a/n: back to some regularly scheduled slice of life in this chapter :)

“But I like you too.”

Joohyun says it with a serene smile on her face. Her eyes are soft and gentle as she stares at Wendy. It makes her heart skip a beat because of how genuine and soft she sounds. 

“R-really?” Wendy stutters out with her fluttering heart. It feels silly to ask, like she’s in grade school again, but she has to confirm. “You like me? As a friend or as a---more?” 

“As more.” Joohyun says it like it’s the most obvious thing. Wendy’s jaw drops. Joohyun giggles at Wendy’s response. “Is that so surprising?” 

“Yes!” Wendy exclaims. It’s not that she isn’t elated by Joohyun’s admission but she’s surprised. “You’re you!” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” 

“I mean that you’re crazy smart, super cool, and so, so beautiful. You’re out of my league by general standards,” Wendy quickly explains. “Sometimes I feel bad I’m your roommate because it’s not like I’m the most fun or cool to hang out with. All I ever do is study at school and at home. I watch YouTube and Netflix all the time, playing instruments–I don’t have very exciting hobbies!” 

Joohyun laughs before taking a deep breath. “You’re too hard on yourself, Seungwan. Of course I like you. If I didn’t like you, I wouldn’t speak to you.” Wendy’s eyes widen at the brutal honesty. “You’re smart, funny, kind, pretty. You are far more than I expected and in all honesty, I’ve come to value your company. I like seeing you come home to cook dinner or practice your patient assessments or singing around the condo. When you relax, you really let yourself relax and enjoy just being. There’s a sense of peace I feel when I’m with you.” 

Wendy blushes at Joohyun’s admission. “I didn’t know you felt like that…” she shyly responds. She is practically swooning. “I--I feel the same about you.” She bites her lip nervously and finds herself wringing her fingers. “I realize that the more time I’ve spent with you, everything just feels easier. I like talking to you, getting to know you, and being around you. I just didn’t expect this-” she awkwardly gestures between them “-to happen...” 

Joohyun chuckles as she takes a drink. “Well I wouldn’t have done anything, Seungwan, but,” she emphasizes, “you really wanted to have last night.” 

Wendy blushes. Her entire body gets warm at the reminder. She’s at a loss of words and covers her face with her hands as soon as she feels the rush of heat to her cheeks.

“What? Why are you embarrassed?” Joohyun asks quickly with a smile on her face. “You weren’t embarrassed last night when we were having .” 

Wendy whines at Joohyun’s teasing. “Because it is embarrassing! I threw myself at you and you were just being so...you, bringing me to my room and taking care of me. You were being chivalrous and sweet, then I just--” She remembers and on Joohyun’s finger and blushes even harder. “I don’t do that!” She drops her head on the table with a sad moan. 

Joohyun just laughs as Wendy bemoans her actions. “Stop being embarrassed,” she pats her head across the table. “Come on. You were really good at seducing me.” 

Wendy picks up her head quickly. “Unnie!” she whines. 

Joohyun laughs even louder, throwing herself back in her chair. “I’m just telling you the truth!” There are tears coming out of her eyes because of how hard she’s been laughing. She wipes them away with her finger. “There’s no reason to be shy or embarrassed; I thought people your age would be very ually liberated.” 

“Oh my god,” Wendy facepalms. “Why do you sound so much older saying that?” Joohyun just laughs. And as beautiful as it sounds, Wendy hates that it’s at her expense. “Stop laughing at me. I won’t talk to you if you keep laughing.” 

“Okay, okay,” Joohyun concedes as she suppresses her laughter. “But just so you know, I wouldn’t have with you if I didn’t like you either.” Wendy peeks her face out from her hands. “I don’t play with people’s emotions. I prefer to be straightforward about emotions because relationships aren’t games to me. If you told me that last night was just and only about , I would be okay with that. But now we’ve established that we like each other; we don’t have to dance around each other anymore or play any games.” 

Wendy is in awe of the woman. Joohyun is frighteningly mature. She knows her feelings and she knows what she wants out of them. There’s an aura of arrogance but Wendy understands that it must be because Joohyun really doesn’t play with people. Wendy can tell Joohyun is far more experienced than her.

“So I have to ask this,” Joohyun reaches for Wendy’s hand, “what do you want to do about us?” 

Suddenly a sense of dread fills Wendy’s heart. Her heart starts beating quickly and her nerves are trembling. The question that Joohyun asks seems simple enough, but it isn’t simple. She really never expected to get this far. Usually, when she establishes her feelings for someone there’s flirting and courting and dating beforehand. Those are clear paths towards getting into a relationship with someone that she likes. She doesn’t throw herself into bed with her crush before discussing feelings. 

Who discusses feelings like they’re trying to solve a problem? 

Apparently Bae Joohyun discusses feelings. 

As Wendy stews in her trepidation and how to process her thoughts and how she should answer, the look on Joohyun’s face suddenly becomes indiscernible. 

Wendy immediately becomes apprehensive because she can feel the mood shift in Joohyun just from her face. The older woman isn’t all that expressive but it’s easy to tell when she’s content versus upset. 

“Is that question too hard?” Joohyun asks carefully, drawing back her hand. Her eyes seem a bit dimmer than before and Wendy’s heart drops. 

“I don’t know,” Wendy admits in a quiet voice. The last thing she wants to do is hurt Joohyun. She can’t help but feel accountable for how Joohyun looks; she doesn’t like making Joohyun look so…unhappy? “I’m sorry, I don’t know why. I just suddenly felt terrified.” Joohyun wordlessly acknowledges her feelings. “I’m sorry. I know the question isn’t hard, but I guess I’m not used to discussing feelings like this. I’ve never met anyone who is as straightforward as you. It just made me--” she puts her hand over her thumping heart-- “it felt like a lot to ask.” 

“I’m sorry,” Joohyun apologizes. She suddenly glances around awkwardly like she’s trying to figure out what to do with herself. “We don’t have to do this, if you don’t want to. I didn’t realize it’d make you this uncomfortable to ask.” 

“No, no,” Wendy interjects quickly at Joohyun’s growing disconnection. She hates when it feels like Joohyun puts up a wall. “I’m sorry.” 

“What’re you sorry for?” Joohyun asks in confusion. “You have nothing to be sorry about. I was the one that asked.” 

Wendy lets out a breath to relieve herself. “I’ve never met anyone like you. And I don’t react to feelings well, not even my own, which is why I just--” she flails to express her freak out-- “just now.” She bites her lip again for the umpteenth time. “Usually, when I’m interested in someone I get to know them, hang out with them, go on dates and such. We don’t really have to discuss feelings because when we do, it’s when I feel like we are moving into a relationship. 

"And I know you said you wouldn’t be good in a relationship right now with all that you’re doing. I understand what you mean and it’s also why I like you. So I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to put pressure on whatever this is because I already like you and I like what we have.” 

Joohyun doesn’t say anything but Wendy can tell that she’s thinking. She’s processing Wendy’s words, which surprisingly eases Wendy. She really likes Joohyun’s thoughtfulness and, even though brutal sometimes, her honesty makes it easy for Wendy to understand her. 

“Do you want to be in a relationship with me?”

There’s suddenly a scream from the depths of her mind at Joohyun’s sudden question. Wendy lets out an unconscious squeak. “I mean...I guess?” she admits. She can’t lie about it. She wants Joohyun, in any way, in all ways. She wants to get to know her and understand her more intimately. She likes being with Joohyun and she wants to be with her. What else could sum up what she wants with Joohyun? “I do. I want to be in a relationship with you. Or at least try.” 

Again, Joohyun thinks. She takes a bite of her tteokbokki to help mull it over. After she chews a few times, she finally says, “Okay.” 

“Okay?” 

Joohyun swallows. “Okay,” she affirms. “We should try to be in a relationship.” 

“Really?” Wendy exclaims. “But you said…” 

“I said I wouldn’t be good at it,” Joohyun emphasizes, but there’s a small smile that breaks on her face as she processes her thoughts. “But it’s silly to use that as an excuse to not try. How I see myself with you moving forward is what would be considered a relationship.” 

Wendy flushes at the conviction in Joohyun’s voice. “How do you see yourself with me?” she nervously questions. 

“I’ll take care of you, spend time with you, and be intimate with you. And only you.” 

Again, Wendy’s jaw drops. There’s a swooping sensation as if her heart falls into her stomach like she’s on a rollercoaster. There’s really something y about Joohyun’s conviction. When the older woman says things, she really means it. Her whole body is suddenly going into a frenzy because of it. Her heart is racing. Her stomach is flipping. Her is throbbing. Wendy’s body heats up and she mentally curses her physiological response.

“Is that okay?” Joohyun asks, staring at Wendy intently. 

Wendy stares back into Joohyun’s brown eyes, darkening with intention. It’s like she’s looking right into Wendy’s soul. The sensation that Wendy feels down her spine is both daunting and exhilarating. “Joohyun…” She feels hotter by the second and lets out a breath she didn’t realize she’s been holding. She tugs at the collar of her t-shirt. “How are you not already in a relationship?” she jokes as a means to calm her electrified body. 

“I wasn’t looking,” Joohyun deadpans, only making Wendy giggle like a schoolgirl as she fans her cheeks. Joohyun narrows her eyes at Wendy. “Are you okay?” 

Wendy presses her cheeks and nods. Internally willing herself to calm down. “I’m fine,” she mumbles. “You just sounded really y saying all that and now I’m....” 

“?” Joohyun finishes with amusement. 

“A little bit, yeah…” Wendy nods quickly. She cups her cheeks shyly, feeling the heat in her palms only grow. “I’m going to--go to the bathroom real quick--” she pushes herself out of her chair. When she turns away, she feels Joohyun’s hand on her wrist pulling her back. 

Joohyun stands before her, closer than she expects. She didn’t even hear the woman get up but there she is, a smile on her face almost taunting her. “Why are you going to the bathroom?” 

Wendy bites her lip at Joohyun’s proximity. The confidence Joohyun radiates is annoying and wildly attractive. “We’re having a serious conversation...I want to focus.” 

“Focus on what?” Joohyun steps closer to Wendy. She looks at her like a prey and Wendy bites down harder on her lip when she catches Joohyun smirk. “Do you want me to take care of this? So you can focus better?” 

“Huh?” Wendy stupidly lets out. She gasps as Joohyun’s hand presses against her stomach, fingers pointing downwards. “J-Joohyun…” She presses her thighs together at the pooling wetness. Joohyun’s fingers suddenly curl, palm shifting slightly, moving with intention. “Are you seducing me?” Her voice is breathless as she asks.

Joohyun chuckles incredulously at the younger woman. “Yes, Seungwan, I am seducing you.” Her fingers meet the band of Wendy’s pants. “I meant what I said. I’d take care of you, spend time with you, and be intimate with you.” She glances down between them and tugs at her pants. “Is that okay?” 

Wendy shivers. She wants Joohyun. She wants her word. She wants her commitment. “Y-yes,” she stammers. “Of course it is.” 

“Are you sure?” 

Wendy nods furiously. “I want you, Joohyun. I want you how you want me.” 

Joohyun smiles broadly. She stares at Wendy like she’s the best thing since sliced bread. And Joohyun knows exactly what it felt like to have sliced bread for the first time. Wendy feels the warmth spread in her heart because Joohyun’s smile is absolutely radiant.

“Do you want to keep talking?” Joohyun asks, her smile turning back into a smirk. Her hand blindly slips into her pants and Wendy gasps as Joohyun cups her over her underwear. “Or do you want me to take care of you?” 

Wendy feels the tension snap between them as if the weight of all apprehension and worry she’s been carrying all day about what she and Joohyun are falls into nothingness. She feels joy and excitement with Joohyun now. The comfort and contentment she usually feels with Joohyun is now sure and safe. She doesn’t know how their relationship is going to turn out but she can’t think too hard on it.

She grabs Joohyun’s wrist, feeling far less reservations compared to the night before knowing that Joohyun wants her too. The excitement grows inside of her and she urges, “Please, Joohyun.” 

“Seungwan, wake up.” 

Wendy groans and turns away from the voice calling for her. 

“It’s time to get up.” 

It most definitely is not. 

“We have to catch our flight.” 

Wendy sighs, trying to go back to sleep. That is until she feels a cool hand caress her cheek. It pulls her from her slumber because only one person feels like that. “Joohyun…” 

In response, cool lips press against hers and Wendy automatically kisses back. There’s a smile against her lips as Wendy moves onto her back and opens to deepen the kiss. But instead, she feels Joohyun start to move away. Unwilling to let that happen, Wendy throws her arms around Joohyun’s shoulders and lifts