a/n: will these two idiots kiss in chapter 12? i dunno?????? still working on some edits for upcoming chapters <3

i call this chapter GAY PANIC!

The day that they get to Jeju Island is actually long because they had gotten the first flight out when it was dark. Which makes sense and it’s nice to see Joohyun actually awake and not grumpy. Sooyoung seemed to be on the same wavelength, being extra perky because she’s dressed up like a model for no apparent reason. 

“I feel like I should change,” Wendy grumbles in her hoodie, pulling the strings close. “I look like a Smurf next to you two.” 

“You can change when we get to the hotel,” Joohyun informs beside her. “If anything, Sooyoung should change. It’s not like we’re going to a photoshoot.”

“Yah! Stop being jealous of my looks and OOTD,” Sooyoung pushes Wendy from behind after hearing them.

Wendy would be sent flying if it weren’t for Joohyun catching her. 

Seulgi is extra sleepy and snuggling into her neck scarf beside Sooyoung. She jerks to life when Sooyoung pushes Wendy. “What’s going on?” she asks, trying to figure out what happened. 

“They’re being mean to me,” Sooyoung coyly complains to Seulgi.

Joohyun rolls her eyes at Sooyoung. “No one is being mean to you. Don’t push Wendy again.” 

Sooyoung pouts at Joohyun. “Why’re you taking her side?” 

“Because you have a heavy hand.” Joohyun turns back around to face the front of the line. “No more complaining or I’ll leave you here.” 

“Omma!” Sooyoung whines as she tugs at Joohyun’s sleeve. 

Joohyun twitches visibly beside Wendy and turns to glare at Sooyoung one last time. Sooyoung pouts again and turns her attention to Seulgi instead. Joohyun takes a moment to breathe and patiently waits in the queue. 

Beside her, Wendy lets out a small giggle. “You did seem like her omma just now,” she whispers. Joohyun looks unamused. “Thanks for catching me.” 

“I’m a good catcher,” Joohyun lazily says. 

After they get on the plane, Sooyoung and Seulgi are snuggled up against each other in their seats as they quickly fall back asleep. Joohyun pays them no mind as she pulls out a book to read. 

“What are you reading?” Wendy curiously asks, noticing how it isn’t a textbook. She’s also pretty sure it’s in French. 

“Just some poetry,” Joohyun answers. She notices Wendy’s tired eyes. “Why don’t you take a nap?” 

Wendy shifts around her seat with her neck pillow. “I always have a hard time getting comfortable. The seats sometimes feel too constricting.” 

Joohyun just chuckles at her before moving the armrest between them up. “How’s that?” 

“Unnie, you removing that is more dangerous for you. I move in my sleep.” 

“I know.” There’s a smirk on Joohyun’s lips as she leans closer to Wendy. “You can cuddle if you want to.” The smirk on her lips grows and Wendy furiously blushes at the teasing. 

“Shut up….” She whines before she grabs her neck pillow and slams it on her shoulder before leaning on the far end of the aisle into her seat. “I will stay nice and comfy over here!” Joohyun just chuckles before she goes back to reading her book. Wendy shuts her eyes and easily falls back asleep. Taking a nap next to Joohyun is soothing, even if the woman is such a tease.

Joohyun sighs as she pulls up to the toll booth. She looks at Sooyoung in the seat beside her. “You didn’t bring cash did you?” Sooyoung holds up her empty hands for her point. She looks towards the back seat at Wendy and Seulgi. “Do either of you have cash?” 

Seulgi, without missing a beat, points in Wendy’s direction. 

Wendy is already looking for the 1000₩ bill from her purse. After a second, Wendy reaches forward and hands Joohyun the money. 

“Thanks, Wendy-ah,” Joohyun says with a small smile before handing it to the attendant so they can be on their way. 

“You usually carry the cash, unnie,” Sooyoung teases. “How could you forget?”

“It slipped my mind.” Joohyun rolls her eyes. “Almost everything I pay for is by card now.” 

“It’s okay, unnie, I’ve got you. My parents always tell me to carry some currency when I’m traveling.” 

Joohyun glances back at Wendy through the rear mirror and smiles at her. “Smart.” Before she goes back to getting Sooyoung to properly navigate. 

Seulgi leans across the backseat to Wendy. “You know what?” she whispers, catching her attention. There’s a gleeful smile on her face as she looks at Wendy. “My mom carries money for my dad all the time.” She gives Wendy a thumbs up. “Wifey material.” She smiles so wide, her eyes disappear. 

Wendy warms and automatically bops Seulgi on the forehead for her teasing comment. “Shhhhh you–” Seulgi just reels back giggling.

Both of them miss how Sooyoung raises an eyebrow at Joohyun, who merely shrugs in response.    

Joohyun hadn’t been lying when she said that she scheduled business just for the day. Because right after they get to wash up in their hotel room, Joohyun is already sitting down with Sooyoung to go over what needs to get done for the property. Sooyoung doesn’t look pleased at first, but she eagerly takes notes and discusses the ordeal with growing enthusiasm. 

So while Wendy and Seulgi eat breakfast, they listen to the two women go over logistics because even if they haven’t used the property in awhile, there were still things that need to get moved and replaced and fixed. Most of the things were mirrored in the inspection, but Joohyun is ever so meticulous to make sure that Sooyoung knows what to ask the inspector for her own benefit. 

The property is located in almost a nondescript location and Joohyun explains it’s because they never had much use for it other than summers. The caretaker only comes about twice a season to make sure the pipes and electricity are still functional and clears up any excess foliage and maintains the pathway. 

Joohyun is driving their rental up the old gravel pathway. “It’s up to you if you want the grounds to be redone and if you want to expand the front parking to at least have 6 cars.” 

“The rustic feel is nice though,” Sooyoung says as she gazes out of the window. “It reminds me of when we first got this place and Changie and Soongie were here. I miss them so much.”

Joohyun frowns. “Are you going to get another dog?” 

Sooyoung giggles. “I feel like having a lot of animals would be nice. Changie and Soongie kept things very lively and they protected us very well.” 

Joohyun shivers at the memory. “Only you liked those two creatures.” 

“That’s because they could sense you and Yeri didn’t like them,” Sooyoung reminds. 

“Oh, unnie, you don’t like animals?” Wendy curiously asks from the back seat. 

Joohyun shrugs. “I’m used to them.” 

“That means no,” both Wendy and Seulgi chime in from the back. Sooyoung laughs while Joohyun rolls her eyes. 

“Unnie has a bad experience with animals,” Sooyoung pats at her shoulder playfully. 

“Not all of them,” Joohyun argues defensively. “I get along with the friendly ones.” 

Sooyoung glances to the backseat. “She likes things she can run away from.” 

“Turtles?” Seulgi asks.

“Sloths?” Wendy adds. 

“Fish in tanks,” Sooyoung jokes. 

“Yah!” Joohyun exclaims. “I run faster than you, so watch your mouth.” 

“I thought old age would slow you down by now,” Sooyoung quickly counters. 

Joohyun hisses at Sooyoung before knocking her head. “This child.” Sooyoung laughs in her seat, with the back seat giggling at their antics.   

The big brown house at the end of the road looks as rustic as the pathway they’ve driven up. The size of it looks large enough for two families to live there. 

They park beside a beat up truck. 

“Ah, Heechul is here,” Joohyun notes. 

Sooyoung squeals in delight, jumping out of the car before Joohyun can properly put it in park, to which Joohyun grumbles again. 

“Who is Heechul?” Wendy asks, while Seulgi just stares out the window after Sooyoung running up to the house. 

“Our caretaker,” Joohyun answers as they all get out of the car. 

Sooyoung runs up, yelling for the caretaker, and after a moment, a man comes outside to receive the young woman in a big hug. “Oppa!” she greets excitedly, bouncing in his arms. “I didn’t know you were coming today.” 

Seulgi trails after Sooyoung, confused as to who the man is. 

Joohyun and Wendy are just a few steps behind. Wendy in awe is how the natural backdrop to the house feels so refreshing. There’s a small layer of snow on the ground that only makes it more homey to walk up to. 

“The land itself is pretty big. If you walk about 10-15 minutes behind, it meets a hiking trail you can go on. I used to go running with Yeri a lot; she could definitely outrun me. But only because she knew where all of the roots were. You can get lost in the woods if you’re not used to it.” Joohyun explains, pointing to the back of the house. “There also used to be an outhouse there, but we took that down years ago. It’s cleared up so the smell is gone thankfully. I believe there is a firepit there now, which is really nice to enjoy under the stars.”

“You know what I realize?” Wendy begins as she looks up to Joohyun with a knowing smile. Joohyun makes a little ‘eung’ sound that Wendy find absolutely adorable. It makes the smile on her face grow. “You talk a lot more when you’re explaining things.” 

Joohyun passively stares at Wendy. “What’s your point?”

Wendy giggles. “I just know how to make you talk more now.”

Joohyun opens and shuts it. Strangely enough, her cheeks turn pink as they walk up to the house. 

“Irene!” Heechul greets with open arms. 

Wendy stares in confusion at who he’s talking to before she watches Joohyun get snatched up into a hug. 

Joohyun doesn’t look happy about it one bit but when she pulls back, she doesn’t mind that he still has his arm around her shoulder. “It’s good to see you too,” she dryly says. A small smile curls at the corner of her lips. 

His hand comes up to ruffle her hair also. “Stop looking so pretty,” he demands. “You’ll steal all the hearts on Jeju before I make my way through them.”

“Did I steal yours?” 

Wendy’s eye widens at the unexpected line from Joohyun, while Sooyoung screeches and cringes with her entire body. Heechul clutches his heart in shock with a fake choking sob.

“No, no! No flirting, stop it!” Sooyoung demands as she pulls Joohyun away. 

“No, no!” Heechul reaches for Joohyun. “Let me have her. After all these years, she finally says something witty. She’s mine.” 

“Oppa, no!” Sooyoung whines, holding onto Joohyun tightly. “You have the rest of the island to go through.” 

“But she just stole my heart,” Heechul goads with a bright smile on his face. “She finally reciprocates!” He reaches out his arms dramatically for Joohyun. “Hyun-ah!”

Wendy feels her chest tighten. Hyun-ah. They must be close. Then again, it’s obvious by the way Heechul didn’t hesitate to reach out for Joohyun. She’s seen Joohyun around people before; she limits her interactions with them as much as possible. She stands a modest distance away from them and doesn’t make jokes if she doesn’t need to. It’s only been fairly re