it’s sunday. the sun leaked through the windows and greeted a sluggish wheein on the couch. it’s too bright, red shining beneath closed eyelids. morning sun was too harsh. wheein groaned and covered her eyes but alas, god said let there be light. the thought of blasting the sun with water made wheein recall which way the fire department was. all attempts to keep the darkness in went to nothing.

 

or maybe it worked since it's all dark again.

 

but along with the absence of sunday sunlight was loud rattling of curtains and little taps on the wooden floor. it's yongsun. “coffee or tea?” yongsun’s greet was as gentle as the touch on wheein’s shoulder, as should the sun should've been. yongsun lookedjust as unawake through the gaps of wheein's arms squished together. "coffee?" was wheein's croak.

 

“get up in five minutes,” it was assertive but so gentle. wheein muttered thanks and soon pushed her zombie state off the couch. five minutes in the toilet consisted of washing up and trying to be presentable and awake. her hair refused to cooperate though, as it always had. sizzles and metal clanking resonated from the kitchen. was it egg or bacon making those wonderful morning sounds?

 

yongsun, again with just a shirt, worked in the kitchen. this view from the table was no joke, huh?

 

yongsun…

 

“no work today?” wheein sipped her coffee when yongsun glanced at her, eyes anywhere but on the older woman. yongsun’s hair was tied up in a bun and whenever she spoke, the fluff of her cheeks moved along. adorable.

 

“no,” yongsun settled a plate of eggs on the table, the two yolks wiggling at the harsh handling. the sizzling didn’t stop though. so it was bacon. besides sipping coffee, chewing bread and slicing eggs with a fork, nothing made a sound.

 

no words exchanged.

 

then yongsun’s phone rang. it might've rang for the next two hours or whatever but that annoying ringtone almost ruined wheein’s serene sunday morning. “won’t you answer that? it’s been ringing since forever,” wheein's unapologetic frustration had yongsun chuckling. "be right back." yongsun came back just as quick she came back.

 

“hey,” while wheein brought some of the good runny yolks to , yongsun settled on the chair across. “do you remember where we had our first date?” the egg's good. it's so good, isn't it? let's stare at it for a while, poke the yolk to avoid the question. totally the way to go!

 

“yes.” despite wheein's low answer, the sparkle in yongsun’s eyes converted the woman into an animated character..

 

wheein almost choked on the eggs and smiled.

 

“really? let’s visit that place again,” yongsun grabbed the bacon from the kitchen and brought it to the table. she just finished cooking while wheein was almost done with her coffee. yongsun didn't seem to mind.

 

what’s there to lose if she visits again? “okay. i’ll shower before leaving,”

 

“okay,” yongsun smiled the word out, finally starting her meal.

 

wheein stayed at the table and took her time with her coffee.

 

---

 

“hey, i know this is so random for a first date and i know you’ve waited for a bit but uh…” yongsun stuttered, the constant fiddling of fingers making wheein arch her brows.

 

“can we pass by this cat cafe?” wheein almost sprayed her date with latte. “before going home, i mean.”

 

“no, it’s fine.” home? home, huh? wheein's smirk might've been too much for a first date. yongsun groaned and laughed, hands quick to dismiss whatever thought wheein had. “i mean, you can say no. i can just call someone to do it instead—”

 

“it’s fine, yongsun unnie. i don’t mind. just finish your meal then we’ll go, okay?” yongsun yelped an okay before flashing an apologetic grin. “my sister’s there with her cat and she needs a ride so,”

 

“oho, i’m meeting the family on the first date.” yongsun's fluff of cheeks quickly colored red, her eyes bulging out too comically. and if that wasn't funny enough, she choked a bit too. yongsun pounded her chest too animalistically.

 

“i didn’t mean to—”

“even meeting the family’s cat, i see.”

“no, listen. i jus—”

 

yongsun tried sipping wine to calm herself, and swallow whatever she was chewing, but it didn't help. she coughed again. wheein laughed too loud for the restaurant's ambiance.

 

“come on. let’s check this cat cafe. we can even have coffee after,”

 

someone help wheein.

 

people might mistake wheein for a statue by the entrance if maybe she just concentrated. lips formed a thin line while her back pressed against the door. a cat cafe. cute little paws—they looked like cat paws—were on both ends of the sign. the words ‘cat house’ handwritten with ‘coffee & sweets’ under.

 

the crowd wasn't bad. most had coffee on the table, laps occupied with felines. some cats were on tables too, sprawled like some toy and people didn't seem to care. what the f—

 

help.

 

wheein swallowed, rooted on the ground despite yongsun’s calls. “wheein! come on!” the fingers around her forearm eased the jumpy nerves.

 

“okay but… uhm, do they have something for like–” yongsun stared at wheein who looked like a puppy being dragged, tail tucked between legs and whining.

 

“what?”

“like people scared…?” wheein meeped.

“what?” yongsun repeated, struggling to hear the younger.

“scared…” wheein repeated, eyes at her toes when yongsun finally stopped pulling.

“you’re scared of cats?”

 

if there was a chance, albeit impossible, wheein would have planted herself on the ground. melting into a puddle was a great alternative.

 

“you’re scared of cats?” yongsun repeated with a smile, gentle fingers slowly inching into wheein's palm. unlike yongsun's teasing tone, her touch was assuring. despite the constant loop of yongsun's sentence, wheein managed to let out a chuckle.

 

“cats?”

 

wheein was ready to go, to sprint and escape from utter embarrassment. maybe crouch in the tub, forehead against her knees with a touch of sad piano notes in the background.

 

scared of a cat? pathetic.

 

“hey,” warm fingers soon filled the gaps of wheein's hand. “i’ll be with you, okay? we won’t have to stay long. just grab my sister– literally– then go,”

 

wheein breathed, “okay,”

 

“you don’t have to worry much about it, okay?”

“okay,”

 

with the small smile yongsun flashed, wheein let out a long exhale. on the way inside, which was about five to six seconds, wheein started recalling a happy memory, any happy memory, to ease the thought of breaking down.

 

inside wasn’t as hellish as wheein thought.. “just stay close to me,” quickly, wheein pressed her smaller frame against yongsun. following the older the whole time, occasionally enjoying their lack of proximity, wheein kept her face pressed against yongsun's back. there were cats on the shelves, some on the ground, some staring like direct spawns of satan.

 

one was on the counter when it seemed like they arrived at their supposed spot. “yongsun!” called a cheerful high pitched voice across. the woman's face was quick to disappear in yongsun's embrace, wheein stepping back. she wanted to stay near yongsun, keep her face pressed on her back, but integrity told her to rethink.

 

“come on, let’s go.” yongsun said.

“but coffee. we always have coffee before going,”

“we can’t.”

“why not?”

 

wheein was quick to look away. her cheeks turned red when she felt yongsun's thumb brush against hers.

 

soon, wheein would wish she never peeled herself off yongsun.

 

it all happened too fast. there was something rubbing against wheein's ankle. it started from a small meow which later turned into a threatening hiss. “wheein–” she stayed rooted on the spot, shoulders rigid and eyes wide open.

 

“wheein-ah, let’s go.”

“who is she?” yongsun's company asked.

“wheein?”

 

“c-cat,” wheein croaked. the cat, not as threatening anymore, started rubbing its side against her calf. good lord.

 

the kitty was tiny and orange and had a face of determination. "why me…" wheein pulled her foot away only to have the small thing follow. standing behind yongsun did nothing as the small critter went on and bumped its head against wheein's pants. "yongsun," was wheein's pleading cry for help.

 

sadly to wheein's dismay, yongsun didn't see any threat.

 

"hi there," yongsun crouched, trying to get the kitten's attention. it meowed but hid behind wheein's leg, seemingly finding comfort on the scared woman. while yongsun went on and called the kitten, wheein started calming down.

 

the orange critter had huge round pupils staring back, ears folded against its head. "hello," wheein's greeting was drowned from yongsun's constant baby calling yet the feline meowed back, hearing wheein, again bumping its little head against her calf.

 

then things went back to zero and the little thing started climbing up wheein's legs like some insect.

 

the rest was history.

 

---

 

"i wanted to help you!" yongsun's energy flowed like the day's wind; strong and unstoppable. wheein bit her lip to hide the smile appearing whenever yongsun defended herself. her years ago self too. "everyone did," the recollection had wheein shaking her head. what an embarrassment.

 

"remember the night after that?"

 

wheein didn't answer but as soon as the memory came back, the car was silent and yongsun stopped talking.

 

the cafe didn't age, identical to wheein's first visit.

 

this was her second throughout her lifetime.

 

"you came back here after that?"

"after what?"

 

why wheein struggled to continue was a question even the gods couldn't answer. they broke up yet they're walking in a cat cafe like nothing happened. "after our first date?"

 

"no. this will be my first time after so many years. might be my last too,"

 

yongsun's tight lipped smile pulled wheein's heart like a short anchor only going down, dragging the boat beneath ground surface. wheein had no chance to respond seeing yongsun quickly beeline to a vacant table. a cat was quick to greet the older.

 

"wheein! remember him?"

 

yongsun smiled yet there were traces of sorrow. the corner of yongsun's eyes gave it away, shimmering and glinting with fear and longing… and… everything blue...

 

wheein heard yongsun.

 

"yeah,"

 

wheein lied but when the kitten approached and stared, she recalled. "you're the little ," the kitten meowed back, rubbing its head on wheein's angled knee. the cat's clinking tag spelled its name.

 

"hi kkomo."

 

kkomo purred and helped itself beside wheein. meanwhile, yongsun stared at the menu with utmost seriousness. "you taking an exam?" wheein joked, fingers scratching the spot behind kkomo's ears.

 

yongsun dismissed wheein, ordered, then stared.

 

wheein's face has never burned up like this since—"why are you staring?" kkomo, curious, was quick to glance at yongsun, the tip of his tail wrapping wheein's wrist. "you almost threw him out the window. and he was so tiny,"

 

"yeah," wheein's little laugh earned kkomo's attention, eyes just as round as before.

 

the sight of yongsun scooting closer hit the gong in wheein's chest, her heart pounding a lot faster and harder than usual. yongsun's too close. she smelled like their blanket, and her cucumber bath soap. yongsun radiated of home.

 

kkomo greeted yongsun and when wheein glanced down, yongsun stared back.

 

noses brushed against each other, hot breath heaved on skin, and wheein wondered if youngsun heard her heart being pounded like a gong for the second time. her pupils were dark and concealed, like looking inside a window with no light. yet the color on yongsun's cheeks suggested there's life. yongsun's eyes darted down at wheein's lips and the air has never felt denser. wheein swore yongsun's head tilted sideways until kkomo kneaded on wheein's thigh, earning a loud laugh and unintentional shove.

 

the cat left and all that's left was a red wheein and smiling yongsun.

 

her eyes had color when wheein checked again.

 

---

 

the sound of keys dropping on the counter was loud despite yongsun throwing her shoes aside with no care. she must've been exhausted. instinctively, wheein reached for yongsun's coat, tugging it off the older woman. yongsun pulled her shoulders back and let wheein free her from the thick fabric.

 

wheein's cheeks reddened at the realization, at the very second she hung the coat.

 

"kkomo isn't so sweet after all, huh?" yongsun said, obviously cheerful from the trip. the taller woman quickly disappeared while wheein toed her shoes off, fixing them at the side beside yongsun's.

 

back at the couch, wheein was unable to keep a sigh in. boy, that was a day. head thrown back, wheein closed her eyes for a second until a weight pressed on her shoulder. yongsun leaned and turned the television on, arms brushing against wheein's side.

 

wheein missed yongsun.

 

missed the lax days, no arguments but just listening.

 

not ten minutes had passed when yongsun's head bobbed down; she's asleep. wheein never had the physical advantage of an active person. two flights of stairs were enough to make wheein swear of never using them again. morning jogs weren't her thing either.

 

wheein lifted yongsun with a groan and so much struggle and pain and lord, her right arm was cramping, but she didn't put yongsun down.

 

as gently, yet shaking and very unstable, as wheein could, she lowered the sleeping woman down. all the ruckus and twisting had curtained yongsun's face with her hair. poor girl.

 

as wheein's finger brushed against yongsun's skin, a gentle gush of happiness bloomed inside. the room's not so dark anymore.

 

should she lie beside yongsun?

 

for a while, crouched across yongsun's sleeping peace, wheein started feeling tears build up. yongsun's so peaceful, so quiet… so safe.

 

wheein was about to retreat to the couch when fingers wrapped on her forearm. keeping her head down, wheein waited for what could yongsun want. "sleep with me tonight?"

 

sensing yongsun's growing impatience from the silence, wheein tried pulling her arm free.

 

then yongsun's arms s around wheein's waist, her face pressed against her shoulder. "i can wait if you don't feel like it tonight. good night,"

 

yongsun kissed wheein's cheek. surely, yongsun felt the wet skin but the older went back to bed.

 

wheein didn't sleep that night. not on the couch at least. instead, she leaned against the wall just by the room's door frame, listening to yongsun's snores.

 

 

 

 

 

a/n: finally an update after 2 years....... thank you for keeping reading :< i really appreciate it. feedback is greatly appreciated too! have a great day moos