Sighing quietly, Minjoo slipped her reading glasses off her face and rubbed tiredly at her burning eyes. The deep mahogany of her desk creaked gently as she drummed her fingers across its smooth surface. The bedroom was mostly dark around her, as she had been working all these hours by the small lamp near her elbow. The nominal light cast wild shadows on the walls, on the shivering shutters over the windows and onto the crevices of Minjoo's mind.
"Minjoo?"
The last of the girl's mental barriers dissolved when she heard her name being whispered from across the room. Yujin was laying on her side on the couch pillows in her pajamas, looking away from the pale glow of the television and at her girlfriend. Something about the way she was positioned told Minjoo that Yujin had been watching her for quite some time before she decided to speak.
Pursing her lips and straightening a stack of papers against the desk, she said, "Yes?"
Yujin blinked, making it obvious that she had called the girl's name without a particular inquiry in mind. Flushing slightly, she thought for a moment before saying, "I...I don't know. I was just wondering if you're okay."
"I'm fine" Minjoo sighed back.
Yujin narrowed her eyes, clutching a pillow to her chest. "I don't believe you."
"I don't care," Minjoo replied blandly, picking up her sixth sheaf of paper. She made sure to avoid eye contact after she spoke, because she knew from experience how easy it was to lose herself in those cat eyes. It was past one in the morning and she needed to get this done by tomorrow. There will be a meeting with council president from another school.
"Minjoo," Yujin said again, but more urgently this time. She turned down the volume of the television to emphasis her unspoken point.
"What?" Minjoo snapped back irritably, not even looking up from her work this time.
"Come here."
Minjoo stared at Yujin in disbelief. "Do you not see what I am trying to do here?" she asked, sweeping her arms wide to indicate the mountains of responsibility littering her desk.
"I don't care," Yujin said this time, crossing her own arms "come here. Please, Minjoo?" she asked, voice taking a pleading turn. "Just for a minute. You need a break, don't you?"
Minjoo engaged in a staring war with Yujin for a long moment, then finally sighed and set her pen down.
"Fine. But just a minute."
Yujin flashed a suddenly bright smile, apparently elated by the small victory. "Okay! Come here" she said, stretching her arms out like she was coaxing a baby. Minjoo wanted to scoff at the demeaning gesture, but felt her own smile being tugged out instead. She had been a fool to think she was going to get anything done with Yujin in the room. The girl was literally the antithesis to productivity.
She reached the side of the couch and made to sit down at the end of it, but Yujin grabbed her hand and tugged Minjoo towards her. Rolling her eyes, Minjoo went ahead and made herself comfortable on the side of Yujin, crawling up the girl's body so she could rest her head against her chest. There was no point in half-assing her forced break.
Yujin encircled her arms around Minjoo and hugged her closer, the pillow forgotten on the floor beside them.
"Isn't this better than your work?" she said, running an absentminded finger through Minjoo's hair.
Minjoo's eyes fluttered shut at the sudden feeling, curling her thin fingers against Yujin's shirt. Yujin's body was warm, so much warmer than her own. It made her wonder if Yujin was a warm person or if she was just cold by comparison. Either way, she seemed to fall short.
