Another Love

Star-crossed lovers

Two people who care deeply for each other, but are doomed by the stars and cannot be together.

Aeri had always been the quiet one, the kind of girl who would stay alone during group activities, who only participated when spoken to, just content to let others fill the space. She liked to observe and listen, making mind maps of what she liked or disliked about everyone. She'd sit on the swing near the lake and listen to the sounds of nature.

On the opposite side stood Yunjin. Impossible to ignore, loud and fearless. She liked to sing off-key, to tease people, and to crack jokes to people until their stomachs hurt. She had a way of making the entire summer camp stick by her side. One could have called her a people magnet.

Aeri wasn't immune to this pull.

At first, Yunjin had teased her about her introverted persona. "Do you ever talk or are you secretly mute?" she'd said with a grin.

Aeri had blinked at her several times, pressing her lips together. "I—I can talk."

"Prove it then, tell me a secret." Yunjin had replied, leaning back into her seat.

Aeri had fidgeted with her fingers and smiled shyly. "I don't like grape juice."

Yunjin had burst out laughing so loudly that the counselor told her to be quiet. Aeri had smiled shyly, a soft red tinting her cheeks.

As days passed, Yunjin softened her jokes, seeing that Aeri didn't like them much compared to others. She started sitting next to her at lunch, offering her half of her dessert, pretending that her tummy was too full to handle it. She'd complain dramatically until Aeri's lips curved into a smile. That exact smile soon became Yunjin's favorite thing to chase, and she'd have done anything to see it again.

When the camp hushed and night fell, Yunjin would knock softly on Aeri's window, motioning for her to sneak out. At first, Aeri didn't want to, too scared to break the rules. Until one night, when Yunjin had mouthed coward, Aeri rolled her eyes and grabbed a hoodie before climbing out.

They ended up by the lake, their shoes off, feet soaking in water. Yunjin was the one to talk and Aeri was the one to listen. She talked about music, about how she wanted to write songs to make people feel things. Aeri listened and eventually surprised herself by sharing things like how she liked mornings, how she sometimes felt invisible, how she wanted to travel the world but was too scared to leave home.

"You're not invisible," Yunjin had said. "I saw you before I saw anyone else."

Aeri had blushed, hiding it by looking the other way, ignoring how her heart fluttered at the words.

Meeting in secret became their ritual, exchanging songs, talking until dawn painted the sky in soft hues of orange and blue.

One night, Yunjin handed Aeri an earphone, their heads leaning together to listen to the song. Their hands brushed under the blanket.

"I think of you when I listen to this song," Yunjin admitted.

"Why?" Aeri asked softly.

"Because it's quiet at first, but once you get to taste it, you get addicted."

Aeri turned her head to hide the smile playing on her lips and the blush on her cheeks, her heart pounding too loud to form proper words.

Toward the end of summer, Yunjin dared to climb the dormitory rooftop. Aeri hesitated just before the ladder, scared to climb it. Yunjin stretched her hand and said, "I won't let you fall."

Aeri believed her and climbed it.

They sat side by side on the concrete, the sunrise unraveling just before their eyes. Aeri rested her head on Yunjin's shoulder, hearing how her breath hitched at the contact. Their fingers brushed once, twice, until Yunjin intertwined them.

Laughter carried into the thick and warm summer night; someone had brought an empty bottle to spin and it was time for the truth or dare ritual.