Seulgi stopped her car, half on the curb in front of the entrance of Joohyun’s residence, she could feel the other girl’s mind work at full speed next to her. She was glad that she started working things out but it also made her nervous because it was a rabbit hole that wasn’t going to be full of rainbows and unicorns. She came a long way already and it surprised her how Joohyun was turning things around for herself at a great pace. 

« Are you okay? » She asked softly. Joohyun turned her head toward her and gave her a slight nod « Was the sleepover too much? » Joohyun shook her head. 

« I meant what I said to Yeri’s moms. I had a very good time » She smiled « I thought it would be hard and awkward to get along with the others but…they were so nice to me…and helpful » 

« I’m glad » Seulgi returned her smile and glanced at the part of Joohyun’s house that was visible behind the trees « Are you okay going back? » Joohyun looked out the window with a sigh. 

« There’s probably no one home so I’ll be fine » She turned back toward her « Thank you, Seulgi. For everything » Her words dripped with sincerity and affection which made Seulgi’s body warm up. 

« You’re welcome » She said, knowing that Joohyun wouldn’t take her humility if she tried « If you need anything just call, alright? » Joohyun nodded shyly. 

« Thanks, Seulgi » She leaned over and kissed her cheek before getting out of the car. Seulgi froze  as her heart doubled its pace. She watched Joohyun walk away and her lips slowly upturned. She knew she shouldn’t but she was falling for Joohyun more and more as time went by. She shook her head to get out of her stupor and drove away with butterflies in her stomach. 

A few meters away, Joohyun closed her front door to find her siblings on top of the stairs expecting her. Joohyun gulped, shivers running down her spine as she had no choice but to make her way up to get to her room. 

« How was the sleepover? » Hyun-Woo asked with a smirk that Joohyun hated and feared. It meant that he knew something and it terrified her what he might have found out. 

« Good and none of your business » She replied dryly and he snorted. 

Kyung-Mi, next to him, looked at her sister calmly before she blocked her way toward her room « I thought Kang Seulgi was just a classmate, so why is she driving you back home? » She questioned with a raised eyebrow. Joohyun’s eyes widened. Of course, they spied on her. It was so alike them. Kyung-Mi sighed and took her phone out « I got to say she’s also a great photographer » Joohyun felt her blood drain from her body. Why did they care about her life so suddenly? Why didn’t they ignore her like they used to? Kyung-Mi turned the phone toward her and Joohyun almost fainted. It was the pride picture that was also on Seulgi’s wall « Don’t you agree? » Kyung-Mi asked, showing no emotion on her face. Hyun-Woo came next to Joohyun and examined the picture. 

« Wait! » He exclaimed « No way » His brows shot up as he turned his head toward Joohyun « She was the one who gave you a hickey? Oh ! » He laughed hysterically and even Kyung-Mi rolled her eyes. 

« Woo, please » She grunted. His laughter died down and he looked back at Joohyun with a smirk. 

« My sister’s a les » He let out in amusement. Joohyun felt the world spin around her. It couldn’t be possible. They couldn’t have found out. It was a nightmare. It suddenly became hard for her to breathe. She turned around to go to her room but Kyung-Mi was in the way. 

« So are you going to tell us the truth now, Joohyun? » She asked, still as calm as she was before. 

«  off » Joohyun tried to pass by her but Kyung-Mi stepped in her way again « Get the away » Joohyun yelled out of her mind, surprising her siblings and even herself if she was being honest. But her mind was too busy freaking out to produce a coherent thought. She rushed inside her room and locked the door. 

« Please, Joohyun, be reasonable. We need to talk » Kyung-Mi’s voice reached her from the other side. She walked into her closet, which was the farthest to the door, and slide on the ground, putting her hands against her ears to block her voice. Tears streamed down her face without she noticed. But even the closet was suffocating. She knew she was having a panic attack, it wasn’t the first time, but she couldn’t bring herself to breathe. Because nothing was alright anymore. In a sudden impulse, she took her bag back and ran outside of her room, too fast for her siblings to stop her. 

« Joohyun! » Hyun-Woo yelped as she pushed him out of her way and quickly rushed down the stairs. 

« Joohyun, we just want to talk » Kyung-Mi yelled from the first floor « We don’t want to involve mo… » But Joohyun was already running outside the house. She ran. She ran until her legs burned, until her heart was drumming in her chest and was threatening to escape her body, until the air didn’t reach her lungs anymore. She stopped and fell on her knees in some street that she took a moment to recognize. She took deep breaths, grabbing her shirt over the place of her heart with a trembling hand. It hurt. It physically hurt. She closed her eyes. 

‘Joohyun, you’re not a bad person’ ‘You deserve to be happy’ ‘It’s going to be okay, Joohyun’ 

She exhaled deeply, hearing this little voice in her head speaking in Seulgi’s voice. It managed to calm her a little. Enough for her to get up with wobbling feet and to walk. So she walked. Yet again, like that stormy night that started it all, she found herself knocking at Seulgi’s door. 

When Seulgi opened the door, she knew right away something was wrong. Just by the way Joohyun was standing and the look in her eyes. She knew. 

« Joohyun, what’s going on? » She approached her, holding onto her shoulders firmly, scared that she might collapse by any passing seconds. 

« They know » Joohyun cried out, burying herself in her arms as she let out the sob she had been holding all the way. Seulgi’s heart clenched at her words, worry and fear iced her veins. 

« Let’s go inside » She lead her in and up to her room. She sat her on her bed, putting her bag away before kneeling in front of her, putting one hand on her knee while the other pushed away the hair that blocked her face « Joohyun, breathe please » She instructed gently and Joohyun’s sobs died down as she did. When she seemed to have calmed down and her breathing didn’t appear that heavy anymore, Seulgi tested the water « Joohyun, what happened? » She asked softly. 

« My brother and…my sister…..they know. They dug information on you…and… » She pointed on the side. Seulgi followed her finger and her eyes widened. The pride picture. She turned back toward Joohyun « They saw us when we got back and….they saw the hickey when… » Her voice died down « They put two and two together » She inhaled deeply to stop herself from crying and took Seulgi’s hand that was on her lap. 

« I’m sorry » Seulgi uttered shamefully. 

Joohyun frowned and stopped crying « Why are you sorry? You did nothing wrong? You helped me, Seulgi. You’re the only one that makes me feel good » Seulgi raised her gaze toward her once again. 

« But I’m the reason they found out » 

Joohyun felt tears in her eyes but this time it wasn’t out of sadness but rather genuine happiness and love. Seulgi blamed herself when she was the one that helped her from the beginning. It didn’t feel right to Joohyun and it managed to get her out of her panic attack. She raised Seulgi and made her sit next to her « Seulgi, stop what you are doing right now. Think about if you wouldn’t have been there for me for a second. I would still be in complete denial and would have been for years if not decades. Then what…I would have lived a miserable life and maybe would have ended it, but you were there for me when no one was. They did find out and it’s one of my nightmares coming true but they would have found out one way or the other. So don’t ever blame yourself for this, understand? » They locked eyes and suddenly Seulgi’s phone buzzed. 

« It’s a notification, don’t worry » She told her but it continued to buzz in her pocket. 

« Maybe you should check it out. It seems urgent » Joohyun cleared , suddenly embarrassed by her outburst in Seulgi’s private life….again. Seulgi sighed and took the device in her pocket but a frown appeared on her face before she looked back at Joohyun. 

« It’s your sister » She told her. 

« What? » Joohyun’s brow knitted, coming closer to Seulgi to see the screen as Seulgi unlocked her phone. 

« Hello, this is Joohyun’s sister » She read out loud « I would like to know if she’s with you. Please, it’s urgent. We just want to know if she’s safe. Please answer » She looked at Joohyun who gulped « Maybe I should let them know you’re alright. But I won’t if you don’t want to » She spoke softly. 

« Tell them » Joohyun agreed « I don’t want them to call the cops » 

« Okay » Seulgi whispered, tipping her reply. Seconds later, it buzzed again « Thank you for replying. Can you tell her we just want to talk? We won’t get our parents involved, we promise »

« That sounds fake » Joohyun huffed « The both of them are really good at lying but I…I can’t deal with this today. I don’t have the strength » She sighed. Seulgi put a supportive hand on her thigh « Tell them I’ll talk to them after school tomorrow » Seulgi nodded and started typing « In the meantime, I hope they won’t talk to my parents » She anxiously prayed. The phone buzzed again. She waited for Seulgi to tell her but the other girl stayed quiet by her side. She lifted her gaze to find her staring at her phone with a blank face.

« What did she say? » She raised an eyebrow and Seulgi gulped, eyes still on her phone. 

« ‘Deal. We’ll expect her but Kang Seulgi, you better take good care of her and play nice or else…’ »

« Of course, they threatened you » Joohyun grunted annoyed « I can’t have nice things. They always have to destroy everything » She put her hand on Seulgi’s shoulder and took her phone from her hand to put it away « Seul, they won’t do anything to you, I promise. Don’t be scared, okay? » 

« I’m not scared of them » Seulgi told her with a heavy voice « I’m scared for you » Joohyun almost had tears fill her eyes. She melted inside and couldn’t control herself any longer. She close the gap and hugged her tightly. How could this girl be such an angel? Seulgi soon wrapped her arms around her as well « I won’t let them do anything to you either » She whispered tenderly. 

At that moment, Joohyun almost mouthed these three words.


_____________________________________________________

Hey, guys! Hope you enjoyed this chapter? 

See you next week :)

-J