Chaewon heard a door opening and quiet steps in the depths of the silent room.  

"Oh, Chaewon, good..." Jiwoo yawned. "Morning? What are you doing?"  

Chaewon didn’t move. She kept her face buried in her knees, hugging them to her chest.  

"Hey, baby, is she asleep?"  

"Maybe?"  

"Then shouldn't we wake her up so she can sleep in her bed? That looks pretty uncomfortable."  

Chaewon shot her head up, startling Jiwoo, who yelped and jumped back.  

"I'm fine."  

"Holy, you look like Samara, what in the world happened?" Sooyoung took a step closer.  

"Who's Samara?" Jiwoo frowned.  

"You would know if you watched horror movies, but you're a ."  

"Yah, you brat." Jiwoo punched her arm. "I'm not the one who cries when I see a cockroa-"  

"I kissed her, Chaewon blurted.  

Jiwoo snapped her head so fast Chaewon heard a snap. "You w-what?"  

Sooyoung took her time to turn and face Chaewon. "Her... H-Hyejoo?"  

Her roommates shared a look and ran to Chaewon, squatting in front of her.  

"What happened?" They asked at the same time.  

"Yah, don't push it!" Sooyoung narrowed her eyes at her girlfriend.  

"You asked first!"  

"I don't know what happened," Chaewon said, ignoring their bickering.  

"Let’s try and recall what happened last night. You texted us saying you guys headed back first because Hyejoo wasn't feeling well."  

"That was a lie, I'm so sorry." Chaewon buried her face in her arms again. "We went to see the sunrise, then she asked me to stay at her house, then when I realized... She was too close, and my sweater was gone, and then her t-shirt was gone, and her hands were on me, and then we went to her room, and--"  

"Chaewon, breathe." Sooyoung interrupted her because she spoke so fast she was about to choke on her own breath.  

Chaewon took a deep breath and looked up at their raised eyebrows.  

"And then I kissed her. I did that. Not her."  

Their chins dropped and they took a while to react. “B-but wait. You said something about your tops being gone, and... her room? What... exactly happened?" Jiwoo hesitated.  

Chaewon pursued her lips and gulped. "I have no idea. It was very intimate."  

"Oh ," Jiwoo blurted, taking a hand to .  

"I’m sorry, but... Did you guys touch each other in like... places?" Sooyoung asked, awkwardly waving her hand around her body, trying to gesture exactly what places she meant.  

Unable to verbalize it, Chaewon followed Sooyoung’s sign language and pointed to places in her body to attempt to explain herself.  

"Holy , Chaewon." Sooyoung gasped. "Did you guys have ?!"  

"Yeah, it sure was a holy ." Jiwoo snickered.  

Sooyoung glared at her. "Jiwoo, not the time, it's not funny," she said, but her lower lip trembled from how much she was holding it. “That’s offensive for Chaewon, apologize!”  

"But you want to laugh."  

"Jiwoo, come on.”  

She sighed and held her hands together in front of her face, bowing to Chaewon in apology. But Chaewon herself seemed to have stopped hearing them long before.  

"S-?" Chaewon choked on her breathing. "You're telling me I had... How?"  

Sooyoung bit her lip. "You don't have the slightest idea about how two girls have , do you?"  

"You know, contrary to popular belief, it rarely involves scissoring," Jiwoo muttered. “If you want my advice, it’s not even worth to try it, because I swear it’s so awkward and unfulfilling. This one time Sooyoung and I----”  

"If you open your mouth one more time, I swear I'll lock you outside." Sooyoung pinched her leg, earning a whine from her.  

"W-What's that?" Chaewon asked, eyebrows twitching.  

"Ignore it. Don't be scared, you didn't do anything wrong-"  

"You're telling me I had s- with Hyejoo, how isn’t that wrong?!" Chaewon said, a few octaves higher. "Oh Lord, I'm so sorry for I sinned..." She closed her eyes and clasped her hands together.  

"You don't need to apologize to anyone, Chaewon, and that's not a sin." Sooyoung held her hands. "Be honest with us and especially with yourself. Did you feel good?"  

The raw truth that hurt so much. "Y-Yes."  

"Then-"  

"But I can't!" She clenched her fists under Sooyoung’s warm palms. "It's against what I believe in-"  

"Why, because she's a girl?" Jiwoo scoffed. “I think it’s about time you stop saying that.”  

"Jiwoo!” Sooyoung yelled, louder than she had to. “Don’t speak to her like that!”  

“And you don’t speak like that to me!”  

“Don't you understand how serious this is? Did she ever do anything to you? Can you imagine how hard this must be for her? Didn't you also have a hard time accepting yourself after I kissed you?"  

Jiwoo’s features softened as her eyes dropped to the floor. "Okay, you’re right, I'm sorry."  

A sob stopped the girls' argument, as they looked to a crying Chaewon with her face in her hands. Sooyoung stood up and sat next to Chaewon, carefully resting an arm around her shoulders.  

"I'm sorry, Chaewon. Jiwoo is nervous, don't take her words seriously."  

"Yeah, I'm sorry, Chaewon." Jiwoo sat beside her as well, rubbing her back.  

"But s-she's right." Chaewon sobbed once again. "I'm a hypocrite, I do what I condemn in others, but I still liked it, Sooyoung!" She looked up at her. "What do I do? I can't suddenly be... be g-gay."  

Sooyoung rubbed her shoulders. "No one is suddenly gay, Chaewon. But our society makes everyone think they're straight because that's what's supposed to be normal, when they're not. Jiwoo and I also had boyfriends before we were with each other."  

"How do I know, then?"  

"Did you ever have a boyfriend?" Sooyoung asked.  

"Y-Yeah, a couple of years ago."  

"Okay, how was it?"  

"It was... normal? It didn't last long though, like a couple of months."  

Sooyoung nodded. "Did you kiss, or...?"  

"Y-Yes. One time." Chaewon fidgeted in her seat.  

"And did you like it?"  

"I didn't feel comfortable when he tried to do it, but it’s what you have to do when you have a boyfriend. I was just nervous because I’d never done it."  

"But you felt comfortable and you liked it when you kissed Hyejoo," Jiwoo said.  

Chaewon bit her lip and stared down, nodding.  

"Did you like any other boy after that?"  

"No. Honestly..." Chaewon said, but stopped. A gentle squeeze on her shoulder encouraged her to continue. "I was never interested in boys in general. I thought I would become more interested when it was time for me to get married."  

"See?" Jiwoo smiled. "It's not sudden, Chaewon. You just never thought about it."  

Sooyoung nodded in agreement. Chaewon felt her head spinning and her vision was going white.  

"I-I think I need to lay down."  

They helped her stand up and walk to her room.  

"You didn't get any rest since last night, did you?" Sooyoung asked, pulling the blanket over her tired body, and Chaewon shook her head. "Then rest, okay?"  

"I didn't forget about our lunch, so wake me up if I don't, okay?" Chaewon mumbled, the tiredness weighing her eyes down.  

"Alright. And Chaewon, don't overthink it. Just... be honest with yourself. And don't forget we're here for you. We’ve both been where you are now. You’re not alone."  

Chaewon gave her a weak nod and Sooyoung smiled, kissing her forehead.  

She didn't realize how tired she was, and even though her mind was a mess of questions and doubts, she let her eyes close. She would think about it later.  

---  

Chaewon woke up with a huge appetite. She had lost count of how many hours passed since the last time she ate something at all.  

"I need the biggest hamburger, a large dose of fries and a large coke." Chaewon's stomach rumbled as they left their dorm.  

"Five Guys?" Jiwoo suggested.  

"Is that a hamburger place?"  

Sooyoung gasped. "You don't know about it?! Five Guys, burgers and fries?"  

"No, but that looks like greasy junk food so I'm in. Where is it?" Chaewon hurried her pace, walking in a random direction.  

"Hold on, Chaewon, it's not a walkable distance." Jiwoo grabbed her jacket, yanking her back. "I'll call an Uber."  

After a few minutes, Chaewon saw a way too familiar black, chic car approaching. She felt like running away, but her legs wouldn’t respond even if she wanted to.  

It pulled over, the passenger window sliding down with a cheeky Hyejoo wiggling her eyebrows at them.  

“Did someone call an Uber?” She stepped outside Juju and leaned against it. “Son Hyejoo and Son Juju at your service.” She patted the roof of her car.  

Both Chaewon and Sooyoung glared at Jiwoo, who had a mischievous smile on her lips.  

“To Five Guys, miss Hyejoo.”  

“Alright ma’am, please get in.” Hyejoo opened the passenger’s door and shot Chaewon a smirk as Jiwoo and Sooyoung entered the car. “The front seat is reserved for you.”  

Chaewon gulped. Her breath had been stuck on since the moment she saw Hyejoo, and the emotions hitting her made her dizzy. How was she supposed to act? She didn’t have time to process anything at all yet, and she had to face Hyejoo already. She wasn’t ready.  

She followed Hyejoo and got in the front passenger's seat, taking a look back. Sooyoung fumed like a bull, her clenched jaw visible.  

“Alright, ladies and no gentlemen, buckle your seat belts, as we’re starting our ride. Destination: delicious kingdom of greasy and caloric, but so comforting food, Five Guys," Hyejoo said in broken English, with flight attendant voice.  

As always, Jiwoo snorted, hitting Hyejoo’s seat, while Sooyoung rolled her eyes and Chaewon giggled nervously.  

The ride was quiet, not as awkward as Chaewon thought it would be, and at least her heart was able to calm down for a bit.  

That is, until after placing their order, Sooyoung called Jiwoo for a second, meaning Chaewon and Hyejoo would go ahead to choose a table.  

“Gowon,” Hyejoo called, so soft it ended up drawing her eyes to hers. “How are you feeling?”  

A mess, fighting an internal battle against the memories from mere hours ago, of Hyejoo’s body, her touches, her kisses, her voice calling for her name-  

“F-Fine.” She took a long breath.  

“You sure?” Hyejoo asked, the same worried voice, and her hand made way to Chaewon’s, who flinched with the sudden touch. “Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.”  

Chaewon shook her head. “I’m okay.”  

“I’m very happy, Gowon, as you probably noticed.” She grinned. “Are you happy?”  

Yes? No? Chaewon wished she knew the answer.  

"Sorry guys." Jiwoo's voice made Chaewon straighten herself up and retreat her hand, as she cleared . "I'm starving, I hope the food arrives soo- oh there's our order!"  

"I'll help you." Hyejoo stood up with Jiwoo.  

"Sorry, Chaewon," Sooyoung said, with her voice low. "I had no idea Jiwoo would do this. It was also not her intention to make you feel bad, she's just... clueless and impulsive sometimes. I’m sure she was trying to help."  

"It's okay, I also never said I didn't want to be with her. And maybe I actually needed to be with her this soon to understand what... what's going on, with all of this, and me."  

Sooyoung gave her an apologetic smile. "Are you feeling better?"  

"I don't know." Chaewon sunk in her chair. "I don't understand what are these feelin-"  

Sooyoung nudged her as her eyes widened for a second and Chaewon heard steps.  

"Wonder Hyejoo and Super Jiwoo arrived to save you ladies from starvation!" Hyejoo said, placing a tray in front of her and Chaewon.  

She couldn't hold a chuckle. This was her favorite Hyejoo. The happy and goofy Hyejoo, with the smile that could light up the whole night sky or warm up a cold winter day-  

"The food's here, Gowon, not in me." Hyejoo pointed down.  

Chaewon blinked and snapped her head down.  

"Y-Yes, this looks delicious," she said, unwrapping her hamburger.  

"Just wait until you taste it." Jiwoo took a huge bite on hers and hummed in satisfaction.  

"Hm..." Chaewon chewed, her eyebrows drawing together. "Oh my goodness. Yah, why didn't anyone bring me here before?!"  

"You never said you wanted to eat burgers!" Hyejoo protested.  

"But you also never suggested!" Chaewon munched on a handful of fries.  

"I couldn't have known!"  

Jiwoo turned to Sooyoung, still frowning at them. "Is this a couple fight?"   

She knew she was heard when Chaewon glared at her. She leaned back on her chair feeling her cheeks warming up.  

"Yes, you wouldn't know. And it's not your job to take me to places as well, sorry," she said, her lips showing a small pout.  

"But I like to!" Hyejoo almost jumped in her chair. "As I said before, you just need to ask me if you wanna go somewhere or try something new!"  

"Try something new, is it..." Jiwoo mumbled, holding her laugh.  

"Kim Jiwoo, do you even know how to whisper?" Sooyoung sighed.  

Hyejoo opened to say something to Chaewon, but nodded instead with a small smile when she saw through the discomfort on her face.  

The rest of the meal went by peacefully, but there was this knot on Chaewon’s stomach that she thought food would solve.  

It didn’t, because Hyejoo was the cause. She couldn’t keep up with her thoughts, as her mind told her one thing and then the opposite in the next second. It was driving her mad already.  

Chaewon wouldn’t be able to live like that every day, spending time with Hyejoo while she didn’t know what to think or feel.  

After lunch and a walk downtown, Hyejoo drove them back to their dorm, but Chaewon couldn't leave without doing something first.  

“Y-You guys go ahead,” she said, getting inside Juju again, looking at a frowning Hyejoo.  

“Did you forget something?”  

Chaewon looked back to make sure her roommates went ahead. After they stepped inside the building, she turned to Hyejoo.  

“I need to talk to you.”  

Hyejoo’s hand grasped on the wheel and visibly contracted.  

“I’m sorry, saying it like that wasn’t a good idea.” Chaewon rested a hand on top of hers to ease the atmosphere. “I just want to be honest with you.”  

“Okay.”  

“I don’t regret what happened,” Chaewon started, because there was no use in taking deep breaths or beating around the bush. “I… I liked it. A lot.”  

And if felt like a hundred pounds were lifted from her chest. 

“Here comes the but…” Hyejoo sighed.  

“I need some time to process this, Hyejoo. It’s very new for me.”  

The barely noticeable tremble on Hyejoo’s lip made her heart clench.  

“Don’t make that face…” Chaewon whined. “You didn’t do anything wrong. You respected me and only did what I wanted you to. I don’t even mean I will stop talking to you, I promised I wouldn’t do that again.” She smiled, earning a small one from Hyejoo. “But this... other thing going on with us... I don’t know. Please understand that this is a lot to take in, Hyejoo," she continued, receiving a weak nod from her. “I can’t organize my head and understand what is going on with me if I’m always with you. I just need some time.”  

Hyejoo nodded, finally meeting her eyes. “I understand, Gowon. I’m happy that you didn’t regret it at least. And that you’re up to giving it some thought instead of running away.”  

“I like you too much for that.”  

Her heart always spoke for herself, and it also always made her face red with the sudden confessions.  

“I-I’ll be waiting, then,” Hyejoo said, her cheeks matching Chaewon’s.  

“Thank you for understanding, Hyejoo.”  

She nodded and it seemed like the conversation was over.  

Chaewon managed to keep it as casual as she could because she knew she was about to break and she couldn’t afford to now.  

“Okay, then, I-I’ll get going. They’re maybe wondering what happened so, yeah. Take care, Hyejoo. Don’t smoke and drink too much.”  

Hyejoo clicked her tongue. “You’re making it seem like we’re not gonna see each other again. Just go.”  

Chaewon smiled and her hand was already on the handle to open the door when her body froze.  

She turned to face Hyejoo again and leaned forward, cupping her cheek to place a soft kiss on her lips. She took a second to take in Hyejoo’s stunned features before leaving, at last, running inside the building, with her heart thumping so hard it hurt.  

It was worth the pain, though. 

---

A/N: Hello everyone ^-^

Thank you so much for all the reactions on the previous chapter! I'm so glad you enjoyed it, because it really is an important chapter, just like this one (even though their conversation was quite funny, it was very serious ahaha)

Hope you look forward to the next chapter and find out the results of Gowon's decision keke