Joohyun feels like singing or screaming or maybe both at the same time. Scream-o was something Yeri had been trying to get her into. Maybe this was her chance to prove herself - by belting out the longest, loudest, most high pitched scream she possibly can in the middle of her apartment block. She could see the headlines of SM University’s student lead newspaper now: Bae Joohyun, unassuming English major becomes the face of local screamo-band.

Not half bad, Joohyun thinks. She wouldn’t mind it in the slightest. Attention wasn’t something she felt like shying away from anymore. In a calmer moment, she might reflect how odd this sudden shift in herself was, trying to pick apart exactly what was going on with her. But not now. Not for a while, at least. She’s got to muffle her fan-girl tier screeching before her landlord evicts her or her neighbors wage war with her.

Joohyun races up the steps to her apartment faster than an Olympic athlete. A moment later, she bursts through the front door of her apartment triumphantly, ready for her gold medal. With the adrenaline still coursing through her veins, Joohyun feels like her tiny 5’2” self could take on anything, anywhere, at any time and still come out on top. All because of Kang Seulgi and her stupid, adorable, sweet self. That suave but sensitive goofball. Joohyun feels like screaming all over again.

She shuts the front door, ensures it’s securely locked, then promptly flops onto her sofa. She stifles her loud giggles into her throw pillows and kicks at the cushions playfully. Everything that had transpired that day felt so magical, so storybook perfect that it had to have been a dream rather than reality. Maybe fairy godmothers were real and decided to grant her a wish after all. How else could she explain how wonderful her day had gone?

Seulgi had surprised her at work today and the day before. She’d come by the store to give Joohyun her number. They started reading an LGBTQ coming of age story together. Then to top it all off, the two of them proceeded to have a seven hour long coffee shop date-not-date-but-definitely-date. And that hug?

Her heart thrummed like a hummingbird’s wings just thinking about the strong arms that enveloped her. Don’t even get her started! What a roller coaster ride of a week! She flipped over onto her back and gazed up at the ceiling with faraway eyes, letting everything play back in her mind like a film reel. Joohyun didn’t always have the best memory, but she wanted to make it a point to remember tonight and all things Seulgi.

She could paint a mental picture of her now. The twinkle in Seulgi’s dark chocolate eyes when she talked about something she loved. Joohyun had noticed they weren’t entirely obsidian in color, like how her own were. There was a lightness that pooled in Seulgi’s eyes, like dark chocolate melting into milk chocolate. Next, Joohyun could see the corner of Seulgi’s mouth quirking up in that adorable little half-smile of hers. The girl’s habit told Joohyun she was listening intently.

Then there was the way Seulgi would brush her slender fingers through her hair when she was feeling flustered. Joohyun was sure she could go on and on for hours remembering as many tiny details she could about Seulgi. But when her phone began to buzz in her back pocket, every thought ceased. Who could be calling at this hour? Could it be Seulgi? Had she forgotten to say something before they parted ways? Joohyun’s heart jumped to .

Without bothering to glance at who was calling, Joohyun fished the device out and answered.

“Yes, hello?” She chirped, somewhat out of breath.

“Hey, what’s up,” Seungwan replied smoothly. The sound of her best friend’s voice sent a jolt down Joohyun’s spine. Well, that’s definitely not Seulgi. Joohyun paused unconsciously, words dying on her tongue. “For some odd reason, I’m getting the feeling you’re disappointed it’s me,” Seungwan says cheekily, noting Joohyun’s silence.

“You’re waiting for a certain someone to text back, aren’t you?” Sooyoung’s disembodied voice rings faintly through the receiver. It wasn’t surprising to hear Sooyoung’s voice, seeing as she and Seungwan were roommates. Regardless, it still makes Joohyun raise an eyebrow. Those two were up to something, that was for sure. Although Joohyun’s enthusiasm had dimmed minutely once she realized it wasn’t Seulgi on the phone, she did her best to cover it up.

“No, not at all!” Joohyun reassured them. She gazed up at her ceiling with a hand cupping her forehead, smacking herself for being such an idiot. “I’m sorry I haven’t responded to any of your guys’ texts, I just got home from the Tea Leaf.”

“Don’t mind Sooyoung!” Yeri interjected, her voice further away than Sooyoung’s. “She doesn’t know what she’s talking about!” A dull smacking sound filled the air. Oh, these three were certainly up to no good.

“Guys!” Seungwan hissed between her teeth. She smothered a hand over her phone, but Joohyun could still hear the three girls muttering amongst themselves. She waited patiently for the three of them to collect themselves.

“Sorry about that. Anyways, I’m just letting you know, we’re exactly three minutes and thirty-three seconds away from your apartment and we brought takeout with us,” Seungwan quipped. Joohyun checked the time and felt the adrenaline rush from earlier finally wearing off. “Oh thank god,” she replied, rubbing her stomach. “I haven’t eaten since five o’clock. And I’ve got loads to tell you.”

Her friends arrived at her doorstep in the exact timeframe Seungwan had said they would, clad in thick coats and each carrying a bag of food. “Christ,” Joohyun laughed as they filed in. “Did you guys rob a convenience store on your way over here?”

She followed the three girls through her tiny foyer and into her kitchen. “That’s enough food to last me two weeks.” She watched, bewildered, as her friends carefully unpacked the takeout containers on the kitchen counter. Containers filled with generous portions of dukbokki, soondubu, tteokbokki, one box of pepperoni pizza, one bucket of fried chicken, and a few bottles of sake were spread out before them. A feast fit for the four of them.

“No, we do not condone stealing from mom and pop stores!” Seungwan replied hastily. “Yeri was just starving and ordered way too much food with my credit card,” she added with a sigh, drawing up one of the stools lining the counter. The Canadian shoots a scowl at the younger girl, clearly not amused with the situation. Joohyun holds back the urge to snort. “That’s the last time I’m ever trusting you with my money, dude. Totally not cool,” Seungwan continues as Yeri cackles.

Sooyoung runs a soothing hand up and down Seungwan’s arm. “Let’s just eat, huh?” The tall girl murmurs, “Besides, I know Yeri’s going to pay you back.” Sooyoung throws a rather poisonous look across the counter at Yeri, who’s expression instantly whitens. “Isn’t that right, Yerim?” Joohyun watches Sooyoung’s expression morph into a sugary sweet smile at an alarmingly fast pace.

“Right, yeah, no, for sure,” Yeri shuddered. “I definitely planned on paying you back, unnie!”

“Wait, really?” Seungwan brightened.

Sooyoung glared at Yeri behind Seungwan’s back.

“Yeah, man, absolutely,” Yeri replied quickly, swallowing audibly. “I would never not pay you back. That would .” Before she was subject to any more interrogations, Yeri whirled away to grab some plates. Sooyoung and Seungwan gave each other the most sappy, lovesick grins Joohyun had ever seen. The sight made her smile smugly to herself. Riding on the confidence she’d picked up from today’s events, Joohyun decided to finally say something about the pair.

“Could the two lovebirds at the table please tone it down?” She teased, doling out portions of food for everyone. Her friends froze. “What-we’re, we’re not together!” Sooyoung sputtered, knuckles whitening around her bottle of sake. “Y-yeah!” Seungwan added, her stutter betraying her.

“Uh-huh,” Joohyun grinned, voice dripping with sarcasm. “I believe you.”

She motioned for Yeri to pass a plate of vegetable dumplings over to her. The younger girl was keeping shut, no doubt in fear of more blackmail threats from Sooyoung. Despite this, her eyes remained comically wide. Clearly, she hadn’t picked up on the same wavelengths Joohyun had. “It looks like I’m not the only one here who’s got some tea to spill,” Joohyun grinned wolfishly at them.

When she spots the way the pair was blushing heavily and clearly flustered, Joohyun knows she’d nailed it. But after taking a closer look at their frightened expressions, she suddenly feels a pang of embarrassment at her actions. Maybe it wasn’t the smartest move to have put them in the spotlight like that. Heat rushes to her cheeks, feeling embarrassed at the idea of having put her closest friends in an uncomfortable position.

“This is a safe space, guys. You don’t have to say anything but...I’m sure it hasn’t been fun feeling like you have to tip-toe around us,” Joohyun said, softening her tone. She and Yeri turn to eat while the other two girls pick at their plates nervously. Seungwan and Sooyoung keep throwing