Mornings got a lot colder as December approached and usually, Ryujin would sleep a little longer; but not today. Yeji said she was going to pick her up so that they could go to school together and the younger girl is not going to make her wait.

She purposely woke up earlier so that she could prepare breakfast and lunch for her unnie.

"Woah! Is that mine? Our Ryujin is all grown up now. How good of you little sister," her brother said as he was about to grab the lunch bag.

Ryujin was quick to move it out of his reach, "Hell nah. Go make your own, this is not for you."

Her older brother raised an eyebrow, "Who is it for then? It can't be for you because you never bothered to do it before. Something about 'being able to buy food so why waste time preparing when you can use it for sleeping', wasn't that right?"

*Honk*

"Whatever," Ryujin said. "I'm going, bye!"

-

Yeji parked the car in reverse, turned the engine off and was quick to run to the other side to open the door for Ryujin. The girls started heading towards the school entrance when they saw Moonbyul and Solar walking together.

"Kim Solar!" Yeji shouted. The said girl saw them and started walking towards their direction; the younger one following suit.

"Fancy, seeing you here," Yeji joked when the other pair joined them.

"Yeji, I study here," Solar said with an eye-roll.

"Oh really? I didn't know," Moonbyul chimed in, which earned a glare from the older girl.

Yeji looped her arm around her best friend's, "We haven't hung out in a while," she said with a pout.

"Yeah, we all have been busy... with stuff," Solar seemed to have hesitated with her choice of words.

"My parents will be away this weekend. Would you like to have a sleep over at my place? We can invite the whole team?" Moonbyul offered.

"OMG, yes!" the leader exclaimed. "Moonbyul, you are goddess sent," she added.

"Alright, done! I'll send a message in the group chat," she said. She turned to Solar, "Should we get you breakfast before the classes start?"

Solar nodded before asking the other girls, "Would you like to come?"

Yeji was about to answer when Ryujin interrupted, "Ah no, it's okay. I have to show unnie something."

Solar looked at Yeji and the latter shrugged, "See you in class?"

"See you!" Solar said, already walking away with Moonbyul in tow.

Yeji looked at Ryujin, "So, what were you going to show me?" she asked.

"Depends on what you would like to see," Ryujin said in a teasing tone.

Yeji raised an eyebrow. Oh, we are playing that game? she thought and stepped forward. She leaned in, put against Ryujin's ear and whispered, "You," before pulling back to see the younger girl's reaction.

Ryujin's body stilled and her breath caught in . She met Yeji's gaze and for a moment, there was a force beckoning her closer. She wanted to say something but her mind seemed to have failed her and she found herself having so much difficulty forming thoughts into speech - as if the only thing left was to just do.

Yeji noticed a sudden shift in Ryujin's eyes. It was different to how she looked at her before; more intense and tempting. It gave her an overwhelming desire to feel; something she wasn't entirely familiar with. The sensation took her by surprise and she had to blink the thoughts away. She let out a shaky breath she didn't realise she was holding and faked a giggle, "You should've seen your face."

"Meanie," Ryujin muttered, walking away. Yeji, with her longer legs, caught up quickly and took her hand.

"Seriously, what were you going to show me?" she asked, still trying to shake off the unfamiliar feeling.

Ryujin held up the lunch bag, "I got you breakfast and lunch." When she saw the excited look on Yeji's face she added, "Don't get used to it. I hate waking up early."

Yeji pulled Ryujin closer by the arm and softly said, "Thank you."

Is she shy? Ryujin thought. Cute.

"Ah, what good thing have I done in my past life to deserve you? You didn't have to to do this though," Yeji said as they kept walking to find an empty bench in the campus.

"Mhmm, but I wanted to."

"Yeah, but you could've slept in."

"And I didn't want to sleep in because I wanted to do this instead."

"I know, but-"

Ryujin stopped walking which prompted a confused look from Yeji's face. "Babe?"

"Just..." Ryujin sighed. She started walking again and tugged on Yeji's hand. "Just let me take care of you, Hwang Yeji," she muttered under her breath but loud enough for the other girl to hear.

-

Saturday finally rolled around, not that Ryujin was waiting, nope. The dancer checked her stuff once more to make sure that she hasn't forgotten anything. It was her first sleep over at a non-relative's house. It wasn't because her parents were strict. Ryujin just really enjoyed her 'me' time so it came to a surprise to Chaeryeong and Lia when she was the first one to say that she was going. "Who are you and what did you do to our friend?" she remembered them saying.

Ryujin just picked up her bag from the floor to head downstairs when she heard her phone's text message alert.

9:30AM YJ-babe: Hi, pretty. Your ride's here😉

9:30AM My Ryujinnie : Be out in 2 x

Ryujin shoved her phone in her bag and yelled out, "Mum, Dad, I'm going!"

"Make sure to always update us, Shin Ryujin!" she heard her mum call out as she closed the door behind her.

When she got in the car, she saw Yeji's bright smile and already, Ryujin could feel that sleepovers may not be so bad after all.

"Right on time," Ryujin said as she fastened her seatbelt.

"You should know by now," Yeji started.

"That you don't like being late," Ryujin finished. "I know," she added with a smile. And then she looked at the older girl and asked, "Wait, you have not been waiting outside for a while, are you?"

Yeji tapped on the steering wheel, contemplating how to answer the question without lying, nor giving herself away. "Uh..."

Ryujin's eyes widened, "Oh my goodness! For how long?"

Yeji waved it off, "Don't worry. It wasn't very long. Like half an hour?" she whispered the last information.

"HALF AN HOUR?!"

"Anywaaaay, let's go?" Yeji said as she put the car into first gear and drove off. She wasn't going to let the other girl know that she had been so excited she didn't realise she got there too early.

When they arrived at Moonbyul's place, they were surprised at how massive it was. Everyone was on time, if not early - a habit they got from when they were still practicing for the competition.

"Woah, Moonbyul-unnie, you are like superstar rich. Is your dad with the mafia or something?" Wheein asked with nonchalance and earned herself a smack to the back of the head from Hwasa.

"Wheein! That's not an appropriate question!" Hwasa scolded.

"Or maybe..." Wheein started again.

Hwasa covered the other girl's mouth, "No."

Later that night, they found themselves playing some drinking games - minus the alcohol because Ryujin and Solar insisted that it wouldn't be a good idea. Yeji certainly appreciated it.

"Okay okay, what about this," Lia started. "Never have I ever... kissed a girl!" she finished excitedly.

Everyone seemed to contemplate, holding onto their shot glasses filled with celery juice. Then to Ryujin's surprise, Yeji was the first to take the shot. Her friends Chaeryeong and Lia followed. And Solar. Moonbyul. Wheein and Hwasa. Even Yuna drank hers. It didn't take long for Ryujin to realise that she was the only one who didn't take a shot and her first reaction was to look at Yeji who already had her gaze at the younger girl, eyes dropping to look at Ryujin's lips for a fraction of a second. Suddenly, the room felt warmer.

"So, Ryujin," Moonbyul said. "You haven't kissed a girl?"

"I don't think she's ever kissed anyone to be honest," Chaeryeong said and Ryujin glared at her. The former put her hands up in defense.

"We should change that," Yuna said and everyone looked at her expectantly. The youngest member smirked and Ryujin knew whatever the girl had in mind was just trouble for her, "Let's play spin the bottle!"