Jiwoo walks through a spritz of floral mist, then scans herself in the mirror one last time. Jungeun had left her behind with a whispered “Spice it up a little,” a suggestive eyebrow wiggle, and a loaned dress thrown at her face. It’s low-cut, dangerously so, and fitted around the waist with a flared skirt. A touch of elegance, a pinch of flirty. Jiwoo isn’t narcissistic, but even she gasps at her reflection. Her eyes flicker to the ruffled blouse and shorts tossed onto the bed. The ding of a notification distracts her.

Hey baby, are you ok? 7 girls down here and none of them are you.

Jiwoo barks out a laugh. The attached photo of Jinsoul pouting is morally unfair. She stands up straight and rolls back her shoulders. This isn’t the time for regrets. Descending the stairs gives her the air of a Disney princess. Until her friends wolf-whistle and gawk, save for a smug Jungeun leaning against the couch.

“Everyone good to go?” Haseul asks, not bothering to be subtle about giving Jiwoo a once-over and a cheeky grin. She does a head count then begins herding the girls out.

“Ready?” Jiwoo asks, turning with her hand outstretched. Something catches in .

She barely registers how amazing Jinsoul looks (black really is her color). But now that she’s in heels and meets her girlfriend eye to eye, a spark ignites between them. The way Jinsoul drinks in the sight of her makes her feel like gravity’s locking them in place, and their hold on each other keeps them from collapsing into the earth.

“H-how do I look?” Jiwoo stutters.

Jinsoul’s eyes flash. She bites her lip as if holding back a primal instinct. Jiwoo shrinks under the intense gaze. Her ears strain to catch a response, but Jinsoul only exhales because words are failing her tremendously. She steps forward and Jiwoo suddenly tastes strawberry. Fingers dance across Jiwoo’s waist. Nails scrape against Jinsoul’s scalp, threading through her hair. It’s almost needy.

Then Jinsoul pulls away, hands still on Jiwoo’s hips. The grating sequence of honks from the driveway is barely audible. Their ragged breaths are louder.

“I— S-sorry,” Jinsoul whispers. She leans her forehead against Jiwoo’s. “Sorry.”

Jiwoo kisses her, softly this time. Reassuring, because guilt radiates from Jinsoul. Jiwoo wants to tell her she didn’t cross a line; it was miles away, and maybe Jiwoo was redrawing it anyway. When Jiwoo shakes her head, Jinsoul’s follows. It takes an incredible amount of perseverance for her to step back and tug an obedient Jinsoul to the car. They don’t let go until they reach the town.

Soft fairy lights hanging between old glossy lampposts illuminate the boulevards. Gift shops buzz with tourists in their last hour of operation. The wooden signs hanging above the doors are carved, the lettering is weathered, and the hinges creak when a breeze passes through. It feels nostalgic and homey though it’s all new to Jiwoo. She hugs Jinsoul’s arm and points at the cute dolls in the window display. Then she drags her girlfriend across the cobblestone path to the pet store to mimic the fish in the black light tanks. Jinsoul usually joins in her antics, but Jiwoo only feels empty space. Shyly, she stops wobbling her head and lets the air out of her cheeks. Her hands drop to her sides, no longer serving as fins fluttering around.

A light peck lands on her nose. She freezes when Jinsoul murmurs, “You’re so cute. Why’d you stop?” That low, drawling giggle Jiwoo loves so much wipes her mind blank.

Jiwoo glimpses Jinsoul’s phone. A video had just been uploaded, the caption sprinkled with heart emojis. Before she can ask, Jinsoul crouches by the window. She chomps on air, her bright eyes wide, and follows the baby tortoise stomping on the straw littering its pen.

“Yum! Yum! I love lettuce!” Jinsoul’s voice is comically lower. The tortoise sneers back at her.

Jiwoo can’t resist. She rests her hands on Jinsoul’s shoulders and leans over. Her lips curl over her teeth before she nibbles at the blonde hair. Jinsoul pulls Jiwoo’s arms forward. With a glint of mischief in her eyes, Jiwoo falls limp and dumps all of her weight onto Jinsoul’s back.

“Hey!” Jiwoo squeals. “Put me down!”

“Nuh uh!” Jinsoul hums defiantly.

Jiwoo clings to Jinsoul’s shoulders once her feet leave the ground. Jinsoul hops once. Her hands have a firm grip on Jiwoo’s thighs, fingers securing the hem of the dress, then she’s zooming down the street. She dodges a family and all the kids start cheering. She darts between a couple reaching for each other’s hands. Jiwoo shouts an apology over her shoulder. Jinsoul giggles, not sorry at all. She runs until the cobblestone turns into pavement, then into wooden planks.

“Stop! We’re gonna fall in the water!” Jiwoo screams. The metal chains and safety posts on the dock are the last things she sees. Bracing herself, she tucks her face into Jinsoul’s neck. All she can hear is panting. Deep, exhilarating breaths escaping. Jinsoul presses a kiss to Jiwoo’s temple and she dares to look.

The glow of the beachside town softens Jinsoul’s features. Her sharp eyes roam all over Jiwoo’s face. Her hair resembles a golden mane. The gentle wind sweeping off the water keeps it out of the way. Jinsoul rambles on, every syllable an opportunity to flash her teeth. Yet her smile is always kind and genuine. Jiwoo swallows hard and exhales slowly. She winces when Jinsoul knocks their heads together.

“Are you even listening?”

“Y-yes.” Jiwoo’s blush goes unnoticed in the darkness.

“So you’re okay with it?”

The amusement dancing in Jinsoul’s eyes irks her. Jiwoo doesn’t give in. “Of course!”

“Great!” Jinsoul lunges forward. Jiwoo screams just as Jinsoul’s foot reaches the edge of the dock. “You said it was fine!” Jinsoul laughs so hard, she snorts.

“Alright! I was too busy staring at you, okay?!” Jiwoo jerks backward, kicking wildly. She tugs at Jinsoul’s shoulders as if holding the reins of a stubborn horse. Jinsoul doesn’t budge.

“You said you’re okay with jumping into the ocean as long as I keep you afloat.”

Jiwoo stops wriggling. Her mind drifts back to their afternoon barbecue on the beach near the cabin. Jiwoo wanted to play in the clear cool water. She had managed to float on her back, then a small wave swept her under the surface. Before she could gasp out of shock, Jinsoul had scooped her up. Fresh, salty air filled her lungs while Jinsoul’s warm embrace kept her safe.

She smiles and her lips linger on Jinsoul’s nape. They watch the beacon on a buoy flash rhythmically in the distance. The tide sloshes and churns, ten feet of water morphing into an endless abyss under the starry sky.

“Hey, Jiwoo.”

“Hmm?”

“Thank you.”

Jiwoo lifts her head to peer around Jinsoul’s shoulder curiously. “For what?”

Jinsoul searches the dark horizon. Her eyes sparkle like she’s struck gold. “For getting lost on the opposite side of campus.”

Jiwoo laughs, confused. “What are you talking about? I haven’t gotten lost since…” It strikes her, tugs at her heart. “Last August.” The day after a rushed orientation. Despite a frantic Jungeun blowing up her notifications with capital letters and symbols, she had stopped to admire the stunning blonde girl on the quad eating ice cream with two friends.

“And for running late to philosophy,” Jinsoul continues, “because the therapy dogs in the Student Center needed tummy rubs.”

“They did! One glance and they rolled over onto their backs. I couldn’t just leave them hanging! It’s my duty as a contributing member of society!” Jiwoo is dead serious.

Jinsoul has to bite her lip to restrain herself because Jiwoo is too angelic for this world. She shakes her head. Her gaze follows lines scribbled in the sky like she’s turning a page in the book of her life. “Then for falling asleep on my shoulder during the lecture on syllogisms—”

Jiwoo whines incoherently. Still she smiles because Jinsoul doesn’t know she had woken up ten minutes before class ended and didn’t bother to move.

“And for buying me coffee as compensation.” Jinsoul’s thumbs rub soothing circles on Jiwoo’s thighs. Her arms never tremble under Jiwoo’s weight.

Then she pauses. Something shifts in the air between them. The growing warmth of Jinsoul’s words is now painfully stagnant and it has Jiwoo on edge. Jinsoul’s eyes wander, glossy and unfocused. Jinsoul’s always harbored a delicate soul. So pure and dedicated. So incredibly loyal. What force dared to break her? Jiwoo wants to fight it. Lock it up and melt the key.

“For… For taking my breath away when I saw you walk hand in hand with Jungeun toward the dining hall.”

Doubt. Jiwoo’s spirit is clad in silver armor, sharpened sword clanging against her shining shield, challenging Doubt to a duel. She hates how cautious Jinsoul sounds. How her girlfriend’s head dips down and she sniffs. She hates how this is the first time she’s hearing about Jinsoul’s insecurity. It itches and throbs like a wound, because now she knows once upon a time Jinsoul thought she never had a chance with Jiwoo. Meanwhile Jiwoo had talked to her roommate about nothing but Jinsoul for a solid month.

“Hey…”

At Jiwoo’s soft coo, Jinsoul lets her down gently. Jiwoo immediately spins her around. She holds Jinsoul in her arms and squeezes; a tornado couldn’t tear them apart. Jinsoul relaxes and Jiwoo feels all of the tension leave them. A drop lands on Jiwoo’s bare shoulder. When Jinsoul speaks, there’s an undercurrent of immense relief.

“And for stealing it again, when I gave you a tour of the aquaponics lab and you kissed me in front of the koi pond.”

Jiwoo pulls back and a childish grin lights up Jinsoul’s features once again. Her cheeks are still tear-streaked. Pure adoration balloons in Jiwoo’s chest. At the time, she had given Jinsoul a sweet chaste kiss because she felt embarrassed in front of the innocent baby koi, not yet old enough to court other fish. Now the shore was theirs alone, so Jiwoo leans in. She tries to convey all that she feels. Memories. Laughs. Featherlight touches and strong embraces. The craving for Jinsoul’s presence. The assurance of her attention. Love.

I love you.

Their lungs drink in air like they just discovered oxygen. Jiwoo realizes too late. She spoke. Whispered those three sacred words against Jinsoul’s lips in a moment of passion. For a beat, she wants to run. To protect herself because her emotions had gotten her into trouble one too many times to walk away unscathed.

Then Jinsoul says it back. Jiwoo thinks it’s all in her mind, hazy and delusional. But Jinsoul repeats it after every kiss. On her lips, along her jaw, desperately whispered in her ear before leaving a trail down her neck. Jinsoul settles there as her arms encircle Jiwoo, the words sinking into Jiwoo’s warm skin and fueling her rapid pulse. Jiwoo smiles into Jinsoul’s hair when they both choke out a sob.

“Found the lovebirds,” says Jungeun. She rolls her eyes with a fond smile.

“Awesome! Let’s hurry while the line’s short.” Vivi’s heels clack along the pavement.

“Line for what?” asks Jiwoo, pulling Jinsoul’s arm around her shoulders.

Jungeun brushes her hair to one side, revealing three shining piercings dotting the shell of her ear. She looks older, more mature, like she belongs. “Found a club after you two ran off. Looks popular so I thought we could check it out. First two rounds of shots are half priced.”

Jiwoo tugs at Jungeun’s elbow and whispers, “A club? You don’t drink. Or dance. And certainly not past ten at night.” She snickers at Jungeun’s blush peeking through the make-up. Jinsoul sports the same teasing grin as Jiwoo.

“No, but Haseul’s always going to parties during the semester. I thought, maybe… I don’t know.” Jungeun huffs in frustration.

“Where is Haseul anyway?” Jinsoul asks. She stretches her neck to peer over the crowd. 

Vivi rummages through her clutch for her ID. “She changed her mind and left for the arcade. Something about Hyunjin chucking skee balls, Chaewon pickpocketing children.”

Jungeun almost trips over a small pothole. Jinsoul reaches over Jiwoo and pats Jungeun on the shoulder.

“C’mon, we can still have fun tonight. You have all summer,” says Jiwoo.

The bouncers take once glance at them, two at Jiwoo, and let them past the velvet rope. Jinsoul can’t ignore the pinpricks in her chest and holds Jiwoo protectively. With the bass overriding their heartbeats, Jiwoo sinks into an adrenaline rush. She pulls Jinsoul into a kiss as she struts backward onto the main floor because she’s just glad her fake ID hasn’t failed her yet. Vivi coos at how Jungeun has never flashed her own since the older girl gifted each of them one.

Jungeun scowls when she gathers the four around a standing table, impatiently shoving amber glasses of tequila into each of their hands. They barely clink for a boomerang video before she downs hers. Jiwoo’s kind of impressed. She’s never witnessed Jungeun touch an ounce of alcohol. (The bottle in the girl’s precious cleaning cabinet doesn’t count.) Jungeun doesn’t flinch. The couple hisses, Jiwoo more than Jinsoul. Vivi reappears (when had she slipped away?) with two fizzing murky concoctions. Jiwoo eyes it warily. Jinsoul sniffs it and recoils, yelping with amusement. It sounds so innocent in a hazy club.

“Jägerbombs? Devious.” Vivi and Jinsoul share a look, like they have far too much experience with it but it’s a challenge one never turns down.

Round one ends in shrieks and giggles. Vivi’s a trooper. She chugs it without a hitch. Jiwoo prays to the high strobe-lit ceiling. But before she can gag on the licorice stench, Jinsoul plucks the glass from her fingers and downs the entire drink.

“Trust me,” says Jinsoul, “you don’t want to try this without an escape route.”

They let the thundering remixes dull their senses. Vivi targets about five different people and Jiwoo can’t pinpoint who she’s locked onto. The oldest pulls Jungeun roughly by the shoulders, jokingly asks what her type is. Jungeun scrutinizes the mass of grinding bodies. They’re all taller than her and the only ones with short hair are male. Vivi scrunches up her nose and decides they’re still way too sober. Jiwoo chats with Jinsoul, who’s pressed up to her back. (“There’s room next to me.” “And drunk guys behind you.”) Jiwoo takes in the scene. It’s just the right amount of seedy to qualify for a few legendary mistakes, but the atmosphere buzzes with energy to keep you rooted. Let loose, the club seems to coax. Live it up and leave it behind.

“Let’s dance,” Jungeun commands. She grabs Jiwoo’s wrist, but Vivi pulls them back.

“Hold up. Round two,” she says with a sparkle in her eyes under the blue lights.

Their cheers is uncoordinated. Some of the liquid sloshes onto the table, but the glasses part from their lips clean and dry. Jungeun holds it over her head before slamming it on the table. The group weaves into the center of the dance floor as a sultry song mixed terribly with EDM beats rumbles from the speakers.

It’s so uncomfortably warm. Sweat trails down their necks but Jiwoo pulls Jinsoul even closer. They sway in time and Jiwoo doesn’t think she’s ever been this confident, this fluid around Jinsoul. She doesn’t have time to think of anything else. Jinsoul spins her around and slides her hands down Jiwoo’s hips, her front flush against Jiwoo’s back. Jiwoo’s hand reaches up and over her shoulder to comb through Jinsoul’s hair. She gives an insistent tug. Jinsoul dips her head down obediently. Lips mark a white-hot trail and with a smirk, she gently scrapes her teeth along the shell of Jiwoo’s ear. Jiwoo’s head lolls back onto Jinsoul’s shoulder, her mind drunk on bliss and spirits, drifting further away.

Jiwoo’s almost lost in their clouded fantasy. Then her best friend’s voice grounds her. Jungeun’s separated from them, talking with a guy. Jungeun searches for an escape. Jiwoo untangles herself from her girlfriend and manages to slip between people without tripping over air, despite the room tilting like a fun house. She snakes an arm around Jungeun’s waist, slurs a “Hey babe, was lookin’ for you.” They leave him confused, perhaps with his pride knocked down a peg or two. Jiwoo laughs and feels Jungeun relax. Vivi takes Jungeun’s hand and twirls her into the fold, ensuring Jungeun’s snuggly between all of them.

Three more songs blur together, then they’re drawn to the sinful elixirs once again. Vivi suggests a game. That glint is back in her and Jinsoul’s eyes. Jiwoo wants to ask, but Vivi’s already talking up the bartender.

Jinsoul leans across the counter. “Fair warning. If you lose, you decide if it’s a punishment or reward. Don’t think too much.” The drawling lilt in her voice tells the younger girls most people consider it the latter. Jiwoo wonders if Jinsoul ever lost, or rather if she won.

Jiwoo doesn’t understand why she’s shouting superhero names over the music while Jinsoul screams animal species she’s sure are made up. (“Equus bigdiqus? Really?”) Jungeun rapidly lists the coordinates of the five most recently discovered stars but none of it is decipherable. Vivi and Jinsoul slap the counter with a battle cry of “MICKEY MOUSE!” and suddenly Jiwoo and Jungeun have lost the game. Jinsoul asks something. Jiwoo doesn’t catch it.

“What’s… What’re you… Don’t season me, Vi, mm on a diet.” Jungeun whines when Vivi holds her still and brushes Jungeun’s hair to one side. Jiwoo’s attention homes in on the pile of salt nestled in the dip of Jungeun’s collarbone.

“Bottoms up, baby,” Jinsoul breathes into Jiwoo’s ear.

Jiwoo stares at the chilled shot glass in her hand. She doesn’t remember taking it. Jinsoul whispers something to Vivi who nods giddily, then grabs a green wedge off the counter. Jungeun calls out for her roommate. Her voice devolves into a drunken howl.

Jiwoo has the urge to howl back. Her body moves on its own. She winces at the liquid burning down . Her hand curls around the back of Jungeun’s neck, her tongue lapping up the salt. The grains rolling across Jungeun’s smooth skin push the girl into overdrive. Jiwoo feels nails dig into her waist, hears Jungeun swallow and gasp. The name that tumbles out is softer than her own.

“H-Haseul—”

Jiwoo’s thirsty. The salt dries up . She looks around and the world lags. Then someone tilts her head up. Her teeth bite down into citrus. The juice mingles with the salt, nullifying the taste. Jinsoul removes the peel from and tosses it onto the counter, kissing Jiwoo full on the lips. Jiwoo can only process that half the salt’s gone now, replaced by the sweetest sensation.

She grunts when her back hits the wall, but she doesn’t feel any pain. Hands roam frantically, hungrily. Whether they’re hers or Jinsoul’s, she doesn’t know and doesn’t care. A cool breeze ghosts over her thigh, then a searing hand teases beneath the skirt of her dress. Jiwoo’s fingers slip under the hem of Jinsoul’s shirt. Nails mark up her girlfriend’s back. Her other hand is tangled in blonde tresses. Above all the spilled liquor and smoke and sweat, Jinsoul smells delicious. Jiwoo whimpers from the sore pressure on her neck. Pride encourages Jinsoul further. She trails her tongue down and drags her teeth at an agonizing pace. Jiwoo’s on the verge of cursing when she feels a smirk against her skin.

“Up,” Jiwoo growls.

And oh no, Jiwoo’s stomach flips at the fire dancing in those dark irises. Her eyelids flutter shut as she moans against Jinsoul’s lips. Jiwoo’s thumb caresses the taut muscles above the buttons of Jinsoul’s tight jeans. She breaks the kiss. Jinsoul wastes no time, her head dipping down and peppering Jiwoo’s chest with teasing pecks.

“S-Soul.”

It takes so much strength to speak coherently. When her girlfriend hums, the vibrations against nearly send her to heaven.

“Cabin. G-go back to the cabin…” Her voice trails off weakly.

Jinsoul doesn’t seem to have heard. Jiwoo gathers up all of her remaining focus.

“Jinsoul. I need you. Now.”

She’s shocked at how desperate she sounds, not at all like the command she had imagined. Jinsoul’s grip on her thigh grows slack. Jiwoo doesn’t let her slip away. She’s ready for this. While she has liquid courage in her veins.

“Please.”

Jinsoul brings a hand up to Jiwoo’s cheek. Her touch is gentle, the raging heat from before dwindling into comfort. Jiwoo’s eyes are glazed over, but when Jinsoul locks gazes with her, everything rushes back. Jinsoul kisses her tenderly. She tucks a loose lock of hair behind Jiwoo’s ear and whispers lowly.

“Jiwoo, you drive me insane.” Jinsoul chuckles in a way that says she’s helpless and proud of it. “I want— need you too. But when we’re sober. Not like this. When we can remember, when I can make you feel special just like you deserve.”

Jiwoo wants to cry. She mutters those three words over and over, squishing Jinsoul’s cheeks. Jinsoul giggles and declares her love back. Her chest is still heaving and Jiwoo’s scent is intoxicating.

“I need some air,” says Jinsoul shakily. Jiwoo really appreciates the shy tinge of pink.

“Okay.” Jiwoo misses Jinsoul already, though they haven’t moved an inch. Her eyes travel to the bar. She spots Jungeun acquainting herself with two more shot glasses. “I’m gonna talk to Jungeun.”

Jinsoul laughs. It’s so free. She pecks Jiwoo on the forehead.

“Do me a favor? Drag your roommate’s here from the arcade. I’m on a mission.”

Jinsoul gives an honorable salute. Jiwoo marches over to the bar. A blowtorch taps shimmering liquid, then a row of rainbow glasses light ablaze. “Midnight madness!” someone screams and their friends whoop. Jiwoo stalks up to the hunched figure on the right, swipes the shot from Jungeun’s hand, and throws it back.

“Ask Haseul out.”

“I liked it better when your tongue was having tea and crumpets with Jinsoul’s.”

“Jungeun!” Jiwoo swings her friend around in the bar stool and grabs her by the shoulders. The floor is momentarily on the ceiling and they both sway back. Jiwoo drapes herself over Jungeun. “You’ve been pining all year!”

“I’m very aware!” Jungeun slurs back in what she hopes is an intimidating manner. One of her eyelids droops. The other eye glares sternly over Jiwoo’s shoulder.

“So?!”

“So!” Jungeun sighs in exasperation. “She’s always inviting us to parties. Stops by at two AM with burgers and Jinsoul with ice cream. Pulls pranks with Vivi. Skips classes for raves. Can’t walk across the quad without all of Greek row hitting on her. And I’m just…“

Jiwoo combs through Jungeun’s hair soothingly.

“I’m asleep. For all of it. Because I go to bed when everyone’s alive. I’ve got my nose in my books with tea at the crack of dawn and I watch Pokemon on Netflix while I clean. Clean, for fun. She’d never—” Jungeun scoffs. “She’s not even here. The one time, I thought I could be… She’s not even here,” she repeats heavily.

“Of course she’s not.”

Jiwoo and Jungeun nearly fall out of the single bar stool they’re piled onto. Vivi ambles up to them, her hands catching her weight against the countertop, but she speaks perfectly fine.

“Gee, thanks,” Jungeun spits bitterly.

Vivi rolls her eyes, then regrets it as she teeters back. Jiwoo tugs her into their group cuddle. “She gets so touchy when she’s drunk. I had to peel her off of me at the party after finals.”

She catches Jungeun’s scathing look and pecks her cheek to soother her. It doesn’t work.

“Y’know all she cries about is how hot you look. How cute you are drowning in a hoodie. How she wants to share one!” Vivi shoves a finger between all of their faces. Jiwoo and Jungeun go cross-eyed. “Cup! Of coffee! With you. She giggles at using the same straw. And another thing!”

Jungeun’s eyes are wide now and her nose is pressed up against Vivi’s cheek. She yells at a passing patron to shut off the lights so she can hear better.

“She thinks that you think that she thinks that you are— Wait.” Vivi scratches her head. Then sneezes over Jungeun’s shoulder. “She wants to be so cool like the poor glaciers—”

“And the penguins!” Jiwoo pumps a fist in the air. The crowd around them chants for penguins.

“That she doesn’t wanna look stupid. She was fine before, when she just got to know you. You cutie patootie little freshman. But then she started fawning over you in physics. Couldn’t study with Jinsoul in peace. Now, with a helping hand from Miss Malibu,” Vivi glances at the glass shelf lined with bottles, “she’d kiss the ground you walk on.”

At this close of a proximity, Jiwoo can see Jungeun’s pupils dilate. She thinks her mission was a success, doesn’t matter if Vivi did most of the talking. It was her idea! But then Jungeun wails and Jiwoo’s thankful her ears have been shot by two hours of drumming bass.

“I should’ve ditched you for her. I don’t want coconut rum, I want hot cocoa with her!”

Vivi groans. Then a voice drifts above the din, clear like bells. They freeze.

“With who?”

Their hands fly up in a gesture of surrender as if at gunpoint.

Haseul eyes them suspiciously. “How drunk are y’all?” She taps her foot and raises an eyebrow.

The music is still atrociously loud, but they can all hear the squeak of Haseul’s leather jacket when she crosses her arms. Jiwoo shoots a panicked look at the others.

Jungeun’s effectively drooling. “Oh. My goddess…”

“Mmmm gotta pee! Jiwoo, race you!”

Vivi tags Jiwoo, thought it’s more of a shove. Jiwoo clambers off of Jungeun and stomps toward the poorly lit hallway at the back of the club. They giggle and slam into the wall, rolling over its surface since they can’t trust themselves to walk. A flush sounds from inside and Vivi looks up in alarm.

“M‘kay I really gotta tinkle.” Vivi darts into the bathroom.

Jiwoo figures she might as well too, deciding she’s done with drinks for the night. Her vision still drags delightfully. Vivi cries that she’s locked in a stall. Jiwoo pulls at the top of the door, letting it swing open easily. They end up washing their hands together in one sink to “save soap and water.” They share a paper towel too and laugh about how it squelches.

They prance back out to the main floor. Vivi wolf-whistles at Haseul straddling Jungeun on that trusty bar stool for a sloppy make-out session. Haseul nearly jumps off of Jungeun. She stares horrified at the girl who’s giggling dreamily.

“Oh my God, I didn’t mean to. I’m so sorry. You’re drunk! I shouldn’t have—”

Jungeun stands up, wobbling dangerously while relishing in the extra two inches she has in height, and kisses Haseul hard. Haseul melts in Jungeun’s arms as if she’s the one intoxicated.

“I’m gonna remember this night forever,” mumbles Jungeun, boring holes into Haseul’s forehead, but her eyes are full of stars. She leans in again.

Jiwoo presses a palm to her face and shoves her back. She addresses Haseul, who resembles a puddle of goo gripping onto Jungeun’s biceps for support.

“Where did Jinsoul go to hide while you jumped on my best friend’s lap?”

Haseul shakes her head, cheeks flushed. “I thought she was here.”

“I told her to bring you from the arcade.”

“Didn’t see her outside. I bought the kids snacks, then I came here by myself.”

Jiwoo tries a little harder to focus. She doesn’t register exiting the club, but the bass is muffled and her wheezes are deafening. It’s not just air. She hiccups, high strangled squeaks piercing her ears. Her vision blurs, the lights bleeding into streams. She takes off at a run. She doesn’t know why. She just knows the pavement seems to be rolling backward like a treadmill and Jinsoul’s not holding her hand, so she’s way too far for Jiwoo’s comfort.

“Jin… Jinsoul?” She huffs as she runs past the pet store. “Jinsoul!”

A few people grumble when she bumps into them. Her phone clatters to the ground. The time blinks back up at her, half past midnight, but her notifications are empty. She staggers down the cobblestone street, yelling so loud her calls bounce back at her. She flinches. It’s getting stronger, heavier. That force coiling around her lungs and settling in the pit of her stomach.

Lightbulbs flash across a huge signboard. Jiwoo dashes into the arcade, palm slamming against the claw machine window as she doubles over. feels like sandpaper. Her cheeks are wet and flushed. Move. She wills herself step by step.

“Jinsoul!”

“Oof. Whoa there. It’s Hyunjin. Say it with me. Hyun. Ji— Are, are you crying?” Hyunjin’s grin drops in an instant. “Heejin, get over here. Something’s wrong!”

Jiwoo starts heaving, clinging onto an arm when her knees buckle. “Jinsoul. Where’s Jinsoul?”

“We haven’t seen her all night,” says Hyunjin.

“Shh, Jiwoo. Tell us what happened,” coaxes Heejin.

Jiwoo opens , words threatening to spill out. But she says nothing. Hyunjin holds her close. The comfort of her body temperature helps the room right itself, though the neon lights still burn Jiwoo’s retinas. She tries again. “She’s not. She’s not with me.”

“We don’t understand.”

“She came to get Haseul but she didn’t come back!”

Hyunjin bows her head to the nearby patrons. “Let’s get out of here first.”

They all shuffle outside. The crisp air would normally calm Jiwoo, but it’s so much colder tonight. Heejin and Hyunjin crowd around her worriedly, rubbing her arms for friction.

“Hey!” Jungeun and Vivi nearly crash into the huddled group, Haseul between them to support their weight. “Jiwoo, don’t just run off like that,” Haseul chides. She does a head count. “Where’s Chaewon?”

A beat drops before a spitfire rap sweeps in with a caller ID. Jiwoo’s phone blinds her as she tries to swipe the screen. “Chaewon?”

There’s some rustling. Someone retches. “Jiwoo?” Chaewon’s voice is thin and faded. “You better come quick. I-I think… Jinsoul looks really sick. We’re behind the arcade.”

Heejin catches the phone a foot from its demise with Chaewon still on the line. Jiwoo wriggles out of Hyunjin’s hold. She claws her way down the dim alley, the rough bricks scraping into her soft palms. A shadow in the distance slumps over. Jiwoo runs, sober enough to avoid the trail of questionable splatter at the end of the pavement. The back patio is empty save for a small girl crouching over a body.

Jiwoo’s knees hit the ground. The sharp tingling of raw skin is nothing compared to the withering ache in her chest at the sight of Jinsoul’s pale face. She’s drenched in sweat and shivering violently. Jiwoo cradles her girlfriend. Tears fall into messy blonde hair. Jinsoul’s head is so heavy on her shoulder. Her skin is freezing.

Haseul drapes her leather jacket over Jinsoul’s bare arms. She rubs Jiwoo’s back. Her voice drops to a whisper so as not to scare the girl. “Come on. We should get her back to the cabin. We’ll watch her overnight.”

Jiwoo’s body is racked with sobs, but she refuses to leave Jinsoul’s side. She supports her girlfriend by the waist. Haseul pulls an arm over her own shoulder. The group helps lay Jinsoul in the back seat of Haseul’s car. Jinsoul groans in discomfort. Her breaths are shallow. Her veins are darker, more prominent as if her skin was stretched thin. Jiwoo brushes the matted hair away from Jinsoul’s face. Her thumb trails down the long neck, resting on a new bruise forming. The world blurs again. She presses a shuddering kiss to the splotch of purple.

“You’re going to be fine. I’ve got you. We’re going to be fine.”

Somehow Jiwoo doesn’t believe it.