A knock comes from the front door.
There's a heavy weight wrapped around Sae-byeok's torso that prevents her from getting up. She peels open her tired eyes, sticky with eye boogers, to be greeted with the sight of a tiny girl's body stuck around her like a koala bear. In her ribcage, Sae-byeok's heart races dangerously.
"What?" Ji-yeong groans when Sae-byeok tickles her chin.
"There's someone at the door."
Right on cue, there's a series of knocks louder than the last.
"Ughhh, but I want to sleep more."
Sae-byeok chuckles, "I'm not telling you to wake up. I just need you to let me go."
"But i need you with me."
"I'll be back."
Heart clenching, Sae-byeok frees herself from the serotonin-inducing embrace, opening the door to an oddly familiar girl with curly hair, beauty marks scattered across face in an almost uniform fashion.
"Took you long enough."
"Are you-"
"Yup," the girl cuts Sae-byeok off. "Get ready, you're already late for your first day, girl."
"Who's it?" calls Ji-yeong from the futon.
The curly-haired girl takes a peek into the apartment; Sae-byeok blocking her view.
"Friend?"
"We work together," answers the tall girl. "Let me change, it won't take long."
"Sureee," the girl drags her syllables, giving Sae-byeok a curious look.
The awkward giant closes the door in the girl's face, quickly barreling towards the wardrobe for a change of clothes.
Ji-yeong rises from her thick blankets sleepily, "Who was it?"
"My new partner," Sae-byeok pulls on a thick black hoodie, "I'm late for work."
"Already?" yawns Ji-yeong.
She watches from the futon discreetly as Sae-byeok takes off her shorts to put on a pair of long jeans. Quick as her movements be, the shorty still caught a glimpse of something she really liked. Her tall girlfriend brushes out the kinks in her hair with her slender fingers, before running towards the door to put on her wool socks from the day before.
"Aren't you gonna kiss me goodbye, at least?"
Sae-byeok feels her face flush at the question. Just as she turns around, the shorty's lips plant themselves on hers. Both their breaths smelling sickly from not having brushed.
The girls cringed.
"Let's not do that again," grimaces Ji-yeong.
Sae-byeok gives her an extra peck on the cheek, humming in agreement. She gives the short was last goodbye before heading out.
Ji-yeong waves as the door closes in her face, "Bye bye."
||
Bored.
That's what Ji-yeong keeps thinking.
Even though her girlfriend wasn't much of a talker, she still had a presence that always kept her entertained.
That didn't seem like the right word.
More.....less bored?
Whatever. I just miss her, Ji-yeong concludes.
Right on cue, the intercom announces that the train will be reaching its next station. The small thief looks around the coach she was sitting in. A middle-aged man on her left; an old woman with her grandkid on the right. Everyone else either occupied with their phones, or anticipating the arrival.
She turns to her left, "Ahjussi, can you show me what time it is?"
The man glances over; Ji-yeong plasters on her brightest smile to garner his attention. She waits as he pushes up his sleeve, revealing an expensive digital watch.
"Daebak!" Ji-yeong takes ahold of his wrist, "Ahjussi! Is that the latest model?"
As planned, the man is taken aback by her assertive touchy-ness.
"I'm not sure, I got it in Gangnam street."
"Really?" Ji-yeong stalls, the harsh squeal of the train braking signalling her. Anytime now. "I should take some time out to visit the place."
"You're not from here?"
"Nope."
She lets the momentum take her when the train comes to a halt. Lurching forwards, she presses herself up against the man, while popping the latch of his watch.
The exit doors silde open.
"So sorry about that," she pulls away, while patting away at the man's rumpled jacket.
"It's fine, it's fine," he laughs nervously.
It was written all over his face that he was enjoyed the young woman pressed up and touching all over him. Every bone in Ji-yeong's body cringed with disgust.
"Nice meeting you, ahjussi," forces Ji-yeong sweetly before blending into the crowd like a stealthy ghost.
It wasn't till she was up on the surface, when Ji-yeong tries on the watch. The weight to it heavy, and the band too wide for her narrow wrist.
"Guess you'll be pawned," she says to the inanimate object.
"I know a good pawn shop just around the corner," replies a voice from behind her.
Ji-yeong turns to its owner, freezing up.
"Hey, Jinji."
A/N:
I'm gonna go off the rails at this point. Hopefully y'all like what i provide huhu~
Art: @l.a.n.a.r.t (Instagram)
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Jeju Girls (Squid Game AU)
FanficA self-indulgent fanfic about the Sae-byeok x Ji-yeong ship from Squid Game (2021). "They're lesbians, Howard." *AU where they DON'T meet in the games, instead on the streets as thieves.* Sae-byeok does what she has to survive and reunite her famil...
