Archive of Our Own ^beta

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They finished each other’s sentences. Jungeun wondered sometimes if it annoyed people. Then she remembered she didn’t give a damn what others thought of her and Jiwoo.
Jiwoo and her. They’d grown up together. Studied together, sang and danced together, laughed at the same jokes, knew when the other was sad.
And now, they would debut together. Synchronized, Jungeun would match Jiwoo step-for-step.

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“What the hell is this?” Jungeun dropped her bags at the door, staring at their apartment in awe.
“IT’S CHRISTMAS!” Jiwoo squealed, waving her arms about with pride.
The room was like a winter wonderland—lights were hanging on the walls and framed the windows, a pine tree was in one corner, and Christmas music was blasting through speakers.
“It’s November 1st, sweetheart.”
“I know! Want to decorate the tree with me?” Jiwoo giggled, and Jungeun rolled her eyes.
“Yeah. Of course I do.”

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Yerim heard a clatter in the kitchen, and put down her Nintendo DS, running in to investigate the commotion.
“Chaewon?”
“Yerim! Everything’s perfectly fine!” Chaewon was wiping up batter from a silver mixing bowl that was now upside down on the floor.
Yerim knew the unnies would roll their eyes if they saw, but she just smiled and asked, “What are you making?”
“I’m TRYING to make chocolate muffins.”
“Do you need some help?”
“PLEASE.”

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Jungeun…Yerim…I need your help.

What is it…

I may have…volunteered to babysit my niece.

Aw, cute!

She’s like a demon! I thought it would be sweet and fun…

Are you asking for help?

…

No.

Me and Lippie will be there in five!

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I see a red door. Tall and sturdy, bright with a gold handle. Nowadays, I mostly pass it by. But today, I pause to think about you and I.
The first time you let me inside to watch movies—you moved away when I tried to get cozy. That night, I closed the door thinking there was something wrong with me. A girl had never denied my advances like that before.
Our next date, I delivered you to the red door after you’d had too much to drink. This time, I was the one who denied your advances. I wanted our first kiss to be something you really wanted.
When you were sick, I knocked on your red door with soup, a teddy bear, and movies in hand. Your eyes lit up.
Our fourth date, it snowed on our way back from ice skating. Framed by the red door, I leaned in. I said your name.
“Jungeun.”
“Sooyoung.”
We closed our eyes and my heart pounded, frantic and red. Finally seen.

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“Sooyoung, that HURTS!”
“Then stop fidgeting!”
“But it hurts!”
“Because you’re FIDGETING!”
Jiwoo huffed and tried to sit still as Sooyoung finished doing her here.
“There,” Sooyoung sighed, patting Jiwoo’s shoulder. “Done.”
“Yay!” Jiwoo made to stand, but Sooyoung had another idea. She tugged Jiwoo down by her ponytail. The girl screeched and fell back into her lap.
“What was THAT for?”
“Hey, Jiwoo.”
“What?”
Sooyoung pulled Jiwoo’s ponytail again, so Jiwoo was looking up at her.
“I love you.” She kissed Jiwoo on the forehead. She went red.
“I love you too. Now let me GO!”

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Sooyoung had only ever thought of Jinsoul as a friend—a loud, annoying work friend, but yes, a friend. But now, under the dim bar lights, with beer goggles on, Sooyoung was actually considering kissing her senseless.
Both of them were at least four beers in, and while Sooyoung was only now beginning to feel it, Jinsoul was flying high. The blonde was hiccuping as she talked, and had put her long hair into two pigtails. She pointed almost accusingly at Sooyoung and pouted. Her lips puckered, almost as if to tease Sooyoung.
“And YOU—hic—are the worst about it!”
“The worst about…what?”
“About—hic—flirting—hic—at work!” Jinsoul slammed her head down on the bar so hard a few people looked over. Sooyoung touched the back of her head, petting her gently. Jinsoul shot back up.
“SEE?”
“We’re not at work, Jinsoul.”
“And what about when we’re at work? What’s—HIC—your excuse then?”
“I…don’t try to. It’s natural.”
“I call BULLSHIT—HIC!”
Sooyoung’s hand was still on Jinsoul; it had fallen from her head to the side of her neck, where it met her shoulder; her favorite place on a girl.
One kiss wouldn’t hurt.