from which a garden grows / purinz

Chapter 2/04

Ok, in Chaewon's defense, she really was going to end it tonight. She marched on over to Yunjin's apartment, knocked on the door with a steely resolve, with a finality to it, like this was the last time.

But then Yunjin answered the door, wearing only an old muscle tee and bike shorts. Her hair was tangled, her fingertips covered in rust and oil. She apologized for her "scrubby" appearance; there was an explanation for it.

Yunjin had been helping out her neighbor, Mrs. Jones, a recent widow. Mr. and Mrs. Jones were married for 64 years and best friends... well, for the same amount of time. They were the first to move into the building back in 1982, when it first opened.

Mr. Jones was quite the handyman; legend says that he could fix a leaky pipe just by looking at it. He was brilliant.

Then he was gone.

His heart was beating one moment, and then it just wasn't.

And poor Mrs. Jones was left with a faulty radiator, no husband, and that goofy young lady with the adorable dog who lives down the hall.

"That was so sweet of you, Yunjin," Chaewon tilted her head to the side, affectionately.

"Thanks," Yunjin said Zuhaemnly, "I still wish I could've done more."

Chaewon rested her hand on Yunjin's bicep in an act of reassurance. "No, you've done-"

And that's when Chaewon came to the frustrating realization that Huh Yunjin was fit.

A part of Chaewon always knew, there was always some evidence pointing to the fact, but she still needed to... get her hands on more, so to speak.

Yunjin's quaint humility and generosity, when combined with her Popeye arms, elevated her status from "desirable" to "irresistible."

Obviously, one thing led to another, and admittedly-through no one's fault other than her own-Chaewon woke up the next morning as the little spoon, wrapped up in the same sexy arms that started this mess.

"What about you?" Yunjin's breath fans Chaewon's nape. "What were you up to yesterday? I never got to ask."

"I went hiking."

"Pffff. Hiking."

Chaewon turns to face Yunjin. "What's wrong with hiking?"

"The sun beating down on you, the mosquitoes, the lack of restrooms and modern plumbing..."

Chaewon rolls her eyes at Yunjin's lame excuses (as if Chaewon hasn't made her fair share).

"What about the health benefits, the connection with nature, the catharsis of reaching the top of the mountain and looking down at the world you've left behind, how it seems so tiny in the grand scheme of things? That part alone is worth it. You should've seen that view, Yunjin. It was so beautiful."

Yunjin reaches for Chaewon's face and Chaewon knows exactly where this is going. Chaewon practically fed Yunjin the pick up line. All Yunjin has to do is follow through.

"Even more beautiful than this view?" Yunjin caresses Chaewon's cheek.

Yep. Too easy.

It works too easy.

Chaewon's cheek turns three different shades of red, each one deeper than the last, in the span of ten seconds.

She doesn't put up much of a fight when Yunjin's lips make contact with her chin, then neck, then collarbone.

"Yunjin..." Chaewon pleads.

"Stop?" asks Yunjin, ever respectful, looking up at Chaewon with scrunched eyebrows.

"No," Chaewon whimpers.

"Keep going then?"

"Yes- no- I don't know."

Yunjin thinks Chaewon's the bees knees, the best thing since sliced bread, but sometimes, if Yunjin's being honest, Chaewon can be a little wishy-washy. Chaewon flip flops as often as a politician in the last few months of their campaign.

"Look," Yunjin opts to slowly trace patterns on Chaewon's bare thigh which is even worse because she's ticklish and trembling, "Why don't you stay for breakfast? And before you tell me you have work, I'll remind you that it is once again the weekend."

"But..."

"Shiro!" Yunjin whistles for her dog, "C'mere boy! Get up here!"

Shiro stirs from his power nap, jumps down from his balcony, and runs to them with his tongue out and flapping in the wind.

He climbs up on the air mattress and looks to his mom, awaiting further instruction like the good boy he is, such a good boy.

"You know what to do..." Yunjin points at Chaewon, "Get 'er!"

Shiro happily fulfills his duty; he does what he was trained to do by his mischievous owner. He pounces on Chaewon and licks her face with fervor.

For a moment, Chaewon is irritated, but that quickly fades as she succumbs to Shiro's love attack. She couldn't stay mad at him even if she tried.

"Ok ok!" Chaewon giggles and waves her arms in a surrender. "You got me!"

Pleased with the outcome, Yunjin pulls Shiro off Chaewon. "Job well done, boy! High five!"

Yunjin's human palm meets Shiro's canine paw and it's all so silly and tooth-rottingly sweet. Chaewon loves watching these two interact like old friends; they have a bond that transcends species.

"You guys know just how to gang up on me," Chaewon accuses lightheartedly. "So what are we having for breakfast?"

"He's gonna have his morning kibble," Yunjin sets Shiro down, "And we're gonna Postmates from this bakery around the corner. They have a cream cheese and lox bagel that is to die for! You've gotta try it."

"I'll take your word for it," Chaewon smiles.

"Great. I'll order two. Lemme get my phone."

As Yunjin shifts around, searching for her misplaced phone, she rests a little too much of her weight on her left elbow. She pierces the air mattress with enough force to deflate it and pop it for good, sending her and Chaewon's bodies to the floor.

"Ow," Yunjin and Chaewongroan simultaneously.