(32) Proposal Gone Wrong

"Remind me again why we're doing this?" Eunha complained to her girlfriend. She and Sowon excused themselves first at Umji's exhibit to retire for the night. Or so they said. They went out first to buy party poppers before the mall closes. 

"Uhh because some brat told us to?" Sowon answered back as she closes the compartment once Eunha had the shopping bags inside it. "And she told us to hurry up because it seemed her girlfriend doesn't want to go anywhere."

Eunha rubbed her hands to create some friction. It was a cold January night for the whole of Korea and many people are retiring for the night. And that might as well be the reason Eunha wanted the most--to just lie in bed and sleep for twenty two freaking hours. 

But no. Here she was inside a mall parking lot, carrying some party needs instructed by her rival. Oh what a life.

Eunha went inside first and was followed by Sowon and before the tall one could start the engine to life, both their phones beeped. Eunha irritatingly opened hers and huffed another irritated sigh before reading out the message to her girlfriend. "Look at her?! Does she think we're her maids?!"

"What did she tell you?" Sowon asked. What could the brat be requesting again? 

"She told us to buy extra blankets because they don't have any spare blankets at the house. Why didn't she tell us sooner!" Eunha said clearly pissed. "One day, I'm going to have a revenge."

Sowon just watched Eunha huffed while opening her side again and chuckled. Her girlfriend really does not want to do errands like this, but she was always the first one to step inside the mall to do the errands. Such duality her bunny has. 

Sowon opened her side and locked the car, smiling to herself while running to catch up to her girlfriend.

----

"Don't you think we should just go home?" Yerin suggested. It was practically freezing outside and it might be bad for Sinb's health. But Aphrodite's daughter was being unusually stubborn that she could not help but to put up with it. 

Sinb clung to her and despite having a North Face padded jacket, she was feeling the cold. Oh why does it have to be this cold tonight! She needed more time, she mentally told herself. But what could they do?

Then Yerin stopped walking and faced Sinb. "You know, much as I wanted to be cool tonight for you, I'll be frank." She started. She was having a hard time to talk straight and not clench her teeth, but girl was this a chilly night! "I'm getting cold. And if I'm getting terribly cold, I know you are too."

"N-no I'm not," Sinb stuttered. Or maybe her teeth clenching was the cause of it. "I-I'm pretty sure I wanted to go on a walk w-with you."

Yerin chuckled and pinched Sinb's cheeks. "You're practically freezing, you cutiepie! C'mon, I know a place where we'll get warm." Yerin offered and held Aphrodite's hand in hers. 

"B-but I don't want to be in some hotels right now," Sinb answered back. Yerin just looked at her blankly for a good three seconds and then started to laugh. Fudge! What was so funny?!

"Who told you I'm taking you to someplace like that?" Yerin said still trying to contain her laugh. Sinb was so cute in front her, freezing and yet saying things out of the blue. Now who was the real byuntae between them? "There's a nearby food chain here, we could grab some soup in there and warm ourselves."

Ah. So that was what was running inside Yerin's mind. So much for even thinking that her girlfriend wanted to make-out with her! Sinb sighed and held Yerin's hand tighter as the brunette tried to side hug her as they trudged along the street. 

----

Oh sister! Yuju thought to herself as she had a hard time moving the sofas out of the living room. If it was not for the cold night, she could set up camp in the backyard. 'I already told her about this failing. Why is she so stubborn?!" Yuju muttered to herself. "And I got no one to help me! darn it!" 

She grabbed her phone and messaged her evil bestfriend and after sending did she groaned again in annoyance. She was still not starting yet with the tents inside and yet she felt so tired. 

Well how could she not? She practically started her night getting stuck in a traffic and getting lost for an unlucky one hour just to attend and surprise Umji. She was exhausted from all the ride she went through even before entering the hall. And now that she was tasked to do the arrangements inside Sinb's house did she got caught in traffic again... and maybe lost her way to her chief's place when she took a different route. 

She would really need some help about directions. 

Then her phone beeped and she could not know whether to laugh at her friend or not. 

-Hey, just do what I told you. No need for a campfire, I don't want my house in a fire! I have you one job to do and you better make that right, okay? Or else... I will not help you with Umji. Plus, I'm running out of ideas so don't this off.- My Wonderful Chief. 

"Why did I even saved your name as wonderful?!" Yuju said as she started changing Sinb's contact name in her phone. "There, you should be named 'The One Who Likes To Make My Life Miserable!"

----

"I'll order, you wait here." Yerin ordered as she went to the counter leaving a still freezing Sinb behind. Now what could Sinb eat in this food chain? Last time, she remembered taking Sinb in one of the food chain they had driven after going to Dr. Kang. Ah, that was their first time meeting after their one night stand.

It was just like yesterday. 

Sinb, on the other hand, dialed Yuju's number and when the latter answered, Sinb swore her eardrums got crushed by the way Yuju shouted. "Calm down will you?!" She hissed albeit in a whisper manner. 

"You nimpimp! Do you think setting up camp is as easy as making pie?! You're such a terrible thinker, you know that! And to think that I don't have someone here to help me with the furniture!"

"Alright, alright, you don't have to shout it." Sinb said. Yuju was such a whiny baby, she thought to herself. "I promise, I'll help you out with Umji next time. Just do this for me, please?"

"Fine. But you owe me a lot!" Yuju clarified as she ended the call. 

"Who was that?" Yerin asked as she carefully placed the bowl of soup in front of her girlfriend. 

"Uhh... just some staff I need to remind of the sales." Sinb lied. Yerin hummed and she waited for her cute reckless being to sit in front of her. "So uhm, could we pass by over the park we went to last time?" She asked. 

Yerin was about to eat her meal but stopped when she heard Sinb's request. Why would they go over that park again? It was freaking cold for pete's sake! "You still don't want to go home yet?"

Sinb shook her no. "I told you I'm bored inside the house, I want a change of scenery please."

"But it's cold outside, you could get a cold you know." Yerin tired to reason out with her girlfriend. She does not want to end this impromptu date they were having as it was Sinb's idea. But she does not want to freeze to death because of the freaking temperature outside! 

But when she saw that Sinb was acting cute again, which was rather odd in a way, she could not help but be swayed by it. She got her agreeing again. And sometimes, Yerin wished she could withstand that Sinb cuteness. But it seemed Apollo made her that overly head over heels to everything Sinb-related. 

----

"Damn, it's cold." Umji muttered under her breath as she tried to warm her hands. Her exhibit was now finished and she was heading towards her family's car. Too bad, Yuju had to take care of some business right away. She put her hands in her pockets and that's where she remembered something. 

She needed to deliver the ring at Sinb and Yerin's house!

Oh drat!

"Mom, I won't be able to accompany you tonight at the house," Umji said in a haste. "I got some urgent business coming." She abruptly kissed her Mom's cheeks and hailed herself a cab. 

"Oh God, hopefully I'm not that late yet," Umji said while securing in her hold the little red box she got from her bag. Out of all the time, they chose this day of her exhibit!

Just then her phone beeped and saw her girlfriend's message. She smiled when Yuju wanted to check her out. Too bad they both have some errands to do tonight. She was thinking of inviting Yuju at her parent's house so they could grab some decent home made food. 

"If only we aren't so busy tonight," Umji muttered under her breath. "But work comes first and it so happen my friend already asked me to do this."

----

Sowon and Eunha arrived at Sinb's house and what they saw was a mess inside. What had Yuju done in the house?! Sowon could not believe how messy the living room was and Eunha could only sigh. 

"It looked like a storm came in!" Sowon sadi as she carefully placed the blankets and pillows they had bought at the mall. "Where's Yuju by the way?"

"I think I found her," Eunha answered as she tugged her girlfriend's sleeves. She pointed to one of the tents and saw Yuju struggling to get the tent stand. "Mother Mary, that must be a lot of work."

They immediately went to help Yuju set up the tent and when they were done, they felt accomplished. Sowon was about to take a seat when Yuju called her again. "What?"

"Uhm, we have two other tents to set up yet," Yuju's voice faltered as she fiddled with her fingers. Sowon was so strict, Yuju could not help but point out. Maybe  she has not yet made out with her girlfriend. Well, there could only be one at fault here. 

Her evil chief. 

Eunha went to the kitchen and grilled some barbeques Yuju had bought. With the limited time they were being given, she was sure the meat would still not be cooked when the couple arrives. "Guys, what can we cook that's quick? I don't think the barbeques would be ready by the time they could arrive here."

"Look at the fridge." Sowon said. "There could be hotdogs in there."

Since the living room was a mess with plastics, blankets, pillows, and other stuffs, Yuju stumbled and she dived to the stack of pillows Sowon had just placed. Sowon was about to scold the redhead but laughed when she saw Yuju seemed lost and was ready to throw some about their work. 

"Where are you going even?" Sowon said while laughing hard she clapped her hands along. "You look like a fool out there!"

"I was about to head to the bathroom, but these ribbons tied my feet up and... can you tell me where's the bathroom?" Yuju innocently inquired as she busily removed the blankets than covered her body. 

Oh girl, what a troublesome night.  

----

Both Sinb and Yerin were waiting for a cab under a waiting shed. Both were shivering from the cold but no vacant taxi could be hailed. Yerin swore she was being played by the Gods but she could not do anything about it. Talk about a bad night!

"Are you still okay, Sinb?' Yerin asked while seh was shivering herself. She looked at Sinb who just kept on rubbing her palms for heat. "I'll hail whatever stops by here, okay?" 

"Just why didn't we bought my car?" Sin whispered to herself but Yerin nonetheless heard it. 

"Because none of us was capable to drive?" Yerin answered back. Just then, a bus stopped on their way and Yerin immediately led Sinb first inside. They settled at the back and thank goodness it was warm!

"Do we still need to go to that playground?" Yerin whined and Sinb was secretly smiling when she heard it. "With this cold, I doubt we'll even enjoy the view there." 

Sinb leaned closer to Yerin and rested her head on the brunette. "You know, sometimes we just need to see certain places where our lives had been changed."

Yerin quirked an eyebrow. What does that mean?

Sinb took a peek at Yerin who was looking back at her and she giggled. Her cute reckless being was being innocent looking without her trying! How could she even do that?! 

"You mean, that playground changed you?" Yerin carefully asked. 

Sinb nodded. "Yeah, I think I haven't told you about that part. It was the place I realised that you're being true to your word."

"About?"

"About taking me to places unexpected." Sinb finished. "Remember when we got off from the bus and started looking for an ice cream shop but didn't found any? We found that playground instead and I don't know what clumsy devil lured you into taking the monkey bars and showing off how you could sway between bars." Sinb happily recalled. 

Yerin's cheeks went pink as she was remembered of that day. She just wanted to comfort the moody pregnant Sinb and she ended up swaying like a monkey on bars while telling jokes. Sinb was laughing her heart out and it made Yerin's heart stop for a moment. 

Sinb back then was just as beautiful as she was now. 

"And have you remembered when you fail to grasp on the last bar and ended up stumbling? That was my highlight!" Sinb said while laughing. "Imagine making yourself a fool out there and getting a bruise because you're such a show-off? I want to see that all over again!"

Wait. 

What?

Her girlfriend wanted to see her stumbling again on that freaking monkey bar?! Was Sinb a real sadist?! She thought, she never had that side taken from Jessica...

I take back what I said.

"Y-you want me to stumble again?" Yerin asked. 

Sinb looked at her cute reckless being and laughed more. "Of course not! I was just kidding!" 

Yerin heaved a sigh of relief. Thank the heavens! "I really thought you want me to stumble again."

"What I'm trying to say to you was that I'm really grateful I have you by my side. You never ran away or just let me take that bus going nowhere. And you always try to cheer me up. That was the place I realised, I'm so lucky to have met you and that maybe I don't deserve you." Sinb seriously professed. 

"Why would you say that?" Yerin pressed. 

"Because you're perfect," Sinb simply answered back. "I've been wondering why someone like Joy would even ditch someone like you. But then again, thanks to her I have you now."

Yerin blushed at the compliment and she just kept silent. Sinb leaned away to look at her cute reckless being. Yerin's reaction was like those moments when she always held her hand, shy and immobile. But Sinb liked it.

No, scratch it. 

Sinb found herself loving Yerin more at that sight. 

----

Umji was stuck in traffic and she was feeling helpless again in her situation. She was trying to contact Yerin but the brunette was not answering. What could Yerin be doing at this freaking hour?! 

Oh. 

Maybe the couple was having a hot night, Umji thought. She suddenly regret doing this errand. She could just imagine how her night would turn out if Yuju was with her! Oh girl.

"Here's the money Ms. Driver and keep the change." Umji said and went out of the cab and started jogging. Why does Fridays always has this unbearable traffic?! "I need to finish delivering this to partner and then I'll go straight to Yuju's."

----

"What the freak?!" Sinb said unbelievably. She just woke up from her slumber and saw outside the bus window how it was raining hard. Could the Gods for once be in her favor tonight?! 

Yerin squirmed and her eyes fluttered open due to Sinb's abrupt movement to look at the freaking window. "What's wrong now?" She rubbed her eyes cutely and stared at the window Sinb was referring to. "Oh, now it's raining. Great."

Sinb sulkily just retired in her seat. She was thinking on how to stall some more time. But girl was it difficult! It felt like she was being played by nature! Then she felt her cheeks being pinched softly and looked at the culprit. 

"I know you want to go to the playground, but it seemed we have to go home for now." Yerin stated. She was thinking that they could retire for the night and would just go to the playground some other time. "We could play board games at the house."

Sinb observed how Yerin tried not to flinch due to the cold and suddenly she felt guilty. Just because she wanted to buy some time did she forgot that both of them are suffering from the cold. Oh how could she be so selfish?! 

Then suddenly her phone beeped and she tried to read the message without Yerin having to know it. Her mood suddenly dropped. How could she be happy about what she read when nothing just seemed to go right in her way?

-Barbeques still not cooking. Sowon and I have trouble setting up the tents, but we're already done. Give us more time and we'll finish this one up.- From Planet Weirdo

"Are you alright, Bi?" Yerin asked in a concerned tone. She noticed how Sinb's face suddenly became sad and she was worried if it was her suggestion of them not going to the playground. "Do you really want to go there?"

Sinb shook her head. "You're right, we won't be able to enjoy going at that place with this freaking weather. Let's just head home." 

And while Yerin was still doubtful if that was what Sinb wanted, she kept mum and focused on staring on the other side of the bus. Sinb held her phone and typed something to Yuju and kept her silence along the way. 

----

Umji cursed under breath when it rained. Good thing, she was already at Sinb's house. But something was wrong. Why were the lights on? Oh no. 

Please, don't say I'm late!

Then, she heard a loud crash inside that made her panic. What was that?! She brushed the thinking that she might be late and started barging inside the house only to find three figures on the floor, probably stumbled and were covered by blankets. 

And when she noticed a redhead among the stumbling party, did her questions just begged to be answered. 

"Yuju?" 

----

Yerin and Sinb arrived at their house and the duckie could not help but be worried at her girlfriend. How could she uplift this mood of Aphrodite's daughter? Maybe what she had in mind for tonight was out of the question. 

Speaking!

She forgot to contact Umji! 

She stopped walking and immediately grabbed her phone. Her eyes widened as she saw how many miss calls did she received from her friend. Oh no. She quickly typed a message that her plan would not go as what was planned. Sinb just waited and stared at her, and when she was done, there was an awkward atmosphere.

Yerin broke the silence between them and urged Sinb to get inside. But something was off. Did she forgot to turn off the lights? "Hey, have left the lights ?"

Sinb looked at where was Yerin referring to and shook her head. So the three of them still must be inside the house. "I don't remember, can't we just go inside?" 

"But what if there's a thief?!" Yerin said in panic as she secured Sinb behind her. Sinb chuckled and took hold of her hand. 

"That would be the most idiot of all thieves there could be," Sinb said as she kept on chuckling. Oh my, for a minute she was sure that her mood dropped because her plan was foiled by the ty weather. But now? She does not know what was happening even. "Let's just go inside, and if there could be a thief, then you could handle her with that strength of yours, right?" 

"That's a very impractical thought you have there." Yerin said. But whatever, it seemed SInb was amused by the situation and so she decided to play along. 

It was clear to Sinb that her plans of proposing could be set at a later date. She was just expecting three idiots inside her abode, maybe exhausted and cursing as she just told them in a message that they should pack up. All those plans were for nothing, she thought. 

For Yerin, she just wanted Sinb to rest the night away and probably her plan of a movie night with her and some cheesy pick-up lines for proposal was just not the night to be. Well, she still has a year to gather all her courage for another proposal. 

But when they opened the door, they heard a loud pop and down were the confetti flying everywhere. They heard cheers from their friends and Sinb was surprised to see Jessica and Tiffany on the party. Yerin, on the other hand was shocked and probably would be for another minute when she saw Dr. Kang and Dr. Bae so close to each other while greeting her. She thought that both doctors were ready to eat each other that night. 

"What is this?" Yerin asked but with a smile on her face. 

"It's a party!" Eunha said to them as Sowon and Yuju dragged the couple towards the living area where they made a small campsite. Sinb was hissing to Yuju about what was going on when she said that she would not pursue her plans. Yerin was just practically following Sowon while eyeing Umji about what the hell was happening. 

Both Sinb and Yerin gasped when they saw what they made of their living room. There was a campsite with three tents as Sinb instructed Yuju. But she told Yuju to surround the living area with Christmas lights and what caught her eye was the lamp with cut-out stars that when it was lighted, the light was seeping through the cut-outs. 

"What the hell?" Yerin asked but with awe plastered in her face. "What are you guys doing?" She finally took in the lovely atmosphere her friends had made in the living area that she was now focused on asking why were there in the first place. 

"Well, we wanted to surprise the both of you," Umji simply stated while the trio admitted lying so that they could prepare the mini-campsite. "And from your awed looks, I take it that you liked it."

"Yeah," was all Sinb could say as she was being dragged by both the doctors to settle on the middle tent, 

"So let's start the party?!" Yuju gamely asked and Sowon started to turn on the stereo for some popping music. 

Yerin took a glance at Sinb to see if the latter was enjoying. And when her eyes finally locked on her target, Sinb had caught her eyes and smiled. Maybe the night was not really a er after all. 

----

When everyone retired for the night and both Sinb and Yerin was inside the tent, both went to rest to. But neither of them was sleepy as their foiled plans of proposing to each other kept bugging them. Yerin does not wan to end the night with just a party. She wanted to convey her realest feelings and that she was more than ready to take their relationship on another level. 

But at the back of her mind, something was making her hesitate. She was thinking if Sinb wanted to take things slow for the both of them. She could not blame her though, theirs was a rollercoaster ride. And when they finally admitted and knew each other's feelings, did their relationship treaded in normalcy. Yerin was thinking if Sinb wanted to savor the placidity of their relationship. The one that silently builds security and trust more. 

They were beginning to see each other's strengths and flaws. And they were slowly learning on how to be each other's guide. Sinb was beginning to understand that Yerin was her own version of a workaholic like her but there was one thing different in how they handle work. Yerin was carefree and yet she would always get the job done while her... Well, she was more of the serious type. 

Yerin found that Sinb really was like a young version of Jessica, from their physical features down to the tiniest bit of their attitude. Sometimes, she would even hang out at Tiffany's office when she find Sinb hard to handle on some things. 

But even with the quirkiest discoveries they found on each other, there was one certain for Yerin. That all annoying, amazing, and weakest points that Sinb possess have made the Sinb she was loving now. It was all part of who was Sinb to her, and the more she was discovering Sinb as a person, the more she loved her. 

Like, it was inevitable that she would fall for all charms of Sinb.

Yerin just faced her side, her back facing Sinb. She just realised and renewed her feelings for Aphrodite's daughter. And it all bear the same results. She was indeed in love with her. And she wanted to be that person who would like to keep Sinb as her family someday. 

Then she felt Sinb got up that she shifted her weight to look at Aphrodite's daughter. "Are you craving for something?" Yerin asked. She knew Sinb went past of the craving phase but sometimes, Sinb would still crave for something to eat in the dead of the night. 

Sinb turned to face Yerin and looked at her seriously. "I want you."

Wh-what?

Yerin blinked a couple of times trying to register what the sentence could mean. Surely having was not what was running in Sinb's head, right? "You want what?"

Sinb held Yerin's hand and Yerin took a seat so she could face her girlfriend. Sinb just looked at her hand and gravely said, "You. I said I want you."

"What do you want us to do?" Yerin asked innocently.

Sinb just looked at her with those black orbs and leaned in. Yerin closed her eyes as she embraced herself for Sinb's lips. But there was no kiss and so the brunette fluttered open her eyes and saw Sinb just staring at her. 

"What are you thinking?"

"Hmm?"

"I said, what are you thinking?" Yerin pressed. 

Sinb then smiled as her eyes travelled Yerin's face. "I was just thinking of how wonderful would be if I could have you."

Yerin quirked an eyebrow. And despite her being not able to understand, still she said "You have me. You always will."

"I want to have you forever." Sinb seriously said. Yerin was confused but remained mum. She does not know what was running inside Sinb's head right now. But those words Sinb said, made the butterflies inside her swirl. 

Is Sinb proposing to me? 

But I don't want to assume.

And the hesitation may have been read by Sinb through her face that Aphrodite's daughter gave her a loving kiss. "I know I'm not perfect and that I may love you wrongly. And maybe you are still looking for that perfect love that you deserve  but could you hear me out?" 

Sinb's voice was thin as a glass and Yerin shivered for it. She wanted to reach Sinb's face and cup it between her hands. Sinb felt so fragile that Yerin wanted to keep her all for herself. 

But Sinb was determined to look directly at her eyes, her orbs wanting to tell something that could change the way they are right now. Her eyes never strayed. This is it. She should never lose this moment. 

"I may not be perfect loving you, but I will imperfectly try to be." 

Yerin smiled and bopped her nose against Sinb's. "You already are Bi. And you already took every ounce and every atom of me with you." 

Sinb's eyes sparkled and to Yerin it sparkled with stars in it. Sinb slowly reached for her pocket and slipped in Yerin's ring finger, a ring with a golden sun in it. "You're the sun I want to keep for myself Yerin. Only for me." 

"Sinb..." Yerin wanted to say something but it seemed it was that moment in our lives when words fail to reach our mouths and our eyes starting to convey the feelings our mouth fails to preach. So she was kept still with only the pink-haired girl's bravery resounding every fabric of the tent. Yerin felt everything all at once--the warmth, the love, the sparkles in her eyes, and the silent vow both of them are playing on. 

"I ought to make this poem mine, and I ought to make my purpose to make this words be alive," Sinb whispered as her eyes travelled from the golden ring to Yerin's orbs. "My sun will always shine even behind the darkest clouds, it will. And no promise will make it shine longer or brighter, for that is its fate, to burn until it can burn no more. So to love you is not my promise. It is my fate. I will burn for you until I can burn no more too." 

Sinb saw how Yerin's tears started flowing. She held out her hand let her thumb caressed Yerin's cheek. "I want to be your future, the one you'll always wake up to in the mornings and the one you'll always close your eyes on at night. Will you let me be your wife?" 

But Yerin did not answered back and Sinb's courage started to diminish little by little. So she closed her eyes as she gathered the pieces left of her crumbling heart. So Yerin was still not ready for this, she thought. 

But when she was about to forget the idea that she proposed, a pair lips was pressed against her own. Then she heard Yerin whispered, 

"Even 'yes' couldn't embrace all willingness this clumsy being want to give you," Yerin said and smiled together with her eyes. "But when I say I love you, please know you had this heart at your disposal." 

It was the sweetest 'yes' Sinb has heard. And to seal the night for a promising tomorrow, Sinb kissed her soon to be wife and Yerin tucked her to bed with arms securing her. 

The night was still long but they preferred to sleep the night away, both hoping the time would tick away and greet the sunrise with a new label for theirselves.

-oo0oo-

(33) The Moment We've Been Waiting For

-oo0oo-

Just a quick reference. The poem Sinb told Yerin about the sun was not entirely my mind's work. I changed some words to fit in the story but all credit for it belongs to Atticus. I thought I wouldn't make an update as I promised but thank the heaven's I did :) 

See you next chap! Ciao!

Oh. Plus I really worked to finish this today to gift this story to someone. You know who you are :)