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The observatory at the top of the hill is one of the most well known spots in the city. The hill itself is a popular hiking and running spot, with a small cafe right at the top, that runners and non-runners alike enjoy spending time in. The observatory provides the standard public service. There's stargazing, astronomy lessons, and huge digital displays to teach you all about the universe. They update their programs and displays often enough that anyone crazy about space would want to come back from time to time. Suffice to say, it's a busy area and finding a place to be completely alone would be difficult.
But, there is a bench. A bench that is tucked closer to the main observatory itself, close to where the actual research and science happens. Bushes and overgrowth surround the area, though if one would look close enough, they'd find a small cobblestone path that leads directly to the said bench.
It is here that Jungeun finds herself, ambling the small path to get to the quietest place on the hill.
When she gets to the bench, she is unsurprised to find someone else occupying it. She takes a seat beside the woman, and she is also unsurprised that the woman doesn't acknowledge her, too busy looking at the sky.
So Jungeun pulls out a thermos from her backpack and pours some hot chocolate into a cup, offering it to the woman, "Tell me something I don't know."
The woman notices her then, and a small smile spreads on her face as she accepts the drink. "Jungeun. Hi."
"Hi, Jinsol."
Jinsol then looks up at the sky once more, "Did you know that the Milky Way is said to have six billion Earth-like planets?"
Jungeun can't help but smile, because she knows what happens next as she asks, "Really?"
"Yup!" Jinsol intertwines their fingers, a habit the other woman has developed. And one that Jungeun definitely does not mind. "But Earth-like has a very specific definition. It's not the same as Earth sized. And it also depends on the sun that it's orbiting around-" And there, there it is. Jinsol's face absolutely lights up as she begins to talk about exoplanets, and telescopes, and the possiblity of life on other planets. There is pure joy on her face, pure fascination and wonder that even if Jungeun only understands about 60% of what's being said, she really really doesn't mind.
Their conversations don't always start like this. But it's now become sort of an inside joke between them.
You see, Jungeun and Jinsol met here, by the bench. Technically, they met by the bushes. She had no idea how she let Sooyoung talk her into running up the damn hill and to make matters worse, while she was trying to catch her breath, her friend abandoned her to flirt with a cute girl and quite literally ran off. Fueled by anger, Jungeun tried to run as fast as she can up the top, ready to give Sooyoung an earful when she catches her. But Jungeun is not a runner, and running that much, that fast, does something to you. And, having some dignity, she releases the contents of her guts by the bushes far away from everyone else.
Everyone, except Jinsol. Jinsol who just so happened to be by the bench, reading a book.
Jinsol who ran over to an almost collapsed Jungeun, asking how she could help.
"I'm fine," she managed to get out.
"No way you're okay, you look horrible."
Jungeun scoffs, "Tell me something I don't know," before immediately passing out.
When Jungeun gains consciousness, she's lying on the bench with Jinsol, Sooyoung and the girl Sooyoung was flirting with, (Jiwoo, was her name) standing around her.
Turns out, Sooyoung did not abandon her and was just standing in the shade with Jiwoo, but all Jungeun saw was Sooyoung flirting and then Sooyoung disappearing and her brain jumped to conclusions. But after realizing Jungeun ran ahead, Sooyoung and Jiwoo went up the hill, only to be unable to find Jungeun anywhere. Jiwoo manages to find her with Jinsol and the three of them carry her to the bench.
The two go off to get her some food, and Jinsol sits on the bench beside her, offering her a bottle of water. "Did you know that when you push yourself too hard it can cause your blood pressure to drop and result in dehydration? Which could lead to dizziness and in your case, fainting."
"No, I didn't know that." Jungeun says, taking a sip of water.
"Plus, when you exercise, the blood flow to the abdominal organs is reduced by up to 80%. So, this can lead to nausea, vomiting, and stuff like that."
"Uh- not that this isn't fascinating and all, but why are you telling me this?"
"The last thing you said before you passed out was, 'tell me something I don't know', so, I figured I'd indulge you. And based on what happened to you just now, I'm pretty sure you didn't know that."
They talk a little bit more and Jungeun learns that Jinsol is interning in the observatory, is very smart in general with random facts up her sleeves, and is very nice as she swears to secrecy about what transpired between them. Jungeun also gets her number that day, she says it's because she wants to treat Jinsol to coffee as thank you, but she knows herself enough to admit that she's got a crush on the budding scientist.
The phrase then becomes theirs. (The bench sort of becomes theirs too, even though it’s not the only place they hang out.) It's a way for Jinsol to share random things with Jungeun, to geek out, and to explain whatever fascinates her at the moment. Somewhere along the way, Jinsol realizes that Jungeun can't picture everything she says, but for some reason, she never has paper with her despite always carrying a pen, so Jungeun offers her arm instead. (Jungeun is a liar, she always has a notebook in her backpack at all times but being close to Jinsol is worth it.) And Jungeun will return to her apartment with drawings of constellations on her arms, of beautiful and haunting sea creatures and sometimes just random doodles and notes by Jinsol.
Sooyoung will give her a once over and roll her eyes, "Whipped." as if she is not literally wrapped around in Jiwoo's embrace.
And when it’s Jinsol’s turn to say, "Tell me something I don't know," Jungeun tells her about herself. How she failed economics (among others), and the only reason she passed the second time was because Sooyoung let her cheat during some of the exams. How she used to want to be a photographer but now she's unsure even though she's about to graduate. Or she'll tell Jinsol about the latest movies and TV series, the older woman too busy discovering the universe to discover the wonders of Netflix and internet streaming.
They can talk for hours on end, about the universe, about the unknown, about every single animal that Jinsol believes looks like Jungeun, or about her mishaps in both the observatory and school or even about what she had for lunch today. “Tell me something I don’t know,” Jungeun will say, and she honestly hopes there never comes a day where she stops learning about Jinsol and learning about how she sees the world.
"What if," Jinsol asks midway into her discussion of possible Earth-like planets, "the other planets don't have aliens, but instead other versions of us?"
"Like the multiverse? In comic books?"
"Yeah, I guess so! Just think about it, somewhere, in the universe, there's another Jinsol and another Jungeun, talking about who knows what. Maybe talking about the exact same thing!" Jinsol squeezes their still interlocked hands in excitement.
"Maybe on that planet, I'm smarter than you."
Jinsol scoffs, "Doubt it."
"That's hurtful."
"Fine, I guess if every planet had a different iteration of us, then that would mean that at least one of them, you were smarter than me."
"And in another, I'm taller than you?"
"Fine,"
"And another one, where we didn't meet in such an embarrassing way?"
Jinsol starts to laugh, "Why! What's wrong with how we met?"
"It was literally the most embarrassing thing in my life, Jinsol."
"But I like it, it's a fun story."
"I looked disgusting."
"A little bit. But what's wrong with that?"
"I mean, if we met, I'd prefer to look presentable or at least a bit cool. Like me on a motorbike on something!"
"You don't drive a motorbike," Jinsol points out.
"Okay, yeah, but look," Jungeun pulls out her phone, "This is a photo of me on a motorbike! For a shoot for one of my friend's projects. Why couldn't we have met there?"
But Jinsol shakes her head, "Nope. I like how we met. I like how we got to know each other. So even if in all the other universes, we met in different ways, this one would be my favorite."
"But-" Jungeun begins, but stops when she sees the small pout on Jinsol's face, "Fine."
Jinsol beams, triumphant. Then she looks up at the sky once more, "I have a question."
"Sure."
"See that star over there? If that were an asteroid, coming to crush the earth and wipe out all existence, how would you like to go?"
"This got dark really fast."
"Answer the question, Jungeun."
"Like this. Here. I want to see it coming, I don't want to hide. It'll be beautiful right? Even if it's devastating." Jungeun answers. "I want to watch it with my friends, with you, especially, and we could be eating our favorite food, and when it gets too much or we get too scared, we can hide in the observatory, surrounded by the universe before we become a part of it."
A silence passes over them before Jinsol whistles, "Wow, that's deep."
Jungeun playfully shoves her, "Shut up. What about you?"
"Your idea sounds good. I'd like that."
"Noooo," Jungeun whines, "I had to think of an answer, so do you."
"To be honest, I don't really care, Jungeun. I just hope that if ever the worst has to happen to our Earth, I'd get to be with you until the end." Jinsol replies, her eyes back to the stars.
Jungeun doesn't know what to say to that. To those words that Jinsol seems to spew out so casually, but never follow it up with anything else. She knows she has feelings for Jinsol, but Jinsol is just as vague as the universe itself. They spend a lot of time together, but Jungeun can never be sure about how the other woman feels. She feels way out of her league, even though she knows that Jinsol is just like her, a flawed human being. But when she thinks about Jinsol, all Jungeun can think of is the universe and everything that Jinsol loves about it. How Jungeun wishes she can capture all the best parts of it and bottle it up in offering of her affection. How she wishes she could paint a picture of the way Jinsol sees the universe, and how Jungeun sees her.
"Jungeun?" Jinsol's voice breaks through her cloudy thoughts, her face, one of confusion.
"I- sorry, were you saying something?"
Jinsol just smiles, "Tell me something I don't know."
"I'm in love with you."
It just comes out. Jungeun had not planned for it at all, but her mind was on it and Jinsol had asked that question and it just-it slipped out. And the silence that she's met with is so deafening, that Jungeun hopes that if Jungeun in another universe is doing the same thing, she isn't met with such torture.
Jungeun feels that entire planets have collapsed before Jinsol speaks again. This time, her voice is softer, but somehow more stern. "Jungeun. I said, tell me something I don't know."
"I- I- didn't you hear me? I said, I'm in love with you. I thought you were cute from the moment I gained consciousness. And you’re really smart too, and you’re a great friend you never complain when I rant-"
But Jinsol shakes her head and moves closer, so close that Jungeun's lungs begin to fill with her perfume, that her eyes somehow draw her in even more, and so close that she can feel the warmth from her body. "Nope, try again."
"What do you mean? Do you not want me to be? Because it's true, I am in love with you, Jeong Jinsol."
Jinsol rolls her eyes, her hand now smoothing out Jungeun's collar, "Is this why you failed your classes? You don't follow instructions?"
"I'm very confused at what's going on but just to be clear, there were many reasons I failed my classes," Jungeun replies and thankfully, Jinsol laughs at that.
"I said, tell me something I don't know, Jungeun-" Jinsol sighs, but she doesn't continue, instead she presses their lips together, and okay, wow. Jinsol’s lips are as soft as they look, and she’s as good a kisser as she is pretty. (And Jinsol is very very very pretty, in Jungeun’s opinion.) They pull away and Jinsol just smiles innocently, as if she hadn't just overwhelmed every little neuron in Jungeun's brain. "And you being in love with me? I know that already."