off limits | petalz

8

"I'll be leaving soon," Kento mentioned at breakfast one day, as he picked up his chopsticks, preparing to eat. "Itadakimasu."

"Itadakimasu," Kazuha echoed dryly as Sakura did the same. Kazuha placed her hands together over her food and bowed her head briefly, then looked up and flipped her chopsticks in her hand, digging into her food. Kento had made tamago kake gohan, one of Kazuha's favorites- raw egg over rice- since it was such a good source of protein. "What time are you leaving?"

"I'll leave at noon. I've been- corresponding- with the hotel manager, and she mentioned that 1:30 is the busiest time this time of the week, so I should be there before then," Kento answered, coughing oddly on the seventh word. "I'm already packed. I'd like to spend time with Sakura before I go, though."

This caused Kazuha to suddenly cough as well, feeling her half-digested food somersault in her throat. "Ugh- I mean- great! Have a fantastic time," she coughed, covering her reddening face with her mouth as Sakura stared at them both strangely. "Sorry, post-hangover cough, I guess. It's my first really bad one. I'm not a lightweight like he is."

Kento's jaw dropped, and Kazuha shut her eyes in mock disgust. "27 and you still can't keep your mouth shut when you eat. Gross."

"Kazuha Nakamura!"

"Sorry, sorry," Kazuha answered, not sorry at all. "I'll see you, Yunjin wants to hit up Myeongdong. Have a good time, big brother. Remember to steal the mini shampoos for me."

"I- fine, fine, go," Kento sighed, but he gave Kazuha a fond nod as she stood.

"See you later," Sakura offered lightly, a smile painting her features, and Kazuha nodded mutely, desperately trying not to turn red.

"Don't do anything while I'm gone," Kazuha called over her shoulder with a bellowing laugh. "Well, actually, do whatever you like. We're all over the legal consent age." Then Kazuha widened her eyes in mock surprise, leaning against the doorframe. "Hey, that means I can-"

"Kazuha!"

"Chaewon likes me," Yunjin bragged as she and Kazuha strolled through the daytime bustle of Myeongdong, Seoul.

"Uh-huh," Kazuha noted boredly. "Does she really?"

"Well, no, I guess not," Yunjin sighed. "Eunchae wanted to come shopping with us, but I told her that one, it was too dangerous, and two, she was in a wheelchair, so fat chance. She and Kyujin ganged up on me, but Chaewon walked over in her nurse uniform."

A dazed look quickly appeared on Yunjin's face, and Kazuha rolled her eyes, maneuvering through a crowd of squealing tourists. "Right. What happened after?"

"Well," Yunjin continued, dodging the group as well and darting after Kazuha, "she said that she agreed with me and that Eunchae should trust me, being my older sister. Eunchae gave me the biggest side eye then, that little brat," she noted fondly. "Chaewon just smiled and walked away after checking up on Eunchae."

"So now you think she likes you?"

"Hey, she defended me!" Yunjin exclaimed, but it came out more as a question, and she thrust her hands in her pockets and followed Kazuha down a side road. They were now in the less populated area of Myeongdong, and the thick, tangy smell of Korean fast food hovered in the air like a sheet as they walked. The sun shone brightly, the chill palpable, as Kazuha and Yunjin walked down the road.

"She has to, she's Eunchae's nurse. Sometimes you're more delusional than a sasaeng, I swear," Kazuha yawned. "It would be insanity to make Eunchae go here. I mean, how many people would get mad about the wheelchair?"

"I guess," Yunjin grumped. "Anything new with you?"

Kazuha shook her head quickly, continuing to walk. "Um. No."

Yunjin cackled, pointing an accusatory finger, her dark eyes glinting. "Nakamura Kazuha! I know that look!"

"Shut up," Kazuha growled. "I don't have a... look."

"Yeah you do," Yunjin said brightly. "You totally do. It's when your mouth goes like this"- she pulled back her upper lip in a grimace, exposing her gums - "and your eyes go like this" - she glanced around nervously, squinting - "and your eyebrows go like this" - she furrowed her eyebrows - "and you wrinkle your no-"

"I do not do that."

"Yes, you do, you're doing it right now," Yunjin said gleefully, and held up her phone, snapping a picture before Kazuha could react. She held up the screen, and indeed, Kazuha was making the exact face Yunjin was.

"Hey! I don't consent to that!" Kazuha tried to wrestle the phone from Yunjin's hands, but Yunjin just giggled. "I'm not old enough to drink yet!"

"Imagine," Yunjin snorted. "No, really, though, what's up?"

"Let's grab some bubble tea. Then I'll tell you."

"Your bubble tea order is so fucking long, I thought I would get arthritis just by standing there while you talked," Kazuha wisecracked as Yunjin scrolled through her feed, waiting for the drink.

"Hey!" Yunjin's head snapped up in protest. "It's not my fault I like star jelly, lychee fruit pearls, and tapioca pearls in Thai bubble tea with egg pudding! You can't judge me! It's called being unique!"

"It's called shitting on the workers," Kazuha snorted. "You're just weird. Egg pudding and bubbles? I would kill myself."

"You're just basic," Yunjin sulked. Then she instantly brightened up. "But you haven't told me what it is yet!"

Kazuha rolled her eyes, and just then, the barista called out, "Yunjin?"

"That's me!" Yunjin replied, flashing a megawatt grin and accepting the drink. She followed Kazuha to a table, where they sat down and took long sips of their respective orders, and then popped the question. "So, what's plaguing you? As Chaewon says."

"Of course it's gotta be her quote," Kazuha snorted. Then she sobered up, leaning over to whisper to Yunjin conspiratorially. "Okay, so, you know how my brother's girlfriend came over to spend the week with us?"

"Yeah?" Yunjin took a noisy slurp of bubble tea, then giggled. "Let me guess, is she secretly cheating on him or something? Does she not-"

"No, no, nothing like that," Kazuha said hurriedly, waving her hands. "It's more on... my end."

"Huh?"

"That's your name, don't wear it out," Kazuha couldn't resist jabbing, and Yunjin swatted her. Kazuha continued on. "Okay, so, well, I kind of, um..."

Yunjin raised a suspicious eyebrow.

"I have a really big, fatass, massive crush on her."

Yunjin gaped.

Then she burst into laughter, throwing her head back and spitting giggles like they were Eminem bars. "You- Oh god- You like- That's actually wild." Once the laughs subsided, Yunjin's dark eyes grew serious, and she propped her head on her hands. "And you're down bad?"

"As can be."

"Wait, so are you, or aren't you?"

"I am. I'm in love with my brother's girlfriend, Yunjin."