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"i'm telling you, it's too much. they're going to think i'm trying too hard!"
"yunnie, no one is going to think that. if anything, they'll appreciate the effort." rina's laugh was muffled through the phone, but talia could still hear the teasing edge in her voice.
talia groaned and let her body fall back onto the couch, her long legs draping over the armrest. "it's not effort, though. it's desperation."
"you're dramatic, as always," rina retorted with a chuckle. "do you ever hear yourself?"
"every day," talia replied, unable to stop the grin spreading across her face.
on the other end, rina's voice softened, her laughter dying down. "you're overthinking it, as usual. you've got this. and anyway, i'm dying to see this place of yours. we've been in seoul for how long, and i haven't even gotten a proper tour?"
talia's grin faltered for a moment before she sighed. "yeah, yeah, i know. you're coming over today, right? don't judge the mess. we're still trying to organize everything."
"oh, please. i've seen your messy side before. remember that time we couldn't find your math homework because it was buried under your wetsuit?"
talia rolled her eyes at the memory. "in my defense, surfing was way more important than algebra."
rina burst out laughing. "that's the yunnie i know!"
hearing her best friend laugh never failed to brighten talia's mood. rina had always been her balance, the steady energy to her sometimes frantic mind. while talia worried, rina grounded her. while talia threw herself into life with all the intensity of a pacific wave, rina was the calm tide that knew when to pull her back.
"okay, okay. come over whenever you're free," talia said, sitting up and brushing a strand of her long hair behind her ear. "we'll hand out like old times."
"i'm already outside," rina announced smugly. "thought i'd surprise you."
talia's eyes widened. "what?! hold on!"
she jumped to her feet and rushed toward the door, almost tripping over her own sneakers in the process. flinging the door open, she found rina standing there, one hand on her hip, her signature playful smirk firmly in place.
"surprise," rina said, tilting her head with a grin.
talia blinked, then burst into laughter, throwing her arms around her friend in a tight hug. "you're impossible, you know that?"
"and you love it." rina hugged her back just as fiercely, the warmth of the embrace reminding them both of how far they'd come. seoul wasn't hawaii, but with each other, it felt like home in its own way.
"come in, come in!" talia said, stepping back and waving rina inside. "i'm sorry in advance for the craziness."
"that's our brand," rina replied, her eyes scanning the room as she kicked off her shoes. "it feels. . . lived-in. i like it."
