Krystal took a deep breath, checked her clothing one more time, and smoothed a hand over her hair before knocking on the door. She heard rambunctious footsteps before a teenage girl opened the door.

“Hi I’m…” Krystal began holding out her hand.

“Krystal,” the young woman smirked taking her hand and pulling her inside, “I’m Sulli, nice to meet you.”

“Krystal!” came a squeal and a brown haired blur ran toward her.

She leaned down and picked up Chaeyoung resting the little girl on her hip.

“So you’ve already met Chae, let me introduce you to the girls,” Sulli lead her into the living room where Jihyo and Mina were sitting.

Krystal set Chaeyoung down and the little girl ran over to her sisters, “This is Mimi and JiJo.”

Her older sisters cringed as the littlest one butchered their names before standing up and walking over to Krystal.

“I’m Jihyo,” the oldest shook Krystal’s hand, “And this is Mina.”

“Do you and mommy kiss?” the question popped out of Mina’s mouth causing Jihyo to roll her eyes.

“Not yet,” Krystal smirked and Mina giggled.

Sulli nodded and gave Krystal a point for not becoming instantly embarrassed at her niece’s question.

“Hey ladies,” Victoria suddenly appeared wiping her hands on a towel, “Dinner just has to set for a minute and it’ll be ready, I see you’ve already been introduced to everyone.”

Krystal could feel her jaw hit the floor as she took in the woman next to her. Victoria had opted for a cowl neck sleeveless sweater of a pale yellow, with a tasteful pair of skinny jeans. Her hair was up in a loose bun, a few strands of silky hair had slipped free, and she tucked it behind her ear. To Krystal it looked like the movement had been acted out in slow motion and she was unaware at how intently she was staring. Sulli smirked and elbowed her arm rousing her quickly from her mesmerized state.

“Hey Krystal you dropped something,” Sulli chuckled.

“What?” Krystal looked at her in confusion.

“You’re chin,” Sulli gave a big smile, “Might want to pick that up and close your mouth.”

Krystal felt her cheeks heat up and looked anywhere, but at Victoria.

“Sulli,” Victoria glared at her sister warning her to behave.

“Krystal-unnie wants to kiss you mommy,” Mina looked at her with an innocent smile and Sulli covered with her hand as she watched the plan to embarrass Krystal unfold.

“I’m sure she does,” Victoria muttered and Krystal felt the blush reach the tops of her ears.

“So what exactly are your intentions for my sister?” Sulli became serious.

“Sulli-ah,” Victoria scolded.

“Hey, when I start dating you’re going to do the same thing and it’s a fair question,” Sulli defended herself.

“If she lets me I’d like to have the chance to treat her the way I think she deserves to be treated, with respect and care,” Krystal spoke honestly and it was Victoria’s turn to have pink stain her cheeks.

Sulli gave Krystal another point believing her to be sincere.

“You seem a little young to want to hook up with a woman who already has a family,” Sulli continued, “You ready to give up the single life for all of this.”

“Sulli that’s enough,” Victoria scolded very displeased with her sister to say the least.

She took Krystal’s hand and led her away from the game of twenty questions to the kitchen.

“I’m sorry I don’t know what’s gotten into her,” Victoria sighed.

“She’s right to be suspicious, I would be too if my sister showed up with someone younger than her,” Krystal smirked, “Don’t be mad at her, I’m not, she just loves you.”

“Stop it,” Victoria smirked, “Stop being so damned understanding.”

Krystal blinked before she started laughing at the statement, “I’m sorry I’ll try harder to be less…likeable?”

“You two going to stand there holding hands all night or are we going to have dinner?” Sulli smirked as she helped the girls into their seats.

Victoria and Krystal looked down to see their hands were still joined and the taller woman quickly pulled away. Krystal instantly missed the contact, but resigned herself to helping Victoria move the food to the table. Sulli strategically placed Krystal between Jihyo and Mina while she sat across from them between Victoria and Chaeyoung.

“Ketchup please,” Mina asked politely and Sulli handed the nearly empty bottle to her with a wink.

Mina gave an impish smile before flipping the top up, turning the bottle upside down and shaking vigorously. Victoria’s eyes widened and before she could grab the bottle ketchup spewed like a volcano hitting the plate with a splat and spraying the little girl’s face. Mina instantly froze and looked up noticing Krystal’s shirt looked as if she’d been murdered. Jihyo reached too quickly for a napkin and knocked over her glass of juice into Krystal’s lap making the young woman gasp and stand up at how cold it had been. Sulli snorted as she tried to cover up her laughter while Chaeyoung looked like she was caught between crying and laughing looking to see what Krystal would do. Victoria waited without breathing as she watched the young woman finally sit back down. It started as a small giggle that rolled into a chuckle before a stream of laughter was pouring out of Krystal. She took some of the ketchup and smeared it on Jihyo’s face who paused before laughing and reaching for a handful of noodles. She tossed them at Krystal, but only succeeded in hitting Mina in the face. Mina giggled uncontrollably as the food fight had been officially initiated. Chaeyoung screamed in glee and sent a piece of broccoli to bounce off Sulli’s temple.

Victoria was torn between being madder than a wet cat and laughing hysterically. Sulli screamed and ducked as Krystal tossed a rice cake and nailed Victoria between the eyes. Everyone paused waiting for the fury they knew the older woman could release when she was at her breaking point. It never came; Victoria stood up and reached for the soy sauce smearing it in Krystal’s hair as she laughed. Chaeyoung quickly ate everything that happened to fall on her plate during the skirmish and soon was yawning with her belly full. When the raucous had finally settled down and what was left of the food eaten Sulli smiled and held out a hand to Krystal. Krystal looked at the hand then back to Sulli before shaking it.

“Congratulations, you passed,” Sulli gave her a wink and Victoria smacked the back of her head.

“You are so grounded, look at my kitchen,” she frowned.

“I’ll clean it up, you give the girls a bath,” Sulli rolled her eyes knowing it had all been worth it.

“I’ll help,” Krystal stood up and began gathering the dishes.

“Come on girls bath time,” Victoria ushered them to the bathroom as she helped Chaeyoung climb down from her booster seat.

“Thank you,” Sulli said quietly as they cleaned up the food on the floor, the walls, and the table.

“For?” Krystal asked beginning to wash the dishes.

“That’s the first time I’ve seen Vic-unnie let loose in a long time,” Sulli smiled as Krystal handed her dishes to dry.

“I meant what I said Sulli,” Krystal sighed, “I don’t know what happened in her past, but I want to make her future better.”

“Gah…shut up I’m going to puke,” Sulli teased bumping into Krystal to make the cheesiness stop.

“She’s tough,” Sulli smirked, “Just…don’t give up on her.”

“I hadn’t planned on it,” Krystal smiled back.

“Good, then I’ll help you as much as I can, deal?” Sulli held up her hand fingers curled in with her pinky and thumb out.

“Deal,” Krystal wrapped her pinky around Sulli’s and pressed their thumbs together in a pact.

“Great, now if I could just find someone to tutor me in English my life would be so much easier,” Sulli chuckled.

“I can do that,” Krystal let the water out of the sink as Sulli stared at her in disbelief.

“You know English?”

“My sister and I spent a lot of time in the states,” Krystal spoke in English and Sulli looked at her as if she had three heads.

“Oh my gosh you’re amazing,” Sulli embraced her and Krystal laughed.

“What’s going on in here?” Victoria looked between the two of them and Sulli quickly released the other woman.

“Don’t worry unnie that hug was strictly platonic I wasn’t putting the moves on your woman or anything,” Sulli teased and Victoria rolled her eyes before shoving Sulli in the direction of the bathroom.

“Go get cleaned up and then its homework time,” Victoria pointed at her.

“Is your family always this fun?” Krystal dried her hands on a dishtowel.

“Fun, right,” Victoria chuckled, “I’m sorry about your clothes, I’ll find something for you to wear while I throw them in the wash with mine.”

Victoria began walking down the hallway to the master bedroom that had an attached master bath and Krystal followed her.

Victoria dug in her dresser before pulling out a pair of sweats and one of her oversized t-shirts, “Here, towels are in the closet just set your stuff on the sink and I’ll take care of it.”

Victoria waited until she heard the water running before walking into the bathroom and gathering the soiled garments on the sink. She paused as her eyes, against her will, were pulled to the silhouette behind the clouded glass door.

“You can join me if you like I don’t bite,” Krystal had noticed the older woman paused.

“I do,” the words left Victoria’s mouth before she could stop them.

Krystal would have responded, but Victoria made a hasty retreat out of the bathroom. She slipped into her bathrobe and gathered her own dirty laundry before adding it to her sister’s and her daughter’s. Starting a load in the wash she walked back into her bedroom and felt a stirring in her stomach she hadn’t felt in years. Krystal was bent over, her bottom filling the tight sweats better than Victoria’s had, and drying her hair with a towel. She flipped her head back as she stood and the wet strands hung messily making Victoria wonder if that’s how she would wake up after…she shook the lewd thoughts from her head.

“I’ll be out in a minute, Sulli’s down the hall on the right,” she rushed her words in the same way she rushed passed Krystal and into the bathroom.

Krystal smirked at the flustered woman and went in search of her sister. She found Sulli slumped over her desk with her head phones on deep asleep. She shook the young woman’s shoulder gently and Sulli stirred slightly.

“Five more minutes Vic-unnie,” she mumbled. Krystal shook her again and managed to get Sulli to her feet and into the bed.

She pulled the blankets over her new friend and Sulli yawned.

“Vic-unnie you should give Krystal a chance, I really like her,” she mumbled in her sleep again and Krystal smiled.

“I like you too, Ssul,” Krystal leaned down and kissed her forehead before quietly exiting the room.

Krystal wandered around the home careful not to make a lot of noise as she looked at pictures, and fridge drawings. She checked on the clothes and put them in the dryer before making her way back into Victoria’s bedroom. The older woman was sitting on the bed brushing her hair.

“It’s getting late and your clothes aren’t done yet, you should stay here tonight,” Victoria reasoned as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

“I can wear this home, I don’t want to be a bother,” Krystal declined.

“You’re not a bother, its fine really,” Victoria set her brush down, “We’re both adults there’s no reason we can’t share a bed for one night.”

Victoria suddenly took on a sly smirk, “Besides I sleep with a Taser in my bedside table, try anything funny and you’ll wake up looking like Krystal the human piece of toast.”

“You’re so y when you’re threatening me with bodily harm,” Krystal crossed her arms with a smirk.

“Good night Krystal,” Victoria turned out the light and curled underneath the covers.

“Wait…I can’t…ow…see,” Krystal quickly shuffled to the bed and banged her knee on the corner post before collapsing on her side of the bed.

She could feel the mattress shaking as Victoria tried to suppress her laughter.

“Goodnight, Victoria,” she sighed as the pain in her knee dulled and she stared up at the ceiling. ‘And just how was she supposed to get any sleep next to a body like that.’ She closed her eyes and tried to relax, willing herself to think about anything, but the woman beside her.