A frosty wind blew over the bare knuckles on Yujin's hands, which made them completely red. It was hard to hold the cigarette, as if it were lead. But Yujin patiently and bravely overcame all the hardships of a smoker's life, taking one slow puff after another, stretching the burning cigarette to its very limit. Ahn watched as dense gray smoke came out of her lungs and evaporated a little later, like a vague vision. Sometimes, the smoke burned my eyes, so they were wet. Yujin squinted, so she saw blurry. One tear after another rolled down her cheeks, falling directly onto the snow. It seems that this is the only moment when she can shed a bitter tear, even if it did not even depend on her emotions. She didn't care if she was crying or not. She was worried about only one thought: how could she buy another pack in secret from her parents and, especially, from her close person — Wonyoung.

 

Yujin realized from the very beginning that hiding something from Wonyoung was a lost cause. She still managed to somehow somehow, magically slip through the false confidence and steel mask, penetrating into the very essence of Yujin. Ahn definitely didn't like it when her soul was so meticulously rummaged around like dirty laundry, but she didn't try to somehow hinder Jang's actions. She never pushed her away. So Yujin's lie is instantly revealed by Wonyoung's sharp eye. But, apparently, only Jang's eyes were sensitive — definitely not her nose. She had never smelled persistent tobacco on Yujin's clothes, or maybe she ignored it for the first time, and then she got bored, sniffed, took root. Yujin smelled like coffee cigarettes — that's all. Perhaps Wonyoung could not have thought that the excellent student and athlete Yujin had some bad habits, especially something like smoking. Yujin has always been too good for society. No one would dare to think such a thing about her… And Yujin also spent too much of her internal resources to please everyone and always look perfect, to be an example for the younger ones — probably for this reason she started smoking. Relieve stress, if you want. Yes, and by the way: she could quit at any moment. After all, how could any pampering crush Yujin's iron will? It would definitely not be in her style to get caught up in the usual human weaknesses.

 

This night was especially beautiful. The cold and the terrible wind did not interfere with enjoying the view from above. The sky was dotted with a starry landscape, and the moon shone better than any lantern. A lantern, a cigarette, a pharmacy. It was also magically quiet here — behind the residential complex. Away from residents and cars. Very calm and kind of lonely. Yujin would give anything just to be able to be alone with herself sometimes like this, with her thoughts, with this bittersweet cigarette with the aroma of cappuccino. Her lungs greedily inhaled each burning puff and exhaled faintly into the cold. A slight dizziness hit Yujin, she closed her eyes a little, feeling a semblance of drowsiness. It seemed to be three o'clock in the morning. She always ran out to smoke at this time. So she could avoid someone's unnecessary eyes. She clearly didn't want to be known as a heavy smoker at her school. No, her status did not allow her to ruin her reputation so ridiculously. But the girl was not going to give up the habit. She chose to hide. But it seems that she lost this hide-and-seek.

 

Cautious footsteps were heard from behind, under which the snow crunched softly. Yujin shuddered and looked around slowly, fearfully, praying to the almighty that this was not the person she was thinking about right now.

 

— Hi, unnie. —  Wonyoung said casually. Her eyes were turned to the elder, squeezed between thin long fingers. — Are you chilling?

 

Yujin wanted to fall into a snowdrift, disappear and die. How could she have miscalculated like that? There was nothing left but excuses, but the thought made Yujin feel even more pathetic. In such a situation, it was sometimes important to remain silent. Everything is already very clear. Ahn guiltily lowered her gaze.

 

— And what are you doing here? — Yujin also said dutifully.

 

— Insomnia.

 

Yujin nodded understandingly, raising her eyes back to the sky, trying to count the lights, just not to collide with Wonyoung with another ridiculous look. Even in such a situation, Ahn tried to keep her face, even though she had just fallen into the mud with them. The girls were awkwardly silent for a while, figuring out how to continue this unexpected conversation.

 

— I don't like it. — Wonyoung pointed to the cigarette. — If you're wondering what I'm thinking right now. You're just ruining yourself.

 

— Why do you care so much about what I do to myself? You don't have to kiss me.

 

— Do you want to?

 

Yujin laughed out loud, turning her round eyes into half moons. Dimples appeared on her cheeks — now it was difficult to look away from them, because it was incredibly rare to see a wide sincere smile of the elder. She didn't want to miss the opportunity to see them.

 

— I wouldn't want to kiss you, knowing that you hate the smoke.

 

— Somehow I got used to it, actually.

 

— So you knew all this time? And was silent?

 

Wonyoung nodded.

 

— I assumed.

 

Yujin took one last drag, reaching the filter itself. The smoke tasted like plastic.

 

— Ugh. — Yujin made a disgusted face. — What else do you think?

 

— I think that even if I don't like the smell of tobacco, you still don't look less attractive.

 

For them, such bold compliments were commonplace. Yujin loved a touch of flirtation in her relationship with Wonyoung, as if their relationship was not unequivocally friendly. Yujin liked to rate Wonyoung as a "close person" — and this is something more than a friend. And Wonyoung was often lost in their games. So she often misunderstood how the older one treated her. But for herself, Jang realized that she was attracted to Yujin's nature as if she were her muse. She purely and incorruptibly admired any actions and words of the elder. And Yujin loved her compliments, attention…

 

— Are you attracted to me when I smoke too? — Yujin replied in a surprised tone.

 

Wonyoung rolled her eyes, staring at the older one.

 

— You know, I feel bad because you saw me in such a... setting. I'm afraid you won't rate me so highly anymore. But I'm not going to try to improve in your eyes, or something like that. And I'm tired of hiding in corners. Can you accept me with this?

 

— Are you talking about smoking? Because of such nonsense, it would be strange to change your opinion about a whole person. I know what you really are. And I like you like that.

 

— Even if the smoke pisses you off?

 

— I'll love smoke for you.