three years later

seulgi looks at her wife's hand that's holding the coffee cup, focusing on the ring finger where their wedding band is.

she swallows a lump in as she concentrates, narrowing her eyes to further feel the forces around her.

when it felt right, she pulls her ring finger, waiting to see if there's any motion on her wife's.

there was none.

so she tugs again, and again, and again.

still nothing.

her heart drops.

why can't it be her wife?

"boo, are you even listening to me?"

"huh?" seulgi blinks, seeing her wife's hand waving in front of her face. "yeah?"

"are you okay? is there something on my hand?" eunae checks her hand.

"no. i just... i'm just looking at our wedding ring..." seulgi takes her wife's hand and rubs her fingers on their wedding band.

eunae smiles. "you silly bear."

"by the way, what time are you supposed to go in?"

"in a few." eunae checks her wristwatch. "why? are you excited i'll be gone for three days for an international flight?"

"no. i'm simply reminding you because last time we stayed in this coffee shop, we forgot the time. you were almost late, remember?"

eunae chuckles. "anyway, i was talking about the investment venture i'm planning to get into. i may set a meeting by the end of the week to discuss it, maybe during my off. would you like to join?"

"hmm. i'll think about it. financial talks always make me dizzy."

eunae hums and fixes her bag. "anyway, i gotta go." she stands up. seulgi follows. "you be a good bear, okay?"

"i am always a good bear, boo." seulgi pulls her wife into a hug. "call me when you landed, okay? i love you."

"surely will. i love you too." eunae pulls back. "no takeouts or noddles, okay? i told heeyeon to make sure to feed you with edible foods only."

seulgi chuckles as she helps her wife pull out her suitcase.

an announcement echoes in the airport, making eunae sigh.

"i have to go now, boo." eunae leans in for a quick cheek kiss. "i'll call you."

"i love you." seulgi waves a hand as she watches her wife walks away with the suitcase rolling on her side.

eunae gives her one last look and mouths 'i love you too'.

---

"hmm. red rope seems to be getting a lot of traction, huh?" heeyeon says. "have you read all the comments?"

seulgi shakes her head, busy playing on her phone, sitting with feet propped on the desk. "too many to read."

"you should. they are hilarious. and they keep saying irene is pretty."

"yup. she sure is."

"but there's one weird comment here, seul. take a look..." heeyeon flaps a hand, beckoning seulgi to come closer.

"i'm busy, heeyeon-ee. i'm in the middle of a fight."

heeyeon grunts. "the comment says, 'should i call you serene? maurene? irene?'."

"holy schnikes!" seulgi drops her phone, scrambling off her chair and crawling towards her friend. "who's that?"

"hmm. the username is baechu. and she left other weird comments like time, date, and place. no one seems to notice it because it's so out of context, like spam."

"wait. let me see that." seulgi kneels in front of the desk and takes control of the mouse. "she left the message a few days ago. the date is today. and the place... schindlee's cafe... i know this cafe... so we live in the same city all this time?"

"she? you know the bish?"

"don't call her that!" seulgi smacks her friend. "this is irene! the real irene! my soulmate! and she left a message so we can meet up!"

"holy ting cow!" heeyeon covers . "wait! she says five in the afternoon. it's freaking four-fifteen already, bish!"

"yah! i'm on it!" seulgi heads to the door and puts on a coat.

"wait. what about your wife? aren't you supposed to pick her up?"

"she went straight to meet up with the financial advisor she hired after she landed. i'll pick her up once the meeting's over."

"oookay. just don't do anything stupid. just meet up. no ing, okay?" heeyeon shouts as seulgi exits the door.

" you, heeyeon!"

---

seulgi's phone rings before she can even enter the coffee shop.

"hey, boo! meeting's almost over. can you pick me up in a bit?" eunae asks.

seulgi scratches her head. "oh. it'll be over soon?"

"yeah. are you busy?"

"i'm just finishing up something..." seulgi enters the coffee shop. "i'll drive there right after this. just message me where you are at."

"okay. i'll get something to eat while waiting for you. maybe we can have dinner here too?"

"perfect. i'll see you in a bit. love you."

"love you too."

seulgi pockets her phone after her wife hangs up. she looks around the cafe, searching for a specific person.

"i only have a little time. please be here," she whispers as she checks every table for any signs of a familiar woman.

she scratched her head out of hopelessness and became more irritated when a strand of hair got stuck in her wedding ring.

"aish." she pulls the hair out, tugging her finger.

that's when something unexpected happens.

because right after that action, she felt a response.

with wide eyes, seulgi tries it one more time. another response came.

she's near!

seulgi looks around as she keeps tugging her finger. the constant response she's getting makes her heart flutter.

she goes to the second floor and feels the pull getting stronger.

she whips her head left and right until she finds a woman in dark pantsuit sitting alone at a table beside the window, back facing her.

and just like that, everything else went silent for her.

with her heart beating fast, seulgi takes slow steps towards the table. she doesn't need to see the woman's face. even with that back profile, seulgi's sure it's her. it's her soulmate.

she tugs one last time, making the woman turn to her with a surprised face.

and boy, did seulgi miss this woman.

her soulmate's face rearranges into a smile.

it was perfect, seulgi thinks. three years of waiting and frustration erased by the woman's heartwarming smile.

but to her surprise, someone familiar came into view.

"boo?" eunae enters the scene. she looks like she just came from the washroom because of the tissue in her hand. "how did you get here so quickly? i just messaged you my location."

seulgi looks at her wife and her soulmate alternately, confused.

eunae hooks her arm through seulgi's. "oh, by the way, this my wife, kang seulgi. and seulgi, this is the registered investment advisor i was talking about. her name's bae joohyun."