Minju thinks about the days Chaewon silently held her hands, no words slipped out. The silence that Minju used to be eager to break, now comfortably laid on them like a blanket, and Minju was shiver under the coziness of it. Maybe, verbal exchanges are unnecessary, when Minju rather admiring the slope of Chaewon's nose, the way her eyes clouded with thoughts that Minju might never figure out the reason, and the bubbling desire to touch the other's lips with her own takes everything in her to not do something stupid.

"Minju." Chaewon leans in the comfort namely Minju's shoulders.

"Yes?"

"You know I care for you more than I show right?"

Minju can't help but let out a giggle, and Chaewon's pouty lips just amplify the swells in her heart.

"What with the sudden cheesiness?"

"Just because, you always seem to have a lot on your mind."

The latter half is muffled into Minju big comfy hoodie, but she hears it clear as day. For someone is hard to read like Chaewon, she clearly is too good at seeing through Minju.

"What about you unnie?" Minju pipes up from where she rests on Chaewon's forehead,

"What is on your mind?"

Maybe, Minju should learn to keep her curiosity to herself. Maybe, knowing the reason behind the flash of rare affectionate on the older's eye would just slowly drown herself down.

Later on that night, Chaewon was uncharacteristically passionate, eagerly explain the vision of her own love story (Minju blames it on the sickening rom-com she chose and half-forced Chaewon to watch, but she doesn't have the heart to cut out the girl.). It was specifically described and full of details, as if Chaewon has always had this kind of thought on her head everyday and replays it a thousand times how it should turn out, with someone, maybe.

The drama has been long forgotten, the heated dialogue of the protagonists are now just muffled background noises to Chaewon's voice, the TV screen is the only source of dim light illuminates on the hazelnut orbs. They sit too close to each other that Minju can feel her warm skin under the oversized hoodie, and all Minju wishes is to be drunk at that moment so she can blame the alcohol for kissing her best friend.

"...and you know I just want to have someone to do the same for me. Just like Ted Mosby."

Chaewon is now silent and the sudden nudge in the ribcage snaps Minju out of her train of thought.

Since when Chaewon is into these kinds of romantic things?

"...you mean you want to be friend-zoned?"

"No-", Chaewon slightly deflated at the clueless remark, "someone who is willing to stay till the end."

Minju timidly nods, suddenly don't know what to say.

"But I don't think I will ever have the courage to make it comes true." Her whisper is almost inaudible, and Minju would have missed it if Chaewon doesn't snuggle back to Minju crook of neck, lips practically hover over her ears.

So she does have someone in mind.

Minju wonders who can make a always calm and collected Chaewon to be this flustered, the lucky one to have her love, though at this moment she is not sure she wants to know anymore.

"Unnie," Minju draws the girl in closer if that possible, try to mask the uncertainty in her own voice, "You will eventually find them, the one."

Chaewon doesn't seem to be fully convinced, fingers mindlessly fidget with the hem of Minju's hoodie and absolutely not aware of the match she has ignited.

Minju knows she is painfully sober, so she blames it on their almost-nonexistent distance, the way Chaewon smells too much like baby powder that sends her head haywire and the seemingly doubt that urges Minju to reassure the girl. So she gives in, too eager to kiss away the worries on the latter's eyes that all the red flags are thrown to the back of her head.

She does it anyway.

---

Minju takes in a deep breath, consoles herself Chaewon's phone might be on silence, that she might be in a somewhat unexpected circumstance to not receive Minju's fifth call of the night and a lots more unread messages.

Mayhap she is just busy.

Mayhap Chaewon is not purposely avoiding her and Minju doesn't feel like blaming herself for everything they've built to crumble down.

---

"Hey."

It's just eight in the morning and Minju is seriously sleep-deprived (in fact she doesn't sleep at all). So Minju blinks once, and again and again just to make sure she sees things right.

The air feels like knocked out of her lungs at that very moment, when Chaewon stands in front of her door after days of pretending each other does not exist. Minju doesn't fail to notice Chaewon looks extra pretty today (she has always been), the very floral, above-the-knee dress that Minju has countlessly praise her for and lips bright red, eyes twinkling with the softest smile plastered on her face.

She looks fine, and Minju can't help to think that Chaewon still does without Minju's on her side.

When Chaewon's expression faltered just a little bit, Minju realized she still hasn't uttered a word to the girl.

"...Hi, unnie. You plan to go somewhere?"

Minju almost bit her tongue, but the question already rolled out of .

The uneasiness on the older's eyes, the way Chaewon's bangs curl softly on her forehead, her timid smile still hasn't left since the beginning, and the habit of playing with her fingers when she is extra nervous or deep in thought. Minju's mind suddenly plays back to the conversation nights ago, fails to suppress the stings that slowly make way to spread through her body at the thought of the only possible reason.

Chaewon has finally got the courage.

Maybe Minju should do too.

"I just need to get something done. A really important one."

There is a clear hint of nervousness in Chaewon's voice, and she seems to try reading whatever is going on behind Minju's unphased facade. Just for this time, Minju can't let Chaewon read her through anymore.

"Oh,... good luck unnie," Minju knows her shaky smile might not be convincing, but she hopes Chaewon understands.

"I'm sure whoever it is, is lucky to have your attention."

Minju means it, but Chaewon doesn't need to know.

There is no answer after that, or Minju didn't let Chaewon to do so. Chaewon disappears behind the closed door as Minju shoved it way too fast before she can react, but she is certain in the split second their eyes met, there are glistening tears on the younger's.

Chaewon heaves back a defeated sigh, her seemingly just mustered courage now is on the verge of collapsing again, but she can't back down anymore.

"Minju-"

"Can we talk?"

"..."

Albeit without response, Chaewon has to pull this through. Now or never.

"Sorry for the last few days," Chaewon half-whispers, prays that the other across the door can hear her clearly. "I just need to think something through."

After somewhat seems like minutes passing by and Chaewon's coward self almost gets her run away from this distressing situation,

"So that something must be much more important than me that you don't even bother to inform."

Chaewon frowns at the bite in Minju's tone, even though she knows she deserves it, it piques up the sudden frustration in her chest.

"Don't say that Minju. Isn't that I'm here now to explain?"

"Why should you unnie? You could go ahead and do whatever you need to do instead of staying here."

A beat of silence passes by, and instant regret starts to gnaw on Minju. After all, Chaewon doesn't deserve this. Chaewon has always been patient, and she still is, standing out there behind the door to confront an unreasonable Minju slashing out on her. Deep down she knows it's just the fear of being left behind gets the best of her again, that finally, Chaewon is going to take her leave now.

Minju heard a sigh, and Chaewon's whisper sipping through the thick wooden material rings in her ears,

"I freaking do Minju, but she refuses to have a direct conversation with me without a door in between."

Chaewon swears she could have fallen face down if she didn't back down fast enough from the sudden swing opened door, a widen eyes Minju revealed behind. Thank God for her trained reflex whenever she is around the younger to prevent the clumsy girl to hurt herself.

"What-"

"You said it Kim Minju. Didn't you tell me to do something about my love fantasy?"

Chaewon's choice of words is questionable, but Minju is too perplexed right now to even comprehend what the girl just blurted out.

"I know it's odd but at some point when I think of what it's like to have someone to do all the disgustingly romantic and cheesy things in your favorite rom-com with, I always imagine it to be you. It bugs me for who knows how long despite how much I try to convince myself otherwise. Not until that night though,... your lips just feel right. But anyway, I'm the biggest coward that doesn't really know how to confront my problem so-"

Chaewon suddenly is crashed into a tight hug, till something soft eagerly finds its way to press on her lips. Minju's clumsy kiss is nothing compared to the kissing scene on those TV shows, but Chaewon won't trade anything for it.

"Jeez, Kim Minju. At least let me finish my words."

The younger still refuses to look at her face as Chaewon faintly feels her lips moving on her collar bones,

"I'm still mad you ghosted me for days. I thought you already left me for someone else..."

Chaewon softens at the sadness hidden in Minju's tone though she tries, tightens their embrace a little bit more and steals pecks on Minju's forehead.

"I'm sorry."

"Hmph."

They stand there in now comfortable silence, being engulfed in each other warmth a little bit more that they don't bother to move inside, even though cuddling right in front of the house door is a bit embarrassing.

"So, tell me," Minju pipes up, and Chaewon teasingly ignores the clear implication in the younger voice, "what do you come here for?"

Chaewon her head aside in feigned contemplating,

"To ask for your companion on accomplishing my love fantasy?"

Minju scrunches her nose in disgust, though her dusted pink cheeks and wide grin tell otherwise,

"Sure, idiot. I love you too."

---

---

---