The moment she saw this familiar face that could sway anyone but decided to do her, Bora had a strong urge to rise from her seat and leave the restaurant.

Her friend Gahyeon, who had set up this dinner for her, was so wrong for deciding to sign up her literal long-time rival as her date as if Bora’s daily nagging about Minji was said into the void.

Thanks to her unreal charms, Minji could get anyone on this earth but Bora because she thought, no, she knew she wouldn’t fall for these eyes.

“What a coincidence you’re my date for today!” After greeting her, Minji exclaimed and loosed the tie of her shirt, notably relaxing in seat. Bora quirked a brow in slight annoyance at this quick gesture. “Though I haven’t seen you for the past month that much. How have you been?”

“I’m glad this date is only for today.” Bora ignored the question and instead noted with sting, next second swallowing a big amount of wine in one take. A daring manner in her movements was the sign that hinted Minji that the woman in front of her wasn’t so pleasant with her company. Eyebrows of the black haired woman slightly raised in surprise.

Seeing this, Bora grinned: finally no tooth rotting pleasantries.

“Well, conversely, I am glad,” Minji’s expression changed quickly to the same smug grin that made Bora’s insides shrink in frustration. “That we have a chance to talk or, even better, to be on a date! Because I’ve been interested in you.”

“Lier.” Bora snapped back, drifting her eyes away from the annoyingly beautiful features.

Unlike the tension between them, the overall ambience in the restaurant was of a calm and intimate one: quiet occasional clutters of dishes and indistinct conversation that were melting down with the background jazz sounds.

“Bora—“

“We might be colleagues, but this doesn’t give you a permission to say my name like that.” Bora wasn’t letting go of the grudges that she crafted over the past months towards her colleague.

Another pause and a long sigh from Minji.

“You don’t even have a clue.”

“Actually, I have.” Minji said a little firmly, feeling the same frustration within her yet she knew how to temper it. “And now, seeing you in this state makes me feel sorry for that day. I didn’t mean to be ahead of you. I didn’t even know you had a whole crush on her.”

“Doesn’t matter anymore.” Bora scoffed, unable to face her colleague. Her eyes were drifting away to anywhere but Minji’s face. “I’m over her.”

“But you’re still offended or, I don’t know, angry at me.” Minji sighed, feeling already tired for today.

Dates, especially blind ones, were fun, even after hectic days in work. Seeing the way gorgeous women would blush and flirt with her was pleasant every single time. Yet today was an exception as her date wasn’t so glad with her which upset yet sparkled something in Minji.

Bora always had been an interesting person that elicited undeniable curiosity in Minji. She knew the petite woman was pretty energetic and fun around her close friends: the main reason Minji decided to stay and talk things out with Bora, though in ordinary situations she wouldn’t tolerate that kind of curtness to her behalf.

“...but since I was the initiator of this meeting and told Gahyeon that anyone would do for this date,” Bora’s previous stark tone turned into calmer one. She let out a sigh saying the next words. “We could still talk for a bit. Rules are still the same. And sorry for snapping earlier.”

“All of a sudden you’re apologising?” Minji was genuinely surprised by the sudden change in Bora’s behaviour.

“Hectic hell of a day.” Bora explained and took another sip from her glass. Seemingly, wine was easing her disheveled nerves.

Nevertheless Minji didn’t mind as her round eyes melted into adoring ones as she put her palm under the chin, looking attentively at her colleague. “That’s cute.”

For the rest of the dinner, there wasn’t any accidents nor arguments, except for the friendly teasings between them. Minji knew how to entertain a woman even with her sometimes cheesy puns which quickly put Bora in a light mood despite the still present fatigue.

They reached a silent truce when they caught themselves laughing on Minji’s another silly joke and, after their titters alleviating, locking eyes with air around them suddenly stopping. It was intimate that Bora couldn’t handle it by blushing and averting her eyes away while trying to change the topic with slightly stumbling tone.

Minji still kept looking with warm eyes, feeling something fluttering within herself. It had been a long time since she actually experienced this feeling. Long before she became a local Casanova in the workplace.

“You know, now I see why she chose you. Though she perfectly knew I was about to purpose to be in a relationship...” Bora confessed when they were strolling down the park that looked so magical at night time with bright lightning and trees calmly swaying from side to side due to the chill wind.

To have a night walk in the central park of the city wasn’t written in the rules of this blind date but they agreed to spend a little more time as they found more topics to talk about. Especially Minji who initially expected rejection on the idea of visiting the park but was pleasantly met with a simple nod and agreement from Bora.

“You two were really close, huh.” Minji concluded pensively, looking ahead of her, jacket under her fingers while the other hand in the pocket of her trousers. “And why you think I’m better than you? Just because she chose me doesn’t mean you’re lacking in something. Besides, it didn’t end well between us anyway.”

“You’re everything that I lack in,” Bora said with bitterness, looking down at her walking feet. “You’re tall, charismatic, and gentle. No wonder she chose you.”

“Bora— Ms. Kim,” Minji stopped on her way, opting the shorter woman look at her. “You don’t know the whole story. After we started dating, she couldn’t stop talking about you and how she was sorry because of the rejection. That’s how I also discovered many things about you. You’re wonderful and you can literally light even the most gloomy days for me. And you‘re still one of the reasons why I haven’t left this place yet.”

When she was done she noticed the way the shorter woman was looking at her: it rendered her bashful as well as Minji herself because she was just realising of what she had blurted out.

“Uhh, l-let’s get you to your home.” Hastily changing the topic of conversation, Minji cleared and, still holding Bora’s hand in hers, started leading her towards the parking lot. The embarrassment was so strong that she fell silent for some time.

And Bora just followed her, deep in her own thoughts and trying to comprehend just occurred... confession?

“Here we go, Ms. Kim,” After they had arrived at the needed living building, Minji chose to walk her to the doorstep itself as Bora herself had mentioned about her noisy and sometimes reckless neighbours.

They were standing beside the front door to Bora’s apartments and some yells were already audible from the neighbouring doors.

“You can call me Bora.” Shorter woman tittered a little at the manners that Minji had been keeping all night. Involuntarily she bit her lip at this adorable polite feature of her colleague. “Without any honorifics, I guess. We’ve got to know each other closer today.”

“Alright,” Minji softly chuckled at that, feeling as if achieving something. Yet their conversation was interrupted by sudden thud and another yell from neighbours. At that Minji furrowed. “You sure you’re gonna be alright?”

“Please, Minji, I’ve been living here for almost a year so I’m pretty accustomed to them.” With a neglecting gesture, Bora reassured her.

“But you can call me in case something happens, okay?”

“Okay,” At this point Bora couldn’t stop smiling at the care that Minji was showing her. It made her feel important and welcomed that she hadn’t felt in a long time. “See you at work then?”

“Yeah, see you.” Minji smiled in response.

Yet none of them were moving from the spot as if waiting for something. And both knew what it was: the last rule of this blind date was a goodbye kiss which wasn’t obligatory, of course, but every time experiencing it after the wholesome date was fun.

“I hope we’re gonna see each other more,” Bora laughed awkwardly, feeling how her heart was beating frantically. “But, you know, if you—“

She couldn’t finish as soft lips touched hers in a slow careful kiss. Bora gladly reciprocated, pulling closer the taller frame by her nape and tiptoeing to match the tender touches of the lips that she didn’t expect to be so pleasant to taste.

Feeling how the fragrant scent from perfume was making her head dizzy more than the consumed wine, Minji hugged her by her waist to be more immersed in the new feeling of warmth that she was glad to find. She could swear there was no one who was similar to Bora and the way she could affect her. Or maybe Minji was just feeling how she was slowly falling for her. What a content feeling, she thought, while taking in Bora’s hitched breaths in .

After they parted the kiss with mixed up pants between them, Minji let out a brief laugh and pecked her again, beaming the genuine smile. “I really enjoyed today’s date. And, yes, I hope to see you more too.”

With that she pulled away and slowly retreated, waving back and internally holding herself back from jumping on the spot from the full-filling joy that she felt within. In the end she did several of them.

Bora laughed at that, still waving back and still blushing a little.

With that she unlocked her door and entered her apartments, contemplating of how she would sleep tonight without thinking about her colleague who managed claim her heart so unexpectedly.