YongSun stretched her arms out in front of her. She could feel the calling of the morning but she wasn’t ready to answer it yet. She reached out to grab a hold of Byul, only to find nothing there. She opened her eyes. YongSun was in Byul’s bed alone. She sat up slightly, smoothing her hair as she looked around the room looking for her girlfriend. Byul wasn’t in her room either, the door was closed and YongSun was alone. YongSun reached for her phone to check the time, it was just past seven in the morning, where could Byul have gone this early? 
YongSun slid from the bed. Even though it was summer now she could feel a chill in the air. She didn’t want to go through her bag to find something to cover herself so she just pulled on the hoodie the Byul left on her desk. YongSun sleepily slipped into the hall, eyes sweeping, hoping to catch the familiar blonde haired girl near her so she could just drag her back to bed and cuddle. YongSun made it to the first floor and she still had not found Byul yet. She walked into the kitchen, she almost left because she didn’t find what she was looking for, except her eye caught something out the window above the sink. YongSun could see Byul and SeulGi out in one of the fenced areas moving around some hay. 
YongSun slipped her shoes on a made her way over to the fenced area. Once outside the wind washed over her, making her more cold than before. She crossed her arms around herself to keep warm. She made it to the fence, squinting against the morning sun as she looked for Byul. Once Byul saw her she broke into a grin and joined her at the fence, Byul climbed part of it, leaning down to YongSun. Byul gave her a quick peck on the lips and smiled more. “Hey baby, good morning.” YongSun couldn’t help herself but smile at the pet name, Byul had never called her that before. YongSun couldn’t help but catch the look SeulGi was giving them, it was not a nice one. “You look so cute in my sweater.” Byul said bringing YongSun’s attention back to her. 
YongSun scrunched up her face a bit. “What are you doing?” She couldn’t help but sound child like, she was feeling needy and just wanted Byul to come lay back down with her. 
Byul looked back to her sister. “I am helping SeulGI with her chores.” 
“How long are you going to be?” Again she sounded more whiny than she wanted but she was still half asleep.  
Byul wiped sweat off her head. “Probably not much longer.” She saw YongSun shiver against the wind. “Are you cold?” She asked as she tucked some of YongSun’s hair behind her ear for her. YongSun nodded. “I don’t think we will be that much longer, why don’t you go make us all some tea? Mom should be up, I am sure she will help you. Then you can go inside and we will join you when we’re done.”  
YongSun was still blinking away her fatigue but she nodded again. “Sounds good.” She stifled a yawn. 
Byul was suppressing a smile. “You’re to cute.” She leaned forward again to give her another kiss. “I will join you soon, go inside before you catch a cold.” YongSun turned back toward the house and left Byul and SeulGi to finish their chores.  

Byul’s mother was already in the kitchen when she got back in the house. She was pulling things out of the fridge for breakfast. YongSun and her exchanged good mornings as she entered and YongSun asked her where the tea was. “Did Byul as you to do that?” YongSun said yes and Mrs. Moon shook her head. “That girl needs to learn to make her own tea not send her poor girlfriend to do it.” Girlfriend, that sounded odd coming from her but also kind of comforting.  
YongSun started measuring out the tea. “I don’t mind, her and SeulGi are out there working hard.”  
“I know I keep saying it.” Mrs. Moon turned to her. “But I am glad Byul has you. You both seem to make each other happy.”  
YongSun couldn’t help but smile. “Yes we do.” 
“Do you mind if I ask you a question?” This took YongSun by surprise but she agreed. “Have you told your parents? What do they think you and Byul are?” 
YongSun’s face fell a bit. “They think we are friends. They don’t know about… me yet. But my sister does.” 
Mrs. Moon nodded. “SeulGi was the first one Byul told, it is easier with sisters. Do you for any reason think they wouldn’t accept you?” YongSun could see the sympathy behind her eyes. 
YongSun tried to stop looking away from her. “I don’t think so. I think they know, or at least they might have a bit of an idea. I just want them to be free of the burden for as long as possible.” 
“It is not a burden deer, take it from a mother.” 
YongSun looked up at her. “Can I ask you a question?” A short nod. “Did you know about Byul, before she told you?” 
She pursed her lips. “Her father and I had a feeling, something like you say your parents might. She was definity different, she never showed interest in boys. She rather wear pants than dresses, all of that stuff.” She sighed. “We talked about it for a while, in case she did turn out this way I am not going to say it was easy but when it is your child, if you love them, you will accept them.” YongSun kept nodding. “For whatever reason you do not feel okay at home, you will have a place here YongSun.” 
YongSun could feel tears heating behind her eyes. “Thank you.” Mrs. Moon pulled her into a hug, one that made her miss her mother. 
When they pulled away Mrs. Moon smoothed YongSun’s hair, kind of like Byul would. “Do you want to help me make breakfast?”  
YongSun wiped the tear that appeared on her face. “Yes.” They both moved toward the ingredients that Mrs. Moon pulled out. Both smiling as they started making breakfast.

Not long after they set the final dish on the table, Byul and her sisters walked in the kitchen. Byul surprised her from behind as she wrapped her arms around YongSun, the scent of the farm wafting off of her. Byul gave her a kiss on her cheek, she was sort of rocking them from side to side. YongSun wanted to feel embarrassed but she couldn’t help but love how affectionate Byul was being, she knew it wouldn’t last long, once they got back to the city things would have to be different again unless they were at home. Byul removed her arms from YongSun and took her seat at the table, YongSun joined her. Byul sniffed an egg roll. “Did you make breakfast Unnie?” She asked. 
“YongSun helped me cook it.” Her mother said taking her seat. Byul now looked hesitant. “Moon ByulYi you wipe that look off your face, you never turn away food someone else prepared for you.” 
YongSun heard Byul’s sisters snicker. “But mom the last time she made eggs for me they came out brown…”  
“Did she take the time to make it for you?” Mrs. Moon’s lips were pursed. 
“Well I ate it.” She responded. 
“Good.” She grabbed an egg for herself. “Now eat.”  
Byul reached her hand over and squeezed YongSun’s. “I am joking Unnie, thank you.” She knew just by her tone that Byull was just playing with her. 
They ate in silence for a bit before Mrs. Moon spoke again. “I was thinking of cooking salmon for your final dinner here tonight.” 
Byul and YongSun nodded. “Sounds like a good idea mom.” Byul answered her. 
“Good, you can take YongSun onto town to buy it, show her around while you are there.” 
“Okay,” Byul turned to her sisters. “Do you guys want to come?”  
“They have chores.” Mrs. Moon interrupted before they could answer. 
YeSol pouted but said nothing, it was SeulGi who spoke up. “Can’t they wait till later mom? We want to go to town with Byul.” 
One look from Mrs. Moon shut them up. “The last time you said that, I ended up doing them two days later.” SeulGi scowled a bit. “They won’t be gone long and you all can hang out here when they get back.” She clipped her chopstick together. “Don’t give me that look Moon SeulGi, you have been to town hundreds of times, let Byul show Yongun around without you all tagging along.” That was the end of that conversation.  
They finished breakfast and then they slipped upstairs to get dressed. Soon YongSun and Byul were on their way to town. 

Byul forgot how much she liked going into town. I was more fun now that she was walking arm in arm with YongSun. The town was not very big, it was basically just one long road with a series of shops and such on it. The fish market was on the far side of town and Byul decided to hit it last so she could show YongSun around. The one thing Byul was sad about was having to taking things down a few notches when they left the farm, as soon as they stepped foot on the bus it was no longer laced fingers but linked arms. Byul didn’t risk calling YongSun anything but her name or Unnie, she even tried to keep other physical contact to a minimum, not because she cared what other people saw but because she could trust herself to stop at small gestures. Byul thought back to the morning when she called YongSun baby, it kind of just slipped out but it felt right and she was rewarded with her smile. And the kisses, mostly just small ones but she never wanted to stop kissing YongSun. It was almost painful for her to be that close to YongSun and not being able to kiss her or act like her girlfriend.  
Byul steered YongSun toward a cute cafe she use to visit a lot in high school. YongSun seemed to be enjoying all of Byul’s past moments around the town. She showed her the library, the grocery store, the place she almost tried smoking for the first time, and finally her high school; the one her sisters go to now. It was built right next to the only elementary school. They walked across the field toward the playground, she wanted to show YongSun where she fell off the monkey bars and broke her arm in the third grade. She wanted to share every part of her town with YongSun. 
“Moon ByulYi Unnie?” A voice called from behind them. YongSun was the first to turn and Byul a second later. 
A tall woman with a dress shirt and jeans on was approaching them. Byul’s face broke into a large grin when she realized who it was. “Kang SeulGi!” Byul rushed forward and threw her arms around her old best friend’s neck. “What are you doing here?” She asked when she pulled back. 
SeulGi was also smiling very wide. “I work at the daycare here.” She said pointing at the elementary school. “What are you doing back in town? How is your mom and sisters? Are you visiting?” 
“Yeah, I am visiting for the weekend. And they are doing great thank you.” Byul noticed SeulGi’s eyes dart behind Byul. It was then she remembered that YongSun was standing behind her, Byul moved aside and pulled YongSun up next to her. “This is my gi… friend, YongSun from Seoul. She has never seen the country so she came with me.” She lied through her teeth. 
She could visibly see that YongSun’s mood had shifted but she held out her hand for SeulGi. “It is nice to meet you.”  
“Nice to meet you too.” SeulGi said shaking her hand. She looked back at Byul. “What are you guys up to?” 
Byul shrugged. “We’re making our way to the fish market, I was just showing YongSun around.” 
SeulGi’s face broke in a sinister smile. “Have you been back to SangWook’s yet?” 
Lee SangWook owned the only convenience store worth going to in town, it had one of those old coin game machines out front and she and SeulGi use to play them forever, trying to beat each other’s score. “No,” She smiled. “But it is on the way. Want to match for old time?”  
SeulGi pursed her lips. “Game on.” 

Ten minutes later they were outside SangWook’s and Byul and SeulGi were sitting on the little stools placed at the games. It was the first arcade game she ever played. The were poised with their coins at the ready just like they use to do. 
It didn’t take long for SeulGi to beat her, she was always better than her at this game. Byul stood up and looked for YongSun, she was leaning against the wall looking down at her phone, completely closed off from them. “Unnie,” She called her attention, YongSun looked up. “Do you want to try?” All YongSun did was shake her head and go back to her phone, she knew YongSun wasn’t into games.  
They played a few more rounds before Byul called defeat. SeulGi decided to join them in going to the fish market, they started walking before Byul noticed YongSun was quite a few feet behind them, walking slow. Byul told SeulGi to wait a moment and she walked back to YongSun. “Are you okay Unnie?” YongSun was acting weird. YongSun scrunched her face a bit. “I am not feeling very well.”  
Byul grasped her wrists. “What is wrong, is it your tummy, or your head?” Byul went to reach up and touch YongSun’s head but she leaned back so she couldn’t. 
YongSun glanced over at SeulGi, seeing if she was watching. “I don’t know, just not good. I think I am going to go back to the farm.” 
Byul stepped in closer. “Well let me say goodbye to SeulGi and we will both go.” 
When she went to take a step away YongSun stopped her. “No ByulAh I can go alone.” 
“I want to go with you.” Byul said concerningly, if YongSun was sick she wanted to be there for her and take care of her.  
“No ByulAh, you still have to go to the fish market, I don’t want to ruin dinner. Please let me go alone, I know what bus to take. Just go with your friend to the market and meet me back there.” YongSun said stepping away. She called out a goodbye to SeulGi. 
Byul took a step toward her but had nothing to say about it. “Please text me when you get back to the farm.” She said reaching out for her, her fingers grazed her arm. “I’ll text mom and tell her to make you some soup or something. I won’t be out long.”  
YongSun nodded. “Don’t worry I am a big girl. I will text you when I get there.” With that she turned and left, going back in the direction they came. Byul stood there and watched YongSun’s figure until she disappeared. Then she turned back toward her friend. 


“Are you okay Byul?” SeulGi pulled Byul out of her thoughts, she was checking her phone for the hundredth time in the last twenty minutes, knowing YongSun should have been back by now. 
Byul slipped her phone in her pocket. “I am just worried about YongSun. She was fine this morning but now she isn't feeling well. I don’t know if it is something she ate or if she if very sick. And she wouldn’t let me go with her and I know she should have been home by now…” Her phone buzzed, YongSun sended her a picture of the farm, saying she made it home safe. Byul breathed a sigh of relief. “She is back now.” 
SeulGi pursed her lips. “You seem very worried about your friend.” 
“Of course I am worried about her I lo…” Byul caught herself. She eyed SeulGi out of the corner of her eye, she was sure the girl had caught her but she made no move about it. Byul sighed again. She stopped dead and turned to face SeulGi. “YongSun is not my friend, she is my girlfriend. We’ve been dating for seven months.” She said it so fast she wasn’t sure SeulGi heard her. 
They were silent for a few more minutes. “I kind of figured that.” She finally said. 
“What?” 
She laughed. “Byul, no offense but you’re not very good at hiding it, not in high school, not now.” 
Byul was shocked. “You knew… even back then?” 
SeulGI shrugged. “I figured you would tell me when you were ready. I am happy for you though, YongSun seems like a nice girl.” They had begun walking again. 
“She is, I care for her a lot, so much it scares me.” She laughed nervously to herself. “I am afraid I am going to lose her.” 
“I don’t think that will happen.” SeulGi reassured her. “You just need to show her how much she means to you.”  
They were coming up to a store. One Byul was always jealous of when she was in high school, always seeing couples go into. A light went off in her head. “I think I know how.” A smile began to spread. “SeulGi can you help me with something?”