if it's meant to be | ni-ki

yejin quietly slipped out of the house, careful not to make any noise as she closed the door behind her. the cool midnight air greeted her, and she pulled her cardigan tighter around her shoulders. humming softly to herself, she made her way to where her cat's food bowl sat, the tune light and comforting against the stillness of the night.

as she crouched down to pour the food, the cat immediately rubbed against her leg, purring. yejin smiled faintly, petting its soft fur as it began to eat. the small moment of peace was comforting until a strange, sharp smell hit her nose. she paused mid-pet, her brow furrowing.

sniffing the air, she followed the smell, her curiosity growing with each step. it didn't take long for her to spot the source—niki, leaning against the side of the house with a cigarette in his hand, the faint glow of its tip flickering in the dark.

yejin stopped in her tracks, her humming fading into silence. she stood still for a moment, watching him with an unreadable expression before walking straight up to him.

niki glanced back at her, exhaling a puff of smoke. "what?"

she didn't answer. instead, she snatched the cigarette out of his hand and threw it to the ground, stomping on it with a sharp motion. "where's the box?"

niki blinked at her, startled. "what?"

"where's the box?" she repeated, louder this time, her tone firm as she stepped closer and began patting down his jacket pockets.

niki frowned and pushed her hands away, his voice defensive. "don't be annoying, yejin."

she glared up at him, her frustration bubbling over. "why would you do that? are you stupid? you're so healthy, niki. why would you want to hurt your body like that?!"

niki looked away, his jaw tightening. "it's none of your business," he muttered.

yejin crossed her arms, her voice trembling with anger. "none of my business? you think your stupid decisions only affect you? what if hana finds out? what if your mom does? how do you think that's gonna go?"

niki stayed silent, his eyes fixed on the ground. the soft crunching of the cat eating nearby was the only sound between them, but yejin's words hung heavily in the air, cutting through the night.

niki didn't say another word. instead, he brushed past yejin, his shoulder lightly bumping hers as he walked back toward the house. the sound of the door creaking open and closing behind him echoed in the quiet night.

yejin stood there for a moment, staring at the empty space where he'd been. she let out a soft sigh, her frustration lingering, but she didn't chase after him. instead, she crouched back down by the cat, running her fingers gently through its fur.

"guess it's just you and me, huh?" she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. the cat purred in response, oblivious to the tension that had just unfolded.

yejin stayed there a while longer, letting the cat's soft presence calm her, even as her thoughts remained tangled.
★

the next morning, yejin and niki were riding their bikes to school. the crisp air was quiet, save for the steady rhythm of their tires against the pavement.

suddenly, niki slowed down and came to an abrupt stop, causing yejin to hit her brakes quickly to avoid bumping into him.

"what?" she asked, annoyance clear in her voice.

niki turned slightly, his expression serious but calm. "don't tell anyone about me smoking."

yejin blinked at him, her grip tightening on her handlebars. "why would i even—" she paused, narrowing her eyes. "is that what you're worried about? not the fact that you're damaging your lungs but that someone might find out?"