The way of spending days in a small town was nothing compared to the lifestyle of a city like Seoul and Jihyo was already aware of the difference despite having moved for a couple of days. Even the atmosphere in the place she was drinking wasn't the same as in her hometown, but that sense of bewilderment could be caused by the empty glass she had in front of her.

In the twenty-three years of her life she had always behaved in the best way: she was a perfect daughter, a good older sister and as a person you couldn't say anything bad. However, although she really was as everyone had known her, she too had a hidden side that only her little sisters knew about.

She liked to go out alone on Saturday nights and wake up next to the one she had spent the night with, tiptoe away and disappear from the lives of those unknown people. It had been two weeks since her last funny night and that time the girl was so drunk that she couldn't even remember the name of the man who had kept her company.

She didn't care, she didn't have time to puzzle over someone she'd lost interest in right after they finished having . She had her sisters to think about and she absolutely had to find a job, determined not to weigh more on her parents' shoulders.

"Can I have another one?" she asked the girl behind the counter. She was very beautiful and her pink hair didn't go unnoticed, but her many tattoos on her arms also helped to draw a lot of attention.

"Are you sure? It makes no sense to drink if you then get drunk to the point of throwing up" the girl gave her a glass of water, regardless of the request just received "do you have problems in love? Has your boyfriend cheated on you?"

Jihyo raised an eyebrow, looking at the glass with skepticism "no love disappointment, I'm just chasing away my loneliness"

The girl with pink hair held out her hand, smiling until she showed a dimple on her cheek "let's be friends then, I'm Chaeyoung. Even if it doesn't look like I'm twenty and nobody is exploiting me"

"How did you understand what I was thinking?" Jihyo was surprised but she introduced herself anyway "my name is Jihyo, very pleased to meet you"

"That's what all new clients think and it's my duty to make myself respected as an adult who works honestly. About your loneliness.. Do you like girls? In my opinion yes, I always recognize people like me"

The older smiled amused "you can't keep your tongue in check, as far as I can see. Yes, I like girls but I'm not interested in you"

Chaeyoung pretended to be sad for a moment "you're not my type either, but I could introduce you to a very interesting person. Here she is" she moved her gaze to Jihyo's side, smiling "Momoring, you're not drinking much tonight. Do I need to worry?"

The newcomer ran both hands through her long black hair, smiling mischievously "I want to be sober enough for some possible meeting, you know how it is"

"Then it must be your lucky day, this girl needs company" she pointed at Jihyo, raising her eyebrows repeatedly "I've done my part, enjoy the night!" she left them alone, satisfied that she had made herself useful.

Momo stopped to look at the girl sitting on the stool, not caring not to point out her interest for her body "really not bad"

"Thank you, but my face is higher" she waited to be looked in the face before resuming speaking "sorry if I dare, but you are a little creepy with that half smile"

"Everyone likes this disturbing smile, obviously you can't tell when someone is flirting with you" she brought the stool closer to hers, sitting down immediately "may I know your name?"

"What will you give me in return?"

The brunette bit her lower lip while her eyes were busy looking at the girl in front of her "all my effort" she reached out her hand, placing it on Jihyo's leg "it seems like a fair exchange?"

"I'm Jihyo" her cheeks were red from the sudden heat she was feeling "and your? When Chaeyoung called you I couldn't hear"

"My name is Momo, but your name is much nicer than mine. How about leaving? There is too much noise here and I would love to let our bodies do the talking if you know what I mean"

They were both eager to leave and did so immediately after paying for their drinks and saying goodbye to a friend of the brunette, who was going wild to the rhythm of the music.

They went to Momo's house, taking advantage of the fact that she lived alone in a small apartment "welcome to my humble abode, make yourself at home" she left her shoes at the entrance and went to sit on the couch.

Jihyo joined her soon after, feeling a little shy and cursing herself for not being drunk enough "I really like the decor" she was looking around.

The other girl let her do it, taking the time to make a small list of the things she liked about that stranger. She realized that she had never felt so much attraction for anyone before that moment "the highlight of this place is me, yet you're not looking at me" she walked over to her, speaking in her ear "it's not fair, I only have eyes for you"

Momo's lips searched for Jihyo's, finding them as soon as she let her. Neither of them had realized the situation they had gotten into, finding themselves in the bedroom earlier than they had anticipated. Both being quite sober, they felt more excitement and pleasure than they were used to feeling during their occasional encounters, coming to regard their meeting as memorable.

Momo's friend who stayed at the club, whose name was Sana, had her fourth drink in her hands. She had sat down after more than an hour of wild dancing, bored by the usual unwanted advances and the absence of her best friend.

"I hope that at least your night is going well, woe to you if you dare to say I'm not a good friend" she ended the contents of the glass in one gulp, enjoying the lightness she was feeling "okay, now I'm really drunk"

She got up from the small couch she was sitting on and did her best to get to the bathroom without falling over, but despite her wearing flat shoes her balance was practically non-existent. It took her five minutes to find the desired location, entering one of the cabins without even knocking and then locking the door.

"Are you a maniac? Get out!" there was a girl, who quickly buttoned her jeans "didn't they teach you to knock?"

"I should have done it, but it's not my fault you did not shut the door. You have not pulled up the zipper" she pointed with her finger, smiling amused when the other said a bad word "I see you don't like to close things, are looking to seduce me?"

"I don't even know you! Look, you're obviously drunk, I leave you the cabinet" she approached the door, but a hand stopped her before she could unlock it "the you want? Are you ill?"

Sana shook her head vehemently, to the point of risking losing balance "it isn't my style to let go of the pretty girls" she lowered the hood of the sweatshirt of the unknown girl, taking a few seconds to look at her face carefully before approaching her. The girl started backing away until she found herself against the wall "See? In the end, I always win"

There wasn't much difference in stature between the two, but Sana felt like an invincible giant at the time, as well as being particularly in the mood for some fun. She came forward, kissing the girl without notice.

The shorter one didn't put up much resistance, returning the kiss as best as she could since it was the first time and taking pleasure in it to the point of holding Sana close to her. They kissed for a long time, alternating moments of only passion with other more tender ones.

Once finished kissing they said goodbye with a simple nod, hiding behind a mask of indifference, but Sana had a little remorse "I had to ask at least her name and her phone number"

It had been three days since her wild night and Jihyo still couldn't stop thinking about it, remembering every single thing she did with that girl. She had never felt so good after an occasional encounter, she used to feel bad and take at least five showers in a row to get rid of the dirty feeling, but this time a hot shower was enough and she didn't feel in the least guilt.

However, she wasn't having the same luck to find a job and was waiting her turn for an interview in a publishing house, more specifically in the area of ​​reviewing the content to be published. She was very good at organizing thoughts, correcting any mistakes and asserting her opinions.

The interview lasted very little as the man sitting on the other side of the desk had given her a random document to fix in a few minutes. He then asked her a few questions as they walked around the offices.

"You'll work here, closely with colleagues that have the same talent as you" he pointed to the various computers and employees at work "they're all very nice here, but if they misbehave come to me and I'll make sure to kick them" he smiled friendly.

Jihyo immediately felt at home and the quiet atmosphere of that place convinced her that she was right to show up for that job interview "I'm ready to start, I'll do my best" she smiled too.

The man accompanied her in front of an empty desk "this will be your work station, for any technical problem ask the people next to you to give you a hand. You will start tomorrow, welcome on board" he left immediately after shaking her hand since he was very busy.

The place next to hers was occupied by a girl with carrot-colored hair, who looked at her with curiosity "you're new, nice to meet you! I'm Minatozaki Sana, but please call me by name"

"Park Jihyo" she smiled kindly, turning back to her "I've already seen you"

"Really? Seems like the first time we've seen each other to me" Sana was very confused.

A brunette girl took a seat next to the redhead, sipping her coffee until her gaze met that of Jihyo's ", it's hot" she took her friend's handkerchiefs to wipe the hand on which she had spilled some of the hot drink.

"Momo?" she remembered her name, as well as everything else.

"It's me, you're Jihyo. I'm really surprised to see you here, I thought you ran away to another country after your disappearance" she smiled, amused.

Sana looked between the two "wait.. You're the one from the other night!"

Some of their colleagues told them to be quiet and Jihyo wanted so much to bury herself "don't scream, please" she said imploringly.

"Sorry for screaming and not recognizing you, I was really so drunk that night. Think I kissed a girl in the bathroom, I fell really low" she smiled mischievously "but it was worth it"

“Are you still thinking about that kiss? You are hopeless"Momo slapped her on the back of the head "when you learn to behave like a normal person? You surely have terrified her" 

Sana poked her tongue out "she really appreciated instead, we were really very close, so much so that I could say we had with clothes on" 

"I would go, I have to start tomorrow" Jihyo marked the number of her desk on the notes of the phone and took the sheets that the owner of the publishing house had given her "good day, it was a pleasure to see you again" she made a small bow and left after taking one last look in Momo's direction.

The brunette watched her go with an idiotic smile on her face "she has a spectacular "

Sana smiled under her mustache and began to copy her voice "my friend, you have no idea of ​​the magical night I spent with that girl. I love the scent of her and she has very soft hair. Her kisses then.. Fantastic"

"Shut up, think about your toilet girl" Momo started muttering the whole time "I don't let a nut to fool me"

The apartment that Jihyo shared with her sisters was not very large: it had a small living room near the front door, an equally small kitchen, a bathroom and three small bedrooms. It wasn't the pinnacle of luxury, but the expenses were borne by their parents and they had no right to complain.

The two sisters were sitting on the ground in front of the coffee table placed in front of the couch, waiting for Jihyo's return. The youngest looked at the other "you should do your homework or even the teachers will target you"

"Tzu, I already told you not to worry about me; I'm not afraid of anyone, least of all the professors" Dahyun was turning the pen in her fingers and was looking at the black screen of the TV "I'm the one worried, I heard what they did to you today. My class is on the second floor, I told you to come to me when there are problems"

Tzuyu closed the math book "I'm fourteen years old, I can get by on my own, and it wasn't as bad as you think"

"They threw one of your notebooks in the trash and wrote that you are a freak of nature on your desk, it doesn't seem like a trivial matter to me. I know you are a strong person, but it is my duty to protect you as your older sister and if something new happens I'll tear them apart with my hands"

"They are not entirely wrong in thinking this about me, it is clear that I'm not a normal person"

Dahyun took her hand "having learning problems and not being able to express emotions doesn't mean being a freak of nature, I don't know how to tell you anymore and it hurts me to know that you think this about yourself" she decided to hug her, her hair "the doctor said that with a little effort you will be able to overcome both and I believe in it"

"Could you stop holding me? I feel suffocating"

The older immediately released the embrace, smiling at her instead of showing offense "thanks for the hug, I love you"

Tzuyu wanted to answer her, she wanted to tell her that she felt the same and that she was happy to have a sister like her. Although she was born almost four years apart from her, Dahyun had never treated her like a child and had never made her feel inferior, making her feel an enormous sense of gratitude.

The door of the apartment opened and Jihyo entered with two shopping bags "hello, would you like to help me? Tonight we have to celebrate!"

Dahyun took one of the envelopes from her, curiously looking inside of it "what are we celebrating?"

"My hiring, I found a good job. The pay is very good and sometimes I will be able to work from home, so as not to take too much time away from you" she kissed the heads of both of them, then she devoted herself to putting the shopping in order "how did your second day of school go?"

"Like , as scheduled" Dahyun made the victory sign with her fingers, smiling falsely "the students are all s and the professors pretend not to see their nastiness"

Jihyo looked at her sternly "what did we say about your way of speaking?"

It was Tzuyu who answered, busy unwrapping a chocolate "say swear words is bad and insulting others is immature"

"Exactly, yes, you listened to me" she gave her a hand to free the chocolate from the wrapper "I know you're both growing, but when you start swearing profusely then you can't stop"

"Who said I want to stop? I'm fine with my way of speaking" Dahyun shrugged "it's not fair that you can have fun with whoever you want if you limit my way of doing"

"Hit and sunk" commented the younger of the three with her usual impassivity.

Jihyo pretended to be offended, curving the corners of down "go ahead and treat me badly, I'll be the only one to eat the dessert"

The middle sister immediately apologized, starting to jump around the kitchen "if it's chocolate I have every right to eat it! Come on big sister, you know we love you. Tzu, tell her too!"

The younger looked at them curiously "can I eat bread instead of dessert?" her eyes widened a little when she saw them laughing "Why are you laughing? I have something on my face?"

"On your face there is all the beauty in the world" Jihyo  her cheeks, looking at her with love "and you can have all the bread you want"

Dahyun was watching them, remaining aloof as in every moment of sweetness between her sisters. She wasn't jealous and she knew she was loved, but she had always felt inside her that she was too much, that she was a superfluous presence.

"Come on girls, let's prepare dinner all together!" Jihyo gave both of them an apron and shared the things to do.

Sana and Momo were enjoying the evening on the latter's couch drinking wine, both immersed in their thoughts. The redhead looked at her best friend "I have a question"

"Just do it, no need to waste time"

"Do you think it's stupid to think all the time about someone you don't even know? I'm going crazy"

Momo bit her fingernail, looking for the right words "it's not stupid, but as far as I know you don't believe in love at first sight"

"It's true, but even though I had more alcohol than blood in my body I remember that girl's face very well and, although it was clearly her first kiss, it was the best of my life. I even dreamed of sleeping with her"

"You're screwed up, drink some more and let this kind of instant falling in love go by. You don't even know if you'll be able to see her again and I think you should spare yourself the pain of wanting someone you can't have"

Sana gave her a pinch on the arm "It's easy for you to talk considering the identity of our new colleague. By the way: I know you like her more than you want to admit and I won't let you miss this unique opportunity"

The brunette smiled "would it be strange to ask her out after the night we spent together?"

"Maybe a little bit, but I would never waste this second chance that was given to you" she sincerely smiled at her "ask her to go out and if you like her even out of bed, court her properly; you are perfectly capable of it"

"Okay, I'll give it a try, as long as you do everything possible not to suffer unnecessarily for a girl you may never see again" she raised her glass.

Sana made the two glasses collide "deal done, I'm curious to find out what will happen"

~~~

Hi everyone! I'm finally starting to focus on this story after what seemed like a long time to me, I hope you like it! 🍀