"Make yourself comfortable, dear!" The woman said as she ran around the house, clearing things up. 

Yuri had invited Yena over on a whim and her mother wasn't ready. Yuri has never brought anyone home; No friends and not even classmates for a project. 

It was huge shock for Yuri's mom - the fact that Yuri actually brought another person to their house. Yes, Yuri told her that she walked home with friends now and there was a time where her daughter hung out with a friend often but never have they come over. 

Not to mention Yuri didn't tell her about it beforehand. The woman was filled with excitement over her daughter's first visitor. 

Yena silently sat in their living room, watching as the woman paced around the house. She had very mixed feelings about the situation. Yena wanted to think that she didn't come because of her feelings for Yuri but for Yuri's reason to invite her; Because Yuri's parents still owe her for the hospital incident. 

Yuri's parents, specially her mom, has been bugging Yuri about bringing 'the girl that helped her' home so they can thank her but Yuri was hesitant because of the awkwardness and the fact that she was ignoring Yena. 

This awkwardness, however, was forgotten by Yuri due to the pressure she felt when Seoeon and Jiyoung were arguing over Yena. Yuri swore she was out of her mind when she asked Yena to come over. 

Did she already curse at herself for inviting Yena? She did? Well, she's going to do it again. She's having all sorts of panic inside. Actually, she hasn't looked at Yena once since they came in. She excused herself and said she was going to change but still hasn't come back down. 

...

"My, what's taking her so long..." Ms. Jo finished rushing around the house to clean up and sat on the other sofa across the one Yena sat on. "Anyways! I've wanted to meet you since Yuri told me about you! I heard that you've been really kind to my daughter.. You took her to the hospital and even got your parents to pay for it?"

"I.. Just did what I could," Yena spoke softly, contrary to her normally cheerful attitude, "They wouldn't have discharged her if the bills aren't paid. It would've made it more expensive if she stayed any longer."

Yena came up with the most practical explanation she should give. It's not like she could say I love your daughter, I'd do anything for her. Thankfully, Ms. Jo accepted her reasoning easily.

"Ah, you're a really smart girl~" The woman smiled, "If it's fine with you, could you tell your parents that I'm willing to meet up whenever they're free? I'd like to repay them as soon as they're available."

"Ah, sure.. I'll tell them about it when I get home." Yena was nodding slowly. She was starting to feel more and more uncomfortable as she stayed in her house. It was pretty spacious but she still felt like she was suffocating. What did Yuri even want from her? Yuri's been in her room since they got there.

She couldn't help but feel like she was being played.

She knew - Yena knew. Yuri isn't actually capable of thinking that way. In fact, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that it's impossible for Yuri to deliberately play someone... But she couldn't help but think that way. 

What is Yuri doing.. Taking Yena to her house if she's going to stay in her room the entire time...?  Yena couldn't understand Yuri at all.. not that she ever did. 

This entire time, she never really knew what went through Yuri's mind. All she had were the words that Yuri had told her.. and the things Gyuri said.. 

"What is that girl doing?!" Ms. Jo shook her head, "If she's not coming, you should just bust in there."

"Excuse me?" Yena blinked once.. then a few more times. 

"What is she doing making her guest wait?"

"I.. couldn't.."

"Oh, what are you talking about, dear? Go on. It's the room at the end of the second floor."

....

It wasn't cold, it was fairly warm in the house.. But Yena was shaking.. Just slighty; Enough that she can feel it but not so much that the woman who smiled at her would notice. Overcome by the gentle expression Ms. Jo have, Yena got up from the sofa and proceeded to go upstairs. 

Once she reached the door, the one that had this cute sign with Yuri's name on it, she immediately lifted her hand to knock... but as expected, she couldn't easily bring herself to do so. Her hand stayed there, hovering close to the door but never actually touching it. 

Flashbacks of the rejection replayed in her mind, her chest tightening the longer she stayed. She would just back out, maybe lie to Yuri's mother about already talking to her and leaving.. But amidst her uncertainty, she wanted to think.. that maybe.. maybe Yuri decided to give her a proper answer today. 

That maybe.. After finally talking to Gyuri, Yuri was finally willing to properly consider things with her.

She knew that there was no way Yuri and Gyuri would end up.. together. After all, Gyuri has a girlfriend. Yena tried to recall the name - Jisun, was it? It was really awkward when Gyuri came out to them.. She still remembered it well. She never expected that she'd enter a similar situation. 

No, it wasn't new to her; girls liking and dating girls. First, there's Gyuri. Then there was Chaeyeon and Eunbi who used to be in a relationship but broke up fairly recent. 

Sakura was always into girls as far as Yena knew. Chaewon.. though Yena didn't really know the details as they haven't had time to have the talk, Yena knew that Chaewon liked Eunbi for some time now. 

....

She really needed to have the talk with Chaewon as soon as possible. It should've been Chaewon that knew everything first.  

Calming herself.. trying to, at least.. Yena knocked on the door. She didn't receive any reply; no sounds of movement or anything at all. She tried knocking again but she got the same results. Her mind told her to just leave considering she was being ignored but her hand grabbed the doorknob and before she knew it, she had opened the door. 

Her eyes immediately landed on the huge bulk on the bed, Yena sighing as she realized that Yuri was 'hiding' under the blanket. Yena kept her eyes on the figure as she walked in and closed the door, the sound of the door closing getting a slight flinch from the girl under the covers.

Yuri was hiding under the covers since she finished changing. She's already made multiple trips from the bed to the door but she never got herself to come back out, knowing that Yena was in their house. She regretted it though, seeing as Yena ended up coming to her room and there was nowhere for her to escape. 

"What are you doing?" Yena asked as she walked closer to the bed, staring at the girl who sat on the bed with her entire body covered. "You invited me over. What did you want?"

....

"Hey. You asked me to come over, didn't you? What did you have me come for?"

....

"...Yah."

....

"Jo Yuri!" 

Yuri flinched again when Yena raised her voice, the nervousness within her doubling.. tripling.. maybe even more. 

"I don't know, Unnie! I don't.. I don't know."

".....So you're telling me you invited me here just because?"

"No.. That's not it.. I.."

"You? You what?"

"I just.. I panicked.." 

"........Okay....?"

Yuri was cursing at herself infinitely in her mind, wanting to physically hit herself at that moment. How was she going to explain her actions? She literally just panicked. Seoeon and Jiyoung made her impulsive and she didn't really know her reasons. 

Who is she kidding, of course she knows.

"I.. I just.. didn't want you to go with Seoeon-oppa or.. Jiyoung.." 

Yena's eyes softened, her eyes starting to hope again. She knelt down next to the bed, gently lifting the covers above Yuri's head, meeting the confused and somewhat frightened eyes that Yuri displayed. 

"Why not?" Yena's voice was filled with hope. It was gentle, soft.. endearing. She was expecting something for sure. 

"...I.. didn't like it.."

"You didn't like what, Yuri?"

"I didn't.. like the thought of you.. going somewhere alone with either of them."

"...And why is that?"

Yena and Yuri kept looking into each other's eyes, neither of them breaking the contact. Yuri bit her lower lip, thinking carefully about Yena's question. 

She was scared. 

She was scared of being vulnerable, scared to bare her feelings. She didn't have half of the courage Yena had when the other girl confessed. 

Yuri was still  a coward. 

And Yena could feel that. 

The silence only extended.. more.. and more.. And Yena didn't need any further confirmation that Yuri wasn't going to answer her question. 

"I still love you."

Yena's quiet and tender voice made Yuri weak. Her heart was beating faster than it ever did - she felt like it was going to blow. Whether it was from her nervousness or being under the blanket for too long, she didn't know - but she was out of breath and she could feel the sweat creeping on her back. 

Instead of words out of , tears were falling from her eyes instead. She had no reason to cry - maybe she did. Maybe hearing those words from Yena, reassured that Yena's feelings didn't change, made her so happy that she cried. 

But Yuri couldn't say anything. Like she was mute all of a sudden, she couldn't force anything out of . 

I didn't like seeing Seoeon-oppa and Jiyoung fighting over you..

"Look, I think I should go." Yena pressed her lips together, standing up. She contemplated for a while before removing the blanket from Yuri's head, letting it drop to the girl's shoulders. 

I didn't want to see you go with someone else. 

Gently cupping her cheeks, Yena lifted Yuri's head so the girl would look at her. Bending down slowly, Yena placed a light peck on Yuri's forehead...

 Weaker - that's the simplest way to explain how Yuri felt when Yena's soft lips landed on her forehead. 

Yuri grabbed onto Yena's blazer... she held it tightly, not wanting to let go or widen the distance between them. Yena's lips parted from Yuri's forehead, the girl pulling a way slightly but keeping the distance between them short. 

The two stared at each other, their eyes in deep contact. Yena started to feel all sorts of emotions when she saw how Yuri looked back at her in that moment. It was a look Yuri never gave her before. 

There was something in Yuri's eyes.. There was longing present in her eyes that Yena couldn't ignore. It felt dangerous to Yena. It was like.. she was being pulled in.. and she was beginning to lose it. 

I want to be the only one beside you.

Yena pulled away, hands breaking contact with Yuri's cheeks. "I'll.. I get going." 

I don't want you to look at anyone else.

Yuri kept holding onto Yena's blazer, their eyes remaining lost... but alas, their eye contact didn't last any longer... And Yuri was still unable to speak against it. 

I want to be your special someone.

Yena lightly brushed Yuri's hands off, giving Yuri the gentle smile that the younger girl missed. "I'll.. see you tomorrow, Yuri."

Yuri couldn't move at all. She just watched as Yena walked out of her room, the last sound she heard being the sound of the door closing... before her room was enveloped in the silence. 

I love you.

.

.

.

Yena gave Yuri's door one last look before returning downstairs. She entered the living room where Ms. Jo just watched TV. She walked over to the sofa where she had left her bag, the woman smiling at her. 

"Leaving already?" 

"Uh.. Yes. Yuri looked tired so I left her alone." 

"Hm.. She has been looking like she wasn't feeling well recently.. Anyways, take care, dear." 

Yena bowed before making her way to the front door. She put her shoes on... and looked back one more time.. before she finally opened the door and walked out of the house. Taking her bike, she started making her way home. 

~ + ~

||a/n: Yuri is now completely aware of her feelings but in the end, she's still a coward who's unable to voice it out.

But hey, at least we have Yena to rely on with being confident. Hope they start getting along again~ Hope you enjoyed this somehow short and slightly soft chapter~||