in the quiet sanctuary of a small-town church, two souls from different worlds collide. yunjin, a gay girl with a vibrant spirit, finds herself navigating the rigid expectations of her conservative family. each sunday, she seeks solace in the church...
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chapter twenty four ʚ ✮ ɞ
the warmth of the late afternoon sun kissed yunjin's face, it's rays dancing across her skin as her eyes squinted against the golden light. the rich hues of autumn reflected in her irises, a kaleidoscope of amber and hazel that seemed to glow. a gentle breeze passed through, gently brushing against the tip of her nose and sending a soft shiver down her spine. she tucked her hands into the pockets of her jacket, grounding herself against the cool air.
around her, the festival buzzed with life. children darted between stalls, their laughter echoing over the chatter of parents who were clearly only half-invested in the festivities. the scent of chocolate and pumpkin spice wove through the air, occasionally accompanied by the sharp tang of beer wafting from the cup of weary adults. the faint rhythm of music danced lively through the air, though it was too muffled for yunjin to make out any of the lyrics.
she leaned against a tree, her gaze fixated on chaewon, who stood a few feet away, brows furrowed in concentration. chaewon's hands gripped a plastic ring tightly, her focus unwavering as she lined up her next shot at the ring toss. beside her, eunchae bounced excitedly, her wide eyes glued to the prize—a stuffed bear so ragged and misshapen it looked like it had survived a natural disaster.
it was hideous. and yet, eunchae wanted it so badly that chaewon was determined to win it for her—despite the obvious fake fights they have; they were much closer than the two of them would admit.
"come on, this is rigged!" chaewon groaned after another failed attempt, slamming the rings back onto the counter in frustration. her voice was tinged with defeat, though it was clear she wasn't ready to give up. "cant i just buy it off you? look at it! no one else is gonna want this thing but her!"
yunjin's lips twitched upward in amusement as she watched the exchange, her chest warming at the sight of chaewon trying so hard to make eunchae happy—even if it meant fighting for the ugliest bear imaginable. there was something endearing about chaewon's stubbornness, her determination evident in the way she refused to let a silly game get the better of her.
"she's gonna be at this forever," sakura murmured around a bite of her candy apple, her voice barely audible over the hum of the festival. she nudged yunjin lightly with her elbow, "you should go help her."
yunjin hummed in response, her eyes never leaving chaewon. "nah," she said softly, a smile tugging at her lips. "i think she has it."
her tone was light, but there was something affectionate lingering beneath her words—something she wasn't quite ready to name.
sakura raised an eyebrow at yunjin's response, her candy apple pausing midway to her lips. "you're enjoying this, aren't you?" she asked, a knowing smirk curling at the corner of her mouth.
yunjin shrugged, her eyes crinkling in amusement. "maybe a little."
in truth, it was hard not to. there was something so charming about the way chaewon's frustration bubbled over—her voice rising just enough to catch the attention of a few passerby as she tried to barter with the game attendant. meanwhile, eunchae, was completely oblivious to chaewon's struggle—her attention purely on the bear.
