Chapter Text
“Seungwan!”
“Miss, please move. We need to get her to the hospital.”
“I’m going with her!”
“Ma’am, please calm down -”
“Seungwan, please wake up!”
“Joohyun!”
“Seulgi, she’s -”
“I know. I know. But you need to calm down, okay? Let them do their job.”
“ Seungwan … this is all my fault …”
“No, it’s not. Come on, Joohyun.”
“It’s my fault, Seulgi.”
“I got you. I got you.”
The bar is unusually crowded tonight. The place is mostly filled by people in dark formal suits drowning themselves in booze to forget about their long day. But tonight, there is a good number of twenty-something girls that occupied all the seats in front, drooling over a certain female singer with powerful angelic vocals that matches her adorably charming face. Perhaps at least one-third of the customers. The rest of the audience are over the moon for Moonbyul, the long silver-haired cajon player beside the singer.
Behind the counter of the bar, the bartender Joohyun - a short yet intimidatingly beautiful dark-haired woman - watches the singer perform on the small stage. She sings with such passion as she strums an old acoustic guitar.
"One more song, Rowoon!" one of the girls in the front row requests.
"What do you like?" The singer asks, smiling.
"Sing your original song!" Another girl shouts.
Rowoon chuckles, "Ah, but then you guys won't sing along because you don't know the song."
Then a chant of "Sing your song! Sing your song!" led by a drunken stranger in the back fills the bar.
"If the people insist who am I to resist?" the singer laughs before plucking her guitar. She meets the eyes of the cajon player beside her as if asking whether they're thinking of the same song or not. Moonbyul gives her a thumbs up. The singer takes it as her cue.
"Stuck on you, by your side, yeah," the singer starts and fills the bar with beautiful vocals.
It’s impossible not to be captivated by Rowoon. Joohyun almost getting yelled at by an angry customer because he’s been asking for a drink for the third time is an evidence of that. The bartender apologizes to the customer and the man only huffs and takes his drink.
“Damn, you’re whipped, sis.” A younger blonde bartender states as she looks at Joohyun with a knowing smirk.
Joohyun rolls her eyes at the younger girl. “Shut up, Yerim.”
“What? She’s your girlfriend, isn’t she?”
Joohyun ignores that and gets back to serving drinks to the customers.
The bar closes at exactly midnight. Joohyun, Yerim and the bar owner, Yongsun, are in-charge of the cleaning. It must be a lucky night for Joohyun and Yerim because unlike the usual, they don’t have to clean up pukes or kick drunk customers out before closing time tonight. Meanwhile, Moonbyul and Rowoon arrange the tables and chairs.
When the singer spots Joohyun wiping the bar counter, she decides to approach her. A soft smile on her face. “So … how did I do tonight?” the singer asks sheepishly, obviously asking for a compliment.
Without looking up to her, the bartender answers, “You know you always do great, Miss Rowoon.”
“It’s Seulgi for you.” The singer leans forward, chin resting on her hand and looking at her with irresistible puppy eyes.
Joohyun gives in and says, “You’re a great singer, Seulgi.”
“Then why can’t you say that to my face?” Rowoon - Seulgi - pouts.
“A customer almost yelled at her because she’s too enthralled by your voice,” Yerim calmly says, popping out just behind Seulgi. “Now stop flirting on my counter, oldies.”
“Yah! What did you say?” Seulgi chases the younger girl until she catches her on chokehold but Yerim, with all the power vested in her by Satan, turns her back and retaliates by armlock. The younger girl doesn’t let go until Seulgi taps on the table three times. “You’re a demon, Kim Yerim!”
“A powerful one!” Yerim sticks out her tongue.
They finish cleaning up at 1am. Yongsun calls them out for a short meeting, thanking them for their service tonight before splitting the income the bar received for the night. Yongsun, as an owner of the place, owns the highest percentage of the money. Seulgi and Moonbyul come next then Joohyun and Yerim.
“Thanks, Yong,” Joohyun tells her friend upon receiving her share for the night. It’s not much but it pays the bills at least. “See you tomorrow.”
Yongsun smiles cheekily. “See you tomorrow, Joo.”
Joohyun is gathering her things when she feels Seulgi’s strong arms wrap around her waist from behind and her girlfriend’s chin resting on her shoulder. “Let’s go home?” she asks.
She leans back a little in agreement. “Let’s go home.”
“I love you,” Seulgi whispers, arms tightening.
Joohyun turns around to meet Seulgi’s eyes. “I love you too. You already know that.”
“It doesn’t hurt to hear it over and over again.”
“Are you sure? Because if I were you I’d be tired of hearing that from some of the drunk girls - your fangirls - here tonight.” The bartender says with an arched brow.
“First of all, they’re not you.” Seulgi pecks Joohyun’s lips before adding with a smirk, “And second, are you jealous, Miss Bae?”
“You wish,” Joohyun flicks the taller girl’s forehead. Seulgi fakes an ouch in response. “Get your stuff and let’s go home.”
The two bid their goodbyes to Yongsun and Byulyi, who were the last to leave. Yerim has already left before them.
This is their nightly routine. They walk home; Joohyun’s hand clings onto Seulgi’s arm as they do. Seulgi carrying her guitar on her back and Joohyun with a shoulder bag. The two women stop by a convenience store to buy cheap cup noodles, which Joohyun insists is unhealthy but Seulgi always uses the puppy eyes that makes her girlfriend unable to resist her. Joohyun, left with no choice, eats with her anyway.
“So …” Joohyun starts as the two of them wait for their food to be ready. “The song you played tonight, did you write it?”
“Yeah, it’s an old one though.” Seulgi turns to Irene, “Did you like it?”
“It’s beautiful. How come you never played it to me before?”
Seulgi shrugs, “It’s an old song. I didn’t think you’d like it.”
“I like every song you write, Seul.” Joohyun smiles. “When did you write that one?”
Seulgi’s smile falters a little. The song isn’t exactly sad but she remembers writing it in a hallway of the university while simultaneously trying not to choke on her own tears. “I wrote Candy back in college when I realized I’m in love with you.” The singer pauses, briefly distracted by the cup noodles in front of her, then continues, “You were still with her that time.”
The sadness in her voice is enough for Joohyun to not ask further. Instead, she takes the younger girl’s hand and squeezes it gently. “I love the song and I love you,” Joohyun presses a kiss on Seulgi’s cheek.
Seulgi collapses on the sofa the second they return to their little apartment. Joohyun sits on the arm of the couch and taps Seulgi’s thigh. “I’m going to bed. Are you joining me or … ?”
“I’ll be there in a minute,” Seulgi says.
Joohyun heads to their bedroom. Seulgi stays in the couch for a while, scribbling something on a piece of a paper and humming incoherently. She hides it in her guitar bag once she finishes.
Seulgi opens the bedroom door and can’t help the smile forming on her face when finds Joohyun fast asleep on the right side of their bed, hugging a purple bunny plushie that she gave her during their first anniversary. She carefully slips in on her side of the bed and covers the blanket over them.
“Good night, beautiful.” Seulgi whispers softly against the sleeping girl’s ear and presses a kiss on her head. “I love you.”
Joohyun groans sleepily then turns around to face Seulgi, still hugging the plushie as if her life depended on it. The older girl mumbles something that sounds quite like love you too before she’s back to sleeping soundly.
Kang Seulgi doesn’t ask for more. Why would she? When all she needs is right beside her and can perfectly fit right in her arms.
Joohyun and Seulgi wake up to the sound of Joohyun’s ringtone echoing in the living room.
“Hyun, pick that up.” Seulgi groans in annoyance and buries her head under the pillow. Joohyun, in her still sleep-induced state, tries her best to not stumble.
“Hello, this is Bae Joohyun,” she answers with her system still half asleep.
“Good morning, Miss Bae. Is this a bad time?”
Of course, it’s a bad time. She still should be sleeping and cuddling with her girlfriend. But it’s not polite to snap like that so she says, “No, it’s fine. Who’s this?”
“Oh, this is Park Sooyoung from SNUH. Miss Son Seungwan’s nurse. You know, the tall and pretty one.” The nurse swears she hears a scoff. “Anyway, ma’am, can you drop by here today?”
That makes Joohyun sit up straight, an obvious sign of worry on her face. “Is Seungwan okay?” she asks.
“She’s fine, Miss Bae. Miss Son is awake.” Suddenly, every sleepy nerve in Joohyun’s system jolts awake. Her heart starts to race, both panic and excitement coursing through her veins. The nurse adds, “... and she’s asking for you.”
“I … I’ll be there,” Joohyun stammers. “Tell her I’ll be there as soon as I can. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, ma’am.” The nurse hangs up.
Oh, god. Oh, god.
Joohyun paces back and forth, hands trembling as she grasps her phone, tempted to throw the thing away and pretend that the recent conversation did not just happen.
Joohyun would be lying if she says she thought this moment will never come because of course, she thought about it. Waited for it, in fact. But now that the day is here … she’s not quite sure what to do about it.
For the first year that Seungwan has been in a coma, Joohyun has done nothing but think about Seungwan waking up. Joohyun wondered if Seungwan would have been a renowned artist by then if the accident did not happen. For sure Seungwan would have already made her and her family proud.
For about a year and a half, Joohyun did nothing but dwell on her loneliness, on how she missed Seungwan’s smile, how Seungwan made her laugh, how Seungwan cringes at the mere thought of having to do an aegyo, or how Seungwan sings for her every night until her voice fills Joohyun’s dreams.
Well, that is until Seulgi came into the picture and everything changed.
“Joohyun-ah!” Seulgi calls from their room.
“In a sec,” she answers.
The older girl paces back and forth some more. Jumping up and down, waggling her hands to loosen up a little. Then Joohyun stops when she hears Seulgi yawning and stretching. She grimaces at the cracking sounds of the younger girl’s joints.
“Babe?” Seulgi calls groggily, leaning against the doorframe. Joohyun stops on her tracks. “Is there something wrong?” Joohyun remains frozen to where she stands, eyes looking down. Seulgi moves closer to her, sliding her hand up and down her arm and Joohyun jolts. “Hyun, what’s wrong? Who called?”
Joohyun sighs before looking Seulgi in the eyes. “A nurse from SNUH called,” she says almost inaudibly. “Seungwan is awake.”
Seulgi’s eyes widen in disbelief.
“Seul, she’s awake.” Joohyun quietly repeats with obvious worry in her voice, eyes glistening with tears that threaten to fall.
Seungwan is awake. Joohyun’s girlfriend is awake. Seulgi’s best friend is awake.
Joohyun rarely doesn’t know what to do. She has always been the logical one, the voice of reason, the one person anyone can count on. But now she’s lost.
“Seul, I don’t know what to do,” Joohyun admits weakly.
Seulgi stares at her with an aching heart. How she wishes she could take away the worry and fear that are evident in her girlfriend’s face. So the younger girl envelopes Joohyun in a tight hug, wishing it will be enough - that she will be enough - to be Joohyun’s rock at this moment.
“We’ll figure it,” Seulgi assures her. “We’ll figure it out together. We always do, Hyun.”