My heart aches for the delay of the I&S debut AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA but as Irene says, let us "Wait with respect". I miss them all I miss them so much I miss ot5 I miss Wendy I miss them all aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Okay, so the last chapter became too long as I predicted so it was split into two parts, I'm really sorry for the inconsistency. I just feel like this last build up is important so I need to put it here.
The last chapter will be released in a few days then! I hope that you'll still like it till the end!!

Feel free to leave comments and votes!! Thank you guys so much for the wonderful thoughts. I love how you share your opinions with me, regardless of how long or short it is. Feel very free to put anything!! I will be forever thankful <3

The three idiots' POV

.

“Ladies, and girls. We are all gathered here today to discuss a very important matter.”

Three faces looked at each with a massive hostility accompanied with numerous nods for acknowledgement. Even a smallest tinge of movement can wreak havoc on the immeasurable weight of the solitude brought by the grave situation in hand.

They are in a trial between life and death… except they are in the middle of a cafeteria rather than court.

“Ummm…” One was brave enough to let out her voice and raise her trembling hands. Two sets of eyes followed the movement with intensity. The pony-tailed woman in question forcibly ignored the growing creeps out of terror and continued, in parallel to beg for her endangered life. “… I appreciate that I am included in this meeting but… why am I invited..?”

A wavy-haired woman raised her brow like Seulgi asked a ridiculous question. “Of course you’ll be included here. Why not?”

“I mean… D-don’t get me wrong. I appreciate the invite, but I was really genuinely curious as of why… I’m sorry if it seems provocative…”

Sooyoung shrugged her shoulders upon understanding the concern, which has entirely released the tension of everyone involved. “No worries, pretty. This will happen eventually anyways. Like, your bestie…” She pointed at Seulgi directly.  “…is the future lover of our bestie.” Her hand turned back to their direction. “So technically, you’re a part of us now.”

A short haired blonde beside Sooyoung nodded her head lazily. “On point, girl. Think of it as, you’re now our… best friend-in-law.”

“B-best friend-in-law…?!” Seulgi tried her best not to show her confusion with the direction of the conversation. “I’m not even sure if there’s such concept…"

“Relax, once they’re in front of the altar in a few years, it will be.” Yerim winked mischievously. “We just think in advance. We’re cool like that.”

“I... guess it makes sense?”

“Now that things have been cleared, let us now discuss the case.” Sooyoung sat straightly with grace as if she will recite a sacred speech in front of an important audience.

“I am expecting that all the present members here agree that Bae Joohyun and Son Seungwan is in dire need of a push.” Sooyoung looked at the two women consecutively. “As all of us can see it, both of them are hopeless.”

Seulgi and Yerim slowly nodded at their friend’s declaration. “It’s been three weeks since the last group’s lunch out. I downright, totally, absolutely felt Seungwan was going to drop the bomb soon… I mean, you all saw the stares right!? Cringe-y and romantic as hell, and Joohyun looked like a love-struck idiot who can’t stop grinning at all, so what’s stopping Seungwan to confessing? We need to make her realize it.”

“Wannie… she told me she’s looking for the right moment…” Seulgi cautiously revealed. “I’m sure she’s very careful because this is her first love and relationship. Not to cover her, but I guess she just wants it to be special for both of them…”

“That’s really sweet of her, but that’s one more reason for us to make a tiny push.” Yerim looked at Seulgi solemnly. “Being careful is normal, but being too careful may lead to consequential doubts and fall-outs. As much as possible, I don’t want them to reach that point. I want them to be happy with no regrets.”

“I want Wannie and Joohyun to be happy, too… really.” Seulgi affirmed to the two, and also to herself. “Alright. Let’s do this. I’ll take care of Wannie. What should we do?”

…

A long pause in the so-called court caused the three of them to heave an exasperated sigh. “Damn, we haven’t thought about what to do at all, have we? Any suggestions, Yerim-ah?”

“Why me first…?!” Yerim scrunched her brows. “Let’s see… What if we make Seungwan jealous? Like in those dramas… That can bring out some big emotions out of her once she saw Joohyun being close to another person intimately.”

“Uhm… I don’t think it’s a good idea for Wannie…” Seulgi pouted. “It might cause her to move farther to Joohyun rather than forward, especially she’s in the brink of confession… She’s not the type of person who tackles her emotions head on.”

“Ahh… I can see that.” The ‘council’ members nodded. “What about you, cutie? Any thoughts?”

“M-M-Me…? I don’t have any experiences in dating as well, so….” Seulgi nervously smiled. “What… What about flowers and serenades? Wannie has a lot of experience in those!”

“Nuh-uh.” Yerim raised her hand hastily. “Not public confessions. Not at all. Hyun-ah despises excessive attentions that bad.”

“O-oh.”

“What about expensive dates, then? Wines and… other stuff?” Sooyoung winked at Seulgi. “Maybe a bit of spice on romance is the key.”

“What are you talking about, woman? They can’t even hold hands yet!”

“Just think about it, that sudden wild swerve can be the push they need, you know?”

“Can you even imagine Hyun-ah initiating a kiss to Seungwan without looking like an agitated goldfish!?”

“Who knows?! I mean, they can gaze at each other all day long like those greasy couples as if they’d like to get a room or something…”

Suddenly.

The three idiots looked at each other with a big realization in sync.

“A room!!!”

Son Seungwan's POV

.

Son Seungwan was holding three boxes of pizza on her right hand, her left hand with a bottle of soda, and her heart screaming in madness as soon as she stood right outside the door to Joohyun’s apartment a day after Seulgi's council meeting. The woman in question hopped right beside her, hugging her bag with Seungwan’s on her shoulder with excitement.

She still could not believe it. What is happening?

“Seul, I still haven’t fully agreed to this, you know?” The brunette grimaced. “Why are we having an overnight suddenly in Joohyun’s apartment?!”

“Says you, but you even bought a pizza and soda for later.” Her best friend sheepishly smiled. “And don’t worry, Wannie. It’s five of us later with Sooyoung and Yerim. It will be fun!”

“Since when did you become so close with those two…? I swear, if you guys are planning something I’ll-”

“Not at all! You’re thinking too much.” Seulgi playfully pinched Seungwan’s doubting face with her free hand. “Like they said, it will happen eventually. You know, best friends-in-laws.”

“What the hell is a best friend-in-law—“

“Here are the beautiful ladies! Good evening!” Sooyoung opened the door with high enthusiasm at such a perfect timing. These idiots are planning something for sure.

“Come in! Tonight will be a blast.” The wavy haired in light green pajamas concluded as she smirked wickedly.

.

Seungwan entered the three women’s dormitory room engulfed with a loud thumping of her unstable heart. It still feels unbelievable. She never envisioned herself to stand inside the room of the most beautiful woman in their campus at all. But here she was, breathing heavily and looking straight at a timidly looking woman with a smile that clenched her heart so much, in red pajamas with bunny prints.

Her campus only? Not a chance, she’s the most beautiful woman in the world in her eyes.

“Hi, Wan-ah.” Joohyun let out a voice so sweet.

“Hi.” Seungwan answered absentmindedly. She can keep looking at Joohyun all night she won’t mind at all. “You look beautiful tonight."

“You’re not so bad yourself.” Joohyun playfully eyed her light blue pajama with numerous hamster prints. “It’s so cute. I like it.”

“Thanks. I like it too.”

“Don’t tell me we’ll endure this grease the whole night.” Sooyoung exaggeratedly grunted as she grabbed the pizza and soda from her defenseless hands and settled the table. “I’m starting to think that bringing them in a same room was a bad idea.”

“This is a five-girl event, not a couple flirting bonanza, okay?” Yerim opened the box of pizza hastily and grabbed one slice. “Mmm, delicious. Seulgi! Brought the movies?”

“Oh, yes!” Seulgi raised her palm with a small USB clutched. “This little guy’s ready to go!”

“Lovely, like the owner.” Sooyoung winked at the pony-tailed woman and grabbed Seungwan and Joohyun to the center of the room. “All right, let’s go ladies! Movie marathon time!”

.

It was nearing midnight and they are down to their third movie.

The first two movies were chick-flick teenage romance movies with a linear plot of: the man fell in love, the man courts the girl, a conflict arises but it was easily fixed with the weight of their love, and they confess with each other to conclude the movie. It was Seulgi’s cup of tea. She’s a great lover of romance regardless of the complexities of the story, and Seungwan might not be a full appreciator of the genre, but she still liked what her best friend enjoys, regardless.

Cold air barged in the small spaces of their little group. The three in the sofa: Yerim, Seulgi, and Sooyoung moved closer with their blankets wrapped perfectly around their shoulders. The two devil incarnates leaned on Seulgi’s shoulders as she comfortably slouched to support the two women properly. The thought warmed Seungwan’s heart, which their duo slowly, finally grew into a group of loving people ever since of the woman on the floor sitting beside her changed her life.

She observed the raven haired as she noticed her focus was fully on the movie-playing screen. Her hands were wrapped around her own arms, as if she was trying to shelter herself with the cold. She did not raise this concern to Seungwan for some unknown reasons, and it did not settle in well with her.

It bothered Seungwan to the fullest.

She lightly grabbed the free blanket on her lap and opened it to precisely wrap it around her and Joohyun’s shoulders. The action caused Seungwan to scoot closer to the raven haired, making their shoulders bump side by side.

That bump, instantly it erupted a massive flow of electricity all throughout Seungwan’s body, the cold air can’t even compete.

Joohyun looked at her mysteriously. Seungwan gulped. Oh boy. “For warmth.” Act natural and cool. Act natural and cool.

The contemplating woman must had let it pass since she looked back on the screen, much serious than before. Seungwan attempted to do the same. The movie is now showing the leading man, now agitated, sprinted to reach out the woman before her supposed flight. It was the , she deduced. The atmosphere of the room was slowly getting intensified so she tried to adjust her position with her right hand-

Another cold hand has invaded her sense of feeling.

An uncontrollable flinch caused her to retreat her own hands much to her frustrating dismay, which she quickly settled just a half centimetres away from the hand in topic.

She always thought this scenarios only happens in movies.

Seungwan was never a fan of romance genre due to how small of a sweet gesture was portrayed, she was uncomfortable as a young woman in twenties watching a character depicted giving flowers as something that would enlighten their whole world, or a kiss would be like an exploding bomb that would illuminate a thousand cities on how strong the impact it had. Of course, hand holding was one of those gestures that was romanticized exaggeratedly in her opinion. She held hands with a lot of people before, albeit platonic, and it wasn’t life changing. She always thought the touching of skin is intimate enough to show a person that you trust them, but it will never be a remarkable experience.

It was only touching of a skin, it should not make her feel this tremendously crazy.

She prayed that moment to all of the gods she knew to give her the push. She made the slightest nudge enough for the butterflies in her stomach to do the most intense somersault. She made another move and shakily raised her pinky finger to intertwine with the nearest finger she can grasp.

She let out a faintest exhale of relief when Joohyun did not move her hand. It is a sign to move her hand more, right? She nervously peeked at the woman, whom she noticed, was not moving since a few lot minutes ago.

Her breathing hitched.

She saw a subtle shade of beautiful red on the tip of Joohyun’s ears, with her eyes closed accompanied with an unstable huff from her soft lips.

Joohyun was feeling the same way. An overflowing pleasure ruptured all the sanity that has remained from Seungwan.

It felt like all the force in the world nudged her hand to move in an assertive manner and she fully intertwined all of her fingers with Joohyun’s.

And it felt like all the force in the universe galvanized her heart when she felt Joohyun held her hand back tighter.

Damn to hell those romance movies. Every description depicted in all those movies was a total understatement on how holding the hand of someone as ethereal as Joohyun felt like.

And suddenly, in perfect synchronization, three voices rampaged their eardrums in perfect synchronization.

“Hell yes, finally!!!! Oh my god!!!”

The two of them turned around instantly with panic and Seunwan swore she saw a three pair of widened eyes looking at their locked hands, which was instantly flickered to the big screen. These s.

“Wow, look Yerim-ah! The leading man has finally made a move!! I can’t believe it took us five hours, my goodness.”

“Ugh, totally. I actually thought nothing will happen at all, especially the lead’s so slow it was stressful. Damn finally.”

“Uhm, guys… the movie is only an hour, not five…”

“Oh right, right. The movie, it’s only an hour but the lead’s been in stale for around a month, I can’t believe we’re rooting for someone so weak.”

“I’m so proud of the lead’s progress, really. Good job, Seungwan. We’re proud of you.”

“Hey.” Seungwan suspiciously hissed. “Are we still talking about the same movie here?!”

“Of course, we are.” Sooyoung smirked. “Now let’s go back to the movie, there might be a kissing scene soon.”

“Yah, Sooyoung-ah! This is a Safe for Work movie marathon!”

“Hah, as if you don’t read rated M novels every midnight, Yerim-ah. I know your browsing history.”

“Oh my god, I did not ask to be exposed like this!!!”

The rest of the movie was left playing on the background after Yerim threw a pillow right in front of Sooyoung’s face, which later on became a full scale pillow fight within the five friends. Pizzas and soda droplets were all over the place, in addition of numerous laughter in all directions.

Unbeknownst to the chaos, Seungwan and Joohyun never let go of their entangled hands all throughout the night.

.

Seungwan’s eyes flickered rigorously and slowly deciphered the unknown ceiling that welcomed her uneasy consciousness. Oh right. She was having a sleepover in Joohyun’s dorm. She slowly rose her body and observed the remaining four women deep in slumber with their own mats across the living room. It was a very heartwarming view and she wants to savor it more, unfortunately is in dire need of water first.

Before she stood up, she looked at the woman on her right. A few strands for black hair was barricading the view from her eyes as if it was blocking a small glimpse of a delicate paradise. She reached out slowly, and faintly nudged the strands, and she was tongue tied once again.

Her hands slowly slid down to cup her cheeks gently. It gave her a bloom of realization that this is how heavenly it would feel if she can hold Joohyun’s face like this. She wanted to caress her cheeks longer. She wanted to hold her hand longer. She wanted to kiss her.

And maybe, she wanted to be hers as well.

Her hand stopped moving and frustratingly closed her eyes. Can she really do it? If it took her all an unimaginably long time just to hold her hand, what more to confess to Joohyun?

Her harsh anxiety pulled her back to her unforgiving reality. She retracted her hand faintly and rose up to make her way to the kitchen. Maybe she needed a warm tea to smoothen her thoughts than water? She then turned the boiler on and leaned on the kitchen counter to support her weight while waiting.

“...Are you okay?”

A sleepy voice nuzzled her ears like a lullaby. She raised her head to see a groggy Joohyun with disheveled hair slowly walking through her direction. She’s still so damn beautiful and it’s giving her heart hard punches in 3 a.m. in the morning, much harder than coffee or tea, or heck, even anything.

“Hey, Hyun.” Seungwan exhaled. “Yeah, totally okay. It was a very fun night. It’s always lively with them.”

“True. Their presence always gives me strength, that’s why I don’t know what I would do without them, to be honest.”

“Just don’t listen to them that much. It might drag your life into an unnecessary direction and misery.”

“Oh, I’m always keeping that in mind as I make my decisions around them. Don’t worry.” Joohyun chuckled softly and leaned in the counter opposite to Seungwan’s.

“You’re thinking about something.”

“Hmmm?”

“I’ve been with you for a while to notice it. What is currently running in that beautiful mind of yours?”

There’s no point in lying, isn’t it?

“You.”

The raven-haired woman inexplicably looked at her. The tension within them is getting thicker as time passes by, but she can’t let it overwhelm them.

“Also the sleeping idiots, your dorm… the tea, anything.”

Joohyun unexpectedly smiled and answered amusingly. “What a coincidence, I’m also thinking about you.”

“Oh, really? Looks like we have a lot in common more than I thought.”

“Much better. The more common things we have, the more you’ll fall in love with me.”

Love. Again. Joohyun told her those words numerous times it sometimes felt like it was easy. Seungwan was always amazed on how straightforward she was, on how sure she was. Meanwhile right now she’s struggling to even let out just an ounce of her exponentially growing emotions to Joohyun, always relying on opportunities and occasions. Can she really catch up to Joohyun at this point?

“Joohyun.”

“Hmmm?”

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Always, my dear.”

Seungwan tried to ignore the faint flutter of her heart from that term of endearment.

“How can you say that it’s really ‘Love’?” “What is love for you, Joohyun?”

Joohyun looked at her and paused for a long time. Only the sound of dripping water from the sink and unrecognizable snores in a distance were heard to cover the lull of the uncertainty.

Seungwan pondered. It was a complicated question, now that she look at it. Maybe she shouldn’t have asked it. She tried to mask the layer of her disappointment with an expectation that she may not receive an answer and continue with their talk-

“This is the first time I’ve experienced it all so I’m not a good judge of it, but…”

Joohyun inhaled. Her hands clutched like to guard her heart so fragile.

“I just knew that one day, I am in love with you when you made me realize each and every range of emotion that I have finally felt.”

“That’s really vague of an answer, you know…?”

“The fact that it’s vague is also my answer. You can’t really define love, to be honest.”

 Joohyun smiled at her with a sincerity that can make her feel so soft. Too soft for her own liking.

“You’ll understand and feel it someday, and I really hope that it will be me, Seungwan.”

It’s like everything froze. At that moment, Seungwan felt that click she had been looking for all her life.

A surge of courage she didn’t expect opened .

“What if it's you?”

Joohyun blinked at her filled with uncertainty. “What..?”

This is it.

She’s going for it.

“Joohyun,”

She'll say the most important three words.

I love you.

“I-“

Pipipipipipipipi.

The sound of the boiler crushed the moment like a glass, she suddenly felt like a deflated balloon.

Damn it to hell.

“I-I-I’ll…” She felt like she wanted to cry out of disappointment. “I’ll go make some tea.” She moved but a hand held her arm in place.

“…You almost said something. Seungwan, what is it that you wanted to say?” She was almost sure there were building tears in Joohyun’s eyes. “Please?”

It felt like the universe conspired at that moment to stop her from her confession.

“…Seungwan, is that you in the kitchen? Are you boiling something?” A Sooyoung-like voice echoed from the living room. “Can you make one for me, too? My head hurts.”

“All right.” Seungwan affirmed. She slowly turned to Joohyun and gently dismissed her hand. “I feel like this is not the right time yet. I’ll tell you soon.”

With her free hand, she raised to cup Joohyun’s fearful face.

“I’ll be there, real soon. Please wait for me, okay?”

Joohyun can’t help but exhaled all her worries away. She looked at Seungwan with a declaration.

“I will. Always.”

.

.

Seungwan walked slowly on their way home from the sleepover like she was carrying the weight of her failed confession in a form of an invisible hollow blocks on her shoulders. She did not sleep well at all after her talk with Joohyun. The ceiling and dreading became much more interesting than closing her eyes at that moment.

“That was a good overnight!” Seulgi happily muttered. She clung her arms to Seungwan to check on her friend. “The five of us became closer after today, don’t you think?”

“Yeah… much closer.” The word closer felt like she’s spitting fire. She was supposed to be real closer with Joohyun. A sigh involuntarily escaped her lips.

“I’m glad.” Seulgi nodded. “Yerim and Sooyoung… They’re very rooting for you.”

This statement stopped her tracks.

“Really? Those two evil incarnates?”

“Yes. I was really happy.” Seulgi petted her best friend’s hair. “You’re the one that will make Joohyun genuinely happy, that’s what they feel. And I think so, too.”

The wind engulfed them along with the warmth of encouragement from her dearest friend that she needed the most at that moment. “So go for it, whichever your heart decided, Wannie. We’re here all for you.”

A smile finally started to grow on her face. Her heart felt warm. She’s very, very lucky for such a good friends in life.

If the universe conspired to stop her for confessing, then she just needs to fight the universe, right?

“Seul, I’ve decided. I’m going to confess to her tomorrow.”