The morning after the date (yes, she was now calling it a date) Joohyun woke up with a smirk on her face. The events from night began playing through her head as she lazed around.  

After leaving a frozen Seungwan blushing in her doorway, Joohyun had practically skipped the entirety of her way home looking like an overgrown child (or a late-night drunk to any person on the streets). The mature half of her knew she shouldn't act like a giddy high schooler after just one date, but she couldn't help it. She felt happy, excited, and  it, this was her first-time feeling love-struck to the point of no return. 

To hell with acting her age. 

She had sent multiple paragraph-long text messages to Seulgi detailing every part of the amazing evening she had in Seungwan’s apartment. From Seungwan's smile to the almost kiss, to the actual kiss, well cheek kiss Joohyun had to remind herself.  

Screw Park Sooyoung.  

Seulgi hadn't replied last night, not that Joohyun expected her to. They all had work in the morning and the only reason why she wasn’t feeling sluggish from lack of sleep was the adrenaline still pumping through her from the date. 

Grabbing her phone from where it was charging on her dresser, she scrolled through her notification. A bunch of work emails that would need to get sorted and some social media posts appeared on her lock screen followed by fifty-three unread messages from Kang Seulgi. The latest only from a minute ago. 

Oh my god Joohyun 

A date?! 

It was a date and you kissed?! 

Call me as soon as you wake up. 

Pressing on her contact, Joohyun hit the call button and waited. The phone didn't even have a chance to ring out once before Seulgi's screeching voice could be heard through the speakers. 

"You KISSED her?! I know it was on the cheek, but you actually kissed her?! Oh my god, Joohyun you actually have a girlfriend after all this time," Seulgi yelled through the phone. “I didn’t know you had it in you!” 

Turning her volume down slightly to avoid a ruptured eardrum, Joohyun rolled her eyes, "Good morning to you too Seul. I would've called you last night, but I figured you were already asleep when you didn't answer my texts." 

"Oh, I was awake but busy. Sooyoung came over last minute after helping you with your outfit, so we made brownies and she caught up on scheduling your meetings. The whole time she kept muttering something about not wanting to be alone when ‘even Joohyun is out on a date'." 

Scoffing and crossing her arms at the slightly younger woman’s antics, Joohyun put her phone on speaker and started to get ready for the workday ahead. “You’d think she'd have at least a little respect for me as her boss, but no. Absolutely nothing,” Joohyun shook her head, picking up her mascara. “I know you love her, but did Satan by any chance deliver her with a one-way return label?” 

Some scuffling could be heard over the phone before another voice started speaking “For your information boss, if it wasn’t for me, you wouldn't have even made it to the date on time,” Sooyoung said, slumber still evident in her voice. “How was it anyway? Yeri texted me saying that Seungwan just texted her a bunch of gibberish after you left.”  

Gibberish? Had Seungwan really been that excited about the date? The image of a tiny blonde lawyer jumping up and down in her living room, pumping her fists, and rapidly texting Yeri, popped into her head as she tried to imagine an excited Seungwan. The simple thought made Joohyun’s heart bloom.  

“It was good. It was really good,” Joohyun let out softly as she pulled her hair back into a low ponytail. 

 Everything about Seungwan last night had been good. Amazing even. Even during the admittedly awkward time after their little accident, Joohyun had still managed to steal a couple of glances in her partner’s direction. Seungwan looked beautiful while doing the bare minimum. When she was hunched over her notes, a few stray hairs framing her face and a pen resting between her lips, Seungwan looked so focused and, for lack of better words, hot. Joohyun had had a hard time forcing herself to peel her eyes away in order to avoid being caught staring. Maybe she wanted to be caught, but only if Seungwan was the one catching her. 

“Is she daydreaming again?” a voice broke through her thoughts.  

“I don’t know, she’s always had a habit of zoning out,” Seulgi said somewhere in the background. “Hyun you okay?” 

Shaking herself from her one-way trip to Seungwan land train of thought, Joohyun grabbed her phone and headed to the bathroom. “Sorry, I'm fine. It was great, we managed to get a lot of work done. Her cooking is also to die for, thank you Seul for the recommendation.” A muffled ‘thank you’ could be heard followed by the munching of cereal. Joohyun continued.” She’s hardworking, and I think we’re about to hit a breakthrough to finish our main points for the case. Wan said she was going to try and meet up with the victim's brother again today.”  

“Well isn’t that just amazing for you and Wan,” Sooyoung said, emphasizing the teasing lilt when she repeated the nickname that Joohyun let slip. “That reminds me though, Yeri texted me when she woke up to tell you that Seungwan scheduled a meeting with Mr. Davidson today.” 

“Oh, she’s quick. She said she was gonna email him this morning before we-” Before they almost kissed, but Sooyoung didn’t need to know that yet. “- dove into our work. Did she say where it’s going to-” 

Before Joohyun could finish her question, her phone lit up and started to vibrate where it was placed on her dresser. Smacking her lips together to spread out her lip tint, she leaned over to see who was calling her. 

Incoming call from Son Seungwan.  

Grabbing it, Joohyun cleared rushing out a quick “She’s calling me, text you later” before hanging up and answering Seungwan’s call. 

“M-morning Seungwan,” Joohyun stuttered out, the nerves of talking to the blonde after what had transpired last night getting to her. Would Seungwan ask about the kiss? Would it be awkward between them?  

“Hi Hyun, good morning” Seungwan’s raspy voice flowed through her speakers. “I hope I didn’t wake you before your alarm.”  

There are so many beautiful sounds in the world. The soft melody of a violin, the crashing of waves at the beach, the enchanting whisper of leaves rustling in the wind. None of the prior mentioned could even begin to compare to Son Seungwan’s morning voice. The low and gruff tones mixing with the natural rhythm that Seungwan had when she spoke was enough to make Joohyun’s heart skip several beats.  

“No, I'm awake, don’t worry. Is everything alright?”   

“Yes, everything is perfect actually. I emailed Mr. Davidson last night about meeting up with us, and he agreed!” The sound of a door shutting could be heard before she continued “I texted Yerim to clear our schedules and to let Sooyoung know all the details since it would be good to have them there to help transcribe and analyze questions. Has Soo sent you the information yet?”  

A ping came from her phone and Joohyun lowered it away from her ear to look at the new message. “Just got it actually,” Joohyun answered as she clicked on the notification. “I’ve never been to The Area café.” 

“It’s across the river from here. It’s quiet and I know the owner so we can get a private space to talk to the brother.” The start of a car engine could be heard and then Seungwan continued. “Hyun, I have to go now and pick up Yeri from her apartment. I’ll see you at the café in thirty?”  

Glancing at the clock on her wall, Joohyun hummed out a confirmation.  

“Perfect meet you there, and Hyun?” 

A pause. 

“You looked really beautiful last night. Thank you for the kiss.”  

The temperature in the room suddenly skyrocketed as Joohyun’s brain short-circuited. Beautiful? She liked the kiss? Beautiful?! Unable to piece together a coherent response, Joohyun let out something between a wheeze and a giggle.  

She could barely hear the laughter coming from Seungwan over the sound of her heartbeat.  

“Whipped,” Seungwan whispered out before the phone call finally ended. 

It took Joohyun an embarrassingly long time to lower the phone from her ear and turn her love drunk brain back on. A shy smile appeared on her face as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. 

“She thinks I'm beautiful,” Joohyun whispered, playing with the ends of her blazer. No matter how many times anyone has called her that, somehow it meant so much more coming from the person she was falling for.   

Another ping woke her from her daze. It was Sooyoung. 

You’re picking me up in 15, please hurry up and stop breaking down over a phone call. 

Joohyun scoffed and unlocked her phone, ready to shoot back a witty response when it hit her. 

Seungwan called her whipped. 

She was NOT whipped.  

------------------ 

It took Joohyun a record ten minutes to pull up in front of Seulgi’s apartment to pick up Sooyoung. She would've been there even sooner, had she not had a tiny tantrum over being called whipped. But what no one saw, no one had to know about. 

Sooyoung walked out hand in hand with Seulgi. The latter waved at Joohyun before she gave her girlfriend a parting kiss and set off down the street. 

“Took you long enough,” Sooyoung said, stepping into the passenger's side of the car. 

“Mind you, we’re on a work trip. Watch your tone,” Joohyun responded, putting the car in drive and pulling away from the curb. 

“Still took you a while.”  

The rest of the ride was silent. Sooyoung not being a morning person helped shut her up. Thank god for mornings. As the radio played softly in the background, Joohyun let her thoughts drift.  

Last night she had taken the time to look up Seungwan’s Instagram profile. Most of the pictures on the page were of her with family or of random scenery, but one immediately drew Joohyun’s attention.  

Seungwan was dressed in a skintight black leather mini skirt from Alexander Wang paired with a short black crop top that showed off her toned stomach. The heels Seungwan was wearing helped lengthen her toned legs. She was smiling while holding a mixed drink, and the way the red club lights danced off her skin made Seungwan look devilishly y. In the picture, she was sporting short and scruffy black hair that added to the dark and sensual vibe. If only Seungwan dressed like that all the time. Joohyun could already picture running her hands up and down the lean figure while kissing down- 

“Joohyun please slow down.” 

Unbeknownst to Joohyun, she had steadily started to increase her speed while letting her thoughts go to dangerous places. 

Easing her foot off the gas, she glanced at a glaring Sooyoung. “Sorry, I was just... thinking.” 

“Can you think about later? I have a life to live, and I am not ending it early just because you haven’t gotten it on since before the dinosaurs roamed these streets.”  

Joohyun opened to protest but was shushed by a hand in the air.  

“Your lip bite gave it away. Now, drive and focus.” 

Was it too late to apply for a new secretary? 

------------------ 

The café was quiet, just like Seungwan said. A student peacefully studying in the corner was the only other patron in the shop.  

“Miss Bae and Miss park?” the young barista asked as they approached the counter. 

Nodding in affirmation, Joohyun came to a stop in front of the desk, glancing around for any sign of either Yeri or Seungwan. 

“Miss Son and Miss Kim are already upstairs. Just follow this hallway, the stairs are at the end towards the left.” 

Both women bowed out a thank you before heading down the hall. Climbing up the stairs, the figures of her coworkers and a man slowly came into view. They were all laughing at something that had been said. 

Yeri spotted them first and waved them over. 

“Good morning Miss Bae, Miss Park,” Seungwan said, getting up and giving each of them a short hug.  

Joohyun could smell the fabric softener that the blonde used. She even has good taste in laundry products, she thought. Score! 

“Mr. Davidson, this is my partner Bae Joohyun and her secretary Park Sooyoung. As I was starting to explain before they arrived, Sooyoung will be taking notes alongside Yerim while Miss Bae and I try to piece together evidence based on what you know. Is that okay?” Seungwan said, sitting back down now next to Joohyun and opposite from the middle-aged man. 

A working Seungwan was a very different Seungwan. She was sharp, focused, and driven. Every word carefully placed to portray the exact message and delivery that was needed, characteristics that Joohyun admired. 

“Of course, it’s nice to meet you both,” Mr. Davidson answered. “And please, feel free to call me Andrew.” He added, stretching out his arm to shake Joohyuns. 

Shaking his outstretched hand, Joohyun smiled. “The feeling is mutual, Andrew. Shall we begin?” 

Seungwan began the questioning lightly. Asking questions that were easy, but still provided a basic structure as to what the relationship was between the victim and the accused. According to what the guy was saying, the victim and the accused had gone on multiple outings together. Some that had even lasted overnight.  

After 45 minutes of discussing, Joohyun noticed the man's answers becoming vaguer and vaguer as Seungwan and her asked more about Jack. 

“Where did he ask her to meet with him?” Seungwan asked, glancing at her papers.  

Joohyun noticed the man tense up before he answered. 

“I don’t really know; she never specified a place. Probably someplace small like a cafe or... or a restaurant?” 

Something about the man's answer didn’t sit well with Joohyun. Had this been the case, the victim wouldn't have stayed out for multiple days. Call it the lawyer's intuition, but she knew the man was lying. 

“How often did you say they met?” Joohyun asked, glancing at Seungwan. The blonde lawyer was already looking at her. When their eyes met, Seungwan gave a slight nod, pushing her hair back. They were on the same page. 

“Oh, not often. Maybe once a month.” 

“And the last time she met with him before her disappearance was?” 

“Only about a week before.” 

Joohyun nodded, taking in the information. “You said sometimes she would stay with Jack? You had to go over to her apartment to take care of her cat, correct?” 

“Oh yeah, that cat practically knows me more than it knew Jen.” Andrew chuckled out before he froze. 

Bingo. 

Joohyun looked over at Seungwan who was watching her with an amused smile. 

“So, you took care of him often, yet she didn’t meet Jack often?” 

“Well n-no,” Andrew stumbled out. “Jen just asked me to check up on him whenever she stayed out in the hotels.” 

“Hotels,” Joohyun repeated. This man was too easy. “So, you do know where your sister went with Jack. Don’t you?” 

Andrew let out a defeated sigh and nodded. 

After being caught in his lie, the man folded and told them everything. Joohyun had coaxed him into misstepping and letting it out that he knew that Jack and Jennifer had slept together on multiple occasions before Jennifer tried cutting Jack out. The two had rented out hotel rooms in upstate New York to see each other.  

Thanking him for his time, they let the poor guy leave. Now, all they needed was to visit the hotels and find out more about the frequency of the bookings. 

“Miss Bae, how did you know he was lying?” Yeri questioned while sipping her tea. 

“He kept pushing his hair back and fidgeting, right Wan?” 

“I didn’t know if you’d get my hint when I pushed my own hair back, but yes, a crappy liar,” Seungwan said, shaking her head. “I can’t believe he wanted to lie and protect his sister’s alleged murderer. She had practically told him multiple times that she feared meeting with Jack, but he didn’t listen.” 

“Men.” Yeri and Sooyoung said in unison. 

“So where do you go from here?” Sooyoung asked. 

“Well, we go up to the hotel where they stayed last and see if we can get our hands on the booking dates and security tapes. Joohyun and I can drive up tomorrow and stay the night since it’s near the coast and a good bit away from here.” 

Joohyun didn’t miss the knowing glance that Yerim and Sooyoung shared. “I’ll book you guys rooms then!” Yeri cheered. “Sooyoung, the Wi-Fi is better downstairs, let’s go book the rooms and wait for our bosses to finish up.” 

“Oh, my dear Yerim, I was just thinking the same thing,” Sooyoung said, linking arms with Yeri and tugging her down the stairs. 

And then there were two. 

“For your information, I am not whipped,” Joohyun said, folding her arms over her chest. 

Seungwan looked at her and cocked her head to the side like a confused puppy. She had to admit, it was cute. 

“Oh!” Seungwan exclaimed, realization flooding her features. “Sure Hyun. Sure. I’m not one to talk though, the way you left last night had me dazed too. Good job with the meeting today, you got him mixed up in his own story so easily. It was really impressive.” 

The soft look on Seungwan’s features that was aimed at Joohyun had her insides melting into puddles of goop. The light coming through the window from the outside gave Seungwan a perfect angelic glow adding to the softness of the moment.  

“Thank you,” Joohyun looked down, blushing slightly and playing with her fingers. “You noticed it too, it wasn’t anything special.”  

“Still, it was nothing short of amazing. The way you handle yourself when you work is so powerful and demanding. When Seulgi first told me, I was going to work with the Bae Joohyun, I was so excited.” 

“You knew of me?” 

“Everyone knows of you Joohyun. You’re the it girl of the lawyer world.” 

It girl? That was new. But if Seungwan said she was the it girl, then it girl she was.  

“We should head downstairs; I need to pick up stuff from the office before we head out tomorrow and so do you,” Seungwan said, getting up and offering her hand to Joohyun. 

Grasping it tightly and intertwining their fingers, Joohyun rose from her seat. She was about to start towards the stairs when suddenly, Seungwan tugged at her hand pulling their bodies flush against each other. Joohyun’s free hand reflexively grabbed Seungwan’s hip to steady herself in order to not push them both over. 

The space between their bodies was barely there as she gazed into Seungwan’s playful brown eyes.  

They stood there for a second just looking, admiring. 

She noticed Seungwan slowly leaning in and closed her eyes, waiting for the feeling of soft pillow lips against her own. Seungwan’s breathing could be felt against , hot and heavy. Joohyun was about to lean in and close the distance between them when Seungwan turned her head and kissed Joohyun’s cheek.  

“Payback for last night babe,” Seungwan whispered against her skin. “Your profile looked amazing with your hair tied back. I couldn’t help it.”  

The feeling of Seungwan’s lips brushing against her cheek, along with the way her words came out low and breathy, shot bolts of electricity throughout her whole body, all ending in the area between her thighs. 

Joohyun felt like she was going to implode. 

Seungwan trailed a couple more soft kisses down Joohyun’s jaw, leaving one last kiss on the corner of her lips before pulling away and leaving a flustered Joohyun alone. 

Catching her breath, Joohyun steadied herself on one of the chairs. If Seungwan wanted to play dirty, then game on. 

This “business” trip was going to be very, very, interesting. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------- 

I'm not dead!!! (kinda)  

Not much to say here besides next chapter is going to be a fun one filled with just wenrene.

@ wenrenehye on twitter ᵔᴥᵔ‎ 

@ jeongrene on CC ᵔᴥᵔ‎ 

Stay safe and healthy, 

-Beardoodlez ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ   

P.S. Vote for Red Velvet on the Choeaedol App! Use me: @ beardoodlez as your recommender if you want <3