It's Valentine's Day and everyone has their chocolate prepared. All the younger giving their senior sweet, and others taking their crushes to a hidden tree in the school courtyard to confess. Some were accepted and some were not. It was a very busy day for the popular outgoing Chinese girl Yuqi. It was honestly an unfortunate day for her. For as she has to reject all the boys and girls that came to confess. Yuqi still accepts their treat and lets them know she'll treasure it when the other person persists in her still taking it after the rejection. 

 

Yuqi is walking away after rejecting the third person this morning. Taking their homemade chocolate cookie with her. When she turns the corner she overhears a familiar voice apologizing. Yuqi then realizes it's the other popular girl, Soojin, who is rejecting a student. Yuqi stopped in her tracks as she didn't want to walk in and have the person feel embarrassed for having their rejection heard. Yuqi chill against the wall, looking at the sky. A few seconds later Soojin turns the corner to see Yuqi gazing at the sky. Yuqi pushes off the wall to greet Soojin with a smile.

 

"Hey Soojin, another one?" Soojin nodded.

 

"Yes, I'm just glad they're all private. I would feel too pressure to say yes in public. I'm guessing you too?" Soojin asks as she looks at the cookie Yuqi is holding.

 

"Yup, hey, let's just chill here until the bell rings. I don't think I can do another rejection this early." 

 

"You read my mind." 

 

Soojin was prepared to sit down on the grass when Yuqi stopped her. Yuqi took off her known red light jacket and spread it on the ground. Smiling, she gestures to Soojin to sit, showing a hand to help her. Soojin shyly smiles and gives a thank you and she takes Yuqi's hand to sit down. They sit in silence, gazing at the cloud. Occasionally making comments on the shape or the birds that fly over.

 

It isn't very well known that the two popular girls are friends. As Soojin's personality is opposite to Yuqi's. They don't know that the two girls bonded overtime with the common problem of being popular. Running into each other at a hidden corner of the school, the back library no one ever goes to, the unfinished stairwell by the pool building, and the place they are at now. 

 

"Yuqi." Soojin's soft voice is just above a whisper.

 

Yuqi looks at Soojin who is still looking up at the sky, she waits patiently for Soojin to continue. Yuqi admires the older girl's face, how her eyes resemble a fox accompanied by her famous eye mole, how soft her cheek looks, her cute round nose. Finally, her eyes drop to Soojin pink plum lip, Yuqi gulps before ripping her eyes away.

 

"Have you ever confessed?" Soojin finally speaks again.

 

Yuqi blinks in surprise, recovering, she gazes back at the sky again.

 

"Yes." Now Soojin looks at Yuqi. "It was back in China, I was also popular there. I had a lot of fans and there was this one girl that caught my eyes. I started talking to her and she became a part of my circle. One day I got the courage and I confessed to her behind the school. The first time I ever confess"

 

Soojin kept staring at Yuqi, noticing a sad smile on her face. Believing that this puppy beside her got rejected. Reaching to pat Yuqi's hair to comfort her.

 

"I'm sorry you got rejected on the first-"

 

"No, she accepted it." Soojin retracts her hand and looks at Yuqi in confusion who also looks back in confusion.

 

"Then why do you look upset?" 

 

"Because I was remembering what happened after." Keeping her eye ahead at the tree in front of her as she let her memories play before her. "I was so happy thinking she liked me back. There were a lot of red flags but I ignored them. How she has always been disinterested in affection in private but in public, she always accepts my affection. She never wanted to go out or go over to my house. Then one day she suddenly went up to me and wanted to break up." 

 

Soojin hand went to find Yuqi's now clenching ones. Yuqi's grip on the jacket loosens a little. Yuqi turns her hand up to grip Soojin's hand instead.

 

"Did she tell you why she wanted to break up?" Yuqi scoffed as she remembered.

 

"Not at that moment. That same day during lunch I saw her with a guy and found out they were going out. She was all over him, nothing like she was with me. I became angry and confused, I went to confront her after school. She told me that she was just using me. That I was popular and she needed to make her now boyfriends jealous and make him chase after her when she was with me. Since then I swear to never date any fans again." Yuqi finished as she looked over at Soojin who gave Yuqi's hand a little squeeze.

 

"Yuqi, if anyone else hurt you. They have to deal with me." Soojin tried to say firmly but it became shyer at the end when she saw Yuqi smiling wide with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

 

"Ooooh! Soojin unnie! I didn't know you could be such a fierce woman. Wow, you're making my heart flutter. I think I might faint." Yuqi exaggerated as she placed her hand over her heart.

 

Soojin rolls her eyes and playfully throws Yuqi's hand away from hers but still has a little smile. Shoving her shoulder against Yuqi's.

 

"What about you, Unnie? Have you ever confessed?" Yuqi asks in return.

 

"No, luckily the crushes I had confessed to me before I could."

 

"Of course they would look at you. You are the most gorgeous girl in this school. One look at you and they already fall-" Soojin could only hug/choke as she covered Yuqi's mouth to stop the compliment, feeling her face getting warmer.

 

"Yah Song Yuqi. Stop, you're making me feel embarrassed." Soojin whine.

 

Soojin let Yuqi go when Yuqi tapped the ground in surrender.

 

"Anyway, why are you curious about confession all of a sudden?" then Yuqi goes wide-eyed and gasps. "Wait, are you going to confess? Is it me?" 

 

Soojin became speechless at Yuqi’s declaration. Coming back to her sense when Yuqi burst out laughing. Soojin smacks Yuqi's arm and crosses her arms in displeased.

 

"Sorry, sorry, so tell me. Why?" 

 

"You're right, I want to confess to someone," Soojin says nonchalantly, now examining her nails.

 

"W- What! You like someone?"

 

Soojin kept looking at her nails, missing how Yuqi deflated with a disbelief look in her eyes for a second. Yuqi straightens up and tries to be happy.

 

"That's great! When are you going to tell them? Do you need help?" 

 

"Yes, I'll need you to meet me after school and I'll tell you." Soojin says nervously as she meets Yuqi's eyes. 

 

At that moment, Yuqi wanted to tell her.

 

"Soo-" The bell rings before Yuqi could finish her word.

 

Yuqi quickly gets up and gives Soojin her hand to help get up. Grabbing her jacket from the grass she tries to pat off most of the dirt. As Yuqi was about to put on her jacket, Soojin stopped her.

 

"Yah, don't put it on it dirty. Here, give it to me." Taking Yuqi's jacket she neatly folded it and tucked it under her arm. "I'll wash it for you and return it tomorrow, okay."

 

Yuqi could only beam at her and nod. Soojin goes in to hug Yuqi before leaving their separate way to their first class.

 

---

 

The school bell rings for the final class to end and Yuqi is ready to run out. She hopes no one else stops her anymore for a confession or gift. Managing to avoid her fans by taking different turns until she goes out from the back door. Looking around she walks along the wall till she reaches the front and peeks around the corner. She sees Soojin walking to the front gate. Coming out from her hiding spot she rushed to catch up with Soojin.

 

Soojin's nerve is increasing as she gets closer to the front gate. Her hand grabs at her side bag, Feeling through Yuqi's jacket that is draped over her bag, making sure her gift isn't being smashed by the books. She gets startled when a hand grabs her wrist. Turning around she sees a classmate who occasionally talks to her, holding a bouquet of red roses. Oh no, Soojin thought as the boy stepped back and presented the flowers. She now sees two other guys, likely his friends, standing behind him. One has a guitar and started playing and the other seems to be recording with a camera. 

 

"Seo Soojin! I really like you, and you caught my attention from the first time I saw you. Over time my feeling has grown as we talk and now I'm being a man by letting the world know. Please, be my girlfriend!" The boy bravely announced.

 

The students have crowded around them and Soojin is now feeling pressure from all the looks her schoolmate is giving her. All wondering what she'll say if she'll say yes or embarrassed the boy who was brave to confess in public. All Soojin wanted to do was to find Yuqi for comfort but she can't find her.

 

"Yah!" A familiar loud voice shouted from the crowd.

 

Some students parted ways for Yuqi to walk into the middle. The boy and his friends stare at Yuqi in confusion as Yuqi is glaring at them.

 

"What do you think you're doing? She is my girlfriend, she is already taken." The students gasped in surprise as they started talking among them. 

 

"W- What do you mean? I don't believe you, I never saw you guys together." The boy claimed, standing his ground.

 

"Why do you think? We're both popular, we didn't want anyone getting between our relationship. Plus look, Soojin is carrying my jacket when we met privately today." Yuqi said as she was In front of the boy, giving a few pokes to emphasize her word, and then pointed at her obvious red jacket on Soojin’s bag.

 

"You gotta be kidding me. Aish, I prepared this for so long." The boy said frustratedly as he ruffled his hair.

 

"Too bad, back off. She mine." Yuqi tells him as she walks back and turns to grab Soojin's hand. "Come on, let go."

 

Soojin could only nod and let Yuqi guide her out the crowd and out to the front gate. After walking a few minutes, Yuqi checks her surroundings and lets go of Soojin's hand.

 

"Sorry about that, I hope I didn't ruin your chance to be with the person you like." Yuqi stops walking as she looks down, scared that Soojin will be upset with her.

 

"You did help, we're together now." Soojin says with a twinkle in her eyes.

 

"What, when? How did that help?" Yuqi looked confused, not able to put the pieces together.

 

"The person I like told everyone I'm her girlfriend." Soojin says as she nervously waits for Yuqi's reaction.

 

"That was me.." Seeing Yuqi's realization, Soojin pulls out a bag of heart-shaped cookies and presents it to Yuqi.

 

"Yuqi, I like you and please accept these cookies I made. You mention your mom made them. I know they won't be the same but hope you like it." Yuqi looked at the cookie in amazement as she took it.

 

Yuqi opened it and took one out to eat. Soojin waits, looking long at Yuqi's face for any reaction. Yuqi has wide eyes as she stares at Soojin.

 

"This tastes very similar to my mom's. Thank you." Yuqi continues eating it as Soojin smile at Yuqi’s approval. "Wow, so this is the cooking of a goddess. No wonder I like you too."

 

"Does this mean…" Soojin, hearing Yuqi finally confessing, smacks Yuqi's arm.

 

"Ah yah, what did I do now." Yuqi whines as she rubs the spot.

 

"You know it's usually the younger that confess, why didn't you." Yuqi became baffled.

 

"I was going to confess but then you went on how you like someone. It wasn't my fault." Yuqi explains with a pout as she put the cookies away in her backpack for later.

 

Soojin unable to handle Yuqi’s cuteness leaned in to poke Yuqi’s cheek before giving it a peck. Soojin rushes to walk away, turning to walk backward she watches Yuqi recover and start to chase after her.

 

"Hey, that wasn't a proper kiss. I'm your girlfriend now, you need to kiss me properly." Yuqi says with a smile as she catches up.

 

"You'll have to earn it." Soojin pokes her tongue out at Yuqi.

 

"I see how it is, then should I just earn it my way then?" Yuqi mischievously says.

 

Soojin stops walking and raises her brows to challenge Yuqi. Accepting the challenge, Yuqi boldly steps towards Soojin, who in response walks back until she is against the wall. Yuqi places a hand next to her girlfriend’s head and leans forward. Soojin's eyes flutter close as she is prepared to kiss. Still being mischievous, Yuqi lingers over Soojin’s lip, her free hand holds Soojin's waist as Yuqi brings her body closer. Soojin's eyes open to stare back at Yuqi’s playful ones.

 

"Yuqi, if you don't kis-" Yuqi cut Soojin's word with a kiss.

 

Butterflies go wild and high so that they can feel it in their chest. Kissing slowly, as they get familiar with each other's lips. When Yuqi pulled away, she could swear that Soojin whined a little.

 

"You’re mine." That is all Yuqi says before going back to kissing Soojin.