Silence.

Joohyun didn’t expect things to turn out this way (she didn’t exactly think this idea through) but the three girls merely stared down at her with hardly any emotion in their eyes. She didn’t know if they were ignoring her or if they were merely stunned at her sudden entrance. Either way, time is ticking and Joohyun’s got to act fast.

“Please. You’ve got to help me take her back.” she pleaded through ragged breaths, her heart feeling like it’s about to burst.

Finally, the play button seemed to have been pushed as one of them—the one sitting by the piano—rushed forward to help her up, letting her sit on the only vacant chair before rushing off, saying something about getting her water.

Awkward tension filled the air as the remaining two—Park Joy and a high school girl—continued to blatantly stare at her with eyes that she couldn’t quite decipher. Joohyun didn’t know if being friendly with them would be safe or not so she returned the gaze with a steady one of her own. Thankfully, the other girl returned with a bottle of water and Joohyun was forced to look away, muttering thanks before having a sip.

“With the way you’re speaking, I assume you’ve already heard of the news?” Park Joy asked after she put back the cap on the bottle.

Joohyun averted her gaze to the ground and nodded, the plastic bottle in her hands making a nasty crack as she clenched her fist.

“I don’t get it. Wendy-unnie tried so hard to make you listen and understand but you stubbornly pushed her away. But now that she’s finally leaving you alone, you suddenly want her back? Oh, please. Give me a break.” High School Girl scoffed, leaving the piano to sprawl herself all over the sofa at the corner, blocking her ears with headphones and covering her eyes with an arm.

Joohyun chose not to reply at the jab, understanding where the girl was coming from. It seems like their drama had affected more people than she thought. She let out a deep breath, head bowed low in guilt and regret.

“I’m sorry about her,” the monolidded girl who got her water sat across her and gave her an apologetic look. “Yeri’s just…stressed. We’ve seen Wendy go through…emotional distress because of your…issues and now having to hear about her departure from other people instead of the source herself has put us on edge.”

Joohyun knew she was trying hard to be polite. “I understand. I’m sorry.”

“Look here, unnie,” Park Joy spoke up, still with the informal speech from the last time they met, “I just need to ask. Do you trust our Wendy-unnie now?”

“I…” Joohyun faltered, “…I don’t know. But I am sure of one thing: I’d be damned if I let her go this time. I may not fully trust her now but I want to. I know I can. Not now. Not yet. But I will. Because my scars pale in comparison to what it would be like without Seungwan. I’d rather risk my heart than risking a chance of having her by my side but in order for that to happen, I need to get her back first and you’ve got to help me because I can’t do this on my own and if not you then who else will?”

Tears had gathered in her eyes as she said her little piece. She quickly wiped them away with the back of her hand. Her hands trembled at her act of baring her heart but at the same time, she felt relieved. Like a load was taken off her shoulders. 

She then looked up, bravely meeting their stare. “Besides, don’t you want this too? You want your friend back too. You know how she doesn’t want anything to do with her family’s business. I know you can stop her on your own but I guess you can think of me as additional firepower. Instead of breaking down the door, I’m offering you the key.” she had to work the same way these girls’ minds work in order to gain their cooperation. “Think. It’s a win-win situation. You don’t have anything to lose but you can gain a higher chance of getting her back. I need you to work with me.”

From the couch, High School Girl—Yeri—stood, approaching the piano again with a much lighter expression, “You should be a business major, Cabbage-unnie. You’re quite persuasive.”

“Excuse me?” Joohyun blinked, startled at the sudden change of attitude. And what’s with these people addressing her casually without her permission? “Wait, how did you know my nickname?”

Yeri shrugged and hopped on to the piano.

Park Joy paced. “Joohyun-unnie, do you know why Wendy-unnie is doing this?”

Joohyun clenched her fists. “Because I told her to stay away from me. That should be at least one of her reasons.”

“Yes, you’re right. That’s probably one of her reasons.” Park Joy looked at her, expression void of humor, “But I want you to keep in mind that it’s so much more than just that.”

Joohyun wasn’t one to be easily intimidated but the look in Joy’s face made her feel so. She swallowed and nodded. What else would Wendy’s reasons be? Was it because of her family? Did they threaten her into fleeing again?

“So you need our help, is that right?” Park Joy’s demeanor did a 180. There’s a strange glint in her eyes now and Joohyun immediately got wary.

“I need your cooperation."

 “You want Wendy-unnie back because…ah, you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.” the tall girl said dramatically. “Is that it?”

“…yes.”

Park Joy grinned and Joohyun thought it looked a little evil. “Well, we rarely open on Mondays but for this one, we can make an exemption. Seulgi-unnie, track the snowman down. Squirtle, get your hands on her flight details.”

Joohyun watched in a mixture of awe and bewilderment as the monolidded girl—Seulgi—simply nodded and played a song on the piano, the monitors suddenly flashing into life, surprising the hell out of her. Meanwhile, Yeri had popped a gum in and casually strolled out of the room as though she was asked to buy chicken rather than get someone’s flight details.

What…is this place, she wondered to herself when one of the monitors showed a satellite view of South Korea, a little blue pin stuck on Seongbuk-dong.

But apparently, there’s more.

Seulgi played a frantic Chopin and the rest of the monitors showed what seemed to be a CCTV footage of an enormous, luxurious, expensive looking house—no, mansion. There were about hundreds of cameras and they were everywhere in every angle; the gate, front yard, backyard, main door, foyer, living room, bedrooms, and all sorts of rooms there is in that massive space. Seulgi played a short tune and everything narrowed to one bedroom with about four cameras from all corners. The room, like the rest of everything in that house, was huge. Its white wainscoted wall had pantone blue embossed wallpaper with intricate silver patterns, a simple chandelier hung in the middle of the high ceiling, and in the center of the room was a blue queen-sized canopy bed that looked too wide and lonely for one person to fill. Seated on the bed was a familiar figure and Joohyun’s heart skipped a beat. She abruptly stood, though she didn’t know what for.

With her head bowed and shoulders hunched, Seungwan looked smaller than she already was in the humongous house as she gripped the handle of her luggage. She watched as the girl slowly let go and moved to lie on her bed, grabbing something from the nightstand and…

“She’s watching a movie?” Joohyun voiced out her disbelief, “Frozen? Of all things?”

“She loves the film. We don’t call her Olaf for nothing.” Seulgi told her. “What, were you expecting her to mope around or something?

Joohyun’s jaw fell. “I can’t believe…”

Joy raised a brow, “You can still back out, unnie.”

“No, no, no, no. That’s not going to happen. It’s just…” Joohyun cracked a smile for the first time in days, “I can’t believe I fell for a total dork.”

Seulgi cringed, “That sounds like something Wendy would say.”

Joy snorted. “Well, it might be a little too late for this but I just want to inform you that we, the Revel-LOVE agency, don’t give out our services for free. There’s no such thing as employee discount either.”

Joohyun raised a brow. This place is just full of surprises, though she did recall hearing that their services were expensive. “How much is it then?”

“Oh, Irene-unnie. It’s not about how much we charge,” a slow, sly grin stretched Joy’s lips, “It’s about what we charge.”

This place is really shady, Joohyun thought. “What is it?”

“We only have one wish.” Joy’s expression turned serious, “Please be happy, the both of you.”

Joohyun’s pressed her lips together to a thin line of determination, equally meeting Joy’s gaze with her own and saw how the younger girl, behind all her tough, flamboyant façade, cared for Wendy a lot. Though she’s still wary, she decided then that maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to rely on these people even just for a bit, no matter how suspicious they may seem. She nodded firmly.

“We will. I’ll make sure of that.”

***

We’re not

No we’re not friends

Nor have we ever been

We just try

To keep those secrets in a lie

Wendy pulled out the plug of her earphones, stopping Ed Sheeran from continuing his song. Can’t she listen to songs peacefully now? Sighing, she ran her fingers through her hair and stared at her cup of smoking, dark liquid that reminded her of a certain someone who hated the bitter drink. Great. Now she couldn’t even have coffee without having flashbacks.

She rubbed her face with her palm. This is terrible but she’ll get over it. When she arrives at Canada, she’ll bury herself with work and eventually forget about everything. She knew leaving was a bit over the top but she couldn’t think of any other alternative options. It was also an impulsive decision but what’s done is done and so she resigned to her fate.

The Chairman and the President were surprised when she suddenly showed up in the main residence but were visibly pleased nonetheless when she told them she wanted to help out in the family business during dinner. They gave her a task to finish in Canada and she obediently agreed, relieved that it was somewhere so far away.

Just then, a man in a black suit came up to her, informing that her luggage had successfully been checked in and that an agent will be collecting her soon to privately her. Wendy gave him an appreciative smile, thanking him for his efforts which the man replied with a stiff nod, asking if she needed anything else, and walking away to the side of the café with the others after she replied that she’s good. The bodyguards were a little exaggerated in her opinion. She could manage her flight by herself just fine and she haven’t received any death threats, though she did have an odd feeling that the guards weren’t really there to protect her but rather, to watch her in case she made the slightest attempt of escaping. She wasn’t really a princess. She’s more of a prisoner.

They really shouldn’t worry. She had no plans of fleeing. Her mind was set. Besides, she didn’t want to waste her ticket. She already told them beforehand that flying economy would be fine but Secretary Yoo really went out of his way and got her first-class seats. Chairman’s orders, he said, can’t have a daughter to the Daeson Group riding economy. 

It really wasn’t for her but for the reputation of their name. Huh. Okay.

Wendy finished the rest of her coffee and decided she didn’t really need anyone to her and was about to stand up when her phone buzzed in her pocket. Sitting back down, she took out the device. Seunghee was calling.

“Hello?”

“Hey.” the woman casually greeted. “Are you at the airport now?”

“Yeah.”

“Everything going fine?”

“Yeah.” though she had considerably become more open to her sister nowadays, there was still the stubborn part in her that refused to let her in completely. But there’s positive progress in their relationship and Wendy’s grateful for Seunghee’s patience. It was difficult to trust again, which was why she could somehow understand at some point how Joohyun felt.

“Where in the airport are you?” Seunghee asked, “I might be able to catch up. My meeting just ended.”

“I’m at a coffee shop but you don’t have to go.” Wendy told her. “You must be tired. Rest.”

Seunghee hummed, “How are you holding up?”

Wendy shrugged, “Alright. I’m okay.”

“That’s good to hear.” Seunghee lapsed into a few seconds of silence. “Are you really sure about this?”

Wendy sighed, a bit exasperated. They’ve already had this conversation numerous times before. “I told you, my mind is made up.”

“You sure nothing can stop you?”

“Yes, nothing.”

“No one?”

“No one.”

“Okay.” she could hear the amusement in her sister’s voice, peaking her curiosity. Now, what’s so funny? “You have your passport with you?”

“Yes, it’s on the table.”

“What about your ticket?”

Wendy resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Seunghee’s such a mom sometimes. But it feels kind of nice, I guess. “It’s in my wallet.”

“Okay, that’s good.” the older woman said. “Just know that if you ever plan on cancelling that flight, your suite in my building is still vacant.”

It was useless. Wendy wasn’t going to cancel anything but she was still thankful for the backup. “Okay. Thanks.”

Seunghee hummed and fell silent. That moment, a man in suit with the airline’s logo pinned on his chest entered the café and approached her.

“Look, it’s nice talking to you but I have to go.” Wendy told her sister, “I’ll call you when I land.” she ended the call and stood as the man stopped across her.

“Good afternoon, Miss Son.” he greeted politely, “I’m Ji Woohyuk of Korean Air. Please allow me to you to the VIP lounge so you can comfortably wait for the plane.”

Wendy said her thanks and picked up her wallet and passport from the table before following him out. Bodyguards trailed behind her and she ridiculously felt like she’s on her way to jail, like she’s marching her way to Calvary. Reality weighed down on her shoulders. Her resolve wavered. The realization of what she’s leaving behind suddenly felt real. Everything she was about to abandon seemed to flash before her eyes; her freedom, her passion, her dreams, her friends… her. She’s going to leave a huge chunk of herself and the fear only settled then. She suddenly felt queasy.

Her steps faltered. The task of moving one foot after another suddenly seemed like a tedious task. Her heartbeats echoed loudly in her ears along with the roaring of her blood. Was she doing the right thing? Was she going to regret this?

“Miss Son?” her was now meters ahead of her, looking back with a concerned expression. “Is everything alright?”

“Yes–”

Everything happened so fast. A gush of wind blew past and the next thing Wendy knew, she’s staring blankly at two hooded figures running away with her guards chasing after, yelling furiously. The two ran in a crisscrossed pattern, passing a familiar object to each other back and forth every now and then.

“What just ha…” she looked at her hand, just realizing that her passport was no longer there. She blinked, still stunned. Did I just get…mugged?

“I apologize for that, Miss Son. We’ll take action immediately.” her bowed, “If you’ll excuse me,” he rushed to the nearest security and began talking rapidly, hands gesturing wildly.

Now alone and still dumbfounded by the series of events, Wendy decided to go sit on the nearby chair when—

BAM!

The wind was knocked out of her lungs as she staggered back, shoulder and chest aching slightly. Wendy was, once again, astounded. Things kept on happening, not letting her recover. She felt something cold stick against her chest and looked down, horrified. Her precious white sweater had a huge brown stain all over. She reeked of coffee.

“What the…”

“Payback.”

Wendy looked up so fast she felt something crack but couldn’t care less. Who cares about getting whiplash when the reason she’s leaving blocked her way to the gates?

Her eyes went wide and her jaw fell. “What…I mean…what are you…”

Bae Joohyun grinned and tapped her ear. “Cabbage to HQ. I got the snowman, over.”

“What...the kids…you…”

The older girl glanced behind her. The airline guy just finished talking with the security and was now approaching them. Joohyun immediately grabbed Wendy’s hand and frantically tugged. Wendy didn’t budge.

“Why are you here?”

Joohyun glanced at the guy again. “Look, let’s go someplace quiet then we’ll talk. Okay?” she broke into a run, dragging Wendy behind her. The latter had no choice but to run along. Behind them, her called for her. She didn’t turn back. A rush of footsteps followed and she knew they were being chased down. They ran faster.

Wendy stared at their intertwined hands. It felt weird. The thrill of exhilaration coursed her veins. Her heart thumped fast, fuelled by adrenaline as they zigzagged through the airport, avoiding bystanders and security guards. It was crazy. She would never do anything like this and she knew Joohyun wouldn’t either which meant that some kind of outside intervention was responsible. But for the first time in a long while, she felt alive.

“What is this all about?” Wendy demanded, narrowly dodging a cart.

Joohyun glanced at her over her shoulder and smiled. “A search and rescue operation.”

“A what?”

Joohyun tugged on her hand, urging her closer as they zipped past the exit. She didn’t slow down one bit and kept running. Wendy had no choice but to keep up.

“Come on, Juliet. All you need to do is run.”

***

Nine hours ago.

Earlier in the morning, Joohyun was intercepted by a gleaming Maserati as soon as she stepped out of her building to grab breakfast croissants. Just as she contemplated on running away from a potential kidnapping, the front seat window slid down, revealing Park Joy’s face. The girl had tilted her sunglasses up to give her a look and that was all it took for Joohyun to get in the car that was surprisingly maneuvered by Kim Yerim.

“Is this legal?” she asked Seulgi seated beside her while clutching the grab handle for her dear life, “I mean, can she drive?”

“Well, aren’t I doing that already, Miss Scaredy Pants?” Yeri answered, giving her a sassy raised brow through the rearview mirror.

“Um…remember when you thought Park Bogum was hit by a car?” Seulgi started to say nervously, “It was…actually this car and Kim Yerim was the driver. It was all a plan.” she quickly added when Joohyun gave her a what-the--did-you-just-say look, “Park Bogum wasn’t really hurt and Yeri was driving slower than twenty. We did it because we thought you were just afraid of cars but we never knew you were traumatized…” Joohyun narrowed her eyes at her. Seulgi panicked. “Her!” she pointed at Joy, “It-It was her plan!”

“Hey! No need to betray the team now, unnie.” Joy frowned at her, “We were in it together!”

Joohyun ran her fingers through her hair. Her head was starting to throb. “Wait. So you’re telling me…” she sighed and massaged her temples. Anger slowly rose up yet at the same time, she didn’t know how to let it out. “You’re telling me Park Bogum wasn’t even really injured? It was all an act?”

“I thought you got that part down already.” Yeri quipped, “Don’t you get tired of asking that? It was all an act?”

Joohyun wanted to strangle her but the girl was behind the wheel and therefore their lives were in her hands.

“Okay.” she took a deep, calming breath, trying to get a grip. “What else are you not telling me?”

Seulgi timidly patted her shoulder, as though afraid she’ll bite. “We’ll tell you if something comes to mind.”

Joohyun sighed, deciding to let it go for now. “Where are we going?”

Joy turned to her, “At the headquarters, of course. We need to have a meeting and run-through of our plan and make last minute preparations.”

When they arrived at the music room, Joohyun and Joy stood by the glass board.

“Wendy-unnie’s flight is at 5:30 PM via Korean Air. We don’t know what time she’d be entering the gates but we have to intercept her before then.” Joy said, scribbling details.

“Joy-ssi, you’re in charge of finding a way to stall Seungwan.” Joohyun took over, “We also need to get into the airport’s computers and cancel her flight as Plan B, just in case we’re not able to stop her in time. Seulgi-ssi, can you do that?”

Seulgi grinned, “Anything to bring Wendy back!”

Joohyun couldn’t help but smile at her enthusiasm. “According to the information Yeri got for us, she’s going to have guards. We need her to be separated from them. What are we going to do about that?”

Yeri’s hand shot up, “Let me and Joy-unnie take care of that,” she said, a sly smile spreading on her face.

“Alright. So we isolate Seungwan, take her away to the café, and then I’ll have to talk to her.” Joohyun took a deep, shaky breath. “We’re going to do the Plan B if she manages to enter the gates. Seulgi will cancel her flight and the three of us will have to sneak in to the VIP lounge. Plan C will be going after her to Canada, though I hope things won’t have to escalate to this.” she sighed, “That’s all for now.”

Everyone went to do their task but Joy stayed beside Joohyun and patted her shoulder. “Good job, unnie.” she said, “You sure you don’t want to join in as an official member of the team?”

“No.” Joohyun deadpanned.

The preparation was hectic. Everyone rushed this way and that, worrying about one thing and another. They made sure everything would go according to their plan. Joohyun felt lost in the midst of chaos. There she sat, in the middle of the abandoned music room that now bustled with frantic energy. She could feel everyone’s nerves from where she’s sitting and it wasn’t helping in dealing with hers. She felt helpless, sitting there while everybody else were working and preparing.

“Don’t worry about it, unnie.” Seulgi told her as she hysterically played a Beethoven piece, the monitors responding to every note. Right now, the screens showed multiple windows with complicated codes. “All you need to do right now is rest and prepare your mind. You already made the plan yourself and you’ll do all the work later. If I were you, I’d be worrying about what I’ll tell Wendy. That’s the most important part. Good luck.”

Seulgi’s words got Joohyun’s mind gearing up. Suddenly, she felt tense. If everything went right, she’d finally be meeting Wendy later. How was she supposed to get her to stay? What if her decision wasn’t because of her but because of another matter altogether—something she could not change?

Before Joohyun could ponder more about her worries, Joy, who had been by the window talking on the phone, approached her.

“Cabbage-unnie.” the tall girl handed her the device, “I need you to talk to her.”

Joohyun glanced at the screen and saw the unknown string of numbers and looked up at Joy again. “Who’s this?”

Joy urged her to take the phone, “Just take it.”

Skeptic, Joohyun took the device, “Hello..?” she said hesitantly.

“Bae Joohyun-ssi?”

Joohyun gave Joy a confused look. “Yes, that’s me. Who..?”

“You’re planning to take my sister back?”

A few blinks later, Joohyun figured it out. “Son Seunghee?”

“Yes.” the woman answered, “You’re planning to take my sister back?” she asked again.

“Yes, we are.” Joohyun replied with a firm voice. She understood what Joy was trying to do. Getting the woman’s cooperation was a strong support they could use. “This is all my fault and I intend to fix it. I don’t want Seungwan to do anything she doesn’t want because of me.”

“How can you say that she’s doing these because of you?”

Joohyun clenched her fist. “I can’t. I’m not sure myself. But either way, I know that Seungwan’s being forced into this and I can’t let that happen. I can’t bear to let her go.” she looked around, seeing how hard everyone worked and gripped the phone tight. “We can’t bear to let her go. Not without putting up a fight.”

Seunghee’s line went silent for a moment before the woman hummed, “Wendy told me a lot about you but one thing stood out to me the most. Wanna know what it is?” she didn’t wait for Joohyun to respond.  The smile in her voice was evident. “You always win.” she said. “I have to go. I have a meeting this afternoon but I’ll make time to call Wendy before she boards the plane. I can’t promise I’ll stall her for long though but I’ll try. Call me if you need anything. Please relay that to Park Sooyoung.” her tone turned amused. “She’s an interesting girl.”

The call ended and Joohyun handed the phone back to Joy who was watching her intently.

“What happened? What did she say?”

Joohyun shook her head in a daze. “I guess she meant she’s going to help..? She told me she’ll try her best and to give her a call if we need anything.”

Joy visibly relaxed. “That’s a relief.”

“What exactly were you talking about earlier?”

Joy shrugged. “I just asked her for a few favors.”

“Like?”

“You know, stall Wendy-unnie, rent the café so we can have the place to ourselves…stuff like that.”

Aware of the tall girl’s tendencies, Joohyun narrowed her eyes warily. “You didn’t threaten her, did you?”

Joy’s smile was slow and conniving. “I don’t threaten. I merely state facts.”

She definitely threatened her, alright. Seunghee wouldn’t have found her interesting if she didn’t, though Joohyun couldn’t imagine what a college student could possibly blackmail a corporate heir with. But with Joy’s capabilities and reputation, it wasn’t entirely impossible.

***

“So you’re telling me,” Wendy spoke after long minutes of silence. “Those were Yeri and Joy?”

Joohyun had led her to an inconspicuous coffee shop a few blocks away from the airport. They sat at the corner of the deserted place and ordered a Frappuccino that neither of them touched, both too distracted and occupied.

“I haven’t told you anything yet.” Joohyun said, tucking her hair behind her ear and Wendy was reminded once again of how beautiful the girl is.

Beautiful but forbidden, she reminded herself.

“You said it’s a search and rescue operation. I happen to know only one group of people crazy enough to come up with this sort of plan.” she pointed Joohyun’s ear. “And that’s a Revel-LOVE exclusive earpiece, isn’t it?”

Joohyun nodded and took off the device, putting it on the table. “I asked the agency for help. I made the plan, though I didn’t expect Joy and Yeri to do that. I admit I was thinking of a different, quieter way of sneaking you out.”

Wendy’s heart skipped a beat. She looked at Joohyun, wishing her hopefulness didn’t show in her eyes. Why did she do that? Why did she come? Why did she take her away? Wendy might know the answer but after everything, it was difficult to be sure with herself. She was afraid of expecting. Joohyun had, after all, pushed her away countless times. Why would she be here now? She was probably there to say good bye. The Stupid Cupids did tend to be a little exaggerated with their plans.

“Are they going to be okay?” she asked among the many questions in her head.

Joohyun nodded distractedly. “I suppose. Are you really worried about those two?” there’s an amused and affectionate lilt in her voice and Wendy knew she had grown fond of the girls. The thought made her smile.

“No, not really.” she answered, “They can handle themselves.”

They lapsed into silence, the air heavy with unasked questions and unsaid clarifications. Wendy kept her eyes on her lap as she fiddled with her fingers, hesitation prominent in every movement. She didn’t know what to do. Joohyun didn’t seem like she’d be saying anything soon. Should she just leave? She glanced at her watch. She still had fifteen minutes before the gates close.

Wendy moved to stand. “Look, I –”

Joohyun grabbed her arm. “Aren’t you going to ask why I’m here?”

Wendy sat back. The girl looked a bit nervous but a lot determined.

“I’m sorry.” she said before Wendy could even respond. “I’m here to apologize.” she looked down, trying to gather her thoughts. Everything she prepared to say vanished in a flash. She felt as though she’s speaking in front of a packed stadium. Then she looked up, met Wendy’s patient gaze and decided to let it all out.

“I was stupid to push you away. I always question your sincerity but to be honest, I’ve always known that it’s real. Fear made me act like that. I’m sorry I ever doubted you. I can’t promise a painless road ahead but even so,” Joohyun gingerly took Wendy’s hand on top of the table, thumb brushing over her knuckles. Her heart hammered against her ribcage, bouncing in nervousness. “Are you still willing to stay?”

Wendy was silent. Too silent. She just sat there, staring at their joined hands with an unreadable expression. Joohyun always thought she was already fluent in Wendy but it turned out she’s not as good as she thought she was. She couldn’t tell what the younger girl was thinking. Perhaps she’s thinking of the gentlest, kindest way to say, get lost.

Joohyun’s confidence trickled away along with every quiet second that passed by. Her resolve faltered and negative thoughts plagued her mind, eating away her optimism like termites. Wendy was probably tired of putting up with her crap. If it was her, she won’t even be sitting there. Why would she want to return to someone with so much emotional baggage on her shoulders? Why would she turn her back on her family for someone who already hurt her so much? How can she continue to trust someone like her? She didn’t deserve Wendy but Wendy deserved the world.

She loosened her hold and was about to completely let go when the girl grabbed her hand. She looked up and got her breath taken away by Wendy’s soft smile.

“I really can’t say no to you, can I?”

“H-Huh?”

Wendy sighed, “I’m supposed to be mad at you but I don’t think I’m in the position to be angry. It’s not like I didn’t do you wrong either so I guess it just made us equal. But let me ask you. Are you really sure you want me to stay? If my family finds out about this, you will be in danger and so am I. As long as their family name is attached to my name, as long as their blood runs in my veins, they won’t stop going after me. Do you get what I mean? I don’t want to jeopardize your life, Seulgi, Joy, and Yeri’s too. The things my family is capable of…” she grimaced, “It’s not going to be pretty.”

Joohyun squeezed her hand. “Is this why you’re leaving without telling me and even your friends?”

“Yes.” Wendy looked down. “Because I’m a coward.”

Joohyun squeezed her hand again and tugged, “No, you’re not. You’re protecting us, sacrificing yourself for us. That’s brave. Thank you.” she smiled, running her thumb along Wendy’s knuckles. “But you don’t have to be alone in this fight anymore. You have us. It won’t be too bad, as long as we’re together and you’ve got powerful allies. If the agency put their mind on it, they can probably take down Daeson Group without breaking a sweat. Did you know Joy threatened your sister into cooperating?”

Wendy laughed, “That’s Joy, alright.”

Joohyun smiled along. “See? You don’t have to worry about us.” she said, “Besides, if you insist on going, we’re ready to cancel your flight or hunt you down in Canada. Take your pick. But there’s never a choice of us leaving you alone. Understand?”

Wendy chuckled but soon turned somber. She stared at their hands. “Are you really sure you want me to stay?” her voice turned quiet, unsure, “After everything I’ve done? Can everything still be fixed when our relationship was technically built on deceit?”

Joohyun pursed her lips and let go of her hand. “True. But you can always transfer the tree to a better pot.”

Wendy looked up to frown at her. “That’s impossible. And trees don’t fit in pots.”

Joohyun smiled, “Watch me.”

A new beginning, a fresh start, a clean slate, a chance to start again from the beginning and make things right. This time with no pretense and no doubts, she offered her hand, “Hi, I’m Bae Joohyun and I’m a hundred percent sure I want you to stay.”

Wendy stared at her hand, before taking it, accepting the handshake. Without hidden agendas, silly operations, and weird shenanigans, “My name is Wendy Son and as long as you want me with you, then I’m not going anywhere.”