“Miyeon, this is Shuhua. She’s from the foreign exchange program and will be staying with us during the school year.”

This wasn’t the first time they’ve had an exchange student living with them, but it was definitely the first time Miyeon was interested. The younger girl gave a curt nod in greeting. 

“She’s from Taiwan and can speak little Korean. Watch over her well, okay?” Her father asked sternly. 

Miyeon nodded her head as she glanced at the shy girl. She was around the same height as her, maybe even slightly taller, had long black hair, and a pale complexion. 

Her parents excused themselves to leave for work, leaving them to awkwardly stand around the entrance to her home.

“Hi! I’m Miyeon!” 

Shuhua gave no reaction besides a slight lift of her brows. “I know.” 

Miyeon ignored the cold response. “Your Korean seems better than my dad made it out to be.” 

“I’d hope so, I’ve been learning Korean for two years.” 

Miyeon got the feeling that the Taiwanese girl wanted nothing to do with her. She was cold and sort of rude for no reason. 

It was later in the day when Soojin came over. “Where’s this foreign exchange student of yours? I’m dying to meet her.”

Miyeon ran towards the door, shushing her filterless friend. “She’s actually taking a nap in the living room.” She gestures at a figure lying on the couch. 

“Wow she’s pretty, exactly how you described her.” Miyeon smacked her best friend’s arm, getting a snicker from the redhead. 

They move to Miyeon’s room upstairs. “She was kind of rude though.” 

“She must be tired from traveling and stressed that she’s going to be living in a new country.”

Miyeon mindlessly nodded as she thought about the new girl. Shuhua was younger than her, in a new country for school, she couldn’t imagine how scary and unfamiliar things would be. 

Hours passed while they watched tv in Miyeon’s room. They were finally being called down for dinner. They descended down the stairs, Miyeon spotting Shuhua already seated at the dinner table, her back towards them.

“Oh, hello, Soojin! Didn’t know you would be joining us tonight.” Her mom exclaimed. Miyeon didn’t miss the way Shuhua’s eyes sparkled when Soojin came into her view. 

Soojin turned towards the awestruck girl already seated at the table. “I’m Soojin. You must be Shuhua.”

Miyeon held in a gasp as Shuhua gave Soojin a wide smile, nodding her head almost shyly.

The whole dinner Miyeon couldn’t help but scowl and pick at her dinner while she watched Soojin hit it off with Shuhua. They were giggling and whispering the whole time, in front of Miyeon.

It made Miyeon feel almost jealous of Soojin and how well Shuhua seemed to be getting along with her. 

Miyeon walked Soojin out to her car, but not before Shuhua ran up to give Soojin a goodbye hug, promising to see each other soon.

The look of bewilderment on Miyeon’s face didn’t go unnoticed as Soojin let out a soft sigh. “She’s really a sweet girl.”

“Definitely not to me.” Soojin gave her a look of pity. “And I was being just as nice as you were!”

“Just give her some time.”

Two weeks went by and Miyeon managed to have a total of three cordial conversations with Shuhua. Her patience was growing thin, feeling like she just has to confront the younger girl.

It just made her feel silly. Why was this girl who was living with her for the next nine months not interested in her at all? 

It kept Miyeon up at night. This was bad.

“It’s bad.” Miyeon commented as she sat across from Soojin at the lunch table. Soojin didn’t look up from her phone, her fingers moving quickly across the screen as she typed a message. “Earth to Soojin?”

“Huh? Oh, hey!” Miyeon rolled her eyes, throwing a burnt fry at her best friend. “I was just texting Shuhua.”

Miyeon let out a loud groan. “I don’t even have her phone number!” 

Soojin gave her a sympathetic look. “She talks about you, though” Miyeon lifted her head up abruptly. 

“What did she say?!”

Soojin gave her a smirk. “That you make cute animal pancakes for her every morning.”

She ducked her head, trying to hide the blush creeping up her face. 

“Miyeon, answer me honestly. Do you have a crush on her?” Soojin whispered. “Because you don’t make cute animal pancakes just for anyone.”

Miyeon looks at her friend, dumbstruck. “We literally just met her a couple weeks ago. I’m not some fool who falls for any pretty girl!”

Soojin gave her a serious look that made Miyeon’s defensive exterior crumble. “Alright. I wouldn’t really call it a crush.”

“I’m listening.”

“She just drives me crazy, but not even in a good way.” 

“Strange, she said the same thing about you.” Soojin muttered off handedly. 

Before Miyeon could question her, the bell rang, signaling that lunch was over.

That was all Miyeon could think about the rest of the school day. She wondered why and how she drove Shuhua crazy when they’ve hardly interacted since Shuhua got here.

She decided that today was the day she would finally confront the Taiwanese girl.

Miyeon ran up the stairs, past her room, and down the hall to where the guest bedroom is. She knocked quickly, not waiting for an invitation as she swung the door open.

She finds Shuhua hugging a pillow on the bed, silent tears dripping onto the maroon blanket. Miyeon immediately comes to her side. “What’s wrong?”

She’s not surprised at the lack of response, so she takes a seat on the edge of the bed, handing some tissues to the younger girl.

They sit in silence for a while before Shuhua breaks it.

“I think I have a crush on Soojin.” 

Miyeon has never been speechless in her life. Ignoring the slight shatter of her heart at Shuhua’s admission, she fakes a knowing smirk. 

“I could tell.” 

Shuhua lifts her eyes, staring deeply into Miyeon’s. Miyeon’s breath hitches in . 

That was the end of the conversation as Shuhua laid back on her bed, mumbling how she wanted to be left alone before covering her whole body and face with her blanket. 

“Why would you tell her that you have a crush on me?!” Soojin exclaims over the phone with Shuhua.

Miyeon wasn’t back from university yet and it was almost dinner time. Shuhua had shot a text to Soojin asking if she’s seen the older girl around.

Shuhua had no answer for the redhead’s question. Maybe deep down she just wanted to see what Miyeon’s reaction would be like. 

“The crush you have is on her!” She rambles on in a hurried whisper. “You know you’re driving her insane.”

“That’s why you have to help me.”

The phone went silent for a couple seconds. “Oh, no. I won’t let you drag me into your mess!”

Soojin was over at Miyeon’s the next day, invited by Shuhua, and currently cuddling the younger girl on the couch in the living room, per her request.

She ultimately couldn’t say no to the Taiwanese girl. 

The two girls heard footsteps coming down the stairs, Shuhua immediately adjusting herself to be on Soojin’s lap. The latter rolled her eyes as she allowed it to happen. 

Shuhua owed her big time.

“Hey-“ Soojin grimaces as she hears Miyeon pause, knowing her best friend was probably taken aback at the current scene in front of her. Soojin turns her head.

“Hey, Miyeon! Come sit with us.” She forced out as Shuhua cuddled her head into her neck. She held back the groan at Shuhua’s antics.

“I’m good.” Miyeon replied flatly as she made a beeline to the kitchen.

Soojin shuffled out from under Shuhua, standing up and sighing. “I can’t take this anymore guys!”

Both of them whipped their heads towards her. Soojin turned towards Miyeon first. “Shuhua lied, she doesn’t have a crush on me. She has a crush on you.”

She turned to Shuhua, ignoring the bewildered looks on their faces. “And Miyeon has a crush on you.”

“Now figure it out!” Soojin finishes as she walks out the house.

“You have a crush on me?” Miyeon asked quietly. 

Shuhua shook her head, not making any eye contact. “She has no idea what she’s talking about.” 

Miyeon smiled as she took a seat next to a nervous Shuhua. “Yes, she does.” She teased, poking Shuhua’s cheek. 

“Maybe she does!” Shuhua argued. 

“Did you just-“

“Maybe I did!” The younger girl exclaimed as she abruptly stood up. 

Miyeon chuckled as she grabbed her hand, trying hard to make eye contact with the Taiwanese girl. “You’re cute.”

Shuhua blushed, stuttering out another fierce response. “Maybe I am!” 

The next few months they started getting closer. They bickered a lot. It started out as a joke but it evolved into an every day thing for them. It was just how they were.

Some days they’d drag Soojin into their little lover’s quarrels, not even paying any attention to the redhead when they did.

But Soojin was relieved to know that they were getting closer.

The two of them hadn’t talked about their crushes on each other, even though their feelings were growing stronger and stronger every day.

It was going to be Christmas soon and Miyeon had planned something really special for Shuhua.

Miyeon made sure to wake up really early Christmas morning, lightly decorating the living room and adding some mistletoe by the entrance. 

She snuck into Shuhua’s room, smiling softly at her sleeping form, and left a note on her nightstand. 

Come meet me in the kitchen. -miyeon

She was halfway through cooking a penguin pancake when she heard soft footsteps walking into the kitchen. 

“I got your weird note, what do you want?”  The younger girl grumbled out as she rubbed at her tired eyes. 

“Merry Christmas!” She set out a plate of her animal pancakes, grinning at the sparkle in Shuhua’s eyes when she sees the food.

Once they finished breakfast, Miyeon dragged her into the living room, stopping right next to the tree. She picked up a small box that had a red bow on top. 

“This is yours.” Miyeon said shyly.

“For me?” Shuhua was suspicious. “From you?” The older girl nodded. She ducked her head as she blushed. Shuhua was looking at her with too much intensity.

The Taiwanese girl opened the box slowly, revealing a charm bracelet. She let out a soft gasp as she held it up, a letter S already dangling from the chain. 

“Do you like it?” Miyeon was shuffling nervously, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. 

Shuhua didn’t respond, throwing her arms around Miyeon in a hug instead. The older girl immediately wrapped her arms around, returning the hug. 

“I got you something, too.” Shuhua whispered into her ear. She took the red bow off the box and put it on her head. She pulled back from the hug. “Ta-da!”

Miyeon smacked her arm as she let out a cackle. “You’re the worst present I’ve ever gotten.” She joked as she squeezed Shuhua’s cheeks.

“By the way, don’t think I didn’t notice the mistletoe hanging over by the entrance.” Shuhua smirked as Miyeon turned red. “If you want to kiss me, then kiss me you fool.”

And Miyeon did just that.