It’s been too long. Way too long since they last gathered together. This time, the gathering happened because one of the cliques is finally going to get married. Congratulations, first and foremost.

Yujin parked her car next to a chic black sedan car. She knew who the car belonged to. She walked towards the front door of the grand villa while locking her car savagely.

“Ah, you’ve arrived! Helloooooooo!”, Eunbi cried long as she threw herself to hug the taller girl. Yujin hugged back, swaying their body left and right slowly.

“Unnie, I miss you so much! Ah what to do. My unnie is getting married.”, Yujin told her ears. Eunbi continued to whine softly.

“Come, come. You can put your stuff in the room on the second floor.”

Yujin walked into the house, admiring the structure of the house that belong to the Kwon Family. “I didn’t know you’re this rich.”, Yujin stated. Eunbi scoffed.

“I’m not. My parents is.”, Eunbi told the younger girl. Yujin slid her fingers on the plants, decorations, sofas and all the frame hung on the wall.

“Is everyone here yet?”, Yujin bent down to take a better look at the fishes in the aquarium.

“Almost everyone. Chaewon and Yena went out to buy stuff. Yuri followed Hyewon to pick up Nako and Hii-chan at the airport.”

“Wonyoung will be a bit late. She said she got examination this evening. Chaeyeon…. Ah! She’s in America for the dancing competition. She wouldn’t be able to join us.”

“What about the other girl?”, Yujin asked, particularly referring to one sole person.

“Who else is there…?”, Eunbi tilted her head sideways.

“Unnie, can you help me? I tried to turn on the shower, but the water won’t come out.”, a voice whined warmly. Yujin is really familiar with that voice, way too familiar to be true.

Minju took realized of Yujin’s presence and smiled. Their eyes met for a second but Minju decided to break it off right away. Yujin smiled back and nodded her head a bit, as respect. Eunbi followed Minju to the second floor to fix the issue. Yujin’s eyes followed them until they’re out of reach.

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It’s been around 2 hours since Yujin entered her room. She settled herself and put on newer clothes. A particular loud hysterical laugh filled the air. Yujin furrowed her brows, knowing the owner of the laugh should be thousand miles away from this place. She opened the door and looked down to the first floor from the railing.

There she was, laughing hysterically with Yena and Chaewon. Yujin simpered. She missed this chaos so much.

“Unnie!”, Yujin called out her older sisters. Chaeyeon started to scream hysterically, the usual reaction every time she’s about to enter the frame. Being the child as ever, Yujin galloped down the stairs and threw herself on them that was minding their own business.

“I thought you’re in America? Eunbi unnie told me that.”, Yujin snatched the snack from Yena’s grip and took a piece of candy from it.

“Hahahahahaha!”, Chaeyeon laughed first. “Yeah, I lied to her. Me coming here is a surprise.”

“Is Sakura unnie not coming?”, Yujin asked. “Yah, how can she watch the unnie that she loves so much is getting ready to get marry?”, Yena responded.

“Eh? I thought-”, Chaewon replied in shock. Yena hit Chaewon’s lips hard. “There’s a fly.”

The sisters started to catch up on things and filled up one another with new stories and gossips. Yujin enjoyed listen to them rather than told about herself. She’s doing her modelling work, sometimes making appearance in dramas too. To her, it’s just a new beginning, though deep down still hoping to sing and dance again.

But she doesn’t want to do that alone of course.

Yujin squinted her eyes as she spotted something. “Yena unnie, Chaewon unnie, are you two dating?”, Yujin questioned.

“Oh, how did you know?” “Nope. What are you saying?”. The mismatched respond proved her right.

“Yena unnie is wearing it on the fingers, and unnie is using the ring as part of necklace. The design is the same!”, Yujin told them. Yena glanced sideways and sneered.

“Ha! I told you one of them would realized you trying to hide the ring.”, Yena extended her palm, asking for her share of bet.

“Why are you acting like this in front of the kids? I will give it later okay.”, Chaewon rolled her eyes while fixing the ring on the necklace onto her ring finger.

“Don’t tell me it’s what I was thinking.”, Chaeyeon showed a displeased face. “I have the same thought too.”, Yujin added.

“It’s just mint choco ice-cream. What are you all thinking?”, Yena threw pillow to the other girls. Yujin jaw dropped and her eyes widen. “Unnie, I pity you. Poor my unnie.”

“It’s not like that. Let me explain. I still hate the toothpaste taste but every time I kissed her, she tasted like that so I can’t-“

“Ah, stop it! Stop talking already! You’re so embarrassing!”, Yena was cut off by her girlfriend who is abusing her with the pillow in her hand severely.

“And you said you love the mint choco taste!”, Chaewon screamed, still hitting her hard.

“Ah, I can’t watch this anymore.”, Yujin and Chaeyeon claimed in unison and got off from the couch, heading on their own way.

Yujin walked herself to the kitchen, bumping onto Minju that was already there.

“Ah, hi Yujin.”, Minju greeted but instantly wanted to get out of the area.

Yujin blocked her way, not letting the girl leave the kitchen. “Why are you avoiding me?”

“I didn’t. Please let me leave before I started to get angry.”, Minju stated, head hung down.

“Unnie, said that again while looking up and face me.”

Yujin waited for a few second but the other girl refused to accept her term. Yujin moved herself to the side and Minju walked past by her. Soft thank you could be heard.

How did we become like this, unnie?

Yujin’s eyes followed Minju’s back who made her way to Chaewon and Yena.

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“Yuri, do you still huggle around her? Stop it already. She’s tired of you.”, Nako nonchalantly made her remarks. Yuri hissed back to the petite.

“No, the thing is, Hyewon unnie was driving and she kept pestering her and playing with her cheek and poking her on the waist and such. We almost got into accident.”, Nako released her fumes.

Yujin watched the three bickered, with the third person had her eyes fixed on her Switch.

“How’s the flight? Where’s Hii-chan”, Yujin asked the two Japanese who just became part of the household.

“The flight is okay. Hii-chan is sleeping upstairs. She got jetlagged.”, Nako responded. Her phone suddenly rang, and she immediately picked up and started to spur words in Japanese.

Yujin took a peep at the game Hyewon was playing. It was still the same game she used to play during their glory days.

“You still haven’t completed this game yet?”, Yujin asked. “I replay it again. I miss this game.”, the older girl replied, eyes still fixated on the screen. Yujin watched as the sword of the main character slashed the monsters and the XP increased.

The Switch was suddenly out of view. Yujin and Hyewon looked up, finding Yuri had it in her hand. “Unnie, I’m not giving this to you until you actually give me some attention. You’ve been ignoring me since weeks ago.”, Yuri urged, stomping her foot away with the Switch in her grip.

Yujin looked at Hyewon worriedly. Scared if Yuri actually had finally pushed her button. “Are you not mad?”, Yujin asked nervously.

Hyewon chuckled. “I am. But I’m more scared if I’m going to hurt her feelings.”

Yujin scoffed and laid backwards. “I didn’t know you like her so much. It was always Yuri unnie who kept pestering all over you. Hyewon this, Hyewon that. Time does things to you, eh?”

Hyewon shrugged her shoulder and stood up. Yujin watched as the bizarre girl approached the sulking girl. Hyewon began to wrap her hands around Yuri and rocked their body together. Yuri was seen refusing the hug and walked away. Still, the older girl didn’t give up in reconnecting again, following the steps behind the girl.

“The roles reversed?”, Yujin spoke to herself.

Minju walked into her, who is currently slouching on the dining chair. “Ah, sorry.”, Minju apologized.

“Minju unnie.”, Yujin called. Minju turned her head around. “What is it, Ahn Yujin?”

“Ah, don’t call me with my full name. You only do that when you’re mad at me, you know.”

“What did I do anyway? If it was because of earlier, then I’m sorry okay?”, Yujin tried to fix the broken knot.

“Okay then.”, Minju responded, continue her journey out of the dining room. Yujin scratched her head, completely lost on their current standings

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“Yujin, it’s time for dinner.”, a voice knocked on her door, jolting the poor girl from her peaceful evening almost night sleep. It was Minju’s voice. Yujin grinned and chuckled to herself, seeing how silly she can be as she reminisced to the old days when Minju always woke her up for school and such.

The dining room is already loud and chaotic when Yujin arrived there. Wonyoung has finally showed up, waving eagerly towards her. Yujin waved back and the little baby giggled. The baby is already 21 years old, but still a baby to everyone in the room.

The only empty seat is the one next to Minju. She stared at the seat and looked at Minju. Minju moved her head a bit, signalling her to take her seat immediately. Yujin’s heart warmed up, knowing the staggering relationship is about to heal.

The dinner was too rowdy and Yujin couldn’t keep up with everyone’s pace. Everyone seems to have something to talk about but Yujin decided to listen more now. She picked up a piece of soondae from her plate and pushed it into , eyes wandered here and there trying to focus on anyone’s story. She noticed Minju was ogling long at the samgyeopsal that was placed across the table.

Yujin tried to initiate a signal to Chaewon who sat near the dish and luckily, she took notice of it. Minju watched as Yujin and Chaewon conversed in silence conversation. Chaewon picked up the plate and handed it to Yujin. Yujin picked up a few pieces of the pork and placed it on Minju’s plate.

“Thank you.”, she whispered softly.

“Unnie, can we talk later?”, Yujin requested. Minju nodded, excitedly enjoying her dinner.

“….happy to marry my wife! My wife!”, Eunbi’s voice brought Yujin’s focus back on track. The clique started to cheer when Sakura walked into the room. Everyone celebrated, leaving the lost puppy out of the party all alone

“What is happening?”,Yujin asked Hitomi that was sitting next to her left. “Kkura unnie is the person Eunbi unnie is going to marry.”

“Whattttt?”, Yujin earnestly shocked. She looked around the room, feeling like she’s the only one who had no idea of it. “Why I didn’t know?”, Yujin asked Eunbi that was sitting at the end of the table.

“That’s what happened when you left the group chatroom so suddenly. I told them about this last month.”, Eunbi told her.

“No! I didn’t leave the group. I was kicked out! I thought someone wanted to prank me, like planning for surprises or something.”

“Eh?”, it is now the crowd who got stunned. “Who kicked our Yujinnie out of the group?”, Eunbi started to play her part as the leader.

“I didn’t. Even though I have the intention to do it.”, Yena claimed. “Me too. Me too.”, Chaeyeon howled and the two of them suddenly high-five.

“It’s me.”, a soft voice confessed from her side. Yujin turned her head sideways.

“I was trying to delete her as my contact in the app but I think I clicked on the wrong button and she was suddenly removed from the group. I swear it wasn’t on purpose. I tried to add her back but I don’t know how, so I kept silent”

“Ah, Kim Minju is at it again.”, the group and started to titter. Yujin furrowed, actually curious on the reason Minju decided to delete her contact from her phone but the group was more entertained with the fact that Minju is still abstracted as ever.

“Then, I’ll introduce her again to you. Yujin, meet my future wife, Sakura Miyawaki.”

Sakura giggled and Yujin responded with a big grin. She is happy to know that everyone around her seems to get their s together in a perfect manner. She began to doubt her own achievement again, wondering if she did well in the past few years.

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Yujin was seated in between couples during their movie time. Yuri was already sleeping peacefully on Hyewon’s lap whereas Eunbi and Sakura was sleeping on each other’s head. Chaewon and Yena had already drifted off to the dreamland on the floor.

“You should go to sleep already. Minor can’t stay up this late.”, Hyewon told her. Yujin shot her a dead glare. “I’m 22.”

“Are you still not okay with Minju?”, she asked concern. Yujin scorned. “Is it that obvious that we’re not really in good term?”

“It’s not. But, I can sense the difference from before and now.”, Yujin nodded, acknowledging the fact that Hyewon is always one step ahead of everyone. She may be uninterested in most things like everyone presumed, but she actually cared and took notice of everything that happened around her in silence. Even the smallest thing. Yujin is always amazed at how her whole system worked.

“I’ll see what I can do okay. Goodnight Kwangbae.”, Yujin bid her goodnight and walked up to her room. She opened the door to find Minju laying sideways on her bed while playing with her phone.

“Dam-, Unnie what are you doing in the dark? At least switched on the light.”, Yujin switched on the table lamp near her.

Minju sat on her bed and set her smartphone down. “You said you wanted to talk. I’ve been waiting and getting sleepy already.”

“You should just call me. I was stuck in between lovers down there.”, Yujin sat herself on the chair provided in the room.

“I didn’t have your number…”, Minju said softly. “Ah….right. You deleted my number.”

The surrounding fall quiet. Yujin started at Minju who is fiddling her toes together. “Why though?”

“No, actually I have a lot of things to ask you, unnie. Now that I see you, I don’t know what I should ask first.”, Yujin turned the chair around and leaned forward on it, resting her arm and chin on chair’s head.

“Yujin-ah, let’s not do this. I don’t want us to start a fight right now.”, Minju pleaded, feeling guilty for creating the mess in the first place.

“That wasn’t my intention. I just want answer.”, Yujin stated. “Okay, why did you moved out from our room last time?”

Minju inhaled hard. “Yujin-ah, you like me, is it?”, Minju asked. “Everyone likes you, unnie. The whole world did.”

“You know that is not what I meant.”

Yujin sarcastically laugh. “What do you know about it?” “I was just cleaning the room as usual. And I saw the selfie that we took in Paris together in your purse.”

“So? It’s a good memory for me. I just wanted to treasure it.”, Yujin questioned. “You wrote behind the picture that you will propose when you’re old enough.”

Yujin sighed in defeat. “So, you leave the room because you’re scared that I would propose to you?”

“I’m scared of what is about to take place, Ahn Yujin.”

“You know you can reject me, right? I mean, if you really didn’t like the idea of me liking you or what, there’s always option for you to reject me, unnie.”, Yujin started to sound firm with her voice.

“But, you decided to act like I was never a part of your life, deleted my contact and what else after this? Ghost me forever?”

“That’s not it, Yujin-ah!”, Minju tried to defend herself. “I’m scared okay! I’m scared because you like me!”

“Scared of what?!”, Yujin raised her voice a bit but immediately cut it, scared she would wake anyone up.

“This feeling, Yujin. This feeling. I feed on this feeling, and when I finally realized how right this feels, I started to worry okay. People expect a lot from me and I really don’t want to hurt them this way.”

“So, it’s okay to hurt me this much?”, Yujin asked, her voice shook a little.

“Yujin-ah….”, Minju stood up from the bed and approached the girl. Yujin stood up and paced around the room, trying to control her inner tears.

“So, what’s with the deleting me as your contact?”, Yujin asked again. “I just wanted to forget you, forget this feeling and move on.”

“You thought deleting my contact would do its charm? This need two people to work it out. I’m so glad I actually asked to talk to you tonight.”, Yujin leaned her back at the door, crossing her hand over her chest. Minju stood not far from her.

They exchanged tense stare for a while. It’s been so long since they battled their eyes together. Yujin looked pissed but relaxed. As for Minju, she’s just restless and uncomfortable.

“Did I make you uncomfortable so much?”, Yujin asked. Minju whined badly. She took a few steps closer to Yujin.

“Can you please stop to assume the worst of me? I’m just lost okay. I have no idea what I have to do now. Should I apologize?”, Minju asked, her voice is shaky as if she would burst into tears any moment.

“Do you want to cry? Cry then.”, Yujin . Minju gritted her teeth and wiped the tears that is about to fall from her eyes.

“You’re the worst, Ahn Yujin.”

“How’s your attempt going in trying to get ride of me from your life?”, Yujin questioned again. Minju looked up to meet Yujin’s eyes. She was fuming but her eyes swiftly relax when she looked into the curious and mislaid eyes. Her eyes reverted down to her lips.

“I can see where your eyes is going, unnie.”, Yujin’s voice sound mischief.

“Don’t. Don’t even think and try to do it. I swear to God, if you did it. I will never forgive you.”

Yujin sighed and nodded. “Okay then. Do you want to leave now?”

“Yes.”, Minju said. Yujin opened the door behind her, leaving a rather big gap for a person to snuck out of the room.

“You can leave now. But in one condition, if you take another step, I can’t be held responsible for my future action.”, Yujin said. Minju looked at the taller girl, brows knitted together. “How am I supposed to leave then?”

“I don’t know. You think.”, Yujin stood there, still looking at the confused girl. Minju stared at her feet. If she can’t use her feet, will knee be fine? She started to squat down and landed her knee on the floor. She started to crawl slowly on both her knee. Yujin watched in bizarre.

“Unnie, what the hell are you doing?”, Yujin asked, wanting to laugh but swallow it real hard. “I’m not taking another step. I’m taking another crawl…”, Minju stood up as she realized how silly she was.

Minju started to hop forward. And accelerate her pace to reach the door. Yujin immediately blocked her way out.

“I’m taking another hop.”

“Unnie, be realistic. We both know it doesn’t work like this.”

Minju sighed and looked again at Yujin. Their eyes met again but it just felt the first time they looked at each other this deep. Yujin’s eyes moved around, searching for any hidden tale of the girl beneath of her. Minju enjoyed watching into Yujin’s doe eyes. She was still wearing lenses since it’s not Yujin’s original eye colour. How did she knew?

She used to stared into it before she went to sleep before. Whenever Yujin had a sleep disorder back then, she would ask Minju to help her sleep by patting her head until she fall asleep. She sensed Yujin’s lips pursue into a small smile. Minju couldn’t help but to grin back, only to lose herself in the moment and get imbalanced, making her left feet stumbled backwards to support her from further falling.

“You actually did it.”, Yujin grinned and closed the door behind her, instantly placing a hand on Minju’s waist and another supported her neck, gently capturing Minju’s lips. Yujin waited for the kiss to be returned. They managed to steal glances on each other through the corner of the eyes before Minju decided to give in.

Minju moved her hands and circled around Yujin’s neck, making Yujin’s left hand travelled down to hold Minju’s waist. It wasn’t deep, but they’re in need, making it more fulfilling and authentic.

Who is she trying to lie? The feelings has never fade at all. The more she tried to forget, the more she ached for her presence. She never knew that her imagination of kissing Yujin is doable, considering she decided to cut off ties with the younger girl.

Minju broke the kiss, panting for air. She rested her head on Yujin’s lips and she could felt the girl kissing the top of her head.

“I told you not to do it.”

“I told you not to take another step.”, Yujin responded, hugging the girl tightly.

“I was falling backwards. You just misread the situation.”

“I don’t care if it’s another step forward of backwards. It’s still a step. You move your feet and that’s all that matters.”, Yujin giggled, she knew she was delighted.

“The feeling never fades, Ahn Yujin. It’s always there, craving for you more and more.”, Minju finally confessed.

Yujin didn’t care anymore. She found the answer she wanted to know the most. She released the hug and stared at the girl beneath of her, scanning her from head to toe. Minju blushed hard.

“What are you doing?”, Minju hit Yujin’s chest softly. “Admiring you, for once and all.”

“Yep, I still like you the best.”, Yujin nodded proudly at herself, proving that she’s able to only like the same girl for years.

“Do I hurt you that much, Ahn Yujin? I’m sorry”, Minju asked, tilting her head sideways, feeling regret and sorry.

“Well, it hurts when you’re more in love than the other person.”

“But that doesn’t matter now. I found ‘you’ again.”

Minju chuckled while blushing. “Should-” “No one needs to know. It would be our little secret, though Hyewon unnie might noticed it. She’s expert in reading people.”

“Wah, you really read my mind. That's our Yujin.”, Minju gave Yujin both of her thumbs up.

“Your Yujin, honestly. Do you want to sleep here?”, Yujin asked, teasing her playfully. “Can I?”

Yujin sneered cheekily. “I was just joking but sure. It’s been awhile since we sleep together anyway.”

They lied down on the bed, facing one another. “How did you manage your insomnia after I left the room anyway?”, Minju asked.

“I go sleep with Eunbi unnie. She took over your role in patting my head.”, Yujin half-smile. Minju placed her hands on Yujin’s face. She Yujin’s eyebrows gently with her fingers. She watched as the sleep take over Yujin.

“I’m getting sleepy…”, Yujin claimed. Minju chuckled. “I know. I read a lot of materials on insomnia back then to learn what other ways to help you sleep. Playing with eyebrows seems to be working just fine.”

Yujin reached Minju’s hand and placed a soft peck on Minju’s fingers. “Let’s just go to sleep.”

They linked their fingers together. Yujin slowly drifted to the dreamland and Minju didn’t waste any seconds to place a soft peck on Yujin’s cheek before she too strayed to the utopia.

 

THE END