Chapter Text
“I need ideas for her present… our anniversary just passed and Christmas is on its way too.” Joohyun groans, covering her face with a pillow. “We haven’t had a chance to spend enough time together because of her project.”
Seungwan has been terribly busy with her architecture project on the new mall coming up in Jeju island. She didn’t even expect to get chosen to represent the branch here in Seoul but a rare opportunity should always be treasured. Although this project required Seungwan to fly over to Jeju quite frequently, the latter never complained. In fact, her colleagues had suggested she rent an apartment in Jeju island so it’s easier to work without the constant travelling back and forth. To everyone’s (more specifically, Joohyun’s) surprise and shock, Seungwan didn’t even waste time in denying that suggestion.
Joohyun was absolutely astounded by the decision, and she gave her girlfriend a huge earful for making a silly choice. It was an opportunity to get out of a boring city like Seoul and head over to a better place with lots of scenery, which is what Seungwan loves.
“I thought you already got her a new designing pad?”
“Yeah, but Seungwan needed it. Did you forget who spoilt it in the first place, you doofus?” Joohyun glares at the man lazing around on her sofa, a pout on his face.
Enter Jongin – Joohyun’s half-brother and her best friend. He comes over to their place often since his studio is rather nearby from here and he can’t afford an apartment of his own yet. At first, her girlfriend extremely confused at this man popping into her place, especially the one time he came in and Seungwan was in the shower. It’s safe to say Jongin had gotten his ass pummeled by several bath items. Fast forward to now, however, Joohyun suspects her younger brother has a crush on her girlfriend because Jongin tends to get all shy and bashful in front of Seungwan. I mean, who isn’t going to fall for someone like her lover, right?
Too bad Jongin’s never going to get the chance.
Jongin rolls his eyes before tossing a cushion at his sister’s face, “I didn’t even break it intentionally. If you hadn’t forced me to catch the cockroach for you, I wouldn’t have broken the drawing pad.”
Seungwan didn’t have to know that.
Joohyun simply told her girlfriend the drawing pad was broken in the process of catching a cockroach, but she didn’t tell Seungwan that she was hopping up and down the sofa (and onto Jongin’s back) in fear. With a swing of Jongin’s hand in an attempt to regain his balance, the drawing pad went flying off and crashing onto the ground.
“Anyway, Christmas is coming so why don’t you knit her a sweater?”
“What? You want me to… knit?” Joohyun narrows her eyes at her brother; the cheeky bastard knows she’s terrible with anything as delicate as that.
Jongin cocks a brow in response; he said what he said. He said that with a purpose, of course. Too bad his sister becomes such a half-wit about anything and everything when it involves Seungwan.
“Use this opportunity to test her! Knit her the ugliest sweater you’ve ever seen or imagined, and ask her to wear it. I’ve seen people do it to their partners as a little joke but why not? Seungwan would wear it, I’m sure.”
See, typically Joohyun would refuse any idea at Seungwan’s expense because it’s immature and childish but it sounds fun. After all, Seungwan is one who is particular about the design of clothes; she never wears anything that isn’t monotone.
“That’s actually not such a bad idea. Thanks, Jongin.”
“You’re welcome, Noona.”
The sound of keys rattle in the doorway, and Joohyun comes running out of their home office with her knitting pins in one hand. She misses her girlfriend more than ever, after realizing how difficult knitting actually is. The entire afternoon had been nothing but a torture game, not to mention Jongin’s laughter every time she missed a loop. Seungwan has tried her hand at it and gave up ever so quickly, with Joohyun having a good laugh at her.
“Honey…”
“Hey! What’s gotten into you?” Joohyun mumbles, arms still raised in the air. She knows something’s wrong with her baby, judging by the sad tone and despondent posture.
Seungwan doesn’t respond, nuzzling her face deeper into Joohyun’s exposed shoulder. What better way is there to fix her spoilt day other then bask in the love of her girlfriend? Although she never expressed it before, she’s glad Joohyun quit that part-time job of hers.
Coming home to her lover every night is such a blessing.
The exhausted woman allows herself to be dragged towards their sofa, still hugging Joohyun like a koala. She whines when the warmth disappears, only to sigh with relief when a kiss is planted on her forehead.
“Tell me about your day, baby.”
Joohyun tenderly brushes Seungwan’s bangs away from her forehead, caressing the latter’s cheeks.
“Well… you know the sketch I had for the new cabinet? I wanted to put in a little bit of black but I guess the boss didn’t really like it so she tore up my sketch and just called me useless.”
As Seungwan continues to explain about the figurative beating she got from her boss, Joohyun can feel the fire ignite inside of her. She knows how spoilt her girlfriend is and can be, mostly by her parents and her older sister. Hell, Joohyun spoils her just as much too. How dare anyone have the audacity to be so mean to her baby? Mistakes are made every other day and it’s human nature; it’s absurd. Nonetheless, she still thinks it’s extremely rude and ruthless for a boss to say all that to a staff member.
“My precious baby, you’re never useless,” Joohyun whispers, bending down to give her girlfriend a well-deserved kiss for dealing with shitty people every day. “In fact, you work your ass off and I’m so, so proud of you.”
Seungwan’s eyes water at the lovely words of affirmation, quickly pulling Joohyun for another kiss before she begins shedding tears. With a girlfriend as sweet as Joohyun, she can get through anything.
After a little more comforting and a little more canoodling, Seungwan finally persuades her girlfriend to take a bath with her. Okay, it didn’t take that much effort; Joohyun was literally throwing her clothes off the moment she heard the words “bath” and “together”. Perhaps it was due to how long they haven’t had any close contact, certainly not with Seungwan’s head consistently in between her designs and not her legs instead. What can she possibly do in this case though? Seungwan works her butt off to provide for the both of them since Joohyun is taking a break from work for a month or two – the very, very least she can do is be an understanding girlfriend.
Joohyun already threw a couple of bath bombs into their luxurious bathtub a while ago, sitting at the edge of it to make sure it mixes with the water well. Her eyes meet Seungwan’s, the latter staring at her wordlessly is making Joohyun feel warm all over.
“Look away now.”
“Why? What was that for?” Seungwan’s jaw drops, face completely drenched after Joohyun splashes water at her. She’s about to whine but then something rather adorable catches her attention. “Oh, you’re so red, baby. Just come in so I can hug you.”
With a deep breath, Joohyun goes into the water and sits between her girlfriend’s legs, leaning back into Seungwan’s embrace. She unconsciously lets out the biggest sigh of relief, snuggling impossibly deeper into the crook of her girlfriend’s neck.
“I missed you…”
Seungwan leans down and plants a gentle kiss on Joohyun’s temple, “I missed you too, Hyun. I’m sorry I’ve been so busy with work lately but it’s just for a couple more days… then I’m all yours.”
Joohyun turns around and straddles Seungwan, wrapping her arms around the woman’s neck. She leans in closer, resting their foreheads together; the vulnerability that becomes more and more visible in Seungwan’s brown orbs melts Joohyun’s heart. “I know you’re busy, and I know we can’t spend time together often but hey, I want you to finish your work. It’s your pride, I’m not going to be a bitch and complain about it. I’ll wait for you at home every night and make sure you sleep well in my arms, okay?” Taking advantage of her girlfriend’s momentary lapse of silence, Joohyun silences the woman with her own lips this time.
And whatever happens in the bathroom that night, stays in there.
*
Seungwan tilts her head at the knitting pins and balls of thread lying all over her office desk back in their apartment; she doesn’t remember buying any of these. She was supposed to work from home today – well, not really – she begged her colleague to cover for her but the point stands. It’s been a good two weeks or so since they’ve shared a meal together. At first, Seungwan was more than ready to enjoy a good breakfast with Joohyun but the woman is still snoring up in bed. Not that it’s surprising either way, they did have a rather… intense night after all. Joohyun knocked out like a light as soon as they were done, with Seungwan following right after cleaning her girlfriend up.
“Knitting? Is she learning?”
“Learning what?”
Before Seungwan realizes it, Joohyun is clinging to her rather tightly. Joohyun has a habit of hugging her so tightly from behind and it always makes Seungwan’s heart swell, no matter how used to it she is. It’s just something about back hugs, what more from her own girlfriend? Seungwan’s stomach does a flip when she feels Joohyun’s lips moving along her shoulder, barely covered by the tank-top she sleeps in.
“Are you taking up knitting lessons, baby? Why are there so many knitting pins and thread balls here?”
Joohyun’s eyes widen in realization, a nervous laugh coming out before she processes what she’s going to say. “No… it’s probably Jongin’s. He was talking about knitting yesterday.”
Her girlfriend’s younger brother talking about knitting… Seungwan finds that difficult to believe. She knows Jongin pretty well – the man was never and probably will never dabble in anything to do with arts and craft. Now that the topic in question is knitting, Seungwan is convinced Joohyun’s the one knitting but that’s fine. If Joohyun wants to tell her, she will.
“Speaking of knitting and art, I have something for you to see,” Seungwan turns around with a huge grin on her face, eyes sparkling with an indescribable emotion.
Joohyun is honestly still in dreamland and is in hardly any mood to do anything other than lay in bed with her girlfriend, but Seungwan sounds so excited that she can’t open her mouth. She closes her sleepy eyes when she feels Seungwan’s lips on her forehead, arms still squeezing her waist. “My sleepy, sleepy baby. Why did you get out of bed if you were still so tired?” Seungwan giggles, swaying her clingy woman from side to side. Every part of her soars with happiness when Joohyun just whines into her neck, bringing their bodies inhumanely closer.
Now they aren’t like this all the time, but the days and weeks apart have been getting to Seungwan recently. The one time she attempted to stay in Jeju for work, they ended up speaking on the phone till dawn.
“Come here. It’s on my laptop.” Seungwan pats her lap after she makes sure she’s comfortable on the swivel chair.
The smirk that’s forming on Joohyun’s face makes Seungwan gulp; her girlfriend’s feeling mischievious again. She grabs hold of the armrests when Joohyun sits on her lap, but not facing the laptop… the woman is straddling her, on a damn swivel chair. Joohyun snakes her arms around Seungwan’s neck just so she can rest on the woman’s shoulders, stealing a couple of neck kisses on the latter. Seungwan swears to God – well, all the gods above – that this wasn’t her intention, and she grabs Joohyun by the chin so they can see eye to eye. Joohyun narrows her eyes and tries to dive down to capture her girlfriend’s lips but is stopped by a finger poking her forehead.
Seungwan pokes her forehead again and forces the woman to turn around. “Be serious, Joohyun. I’m trying to show you something; something that I prepared for you.”
And boy oh boy…
Joohyun wishes she knew what to say, because Seungwan pretty much has a beautiful and extremely immaculate design displayed on her laptop. A design… of a modern apartment.
“Babe… t-this… this is…”
“Yeah, it’s the draft for our new apartment.” Seungwan whispers, leaning in to peck Joohyun’s cheek. She wasn’t planning to reveal her present this early but after seeing the knitting pins and items, it kicked her to life.
…
So Seungwan’s giving her an apartment and Joohyun has… Joohyun has prepared an ugly Christmas sweater in exchange.
Good God.