For the first time in her life, Seulgi didn’t know Joohyun. During that little…(Seulgi didn’t know what to call it. A date? A meal between two friends? All very confusing), Joohyun surprised Seulgi with sides of her she never knew existed. Rowdy, rambunctious, and playful, yet with that same grace and elegance that Seulgi had come to know. Joohyun felt like a breath of fresh air, and Seulgi couldn’t get enough. 

Again, Seulgi asked Sooyoung if she should tell Joohyun about the letters, and Sooyoung merely replied with a simple, “Do you think she’ll like you without ‘em?”, and Seulgi couldn’t give a reply. 

Past all the letters, who was Kang Seulgi? Sure, she made Sooyoung happy, but that didn’t count. She could name ten thousand and one reasons why Joohyun was amazing, reasons why she wanted to date Joohyun, but not one came to mind on why Joohyun wanted to date her. 

So, she asked someone for some help. A person she had never thought she would even talk to.

“So you want me to get you into Joohyun’s pants?” Yeri asked with an eyebrow raised and folded arms. 

“NO!” Seulgi raised her hands defensively. “I mean YES! BUT NO! Not in that way, ugh. Will you help me?”

Yeri cocked an eyebrow. “And what do I get out of this?”

Seulgi shrugged, feeling a few coins in her pockets. She took them out and counted them. “I have fifteen cents.”

“Heck no.”

Seulgi bit her lip, getting a bit desperate.“I’ve got some cool Peruvian coins in my piggy bank?” Seulgi tried to which Yeri only laughed at. 

“Try harder,” Yeri goaded, folding her arms.

Seulgi paused for a moment to find something Yeri would absolutely fall for. She didn’t know Yeri, except that she once held the record for most marshmallows fit in at the school fair. Other than that, it was all that eye-ing and Sooyoung saving the day. The only reason Seulgi was even here was that she thought asking Sooyoung for advice on how to hit on her sister was a bit strange. Sooyoung would’ve helped of course, but Seulgi could not get it off her mind how if she did, it’d be a sister hitting on another sister. All in all, awkward.

Seulgi snapped her fingers. “I’ve got it. Sooyoung’s !”

Almost immediately Yeri screamed, “YOU GOT YOURSELF A DEAL,” and shot her hand out for a handshake which Seulgi immediately took.

To be honest, I can’t believe that worked.

“Meet me in Trinity Park after school,” Yeri instructed.

“I can’t today,” Seulgi said. “I’m helping Ms. Hyoyeon with her project.”

“Oh for the assembly next Friday?” Yeri asked. 

Assembly?

“What assembly?” Seulgi felt something creeping up, like a snake about to strike, but she didn’t see it. 

“The essay contest winners? They’re reading off their essays and Ms. Hyoyeon is preparing a speech.”It’s on the school website.”

Who the heck checks the school website?

Seulgi shrugged. “Well, I’ll be helping her with that. How about tomorrow? Trinity Park?”

“I’ll see you there,” Yeri confirmed. “You better get me her or I’m telling Joohyun right away.”

Seulgi immediately turned pale and nodded. “Ok...Okay, I-I wi...will.”

Suddenly, Yeri leaned forward and gave Seulgi a kiss on the lips, sultrily whispering into her ear, “Lesson number one: don’t be afraid to go for it.”

Yeri backed off, leaving the hardly functioning Seulgi to reel herself back in from the kiss. She winked at Seulgi before smirking and waving  goodbye. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow, cutie”

//

Seulgi stormed into the third floor meeting room and immediately bowed a perfect ninety degrees to Sooyoung, who was writing on some notebook.

“I have sold your soul to the devil!”

“What?” Sooyoung cocked a brow. “The heck are you talking about?”

Seulgi stood up straight, trying to keep a calm expression, but what came out was a face full of fear and regret. “I thought it would be weird if I asked you how I could…” Seulgi hesitated. She didn’t know how exactly she should phrase this, so she settled with, “...get with your sister.”

“I don’t like where this is going.” Sooyoung felt a chill down her spine. 

“So I asked someone else. Someone we know…”

Sooyoung groaned and threw her head back. “Please don’t tell me you asked…”

“I sold your to Yeri for some flirting advice.”

“For s sake!” Sooyoung threw her pencil down on the table. “Are you…” Sooyoung sighed, as if she was hurt by all this. “...this dumb?”

“Quite,” Seulgi simply said. “You’re right. I should’ve asked Seungwan.”

“NO!” Sooyoung reached for Seulgi, as if she was going to strangle her, but she pulled her hand back just in time. She was trying so hard not to hurt Seulgi, it was almost impossible to resist. “I literally got into a teacher’s pants. It took me three days and got her to bend over a desk, screaming. I took Yeri’s ity in less than two minutes. I said two damn sentences to her and she crumbled like putty in my hands, and you went to her for advice? Kang Seulgi, I demand respect!” Sooyoung slammed her hand on the table.

“It’s absolutely awkward! You’re her sister! It’s like hitting on your own sister!” Seulgi explained. “And I’m not trying to screw Joohyun!”

“Okay, that’s it! How is she teaching you?”

Seulgi shrugged. “She just said Trinity Park tomorrow.”

“I’m coming with.”

“WHAT? No, I won’t let you. You’re gonna see how I’m gonna...woo your sister.”

“My , my rules, and no exceptions. Now…” Sooyoung picked up the notebook she was writing on and tossed it to Seulgi. “...write a speech.”

Seulgi caught the notebook and said, “What do you mean?”

“Hyoyeon told me to tell you. You’re doing a speech.”

“WHAT? Wh…What about Hyoyeon? This is her project.”

“She caught wind of your…” Sooyoung made air quotes. “...stuttering...from the other teachers. She wants you to get over it.”

First Joohyun, now this? Life changed the past few weeks. Sure it was for the better, but public speaking was not her forté. She had enough trouble not trying to squeal when Joohyun said her name. 

“Will...Will you help me?” Seulgi asked, trying as hard as she can to be cute. 

“No.” Sooyoung shook her head. “After that stunt with my , I’m letting you go. You’re on your own, you stud, you Casanova in the making, you—”

“Okay, I get it,” Seulgi sneered while she made her way to the table and took her seat across Sooyoung. She flipped through the pages, seeing the notes they had written throughout the weeks, and more and more, she saw the memories of each day play out in her head. Each waking moment with Sooyoung trying to be a part of something. Wait, she realized something. 

Good things about myself

1. I make Joohyun happy.

2. I’m a part of something. 

Seulgi smiled at the list on her head. 

“I only have one chance, Sooyoung. I don’t want to it up.”

“And you won’t. I’m sure of it.”

“How can you be so sure?” Seulgi asked, confused. 

Sooyoung scoffed and shook her head, as if what Seulgi said was absolutely absurd, but what she said next actually made sense. 

“By stealing, by talking, by whatever means I can, I’m Park Sooyoung and I always get what I want.

//

It wasn’t until Joohyun tapped on her shoulder in the fifth period that Seulgi doubted her rationale. 

Since it started getting colder, students had been wearing more and more to keep themselves warm, and Joohyun in particular started showing off her wealth. Seulgi was sure she didn’t mean to flaunt it so easily, probably had it on hand, but Seulgi couldn’t help but notice the Louis Vuitton jackets and Fendi boots. It made Joohyun look so...delicious. Pardon her language. She couldn’t help but describe Joohyun in such a way. 

Sooyoung needed only to see one look of Seulgi’s face to know that she was freaking out, absolutely malfunctioning with each and every second she spent looking at Joohyun. 

Seulgi lost in so many ways than one.

“Wanna hang out with me during the free period?” Joohyun asked, her eyes shining with hope. 

Seulgi didn’t think and nodded as quickly as she could, not considering the plans she had made with Sooyoung on the rooftop. They were to practice talking, as Sooyoung liked to say, but Seulgi couldn’t help but wonder how they would be able to without laughing their asses off every few seconds. Seulgi wanted to be grateful to Sooyoung for the help, albeit forced, but she couldn’t help but wonder why she wanted Joohyun and her to get together in the first place. Was it some sort of pride thing or...something else?

It was then Joohyun decided Seulgi should stop thinking when she crashed alongside her and took her by the arm. 

First Lesson: Don’t be afraid to go for it.

Joohyun knew about the lesson too? Was it like some sort of secret code reserved for normally functioning people or did Seulgi just miss out on something? Like she missed out on knowing how to divide in third grade and then the quiz came and she had no idea what demon language that symbol was. 

Whatever it was, Seulgi became unsure, about all this, about learning how to be normal. Like Dr. Kim said, “Be yourself. Just be yourself.” Whatever self she was now, something in between her old self and the one she wished to be. Wow, she sounded like Carl Rogers there for a second. She hadn't even taken AP Psych yet. 

“Joohyun,” Seulgi said with a blank mind, as if she really wasn’t thinking about what she was saying. “People are watching,” she finished, sliding Joohyun’s grip off her arm. 

There were a lot of them. Here Bae Joohyun was with the nobody Kang Seulgi and she couldn’t help but worry what that meant. Seulgi could already hear it in her head. 

HOMEBREAKER!

Unfortunately, Joohyun had other plans and took Seulgi’s arm again a bit more forcefully this time. “So? Who cares?” Joohyun, you fox.  “You should stop caring what other people think of you. It’s unhealthy to always dwell on that.”

Seulgi was not one to argue and just nodded meekly. “Sorry my thoughts come and get me.”

Joohyun backed away from Seulgi and pressed a finger on Seulgi’s forehead. Seulgi looked up at the offending digit, confused on what was happening at the moment, but she didn’t try to stop it.

“Have you heard of the story of Orpheus and Eurydices?” Joohyun asked, her finger still on Seulgi’s forehead.

“The guy with the lyre?” 

“The guy with the lyre,” Joohyun confirmed. “And do you know what that myth is all about?”

If there was one thing Seulgi was good at, it was books. From fanfiction to great epics to greek mythology, Seulgi had a grasp on almost every single story. That was a perk of constantly living in a world not your own. Their world was yours. 

“Doubt,” Seulgi answered, knowing full well what Joohyun was about to say. 

Joohyun pressed on Seulgi's forehead. “Yes, it’s doubt. The more you doubt, the worse things become. Unlike Orpheous, don’t look behind you but ahead and trust that everything good will follow.”

“Eurydices followed,” Seulgi said.

“And she was confident she would lead him out of there.” Joohyun stopped pressing the finger on Seulgi’s forehead. “But look what doubt got him.”

Seulgi smiled, welling up with a sense of pride at how wonderful this girl was. Every waking moment, there was something new to be learned from Bae Joohyun, and every time Seulgi listened, she fell even further. “You’re a good motivational speaker Bae Joohyun.”

“Part of the debate club for a reason.” Joohyun tapped on Seulgi’s nose. “Also, I heard you’re going with Yeri someplace tomorrow?” 

“Yeah, she...I asked her to come with me.”

“Well don’t try anything funny! And if she does, then you stop her! I swear to God if she touches my Sooyoung’s future girlfriend, I will punch her in the face.”

Oh . Seulgi completely forgot about that. With all that had been happening, she had forgotten such an important detail. Crap. There was a lot more work needed than just knowing how to talk to Joohyun. This was a whole mess.

“Right…” Seulgi became blank and didn’t know how to proceed any further. This was a conversation reserved for human beings with the name of Park Sooyoung and Son Seungwan.

“Anyway, I heard there’s this new exhibit at the zoo opening on Saturday. Lemurs or something like that.”

“Tarsiers,” Seulgi corrected, knowing about it from flyers shown around school. Ever since she started looking up, she noticed a lot more than before, like how Yuri’s pants seemed too tight and her was having a field day in those jeans or how Yeri was constantly eye-ing Sooyoung when they were in the same class. (Sooyoung tried not to look back, but sometimes she couldn’t help herself and played along)

“Right, tarsiers. I was thinking…” Joohyun was being coy. Jesus Christ, she’s being coy. “...if you’d like to maybe show me around the zoo. I know you worked there over the summer.”

uhh.

“Sure,” Seulgi said without much thought, knowing that she may have well signed her death sentence. Animals were not her thing. Maybe harmless ones like rabbits and dogs, but especially not those that can hurt her, like sheep. Those evil sheep.

“Great! It’s a date.” Joohyun said happily, and Seulgi short circuited for just a moment until she realized that Joohyun said that in the most platonic way possible. For a moment, she missed her old jittery self. If that person was still under all this confidence (not much but, hey, at least she had some), then she probably would've shouted in sweet excitement and spilled the beans that she liked her. 

Seulgi nodded and smiled slightly.

“It’s a date.”

//

Change of plans. We’re meeting at Redding Zoo. Something important I have to do. 

Knowing the layout of the zoo was key. The confidence to zoom from exhibit to exhibit came from experience and knowledge, and Seulgi had none of those. She hadn’t even worked a day in her life. However, she wanted to give Joohyun an experience she could never forget, and she wanted to work hard on that aspect. 

Sooyoung needed to figure out her plan quickly or Seulgi might end up telling Joohyun anyway.

“Let me you,” Yeri said with a straight face, to which Seulgi couldn’t ascertain whether or not she was acting as Joohyun or speaking as herself. When Seulgi didn’t answer for lack of a better reply, she said, “C’mon I’m Joohyun! What would you do if she said that?”

“She would never say that!” Sooyoung yelled from afar, watching the King penguins waddle around, eating some blue cotton candy they bought. 

Seulgi pointed at Sooyoung. “She’s right. Joohyun would never say that.” 

Yeri rolled her eyes. “Ugh, fine. What if she asked you to kiss her.”

“I’d kiss her of course.” 

“I doubt it.”

“Me too!” Sooyoung yelled once more, now onto the Gentoo Penguins while she munched lazily on her cotton candy. 

“Shut it, Sooyoung!” Seulgi yelled back.

“Sorry.”

They had been at it for two hours already, and within the first hour, Sooyoung got bored of trying to help Seulgi speak like a normal human being and bought some cotton candy, eating it while they strolled through the exhibits. All that talk about being such a sweet talker and Sooyoung gave up that quickly. Seulgi expected better since Sooyoung had hyped herself up so much. There was some hope instilled within her when she saw Sooyoung’s confidence in her skills. If there was a gauge for hope, it’d be almost empty by now. 

“This is not helping,” Yeri said while she ran a hand through her hair. She let out a deep sigh, her tiredness showing. 

Sooyoung yelled once more from afar, where she was next to the Rockhopper penguins now. “Maybe if you spent less time eye-ing Seulgi, you could actually teach her!”

“You’re not helping Sooyoung!” Yeri yelled back. “She’s your friend and you’re not helping.”

Sooyoung didn’t bother saying anything back. It seemed that the only reason she came along was to eat some cotton candy and watch penguins waddle around. Seulgi didn’t blame her. Seeing those penguins reminded her of Joohyun, how they cutely waddle around and about. 

“Let’s take a break. I need some water,” Yeri said, taking a few steps towards the vending machines near the bathroom. “If you want to, you could look around. Let’s meet at the snakes when you’re ready.”

The snakes.

It wasn’t long till Seulgi felt a firm hand on her shoulder and a look that was filled with worry. “Are you going to be okay?” Sooyoung asked. Eggshells. It felt like Sooyoung walked on eggshells while she was talking to her about these things. Seulgi hated it, to be honest, to be doted on like an elementary school kid. She could handle herself thank you very much. 

“Of course. Sooyoung, you don’t have to worry about a thing.”

“But—”

“Back then I was lost, I didn’t even know where I was going, no clue on how to proceed with anything. But look at me now!” Seulgi laughed. “I’m learning how to hit on your sister for crying out loud!” 

Sooyoung smiled at Seulgi’s enthusiasm. “Remember if you need anything. Me and Seungwan are one phone call away.”

“I know.” Seulgi nodded. “I know I can count on you when it matters.”

Seulgi and Sooyoung shared a look before they coughed awkwardly, trying to diffuse the tension and sappy emotions in the air. 

“I am curious though,” Sooyoung said after. “What would you say if Joohyun did say, Let’s ?”

“If she’s ready and if I’m ready then it isn’t so much of a good question is it?” 

“I suppose so.”

“Besides, it’s not ing. It’s making love,” Seulgi said, as a matter of fact.

“You romantic,” Sooyoung said, as if it was some sort of insult, and rolled her eyes. She gave a knowing look towards Seulgi, which Seulgi caught right away. 

“What?” she asked, to which Sooyoung shook her head in amusement and said, “It’s nothing.”

Seulgi shrugged and looked at where they were on the map, spotting quickly the next exhibit they should visit. She started walking away and Sooyoung mindlessly followed. “Where are we going?” Sooyoung asked after a minute of walking.

“Rabbits.”

As always, Seulgi went to wherever Joohyun was.