Chapter 5
“What do you mean you can’t just ask her out?!” Dong laughed, pushing her best friend.
“Listen! It isn’t that easy! Kim Bora is so… so… She’s just out of my league,” Dami groaned.
“I still say you should ask her out. Do a cool trick on your skateboard and she’ll be dropping to her knees for you,” Dong smirked, this time earning a shove in return.
“I think you shouldn’t say anything until you ask out this Yoohyeon chick,” Dami muttered.
Dong let out a huff. She knew she was working slowly, but after her last relationship, she didn’t want to rush into one and not know what she was dealing with.
At first, Minji seemed like the sweetest person in the world. So kind and loving. Caring even.
But it was all a front. After a few months of dating, her true colors started to reveal themselves, showing how possessive and jealous she quickly got. Snapping at things she had tolerated before. Yelling at Dong for hanging out with Dami and Gahyeon. Refusing to know their names and refusing to let her do anything.
And after big fights, they always made up the same way.
For months it was a toxic and continuous cycle. Until Dong snapped and broke things off. It wasn’t an exact break-up, public enough, but whenever she felt the urge, she would go crawling back for a few one-night stands. Which led to repeating the same vicious cycle until Dong said she just needed a quick fuck to get out of her system.
It was late, Dong was seated on a blanket with Yoohyeon, watching her snap pictures of a few raccoons in a distant enough tree.
“Sorry, I’m sending them to Siyeon. She loves raccoons,” Yoohyeon chuckled.
“You really care for her… Are you her girlfriend?” Dong asked her.
“Oh, no.” Yoohyeon laughed. “Siyeon is my best friend. She’s my other half, in a platonic way of course,” She smiled. “She’s been mentally drained lately. Dealing with some girl who has a crush on her.” She waved her hand before hitting send.
“Oh? Does she not like this girl?” Dong chuckled.
“I’m not sure…” Yoohyeon frowned before pocketing her phone. She moved to start angling her camera, thinking about it. “It’s just weird. She just showed up at our apartment one day and dragged Siyeon everywhere,” she explained.
“That is weird…” Dong frowned. “But I’m sure she’ll figure it out. Right?”
“I hope so,” Yoohyeon laughed. “If she does like this girl back, it’ll be her first girlfriend so, I’m on the fence about deciding if I want this to happen or not,” she smiled.
The two stayed together, sharing a blanket to sit on and another to keep themselves warm. Yoohyeon explained the workings of her camera and the special lenses that she had for these things. She rambled for thirty minutes before looking at the older woman who was just watching her.
“Sorry… I really love astronomy…” Yoohyeon let out a nervous chuckle, her hand immediately finding the back of her neck.
“Why aren’t you pursuing it?” Dong frowned.
“Space terrifies me. At least with robotics and artificial intelligence, I have some kind of control over it. And if all goes well I can work in an earth-bound space center creating the machinery needed for space travel,” Yoohyeon smiled.
“You have some really big dreams,” Dong smiled. A genuine smile. One full of warmth and happiness.
It made Yoohyeon blush. Thank goodness it was dark.
“I’ve loved it since I was little. My dad would sit me outside with him and we would spend hours staring at the stars. I didn’t learn that all of his constellations were fake until later on in life, but sometimes I still refer to the Big Dipper as a big soup pot,” She laughed.
Her little remark had made Dong laugh, and Yoohyeon right there promised herself she would do anything to hear it again.
“What about you? Why are you taking astronomy if you’re pursuing language education?” The taller woman asked.
“Bullshit credits really,” Dong smiled. “And I like looking at the stars too. Gives me hope,” she shrugged.
Yoohyeon felt herself falling for this woman. How could she be so perfect? How could she be interested in so many things Yoohyeon liked? How could she be just this perfect being?
“Maybe we can look at the stars together more often,” Yoohyeon smiled. “Or at least try to.”
“I would really like that,” Dong smiled. “Is this your way of asking me out for future dates?” She smirked.
“Maybe… But only if you want them to be dates! It can be platonic!” She quickly stated.
“Relax,” Dong laughed while grabbing her arm. “As long as we take things slow, we can call them dates.” She reassured the younger woman, watching her let out a sigh of relief. “Better?” She asked.
“Much… I would rather take things slow. I got burned bad in my last relationship… So, slow would be great.” Yoohyeon sighed.
“Good. We can be turtles together.”