Books and Ladies | ✔

12| Rue | 거리

"Let's walk home, shall we?" asked Shinhye with a smile, as she was trying to conceal the blush that slowly crept up on her cheeks and simultaneously, the pain that her heels were giving her.

Hyorin nodded as she didn't have the confidence to face Shinhye. She was still shy after the previous incident of tongue punches took place.

'She's adorable,' thought Shinhye as she placed her hands on Hyorin's waist, pulling her into a hug - the type that provided her a sense of warmth and love, something both of them longed for.

Hyorin snuggled in, "You're the only person I know that gives indefinite hugs."

Shinhye snickered, "Well, Hyorinnie, where else would I rather be?" At that moment the arms squeezed a fraction tighter and Hyo breathed more slowly, her body melting into her lover's as every muscle lost its tension to the spring air. This was life, real life.

The wet, desolate streets of the city rested in silence as the starry black sky wept over it. The water in the portholes shimmered by the glow of the bright, yellow street lamps. The small, green trees on the roadside swayed as the strong breeze hit them.

"So you ended up hitting him with a car. No way. Once I have the amount of sexiness that you possess, it's over for everyone." Both the girls chatted and laughed as they walked down the streets at night.

The cool monsoon air carried a sweet moist scent like a candy shop kept inside a refrigerator.

"This is your dorm, I suppose?" asked Shinhye as she placed a chaste kiss on Hyorin's lips.

"It is. Thank you, love. Be safe on your way home." said Hyorin as she took her heels off and bid her goodbyes to Shinhye.

She walked into her shared room as she saw a movement under the kitchen counter. "Who's there?" she said, her voice trembling.

She is too young to die. She hasn't even graduated out of college yet. She also needs to-

"SURPRISE!!!!" they crowd of people shouted as she turned around and saw Jinwoo.

Then things started to make sense. It was Jinwoo's birthday. But something that none of them knew was that Hyorin had already prepared a gift for him.

And so the party continued.

The music was so loud that it made Hyorin's skin tingle and her lungs feel like mush. The bass thumped in time with my heartbeat as though they were one, filling her from head to toe with music. She liked this song.

Over the roar of music, a distant, hazy chatter could be heard. She couldn't make out any words, but laughter rang in her ears and wouldn't seem to stop. The song that was playing got louder, pulling her in, and wouldn't let go. She had no choice but to join the crowd, jumping in a huddled group like Tic-Tacs being shaken in a box.

Neon lights flashed everywhere like police sirens, but much more colorful.

Out of the chaos, she somehow managed to locate Hyemi and Jinwoo as she took them alone in one of the rooms. There she was going to give them their presents. And no, it's not a threesome.

"I got gifts for you. Both of you," said Hyo as she dug through her drawers for the small pink box with a satin ribbon tied on it. A card on it said 'to the sad strange little man who has my pity.'

"Is that a charm? And a buzz lightyear keychain?" Jinwoo picked them up and turned them over in his hands, letting his eyes roam freely over every bead and jewel so lovingly made by his friend. He raised his eyes to Hyorin, who had that look in her eye, caught between pride and fear of rejection, about to say how they were simple to make, or it was really nothing at all. Before she could speak he said, "They're amazing, best birthday gift ever." 

"Welp, thanks I guess. The charm was easy to make. Buzz Lightyear wasn't." she said laughing.

"And for you, Hyemi, I got something nice for you too," said Hyorin as she took a green packet and handed it to her.

Inside it was a cake sprinkled face mask from Innisfree and a scented candle in her favorite lemon flavor.

"You are the sweetest, nicest person that I've ever seen and I love you," said Hyemi as she wrapped her in a tight hug.