#interlude.three

[lgcmilan]

i forgot everything but your face (interlude 3 part 3 - finale)

——————— 2025 (년) 5 (월) 11 (일) ———————

💬 heol: what’s your address?

💬 why?

💬 heol: because 🙄

💬 is it for a surprise owo?

💬 heol: 🙄

💬 lol alright…

💬  [ redacted]

💬 heol: good

💬 heol: is it your dorm?

💬 no, my parents’ house

💬 heol: okay! I have to return to practice, talk to you later

it had been… a day. from her birthday livestream, to the peripera even and the rehearsals, milan was spent. the only reason she still had a little energy, was because her mother had dropped by just minutes ago to give her a bag full of food to share with the girls, and two gift bags. for some reason, she had been a little smug over one of them. not subtly hinting at it.

so of course, it’s the first one that she opened. it wasn’t wrapped, so definitely not her mother, nor noeul (not that wrapping is his forte but a+ for effort).

it’s an adorable sanrio plushi called cogimyun. a small id card tells her that the plush is also born in may and is a fairy type. she hadn’t know that fact, but now, the character feels like destiny.

but it’s the album in the bag that sends her heart racing. all green and shades of gray… it’s not even officially out yet. even before reading the note, she knows who this is from.

happy birthday, a special for you. [ redacted ]

oh she could yell at this moment, but instead she squishes the plush for a few moments while thinking of a reply

💬 so it was for a surprise! hehe

💬but really… aaaah she’s my favorite already! i’m gonna take her everywhere, watch me haha

💬and the cd!!

💬 is it because i threatened to not buy it? haha

💬 i ordered a copy but… this one feels very precious ^^

💬 thank you

 💬 really

💬 you didn’t have to...

💬 i don’t even know what to say TT_TT 🩷

there's a pause one where she wonders if she should or not… but in the end, she does, because her heart says so

💬 i think this might be the best part of my birthday

💬 thank you again

and that’s it. she doesn’t expect a reply, she knows just how busy he is. yet, not long after midnight, a notification comes.

💬 heol: glad it made you happy 💬 heol:  happy birthday, noona 😊

[lgcmilan]

i forgot everything but your face (interlude 3 part 2)

same place, same time, the following night. that night, milan hadn’t hesitated; a simple “we’re going, are you coming?” had sufficed. she had been ready for a while now, but still waited a few minutes before making her way to the hotel pool. she couldn’t appear as eager as she truly was. a question of dignity or something.

it doesn’t take long this time for her to be breathless from laughter, her braid soaked, and her cheeks aching from smiling too much. they had done all sorts of competitions, created all kinds of rules, and tried to cheat in the most nonsensical ways.

she floats over to the edge, where he is, water still dripping down his face, back against the pool’s side as he tries to catch his breath from another fit of laughter (at her own expense). one look at her face (she’s trying her best to appear fiercely upset) and he’s gone again. “wah… i’m never trusting you again,” she declares without genuine mirth. after all, she began that little game herself, and his laugh makes it all worth it.

milan joins him, and they quiet down after this, their backs pressed against the pool’s wall, their legs floating. their time together is almost over, and it has been enough to dampen her mood. she isn’t sure if he feels the same way or if he’s just tired. she doesn’t even dare hope that it’s the former. draping herself in such illusions would hurt too much in the long run, and she knows it.

her slow spiral down back to reality is interrupted when she feels the faint brush of his hand against hers under the water. she tenses without moving her hand, but stubbornly refuses to look his way. 

he doesn’t move his hand. instead, his pinky gently, intentionally, touches hers. her breath catches, her brain freezes, and she almost pulls away. almost. instead, she shifts her pinky slightly, tapping his in acknowledgement, in response. and when she thinks her heart cannot handle anything more, he gently hooks his finger around hers. she can feel her heart racing at this point, yet she still doesn’t pull away. she remains, and so does the moment.

it takes her a few seconds to gather herself and slowly turn her head towards him, silently questioning if this is real, if this means something. he’s already watching her, a smile on his lips. not the playful smirk he’s had over the last hour, something softer. she parts her lips. her alarm rings.

time’s up.

[lgcmilan]

i forgot everything but your face (interlude 3 part 1)

freshly out of the shower and slowly getting ready for bed, milan has come to a conclusion; she has no reason to feel this nervous. staff might attribute it to their stage the next day, but no, the nerves are all over crossing path with a man. one single man. ridiculous really. her phone vibrates on the bathroom counter and she unlocks it without a thought to check her messages.

and her heart drops.

💬 heol: what are you up to?

💬 heol: wanna come play with us at the pool? ㅋㅋ

she’s about to type no automatically. not because she doesn’t like pools (they’re the best part of sleeping at a hotel after all) or because she doesn’t have a swimsuit (she does), but just because she doesn’t feel mentally or physically ready to meet said person. texting regularly is one thing, but meeting… she sighs.

💬 i just got out of the shower, though…

💬i’ll just take another one i guess ㅋ

milan doesn’t have regrets, and even if going or not going would result in some regrets either way, at least it wouldn’t be the ‘what if’ one. now… if she can just subtly grab her swimsuit and sneak out…

“what are you doing?” milan almost jumps out of her skin when she opens the door of the bathroom and finds minseo right there. “n-nothing” her reaction alone betrays her lie. tactical change. “wanna go to the pool?” in for a penny, in for a pound as they says. she unlocks her phone and raises it to the younger girl’s line of sight.

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truth be told, milan is quite thankful for the presence of her wing woman. or at least she would’ve if the girl didn’t peel away from her as soon as heads turn their way. now she’s alone with no way to run. her stomach trembles as she approaches a figure sitting at the age of the pool.

“you came” he says, a little smile tugging at his mouth.

she sits near him, not too far or close, and dips her feet in the water. “you asked,” she says, a gentle, yet shy smile spreading on her lips.

“i was starting to think you ghosted me” the jest is apparent in his intonation.

“thought about it” she begins “but realized that would make tomorrow a bit too awkward” the same playfulness in her voice. she won’t tell him that she did seriously consider ghosting him.

there’s a moment of silence, and she chances another glance his way, though today, the ripples created by her feet moving in the water are particularly interesting. he seems relaxed, while she’s a nervous wreck by his side. her glance lingers a bit longer, and that’s when he turns away from the ruckus inside the water and catches her watching. her eyes widen a little, like a deer caught in headlights, and she sputters the first thing that comes to her mind: “would you be fine if we talk casually?”. he doesn’t take much time to think about it and replies “yeah. i was hoping you’d say that” with amusement on his face.

milan tries it first, speaking his name. plainly. it’s the first time she’s done so out loud. it might be just a name, but saying it like so confirms their closeness. and then, he does the same. “milan noona.”

she could’ve died right here. usually, the word ‘noona’ gives her a jolt of giddiness and a rush of cuteness aggression towards whoever said it to her. they can be over 180cm and she still melts at the appellation.

but this time… her heart skips a beat. she chuckles, almost awkwardly. “you don’t need to address me as noona,” she tells him. for her own sanity, above all.

“but i like the word noona,”

he smirks, as if he knows.

And milan wishes she had more than just her feet in the water, so she could’ve immersed herself in the water and hide her blushing cheeks.