Final.

Love & Respect

It's been almost two months since their group schedule. They were granted 5 months break to rest and do things with themselves. However, vocal and dance training is a 2 times a week thing following own schedule. 

Chuseok is nearing in a week and both Yujin and Gaeul were still seen in the town of Seoul, whereby all the other members had gone back home for the holiday. 

"An Yujin, are you really going to keep coming to my house until Chuseok?", Gaeul asked as Yujin walked into her house as she unlocked the door for her. 

"Haa. Let me stay here until then unnie. I'm too tired to walk back to my own apartment everytime I finish my schedule.", she slumped herself on the blue couch. 

Gaeul let out a sigh. Yujin's apartment was indeed another 25 minutes walk from the main road. She did wonder why Yujin wouldn't ask the manager to drop her off near her apartment but since she didn't mind about Yujin's presence in her residence, she pushed the question down. 

 

"Have you eaten?", Gaeul asked as she filled a glass of water for Yujin in the kitchen. She placed the glass on the table and Yujin stared blankly at it. "I'm tired. The male actor that was working the shooting with me had so many plain photos, so we had to retake a few times." 

Gaeul sat herself at the end of the couch and listened attentively to whatever Yujin had to deliver. She was smiling small while telling her tales. "-female was so strict, I got goosebumps.", Yujin continued as she repositioned her head on Gaeul's lap. She looked up to find her unnie with a dull expression.

"Unnie, are you listening to me? Are you here?"

Gaeul snapped back. "Ah, yes I do. I just thought that you have been working so hard, like double hard after our recent release. You got tired, annoyed, angry but that smile never left your lips. Our Yujin is so cool like that." 

Yujin frowned her brows and playfully slapped Gaeul's shoulder hard. "Ahhh what the hell? Why are you being like this? I feel sick in the stomach!", Yujin told and faked a throw up. Gaeul laughed it off. "It's true though...", she acknowledged in her trails off voice.

 

"Do you have dance practice tomorrow, unnie?", Yujin asked. "Yep, but it's in the evening. I have a class to attend in the morning." 

"Ah, right. Unnie is studying her ethics degree while working.", Yujin told and she suddenly raised her head and looked at Gaeul. "Ohh! Look who is the cool one now! Studying while working! Bachelor of Arts in Ethics.. social.... why does it sound wrong..." 

"Ethics and Contemporary Social Issue.", Gaeul corrected her while laughing. "Oh, right that one. So hard to pronounce! Must be hard for you to study too!" 

Gaeul chuckled to herself. "You have a show recording tomorrow right? Ah also, your date with Minju. Don't forget." 

Yujin sighed softly and sat up weakly. She stared at Gaeul. "Unnie, do you like me that much? Why do you know so much about me? Why do you even remember all these unimportant things..." 

"You told me yesterday. It was just stored in my head... and I'm putting it out there again."

"Okay, but why?? Don't store all that rubbish thing about me. Make space for your studies." 

"I did though. There's just a space for An Yujin and the members and since the other members are not here, the space is quite empty, so I'm filling it with Yujin's rubbish.", Gaeul told cutely. Yujin tilted her head and shook her head. 

"What I'd do without you unnie.", Yujin spoke. She pulled Gaeul into a bear hug and side-hugged her tightly. "When my thoughts are busy thinking about other members, I'm glad that I have unnie that thinks about me very often." 

 

"Minju thought of you too, you know.", Gaeul spurred out. "Yeah she did. But it's not as frequent now. In fact, I heard a rumor of her going for a holiday in the States with her co-star. Yet, she didn't even tell me about it. I guess she's cheating on me somehow" 

Gaeul backed up. "You really think so?", Gaeul questioned seriously. Yujin blinked her eyes slowly, as a nod. "Then, I guess everything makes sense. I did see her kissing someone else in front of your apartment last week." 

"What were you doing in front of my apartment???", she asked shockingly. Gaeul flabbergasted, as she expected Yujin to ask about her girlfriend kissing another person situation. "Eh? Oh, yeah, that time I was bringing the gifts that I received from your fans. Remember? I texted you telling I'd drop by but you didn't reply. You had a late-"

"-I was finishing the milk advertisement very late. Oh.. that was on that day?", Yujin interrogated again. Gaeul nodded. "I wanted to tell you but I'm scared I'd get in trouble. You both should resolve this on your own.." 

.

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Yujin woke up, finding no soul in Gaeul's house. She remembered walking away immediately after the conversation last night, leaving Gaeul on the couch. It was on impulse as she finally processed the idea of her cheating girlfriend. They had been dating for quite some while, but both were almost never present in the relationship. Both are expected to excel in the industry, and that's what they did, focusing on the industry. 

 

She saw a note left on the fridge.

I made something. Preheat this before eating. From, big unnie. ★

 

Yujin giggled at the scribbled heart that was replaced with a star instead. "Hahh what a tsundere". She opened the refrigerator and a decent sweet and sour dish was in it. 

"Unnie is not much a good cook, but I'll take this one than my own cooking", she told herself as she was prepping it to preheat. She scrolled her phone, glancing through her line of messages. One was from Minju. 

"Is the dinner tonight still on? I'll be wearing beige. Match with me okay. See you tonight.", the text reads. Yujin exited the text and moved to another one. She placed the meal on the dining table, snap a few pictures from different angle and sent the picture to Gaeul. 

 

"I'm not dying of hunger thanks to my big unnie  ", she started her chat and ended it with a red love emoji. 

"Oops. Sorry for the wrong emoji"

"★"

 

Yujin fed herself a spoonful of it while waiting for Gaeul's reply. After a few while, three dots appeared on the chat. 

"Ah, don't tease me like that. Eat a lot, Yujinnie.", the other latter replied. Yujin simpered to herself. She finished up the meal and groomed herself for her schedule. 

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Yujin walked into a coffee shop discreetly, having a cap on to hide her from the public eyes. She sat at the corner of the shop. A few eyes were obviously staring but she didn't mind as long as she's not interrupted for her private time. 

"Oh, you're early. I thought I'd be the one who waits for you again.", a voice spoke as she sat herself across Yujin. Yujin took a glance at her watch, 23 minutes had passed since the agreed time. "I finished my shooting early today. How was work?". Yujin asked while pushing the menu towards Minju. 

"Work is fine. I went for another audition for a thriller movie.", Minju told, flipping the menu. "So, did you get the part?", Yujin watched as Minju had her eyes fixated on the menu. "Uh, no, obviously. I'll try for another movie then." "Ah, I want this and this.", Minju pointed at the menu. Yujin nodded and called for the waitress. 

 

The surroundings felt chilly. Yujin fidgeted her fingers as she peeked at Minju who was looking at her phone. 

"What is it, An Yuding? I can feel the stare on my face.", Minju asked behind the phone. 

"Unnie, you, by any chance, are you cheating on me?", Yujin shot her curiosity. Minju stopped scrolling and tilted her head sideways, now looking at Yujin. "With who?"

"Your drama co-star? Maybe?", Yujin tried. Minju put her phone down. 

"Did someone tell you that they saw me and him?" "Er, kind of? But also I knew that you went to the States with him, like out of an official schedule."

"Well, he invited me to join him for the overseas promotion."

"But you didn't tell me?", Yujin managed to keep her cool. A little raise in her voice could attract audiences. "I did. But I guess you missed the text because after that one, you talk on another topic of the accident that happened in your neighbourhood."

"Oh?", Yujin took out her phone and scrolled through her chats with Minju. She had been notified. She put down her phone. "Ah, I'm sorry about that then."

 

"But, if someone told you they saw me kissing him, that one is true. Though I won't call it cheating because he kissed me first, I won't lie, An Yujin, I kissed him back."

Minju confessed as she locked her eyes with Yujin's. "That was a mistake on my part, of course. But, he is more present for me than you, you know? Somehow, I can't help but to adore him more ever since that kiss."

"You know how tight my schedule is, unnie. You saw me here and there, in the tv, radio, and my advertisements all over Seoul.", Yujin told. Minju smiled plainly. "But, you being popular and busy doesn't give you the pass to be a bad partner, Yujinnie"

"You're always late to our date. Not by minutes, but by hours. You promised for a whole day's date when we get the chance, but then you always leave early, leaving me at the park or the worst one, at the planetarium. You didn't even inform me that you had an urgent meeting with your company director and just left. I was still so pissed off about that, until today."

Yujin could only mutter a soft sorry under her breath as she was processing all the bad things she actually did. She wasn't aware that she was capable of doing such things. 

 

"I guess we're better off as friends, just like for the past years.", Yujin told Minju. Minju chuckled and nodded. "We do. I was happier when you're my friend than when you're my girlfriend."

"Ahhh, I am really sorry.", Yujin whined. "I'll take this time to repent and fix myself for the sake of my future partner."

"But hey, don't stop being my friend, all right? You're still my greatest friend. It would hurt me too much to lose you as a friend too."

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"Coming!", Gaeul responded to the doorbell rang. "What took you so long?", Yujin asked as she leaned by the wall. "Ah, sorry. I was doing some reading in my room."

"Isn't it about time you told me your house passcode?", Yujin walked in and sat herself on the bar stool. "Didn't you attempt anything?"

 

"Er, no. I'm traumatized actually. I locked myself out of my own apartment house last week and the door needed some fixing and thennnn, my apartment got broken-in and it needed another fix...", Yujin revealed her apartment incident. Gaeul acknowledged long while nodding her head.

"But, are you okay? Did anything go missing?", Gaeul interrogated. "I'm fine now but I'm still shaken a bit, which is why I'm coming to stay with my big unnie!", Yujin circled her arms around Gaeul's waist who was standing in front of her, pulled her closer and snuggled her head onto Gaeul's figure. 

"As long as you're safe, I guess there's nothing to worry about." "Ah, the passcode is my birthday.", Gaeul told. Yujin furrowed her brows.

"Unnie, the door fixer said it is dangerous for famous people to put your own birthday date since many people could predict it. What if your sasaeng fans got into your house?"

"Oh, really?", Gaeul did sound surprised. She put her fingers on her chin, tapping on it, thinking. "Should I put our debut date then?", she suggested. Yujin showed a displeased look. "No. Unnie, put my birthday date.", Yujin recommended. Gaeul raised her brows. "Why should I?"

"Because people won't predict it?", Yujin finally released the snuggle. She smiled to herself, thinking that she is now fully charged and ready to be in some playful mode. 

 

"Unnie, will you date me?", Yujin asked. Gaeul shook her head, refusing. "Ah, whyyyyy." "I don't like you that much for me to date you?", Gaeul responded. "Ahh...", Yujin playfully gave her a soft side eyes. "You don't like me that much but you got so upset that someone might hurt me and make me sad? I think that is what we call love, unnie."

"Did Minju told you that? But, in my defense, I would tell that to anyone who tries to hurt my member's feelings."

"You didn't do that to Leeseo's boyfriend." "Leeseo has a boyfriend???" "Had. They broke up already. Their relationship lasted for one week."

"What the-", Gaeul spurted and Yujin laughed seeing Gaeul losing her composure.

"Ah, I didn't know him. But I knew Minju. She needed to hear that one from me.", 

Yujin nodded and smirked. "Unnie, me and Minju broke up. We're better off as friends anyway."

 

Gaeul's face turned pale and shocked. Her eyes were ready to brim in tears, imagining Yujin's hurtful feeling right now. She immediately pulled Yujin's head in her crook and patted it gently. "I'm sorry that you had to go through this, Yujin-ah."

"I'm okay, though. Maybe because we've been friends longer than we're partners."

 

"Unnie, should I go to you now?", Yujin asked. Gaeul released the hug and took a step backwards. "No, no, An Yujin. I don't want to risk this friendship for an unforeseen future. What we have now, it's already perfect."

"I'm right in front of you now. Free from anyone. Why choose to keep watching over me from far?"

"It's fine. It's better this way.", Gaeul assured in a small smile. Yujin smirked and let out a small chuckle. "Why are you so serious? Aigoo, I'm just joking.", Yujin told but she swore she saw the pale smile drop slowly. Her expression got plain and her eyes lost their shine. 

"Right? There's no way you're so smitten like this."

Yujin chuckled shyly. Yes, she's never like this. She wondered what possessed her soul. "I'm going to bed now. Goodnight.", Gaeul told as she waltzed to her room. Yujin held onto her arms, halting her steps.

 

"Where's my kiss?", Yujin requested. Gaeul's mind went blank. She was unsure what to do with this new Yujin. "Are you okay? You're troubling me, you know."

Yujin looked at the worried face. She immediately let go of the grip and Gaeul excused herself again. She watched as the door closed behind Gaeul. Yujin was left with her own thoughts. She was desperately throwing herself to Gaeul when she thought she was fine with the breakup. Has she always been like this without her knowing? Need someone to depend on? She's not sure. Yujin let out a heavy sigh.

 

The room's door creaks open, Gaeul was peeking through it. "Yes, unnie? Why?", Yujin asked cautiously, scared that she might have horrified Gaeul if she went on with her wild mind. 

"Have you ever heard of Eros and Agape?", Gaeul started. Yujin blinked her eyes, totally lost. "Are you testing me now?"

"Ah, no, no. You know, in some love theology, your desire and longing looking for love and constant assurance, which correspond to eros, and me, whom you knew totally had it all for you and in correspond to agape is very imbalance. It's that kind of form. You shouldn't treat people, and love like that, you know."

 

"I'm sorry, I lost you even from the beginning.", Yujin raised her hands.

Gaeul chuckled. "What I'm saying is, a loving relationship is built up out of a lot of different sets of norms. It doesn’t have to look like what we see in a movie."

"Unnie, I'm sorry. Whatever I did just now, I'm sorry.", Yujin apologized quickly. 

Gaeul walked out of her room and approached Yujin slowly. "We didn't have to date."

"Were you explaining your rejection to my confession just now? Use some easy words!'

"Were you confessing though? I thought you're joking.", Gaeul attacked back.

Yujin closed her eyes, keeping her composed. "Anyhow, I get it that we shouldn't date okay. I get it already."

 

"We have the power to decide for ourselves. So, I'm choosing this friendship. I'm the happiest when I'm with Yujin like this. I can be myself, you can be yourself. We didn't have to commit to each other like the couples in the drama."

Yujin rolled her eyes. "This is the most depressing rejection I ever had. Though it's my first, it's the worst."

 

Gaeul smiled sheepishly. "I love you, An Yujin."

Yujin chuckled and nodded her head. "Yes, yes I know. I love you too, Gaeul unnie."

Gaeul leaned forward and pressed her lips against Yujin's, hands behind her back. She broke the kiss instantly. Yujin who had a blank puppy look, touched her lips in shock. 

 

"What is going on?", Yujin asked, head still empty as she was swept away by that sudden kiss. 

"Love too can demand someone to act in a way that normal seems to forbid."

"Wait, so are we dating??", Yujin asked in confusion. "We're not. I told you, I'm the happiest when I'm with Yujin like this. I can be myself, you can be yourself."

"So, what do I do now?", Yujin asked again. Gaeul turned her back and stride back to her room. "I don't know. It's your job to figure out what will happen to us next."

 

"Goodnight.", Gaeul told again before closing her room door. 

Yujin face-palmed herself, a grin plastered all over her face.

"She's not an easy one, An Yujin.", she chuckled again.

"How dare you kiss someone without permission? Where's your manners?"

Yujin grinned again. She might be having trouble sleeping tonight. 

 

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