---

 

My heart dropped as she weakly tugged her arm out of my gentle grasp and I allowed her to. But I had decided, I let her slip away once so I’m never letting go of her ever again. 

 

I watch as her arm drops back to her side but she makes no sign to move further away from me

 

This is it. You have to tell her. There’s no going back now.

 

With her back still towards me, I truly spoke my mind for once as I let everything I had bottled up all spill out. I had never felt more vulnerable than in that one moment. So maybe I was slightly grateful that she wasn’t facing my direction or else I might have not been able to breathe at all.

 

“I truly care for you, I do. Anyone can tell. That’s why all our friends have been teasing us all the time. Because my feelings for you had been so obvious since the very beginning… well obvious to everyone except me. If I hadn’t had gotten some help sorting my own self out, I don’t think I’d even be here in this position right now, pouring my heart out to you.” as I take a shaky breath for what’s to come next, I see her shoulders rise and fall to also do the same. 

 

“So you want honesty? I’ll be honest all right. I love you. That’s right. I, Choi Yena, am in love with you, Jo Yuri. So so in love, that it confuses me, so much so that I thought I had some type of chronic heartburn or something. So yea. Sometimes I do push you off, but if I hadn’t, I’d feel like I was going to be engulfed by this giant flame ignited by you, that had been kindling within my chest.

 

But when we weren’t together, I’d feel like there was an ocean that was slowly filling up my lungs. I couldn’t breathe properly, I felt cold, lonely. So I thought I’d very much prefer the warmth, even if your fire burnt me alive.”

 

I now face downwards having most of my energy spent on that confession, I didn’t want to raise my head, I couldn’t, as I hear a rustle and presume she had turned around to face me. I now meekly utter the rest of what I wanted to say hoping that she’d still be able to hear me.

 

“A-and I know saying that that’s just how I am isn’t an excuse at all, but you of all people Yuri, know that I’m just not good at this ‘feelings’ thing at all – whether it’s realising them or talking about them.” 

 

A small sniffle pulls my attention towards her as I finally look her in the eye and I gain the courage to let it all out as I reach out to wipe the tears gathering up at the corner of her right eye. 

 

“You know how we have that connection? Where we don’t even need words to be able to communicate? Well lately you haven’t been there to pick up any of the messages I’ve been trying to send your way.” 

 

I let a short pause breathe between us as I take back my arm and bring both my hands up to the top of my head. Making little antennas with my index fingers, I started wiggling them,

 

“The signal tower’s probably broken or something.”

 

I hear the cutest sound as she snorts at my attempt to lighten up the atmosphere just as I’m always prone to doing, and a smile blooms on her face. Like the prettiest flower that she is. (Unknowingly a large grin forms on my face as well).

 

I watch as she continues to smile, feeling my own heart warming up by the second, and I take both her hands in mine. We come face to face once again but this time it’s feels much less heavy. It feels lighter, like a feather floating on the surface of a tranquil pond. It’s as light as the way only she can make me feel.

 

“So here I am. Right here. Right now. In front of you. Scared out of my wits –telling you everything that lies within my head and heart. 

 

So can you not be mad at me anymore? And could you be so gracious as to find even a speckle in your soul that would be able to forgive this stupid ducky of yours?”

 

My heart thuds for that one second where she slowly slides her hands out of my hold, but continues on pounding even faster as she says her first words since the moment she had turned away from me, “My ducky huh? That’s a pretty bold claim from such a coward.” and the way she smirked really ruffled my feathers (in a good way of course).

 

“As if you’re not one as well Jo Yuri!! I still remember whe–” before I could fully recount our shared memory, I was swarmed by the sweetest scent and a pair of warm arms around my neck pulling me closer to the shorter girl.

 

“I love you so much. Please know this.” I feel her whisper into the crook of my neck more than I can hear it. I lean in and embrace her, nodding into her hair all the while.

“I know. And I’m so lucky.”  I shut my eyes to savour the moment and before I knew it the school day was over as I heard the bell ring loud and clear throughout the building. 

 

Pulling back at the same time, we look at each other and after what felt like the largest obstacle ever, we had finally reconnected. We both smile and face away to head back towards the rest of the school. With a bounce in our steps, we were ready to explore our feelings, hand in hand, as we gently peeled away the layers one by one to reveal a never-ending love.

 

This is all still strange to me, but a nice kinda strange for once. I could definitely get used to this feeling.

 

---

 

“So how you guys feeling? We’re on in a bit.” Eunbi asks as we all gather around in a circle. I could see the nerves bounce around on everyone’s face, my own included, but we couldn’t all be more excited than right now, we we’re minutes away from performing our song cover which we had worked so hard on the past month.

 

After the heart to heart I had with Yuri on the roof, with the talent show right around the corner, we went straight back into it – now with more motivation than ever. And yes we did get teased every time Yuri would drop by to hand me a bottle of water and offer to wipe my sweat away with a towel she would bring herself. Or when I would take ‘bathroom breaks’ so I could sneak away for a few minutes to visit the singer and listen to her angelic voice.

 

We still hadn’t told our friends yet, but I’m positively certain that they’ve already figured it out somehow and are just trying to provoke it out of us at this point. But it’s not like we care either because that’s just how we’ve always been, maybe a bit sweeter and more forward, but nevertheless that’s us. And I love us.

 

“Alright Enozi, you’re up.” the stage manager voices out.

 

“Thanks Hii-chan. We’re all set.” Chaeyeon calls back. Her and Nako had volunteered to help out with the event, making the entire process smooth and orderly. 

 

We turn back to face one another and Eunbi, Chaeyeon, Chaewon, Yujin and I all silently nod, we were ready. We do the mandatory team chant and with a little ‘Fighting!!’ from the shorter assistant stage manager, off we went towards the stage.

 

---

 

All of us come back down from the platform adrenaline pumping in our veins, what a rush that was, and even now the cheers we received after out performance wouldn’t cease. We all scream and make one large, happy group hug and we jump around in circles.

 

The clearing of someone’s throat made us break apart as we all spun around to see who it was – Yuri and Minju.

 

“Yuri-ah!!” I yell out and she jumps straight into my arms and I spin her around. After a few turns I put her back down, my arms still around her waist as I now have her in a back hug as we face towards the group again. Whilst we were spinning, Minju had walked up to Chaewon and was still petting the top of the girl’s head as she tried (and failed) not to blush.

 

“You guys did so great!” the pink haired girl said excitedly, “Everyone was cheering so loud, I don’t think anyone can beat you guys now.”

 

A deafening whoop came from Yujin as she pumped her fists up into the air, “Hell yea!!”

 

We then continue to talk on for a bit backstage while we waited for the duo’s turn to come. The whole time I gently swayed Yuri side to side to calm down her nerves as she laid tiny kisses against my cheek every once in a while. 

 

“Yuri, Minju. You guys are next. Break a leg!” Nako says as she comes up to us. 

 

As Minju goes to grab her guitar, with the other Kim following just behind her, the girl in my arms fidgets and starts playing with the sleeve of my jacket so I turn her around to look her in the eye.

 

The other’s voices had become nothing but mumbles to my ears as I focused on the only girl that mattered to me right now, “Hey, it’ll be okay. You’ll do amazing, I know you will. You know why? ‘Cause you’re amazing.”

 

The corners of her lips tilt up slightly, “Thank you unnie. I’ve practiced so much for this but I can’t stop feeling a bit scared…”

 

“And that’s perfectly fine. If you feel scared just look for me, I’ll be right where you need me.” I lean in closer to whisper, so that only she could hear me, “I love you, okay?” and I place a kiss on her forehead. 

 

A timid yea is her only response as Minju returns with the instrument and we all wish them luck as they walk off to the side entrance of the stage, ready for their performance – well almost. “Wait I forgot something!” 

 

The rest of us had already turned back to our ongoing conversation when I was surprisingly pulled back by a energetic Yuri. I was shocked once again when she had left a small kiss on my lips and walked away, “I love you too by the way.”

 

I’m left standing with my mouth open as I stare at the place where she stood not long ago. W-was that our f-first ki-kiss? “Woah…”

 

Another extremely loud whoop came from behind me and when I turn around I come to face three -eating grins and one annoying smirk. 

 

“Shut up Kim.” I grumble out. Without another word they all look away and we head out, leaving the back of the stage, a smile on my face the entire time.

 

---

 

Beforehand, Yujin had texted Wonyoung who was with Sakura and Hyewon, to save us seats in the audience section so that we could all watch the last performance together, done by our very own hamster and froggie. 

 

So here we are, all eight of us after we managed to sneak into the front row just in time as they were announcing the final act.

 

“And for our final stage, let’s all welcome the duo Jo Yuri and Kim Minju who are here to perform an original song.” 

 

They appear on the stage and the whole crowd cheers but up in the front we were cheering a lot harder. The two kids were jumping up and down while the rest of us stood up and we were screaming and clapping so hard that I could feel my hands starting to hurt.

 

“That’s my girlfriend!” I shout out catching the shorter girl’s attention as she beams and waves at me from atop the stage. 

 

After the two girls had sat on the chairs that were set up for them and adjusted the mics, a gentle strumming was coming from the guitar and the whole audience is silenced.

 

I couldn’t stop staring at Yuri for when she sang she looks like an angel and I’m so entranced by her glow. The soft song fills the auditorium and the crowd sways to the music. 

 

Wow. She wrote this song herself? It’s a love song.. ohmygosh, was she thinking of me? Ahhhh how is it possible to love her even more than I already do? She’s going to be the death of me this girl.

 

I couldn’t help but notice that for most of the performance she had been looking directly at me, like no one else in this entire room existed and that it was just me, her and this lovely melody within our hearts.

 

My heart is beating so hard and yet I feel so calm in this moment. How strange.

 

---

 

[A/N]:

Sorry for the wait >_<

There's also going to be a little epilogue after this so stay tuned!

-J