Two can play the game [idiom] : Another can behave in the same way or do the same thing.

_____

A week. That’s how much time has passed since Shuhua last saw or heard about Miyeon. Not that it bothered her, absolutely not, in fact it was much more peaceful without the pestering older woman always around. 

Soojin however didn’t think the same way about the current situation. “Your room looks like a war field. A biochemical war field.” She scolded by the doorstep with a clear look of disgust. Well, she wasn’t so far from reality because that room looked like an elephant had a whole rave and invited the jungle along to party inside with him. 

“I don’t have time to clean.” Shuhua rebuked from her spot on her desk. The only thing that was pretty clean in that mess, if you don’t take in consideration that all the papers and stationary that were supposed to be on it were thrown in the midst of dirty clothes, empty snack wrappers and even some unwashed plates along with cutlery.

“And you don’t have time to sleep too ?” Soojin retorted with a piercing gaze, clearly not having any of Shuhua’s behaviour. 

“What do you want unnie ?” Shuhua turned to face her housemate who crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe. 

“You’re too stressed.” The older simply pointed out, she would have had a one on one talk with Shuhua if she didn’t fear stepping on something not very sanitary. Last time her room was this dirty, Soojin accidentally stepped on a dried and sticky patch of spilled soda. The younger woman spent an hour cleaning it after receiving an earful from Soojin.

“Unnie, that’s how I keep up with my grades. Fact is, I had the highest score in both the presentation and the test this week.” Shuhua smiled a bit, trying to hide how tired she was. Sacrifices are to be made if she wanted results, and those results are worth the price. 

“Shuhua.” Soojin warned with a stern voice. She hated this kind of discourse and the frown up her face did little to show how disappointed she was.

“Unnie.” But a stubborn kid she was, retorting with the same tone the older one used and with a raised chin to match up.

“I’m kicking you out.” Soojin said at last, breaking their sudden staring contest and finally delving inside that room. She pinched Shuhua by the ear which made the latter contort her body at an odd angle as she was dragged outside her lair. 

“Ouch ouch ouch unnie- That freaking hurts !” Shuhua cried while being pushed into the corridor. 

“You are going to stay outside until dinner. No buts.” The apartment owner said with finality and before Shuhua could even think of talking back, she had thrown a few clothes and the younger’s bag outside as well, closing the door behind her.

And for once, the gremlin has been defeated. Shuhua reluctantly trudged towards the bathroom to at least not look like someone who had just been in a car crash and made her way outside the complex. The place’s owner felt victorious and looked back at the mess she was going to clean because there was no way in hell that she would let such a health hazard inside her duplex. 

“Alright, can’t be too bad …” Soojin whispered and took a first step, scrunching her nose when she felt something crunch under her foot. 

____

Okay, maybe she did deserve this childish punishment. Or maybe not. Shuhua was still fuming and stomping her way through the streets, clenching her teeth to stop her anger from rolling out of her tongue in a loud ramble of nonsense. She didn’t understand why she let Soojin kick her out, she was a 22 years old fully grown woman and yet she was treated like a whimsical idiotic teenager that didn’t have human decency. 

She didn’t know where she was heading nor how long she had been power walking for but she soon came to the conclusion that she needed music. A gateway from the stress and anxiety eating her guts, her hand delving into her bag with a mission but only coming back empty handed. There, she allowed herself to wail, a high pitched cry surprising the people around. 

Her AirPods were missing and she was about to go mad because the raging thoughts inside her head screaming at her that she needed to study were far from dying out. She didn’t even know where she was and by the looks of it, she walked far enough to be considered lost. 

Taking her phone out she was about to dial a certain number, her finger itching to press it but she forcefully pulled herself to call the number just under. She didn’t even consider contacting Soojin because she was stubborn and sulking. 

Ring… ring… 

“Oh hello ? Shuhua ?” She heard the familiar voice and she smiled. Finally a woman that wasn’t upset with her, this was a change of scenery. 

“Minnie unnie~~” Shuhua cried out loud and she didn’t care if she sounded downright childlike because she was so ready to sob right here and there.

“Oh what’s wrong ? Are you okay ? Where are you ? Wait, let me video call !” The Thai woman’s voice sounded urgent and worried, immediately requesting to see her younger friend face to face.

She quickly accepted the request and her pout was the first thing Minnie saw. “Aww, Shu, what’s wrong ?” 

“I got kicked out by Soojin and I can’t find my earphones.” Shuhua explained with her signature puppy eyes, the ones that never failed her before against very temperamental older women (her friends).

“Kicked out ? From your place ? Where are you right now ?” Minnie looked at the Taiwanese maiden with worry dripping from her voice. It never happened before, Soojin was a real monk with her roommate and she would never do something like this to the person she considered like her younger sister. However, Shuhua was persistent in testing Soojin’s patience and it was just a matter of time until she got a real scolding from her. Seemed like today was the day Shuhua had struck the wrong nerve.

“I don’t know where I am… Soojin told me to go out and not come back until at least dinner.” Shuhua replied, taking a look around her and definitely not recognising any of her surroundings.

“Oh come over then, I’m going to send you my address. Do you have money on you ? Nevermind, just hail a cab and I’ll pay for it okay.” The older woman instructed and surely enough the text containing her address quickly popped up on her screen. Before she could thank her a voice was heard from somewhere on Minnie’s side making Shuhua freeze.

“Oh who are you talking to ?” A familiar figure sat next to Minnie and looked at the phone screen before stopping all her movements. Quite literally becoming a statue next to the Thai woman. “Ah, Shuhua got kicked out by Soojin and she doesn’t have her earphones.” 

“W-why is Miyeon-unnie there ?” Shuhua asked with a stutter, trying to compose herself.

“There’s a water leakage at her place so I’m letting her stay here until it’s all fixed up.” Minnie said before looking at Miyeon who seemed to have forgotten how to breathe and discreetly nudged her knee with her own but not to avail.

“Hey where do you think you left your earphones at ?” Minnie questioned which brought the other two back to their senses.

“I don’t know… it was supposed to be in my bag.” She replied.

“Maybe on your desk ? If not, it could be somewhere on your bed.” Miyeon finally spoke up for the first time, surprising everyone while doing so.

“I don’t think so, I haven’t used them in a while… I haven't gone out much lately.” Shuhua admitted in a slight sheepish voice. The only person whom she actually spent time outside with was currently avoiding her. This truth settled slowly into the two women’s mind but none were about to say it out loud

“Maybe in your sock drawer.” Minnie butted in, successfully cutting through that awkward silence.

“Why would it even be in there ?” Shuhua grumbled indignantly, she was messy for sure but not that messy.

“Third drawer of your desk, under the few papers with a pink post-it on them at the far back.” Miyeon added with a certain confidence in her voice. Thinking of when she last cleaned that room she was pretty sure that it was in there.

“Whoa, how do you know such details Miyeon-ah ?” Minnie exclaimed, impressed by the girl’s attention to details, especially when it involved Shuhua.

“I-Uh… it was obvious. A-anyway I need to get ready.” The oldest stumbled over her words and quickly bolted out of the scene, leaving Minnie alone on her couch.

“Okay…. Shuhua-yah, come here quickly. If you don’t show up in 30 minutes I’ll call the cops and for supposed kidnapping.” Minnie ended the call, a speechless Shuhua still holding her phone looking as dumbfounded as one could ever be.

The Taiwanese would definitely continue this game of hiding but Minnie was someone who would really start a search party if she didn’t show up soon. Shuhua thought of what to do but only came to the conclusion that she’ll have to avoid Miyeon inside Minnie’s house. 

_______

It was exactly like how she remembered it to be. An uselessly grand house painted in white and a nice front that screamed wealth at her face. The mailbox read ‘Nicha (Minnie) Yontararak’ in a pretty font and the grey door mat had the typical ‘Home sweet home’ idiom written on it. It was a nice house but certainly too big for only one person. 

She rang the doorbell and sure enough here stood the tall owner of such a (not so) humble abode. “You’re finally here !” Minnie greeted and stepped outside to hug her. Shuhua let herself melt in the embrace, one that she didn’t know she needed as it unleashed some of her exhaustion that she had stuffed far, far away from her thoughts.

It didn’t take long before she was pulled inside, Minnie truthful to her words had paid for the cab and played the role of the sweet host she was. The interior was well decorated, somewhere in between minimalistic and stuffed with hazardous objects. Minnie liked to collect items from all over the world and different eras, hang pictures and souvenirs which clashed with the original mood of the interior. Yet, it didn’t feel out of place, it looked homey and lively, enough to cope up with the lack of inhabitants.

Shuhua crashed on the white couch, it had a brownish stain on its surface that looked like a sore thumb in the perfect picture, courtesy of Yuqi and her messy eating habits. Minnie promptly joined her with two cups of warm tea which she placed down the low table made of glass, looking at her younger friend with hints of worry swimming in her eyes. 

One thing for sure, Shuhua looked bad. Not ugly, absolutely not, she was as stunning as ever. This girl could wear a plastic bag and dye her hair an absurdly eye-burning colour and still make it look fine. No, by bad, Minnie meant troubled and unhealthy. The frowning eyebrows had not left the younger woman’s complexion and the eye bags seemed to have taken on yet a darker shade again. Her cheeks have sunken a little and long gone was her cute baby fat that made everyone pinch her cheeks in absolute adoration. Her pale skin that always left everyone to gasp at how pristine it was now harboured a sickly-tint that made Minnie worry even more. 

All in all, Shuhua looked bad in all her glorious gorgeous self. It has been maybe a dozen of minutes since they’ve sat down together and all Minnie did was observing Shuhua and noticing more tiny details while mechanically replying to Shuhua with curt Yes or No-s whenever she would ask her something. 

Despite the lack of real conversation the living room was far from silent, soft jazz music emanated from a vintage turntable near a wooden shelf full of vinyls, one of Minnie’s most priced collections inside this expensive house. Nearby was a Bluetooth speaker that followed the same vintage mood, this one was Soyeon’s birthday gift from last year and to say that Minnie absolutely loved it would be an understatement. 

The house was never silent, there was always some music playing somewhere, pop or jazz, rock or soul. Minnie was not one to stand in pure silence which Shuhua was extremely appreciative of. Because right now, silence was her number one enemy and music was one of her very few protective shields from intrusive thoughts she’d rather not have inside her head. 

Footsteps resounded against wooden stairs and accompanied the background jazz in rhythmic thumps, just like this Miyeon appeared all dressed and beautiful. Shuhua even forgot about her when she sat down, her mind was a little hazy and she desperately wanted to stay here with the nice jazz doing absolutely nothing. 

Her heart pinched at the sight however and she wanted to curse herself for feeling this way. When it wasn’t her head it was her heart. She just wanted a moment of not feeling suffocated but apparently it was not part of her near future.

“Going somewhere?” Minnie spoke up to Miyeon who had stopped in front of them even though she kept a sizable distance from the duo on the couch.

The oldest seemed to ponder for a bit, unsure on whether to speak or ignore them all. Her choice was made after a hot minute as she didn’t want to appear rude. “I have a dinner date with Sana.” Miyeon answered, her head snapping towards her newfound roommate. 

“Oh that pretty girl I saw last time ? I thought she was out of town.” Minnie inquired and made a sign for Miyeon to join them on the couch.

Miyeon looked hesitant at first but still moved towards them and plopped herself next to Minnie, the farthest away from Shuhua who was suddenly very engrossed with whatever stupid show was on the all too big tv in front of her. “She came back recently and called me this morning. She wanted us to catch up and all so yeah.”

“Lookin good Uh ~” Minnie joked while eyeing Miyeon up and down. The said woman had upped her game and wore a thin black top that showed bits of her collarbone with a matching coloured blazer and a checkered skirt. The golden necklace that hung around her neck beautifully contrasted with her dark coloured clothes while her meticulously brushed hair brought an air of maturity around her sharp features. 

Shuhua would be lying if she said she didn’t find her stunning or gorgeous, a stark contrast from the comfortable hoodies and large cargo pants the older woman liked to put on when dragging her outside on an impromptu night walk around the streets. Her mind was telling her that she should voice out her opinion, tell her that she looked too good and that it did things to the stubborn pump inside her chest but the woody smell burned her lungs and she could recognise this perfume in between thousands of hundreds.

It was earthy but delightfully fresh in the air, an intricate scent that reminded her of the goofy woman. The same woman who now looked sophisticated and elegant, now this perfume complimented the mature aura way better. It was rare for Shuhua to see Miyeon looking so formal, even after work, the older woman would always sport a sheepish smile with a bubbly laugh always out of her lips before she knew it. But that woman was gone. This time Miyeon's hardened face greeted her, a look void of any emotions, guarding herself up and her arms crossing her chest in a protective stance. Eyes that weren’t the ones she was used to seeing. That was when Shuhua realised that she had been staring at her, she didn’t even know she was until she felt her own breath escaping her lips when familiar honey met her eyes. But no, it wasn’t honey but Ebony wood. Hard and cold. Distant and protected. 

She unconsciously gulped down the uneasiness that was painfully clawing inside her chest and averted her gaze. She felt like crying suddenly but at the same time her eyes remained dry. It felt like years, decades before the world around her returned to her mind, the jazz was back in her ears and she immediately took her glass of lukewarm tea up to her lips to chase down the perfume with the herbal brew’s scent, inhaling in her cup and taking a gulp to soothe the scratchy feeling inside . 

“Do you have any updates on your apartment?” Minnie curiously asked, pretending not to feel the tension in the air around her.

“They said it’ll take 2 more weeks at most and I still need to replace the furniture that didn’t hold up with the water.” Miyeon sighed, reminded of her other issues.

“Are you okay though ? My place is pretty far from your workplace.” Minnie added, trying to subtly point out the elephant in the room (probably the same one that  destroyed Shuhua’s room : an elephant of pending untold feelings).

“I’m okay.” Miyeon answered shortly as if in a business meeting, suddenly guarded and aware of her own emotions she’s desperately trying to keep at bay.

“Soojin’s place is closer to your workplace though. Wouldn’t it be better to stay there ? You have your own room at her place too.” Minnie continued like a woman on a mission. She didn’t like it when everyone was upset.

“If my presence here bothers you I can always ask Sana to let me stay at hers later. After all, she’s a good friend of mine. I need to go now, she wanted us to hang out before dinner. See you later.” She struck the wrong nerve, Miyeon’s words brought more pressure to the already unbearable tension around them and she stood up, fleeing the scene while grabbing her bag. The Taiwanese was not even mentally there anymore, her mind was running miles and she had no control over its outcome. Nor could she help the fire burning in the pit of her stomach, the unwanted anger starting to boil and slowly making its way to .

“It’s not like you asked to stay at ours anyway.” Shuhua mumbled out loud and this brought two pairs of eyes on her. 

“That’s true… I didn’t ask.” Miyeon replied with a questioning gaze, perhaps waiting for something more, something else.

“I-... have fun with you friend.” Shuhua barely stopped the angry rebuke that was about to leave her lips but she bit her own tongue, preventing herself from saying it out loud, a little more and iron would flood her taste with how hard she was biting. Yet, the ugly thoughts inside her head were deafening and successfully drowned out the ones urging her to go study. The pain is merely an afterthought. Revisions be damned her brain was not sound of mind when emotions she couldn’t comprehend were overwhelming her. 

“Oh that I will.” Miyeon’s voice held a hint of spite that was masked with her business tone but it made Shuhua flinch in her seat nonetheless. 

The door was heard slamming shut and after a few seconds Minnie finally dared to look at Shuhua who sported a look in between anger and absolute horror. She was livid to say the least and it was like all the colours had been drained out her face (if that was even possible to begin with.) 

“Shuhua.” She called out once but it was like talking to a wall, unresponsive and inanimate.

“Shuhua-yah.” She repeated herself and this time accompanied it with a small pat on the girl’s thigh. 

“Uh ? Yes, Unnie ?” Shuhua looked up but it was pretty obvious that she was doing her best to bottle up her emotions.

“Wanna learn how to play the piano ?” Minnie suggested, hoping it would help her younger friend feel better. Shuhua had asked her several times in the past but they never really had the occasion to play together and for Minnie to teach her.

It seems to have worked like magic for now as life returned to those tourmaline black pupils and soon enough Shuhua regained her original cheery state of mind. Even if the slight pain could be seen, Minnie would still consider this a win while dragging Shuhua to where her grand piano was placed. 

______

Dinner was going great and she was definitely having the time of her life catching up with her friend who she hadn't seen in a year or so. Right, tonight she was completely delighted and pleased with everything.

“Still single ?” The question hung in the air for a second too long, Miyeon not quite paying attention and making her friend reach out to her hand in hopes of bringing her back to the land of the living.

“Uh ? Sorry, you were saying ?” Miyeon apologised for her lac