“Hey!”

The team ran when they heard the yell of the store owner. They were in a sidewalk where vendors are selling fruits and other products on the sideways and just a while ago, they snatched some stuffs form a certain vendor who just bawled out of his lungs. There were five people: two girls and three boys—all in their adolescences.

Seulgi was behind the line since she was the one who stole the plastic of persimmons and in front of her was Kai. Well, if she was being honest, not only do her brother steal but also she herself—she just did not had the chance to get caught pretty slick.

Once they were somehow away, they turned into an alley and stopped to catch their breaths. The other three was clearly all sweating while Seulgi and Kai were leaning on the brick wall. It was afternoon, just as the monolid woman’s school hours were done. Not that she was still wearing her uniform but she changed nevertheless.

When they were somehow already done gathering their lost air, they went on their way since the sun was almost going down. Seulgi was not expecting at least someone to be at her home in this hour since her brother was locked up because of the same reason that she did just a while ago. Yet, of course Wonwoo was still young; he was not yet specialized in this field, but Seulgi firstly kept all her racketeerings for herself and did not utter any single thing about it for now.

The other three went on their separate ways once they reached the bridge near Taewha River although Seulgi and Kai remained to stick around for a while. They settled on a bench just as the sun fell down and the street lights were all visible and on display.

“You want some?” Seulgi offered the plastic of persimmons and Kai took one. “It’s your birthday today, right?”

“It is? Must’ve slipped off my mind.”

Seulgi tittered. “I don’t even know if that’s possible but, okay.”

Well, she never believed him nor never believed that someone can forget their birthdays but of course, what does she know of the world in that age? Nothing much, but if she knew that she was right about it, then she should have not forgotten a bunch of her birthdays in the future.

“Look at the moon, isn’t it beautiful?”

Kai followed her trail of eyes. “Hmm. It’s just a big glowing ball out on the space. What’s beautiful in that?”

Seulgi frowned immediately in offense. “That’s rude. You can talk to it if no one is listening.”

“As if it can hear you.”

“Figuratively!” Seulgi defended. “And what I meant by that is metaphorical.”

“Okay, fine. You win, egghead.”

Seulgi grinned. “You’re quite a genius too, you know. You’re good at plotting. I don’t know why you stopped studying all of a sudden.”

“Financial crisis.”

“You always say that but there are other ways to—”

“Look, not all dreams can be reached. Sometimes, you gotta accept the fact of failures and stuffs like that.”

“But failure isn’t a sign of defeat.” Seulgi said and Kai stared at her weirdly. “It means motivation.”

“Yeah right.”

The monolid woman let him be before she remembered something that went inside her head. “Oh shoot! I almost forgot.”

“Forgot what?”

Seulgi then fished out something in her jacket before facing him. “Here.”

Kai took hold of a pendant, designed in silver chains. “What’s this?”

“A moon dance pendant. I saw that in a store and it was on sale so I figured that would be the best gift I can offer to you.”

“You don’t need to bother—”

“No excuses! You helped me countless times, include that giving me a cash to buy aid kits.”

Kai stared at the pendant for a minute before wearing it afterwards. “Is this some kind of a trick so that I can owe you—”

“No, silly! It’s a thank you.”

He scoffed. “Yeah whatever you say.”

Seulgi looked away while laughing and once she was not aware, Kai covertly gazed at the monolid woman before averting his attention somewhere else. He itched that life was indeed easier but how is it the complete opposite of it? At least, right now, time was not an exception.

Jeju Island – Day 28.

Joohyun woke up with the (un)familiar warmth enveloping her around her waist. It was hard to open her eyes since everything seemed too cozy and somehow she does not want to be interrupted at this moment. The time she shifted with difficulties, she wondered why the whole shooting match was sort of peculiar. If she was not in her bed then where the hell is she…?

The raven forced her eyes to flutter open and to her surprise, she was indeed not on her bed, but on top of her secretary who was currently securing her with her arms. Out of habit, she shrieked and pushed herself away, causing the both of them to fall down the carpeted floor with a loud thud.

Seulgi, who was asleep seconds earlier, was now groaning due to the impact while Joohyun prepared herself for anything worse to happen by burying her face down the blonde’s shoulder blades.

“Ouch...”

Joohyun looked up when Seulgi has said that. “Yah!”

With a last groan, Seulgi opened her eyes just to see her boss on top of her with a worried expression. “I think you might’ve broke my back.”  

The smaller woman blinked before answering with a concerning tone. “H-huh? I d-did?”

“That badly hurt.”

Joohyun opened to speak but no words were able to come out, rather she gulped since the sight below her was somehow very entrancing that she had to look away with her cheeks flaring red in a second. Moments later, the latter realized then how awkward their positions were… sort of.

The raven stood up instantly with difficulties as both of them wrestled on the ground. Well, of course she is the boss and will always possess the upper hand, with her somehow elbowing or kneeing the blonde who just grunted and kept all her complains to herself. After all of that, Joohyun managed to successfully unlatch herself from Seulgi while the latter still remained on the carpeted floor.

Draping her blanket all over herself just like the dramatic queen she is, Joohyun glanced at the blonde who is now slowly getting up. “W-what am I doing on the couch?”

Seulgi looked at her confusedly. “I don’t know, ask yourself.”

Well, now that Joohyun remembered all, she indeed has no right to pass the blame. Instead, she acted a little bit off away from her character—just like…

“R-right, w-whatever! I’m just gonna shower!” She ran hurriedly towards the bathroom while the blanket was still wrapped around her frame.

The blonde followed the trail of her boss with a confused pout, since she just woke up, she was not still aware of her surroundings. “What’s her problem…?”

Just as when she closed the door completely, she freaked out both internally and externally. Why did she even go and sleep there in the first place? If she was not a ing coward and a scaredy-cat out in the beginning then there will not be a single problem present for today. Perhaps she needs to get rid of these weird feelings in her body since she did not like any of it a bit and include that today is the day… where she will eventually get the chance of being unfortunate by seeing her greatest abominates.

Meanwhile, Seulgi just finished fixing the living room and she decided to just make her way to the balcony after she has done making her morning hot chocolate. Once she did, she opened the sliding doors and the morn breeze blew right pass her. It was serene since their room is somehow from the top floor and in here, the zephyr can be felt in the forenoon.

For the time being, black cars and SUVs stopped on the road just as the street lights turned red. The silence was deafening actually but they were used to it from the start.

“I heard Irene’s newly modeled design failed?”

Jackson turned sideways to look at him. “It did.”

“Hmm.” He chuckled darkly. “Wow, never imagined he is also good at sabotaging his sister’s work.”

“Didn’t you ask him to do it?”

“I did. She must’ve been so frustrated right now.” He added with another laugh.

Jackson did not respond anymore and that was the end of their conversation. He never hoped this affair would be in a stage like this—it was indeed too wicked. Well, he does not care about the Baes lives, they can rot in whenever, but there is someone involved that he adores so much. It was out of purpose and he did not know that she will just show up uninvitedly and by just thinking of that, he grew agitated of the unknown and unpredictable future.

It looks like this time he doubts that he could still protect her just like before.

Just as Joohyun turned off the shower, she slid the sliding glass to look for her towel, but to her dismay it was not there. Of course it will not be there since she just dashed away like a crazy woman and guess what? Her blanket was the one she spotted and she cannot just use that! Well, she can call the blonde for help but she would not; the last time she did was indeed a disaster to even repeat.

So, the raven just grabbed the towel and wrapped it around her before opening the bathroom’s door slowly to observe if the coast is clear. Sensing the quietness and emptiness from the outside, she scurried out to get her towel hanged near the kitchen (well, do not ask why is it in the kitchen anymore, that is Joohyun’s problem).

Seulgi just got out of the balcony after she closed the sliding doors shut. The balcony was near the kitchen too and the blonde is the one who does not make sound, a vey stealthy person since she adapted that in her adolescence when she was still running on the streets or when she does very unlawful things.

Just when Joohyun grasped the towel successfully and was going to turn around to run away, Seulgi appeared behind her in which the latter also did not notice the raven there all of a sudden. Due to the impact, the blanket then floundered as the towel was thrown inches away from the raven. With a shriek, Joohyun startled Seulgi who was now joining her to scream.

“Don’t turn around! Don’t you turn around!”

“I’m not going to! And what are you doing running around without any clothes on?” Seulgi frustratedly uttered.

“I thought you weren’t around!”

“Even! You know what, just get this.” Seulgi then picked up the towel on the ground before reaching behind to give it to the raven, but also while covering her eyes with her free hand.

This is certainly the second time that the blonde almost seen her boss ! What was she thinking? Being carefree sometimes does not give you the benefit at all! Not that she is starting to feel the heat creeping in her neck up to her cheeks. This is just purely embarrassing.

Joohyun wrapped the towel all over her body with her heart beating in an abnormal rate. She also knows that the droplets descending down from her forehead were not water at all. Once she was done, Seulgi turned back gradually but her hand was still covering her eyes, but she was slightly peeking from it. Sensing that the raven was done, she dropped her hand and looked at her boss plainly.

“What if it wasn’t me?”

“H-huh?”

“What if it’s someone who just barged in?” Her tone was somehow different from her typical one. “What would you do?”

Joohyun just shrugged and looked up to meet those honey orbs, only to find a glint so afar from what she was seeing a while back or just being the typical she was used to see. 

Seulgi then heaved a sigh before picking up the blanket down the floor near Joohyun’s feet. Just as when the blonde took a step forward, the raven moved slightly backwards, yet Seulgi did not mind and continued to do what she had in mind then swiftly draped the blanket all over Joohyun to fully cover her at all, while the latter only blinked at the gesture.

“Don’t be too carefree.” Said Seulgi once she was done. “Sometimes the people closer to you are more dangerous than who you thought were.”

By that, the blonde walked away after grabbing her towel on the rack too. It left Joohyun dumbfounded. Sure, she was indeed an intelligent woman—it was not a joke—yet why does it seem that whenever she is with Seulgi, her mind just goes malfunctioning all the way?

Well, she does not know and also does not want to find out anymore since she is sure the answer is unlikeable.

❦

The big doors opened and it revealed the bride in white.

The setting of the event was indeed fabulous. In a prestigious and massive church, the venue was designed with a lot of flowers and green; the aisle was covered in water along with floating florals; the theme was red, white, and yellow in symbolism of their traditional colors; the chandeliers were all covered in florets. The bride was not wearing any footwear since she will be walking on this ankle-length water aisle. It did cost much but money was not a problem for them.

Taeyeon along with Tiffany, just arrived an hour ago before the ceremony since based on the singer’s statement, Tiffany insisted for them to come at the same time. Well, Taeyeon of course refused at first but Tiffany, being so stubborn (just like her daughter) persisted her until the latter just gave up.

Seulgi kept moving on her spot and Joohyun is getting a little bit irritated by the blonde’s actions. When she glanced sideways, she spotted her fumbling with her tuxedo, especially her ascot in which seemed choking her from discomfort.

“Will you stop that?” Joohyun hissed.

“It’s itchy.”

The raven then checked where the inconvenience was and to her displeasure, the prize tag in the back of the tuxedo’s collar was not removed. Is she surprised? No, not at all since from what she observed, Seulgi is an oblivious individual; it was nothing new.

Rolling her eyes along with a shake of head, Joohyun faced Seulgi. “There’s a price tag.”

“Remove it then.”

“Are you kidding me? Really? Now?”

“It’s bothering me.”

“Later.” Joohyun said before looking back at the bride.

Oh how she indeed loathes her but she knew it was wrong to do so, but she could not care less. To her dismay, she spotted the family at the other row. Now that the aggravation is growing inside her, it did not go unnoticed by Seulgi. The latter just knew something disrupted her peace and mood based on her boss’s expression right now.

Seulgi covertly peered back and indeed, she potted the Wangs at the other row. Sensing Joohyun’s growing aura, which was different minutes ago, she had the urge to just calm this woman down before everything can turn into a worse situation.

She held the raven’s hand and Joohyun immediately looked at her. “Easy.”

The raven lulled due to Seulgi’s soothing, and out of purpose, she clasped their fingers together before averting both of their attention back to the ceremony. Unknown to them, Jackson was staring from afar with a crestfallen mien, instead he just forced himself to look away and wait until the despondent emotion then subsides.

Once the bride already reached the altar, along with Chanyeol who met her halfway, the ceremony has yet to start. Everyone sat down after a second and since they were somehow in the fourth column, they were definitely visible within the crowd.

Seulgi was in absolute vexation because of the prize tag poking her from her nape, as well as the whole outfit being all too prickly. Joohyun noticed this from her peripheral vision and she could not help but to click her tongue afterwards.

“Stop.”

“It’s tingling.” The blonde reached behind her nape but as soon as Joohyun saw it, she halted her midway.

“Jesus…” the raven muttered firstly. “Move a little bit forward.”

Seulgi obeyed within a second and Joohyun positioned herself a little bit sideways. Once she was comfortable enough, she checked the prize tag and to her dismay, the prize tag will not be removed by snapping it since the product itself was made with quality. She tried pulling it out but of course, it would damage the fabric. Well, there is only one option left because she does not want to ruin the clothing since it can be used for… future purposes.

Joohyun mumbled another curse but it went inaudible this time since they were inside a church, where did her respect go if that is the case? Suddenly, she shifted a little bit and the people behind them looked at her oddly but she just smiled it off. Right then, she used her teeth to snap the price tag all the while hearing quiet gasps from behind but who cares this time right?

Once Joohyun was done, she slumped back beside the monolid woman before giving her the snapped tag. “I can’t believe I just did that because of your .”

Seulgi just laughed it off before pocketing the tag.

Now for the final piece, they all stood up again. As they asked and shared their I do’s, it was quite a cringe if you ask Joohyun yet she still cannot believe that the bride is the new member of the family and she will be bearing her own surname! It was indeed star-crossed to even think but what can she do rather than to accept the fact that sometimes, her favorite cousin can be an idiot and a jerk at the same time.

Once it was done, the couple then shared their kiss and everybody started clap their hands, of course Joohyun tagged along despite deep inside her it was not a thing to even celebrate about.

Seulgi sensed the change of mood of the raven once again and decided to nudge her by the elbow. “You’re being too cocky. Could you at least put a smile?”

“What?”

“What I meant was, that’s gonna be the two of us there soon, in front of the altar, so stop acting all disgusted because—”

Joohyun snickered. “I don’t even want to marry you in the first place!”

“Don’t worry, the feeling is mutual.”

The raven scoffed after hearing what the blonde just uttered. “What a nerve…”

“I can’t let them see you frowning so if you want, I would tape your lips upward.”

Joohyun glared at her. “Lost of job, you want?”

“I’m just kidding!”

By that, the smaller woman beamed and still continued to clap her hands but now a little enlightened. She then averted her focus back at the couple who were now coming down the stairs with their sincere smiles, Joohyun thought perhaps it was not a bad idea after all. She glanced at the monolid woman beside her and decided to just hook her arm with Seulgi while the latter was confused at first but eventually relaxed after a second.

Realizing that their heights were just perfectly matched.

❦

“Wrong!”

Joohyun slightly jumped out on her seat once her dad suddenly increased his voice for the nth time. She was reading an algebraic equation used for higher levels when she was just nine years old, but she wanted to be like her dad, a very successful man. Her dad is indeed scary and intimidating, growing up, he lacked affection yet that was still fine for her… at the very least.

“Continue, Joohyun.” With an authoritative voice, she had no choice but to continue reading and answering them mentally as he requested.

She needed to maintain that line straight, it cannot be put into a curve or especially a slope. It was indeed the expectations but all her life, she was practiced to ge