Amber’s POV

Plates, utensils, books and more are thrown everywhere. Mess, everything is a mess and there’s still more to come if this continue.

“I’m tired of hiding the thing about us, Krys! Please understand what I mean.” I said, more like pleading. Me, and Krystal started fighting after I told her about my plan on opening our relationship in public. You see, our love is a little different from the usual. I’m a girl and she is too. What more is, we’re idols. Now, I’m trying to convince her to do what I want, but instead of at least talking it out in a good, calmer way, she suddenly burst out and started getting angry.

I didn’t mean to make her angry at my idea, but I’m really suffocated by the media about us, not forgetting that many netizens had already pushed us together even from the beginning. ‘Why is Korea so conservative anyway?!’

“No, Josephine. If you do that, many things might happen and it’s all negative! It will affect, not only us, but also our members, the whole group and company, our carrier, and our family, don’t you get it?!” I got stumped on her statement.

She’s fully right about the cause of this decisions I’m making, but still, can’t she make some sacrifice for this? ‘For us?’

“I know, Krys, but can’t you just understand me? I won’t say that we should try because it’s only a one way ticket to hell.” I reached for her hand and knelt down.

“Please, Soojung, I’m completely aware of everything but … I’m ready to sacrifice it all for us. Call me selfish, but I know that we’ll still have some support if ever we open up. All we need to do is do it … together. Expand your deep belief in me, please.” I pleaded. “You’re insane.” She harshly pulled her hand away and walked inside our room.

“When I was still in America, whenever there’s still discriminating people around me and my nature, if I have the music that I usually like and my two feet, I can go wherever, but now that I got you under my arms, I don’t know what am I gonna do.” I sighed and lowered my head. “Well, at least Victoria and Luna aren’t here to look at the ridiculous me, who looks like--“, “A stupid rejected crying llama?” Someone suddenly finished my sentence.

I looked up and was surprised to see Luna and Victoria with Sulli behind them. “W-what are doing here? I thought you two were busy, and also you too, Sulli. I didn’t know you’re going to visit us today.” Instead of an answer, I received a light slap and was pulled for a seat. They all sat in front of me, all are sharing a pitiful looks.

“I heard your and Krystal’s argument earlier, and as far as I can judge, both of you have right and wrong points.” Luna started, her voice is very serious.

“I heard it too, Hyung. Krystal is right about the possible cause when you two gone public, but she’s wrong on calling you insane, and also, even if you keep hiding the fact that you two are in relationship for five years already, people will still know it, one way or another someday. Just try remembering what happened with me and Choiza.” Sulli followed while squeezing my hand tenderly.

“Sulli’s right, but thinking back, we’re all fine with it. It’s better to reveal it sooner than later, and we all understand it anyway. The only thing that made you wrong too is the way you brought up the topic. We all know that Krystal is very fragile and sensitive behind all those flat expressions. You should at least reveal your plans and decisions once we’re all here together. It surely gave pressure to Krystal thinking of what will be our reaction towards this discussion.” Victoria calmly said.

“Well, you should man up, Amber. Go talk to your princess once again. We’ll be here, especially Sulli, as witnesses.” Luna winked and pushed me to our room’s door. I looked back and was fluttered to see them cheering me up. I nodded before staring back at the door. With new courage and determination coming from my members, I gently hold the doorknob and twisted it carefully.

I slowly peeked inside and saw a girl, curled up with her legs bend over her chest, arms encircled around it and her head leaning above her knees. Her hair fully covers her face, but I know that she’s crying behind those strands. I walked inside, not bothering if she’ll be angry and start throwing things at me again.

I lay on our bed and firmly held my lover’s shoulders.

“Krystal? Princess, look at me.” I rubbed her arms while carefully moving it away from her knees. “Come on, Soojung, please look at me.” Slowly, she raised her head, revealing her teary red eyes and bitten lips. ‘It’s a sign that she’s frustrated or scared.’

I hugged and caress her back. I kissed the crown of her head as I gently stoke her hair. “I’m so sorry for suddenly planning things without your opinion. Please let me talk this out again with everyone.” I lowly said as I try to stop myself from breaking down too.

I then felt her arms slowly encircling on my back. “I’m so sorry too, Am. I didn’t mean to hurt you and call you insane. I-I was mad and I--“, I didn’t let Krystal finish her sentence. I crushed my lips on hers and gently lay her body on the bed.

Our kiss lasted for a minute before I pull over. I stared at her as I cupped her cheeks firmly but tenderly. “I love you, Krys, and now I made up my mind that I’ll only, and will only follow every decision you make. I promise, I won’t bother--“, “DON’T! Don’t promise me that. I-I look over the argument we had and everything seems to wake me up in my silly dream.” Krystal said which got me confused.

“You’re right, Am. We should stop hiding. It’s boring, and my mouth just hurts by all this lies we kept on saying out in public. We’re like a broke cassette tape that doesn’t have a chance to be repaired … and I’m tired to be like that. Back and forth in the same place, repeating the same words … I want to be honest too, you know? Because it tightens here in my heart everytime we denied about our affection to each other.” She continued as tears slowly flows down her cheeks.

I listened carefully while wiping away her tears from time to time. I felt all the sincerity in her words and it really moved me when after all this time we’ve been together as a REAL couple … she really wanted to reveal it badly.

‘Guess life is really cruel, huh? But … even its cruelty made your life miserably difficult, as long as you had the strength then … no matter what type of ed up it is, you can still go on and on, right?’

I put some left messy strands of her hair to the back of her ears and smiled. “Then if I ask you again the same thing, will you finally give me a proper answer? Don’t worry. Whatever it is, I am all ready to do and accept it.” I showed her my dorky grin, which successfully lightened up the gloomy atmosphere around us.

“Go ask me then, Stupid.” Krystal said with a hint of teasing in her voice. ‘This girl really knows how to turn the tables effortlessly, isn’t she?!’

I got off the bed and stood straight in front of her. Taking some air first to calm my nerves and I started, “Krystal, I know that we’ve been together for years now, and I am thinking … if we can tell out our relationship to the public together with my little proposal to you. I know it’s going to be hell of a mess, but I know more that we can pass through it if we’re doing it together. So … are you willing to sacrifice all of this with me?” I then knelt down like a real servant.

With my right hand outstretched and head bowed down, I patiently waited for her to take my hand. I heard her giggles before a slightly cold hand held mine. It’s as soft like a fluffy stuff toy and smooth as a well-defined fabric. My head rose up and my gaze shot through her beautiful orbs.

”Baby let’s try. Let’s quickly leave this crappy cage … right now. Coz freedom is never been that far, am I right?” She pulled me for a kiss and I hungrily accepted it. “Wherever my heart touches, wherever that is, as long as I’m together with you, I will go.” I said before continuing our little tongue war.

Krystal’s POV

After agreeing about my Amber’s plan, we talked to our members, including Sulli, and they immediately accepted it. They congratulated us for being brave enough to finally take the dangerously hard step.

They promised to give their full support. “What ever happened, happens so let’s not think of it too much.”, “We’ve already achieved too much. Now’s the time for us to think of new road to drive onto.”, “No matter how negatively hard everything is going to be after this, everyone knows that as long as we’re together, trusting each other, nothing will break the bond we once shared, right?” Victoria, Luna, and Sulli cheerfully said before pulling us for a tight group hug.

‘I’m really thankful they are my members, friends, and family.’

We revealed our relationship to media the next day with Amber proposing on-cam at our ‘4-Walls Fan Signing’, and we were literally showered with positive and negative comments.

Some are completely happy and are supporting us full-heartedly while the others spat different types of hurtful words and names. I’ll be lying if I say that I’m not affected, but because Amber was beside me, holding my trembling hand all the time, all the anxiety that built inside me disappeared.

The punishment was pretty heavy. My parents got angry at me for being different, but thanks to Amber’s continues pleading together with her parents’ warm-full of welcome agreement, they finally accepted Amber as their future in-law. It was tormenting, you know?! Not forgetting that Amber and I received lots of sermon from Jessica-unnie. The company let our group to stay as it is, thanks to Unnie’s former group, especially Sunny-unnie.

Mr. Sooman made us sign a paper for a momentary leave, a hiatus good for three months. Luna and Victoria-umma will be busy for their individual works. It’s not a big deal anyway, to be honest. After all, we’ll be spending these months for our engagement.

Our fame and popularity are like waves of the ocean, it rises up high, but falls very hard too, but either way doesn’t matter anymore since we had each other to face the problem and swim it like nothing. There’s more to come, and both Amber and I are ready to face it all … together as one.

Author’s POV

Amber and Krystal were happily spending their quality time, staring at the night sky. Heads are leaning to one another with a blanket covering them to warm their body up. With the good scenery of the twinkling stars from the clear sky, the two found the peace they’ve been looking for a long time. Amber then took her phone out and started typing something.

This caught Krystal’s attention. Due to curiosity, she looked at the phone. Amber gave space for her. Krystal can’t stop from smiling after reading the message. Amber gave a light peck at the girl’s forehead before looking back at the sky.

Message:

‘Let’s quickly leave now, because they won’t catch us even if they try. Let’s quickly leave now, because we have no more time to waste to nothing in between us. Let’s quickly leave now, because we’re here together, happy to what our sacrifice had resulted into. Let’s quickly leave now, because there’s nothing they can do to stop us since we’re free.’