how it happened
INEVITABLE (KRYBER)amber's sure jealousy isn't something new to her.
in the course of her 10-year relationship with suzy, there have been times she was jealous of some people, particularly those who threatened their relationship.
and she couldn't forget about this specific person who almost successfully ripped them apart.
but that was a long time ago. after their marriage, everything went smoothly. the wedding band on suzy's finger seems to ward off potential courters. there's no reason for amber to feel jealous anymore.
it was until krystal came.
amber knows she doesn't have any right to feel jealous of the situation.
but she is. and she's never been this jealous over someone her entire life!
"hi! fancy meeting you here!" suzy greets krystal and seulgi, whom they met around the airport.
it was suzy who spots the pair first. amber felt the rage in every cell of her body at the sight of the two walking together, krystal's arm linked with seulgi's.
krystal looked surprised to see them there. "oh. hi!" she looks at seulgi, then back to suzy. "um. by the way, this is seulgi, my colleague. and seulgi, this is suzy, my client, and her wife amber."
"it's a pleasure to meet you two." seulgi shakes their hands, giving amber a knowing look.
yeah. they've met before. so, seulgi's playing her role, huh?
"pleasure's all ours," suzy says. "are you two departing as well?"
"ah. no. we just arrived," krystal says. "seulgi and i attended a client's birthday party two days ago. we just got back here."
amber's ears perk.
two days ago.
they were alone for two days. probably sharing a room. amber can't dismiss the fact that krystal looks extremely comfortable around her ex-girlfriend, clinging on the other woman like they were married.
ugh. amber takes a deep breath in.
"oh. that's nice." suzy checks her wristwatch. "anyway, we have to go. it was nice meeting you, miss seulgi."
"likewise." seulgi smiles. "take care."
amber didn't say anything. she didn't spare her soulmate a glance even if she can feel krystal is looking at her.
she bows and drags her wife away with her.
---
she keeps reminding herself of what yuri told her before, about krystal having every right to date whomever she wants because unlike amber, she isn't married.
and amber hates the fact that she can't do anything about it, that she can't stop krystal from doing that.
shouldn't krystal be only happy with her? that's how it's supposed to be, right?
would it be selfish to ask krystal not to look for anyone else because amber will be there for her?
amber's mind is still afloat when her wife kisses her and waves goodbye.
she wonders where krystal and seulgi could be now.
are they together?
in krystal's apartment, maybe?
amber bites her lower lip. the weight in her chest is still there.
and she feels worse by the second the more she thinks about seulgi and krystal.
she takes in a deep breath and walks away, determined to find the answers to her questions.
---
amber stands in front of krystal's apartment, waiting for any sign that would tell a person, or two people, could be inside.
she's not even sure if krystal's there or not.
but the jealousy she's feeling is affecting her rationality. she can't think straight anymore.
sighing, she opens her phone and calls krystal. her soulmate picks up immediately on the first ring.
"amber... hey..."
the cheerfulness in krystal's voice is like a dagger to her heart. is she really that happy? did seulgi make her happy?
"are you at home?" she asks.
"yes. i went straight here from the airport. has your wife already left?"
"yes. are you alone?"
"yes, i am alone. why?" there was no immediate response, so krystal speaks again, "amber, is there something wrong?"
"i'm... i'm in front of your door now."
"what?" there was a movement inside before the sound of the locks getting unlocked follows. the door opens to a worried-looking krystal. "hey. are you okay?"
"yeah."
krystal grabs her hand and pulls her inside. "you should have informed me you were planning to drop by. i could have ordered takeouts for us."
"it's okay." amber scans the room, seeing the travel bag on the couch's side. luckily there's no sign of seulgi anywhere.
"i thought you'd be with your wife until evening like the usual." krystal skips to the kitchen to get a glass of water. she eyes amber. "how are you feeling now? you don't seem to have marks."
"i have some on my arm." amber gestures to her clothed arm. "but they aren't many."
"oh. good." krystal drinks the glass of water and puts it down. "water?"
"nah. i'm good."
"amber, what's wrong? you don't seem okay."
amber looks at the travel bag. "so, you still went to that party, huh?"
"well, they scheduled it earlier than the original plan. and since i didn't hear from you since our call last week, i thought, i might as well go."
"alone with seulgi?"
"yeah. i remember i told you she's invited too."
amber hums, nodding. "so, did you two share a room?"
krystal props her elbows on the counter. "we did. they got a nice hotel room for us."
"mmm. did you two have fun?"
krystal raises an eyebrow. "amber, if you think something happened between me and seulgi, there's none. we had separate beds."
"but last time you said you two were casual around each other."
krystal stands up straight, confused. "yes, we hooked up for two years after our breakup. but it's over now."
"when?"
"i'm sorry?"
amber closes their distance, standing on the other side of the counter. "when did it stop?"
krystal leans away, looking uncomfortable with the topic. "we stopped when..." she hesitates, "i told her that we should stop after i saw you again."
amber doesn't respond, but she stares deep into krystal's face.
"i couldn't do it with her anymore," krystal admits further, shyly. "i don't want to put pressure in you because you're married. but for me, i am no longer interested doing it with anyone else anymore."
amber swallows a lump in . there's a pulsing, beating sensation in her temples apart from her thumping heart.
she clenches her fists and grits her teeth.
this doesn't seem right, she thinks.
she shouldn't be here. she should leave now while she can control herself.
but it feels right.
krystal's standing just a foot away from her, looking perfectly beautiful in her shirt and jeans.
and amber's imagining how it feels like to take those clothes off piece by piece.
like what seulgi used to do before.
no. she won't allow it. she needs to claim what's hers.
it's inevitable, she reasons to herself. as much as they pretend to be friends, they won't be able to deny their growing attraction towards each other.
but this isn't right, she tells herself again.
but how can it be not right when it's the spirits who are urging her?
how is she supposed to know what's right or wrong anymore?
amber shakes her head, focusing on her soulmate who's looking at her worriedly.
there's no way out. if she leaves, she's sure this jealousy inside her will haunt her.
maybe the only way to conquer it is to follow her feelings.
"soulmate time," she says, her chest heaving.
she watches krystal hug herself before nodding, urging amber to continue.
amber gulps. after this, there's no stepping back.
she finally says, "i want to kiss you... right here and now."
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