“What do you mean there aren’t any rooms left?”

The concierge is unable to keep up with Yongsun’s icy stare for long. She opted to scroll through the computer and look back at her with genuine regret. “I’m sorry but there’s been a mix-up in the data. We’ll make sure to provide necessities for an extra person as soon as possible—”

“You can use all that effort to open a new room exactly as it has been requested weeks ago.” Yongsun cut her mercilessly. “If this is the best service this hotel can do, I can just make another—” 

A light tug to her arm causing her to halt the words. Before she can turn over another sound interrupt right next to her.

“It’s fine. There isn’t any room left, is it? We’ll take one room.” Wheein continued relaxingly, draining the tension of the conversation. “At least make sure all the necessities are available for us to spend the night comfortably.”

Broken out of her dazed state, the concierge nodded dumbly and proceeded to tinker with the data while Yongsun dragged Wheein near the rows of sofas in the hall. She whispered, “Wheein-ah, what are you doing? The fault is clearly on them. Let's see if I can push her to reserve another room.” Wheein holds her arm, giving Yongsun a look. “The poor lady was about to cry. We shouldn’t ruin someone’s day for lacking just one room.”

“But Wheein-ah…”

Having been partners for more than three years makes Yongsun get used to her secretary’s habit. She knows Wheein’s nature of needing some space after a long, draining day at work, thus the routine of booking two rooms on every working trip they went into (Wheein’s protesting on the suffering budget eventually died down as the older woman stayed without budging in her decision). 

“This is a suite room, unnie. Gosh, we are working on a budget here. Now,” She put her hands on the hip, raising a finger when Yongsun is about to say another word. “It’s already 1 AM and we need some repose for tomorrow.” 

--

It isn’t like Yongsun doesn’t know that everything is already under control.

The younger girl she gave chicken soup to years ago was already b with talent and with a Master’s degree under her sleeve, she was just a pearl ready to be polished.

Switching the TV channels just for the sake of clicking on a button, Yongsun’s eyes reflecting blipping lights that can cause a seizure for some people, but she doesn’t find it in her to care.

It’s been more than three years since Wheein left that jerk of a boyfriend to assist her in rebuilding Kim Corporation. Upon finding out about Hyejin and Moonbyul’s predicament, she is also lending a helping hand in tracking the syndicates behind the orphanages that took both Hyejin and Yongsun in the past. The mask started to crumble, but the whole journey is still far from the end. 

In those years, Yongsun had to admit pathetically that she cannot take a step closer to Wheein.

The shorter girl is an enigma. The kind that attracts her like the opposite end of the magnet. Yet Yongsun’s afraid that all she's got to step closer to is a zap. A burn that will destroy everything they had.

What did they even have in the first place?

The whole journey has been about Yongsun almost losing her ire at the whole fiasco and Wheein acting as the rein that keeps her calmer at most times. More like, every time.

And now they have found Moonbyul and everything seems to sort itself out, Yongsun didn’t know for what reason Wheein should stay. She is a bright girl destined for brighter things. There is simply no reason for Yongsun to make her stay.

The whole thought just causes a lodge in as Yongsun finally turns the TV off, taking several heavy breaths, turns the light off and covers herself completely under the duvet. 

Great. Now she is getting depressed and severely attached for no reason.

A melodious ring of the doorbell jolted her awake. With a realization, Yongsun jumps and jogs towards the door and opens it with a click, showing Wheein completely buried under the coat that Yongsun just lends to her before and a red nose. 

“How long have you been outside? You told me you just want to take fresh air!” Yongsun grumbled as she pulled the coat off Wheein, pushing her from the back, and quickly went to the kitchen, preparing something hot to fight the cold away.

“I am! It’s just, I bought some snacks for us to eat. The weather’s no joke though.”

Reprimanding is already at the tip of her tongue until it was stopped when Wheein unpacked the plastic bag, revealing a waft of spicy aroma that Yongsun knows so well. 

“Tteokbokki! Here,” Wheein offers one stick to Yongsun before digging in, huffing at the heat in . Yongsun pauses for a bit before jabbing it and pulling into , biting only half of the rice cake. This gets a curious look from Wheein, but she opted to continue anyway.

They have been together for so long that Wheein knows what ticks her off, her favorite color and food, but it feels like she is still at the first step. Perhaps the frustration finally gets to Yongsun, perhaps finally she is out of her mind this time.

“Why did you go outside for too long?”

“There’s this tteobokki truck stall across the street, and I just couldn’t help myself…”

“Your nose is red now. What will happen if you catch a cold? You just never listen. I already turned our location on and there seems to be no clinic or hospital nearby. What if something happened? What if—”

During the pregnant pause, Yongsun stops her speech, leaving them with an awkwardness that hung in the room and Wheein’s staring at her without blinking. 

Now she did it again. Being in control and not allowing the younger woman to breathe. How is she different from her ex? The idea itself is repulsive and Yongsun scrambled to the front, almost making Wheein fall with a shriek. “Kyah!”

“I will sleep in the living room. You can take this room, Wheein.”

“Wait, unnie—”

Whatever has been said is shut behind the door. A momentary horrible feeling left for the sole rudeness but there is no turning back; the damage has been done. With a complete resignation to her fate, Yongsun dumped the pillow and the blanket on the sofa and later threw herself on the back. 

O