married
HARBOREDthere's something different about joohyun today.
she's sweet towards you--like really really sweet.
you can't point a finger at it, but there's something different with how she treats you.
first is the cuddling on the couch while you continue your talk. joohyun admitted she and amber fought because of the latter's attitude last night in the bar--you were glad because it meant no hanky-panky for amber. she's still mad this morning and thought of leaving their hotel room early to get some good vibes from you.
although joohyun hugging you is already a normal thing to everyone who knows the two of you, you can feel an extra flavor in her touch--there's a sense of possessiveness.
second, joohyun made breakfast for you while you prepare for work. although she was talking to amber on the phone while cooking--she keeps saying, "just don't do it again" until they made up--but eating breakfast with her erased all the jealousy that might surge up.
third, she picked your clothes for the day. no biggie, but it made you happy.
you're not sure what changed. could it be because of the talk you had? whatever it is, you felt closer to her more than ever.
---
she tagged along with you to your work, saying it's only fair you spend the day together. amber will also go out alone today with her best friend, whom she hasn't seen in two years since she went to the states.
at work, yerim excitedly welcomed joohyun; the former kept recruiting the latter to join the theater--saying she has "potential". seungwan formally introduced eunji to her--they couldn't do it last night because of the situation. sooyoung also kept her company while you practice on the stage.
joohyun surprised you when she approached sunmi to thank her for taking you to your room last night. sunmi looked surprised too but acknowledged the gesture.
---
"what happened? you two are oozing with love today, huh?" asked seungwan, who's on the stage with you. the director is talking to the other artists at the moment.
you chuckled. "i don't know what you're talking about, wannie."
seungwan elbowed you. "c'mon. what's up? did you confess already?"
you shook your head, pretending to check the prop plant near you. "nope. i still don't have the courage to do that."
"how come you came here together? where's the pet llama?"
"the llama and the bunny fought last night. the bunny came to my apartment this morning to check on me. the llama is out today with her best friend, so the bunny is mine this whole day."
"ahh. no wonder you look so vibrant, huh?"
"it's not just that though." you inched yourself closer to seungwan's ear. "she admitted she's jealous of sunmi unnie too."
seungwan's jaw slacked. "she did? what was your response?"
"i told her i feel the same towards amber, and added it's a normal feeling because we used to have each, and now there is someone else around."
"mmm-mmm. and what was her response?"
"she felt better." you searched for joohyun in the audience area and found her laughing with sooyoung and yerim. "i know i had the chance to confess earlier, but she looked so confused. i don't want to add to her burden."
seungwan smiled. "you really love her, don't you?"
you smiled back, pulling the props vines out of embarrassment.
"i understand if you're still hesitating," said seungwan. "but please do remember joohyun unnie deserves someone who loves her honestly and completely despite everything. i seriously believe that someone is you. you've seen her go, you've seen her come back. you're still even there for her even if she has a partner or not. so, please, please don't deprive her of that opportunity to be loved in the way you can love her. she deserves it. you deserve it."
feeling too delighted with what you heard, you locked your arm around seungwan's neck. "you really know what to say always."
"c'mon. you did the same to me when i was problematic about eunji," said seungwan, struggling.
"hey, get a room, you two!" yerim shouted from the audience.
you let go of seungwan's head, watching sooyoung and joohyun laugh.
joohyun.
it would be great if you can see her laugh like that every day.
it would even be better if you're the reason behind it.
deep down inside, you know seungwan is right. joohyun deserves to be loved by someone in the way you could love her. and there's no one else who could do that except you.
only you.
---
yerim held the phone in front of her face to read the content aloud, "when you hold a hand of a loved one, you feel painless keenly and worry less."
"i agree." eunji raised her fork. "whenever i feel nervous, seungwan here holds my hand. it works like magic. unbelievable."
"wow. i didn't know seungwan can be romantic." sooyoung eyed seungwan.
"i am!" seungwan blurted out. "but only to selected people."
"wannie is good at hiding that side of her," you commented, looking at your bowl as joohyun fills it with food again. "and they are taking it low-key at work, a reason we can't imagine her romantic side."
"but i can assure you guys, this baby is the sweetest," said eunji, making seungwan blush. everyone cheered.
"hey, eat more." joohyun pointed at your bowl. "you've done a lot of dancing today. you need to replenish."
"how about you? did you even eat?" you asked.
joohyun gestured to her bowl. "empty. see?"
"but is that already enough? you're getting skinny, unnie."
"okay. okay. okay. there's a lot of sweetness going on here. let's jump to the next fact," said yerim. she made an 'ooh' sound before reading the next line, "marrying your best friend eliminates the risk of divorce by 70%, and this marriage is more likely to last a lifetime." she dropped her hand stared at you and joohyun. "do you guys agree?"
you wanted to kick yerim under the table, but she's too far from your reach. lucky kid. you'll save the kicking for later.
everyone is looking at the two of you and expecting an answer, and you wanted to kill them all for being this obvious.
"i would have to agree." joohyun rested her elbow on the table, propping her chin on her palm. "maybe we should marry, seul. don't you think so?"
you blinked at joohyun.
damn. how can she be this pretty?
she's been sweet to you this entire day, but should she go this far? is she even kidding, or was that half-meant?
you chuckled. "amber will kill me, unnie..."
"no, she won't. she wouldn't even dare do that to you."
"are you saying you don't want to marry joohyun unnie, seulgi?" asked sooyoung. you put her in your mental list of people you'll kick later.
"yeah. how dare you reject unnie, seul." seungwan was added to the list too.
"yah! kang seulgi!" joohyun grabbed your arm so you'll face her. "how dare you reject me?"
you wished the ground would open up and eat you alive. how dare joohyun make you feel like that?
"i--" you cleared your throat. "i'd marry you in a heartbeat, unnie. but i don't have a ring."
"wooo! go, seulgi!" eunji stood up, clapping her hands.
"you're so cute!" joohyun cupped your face first before leaning her body on you. "yeah, a ring would be nice."
"i have rings!" yerim raised her hand. she opened her bag, pulled out a small box with plastic silver rings inside.
"whoa. why do you have those, yerim?" asked seungwan.
"i am part of the props committee, remember?" yerim pulled out two rings and handed them to you. "bought this yesterday for the show."
joohyun excitedly accepted the rings. "i want the one with the pink stone," she said, handing back one ring to yerim. she put the pink ring on her ring finger and grabbed your left hand to put the yellow ring.
you don't know what's happening now, but you love it.
joohyun showed you her hand. "see? we're married now."
you smiled. "yeah, we're married now. so, no more jealousy issues?"
she smiled back. "yup. no more jealousy issues."
---
"don't remove it!"
"why?"
"it's our ring, seulgi!"
you stared at joohyun in confusion. "but amber will be here anytime now. i don't want her to think--"
"she won't. why are you so scared of amber?"
"i'm not scared of her," you said. "i just don't want to cause issues."
joohyun put her phone down and dropped beside you on the couch. "i'm sorry if i worried you. as i've said, a lot is going on in my mind. but i'm feeling better now. thanks to you."
"that's what spouses are for, right?" you said. joohyun laughed.
"speaking of amber, her best friend invited us to stay in their villa the day after tomorrow. you're coming, right?"
"me? why am i included there? i don't even know her friend."
"if amber wants me to meet her friend, i need to bring you there too." joohyun switched her position on the couch to rest her head on your lap. "we will stay there for a day. it'll be awkward if it's just going to be the three of us. i initially planned on declining, but your director announced earlier you won't have a practice that day, so i told amber i'd bring you."
"oh. so, i don't have a choice, do i?"
"no, you don't." joohyun chuckled. she sat up on the couch and turned to you. "let's dance, seul."
"dance?"
"yeah. it was my first time seeing you perform on stage after forever. whenever i see you dance, i'm getting the urge to dance too."
you smiled, taking her hand. "you asked for it."
she requested a slower dance this time, so you opted for something sweet. you started swaying around the hotel room with your hum as the music.
it was heaven. you two were having your world again.
deep inside you're starting to get scared amber will take everything away from you again once she arrives.
but now's not the right moment to think about that. you'll worry about amber later. for now, you will appreciate joohyun and savor your moment together.
it's just you and joohyun and no one else.
"your future girlfriend will be so lucky to have you..." she said, her eyes looking down at your feet, trying to make sure she won't step on you again.
"are you worried?" you asked.
there was a long pause. "honestly... yes."
another chance, you thought. but no, not tonight. she still looked confused. you'll take a lighter approach.
"well, there's nothing to be worried about." you reached for her left hand up and rub your finger around her ring. "we're married."
joohyun forced a smile.
"what's wrong?" you asked.
joohyun shook her head. she leaned her head on your shoulder and wrapped her arms around your neck. "can we stay like this for a little while?"
you hummed. you continued swaying slowly, slow so joohyun would be comfortable--too slow like you aren't dancing at all.
after a little while, her arm slid down your shoulder. you thought she was sleepy, but her hand cupped your cheek, her thumb over it.
you can hear her irregular breathing in your ear. you know she's thinking of something.
she pulled herself back to look at you. you could feel yourself melting at the proximity. you've never been this close to her. not in the way where you could feel her breathing on your face.
she's nervous, and you're wondering why.
you don't know what exactly is happening--or what exactly she's implying--when her thumb went down to your lips, her skin barely touching yours.
it's a signal, you thought. but should you do it?
you held her by the waist, making her look up at you.
then you slowly went in, closer and closer, testing if she'll pull back.
she didn't.
instead, she parted her lips, inviting you over.
you finally crossed the line that night when you closed the gap between your lips.
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