Chapter Text
Haerin identifies herself as a curious person.
If something piques her interest, she will observe it and learn about it.
Danielle’s cherry lip balm is one of her latest fascinations.
She remembers smelling it once when they were sneaking conversations while the teacher’s back was turned.
“Did you have candy?” she had blurted out, momentarily forgetting they were in class.
“No?” Danielle answers, confused, “Why?”
“... I smell candy.” she answers.
“What kind?”
The teacher's sudden turn to fetch the eraser had forced both girls to snap back into their seats. When the teacher resumed writing on the board, Haerin hummed thoughtfully.
“Hmm..” Haerin thinks, “It smelled sweet like… cherries.”
Danielle stifled a giggle at her response, causing Haerin to turn her head in curiosity.
"That was my lip balm, silly," Danielle confessed, her smile wide and infectious. Haerin nodded slowly, absorbing this newfound piece of information.
At that precise moment, the teacher had started a recitation, refocusing their attention on the lesson. Well, mostly. Haerin couldn't shake her amazement at the discovery. She knew very little about makeup, but the idea that it could smell like candy fascinated her.
As time passed, a fleeting thought evolved into a lingering curiosity.
Does it taste like candy too?
—-
Haerin leaned back against the couch, eyes half-closed, letting the afternoon sun warm her face. The group had gathered at Haerin’s for their customary movie marathon, although Hanni, Minji, Danielle, and Hyein had gone out to fetch snacks, leaving Haerin to relax.
The door creaked open, but Haerin didn't budge from her cozy spot.
Another weight settled beside her and Haerin could tell from the faint scent of cherries drifting through the air, making her smile. She knew that scent anywhere, the object of her fascination—Danielle's cherry lip balm.
She turned her head slightly, catching sight of Danielle sitting beside her, looking at her amusedly.
“Is the cat taking her afternoon nap?” Danielle comments, that playful smirk catching Haerin’s attention. Her lips look so…soft. Does lip balm do that to your lips? She doesn’t know. The sweet smell has been bothering her for a while now.
"Your lip balm really smells like candy," she murmured.
Danielle looked up, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Does it?"
Haerin nodded, her gaze lingering on Danielle's lips. The scent was sweet, inviting, and it made her wonder if it tasted as good as it smelled. The latter purses her lips, making Haerin look at Danielle’s eyes, which held an expression that Haerin couldn’t point out.
“Does it taste like candy?” she found herself whispering, almost without realizing it. There was something about the intimacy of the moment that made her voice lower. A second passed. Then a few more. The silence between them seemed to stretch, each tick of the clock amplifying the tension in the air. Haerin could feel her heartbeat in her ears, and she was starting to regret ever mentioning it when—
“Wanna taste?”
And before Haerin could reply, Danielle leaned in, her movements slow and deliberate. Haerin felt her heart skip a beat as their lips pressed. She felt herself melting at how soft her lips were against hers. Danielle's lips were gentle yet insistent, and Haerin couldn't help but follow her lead.
The taste was just as sweet as the scent—cherries and something uniquely Danielle. Haerin felt herself getting lost in the sensation, her hand instinctively finding its way to Danielle’s back, fingers curling in the fabric of her jacket.
As they kissed, Danielle's touch was tender and deliberate. Her thumb caressed Haerin's cheek gently, sending a shiver of sensation down Haerin's spine. Each stroke of Danielle’s thumb against her skin made Haerin feel a rush of emotions—warmth, desire, and a sense of longing she hadn’t quite acknowledged before.
Just as the kiss was starting to deepen, Danielle gently parted their lips, leaving Haerin breathless and yearning for more. Her hand, which had wandered to Danielle’s back, unconsciously pulled at the jacket the girl was wearing, a silent plea to keep her close.
Haerin's eyes fluttered open, meeting Danielle's mischievous gaze. Her cheeks flushed with a mix of embarrassment and excitement as she tried to catch her breath.
"So," Danielle teased, a playful grin tugging at her lips, “did that satisfy your curiosity?”
She blushes at the Australian’s confidence.
Haerin, however, is a very very curious person.
Haerin hesitated for a moment, her mind racing with newfound sensations. "It was... too short to conclude," she managed, her grip on Danielle's jacket tightening involuntarily. "I might need to... investigate further."
Danielle chuckled softly at her remark, gently tilting Haerin's chin to meet her gaze.
"Okay," Danielle whispered, her voice low and filled with promise.
And then she leaned in again.