“Where should we go this year?”

Every year Jisoo and Jennie took a holiday together, usually choosing to go somewhere they’d never been before. They’d sit down months in advance to start planning, buying tickets, booking hotels, renting cars etc. though they left the majority of activities up to spontaneity.

“I’ve been thinking long and hard, and finally decided on the perfect spot.” Jisoo said, a serious look on her face.

“…and?” Jennie encouraged, once the girl stayed silent.

“Melbourne. We’re going to Melbourne.”

“Melbourne?”

“Melbourne.”

“But…why?”

“I’ve heard they have excellent coffee shops, not talking chains, just independent little stores with local roasters.”

“So we’re going to Melbourne for coffee?”

“They also have good bubble tea, and various Asian food, and beaches, and city life, and shopping, and let’s add food one more time.”

“You wanna go to Melbourne for Asian food and drinks, even though that is undoubtedly cheaper where we are right now, which is, ya know, in Asia…where Asian food is just called food?”

“Think about the culture, Jendeukie!”

“Culture and Asian food and bubble tea… hmm where can I get that? Oh, I know, Taiwan, the home of bubble tea! Also, much closer to here.”

“Jendeukie, we are going to Melbourne, case closed!” Jisoo was strangely worked up about it, and Jennie truly didn’t hate the idea, she just liked teasing Jisoo too much. Besides, she hadn’t mentioned Jennie’s soulmate in like 6 months, so Jennie felt she deserved a reward.

“Melbourne it is. How about November? Late spring there, late autumn here, would be nice with some sun.”

“Let me check my calendar.”

Jennie had no idea why it took Jisoo fifteen minutes to check her calendar, but once done the girl nodded firmly. “November works for me. Pleasure doing business with you.” Jisoo stood up as Jennie frowned.

“We still need to look at tickets and stuff, sit your down.”

“Yes, ma’am.” She sat her back down.

“It’s a bit of a flight,” Jennie began, as she typed on her laptop, “how about we splurge on business class seats?”

Jisoo remained silent, and after a few seconds, Jennie looked up, making eye contact with her best friend. They both fought back a smile before bursting into laughter.

“As if we ever fly anything but business class.”

“I know, I know, I was just teasing you.”

“Such a funny mandu.” Jisoo grinned while pinching Jennie’s puffy cheek, receiving an annoyed look in return, though Jennie secretly liked it.

Three hours later, they’d booked everything they needed to book, they’d applied for a tourist visa, and they’d made a spreadsheet of what they wanted to see and do during their two-week trip.

“This coffee shop is supposed to be one of the best hidden gems according to some article I read. I really wanna try it out, and before you ask, yes, it looks very Instagram friendly. Can we go there the day we arrive? We get in early, we could use a good cup of coffee or three. Please-eu.”

“I’ve never in a million years seen you care this much about coffee before.”

“Consider it a new passion of mine.”

“Does that mean you’re no longer passionate about video games?”

Jisoo snorted at the ridiculousness of that question. “Of course not, how do you think I manage to play all night and still get to work on time?”

Jennie’s brow turned down in worry, “I swear you’re gonna crash and burn at the age of 35 if you’re not careful.”

“As long as I’ve completed all my games, I’ll die happy.”

“Remind me again why we’re best friends?”

“Because I’m gorgeous, funny, great at balancing things, and you love me.”

“Seeing as we live in a world where soulmates are a thing, I don’t see what you being gorgeous has to do with anything.”

“Clearly my beauty enhances your beauty, Deuk.”

“Good thing you didn’t add smart to that list of yours.”

“I would be offended by that comment, but I know you only said it cause you feel threatened by my 4D personality.”

“Mhm.” Jennie wasn’t exactly convinced.

“And the fact that my soulmate has not once lost a watermelon, let alone two.”

“Ok, fine, you win. I don’t wanna see another watermelon for at least a decade.”

&

Jisoo was busy packing for her upcoming trip to Australia, of course remembering to pack the watermelon socks she’d bought to tease Jennie with. She was so excited, she’d never been to that part of the world before. And while Jennie had been to Australia, she’d never been to Melbourne, and Jisoo could tell that the younger girl was almost equally excited. She was trying hard to hide it though, not wanting to give Jisoo the satisfaction, whatever that meant. Not that Jisoo cared, though. She was just excited to see if her secret plan worked.

The next afternoon, right after lunch, the two headed to the airport together straight from the office, both of them wanting to get some last-minute work done before heading off. Or rather, in Jisoo’s case she just wanted to rub it in her coworker’s faces that she was going on holiday and they weren’t. As the grown up she is. Jennie had spent the majority of the morning rolling her eyes at Jisoo’s antics, though she secretly enjoyed it and kind of wished she’d joined in.

“Melbourne, Melbourne, Melbourne!” Jisoo chanted excitedly as they exited security and made their way towards the lounge. And much to her surprise, Jennie joined in as holiday fever took over.

“It better be warm enough for me to shed this coat and wear crop tops.”

“You’re gonna have half of Melbourne drooling over you in no time, baby.”

“Hell yeah I will.” Jennie did a few poses as Jisoo pretended to photograph her, both of them acting playful, which in Jennie’s case was a bit of a rarity.

“I know I’ve been rolling my eyes about it for months, but – and you’re not allowed to tease me for this – I’m actually a bit excited to try all this coffee you’ve been talking about.”

Jisoo squealed loudly, a little too loudly for Jennie’s sake, as she side hugged her best friend. “We’re gonna get so much done on this holiday cause we’ll never need to sleep cause we’ll be so hyped up on coffee!”

“How many cups of coffee have you had today?”

“Only two cups.”

Jennie eyed her suspiciously. “I know that’s a lie, there’s no way you’re this hyper after just two cups.”

“I have only had two cups of coffee, but I don’t know how many glasses of iced coffee I’ve had.”

“Kim Jisoo-yah, you’re such an idiot.” Jennie playfully smacked her on the arm.

“What? You only asked me how many cups I’d had.” Jisoo smirked as she wiggled her eyebrows.

“You’re lucky I love you so.”

“You’re lucky I love you enough to put up with your overdramatic .”

Jennie wrapped her arms around Jisoo, head resting on her shoulder. “Love you, chu.”

“Love you too, Jendeukie.”

&

“How much did you pay for us to get our room this early?” Jennie collapsed onto her bed in the suite. It was barely 9am, but they’d made it out of the airport and to their hotel in record time, and to Jennie’s surprise, their room was waiting for them. A large bouquet of roses on the coffee table along with a box of locally made confectionary and a ‘thank you for staying at our hotel’ card.

“You don’t wanna know. But it was worth it.” She was seconds away from collapsing onto the bed herself, but she somehow managed to stop herself, instead smacking Jennie’s . “C’mon, lazy , we should get going. If we lie down now, we’ll never get outside today.”

“Let’s just nap for an hour, please.” Jisoo could barely hear her as Jennie’s face was burried in a pillow.

“Nope, I wants my coffee.”

“There’s a coffee machine somewhere over there.” Jennie’s arm was waving in the general vicinity of the remainder of the room, her face still burried away.

“Puh,” Jisoo snorted, “you think I’m gonna drink Nespresso coffee after spending the last five months talking about Melbourne’s amazing local roasters? Do you not know me at all, woman?”

“Gimme half an hour.”

“No.”

“15 minutes.”

“No.”

“Please, Chu, I need some sleep.”

“I’m gonna grab a shower, you have until I’m done.”

Jennie was asleep before Jisoo even closed the bathroom door.

“Is it far away?”

“Right around the corner, according to my phone.”

“I’m so tired.”

“I let you sleep for an hour.”

“Everyone knows an hour in Australia is only 20 minutes in Korea.”

“…What?”

“Ugh.” Jennie pushed her sunglasses further up her nose and ran a hand through her hair. She could really use some coffee and she honestly didn’t care if it was hand crafted by someone with a PhD in coffee art, or if it was from a Nespresso capsule.

“I see it!” Jisoo excitedly pointed to a sign halfway down the block and increased her speed considerably, forcing Jennie to half jog in order to catch up with her.

The shop was fairly empty when they entered. It was a weekday, and it was way too late for the morning rush, and too early for the lunch crowd, thus leaving room for a couple of new moms, an old couple, and now Jisoo and Jennie, the rest of the tables empty.

“Welcome to Atomic!” A young woman behind the counter smiled brightly at them as another cleared a newly abandoned table, and yet another poured coffee beans into their machine.

Jisoo thought the scent of freshly ground coffee was heavenly, and she allowed herself a deep breath through her nose, savoring the aroma.

“Hi.” Jisoo smiled brightly as she stepped up to the counter, Jennie standing next to her as she eyed the food selection. “I’m Jisoo, this is Jennie.”

“I’m Rosie.” The blonde laughed. It wasn’t often that guests volunteered their name like that, but the girl was cute, so she didn’t mind. And Jisoo, well, Jisoo was just excited to practice her English.

“Can I have a black coffee, please-eu.”

“Of course, anything for you?” Rosie smiled at the brunette, Jennie she believed was her name, as said girl finally removed her sunglasses.

“How good are those bagels?”

“They’re amazing. We get them from a local bakery right down the street every morning, and then we make them into bagel sandwiches right here in the store. I once had a guy from New York buy a dozen bagels cause the thought they were the best he’d ever had.”

“Or he was just trying to flirt with you.”

“Shut up, Seulgi.” Rosie laughed, and for some reason Jisoo was staring at her funnily.

“Hmm, ok, you got me. I’ll have a mozzarella and parma ham bagel please, and a flat white.”

“I want a bagel too! Same as her.”

“Coming right up.” Rosie gave them a friendly smile as Jisoo paid and the two headed towards a table in the back.

“You know I hate to admit it when you’re right, but,” Jennie let out a loud sigh, “you were right. This place is cute.”

Jisoo pretended to wipe away some tears as she clutched her heart. “My only wish is that you’d told me this would happen in advance so I could film it.”

“Don’t make me retract my statement.” Jennie glared at her, though Jisoo knew she was just joking. Or, at least she hoped Jennie was just joking.

“One black coffee for you, a flat white for you, and two bagels. Enjoy!” Rosie gave them a cheery smile that both girls returned, before she went back to the counter where her coworkers were currently gossiping.

“That sounds so ugly.”

“Right? But who knows, maybe they’ll suit it.”

“Whatcha talking about?”

“My flatmate’s tattoo changed color this morning to this ugly moss green shade and now were wondering if maybe someone could actually pull that color off.”

“Hmm, I’d have to see the color before I decide, but I’m sure someone can pull it off. At least you two are lucky and already know you’re each other’s soulmate, and know when your tattoo will change.”

Seulgi grinned at her soulmate, Irene, who she’d met in that very coffee shop three years prior. “I’m sure you’ll find yours soon, Rosieposie.”

“I hope so,” she pouted as she cleaned the coffee machine. “What does it feel like, anyways?”

“What does what feel like?”

“When your tattoo changes?”

“Wait, you’ve never