First waking up, Sooyoung stretches out all her limps. She forgets where she is until her outstretched hand bumps into a Pokémon plushie. That’s when she remembers that she fell asleep at Jinsoul’s. After she went to the girl’s bathroom and cried her eyes out she had crawled back into the bed. The blonde had tried to snuggle back up to her but Sooyoung had carefully kept her space. Not enjoying the feeling of Jinsoul’s touch. 

Lazily pushing herself up she checks out the clock, it was late in the afternoon. She should probably get home and shower before practice and stuff. Usually, she would just stay at Jinsoul’s and get ready there since they could share most things. But today she was feeling jaded. She shouldn’t blame Jinsoul, it was her fault for not ever telling the girl about her feelings. Maybe if she had then…she wouldn’t be living in one of her nightmares. 

Going to the bathroom she stares at her reflection in the mirror. Sooyoung shakes her head at the site of the dark circles under her eyes and reaches for Jinsoul’s toothbrush, only to put it back down. She was starting to realize how truly close they were. The thought of it broke her heart because Sooyoung probably wouldn’t be close at all to Jinsoul sooner or later. She’ll be paying attention to her husband. Out of touch, out of sight.     

Nowhere near Sooyoung. 

There will be no more late-night talks, no more cuddling, no more geeking out with Jinsoul. No more having fun. They were adults now and Sooyoung wasn’t ready to grow up since she missed out on most of it when she was a teen, and even younger. She didn’t want to let Jinsoul go. Sooyoung didn’t want them to become passing friends.

She shudders at the thought of Jinsoul being tied down so early in life. Shouldn’t she be living it up? Or maybe this guy was fun, but looking back. Jinsoul didn’t seem very thrilled with him. Sooyoung hopes she’s overthinking this. Jinsoul did tell her she was still her number one so maybe nothing will change. Hopefully, nothing will change. Except Sooyoung secretly wishes this fiancé of Jinsoul’s would fall off the face of the earth. That’s the only change she wants.

Sooyoung was thinking of the worst. She doesn’t even know how long she’s had this fiancé. Just because she knew didn’t mean Jinsoul was suddenly going to start acting differently. Still, she was afraid if were to happen. Putting on some of Jinsoul’s clothes she becomes a little possessive. She should be positive right? Where was this fiancé while Sooyoung was still sleeping at her house aand wearing Jinsoul’s clothes? She brings the girls shirt up and smells it. Of course, it smells like coconuts.

Smiling she replays Jinsoul’s words in her head. You will always be the most important person in my life. Sooyoung will make sure of it, even if Jinsoul was playing it up just to make her feel better. Take that…Sooyoung had forgotten his name already. Kwon Yuck? She didn’t care as she walked back out of the room and started making her way downstairs. 

Sooyoung needed time to think and be sad. This was a lot for her. She was preparing to confess to Jinsoul, not this. She needed a plan b since her and Jungeun didn’t come up with one. Halfway down she hears whispered out voices. It sounds like they’re arguing. Sooyoung jumps down and sneaks into the kitchen where she finds Jinsoul and Chaewon who seem very angry at each other.

“You’re such an idiot Jinsoul now she’s gonna think-.” Chaewon cuts her sentence short when she spots Sooyoung standing idly at the doorway. Jinsoul turns around where she wasn’t facing it and didn’t see Sooyoung. They both stand straight up at the sight of her and Sooyoung glares between them. They were acting so weird. Like they were caught doing something they weren’t supposed to be doing.

Jinsoul clears and cheerfully greets her, “good morning beautiful are you hungry?” Sooyoung blushes at the word beautiful but Jinsoul doesn’t see it since Chaewon had elbowed her and given her a disgusted look. Sooyoung stands there quietly as they start arguing again. She can’t understand a word they’re saying since they’re both mumbling in low tones. 

Sooyoung lets out a short laugh when Chaewon becomes a little violent, holding up a kitchen knife in Jinsoul’s face. Waving her hands she calls out, “actually I’m gonna go home, I already called my aunt.” They both freeze whatever feud they were having and turn to stare at her like she was some alien. Jinsoul frantically shuffles around the counter and walks up to her with panic in her eyes.

“What? No, Sooyoung I fixed your favorite I thought you could just stay before we h-.” Sooyoung brings her hand and covers Jinsoul’s mouth. The girl was starting to ramble.

Smiling she removes her hand, “it’s fine I just wanna go home, is that okay?” She starts to regret her decision when she sees how sad Jinsoul gets. Chaewon is shaking her head and laying the kitchen knife back down behind them. 

Jinsoul blinks and nods her head. Her voice comes out shaky when she replies, “Yeah, um sure. I can make you a to-go plate.” Instantly the girl goes to get Sooyoung some food despite the older girl’s protests. Sooyoung tries to stop Jinsoul since she wasn’t feeling very hungry but the girl ignores her and aggressively fills a plate with various greasy and sugary breakfast foods. 

She’s a little worried that she’s pissed Jinsoul off by the strange aura radiating off her especially when the girl wraps her food up and shoves it into her hands before leaning up to kiss her on the cheek. Sooyoung is a bit dazed from the feeling of Jinsoul’s soft lips on her skin so she doesn’t notice how the blonde storms off and up the stairs. Sooyoung finally shakes the cloudiness in her head and looks at Chaewon. “Is there something up?” 

Chaewon looks off into the opposite direction and shrugs her shoulders. Sooyoung only nods and tells her friend bye before heading out the door to wait for her aunt. Chaewon listens for the door to shut before running up the stairs as well. Breaking into her sister’s room she’s ready to beat her until she sees her crying face down in her pillows.

Slowly the blonde approaches her sister with a newfound attitude. She’s supported her sister through the chaos for years but she’s had enough. Chaewon was tired of seeing Jinsoul constantly sulk around and live a miserable life when everything she wanted was right there in front of her, clearly begging for the same thing back. Chaewon knew Jinsoul deserved better, but the blonde set herself up for failure almost every time. Including last night when instead of telling Sooyoung what she wanted instead she put the ‘I am unwillingly taken by a man I hate.’ 

“Soul come on…” Chaewon sits down on the bed and rubs up and down the shivering back. The sobs wracking through the room making her cringe out of guilt and sympathy. She just wanted Jinsoul to be happy. “Maybe she forgot something at home?” 

Jinsoul raises from the pillow and wallows out, “no she’s put off by Kwon and now she’s gonna start talking to other girls again!”

Chaewon frowns, she’s always tried to steer Sooyoung away from flirting with girls for her sister’s sake. Chaewon sometimes would encourage Sooyoung when she was mad at Jinsoul and purposely tell her sister that Sooyoung had been ing around just to upset her. Chaewon would usually regret it because her sister would have a fit and her heart would break a little at how lovesick the girl was. 

“Noo she won’t I promise. You’re overthinking this, she’s down with you still, which by the way you’re kinda dumb for not tryna to hit it already.” Jinsoul sniffles and glares at her. Chaewon tries her best to not laugh as she recalls the time she walked in at her then 15-year-old sister kissing a picture of Sooyoung. 

Chaewon knew all about Jinsoul’s little obsession. She also knew how annoying it was for Jinsoul to not even do anything about it. Which she couldn’t talk too much since their parents had put the blonde on lockdown and threated Jinsoul if she didn’t cut Sooyoung off. Hence Chaewon being the end of many late-night conversations of Jinsoul gushing over Ha Sooyoung and how charming she was. High school it had become worst and Chaewon felt like she had her teen drama listening to Jinsoul rant about the girl.

She missed when they were best friends and would always be gay together. At least then she wasn’t involved. But in the end, she was the only person Jinsoul had, so of course, she was the only one to listen. Her sister worshipped Sooyoung, so much that it was a bit sad, but also very endearing. Chaewon could only appreciate the dedication her sister had for Sooyoung, and be baffled by the stupidity her sister also had.

Chaewon would try and push Jinsoul to just forget about the consequences and go for it. But Jinsoul wanted to complete her little ‘plan’ before moving things forward. But now, if Jinsoul didn’t move quick enough it may be too late. Her sister loved Sooyoung so much. Jinsoul would always say her love for the loser Chaewon called bestie was as long as it was to the moon and back. Recently though she’s been saying Sooyoung was her entire world.

But that world may be crumbling soon if Jinsoul doesn’t get her act together, “why tell her? Seriously though.”

“Because she kept getting mad because I keep stuff from her.” Chaewon rolls her eyes and stands up. Jinsoul could be so stubborn sometimes. If the girl would just tell her everything then all of this wouldn’t even matter.

Chaewon twists on her feet and bounces on her heels as she smartly replies, “then just tell her how you’re in love with her and all that and boom happily ever after.”

Jinsoul crosses her arms and sits up straighter in the bed. “It’s not that simple Chae.” The younger blonde thinks about how it’s never been simple. But she wishes it was so they could just be together already.  

“Then make it simple.” Her sister rolls her eyes and groans. Chaewon was trying her best to get it through the girls head that it could be easy. “Seriously Jinsoul sooner or later she’s gonna to actually become you’re best friend.” Jinsoul pouts at her over the meaning of her statement. Jinsoul and Sooyoung had always been a little more than just best friends. Sure Chaewon kissed some of her friends and did some suspicious activity but she wasn’t Jinsoul who wrote love letters to Sooyoung…Chaewon wasn’t even sure if she could count how many and Sooyoung who was whipped for her sister even in the times where Jinsoul practically bullied her.

Chaewon was antsy for it to happen. She wasn’t particularly tired of the drama but she was tired of seeing Sooyoung so hurt all the time and her sister simply being dumb. She knew what both of them wanted but neither of them was confident or intelligent enough to do anything about it. Sooyoung let Jinsoul run all over here most of the time and Jinsoul continued to do so. Chaewon was sick of it at this point.

“Listen Jinsoul I know you want everything to go your way but you have to realize that’s not what everyone wants, you have to compromise. So do yourself a favor and tell Sooyoung that you want her or need her, whatever.” Chaewon says with slight sarcasm remembering goofing around with her good friend Chaeyoung when they read Jinsoul’s diary making fun of her sister’s crushing. “ the haters.” Jinsoul gives her a dumb look like she was saying the stupidest ever.

Jinsoul scratches at her head, “Kwon would probably kill Sooyoung and don’t even get me started on Dr. Jung.” Chaewon lets her cheeks puff up in frustration. She forgot Kwon was kinda part of a gang. The music industry was pretty dark and he was part of it. That’s how he got studio time was ing. Chaewon thinks for a moment and then comes up with an idea.

“Then just secretly her.” Jinsoul’s eyes widen and her whole face turns red at the thought of having with Sooyoung. Chaewon thinks it’s kinda gross. “For real, keep it a secret that’d be chill.” Jinsoul was starting to sweat as she nervously laughed.

Jinsoul bounces on the bed a little making Chaewon scoot away, “a-a secret? Like, date her secretly.”

Chaewon side-eyes her, “yes Jinsoul actually I don’t know why you haven’t started yet.” Jinsoul goes silent, staring at her wall ahead. She thinks how cute Sooyoung would be sneaking in and such. Being her little secret. Her flowing fantasies stop when a small hand waves in front of her face, “helloooo earth to dumbie mckgee?”

The blonde shakes her head, “that would be unfair to her, she deserves more than that.”

Chaewon stands up and stomps her tiny feet, “what you’re doing right now is unfair! Sooyoung has been on the losing team for years and you wanna talk about unfair! You’re keeping her on hold for whatever reason and I’m sick of it Jinsoul. I’m sick of you being all sad and I’m sick of you hurting her for no damn reason other than the fact you’re scared.” Jinsoul is shocked at her sister’s aggression and watches her walk towards the door, “stop being a Jinsoul and please god just do what the both of you want already.” 

Jinsoul scrunches up when the door to her room is slammed. Her sister was right, about all of it.

Chaewon had always been right. 

…

Jungeun is slurping on an icy while Sooyoung paces back and forth in the sand. The ash-blonde had been dragged by the older girl to the courts only to be talked to death. Apparently, Jinsoul had a fiancé. Jungeun didn’t even bother listening to half of it because it sounded like bull. She had seen the threatening texts Jinsoul had sent Sooyoung when she didn’t answer her phone calls and asking who she was with. If Jinsoul knew it was her that kissed Sooyoung she was sure she’d be ripped apart or even crippled further.  

Sooyoung was on the verge of crying while talking about it. Jungeun had simply snorted when the girl’s voice cracked when she said her best friend was getting married. Sooyoung stops her pacing and looks at her, “we need a plan B your first one isn’t working.” Jungeun stopped on the straw and raised her brow. Her plan was working perfectly fine or at least for her. It only took twenty-seven hours for Jiwoo to come slinging snot and falling to her knees. Now Jungeun was being treated like a princess.

“Hmm what you mean, the pill? Thought you were gay?” Sooyoung groans throwing her head back. Jungeun wasn’t after all. At first, Sooyoung thought she was a prophet because the first few weeks playing hard to get was working but now Jinsoul was barely talking to her. Well, it wasn’t like Sooyoung was trying to talk to her either. That was beside the point though. Jinsoul was supposed to be all over by now but it felt like she was just getting further away. Wasn’t Jinsoul driven crazy like she was?   

Sooyoung puffs up, “your plan isn’t working. Jinsoul is ignoring me just as much as I am ignoring her.”

Were they fighting again? Sooyoung didn’t know. She thought they had made up but it was awkward between them now. Jinsoul seemed to want to run away from her every time she tried to talk to her at practice. It was like they were both on edge. Jungeun sighs and leans back onto one arm, “as Alicia Key’s once said your soulmate may be in a relationship, it’s your job to ruin that.” Sooyoung’s jaw is slacked. “So do the opposite of playing hard to get… man, I don’t know? Why are you asking me?” 

“Because I thought you weren’t talking out of your !” Sooyoung whines only for Jungeun to roll her eyes and flips her shades down before laying down on the sand. Sooyoung gives up on Jungeun. She would do what she does best which was kinda what Jungeun said. The complete opposite of the first plan, she was going to annoy the hell out of Jinsoul. 

Sooyoung does some warm-up drills waiting for everyone else to show up, well only one person. When she sees a familiar jeep roll up in the distance she checks out everything. She makes sure her shorts are rolled up and sitting nicely on her hips, she redid her ponytail and took off her shirt so that she was only in her sports bra. Maybe Sooyoung was wrongly approaching this but many times she’s used her looks to get what she wanted and this time she had a feeling it would work. 

The girl can recall when Jinsoul has ogled her and even went to the extremes of groping her. She waits patiently for Jinsoul to walk towards the beach. The blonde looked extremely tired and her hair was frizzy from the humidity. She didn’t even look Sooyoung’s way as she threw her bag on the sand and started to get ready for practice. 

Sooyoung breathes deeply through her nose and marches over to the girl. Jinsoul is yawning while pulling her sunscreen out and doesn’t even notice the tall body towering over her. “Jung Jinsoul.” The blonde freezes and looks up at her, Sooyoung mentally celebrates when Jinsoul’s eyes crawl over her body. Jinsoul shakes her head and smiles up at her like she wasn’t just biting her lips at the dip of Sooyoung’s stomach and the toned lines of her abs.

“Oh hey haha?” Jinsoul’s eyes are wide and she’s smiling widely. She narrows her eyes at Jinsoul’s suspicious behavior. Jinsoul gets weirded out by her stare and slowly goes back to getting ready. Pulling her hair into a bun and squirting some sunscreen on her hands. Sooyoung kneels down and gets close to Jinsoul.

Taking the girl’s hand in her own she rubs the sunscreen off of her hand onto her own. “Here let me help with that.” Squirting more on her hand she gestures for Jinsoul to lay down. The blonde has to be told a few times since she’s a bit in a daze from Sooyoung’s forwardness. Her best friend had been acting strangely for the past few days, well ever since she told her she had a fiancé. Jinsoul was just giving her space before she was going to try anything. To let Sooyoung have some time to forget about it.

Sooyoung crawls on tops of her and waits for Jinsoul to wiggle her shirt off. She hums as she spreads the lotion on Jinsoul’s soft skin as the blonde does the same, but Jinsoul’s noise is more audible. It had been forever since she’s had her hands on Jinsoul like this. Rubbing into her hard she pays attention to the way Jinsoul’s eyebrows scrunch up and her hand clutches to the loose sand. Sooyoung also ignores how Jungeun is looking over with a shocked expression on her face. 

Feeling the muscles twitch underneath she can’t help but smile. “It’s hot today isn’t it?” Jinsoul leans up onto her elbows and hangs her head low.

“Yah…very hot.”

Sooyoung squeezes in a particular spot making Jinsoul let out a muffled noise. Finishing up smearing the white cream…all over Jinsoul’s back she stands up and helps Jinsoul stand as well. Sooyoung isn’t surprised when Jinsoul brings them chest to chest. Sooyoung glares at her, “you’ve been ignoring me.” Jinsoul is too busy staring at her lips. The blonde slightly shakes her head before darting her eyes up to meet her own. 

“No, you’ve been the one acting weird.” Jinsoul’s eyes are dark and she doesn’t know for sure if she’s pissed or teasing her. Sooyoung leans closer and it’s way too close for just some teammates to be chatting with each other. She could feel how hot Jinsoul’s breath was on her lips, it was like steam.

Pressing a finger into Jinsoul’s chest she defends herself, “no you are.” 

Jinsoul’s face morphs into a more aggressive matter. “So you’re the one that’s not been talking to me and suddenly I’m acting weird. How would you know since you’ve haven’t even paid attention to me?” Sooyoung’s temper starts to bubble. She was too stubborn to let Jinsoul win this argument because the girl was obviously right. Maybe Jinsoul was reading it the right way, actually leaving her alone as if that’s what she wanted.

So instead of being mature, she takes a low jab, “sorry I just don’t want to get between you and your fiancé since I’m only your best friend.” She knows she’s pissed Jinsoul when the blonde’s eyes widen and her face goes red. That night Jinsoul made it very clear that Sooyoung was above him and she believed for the most part.

“Grow up Sooyoung,” Jinsoul scoffs and brushes past her and walks towards the nets. Practice was going to be interesting today. She follows after Jinsoul slinging her arm around her when she’s close enough to her. Jinsoul tries to push her off but her hand lingers on her tummy when Sooyoung doesn’t let her break free. 

Smiling with her teeth she mocks Jinsoul, “I was only kidding god you don’t have to get so worked up.” The hand on her tummy becomes a lot more active as Jinsoul rubs her thumb over her skin, digging her nails into her skin. It makes Sooyoung bite her lip at the feeling, she’s really missed Jinsoul. Ever since the fight at the party, they haven’t been the same. 

Jinsoul is definitely pissed at the mention of Kwon. She would hate herself if Sooyoung actually thought that. “You’re being annoying.” Sooyoung is finally pushed away. She lets Jinsoul do it because she wasn’t for she could handle the faint touch anymore, Jinsoul’s touch always made her hotter than the sun. 

“I think you like it.” Sooyoung hopes the red tint on Jinsoul’s cheek is from her comment and not the heat. Stretching her muscles out she grunts when her bones pop making Jinsoul stare over at her. Sooyoung makes sure she’s doing the most, liking the way Jinsoul’s eyes hood over. It’s your job to ruin that. “I know you’d rather be getting married to me instead.” Jinsoul’s face falls and Sooyoung laughs when the blonde’s face turns red as a tomato. 

The next thing Sooyoung knows is Jinsoul is smacking her in the chest so she just pulls Jinsoul closer by the waist laughing even harder when the blonde squirms in her arms. Sooyoung is having fun until the whistle blows making her jump away from her teammate. Coach V is standing there with her arms crossed, “girl time over.” 

Sighing out she gets ready to sweat her off since her coach didn’t look too happy. At least she had Jinsoul smiling, that’s all that mattered.   

…

The local pawn shop had a lot of goodies, things that Chaewon liked. Currently, she was with Sooyoung’s twin sisters the both of them playing with old katanas while the store owner was visibly getting irritated by the three of them. Chaewon was getting iced out. Many crackheads would come in and sell the jewelry they stole from family members and she took advantage of that. Now every finger had a ring and she had on two gold chains. 

“Hey little girl, don’t you think that’s a bit much for you?” Chaewon gives him the dirtiest look imaginable as she hears something crashing behind her. The man seemed unfazed as he continued to have a stare down with the small blonde.

Chaewon opens to show off her grillz, “ I’m up in here like two chainz what you mean it’s a bit too much, that gut you packing a bit too much.” He frowns at her as she hands him the small black card she stole from her dad. It’s not like he paid much attention to these things anyways. When she’s paying for her items the two girls behind her come up begging for the swords as well. 

Her lips are a little jutted from the oversized jewels in her teeth but she tries to smile only to come off as evil. Yerim looks the other direction and Chaewon buys the swords as well. She waves the man goodbye before flipping him off when he waves back laughing as she walks through the barred up doors. Walking up to Kirby she misses the pink color it used to have. Now it was a basic black because she was wanted by the police right now and riding round in a bubblegum whip was way too obvious. 

Pulling her keys out she waves them in front of the girls, “either of you got a license?” Both of them shake their head no. “Who wanna drive, I gotta roll one.” Hyejoo jumps at the chance and snatches the keys out of her hand, leaving Yerim to pout. Chaewon smiles which again is off-putting while she wraps an arm around the girl. “Come on you can smoke with me in the back.” 

Yerim giggles and smacks her on the arm, “nah Chae I’m good you know I ain’t with it like that.” 

The blonde frowns and goes to open the back door, “come on lame smoke me out.” Yerim internally battles with herself before getting in the back with her. She had formally corrupted Sooyoung. The girl hated partying so it was a struggle to get her to start smoking weed. But once she had started Sooyoung had quickly become her favorite person to pass a blunt with. Chaewon had Hyejoo smoking with her since the girl was fourteen, she knew that one would probably become a stoner with the way she ate takis and squirt cheese while playing video games all day.

After Yerim, it was Heejin and Hyunjin she was going to convert. It wouldn’t take Heejin much because if she got Hyunjin to do it the shorter girl would totally follow her without a single complaint. Rolling up the windows since she had the top on she reaches in the front where Hyejoo was messing with all the car’s buttons, Chaewon opens up the glove department and pulls out her favorite thing in the world.

Putting it up to her lips she lights the tips and inhales deeply, before passing it to Yerim. The girl hesitates before bringing it to mouth and doing the same. Chaewon giggles as the girl chokes up, “the more you cough the higher you’ll get.” Hyejoo was speeding through town, serving in lanes and running stop signs. Chaewon was way too high to even notice. 

“Man I can’t see in here,” Hyejoo grumbles at the smoke accumulating in the car. The girl’s in the back giggling as she slows the car to a crawl. Hyejoo was getting second hand faded from the hot-boxing and she was afraid she was going too fast. Chaewon tells her to pull into a car lot so they can just chill. Rolling up to the toll booth Chaewon rolls down her tinted window and the smoke rolls out in waves making the young women in the booth cough.

“Sorry, it’s incense ma’am aha ha…” The woman curses at her while she takes the money. But she still lets them through since she didn’t want to deal with it. Once they’re parked they get out to go sit on the edge of the concrete so they can look out onto the city. Yerim is being quiet as Hyejoo and Chaewon chat it up like they always do. Chaewon knows if the girl was a bit older they would bestie’s because the younger wasn’t annoying like Sooyoung.

Hyejoo glances at her sister, “yo is she stuck?” Chaewon takes five minutes to catch on and does a 360 before finding Yerim swaying back and forth, her eyes glued to the pavement. Hyejoo giggles and pushes on her twin, “she’s gone, bro!”

Chaewon claps her hands together as she laughs. After getting the giggles out they both shake on the girl making her lowly groan out. “Stoooop it the earth is moving. I can feel it moving.” Chaewon shares a look with Hyejoo before they both burst out into laughter limping over to the edge. They weren’t far from the ground only a level.

The blonde watched all the people walk around while the girl beside her made fun of most of them, “isn’t that Yeojin’s sister?” Chaewon hums and squints down at the ground. Her eyes widen when she spots her sister’s nasty man with two hotties beside him. There was a girl with a bob and a taller girl with long freshly dyed black hair.

When she recognizes the girls she screams, “ es!” Storming to her car she opens it up to pop the trunk. Going to the back she gets her high tech military scope out that was decorated in Shiba Inu stickers. Walking back to the edge she spies on the three. The girls were all over him and it was making Chaewon’s skin crawl.

Haseul and Doyeon had both ed with Sooyoung before and she knew this was no coincidence. They were either out to get her sister because of the almighty Deangle berry or they were out to get Sooyoung. Cursing again she turns around ready to round the girl’s up and go give them a piece of her mind. Only for Yerim to be missing. Yelling out the girl’s name she panics and looks back down. They were all getting into a fancy sports car. 

Chaewon shakes her head, she’d catch them next time. 

…

Guzzling down the rest of Jinsoul’s water she sighs contently before handing the container back to the blonde, “thanks, babes.” Jinsoul only nods her head while staring at the water droplets running down . Smiling she grabs on to the girl’s shoulder, “you wanna come over tonight? Maybe wind down a bit.” She finishes the sentence with a wink making Jinsoul blush.   

Practice was hard since it was extremely hot and now there was only four of them. Coach V had them running drills and scrimmaging the whole time so it was safe to say Sooyoung was exhausted. “We can do anything you’d like.” Hyunjin had come up beside them as Jiwoo said goodbye to them while packing Jungeun off like a baby. Jinsoul was visibly shaking, Sooyoung doesn’t know if it’s from the heat or from the constant bickering they did during practice.

Jinsoul was annoyed with her, she kept switching back and forth from teasing and flirting. She doesn’t know if they blonde even liked it or not. “Anything?” Sooyoung nods and steps closer straightening out her ponytail before letting it swing. 

The blonde can’t take it. Sooyoung was being too much right now. The ponytail was making her ears more noticeable while her jawline and neck were on display, her collar bones poking out from her small shirt that was sticking to her skin from all the sweat. Jinsoul found her…almost appetizing. And her attitude wasn’t helping any either.

During practice, Sooyoung had constantly coached her through what she was doing wrong while providing lingering touches that made the heat swirl in her stomach. She couldn’t help but bite back making Sooyoung’s attitude even worse. It was safe to say Jinsoul hasn’t been this since the night at the club when she was sandwiched in between Sooyoung and a good friend of hers from high school.  

Jinsoul remembered how good it felt to have Sooyoung’s hands all over her when she was so sensitive from the high. Her body was buzzing at that moment and the girl’s hands had been so dangerously close to where she had always fantasized it being. It didn’t help when Sooyoung had kissed her so sensually when pulling her close while grinding her hips into her.

She swears she can still feel the pillow-like lips on hers. She couldn’t wait to do it again.   

“Okay, fine let’s go.” Sooyoung shrieks and bounces a bit. Jinsoul stares at her as she does so. Snapping her fingers she brings the girl’s gaze back up to her face. What can she say? Her body always got her what she wanted. Grabbing onto the girl’s arm she lets Jinsoul her to the jeep while talking to her sister who was, of course, tagging along. 

Jinsoul seems tense so Sooyoung softly rubs on her back while whispering to her, “Soulie did you work yourself too hard today?” The blonde side-eyes her as she continues, “I can give you a massage when we get home?” Jinsoul yells out and stops them. Sooyoung and Hyunjin stare at her with concerned looks on their faces. Why was Jinsoul acting so weird? Sooyoung mumbles out, sliding her hand on the blonde’s arm, “okay…um, we can take an ice bath?”

The girl is fumbling for her keys, “t-together?” Sooyoung only nods and she swears she sees Jinsoul’s eyes gloss over before the girl goes to get in the driver’s seat.  

“What’s up with her?” Hyunjin grumbles out and Sooyoung shrugs before calling shotgun. Hopping in the front with Jinsoul she sighs as her sweaty body comes in contact with the leather seat. Though she’s still not comfortable because of the person beside her. Jinsoul is way too proper with the way she drives when usually she has a foot propped up on a seat and her body leaned into the door. Maybe it was because Hyunjin was in here she was being extra cautious. 

Sooyoung is taking in the chill air from the vents when her sister pans out, “I’m going to hang out with by boo later so you’ll have the room to yourself for…you know what.” Sooyoung gives her a thumbs up until she realizes what her sister just implied. Turning around she goes to grab her sister who has covered cracking up. Sooyoung glances at Jinsoul who at first seems like she didn’t get it or was even paying attention but with the blush on her neck and cheeks she definitely did.  

“Oh come on don’t act like that Sooyoung I know you and Jinsoul are ing on the low low.” Sooyoung is about to pull her hair out when she hears Jinsoul whimper beside her. Yes, she was flirting with her, but she didn’t want to make it so obvious that it made her uncomfortable.

Smacking her sister on the leg she screams when Hyunjin hits back, “she has a fiancé! We’re not ing stop being weird!” Hyunjin sees the panic in her eyes and quickly shuts up. Sooyoung turns around and apologizes to Jinsoul who is latched onto the steering wheel for dear life. Palming her face Sooyoung internally screams, why couldn’t Hyunjin keep shut?

Jinsoul wants to yell too, but she knows it would be wasted breath. She was going crazy at the fact that she and Sooyoung could be in her room together…alone when she was this , so much that she felt it soaking her . Maybe she’d just listen to Chaewon and secretly…Jinsoul stops herself when she hears Sooyoung tell her sister that she has a fiancé. It ruined the whole vibe, that Sooyoung knew there was a boundary. 

The car ride becomes awkward. Even more so when Hyunjin calls up her girlfriend, “hey bae,” Sooyoung looks out the window while eavesdropping on her sister. She hates how she’s even more of a player than she is, “shawty waya doin right now?” Sooyoung stifles a laugh as her younger sister starts to lay the moves on thick. 

Sooyoung thinks it’s cute until she becomes the topic of discussion, “you know how I said I thought sis was freak’n with Jinsoul?” Sooyoung actually screams this time but with closed. “Well, they’re not actually! Jinsoul getting married.” Jinsoul pulls to a stop since they’re at an intersection and the light was red making the situation more awkward, “yeah for real! I thought Soo was getting some.” 

Breathing out slowly she looks at Jinsoul who has her eyes closed, glancing up she notices the light is green so she reaches over to grab onto the girl’s thigh. She didn’t know she’d get the reaction she got. Jinsoul knotted her brows together and sighed out before opening both and eyes to gaze down. “Umm, the light green.” Jinsoul nods and starts to drive again. Sooyoung goes to pull her hand away but another doesn’t allow her too. She keeps her eyes on the spot where Jinsoul has her hand trapped.

Sooyoung makes an O with lips when she watches the blonde’s legs spread a bit more, “oh…damn.” She doesn’t mean to speak out but she keeps her hand there when Jinsoul goes back to driving with both hands. The girl’s skin is way too hot and soft and Sooyoung can’t help but knead the flesh underneath her palm. Rubbing up and down slowly she stares at how tense Jinsoul’s throat is. Sooyoung has never seen something more mouthwatering when Jinsoul swallows making it bobble up and down. The way she wants to just lean over and nibble on that jawline of Jinsoul’s. Laughing at herself she turns her head to the side and plays it off by looking out the window.

The way she wished she could just inch her hand up a little further, to test out how sensitive Jinsoul was. To see if she would squirm from her touch. Jinsoul was sweaty and a little sticky from practice but that made Sooyoung want to it all off, head to toe. She knows she’d enjoy the taste of saltiness on her tongue if she dragged in on the insides of Jinsoul’s-, “okay byeee love you I’ll see you in a min.” Sooyoung jerks her hand away from Jinsoul’s thigh and puts it back on her own lap. 

She didn’t even dare to look over. Sooyoung had no idea what that was, but she smiles at what it could have been. 

It’s not too much longer until they make it home all of them stumbling out of the car from being exhausted. Jinsoul doesn’t even wait for them as she slips inside. Hyunjin comes up to Sooyoung who is still getting her things out of the back hatch, “you’re such a bird…” Rolling her eyes she slams the door down.

“At least I ain’t with a pick me.” Hyunjin scoffs and pushes her on the shoulders making her bags slip out of her hands.

“Heejin isn’t a pick me.”

“Oh really? Jeon Heejin, country-side girl that likes boy bands suddenly listens to RnB and the blues?” Hyunjin is in denial so she shakes her head. “The same girl who bought a cat, for which she is allergic to when you said you liked cats more than dogs?” Hyunjin clicks her tongue and waves her off. “The girl who said she baked you a cake but it was from the damn store? Heejin ain’t a pick me?”

“Man shut up,” Sooyoung smirks as her sister gives up walking inside. Following her in, she goes up the stairs instead of the kitchen where her aunt and Hyunjin is. Slipping in her room she gives Jinsoul who is face down in her pillow a weird look. Crawling closer to the girl she puts her hand on her shoulder.  

Shaking her she only receives a groan in response, “come on let’s get into some ice.”

Jinsoul raises her head from her pillow, “uhm, n-? Are we going to be ?” Sooyoung blinks a few times. Was Jinsoul being serious?

“No? Are you crazy we’ll just do it in our clothes right now.” Jinsoul nods and almost looks disappointed which confuses Sooyoung. Did she want to get …ignoring the images in her head and the dull ache starting to form in her lower region she guides Jinsoul back down the stairs to their non-working bathroom. Plugging up the drain she tells Jinsoul to wait right there while she fetches the ice bag in the kitchen, ignoring the stares from her Granma, aunt and sister and bucket to get the water from the hose in the yard. 

Jinsoul watches her closes as she prepares the tub. The water was already cool and the ice made it even colder. When it was ready Sooyoung was the first to plunge in. “Ah that’s so cold.” 

The blonde stands up and smiles down at her, “well duh you thought it would be warm?” Sooyoung curses at the giggling girl and splashes some of the water on her making the small laughs turn into screams.

Jinsoul slowly lowers herself as well their legs connecting under the ice and water since the tub wasn’t that big anyway. Sooyoung sits on one end while Jinsoul is on the other their knees knocking together as they get situated. Sooyoung lets herself relax and slides in further. Ready to take a mental break from all the busy thoughts today.

Until she heard chattering teeth, “Jinsoul shut up!” 

“B-b-but I’m so c-kh-cooold” Opening one eye up she stares at the girl in front of who’s nose was already red and cheeks flushed.  

Sighing in frustration she opens up her body, “come here, I’ll keep you warm.” Jinsoul hesitates at first but soon enough she’s sloshing over to her. Sooyoung holds Jinsoul close to her and she feels her chest open up with a new found warmth when Jinsoul snuggles her face into her neck. Drawing circles in the girl’s back she quietly whispers out almost afraid of saying it, “you know how much I love you right?”   

She can feel her nod against the crook of her neck and small hands go to grab at the fabric of her wet shirt. Sooyoung tangles their legs together and wraps her arms all the way around the small shaking body against her. Squishing her cheek against Jinsoul’s forehead she takes in how nice this really feels. Just being this close to Jinsoul. It was her most favorite feeling in the entire world. Rubbing her cheek against the greasy forehead she mumbles out shyly, “I don’t want you to get married Jinsoul.”

Sooyoung hears the gasp underneath her and she thinks she’s gone too far until hands wrap around her as well. “You know I don’t either, at least not to him. I don’t love him Sooyoung. It’s just what Dr. Jung wants.” Sooyoung squeezes the body in her grip. She hated Jinsoul’s father. Jinsoul and Chaewon weren’t even allowed to call him dad. The man had always been cold, even colder than the ice they were sitting in right now.

Her father had raised Jinsoul, both of them. Chaewon more than Jinsoul though. That was until he passed away and it had broken all of them. Sooyoung looked up to her father more than anyone, just like Jinsoul had. “That’s not what you want though, that’s the only thing that should matter.” Jinsoul sniffles and raises up from her little safe haven she found in the comfort of Sooyoung’s body. Sooyoung raises her hand up from where it was resting on Jinsoul’s waist to brush the loose blonde hairs out of the girl’s face. 

“Whatever I want?” Sooyoung nods her head slowly, staring into Jinsoul eyes that were so dark and light at the same time. She can’t recall the last time she’s seen something this beautiful. She swears she sees the stars in them when Jinsoul breaks out into a breathtaking smile. She was pretty sure she just saw her teeth sparkle. Sooyoung feels her heart flutter away when Jinsoul softly speaks out, “And what if I’m looking at her?” 

Biting her lip she breaks the stare down because she thought her heart might burst from the pressure if she stared any longer. “If that’s what you really want then…I won’t stop you.” This was everything she’s ever needed. Jinsoul was everything. 

Jinsoul giggles out a melody as she goes back down to rest her head against her chest. “It’ll always be you Sooyoung.” She wonders if Jinsoul can hear her heart drumming against her chest. Probably so because the girl wiggles against her making the ice shake. They may have been freezing their asses off but Sooyoung knows she’s never felt warmer than she did in this moment.

“Also I want to get out of this freaking ice…”

Sooyoung laughs at the blonde, her eyes scrunching up in happiness. They spend the night talking about the past. How they used to keep warm by a kerosene heater because they didn’t have a unit in the house. Huddled close together underneath a blanket with cups of coco in their hands. Jinsoul could have easily stayed her home where there were multiple heating units. But she wanted to be by Sooyoung’s side.   

There Jinsoul understood what it was really like to have a family, with her sister and the Ha family surrounded by her.

Jinsoul was closely snuggled against her underneath the sheets when the blonde reminded her of the day they were taught how to swim by Sooyoung’s father. He had taken them to the beach where no one went and threw them in while saving them if they started to drown. Sooyoung was a quick learner so she started to save Jinsoul instead. They then began swimming every day, floating on their backs whenever they found the perfect spot where the waves didn’t break.

Sooyoung recalls a more recent memory. When they were only twelve, they had ventured out into the forest like they always did one summer night. Sooyoung dragged her best-friend through the trees while the younger girl groaned behind her struggling to keep her oversized glasses on. The crickets chirping in the darkness the moonlight only making things visible.

They had ran into the field and held up the jars they brought as they collected the fireflies that were everywhere. It was one of Jinsoul’s favorite things because the little bugs reminded of her of the stars which she had come to love. Sooyoung caught as many as she could using her speed to capture them while Jinsoul took a more careful approach but still ending up more clumsy than the rowdier girl. 

She’d held her jar up for Jinsoul smiling with her front teeth as the flickering lights reflected onto the girl’s glasses making drop in awe, her eyes round as she took in the amazing light show. Jinsoul would then smile at her just the same. Except her teeth were much straighter. They watched the tiny bugs a bit longer, using them as lanterns as they walked across the field to find a place to sit and stargaze. Sooyoung then would release them to the sky and watch them become stars as well as they flew up.    

Jinsoul had laid there beside her when she found something interesting beside their bodies, Sooyoung stills remembered the girl’s face when she held it up.

“Look Soobunny it’s a wild strawberry!”

Jinsoul found more and made her try it, she hated the bitter taste of them but the girl seemed to love it. Sooyoung had always been told she was a rotten kid so maybe that’s why Jinsoul stuck around her. Because she found sweetness in the sourest things. 

But then Sooyoung ended up liking the taste when she tried it from Jinsoul’s lips. It was their first kiss. It was what made Sooyoung realize Jinsoul wasn’t just some girl who had her head in the clouds and cried over a fly getting hurt. Jinsoul wasn’t just some shy kid that couldn’t see very well. She wasn’t just her best friend. Sooyoung had found her the person that her father said she’d find one day. That person that made her want to love. Sooyoung fluttered her eyes open then, her heart pounding to the beat of the world while she glanced at Jinsoul’s lips covered in red juice and a few seeds.  

Jinsoul was all of that and more…so much more. She had always been everything to Sooyoung since the day they met as just small toddlers. But it had just taken the moonlight from tonight for Sooyoung to see it. How much she loved Jinsoul.

The girl who had a small bitter fruit smushed on her fingertips, bringing them to her lips to create some more natural lip balm that Sooyoung was eager to try as well. Not on herself of course. 

But by kissing Jinsoul. Underneath the stars, where it seemed like it was only them. And it would always be only them.

Sooyoung learned to love the taste of wild strawberries.

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The end of this chapter