Youra came downstairs to the sound of ‘She’ll be coming round the mountain’ being knocked on the main door and shook her head in amusement.

There was only one person she knew who liked knocking random tunes like that on people’s doors.

“Let yourself in, Wang!” She yelled before heading to the kitchen and checking on the cupcakes in the oven that her mom had ended up baking, despite telling Youra she wasn’t going to make anything for her friends.

Youra chuckled. Mothers and their crazy urge to be hospitable.

She took in the sweet smell of chocolate cupcakes and sighed, not even noticing as Jackson creeped up to her, trying not to laugh as he screamed “Boo!”

Youra yelped and whirled around to the source of the noise with a hand on her heart. She calmed down on seeing it was only Jackson but then immediately got to smacking him on seeing him laugh at her. “You scared me!”

Jackson continued laughing which soon turned into shrieks of pain when Youra wouldn’t stop hitting him. “Yah! Stop it already, it hurts!”

“That’s what you get for scaring for scaring the original scarer.”

“That’s not a word, You- Okay, okay, it’s a word, just don’t hit me!” Jackson cowered, making Youra snicker.

“Hey, where’s Mark?”

“He said he had some work so he’ll come later, then again his later when it comes to you probably means he’ll be 5 minutes late or something.”

Youra let out a chuckle, even though she wasn’t fully convinced. She shook her head, at least she had Jackson.

She turned to talk to him but he was gone. She blinked in confusion before walking out of the kitchen to see him on the couch and sighed. It was always a sweet reminder of their friendship when she saw Mark or Jackson just letting themselves in and sprawling out on to her couch, like it was their own house.

She sat down next to Jackson and leaned her head on his shoulder. He looked up from his phone at her and frowned on seeing how dull she seemed. He poked her cheek. “What’s up, jie jie?”

That elicited a smile from her and he inwardly patted his back on knowing just how to cheer Youra up.

“Nothing,” She put an arm around his shoulders, “I just realised I haven’t spent time with you in a really long time, Jacky. Maybe my relationship popped up at the wrong time.” Her arm slowly slipped off his shoulders as she stared at her hands on her lap.

Jackson in turn put his own arm around her shoulders. “Hey, you guys popped up at just the right time. Now I won’t have to worry about whether you’re taking care of yourselves when you’re in the US, you’ll have each other.” He flicked her nose and she mock glared at him. “Besides, I get to spend my last year with you two watching you both grow as a couple.”

“I know I should be grateful that you’ve become so mature,” She started as she pinched his cheek making him roll his eyes but Youra could see him trying not to smile, “But it’s oddly unnerving sometimes, you’re our little maknaeee.”

Jackson sighed and put a reassuring smile on his face. “I’ll always be your little maknae, even if I’m 99 years old and you’ve just turned 100.” He made a face. “Oh my God, I sound like I’m trying to convince my mom I’ll always be her little boy.”

Youra tried her best to imitate Jackson’s mom’s voice. “And I’ll always be your mother. Now go eat your veggies.” She said as they both started laughing.

Just then the doorbell rang and the two stopped laughing. Youra got up to go see who it was while Jackson went back to looking at something on his phone. 

She opened the door to Mark, holding flowers, sunflowers to be exact. He smiled and handed her the flowers which she took before throwing her arms around him.

“They’re gorgeous!” She almost squealed, making Mark laugh as he hugged her back with a quiet sigh of contentment.

He was worried that she would be upset with him for not calling back when he said he would, but hearing her rave about how she loved the flowers made him realise that he had nothing to worry about.

He kissed the side of her head. “I’m glad you liked them. They were out of roses.”

“Are you kidding? I’d take sunflowers over roses any day, they’re so pretty.” She pulled apart and smiled as she gazed at the flowers. “Did you know the head of a sunflower is supposed to be made of multiple little flowers?”

Mark couldn’t hear what she was saying. He was too busy wondering why on Earth he hadn’t brought her flowers before. If he had known that Youra would light up the way she was right now on getting flowers, then he would get them for her all the time.

“Mark?”

He snapped out of his reverie and blinked at her. “Hmm? I’m sorry, I wasn’t listening.”

Youra chuckled and kissed his nose. “I was just saying I loved the flowers. Thank you.”

“So you aren’t upset with me?”

“Funny you say that, I thought you were still upset with me.”

“Why would I be upset?” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I was the one who ran out of your house without hearing your explanation. I’m sorry about that.”

“And I’m sorry for shouting at you yesterday.”

He smiled. “That’s okay,” He pulled her closer by wrapping his arms around her waist. “I sort of deserved that.”

She put an arm around his neck, her other arm busy with holding her flowers. “No one deserves to get shouted at by me. I give the worst shoutings.” The two of them chuckled before Mark slowly cupped her cheek and kissed her.

Youra smiled on feeling Mark’s lips on hers. It felt like her mind had switched off and was now repeating one phrase over and over again.

I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you.

It was a pretty good feeling, if you asked her.

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