Always and Forever

Chapter 9

Yunjin, who had been flipping through a magazine, paused at Y/n’s words. She glanced over at her, her expression softening. The teasing glint in her eyes dimmed, replaced by something gentler. A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she set the magazine down.

"Because you know me," Yunjin said, her voice quieter, sincere. She met Y/n's gaze and held it for a moment, the weight of her words sinking in.

Y/n blinked, surprised by the simplicity of the response. A warmth spread in her chest at the honesty in Yunjin’s eyes, and for a moment, the world around her seemed to slow. It wasn’t about the gift itself—Yunjin was right. It was the fact that, without trying, Y/n understood her in a way that felt natural.

Y/n gave a small, soft smile, feeling a little less frustrated now. "I guess so," she said, her voice quieter now, the playful edge gone. "Guess that makes me a really bad gift-giver for everyone else."

Yunjin chuckled, leaning over to nudge her gently. "No way. You're the best at it when it matters. Just gotta put your heart into it, like you always do."

Y/n glanced at Yunjin, feeling the weight of the moment. Her thoughts seemed to quiet for just a second, and in that space, everything else faded—gifts, worries, the pressure to get everything right. It was just the two of them, sitting there, knowing each other in ways words couldn’t capture.

"Thanks," Y/n whispered, her smile widening just a bit.

Yunjin’s grin was all warmth as she winked. "Anytime."

After what felt like an eternity of brainstorming, Y/n finally threw her phone down in defeat. “Yeah, I give up. I’m just gonna get her some wine. Eunchae’s turning eighteen—she’ll get it.”

Yunjin nearly choked on her laughter. “You’re actually hopeless.”

“Excuse me?” Y/n gasped, clutching her chest as if personally wounded. “At least I’m giving her something! That’s better than showing up empty-handed.”

Yunjin shook her head, still grinning. “Right, because nothing says Happy Birthday, welcome to adulthood like an overpriced bottle of wine.”

“Shut up, she’s going to love it,” Y/n said with a confident smirk, popping another cookie into her mouth.

Yunjin scoffed, shaking her head. “You’re actually the worst.”

Y/n grinned, leaning back against her pillows. “And yet, you’re still here.”

Yunjin rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide the amused smile tugging at her lips. “Unfortunately.”

Y/n gasped dramatically, clutching her chest. “Wow. Betrayed in my own home. You wound me, Jen.”

Yunjin just laughed, grabbing another cookie. “You deserve it for even considering wine as a gift.”

The quiet between them was peaceful, a rare moment of stillness as they both enjoyed the warmth of the blankets and the lingering taste of cookies.

But then, Yunjin spoke, and Y/n felt her stomach twist at the name that followed.

"Hey... what do you think of Yeonjun?"

Just like that, the comfort shattered.

Y/n felt her heart drop, but she masked it quickly, forcing a neutral expression as she stared at the ceiling.

"What do I think of Yeonjun?" she repeated, buying herself time. "Well, he's... tall."

Yunjin snorted. "Obviously."

"And... he’s friendly, I guess?"

"You guess?" Yunjin chuckled, shifting to her side to face Y/n. "Come on, you can’t deny that he’s a great guy. He’s funny, smart, and honestly, really charming."