Krystal’s P.O.V.

“Come on Yiyun! You can surely keep up with an old woman like me can’t you?” I chuckled as my grandmother continued to heckle the panting Amber. We were currently hiking up a small mountain in my grandmother’s village, it was easy work for the rest of us since we were used to doing this every year, but poor Amber hadn’t expected to do this kind of physical labor. Add that to the fact that she was still slightly hung over and you could easily imagine how hard this activity was for her.
 

“Y-yes grandmother.” Amber panted in response as she tried her best to keep up with my surprisingly agile grandmother. Hiking was very easily one of my grandparents’ favorite pastimes, and at every chance they had they would force the family to hike up the mountain side by their house. It was good for the soul is what they told us, and we all begrudgingly agreed. I tapped Amber’s shoulder gently offering her my silent sympathy. Amber just smiled weakly at me.

“Grandma, I think Amber is looking a bit pale, I will sit with her for a while so she won’t get sick.” My grandmother looked over at me and inspected Amber’s face for a minute before nodding.

“Okay Soojung. But I expect you both to be at the top of the hill before sundown.” I nodded and guided Amber to the side of the trail.

“Okay grandma, we’ll be there.” I sat down on a large rock and gestured for Amber to join me. She gladly accepted and plopped down beside me with a huff. I handed her the bottle of water that I carried up as we watched the rest of my family disappear into the mountain. “You okay?” Amber nodded as she gulped down the water. She capped the bottle before handing it back to me.

“Thanks. I don’t know how much further I could’ve gone.” I chuckled at the pained expression on her face.

“That’s what you get for drinking so much stupid.” She nodded.

“I know… I just… I didn’t want to disappoint your family.” I smiled at her.

“I know Amber, I appreciate that, but next time just get me and I’ll get you out of it, okay?” She nodded at me before frowning.

“Wait, next time? You mean there’s more drinking and mountain climbing?” I giggled at the panicked expression on her face.

“Well not usually, but Grandma really likes you. She might make you join her on her early morning hikes.” Amber’s eyes widened at my words.

“She does this every morning?!” I laughed nodding in response.

“Yep, and sometimes in the afternoon too.”  Amber groaned lying back on the big rock dramatically. I giggled and laid back as well. I rested my head on Amber’s shoulder watching as the leaves of the trees overhead swayed in the late afternoon breeze. “Amber?”

“Hmm?”

“If my cousin hits on you again you can punch him.” Amber chuckled at my words, her rumbling body sending gentle vibrations against my ear.

“I don’t think he was hitting on me Krys.” I rolled my eyes at that, yeah right, I saw the way he was looking at her.

“Yeah well that’s cause you don’t know Sung-ha that well.” Amber turned to me raising an eyebrow at me and I just shrugged. “What? I don’t want my y cousin to get his hands on MY servant.” Amber laughed again.

“Okay princess, I’ll make sure to stay out of his way.” I smiled leaning over and placing a quick kiss on Amber’s cheek before jumping up from the rock and holding my hand out to her.

“Good! Now let’s go servant! I want to show you something.” Amber blushed and took my hand accepting my help up. When she stood, I kept my hand wrapped around hers pulling her forward and off the trail. Amber looked behind us before gesturing backwards and calling to me.

“Um… Krys… the path is that way…” I nodded.

“Don’t worry Am, I’ve been hiking this mountain since I was a kid, I know it like I know the back of my hand. I know where I’m going.” She nodded hesitantly at me.

“oh-okay… if you’re sure.” I stopped and turned to the older girl.

“I’m sure. You trust me don’t you?” She nodded firmly in response.

“Of course I do.” I smiled and continued to pull her forward at her words. I wanted to take her to a clearing at the side of the mountain, it had the perfect view of the village below and at sunset everything looked divine. I quickened my pace noticing the sun quickly dipping lower in the sky. Amber struggled to keep up behind me and I turned to her.

“Are you okay? Do you need to slow down?” Amber shook her head and smiled at me reassuringly.

“I’m fine Krys.” I nodded and pushed ahead knowing that clearing was just a bit further. After a few more moments I pulled Amber in front of me and placed my hands on either side of her waist, guiding her forward as I walked behind her. I smiled as Amber’s ears flushed red at my actions. “Wha-what are we doing?”

“Just move forward, I want you to see something.” Amber nodded and allowed me to guide her forward. Soon we reached a small parting in the trees and when Amber stepped through she gasped at the sight in front of her. The sky was a swirl of orange and purple as the sun began to settle against the edge of the horizon, below that the small village reflected tiny lights dotting the scenery below. The scene was framed by the green leaves of the trees on each side of the mountain. I pushed Amber towards a medium sized rock and had her sit down before reaching behind some branches and pulling out a box that I had hidden there. I was the only one who knew about this particular clearing and I liked to come here by myself to clear my mind.

I had stored this box here with a small diary, a couple of pens and a blanket. I removed the blanket and draped it over my body before settling down behind Amber, wrapping my arms around her waist and covering her with the blanket. Usually sitting behind Amber would mean that I couldn’t see over her shoulders, but the slight hump on the rock we were sitting on allowed me to sit behind her and still take in the view. Amber stiffened for a moment, her neck flushing a telltale pink as I her arms gently. I smiled leaning down to place a soft kiss on her shoulder before speaking.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” Amber nodded, her body slowly relaxing into mine as I held her. I was always grateful for the fact that Amber let me be like this with her. I wasn’t usually one for touchy feely friendships, but there was something about Amber that made me want to hold and be held by her. Amber made me feel safe while making me also want to protect her, it was a strange sensation that I’d never had for another person before. I guess if I was being 100% honest with myself I would admit that it was because I wanted to be a lot more than friends with Amber, but that’s only if I was being honest with myself.

Of course if I was being honest with myself, I would have to admit that I was the only one Amber would allow to be this intimate with her. Out of all of her friends she trusted me the most, showing me a side of her that not many people knew about. Sure everyone knew Amber was protective and loyal, that she’d bend over backwards to make her friends happy, but what most people didn’t realize was that Amber needed to be protected sometimes and sometimes she needed someone to bend over backwards for her. I did that for her, I held her when she couldn’t ask for it, I’d spoil her when no one was looking and she’d let me. So if I was being honest with myself I’d have to admit that maybe Amber wanted to be more than friends with me too… but that’s only if I was being honest with myself.

“Krys?” I shook my thoughts clear at the sound of her husky voice before humming in response.

“Hmm?”

“What are you thinking about?”

“You.” I answered honestly. Amber turned her head towards me, sending me a questioning glance before speaking.

“Really?” I smiled nodding in response. “Something bad?” I chuckled shaking my head.

“No, stupid, not anything bad.” She nodded turning back to the sunset.

“Is it something good?” I smiled again, noting how soft the question came out of her lips.

“I guess… I was thinking about how we are with one another.” Amber’s eyebrows furrowed in response.

“How we are?” I nodded, knowing that she would feel the motion without turning her head. “What do you mean?” I looked out into the sunset for a moment before responding.

“Just… how comfortable I am with you, how close we are.” I emphasized my words by wrapping my arms around her waist a little tighter. “How I don’t feel like doing this stuff with anyone else, but when I’m around you… I just… I want to.” Amber nodded, her hands coming up to cover mine as I spoke.

“I’m glad you do.” I smiled. "I’m no good at this stuff… I’m happy you don’t mind.” I considered her words for a moment before speaking.

“Does it bother you?”

“What?”

“This.” I interlaced my fingers with hers as I said the word. “I mean… I know it makes you feel uncomfortable sometimes… do you ever not want me to?” She shook her head in response.

“No, I… I like it. I just get worried that you’ll notice how awkward I am.” I smiled before leaning down and placing my chin on her shoulder.

“You’re not awkward llama face, you’re… perfect.” Amber chuckled at that, but before she could respond I cut her off. “Perfect for me.” Amber’s smile turned into a blush and I cherished the pink color of her cheeks.

“Krys?”

“Hmm?”

“The sun went down.” I nodded against her shoulder before she continued. “Do you think Grandma Jung will be mad at us for not climbing the mountain?” I shook my head.

“Nah, I’m her favorite, she won’t get mad at me. Plus I had to take care of my poor sick llama faced servant.” Amber chuckled. “We should head back though before it gets too dark.” Amber sighed, nodding in agreement before getting up and holding her hand out for me to take. She pulled me up to my feet and after placing the blanket back into my secret box we started to head down the mountain together.

We were almost at the house when I tugged on Amber’s hand making her turn to me as I spoke. “Amber?”

“Hmm?” Amber hummed in response, coming to a stop as she awaited my response.

“Last one inside has to sleep on the floor!” I turned and ran inside the house quickly, leaving Amber trailing behind me.

“Wait! No fair!”