The Thin Line Between Love and Hate

31

"...Then I end up afraid of water" Shuhua finished one of her childhood stories as they walked around the mall with their arms interlocked. "My mother was really protective too and kept me away from any rivers or pools and I guess it just made it worse" She finally added. "Now is your turn" 

Soojin likes to think that it’s a normal thing between friends to hang out so much like they do now, the following days after the older had recovered from her sore throat and running nose, the younger had invited her to go out, according to Shuhua it was only right to take her out after she got her sick, even if only for a few days; Now they are walking around with their arms interlocked as they shared their childhood stories as a way to get to know each other better.

Soojin frowned, trying to think of something to share with Shuhua. "Oh I got one, you remember how Yuqi and Soyeon have met?"

Shuhua nods. "I was there, Jinjin" 

The older tries not to blush at the nickname. "Well, You know how Yuqi spilled soda on Soyeon and got a stain on her shirt?" Shuhua hummed in response, eyes noticing how open the plaid shirt Soojin was wearing underneath her jacket was so her hands were quickly moving to pull up the zipper of Soojin's coat all the way up. 

"What about it?" Shuhua finally asked once she’s satisfied with how covered up the older is.

"The truth is, there was never a soda stain, Actually Me and Soyeon put a stain on it the next morning just so she could have a excuse to talk to Yuqi"

Shuhua laughs. "You two…! Yuqi stole from her piggy bank just to buy Soyeon a new shirt you know?" She said, thinking back of how she had to hold the piggy bank upside down while Yuqi tried to use a knife to pull the coins out despite Shuhua saying how much of a dumb idea that was, it took them the whole afternoon until they were done.

“Now it’s your turn” Soojin said and Shuhua scratched her chin as she tried to think of something she could share.

"Hmmm… Oh, when we were kids Yuqi and I tried to run away from home once" She said which made Soojin gasp. "I think I was 8"

"8!?" Soojin repeated, even more shocked. The idea of a 8 year old and a 9 year old alone in the streets after running away from home set off all of her protective instincts despite being something that already happened 10 years ago. "Why?"

"Well… The Song have been arguing a lot back then and Yuqi didn't want to be around them every time they were fighting so we decided to run away" Shuhua explained, back then they were too young to realize how dangerous it was to do what they were doing. "We got caught two hours later because our korean was so bad we couldn't get into the bus on our own'' She laughed. She could still remember how a police car parked in front of them at the bus stop and how Yuqi's mom came out of it crying her eyes out as soon as she spotted them.

"Then what?"

"Hey, I thought it was your turn to share" Shuhua said, laughing as Soojin whines and holds her arm tighter as she shakes the younger, complaining about how the taiwanesse was annoying. "We got grounded after that, a whole month!" She then added and Soojin couldn't keep herself from laughing at that, trying to picture how shocked little Shuhua must have been with this punishment, however in the back of her head there was this silent question about why she was so willing to run away from home too. "It's your turn now."