“Oh my god!” Hyejin squealed, squeezing the pillow, as Ara finished explaining where she had been the past few hours when she'd been supposed to come home much earlier actually. The older girl had kept it brief, saying that Sehun dragged into the city centre. But Hyejin couldn’t hold back her excitement upon hearing that. Of course she knew, it wasn’t just being dragged into the city centre but actually a date. Besides, she had caught a glimpse of Sehun standing at the door as Ara entered the flat. And the younger girl had always been someone who loved such things. It just made her so warm and fuzzy and excited on the inside.

“Unnie,” Hyejin said adorably, “I'm getting jealous because I can totally imagine how great the date must have been.” The young girl giggled, still hugging the pillow, as she turned to face Ara. The two sisters were just lying in their beds. “Don't get me wrong, not because of Sehun Oppa, but because I want to go on a date with Kai Oppa.” Hyejin sighed, turning around again to face the ceiling. It seemed as if her gaze was getting further away because her thoughts drifted further and further away as well. “I really want to …”

Ara, lying on her side, looked at her younger sister thoughtfully. Back then she might have shaken her head at Hyejin's words. But right now she could understand it. Why? Because she had finally tasted how wonderful it was. How wonderful it was to be in love with someone, to love someone, to be loved. How wonderful spending time with that certain someone was. Her date with Sehun had been so, so wonderful. When he had bidden her goodnight with a gentle kiss, thus ending the beautiful night, Ara had been filled with warmth, the soft touch of his hand still lingering on her palm. She had realized that she hadn't enjoyed herself this much in what felt like forever.

“Then go on one,” she said. Just as the words left her lips, she realized that she had just said her thoughts aloud. Thoughts that were so easily said and difficult to be executed. How dumb of her to just – “Unnie, I can't. We're not even dating …” Hyejin replied, interrupting Ara's thoughts. The younger girl was still staring at the ceiling. Ara knew that the other girl couldn’t, but still, her lips had spoken those words. Because something inside her was urging her to.

“Do you want to?” Ara mused before continuing, “to date him?”

Hyejin smiled, she she still faced the ceiling. “Yes,” she closed her eyes, “And you know, this time I think I can differentiate between the urge to just date someone and actual feelings for him,” the young girl mumbled, and for a moment Ara found herself being glad that the first time things hadn't worked out between Hyejin and Kai. Not because she liked seeing her sister sad – it was the opposite, by all means – but because she could now see that it had been necessary. Necessary to let Hyejin mature. Because only due to that mistake, due to that one stone Hyejin had stumbled over, she had learned. Learned not to let it happen another time. Without mistakes there was no progress. So, looking back, Ara didn’t feel as if she should have prevented things from happening as they had anymore. There had been a time, in which guilt and regret had risen in her. Regret for having not been able to save her little sister from the dumb mistake. But now she could see that there had never been a reason to.

Silence engulfed the girls for a moment before Ara broke it. “Then you should … or could try again,” the older girl tentatively said. Back then she would have never said that. But now, she could see the change in Hyejin. She could see that this time, the younger girl was serious about what she said. That she was aware of her real feelings. Not of blind admiration or persuaded feelings but the actual ones. The essence. And therefore Ara felt that this time, it couldn’t and wouldn’t hurt to try. She, who had always told her sister not to try when it came to such things in order to avoid disappointment, felt that.

Hyejin's eyes widened upon hearing what her sister said and turned her face to stare at Ara. “Who are you and what have you done to my sister?” She mumbled in absolute confusion.

Ara half snorted, half laughed at what the younger girl said and her expression. “Your sister is safe and sound, Hye.”

A pause followed.

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