Present Day

 

After Lisa surprised Jisoo by buying her old house, the two girls could not wait to move out and into their new place. Jisoo more than anything was eager to erase the memories full of emptiness and loneliness that came with this house and replace it with new ones.

 

At this moment Lisa was helping her unpack one of the boxes from the home office, Jisoo has to admit there were a lot of thing she didn’t remember keeping when she was packing, but it turned out to be a fun thing.

 

“And what’s this?” Lisa asked pulling out a golf ball with a heart drawn in it.

 

Jisoo took the ball and smiled. “This was when I first confessed my feelings to Pasta…”

 

Flashback High School - Sophomore Year

 

“Where’s Seulgi and the rest of the girls?” Chaeyoung asked as she and Jisoo walked to the bench where their things where.

 

Both had stayed behind after dance practice ended to get a little more… well… practice. Jisoo stayed behind at the insistence of Chaeyoung as per the girl she needed to perfect her dance moves and who was Jisoo to decline this was an excuse to look at her best friend with the pretence of helping her with the choreo and not just simply gawking at her. Because yes little Kim Jisoo had a huge crush on her best friend, not that she would ever admit it.

 

Staying behind also meant she could have the taller brunette’s undivided attention as it was otherwise occupied by another new team member of theirs, Jennie Kim, Chaeyoung’s crush since forever, and Jisoo, well Jisoo was so over that stupid crush already so any time it could just be them both without the intrusion of anybody else was a welcomed moment.

 

“They went ahead to where the auction is taking place.”

 

The auction in question was a way for the dance team to get enough funds to go the state championship, the basketball team had done something similar the Boy Toy Auction where people bid for the basketball player to get a one night date with them. It work for them so the girls in the dance team figured they’d do something similar…

 

“Ah right, the auction.”

 

“Pasta…”

 

“You know how I feel about it, Choo. Don’t expect me to be excited.”

 

People are lining up for you, so I’m not excited either. Jisoo thought, and she knew how uncomfortable her friend was to be on the spotlight, so she caring about her friends needs will be bidding for her friend, she was not supposed to as she was part of the dance team as well but she also Student Body president so she can do as she pleases.

 

“I know, but is just one night, Pasta. You’ll have fun I promise.” The brunette grabbed both of their bags and led Chaeyoung to the locker room so they could get ready. “Also for compensation I got you something.”

 

“Oh?”

 

“Actually, I found it.” She said, then had a mini freak out at her own words. “Not that i was looking for something specifically, which implies some hideous “Joey loves Dawson” scenario.” She ranted, referring to the love story in Dawson’s Creek where the best friend is in love with well… their best friend. “Cause that would totally creep me out, but, you know, I saw it, and…” She stopped rambling and cleared . ´Get it together. You are Kim Jisoo, you don’t ramble.´

 

“Anyways here.” She said shoving a book into Chaeyoung’s hands looking down and failing to see the amusement on the other girls face.

 

“Year Of The Monkey by Patti Smith.” Chaeyoung read the cover, it’s a book she had been wanting to read for a while now. “Nice. Thanks, Choo. Thank you very much.”

 

“Whatever. That’s what you are into.”

 

-------------------------------------

 

“There they are!” Joy yells from her place at the party.

 

“So… when is this thing starting?” Asked Chaeyoung looking around the place.

 

“Soon… why? You excited?”

 

“Not in the least.”

 

“I think you should be, Chaeyoungie.” Joy said with a mischievous smile.

 

“Yeah why’s that?” Jisoo chimes in her eyebrows raised.

 

“We already know who the highest bidder for you is.” Joy says flashing a smile to Chaeyoung.

 

“Jihyo.”

 

“Jihyo… wants me?” Chaeyoung asked her voice showing a bit of excitement at the thought of that.

 

Jihyo being head cheerleader and one of the most sought out girls in school with people asking her out left an right, Chaeyoung couldn't believe she would be interested in her so the thought of it was exciting for her

 

“Maybe the auction isn’t too bad then…”

 

Before another word can be said by the brunette Jisoo huffs grabbing a drink and storms off.

 

“Someone’s in trouble now…” Seulgi whispers, knowing how Jisoo feels about her best friend.

 

“I’ll go talk to her.” Says the brunette, grabbing another drink.

 

“Care to tell me what that was all about?” The brunette asks once she finds her best friend sitting by curve outside next to her friend.

 

“Nothing."

 

“You stormed out, Jisoo.”

 

“I simply came out for air.”

 

“Fine if you are not going to tell me, I’ll just head back inside."

 

“No you won’t.” Jisoo says grabbing Chaeyoung’s arm and linking it with hers. She knows the threat was empty, Chaeyoung would never leave her. They were a package deal and everyone knew it. They’ve been inseparable since they were in diapers. It was always Jisoo and Chaeyoung against the world.

 

-------------------------------

 

“Come on let’s get those bids up, Alright I’ve got $25, do I hear $40” The auction had started and Chaeyoung found herself standing in the stage, nervous, her hands on her jean pockets to keep them from fidgeting. Coach Hyoyeon was calling out the bids of the night, pretty much forcing everyone to participate even if they didn’t want to.

 

“40!” A girl yells

 

“$40 right there, anybody got 50? 50?”

 

“50!”

 

“50 to the lady in red. Remember people for the next five hours until midnight, you get a date with this girl, movie or dinner date of choosing!”

 

“75!” Jihyo yells

 

Jisoo frowns and nudges the girl next to her, some poor soul from the council who she was forcing to bid on her behalf.

 

“100!” The girl yells, side eyeing Jisoo, nervously.

 

“101!”

 

“105!” The girls yells. “110!” She then calls out after receiving another nudge from Jisoo.

 

“120!” The brunette’s competition yells.

 

And Jisoo has had enough so she takes the girls hand up and calls out the next bid herself, rules be damned. “200!”

 

“Woah! 200! Anybody 250?! No? Alright, sold! To the student council treasurer!”

 

“Yes!” Jisoo exclaims jumping up and down. “Thanks, I’ll talk to the cafeteria about the vegan options.” She promised and headed to where Chaeyoung was.

 

“Hey you.” Jisoo greets softly.

 

The taller brunette turns around. “Did you really use your presidency to figure out a way to participate?”

 

“There was no rules against asking someone else to bid for you.” She shrugged.

 

“Okay, and the reason you bid was what?”

 

“Well… I…” Jisoo hesitated for a second, should she just come clean right now? “We haven’t spent any quality time just the two of us in a while…” She said instead. “I kinda miss it.”

 

The brunette smiled as Jisoo’s heart fluttered away as a sturdy, yet gentle hand was placed firmly against her back, leading her out of the place. It was something Chaeyoung had done plenty of times before, but the feelings were incomparable. She felt cared for, she felt protected, she felt loved. Damn this stupid big fat crush on her friend.

 

---------------------------------

 

Later they were both on their favorite place, the rooftop of Claire’s Cafe, throwing water balloon at the unsuspecting people below the street.

 

“Jisoo, this was a great idea.” Chaeyoung said laughing.

 

“I know.”

 

“Did you fill any of them with milk like we used to?

 

“Yeah I did. Some of them.” She said with a smile. “I can’t do this stuff with anybody else. It just seems, I don’t know, does it seem childish?”

 

“Well yeah.” Chaeyoung nods as she throws another balloon. “But in a good way.”

 

Because that was the best part of it, being up here meant they could just remove all pretences and just be, there were no roles to fill in here, they could just be free and be two kids having fun. And the fact that she could share this with her best friend was something Jisoo would never take for granted and it was also the reason she was hesitant on confessing.

 

Jisoo thinks falling in love with your best friend kinda a bit. Because sometimes it seems like she likes her back and sometimes it seems very obvious that they’re just friends. It’s torn her heart up on several occasions. She had tried to get over her, because it’s just too hard to love her from a distance plus she doesn’t want to lose their friendship.

 

At first she thought maybe she was jealous that Chaeyoung was getting all of this attention after joining the dance team. Maybe she was envy of the taller brunette placing all her attention with Jennie. Maybe they were spending too much time together and lines were being crossed. But then again distancing herself didn’t help, if anything thing it made it worse. Then there was the fact that she started noticing things she hadn’t before like how Chaeyoung’s jeans seem to fit her particularly too well, they way she moved, they way she smiled, the way her own heart fluttered when she was the reason Chaeyoung was smiling,

 

She was in love and there was nothing she could do about it but simply fall in deeper no matter how hard she tried not to. Briefly she glances to the place where their predictions are and she once again hopes for the sake of her heart that the last one is true.

 

I will fall out of love with my best friend - KJ

 

All of sudden she’s brought out from her thoughts as a wet feeling seems to be appear all over her body. She looks up and sees a laughing Chaeyoung hiding behind the table.

 

“Ooops guess that one had milk it!”

 

“Oooh you are so dead!”

 

The two best friends go around throwing balloons at each other docking behind tables or mannequins from their DIY mini golf course, after a while Jisoo waives a white tissue, showing only her arm as the rest of her body kept hidden behind a fake tree.

 

“Pasta?” She calls out while waiving the tissue around. “I’m all out of balloons. Can we call a truce?”

 

“A real truce?” Chaeyoung asked from behind a mannequin, suspicious of the sudden white flag waved by her friend. “Or a trick truce?”

 

“It’s a real truce. I promise.”

 

“Okay.”

 

“Okay.” Jisoo comes out from the fake tree at the same time as Chaeyoung. “Or not!” She said taking out one more balloon from below her shirt, but the taller brunette expected this so she throws one at her first taking advantage of her surprise and grabs her at the waist tickling her.

 

“No!” The brunette yells laughing. “Chae you’re going to hurt shoulder again.” She struggles to get out her hold as her balloon falls to the floor and breaks. “Oh you are so...lucky.” Her voice faltering at the last word when she turned around in Chaeyoung’s arms, her brain malfunctioning at the closeness.

 

Chaeyoung stares at her with a bit of surprise, her first thought being has Jisoo always been this beautiful? Followed by what the ? Immediately followed by Holy are those her lips?!

 

Because yes Jisoo’s body takes control of its own as she presses her lips against the brunette’s at first Chaeyoung is stiff but then eases into it and starts kissing her back, Chaeyoung pulls her closer as Jisoo’s hands go to the back of her neck.

 

Holy ing . I’m kissing her. She’s ing kissing back. Holy .

 

Jisoo then pulls away, shocked after realizing what she had done. “. Chaeyoung… I’m so sorry.”

 

Chaeyoung stands still, her lips tingling and fire running in her veins. Jennie who?

 

“It’s okay.”

 

“No, no, Chaeyoung, you don’t get it… I…” The brunette stars panicking and her heart starts breaking all own it’s own as it knows that she’s about to ruin fifteen years of friendship and she doesn’t think she can take it.

 

“I...love you, Chaeyoung.” She says softly, her voice cracking, and the taller brunette can hear the fear on her friends eyes. “A...and not just as my friend, but more than that. I’m in love with you and I… tried to stop it I swear I did but I…”

 

“Jisoo, it’s okay…”

 

“I don’t want to lose you, but I… I get if you don’t want to talk to me again, I’m so sorry.”

 

Chaeyoung can’t take it anymore so she pulls the other girl closer and hugs her, fully embracing her as Jisoo held on to her almost desperately as she sobbed on her shoulder, her friend caressing her hair and back whispering ‘It’s okays’ and ‘I’m heres’ against her hair.

 

Jisoo’s confession replaying in her head over and over again, she doesn’t know what to do, she has so many thoughts running through her mind, so many questions, when did it start? Is it actually love? Does she feel the same?

 

——————————-

 

It’s been two days since the whole thing happened, two very awkward days. That night she drove Jisoo to her house and the ride was awkward, uncomfortable. During the next two days, Jisoo still comes every morning to the cafe but she leaves with Jennie every time.

 

Which brings Chaeyoung to her next thought, how must’ve Jisoo felt all those times she spoke to Jennie, at the same time why does she feel jealous as she watches both girls embrace in the distance from her she’s sitting in the quad. Why is it that she wants to be the one hugging Jisoo, she’s the one Jisoo should be walking to school with, why does her lips seem to be craving that kiss again?

 

From her own side Jisoo finds herself unloading her feelings with Jennie of all people, the girl had a good heart, and was a good friend. It was a shame she seemed to be the center of Chaeyoung’s affection, because that was another thing she had to deal with, Jenni was her friend and it wasn't her fault Chae liked her so much. So she couldn't blame her, couldn’t treat her badly. Plus it wasn’t like Jennie liked Chaeyoung back.. right?

 

“So you told her?”

 

“Mhmm.”

 

“And?”

 

“She doesn’t love me back.” She said, clearing to disguise the cracking.

 

“Did she say that? Like did you guys talked?”

 

Jisoo shakes her head. “I… what’s the point?”

 

Jennie seems to think it over in a second as if she was contemplating on agreeing with Jisoo, ultimately she said… “Maybe she doesn’t understand what’s happening, maybe you didn’t give her time to fully process it, maybe you should wait to hear her actually say it before drawing your own conclusions…” She then places her hand on top of Jisoo’s “You guys are best friends, I doubt Rosi...Rosé would just ignore you just like that. In fact I guarantee you she is just as scared as you are.”

 

Jisoo sights as she looks across the quad where she finds her best friend looking down at her notebook, a frown on her face which makes Jisoo feel even worse.

 

“Today’s going to be a long day.”

 

————————-

 

It ends up being a full week before Chaeyoung has thought things through. A week of self introspection to see what she wanted to do, it was painful not talking to her best friend, because at end the one person she wanted to talk was her, but she couldn’t because the girl in question was part of the problem.

 

She reached out to her sister for help, out of everyone she knew, Alice was the one who knew how close she was to Jisoo. It was helpful, their talk helped make things clear to Chaeyoung and now she thinks she has made a decision, but first she needed to talk to her best friend.

 

Chaeyoung knew there was only one place where she could find her best friend, the safest place in the world for them, and she heads uo there nervous.

 

When she gets to the roof she finds Jisoo throwing water balloons from the roof, she looked sad but beautiful at the same time. The brunette takes a golf ball from the basket near the door and draws a heart with a smiley face on it before rolling it out on the floor towards Jisoo feet.

 

The shorter brunette is about to throw one more balloon when she feels something knock against her shoe, looking down she sees the golf ball and bends down to pick it up observing the heart who could have only been drawn by one person…

 

Said person clears making Jisoo turn around to look at her. “Can we talk?”

 

The other girl looks at her nervously and with fear on her eyes but ultimately she silently nods and Chaeyoung this as her queue to get closer.

 

“You…you love me,” Chaeyoung says.

 

“Yes, I love you. I don’t know what came over me or how it happened, I just…I love you. Ever since you’ve started talking more with Jennie and spending more time with her and then I… started to look at you in a different way and I...”

 

“Could it...like… maybe you are just jealous of the time I’m spending with Jennie?”

 

“Are you serious?" Jisoo asked angry, how dare she. “ Who the do you think you are to tell me what or why I’m feeling the way I’m feeling."

 

“, Jisoo I..."

 

“ Chaeyoung! I never asked you to love me back, I’m not asking for a chance you asked what was wrong, I told you and now you’re invalidating my feelings?"

 

Chaeyoung had never seen Jisoo like this, its the first time this kind of tone has been used against her, and she knows it was the wrong thing to ask but in no way did she try to invalidate Jisoo’s feelings, not at all. The brunette racks her brain for a way to make things right and explain herself better but Jisoo takes the silence as confirmation.

 

Huffing she throws another balloon at the street and starts walking away. “I don’t need this.”

 

The taller brunette snaps out of it and holds on to her friends arm. “No...wait Jisoo, that’s not what I…”

 

“What Chaeyoung? That’s not what you meant? Do you think I just came up with this on the spot, do you really think I spent so much thinking about this and wishing it all away just because I was ing jealous? How dare you assume that I…”

 

Jisoo then is interrupted by Chaeyoung’s lips on her own, She tastes like strawberry mint gum and Jisoo wastes no time in kissing back. The kiss is brief but meaningful, Chaeyoung pulling away first but staying close, hands still on Jisoo’s waist.

 

“You just kissed me…” Jisoo whispers

 

“I did”

 

“Why?”

 

“I…” Chaeyoung sighs. “How about we have lunch and talk? I brought your favorite.”

 

“Orange chicken?”

 

“Mhm.”

 

Jisoo smiles at her and nods, leaving her arms and head to the table where she sees the take out bag.

 

Lunch was good, it was like any other, except Chaeyoung found herself staring at Jisoo more often, reaching out to her more often and smiling more often. They didn’t say much, it was quiet but unlike before it wasn’t uncomfortable, it just another lunch like any other, maybe a bit more.

 

“So...let try this again.” Chaeyoung says once the finished eating. She stood up and walked around the table to straddle the bench where Jisoo was sitting, the shorter girl doing the same thing so they could both be looking face to face, not barriers between them.

 

“Let me start by saying this first.” Chaeyoung begins, “I like you, a lot. Everything has been so complicated. My feelings are all over the place, but I just know that I like you, okay? I like like you as more than a friend. It may not be love yet but I could certainly see myself getting there.” Chaeyoung says, because it was true, this week had showed her she does like Jisoo and she would like to take a chance with but she also didn’t want to lie to Jisoo and say she loves her back because right now that was not case. “Now please, let's just talk."

 

Jisoo was beaming. It felt like three tons of emotional weight had been lifted from her shoulders. It wasn't the smoothest of confessions, and Chaeyoung wasn’t saying she loved her back but she didn't care. She said she could there and that she liked her as more than a friend and right now that was enough for her.

 

“I love you, Chae. I really, really do." Her voice lowered as she repeated her confession. "I want to spend all of my time with you. I want to have stupid movie nights, where we nitpick everything for hours. I want to take walks in the park, and spend countless hours is our ty DIY mini golf course. But more than that… I just want to be with you. I can't stop thinking about being with you. I have so many feelings for you, and I don't know what to do with them anymore. “

 

Chaeyoung grabs Jisoo’s hand between her own when she sees her fidgeting, it was her own way of saying, I’m here. “I don’t know when it started I first I thought I was just jealous because you were spending time with someone else but after a while I notice I was jealous because I wanted to be that person. You’d talk to me about Jennie and then seeing you kiss her at that stupid spin the bottle game…I wanted nothing more than to be her.”

 

The brunette reaches out to wipe the lone tear that escaped from her friends eyes, her other hand still holding Jisoo’s. “I didn’t I think you would reciprocate. I was trying so hard to forget, to bury my feelings and it just got to the point where I couldn’t. Because I can’t lose you Chae, I can’t."

 

Chaeyoung takes a deep breath once Jisoo’s done, she then slides closer to Jisoo. “I can't promise that we'd be together forever, and it would be stupid of me to make that promise. But does that mean we shouldn't even try? This…” She points to the both of them. “What we have… it's whatever we want it to be. It's not going to disappear. I'm not going to suddenly stop caring about you. You are my best friend Jisoo. And you could never lose me, not in a million years.”

 

Chaeyoung then finish her speech with a final kiss to Jisoo’s lips and when she feels Jisoo respond immediately she knows she’s done for. She knows it’s real.

 

Chaeyoung kept two digits under Jisoo's chin, holding her in place. It was unnecessary, for the girl wasn't going anywhere. This kiss was everything. Chae's lips were everything. There was no sound, no air, no reason to hear or breathe. She closed her eyes, as did the girl in front of her. Seeing wasn't as important as feeling. It was her, and it was Chaeyoung’'s lips, the only two things to exist at this crossroads of time, where nothing seemed to move.

 

When they pulled away Jisoo opened her eyes and Chaeyoung was smiling. The brunette moved a lone strand of hair from the shorter girl's face, running a thumb along her cheek.

 

“Let’s give this a shot.”

 

Present Time

 

“Chipmunk had moves even at fifteen.” Said Lisa while getting shoved by Jisoo gently. “And you, my love. Where very shockingly open.”

 

“We were fifteen, everybody has their heart on their sleeve at that age.” Said Jisoo, taking the golf ball and putting it away safely in a drawer. “Besides, mind you, my heart had not been broken yet.” She walked closer to Lisa and wrapped her arms around her. “It’s a good thing you are relentless, Manoban.”

 

“Well… need I remind you I do like to work for I want.”

 

“I what do you want right now mmm?”

 

“I’ll give you a hint...starts with Ji and ends with soo.”

“Alright…” Jisoo chuckled before giving her a quick peck. “Let’s finish unpacking first casanova.”