Having been woken up at 6 in the morning to get ready to pick up the others, and to drive 4 hours to the cabin. You could say Hyewon wasn’t in the best mood. Driving the mini van Yena rented for them while she drove the other. Pulling up to Chaeyeon’s house where the other 6 had met up. She looks at the house leaning over the stirring wheel. Not much had changed since she last visited; it had been almost 3 years since she stopped by Chaeyeon’s house. Even when it was on the way to hers, she always took the long route home. 

The cousins got out of the car, exchanging greetings with the rest of the group.

Hyewon went straight to Minju, who playfully laughed at her seeing her attire “Hyewon in sweats? I thought I’d never see the day when you weren’t wearing a white tee and blue jeans” Minju laughed heartly earning a groan from Hyewon 

Picking up Minju’s bag and bringing it towards the car as Minju walked beside her, “This wasn’t my idea” 

“Your clothes gave that away,” Minju laughed 

“Sit in the front, yeah?” Hyewon said throwing the bag in to the trunk 

“Of course, but no promises on not eating all your snacks” Minju threw finger guns and a wink at Hyewon before heading to the passenger seat 

Hyewon see’s Eunbi carrying way too many bags for her own good. She smiles to herself before putting on the blank expression that’s way too comfortable now. Picking both bags from Eunbi, who looked up at her surprised. 

“Are you planning to leave the country?” Hyewon jokes earning a punch in her arm from Eunbi 

“You never know what will happen” 

“You’re making it sound like we’re going to a random cabin in the woods without electricity,” Hyewon chuckles, putting the bags in the trunk 

“We aren’t?” 

“Wait, you’re actually serious?” Hyewon laughs, patting Eunbi on the back “Don’t worry I think there’s electricity, at least?” 

Hyewon teases before dodging another hit from Eunbi. 

She sat in the driver’s seat, eyeing all the passengers. Clearly Yujin orchestrated the seatings. Because seeing both Chaeyeon and Sakura in the back was a dead giveaway. Taking a mental note to steal all her items in animal crossing. It was no help that Eunbi was in the same car. She saw Chaeyeon smiling at her through the rear-view mirror and she gave her the most forced smile she could show, not putting any effort into hiding it either. They both knew Chaeyeon was enjoying it. 

A hand sneaked onto hers, giving it a tight squeeze. She looked towards the owner of the hand, Minju. She sighed, contently intertwining their fingers. Moving her hand towards the car shift with Minju’s hand still in hers. When she felt Minju retract her hand, she grabbed it, tightening her hold on the hand. Eyes on the road, she caressed the back of Minju’s hand with her thumb. 

Let this hell trip begin

Stopping at a gas station for a break to stretch their legs and to go to the restroom. After refilling the tank, Hyewon sat in the driver’s seat with Eunbi in the back while they wait for the other 4 to return. Hyewon was leaning back in her chair, her head on her palm, looking out front. Eunbi found it surprising to see Hyewon in sweats or anything but denim and a white tee. All the times they went out she wore nothing other than that.

She wonders why... maybe it’s because it’s a long road trip, yeah maybe that’s it. That’s what she convinced herself to believe. 

They sat in complete silence until they saw Minju running out of the convenience store - like a kid who wanted to show their friend the cool toy they just bought. She was outside, but her voice pierced through the car’s interior as she screamed ‘unnie’. Hyewon sat up from her chair, giving Minju a quirked eyebrow. Stepping out of the car, meeting her at the front. Eunbi watched from the backseat and saw how Hyewon’s face lit up when Minju showed her the little key chain. How they laughed so effortlessly; so naturally. 

The fondness in her eyes, the way Hyewon put’s her arm around Minju as she . Minju could walk into the room and Hyewon would automatically smile. She couldn’t hear what they were talking about, but there was a weight lifted from Hyewon’s shoulder. And she didn’t fail to see the new key chain attached onto the rearview mirror, next to the frog one. This time it was a hamster, Minju tied it on smiling at Hyewon. 

Then something amazing happens, like a light turning on in a dark room. Her eyes light up and she smiles back. Pairing Minju’s eye smile with her own. 

Eunbi unknowingly smiled seeing the interaction between the two. Then her eyes meet Hyewon’s in the mirror, and just like that the fondness in her eyes disappeared and so did her smile. She was met with the same black faded unreadable eyes; she was smiling a little, but it wasn’t the same as the one earlier. She nodded her head and then returned into their previous positions. Except Hyewon and Minju’s chatter filled the car. 

“Unnie!” Minju yelled from across the parking lot 

Running out of the convenience store towards the car, trying to show off the little trinket in her hands. The moment she saw it in the souvenir section, she had to get it. It was perfect! It matched the key chain she previously bought for Hyewon. 

Her smile only grew when she got closer to Hyewon “Look what I found!” 

“Minju quiet down, it’s embarrassing” Hyewon bowed apologetically to the people around them 

Minju let the key chain fall from her hand, showing the little hamster attached onto the end “You can put this on your mirror, with the other one!” 

She was so giddy, the little jumps she did showing the key chain to Hyewon. It was adorable, Hyewon couldn’t help but smile seeing Minju’s childish side. 

“A hamster?” Hyewon faked a sigh, “If you wanted to match the frog you should have gotten a monkey, you don’t look anything like a hamster. It’s too cute” 

“Unnie!” Minju whines, stomping her feet like a little 

Her reaction only brought more laughter out of Hyewon as she pulled Minju into a hug only to ruffle her hair 

“I didn’t buy it for me anyway,” Minju scoffs pushing Hyewon away and fixing her hair “It’s for you. You better put it with the other one” 

“Okay, Okay. You can stop whining like a little baby, you can put it on if you want,” Hyewon chuckles 

And Minju jumps up, throwing a fist in the air, yelling yes. Dancing in victory. Hyewon watched from the other side as they make their way back into the car. Minju ties the key chain on the mirror next to the frog key chain, giving Hyewon a big bright smile. One that showed her dimples on the top of her cheeks, Hyewon reciprocates the smile. ‘Your such a kid sometimes’  Hyewon admits 

It was easy to see the mountain as just its peak, but in truth the land was rising around it for a long way before it became a rocky projection into the sky-line. It had been a few minutes since they entered the woods. Far from the city and its concrete buildings, now all they could see were different hues of green and brown with small hints of blue scattered. Trees towered both sides of the road and within another 30 mins of driving, they took a turn and the trees gave way. 

The road grew narrow going under trees that hung over the road, creating a tunnel like feel. Until they reached the end, opening up to show the glade and nested on top the small incline was the cabin. But not one Eunbi had imagined, pressing her face close to the window. What she expected a rusty, and old structured 3 room bedroom turned into a stoned columned, and furnished oak wood  cabin. Paired with a terrace, two garages and a driveway. 

Hyewon saw Eunbi pre