The second day of their trip started with a tour around Wall Street, followed by admiring the Statue of Liberty from afar. They were short on time and Hyejoo was afraid of heights, so Chaewon refused to go despite Hyejoo’s reassurance that she would be fine.  

Differing from the other more central parts of New York they’d been to, Wall Street was a blend of modern architecture with greek elements. It was everything you’d imagine the most mesmerizing financial district in the world to be.  

After that, they headed north, towards the 9/11 memorial. Chaewon wowed when she realized that, in the exact place where the towers were, two gigantic pits with water flowing through them stood. She approached, with parted lips, and carefully touched the stone with names engraved on it.  

“This is beautiful, but I can’t help feeling sad,” Hyejoo said, standing beside her. “These people all met such a terrible fate so unexpectedly.”  

Chaewon nodded and closed her eyes, silently praying that all those souls were at peace now.  

“It seems like the waterfall has no end, right?” Hyejoo asked, reaching her head forward to look down, but retreating the same second. “It’s crazy scary, too.”  

“Indeed.”  

As Chaewon peeked at Hyejoo, she found her vacantly starting at the opposite end of the monument.  

“What are you thinking about?” She asked, caressing the back of Hyejoo’s neck.  

“Nothing, just admiring. Let's go?”  

Chaewon grabbed her hand and walked beside her, wherever she wanted to take her to next.  

“Wanna go for lunch? I'm getting hungry after all the walking.” Hyejoo checked the time on her phone.  

“Sure, what do you feel like eating?”  

“Depends on what's nearby. Let's sit in that park for a bit while I check it out,” she said, starting her journey on her beloved Zomato app.  

Chaewon sat and took in the fresh air, looking around the small park with a fountain in the center. Then, something caught her attention.  

“Hyejoo, mind if I visit that church?”  

“Hm? Sure, go ahead, I'll have a couple of options ready for when you come back.”  

Chaewon smiled, thanked her, and kissed her cheek before standing up and heading towards the church.  

She stepped inside, after being greeted by the old man at the entrance, who offered her a flyer with information about the church.  

It was a cozy, modest church, but well illuminated and decorated, with a colorful stained glass ahead. Some people wandered around, taking some pictures, others sat and prayed. And that was what Chaewon wanted to do as well. She moved to an empty bench, sat, clasped her hands together and closed her eyes.  

A few minutes later, she felt someone sitting close to her, interrupting her thoughts. She opened her eyes and saw what she never expected to.  

“H-Hyejoo?” she whispered.  

“Hey, Gowon.”  

“Why are you here?”  

“To pray with you.”  

“But, I thought... You were against it.”  

Hyejoo smiled. “You still remember that tragic second meeting? I'm not against it, I think everyone has the right to believe in what they want. I just... never liked it myself.”  

Chaewon stared at her. “Do you have any specific reason why you don’t like it?”  

“You know those people who claim to be very religious, go to church every Sunday, just so they can think they're good people because of that? They ignore all the evil going on around them and even contribute to said evil. But they believe they’re exempt from judgment because they are of a certain faith,” Hyejoo said, fists balled and a sly smile on.  

“I know what you mean.” Chaewon sighed, her hand making way to hold Hyejoo's. She knew exactly who she was talking about.  

“Yes. It's so hypocritical how they only use that 'God doesn't approve that' to what serves their opinion, especially when it comes to uality, right?” Hyejoo gritted her teeth. “Then don't eat seafood, and don't wear mixed fabrics, and also, don’t shave.”  

Chaewon gulped, dropping her head.  

“I'm not talking about you, Gowon. Maybe you were like that a few months ago, but you changed, and look at you now. My father never made any sort of effort.”  

“I'm sorry you had to go through that, Hyejoo.” Chaewon squeezed her hand. “I understand if you don't believe it. As you said, everyone has the right to believe in what they want, even if it's believing in nothing at all.”  

“It's not like I don't believe in anything, maybe there is, indeed, something above us, some force or whatever. But not necessarily an old man with long hair and a beard, much less in a book a bunch of guys decided to write decades ago that somehow became a rulebook and the cause for wars and a whole bunch of problems in society nowadays.” Hyejoo exhaled. “Sorry, was it too much?”  

Chaewon gulped, trying not to show her discomfort over Hyejoo’s comments inside a church, replacing those thoughts with empathy and understanding. 

“I know a lot of wars happen because of religion, and it makes me sad every time I think about it. It doesn’t make sense and it does go against everything that is taught to us. So, I guess I see your point.”  

“You practice your religion in a way that doesn't hurt or bother anyone. You even changed so much in such a short time. If only everyone was like you, Gowon.”  

Her face warmed up, and she didn't know what to say.  

“I didn't mean to interrupt your praying, go back to it, I'll keep you company if that's okay.” Hyejoo smiled, leaning back on the bench. “Oh, and tell Him I'm grateful for having you in my life.”  

---  

Sushi for lunch, Central Park for the afternoon.  

It looked absurdly beautiful, with a thin white layer of snow covering the trees and grass, leaving the paths clean for people to walk. Chaewon had no idea it was that big until she realized it would take almost an hour to walk from one side to the other.  

“It's okay, we won't see it all, I selected a few things worth trying here. Trust me,” Hyejoo said, a smile on her lips.  

“Okay, where are we going first?”  

“The zoo.”  

“There's a zoo here?!”  

“Yep, it's not that big, but it’s got some cute little things we're gonna love to see.”  

Chaewon wouldn’t have believed a snow leopard existed until she saw the most beautiful animal ever in front of her. The snow monkeys and grizzly bears had her jaw dropped, and the red pandas and sea lions got them both squealing.  

“I want a red panda. Gowon, can we have one?”  

Chaewon laughed and pinched her cheek. “Of course not, but you're cute.”  

“Why not? We would take care of him, give him food and love. I mean, look at it! How can you resist the cuteness?”  

“I actually don't know if you're serious.”  

“I am!” Hyejoo frowned, and after checking the time, she her heels, pulling Chaewon with her. “, it's almost time!”  

“For what?”  

“We're gonna feed penguins.”  

“We are what, now?”  

Hyejoo almost died laughing and trying to film that moment on her phone, because Chaewon would scream whenever the penguin launched to steal the fish in her hand.  

“You sure were having fun.” Chaewon rolled her eyes, approaching her when she was done with the activity she never asked for.  

“I’m sorry, you’ll laugh when you watch the video as well.”  

“No, thanks. I’m fine with not witnessing the loss of my dignity on tape.”  

Hyejoo laughed but cleared after Chaewon’s deadly glare.  

“Ready for our next adventure?”  

“What’s next? We’re going to feed the bears or something? Count me out, I like having both my hands.”  

Hyejoo laughed even louder and grabbed her hand. “Not at all. Let’s enjoy the walk there, yeah?”  

They walked in silence. Chaewon closed her eyes for a second and took in the fresh air into her lungs, sighing with a grin on her lips. She never asked for any of that. She never asked for someone who would give her so much love, who would do all those things for her, who showed her many more new things in the past few months than she had seen in her whole life.  

Yet, Son Hyejoo existed.  

Chaewon looked up at her, as she fixed her handmade Patriots scarf around her neck. The person who did exactly all of that, without her even dreaming about it.  

“I love you.”  

Hyejoo met her eyes, but soon looked ahead again. Chaewon could still see her red cheeks though.  

“D-Don’t say it just like that,” Hyejoo mumbled.  

“Why?”  

“I’m still not used to it.”  

“You better get used to it, or will you act shy whenever I say it?”  

“What if I do?”  

“Who knew Hyejoo had so much aegyo.”  

“Who knew it would be so effective against you.” Hyejoo smirked.  

“As if.” Chaewon raised her chin.  

Hyejoo rested her arm around her shoulders and her head on hers.  

“I love you so much, Chaewon. , it feels so good to say this. Also, did I ever tell you how much I love our height difference?”  

“I used to hate it, you know,” Chaewon said. “Okay, maybe not hate, but you’re already scary, and you have to be this tall! I was very intimidated when I met you.” She pouted.  

“And I was afraid of scaring you! I know my face isn’t the most approachable, I was afraid to creep you out when I asked you out for the first time.”  

“For lunch?” Chaewon tried not to laugh too much. “You seemed pretty chill and nonchalant about it.”  

“You don’t know how fast my heart was beating. Then you rejected me.” Hyejoo pouted, making her cheeks puff.  

“You were rude.”  

“And you judged me hard. I was nervous, okay? I mess up a lot when I don’t have my together.”  

“You judged me too!”  

They stared at each other and laughed.  

“Okay, we’re even.” Chaewon nodded.  

“But now you like it? The height difference,” Hyejoo said, clear mischief in her voice, as she used Chaewon’s shoulder as an armrest.  

“I changed my mind, I still hate it.”  

Hyejoo whined and circled her arm around Chaewon’s neck, pulling her to her chest, but she fought and released herself from her grip. She jumped and did the same to Hyejoo, bringing her head to her chest with her arm around her neck, making her a giggling mess.  

“I really enjoy this place, for real, but I can barely walk, and you’re kinda choking me.” Hyejoo struggled to say, and as Chaewon let go of her with an apology, she was able to breathe again. “Leave that for another time, yes?” Hyejoo winked.  

“S-Son Hyejoo!” Chaewon tried to slap the back of her head, but Hyejoo ducked in time and ran away in a fit of giggles, looking back at her. 

“You really like to hit me, don’t you?”  

Chaewon didn’t answer and was sure her face was tomato red by now. 

“Okay okay, I’m sorry, you’re just too cute not to tease.” Hyejoo cupped her cheeks and peck her lips. “You cold?”  

“I’m fine. How about you?”  

“My skin may be cold, but my heart is warm.”  

“Hey, I used that before. Are you running out of ideas?”  

“, right, you did. I’ll practice more and come up with new things to make you cringe like you never did.”  

Chaewon laughed. “I’ll look forward to that.”  

They continued their walk in that beautiful winter day, allowing their lungs to fill with fresh air.  

Chaewon didn’t bother asking where they would be going next, because anything at all would be enjoyable.  

Like riding the carousel. Hyejoo didn’t remember the last time she did it, but Chaewon had a clear memory of a carousel ride in Seoul, from the first time she traveled there with her parents when she was just a kid. She had loved it so much it became a good memory, and now, she had an even happier one with Hyejoo.  

Then, ice skating, something Chaewon never tried before.  

“I’m scared,” Chaewon whined, not letting go of the railing.  

“It’s okay, watch me first,” Hyejoo said, the confidence transparent in her words.  

And Chaewon did watch... Hyejoo falling flat on her .  

“Was that supposed to make me feel less scared?” Chaewon asked, tightening her grip on the rails. She was conflicted on whether to laugh or not, worried that if she did, she’d be hit with instant karma.  

“Just...” Hyejoo stood up. “Pretend this didn’t happen. ing , this hurts.” She glided back to Chaewon, massaging her own .  

“Your pride, I’m sure.”  

Hyejoo glared at her. “As if I didn’t fall from the bed yesterday, my was already hurting.”  

Chaewon snorted. “I’m sorry, I'm not going to laugh anymore because I don’t want to attract karma as lousy as yours.”  

“What did I do to deserve it?!”  

“Laughed at me while I fed the penguins.”  

Hyejoo opened , just to close it again.  

“You’re right. Can you still trust me, though?” Hyejoo asked, sliding her hand down Chaewon’s arm until it met her hand.  

“Of course.” Chaewon kissed Hyejoo’s cheek. “If we fall, at least we fall together. Now teach me.” 

---

A/N: Like I promised, more fluff! Expect EVEN MORE FLUFF for the next chapter, their last day in New York! ♥️