(A/N: this chapter is long. like, long long. it's kinda just a recap of everything that has happened so far, but yena's pov so maybe it's not necessary to read but.... highly recommended. especially the scenes that haven't been shown before that include more minjoo and yuri. also, it'd be nice to have the other chapters on a different tab to go back and forth because that's what i did to compare chaewon and yena povs, but if you have good memory it's whatever. enjoy!)

Yena was Spider-Man. She had been ever since she was fifteen and went on that field trip for science to that laboratory where a radioactive spider bit her. And honestly? She loved it. She loved having powers that gave her control over things she never thought she could control, and she loved using them for the greater good in a way that gave her life a new meaning. Though, of course, with great power came great responsibility. Sometimes she had to make hard and dubious decisions. She had to lie to her friends and family to keep them safe. And she had to live with the idea that perhaps one day she would not return home after a battle. But never had she thought it was difficult or too much. Never had she thought it was some sort of baggage or burden. Never had she wanted to quit.

Until Chaewon got that internship at one of the biggest news publishers in the nation almost a year ago.

Yena loved doing interviews. She loved giving back to the community—her fans—that gave her unconditional love and support. Therefore, she stole a voice modifier and began to answer the people's questions. But when Chaewon came into the picture that took a drastic change. Yena had to do everything in her power to avoid the girl and it was not only hard on herself, but it was hard on Chaewon as well.

Chaewon was a news reporter. Reporting the news was her job. And Yena was the news. So of course she felt bad every time Chaewon would rant about Spider-Man avoiding and hating her and making her job and life difficult. Because what was she supposed to do? Have a conversation with the one person who would be able to spot her even with a voice modifier? Even talking to Eunbi in mask was a risk.

But Yena knew Chaewon would recognize her. How could she not? Yena's personality literally shone through her suit.

Perhaps the girl was exaggerating. Perhaps there was no possible way that Chaewon could recognize her through the mask. After all, Yena had the entire world thinking she was a guy. Yena didn't know if it was because she wore a sports bra to the fights, or if she was just always swinging up in the air, preventing people from getting an accurate estimate of her height, or if perhaps the world was just ist and didn't believe a girl could actually lie under the mask.

But anyone could wear the mask.

And in this universe, it was Yena who wore it.

Anyway, Yena didn't want to take any risks with Chaewon. There was only one person who knew she was Spider-Man—only because Yuri was nosy and for some reason thought it would be funny to look through her underwear drawer—and that was enough of a risk.

Yena didn't want to put anyone she loved in danger.

But it was so hard to keep her distance when she could see Chaewon standing at the back of the crowd of reporters and fans, trying to push her way to the front. Especially when the younger girl would look up and catch her staring before Yena got nervous and turned around, cutting whatever interview she was in the middle of short, before swinging away once again. Yena was slipping. Her hold, the control she had over herself—it was slowly disappearing from sight.

And then that night came. That night that changed it all, blurring the line that Yena had drawn to separate her personal and normal life from her nightly vigilante life.

It was already hard before then, Yena was for sure soon to break it one way or another. Minjoo came into the picture and everything surrounding her was weird from the start. The weird senses she got when she was around her were too strong and off—and no, it wasn't just jealousy, because yes, Yena did have a huge, fat, embarrassing crush on her friend Chaewon—and sometimes they tingled in ways that Yena didn't know they could before. But Minjoo was setting them off, somehow, and she thought perhaps it was danger, a threat. Perhaps her personal and hero lives mixed and her feelings began to take over her senses.

Then there was that day they all hung out together. Minjoo was weird and not just in the words she said and the looks she gave, especially when talking about Spider-Man. All the attacks were too personal. When she looked at Yena and asked her what she thought about the notorious vigilante and there was this all too knowing look in her gaze, this all too knowing tone in her voice—Yena knew. She got the tingling sense again and she knew—Minjoo was just like her.

That same night she found out Chaewon was going to report news live. As in, report her fights live. Her all-too-dangerous fights live. Being there. Watching her fight. So close to danger. Yena knew then she was close to slipping. It wasn't long before she made some sort of stupid mistake in front of Chaewon, something that could get her in trouble or worse, get her caught. And it happened that night.

There was an attack and Yena had left the group already. She ran to an alley, got dressed, and arrived shortly after. Yena was doing good, she was fighting good, she was keeping up her usual snarky remarks, she was one step ahead as always, and she was so close. She had it under control and she was about to win the fight, about to web up the guy at hand. But then she saw her—Chaewon—in the crowd, and she froze up. She slipped up. She let her true persona show.

Yena was held at gunpoint, but she was able to snap out of it and won the fight. Still, it was an odd situation for the Spider-Man and everyone who watched knew—even Chaewon knew.

That same night she talked to Minjoo. It was a conversation she had not wanted to have, but the younger was able to find her in some random alley and it didn't take long for Yena to figure out the girl had found her so fast with the help of her own powers.

"So you're the famous Spider-Man," Minjoo had said, scanning her up and down without shame though Yena was only half in her suit and trying to cover her upper half—quite dramatic as if forgetting she was wearing a sports bra.

"Did you come here just to confirm we are the same?" Yena held up to her own.

"Kinda. I already knew but—" Minjoo paused, scanning once again "—It is still a sight to behold. Chaewon doesn't know?" It was more a statement than a question and Yena found her eyes shifting downwards, suddenly feeling uncomfortable with the conversation as if being half- didn't already do the job.

"She doesn't," Yena responded before continuing changing. "And I don't think she knows about you either, right?' Also more of a statement than a question.

"No. And I guess I can assume neither of us will tell."

"You assume. So now that you got your confirmation and a promise, is that all?"

Minjoo suddenly looked more unsure and hesitant. "Uhm. Look, it hasn't been long since I got my powers, they're very rusty and I honestly keep slipping up so—"

It hit Yena then. "You want me to teach you how to use them?"

Again, Minjoo hesitated before she answered with a firm nod, "Yes."

Yena considered it for a second only, and no more than a second. The answer came fast and she could do nothing but shake her head. "No." Because there was still that line. Chaewon could not know her identity and she could not cross onto her hero life, no matter what, and Minjoo being involved with her hero life would be enough for Chaewon to be tied in, because Minjoo was someone whom she was only connected to through Chaewon.

Also, Yena would not be able to handle it. She was slipping now more than ever, losing grasp of the tight reins she'd had on her two lives. Her grades were slipping, her social life was crumbling, and her and Chaewon were—she didn't know where they stood.

A week passed and Yena still did not know where she and Chaewon stood. The girl seemed to spend all of her time with Minjoo as of late and Yena was too busy as Spider-Man to try and fix anything. She was also ashamed because she had no excuses that were not Spider-Man related. It made her feel dirty, in a way, keeping all these secrets and constantly lying to the girl that mattered oh-so much to her. Keeping her in the dark from a part of her life that was so great to her—it was driving Yena crazy.

And then Chaewon approached her that day with the news of her promotion. Yena felt and heard her whole world crash around her. The reins, they were slipping and she was grasping and reaching.

Chaewon did not miss her reaction. Her disappointment and fear.

And then Chaewon said those words that could not have hurt Yena anymore than they did, "Look, Yena, I don't know what the hell has been up with you lately because you're always disappearing and making me worry, but then you don't give explanations and—Just don't take your frustrations out on me, okay? You know how big this is for me and you could have at least acted excited for me. I don't even know why it disappoints you so much to see me this happy but—just talk to me when you're ready to go back to your old self, okay?" And Yena couldn't respond. One, because she was too stunned and hurt, two, because it would all come out as excuses because, three, she could not tell her about her secret identity.

Later on Yena ranted on to Yuri, feeling herself close to tears.

"Why don't you just tell her?" Yuri had asked, growing tired of watching Yena run circles around her room as she ranted. 

"I can't tell her," Yena shook her head. She stopped walking back and forth and turned to Yuri, suddenly feeling such am overwhelming sensation with the burden she carried. "I—I don't want to put her life in danger. And when she reports—can you imagine if she knew it was me? But, it just gets hard. , Yuri, it's so hard."

Yena sat down at the edge of the bed. "She looks at me with those bright eyes and I can see the light disappearing from the slowly, more and more each time we see each other, with each time I let her down—and it hurts. It ing hurts, like Yuri, you don't understand. I don't want to put her in danger, but then I see her there and—and I'm ready to risk it all."

Yuri slung a comforting arm around her best friend. "I know, Yena. I know."

They spent a few minutes in silence just like that, with Yena's breath finally returning to its even and stable pace. Then Yuri looked at the time on her phone and turned to the older asking, "Do you think you'll be coming to Chaewon's celebration tonight?"

"I don't think she wants me there."

"Trust me, she'll want you there."

Yena had considered it. She wanted to see Chaewon. She wanted to talk to Chaewon. She wanted to be next to Chaewon. But the other girl was mad and she had every right to be so. If Yena showed up that night another fight between the two would ensure, and Yena didn't want that on a night of celebration. Besides, if the city needed help, if the city called—she had to answer.

"I can't."

Yuri understood and left her to go meet up with the others. Yena stayed in bed, sitting by herself, staring at the wall, just thinking until she had enough and reached for her suit.

Sulking was a thing Yena did often those days; She would put on her suit and swing out with no particular destination in mind. She would just swing and swing until her arms were sore and tired and she found herself at the top of another random, tall and high building.

But that night was different. A call came, but it was not the city.

Yena had felt her phone vibrating and opened up to see she had a few missing calls, mostly from Yuri. She was about to put her phone back up, rolling her eyes at the younger girl who would not leave her alone, when she saw a text from her brother.

Yuri said to not ignore her. Something about Chaewon.

Yena frowned, and at the exact moment, another call came in from Yuri. This time, she did not ignore the younger.

"Chaewon is in trouble."

Four words.

And Yena had felt her entire world come to a sudden and screeching halt in that moment. Her hands began to shake and her hold on the phone loosened before it tightened. "Where is she?"

Yuri gave her the information and as soon as the call was cut off Yena was pulling her mask down and swinging through the air. She had been on the complete opposite end of town, but Yena shot web after web and put her whole body into her swings. Her arms, her shoulders, her muscles ached, but she threw herself into every swing with the single thought of Chaewon being in trouble keeping her going. Yena didn't think she had swung so fast in years, or maybe ever. But there she was, sloppy swings, aching arms, gasping breath and all—she almost slipped a couple of times too.

And then she finally arrived and stayed at the top of a distant roof for a few seconds, recollecting herself and scanning the area. There was Chaewon looking more scared than Yena had ever seen her and it horrified her. And there was the guy who was following her just footsteps behind. The sight angered Yena. She didn't think she had ever known the meaning of seeing red until that moment. She was enraged. And in one breath she jumped down and took down the guy. She kicked and pounded her fists and sat atop the guy yelling things that even she could not process before they spurred out of .

It was all a blur.

Soon the police arrived and Yena was thankful—she didn't know what she would have done to the guy otherwise. She said a few to words to the officers before she felt a strong gaze and turned to find Chaewon staring at her. She looked weak and vulnerable and Yena felt her heart ache.

She had excused herself to walk over to Chaewon. It was wrong, talking to her was wrong, mixing up her two lives was wrong, it was all wrong. Every cell in her body told her to stop. Don't talk to her. Turn around and swing away. Stop.

Five years she had been able to avoid this moment. Five years she had been able to prolong it. She could keep doing so, she wanted to believe, but she knew she had already pushed it off too long to not break.

And standing there in front of Chaewon in that moment with her heart drumming in her chest and her blood pulsing hot through her veins—she could only hope that voice modifier worked.

"Are you okay?" That was a stupid question, of course Chaewon wasn't okay. It was stupid, she was stupid. But what else was she supposed to say in that moment? What else could she do or say that was within her restrictions? She was a hero who had just saved her life, not her closest friend who could just grab her and pull her close and hold her and whisper, for only her ears to hear, that everything was going to be okay. She was just a hero and to a hero Chaewon was just another regular citizen.

Chaewon hadn't answered and Yena was slowly starting to realize that perhaps she could not do this. She could not think of Chaewon as just another day-to-day citizen whom she saved only for the purpose of it being her duty.

"Are you...okay?"

In just seconds Chaewon fell down, almost to her knees, crying—sobbing—but Yena caught her in her arms. Her heart thudded against her chest and she stood there awkwardly holding the girl in her arms.

"Oh my gosh," had slipped out of and because she was a fool who didn't know what to say she followed up with, "I don't think you're okay."

And that seemed to do it for Chaewon because she let out a laugh followed by another sob followed by another laugh and another sob. A smile had made its way onto Yena's face. That was her friend. And she couldn't do it. She patted Chaewon comfortingly in a way only a friend could until Chaewon was able to recover.

"I'm sorry."

"You were almost kidnaped and now you're apologizing?"

"I'm sorry I stained your suit."

Yena looked down at her suit. . "I can just get it dry-cleaned," She shrugged. She really couldn't. It would raise questions.

But the laugh that she let out was worth it all. Chaewon was worth it.

"Thank you."

"No, you don't have to thank me. It was the least I could do as a human being."

Really, the least she could do for Chaewon and Chaewon only.

"How did you know I was in danger?"

. .

Yena felt her whole body tense up. How was she supposed to explain this one? . "Well, you see—"

"Chaewon!"

Thank the heavens.

Wait, no, those were their friends, .

Yena swung away before she could be seen. She went to the top of another building and remained perched under the shadows, watching that look of relief cross Chaewon's face when she felt safe surrounded by her friends and family. And Yena wanted to be there, she longed to be there. She wanted to be there—to hold Chaewon as a friend. She longed for it. She yearned.

And when Chaewon turned around, eyes searching for the hero who was long gone, Yena knew she was in trouble.

She went to find her later that night. Not as Spider-Man, her hero, but as Yena, her friend.

Just seeing her was enough to break Yena down. She poured it all out, holding the girl tight against her as if it were the last time she would be able to. And she slipped. She hadn't meant to, she was caught up in the moment, but the word just slipped. Love. She cursed herself for it when Chaewon pointed it out. , that was so humiliating. Fortunately Chaewon moved on to other topics and any other questions seemed a breeze compared to the question of love.

And then Chaewon had said those words.

"I'm really glad you came. Your presence just...makes things better."

Yena supposed those words to her were like the, "Are you okay," words she had asked Chaewon earlier because that was it. Like some sort of trigger, a password spoken, Pandora's box opened, and the tears had rolled and she was overwhelmed. The fighting, the worries, the distance—it all came to her in that moment.

Chaewon appreciated her for her. Not the hero. And she missed her as well, that's what those words meant. She didn't want to fight with her either.

And Yena just—she felt it all so strongly in that moment.

She let tears fall while she talked and held Chaewon's hands in hers and it so was calming, it was all she had needed in those past few months that were oh so hard on her. And Chaewon nodded and listened, understandingly so—even if she didn't completely understand, it was the effort that mattered so much to Yena..

Yena even spoke indirectly. She talked about Spider-Man and how worried she was because she didn't trust the hero. Because she didn't. Yena did not trust herself. The burden she carried—always scared she was going to mess up as a hero, and that Chaewon would be there with her life in danger because she was incompetent and couldn't keep even her most loved and treasured person safe.

Chaewon hugged her and Yena felt her worries slip away. Chaewon said she trusted Spider-Man. Yena was Spider-Man. She trusted her. And even if Chaewon did not understand the weight her words carried, Yena knew. And it was enough.

And duty called.

Yena was Spider-Man. Chaewon trusted her as a hero. And the sirens in the distance... she had to help people in trouble, such was her duty, such was her burden.

Chaewon said she'd wait for her. She gave her some strength, enough to let her get through that night and the next. And Yena had to do with that.

Yena left that night. She did her job. She filed a report. She went home. She listened to Chaewon's voicemail. And she cried.

It had been an overwhelming night to say the least. But Yena was going to put that behind her. She had too.

From that night, it didn't seem too hard.

Chaewon asked to hang out with Yena after that and things felt good. It was nice. It wasn't like usual, Yena was sure they both felt that. And Chaewon didn't remember their first meeting very well which was rather disappointing. But just having Chaewon at her side was enough.

But no matter how okay everything seemed to be, Yena had known it wasn't. Crime in the city was rising and it only put more weight on Yena's shoulders. Things between her and Chaewon were okay, but only for how much longer she couldn't help but wonder.

"What if I just tell Chaewon?" Yena asked one of those days, laying on Yuri's bed, staring up at the ceiling. Her friend had screeched and abruptly stopped her writing.

"Are you crazy?"

"You're the one who told me I should tell her."

Yuri scoffed. "No, I asked you why you didn't tell her. I didn't say you should, I was just annoyed by your complaining and whining. Besides, you know it's not good to listen to me. Especially when it comes to the Spider-Man business. It trips me up."

"Okay, but what if I just talked to her like—"

"Like what? Yena, I swear if you say what I think you're going to say—"

"Okay. I get it."

There were no more discussions after that—externally, at least. Internally, Yena thought about it more than she would have liked to admit. There was this ache in her chest that would not go away, and a wandering thought that haunted her in her sleep—What if? It was cursed, she knew, and she was asking for trouble, she also knew. But that question of what if lurked around until the day came when she lost all sense and the what if became more than just a forbidden thought at the cursed hours of the night.

It was once that Yena saw her at a park, one not too far from her home. She had thought her eyes were deceiving her at first and she found herself falling mid-swing before she was able to shoot out another web and pull herself up to a near building where she remained perched on the ledge, watching Chaewon from a distance.

Yena felt a rush of adrenaline in that moment, seeing the girl take glances around carefully before looking rather disappointed, and she knew she shouldn't have—but Yena could not help but think it was because Chaewon waited for a particular hero to swing over. It was a taboo thought full of wishful thinking, Yena knew, but she couldn't help but hope. And then she was overcome with this sensation, the feel, the want, the need to go over to Chaewon and talk to her—test her theory that the girl was indeed waiting for a particular vigilante dressed in the iconic red and blue to show because maybe, just maybe—and Yena was aware of how awful it sounded—Chaewon had taken a certain interest in said hero.

But the sirens rang in her ears, sharp and painful with her enhanced senses, and Yena could not refuse the call.

The second time, it was just two days later that Yena found Chaewon at that same park. She had been hoping—wishful thinking be damned—that she would find her there once again, glancing around with a look of disappointment slowly overtaking the hopeful glimmer in her eyes.

Yuri's voice rang in her head and Yena had to pull herself away—quite physically so, forcing herself to shoot a web that would pull her several buildings away, taking the sight of the girl away.

But the third time, morals be damned. Chaewon sat there at the bench, legs swinging back and forth as a deep and thoughtful look crossed her face. She was adorable and Yena felt her heart cry out in pain at the sight. Her senses overtook her and before she could process what was happening, a web shot out and pulled her down to the park.

Yena had tripped as soon as she landed and quickly looked up, but to her dignity's fortune, the other remained distracted with her thoughts. Quick, Yena, be clever, you haven't completely made a fool of yourself yet.

She cleared and spoke without a single other thought. "You'd think, after almost getting kidnaped, you would be more cautious of where you go to alone at night, but maybe you're just dumb."

, Yena, what the was that?? That wasn't smooth, you just insulted your crush like a fifth grader trying to flirt! !

Chaewon almost jumped in surprise and Yena felt her heart do a thing as the other slowly looked up at her with that glimmer in her eyes and wow did Chaewon have the most beautiful eyes ever and wow she was looking at her in that way and—Chaewon was looking at her in that way! 

In that moment, Yena had lost all sense. Because Chaewon was looking at her in a way that she didn't think she had ever looked at her before—a look of pure awe and astonishment—and it took everything in her to not do something she knew she would regret later.

"Well hello to you too, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man."

Sarcasm. Is that a good sign? Is that flirting? Is it? What do I say now? How do I flirt? What is flirting? Okay, I got this, just be smooth, Yena.

"I honestly don't know who gave me that title."

Oh my gosh, of course I know who gave me that title! It was Eunbi! ! I wasn't supposed to play dumb!

"It was my sister when she wrote her first ground-breaking article thanks to you, long ago."

Right, Yena knew that. She had been at the celebration party. She had her first taste of champagne there and she had definitely regretted it all through that night and the following morning.

But that was a lead. Chaewon would definitely love talking about her sister, and Yena took it. Of course, she had to play dumb through most of the conversation, and yeah she did feel a bit guilty about the whole encounter—she had never deceived her best friend, or anyone for that matter, like that—but it was something. It didn't feel like her latest conversations with Chaewon—it was refreshing. And she would take anything she could get if it meant spending time with her in a non-awkward and not-forced way. 

And then Yena began to cross that line—no, she grabbed a big, giant, eraser and began to physically erase that line herself.

"I've seen you before, you know," Yena had said. The regret didn't hit her instantly, no, the look that Chaewon gave her was enough to make her feel like what she was doing wasn't completely wrong.

"You probably think I hate you."

"That's an understatement."

There was a voice at the back of her head that sounded an awful lot like Yuri, yelling at her to stop, telling her it wasn't too late. But Yena spoke and spoke and spoke like a damn fool in love—which she was, probably.

"To clarify, I don't hate you. I just see you at the back of the crowd and—" , what am I doing, !! "—and seeing you just makes me flustered. So, I run away every time I see you."

Oh no. What had Yena done?

Chaewon had seemed speechless—she wasn't the only one, in that moment. But Chaewon was straightforward. She didn't like leaving open questions for interpretations. She liked getting straight to the point and she liked understanding things. She wanted answers and what she wanted, she got.

"Why? Why do I make you flustered?"

Don't talk, you fool. That voice definitely sounded a lot like Yuri.

"Isn't it obvious? You're pretty."

And it was too late. Yena's mouth had a mind of its own and ran and ran until nothing could be taken back. Her confession was out and about for Chaewon's pretty little ears to her. And the mention of the day she first saw her as a reporter... yeah, Yena remembered that day crystal clear.

Yena had never thought Chaewon would go so far as to interview Spider-Man herself when she first got the job. But a month later, she had pushed past the crowd and had stood right in front of Yena. And Yena, like the awkward fool she had been, still was, and always would be, had tripped right then and there in front of the whole crowd.

That was also the day her burden began.

Chaewon took the confession well, but Yena could see the smile that lingered on the girl's face that was when she knew, she was doomed. They both were.

They talked more that night and Yena let herself go for a moment before she was brought back to reality with the words of, "I don't have anyone to talk to about this. The friend I usually tell these things to is one of the problems, and she feels so distant anyway, I've become uncomfortable around her. I have another friend, as well, who I like talking to, but again, she is one of the problems. I could just talk to them both about each other, but something about that feels so morally wrong."

Yena felt her heart drop. She was the first friend, she realized. The friend whom Chaewon felt uncomfortable around. And that hurt.

"Why is that?" Yena had asked, low and hesitant, afraid of the answer.

But something rang in her ears—Chaewon's words.

But something about that feels so morally wrong.

Morally wrong... morally... wrong... morals... wrong...

And it hit her in that moment. It was like Yena snapped out of a trance. What had she been doing? She was taking advantage of Chaewon and her trust. Because Yena wanted nothing more than for things to be right between them... she used her other persona to talk to the girl as if everything was okay between them though it was morally wrong. Morally wrong. It was just not right in any light and situation.

Yena took her home that night. They walked together in mostly silence until they reached the apartment and Yena set things right for both their sakes—for hers, mostly, really.

"Don't look for me anymore." Yena had said.

Chaewon had looked so taken back, Yena felt her heart clench. It just wasn't fair. But she couldn't—there was a line that could not be crossed, a line which she had already crossed but had to find a way back through.

She lied. She said she would worry if Chaewon looked for her in trouble. She would, but really it was just for the sake of the line which must not be crossed. She had to go back, she had to.

But then Chaewon spoke. "Then you come to me."

And Yena couldn't refuse.

She wanted to — no, that was a lie. She didn't want to refuse, and therefore she didn't. She could have, but she didn't. The line had been crossed.

"Oh, and I know you're actually a girl."

And they couldn't go back.

Yena thought a lot after that night. The guilt overtook her and she became so distracted she took a hit one day. In her defense, there had been ten guys surrounding her. But then again, she did have the upper hand with her sixth sense, so she really shouldn't have taken a hit.

But what happened happened and she could not stop the talk that came after.

And she could not stop the suggestion that was brought up after.

Minjoo had asked her to meet up and Yena hated that she knew what the conversation was going to be about. But she still went anyway and when the two girls sat across from each other at the coffee shop she could only sigh when the younger started with, "Can't you just let me work with you?"

"No," Yena had immediately refused the same way she had every single time the suggestion had come up before that, "My answer stands and remains, I work alone. You are untrained, you do not know how to fight out in the field, I cannot be dragged down by you, and I can handle things on my own."

"That attitude is what's going to get you killed."

It was a thought Yena had before. Several times, really.

"Listen, Minjoo, I've been doing this for years—since I was fifteen, actually. I'm not saying it's always been easy, or that it will be easy, but I am no rookie. You are, though. You don't know the burdens that come with the job, and you don't know what you would have to give up for this lifestyle. I work alone, Minjoo, and that is for many reasons."

Minjoo was stubborn though. She shook her head and stood firm. "We need to stand side by side, together."

Yena opened to protest, but the other girl continued, her voice softer and more empathetic. "I know it must have been hard for you alone this whole time, carrying a burden that only you knew about. But for those reasons, let me help you. The burden is not one to be carried alone."

Yena sighed. Minjoo could be persistent. Very much like Chaewon, she thought. Chaewon... she whom placed a major burden on her.

"It's getting hard, keeping it a secret from Chaewon," Yena spoke without really understanding why she spoke to the other, of all people, about the secret she kept from their shared friend.

"Please, you're not the only one keeping it from her, I am too," Minjoo replied in almost a scoff, but it sounded too guilty to be apathetic. "Have been for a while too."

Yena nodded slowly as her mind came to a conclusion. "Well, you're already keeping secrets from the one closest to you, in that we relate already. I guess—well—I suppose I could start training you to be a hero, then."

Minjoo's entire face lit up and Yena could not help but feel a sense of relief at the sight. "Okay, tomorrow then, right?"

Yena nodded. "Just don't let Chaewon find out or it won't be good for any of us."

The other girl agreed and they exited the place before parting ways. And Yena's mind began to wander.

It was bad—Yena could not help but think—how at ease she felt with the idea of a new partner. Sharing the burden would be better for her, who had already been carrying it for five years. But for the girl who had just become the sharer of such burden, she knew it would not be easy for. Still, she did not feel so much guilt, and for that she did feel horrible.

Yena was hard on herself. Always had been—even before the burden of becoming a hero, she would always keep things in and to herself. Whine, maybe, but serious and deep conversations about her feelings were never held. Unless it was with Chaewon who was able to get things out of her, much to her reluctance.

And speaking of Chaewon—

Yena's phone rang as she walked down the street and her heart so much as stopped when she saw the caller. And she cleared and answered.

"Hey, Chaewon, what's up?"

"Hey, Yena, uhm, are you busy right now?"

Yena felt the guilt creep up. That of the secret which she held. The secret that had expanded to hold Minjoo.

"No. Not right now. Why?"

There was silence, but this time it was Chaewon and not Yena.

"Uhm," Chaewon spoke carefully and that did not help ease Yena's heart, "Are you busy tomorrow?"

No, oh no.

Yena couldn't lie. And she couldn't cancel on Minjoo either.

"Yeah," She forced out. felt dry.

"With what?" Chaewon's question came quick and perplexing.

Yena opened but no words came. She tried again, but once more she remained silent. Her hand clutched her phone tightly.

"You know what, we're obviously not that close anymore, and I suppose we can't tell each other things anymore either. I thought we could meet up but it's fine if you're busy, like you always are these days."

"Chaewo-"

She hung up. And that feeling of guilt deepened and burned her soul. Her hold on the phone had tightened and her fingers had numbed. And still, remained opened, speechless.

There were no excuses and even if there were, Chaewon would surely not want to hear them. Yena could tell from her tone—she was disappointed. Sad. Hurt.

It felt like a test, of sorts. There was an answer Chaewon had wanted, specific, and Yena had known. Yet she could not give it to her.

And Yena had hurt Chaewon.

There was a moment where Yena just stared down at her phone, at the contact, thoughts running through her head. 

But calling her didn't seem like the best option at the moment.

"I should leave her alone," Yena sighed to herself, her hand slowly dropping and taking the contact away from sight.

Later.

Yena continued her day with that single thought in head. She repeated to herself, over and over, that she would deal with Chaewon later, that the girl needed space. But at the end of the day she still found herself swinging from building to building, not stopping until she found the girl walking alone, kicking a pebble around. Her heart stopped and her breathing faltered. She stood atop a building just staring.

Turn away, a voice repeated over and over. Leave her alone, leave her alone.

Yena should have left her alone.

But she didn't want to. No matter how well she knew that what she was doing was wrong, she wanted no more than to stand by the girl's side, even as a stranger. Things between Yena and Chaewon weren't okay and the perpetuity of their friendship was unpredictable. But Spider-Man and Chaewon—that was a different story.

Yena took a step forward, stopping herself almost immediately. Her reached out hand fell to her side and she clutched it tightly. It was wrong. She couldn't. She shouldn't.

But then Chaewon sighed and kicked the pebble once more and Yena couldn't hold herself back. Not when her friend looked like that.

"What did that poor pebble ever do to you?" She spoke before she could think. "You've been going at it for a good five minutes."

Chaewon's whole demeanor changed in that single second, Yena could tell just from staring at her back, and something about it made her heart flutter.

Yena remained crouched on the ledge of the building when Chaewon turned to look at her. And she grinned. Yena swore she felt the wind knock right out of her in that moment. But then that smile fell and Yena felt that same worry at the pit of her stomach that she usually felt around Chaewon in her other persona.

"Oh no, don't give me that look," Yena spoke right before swinging down, not letting go fully of the web so that she was just hanging.

Chaewon was mad about what had happened just a while ago—when she got beat to almost a pulp on national television. Yena knew in an instant because she just knew the girl that well. Still, she chose to play into the game.

Chaewon pretended to be mad and walked ahead, and Yena chased after her trying to make things better.

And there was that slip of, "Please stop giving me the silent treatment, this is torture, you're literally my only friend under this persona."

It was not completely true—there was Yuri, who knew about the persona, but that was different, and Minjoo who also knew but that was professional—but it was genuine. There was no person who was friends with Spider-Man just because she was... Spider-Man. Not Yena, but Spider-Man, the vigilante, herself. Or himself. Whatever. Even Yuri was hard to talk to as Spider-Man because Yuri knew she was Yena. There was not that feeling of escape. A safe space, of sorts.

But that night, Yena felt a sense of comfort which she had not felt in so long. The kind that could only come from the person whom she liked and perhaps loved—though that was a conversation for another time, she was still rocky with her feelings for the girl.

The two girls flirted a bit, if Yena could call it so, and they talked in a way that put Yena's heart at ease if even for one night. And then there was that small moment, that moment where Chaewon turned and Yena by chance happened to be just inches away from her face.

"Yes?" Yena had asked, because she was a hopeful fool who could not help but flirt. The mask and hidden identity gave her a push of confidence that she could only wish to have as Yena. She felt the upper-hand getting to her.

And there was that moment where Chaewon just stared up her, scanning her—scanning the mask. She was searching and looking for something which she could not find: The genuineness and sincerity of the hero and her words. That was a downside, Yena supposed.

Though she could pour her whole heart out easily to Chaewon with the mask in a confidence that she could never have without it, she could not let her know that she was genuine and pure with her feelings and the endless flirting. Because at the end of the day, no matter how much it felt like it was truly their Chaewon and Yena bond, it wasn't. She was a masked vigilante. And as far as Chaewon could tell, all that flattery was talk, and beneath that mask was just another regular person.

"So should I call you Spider-Man, or Spider-Girl, now?" Chaewon asked, completely startling the older girl.

It was something Yena had never thought about. The idea that someone could at some point figure out her true identity and gender had never occurred to her, had never seemed possible to her, and for that she had never given thought to her name. And just as she told Chaewon that night, it was more of a title than a misgendered name to her.

The conversation went on after that and Chaewon finished with her insisting on letting the whole world know that the Spider-Man was not a guy but rather a girl who could do everything a man could and more.

And then the thought occurred to Yena—because she had already gone far enough, was there really any harm in going further? 

"Do you want to go up with me? Like, to the roof of a building somewhere."

Chaewon was taken back. "Like, carry me? Somewhere up there? With your webs and stuff?"

"Yeah."

Perhaps it was a stupid idea.

"I'm not sure... it seems scary."

But so what? Yena thought and extended a hand. "Do you trust me?"

And Chaewon accepted.

It was beautiful that night. And as corny as it would sound, Yena would dare say it was even more so just for the pure reason that Chaewon was the most beautiful person she laid eyes on and whom could make even the darkest moments shine bright.

Chaewon had asked if she went up there often and Yena answered, "I come when I can. It's a place where time slows down and everything down below becomes so small and meaningless. Usually, though, trouble in the city interrupts my moments."

It was true, what Yena said in that moment. She just didn't mention that she often went up there when she needed to clear her head about Chaewon and her feelings for her and the problems between them. Again, there was that feeling of almost, but not enough. It felt good, showing Chaewon a part of her life that she could never do as Yena, but there was still that empty feeling that came with knowing that it wasn't complete. She couldn't tell Chaewon everything, because she wasn't Yena, but Spider-Man in that moment.

But the moment was ruined and reality was brought back when Chaewon began talking about their problems once more.

"Uhm," Yena wondered if it was a good idea mixing her lives together, "may I ask what's been happening?" No, perhaps it wasn't.

"Well, this friend has a secret — and huge secret — and I know we're friends and I'm supposed to understand if she wants to keep it a secret, but I think this secret has been driving a wedge between us two and at first I wasn't too bothered, but then I felt like a bad friend for not being bothered, and then she told me about the secret that she couldn't tell me and that night—I don't know."

Yena felt every last bit of ease disappear. She was the friend with the secret. The secret that drove a wedge between the two. The secret in which she was literally in at the moment.

"Weird?" Yena asked, knowing she should stop hersel