Amber finally fulfilling her promise and landed in Seoul. She called Krystal and informed Krystal to be ready picking her up since she already out from the gate. Krystal actually wanted to wait for Amber inside at the airport, but she afraid that the fans caught her and plus, she knew she would not be able to hold the urge to ran to Amber and pounce on her as soon as she sees Amber. So Krystal decided just to wait at the car and pick Amber up when she already outside.

“Babyyyyy!!!”, Krystal squealed happily when Amber entered the car. Her heart pounding so hard as she was so excited to finally meet her Illama after a long time.

Amber grinned. She waited until the car move a bit far away from the airport, then she kissed Krystal’s cheek. “I miss you so much, princess”.

“This is all your fault!!!”, suddenly Krystal pouted while driving.

“Huh? Why suddenly?”, Amber furrowed her eyebrows.

“You didn’t come here quickly so I have to wait few more days until I meet you now. You make me miss you like crazy”

Hearing her princess whined, Amber immediately took one of Krystal’s hand and kissed her knuckle several times. “I am sorry, princess. But now I am here, right? I can’t wait to be home and do things with you.”, Amber giggled.

“YAH! The first thing on your mind when you saw me is ert thing???”, Krystal glared at Amber and let go of her hands from Amber’s grip.

Amber laughed. “Aniiyaa.. Not that ‘thing’.. – Well, that ‘thing’ too of course… aawwww ----” Amber flinched when Krystal smacked her head, but then she took Krystal’s hand and intertwined their fingers again.  “I mean, I just can’t wait to spend time with you, Soojungie..”

They stopped at the coffee shop for a while to have a snack and drink some hot coffee. They had a good laugh and Krystal was enjoying every second with Amber by teasing her and pampering her, treating her as if Amber was a cute little puppy.

“Ah, I almost forgot.”, Krystal said and took out a small bag from the back seat of her car when they were already inside the car, ready to go home. “Here, your Christmas present.”

Amber’s face turned bright when she saw the present from Krystal and quickly opened it. It was a Louis Vuitton scarf in gray colour.

“oh wow!!!”, Amber was amazed to see the expensive gift Krystal gave her. But she really liked it. The scarf design is simple with neutral colors, just fit with Amber’s style. She admired the scarf for a while with a smile formed on her lips.

“You like it?”, Krystal asked, hoping that Amber satisfied with her present.  

“I love it!!!”, Amber grinned and tried the scarf right away, showing it to Krystal. “Thank you, princess.”, then she gave a peck on Krystal’s lips.

But Krystal was not ready to let go of Amber’s lips. She captured the lips again just before Amber could retrieve her face. The kiss turned into a passionate kiss for a while before both of them realized that they were kissing inside the car and there’s a chance that people might see it.

“Naughty Krystal. It seems that I am not the one with ert mind.”, Amber smiled mischievously and wiggled her eyebrow, teasing Krystal after they pulled apart.

“Shut up!”, Krystal pouted, but she blushed remembering her fail to hold her desire to kiss Amber.

After they reached Krystal’s house, Jessica was already there to welcome Amber as well. The three of them had a wonderful afternoon chat before Jessica finally excuse herself to go home because she wanted to give space the couple to enjoy their moment.

Later that evening, Amber and Krystal went out to have dinner in a fancy restaurant in Gangnam. The dinner was supposed to be a belated new Year’s celebration for both of them. Amber was so excited, it’s been a long time since she took Krystal out for a date. The restaurant serves a mix of Korean and Western food, with wine as a complement. They booked a private room in order to minimize the chance of getting caught by the fans or paparazzi. Both of them just wanted to enjoy their date in a private manner.

“How’s the preparation for the tour, Am?”, Krystal asked while cutting the meat which was served on the plate.

“Almost done. “, Amber said with the food still in . “I was just thinking to add some funny stuff though. Maybe I will do some cosplay or something.”, she chuckled.

Krystal laughed. “I am sure you are an expert of embarrassing yourself.”

“You’re going, right? At least to one of my concert?”, Amber asked, she sipped her wine.

“Of course. I still don’t know which one, but I will figure it out. I am planning to go to the US anyway.”, Krystal nodded.

“Oh by the way…”, Krystal added. “Do you want to have dinner with my family maybe tomorrow or the day after tomorrow?”

“Yeah, sure.”, Amber replied without the need of thinking twice. Their family have known each other for a long time since Amber and Krystal were trainees and it was already become an usual thing for Amber to have dinner with Krystal family, or vice versa.  

“I want to tell them, Am. About us. Then maybe we can tell your parents too.”

Amber stopped eating once she heard what Krystal just said. She looked at Krystal in a blank expression, didn’t know how to respond to that.

“What????”, Amber blinked, she didn't mean to sound shocked, but her voice came out louder than she expected.

Krystal knew that this will surprise Amber. But she thought that her relationship with Amber was quite stable and mature already. They can't hide this relationship forever from their parents, especially if they want this relationship to move to the next level.

“It’s about time don’t you think?”, Krystal put her knife and fork down. She knew that she needed to discuss this seriously with Amber.

“But… but… --- I am..— Why now? I mean.. We just got back together and… and it’s .. –“, Amber stumbled in her words.

“What? Well, you have done some thinking about our future, right? I thought… -- You know I am serious with you and I really want this relationship going forward. I want our parents’ blessing.”, Krystal reasoned.

Amber sighed. “Krys…, yes sometimes I think about what our future would be like. But it does not mean that it should happen now so we need to tell our family about us now. I am not ready for this.”

Amber got panicked. She can't imagine what will happen to her parents if she said that she is dating Krystal. And she can't and it's better not to imagine what would happen.  She was scared to imagine how her father would go angry, how her mother would disappointed and cried, or worst, they would not want acknowledge her as their daughter anymore.

“We cant hide this relationship forever from them, Amber.”, Krystal said again, she leaned on her chair and folded her arms.

Amber took a deep breath to calm herself. “Krystal… I can’t. Not now. I am not ready. You know my parents. They will not approve this. They --- “

“Do you think my parents will go easy on this??”, Krystal’s tone of voice starts to rise slightly, she moved herself towards Amber. “My parents are Asian parents too. They also conservative parents. What’s the difference than yours?”

“That’s why we do not need to tell them now!”, Amber retorted. “Eventhough our parents have lived long enough in the States, they are still Asian. No. I can’t imagine… -- Just no.”, Amber said sternly.

“But they are okay with you being you, having tattoo and stuff?”, Krystal tried to be more positive about Amber’s parents.

“Tattoo and being androgynous are different than being gay! It’s more… it’s not acceptable in some way.. just no!”, Amber shook her head over and over again.  

“You do not want our relationship to move forward?”, Krystal asked. A disappointment can be sensed in her tone.  

“Of course I do. But not now!!”

“So what? Until when we are going to be like this? I feel like a teenager sneaking around behind their parents. We’re both adult. And I love you!”, Krystal groaned in frustration.

“I love you too, Krys. But what if they don’t accept us? What if they get angry and separate us?”, Amber’s tone also get higher to another octave.

“Why cant you be more positive??”, Krystal scoffed, she looked away and didn’t want to look at Amber’s face. “And if they want to separate us then what? You’re going to break up with me?? Is that really easy for you to let me go??”

Amber gritted her teeth, getting annoyed to know that Krystal would doubt her love to Krystal. “That’s not what I meant!! God, Krystal!! I love what we have now, it’s perfect! Why add more trouble if we can enjoy what we have now???”, Amber didn’t realize that her voice was getting louder.

“Sooner or later we have to face it anyway, Amber!! What’s the difference??”, hearing Amber's loud voice, Krystal raised her tone as well. 

“But not now! I told you not now!!!”, Amber almost yelled this time. 

“And you have not answered my questions. Will you give up on me that easy if our parents disapprove us?”, Krystal repeated her questions again.

“No, of course not!!”, Amber answered. “But ----“

Amber felt her head spinning and her stomach flipped. She lost her focus and she did not know what to think and what to answer anymore. She stood up from her chair, making Krystal startled.

“Where are you going??”, Krystal asked her in panic.

“I… --- I just need to use the restroom.”, Amber stuttered. But quickly dragged herself out from the private room.

Amber washed her face in the restroom, then tried to face her own reflection in the mirror.  She knew her answer disappoints Krystal. But she can't lie to herself that there was a fear in her to open her relationship with Krystal to her parents and to Krystal’s parents. It’s just too much for her. She was fully understand that sooner or later she has to deal with this, but she was not ready for that obstacle right now.

When Amber came back to their table, Krystal has wiped with her napkin, leaning in her chair carelessly with sad eyes. Half of her food was still untouched and the wine bottle was nothing near empty.

“I am not hungry anymore.”, she said and looked at Amber. “Let’s just go home.”

Amber bit her lip. This dinner which supposed to be fun and romantic has turned into a disaster one. But she just kept quiet and followed Krystal.

They journey back to Krystal’s apartment filled with uncomfortable silence. Krystal just driving without once looking at Amber. Amber was torn, whether to hold Krystal’s hand or should just stay still. She misses Krystal a lot, but the situation was now awkward between them. Regardless the lack of any words between them, their mind was actually full of chaos and spoke so many thoughts.

Sensing the awkward situation, Amber actually wanted to offer that she better stay at the hotel tonight instead of at Krystal’s place.

“Look, I better stay at ho ---“, before Amber can voice her mind, Krystal cut her.

“No. Stay here with me.”, Krystal said after she parked her car.

“But Krys… ---“

“I miss you, Am.”, Krystal said softly. “I know we had… uhm.. – argument. But I still miss you.”, Krystal added, her tone was stern, but sounded genuine.

Amber smiled and nodded. “Okay.”

They walked into the house in silent. They both knew that they still hold the grudge but they didn't dare to talk about it further. They only spoke as needed and when they were in bed, they each just lay there in silence.

Krystal finally made a move first and scooted closer to Amber. Amber sighed in relieve and open her arms, welcoming Krystal on her embrace. They were in that position for a long time but nobody dare to speak. This time, they only tried to cure each other's longing, by feeling the cuddling warmth.

“I… --- I better go to sleep.”, finally Krystal broke the silence. “Goodnight, Am.”, she said as she gave a peck on Amber’s lips. Then she let herself go from Amber’s hug and getting into a sleep position. She rolled over so her back was facing Amber now.

Amber let out a heavy sigh. She stared at Krystal’s back, there was a pang of guilt in Amber’s heart. This girl supposed to be her future.  Whatever happens, Krystal will remain as her universe. Was she that afraid of the obstacles that they would face? Does Amber not trust her love enough to fight together with Krystal?