“Sedongie!”

Sejeong almost fell over when Nayoung barreled into her, longs arms wrapped around her tightly. Despite the near mishap, Sejeong returned her hug just as enthusiastically. It’d been almost a year since she last saw Nayoung, and it’d been far too long. Nayoung was an architect, and even though she lived in the same city as Sejeong, she was always out of town on business trips, really only in Seoul to rest and refuel for the next trip.

“It’s so good to see you,” Nayoung gushed as she broke the embrace so they could both walk into Sejeong’s apartment. “All those texts and video calls just aren’t the same as seeing you in person.”

“It’s because you’re just so clingy,” Sejeong teased, playfully pinching the arm Nayoung had around her waist for emphasis. “How did you manage to stay in town for more than a day or two?”

“We finally hired another person,” Nayoung replied, “so I finally get my long overdue vacation. For the next week, I am a free woman.”

“I’m assuming you’ll be spending your time as a free woman with either me or some pretty woman you find at a bar,” Sejeong said with a knowing smirk.

Nayoung grinned shamelessly and winked at her. “We all have our ways of relaxing, Sedong.”

“Stop calling me that,” Sejeong told her with a scowl, but there was no actual resentment in her voice. “You’re so embarrassing.”

“It’s my job to embarrass you,” Nayoung retorted. “Besides, just you wait until I meet this girlfriend of yours. Then you’ll really know what embarrassment is.”

“No embarrassing stories!” Sejeong protested immediately.

“What’s the point of me meeting her if I don’t get to tell her at least one good embarrassing story about you from college?” Nayoung pouted.

“How about being a supportive friend and seeing who else is involved in my life instead?”

Nayoung pretended to consider this for a moment before smiling and saying, “Nope.”

“Whatever,” Sejeong rolled her eyes. “Let’s start cooking dinner. Chungha and Chaeyeon will be over at seven.”

“Chungha?” Nayoung repeated curiously. “Why is Chungha coming too? Sejeong, are you into polyamory now? I must say I’m impressed. I find it hard enough to handle just one person.”

Sejeong flushed and quickly denied, “No no no. Nothing against polyamory, but that is not what is happening right now. Chungha is just coming for emotional support… also as a buffer in case you act too weird.”

“Me? Weird?” Nayoung gasped in fake outrage. “I’m gonna charm the pants off your girlfriend.”

“I hope not literally,” Sejeong remarked dryly.

Nayoung just laughed and followed Sejeong into the kitchen. The two of them spent the next hour and a half cooking dinner and just catching up with each other. Like Nayoung had said, texts and video calls weren’t the same. Especially since Nayoung was way clumsier in real life, and Sejeong often had to save a plate or bowl from her. It was great spending time with her though, and it made Sejeong feel grounded despite the complications with Chungha lately.

At a quarter to seven, the doorbell rang. Sejeong had just started cooking the vegetables, so Nayoung grinned and said, “I’ll get it!” Before Sejeong could stop her, Nayoung bounced her way to the front door.

“Hi!” Sejeong heard Nayoung say. “You must be Chaeyeon. It’s nice to meet you! You’re much prettier than Sejeong let on.”

“Hey!” Sejeong yelled. “Don’t say that. I call Chaeyeon beautiful all the time!” She glanced over her shoulder to see Nayoung leading Chaeyeon over to the counter where some barstools were, both of them smiling. Sejeong smiled at Chaeyeon and teasingly repeated, “Chaeyeon, you’re beautiful.”

“Psh, she’s stunning,” Nayoung countered, grinning like the devil as she teased Sejeong.

Chaeyeon blushed prettily and laughed. “Thank you both.”

“Let’s sit and watch Sejeong finish dinner,” Nayoung suggested as she hopped onto a barstool. “She’s been making me slave away over the hot stove for hours. I see her for the first time in months and what does she do? Put me to work.”

“Don’t act like you weren’t sneaking bites every time I had my back turned!” Sejeong laughed.

Nayoung grinned guilelessly and retorted, “Let me know when you find some evidence.”

“Wow, Sejeong is so much more lively with you around,” Chaeyeon commented with an interested smile. “When we’re together, she’s much more quiet and soft.”

Nayoung unsuccessfully held in her snort as she shook her head. She patted Chaeyeon’s shoulder consolingly as she said, “I have a special knack for bringing it out of her. I’ve yet to meet someone who can piss her off as quickly as I can.” Nayoung then offered a genuine smile and added, “Sejeong is rarely soft though, so I guess that means she’s comfortable enough to be like that around you.”

Both Sejeong and Chaeyeon flush at Nayoung’s observation and glance at each other shyly. Just as Nayoung went to tease them, the doorbell rang again. Nayoung excused the lovebirds to themselves and went to answer the door.

“Hi.”

Chungha was just as attractive as Nayoung remembered. Internally, she sighed and reminded herself that Sejeong would kill her if she even thought of sleeping with Chungha, so Nayoung just smiled graciously and let her in.

“It’s good to see you again,” Chungha said politely. The last time they had seen each other was at Sejeong’s birthday, and Chungha clearly remembered the way Sejeong had tried to drunkenly kiss Nayoung. Honestly, Sejeong was just a gay mess when alcohol was involved. “I hope there’s not too much liquor tonight,” Chungha joked with a small smile.

“Thankfully Sejeong will be keeping her kisses to herself and Chaeyeon for tonight,” Nayoung replied with a laugh. Interestingly enough, Nayoung saw a flash of sadness on Chungha’s face before she schooled her expression once more. Hmmm. Nayoung had wondered if Chungha had feelings for Sejeong when they’d first met, so maybe she’d know once and for all tonight. “Come on. They’re in the kitchen.”

When they walked in, Sejeong was still cooking the vegetables, but Chaeyeon had moved from the counter to the stove where she was hugging Sejeong from behind, her head on Sejeong’s shoulder. Nayoung glanced at Chungha and noted the way her hands clenched into fists before forcefully relaxing. There was definitely some jealousy there.

“Hey, lovebirds,” Nayoung called.

Chaeyeon pulled away from Sejeong immediately, a pretty blush spreading across her cheeks. Sejeong was lucky Nayoung loved her so much, or else Nayoung would’ve keeled over from jealousy of how many pretty women inevitably fell for her best friend.

“You guys don’t have to stay in here and watch me cook,” Sejeong said. “Nayoung, grab some drinks and you can all hang out in the living room while I finish. It shouldn’t take more than fifteen minutes.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Nayoung playfully saluted her.

She went to the fridge and pulled three beers out. She’d need some alcohol to make it through this night. She wandered to the living room where Chungha was sitting on the couch while Chaeyeon sat in an arm chair, both of them comfortably chatting with each other. At least Chaeyeon was a good person, considering Chungha was speaking civilly with her despite her jealousy. Nayoung handed out the drinks and sat on the couch with Chungha but a respectable two feet away.

“No work talk,” Nayoung protested when Chaeyeon started spouting medical words that went right over her head. “It’s no fair I’m the only non-hospital worker here.”

“It’s fine,” Chaeyeon reassured her. “I’m sure talking about infected bowels isn’t very good dinner talk anyways.” She smiled charmingly and asked, “So Nayoung, Sejeong mentioned you work in architecture? What’s that like?”

Until dinner, Nayoung found the conversation focused solely on herself. Chaeyeon seemed eager to get to know her as Sejeong’s best friend while Chungha was content to sit back and sip on her beer. Nayoung was flattered that Chaeyeon was dedicated enough to get to know someone that was really only in Sejeong’s life virtually with the random in person appearance every so often. When Nayoung had asked about her eagerness, Chaeyeon had smiled shyly and shrugged.

“Sejeong doesn’t talk much about herself,” Chaeyeon admitted. “The only thing I really know is that she’s an amazing doctor at the hospital and that you two are her best friends. She doesn’t like to delve into specifics about herself?”

Subtly, Nayoung shared a look with Chungha. It was a classic Sejeong thing to do. For all that Sejeong was easy-going and cheerful and friendly, she didn’t open up to many. She kept most of her relationships on a superficial level, apparently even Chaeyeon. Nayoung understood it was a habit of Sejeong’s from when she was younger, but it was worrying that Sejeong was considering this relationship serious when she hadn’t actually opened up to Chaeyeon yet.

“That’s Sejeong for you,” Nayoung laughed lightly, trying to play off the severity of Chaeyeon’s statement. “Getting her to talk about herself is like trying to pull teeth.”

Thankfully, Nayoung was saved from explaining further when Sejeong called for them to eat dinner.

Dinner was a tiring affair. Sejeong and Chaeyeon dominated the conversation, directing their talking mostly to Nayoung since she was the elusive guest. Every so often Chungha would offer the occasional story or opinion, but other than that she stayed silent. Nayoung kept count and watched as Chungha drank two more beers in addition to the one she’d had before dinner. Nayoung didn’t even understand why Sejeong had invited in Chungha in the first place. She understood why she wanted the dinner to go well, but Chaeyeon was clearly capable of talking to people and making them comfortable.

After dinner, Sejeong and Chaeyeon offered to wash dishes and shooed Chungha and Nayoung to the living room. Nayoung planned on just sitting on the couch, but then Chungha went out onto the balcony with a solemn look on her face. Worried, Nayoung followed her out.

“Hey,” Nayoung greeted so she didn’t startle Chungha. “Are you okay?”

Chungha laughed but it was a bitter sound. “Questionable,” she said.

“Have you told Sejeong?” Nayoung asked.

“Told Sejeong what?” Chungha replied, playing dumb.

Shaking her head, Nayoung walked up next to Chungha slowly. She waited until Chungha looked at her to say softly, “That you love her.”

“Of course not,” Chungha sighed, not even denying it. She knew that Nayoung wasn’t an idiot despite her clumsiness and was far more perceptive than she let on. “She could have anyone, but she never looked twice at me. Now she has Chaeyeon and she’s happy.”

“She hasn’t even opened up to Chaeyeon,” Nayoung pointed out.

“They’ve only been dating a few months.”

“Sejeong’s trust comes instantly if she feels it’s right,” Nayoung countered. “Chungha…”

Chungha just shook her head, and Nayoung felt awful when she saw tears fall on the other woman’s cheeks. She tentatively wrapped her arms around her and hugged her gently. This just made Chungha cry harder, and Nayoung hugged her tighter in response.

A few minutes later when the crying had softened to sniffling, Chungha pulled away. Nayoung kept her arms around her though, worried about her. She didn’t know Chungha well, but she knew her well enough to care about her, especially since she was so close to Sejeong. Besides, Nayoung had always been a er for pretty women crying.

“Sorry,” Chungha mumbled.

“Don’t worry about it,” Nayoung was quick to assure her.

Suddenly, Chungha looked at her, but this time it was different. Nayoung couldn’t figure out what it was and before she could, Chungha leaned up and kissed her. Completely taken aback, Nayoung didn’t even respond and just stood there frozen. When Chungha pulled away, she had pink cheeks and her eyes were downcast.

“I’m sorry,” Chungha whispered.

Nayoung opened but nothing came out. How the hell was she supposed to respond to a woman who was in love with her best friend kissing her?

Nayoung tried to speak again, but this time was cut off by the sound of the balcony door slamming open. She turned in surprise, gulping when she saw Sejeong standing there with barely restrained fury on her face. Nayoung looked back to Chungha who shuffled her feet with a face full of guilt. Sejeong had seen them kiss. Chungha had kissed Nayoung, knowing Sejeong would see them.

Not even holding back, Nayoung covered her face with her hands and groaned pitifully. Not only did Sejeong have a complicated love life, but she just had to drag Nayoung into it too, didn’t she?

A/N: If you want to see me ramble about writing my fics, follow me on twitter @lostgirl_23