girl next door • sulli au

choi jinri.

You closed your car door and admired your new house you bought less than a week ago, it was a bit tattered and run down but it was nothing you couldn't handle.

Bringing in one last box, you exhaled sharply and clasped your hands together in eagerness, you were excited to start unpacking into your new home.

   This was all new to you, moving out of your college dorm was a big change.

Although you had many memories that you made with friends in college, time had required your pain.

   You weren't unfamiliar with moving, it was the exhaustion you despised. Deeply.

You feared that you wouldn't be able to make friends as quick as you did then, afraid that you were too dissociated with the world to make conversation, let alone keep one.

Struggling and grunts could be heard throughout your new house. You couldn't move a tall cabinet to the corner you wanted to, you needed assistance.

A knock was heard and you looked towards the doorway, it was your neighbor. You smiled and welcomed her in, "Hi." She greeted. "Hi there."

   "Need any help with anything? I would love to get to know you." The woman asked, her eyes peering at the boxes that covered every inch of your floor.

   "Yeah, sure, why not?" You accepted and cut open another box, unloading framed family pictures and small souvenirs.

   "I'm y/n, nice to meet you, I appreciate you giving a helping hand." You continued.

   "I'm Jinri, but my friends call me Sulli, whichever is preferable for you." She replied.

"Where is your motherland y/n?" The woman asked, looking at the cutesy pictures. "The U.S." She hummed.

   "What about you?" You turned toward her. She turned her head your way, taken aback. "Me? I've lived in Korea my whole life. I moved into this neighborhood last month."

A brief moment of silence soon turned into an awkward atmosphere. Your thoughts raced through your head, wondering what to say.

"Do you have an occupation?" You set down your old polaroid camera, suddenly feeling nostalgic. "Not yet, I'm fresh out of college, how about you?" You responded.

Looking in her direction, she seemed a little hesitant to reply, figuring she had trust issues. "I'm sorry for–"

"I'm currently grieving, so unfortunately; I don't. Not yet." She cut you off, shooting a smile your way. You averted your gaze back to the film left in the small box.

You grabbed it and inserted it into the camera, a flash seen in the corner of Sulli's eye, making her flutter around.

"What was that?" You showed her the forgotten camera. "My polaroid camera my mom got me when I was thirteen. I completely forgot about this thing!" You exclaimed in happiness.

   This camera was a treasure, it went way back.

Sulli noticed the gleam in your eyes when you rambled on about your family, "Your parents sound lovely, y/n." She smiled, making you flush in embarrassment.

"Why don't you come over and we can have dinner? My welcoming gift to you." She asked. You nodded in acceptance, the both of you setting down the last of your belongings onto their rightful places.

Following closely behind her, you noticed her house was bright and vibrant. The colors reminded you of the cool autumn, eye-catching. It definitely stood out compared to the other houses on the street.