Loud laughter can be heard from the room down the hallway, the room wherein it’s supposed to be a storage room but six specific girls have turned it into their own little hideout, their own comfort zone and haven that holds their peace and quiet. It’s an almost innocent laughter on a Saturday morning wherein no one is around college anyway so no one could ever possibly see them. Along with laughing, groaning can also be heard as well as other dragging noises of objects as the six mischievous girls lead by the one and only most mischievous one that goes by Monday are trying hard to adopt a new hobby but fail, it seems. Which is the cause of their laughter. 

“You’re so bad at this unnie!” Soeun exclaims as she points out at Soojin who has just fallen down on the floor, one of the few skateboards they’ve found in the storage room trapped between her feet. Soeun laughs hard and Soojin does the same as she frowns before she yelps loudly between her laughter and scolds her friend. 

“Ya! My hurts and all you do is laugh at me!” Monday laughs hard as she looks at them, already riding her own skateboard, having managed to master her newly born skills in this activity in a matter of a few minutes, like always. It’s a Monday thing, and it’s a given that very few people in this world could ever have. 

“That’s all she would do, and you know it.” She replies as she pushes her own skateboard towards Jaehee who’s still in the very first stage of this new sport someone can claim it to be. She’s awkwardly standing onto another skateboard, stretched out in an awkward motion while her hands are spread widely to both of her sides in order to somehow stabilize herself onto the skateboard and that’s the only thing she’s been doing for the past twenty minutes, not wanting to end up like Soojin who has just tried to slide the skateboard just a little further instead of keeping it still. 

No matter Soeun’s laughter and the two girls bickering she’s ended up stretching out her hand and helping Soojin up on her feet before she teases,

“Do you want a massage on your ?” Soojin glares at her as she immediately refuses while Soeun forms a wide smile, teeth on full display and eyes half closing as it turns out as another laughter yet again. 

Meanwhile, a little further, there’s Jihan and Zoa, sitting by the couch and decorating their skateboards, having worn and made sure it’s perfectly worn all the pads needed for their protection, elbow pads, knee pads, helmets and so on ⏤unlike their eonnideul. 

“Hey you two! Are you going to be cowards forever?” Monday calls out the two younger ones. They both raise their heads to look towards her direction, Zoa’s big round eyes staring at Monday just a little deeper as she would always do before they both said in unison,

“It’s safer that way.” 

“Plus we prefer seeing you all try first. It gives us an example of how we should do it.” Zoa says before she and Jihan end up erupting into loud laughter, giggling softly to themselves as they turn to look at each other happily, bumping their shoulders for thinking the exact same thing as Jihan corrects Zoa and reveals to the rest what they’ve been thinking. 

“She means we prefer seeing you all making a fool of yourself as you guys give us the perfect example of what we should NOT do!” And the two erupt into laughter once again. 

“Hey! Stop making fun of us, we're at least trying!” Soeun tries to defend them. 

“Yeah exactly! You can’t be cowards forever! You have to try! We all agreed on this!” Monday says before she turns to look at the rest of the girls saying,

“These two look like they’re into their own little world, don’t they?” 

“Let them be. They know what they’re doing. I, on the other hand, still wonder why I agreed to this.” Soojin says while Soeun laughs again at how shaky Soojin’s position on the skateboard appeals to be before the girl yelps yet again and holds onto Soeun’s shoulders immediately. 

It looks like everyone is separated in pairs so Zoa feels glad their unniesignored them again and gave them just a little bit more time to fool around. She knows she will have to ride that thing at some point too. She just doesn’t want yet because she definitely doesn’t want to end up falling and definitely doesn’t want to end up breaking any part of her body. Except for the fact that it will hurt like hell she will also be useless for the team for a lot of months and the least thing she wants right now is for Yunho to scold her for being so immature and dumb by trying out something so crazy like that and ending up hurting herself. 

Decorating their skateboards seems way safer and unlike Monday who used spray the other day to paint the lockers and walls Zoa and Jihan aren’t that talented to try that out yet. Jihan as of now has filled up her skateboard with countless stickers while Zoa is painting her own skateboard with markers ⏤which is a way easier way to paint something rather than with sprays.

“Zoa ya?” Jihan calls out softly, forming a huge pout at some point. 

“Nae unnie?” Zoa replies with the same softness in her voice. 

“I’m running out of stickers.” Zoa purses her lips before she replies with the same complaining tone in her voice too. 

“I’m also running out of space to paint. Also from ideas of what to paint.” 

“I believe it’s time we try what the girls have been doing for a while now. But I really don’t want to.” Jihan says as she looks at the girls around them, smiling softly upon seeing Monday giving a kiss on Jaehee’s cheek once the girl has managed to slide her skateboard just an inch further without Monday holding her hands. 

“Honestly? I just don’t want to break my bones. I’m fine with anything else.” Zoa confesses as she starts gathering the markers and placing them all inside her pencil case. 

“Maybe we can put pillows here and there? So if you fall at least you’ll fall on something soft and won’t break any parts of your body.” Jihan suggests. Zoa furrows her eyebrows as she gives it a little thought and Jihan just simply stares at her, loving yet again once again how close they are and how beautiful Zoa looks by just doing the bare minimum. 

“Fine. But I can’t use my skateboard. The paintings need to dry off first.” 

“Then we’ll have to share.” Jihan says softly as she looks at her own skateboard in her hands. She then looks back at Zoa, wondering if the girl wanted that too and as soon as she sees the girl’s face lighting up in that familiar way it did whenever she was happy she immediately relaxes. 

“I like this idea. Your skateboard is cute, Jihannie.” 

“Really?”

“Yeah!” Zoa says before the two take a couple of photos of their skateboards and giggle at the result of half of their messed up photos. Zoa is the first one to stand up from the couch, letting her skateboard aside to dry off before she grabs a pillow from the couch on one hand, then turns around to face Jihanand extends her left hand, waiting for Jihan to take it. It’s the first time she’s the first one to suggest they hold hands and reach out for Jihan so Jihan is a little caught off guard, her eyes staring at the girl’s hand blankly as she tries hard not to look too surprised though her heart is already fluttering too much in her chest. Zoa on the other hand doesn’t think much of it. She already feels very close and very comfortable with Jihan. Jihan has held her hand a lot of times so Zoa doesn’t think there would be a problem if she’s the one holding her hand first this time. If anything, the weird thing would be if they wouldn’t hold hands at this point. 

Jihan takes the taller girl’s hand and they stand up. They place a few pillows around them, a little further from the couch and the other girls so they wouldn’t fall onto them, before Jihan is the first one to hop onto the skateboard. Zoa now holds her from both hands tightly saying,

“I won’t leave you, unnie.” Trying to comfort Jihan who’s already a little nervous. Jihan on the other hand isn’t just nervous because she doesn’t want to fall but because Zoa is really close to her. She’s realized lately that her heart keeps pounding fastly and loudly in her chest and her whole body warms up, as she just panics a little too much whenever Zoa is close to her. It also doesn’t help because the girl is just too pretty and endearing. If anything it only makes the pounding in Jihan’s chest worse and now she’s sure her hands are shaking in Zoa’s hold. She’s pretty sure Zoa isn’t aware of what she’s doing to her, of what she’s causing to Jihan’s poor heart and she can claim that for sure by how blankly Zoa is staring at her. But that’s the exact problem. Whenever the two are close lately Zoa gets that blank stare, which is way too confusing because she looks so innocent on the one hand, but on the other, a stare remains a stare and Zoa’s stares have always been deep and hard because of how big and dark her eyes are. Jihan feels just like a melted ice cream on the floor… 

Once she’s sure she fully stabilized herself she gives a slight push on the skateboard with her left foot before she quickly places it on the plank of the skateboard. Her body leans just a little forward as she’s sure she lost her balance and will fall backwards any time soon but Zoa is fast to wrap her arms around Jihan’s waist and keep her still, her arms secure and tight around her as her chest collides with Jihan’s belly. 

Now this hug would be cute and Jihan would have totally loved it if it wasn’t making her feel… so many things… her skin burns and shudders as she catches herself yearning for Zoa’s hold and touch, not wanting the girl to take her hands away ever, loving the hug just a little more than she should, while her stomach reacts on a whole different way, tightening as she feels her breath getting caught in . Her heart pounds rapidly in her chest and she just hopes that somehow holding her breath wouldn’t betray to the girl who’s flat on top of her how nervous she makes her feel. 

Zoa gives her the same blank stare and Jihan wants to jump off the skateboard for a second there and just run away and seek for some fresh air but the mere thought of leaving Zoa alone behind feels so wrong and she feels sick to her stomach. 

Meanwhile for Zoa, things are way different. For Jihan, it’s pretty clear that she likes Zoa by how she feels and by how her body is reacting. She knows how to acknowledge all these signs. For Zoa though, this all is new. Extremely new. 

She raises her head to face Jihan, wanting to make sure the girl is fine as the only thing on her mind right now is the girl’s safety. Once she does whoever, she’s met with Jihan’s face from up this close and suddenly it feels like things slow down. Time slows down, their surroundings fade away, any sound around them vanishes and the only thing left in Zoa’s vision and focus is Jihan. Suddenly it all feels too magical. Like as if it came out straight from a fairytale. Yes, Zoa is sure it feels exactly like that. Jihan has that nervous expression on as she has expected to have fallen already but Zoa can’t even focus on that. Her eyes land on Jihan’s light bangs that frame her forehead as they’ve been a little messed up by now and same goes for the girl’s brown locks that have been tangled with Zoa’s hands. Then she sees Jihan’s eyebrows, Jihan’s cute chubby cheeks that Monday so loves to pinch whenever she wants to tease the girl. She then looks at the girl’s cute charming dimples that make her look even more cute and adorable, the girl’s round pink lips that look so glossy underneath the sunbeams radiating on her body making her look just a little more ethereal. Zoa then looks at the girl’s bunny teeth that she’s always thought looked perfect along with the girl’s warm eyes and dimples making the perfect cute girl before her eyes land on Jihan’s eyes. 

She’s totally unaware of how nervous her scanning of Jihan’s face makes Jihan feel. But once her own eyes land on Jihan’s dark brown yet warm and always filled with emotions eyes… 

Zoa isn’t aware of what she’s feeling exactly. But something about the sunbeams landing on Jihan’s figure from the windows around the room, making the girl’s eyes shine just a little more along with Jihan’s eyes overall… Zoa can’t seem to explain it though she’s not trying right now to do so anyway. All she knows right now is that Jihan looks ethereal, gorgeous and extremely loveable ⏤the first love type of loveable⏤ and Zoa can’t seem to look away. If anything, right now she feels like she only wants to keep staring. And as an inexperienced one that she is at love, she allows herself to stare because she doesn’t even think the possibility of not doing so or overall what staring does even mean or what it will cause her later on. While other people try to control their emotions, to hide them somehow or be distinctive about them, here is Zoa not doing so because she’s not even aware she has them in the first place or even if she ever gets aware of them, she doesn’t even know what they mean…

“Hey.” She says dumbly, because it’s the only thing that comes to her mind to say after staring at Jihan like that, thinking time and time again that Jihan is just so flawlessly pretty. 

“Hi.” Jihan says softly, managing to form a smile even if she feels extremely nervous right now. 

“You didn’t fall, see? I’m here. I told you I am.” Zoa says softly, before she forms a wide happy smile, not wanting Jihan to ever feel nervous again, definitely liking the smiling Jihan way more than the nervous Jihan she’s faced earlier. 

“Thank you.” Jihan replies and Zoa simply nods her head before she slowly loosens up her hands, but never leaving them from Jihan’s waist, deciding that it’s safer to hold Jihan like that rather than from her hands. 

It goes on like this for a couple of minutes. Jihan trying, Zoa holding her so she won’t fall and the rest of the girls observing them quietly. Zoa can’t explain what she’s feeling. She’s not even trying to think of it. It doesn’t even cross her mind that she has to think of it, acknowledge what her feelings are and so on. For now all she knows is that she likes looking at Jihan. She really does. She doesn’t think she can keep her eyes off of her. Because looking at Jihan makes Zoa happy. Just by that.

======================================================

And it seems like it only keeps on going like that as the two keep hanging out. Ever since the day Jihan has built up her courage and texted Zoa that night, wanting to somehow let out her own enthusiasm and for once not to control her feelings too much, the two haven’t stopped texting at all. At first, it wasn’t as often. Sometimes it was texting throughout the whole day but then it would take them two or three days to text to each other again because their schedules were busy, they were meeting around college too anyway or the previous conversation has ended so someone had to find a new topic to start a new one. 

These didn’t seem to be a problem though as time went on. From texting twice a week switching to texting everyday all day wasn’t that hard if you’re texting with Zoa… and you happen to be Jihan too. They never run out of topics anymore. If anything, the more they text the more they want to talk to each other and the more topics they find. Their characters match so well, their humor, everything about their combination together just keeps on bringing them closer. 

So texting has done half of the work for them because even if they wouldn’t meet up that often throughout the day, they would always text. So next time they would meet up they had way too many things to talk about and even talk about the things they’ve texted to each other, leaving the rest of their friends who have always been observing them wondering what's going on between the two of them or feeling happy about the strong friendship between them. 

Zoa can't believe it's already been a whole month and a half ever since she's started college. It's not the end of September wherein she had to move out of home and get to the dorms, it's not the beginning of October wherein she's just hung out with her friends and hot to know Jaehee and Jihan, it's not even the first week of college or the second one. It's already in the middle, close to the end of November and everyone is already getting into the festive mood of Christmas. The students around college are already booking their tickets to get back home, some of them are already sending some of their things in boxes over to their hometown in order not to curry too much stuff once they leave. Some of them are already packing while some others are just enjoying the whole Chrimstas mood and are buying Christmas decorations or gifts for themselves and their friends. 

And while all these happen, their college is arranging a Christmas party a week before college officially closes for Christmas ⏤which is a week before Christmas in order for every student to get back home safely and soon. Everyone is in a rush, students getting ready to get back home, or preparing themselves for the Christmas party. Among all those students who are under the influence of Christmas mood and consumerism there’s Soojin who’s trying hard as the students council’s president to arrange the Christmas party while she also tries hard to study for the upcoming exams of the semester at the end of January. It’s understandable to say that she’s stressed and barely has time to hang out with the girls. 

It’s way colder outside now and students barely hang out except if it’s necessary or if they want to buy Christmas decorations that is. It seems like the cold has affected Zoa and her friends too as they’ve stopped going out and gathering at each other’s apartments or dorm rooms. They’ve even stopped going to their hideout whenever the college would be closed for the day or for the weekend because that meant no heating around the building so no heating in their hideout as well. And hanging out in a cold room isn’t fun at all… 

Zoa has woken up earlier than usual on this Saturday morning because she also wanted to book her own ticket for home. Soojin didn’t have the time to do that so she’s given Zoa her wallet with her ID and other needed stuff in order for the girl to book them both a ticket. Monday and Soeun would return back to their home with Monday’s car so that wasn’t a problem and no matter how they have offered to get Zoa and Soojin back home too, they all had lots of suitcases to bring back to their houses so this would make their traveling a little too troublesome. 

Jiwoo has suggested they go book the girl’s tickets together in order for Zoa not to go over to the train station by herself, to which Zoa has gladly agreed. So here she is now, after Soojin’s care and worry having dressed up like a burrito, with a thick coat, boots, scarf, beanie and gloves covering every part of her skin and body overall finally stepping out of her dorm room. 

“I’ll see you later unnie. Study hard, fighting!” She tells Soojin before she closes the door behind her. Once she turns around her face lights up upon seeing Jihan standing by her own door, wearing a similar warm outfit as Zoa’s. 

“Hey!” She greets brightly, a wide smile forming on her lips, her teeth and cute gums showing up. Jihan smiles back. 

“Hi.”

“It’s cold outside unnie. Where are you even going on a cold Saturday morning?” Zoa asks her. 

“Just the library to borrow some books and study. What about you?” Jihan asks as the two are already walking down the hallway together, their fingers intertwining even when they’re wearing thick gloves. 

“Going to book mine and Soojin unnie’s tickets.” Zoa announces, a soft smile on her lips upon thinking of going back home to her mom and dad and grandparents and spending Christmas with them and her eonnideul. At that, Jihan’s smile falters, fades away as a small bittersweet smile replaces her happy one now. She has less than a month to hang out with Zoa before the girl leaves to spend Christmas with her family. And it’s not like Jihan doesn’t understand that. She does because she’s also missed her parents and will return to them for Christmas holidays but surely her home isn’t that far away for college as Zoa’s home is… Jihan’s is only an hour away and she knows Jaehee’s home is around that long too. So she can meet up with Jaehee during Christmas but the rest… the rest are too far away… Zoa is too far away… and Jihan is going to miss her. Heck, she hasn’t even thought of that far yet. Of Christmas or having to separate with the girls and Zoa again. And thinking about it now just makes her too sad. It’s only a couple of weeks but… but to Jihan it already feels so long and she hasn’t spent that long without Zoa before… 

Suddenly she’s starting to count down the days in her head, making a mental calendar even if she’s not the organizing type to do these things, wanting to know exactly how much time is there left for her to spend with Zoa… 

She looks over to Zoa, knowing well enough by now that they only have three weeks maximum before college closes for Christmas holidays and everyone has to leave and go back to their homes, wondering if the same thoughts have ever crossed the taller girl’s mind. She’s faced with the same bright and smiley Zoa so she’s pretty sure the girl hasn’t even thought of this yet, hasn’t even realized or simply wasn’t that sad about it as Jihan is… 

They reach the library wherein Jihan is supposed to study and Zoa is supposed to meet Jiwoo ⏤she’s texted the girl earlier that they would meet there instead of the front gates of the campus as she didn’t want to let Jihan to go alone to the library. 

“Zoa!” Jiwoo exclaims as soon as she sees her best friend walking towards her and rushes to hug her tightly, breaking Zoa’s holding hands with Jihan who simply giggles softly at the two’s interactions. 

“Hey you.” Zoa says softly and smiles at Jiwoo who takes a step back and smiles brightly at her friend. 

“Hey Jihan unnie! Is she coming with us?” Jiwoo greets Jihan before she turns to look at Zoa with a questioning look. Zoa laughs and shakes her head. 

“No dummy. She’s here to study. I’m all yours for this morning, didn’t we say so?” Jiwoo forms that shy, sentimental, happy smile of hers, nodding her head slowly, happy that Zoa is willing to give some of her busy time to Jiwoo and only. 

“Have fun you two.” Jihan says as she waves goodbye at them before her eyes land on Zoa just a little longer. Zoa smiles at her and waves goodbye before she’s dragged by Jiwoo who leads their way. 

[...]

Once they’re done buying Zoa and Soojin’s tickets Jiwoo takes Zoa to one of the cafeterias nearby claiming that it’s a nice cafeteria that serves really tasty hot chocos and so the two decided to spend the rest of their morning there. 

Zoa’s hands are wrapped tightly around the mug of the hot choco, totally loving the warmth and the flavor of the drink as she looks around her at the cafeteria, enjoying to look at random people spending their morning there but also at the beautiful view outside. Even if it’s cold, the weather is sunny and there are no clouds in the sky. 

“So you’re leaving in three weeks? Damn that’s not that long!” Jiwoo exclaims, breaking the silence between them as she finally lets out her thoughts and feelings, trying not to sound too sad or too desperate for Zoa to stay. Zoa’s eyes widen a little as she finally makes the realization in her head. It truly is three weeks. Three weeks before she’s finally free from classes, three weeks before she finally leaves the dorms and returns back to her home, to mom and dad. Three weeks before she doesn’t see Jaehee and Jihan again or Jiwoo as well… They could always arrange a hangout somewhere in between the holidays but… but that’s not an easy thing to do especially if they live so far away and have so many other family, relatives and friends gatherings to do. 

She’s snapped out of her thoughts at Jiwoo’s snapping of her fingers in front of her face before Jiwoo lets out sadly,

“You haven’t realized, have you?” Zoa sighs softly before she nods her head. 

“I’ve been mostly excited to get back to mom, dad and Clara and also to finally see my grandparents too. To spend Christmad with my family, you know… I haven’t realized that we…” She says softly and pouts sadly, not continuing the sentence because it doesn’t matter. Jiwoo knows what she means.

“Well I guess we will always text and call right?” Jiwoo tries to lift up Zoa’s spirits. She can’t believe she’s the one doing it when she started this topic herself because she was the one who wanted and needed comfort. How ironic… 

At that, Zoa smiles and nods her head. 

“Of course we will. I’m not losing contact with you again.” Zoa says and sounds hopeful as she reaches out to hold Jiwoo’s hands over Jiwoo’s mug that she’s placed them over. At that, Jiwoo stares at her blankly, trying hard to stop the fluttering in her chest, knowing well enough that Zoa is just being friendly and she just sounds friendly right now too. Her actions as well. After all, Zoa is that type of person who has a very warm heart and warms up everyone’s hearts around her by simply being herself. 

She stares back at Zoa for a few long seconds before she looks away, not being able to maintain eye contact any longer even if she’s usually very strong at these kinds of games. Maybe it’s the whole fact that Zoa is leaving very soon that has made Jiwoo weak. She swears she’s originally not that weak though. She shakes her head softly before she tries to compose herself by teasing Zoa saying,

“You better!” And sticks out her tongue at her friend who laughs softly. Jiwoo sighs softly, looking at Zoa’s smiling figure as the girl laughs. This soft moment is one of the many moments she’s going to keep in her heart and mind for a long time and keep rethinking during her whole Christmas holidays that Zoa will be away until she meets up with the girl again. She just knows this… 

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Time flies fast and from three weeks before Christmas holidays it's suddenly just one week left. One busy week, as everyone is busy packing their things, bidding goodbye to their friends, having to catch up with trains, airplanes or buses to get back to their homes. Some students are busy studying too as professors are also busy giving more and more homework for the holidays season. Lots of students are also busy showing their grou