September 23, 2008 – 8:59AM

This is it.

Amber slowly exhaled as she followed her SM Entertainment into one of the practice rooms (at least she had assumed).  Her thoughtful assumption was confirmed as she saw multiple trainees practicing all at the same time in a formation for a dance routine.

“You’re just in time to see an example of what we expect,” the elderly administrator, Youngmin Kim lightly said with a smile to Amber who was next to him.

Amber just nodded at the Konglish accent she heard from the man and just went along with the idea that he had said something about their dancing.  After two minutes of watching the whole group dance, she nodded to herself as she swallowed roughly with nerves.  They were no joke.  She saw that both boys and girls were doing the same choreography—some messing up—some standing out better than the others.  Amber’s head was twirling after getting so much information thrown and debriefed to her about meeting expectations, always doing better than the month before for every monthly assessment, using a certain amount of money given to them as an allowance, meeting curfew as a new trainee until getting adjusted, finishing school and so much more.

While the girls and boys conversed with each other at the end of successfully completing their dance choreography, some of them took a break heading to get their water bottles or snacks while others broke into little groups chatting amongst themselves; a slight murmur erupting in the room of equal volume in a language Amber had zero knowledge in.  Amber made eye contact with a few of the trainees and immediately knew that they began to gossip about her.  She deferred from shaking her head nervously automatically assuming that all of them thought that she was a boy, especially by the judgment of one girl’s blushing face as she whispered to her friend next to her.  Ironically enough, the same girl that was listening to the whisper and observing Amber from afar was called by Mr. Kim by a name Amber couldn’t even comprehend or spell in her head.  Amber could feel a sweat drop run down the back of her neck and knew that she was in it for the long run if she wouldn’t be able to learn Korean quickly.

“Amber,” Mr. Kim said as he briefly looked at her.  He hand gestured to the girl who approached the both of them.  “This is Soojung; she was actually born in California.”

Amber blinked nervously at the cold face. “Soo—what?  I’m sorry, I—”

“Krystal,” the girl said with a chuckle, her eyes crinkling slightly into crescent moons.  “Just call me Krystal.”

Amber blinked again quickly realizing that “she judged a book by its cover” when she shouldn’t have.  Nonetheless, however, she pulled out a smile and reached out to shake the girl’s hand.  “I’m Amber,” she said nicely.

Krystal’s eyes widened as dropped slightly.  “Amber?  But that’s a girl’s name.”

Amber laughed a little at the cute and surprised expression Krystal had, noticing her smile completely disappearing and was replaced with pure astonishment.

“Yeah,” Amber gave out.  “I’m a—”

“Girl!” Krystal answered.  She shook her hands vigorously.  “I am SO sorry!”

The tomboy laughed.  “It’s fine.  Really.  Don’t worry about it.”

Amber saw Krystal relax, an angelic smile forming on her face and she instantly felt her heart beat.  She’s actually really cute, Amber thought.  She mentally slapped herself hard in the face, though, because she knew that it was only her first day, she just broke up with Hope and she’s already checking girls out.  I need to get it together, Amber thought one more time.

“I’m really sorry, again,” Krystal mumbled as a small tint of pink appeared on her face.  “It’s really nice meeting you, though,” she said as she reached her hand out for a handshake.  “I’ve heard about you.”

“All good, I hope,” the tomboy said with a chuckle.  “But it’s really nice meeting you, too.”

Youngmin smiled after having a few of his laughs between the two Americans, as well and cleared his throat.  “Alright then, our next hit time will be later on in the afternoon.  I’ll let Soojung here catch you up to speed.”

The two girls nodded and smiled as they watched Youngmin walk away, greeting a few trainees on the way.  Krystal turned to Amber.  “Feels good to speak in English, right?” she asked.

Amber chuckled.  “It feels amazing.  You have no idea how scared I was.”

The latter chuckled, as well.  “It’s okay.  I’ll help you out.”

Amber could suddenly feel a lump form in as she began to fight tears back from forming.  The little things alone like speaking English made her realize yet again, how much she missed home already.  She felt bad and she knew it because without her knowing, Amber had automatically labeled Krystal as her own version of “home.”

“Thanks, Krystal.”

December 02, 2010 – 4:05pm

“Amber.”

Amber blinked at the sudden call of her name and shook her head.  She turned to one of her managers and saw him smiling at her.  “You okay?” he asked with a small chuckle.

Amber looked to where she was originally looking at and met eyes whom she had been making eye contact with as she relived her flashback.  The girl gave out a smile after keeping eye contact with each other for a bit, a tint of pink forming in her cheeks.  Amber smiled subconsciously and nodded slowly.  “Yeah,” she answered.  She looked to her manager.  “I’m fine.”

“Ah!” shouted a voice running towards them happily.

Amber and her manager laughed, an unhuman noise puffing out of Amber’s nose from being bear hugged by one of her members. 

“I’ve missed you so much, hyung,” Sulli exclaimed excitedly.

Amber coughed out a laugh, feeling the lack of oxygen in her body due to the intense hold on her from the “Big Baby.”  “I missed you, too, Sul,” Amber responded.

“We all did.”

Amber and Sulli looked to the rest of the members approaching, Victoria smiling from ear to ear with her arms crossed.  She let out a sigh.  “We really all did,” she repeated.  Unfolding and extending her arms towards the tomboy, the leader embraced Amber with a strong and sisterly hug—a hug that made Amber’s heart flutter.  She didn’t realize how much she missed f(x) as a whole.  With a small squeal to add, Sulli jumped into the hug, making it into a group hug, a few tears of joy falling down her cheek during the process.

“Welcome back,” Luna said as she, too, joined the group; all four girls’ backs facing the one left to join.  Amber made eye contact with Krystal yet again.  The younger girl held the stare and gave out a soft smile, the tomboy instantly doing the same.  Amber extended an arm out, signaling the girl to come into the group hug.  Krystal obliged as Amber noticed a small tear fall from her face as she walked over.  Krystal made physical contact with her and the rest of the group, her face immediately hitting Amber’s right ear.

Krystal softly sighed into Amber’s ear, causing Amber’s heart to beat.  “I love you,” the younger girl whispered in English.

As if on cue, the rest of the group broke away from the hug, all of them wiping their happy tears at the call of one of the staff members letting them know that they needed to get Amber ready to participate in the photo shoot that had already begun.  Amber obliged to the order, glancing back at Krystal as she walked away.

“I love you, too,” she mouthed back before turning around to walk to the stylists.

Krystal caught it and could feel the butterflies form in her stomach all over again.  There was no denying that she still had strong feelings for the girl.  She was brought back to reality once she felt someone nudge her in the side.

“You okay?” Luna asked with a smile that formed from ear to ear.

Krystal rolled her eyes to cover her tracks but couldn’t help but chuckle.  “Yes,” she said.  “I’m okay.”

“Yeah,” Luna replied.  “I bet.”

Luna laughed as Krystal rolled her eyes one more time and they preceded to the resting area which consisted of snacks for them and the staff members along with multiple tables, chairs and two big couches.  The two members sat down as they watched Victoria and Sulli walk away, Krystal assuming, to go to the bathroom.  Luna let out a satisfied sigh.

“So…” she started.

Krystal couldn’t help but smile.  “So… what?”

Luna laughed.  “So?!” she questioned eccentrically.  “So how is it like seeing her?”

Krystal fell back into the couch and crossed her arms.  She eyed her way towards the tomboy from the distance who was still getting prepared for her part in the K-Swiss photo shoot they were conducting.  She could feel her heart at , thus swallowing.

“Honestly,” Krystal started.  She turned to her band member.  “I’m scared.”

Luna’s smile disappeared.  “Huh?  Why?”

Krystal looked down to her lap.  “It’s just—I don’t know.  I’m so happy, don’t get me wrong.”  She paused.  “But I’m just scared.  We didn’t end on a good note and whenever we did see each other, we just ignored what we were left with.”  She added a sigh.  “I’m just worried that like—if we do get time alone, what would we even say to each other?”

Krystal turned her head to look at Luna for a sign of help as the lead singer thought generously.  A light bulb appeared at the top of her head, Krystal assumed, judging by the sudden bright expression that appeared on the latter’s face.

“Think about it like this,” Luna started.  “When you two saw each other again back in LA—you guys kind of just forgot about it, right?”

Krystal blinked noticing she had just repeated what she had said.  Nonetheless, holding back a roll in the eyes, she nodded.

“You guys exchanged sincere words as if…” a pause.  “You know—a fight wasn’t worth it anymore.”

“I know, but still.”

“But still what?”

Krystal bit her bottom lip.  “You honestly have no idea how scared I am.  Like what do I even say?” she questioned as her hands flailed in the air.  “Like seriously, what? ‘Oh hey, Am, how was your flight?’?”

“It’s a start…” Luna answered slowly.

Krystal groaned as she threw herself back into the couch one more time.  Luna scooted closer and placed her hand on Krystal’s leg and shook her lightly, sighing in the process.  “Listen to me,” Luna asserted.  It caused the younger girl to get eye contact.  “Just play it naturally.  Obviously there are still feelings between you two, so just—don’t think about what you’re gonna say or even what you’re supposed to say—and that goes for actions, too!”  She shook Krystal one more time.  “Don’t think about what you’re gonna do or what you’re supposed to do and even how you’re supposed to do it!”

Krystal sighed but paused midway.  “Wait—what do you mean by, ‘do’?”

Luna scrunched her eyes looking at the other girl’s confused face.  Her eyes widened when she saw Krystal trying to fight back a blush forming.  “Oh my God, Soojung, I didn’t mean like—not that that would be wrong, I’m sure you guys are ready, plus no one would get pregnant anyways, but—”

“Okay!” Krystal interrupted as she put a hand to Luna’s mouth.  She looked around desperately hoping no one had heard her and took her hand away when she got confirmation that no one did.  “I’m sorry I took it in that way even though I’m pretty sure you weren’t talking about that,” Krystal said.

Luna shook her head.  “No, it’s fine.  I should have worded that better.”

Krystal looked down and fiddled with her hands.  “You know, we have spoken about it.”  She looked up.  “You know.  It.”

The latter shrugged.  “I’m not really surprised.”

Krystal blinked.  “You’re not like—disgusted by it?”

Luna’s face scrunched repulsively.  “Um, no.  Why would I be?”

“There’s a difference between knowing two lesbians are dating than two lesbians have .”

“Is there?  Not to me there is.”

Another blink.  Krystal didn’t honestly know what to say but couldn’t help but smile when she saw Luna smile.

“Seriously, Krystal, it’s the 21^st century.  Everyone knows every couple will eventually reach that stage,” Luna stated as she crossed her arms.

A small silence formed between the two of them as Krystal entered deep into her thought.  She sighed quietly.  “Thanks,” she murmured.

“For?”

“Being okay with all of this.”

Luna chuckled.  “It’s not a hard thing to do.  You and Amber are still you and Amber.”

Krystal smiled at the statement.  “Her and I will find time,” she said, pivoting back to the old topic.  “I don’t know when, but I don’t wanna push it.  She just got back to Korea, you know?  And look,” she gestured towards the tomboy now already posing for shots.  “She’s working.”

Luna nodded.  “I’m sure the both of you will take care of things when the time comes.  I’m not worried about you two.”

“I wish I was as confident as you.”

August 01, 2009 – 6:56PM

“Please!!!”

A sigh escaped the other’s mouth as she continued to fiddle with her phone, lying down on her bed with her legs crossed.  She did her best to pretend that the younger girl wasn’t in front of her bed, practically shaking it at the end.

“Oh come on, Am,” Krystal gave out one more time as she flailed her arms.  “We never get breaks like this; we should take advantage—”

“And go shopping?” Amber interrupted.  She removed her phone away from her face and looked to the baby Jung.  The younger girl smiled brightly as she nodded vigorously.  Amber held Krystal’s stare for two more seconds, doing her best to not smile like an idiot at how cute the latter was looking.  Amber could feel her heart weigh in, thus chuckling to ease the pressure.

“Fine,” Amber answered.  “Just let me get dressed.”

“Yay ~” Krystal rhythmically sang happily as she hopped over to hug her best friend.  “You’re the best.”

“I try,” the tomboy laughed.

“You succeed,” Krystal responded as she broke away from the hug.  She ran her hands through Amber’s hair, which caused the latter to give out a half-laugh as she swatted her hand away.

7:34PM

“Can you seriously believe that we’re debuting in a month already?” Krystal asked with slight excitement.  She and Amber approached a small street-food truck, jumping onto the line to order some well-deserved tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes).

“I honestly don’t believe it either,” Amber said with a smile as she reached into her back pocket to get her wallet out.

“Two orders, please,” Amber stated in Korean.  Krystal smiled along with the owner as she obliged.

“Oh, your boyfriend is so handsome!” the lady said brightly as she handed Amber the food.

Amber chuckled in embarrassment, her head hanging low as she took the food in exchange for money.  She just thanked the kind ajuhmma and bowed slightly and the both of them preceded to walk down the street, Krystal having a laughing stock about the ordeal.  Amber just wasn’t in the mood to re-explain to everyone she came across that she wasn’t a boy—she’s a girl.

“Doesn’t get old, huh?” Krystal asked with a mouth full food.

“Nope,” Amber responded with a shake in her head.

The two Americans continued to stroll down the streets of Seoul, watching the sun cast down upon them—the city lights slowly popping up one by one.  It was a moment that Krystal and Amber both knew they would never really get and they were thankful that they did.  Amber let out a puff of air through .  It was crazy how time flied; Amber was already debuting in a month and all she could do was become nostalgic over the whole ordeal all over again.

“Thanks,” the tomboy gave out as it broke the small silence between them while they continued to walk.

“Huh?” Krystal asked.  She turned her head to Amber.  “For wh—”

“Um, excuse me.”

Both Amber and Krystal turned to the side and halted in their tracks.  A young man around Krystal’s age had approached the both of them, Amber noticing two other males a few feet away from them snickering and cackling to themselves as they watched.

“Ignore my friends over there,” the guy said as he gestured his hand towards the group.  Krystal blinked.  He took a step forward and reached his hand out.  “I was just wondering if I can like—get to know you.  Or something.”

Amber was baffled and honestly didn’t know what to say; taking a peak at Krystal, she could see that the younger Jung didn’t know what to do either and that it was definitely her first time getting hit on in public.

“Um, why?” Krystal questioned.

Amber mentally face-palmed.  He likes you, dummy, she thought to herself.

“I think you’re cute,” the guy answered pitifully.  “I just thought—”

“Sorry.”

Krystal’s face turned into a bright pink as she felt a familiar arm around her shoulders, a firm and gentle grasp on her shoulder bone, as well.  She took a peak at Amber, who was very close to her at the physical contact that had just happened.

“She’s already taken,” Amber bluffed with a small smile.

The tomboy quickly and naturally turned both her and Krystal around and began to walk away.  She had assumed that the younger male was upset considering she had heard his two other friends laugh obnoxiously and scream out “That !” and “Ooooh!” all at the same time.

“This is where you put your arm around my waist,” Amber whispered harshly in English.

Krystal quickly obliged to the suggestion, only making sure their little act of theirs looked real.  And the more they continued to walk down the street in the same position, arm in arm, body to body—her heart began to beat.  She didn’t want to let go.  Krystal swallowed roughly.

She and Amber could make it look real—but what if—

What if I want this to be real? she asked herself.

December 03, 2010 – 1:14AM

Amber looked out of the window of f(x)’s van, noticing that it had begun to rain.  She crossed her arms to help contain her own body heat.  She glanced over to her left and a seat ahead was Krystal leaning onto the window, as well.  Amber assumed that she was also looking outside; a common thing they both realized they liked to do whenever they were thinking about something for too long.  She could feel a lump form in when they reached Krystal’s house.

“Thanks, oppa,” Krystal said tiredly as she gathered her things.

Their manager sweetly responded with an also tired smile and told her to get some rest.  Krystal briefly said goodbye to the rest of the members individually by name, Amber being last.

“It’s nice having you back, again,” Krystal inferred.  She held Amber’s tired stare, the tomboy only swallowing a pool of word vomit before nodding like an idiot.

“Same here.”

Amber’s heart raced as she watched Krystal leave the van, giving a final goodnight to her, the members and their manager before sliding the van door shut.  You’re just gonna let her go to sleep alone?!

Amber watched through the window as the rain hit Krystal’s head lightly, the younger girl’s hand up above subconsciously.  You guys could get a chance to be alone; after so long!

Amber swallowed again.

“Actually, oppa,” she shouted abruptly.  It scared him and the rest of the members; Luna and Sulli who were dozing in and out of sleep, Victoria just looking weirded out.  She cleared .  “I think I’m gonna stay at Krystal’s tonight.”  She began to gather her things and looked over to her manager one more time.  “I forgot that I have to brief her about a project we might get to do for our comeback,” she added a chuckle and a half-laugh for theatre purposes.  “I know I’ll forget tomorrow, so I’ll just spend the night at her house and start working on it with her.”

Victoria scrunched her eyebrows; Sulli fell back asleep and Luna saw their manager and Victoria’s confused expressions.  Nonetheless, their manager smiled and nodded.  “Sure,” he answered.  “I’ll just make sure to pick you both up and let you know when I’ll be there.”

“Another photo shoot tomorrow morning,” Victoria reminded her, turning back around in her seat.

“Right,” Amber responded.  “Got it.”

Amber said her final goodnights to her and the group, quickly sliding the van door and shut.  She half-sprinted to Krystal closing her front door, only to be stopped with the tomboy suddenly appearing at her doorstep, causing the younger girl to jump in astonishment and fright.

“Holy crap, you just scared me,” Krystal squealed.

“Sorry,” Amber breathed.  “You don’t mind if I…?”

Krystal’s eyes widened.  She could feel her face flush.  “N-no.  Not at all.”  She let herself and Amber enter the door, their manager giving three beeps from the van as the both of them waved goodbye.

The both of them took off their shoes and hung their jackets in Krystal’s nearby coat hanger.  Krystal walked ahead of Amber and dropped her stuff on her family’s dining table, mentally noting that she would take care of her stuff tomorrow—now was not the time to even think.  Amber looked down to her feet; she could feel her limbs go weak and her lungs breathe short.  Within the small silence, Krystal too could also feel her body tingle—her heart racing like it never did before.  She slowly turned around to face the tomboy, who was still looking down at the floor.

“Amber…”

Amber hesitantly looked up and grabbed her ex-lover’s eyes.  The both of them let the silence sink in—a silence they both hadn’t experienced in a very long time.  But this silence was slightly different than the others.  It wasn’t the type of silence where they were finally allowed to break away from being idols and just talk about how tired they were of having to hide from everyone.  It was the type of silence that brought them together on a whim; a moment where they were finally reunited and it was too good to be true.  Krystal swallowed.  Amber left and now she was back standing right in front of her.  Her Amber was back.  Her girl was back.  Krystal could feel like she was about to throw up, subconsciously breaking the eye contact out of nerves.

“Krys.”

Krystal couldn’t feel her own lungs work anymore.  She swallowed one more time hoping that her dry saliva would disappear.  She could feel her hands shake and her knees go weak.

“I-I’m sorry,” she muttered.  She grabbed Amber’s eyes.  “I don’t want this to end...”

Amber could feel her heart in .  She knew what Krystal was talking about.  She was talking about them.  She was talking about the idea of Amber and Krystal—together.

“I never said it would.”

Before Krystal could give an answer, she was collided passionately with Amber’s lips against hers.  She immediately wrapped her arms around her lover’s shoulders and neck, only hoping to feel her closer—to fill the void that had opened the moment she had left her side.  Krystal took a step back, Amber following and the both of them slowly made their way up the staircase in Krystal’s house.  She was glad that Amber chose a perfect time to be bold, considering there was no one home.

They crashed into Krystal’s door after the younger girl sloppily opened it, the both of them chuckling into the kiss.  Amber pushed Krystal into her dresser, her arms quickly snaking around her waist—God I missed this, she thought.  Krystal pushed away from the dresser slightly to get her light grey cardigan off, only to throw away the piece of clothing to the side.  Amber hadn’t realized faster enough that Krystal had done what she had done.  She soon then finally noticed when she was met with a much thinner piece of clothing—Krystal’s plain white V-neck.  Amber gently caressed Krystal’s face with both hands, slowing down the kissing as Krystal moved her hands down to Amber’s waist.  Naturally, she brought both of her hands underneath Amber’s shirt and for the first time got a grasp of Amber’s body.  The small and sudden action caused Amber to give out a gasp, breaking the kiss as she fell into Krystal’s body against the dresser, her breathing unstable in Krystal’s left ear.  She held the dress her with her hands for support.

“A-are you okay?” Krystal breathed with concern.

“Yeah,” Amber responded the same.  “I’m fine.  I just—” She moved back slightly to look Krystal in the eyes.  “I just feel that if we start, we won’t stop.”

Krystal moved her left hand higher and grazed Amber’s sports bra, the older latter clenching her teeth.  She moved her right hand to caress the tomboy’s face.  “Do you want to stop?” she asked gently.

Amber swallowed.  “No.”

Krystal placed her forehead against Amber’s and closed her eyes.  “Then don’t,” she whispered.  She slowly opened her eyes and looked into Amber’s; both of their cheeks flushed.

“I’m ready.”

4:01AM

“You okay?”

Krystal snuggled closer at the voice, the latter chuckling at the action.  “Why wouldn’t I be?”

Amber smiled and ran her hand through Krystal’s hair.  “I’m just making sure.”  As a response, Krystal slowly sat up and brought her blanket to cover her body from the cold breeze that had filled the room.  She looked down at her blanket and flipped her hair to the side.  She caught Amber’s gaze.

Amber scrunches her eyes slightly.  “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Looking at you like what?” Krystal asks curiously.

“Like… that.”

Krystal blushes.  “I could never keep a straight face with you, anyways.”  She adds a sigh and rubs her left arm, breaking eye contact between the two of them for a brief moment.  “Was I…” she looks back into Amber’s eyes.  “You know… good?”

Amber’s mouth drops slightly agape and a chuckle escapes ; her heart lightly fluttering.  Another chuckle escapes her lips as she sits up, only this time, it’s a grateful one—grateful that with all of the wrongs in the world, the only one her lover, Krystal, was worried about was making sure she was satisfied in their ual escapade.  She leans back against the room wall and shakes her head softly.  “Of course you were good,” Amber reasons.  She smiles and exhales through her nose.  “I’m actually quite impressed.”

Krystal blushes again.  “Really?”

Amber’s lips perk as she nods in defeat.  “Yeah, no lie.”  She inhales sharply and stares at Krystal intently.  “To think that you’re a …”

Krystal laughs at her girlfriend’s statement, who earns a punch in the arm.  Amber let’s out an “ow” in the midst of her laugh as she rubs her now temporarily sore spot.  She lets her head fall back into the wall, letting her sleepy gaze stay still on the younger Jung.  Another tired chuckle escapes her nose.  Krystal grows serious after the joking moment and Amber catches it.  The latter swallows and fiddles with her fingers for a short time.

“What are we doing, Amber..?” Krystal whispers.

Amber could feel some of her energy return to her from hearing the question.  Her heart skips a beat and she knew why; she knew where the younger girl meant.  Krystal was talking about them as a couple; what were they going to do about them now that things were better.  Amber waited to get Krystal’s eyes on her and once she did, she held them for a bit.  She her lips and exhales through her nose.  She knew that what they had—the love they shared—wasn’t right.  It would never be right for a very long time.  And that’s something she came to accept.  But Amber wanted it.  She wanted it bad.

“What do you wanna do?” Amber asked.

“Be with you,” Krystal responded immediately. 

Amber held Krystal’s gaze for a moment as a pause took over.  “Then be with me.”

The latter exhaled.  “I know that this is hard, Am.  But,” she swallowed and closed her eyes.  “I want this, I want us.”  Another pause.  “I want you,” Krystal stated lower than her passed sentences, only this time it was more firm and more solid.  She found the will in her little heart for the girl in front of her to look back into her eyes.

Amber reached over to caress Krystal’s face.  “You’re right, Krys, it is hard.”  She gave out a tired smile.  “But I want the same things you want.  Remember that.”

Krystal fell into Amber’s touch.  “I’m sorry I was so scared.”

“You had every right to be.  I was scared, too, you know.”

“I still shouldn’t have been, though.”  She grabbed Amber’s eyes.  “I’ve become more okay with myself while you were gone.  I want people to know.  I don’t want to hide so much.”

Amber smiled and lied back down.  “It’ll take time but I’m willing to work on it with you.  It’s okay to be scared.  I mean look at us,” she shrugged.  “We are celebrities after all,” she concluded with a chuckle.

Krystal smiled back and hung her head low in satisfaction.  She scooted over to her girlfriend and rested her head onto Amber’s chest.  They stayed in silence while Amber began to play with Krystal’s hair again; the latter grazing her fingertips up and down Amber’s stomach out of genuine affection.  Amber was right and Krystal knew it.  It was definitely going to take time.  She was satisfied with letting Luna know and next on her list was Leeteuk.  She could feel her heart pinch at the thought of not thinking that Jessica would be on her list next but with circumstances of where they are now, she knew that breaking in Jessica would need much more time than that—even if she indirectly told her at the same time.  There’s a difference between coming out with your girlfriend and coming out as your own person.  That alone—Krystal had to do with her parents somewhere along the line by herself.  She looked up to Amber slightly, only to meet with her jaw line.  She knew Amber would give her support on coming out to her parents when it would happen and she wasn’t worried.

“Am,” Krystal called as she broke her own train of thoughts.

“Yeah?”

“Do you remember when we first met?”

A chuckle.  “How can I forget?”

Krystal chuckled, as well.  “I would have never guessed.”

“Guessed what?” Amber questioned with curiosity.

“That you would be so important to me—when we met in autumn.”

Krystal looked up to Amber, again, after she heard silence and found the tomboy smiling to herself as she stared into the ceiling, reminiscing happily in her mind.  Amber made eye contact with the girl.  “Neither did I,” she whispered, adding a kiss to her forehead.  “It’s my favorite season now, you know?”

Krystal laughed.  “Why, because it’s you and me against the world?”

Amber also laughed.  She stopped for a second, however, only to become serious.  Krystal could feel it the slow change of emotion.  She turned to look at Krystal properly because this was it.  In this moment, everything fell still.  This was a moment Amber could never forget; a moment she had been living for ever since they fell into this illicit love story.  And she was satisfied knowing that she couldn’t get out of it.

“It will always be you and me against the world.”