Closer with you (ongoing)

CHAPTER 24

To: Eric
What are you doing this weekend? 10:11 am

There was no point in waiting to start this "enjoy the single life" thing. School started in a few weeks and once it did, Yongsun would have significantly less free time to be "carefree". If she was going to do it, she needed to do it now.

Excited that she agreed to try being more social, Wheein and Hyejin decided to strike while the iron was hot. They proposed that the three of them go out to Hongdae to eat and see where the night took them. Not wanting to look like she was retreating into her antisocial ways, Yongsun accepted the offer. Only afterwards did she remember that Chorong would be moved in by then and asked if her same-aged friend could join them—the younger girls gave her permission. Figuring she might as well make an event out of it, Yongsun also decided to invite Eric. It wasn't until this morning, though, that she remembered to message him about it.

Wrapped in her comforter like a burrito—sleeping with the air conditioning on high was a habit that needed changing—the black-haired girl laughed quietly to herself at how excited she was about assembling her "crew". Never before had she had one. A few people she hung out with from time to time, yes, but a collective of people, all of whom she cared deeply for and felt close enough to share most things with? No. This was a first. A welcomed one. It was astonishing how much of a difference one year could make.

Having spent enough time in her head, the graduate student resigned herself to getting out of bed. Chorong was moving in today, so, even though Yongsun had no work at the Center, she needed to triple check that the apartment was presentable. Her bare legs were only just swung over the side of her elevated bed when her phone vibrated. Feet dangling, she took a moment to respond, knowing before checking her notifications that it was Eric.

From: Eric

Depends. 10:25 am

To: Eric

🙄

Nevermind. 10:26 am

😅Joking! What's up? 10:26 am

We're going out.

I wanted to invite you. 10:27 am

I'm in! 10:28 am

Haven't even given you details yet . . . 10:29 am

Doesn't matter. I need a night out. 10:30 am

Uh oh. Everything okay? 10:31 am

I'll tell you this weekend. 10:31 am

😳 10:32 am

Accurate.

I can crash with you, right? 10:34 am

Absolutely. 10:35 am

Chorong'll be cool w/ it? 10:36 am

This was going to be an adjustment for her. In her head, Yongsun knew that Chorong was moving in. That information hadn't yet seeped into her thoughts and actions, though, not only because sharing the space with her friend hadn't happened yet, but also because Misuk was very different. The younger girl was almost never in the apartment on weekends, and when she was present, she stayed in her bedroom. Yongsun rarely had to consider someone else when deciding to have people over, which was part of the reason Moonbyul came over as often as she did. It felt most of the time as if she had a single. While she and Chorong hadn't lived the life of roommates yet, the black-haired girl thought it safe to assume that Chorong would not be a Misuk. She needed to start considering her when making plans that would potentially affect them both.