Chapter 45

Strawberries&Cigarettes
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Strawberries and cigarettes always taste like you

 

Their love was like any other. But to them, it was unique.

Which was what every people thought when they were truly in love.

Their numbered days became infinite as time went on and Joohyun couldn't imagine anyone else in her future, that it could never be more wrong to have a person other than Seulgi as her someone. She couldn't.

So Joohyun spent the next ten years in love.

And now, she was standing in front of the chapel, marveling how huge it was.

"What a nice surprise, doctor Bae!"

Joohyun turned and smirked seeing her two friends in their best dress. "Why does doctor Bae sounds so dirty when you say it?" Joy shrugged. "I might have intended that."

Yes, Joohyun finally became a doctor after years of studying in medical school and her intern work.

There were, of course, moments she wanted to quit and find a new path. And sometimes she did regret spending her youth in college and hospitals, but Jiyoon finally recovered and was even able to go back to school.

As Miss Hwang said, every choice has regrets. But Joohyun never thought her choice as wrong.

"Is it okay for a celebrity like me to attend this wedding?" Joy flipped her hair as she looked around, with invisible paparazzi surrounding her.

Joy graduated from college and was now working as a newscaster in a quite big broadcasting company. And thanks to her charms, she even made an appearance on entertainment programs, which the tall girl obviously enjoyed very much.

Wendy rolled her eyes. "Please. Only one man recognized you and that was only because you kept saying your name very loud."

Wendy finished college along with Joy and as a 'smarty-pants' she was, she finished graduate school and was now preparing to work for the international organization. She was leaving for Canada next month.

"So, today's the day huh?" Joy changed the subject. "I can't believe you are FINALLY going to propose. Took you long enough. I almost thought you two weren't together anymore."

Joohyun shot her friend a look. "Of course, we're still together. We were just.. busy."

Joy snorted in disbelief. "Your vocabulary 'busy' means 'being a chicken', right?"

Joohyun gritted her teeth, ready to smack her annoying friend's head if she was just tall enough. "I wanted to propose at the right time. Perfectly."

"So how come you're the one who's proposing?" Wendy asked and Joohyun shrugged.

"She's the one who confessed first. So I'm going to propose first."

Joy shook her head, still couldn't believe the fact for ten years they haven't even had an engagement ring and still wearing the ring that took almost a year for Joohyun to give to the bear.

"You two never talked about it? Not even once?"

Joohyun bit her lip. "Actually.."

 

"Do you think you can continue your career in another country?"

Joohyun sleepily blinked, a little tired out from the train ride. "Hmm? Like where?"

"I don't know.. Maybe the Netherlands? Canada? The United States?"

Joohyun hummed as she nuzzled in her embrace, content with her arms wrapped around the younger even though Seulgi's dorm room was so small. This also meant the bed was only enough for one person, and Joohyun quite liked that.

"I don't know.. I am already working as an intern at the hospital in Seoul.. So I might as well work there about a year later."

Seulgi stopped playing with her hair, a little disappointed by her answer. "Oh.. I see."

Joohyun managed to open her eyes to look up at the girl who seemed drowned in her thoughts. "Why do you ask?"

Normally, Seulgi would have said it was nothing and try to change the subject, but her head stopped her instincts because she knew how much Joohyun hated it when she kept things to herself.

"I was just thinking about what we should do if we get married."

Joohyun's lips slowly curled up. "I didn't even say yes yet."

"You're right." Seulgi sheepishly smiled back. "Maybe I was going too far.." Seulgi laughed to herself. "I don't even have a job yet. I should focus on my career like you."

But Seulgi had no idea Joohyun was already turning on applications to hospitals in the United States and Canada.

 

"Your parents still have no idea I'm your... girlfriend, right?"

Seulgi sighed as she buttoned down her shirt while Joohyun sat on the sofa, concerned the younger looked a little too tired than usual.

Seulgi, despite her major, continued to study art and design at the academy for employment and she was currently a staff member of the design team in a quite well-known company in Seoul. And she was also spending time as an illustrator who updates drawings on the Internet every week.

"Yes.." Joohyun reluctantly answered. "Why does that bother you suddenly?"

But Joohyun knew exactly why Seulgi looked so upset.

If they were going to get married someday, Joohyun has to at least tell her mother about it sooner or later.

"I know you don't like thinking so far ahead.." Seulgi mumbled as she put on her t-shirt. "But sometimes it feels like I don't have a part in your future."

Joohyun bit her lip, wanting so much to tell her she was thinking the exact opposite.

But Wendy had just texted her she had made arrangements with the band.

She hoped Seulgi would be patient with her just a little bit more.

 

"It's been a while since you last visited." Mrs. Bae placed the teacup in front of her and sat at the opposite side of the table. "How is your hospital work going?"

"Tiring but I am try-" Joohyun stopped herself, knowing her mother would always answer 'Trying is not enough.'. "I am doing fine." She confidently answered and Mrs. Bae nodded, somehow relieved her daughter was handling all well despite having to go through it alone in Seoul. "I'm glad."

"I actually want to tell you something."

"You need something?" Mrs. Bae guessed. "You need financial support?"

Money was never her problem. Joohyun had been saving up for years enough for them to move into another country and start a living.

"No, not at all. I... There's something I've been keeping from you."

Mrs. Bae put down her teacup and raised an eyebrow. "And that is?"

Joohyun took a deep breath. She had pondered millions of times if she should tell her mother that she was in love with a girl for 10 years. But Seulgi was just not any girl. Which made her wonder again if she should tell her mother she was in love with Kang Seulgi. And wanted her as her forever.

"You remember Seulgi?"

"The girl who gave me these teacups?" Mrs. Bae held up her teacup. "I'm aware."

"I'm in love with her."

And her words were followed with a sharp clang of the teacup fallen on the floor.

"...What?"

"I'm in love with Seulgi," Joohyun said, her lips were trembling, the little girl who wanted to please her mother and feared her at the same time was still there. It was part of her after all. "And she's in love with me."

But Joohyun was determined to say it because she wasn't saying this to get her mother's blessings, but for their future. Together.

"And I want to marry her."

"...I don't understand why you are telling me this. Without even bringing her with you." Mrs. Bae still looked puzzled by her daughter's sudden confession. "What are you expecting me to say?"

"I just needed to tell you this. You don't have to give us your blessings because I know how dad will lose his mind if he ever found out." Joohyun looked down at the teacup, which was safe between her hands, unlike the one that was on the floor, broken to pieces.

"But I had to tell you. Because you're my mother."

Mrs. Bae stared down at the table. "I don't understand." She said quietly. "And I don't think I ever could."

"..I know,"

"But you're just like your father." Mrs. Bae continued. "You are too stubborn for me to stop you."

Joohyun couldn't answer. She wasn't ashamed but understood what her mother felt. Her mother may be worried all the effort Joohyun had poured all these years for her career will be ruined because of one little.. uniqueness. (Joohyun would never dare call her relationship with Seulgi a 'flaw')

"How long have you two been together?" Mrs. Bae carefully asked.

"...Next week is our ninth anniversary."

Another suffocating silence continued as her mother still didn't meet her eyes.

"...Are you really happy with.. her?" Mrs. Bae struggled with the word 'her', and Joohyun knew deep inside, her mother wanted to say 'him' instead.

"Yes." But Joohyun had to tell her the truth. "I want her. Only her in my life. And that has never changed for ten years."

Even if it hurts.

"...Then I guess I should just pray for your happiness." Mrs. Bae stood up, not noticing the teacup she just dropped.

"You may go. I.. I have to take some rest."

 

"I'm proud of you." Wendy patted her friend's back. "And I'm sure Seulgi will say yes."

"Even though I find it weird you're going to propose to her on the day of her brother's wedding," Joy added. "I'm still your friend who supports you two."

Joohyun gratefully smiled at her two friends. "Thanks." She mumbled shyly. "I'm so nervous right now."

"I can't wait for her to say yes!" Joy squealed. "She doesn't know a thing, right?"

"Nope. Not a clue." Wendy answered. "I had to coax her for hours because she thought Joohyun doesn't even think about marriage."

Joohyun giggled, only getting more excited instead of calming down.

"You haven't told Yerim yet, right?"

Wendy nodded firmly. "Of course. She'll definitely tell Seulgi if we ever told her. She can never keep big secrets like that without letting anyone know."

"So then," Joy slung her each arm around her friends. "We have a wedding to attend and another wedding to plan! So let's hurry!"

.

"You haven't told Seungwan unnie and Sooyoung unnie, right?"

Seulgi asked the Squirtle behind her as she looked at the mirror for the last time, trying to straighten her dress and think how Joohyun was good at straightening the wrinkles in her dress. Perfect wife material.

"It was a challenge," Yerim said dramatically. "But I managed to keep my mouth shut. They can never keep secrets like that without letting anyone know."

Yerim looked like she just got back from work, with her business suit and dark circles under her eyes she was trying to cover up with makeup for hours.

Yerim became a businesswoman after graduating from college, and with her knowledge earned by her business administration major, and her sharp instincts, her status quickly went upward. So she was now also preparing to start her own business on Internet shopping and spent her free time writing lyrics and composing songs.

Talent should have been Yerim's middle name.

Seulgi dabbed her lips with a tissue and marveled at how unfamiliar she looked with a gorgeous dress and heavy makeup. (She swore her eyes were literally kindling because of the glittery eye shadow)

She always preferred to wear light makeup but today was a special occasion, and as the groom's sister, she decided to give up her natural style just this once.

“And you didn't forget to bring the same wine from Jennie's?"

"Yep," Yerim answered with a frown. "But what do you need that for?"

"In case she says no. I need to get drunk to get over my humiliation."

Yerim snorted. "I can never be more certain she will say yes."

"I don't know Yerim." Seulgi turned around to her friend and sighed. "Whenever I try to make plans, she would just.. avoid talking about them and it's like she doesn't even think about us getting married."

"Really?" Yerim said, surprised since she figured Joohyun wanted to get married to Seulgi more than her frien

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MeloMera
I don't have a twitter account anymore but thankfully I saw a pleasant surprise today when I went back to my account for the last time :)
Thank you @dinniebur for liking this fic so much! I'm very happy&grateful that you enjoyed it :) your reactions about each chapter made my day haha

Comments

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hollyhunterey
#1
One of the best.. Thank you very much 💕
Kylie_123 #2
Rereading !!! Kasi gusto ko kiligin ulit 💗💗💗
Jensoo4everlove #3
Chapter 59: I LOVED THIS SO SO MUCH 😭❤ And thankyou so so much Author for taking out time to write such a masterpiece!!! I really appreciate it!! But why can't I see the sequel? 🥺
sjaelister
#4
I just want to ask if this is the original version because I read this but it's the Ryeji version on wattpad huhuhu.
AnneTokki 34 streak #5
Chapter 59: 💓💓💓💛💛💛🫶
Revemid12
#6
Reading this masterpiece for the third time, is my comfort fic, let’s goo!
Oct_13_wen_03 26 streak #7
Chapter 49: reread❤❤
serenedipitea
#8
Chapter 20: this chapter made me cry. the angst!!!
Seul_rene14 #9
Chapter 59: Am I the only one who won't get to read the sequel?🥺😭
gcpt21 #10
Chapter 49: This fic is so beautiful thank you so much author ily