A/N: i do my best trying to spot mistakes before posting but it's very common that one or two slip through. i'd like to apologize for any spelling mistakes or grammatical errors that this chapter might contain.

*Jinsol's POV*

  There's a slight pounding in my head that's amplified by the sound of my phone vibrating on my desk. I groan and pull the blanket over my head to block out the noise but it's no use. After a minute or two, I give up and force myself to get out of bed. My eyes aren't fully adjusted when I pick up my phone so it takes a second to read the notifications. I unlock it and find most of them are from Kevin, one of them is from Joonyoung, and one is from Jungeun.

  Jungeun.

  The room comes into focus and my heart beats a little faster thinking about her and what happened last night. It still feels unreal, like everything—the party and the kiss—was only a dream. I know it isn't though because this headache is a reminder of my attempts to drink my feelings away when I was busy sulking over Jungeun.

  I prioritize Kevin's texts first—though I have to restrain myself from opening the one Jungeun sent—because he sent quite a few.

  Where are you?

  Hello? You're not dead, right? I don't have to beat someone up?

  Sorry if Jacob and I ditched you

  Oh gOD. Jinsol!!

  I kissed him. I kissed J A C O B

  I smile but it slides off my face at the next text.

  He...ran away. 

  My frown deepens at the final message.

  I'm heading home. I-I just...I don't know. Sorry if we ditched you, just text me when you can.

  My fingers urgently fly across my phone as I try to explain that I was fine and it's okay that they ran off together. I tell him I'm sorry about his whole situation, assuring him it'll be alright. I'm not lying either. I'm pretty certain everything will be okay because Kevin and Joonyoung are best friends. They're close and anyone with two eyes can see that they're made for each other. Besides, if it doesn't turn out okay—which I'm hoping doesn't happen—I'll always be there for the both of them.

  Joonyoung's text is short as he simply apologizes for running off and asks for me to text him so he knows I got back to my dorm. I send a short text back in response, telling him that I made it back safe. 

  My hands start to sweat when I get to Jungeun's text and I have to adjust my grip on my phone so it won't slip. My heart is racing at an erratic pace and it stumbles in my chest when I begin to read what she sent. I don't realize I'm smiling until I'm grinning so wide it hurts.

  Thanks for walking me back to my dorm, you didn't have to but I really appreciate it! Last night was...fun. I'm really sorry about getting mad at you, it was out of line. Text me when you're up <3

  That single heart makes me blush harder than I ever have—even more so then when my little kissing session with Jungeun ended. I manage to send back a calm, composed text that is the complete opposite than what I'm feeling, and pat myself on the back. I may not be very confident right now, but she doesn't have to know that.

  "Jinsol?"

  My heart slams to a stop in my chest as I realize that Jiwoo's been here the whole time. Embarrassment crawls over my face and neck, and I pray that she didn't see the silly grin on my face while texting Jungeun. I swallow nervously and turn toward her.

  "Yes?"

  Her voice is groggy but the words she utters are clear. "Why were you smiling at your phone?"

  .

  "It was nothing, I just saw a cute picture is all," I answer, hoping she doesn't take notice of the uncertainty in my voice.

  There's silence and then, "You're a terrible liar but I won't pry." She rolls over, turning her back to me, and her slow, even breathing fills the room not too long after. 

  There's a warmth in my body that's washed away by a cooling wave of relief.

*~*~*

  Is it normal for me to be so nervous to see Jungeun again? My knees feel like jelly and I'm worried that they might give out the moment I see her. I try to slow my heartbeat, mindlessly wiping my sweaty hands onto my pants. I take a seat, staring at the table, and attempt to tune my ears so I can hear her when she approaches. Obviously, I'm not very good at it because I miss the sound of her footsteps until she's already feet away from me.

  "Hey."

  "Hey."

  Even though we're in a corner of the library, obstructed from view by shelves, I still feel shy. It's almost as if everyone can see us when in reality, the only things watching us are books. I sit up a little straighter in an attempt to appear more confident when all I want to do is shrink away. Where is my confidence from last night? I kissed her and now I can barely look at her.

  "How'd you sleep?" I ask, hoping to sound casual and because I'd genuinely like to know.

  She plops down in the seat beside me and answers, "I slept fine. Woke up with a headache though."

  I sigh. "Same here," I reply, feeling the tension in me melt away. It's amazing the effect she has on me.

  She rubs her temples with her fingers, letting her eyes flutter shut, and I take a good look at her. Her face has a minimum amount of makeup but she still seems to sparkle in the same way she did last night when the moonlight shined on her as if she was the center of the stage. Her blonde hair cascades down her shoulders lazily, falling gently over the oversized hoodie she sports. It makes her look warm and soft, and suddenly I have the urge to wrap my arms around her and pull her close.

  "Why are you staring at me?" she asks, effectively dragging me back to her.

  My face feels as warm as the thoughts that swirled through my head when I stutter out, "H-huh?" 

  "Why are you staring at me?" she repeats, a self-conscious tone seeping into her words. "Is there something on my face?"

  Immediately I shake my head. "No, no, it's not that," I tell her. "You just...you look cute."

  This time she blushes and she nearly turns the shade of the red dress she wore at the party yesterday. "Oh, thanks," she mutters, avoiding my eyes and playing with the slightly-too-long-sleeves of her hoodie.

  I opt to keep my mouth shut, worried I might make her feel even more embarrassed. She tugs at the sleeves, pulling them over her hands so her palms are hidden but her fingers are sticking out. It's adorable and takes me back to middle school when my friends would do similar things. It makes her look timid and I'm given a sudden burst of confidence.

  "Do you want to talk more about what happened last night?"

  Her head snaps up and her gaze shifts from her sweaters paws, to me. "About the kiss or the whole 'I like you' part?" she asks, arching an eyebrow at me.

  "Whichever," I respond with a small shrug.

  She's silent for a moment, seemingly lost in thought. After a long period of silence, she blurts out, "Did you mean it?"

  I tilt my head slightly. "Did I mean what?" I question, confused as to what she's referring to.

  "Did you mean it when you said you didn't want to kiss anyone that wasn't me?" she asks, though this time she sounds a bit more careful with her words.

  "Yes," I answer, not missing a beat. It feels almost urgent when I say, "I wouldn't want to kiss anyone else. It's you I like and only you."

  She doesn't say anything so I quietly add on, "It's been only you for a while."  

  That snaps her from whatever trance she's in because she blinks a few times, opening only to close it a second later. Silence passes over us and time drags by slower than usual. Seconds feel like days and what must be two weeks later she finally speaks, asking, "How long?"

  I know what she's asking but I'm not quite ready to admit I've had a crush on her since I first saw her. So with a small laugh, I answer with, "Too long."

  "How long?" she presses on, leaning closer to me.

  Maybe it's the proximity or maybe it's her perfume—hell, maybe it's just her—but I let out a defeated sigh and say, "Since I first saw you."

  Then she's leaning away from me and the scent of her perfume isn't so strong. She's shaking her head but there's a smile on her face. "Wow," she breathes out.

  "What?"

  "Wow. You're just—" she begins, still looking pleasantly surprised.

  "Don't make fun of me—"

  "—You're incredible, Jinsol," she finishes and a shiver runs down my spine at the combination of her looking at me with that smile.

  "O-oh, uhh," I feel like an idiot because I can't even speak.

  She reaches out, placing a hand on my shoulder, and leans closer. "I mean it," she says. "You're amazing,"—it feels like she's seeing right through me and I'm frozen in place—"I think it's one of the reasons I developed feelings for you in the first place."

  Before I can even process what I'm doing, I'm leaning closer to her, closing the gap between us. Her lips are soft, softer than the fabric of the hoodie she's wearing, softer than clouds. The hand resting on my shoulder goes to cup my jaw and her touch sends a jolt through me. The current of electricity that runs throughout my whole body is enough to power an entire city.

  Since I'm not under the influence, everything feels a lot more intense. The pounding of my heart drowns out the pounding in my head and I focus on how gently her lips are moving against mine. This time it doesn't taste of alcohol, instead like the chapstick that she currently wears. I can't tell what flavor it is—that never tastes like they advertise on the label—but it's sweet and so I'm not at all bothered.

  An eternity later, we pull away and I instantly miss the warmth she radiates, craving nothing more but to pull her against me. I swallow the urge, meeting her intense gaze instead. Her eyebrows are knit together, lips still slightly pouted, and her eyes are clouded with an emotion I've seen glimpses of, but have yet to name. It drives me crazy while simultaneously pulling me in because there's something so attractive about not being able to read her so easily. 

  "I don't think I'll ever get used to that," she says, her expression turning blank, but her eyes continue to smolder with the same level of intensity.

  "What?" I dare to ask.

  A smile dances on her lips, her eyes threatening to turn to crescent moons, as she says, "Kissing you."

  She watches me expectantly, awaiting my response with a smirk. Her words hang in the air and her voice echoes in my ears because it sounds like she means it. Like it catches her off guard and she needs a moment to recover. Like it takes her breath away the same way she takes mine by merely existing. Like the breath that mingles with my own when is on mine is the only one she has, and in a simple movement of my lips, I successfully steal it from her.

  And so I say, "Well, you better get used to it because I plan to do it for a long, long time."

  She breaks into a smile, pressing a chaste kiss against my lips, and I feel like I'm falling in love all over again.

*~*~*

  "Oh my God, oh my God! Are you two like a thing? Are you dating? Please tell me you're dating!" Yerim spills out in a single breath.

  We should've kept it to ourselves a little longer, I can't help but think. 

  She's beginning to look desperate and I let out a quiet sigh. "I don't know," I turn and look at Jungeun, nudging her lightly, "Are we dating, Jungeun?"

  She ponders for a moment before replying with, "Hm, I don't know. Do you think we are?"

  A small laugh escapes me. "It doesn't matter what I think we are, what do you want to be?"

  "What we are now."

  "And what's that?"

  Her eyes take on a mischevious look and she says, "I don't know, that's why I'm asking you."

  "Kim Jungeun," I grumble, smacking her arm lightly in an attempt to ignore the way my ears burn.

  "Alright, alright," she says after her body is finished shaking with laughter. She wipes tears from her eyes, "What do you want?"

  "It'd be nice if we were dating," I admit, feeling a bit shy because Yerim is watching us with a huge grin.

  "Then we're dating," she says, not even a second after the words fall from my mouth.

  "Just like that?"

  "Just like that," she nods, scooping my hand in hers.

  A noise similar to a suppressed squeal escapes Yerim and I have to resist the urge to pull my hand from Jungeun's to cover my face. I give her hand a small squeeze to distract myself from the warmth that slowly runs through my body. It's not a bad feeling. It spreads and settles in my chest, warming my heart. I decide then that I like it because although I'm embarrassed, the weightless feeling in my stomach can only mean that I'm beyond happy.

  "Congratulations," a voice says and I feel someone pat me on the back.

  I turn, meeting Hyejoo's eyes, and return the small smile that pulls at her lips. "Thanks."

  Yeojin appears from behind Yerim, seemingly out of thin air, and says, "I wonder when your time will come."

  Hyejoo's no longer looking at me or Jungeun, eyes locked on the younger girl. "What do you mean?" Her voice shakes the slightest bit, though I'm sure I'm the only one who catches it.

  "Nothing," Yeojin says in a sing-song voice. Her face is split into a smug smile when she adds, "Just thinking about the day I'll be able to clap you on the back and congratulate you on getting the girl of your dreams."

  "Tell me what you know," Hyejoo demands but Yeojin is already walking away. She puffs her cheeks out, helplessly watching the shorter girl with panicked eyes. "Yeojin, you little ! You better tell—"

  "Hyejoo."

  She tears her eyes away from Yeojin, head snapping toward the direction of Chaewon's voice. When their eyes meet, the worry that once filled Hyejoo's eyes visibly melts away. They stare at each other and Chaewon seems to be silently assessing the taller girl's emotions.

  "What's wrong?" her voice is as gentle as the rustling of leaves during the springtime.

  "Nothing," Hyejoo answers, not wanting to worry her. It doesn't work because Chaewon frowns, aware of the blatant lie. She crumbles and promises, "I'll tell you later, okay?"

  The frown on her lips is replaced by a small smile and she nods, uttering a quiet, "Okay."

  She steps closer to Hyejoo, hand immediately slipping into hers and fitting together like puzzle pieces. She looks up at her, eyes shining with adoration, and flashes her a smile. The taller girl looks back at her with an equal level of fondness, shooting back a shy smile. I don't realize how hard I'm staring until they both look at me, appearing a little embarrassed.

  "So you're finally dating, huh?" Chaewon asks, eyes locked on the hand that is grasping Jungeun's.

  "Yup," I say, feeling oddly proud that I'm able to confirm that statement.

  "Congratulations!" she says ecstatically, her unoccupied hand shaking excitedly at her side.

  "Thank you," Jungeun says, the tips of her ears turning red in what I'm certain is embarrassment. "I'd like to keep talking but I'm gonna drag Jinsol away for a second."

  "Of course," Chaewon says, nodding her head understandingly, "She's your girlfriend." My heart flutters at the word 'girlfriend' because it hasn't fully kicked in that I can call Jungeun mine.

  Mine.

  Jungeun leads me away from them, settling a good enough distance away as if to make sure they won't overhear us. She turns, her eyes meeting mine, looking embarrassed. I'm not entirely sure if it's because of what Chaewon said or if it's because of what she's about to say. Either way, it's cute. She's cute.

  "Sorry about dragging you away," she says, a sheepish smile making its way onto her face. "I just don't want them to hear what I'm about to say."

  "And what might that be?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

  Her eyes momentarily drop to the ground. "Now that we're dating," she lifts her head, our eyes locking in the process, "I was wondering if we could go out on a date."

  "We've already been on a date," I remind her in a teasing tone.

  She pulls her hand from mine to shove me away. "That's not what I mean," she says, hands shielding her face. Her eyes peek through her fingers when says, "I want it to be official. Where I'm your date and not some random guy."

  "Hey! That 'random guy' is named Kevin," I say, pretending to be offended in his honor. She gives me a sharp glare and I smile, giving in and responding with, "Okay, we can go on an official date."

  Her hands aren't covering her face anymore and she's reaching for my hand again. "I'll text you the details later," she says, intertwining our fingers in one swift motion.

  "Do you have an idea already?"

  The answer is instantaneous. "No."

  "Really? You're so cute," I coo.

  She turns, cheeks turning a slight pink. "Don't make fun of me."

  "I'm not."

  "I want it to be perfect."

  "It doesn't have to be."

  "It does! You deserve nothing less than perfect," she argues.

  My heart swells and I grab her face gently with my free hand, forcing her to meet her my eyes. "Any date with you would be great. You're my girlfriend, what's more perfect than that?"

  She doesn't say anything more but as she leans in, I catch a glimpse of how much more rosy her face becomes. Then her lips are on mine but all I can focus on is the way her lips curve into a smile. I never thought you could taste happiness but with pressed against my own, I realize that you can. Happiness doesn't taste like sunshine and rainbows, no, happiness tastes like soft smiles and blushing faces. Like hearts that stutter and stumble over their own feet. Like Jungeun.

  "I've never felt like this before," she says in a quiet voice as if she's confessing it for the first time. Maybe she is.

  "Like what?" I ask.

  "Like this," she repeats. "Like the way I feel right now."

  "And how do you feel right now?" I urge on.

  "I don't know. I don't think I can put it into words," she says. "I've been with a couple people in the past, but none of them compare to you. You touch me like you've been aching to and kiss me like you mean it with every bone in your body. And when you look at me, God...it feels like my heart is going to jump out of my chest and fall into your hands."

  "Jungeun..."

  "I don't think I've ever felt empty but when I'm with you, I feel like part of a pair."

  "What are you saying?"

  It sounds less like an answer and more like she's thinking out loud when she says, "I think I'm saying you complete me."

  I kiss her, pulling her close, and our bodies meld together seamlessly like a wordless confirmation.

A/N

  i wanted this to be a little longer and wanted to touch on sooyoung and jiwoo's storyline a bit more but it turned into lipsoul fluff. it's been a while and i hope that 1. i didn't keep you waiting for too long and 2. that this chapter met your needs (for now). hopefully, the next chapter will be longer because i have a lot of things to address--and messes to fix. let me know what you think of this chapter. your comments are greatly appreciated :) please look forward to the next chapter!

  twitter: @allhailhyejoo