minjoo turns her head and meets yena's gaze. "yena, i love you," she whispers softly, cupping yena's jaw. 

she smiles as she continues, "but your breath stinks right now." 

"ouch," yena whines after her face gets pushed away. she breathes onto her palm. "it's not that bad, c'mon."

"you know i hate how alcohol smells."

"you could put it a little more nicely." she clicks her tongue and downs her cup of beer.

"i've been trying to do just that." minjoo gestures to the couch they're sitting on. about an hour ago, they were on the far right side. but every time minjoo had put a little space between her and yena, the latter closed the distance. now they're on the far left side with her crammed to the arm rest. "why do you have to lean so close when you talk anyway?"

"well, the music is loud. how would you hear otherwise?" yena reasons.

"maybe i don't need to hear about how pretty chaewon is for an hour straight?"

yena chuckles to herself. "straight. good one."

"are you in 7th grade?" minjoo rolls her eyes. sometimes, she forgets that this is the same yena who can ace exams with her eyes closed. 

"wait, what are we talking about again?" yena asks, eyes unfocused.

"about how you should stop drinking now." minjoo takes the cup from her and sets it down the coffee table in front of them. "anyway, here's what i think. if you think she's so pretty in that black dress, then you should go over there and tell her. not me."

"nope, no way. also. you clearly weren't listening because i also talked about how cool she is in blazers."

minjoo rolls her shoulders. "fine, whatever. but nothing will happen if you don't do anything about it."

"can't hear you," yena says. she reaches for her cup again but minjoo swats her arm away. "ow," she groans. "i'll think about it, okay? but i'll need a lot of drinks if i do it."

"fine." minjoo gives up and lets yena take another sip. sometimes, she forgets that this is the same person who can speak in front of a packed auditorium like it's nothing.

"why are you so pissy anyway? lighten up, school's finally over for a bit." 

right, the term's over. that's why they're in some senior's place, celebrating. for the hundredth time that evening, she asks herself what she's doing there instead of chilling in bed after barely sleeping through finals week. there's too many people and she has more fingers in one hand than people she cares about here. the alcohol, she could live without. the music is awfully loud (awful and loud). and it's not even as loud as the cheering in the room with people gathering around some beer pong game. everything is uninteresting and everyone is too lively. why and for what, she has no clue.

her eyes roam around the room, searching for a reason why she's sitting there.

aside from the lazy smile sprawled on yena's face, that is. her friend's eyes are fixed on someone at the other side of the room — kim chaewon who is busy throwing ping pong balls. but then again, yena knows practically everyone in the party. she doesn't have to be around, really.

"i should've gone home instead." minjoo sighs. against her will, her eyes shift to the doorway whenever someone enters.

"oh." yena says like it's a eureka moment. beaming at minjoo, she says. "oh, so it's because your girl's not around?"

"what do you mean 'your girl'? first of all, i don't know who you're talking about?" minjoo says, glaring at a nodding yena. "second of all, i don't have a girl period."

yena smirks. "which is exactly why you're being pissy." 

"shut it. you're not much better off than me."

"oh wait, there she is," yena suddenly murmurs as she taps minjoo's shoulders repeatedly. "you can stop being so pissed off now."

before minjoo can figure out what the hell yena is going on about, she finds herself being dragged to the other end of the room.

the reason™ is now magically there. she's leaning against a wall, an identical cup idly hovering her lips as she chats up some girl. their conversation ends right as yena comes up and ruffles her hair. "hey, yul. i was wondering why you weren't with chaewon."

it's yuri. chaewon's best friend. she's in most of minjoo's (and yena's classes). jo yuri. whose name is practically permanently on the dean's list. who spins her pen when she's in deep in thought. who squints her eyes and scrunches her nose when she disagrees with what someone is saying.

whose just-ruffled hair is almost begging to be run through. 

"wondering about me or just wondering about chaewon?" yuri smirks. always oozing with confidence when she speaks. 

yena laughs nervously. "good one. i don't get it but good one." lucky for her, yuri doesn't press on. unlucky for minjoo, she checks on her phone and starts taking steps back. "oh, look at that. my phone's ringing."

minjoo rolls her eyes hard. "no, it's not." she can't help but laugh at the poor attempt though.

"uh, yes it is." yena bites her bottom lip, probably biting back her laughter too. "it's on silent but someone's calling." minjoo tries to pull her back but she just whispers, "don't smile too wide. it's a wee bit too obvious." she takes another step but then turns around. "oh, one last thing."

"what now? just leave if you're leaving." minjoo shakes her head fondly.

"someone once told me that nothing will happen if you don't do anything about it." yena winks and then walks away.

dammit, smartass.

when minjoo turns back, yuri is looking at her with amusement. "what's up with her?"

"trying to leave me alone with you," she says without thinking.

"huh? why?"

"oh...uh, to go to uhm..."

"chaewon?" yuri offers. a smile is sneaking onto her face.

"maybe?" 

yuri shakes her head, laughing. "i think i need another drink. you?"

minjoo declines but agrees to come with her to get one. well, not just one. but she couldn't bring herself to leave.

it's almost instinct — saying yes to yuri (not that she gets a lot of chances to do so). so, a while later, she just nods when yuri asks, "i'm gonna go get some air. wanna come with?"

yuri abandons her cup and loops her arm around minjoo's as they walk out of the house. "i'm a bit dizzy," she explains. "you don't mind, right?" 

"it's fine," minjoo says. weirdly, she doesn't mind even if the same alcohol smell dances around her nose because of how close yuri is.

they walk aimlessly until they decide to head to the playground in the neighborhood. yuri talks a lot. especially when she's drunk, it seems. she talks about her pets. names the breed of the dogs that they pass by. fumes about not being able to see many stars in the sky. she has something to say about everything that catches her eye. 

only unusual because school is mostly what they talk about. exams, quizzes, stupid homework. just meaningless stuff.

ah. 

minjoo finally realizes why she's not too happy about the term ending. she might not end up in the same class as yuri anymore. she'd get less chances to see her around, less excuses to start conversations. no more messages to clarify what the heck their professor wanted them to do.

the playground is empty when they arrive. yuri takes her arm away, much to minjoo's dismay. but then she giggles as she runs towards the slide, climbing up the tower that connects to it. and suddenly minjoo feels as giddy. not even a minute and her cheeks already hurt from smiling.

"hey, minjoo." yuri leans against the railing of the tower she's a bit too tall for. 

minjoo looks up to her. "yeah?" follows her as she crouches and goes through the slide. 

"sorry for being too talkative." yuri asks, sitting at the mouth of the slide. she slides off and taps the patch of grass next to her. and of course, minjoo obliges. 

"it's fine, i don't mind." two small sips. that's all the alcohol in minjoo's system. she doesn't know why she says, "i like listening to you talk."

yuri's lips curve upwards. slowly. and then she giggles. "sorry for dragging you away from the party then." 

"i should thank you for that actually." 

tilting her head, yuri asks, "oh? why did you go then?" 

minjoo shrugs. "i don't know. yena—" the next thing she knows, yuri's hand is hovering over her face. 

yuri seems to have more in her system. she tucks a strand of hair behind minjoo's ear. "have i told you? your eyes are really pretty."

"wha—huh?"

yuri takes her hand back. giggling, she says, "uh. sorry. i think i drank too much." 

"it's fine." minjoo runs her hand through her hair. tries to make it so that it would hide the blush threatening her cheeks.

"you say that a lot."

"then i'll say 'it's okay' next time."

minjoo thinks she can get lost in the sound of yuri's chuckle that follows.

"so you went to the party for yena," yuri sits up straight — her eyebrows drawn together. "and yena went for chaewon, who likes her. also. also? wai—

"i didn't say that. you didn't hear that."

minjoo rolls her lips in, tries to hold in her laugh. "it's fin—i mean it's okay, i'll pretend i didn't hear that."

"good," yuri breathes out. "chaewon would kill me if yena finds out before she's figured out whatever fancy way she wants to confess.

minjoo stares at her, raises an eyebrow as if to ask whether that's something she should've also heard.

yuri looks back at her until she processes it. her eyes widen. ". i'm not supposed to say that either. i think."

"let's just say i'll pretend i didn't hear whatever you say while you're drunk."

"so, i can just say what i want then?"

"why not?"

"okay. then minjoo, did you mean it? when you said that you like listening to me talk?"

"what?" minjoo plays dumb but doesn't hide her smile. "did i say that? it might've been the alcohol talking."

"i didn't see you drink at all."

"maybe i did and you just didn't see."

"not likely." yuri says, with a strange smile. minjoo doesn't understand what she means exactly but she doesn't get a chance to ask. "so, did you?"

"okay, fine. i meant it."

yuri nods to herself. "good. that's good."

"what's good? why good?"

"i guess i can stop asking you stupid questions now."

"huh? stupid questions?" minjoo thinks back. yuri never asks stupid questions. she just asks a lot about the professor's instructions and guidelines. just things that would be in the email they send. things that they would write on the board for everyone to take photos of. things that a student like yuri wouldn't ever miss. 

when she looks at yuri, she sees a sheepish smile on her face. 

huh. 

"why?"

"i don't know. you're weird, minjoo. you make me weird. my mind goes haywire when you're around. like, all of a sudden, i don't know how to start a conversation." yuri shrugs and smiles lazily. like she didn't just cause minjoo's mind to go haywire.

"oh." 

"sorry. i bothered you a lot, didn't i?"

"i—i didn't mind." minjoo says, quietly. "i like it when you ask me questions."

"you do? you like questions, huh? so what else do you like about me?"

"wha—i didn't say that. i just said that i don't mind you asking questions."

"ah, so you don't like me."

"it's not that. it's—" minjoo is thinking of a way to phrase it when she sees yuri smirk. "you're messing with me."

chuckling, yuri nudges her. "so tell me. what other things do you like me doing?"

"i'm not drunk enough for that."

"i am. don't worry, i'll forget." 

"i like it when...

minjoo focuses on the grass beneath her. thinks of where to start. wonders why she's even considering actually telling yuri.

"when you take the seat next to mine. or when you see me and tell me to take the seat next to yours." she takes a peek at yuri who is looking at her intently. 

"okay, go on."

"you think i like a lot of things you do?"

"you don't?"

"cocky, aren't we?"

"you hate that?" yuri leans forward. cocky smile on her face.

"no, it's..." minjoo stiffens in place. yuri is inches away from her face. her breath is laced with cheap liquor smell that minjoo should barely be able to tolerate. intoxicating. "whatever."

"okay, my turn then." yuri finally leans away. she looks away when she continues. "i like how patient you are with me. how you explain to me what i say i don't understand so sincerely. i think i would've told myself to get lost and pay attention in class instead."

there's a glint in yuri's eyes. she talks about the simple things minjoo does like they're worth much more.

"i like it when you send me songs that you like." minjoo stops herself before she could ramble about how it makes her week. didn't drink enough for that.

"i like how smiley you are with me."

minjoo frowns. she doesn't act that differently around yuri. "what? am not."

"you are. i never realized until chaewon told me you're kind of scary. she says you always have a grumpy face on."

"no, i don't." although yena frequently asks her whether she's mad about something. it's just that a lot of annoying things happen on a daily, er, hourly basis. but she's not a permanent grump. she thinks.

"you're making it now.

minjoo shakes her head and looks away. she pretends to sulk and ignores when yuri taps her shoulder.

"i like your grumpy face too."

"you're drunk." minjoo replies, fighting a smile.

"hey minjoo?"

"yeah?"

"i like you. 

minjoo doesn't answer. she doesn't know how to.

"and i want to find more things to like about you.

it's quiet in the playground with no one around. she's almost certain yuri would be able to hear the sound of her heartbeat if she were any closer.

"hey minjoo? you okay?"

"i—i...o...okay." minju clears . not that it's particularly helpful. "i'm okay."

yuri hums. "i'm not really that drunk. 

she moves away a little. their arms are no longer touching and minjoo feels like she can breathe more easily then. she watches yuri lie on her back, turning sideways to face her.

"but i'll say it again when i'm sober. can you remind me?"

"okay," minjoo murmurs.

"hey minjoo?"

"can you stop with the 'hey minjoo'?”

"your face is really red. you okay?" 

minjoo wants so badly to wipe off the proud smirk on yuri's face. she settles on throwing a pebble instead.

"i'm gonna tell you tomorrow again," yuri mutters repeatedly as minjoo chuckles. "i'll tell you properly."

once her eyes are closed and her breathing has steadied, minjoo inches closer to her. "hey yuri? i want to find more things to like about you too," she whispers into the night breeze, smile as wide as the one on yuri's face.