The giggles and chatter filled the sweet shop, all coming from the four girls that were inside. At first, they did not want to leave the dorm, as the rain was gruesome and the wind icy; but once they realised the shop next to the grocery store, they weren’t so disheartened about losing rock-paper-scissors.

     Sooyoung and Yoona had spread out, raiding the shelves for anything edible and within their price range. The two were shouting to each other from other ends of the store, trying to figure out the best deal on candy.

     Taeyeon was busy pressing all the try me buttons, smiling every time something lit up, though whistling and walking away when it wouldn’t stop. She too, was at another end of the shop, but ran through the aisles nonetheless.

     Which left Seohyun, by herself, kicking the toe of her foot on the ground. It’s not that she didn’t want to be in the store, nor was it that she didn’t want any candy; she just felt awkward. For the past few years, she’s been a little sheltered; only having the eight other girls to keep her company. Though the sisterly interaction was beneficial for her, it made her hate herself.

     Because her feelings towards one in particular weren’t sisterly.

     Not in the slightest.

     She absolutely hated herself for it, because just like the rest of the world, she found Im Yoona attractive. How could she not? Those beautiful big doe eyes, the way she throws her head back as she laughs, her voice impressions, her everything. It’s like no matter what she does, it will still make Seohyun’s heart race, blood rush, and cheeks flare.

     “Hyunnie, come here!” She heard Yoona’s voice calling her, and like any infatuated girl, she followed. She found Yoona pouting, and god, it was adorable. She was holding up two packets of candy, one filled with musk sticks, the other with pocky. “Soo and I can’t figure out which one to get.”

     “Why don’t you get both?” She replied, trying to be practical.

     “But Taeng says we can only get one,” Sooyoung huffed, stomping her foot. It was then that Taeyeon entered their aisle, a grin on her face, a lit up lollipop in her hand.

     “I said we can get one each,” Taeyeon explained, her eyes never leaving the treat. “I’m going to get this awesome lollipop, and you guys can get whatever you want.”

     “But I already chose the gumdrops,” Sooyoung whined.

     “Hyunnie,” Yoona turned her attention to the maknae, giving her the most convincing smile she could. “What if you got the pocky and I got the musk sticks?”

     “I . . .”

     She didn’t know what to say, but she knew she couldn’t say no. But Yoona mistook her silence for disagreement, and turned her charm up another notch.

     “We can hide it from all the others, stay up late, and eat it ourselves.”

     Seohyun bit her lip, nodding sheepishly.

     “O-Okay.”

     “Yay!” She ran over to her, her long arms wrapping around her. “Thank you, you’re the best.” She kissed Seohyun on the cheek, squeezing her tighter.

     Seohyun forgot how to breathe for a moment, looking down to cover her blush.

     “Yeah, um, no problem.” She said, handing Yoona the money she needed.

The shopping crew bursted through the front door, Yoona and Sooyoung’s arms spread wide with prideful smiles on their faces.

     “Your saviours have returned!” Sooyoung sang, holding the candy high above her head.

     “Just once, I’d like for them to have a normal entrance.” Jessica said, turning her head from the kitchen to look at them.

     Yuri and Hyoyeon were on kitchen duty for the night, and were finishing up dinner as the foursome entered. Taeyeon followed closely behind the loud duo, laughing quietly at their display.

     Seohyun watched as Tiffany eye smiled at Taeyeon, and how Taeyeon beamed back at her. She found it odd that no one else had realised that the two were in a secret relationship; then again, maybe they had, and just didn’t say anything. It gave her a glimmer of hope that if she were to ever confess to Yoona, maybe she wouldn’t shun her.

     Dinner went by as usual; Hyoyeon cracking jokes, Taeyeon and Tiffany stealing glances at each other, Sunny using her aegyo to steal food off of the shikshin duo, Yuri and Jessica bickering, but Seohyun was different. Usually, she would talk about a fun fact she had found out, or would educate her unnies on the unhealthy food they were eating, but tonight, she just didn’t care.

     Because in her mind, Yoona’s suggestion of staying up late together was clear and ringing.

     Soon, it was only Yoona, Sooyoung, and herself left in the lounge. Sooyoung was looking at Yoona with big puppy eyes, the eyes she always used when she wanted food.

     “Please, Yoona?” She brought her hands together, dropping to her knees. “Just one stick, that’s all I ask.”

     Yoona sighed, getting up from the floor. Seohyun heard the cupboard doors open and shut, and then Yoona was back in her line of vision, the hidden box of pocky in her hands.

     She opened the box, handing a stick to Sooyoung. “There, now go to bed.”

     “How about one more?” The tall girl asked, the chocolate covered treat already in .

     “Sooyoung,” Yoona warned.

     “Alright, alright,” She got up from her knees, trudging into her bedroom. “Remember you two, we have a full schedule tomorrow, so don’t stay up too late.”

     “We promise.” Seohyun said out of habit.

     Yoona plopped down onto the seat next to her, huffing as she looked at the box of pocky.

     “Now, what are we meant to do with the rest of it?”

     “We could eat it,” Seohyun suggested, reaching for the sweet. But Yoona pulled it away, a smirk on her face. “What?”

     “You have to earn it.”

     “Huh?”

     “You have to earn it.” The doe eyed girl repeated, slower this time.

     “How do I earn it?”

     A smile crept up Yoona’s face, “You have to play the pocky game with me.”

     “Okay,” The maknae sat up a bit, only then remembering she’d never played before. “How do you play?”

     “It's easy,” The older girl started, taking a stick from its packet. “I put the pocky between my teeth, and you eat it from the other end. Whoever eats the most wins.”

     “Oh,” Seohyun felt her cheeks heat up, rubbing at them to make it go away. “Okay.”

     “I’ll start.”

     Yoona trapped the pocky between the front of her teeth, holding it up with her tongue so Seohyun could attach herself to the other end.

     She hesitantly leant forward, taking the remaining end into .

     Yoona wasted no time in eating the pocky, nibbling along the stick until she was centimetres away from Seohyun.

     The younger girl yelped, biting down hard on the pocky and backing away.

     Yoona laughed, head thrown back.

     “Please tell me you aren’t scared to play the game.”

     “No . . .”

     It was true; she wasn’t scared of playing the game. No, she was scared of losing control, scared of forgetting what was right and what was wrong.

     Scared of kissing Yoona.

     “Then, try again.” She took another sweet from the box, holding it up for the younger girl to take. Seohyun took it between her teeth, her eyes never leaving Yoona’s. She noticed the older girl bit her lip, her eyes blazing. But it left as quickly as it came, her choding persona surfacing once more. “And remember, you have to eat some this time, or else it’s not fair.”

     She watched Yoona take the other end into , her lips tugging into a smile.

     No, it most definitely was not fair.

     The two began eating away at the stick, Yoona clearly more eager to get some of the food. Seohyun could sense that they were both getting closer and closer, but neither stopped what was happening. Yoona continued to munch at the pocky, and with each bite, Seohyun needed to pause, needed to remember how to breathe.

     Yoona’s eyes glazed closed, ready to eat the last bit of pocky.

     But not before Seohyun got there first.

     Their lips touched, and Seohyun lost all comprehendible thought. Yoona’s lips were so soft, so warm, so perfect against hers.

     Seohyun let her eyes shut, swallowing the little pocky she had in as she pressed her lips harder against Yoona’s.

     But then Yoona pulled away.

     “What are you doing?”

     Seohyun’s eyes shot open, her heart pounding with the realisation of what she’d just done.

     “Answer me, Seohyun.”