#chaotic neighbourhood (12) | 2:34 PM

haggest mom: …this server has been dead for half a day

haggest mom: should i be worried?

haggest mom: everyone?

haggest mom: not even a single soul is online except me?

haggest mom: i hope you’re all eating well!

haggest mom: good luck with life :)

 

*

 

#crime scene (11) | 2:36 PM

pepehands: help i almost replied

pepehands: i feel so bad for purposefully ignoring her;;;

blue ranger: YOU feel so bad

blue ranger: imagine me, the admin of this server,

blue ranger: creating this cursed channel without her

blue ranger: Merlin I Have Sinned…

food slayer: please

food slayer: yall are so dramatic

AAAAAAAAAA: i personally think that hyewon-unnie’s name should be changed

AAAAAAAAAA: to ‘truck of doom’ or sumn

YA YA YA: seconded

angry fairy: reading yalls aggressive names makes my head hurt

YA YA YA: ‘aggressive’

YA YA YA: sure angry fairy

lets get this bread: we can’t change nicknames now

lets get this bread: eunbi-unnie would notice :|

drunk dove dancing: hii-chan is right

modern picasso: lets focus back on ‘truck of doom’

food slayer: i’m literally a 30-mins drive away from @tol bab’s place

food slayer: it’s too late for you to question me and my driving skills

smol bab: advanced rest in peace @tol bab

smol bab: gone too soon

blue ranger: it’s ok i’m as tall as her i can be the new tol bab

pepehands: you’re not as cute

blue ranger: eye

blue ranger: a jumping out of my window today

pepehands: NO—

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

As is every other outlandish idea that gives birth to a ridiculous story passed on from one generation to another, this, too, has a starting point. Oh, it does. It has a starting point that makes it all the more exasperating that the people involved didn’t think to stop and say hey, this is a bad idea, maybe we shouldn’t do this. Except for Chaeyeon and Chaewon, who somehow still manage to retain their sanity while anyone else’s braincells are plunged deep in minus numbers, but that’s still two polite opinions versus nine loud voices, so it doesn’t count.

It starts like this:

Twelve people, slowly gathered in one online server through time—a year and a half, to be exact.

Twelve people, unified by a similar school experience—Hogwarts, to be exact.

Twelve people, staying in touch because of a mutual fate—which is residing in South Korea after graduating the school, blending in with muggles and keeping their magical side under wraps most of the time.

Twelve people and one fast approaching birthday, with the birthday woman being Kwon Eunbi—the oldest among them, the undisputed mom of the group, the selfless person who has dedicated a part of her life to help every soul at least once.

Twelve people, and the fact that they haven’t really met up offline as a complete squad. They’re scattered all over the country, living separately with varying schedules throughout the day. Sometimes they schedule a date to simply meet and catch up, but every time, someone or more would need to bail because of an urgent matter or two. It’s almost miraculous how life always finds a way to get between them even with magic at hand, but they understand. It’s just the nature of their works, or their lives, and beyond teasing remarks or light jabs about the aforementioned absence, they reassure each other that it’s fine and no one’s holding grudges.

Still, finally meeting as twelve would be nice.

And you see where we’re going with this, right?

Yes.

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

#chaotic neighbourhood (12) | 2:59 PM

haggest mom: [eyes emoji]

haggest mom: wonyoungie i see you’re online

 

*

 

#crime scene (11) | 3:00 PM

blue ranger: WONYOUNG

tol bab:

modern picasso: language

tol bab: HECK

YA YA YA: MY CHILD????????

AAAAAAAAAA: WHY AREN’T YOU ON INVISIBLE MODE

tol bab: I FORGOT OK I WASN’T EVEN PLANNING TO

tol bab: CHECK DISCORD

tol bab: OH MERLIN OH FRICC WHAT DO I DO NOW

angry fairy: sigh

angry fairy: literally just reply her?

tol bab: o ok

 

*

 

#chaotic neighbourhood (12) | 3:02 PM

tol bab: unnie!!!!!!!!!! :D

haggest mom: hello :)

haggest mom: how’s your day so far?

tol bab: it’s been nice!!!! busy but nice!!!!!

haggest mom: awww, you’re busy

haggest mom: but i’m glad to know it’s a nice kind of busy

haggest mom: you didn’t forget your meals though, right?

tol bab: of course not!!!!!!

tol bab: unnie too don’t forget your meal <3333

haggest mom: i won’t, i won’t :)

haggest mom: well if you’re busy, don’t let me keep you

tol bab: thank you!!!!!!

tol bab: your day too, unnie, i hope will be as nice!!!!!!!!

haggest mom: mhm…

haggest mom: take care, wonyoungie :)

tol bab: <33333333

 

*

 

#crime scene (11) | 3:10 PM

lets get this bread: TIL wonyoungie uses !!!!! a lot when she’s nervous

tol bab: STOP IT WAS HARD

blue ranger: that was painful to watch

tol bab: BUT I ESCAPED [sparkles emoji]

angry fairy: please stop with the caps im getting a headache

tol bab: ˢʰᶦᵗ ˢᵒʳʳʸ

drunk dove dancing: what’s up, by the way?

drunk dove dancing: you said you weren’t planning to check discord

drunk dove dancing: so what made you do it

tol bab: oh right

tol bab: chaewon-unnie please look away for a second

angry fairy: ? ok

tol bab: is she looking away yet

lets get this bread: i think she is

tol bab: ok so [inhales]

tol bab: I THOUGHT HYEWON-UNNIE WAS JOKING ABOUT THE TRUCK

tol bab: BUT IT’S REAL???

tol bab: SHE ALMOST RAN OVER THE NEXT BUILDING’S FENCE

drunk dove dancing: SHE ALMOST WHAT

food slayer: THE TOAST STALL ACROSS THE ROAD WAS DISTRACTING

drunk dove dancing: FOCUS ON THE ROAD NOT ON FOOD STANDS!!!

smol bab: we’re all really about to die today huh

lets get this bread: i’m writing my will as we speak

pepehands: who’s next in line again

pepehands: OH NO IT’S ME

 

*

 

One of the reasons why they keep their magical side strictly under wraps on daily basis is to make enjoying the technology possible.

A large amount of concentrated magic will mess with electricity, a topic Hyewon and Yena had extensively researched for the joint project they worked on during their final year. Were it not for this decision, to lay low in exchange of having the access to technology, they wouldn’t get to have a discord server to begin with, and staying in touch would probably be that much harder. They definitely can’t have owls randomly flying under the sky of South Korea to deliver their messages everyday—it will attract suspicions.

Another reason is the fact that it’s easier to blend in with the people if you mostly live your days just like them. Not everyone can be like Chaewon and Hitomi who limit themselves only to a decent amount of pleasantries, or Sakura who has a knack in steering any kind of conversations towards online games. Sometimes you need to talk a lot (especially if you’re a Lee Chaeyeon or a Choi Yena) and being able to be honest about daily things is miles easier than having to be careful to not slip up.

There are a lot more reasons, some more confidential than others, but these two are enough for now, especially the first one, because—

“Minjoo-unnie wants to know why we don’t just apparate around,” says Wonyoung, phone pressed against her ear.

Hyewon swallows the chewed toast in . “We’ve talked about this,” she says, “to apparate without troubles we need to know the exact location of our destination, where we’re landing. Which we don’t. Miraculously. We’ve always met up at cafes or something, never in our own places—”

“But google map—”

“Doesn’t really help. I could be apparating straight onto your roof for all we know, or worse, into your neighbour’s home—”

Wonyoung sighs, speaking to the phone in her hand, “Well, unnie, you heard her.” She tilts her head for a moment, seemingly listening to the rant from the other side, and sighs again. “I don’t know why the Knight Bus isn’t a thing here either, Minjoo-unnie, but—wait, hold up, no, we aren’t going to die. Well, I hope… what do you mean it’s not reassuring? It’s how we stay alive all this time, by having hope.”

“Don’t be too dramatic, Minjoo,” says Hyewon loudly, “if you’re so worried, ask Yujin to come over so you two can freak out together or something.”

Wonyoung opens , and closes it again, eyebrows narrowing as she listens to the voice in the call. After a moment, she heaves another sigh, expression turning deadpan as she turns to look at Hyewon,

“Minjoo-unnie just said that you’re only wishing to cut some of our transportation time.”

Hyewon shrugs. “Por qué no los dos?” she lightly says, biting into her warm toast again.

“She’s really going to ask Yujin to come to her place.”

“Hfalfh fhweben fwhebber—”

“I’m not even going to try to decipher that, please swallow before you speak.”

“Bfwudh—”

“Swallow or I’m telling Chaeyeon-unnie.”

That excellently shuts Hyewon up.

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

#chaotic neighbourhood (12) | 3:49 PM

haggest mom: it’s only several hours away from dinner

haggest mom: i hope no one is skipping it

haggest mom: or else :)

 

*

 

#crime scene (11) | 3:51 PM

modern picasso: yall heard mom don’t skip dinner

drunk dove dancing: i’m

drunk dove dancing: surprised you said that faster than me but ditto

smol bab: saku-chan a softie

modern picasso: i can still burn your house in minecraft

smol bab: GASP D:

tol bab: NO THREATENING NAKO

smol bab: wonyo c(;    ;c)

tol bab: nako c(;    ;c)

YA YA YA: gross

lets get this bread: you’re gross

pepehands: seconded

YA YA YA: HSJDHJKDDS???

AAAAAAAAAA: shots: fired

angry fairy: user YA YA YA: dead

blue ranger: hotel: trivago

tol bab: minjoo-unnie we’re on our way to your place now

blue ranger: holy she screamed

blue ranger: consider me dead as well

food slayer: did you just imply that minjoo’s a banshee

drunk dove dancing: dON’T TEXT WHILE DRIVING

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

Okay, yeah, so there should be a more efficient way—of executing this meeting up thing—other than Hyewon driving her truck to pick them up one by one. The ten of them definitely could dissuade Hyewon of this crazy idea, but the thing is, sometimes Hyewon can be really convincing.

“See?” says Hyewon, gesturing to the untouched garden adorning the front of the building next to Minjoo’s apartment. “Your worries are unfounded.”

“That’s only because there’s no food stalls around here,” Yujin flatly points out.

“And because Wonyoung’s there to nag you to keep your eyes on the road,” Minjoo continues.

“I’m too young to die,” Wonyoung fake-sobs into her handkerchief.

“Drama queens.” Hyewon rolls her eyes, picking up the big box placed under the mailbox with barely a groan. “Is this everything you need?” she asks, doubtful over the weight.

“Yup,” Minjoo nods, tapping the long sleeve covering her left arm, the fabric concealing the holster where she’s keeping her wand. “Feather-light charm at work.”

“Do you want to sit on the passenger seat?” asks Wonyoung, opening the passenger door. “I can go sit at the box if the both of you want to accompany Hyewon-unnie instead.”

“No,” Yujin wholeheartedly replies, placing one palm over her heart.

“We’ll take the box,” Minjoo resolutely nods, flashing a thumbs up.

“I’d call you both cowards,” says Hyewon, loading the big box into the container, “but the side connecting the box and the seats actually has a separator that can be rolled down, so there’s no difference really.”

Minjoo stares at her and calmly says, “What.”

“That way seats people can converse freely with box people—”

“Are you saying,” Minjoo enunciates, turning a little green, “are you saying that we’ll be forced to watch your wild driving live?”

Yujin immediately holds Minjoo’s hand in hers, gaze holding Hyewon's stare seriously. “I hope you’re fully aware that I’m preparing to sue you for mental distress.” And then she begins to launch into a series of fervent prayers.

“Stop acting like I can’t drive!”

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

#chaotic neighbourhood (12) | 4:28 PM

haggest mom: that reminds me

haggest mom: @AAAAAAAAAA do you still have a fever?

haggest mom: if you do, i hope you’ve ordered the potions i told you

haggest mom: just because we’ve decided to blend in, doesn’t mean we can just stay sick

haggest mom: especially when the magical element of the concoction is passive

 

*

 

#crime scene (11) | 4:30 PM

YA YA YA: @AAAAAAAAAA reply mom you coward

angry fairy: @AAAAAAAAAA reply her u

lets get this bread: @AAAAAAAAAA yuri please reply her

smol bab: rip eunbi-unnie cause of death being left on read press F to pay respect

modern picasso: F

drunk dove dancing: F

AAAAAAAAAA: i

AAAAAAAAAA: im sorry i just finished writing my will,

drunk dove dancing: oh you’re next?

modern picasso: i love how we’ve all collectively agreed that death is coming

modern picasso: in the form of a truck and a shikshin

YA YA YA: the facebook quiz thing told me i’ll die from starvation

YA YA YA: i feel betrayed

lets get this bread: what did Divination tell you?

YA YA YA: well the tea leaves looked like an ominous bowling ball,

smol bab: unnie stop using that as an excuse u just at bowling

YA YA YA: WHY ARE U ATTACKING ME

angry fairy: you just make it too easy sometimes

AAAAAAAAAA: i was going to ask for advices on how to reply

AAAAAAAAAA: but reading these has discouraged me from doing so

tol bab: good call

 

*

 

#chaotic neighbourhood (12) | 4:33 PM

AAAAAAAAAA: i’m feeling better today unnie :)

AAAAAAAAAA: i’m sorry for worrying you but

AAAAAAAAAA: thank you for the concern!

haggest mom: oh

haggest mom: i’m glad!

haggest mom: i didn’t know you’re online

haggest mom: you aren’t appearing in the online list

haggest mom: are you on invisible mode right now?

 

*

 

#crime scene (11) | 4:34 PM

AAAAAAAAAA: I FORGOT TO CHANGE MY STATUS TO ONLINE

 

*

 

#chaotic neighbourhood (12) | 4:35 PM

AAAAAAAAAA: y

AAAAAAAAAA: yes…

AAAAAAAAAA: i’m avoiding a co-worker on another server :(

haggest mom: aww

haggest mom: do you want to talk about it?

AAAAAAAAAA: i’ll tell you tomorrow!

AAAAAAAAAA: when everything has, been past,,,

AAAAAAAAAA: it’s fine i can handle this!

haggest mom: of course you can

haggest mom: what can’t you do?

AAAAAAAAAA: ;;;;;;;

AAAAAAAAAA: thank you unnie

AAAAAAAAAA: i need to run an errand now but,, please have a nice day!

haggest mom: you too, yuri. take care! :)

 

*

 

#crime scene (11) | 4:38 PM

blue ranger: ok actually this is kinda cool

AAAAAAAAAA: crisis averted

blue ranger: i can feel magic weaved into the rooftop material of the container

blue ranger: hyewon-unnie said we can make it transparent

tol bab: hyewon-unnie took inspiration from hii-chan’s final project!

tol bab: everyone say thank u hii-chan

lets get this bread: ah no

lets get this bread: unnie worked hard in adapting it for the truck too

AAAAAAAAAA: does no one care about my achievement

YA YA YA: im so proud of u

AAAAAAAAAA: thank… finally… some appreciation

AAAAAAAAAA: also hyewon-unnie, stop brainwashing yujin!

blue ranger: NO BUT it’s really cool you need to see it for yourself

AAAAAAAAAA: and then what, die?

blue ranger: y—

AAAAAAAAAA: dont actually answer that

pepehands: helsp we aslmost succeeded in steaslidng a standee

drunk dove dancing: HDSKJHKSJD???

modern picasso: OH WHAT DO YOU MEAN ALMOST

modern picasso: MY BAE IRENE STANDEE…

angry fairy: in hindsight i shouldnt have been surprised

smol bab: nO ONE TOLD ME ABOUT THIS???

smol bab: I WANT A PARK JIHYO STANDEE

drunk dove dancing: NO ONE IS STEALING ANY STANDEES SIT DOWN

food slayer: at least i got the new bulgogi restaurant’s flyer

drunk dove dancing: AND STOP TYPING WHILE YOU DRIVE!!!!!

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

“Merlin’s dotted underwear, you’re right, this is kinda cool.”

Hyewon smirks triumphantly from the driver seat, gaze finding Yuri’s reflection through the rear mirror.

“I told you so!” says Yujin proudly, blue hair whipping gracefully in the air as she tosses her head back in some kind of a celebratory manner. Yuri just ignores her, eyes fixated on the container’s ceiling enchanted to let them see through the material.

“Does this mean we’ll be able to see sunset?”

At Yuri’s question, Minjoo perks up from her place, head still leaning on Yujin’s shoulder. Still a sky enthusiast, it seems, even after all this time. Back in Hogwarts, Hyewon used to be able to find Minjoo lounging at the Astronomy Tower, especially when there was less clouds scattered all over the dark blanket of the night…

Thinking of their school days makes her smile.

“Yeah,” says Hyewon, “probably. We’re in for a long ride since Nako’s place is kinda far—” Wonyoung perks up at the mention of the next person in line, and she snickers. “After that we’re off to fetch Yena, and then sunset will probably happen on our way to Chaeyeon’s place.”

“I have a feeling that this arrangement is planned,” says Minjoo dryly.

“Of course! Chaeyeon promised to cook dinner if I went on with this trip,” Hyewon sings, completely unashamed. “I can’t wait. I’m starving myself right now so I can eat a lot.”

“This is you starving yourself?” asks Yuri, voice dripping with disbelief. There are some rustles, and then Yuri’s head pops into the gap between Wonyoung and Hyewon’s seats, “You’ve eaten a lot of snacks!”

“But it’s not heavy food,” Hyewon lightly replies. “No rice, no life.”

“It’s a wonder Hogwarts didn’t go bankrupt with you roaming the halls and the kitchen—"

“Chaeyeon-unnie is asking us,” says Minjoo loudly, “if it’d be better should Kura-unnie come over so they could be picked up together in one visit. What do you think, Hyewon-unnie?”

Hyewon tilts her head at that. True, Chaeyeon and Sakura must’ve known each other’s place since they often attend the meet-ups together—idly, she wonders if there’s anything more to it, because she really won’t be surprised. The pair has always been—on the cusp of something, ever since their school days.

Are they still a pair of cowards?

“Sure,” she says, meeting Minjoo’s gaze through the rear mirror, “that way we’ll get to relax a bit on the road.”

Minjoo heaves a big, relieved sigh, as though Hyewon’s need for speed so far has been worrying her. Which is probably true, but it’s an unfounded worry—she acquired her driving license fair and square, for Merlin’s sake! Hyewon really doesn’t deserve this distrust.

Or, well, not this much.

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

#chaotic neighbourhood (12) | 5:33 PM

haggest mom: looks like it will rain

haggest mom: i hope none of you is outside

haggest mom: if you did, please get an umbrella

haggest mom: only resort to casting the rainproof charm to yourself if it’s absolutely necessary

haggest mom: but i’m sure you’re all aware of that by now…

haggest mom: everyone take care :)

 

*

 

#crime scene (11) | 5:35 PM

pepehands: help blease i really want to reply ; - ;

YA YA YA: be strong minjoo

AAAAAAAAAA: you’re really saying that with your whole chest

AAAAAAAAAA: after keysmashing in our dm cause you wanted to reply so badly

YA YA YA: EYE—

smol bab: exposedt

food slayer: i mean...

food slayer: it’s fine if one of you go online and talk

food slayer: accompany her for a bit

tol bab: MY TIME HAS COME

food slayer: we’ll need someone who’s not obvious though

tol bab: my time has not come

smol bab: cute c(‘    ‘c)

tol bab: c(;     ;c)

blue ranger: can u two stop being so uwu for a sec

blue ranger: it’s pressuring us

AAAAAAAAAA: honestly you’re the only one feeling pressured

modern picasso: Anyways

modern picasso: i suggest jjaeyeon

drunk dove dancing: i suggest hii-chan

angry fairy: i suggest hitoma

YA YA YA: i suggest tomitomi

lets get this bread: whomstve

lets get this bread: who are these people

lets get this bread: and why do they have similar names with me

drunk dove dancing: is your full name jjaeyeonhiitomatomi

lets get this bread: nO—

angry fairy: pfft

angry fairy: ill go talk to eunbi-unnie actually

food slayer: okay do that

food slayer: also @YA YA YA get ready we’re almost there

YA YA YA: the fact that yall havent gotten into an accident yet amazes me

tol bab: pls no

smol bab: unnie i swear if ur jinxing us im chopping ur toes

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

The first thing Yena does upon entering the container is to stow away her guitar and scoot forward until she’s sitting behind Hyewon’s seat, an annoying smirk on her face.

“Kang Hyewonnn,” she teasingly says, dragging out her name even more annoyingly, “you’re such a softie for Eunbi-unnie!”

“Aren’t we all soft for Eunbi-unnie?” asks Nako from the passenger seat, huddling next to a sleeping Wonyoung. Hyewon mentally bumps her rank to #2 and pushes Yena all the way down to #11, silently deciding to buy the younger woman a scoop of mint-choco ice cream if they happen to come across an ice cream parlour.

Keyword: if.

“What is this about?” asks Yujin quietly, trying not to rouse Minjoo as the older woman dozes off on her shoulder. What is this about, truly a question Hyewon wishes she never uttered, because—

“Well!” Yena brightly beams, almost bouncing in her seat. “The sky out there isn’t that dark. So I think Eunbi-unnie was feeling a bit blue when she mentioned about the sky going to rain, especially with none of us being online. Chaewonnie knows, that’s why she offered to be the one to talk with her. And this quiet pole—” a cheery slap to the back of Hyewon’s seat, “knew, too, that’s why she said one of us should talk to her in the first place!”

“Yena,” says Hyewon calmly, starting the engine of the truck.

“Besides, all of this is happening because Hyewon found out that road trip is one of Eunbi-unnie’s wishes in her bucket list—”

“Yena.”

“And she wanted to give her the greatest p—”

In a blink, Yena’s voice fades, even as her lips continue to mouth out word after word. It takes her five seconds to realize that she isn’t producing any noise, and another two seconds for a kick to be delivered to the back of Hyewon’s seat, petulant.

“Really, Hyewon-unnie?” Yuri sighs, reaching out to stop Yena from abusing the poor seat from behind further, “Did you really just hit Yena-unnie with the silencing charm?”

“It’s the timed one,” Hyewon easily replies, willing the faint heat on her cheeks to disappear as she stores her wand back into the holster strapped onto her left arm. “She’ll get to audibly blabber again in five minutes.”

“That’s fair, actually,” Yuri concedes, shaking her head and flicking Yena’s forehead when the older woman pouts at her. “Don’t give me that look, you deserve it.”

Hyewon smirks, feeling utterly vindicated, and within seconds the truck begins to peel away from the front of Yena’s place, onto the road and towards Chaeyeon’s location.

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

#chaotic neighbourhood (12) | 6:40 PM

haggest mom: …i know you’re probably busy because you haven’t been online at all but

haggest mom: @food slayer is our movie night today still on?

haggest mom: i’m thinking of ordering your usual pizza

haggest mom: do let me know if you can’t come, please.

 

*

 

#chaotic neighbourhood (12) | 6:42 PM

food slayer: …help

angry fairy: you Scheduled a movie night.

food slayer: i needed a way to make her stay at home!

lets get this bread: ah, were you worried she’d be out and about when we come?

food slayer: yeah

drunk dove dancing: i sure hope the truck is parked right now

smol bab: we buying fuel rn unnie no worries

drunk dove dancing: good

modern picasso: so whats the problem exactly

modern picasso: you ARE going to her place technically speaking

food slayer: well yeah but

food slayer: that would kinda lessen the surprise

YA YA YA: i sense another big fat but

food slayer:

YA YA YA: U CANT SILENCIO ME THRU DISCORD

blue ranger: to be fair i can still mute you

YA YA YA: oh oh

food slayer: no yena’s right, there’s another but

YA YA YA: thank u for not throwing me under the bus

food slayer: i could choose not to reply but that’d… make her sad

food slayer: she can still be surprised even if i confirmed i’ll be there

food slayer: and it feels like an unnecessary pain otherwise,

food slayer: especially since she seemed a bit blue a while ago

lets get this bread: unnie?

lets get this bread: i think you’ve figured the answer out yourself,

smol bab: if wonyo’s awake she’d advise u to follow ur heart

blue ranger: if minjoo’s awake she’d go online herself and answer on your behalf

YA YA YA: if yuris awake

YA YA YA: that would be nice

lets get this bread: why does that sound so sad but funny at the same time

angry fairy: Anyways.

angry fairy: whats your decision

food slayer: …i guess i’ll dm her then

angry fairy: oh thank merlin

angry fairy: i was going to plan your demise if you dont

food slayer: wHAT

angry fairy: no time to explain just message her quickly

drunk dove dancing: how does it feel to have unknowingly dodged your doom

food slayer: pretty neat 10/10 would do again

lets get this bread: next one after dinner is chaewon-unnie, right?

smol bab: YEET

food slayer: so sorry for picking you up last hii-chan :(

lets get this bread: nooo it’s okay!

lets get this bread: it’s just in time for me to finish eunbi-unnie’s cake

lets get this bread: please be careful on the road :)

food slayer: you’re literally an angel

food slayer: also @drunk dove dancing we’ll arrive in like 15 mins

drunk dove dancing: dinner’s ready!

drunk dove dancing: BUT DRIVE SAFELY

YA YA YA: thank u for saying that she was this close to speeding

modern picasso: how do wonyo minjoo and yuri even sleep

smol bab: dangerously

modern picasso: …that works, i guess

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

“That looks uncomfortable,” Chaewon remarks, peering into the passenger seat, a black bag hanging loosely from her shoulders.

Nako half-heartedly glares at her. “How dare you insinuate that having Wonyoungie leaning on me is uncomfortable!”

“No, I meant the sleeping position,” Chaewon clarifies, opening the door to them and craning her neck to inspect the situation. She hums, the barest hint of concern making its way to her furrowed eyebrows, “That oughta make some of the bones ache later.”

“No pains no gains,” Nako says, even as she glances worriedly at the way Wonyoung’s body angles awkwardly to accommodate the space.

“Do you want to move into the container?” Chaewon asks, jaw jerking briefly towards the box behind, the separator rolled back up because half of the passengers are dozing off. “Wonyoung can lie down on your lap, or something. Heard the inside’s enchanted by an extension charm anyway, unlike here.”

“That was supposed to be a secret,” Hyewon finally says, glowering at the younger woman. She had asked for Chaewon’s help when the time to construct the container came, herself feeling more comfortable with Transfiguration over Charms.

“Please,” Chaewon straightens up, smiling serenely, “Chaeyeon-unnie must’ve figured it out, by now. Yuri, too, if she isn’t too busy being disgusting with Yena-unnie.”

“I’ll take you up on that offer,” Nako wearily says, effectively putting a stop to whatever banter is being cooked up. “Let me wake Wonyoungie up first.”

Hyewon sighs, thumb moving past her wheel to press the button that allows the separator to slowly roll down, if only to allow Nako and Wonyoung to move back without having to board off. She leans closer to her steering wheel as she waits for the separator to completely disappear and for Wonyoung to wake up, leaning far enough that Nako’s hunched form no longer blocks her line of sight towards Chaewon.

This isn’t over, she mouths, mockingly stern. Just so Chaewon knows that they will start bantering the moment she settles into the passenger seat and they’re back on the road.

Chaewon just grins, and shoots her a finger-gun.

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

#chaotic neighbourhood (12) | 8:20 PM

haggest mom: found a cute cat on my way back from the convenience store

haggest mom: look at him uwu.jpg

haggest mom: now that i look at it longer

haggest mom: it kinda looks like hitomi

haggest mom: hii-chan, if you’re reading this, i missed you!

haggest mom: and everyone else as well :)

haggest mom: except for kwangbae since we’ll meet in a bit anyway

 

*

 

#crime scene (11) | 8:22 PM

YA YA YA: HA mom doesnt miss u @food slayer

drunk dove dancing: please don’t we could die

pepehands: or worse, expelled

AAAAAAAAAA: what chaeyeon-unnie said

lets get this bread: oh, you’re both awake!

AAAAAAAAAA: im about to go back to sleep

modern picasso: i’m still bitter your patronus aint a sloth

AAAAAAAAAA: stop hating on my silvery hamster >:[

modern picasso: I Lost 5 Galleons

tol bab: that’d teach you to not gamble, kura-unnie

lets get this bread: oh you’re awake too

tol bab: hellooo :3c

tol bab: it’s nako who’s dozing off now

lets get this bread: sounds very wholesome

angry fairy: youre very wholesome

lets get this bread: w

angry fairy: definitely cuter than the cat

lets get this bread: stop

angry fairy: the cutest in the whole world in fact

lets get this bread: you don’t know that, you haven’t seen me in a month

angry fairy: ive not been living this whole month

angry fairy: lets never do that again

lets get this bread: i mean that’s on you

lets get this bread: i’m not the one accepting a long-time overseas job

lets get this bread: do you think it’s been easy for me too?

lets get this bread: i don’t even know if you still like your eggs well-done

angry fairy: are

angry fairy: are you angry right now,

lets get this bread:

lets get this bread: i have to go the cake is done

tol bab: ᵘʰ ᵒʰ

angry fairy: …

pepehands: oh no

YA YA YA: do u KNOW what else is done

blue ranger: hoe don’t do it

YA YA YA: chaewon

YA YA YA: ba dum tss

angry fairy: i swear im gonna enchant a needle and a yarn to sew your lips shut

tol bab: [presses hands together and deeply inhales] boi

modern picasso: does anyone have popcorns

YA YA YA: HELP SHES ACTUALLY TRYING TO DO IT

blue ranger: you deserved that

YA YA YA: WHERE DID SHE EVEN GET THE BALL OF Y

blue ranger: the ball of what

blue ranger:

tol bab: too late now she ded

modern picasso: rip in peace

drunk dove dancing: @lets get this bread we’ll reach your place in around 20 mins!

drunk dove dancing: be careful packing we love you

drunk dove dancing: even if you currently don’t love one of us

angry fairy: NOT YOU TOO

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

Unlike most of them, Hitomi’s place is located in a village, where the view of the sky isn’t obstructed by tall buildings and there’s an ample space between one house to another. The whole area is relatively quiet when Hyewon’s truck rolls in, and finding Hitomi’s house is made easy by the fact that said woman has already stood by the sidewalk, waiting for them in front of a modest-sized house with several feet of garden beds leading up from the door to the peach-coloured fences.

That Hyewon expertly doesn’t run over.

(Take that, naysayers!)

The door to the passenger seat opens faster than Hyewon can unbuckle her seatbelt, and she rolls her eyes, suppressing a smile. Still, she opens her door and jumps off, walking around the truck towards where Hitomi is. The younger woman is holding a white box, the size of the cake, that smells like cake, and is filled with cake. Long strides successfully get her to arrive by Hitomi’s side faster, just in time to retrieve the box of cake from the younger woman before Chaewon comes in and sweeps her into a hug.

Hitomi squeaks, hitting the hugger’s back. “Unnie—I almost dropped the cake!”

“That’s what Hyewon-unnie is here for,” says Chaewon, merely tightening her hug, and Hyewon twitches. Just because it’s true, doesn’t mean she should say it.

“Thank you, Hyewon-unnie,” Hitomi says, smiling apologetically.

“Good to see that you’re healthy,” Hyewon nods, shifting to hold the cake in a more secure position.

“Now, we—” Hitomi sighs, struggling to push Chaewon away, “we need to get going! Chaewon-unnie, please.” Chaewon stumbles back, finally, and Hitomi huffs at her, pointing an accusing finger. “Besides, I’m still mad at you.”

Hyewon silently tries to blend in with the background, hoping that none of them would notice that she’s still there. She wants to witness any dramas first-hand, even if it means having to stand there holding the box of cake and delaying the continuation of their trip for a moment.

“I’m sorry,” Chaewon murmurs. “I—wouldn’t do it again. Not anytime soon.”

“Just give me some time to sulk,” says Hitomi, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “I want to stay mad awhile.”

Chaewon sighs, running her fingers through her hair. She looks at the younger woman before her again, and finally nods.

“Alright,” she slowly says, and then gestures vaguely towards Hitomi, “but—you have a smidge of icing on your face.”

Hitomi stares at her blankly. “No I don’t.”

Chaewon shakes her head, expression serious. “You do.”

Hitomi bites back a groan, uncrossing her arms. “I know I should’ve checked the mirror.” She turns to Hyewon and says, “Unnie, do you have a—”

“I can get it for you,” says Chaewon, palms reaching out to cup the younger woman’s face. Hitomi visibly swallows, going rigid at the touch, allowing her head to be tilted to face Chaewon. It’s as if time has slowed down, the rise and fall of their chests filling in the silence as their gaze meet and get locked into place.

Chaewon smiles, “Don’t move, alright? Can’t have it smeared even more.”

“Um—"

And then, beneath the brilliant gleam of the moonlight, Chaewon slowly dips her head to catch the younger’s lips in a tender kiss.

Hyewon turns away, walking towards the driver seat to pass on the box of cake to the container folks. She should have known that any drama involving Chaewon and Hitomi will end like this, with sweetness and warm butterflies and her own melting heart because what the that’s cute. Even the moonlight is blessing them, the universe is blessing them, this is a scam—

“Why do you look so red,” says Sakura when the separator fully rolls down and the box of cake gets passed on.

“Fluff,” Hyewon grunts, settling into her seat and reaching for her seatbelt.

“Let them be,” says Chaeyeon, ever the supportive one, “it’s been a long month.”

Which is true, but still. “I was staying for the drama,” says Hyewon, almost whining. “I didn’t ask to—to—be served with soft with a capital s!” She buckles her seatbelt in with a little too much force.

“Do you know what else starts with s and is the solution to every couple fight!” Yena’s voice booms through the container, followed with a resounding smack. “What the—! What’s that smack for, Minjoo, stop being a prude—”

“Stop yelling,” Minjoo’s voice admonishes, “Yujin is sleeping, as is the love of your life—”

And then Hyewon tunes their bickering out, because the door to the passenger seat opens, with Hitomi climbing in, followed shortly by Chaewon. The tips of Hitomi’s ears are reddening, and Chaewon wears a satisfied grin that makes Hyewon want to gently pat her shoulder.

With a hex.

Still, teasing Chaewon about it means teasing Hitomi, too, who really doesn’t deserve to be more embarrassed than she already is. So Hyewon clears and asks,

“Ready to continue our journey?”

Hitomi shoots her a thankful smile. “Yeah.”

“All good to go?”

“Mhm.”

“If Chaewon’s making you uncomfortable do tell, I’ll drop her at the nearest gas station.”

Hitomi chuckles even as Chaewon glares at her, brandishing her fist. A fist that immediately disappears when Hitomi turns to look, because Chaewon is a horrible hypocrite. The fingers unravel instead, easily reaching out to wrap around Hitomi’s, and it’s a good thing Hitomi isn’t made out of molten-able material or Hyewon would end up with a puddle of Hitomi-liquid all over the passenger seat.

“It’s okay, Hyewon-unnie,” says Hitomi, turning to face Hyewon again with a smile that's almost shy, “I just really… miss her, is all, despite what I said.”

And really, it shouldn’t be possible to feel so torn between wanting to coo or smack her head against her steering wheel.

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

#chaotic neighbourhood (12) | 9:51 PM

smol bab: EUNBI-UNNIE HELSP @food slayer GOT RUN OVER BY A BUS

haggest mom: WHAT

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

Hyewon fidgets nervously in front of the closed apartment door. Her phone has vibrated twice ever since she left the truck to go into the elevator, but she hasn’t checked what it said. All she knows is that Nako promised she’d make Eunbi come out, no matter what it takes.

What she doesn’t expect is for the door to aggressively opens, Eunbi almost slamming into her as she comes out in such a haste.

“Whoa—” Hyewon yelps, stepping back and grabbing Eunbi’s shoulders to ease the collision.

“What—” Eunbi nearly yells, eyes widening as her momentum halts and she takes in the presence before her. Her hair, wildly flying out and about behind her just a second ago, gracefully falls upon her shoulders and with it her jaw onto the floor,

“You!” Eunbi exclaims.

“Um,” Hyewon hesitantly says, “hi?”

Eunbi flares her nostrils, jabbing a finger to Hyewon’s chest. “You’re—you’re—you’re fine!”

“Er,” Hyewon intelligently replies, “am I supposed to be unwell?”

“Nako said—” and Hyewon mentally facepalms, because Merlin, what did Nako actually tell her—she should've known that Nako's 'no matter what it takes' held more ominous energy than reassuring—

“But never mind,” Eunbi abruptly concludes, snapping Hyewon out of her thought, shoulders beneath her palms relaxing significantly. It almost gives her whiplash, how fast Eunbi changes from one mood to another. There’s a relieved smile spreading across the older woman's lips, and suddenly, Hyewon is pulled into a hug.

A muffled sentence spoken onto her shoulder,

“I’m just really glad you’re okay.”

Hyewon swallows, letting her confusion to soften into—into whatever this soft feeling is called, a soft feeling that somehow always makes itself known whenever she is around Eunbi. Awkwardly, she loops her arms around the older woman, hugging her back.

It’s not the first time for her to be in Eunbi’s embrace, but it always surprises her just how warm the hug that surrounds her makes her feel.

Inside her pocket, her phone vibrates again, as though forbidding her from dwelling in this moment and reminding her of why she’s here.

She heaves a sigh, “Eunbi-unnie?”

“Mmm?”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think we can do the movie night today.”

Eunbi tenses. The older woman pulls away completely from her, a gaze so guardedly indecipherable staring up at her with a silent demand for an explanation. It makes her insides twist, which is why she rushes to add,

“There’s no way I’ll let you waste a special night away just watching movies with me.”

Eunbi tilts her head, regarding her carefully. It feels like they’re back within Hogwarts’ walls when Eunbi the Head Girl caught Hyewon on her way back from the kitchen after curfew, with her having to defend her predicament under Eunbi’s sharp scrutinizing gaze.

And then Eunbi’s gaze softens ever so slightly,

“Hyewon.”

Warm fingers sneak into Hyewon’s clammy ones, easily slipping in—

“A movie night with you is special.”

And it’s things like this that makes Hyewon willing to drive a truck to the Moon for Eunbi, and then back again, and then several feet away to the right because the parking spot she wants has been occupied by a black van. She allows a smile to form on her lips, forgiving herself if it were to come off a little sheepish, for she can barely hold herself together in front of this special woman equipped with fluttering words and she has long accepted it.

(Has long resigned herself to it.)

“No, what I meant is—” she takes a deep breath, trying her best to maintain her gaze on Eunbi, “a movie night with you is special for me, too, but—”

Her nerves are in shambles. Her nerves are in shambles and the tiny Hyewons inside her head are all running around, panicking, sounding the sirens, because this anxiety of—of having done everything and finally being only a sentence away from setting it into motion—is almost bigger than the day of her graduation. So she takes another deep breath, squeezing the reassuring fingers in her hold,

almost rapping out the words as they stumble out of ,

“Iwaswondering ifyouwouldliketogo onaroadtripwithus insteadofamovienight.”

Eunbi blinks.

“Come again?”

And a voice inside Hyewon’s mind that sounds very much like Yujin cackles.

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

#chaotic neighbourhood (12) | 9:57 PM

smol bab: does it work

YA YA YA: nako, bab, ur in the wrong channel

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

It takes Hyewon almost dying out of embarrassment and Eunbi almost tearing up, but she finally manages to get everything out—that yes, she really said us, as in the eleven of them us, and yes, Eunbi heard her right, it’s a road trip, and yes, the idea came from Eunbi’s bucket list, and yes, the road trip will be with a truck and Hyewon is driving, and no, she didn’t magic her way through acquiring the driving license—

“I thought—” Eunbi swallows, eyes shining brightly under the lighting of the hallway, “I thought it’s going to be just us again, watching the clock tick past midnight, like last year. I didn’t, I never thought—”

“We were still awkward then,” says Hyewon. They were too busy trying to adapt and survive, birthdays getting put on the backburner in comparison to almost everything else. She manages a smile, “And—well, not so awkward now.”

“Is that why everyone’s offline the whole day?” asks Eunbi, her smile wavering slightly. “It was—it felt so lonely. I was scared that you’d really cancel our movie night and I’ll have to—”

“I’m sorry,” Hyewon grimaces, squeezing the fingers in her hold, “it’s—it took us the whole day to prepare. I’m so sorry.”

“No, it’s okay.” And Eunbi is looking at her like—you see, there are moments where Hyewon feels like Eunbi wants her to do something. To step in closer, to pull her into a hug, to do something more, but the moment never lasts long enough for her to try and attempt bravery.

And this moment is no different than any other before it, with Eunbi tilting her head and quietly asking a beat later,

“Is it just me, or does your phone keep vibrating too?”

Hyewon inhales deeply.

“Yeah,” she mumbles. The small gadget has been relentlessly vibrating inside her pocket. “Yeah, it does. Probably the kids, waiting for us to come already.” She releases Eunbi’s hands, feigning indifference at the coldness that feels stark compared to the warmth just a moment ago,

“You haven’t said, though. If you would go.”

Eunbi smiles, and, as though she has made it her life goal to knock Hyewon’s breath out of her lungs, she reaches up to brush a strand of hair from Hyewon’s cheek, tucking it behind her ear.

Softly answering,

“Of course I would.”

It’s still a wonder, how Hyewon still manages to stay alive after all this time.

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

#crime scene (11) | 10:10 PM

angry fairy: @food slayer hitomi and i moved out to the container

angry fairy: no need to thank me

food slayer: thanks

angry fairy: why do you always disobey instructions.

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

“Wow,” says Minjoo, voice b with awe, “we should’ve gotten Eunbi-unnie from the start, Hyewon-unnie drives way carefully with her—”

Hyewon decides that she likes Minjoo better when she’s asleep.

“Really?” Eunbi hums, throwing a side-glance from the passenger seat. “What have you done?”

“I’ve done nothing,” Hyewon tries to defend herself, gaze staying firmly on the road.

“She almost ran over my neighbor’s fence!” Wonyoung’s voice quips from the back.

“I did that literally once—"

“Which is one time too many!”

“Fight me, giant baby!”

Chaeyeon yells, “No fighting while you drive!”

Hyewon is this close to slamming the steering wheel with her fist and contemplating her life choices, but a glance to her side and Eunbi is chuckling away, shoulders shaking with mirth, amused with the whole display. The melodious sound of her happiness is bright, too bright that Hyewon has to immediately look back to the road ahead, suppressing a smile of her own.

This—is fine.

Eunbi’s happiness is always fine.

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

#crime scene (11) | 10:35 PM

AAAAAAAAAA: question

AAAAAAAAAA: will this channel get demolished

tol bab: ; - ;

tol bab: I LOVE IT THOUGH

lets get this bread: it’s been a memorable place for sure

pepehands: what do you think dear admin @blue ranger

blue ranger: idk i

blue ranger: might just archive it

blue ranger: and unlock this so eunbi-unnie could see?

drunk dove dancing: nice idea

blue ranger: its been years and i still feel touched whenever you compliment me

drunk dove dancing: uwu

drunk dove dancing: [pats]

angry fairy: ew

angry fairy: fluff

YA YA YA: ur really saying that

YA YA YA: when ur entangled with tomitomi in the corner

YA YA YA: i cant even differentiate ur legs with hers

smol bab: what do u mean i can do that easily

AAAAAAAAAA: same

pepehands: isn't it weirder to not be able to do that

modern picasso: yeah anyone with braincells can do it

YA YA YA: .

YA YA YA: YALL WANNA FIGHT???

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

The truck finally parks by a beach, one placed a good distance away from the main road. Hyewon doesn’t immediately get off, letting the container to unlock with a press of a button and watching as her friends pour out of the box, bringing all sorts of belongings out. Chaeyeon and Chaewon hang back a little, subtle movements of their arms easily neglectable as stretching gestures if any other eyes were watching.

Carefully casting the muggle-repelling charm on a selected area others have marked with several sticks produced from Minjoo’s box.

“I still can’t believe that we’re doing this,” says Eunbi, still seated next to her, seatbelt still buckled in. Hyewon doesn’t shift her gaze to look at her, choosing instead to follow Yujin’s figure, busy setting up a tent with Hitomi and Yuri’s assistance.

“I can barely believe it either,” she honestly admits, voice quiet.

A glance to the digital clock of her dashboard, and it’s almost midnight. They’re almost there, almost reaching Eunbi’s birthday, and Hyewon considers it. Considers staying inside the truck until the day changes, if only so she could be the first one to wish her happy birthday, just like last year.

“We need to get off,” is what she says instead, finally turning to look at the older woman with a smile.

Eunbi looks back at her, and there’s that gaze again. A gaze that makes Hyewon think that the older woman wants her to do something more.

“You’re really one unpredictable woman, Kang Hyewon.”

The words, spoken softly, are charged with something. Something that makes a breath catch in , something that makes her grip on the steering wheel loosen.

“As unpredictable as you?” she quietly asks.

Eunbi her lips. “I’m not,” a shake of her head, a quiet laugh as though announcing that Hyewon’s claim is ridiculous.

“Unpredictable, that is. I’m not.”

Hyewon disagrees.

Because the way the older woman wormed her way into Hyewon’s heart, burrowing stubbornly into her mind—it isn’t something Hyewon expected. Through short meetings over coffee, and the tentative movie nights that have evolved into something more like a comfortable routine, Hyewon has held a belief so firmly that she isn’t falling, that Eunbi’s just a friend, that what they have is purely friendship and she wants nothing more than to have it last.

And yet.

“We really should get off now,” says Hyewon, pointedly ignoring the itch of her fingers that wants her to reach out and hold Eunbi. “The kids will hate me if they didn’t get to wish you happy birthday on midnight.”

“And what do we lose in exchange?”

Hyewon blinks. “Lose?”

Eunbi shifts in her seat, angling her body to face Hyewon fully. There’s a knowing glint in her gaze, one Hyewon first received when Eunbi caught her trying to smuggle in a squirrel at the start of her fifth year.

“If they got to wish me happy birthday on midnight,” says Eunbi slowly, “and we lost this moment, would you be okay with that?”

This moment.

The two words repeat themselves in Hyewon’s ears, Eunbi’s stare smouldering on her, and she swallows.

“What do you want to say, Eunbi-unnie?”

And Eunbi smiles, with a hint of bitterness in it, as she shakes her head and unbuckles her seatbelt.

“Nothing,” she says, turning away to open the door, one last glance lingering on her for nearly a minute before she faintly repeats,

“Nothing.”

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

#operation make parents confess (10) | 11:52 PM

blue ranger: why cant we just hit them with the handcuffs spell

AAAAAAAAAA: bc that spell is bad and traumatic are you Crazy

blue ranger: hey it got you and yena-unnie together!

AAAAAAAAAA: doesnt change the fact that its Traumatizing

smol bab: saku-chan do u not have extendable ears that arent disappointing

modern picasso: Excuse me

modern picasso: it’s the conversation that is disappointing

smol bab: tru…

pepehands: don't be too harsh!

pepehand: hyewon-unnie is trying her best

YA YA YA: are u kidding shes been pining for years

tol bab: we need to stage an intervention

lets get this bread: or we could just not,

tol bab: WHY NOT

angry fairy: because theyre coming this way

blue ranger: OH NO

drunk dove dancing: take care of your expression guys

angry fairy: everyone scatter and unphone

pepehands: unphone isn’t a word stop trying to make it happen

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

Something is off.

Hyewon is almost sure that this something actually translates to ten people smiling far too wide, feigning innocence but coming across as trying to cover up a thing instead. And yet, Eunbi beams brightly, almost brighter than the campfire Nako has started several steps away from their tent, carpets rolled out between them to provide for a place to sit.

Hyewon wills the suspicion to fade, obliging silently when Eunbi tugs at her to sit together.

“How many minutes left?” asks Yena, balancing her guitar on her thigh, strumming randomly as though to warm her fingers up.

“A minute,” Yujin announces, looking up from her watch to shoot Hyewon a -eating grin. “Thank you for returning her in time to us!”

And Hyewon would love to shake her fist at the younger woman, really she would, only the atmosphere is too lovely for that, and the fingers wrapped around her own aren’t yet willing to let go. Being the first to untangle their hold doesn’t seem worth it, in comparison, so Hyewon just rolls her eyes and lets the moment pass.

One minute ticks by fast enough, it turns out.

Before long, Yujin has started a countdown from ten, and everyone joins in, even Eunbi, with the reddening of her cheeks illuminated by the campfire.

“Five! Four! Three! Two!”

 Hyewon squeezes the fingers in her hold before finally letting go.

“One!!!”

She turns to look at the older woman, feeling her heart soar at the misty look on Eunbi’s eyes.

“Happy birthday, Eunbi-unnie!!!”

With a whoop, Yena starts to energetically strum the chords for the birthday song and they begin to sing.

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

#crime scene (11) | 00:05 AM

food slayer: thank you for everything, guys

 

*

 

#operation make parents confess (10) | 00:05 AM

modern picasso: think she’ll still thank us if she knows of this channel?

YA YA YA: betting on no

blue ranger: betting on yes

blue ranger: shes too soft to get mad at me anyway

 

*

 

#crime scene (11) | 00:06 AM

YA YA YA: u lucky er

food slayer: what

YA YA YA: OH WRONG CHANNEL

 

*

 

#operation make parents confess (10) | 00:06 AM

blue ranger: HDSJKHFHUDF YENA-UNNIE

blue ranger: YOU SHOULDVE PLAYED IT COOL

blue ranger: WHY DID YOU SAY WRONG CHANNEL??

YA YA YA: OH X2

angry fairy: you goddamn Fool

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

As it stands, universe seems to be conspiring against her confronting suspicious people, because just as she’s about to ask Yena about who the lucky er is (and what, in Merlin’s name, is WRONG CHANNEL supposed to mean), Yujin brightly announces that they’ll start telling their wishes to Eunbi one by one.

They immediately agree to do it on the order of their sitting—starting from the person sitting on Eunbi’s other side, Nako. And then it’s Wonyoung, followed by Yujin, then Minjoo, then Yena, then Yuri, then Hitomi, then Chaewon, then Sakura, then Chaeyeon—

By the time Chaeyeon finishes telling her wishes, enveloping the older woman in a hug, Eunbi has gone through a quarter of the tissue pack Hyewon has silently handed her when Nako’s message made her start tearing up. It’s happy tears, though. Hyewon can tell because Eunbi’s smiling, her body language open instead of closing like that one time she visited Hyewon’s place while feeling stressed out because of a case.

Loved. Hyewon hopes she feels loved, and if Hyewon were to ask, she has a feeling that Eunbi will say that she does.

When Eunbi finally pulls away from Chaeyeon and blows into a new sheet of tissue, Hyewon allows herself to think of what to say, of what to express. She isn’t the most eloquent with words, isn’t the smoothest with feelings.

And when Eunbi finally looks at her, no amount of planning in her mind prepares her for the look the older woman is giving her.

“Well,” Eunbi rasps, voice still as lovely to Hyewon’s ears even when it’s rough with emotions, “what does our brilliant, unpredictable, one-in-a-million truck driver Kang Hyewon have to say?”

Not much, if she has to be honest. Others have said a lot that she wants to say, have reassured Eunbi of the things Hyewon wants to reassure her all the same. She’s this close to blanking out, words running away from her in an alarming rate, and she doesn’t know whether to be glad or horrified when her lips part and say the first thing she could think of, unfiltered,

“I learnt to drive a truck for you.”

The whole circle holds their breath, Eunbi blinking at the quiet sentence.

Hyewon swallows, and continues.

“I learnt a lot of spells to enchant the truck for you. I learnt the roads, planned the route to pick up everyone, tried my best to arrange this road trip—for you,

because seeing you happy makes me happy too.”

And she lets her head to fall for a moment, trying to rein in the words that threaten to spill out. The songs her heart has been singing, how worried she always feels, afraid that Eunbi will hear the quickening pace of her heartbeat whenever they’re hugging or lounging lazily on the couch, letting the television to play movies for them with their bodies entangling together, pressed up close.

She takes a deep breath, and lifts her head to catch Eunbi’s gaze again.

Smiling as she says,

“I love you.”

And she isn’t the first to say the words. Everyone has always ended their birthday wish with it, with I love you, because they do, they all love Eunbi, only—Hyewon loves her in a way that is a little bit different than that, loves her in a way that’s a little more similar to the love Chaewon would murmur to Hitomi after one kiss, loves her in a way that’s a little more in sync with the love Yuri would sing to Yena when the older woman is halfway to being asleep.

And Eunbi looks at her, with a gaze unreadable, with a smile Hyewon doesn’t dare to pick apart, afraid of the answer she might find within them.

“I love you, too,” comes the reply.

And Eunbi inches closer, pushing herself up a little to press a kiss to Hyewon’s cheek, the warmth lingering, drawing her in. Stars, a billion of stars are sparkling in the older woman’s eyes when she pulls back to gaze up at Hyewon, and this time it’s not only Eunbi’s gaze that wants Hyewon to make a move.

Hyewon’s heart wants her to, too.

So she says,

“I love you,” as though Eunbi hasn’t replied, as though Eunbi’s replying to the wrong assumption of love, “I love you, and—when I say I do I really mean that I want to hug you, to take you to a lot more road trips even when it’s not your birthday, to visit your place without a movie night planned beforehand because I want to surprise you with a dinner or a cuddle, to kiss you when you’re looking at me like this because your stare makes me want to fly and you’re the only thing anchoring me to the ground—”

And Eunbi laughs quietly, listening to her with a glint in her eyes and a blush on her cheeks that makes Hyewon unable to stop. And then, just as she’s about to run out of air, Eunbi moves to cup her cheeks, gazing up warmly at her.

Softly saying,

“Breathe.”

And so Hyewon does. She lets words to trail off, taking in a lungful of air, and then she’s ready to continue where she’s left off, afraid that her bravery’s running out and she’ll be back trying to pour her heart out through actions—

But Eunbi puts a finger against her lips, shaking her head.

“Listen to me a bit,” she says.

Hyewon blinks, shutting up.

And Eunbi smiles.

Pulling her close.

Closer, until they’re only a breath apart, foreheads touching gently under the beaming stars.

“That kind of love,” Eunbi exhales, warm air fanning against Hyewon’s lips, “that kind of love, too—I love you all the same.”

And she doesn’t know who leans in first. Perhaps it’s herself, perhaps it’s Eunbi, perhaps it’s the universe feeling sick of watching them dance around and finally giving the final push—but their eyes flutter close as their lips meet, brushing shyly, warmly, unleashing the swarm of fluttery butterflies inside Hyewon’s stomach.

Unleashing the cheers and the sniggers from their friends all around them,

but for a second (or longer), they let the world pass by.

They let the world pass by and stay with each other.

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

#crime scene (12) | 01:35 AM

haggest mom: …backreading this channel is a ride.

 

*

 

#operation make parents confess (12) | 01:44 AM

food slayer: i don’t know whether to thank yall or to disown

smol bab: definitely thank

tol bab: no doubt about it

blue ranger: we’re Harmless

YA YA YA: we prayed for u a lot here

AAAAAAAAAA: amen

food slayer: someday im going to fight all of you

pepehands: after endangering our lives the whole day???

angry fairy: she has a point

food slayer: STOP ACTING LIKE I CANT DRIVE

lets get this bread: you can drive, unnie

food slayer: Thank You

modern picasso: dangerously

food slayer: BEACH—

drunk dove dancing: anyone making a ruckus inside the tent WILL be kicked out

haggest mom: kang hyewon

haggest mom: just hug me and sleep

haggest mom: we need to drive back after sunrise

food slayer: …yes, ma'am

smol bab: whipped

tol bab: whipped

YA YA YA: whipped

blue ranger: whipped

modern picasso: whipped

AAAAAAAAAA: whipped

pepehands: whipped

drunk dove dancing: whipped

angry fairy: whipped

lets get this bread: i’m sorry, but it really is whipped behaviour

lets get this bread: sweet dreams, though, unnie! and everyone else too

lets get this bread: happy birthday again, eunbi-unnie <3

haggest mom: thank you, hii-chan <3

haggest mom: sweet dreams to you all :)

haggest mom: YENA STOP HITTING YUJIN WITH THE FARTING HEX

YA YA YA: WTF HOW DID U KNOW

 

 

 

 

END