"Where did you guys even get this?" Yuna asked, as she admired the necklace wrapped around her neck, not forgetting to open it up once every few minutes to appreciate their group picture placed inside the heart-shaped pendant, unable to keep herself from continuously grinning from ear to ear, loving the present her unnies had given her.
The 5 were sitting around Yuna and Ryujin's dining table, with a half-devoured sweet potato birthday cake in the middle, each of them holding a fork, occasionally taking a piece out of the sugary fluffy delight.
"Jisu unnie. She knows a few fashion kids who specialize in jewelry," Chaeryeong answered, gesturing her fork at the direction of the older girl, who responded with a proud look on her face.
"... D-did it cost you guys a lot?" the youngest timidly questioned, doubtful that a custom piece like this would be anything but cheap.
"Don't worry about it babe," Ryujin replied, ruffling Yuna's hair affectionately, showing her distinct whisker dimples that the youngest always loved so very much. "Besides, with Yeji unnie around, we don't have to worry about money anymore," she teasingly added, sending a quick wink in the direction of the silver haired girl.
"S-Shin Ryujin!" Yeji exclaimed out. "T-that's not true! And just so you know, Yuna-ya, Ryujin was about to pay for the whole thing."
"Awwwww," Yuna let out, playfully pinching Ryujin's soft cheeks, before giving a tiny peck on the shorter girl's nose.
"Too bad these people wanted to be 3rd, 4th, and 5th wheels so bad. Otherwise I would have gotten all the credit," Ryujin answered with a smirk.
"Oh please, I know you're glad we chipped in for it. When I told you how much it cost you almost fainted," Jisu chimed in while rolling her eyes.
"Shhhh!! That did not happen!" Ryujin cried out, while Yuna chuckled beside her.
"Speaking of which, Yuna-ya ... ... if Ryujin really was serious about propose to you just now ... would you have said yes?" Chaeryeong interrupted, her eyes filled with curiosity.
The 4 turned to look at the youngest, with Ryujin eyeing Yuna expectantly, though there was also a hint of nervousness in the glint of her eyes.
She knew it was only a joke. After all, they were both only in college and still had their wholes lives ahead of them, so making such a heavy commitment this early on in life was out of the question.
But she'd be lying to say that she wasn't curious to what Yuna's answer would be.
Because deep down, Ryujin already knew that to her, Yuna was the one.
Because to Ryujin, even without a ring, even without marriage, she wanted to spend the rest of her life with the girl sitting beside her.
She was just that sure of how much she loved her.
"Of course," Yuna answered nonchalantly, yet her voice was unshakably confident, as if it wasn't a decision that pretty much determined who she would spend the rest of her life with.
"Really??" Chaeryeong bursted out. "You do realize that it's with Ryujin right? The Shin Ryujin. Literally the most annoying person on earth right now. Her." Chaeryeong pointed her index finger at the blonde haired girl in disbelief.
"Hey!" Ryujin blurted out, playfully slapping Chaeryeong's hand away from her face while the others laughed at the antics of the same-aged friends.
"Hmmm..." Yuna thoughtfully pondered Chaeryeong's question for a bit, taking a bite of the cake and chewing it slowly.
Ryujin nervously darted her pupils between Yuna and the cake in the middle of the table, as if she was expecting her girlfriend to take back her answer, which though the whole thing was purely hypothetical and was intended to be a joke, would no doubt at least sting a little.
"... Yes. My answer is still yes," the youngest calmly said with a soft smile on her face.
"... Can we ask why?" Yeji spoke up, curious as to how Yuna who was quite literally only in the first year of college was able to be so sure of her answer.
"Hmmm ... maybe it's just me, but I really don't think it's as complicated as you guys are making it to be," Yuna answered with a steady tone. "Every day I've had so far with Ryujin, even before we started dating, has been nothing but good day's ... ... Sure I've had moments where I felt sad and down, or frustrated and angry, not to mention sometimes we'd argue over stupid things, but with her...," Yuna glanced at the short haired girl, flashing an innocent warm smile at her direction causing Ryujin to fluster and blush, "... I still always end up smiling at the end of the day. And if that's what the rest of my life is going to be, then I have no complaints. In fact, I'd love it if that was the case ... ... ... just as much as I love her."
The room fell silent, as Yeji, Chaeryeong and Jisu looked at the youngest with thoughtful yet admiring looks, which caused Yuna's face to redden, realizing that what she had just said was probably incredibly cheesy and lame.
"I can't believe I just said that!" the youngest yelled out, covering her face with both her hands in embarrassment.
"Wahh ... our maknae is all grown up now," Jisu teased, causing everyone except the maknae herself to burst into laughter.
"Sometimes I wonder if you're really the youngest, Yuna-ya. As much as we're never gonna let you hear the end of this, I have to admit. That was really cute," Chaeryeong chimed in with a large smirk on her face.
Just then, Ryujin gently leaned her head onto Yuna's shoulders, a subtle pleasant and satisfied smile etched on her face.
"Just so you know ... I don't care what happens ... but I'm definitely marrying you," Ryujin muttered out, which Yuna responded by giving a kiss onto the blonde-haired girl's head.
"Ryujin-ah, it's not as cute when you say something romantic, leave that to Yuna, okay?" Chaeryeong snarkily remarked, not missing even one chance to poke fun at Ryujin.
"Lee Chaeryeong, you're really pushing it tonight," Ryujin glared at the girl that was only 2 months younger than her, causing the two to go into a full-on argument that was all in good fun, as per usual, while both Yuna and Jisu tried to stop the two though they were lowkey very much entertained by it.
While the others were loudly bickering, Yeji couldn't help but take quick glances at Jisu, while Yuna's words echoed inside her mind, making her hope from the depths of her heart that maybe, just maybe, Jisu and her would have as close of a happy ending as Ryujin and Yuna did.
It was past 11:11 p.m, nor was it her birthday, but it didn't stop Yeji from silently wishing for it.
And as if it was a sign from heaven above, tiny little white specs had begun to fall from the sky.
The first snow of winter had at last arrived.
"Oh?" Yeji blurted out upon seeing through the apartment window thousands of snowflakes gently drifting down from above, which caught the attention of the others, causing them to stop the chaos that was there conversation and follow the eye-line of the silver haired girl.
"It's snowing!" Yuna exclaimed, running up to the windows to take a closer look like an excited kid who had never seen such a weather phenomenon.
"Can we go out??" Yuna turned back to look at the others, her eyes glinting with new found energy as if it wasn't already past midnight.
"Right now??" Jisu responded.
"Unnie! It's the first snowfall of the year!" the youngest retorted back, sensing the older girl's reluctance in stepping outside from the warmth of their apartment.
"It's her birthday, we pretty much have to listen to her," Chaeryeong joked, as she stood up, wearing her brown coat once more. "Come on, it would be the first snowfall for the 5 of us too. And you know how special that is for Yuna," she added, gesturing for Jisu to start wearing her coat too.
-----
The 5 were taking a stroll in the local town park which was only a 10 minute walk away from their apartment complex, enjoying the cold winter night as tiny petals of ice gracefully rained down upon them, with barren trees gradually catching the white snow on their branches standing tall on both sides of the large pathway, while the numerous street lights that were lined up on either side of the road created an almost shimmering glimmer upon the snowflakes that were able to catch their beam of light.
And though it was way past midnight, there were plenty of other students and local residents that were also there, taking the opportunity to bathe in the first snowfall of the year, appreciating the moment much like the 5 were doing, as they walked together, arms hooking onto one another affectionately, cherishing every second they had with each other.
Not in a sense as if they were trying to make up for the time they had lost in the last three years with Yeji's absence, but in a sense as if they were truly absorbed in the moment they were in, absorbed in the moment that was truly their spectacular now.
This park wasn't foreign to them. Not at all.
In fact, it was a spot they often came to all the way back from when they were in middle school, back when their life was only plagued by the stress of studying and getting good grades, unlike now where grades were merely just a singular letter printed on a piece of paper, insignificant and trivial compared to the other things they dealt with in their everyday lives.
But that didn't diminish the memories they've made in this location, in fact, it made them all the more special as it reminded them of a time where things were simply ... simpler.
"It's been a while since we came here together," Chaeryeong said with a hint of nostalgia in her voice.
"It really has," Yuna agreed.
"Did you guys not come here while I was away?" Yeji asked, wondering if they had really stayed away from this park for the last three years.
"We tried, but it was just easier to leave this place alone," Ryujin admitted with a sigh. "Too many memories."
A faint and painful smile appeared on Yeji's face, as the feeling of guilt flooded her body, her heart aching at the thought that she was at fault for hurting her best friends.
Upon noticing this, Ryujin immediately wrapped her arm around the silver haired girl's shoulders, pulling her close to her.
"It's not your fault, unnie. You're here now, right?" the short haired girl said earnestly, as Yeji shyly nodded in response, grateful for her best friend's comforting words.
"Oh! Oh! Do you guys remember? How we'd feed the squirrels?" Chaeryeong exclaimed with a grin, as the memory replayed in her mind.
"And one day they suddenly started chasing Yeji unnie?" Yuna chimed in with a chuckle.
That was how the silver haired girl developed her fear for squirrels, and basically every other rodent-looking animal that existed.
To this very day, they still couldn't figure out why the usually calm and friendly squirrels that dwelled in this park went suddenly berserk that one afternoon and chased after a middle-school aged Yeji, strangely and funnily enough leaving the other 4 completely alone and untouched, though they jokingly concluded that it was probably because Yeji's eyes resembled too closely to that of a cat, which unfortunately enough for the eldest of the group, was one of the squirrel's natural predators, causing them to band together to scare her away.
"What about that time when me, Yuna, and Lia unnie were playing in the playground and this group of other kids wanted us to leave? And then-"
"Ryujin and Yeji unnie came and kicked their asses?" Yuna once again interrupted before Chaeryeong could finish her sentence.
The memory caused everyone to burst into laughter.
"Oh those kids ... Man they were assholes," Ryujin added.
"I think that was the day I realized I should never mess with Ryujin," Yeji teased, reminiscing that one afternoon where Jisu, Chaeryeong and Yuna were playing on the playground while her and Ryujin went to the convenience store to get them ice cream. And while they were away, the other group of 6 kids that were also there had asked the three to leave their so-called "territory".
Chaeryeong was about to pull Jisu and Yuna away, wanting to avoid confrontation that could possibly end up hurting them considering they were outnumbered 6 to 3, but Jisu being the stubborn-headed girl and Yuna being the bold person that she was immediately refused, which caused the two to get into a fist fight with the other kids while Chaeryeong tried her best to separate the two parties.
But it was only until both Ryujin and Yeji arrived, entering the scene with a flying kick and a hard tackle respectively did the other kids leave them alone as the two girls proved they were a little too much to handle.
"Or what about that time we found a dead body in the park?" Ryujin further remarked.
(Trigger warning: Suicie)
"Ryujin! Why did you have to say that now?" Chaeryeong whined, not wanting to recall that memory, especially not this late at night.
It wasn't a good memory, per se, but it was certainly one that left quite the impact, and in a way, solidified the 5's friendship even more so than it already was.
It was back when Yeji and Jisu were in their last year of middle school, late in the evening when the sun was close to completely setting in the horizon.
And while they were on their way home from an afternoon at the park, Ryujin was the first to notice that out in the distance, underneath one of the many large trees that stood strongly rooted into the ground, was the silhouette of a man, slumped weakly on the ground, back leaning against the tree trunk.
With curiosity getting the best of them, the 5 approached the figure, thinking that at the very least they'd check up on him in case he needed help.
Upon getting closer to what they were able to identify as a middle-aged man in what appeared to be a white button up long sleeve covered in a black blazer, a typical outfit for the typical office job, they immediately noticed that the man was no longer breathing, his chest laying completely still and flat, with absolutely no signs of movement.
Scattered next to him were a few bottles of hard liquor, and more noticeably, there was a tiny opened pack of pills still in the man's right hand.
It was only then did the 5 realize that they had stumbled upon a dead body. And with a quick dial of 112, the police were able to arrive in less than a few minutes.
Oddly enough, none of them reacted in a way middle school kids were expected to when a dead body was in front of them.
None of them cried, nor did they display any sort of fear.
Instead, they wore a solemn expression on their faces, their eyes blank yet deep in thought, almost appearing grey in colour on the surface.
They had heard of death, learnt of it in school, but it was the first time they had truly come across it, and the only thing they could think of, was how fortunate their lives were.
Because what they saw wasn't a dead body, but a man that had his spirit broken, a man that believed it was him against the world, and that there was no way he could win.
And it only made the 5 realize how blessed they were, how fortunate they were that they had each other in their lives.
That even if the world would someday go against them the way it did against that man, they would never stand alone.
Because they had each other.
"That really was something...," Yuna mumbled out, the memory repeating in her head as if it was only yesterday.
They silently agreed that it wasn't really a good memory, but they also knew that while it wasn't pleasant, it was unforgettable.
Because there was no denying that their love for each other had grown one step further that day, that if Ryujin had not fatefully spotted the silhouette of the man from the corner of her eyes out in the distance, who knows if they'd even have the bond they shared today.
Every adventure in this park was a page in their book, and each page contributed to the story of how the 5 became ... well, the 5.
Of how their friendship and unbreakable bond came to be.
Like a sword that had been forged through the hottest of fires, and with each adventure they had no matter how small it was like being chased by squirrels, or how extreme it ended up being like stumbling upon a dead body, they came out on the other side sharper and tougher than they were before, becoming a sword that was able to cut through any adversities.
And if anything, the last few months were solid proof of this. None of them would've thought with the way things were left three years ago, that three years later, they'd be strolling in the park, reminiscing memories as if it had happened only yesterday.
"What a way to ruin the mood, Shin Ryujin," Chaeryeong retorted, jokingly rolling her eyes at the short-haired girl.
"Hey! I thought we were talking about the memories we made here!" Ryujin responded.
"Happy ones! Did you really have to pick that one?" Chaeryeong retaliated, but before Ryujin could bicker back, they had noticed that just up ahead as far as their eyes could see, was the playground. The one they had spent countless afternoons running around so many years ago.
"Race you there!" Ryujin yelled out, sprinting forward like a cheetah that had just locked onto its prey.
"Hey no fair!" Chaeryeong protested, before also running after her '01 liner friend.
"Wait for me!" Yuna cried out as well as she quickly joined the two in their excited pursuit for the familiar sight of the swings and the slides, leaving Yeji and Jisu behind on their own.
And for a split second, seeing Ryujin, Chaeryeong and Yuna from behind racing ahead exactly the same way they did back when they were all only 10 to 13-year-olds truly felt like they had turned back the wheels of time.
Back to when they were just middle schoolers who had no clue their lives would turn out the way they did today.
And it made them that much more grateful that it did.
Author's Notes:
Just wanted to say thank you so much for being patient with me🥺❤️.
And are you guys seeing the amount of Yejisu IG posts we're getting?? 😭
And it's not just from Yeji but Lia too 🥰❤️.