My Deer Girlfriend

14

As the first light of dawn filtered through the grimy windows of the loft, painting the sparse room in hues of gold and amber, Yuqi stirred from her deep slumber. She wakes up to find Soyeon's side of the bed cold and empty sent a pang of loneliness through her, an ache for the closeness they'd shared.

Pushing the blankets aside, Yuqi made her way to the living room, her movements slow, almost reluctant, as if the simple act of leaving the bed could widen the distance between her and Soyeon. The loft, with its makeshift furnishings and the walls bearing the scars of time, had become something resembling a home to them, a sanctuary against the chaos of the outside world. Yet, in moments like these, its vast emptiness seemed all the more palpable.

The scene that greeted her in the living room was a stark contrast to the quiet introspection of her morning. Miyeon, with a patience Yuqi admired, was sitting across from Minnie, holding what appeared to be a makeshift dictionary they'd cobbled together from scavenged books and notes. Minnie, her serpent's body coiled neatly beneath her, watched Miyeon with an intensity that spoke of her eagerness to learn, to understand more of the world she was now a part of.

Yuqi's entrance went almost unnoticed, her presence momentarily eclipsed by the concentration between teacher and student. It was only when she spoke, her voice tinged with a hopeful note, that the room's focus shifted. "Have you seen Soyeon?" she asked, her ears betraying her emotions as they drooped down, a clear sign of her longing.

Miyeon, looking up from the lesson, offered Yuqi a gentle smile, though it did little to mask the concern in her eyes. "Oh, she went out to buy some groceries with Soojin," she replied, her tone casual yet observant, fully aware of the undercurrent of emotion that Yuqi's question carried.

Her ears, once drooping in disappointment, now twitched occasionally, as if they could somehow catch the sound of Soyeon's return. It was a small gesture, but it spoke volumes of her feelings, the silent yearning for someone who had, in a relatively short time, become an anchor in the stormy sea of Yuqi's existence.

Yuqi felt the gentle nudge against her legs, pulling her back from her distant thoughts to the warm, comforting eyes of Shuhua. The wolf hybrid's gaze held a depth of understanding that belied her usual childlike demeanor.

"Yuqi sad?" Shuhua's voice, innocent yet tinged with concern, broke the silence. Her speech, simple and direct, always had a way of cutting through the complexities of the heart.

Yuqi smiled softly, kneeling down to be at eye level with her. "A little, Shuhua. I miss Soyeon."

Shuhua tilted her head, her ears twitching in a way that conveyed her attempt to understand. "Soyeon come back soon. We wait together, yes?"

Yuqi's heart warmed at the gesture. "Yes, we wait together. Thank you, Shuhua."

As Yuqi resumed petting Shuhua, the wolf hybrid nestled closer, her head finding a comfortable spot on Yuqi's lap. "Yuqi not alone. Shuhua here. All here," she said, her words simple but filled with the kind of profound truth that only a pure heart could offer.

"I know, Shuhua. It's just... hard sometimes. But you're right. We have each other."

Shuhua looked up, her eyes bright. "We family," she declared, a proud smile spreading across her face.

"That's right, we're a family," Yuqi echoed, the weight in her chest lifting slightly at the declaration. The term had always felt abstract to her, a concept more idealized than realized, until now.

"Family stick together. Family strong," Shuhua continued, her voice steady and sure.

Yuqi laughed, the sound bubbling up from a place of genuine affection. "Yes, we're strong because we're together."