“It’s okay, Seulgi. We’ve got it from here. You can go.”

 

 

 

Seulgi smiles at the sight of her three best friends surrounded by stacks of boxes and their possessions.

 

“You guys are too sweet. But there’s still lots to pack so I’ll come help. Joohyun’s not here yet anyway.”

 

She sits down on the floor and pulls a random box closer. Wendy is busy with labeling, Joy is securing a box with packing tape, and Yeri is carefully sliding Seulgi’s portraits in a long wooden container.

 

“So,” Yeri says as she smooths out the canvas. “You feel nervous? Moving in with Joohyun as newlyweds?”

 

“I was at first,” Seulgi admits. “Although I don’t think there would be any difference since we lived together for years now. But yeah, I didn’t think we’d get this far, you know? Getting married and stuff like that.”

 

Wendy scoffs. “Are you kidding me? The moment you laid eyes on Joohyun, you turned to me and you said, ‘See that girl? I’m gonna marry her someday’.”

 

“Well, I was drunk that night.” They all laugh.

 

Seulgi remembers the moment Joohyun walked in the bar, hair swept up because it was extremely windy that night. As soon as their eyes locked, Seulgi’s heart made a resounding ba-dump.

 

At the memory of Joohyun, Seulgi looks at the door, wondering when Joohyun will come. They’ve been together for more than ten years and yet she still can’t get enough of the girl.

 

“Hand me those books, Yeri.” Seulgi holds out a hand. “We should be finished packing by the time Joohyun gets here so we’ll be ready to go.”

 

“Why are you in such a rush, Seul?” Joy throws her a photo album. “Why don’t we walk through memory lane first? Reminisce the good times.”

 

“Fine.” Seulgi flips through the pages and her eyes land on a picture of the five of them in a bar. “Let’s reminisce this.”

 

Joy groans and the rest of them laugh.

 

“Let’s call this ‘the night Joy and the toilet bowl became best friends’.” Yeri cackles.

 

Joy tuts. “God damn that night. I was heaving my guts out a solid 30 minutes after this was taken.”

 

“Yeah, you were just blowing chunks from both ends.” Seulgi snickers.

 

“I told you.” Wendy shakes her head disapprovingly. “I told you not to touch those pale and slimy-looking lobsters.”

 

“Let’s stop talking about it, please.” Joy gags. “It’s making me have war flashbacks.”

 

“How about this one?” Yeri points at a photo of Joy, Wendy, Seulgi, and Joohyun.

 

It was the night they went to a Disney-themed Halloween party all dressed as Winnie the Pooh.

 

“Oh yeah.” Wendy chortles. “That was stupid. I still blame whoever suggested we keep our costumes a surprise.”

 

“Hey!That was me.” Seulgi pouts.

 

“How could you dress the same as Joohyun, by the way?” Joy turns to Seulgi. “You were dating, !”

 

“Thanks for inviting me, by the way.” Yeri huffs, still stingy that she wasn’t at the party.

 

“For the last time, you were underage at the time.” Wendy explains. “We could’ve gotten in trouble if you were caught.”

 

“Fine.” Yeri flips through the photobook again and Seulgi briefly wonders again when Joohyun would come. “Moving on.”

 

“This one!” Yeri passes the album around.

 

As soon as Seulgi saw the picture, her heart thudded at the memory associated with it.

 

It was the first time she said ‘I love you’ to Joohyun.

 

“Ooh, that was when we went to the amusement park!” Wendy says giddily. “Man, my favorite was when we went inside the horror house. I had so much fun!”

 

“Well, I didn’t.” Joy sniffs. “Yeri, do you remember ruining my favorite sweater when you clawed at me like some sort of deranged cat?”

 

“Hey, that wasn’t me! That was Joohyun!” Yeri protests but Seulgi shakes her head.

 

“She didn’t go inside.” Seulgi reminds her.

 

“Yeah, because she was too scared.” Wendy laughs. “She almost didn’t go ride the roller coaster too, right?”

 

“Right.” Joy nudges Seulgi. “How’d you convince her to go on that ride, Seul?”

 

“I’m not telling you.” Seulgi smirks. “Now pass me that album.”

 

She takes out a picture of the time Yeri graduated from college.

 

“We got so hammered that night!” Yeri shakes her head, giggling.

 

“And I puked on your toga.” Seulgi adds.

 

They take out another picture. The day Joy brought Haetnim home.

 

“Look at Joohyun’s face!” Wendy laughs as she pointed. “Poor girl’s ready to cry.”

 

“Oh, my God look at this!” Joy suddenly points at something. “The day Seulgi almost burned the apartment down!”

 

Wendy gasps. “I almost forgot that you ruined my oven!”

 

“Hey, I replaced it, didn’t I?” Seulgi grumbles.

 

Seulgi flips through the album and sees a picture of them in Han River.

 

“Look, it’s the day I proposed.” Seulgi grazes the photo fondly with her fingers.

 

“You look so happy.” Wendy comments.

 

“I’m still this happy, you know.” Seulgi smiles.

 

Seulgi puts the pictures back to the album neatly and she tucks it away inside the box, along with several other photobooks of her and her family.

 

Seulgi looks around at their possessions. There is an assortment of things that each held a distinct memory—Joohyun’s books, Seulgi’s CD albums, the original DVD set of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. they bought when they first moved in, Christmas ornaments that they got on sale, plates that Wendy got for Seulgi’s birthday, the green mug with a huge chip in it that they couldn’t throw out because it was Joy’s favorite, the lumpy comforter that Yeri always used whenever she got sick.

 

Everything had a story; a piece of memory that will forever be engraved in Seulgi’s heart.

 

Seulgi wants to tear up when she realizes that she’s going to miss them all.

 

The door suddenly opens and Joohyun’s angelic smile is the first thing Seulgi sees.

 

“You’re finally here!” Seulgi runs over to Joohyun and engulfs her in a big hug.

 

“Hello, my love.” Joohyun holds her tight. “I’m finally here.”

 

They walk towards the rest of the group.

 

“So,” Joohyun smiles. “Everyone ready?”

 

The three just nod.

 

“Seulgi, you ready?” Joohyun smiles warmly at Seulgi.

 

“Yes, I was just waiting for you.” Seulgi answers.

 

“Before we go,” Joohyun takes her hand. “Can we have one last cuddle in our bed, please?”

 

Seulgi thinks this is such a weird request since they’re running behind on schedule, but she agrees nevertheless because there is no way that Seulgi would ever refuse Joohyun’s hugs.

 

“All right, that’s our cue.” Yeri stands up.

 

“We’ll leave you two alone.” Joy stands up too.

 

“Love you, Seul.” Wendy hugs Seulgi and was immediately joined by Yeri and Joy. Joohyun joins in and it becomes a tight group hug. “We’ll miss you.”

 

Then Seulgi feels a hand tugging at her gently.

 

Joohyun takes her to their bedroom and they lay down, holding each other as Joohyun caresses her hair.

 

“You smell good, Joohyun.” Seulgi hums.

 

“Seulgi.. do you love me?” Joohyun asks as she plants a soft kiss on Seulgi’s forehead.

 

“Of course I do.” Seulgi smiles. “Always.”

 

“Do you regret it?” Joohyun asks.

 

“Regret what?”

 

Joohyun ignores her. “If you had a chance to change things, would you still get in the car?”

 

Seulgi chuckles. “What are you talking about?”

 

“It’s okay, Seulgi.” Joohyun her cheek. “It’s okay.”

 

“What?” Seulgi is confused.

 

“You can stop fighting now, my love.” Joohyun smiles sadly.

 

“I seriously don’t know what you’re talking about.” Seulgi is starting to get annoyed now.

 

Joohyun sighs. “Are you really gonna make me say it?”

 

“You know what,” Seulgi makes a move to sit up. “I don’t like this game anymore.”

 

 

 

 

But suddenly, Seulgi couldn’t move.

 

 

 

She tears her eyes away from Joohyun’s smiling face and looks down at what’s holding her in place.

 

 

Seulgi’s eyes widen as she sees numerous tubes connected to her body. The bed isn’t their comfortable queen-sized anymore—it’s a hospital bed.

 

 

She looks up at Joohyun in shock but the latter is just smiling.

 

 

 

 

 

“We were in an accident, Seulgi.” Joohyun says softly.

 

 

 

 

Seulgi looks incredulously at her wife. “No.”

 

“We were just packing.” Seulgi says. “We’re about to move into our new place, remember?”

 

“Yes.” Joohyun nods. “And on the way there, we got into a car crash.”

 

“No.” Seulgi shakes her head. “We were just in the living room. Ask Wendy! Joy! Yeri! We were just looking at our photos earlier!”

 

“Weren’t you waiting for me, my love?” Joohyun asks sweetly.

 

“Yes, I was.” Seulgi answers.

 

“Now, I’m here.” Joohyun holds out a hand. “And it’s time to go.”

 

Seulgi stares at her.

 

“Am I dreaming?” Seulgi asks Joohyun.

 

“Yes.”

 

“So this isn’t real?”

 

Joohyun’s smile falters slightly. “It’s real.”

 

Seulgi takes a deep breath.

 

 

 

 

“Am I dying?” She whispers.

 

 

 

 

 

Joohyun takes her hand and squeezes. “I’m afraid so.”

 

“Okay.” Seulgi nods. “Okay.”

 

Joohyun lays back down with Seulgi.

 

“Should I be scared?” Seulgi asks in a small voice.

 

Joohyun shakes her head. “Don’t be. I’m right here, my love.”

 

“Okay.” Seulgi closes her eyes. “I love you, Joohyun. Always.”

 

“I love you, Seulgi. Are you ready?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wendy holds her best friend’s hand with tears in her face as Joy and Yeri both clutch the other, crying uncontrollably.

 

“It’s okay, Seulgi. You can go now.”