The first thing she notices when she wakes up is the arm wrapped around her waist. That's something she hasn't encountered for a while. Since her and Eunji's relationship has been deteriorating gradually for the past couple of months, they couldn't be further apart when they sleep. She's missed the comfort and protection she feels with somebody's arm wrapped around her.

It's like you're still connected to them, even when you're fast asleep.

The second thing she notices is the time on the alarm clock. Her eyes widen when she sees that it's nearly 8am. She knows that Namjoo is quite an early bird and will undoubtedly be heading down to breakfast soon, with or without Hayoung and she doesn't want them to see Bomi.

That will definitely be hard to explain.

She moves as gently as she can but Bomi merely tightens her hold on her, almost as if she can sense subconsciously that Chorong is trying to leave her.

Smiling contently at the gesture, she gently pries the woman's arm away from her before slipping out the bed and shrugging on the robe that Bomi had thrown to the floor earlier. When she had suggested going to bed, she had meant to sleep but that plan didn't exactly work.

Bomi thought they had time for round two and Chorong wasn't going to disagree with her.

She pauses at the foot of the bed and watches as Bomi sleeps. She looks so incredibly peaceful. Even fast asleep she still looks perfect. She tip-toes towards the bathroom, closing the door as quietly as she can behind her.

At the sound of a door closing, Bomi's eyes flutter open. She covers as she yawns before rubbing her eyes. She can already tell it's early; her body doesn't want to wake up. It's only when she manages to force her eyes to stay open that she sees the other side of the bed is empty.

Panic immediately floods through her because Chorong should be there, she shouldn't be lying in an empty bed.

Chorong wouldn't have left her again.

She couldn't, could she?

When she hears the toilet flush, seconds before the faucet turns on, she breathes a deep sigh of relief. She never thought she'd be so pleased to hear such rudimentary sounds. The bathroom door opens shortly after and Bomi watches as Chorong tip-toes back towards the bed, clearly unaware that Bomi has woken up.

"Good morning." Chorong jumps slightly at the voice. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

"It's okay, I just didn't realise you were awake," Chorong replies. "I didn't wake you did I? I tried to be as quiet as I could."

"It wasn't you Rong," Bomi says quickly. "I suppose I should be asking if I woke you up."

Chorong tilts her head to the side. "Why?"

Bomi rubs the back of her neck. "You told me I snore and I didn't have my strips, I probably snored last night."

Chorong chuckles quietly. "I think I was too content in my dreams to wake up. Besides, you were sleeping on your side and that helps."

"That's good to know."

"Did you know you look unbelievably peaceful when you sleep? It's like you haven't got a care in the world."

"I'm pretty sure I don't when I'm asleep."

"It's nice."

Bomi gives her a half-smile but Chorong sees through it. It isn't the normal smile Bomi gives her, it doesn't reach her eyes. She sits at the foot of the bed before shuffling closer to Bomi. "What's wrong Bbom-ah? Is this about what happened between us last night? Are you okay? You don't regret it do you?"

"Chorong," Bomi intervenes, silencing Chorong's rambling. "I don't regret last night; I could never regret anything with you."

She sighs heavily through relief. "That's good, I didn't know what I'd do if you said you had," Chorong tells her. "So something else is worrying you? You're frowning ever so slightly and getting a little crinkle above your nose so something is definitely up."

Bomi exhales briefly. "I thought you'd left."

"This is my hotel room, why would I leave?" Chorong replies, not truly grasping the concept of Bomi's fear.

"I thought you'd left me, again."

Chorong opens in understanding. "I just went to the bathroom," she says, even though Bomi knows that. "I wouldn't do that to you again, the thought didn't even cross my mind. After our first time, I left because I felt guilty and I was scared. I'd never done anything like that before but that wasn't what worried me, it worried me how I felt about you. Even after one night, I knew something had changed, I knew that I felt something for you. I feel incredibly safe with you Bomi, when we're together; everything just feels so…right. I love you Bomi. I'm not going anywhere."

Bomi visibly relaxes, beaming at the words 'I love you'; she doesn't think she'll ever get tired of hearing Chorong say those words. She pecks the other woman's lips with a smile. "Since we're both awake –" She leaves the sentence unfinished because the implication of what she is suggesting is obvious.

Chorong rests her forehead against Bomi's and gives her a chaste kiss. "You need to leave."

Bomi sighs lightly before bobbing her head and climbing out of bed as Chorong starts dressing. She walks around the room, collecting the scattered articles of clothing before pausing with a furrowed brow. "Have you seen my bra?" She asks quietly before frowning harder. "How the hell can it have vanished?"

"It hasn't vanished," Chorong replies. She kneels down at the side of the bed and grabs Bomi's bra, throwing it in the blonde's direction. "You're just not looking properly."

Bomi smiles shyly before looking back at Chorong to find the brunette already half-dressed. "Thank you." She puts her bra on and walks towards Chorong, wrapping her arms around the other woman's waist. "You know, I have to say, I preferred it when you weren't dressed."

"Is that so?"

"Definitely," she says, kissing Chorong gently. "Do I really have to go? We could just go back to bed and then leave together; chances are nobody will see us."

"Murphy's Law says that somebody will see us and besides, I can't go back to bed, it's already later than I usually wake up for my morning routine."

"I didn't mean go back to bed to sleep."

"I'm fully aware what you meant Bomi-ah and the answer is still no," Chorong clarifies clearly. "Besides, I'll be seeing you at breakfast in like ten minutes."

"I'm pretty sure everybody other than Yookyung and Seungyeon knows how I feel about you."

"They don't need to know what we did last night though," Chorong says quietly. "Please Bbom-ah. We only need to keep this a secret for a few more days and then everything will be out in the open."

Bomi shrugs her dress on, silently hoping that she won't bump into Hayoung because the woman will definitely quiz her on the reasoning behind wearing last night's attire. "I best go then."

She brushes past Chorong, stilling as the brunette wraps her fingers around her wrist. "Are you mad at me? I wish you could stay but that will just complicate things even more."

Bomi sighs lightly and shakes her head. "I'm not mad at you," she reassures gently, squeezing her hand in a comforting manner. "I'll see you at breakfast."

When she comes down for breakfast, everybody except Naeun is already there. Namjoo is staring at her plate of food with a disgusted expression and Bomi recognises the look instantly. She's hung-over and is debating silently with herself whether eating the food will make her feel better or make her throw-up. When she pushes the plate away from her, Bomi smiles. Clearly Namjoo has chosen the latter option.

"Are you not eating this?"

Hayoung says next to Namjoo's ear and the redhead closes her eyes at the sudden volume of her fiancée's voice. "No Hayoung-ah, I can't stomach it."

"Can I have it?"

"You've already eaten," Namjoo states quietly. When she opens her eyes, she's met by a pout and she immediately nods her head. "Help yourself; you'll actually be doing me a favour. I can't stand the smell."

She watches in amazement as Hayoung starts shovelling the food into . "How are you not hung-over?"

Hayoung shrugs and swallows her mouthful. "I'm one of life's winners I guess."

Namjoo places her hand to her forehead and sighs. "I hate you right now."

Hayoung smiles and pecks Namjoo's cheek. "I love you too."

Bomi walks past the ridiculously adorable couple and places her plate of food on the table next to Hayoung, opposite Chorong, Yookyung and Seungyeon. Yookyung and Seungyeon are talking to Chorong even though the brunette doesn't appear to be paying attention. When Bomi sits down, Chorong brings her attention away from her coffee and sends the blonde a shy smile.

Bomi returns the smile before starting to eat her breakfast.

"You're awake earlier than normal Bbom."

"I couldn't sleep."

"So that's why you weren't in the room this morning when I came back."

The blonde closes her eyes as Hayoung accidentally sprays her with food. "God Hayoung, say it don't spray it."

Hayoung grimaces before swallowing her mouthful. "Sorry."

"Yeah, I couldn't sleep so I went for a walk around the hotel," Bomi lies, silently praying her voice doesn't increase in pitch so Hayoung won't be able to tell she's lying.

"I could probably do with a walk," Namjoo chimes in, still holding her hand to her forehead.

Hayoung smiles softly at her before finishing her plate of food. "Come on Joo, I'll walk with you. I'm pretty sure we passed an ice-cream shop yesterday when we were sight-seeing. "

Namjoo manages a small smile and takes Hayoung's offered hand before walking towards the hotel lobby. As they're leaving, they pass Naeun who bids them a good morning which is clearly too loud for Namjoo as the redhead flinches.

"Good morning my friends," Naeun announces as she sits next to Bomi, taking Hayoung's previous seat. "Lovely day isn't it."

Bomi furrows her brow. "It looks like it's going to rain," she states obviously. "Why are you so happy?"

"Why wouldn't I be Bomi, it's a lovely day despite your protests, I always like it just before it rains and I'm in Gwangju with all my friends," Naeun replies with a wide grin. "What's there to be unhappy about?"

Bomi quirks her right eyebrow and smirks at the dark-haired woman. She knows that look and behaviour, she's experienced it enough herself and Hayoung always acted like that after she and Namjoo first started dating.

"What's her name?"

Naeun's reply is instantaneous. "Tzuyu."

"I didn't even notice you talking to a woman last night."

"That's because you've been too absorbed with Chorong, which I perfectly understand and I'm all for helping, but a girl has needs Bomi. Originally I thought you could help me with that but obviously -" she pauses for a second and glances at Chorong who finally seems interested in Yookyung and Seungyeon's conversation. "I need to look elsewhere."

"I'm deeply apologetic that I couldn't help you."

"Don't you worry about that. Whereas some people don't like to blow their own trumpet, I'm an avid fan of doing that because nobody else is going to do it for you. That's why I'll tell you Bomi that you are not the only charmer when it comes to women. I find the indifferent attitude works wonders."

"I can imagine." Naeun beams before pinching a piece of toast of Bomi's plate. "There's a buffet right behind you, as much food as you want."

"Your food is right next to me though; proximity of food wins in this case." Bomi frowns but doesn't attempt to snatch the toast back. "So, what's the deal with you and –" She neglects to use her name but the sharp glance in Chorong's direction is telling enough.

"Same as ever."

"So I didn't see you leaving her room this morning?" Naeun's voice drops to a whisper in an attempt to make it harder for Chorong to hear. Luckily for the pair of them, Chorong chooses that moment to excuse herself from the table.

Bomi swallows suddenly. "What?"

"Hayoung stayed in Namjoo's room last night and I was not going to be a third wheel to them so I stayed in Tzuyu's hotel room. I left this morning to go outside for a cigarette only to find you sneaking out of Chorong's room and tiptoeing to your own."

"It's not what you think."

Naeun bobs her head. "Sure it's not. What's the real story? You were just wishing her a good morning?"

"Naeun –"

"I'm not going to tell anybody."

"I know you wouldn't."

Naeun tilts her head to the side. "So, is the situation what I think it is after all?" Bomi bites down on her bottom lip. She's aware that Chorong doesn't really want anybody to know what happened to them last night but Naeun saw them, it's not like Bomi could deny it, the evidence was all there. Slowly, she nods. "How are you with that? I mean, you were struggling with what to do before but now, everything must have increased ten-fold."

"She's telling Eunji," Bomi explains. "She wants to be the one to tell her so I guess the ball is in her court, I don't really know what I can do."

"Be there for her," Naeun suggests.

Bomi exhales heavily. "I'm trying. Sometimes it's like…I don't know, I feel as if she's blowing hot and cold with me," Bomi confesses. "One minute, things are great and then things change on a dime and we're having a…I don't know, a mini argument. I know that our situation isn't ideal so obviously there's an increased level of stress and worry but I want to be there for her. Sometimes I think she pushes me away on purpose. Maybe it makes it easier for her to deal with everything."

"Have you talked to her about this?"

"No."

"Maybe you should, you know, it might sound crazy and perhaps it isn't something you're used to but people will never know how you feel unless you tell them. Talking about things really is the way forward."

"That sounds like a horoscope Naeun."

Naeun shrugs and steals the second piece of Bomi's toast, much to the blonde's dismay. "Personally, I think that sounds like pretty damn good advice," she says before glancing at the buffet. "You know what, I think I will get my own food, yours is going a bit cold."

She taps her finger against her phone, her gaze fixated on the crossword puzzle on the screen but the spaces all remain blank. She doesn't seem to be able to concentrate. Normally she enjoys doing a daily crossword, she finds it a simple way to test her brain but today, no matter how hard she thinks, she can't get any answers.

Perhaps it's because her mind is too busy thinking about Bomi and Eunji to think about any of the clues, for example, 'like snow after a blizzard, perhaps.'

"Penny for them."

Chorong brings her attention away from the crossword to find Namjoo standing in front her, holding a coin in her outstretched fingers.

"I'm sorry?"

"You look like you've got a lot on your mind and my mom always offers me money if I tell her what I'm thinking so I thought you might be interested in that offer," Namjoo explains.

Chorong can't help but smile at Namjoo. "How are you feeling? You didn't look particularly well at breakfast."

"I wasn't feeling too great but Hayoung bought me ice-cream and that always works wonders on my hangovers. Plus she gave me some love this morning, that works too."

"I can imagine."

"So, penny for them?"

"Why do you want to hear my thoughts?"

"Why wouldn't I? I'm sure what you're thinking about is interesting."

Chorong sighs heavily, she knows full well that Namjoo won't stop asking and it is impossible to refuse Namjoo. She perfected the pout years ago and over time, she added her eyes in the mix. Coupled together, saying no to her would be like kicking a puppy.

"You and Hayoung are honest with each other right?"

Namjoo nods her head emphatically before taking a seat at the table beside Chorong. "Yeah, we didn't tell each other everything when we first started dating. It's not like we kept anything major from each other but some things and then we ended up arguing over those little things. It's better to be honest with each other, especially since we're getting married."

"So you and her tell each other everything?" Once more Namjoo nods. "In that case, I'm guessing she's told you about me and –" She leaves the question open because she's pretty confident Namjoo will know who she is talking about.

The redhead quirks her eyebrow because she didn't actually expect Chorong to bring up her situation with Bomi, she's been silent about it for so long. "You and Bomi?"

"Yeah, Bomi and I."

"Yes, she told me about it but –" Namjoo pauses momentarily. "I already knew."

Chorong whips her head up at that admission. "You already knew. How could you possibly know?"

"I don't know, I just knew. Neither of you is very subtle so that was my first clue. Besides, you know I've always been perspicacious to people's feelings."

Chorong smiles softly. "I do know Joo. You probably even knew how deeply I felt for her before I realised it."

"How do you feel about her?"

Chorong smirks. "Why don't you tell me?"

"Okay," Namjoo says. "I think you're in love with her."

"Your assumption is accurate."

"I didn't think you were ever going to talk to me about her."

"I was just waiting for the right moment.”

Namjoo crosses her legs. "Is this the right moment?"

"Bomi and I…last night we," Chorong cuts herself off quickly. She told Bomi that she didn't want anybody to find about them so she doesn't want to break her own rule and tell Namjoo. "Something happened last night that changed everything between us."

"What do you mean by changed?"

"Just changed," Chorong says. "We crossed a certain line that cannot be uncrossed."

Namjoo bobs her head because Chorong doesn't need to say what happened last night between her and Bomi, it's pretty obvious.

"How are you?"

"Happy," Chorong says. "Confused, worried alongside a mixture of other emotions. I'm pretty sure I'm feeling everything right now."

"But you said happy first, before any other emotion, you said happy so that must be your main feeling."

Chorong smiles. "It is."

"I'm glad you're happy," Namjoo says. "The situation is convoluted but everybody deserves to be happy."

"You're right, except, Eunji deserves to be happy and I'm not making her happy."

"Maybe not now," Namjoo states. "But you did for the majority of your relationship. Maybe you're not in love with her anymore, and maybe your relationship has changed for the worse, but you both love each other. You've both made each other happy in the past. Personally, I think it's better to have shared happy moments with somebody you love and lose them then to never have shared any moments with them."

"That's quite a nice way to look at it."

"Don't sound too surprised."

Chorong chuckles. "Sorry."

"Me and Hayoung broke our no- before the wedding pact again last night," Namjoo announces suddenly.

Chorong her head to the side, unsure as to why Namjoo is telling her. "I thought you really wanted to wait."

"I did," Namjoo replies. "But Hayoung didn't and I can't resist Hayoung, especially when she's wearing y underwear."

"Why did you tell me that?"

"We're friends," Namjoo replies as if it's the simplest answer in the world. "Friends talk to each other about and relationships. You shared something personal with me so I thought I'd share something with you."

Both women look over their shoulder as Hayoung calls Namjoo. Namjoo waves at the tall woman before digging in her pocket and withdrawing two cents. She tosses them in Chorong's direction and the brunette laughs as they land in her lap.

"What is this for?"

"I gave you my two cents worth," she replies. 

"I can take it but I'll let you keep your two cents."

"Don't worry," Namjoo says quickly. "I'll get them back off Hayoung later when I give her my pearls of wisdom."

Chorong stares out of the window in the lobby to find that the rain has stopped. She tucks her hands into her jacket pockets before heading towards the revolving doors; she just needs some fresh air.

Some space away from this hotel.

She knew last night that everything had changed between her and Bomi now but she had been too caught up in the moment to focus on it too much. Now, in the light of day, she doesn't have a semi- Bomi distracting her thoughts, she's free to think about what has happened between them.

"Maybe I'm being paranoid but I feel like you've been avoiding me practically all day," Bomi says as she suddenly appears beside Chorong, causing the brunette to cease walking.

Okay, so she doesn't have a semi- Bomi distracting her, just a fully-clothed one.

"I haven't been avoiding you," Chorong reassures lightly. "At least, not on purpose. I'm sorry if it looked that way."

"Really?" Bomi scoffs. "You could have fooled me, especially since you're not even looking at me."

Chorong starts walking once more and she hears Bomi sigh heavily behind her before a hand wraps around her wrist stilling her.

"Please don't walk away from me Chorong."

"I was just going for a walk; I wasn't specifically walking away from you."

"You weren't purposely avoiding me, you aren't specifically walking away from me," Bomi repeats. "If that's the case, stand still and talk to me."

"Bomi –"

"This is about last night isn't it?" Bomi states. "Do you regret it? If that's the case, just be honest and tell me, stop acting so cold around me. I thought things had changed for the better between us."

"They have and I don't regret last night."

"Then why are you acting weird?" Bomi asks with genuine curiosity. "I mean, last night, we were fine and then you started questioning me about my past like you were trying to cause a fight."

"I was just curious."

"I don't know why Chorong, but you're blowing hot and cold with me," she tells her, surprised with herself that she's actually talking to Chorong about this. "You have been since before this weekend. After our first time, you ran away from me. After you kissed me in the theatre, you ran away. One minute you can't seem to get enough of me and the next, you can't seem to get away from me fast enough. I'm just a little confused."

"Can we walk and talk?" Chorong asks and Bomi nods slowly before following her dotingly as they leave the hotel lobby and start walking. Bomi wonders if Chorong has a specific direction in mind or if she's just walking aimlessly.

"Are we going anywhere special?"

Her question remains unanswered.

Bomi stares at Chorong's hand and bites her lip before placing her hand in Chorong's. Part of her is worried that Chorong's going to move away but the brunette doesn't so much as flinch.

"Is this okay?"

Chorong smiles properly for the first time since they started talking and nods, entwining their fingers properly. "It's perfect."

Bomi gives her hand a gentle squeeze. "If something's wrong, you can tell me Rong. I'm not going anywhere."

The brunette remains silent for several seconds before she exhales heavily. "I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"Kicking you out this morning," Chorong starts. "Not talking to you for most of the day, I wanted to, it's just –"

"Just what?"

"Eunji rang me."

Bomi pales and for the briefest of seconds, she wonders whether Chorong's about to tell her that they've broken up. She shakes her head to rid herself of that thought because Chorong told her that she wanted to tell Eunji face-to-face, she wouldn't have changed her mind and done it over the phone.

That would be unnecessarily cruel.

"What did she say?"

"She left a voice message," Chorong explains. "She rang when we were otherwise engaged, I mean, I didn't hear my phone vibrating and even if I did, I wouldn't have answered it because we were preoccupied, if that's the right –"

"I get it Chorong. So what did she say?"

"That she missed me and she hoped I was having a good time in Gwangju," Chorong recites Eunji's message. "It was nothing more than an ordinary message."

"That's good," Bomi says. "You had me worried she'd said something about us."

"It's not good Bomi," Chorong clarifies. "She never leaves me an ordinary message, there's always something extra in there. An inside joke or she tells me something completely irrelevant almost as if she's forgotten that she's leaving a message and she always ends her messages with 'I love you'."

"And…"

"And she didn't do that this time, none of it."

"That doesn't necessarily mean anything."

Chorong turns to face Bomi. "Yes it does. She knows that something is up, she has done for a while now but I've been too much of a coward to do anything about it. I didn't want to hurt her because I love her. I kept what was happening between us a secret, I lied to her for months to try and spare her feelings. I knew that when the truth came out, I'd lose her but the truth is Bomi, I think I already have."

"You haven't."

"She always says I love you. I fell out of love with Eunji because I was falling in love with you and the ridiculously ironic thing is, I think she's falling out of love with me too."

"You're her world Chorong; she always lit up when she talked about you."

"Past tense," Chorong mumbles softly.

"What?"

"You said lit," Chorong clarifies and Bomi's eyes widen slightly in understanding.

"I meant light."

"You were right with lit." Chorong brushes some of her hair behind her ear with her free hand. "The wedding is in five days; Eunji comes back in three days. Do I tell her straightaway or do I wait until after the wedding?"

"Straightaway," Bomi suggests.

"I don't want to ruin Hayoung's and Namjoo's big day Bbom-ah."

Bomi her lip in contemplation. "The wedding is in five days."

Chorong shakes her head. "Six days until everything is out in the open."

"As complicated and as difficult as our situation is, I have a feeling it's only going to get worse when the truth comes out."

It's Chorong's time to squeeze Bomi's hand. "I'm not going anywhere, no matter how hard things get, I want to be with you Bomi."

Bomi grins. "You already are, maybe not in the typical sense but ever since we met, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you."

"Likewise."

"It's weird," Bomi begins. "Right now, it's almost as if we're away from everything, there aren't any complications or worries, and we can just be us. Yet in a few hours, we'll be back in Seoul and everything will become real again."

"It's always real Bomi."

"I know," the blonde replies. "It's just easier to pretend here that what we're doing isn't wrong. It's easier to forget about everything here."

Chorong nestles closer against Bomi's side and hums her agreement. "I know."