Chapter 1
Throughout her entire life, Miyeon had always fallen in love easily. Not only that, but she also always fell in love deeply, and she surprised herself sometimes with her own intensity. But ironically, she could never make it last. Somehow, she never failed to fall out of love at the same inexplicably rapid rate with which she fell in love. And it happened so often to her that she knew exactly what to expect every time.
Sometimes she would lie awake at night, gazing softly at the sleeping face of whichever lover she was with at the moment in her bed, and just feel very, very unfortunate. Somewhat lonely, maybe, but what weighed on her more heavily was the guilt. For she always hurt people without meaning to, and she hated the gods for making her this way, but she really truly couldn't help it. She would whisper a barely audible apology, pull herself out of the sickeningly sweet embrace, and slip out of the bed, out of the apartment, into the bitter-cold darkness of the night. She figured it was the best she could do, tear herself away before things got any deeper. After all, seeing others hurt because of her caused her pain too.
At some point, Miyeon told herself she would rather just be alone forever than endure this inevitable cycle even one more time. She did her best to keep herself from falling for anyone, and managed to stay out of trouble for so long that she almost forgot about her past woes.
That is, until one unfortunately drunken night. Drunk Miyeon didn't quite care about the regrettable consequences that her sober self had encountered when it came to love. Drunk Miyeon didn't actually have a care in the world at all, which is how she found herself stumbling unsteadily into some stranger's apartment. Said stranger was looking at her with the most innocent and adoring gaze ever and Miyeon immediately felt her heart squeeze.
Miyeon's memory of the night was blurry and incoherent. Something about loud music and loud people and evidently way too much whiskey. She was vaguely aware that her companion's name was Minnie. Minnie like the mouse, Mickey's girlfriend Minnie, Minnie, cute, she babbled to herself nonsensically.
"What?" Minnie giggled drunkenly and stared at her inquisitively as she tried to close her apartment door.
Miyeon was too drunk to do anything other than giggle along dumbly, not quite comprehending the question fully.
"I said", she half-slurred, "cute"
"Me??"
Miyeon hadn't meant anything by it, but Minnie's eyes widened and her whole face seemed to light up. The dim lights of the apartment hallway highlighted her soft, brown hair and delicate features. And even though she was quite thoroughly intoxicated, Miyeon very clearly felt her heart melt a bit. So cute, she thought to herself blankly. She leaned over to help Minnie, who was still struggling with the task of shutting her apartment door, and effectively trapped the other girl against the door in the process.
It had been purely unintentional, but both girls suddenly became aware of their very close proximity. Minnie had reflexively backed up further against the door, mouth slightly open in surprise. They stared at each other for a second that felt very long. Miyeon's eyes moved first, flickering down to Minnie's mouth, a small movement that did not go unnoticed by the taller girl.
This is what drunk people do, Miyeon thought to herself as she started to close her eyes.
She leaned in.
Minnie's perfume smelled sweet. Way too sweet. Somehow, Miyeon felt herself sober up considerably right in that moment. No, no, not this again. She pulled herself back, and the other girl's eyes flew open at the unexpectedly lost contact.
"J-Just kidding!" Miyeon stammered weakly, attempting a nervous laugh, very flustered at this ridiculous predicament she had gotten herself into. She noticed a moment of confusion flash through the other girl's eyes, and her poor drunken brain raced to find some explanation to offer to Minnie. What are people even supposed to say in situations like these?
(Un)fortunately for her, Minnie wasn't interested in listening. The taller girl grabbed the front of her shirt and before Miyeon could realize what was going on, she felt herself being pulled in. She barely managed a small gasp of surprise before it got cut off by a warm mouth against hers.
Minnie was so soft, so warm, and Miyeon knew it was game over as she felt her body reacting on its own, moving against the other girl's lips. All her senses were completely overwhelmed by the sweet-smelling girl, and she felt the final remnants of her rationality slip away. It had been so, so long since she'd let herself kiss someone like this, and she couldn't stop. Her hand reached up and found its way into Minnie's dark brown hair, caressing the back of her neck. She felt the taller girl release the front of her shirt and slide her hand down to pull Miyeon in by the waist. She pushed Minnie even harder against the door, pressing their bodies together as closely as possible.
Minnie pulled away first, chest heaving from the lack of oxygen. Her eyes fluttered open and Miyeon saw in them an expression so soft and adoring that she wished she could turn the lights off right there and then. Not wanting to look at Minnie's innocent, almost loving expression for a moment longer, she angled her head into the crook of the taller girl's neck instead, kissing her a bit more urgently than she'd meant to. As her lips pressed hard against a sensitive spot, she felt Minnie shiver slightly beneath her. Her hot breath spilled over the other girl's neck, and she allowed herself to gently bite the brown-haired girl's earlobe. Minnie whimpered in response, barely audible, but enough to encourage Miyeon to kiss her harder, hard enough to leave marks. The other girl's fingers were interlocked in Miyeon's hair, hugging her head closer, and Miyeon felt a gentle warmth deep in her chest that felt a little more intoxicating than what alcohol was supposed to be capable of. She stopped for a moment to look at the darkening marks on the smooth patch of skin below Minnie's ear, and found herself leaning in again to press a slightly gentler kiss to the other girl's neck, trying to soothe the bruises with her tongue. Minnie whined softly, and she thought she felt the taller girl relax in her arms a bit. Minnie pushed her back slightly to kiss her again, and Miyeon kissed her back fervently. Minnie's tongue brushed softly against her lower lip, and Miyeon angled her head to the side to deepen their kiss, letting the other girl in.
"Bedroom", Minnie muttered against her lips.
Miyeon hummed in response.
-
But once she fell onto her bed, the brown-haired girl seemed to be falling asleep rapidly, looking too drunk and tired to stay conscious much longer. It was such an endearing sight that Miyeon couldn't help but smile as the other girl struggled to keep her eyes open.
"It's okay, Minnie, we don't have to," she murmured, gently playing with the other girl's hair.
"Mm"
She looked over at the clock. 2:24am, she'd definitely need to call a cab at this hour.
"Okay, um, I guess this is goodnight then. This was...nice? I'm glad I ran into you tonight, Minnie," she babbled quietly, mostly to herself, as the other girl looked like she was already wiped out.
Miyeon tucked the back of the blanket closer to Minnie's body, took one last look at the peacefully sleeping girl, and slowly began to sit up, trying to make as little noise as possible. But a hand latched onto her wrist.
"Where are you going?" Minnie mumbled into her blanket.
Miyeon smiled. Minnie really looked almost like a child like this.
"It's almost two-thirty am, you know, I gotta go ho-"
"Stay here"
What?
Minnie was more awake now, those same innocent, pleading eyes meeting Miyeon's hesitant, apprehensive ones. Lifting a corner of her blanket, she patted the spot next to her with her other hand.
"Don't go. It's warm here. You'll like it." Minnie's smile crinkled her eyes into crescents for a moment, before attempting to stifle a yawn.
Every voice in Miyeon's head screaming at her to not give in paled in comparison to Minnie. Minnie was too pure, too cute. She decided to blame it on the alcohol. It's okay, she told herself, I'm just drunk. This is what drunk people do. She repeated that to herself in her head as she finally allowed herself to sink into Minnie's arms. As if reading her mind, Minnie assured her quietly:
"It's okay, you don't have to fall in love with me or anything. You just kinda looked like you needed this."
Minnie pressed closer to her, and nestled her head into Miyeon's chest.
"I do too, a bit," Minnie confessed softly into the fabric of Miyeon's shirt.
Miyeon's hand absentmindedly returned to Minnie's hair, running the soft brown strands between her fingers. Minnie sighed contentedly. Miyeon waited until the other girl's breathing evened out before pulling back and studying Minnie's face for a minute. It was like this every time. She could stay, continue to fall in love with the girl in her arms, only to inevitably destroy everything in the end. Or she could leave now, and kill her feelings before they could truly hurt something as pure and innocent as Minnie.
As she let her thoughts wander in the silence of the night, Minnie shifted beside her, snuggling closer still. Without thinking, Miyeon pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head, surprising herself. She thanked the gods that other girl was fast asleep. But as she stared at her face to make sure, she swore she saw the tiniest hint of a smile on Minnie's peaceful, sleeping face. In that moment, she caught herself thinking that she might let the world burn, if it was to protect this precious being in her arms.
So dramatic, Miyeon, she scolded herself inside her head.
A faint light from the first sunrays made its way through Minnie's windows. Miyeon couldn't blame the alcohol anymore. But her eyelids were too heavy and she felt herself beginning to give out under the weight of her exhaustion. Her shoulder felt sore from where Minnie's head had been resting against it for the past few hours, but she didn't try to move away from the still-sleeping girl. Breathing in the scent of the other girl's hair, she noticed for the hundredth time that night how sweet Minnie smelled. As she felt herself slipping into unconsciousness, she vaguely wondered how long it would be before it became unbearable.