YongSun looked at herself in the mirror as she put on her last coat of lip gloss. Byul had called her earlier that day and one of her co-workers asked to switch shifts with her so she had blown off her only class of the day to do it, leaving her afternoon wide open, for a date. They hadn't gone anywhere since they decided to date, between school, homework, and work for Byul it was hard to set dates that didn't include YongSun hanging out at the convenience store all night, which she usually did. Byul had initially wanted the date to be a surprise but after much pestering by YongSun she revealed that they were going to the movies.
A person appeared in the mirror behind YongSun. YongHee was leaning against her door frame, arms crossed. “Where are you going all dressed up?” Her tone was not a quizzical one.
YongSun twisted the cap of her lip gloss and turned around to face her sister. “Byul Ah and I are going to see a movie.”
YongHee stood up. “You spend a lot of time with this ByulYi girl.” Again with the tone.
YongSun crossed her arms to match her sister's. “Are you asking something Unnie or are you just going to glare at me?”
YongHee checked her expression and it softened a bit. “I just wanted the truth YongSun Ah, is this girl just a friend to you?”
YongSun hadn't completely come out to her family. Not that she wasn't sure they would be okay with it, they would, but she felt like she was putting a burden on them if she finally said it out loud. YongHee had always been forward, especially now since she came back from abroad. “We are more than friends.” She said softly enough for her sister to hear but no one else.
“Are you planning to tell Mom and Dad?”
YongSun sighed. “I don't want to put that pressure on them. They already suspect I may not be straight, after that boy last year they looked…” She thought for a moment. “I don't know, relieved that they were wrong.”
YongHee shook her head. “You know they are not like that, they would accept you.”
YongSun sat down on her bed. “I just wanted them to be free for a bit longer, even just knowing will make their lives harder. Besides I am not going to tell them until I am sure about where my heart is.”
Now it was YongHee’s turn to sigh. “Just by the look on your face when you talk about her, I think you already know where your heart is.” She turned to leave the room but paused for a moment. “Just be careful YongSun, not everyone is forgiving.” YongSun knew that all too well already.
YongSun was pulled back from the real world talk when her phone chirped, it was Byul telling her she was on her way to the convenience store, their meeting place. She felt a smile rise to her lips, she caught herself in the mirror. YongHee was always the smarter sister.

The girls argued about what movie to see. YongSun wanted to see a rom-com but Byul wanted to watch something with action. They finally decided on a mix of two, some American film playing. YongSun was jealous how cool and y Byul could look in such regular clothes. Even in her slightly larger shirt, YongSun could see the outline of her slender body, leading all the way up to her… “Unnie.” Byul snapped her attention back to her face. “What do you want from the concession?”
They had already made it to the front of the line. And older woman was on the other side, smiling politely at them. “Just popcorn is fine.”
Byul asked for popcorn, a drink, and a bag of gummy candy. The woman handed back Byul's card. “Did you girls decided to go out without your boyfriend?” YongSun was sure the woman meant nothing by it but her blood ran cold.
“It is girl’s night out.” Byul politely responded to her. “They are too cool to see a movie with romance in it.” It amazed YongSun how easy she lied like that.
“Boys your age have no sense.” She said handing them their food. Byul agreed and they began walking to their theater.
YongSun took a bite of the popcorn. “How did you come up with an answer so fast?” She figured it maybe she was use to it.
“You’d be surprised how many comments I get just hanging out with HyeJin.” The walked into the theater. “It is when you panic, they think something is up. The poor woman was just trying to make conversation.” Byul lead her to her seat and set their food down, she dipped down and gave YongSun a quick kiss on her cheek. “Don't worry about it.”
YongSun's head whipped around the theater, they were near the top and no one was looking at them, she smacked Byul anyway. “Don't do that.” Byul laughed and sat down.
Byul draped her sweater half over YongSun's lap, half on her own. She reached underneath it and took YongSun's hand, lacing their fingers. “Better?” No one could see their hands in the dark but the sweater made her feel better. Not that she didn't want Byul to do these things to her, she actually had a list of things she wanted Byul to do but none in public, this was safer, for now. YongSun nodded and Byul squeezed her fingers. The lights dimmed and the movie began.

“Come on YongSun Ah, you have to give me more to go off of.” The movie had finished, now the girls were walking arm in arm eating ice cream on their way home. They had finally settled on a day Byul could come over to her house for dinner, she was asking what to wear.
YongSun shrugged. “I told you, they are not going to hate you, whatever you wear is fine.”
Byul nudged her. “I want to make a good impression. I know I am meeting them as your friend but…” YongSun knew what she meant, eventually she would have to tell her parents that Byul was more than just her friend.
“Byul Ah, you are perfect the way you are.” Byul made a noise in the back of , something like a growl. “Stop whining.”
Byul nudged her again. “You are going to talk to me about whining Miss YongSun ssi?” YongSun tried not to smile, she always liked to whine to Byul, to get her to do what she wanted.
Byul shoved her cone on YongSun's nose and pulled it back very quickly. “Hey!” It came out as a whine but she was laughing as well. Byul had danced away from her and stuck out her tongue. “Your going to get it now.”
She raced forward, ice cream out stretched, aiming for any part of Byul’s face, but she dodged. Byul dropped her own cone and grabbed YongSun's wrists, holding her at bay. She tried to maneuver the cone out of YongSun's grasp but that meant she had to drop and arm and possibly take a cone to the face. She spun YongSun so her back was against the nearest wall, arms now pinned above her. When YongSun looked up into Byul's eyes she saw something there that made her stop fighting. Byul leaned in, face starting to tilt to the side.
A can rolled at the other end on the street and Byul stepped back very quickly, dropping YongSun's arms so fast that the cone fell to the ground. YongSun's heart was a jackhammer in her chest only imaging what the person at the other end had saw.
It was a cat, a little black cat, trying to the remains of a tuna can. Both girls were silent for a moment. Finally Byul burst out laughing at the relief. She reached out to YongSun to grab her arm again. “Let's go get some more ice cream.”
The moment had passed but YongSun was still uneasy, as she was sure Byul was as well. They had no idea what could have just happened, especially to them if it was a person not a cat. Mostly YongSun was just sad that the moment had passed. She put her head on Byul's shoulder as they walked, hoping for another chance soon.

Byul threw another shirt across her room at the girl sitting on her bed. “If you are not going to help me HyeJin, then why are you here?” She didn’t mean for it to come out as rude as it did but she was currently stressed out to the max. In less than two hours she would be at YongSun’s house meeting her family for the first time.
HyeJin took the shirt Byul had tossed and placed it nicely on the pile. The majority of Byul’s wardrobe was on her bed. “I already told you what outfit I thought you should wear.” She said nonchalantly.
Byul gave her a pointed look. “HyeJin you can see my bra through that shirt.” It was one that HyeJin had bought her for her last birthday, she had worn it that one day to please her, under a large coat, it now sat in the back of her closet.
HyeJIn shrugged at her. “I think YongSun would appreciate it.” She raised her eyebrows.
Byul sighed very loudly. “I am meeting her family HyeJin Ah, as a friend, I don’t want that to be the only thing they remember about me.” She looked at another shirt. “Besides we haven’t even kissed yet, I don’t think I should be showing her my body.”
Now HyeJin’s eyebrows shot up into her hairline. “You haven’t even kissed her?” She crossed her arms. “Unnie You spend like every moment together, she even spent the night at your house!” She practically yelled.
Byul waved at her to be more quiet. “That was before we were dating. And I tried the other day, but we were in public, and a cat ruined the mood.” Byul tried to hide her disappointment. She had been very careful with YongSun in public, knowing she wasn’t completely comfortable doing that stuff in front of people.
“Well tonight is your night.” HyeJin threw a shirt at her, one she had already tossed aside.
Byul caught it. “In front of her family?”
HyeJin rolled her eyes. “No, not in front of her family. Find a place to be alone for a minute, and plant one on her.”
Byul changed her shirt to the one HyeJin threw at her. “I don’t just want to plant one on her, I wanted it to be special.”
HyeJin waved a hand. “Whatever you decide to do, do it today.” She threw a pair of jeans at ther this time. “There is your family friendly outfit, but if you want my advice, wear something YongSun friendly underneath.” She gave her a wink.
Byul was about to snap something back but changed her mind. “What did you have in mind?”
HyeJin stood and smiled. “Now you’re talking.” She went to Byul’s dresser and started looking through her underwear drawer. 

YongSun was fussing around her room. She was trying to make it look as clean as possible. Her mother had already kicked her out of the kitchen after she tried to help with the cooking, hovering over her mother as she did, her mother finally banished her when she almost dumped a whole spice jar in her dish. YongSun really wanted her family to like Byul, not that they had a reason not to, she was amazing; but if she was going to introduce her to them later as her girlfriend then YongSun wanted them to lover her enough that it wouldn’t matter. YongSun was laying on her bed looking at the ceiling while waiting for Byul to text her, YongSun had offered to walk her to the house but Byul said she would walk herself and try to calm her nerves.
YongSun had decided to leave her long brown hair down as she usually did but she made the effort to make her hair curl because Byul had mentioned she liked it one night at the store. She decided on a flowing white dress with little blue flowers all over it. It took her three hours to decide on the outfit, she was clearly more nervous than she wanted to be, she had no idea how Byul was feeling but she was sure it was about ten times worse than YongSun. Finally Byul texted her and said she was here, YongSun jumped from her bed and zoomed out the door so fast, calling over her shoulder to her mother that Byul was here and she was going to collect her from the front. Not waiting for a response. 

YongSun could tell Byul was super nervous before she even saw her face. The cool, smooth Byul YongSun knew would be leaning against the wall out front trying not to look nervous. Instead she found her pacing back and forth looking at the ground, lost in her own mind. “If you keep that up you are going to wear a path in the road.” Byul looked up and relief flooded her face and she even managed a smile. She was wear a silk like black button up shirt, half tucked into a pair of dark blue jeans. She pulled her hair into a pony instead of her usual look of having it down and under a cap. “You look nice.”
Byul stepped closer. “I do?” When YongSun nodded Byul sighed in relief. “You look nice as well.” She said giving YongSun a once over, eyes lingering on the slight dip in her neck line, YongSun had intentionally worn this.
YongSun opened her arm, offering a hug to Byul. She stepped in and her face immediately buried itself in YongSun’s neck, it seemed to be a habit of her’s, one YongSun found very cute. “Don’t worry Byul-Ah, they will love you.” As much as I do, she almost added but stopped herself.
They embraced for another minute before Byul stepped back. “Let’s go meet the family.” She said as she linked her arm with YongSun. YongSun lead her to the house. 

YongSun could feel Byul’s tension the entire time. Her family was sitting in the living room when they arrived back in the house. They all gave brief introductions but everything since that was all about Byul. Her parents were just curious, her sister was conducting more of an interrogation but not in a bad way, just like she was trying to get a feel for Byul’s intentions.
They moved to the dinner table and the questions got more personal. What was she talking in school, what did job did she want. YongSun felt like this was a marriage interview, perhaps her parents knew more than they were letting on. “You live on your own?” Her father asked, looking over his glasses. YongSun shot him a look.
Byul nervously stabbed at her food. YongSun had intertwined her leg with Byul’s under the table for comfort when the questions reached this level. “Yes.” She told them. “My mother stayed to run my father’s farm after he passed on, she wanted my sisters to be able to stay in the same school. I moved here for college.” “Do you ever get to visit them?” YongSun’s mother asked sounding concerned.
Byul cleared and YongSun had to resist the urge to place a hand over her’s, her already knew this answer. “I see them over the computer, but I haven’t been home since I moved here at the beginning of the year.” She sipped her water. “I send most of the money I make back to them so my mother doesn’t have to worry too much about finances, it doesn’t leave me much for a ticket back.” Byul had told her that she took a few years off of school to help on the farm to ease her mother’s burden but if she hadn’t left for school she wouldn’t be able to get a good enough job to support them.
“That is very responsible of you.” Her father added. “It must be very lonely out here without them.”
“It is.” She agreed. “But my friends help with that.” She glanced at YongSun, who smiled back.
“I am glad you two met, YongSun doesn't get out much these days.”
“Mom!” YongSun could feel her face going red. Her mother only shrugged.
Luckily YongHee saved the conversation by asking Byul about her decision to change programs next year. Dinner was more bearable after that, the conversation staying light. YongSun’s parents seemed to really like Byul which was a relief to the both of them.

Byul was finally relaxing. Dinner had come and passed and the Kim’s really seemed to like her, or at least she hoped. Byul expected to get the worst of it from YongSun’s older sister, YongSun told her that YongHee had found out about them, but actually she was the one who kept things light for her. They were all in the living room now, talking about normal things, everyone’s day, future plans and such, as they ate fruit. It reminded Byul of her family so much that at times she often found her eyes starting to sting but she buried it. As if YongSun could sense it, she kept finding sneaky ways to comfort her when no one was looking, brushing their hands, legs, making eye contact in silent conversation.
Finally Mr. Kim said it was time for him to go to bed because he had a meeting in the morning. They all said good night, he told Byul it was nice meeting her. She took this as her cue. “I think I better call it a night as well, you all must be ready for bed now. Thank you for your hospitality. And dinner was amazing Mrs. Kim, it had been a while since I had a nice home cooked meal.”
Mrs. Kim smiled. “Anytime,” She got up from her chair. “Why don’t you spent the night?”
This caught Byul and YongSun by surprise, even YongHee was looking at her mother. “H-huh?” She thought she had misheard her.
“I just keep thinking of you going back to your house by yourself.” She said in a mothering way. “Just stay for tonight, it is already very late.”
All three girls looked at one another, silent questions zipping between them. “Okay.” She said very unsure.
Mrs. Kim smiled. “Great, have a good night girls.” She hugged each of her daughters and made her way to her room.
The girl just sat in silence for a moment. “I guess I should get the guest blankets.” YongHee said and excused her from the room.

Ten minutes later Byul was looking around YongSun’s room nervously. YongSun was sitting on her bed next to the pile of blankets that YongHee had given them, she was watching Byul take in everything in her room. “I was sure they had figured it out.” YongSun had admitted out loud.
Actually Byul got the same impression, but then her mother asked her to stay the night so perhaps they were wrong. “I suppose I should sleep on the floor.” Byul was now touching the blankets YongHee brought, trying not to look super embarrassed.
“Well I mean if they knew they would have asked you to stay.” YongSun said. “At least I think so.” She shook her head. “When WheeIn stayed over we shared a bed so I think we are fine.” YongSun looked away. “It is not like we haven’t shared a bed before.”
Byul smiled. She left the blankets alone and stood in front of YongSun, placing one hand on either side of her and she leaned in. “Kim YongSun, exactly what are you insinuating?” She was joking but she loved when she made YongSun’s face go beat red.
YongSun tried not to meet her eyes but Byul didn’t really give her anywhere else to look. “I just…” She couldn’t finish the sentence.
Byul smiled more now, just at how cute she looked. “YongSun-Ah.” Byul called her attention. YongSun looked up at her, trying not to look shy. “Can I kiss you?” Her eyes widened, her blush deepened, but she nodded slowly. Byul leaned in closer, intentionally slow, giving her time to back out in case she changed her mind. She stopped centimeters from YongSun’s lips, again giving her time to back out. When she didn’t Byul moved in. She only brushed her lips over YongSun’s at first. She finally placed them over hers, feeling the electricity but she didn’t act upon it. Softy, smooth, slow. That is what she wanted their first kiss to be. With as must gentleness as she could muster, she moved her lips over YongSun’s, feeling her move along with her. It didn’t get any deeper than that, YongSun eventually moved her hands to the hem on Byul’s shirt, pulling her in slightly. Byul’s hand went to YongSun’s hip, trying to keep herself upright.
“YongSun-Ah…” Byul pulled back so fast, she managed to spin and drop on to the bed beside YongSun, facing forward just was YongHee walked into her room. She looked between them, obviously sensing she had interrupted something. It didn’t help that they were both flushed. “I was going to ask if you if you needed more blankets,” She looked between them again. “But now I am sure you probably do not even need those.”
YongSun cleared . “No thank you Unnie we are good.”
YongHee raised her eyebrows. “I am sure you are.” She turned to leave. “Remember we have thin walls.” She said as she left, making Byul more embarrassed.
After YongHee left they sat in more silence, Byul couldn’t hide her smile. “So bed?” YongSun asked.
“Bed.” Byul agreed. Both girl crawled under YongSun’s blankets, trying not to start anything.