Author's Note:

It's kind of angsty so.... be prepared. 

Keeping her promise to Eunbi, Chaeyeon was getting ready to head to court to support her fiancee. At the moment, she was changing into more formal looking clothes. It wasn’t much, really. She was just adding a blazer over her white button down and slacks that she put on this morning for school. 

As Chaeyeon studied herself in the mirror, she couldn’t shake off the butterflies that were going wild in her stomach. Even putting on clothes reminded Chaeyeon of Eunbi and how the woman insisted on going shopping for new clothes. It wasn’t because Eunbi was embarrassed of what Chaeyeon would wear. No, on the contrary, Eunbi loved Chaeyeon’s fashion so much, the singer openly said that she wanted Chaeyeon to have more similarly-styled clothes to choose from.

Chaeyeon had refused at first. Her reasoning was that… well, she didn’t want to be a gold-digger, much to her irony. But after hearing Eunbi’s reasons, Chaeyeon didn’t have the heart to refuse her fiancee’s gracious offer.

This had happened only two weeks ago. And with Chaeyeon’s revelation from last night—her being in love with Eunbi—the teacher wonders if she should have analyzed the singer’s reasons more thoroughly. But then there would be no guarantees whether she could stop herself from spiraling uncontrollably into all the 'what if' scenarios.

Because she’s certain that there would be too many of those. And not enough time.

Not when Chaeyeon could hear the doorbell ringing incessantly at that exact moment. By the display of impatience, Chaeyeon inferred it to be Chaewon. 

Chaeyeon practically had to run to the front door, just so she could stop hearing the DINGDONGs. “Jeez, Chaewon. Why are you so impatient?” Chaeyeon didn’t even bother with a greeting.

“I just miss my niece,” Chaewon replies, her face adorned with a mischievous smile. It wasn’t even hard to tell that Chaewon definitely had an ulterior motive of teasing the teacher. At least now Chaeyeon can be sure that she’s going to have a genuinely close relationship with her  future sister-in-law.

“You saw her yesterday.”

“That does not count. She was asleep when I got here.” Chaewon points out. “Besides, it’s not my fault that you and Eunbi haven’t asked me to babysit in the longest time. I actually thought I’d have to babysit Wonyoung more often so you guys could go on dates.”

Chaeyeon’s stomach dropped. “You know we’re not that kind of couple.” That, of course, meant being a real one. And for the past 12 hours Chaeyeon has had to repeatedly remind herself that they weren’t in a relationship. No matter how much Chaeyeon wishes they were.

Chaeyeon could only manage to glimpse a sympathetic look that briefly crossed Chaewon’s face. “Right,” Chaewon drawled. “Because this whole thing is fake.”

“It is.” Chaeyeon didn’t know whether she had said it for Chaewon or for herself. 

The air turned a bit sour after that conversation and they both knew it. But there was no way to lighten the mood. What could have they said? Not much. Not when any consolation would have been a lie.

Chaeyeon didn’t think getting into a fake relationship would have been this complicated. But she guesses the universe loves playing tricks on her. Then again, the universe really had nothing to do with her predicament. It was Eunbi’s fault.

It was Eunbi’s fault for being too goddamned lovable.

Chaeyeon pushes the thought aside and walked to Wonyoung’s room with Chaewon walking silently beside her. She knocked twice on the child’s door before opening it. “Wonnie, look who’s here,” Chaeyeon announced.

“AUTIE WON WON!!!”

Chaeyeon watched the two hug for a while before speaking, “Okay, guys I’m going to head out.”

“Where’re you going, Jjaeyeon?” big brown curious eyes looked up expectantly at her.

“I just have to help your mom out with something, Wonnie.” Chaeyeon couldn’t exactly tell Wonyoung the truth.

“Owkay! Could you tell mommy I said hi.” Wonyoung came up to put her arms around Chaeyeon’s legs. “I’ll see you later, right?”

The teacher nods. “Of course, Wonnie.” Chaeyeon bends down to reciprocated the hug and proceeds to squeeze Wonyoung lightly.

After she bids farewell to Chaewon, Chaeyeon hurries to grab her wallet, phone, and keys so she could head down to court for Eunbi. She recalled the way Eunbi asked her to be there.

“Can you come to court tomorrow? I…I need–uhh.” Eunbi hesitates. “I want you to be there.”

Chaeyeon would like to think she knows Eunbi pretty well by now. If Eunbi had personally asked Chaeyeon for support, then the singer clearly needs it. And she’d be damned if she didn’t take that request seriously.

Chaeyeon steps on the gas to speed up.

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Right according to plan, Chaeyeon manages to arrive early at the courthouse. Even after going around the block just to find a parking spot. She heads inside the courthouse and looks around, wondering