kaydeedums

[kaydeedums]

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[kaydeedums]

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[kaydeedums]

What Do You Think About The Farmer? (Stardew Valley) (6/6)

Ship: Haley x Female Farmer

Also on: AO3 (https://archiveofourown.org/works/63275293/chapters/162084325)

[Chapter 6: Now what?]

What now?

Haley sat on the edge of her bed, paralyzed in thought for what felt like an eternity. Her mind was swirled with uncertainty once again, but this time, for another matter.

I've been such a jerk to her for years. How am I supposed to tell her I'm in love with her? She must resent me at least a little… right? And what if I do confess? Would we actually start dating? What would that even mean? I don't know the first thing about tending a farm. I don’t even know what to do in a relationship! I’ve watched tons of romance movies, but somehow, I have no clue what I’d be like with her.

I was wrong about what I thought I wanted. Wrong about everything!

I had spent so much time believing I’d never belong in Pelican Town, that there was no one here who’d ever truly get me. But then this weird, persistent, ridiculous farmer kept showing up, kept proving me wrong.

And suddenly, I wasn’t so sure anymore. Maybe love didn’t have to look like a perfect magazine cover. Maybe it could look like a messy-haired farmer, waiting outside my house with a daffodil and an awkward smile.

That wouldn’t be so bad

Yoba… What am I gonna do?

If only I had a sign.

She wobbles towards her door, stumbling over her desk in the process. Her hand accidentally knocks over the pile of polaroid images she had finished developing. One of the images slid away further from the rest. 

Haley kneeled down, picking them up one by one. Then her eyes landed on an image of the farmer—standing in the middle of a vibrant spring garden, surrounded by flowers she had grown herself. Her face was smeared with dirt and sweat, but she was smiling so brightly. Outshining her own garden.

The image made Haley's fingers tingle, her chest tighten, and—despite everything—a smile creep onto her face.

She suddenly had an idea.

The golden hues of sunset bathed Pelican Town as Haley stepped out of Pierre’s shop, absentmindedly adjusting the bouquet in her hands. She had spent way too long picking it out, debating whether this was ridiculous, whether she was really going to go through with this.

But the moment she stepped outside, she nearly collided with someone.

A sudden shuffle, a near stumble—and then she froze. Because standing right in front of her, holding a put-together sunflower bouquet in hand, was the farmer.

Haley’s heart stopped. Her eyes darted between the flowers in her own hands and the ones in theirs.

The realization hit her like a bolt of lightning.

"...Wait," She said slowly. The farmer blinked at her. Then, hesitantly, they lifted their bouquet just slightly. "...Uh." 

The farmer let out a nervous laugh, rubbing the back of their neck. "I… yeah. I was actually looking for you." Her grip on her sunflower bouquet tightened.

"You were?" Haley replied. The farmer nodded.

The blonde takes a step closer, "I like you so much, more than I'd care to admit."

Something inside Haley shifted, she let out a breath, looking down at her own bouquet before laughing softly. "...Well, that’s stupid." She held hers up, a teasing smirk tugging at her lips. "Because I was looking for you, too." A few seconds of silence pass between them.

Haley takes a deep breath, bracing herself for what she’s about to say, “Look, I just wanted to apologize for the way I’ve treated you over the last few years, realizing my feelings for you have been such a rollercoaster, I wasn’t sure how to react to it. Hell, I spent the past weeks trying to ask everyone about you. I thought you were a grubby, idiotic, and reckless person, but hearing more about you, made me see that you were kind, hard-working and silly. I ended up loving all that sides to you. You don’t have to forgive me for them immediately, but I’m willing to do everything to make up for them.” The farmer’s eyes widened slightly.

Haley could see the moment it clicked in the farmer's head, could see the shift in their expression as the tension between them dissolved into something else—something lighter, something undeniably real. 

"Oh Haley, I never cared for those! I liked those parts of you, even if you were to become a completely different person the next year, I'd still find myself falling in love with you all over again."

The farmer let out a small, breathless laugh. "So… what do we do now?" Haley rolled her eyes, taking a step closer, hovering over the shorter woman. “You’re not gonna expect me to hold these all day, do you?” The farmer chuckled, holding it out to her. The two exchange each other’s gifts. The farmer looked down at the flowers in their hands, then back at her. Their expression softened into something so genuine it made her chest feel tight.

Neither of them said anything for a long moment.

Then, with a shy smile, the farmer murmured, "I didn’t know you had feelings for me…" Haley felt her cheeks heat up, but she only huffed, flicking her hair over her shoulder.

"Don’t flatter yourself, I only realized it recently." But even as she said it, her fingers brushed against theirs. 

And for once, she didn’t pull away from her.

The two intertwined the hands, nervously. “Wanna head to the beach? It’s got the best views in my experience, it’d be great for taking photos.” Haley said, walking with her new girlfriend hand in hand.

“Sure, but to me, anything with you is the best view.”

“You’re so weird.” 

[kaydeedums]

What Do You Think About The Farmer? (Stardew Valley) (5/6)

Ship: Haley x Female Farmer Also on: AO3 (https://archiveofourown.org/works/63275293/chapters/162084325) [Chapter 5: 11 out of 11]

The Saloon was buzzing with its usual evening crowd, but the farmer wasn’t paying attention to any of that. They were hunched over the pool table, lining up a shot while Sam, Abigail, and Sebastian watched from the sidelines.

"Alright, farmer," Sam said, leaning against his cue stick. "If you make this shot, you have to admit who you’re giving those flowers to." The farmer froze. Sebastian smirked, exhaling a slow puff of smoke. 

"I don’t know what you’re talking about." The farmer huffed, rolling their shoulders. "Also, that’s not how bets work."

"Okay, then," Abigail grinned. "If you miss this shot, you have to finally give it to them by tomorrow." The farmer scowled. "That’s the same bet."

"Yep!" Sam grinned. The farmer groaned but took the shot anyway. The cue ball bounced off the side, clipped the 8-ball, and completely missed its target.

"Oof." Sebastian snickered. "Guess it’s confession time." The farmer sighed, resting their chin on their cue stick. "Okay, fine. Maybe it’s for… Haley."

"Called it!" Abigail pumped her fist. "I knew it!" Sam beamed. "And guess what? We have good news for you."

The two gathered around the farmer, grinning from ear to ear. "Haley asked us about you the other day," Abigail said, nudging the farmer’s arm. "Like, specifically about you. And she was totally blushing." The farmer’s heart jumped—but they quickly shoved that feeling down. "She asks about everyone. That doesn’t mean anything."

"Uh, no," Sam shook his head. "According to Penny, she was asking almost everyone in the town about you."

"She could’ve been curious," the farmer mumbled. "Doesn’t mean she likes me." she says, trying to fix out the 8-ball in one of the holes.

"Wow," Sebastian muttered. "You really don’t get it, huh?"

"What’s there to get?" The farmer sighed, spinning their cue stick idly. "She’s Haley. She’s gorgeous, confident, and she probably wants someone… different. Not—" They gestured vaguely at themselves. "Me."

"You’re an idiot," Abigail said cheerfully. "That’s literally why she likes you." The farmer just shook their head, unconvinced.

Just then, the saloon door swung open.

And in walked Haley.

The farmer immediately stiffened. "Speak of the devil," Sam whispered. "Shut up," the farmer hissed. 

“I never imagined you’d come to me for relationship advice.” Emily teased, wiping down the bar with a rag.

“First of all, I literally just asked for your opinion on her. Secondly, we’re not even dating!” Haley shot back, crossing her arms. But Emily only smiled to herself. Despite their differences in appearance and personality, they were still sisters—and Haley had never been good at hiding things from her.

“Sure, I believe you.” Emily smirked, setting a freshly cleaned mug in front of Shane, one of her regulars. He barely reacted to the commotion between the sisters, which was unusual. Normally, he’d tell people to pipe down if they got too loud.

Emily reminisced as she worked. “You know, during her first few months here in Stardew Valley, she used to come here for dinner all the time. She didn’t have a proper kitchen at home, so until she could afford one from Robin, she pretty much had to rely on the Saloon.” She continued, recalling the dishes the farmer usually ordered and the recipes she eventually learned to cook herself.

Shane scoffed. “Bit of a glutton if you ask me.”

Emily shook her head. “She works hard all day. I don’t mind it—she burns all those calories running around anyway.”

Haley wrinkled her nose. “Does it even digest properly?”

Shane smirked. “Have you seen her running around town?”

Haley hesitated. “Wait a minute… how do you know so much about her?”

Shane scoffed, looking insulted. “She comes by our store almost every month. Not to mention, she occasionally drops off Jas.” He sighed. “If you ask me, she’s getting a bit too comfortable. I once saw her walk into Marnie’s room and come out holding some purple shorts.” What the hell?

Emily chuckled. “You see, she’s sort of… Shane’s unofficial drinking partner.”

That statement alarmed Haley. The last thing she wanted was to fall for an alcoholic.

Shane rolled his eyes. “Hey, give me some credit. I don’t drink that much anymore.”

Haley flinched. “Don’t tell me she’s an alcoholic too.”

Shane’s expression darkened. “Watch your words. She works herself to the bone, and if she needs a drink every once in a while, who am I to judge? I bet you haven’t worked a day in your life. Hell, no one in this town has contributed as much as she has. Not Robin, not Pierre, and I’d bet the Mayor hasn’t done a damn thing to earn his place on that list.”

Both Emily and Haley were taken aback by Shane’s response. They never thought of him as particularly observant, yet here he was, fiercely defending someone he clearly respected. Haley glanced around, worried that other customers had overheard, but it was just Gus, who nodded in silent agreement with Shane.

Realizing his outburst, Shane sighed, rubbing the back of his head. “I’m sorry. I’m still working on myself. I just… I couldn’t stand hearing her bad-mouthed like that. But that doesn’t excuse me for getting all riled up like that.”

“No, no… I guess you’re right,” Haley admitted, looking down. “I went too far.”

Emily attempted to lighten the mood. “The farmer’s been a huge help with Shane’s drinking problem.”

Shane nodded, apologizing again. Haley, in turn, apologized for her comment and for upsetting him.

She sighed, sinking her face into her hands. “I spent weeks asking people about her, trying to find something horrible that would make me stop having feelings for her. But all I’ve heard are great things.”

Shane and Emily exchanged knowing glances before trying to soothe her.

“Yoba, I suck so bad.”

Shane let out a small chuckle. “I know we barely know each other, but if there’s one thing I’m sure of, it’s that it’s never too late to turn things around for yourself.”

He was right.

Haley sighed, smiling despite herself. “I never figured you to be so great at giving relationship advice.”

Shane’s face flushed even redder—though whether from embarrassment or alcohol, it was hard to tell. Emily braced for his usual defensive comeback, but it never came.

Instead, she was met with his eyes, looking back at hers. Shane simply shrugged it off. “What can I say? I’ve got good people around me. When you love people, you do your best to become the best version of yourself.”

Both sisters were caught off guard. Shane just kept surprising them tonight. But while Emily admired his growth, Haley had something else on her mind. She thought back on his advice. Maybe she had been too focused on one side of the story. Maybe her feelings for the farmer weren’t so complicated after all.

That night, as a thank-you for all his drunken but insightful advice, Haley covered Shane’s tab. For the first time ever, she also stayed to help Emily close up the bar. They walked home together in comfortable silence—something they had never done before. And yet, it was… nice. Maybe she’d start doing it more often.

As they reached home, they parted by the living room.

“Hals?” Emily called out just before Haley disappeared into her room.

The blonde paused in the doorway. “Yeah?”

Emily gave her a knowing look. “Have you made up your mind?”

Haley smiled softly. “I have.”

[kaydeedums]

What Do You Think About The Farmer? (Stardew Valley) (4/6)

Ship: Haley x Female Farmer Also on: AO3 (https://archiveofourown.org/works/63275293/chapters/162084325) [Chapter 4: 9 out of 11]

“What do I think about the farmer? Let’s see…” It wasn't originally on her list, but whenever she wanted to vent (Consider Alex had horrible memory) she'd go to her bestfriend.

Alex put down his weights with a soft thud, rolling his shoulders before rubbing his chin in thought. A thoughtful smirk played on his lips as he leaned back against his drawer, crossing his arms over his chest, shamelessly trying to flex himself in front of Haley.

"She’s a great listener—resilient too. The kind of person who just gets you, you know?" He nodded to himself before flashing a grin. "I think she’s a great partner."

Haley’s eyes nearly bulged out of her skull. " WHAT?! " 

Her voice echoed throughout the house, thank Yoba his grandparents have trouble hearing or else they would’ve been scolded by now. Alex blinked, then chuckled at her reaction. Alex teased, clearly amused. "You didn’t know?" Haley scoffed, placing her hands on her hips. "Do I look like I knew?! Because I definitely wouldn’t have reacted like that if I did!"

Alex shrugged, completely unbothered, grabbing a towel to wipe the sweat off of him. "Her grandfather used to be friends with my grandparents, it’s only natural that we get along together.” Haley opened her mouth, then shut it again, her brows furrowing in frustration. She hated how casual he was about this. How could they have kept this from her? Was she reading everything wrong? Was there even a point in asking around if this was what she was going to get? She hesitated before pressing further. "So, like... what happened between the two of you?"

Alex smirked, tilting his head back slightly as if recalling a fond memory. "Well, for one, I pick up deliveries from her farm sometimes. This one time, she was struggling to carry a whole load of produce to the bin—seriously, she looked like she was about to collapse." He chuckled at the thought. "She practically begged me to help her out. So, being the hero that I am, I stepped in and saved the day. After that? History." 

Haley’s stomach twisted slightly at his casual tone. It was the way he said it—like they had some established bond she had no clue about. She swallowed before asking hesitantly, “S-So… How long have you two been dating?”

The football player blinks, “Dating?”

The blonde stiffened. “...You’re not?”

Alex snorted. "What? No way. We’re just sort of gym buddies. Minus the gym, of course." Haley let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. Oh. That was… somehow relieving. "She comes here to work out every now and then since she was struggling with her farm chores. She needed the strength—chopping trees, breaking rocks, carrying loads of crops? That stuff takes a serious toll on your body."

Haley crossed her arms. "She’s still so tiny. Wouldn’t she have, like, grown by now?"

Alex scratched the back of his head. "I guess all the work wears her down, but when she’s in her gym attire, you can tell she’s well-built."

Alex scratched the back of his head. "I mean, yeah, she’s small, but that doesn’t mean she’s weak. When she first got here, she could barely lift forty kilograms. But now?" He smirked, leaning forward slightly, voice dropping as if sharing a secret. "You should see her abs—"

"OKAY, I THINK THAT’S ENOUGH!" Haley’s hands shot up, frantically waving him off before he could finish. Her face was burning slightly at the idea of Alex of all people describing the farmer’s body in that much detail. He gets to see it every week? For Free? Alex just laughed, grabbing his towel and tossing it over his shoulder. "What? You asked." The shorter woman groaned, pressing her palms against her temples. 

“If we’re being real,” Alex begins, “Don’t get me wrong I respect the honesty from her, but if she did like guys in the first place, I probably would’ve tried to shoot my shot, anyone would’ve been lucky to have her—Not just because of her appearance, but because she’s a pretty great person overall.” He finishes exiting his room to grab himself a drink. Haley sits on the edge of Alex’s bed, pondering to herself. 

What was she even doing? She had gone into this expecting to have her feelings validated —to hear someone complain, to find a single person in town who didn’t like the farmer. But instead?

Everyone she talked to respected her. Admired her. Liked her. And now she was left wondering why she didn’t want to. For the first time, she wasn’t sure if she had a real answer. Haley was starting to feel hopeless. 

Haley was going to lose her mind.

This was supposed to be a simple afternoon. She had been in her darkroom, carefully developing some film to get her mind off that unproductive conversation. Being alone in her secret room was a safe place for her, the single red bulb illuminating the tiny room gave her some solitude from the outside world’s ever-bizarre happenings.

“Delivery!” Then lo and behold the farmer—who conveniently had an order—wandered in. Oh Yoba, please don’t make your way here.

The door swings open, the farmer’s head sticking out from the other side “Hey Haley, I saw a chair leaning against the frame, so I figured you’d be here.” She fully enters the room, “Do you happen to know where your sister is? I got like a box of Survival Burgers in here.” “DON’T CLOSE THE DOOR-”

Then, because the universe hated them, the wind had slammed the door shut behind them.

And now they were trapped. In complete darkness.

"Great." Haley groaned, pressing her back against the nearest wall. "Just perfect." She heard the farmer jiggle the doorknob. "Uh…" They let out a sheepish chuckle. "It’s locked."

"No kidding!" She snapped. "This door automatically locks from the outside, genius! That’s why I always keep it propped open!" The farmer gulped nervously. "So… what now?"

"Now, we wait for Emily to realize we’re missing." Haley crossed her arms. "Or for me to die of boredom—whichever happens first." She sat herself on one of the clear desks in defeat, with the farmer trying to follow suit. The darkroom was tiny, shelves and tables took up most of the space, leaving barely enough room for two people. Every time she moved, her arm or shoulder brushed against the farmer.

Which was infuriating. Because now she was hyper-aware of how close they were. “Can you stop fucking moving!?” And it got worse when the farmer shifted, too. “I’m trying not to!” Then suddenly—they were face to face. Haley froze.

Even in the dim red glow of the safety light, she could see them. The way their eyes caught the light, reflecting warmth and curiosity. The way their sweat were scattered across their cheeks like tiny stars. The way their lips parted slightly, like they were about to say something—

Haley's eyes scanned the physique of the person in front of her. Her mind wandered back the Alex's comment about how the farmer looked like under all that baggy clothing, her stomach flipped as she feels herself get a little heated at the idea.

Oh. Oh no.

"Uh…" The farmer blinked. "You okay?" Haley realized she had been staring for way too long.

There was a thud from outside. Haley nearly jumped, but then— "Haley?" Emily’s muffled voice came from the other side of the door. "Why’s this locked?"

"Oh, thank Yoba—Emily, OPEN THIS DAMN DOOR!" There was a brief pause. "Why is the farmer there with you?" She must've seen her straw hat outside the room.

"JUST OPEN THE DOOR!" Haley repeated, after a moment, the lock clicked, and the door swung open. Cool air rushed in, and Haley shoved past the farmer before Emily could say anything else. She refused to acknowledge the way her pulse still hadn’t settled. And she definitely refused to acknowledge how pretty the farmer looked in that soft red light.

[kaydeedums]

What Do You Think About The Farmer? (Stardew Valley) (3/6)

Ship: Haley x Female Farmer Also on: AO3 (https://archiveofourown.org/works/63275293/chapters/162084325)

[Chapter 3: 8 out of 11]

Haley grumbled as she stomped her way to Pierre’s store, muttering under her breath. “Why do I have to do groceries this time…”

Emily, who rarely asked anything of her younger sister, had left for the desert to visit her friend Sandy, leaving Haley stuck with the chore of gathering ingredients for the upcoming week.

She sets the melons, flour, sugar, and eggs on the counter. “Hey Pierre, can you ring these up for me?”

The shop owner nodded, responding with his obnoxious salesman tone. As Pierre busied himself, Haley let her gaze wander around the store. That was when she saw the door to the back room swing open, revealing the farmer, stepping out with a potted plant in hand.

Panic shot through her. Without thinking, Haley ducks behind the counter, hoping the girl wouldn’t spot her.

“Thanks for the tip, Caroline! I hope my tea leaves finally grow nicely,” The farmer said cheerfully. “Sure, come back anytime you need more help with them.” Caroline responded warmly. “See ya, Carol—Bye Abi, I’ll come by next time when I’m free!” The farmer called out to the gamer as she strolled out of the store.

Penny mentioned she’s friends with Abigail!  

“Haley?” Pierre peered over the counter, startled. "Why are you kneeling?" The blonde quickly popped up, brushing herself off. "Pierre, may I speak to your daughter?"

"Abi? Sure, she’s probably playing video games with Sam and Sebastian inside."

Bingo.

"—Which leads me to my question, what do you guys think of the farmer?"

Abigail threw her controller down with a frustrated yell, the screen in front of her flashing ‘You Lose.’

"DON’T EVEN GET ME STARTED WITH HER!" She practically roared, causing Sebastian to wince at the volume of her misplaced anger. "You don’t have to yell," He muttered, covering his ears.

The three friends were scattered around Abigail’s room—Sam lying on the bed flipping through a stack of comics, Sebastian as Abigail's player two assisting in gameplay. The place was a mess, with clothes, empty cans, and game cases strewn everywhere, making it difficult for Haley to find a proper spot to stand.

She turned to Sam, raising an eyebrow. "Are they…?"

Sam shook his head. "They’re not enemies, they just have this ongoing banter because the farmer keeps cheating during our gaming sessions.” Sebastian sighed. "Yoba, just when you thought having one competitive friend was enough." Abigail scowled, crossing her arms. "One time, that little rat unplugged my FUCKING controller when I was about to beat her high score at Junimo Kart!

Oh, okay, so the farmer cheats in games and is a sore loser. She’s probably the type to use items to her advantage to get access to unlocked areas.

Sam held up his hands defensively. "We don’t know she did it!” The television screen displayed another 'You Lose.', which only seemed to piss the occult-lover even more, Abigail scoffed. "Even if she didn’t, she SUCKS! Who button mashes like that?!"

Haley tilted her head. "So… I take it you guys don’t like her much?" Abigail paused her game, blinking. Then she shook her head. "What? No, we’re just… This kind of play-fighting is normal for us, it's how we know we're comfortable with one another." She replies, grabbing another two cold cans of Joja Cola, handing the other to the blonde, who politely refused. Haley narrowed her eyes. Odd friendship dynamic.

Abigail sighed, a small smirk creeping onto her face. "She cheats and all, but it’s not like I didn’t have fun." She takes a sip of her own drink, clearing up some space next to her so Haley could sit with them. The blonde pressed for more, "How’d you guys even become friends?"

Sebastian leaned back, thinking. "She used to listen in on our band practices." Recalling the time the farmer had helped them out in finding their band’s sound. Sam laughed, "You mean when she burst into my room because she heard her favorite song?" The trio laughed at the memory, mentioning how the farmer kept rambling on about her different bands and how they all shared that interest.

"Sometimes she plays with us, but she gets busy now and then." He gestured to the cluttered room. "If the farmer were here, we probably wouldn’t have left this mess.” Sam snickered. "That’s why we crash at each other’s place instead of hers—she’d kill us if we made a mess at her house.” Haley blinked. Oh… she’s very tidy then.

“It is weird though.” Abigail starts, “Before she came here, it was just the three of us, but ever since she started to hang out with us more, it’s like… I dunno, it just feels incomplete without her now.” She says, tracing her finger over the rim of the soda can. If Haley weren’t there, the two boys probably would’ve made fun of her for getting sentimental. But they agreed with the statement either way.

I don’t think these dorks have anything malicious against their bestfriend. In the end, I got nothing useful again.

If didn't know about that stupid bouquet the farmer had, I would've probably left earlier before it started snowing. God, why am I so dumb, of course she likes someone else, I've been such an ass to her, there's no way it'd be on her radar. Before she can consider running towards home as her last resort, something warm suddenly lands on her shoulders. She’s startled and turning her head—only to see the farmer standing behind her, their coat now draped over her. Haley blinks. "What—?"

“I guess that’s enough questions, I guess.” She sighed brushing herself off, and heading towards the door.

“By the way,” Sam starts, catching his next-door neighbor’s attention. “According to Abi’s dad, she recently purchased a bouquet, everyone in town made bets to who it's for, do you have any guesses?” A bouquet? That means she’s got someone in mind? The idea made Haley uncomfortable.“That means she's looking to ask someone out, right?" She asked, despite already knowing the answer, the trio nodded to confirm. "I don’t actually, sorry.” Haley says quickly, before rushing to exit the room. She finds herself standing outside the store, with her groceries in hand, unable to move. She didn’t expect it to be a chilly evening. Haley shivers, trying to rub her hands together for warm. Ugh, why didn’t I bring a jacket? 

"You looked cold," the farmer says simply. Their voice is calm, but there’s a stiffness in their posture. Haley stares. The jacket is slightly oversized, worn and carrying the faint scent of the farm—fresh hay, earth, something vaguely sweet. It’s weirdly cozy. "...Seriously?" She scoffs, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "Do you just carry a jacket around for people?"

The farmer averts her gaze. "No. Just… you." Haley’s breath catches.

She glances up at them. Their face is mostly neutral, but there’s a slight redness creeping up their neck, like they just now realized what they said. A slow smirk tugs at her lips. "Ohhh. So I’m special, huh?" The farmer blinks. Their mouth opens slightly—then closes. Their usual cool-headedness seems to falter for just a second. "We should start walking." That’s all they say.

On their way to Haley’s house, her face grows more crimson each passing second, she tries to change the subject, "Shouldn't you be doing this with whoever you're giving those flowers to?" She says, pulling the jacket around herself a little tighter. The farmer is surprised, "How'd you know I purchased some?" They shift awkwardly, looking anywhere but at her. "Oh, so it's true." Haley doesn’t know why, but something in her made her want to disappear. It made a lot of sense in Haley's head. 

"A hint?"

Once they reaches her house's entrance, the blonde hands the coat back to her escort, thanking her for accompanying her. The two weren't sure on how to break the tense air between the two of them, until the shorter woman takes a shot in the dark, "I actually threw the bouquet away." The farmer admitted. Haley looks confused, while trying to mask her hopefulness. "What, why so?"

The taller woman, looks at them with a hint of sadness. "I wasn't ready to admit that I had feelings for them, if I was gonna ask them out, I should at least have a hint if they feel the same way."  

"Just so I don't scare them off." The farmer stresses. 

"Well," Haley starts, "If it turns out that you really like them, I say just go for it, the hesitation is just a huge wall to a possibly good relationship." she says to the farmer, rubbing the side of their arms, her way of consoling them. The farmer beams a child-like smile and thanks Haley for her advice, before running off back to her farm.

Haley thought about how easy it was for the farmer to just spill out her feelings like that, she didn't think was so trusting and open, unlike her. The blonde thought about how her advice could've also applied to her, that night she decided to start paying a little more attention to the farmer.

For her mission, of course.

[kaydeedums]

What Do You Think About The Farmer? (Stardew Valley) (2/6)

Ship: Haley x Female Farmer Also on: AO3 (https://archiveofourown.org/works/63275293/chapters/162084325) [Chapter 2: 5 out of 11]

Haley was having a perfectly good day. 

Was.

She was going to pick up her sister's order of shiny crystals for their yoga session. But on her way to the farm, Haley accidentally slipped on a muddy puddle, staining her favorite pink skirt. She groans to herself, nursing her bottom. The blonde stood up quickly to examine the damage, a huge dark spot had formed. Understandably upset, this resulted in Haley storming into the farm faster than her previous pace, she burst through the unlocked door heading towards the kitchen.

"You owe me for this!” She yelled at the farmer, revealing the mess on her clothes. The farmer looks up from their chopping, blinking. "Oh, good morning… For what exactly?" She turned her full attention towards Haley. She points at the stain of her dress. "Your stupid farm did this to me!" The farmer tilts their head, barely suppressing a smile. "The whole farm?"

She groans again, "Ugh! You’re so annoying! Do you know how hard it is to get stains like this out? How come you don’t patch up your holes properly!" The farmer thinks to herself, examining the dirt. "Don’t worry, I can fix it." Haley stops mid-complaint. "...What?"

Without another word, the farmer walks over to one of her chests and returns a moment later with a small jar. She motions for Haley to sit on her couch, as she positioned herself in front of her. "Penny taught me how to make a stain remover." They kneel down, dabbing a little on the fabric. "It should work." 

Haley observes her, raising an eyebrow. "Finally learned how to clean your clothes?" She marked sarcastically. The farmer smiles. "Farming’s messy. Had to learn. Plus, I decided to ask some help from our neighbors when you kept telling me my clothes were starting to smell." Haley crosses her arms, watching her work diligently. This doesn't seem so bad.

The farmer suddenly pauses. “Wow, you have really nice legs.” Excuse me? "Why were you looking at my legs, you pervert! Leah was right, I knew you were a freak, I didn’t think you’d admit to it so easily!"

The farmer looks at them in confusion, “I uhm... I was comparing it to mine, actually. My knees are all covered in bruises from kneeling so much, not to mention the cuts I’d get from running around the mines." Then her expression turned soft, admiring the feel of Haley's skin, "Yours are smooth and clean, as a woman, I’m a bit jealous of it.” Haley half-regrets her accusation. By the time she looks down on her skirt, the stain is already fading. “Oh, looks like it’s improving” The farmer says, delighted.

This is unfair. Why were they so calm about this? How come they just keep putting up with my attitude? The blonde wonders to herself, and yet she doesn’t thank or apologize to them.

But she also doesn’t pull away, as the farmer finishes, she stands back up and rummages through her chest once more, grabbing the stones Emily had ordered. “Here ya go, there’s two of each crystal in there, thank Yoba I was able to grab all of them last night.” Haley is handed a slightly heavy bag, but her eyes are still fixed on the farmer, the guilt bubbling up inside her.

The farmer heads back into the kitchen, "Your sister gave me a heads up that she’d send you instead, so I went ahead and made some fruit salad.” She comes back with two bowls in hand, remembering how Haley loved the dessert.

She walked into the living room only to see that Haley had already left. 

It’s 12:20 pm, and usually, around this time Haley decides to get some fresh air near the fountain. This was part of her routine—taking a moment to herself to watch the flowers and trees sway, the sound of water crashing onto itself providing a sense of peace. She needed to clear her head from anxiety that kept bother her after her last visit to the farmer's. I really couldn't get myself to apologize or thank her, she sighed to herself.

Something disrupted her usual tranquility, the laughter of children. This must’ve been one of the days when Penny took the kids to the playground instead of the museum.

The blonde had never given much thought to starting a family. She figured she had all the time in the world to enjoy her youth before even considering it. But admittedly, she did have a soft spot for kids. She decided to say hello to an old friend, approaching the playground—only to find Penny sitting alone on the swing, watching something on a phone. The teacher looked up as Haley neared, a curious expression crossing her face. "Oh, Haley. What brings you here?" Haley folded her arms, shifting her weight to one side. "I rarely see you without the kids around." She teased. Penny let out a small chuckle. "I'm their teacher, not their nanny." She replied.

Haley sat down on the swing next to hers “Is that your phone?”  Penny shook her head, pocketing the device. “It’s Sam’s. He lent me his phone for a bit since I didn’t have one myself. I was supposed to video call him after his band’s gig in Zuzu City, but I got caught up scrolling through his gallery.” Haley smirked. "You two have gotten pretty close, huh?" Penny glanced away, a faint blush painting onto her face. "I guess it’s because of the kids." The blonde glances around, “Speaking of the kids, where are they?”

"They’re with the farmer right now. Yesterday, she overheard Vincent talking about missing the petting zoo from the Stardew Valley fair, so she offered to give them a little field trip to her farm.” Penny smiled. "She’s been a huge help. Honestly, sometimes it feels like we’re just switching shifts."

“She’s also given us more time to hang out,” came a voice from Maru, who had just arrived with Harvey, a picnic basket in hand, both medical workers waving hello to Haley. The doctor nodded. "Now that you mention it, she’s settled down a lot since the community center was finished."

Penny nodded. "I trust her with the kids. I’m not very active myself, so I prefer her doing the chasing while I handle the academic side of things." She paused before adding, "She did mention wanting kids someday, maybe that's why she's so good with them."

Haley perks up, “I didn’t know you guys were close with her.” Maru tilted her head thoughtfully. "She often comes by to ask me about specimens and such." Harvey nodded, adjusting his glasses. "She reminds me of her grandfather—quite business-minded. I help her out by teaching her alternative medicine, and quite often, she supplies me with ingredients." Man, she’s all over the place, how in the world does she find the time to do everything?

Haley raised an eyebrow. "So she’s pretty studious, huh?" Harvey let out a small laugh, shaking his head. "Not exactly. I wouldn’t call her studious—she just works hard."

"Agreed," Maru added with a knowing smile. "I tend to cut her some slack when she struggles." The blonde thought about what Leah had told her a while back. "Leah did mention she was more on the creative side." Maru nodded. "That’s true. She often comes by my house just to show me something she crafted. My mom loves her work."

Haley frowned slightly, feeling a little guilty about misjudging her. "Huh… I didn’t think she had that kind of discipline." Harvey sighed knowingly. "Oh, trust me, she doesn’t—not in the way you’re thinking. When I was mentoring her, she was stubborn and impatient the entire time."

Penny chuckled. "She can be a bit childish." Maru smirked. "Probably why she spends so much time with the trio."

Haley perks up at the mention of her possible new targets, “The trio? Who’s the trio?”

[kaydeedums]

What Do You Think About The Farmer? (Stardew Valley) (1/6)

Ship: Haley x Female Farmer Also on: AO3 (https://archiveofourown.org/works/63275293/chapters/162084325) [Chapter 1: 2 out of 11]

Haley goes on a mission to get rid of a stupid feeling she's been having for the farmer for weeks now, the only way she can do that is by getting some information from the people of Pelican Town.

She can't possibly be THAT great, can she?

Haley had just come to a horrible realization.

She may have developed feelings for that mud-covered, ever-sweaty, and perpetually smelly farmer.

She’d been wrestling with that unsettling thought for weeks, haunting her with its presence, lingering at the back of her mind—like an itch she couldn’t scratch. 

Dramatic as it was, the uncertainty gnawed at her. How could she, of all people, be attracted to them? The farmer wasn’t even that good-looking, always appearing disheveled from long hours spent either in the mines or the fields, and not only that, they were just way too friendly with everyone!

It’s just straight up… weird. Have you ever noticed how they just never walk around town? But how come Haley noticed all these things about her?

And that was exactly the problem.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen.

Love, real love to Haley at least, was supposed to be effortless. Dreamy. Like in those romance movies she used to watch with Emily when they were younger. Love was supposed to be slow-motion gazes across a candlelit dinner, dramatic reunions in the rain, a whirlwind romance with someone sophisticated, charming, and conventionally attractive. Not… whatever the hell this was.

Haley needed answers, surely she’s made a mistake.

One remarkable morning, Pelican town’s self-dubbed princess had enough of pondering. The blonde sat up from her bed, kicked the blankets off her, and got ready to head out. With a decisive huff, she threw off her blankets, got dressed, and—shocking even herself—stepped out of the house at 8am. Her plan? Survey the villagers. Surely someone had dirt on the farmer. Something embarrassing, something unforgivable—anything that would snap her out of this ridiculous attraction.

As luck would have it, she was just in time to pass by a certain red-haired artist. What was her name again? Layla? Lisa? No… Robin? Whoever she was, the farmer and her were close, that’s all that mattered. “Heya…! Uh… Lydia?” Haley greeted awkwardly, sidling up beside the woman. “It’s Leah. And good morning to you too, Haley.” The artist replied, crossing her arms, as if to emphasize that, at the very least, she knew her name. Off to a great start, Hals. The blonde was second-guessing her social skills right now, but she already got this far, might as well just get to the point. “I just got a quick question… about the farmer.” Leah’s expression softened upon the mention of her friend, the irritation fading into curiosity. “Sure. What about her?” “What do you think of the farmer?” The red-haired woman smiled fondly, “She’s nice to have around, I enjoy her company,” Leah paused, as if considering her words carefully.

“I appreciate how thoughtful she is. The farmer always remembers what people like, she brings me the driftwood she fishes up instead of tossing it away, knowing I could use it for my sculptures, sometimes we have hands-on sessions together in my cabin. Honestly, a big part of my art taking off was thanks to her. She was the first person I saw who genuinely appreciated my work.” 

That wasn’t exactly what Haley was looking for. Sure she’d seen the farmer carrying random piles of wood into Leah’s house, occasionally she carrying a bowl of salad instead, but she didn’t think they were that close. The way the artist was so excited talking about her made Haley’s chest flare up, and what in the world did she mean by ‘Hands-on sessions’? Could there be something between the two of them?  Wait, why would she care? That’s not what she wanted to know. There had to be something more. Something weird.

She decided to press further. “I mean… What are they like? Personality-wise? You’ve been around her for a long time, surely you’ve picked up on some weirdo aura or something.”

Leah hesitated for a moment, lips pursed in thought. Haley watched her closely, noting the slight grimace on her face, “Hmm… I have noticed she’s a bit perverted…”

Holy shit. “Wait, really?” Haley leaned in, interest piqued. That was something she could use. Leah nodded, with an amused smile this time, “Yeah. I kind of noticed when we were sketching together once. She’s good at it—did you know that? I asked her where she got her art style inspired from, and she bluntly said ‘adult webtoons.’” “What's—” “Please don't ask,” Leah cuts her off. Haley raised an eyebrow, to which Leah responded with a sigh. “We both came from the city, so I'd sort of understand her pop-culture references. She said they were inspiring.” Before Haley could process that revelation further, a familiar voice interrupted them. “What could possibly be keeping you? I believe we agreed to meet at the seaside at 8:30 sharp?” The town’s resident writer, Elliot, was striding towards them, already complaining before he even reached them. Leah’s eyes widened in panic as she realized she had lost track of time. She was ten minutes late, though their conversation had felt like it was only 40 seconds. “I’m sorry, Haley had a question for me and—” “You!” Haley pointed at him, cutting off Leah mid-apology. “What do you think about the farmer?” Elliot blinked. “Do you even know my name?” “I’m the one asking questions here.” “The farmer…” Elliot clears his throat, noting that Haley clearly didn’t remember his name. “Well, I think she’s a brilliant friend. In a way, she’s my muse. She helped rekindle the spark of the writer in me.” What a gay ass way to put it, Haley thought.

“Alas,” Elliot sighed, his tone turning more dramatic. “While she has been a great help and even taken interest in my passion, I did spend two weeks lending her my books to expand her vocabulary… only to find out she used it for flowery erotica.” “…Uhm.” Haley swallowed, as Leah struggled to stifle a laugh. Elliot continues, undeterred. “That being said, I must admit—her writing and buildup is phenomenal.” Oh, so the farmer is into some freaky stuff. Who in their right mind would want a partner with that kind of active imagination? “I think I’ve heard enough,” Haley said, arms crossed in content. “By the way,” Leah interjects, “Why are you asking?”

Haley scoffed. “I’m looking for something to use against her. Some flaw, some issue—anything I can blackmail her with.”

The two red-haired friends exchanged a glance. “Why?” Leah pressed. “Sure, she enjoys the occasional smut-themed media, but that’s not all she consumes, she’s well versed in the arts and other graphics work, surely you’ve seen the paintings she has hung up in her home.” She explained, but that didn’t really convince Haley enough. “It’s almost 9, my apologies, for cutting our conversation short, but Leah and I still have business to attend to.” Elliot butts in, gesturing to the blonde in a prince-like manner.

“Huh? Oh well, sorry if we didn’t get to answer your question properly, but why don’t you give the farmer a chance, I think you’ll like them a lot!” Leah says as she’s being dragged away by the tall man.   Haley rolled her eyes, heading back inside her house, after her failed interview. “We’ll see.”

The flower dance was Haley’s territory, she’s been the reigning queen for years now, and she made sure it stayed that way.

Growing up, she imagined herself twirling under the sun, in a gorgeous flowing dress, in the arms of someone perfect. Someone tall, charming, elegant. Someone who swept her off her feet effortlessly.

The closest she had to meeting her standards was her best-friend Alex, despite knowing each other since high school, they immediately clicked. But there was never any moments where either party would be attracted to each other romantically, that was something they talked about too, and mutually agreed that they weren’t just each other’s type. But even if that was the situation, it made it all the more easier for Haley to have a dance partner that made her stand out and win every year.  There was a change during that year, out of the thirty usually attendees, there was an addition to the party. That person greeted every villager one by one, their eyes eventually meeting the blonde's, waving at her with a smile. Why is she here? She didn’t even attend the previous festivals when she first arrived, why join now? Haley thought in a panic.

The farmer—soil-streaked, slightly awkward, and not exactly graceful—walked up to her, holding out a hopeful hand. Is she asking to be my partner in the dance instead? Haley barely had time to react before she blurted, "Ew. No." The farmer blinked. Their hopeful smile faltered. Haley winced the second the words left her mouth, but it was already too late. The farmer hesitated, then let out a nervous chuckle, rubbing the back of their neck. "Uh—right. That’s fair."

Haley suddenly felt horrible. It wasn’t that she hated them. She didn’t even think they’d be the worst dance partner. It was just… This wasn’t how she pictured it.

She sighed, shifting uncomfortably. "Look, I just…" She glanced around, making sure no one was listening. "I just don’t think it’d be a good look if we danced together, okay?" The farmer raised a brow. "A ‘good look’?"

"Yes! I mean, have you seen yourself? You probably smell like cows right now." She had a point, the farmer wasn’t exactly dressed for the part, she was wearing her usual farming clothes, except they haven’t been covered in manure this time.

The farmer gave herself a sniff. "...Not wrong.” The farmer sighed. "Guess I’ll have to work on that, then."

"Yeah, you do." Haley crossed her arms. "...But I mean, it’s not like it’s a big deal or anything. Just go ask someone else." The farmer nodded slowly, but her smile was smaller than before. Then, with a small, almost disappointed wave, they turned and walked off.

Haley watched them go, feeling an odd twinge in her chest. She told herself it was fine. She had nothing to feel guilty about. They’d find someone else, and she’d dance with someone proper.

So why did she keep stealing glances at them for the rest of the festival? Why did she feel weird when they were dancing with Leah instead? She danced so clumsily but she looked like she was having so much fun. Haley shook the thought off.

It wasn’t her problem. 

[kaydeedums]

Like in The Movies (Alien Stage)

Ship: Mizi / Sua (Mizisua) Also on: AO3 (https://archiveofourown.org/works/62830468/chapters/160867027) [Chapter 1: It's All Too Much] Mizi wins an award for Best Leading Actress, but there's a lot of things she still needs to address with herself. A good friend of hers offers to hear her out, and maybe even help in more ways than one.

"Congratulations!"

The sound of glasses clinking filled in the room, accompanied by bursts of laughter and cheerful chatter. The entire crew of Alien Stage had gathered to celebrate their triumphant night at Sua’s home, having just won Best Musical Performance for “Blink Gone” and Best Original Score.

“Thank you for everyone’s hard work!” Hyuna says, filling up each of the member’s shot glasses with Soju.

Ivan had won his first-ever award for Best Supporting Actor in the film. Having started his career only two years back, he was greeted with a roar of cheers from the cast and other awardees when his name was announced. In his speech the actor even thanked his castmate Till for his vocal mentoring, proceeding to teasingly blow a flying kiss to him from the stage. The camera pans to Till who was in his seat all flushed, having the clip instantly go viral online.

But the true star of the evening was the rookie actress, Mizi. She was met with endless congratulations for securing the Best Leading Actress award that night. The excitement was buzzing in the air as colleagues and friends toasted to her breakthrough performance, marking the beginning of a promising future for the 22-year-old.

The entiee production team was more than thrilled, after the awards, the cast gathered in Sua’s mansion for an after party, nearly half of the group had downed themselves in beer, pizza, sweets and other dishes prepared, thanks to their generous host for allowing them to raid her pantry. 

The filming was strenuous, for a project that even had the cast throw in their creative direction, they deserved to revel in their success.

A few hours in, unbeknownst to the rest of the cast, their star actress had slipped away from the dinner area. They were too busy singing their hearts out to a karaoke machine, unnecessarily belting out to some K-pop hits that didn’t seem to need the extra run-ons. 

Mizi had mindlessly wandered around her senior’s home in search of the washroom, which she did find to relieve herself, but wasn’t quite ready to return to the rowdy crowd, so she decided to take a breather instead. She sits herself on one of the balcony’s bistro chairs, her eyes glued to the night sky as she does.

She allows her thoughts to drift. Mizi hadn’t quite let today’s events sink in yet, the rookie wondered about what she had done to deserve this award. To think that just a few years ago, she had been an internet celebrity, growing her channel through covers. Now, she’s being professionally trained by one of the best in the industry. 

She reminisces about her experiences, how much learned and improved during production, it was all just so surreal, she would’ve never guessed this was gonna be her breakout role. The support of the cast really played a huge role in her receiving all this, especially Sua. -+-+-+- She was never quite able to shake off that nervous energy every time she stepped into a studio. It was the first day of filming Alien Stage, the script clutched in her hand, fidgeting with her brown hair as she looked around. Mizi was in awe at the fact that this was gonna be her first leading role. 

Mizi watched as the team set up the gigantic green screen and wheeled in the props, the lights and sound were being adjusted and tested, and one by one the make-up artists started rushing into their spaces to begin setting up their work station. 

Everyone else seemed to know what they were doing, running around with equipment and discussing plans with one another. It wasn’t her first time shooting something, she’s been in several commercials and variety shows, not to mention the transition from influencer to lead actress isn’t always taken nicely by the audience, many criticize influencers for taking acting roles away from vocally–trained actors. Even her own fanbase was a little unsure whether she’d give a great performance or not, was she gonna make a fool out of herself? 

The entire time, she was just standing awkwardly by the craft services table, silently spiraling under the weight of where she was now. A sweet voice cuts through her self-consciousness. 

“Jeez, you look like a nervous wreck.”

The rookie flinches, in front of her was a shorter woman, dressed in baggy clothes and a drink in her hand, even with the shades on Mizi could tell who it was. “Holy shit, you’re Sua… Right?”

The shorter woman jests, “I sure hope so, the producer would’ve been pissed at the casting director if I wasn’t.” 

Mizi swallows, mustering up the courage to speak, “I am… such a huge fan, I watch your work religiously, I made a cover of your latest OST on my channel, and it’s such an honor getting to see you work-”

She’s eyed by the actress, trying to figure out what part of the crew she’s in. “You their new PA?”

"Who, me?" Mizi stammered, a nervous laugh escaping her lips. "No, no. I'm... I'm Mizi." She gestured vaguely towards the bustling set. "I'm... the lead?"

Sua's sunglasses slid down her nose a fraction, and she peered at Mizi with a hint of amusement. "You’re the one who became famous for those Red Velvet covers right? Weren’t you on that show with Lee Young Ji? Seriously? Wow. You clean up nice. I almost didn't recognize you without the filters." She took a sip of her drink, her eyes still on Mizi. The newbie was unsure whether she received a compliment or an insult. "You know, for someone about to carry a whole production on their shoulders, you look like you're about to throw up."

Mizi tenses up even more, completely star struck and unsure of what to reply. "Yeah, well... It's a little intimidating. Everyone seems so… professional." Sua chuckled, a warm, genuine sound that contrasted with her earlier teasing. "Listen, 'professional' is just a fancy word for 'pretending we know what we're doing.' Half of them are probably just as nervous as you are, just better at hiding it."

“Besides," she added, her tone softening slightly, "Intimidated is good. It means you care about giving a great performance. Just don't let it paralyze you."

Mizi managed a small smile. "Thanks. I appreciate that." She’s being pep talked by her one of her favorite actresses, not to mention she smells so damn good for someone coming into the studio all unassuming.

Sua straightened up, pushing her sunglasses back into place. "Look, Mizi," she said, her voice more serious now, "I've seen all kinds of actors, from seasoned veterans to fresh-faced rookies, judging by how you’re holding yourself, i’m afraid this industry could eat you alive, we don’t want that now, do we?”

Mizi shakes her head ‘no’.

“You already know how netizens can get with feedback, you’re a micro-celebrity afterall. Advice is, don't try to be someone you're not, trust your instincts, and have fun. Just don’t forget to get serious when needed." She paused, a small smile playing on her lips. 

"I hope you can catch up with me, we're going to be spending a lot of time together. Might as well get used to each other." She extended a hand. "I look forward to working with you." 

Mizi returned the gesture, “Likewise.” -+-+-+- Her reminiscing was startled by the sudden cold touch against her shoulder. 

"Congratulations, Mizi" Her co-star had  gently nudged her with the side of the white wine bottle, giggling as she handed one of the two glasses she held. 

The rookie gladly accepts the drink, "Sunbaenim? Sorry, I wandered off, I’ll head back downstairs." She hurriedly gets up from her chair.

"No, it’s fine, sit back down, it's been a while since we got to talk like this, and you can drop the honorifics while you’re at it,” Sua smiles, “It’s just the two of us after all, mind if I join you?"

"No, ma'am" 

Sua drags the chair from the opposite end, scooting it closer to Mizi’s, so they could hear each other better, of course.

Sua herself started off as a child actress, quickly getting renowned for her incredible vocals. Four years in, she was awarded Best Supporting Actress in a melodrama film. Later down the line, she started to land several leading actress roles in action-packed k-dramas, eventually receiving three more awards. On top of that, she also contributed to the OSTs of the productions she starred in herself.

Despite the bubbly personas she often played, the actress herself has nothing like her characters in real life. She was strict in her work, serious around set, and sarcastic in nature. 

Mizi was stunned after learning she would be working on a project with an iconic actress, but nothing would’ve prepared her for how gorgeous she looked up close. 

Under the soft glow of the stars, the two girls chatted about anything, jumping from one topic to another, their conversation seemed to be endless.

There’s a quiet understanding in their exchanged glances, sipping their drink in between, going over their nostalgia, their expectations, and unspoken feelings. It’s almost as if time had stopped and this night had existed only for them.  

"The director really took the creative liberty to not give our characters any original names." Sua chuckles, as she finishes her glass, Mizi grabs the bottle behind her and pours her friend another glass, "Well, given that neither of us had any last names, they might as well be just us in another universe–Thank some invisible being, we’re in this one." The older woman adds. 

“Vivi’s work process is odd, but I prefer not to question her decisions…” Mizi states nervously, it clicks in Sua why she wanted to be alone, “I guess you’re right, despite the questionable work ethic, she manages to produce amazing results anyway.” The older woman takes a shot in the dark with her question. “Are you here because you’re not sure if you’re worthy of receiving this award?” 

Mizi was surprised at how spot on she was, “It’s a lot to take in…” 

Sua smiles, pouring her castmate a glass and another for her, seems like this is gonna be a long night for the both of them. Not like the people downstairs are gonna be needing their host anyway, as long as they don’t break anything. “Oh please, it’s not like you’re the first actor in history to ever land this huge of an award for their first role, our dear old Ivan won too.” He wasn’t old, in fact, he’s the same age as Mizi, and even started acting a little later. 

“But what if they made a mistake? There were other nominees who are way more talented and have more extensive careers than I do, they should’ve gotten that award.”

The senior chuckles, “And yet, they didn’t.”

“But-”

“Look Mizi, even if you hadn’t won, or if someone else had taken the award, would that change the fact that you worked hard? Would it stop you from wanting to get any better? You’re not gonna quit acting just because you got such a prestigious award on your first try, right?”

She has a point, Mizi thinks. It’s just so hard to shake off the mix of appreciation and guilt, every time she looks at her trophy. 

The senior reaches down into her own brassiere, this display was so jarring it might have snapped Mizi even more awake. Sua pulls out a cigarette stick that was hidden in her dress, she offers one to her co-star. “Want one?”

Mizi shakes her head profusely in response, “I don’t smoke”

”Follow up question, do you want to try smoking? It usually takes off the edge.”

Oh dear, this is like high school all over again. Had Sua been another person, our leading lady would’ve immediately declined.

“No? That’s alright, I thought you were one of those people who’d start lecturing me about how it’s bad for your health. Unless, you’re the type to vape-”

“No! Maybe I could’ve - not, I don’t smoke… anything! But - yeah, no, I’ll pass.” She stammered over her words whether she’d agree, decline, or remind her how bad it is for her as a singer, obviously didn’t have the guts to voice any of these options. 

It was Sua’s turn to be shocked, she could physically see the back and forth of the younger girl’s conscience, she was very expressive, it amused the seasoned actress. Looks like this one doesn’t have much vices, does she?

By this time she’s already lit up her stick using the lighter she had in her pocket, the older woman shrugs, “Worth a try, that’s what I observed, you know what you're into, I kinda love that about you.”

If Mizi were any braver she would have, but thank the stars she was so pathetic, or she would’ve never gotten to hear that last part from Sua. “You observed?” Her question was prying for examples.

“Yeah, remember on our way to the script reading? Hyuna-unnie invited us for ice cream afterwards and when you announced that your flavor of choice was mint ice cream, everyone in the van gagged and booed!” The actress takes another sip of wine, “I’ve never seen you so offended! This was an ice cream flavor for fucks sake, then you proceeded to rant on how great it was - when you got your pint handed to you, you just ate it without any care in the world. In all honesty, I was almost jealous of that ice cream, you were willing to throw hands for it.” 

“Oh come on, mint cream is good, not like I wanted to fight anyone on it.” The anecdote made some of Mizi’s blood rush to her face, she didn’t think Sua would find that comical. “Is there anything else?”

Sua drags out a stream of smoke, the smoke curls lazily from her lips, watching Mizi through half-lidded eyes. “More? Now you’re just feeding your own ego,” she teases. 

“During dress rehearsals for round five, you kept tripping over your own costume during the run-through with Luka, you were so upset with yourself that day – He told you to ask them to alter it, but apparently you didn’t want to bother the crew, so you took extra hours practicing alone to get yourself used to the outfit, I couldn’t help but admire that dedication from you.” She finishes, placing her hand on top of Mizi’s, looking at her in awe.

Sua goes on to talk about how much she loved filming with the crew, how they clicked so easily and amazing it is getting to be genuine friends even outside of production, something that was rare for her in her previous works. 

She calls back to the conversations they had in the dressing room, learning how they both grew up liking the same celebrities and media, hanging out in cafes after shooting, even sharing inside jokes that only they understand. The entire time her co-star was listening attentively, hanging on to her every word. 

Sua exhales, watching the smoke curl into the sky, suddenly the air between them became a little tense. “The one I couldn’t stop thinking about was how you started off so shy but opened up so easily. During the last night of the premiere, we were all told to meet at a bar. You ended up sitting next to me, and I swear, everytime I so much as leaned in to ask you something you’d flinch! I don’t bite, you know!”

Mizi remembers that night vividly. She had already been feeling something strange around Sua in the later days of promotions, though she started to have a bit of an idea what it was. Without realizing it, she had started to put distance between them.

“At first, I thought maybe you were just tired. We had done so many interviews that day after all, that must’ve been the reason. But then you started making excuses to switch seats, you told me you ‘needed to go to the restroom’. Then suddenly, you ‘had to help Ivan with his drink’ Whatever the hell that meant. Honestly? It made me a little sad. I thought we had something good going on.” She rolls the stick between her fingers, before flicking it to the floor and putting it out with her shoe.

Mizi grips the stem of her glass, the guilt building up in her. “It wasn’t like that. I just… I needed some space after everything.” It wasn’t entirely a lie, apart from the fact she wasn’t used to the spotlight, everything else was so new to the former influencer.

"Is that why you've been avoiding me?"

The rookie looks at her wide-eyed, this makes Sua laugh. "Relax, I'm not upset or anything, but I do want an answer at least.” Mizi stammered on her words, it’s true, she was avoiding her, not because she came to dislike her, it was far from that. She wasn’t sure if the growing feelings she had were right, but she so desperately wanted to be around her too. It’s all so confusing.

The rumors and articles circulating in public didn’t help either, despite the dozen of public appearances they’ve had together, promotional material, interviews, and who could forget that chemistry they had on screen. It’d be shocking to learn that Mizi was doing everything she could flee the scene once her job with Sua was over.  -+-+-+- “Is it true you weren’t wearing a wig in the film?”

“Funny story, after our script reading the make-up artist comes up to me and goes ‘Sweetie, do you happen to like reading books?’ and I ask why, and then she sits me down on the chair, and starts to bring out tin foil.” 

Mizi proceeds to talk about the bleaching process and how excrutiating it was to sit in the chair for so long meanwhile Sua is laughing at the dramatic story-telling of her co-star, like it was the most hilarious thing she’s heard.

“Tell us about how you both prepared for the opening scene.” The host continued.

“That was actually our first time meeting our child counterparts, I remember after the shoot, we had a photo with the two of them, and when we checked out the photo Ivan started laughing, telling us ‘You guys look like a family of four’, I genuinely thought it was so cute.” Mizi imitated Ivan’s speech, throwing in mocking gestures.

The host switches his attention to the other actress, pressing for her to add on. “I think we just have great chemistry and teamwork, if we were to star in a romantic film, we’d kill it as a couple, honestly”

Mizi smiles, bumping shoulder with the other woman “I totally agree.”

The host awkwardly fakes his laugh, suddenly noticing the body language between the two actresses. “Moving on to the next question, Sua had a promotional shoot where she wore a wedding dress? Tell us more about it.”  -+-+-+- “I’d like to think that you had a good reason, I genuinely thought we were enjoying ourselves”

“It’s just that…” She trails off, was she really just gonna blurt this out to her? The woman she’s admired for so long? Her closest co-star? For someone who just got her big break in acting, she sure as hell isn’t good at hiding her feelings.

“During promotions, I believe I started to develop feelings for you – and before you say anything, I know it’s unprofessional for an actress to fall in love with their co-star, it’s just acting after all!" Her embarassment was becoming more noticable

"I've idolized you for so long that I think it manifested in this weird way? I understand if you find it weird, I’m weirded out about it myself! – Not that I find being attracted to you a bad thing, you’re absolutely ethereal, I meant that it wouldn’t be so great for the both of us to have all this awkward air around.”

“Mizi, I've been trying to flirt with you for months.” Sua interjects, dumbfounded.

A second of silence passes, “What the hell, don’t tell me you didn’t pick up on any of that!?” The older woman raises her voice, standing up from her seat. This makes Mizi panic, her face getting red, and this isn’t just from the alcohol. “No, I-”

Sua sits back down, frustrated from the realization she may have fallen for an idiot. “For someone so skilled, I couldn’t imagine you’d be so oblivious to these things.” All that time spent daydreaming of different scenarios how their first kiss would go, she imagined it’d be romantic just like the movies, but sadly that expectation went down the drain.

If it were possible, a buffering icon seemed to appear on top of the younger actresses’ head, “Wait, I'm sorry, you’ve been hitting on me?”

“I’ve been doing it since earlier! What kind of friend initiates this much skinship?” Mizi tries to shush her friend, afraid she’d be heard by either their other co-stars or said co-star’s neighbors. 

“This means you like me?” She mutters, not exactly asking Sua directly, but to herself in disbelief, something snaps inside the homeowner. 

Without missing a beat, Sua cups Mizi’s face and pulls it towards her own, smashing their lips together a little aggressively. The younger woman pulls away in surprise, from the action and the taste of Nicotine. So much for romance. 

“Mizi. Please stop asking me these dumb fucking questions.”

“Yes ma’am.” The actress gulps.

“...Can I ask one last stupid question?”

“...Fine”

“How long have you known?”

Sua leans back on her seat, racking through her head for an answer. “It started off as a crush I think… During the shoot of ‘My Clematis'.”

She continues, “Something about the way you smiled at me, made me feel so giddy, I was like ‘Fuck, I’d love to wake up to that every morning’.” That was the moment Sua realized that her thoughts about her co-star had surpassed 'being besties'.

Sua's head sinks down, resting on her co-star’s shoulder. “I hadn’t had this much fun in years with someone.”

The cotton-candy haired girl stiffens up, not wanting to make her friend move from her position. What does this make us then? How do we go from here? What would the public think? 

“What are we?” Is what she manages to say.

“We don’t need to announce it. Sure, maybe only to a handful of people, if somehow we get found out, we’ll deal with it together.” Sua suggests, burying her nose on the side of Mizi’s neck, taking in her scent.

“Does that mean we’re girlfriends now?” Mizi asks, a little too hopeful. Her co-star laughs to herself, “I wouldn’t jump too quickly on that, maybe we’ll go on a few dates first, then see if it’s a good call.”

“Right, right, baby steps, nothing too big…” Mizi trails off, the older woman notices her tone, lifting her head to meet her partner’s eyes. 

The rookie sheepishly asks, “Are you gonna ask me out or…” 

Sua rolls her eyes in amusement, it’s as if she reverted back to being the cheeky girl she loved spending time with. “Mizi, would you like to go on a date with me?”

Mizi clasps her new date’s hands theatrically. “ABSOLUTELY.” This time, she shushes the younger girl, gesturing to the neighbors’ houses.

“Yes, I’d love that,” Mizi repeated, this time, in a whisper. Sua places another kiss on her partner’s lips, it was chaste but much more tender than their first one. “We should really head back downstairs, it’s oddly quiet, I think most of them have already passed out somewhere.” 

Mizi chuckles, "Probably. Knowing them, they've probably raided everything in your kitchen.” She pulls Sua to her feet, to which the other actress wobbles doing so.

“You okay?” The younger girl asks, Sua grabs Mizi’s shoulders trying to catch herself, maybe she had a little too much to drink.

They tiptoe back downstairs, hand in hand, and to no one’s surprise, their prediction proves accurate. A tapestry of bodies sprawls across the couches and floor of the living room, illuminated by the light of the television, which displayed a low score for the song Heart Attack by Chuu, done by an unknown singer. (It was Ivan).

Empty chip bags and discarded fried chicken boxes litter the dinner table. Hyuna has somehow managed to drape themselves over the arm of the sofa, their feet dangling precariously close to a half-eaten bowl of ramen.

Mizi stifles a laugh. "They look like they've been through a battlefield, if you angle it just right, this could be a poster for the second film.” 

Sua grimaces at the sight. "I don’t wanna think about the clean up I'd have to do tomorrow, let’s retreat to my room instead.”

They navigate through the obstacle course of zombies, towards the kitchen, where they find a surprising sight: a single, untouched slice of strawberry cake sits on the counter. 

"Fuck yes!" Mizi whispers, her eyes sparkling. Sua raises an eyebrow. "You’re seriously still able to eat after everything we consumed?”

Her question was purposely ignored, Mizi happily makes her way back through the sleeping bodies with a slice of cake and fork in hand. 

Going back upstairs to Sua’s room, which was next to the balcony and washroom. Both girls sit on the homeowner’s bed, making fun of the crime scene they just witnessed. Mizi is in charge of cutting the cake into bits, feeding herself and her co-star alternatively, Sua’s arm draped protectively over Mizi. 

“So the whole outfit was Till’s idea?” 

“Yeah, I went ahead and told him that he looked ridiculous, he looked like a walking rice cake in his all white suit. It was funnier seeing him walk on that red carpet, a large tteokbbokki on top a path of gojuchang.” Mizi mentions her interaction with their male co-star, a nickname the rest of the cast picked up on that night. She consumes the last piece of the sponge cake, feeding the strawberry slice to her future girlfriend.

Their eyelids grow heavy, the sugar, mixed with the warmth of each other’s bodies, and the alcohol in their system of course, was lulling them to sleep.

Mizi places their finished meal on the nightstand next to them, the digital clock displaying that it was already three in the morning, she adjusts herself into a more comfortable position. 

Mizi whispers, pulling the sheets over the both of them, "All this feels like a movie," Sua smiles, her eyes already closed. "And we’re only getting to the best part.” 

What a great way to end the night for everyone, this was the last thing Mizi thinks to herself before drifting to sleep.