Sunny paused her mission on Assassin’s Creed to refill on her drink.  It was only a few hours ago that she had said goodbye to Yuri and she was already missing her like crazy.  No matter how many times she reminded herself that she only had two weeks to wait, it was still two weeks to be without her.  She had her laptop open, with a flight tracker running, just in case something had happened.  She wouldn’t land until early the next morning; they had worked out it would be around 6am in Seoul.  Eighteen hours of flying.  Still, she was going to spend two weeks with family, so she couldn’t begrudge her of that.  Sunny was sitting on the sofa, wearing one of Yuri’s t-shirts.  She had left it on the bed, packed up for Sunny, with a note reading “Do not wash this.”  Apparently, Yuri hadn’t washed it either, as Sunny could tell it still smelled of her lover.  If only she could bottle this scent.  Although, unlike other scents she wished she could capture and bottle forever, this one would never be sold.  It felt comforting to have something of Yuri remain with her.  As she screwed the cap on her Coke, she heard someone knocking at the door.  She unlocked the door and opened it, finding Taeyeon, Seohyun, Sooyoung, Yoona and Tiffany, waiting with Chinese takeaway and wine.  Taeyeon had even brought a bottle of amaretto, one of Sunny’s favourite liqueurs.

“We figured you could do with some company,” Taeyeon smiled as Sunny let them in to the apartment.

“Guys, you didn’t have to!” Sunny exclaimed, as the girls passed through the door.  “Are the others coming too?” she asked.

“Nope,” Sooyoung placed the bottle she was carrying on the table.  “Just us.”

“Where are they?” she asked.

“Well, Jess …” Taeyeon started, finding a comfortable seat with the rest of the girls.

“Hates games,” Sunny finished the sentence.  Jessica rarely came to Sunny’s apartment for a gaming night.  Drinking wine and ing about guys was fine.  Playing games on a console was a ‘waste of an evening’.  ‘But she’s the ice princess, so what does she know?’ Sunny reasoned.

“Yeah,” Taeyeon admitted.  “And Hyo is out with family.  Apparently, tonight is her parent’s anniversary so they’re having a family dinner out.”

“Oooooh, nice,” Sunny smiled sarcastically.  “We know how much she loves those.”

“She seemed pretty excited this time,” Tiffany added.  “I think because she likes the waiter at the restaurant they’re going to.”

“That explains so much,” Sunny laughed.  “I’ll get the glasses.”

“I’ll help,” Seohyun announced, following Sunny into the kitchen.  She carried a white plastic bag with her.

“What’s in the bag?” Sunny asked.

“Ice cream,” Seohyun answered.  “Ben and Jerry’s.  We figured some might be in order.”

“You mean Sooyoung demanded it,” Sunny giggled.

“Actually, Tiffany did,” Seohyun corrected her, putting the tubs into the freezer.  “She said you could do with some.”

“Sunny,” Yoona shouted, “you know she’ll be ok, right?”

“I know, Yoona~” Sunny sighed.  “I’ve only got the flight tracker on so I know the plane is on time and that she arrives safely.”

“It’s ok unnie,” Seohyun hugged her bandmate.  “I know you care about her a lot.  You’re like this with every person you know.”

Sunny nodded and blushed.  If Yuri said she wanted to go out drinking, she could.  Sunny would never stand in her way.  If she said she would be back at 11pm, Sunny would wait up to make sure a smiling face greeted her to ask about her night when she came back.  If she called to say she would be later, Sunny would be ok with it and would wait up until then.  All she cared about was that Yuri was safe.  What she was doing and who she was with were secondary.  Seohyun put her arm around her and gave her a squeeze.  “You just care a lot about people, even us,” she reassured her.

“Yeah,” Tiffany agreed, walking in to the kitchen.  “I mean, take earlier.  Almost the first thing you asked was where Jess and Hyoyeon were.  You like to make sure we’re ok and we’re safe and we’re in one piece.  Just don’t worry about Yoona.”

Sunny smiled broadly, comforted by their reassurances.  “You need anything?” Sunny asked.

“Coke,” Tiffany opened the fridge, taking the open bottle.  “Taengoo forgot to bring some,” she explained, shouting so that Taeyeon could hear.

Sunny giggled.  “Hey,” Taeyeon defended herself.  “There is a store just a few minutes away.  We can get some there!”

“It’s ok,” Sunny patted Taeyeon’s shoulder.  “You know I have plenty.”

“See?” Taeyeon stuck her tongue out at Tiffany.

“How on earth are you our leader?” she laughed.  “You’re like a child.”

Sunny picked up her controller as Tiffany found a spot on the floor.  Glasses were placed on the table and Yoona poured four glasses of wine.  Taeyeon poured two amaretto and cokes and Sooyoung distributed the dishes.

“You guys didn’t have to do this,” Sunny repeated, saving her game before shutting down the console.  Group gaming nights meant one of two things: they would be playing on the Wii or they would be on the Kinect.  Games like Call of Duty didn’t interest everyone.

“I promised Yuri I would take care of you,” Taeyeon admitted.

“Awwww, Taengoo~” Sunny blushed.

“Hey, it’s the least we can do for our friend,” she smiled as Sunny disconnected the Xbox and plugged in the Wii.

“Guys, let’s eat first,” Yoona declared.

“Great plan,” Sooyoung echoed, already starting on her chow mein.  “I’d go with that plan any day.”

“It has food in it, of course you’d go with that plan,” Tiffany laughed.

Sunny laughed and sat between Sooyoung and Taeyeon on the sofa, leaving the Wii on standby.  “Guys, I don’t know what I did to deserve friends like you,” she blushed.

“Well, we know you’re going to miss Yuri,” Yoona sympathised.  “And I do too, she’s my best friend.  But you really have given her your heart.  We need to look out for you.”

Sunny bowed her head in gratitude.

“Ok, a toast,” Tiffany lifted her glass and waited for everyone to pick up their glasses.  “To friendship.  No matter how crazy it gets.”

“To friendship!” everyone cheered and clinked their glasses together.

 

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There hadn’t been a night that had passed that Taeyeon hadn’t checked on Sunny.  True to her word as the group’s leader, she took real good care of her bandmate, and Sunny soon realised that Yuri could be on a year-long expedition somewhere and she would still be looked after.  Yuri did send messages, wishing Sunny a good night and telling her that she loved her.  She had even received a Skype call from Yuri and her brother, and had spoken to them both for at least an hour and a half, during which Sunny was issued with an open invitation to come and visit him with Yuri as his guest.  Now, Yuri was flying home, taking another 17 hour flight from Boston to Seoul.  Unlike when she left, Sunny did not go to the airport to collect her.  Instead, she waited at home, having prepared a delicious meal for her lover.  It was 6.20pm before Yoona collected Yuri as she landed and drove her to the apartment, before wishing her a good night and promising to see her the day after next.  Yuri walked in through the front door and was amazed at the effort Sunny had put in to welcoming her back.

“You’re back!” Sunny practically jumped into Yuri’s arms, threw her arms around her neck and kissed her with so much passion.

“Wow, I guess so,” Yuri laughed as she clung to her chest.  “Did you miss me?”

“Just a little,” Sunny blushed, holding her tightly.  “Not so you would notice.”

“A little, huh,” Yuri smiled.  She knew Sunny would miss her, but she never in her wildest dreams expected this kind of welcome.

“How was your flight?” Sunny asked, taking the case from Yuri and moving it next to the hallway.”

“It was tiring,” Yuri sighed, taking a seat at the dining table.  “I tried sleeping on the plane but I couldn’t sleep for long.”

“Oh you poor thing!” Sunny gasped.  “Do you want to sleep now?  Or do you want to get something to eat before you sleep?”

“I should sleep, but,” Yuri looked around, “I know you’ve cooked for me and I don’t want to let it go cold.”

“Hey,” Sunny raised her eyebrows in concern, “if you’re tired, you need to sleep!  You’re going to be so jetlagged, baby.  It’s ok.”

“No,” Yuri stood firm.  “You’ve cooked, and I haven’t seen you for two weeks.  Let’s eat something now and we can both get an early night.  Ok?”

Sunny looked at the clock.  It was almost 7pm, and dinner would only be another ten minutes before it was ready.  “Are you sure?” she asked.

“I’m certain,” Yuri smiled.  “I’ve missed my bunny.”

Sunny smiled before sitting next on the chair next to Yuri and resting her head on her shoulder.  “I’ve missed my pearl too.”

“So, what have you been doing whilst I’ve been gone?” Yuri asked.  “Had any wild parties?”

Sunny shook her head.  Normally, she would have been sarcastic and said how she had thrown parties for royalty and idols, but for some reason she couldn’t bring herself to do so.  “The girls came around after you left and we had a games night, but that was it.”

“That’s all?” Yuri asked.

Sunny nodded.  “Taeyeon was really good.  She called me some nights to make sure I was ok, and on the nights she didn’t call, she visited me.”  She lifted her head and looked at straight into her lover’s eyes and smiled.  “It’s as though someone told her to look after me whilst you were gone.”

Yuri blushed slightly.  “I wanted to make sure you were ok,” she admitted.

Sunny resumed her position on Yuri’s shoulder.  “Thank you,” she sighed contentedly.  “Although I have to be honest, she wasn’t much help for the last few days.”

“She wasn’t?” Yuri asked.  “Why not?”

“I don’t know,” Sunny mused.  “Don’t get me wrong, she still checked in on me, but she’s been acting so strange lately.  Almost … distant.  Like …” Sunny thought for a moment before shaking her head.  “I can’t explain it.”

“Hmmm,” Yuri thought.  “Does she seem ok?”

“Oh yeah,” Sunny nodded.  “She seems fine, just … she seems like she’s lost in some thought somewhere.  And she’s taking more time to herself, for some reason.  Like, unexplained.”

“’Unexplained’?”

Sunny nodded.  “I don’t mean she needs to report her every move to us, but she’s never more than five minutes late anywhere.”  Sunny stood up and checked on the food.  “And if she is, she calls way in advance.  Yesterday, we went to the mall and I was stood around for about half an hour waiting for her.  When she got here, she ‘just lost track of time’.”

“Maybe it’s nothing,” Yuri shrugged.

“Maybe,” Sunny thought.  “It’s just so unlike her to be so absent minded.”

Yuri nodded, before joining Sunny by the cooker, wrapping her arms around her waist from behind.  “You really do care so much about everyone, don’t you,” she whispered, kissing her cheek.

“Someone has to,” she smiled.

Yuri sniffed the air.  “You’re making takoyaki?” she gasped.

Sunny nodded.  “Well, I’m trying to.  I’ve never made it before.”

“Wow,” Yuri smiled, taking in all of the different dishes Sunny was preparing.  Noodles, kimchi, vegetables, and her favourite dish, takoyaki.  It was barely fifteen minutes later before the pair sat at the table, eating their feast.

“I never realised how much I loved you until I was away from you,” Yuri smiled.

“You didn’t?” Sunny asked, blushing.

Yuri shook her head.  “I missed being next to you.  I missed hearing your laughter, seeing your smile, laughing at your jokes.”

“You missed all of that?” Sunny asked, teasingly.

Yuri nodded.  “I did,” she admitted.  “I know I don’t seem like it, but I can be a little sentimental.”

Sunny smiled, more than she had smiled in months.  With that one sentence, she felt like she was the centre of Yuri’s universe, like her Sun.  Such an amazing feeling, one she never wanted to let go.

“Oh,” Yuri looked at her plate, her voice becoming a mixture of apprehension, happiness and fear.  “I have something to tell you.”

“What is it?” she asked.

“I …” Yuri took a deep breath.  “I told my brother about … about us.”

“You did?” Sunny let her chopsticks rest on her bowl.

Yuri nodded.  “He’s cool with us, actually,” she lifted her head and smiled.  “He wasn’t completely cool at first.  I mean, he said he wished I would have found a guy and gotten married and had kids like a normal person, but he heard how I talk about you and about us and he said he …” she laughed to herself.  “He said he was jealous of us, and how he had never found anyone who made him feel the way you make me feel.”

Sunny’s face turned crimson.  “So he’s ok with me?”

Yuri nodded.  “And he said the invitation to visit is still open.”

“Did he know when I spoke to him?” Sunny asked, suddenly remembering their conversation.  He seemed really sweet to her then.  He couldn’t have known then, could he?

Yuri shook her head.  “I told him that night,” she confessed.  “Up until then, he thought we were just flatmates and friends.  I told him the whole story, about you running after me in the rain, about you helping me get over Captain Jerkface, about you really being a real rock to me, and he said he likes you and he approves.  He said he’ll help me break the news to Mom and Dad too.”

Sunny smiled, before realising she still had to break the news to her family.  Still, at least one person was on their side.

 

The pair finished their meal, talking in between mouthfuls of food.  As they finished, Sunny took the empty plates and put them into the sink.  “We’ll sort them tomorrow,” she decided, walking to Yuri and taking her hand.  “Now, Miss Kwon, I believe you need to sleep your jetlag off.”

“I could not agree more, Miss Lee,” Yuri smiled, walking behind Sunny to the bedroom.  “Just one minute though, baby, I need to use the bathroom.”

Sunny nodded.  “I’ll wait in bed for you, shall I?” she asked seductively, watching Yuri walk to her suitcase and pull out her toiletries bag, then walking to the bathroom.  Happily, she sighed and walked into the bedroom, undressing for bed.  She wore only Yuri’s clothes to bed for the last two weeks.  It was going to be great for her to feel Yuri’s body against hers again, holding her closely.  A few minutes later, Yuri entered the room, ready for bed.  Which was peculiar.  Since they had been dating, they had slept together every night.  Now, Yuri was wearing her and a new t-shirt, which hung loosely on her shoulders.  She looked tired beyond anything Sunny had seen before, so she pulled aside the duvet to make room for her lover.

“I’ve missed this,” she cooed as Yuri crawled into bed with her, cuddling closely to her.

“Me too,” she sighed, as Sunny instinctively found her resting place – her head on Yuri’s chest, her ear directly over her heart.  Moments later, Yuri fell asleep.  Despite it only being 8pm, Sunny fell asleep minutes later, the change in bedroom attire still playing at the back of her mind.

 

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