Day Four, Part One: Fall

Just for a minute, everything around Joohyun and Seulgi slows to a stop. The florist’s words hang in the air, suspended by gravity, heavy on both of their ears. They circle Joohyun’s head, resonating in sync with each rapid pulse of her heart.

The motion of the countless pairs of swinging arms dancing around them freeze in midair. Smiles become fixed upon jubilant faces in the crowd. The rotating strobe lights appeared to be slowed, red and blue and yellow spotlights in slow motion.

Even the sound of the music and chattering becomes muddled, as if someone had put muffs over Joohyun’s ears. If the florist didn’t know any better, she’d think she were in the midst of a dream, but the accelerated beating of her heart tells her otherwise.

Joohyun and Seulgi are the only ones unaffected by the mysterious circumstances, staring at each other in a trance in the middle of the dance floor. There’s no movement but for the slow and steady rise and fall of Seulgi’s chest, with each exhale the business woman gives caressing Joohyun’s cheek.

The florist watches the kaleidoscope of emotions shifting in Seulgi’s calculating eyes. Dark pupils switch from disbelief to understanding, then to contemplating. They pour into Joohyun’s own questioning stare until Joohyun watches as something finally clicks within the business woman. It seemed Seulgi had found exactly what she’d been looking for.

Even Joohyun’s somewhat stunned by her own words. Never before had she been one to be so brash and bold. The twenty-six year old’s nature was one that was typically reserved. Joohyun often withheld her true feelings until she felt close enough to share them, and she certainly wouldn’t have allowed herself to be so vulnerable with someone she’d just met.

Yet again, the florist had made an exception for the business woman. Joohyun was learning to wear her heart upon her sleeve, to open up to new possibilities, to take hold of what she wanted, when she wanted it. Though the florist is beyond pleased with this recent development of breaking out of her hardened shell, Joohyun begins to feel panic flood through her as she stares back at Seulgi.

The business woman had remained silent for the past minute or so, merely watching the florist’s reaction. Feeling her cheeks flush, Joohyun’s about to apologize when Seulgi takes ahold of Joohyun’s hand. Instantly, the moment breaks. Everything rushes back to life, as if nothing had ever happened.

The dancing people, the formation of words on lips, the throb of the bass from the dancefloor speakers, all return to normal. A few dancers are throwing them odd looks, confused as to why the couple are merely milling about rather than joining in the song.

There’s a tug on her arm and Joohyun allows Seulgi to lead them outside onto the patio. She briefly looks down to see the business woman’s hand curved delicately around her wrist, the pressure firm and guiding. She isn’t sure if it’s the liquor or butterflies fluttering within her stomach.

The whiplash of the icy wind causes Joohyun to clutch at the fringe of the thick coat Seulgi had given her with her free hand. The liquor flooding the florist’s system warded off most of the cold, but Joohyun could still feel her face stinging.

As they step through the pair of glass doors barring their entrance, Seulgi and Joohyun first walk past a steaming Jacuzzi filled with bikini-clad women. A gaggle of polished young men clad in their suits are gathered around the pool, making gestures with their glasses and smiling handsomely at the women.

Glistening and slender, the swimmers giggle at whatever the young men say. Flirtation prances about their eyes as they playfully splash at their wannabe suitors. In Joohyun’s hazy, half drunken mind, she sees them as modern-day sirens, each seeking their prey.

Set in the center of the deck sits a roaring fire pit, lined with rustic stones and surrounded by chatting partygoers. The blaze is so large and so illuminating, Joohyun can feel it radiating heat even as they move further and further away.

Within the shadows and flickering firelight, Joohyun spots a few couples against the outskirts of the light the fire gives off. Their bent figures can barely be made out in the darkness, whispering and giggling into each other’s ears, hidden and huddled up together.

The area gives off an intimate atmosphere, contrasting greatly with the party barely being contained indoors. There’s the gentle crackling of fire, accompanied by soft, chiming laughter emitting from the Jacuzzi, and faint murmuring, all of which make Joohyun feel even more at ease with herself.

There would be no prying eyes or eavesdropping here, not while everyone else barely batted an eyelash at them as they passed by. Seulgi comes to a halt at a somewhat secluded corner of the space, and Joohyun begins to feel her heart fluttering within her chest.

Seulgi lets go of Joohyun’s hand and settles her palm atop the icy metal banister separating them from tumbling into the pitch black darkness enveloping them. Joohyun watches as Seulgi breathes in and out deeply, eyes trained towards the sky, fascinated by the light glimmering over the business woman’s features.

“I think,” Seulgi murmurs, swinging around so she’s leaning against the railing and facing the florist, “That it’s about time we left.” The florist takes a shaky step forward, not realizing she’s swaying until Seulgi steadies her with her arm. “W-what do you mean?” Joohyun asks weakly, looking up at the taller woman with her large eyes.

She knew for certain that the alcohol was getting to her then, her eyes refused to focus on the beautiful woman in front of her, like her eyes were an un-focusing, then focusing camera lens. Seulgi cast her a worried look as she supported the florist. The florist knew she wasn’t going to leave without a fight, it was in her nature.

“Joohyun-ah, you can barely stand up straight on your own, and you’re starting to slur your words.” The florist had a penchant for becoming stubborn once she had enough liquid courage rushing through her veins, and now was of no exception. Joohyun rolled her eyes at the taller woman. “I’m alright,” she claimed as she began teetering over to the doors in vain.

Despite Seulgi’s efforts to hold her steady, Joohyun wriggled and strained beneath Seulgi’s shepherding touch. “Why don’t we have another dance, Seulgi-ah?” Joohyun was beginning to think that perhaps she shouldn’t have had that second drink after all.

The night and the party were clearly drawing to a close, but Joohyun refused to see it, refused to come to terms with it. “What’s the matter?” Seulgi asked quietly, eyeing the older woman curiously. “Don’t worry, I’ll take you home and you’ll be able to sleep it off,” the business woman said in a gentler tone. “You’ll be fine in the morning, Joohyun-ah.”

“You don’t get it, do you?” Joohyun whispered. Her words caused Seulgi’s grip to loosen just enough for the florist to finally break free. Flitting a few paces away from business woman, Joohyun frowned and let her head fall to the ground. “I don’t want to leave.”

Around them, party goers were beginning to file out slowly, one by one. It was past midnight then, and the temperature was steadily dropping with each passing second. Joohyun knew it wouldn’t take long for them to be the only ones left on the patio.

“Why don’t you want to leave?” Seulgi questioned, taking a step towards the shivering woman. It was as if the business woman were approaching a wild deer, coaxing Joohyun carefully with an outstretched hand.

“Because,” Joohyun sniffled pathetically. Her voice was barely above a whisper and she was unable to look at the other woman when she finally managed to say, “Then I won’t be your girlfriend anymore.”

Laughter tears apart the tension filled air, and Joohyun jerks her head up in shock to find the business woman nearly doubled over. “Wait a second, that’s what you were worried about?” Seulgi asks a second later, trying to cover up her giggling with one of her hands.

Joohyun merely sulked in response, frowning at the taller woman as she approached her side. “Remember how I said that it was up to you whether or not the fake girlfriend trope would only be for the night?” Seulgi asked gently, reaching for Joohyun’s hands.

The corner of Joohyun’s mouth quirked to the side as their fingers slipped together before she shrugged,. What about it?” A gorgeous smile played across Seulgi’s ruby red lips, “You never indicated which it would be, did you?”

Joohyun shrugs sheepishly as she tries to recall, her breath fanning out, translucent against the crisp darkness. “I guess I didn’t,” the florist finally mumbles, bowing her head. “Well then,” Seulgi quipped, taking another step closer.

The business woman lifted one finger to Joohyun’s chin and gently tilted the older woman’s head up until she had Joohyun’s eyes trained on her. Joohyun watched Seulgi’s line of sight lower, focusing in on her parted lips.

“I think it’s time to make that choice,” Seulgi murmured softly. The business woman began leaning in ever so slightly, halting mere inches away from Joohyun’s face before flicking her gaze back up to Joohyun’s eyes. “Don’t you?”

Rather than answering the younger woman, Joohyun’s eyelids flicked shut and she tilted her head up towards Seulgi. For a split second, the florist was left hanging, eyes closed and waiting, when finally, Seulgi tilted her head down and met Joohyun halfway.

The sensation of the business woman’s mouth, soft and silky, against her own made Joohyun shiver with anticipation. The pair kissed languidly, standing near the roaring fire, as if they had all the time in the world. As if it weren’t -1 Celsius outside and Joohyun could practically feel ice forming over her. She was melting from the heat of the fire and Seulgi’s body crushed against her.

Time stopped for a second time for the two of them, and Joohyun lost herself in a cloud of Seulgi’s sweet perfume. The taste of rebellion was strong on her tongue, and she was dying for another taste. She reached a shaking hand out to caress Seulgi’s neck, and was pleasantly surprised at the ru