“Are you even listening to me?”

 

“Huh? What did you say?” Sooyoung snaps out of her daze at the intruding voice.

 

“Oh, nothing important. Just that we’re going to sign a 10-million dollar contract with Givenchy to design 25 of their upcoming stores.”

 

“Sorry, Yerim. I was thinking about something.”

 

“Obviously.” The CFO closes her account book and leans back comfortably on the chair. “What’s wrong? You’ve been distracted lately.”

 

“It’s this girl. She-”

 

“Forget I asked.” Yerim picks up her book and makes an attempt to leave the room.

 

“Yerimie~” The CEO grabs ahold of the girl’s hand before she can turn away and whines at the heartless response.

 

“Ugh. Fine. You have 5 minutes!” Yerim settles back down on her chair. “I can’t believe you’ve been ignoring me for some trivial matter.” She mutters under her breath.

 

Sooyoung wants to say that it is not some trivial matter but decides to hold her tongue lest Yerim really decides to leave again.

 

“You know how Seul and I were in Paris 2 weeks ago right?” Sooyoung waits until Yerim nods in response before continuing. “We were with Joohyun and our other high school friend, Wendy…”

 

Flashback.

 

Sooyoung’s eyes have not left Wendy the whole night. Rarely does anyone ignore her so completely like this and as much as she racks her brain for a clue, she can’t think of a reason why she’s getting the cold.

There’s nothing stuck between her teeth. Her smile is friendly. She’s not radiating body odors. She even held back on being flirty. Keeping in mind that that’s her best friend’s future girlfriend’s best friend. Wouldn’t want to do anything stupid to ruin the balance.

 

So why?

 

She’s so curious and Wendy is oozing off this vibe that just dares her to challenge it.

 

So when the girl finally walks away from the crowd of hungry looking bachelors, Sooyoung immediately follows.

 

“Hey. How’s the party going for you so far?” She asks casually like she hasn’t been ignored the whole entire night once Wendy is cornered.

 

Wendy casts the taller girl a brief glance and immediately tries to find an escape route, not even bothering to hide her intention.

 

And most people would have taken the hint and leave the person alone. But not Park Sooyoung!

 

 “Yah!” Sooyoung tries to draw the girl’s attention back. “What the hell. Why are you avoiding me!?” She blocks all the escape route with her tall body, forcing Wendy to face her.

 

“I’m not,” Wendy answers tiredly, once she realizes that there’s no way out.  

 

“Right…and I’m not looking amazingly gorgeous tonight.”

 

Wendy can’t help but roll her eyes at that response while Sooyoung just shrugs it off like she’s unbothered.

 

“So are you going to answer me or do I have to force it out of you?” Sooyoun pushes for an answer once again.

 

Wendy scoffs at her like that was the most ridiculous thing she has ever heard.

 

And if it was a challenge Wendy wants, then it’s a challenge Sooyoung would gladly accept.

 

“I can only think of two reasons why you would be avoiding me.”

 

Sooyoung slowly inches toward Wendy with that confident smirk that she has been toning down the whole entire night and Wendy unconsciously backs away at the approaching girl. Backs away until her back touches the wall and she realizes that she has truly been cornered.

 

“One. You either really hate me.” Sooyoung places her arms on the wall to prevent the girl from escaping.

 

“Or two. You’re in love with me.” Sooyoung inches her face so close to Wendy that she can feel the other girl’s warm breath. The corner of lifts even further into an even more obnoxious smirk.

 

Sooyoung was sure that Wendy would turn her head away shyly to avoid eye contacts, like most girls would, but instead, she pierces straight into Sooyoung's eyes and returns Sooyoung’s teasing smirk with her an arrogant one that says you're so full of yourself. 

 

Sooyoung lets her arms drop and takes a step back, a little intimidated by Wendy’s piercing stare. It was so sharp that Sooyoung feels like it can pierce right through her. 

 

Wendy takes the chance to push the taller girl aside and takes a few steps away. Before Wendy is completely out of earshot, she glances back and says with a smug tone, “Not everyone is in love with you, Joy.”

 

Wendy disappears back into the crowd, leaving the speechless Sooyoung in the corner to process what had just happened.

--

After Sooyoung recounted the events that happened in Paris, she was expecting some sort of comfort or response for the CFO but instead, all she got is an apathetic look from the girl in front of her. 

 

“That’s it?” Yeri finally asks once she realizes that Sooyoung was done with her story.

 

“I don’t get it…” She replies after Sooyoung just nodded in response.

 

“She called me Joy, Yerim! JOY!” Sooyoung emphasizes. “I’ve only ever used that name once at a college party, back in high school. I was still underage then so I used Joy as an alias just in case.”

 

“That means that she was at that party,” Sooyoung mumbles to herself. At this point, she’s not even talking to Yerim anymore. She’s just recalling what happened back then. “But she’s such a goody-two-shoe…She couldn’t have been at that party…could she?”

 

She remembers that she flirted with only a few girls at that party and none of them were Wendy…

 

And the only person who has the right to even be angry was the girl that Sooyoung stood up after that night. The girl had left her phone number for Sooyoung to contact, but her not-so-sober-self had lost that number on her way home and she never bothered after. But she clearly remembers that girl’s name is Seungwan and not Wendy!

 

“Could Wendy be Seungwan’s friend?” Sooyoung asks out loud but more to herself.

 

The 5 minutes is up. So without a word, Yerim gathers up her stuff and proceed to leave the CEO’s office. Before she closes the door on the mumbling Sooyoung, she added her two cents to this one-sided conversation, “Why don’t you just go and asks her personally?”

--

Things have changed between Seulgi and Joohyun ever since Paris.

 

They have been going out more consistently like it is a routine, a habit, an unspoken promise. Even though they still tread on the thin line of friendship, the balance has been tipped as Joohyun finds herself thinking about Seulgi and depending on Seulgi more than before.

 

Like how when she got accepted into the University of California, Los Angeles, the first person she wanted to break the good news to was Seulgi. Not her mom. Not her brothers. Not Wendy. But Seulgi.

 

Or when she’s tired from a long day of work and the person she wants to complain to is Seulgi.

 

Or when she finds a funny clip on Youtube and the person she wants to share with is Seulgi.

 

It is Kang Seulgi that Joohyun keeps thinking of nowadays and she is both eager and scared at that revelation. Eager of this developing feeling and scared of this dependency that she has for the girl. Scared at how quickly Seulgi had crept into her life and her heart so naturally.

 

But she promised herself that she will not run away this time.

--

“Isn’t this our high school? What are we doing here?”  Joohyun stares at the ivy old design of the structure while giving the young designer a quizzical look.

 

She thought they were going to Universal Studio Hollywood to celebrate her acceptance into the UCLA but was surprised to see the car pulling into the parking lot of Harvard-Westlake High School, the old prestigious private school where they had spent the majority of their teens, instead.  

 

“I heard they are repainting the school. I want to get something before that,” was all Seulgi said before dragging the girl toward the locked gate.

 

“Seulgi!” If Joohyun is only a little anxious before, she is panicking now because the next thing she sees is Seulgi jumping on the gate and swiftly flings her legs over to the other side.  Once she landed on the other side, she beckons Joohyun to do the same.

 

Even though it is summer break and most of the students are gone, it doesn’t mean that Joohyun wants to risk getting caught trespassing on the school’s property!  

 

But what else can she do? They are already on opposite side of the gate and judging from the carefree smile on the young designer’s face, it doesn’t look like Seulgi has any intention of hopping back to the same side as her.

 

With much effort, Joohyun struggles to climb the gate and flings her leg over, copying Seulgi. But the gate is much higher than she had imagined and she lets out a dolphin screech when she saw how far away she is from the ground.  

 

“Come down, Joohyun. I got you.” Seulgi raises her arms in the air to show her that she is prepared to catch her if she falls.

 

Joohyun climbs down the gate with shaky steps and her back facing Seulgi. She only feels more at ease when a pair of strong hands grabs her by the waist. Trusting that Seulgi got her, she leans all her weight into that supports and leaps down to the ground.

 

Joohyun is greeted with a proud smile when she turns around. The kind of smile that you would see on a mother’s face when their child rode the bike without training wheels for the first time.

 

And she turns away shyly with a flustered heartbeat. Seulgi’s smile has been having that effects on her lately.

--

As they cross the school ground, memories of their high school days flash through their mind.

 

For Joohyun, it was mostly hanging with her friends by the courtyard, talking and laughing about trivial matters. Life was so easy and carefree back then.

 

For Seulgi, however, images from those sneering bullies throwing her menacing looks and jabbing comments flood her mind. The name calling, gum spitting, “accidental” bumping replay over and over in her mind as she scans the school. There were times that the bullying was so bad that she would skip lunch and hide in the school library rather than stepping foot into the cafeteria.

 

But not all was bad in high school. Even in the darkest days, there was a silver lining and that silver lining came in the form of an angel. She smiles as she remembers her younger self being teased by Sooyoung after being caught gawking at the school’s sweetheart for too long and then there were those rare occasions where Joohyun actually noticed her and greeted her with the sweetest smile that would instantly melt her heart and brighten up her day.

 

“So what do have to get?” Joohyun’s voice penetrates her thought and brings her back to the present.

 

“A letter.” She gives Joohyun a mysterious smile as she vaguely replies. “Wait for me at the bench? I’ll be right back.”  

 

Seulgi sprints toward the school building once Joohyun nods in agreement.

 

THE bench. Joohyun chuckles at the implication of the location. THE bench is infamous as a confession spot for hormonal rage teenagers to declare their undying love for each other. Joohyun had had her fair share of requests to meet at THE bench back then and while she rejected a majority of the people, there were a few sincere confessions that did touched her and convinced her to give them a chance then. Then when she was still gullible and trusted people too easily.

 

She sure has changed quite a lot since high school.

--

There is something about being here that brings back all the memories that she had buried away long ago. Sitting on this bench by herself, she takes in the surrounding of this prestigious school and feels a slight anger at how her brothers never got the chance to be educated here.

 

She was forced to recall the memories of her bedridden-father, hospitalized and on the brink of death. She was in her second year of college and was away from home at the time. All authorities and powers to her father’s company were given to her frail and innocent mother. And her so-called relatives took advantage of that to steal everything they can from the company, leaving them with nothing but an empty shell.

 

Joohyun fights back the tears as the subsequent memories pour in.

 

They had to sell their house to pay off the debts that the company had accrued and her mother felt so guilty for that that she fell sick just months after her father’s passing. With little money left, Joohyun scrounged around to support her mother’s hospital bills. She even went as far as asking her friends and Taehyun, her boyfriend at that time, for help.

 

Joohyun has always been an independent person. She rarely relies on others and she prefers not to even though she would go through hoops to help out a friend. But when she reached out to her so-called friends and the guy that said he “loves” her and would do anything for her, she was devastated to see them all turn their back on her.

 

No one as much as reached out to send their condolences, scared that she might ask for help or something. No one except for Wendy of course.

 

Joohyun eventually dropped out to college to work full time. She became the head of the Bae household at a tender age of 19. But no one cared about that. When her friends and Taehyun got news of her drop out, their attitude changed. They looked at her like she’s not worth their time anymore; like she is of no value to them anymore.

 

Those demeaning stares in their eyes as they spew out excuses to severe the ties would forever be ingrained in her mind. She tightens her fists in anger at just the mere thought.  

 

She gets it. Without a college degree, she would no longer be a source of network or resource for them. And in this competitive world where people step on one another to climb to the top, networking is necessary. Networking is important. She gets it. But that doesn’t mean she can accept it.  That doesn’t mean she’s not hurt.    

 

Joohyun changed then. She stopped believing in the fickleness of friendships and the flowery promises of her suitors. She closed her heart to protect it from being trampled on again.

 

Until the cute, sweet, and kind Seulgi came along that is.

 

Joohyun smiles at the thought of the young designer. 

--

Before Joohyun can dwell further into her thoughts, she sees Seulgi sprinting toward THE bench with a wide grin on her face. Looks like the girl had successfully retrieved the letter she came for.

 

“This must be a very important letter for you to jump the fence for.” Joohyun wants to tease some more but the seriousness on Seulgi’s face stopped her.

 

“It is. And I have always regretted not delivering this letter to the person that it addresses.” Seulgi takes the out the letter from her back pocket and places it in front of Joohyun.

 

On the front of the envelope, Joohyun can clearly see the name Bae Joohyun written in a shy cursive handwriting. A lot of time was probably put into swirling each letter.

 

“This is…?”

 

“A letter I wrote for you before we graduated. But I was too scared to give it to you so I hid it behind layers and layers of paint in my locker.” Seulgi gives her a sheepish smile. “I had to scrape through all those layers to get this letter back!”

 

“Seulgi…can I?” Joohyun accepts the letter and looks at the girl in front of her for any hint that she can’t read the letter.

 

Joohyun proceeds to open this wrinkly old letter that has been hidden for the past 10 years once Seulgi nodded at her embarrassingly.   

--

Hi Bae Joohyun-shi,

 

Bae Joohyun. Joohyun-ah. I wish we were close enough for me to call you that comfortably. But every time I try to approach you, I become a nervous mess before you are even near. Therefore, I can only watch from afar and come up with scenes of me finally approaching you and becoming friends with you.

 

Hah. Jokes on me. Because, as you can tell, that never happened and the next thing I know, we are graduating soon.  

 

I hear that you will be moving north to attend UC Berkeley. While I will be leaving for New York for college. Meaning we will be in opposite sides of the country….

 

I’m scared that this will be the last time I see you. I don’t want that. I wish I was confident enough to approach you and start a conversation. And I still haven’t thanked you for all those times you come rushing to my side when those jerks were pushing me around.

 

You know I have always admired you for your courage and your confidence. You stay true to yourself and never let peer pressure pushes you into being someone else.

 

I still remember overhearing your student council members making fun of me one time after school. They were cackling about the amount of food I was eating that day and how fat I was and how fat I’m going to become. Honestly, I’m used to it. I’ve heard much worse. But you got angry for me. You slammed your notebook down and silenced them. You stood up for me even when you didn’t have to and told them that they shouldn’t judge me based on my appearance and that they shouldn’t make fun of me behind my back. You are an angel you know that?

 

You look passed people’s appearance and befriended them genuinely. You stand up for what’s right and argue against for what’s wrong. Not a lot of people can do that. And that’s why I like you, Bae Joohyun. You somehow crept into my life and my heart and I just want to tell you that before we part way.

 

I’m leaving my number in this letter in hope that we can keep in touch. So please contact me if you ever want/need to. I want us to be friends.

 

From,

Kang Seulgi

(574) 568-4933

--

Joohyun tears up as she reads the words and the meanings behind the letter. She can practically hear the regrets and sincerities embedded behind each sentence. Regret for not having the courage. Sincere about wanting to be friends.

 

How she wished she could have gotten to know this version of Seulgi too.

 

Sure she has received a numerous amount of love letters from admirers before but they were all superfluous words describing her beauty and their overwhelming “love” for her. Seulgi’s letter, however, asked for nothing but a chance to get to know each other. To build a relationship starting from friendship with her.

 

To think that that sincerity remains unchanged for the past decade.

 

Joohyun glances up from the letter with tear-filled eyes to look at the girl in front of her.

 

“Joohyun” Seulgi voices out before Joohyun can. “This letter has been on my mind for years now. I have always imagined if I have given it to you then… maybe we could have stay connected. Maybe we could have been friends. Maybe…” Maybe I could have been there during your toughest times. Maybe you wouldn't have been hurt as much. All these maybes that never happened because she never gathered the courage to deliver the letter in the end. “I’ve always regretted backing out then.”

 

“Seulgi…I..” She can’t seem to find the word to describe her feeling at the moment.

 

Cherished? Valued? Loved? Yes, she does feel all that but much more. Because for the first time in a long time, she feels like she can trust the other person. Trust the words that Seulgi is saying. Trust the promises that Seulgi vowed.

 

"Seulgi...I-I'm not the same person I was 12 years ago. I-I'm not that confident, self-assured Bae Joohyun that you f-fell for." Joohyun stutters with her words. Yes, she trusts Seulgi but she can’t help but be afraid that Seulgi’s mind is seeing this illusion of her 18-year self this whole time and she is even more afraid that her words might have just destroyed that illusion.

 

"And I'm not the same Kang Seulgi that I was 12 years ago.”

 

"That Kang Seulgi fell for that Bae Joohyun 12 years ago and this Kang Seulgi fell for this Bae Joohyun 12 years later." Seulgi gives her an assured smile. “I know how I feel about you Joohyun. Trust me.”

 

"Seulgi...I-" Joohyun closes her eyes to compose her thought. Trust me. Seulgi’s last words kept echoing in her head. "I want to give us a chance."

 

When she opens her eyes again, Seulgi almost feels like that confident Bae Joohyun from high school had returned. Her eyes are determined and resolute.  

 

"I don't know how our future will be but I think I want to find that out with you."

 

"Y-you mean...you want...you're saying yes..?" Seulgi struggles to find the words to her sentence. Her heart is thumping wildly at the meanings behind Joohyun’s word.

 

"Yes. Seulgi. I want us to be together." Joohyun answers her unasked question with a shy smile.

 

"Omg! Are you serious!? Bae Joohyun! You agreed to be my girlfriend!?" Seulgi can’t contain her excitement much longer. She jumps in joy and runs circles around the bench to calm herself down.

 

Joohyun smiles at the childish reaction. It touches her heart to know that her acceptance can bring such happiness to this bundle of joy in front of her.

 

Once Seulgi calms down, she settles in front of Joohyun and looks her in the eyes with the expression that says you can take back your words now if you regret it. Almost like she is giving Joohyun a second chance to rethink this. She doesn’t want Joohyun to only agree at the spur of the moment because she is overwhelmed by the letter.  

 

“Seulgi. I am not good at expressing myself but I’ve never been more honest with what I want. And I want you.” She repeats her confession with more gravity in her tone. “I want us.” 

 

And that’s all Seugi needs to know that Joohyun means what she said. Seulgi grabs Joohyun by the shoulders and pulls the shorter girl into a tight embrace. The kind of embrace that says I’ll never let you go.

 

Seulgi whispers into Joohyun’s ear and says exactly what her hug means, “I love you, Joohyun. And I’ll never let you go.” Again.

--

Figuratively of course. Because Seulgi has absolutely no idea what to do with her arms as they awkwardly dangle on her sides, inches away from Joohyun's hand.

 

Do I ask if I can hold her hand? Do I just grab it? Can I just grab it..?

 

Seulgi was not ready for this! It was not her plan to confess to Joohyun, much less, having the girl accepts her confession so wholeheartedly. Her original plan was to just grab her letter, takes Joohyun out for a celebration, and run away once she hands over the letter at the end of the date!

 

But Joohyun had looked so lonely and sad on that bench that she handed over the letter at a spur of a moment and now she is walking nervously next to her girlfriend - girlfriend~, Seulgi can't help but giggle in the midst of her nervousness. Tt’s still surreal to call Joohyun her girlfriend.

 

She wants to hold Joohyun’s hand so badly. She had imagined how right it would be to weave their fingers together, how perfect Joohyun’s hand would fit into her own, and how nice it would be to always know that Joohyun is right next to her.

 

Seulgi musters up the courage to hook her pinky to Joohyun’s, testing for any sign of rejection, but stiffens automatically when Joohyun takes the initiation to weave their fingers together and caresses it tightly like a precious treasure.

 

All Seulgi can hear now is the loud thumping of her heart. 

 

Her frantic mind did not catch it when Joohyun smiles lovingly at her nervous antics nor did it catch the soft whispers of “I won’t let you go either,” as a reply. A statement. A promise to her earlier confession.

 

But that doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is that they are happy right now. Happy that they are walking hand-in-hand, side-by-side next to each other. With each other. 

--

After connecting with her old high school friend who has a cousin who has a friend whose girlfriend knows Wendy, Sooyoung finally got the address to the coffee shop that Wendy owns and frequents. 

 

She shows up at the coffee shop late in the evening and asks for a Wendy instead of a coffee when the girl at the counter asks her what she wants.

 

“Boss! Someone is looking for you!” The girl yells toward the back of the café at Sooyoung’s request.

 

She steps aside and waits patiently for Wendy to shows up and when the café’s owner rushes out from the back room, her bubbly smile automatically turns into a frown when she sees that the ‘someone’ is none other than Sooyoung.

 

“What are you doing here?” Her tone is cold and reproaching. But there was also a hint of expectation. Like she knows that Sooyoung is going to show up eventually.

 

And for some reason, Sooyoung finds it attractive. Hot. And new. She’s so used to girls throwing themselves at her with just one glance that Wendy’s uninterested and haughty attitude lights a fire in her heart. Her eyes lit up at the challenge. She wants to, more than anything, break that wall and makes Wendy wants her as much as she wants the girl.

 

So despite all the ‘she’s my best friend’s girlfriend’s best friend’ warnings, Sooyoung turns on her flirting mode and gives Wendy one of her most charming smiles.

 

“I wanted to see you, Seugnwan-ah.” She lowers her tone and whispers the name huskily but loud enough for the girl to hear. All the while, she glances at Wendy’s expression to see if the name sparks any recognition. 

 

“Don’t mistake me for one of your girlfriends, Park Sooyoung. I don’t have time to entertain you.” Wendy’s face is devoid of any emotion. “If it is a Seungwan you’re looking for, I’m sure there are plenty of girls at the bar down the street who would be more than willing to change their name for you.” 

 

Sooyoung is taken aback, once again, by Wendy’s lack of response. She was sure that Wendy is someone linked to Seungwan, if not the actual girl herself.

 

Guess she’s just going to have to play the best friend card. Never in her life would she have thought that she would have to rely on Seulgi to get her a date.

 

“I’m sorry, Wendy-ah. I don’t know what I did to make you hate me so much…” Sooyoung drops her head in a remorseful manner and her voice shaky like she’s trying to hold back tears. “But now that our best friends are dating…I figure…we can try to be friends?” Sooyoung looks up with tears pooling at the bottom of her lid and her lips strut out in a cute-sad pout.

 

“I-I don’t hate you.” Wendy wavers a little at this 180 degree change in Sooyoung.

 

“Great! I’ll pick you up at 7 on Friday?” Sooyoung’s voice perks, almost letting her façade drops. Only almost because her voice instantly turns soft and shy with the next sentence. “We can go out for dinner and try to get to know each other?” She hides her confidence under layers of sincerity and earnestly.

 

Sooyoung leaves the café with much delight after Wendy nods to her agreement, not seeing that knowing twinkle in Wendy's eyes. You still got game, Park Sooyoung. She pats herself on the back with a proud smile. Now time to plan a killer date and sweep her off her feet.

 

Little did Sooyoung know, Wendy is also smiling triumphantly after the CEO has left. 

 

Yes, Wendy is Seungwan. And yes, she did feel upset that Sooyoung had stood her up back then. But she wasn’t that petty to keep the grudge for so long. It’s just when she saw the girl again looking so y and charming, flirting with her without even knowing that she is Seungwan, she can’t help but play Sooyoung’s little game.

 

And she just happens to know the exact buttons to poke to capture the diva’s attention.

 

Though she has to admit, she almost caved at Sooyoung’s pout. Who would have thought that the confident CEO can pull off such a cute face?

 

Wendy’s smile turns into a grin as she anticipates what Sooyoung has a plan for the date. They’ll just have a little fun. What harm can it do right?

---

A/N: Sorry! For all the people reading and expecting that green complete marking on this chapter. It's just...I wanted the scene where Joohyun finally accepted Seulgi to settle before I write the last chapter (I promise this time! I hope...) of their happy ending.  

I hope you don't mind if I deviated a little and added Wenjoy to this chapter. They're just so cute. >.< Wenjoy here is just playful. Nothing angsty. 

And more than anything, I hope how Joohyun finally accepted Seulgi and give them a chance at happiness hasn't disappointed. This is the scene that I have been eager to write since I first started this story and everything that has been happening has been building up to this point. 

Thank you all for leaving such thoughtful comments in the last chapter. I was really nervous because I had to rewrite the scenes so many times. I was afraid it might be a bit incoherent. Oh and thanks for the upvote! Seriously. Didn't think this story would get so much love. What started out as a cliche story has evolved into an even more cliche development. I hope you look forward to its cliche ending. =D