strawberry fields | bada lee

020 | sympathy in the form of you

The morning sunlight peeked through the curtains, waking you up. You found yourself alone in Bada's room- you sat up confused, gently rubbing your sleepy eyes. The once warm bed felt colder in Bada's absence- your hand instinctively reached out to touch the empty side of the bed. Concerned, you grabbed your phone from the bedside table, seeing that Bada had sent a few messages earlier in the morning.

bada: good morning princess

bada: i guess you'll look at your phone when you see i am not there

bada: don't worry, okay? i am just running some errands, had to go and take care of some stuff

bada: you can stay in my room and order something for breakfast, my card is open. i'll be back soon

You responded to her messages, relieved by the assurance that Bada was safe and sound.

y/n: ahh i was scared, hehe

y/n: thought you left me alone:(

y/n: be careful, thank you! i'll order something then

As you pondered what to do alone in Bada's room, you opted to turn on the TV. The soft hum of background noise filled the room, providing a subtle comfort as you stretch your body. You rose from the bed and picked up the phone, ordering a light breakfast of eggs and fruit, given that you were not hungry. While awaiting room service, you took a moment to freshen up and check your phone- to your surprise, the room service arrived quickly, catching you amid your morning routine. You opened the door and exchanged greetings with the employee.

"Ciao, e la ragazza alta?" The staff member inquired, expressing confusion as someone else appeared to answer the door in Bada's room.

"È uscita, tornerà più tardi." You answered with a smile, saying that she will return later in the day.

The employee handed over the breakfast, and you accepted it while thanking them. You placed the plate on the bedside table- however, you could not help but explore Bada's room. Your eyes wandered over her neatly folded clothes, bags and luggage, and the snacks on her mini fridge, but your gaze eventually landed on a notebook beside where you had left your food.

As you ate, your mind circled back to that intriguing notebook. It felt like a mystery waiting to be uncovered, and the more you thought about it, the more you wanted to take a peek inside. The struggle between curiosity and respecting Bada's privacy tugged at you- but, just a look cannot hurt anyone, right? You took hold of the notebook, but your phone suddenly rang, startling you. With a quick exhale, you reached for your phone and saw that it was Bada calling.

"Hi!" You greeted, a smile evident in your voice. "What's going on?"

"Just taking a bit longer than expected, I had to leave the city center." Bada chuckled. "I'm near the national library or something- I hope I don't get lost."

"You're quite far away. If you need help, call me. I'd love to explore too." You offered.

"That's what I was going to say. You can go to your room, get ready, or raid my closet." Bada suggested. "I'll probably be back around 3 P.M. or so."

"Sounds like a plan! I'll steal your clothes." You said, giggling.

"Perfect, I want to see what you'll wear! I found a cute spot where I want to take some photos with you." Bada shared.

A smile played on your lips. "Alright, see you later!"

"See you, angel." Bada said before ending the call.

You left your empty plate on the bedside table, contemplating whether to pick up the notebook. You could not resist the temptation, it felt somewhat forbidden, yet an inexplicable curiousness pulled you to it. You took it into your hands, feeling its leathery texture while you quickly skimmed through the pages- Bada's handwriting caught your eye. You returned the notebook to the table, reluctant to invade Bada's privacy. She had trusted you enough to be alone in her room, and you did not want to betray that trust. Getting up from the bed, you shifted your focus to choosing what to wear.

"Let's see what Bada has in her closet." You whispered to yourself.

Bada's wardrobe mostly consisted of baggy and tomboyish clothes, very different from your usual style. Drawn to a pair of eye-catching black and white pants, a black crop top, and a leather jacket, you put together an outfit. Uncertain if she would mind, you picked up your phone and sent Bada a text inquiring about using her shower.

y/n: bada, can i use your shower?

y/n: or should i go back to my room?

You passed the time by watching TV, awaiting her response, which took a few minutes.

bada: shower in my room

bada: i don't really use my makeup but i have a few things in a blue makeup bag

bada: don't worry about using my stuff hahah

y/n: okayyy

y/n: thank you <3

As the steam clouded the shower, you relaxed under the hot water. The scent of Bada's berry shampoo filled the air as you applied it, its fragrance creating an intimate connection to her, even if she was not present. After the shower, you enveloped yourself in a towel, leaving your hair to air-dry while applying lotion to your skin.

You eased into the black and white pants, the fabric pooling around your ankles as they were longer than your legs. The crop top and leather jacket fit roomier than your typical clothes. As you adjust the hem of the pants, folding them to fit better, a smile appears on your lips- wearing Bada's clothes feels warm, loving, and comforting.

As you settled back on the bed, contemplating a simple makeup routine with what you had, the thought was present in your mind- once again, and it was too irresistible to ignore. You reached out and picked up the notebook- your eyes scanned the pages until they landed on a page that seemed to be about you. The words delved into how much she cared about you, the warmth you brought to her life, and the connection she felt- you flipped onto the next page, finding what seemed to be a poem.

an angel in my life, so bright,

light brought, what a delight,

it made me feel alive,

for the first time in a while.

Your initial joy from reading Bada's words turned into a mix of emotions. You were on the verge of smiling when your eyes caught the unexpected sentence at the bottom of the page- "don't fall for her... you have to leave soon." Suddenly, it felt like a plot twist to a happy story.

The words struck you with a strange combination of confusion and vulnerability. The realization that Bada was leaving soon, and she did not tell you, made you feel like you were standing on unstable ground.

A feeling of uncertainty clouded your thoughts- how did you end up in this situation? The words on the page created a puzzle, leaving you with a desire to understand Bada's perspective and an internal struggle about whether and how to confront her about this situation.

You were in Bada's room, dressed in her clothes, about to apply your makeup using her products- it was bittersweet. Her recent confession made you question everything; Bada admitted that she was experiencing emotions she had never felt before, now coupled with the explicit desire not to let herself fall for you.

As you pictured the scenarios of talking about this with Bada, a wave of anticipation and nervousness washed over you. You did not want to keep quiet about it, you needed to speak to her.