Huh?

 

‘When did I get here?’ Yuna thinks as she looks at her surroundings, finding it unfamiliar. Wasn't she having dinner with her colleagues? How did she end up on a bench looking at kids chasing each other at the playground? How is it that the sky is bright when it's supposed to be dark at night? Looking down at her own outfit, she's still wearing the same clothes. Did she end up getting too drunk and end up sleeping overnight at the park? However, if it's the next day, shouldn't she be feeling hungover from all the alcohol she drank? Yuna has too many questions in mind that she can't seem to find any answers for them. All she wants to know is how exactly did she get herself here and why did Eunha let her get away with it. It just doesn't seem right. She can't be dreaming, can she?

 

Standing up, Yuna wants to walk around the place, wanting to remember at least a part of what had happened the previous night. However, an all-too-familiar voice stops her from moving even just a step and causes goosebumps to form on her skin.

 

“You really can't stay still, can you?”

 

Yuna doesn't know how to react when her eyes fall on Man— Yewon who is giving her a playful glare. (Wait… a playful one?) Lowering her gaze slightly, she sees two cones of ice cream— one vanilla and the other mint chocolate— in each of the young manager's hands. The fact that the latter isn't giving her a stern look makes her seem more intimidating.

 

“Manager Kim?” she utters, her mind suddenly in a state of frenzy trying to remember just about anything that had happened.

 

“I thought I told you to call me by my real name,” Yewon juts her lower lip out slightly, feigning hurt.

 

What? 

 

Is she acting cute now?

 

“How did I get here?” Yuna asks, feeling uncomfortable with the proximity between her and Yewon. “Isn't it supposed to be night?”

 

“What are you talking about? It's currently one in the afternoon,” Yewon's brows are furrowed as she looks at her in confusion.

 

“This has got to be a dream,” she mutters to herself. “It has to be.”

 

“It's not, silly. You were the one who asked me out on this date.”

 

No, no, no. 

 

It can't be.

 

Yuna will never ask Yewon out on a date.

 

‘Wake up, Choi Yuna,’ she tells herself as she gently pats both her cheeks. ‘Wake. Up.’

 

“Yuna—”

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

“Choi Yuna.”

 

.

 

Yuna feels a sharp pain in her head the moment she jolts awake, a loud groan leaves her lips when she tries to open her eyes— only to close them back quickly as the sun is shining too bright for her liking.

 

“Good, you're finally awake.”

 

… Yewon? 

 

Why is she hearing her voice again?

 

She can't be having a different dream now, can she?

 

The pounding in her head feels extremely unbearable that Yuna can't differentiate between dream and reality at this point. All she wants is to cover herself with the soft, comfortable blanket from head to toe and sleep for a few more hours until the pain subsides and she can function properly again. Just how much did she drink last night? She can't seem to recall anything much after downing the fifth shot in one go.

 

“You can sleep more, I guess. I know hangovers can be a real pain.”

 

There goes the voice again.

 

Yuna finds it a joke that Yewon has been in her mind the whole time since the incident with the customer a few days ago. Every time she tries to divert her thoughts to something else, there is always a way for the manager to stay in her mind as if she's forever engraved in there and nothing can replace her. It scares Yuna, honestly, how she wants to see that very same smile on Yewon again. Every time she thinks of it, warmth spreads all over her chest and she finds herself looking around the store for the latter, with the hope that she will catch a glimpse of her even if it's only for a second.

 

How can one simple act of niceness have that much impact on her?

 

Yuna is supposed to dislike Yewon.

 

The manager treats her coldly most of the time compared to her other colleagues.

 

She’s a devil in disguise so how is it with just a smile, she seems like an angel instead? Her outer appearance truly is deceiving, Yuna thinks. That’s probably how she controls the people around her and gets them to do whatever she tells them to do but Yuna won’t fall for that. She won’t let Yewon do that to her. However, it might be hard to follow her own words when her mind is still filled with everything Yewon. The fact that she can also smell Yewon's scent at the moment is slowly driving her insane.

 

Wait.

 

Yewon's scent?

 

The throbbing in her head is forgotten as she sits upright on the bed and forces her eyes wide open, only to be greeted by an unfamiliar view.

 

‘Am I hallucinating things now?’ she thinks to herself as she gently rubs her eyes, wincing slightly when she feels a sudden sharp sting in her head. ‘I should really learn how to say no when it comes to drinking.’

 

“Are you fully awake now?”

 

God, no.

 

Not the voice once more.

 

“Can you please just stay out of my mind,” she groans, not realising that Yewon is physically leaning against the doorframe and she isn't hearing things at all.

 

"Should I be honoured that I'm living in your mind rent-free?” 

 

Yuna quickly turns her head to the source of the voice, her jaw hanging slightly when she notices Yewon (is she really not dreaming still?) looking at her with an amused look. 

 

“That's if you're actually thinking of me.”

 

“I'm… not imagining things?” she asks blankly.

 

It takes her brain ten seconds to process the fact that the figure in front of her is indeed the last person she wanted to see at the moment and that wherever she is right now isn't her own home. It's starting to make so much sense as to why the interior design of the room is different and why the bed she's currently on is more comfortable than her own.

 

So… 

 

Just how did she end up here?

 

“I know you may have a lot of questions to ask but I need you to wash up first and then have breakfast— well, lunch now with me once you're done. I've left a piece of clothing that I think is perfect for your size, a brand new towel and toothbrush in the bathroom which is just on your right-hand side. Feel free to use whatever is in there too. I'll heat your hangover soup in the meanwhile.”

 

“Okay,” Yuna simply answers. She knows Yewon wouldn't give her a reply if she were to ask a question now. (Or maybe she would but Yuna's just scared to ask her any question because the former is looking at her expressionlessly.)

 

“I'll see you in a while,” Yewon says before walking out of the room, leaving Yuna alone to fully grasp the situation that this moment is indeed a reality and not just a figment of her imagination or a dream.

 

Why is Yewon revolving around her life suddenly? Yuna can't even tell if that is a good or bad thing. 

 

She can worry about that later though. 

 

Now, she needs to know how she got here and what had happened the previous night. 

 

••

 

“I'm glad the shirt fits you well.”

 

Yuna feels heat rushing up to her cheeks at the subtle compliment (is it even considered as one?) given by Yewon. Never in her life has she ever thought that she would be wearing her shirt yet alone staying the night over at her house. The fact that she even has Yewon's scent now makes her feel as though life is mocking her for all the times she has expressed discontent for the young manager.

 

“We can talk as we eat our food. Slowly ask your questions too because you're not needed at work for today,” Yewon adds as she takes a seat on the stool after placing two mugs filled with tea— Yuna assumes from the colour— on the table.

 

“Don't you need to go to work?” she asks out of curiosity.

 

“I took leave and asked Yerin to help me take care of the store for today. You can leave as soon as all your questions are answered and when you feel all better to go home. If not, I can send you home with my car.”

 

“I-I think I've troubled you enough, Manager Kim— I mean Y-Yewon— I can really call you that, can't I?”

 

At this point, Yuna wants to erase her existence on Earth or at least in Yewon's memory only. How is she supposed to act around the latter alone with no Eunha to back her up? At least at work, she's able to excuse herself easily to tend to a customer when that isn't exactly necessary. Now, being in Yewon's apartment, she has nowhere to run to.

 

“Of course you can,” Yewon chuckles lightly, an amused smile can be seen on her lips, further causing Yuna to be more embarrassed than she already is. “And you should relax. We're off work now. I'm just an ordinary Kim Yewon and not the Manager Kim you know at work.”

 

‘That's very reassuring,’ Yuna thinks to herself. She can't seem to see or find herself relaxing around the younger woman.

 

Or perhaps… she can try.

 

‘I don't think you're wide awake yet, Choi Yuna. Why are you even thinking of trying?’

 

“Is this really not a dream? Why are you being so nice to me?”

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