I step off the bus covering my eyes from the sudden light hitting my face, I smile feeling the warmth, it’s not usual these days to have a bit of sunlight like this, I keep on smiling at this thought ignoring the gray clouds forming in the horizon.

 

The street looks familiar yet completely new at the same time, I notice this looking around, I’m used to passing by car while the scenery is moving fast past us giving no chance to really take everything in, today though, I’m going by foot for the first time looking for the Kang household.

 

I spot the neighborhood in no time after some minutes walking around, hard to miss the lines of pretty houses and their very bright green gardens, Seulgi’s home is almost at the end of the street, considerably far away from the bus stop.

 

I smile at this fact.

 

Before coming here I had a fight with Wendy because I didn’t want to let her give me a ride to her best friend’s place.

 

It wasn’t really a big deal, Wendy was only insisting I accepted her offer, but I knew her and Joy have a date planned for today, Seulgi had done it for them, they were going to have a rare afternoon together using the excuse of visiting the girl in recovery to her parents, so I declined every time she insisted knowing it was only going cut their time a bit shorter than it already was.

 

Then, the unfortunate Wendy had to comment on my insistence of taking the public transportation, using the tone of someone sheltered, naive, who has a very comfortable life, which prompted Joy to crook an eyebrow up, cross her arms and give the girl a very threatening look.

 

“Is there anything wrong with taking the public transportation? I do it all the time too, you know?” she had said reducing Wendy into a pile of apologetic whines.

 

And so I walked away from the berated puppy and her girlfriend towards my ride but not before hearing Wendy shout at me from the distance “Seulgi is not going to like this” revealing the real reason for her insistence on going with her instead.

 

I scoff at the memory as I pass the rows of perfectly cut green grass.

 

Wendy really believes my girlfriend has the same intimidating effect on me that she has on everyone else, herself included. It's funny, if she only knew all the cool and intimidating Seulgi can do is sulk and whine because i didn't follow her plan, she's way more cute than people give her credit for.

 

It takes me longer than I want to admit to reach the Kang's household, the road looked so much shorter by car, I even sigh in relief once I'm standing in front of the door while fixing my appearance.

 

Unconsciously I clear my throat before ringing the doorbell. My brain, on the other hand, goes into overload mode without me being able to stop it.

 

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Kang,

 

I'm sorry to bother,

 

how are you?”

 

I repeat while waiting for the door to open clutching the bag I'm holding in my hands.

 

“I'm glad, how's Seulgi?

 

She isn't giving you too much work, right?

 

I brought some things."

 

Despite the fact I know ringing the bell means someone is going to open the door, it's how it works, when it happens it still takes me by surprise making my whole body jump.

 

"Irene, good to see you" Mrs Kang greets me motioning me to go inside the house "How's school?"

 

"Um, it was ok" I reply awkwardly forgetting all the fake confidence I was rehearsing only seconds before.

 

"Seulgi has been bored all day" she informs leading me deeper inside. "I was wondering when you were going to show up and help me tame her" she sighs "maybe she'll listen to you" I smile listening to the woman complain.

 

"She was texting me all morning about how bored she was" I sigh in disapproval remembering the hard time I had focusing in the chemistry lab with Seulgi sending cute selfies every five seconds asking me to get here soon. "She told me her belly was hurting?"

 

"Ah yes, the doctor said to give her soft foods until she can go to the bathroom more regularly, she’s having a hard time, but she doesn't want to have what I got for her" she says also sighing. "Maybe if you ask her she'll eat?"

 

"I'll try" I smile kindly at her.

 

"It's in the kitchen" she urges me to follow her with a fast pace "over there in the counter. Do you mind if I leave you to it? I need to make some calls."

 

"Yeah, don't worry, Mrs. Kang, I'm here to assist" I say in a burst of confidence but quickly look down at the floor seeing the woman chuckling under her breath.

 

"Thank goodness."

 

Seulgi's door is open when I reach the room, which is good with my hands being busy and all, I prepare myself to say hi to the girl but find her asleep on her bed instead.

 

I put everything on the messy desk and take the time to look around the room suppressing a giggle in my throat.

 

Whenever I have came here before, I've joked with Seulgi about the suspicious clean smell and how organized everything is, "I bet you cleaned in panic knowing I was coming here" I have even joked once not picturing the girl who always leaves my room messy being this organized.

 

And today, looking around the place, I have a confirmation of my suspicion.

 

I was right.

 

The desk is covered by papers and empty cans of soda and energy drinks, the trashcan is full with empty candy packages and fast food bags, the chair is covered by shirts and basketball shorts, socks on the floor, some crumpled paper balls behind the door under the mini basketball hoop she has installed.

 

Even her bed where she's sound asleep has some used hoodies at the feet of it, pushed over there by the sleeping girl.

 

All in all, it's everything I was expecting to find the first time she brought me here.

 

Deciding it would be too weird to just sit around watching my girlfriend sleep I take the initiative to help her clean the room while I wait for her to wake up.

 

I put everything in order, the clothes inside the laundry basket leaving the floor, chair and bed clean, the papers on the desk I organize in small piles according to its content, school work, basketball plays and sketches, I even take a peak to her sketchbook and find my drawing long gone.

 

Maybe she didn't like how it was turning out.

 

I even pick up all the trash and take it out avoiding finding Mrs Kang in the process.

 

When I return, satisfied with my work, I find Seulgi rubbing her sleepy eyes looking annoyed as ever.

 

"Hi sleepyhead" I say taking her by surprise "how are you feeling?"

 

"Babe! I thought you weren't going to show up" she stretches her arms towards me asking me to come close. "The cut hurts a bit and it's hard to sleep but the medicine helps, my tummy is hurting too but the doctor said it wasn't something bad" she explains with a pout. "I've been so bored and in pain" she doubles down with a pout looking for my attention, "you just got here?"

 

"No, I've been here for awhile now, watching you sleep, you're very cute you when you're sleeping, did you know that?" I lean to peck her lips and caress her face. "You smell like apples" I notice taking a whiff of her hair, "it's nice."

 

"Yeah, it's my mom's shampoo, she... helped me this morning" she mumbles embarrassed.

 

"How cute."

 

"I can do it by myself, I don't know why she insisted" she continues complaining showing me a pair of blushing cheeks.

 

"You talk like you're not enjoying the attention she's giving you" her blush deepens as she avoids eye contact with me. "I come bearing gifts" I announce taking the big gift bag from the desk.

 

"Oh" her interest is peaked, "what is it?"

 

"Your teammates signed you a get well soon card" I take the big card off the bag and handle it to her. "Wendy picked it, your friend Mr Soo, the janitor also sent you his well wishes" Seulgi grins taking the card off me "other people got you stuff too" I say rummaging through the stuff. "Imagine my surprise when I got to my locker and saw all of this on the floor" I take out a handful of cards from it and give it to the surprised girl, "cards and snacks."

 

"Snacks?" I swear if she was a dog her ears would have picked up with the mention of one of her favorite words, she tries to reach for the bag but I roll away on the chair "gimme my snacks."

 

"No," her brows knit together "your mom told me you can only have soft foods" Seulgi scoffs looking away embarrassed "and that you don't want to eat what she bought you."

 

"Because it looks suspicious" she says crossing her arms and I have to roll my eyes. “I- I have no

problems with… that… I don’t know why she called the doctor” she mumbles.

 

I'm dating a big baby.

 

I lift an eyebrow.

 

"You have to eat" I say rolling closer to the bed with the now cold plate of, very normal looking, veggie cream. "If you do, I'll give you a snack."

 

“Listen...” the girl stares at me with slightly opened thinking on what excuse to tell me but I lift my brow again and she sighs defeated instead. "Fine" Seulgi agrees without putting up a fight and tries to sit on the bed but only manages to move a bit before filling the room with the sound of her pained groans.

 

"Hey, wait, let me help you."

 

"Thank you."

 

I watch the girl eat her cream in silence while I caress her lovingly, I notice her dark circles and tired expression as she gulps down the cream with no trouble until nothing is left.

 

"I thought it was suspicious looking" I joke taking the plate from the girl.

 

"I was in too much pain to eat before, I told mom that instead" Seulgi confesses resting her head against the headboard while sighing contently. "It's better now, maybe because you're here" she grins at me proud of her cheesy words.

 

"Ah, so that was the reason, you should've told your mom."

 

"She gets too worried, she kept coming in here every ten minutes or so asking how I am, if I tell her it hurts it's every five minutes" she explains while looking through her cards. "She's working too, you know…" I smile observing her concentrated expression, that's more like the Seulgi I know and love "but I wasn't wrong, the cream wasn't that good."

 

"I'll cook something for you tomorrow" I offer leaning to kiss her cheek, "how about that?”

 

"I'd like that" she looks up to grin at me. "Um, I don't know these people" she says showing me the cards with a confused face, "how am I supposed to thank them?"

 

"Just post a picture and say you're thankful for the sentiment" Seulgi nods, "just like you posted that pouting picture of yours last night saying you barely escaped death" I squint my eyes at her in a threatening way but quickly regret it after her short lived laughing fit puts her in pain. "I'm sorry" I hurry to say grabbing her hand.

 

"It's ok, it's the most action I have gotten all day" she groans sliding her body on the bed to be lying down again without letting my hand go. "Did Wendy gave you a ride?" she innocently ask me as if I don't know already it's something she imposed on the girl.

 

"No, I didn't want to bother her, so I took the bus here."

 

"What, why?"

 

"They were going on a date, Seulgi, they have limited time together" the girl still furrows her brows not seeing my point.

 

"But…"

 

"It's ok."

 

"I don't like that" I roll my eyes, "it's uncomfortable and it leaves you hours away from here" she reasons squeezing my hand.

 

"Like half an hour at most" I say not giving in even if it's really more like almost an hour... "I'm used to it, seriously, it's not a problem" she pouts and give me those big puppy eyes of hers.

 

"But…" I peck her lips silencing her.

 

"No buts."

 

"Ok, ok" she sighs, "what if you let me pay for a ride here?" she asks with shiny eyes.

 

"Don't be silly" I smile as her pout gets bigger, "you're too overprotective, you know? I used to take the bus all the time before I met you."

 

"Exactly, pre-Kang Seulgi times, things change" she sighs. "Maybe I should just teach you how to drive" my eyes widen.

 

"Wh- what, are you going to let me drive your car?" I joke while laughing at the ridiculousness.

 

"Yeah, why not? I'd teach you well, I'm the best driver around here after all, you wouldn’t get a better teacher" my laughing fit stops hearing her willingness to sharing what, without a doubt, is her most precious possession with me.

 

"You know… all things considered… that's probably the most romantic thing you've ever said to me" Seulgi tries to laugh and fails once again.

 

"I'm sorry" I comfort her but she dismisses me with a smile.

 

"So, once I'm all good, I'll teach you" she states proudly.

 

"No, I'm ok, I'm not interested in learning" I hurry to say with widened eyes. "I...I like more when you drive me around."

 

"You're probably the first high school student ever that doesn't want to learn" she shakes her head noticeably disappointed, I bite my lip feeling a bit guilty for rejecting her, "but alright" she sighs "I like driving you around better too" she smiles sweetly at me " but if you change your mind…"

 

"I'd only let you do it, professor" I assure her making her grin.

 

"Hey" Seulgi smile drops being replaced by a frown as she looks around the room "did… did you clean around?" she tentatively asks scanning the place with her eyes.

 

"I did" I say "you don't mind, right?"

 

"I… I don't know if I should be embarrassed or ask your hand in marriage" Seulgi scratches her cheek smiling bashfully.

 

"Be embarrassed."

 

“Speaking of being embarrassed…” she forces out a laugh making her grin look uncomfortable and stiff “I think I need to go to the bathroom…”

 

“Well, would you look at that, the food actually helped” I comment surprised.

 

“Please, it doesn’t work so fast, it was a coincidence, because like I said, I’m fine” she emphasizes the end raising her voice “…I need help.”

 

“In the bathroom?” I ask tilting my head questioningly “Sure, let’s go” I grab the girl by the waist to help her stand up.

 

“I mean to stand up and get… there, not to… geez, babe” Seulgi exclaims exasperatedly, I take peak at the girl and see her ears going bright red. “I just had my appendix removed, not my leg cut off or I don’t know” she continues ranting.

 

“Alright, I’m sorry” I giggle at the blushing girl. “No need to feel embarrassed” I keep giggling as we walk to the bathroom at Seulgi’s pace.

 

“I’m not embarrassed,” she keeps mumbling looking at the floor “but thank you.”

 

+++

 

 

The next day some members from the basketball team decided to pay Seulgi a visit and show support to their always very loved captain, she insisted on having me there with them but I know she would be more comfortable if being free to act like she always does around them without me there.

 

After all there’s three Seulgi’s, the one she’s around school and friends, the one that’s a daughter and my Seulgi, none of them mesh too well together, not without getting some good teasing from her teammates.

 

We have gone through it before, when they caught us being sweet and talking using our pet names, seeing their mighty captain pout and whine to me begging for kisses before her practices, her cheeks always turn bright red when she joins them, shouting instructions and punishments as if that’s going to spare them from the mocking.

 

She deserves some private moments with her friends.

 

That’s why we try to keep our distance at school when possible, too many eyes around.

 

That, and of course, the primary reason being we don’t want to neglect our friends for a make out session we can have after class.

 

Having that in mind, I show up later than planned to her house, to Seulgi’s horror, using the bus once again to get there, still, it isn’t late enough and I find the team inside her room making a mess and being loud.

 

I awkwardly stand on the doorway not knowing if I should speak up, we haven’t really interacted much before, just here and there during her practices or when they catch me in the school hallways.

 

The smile on Seulgi’s face being there with them is truly something else, though, that puts me a bit at ease.

 

“Uh, oh, the wife’s here” Lisa jokes out loud bringing the team’s attention to me.

 

“Don’t worry, we didn’t give her any drugs or alcohol” Sana says very seriously before bursting in laughing, obviously referencing the stern warning I gave to Wendy about giving Seulgi snacks or junk food and to please not make her too excited and hurt her.

 

I clear my throat embarrassed.

 

Maybe I am being a bit too