Seungwan looks at the empty bed beside her. The singer looks around and spots the door, which is slightly ajar. The light is also open. That made Seungwan breathe out heavily. She sits up on their bed before she wears her blue furry slippers. The blonde spotted her girlfriend in the kitchen while her eyes were focused on the kettle before her. “Why are you still awake?” Joohyun almost dropped the cup noodle when she spotted her adorable puppy with sleepy eyes.

Joohyun wants to hug Seungwan, but what happened earlier made her a bit distant and hesitant to do so. “I suddenly felt hungry.” The brunette sighed as she moved closer to her girlfriend. The professor pulls the cord of their kettle before she starts pouring the water into the cup noodles.

“I’m sorry if the dinner was a disaster earlier.” Seungwan’s voice was low as she looked at how Joohyun fidgeted while she was still looking at the cup noodle. The professor shook her head as she breathed out. Joohyun had been so stressed with work today, and Seungwan was so pushy with the idea of Joohyun finally meeting her mom again that it made Joohyun walk out from their dining area and start walking to clear her thoughts.

“Not your fault.” Joohyun’s reply was short. The brunette opened their refrigerator to get some kimchi, and her smile was seen when she spotted the tteokkbokki her mom sent to Seoul from Daegu.

Seungwan follows Joohyun like an obedient puppy, but in reality, Seungwan is hurt and stressed. It’s unusual for them not to fix an argument before they end their day. Usually, Joohyun will take the initiative, but today, Joohyun is stone-cold silent. The blonde singer gulped as she watched Joohyun sit on their couch while holding the cup noodle. “Do you want something to drink, love?” Joohyun looks at Seungwan. The blonde singer stands before her with pleading eyes, making Joohyun surrender.

“No, I’m okay. You should go back to sleep. I’ll join you after cleaning up.” Seungwan sighed as she ran her hand through her hair. She feels so annoyed that Joohyun won’t speak up. It will always be a challenge for the blonde.

“Are you still upset about my mom!” Joohyun placed the cup noodle as she breathed out. The professor looks at her girlfriend with tired eyes. Seungwan saw the way Joohyun’s breath hitched as she stood up from the couch.

“Seungwan, it’s been a long day. Just drop this topic.” Joohyun entered the kitchen again, leaving Seungwan with her eyes glued to Joohyun, who was drinking some water. The brunette sighed as she grabbed her coat hanging on the rack. “I’ll give you some time to yourself, " the professor said while gathering her phone, wallet, and shoes.

“Joohyun, it’s so cold. You don’t have to go at this hour.” Seungwan started walking in her direction, her body covering the door, but Joohyun could only look at her with her tired eyes. The blonde is now close to tears, which is what happened to them the first time that her mom met her girlfriend, precisely two years ago.

Joohyun was sitting on the couch in Seungwan’s condo, the professor was taking a break after encoding her students' grades, and Seungwan went out to buy some drinks they could share for tonight.

The professor was surprised when she heard the sound of the doorbell. Joohyun stood up to open the door. “You can’t ope….” she couldn’t finish her statement when she saw a woman in her early 50s in front of the door. The woman was equally as surprised as the professor.

“I think I got the wrong unit…” Joohyun could only gulp as she stood there, watching how the woman she recognized was now scrambling to take her phone out of her bag. Joohyun notices how the brand stands out.

“N..No, ma’am, you got the right unit. You are looking for Seungwan, right?” Joohyun mustered her courage, and her eyes shook as she took a few steps to make way for the older woman. “Do you want me to help you with your luggage?” the professor was shaking. Joohyun clearly remembers when Seungwan told her she was not ready to come out to her parents, so they decided to keep everything low.

“Seungwan never told me she got a roommate?” Joohyun gulped as she pushed the luggage inside Seungwan’s condo. The brunette immediately picked up her things scattered on the table before she stood beside the couch while holding her laptop and class record. “Since when are you staying here? I wonder why Seungwan was renting her condo when I gave her the black card before she returned here to study.” Joohyun could only gulp. She prays for the angels to grant her wishes. She wishes Seungwan would show up now to save her from her mother.

“No, ma’am, I’m…” Joohyun's words halted when she heard the door of the condo open. Her eyes went to Seungwan, who got her eyebrows twitched, but her expression suddenly changed from confused to surprised.

“Mom!? What are you doing in here?” Seungwan got an awkward face as she placed the stuff she had brought from the grocery. The blonde shoots her girlfriend a look, but Joohyun just bows before she goes inside the guest room.

“You didn’t tell me that you have a roommate. I thought I got the wrong unit.” Seungwan chuckles awkwardly as she lets her mom hug her. It’s been four years since she last went home to Canada, which surprised her. “Your eonnie is here too, I thought we could stay here, but someone is occupying the guest room.” Seungwan looked at the room where Joohyun went in, and her heart was racing as she thought about Joohyun’s emotions.

Seungwan remembers when Joohyun’s mom hugged her tight whenever they visited Daegu, but all Joohyun could get was anxiety at seeing her family.

Seungwan and her mom suddenly looked in the same direction when they saw the guest room door open. Joohyun was already wearing her coat and backpack, and the professor also held the bedsheets and pillowcases. “Thanks for letting me stay over, Seungwan. I should go home so you can have time with your family.” Seungwan gulps because Joohyun is trying her best to avoid her eyes. The tone of Joohyun’s voice is far from what she’s used to. This is precisely the voice she heard in that locker area more than three years ago. “I’m sorry for the surprise Ma’am. I sincerely apologize.” Joohyun bowed as she went straight to the laundry area. The brunette held back her tears as she put everything in the laundry basket.

“Young woman, why don’t you stay for dinner first before heading home? Seungwan’s sister is already at the elevator.” Joohyun shook her head, but the older woman gestured her to the dining table. The professor was left with no choice but to sit there. “So you two are friends? I thought your friends were only your band members and that someone named Taeyeon?” Joohyun was looking down at her hands while waiting for Seungwan to answer. The reality is sinking into the brunette. Seungwan never bothered to introduce her to her family even once, not even as her friend.

Joohyun wonders, if Seungwan didn’t even introduce her to her family as her friend, what more is it for her to introduce her as her lover? The thought hurt Joohyun, and it felt like Joohyun stabbed herself ten times. The professor fidgeted in her seat, which made Seungwan feel more guilty. “Eonnie is Taeyeon Eonnie’s cousin mom. That is why we became friends.” Joohyun saw how Seungwan’s mom nodded, and she looked at Joohyun before looking back to Seungwan.

“A friend of a friend is not your friend. Remember that, Seungwan.” Joohyun was silent the whole time, and it was a blessing in disguise that someone finally opened the door again. “Seunghee, faster, I’m hungry!” the brunette looked at the new person. She saw how the woman was surprised to see her, so Joohyun gave her a bow as a form of politeness.

Seungwan looks at her girlfriend, and it hurts Seungwan that she can’t do anything but just look at her. As they started to eat, Joohyun just took a piece of bread from their favorite Bakery that Seungwan bought. “So Seungwan, have you finally decided about it?” Joohyun intently listened to the conversation, and she saw how Seungwan breathed out as she looked at her sister, mentally cursing her for bringing the topic up. “Well, that was the main reason Mom and I flew from Canada to here. You can’t avoid that.” Seungwan’s mom was looking at her with anticipation, but Seungwan remained mum as she continued to play with her food.

“Seungwan, you told us that you will return to Canada once you graduate.” hearing that made Joohyun look at Seungwan. Her girlfriend was looking at her plate. She also dropped her spoon, which surprised both her mom and sister. “We already gave you a few months, and it’s been six months since you graduated.” Seungwan could only keep shut. She can’t even look at her mom or even Joohyun. She feels so lost and tired of everything that is happening right now. “You can’t just continue living here playing with that band. It will not be enough to keep you going in life. You need to be practical, Seungwan-ah.” A round of silence enveloped the whole dining area. Joohyun felt her heart getting heavier, and she couldn’t understand what she should feel now. She feels betrayed, and she feels like everything is unfair to her.

“Why won’t you just let me be?” Seungwan’s mom was so surprised to hear Seungwan’s response. The vocalist mustered her courage to meet her mom’s eyes. It feels so suffocating for Seungwan to be trapped inside this closet where she constantly needs to hide and hurt her girlfriend. “I want to stay here, and I want to live here.” Seungwan looks at Joohyun, who is sitting still. The brunette looked down, more likely to avoid eye contact with her. “I am happy here, and this place makes me happy. I found happiness here and can’t find myself in Canada, Mom. I want to be here because this is my home.” Joohyun gulps the lump in , and everything is overwhelming her. There’s a tight pang in her chest.

“You are coming with us! Whether you like it…” Joohyun stood up from her seat, and the brunette bowed as she grabbed her bag. The professor knows what she did was impolite, but that was her last straw. She can’t stand this anymore.

“My apologies, I shouldn’t be here. This is a family matter.” Joohyun bowed before she started walking out of the condo unit. The moment the elevator closed, Joohyun’s tears failed her. She never felt so betrayed in her whole life.

Joohyun tries her best to compose herself. The brunette is walking mindlessly, aware of how far the train station is, but at this point, she wants to process things, be alone, and finally let everything sink in.

Maybe she should stay in Daegu, away from Seungwan, so that she can decide.

-

It’s been three days since Joohyun left her condo. The blonde reached for her phone and tried to dial her girlfriend’s number. When it went to voicemail, she frustratedly threw her cell phone before she stood up from her bed. Seungwan grabbed her coat before she went out of her room. Her mother was surprised to finally see her leave her room after three days. Seungwan will always check if her mom is around before she goes out to eat and shower. “Where are you going?” Seungwan didn’t bother responding, and that made the older woman mad. “I’m talking to you! Don’t you dare go out of this unit without telling me!” Seungwan tiredly looked at her mother, and the blonde was breathing heavily.

“If you want to know why I don’t want to leave this country! Then I’ll tell you!” Seungwan took a step closer to her mother. “The woman you saw three days ago is not just my friend. That person is the only one who accepted me with open arms, a person who supported me and my love for music for years.” Seungwan wipes her tears as she feels her heart getting heavier. The thought of hurting Joohyun makes her feel weak. “That woman is my world, Mom, and I will never dare leave her.” Seungwan was looking into her mother’s eyes. The older woman was surprised but could only look at her daughter when she saw Seungwan’s eyes filled with worry and pain.

“Seungwan, please consider our offer. You can have a better life in Canada. You can work in our business and still pursue your passion.” Seungwan looks at her mom with disgust and feels so betrayed that she’s pushing her back to that hell despite knowing her situation. “That girl, you can forget about her and start a new life in Canada! You can meet a lot of potential lovers there, especially men.” Seungwan looks at her mother. All she can do is let those tears fall from her eyes. How can the person she was expecting to understand her turn out to be the one who will stop her from loving the person who saved her? “Your aunt wants you to meet a guy, her best friend's son. Why don’t you give it a try, Seungwan-ah.” Seungwan stepped back when she saw how her mother tried to reach her. Seungwan understood how cruel life could be.

All she can feel right now is the betrayal and the pain of being invalidated. Seungwan wiped the tears from her eyes before she dropped her coat. She started running out, leaving her mom standing there.

At this point, Seungwan knows where she’ll be going, and she badly needs to go to her home. She needs to go to the person she knows who will accept her with open arms.

-

Joohyun was walking with a plastic bag containing beer cans and some meat. The brunette felt the cold breeze of the wind, so she clutched her jacket before walking. Joohyun's heart still feels heavy, especially after remembering how she rejected and ignored Seungwan’s call.

That is why Joohyun felt like her heart dropped when she spotted Seungwan sitting in front of the door of her apartment building. Despite the harsh winter weather, her girlfriend is not wearing a coat or jacket. “! Son Seungwan! What are you doing?!” Joohyun removed her jacket before she placed it on Seungwan’s shoulders. The blonde woman was shaking as she looked up to meet her girlfriend’s eyes. And at that very moment, Joohyun felt her heartbreak. Seungwan’s eyes were filled with tears and pain. “Seungwan, love, please stop being a menace now. I need you to stand up.” Seungwan looks like a lost puppy who was left there by its owner. The brunette breathes before squatting to be on the same level as Seungwan. “Baby, come on. Take my hand now.” Joohyun could only lightly smile when Seungwan reached for her hand, and it felt like she was holding some ice because of how cold Seungwan’s hand was at the moment.

When they entered Joohyun’s unit, the professor reached for the heater to lower the temperature. Joohyun guided Seungwan to her living room before she let her girlfriend sit down. The blonde watched Joohyun’s every action and observed how her girlfriend was now boiling hot water to give her some warm tea. “Eonnie…” Joohyun gulped a lump in when she heard Seungwan’s soft voice, and she looked at her while holding a cup of tea. Placing the tea on the table, Joohyun could only sit beside her girlfriend quietly. “A…are you breaking up with me?” the brunette looked at her puppy. Those pleading eyes filled with tears made Joohyun sigh. She wipes the tears from Seungwan’s eyes before she pulls her to let her sit on her lap. “Eonnie, what are you doing?” Joohyun breathed out before she wrapped her arm around Seungwan. She made sure that she was giving the younger woman a tight hug.

“Keeping you warm. You are still shaking.” Seungwan could only sigh as she let Joohyun hug her. There was a very long silence surrounding them. The blonde feels anxious, but being in Joohyun’s embrace is enough to remove her worries. “To answer your question, I’m not breaking up with you.” Joohyun knows, Joohyun understands that wanting Seungwan is a very wrong decision. She was hurt, but how could she choose to let go of someone who gave her the h