Only borders on M because Seulgi and Wendy can't catch a damn break

0. Prelude

  Seulgi is beginning to think there’s some supernatural force conspiring against her and Seungwan. A force that specifically takes the shape of their fellow, beloved members.

  She didn’t pay much attention to it when they first started dating, mainly because they had both been so damn shy about the whole thing that it had taken them two whole weeks to break the news to the others. The responses had varied from an excited squeal, courtesy of Joohyun, to a triumphant “Pay up!” from Yerim. Sooyoung had just commented a flat “Finally, I thought I was gonna get diabetes from watching you two try to subtly flirt” while she begrudgingly dropped a few bills in their youngest member’s expectant hand.

  Despite the mild outrage at the discovery of the bet, Seulgi and Seungwan, both too overwhelmed with affection to complain, had gathered the other three in a group hug, silently expressing their gratitude for their approval and support.

  That already feels like ages ago and their “marriage”, as dubbed by the maknaes, is now going stronger than ever, mostly because the only thing that’s changed is that now when they want to kiss they go for it instead of moping silently by themselves. In private, at least. Both of them agreed that keeping their PDA at a bare minimum in front of their group-mates is the best possible decision, not only to avoid making both parties uncomfortable, but also because Seulgi’s not sure she and Seungwan could survive all the merciless teasing Sooyoung, Yerim and Joohyun would throw their way.

  It had been easy for the first few months, even more once they changed dorms and the roommate rotations just so casually happened to pair them together, but recently things have started changing.

  Seulgi, for one, finds it incredibly hard to stop kissing Seungwan once their lips barely even touch. Judging from the way the shorter girl’s eyes slowly flutter open when she pulls back, her irises always a darker hue than usual, Seulgi probably isn’t the only one feeling that way. Their hugs keep becoming longer each passing day, likely a bit more than necessary, as the various cuddle-sometimes-turned-make out sessions do, and sitting next to each other on the kitchen table has turned out to be a perfect excuse to hold hands - or more: Seulgi distinctly remembers how one day at dinner Seungwan’s hand had landed a bit high on her leg and her knee had shot up so hard she’d almost knocked over all the plates. Seungwan still apologizes for that and Joohyun’s been keeping a vigilant eye on them since.

  They’ve learned a lot about each other and their own selves in a very short time, no doubt thanks to the wonders of the “honeymoon phase”, period they just can’t seem to overcome. Seulgi never knew how sensitive her neck could be until Seungwan’s lips touched it for the first time and, as it turns out, Seungwan turns into a pile of mush every time Seulgi threads her fingers in her hair.

  She’d spend ages trying to decipher every sigh, tremble and whisper Seungwan emits, craving to become attuned to each other better than they already are.

  Seulgi’s always liked learning, after all.

  Problem is, they can never be at peace for too long.

  Because when one of them tries to initiate something, anything, three presences (respectively an inquisitive giant, a bundle of energy and a silent, attentive leader) always seem to be around. No matter the situation, they won’t be alone. Anytime, without failure. Add that to an already hectic schedule and Seulgi and Seungwan barely have time to themselves.

  Seulgi tells herself it won’t always be like this. They’re both fairly new at this relationship thing, maybe they just need to get used to sharing their space with other three people, lovely as they may be - Seulgi thanks the heavens their group doesn’t have many members, and not only because she’s painfully socially awkward.

  Really, keeping a low profile? It sure won’t be that hard.

1.

  Turns out it’s harder than they predicted. Seulgi finds the proof of this one evening, while she’s making dinner with Seungwan.

  Or, she was making dinner, because last time she checked being pressed between the kitchen counter and your girlfriend’s body, her tiptoes raised to get a better angle to your lips, isn’t exactly the standard definition of cooking. Seulgi really doesn’t care, not when Seungwan is gently biting on her lower lip, one hand plastered on the sleek countertop behind them and the other fisted in the collar of her button down, keeping her close. Seulgi’s fingertips are spread over Seungwan’s hips in a loose hold, pinkies brushing lightly the silver of skin left uncovered by her t-shirt, and she does her best to breathe her in, revelling in the moment as much as she can.

  In their defence, they had the best intentions. Seungwan had volunteered to cook and Seulgi, as she’d done many times before, immediately offered her help. Cutting and peeling ingredients are the only things both Joohyun and her girlfriend would ever let her do in the kitchen anyway, nothing that could let her accidentally set the dorm on fire.

  Too many close calls on that one.

  Between humorous quips and their usual banter, they’d managed to finish almost effortlessly a big pan of kimchi fried rice and were waiting for some eggs to boil. That’s when Seulgi noticed a speck of sauce near Seungwan’s lip and, without thinking too much about it, wiped it away with her thumb and promptly it off.

  Seungwan’s cheeks had gone a feverish red and she’d let a kitchen towel fall from her hands. Seulgi hadn’t even had the time to be puzzled because in the blink of an eye those same hands had shot forward to pull her close, sliding under her jaw to draw her in a scorching kiss.

  Seulgi doesn’t remember much past that. Her face, body, even her mind are burning up. Everything feels so hot she wonders for a second if they really set the kitchen on fire, but it’s not the heat coming from the stove. It’s just Seungwan.

  “Unnies, I’m hungry! Are you guys done yet?!”

  Seungwan groans softly, pulling away just enough to allow air between their lips. Seulgi keeps her eyes shut, blindly following her and ending up with her forehead resting against Seungwan’s temple. “Five minutes, Yerim-ah!” she shouts back, then turns to Seulgi again, nose brushing hers as her own eyes flutter close. “Just a bit more, alright?”

  “Oh. Yeah.” Seulgi whispers, jittery hands tightening in the laces of Seungwan’s apron. “Yes. More than alright.”

  Seungwan’s chuckle is suffocated by the collision of their lips, her hand letting go of Seulgi’s shirt to slide up and cup her cheek, pulling her in with all the might her smaller frame can offer. She’s being so gentle it hurts and Seulgi finds herself drowning in the sweetness of her lips and the scent of her hair, still lasting despite more than half an hour spent in front of a stove.  

  Seungwan’s thumb traces her cheekbone and their mouths open, deepening the kiss and making Seulgi forget about the sharp edge of the counter digging into her lower back, the body in front of her too soft and pliant for her to notice anything else.

  “Wait here Yerim-ah, I’m going to check up on them.”

  Anything else aside from the delicate voice of their eldest member, apparently, who suddenly sounds way too close for comfort. Seungwan and Seulgi freeze, mouths still connected but eyes snapping wide.

  It takes a moment for their survival instinct to kick in.

  They separate in a rush, moving to opposite sides of the kitchen, one at the cutting board and the other awkwardly standing in front of the pot full of eggs, with nothing in her hands but shame and a bit of genuine fear.

  Seungwan is half turned away from her, so shaky Seulgi can see her fingers tremble as she chops some vegetables. Without knowing what to do, she starts to stir the water of the eggs with a spoon in the worst attempt at appearing nonchalant that’s probably ever been seen. Joohyun steps foot in the kitchen barely two seconds later.

  “It’s almost ready, isn’t it?” she asks casually, leaning with her hip against the table. Seulgi can feel her eyes on her nape. She keeps stirring. “I don’t want to rush you, but you know how those two get when they’re hungry.”

  “W-we’re almost done, unnie,” Seungwan says. Maybe if Seulgi stirs enough the clock will tick faster. Out of the corner of her eye she sees her girlfriend pile something up on a plate. “Here, I toasted some bread earlier. Give those demons a snack.”

  Joohyun laughs and asks something else that Seulgi doesn’t hear, the thumping of her own heart too loud in her ears as she focuses on keeping a straight face.

  The sounds of light steps exiting the kitchen makes her feel like an anvil has been lifted from her shoulders. Seungwan breathes a sigh of relief and leans against the kitchen counter, knife set aside without anything to cut anymore. She cleared all the vegetables in the near vicinity at the speed of light.

  Seulgi frowns, because she knows she’ll have to eat some so they don’t go to waste. That, and Seungwan insists they’re good for her, always slipping some in her plate when she least expects it.

  She blows a strand of hair away from her face, setting the spoon aside. They’re in the clear, at least. That’s all that mat-

  “Ah, guys?” the older woman’s voice calls from behind them and Seulgi feels her stomach drop. It’s probably not healthy to experience such a wide range of emotions in the span of two minutes.

  They both turn around to see Joohyun looking pointedly at them. She raises her free hand and points at Seulgi, then at Seungwan, shifting back and forth between the two. “Not in my kitchen,” she says, sternly, but at the same time her face’s sporting the cheekiest smile Seulgi’s ever seen. Joohyun takes a glance past the two of them, then disappears in the hall, leaving one breezing comment in her wake. “I think the eggs are ready, Seulgi-ah.”

  It takes a moment for Seulgi to connect the dots, as she’s too preoccupied with wanting to dig a hole and hide there forever to register the words in her brain. When she does, and turns around in a panic, the foamy water has already started leaking from the small pot, but thankfully Seungwan’s just turned off the fire. Her cheeks are a bright red, like her lips, and Seulgi can’t look away no matter how hard she tries. Their eyes meet and before both of them know it, they’re suppressing a fit of nervous laughter.

  “Well,” Seulgi begins once they’ve calmed down, a tentative smile on her face. “I guess dinner’s ready.”

  Seungwan huffs out another laugh, bumping their hips together. “Probably overdue,” she agrees, smoothing out black locks of hair and grabbing the pan with both hands. “Lead the way, Kang.”

  Seulgi nods, already reaching for the plates.

  After risking a heart attack, she’s gotten quite hungry, anyway.

2.

  They really shouldn’t be doing this.

  Seulgi’s more rational side is screaming at her, telling her to stop whatever she’s doing immediately or, at least, retire somewhere more private, but her heart won’t listen. Nor her body, for the matter, or any other side of her.

  She’s currently sprawled on the couch, in broad daylight, with Seungwan.

  More accurately, underneath Seungwan.

  She doesn’t know how long they’ve been kissing and it doesn’t really matter. Having the dorm to themselves is not a common occurrence, she doesn’t remember the last time Yerim was at school while, coincidentally, both Sooyoung and Joohyun were out shopping.

  No one could blame them for jumping at the occasion.

  Seungwan is pressed against her, mouth rhythmically slanting over hers in a frustratingly slow dance. Seulgi’s leg is raised and draped around the younger girl’s shorts-clad one, allowing her to sink even more in their embrace,and she can feel every single inch of their bodies coming in contact, flush against each other.

  Seungwan sighs heavily, pulling back slightly to descend on Seulgi’s jaw, eager to take care of the skin there. The moment her lips come in contact with her neck, Seulgi flails, arms flying up to grab at her girlfriend’s waist with a startled gasp. The only answer she gets is a laugh, smooth and melodic, a sound that brings pleasant shivers to her skin.

  Her girlfriend takes to scattering pecks all over her neck, mindful of not leaving any mark, while one of her hands sneaks past the hem of Seulgi’s shirt to palm at the velvety skin of her stomach. It’s almost too much for Seulgi, who just limply lays there in a haze, pleasure overriding any other sense. She stares up at the ceiling, pulse thrumming and jumping when Seungwan drags her lips over it for a while before moving further down, fingers at the collar of her shirt to move it out of the way.  goes to her collarbone, tracing its entire length and then back up, to the hollow of . Seulgi’s chest heaves for air as her whole body squirms under Seungwan’s touch, needy whimpers falling from her lips as she does her best to breathe.

  It’s only when her girlfriend’s other hand trails up her leg, nails delicately prickling her skin and stopping where her shorts begin, and she leaves a wet kiss at the soft spot between neck and shoulder that Seulgi snaps back to reality. With a strangled moan she lowers a hand behind Seungwan’s head and brings her back up, smashing their lips together. Seungwan makes this sound, something between a chuckle and a breathless gasp, that carves itself in Seulgi’s mind.

  If Seungwan’s body is like a liquor, then her voice is a drug. Whether she’s singing or simply talking, Seulgi can’t get enough of it, especially when it’s all low and breathy or when her control breaks and she accidentally ends up slurring unknown English words in Seulgi’s ear. She’s always embarrassed by it afterwards, usually hiding her face in her palms to avoid exposing her burning cheeks, but Seulgi adores it.

  She wants to hear that sound again, she wants to hear more.

  Her fingers trace the length of Seungwan’s back, slowly, trailing up and slipping under her oversized shirt. She traces every pebble of Seungwan’s spine, up until her shaky fingers meet the clasp of a bra, and down again, stopping at her lower back to push, the pressure gentle but firm, bringing their hips closer together and it’s... she’s... everything is suddenly too warm.

  Seungwan groans, hips jolting against her, and Seulgi feels the sound reverberate in her very soul. 

  She’s more than glad to burn.

  “Seul...” Seungwan murmurs, less than an inch between their lips. It sounds reverent, almost like a prayer. “Seulgi...”

  Seulgi takes a moment to admire the girl before her. Dark hair falling out of a messy bun, skewed shirt that’s about to fall from one shoulder, blush spread from her cheeks up to her ears, cherry lips and swollen pupils. Seungwan is so perfectly imperfect and she’s hers.

  Hers.

  Seulgi still marvels at how she got so lucky.

  Seungwan doesn’t give her time to answer, she goes back to kissing her deeply while Seulgi's thumbs hook under the hem of her shorts, eliciting a shiver. After a few seconds, however, she stops, head snapping up rapidly.

  “Seulgi-“ Oh, how she loves it when Seungwan says her name like that. It’s a mix of loving, longing and... anxious? “-the door!”

  Seulgi nods, dumbly, staring unabashedly at her girlfriend who’s suddenly trying to free herself from her embrace, eyes wide in a peculiarly panicked expressions. “Seulgi, the door! Come on!”.

  After a whole two seconds, Seulgi finally registers that someone is indeed opening the front door of their dorm. All while her and Seungwan are in a position that leaves very little to the imagination.

  It’s a miracle they don’t fall off the couch in their chaotic effort to look presentable. Or not like two hormone-addled teenagers at least. Seulgi is pretty certain this moment takes a spot for itself in her list of “Top ten figurative coldest showers I’ve ever had”.

  It’s a list that’s progressively getting longer, much to her dismay.

  Seungwan makes a dash for the hall, most likely towards their bedroom, and Seulgi is left by herself, scrambling for her phone on the floor just as Yerim bounces in the living room. “Hey, I’m back!” she grins at the older girl, dropping her backpack on the floor, and launches herself next to her on the couch, laying her head on Seulgi's shoulder. “Watcha looking at?”

  “Oh, n-nothing,” Seulgi’s throat is as dry as can be, the ghost of Seungwan’s skin on hers making it all the harder to talk as she fumbles with her phone. She can feel tiny beads of sweat trailing gingerly down her forehead. 

  “Unnie, you don’t look that good,” Yerim says, worriedly, placing the back of her hand on the older girl’s forehead only to snap it back immediately. “You’re burning up! Does Seungwan unnie know?” She stands up, hands around , shouting in the general direction of the “Old Married Couple”’s room. “Hey! Olaf unnie! Your girlfriend’s sick, come and help her out! Where are your warm hugs at?!”

  Seulgi groans and drops back on the couch, staring at the ceiling in hope of calming her racing heartbeat. She hears light steps and a voice, the same voice that mere seconds before was making her lose her mind, that’s perfectly composed. “What is it, Yerimie?”

  Seulgi truly admires Seungwan’s ability to get a hold of herself in the blink of an eye. She lifts herself up enough to peer over the back of the couch and – oh.

  Seungwan looks like she’s just run a marathon. She’s clearly tried to splash some water on her face, judging from the wet splotches on her crumpled shirt, but she’s still flushed from the tip of her ears down to her neck and she looks a bit unstable on her feet. The awareness of being the cause of that hits Seulgi hard and fast and she turns her attention back to the youngest girl in the room to keep herself from letting her mind wander.

  Yerim goes dead silent, slowly looking back and forth between the two of them. She closes her eyes and shivers, suddenly taking off in the direction of the bathroom with a deep sigh.

  Seungwan and Seulgi are left staring worriedly at each other until the maknae comes back, a spray bottle in one hand and rubber gloves in the other. “You two are disinfecting the house. Right now,” she s the objects in their hands, turning on her feet with a grimace. “Animals.”

  Why didn’t they just go to their room?

3.

  Seulgi’s proud to say that they’ve learned from their mistakes.

  They’re in their room this time, quiet as they can be, and everybody’s already sleeping.

  And, for once, Seulgi’s actually on top.

  ‘Well, look at how the tables have turned,’ she proudly thinks as she helps the hands already stripping her of her sleep shirt and pushes Seungwan back on the mattress, wrists pinned beside her head and hair spreading on the pillow like a halo.

  It’s been too long. They’ve been incredibly busy for the past few weeks between practices and various events, with barely enough time to even think about couple stuff.

  The closest they got to properly cuddle was on a rare break day. Seulgi had gone out for dinner with her brother, coming home to find Seungwan already asleep, curled up near her side of the bed. She had simply slipped her pyjamas on, removed Seungwan’s phone from her slack hands and snuggled up beside her girlfriend, last thing she felt being a familiar weight settling against her as a nose came to rest in the crook of her neck.

  Her adorable wake up call, an armful of Seungwan peppering light kisses all over her face with a sleepy smile, had been interrupted by their awaiting schedules, and hours later Seulgi just couldn’t stop thinking about how much she missed her girlfriend, more so after spending the entire day beside her.

  Love makes you weird. Or stupid, according to Sooyoung.

  She hasn’t been suffering alone, though. There was no way she couldn’t notice Seungwan’s eyes following her all the time, so much Yerim’d had to tell them to tone it down a little before Dispatch started picking up clues.

  Seulgi hates to admit she was right. She doesn’t know how they’ve lasted this long.

  It’s no wonder that when their eyes met as Seungwan entered their room, face fresh from a shower and wearing one of her usual big hoodies to sleep, one that came down over her shorts, leaving her legs mostly bare, Seulgi had all but thrown the shirt she was folding behind her, prioritizing actions over words.

  They had wasted no time in coming up to each other, lips colliding like their life depended on it.

  If in hindsight se should be embarrassed by how vehemently she’d pushed Seungwan against the door of their room, not letting her speak a word as she pulled her free from the hoodie, she doesn’t mind.

  Not when Seungwan had looked at her like she was her everything, arms curled around her neck in a possessive, loving hold and tongue sneaking past the seam of her lips.

  And now, with Seungwan’s back arching off the bed, moans spilling from her lips and hips pitching up as Seulgi lavishes her chest in with kisses, she’s pretty sure she’s not the only one buzzing with repressed energy.

  “Keep it down a little,” she jokes, mouth moving from Seungwan’s  to the other, feeling her body tremble underneath hers. She lets her fingers run over Seungwan’s side until her hand is pushed away.

  “Stop tickling me!” Seungwan rebukes, giggling still. Her breath hitches when Seulgi’s fingers move further down, under the waistband of her shorts to peel them off her legs, taking everything else along with them. She latches onto the body above hers, pulling Seulgi down until they’re skin to skin, only one pair of shorts left in the way and a bed sheet over them. She drags her fingers down Seulgi's back, nails digging in the soft skin so deliciously that they elicit a breathy whimper, and uses the pause to give her a quick kiss. “You‘re the one that bumped into the desk while dragging me along. You may as well have woken up half the building.”

   Seulgi slips her hands in brown and caramel tresses, watching as the slightly younger girl immediately slumps with a satisfied sigh, and slowly drags them down, delicate fingers tracing over eyelids, nose, cheeks, lips and jaw. Her lips take the same path.

  “Can you blame me?” she asks between feather-like kisses, whispered on the sensitive skin underneath Seungwan’s ear. It makes her quiver like a leaf. “You don’t know how beautiful you are.”

  Her hands move down her arms, interlacing her fingers with Seungwan’s. “You’re enticing.” A kiss in the valley between her s.

  “So kind.” A series of kisses down her stomach, muscles twitching under the soft pressure of her lips.

  “Lovely, just lovely.” By the time Seulgi reaches her bellybutton, Seungwan is positively shaking.

  “Seulgi-ah...” she whines, legs sliding over Seulgi’s shoulders for better leverage. Their hands are still interlocked. “Please...”

  Seulgi smiles adoringly up at her, basking in the moment. This is what she loves the most, as sappy as that sounds.

  Seulgi loves art, and that’s what Seungwan is to her, so obviously she will want to look at one of the most beautiful things she’s ever seen for hours on end. It makes her feel at peace, happy. So happy she almost doesn’t notice the creak their door makes as it’s pushed open.

  Their bedroom door’s being pushed open.

  Their bedroom door’s being pushed open and there’s someone outside, someone about to enter and damn it Seulgi doesn’t get angry often but right now she literally wants to scream.

  “Hey, any of you has a phone charger to lend to my poor so- HEY!”

  Seulgi thanks her good star that her years as a dancer have made her quite the coordinated athlete. In one swift movement she takes a pillow from under Seungwan’s head, throws it behind her head toward the door, effectively blocking the intruder for a second, and climbs down the bed. She marches to the door, curses on her tongue and Seungwan’s hoodie already covering her body, feeling much more like a grizzly than her usual teddy bear self.

  She peeks out, body firmly planted in the sacred borders of their room and there she is, in all her glory.   

  Park Sooyoung, anytime but now a joy for the eyes, scowling with her arms crossed over her chest. “Did you seriously just throw something at me? What happened to our friendship? I’m a woman in need.”

  Seulgi takes a deep breath, trying to keep her nerves in check at the irony of that statement. That and her arousal is still vaguely clouding her vision. She pinches the bridge of her nose to make it go away, tension and anger leaving with it. There’s only frustration left. “What is it, Sooyoung?”

  Her tone probably rings some alarm bells, because Sooyoung’s annoyed face morphs into one of mild concern. “Hey, you okay? Were you guys already sleeping? You look a bit winded.” Then, as an afterthought, a teasing tilt in her voice. “What, were you “getting it on” in there?  “Doing the do”,“ she adds jokingly, complete with air quotations. “I don’t know, ”making a magical sandwich”?”

  Seulgi doesn’t answer. She’s pretty sure the sudden blast of heat rushing to her face speaks more than words. There’s a beat during which they just stare at each other. Sooyoung's eyes widen imperceptibly and Seulgi can pinpoint the exact moment the truth explodes in the younger girl’s face like a bomb.

  She wants to take cover.

  “No way,” Sooyoung’s jaw drops. “No wa - is that – is that why you’re so swea – were you guys that thud I heard before?!”

  “You heard that?” Seulgi winces, catching a horrified gasp being exhaled from inside the room. She can already hear Seungwan’s “I told you so” in her head.

  Sooyoung’s eyes widen and she takes a step back. “Oh my god. I-I’m so sorry,” she says quickly, hands shooting up to cover her eyes. “I didn’t see anything. I didn’t hear anything. I’m in my happy place...”

  “Sooyoung-ah,” Seulgi interrupts her, stepping out of the room a little to land a gentle hand on the younger’s arm. “It’s fine. I’m-we’re not mad. What did you need again?”

  “Phone charger,” Sooyoung’s hands seem stuck on her face like glue. “Joohyun unnie’s out like a light and Yerim is using hers. If it makes you feel any better, you guys weren’t my first pick,” she says, raising her voice a bit. “Sorry, Seungwan unnie!”

  “It’s fine, Sooyoung-ah! We’re sorry, too,” Seungwan calls back, hiding under the covers as Seulgi quickly looks for the charger on her nightstand, battling against the near complete darkness of the room.

  “Just... you know, knock next time,” Seulgi adds, handing the small device to the younger girl with a sheepish grin. “Goodnight, Sooyoung-ah.”

  “Yeah, that was awkward enough,” Sooyoung weakly mutters, finally managing to look at the older woman’s face for more than a second. She immediately turns around, waving over her head as she walks away, “Have fun living in sin, I’m out.”

  Seulgi huffs, closing the door and leaning on it. “Yeah, she’d know about evil stuff, wouldn’t she?”

  Seungwan laughs faintly from her nest on the bed, peeking out from underneath the sheet she covered her head with. “And guess what other demon won’t let us hear the end of it tomorrow?”

  “You think she’ll tell Yerim?”

  “Probably. And then Joohyun unnie will say we have defiled their minds or something similar,” she mutters, sitting up to look at Seulgi, white fabric gathered in front of her chest with one hand. “If we not die from all the teasing tomorrow, we’re immortals.”

  Seulgi gulps, taking a good look at Seungwan. Hair all messed up and plump lips gathered in a pout, she looks ethereal with just a white sheet covering her, cheeks still a pretty pink. Half of her body is bathed in the moonlight, caramel blonde strands almost of a golden hue, and Seulgi’s eyes rake across the milky skin of her arms, shoulders and collarbones. That small, alabaster expanse is enough to tickle the spark in her belly, not remotely close to the swelling fire of just a couple of minutes ago, but rapidly growing nonetheless.

  “It was going so well,” she whines, plopping down on the bed and letting the warmth and scent of Seungwan’s hoodie wash over her.

  “Oh, I don’t know, your compliments were a little cliché,” her better half muses. Another whine and various, half hearted slaps are met with laughter. “Hey,” she says, softly, using a finger to raise Seulgi’s chin until their eyes meet. She smiles, shrugging a little. “Maybe this just wasn’t the night.”

  Seulgi keeps being drawn to the flawless skin of her shoulders, the fine slope of her jaw. The look in Seungwan’s eyes is soft, like the pink tinge of her cheeks and the way she gently brushes a lock of Seulgi’s hair behind her ear. Seulgi wants to drown in her, let that softness wash over her body like a balm. There’s nothing she can do about it, she’s hopeless like that.

  She stalls, starting to toy with the strings of the hoodie. “Well, I was thinking...”

  “Wow, shocking.”

  “Wan-ah,” Seulgi groans in defeat and slumps down on the bed, heart unwillingly warming at the sight of Seungwan’s body shaking with giggles.

  “Sorry, go on.”

  “I’m really not in the mood to go to sleep now,” she begins tentatively, raising her head to gaze at her girlfriend with a meaningful look. “You know, all the adrenaline and stuff...”

   “Aww,” Seungwan coos, her eyes suddenly changing. Her eyelids drop half closed, like they do whenever they’re about to kiss or when she finds a particular spot on Seulgi’s body that makes her writhe. Seulgi shudders with anticipations, her tongue coming out to wet suddenly dry lips. Seungwan’s eyes follow the movement and remain fixated on . “This poor teddy bear.”

  “And now nobody will come to interrupt...”

  “Let’s hope so.”

  “And, and...” Seulgi's tongue suddenly feeling like molasses in when Seungwan’s fingers make their way in the hoodie, quickly slipping it over her head. The spark in her body feels more like a supernova now. “... you’re already ,” she finishes lamely, fully aware that her brain-to-mouth filter has officially stopped working.

  Seungwan lets the sheet drop but Seulgi almost doesn’t notice, too focused on those dark eyes of hers. “You’re halfway there already,” she chuckles, breath fanning over Seulgi’s cheeks. When did she get so close? “How should we worn ourselves out?” She asks, gently, connecting their foreheads with a smile, so bright and warm it would put the sun to shame.

  Seulgi grins back, taking Seungwan’s arms and pulling until she’s rolling on the other side of mattress with the smaller girl hovering over her body. She tries, and fails, to wink. “Cooking competition? Push ups? How about a good book?”

  Seungwan bursts out laughing, gathering Seulgi’s face in her hands to give her a kiss. “You absolute dork,” she mutters fondly, thumbs brushing her cheeks with utmost care.

  There are a lot of unsaid things in that simple phrase, some of which they’ll have to delve into a little more, but Seulgi’s willing to be patient. She wraps her arms around Seungwan’s neck to kiss her better, melting into her and hoping to convey her feelings much better than any declaration would. She’s never been that good with words anyway, and by the way Seungwan’s body responds to her she seems to appreciate the initiative.

  They don’t talk much from then on.

4. 

  “'Morning, unnie,” Sooyoung mutters, words slurred around a yawn. She’s leaning against the wall near the bathroom door, shoulders hunched and eyes half closed, blearily glaring at the hall lights.

  Joohyun chuckles sleepily, giving her a pat in greeting, and closing the door behind her back once the younger girl is inside the toilet. She moves down the hall, stretching her arms as she enters the kitchen. She stops at the threshold, one fine eyebrow arching when she spots Yerim sitting at the table, munching on some cereals while looking at her phone.

  “What are you doing up?” Joohyun asks, puzzled. Seeing their youngest up this early feels weird, especially when they have nothing to do in the morning.

  Yerim shrugs, eyes not leaving the small screen. “Couldn’t sleep. Park Sooyoung was sleep talking again,” she grumbles, distractedly scooting to the left with her chair to give the older girl more space. “And I didn’t feel like staying in bed.”

  “Isn’t there anime on TV?” the leader muses, leaning over Yerim’s chair and peering down at the myriad Instagram notifications filling their profile. She’s getting better with the Internet, Yerim says. Whether it’s innocent mockery or the genuine truth, Joohyun doesn’t know. “It’s a Monday morning and you don’t have school. Thought you’d be watching cartoons.”

  “Well, I wanted to,” the blonde’s eyes light up with mirth. She turns her head and gives Joohyun a mischievous grin. “Turns out the couch is off-limits.”

  “What? There’s no one there, the TV’s off. The lights, too.”

  “Go and see.”

  Joohyun tilts her head, perplexed, and makes her way to the silent living room, Yerim’s words alimenting her curiosity.

  Only there really isn’t much to see and, instead of something surprising, she finds Seungwan and Seulgi cosily laying down on the couch, both fast asleep, unperturbed by the rays of morning light seeping through the blinds.

  They’re facing each other, fronts pressed together, legs tangled and a quilt wrapped around their feet in a natural tandem. Seungwan’s head is securely tucked under Seulgi’s chin, her fingers loosely twined in brown locks while her other hand is balled up, grasping at the soft cotton of the sweatshirt she’s buried her nose in during the night. Seulgi is sleeping with her head reclined back, light snores escaping as she cradles the smaller body on top of her, one arm around Seungwan’s back and the other left dangling at the side of the couch, fingers curled and barely touching the forgotten TV remote.

  The sight brings a smile to Joohyun’s lips along with a resigned chuckle. “They’ve done it again.”

  Sooyoung turns the corner right then, tiredly rubbing her eyes. “Who’s done what?” she questions, coming to rest beside the eldest. When she spots the couple on the couch, her hands come up in front of , body bending in a fake gagging fit. “Wow. Now that’s disgustingly cute.”

  “You can say that again.”

  “Now that’s disgustingly cu-“

  “Oh, stop it,” Joohyun chides, laughing quietly. She slaps Sooyoung on the arm when the taller girl playfully sticks out her tongue at her, then goes back to watch the still blissfully oblivious pair. “This screams to be photographed.”

  “Got you covered unnie,” comes Yerim’s voice from the kitchen. She pushes her chair back to look at the two older members, lifting her phone in the air. “Snapped enough pics to blackmail them for a lifetime.” 

  “You know, I don’t think they’d mind,” Sooyoung says, joining their youngest at the table after grabbing a bowl for herself. “Maybe at first, but that would make a terrific phone background. Bet you Olaf is going to want copies.”

  Joohyun keeps her eyes on the sleeping duo a bit more. She hesitates only a moment before silently moving near the couch to detangle the quilt and cover their bodies with it. Seungwan lets out a pleased hum, burrowing deeper in the crook of Seulgi’s neck, who mutters something intelligible in return, snores turning a little louder.

  They’re so different Joohyun sometimes wonders how they work so well together, as friends and lovers and anything in between. She supposes that’s the beauty of it.

  “I keep telling them to stop sleeping in the living room,” she complains to Yerim and Sooyoung once she’s back in the kitchen. She accepts a mug the younger of the two hands her with a grateful smile. “It gets cold at night in there, they’re gonna get sick sooner or later.”

  “That awkward moment when yelling “get a room!” would be useless ‘cause they already have one,” Yerim says dully, more cereal than before in her bowl. She must be at her third refill already.

  “Bear Seulgi and human-hug-dispenser Son Seungwan? No way they’ll get cold,” Sooyoung adds, idly playing with Yerim’s phone. She turns the screen towards Joohyun, grinning. “What do you think? It’s a rushed work, but it seems pretty good to me.”

  “The distorted one was my idea,” Yerim pipes up proudly.

  Their group chat is filled with pictures of the sleeping couple, plus a few extreme close ups of their faces. Some are edited rather humorously, others are left as they are. Joohyun has never seen someone so apt at teasing as the maknaes are, yet at the same time they still manage to be Seulgi and Wendy’s relationship’s biggest supporters.

  “I’m sure they’ll be thrilled to see them,” she comments before taking another sip of her tea. “Though the Spongebob one needs more work. And have you thought about a mustache filter?”

  Sooyoung slaps her forehead, immediately going back to toy with the phone. “See, I knew we’d forgotten something.” She starts browsing through the filters, forehead furrowing more and more each passing minute. “Can your phone go any slower Kim Yerim? I swear, I have to do all the work.”

  “Oh, excuse me princess,” Yerim fires back, rolling her eyes. “It’s not like you stole it from me. While I was using it, I might add.”

  “This partnership is over. Now grab me a glass of water, please, I’m busy creating art.”

  “Take it yourself. And give that back, it’s my phone!”

  “Yeah and it’s as lousy as its owner!”

  “How dare you?!”

  Joohyun sighs for the umpteenth time, a fond smile playing on her lips as she watches the two youngest members bicker like they usually do. She cranes her head back, surprised that neither Seulgi nor Seungwan has made a mum yet.

  They’re still dead to the world, completely unaware of their surroundings. Knowing them, even after waking up, they’ll probably spend another few minutes laying down together. Not even exchanging words, just looking at each other like the lovesick fools they are. Then they’ll come in the kitchen, Seungwan’s cheeks a bright red and Seulgi’s eyes turned into crescents, goofy grins on their faces and hands clasped together like any other morning.

  “Ok Yerimie, I was kidding. Here’s your phone, now leave some of those eggs for me.”

  “Oh, now you play nice. Too late for that.”

  “Unnie, tell her something!”

  Another typical morning indeed.