The early morning sun cast a soft glow on the train platform as two girls stood amidst hurried commuters. Yujin gripped Minju's hand a little tighter, trying to ignore the inevitable separation looming just before them, the medium being the train cabins.

"Did you forget anything? Socks? Gloves? Suture kit?"

Minju smiled warmly, trying to ease the evident worry in her meticulous actions. She patted the duffle bag she had strapped above the luggage. "I have everything," she reassured. "You're the one who packed it."

"I did," Yujin chuckled. "There is a chance I might've missed something out."

"I've checked. We didn't miss anything out."

"We might—"

Minju cupped her cheeks with both hands to prevent her from trying to change an outcome that was fixed. The younger girl giggled, her actions too evident in their intent.

Memories flooded in where they made the best out of the past few days.

A date at the aquarium, going cafe hopping to find out Yujin and milk didn't work out, and their impromptu visit to the cat cafe. It was a surprise when Minju was the one who suggested a cat cafe. Amidst preparing for the new semester, and adapting to the changes ahead, home dates and sleepovers were the best when laziness and exhaustion consumed them.

"This is the only time I give up trying," Yujin mumbled, seeing the train stop in front of them as passengers started boarding.

As the brunette prepared to board, doing her last checks of her baggage and ticket, Yujin handed her a delicate ring box. Its presence caused Minju's brows to rise, she had to admit the surprise.

Yujin suppressed a smile. "Don't worry, it's not a promise ring," she said with a hint of playful reassurance, hoping to alleviate any unintended pressure.

"Why not?" Minju's response hinted at a deeper sentiment, catching the younger girl off guard.

In the box laid a pair of earrings, significantly the one Minju had been eyeing—a pair of tiny, silver four-leaf clovers.

Yujin explained her rationale for it not being a promise ring, "So you won't have to bother with taking them off during surgeries." She knew Minju would be assisting with surgeries most of her time there and hand jewellery wasn't allowed.

And the brunette rarely wears rings, often opting for earrings as her choice of accessory.

Yujin observed the hesitant excitement in her movements, putting them on carefully while she held onto the box. "But I'll keep a promise ring in mind."

Minju glanced at her little smile in the middle of securing the earrings. "I'll wear anything from you. Whether I need to take them off or not," she said and put her hands down when she was done. "How is it?"

Yujin wrinkles her nose, holding onto her girlfriend's chin as she takes a look. "Nothing can ever outshine you," she cooed. "You make a pair of earrings look good. They should start paying you for free advertising."

Minju could never get enough of the way compliments leave Yujin's lips. "Thank you," she uttered, earning a kiss on her cheek and another on her lips.

As the station's announcement for the train's departure echoed through the platform, Minju felt the ache for leaving.

"I'll see you in 60 days."

"65."

"Oh my, five more days," Yujin dramatised, hearing a soft chuckle as she pulled her in for a hug. "I would hold onto you for another five minutes so you'd miss the train and stay with me but I think watching you become a doctor is much more rewarding, so you better go." Her hand hugged Minju's head, arms giving a slight squeeze before letting the girl go.

She helped the girl lift the luggage through the train door of her cabin.

Minju reluctantly stepped in, struggling to drag the luggage past the carpeted floors. As she walked down the aisle, Yujin followed her footsteps. The only difference is she's on the platform while Minju is on the train.

The brunette found her seat and noticed Yujin standing by the pillar, smiling even though she knew how badly she didn't want to be separated. If she had luggage big enough, Yujin would shove herself inside in a heartbeat.

Yujin watched her make herself comfortable in the seat, hiding her chin behind her high-collared jacket when a gust of wind blew past.

The older girl turned to her and saw her signing, "I love you." Her lips winded into a soft smile signing those words back. Yujin fought a smile, "Stay safe." She saw Minju give her a nod and heard the train engines blaring across the platform.

As the train started moving, Minju kept her eyes on Yujin whose footsteps continued following the train. She didn't run but walked to the point where there wasn't a road for her to walk anymore.

Still, the brunette looked back at the station and when Yujin was no longer in sight, she leaned into the chair as a moment of realisation hit her.

Sighing softly, letting the cold yet warm air of the cabin consume her, her phone vibrates in her pocket. She saw a notification from Yujin, a message that made her smile.

My Ahn Yujin:

They say distance doesn't matter
when a relationship does.

I'll miss you, your touch, and
your entire presence, my love.

It hurts not having you close but
it would hurt even more not having you at all.

This is a test, not an obstacle and
I'll always love you no matter where you are.

—

Entering a new semester wasn't as exciting as Yujin thought it might be even though she had been looking forward to the modules.

She's expecting several site-seeings, slightly more advanced model-building and yet another semester of higher math for her to comprehend.

Right after she had sent Minju off, she rushed to class just for the professor to announce a pop quiz to recap what they'd learnt.

As her phone buzzed with several notifications, she couldn't get to them, being stuck in the middle of a test. Her mind went about how bored Minju might be but there wasn't much she could do.

She missed the minute of telling the girl she'd be away from her phone due to class.

After a long hour, she could finally pick up her phone and check what Minju had sent. A few pictures and rants about how the kid behind her kept kicking her chair.

Her lips remembered what a smile was, about to reply to them but heard the professor clearing his throat.

"If you're going to use your phones, I'd rather you don't take the class."

Yujin then knew her second year might just be hell.

—

Plunging onto the cafeteria chair by the window, Yujin's soft sigh caught the attention of Minjeong, also known as Winter. A girl who's one of her project group mates for this semester and also her past tutorial classmate.

The short-haired girl shifted the bowl of steaming hot udon she ordered for her. "What's bothering you?"

"Nothing," Yujin said, picking up her utensil and thanking the girl for the food. The sight of udon only reminded her of Minju.

Winter examined her movements as a slight grin curled the edge of her lips. "I know a way to get you to stop sighing." She saw Yujin furrowing her brows while slurping her noodles. "If you'd like, I could set you up with a friend. She saw you earlier and wanted your phone number."

"I have a girlfriend."

"She's actually—you have a what?" Winter snaps her head to look at her.

"A girlfriend," Yujin emphasised. "My eyes, nose, lips and ears are all my girlfriend's. Don't bother talking about another girl around me or anyone. I have a girlfriend." She used her hands to distance herself from the air.

"Since when? I thought you and Zuha broke up."

"Who's that?" Yujin continued eating her food.

Winter snickered when she caught onto the situation. "I see," she muttered. "Who's this girlfriend of yours then? I've never seen you with anyone around campus. Does she go to this university?"

Yujin rested her chopsticks on the rim of the bowl. "I'll feel sorry for your girlfriend if I let you see her. Because once you lay your eyes on her—which I'm not letting you—you'll never go looking at anyone else," she bragged. "She's that beautiful."

Winter scoffed, up for what seemed like a challenge as she put her utensils down. "Why are you bringing my girlfriend into this?"

"My bad." Yujin realised it wasn't worth it when nothing compared to Minju. The brunette was the standard and more. And she didn't feel like offending someone else's girlfriend because she didn't want that to happen to her. "I didn't mean it that way. And no, she doesn't go to this university."

"Hm?" Winter found her behaviour suspicious, expecting a whole bicker about whose partner was better.

Yujin slid her phone to the girl, showing her the picture at the back. "This is her," she presented. "She's pretty, right?" Her full, proud smile caught Winter off guard.

The girl gently knocked on Yujin's head. "Did you hit your head somewhere over the break? Why aren't you arguing with me? You're supposed to go She's pretty, one of a kind, you'll never find someone like her. You're supposed to be bragging harder."

"You wouldn't understand what she's like even if I told you. I worry for your girlfriend because you seem interested in someone else."

"Wha—"

"Kim Minjeong." A voice shot between them and the short-haired girl gulped upon recognising that voice.

Winter turned slowly to see her girlfriend, Jimin, also known as Karina, a year older, striding down the cafeteria towards them. Her arms started reaching for Yujin unconsciously, asking her for help because it seemed like her girlfriend was visibly irritated but the younger girl shifted herself away while holding back her laughter.

Karina stood next to their table. "Baby, how many times must I tell you not to speak with your mouth full?" She took a napkin from the tray.

Winter tilted her head, swallowing her food before saying, "What?"

The older girl sat opposite them, acknowledging Yujin's presence with a nod. She looked at her girlfriend who had a grain of rice on her chin and reached over to get it. "What were you two talking about that you couldn't swallow before speaking? What if you choke?"

Sensing the worry behind her voice and gaze, Winter couldn't help but deactivate the outside world. "Have you eaten?"

Karina nodded, her gentle finger keeping her girl's bangs out of her eyes. "Are you eating enough? Why didn't you get more meat?" She examined the food in front of her.

Yujin turned to the window, her reflection being her only companion. Never did she feel more like a lightbulb than a human.

"She's pretty," Karina said, looking up at Yujin. "Your girlfriend."

The younger girl saw her glancing at the back of her phone, hearing Winter mumble, "When I do that, all I get is endless nagging. Why does she get to call other people pretty..."

Karina nudged her leg to stop her from pouting, shifting her attention to Yujin who had a tiny smile on her face. She looked at the picture again, finding Minju familiar. "It's like I've seen her somewhere before..." She tried to recall.

The older girl lifted a finger. "Right, the med school student," she said. "You brought her to the fall dance."

Yujin wondered how she knew. She ever met Karina once or twice and the rest of the time, she only caught a glimpse of her picking Winter up from class.

"You two were the talk of that week. You didn't know?"

"Know what?" The girl hoped it wasn't anything bad and couldn't think of anything either. She was in her world with Minju.

"You in the black dress, she was in white. All I know is guys were dying to know who she was, let alone you." Karina tuts softly. "Even girls. You two were beautiful that day. I better break the news to them that none of you are within their reach."

Winter frowned slightly. "Why are you talking to guys?"

"I'm not talking to them, sweetie. They're talking to me."

"Why are you letting them talk to you?"

"You have nothing to worry about, darling. My heart is yours."

"You saying that is more of a reason I should be worried." For all she k