And July?

For as long as you could keep track of, Bae Jinsol is your brother.

Of course, not the brother by blood: otherwise, this story would be banned on this site.

It was that type of friend that you’ve had since you were both still a child, to an extent that you treated her just like your buddies: and you refer each other as “brother” since forever ago.

Until recently, where she had been acting a bit… weird, if you will.

Well, banters and pranks amongst friend groups are the most normal and universal things in the world. But maybe not when Bae squeezed half a bottle of school glue into your sneakers when you’ve gone to the locker room to change up. It was really kind of Bae that she only did that to one of your shoes that you could still screaming and chasing after her where she managed to make the type of laughing sound that could make a skyscraper collapse.

Maybe that is fine, April Fool’s stuff. We understand. Just… why?

And see? Maybe she realized it was a bit too much and she felt sorry for you!

Bae Jinsol (The bully)

Hey, see me outside of the classroom tomorrow before class.

20:55

Read

BAE jinsol (The Bully)

You idiot don’t pretend you didn’t see it!

21:25

fk urself, I am still washing my shoe thanks for your master work

21:26

BAE jinsol (The bully)

You’re welcome.

I mean… I’m sry! That’s why I texted you

I’ll buy you coffee tmr, tell me your order

21:35

Large Cold Brew, Light Ice, Black

22:43

Bae Jinsol (the bully)

It told you long enough to come up with it huh?

Almost fell asleep

22:44

The entire insole is soaked in the fucking glue

what do you expect?

I hate you Bae Jinsol ^_^

22:45

Bae jinsol (The bully)

Thank you

Get better

22:47

If I can i’ll literally beat you up

Only if you’re not a girl

i’m too nice for that

22:49

Bae jinsol (The bully)

Since when I became a girl in your eyes huh?

That’s a news for me

But well see you tomorrow ~

22:55

And since when you changed your avatar?

Is it even you?

Why are you trying to wink?

I can’t recognize

23:25

BAE jinsol (the bully)

Not your business, go to sleep

23:33

Read

You walk lazily on the sidewalk from your place to the campus, letting the Friday sunlight showering over you. You look down at your feet: your old sneaker that survived the glue attack on one side and another mismatched kick on the right, kinda like a sarcastic response for her little prank on you.

You get that in the end of the day, pranks are just pranks. Bae Jinsol and yourself are still good buddies! Unlike your other friends who always ask you to buy them drinks, Bae actually buys one for you! How kind!

Since Bae and you live on the same street (that’s how you two got to know each other ten years ago), it doesn’t take long for her to catch you from behind.

“Hey!” Bae shouts, dragging your sight from the ground to behind you. Her tall frame is sharp under the sun, the paperboard cup-holder feels a size smaller on her palm. Two transparent cups sit across the diagonal, one is your Cold Brew, probably.

“Oh, Jinsol, just the coffee? I thought you would also bring a pair of new shoes to me.” You greet her, not really a greeting but you all have your own ways.

“Shut up, just take it and go. Don’t even walk with me side by side.” Bae purrs, trying to avoid eye-contact with you by staring at her phone.

“Hey, your phone is not even unlocked, by the way.” You fire back, grabbing the drink that’s relatively darker in color. Well it feels a bit lighter today huh? It might be that Bae walked a long distance from the coffee shop so the ice melted, it must be.

“That took me quite a bit of time, and effort. You’d better say thank you.” Bae smirks as she starts sipping her own drink - looks like a macchiato.

“Gladly my shoe survived, but I do expect full compensation in the form of caffeine this morning. And if I die today, I wrote on my will that you poisoned my coffee.” You sniff, making sure it doesn’t smell like bitter almond. Instead it is the aroma from the coffee beans that keeps rushing into your nostril, your caffeine-addicted brain is immediately satisfied as a grin appears on your face.

“Stop whining bro, I do what I said.” She sighs. “Large Cold Brew. Light ice. Black. Just like your soul.”

“Whatever you say.” You put the straw into the cup and takes a big gulp.

Oh boy.

It is not cold brew. Nor a poison. It’s worse than that. It is rather a mixture of maybe six pumps of syrups, seven ounces of white sugar and maybe twelve melted caramel cubes. The liquid diabetes are making your teeth ache at the moment of contact.

"Fuck!” You cough violently, trying to spit out the very last drop of this so-called Coffee from your mouth. “Bae Jinsol! You little sh…” you don’t get to finish of course, as your eyes are already teared up - probably from the gratitude towards the drink she bought you.

“Bingo! I’ll send you the pic later.” Bae unlocks her phone immediately, taking a picture of your twisting face under the influence of the ungodly amount of sugar.

“And you said you wanted it large, is it not? And look, I think it is also black enough. Hmm… shouldn’t be any complaints?” She cackles, always yards in front before you get a chance to recover from the literal sugarcoat and scold her back.

You stand under the oak tree on the sidewalk in pure awe. Your deadly gaze pierce through Bae’s body, only to notice a shade of pink climbs up to her neck.

You shake your head, looking at the ruined beverage. You ask yourself a very philosophical question.

“WHY?!”

“Yoona-ah, do you think human eyes can distinguish between avocado and wasabi?” You are deep into thinking as you stare into your supposedly avocado sandwich that’s wrapped thrice. You are no longer trusting anything that had ever been into the five-feet radius of Bae Jinsol. Who knows if she replaced your avocado sauce with wasabi? It wasn’t the first time that she decided to add a bit of… side dish to your lunchbox.

“You’re really overreacting this, we’re supposed to be studying.” Sullyoon whispers, a mutual friend of Bae and you, is sitting across the wooden table in the quiet library.

You don’t respond, instead you peel off one corner of your sandwich and put your nose near it to closely inspect the content between the wheat bread. It doesn’t make your eyes watering, nor makes your nose feeling like winter breeze. At least not wasabi this time.

“Yoona, do you think I’m crazy if I tell you that…” You stop in the middle, Sullyoon looking up from her laptop to meet your “thoughtful” eyes. “I feel like Jinsol added half bottles of salt on my bread, look, do you see those white dots?” You finish your final verdict, thrusting the sandwich in front of Sullyoon’s face.

“Come on dude, they’re literally just flour.” Sullyoon looks at you like you’re helpless.

“I… I don’t trust anyone no more.” You stutter. “I’ll just skip lunch today, good for losing weight.” You put the sandwich back into your backpack - it’s not like you’re eating it right now in the library anyways.

“What happened to you lately? You seemed to be very paranoid.” Sullyoon giggles, obviously she’s not in your shoes so she has no idea the recent reign of terror under Bae.

“I am being targeted by the Thought Police.” You are losing your mind as you no longer controls what comes out of your mouth. “I am being convicted for the crimes that I never committed. What did I even do to deserve Bae treating me like this? First it was glue in my sneakers, then it was the attempt to sugarcoat all of my organs last Friday… Don’t even getting me started on the number of times where she replaced my avocado toast with wasabi toast. Damn!” You try your best to lower your voice in the library, but the emotions had got you. Several students near you give you weird looks, but you don’t have the energy to care.

“I thought you’re smarter than this, bro.” Sullyoon grins, as she’s already figured everything out.

“What do you mean? D… did i forget her birthday? No! It’s literally like December! It’s just June right now? Or… or is it her cat’s birthday?” You start to list all the possible things that could’ve gone wrong, but you don’t seem to find the right answer based on Sullyoon’s reaction.

“Nah-uh, think harder.” Her grin becomes more mischievous.

“Ah! Eureka! It must be that one time where I accidentally insulted her favorite game stream!” But Sullyoon signals you to keep going.

“I… I don’t fucking know anymore!”

“You are such an idiot.” Sullyoon shuts her laptop off, looking at you disappointedly.

“Man, even you? Yoona… I thought you’re on my side!” You sigh as she mocks you.

“How could it not be more obvious? Jinsol is trying to get your attention! She’s into you!!!” Sullyoon gets closer and drops the bomb right in front of your face.

But it is just as easy for you to defuse the bomb, really. She’s also a friend of Bae, so they’re doing some sort of group prank! For real?

“Nah, don’t mess with me like that Yoona. I don’t get fooled this easily!” You pout, looking at Sullyoon mockingly with your eyes half shut.

“Now I know why you’ve been single for 20 years straight, you’re helpless!” Sullyoon didn’t burst into laughter or brush it off as you expected, but instead she looks at you with disappointment.

“Now you’re insulting. But well, how can it even be real? She’s my buddy since elementary school! I couldn’t tell she’s a girl if she doesn’t go to the different restroom as me!” You lean forward, hoping Sullyoon has some intel that can solve your confusion.

“Well think about what you texted me last night, don’t lie to yourself.” Sullyoon smirks.

“Oh shit… shit! It c… cannot be.”

yoona

Hey, just making sure if we’re meeting up tmr to study

20:00

Oh, hey Yoona. Sorry for the late reply, yeah we can do that

life had been miserable recently

23:40

yoona

Sure, see ya at lunch

Still recovering from the Jinsol pranks?

haha don’t get too mad about it

pretty sure she’s just messin' around as always

such a goofball

kek

23:41

Nah… I don’t really mind

We’ve been like this since forever ago

it’s just… more extreme recently

glue in my shoes

wasabi in my sandwich

i wouldn’t be surprised if she spits in my coffee tmr

that she promised to buy me

23:43

yoona

lmao

Maybe you two should talk

yk

to sort things out

if it gets bothering

23:45

Honestly?

I don’t

i lowkey like seeing her laughing each time she pranked me

yk

kinda cute

just a little bit

but

not cute anymore

if it happens thrice a day

23:46

yoona

Say less

Wedding when?

23:48

WDYM????

I’m not saying im having a crush on her or anything

forget about what i said

I’m just high from caffeine

chugged a can of Celsius while washing my poor shoes

23:50

yoona

You’re crazy

energy drink at 11 pm?

can you even sleep tonight?

and yeah, remember to invite me to your wedding

23:55

you’re right

FUCK MY SLEEP

asdfghjhgfdsdfghj

again im not saying i like her, that has to be clear

23:57

yoona

ok whatever you say

see ya tmr

i need to sleep

23:59

READ

“Wait, what? Did you snitch? But damn, the pranks had been going on for quite a while already. It couldn’t be you?” You stare at Sullyoon full of confusion.

“Maybe it’s her way to get your attention? Don’t tell me you never thought about why would she ever do this?”

“What do you mean? She’s been messing with me since childhood!” You protest. “And plus… let’s make a conjecture… just a hypothesis, if you will. IF she likes me, why wouldn’t she just come to me and say it? There’s no need for Jinsol to do all those pranks… because in the end of the day? She’s just making fun of me!”

“Come on! Use your math brain! How is it NOT weird for her to confess if you’ve been treating her like your buddy? If she cannot make you blush, at least she can make you scream… you know? So your eyes are on her!” Sullyoon explains, you don’t know whether or not if Bae told her all those or it’s her guess.

But it all doesn’t matter because you two are scared off the chairs from a loud clatter coming from the shelf besides you.

“Bang”

“Damn!” You try to shout but only to realize you’re still in the library. You turn around to check the incident - turns out it was someone who knocked over a cart of textbooks leaning on the shelf. Behind the shelf is someone who is obviously faking to read a book, because the cover page says

“uᴉpnɹ ɹǝʇlɐM

sᴉsʎlɐu∀ lɐǝɹ ɟo sǝldᴉɔuᴉɹԀ”

Which, is obviously upside down.

“Jinsol! W… what are you doing here?” Sullyoon is the first one to catch the criminal, as the latter is clearly overhearing the conversation. Even worse? She was featured in the conversation herself!

“Yeah, why are you here? Are you trying to swap my sandwich again? S… show me your hands!” You lean on the opposite side of the chair, hugging your lunchbox tightly like it’s going to fly to Bae in any second.

“O… oh hi guys! Didn’t know y'all are here? H… how are you? hehehe” Bae shows her golden raspberry level acting as she suddenly attempt to tuck her short, blonde hair behind her ears.

You look at Sullyoon, and Sullyoon looks at you. But none of you says anything.

“C…come’on! It’s just a coincidence!” Bae turns the book back to the normal reading angle of human, but well it’s obviously too late.

Awkward silence.

“Oh! Yoona, I have to borrow him for a second, important stuff! Be right back.” Bae panics, as she launches herself right behind and grabs your hoodie collar.

“Hey!” It’s too late to protest as Bae drags you out of the library back door with surprising strength.

“Ya! Bae Jinsol! Where are you going? And what’s going on with you recently!” You shout as you find yourself already at the lawn behind the library building.

“N…nothing, I just got something for you.” Bae mumbles, her usual confidence and energetic laughter is nowhere to be found.

“You mean, another prank?” You sigh, but your brain already started to guess what’s the “surprise” this time.

“I have a g…gift for you, happy birthday!” She tactically avoids your question, instead she shoves a carefully wrapped giftbox straight into your hands. Damn, there’s even a bowtie on it!

“W… what did you say? Happy birthday? You should really find a better excuse for a prank like this, brother. My birthday is not until July! And it’s literally just June…” You sigh.

“I… I don’t give a fuck about the calendars! Today IS your birthday because I said so!” Bae surprisingly raising her volume, but why is her face this red?

“Hahaha whatever you say bro, I am ready.” You smirk as you shake the box to check the content, hmm, feels light. “Let me guess, is there a fake boxing glove that’s going to hit my face when I open it? Or is it the classic spring-attached spider for party jokes? Tell me which one is it.”

“Oh…he… he still thinks it’s a joke… T_T"

“Y… you’re so stupid!” What you never expected was that Bae lands her palms on your shoulder, shoving you firmly on to the tree behind you before sprinting pass you like a track star.

“H… hey!” By the time you realize, she’s already missing in action.

“Huh, it’s not like her. Well maybe she’s behind a random tree, ready to film me when I open the box.” You think to yourself. “Fine, fine, fine. I’ll open it for her.”

And you proceed. You untie the ribbon and carefully remove the wrapping paper, ready to react to what’s possibly in the box.

Instead, your legs become noodles and you collapse onto the grass in pure shock.

It is a pink origami heart. It is a freaking heart, sitting idly on top of a piece of nicely folded letter paper. A heart? So maybe it IS actually a gift! Is she going to apologize for the pranks seriously? It’s easier for her to come up with ten extra ways to play with you before so. Your first instinct tells your brain to get ready for some message like “HAHAHA How many times are you gonna fall for this?” In red, of course.

And maybe a minute or two later. You’ll have a clip of yourself slamming the tree in defeat in your Message, and of course, filmed by Bae who’s hidden somewhere close.

However, the way Bae ran away tells you a different theory. Her usual reason and playful energy is nowhere to be found, and you decide to find out if she actually does have something to tell you. Hmm but why not just say it in person?

Well, turns out she tells you exactly why.

Ok, if you see this that means I probably ran away. Stay where you are. Don’t look for me. And please pretend you never read this letter after you’re done. Don’t try to start making things awkward. No.

First of all, you are a complete idiot. And I admit I lost, are you happy now? Maybe I’m really a coward, but I like you, ok? I like you so fucking much. I liked you since that one time you lent me your umbrella and you got soaked by the rain. Or maybe it was when you always had snacks for me in your lunchbox. Whatever, I don’t even know anymore T_T...That doesn’t matter!

When I texted you “since when I became a girl in your eyes”? I freaking meant it. Why is it that hard for you to look at me like a boy looks at his fav girl? Every time I tried to wear pretty outfits or do my makeup seriously, you always mocked me. Either tapping my shoulder or saying stuff like “wtf bro? Why are you looking like this?” . And hey, when you said you didn’t recognize my face on my new avatar... I rly hoped you were joking, because I almost had tears in my eyes. Yes you stupid, I cry too. I put on the makeups and took the selfie just to be prettier in your eyes.

Let me say sorry to your shoes and the amount of melted sugar in your coffee (that’s also my heart when seeing you, by the way. Omg this is so lame ngl) Have you ever wondered why I always pranked you like this? Maybe I don’t know either. But I was afraid that... if I confess, you’d treat it like a joke, things will get weird and I’ll lose the most prestigious person in my life! But I... I simply can’t wait anymore, so today becomes your birthday! I guess that’s the only way I can persuade myself to do it. Plus, the pranks are the only times you’d chase after me, and I lowkey liked it T_T. So treat the pranks as my ways to... have your eyes on ME. Me! Only Me!

Don’t even get me started on how much you talk to Yoona and other girls in your so-called study groups! It made me wanna scrap my eyes out, ugh!!! It is definitely not jealously! You’re not even that handsome... not handsome at all! But why? Why are you always looking at them? Did you fall in love with them? But they told me to shoot my shot! Do you know how much it drove me crazy, seeing your stupid smiles talking to Yoona?

Look at me instead, you little dummy.

I think you’ve had enough of my pranks. Maybe consider having me instead? (Ugh! I’m so cringe!)

-Your ‘brother’ (which I hope it’s the last time before this title changes to something else, that starts with a ‘g’... ahem)

You’re glad that you didn’t zone out for too long because the thin piece of paper is about to escape your trembling fingers with the early summer breeze.

Your head is a complete mess. You sit on the grass, gaze locking onto the familiar messy strokes of ink on the paper, an overwhelming amount of adrenaline starts to rush to your brain.

Did Bae Jinsol just confess to you? Did your play buddy during the day tell you she wants to be your... play buddy at the nights instead? (Well things are getting too fast, if so)

You don’t know how to react to this breaking news. But a part deep in your heart does. The memories are reawakening.

It was the high school prom where she wore a stunning white dress, and you joked on her simply because you weren’t used to she being pretty. You didn’t know her heart raced like crazy, but eventually didn’t dare to ask you for a dance.

It was the one time she pouted and looked at her tummy during break that made you wanted to fill her up by her favorite snacks. And since then? The right half of your lunch box became her permanent snack inventory. Yet you brushed it off as “brotherhood”.

When you mocked her new avatar - which she told you herself that she took it just for you? It was the final lie you told yourself. You know exactly now that you’ve been sitting on a winning lottery ticket for years.

A big, stupid grin unstoppably spread across your cheeks. It’s time to cash it in.

Is it time to give your favorite pranker a real prank right now?

Maybe Bae thinks she is defeated, but you want to prove her that no one is. It is a win-win! Therefore, before you pay her apartment a visit, you took a lengthy detour to the campus florist and asked her for the most fancy , reddest bouquet of rose she has. But you made a specific request, “please trim it so I can hide it nicely behind my back”!

She nodded like she had seen it for a thousand times.

And plus, if Bae demands you to look at her like a boy looking at her like his favorite girl? Your favorite girl definitely deserves a nice bouquet of flowers.

It doesn’t take long for you to walk past your home, and one block after it is Bae’s.

Standing outside of her door, you knock gently with your left hand where the other hand tucks tightly behind you with the bouquet of roses.

“Who’s that?” You soon hear a voice from the other side of the wooden door, sounds utterly exhausted and flat.

“Ya! Jinsol-ah! It’s me! Hehehehaw.” You respond, but along with the loudest and most mischievous laughs you can ever create.

“W...what are you doing here? G...go away!” Bae stutters, she seems surprised that you’d come around. But what you don’t know is that her phone in her hands had been staying on the message page between you two for the past hour.

She wanted an answer.

“Hey! Why so rude? I’m just swinging by to hang out with my brother? I even bought you some treats!” You smirk, increasing your volume while trying the absolute best to not crack.

“I said, go away! This is not even funny!” Another lifeless shout had travelled through the door. But you’re not there yet!

“Hey! You sure you don’t want some candies? The ones I put in my lunch box?” You tease, waiting for Bae’s response.

Silence. But the door soon opens a tiniest possible gap, Bae peeks out. But damn, her gaze looks so exhausted. And her short, blonde hair is like a messy nest: she definitely buried her face into the pillows no long ago.

“Come on, did you REALLY come here just to make fun of me? I... I fucked up, okay? I... I was high on caffeine! And I didn’t mean to...” Bae stares at the floor, avoiding looking at your eyes entirely. But her excuses are just as weak as her posture.

“Say less, I get it. Sometimes we all make mistakes.” You pretend to be deadpan.

“See? Even you call it a mistake…”

“Shhh...” you interrupt Bae, “But I think that was the most correction you’ve ever made... I think you asked for a title that starts with a ‘g’? That doesn’t seem like ‘good friend’ to me.

You then present Bae the bouquet of roses that you’ve been hiding behind your back. “And I think I’m more than happy to have you as my, Miss Girlfriend?”

Right when Bae thought she’s cooked, you cooked. She was ready to shut the door and go back to her bed and cry, but immediately Bae’s face becomes an apple.

“Ahhhh!” Bae screams frantically as she launches herself right into your waiting embrace, her forearms wrapping around your neck and she rests her head on your chest.

Well, you’re certain that at least 6 people from 3 different households nearby had peeked through their windows at the moment. So before they mistaken you as someone who’s trying to break into her house, you tap Bae’s shoulder gently. “Hey, Jinsol-ah, can we get in before I get arrested?”

“Pfft... you... you’re so annoying, not even one more second?” Bae pouts, her touches lingering on your neck. But she quickly interlocks her fingers with yours as she obliges and leads you into her place.

“L...let’s get to my room, my roommates are gonna gossip on me!” Bae says shyly as you two walk cross the living room.

“Huh? Gossip? More like jealousy!” You hover your hand on Bae’s midriff, feeling the heat radiating from her elegant frame, your tone full of triumph.

“Narcissistic. Dummy.” She mumbles, but her fingers digging harder into your skin. You don’t feel any sense of pain though, rather a huge relief from a reality that you’ve been trying to avoid for a long time.

“Fine, but your favorite dummy anyways.” You fire back. Bae tugs the lower edge of her shirt tightly, her face gets even pinker.

“S...sorry it’s a bit messy, I ... I didn’t know you’re coming by!” Bae apologizes as you two finally enter her bedroom and leave the door shut behind you.

Her room is surprisingly clean for someone who squeezed half a bottle of school glue into your shoes not long ago. Her bed is a bit messy, as she said. Several pillows are all over the place and napkins spread on the sheets. But the lavender scent from the detergent mixes with her faint vanilla shampoo, making your heart races just a bit.

It’s not the first time you entered Bae’s bedroom. But you both know it’s different this time.

Bae tried to hide herself as she sits behind her desk, her back leaning on the wall.

The silence in her room is getting too loud. Both of you know that there is no more pranks once the door is shut, but it’s all about who makes a move first.

You look at Bae, who has her knees pulled up onto her chair, staring on the cover of her laptop without a purpose at all. Her fingers are still anxiously messing with the hem of her white tank top. Bae Jinsol - the girl who once added a deadly amount of sugar into your coffee without blinking her eyes - is now trying to hide behind her table with pure shyness.

You take a big step forward, placing the bouquet of crimson roses right at the center of her desk, on her closed laptop.

“So, I guess…” You clear your throat, “You didn’t any school glue today, nor any wasabi sandwich.”

“Shut up!” Bae mumbles between her knees, still avoiding your sight. But there is a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. “I told ya… I never thought you’d actually come. I was almost certain that I ruined everything we’ve had!”

“You’re good, you’re good, brother.” You smirk.

“Are you sure you’re still calling me that?” She finally turns to you, only for you to realize that her face is at the same color as the roses on the table.

“Oopsie, my bad! I have one less brother right now! But hmm… let me count, I still have Yoona. But well, I heard that someone is about to ‘scrap their eyes out’ if I keep talking to her, is that right?” Your grin grows even harder as it’s getting difficult to contain yourself.

“Ahhh! Stop it! I literally hate you so much.” She whispers.

“Oh! You really do? Because according to a written source, I thought someone said, ‘Melting sugar? That’s literally my heart seeing you by the way.’ Isn’t that so, Jinsol-ssi? Oh my God! This is so lame!” You use the exact sentence from her lovely little letter against her, even with the commentary.

“Ugh!!! Stop quoting it!” She completely short-circuits, you take this chance as you grab her wrist gently and helps Bae get on her feet. “Shut… shut up!”

“I think you know exactly how to make me stop talking, my favorite little prankster?” Your smile spreads to the tip of your ears as you find Bae incredibly cute when she blushes like this and loses all her defense from the sheer amount of embarrassment.

You then tilt her chin up by your finger, she lets you.

“Come on, before I start reciting your whole letter.” You giggle, cupping her pinkish face.

And then, she crashes her lips right onto yours. You’re immediately overwhelmed by the juicy, full texture of her lips. You quickly respond to Bae as your hands instinctively locate her wait and pulling her close.

The kiss is a bit messy, it’s a little clumsy just like the past a few months. You find her lips taste like the sweet coffee drink she always liked - also kinda like the liquid diabetes she attempted to feed you with.

You tilt your head gently, carefully savoring her taste as your other hand caresses her short, blonde hair near her ear.

Bae’s fingers are lingering all over you face, her nails digging into your neck like she’s so afraid that you would’ve ran away. You don’t feel any pain, not when you can finally feel her touch on you as your girlfriend instead of just a childhood friend.

After what you both felt like a century, she finally pulls back just an inch. Bae’s pulse is frantic, breathing is shallow. She looks dazed, her hands are still refusing to leave your body. At this moment, there is no more need for those goofy little pranks to keep you close to her. You’re already hers.

“You talk too much sometimes… I really hated that.” She mutters, trying to find her stand again despite her shaking voice and her trembling fingers around your neck.

“And you prank too much.” You refute, letting your thumb lingering on her burning cheek. “But I don’t mind keeping you around, you know? Hmm… it was just this one little mistake I realized…” You suddenly sound serious, but of course, part of your acting.

“H…huh? D… did I make a spelling error? I… I literally wrote a script first then copying over!” Bae panics as you drop the hint at this moment.

“Nah, it’s my mistake. I realized that I’ve been calling you by the wrong name.” You nod.

“What? My name is Bae Jinsol, what’s wrong with that?” Bae blinks confusedly.

“Nah, I’ve been calling you Jinsol for like… ten years? Big mistake! Because…” You stop as you pull her even closer, you can now feel every Joule of heat she radiates onto your body. “I should’ve called you by your last name, because you’re literally my Bae!” You deadpan, finally finishing this cringy pun that you came you with years ago.

“Oh…Oh… Ewww!!! You’re so cringy! You’re such a unromantic dummy…” It took a second for her to react to this ungodly pun, but she doesn’t seem to be annoyed at all.

“Again, at least I’m your favorite dummy. And don’t get me started on how unromantic that letter was, what even is "‘a title that starts with a g? Was it that hard to say that you wanna be my girlfriend? My BAE~?”

“Stop talking!” Her lips is back onto yours again, which, is the most effective way for you to shut up.

You and Bae fall onto her soft mattress, lips are still on each others.

May was when things got started. All the school glues, wasabi sandwiches and spiders in your locker? Looking back, it was a bit messy, a bit chaotic, and far too early for a serious confession.

June was next. Your birthday unexpectedly moved ahead by one month, bringing a sudden end to a ten-year-long relationship. But it was also the marking of the grand, unforgettable beginning of another relationship that you both know is gonna be full of possibilities and highlights.

And July? July is only going to wilding. It is your freaking birthday, and you’ve already received the best gift you could ever ask for.