Her next-door neighbours in Cheongju were an elderly couple who had been together for fifty-five years. On rare occasions when her parents were working late or they had a prior arrangement, Mrs Lee would baby-sit her and she would listen in fascination as the older woman detailed her relationship with her husband.

A modern day fairy-tale, or at least in Chorong's ten year old eyes it was.

Mrs Lee would tell her about the moment their eyes first met during a high school dance and how straight away she knew he was the person she would marry. They married only two weeks after meeting even though all their family and friends told them it was the wrong move, they didn't know each other well enough and it would only end in separation.

Chorong had asked her once why neither of them listened to their family and friends, why they decided to elope against everybody's wishes and the answer she received was simple.

Nobody else knew how they felt, nobody else knew that when she looked at her future husband, she saw them sitting together in rocking-chairs when they were older still holding each other's hands and still laughing at his inappropriate jokes. Nobody else needed to know these things because she did and that was all that mattered.

Chorong can remember returning home from high school one day and her mom telling her the devastating news that Mrs Lee had passed away.

She had cried that night for longer than she ever expected. They didn't really have a close relationship, Mrs Lee was just her babysitter every now and again and a neighbour that she would say hello to and ask if she was okay but never linger to chat, yet she wept at the loss.

She chose to seek comfort in the knowledge that only a month before Mrs Lee had passed away, she had walked past their house to see Mr and Mrs Lee sitting together in rocking-chairs on their deck, holding hands and laughing together.

Mr and Mrs Lee had ignored everybody and married even though they didn't know each other because they knew it was right, they knew that there was nobody else for them.

And they were right.

To this day Mr Lee has never remarried.

That's the relationship Chorong's always aspired to have, meeting somebody across a crowded room yet knowing immediately that they were your soul mate, they were your heart's counterpart. She honestly thought she had found that with Eunji but meeting Bomi has caused her to doubt everything.

Her morality.

Her feelings for Eunji.

Everything.

She knows she's in love with Eunji, she always has known that but now she's starting to think it may be possible to be in love with two people because human beings are capable of loving more than one thing at a time, the only thing that differs is the level of adoration.

No matter how much she loves Eunji, that doesn't stop feelings about Bomi from forming, feelings she isn't too sure of yet.

She's not sure whether they're feelings of just a ual nature, feelings of excitement because everything with Bomi is new and thrilling or feelings that stretch deeper.

Something which she isn't brave enough to face just yet. Because what if they are? What if her feelings for Bomi venture towards romantic feelings?

What does she do then?

The other day when she had been standing underneath the mistletoe with Bomi; she finally understood the tradition of it. She thought Bomi had been about to kiss her before the moment was snatched away from them and Chorong feels disappointed with herself at the knowledge that she had wanted Bomi to kiss her.

That when Bomi stepped back, a wave of disappointment flooded through her and she wanted to tell Bomi she didn't have to step back, that she could kiss her. Chorong wouldn't stop her.

She would have cheated on Eunji―somebody who has done nothing wrong―, if Bomi hadn't stopped.

Although cheated again would be more accurate.

She diverts her attention away from the ceiling fan and rolls over onto her side so she's looking at Eunji. Beside her, her girlfriend is perusing an academic journal, her reading glasses on as she reads silently, occasionally mouthing the words as she reads them.

If anybody looked at them now, they would think that they had been together for years the way they act. Not just shy of their one-year anniversary.

Their relationship is slowly growing into one that represents more of a married couple rather than a couple who should still be in the honeymoon phase, unable to keep their hands off one another. Not that there's anything necessarily wrong with acting like a married couple because part of Chorong loves the security that offers. But the other part of her, perhaps the more influential part, hates the normality of it.

Her mind helplessly wanders to Bomi and she wonders quietly what it would be like to wake up next to her. She can't imagine Bomi reading the journals in bed; instead she imagines Bomi would wake up the same way she went to bed.

Ready for anything.

Chorong's stomach flips at the excitement that could offer, the spontaneity that Bomi could offer rather than the routine she has with Eunji.

For the first six months of their relationship, Eunji woke her up with breakfast in bed and morning kisses which would always lead somewhere else and Chorong had loved that. Yet over time, those romantic gestures have dwindled and she can't help but think it's a little bit too soon in their relationship for that to happen.

Growing up she witnessed Mr Lee buy a bunch of Azaleas for his wife every week for no other purpose than to show how much he loved her and how even after all those years, he still remembered what her favourite flowers were.

Fifty-five years together and their romantic gestures never ceased.

So why have hers and Eunji's?

The doubt surrounding her relationship terrifies her because Eunji is a wonderful person and she knows how lucky she is to have somebody who would do anything for her but maybe that's not enough anymore.

Or perhaps the more worrying prospect, maybe it's too much.

"What do you want to do today?" Chorong asks, desperate to escape her own thoughts. They are becoming rather over-bearing now.

Eunji peers over the journal and looks down at her girlfriend with a lazy smile. "I don't mind. There's only one more day until Christmas Eve, have you sorted all your gifts?"

Chorong nods. "I've had them all sorted for weeks, you should know that," she jests lightly. "The day I am unorganised for anything is not going to happen for a very long period of time."

Eunji chuckles quietly. "Of course, my mistake."

"Have you?"

"Almost, I just need to buy one more present and then I'm finished."

Eunji answers her with a certain amount of playfulness lacing her voice and that coupled with the sudden glint in her eyes tells Chorong that she should be interested in that present.

"Is it for me?"

Eunji slides down the headboard so she's lying face to face with her girlfriend and brushes her nose against Chorong's. "It might be."

Chorong claps her hands in delight. "What is it?"

"Now why would I tell you that and ruin the surprise?" Eunji questions playfully before capturing her girlfriend's lips with her own. The brunette pouts at her and Eunji laughs at the adorableness of it before kissing her once again. "That pout is not going to work on me. I'm not telling you what I'm buying."

Regardless of that information, Chorong attempts a pout once more, adding doe-eyes into the mix. Eunji chuckles and kisses the tip of her nose. "You are unbelievably adorable, did you know that?"

The whisper is filled with adoration and affection and it does make Chorong's heart soar.

They stare at each other for several minutes, sharing the odd kiss now and again and it's this closeness, this easiness that she loves.

Yet she finds herself craving more.

"Did you know they're playing It's a Wonderful Life in Yeouido Park tonight?"

Eunji bobs her head and runs her hand up and down Chorong's arm. "Yeah I know. Bomi always goes to watch it every year without doubt. So it's safe to say she'll be going and she'll probably drag Hayoung and Namjoo with her."

"Why don't we go?"

The auburn-haired woman frowns ever so slightly. "You want to go and sit outside in the freezing cold and potential snow to watch a movie you've never shown any interest in before?"

If she's being honest, no she doesn't want to do that.

Eunji's right, she has never been interested in It's a Wonderful Life and she downright dislikes the cold. The only good thing about the cold weather is the implications it creates, snuggling in front of a roaring fire and the cosy clothes.

She does, however, want to spend some time with Bomi. Maybe if she addresses these feelings she's having with Bomi, she'll be able to understand them.

Maybe Bomi will tell her point-blank that she's not interested and Chorong can forget about her, albeit she'd feel slightly embarrassed.

"It will get us both in the holiday spirit."

"I'm already in the holiday spirit, have you not seen my apartment?"

Chorong can't help but laugh loudly at that because yes, she has seen Eunji's apartment. It's rather hard to miss. It is covered in Christmas decorations, You could put Ebenezer Scrooge inside Eunji's apartment and he would feel festive, it's impossible not to.

"Okay, how about it will be romantic?" Eunji quirks her eyebrow, silently signalling for Chorong to continue. "We can get a blanket and cuddle," Chorong flirts quietly. "And bring hot chocolate and you know I love winter –"

Eunji frowns. "You hate winter."

"Well I dislike the coldness that winter brings, the ice, snow and freezing temperatures but everything else about it I love and that includes the festive season and everything to do with that," Chorong explains.

Eunji contemplates for several seconds before beaming widely. "You know I can never say to no to you."

Chorong grins and can't help herself from capturing her girlfriend's lip. When she goes to pull away, Eunji wraps an arm around her waist and tugs her back towards her, refusing to break the kiss. Chorong laughs into the kiss and returns it with equal fervour but when Eunji's hand trails the waistband of her pyjama bottoms, she stiffens.

She feels guilty for thinking about Bomi when she's in bed with her girlfriend and she still hates herself for sleeping with Bomi so she can't do this with Eunji right now.

She can't have with her girlfriend.

"I need to nip in the shower."

"I could always shower with you," Eunji flirts, placing open-mouthed kisses on her girlfriend's neck. "Two birds one stone and all that."

Her eyes involuntarily close at the sensation and she momentarily loses herself at the feel of Eunji's lips on her. The last time they had engaged in ual had been a couple of weeks ago. Since then Chorong has found excuses to deter her girlfriend but she knows that eventually Eunji will grow suspicious.

She slams her eyes shut and mentally berates herself. She feels like something is missing in their relationship and complains that they're no longer in the honeymoon phase yet maybe that's her fault. She keeps pushing Eunji away every time she tries to initiates anything. Surely Eunji can only be rejected so many times before eventually giving up.

It's her fault that her relationship isn't the same as it was a couple of months, Eunji has done nothing but been the perfect girlfriend and Chorong swats her away each time like an annoying pest. She's the only one causing problems in their relationship, perhaps if she stopped pushing Eunji away, their relationship would go back to the way it was and she would stop thinking about Bomi.

"That sounds like a great idea," Chorong replies before Eunji kisses her again.

She's dating Eunji not Bomi.

She needs to start acting like the girlfriend Eunji deserves.

The park is busier than it has been for the last two years and Bomi gathers that is due to the fact that it isn't as cold tonight as it was in previous years. The sky is surprisingly clear and light and she's no weather forecaster but she's expecting more snow. Thankfully the snow from the other day had melted away leaving no trace. Yeouido Park is filled with couples and the odd family but everywhere she looks all she sees are couples holding hands, snuggling into one another or sharing light kisses before the movie starts.

She had come with Hayoung and Namjoo but they had disappeared practically as soon as they had arrived. Namjoo had told her they'd forgotten something in the car but Bomi's been their friend for long enough to know when they're creating false excuses.

She knows they're undoubtedly having in their car. The passion they still have after three years is something Bomi hopes to have when she finally settles down.

Finding a quiet spot, away from nearby couples, she throws a blanket onto the ground and sits down. She's not in the mood to watch loved-up couples fawn over one another for the next couple of hours.

"Mind if we join you Bbom-ah?"

Clearly somebody else has other ideas.

She glances up at the voice but her eyes quickly fall instead to the couple's linked hands and a wave of jealousy surges through her.

They're a couple; they're allowed to hold hands.

She has no right to be jealous.

She removes her gaze from their hands and back to their faces before shaking her head. "Not at all Meungji, take a seat."

Eunji places another blanket on the ground beside Bomi's and Eunji and Chorong sit on it, Chorong ensuring she sits beside Bomi. The auburn-haired woman produces a second blanket and throws it haphazardly over all three of them. It lands half over Bomi and the blonde shuffles closer to the brunette in order to ensure she's completely covered.

"Did you not come with Hayoung and Namjoo?"

"They said they'd forgotten something in the car but that was about ten minutes ago. I'm not expecting them back any time soon."

"Do you want a hot chocolate?" Chorong asks softly. "Or we have eggnog too."

"Surprise me."

Chorong's lips curl upwards slightly and she pours Bomi some eggnog into a flask before pouring herself and Eunji a hot chocolate. "Just a little note, I've never made eggnog before so it could be horrible. There's some hot chocolate left if you don't like it."

Bomi takes the offered flask and takes a sip of the festive drink, grimacing as she tastes it for the first time. She tries to mask her dislike at the drink and gives Chorong a tight-lipped smile. "It's lovely."

"Liar," Chorong whispers but her eyes sparkle due to the fact that Bomi chose to lie rather than hurt her feelings.

"You should try the hot chocolate," Eunji says as she takes a long sip of her own drink. "Chorong makes an amazing hot chocolate."

Chorong sniffs the eggnog before reluctantly having a sip and her nose crinkles in disgust. "It won't take much to be better than the eggnog." She grasps the flask out of Bomi's hand. "You cannot drink that, it's disgusting."

Bomi chuckles and takes the flask back. "Yes I can, it has alcohol in it so automatically I'm sold."

That sparkle in Chorong's eyes shines brighter.

Eunji's hand wraps around her girlfriend's waist and Chorong subconsciously snuggles into her side, dropping her left arm to the ground in the movement, allowing it to come to rest beside Bomi's right arm, their arms brushing together gently.

"I'm going to go the toilet," Eunji states whilst standing. "Be back in a minute babe," she says, bending down so she can peck her girlfriend's cheek before disappearing.

"I bet that's just an excuse," Bomi jests lightly. "She's never liked this film; she thinks it's boring and rather depressing. I'm surprised you managed to get her to come. She came with me a couple of years ago and made it pretty clear she wouldn't be making that mistake again."

"What can I say? I'm very persuasive," Chorong states proudly. "Although I have to admit, this film isn't exactly jumping to the number one spot of my favourite movies."

"Wait till the end," Bomi promises before tugging the blanket upwards slightly. "What made you decide to come?"

"I wanted to see the movie."

It's a lie and Bomi senses that isn't the whole reason but she lets the subject drop. The closeness of Chorong's hand against her own sets Bomi's senses alight. She extends her pinkie so it brushes against Chorong's in the lightest of touches but enough to make them both want more.

Chorong keeps her gaze on the movie before her, trying to keep her breathing under control as Bomi reaches across and rests her hand on top of Chorong's.

It's a risky move because she doesn't know how Chorong will react but she suddenly felt the urge to hold Chorong's hand so she decided it was worth the risk.

You'll never know if you don't try.

Her eyes never leave the screen and after an internal struggle, Chorong turns her palm upwards and threads her fingers with Bomi's. She can see Bomi's eyes widen out of the corner of the eye but her eyes still refuse to leave the screen.

She wants to say this is wrong, they shouldn't be doing this but no words leave .

So much for being the girlfriend Eunji deserved.

"I bought you something by the way," Bomi states as she reaches into her bag with her free hand and pulls out a small Christmas Tree shaped Rubik’s cube before handing it to Chorong.

"I know it's rubbish and very stereotypical but you helped decorate my Christmas tree so I wanted to get you something and I saw this and thought you might like it, even though it's not much of a present," Bomi explains nervously. "I know I should have waited until tomorrow to give it to you but I wasn't sure whether I would see you."

"How did you know I would be coming tonight?"

Bomi shrugs her shoulders. "I didn't, I thought there was a possibility since I did invite you but I bought it today so that's why I have it with me."

"I love it Bomi."

"Really?" Bomi laughs through shock. "I wouldn't be offended if you said you didn't, I know it's not much."

Chorong places a light kiss on the blonde's cheek before she can think about it. "I love it, thank you."

"I know Christmas is twelve days long which means you would expect twelve gifts but –"

"Bomi I'm not expecting you to get me anything else," Chorong interrupts. "I wasn't even expecting you to get me this. I haven't bought you anything."

"You don't need to."

"Now you've given me a gift, I am compelled to. It's only polite but I don't want you to buy me any more presents, this is more than enough."

"I feel like I should warn you not to get too excited," Bomi teases. "Your next present is going to be a stocking."

Chorong laughs loudly. "You're really hammering home the stereotypical items. Should I get you a Santa Stop Here sign that you can put on your door?."

"If you could that would be great." Bomi beams at the brunette who in turn laughs.

"What are you plans for the holidays?"

"I'm driving to my parent's house on Christmas morning and spending a couple of days with them," Bomi replies. "Maybe less depending on how much they annoy me and how many arguments occur throughout Christmas Day. What about you?"

"I'm flying out to Cheongju tomorrow to spend Christmas with my dad," Chorong explains.

"Don't you mean parents?" Bomi says. A casual question to show Chorong that she has listened to everything the brunette has told her. Chorong stills beside her and Bomi immediately regrets speaking. "I'm sorry, have I said something wrong? You can ignore the question if I've spoken out of turn."

Chorong inhales sharply and pinches the bridge of her nose to prevent the tears from falling. "My mom passed away."

Bomi slams her eyes shut and hates herself for asking the question, the last thing she wanted was to upset the brunette.

She gives Chorong's hand a comforting squeeze. "You didn't need to tell me that."

"You would have found out sometime," Chorong whispers with a sniff.

She leans forward with the intent to kiss the brunette's cheek only for Chorong to turn and Bomi's lips land on the corner of the brunette's mouth. Instead of panicking and flying back as if she'd been burnt, the blonde allows them to linger there before pulling away. "I'm sorry."

Chorong shrugs her shoulders and Bomi wipes away a fallen tear with the pad of her thumb. "Can you ask me another question?"

"Of course," Bomi tells her, brushing some hair behind her ear. "How long are you staying in Cheongju for?"

"Till New Year's Day I think."

Bomi bobs her head with a sad smile. "Eunji will miss you."

She'll miss her.

Chorong ducks her head, wondering if Bomi would miss her too. "She's actually flying out on the 28th for the remaining days."

"Of course she is," Bomi replies quietly. "Eunji's that kind of person."

"Damn, the queue for the toilet was insane," Eunji says as she takes her seat beside Chorong once more. "What are you two talking about?"

It's Chorong who speaks first.

"Plans for the holidays."

Eunji bobs her head before announcing her own plans for the holidays, oblivious to the fact that underneath the blanket, Chorong's and Bomi's fingers are still entwined, neither woman planning to release their hold anytime soon.

She rests back on the hood of her car and surveys everybody who is watching the movie, her eyes eventually finding the very person she was looking for. Bomi has been joined by Eunji and her girlfriend and the three of them are sitting close together, sharing a blanket and they all seem to be engrossed in the movie.

Nothing out of the ordinary is happening and she has no reason to suspect that something is awry yet Hayoung's third-eye is humming with suspicion.

"I don't understand why this is a Christmas movie," Namjoo announces from beside her. "It's really sad; I mean he hates his life."

Hayoung smiles before answering. "It's uplifting in a way because it shows you that no matter who you are, you have made an impact on somebody's life."

Namjoo shrugs. "I suppose."

"Hey baby," Hayoung says lightly. "Do you think something is up with Bomi and Chorong?"

Her fiancée frowns. "Why do you ask?"

"I just get the feeling that something is amiss; I think our Bomi might have a little crush on Chorong."

"She does," Namjoo states matter-of-factly.

"How do you know that?"

Namjoo beams. "Because I know everything."

Hayoung laughs and pecks her fiancee's lips. "I love you."

"I love you too babe."