Byulyi dragged her tired feet toward her apartment; a bag on her shoulder and one hand holding a box of pastries. The fatigue of working on the studio all day was nothing compared to the guilt of botching the plan for a movie night with her wife. Granted, when contacting Wheein outside the studio later that afternoon the younger woman seemed fine when she apologized. However, it’s the same woman who suddenly had to go to Jeonju for a week when Byulyi admitted that she spent a night in Yongsun’s apartment to work on a song together, so she wouldn’t count on it…

 

As a peace offering, Byulyi thought of making her something for breakfast tomorrow morning, hence the box of pastries. A little breakfast in bed before starting their weekend seemed like a good idea in her head, but the closer she was to her apartment the fear of facing her wife’s wrath slowly seeping in. What if Wheein had let Ggomo trash their apartment so she had to spend the whole weekend cleaning? Or if she had purposely invited her friend for a pyjama party that night and Byulyi had to sleep on the sofa after getting ignored the rest of the evening?

 

Before her mind could think of the worst that could happen, Byulyi had arrived in front of her apartment; palms so sweaty that the box of pastries almost slipped out. Slipping strands of her dark brown hair behind her ear and sighing deeply to ease the nerves, she input the passcode, the beeping felt like a countdown to her death.

 

Only it wasn’t.

 

When the door was opened she was met with her wife looking at her expectantly, dinner and soju for one in front of her. “You’re home!” she exclaimed.

 

“I’m home,” the brunette croaked after clearing , simply because she meant it when she said her wife was breathtaking in blonde shoulder-length hair.

 

With quick steps, Wheein crossed their living room and latched onto Byulyi, hugging her as if she was a lost kid found by her parents in a crowded shopping mall.

 

The sight of her wife snuggling into her embrace made Byulyi smile, scary thoughts of getting ‘punished’ forgotten immediately as she planted a kiss on Wheein’s temple. To that, the younger woman looked up, dimple sinking so deep it could’ve been a well. “Were you waiting for me?”

 

“I was, but I got hungry while waiting so I made some dinner,” she quickly replied, ending with a quick peck to Byulyi’s lips.

 

Knowing her wife for years, Byulyi knew it’s one of those rare occasions when the clingy side of Wheein came out. “It’s okay, I told you I’m gonna be home late,” Byulyi softly said, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind Wheein’s ear.

 

“Didn’t expect it to be this late though,” Wheein mumbled, slightly pouting.

 

“I’ll make it up to you all weekend, I promise.”

 

Lips meeting her wife’s dimpled cheek, Byulyi grinned when Wheein went for a kiss instead. “I’m gonna hold on to your words, Unnie.”

 

#

 

It didn’t take Byulyi long to shower and change into comfortable tee and sweats. Wheein was already on the second bottle of soju when the taller woman joined her in front of the TV, latching to her arm the second her hit the carpeted floor.

 

“I think I’m gonna need my hands to eat, Wheein-ah,” Byulyi said in amusement to her unfazed wife. Hunger was the last thing on her mind when she came home but the sight of bibimbap in front of her had triggered her appetite. Apparently, it had to wait since Wheein had taken hostage of her left arm.

 

“You can eat with one hand.”

 

“And drop food on my lap? Come on, let go of my arm.”

 

“Don’t wanna.”

 

The finality of her wife’s tone made Byulyi resign, yet still amused at how fascinating Wheein could be when she’s being clingy. And no, it’s not the soju; just Wheein being Wheein. Feigning annoyance at having to eat with one hand, Byulyi picked up her spoon to eat her dinner.

 

“This looks good,” Byulyi praised.

 

“I just threw everything we have in the fridge.”

 

The bibimbap was a bowl of leftover bulgogi with egg rolls and sautéed vegetables like carrots and spinach, but Byulyi was thankful to her wife nevertheless for preparing the food. No matter what they eat, Wheein always prepared kimchi and pickled radish amongst the many side dishes they have, knowing full well Byulyi couldn’t eat her meal well without the two.

 

“Still, you went out your way to prepare this for me, right? Thank you.”

 

The gratitude was accompanied with a chaste kiss to Wheein’s forehead.

 

Frankly, Byulyi didn’t force Wheein to cook and vice versa; they didn’t need to and were far from traditional marriage roles anyway. Besides, having a mother who loves her daughter-in-law more than her own daughter had blessed them with more than enough food they need. Cravings for certain food were only a phone call away that they didn’t bother learning to cook as well. That’s why Byulyi appreciated the little things her wife do for her.

 

Even though sometimes there are things Wheein did that she couldn’t fathom.

 

Things like biting on Byulyi’s clothed bicep while she’s eating. And she thought she was the one with biting .

 

“What are you doing?” Byulyi looked down at her wife with half full.

 

Wheein kept biting, disregarding her completely. Half concerned and half fascinated at the behaviour, she pinched her wife’s cheek to get her attention, grinning when Wheein glared, as if Byulyi just disturbed something important.

 

“What’s with the sudden biting babe? Are you still hungry?”

 

“I’m having my dessert.”

 

“Funny how I said the same thing last week and you slapped me for saying that,” the older of the two remarked, taking a piece of pickled radish to .

 

Completely ignoring the offhanded comment, one of Wheein’s hand went inside Byulyi’s tee, smirking when she felt her wife flinch. Her biting has ceased, replaced with lazy kisses to the back of Byulyi’s shoulder. “You said you’ll make it up to me all weekend.”

 

At that point, Byulyi had almost choked on her food. How could she not, when her wife had been practically back-hugging her, disregarding any concept of space?? She admitted that her whole week had been hectic as she made sure all her responsibilities were fulfilled. That being said, she had made sure that she didn’t come home too late and made the time to cuddle with Wheein at night before they resigned to sleep and in the morning before having their breakfast.

 

Or maybe she had been too tired to realize that her wife wanted more than cuddles.

 

“Wheein-ah…” she croaked, somehow managing to chew and swallow what food she had left in .

 

“Hmm?” Wheein hummed, busy nuzzling her nose to the back of Byulyi’s neck.

 

“You wanna take this to the bedroom?” Byulyi reached out behind her to have some sort of contact with her wife.

 

To her chagrin, the blonde scooted away from Byulyi’s touch. The shame was gone as fast as it came when she found Wheein on her lap, a lazy grin donning her bare face. Really, the brunette would never be bored of examining everything that was her wife, from her features to her habit, finding something new every time. If she was distant and cold at Byulyi before, she was anything but that in the years they’ve been together.

 

“The idea is for me to tease you until you give, Unnie. It’s not fun when you resign so fast,” Wheein commented, half chuckling half whining.

 

“That’s sort of my job to tease, not yours, babe.”

 

“Right, because you’re the annoying one between us.”

 

Chuckling when Wheein added an eye-roll to her comment, Byulyi ran her thumb on her wife’s cheek, resisting the temptation to pinch whatever baby fat was left there. Instead, she let Wheein cup her face to land a soft peck on the bridge of her nose. “You’re so cute, Unnie.”

 

“I could say the same thing to you.” Because it’s sort of a general knowledge that the shorter woman was an epitome of cuteness, really.

 

Retaining her dimpled smile, Wheein leaned down to meld their lips together–mainly to shut Byulyi up.

 

It’s always the same whenever they kiss–nothing else went through Byulyi’s mind but how her senses work overtime to return the same intensity Wheein gave her. At that time, nothing else really mattered but her wife and how they fit so well together.

 

Byulyi didn’t realize when it started; was it when they started dating or the morning after they made love for the first time that their lives revolved in the same axis. Everything Byulyi did was either for Wheein or about Wheein. She never said it–she didn’t need to when her actions speak louder. It’s in her lyrics, music, and dance routines she created; it’s in her everyday habit and preferences.

 

They were breathless when their kiss was broken and for a while, only soft sighs were exchanged between them. Through half-lidded eyes Byulyi gazed at the blonde on her lap, the corners of her lips raised when their eyes met, remembering that eventful night.

 

When they started dating, marriage was the last thing on Byulyi’s mind. Being with Wheein had brought her a kind of happiness she thought was nonexistent; the happiness to love and be loved in return. After a long contemplation and seeking blessings from Wheein’s parents, Byulyi decided to propose.

 

It was like their usual night with take-outs and movies playing on the background while they talk. Only that time, Byulyi took out the rings and asked to spend the rest of her life with the younger woman. Wheein could barely answer amidst her sobs that she just gave a nod and hugged her girlfriend of three years.

 

Almost two years since they exchanged vows and there they were. It hadn’t been easy for sure, but they kept each other grounded, overcoming every problem together. They chose to commit, even when there were times that they seemed like two separate individuals. But only when there was space in between did they grow stronger as a couple. At the end of the day, Byulyi was Wheein’s and vice versa.

 

Back to present time, Byulyi reigned in her desire to have her wife right then and there. Her dinner was not even finished! Her resolve was finally broken when Wheein started grinding her hips down. Swallowing whatever pride she had left, Byulyi gave up.

 

“Now can we please take this to the bedroom??”