This is it, the final chapter!!! I can't believe I managed to finish this ajksdjlkasdjlkas

Thank you so much for sticking with me all the way!
This story and everyone's comments gave me a lot of motivation to write again actively. I will be forever thankful to everyone that supported me all the way! And always, I am and will be wholeheartedly grateful.

Lastly, I hope this story, as it come to end, will bring a small comfort in the midst of all the events happening around us.

Stay safe, everyone! I love you, guys. And I will also continue to fight alongside with you in small ways that I can provide.

Lastly, please listen to What If Love by Wendy (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jndwJe3KUDE) Some of the dialogues are based on the song. I hope it fits!
P.S. Feel free to give comments, regardless of how short or long it is!! I love it, I really really really love it and will always love it! <3

P.S. If an idea comes, I'll consider making some extra chapters of wenrene fluff! Feel free to give me some ideas too!

twt: @mogumoguurii

Continuous rings can be heard on the opposite line of her phone as Seungwan was pacing back and forth inside her room as soon as she woke up.

After ringing for ten-odd times, she sat impatiently into her bed and bit her nails unconsciously. Every ring sends shivers to her spine signaling her impending trial.

Twelve. Thirteen. Fourteen. Click. Someone finally answered.

Seungwan inhaled as if she’ll take the hardest math exam this morning.

[“Hello, Wan-wan?”] A jolly voice can be heard on the other side of the call. [“This is a surprise, calling me there in the morning? Are you sick or in trouble?”]

“Hey, Sis.” Seungwan released a kept smile along with the tension building within her. “I just suddenly missed you. You know, Sisterly bond. I wanted to hear your voice so bad.”

[“Liar.”] A hard chuckle was contagious enough for Seungwan to gently laugh as well. [“Stop it, that’s so cringe-y. You’re my sister since you’re an ant-sized baby and I know well enough when there’s something.”]

“All right, all right. But I miss you, really!” The line grew silent as soon as she heaved to compose herself.

“Sis, I’m… going to confess to someone soon.” Here it is. She dropped the bomb. “I feel like I need to tell you before doing it.”

The line was silent for a long time it was almost deafening. Fear slowly creeping into her veins, she almost opened to apologize until she heard a gentle hum.

[“…My little girl’s growing up.”] Seungwan can feel a soft smile forming from the caller’s voice. [“God, finally. Let me meet this mystery person later, okay?”]

“You will. She’s a very beautiful person. I’m sure you’ll like her, Sis.”

[“Ahh, I see. So that’s why.”] Like a finished puzzle, her sister finally saw the whole image of what Seungwan was trying to convey. [“…Oh well. That’s one more reason why I wanted to meet her soon. I need to warn her on how greasy you are.”]

“Excuse me, she liked me more than that. I have discovered that I’m a natural charmer.”

[“Ugh… Stop it. I don’t want to be crept out here at night, thank you very much.”]

“Hey, I called in for a support over there. Where’s the love for your little sister?!”

[“Oh, come on now. You know I’ll always love my little Wan-wan.”] A series of short “Awws” from the two sisters elicit a loud laugh within those gentle exchanges. [“But really, I’m just one call away. You know I’m always here.]

“Look who’s the greasy one here. Just admit it that it runs in the family.”

[“Whatever. I almost vomited blurting my love and support for you.”]

“Ugh. Stop it! I’m hanging up. Tell mom and dad I’m still alive.”

[“Yeah, sure. And that you won't be the single grandma of the family anymore.”]

“Whatever. But thank you, Sis. From the bottom of my heart.”

[“I’ll accept that gratitude once you got the girl. Go.”]

Seungwan dropped the phone on her lap with a newfound resolve. She rose up from the bed as she declared that she’s finally entering the final battle. Everything is now ready, from her friends to her family. All that remains is the right mood and the right set-up.

She will do this. She will not fail.

Seungwan retrieved her bag and sling it around her body. Before she walked out of the door to attend her set of morning classes, a loud voice interrupted her.

“Wannie? Are you going out soon?”

“Oh, Seul! Yeah, morning classes. Is there something wrong?”

“Ah, nothing much.” Seulgi peeked through the small opening of her bedroom, her bed hairs sticking out signalizing that she just woke up since her class starts in the afternoon. “I heard from the news that there will be a heavy rain around before evening. Get your umbrella in the entrance before going out, okay?”

“Oh. All right!” Seungwan waved the blue folded umbrella she retrieved from the rack. “Thanks, Seul! See you around lunch?”

“You bet.”

After the quick exchange, Seungwan closed their dormitory door and started her day without noticing how the heavy clouds are gradually forming in a faster speed than what was expected based on the earlier news.

.

Baechu <3: Good morning, my sunshine. :)

Seungwan giggled at her latest text notification right after her class. Before leaving the room, she had to make sure that she sends a reply to such a sweet message.

Wannie <3: Good morning to my sunshine. Jwu?

Baechu <3: Yeah... Headache from the overnight D: I need to see u 4 a fast cure :--(

Wannie <3: Oh no.. Please drink some medicine before going out... Can you go to univ?

Baechu <3: Of course I will :)

Wannie <3: Alr, don’t force yourself okay? See u @ lunch!

Seungwan marched right outside her building all the way to the cafeteria with her heart on fire for a long while. Her plan is starting to go in motion, finally. Right after their newly group lunch routine, she’s planning to Joohyun to her next class alone, and then she will implicitly direct their path to the Central University Park. With a good weather and a good ambiance, she will declare those sweet words that both of them had been waiting for. Seungwan proudly nodded at her private and sophisticated plan. It will be memorable.

The brunette reached the cafeteria eagerly and she searched for a set of friends instantly. Her face lit up when she saw a pony-tailed bun woman eating a can of Pringles with a blonde woman chuckling while holding her phone. She reached over their table with a happy stride and sat down casually beside her best friend.

“Ah, Sooyoung isn’t here yet?”

“Yeah. Well, both Joohyun and Sooyoung weirdly had the time to argue who goes after who to the bathroom first, and I left them there because I’m already hungry.” Yerim settled her phone and grabbed a spoonful of ice cream as she answered. “I don’t know who went first, I think Sooyoung? That means she’ll be here soon enough."

Seulgi raised her brow, just as much as Seungwan did. “Sooyoung argued with Joohyun? That’s… kind of surprising.”

“I know, right? They barely argue. It’s new to me as well, like, four years I’ve been with them.” Yerim slightly scrunched her nose. “I was planning to ask Sooyoung what her problem was. There’s something going on.”

The trio proceeded with their lunch with a mild confusion in their minds. It bothered Seungwan even more that Joohyun didn’t give her a message to notify that she’ll be late. What is happening?

Like on cue, a small vibrate from her phone jerked her whole body and hastily grabbed it from the table.

Baechu <3: I’m on my way in a bit, sorry I’ll be late

And just before she could type a reply, a long wavy haired woman holding a wet folded umbrella rushed into their table and sat immediately beside Yerim.

“Oh my god, sorry I was late. A lot of stuff’s happened, and it’s raining so hard outside I thought I was going to be blown away.”

“What the hell happened earlier?! You have a lot of explaining to do, woman.”

“I know, I know. I’ll just fix this umbrella in a bit…”

“Wait.” Yerim yanked Sooyoung’s wrist responsible for holding the red umbrella. “Sooyoung-ah. This umbrella… This is Joohyun’s.”

“J-Joohyun’s… Oh my god.” The wavy haired woman’s enlarged eyes gave Seungwan an alarming nervous attack. “I… picked a wrong umbrella from the rack.”

“You !! Why didn’t you double check?!” Yerim slammed the table with a sheer force. “What will she use to go here, then?!”

….to go here…

Seungwan looked blankly at her cellphone upon reading the words “I’m on my way in a bit” again and again from the text that she received. Little by little, it slowly sunk into her the situation that Joohyun has been pulled into.

She’s going to the campus without any cover from the heavy rain, with a headache.

“…Joohyun’s on the way.” Seungwan blurted out coldly. “She’s on the way. I’m going to her.”

Seungwan abruptly stood up and grabbed her bag thoughtlessly as she rushed in to the exit of the cafeteria. The shouts of numerous people calling her seemed blurry for her. Faces of the people looking at her as she rushed outside despite the tremendous rain seemed blurry to her.

Right now, all that she wants is to see is Joohyun’s gentle smile.

She hastily opened her umbrella and marched forward with no hesitation, slowly disappearing as she perfectly blended in the rain.

.

As soon as Seungwan left the vicinity, the two bewildered woman lunged forward at the woman in question. “Sooyoung-ah, what the hell was that?!”

The wavy-haired woman dejectedly slouched back to her seat. Then slowly, she retrieved something from her bag slowly that added another point of confusion to the two woman observing: A green umbrella. Seeing their reactions, Sooyoung flashed the deadliest smirk.

“I’m a good actress, aren’t I?”

“Your umbrella…?” Seulgi gasped. “Why… Why did you get Joohyun’s then when you have yours…?”

“I purposely argued to go first at the bathroom despite us having the usual order of Joohyun going first… Just so I can steal this one in a bit.” Sooyoung winked at the very confused woman.

“You’re going out of the line.” Yerim shook her head. “Whatever prank is this, you’re going out of the line.”

“Trust me, Yerim-ah. This will lead into something.” Sooyoung crossed her arms with a confident smile. “This is the final push.”

.

Wannie <3: Don’t go out please, wait for me. I’ll fetch you

Charging off the sidewalk that she knows the closest path leading to the raven-haired woman’s dormitory, the brunette sprinted all-out, slanting out diagonally away through the crowd in the midst of the heavy rain. She gravely grimaced as she peeked in her phone that Joohyun didn’t reply nor seen her message. “Damnit.”

Water pools continuously splashing through her rubber shoes in every step that she took, and her jeans was slowly getting dirtied.

She only had one goal in her mind, she wanted to shelter Joohyun as soon as she can. She wanted Joohyun to be safe as much as possible.

As she turned to the last corner on the way to the entrance of the dormitory, a silhouette of a long haired woman can be seen from quite a far distance.

She walked towards the mysterious figure, the image was starting to get clearer the further she goes on. The woman was wearing a red sweater, light blue skinny jeans and a small handbag that she clung onto tightly, she was cautiously taking small steps forward to avoid the large pools of water surrounding her, with only a small folder above her head that minimally shelters her from the heavy precipitation.  

Seungwan felt nervous in every step that she took towards the girl she fell in love with. She marched full speed ahead with an enormous amount of thoughts for Joohyun that she cannot fathom anymore.

If I want you,

If I really, really want you,

Can I reach you, in the end?

On arms reach she instantly grasped her wrist and pulled her hard enough to crash on her body with a harsh bounce.

Under the shadows of her umbrella, she saw the face she had been dying to see with the cruelly wet strands of her hair obstructing her. Her red sweater dampened much despite the enormous efforts of a small white folder in her hand to shelter her slender body.

She greatly cursed the rain for wrecking Joohyun like this, and she greatly cursed the woman itself for wrecking her like this.

“S-Seungwan? Hey, what… What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be in the cafeteria, Sooyoung and the others are there already-“

“How reckless can you be, Bae Joohyun?!”

She felt Joohyun shivered with the sudden increase of her voice under her hold, under her umbrella supported by the rain entrapping them like they’re alone in the world.

“Why can’t you wait for me?! I texted you to wait for me, yet you rushed forward in the middle of this rain with j-just a folder in your head?! Are you crazy?!”

“…Ah, I-I’m sorry.” The long-haired woman lowered her gaze. “I know your lunch time is limited, I can’t… I don’t want to waste your time by fetching me here when you can spend it better in the cafeteria with the guys-“

“Do you think I care about my time?!” Seungwan gritted her teeth. “Do you really think I would pick spending my time somewhere knowing you’re struggling here in the rain alone?!”

“N-No! I just thought it would be fine, since I can manage…”

“You don’t have an umbrella, for god’s sake!!”

“I-I didn’t, but I don’t want my incompetence to be the reason why you’ll be disturbed in your free time. I’d rather-“

“You… You’ll never be a disturbance for me…!”

The cold traces of raindrops slid down from Seungwan’s skin along with her subsiding patience.

“I’d rather let you disturb me in my free time-hell, even in the middle of my class-I don’t give a thing about any of those than letting you here alone in the middle of this goddamn rain… I’m so scared--worried about you.”

“Seungwan, relax. You don’t have to be worried about me-“

“That’s bull, Joohyun, let me be worried about you!!!”

The unfairness of Joohyun’s speech was enough to trigger the burst of Seungwan’s currently brittle drum of emotions. It was so unfair that it hurts.

“I hate it!! I hate this!!! Inconvenience me, disturb me! Rely on me!! Let me be pissed off at you!!  Let me take care of you!! Let me reach out to you!! Damn it, let me love you, Joohyun!!”

A long exhale was even not even enough to barricade her anger.

“You… You kept on charging forward like you don’t care about anything-anyone, any consequences, that you’re sure and you’re determined, to hell with that! You can’t even notice that all I wanted to do is to walk beside you a-and hold your hand tightly and… and maybe, even face everything together…”

She looked at Joohyun like a lifeline.

“Look back at me once in a while, look for me, look at me..!! Please, let me catch up to you…”

She hated the shudders she felt as countless of unwelcomed tears she shed collided with the gust of moist at that moment. She hated how she gushed out at the love of her life in front of her because of her vulnerability. She hated that her guilt can’t even stop her ugly rampage.

“Why are you always like this?! Why are you so reckless?! I can’t believe I fell in love with someone this reckless! Why are you like this, Bae Joohyun…?!”

“…Seungwan-“

“How am I going to be a proper girlfriend to you if I can’t even catch up beside you?!”

“Son Seungwan!!”

“What?!”

“Just let me speak for a second!!”

Huffs of catching breath was mixed in along with the sound droplets that seems to never stop drizzling around them. The heavy pitter-patter cuts through the brewing agitation within Seungwan, lest closed her eyes to succumb to her remaining senses.

The rain was harsh, her distressed feelings were harsher, but Bae Joohyun was the harshest.

"Seungwan."

The brunette should have known better that the moment she picked up the fallen rose during their first meeting that she will dive down into the pits of an endless spiral of the goddess' affection. And the deeper she dived in, she should have known that she will be trapped hard and get addicted to her existence up to an immeasurable, indefinite time.

Now that she had been craving for it, now that she's aware of it, Joohyun's eyes, Joohyun's voice, Joohyun's touch, Joohyun's everything... Bae Joohyun just easily became her weakness.

The feeling of being this exposed frightens her deep within, but the desire to reach her overpowers any principles left within Seungwan's mind and body.

She surrenders.

"…What is it?"

Joohyun's lips trembled without breaking their eye contact that she hadn't noticed until now. A sparkle of happiness, hope, fear and vast amount of affection from her eyes, it was so immense that Seungwan almost wanted to be engulfed within those irises forever.

A shaky exhale. 

“…Please correct me if I’m wrong... Please. M-Maybe I heard it wrong because of the rain, or because we’re arguing in the middle of the road, but… B-but, did you just said… ‘Girlfriend’?”

Ah. Seungwan realized.

She accidentally lost within their grand battle of push and pull.

“Wha…”

Oh. 

“…Did I say that…? No… No.. Oh no… Of all the things that I said, that... that’s the only thing you took note of?!”

“No, you also said that you’re in love with me.”

“Oh… oh.”

She was entirely defeated.

Goddamnit. Son Seungwan, you had one job. You only had one job!!

The crestfallen woman covered her face with grimace slowly with her free hand to save herself for the upcoming wave of tremendous disappointment.

What kind of a confession is this?! 

She deserved so much than this. Her love deserved to be expressed more than this.

Seungwan once again wanted to shout into the void with tears for being the biggest in the world, in the wrong place and in the wrong time.  

“It wasn’t supposed to be like this… Not in the sidewalk, not with a heavy rain like this… I-I'm sorry, you don't deserve this-”

“No. I don’t mind at all.” 

Her voice was still so sweet it was almost a curse. She's really too much for Seungwan.

“N-No... I do mind… Not like this, Please, not... I should’ve done it better for you…”

“Seungwan-ah.”

Her rationality was starting to crumb down little by little after her consecutive failures of confession. Can't she really beat the universe? All that she wanted was to express her feelings for Joohyun properly. 

Maybe everything was meant to fail with Joohyun from the start-

“Seungwan-ah, look at me.”

The brunette hastily flickered her eyes to regain her crumbling composure. A rush seconds after, she felt an instant pain as soon as she realized there was a firm hold of a gentle but determined hand in her arm as if she's preventing her to run away anymore.

“…What?”

Maybe she’s breaking things off with me.

She raised her head as if she's expecting the worst, but she had forgotten the most important fact.

This is Bae Joohyun. The persistent Bae Joohyun who never fails to reach out to her, the person she hopelessly fell in love with, the person who still flashed her the most ethereal smile despite the mess of a person she is, and uttered the most beautiful words she have heard in her whole life.

“I am in love with you.”

It felt like every muscle in her body stopped along with the beating of her heart. Even the smallest movement of her lips sent an intense shock to her entire being that her brain can’t even function properly anymore.

She just stood there, breathless, motionless, with only a thought that this woman loves her despite all her shortcomings, and that she loves this woman all the same.

Or maybe more. Much, much more.

“Seungwan-ah.”

“…Yeah?” She whispered, with her last full attempt to refrain herself from breaking down out of her overwhelming feelings.

The hand in her arms moved upward to nudge the wet strands of her hair from her cheeks.

“You will be a proper girlfriend. I’m sure of it, just like what you are now.”

Joohyun’s hand stopped to look at her eyes directly with all the possible affection she can pronounce.

“…and I’d love it if I were to be your girlfriend.”

“….Really?”

“Yes, really.”

“Are you really sure?”

A soft chuckle escaped the raven-haired woman’s lips that the sound of the rain can’t even vanquish. “Of course. I’ve been dreaming about it since the start, and I caught a glimpse of it today. I've been reluctant to rely on you since I don't know if I had the right... but I loved it. I always wanted to rely on you.”

“…But, I’ll be anxious a lot and I…I might be too slow than what you’ll expect of me.”

“Then I’ll listen to you and hold your hand along the way. We'll resolve it together.”

“You’ve been with me for a while.” Seungwan can’t help but to wince. “And even now. You know how frustrating I can be.”

“You’re right. I’ve been with you for a while… and I’m still here, and I will always be here. I can handle it as long as you'll have me.”

It was weird. They’re just simply standing in the sidewalk, with her right hand holding a blue umbrella and a heavy rain pouring around them along with the little pools of droplets splashing around their vicinity that they couldn’t really care less.

It was weird. It was a brief exchange of confession that was entirely unplanned, yet it flew naturally within the both with just a small push from their excessive desire to convey their affection that was actually due for a long time ago.

It was weird, but it felt a whole damn right.

She pondered every day, every night, ever since she discovered the feeling that had molded her heart into the current crazy mess that is dedicated for Bae Joohyun only, on the proper ways of how it should be conveyed that will be fitted to express the entirety of her feelings to her love. Every plan always ended into mess. Every attempt always ended into series of failures. Maybe she had been thinking about the right ways too much where in fact there is no concrete place and right timing to tell her, after all.

“Seungwan-ah,” Joohyun tilted her head quizzically. “Why are you smiling?”

An inexplicable amount of warmth erupted her heart in all directions. She felt all delightfully giddy with excitement along with the surge of uncontrollable affections popping in every corner of her rationality, she was entirely smitten of the woman that is currently, casually standing just right in front of her. It felt entirely refreshing, and she gradually felt the amped up courage tapping behind her, encouraging her to give all the bits of her emotion that she knows she can finally express to her.

This is the love that I know.

“Joohyun-ah.”

“Yes?”

“I love you.”

She felt like she could explode with the way she noticed how Joohyun slightly gasped within her hold. Her beautiful glassy eyes reflected her state on how surreal everything was, nothing could ever top the fulfilling feeling that finally… They are finally on the same page.

“Joohyun-ah.”

“…Yes?” The raven haired slowly nodded accompanied with an ethereal shade of red in every skin exposed.

It took Seungwan a long time,

“I’m really sorry it took me a while. I’ll do my best to be worthy so…”

And finally, in a slow but gentle steps,

“Bae Joohyun, I want to take care of you. Let me take care of you.”

She finally reached Joohyun in the end.

“Will you… let me be your girlfriend?

A chuckle caressed her ears it felt heavenly on how gentle it is. A handful of silent smiles with each other gave her the answer that she had been waiting for all of her life.

“Finally.”

Maybe, this is the love that both of them will only know.

“Yes, my love. With all of my heart.”