Now what she didn’t expect after drinking two cans of beer is to face Sakura. Yes, before the can that she downed outside Sakura’s bedroom, Eunbi actually had one at the pantry. It’s a Friday night, I am just supposed to shut down my brain. Why is she even awake!

“Why are you awake?” She articulates her thoughts. Eunbi begins to wonder if it is obvious she has been drinking. She is pretty confident in her lack of ‘Asian flush’ but the smell though is one she couldn’t be sure. She moves her fingers and she realises all her worries are redundant - the beer can is still in her hand. She tries to move her arm slowly behind her back.

“I couldn’t sleep.” Sakura answers as her eyes catch Eunbi’s actions. “Is that beer?”

Dammit. “Yep. I am off shift anyways.” Eunbi awkwardly smiles.

Sakura chuckles. “I wasn’t worried about that. I just wondered if I can join you. Since I bumped into you… right outside my door.” She wasn’t trying to imply anything but Sakura can’t seem to put away the surprise of seeing the source of her overwhelming thoughts at this time. The conversation with her friends weighs heavily and she is slowly coming to terms with her feelings. Then seeing the very person powers Sakura’s hidden adrenaline when she figures, a little bit of midnight bravery wouldn’t hurt. At this hour, after her discovery? Fate seems to be playing a hand. Then I’ll take it.

Eunbi can do a million facepalms to herself for this careless mistake but it seems the two cans of beer along with the nostalgia is causing her defences to be weak. Plus a bed hair Sakura seems… really cute. They go to the pantry to grab a couple beer cans and Sakura suggests to drink outside. Eunbi wanted to protest but Sakura insisted. It will feel like a date and little did she know that’s the reason why Eunbi is reluctant.

Naturally, Eunbi doesn’t put up much of a fight as they settle by an outdoor bench in the corner of the garden. They are under the tree in the shadows of the moonlight. The sound of the can opening breaks the natural silence of the outdoors. “Here you go.” Eunbi offers it to Sakura.

Sakura smiles and takes it, waiting till Eunbi has hers. The agent didn’t know Sakura was waiting till she turned back with her opened can.

“Shall we toast?” The younger girl offers.

Eunbi raises her brows yet she still obliges. “What shall we toast to?”

Sakura ponders. Perhaps it is the atmosphere, the late night melancholy, that is bringing out her deep thoughts. She glances up into the night sky, one of her favourite sights in the world. “Here’s to the every day. Nothing’s a given so we have to appreciate what we have.”

“That is very nice.” Eunbi says honestly.

Her response makes Sakura turn her eyes back to her companion. When she sees Eunbi smiling at her, Sakura shyly creases her brows, embarrassed that she momentarily got too deep into her thoughts.

The agent finds that added reaction cute. She brings her can towards Sakura’s and gently knocks them together. “Cheers.”

“Cheers.” The principal responds and they both take a mouthful of the alcoholic drink. Sakura lets out a sigh of content; Eunbi follows along with hers slightly less audible. The two of them share the silence of the night with just nature in its background.

Sakura’s gaze is naturally drawn back up to the night sky; it seems that it isn’t a cloudy night with stars aplenty. Her eyes tracing the little spots of glimmer as she admires them. Eunbi too is enjoying the difference in atmosphere she is used to finding them in - this is the first time she is just sitting beside Sakura, with no job, no anything in particular. Though she would let the silence continue but Eunbi is intrigued by Sakura’s continued focus on the sky. Her expression is unreadable but one Eunbi can sense is comfortable to approach.

“You really like the night sky, don’t you?”

Sakura chuckles and awkwardly brings her eyes back down. “Sorry, was I looking at it for too long?”

“No, please you can do whatever you like. I was just curious is all. The trend these days is to stare aimlessly at fire, you know how it moves and all is relaxing to watch. But you are… literally staring into space.” Eunbi cannot resist letting her dad joke in. Most friends would roll their eyes endlessly but Sakura just freezes. Now Eunbi fears she may have just ruined their slowly stabilizing relationship.

Sakura bursts into laughter. “Oh you should see your expression right now!” Turns out Eunbi’s worry is unwarranted as Sakura was just being dramatic, spontaneously deciding to play a prank.

The agent creases her nose in embarrassment after her principal one-upped her. She pouts and dramatically gulps down her beer. That triggers more laughter from Sakura and seeing the girl going crazy, Eunbi is drawn in - their laughters sound throughout the garden and only after a few painful minutes can they gather their souls back.

It is nice to be this relaxed around each other, alcohol and the atmosphere coming together perfectly. “Thanks for laughing at my joke. My friends usually don’t entertain me like this.” Eunbi confesses.

“It is funny though… or maybe the alcohol is making it easier to hear.” Sakura teases. She wants to see the agent embarrassed or shy or whatever that is not her usual cool self. Sakura wants to see all sides to Eunbi.

Eunbi’s reaction gives her just that as the agent shakes her head, pretending to give up on retorting. Just one simple action and Sakura’s heart swells in joy. She cannot take her eyes off the agent, not even when there is nothing said as Eunbi signals a change in topic by turning her eyes up to the sky.

“The stars are really beautiful tonight.”

“They are indeed.” Sakura says as her eyes linger around her companion before slowly bringing it up. The allure of the moon and the sparkles surrounding it pulls them in as they each admire the sight.

“Did you know the stars we see now are actually formed lightyears ago?” Sakura says randomly.

“What does that mean?”

“It means that looking at the stars is a look back in time, literally. Interesting isn’t it?”

“Yeah, I never knew it that way.” Eunbi is amazed at how eloquently Sakura transformed a simple fact.

“My science teacher said that actually.” Sakura confesses as they continue keeping their eyes up. “And ever since I heard that, I find myself reminiscing about the past whenever I look at the stars. Not in a harping on the past kind of way but more like, nostalgic fondness. Is that weird?” Somehow Sakura finds herself saying whatever that comes into her mind. She is comfortable in the moment to say things that are somewhat random but timely. Her companion for the night does make it easy and Sakura pulls her gaze to her.

“No, I can see how that came about. Look at us now. The allure of nature does provoke deep thoughts.” Eunbi carefully turning to her side, matching Sakura’s gaze. “It happens a lot to me.” The older girl accompanies it with a soft smile, just a slight rise of her lips. Simple yet perfect.

Hearing Sakura speak with such seriousness makes Eunbi’s heart soft. It is an undeniable effect of her affection growing, finding this mature side of her principal incredibly captivating. She wants to listen to the girl more so she chooses silence after answering. Sakura seems to sense that as she turns to the empty garden before them. The younger girl stares at the reflection of the moon on the fountain where the water sits still from being turned off for the night.

“I have had the chance to live in many places. The sights are always different but one thing that unites it all is the sky. The sky's the one thing I always turn to wherever I go so I guess, tonight is nothing different.” Sakura