iJiyeon woke up to the sound of soft footsteps padding across the floor. For a moment, she thought she might be dreaming. The house was quiet, still shrouded in the soft embrace of early morning, with only the faint chirping of birds outside breaking the silence. She kept her eyes closed, her body warm and cozy under the blankets, savoring the feeling of being half-awake, drifting between sleep and wakefulness.
But then she felt a gentle weight on the bed next to her, and she knew it wasn't a dream. She smiled to herself, her eyes still closed, as she felt Yura slip into bed beside her. The faint scent of lavender and wine from the night before lingered in the air, mixed with the familiar, comforting smell of Yura's shampoo. It was a scent that Jiyeon had come to associate with home.
Yura shuffled closer, her body warm against Jiyeon's side, and Jiyeon felt her heart flutter in that way it always did when Yura was near. Even after all this time, Yura still made her feel like a teenager with a crush.
"Are you awake?" Yura's voice was soft, barely more than a whisper.
Jiyeon opened her eyes and turned her head slightly, meeting Yura's gaze. Her eyes were still sleepy, her hair a bit tousled from her nap on the couch, but she looked beautiful—radiant, even. Jiyeon couldn't help but smile.
"Barely," Jiyeon murmured, her voice husky from sleep.
Yura grinned, leaning in to plant a soft kiss on Jiyeon's forehead. "Good morning."
Jiyeon hummed in response, shifting so she could wrap an arm around Yura's waist and pull her closer. Yura snuggled into her, resting her head on Jiyeon's chest, her fingers tracing absent patterns on Jiyeon's arm.
For a while, they just lay there in the quiet, the warmth of each other's bodies and the softness of the bed making it hard to want to get up. Jiyeon's fingers played lazily with a strand of Yura's hair, and she could feel Yura's slow, steady breathing against her chest. It was peaceful, the kind of moment that made Jiyeon wish they could stay like this forever, wrapped up in each other, the rest of the world fading away.
But eventually, Yura broke the silence. "Last night was nice, wasn't it?"
Jiyeon smiled, her fingers still twirling Yura's hair. "Yeah, it was perfect."
Yura lifted her head slightly, propping herself up on her elbow so she could look at Jiyeon more clearly. There was a thoughtful look in her eyes, one that made Jiyeon raise an eyebrow.
"What are you thinking about?" Jiyeon asked, her voice curious.
Yura hesitated for a moment, as if trying to find the right words. Then she spoke, her tone soft and a little hesitant. "I've been thinking... about us. About our future."
Jiyeon's heart skipped a beat. Yura's tone wasn't alarming—it wasn't the kind of serious that made Jiyeon feel worried—but it was thoughtful, careful, like Yura was about to say something important.
"What about our future?" Jiyeon asked, keeping her voice gentle, not wanting to rush her.
Yura bit her lip, her eyes flickering to the side for a moment before she met Jiyeon's gaze again. "Do you ever think about what comes next? Like... where we go from here?"
Jiyeon's brow furrowed slightly as she considered Yura's words. She hadn't really thought about it in those terms, not in a concrete way, anyway. Sure, she had dreams—dreams of traveling with Yura, of building a life together, maybe even starting that café they had joked about last night. But they hadn't really sat down and talked about it in detail. They were happy now, in the moment, and that had always felt like enough.
"I guess I haven't really thought about it too much," Jiyeon admitted, her voice soft. "But I've always figured... you know, we'd just keep going the way we are. Building a life together, one day at a time."
Yura nodded slowly, as if she understood. "I feel the same way. But..." She paused, her fingers tracing idle patterns on the blanket between them. "I guess I've been thinking about it more recently. About what we want, long-term. Where we see ourselves in a few years."
Yura laughed, the sound bright and cheerful. "No! I was just thinking... what if we took a trip? Just the two of us, somewhere far away. A place neither of us has ever been."
Jiyeon blinked in surprise, her mind already racing with possibilities. "A trip? Like, soon?"
"Yeah," Yura said, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I don't mean we need to plan anything elaborate or long-term. Just... a little getaway. Somewhere we can relax and spend time together without any distractions. We could explore a new place, eat good food, and just be us for a while."
Jiyeon's heart warmed at the idea. It was spontaneous, but that was part of what she loved about Yura—her ability to come up with ideas that made life feel more exciting, more adventurous. A trip sounded like exactly what they both needed, a way to step outside of their routine and enjoy some time together.
"Where would we go?" Jiyeon asked, her voice filled with curiosity.
Yura grinned, her eyes glinting with excitement. "How about Italy? We've always talked about going there. We could visit little coastal towns, maybe even check out some vineyards. Imagine us driving through the countryside, eating pasta and sipping wine by the sea."
Jiyeon's mind filled with vivid images—sunset walks along cobblestone streets, the smell of fresh basil and olive oil in the air, the taste of Italian wine lingering on her lips as they sat at a small café overlooking the ocean. It sounded perfect.
"That does sound amazing," Jiyeon admitted, her heart already starting to race at the thought of such an adventure.
"Then let's do it," Yura said, her voice filled with determination. "We'll figure out the details later, but let's make it happen. Just you and me."
Jiyeon looked into Yura's eyes, feeling the spark of excitement between them. It was the kind of plan that felt a little reckless, a little bold, but those were the moments that made life feel worth living—the moments when you took a chance and followed your heart, no matter how uncertain the future seemed.
"Okay," Jiyeon said, her voice filled with certainty. "Let's go to Italy."
Yura's smile lit up the room, and she leaned in to kiss Jiyeon, her lips soft and warm against hers. It was a kiss filled with promise, with the thrill of new adventures and the comfort of knowing they would face them together.
As they pulled apart, Yura rested her forehead against Jiyeon's, her voice a quiet whisper. "This is going to be incredible."
Jiyeon couldn't help but smile. "I know it will be."
They lay there for a while longer, basking in the glow of their decision, letting the excitement of their future plans settle over them like a warm blanket. The house was still quiet, the morning sun just beginning to peek through the curtains, casting a soft golden light over the room.
Eventually, Yura sat up, stretching her arms above her head with a contented sigh. "I think we should make breakfast," she announced, her voice filled with playful energy. "We'll need to fuel up if we're going to start planning our Italian getaway."
Jiyeon laughed, sitting up as well, her eyes bright with amusement. "Are you already planning our itinerary in your head?"
Yura grinned, hopping out of bed with a bounce in her step. "Of course I am! I'm thinking pasta-making classes, wine tastings, beachside dinners..." She trailed off, her voice dreamy as she imagined all the possibilities.
Jiyeon shook her head, smiling as she followed Yura out of the bedroom and into the kitchen. "You're unstoppable."
They moved around the kitchen with ease, working together to whip up a simple breakfast—eggs, toast, and some fresh fruit.