᠁

7AM on the dot.

That’s what time Soyeon said their next date would officially start. On a Sunday morning, no less.

When the captain first told this to Soojin, the cheerleader laughed so hard that tears prickled the corners of her eyes, and Soyeon had to repeat four more times before Soojin even started to take it seriously.

“No, no, like actually? You’re serious? Soyeon-ah, I’m waiting for you to just laugh in my face and say ‘Wait, what? You honestly think I would wake up that early?’ or something.” Soojin had said on a video call with Soyeon that Friday night after classes and practice.

Soyeon grinned a little too impishly for Soojin’s liking. “I’m serious, Jin-Jin.” She assured.

The older girl didn’t quite buy it yet.

“Right, of course. You want to wake up earlier than last Sunday to go on a date with me?” It sounded unbelievable, almost. “What? Next weekend, are we going to wake up at 6AM?”

Soojin’s face had looked so skeptical, and Soyeon could tell why. This was completely left field for Soyeon, but what wasn’t left field is the fact that Soyeon knew almost two weeks ago what she wanted to plan for her date. She wasn’t changing it, no matter how unconventionally early she had to get up just to do it.

“Seo Soojin, I swear to you that the date is at 7AM.” Soyeon promised after mustering up the sternest, most serious tone she could.

That’s when Soojin stopped teasing her. “… Really? You swear?”

“From the bottom of my heart, I swear.”

Soojin went quiet for a few moments before letting out a long sigh. “Wow, okay. That’s so early… I don’t even have the time to go jogging before that.” A pause. “What are we even doing that early, anyway? Jeon Soyeon, you continuously never fail to surprise me.”

Soyeon couldn’t even hold in her giggle and held a finger up to her lips. “It’s a secret.”

“Okay, fine. I won’t ask anymore.” Soojin rolled her eyes and smiled sweetly at the camera, melting Soyeon’s heart all over again. “Well, I can’t wait for our 7AM date on Sunday, Soyeonnie.”

“Me neither.” The captain beamed just thinking about it.

᠁

Beep, beep, beep, beep!

Apparently, the thought of the date is sitting much better with Soyeon than the execution of it. But she forces herself to roll over and face the dreaded white numbers blaring on her phone’s alarm clock.

5:00 AM, it read brightly in her scowling face.

Why did Soyeon think this was a good idea? No. No, she refuses to think about how great this date will be. Soyeon wants to sulk and complain more as she starts crawling hesitantly out of bed, lamenting the loss of warmth as she leaves her cozy confines.

Soyeon had done all the math in her head. Soojin takes about thirty-five minutes to get ready. She’d always shower in the mornings and let her hair dry as she prepares for the day. The cheerleader would probably take an extra ten minutes first to get the sleep out of her system and do a little stretching to wake herself up, then fifteen to really put time in how she’d look for the date because that’s how thoughtful Soojin is.

This means that Soyeon would have to be at her friend’s place by at least 6AM, if you count all the walking she has to do going there.

It would take about nine minutes to walk to Soojin’s unit, but maybe twelve or more considering how tired Soyeon feels about moving at all. She needed forty minutes to get herself ready—Ten minutes to convince herself to get out of bed, fifteen minutes to slump around the dorm quietly as she showered and changed, then another fifteen minutes to check all of the stuff that she needs for their date together. So, Soyeon should be up at 5AM, just to make sure she stays on schedule.

The captain would proceed to silently complain about setting up the date too early, all the while getting ready with Soojin being none the wiser as she lays in her own bed. Fast asleep and oblivious to the inner turmoil of Jeon Soyeon arguing with herself.

Oh, the things she does for… crushes.

Soyeon goes through the mental checklist in her head: Shower, brush teeth (very important), fix hair, put on lip balm (also very important), clothes, shoes, backpack filled with necessary date items, airpods for her disgustingly early morning walk… It feels like everything is moving so slow. Soyeon thought that after the tasks were done and completed, she’d feel more awake and motivated at this ungodly hour of the day. She thought wrong, but anything for Soojin.

On the way out, Soyeon checks her phone before leaving. 5:43 AM.

The crisp morning air does nothing to perk her up. In fact, it only makes the captain wrap her arms around herself and contemplate—if only for a moment—going back inside and climbing back into the comforts of her warm bed. She can make something up for a date at 7AM, but she doesn’t.

Soyeon remembers how different the neighborhood looked at 8AM versus noon when she normally rolls out of bed on a Sunday. Walking through it now, despite her barely-open eyes and frequent yawns, she notices how even more different it is and wonders if she’ll ever get to show Soojin this side of her sleepy neighborhood. Everything about it is so quiet… and tranquil.

At 8AM, there were quite a few people outside. Some tending to their gardens or laundry hanging on clotheslines before the masses enjoyed their day off, others were either sweeping up their porches or throwing out their trash for the weekend truck to collect, or simply letting their dogs out for a nice walk in the beautiful weather. The sun was bright in the sky with its rays shining down on the handful of patrons that decided to sacrifice a little bit of sleep for an ambient morning and a pleasant breakfast.

At 5:51 AM, the sun has been up for a little bit. Barely, though, but it was soft as it shyly peeks out in the blue and yellow horizon. There’s a balmy, golden glow to nearly everything, and no one to be seen. Soyeon was convinced that she’s the only person to be up and walking around at 5:52 on a Sunday morning. Not just on her side of the neighborhood or even Soojin’s, for that matter, but practically their entire district.

As the captain ventures down the hallway leading up to Soojin’s unit, it hits her for the first time that this might be a bad idea. There are a number of things that could go wrong and lead up to the date not even happening, so she quickly checks her phone again. 5:57 AM.

Soojin is going to wake up any minute and start getting ready. If that happens, the whole plan would just fall apart and Soyeon doesn’t want that.

She knocks on the door three times, then takes a step back with her hands tucked nervously in her hoodie’s pocket. Waiting for—How did she not think of this before? Waiting for a just woken up Soojin to come open the door for her. How is Soyeon going to cope with seeing Soojin straight out of bed on a Sunday morning?

Seo Soojin, in her cute pajamas with her mussed hair falling over her hooded eyes and her adorable, puffy face as she greets Soyeon in a sleep-rough voice and a smile that makes it worth waking up so goddamn ing early to…

Calm down, Jeon. Be cool.

Soyeon waits a few more seconds, listening to the silence and the void of movement behind the door, before knocking again. Louder this time, whilst standing in her quiet panic.

᠁

Soojin’s first thoughts upon waking up to the gentle rapping on her door are—Oh my God, I overslept. Soyeon’s already here for our date, and I’m absolutely not ready.

But when she looks over to the time on her bedside clock, it read: 5:58 AM.

Soojin is somehow even more confused and panicked, so she swiftly throws the covers aside, shuffles to the front door in her cherry-print pajamas and cozy white slip-ons, and then checks through her tiny peephole to see who it is.

What on Earth is Soyeon doing here so early?

The door unlocks with a click and opens inwards. The soft glow of the sun shining onto Soyeon from the corridor’s end window makes Soojin think that this entire thing was a dream. A very welcoming dream. She rubs her eyes just to make sure, and also because she just woke up less than a minute ago.

“Soyeonnie?… Am I late? Did I get the time of our date wrong?”

If Soojin hadn’t been so tired and was much more perceptive in her groggy state, she would’ve noticed how smitten Soyeon looks at the sight before her. She would’ve noticed how a tired, sleepy-eyed Soojin has woken her up more than her alarm clock and the cool breeze combined. She would’ve noticed how Soyeon’s mouth was hanging ajar just a little bit, and how her eyes seemed to have actual hearts in them.

But most importantly, she would’ve noticed the way Soyeon looks at her like she was staring into the very face of Love itself. Falling for her all over again. But Soojin, to her loss, didn’t notice any of that.

What the cheerleader does notice is that Soyeon is at her doorway. Carrying a backpack filled with something large and wearing a yellow hoodie that’s one size too big for her small body, and how Soojin wishes it was her hoodie that Soyeon is swimming in.

“Nope. You’re not late at all.” Soyeon, this cute little bean, says while playing with the cuffs of her sleeves.

“I-I can be ready in like, fifteen.” Soojin floundered as she turns around quickly, running her fingers through her messy brown hair in an attempt to look more presentable in front of her crush. Oh God, this is so embarrassing…!

Then Soyeon reaches out to grab her wrist. “No, wait!” It’s much too abrupt for six in the morning. “Sorry, sorry. I just—I mean…”

The shorter girl thinks about what she’s going to say next and how she’s going to approach this, but Soyeon can’t find the right words. Even with the ample amount of time she’s had to prepare and rehearse, the words just aren’t there.

“Can I come in?” She ends up asking instead.

Soojin’s eyes widen for a split second, but she promptly steps to the side. “Yeah, of course.”

Soyeon walks into the space that was cleared for her, and Soojin shuts the door behind them. Closing out the glowing sun and letting the still darkness fill up the place. The sun isn’t quite bright enough to shine through the shades of her curtains, so they’re left standing in the quiet hum of the shadowed living room.

A yawn slips from Soojin’s lips as she rubs her eye with the heel of her palm. She shakes her head slightly to wake herself up and reaches for the light switch, but Soyeon takes her wrist again. Gentle, this time, with each finger tentatively coiling around as much of Soojin’s wrist as she can hold.

“Soyeon, what…?” Soojin’s tone is soft and patient as she urges Soyeon to explain.

Her friend takes a deep breath, then says. “Seo Soojin, you will be sleeping in on a Sunday for the first time in your entire college life.”

Now Soojin is visibly confused. “I’m sorry, what?”

“I’ve decided that last week. You woke me up at eight in the morning so I could do something I’ve never done since university ate up my time, so now I’m waking you up to do something you’ve probably never done since freshman year.”

“Wha—I-I’ve slept in before!” Soojin tries to defend herself.

“When?” Soyeon asked, cocking an eyebrow as she tilts her head with a scrutinizing look. Soojin is quiet for a moment… then another… and then another.

“Alright, fine. So, I don’t sleep in on Sundays. But there’s really no point!” Soojin explained. “Sometimes, I have other things to do and—”

“And nothing. You chose what we did last week, so I’m choosing what we’re doing this week.” Soyeon declares with a surprising edge of finality. “I’ll just sleep on your couch instead. I know you’ll wake up much earlier than me, but I’ll make sure that it’s an adequate amount of time before then. You can wake me up right after and I’ll treat you to lunch. Because if you wake up around breakfast time, I’m making you go back to sleep. Deal?”

For all the rambling she’s done, maybe the rehearsal did come in handy.

Soojin looks speechless. She opens , shuts it, and then opens it again. “I knew 7AM was too early for a real date with Jeon Soyeon.”

“This is real date, Soojin.”

“I don’t think it’s a real date if you’re in another room the entire time.” Soojin reasons.

“Fine. I’ll sleep with you in your room then.” Soyeon rebuts too casually and watches Soojin turn pink in the face, even though she was the one who hinted at it. In Soojin’s defense, she didn’t expect Soyeon to just say it outright so quickly or to start heading towards her bedroom without any reply from the older girl.

“I mean, I-I didn’t—” Soojin stammers as she timidly follows Soyeon to her own room.

The captain has been there plenty of times before, usually to just hang out or do requirements with Soojin because her Wi-Fi is faster and Soyeon just enjoys her company a lot, and also because the cheerleader likes to cook food for them whenever she can. Soojin would often make Soyeon’s favorite dishes or buy her snacks from the convenience store downstairs during their late-night cram sessions, and Soyeon would make her tea or refill her mug with either hot or iced coffee to keep her awake.

But this? This isn’t any different, right? Soyeon has slept in her room before, in her bed, with Soojin lying next to her a handful of times. This is… Yeah, this is totally different.

“Relax, Jin-Jin. It’s not like we haven’t slept in the same bed before. It’s fine.”

Shrugging off her hefty backpack, Soyeon proceeds to take out a pillow and a fluffy blanket like a magician pulling out random items from his bottomless top hat. “That fact doesn’t change just because we swiped right on a dating app. You said it yourself, it can’t be a real date if you’re in another room the entire time.”

“I just…” Soojin starts again with a growing blush on her cheeks. Of course, she wants to sleep in the same bed as Soyeon. And honestly, her eyelids feel heavy so the sleeping-in part does sound pretty good to her at the moment. She just doesn’t want to cross any lines or make Soyeon uncomfortable.

“I can sleep on the floor, if you want.” Soyeon offers when she doesn’t reply.

“No!” Soojin blurts out, face flushing red, and then speaks a bit calmer. “No, of course not. You’re right. Tinder doesn’t change the fact that we’ve slept in the same bed before. I’m definitely not making you sleep on the floor. And yes, this is definitely a date so long as you’re here with me.”

Soyeon can’t help the gummy smile that curls on her lips. “Good, good. Because I really didn’t want to sleep on the floor, to be honest.”

She jumps into the side of the bed that’s been practically reserved for her whenever she does sleep over at Soojin’s place, and one that Soojin herself doesn’t normally sleep on. The fact that Soyeon even knows this is making her heart beat a tiny bit faster.

“Is it okay if I brush my teeth first?” She gestures to the bathroom across, and Soyeon chuckles before shooing her away.

“Take your time, Jin-Jin.”

When Soojin comes back, minty fresh breath and all, Soyeon is adorably tucked under both hers and Soojin’s blanket. They’re pulled up so high that they’re covering her nose, and she’s curled in on herself to make a tiny ball. Her eyelids are fluttering shut with the desire to sleep before snapping back open as Soyeon waits for the cheerleader to come back. And when Soojin approaches the bed, she can see the blankets rising and falling from her soft breaths.

Soyeon looks so much like a baby hamster in her current position, Soojin had to withhold herself from squealing helplessly into her hands and just smothering her pocket-sized crush into a bearhug without any intention of letting her go.

“You look very comfortable.” Soojin regards her friend with a fond smile, making sure she’s not too loud.

“I am.” Soyeon grinned, and then patted Soojin’s side of the bed. “I’m a genius, I think. This is such a good date idea, dating gurus would be shaking right now.”

Soojin laughs as she walks around to the vacant spot on her bed, pulling the covers up and climbing into the space next to Soyeon.

As soon as the cozy blankets enveloped her, she’s very conscious of not disturbing the little yellow ball that Soyeon has made of herself. She stays unnaturally still, trying not to invade Soyeon’s personal space and keeping all four limbs glued to herself as much as possible.

It’s weird at first. Stiff and clunky, and very rigid. Neither of them wants to bother the other, so they stay confined to their retrospective corners of the twin-sized bed. Soyeon in her tiny ball, and Soojin straight on her back like a ing wooden plank. Neither of them is willing to move or even budge an inch for fear of accidentally touching the other and making things more overwhelmingly awkward.

As time ticks on with the both of them lying awake, the drowsiness in their system starts to take over. The only thing holding either of them back from just sleeping entirely is the other, and now Soyeon is completely rethinking this whole plan.

I should’ve considered how Soojin would feel if I pushed for this arrangement. Ugh, stupid!

She unfurls from her ball and turns away from Soojin, be to herself how disastrous this idea was and stretching out her legs so far until they lightly brush against Soojin’s. She didn’t know Soojin was so close or that her legs were actually that long, and her immediate thought is to pull back. But as she tries to retract, Soojin moves with her. Only this time, she’s lying on her side and facing Soyeon from behind.

With the seal now broken, it only takes a few minutes for Soojin’s tiredness to result in an outstretched hand resting tentatively on Soyeon’s hip.

“Is this okay, Soyeonnie?” Soojin whispered, sounding unsure of herself.

Soyeon nods her head without saying a word, humming contentedly as she lays her right hand on top of Soojin’s left one and interlocks their fingers in a loose grip.

The more contact they have, the warmer they feel. And the more comfortable they are, the sleepier they get. Soyeon’s hand, with its gentle grasp on Soojin’s, tugs it up and over her waist. The space between them closes gradually until there are only inches between them, with Soojin’s chest being pressed up against Soyeon’s back as they finally relax enough to sleep at last.

The bed is no longer divided into an invisible line that separates their own individual spaces. Instead, the tense, rigid exteriors have faded into relaxation and comfort within each other’s presence.

As a matter of fact, the sleepiness is hitting them very quickly now that they’ve found a position that works well for them. Soyeon is humming happily as she pushes herself back into Soojin, relishing in the other girl’s warmth and scent. She twists her neck a little to look at Soojin, who looks so peaceful with her eyes closed and her lips pointed up into a contented smile.

“Sleep tight, Jin-Jin…” Soyeon’s voice was barely above a whisper as she turns away, closing her eyes and nestling her head into the pillow she had brought along.

Behind her, Soojin’s eyes flutter open again. Just enough to see how close Soyeon is to her before leaning forward and pressing a soft, sleepy kiss on the crown of her head. Soyeon can feel her heart jumping in giddiness at the sweet gesture, especially when Soojin tightens her grasp around her waist and talks quietly into her hair.

“Of course, I will, Soyeonnie… Sleep well.”

And they’re out like a light in a matter of minutes.

᠁

Soojin wakes up first, which isn’t a surprise because of course, she does—but also because she’s not used to waking up past 10AM on a Sunday unlike most of her peers.

It’s a miracle, though, that she was able to sleep in until 11:30. However, she knows that Soyeon would probably complain that this is still too early by her standards and say something along the lines of “I doubt you’ve spent a single Sunday this entire term just sleeping in instead of torturing yourself by waking up so goddamn early. It’s my way or the highway, ‘cuz you’re going back to sleep.”

With this thought in mind, Soojin makes sure not to wake up Soyeon. Not yet, at least.

Instead, the cheerleader opts to focus on how surreal this all is. On how different it is from what they were before, and how lucky she is to have this opportunity with the one person whom her heart belongs to.

They’re shifted into a different position than what they’ve fallen asleep in. Soojin didn’t wake up to feel Soyeon’s back against her chest. Rather, she can feel her arm draped over Soyeon’s hipbone and is now face-to-face with her crush’s sleepy expression. Mouth slightly open to draw out the cutest snores to have ever graced Soojin’s ears.

How could someone be this angelically beautiful while sleeping?

Gently, very gently, Soojin pushes away the silver hair that have fallen over the captain’s face. She knows that Soyeon isn’t exactly one of the heaviest sleepers around (that title goes exclusively to both Miyeon and Shuhua). But the shorter girl looks so blissful that if she had woken her, Soojin could never forgive herself.

She feels just a pinch weird just lying here awake while Soyeon stays asleep. If this was pre-Tinder, well… a lot of things would be different.

For starters, Soojin would’ve been awake for at least three hours already. She would’ve woken up facing the other way on her respective side of the bed. Not awkward, but also not deliberately touching her friend. She wouldn’t linger just to observe Soyeon’s resting face and savor the moment as much as she can. She would simply get up, put on her work-out gear, and then leave Soyeon to peacefully snooze away on her bed.

By the time Soojin returned from her jog, showered, and finished making breakfast for two, Soyeon would be slumping into the main room with her bed-hair and mussed clothes. The alarm clock and cabinets being opened and closed? Soyeon would likely sleep through them. The sound of the shower being and the bottles of shampoo and conditioner falling from the shelf? Soyeon would just go back to sleep without a care in the world. The sound of Soojin going in and out of her bedroom, grabbing things that she needed or moving around the items on her desk? Soyeon wouldn’t even flinch or utter a single word in her direction.

But the sound of sizzling pork and the cracking of eggs on a skillet? Now that woke Soyeon right up and spurred her out of bed. Without fail, she would make her way out of the room, sit on the counter or at the small dining table right across from the kitchenette, and just patiently wait for Soojin—who always made a plate for Soyeon—to finish cooking.

But Soojin can’t even think about moving right now. For the first time in her college career, the cheerleader thinks that she understands why.

Soojin doesn’t want to be in the kitchen, up and preparing food, nor does she want to be taking a shower and getting ready for the day as per usual. This is exactly where she wants to be, right next to Soyeon and holding the captain close.

Without hesitation, Soojin reaches in and cups Soyeon’s cheek with her hand. Holding it delicately as she it with her thumb, eyes soft and full of affection when Soyeon sighs into her touch.

I want to wake up next to you every day of my life.

And all it ever took was one long look at her best friend’s pretty ing face for Soojin to commit.

She doesn’t want to move an inch from this position. The pillow is too comfy, the blankets are too warm, and the company is just the icing on the cake. Soojin isn’t worried about going on her jog or the fact that this is the first morning in almost two years that she’s missed her diligent exercise regime. She can’t be bothered to care one bit, and that’s totally fine with her.

Shutting her eyes once more, Soojin lets them rest while simultaneously enjoying the time she gets to spend doing absolutely nothing at all.

It feels like they’re only closed for a few minutes. But when she opens her eyes again, Soyeon has moved even closer. Huddled into Soojin with her head tucked under the cheerleader’s chin. Soojin definitely doesn’t remember any shifting motions from Soyeon, but she shrugs it off and locates the time on her alarm clock.

12:24 PM.

Her immediate reaction is panic. She doesn’t have anything to do. Her requirements are done. She’s up to date with all of her club orgs’ activities and the workshop seminars in the coming month, and her pep squad has been taking it easy with only a minor performance in the following weeks.

It’s a Sunday afternoon, and Soojin has nothing important to do. But for some reason, sleeping past noon made her feel like she’s behind on so many things.

Soojin goes to sit up and get her head straight, but is shortly met with the resistance of Soyeon clinging onto her as she stirs for a minute. Her face contorting and twitching as she tightens her arm around Soojin’s ribs, a protesting grunt coming from , before she stills again. Facial expressions softening as Soyeon burrows her face into Soojin’s neck, looking just as soundless and at peace as she did when the cheerleader first woke up.

Soojin’s chest rises and falls with the laughter she can’t seem to keep at bay, and this causes Soyeon to finally rouse awake. Going through the same process as before, but this time her eyelids flicker open. Soyeon blinks a few times to let the tired blur fade, then lifts her head for a moment and looks around the room before ultimately resuming the position she was in earlier.

“Morning…” Soyeon rasped, and there’s absolutely no way she can’t feel the direct effect it has on Soojin. Her heartbeat stutters for a second and then beats twice as fast to make up for it. Soyeon’s voice is groggy and a little rough at the edges, but she’s speaking so quietly and yawning at the end. It’s endearing.

“It’s half past noon, actually.” Soojin reasoned with a half-smile.

Soyeon just shakes her head against Soojin’s neck, messing up her silver mane of hair even further. Not that she cared anyway. “That’s fine. It’s still morning for me ‘cuz I just woke up.”

“Silly… That’s not how it works.” Soojin withdraws a bit to peer down at Soyeon’s deadpan expression and chuckled. “Okay, okay, fine. Good morning to you too, Soyeonnie.”

This earns her another gummy smile. “That’s more like it.”

Soyeon moves to sit up now and creaks her neck a few times to relieve it of any stiffness, then adjusts herself until she’s facing Soojin on the bed. Cross-legged and almost drowning in her big yellow hoodie.

“How was sleeping in for the first time in two years?” She asked with a rather sassy glint in her lazy eyes.

Soojin can’t help but take this opportunity to wrap her arms around Soyeon’s waist and lean most of her upper body in the captain’s lap as she talks. Her face is somewhat buried into the fabric of Soyeon’s hoodie, but she doesn’t bother to pull away from the scent of citrus filling her lungs like a stimulant. She always thought that Soyeon smells really nice.

“Honestly, it was very refreshing. I woke up past eleven, and I didn’t even want to go jogging at all.”

Soyeon gazes down at Soojin nuzzling her stomach like a cat seeking attention and laughs gently in amusement. “Hell yeah. No jogging for you today, Miss Fitness Goddess.” She grinned triumphantly.

Soojin scoffs in a light-hearted manner. “I went back to sleep, though, but I didn’t even plan to. I was just resting my eyes.”

“Why? Was it that comfortable sleeping next to me?” Soyeon teased while running her fingers through Soojin’s nicely kept hair. Soft and smooth.

“Please, it wasn’t just sleeping next to you. I’ve done that plenty of times.” Soojin says, continuing fast because she can already see Soyeon beginning to pout. “It was having you in my arms and holding you close to me. That… That was the best part.”

Immediately, the pout is replaced with an averted gaze and pink cheeks.

“It also didn’t help that you just looked so peaceful when I woke up earlier, and I didn’t want to disturb you.” Now even Soojin is blushing.

“You wouldn’t, trust me.” Soyeon replies quickly, still looking anywhere but Soojin’s fox eyes.

“I also knew that you would be annoyed at me if I woke up before noon, so…”

“Hey! That’s not true!” The shorter girl objects right away. But Soojin doesn’t even counter her, just stays quiet for a few moments while looking up adorably from where her chin is propped above Soyeon’s navel. And eventually, Soyeon sighs in defeat. “Okay, true. Whatever.” She rolls her eyes and resumes brushing her fingers through Soojin’s hair again, which rewards her with a heart stopping eye-smile that has her swooned.

“Well, now that it’s the afternoon, I’m pretty hungry. Should I go make us lunch?” Soojin offered as she hesitantly sits upright, be the loss of Soyeon’s touch when her hand drops from her head.

“I said I was gonna treat you to lunch, though…” Soyeon rubs her neck sheepishly.

Soojin just smiled, getting up and out of bed before holding her hand out for Soyeon to help the girl up. “I know, Soyeonnie. But this date idea was so genius, I can’t just let you carry all of the weight yourself.”

“Soojin-ah, you really don’t have to—”

“I have the stuff to make that kimchi fried rice you’ve been craving so much.” Soojin says a little too slyly, knowing this would get the captain to acquiesce.

And it works like a charm, because that completely stops Soyeon in the middle of her sentence.

“… Do you also have the fermented chili paste that I like?”

The cheerleader makes a grabbing motion with her hand, emphasizing its emptiness and proximity to Soyeon. That, and she just wants to feel her touch again.

“Of course, I do. You think, at any given time, I wouldn’t have any gojuchang around on the off chance that you might stay for dinner?” Soojin giggles, satisfied when Soyeon takes her outstretched hand as she carefully helps her off the bed.

“Thanks, Jin-Jin. You’re the best.” Soyeon beamed.

“Thank you too, for this really, really good real date.” Soojin returns with her usual shyness. “It’s simple… but I enjoyed it a lot.”

Soyeon turns a shade red in the face and coughs into her fist, eyes drifting to the floor as she allows Soojin to tug her along into the main room. Thoughtful of her silence until she eventually says, “I don’t think this date is a success yet until we have lunch together.”

“Then come on, you hungry lion.” Soojin urges with a playful lilt in her mellow voice as they start walking towards the door, dragging Soyeon with her by gently pulling until they get into the kitchenette. Soyeon takes her normal place on the counter next to Soojin as she starts gathering all of the ingredients she needs for their lunch.

It’s almost strange how all of these experiences feel brand new just because of a stupid app. It all feels so perfect, so natural… but also unfamiliar at the same time. Soojin has cooked for Soyeon during her countless visits already, but now it just feels so special. Soojin wants to keep doing these mundane tasks with her, these tasks that they do together all the time. She wants to feel them develop, and change, and grow into something intimate between the both of them.

“Can I take you on a real date?”

Soyeon, as if sharing her thoughts, blurts out in the midst of Soojin’s musing. The taller girl is in the middle of chopping bacon (because Soyeon loves meat and hates vegetables with a burning passion), but that question halts her midway as it takes up every inch of her brain.

“Soyeon-ah, it’s fine. This is a real date, remember? That’s more than enough for me.” Soojin reassured and turns to face her friend, who’s busy kicking her feet against the counter as she swings her short legs.

God, Soojin just wants to kiss her so badly.

“Yeah. But I mean, like… a dinner date. And then we can just walk around and do whatever stuff that interests us, say a movie or something. I don’t know…” Soyeon rambles on while talking with her hands, flustered and trying very hard not to trip over her words. “Can we do that, Soojin…? Can I take you out on a date?”

Soyeon is a blushing mess all over again, and she’s just so cute that Soojin can’t stop the smile breaking across her face. If this is how the captain behaves whenever she’s nervous or shy, Soojin wants to make her blush twenty-four hours for the rest of her life.

“Sure, Soyeonnie. I’d love that very much.” Soojin tucks a lock of hair behind her ear timidly, and Soyeon brightens up like the very sun itself.

“Great!” She kisses her so quickly, Soojin is convinced that she only felt the lingering impression of Soyeon’s lips and not actually her real ones. But then she’s back to cooking in a much more upbeat mood and with a perpetual smile adorned on her vibrant face.

Soojin is practically prancing around the kitchen space like Remy from Ratatouille, and it doesn’t stop the entire time that she’s mixing the rice with kimchi juice. Or even when she finally serves the dish to Soyeon who kisses her cheek in thanks, or even after when they’re just hanging out in her room like two sapphic girlfriends spending a lazy day indoors together. Lying on her bed with Soojin spooning Soyeon as they talked about everything and nothing. But all the while, the two would sneak a few touches and the occasional kiss whenever they could.

And yet, Soojin is convinced that it still doesn’t end even after Soyeon has to begrudgingly head back to her dorm so she can work on her own requirements for the week. Though, overall, it was the best Sunday she’s ever had in months.

Soojin insists on walking Soyeon back a handful of times and even went as far as to act very clingy towards her best friend, despite Soyeon’s plentiful attempts to turn her down kindly. Yes, it would be nice to have Soojin walk her back. But then Soyeon would have to fight her own urges to invite the other girl in to sleep over again, except it’s a school night and their Monday schedules are different from each other.

“No, seriously. I’ll be fine, Jin-Jin. You can just pick me up tomorrow, yeah?”

Soyeon’s gentle expression has Soojin finally conceding. “Yes, of course.”

“And I’ll see you on Saturday. For our date.” She mentions and prepares to take her leave, all packed up and ready to depart, but the cheerleader doesn’t let her go just yet.

As soon as Soyeon makes it out the doorway and turns to say her goodbye, Soojin takes the captain’s face in her hands, pulls Soyeon forward, and kisses her squarely on the lips. Relishing in her familiar softness and the taste of sweet mango that comes with it, before slowly extracting herself from Soyeon with huge smiles on both of their faces.

“I’ll see you on Saturday.” Soojin repeats, getting excited all over again.

When two girls are just really, really good friends 😩👌: