back to present
INEVITABLE (KRYBER)"good morning, my dearest wife. have you landed?" amber says.
"wow. what's with the greeting, boo?" suzy chuckles on the other line.
"what's wrong with my greeting?"
"it's just out of the usual." suzy giggles. "did you, by any chance, wronged me after i left for my flight?"
amber chuckles nervously. "come on, boo."
"i'm just kidding you. anyway, i called to tell you we're in the hotel room now. we're resting for a bit and will go out later to eat."
amber checks her wristwatch. "it's seven pm there now, right? don't stay out too late, okay?"
"boo, i'm in new york city. even if we go out at midnight, we can still find places to eat. this city never sleeps."
"whatever. better be careful than sorry."
"i know. anyway, what time is your meeting again?"
"it's 9 am. i'm already in the car."
"i hope this meeting turns out good for you. who would have thought some producer would want to make an animated series out of one of your works? my wife's really great!"
amber chuckles. "look. it's not confirmed yet. i'm yet to find out what their plan is. and it's not just me. yuri and i are team gomhyoni. i just hope yuri won't be arriving late today. she's the story writer after all."
"don't worry. she'll be there early. by the way, have you recently talked to miss krystal?"
words got stuck in amber's throat. is there a way suzy could have found out she spent the night in krystal's place?
but it's impossible.
"um. no. i haven't seen her in a while. why?"
"well, there's just something different with her yesterday when we met up before my flight."
"something different, like?" amber can feel the sweat forming on her forehead.
"she seems bright and blooming. i mean, she's always pretty to me, but yesterday she was... glowing." suzy stops for a moment before dropping the bomb. "i think she's in love, boo."
amber had to cover to prevent herself from coughing.
"don't get me wrong, i am actually excited for her," suzy adds. "and i have a feeling i know who that person is."
amber gulps. "w-who?"
"remember her colleague she was with last time? seulgi? i think they are dating."
amber scoffs. "what made you think so?"
"they look good together, don't they?"
"maybe."
"why don't we invite them for a date once i get back, boo?"
"huh?" amber blinks. "wait. wait. wait. are you serious?"
"i am, boo. let's do it! it'll be fun!"
"wow. why do you seem so excited about this?"
"it's because i see miss krystal as an actual friend. she's helped us a lot with our investments, remember? i want to be real friends with her."
"well, isn't she helping us because that's what we're paying her for?"
"why are you talking like that? don't you like miss krystal?"
amber couldn't answer. like her? how can she explain to her wife it's more than that?
"she's... okay," amber says, "but do we really have to go to a dinner date with her and that seulgi? why not just invite her alone?"
"are you seriously planning to put miss krystal on the third-wheel again? of course, she has to bring a date too!"
amber greets her teeth. "but does it have to be with that seulgi?"
"boo, what's wrong? do you have a beef or something with miss seulgi?"
amber massages her head. she cannot let her emotions take control of . "i just don't know her that much yet. that's it."
"she seems nice. i'm sure we'll like her once we get to know her more."
amber rolls her eyes. "fine. whatever the missus wants."
suzy giggles. "yipee!"
"just don't forget to buy me that tea i asked you to look for, okay?"
"oookay. you're really into that now, huh? mixing chocolate powder into your tea."
"well, it tastes lovely, don't you think?"
"it does, to be honest."
amber shifts the phone to her other ear and rechecks her wristwatch. "boo, i need to leave now. i'll call you later?"
"sure. we're about to step out too. take care, okay? i love you."
"you too. i love you."
---
amber never imagined she could feel love in this way.
she always assumed she knew what love is, being in a long-term relationship, being married.
but when the door in front of her opens to very excited-looking krystal, amber finds herself melting at the warmth of her soulmate's smile.
then she asks herself: has she genuinely been in love before?
it's not that she doesn't care for her wife. hell, she cares about suzy a lot.
but her affection towards krystal is something she's never felt towards anyone before. it was like she wasn't aware something's missing in her life all this time, and it was krystal who filled that missing part.
is this how the soulmates' magic works?
and how can she be so lucky to be the reason behind this woman's happiness?
amber didn't waste any second, stepping into the room immediately to embrace the smaller woman in her arms.
and amber swore she can be in the middle of a war but would still feel calm and at peace, basking in the comfort of krystal's hug.
they stayed like that, standing and hugging each other until krystal pulls away.
or at least tried, because amber hugged her tighter.
"let's stay like this for a little longer." amber nuzzles her face into krystal's neck.
"but i am still cooking," krystal says, not resisting at all.
"let it burn. i don't care about the food. i'll eat you instead."
"yah!" krystal slaps amber's back. "i marinade that meat for you since this morning, and you'll just let it burn?"
amber pulls away. "awe. isn't the princess sweet?"
krystal smiles at her, cheeks tainted in pink.
"come on. let's check that meat now before it turns black." amber holds krystal by the waist as they skip into the kitchen. "mmm. smells good, huh?"
"wait until you get a taste of it." krystal flips the meat with a tong. amber is still standing behind her, arms attached to her waist. "this recipe has been handed over in our family for generations."
"mmm. can't wait." amber breathes into krystal's neck, playfully and biting the latter's neck.
"amber... i can't... concentrate..."
satisfied with the reaction she got, amber presses their bodies together and leans closer to krystal's ear. "soulmate time..."
"hmm. what do you want to say?"
"i love you."
there was the sound of the tong hitting the pan as krystal swiftly turns to amber with shocked eyes.
seeing the surprised look on krystal's face made amber feel terrible.
"i'm sorry. i just don't want to keep it to myself anymore." she tucks a stray hair behind krystal's ear. "but i love you. i am in love with you. i can't help it. and it's not just because we're soulmates. if the circumstances were different, i am sure i'll still fall for you no matter what."
krystal stares at her, blinking, mute.
amber looks down. "i'm sorry. i didn't plan to say it. i know i shouldn't have said that. i don't have the right to because i'm--"
the next thing she feels is krystal's hands cupping her cheeks.
"hey. it's okay," says the woman softly. "i understand. you don't need to explain."
"but i don't want you to think--"
"i love you, amber. i love you too," krystal admits. "even if i still don't know why the spirits are doing this to us or what their plan is, but i love you, and i would take any chance there is just to have you here by my side."
amber looks straight into krystal's eyes, deep into those orbs.
"i don't care about our situation, amber. i know things are complicated right now, but can you not worry about that when you're with me? i promise i won't force you into doing anything, into taking any action. just promise me you won't leave."
"i won't leave you. i promise." amber takes krystal's hand, gently pressing her thumb into her soulmate's ring finger. "come on. we're soulmates, aren't we? there's no way i could run away from you."
krystal wraps her arms around amber's shoulders and leans in for a kiss.
a kiss they share in silence until amber pulls back.
"is that burnt meat i smell?"
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