in (more like aimlessly shove) to grab her history book. 

years of waking up early and not once has she gotten used to it. 

 

she let's out another heavy groan when she finds herself with not enough energy to lift the textbook out. she tilts her entire head into the locker to get a better sight of it. 

 

"um, excuse me?" 

 

the voice shocks her, making her jump and bump her head on the top of the locker, the crash ringing loud in the near empty hallway. 

 

"oh my god," the accented english continues and juyeon almost curses in the same language (she is horrible at english) at the throbbing pain against her head. 

 

juyeon peers out from behind the locker door and her eyes almost bulge out from the realization of who it was. 

 

"c-cheng xiao." she stutters at the close proximity they were both in, the other a mere couple of inches behind her locker door. 

 

"are you okay?" cheng xiao utters out in her choppy korean this time and juyeon gives an eager nod in response, 

 

"i-i'm fine! doesn't even hurt! see?" she raps a gentle fist against the bruised spot but the pain is greater than her ability to lie and she winces at the slightest contact, 

 

"doesn't hurt at all..." a nervous laugh rolls off her lips as she quickly shoves her head into her locker, "oh my god.." she whines out in an inaudible whisper, ruffling her bangs in frustration at her own stupidity. 

 

"juyeon, are you okay?" cheng xiao repeats, manuevering so that she's now position right behind juyeon, her soft hand resting upon the taller's girl shoulder and juyeon swears her entire body is blushing.

 

juyeon turns around and closes the locker door with a shaky smile (she's already forgotten about her books along with the ability to form proper and coherent thoughts). 

 

"do you like chinese food?" juyeon blurts out while motioning for the other to follow her down the hallway.

 

cheng xiao, puzzled by the language used, tilts her head to the side. 

 

juyeon's breath hitches a bit. 

she averts her gaze to try to calm her wildly thumping heart.

 

"do you like," she begins in korean before switching to english, "chinese food?" - it's heavily accented and the timid lilt in her voice makes cheng xiao giggle while nodding, mimicking the other's tone with excitement in english, "i love chinese food!" 

"ah really?!" juyeon exclaims, eyes wide and lips an excited smile. she catches her over-excitement and bites down on her bottom lip before lowering her tone to a more "in door voice" appropriate volume, this brings another soft giggle to escape the confines of the shorter's girl mouth.

 

"really!" cheng xiao smiles and nods in response, fringe dancing upon her eyelashes as she does so.

 

"do you want to get some after school?" 

 

cheng xiao pretends to think about the offer, drawing out a long hum (juyeon's eyes are wide and attentive on hers, cheng xiao has to fight back a giggle), before nonchalantly agreeing, "hm, alright." 

 

"really?!" juyeon exclaims in mixed excitement and shock, voice just a little louder than it should be (but then again, when is it not).

 

cheng xiao releases another laugh, feet halted to a stop and eyes soft on the other, "really really." she throws a hesitant glance to the door behind her before turning back to face juyeon with a small smile, "this is my class," the dread in her tone mirroring the look in juyeon's eyes. 

 

"but, wait for me after my last class okay? i'm at room 203." 

 

juyeon has to swallow her initial, over-excited response, settling for a 'cooler', 'smoother', 'level-headed' one - "i will wait for you." 

 

cheng xiao hums in approval before turning on her heel and into the classroom, juyeon does the same but towards the end of the hall before she hears a familiar voice call out.

 

"juyeon!" 

 

juyeon cranes her head towards cheng xiao's half exposed face from behind the door frame.

 

"don't forget our date, okay?" cheng xiao bashfully reminds the other girl in english. 

 

juyeon eagerly nods, all self-awareness thrown out the window at the words 'our' and 'date' in the same sentence. 

 

"i will not, cheng xiao!" juyeon responds in english as well, big grin plastered on her face before waving goodbye to the other.

 

she rushes up the stairs, adrenaline (and love) pumping through her veins, the warmth of a million suns against her face and the image of cheng xiao's smile engraved in her mind. 

 

"oh my god," juyeon settles into her seat with the biggest smile, gaze casting down at her tangled fingers.

 

maybe early mornings aren't so bad after all. 

 

"wait, where are my books?"

 

 

-

 

 

"and that's how i'm related to the emperor of china." 

 

"woah, really?!" juyeon was completely engrossed in cheng xiao's story, nodding firmly at every word the other uttered, leaning in at every pause.

 

"no, not really." 

 

juyeon's face fall flat, bottom lip jutted out in a deep frown before a string of whines leave her lips. she gives the other's arm a playful push in attempt at an irritated facade.

 

cheng xiao laughs, the one that makes her eyes crinkle and her bangs dance and steals all of juyeon's attention. 

 

juyeon falls back onto her bed with an inaudible thump and a teasing smile, "are you..." she converses in english, a language she's not well versed in, but she does it because cheng xiao is, "laughing at me?" 

 

they've been tutoring each other in english and korean with how often both of them switch back and forth during their conversations - their text messages almost an entire made up language with the usage of choppy konglish and excessive emojis. 

 

cheng xiao's marks in her korean class has improved greatly. juyeon's grades in her english class... well, not so much. 

 

"noooo," cheng xiao draws out the word in the cutest tone (or at least, according to juyeon) before falling down onto the empty space next to the other. 

 

she switches to korean to show off her increased fluency, "i am laughing with you." 

 

juyeon eyes widen in amazement as she let's out a low, "ooooh", switching to korean as well, "your korean has improved so much." 

 

cheng xiao shrugs with a smug smile, "well what can i say? i have a great teacher." 

 

"mr. nam?"

 

cheng xiao smiles because juyeon's a bit dense, "no silly - ms. son"

 

"the chemistry teacher? she's been teaching you korean?" juyeon furrows her brows, genuinely confused.

 

cheng xiao shifts bodily onto her side so that she's facing the girl, "ms. son as in son juyeon, as in you." 

 

"oh me?" juyeon blurts out in english, bringing a smile to cheng xiao's lips because juyeon's english is quite bad but it's the cute kind of bad and that doesn't really make sense but love never really does.

 

 

-

 

 

the heavy onslaught of rain hammered down against the pavement like steel bullets. the raging roars of thunder would blare out every now and again, accompanied by the sharp crack of lightning in sporadic intervals. 

 

juyeon sighs under sturdy roof of the bus stop,

 

not because she's standing in the middle of what seems to be a developing storm, but because she's worried about cheng xiao and her no umbrella having self. 

 

"juyeon-ah!" 

 

she whips her head around, fingers pulling out her umbrella at lightning speed before ever so dramatically crying out, "stay right there, i'm coming!" and running with fervor towards the girl. 

 

"oh my god, what happened?" juyeon's eyebrows furrow, visibly upset at cheng xiao's soaked state. she guides the both of them quickly, but carefully (as to avoid the huge water puddles), back to shelter.

 

cheng xiao huddles closer to juyeon because it's a small umbrella (and because she just wants to), her fingers trailing up to grab onto juyeon's dry wrist. 

 

"there's no cover from building five to four." 

 

juyeon's frown deepens and she wonders how idiotic that was and if she should bring it up to administration, but then cheng xiao leans closer, her wet shirt pressed fully against juyeon's shoulder and it isn't discomfort she feels but nervousness. 

 

"you're drenched," juyeon comments once they're both under steady lighting and a safe three inches apart. she shakes the wet umbrella before collapsing it back into it's more compact form. 

"i'm also cold." cheng xiao pouts as she wraps her arms around herself, teeth clacking gently. 

 

juyeon quickly fishes a jacket out of her bag and drapes it around cheng xiao's shoulder, "you're gonna get sick.." juyeon frowns once she settles down next to the girl, fingers combing through her wet bangs. 

 

cheng xiao looks up at juyeon, looks up at juyeon's pouty lips, juyeon's worried eyes, juyeon's nimble fingers, and all she wants to do is kiss juyeon. 

 

"you worry too much." cheng xiao says, voice a gentle whisper and eyes glued onto the other. 

juyeon pauses her ministrations, hand faltering to her side once she realizes the degree at which cheng xiao was staring at and she loses the ability to speak completely (and she is always speaking. always. words come to her with the same ease as breathing does).

 

"can you blame me?" she mutters out, trying her best to keep her voice stable.

 

cheng xiao leans in and juyeon can feel the girl's hot breath upon her lips. 

 

"i guess not.." 

 

juyeon looks down at cheng xiao, looks down at cheng xiao's glistening lips, cheng xiao's twinkling eyes, cheng xiao's fluttery eyelashes, and all she wants to do is kiss cheng xiao.

 

juyeon leans in until both their lips touch and both their hearts stop. cheng xiao rests her hand on top of juyeon's as she moves her lips against the girl's. she kisses her gently and tenderly and juyeon feels dizzy - is dizzy, so so so dizzy under the warmth of cheng xiao's mouth that she can barely sit up straight. 

 

they both draw back afterwards with shy smiles. juyeon fidgets with her fingers while cheng xiao plays with the hem of her shirt, both their heartbeats rivaling the violent pounding of the thundering rain.

 

 

-

 

 

the next day, juyeon holds cheng xiao's hand on the way to class. 

 

cheng xiao immediately turns to look at the other with a smile, giving her hand a gentle squeeze in response. 

 

juyeon can't fight back the wide smile that grows on her face. 

 

 

-

 

 

from chengie.
sms : i miss you a little...

 

juyeon reads the text at least ten times in a row while smiling like a fool to herself. she drowns out jiyeon's voice, completely distracted with typing out a reply.

 

to chengie.
sms : just a little?

 

from chengie.
sms : i miss you a lot.

 

juyeon's smile is etched in permanence upon her features, her thumbs moving in vigorous keystrokes against her phone before the device almost slips from her grip due to jiyeon's loud voice, "juyeon!" 

 

"w-what?" she looks up from her phone, lost and confused.

 

"were you listening?"

 

juyeon scoffs, "of course!"

 

"what was i saying?" 

 

juyeon chews on her bottom lip in thought, "um, uh, it was about luda.." 

 

jiyeon rolls her eyes, an exasperated sigh leaves her lips, "not even close."

 

"mall this weekend?"

 

"completely off base."

 

"cute boy in math class?"

 

"how about: no." 

 

"you're giving up on your weird rock collection?"

 

"it's not weird!" jiyeon exclaims in half offense, "and no, it's not any of those, you're a horrible guesser."

 

jiyeon stabs a fork in the weird cafeteria lunch she got, jiggling it around before directing her attention back onto juyeon, "my parents are going away this winter and that means i get the winter cabin all to myself."  

 

juyeon's eyes are so wide they almost pop out of their sockets, "we're getting the winter cabin to ourselves?!" her jaw is slack and she has to rest her head on her hand to process this life changing piece of information.

 

jiyeon's family winter cabin was, in short, spectacular. juyeon spends almost every winter there with jiyeon ever since they were children and every winter spent there is better than the last. 

 

"i know, i almost pissed myself when they told me." jiyeon leans closer, volume dropping down to a hushed whisper, "i'm thinking we throw a little party, and by little i mean not really, maybe.. about.. fifty- sixty max?" 

 

"the cabin can hold more than that."

 

"you're right. around eighty?"

 

"around eighty." juyeon nods, a mischievous glint in both their eyes as they plan out the best winter party of their adolescent lives. 

 

 

-

 

 

the cabin could not hold eighty people.

 

luda laughs at her distress and jiyeon almost makes the shorter girl choke on the piece of chocolate in . 

 

she ended up having to shove more than a handful of people outside, "well, it's either smushed inside here or out there! 45 degree fahrenheit weather isn't so bad, just.. huddle together!" 

 

jiyeon flashes her ten thousand mega-watt smile and no one can really argue with her after that. 

 

juyeon ends up relieving herself of the warmth inside the house for the blistering winter wind because she's a nice friend (or at least that's how jiyeon tricked her into going outside). 

cheng xiao follows juyeon outside because she loves her. 

 

they settle down on a wooden table with a table umbrella, the spot overlooking a frozen lake but juyeon finds the sight incomparable to cheng xiao. 

 

"i'm cold." cheng xiao turns to juyeon with a pout. 

 

juyeon laughs, they were sitting outside in the dead of winter with but just a couple blankets - of course they were both cold, "me too." she opens both her arms to the girl, in which cheng xiao smiles at and instantly leans into. 

 

"what about now?" juyeon looks down at the girl, arms secured tight around cheng xiao's body.

"still a little bit cold," 

 

"still?!" juyeon feigns an incredulous sigh before shifting onto the other's lap with a small smile, "what about now?" she asks, hands circling around cheng xiao's neck. 

 

cheng xiao hums, flattening her lips with a hum and a playful smile, "hm.. still just a little bit cold." 

 

juyeon's face falls flat, "what's better than the warmth of my body, huh?" 

 

cheng xiao lets out a giggle and a small shake of her head. she pulls juyeon closer by the waist and leans up to meet her lips with a soft kiss, and suddenly, it's not as cold anymore.

 

 

-

 

 

"luda?" jiyeon turns around on their shared bed.

 

her question is met with silence so the only reasonable thing to do was to bother luda out of her slumber. 

 

"luda.. luda are you awake? luda. hey luda, you awake?" 

 

luda's eyes jolt open at the incessant noise. she heard jiyeon the first time and had hope the taller girl would've let her sleep in peace this time around. 

 

"i am now." 

 

"i can't sleep."

 

"gee, i wonder why. maybe if you just be quiet." 

 

"i can't." 

 

"can't or you won't?"

 

"both. now turn around." she tugs on luda's loose pajama shirt until she gives in and turns to face her.

 

"what now?" 

 

"wanna read conspiracy theories with me?"

 

"i'm going to sleep." luda abruptly turns her back on jiyeon, only to later begrudgingly turn back with a narrowed glare, "which one should we read tonight?" 

 

luda can barely keep her eyes open but she stays up until the crack of dawn reading shady stuff on shady websites about shady conspiracies with a fascinated jiyeon. 

 

luda falls asleep first (jiyeon is surprised she lasted this long). 

 

jiyeon pushes her phone onto the night stand and slips her hand under her face to watch luda's sleeping form and how the sunlight spills in through the thinly curtained windows onto her small figure. 

 

she brushes stray hairs out of luda's face. 

 

it isn't long until she finds herself drifting off to sleep, mind jumbled with thoughts of steel beams and luda's strawberry perfume.

 

 

-

 

 

"no.. no! don't do it!" cheng xiao shrieks at juyeon's approaching figure, fist balled with snow and a menacing smile on her face. 

 

she furiously turns around on her heel, ready to make a run for it when she's met with a surprised snow pie to the face a la bona. 

 

cheng xiao frowns, shoulders drooping downwards as small whines leaves her lips, "unnie..." she wails out even louder but is met with an apologetic smile from the soon retreating blonde girl, "juyeon forced me to do it! she told me she'd shave my eyebrows off if i didn't!" jiyeon yells out when she decides she's a safe distance away from the both of them (and juyeon's wrath). 

 

juyeon's brows are furrowed and she stomps her feet rather childishly at such outrageous accusations, "what the- i did not!" 

 

she receives a glare from cheng xiao, which draws out a nervous laugh from her now dry throat as she places her now empty fists in the air, "i didn't! cheng xiao i swear!" 

 

cheng xiao knows she didn't but juyeon is too cute for own good when she's nervous. 

 

"jiyeon's a liar. she loves to lie. remember when she lied to you about those korean phrases?" juyeon tries to plead her case with shaky laughs, stepping backwards with every step cheng xiao took forward.

 

"son. ju. y-" 

 

juyeon picks her feet up and dashes away, but in her distraught state, she forgets where her legs take her - onto very slippery ice. a sharp squawk pierces the air when she loses her balance and she  hurriedly waves her hand around trying to grab onto the air in front of her. it isn't long until she ends up tripping over her own feet, face coming into contact with the ice cold surface with a splud.

 

she doesn't even bother getting up, the embarrassment burying her alive.

 

lucky for her, the only person paying attention to her horrendously humiliating fall was cheng xiao and cheng xiao is nice.

 

but she isn't a saint. 

 

cheng xiao rushes towards a dying juyeon with loud laughter, the intensity of it almost knocking her forwards and onto juyeon.

 

juyeon peers up at the hovering figure with a dejected look and cheng xiao loses all composure completely. she falls onto juyeon with a thud, body shaking with laughter. 

 

 

-

 

 

"i'm coming!" 

 

cheng xiao shouts through the piece of toast dangling from , fingers swiftly garnering her keys and textbook as she uses her free hand to sling her backpack over her shoulder. 

 

she opens the door and is immediately puzzled when she sees juyeon without her backpack or uniform. 

 

"huh?" 

 

"i have a surprise for you." juyeon speaks in hushed excitement.

 

"but what about school?"

 

"it's just one day," juyeon steps in and closes the door behind her, "c'mon, change and we'll get going." 

 

"but.." cheng xiao glances at the clock and back down to her stack of books, contemplating the idea of ditching school. she finds her answer in juyeon's  gummy smile and makes her way upstairs. 

 

 

-

 

 

juyeon takes cheng xiao all over the city. in the morning, they stop by swanky cafes and all the pet shops (where they promise every cute dog they see with adoption) and cheng xiao almost passes out from adoration when one of the owners let two corgis into her arms. 

 

in the afternoon, they go (window) shopping at thrift stores. juyeon ends up buying them couple rings after having a very persuasive conversation with the nice shop lady; she sells them a pair with a couple's name already engraved inside (because no one else would buy them) and cheng xiao laughs and agrees and likes them because juyeon bought it for her. 

 

they turn into a victoria's secret but end up running out in less than three minutes when they could no longer contain their laughter. 

 

neither one of them was really sure what was funny, but they laughed because the other did, and that's reason enough for the both of them.

 

at night, juyeon takes cheng xiao to her favorite arcade and brags about showing off her "mad game skills" to an impressionable cheng xiao who ended up beating juyeon in every game they played. 

 

juyeon takes a mental note to cross off 'arcade legend' from her college application. 

 

cheng xiao thinks juyeon is the cutest girl in the world. 

 

juyeon looks at cheng xiao like she was her entire world. 

 

thirty dollars worth of tokens and two thousand arcade tickets later (and a huge penguin plushy), juyeon takes cheng xiao to her house. 

 

cheng xiao is greeted with red streamers and banners and huge signs and pictures accompanied by questionable chinese. 

 

"i know you've been a bit homesick lately.." juyeon admits while pulling the front door close, a bright smile smeared across her features, "so i bought china to you!" she runs in front of a wide-eyed cheng xiao and jumps up with her arms spread, "tada!" 

 

before cheng xiao could say anything, juyeon pulls her by the hand towards the kitchen where juyeon's parents and sister sat waiting at the dinner table. it was overflowed with all of cheng xiao's favorite chinese and korean dishes.

 

"you guys are ten minutes late, we're hungry!" juyeon's mother chides playfully.

 

cheng xiao bows her head in greeting at the two adult figures, in which she receives warm smiles and kisses on the cheek for. 

 

"i know, we're sorry, traffic was really bad." juyeon admits before pulling cheng xiao to the two empty seats.

 

"i made.. cheng xiao chicken," juyeon snickers at her own pun, her sister punches her on the arm for it. "ow, what was that for?!" 

 

"for being gross." 

 

"just eat your food." juyeon grumbles under her breath but she can't fight back the smile on her face when cheng xiao settles into the seat next to her, hand trailing up her arm with the prettiest smile she's ever been a witness to. 

 

"did you do all of this for me?" cheng xiao's eyes are soft on juyeon's excited ones. 

 

she receives a nod in respond and so moves in for a peck on the cheek, and it's the fact that she does this in front of her parents that make juyeon burn up like a tomato. 

 

"ewwww they just kissed!" juyeon's sister yells out in mocked disgust, a taunt smile on her face as she starts singing, "juyeon and cheng xiao sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g" 

 

"knock it off!" juyeon yells back, ready to strangle her mini me. 

 

"sorry," cheng xiao apologizes with a laugh before picking up her chopsticks.

 

they spend the rest of the night tasting all of juyeon's creation and exchanging embarassing stories; in which juyeon's parents have a lot of their daughter. juyeon almost dies of embarrassment the second time that night. 

 

cheng xiao picks up their chinese lessons from last weekend (cheng xiao comes to eat with juyeon's family every week) and they go on to converse solely in chinese before they all run out of basic chinese words to yell out ("how is the food?" "banana").

 

they spend the rest of the night under the warm white lights of their cozy home, busying themselves with home cooked meals and each other's company.

 

 

-

 

 

time slips from beneath them and before they know it, cheng xiao's one year in korea has come to an end.

 

"i don't want you to go..." juyeon's voice cracks, almost on the verge of tears as she lowers her head in dismay at this crummy, crummy situation. 

 

cheng xiao's already crying. she laces their fingers together but finds herself without words when juyeon collapses on her shoulders, juyeon's wet tears staining her white blouse. 

 

juyeon rarely cries. even when she's sad, she doesn't cry. but this is beyond sad, this is heart break and she feels it with every cell in her body and with every step she takes.

 

she knows she's being a bit dramatic, it's not like they were breaking up, but juyeon has never done long distance before and doesn't know what to do if she wants to kiss cheng xiao and she's two thousand one hundred seventeen kilometers away with an entire body of water separating them. 

 

juyeon inhales a sharp sigh and pulls herself up off cheng xiao's stained shoulders. she wipes away all her tears and proceeds to thumb away cheng xiao's stray ones before moving in for a tight hug, her arms secured tight around the other's neck.

 

"i'm gonna miss you so much."

 

"we're gonna talk every day."

 

"i'm still gonna miss you."

 

"i'm gonna miss you too." 

 

they stay in the shared embrace until cheng xiao's plane is called. 

 

 

-

 

 

from: my girl.

sms : i miss you already.

 

juyeon can't help but laugh at the text, it's only been two minutes since cheng xiao had to go get in line. in fact, she was only a couple feet from her. 

 

cheng xiao turns around to catch juyeon laughing and frown, "why haven't you texted me back yet?" she turns to type at lightning speed on her phone.

 

from: my girl.

sms : if we're gonna be thousands of km apart, you're gonna need to text back with a little conviction! [ emoji ]

 

juyeon replies in a mere nanosecond. 

 

to: my girl.

sms : how fast? this fast?

 

cheng xiao laughs, because it's juyeon and she always makes her laugh.

 

from: my girl.

sms : much better :)