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“Explain again what we are doing… here.”
Out of all the places Choi Kyung could have asked Joo Yeri — famous k-drama actress and model for renown brands like Louis Vuitton or Channel — to meet, she never thought that “Vaunce adventure & trampoline park” would be an option. Not in their thirties, anyway.
It was right that if there was a place she wouldn’t be recognized it was there, among sweaty children in their sugary haze being chased after by their even more sweaty parents through the jungle gym, loosing brain cells and almost teeth at the dodge ball court, risking a broken leg at the climbing zone or a slow and horrifying death by suffocation at the ball pit. But if it was security or profile what Kyung was worried about, she could always had met her in a fancy restaurant in Gagnam with impeccable privacy. She wasn’t even dressed for the occasion.
“I need to show you something.”
They advanced through a number of scenarios, all of them filled with cushioned structures so the children could play without harming themselves, slides, trampolines… everything in that place was made for fun — or at least for what children thought that was fun. Her question kept hanging in the air between them, each moment passing, adding fodder to her curiosity. She should be angry at her friend for calling for such an emergent meeting in the middle of her packed schedule only to bring her there but if someone was to understand how important someone’s job was, that was Choi Kyung.
In a matter of a couple of minutes, they arrived to a colorful area, their steps muffled by the soft padding covering the floor. In the center, big as the room, a sea of thousands of colorful light plastic balls opened before them.
Yeri heard it before she was able to notice them. As they approached the ball pit, laughter rose like bubbles — light, unfiltered, and unmistakably adult. In the center of the pit, half-submerged in the sea of vibrant plastic balls, Woo Seulgi struggled to advance to the edge, tossing handfuls of yellow and blue balls onto the air. No, not to the air. To no other than Yoo Jaeyi. At first Yeri thought — no, she was certain — that it had been a flicker in her mind, her imagination. When she looked again, Yoo Jaeyi had vanished beneath the surface only to pop up again with wild hair and a wide grin on her face she had never seen. Yet it was her, unmistakably her.
For a moment, it was like time slipped backwards.
A nasty feeling settled in the pit of her stomach, a mixture of relief and the wrenching ache of the memory of that day. While not exactly a friend or enemy, she had gotten used to be next to Jaeyi and enjoying the benefits of their acquaintanceship for years. Not opposing a threat to her in any way, she had avoided feeling or be seen under her shadow and so she had managed to take from Yoo Jaeyi whatever she had needed. Being the way Jay was, they had never felt close to each other, maybe just enough for their presence to be somewhat enjoyable. That was why Yeri had never given a second thought to working for Yoo Taejoon in her own benefit, not even if that meant in a way betraying Jay — in her mind it was clear that there was nothing to betray. Their association was merely born in interest after all.
However, that day changed something within her.
Never before she had felt that darkness, that poison spreading inside of her. It sat heavy in her chest like one of the river stones had lodged beneath her ribs. A tightness and twist in her stomach, orange, red and blue lights blinding her. The cries of Seulgi deafening her.
And after those first loud moments, the worse was yet to come — the silence waiting for her at home. No, Yoo Jaeyi had never been her friend. She had always thought she was a narcissistic and spoiled brat who thought herself entitled of anything, born with a silver spoon in her mouth. She had never thought her capable of love, or joy, much less of sadness — she had never seen her misery. And then, out of the blue, she was no more. She had left proof, for everyone to see and Yeri to comment, of her father’s crimes and her own sacrifice — Yeri had studied those videos for so long afterwards she could tell she had jumped. She could even draw to perfection the expression in Jaeyi’s face the last time the camera got a glimpse of it — she was dead before the Han River took her.
But Jaeyi hadn’t done it just because she was depressed. No. She had made sure everyone knew the kind of monster her father was, she had outplayed him. He had showed to the world the truth behind his raising methods, what he had done to Jaena. Even after she was taken to the mental hospital, Yeri had only visited once, unable to handle the reality of what Yoo Taejoon had done to her.
For years Yeri thought she had been a part of that, and the mere thought of it brought along a guilt she just couldn’t handle. But now there she was, looking at Yoo Jaeyi face to face, like a ghost that had come back to torment her. Even though she wasn’t superstitious, she couldn’t shake that feeling — it was like Jaeyi hadn’t aged a day. Maybe there was less baby fat on her cheeks and around her eyes but that was about it. If anything, she was even more gorgeous than she remembered. How annoying...
“What skincare treatments are you using?”
They had moved to a secluded and empty corner of Vance, a sea of empty trampolines. The rhythmic squeaks and shrieks from the new pirate ship play area echoed in the distance along with the cries and shouts of the children that had gravitated to the new attraction, leaving the old trampoline section abandoned — perfect for a conversation no one else needed to hear. There, the air was still, the rubbery floor giving slightly under their steps.
Kyung crossed her arms, barely able to contain her irritation, eyes narrowing as she glanced at Yeri. “Is that really the first thing you want to ask?” Eighteen years of friendship and yet Yeri’s superficiality kept surprising her.
“No, but what else can I say?” The girl shrugged, but her fingers twitched on the hem of her jacket. Her gaze darted back at Jay, a small squint turning it into a glare as she added. “Not even in death you can trust a word from her.”
While Jaeyi’s posture didn’t falter the slightest, it was her tone, profound and serene, what did manage to shake both of the girls as she uttered: “I’m sorry I hurt you both.”
Kyung and Yeri exchanged twin dazzled glances — Yoo Jaeyi, apologizing. No, better yet, Yoo Jaeyi being genuinely sorry. The surprise in their faces was brief yet noticeable as the words landed, far from like the knives they were used to from Jay, like a soft knock on a long closed door.
“My, my…” Yeri murmured, voice light but loaded. A small smirk tugged from her lips before her posture straightened again. “If death could suit anybody…”
Before she could finish the thought that was brewing, Seulgi stepped up, calm but firm. “There are things we need to discuss.”
Yeri dedicated her a sharp look, trying to understand the calculated cautiousness in the girl’s tone. Without another word, they all moved to the free jump zone. The section was completely empty, the stretched black surfaces of the trampolines gleaming faintly in the afternoon light. The quiet was eerie and for a moment none of them dared to break it. They just stood there, the air between them taut and humming with old wounds.
It was Yeri, impatience scratching at her back, the one to break the ice.
“Surprise me,” she said, straight to the point. Her words and glance were directed towards the other girls; however, it was her best friend the one to respond.
With a soft exhale, Kyung take the matter on her own hands. “I’m working on Jaeyi’s juridic process to regularize her status.”
Yeri scoffed under her breath. “Good luck with that.”
“She can do it.” Maybe it was the sudden interjection, or the exaggerated calm of the words that then left Jay’s lips but Yeri’s eyes slid toward her with a long, skeptical look that curled slightly at the corner — half amusement, half disbelief. “Kyung’s very competent.” Compliments from Jaeyi never came out of kindness and without intent.
“But there’s a bigger problem,” Seulgi added, same sacred and serious tone, almost like there was more of hers on the line than there was Jaeyi’s.
Yeri blinked a couple of times, trying to figure out the situation at hand. It came down on her, like she could have ever forgotten about it. Her mouth opened briefly but all that came out was a brief and dry. “Ah...”
“Honestly,” Kyung hesitated, jaw tight as she sized their possibilities, “not even I am sure we can step ahead of Yoo Taejoon. The moment he finds out she’s alive-”
“He’ll probably fix that back,” Yeri interrupted, pensively. Her words slipped without venom but drifting on a thought. It was as brief as a second but the darkness that passed by her eyes was clear before she dared to speak up. A moment later, it was gone — her expression changed to something more lively, the shadow of snark sharp in her eyes as she looked at her friend. “Less migraines for you.”
Kyung didn’t return the smile. She wasn’t in the mood for jokes, and Yeri knew it — but some habits died harder than people. Especially if the unaliveness was performed by Yoo Taejoon.
“That’s why we need protection,” Seulgi spoke, stepping up again with decision. She looked at each of her friends, one by one. When it came to Yeri, she just tilted her head.
“Do you want me to recommend a bodyguard to you or…?”
Ignoring the sarcasm in her tone without a blink, Seulgi insisted. “We want some media coverage.”
“A lot of media coverage, actually,” Jaeyi added, her voice still low, but with a note of urgency.
Yeri raised her eyebrows. “Like what? Making her too public to kill?”
“That’s the idea,” Kyung deadpanned.
The group went quiet again. The air around them buzzed faintly — heat rising off rubber mats, the faint squeak of springs in the distance.
Yeri let out a hollow laugh. She didn’t do miracles, and that was what they were asking for — a miracle. They all knew the moment Jay stepped back into her father’s game she would be done for. Jaeyi had fooled her once but… Actually, the damn daughter of the devil had managed to fool him once before, she had to give her that.
She turned away from them, her eyes scanning the horizon — the pirate ship in the distance, now swarmed by kids in bright jackets. A mother shouting a name. A child laughing too loud. The world moved on like none of this mattered. Although it did once, and for a long while it remained like a prominent topic of discussion in the news — Jaeyi’s supposed decease had risen awareness not only about Yoo Taejoon sketchy businesses but the pressure and loneliness of teenagers aiming to achieving something more. It created a ruckus that lasted for months afterwards. It wasn’t just a crime reveal, the sad tale of another teen gone too soon — it was a cultural milestone.
Fucking Yoo Jaeyi, she thought, she knew how to move the masses. Even Yeri had felt so distraught when the notification of Jay and Jaena’s video had rang on her phone that she hadn’t been able to share it until after they went to the place and realized Jay would not be dragged away from that river safe and sound. That it was too late.
The worst memory of that day was the loud cries of Seulgi calling for her, begging the rescue teams to save a girl that never wanted to be saved. To realize she had planned it for months and they had just helped her get to that point...
“I’m hearing so many ‘we’s” Yeri said out of the blue, a point striking in her voice. She tilted her head towards Jaeyi, watching her like she was observing a riddle about to unfold.
The girl met the look head-on, a glint of challenge shimmering in her squint, sharp and teasing. Without a word, her fingers slid naturally into Seulgi’s.
Yeri blinked once. “Well. That is a surprise.”
Kyung let out a half-hearted scoff. “Don’t believe everything you see. I’m still not convinced.”
“Choi Kyung,” Jaeyi called, almost bored. “We’re married, what else do you need?”
The model’s mouth fell open. “Oh, fuck. Are you for real?” She paused a beat, observing the faces of her friends. When she found no signs of mockery, a grin appeared on her lips. “Maybe you could kiss.”
Unable to tell if she was serious or not, Kyung looked at her almost like she had grown another head.
“We are in a children’s jungle gym, please.” Then Kyung huffed and added under her breath: “Who wants to see that?”
“Oh, I do,” Yeri responded, not missing a beat and with such unapologetic flare to her that it made Seulgi flinch.
“Can you please be serious?” she pleaded, trying to rein things back in.
“I just need widespread proof and witnesses of me living and breathing so he won’t be so tempted to make a move.”
Even though she knew well what was at stake, hearing it laid out so plainly made Seulgi wince. No matter how strong and secure the presence of Jaeyi felt next to her, the fragility of her wife’s existence, the constant threat permanently shadowing her like the sword of Damocles was terrifying. Her grip tightened around her hand, making Jaeyi glance down at their intertwined fingers, then up at Seulgi, catching the way her mouth had gone tight. Jay’s stare softened and she made a small, exaggerated little pout to reassure her — the kind she knew would earn at least a twitch of a smile. It will be alright, it said with no need for words.
Yeri watched the exchange, something unreadable flickered across her face — suspicion, maybe, or a realization she wouldn’t speak out loud. But then she smoothed it over with a quip, like she always did. “Of course I’d be thrilled to help my old friends,” she said with mock elegance, placing a hand over her heart. “I’ll think about the prize and it won’t be cheap.”
Kyung rolled her eyes. “You’re rich now. What could you possibly want?”
Maybe it was Choi Kyung’s dismissive tone or the hint of disappointment in her voice, so selfish in a way Yeri found it uncanny of hers. Whatever it was, it arched Yeri’s brows and soaked her voice into an outrage she would have concealed when facing anyone else. “I’m about to stake my entire career by standing next to not one, but two lesbians on camera. I need compensation.”
Seulgi leaned forward, lowering her voice. “We just need people to know Jay’s alive.”
“Oh, but you want more than that, don’t you?” Right there, there it was — that small devilish grin that sparked in her eyes with the hint of a plan. “You want impact — headlines, drama, buzz.”
Jaeyi narrowed her eyes. “What are you thinking?”
The model’s smile turned sharper, more pointed as she stepped past the two girls and leaned slightly on her.
“Well, Yoo Jaeyi… Do you love Seulgi?”
Jaeyi blinked, caught off ward by the intrusive question. “She’s my wife.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
The moment Jay’s eyes flicked away, they got locked by Seulgi’s gaze — intense yet unreadable. Full of expectation? The sudden attention made her feel exposed, there weren’t many things she wasn’t ready to handle, she just didn’t think such a conversation would be a public matter.
“Do you think I would have spent all these years with her if I didn’t?” Jay responded, and while her composure remained impeccable as always, the defensiveness leaked everywhere.
Sensing her cornered, Kyung let out a dry laugh. “Just say it.”
“Mean it.” Yeri added, almost whispering to her ear.
“Of course I mean it.” The girl insisted, then she looked at her wife. The silence spoke volumes. “Seulgi, I do.”
But Seulgi didn’t move. “Mean what exactly?”
She wasn’t going to leave her off the hook that easily. Her face was relaxed, unreadable, plain, just like her tone although there was a shade of amusement in her eyes that Jay wouldn’t miss.
Jay exhaled sharply, her lips pressing together in frustration. “Can we not do this here, please?”
“I don’t think you’ve ever said it,” Seulgi replied.
“Neither have you,” Jay shot back.
It was certainly entertaining — their bickering. Kyung and Yeri’s eyes darted to one girl to the other like watching a heated tennis match, waiting for the next hit. Every comeback landed, every silence was a missed ball.
Kyung crossed her arms and leaned forward, the corner of her mouth quirking up. “What kind of marriage are you?”
But if she was heard, she was dismissed just as quick and with expertise.
“Fair enough.” Seulgi murmured. Then, a shift. She turned, just slightly, facing Jay directly, her hand never leaving her wife’s. Her voice softened as she started, barely above a whisper. “Jay-ah.” Next to them, she could sense Kyung’s breath catching and Yeri’s posture stilling in anticipation. “I love you,” she said at last.
The moment the words left her mouth, a strange feeling overcame her. Not relief, not quite — an uneasiness, and inadequacy that wasn’t easy to shake off. Seulgi didn’t know what she expected, if the reason she hadn’t said the words before was because such statement would leave her too vulnerable and exposed. Instead, she felt frustrated with herself, with the words. Like she had babbled something stupid that didn’t convey what she actually wanted to say, as if the words sounded smaller in the air than they felt inside her.
Still, she couldn’t regret saying them. Not when she saw Jay’s reaction.
The girl froze. It was so slight you might miss it if you weren’t looking — but they were looking, all of them. And for Seulgi, who knew her best, it was unmistakable. The tightness of her jaw was the first thing that betrayed her, followed by a peaceful relaxation of her face. And then… that. It could be just Seulgi’s imagination but she could swear there was a soft blush blooming pink across the tip of Jay’s pale ears.
Kyung actually choked. “Oh my God.”
Yeri laughed softly, delighted. She had half a mind to start filming, but she didn’t dare ruin the moment. Instead, she leaned closer to Jay, her voice sweet and dangerous. “So cute… Jaeyi-ah, your turn.”
Both of the girls turned towards their friends at the same time, startled and suddenly aware of their very intrusive audience. They had totally forgotten anyone else was in the room.
Back to her usual nonchalance, Jay cleared her throat. “You know you’re the most important thing to me.”
Seulgi nodded slightly, her lips curling in the faintest of smiles, too contained in comparison to the shine in her eyes — those had always been her weakness. “I do,” she replied and then, gently, she yanked slightly from Jay’s hand, pulling her closer. “It’s alright.”
Jay made a face, a quiet grimace of frustration. But then she leaned in, tilting toward her wife’s ear. Her lips brushed barely close enough, and whatever she whispered there made Seulgi’s heart trip over itself.
The intimacy of the gesture was enough to make Yeri so uncomfortable, she hit Seulgi’s shoulder, pushing the couple slightly apart. “Okay, okay!” she squirmed, startling everyone around, waving her hands in the air. “I can already see it — we’ll record a TikTok dancing on the...”
But no one was listening anymore.
“When I breathe, you breathe, alright?”
The sound of the first set of TikToks Yeri had instructed them to study echoed in the hollow hotel room. The images passed by Jaeyi’s eyes, watching carefully trying to memorize and decide the best way to approach their plan. It was set, they were doing it.
She took a deep breath and rolled on the bed, silence broken by the sounds of the shower echoing from the bathroom. A few minutes later, the warmth of her wife’s body slipped under the covers beside her. Seulgi didn’t say anything at first, she just watched her quietly, her hand moving gently along Jay’s arm — barely a whisper of touch. It was patient, almost reverent. Giving her space. Giving her time until Jay decided to speak up.
“What time did she say?” Maybe because she wanted to be sure. Maybe it was just a weak excuse to talk.
“Noon,” Seulgi responded, fingers tracing the length of her wife’s arm from her bicep to her wrist, then trailing away to her waist, here it came to rest as she snuggled closer. She pressed a kiss on Jay’s shoulder, her hot breathe hitting the skin in soft puffs that the girl had always found incredibly soothing.
A nod followed by a swallow. She was worried, Seulgi knew as much. That was the last night to enjoy the perks of that identity they had sacrificed so much to craft. From the next day on, everything would change and whatever was to come, they would have to play carefully.
“We’ll do it together,” Seulgi reminded her, lips brushing against her cheek. “I promise…” She reached for her hand, fingers entwining in front of them, “...I’ll never let go of your hand.”
Quietly, Jay’s eyes dropped to their hands and for a moment, all she could hear was their breathing, soft and steady. That, more than anything, grounded her.
Her mind, however, refused to stay still.
She kept thinking about her father. The thought had been circling endlessly, quiet but persistent. It was hard to believe he hadn’t known. That he hadn’t sensed something, received a rumor, a hint. She wanted to believe he hadn’t found her because he couldn’t not because he didn’t want to, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
She hadn’t even visited her mother yet and time for the woman was running out. But she would, the next day, after there was proof enough of her existence and the threat to her life. Once again she was ready to sacrifice everything for the next step — she just wished she wouldn’t hurt Seulgi in the process this time.
Her Seulgi. The arm tight around hers that anchored her to the present.
Jay’s gaze drifted towards her. “You’ve always forgiven me so easily. Don’t.”
Seulgi looked at her, surprised. “Do you think so? Why? Because you didn’t say 'I love you'?” A small smile appeared on her lips. “I know you do, I was just teasing.”
“I understand there are things you just need to hear sometimes.”
“I thought so too but words…” Seulgi swayed her head slightly, trying to make sense of her feelings, “… are just that.” She reached and put a reckless strand on hair away from Jaeyi’s face. “I love you doesn’t covey how I feel about you either, I don’t think so.” Jaeyi watched her soft sigh, felt it warm in her skin, eyes glistening in something so close to awe and adoration Seulgi had to look away, unable to hold her gaze.
“Maybe if we had grown up differently,” Seulgi continued, “we would have learned to express love better.”
“You do it pretty well, though,” Jay murmured, eyes never leaving her wife’s face.
“You have got so much better at it.” Seulgi giggled. “At least now I get it.” At that, Jaeyi snorted.
“Maybe you are just less oblivious now.”
“Maybe,” Seulgi agreed with a chuckle.
Silence wrapped around them again, but it wasn’t heavy this time. Just quiet.
Then Jay’s voice broke through again. “If it starts turning dangerous-”
“Then we’ll sort it out.”
“Seulgi…”
“Woo Jaeyi,” Seulgi said gently, propping herself up on one elbow. She began toying with the ring on Jay’s finger, her thumb brushing over the metal like a prayer. “You’re the religious one in this relationship. Maybe we can’t marry in a church but it’s still in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us apart.”
After a breath, Jay swallowed again. “If death does us apart,” she said slowly, “I want you to move on.”
Seulgi blinked twice and then snorted soundly. “No, you don’t.” Jay looked at her, taken aback by her reaction. “You want me to love you forever and never think of anybody else.” Seulgi said plainly, like it was obvious. “What you don’t want is me to seek revenge. I know you are worried about my temper.”
She did have a point so Jay didn’t argue. She leaned in and kissed her, quiet and firm. A promise made with lips instead of words.
“If death does us apart, though…” Seulgi murmured, almost against Jay’s collarbone, “I do want you to learn how to cook.”
Silence.
Then, a beat later, “Jay-ah.”
“Hmm?”
“Jokes aside, it might happen at some point. In life, I mean.”
Jaeyi didn’t answer right away. “No need to remind me,” she said finally, her voice soft, resigned. “I think about it often.”
Seulgi’s hand paused, fingertips brushing over warm skin. “Why do you insist on thinking of such harrowing things?” Her voice softened with more ache for her wife than frustration. “Are you any more ready to bear the pain?”
All she obtained from Jay was a small and sad smile before their lips met again. Sometimes there are some things that doesn’t need to be said to be understood and right there, with her hands crawling through her skin and her lips tugging at hers, Seulgi knew the truth behind her silence, the only thing that could make the season in Jaeyi’s heart change again.