“Seulgi?” Joohyun’s voice was quiet, almost unbelieving as she wrapped her arms around Seulgi tentatively. “Please tell me this isn’t a dream.” Tears started welling up Joohyun’s eyes but Seulgi hugged her tighter, hand resting on the back of her head while the other on the small of her back.

“It isn’t Joohyun! It isn’t!” Seulgi’s calm voice, despite the small shakiness of it from the tears she held back herself, brought Joohyun into a mixture of happy and sad tears.

“Seulgi! I’m sorry! I’m so sorry for calling you a monster it’s just I was so angry-“ Joohyun got caught off by Seulgi holding her face by her cheeks with a small reassuring smile.

“It’s fine Joohyun, you had every right to be angry. You’re not at fault here!” The girl said with a loving gaze and hugged Joohyun again, as if separating from her would cause some sort of unbalance in the universe.

“Seulgi it hurt so much, being without you. Even now, I can still feel it. Where are you Seul? Why did you leave?” Joohyun’s voice cracked as she spoke, shutting her eyes as she let herself melt into Seulgi’s soft embrace.

“I’m sorry Joohyun, I’m so sorry for putting you through pain.” Seulgi said as she rubbed Joohyun’s back. “I had to leave Hyun, there was no other way.” The taller girl sighed softly as she looked down at the shorter one after pulling away slightly. “I love you Joohyun, know that I only left because I love you and I want to protect you!” Seulgi’s words only confused Joohyun, making her furrow her brows but before she could ask anything more she heard a voice calling her.

“Joohyun!” Wendy’s voice brought her back to reality, unknowingly stripping her from her lover, as she shook the girl awake with a worried look on her features. “Jesus Hyun! You scared the living crap out of me!”  Wendy sighed as Joohyun opened her eyes, groaning as Wendy shook sand out of her hair. “Why the hell did you run off like that when you’re sick huh? I was looking for you for two hours and I found you passed out on the ground Hyun! I was so worried!” Joohyun would be mad if it wasn’t for the sincerity in Wendy’s eyes.

“I’m sorry Wan, I just needed some fresh air. Can I sleep over at your place tonight? I want to ask Sooyoung about something.” Joohyun said with a small smile to which Wendy sighed.

“Seriously this kid…”She mumbled to herself before nodding.”Sure you can stay at mine, but tell your grandparents first, they’re worried sick!” Wendy said with a small sigh. Sometimes she felt like some sort of parent trying to take care of their kid when it came to Joohyun. The girl could go from super serious to reckless in a snap. Joohyun had nodded and with Wendy’s phone she had alerted her grandparents who promised her an earful when she went back home.

“Sooyoung, I need your help.” The door to Wendy’s room was hastily opened, revealing a very determined Joohyun and an out of breath Wendy.

“Hello to you too?” Sooyoung raised an eyebrow as she spoke from Wendy’s bed, situated on the corner of the room with a window above the foot of it. Wendy’s room was sparsely furnished, with just the aforementioned bed, a closet and a desk for studying, leaving the rest of the room feeling quite spacious.

“Tell me why Seulgi left.” Joohyun said with a look on her eyes that displayed her seriousness about the matter. Sooyoung awkwardly looked from Joohyun to Wendy and back to Joohyun rubbing the back of her neck.

“I don’t really think it’s my place to sa-“ Sooyoung began, her voice almost a whisper before she was cut off by Joohyun, who was tapping her foot on the floor with her arms crossed.

“Sooyoung.” Joohyun’s tone left no room for discussion making the tall girl nod and sit up straighter, receiving a suppressed giggle from Wendy.

“Alright, alright.” Sooyoung said showing her hands in surrender. “Calm down first jeez.” The tall girl said with a small sigh as Wendy made her way to the bed, sitting next to her lover. “To put it short our people were going to colonize your planet. Seulgi left to stop that.” Sooyoung said her face slowly turning grim. “That dumb bear doesn’t know what she’s getting herself into. Sure empress Taeyeon was a loving mother but she was always strict when it came to Seulgi’s education as the future leader of our people. Seulgi was forced to do things no child should, all in the name of the empire. After your mother killed the empress’ wife she became ten times worse.” Sooyoung took a deep breath and closed her eyes before exhaling. “Seulgi is too kind to do what her mother thinks is necessary, I’m scared she might end up the way the empress wife did.”

“That’s Seulgi’s other mother right? What happened to her?” Joohyun asked, concern and curiosity in her voice.

“She and Seulgi were very against the empress actions, however Tiffany had seen so much of what the empress had done she just kind of…lost it. She attacked the empress one night.” Sooyoung said rubbing the back of her neck. “She was perfect with Seulgi don’t get me wrong, they both were, but I guess the stress got to them…I don’t know any details, Seulgi just blocked out all her negative memories. I didn’t want to pry into her life even more. We were, are, best friends. I trust her to tell me her feelings when she feels safe and comfortable to.”

“Sooyoung…We have to get her back.” Joohyun said with a determined face.”I talked to her…Like telepathically… her voice sounded so pained.” The girl said with a sad frown on her face.

“Joohyun we can’t… I miss her too, but we just can’t.” Sooyoung said with a sad sigh, Wendy rubbing her back soothingly, like she had done while the tall girl explained Seulgi’s past. “She made me promise Joohyun, I can’t keep you safe out there.”

“Sooyoung…Please! I saw her, her eyes seemed so tired! She put on a brave face but I could see it, she doesn’t want to be there!” Joohyun protested but Sooyoung stood her ground.

“Joohyun, please respect her wishes.” The alien said with furrowed brows.”She’s going to go through hell just to keep you and this mud planet safe! She knows what she’s doing, she doesn’t need rescuing. We’re not taking her back. That is final.” Sooyoung said with a set jaw. It pained her to leave her friend like that, in what she considered Seulgi’s worse nightmare, but she knew it would be far worse for the bear like girl to lose Joohyun in some failed attempt at a rescue than having to lead her people.

“Sooyoung, I’m going to get her back, whether you like it or not.”