art 3

 

‘Exams are in a few days, Yujin, I really can’t afford to mess up my schedule. Maybe next time.’ 

 

Yujin pouted even though she knew Wonyoung couldn’t even see her. She switched her phone onto her right hand as she rolled over to flop belly first onto her bed. 

 

‘Wonyoung.’ Yujin whined. ‘Just one game of cup pong, please? I’m so bored I’m about to die.’ 

 

‘No, Yujin. Go play some basketball or something.’ 

 

‘It’s too cold.’ 

 

‘Call Hyewon unnie.’ 

 

‘She’s busy.’ 

 

‘Yena unnie?’

 

‘Oh?’ Yujin sat up. ‘That’s a good idea.’ 

 

Yujin heard Wonyoung sigh through the phone. ‘Bye, Yujin.’ 

 

‘Bye bye, Princess’ Yujin said quickly before Wonyoung hung up. Though she had a feeling Wonyoung had already put her phone down and didn’t hear her say it. 

 

(She was wrong because at that moment Wonyoung’s cheeks had become a lovely shade of bright red). 

 

‘Yena unnie.’ Yujin clicked on her phone number. ‘She will be fun.’

 

Oh, how Yujin was wrong. 

 

It was fun at first until a certain someone had to arrive. 

 

Now, Yujin was sitting awkwardly on the other side of the bed and trying hard not to cringe at the googly eyes that Yena was throwing at Yuri. Quite frankly, Yuri was throwing them right back to her. 

 

Yujin: Abort mission!

 

Yujin: Yuri unnie arrived and I want to throw up 

 

Wonyoung: omg I feel so bad for you

 

Yujin: bad enough to go to the swimming pool with me?

 

Wonyoung: apparently not 

 

Wonyoung: good luck!

 

Yujin: WHAT

 

Yujin: HEY

 

Yujin: COME BACK HERE

 

Yujin: WONYOUNG 

 

‘Unnie.’ Yuri giggled. ‘You’re so annoying.’ 

 

(Even Yujin could tell that was code for ‘I’m ready to bone you’. In a G-rated way, of course. If that made any sense.)

 

‘You’re the annoying one!’ Yena said. ‘Who gave you the right to be this cute?!’ 

 

‘Unnie!’ Yuri laughed giddily and whacked Yena’s shoulder. The tips of her ears started to turn red. 

 

Yujin was ready to explode. She could not take this anymore. 

 

Suddenly, the door to Yena’s dorm room opened and Yujin saw her saving angel walk in the room. The angel who went by the name Kim Chaewon. 

 

‘Oh. Hi, again.’ Chaewon said when eyeing Yena and Yuri on Yena’s bed. When she walked by Yujin she shot her an empathetic look. Yujin couldn’t help but mouth save me. 

 

‘Chaewon!’ Yena said. ‘Is it okay if Yuri stays over tonight?’ 

 

Chaewon’s eyes cried no but on the outside she just shrugged. 

 

’Do whatever.’ Chaewon said. 

 

Then she turned to leave the room.

 

‘Wait!’ Yujin jumped up and grabbed her arm. ‘Where are you going?’ 

 

Chaewon turned around, deadpanning. ‘Anywhere that’s not around those two.’ 

 

Yujin turned to look at the two huddled around Yena’s phone, the oldest of the two obviously trying to get as close as possible to the younger one. Yuri, did not seem to mind one bit.

 

‘I’ll come with you.’ Yujin said. 

 

Before Chaewon could protest, Yujin was already yelling bye and dragging the smaller girl out the door. 

 

Once they were outside in the hall, Yujin clapped her hands together. 

 

‘What should we do today, unnie?’ 

 

Chaewon started to walk down the hall, Yujin walking next to her like an obedient puppy. ‘I’m going to meet with Minjoo.’ 

 

‘Really?’ Yujin lit up. ‘I’ve never met her before! Let’s go!’ 

 

Chaewon watched with a sigh as Yujin skipped to the elevator. 

 

‘Wonyoung is such an angel. What does she even see in this rascal?’

 

……..

 

Chaewon sat in the park, focusing on peeling the sweet potato for her girlfriend as the other girl was caught up in conversation with the ball of sugar called Ahn Yujin. 

 

‘Wonyoung is really smart. She picks things up really quickly. One time, I made her play basketball and her technique was really good even though she’s never played before. You know how she learnt it? Just from watching me all these years! She’s really good at english too. She’s practically fluent. She’s like a little genius.’ 

 

Wonyoung this. Wonyoung that. Chaewon just wanted to go on a cute little picnic date with her girlfriend since she’s been so busy with work lately, and yet here was this rascal crashing her precious Minjoo time. 

 

‘I’m not surprised.’ Chaeyeon said. ‘She’s really quick at picking up choreography. She likes to pay attention to every detail.’ 

 

Chaewon had even invited Chaeyeon to crash their date, hoping that Yujin would latch onto her and give Chaewon and Minjoo to have some space to do… well, Chaewon and Minjoo things. 

 

Chaewon forgot about one factor. Minjoo loved meeting new people. She was genuinely enjoying Yujin’s company and even countering Chaewon’s subtle attempts to get Yujin to leave them alone. 

 

‘You and Wonyoung seem pretty close.’ Minjoo said. 

 

‘Oh yeah. We’re the closest! We’ve stuck by each other’s side since we were 8 years old.’ 

 

‘8?’ Minjoo’s eyes widened. 

 

‘How did Wonyoung put up with you for that long?’ Chaeyeon teased. 

 

‘We’re neighbours.’ Yujin said. ‘But we first met at the park. I made her cry.’ 

 

Minjoo chuckled. ‘Did you steal her candy?’ 

 

‘No.’ Yujin rolled her eyes. ‘We were 8, she didn’t cry over candy at that age.’ 

 

‘Oh true.’ Chaeyeon said. ‘I remember Chaeryeong would cry when our dog ate her food. They usually cry over food at around… four?’ 

 

‘...teen.’ Yujin corrected her. She looked off into the distance. ‘She was fourteen years old. Wonyoung plus her period plus her precious jelly beans being taken away from her? A literal nightmare.’ 

 

‘The poor girl.’ Minjoo laughed. ‘Sounds like you make her cry all the time.’ 

 

‘No. It wasn’t me.’ Yujin suddenly shook her head, her mood instantly snapping into something more serious. ‘I vowed never to make her cry ever again after I first met her at the park. I don’t like it.’ 

 

‘Oh.’ 

 

Yujin nodded. ‘Yeah.’ 

 

The conversation suddenly got Chaewon interested. 

 

‘What happened at the park?’ Chaewon asked. 

 

Yujin picked at a fallen leaf on her thigh. ‘I was just a little jerky 8 year old kid who was trying to fit in with the other kids who wanted to bully the weaker looking people. AKA Wonyoung. That girl wasn’t always drop dead gorgeous and tall, you know? Puberty really did that girl so many favors I’m starting to believe she saved a country in her past life.’

 

‘Who would want to bully Wonyoung? She sounds like an angel from what Chaewon’s said—.’ 

 

‘I don’t talk about Wonyoung. What are you talking about?’ Chaewon said quickly, her head snapping to Minjoo’s direction. 

 

Minjoo didn’t say anything, only letting out a small giggle and nudging Chaewon’s shoulder playfully. 

 

‘What changed your mind?’ Chaeyeon asked. ‘About bullying her?’ 

 

‘Like I said,’ Yujin fiddled with her fingers, ‘I don’t like seeing her cry.’ 

 

There was a brief silence as the other three girls thought about Yujin’s words. 

 

‘She never retaliates, you know?’ Yujin said after a while. ‘Even now, she just lets it happen. I think she has this mindset that whatever happens to her she deserves it because she didn’t work hard enough or she did something wrong. But that’s not true. Bad things just happen to good people all the time.’ 

 

‘Have you told her that?’ Chaeyeon asked. 

 

Yujin shook her head. 

 

‘Then tell her.’ Chaewon said. 

 

Tell her. There’s a few things Yujin wanted to tell Wonyoung. 

 

…………

 

(Yujin watched as Chaewon planted the softest kiss onto Minjoo’s cheek. Usually, when couples would do PDA in public Yujin would get shy. But seeing how loving and protective Chaewon was when she was holding her girlfriend,  Yujin couldn’t help but smile softly. 

 

And when they were standing on the bridge and Chaewon wrapped her arms from behind Minjoo to whisper three little words into her ear, Yujin realised that she wanted nothing more than to do all of that, too. 

 

She wanted to do all of that with no one else but Wonyoung.)

 

………….

 

Wonyoung closed her book with a thud. She was feeling good about maths. She was feeling good about her other subjects too, and she was feeling even better about how she was right on schedule. The next few days were left for light revision, she didn’t want to learn any new concepts in the last moments leading up to her exams. 

 

She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, enjoying the first few moments of pure peace that she has gotten in the past month. 

 

Those moments were cut quite short, however, as she heard something or someone tapping on her window. 

 

When she glanced at the missed call on her phone, she rolled her eyes knowing full well who it was. 

 

Her suspicions were confirmed when she pulled back her blinds to reveal a bright, dimpled smile beaming at her from her balcony. 

 

‘What are you doing here?’ Wonyoung said when she opened the window. 

 

‘Wait.’ Yujin said. 

 

Then she ran to the railing of the balcony and climbed over it so that she was leaning on one side of it. 

 

‘I can show you the world.’ Yujin began to sing. ‘Shining shimmering splendid. Tell me princess, now when did you last let your heart decide? I can open your eyes. Take you wonder by wonder. Over sideways and under on a magic carpet ride—‘

 

‘Are you really going to sing the whole song?’ Wonyoung interrupted her before the big chorus. 

 

Yujin huffed. ‘I was before I was rudely interrupted.’ 

 

‘Oh, sorry. My bad.’ Wonyoung said sarcastically. ‘Please, do continue you might wake up my parents. While you’re at it, you’ll probably wake up the whole damn neighbourhood.’ 

 

‘Too late.’ Yujin said. ‘The moment is ruined.’ 

 

‘I—‘ 

 

‘Anyways, I’ll meet you outside your front door.’ Yujin said, hopping down to hang by the edge of the balcony. ‘And tell your parents that you’re staying at my place tonight.’ 

 

‘Don’t I get a say in this?’ Wonyoung said as Yujin dropped from the balcony. (Which was probably only 3 metres or so since she was hanging down from it.) 

 

Yujin didn’t respond, only waited by Wonyoung’s front porch. Wonyoung rolled her eyes and made her way downstairs. 

 

‘Mom, Yujin is forcing me to stay at her house tonight. Can I tell her that I’m grounded?’ 

 

‘Go.’ Her Mom waved her towards the door. ‘You’ve been studying way too hard, go have some fun.’ 

 

‘But, what about Yujin? She needs to study!’ 

 

‘You and I both know that that girl will always find a way not to study. Maybe you can find a way to subtly influence her into studying.’ 

 

Wonyoung nodded, impressed. Her Mom made a very good point. 

 

‘About time.’ Yujin said when Wonyoung opened the door. She was balancing on the railings of Wonyoung’s front porch. ‘Let’s go, our chauffeur is waiting.’ 

 

‘Chauffeur?’ Wonyoung asked but Yujin was already walking towards the car that was parked in front of Wonyoung’s house. ‘Ahn Yujin!’

 

Wonyoung followed Yujin to the car, nonetheless. Yujin opened the door for her and beckoned Wonyoung into the car. 

 

‘I don’t have a flying carpet, so hopefully this will do, princess.’ 

 

Wonyoung narrowed her eyes. ‘I don’t know what you’re up to, Ahn Yujin, but this better be good.’

 

When Wonyoung made her way into the car, Yujin mumbled to herself, ‘I hope so too.’ 

 

Yujin also made her way into the car and reached over to put Wonyoung’s seatbelt on, who on instinct batted her hand away. Yujin insisted, however, and Wonyoung just sat back and let Yujin do her seatbelt. 

 

‘Welcome to your Uber services.’ A voice said from the front. ‘My name is Kim Minjoo and your driver today is my girlfriend, Kim Chaewon.’ 

 

‘Unnie!’ Wonyoung said when she saw that the owner of the car was in fact, Chaewon. ‘What the hell is going on? And nice to meet you, Minjoo unnie, I’m Wonyoung.’ 

 

‘You’ll find out soon enough, kid,’ was all Chaewon said and she the engine of the car and drove off. 

 

Wonyoung and Yujin were silent for most of the drive, only listening to A Whole New World and the romantic songs from High School Musical softly playing from the car speakers. 

 

Wonyoung thought they were heading towards the beach, until Chaewon made a different turn and ended up taking them into the woods. Wonyoung slumped back into her seat, inching a bit closer to her left towards Yujin.

 

‘Are you sure this is the right place?’ Wonyoung eyed the trees suspiciously. 

 

‘Yes.’ Yujin said. ‘Trust me.’ 

 

Wonyoung was about to say something snarky when Yujin turned to her, a different look in her eyes. 

 

‘Do you trust me?’ 

 

Usually, Wonyoung would . But something in Yujin’s tone made her only respond with a nod. Yujin relaxed into her seat a little bit more. 

 

They continued driving, the sun beginning to set a little bit more. It was around 7 in the evening and Wonyoung’s stomach growled a little bit. She realised that she hadn’t eaten anything since lunch. 

 

Finally, the car came to a stop and Wonyoung realised that they were by a cliff. 

 

‘You have reached your destination.’ Minjoo tried to say in an automated voice. Wonyoung heard Chaewon let out a small chuckle from the front. 

 

‘Thank you.’ Yujin said. ‘5 stars.’ 

 

She then turned to Wonyoung. 

 

‘Wait here, princess.’ 

 

Wonyoung watched as she left the car and made her way around to Wonyoung’s side. 

 

‘Did you really just walk all this way to open my door?’ Wonyoung said. ‘You know I can open my own door?’ 

 

‘Seriously, stop complaining you’re ruining the moment.’ Yujin rolled her eyes. ‘Just go with it. Oh, and leave your phone in the car.’ 

 

Wonyoung shrugged and followed her out of the car, placing her phone on the backseat. 

 

‘Meet you on the other side.’ Chaewon said. Then she lifted up the window and slowly drove away.

 

Wonyoung wanted to protest against Chaewon leaving them there and taking both of their phones with them but Yujin had grabbed her hand, pulling her so that they were about a metre away from the edge of the cliff.

 

The cliff wasn’t too high, and when Wonyoung looked down she could see water. 

 

‘Chaewon unnie showed me this place earlier, it’s pretty cool right? Look at the view! It’s so pretty.’ 

 

Wonyoung followed Yujin’s hand that was pointing out towards the horizon and she had to admit, it looked really pretty with the sunset. 

 

‘When she showed it to me, I really wanted to take you here, too. I thought you’d might like it.’ Yujin said. ‘Do you like it?’ 

 

Wonyoung nodded, taking in the view and breathing in the fresh air. She had to admit that it was pretty relaxing just standing there and enjoying the view. When she looked to the right she realised that this cliff was pretty close to the beach that she and Yujin would go to sometimes. 

 

Wonyoung and Yujin stood in silence for a few moments, Wonyoung just enjoying her moments of peace and freedom. 

 

‘Wonyoung?’ 

 

‘Hmmm?’ 

 

‘I have something I want to tell you.’ 

 

Wonyoung turned to face Yujin, hearing that the usual teasing tone in Yujin’s voice was gone. 

 

‘I feel like you already know, though.’ 

 

And it was true. Wonyoung knew what Yujin was going to say. What she was trying to say. 

 

‘I’m scared. To be completely honest.’ Yujin said. ‘Which is weird because not a lot of things scare me. I don’t get worried a lot. Sometimes I wonder if you’re the one that carries all the worries between us. And I feel sorry that you have to go through that. You’re a really good person, Wonyoung, and I don’t like seeing you hurt. If I’m being honest, I hate it. It’s one of the things I hate the most in the world.’ 

 

Yujin paused.

 

‘Which is why I need to get over this fear. I don’t want to be scared anymore.’ 

 

She let out a cheeky smile, her eyes turning into crescents and dimples showing. 

 

‘I just need to take the leap.’ 

 

Wonyoung eyed Yujin suspiciously. ‘Yujin… what are you—-‘ 

 

Her sentence was halted when Yujin turned around and ran towards the edge of the cliff, leaping off of it. 

 

‘Yujin!’ Wonyoung exclaimed, watching her jump over the edge. 

 

Wonyoung could only watch helplessly as Yujin plunged into the water. Thankfully, she wasn’t under the water for long and Yujin had popped back up just as quickly as she had jumped into the water. 

 

‘Ahn Yujin!’ Wonyoung called down to her. 

 

‘Jang Wonyoung!’ Yujin called back to her. 

 

‘What is wrong with—‘ 

 

‘Be my girlfriend!’ 

 

‘—you…’ 

 

Wonyoung could only stare at Yujin in shock. Wonyoung couldn’t believe her ears. She should have seen it coming, but it was all so sudden. 

 

‘Did you hear me?’

 

Wonyoung blinked. 

 

‘Are you crazy?’ Wonyoung finally yelled after a few short moments of silence.

 

‘Crazy in love with you!’ Yujin yelled back. 

 

Wonyoung had to stop her heart from beating like crazy. 

 

‘Do you really expect me to jump down there with you?’ 

 

Yujin didn’t say anything. She only smiled up at Wonyoung. 

 

‘I hate you, you know that right?’ Wonyoung said.

 

If it was anyone else, Wonyoung would have kept her up on that hill, forcing them to get Chaewon to pick her up. 

 

But it was Yujin. 

 

She took a deep breath. Then she ran to the edge of the cliff like Yujin had done, jumping off the edge and into the water with a splash. When she lifted her head back up, her teeth chattered from the cold. 

 

‘I h-hate you.’ Wonyoung said. 

 

Yujin only beamed at her, swimming closer to her to hold her close. She wrapped her arms around Wonyoung’s waist. 

 

‘No, you don’t.’ 

 

Wonyoung sighed. 

 

‘So, is that a yes, princess? I’m sorry it took so long for me to ask. I’m kind of a coward when it comes to you. You make me nervous.’

 

‘I want to be mad at you so bad right now, but I want to be your girlfriend more.’

 

If it was even possible Yujin’s smile grew wider.

 

‘I also want to be warm.’ Wonyoung said. ‘Did you even bring towels?’ 

 

‘Chaewon and Minjoo unnie have them in the car.’ Yujin said.  ‘They’re waiting for us at the beach.’

 

Wonyoung was impressed. Yujin really thought it through.

 

‘Anyways, the reason why I got you to do this, is because there’s something that I’ve been wanting to do that I was too scared to do before.’

 

Wonyoung nodded, about to close her eyes because she can guess what Yujin was about to do. 

 

Yujin took a deep breath.

 

Wonyoung closed her eyes, ready for the kiss to come. 

 

Nothing. 

 

Wonyoung opened her eyes to see Yujin staring at her with a nervous expression. 

 

Not again. Wonyoung thought. 

 

But, then.

 

‘Can I k-kiss you?’

 

The question was so cute and Wonyoung felt her heart fluttering faster than it has ever fluttered before. She couldn’t help the loud laugh that escaped (though her heart was beating incredibly fast at Yujin’s words).

 

‘Did you just stutter?’ Wonyoung said in between laughter. 

 

‘Stooooop.’ Yujin whined. ‘I’m trying to be romantic. Troy Bolton meets Aladdin, remember?’ 

 

Wonyoung smiled and cupped her hands around Yujin’s face, curling her fingers on her left hand to run down the side of Yujin’s jaw. 

 

‘I know. But I don’t want Troy Bolton meets Aladdin.’ Wonyoung said. ‘I just want my Yujin.’

 

‘So…’ Yujin said, ‘...can I kiss you?’

 

Wonyoung smiled and leaned in closer. She didn’t connect their lips all the way, she just leaned in so that their noses were grazing each other, and their foreheads were against each other.

 

She was waiting for Yujin to close the gap.

 

And this time, she did. 

 

……………..

 

(‘You know, when I call you Princess, I don’t mean that you’re a princess.’

 

‘That doesn’t make any sense but, okay?’

 

‘You’re not a Princess, because...now you’ve upgraded to my Princess.’

 

‘... you know, Yujin, you’re cuter when you shut up.’ 

 

‘Well, you know, Princess, you’re way cuter when you’re my girlfriend.’)