Ours
QUARANTINESakura got up early in the morning. She takes her body temperature and reports to the authority through the app and phone call, and made herself some tea while taking Kurikindi to the balcony.
Chaeyeon is not on the rooftop yet so she decided to navigate Kurikindi around the neighborhood.
As compared to New York City where she's just been back from, people in Seoul are more confident to continue their daily routine with (barely) enough masks supply. There are fewer people in the streets where citizens diligently observe social distancing and 99% of the people are wearing masks, but the panic and anxiety that was felt a month or so ago is now gone.
When Kurikindi navigates along the avenue, it is hard for Sakura not to notice the blossoming of the beojkkoch (벚꽃 cherry blossom). She feels stunned. It's breathlessly beautiful!
Logically, Sakura relates herself to the flower because she was named after it. Her grandparents hoped that their granddaughter, being born in the cherry blossom season, will disseminate goodness (良) in her life, and its pronunciation with sakura the flower is exactly the same in Japanese.
She has once hated her stereotypical name, but here and now, she suddenly feels thankful.
Then her phone receives a notification.
Chaeyeon.
– I cooked you some pancakes, will bring 'em to the roof. Can you send Kurikindi over?
– I thought you are in intermittent fasting?
Sakura uses voice typing while her hands are still holding the control panel.
– I just cooked it for you :)
Just cooked for me?
Sakura grins widely. She seems to hear silver bells ringing inside her head all of a sudden.
She quickly navigates Kurikindi back and lands her on the rooftop.
The sunlight seems brighter when the angel appears from the door.
Chaeyeon is wearing a mask (very cautious). She carefully puts a small package wrapped with paper towels in the box attached to Kurikindi's back. She quickly pulls off the towels when she is done. She then signals Kurikindi to takeoff and while taking off the mask.
Another message is received when Kurikindi returns to home.
– Eat now when it's still warm. I will do the warm-up first.
Sakura wasted no time in opening the package and she smells heaven! She washes her hands and grabs and eats the pancakes directly.
She has never tasted anything like this – no, it is not the pancakes, no, yes, the pancakes taste like they are from heaven, but no...a warmth disseminates from Sakura's chest down to her stomach and up to , making her heart rate speed up and hard to breathe. She knows this feeling, but she never felt it like this – no one, maybe except her mother, has ever pampered her.
Not like this.
It is reciprocal. She tries to reassure herself. No, she cannot be sure. The only thing she can be sure of is: it's genuine friendship – BFF. Chaeyeon is more like a soulmate to her. Yes, let's stay like that and be content.
– It's the taste of heaven. You are really versatile. Thank you.
Sakura types and gets back to the balcony.
Chaeyeon reads the message and improvises short dance steps to gesture "you are welcome."
Sakura quickly navigates Kurikindi as Chaeyeon starts to dance.
She suddenly got an idea: why doesn't she make a documentary on her quarantine life as well as her neighborhood with Kurikindi? Chaeyeon will definitely be a part of it.
*********************************
When Chaeyeon gets out of the shower, she hears a chime from her phone. She opens the message and found that Sakura has sent her a clip. It's her dancing clip from yesterday.
She grins. This morning Kurikindi was circling around her like a giant hummingbird when she practiced, she is not sure what is in Sakura's mind but it must be something fun.
– I anticipate the Kurikindi version of it.
Chaeyeon types.
– Good! There is something I want to discuss with you. Can I call?
– Sure! But voice calls only, I'm just out of the shower ;-)
Lee Chaeyeon, what's the matter with you? How dare you - so frivolous.
Chaeyeon scolds herself in the head but she cannot control herself to get over-excited
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