A soft creak from a closing door resonated in the once quiet bedroom.

 

Joohyun entered as slowly as possible, with her thanking the Gods after seeing the unmoving lump on the bed.

 

It was already past midnight, and she just came from a busy filming day for her upcoming movie debut.

 

She forced her tired muscles to take a warm shower in the guest bathroom before calling it a night, not wanting her cuddle buddy waking up to her frazzled form.

 

She approached the bed with careful steps, and unconsciously let out a low grumble as she saw Manen in her rightful place. 

 

Seungwan, a light-sleeper that she is, stirred a bit while burrowing her head further into the soft plush.

 

Joohyun immediately stilled, silently apologizing to her slumbering girlfriend.

 

This was Joohyun’s recurring dilemma.

 

Because of her late night schedules, she would usually join Seungwan in bed in the wee hours of the morning. And it was a challenge every single time because she doesn’t want to wake her up, especially since the younger has also been busy practicing for her return in their promotions.

 

It would either end up with Joohyun unintentionally waking up Seungwan as she removes the damned toy, or a sulky Joohyun without proper sleep because of glaring too much at the innocent plush.

 

But she really wants her cuddles right now.

 

So she’ll try her best to get that chipmunk out of the bed without waking Seungwan.

 

In light movements, she managed to slip herself underneath the blue blanket. Lying on her side, she can see Seungwan snoring softly against the toy’s furry cheek.

 

‘Here we go.’ 

 

Joohyun softly held Seungwan’s arm and slowly lifted it away from the plush. With her other hand, she gripped the arm of the toy and carefully began pulling it away from the younger’s grasp.

 

‘1.

 

2.

 

3.

 

4-oh sh-‘

 

A few seconds in, and Seungwan began to stir awake at the loss of warmth against her body.

 

In her panic, Joohyun immediately threw the plush away, a loud crash in the dark indicating its poor demise.

 

Seungwan groggily opened her eyes at the sound and Joohyun slipped herself in haste into the younger’s embrace, cooing and hugging her back to sleep.

 

“Shhh, I’m here. Let’s cuddle, please?” Joohyun softly mumbled against the space between Seungwan’s neck and shoulder.

 

In response, Seungwan hugged her back and closed her eyes, kissing her forehead before drifting back to sleep.

 

Upon hearing the soft snores from her girlfriend, Joohyun smiled in content before joining Seungwan in dreamland.

 

The morning after

 

Seungwan was still asleep, playing hide and seek with Bing Bong in her dream.

 

She was having a good time goofing around the animated world when she began to feel light pressures on her face.

 

She stopped from running around as she scrunched her facial muscles, hoping it would stop.

 

A familiar giggle broke through her dream.

 

She then felt something soft on her lips, with her successfully catching the unseen culprit with her own lips in retaliation.

 

“I love you.”

 

That soft voice.

 

She just knew it was Joohyun.

 

“I love you too.” Seungwan replied while still trapped in her colorful dream.

 

A few more pecks on her lips managed to rouse Seungwan awake.

 

Upon opening her eyes, what greeted her was the beautiful sight of a smiling Joohyun cuddling against her front.

 

With just her bare face and bed hair, Seungwan immediately forgot everything from her dream.

 

“Good morning, sleepyhead.”

 

“Good morning to you too.” Seungwan combed Joohyun’s hair affectionately with her hand as she tried to remember what had happened before she slept.

 

“I don’t remember you coming into bed last night. Speaking of, where’s Manen?”

 

Joohyun froze under her touch as she let out a gasp.

 

Before Joohyun could explain, Seungwan tried peeking over her shoulder and began to giggle at what she saw.

 

Joohyun turned her head in the same direction and mentally berated herself at the ‘crime scene.’

 

There lies Manen on the floor, with Seungwan’s bowl lying face down, and fruits haphazardly scattered in various places.

 

“Thank God it was a plastic bowl, or Mom would’ve scolded you.”

 

Joohyun turned back to her with a blushing face and hit her playfully in response.

 

“You didn’t refuse my cuddles last night and even my kisses this morning, so you’re part of this too.”

 

“I don’t remember this, are you bluffing now, Ms. Hyunji?”

 

“You... really don’t remember anything?” Joohyun asked her in surprise.

 

“No. But did I do something bad?” Seungwan worriedly asked as she racked her brains for any memories.

 

After staring at Seungwan lovingly for a short while, Joohyun let out a shy smile before landing a soft peck on the younger’s lips.

 

“No, you didn’t do anything wrong.”

 

“Okay, that’s good to hear. So, that means you’re cleaning up the mess you made by yourself, right?”

 

Seungwan cried in pain as her nose got booped by a laughing Joohyun.

 

“Not a chance.”