Work Text:
“Your hair has gotten really long, Iyen-ah,” Jisung says, carefully running a brush through the aforementioned’s hair. “It's very pretty.”
“Thank you.” Jeongin looks down at the floor, trying to hide her blush. It’s true, she supposes—she's been growing it out for the past couple of years, the half-wavy half-curly strands now reaching just below her chest. She's proud of it, she tries her hardest to maintain it and keep it healthy. She's got no idea how to style it, though, not possessing the years of experience that most other girls have.
That's where her best friend comes in.
“I’m serious, it's so healthy,” Jisung continues, stopping just to run her fingers through Jeongin’s hair. Jeongin suppresses a shiver. “Do you want me to braid it again today, or do you want me to do something else?”
Jeongin hums, reaching up to run her own fingers through the hair that lays over her chest. “Was thinking of leaving it down for a change,” she says, smiling when Jisung makes an excited noise. “Maybe not fully down? Whatever you think looks best.”
“I think you'd look the best even if your hair looked like a bird’s nest.”
Jeongin’s face warms up significantly, her hands coming up to cover her face. “Jisung-unnie, stop it.”
Jisung giggles, putting the brush down and moving to sit in front of Jeongin on the bed. “Look at me, Yeni.”
Jeongin whines, but removes her hands from her face anyway, her breath getting caught in her throat when she sees Jisung so close. She doesn't think she’ll ever get over how absolutely stunning her best friend is.
Jisung’s staring at her with her gorgeous round eyes, expectant, as if she's waiting for something. Her brunette hair just barely reaches her shoulders, thin bangs resting over her forehead, suiting her so well. Yeah, Jeongin has a massive crush on her.
“You're blushing,” Jisung points out.
Jeongin feels like her face is going to burn off at this point. “Am not.”
“Yes, you are.”
“No, I’m n—”
Jisung cups Jeongin’s face with one hand, her palm cool against the youngest’s burning skin. Her other hand tucks a strand of Jeongin’s hair behind her ear, soft and delicate, as if Jeongin could break at any moment. She probably could, honestly.
“Yang Jeongin,” Jisung says, her gaze fixed on the younger’s eyes. “You look beautiful. You always do. Okay?”
“Okay,” Jeongin says, a little shaky. “I love you.”
“I love you more.”
Instantly, Jeongin’s memories send her back four years, back to when they were still in high school, back to a time Jisung was staying the night.
“Jeongin-ah,” Jisung says, lying perpendicular to Jeongin, her head resting on Jeongin’s chest. She’s on her side, facing the younger. “You've been distant lately. Is something the matter?”
Jeongin takes a deep breath, squeezing his—her?—eyes shut. “I've been thinking a lot. Have been thinking for a few years, but it's gotten worse recently and I learned about something today which I didn't know about before and it made me realize something and—”
“Hey,” Jisung cuts Jeongin off, frowning. “One thing at a time, you're going to send yourself into a panic attack.”
“Sorry.”
“Don't be.”
“As I was saying,” Jeongin says, “I learned something today. In health class.”
Jisung blinks a few times, curious, but she waits patiently for Jeongin to continue. Jeongin really admires that about her. Admires everything about her.
“Have you…” Jeongin sucks in a breath, trying to find the courage to say the words. “Have you heard of the word ‘transgender’ before?”
Jisung hums, then goes silent, her eyes widening when she realizes what Jeongin is insinuating. “Innie, are you saying you're—”
“Yeah.”
“You’re a—”
“A girl, yes.”
Jisung’s eyes soften considerably. “Ah.”
Jeongin doesn't know what that's supposed to mean. He—no, she—takes in a shaky breath, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. “Noona, I—”
“No,” Jisung interrupts. “Don't call me noona.”
Oh.
Jeongin chews on her lower lip, nervous. “Unnie…?”
Jisung smiles, and Jeongin can see that her eyes are watery too. “Yeah?”
A tear runs down Jeongin’s cheek, and then another, and then another, and a sob bubbles its way out of her throat. She’s overwhelmed, not necessarily in a bad way, but her brain is in overdrive and she can't seem to think straight anymore.
Thankfully, Jisung knows. She properly climbs onto Jeongin, her full weight settling on the younger girl. Jisung’s arms snake around her waist, and she squeezes, providing a heavy pressure that distracts Jeongin from her thoughts.
For a while, they just lie there, breathing together and existing together, as Jeongin’s mind slowly calms and she can feel her heart rate drop back down to normal. Jisung must feel it, because she peers up at Jeongin, one eyebrow raised as if to ask if Jeongin’s okay now.
Jeongin wants to say something. She wants to thank Jisung, and maybe explain herself more. She wants to say a lot of things, but only one phrase comes tumbling out of her mouth.
“I love you.”
Jisung’s smile is blinding.
“I love you more.”
“So,” Jisung says, pulling Jeongin’s attention back to the present moment. “Do you mind if I just leave it all the way down? I like it this way, but it's up to you.”
“I don't mind,” Jeongin says. “Why do you like it so much?”
Jisung pushes Jeongin’s hair away from her face, letting the waves flow through her fingers. “Because I can do this.”
“Is my hair that soft?”
“It's not about your hair.” Jisung’s voice goes quieter, and Jeongin thinks she can see a hint of pink dusting the elder’s cheeks. “It’s about how you react. Your pupils dilate ever so slightly, and you always blush really hard. You probably don't notice it but you always smile a bit, too.”
Jeongin stares at her in awe. “You’re paying a lot of attention, aren't you?”
“Jeongin,” Jisung says, taking the maknae’s hands into her own. Oh, god. Jisung is only ever serious when it's necessary, or when something's bothering her, or—
“Jeongin, I don't know if you've noticed yet, but I’m a little bit in love with you.”
Oh.
Wait.
What?
“You are?” Jeongin asks timidly, wondering if maybe it was all in her head and she's finally lost it.
But Jisung just smiles softly and nods, her fingers intertwining with Jeongin’s own. “I am.”
“But you…” Jeongin hesitates. “You’re a lesbian, right?”
Jisung frowns. “Well, yeah, but what does that have to do with anything? You are too.”
Jeongin suddenly feels so small, so vulnerable. “It's just that… you know, you like girls, but I’m not a real g—”
“Stop,” Jisung says, her voice firm. “Don't say that.”
“But—”
“I want you to listen to what I’m about to say,” Jisung says. “Okay?”
Jeongin exhales, trying to calm down. “Okay.”
“There's this girl I know,” Jisung starts. “Her name is Yang Jeongin, and she's been my best friend since we were kids. And yeah, maybe she hasn't always known that she was a girl, but regardless, she's always been one. I don't look at her and assess the realness of her gender identity. I look at her and think of how lucky I am, how grateful I am, to have her in my life. I look at her and think that she's the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen. I look at her and I can’t stop thinking about how in love I am with her. If there's one thing in life that I’m sure about, it's that I love you, Yang Jeongin.”
By the end of Jisung’s little speech, Jeongin can barely see her through the tears blurring her vision. She almost starts to wipe at them with her sleeves, but a pair of thumbs comes up to her face, delicately stroking the tears away. “Han Jisung,” Jeongin chokes out, her vision finally clearing enough for her to see the older girl. “I’m so in love with you.”
Jisung engulfs Jeongin in a hug, burying her face in the younger’s shoulder. “You're so cute,” Jisung mumbles, hugging her tighter. Jeongin buries her smile into Jisung’s hair, the scent of the older girl’s floral shampoo filling her senses.
Jeongin pulls back first, but she doesn't stray very far, keeping her arms looped around Jisung’s neck. God, she loves her best friend so much, she doesn't know how to express it. She considers kissing her, but something about it doesn't feel right; so instead she presses their foreheads together and hopes Jisung gets the message.
Immediately, Jisung gets it, because she's Jisung.
Jisung nuzzles their noses together and giggles softly, and yeah, Jeongin’s extremely in love.