Jieqiong shouldn’t really stay over so much at Nayoung’s apartment, but she does almost four days out of the week every week (though it’s not like Nayoung’s complaining). Adding the four month breakup anniversary with Sejeong on top of the stress of work, it’s comforting for Nayoung to come home to someone—especially if that someone is Zhou Jieqiong.

At first, Jieqiong would always take Nayoung’s bed and Nayoung would take the couch, but it’s gotten to the point where they both just end up sleeping side-by-side in bed (or, when they’re really tired, they doze off on the couch together). Nayoung’s sort of glad for the fact that she wakes up earlier than Jieqiong because the amount of times she’s woken up to Jieqiong’s face nuzzled in her neck and arms looped around her waist was way too much.

“Welcome back, Nayoung.” Jieqiong greets from the couch as Nayoung struggles to pull her keys back out from the lock. “How was work?”

“Stressful.” Nayoung sighs, finally getting the damn thing out. She shuts the door behind her and peels her jacket off. “How was your day?”

“Not stressful.” Jieqiong replies with a grin, looking over to Nayoung as the girl walks towards the couch with a tired smile. She gestures to the messy coffee table excitedly. “I went back to my house to get the photos that finished developing. Look.”

Nayoung plops down next to Jieqiong with a huff and leans forward to grasp the corner of one photo, picking it up gingerly. The picture is of Nayoung the one time they had to stay in due to a snow storm. In the photo, she’s standing in front of the window in her bedroom. The photo captures the exact moment Jieqiong had called out her name, causing her to turn. Her hair is in mid-motion, a small smile on her face.

“That one’s one of my favorites.” Jieqiong states with a satisfied giggle. She points to the window in the photo. “If you look closely, you can see the snow that fell off of our roof.”

Nayoung looks up in surprise when Jieqiong says ‘our roof’, but Jieqiong doesn’t seem to catch the meaning behind her words. Nayoung’s heart does a quick jumpstart and she continues to stare at Jieqiong, who’s examining the photo with bright eyes.

“Don’t you like it?” Jieqiong looks up at Nayoung when she asks this and—there it is; the twinkle in her eyes. Nayoung will never get over how precious the younger girl is.

“I love it.” she says honestly.

Jieqiong laughs again, a melodic noise that tickles Nayoung’s ears. “I saw you standing there when I was going to the bathroom and I had to tip-toe away to get my camera. I just had to get a picture.” she recalls the memory fondly, staring into Nayoung’s eyes as she does so.

“I used to love the snow when I was little.” Nayoung grins, ignoring her hammering pulse.

“Used to?” Jieqiong catches. Nayoung hums and returns her gaze to the photo.

“It’s burdensome now.” she murmurs before putting the photo back onto the table and reaching for another one. She spots a familiar scene; one of Jieqiong sitting at her kitchen counter, white teeth biting her pen and eyebrows furrowed. “Is that the one I took?”

“Yeah.” Jieqiong answers with a giggle. She seems to be in a really good mood. “I decided to develop it. It didn’t come out half-bad considering it’s a photo of me.”

“That’s what makes it so good.” Nayoung says under her breath. She spots Jieqiong’s eyes snapping up to her face in her peripheral after she says that. Her cheeks warm up and she lowers her voice. “You were stressing over your calculus test.”

Jieqiong scoffs. “Yes, and you took a picture of me.” she teases.

“I like this picture a lot.” Nayoung states, placing it back onto the table so she can shuffle through more pictures. She notices something with a slight frown. “We don’t have one picture together.”

“Yes we do.” Jieqiong responds, leaning forward as she pushes a few pictures away to get to the bottom. She tugs one out from beneath another one. “This one.”

Nayoung remembers this moment perfectly. It was taken when they had gone to the local fair just a couple weeks ago. (There had been one too many plastic sword wars with six year olds, churros, and a lot of face paint.) One of the little boys had pickpocketed Jieqiong’s camera, unknowing to the both of them (until they saw the camera flash), and took a picture of them. Jieqiong was in the midst of battle with a small girl, looking very focused, and Nayoung’s hand covered as she laughed out loud, her other hand grasping her pink sword.

“Oh my God.” Nayoung whispers, her lips curling upwards at the memory. “This is the best picture.” she says.

Jieqiong snorts. “Having to run after the little boy who took it was not the best—but, yes—I really love this picture.”

Nayoung’s phone chimes and she pulls it out of her pocket, placing the photo back down. It’s just some spam email. Jieqiong gasps when Nayoung unlocks her phone.

“You kept me as your background?” she asks in shock, pulling Nayoung’s phone out of her hand to examine the photo she had taken a few weeks ago as a joke. In the photo she’s pulling a silly face, tongue poking out the side of her lips and eyes crossed.  

“I didn’t have any reason to change it.” Nayoung answers with a shrug. She doesn’t admit that it cheers her up when work is too stressful. “Besides, my old wallpaper was literally just white.”

“Ah, at least put a better one of me!” Jieqiong complains, going to Nayoung’s photo album to choose another one. Nayoung snatches it out of her hand.

“No, I like this picture.” she says quickly.

“Make your lockscreen something better, then!” Jieqiong whines, reaching for the phone as Nayoung keeps it out of her reach.

“Okay, okay, fine!” Nayoung replies, moreso because Jieqiong’s body was literally pressing against hers and it was getting hard for Nayuong to breathe. Jieqiong backs off with a smug smile. Nayoung puffs up her cheeks and grabs the photo of her and Jieqiong playing with the kids, taking a picture of it and setting it as her lockscreen background. “There, are you happy?”

“Yes. And send that picture to me. I want to set it as my background, too.” Jieqiong grins cheekily, reaching out to pile all of the photos into one neat pile. “Are you hungry? I’m hungry. Let’s order.”

x

Horror movies are not Jieqiong’s forte. Nayoung learns this one night when they’re both up way past their usual time, both sitting on the couch with their legs outstretched onto the coffee table. A horror movie plays on the TV and Jieqiong squeaks, hiding behind Nayoung.

“Change the channel, quickly!” she orders, smacking Nayoung’s arm lightly.

Nayoung giggles in amusement. “Not a fan?”

“Most definitely not.” Jieqiong whines, tossing her legs over Nayoung’s body as she stays hidden behind her shoulder. “Please change the channel.”

“Alright.” Nayoung reaches for the remote and does as she’s told. “Look. Spongebob’s playing.”

Right as Jieqiong moves out from behind her, Nayoung switches back to the channel playing the scary movie. With perfect timing, a ghost pops out right at that second, causing Jieqiong to scream. Nayoung laughs so hard and Jieqiong keeps hitting her arm which causes her to accidentally shut off the television. The sudden darkness scares Jieqiong even more as she stops hitting Nayoung and climbs onto her lap with a yelp.

“I hate you.” Jieqiong whines, poking Nayoung’s shoulder.

“It’s just a show.” Nayoung giggles. “It’s fake.”

“Still.” Jieqiong murmurs, making no move to get off of Nayoung’s lap. They bask in the silence for a moment before Nayoung speaks up.

“Are you sleepy?”

“Sort of.”

Nayoung hums and stands up, bringing Jieqiong with her. The younger girl squeals and wraps her legs around Nayoung’s midsection, arms encircled around her neck.

“Warn me next time!” Jieqiong hisses as Nayoung walks the both of them to bed. Nayoung drops her gently onto the bed before sliding her own body under the covers. Jieqiong shifts, accidentally kicks Nayoung’s shin, and then she’s under the blanket with the older girl, giggling lightly. The two of them get comfortable in no time, Jieqiong’s feet poking at Nayoung’s own and her arms encircling her waist. Nayoung feels Jieqiong’s warm breaths on her neck and she closes her eyes.

“Night.” Nayoung mumbles.

“Night.” Jieqiong replies, nose nuzzling Nayoung’s jaw.

x

Today is one of the few days Jieqiong doesn’t spend the night at Nayoung’s apartment.

“I have an assignment due and I really need to develop the photos I’ve already taken.” Jieqiong pouts, seeming just as disappointed about having to leave Nayoung as much as Nayoung is. They had just eaten dinner together right after Nayoung arrived back, Jieqiong saying she didn’t want to leave without seeing her again.

She takes her backpack off of the couch that Nayoung’s seated on, hurrying over to get behind Nayoung. “I’ll text you when I get home safely, okay?”

Nayoung hums as she feels Jieqiong’s arms slide around her shoulder from behind, the weight of Jieqiong’s head on her shoulder. She tightens her hold and then lets Nayoung free, but then she pauses. She pauses just for a moment, and Nayoung is about to ask what’s wrong, but then she leans in and presses a kiss to Nayoung’s cheek, effectively throwing off Nayoung’s train of thoughts. “Goodnight.” she hums before pulling away.

Nayoung stares at Jieqiong’s back figure as she walks away, jaw slacked.

After work the following day, Nayoung feels empty at the sight of a Jieqiong-less apartment. It’s odd for her to come back to pure silence in her home, already so accustomed to Jieqiong’s humming of random songs or excited shouts directed towards the games on her phone. Work had been particularly stressful that day and Nayoung could really use a particular vitamin named Zhou Jieqiong at the moment.

She sighs and throws her keys onto the kitchen counter. She digs into her pocket for her phone and pulls it out, seeing nothing but her lockscreen background; no notifications.

So much for having a social life.

She knows that she should try to become friends with more people, and not just Jieqiong, but Nayoung doesn’t easily click with others. People either are too scared of her to talk to her or they do talk to her and end up getting bored of her. Jieqiong (minus Sejeong) has been the one outlier and Nayoung knows that’s why she’s so attached to her.

Nayoung decides not to dwell on it, not wanting to worsen her already bad mood.

She scans the photo set as her background, smiles lightly, and then locks her phone.

x

Jieqiong wakes Nayoung up one morning, a light hum from the girl causing a vibration against Nayoung’s collarbone. Her eyes flutter open, squinting at the brightness. It takes a couple seconds for her eyes to adjust to the lighting but once she comes to, she feels Jieqiong’s fingers tapping her waist.

“You have work, don’t you?” the girl asks groggily, forehead pressed against her neck. Nayoung’s much too tired to realize that Jieqiong’s really really close to her. She had stayed extra late last night working on an article that was due this morning and when she came home, Jieqiong was already asleep.

“You’re gonna be late.” Jieqiong states, though she doesn’t seem to be in any rush for Nayoung to leave, face still buried into her warmth.

Nayoung turns and lays on her back, stretching her arms up above her as Jieqiong lays on half her body, one arm sprawled across her stomach. She sits up, bringing Jieqiong up with her. The girl groans and rubs at her face, head tilted downwards so her hair creates a curtain around her face. Nayoung smiles at the scene and shakes her head, pulling her hair up into a messy bun, fingers running through the knots in her hair.

“What time did you come home?” Jieqiong asks, voice raspy.

“A little past two.” Nayoung answers with a deep breath, pulling the blankets off of her and sliding off of the bed with much reluctance. “Did you try to stay up for me?”

“Tried.” Jieqiong chuckles, watching with tired eyes as Nayoung walks towards the closet.

“Sorry.” Nayoung apologized guiltily, turning to look at Jieqiong who still has sleep written all over her face. “I stayed late trying to finish an article that needed to be published this morning.”

Jieqiong hums before lying back down. Nayoung grins and goes to the bathroom to freshen up.

When she exits the bathroom all freshened up, she spots Jieqiong at the kitchen with a bowl of cereal in front of her. Nayoung’s bag is set in front of her (she had tossed it there last night, too tired to properly put her things away).

Nayoung walks over and puts her bag on. “I’m off.”

Jieqiong puts another spoonful of cereal in with her eyes half-closed and Nayoung isn’t sure what comes over her, but she leans over and ruffles Jieqiong’s hair, placing a kiss on her temple. She spots Jieqiong’s tired smile and her heart races as she grabs her keys.

“See you later.” she says quickly, practically running out of her apartment.

“Welcome home.” Jieqiong greets in sing-song, walking out of the bedroom as Nayoung enters the apartment. When she spots the grocery bags in Nayoung’s hands, she hurries over to take them from her.

“Thanks.” Nayoung grunts, closing the door with her foot.

“Bad day?” Jieqiong asks worriedly.

“No, just a tiring one.” Nayoung answers with a sigh, sitting on one of the stools. “How about you?”

“I got a gig at some wedding.” Jieqiong replies, already unpacking the groceries, putting some stuff into the fridge. Nayoung watches with tired eyes and a small smile. “It’s tomorrow, actually.”

“Short notice.” Nayoung states as Jieqiong puts the last of the groceries away.

“Yeah.” Jieqiong hums, leaning back on the counter, facing Nayoung. “My… friend set me up with the couple because their original photographer just had surgery, so…”

Nayoung notes the hesitation in Jieqiong’s voice about the ‘friend’ and she quirks an eyebrow. Jieqiong gives a hesitant grin.

“Long story.”

“Want to talk about it?”

Jieqiong tilts her head. “Want to listen?”

“Of course.” Nayoung answers, though she isn’t too sure about it.

Jieqiong narrows her eyes before sighing. “Her name’s Jung Eunwoo.”

Nayoung remembers the name, remembers the contact name.

“She’s been my best friend since high school and is currently my housemate. You’ve probably seen various body parts of hers in my journal of personal pictures.” Jieqiong smiles as she says this and Nayoung thinks about the toes in the pictures of the beach that she had noticed nearly a year ago. “We… we had a thing in our last year of high school.”

Nayoung was expecting that with the way Jieqiong seemed to be walking on glass-shards with her words but it doesn’t hurt any less. Nayoung knows it shouldn’t hurt her because it was past-tense.

“We… still? We still have a thing, I think. I don’t know. It’s complicated.”  Jieqiong shakes her head with the rush of words spilling her lips and Nayoung’s earlier thoughts shatter; so it’s not past-tense. It’s like she’s moreso trying to confirm things with herself than she is with Nayoung (not like she has to confirm anything with Nayoung. It’s not like they’re dating). “We’re still best friends but the feelings—her feelings—are still kind of there and… and things—things are just awkward.”

“Sounds stressful.” Nayoung comments without much emotion in her tone. “Do you still like her?”

“Well, of course.” Jieqiong answers a bit too quick for Nayoung’s liking. “I just don’t know if it’s enough to try anything with her. I care about her a lot, you know? But the lines are so blurry.”

Nayoung nods, listening to the younger girl speak.

“There’s not much else to say.” Jieqiong chuckles awkwardly.

“Does she like you?”

“Yeah.” Jieqiong nods.

“Then… isn’t that it?” Nayoung replies, causing Jieqiong to look at her in confusion. She keeps talking (even though her heart is telling her to shut the up). “If she likes you and you like her, isn’t that it?”

“Nayoung.” Jieqiong laughs in disbelief and, if Nayoung isn’t imagining it, hurt. “It’s not that easy.”

“It isn’t?” Nayoung mumbles.

“Not at all. There are other factors—jobs, school, people.” Jieqiong says, pushing herself off of the counter and walking towards Nayoung. “Besides, I said that I don’t know if I like her enough like that to go out with her.”

Nayoung feels her pulse speed up at Jieqiong’s defensiveness. “I’m sorry that I assumed, then.”

Jieqiong, realizing her reaction was a bit over the top, takes a deep breath with pink cheeks. “Nayoung, it just really isn’t that easy.”

Nayoung hums. “Maybe you should still talk to Eunwoo, though. It’s better to have her as a best friend than to have her as no one, isn’t it?”

“You’re right.” Jieqiong nods, doing the cute little scrunched up face that she does whenever her mind is set on something. “I have to head back to get my camera, anyway. I’ll talk to her tonight. I’ll be back tomorrow after the gig?”

“Yeah.” Nayoung replies.

Jieqiong disappears into the bedroom to get her stuff and Nayoung stays seated at the kitchen counter, going over Jieqiong’s earlier words. She had mentioned ‘people’ as one of the other factors… Had she meant Nayoung?

“I’ll text you when I get home safely.” Jieqiong says, stopping at the counter to get her phone.

Nayoung has half the nerve to ask Jieqiong what they are; friends, girlfriends—something in between—but the question stays lodged at the back of in fear of causing tension in their relationship/friendship/whatevership.

Jieqiong’s eyes meet hers for half a second before they move away fleetingly, almost embarrassedly.

“Goodnight.” she says and hurries out the door, leaving Nayoung alone in her apartment.