A/N: 

OH MY FREAKING GOODNESS.

First of all, I'm really sorry this took forever to update. I was really nitpicky about how I wanted to conclude this story. It's weird because a part of me didn't want to let this story go, but another part of me like needed this story to end because it was lowkey giving me a lot of stress.

This chapter went through so many drafts. To be honest, I don't know if I completely love it, but I've come to terms with the fact that I won't completely love it and that's fine. I think I've just been anxiously holding on to this chapter and once the weight is lifted off my shoulders, I'll love it wholly.

ARE YOU GUYS READY??? IT'S THE LAST CHAPTER OF THIS FLUFF FEST. Prepare to smile at least twice. It's a hot mess, but it's cute.

Thanks for sticking around you guys. I love you so much♥

Although Jungeun’s gums haven’t fully healed yet, her life is starting to get back to “normal”. She’s actively attending work and started getting groceries again. Jinsol is slowly reintroducing her to her favorite foods but remains cautious since Jungeun’s gums occasionally swell up and they don’t want a repeat of what happened on the third night. Hyunjin actually came over with some more of those sweet rolls and luckily for Jungeun, there was no pain when she ate it. 

Jam out sessions have become a daily thing. Jinsol wanted to learn newer songs. Jungeun just wanted to sing with Jinsol. The once-beloved “Love Letter” is now considered off-limits. Jinsol assured Jungeun that she had moved on from that experience, but Jungeun wasn’t exactly comfortable with the situation so they just mutually respected that caution. 

I don’t really know how much time has passed. Ten days? Two weeks? Jungeun and Jinsol are back to a life where days meld into nights and Sunday feels like Monday. No more pills or mouthwash, just movie nights and deep talks (and not so deep talks). Jungeun wakes up early for work. Jinsol stays up late. Jungeun makes coffee in the morning. Jinsol finally found time to get a dang lightbulb for the fridge. 

Tonight, Jinsol cooked samgyetang , as promised nearly two weeks ago. Jungeun wasn’t urgently requesting that dish, since the initial solicitation was just for teasing purposes, but appreciated the sentiment. It wasn't your typical samgyetang as Jinsol nearly boiled all the vegetables to the point that they were liquified. Jungeun couldn’t complain. It was friendly to her gums and much more flavorful than the oatmeal and porridge she’d been eating (although she does love that, too).

Jungeun is comforted by the fact that they could actually share a meal. It wasn’t just one person eating soggy ramen and the other one eating gimbap . Both her and Jinsol were eating samgyetang and rice. 

Jinsol even let her eat the japchae (and let her try the kimchi, however, it was too crunchy for her comfort). 

It wasn’t exactly a special dinner. It’s too lame and too much of a stretch to label it something like their first shared dinner together since Jungeun’s surgery. 

Somehow, it still felt special. 

Jungeun thinks it is simply because she’s with Jinsol. (Doesn’t that seem kinda silly, though, since she’s basically been with her 24/7?)

She’d like to think it’s because they are overcoming a potentially low point in their relationship, but Jungeun still had a long way to go until she was fully healed and Jinsol still had to learn to be a calm caretaker. 

They still learned from this experience. They’re going to keep learning. 

It’s the small things that count anyway, right? Anything and everything can be special with the right people. 

The two sit across from each other, talking about simple-minded things, like Haseul coming over again and news about the pandemic. 

It was relaxing. Jungeun almost didn’t want to ruin that comfort with a conversation about… you know. 

However, Jungeun also felt that it was an appropriate time and she was in the right position to ask the burning question. She had this overflowing love and appreciation for Jinsol—words came along with it, too. The past few weeks showed how much Jinsol endured for her. They have seven years under their belt, but they’ve been acting and functioning like a married couple for who knows how long. 

What is Jungeun afraid of? 

Still, she hesitates, greedy to bask in this serene atmosphere, allowing this presence to be an excuse not to talk about the future.

As she contemplates, Jinsol surprisingly brought out a molten lava cake and ice cream for dessert. Jungeun doesn’t remember the last time she had cake so she’s over the moon. Jinsol gets brownie points—pun fully intended—for getting something not too chewy or crunchy. 

It’s a perfect distraction for Jungeun. They eat their dessert in near silence, save for all the giggles. Jinsol feeds her a scoop of ice cream. Jungeun has to wipe the chocolate that stuck on Jinsol’s chin.

By the time they finish, it’s getting late and maybe Jungeun isn’t awake enough to have this conversation, but something about the way Jinsol’s eyes ooze with honey and how her smile hasn’t dropped the entire night makes Jungeun feel like she has nothing to lose. 

She quietly inhales and ignores the beating heart reaching .

“Jinsol.”

“Hmm?”

There’s a surge of giddiness with an aftertaste of trepidation. Jungeun bites her lip and grips onto her ice cream bowl a little tighter. Her eyes want to look elsewhere, but staring at Jinsol keeps her grounded. 

“Have you ever thought about…

...getting married?” 

A whole second feels like a whole minute. It’s quiet. Jungeun feels all of her muscles tighten. Dread and fear start knocking at the door to her heart and she’s starting to feel herself crumble when they do manage to get in. 

Although she wants to cower away, she’s glad she kept her eyes on Jinsol. 

Because those honey-dripping eyes and that unrelenting smile—they never left.

In fact, Jinsol’s eyebrows perk up. Jungeun does not miss the way her cheeks turn pink or the upwards twitch of her lips. “What? I-I thought you finished all your prescriptions last week. Are you still feeling side effects?”

Jungeun lets out a breath. She rolls her eyes and lays her head on her palm. It was such a Jinsol-esque response. 

It’s not the answer she’s looking for, but it actually doesn’t matter. Jinsol can read Jungeun’s mind, which is why she knew it was okay to give a lighthearted response to that kind of question. It’s much more relieving to receive that kind of reaction, rather than the worst-case scenario of Jinsol cowering in fear or running away.

Jungeun knows she shouldn’t be expecting an answer, especially since it was a loaded question and Jinsol likes to think about serious topics like this. 

Maybe Jungeun doesn’t need an answer today; Jinsol’s reaction was enough for Jungeun. 

Jinsol briefly looks down into her bowl. Jungeun also avoids eye contact to hide the slightest disappointment that might peak out. That dread and fear are still knocking at her heart and she tries to calm herself down while appearing unaffected.

“To you,” Jinsol replies monotonically.

Jungeun’s fight-or-flight instincts kick in. She thinks it’s a question. “To anyone.” The younger woman sits up and shrugs while she distracts herself by playing with the spoon in her bowl. Sure, she’d be jealous thinking about someone else getting married to Jinsol, but anything can happen. Maybe they’d get in a serious fight or Jungeun unfortunately passes early. Maybe Jinsol dreamed of getting married to someone when she was younger, like a high school sweetheart or—.

“No, silly. I’ve thought about getting married.” There’s a pregnant pause. Jungeun looks away from her bowl and gazes back at her girlfriend’s eyes. Jinsol’s smile widens. “ To you ,” she emphasizes. 

When Jungeun understood what Jinsol said, she felt like she forgot how to breathe. She gawks in disbelief, so Jinsol repeated herself, this time with more conviction. “I’ve thought about getting married to you, Jungeun.”

It’s what Jungeun wanted to hear, but suddenly her brain is malfunctioning and her heart is in overdrive. The words echo in Jungeun’s ears and she thinks her eardrums are pulsing. She drops her spoon and it falls out of the bowl, but she can care less about it. All she does care about are the eyes that are locked to hers and the soul that is connected as well. 

Jinsol amusingly reaches across the table to pick up the spoon. After she does so, she grabs Jungeun’s hand. Jungeun immediately interlocks their fingers and thumbs at her palm. She knows she has a stupid grin on her face and that she’s blushing like crazy, but, damn , she’s in too deep and refuses to look any other direction.  

“This isn’t a proposal, right? You don’t have a ring in your pocket or something? I was kinda thinking about proposing after this stupid pandemic. You know, whenever it ends.” Jinsol starts rambling but also doesn’t care if she sounds like a fool. “We can get married in Las Vegas or in Toronto. Maybe Haseul and Jiwoo can tag along and witness it. I mean, our marriage wouldn’t be validated here, but at least we can say we got married , rings and everything.” Jungeun doesn’t miss the way Jinsol’s eyes sparkle when she says that. “I know we can’t adopt a kid, but maybe we can adopt a dog or something. We’re pretty settled in this apartment. Maybe we can take things a step further and buy a house together. I don’t know. I mean, I considered immigrating to another country, but that really is another conversation to have. Whatever works for you. If there’s any problem or disagreement, we always manage to work it out.”

Jungeun is a little taken back about how much Jinsol has thought about it, considering they’ve never talked about it, even jokingly. She was getting kinda overwhelmed over these unspoken plans. 

She puts her other hand on her thigh to steady herself up.

Thinking Jungeun was reaching into her pocket, Jinsol’s jaw dropped. “Oh, my god. Jungeun!” Jinsol covered . Her eyes started b with tears. 

Jungeun was perplexed by Jinsol’s rather dramatic reaction, but realized the placement of her hand might’ve given her the wrong idea. “Oh, no! I’m not proposing! I swear!” She shows her empty hand. “I was just propping myself up.”

Jinsol sighs in relief and a tear falls down her right eye. She quickly wipes it away and chuckles. “Thank goodness.” She takes a deep breath. “I mean, I wouldn’t say no if you proposed to me tonight, but I really thought it would be a little more romantic than overcooked samgyetang and convenience store ice cream while your gums are still healing.”

(Jungeun wants to know if Jinsol has planned a proposal for her—oh, she has, by the way, just you wait—but isn’t sure if she’s ready to hear that answer.) 

She tries to compose herself and give some context to Jinsol. “I, uh, know this is kinda random and probably really sudden for you. I just have been thinking about us lately. I don’t know if I ever say this enough, but I really appreciate you taking care of me after my surgery. I know it hasn’t been easy, but you were always on time for my medications and made special meals for me and listened to me whine and you held me when I was in pain and, god,” she palms her face, “you went all the way home and brought your guitar.” 

Jinsol laughs, thinking about how crazy it sounds coming out of Jungeun’s mouth. Did all of that really happen in a span of two weeks?

“You probably could tell, but it was like hell. I was in so much pain. I was frustrated. I hated being a dead weight for nearly a week. Despite all that, you made me feel special, even when I felt like complete... .”

Jinsol nervously coughs because Jungeun isn’t one to curse and it sounds foreign to her. However, Jinsol knew that every time Jungeun cursed, she really meant it. 

“And, you know, other things decide to crash into us, like life and emotions. My insecurities got to the best of me and you always found ways to comfort and reassure me. We acknowledged tucked-away trauma and managed to civilly move past it. I can confidently say that you know me so well and maybe that’s because we’ve been dating for seven years, but the fact that I can say both truths is something we can’t take for granted or just gloss over.

Jungeun feels herself start to ramble. The thoughts collected from the past weeks start to spill out. 

This was going to be one hell of a speech. 

“You know me so well; you know things that I don’t even recognize myself. You know I don’t like letting my guard down. You know that I don’t really like it if someone takes care of me. But do you know that I genuinely like both things if it’s with you? I can be vulnerable around you because you're the only person who makes me feel safe . I feel like there were so many opportunities for you to tease me or exploit me of the affectionate tendencies that I’ve been showing lately, and to some extent you did, but you never crossed any lines. In fact, it seems more like you protected me. 

“Do you know how much I value that? I’m so used to taking care of myself, but now I’m blessed to have someone I can always rely on. I accept that I’m not always going to be healthy or strong, so if someone needs to take care of me, I want it to be you. I like your food. I like your hugs of comfort. I like your attentiveness. I like... you.”

“You like me,” Jinsol pokes fun at her with an arched eyebrow.

To , Jungeun doesn’t take the bait. “I already had a lot of trust in you before this, but I now feel like I can just give you all of my trust.” She takes a deep breath at the bold statement. “That sounds so dangerous, but that’s how confident I feel about you. I’m willing to risk it all.”

She chuckles nervously, surprised by the passion within her, yet still feeling like she’s not giving enough. “, Jinsol. It’s scary thinking about it, but it’s almost scarier saying it out loud. I mean, you talked about finding independence, as a person and within a relationship. Haseul also talked to me about couples needing to take a break. I’ve been thinking about that a lot, but, Jinsol, do you know what’s the best part about being with someone you love and trust so much? 

“There are so many moments where I can carelessly wallow in us being together and how much I just love being together . It’s terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. Do you know how much trust that requires? It probably doesn’t seem like a lot, but I really can’t be that way in front of other people. When I’m with you, I can let go of any insecurities and worries. I know I come off cold or playing hard to get, but there are hours or days or weeks when I want to spoil you with dinner or cuddle in your arms or just be in your presence and I get to show that to you . I get to be my real self in front of you without any fear or judgment. Do you know how liberating and relieving that sounds? I don’t have to worry about the what-ifs or the maybes because you always answer them with such confidence that allows me to always keep my head forward. 

“Wow, that sounds like a failed attempt of being deep.” Jungeun brushes a hand through her hair. Jinsol just giggles and nods as a sign of encouragement to keep going.

“Lately, I’ve been thinking about myself: who I am and who I want to be. To be honest, when I am Jungeun, I have to put a wall up. I mean, it’s only normal, right? I have to keep pushing myself to get work done. I have to deal with the fact that someone has to make dinner and that someone might just be me. And although that is a genuine version of me, sometimes, I just want to stop carrying around those walls. I want to snap at my boss or my client. I want to stop making food and just order take-out. Obviously, it’s normal to slip into this immature mindset, but with how often I feel that way, it’s not something I can indulge in. 

“I don’t know how you do it, Jinsol, but you just do things that allow me to tap into those  indulgences without hurting anyone. Maybe I can’t ask my boss to give me a break, but I can come home and ask you to watch dramas together so I can yell at how stupid the characters are. Maybe both of us are too tired to cook, but I can ask you to make instant ramen. There are so many things I can do alone, but I can always depend on you when I'm not able to function. It’s tiring maintaining myself sometimes, so being able to share my worst moments with someone reliable like you eases those burdens. 

“I ask myself the question: who am I? Obviously, I am Kim Jungeun, but that includes so many versions of me. I am Jungeun, the financer. I am Jungeun, a dancer. I am Jungeun, an alumnus of Seoul National University. 

“I am also Jungeun, Jung Jinsol’s girlfriend, and I take a lot of pride in having that side of me.” Tears start forming in Jungeun’s eyes, but she smirks. Jinsol mirrors the emotional grin. “Jinsol, you’re so smart and respectable and mature and strong and talented.” Jinsol an eyebrow and shakes her head, thinking about how many disasters happened the past few weeks, but Jungeun counters by nodding her head and tightening the grip on her hand. “I know you don’t always feel that way. Heck, you can be suffocating and frustrating, but that just shows you’re human. I love that about you, Jinsol. 

“Who do I want to be? Of course, I want to move up in my job. I want to be a better dancer. But if you really think about what’s been happening the past few weeks, heck, maybe even the past few months, I realized I just want to be happy . It’s so simple, yet it can be hard to obtain. I’ve been through so much pain and the way you can make me smile even through the toughest times gives me so much purpose in life.

“After reflecting so much, I can tell you a bunch of other things that make me happy and how I see myself in a few years. I can go off, listing each thing and reasons why, but you know what really overcame me? 

“I want to share this happiness and a future with you . Being independent is important, but being dependent is another set of responsibilities that we've braced together. We’re going to keep being our individual selves, but we’re going to keep being together and that’s important to me. Sure, promises and rules are going to be broken, but we’re going to keep loving and forgiving and learning and that requires so much patience and tolerance and respect which are all special feelings I’ve manifested myself, regardless if it’s from you or my friends or my family.    

“There’s only one person that I want to share this feeling with. I want it to be you. 

“Jinsol, I want it to be you for the rest of my life.

“I want you to take care of me and, and I want to take care of you. I want to see you grow old and get wrinkles and complain about back pain. I want to be there when you get a promotion or switch jobs. I want to be dancing and singing next to you for years and years to come.  

“I know there’s so much in between, especially unhappy moments, and I want to experience all of that, too. We’ve already had our fair share of those and I’ve learned from them. I respect silence between us, but I want us to be comfortable to talk about anything, whether it is from our distant past or something an hour ago or eight years from now. I know one of us is going to be sick and it's tiring to take care of the other, but we'll get through it together. I accept the fact that there’s going to be a lot of fights ahead of us, but I want us to solve our problems before we go to bed because I know I can live a little easier when I sleep in your arms.”

At this point, Jungeun’s throat tightens, and her voice cracks at how sentimental she’s feeling. She pushes through, comforted by the fact that it’s Jinsol in front of her and she wouldn’t care about it. “I want us to keep crying together and singing together and eating meals together and talking about little things together. I want us to explore together and grow together and take on the world together. I want us to beat this freaking pandemic together. It honestly terrifies me thinking about a future without us being together.”

Jungeun looks deep into Jinsol’s eyes as she tries to catch her own breath and clear . She knows this is a lot to take in, but she feels the need to let it out and just tell Jinsol how deeply she feels about her.

Jinsol’s mouth is left agape as she tries to look for words. “Wow. You must have been thinking a lot about this.”

Again, a Jinsol-esque response, but Jungeun loves it all. She knows Jinsol is trying and at least it doesn’t make the conversation feel completely one-sided. Jungeun nods. “It took me seven years and a handful of letters to figure out the words I wanted to say.

“I’m sorry if I’m coming off so strong and so out of the blue—”

Jinsol interrupts her by shaking her head. “I’m not.” She quietly laughs. “ I love it . This is the most talking you’ve done in the past few weeks and it’s about me. Keep going.”

Although Jinsol just gave her permission to continue, Jungeun was running out of energy and she really needed to get to her point. She inhales deeply. “I don’t know if you had time to think about it, but I hope you feel the same.

“I know we already act like a married couple, but… it’s different saying it out loud. It’s different talking about it.”

This was it.

“I want to marry you, Jung Jinsol. I want to be your forever partner.” 

Jungeun catches her breath. She didn’t realize how much she had to say, yet she feels like she could talk for hours, maybe days. For the past 10 minutes, she’s been relaying her love for Jinsol, but somehow that last sentence had so much more weight than the monologue that supported it. 

She means it.

She means it with her whole heart. 

“Are you sure this isn’t a marriage proposal? Quite honestly, that sounds like marriage vows already.” Jinsol smirks and bites her lip.

The woman in front of her rolls her eyes, but internally, she shamelessly consumes the cheese. How is it that Jungeun professed her love for Jinsol through an entire 1,700-and-some-word monologue, yet Jinsol always swoons her over with stupid comebacks? How on earth is Jinsol so charming? (The real question is if Jinsol is actually charming or if Jungeun is just simping really hard.)

Jungeun really wants to tease back with a scowl, but the smirk won’t leave her face. She lets go of Jinsol’s hand and crosses her arms in an attempt to appear unaffected. “Why on earth would I be giving you the ring? You lost our couple ring after 6 months.”

Jinsol’s jaw drops at the truth bomb. She pokes the inside of her cheek with her tongue in disbelief of how the mood shifted. “In my defense, we got couple ear- rings and I have never taken it off, even to shower!” She tucks away her hair to show the piece of jewelry that Jungeun was admiring a few weeks ago. 

Jungeun responds by sticking her tongue out. “You still lost that ring.”

Rolling her eyes, Jinsol groans and rubs her face. It’s been over 6 years since that incident happened and Jungeun still uses it against her. 

Do you think she’ll still hold it against her when they’re married? (The answer is yes.)

Jinsol clicks her tongue and shakes her head. “I knew this was too good to be true. The Jungeun I know doesn’t spend 15 minutes talking about how much she loves me.” She dramatically sighs. “I deserve that though.” Jinsol holds her hand in front of her. “I promise I wouldn’t lose an engagement ring, especially if it came with a “proposal” like yours.”

Jungeun grabs her hand and interlocks their fingers again. Jinsol looks up, only to see Jungeun pouting, which causes her to melt. “I thought you said you wanted to propose. I’m expecting something bigger and better .” 

Her provocation worked. Jinsol lets out a cross between a scoff and a laugh. Jungeun chuckles at the reaction. “Okay. I’ll try. I still need to figure out your ring size.” She sets down their hands on the table and thumbs at the bare ring finger. “I was looking around for diamond rings, but it seems like they’re getting phased out. Some guy was trying to sell me one that had meteorites in it. There were these pretty rings with sapphire gemstones, but they weren’t the ones that caught my eye.”

There she goes again, talking about plans that Jungeun hasn’t heard of. That means Jinsol has also been thinking about this for a while then? That means Jinsol has a plan?

“Does that mean you feel the same?” There’s an obvious answer, but Jungeun wants to hear it. 

“ Of course I do . It’s just— Look— I—” Jinsol stammers. “Right now, I just don’t have many words to give you because I wasn’t really prepared to profess my love for you tonight. Can you forgive me and just accept the food I cooked and brought for you? I promise I’ll blow your mind with my proposal.”

“Will you really,” Jungeun continues teasing?

“Only because I like you so much.” Jinsol childishly brings up the moderate choice of word Jungeun used earlier. “I want to marry you, too, Kim Jungeun. I want that.”

Jungeun lets out a laugh of relief. Tears fell down her cheek, too. 

Suddenly, the past few weeks washed over her. 

The pain. 

The comfort. 

The warmth. 

The consideration. 

The teasing. 

The care. 

The sacrifice.

A promise.

It was all Jinsol. 

It was going to keep being Jinsol. 

That alone was comforting to Jungeun. 

The tears couldn’t stop this time. When Jinsol cooes at her, Jungeun weeps into her elbow to hide herself. She knows it’s useless, but it was worth trying. Jungeun just exposed a part of herself and it was only normal of her to put up some sort of wall again. 

But just like she said, Jinsol was ready to be her protector. She was going to enable Jungeun to embrace her raw self. 

Jungeun feels the hand holding Jinsol being lifted and hears a chair scraping against the floor. Soon enough, her head was against Jinsol’s abdomen and her arms instinctively wound around Jinsol’s legs. Sobs of relief, happiness, and leftover passion were dampened by an entire unit of Jinsol. Jungeun wiped her tears away on her shirt. Jinsol rubbed Jungeun’s back with one hand and caressed her head with the other, entangling her fingers into Jungeun’s locks. She bent down to give Jungeun a light kiss on the crown of her head. 

Soon enough, it courses through Jinsol as well and her own waterworks show begins. Her sniffles accompany Jungeun’s cries, despite it being cacophonic. Jungeun can feel tears on the top of her own head. She knows they belong to Jinsol and she wants to reciprocate the comfort that Jinsol was providing her. However, she held back. Right now, she needed Jinsol more than ever. 

Jungeun lets out her sobs and Jinsol whispers sweet nothings to her. 

“Kim Jungeun, You mean the world to me.”

“I love you everything about you. I will continue to love you.”

“You’re the most important person to me.”

“Loving you is the greatest honor I could ever receive.”

“You make me feel like the luckiest person in the world. I’m so lucky to call you mine.”

“I can’t wait to get married to you.”

It was a lot for Jungeun. It was a lot for Jinsol. 

It’ll be okay since they’re there for each other. They'll hold each other up. 

When things simmer down, they still hold each other. Jungeun nuzzles close to her and Jinsol lightly sways them, similar to the day she took Jungeun home from the dental office. 

“Jinsol, I love you so, so, so, so much.” It’s nearly a mumble in Jinsol’s stomach, but Jinsol could hear it loud and clear.

“I love you, too, Jungeun, more than yesterday and less than tomorrow.”

The two lay in bed, dopey grins plastered on each other’s faces. It’s past midnight, but they’re both too giddy to fall asleep. Jungeun is laying on her side, not really caring if her gums would be swollen tomorrow morning. Jinsol cups Jungeun’s cheeks, something she’s been hesitant of doing since it would usually inflict pain. 

Jinsol hasn’t really said anything in the past hour. Jungeun’s just smiling at Jinsol, thinking about how she loves everything about her. Jinsol’s smiling because she loves seeing Jungeun happy especially after witnessing so many pouts and frowns and cries these past few weeks. 

Jungeun lets out a giggle. At this point, Jinsol is too sleepy to try to figure out what’s making her girlfriend so elevated. Half an hour ago, it was because Jungeun thought Jinsol’s cheeks were so squishy when she smiled. Fifteen minutes ago, it was because she was excited to talk to Haseul about it. (Don’t tell Jinsol, but Jungeun is now thinking about how she wants to visit an animal shelter and look for a new puppy to adopt together.)

Jinsol is absolutely clueless, but she doesn’t care. Even in their dark room, Jungeun’s smile is so bright. 

There’s a pang in Jinsol’s heart. Something about Jungeun’s smile has been hypnotizing her all day. Was it due to happiness or was it something different? She’s never really seen Jungeun’s gums when she smiles. It also doesn’t look as strained. 

Was Jinsol going insane? Was she overthinking things? Was she so deep in love?

“Hey, Jungie. Can I ask you an honest question?”

“If we adopt a puppy, would it take your surname or mine?” Oops. Jungeun spilled. I mean, it’s not like she could help it. 

Jinsol furrows her eyebrows, confusion and infatuation broiling within her. Your surname or mine? A puppy? The question makes her head spin a little bit. If she was being honest, with last night’s conversation and Jungeun’s enthusiasm for the past two hours, Jinsol is a little overwhelmed and sensitive. At this point, Jungeun could probably tell her that she was growing another arm and she would swoon. 

“Okay. We can figure it out later.” Jungeun softens at Jinsol’s befuddled expression. “What did you want to ask?”

Jinsol tries to regain composure. She almost loses her train of thought, but Jungeun’s smile keeps her on track. 

“Forgive me, for I am not sure how to gracefully word what I’m about to say.” She admires that smile one more time. “I liked your smile beforehand, but I must say, it looks prettier lately.”

Jinsol expects Jungeun to say something corny and cliche, like how she’s ‘always looked this way’ or how ‘she’s happy because of her’’. Maybe it’ll make Jungeun childishly upset. If this was Jungeun pre-quarantine, she might cower in embarrassment.  

Jungeun’s grin softens. For a second, Jinsol is worried that she did say the wrong thing, however, the grin is still as sweet as ever. “I’m not going to lie. It’s easier to smile when you’re not in pain. With my wisdom teeth gone, that pressure back there is gone and I can smile wider.”

The words are like an additional weight off of Jinsol’s chest. In fact, Jinsol felt a sense of pride take up that space. 

Jungeun leans closer to Jinsol, their lips merely inches away from each other. “I’m only smiling because I had such a great caretaker.” She pauses and it takes everything in Jinsol to not kiss her then and there. "I plan on getting married to her, you know?"

There’s the Jungeun Jinsol knows (and dearly loves). 

Jinsol doesn’t really get to indulge in the pride of successfully taking care of her girlfriend (fiancé?) because Jungeun steals a kiss between them. It’s gentle and warm and sweet and…

It’s all Jungeun.

Jungeun pulls away. Their foreheads are still touching. A tingling sensation lingers on each other’s lips.

Jinsol tenderly rubs her thumb against Jungeun’s cheek. Jungeun lets out a sheepish giggle. The older woman decides to further with light pecks. 

Impatient, Jungeun grabs Jinsol’s nape and kisses her once more. This time it’s a little more passionate and laced with desire. The feeling was addicting and Jinsol was ready to get lost in it. 

Something in the back of her head (actually, closer to ) tells her to stop. 

Jinsol pulls away and catches her breath. “We really shouldn’t.” She offers a rather reluctant grin. “I’m sorry.”

The longing in Jungeun’s eyes seemingly washes away as Jungeun focuses on Jinsol’s firm gaze. Jinsol’s right anyway. Jungeun can already feel the tension in her jaw building up (it was probably from smiling all night though). She might wake up with swollen cheeks in the morning. (She did. Actually, it was only one cheek.)

Jungeun lightly returns the expression and nods. Jinsol offers an apologetic kiss on her forehead before pulling Jungeun closer. The younger one cradles her head on Jinsol’s chest while one arm snakes under Jinsol’s waist and the other lays on top of Jinsol’s heart. Jinsol has an arm wrapped around Jungeun’s shoulder and the other on top of Jungeun’s hand. Their legs were tangled underneath the sheets. 

Everything felt right. It’s like the way things were before the surgery, maybe before COVID-19. 

They’d like to think that being in this position makes them feel like they’re going back to their normal selves, but less than an hour later, Jinsol admittedly starts losing feeling in her arm where Jungeun laid her head and Jungeun forgot about how Jinsol’s snores are louder when she’s closer to her. 

The two naturally ebb away from each other and eventually fall into a deep slumber. It’ll take some time before they get back to their old sleeping habits. 

Jungeun doesn’t really mind. She has forever with Jinsol anyways. 

A/N: 

So, um, I guess this is it. *cough* jk there might be a sequel *cough*

I have a lot of emotions right now. They range from relief to sadness to excitement. Most importantly, I feel a lot of gratitude.

Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.

Thank you to my readers. Thank you to my commenters. Thank you to those that leave a Kudos. Thank you to my fanartists.

This fic, specifically the last half of this story, would not be here without you guys. I know a lot of authors say that. It seems cliché and superficial to say, but for this story, at least, it has gone through so many drafts and it honestly would not have gone through these many changes if it wasn't for your motivation. I became really invested in these characters and overall plot thanks to you guys. I usually don't go through such drastic processes of editing and refining, but y'all inspired me to really push my limits. It really has been a fun experience. Writing is always a pleasure (for the most part anyway) and talking to you guys about it is another level of gratification. For that, I'm forever grateful.

If I can be vulnerable for a hot second, my life is kinda going through a low point. My unemployment has made me a little bit existential and the constant rejection I've been receiving is just... really ty. I try to be positive, but it's honestly really hard, especially when I'm dealing with other things like teaching my parents about social injustice and the lowkey fear of dying twice due to the California wildfires. I lost a lot of confidence and hope in myself these past 8 months. This story is an escape for me.

So thank you. Thank you for giving this story a chance. Thank you for giving me some confidence. Thank you for giving me a reason to wake up in the morning. Thank you for making me want to work instead of laying in bed all day. Thank you for making me feel like I'm finally doing something right.

Wisdom Teeth was a huge experiment for me. Every single chapter felt like a risk and I never felt confident posting any chapter. The love and support it received were honestly unimaginable. I'm not one to count readers or upvotes, but damn, I've never seen a number like that in my life (for my stories). I honestly can't ignore that. Honestly, when this fic hit 30 subscribers on AFF, I was shocked. Now there's 100+ of y'all? I don't know how Hits on AO3 break down, but I was ting myself when it had 500 hits. Seriously, this reception is overwhelming. This story is also something that has helped me achieve a lot of personal goals as a writer. IT STILL SHOCKS ME THAT I WROTE FLUFF. Not only is it "just fluff", but it's a freaking 9-chapter, +25k worded story. I never thought I'd do either of those things. If I'm being honest, this is the most fun I've had writing a story and it's really rewarding to see people appreciate it. I don't think it'll be my best fic, but I'm really excited to see where things go from here. I glad you guys got to witness this.

Okay. If you've ever had a conversation with me, you know I will talk a lot, so I'll spare you some time and end things here. As always, you can read my Extended Author's Note here. I don't know if you want to read it today because it's twice as long as this chapter and contains random behind the scenes of what actually happened to me when I had my wisdom teeth yanked out, but if you read anything from it, please read the portion titled "Thank You♥" because the words that I'm writing here are honestly never enough.

(Wait, before I go, if you haven't read it yet, I wrote an extended version of chapter 2. There's 2x more of the "I want that" cute content. You can read it here. I don't mean to play favorites, but this is dedicated to the people who have been here since that chapter was released. Y'all really taught me the meaning of loving myself LOL.)

I'm sad to see this story end, but I'm really excited to see what's next. I do want to mention though that this is most likely my last fic on AFF. I'm transitioning to AO3 and posting on both platforms is just a little tedious. I'm really satisfied that this may be my "AFF retirement" piece. It's been a lovely 7 years here (:

Thank you for joining me on this journey. I hope to see you guys again. I'll miss you.

As always: stay hydrated, eat a snack or two, tell someone you love them, get some rest, take your supplements, grades don't define you, it's just a bad day not a bad life, you are appreciated, you matter, YOU GOT THIS.

Oh yeah. STREAM WHY NOT?

Stay safe and healthy~

(If you have time, please tell me what you liked about this fic. Thank you again♥ Twitter (@littlepanduh) | Curious Cat (@LittlePanduh))