Seulgi had left her phone on silent for the whole night after her late-night call with her girlfriend. She expected a call from her parents and she was certain they two of them will ask about Joohyun’s dating rumor with Jennie, but she really needed the rest to drive back to Seoul later after breakfast so she wasn’t entirely surprised too when ten missed calls from her mother and three from her father.

Also, an additional of a few text messages from Yerim, two from Byulyi and one from Yongsun.

All asking about one particular rumor going around Korea.

“Great.” She muttered, cursing in her head.

She unlocked the phone and start calling back her mother first, hoping that her father was also present there with her mother so it would save Seulgi from informing both parents separately.

Her mother picks up at the second tone. “Kang Seulgi, where have you been?”

“Good morning too, mother. Did you sleep well?”

She heard a faint sigh from the other line. “I can hardly sleep, Seulgi. You know exactly why.”

Seulgi brushes her hair to the back with her bare hand, sighing. “Of course.”

“Are you still in Busan?”

“Yes, I had to stay until late so I decided to sleep at a hotel.” She got up from the bed and draws the curtain in her room, revealing a chilly morning scenery through the window. “I’ll be on my way to Seoul after breakfast.”

“Good, me and your father will be waiting at the hospital.”

“Okay then. I’m gonna hang up now to get ready.”

“One question, Seulgi. Is she cheating on you?” Her mother didn’t even hesitate and anyone who never talked to her mother would surely be taken aback by her forwardness but Seulgi seen it coming.

She tried to evade it by wanting to cut the call short, but mother seen it too. That’s why she didn’t even give Seulgi a second to talk back before she threw the question out.

Seulgi remained calm, however. “She’s not.”

“Okay, that’s good enough for now. Come back soon and drive safely. Oh, one more thing—”

Seulgi closed her eyes, sighing. “Yes?”

“Kim Jennie made a statement, it’s probably all over the news by now.”

The line was cut off before Seulgi can say anything back and she wasn’t offended by it at all. It’s not like she has more to say anyway. She hesitated a little to see the news and what Jennie had to say to the public about her rumor with Joohyun. But the fact that her parents still would like to talk to Seulgi about the matter, only reassured herself that Jennie’s statement did not make anything better.

No matter how much she did not want to check on the news, she still has to do it.

She grabbed the television’s remote, turned it on and search up a few news channels. It didn’t take long before she stopped at one channel covering about Jennie’s dating scandal. And she was right, Jennie did not make it better, at all.

“I see everyone’s been curious and assuming things between me and this cute girl I hung out with the other day. I’m here now to make a statement that even though I am attracted to her, unfortunately, she’s not my girlfriend—”

‘Unfortunately’, huh?’ Seulgi was getting pissed at the way she presented her statement.

“She is an important close friend back in High School and we were just trying to reconnect now that we meet again after so many years. And um, I will not be open for questions, I’m only here to say that I’m not dating anyone,” Jennie smiled knowingly and added, “I might soon.”

Seulgi finds herself in a really horrible mood that morning after she watched the news and heard Jennie’s so-called statement. It didn’t help the situation much to be honest. Sure, people knew she’s not dating Seulgi’s girlfriend, but the way she stated it looked as if she did wish and plan to make Joohyun her girlfriend soon. Seulgi did not like it one bit.

Jennie expressed publicly that she is attracted to Joohyun.

Jennie expressed publicly it’s unfortunate Joohyun’s not hers.

And Seulgi was starting to feel something she very rarely has for people. Anger, despise, hatred—She very much wants to confront Jennie and tell her to stay away from Joohyun, remind her that Joohyun is her girlfriend and no matter how close they were back then, it doesn’t matter now because Joohyun is with Seulgi and she had already moved on from Jennie. Jennie had no right to step in and ruin what Joohyun and Seulgi has.

But the idea of confronting Jennie and saying all those things to her doesn’t sit entirely right for Seulgi, because she needs to talk to Joohyun first. Joohyun deserves to have a say too and Seulgi wants to give her that.

So, she tried to give Joohyun a call but it went to voicemail for several times.

She gave up after the fifth time and proceed to get on the road and drive back to Seoul as soon as she can. Seulgi insisted she’s the one driving the car back because she’s in a hurry to get back to Seoul. She even ended up skipping her breakfast. Her assistant agreed and said she understands the urgent matters. They shared a knowing look and the assistant told her that she watched the news about Kim Jennie and the rumor she had with Seulgi’s girlfriend.

She didn’t ask Seulgi about details, Seulgi only nodded in appreciation and respect.

Seulgi, however, asked for her help to keep trying to get Joohyun on the phone. She tried three times and was answered on the third attempt, she didn’t get any greeting but a quite frantic respond from the other line. The assistant was taken aback for a bit by that since the call was put on speaker.

“Seulgi! Oh my god, I’m sorry—I was on the call with Jennie and—

“Joohyun—”

“—have you seen the news? I’m sorry, Seul… Yerim is here and told me that Jennie’s statement can possibly and most likely already created more rumors so I called her up and—I’m so sorry…

“Joohyun, it’s okay. I’m—”

“—Jennie said she wanted to meet and talk to me to explain—”

“No!” Seulgi snapped, startling Joohyun and even her assistant. “, sorry I—” Seulgi let out a big sigh, this whole thing is really getting on Seulgi’s nerves, she’s starting to lose her cool. “Can you not see her just yet? I’m driving back to Seoul right now asap and we’ll talk, okay?”

“O, okay…” Seulgi cursed once again inside her head, Joohyun sounded scared that she suddenly snapped at her like that.

“I’m sorry for snapping at you, it’s just…”

“I get it, it’s part of my fault too things gotten this way out of hand… I should be the one saying sorry to you.”

Seulgi would love to comfort Joohyun and reassure her that this is not her fault. If she had to blame anyone, she would a hundred percent blame Jennie. It also annoyed Seulgi a little that Joohyun didn’t try to blame it on Jennie, this means she still thinks Jennie wouldn’t have any ill intention toward their relationship. This is why they need to talk before doing anything. Joohyun needs to see that Jennie intents to break them apart and take Joohyun away from Seulgi.

“It’s okay Joohyun… We will talk when I get there, for now, please stay with Yerim.”

“Alright, please be careful on your way and don’t speed up too much.”

Seulgi managed to let out a smile, “I will.” She’s starting to love the attention and care Joohyun provides her, even when it’s only through words she’s saying to Seulgi. Somehow, that alone is enough to lift Seulgi’s mood a little and she stayed true to her words. She starts to slow down her car to normal speed.

Her assistant noticed this and thinks it’s cute how her boss acted toward her girlfriend. She’s both surprised and amused seeing how her boss lost her cool earlier, how she apologized and how she smiles before the call ended. Especially how her boss also followed her girlfriend’s words to not speed up while driving. She saw how distracted her boss was this morning, they even skipped breakfast and she totally understands it.

She was convinced that her boss really loves her girlfriend.

Despite of being in a hurry, Seulgi still dropped her assistant off at her apartment and then went to Joohyun’s dormitory. When she’s nearing the dormitory area, she noticed there are a few people with cameras and were shooting around the campus and the dorm too. By this point, these people must have already known that Joohyun stays in the campus’ dormitory and was waiting for her to come out.

Seulgi hesitated for a second, thinking maybe exposing herself isn’t the best idea. Right now, no one is dragging Seulgi’s name, anyone who knew about Seulgi and Joohyun at the campus are somehow keeping their silence (her mother must play a huge part in that). But if Seulgi get spotted going to Joohyun’s dormitory, a day after Jennie’s dating scandal and only a couple hours after Jennie released her statement, people will soon be able to connect the dots that Seulgi is involved with Jennie and Joohyun.

This is not good at all.

Feeling a bit helpless, Seulgi decided to make a call to Byul.

She figured she can’t do this alone, she can’t bring Joohyun to her apartment, she can’t bring Joohyun to her parents’ house, she can’t be seen with Seulgi in public just yet. Certainly, she can’t also be seen with Yerim because there’s already rumors going about Yerim being related to Seulgi.

So, she figured she’ll ask for a little help.

“Yeah, I heard the news. You haven’t even read my texts, Seul.”

“I’m sorry, I’ve been so distracted and I need your help now.”

“Spill.”

“I need to talk to Joohyun alone but there are already a few reporters following her. She’s with Yerim now at her dorm and I’m around the area but I can’t just walk out there and get her, so…”

“You want me to pick her up and bring her somewhere you two can meet?”

“If it’s not too much to ask, can you just take her to your place, unnie?”

“Okay, sure. When? Now?”

“Yes, the faster, the better.”

“Alright, I’ll let Yong know you’re coming.”

“Thank you, unnie. I owe you.”

She heard a chuckle from the other line. “You do know that I’m rooting for you two, right? But, yeah, you still owe me big.” She can picture the hamster-like grin with Byul’s strong nose muscle.

With a small parting of ‘see you later’, Seulgi ended the call and quickly leave a text to Joohyun saying someone by the name Moon Byulyi is on her way to pick her up. Told her to not worry because she trusts Byul a lot and well, Joohyun knows too that their bonds are like sisters.

When she arrived at Byul’s apartment, she was greeted with a nice smell of food from the apartment’s kitchen. Apparently, Byul’s girlfriend had been cooking and normally, Seulgi would be concerned because honestly speaking, Kim Yongsun isn’t that great of a cook. This time though, Seulgi was surprised because the smell of her cooking is not anything close to a toxic smell, what an improvement. It seems like she really did take her cooking lessons with Byul seriously.

“You’re cooking something, unnie?” Seulgi asked after she took off her shoes and set it on the rack. She took the scent deeply. “Smells really good though.”

“Oh, shut it, Seul.” She slapped Seulgi’s shoulder playfully. “You’re just being too nice. It didn’t smell that good. And it’s nothing much, I just wanted to do something for you and your girlfriend!” Seulgi followed the older woman to the kitchen, she resumed stirring the food inside the boiling pot. “I mean, I know the circumstances is not ideal but I wanted your first time here as a couple be good enough to remember.”

Seulgi smiles, “That’s very nice of you, unnie. Sorry, I didn’t mean to introduce Joohyun to you guys like this, but I had no choice.” She felt bad because she did have a plan to introduce her girlfriend to people Seulgi’s close with properly, like in a dinner.

“Hush now and stop sulking. I said it’s okay!” Seulgi can see Yongsun’s protruding cheeks, indicating she was smiling widely. “Byul is okay too, you know. She was actually eager to go down and get your girlfriend—if I didn’t