A/N I’m actually tearing up thank you everyone who left such sweet comments! Here’s the second chapter I fell asleep last night in the middle of uploading it LMAO

............

 

Yena couldn’t believe her eyes. The universe thought it was sooo funny, didn’t it? She wanted to curl up into a ball. What did she do to deserve this?

 

‘Right. Haha. Hi! Jo Yuri!’ Yena said. She wanted to facepalm so bad. Why was she so awkward? Oh that’s right, she’s pretty much in love with Jo Yuri.

 

Yena didn’t notice that Yuri was staring at her expectantly.

 

‘And, you are?’ Yuri asked after a few moments of silence.

 

‘O-oh. Right! Sorry! My name!’ Yena said. She stood up and stuck her hand out for Yuri to shake. Stupid duck, who even shakes hands nowadays? But there was no turning back anyways as Yuri was already shaking her hand and Yena swore she was about to explode because she was freaking out over how nice Yuri’s hand felt.

 

The two stood awkwardly in front of each other for a few seconds.

 

‘So… what is your name?’ Yuri said when they finished shaking hands.

 

‘Right! I forgot again. Choi Yena, at your service.’ She bowed like a knight. It was a habit of Yena to do things like this when she was nervous. Thankfully Yuri, seemed amused. In fact, she even played along.

 

‘Hi.’ Yuri curtsied back with a giggle.

 

All would have been fine, had Yena not done… the thing.

 

‘Sometimes my friends call me duck cause I have lips like a duck and because I can do this.’ She said.

 

Then she violently started to shake her head while blowing out of to imitate a duck. Yuri was shocked at the sudden movement. She flinched back slightly and opened in shock, kind of like the surprised hamster meme.

 

When she finished her duck impression, Yena was absolutely mortified.

 

She was ready to just run away and never look back.

 

But then Yuri giggled.

 

And then her giggle turned into a full blown laugh.

 

Her laugh echoed through the room and Yena didn’t know how it was possible but she fell in love all over again.

 

Everything about Yuri’s voice was angelic! Her singing, her talking and now even her laugh? Yena had no idea how someone could have been this perfect.

 

‘I like you already, Choi Yena.’ Yuri smiled.

 

Oh God. Even her smile was the most beautiful thing ever. Yena knew that she was in trouble.

 

Before Yena could reply, the door burst open with Yujin walking in with Kang Hyewon and some of her friends. One of the girls immediately ran up to Yuri and pulled her in for a hug.

 

‘Eunbi unnie and Sakuraunnie are running a little late. But either way, let’s get this party started!’ Yujin whooped.

 

Yena snuck a glance at Yuri only to find that Yuri was already looking at her and smiling.

 

Mayhaps the universe didn’t hate her as much as she thought.

 

…………….

 

Scratch that. The universe hated her.

 

The karaoke session was going fine, Yujin and Chaeyeon got everyone loosened up by starting with Solo by Jennie. They were then followed by two more girls (Yena found out they were called Hitomi and Nako) singing What Is Love? by Twice. Eventually it led to everyone in stitches because they were able to force Hyewon to sing a trot song with the last two girls (who Yena vaguely recognised as Sakura and Eunbi from the dance team).

 

Yena and Yuri were the only ppl who haven’t sung yet.

 

‘Okay guys,’ Eunbi leaned back onto the couch, ‘let’s bring down the mood now. I’m puffed out.’

 

‘Hag.’ Chaeyeon muttered next to her and Eunbi slapped the back of her head.

 

MC Yujin grabbed the microphone. ‘Yena unnie! Time for you to sing!’

 

Yena started to fake cough. ‘I’m sick.’

 

Yujin rolled her eyes and punched in some numbers into the karaoke machine.

 

‘Everyone! This is Yena’s go to karaoke song!’

 

Everyone oohed when they saw the song. It was Nostalgia by Davichi.

 

Nako clapped her hands. ‘This is Yuri’s song too!’

 

Nako’s comment caused a chorus of everyone chanting ‘Duet! Duet!’ towards Yena and Yuri. Yena caught Yuri’s eye and she just shrugged and smiled. Everyone cheered when Yena stood up and grabbed both of the mics.

 

‘Shall we?’

 

Yena bent down slightly so that their faces were a little bit closer together. With her hand outstretched and holding the microphone, she smiled softly at Yuri.

 

It was the first time the two actually locked eyes. The sound of everyone’s cheers faded as Yuri shyly looked away from Yena and at the ground, hiding her face behind her hands.

 

Yena’s smile faltered slightly. I guess she doesn’t want to sing with me.

 

‘Aw. Come on, Yuri.’ Hitomi sighed.

 

‘No, it’s okay.’ Yena said. ‘Don’t force her.’

 

The song started and Yena immediately went to sing the first verse.

 

Unlike the other songs beforehand, everyone was quiet and attentive to Yena’s voice as the song was slower and sadder.

 

Yena could feel Yuri looking at her as she was singing but Yena kept her gaze on the screen in front of her. She knew this song inside out but her eyes were trained on the lyrics, because she knew that if she paid attention to Yuri she would stuff up.

 

All was going fine until she felt a hand tug at the second microphone in her hands. Yena looked down and caught sight of the tender fingers brushing against hers, sending shivers down her spine.

 

She looked up at the culprit in surprise. Yuri was shyly singing the next part, her gaze trained on Yena as her honey voice filled the room. Yena couldn’t find it in herself to look away all the while Yuri was singing.

 

It was like that first night she heard Yuri singing, but multiplied by 100.

 

Hearing Yuri sing was one thing, but actually having her physically standing in front of her while singing? Yena felt like the gates of heaven have opened up before her.

 

Seeing the passion Yuri exuded into the song sent Yena’s heart into a frenzy. Her soft gaze and her pretty smile was enough to give Yena a heart attack.

 

Yena finally looked away when it was time to sing her next part and for the rest of the song, they didn’t lock gazes again. When one person would sing the other would look at them. But they never looked at the same time. Yena couldn’t bring it in herself to look the other girl in the eye.

 

But then the last chorus came.

 

Yuri started to sing high notes and ad libs and Yena was so captivated she couldn’t help but stare at the other girl while they sang.

 

And when the last line came and Yuri locked eyes with Yena, Yena couldn’t find it in herself to look away.

 

Both of them. To be exact.

 

But then the moment was broken by everyone cheering loudly from behind them and Yena immediately broke the eye contact to shyly turn to the rest of group and bow.

 

………...

 

(She didn’t notice but after she looked away, Yuri still gazed at her a little bit longer.)

 

………..

 

‘Hey, Nako.’

 

‘Yes, Hiichan?’

 

‘Are you seeing it, too?’

 

‘Hiichan, I’m pretty sure everyone in that karaoke room saw it.’

 

‘Everyone but them.’

 

‘Yeah. Just give it time.’

 

…………

 

The Tuesday after the karaoke session, found Yena plopping herself onto her back with a sigh. Morning lectures were the worst.

 

Why did I choose a class at 8:30am? And why did it have to be so far away from the dorms?

 

It was halfway into the lecture and Yena suddenly felt the urge to get some fresh air. She had found a shady spot under the tree and she was splayed out like a starfish on the grass.

 

I should not have stayed up until 4am playing Apex. Stupid duck. Stupid Sakura too.

 

At the karaoke bang, Sakura and Yena found out that they both play the same video games and instantly bonded. They played together the entire weekend.

 

Sakura didn’t have class on the Tuesday, and even though Yena knew she had a morning class she still played, anyways.

 

It didn’t help that Yena was having trouble with this certain class, anyways. Everyone else found it so easy but she just can’t seem to get it. Sitting in that lecture always left her frustrated and she’d always feel down and mentally drained by the end of the day. Tuesdays just weren’t her day.

 

She groaned.

 

Then she started to thrash her body in a little tantrum on the grass. She even let out a tiny whine.

 

You could imagine how strange it looked seeing a grown woman violently shaking on the ground in the midst of a full blown tantrum.

 

So you could also imagine the horror when Yena heard a familiar voice speak from above her.

 

‘Yena unnie? Is that you?’

 

Yena froze her tantrum.

 

Yena thought her day couldn’t possibly get any worse. In her rush to get ready this morning she didn’t put on any makeup, nor did she shower. She also managed to spill her hot chocolate onto herself and now there’s chocolate stains all down her white hoodie.

 

And now Jo Yuri probably just saw her throwing a tantrum in the middle of the campus.

 

Yena sat up quickly, hitting her head on the tree in the process.

 

‘Yah!’’ She rubbed her head and she punched the tree with her free hand.

 

Of course, tree barks were hard.

 

Yena’s hand? Was not.

 

So, of course it hurt.

 

‘OW!’ Yena let out a howl, clutching her hand close to her chest.

 

Yuri rushed over to Yena and knelt next to her.

 

‘Unnie!’ She cradled Yena’s hand in her own. ‘Oh no, it’s bleeding.’

 

Yena quickly removed her hands from Yuri’s, hiding it behind her back.

 

‘It’s okay! I’m tough. It doesn’t hurt.’ Yena said, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

 

Yuri giggled. ‘Okay, tough guy. But we still need to clean the wound. What are you doing, right now?’

 

‘I’m in the middle of class.’ Yena replied.

 

Yuri glanced around the empty area. The only things around them were trees and grass. ‘Class? But, where’s the rest of your classmates? Or your teacher?’

 

Yena shook her head. ‘Inside. I just left to take a break.’

 

Yuri nodded. ‘I see. Class getting you a bit frustrated?’

 

‘Yes! How did you know?’ Yena threw her hands in the air in exasperation.

 

‘I saw you throwing a tantrum earlier.’

 

Yena was mortified. (Part two).

 

‘I- I wasn’t throwing a tantrum!’ Yena exclaimed. ‘I’m in 3rd year uni! I don’t throw tantrums anymore! What am I? A child? I’m an adult!’

 

(It is best to note, that she said all this whilst throwing a tantrum.)

 

‘Okay then, adult. What were you doing, then?’ Yuri crossed her arms.

 

‘...excercising?’

 

………….

 

A few minutes later, after more arguing, Yena finally gave in to Yuri.

 

(‘Please, let me clean your wounds.’ ‘No, I have class. Wait. I have class! This is perfect!’)

 

The way Yena saw it, it was a win win situation for her. Not only did she have an actual excuse to ditch class but she got to spend extra time with Jo Yuri. Alone.

 

What she didn’t expect was that she’d end up in Yuri’s dorm room.

 

Yena was perched on Yuri’s bed, dabbing her hand with antiseptic cream. Every time she’d dab her wound she’d scrunch up her face and hiss. Yuri was watching across from her on her roommate’s bed.

 

‘No offence, but you’re kind of a .’ Yuri giggled when Yena let out an annoyed YA YA YA. ‘I mean, what kind of person punches a tree?’

 

Yena opened a bandaid and started to attempt trying to put it on with one hand. Yuri giggled again while watching her struggling.

 

‘Apparently, me.’ Yena sighed. She stared dejectedly at her sorry attempt at placing the band aid around her finger. ‘Can you help me, please?’

 

Yuri rolled her eyes, laughing for the millionth time today. She opened a fresh bandaid and attempted to wrap it around Yena’s finger. However, the bandaid slid right off.

 

Yena and Yuri both stared at the bandaid.

 

‘Who were you calling a earlier?’

 

‘I’m only doing this cause you can’t put one on yourself, loser.’

 

‘Yeah, but you have two hands for that, LOSER.’

 

‘Shut up, I’m not the one who punched a tree.’

 

…….

 

After that, Yena and Yuri started to hang out more and more. Yena always found herself taking the longer way back to her dorm and this time, she’d always seem to run into Yuri. It was almost as if the girl was trying to be found on purpose.

 

(She lowkey was.)

 

The longer they hung out, the more Yena fell for Yuri.

 

Soon enough, Yena and Yuri were hanging out in Yena’s dorm room for the first time. Yena wanted to show her how to play pubg.

 

Yuri was pretty interested in what Yena had to say, not that she understood any of it especially when Yena started talking about the mechanics of each gun and game tactics.

 

Somewhere between her first and second game, Yuri started to snuggle her head onto Yena’s shoulder.

 

In the middle of Yena’s third game however, the door suddenly opened.

 

‘Hey, roomie- oh.’

 

Yena and Yuri turned to the door to see Chaewon with one arm around a clingy Minjoo.

 

‘Chaewon-unnie!’ Yuri jumped from her seat. She bowed politely to Minjoo. ‘Hello, I’m Yuri.’

 

‘Minjoo.’ Minjoo softly bowed back with a shy smile but kept an arm around Chaewon’s waist. When she finished bowing she snuggled back up into Chaewon’s side.

 

‘Hi.’ Chaewon said. ‘I just need to get something.’

 

Yena gave her a thumbs up while Yuri still stood there staring at the couple awkwardly.

 

‘Actually um, Yuri do you think you’d be able to get my wallet from under my bed, please?’

 

Yuri nodded furiously. ‘O-oh, sure okay! I’ll get it.’ She got on her knees and her head disappeared under the bed.

 

Just then in Yena’s game, someone hiding in the grass with a ghillie suit sniped Yena, killing her. She slammed her fist onto her desk. ‘Stupid cowardly snakes.’  

 

‘Here you go!’ Yuri gave Chaewon her wallet with a smile.

 

‘Yah! You have legs, why are you getting her to do it?’ Yena asked, still buzzing from the last game and forgetting momentarily that she was indeed kind of scared of Chaewon.

 

Chaewon blushed slightly but recomposed herself, not before glancing quickly at Minjoo.

 

Minjoo gasped and lightly hit Chaewon’s arm.

 

‘I told you! You’re a softie, admit it~’ Minjoo girlfriend. Chaewon huffed and let go of Minjoo quickly, but still kept close to her.

 

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’ Chaewon deadpanned.

 

‘I’m lost, too.’ Yena said and Yuri nodded in agreement.

 

Minjoo poked Chaewon’s cheek. ‘She didn’t want to get her wallet because she didn’t want to let go of me.’ She giggled.

 

‘Whatever. Let’s go, Minjoo.’ She grabbed her wrist and dragged Minjoo out.

 

‘Bye! Nice to meet you!’ Was the last thing they heard from a smiley Minjoo before the door slammed close.

 

Yena put her headphones back on. ‘What a tsundere.’ She laughed, expecting Yuri to laugh along. When she didn’t hear anything she turned to see that the girl was just staring sadly at the door.

 

‘Yuri ah.’ Yena called softly. No response. She tried to cutely use her nickname she made for her. ‘Joyul~’ (This is the author speaking but imagine that acting thing Yena, Yujin and Yuri did in Izone chu S1 where Yena pinched Yuri’s cheeks and said ‘Joyul~’)

 

Then she heard soft sniffling from Yuri and Yena’s smile faded. She quickly stood up, abandoning her head phones and her game to grab Yuri’s hand and spin her around.

 

Her heart broke seeing the younger girl’s watery eyes.

 

‘She’s so pretty.’ Yuri’s said shakily.

 

Crap. I forgot about Yuri’s crush on Chaewon.

 

‘Yuri I’m so sorry! I forgot to tell you Chaewon was my roommate, it completely slipped my mind.’ Yena said. ‘But can I just say, you crying over how pretty Chaewon is is the biggest mood ever and now that I’m saying that I sound very insensitive sorry-‘

 

‘I’m not talking about Chaewon.’ Yuri shook her head. ‘Well, I mean she IS pretty but it’s not her i’m sad about.’

 

‘Who, then?’ Yena rubbed some of Yuri’s tears away. ‘Minjoo?’

 

Yuri nodded and buried her head in Yena’s chest as more tears started to fall. Under any other circumstance, Yena would worry that Yuri will be able to feel just how fast Yena’s heart was racing, but right now Yena was more worried about Yuri crying.

 

‘O-oh Joyul. Don’t tell me you’ve fallen for Minjoo, too. ’ Yena hugged Yuri, patting her back softly. ‘Well, I guess I understand. Everyone has fallen for Minjoo at some point. She’s been dubbed the prettiest girl in the campus and she’s only a first year! Her visuals are like top tier so don’t worry, everyone likes her, you’re not alone.’

 

‘You’re not getting it.’ Yuri pulled away and rubbed at her eyes. Yena passed her some tissues.

 

‘Well, please explain.’ Yena said with an encouraging smile. She sat down cross legged on her bed and pat the spot in front of her. ‘I’m listening. Though I might not be able to give you much good advice but I give good hugs.’

 

Yuri felt the corner of her mouths lift up when she saw the way Yena was looking up at her. She was like an attentive puppy waiting for it’s owner to give it food.

 

‘It’s stupid.’

 

Yena pretended to punch the wall and screwed up her face in fake agony, referencing the time when she punched a tree. She felt satisfied when she heard Yuri giggle a little bit. ‘‘No, I’M stupid. I punched a tree, remember? You’re sad and if it makes you sad then it means it’s not stupid. Especially to me. You understand?’

 

Yuri nodded in defeat.  

 

‘So, explain it to me.’

 

Yuri looked down at the mattress and started to play with the crinkles on the blanket.

 

‘I like Chaewon. I mean, I thought I was over her but seeing her today made me realise how much I still like her.’

 

Yena smiled softly at her, even though inside she was breaking. She urged Yuri to continue.

 

‘And um, I don’t know. Seeing Minjoo… now I know why Chaewon rejected me for her.’

 

‘And that is?’

 

‘I’m not pretty enough.’

 

‘I- what?’

 

Yena’s mouth was open in shock. Did Yuri just say what she thought she say? Did she hear Yuri correctly?

 

‘Minjoo is gorgeous. You said so yourself, everyone thinks so. Everyone probably confessed to her. But I’m not. Pretty, that is.’

 

‘What? Yes you are! You’re beautiful!’

 

‘I’m not, but thank you, Yena.’

 

Yena jumped off of the bed to tower over Yuri. ‘Yuri, you’re so pretty! What the hell? Chaewon is just one girl and she is stupid for rejecting you. I know for a fact there is someone out there who likes you.’

 

Yuri laughed sadly, ‘well, until I hear them screaming to the campus that they like me, I won’t believe you.’

 

Yena huffed.

 

Now, Yena usually would make a lot of decisions in the blink of an eye. Sometimes it was a blessing, (some people would say she’s witty), other times it was a curse, (some people would say she was flat out stupid). Thinking too long was for mathematical things like science and engineering. But to think about the things you do? Yena didn’t know what that meant.

 

So when Yuri said what she said, Yena jumped up from the bed.

 

‘You know what? Stuff it.’ She made her way to her window and threw it open.

 

She decided to follow her feelings and her feelings at that moment was calling her to do something drastic.

 

‘Hey, everyone! My name is Choi Yena and I have an announcement!’ Yena yelled out the window, scaring a few people sitting in the gardens.

 

Yuri stretched her head to try and peer out the window to see if there were people there, listening.

 

‘Yena, what are you-‘

 

‘I like Jo Yuri!’

 

The single phrase echoed around the room and all throughout the gardens. Yuri’s breath hitched in . Some of the people sitting outside were staring up at Yena in shock. Others were whispering excitedly to their friends about how cute that was.

 

Then there was silence. Only the sound of Yena panting heavily from the window. Yena turned around and smiled satisfactorily at Yuri, dusting her hands together.

 

‘Do you believe me, now?’

 

Yuri waited for her heart to slow down. Then she laughed.

 

‘You ! You didn’t have to do that.’

 

‘But I did. I’ll keep doing it until you believe me when I say you’re beautiful.’ She went to yell out the window again but Yuri grabbed her arm to stop her.

 

‘Yena, you’re really sweet but I mean like a real confession. From someone who actually has a crush on me. You know, I heard from Hitomi, that she heard from her friend that she heard from HER friend that someone heard me singing to Chaewon and now I have a secret admirer.’

 

‘Well, there you go! You have a secret admirer. That should be enough to make you believe that you’re pretty.’

 

Yuri shook her head. ‘Still doesn’t work. For all I know, it could be fake. Until that person confesses to my face, I won’t believe it.’

 

Yena stared at Yuri. She was being way too complicated.

 

Yena had two options. Let Yuri win the argument and keep her identity safe, or reveal herself to prove to Yuri that she was beautiful.

 

In Yena’s mind, there was only one right option to choose.

 

‘Fine. If you’re gonna be like that then so be it.’ Yena crossed her arms.

 

Yuri smiled victoriously, stepping closer to Yena to smirk into her face.

 

‘I’m your secret admirer.’

 

Yuri’s smirk faltered for a second.

 

Then she let out a loud laugh.

 

‘Really? You’re laughing, right now?’ Yena said, feeling a little bit hurt.

 

‘Yena, I know you’re only doing this to make me think I’m pretty.’

 

‘You’re so frustrating!’ Yena grabbed her hair. She scrambled to find her phone. ‘Just hold on! Look at this.’

 

She scrolled through her conversations with Wonyoung. Thankfully since it was exam period for the High School, Wonyoung and Yena haven’t been texting much. Yena let out a cheer when she found the text messages of her panicking over Yuri.

 

‘Look at the date.’ She sat on the bed next to Yuri, handing her the phone. ‘This conversation dates back to Valentine’s Day.’

 

Yena watched as Yuri scrolled through the messages. Yuri’s playful smile vanishing the moment she realised that Yena wasn’t lying. A tear rolled down her face when she reached the part where Wonyoung sent Yena a picture of Yuri and the older girl freaked out over how pretty she was.

 

‘Don’t cry. This is meant to make you happy.’ Yena said.

 

‘I’m just really touched.’ Yuri wiped her tears away. She turned to Yena. ‘So, you really WERE my secret admirer?’

 

‘Yup.’

 

‘Do you… do you still like me now?’

 

‘What? Yuri, I literally just screamed it out to the whole campus a couple minutes ago. But I’ll say it again if i have to.’

 

She took a deep breath and met Yuri’s gaze, her hand holding Yuri’s delicately in her own.

 

‘I like you. Like I really really like you.’ Yena said, not breaking their eye contact. ‘I liked you when I was your secret admirer and goddammit the more I hung out with you the more and more I started falling for you. I genuinely believe you’re the prettiest girl ever.’

 

Yuri was the first person to break the eye contact, smiling sheepishly at their hands.

 

Yena stared at her for a couple more moments.

 

Then, without any warning, she jumped in the air and started banging her head on the wall, surprising Yuri in the process.

 

‘I can’t believe I actually just confessed to you!’ Yena halted her banging for just a moment to let out a yell, then she resumed.

 

Yuri ran to Yena and stopped her from banging her head on the wall by the 10th time.

 

She grabbed Yena’s arm and spun her around. ‘Stop that.’ She scolded her.

 

‘Look, Yuri. I know you like Chaewon and everything and I don’t expect an answer from you. Hell, I don’t even expect you to like me back! If you want to be just friends I’ve already prepared myself for that because I’ve accepted that I don’t have a chance with you and honestly I wouldn’t blame you if you were mad at me for keeping the admirer thing from you and-‘

 

Suddenly, Yuri got on her tippy toes to plant a soft kiss on Yena’s cheek.

 

‘You’re really cute when you ramble.’ She giggled when Yena immediately shut up and flushed bright red. ‘May I speak now?’

 

Yena nodded.

 

‘First of all, I’m not mad at you. And I’m very flattered, in fact, you made me really happy.’

 

‘O-oh I’m g-glad.’ Yena said.

 

‘I don’t know if I like you back, but- wait! Don’t pout! Lemme finish.’ Yuri squished Yena’s duck lips with a giggle.

 

‘I’ve only been thinking about Chaewon these past few weeks in that way. So I’ve only been looking at you as a friend. But…’ Yuri trailed off.

 

‘But?’

 

Yuri smiled softly and shyly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

 

‘But… I think there’s potential.’ She said.

 

Yena stopped pouting. ‘Potential?’

 

‘Mhmm.’

 

‘I- I see.’

 

Yuri sighed. ‘Yena, I’ve got some things I have to sort out with myself first like getting over Chaewon and figuring out my feelings for you and I don’t want to ask you to wait for me-‘

 

‘I’ll do it.’

 

Yuri snapped her eyes up Yena’s face.‘H-huh?’

 

Yena stood up straighter. ‘I’ll wait for you.’

 

‘Yena…’

 

‘Jo Yuri, I said I like you and and I do. Which means I will wait for you until you’re ready to give me your answer.’

 

‘But-‘

 

‘No buts. Let’s just get dinner, my treat cause I’m really happy right now!’

 

‘I-‘ Yuri laughed, defeated. ‘Okay.’

 

Yena wrapped her arms around Yuri’s waist, picking her up and twirling the younger girl around. Yuri’s squeals filled the dorm room.

 

When she put Yuri down the younger girl could see the sparkle in Yena’s eyes and her heart grew a few sizes seeing the bright smile on Yena’s face. She decided that she always wanted to see Yena like this.

 

Yena dropped to her knees and placed her hands up in the air.

 

‘Thank you universe for not hating me!’