Yongsun knew it wasn’t the best idea to let Byul spend time with someone like YooA. It doesn’t help at all the moment she found out about YooA’s not-so-subtle crush for her girlfriend. It shows, god, it is so sickeningly shows. It was so easy to tell with the way she shyly shook Byul’s hand, the small glances she stole a few minutes before Byul introduce herself, and how she tuck a small strand of her hair behind her ear—that’s totally on purpose. And to rub more salt in the wound, Byul just couldn’t control her grease curse by charmingly complimented the junior, saying she’s just as pretty as everybody says.

How dare—? I’m literally standing next to her!

Clearly, it’s the worst idea she ever come up with.

This feels like she just threw her girlfriend into another girl’s arm hoping it would be the best for her girlfriend’s future. But what about herself? Yongsun scoffs. Funny how she suddenly becomes so selfless towards Byul, maybe Byul’s good habits are starting to grow on her too. It’s a good thing, actually. But Yongsun doesn’t quite fond of the possible outcome from this selfless decision.

It was the fifth day since Byul started tutoring YooA.

Everything was all good, she thought. Byul was very open to Yongsun about everything happened between she and YooA. It was as if she knew Yongsun would still be upset when though she said she’s doing this for Byul’s sake. She must know. Well, it wasn’t that hard to tell either, Yongsun wasn’t that good at hiding her jealousy and though Byul find it cute and endearing, she would still prefer Yongsun not look at her and YooA as if she’s going to slit their throats open at any second. So, she kept Yongsun updated with literally everything. Yongsun was almost convinced there is nothing she should worry about. Byul was trustworthy enough.

Yongsun didn’t ask, and she was glad she didn’t have to.

It was kind of domestic at some point.

Byul and her tutor student have settled an agreement on where they should meet to study. According to Byul, YooA was very cooperative and she was very shy at first but after a while, YooA started to loosen up around Byul. Maybe YooA loosen up too much because on the third day, Yongsun heard YooA calling Byul with ‘unnie’ – instead of sunbaenim. Of course, Yongsun threw a quite unreasonable fit because of it, and Byul had to talk it out to her by saying it was just a way so they can relax more around each other. Because Byul is supposed to tutor YooA until she’s trusty enough to nail most academic subjects in this school, that means there’s an indefinite period of time Byul going to have to spend tutoring the dumb-dumb princess.

Weekdays. Right after school. At the library. Two-hours a day.

Byul also told Yongsun that because of this tutoring, she had to cut off one of her part-time jobs but she said not to worry since YooA’s parents have the situation at hand. Byul will also got paid just the same amount she’d get each week, plus bonuses if YooA can nail her exams above the standard score. Byul joked that this is basically another part-time job, only it’s easier and much more less tiring.

Yongsun was happy for her, even if the thought of YooA’s family using their money to solve the problems Byul had sounded a little off. But what can Yongsun do anyway? YooA’s parents must know about Byul’s background, how she lives alone in this city and has been supporting herself since the junior year; even maintaining her good grades in school. Byul’s story was admirable. After a while, Byul told Yongsun how YooA’s parents seem to like her a lot that one time she had to go to YooA’s place because her parents told her they wanted to talk with the tutor. They said they trust YooA in Byul’s hand—Yongsun was a little pissed because it sounded as if Byul came to her house and asked YooA’s parents for her hand in a marriage. And Yongsun hated that thought with her whole soul. Must they really say it like that? Yongsun grunted.

It was the second week and Yongsun is starting to feel the small changes. It was just as she expected from Byul’s new added routine of tutoring the dumb-dumb princess. Yongsun’s relationship with YooA isn’t the best either, Byul noticed this. She thought Yongsun was acting a little too hostile towards the poor junior. Byul said Yongsun scared YooA with how cold she was. Said YooA noticed the way Yongsun treated her, in which Yongsun retorted with ‘at least she’s not too dumb to notice’ – Byul wasn’t happy when she heard that. Byul continued telling Yongsun about how YooA wondered what she did wrong that Yongsun acted differently towards her, she said Yongsun was being a little too unreasonable because they both know Yongsun was just feeling insecure and jealous. Petty. But instead of admitting defeat and guilt, Yongsun let her anger win.

They had a little fight that day.

One that she knew she’d lose but refused to back down because she was too pissed with her girlfriend. Too petty. Eventually, it ended like how it always has been. Byul be the bigger person and apologizes to Yongsun. She knew the reason for Yongsun to be this way was because Byul doesn’t have as much time to spend with her as before. Yongsun cursed mentally because she got upset over the smallest thing. She thought Byul should’ve yelled at her for acting childish, not hugging her close or giving her sweet kisses while muttering words of apology. Byul promised Yongsun that she will make time for her. And she may not tell Yongsun, but Yongsun knew Byul gave up one more part-time job for Yongsun. She doesn’t know exactly what to feel about it so she ends up appreciating Byul’s decision—somewhere deep down tells her that she should have confronted Byul about choosing her priority carefully.

But even without asking, Byul have already admitted to Yongsun that she is her priority.

“You really shouldn’t prioritize me so much, Byul-ah…” She told Byul upon hearing Byul’s confession.

But Byul always have something else to say that makes Yongsun always stop her argument.

“You’re my happiness. If you’re happy, I’m happy. That’s how it works.”

And Yongsun was too happy to complain further.

By the third week, Yongsun is starting to get used to Byul’s routine. Byul kept her promise of balancing her time with YooA and with Yongsun. She told Yongsun that she doesn’t want to push Yongsun to act nicer with YooA, so she suggested for her to avoid seeing YooA in the school ground. She said she will talk to YooA about it as well. To say the least, the third week feels way better than the past two.

Either that or the fact that Yongsun had been a little busy too lately. After their little fight the other week, Yongsun received a text from Eric. It was a friendly text, just asking how Yongsun have been doing and he asked why he hasn’t heard much from Yongsun these days. Honestly, the whole YooA thing going on have been distracting Yongsun a lot that she forgot there’s a guy named Eric she needed to keep in check as well since as hard as Yongsun would like to admit, she’s dating him as well.

She texted him back saying the student council work had been keeping her distracted and Eric offered to go out, using the excuse so Yongsun can relax more because Yongsun made it sound as if these past few weeks had been hard—well, it was but not because of the student council indeed. Eric doesn’t need to know that. Yongsun agreed to go with him. She informed Byul through a phone call, she can hear how Byul’s tone changed quite drastically from the moment she greeted her to how she responded a little tiredly when Yongsun break the news. Of course, Byul still doesn’t like the idea but she agreed to proceed with it anyway. She holds the call longer just to convince Byul that nothing funny is going to happen between her and Eric. Even if there is, it is going to be totally platonic on Yongsun’s part.

“Don’t say such thing. Don’t let him touch you too much. Better yet don’t let him touch you at all. You’re mine.”

Yongsun hummed, smiled at the way Byul turned a little possessive over her. “I’m yours.” She repeated softly. “You’ve marked me the other day. Maybe I should show it to him, to warn him that I’m taken first by you.” Yongsun joked, laughs a little at her own words when Byul grunted. “I don’t like him. We’re probably just going to watch a movie and then go back home.”

“Mm,” She knew by that tone, Byul wasn’t pleased. “Don’t come home too late.”

“Yes, mom. I know my curfew.”

“Are you going to stop by my place today?”

“Um, maybe not. Having you alone in a closed space will definitely hold me back for hours. I might as well cancel the whole plan with him.” That earned a good laugh from the other line, Yongsun couldn’t help but smile.

“Maybe you should.”

“Byul-ah…”

“Maybe you should cancel with him and stay with me. I’ll cancel today’s tutoring session too if—“

“Byul-ah,” Yongsun cuts her off from ranting furthermore. It is just so Byul-like to have acted this way in this situation. “I can’t have you miss a tutoring session just because you don’t want me to go with Eric. The tutoring session is important, and it will look too suspicious—besides, I already said yes to him and he’s going to pick me up at school.” – Yongsun wanted to slap her stupid mouth for blurting the last part. Great, that will totally sour Byul’s mood again.

“Oh,”

“It was mom’s idea—”

“Of course.”

Yongsun bit her lower lip. “I’m sorry…”

“Not your fault. You’re right anyway, the tutoring session is very important. The exams are coming up too, so yeah. I have to hang up now, I need to prepare the materials and study for my own exam as well. You should too.” It was clear that Byul doesn’t want the call to last any longer. She was pissed and Yongsun didn’t know what she should do to make her feel better. Looks like there’s actually none she can do.

“Have fun tonight.” It was the last thing she heard before the flat line.

Yongsun closes her eyes, sighing deeply. She’ll have to deal with her girlfriend’s jealousy later, maybe a few hours after this—along with the upcoming rumor about the student council president dating someone from outside their school. It’s to be expected, after all, her mother came up with this idea because she wanted to brag to everyone else (specifically targeting Byul) that Kim Yongsun is the perfect straight-A student who isn’t gay at all because she’s dating a nice looking guy. How cliché. Yongsun would never thought her mother would go this far—this homophobic—it sickens Yongsun, if she has to be honest. Because she hates the fact that she needed to act this out, to show everyone about her non-existent heterouality, just to please her parents.

God, she can’t wait to graduate and finish the rest of her study, get a decent job so she can provide herself without relying on her parents anymore and then finally, living the life she always wanted, the life she always dreamt of but never got the chance to. But now that she thinks about it again… It seems like a really long way to go. It will take years and she’s scared of what will happen in the future.

She’s scared about what’s going to happen along the way.

To her, to Byul, to her parents and— Yongsun’s train of thoughts were cut off by a message. It was ‘the boyfriend’ – Eric.

, that’s right. Yongsun forgot about him, again. She wondered if she should keep on pretending like this with Eric and if Byul will be okay with that idea—she barely even agrees this far, if anything, Byul said okay because it feels like she was forced, because they had no choice—Byul had no choice.

Yongsun sighs deeply, earning a worried question from one of the student council members. She brushes off her friend’s question, saying it’s just the student council work has been a real pain in the and it’s starting to take a toll on herself as she massages the bridge of her nose. She doesn’t forget to send an apologetic smile as well. Yongsun exhales with the last decision to not think about it too much as it will affect everything she does.

I’ll worry about the future later.

Soon enough, things were going great. Or at least that’s what Yongsun thought because it’s been two months after she started dating Eric and two months after Byul started tutoring YooA. It was hard at first, because the two of them turned out to be such a jealous type—though Yongsun was more vocal about it than Byul who would rather keep it in and yet acting so strangely distant. After a while, the two of them finds their own pace to cope with their jealousy. Now, this may not be the best way to cope with jealousy but it was proven to help a lot. At least they’re no longer shout at each other’s faces in the same tiring argument.

To say that Yongsun seen it coming was both a lie and a truth.

Because yes, she has thought about this outcome and she tried to avoid it at all cost but Yongsun was only human after all. Because no matter what, she still couldn’t keep track of her girlfriend twenty-four per seven and so was Byul towards her. There was a moment where Yongsun thinks Byul grew more distant because she doubled her meeting with YooA for the junior’s upcoming tests. Yongsun was too tired if she has to whine and have another fight with Byul—she also knew her girlfriend has been pretty beaten because aside from YooA, she also need to study for her own tests. So, Yongsun decided to bottle it up for a whole week. It was torturous. Their interactions decreased to a minimum—Yongsun remembered when she and Byul passed by each other at school, the latter didn’t greet, didn’t even spare a glance at her, twice.

But Yongsun still let Byul knows a week after that she was going on another date with Eric. Byul’s reply was an ‘okay’ followed with ‘don’t come home late. Have fun’ – Yongsun expected Byul to have more to say about the news, but that’