Fall had settled upon Seoul. The wind changing, cool air now permeating the sprawling city. A welcome thing, the memory of a hot summer turning into a lingering memory. The leaves of the ginkgo tree, a brilliant shade of yellow, was stretched out about the small bench in a wide circle. Sitting with her legs drawn up to her chest, heels perched on the edge of the wood seat, Joohyun was watching the antics unfolding before her with a grin.

“Our girlfriends are dorks,” Jennie said with a laugh, the woman’s fox-like eyes narrowed in laughter. Down the soft slope of the hill, Jisoo was holding her left arm out straight, fingers pointed like a knife while walking with a water bottle balanced on her shoulder. Seungwan was behind her, attempting to do the same. Every few steps the bottle would tumble down to the grass.

“But they’re our dorks,” Joohyun said with a wistful sigh. She watched as Jisoo took the bottle from her shoulder and with a laugh and grin, trying to walk Seungwan through the intricacies of bottle walking. How to roll the shoulder forward just enough to create a more flat profile. How to be light on your feet so as not to jostle too much. “Jisoo almost sounds like she has a Doctorate in walking with a water bottle.”

“And Seungwan is just soaking it up,” Jennie said with a chuckle. Joohyun felt Jennie’s hand fall on her shoulder, familiar and soft but different. The lingering pain of their past relationship had drifted away, now a strong friendship held between them. It had taken a fight to reconcile but when it was over, they knew something both had never admitted. They had been better friends than lovers. “Do you really believe all that soulmate and numbers thing?”

Joohyun blinked and turned her head enough to glance at Jennie sidelong. “Jisoo told you about that?”

“She did,” Jennie said with a nod. The girl bit her lip a moment, face twisting in through and head canting, eyes watching Jisoo and Seungwan as they played together. The air was split with a cry as Seungwan suddenly tossed her bottle aside and tackled Jisoo, both tumbling down to the grass, fingers twisting in a tickle war. “The whole thing about us having matching numbers and them not.”

“I thought it just a delusion of Seungwan’s,” Joohyun admitted softly. “But then I watched things happen. She was right about us. She’s been right even more since we got together. I don’t think I can not believe it, given the evidence,” Joohyun said with a laugh.

“I think Seungwan has a block when it comes to herself, though,” Jennie said as she pointed down the hill, a single, slender finger pointed to Seungwan and Jisoo who were now laying on the grass, both panting from the exertion of their tickle fight, the pair of them holding hands and soaking up the sun. “I think Seungwan had a number and just couldn’t see it.”

“Why do you say that?” Joohyun asked, brows furrowing. She turned her head fully, eyes staring at Jennie’s face as the girl chewed her lip, thinking.

“You can’t tell me those two aren’t soulmates,” Jennie said in an exasperated voice. “I mean, look at how they are together,” the girl continued, her voice growing louder, almost excited. “They call each other how many times a day? Did you know Jisoo has a photocard of Seungwan in her phone case?” Joohyun’s lips slowly curled up as Jennie continued, Jennie stuck between jealousy and happiness for their girlfriends. “You don’t do that for just a normal friend.”

“You’re a little jealous, aren’t you?” Joohyun teased as she leaned over to bump into Jennie. The younger girl merely huffed and slipped her arm about Joohyun, dropping to rest a cheek on her head. Jennie let out a long, slow sigh. “Do you ever listen to their conversations? Half the time they are talking about how much they love us. I think they’re having a competition about who loves their girlfriend the most.”

“Jisoo wins,” Jennie said firmly. “Only because she’s loved me longer.”

Joohyun paused a long moment, pondering rebutting Jennie’s statement. She was loath to lose a competition but thought, what would be the point of winning this one? What would it serve? Instead she simply said, “I’ll give you that.” The look of smug victory on Jennie’s face almost made her go back on her decision.

“You bought a very nice place, by the way,” Jennie said. 

“Thank you,” Joohyun said with a wide grin. “And for helping us with the move today. I know it wasn’t how you want to spend the weekend.” The day had been spent moving box after box from Seungwan’s now old apartment to Joohyun’s new home, a half kilometer away from her office. She’d thought of it as her and Seungwan’s home from the beginning, her girlfriend involved in every step of the way. They had gone to the realtor's offices together, toured places and worked out their wishlist. To Joohyun, this was their ultimate commitment to one another. At least until they legalized same marriage in South Korea, she thought wistfully. “Everyone else is going to help move the rest of it tomorrow. Are you and Jisoo going to come and help again?”

“Of course. This is your big weekend. It’s now or after the wedding next weekend. Sooyoung is going to make such a beautiful bride,” Jennie said, the wishful tone in the girl’s voice matching the one in Joohyun’s mind. “Jisoo talks about us having a ceremony despite the fact it wouldn’t be recognized.”

“You should,” Joohyun said as she leaned in tighter to Jennie. She took the girl’s hand in her own, lacing fingers, thumb gently rubbing circles against her soft palm. “Would I get to be your bridesmaid?”

“Of course,” Jennie said with a scoff. “You’re my soulmate, right?” 

* * *

Boxes lined the walls, dark brown cardboard marked with their eventual destinations. Kitchen, bath and Joohyun’s favorite, “our bedroom.” Seungwan had written that on her boxes, pointedly, a beatific smile that lit up not only her whole face but the room as she inked those words out. Everyone was sitting in a circle in the middle of the living room floor, food containers in a mass of wonderful flavors and scents intermixed with bottles of Soju.

“I would like to make a toast,” Sooyoung said, a half empty bottle of beer in her hand. The girl was dressed in old faded jeans and t-shirt, smudged with dust and dirt, but Seungwan couldn’t help but feel that she was glowing with beauty. “To Seungwan and Joohyun,” Sooyoung said as she hoisted her glass towards the pair who were sitting side by side, hips pressed tight together. “I kept telling Seungwan she needed to get laid but I never thought it would go this far.”

“Sooyoung,” Seungwan gasped but the sudden barking laugh, Irene throwing her head back and slapping her leg drowned out any complaint. Instead, she blushed furiously as everyone held out their glasses in salute. They clinked their glasses and then leaned back, each taking long draughts. Seungwan felt the cold fizz of beer pouring down , wonderful after a long day of hard labor. 

“Let me make a toast as well,” Joohyun said loudly as she placed a hand atop Seungwan’s knee, fingers curling inside to tickle across the back of it. She raised her glass again, pointed towards Sooyoung and Sungjae, “I’ve known you both for only half a year but it feels like a lifetime. The love you have is strong, but mostly I see how you both communicate. The way you are clear with one another, no holding back. If anything, I think that will be the foundation of your long, wonderful marriage.” Joohyun’s voice was kindly as she looked around, watching everyone nod in agreement. “In six days you wed and I can’t wait to watch you both make that step. To Sooyoung and Sungjae.”

There was a small chorus of cheers as Sooyoung blushed deeply, her lips curling into a deep smile that showed her gums and teeth. Sungjae placed a kiss atop her head before clinking glasses with those closest again. Instead of drinking, he brought his glass to Sooyoung's lips and she drank deep.  “Maybe you should help Seugwan write her maid of honor speech,” Sungjae said, a teasing twinkle in his eye as she looked at Joohyun. “We know she is going to make it greasy enough to fry an egg.”

“I like her greasiness,” Sooyoung said before playfully biting Sungjae on the shoulder. He gave a yelp and almost dropped his glass, fumbling it a moment, a splash of beer falling onto his lap. 

“Me too,” Joohyun said with a sure nod. 

Seungwan looked about as everyone laughed. She felt full in life. Her eyes settled on Yeri and Seulgi with a smile. Yeri was snuggled up in Seulgi’s lap, her face flushed with drink, arms draped over Seulgi’s shoulder. Since Joohyun was moving out, they had taken over the lease of their shared apartment, deciding to turn it into a home. Yeri had teased how she and Seulgi would christen every room with , all in attempt to get a rise out of Joohyun. It had been successful with Joohyun chasing Yeri about the apartment, a rolled up newspaper in hand. She had no doubt the pair were looking forward to domestic bliss, just the two of them. They loved Joohyun dearly but there comes a time when a couple want their own space. 

She looked at Joohyun, knowing very well that feeling. They had barely been dating when the decision to live together had been made. Her parents had thought it too quick, voicing concerns but when they had met Joohyun, things changed. Joohyun gave her father’s hand firm shake and over dinner talked business and economics, a language he was well versed in. He came away impressed, declaring that Joohyun had a grand and successful future ahead of her. Their approval came shortly afterwards and now, much to her surprise, Joohyun and her father had scheduled weekly calls to talk.

Seungwan took another long pull of her beer, sighing happily and turning her head to place a kiss on Joohyun’s cheek, the woman visibly shivering at the touch. “I love you,” Joohyun whispered, just loud enough for only her to hear. 

She gazed past Joohyun, warmth pouring through her to see Lisa and Rosie, the pair sharing a slow, soft kiss. Their club had become a regular place for their small group, meeting up to just hang out. They way Black Velvet thrived, a constant stream of regular patrons kept the pair busy but happy. It had been a long held dream realized and Seungwan knew how that felt. 

“How is your album preparations coming?” Seungwan tore her gaze from Lisa and Rosie, eyes swinging to Jennie, the source of the question. The beautiful girl was leaning against a box, Jisoo curled up on the floor, head in her lap. Jennie’s fingers were caressing and playing through Jisoo’s long black hair. “I’m asking for Jisoo, of course,” Jennie said flippantly.

“Tsundere,” Jisoo whispered from Jennie’s lap.

“Whatever,” Jennie said with a roll of her eyes. 

Seungwan laughed, loving the play between the pair. “Making progress. They want to release it as a winter album in December,” she said happily. “It’s going to be mostly RnB ballads.”

“You should have the showcase at Black Velvet,” Jennie said as she pointed to Lisa and Rosie. “The main room has a great vibe for something like that.” 

“That would be great,” Rosie said, tearing her lips from Lisa’s, excitement spilling out of her. Seungwan noted how squeaky and high pitched Rosie’s voice got when excited. She found it absolutely adorable. “You should talk to your CEO about it. We’d even give a big discount because we love you so much!”

“I’ll bring that up with him,” Seungwan said, flashing a gracious smile to Rosie who wiggled back and forth where she sat. 

She looked to Jennie, their eyes meeting a moment, and could feel a sense of kinship flash between them. There had been no real animosity towards her from Jennie after that night, but instead they were slowly building something akin to friendship. They had little in common save Joohyun but that had been enough. Where she and Jisoo had become fast friends, sharing every intimate detail with one another, Jennie would always be at arms reach. There but never truly embraceable. She figured that was just the way of things. 

Her eyes then slipped down to Jisoo, the girl snuggling against Jennie’s leg, her face split into a grin. She’d always wondered what it would be like to have a soulmate, that special someone who knew in the depths of their soul how you felt. To have that ethereal connection. She’d found that with Jisoo, the pair of them immediately falling into a friendship she’d never experienced before. Sooyoung had come close, she knew, but something always kept them apart. Jisoo had claimed it was a deep and unrealized attraction to one another. That might have been the case, Seungwan had considered.

“Look at me,” came a soft whisper, a mixture of command and pout. She felt Joohyun’s hand ride up the inside of her legs, the woman’s hot breath on her neck and nose tracing the sharp line of her jaw. She held back a gasp, tingles easing down the middle of her back. She looked at Joohyun, her lover's eyes imploring, voice husky and low, “We should kick everyone out soon so we can celebrate in our own way.”

“In a little bit,” Seungwan said with a heavy gulp of . She brought her hand up, fingers curling beneath Joohyun’s chin, turning the woman’s face upwards. Their eyes met, love flashing between them, and she kissed her. The noise of everyone around them, talking and drinking, seemed to fade away in her ears. When their lips touched, only Joohyun existed. 

May 30th played in her mind, the memory of Joohyun climbing into her lap. They had spoken of love but that moment, beneath the ginkgo tree they had first met, was when she was certain of one thing. She and Joohyun were always going to be together. She didn’t know if it had been destiny. It might have been despite it. In her mind, it really didn’t matter anymore.

They had each other. That was enough.

Authors Final Notes

Wow, it’s been a long ride. I had never expected it to take so long to finish this story but life had other plans. I wanted to give a huge thanks to everyone who stuck it out! This story was very dear to my heart and I was so amazed by the reception it received. ^_^

I wanted to take a moment to talk about some of the small things in the story. 

Sejeong and Wendy
Hints about Sejeong started as early as chapter 2. Seulgi mentions that a new group is going to debut and later, when Joohyun and Seungwan are talking about their pasts, she mentions that Sejeong is set to debut soon. It was a very small hint so I didn’t really expect people to catch it, but there it is.

Trees
In the story, trees were a constant theme. If you notice, the major events that pushed forward Joohyun and Seungwan’s story happened beneath trees. They first met beneath a tree. When they met a second time at the bistro, there was a tree arching over the table. Their talk about past relations. Seungwan hearing that Joohyun likes her, the start of their relationship and first kiss all happened in the forest. They were supposed to be a theme that shows growth and the development of roots for them throughout the story.

The Dream
I know that the dream Seungwan talked about may have seemed a bit strange when I wrote it, but the event was a transformative experience for Seungwan. The mylar balloons represented the floating numbers Seungwan would see, holding her back from being open to love. Joohyun popping them was opening her up to the idea of being loved again. It had a strong effect on Seungwan’s subconscious which made for her sudden change overnight.

Seungwan and Jisoo
Are they soulmates? Yes. Yes they are. Did Seungwan have numbers and couldn’t see them? Maybe. I didn’t fully map out how the numbers work. I kept that a mystery, even to myself, to ensure that it felt uncertain as I wrote the story.

Once again, thank you for giving my story so much love ^_^