“Come on… just… a little more. For God’s sake – !”

Okay, Wendy admits, that definitely wasn’t the best idea she’s had in her life. Maybe if she hadn’t been so sure in her abilities, she wouldn’t have fallen of the chair standing in the middle of her apartment’s hallway while trying to reach to the ceiling and fix the lamp that has been blinking for almost two weeks. But she was oh so confident and now her hurts. Wendy rubs the sore surface as she stands up, muttering curses under her breath.

It’s not really fair, now that she thinks about it. She’s tiny, she knows it – her friends don’t miss a chance to remind her and about this. But really: what kind of person doesn’t have a ladder in their apartment? Apparently, she’s that kind of person.

Of course, Wendy could’ve called the landlord and ask him to fix it himself but it would take time and it seems like such an unimportant thing to do that she decided to brave herself and climb up on that chair which was slightly unsteady – a small fact she’s missed.

Also, why the hell does this apartment have such tall ceilings? Ugh.

Wendy shakes her head tiredly as she hears knocking on her door.

If this is Mrs. Kim I’m dead! She already told that she’s going to tell on me if I don’t tone down my singing. But I already soundproofed the apartment… Why does she dislike me that much, anyway? Definitely not because of that flower pot, it was ugly anyway.

“God dammit,” she runs a hand across her face and opens the door. “Look, Mrs. Kim, I’m sorry. There was an accident and I-“  Wendy stills as she realizes who’s standing at her doorstop.

It’s not Mrs. Kim.

It’s her hot neighbor.

Of-ing-course.

“Hey.”

Wendy freezes up because, really, how can she not? The person in front of her is gorgeous. Her brown hair in a low ponytail and even with minimal amount of make-up on her face, her attire, from head to toes, comfortable. A big white shirt with sleeves rolled up (Wendy totally doesn't spare a glance at girl's forearms), grey sweatpants and soft pink slippers. 

Honestly, everyone else would think that she looks ridiculous but Wendy knows what's hidden underneath these baggy clothes. And, no, she's not a ert, it's just... She might have accidentally caught the other girl on her morning jog, with shorts that revealed her long legs and hugged her figure perfectly and cropped t-shirts that showed her toned stomach. Don't let Wendy start on her arms, God! her arms, these are crafted by higher powers up above and –

"Are you okay?" 

Oh, right. Stop thinking about inappropriate things, Son Seungwan, don't make a fool out of yourself. 

Come on, you can do this!

"Hi! Me! Are you asking if I'm okay? I'm totally fine, just peachy if you ask me. Wait you already did, and I'm rambling, oh my God,” her voice gets quieter with every second passing. “I’m so so so sorry." 

Wow, you've done a great job not embarrassing yourself in front of this lovely stranger. Wendy mentally slaps herself across the face.

Her neighbor chuckles, and the sound makes her somewhat relieved.

“You’re cute,” the tall girl smiles brightly, and Wendy doesn’t really know if her heart skips a bit because of her words or the attractive lift of the corners of her lips. “I’ve heard some noise. Is everything okay here?”

“What? No, no, no, everything’s fine!” She steps aside to show the girl the hallway with the chair and a box of tools she’s found – she’s not entirely sure how that was going to help her, but nah. “I was just trying to replace a lamp and, um, well, I fell from the chair,” she whispers, making the other laugh loudly.

“You’re this small and yet you tried to reach the ceiling on a chair? Hilarious.”

Wendy’s eyebrow twitches. Seems like you can’t really trust people’s appearance these days. Here she was, just a couple minutes ago, falling down, practically gliding across the time and space to plop down on the floor and hurt her , and this girl calls her small and makes fun of her? Wow, what did she do to deserve this?

“Hey, excuse you – “

“Wait here,” her hot neighbor turns around and walks to her apartment, closing the door behind her, leaving Wendy standing there and gaping, closing and opening in shock.

She groans into the empty hallway. “Well, that was a nice conversation.”

However, she’s not alone for a long time. Two minutes later the other apartment’s door opens and the girl walks out, holding a small ladder in her hands. She walks quickly towards Wendy and almost steps into her apartment before stopping suddenly. The girl turns her head and looks down at Wendy.

“Do you mind?”

Wendy shakes her head when she realizes what the girl wants to do. Looking down, trying to hide her smile, she closes the door after letting the other in. Wendy quickly gets rid of the chair to make some place for the ladder and steps aside. The taller girl gets to work.

“Do you need any help?” Wendy asks cautiously, not fully understanding why the sight of her neighbor fixing her light made her feel things.

“No, not really,” the girl answers. “By the way, what’s your name? We’ve been neighbors for such a long time and still don’t know each other’s names,” she blushes a bit after realizing what she’s said.

Was she paying attention to me? Wendy clears before replying, “I’m Wendy, Son Wendy. And you?”

“Park Sooyoung. Nice to finally meet you,” Sooyoung smiles at her charmingly.

Wendy goes to the kitchen after to check on the cupcakes she’s put in the oven right before the disaster. At least she could bake, right? She hears her neighbor muttering in the other room and honestly, she finds it so endearing. Right after she takes the pastry out, its sweet scent filling the apartment, reminding her again why she loves to bake so much, she hears soft footsteps behind her. 

“Hey, it’s done now – ooh, what is this?” Sooyoung’s head appears right above her shoulder, looking at the tray with wide bright eyes.

Wendy turns around and forces herself to breathe because she finds the taller girl’s face really close to her own, and oh, what a coincidence that her eyes land on the girl’s red lips.

Sooyoung doesn’t notice Wendy’s blatant staring, continuing to ogle the snack.

Wendy swallows and hopes her words come out in the right order. “Uhm, I’ve wanted to thank you for your help. Would you like to stay and have a cup of tea as a payment?”

Sooyoung’s lips stretch into a beam. “Sure.”

The both of them settle on her couch in the living room, and Wendy’s relieved how at ease the two of them seem to communicate, as if they’ve been friends for a long time. Wendy finds out how playful Sooyoung really is from the way she keeps teasing her. She blushes bright red when Sooyoung compliments her singing skills after catching a glimpse of a small studio in one of her rooms (also after the girl tells her about hearing her belting out notes in the shower and she honestly has no idea how to react to that).

They keep talking and sharing jokes. Half of cupcakes is long gone, their tea has gone cold for the second time after Wendy asked about wanting a refill, and both of them miss how the arrows on the clock slowly move to the midnight.

“Oh, crap, I’ve completely lost the track of time. I’m sorry, I need to go now, there’s someone waiting for me at the apartment and I forgot about him.”

Wendy tries not to show disappointment she feels at this moment. Not only because Sooyoung has to leave now when they’ve had such nice conversations but also because there’s someone, most probably a guy, waiting for her at home. Of course, she thinks bitterly walking Sooyoung to the door, there’s no way in hell someone as amazing would be single and into girls. That’s not realistic.

“Thanks for the cupcakes and tea,” the taller girl says, hands gripping the ladder, and already out of the door.

Wendy lets a small grin appear. “Thanks for the help.”

“No problem,” Sooyoung smiles in a friendly way before opening her apartment’s door. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

She disappears and Wendy closes the door behind herself. She looks up at the light, now fixed and brighter than before, and sighs. A possible love interest – out of the door, but at least she found a friend(?). It’s not fair, she’s not being fair. It’s not Sooyoung’s fall that she such a dazzling person that can making anyone fall for her with a smile. It’s only her fault for being attracted to girls, knowing perfectly that it’s not going to end up good.

She looks at the cupcakes on the coffee table; Sooyoung seemed to really like them. She probably wouldn’t mind if she brought her some more.

Wendy hopes that Sooyoung isn’t asleep when she knocks on her apartment’s door. After waiting for a bout half a minute and not getting a response Wendy turns around to go home until the sound of the door opening makes her look back to find Sooyoung holding a puppy.

“Oh, Wendy? What are you doing here?” She glances at the small bag in Wendy’s hands.

“Uhm…” Wendy’s response is broken by a bark.

“Oh, by the way, meet Songie, he’s the reason I had to leave so soon.”

Wait. So she left because of the dog? There’s no guy?

Sooyoung cackles. “No, there’s no guy. This is the only guy that matters.” Damn it, seems like she spoke that out loud.

“Really? That’s great, wait, no! That’s not what I meant, I – anyway, I brought you cupcakes to thank you again.”

Sooyoung looks at her, amused, “But you’ve already thanked me and it really wasn’t that much of a deal.”

“I know, but still. That’s” Wendy stretches her hand out giving Sooyoung the cupcakes. “for bringing light into my life.” She smiles cheekily at the shocked look at her neighbor’s face.

“If I didn’t have my hands full, I would hit for that greasy line.”

Ignoring the threat Wendy pats the puppy’s head for a second and turns around to leave. “I’ll be waiting.”

After shutting the door behind her Wendy quickly makes her way to the bedroom then falls on the bed. She grabs a pillow and squeals in it, unable to hide the excitement the evening brought to her. She rewrites the name Park Sooyoung in her mentally notebook in the column with “possible love interest” and climbs under her blankets.

The sleep doesn’t come to her until much later, her thoughts being filled with images of bright smiles, warm eyes and teasing words.