Love and War

19. Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Danielle led Haerin up a winding trail to a secluded peak overlooking the city. As they reached the summit, Haerin's breath caught in her throat at the breathtaking sight of the city lights spread out below them.

The chilly night air took them by surprise. Haerin noticed Danielle shivering slightly and without a second thought, she wrapped her arms around her from behind, resting her chin on her shoulder as they gazed out at the twinkling lights below.

"Wow, this is amazing," Haerin breathed, her voice barely above a whisper as she took in the mesmerizing view.

Danielle leaned back into Haerin's embrace, a contented smile playing on her lips. "I knew you'd like it," she murmured, her tone soft yet filled with warmth.

The silence between them was comfortable, filled only with the sounds of their quiet breathing and the distant hum of the city below. Eventually, Haerin broke the silence, her voice soft yet filled with curiosity.

"Hey, Dani," she began, "when did you realize you had feelings for me?"

Danielle paused for a moment, her gaze fixed on the city lights below as she searched for the right words. "I'm not exactly sure," she admitted, her tone introspective. "But I think maybe it was that night when I had that nightmare and I called you and we talked about everything until we fell asleep.."

Haerin's heart skipped a beat at the mention of that night, the memory flooding back to her in vivid detail. "Yeah, I remember that," she said softly, her voice filled with warmth.

Danielle nodded, her gaze distant as she continued, "After that night, whenever I tried to do anything, I couldn't stop thinking about you. One night, while I was studying for the exam, I subconsciously wrote your initial on my eraser, you know? The one you thought was Heeseung's initial."

Haerin couldn't help but chuckle at Danielle's confession, her heart swelling with affection. "So, I wasn't the only one thinking about you all the time," she teased, her tone playful yet filled with adoration.

Danielle turned to look at Haerin, a soft smile gracing her lips. "Definitely not," she replied, her eyes sparkling with affection.

With a mischievous glint in her eyes, Danielle pulled out her phone and unlocked it, revealing a cute cat wallpaper adorning the screen. "See?" she said with a playful smirk, holding out her phone for Haerin to see. "You look like a cat, that's why I chose this wallpaper."

Haerin chuckled at the comparison, her cheeks flushing with warmth. Curious, she leaned in closer to get a better look at the wallpaper. "Is that also why you always use cat emojis in our group chat or private chat?" she asked, a playful smile playing on her lips.

Danielle nodded in agreement. "Yep, you caught me," she admitted. Suddenly, Danielle's expression turned more serious, her gaze softening as she looked at Haerin. "So, how about you? How did you realize you had feelings for me?" she asked, her voice gentle yet filled with curiosity.

Haerin's expression softened as she thought back to the moments that had led her to realize her feelings for Danielle. "Honestly, I'm not really sure," she began, her voice thoughtful yet tinged with uncertainty. "But I think I started getting suspicious of my feelings when I thought you had a crush on Heeseung."

Danielle's eyebrows shot up in surprise, her gaze fixed on Haerin with newfound interest.

Haerin continued, her voice growing more introspective. "Whenever you two got close, I felt this... this bitter feeling, I guess," she confessed, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "At first, I couldn't quite define it, but, turns out I was jealous all along."

Danielle turned her body to face Haerin. Without a word, she reached out, gently grabbing Haerin by the collar of her jacket, pulling her in closer until their lips met in a tender, soft kiss. Haerin felt a rush of warmth spread through her as she melted into the kiss, her hands instinctively finding their way to Danielle's waist, pulling her in closer.