The other side of the bed is cold when she stirs awake.

It incites a slight panic in her until she checks the clock. The short arm is just slightly behind 6 with the long arm pointing at 10, the flicker of her gaze settling on the undrawn curtains next. There’s the faint brightness of the sun to tell her that yes, it’s already morning, but not too bright that she should worry if her clock is faulty.

It’s just Hyewon, for once waking up way too early.

Eunbi turns to lie face-down for a beat, sighing deeply as her fingers clench into fists then unclench again. It’s what—Thursday? Her day always starts earlier than Hyewon’s on Thursdays. Hyewon usually wakes up near brunch, Eunbi already leaving the house with a note to remind the former on whatever might need to be taken care of.

Taking a deep breath, Eunbi pushes herself up from the bed, fingers running through her hair. She still has some time before she absolutely needs to leave at 8, but not too much that she could afford a snooze. There’s a faint, delicious smell wafting off from where the door is slightly ajar—

Eunbi furrows her brows, a smile crossing her lips. Well, she can interrogate Hyewon later, she supposes. She gets up from the bed and raises her arms above her head, stretching lightly until she hears a faint crack.

“You will grow up boneless,” her mother used to lecture her. She would argue that it’s satisfying, her joints feeling like it gets to breath through that crack, but her mother would just repeat the sentence like a broken mantra.

“But boneless chicken is good,” Hyewon had replied, back when Eunbi shared the story with her three weeks into knowing each other.

“Because it’s food,” Eunbi countered then. “I can’t use that argument with my mother, people eat boneless chicken all the time but they don’t eat—” she stopped abruptly, heat creeping up her neck at the realization of what she almost said. Hyewon had only raised her eyebrows at her, the smile on her lips mischievous. Eunbi shoved at her shoulders, at that moment wanting nothing but to switch topic or die.

(“I was trying to flirt with you,” Hyewon had finally said, nearly two months later.

Eunbi decided for the both of them that Hyewon’s just bad at flirting.)

Smiling and shaking her head at the memory, Eunbi heads for the bathroom.

 

 

*

 

 

Hyewon smells like a long bath and vanilla perfume.

Eunbi goes to hug her from behind, the curl of her hands around Hyewon’s waist barely startling the other. There’s a short hum,

“You’re awake?”

Eunbi nuzzles at Hyewon’s back. “You’re up very early.”

Another hum is her only answer, warm palm coming down to rest upon the fingers she has clasped in front of Hyewon’s abdomen.

“Set the table for me?”            

“Mmm.” The sizzling from the pan accompanies the delicious smell filling up the entire kitchen. Eunbi can feel her own stomach rumbling, but she tugs at Hyewon briefly to get her to look over, then tiptoeing to press a kiss to her cheek.

Hyewon snorts at that, the following quirk of her lips fond. “Morning.”

Eunbi steps away, smiling back. “I’ll get my coffee, do you—”

“No, water is fine. I’ll have my coffee later.”

There is still no answer to her query of you’re up very early. Well, it’s not really posed as a query, but they have lived together for nearly a year now and Hyewon has long been in tune with Eunbi’s way of asking.

The same way Eunbi is in tune with Hyewon’s language when she wants to keep something a secret a little longer.

So she leaves it be, making herself a cup of coffee and setting the table up for their breakfast. It takes them ten minutes for everything to be readily served and the both of them seated, and Eunbi gives Hyewon a long look that makes the latter blink.

“What?” Hyewon asks.

Eunbi squints. Hyewon’s eyebrows furrow even as a smile curves her lips, bemused at the same time it’s secretive. So Eunbi says,

“Nothing.”

And proceeds cautiously in eating the food Hyewon has cooked.

Hyewon is an excellent chef—she does, after all, do that for a living—but she’s also a prankster that occasionally subjects Eunbi to questionable food samples (Eunbi still remembers the taste of the fried oreo coated in spicy flour from a month ago). So she takes a bite, chewing carefully with a glass of water readily within reach,

except the food is tasty.

(Hyewon’s beaming smile when Eunbi voices this thought out is sweet,

but weird.

So she resumes eating, with questions still in her mind.)

 

 

*

 

 

“You don’t need to pick me up later,” Eunbi says, still seated with a mug of warm coffee in her hold while Hyewon’s up washing the dishes by the sink. “Chaewon is giving me a ride from the studio.”

Hyewon hums, sets away their glasses. “I thought you need to attend some classes?”

“For two sessions. I’ll be at the studio until evening, you know the project we’ve been working on since last month—”

Hyewon laughs quietly, putting away the last plate and turning off the tap. She pivots on her heels, facing Eunbi and every step approaching her accompied by the drift of her gaze going lower—first it’s on Eunbi’s eyes, then nose, then—

Eunbi tilts her head at the brush of Hyewon’s fingers over her cheek, the light press of Hyewon’s lips warm and fleeting on .

“Is that why little brat is coming?” Hyewon grins, pulling away and easily settling on the seat next to her. “She keeps on insisting that she doesn’t have a crush but wouldn’t your loveliest songwriter, Hyundai be over—”

“It’s Honda,”

“We’re trying to be discreet here, Eun. Read the room.”

Eunbi snorts, shoving at Hyewon’s shoulder. “Stop teasing her too much,” she admonishes, “you’re just going to make Chaewonnie retreat instead of shooting her shot.”

Hyewon ignores her, stealing the cup of coffee from Eunbi’s grasp and taking a sip. “Doesn’t cheek-girl love bread? I say we let me bake her some bread Chaewon can bring along, you know what they all say about the ways of getting into someone’s heart—”

“I’ll allow you to do that when Chaewon comes to us about it herself,” Eunbi says, reclaiming her coffee before Hyewon could empty the entire cup. She downs the rest in one go, heaving a contented sigh after.

“You’re leaving at 8, right?”

“Yes.” Eunbi glances at the clock, mentally calculating the time she needs to get ready and not be late. “There’s still… some time. I just need to make sure I have all the files for today and—"

“I’ll wash this for you,” Hyewon interrupts, taking away the empty mug before Eunbi could rise from her seat. Hyewon flashes her a smile, “You go prepare. I got this.” She steps away from the table and towards the sink, humming a tune Eunbi recognizes as the background music of a game.

“…Why are you so sweet today?”

The question finally slips out of her lips and Hyewon spares her a glance. There’s a quirk of an eyebrow Eunbi nearly misses as the latter easily turns to the mug she’s washing, “What do you mean? I’m always sweet.”

Eunbi scoffs, getting up. “You’re hiding something.”

“What’s to hide, you already know I love you—”

A smile curves her lips at that, unbidden. “You’re so cheesy, gosh. Why did I take you in?”

“Because I feed you tasty foods.” The words are lightly spoken, sung like it’s the chorus to a happy song. “And I love you too much you don’t have the heart to say no.”

And sometimes mornings are hard. Thursday mornings, especially, because the classes she will be having are far from her favourites and this week has felt particularly long.

But.

“Hyewon,” she calls softly and when Hyewon turns to catch her gaze, the widening of the smile on her own lips doesn’t feel like a lie, doesn’t feel like an attempt to feel okay, to console herself about how the world isn’t about to fall apart with a touch.

“I love you, too.”

Because the world isn’t going to fall apart. Not with Hyewon inside it, Eunbi anchored next to her.

So she takes in Hyewon’s answering chuckle and prepares for her day with it settling at the back of her mind.

 

 

*

 

 

Eunbi wants to go home.

She presses her closed eyes against the heel of her palms, sighing deeply. Her shoulders feel heavy and there’s a faint throb to her temples, one amplified when she realizes that she’s forgotten to grab her purse before leaving the house hours ago. She removes her palms and belatedly sees the body blocking her view, cursing under her breath when she bumps against a shoulder—hands flying up to grab at the sling of her bag. An apology tugs at the tip of her tongue as she looks up only for it to halt in the face of a familiar person turning to look at her.

“Y—Chaewon,” she sputters, shoulders sagging with relief.

“Did you just curse at me?” Chaewon grins, right hand giving a small wave. Then the knit of her eyebrows deepens with concern, “Tough day so far, Unnie?”

“You wouldn’t want to know.” Eunbi doesn’t want to explain, either. She fixes the younger a look instead, dignity recovering, “I don’t remember asking you to pick me up here. I was going to go to the studio myself—”

“Hyewon-unnie called me. Something about you forgetting to bring money.” Chaewon grins at the long-suffering sigh escaping Eunbi’s lips. “So she asked if I could pick you up instead. And take you to lunch if I could.”

“I’m sure there’s some snacks in the studio—”

“Hyewon-unnie was very specific about her request; she mentioned chicken and rice among other things,” Chaewon says, easily breezing past Eunbi’s protest. She goes to Eunbi’s side and loops an arm around her shoulders, tugging her forward, “So we’re going for lunch first. We have time.”

Eunbi resists with her weight for a moment, causing Chaewon to huff. She tuts and looks at Eunbi with a chastising expression,

“Unnie, don’t be like this. Your dearest sent me some chicken coupons—said it’s your favourite chicken place—”

“Wait, she what?”

Chaewon clicks her tongue, shaking her head. “I have the coupons with me,” she says, patting her pocket. “And we’re using it under Hyewon-unnie’s orders or she’ll unleash a thousand of teasing I would rather not go through—”

“Teasing? If it’s about Hito—”

“Sshhh, ssssshhhh!!!” Chaewon hurriedly shushes her, her composed posture immediately crumbling as she waves her hands in front of Eunbi’s face. Eunbi presses shut, biting back a smile as she blinks innocently in the face of the younger’s panic. “Unnie! I swear to God—I hate you sometimes,” Chaewon sighs out.

“That’s what you get for taking Hyewon’s side.”

“I was under a threat! And it’s not like I want you to just live off the studio’s snacks.” Chaewon walks and this time Eunbi follows, snickering next to her. Chaewon expels a defeated breath, scratching absently at her neck. “Well, I’m glad my suffering can amuse you, at least.”

“You teased us a lot back in the days too,” Eunbi reminds her, unwilling to let Chaewon act like she’s facing some sort of an injustice. “Why else would Hyewon call you little brat?”

“Oh I don’t know, because she’s rude?” Chaewon narrows her eyes disapprovingly even as the corners of her lips twitch. “Is that why you two click, because you both hold grudges for a long time?”

Eunbi crinkles her nose at that. “I don’t hold grudges for a long time,” she corrects.

Chaewon just raises an eyebrow at her, the sound slipping past her lips lilting in a questioning tune. Eunbi holds the challenging gaze for a few seconds before Chaewon finally, knowingly, says, “Graduate program.”

Eunbi deflates. “Damn it Chaewon,” she mutters under her breath, gaining a small laugh and one hand curling around her arm. She plasters a faint smile at the younger’s quick sorry, thoughts knocking at her mind that she pointedly ignores.

No, she doesn’t want to think about that right now—the long fight her parents sprang upon her for her choice of major, the constant disapproval over the career she’s decided to embark on, the sharp remarks about her preference and how she wouldn’t be able to start a family of her own that way.

And so she sets out to prove them wrong. She sticks with music and takes up the graduate program when her family told her she should pursue something more certain ‘now that you’ve finished playing around with it,’ she moved out of the house the moment her family started setting her up with family friends, and she’s been working on the last point. She’s working on it with Hyewon, working on proving them wrong—because family isn’t something confined to traditional definitions of a wife and a husband with their children. Because ‘what is tradition but a peer-pressure from the dead, right?’ Lee Chaeyeon once told her in the middle of a discussion pertaining contemporary dance. They had met by chance, Eunbi getting lost in the building of the Theatre and Dance Department with the brochure pertaining an open seminar on dance theory clutched tightly in her hold. Chaeyeon was chipper even as a stranger, engaging Eunbi in whispered conversations after she found out they were going to the same event. An interesting soul, bright in her expressions but hard-hitting in her moves—the latter part Eunbi only got to discover after Chaeyeon invited her to the dance studio the Lee family had,

(Eunbi introduced her to Hyewon after a while and the both of them hit it off because turned out Chaeyeon was proficient at cooking, a tidbit Hyewon immediately latched onto. Eunbi had had to sit through a conversation filled to the brim with cooking jargons to realize this, coming out of that experience with a dreadful conclusion that Chaeyeon and Hyewon also got each other’s humour at a level that was concerning for humanity and—well, after that, keeping in touch is inevitable, really.

Not that she’s complaining.)

“—which is why I… Unnie, are you even listening?”

Eunbi blinks out of her dwelling thoughts, unaware that she has sunk into her own mind and neglected the chatter of the person accompanying her. “Ah,” she says, looking over at the younger and noticing that they’ve exited the building. “Sorry, I was thinking about the menu. Do the coupons specify which dish it can cover?”

Chaewon raises an eyebrow. “So you are hungry.” Eunbi lets her believe it. “And, I don’t think so? It’s a general discount. A good one, but it’s from your dearest so can’t say I’m surprised.”

At the mention of Hyewon, Eunbi feels a flicker of smile flit acrross her lips and she catches it for herself, plasters it as she follows Chaewon towards where the latter’s car is parked. “She has a name, you know.” Chaewon has started to refer to Hyewon as your dearest ever since she finds out that it occasionally flusters Eunbi.

“But where’s the fun in that?”

“That’s the exact same reason Hyewon teases you,” Eunbi lightly says, enjoying the visible falter she catches from Chaewon’s steps. “Because it’s fun.”

A scandalized gasp. “No, she’s just a bully!”

Eunbi laughs, and a small portion of the exhaustion weighing her shoulders gradually dissipates over their banter. She glances up at the sky a moment before boarding Chaewon’s car, taking in the cotton clouds crowding and stretching over light blue canvas.

I should give her a call later.

 

 

*

 

 

Later turns out to be much, much later, after she’s spent hours inside the studio and Chaewon comes into the room bringing a cup of iced americano as well as Eunbi’s favourite cider. She comes just in time for their break, Eunbi adjourning the discussion and Hitomi finally leaning back on her seat, the book she has been writing on getting set aside for a moment.

Eunbi accepts the offered can and an eyebrow at the black plastic bag hanging on Chaewon’s arm. “Is that a fan gift?” she asks, watching as Chaewon coolly hands the iced americano to a thankful Hitomi. “Did you encounter a fan outside?”

Chaewon turns to look at her, the tip of her ears flushing despite of her easy replies to Hitomi’s gratitude. “Oh, this? No no, it’s not a fan gift—” then she pauses, tilting her head. “Actually it could be, technically it’s from your fan.”

Eunbi blinks in surprise. “Me?”

“Yeah.” Chaewon hands the plastic bag over—practically dropping the moderately light thing on Eunbi’s lap. Eunbi grasps at it, peering into the plastic bag only to see gift-wrap papers encasing the gift completely in purple. She looks up to squint suspiciously at Chaewon only to be rewarded with an innocent smile, the latter stepping back to settle on the vacant seat next to Hitomi.

“Go on, open it.”

Eunbi pulls the wrapped gift out of the plastic bag, eyebrows furrowing as she tries to guess the content. She squeezes the gift slightly and it’s not something sturdy, she notes, glancing at Chaewon who again doesn’t volunteer any hint.

So Eunbi tears into the gift, jaw gradually going slack as a piglet plushie resurfaces from the depth of purple papers. She looks up to see Hitomi covering with one hand, eyes crinkling in amusement while Chaewon’s grin is too all-knowing.

“Is this—”

“From your dearest, of course.”

Eunbi flushes.

“That’s very sweet of Hyewon-sshi to do,” Hitomi comments lightly, taking a sip from her americano.

“She hasn’t bothered you about the honorifics yet?” Chaewon prods, surprised.

“…no? Not really. But we haven’t really met much—"

“Hii-chan is just far more respectful than you’ll ever be,” Eunbi chimes in, curling an arm around the piglet plushie and setting aside the torn wrappers. Chaewon makes a face at her while Hitomi suppresses a grin. Eunbi tilts her head, “How did you get the—did you meet Hyewon?”

“Dropped by her restaurant,” Chaewon promptly replies, leaning back.

“Just now?”

“On my way here, yes.”

“Did you plan this?”

“Hyewon-unnie did,” Chaewon replies, putting her palms up and blinking rapidly at her. “Hold on Unnie, why do you sound like you’re interrogating me?”

Eunbi purses her lips, a chiding line on how if I had known I would’ve reminded her to bring my purse along and pass it to you waiting to tumble out of —but she pats the piglet plushie in her lap and wonders, curiosity growing, on what Hyewon is up to. The complaint fades and the curiosity remains,

“Did she say why she’s doing this?” Eunbi asks instead. “I don’t think today is an especially important date.”

Chaewon shrugs, palms falling onto her thighs. “Why don’t you just ask her yourself?”

Eunbi considers the suggestion, Hitomi getting up from her seat. Eunbi looks at her and the younger beams, “I’ll just go check the demo we’ve worked on so far—”

“No, please stay,” Eunbi says, shaking her head. “You don’t have to remove yourself. It’s just a phone-call.”

Hitomi hesitates, but Chaewon reaches out and pulls at her hand. Eunbi glances away and busies herself with taking her phone out, knowing full well that Chaewon would be all too aware of her reaction. She might chicken out if Eunbi as much as stares at their now entwined hands.

“You heard Eunbi-unnie, Hitomi. Sit back.”

“Ah, we do have something to check, though.”

“Check it later with her after she’s done.” There’s a rustle and a sigh, “Just come sit with me again, please?”

The last sentence is spoken shyly and Eunbi takes a peek to see Hitomi obliging the tug of Chaewon’s hand, a smile working across her lips. Young love, Eunbi thinks to herself, smiling and unlocking her phone.

Her call to Hyewon rings thrice.

“Hello?”

“Hi,” Eunbi breathes out, eyes averting towards the clock. “I hope I’m not holding you off from anything—”

“Oh. No no don’t worry about it, I’m home—I got to leave early.”

Eunbi blinks, noticing the slight panic undercurrent in Hyewon’s tone. It’s different from the all-knowing happy tune Hyewon used the whole morning and it alarms her a little. “Are you okay?” she can’t help but ask, “Everything fine at home?”

“Of course!” The reply is spoken in a raised pitch and Eunbi pauses. “Why are you calling, by the way? I hope work’s been kind to you—”

“I’m fine,” Eunbi replies, not pointing out the abrupt change of topic. If Hyewon doesn’t immediately unravel, then whatever the panic is about shouldn’t be anything too devastating or life-changing. She takes a deep breath and looks down at the fluff in her hold, “I… want to thank you. For the chicken coupons and piglet.” She pats the plushie in her lap again, smiling softly.

“Oh, you got them.”

“Chaewon’s delivery service is top notch.” She glances at where the younger sits and snickers at the uncertainty flitting across her face, not knowing whether to take pride or act insulted. It’s silent on Hyewon’s end so Eunbi adds in, “Is there an occasion for all this?”

“Just feeling like it.”

There it is again. The quick answer sounds secretive, if a little hurried. Eunbi furrows her brows for a moment and asks, “Everything’s really okay at home, right?”

“Yes of course! Nothing is burnt down and the house is intact—”

“Baby, your phrasing is making me worried.”

“I’m not good with words, Eun. I thought you know that.”

Eunbi smiles at the self-deprecating joke. “Well then,” she says, “I need to return to work so I’ll leave you be—”

“Work well, I love you!”

“I love you too,” Eunbi heaves, waiting until Hyewon ends the call first. Then she looks up at the other occupants of the studio, tilting her head uncertainly, “Hyewon is hiding something.”

Chaewon exchanges a look with Hitomi, then back at Eunbi. “I have nothing to do with this, I was only running an errand.”

“Ah, yes,” Eunbi says slowly, eyes glinting with mischief. “An errand to make sure Hyewon will stop teasing you about—” Chaewon’s eyes widen urgently, body jolting forward as though she’s about to grab Eunbi’s shoulders and Eunbi laughs.

“About what?” Hitomi asks, confused over Eunbi’s mirth.

“Nothing,” Chaewon quickly huffs. “Eunbi-unnie is just mean,” she scornfully deflects.

“Well this meanie will just go clean up these first,” Eunbi says, gesturing to the rumpled purple wrappers as she geets up.. She strides towards Hitomi and drops the piglet in her lap, “Please look after him in the meantime, Hii-chan.”

“It’s a he?” Chaewon dubiously asks.

“Hello, handsome,” Hitomi lightly greets the plushie.

Eunbi grins, leaving the two to take care of the trash. She opens her can of cider and brings it with her, occasionally taking a sip as she cleans up the studio. (She takes Hitomi’s empty cup, too, waving away the latter’s protest of ‘I can do it myself.’)

She finally finishes her cider, bringing the empty can outside and dropping it into the garbage bin. She pivots on her heels and reaches for the door, opening it.

Only to immediately face her own phone, Chaewon shoving it in front of her nose without preamble. “Hyewon-unnie,” Chaewon simply says, and Eunbi lifts her eyebrows. She takes the phone and accepts the call, presses the gadget against her ear.

“Hell—”

“Babe you’re going to be mad like mad mad because. I made a mess but—do not worry, I’ll fix it! Just please come home a little late?”

Eunbi blinks, mouth falling open slightly as she glances at Chaewon. Hyewon is taking quick breaths after rapping the greeting line into Eunbi’s ears and she sounds like she’s about to start again so Eunbi cuts in,

“What do you mean a mess?”

“It’s going to be okay,” Hyewon says instead. “I just need to—I swear whatever it is you’re thinking doesn’t happen. This is manageable. I just messed up a little—”

“Kang Hyewon.” The use of her full name makes Hyewon groan, and Eunbi steps into the studio, leaving it to Chaewon to close the door back. “Are you hurt anywhere?” she can’t help but ask, recalling that time Hyewon dropped a knife on her own foot.

“No,” Hyewon replies, voice less frantic now. “I’m fine, really. Just—please come home a little late—”

“Or I can come home earlier and help you with whatever it is,” Eunbi proposes, glancing at the other two people in the room. “We’ve done a lot for today, there’s not much to do left since the one we need to run everything through can’t be present right now—”

A deep sigh sounds from the other end of the call. “Then go out with Chaewon, treat yourself or something,” Hyewon says, now sounding incredibly tired. “You don’t have to help. Besides I—you’ll just laugh, really.”

“I won’t,” Eunbi softly says, mind already made up.

 

 

*

 

 

Eunbi steps up to the front door of their home nearly thirty minutes later, with Chaewon and Hitomi in tow. The two have insisted to tag along after Hyewon tried for one last time to convince Eunbi to just stay a little longer at the studio.

‘If it turns out to be a really bad mess, we can help,’ Hitomi offered, Chaewon nodding throughout the explanation. ‘Besides—Chaewon-unnie offered to drive me home so I’ll be in the car anyway.’ Eunbi raised her eyebrows at that, while Chaewon suddenly looked very busy with her car keys.

(She would have prodded some more if she’s sure it won’t send Chaewon running for the mountains. She was, after all, still in need of a ride.)

Eunbi glances at them for a moment, fingers hovering over, ready to punch in the passcode. “Hyewon said to not laugh,” she reminds them.

Chaewon’s lips twitch. “No promises.”

“I’ll try,” Hitomi politely says.

And then they go in.

They go in to—

To… this.

Eunbi blinks, taking in the living room mostly covered in grey powder. Hyewon is crouching down near their table with a duster in her hand, a trash bag lying pathetically by her feet. There’s a leaf blower rested near the fireplace and Hyewon catches sight of her, finally, eyes widening urgently with panic—

Hitomi coughs.

Chaewon snorts and belatedly covers with her palm.

While Eunbi tries to hold it in at first. She does. She tries and she would’ve succeeded except she takes one more look at the thin layer of ash now latching onto everything in the room including Hyewon’s clothes, the absurdity of the situation catching up on her and tickling at both her heart and at the same time—

Hyewon inevitably sneezes, and Eunbi breaks into howling laughter.

 

 

*

 

 

“We should’ve heeded Kkura’s advice to close it,” Eunbi says, following Hyewon into the kitchen. Chaewon and Hitomi have insisted to stay around and help them tidy up the living room, actually seeming to have some fun with it as they fill the room with light chatters and chuckles. Eunbi smiles, reaching out to rub circles on Hyewon’s back, “What’s the use of fireplace in this neighbourhood anyway, right?”

It turns out Hyewon wanted to help around the house and finally took on cleaning the fireplace after doing the kitchen and their bedroom. She had decided that the best way to do it would be to stand in front of it with a trash bag wide open and the leaf blower positioned and used to blow the ashes in.

(Spoiler: it didn’t work.)

Hyewon sighs, glancing at her with a small smile on her lips. She’s taken the jokes well, accepting that her mess up is funny. “You love the aesthetic though,” she points out, reaching out to pinch Eunbi’s cheek. “It’s okay, it can stay. I’ll just… be less dumb next time.” The fingers retreat and Hyewon straightens up. “Besides, we can’t tell her that she’s right. It’s gonna get into her head, and then Chaeyeon will be left alone to handle the aftermath…”

Eunbi hums while Hyewon steps away to open the fridge. She’s promised to cook their guests dinner as an apology, sputtering the promise out as Eunbi pushed her rout of the living room, telling her to change her clothes. The filthy look is gone now, replaced with fresh shirt and the faint smell of vanilla, though the exhausted lines crossing Hyewon’s face linger still.

“If anything, I think this will bring Chaewonnie and Hitomi closer,” Eunbi says, trying to offer comfort.

Hyewon nods and exhales through her nose, picking out the ingredients she will be using. She takes out a pack of mushrooms and holds it out to Eunbi. “Think they’ll love steak?” she murmurs, eyeing the thick slices of beef stored deep into their fridge.

“I’m sure they will.”

“Neat. That’s the menu then.” Hyewon retrieves the meat and steps back, turning around to place it on the table—except Eunbi tugs at her shoulder to press a chaste kiss to her lips, a smile working across her face at Hyewon’s answering blink. “What’s that for?”

“Can’t I kiss you just because?”

Hyewon furrows her brows, a slow smile blossoming on her lips. “Don’t distract me, Eun. I can’t burn the steak too.”

“You won’t,” Eunbi grins. “Your chef pride wouldn’t allow that.”

Hyewon lets out a chuckle at that and with it they fall into a more comfortable air, knives held in their hands and shoulders often pressed against one another—working close, as though saying ‘how are you? It’s been a long day spent without you,’

“Pass me the salt,” Hyewon’s voice says, and Eunbi reaches for the saltshaker, turning slightly to hand it to her, only to be met with a warm lips catching her in a short kiss. Her heart skips a beat at that, starting back up clumsily inside her chest when Hyewon pulls away with a grin, saltshaker taken away from her hand.

‘It’s good to have you near again.’

Heat creeping up her neck, Eunbi lightly punches her shoulder, earning a hearty chuckle. She huffs and reaches for her knife again, mumbling ‘stupid’ under her breath even as the corners of her lips lift up at the chuckle not yet fading, light and crisp next to her.

‘I’ve missed you.’

 

 

*

 

 

They send Chaewon and Hitomi off a little after dinner, a bit later than any of them have predicted. Conversations slowed down the movements of their eating utensils, and Eunbi has had to drag the younger two out of the kitchen before they could insist in helping to wash the dishes.

Chaewon’s car drives off onto the road and towards its next trip to Hitomi’s apartment. Eunbi closes the door and makes sure it’s locked, setting off towards the kitchen next. Everything’s already cleaned up when she pokes her head in, Hyewon nowhere in sight.

She must’ve gone to our bedroom first.

True enough, Hyewon is already lying down on her side of the bed, playing something in her phone. She glances up when Eunbi comes in, smiling at Eunbi’s small wave.

“I’ll wash up,” Eunbi says and Hyewon nods. Eunbi puts down the piglet plushie she’s brought from the living room, pushes it so it lies pressed up against Hyewon’s shoulder—much to the latter’s amusement.

It is to this that Eunbi leaves to the bathroom.

Which is why her eyebrows furrow when she comes back to Hyewon turned around, her back facing her. Piglet is put away at the table near Eunbi’s side of the bed. The phone is nowhere to be seen and Hyewon slightly curls into herself like she’s sleeping.

“Hyewon?” Eunbi calls. There’s no answer, but she knows Hyewon isn’t asleep yet. “Baby,”

The term of endearment causes Hyewon’s shoulders to droop a little. Eunbi puts away her used clothes into the laundry basket and pads towards the bed, nearly missing the murmur coming from Hyewon’s side—

“I wasn’t supposed to up.”

“And I wasn’t supposed to be recording myself screaming curses at my ex in a Build-A-Bear shop two years ago but I did. You were there, you heard me and asked if I’m okay and I told you I’ll be okay if you’d treat me to ice cream so you did—” Eunbi stifles a snort at the memory, equally absurd and memorable in her heart. “And now here we are, all because I did what I wasn’t supposed to do.” She arrives before the bed and softens at the silent back facing her,

“Sometimes ing up is necessary, Hyewon.”

Eunbi climbs up the bed at the same time Hyewon shifts, lanky figure turning around to slowly face her. There’s an amused smile on the latter’s lips but her eyes are still apologetic,

“I wanted to cheer you up.”

Hyewon’s voice is quiet. She isn’t always quiet—she could be loud when she wants, screaming over games or passionately championing a recipe or unconsciously getting worked up over an anime episode, but her talks about feelings are mostly quiet. She speaks in simple sentences, letting said words bear the weight of her heart, and Eunbi’s long learned to listen.

(She’d like to say she’s good at it now.)

So Eunbi sits and waits for Hyewon to continue.

“You’ve been stressed out lately,” Hyewon continues at her lack of reply. Not because Eunbi doesn’t want to but because she knows Hyewon likes it better when she manages to explain herself more fully, not wanting misunderstanding to sneak in-between their conversations.

Hyewon catches her gaze, releasing a breath.

“I wanted to give you a day where everything went right for you. So that you could believe that there would be nice days. That the stress wouldn’t last.”

Eunbi smiles at that, the warmth unfurling in her chest causing to tighten a little. She reaches one hand out and Hyewon meets her halfway, warm fingers slipping in and entwining with hers.

“You cheer me up,” she gently tells her, meaning it.

Hyewon furrows her brows, and Eunbi feels a rush of affection for the love of her life, for the way Hyewon tends to get too focused in baking the perfect cake that she sometimes misses how the sight of her baking something is reason enough for Eunbi to smile. The taste of the final cake comes second whether it’s tasty or ashen—it can add onto Eunbi’s smile or it won’t, but it would never cancel out the worth of Hyewon’s effort, would never take away the smile she’s put on Eunbi’s lips simply by trying.

“Even if a thousand things went wrong,” Eunbi softly adds, “whenever I hold your hand, I get reminded that there’s still something right. That there’s you,” she gently squeezed their linked hands, smile widening on her lips.

“That there is us.”

Hyewon’s chest rises with an intake of a breath at that, then there’s a tug to their hands, silently asking. A tug Eunbi gladly follows, mattress dipping beneath her as she finally lies down next to Hyewon, the fingers in her hold slipping away only for a pair of arms to gently encircle her waist, pulling her close into a gentle warmth.

Warm lips brush lightly over her forehead and Hyewon whispers,

“I love you, Eun. So much.”

Eunbi sighs in contentment, melting deeper into Hyewon’s embrace. She nods and whispers, “Me, too,” feeling Hyewon’s warmth seeping into her skin, cocooning her safely.

Today has been hard, and tomorrow will be, too. The same way the day after would be, and the week after, and the month after—but she comes home to Hyewon and Hyewon comes home to her and if there’s a routine she wouldn’t ever change in this lifetime it would be this.

She pulls away slightly, glances up at Hyewon’s questioning gaze and says, “Piglet is really cute.”

Hyewon snorts, fingers lightly threading through Eunbi’s hair. “I’m glad.”

“You’re cute, too.”

A blink. “Wait what—”

Eunbi smiles, pushing herself up to kiss Hyewon fleetingly, letting out a chuckle when Hyewon huffs and chases after her to kiss her back—this time a little longer.

“Good night,” Hyewon whispers as their lips part, grin fond at the same time it’s shy even after all this time.

“Good night,” Eunbi breathes out, pulling the cover over themselves as she snuggles up into Hyewon’s hug.

(And indeed today, tomorrow, and the endless day to come,

if there’s a routine she wouldn’t ever change in this lifetime—it would always be this.)

 

 

 

 

END