The venue is snug; sleek leather and rich browns. Taeyeon must’ve rented out the fanciest venue on the strip. Festive lights flash outside the windows and bright coloured banners decorate the bare brick walls of the vintage chicken and beer rooftop pub. The crunch of batter and wafts of fresh chicken encourage the three roommates who have just arrived. Their fried nerves at being at their first university party dampens as friendly upperclassmen welcome them with cheers and ice-cold beers. The party begins without a hitch, groups of students already coming alive in lively conversations and drinking games.

Across the room, Taeyeon is whispering to her smirking friends and eyeing an oblivious Seungwan.

The caramel-haired junior shivers when a tall girl with shoulder length hair walks over to introduce herself just as Yerim ditched her to be first in line for chili-coated drumsticks. She spots Seulgi and Sooyoung already cuddled up in a corner booth, all pink marshmallows and giggles. 

Ugh, save her.

“Hiya,” the girl says, leaning in and clearly tipsy. “I’m Lisa. Nice to meet you–,”

Seungwan almost forgets all social cues and begins to lean in with her, only to pop back up when she realises that’s Lisa’s way of asking for her name.

“Oh! Hello, I’m Seungwan!” The junior subconsciously tiptoes to compete with the sound of steam and chatter. “It’s really nice to meet you too!”

She tries her hardest to keep up with the greying conversation, but she’s secretly hoping for Yerim to come back. Or actually to find the person she’s been looking for since she’s gotten here. She’d sent her a text when she left the house, but hasn’t received a reply yet. It’s like divine intervention when she sees Yerim waving at her from a half-empty table. She politely excuses herself and zigzags her way over.

“You freakin ditcher,” the caramel-haired girl whispers to her friend who just responds with a mouth-full laugh. “Have you seen her? Is she here yet?”

Yerim shakes her head and Seungwan slumps back against her chair. A few of her coursemates offer her drinks on several occasions, but she declines, knowing a head-splitting hangover won’t do her any favours for tomorrow’s morning shift. It puts a slight damper on her mood as she clutches her glass of water while the faceless bodies around her delve into soju bombs and drunken selcas. 

“I dunno who the hell’s party this is but it’s lit,” one of them slurs, almost knocking over the shot glasses littering the table.

A fresh basket of golden-brown chicken is served to their table and Seungwan shoots the waiter a nod while everyone raises their glasses in another toast. A sea of murmurs tide over as Kim Taeyeon waltzes over to the table. Apart from the ignoramus, all the other juniors greet her with eager bows. Their mouths all fall open simultaneously when she slips into the vacant seat next to Seungwan. 

Yerim puts her best foot forward, getting up and politely offering the basket of food to her. “Have you eaten, sunbaenim?”

Taeyeon graciously holds a hand up. “Ahh, let’s speak comfortably. No need for honorifics.” She sneaks a glance at a board-stiff Seungwan. “Unnie is fine.”

Unnie. One shot, one kill. Yerim’s knees go wobbly and Seungwan downs the rest of her water. Kim Taeyeon actually chose to sit with them at her own party. 

Seungwan doesn’t notice Taeyeon opening to ask her a question when they’re interrupted. Pink cheeks drain milky white when she sees Joohyun approaching them, followed by Chaeyoung under Jennie’s arm. Her blood turns to ice at the sight of Joohyun. The commanding strides, the glint in her eye. She oozes charm, drips execution– and slips into the last seat at the end of the long table.

Their eyes meet for the splittest of seconds before Joohyun is eagle eyeing the unwelcomed closeness between a certain two people. 

“Hi Seungwan.”

Seungwan greets her with a seated bow, unsure of how to address her or their dynamic in such a setting. They hadn’t talked about how they would interact in public and the girl is unsure if she should expose their friendship– especially in front of a bunch of random nerdy juniors. Besides, Joohyun probably wants to keep her icy reputation bitterly intact. But what comes out of the latter's mouth next surprises her most of all.

“Oh, sorry I didn’t respond to your text. I just saw it. I was alright, thanks. We were just a little held up.” She leans sideways to observe the two lovebirds in the back. "Good thing Sooyoung slept over last night."

Taeyeon shuffles an inch away from Seungwan, slightly frowning at the other senior who’s sitting back in her chair and sipping a glass of water. 

Chaeyoung raises a guilty smile. “Heh, yeah that was my bad, my students had more questions than usual.” Jennie snags a wing for her girlfriend and a thigh for herself. “S’kay, Chaeng. Come, everyone, let’s eat.” 

The group dissolves into food and small talk about life. Everyone’s greatly intrigued by Yonsei University student Park Chaeyoung, a Music Psychology major who manages to balance strict recital schedules and piano tutoring on the side. In the middle of it all, Yerim accidentally knocks over a bottle of (thankfully) water that spills over the table’s edge and just catches the seam of Seungwan’s jeans. She yelps at the uncomfortable coolness seeping into her pant leg.

Joohyun is up and holding a napkin out to the muddled junior before anyone else can react. “Here, clean up.” A fierce crimson bubbles in the younger’s ears as she gratefully accepts. 

Taeyeon’s lips form a sickly sweet smile at the exchange. “Woowww, what’s this? Sooo unlike you, Joohyun. Are you guys a thing?” she huffs sarcastically.

The raven-haired senior simply sits back down and scoffs at the irritating remark. “Yah, can’t I be kind to a junior? Don’t jump to conclusions, it’s old-fashioned.”

Movie-star Kim Taeyeon reels back, shocked at the blatant addressment. “What? Are you serious? I was just joking, god. Careful, that attitude is such a killjoy, you’re gonna kill the mood here.”

Joohyun folds her arms as she surveys the room. “I don’t think you need my help with that.”

“I see nothing’s changed, still as rude as ever,” Taeyeon nips back with an eye-roll as Joohyun reaches to refill her water.

Seungwan’s pupils are fixed on Joohyun’s slender fingers as they grasp the water jug’s metal handle. All she can imagine is Joohyun using them to command her lackeys or to signal her men to finish the fight she started with a rival mob. Or where her thoughts ended up that one time they were both pressed unceremoniously close to each other in a lift and– “Ah, I have to– I’m gonna get some fresh air, I’ll be back!” The bubble of tension pops at Seungwan’s pinprick exclamation. She awkwardly steps over legs and designer bags, sighing a breath of relief when the balcony doors slide open easily. Incandescent moonlight hues dowse the night life bustling below her and she gazes up into the starlit mural. 

A junior… old-fashioned.

Tonight, she’s just trying to decide what frays her nerves more. Their partnered assignment due this Friday that’s still incomplete, or the way her partner is behaving back there. She can only wonder how many fights she’s started because of that attitude.

. . . . .

A soft draft grazes her back and she hears the sliding doors go. Her trains of thought collide into each other head on when they reveal Bae Joohyun. 

Joohyun quirks a brow at her poor, befuddled junior, pressed hard against the balcony railing at the sight of her. She feels like she should punish her for looking so adorable all flustered, but walks out to lean on the railing instead. “Can’t say I’m not glad you’re out here.” She hands Seungwan’s refilled glass to her. “You know you don’t have to pretend to be scared of me anymore right?”

The younger heaves a sigh. “Unnie, it’s not that I’m scared of you… really. It’s just that you seemed pretty mad in there. Is it because of something I said?”

“Ahh, no, that’s nothing,” Joohyun reassures, taking a sip of spring water. “I should’ve told you this earlier but we should be comfortable with each other at all times. Don’t worry about anything else.”

For a second they just stare into the same sky, breathing the cool night air. The party behind them seems a millenia away when they bask in each other’s company. Joohyun’s eyes surreptitiously go to Seungwan’s fingertips, dusted pink from the chill. Then to the way their jacket sleeves are almost brushing. She’s taller, but at this moment it feels like Seungwan could look down on her. She’s low-key terrified as hell. 

Just do it. Look at her jacket, just do it.

“Wan-ah.”

“Hm?” Brown eyes widen questioningly at the call of her name and Joohyun’s throat clogs at her peach flushed smile. 

“You need to know something.”

And then smooth as butter, Seungwan’s dilated pupils fall to where Joohyun has interlaced their fingers. There’s an audible thump in her heart, but she snaps back up, feigning ignorance to the furious peonies crayoning her cheeks and the trembling hand in hers. She doesn’t pull away as the older girl tussles with her own thoughts.

But her heartbeat falters slightly when the fingers fall away all too fast, along with a guilty gaze. This is the first time Joohyun seems nervous, and Seungwan returns a smile at the vulnerability.

Joohyun finally takes a good look at her. There’s still so much she doesn’t know, so much she needs to learn, so much she wants Seungwan to teach her. Perhaps this isn’t the time. The more and more she thinks about it, the more she thinks it’s her that isn’t ready.

“Just– just wait for me, okay?” she eventually sighs, unable to look the girl in the eye anymore. “I didn’t really think– I’m gonna get us something… did you want a drink? Like an actual one.”

Seungwan laughs to mask her disappointment. “Only if you’re having one, unnie.”

She watches Joohyun disappear into the party but stays outside, quite preferring the calmness of the night as opposed to the rowdy party games that she can see going on inside. The floors must be so sticky now, yikes. She’s about to space out when a body sidles up to her again.

Seungwan squeaks when she realises who it is. Or rather, who it isn't.

“Seungwan-ah.”

“S-Sunbae, you didn’t bring your coat out. Aren’t you cold?” Seungwan shrugs her charcoal Nike puffer jacket off and drapes it over bare shoulders. Taeyeon doesn’t answer but her eyes twinkle and her smile is full of adoration. The younger girl looks down.

“Aish, still no ‘unnie’? What a brat,” the senior mockingly scolds, resting a delicate hand on her shoulder while the other girl scrambles an apology for the unintentional formality. “Thank you, though. It is very cold. Are you sure you don’t mind?”

Seungwan shakes her head, struggling for words. “Why– what are you doing out here?” 

“Just came to check on you. You should come back inside, it’s getting really fun. They’re starting a new round of beer pong, I know you’d sweep that game, easy.”

The junior palms at the back of her neck. “Ah, I just need some air. It’s kinda loud in there.” 

Taeyeon giggles at her. “You should get back when you can, then, your friend is looking for you.” She pauses. “Actually, I'll be honest. That's not the reason I came out here. I’ve been wanting to ask you something for a while now and I'm so glad Joohyun said you guys weren’t an item just now, cause… I think you’re really funny and so cute all the time…”

Jolts of confusion zap her spine upright and Seungwan stares at her senior like a deer in the headlights.

“… sorry if I’m being too straightforward.” Kim Taeyeon leans forward with a luring smirk on her lips. “But I want you to go out with me, Seungwan. Do you want to be my girlfriend?”

The saccharine shower of the winter moon, the temptation brewing in her smile, the suggestive white noise of the city.

I want you to go out with me. Do you want to be my girlfriend?

The electric buzz of partying students fades into nothing. Everything is happening so fast because before Seungwan can even blink, the next thing she feels is a hand on her forearm. Taeyeon leans in, closing the distance between them.

For no one but the shimmering stars, two bottles of plum Hitejinro and a hopeful Joohyun to see.

. . . . .