it’s been four years since they shared their first kiss under the watchful gaze of the spring moon, both blushing and undeniably, impossibly happy. now, chaewon was a third year in college while minjoo was a second year. despite going to different colleges, they found a place right in the middle of the two so that they could still live together.

they’ve fought, they’ve struggled, they’ve forgiven, they’ve loved---their relationship was a beautiful one that endured it all. chaewon loved her so, so much, and, despite all the insecurities, she knew minjoo loved her just as much.

they didn’t care too much about being all secretive. minjoo was a little more anxious about it than she was, but minjoo also had more on the line if someone (her parents) found out. chaewon didn’t have any such problem, but she made sure that minjoo was comfortable. she cared about her more than anything or anyone else.

which was why she was trying to cook spaghetti for her beloved girlfriend, you know, to surprise her when she finished her classes for the day.

emphasis on trying.

when do i know if this is done cooking or not? do i stick my finger in the--OW no ok bad idea.

she just stands there staring at the noodles swimming around in the boiling pot.

what do i do with this

there’s a ladle on the counter; it looks like it’s good for scooping water.

perfect!

she takes the ladle and starts to spoon out the water and takes it to the sink. at the same time, another pot holds the sauce (for some reason she didn’t think to just put the sauce in the pasta once the water’s gone, but she’s also here ladling out water instead of using a strainer).

“JESUS CHRIST CHAEWON WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”

huh?

it seems like minjoo’s home but why is she---

oh.

it’s burning.

my bad.

minjoo runs towards her and pulls the sauce off of the stove, spraying cold water over the pot. chaewon hadn’t thought to stir it at all and instead just left it sitting there on the stove. once the danger was averted, she turned around and faced chaewon with her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed.

“oops?” chaewon smiles innocently with shrugged shoulders.

“i wanted to make you spaghetti to surprise you!” she pouted while making a little heart with her hands.

minjoo sighed dramatically and rolled her eyes but walked over and wrapped her arms around chaewon’s neck anyways.

“what did i say about you cooking?”

“to be careful?”

“try again.”

“...to never do it.”

minjoo smiles and kisses her on the cheek while chaewon pouts even harder.

“you know i love and appreciate you, but try not to burn our house down?”

“i guess,” she mumbles back grumpily but still wraps her arms around minjoo’s waist.

“good.”

minjoo smiles cutely at chaewon and gives her a quick peck. as she pulls away, she feels chaewon trying to pull her deeper into the kiss.

“no!” she laughs while pushing chaewon away.

“why not?”

“because someone has to clean up the mess you made and make something edible so that we don’t die and/or starve.”

“fine,” she drawls, stealing one last kiss. minjoo flicks her forehead playfully, inciting a whine from the shorter.

“go clean up your mess and then set up the table, okay?”

“yes ma’am.”

“don’t touch anything else!”

chaewon just sticks her tongue out.

~~~

“i’m just saying, i could probably make spaghetti if i tried again--”

“no. the answer is no.”

“but--”

“NO.”

she buries her head into minjoo’s hair and grumbles about how mean she is. they were now on the couch after eating minjoo’s much more successful spaghetti. chaewon was settled besides minjoo with her arms wrapped securely around her waist. there was something playing on the TV, but right now she was just focused on how nice minjoo’s hair smelled. well, that and whining about how mean minjoo was.

“okay, okay, we’ll make it together next time?”

she giggles at chaewon’s little “yay!” and turns around to give her a kiss. it’s only when their lips connect does she vaguely register the jostling of the doorknob.

“what is this?”

the two of them freeze at the voice.

no way.

“what is this!”

the two of them jump up hurriedly and minjoo gulps audibly at the looks of shock, disappointment, and rage.

her parents.

how did they even get in here? how did--

it dawns on her.

she forgot to lock the door when she saw the sauce burning on the stove.

her eyes are glued to her feet, not knowing what to say. she wasn’t sure there was anything she could say to make this any better. she sneaks a little glance up and notices the bag slumped onto the floor.

ah, they were coming to bring food.

that’s all she could bring her mind to do, think about the bags on the floor.

she can see chaewon fidgeting out of the corner of her eye. it looks like she’s about to say something.

“i--”

“you!”

chaewon flinches. the sound of the TV drones on quietly in the background, ignored entirely. the shout is twice as loud and a thousand times more heart-dropping.

“how could you do this! and you!”

minjoo’s mom suddenly turns to her own daughter.

“what are you thinking! a girl? are you stupid? i thought we raised you better than this!”

“i love her!” she screams out suddenly. she was indignant, certainly. afterall, she had implied that being with chaewon was some sort of sin, something that should cause disgust. she knew that this was anything but. so, she grabs chaewon’s hand and feels a light squeeze.

she feels stronger now.

“what?” her dad asks incredulously.

“i love her.”

she’s unwavering, firm. if her parents wanted to agonize her for it, then so be it.

her mom is suddenly hysterical.

“don’t be crazy! out of all people, this girl? the orphan? her parents didn’t even want her! no one wanted her! she’s going to a mediocre college, no money--”

“be quiet!”

minjoo is absolutely livid at this point. how dare she talk about chaewon like that? chaewon was sweet, caring, smart, considerate, silly, whiny---she was everything good and more and she loved her with her entire heart. what hurt even more was that she knew chaewon was just taking it all and secretly agreeing with every statement.

“you’re wrong!”

she feels like she can lose control at any moment, but the one thing she takes care in controlling is her hand, only because she doesn’t want to squeeze chaewon’s too tightly.

“am i? am i, minjoo? she’s probably going to work at that shop for the rest of her life! and for what? so she can pay to go to that lowly college? so she can contribute pennies to the rent? she doesn’t even know what she’s going to do with her life! but we all know exactly where that’ll be: the exact same place she’s at now! look at her!”

she looks and loses her rage instantly.

“chaewon-ah,” minjoo calls out softly, running her thumb over chaewon’s knuckles.

it takes everything in her power not to break down in tears at the look on chaewon’s face. she looked so defeated, so hurt, her head hanging low. even so, she still tries to flash a weak smile at minjoo to let her know she’s okay.

you’re not okay.

“see! she knows we’re right! jesus, not only are you with a girl, but this worthless, useless, unwanted---”

“STOP IT!”

she can’t help the tears starting to stream down her face. no one could say that about chaewon, no one. they’re all lies, every single one of them. chaewon deserves love and respect and kindness and affection, not this.

“i love her! i want to spend the rest of my life with her, and there’s nothing you can do to change that!”

minjoo’s father stays silent as her mother takes a deep breath. her gaze becomes as hard as steel.

“fine.”

“what?”

huh? fine?

“fine. if you want to choose this lifestyle, then so be it, but don’t even think about coming back to this family.”

minjoo stared wide-eyed at her mother, desperately trying to lock eyes with her father as well, but he was looking everywhere else. she saw chaewon’s head snap up with the same stunned, bewildered look her visage now held.

“don’t ever consider yourself as part of this family until you’ve got your head on correctly. you’re a disappointment, and it saddens me that you’d let all of your potential go to waste because you decided to attach yourself to this girl. i knew from the moment we met that she’d be bad news, and it looks like i was right. you can come back once you realize your mistake, but only then. then, we can get you with a well-educated, handsome, nice man that will be able to take care of you.”

she sharply turns towards the door, and without turning around, she delivers one final sentence.

“you’re just as bad as your pathetic sister.”

and with that, both of her parents walk away out of her life, possibly forever.

she falls to the ground still holding onto chaewon’s hand. gentle, loving arms wrap around her and just hold her tightly without saying anything. minjoo couldn’t help the wave of tears that broke through, couldn’t help the sobs she was choking on. she didn’t think it would happen like this. she didn’t realize this would break her family.

again.

but minjoo thought it would all be okay if chaewon was with her, because chaewon would always be her one constant.

she didn’t realize how quickly she’d take that for granted.