(...) where Night and Day draw near and greet one another as they pass the great threshold of bronze: and while the one is about to go down into the house, the other comes out at the door. And the house never holds them both within; but always one is without the house passing over the earth, while the other stays at home and waits until the time for her journeying comes (...) - Hesiod's Theogony, 750

Yoobin watched the sun go down, slowly, already at the threshold of their house. The dying sun warmed her face, and she could see the rising moon, good old Handong starting to cross the skies in her silver chariot, still sniffling because of Gahyeon, frozen in eternal sleep. On the other side, Bora sleepily rode her golden chariot home, to the arms of her lover of the day.

She figured, leaning on her scepter and waiting for Bora to go away, it must be nice to have someone to come back to. She saw the sunny figure of Yoohyeon approach, dressed in her pale yellow tunic, and her heart swelled in anticipation. These few moments they had for themselves were the only thing she looked forward to, between sunrise and sunset; the rest of the time was working or waiting. She disliked both.

Yoobin was Night, dressed in black and silver, and Yoohyeon was Day, gold and yellow. Star-crossed lovers, the bards called them. Yoobin hated each and every one of them.

Her feet moved without thinking, going for the threshold that separated their job from their home, that separated them: there could not be Day within the Night, nor Night during the Day. And that was… Fine. Day and Night could not coexist unless as a balance of each other, as much as it hurt.

Their hands clasped at each other, desperate, and Yoobin checked how she was. Her face, sun-kissed and warm against Yoobin’s cold hands, pale as the moon Handong was hanging in the sky.

“Are you well? How was work? You’re not hurt, are you?” She peppered Day with kisses, and Yoohyeon giggled as she answered, kissing her back. These were their moments, few and precious. 

“Yes, good, no. Are you well?” Yoohyeon asked, hands on Yoobin’s wrists, and Yoobin smiled.

“Better now.” She replied. The moon was starting to peek out, and she knew their time was over. “I’ll go.”

“I’ll see you soon.” Yoohyeon replied, kissing Yoobin’s knuckles before they separated, Yoobin bringing Night into the world while Day rested.

She waited until the heavy bronze doors closed behind her, wiped away the tears she did not dare show Yoohyeon, and started to work, her cloak of darkness a heavy weight upon her shoulders.