“Well, let’s do it then.” Joohyun said rather casually.

Seulgi was taken aback for a bit by that immediate answer, with no hesitation as well. Does Joohyun really okay with the idea? She hasn’t exactly prepared for this kind of respond from her. She thought Joohyun would need time to think about it. And yet, here she is, saying for them to just do it.

She frowns a little, looking up at her girlfriend. “You don’t mind if we do?”

Joohyun chuckles lightly. “Why won’t I? I mean, us going public means that we don’t have to hide anymore and I honestly like that idea. We won’t have to hold ourselves being together and I can just hold and hug you as I please and vice versa. You get what I mean, right?”

Seulgi smiles. “I get it.”

Of course, Joohyun would think that way. For someone as touchy as Joohyun, Seulgi knows she hates it when she can’t be too touchy with her girlfriend. But she also needs to let Joohyun know that there’s a lot more to it than what she thinks. Seulgi only wished things would be much less complicated, but with her status, that’s just impossible.

“But you also know that people will constantly trying to pry into our lives, right? The media will do anything, even getting your family’s information and backgrounds. You’ll be the centre of attention to them and I can tell it’s going to be quite…horrifying if you’re not used to it.”

Joohyun kind of had an inkling about how things will turn out.

She was confident enough to say that she’s come prepared for it. Seulgi is no ordinary girl, everybody knows that. She is the only heir to her family’s wealth and her family is already in the top five list for successful companies in Korea. Seulgi would also hold the title as the youngest CEO, if her father decided that it’s time and by the looks of it, it will be soon.

Joohyun feels a bit giddy thinking that Seulgi cares about her so much that she doesn’t want to make Joohyun’s life hard by being with her. It’s pretty sweet of her though.

“In that case, I just need to get used to it…don’t I?”

“Yes, I think…” Seulgi said, still keeping a bit of doubts. “I think that’s one way to do it.”

Joohyun smiles. “It’s settled then.”

“Hm, one question.” Seulgi narrows her eyes. “Why are you so sure that this is a good decision?”

“Well, I don’t know if this is a good decision. I just think that… Everyone’s been saying I’m dating Jennie, even after the statement she made today and I don’t want that…” Joohyun fiddles with Seulgi’s hand, suddenly feeling shy. “If people had to know I’m dating someone, then I want them to know it’s you and no one else.”

Hearing that was definitely enough to convince Seulgi.

She was so convinced that the only thing she can think of doing was to kiss Joohyun right there and then. It wasn’t forceful, still gentle but enough to make Joohyun take a step back out of surprise.

They stop when they heard a fake cough.

“Sorry to interrupt, but you guys need to see this.”

They went inside and Moonbyul handed her phone to Seulgi. It was already unlocked and the screen shows a tweet with an image attached to it. The image looked low in terms of quality, like it was taken from such a far distance, but in the image, they can clearly see the familiar look of a balcony.

This apartment’s balcony.

And there are two people there, the first lady who’s facing the other way from the camera, they can only see the back side. Then another lady in front of her (they assumed). It may look like the two ladies only talk there, face to face, one on their feet and the other sitting down. Nothing special.

And yet, they can see a pair arms circling around the standing lady’s waist.

The caption written for the image didn’t help either.

“Isn’t this Jennie’s rumoured girlfriend? I think she’s with someone here, can’t say who. Hm, what do you think?” The open-ended question was able to raise many eyebrows and people’s curiosities, evident by the number of likes, retweets and most of all, replies in it.

The ones on the top comments were two set of images attached. Captioned: “OMG! I SAW THEM TOO!”

And right under it, other photos with better qualities and slightly different pose and angles. This time, it’s a set of four images. One of them showed the two ladies kissing. This time it was captioned: “Whoever they are, they’re dating! I think the paps found them. These photos are all over the internet! They’re so high quality, I thought they were dispatch lol”

The caption alerted Seulgi almost immediately. All of them can tell that the photos were taken not even five minutes ago. Because they can tell who are the people in those photos.

It was Joohyun and Seulgi.

Someone had taken a photo of them, assuming that one of the ladies was Joohyun (or more known now as ‘Jennie’s rumoured girlfriend’), then posted it on twitter to share with everyone else, wanting others to also think if their assumption was right.

It went viral so quick, mainly because Joohyun was caught with another woman too in it and they couldn’t stop wondering just who is the woman. Some of them were now sure that Jennie and Joohyun are not dating, assuming the woman Joohyun was kissing, was not Jennie. They said the posture don’t match Jennie’s. When the woman stands up, they can totally tell that Jennie would’ve been taller (referring it to the photos from previous dating rumor with Jennie). Yet some others were pretty convinced that it could’ve been Jennie, judging from how the photos were taken from lower and higher angles, making it hard to even match up the height difference.

Sighing heavily, Seulgi mutters, “This is not good.”

“Damn right, it’s not.” Byulyi agreed, running a hand through her hair. “What are you gonna do now?”

Seulgi handed back her phone when she feels her own cellphone starting to vibrate again. That must be her parents calling, they must’ve seen all the tweets and photos from earlier. And now wondering if Seulgi was really seriously on her way to meet them with Joohyun.

She didn’t answer the call, instead she grabs a hold of Joohyun’s hand in hers.

“We’re going to see my parents.”

“You’re gonna announce it, aren’t you?” Yongsun asked, arms crossing in front of her chest. She didn’t wait for an answer when she says, “I guess that’s the best way to handle this kind of stuff. Joohyun’s been seen too many times, she may as well make a statement herself to the public.”

“Most of them are pretty accidental though.” Byulyi said, sounding as if she’s defending Joohyun now. Joohyun almost couldn’t believe her ears.

“It doesn’t matter to them. People loves to see drama and they stumbled upon one where Kim Jennie and Joohyun are one of the main characters here.” Seulgi visibly frowns. “I’m sorry if this offends you, Joohyun, but how you’re so effortlessly attractive don’t help either. It will definitely only attract more people to find out more about you.”

“What? Then am I supposed to just disappear?”

“Of course not.”

Seulgi tugs Joohyun’s hand a little, gaining her attention. “She was saying that all of this will only get bigger from now on. This won’t be the first time, but surely this will be our first time.”

“Which is why I’m telling you now, Seulgi.” Yongsun’s looks her in the eyes. “You need to be sure of this. Because once you make the announcement, Seulgi, you’ll be in the drama as well.”

Seulgi’s jaw tightened. “I know.”

She felt another vibration in her pocket.

Her parents were calling her nonstop.

“We need to leave now.”

Before they go, Byulyi suggested for Joohyun to have a change of clothes since her photos with that outfit were all over the internet as of now. Seulgi agreed, and Yongsun was quick to provide her own clothes for Joohyun to wear. The two went to Yongsun’s room, leaving Byulyi and Seulgi alone in the living room.

“You were right, Seul.” Byulyi started a conversation after the bedroom door shut.

“About…?”

“Joohyun.” This immediately caught Seulgi’s attention. “She’s really in love with you and to think that before you guys dated, you two never actually had a decent time to share a conversation and yet, she’s feeling so strong about you. It’s almost too good to be true…”

“What are you trying to say, unnie?”

Byulyi turns to face Seulgi. “I’m not sorry about earlier, when I confronted her. Someone had to do it, you know. And I must say, her respond gave me a bit of a mixed feeling. On one hand, I can see that she’s genuinely in love with you but on the other, she looked pretty clueless when it comes to setting boundaries with her friends—especially, best friends.”

“She was just… She’s a clingy person.”

“Is this the first time you two actually date someone?”

“Yes, why? It’s her first time, but she definitely knows more about relationship and stuff. She’s not completely clueless about dating, unlike me.” Seulgi quickly explained, obviously she was trying to defend her girlfriend too because it almost feels like Byulyi was trying to put the blame on Joohyun again, just like during their meal earlier.

Byulyi hums. “Then I guess, you just have to be honest with her for whatever it is you’re feeling. Be transparent and communicate with her as much as you can. Because you know, even when she knows much about relationship, this is still her first time too.”

Seulgi didn’t get to say anything back when the bedroom door opens and her girlfriend walks out to the living room, dressed in a simple white mini dress with a thick black belt and gold accent around her waist. Her hair was done in a somewhat small bun, she left a few strains out and all the way down she’s wearing a pair of cream-colored heels.

Seulgi was captivated, Joohyun was indeed so beautiful.

She had never seen Joohyun actually dress up properly for any occasion before. So, this is definitely something Seulgi did not expect at all. She thought Joohyun was just going to change into other similar clothes to what she wore earlier but this is definitely taking ten steps above it.

“Wow, you look really nice, Joohyun.” That was surprisingly not coming out of Seulgi’s lips, but Byulyi’s. “Even Seulgi is so speechless.” She grins, bumping her shoulder on Seulgi’s playfully, trying to wake Seulgi from her trance.

She was seriously speechless.

“I knew this will work!” Yongsun claimed, clapping her hands together. “Too bad we had so little time, so I can only do quick work for Joohyun here. But she is naturally so pretty already, I found zero struggle dolling her up. Your reaction, Seulgi, was worth it.” She finished with a chuckle.

When Yongsun suggested the idea of her wearing something a little formal for the occasion, Joohyun was quick to refuse. She didn’t want to bother Yongsun too much but the she insisted, saying that she wants Joohyun to have at least a good enough impression for Seulgi’s parents. This may not be the ideal timing for Seulgi to introduce her girlfriend, but there’s nothing wrong in trying to look nice and proper to impress her parents.

So, she agreed and went along with it.

Joohyun couldn’t stop herself from blushing. Fi