Ji Yeon knew this day would come. The day she would find Hyejin curled up on the floor of her room. She just didn’t expect Hyejin to be eating her carton of ice cream. 

“Hyejin-ah, how did you get in here??” Ji Yeon asked as she threw her bag to the side.

Hyejin pathetically looked up at her with tears down her face. She sniffled for a bit before finally answering.

“I-I climbed through your window,” Hyejin squeezed out. As if the mere act of talking would make her cry again. 

“You broKE IN?!”

“Your window was OPEN,” Hyejin finally began to sob again. Sob and continue to sadly eat ice cream.

“YOU CLIMBED A ING TREE TO BREAK IN?!”

“I said your window was open!” 

“, I had a screen! Where did it go?!” Ji Yeon looked at her window. It was closed now but the screen was no longer there.

“Ah, i-it kinda fell?”

Ji Yeon opened to argue but decided against it. If Hyejin contemplated breaking into Wheein’s house all those years ago then this shouldn’t be surprising. Instead she just went to sit on her bed while she screamed internally and observed Hyejin without mercy.

“So, what did you do?”

“What do you mean what did I do?!” Hyejin asked through a spoonful of ice cream.

Ji Yeon just raised her eyebrows. No words needed to explain why she asked that question.

With a sigh and a grumble, Hyejin placed the spoon back in the now empty carton. Sniffling a little bit and wiping some tears away before shuffling around to look at Ji Yeon. 

“.....I annoyed her…..” Hyejin whimpered. Her voice was tiny and delicate. Remorseful even.

Ji Yeon sighed. She figured this would happen one day. Hyejin has her spurts of childish antics and, as of late, Wheein seemed stressed about her art and classes in general. A clash was about to happen sooner or later. 

“How long have you’ve been here?”

“For the past five hours…..” Hyejin sniffled. 

“Five hours!?” Ji Yeon exclaimed. 

“Y-yea, five hours since Wheein kicked me out,” Hyejin began to cry again.

“.........for the love of god…..” Ji Yeon muttered before getting up and walking into the hallway to make a call.

“Wait, don’t leave me!” Hyejin lunged forward and clung onto Ji Yeon’s leg, “You’re supposed to comfort me.”

Ji Yeon looked down and into Hyejin’s big, soulful, and teary eyes.

“No,” Ji Yeon shook Hyejin off and continued to make the call.

She barely had to wait before her call was picked up.

“Hey, Wh--”

“Oh my god, Ji Yeon! Is Hyejin-ah there?! She left her phone here so I couldn't reach her!” Wheein asked in a hurry. Her voice sounded strained.

“Wow, not even a hello. But, yes, your lion is here,” Ji Yeon said as she was looking at said lion. A lion that was currently a pathetic slug, just inching her way towards Ji Yeon once she heard Wheein’s voice.

“Wheein-aaaaah, I’m sorry!” Hyejin cried from the floor. 

“Hyejin-ah!! I’m sorry!” Wheein cried through the phone.

“Ok, no, we are NOT doing this. Wheein, I’m going to drop off your lion and you two can make up then,” Ji Yeon huffed as she grabbed Hyejin by the scruff of the neck and began to drag her out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hyejin eagerly walked beside Ji Yeon as they made their way to the apartment. 

“Please give me some time to leave before you two go at each other,” Ji Yeon said as they walked. 

“We’re not that bad,” Hyejin rolled her eyes. 

“ Not that bad?? Hyejin--”

“Hey you two!”

Sujeong.
 
Ji Yeon still felt uneasy with Sujeong, even if Hyejin said she took care of it. She never explained the details of it nor did Ji Yeon ever ask. Ji Yeon rationalised it was a door that Hyejin had to close herself, but even Wheein mentioned her unease with Sujeong still. Hyejin closed the door but Wheein and herself were still left in the dark as to how and why the hell Sujeong is still around. 

They spent a couple of minutes catching up. Ji Yeon acted civil enough but not completely hiding her distrust either. If Sujeong kept such a secret for so long then who knows what else she is hiding. It doesn’t help that Sujeong has this air of mystery around her. 

“Hyejin-ah, why the hell is Sujeong still around?” Ji Yeon asked as soon as Sujeong was out of earshot and stopped. She needed answers.

“Because she’s a classmate? We’re in the same major so,” Hyejin turned around with a slightly confused face.

Ji Yeon groaned in frustration and shook her head. 

“No, I mean…..How exactly did you ‘take care of it’,” Ji Yeon said with air quotes.

Hyejin pressed her lips together in a thin line as she thought. She thought about how much she should say. But the answer was simple. The truth was the only answer. 

“ I told her we can be friends but don’t hold on to the expectation that if anything were to happen to me and Wheein then I’ll immediately go to her. I want a friend, not someone waiting in a made up line.”

Ji Yeon was taken aback. But she still had a bugging question.

“Why do you want to be friends with her anyway,” Ji Yeon began walking again and Hyejin followed, “Like, just how? Why??”

Hyejin shrugged, “It would make things easier. We have the same major so we’re gonna see each other a lot. And….”

Hyejin faltered as she finally found the words to her reasoning.

“And, I want to say goodbye to her on my own terms this time,” Hyejin whispered. As if finally speaking those words would create a domino effect.

Ji Yeon had a basic enough grasp as to what Hyejin was saying. And, with a slight nod, she let the matter go finally. Although she still has some last words to say.

“I hope you know what you’re doing.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spring break couldn’t come fast enough. With the warmer weather, Hyejin was itching to go outside. She became restless the more time she had to spend indoors because of school. She did her best to spend as much time by the river as she could but only a couple hours a week, in total, wasn’t enough. She wanted to swim in the clear river and feel the coolness engulf her as she emerges anew from the cleansing waters. 

But alas, she must wait. 

Luckily Wheein’s Friday classes were cut short or not held at all so that meant they could spend a day at the river before they left for home Spring Break. 

“Wheein-aaaah,” Hyejin whined from the couch. Her bindle was ready to go and all she was waiting for was for Wheein to finally get ready. The excitement was making her eager to leave and she could barely remain still. 

“We still have to wait for Ji Yeon, so hold your horses,” Wheein responded from the bedroom. She was busy making sure they had everything that they needed for the river. Towels, sunblock, water, phones, and money. 

“I ain’t got no horses to hold!” Hyejin cried as she sprawled across the couch with a grumble.

“Oh my god, you can wait--” Wheein was cut off by a knock on their door.

“KEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEIIII,” Hyejin yelled as she bolted from the couch to let Ji Yeon in. 

“Wow, someone is excited,” Ji Yeon said as soon as she was inside.

“She’s been like this all morning,” Wheein replied as she came out of the bedroom to meet them. 

“I need that sweet release of freedom and open air!” Hyejin said as she grabbed her bindle.

“I--wait, the is that?” Ji Yeon pointed to Hyejin’s bindle.

“A bindle?” Hyejin asked.

Ji Yeon looked towards Wheein for answers but Wheein only gave her a shrug.

“She does what she wants.”

“Hell yea, I do. Now leggo!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Most of the students already left for Spring Break so the park was relatively empty. A few students were gathered about but it was obvious that they wanted little human contact so they kept their distance. 

With the sun calmly gazing down towards them, there was not one cloud in the sky. There was only a slight breeze but instead of coolness this wind carried warmth. All three of them were grateful that the apartment was within walkable distance because it saves them the pain of having to wait for a bus. 

Passing the open grass where a few people sunbathed, the trio made their way to the banks of the river. Being part of the university the banks are no longer natural, at least in this small stretch of river, but are instead cement edges with stairs that lead into the river itself. The cement edges were above the river so it didn’t collide with the natural order of the river's flow so the only way in is by jumping from the edges or via the stairs. 

They found a bench under a tree and elected to put their stuff there. It was the closest bench to the river. Being part of the university there is always that sense of trust amongst other university students. That trust of not messing with each other’s stuff. Well, it did help that there were a few patrolling university police but that’s beside the point. It just meant that they could freely, somewhat, leave their stuff unattended. For a little bit. Someone still has to watch it but not with the eyes of a hawk. 

Hyejin was the first one to put her stuff down and to remove her outer clothing. She only bothered wearing an oversized t-shirt on the way so she could get into the river faster. As soon as Hyejin’s beautiful skin was exposed, Wheein only tripped a little bit. She braced herself somewhat beforehand so she wouldn’t fall flat on her face. But Ji Yeon noticed Wheein tripping and snickered. To which Wheein slapped her shoulder.

“Hurry up you two!” Hyejin was practically vibrating in place. 

The juxtaposition of Hyejin’s childish antics with Hyejin’s more mature look made Wheein feel a multitude of things. But, it could all be boiled down to a simple word. Love.

“Jeez, I never seen this excited before, well, besides for your first date with Wheein,” Ji Yeon said as she put her stuff down and also began to remove her outer clothes. Through sheer chance, she wore a bikini that complemented Hyejin’s own.

“Awww, you two look like two peas in a pod,” Wheein chuckled as she put her stuff down as well and pulled out the sunblock. She wasn't going into the river as much as the other two so she didn't bother taking over her oversized shirt.

Hyejin scrunched her face in disgust before heading towards Wheein who beckoned her. 

“I would rather be a solo pea than be in a pod with her,” Hyejin teased as Wheein began to apply the sunblock on her.

“Ditto,” Ji Yeon also began to apply her own sunblock on herself. 

“Turn around,” Wheein ordered.

Hyejin obeyed without question. She never liked this part. She knows that she needs the protection from the sun’s rays but she’s so close yet so far from the river that it hurts. Eventually Wheein tapped her shoulder, the sign that she was done and that it was her turn. Once it was Wheein’s turn, Hyejin suddenly didn’t feel the need to rush. While Wheein’s touch was matter of fact when she applied the sunblock, Hyejin’s touch had a bit more bite. She knew Wheein’s body well enough by now that she knew exactly how to touch her to get a reaction. The moment Wheein’s breath hitched, Ji Yeon coughed loudly.

“At least pay me to be the third wheel,” Ji Yeon deadpanned.

WHeein looked away, slightly embarrassed. Hyejin only squinted her eyes at Ji Yeon.

“Well, if someone would stop being a single pringle then this wouldn’t be a problem,” Hyejin retorted. 

Ji Yeon scoffed, “Excuse you, not everyone can find someone that they are immediately compatible with.”

“Yea, it’s called trial and error. Not everyone will be lucky like me and Wheein. You gotta suffer first, ya know?” Hyejin stated matter of factly as she folded her shirt across her bindle.

Ji Yeon could only stare. Her face devoid of any emotion but her eyes said everything.

“Hyejin-ah,” Ji Yeon immediately smiled and approached Hyejin, “want to get into the river now?” 

Wheein’s eyes widened as she realised what Ji Yeon was planning. Instead of warning Hyejin, she elected to let her poor girlfriend learn a lesson. She grabbed her phone and turned it to the camera to record. 

“Hell yea! About damn time!” Hyejin brightened, her eagerness blinded her to her folly.

Ji Yeon immediately grabbed her hand and they both ran to the edge to jump in. But Ji Yeon stopped just short. As Hyejin turned back to ask Ji Yeon what’s wrong, did she finally realise her fate. 

A wicked smirk flashed across Ji Yeon’s face as she grabbed Hyejin and picked her up.

“W-wait, Ji Yeon!” Hyejin tried to wiggle out of Ji Yeon’s grip but to no avail. She looked towards Wheein for help but only found a smiling Wheein holding a phone up.

“ Et tu, Wheein-ah?” Hyejin cried.

“This empty,” Ji Yeon began to coil.

“No, wait, JI YE--”

“YEET!”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”

Ji Yeon launched Hyejin with such force that she found herself briefly flying before crashing down into the peaceful river. Even with the current Hyejin still heard Ji Yeon’s laughter. Taking but a moment to regain her senses, Hyejin knew what she had to do. 

Ji Yeon threw her just before the bend of the river, right before the current is the strongest. Quickly popping back up to get air, Hyejin went with the current to quickly pass the bend and to use that momentum to launch herself to the cement ledge. After making a show of where she popped up, she heard Ji Yeon and Wheein approach.

“I never knew you could shot put a person, Ji Yeon,” Wheein said in amazement. They way Ji Yeon just flung Hyejin made her look like a ragdoll. 

“Me either,” Ji Yeon finally peered down the ledge to see Hyejin clinging on.

“So, did we--” Ji Yeon started.

Hyejin clambered up so smoothly that it seemed like she jumped from the water. Before either Wheein or Ji Yeon noticed, Hyejin was already standing next to Ji Yeon with an unreadable expression.

“How the did you get up here so qu--” Ji Yeon began to question before Hyejin cut her off. 

Hyejin crouched and grabbed Ji Yeon by the waist.

“FuuuuUUU--” Ji Yeon began before Hyejin flung her into the river.

While it would’ve been sweet, sweet revenge, there was only one flaw. Something that Hyejin didn’t plan for. Ji Yeon’s reaction time coupled with her range. Hyejin expected Ji Yeon to just fall into the river with no hassle. She never expected Ji Yeon to have such a fast reaction time that the moment she felt herself being thrown she reached out and grabbed Hyejin by the arm. Thus, dragging Hyejin down back into the river with her. 

The loud splash followed by loud bickering between the two as they came back up caused Wheein to roar with laughter. She caught everything on camera and she knows that the video will be an instant serotonin boost later in life. She also knows her and Hyejin’s parents would get a big kick out of it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The rest of their time at the river was a bit more calm. Ji Yeon and Hyejin were the ones that were in the river while Wheein remained on land. Only taking a small dip here and there. She watched as the two jumped into the river  from one end to come back out the other and back and forth and back and forth. Like children on a slide. But, they weren’t as youthful as before and fighting the current, especially at its strongest point, began to wear on them. 

As the sun began to orange in the afternoon, all three were by the large steps that actually went into the river. Wheein sat on the step just above the water and let her legs dangle in the river. Ji Yeon clutched onto the railing like an otter so she could float without worry of being dragged away. Meanwhile, Hyejin clung onto Wheein’s leg as an anchor so she could float. 

They easily basked in the peacefulness that is the river. It’s clear waters seemed to wash away their worries. It’s scent was refreshing and soothing. The sound easily lulled them into a pseudo slumber. They all basked in the purifying rays of the sun and the cleansing waters of the river. It brought them peace and recharged them. Ji Yeon eventually got out to sunbathe along the cement ledge over the river and gave Hyejin and Wheein a moment alone. 

Wheein was wide awake while Hyejin was lured into slumber. She still clung onto Wheein’s leg so she was safe from floating away. And as they had their time alone, Wheein observed and reflected. 

She reflected on the time she’s been with Hyejin and how they have been the happiest times in her life. She still can’t believe how lucky she is to have someone like Hyejin. Do they have their moments of disagreements? Yes. Do they have fights? Yes, but their fights are short and easily resolved. Usually it’s from a minor miscommunication, sometimes it’s just a difference in personality, others it’s just plain annoyance depending on their moods. It seemed like it was happening more and more but after a nice outing like this? Wheein felt that pent up stress wash away. She can see why Hyejin was anxious to finally come out here. It was like charging one’s mind, body and soul. She can’t quite explain it, but it felt like it was coming back to your roots, your origins. Like she’s strayed so far and she’s coming back to who she is. 

Wheein softly chuckled to herself. She never thought she would see a simple day at the river to be so healing. She looked down towards Hyejin’s sleeping face that was smooshed against her thigh. Being in the sun in such a short amount of time and Hyejin was already darker. Wheein briefly wondered if they reapplied sunblock and became a bit worried when she realised they never did.

Hyejin’s grip finally became lax and she slipped off but Wheein reacted just in time to grab her. 

“Mmmm, what was that for?” Hyejin’s voice was groggy, clearly not expecting Wheein’s death grip on her arm. 

“You almost floated away,” Wheein replied as she dragged Hyejin back.

“Ah,” Hyejin yawned as she took her place on Wheein’s leg.

“Wheein-ah,” Hyejin muttered as her eyes drooped once more.

“Yes?” Wheein brushed some hair out of Hyejin’s face so she could get a better look. 

“I love you,” Hyejin said as she kissed Wheein’s thigh and nestled once more and fell into a comforting slumber.

Wheein softly smiled and leaned over to plant a kiss on Hyejin’s exposed temple.

“I love you too. Even if you’re gonna be a raisin after this.”