Autumn comes second

When breath becomes air
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Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.

 

Minjoo goes closer to her phone to read the incoming notifications. Chaeyeon is spamming her and she can’t tell what photos Chaeyeon is sending over so she clicks into the messaging app. When the pictures reveal themselves, it makes more sense.

 

Chaeyeon:

Even after a night you are still trending on all search sites.

Look at all the gifs! The screen captures! Last night’s episode really got the nation didn’t it?

All the clothes you wore in the drama are sold out! Woah…

 

Minjoo can totally imagine an excited Chaeyeon behind the phone right now. She replies back with a smile.

Minjoo:

I guess all the more I should stay within the safe confines of my neighbourhood ^^

 

Chaeyeon:

You sure you don’t want me to send you to the dance studio?

Minjoo:

Yes unnie. I’ll send Dasom unnie the clip of my practice.

And this is better for you right? You always talk about the stress of my idol days where attention was everywhere, anyhow.

So it’s good that I don’t go out, you don’t have to worry about me.

 

Chaeyeon:

It’s just so strange that the practice queen Kim Minjoo is not hunkered down in the practice studio when she has a performance coming up. Especially when she has no schedules!

 

Minjoo:

Dasom unnie spots everything well enough through the videos...

Plus I can use my travelling time to finish signing the polaroids too. I still have more to take TT 1000 is an ambitious task!

 

Chaeyeon:

Okay okay. I’m just a text away if you change your mind.

Also you only have so many days you can be flexible. Don’t forget the day after tomorrow, we need to film videos for the fanmeet.

 

Minjoo:

Yes Chaeyeon unnieeeeee.

The best manager ^^ I’ll see you then!

 

Chaeyeon sends a bunch of cute stickers back as a response and Minjoo keeps her amusement at bay as she resumes what she was originally doing. Minjoo goes into the phone gallery and plays the video her choreographer sent her, refreshing the moves once again. Then she switches to the camera mode and places the phone back onto the shelving right above the television and starts the video recording. She plays the music through her Bluetooth earpiece, gets into position and starts the dance routine.

 

She holds her pose once she finishes, the years of being an idol trained her for that final shot, before she relaxes and stops the recording. When she takes her phone to review her dance while intending to get a drink from the kitchen, that is when Minjoo realises Chaewon has been standing in the hallway watching.

 

“It’s like I was transported back two decades ago.” Chaewon comments as she supports herself using the wall, inching closer into the living room. Minjoo throws her phone onto the sofa and rushes over to her girlfriend’s side.

 

“Why didn’t you call for me? I left the volume low so I can hear out for you. You shouldn’t be out of bed.”

 

“After three days of bed rest… nurse Minjoo, you have taken well of me. I am actually getting the feeling of hunger for the first time in days.” They walk towards the kitchen with Minjoo supporting Chaewon. Once Chaewon is comfortably seated, Minjoo goes over to the stove. “It’ll be quick.”

 

Chaewon smiles even though Minjoo’s back faces her. “Take your time.”

 

Minjoo promised speed because all she has to do is to heat up what Eunbi has prepared this morning. The oldest has been making all of Chaewon’s meals - because she knows exactly what Chaewon will and will not consume during the early stages of recovery - while also cooking for Minjoo as well. Minjoo tried to decline, feeling inept over her lack thereof cooking skills, but the evergiving Eunbi did not yield.

 

“You are taking care of my sister! I need to take care of you too!”

 

For Chaewon, Eunbi has been making porridge because that is all Chaewon is comfortable with consuming and it seems Eunbi is so familiar with Chaewon’s recovery stages, the menu has changed today. It matches Minjoo’s - rice, soup, and several side dishes.

 

“Put the rice in with the soup so it’s still easy for her to eat.”

 

Minjoo remembers Eunbi’s instructions and does as told and neatly, she plates everything and brings it to the table. Her focused self does not notice Chaewon’s admiring gaze until the food’s ready for Chaewon to start. “Don’t look at me like that…” Minjoo whines a little, trying to remain as cool as she can while putting the tray back around the sink area.

 

“Why can’t I? It’s my ‘watching my girlfriend prepare lunch for us’ face.” Chaewon grins; while still charming, Minjoo notices her cracked lips. She automatically reaches out to pour a glass of water for the older Kim.

 

“Eat.” She hands the glass over. “But drink first.”

 

Chaewon’s smile goes wider and she obliges without any witty retort. She knows how much Minjoo has cared for her in the last few days, seeing Chaewon at her worst and nursing her back to health. Minjoo was patient through the puking that resumed shortly after their heart to heart in the first morning, and was always there as Chaewon practically slept through the whole of the next day. She ensured Chaewon had everything she wanted and was too weak to get out of bed for - food, water, keeping her clean and something nobody else can give but is extremely beneficial to Chaewon’s recovery, Minjoo’s affections. Hugs, soft kisses and cuddles definitely made the entire process much more bearable. Minjoo has specially done all these for her, Chaewon knows. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have witnessed Minjoo having dance practice in her living room, or hearing her sporadic melodic singing where the same song is repeated. Minjoo revised the way she is preparing for her fanmeet to care for Chaewon. Therefore, Chaewon has to get better.

 

Chaewon munches slowly on her food, consciously aware to not rush the pace of her consumption. She feels Minjoo’s eyes on her and Chaewon returns the stare, letting their exchange happen telepathically. Immediately, Minjoo takes a bite of her own and when her spoon is emptied, Chaewon fills it back with a piece of rolled egg. Minjoo tries not to let her tingles of joy be too apparent but her smile automatically crept up her face before she realises it. Darn it Kim Chaewon does one thing and she goes so soft like that.

 

“Because judging from the dance I saw just now, you surely practised a lot today.” Chaewon adds as she goes back to eating her own food. “How’s the rest of the prep going?”

 

Minjoo swallows the food in and reaches out for the fish. “I still haven’t finished with the polaroids.” She loosens the fish meat into smaller pieces before putting it on Chaewon’s spoon.

 

“Let’s finish them after lunch.” Chaewon does not focus on the filled spoon, instead looking behind into the living room. “We… just got to find a spot here that is not obvious you are at someone else’s place… maybe over there… we can push the shelf away so it is cleaner…” Her mumbles are the best indication her brainstorm has taken a life of its own.

 

“We?” Minjoo tries to keep her amusement to the minimal. Good intentions aside, Chaewon needs to remember she is recovering.

 

“Didn’t you tell me before that most of the polaroids were selfies and you thought some variation would be good so you got Chaeyeon to help at times? Now’s my turn.”

 

Some random offhand text message Minjoo sent before the surgery, before the Monster Chicken fansign, and Chaewon keeps that in mind. “Unnie… you…” Minjoo gives up, in part because she knows how stubborn her girlfriend is (a neurosurgeon trait she claims; because they generally think they are right so they push through) and it is pretty obvious Chaewon wants to do something for her. “Okay but you better not get too excited with it. It’s not a magazine photoshoot so don’t get too crazy with the angles.” Minjoo really does not want Chaewon to over exert herself.

 

“I’ll try my best.” Chaewon suppresses her cheeky smile when Minjoo returns with a frown. She immediately defends herself. “I mean, how can you tell me not to get excited when I’m literally having to look at you!”

“Unnie!”


 

In preparation for her photographer duty, Chaewon is ordered to be on sofa rest until Minjoo is ready. The younger woman cleans up their lunch spot and has since been in the washroom doing her makeup. Chaewon swallows her pills and chugs them down with water. She leans to put the glass back on the coffee table and she spots the Monster Chicken poster. She unravels it and especially after everything that has transpired since the message and sign was written, the feeling hits stronger.

 

I hope to see you for a long long time.

 

Me too, she thinks to herself while staring at the perfection of a photo. A notification comes to her phone and she puts the poster back down on the coffee table.

 

Wonyoung:

Unnie! How are you feeling? Still puking? Is it watery? Clear or cloudy?

Your headaches, do they still hit in waves? Varying in pain?

Or is it throbbing?

 

Chaewon smiles at Wonyoung’s fast texts. She is indeed a neurosurgeon from all the questions she is asking.

Chaewon:

Much better. No.

Yes but much more consistent now, does not swing too far from two ends of the spectrum.

No.

Is this the end of my checkup, Dr Jang?

 

Chaewon loves annoying this particular younger colleague the most.

 

Wonyoung:

Unnieeeeeeeeeee

I am worried you know....

Chaewon:

I know, kiddo. I know. It’s just cute when you go all Doctor-like on me.

Wonyoung:

I am sure Dr Cooper has way more intense questions than I do.

Chaewon:

Well, he didn’t ask much because it is now pretty much a given isn’t it?

He did make me promise to take the scans.

(as much as I don’t want to see it)

Wonyoung:

It’s the only way to know if things have changed. You got to listen to him, unnie.

Your doctor self can’t deny his logical medical advice.

Chaewon:

Yes yes. I know…

Wonyoung:

I mean who knows! It may be evolving to one that has higher success of being operable!

Then it will just be like our Dubai patient, a second chance in life!

 

Instinctively, Chaewon begins typing. All the questions about the mentioned patient, the treatment given since, asking for details in the numbers, the medication prescribed… it is a long message until-

 

“Sorry I’m taking so long! I needed to wash my face because of all the sweat from dancing. I’ll be done in a minute!” She hears Minjoo shouting from inside the bedroom.

 

“It’s okay, take your time!”

 

Chaewon turns back to her phone. She stares at what she typed. Then, her thumb moves to the backspace, decisively pressing down on it, erasing the long text.

 

Balance. That’s what she has to do. That’s what she assured Minjoo of three days ago. Wonyoung would call her about the patient if there was an emergency. Until otherwise, Chaewon must balance herself, take care of her body so it takes care of Minjoo and her. Only then, she can give Minjoo what her message wrote.

 

I’ll give you as long as I can give, nothing shorter. Chaewon promises in her heart.

 

Chaewon does not realise how her eyes naturally end up back on Minjoo’s Monster Chicken signed poster but she has no complaints. She should remember to store it safely after all it has been through; Chaewon caresses the creases. Her phone beeps again - Wonyoung added a new reply.

 

Wonyoung:

The patient is recovering well. I have been monitoring him 24/7.

You have nothing to worry.

The operation...

is truly a success.

Chaewon:

Good.

 

Just as Chaewon locks her phone, Minjoo comes back into the living room and Chaewon raises her brows. “Wow celebrity…”

 

Minjoo pouts at Chaewon’s dramatic expression and knocks the polaroid camera on the older woman’s shoulder. “Yes, I know makeup makes me look better.” She walks over to the corner of the living room that Chaewon has prepared - Minjoo decides not to comment on Chaewon’s obvious rule-breaking of her “sofa rest” order. She settles down on the ground and Chaewon sits opposite her, eyes checking left and right to make sure the frame will be clean of any rumor-possible traces.

 

“To be clear, I never said that.” Chaewon looks through the viewfinder to see Minjoo staring back at her. She brings the camera down. “I said celebrity because that’s how I have been seeing you for almost two decades.” Chaewon brings the camera back up, framing her shot before suddenly adding.

 

“My girlfriend though…”

 

“... you look good in anything.” Snap, Chaewon takes a photo.

 

Still in total surprise, Minjoo is frozen as her emotions played out like a rollercoaster. She was getting embarrassingly annoyed at Chaewon’s endless flirts when Chaewon captured the photo. The said polaroid is now generated and being flapped around enthusiastically by the photographer.

 

“Unnie!” Minjoo jumps forward to Chaewon causing the older Kim to laugh out loud.

 

“It’s a test shot!” Chaewon pathetically defends herself.

 

“You better not put it in the pile! I was not prepared, that cannot go anywhere!” Yet her curiosity gets the better of her and her eyes follow Chaewon’s to the developed photo.

 

It is as Minjoo expected. One that has her with her eyes creased together, nose crinkled up, dimples running deep with the stupidly wide smile… Minjoo’s embarrassingly annoyed expression. “Ah unnie…” She whines; it’s all too natural.

 

“Okay okay, it’s really not going anywhere.” Chaewon reassures; she better stop teasing otherwise they’ll never be done. Chaewon gets up on her two feet and goes back to the coffee table. She places the polaroid on top of the signed bromide. Not going anywhere.

 

--

 

Chaewon lies amused beside the body of her still girlfriend, unfazed by her loud alarm. Before the alarm rings too long that it even bothers Chaewon herself, she shuts it off, decidingly taking matters into her own hands. She has had loads of rest and today, she really is feeling like herself again, obviously much more energised than her partner.

 

Under the blanket, Chaewon brings her arm over Minjoo, letting it rest on the other woman’s hip. “It’s time to wake up, else you will be late.” She makes gentle rubs on Minjoo’s pajamas.

 

Minjoo begins to stir and Chaewon thinks it’s a hopeful start until Minjoo takes Chaewon’s hand and guides further to tighten the wrap around her, bringing Chaewon’s hand right underneath her pajama top so Chaewon feels the warm skin of Minjoo’s back. Minjoo makes her plan of not getting out of bed more exceedingly obvious by snuggling into Chaewon’s body, burying herself in Chaewon’s chest. The surgeon cannot help but chuckle at this childish behaviour.

 

Feeling the vibrations of Chaewon's chest from her insinuating laughter, Minjoo mumbles her defence lazily. “On days of schedule, I usually get out of bed quickly… because being late is very unprofessional but with you here…”

 

"With me here you decide seducing me into doing something would give you an excuse so you can in turn blame me for your tardiness?" Chaewon wittily retorts while intentionally caressing Minjoo's .

 

Minjoo tilts up with a lazy wide smile. "Is it working?"

 

Chaewon leans forward and is about to kiss Minjoo when Minjoo’s phone alarm rings again, effectively stopping the women from doing anything. “You hit the snooze button just now instead of turning it off.” Minjoo clicks on the screen and drops the phone back between them. She makes a big stretch from the good night’s sleep and Chaewon pulls her arm back to give her space, now resting on Minjoo’s tummy.

 

“So what sort of filming do you need to do today?” Chaewon asks because she senses that her girlfriend wanted to laze a bit more. Chaewon figured a little talking can help ease her brain into waking up proper.

 

“You know those intermissions between segments?” Minjoo turns her head only to face Chaewon. “We are going to film casual stuff, nothing too scripted like a drama.” She watches as Chaewon nods and then Minjoo poses a question of her own.

 

“Will you speak to Dr Cooper too after the scans?” Not only does Minjoo have something on today, Chaewon has to head down to the hospital for her promised scans. The couple agreed that Minjoo should follow her schedule as planned because Eunbi is there to accompany Chaewon. It’s nothing much, Chaewon assured Minjoo when the plans were arranged. Just boring hospital machines.

 

Chaewon nods again before her eyes drift down to where her hand is as it traces circles on Minjoo’s stomach. “He said most likely. But knowing him, he is probably trying to play it cool with his availability because I know he is the most worried to see my scans. We will know the truth then.” Chaewon does not think much of her words, thought it was pretty much a given until Minjoo places her palm on hers, stopping whatever she is doing. Instinctively, she looks back up at Minjoo.

 

“I don’t think he is the most worried.” Her girlfriend has her serious face on.

 

Chaewon puts on a grin. She then flips her hand so they are now holding hands. "I say that because I really don't think the scans are going to give much surprise. Nothing you and I haven't spoken about… that it is probably worsening. That's why he should be worried because he has to brainstorm even harder and faster than whatever my own smart brain can't come up with."

 

"Cocky." Minjoo retorts; Chaewon is trying to ease her nerves. Still, she does not let this moment pass, choosing to release their handhold so she frees up both hands to pull Chaewon towards her.

 

Shocked by the assertiveness, Chaewon nevertheless plays along and lets Minjoo guide her to her own lips. They kiss tenderly, taking the special space to themselves. They let the other feel them while giving themselves away. When breaths turn limited, they pull away with contented smiles.

 

"I really should get up." Minjoo confesses guiltily. She slides her body to the edge of the bed and groans begin to follow from the actress. The effects of dancing are harsher on the aging body as Minjoo struggles to stand. She does not even need to look to feel Chaewon’s annoying gaze on her. Minjoo raises her palm. “No. You are my girlfriend now not my doctor. I don’t need another doctor’s reminder of my age.”

 

So Chaewon lies on the bed comfortably, keeping her amused thoughts from observing the effects of an aging idol - while it is easy to pick up singing and dancing again like second nature, actual nature has its way of preventing the recovery to be as instantaneous as in one’s twenties. Chaewon certainly cannot relate to the sort of training Minjoo’s body has had, but she surely knows tight muscles. “I was going to offer my relief patches but hey, if you say so.”

 

“Leave them on the table.” Minjoo mutters as she walks into the bathroom.

 

It is funny in a cute way to end up watching Minjoo run all over her place so she has all her things. This is what happens when one spends days at her girlfriend's place. As her brain runs through the mental checklist again, she sees Chaewon walking towards her with a hoodie in hand.

 

"The weather's changing and it seems pretty cool this morning. Your hoodie is in the washer so wear mine on your way back."

 

Minjoo has to go back to her house so Chaeyeon can pick her up with no suspicions. But the hoodie, Minjoo does not even need to unravel it to already feel buzzling excitement coursing through her.

 

Chaewon assumes Minjoo's momentary pause as hesitance. Perhaps rightfully so because this hoodie is after all a twenty year old item that she acquired on the last year of medical school. It proudly reads her alma mater, Seoul University: School of Medicine.

 

"Do you want another instead? I thought this is your favourite so I took it." Chaewon reaches to take it back but Minjoo does not let go.

 

"How do you know it's my favourite? I never told you."

 

Chaewon is doubly confused by the action and the question, not quite expecting a simple hoodie to get complicated. She answers with what she knows. "You like to play with it whenever I wear it. You snuggle closer."

 

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hunnie0927
officially completed! much love to everybody who's been here throughout the process, and also to those who is coming on now that it's finally finished! i'm always open to hear thoughts, don't think i am not lurking around~

Comments

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0h_wtf #1
Finally found this masterpiece again! I can finally re-read this :)
Kklavs #2
Chapter 23: 🧍🏼‍♀️🧍🏼‍♀️🧍🏼‍♀️
vapedeuva #3
Chapter 26: I am on my knees
vapedeuva #4
Chapter 26: I am ing devastaded
ssamachis #5
easily became one of my favorites. thank you for writing this ♡
chaechaemint #6
I finally got some time to read this story, and I finished this just now. As I was reading through the chapters, I felt strong emotions (to the point that I cried lol), and was really touched as I witnessed how Chaewon and Minjoo's story progresses. From their first meeting, during their relationship (with them being playful but soft to each other), to the very last moment they shared together, and when Minjoo was healing. Their love for each other was so beautiful, shown through actions and of course, through those three words. I really love their characters here, with Chaewon being the cocky neurosurgeon but is very loving, romantic, protective, and caring, while Minjoo was the strong one and very determined to stay despite the situation. This story was very special and I really, really love it. The words being written perfectly, not only to narrate, but to convey meanings and teach lessons, as well as to touch the reader's heart. You are a great writer and I really enjoyed reading this story. Thank you very much for this amazing work! <333
jheycelpelobello #7
Chapter 26: This is just beautiful. I've never sobbed like this to some other fics, love how you play with words as if I'm the main character. The raw emotion is there and i can feel it iny my bones. You're such a great writer author-nim
kimchaewonism
#8
The best fic Ive ever read, Im not even exaggerating. Every words used fits just right, its so well written. I havent cried this much because of a fic. Thank you for this masterpiece.
lodschae #9
Chapter 26: i finally decided to finish this. i was very reluctant because i know how it would probably ends - angst. i love the shift from fluff to heavy drama to angst. very realistic. also, thank you for the closure in the end, it helped me stopped crying lol