“Have I ever thanked you??”

Suryeon has gotten used to Yoonhee’s random declarations and question over the years that they were together that she didn’t bother turning around before answering her, “For what? I mean you thanked me for your birthday party last year. You also thanked me for forcing you to give mint choco another chance because now you love it. Plus you thank me everyday for bringing you coffee. So there’s that.”

She hears Yoonhee laugh behind her and feels her coming close as she continues to cook. “Not for those reason.”

“Then for what?”

That’s when she felt Yoonhee envelope her into a back hug, “For taking a chance on me.”

Suryeon smiles, “Why would you need to thank me for that? That’s the best thing I’ve ever done in my life.”

“I knew your past, Suryeon. I knew how many times you got hurt.” Suryeon tensed a bit at that. Her history with her past lovers is something she really don’t want to reminisce again. “I was there, remember? Every single time an idiot walks into your life, makes you feel special- you give your whole heart to them, and then they proceed to crush it into little pieces- and then leave without so much as a backward glance. I was there for the aftermath. And as much as it hurt me to see your hurting, I had to be there to help you put yourself and your heart up and working again.”

Suryeon stayed silent as Yoonhee continues, “You didn’t say it, you didn’t need to, but when he left, I knew you didn’t want to let anyone in that close again. You built these walls around you to protect yourself from being hurt again and I don’t blame you for that. The damage that he did..” Yoonhee trails off.

Logan. Suryeon knows Yoonhee would never dare mention that name to her but they both know who she was talking about. That was a dark point in her life and if it wasn’t for Yoonhee not leaving her side, she doesn’t know if she would’ve had the strength to pick herself up.

“So I really want to thank you. For taking a chance with me. For taking a risk with me. I know I said that hurting you was the furthest thing in my mind back then, and it still is today, but you didn’t owe it to me to believe that. I wouldn’t have blamed you if you didn’t. I understood what you were going through and I knew you were scared of getting hurt again and there was nothing wrong with that. But for some reason, you still gave me a shot. You still gave us a shot. You still let me love you.”

Suryeon was close to tears when Yoonhee finished speaking but she blinked it all away and turned to Yoonhee. She placed a hand on her cheek and gently caressed it. She tried forming words but nothing came out of her. She was too overwhelmed with emotions, with love for the woman standing in front of her.

Yoonhee noticed the tears that Suryeon failed to stop and she softly wiped them all off. She wonders how Suryeon could still manage to look breathtaking in this situation.

“I hate you.” Suryeon says in the middle of her tears. Yoonhee smiles, “I just bared my soul to you, do you really think that’s the right thing to say right now?”

Suryeon shakes her head, “I hate you because you say those things and they leave me speechless. And I’m nowhere near as good as you when it comes to using words so even if I desperately want to say something.. something to make you feel even just a tiny bit of what I’m feeling right now.. I can’t because I don’t know how. And it’s unfair because you deserve that. So I hate you.”

Before Yoonhee realizes it, there were tears in her eyes too. She was about to say something but Suryeon beat her to it, “I don’t think this is as good as what you just said but it’s the only thing I could think of right now…” Suryeon takes a deep breath and looks at Yoonhee, the same look that she had when she decided that she’s willing to risk again if it means it would be with Yoonhee, “You know how I like to plan things, right? I like to be one step ahead of everything. And I want you to know that I basically have my whole life planned and… you’re a part of that plan. A big part actually. I have every intention of spending my life with you and I don’t think I’d have it any other way. Because frankly, I don’t see my life, myself, without you.”

Yoonhee takes a shaky breath, nods, and even with tears clouding her vision, managed to say, “That’s enough for me, Suryeon. That’s more than enough. You are enough.”