Work Text:
The soft hum of the air conditioner filled the room as Sarang lay sprawled across her bed, her phone held lazily above her face. Beside her, Jungeun was on her bed, her legs tucked beneath as she scrolled through her phone.
“Why is it so quiet today?” Sarang muttered, breaking the silence. Her eyes flicked over to Jungeun, who barely glanced up before giving a hum of agreement.
Sarang pouted at the lack of response and flopped onto her side. "Are you ignoring me now, Jungeun-ah? Am I that boring?" she said.
Jungeun shakes her head in amusement but doesn’t look up. “Maybe I just like the peace,” she said playfully.
Sarang let out an exaggerated gasp. “Are you calling me loud?” she replied dramatically, earning a small laugh from Jungeun.
As she grinned, Sarang let her head roll to the side to glance at Jungeun. Something was warming about her presence.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the dorm, muffled chatter could be heard through the walls. The sound of pots clinking and the fridge opening echoed faintly from the kitchen, where Jeemin was probably rummaging around.
“Is someone eating again?” Jungeun commented absently, her eyes still glued to her phone.
“Hm? I guess..? Jeemin unnie has no self-control when it comes to food anyways,” Sarang giggled.
Not long after, footsteps could be heard approaching the kitchen, likely Koko and Saebi heading to join Jeemin. Their voices blended into the background, a mix of giggles and occasional bickering.
Their voices carried snippets of their conversation, filled with laughter and hushed plotting.
“Do you think Jeemin unnie will let us steal a bite?” Koko whispered, though her grin was barely contained.
Saebi giggled. “She’ll act annoyed but give in like always.”
For a moment, Jungeun and Sarang lay in comfortable silence, listening to the muffled voices and occasional soft laughter coming from the other side of the dorm. Jungeun set her phone down on the bedside table, her gaze shifting toward Sarang.
“You wanna join them?” she asked casually, her tone light.
Sarang blinked in surprise at the suggestion but then grinned. “Yeah, why not? A little snack sounds nice before bed.”
Jungeun nodded, standing up and brushing her hair back into place. Sarang hopped off her bed, slipping into her slippers with a soft shuffle.
Just as they stepped into the hallway, suddenly, the place plunged into sudden darkness.
The dorm erupted in chaos.
A high-pitched scream pierced, unmistakably belonging to Koko. It echoed like a siren from the hallway, so high it could have shattered glass. It was quickly followed by the clatter of utensils from the kitchen and Jeemin’s startled cry. “What the hell!”
A sharp gasp escaped Jungeun’s lips as she trembled, and Sarang yelped loudly, shaking as panic rippled through her, instinctively reaching out to the closest person, which was, well, Jungeun.
Jungeuns hands fumbled toward her pocket as Sarang clung to her. “W-Wait, where’s my phone—”
“Who touched me?!” Saebi whined dramatically in the distance, bumping into Koko in the pitch black.
The overlapping screams filled the dorm, creating a chaotic symphony.
“Ko-chan, stop screaming! You’re scaring me, too!” Mai yelled from somewhere further down the hall.
“I can’t help it! It’s pitch black!” Koko shouted back, her voice shaky.
Jeemin laughed over the chaos in the kitchen after realizing how silly the situation was. “Guys, wait, it’s just a power outage—calm down!”
“Saebi, get OFF me!” Koko whined as another thud echoed, followed by their mutual yelps.
In the hallway, Sarang froze, unconsciously gripping Jungeun tightly. Her voice was barely above a whisper now, “Jungeun-ah, I hate this so much.”
Another shriek echoed—this time from Jiyoon, who had left her room and joined the chaos. “Why does this feel like a horror movie?!”
“This is not funny!” Mai shouted again, her nerves stretched thin. “Everyone just—just stay where you are!”
"I'm scared, I'm scared, I'm scared- Jeemin-ah! Don't poke me!" Jiyoon whines in fear as she goes closer to her members.
The dorm buzzed with screams, laughter, and panicked voices, the chaos unfolding in every corner of the space. Sarang and Jungeun stayed rooted in place with the faint glow of Jungeun’s phone flashlight.
The sounds of shuffling and bumping echoed loudly.
“Saebi, wait for me!” Koko’s voice rang out, followed by a loud thud as she bumped into a piece of furniture.
“Koko unnie! Watch where you’re going!” Saebi whined, her laughter mixing with her footsteps fumbling toward the kitchen.
Amidst all the noise, Jungeun’s flashlight flickered slightly, making Sarang grip her tighter.
“What if your phone dies?” Sarang whispered nervously, her imagination running wild.
“It won’t,” Jungeun reassured her, though she wasn’t entirely convinced.
Sarang clings closer to Jungeun, instinctively wrapping her arms around her. Her hold is tight and desperate, as though letting go would be dangerous.
Sarang buries her face into Jungeun’s shoulder, trembling as soft whimpers escape her lips. “What if there’s a ghost or something?” Her voice shakes, her fear palpable.
Jungeun whines nervously, shifting slightly in Sarang’s embrace but not pulling away. “There’s no ghost, Sarang-ah… I hope,” she says, her attempt at reassurance unsteady.
Sarang presses herself even closer. Her forehead rests against Jungeun’s shoulder now, her breathing uneven as she trembles.
Jungeun freezes momentarily, visibly uncomfortable with the dark but unwilling to admit it as she holds Sarang.
“When is the power coming back on?” Saebi whines as Jiyoon chuckles at the younger girl.
Jungeun sighs again, her composure cracking ever so slightly. “I don’t know, I’m not exactly enjoying this either,” she mutters, her voice trailing into a nervous whisper as Sarang grips tighter.
Despite her fear, Jungeun tentatively shifts her arms, holding Sarang closer in a quiet gesture of comfort. Both girls remain locked in the moment, their shared fear unspoken but understood.
Jungeun instinctively places a hand on Sarang's head, her touch light but steady, offering small comfort as she slowly pats.
Sarang’s breath hitches at the warmth from Jungeun's hand, her heart skipping a beat. The unexpected sensation floods her with an unfamiliar fluttering feeling.
Heat spreads across her cheeks as she tries to convince herself it’s just the adrenaline. ‘It’s just the shock and the nervousness. The darkness is making me feel things.’ she mutters internally.
But even as she tries to rationalize it, the warmth from Jungeun’s touch lingers, radiating through her, and she can’t shake the feeling that something is different this time.
Jungeun doesn’t seem to notice the shift, distracted by how chaotic the dorm is.
But Sarang wonders why her face feels flush when she’s in Jungeuns arms, her mind a whirl of questions that she doesn't dare to ask aloud.
After what feels like forever, the lights flicker back on, slowly bringing the room back to life. The sudden brightness is warm and comforting, but it doesn’t immediately break the closeness between Sarang and Jungeun.
The room brightened with a warm glow, and relief spread through everyone. Jeemin and Koko, still near the kitchen, exchanged sheepish glances before giggling.
“Can’t believe I screamed that loud,” Koko said, covering her face with her hands, her voice filled with embarrassment.
Jeemin, struggling to stop laughing, waved a hand at her. “Same! I thought the power wouldn't turn back on till tomorrow.”
Meanwhile, Mai finally let out a deep breath before chuckling. Her heart was still racing, and her face showed traces of the earlier fear. “I deserve to sleep after all that,” she mumbled, shaking her head with a tiny, tired smile as she returned to her room.
Still holding onto Jungeun, Sarang lifts her head slowly, her eyes darting around to see if the lights have actually returned. Her heart is still pounding, her face feels hot, and her cheeks flushed from the moment's intensity. Sarang sighs quietly, relievedly, but she doesn’t move away. She still clings to Jungeun, not ready to let go just yet.
Jungeun chuckles softly, her voice light and teasing. “You can let go now. The lights are back on.”
Sarang freezes, her grip tightening just a little more as she hesitates. Her face flushes even deeper, and she mumbles something under her breath before quickly burying her face into Jungeun’s shoulder again.
Jungeun, still unaware of the soft, racing feeling in Sarang’s chest, laughs lightly, trying to reassure her. “Sarangie..?”
She only shakes her head, too shy to pull away. She murmurs softly, almost whiny, “I just… want to stay like this a little longer.”
Her words are quiet, barely audible, but they carry a weight of softness Jungeun doesn’t quite understand.
“Okay, okay. Just a little longer,” she says, utterly oblivious to the fluttering in Sarang’s heart.
Sarang stays nestled against Jungeun, her heart still warming, as she clings to the quiet, simple moment between them. She doesn’t want to let go, not just yet. The warmth between them, the soft silence, makes her feel like everything is okay like she’s exactly where she’s supposed to be.
In the corner, Saebi’s eyes landed on Sarang and Jungeun, who were still close together. Saebi puffed out her cheeks in an exaggerated pout. “You two are always together! Where’s my hug? Aren’t we the maknaez? Why am I being left out?” She folded her arms dramatically, her voice full of mock hurt.
Before Sarang could reply, Koko and Jiyoon joined in, grinning mischievously. “Oh, look at them,” Koko teased, pointing at Sarang and Jungeun.
Jiyoon smirked and added, “That must’ve been really scary if you both still can’t let go of each other, hm?”
Sarang, face bright red now, let go and threw her hands up in protest. “We were scared, and it was dark! And I—uh, it was just—ugh, stop teasing!” Her words tumbled out, growing more flustered with each passing second.
Jungeun sighed, shaking her head and pouting at the teasing. “Ah... Unnies.. stop,” she said softly, though her tone lacked conviction. She avoided meeting anyone’s gaze, her cheeks faintly pink.
Saebi stomped a foot lightly and whined, “I’m so sad. I wanted hugs, too, but nooo, you both just have to be glued together all the time. I feel so left out!” She added a dramatic sniff for effect, making everyone laugh.
The playful banter continued, filling the room with laughter and teasing remarks. Sarang groaned loudly, covering her face with her hands, while Jungeun sighed with a hint of exasperation.