Chapter 4: Bittersweet

“Ugh I shouldn’t have accepted this job.” Wheein rolled up her sleeves and watched the minutes tick away on her watch. "What's taking her so long?"

Despite her complaints, she still waited patiently.

 “Jagga-nim, is everything okay? Or do you need me to change for you?” She asked in a half joking manner.

A faint voice answered, “Just another minute.”  

“Maybe she's overworked.” That thought has crossed her mind from time to time.  

At last, the writer stepped out of the dressing room and leaned against the wall with a smile on her pretty face. She stood there, her arms folded across her chest, never taking her eyes off the lady waiting near the door.  "Yes, I will take note of that."  She looked up and realized that moonbyul was staring at her. Wheein returned her smile, rose, and walked over to her. She mouthed to the writer, "Just a moment." ,with the phone still attached to her ear. 

As she hung up the phone, moonbyul intertwined her arm with hers and rested her head upon wheein's shoulder. "Can't we not attend tonight's event?" She pleaded as she stuck out her bottom lip in a cute pout, attempting to look innocent.

With her face half turned away from the writer, she lightly sighed. In a cold tone, she answered: "Jagga nim, your aegyo is not gonna work on me." 

"Tch." Gritting her teeth, the writer withdrew the arm which had encircled wheein and pulled away from her. "You're so cold, wheein ssi." She said, sulking. She bent over and hugged a pile of clothes to her chest. "Hmph!" She grunted and moved towards the checkout counter.

A slight smirk curled Wheein's lips as she followed behind her sulking unnie. Moonbyul reminded wheein of her 5-year-old nephew sulking when he doesn't get to buy his favorite toy. Wheein shook her head in defeat and let out a tired sigh.

At the checkout counter, she watched as moonbyul turned her pockets inside out probably in search for her wallet. Moonbyul paused a moment before she turned her panicked eyes on wheein. When their eyes met, wheein instantly knew what her unnie needed. She couldn't help but . flash a teasing smile and asked on purpose;"Is there anything you need from me, jagga nim?"  

As she caught the mischievous gleam in her assistant's eyes, moonbyul hung her head, puffed out her cheeks out and tugged at wheein's sleeve."Jagga nim, if you don't say it out , I won't know what you want from me." Her assistant said playfully. Too embarrassed to speak, she silently tugged her assistant's sleeve harder. 

"Erm Miss, are you ready for payment?" The cashier interrupted, as she could feel the tension in the air. With a grin of satisfaction, Wheein took a step forward, then drew the wallet from her backpack and handed over the credit card to the cashier. Moonbyul quickly fled the scene as her dongsaeng made the payment on behalf on her.

"You shouldn't tease your girlfriend like that. She's gonna get angry with you." The cashier warned wheein in a whisper as she returns the card.

Wheein raised her eyebrows, looking surprised. "Thanks for your reminder, but- I'm not her lover." She chuckled softly and waved her hand dismissively. She then left the store with a shopping bag.

Moonbyul sat on a bench waiting for her. 

"Remember to bring along your wallet next time. I won't be around for you everytime." Wheein said softly. Moonbyul nodded obediently.

Wheein's tiny hand gently caressed the writer's hair as she noticed moonbyul was still sulking. Moonbyul lifted up her head to look wheein in the eye. "Although I can't let you skip that event, but- I can at least promise to make you your favorite kimchi chigae whenever you want?"  She suggested sweetly.

"Really?" Her face lit up in a radiant smile. 

Standing beside the bench, wheein bent over with her hands on her own knees."Yes jagga nim, is there anything else you want?" She actually planned to unnie further but couldn't when she realised how vulnerable moonbyul looked like when she's feeling down.

But all of this sweet fluttering atmosphere ended when moonbyul answered her question. "A kiss! " The writer said it loud without a moment of hesitation.

"Nope." Wheein shut her down real quick. Her voice turned flat as she realised she had fell for her feigned innocence. 

Later that night,

A thin gold belt encircled the writer's small waist emphasising her slender, elegant silhouette. Known for her conservative style, she wore a high collar black dress with fitted long sleeves. Deep in thought, she surveyed herself in the mirror. Her cold expression melted into a motherly smile as she sees the reflection of someone behind her back from the mirror. "귀여워。"  She thought as she watches her assistant struggling to tie up her own hair. With great effort, wheein bunched up her hair into a simple pony tail.

The coat borrowed from solar, looked pretty over-sized on her petite frame. "Jagga nim, how do i look?" Wheein asked , but of course she was not expecting a serious reply from the writer, who is full of mischief at times. “Adorable~” Eyes filled with love, the writer confessed with a pleased smile on her lips.

In the middle of a conversation, their eyes met and locked. Unknowingly, a small smile formed on wheein's chubby face as well. Her glossy red lips slightly parted, she was ready to say; "Jagga nim, you look gorgeous tonight." However just before she could blurt out those words, a familiar voice echoed in the silence. "Yahoo, I've came to check on you guys before i leave for another meeting." Flustered, wheein quickly looked in the direction of the voice. 

"Unnie, thanks for your help today." Wheein bowed politely. For solar, she thinks that it is out of character for wheein to behave in a very formal way around her. A look of confusion crossed Solar's face but nevertheless, she bowed in return. 

Wheein then proceeded to reread her paper, she had a few notes scribbled down on it. "What's that?" Solar asked but wheein remained silent. Although wheein had spent some time memorizing the faces and names of the guests turning up tonight, she wasn't well prepared.

"Wheein ah, I've been thinking of this for quite a while-" Solar paused as she suppressed her laughter then continued,"  you actually looked like a child who has stolen her mum's coat to wear!" Solar burst into wild laughter all by herself. "Gosh I'm dying." She tried to catch her breath in between laughter. "Hahaha-" She almost choked as she met wheein's cold gaze.

Wheein's attention shifted back to her paper, while solar was given the cold shoulder. Solar sat back in the chair ,her mind blanked out with the taste of defeat bitter in . Moonbyul sat beside her, patting on her back in an attempt to comfort her. "I know this feeling, I really do." Both of them sighed in a defeated way. 

After a quick peek at them, Wheein quickly lifted up her paper to hide her face. She took in a deep breath, finally a smile broke across her stiff face. Her body was visibly more relaxed. The comedic duo are just too funny to watch.

The duo exchanged looks of relief. Solar raised her hand for a fist bump, the satisfied writer complied instantly.

As it was almost time for the party, wheein gestured her unnie to come over. "Jagga nim, we gotta leave now." The writer nodded obediently, stopped fooling around with solar and rushed to her assistant's side.

"Wow, just like a typical henpacked husband." Solar gazed in awe, she doubted anyone could control moonbyul but wheein proved her wrong.

At the ballroom,

A smartly-dressed man ran his finger down the guest list, found her name and draws a circle around it. "Good evening, Miss Moon. We hope you will have a good time." He took a step back, putting his hand to his chest and bowed once again.

Moonbyul took her assistant by the hand and ascended the porch stairs side by side. Wheein's nervousness grew as she wasn't used to luxurious surroundings. Encased in a soft golden glow, she looked briefly upward at the ceiling w