30 minutes earlier

“Can we talk, please?” Joohyun blurts after wasting her time being quiet throughout the afternoon

“Sure” Seungwan shrugs, yeah they really need to talk and it’s good that Joohyun is the one who initiates it this time

“Seulgi-ya. Can you wait in the car first? I’ll go down after talking with Seungwan”

Joohyun whispers to her friend “Please take your girlfriend too”

Seulgi nods and immediately drags the unsuspecting Sooyoung with her

“Why? Why are you dragging me?”

Her voice fades as soon as the door closes behind them.

There’s no sofa, no chairs, so they are standing awkwardly facing each other.

“So...i don’t know if you’ve noticed or not but I’ve been trying to get you talk to me for weeks now” the older girl clears “I’ll be honest, I’ve been bugging sooyoung to help me talking to you, the lotte meet up and today as well to help you move out”

“I know, sooyoung told me”

“Oh”

“Why do you want to talk to me so desperately?” Seungwan may have a hunch but she has to hear it from the girl “I think I’ve heard everything in that small cafe”

“No...I...there’s a lot of things I should say to you instead of blurting out “I love you” just like that. I was so desperate and didn’t think about your feelings back then. I’m really sorry”

“Hmm”

“But I really meant it when I said that I want to fix everything between us”

“Is that all?”

Joohyun bits her lips, thinking that Seungwan is still mad at her and she probably lost her chance to fix everything between them by now but there’s one thing she needs to confirm

“You can choose not to answer this but are you and Sejeong dating now?”

Seungwan blinks “How did you come to that conclusion?”

“Sooyoung told me that Sejeong confessed to you and you are considering it. If you’re dating her then i...it’s okay, i’ll be fine after some time but I still want to be friends with you if you let me to”

“Yes, she confessed to me. But I rejected her. It was 3 years ago”

“3 years ago?!” Irene’s voice raises by an octave, realising that she just got played by the younger girl

Sooyoung...what the hell

“Is that all you want to talk to me about?”

“Uh..no” Joohyun stammered, she’s a bit hesitant but she has to say it “I miss you. So much” That I’ve been getting insomnia for days now, thinking of you.

Seungwan’s eyes soften, well she misses joohyun too.

“I’ve been thinking a lot since you asked me to give you some space. I think about everything that we did together, what we will have if only I’m not so consumed by my own insecurities and shut you off”

Joohyun grips her own hand “There’s...there’s...so many things I wanna say to you but right now I can’t think of anything except I am sorry for hurting you, for not trusting you and not listening to you so many times. I have apologized before but I think it’s not enough. I know...I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness but I want you to know that I am really sorry for everything i did to you”

Seungwan only stares at her and it makes her feel uneasy but she has to try, she has to let the younger girl know that she’ll fight for her

“I know I didn’t deserve your forgiveness but I’ll do everything…”

“I forgive you, Joohyun unnie”

The older girl can’t keep herself from tearing because Seungwan just called her name.

Her real name.

“Come on now, why are you crying? How are we gonna talk if you cry like this” Seungwan wipes her tears for her with the back of her hand.

This Seungwan is the one that she’s longing for.

The warm hearted Seungwan.

“Sorry. I’m just so happy. You...just called my name. After weeks you addressed me as Irene”

“But Irene is your name too, no?”

“To people yes but to you no”

Seungwan smiles at her “Okay, I got it”

That smile

Joohyun misses that smile so much!

“There’s...there’s another thing I want to ask you, Wan”

“What is it?”

“Please give me another chance” Joohyun pleads with her eyes “I really like you, Seungwan-ah. I want us to work. Even if it takes time, I will do my best to prove myself. You’ve done a lot for me so it’s my turn to give you my everything”

“By chance” Seungwan asks “Do you mean...”

“To be your lover. Will you give me a chance to love you? You don’t have to answer this now. I’ll wait until you’re ready to accept me”

Joohyun is doing her best to maintain her eye contact with Seungwan

But seconds passes and Seungwan still gives her no answer

Her heart pounds harder by secs

If Seungwan says no, no doubt, she’ll burst in tears again but she’

“Honestly...I didn’t expect this”

No

Joohyun's eyes glistened, that was her words before when Seungwan confessed to her under the starry night sky.

That was the first thing she said to her.

Is this karma?

“Before I give you my answer. Can you listen to me first?”

Joohyun nods, because what else can she do except listen to her?

The only thing she should've done back then.

“When you shut me off that day. I thought I'd lost you completely. You never listen to me, what more could I do? Except accepting that maybe we’re not meant to be. And Sohee…”

Seungwan sighs

“I was angry at her for ruining my chance to prove myself to you. I told you before, I’m okay to be your friend but deep inside I still hoped that one day you’ll accept me. But then, what Sohee did that day, made me realize that all this time we’re walking on thin air. You never really opened yourself to me and I never really asked about it. I’m blind with the prospect of our future that I disregard your past. I should’ve put more attention to it before confessing to you. I should've been more patient with you”

“It’s not your fault. It’s me, Seungwan-ah”

“Well maybe it’s not but I could do more, so much more to understand you. I asked for some space for us because I wanted you to think clearly. Is it really me that you want to be with? You came to me only because Sohee came to you first. Would you ever come to me if she didn’t confront you first? These questions have been in my mind for the past weeks and further made me decide to move on from you”

“You’re right. I...I don’t deserve a chance“

Seungwan frowns “Now you make your own conclusion. I told you to listen, right?”

“I’m sorry. P...please continue” Joohyun looks like a scolded puppy

“But you came to find me. You think I didn’t know how you asked help from Sooyoung?

You tried to be closer to me again. You made an effort to talk to me even if it’s a bit lame”

Joohyun is embarrassed

“With you constantly trying to gain my attention. Stumbling on my radar with your short little legs. How am I supposed to move on?”

“I’m gonna ignore the leg jab but yes, I’m trying my best Seungwan. I hope it reaches your heart”

“It does. It always does. So will you finally take the responsibility?”

“Responsibility for?” Joohyun is confused

“My heart. I’m giving you a chance unnie, so will you?”

Joohyun is really bursting into tears for the second time, even harder than before.

“Geez” Seungwan wipes her cheek again, now with her sleeves “Why are you crying so much? It’s supposed to be romantic, well not as romantic as the first confession but still”

After 3 minutes of sobbing...

“Did you even listen to yourself?!” Joohyun rubs her cheek “Take responsibility and what not?”

“If you finally can talk now. Maybe you should give me an answer first”

“Yes! Yes, I will take responsibility!” Joohyun pulls her for a hug

The younger girl sighs contentedly and put her arms around Joohyun’s waist pulling her closer

“I can finally breathe”

“We’re dating now, right?” Joohyun still finds it’s too good to be true "You're my girlfriend right?"

“Yes” Seungwan chuckles "Is it that hard to believe?"

“Because I didn’t expect this. I've prepared myself to start over as your friend, to prove myself that I can change to be a better person for you”

“We’ve been friends for quite some time now so I think there's no point in delaying our relationship. I don't know what will happen in the future but for now this is what I want, growing together with you"

Joohyun nods quietly in her arms, absorbing her words

"I don't want our past hindering our future again. It's done, nothing we can do about it so let's keep it behind us and never look back. Let's focus on how we can respect each other as lovers now. From now on we will start our story together" Seungwan makes Joohyun look at her by putting some distance between them "What...what do you think unnie?"

"I think I like how your mind works and everything about you" Joohyun says in daze before getting back on her senses "I...I mean I'm very much agree and onboard with you"

Seungwan laughs as she pats Joohyun's head "Okay then. We're in this together unnie, no back out or i'll be very angry"

The older girl cradles her hand on Seungwan’s face “Seungwan-ah…Thank you forgiving me a chance. This means a lot to me and I won't let you down again"

"I trust you unnie"

Joohyun smiles gratefully before whispering her promise "I love you Seungwan-ah, this time I’ll make you happy”

Seungwan didn’t think that Joohyun would be the first to say the words.

She is so happy and feeling so loved right now.

This woman confidently says that she loves her.

“I love you too” Seungwan smiles, making Joohyun tear up again

“Will you stop crying?”

“I want to but I’m so happy that I keep tearing up” Joohyun rubs her teary eyes

Seungwan pulls her back to hug her "Aigoo, you're such a crybaby"

Seeing that Joohyun won't stop for a moment, Seungwan is thinking of a way to make her stop. She can't have the older girl crying all night. She still has a lot to do, like unpacking the boxes and everything. 

What to do

What to do

Oh..

“I really want to kiss you right now unnie but you keep crying like this so maybe next time? unless you can stop crying”

And it works, Joohyun immediately wipes her face with her sleeves and even blows her nose with it (Sooyoung will be mad but who cares). Then she closes her eyes and slightly pursing her lips

Hearts pounding with excitement.

But...instead of closing the gap Seungwan bursts into laughter “I can't believe it makes you stop crying”

“It's a hard bargain” Joohyun whispers softly without opening her eyes

But the younger girl keeps laughing, not fulfilling her side of deal

"Umm...I'm waiting"