Up on the rooftop the girls were playing with some sparklers already, and eating some snacks. 

“Hey Soeun-ah!” Soojin greeted, when she saw Soeun enter. “Here’s your sparkler!” And handed her one. 

“Thanks unnie!”

“Guys! The fireworks are going to start soon!” Jaehee called out to all of them. 

Monday and Jaehee went to their own little spot and so did Jihan and Zoa so that they could spend more time with their girlfriends. 

Soeun and Soojin stood awkwardly with their sparklers. 

*cough* *cough* 

Soeun heard Jiyoon coughing in the distance and looked over to her friend. She saw Jiyoon pointing to some sort of small storage room on the hotel roof. She then motioned her arms to show a lifting position. Soeun understood what Jiyoon meant and gave her friend the okay sign. 

Jiyoon smiled and gave her friend a thumbs up and mouthed a good luck!

“Uh, hey” Soeun said to get Soojin’s attention. Soojin looked at Soeun curiously. “Want to go to a better place else to watch the fireworks?”

“Sure”

“Cool!” Soeun grabbed Soojin’s hand and pulled her over to the storage room. “Here, up you go!” Soeun wrapped her arms around Soojin and lifted the girl up. So she could reach the top of the storage room and get to the highest point on the hotel roof. 

“Woah!” Soojin said in surprise

“Hup!” Soeun grunted as she jumped up and lifted herself onto the high spot. “Wow! We’re really high up now!” Soeun said looking at the view. “Maybe we can do some parkour up here!” She joked. 

Soojin was a bit scared to be standing up so high on something that was on the roof but had no railing. “Are you sure we can be up here?”

“No clue, but it sure is cool!”

“I-I’m just going to sit down” Soojin said bending down to sit off the edge so she wasn’t that high but still pretty high up. 

“Okay!” Soeun sat down too. She checked her phone and saw that it said 11:45 The fireworks was going to start soon in about 15 min. 

The two were relaxing together in their private spot, waiting for the fireworks when Soojin rested her head on Soeun’s shoulder. 

Soeun smiled in response, and scooted closer, “What unnie? Tired already?”

Soojin had her eyes closed and nodded, still leaning against Soeun. “Mhmm”

“The fireworks are going to start soon” Soeun pointed out so Soojin didn’t miss it. 

“Okay” She responded but still had her eyes closed and cuddled with Soeun. 

“Are you cold?” Soeun asked worriedly, thinking that the older girl was cuddling for warmth. 

“A bit” Soojin said, noticing how cold it was on the rooftop at night, during winter. 

Soeun then moved away, to take off her jacket and put it around Soojin. “Better?” 

“Mmm... not yet” Soojin then grabbed Soeun’s hands and pulled the younger girl closer again, so that they were right next to each other. “Better.”

Soeun blushed at Soojin’s actions and looked at her phone again to check the time: 11:58. “Unnie, the fireworks start in 2 min.”

“Okay” and Soojin looked to the sky waiting in anticipation for the fireworks. 

Soeun’s phone beeped at 12:00, signaling that it was now the start of a new year. Fireworks began to explode in the sky all around them. 

“Wahh!” “Ooooh!” “Ahhh!” All their friends gasped at the display. 

Once all the fireworks died down, there was only a few still popping in the night sky. Soeun looked over to Soojin, eye-smiled and said “Happy New Year, Soojin unnie”

Soojin smiled brightly back at Soeun and responded “Happy New Year to you too, Soeun-ah”

Soeun could sense the tension in the air and felt like this was the time to confess. A mini Jiyoon appeared in her head coaching her: “Don’t forget to give her THIS!” And showed the toy dog plush. 

“Unnie, here, I have a surprise for you” Soeun said, “close your eyes”

Soojin closed her eyes, she heard some rustling coming from where Soeun was. 

“Okay, you can open your eyes now”

Soojin opened her eyes and was greeted by Soeun cutely holding the toy dog plush she wanted from the claw machine. “Oh my gosh!” Soojin exclaimed and reached over to grab the toy. “I thought we got kicked out of the arcade before you could win this?” She asked confused as to how Soeun got it, since the park employee kicked her out after attacking the machine. 

“Yeah, well... I have my ways” 

“Thank you so much, Soeun-ah” Soojin said happily and went over to Soeun to give her a big hug. Soojin wrapped her arms around Soeun’s neck and Soeun wrapped hers around Soojin’s waist. The hug was short but when Soojin pulled out of the hug slightly, the two blushed after realizing how close their faces were. 

Soeun’s heart was pounding so hard and fast in her chest she thought that she would pass out. She stared into Soojin’s eyes and slowly said “Soojin unnie...” Subconsciously the two of them kept leaning closer and closer to each other, until Soeun’s nose was touching Soojin’s. Soeun hesitated and glanced at Soojin’s lips, she looked back at the older girl’s face to find her eyes closed, Soeun took a small, shallow breath, and with all the confidence she had left, she willed herself to lean forward and close the distance between herself and Soojin. 

Her lips gently touched Soojin’s, and she felt the older girl flinch slightly but soon relax. Soojin’s lips were cold from the winter air, but Soeun didn’t mind at all, she felt warmth spread from her nervous beating heart, and tentatively reached out a hand to cup Soojin’s face gently. She slowly moved her lips against Soojin’s and felt the older girl respond. The two were kissing each other on the highest point of the hotel rooftop, fireworks in the background, on the first day of the New Year. Soeun didn’t know how long they kissed each other for, and did not care, she felt as if time had stopped and they were the only two people who existed, she didn’t even know if she was dreaming or not. She was doing it, she was kissing Soojin!

Soeun kept kissing Soojin until she felt the older girl slightly push her back and they separated. They both breathed heavily after their kiss, but Soeun smiled sweetly at Soojin and said “Soojin unnie, I like you.” 

After their kiss Soeun was determined to let Soojin know about her feelings, and felt like the older girl liked her back too. However she couldn’t help but feel nervous, waiting in anticipation for Soojin’s response. 

Soojin looked away from Soeun’s face frowning, “Soeun, I...”

——————

About 15 minutes before Soojin and Soeun’s kiss, Jiyoon was watching the fireworks in the sky and happily played with some sparklers by herself as she was the only one in the group that didn’t have a partner. 

She was having a blast, minding her own business, until she felt like she had to use the bathroom. She walked down from the rooftop and to the hotel floors. 

Jiyoon was happily humming to various songs on her way to back to the rooftop after using the bathroom. She passed by one room and overheard Soojin’s father talking to someone on the phone. 

Mr. Lee said “Oh really?! That’s great! Soojin should be so happy when she hears this!—— Yup! Don’t worry! ——— This would be great for both of our companies!” 

Jiyoon over heard the conversation and the more she listened the more surprised she became and her eyes widened. “Oh no! I need to tell Soeun about this before she confesses to Soojin unnie” she ran to the rooftop hoping she wasn’t too late. 

Jiyoon opened the door to the hotel rooftop looking frantically for Soojin and Soeun, she went over to the storage room that she had pointed out to Soeun and saw Soeun lying down on the top dejectedly. 

Jiyoon felt the sliver of hope that Soeun hadn’t confessed yet sink. She called out “I’m so sorry, dude”

Soeun sighed and stared at the night sky, “how’d you know, I already got rejected?”

Jiyoon bit her lip and explained “I overheard Soojin’s father talking on the phone, he said something about how Soojin and one of his friend’s son is supposed to get together, to help both of their companies.... or something like that” 

Soeun sighed again, “Jiyoon-ah, why am I so stupid? Why did I think I could have a chance with Soojin unnie?”

“I-I mean, I thought you did?”

“Soojin unnie, is our school’s popular president, daughter of a CEO, and already has an arranged boyfriend! All I did was mess up our friendship by telling her that I like her!” Soeun yelled out, frustrated with herself. 

“I’m really sorry Soeun, I’m a horrible wingman...” Jiyoon blamed herself for everything that has happened. 

“No, it’s alright Jiyoon. You were just trying to help. But could I ask you another favor?”

“Yeah, anything.”

“Could I sleep at your room tonight? It’ll be awkward for me to see Soojin unnie, and could you ride with her parents back. I want to stay with Monday and the girls and also avoid Soojin unnie too.” Soeun asked. 

Jiyoon nodded her head, “totally, don’t worry about it”

Soeun sat back up and jumped down from the storage roof. “Come on, let’s go. I’m tired”

Jiyoon followed her friend, and they went to room 3. 

——————

At room 3, Jihan and Zoa were already there and relaxing together. “Oh! Hello Unnies!” They greeted. 

“Why’s Soeun unnie here?” Zoa asked confused. 

“Oh some things came up and she couldn’t stay in her room.” Jiyoon vaguely explained. 

“Ohhh, okay?” The other two said. 

Room 3 had a different layout then the other rooms, where there was only one queen bed to share. Room 3 had 3 twin sized beds, and a small couch. 

Woah! This room is way larger than our other rooms. Jihan, Zoa, and Jiyoon hit the jackpot! Soeun thought. 

“Uh, I’ll sleep on the couch tonight” Jiyoon said, knowing that Soeun already had a rough time with Soojin and she wanted her friend to at least have a nice bed to sleep in. 

Soeun nodded and headed off to the bed. She was so tired from the amusement park, fireworks and her confession that she just wanted to sleep it all off and forget about everything. While lying down in her bed, she felt something in her pocket and reached out to pull it out. When she pulled it out, she looked at it and saw that it was the bracelet that she made for Soojin for her birthday. Just looking at it, Soeun felt her heart clench and eyes water slightly. She bit her lip to prevent any tears. Stop crying you idiot. She remembered what happened a few minutes before, after she confessed to Soojin. 

*flashback*

“Soojin unnie, I like you”

Soojin looked away from Soeun’s face frowning, “Soeun, I’m sorry” she pulled out of Soeun’s embrace and separated herself. “I... I- we... w-we’re just friends” she stumbled out, not looking at Soeun. 

“But we just kissed? I thought you liked me?” Soeun asked confused. She kissed me back didn’t she? I thought we were on the same page? Soeun tried to look into Soojin’s eyes to see what was going through the older girl’s mind but Soojin was avoiding eye contact. 

“I-I’m so sorry...” Soojin said as she slowly took off her bracelet that Soeun gave her for her birthday and handed it back to the younger girl. “I think it would be best to just stay as friends” She jumped down from the storage room rooftop and back down to the hotel rooftop. She left quickly, not once looking at Soeun, avoiding any more discussion.

Everything happened so quickly that Soeun just stood on the roof staring at the bracelet in her hand. 

*end flashback*

“Soeun!”

The sound of Jiyoon’s voice snapped Soeun out of her trance, and she got up and put the bracelet into her bag. When putting the bracelet away, she noticed her own wrist slightly glitter. She pulled her jacket sleeve up and on her wrist she saw the bracelet that Soojin made for her. She stared at it for a while before sliding it off her arm and putting it in her bag as well.

“Soeun, you can shower now.” Jiyoon let her know

Soeun nodded her head and went to take a shower.

——————

On the other hand, A few minutes after Soeun’s confession, Soojin had turned her down and had given Soeun back her bracelet. She headed back to her room but on her way to her room, Soojin bumped into her father who was lounging in the hallway. 

“Oh hello, father”

“Soojinnie, you know how much I care about you right?” 

Soojin slowly nodded her head. 

“Well, since I did as I promised and let you have some fun with your friends here, you better keep your end of the promise too.” Her father reminded. “I expect you to meet up with –“

“Yes father, I understand” Soojin cut her father off, not wanting to hear the lecture that was going to come. She didn’t want to talk about her arranged boyfriend right now, after she had rejected Soeun’s confession. She gulped down her feelings and forced out “I’ll meet up with him when school starts”

“Very good.” Her father said and walked back to his room. “I’ll send you his contact information tonight”

——————

The next day, the girls were packing their suitcases and heading to the hotel parking structure to go back home. 

Soeun walked to room 2, and opened the door hoping that Soojin had already packed up so she wouldn’t have to face the older girl. 

*creak* 

Soeun looked inside the room and saw Soojin staring at her. Soeun in a deep breath, internally cursing herself for having such bad luck. 

“S-sorry, I’ll come back another time...” Soeun said and went to go back outside the room. 

Soojin didn’t say anything and quickly finished packing. She opened the door and saw Soeun standing out in the hallway. “I’m done” and she went to meet the rest of the girls in the lobby. 

Soeun smiled and nodded, but it quickly faded when she noticed that Soojin didn’t even look at her. She frowned and thought Man I must have really screwed everything up. She won’t even look at me. 

Soeun went and packed her things up. 

At the parking structure the girls headed to the cars and Soojin hopped into her father’s and Soeun hopped into Monday’s. 

Monday and Jaehee both looked over at each other confused as to why Soeun was going into their car and not Soojin’s. Monday looked over to Soeun and noticed that her friend didn’t look like she wanted to talk so she just left her alone and decided to ask Jiyoon later. 

Jiyoon hopped into Soojin’s car, and noticed how Soojin didn’t even react to her coming into the car. I guess Soojin unnie, already knew Soeun wasn’t going to ride with her. 

In the car ride, Soojin’s father noticed how it was someone else riding in his car, “Hello! You must be another one of Soojin’s friends”

“Huh? Oh yes, I’m Jiyoon”

“Nice to meet you Jiyoon! Soojin here usually only talks about Soeun and the last time Soeun came over for Christmas so I only remember who Soeun is. Hahaha, It’s nice to see one of Soojin’s other friends” 

Jiyoon smiled slightly, and thought, Geez, this is so awkward, I can’t believe Soeun sat in this car the whole ride with Soojin’s parents. She looked over to Soojin and saw the older girl staring out the window not wanting to talk to her father, and listening to music. Jiyoon decided to avoid talking to Mr. and Mrs. Lee by just napping the entire ride back. 

Once the cars arrived back at Soojin’s house, the girls were going to head back home. Monday offered to drive some of them back but her car only fit 5 people,

“I’ll take the bus back” Soeun said. 

Jiyoon heard this and immediately said “No I’ll take the bus” she didn’t want her friend who was still in the dumps to take the bus by herself. 

“Really?” 

“Yeah, you can ride with Monday”

“Alright cool! See yah!” 

The girls all bid their goodbyes. 

———————

Winter break went by quickly after the amusement park trip and Soeun and Soojin have not once talked to each other since New Years. School was heading back and Soeun was worried about the student council club and how Soojin and her will solve their issues. 

Soeun was heading up to the rooftop of school like usual when she felt an arm plop around her shoulder. 

“S’up?” Jiyoon asked

Soeun just shrugged in response. 

“You haven’t talked to Soojin unnie, have you?” Jiyoon assumed. 

Soeun sighed and said “No, I haven’t. She hasn’t contacted me either though...”

Jiyoon still felt terrible about what happened between the two and said “Well... Soojin unnie, just sent out that we have a student council meeting today after school. Maybe you guys can talk to each other then”

Soeun nodded “Yeah...” she then continued to think about Soojin and their friendship thinking that it would be better to just stay as friends and fix this awkwardness between them. “Yeah!” She said a little bit more enthusiastically. 

“‘Yeah’ what?” A voice said. 

The two turned around and saw their other best friend, Monday. 

“Monday!” They both said. 

Monday looked at them confused and also asked “Why’re you so excited to see me? Also what happened between you and Soojin unnie?” She asked Soeun remembering that Soeun wanted to ride with her and not Soojin. 

“Ah...” Soeun mumbled. “Yeah... about that....”

“She confessed to Soojin unnie and got rejected” Jiyoon finished. 

“Hey!” 

“Huh?!!” Monday was shocked. “Soojin unnie rejected Soeun? I thought the two were perfect together. Why?”

Soeun grumpily said “Soojin unnie already has a boyfriend, that’s why”

“Eeehhh?!! Soojin unnie has a boyfriend?!”

Jiyoon shook her head at Monday’s loud voice. “An arranged boyfriend. Her father set her up with another guy”

“Ohhh so that’s why Soeun was rejected”

Soeun scoffed at Monday’s comment. “Whatever it was just a little crush, I’m going to talk to Soojin unnie today and clear out everything.” 

“Alright...” the other two said, knowing that Soeun didn’t have only a “little crush” but decided not to say anything. 

——————

After school the girls were all in the student council building. There was an awkward silence since Soeun and Soojin were in a not talking phase. 

Soeun decided to break it and say “So, what are we doing here?”

This caused the other girls except Monday and Jiyoon to burst out laughing. 

“As expected, the ‘02 trio has no idea about anything with the club.” Jaehee teased. 

Soojin also smiled and laughed as well. 

Soeun smiled embarrassingly but also in relief that the tension was broken. 

“We’re here since winter break is over, we have to prepare for upcoming events such as Welcoming back the students, preparing for the spring holidays, etc.” Soojin decided to start the meeting. 

“I see...” the other girls said. 

The meeting went on like usual and soon it finished. The other girls were cleaning up and heading home, Soeun stayed back a bit wanting to talk to Soojin. 

Soojin exited the student council room and locked the door. She was about to head home when she felt Soeun grab her hand and say “Soojin unnie, can we talk?”

Soojin tensed up, since she didn’t really want to talk to the younger girl, she felt bad that she had to reject Soeun’s confession especially after she had kissed her, and probably sent a lot of mixed signals to her as well. She felt guilty for doing all of this to Soeun and yet the younger girl still liked Soojin. 

“...sure” Soojin responded and the two went to someplace more private. 

When the two arrived at a bench near the bus stop, they both sat down. After they sat down, the two spoke at the same time. “Soeun...” “Soojin unnie...” 

The two looked at each other and laughed. “You can go first” Soojin said. 

“Okay...” Soeun started. “Soojin unnie, I know I said I liked you the last time, but I heard from Jiyoon that you already have a boyfriend...” 

Soojin furrowed her eyebrows surprised that Soeun knew about the boyfriend thing. 

“... and so I understand that you don’t like me back the same way. I’m hoping that even though I said I like you, we can still be close friends. I don’t want to not be friends with you just because of my confession.” Soeun continued. “How about we just forget what happened on New Years and go back to how we were before?” 

Soojin slowly nodded her head listening to Soeun. “I’m so sorry, Soeun-ah.” Soojin said, letting her tears fall. “I probably made you feel so confused when I rejected you and then you learn that I already have a boyfriend. I’m such a terrible person” Soojin cried, she felt guilty for causing all of this to happen. She would have wholeheartedly accepted Soeun’s confession back then but she knew her father wouldn’t allow it. 

“No no unnie, your not a bad person” Soeun comforted. 

“Shouldn’t you hate me?” Soojin said. 

“No, I don’t hate you, unnie. How could I?” Soeun said. “Don’t worry about it. So... when can the girls and I meet your boyfriend?” She tried to change the subject. 

Soojin smiled a bit, and said “I don’t know. I don’t even know who he is yet” 

“What? You don’t know who your boyfriend is? What if he’s some sort of douchebag?”

Soojin smiled at Soeun’s protectiveness. “No my father hand picked him and sent me some info so he’s probably a good guy. I think?”

Soeun shrugged. “Whatever. When you meet him be sure to tell us. We, as your closest friends, have to approve of him too” She teased. 

Soojin laughed “Alright”

The two smiled at each other and walked to the bus stop. 

Before Soojin left she worriedly asked “So no hard feelings about... everything, right?” 

Soeun smiled to reassure Soojin, “no hard feelings. We’re friends, aren’t we?”

Soojin nodded and left, waving to Soeun. Soeun waved back and when Soojin was gone, She plopped back onto the bench and sighed. 

“Haaahhh” Soeun sighed, she couldn’t help but feel a bittersweet feeling in her chest. No. she thought. This is for the betterment of our friendship. 

———————

Notes

Sorry this chapter is shorter than the previous ones and also it took a long time to write. I was going back and forth on if I wanted to go down this path for the story but since I did, there’s no turning back. 

Is this story getting too dragged out? Hahaha well, I’m planning on ending this at the end of the characters school year graduation, so there's still a little more to come.

Also I'm sorry for taking so long to write this chapter the next one shouldn't take as long, hopefully. 

Thank you for reading! :)