Chapter Text
The front door opened.
“Yunah?”
“In here!”
Minju kicked off her shoes and followed the voice into the living room.
...
Yunah was stretched across the sofa, phone held above her face.
She looked over when Minju appeared.
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
...
Minju dropped her bag beside the sofa.
Yunah lifted her legs without being asked.
Minju sat down.
Yunah immediately dropped them across her lap.
...
Minju smiled.
Normal.
Familiar.
She rested one hand over Yunah's ankle.
“I have something to tell you.”
Yunah lowered her phone.
“That sounds ominous.”
“It isn't.”
“That's exactly what someone says before telling you something ominous.”
...
Minju laughed.
“Do you remember that presenting job I told you about?”
Yunah's expression changed immediately.
“The one you auditioned for?”
“Mhm.”
“What about it?”
...
Minju tried to keep her face neutral.
She lasted approximately two seconds.
Yunah sat up.
“No.”
Minju's smile widened.
“Yeah.”
...
“You got it?”
“I got it.”
...
Yunah's entire face lit up.
“Minju!”
She threw her phone aside and practically launched herself at her.
...
Minju laughed as Yunah wrapped both arms around her.
“I knew you'd get it.”
“You absolutely did not.”
“I did.”
“You said I looked terrified after the audition.”
“You did look terrified.”
Minju pulled back enough to glare at her.
Yunah grinned.
“And apparently you were fantastic anyway.”
...
Minju rolled her eyes.
But she was smiling.
Yunah kissed her.
Once.
Then again.
...
“I'm proud of you.”
Something warm settled in Minju's chest.
“Thank you.”
...
Yunah leaned back against the sofa.
“When did you find out?”
“Monday.”
...
Yunah paused.
“Monday?”
“Mhm.”
“It's Thursday.”
“I know what day it is.”
...
Yunah gave her a look.
Minju laughed.
“I wanted to think about it first.”
“Oh.”
Yunah nodded.
That made sense.
...
“So?”
“So what?”
“Are you going to do it?”
...
Minju looked at her.
“I accepted this morning.”
...
Yunah's smile remained for half a second longer.
Then it faded.
“You already accepted?”
“Mhm.”
...
A pause.
“Without telling me?”
Minju frowned.
Something about Yunah's voice had changed.
“I just told you.”
“No.”
Yunah moved her legs from Minju's lap and sat up properly.
“You told me after you accepted.”
...
Minju stared at her.
“Okay.”
“Okay?”
“I don't understand.”
...
Yunah looked at her for a moment.
Neither of them were smiling anymore.
...
“How long is it for?”
“A year.”
...
Yunah blinked.
“A year?”
“That's the initial contract.”
...
“And it's the one outside Seoul?”
“Yeah.”
“How often?”
“Once a week. Sometimes twice if they need extra filming.”
...
Yunah was quiet.
Minju could practically see her working it out.
The travelling.
The early call times.
Their own schedules.
Everything else already fighting for space in their lives.
...
“I won't always have to stay there,” Minju added.
Yunah looked at her.
“Stay there?”
“Sometimes. If we have an early start the next morning.”
...
Another pause.
“How is that going to work with our schedules?”
“It's fine. Management already worked it out.”
...
Yunah went completely still.
Minju noticed.
“What?”
“Management already worked it out.”
“Yes.”
“So they knew.”
Minju frowned.
“Obviously they knew.”
...
Yunah looked away.
Something uncomfortable twisted in Minju's stomach.
“Yunah.”
“How long have they known?”
“I don't know. Since I got the offer, I suppose.”
“So Monday.”
“Yes.”
...
Yunah nodded slowly.
“Right.”
A beat.
“What does that mean?”
“Nothing.”
“It clearly means something.”
...
Yunah looked back at her.
“You talked to management about it.”
“Obviously.”
“You talked about the schedule.”
“Yes.”
“The travelling.”
“Yes.”
“Staying there.”
“Yunah, what are you…”
“And you accepted it.”
...
Minju's patience slipped slightly.
“Yes.”
Yunah stared at her.
“And at no point did you think maybe you should talk to me?”
...
Minju went quiet.
There it was.
Something sharp.
Unexpected.
...
“What?”
Yunah shook her head.
“Forget it.”
“No.”
Minju's eyebrows pulled together.
“Don't do that. What are you actually upset about?”
...
Yunah laughed softly.
It wasn't amused.
“You seriously don't know?”
“No.”
...
That seemed to hurt her.
Minju saw it happen.
And somehow, that only made her more confused.
...
Yunah looked down at her hands.
“Did you even think about what this would mean for us?”
...
Minju stared at her.
The question landed harder than Yunah could possibly have known.
“What did you just say?”
Yunah looked up.
“Did you think about us?”
...
Minju's expression hardened.
Of all the things Yunah could have asked her.
That.
“You actually have to ask me that?”
“Apparently I do.”
...
And there it was.
The first crack.
…
“I checked the schedules.”
Yunah looked at her.
“What?”
“Before I accepted. I checked everything. The travelling, the filming, when I'd be back, which days—”
“That's not what I'm asking.”
...
Minju stopped.
“You asked if I thought about us.”
“I'm asking why you didn't talk to me.”
“No. You asked if I thought about you at all.”
...
Yunah shook her head.
“Because I don't understand how you could think about me and still not tell me.”
“I'm trying to tell you.”
“Now.”
...
Minju stared at her.
“What?”
“You're trying to tell me now.”
Yunah's voice sharpened.
“After you've already accepted it.”
...
Minju felt her own irritation rise.
“Because it was my decision.”
...
Yunah went still.
Minju knew immediately how that sounded.
“That's not what I meant.”
Yunah laughed once.
“Right.”
“Don't.”
“Don't what?”
“Do that.”
“I'm not doing anything.”
“Yes, you are.”
Minju sat forward.
“You've already decided what I meant before you've even let me explain it.”
...
“You've had three days to explain it, Minju.”
...
Silence.
That one hit.
“And I'm explaining it now.”
“Because you have to.”
“Have to?”
Minju stood.
“You didn't find out from someone else. I came home and told you.”
Yunah stood too.
“After management knew.”
“They're management.”
“They knew enough to rearrange your schedule!”
“Because that's their job!”
“And I'm your girlfriend!”
...
“What does that have to do with my job?”
...
Yunah stared at her.
Minju closed her eyes.
“That's not what I meant either.”
“You keep saying that.”
“Because you keep twisting everything I say!”
“I'm listening to the words you're actually saying!”
“No, you're listening to what you think I'm saying!”
...
Yunah shook her head.
“I would've told you.”
Minju frowned.
“What?”
“If it were me.”
Yunah's eyes were shining now.
“If I was making a decision that meant I'd barely see you for the next year, you would've been the first person I told.”
...
Something twisted in Minju's chest.
“Good for you.”
...
Yunah stared at her.
Minju regretted it.
Immediately.
She was too angry to take it back.
“That's not fair.”
“Neither is acting like the way you do things is automatically the right way.”
“This isn't about how I do things.”
“Isn't it?”
Minju laughed bitterly.
“You say things as soon as you feel them and then get angry when I don't.”
...
Yunah's expression changed.
“Is that really what you think?”
“I think you expect me to work exactly like you do.”
“No.”
Yunah shook her head.
“I expect my girlfriend to tell me when she's making a decision that's going to affect both of us.”
“I did tell you.”
“Afterwards!”
“Because I already knew what I wanted!”
“And apparently that was all that mattered!”
...
Minju went still.
“Don't say that.”
“Why?”
“Because you know it isn't true.”
“Do I?”
...
Minju stared at her.
That hurt.
More than she wanted Yunah to know.
“I thought about you the entire fucking time.”
Her voice shook now.
“And you've spent this whole conversation acting like I didn't.”
“Then why didn't you tell me?”
“Because…”
...
Minju stopped.
Too many thoughts.
Too many answers.
None of them ready quickly enough.
...
Yunah shook her head.
“Exactly.”
...
Something in Minju snapped.
“Stop saying that.”
Yunah frowned.
“Saying what?”
“Exactly.”
Minju's voice rose.
“Stop acting like you've figured me out when you haven't even let me finish a sentence.”
“Then finish one!”
“I'm trying!”
“Why is it so difficult to just tell me what you were thinking?”
“Because not everyone says every thought the second they have it, Yunah!”
...
Silence.
Yunah's face changed.
Minju saw it.
...
“Right.”
“That's not what I meant.”
“Again.”
“Because you're making everything I say into something it isn't!”
“Then what am I supposed to do?”
Yunah's voice cracked.
“Guess?”
...
Minju said nothing.
“Because apparently knowing you means I'm supposed to know everything you don't tell me.”
“You know that's not what I expect.”
“Do I?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
Yunah stared at her.
“You never fucking tell me, Minju.”
...
Minju's jaw tightened.
“Because you don't give me a chance!”
“You had three days!”
“And you know me!”
“I thought I did!”
...
Minju froze.
Yunah was breathing hard now.
Angry.
Hurt.
“Maybe I don't know you as well as I thought.”
...
Silence.
Complete this time.
...
Minju stared at her.
Yunah saw it immediately.
The moment the words landed.
...
Her anger faltered.
“Minju…”
“Fuck off, Yunah.”
...
Yunah froze.
Minju grabbed her phone from the sofa.
“Minju.”
She headed for the stairs.
“Minju, I'm talking to you.”
...
Minju kept walking.
“And I don't want to talk to you anymore.”
...
Yunah went quiet.
Minju heard it.
Felt it.
Kept walking anyway.
...
She took the stairs two at a time.
Her hands were shaking.
Her eyes burned.
She was still angry.
...
That was easier.
...
Minju reached their bedroom.
Slammed the door behind her.
...
Bang.
...
Silence.
…
The next morning, Minju was already in the kitchen when Yunah came downstairs.
...
Neither of them said good morning.
That was new.
Yunah opened the fridge.
Minju made a coffee.
...
“Where's my charger?”
Yunah didn't look at her.
“I don't know.”
“You used it yesterday.”
“And I put it back.”
Minju opened the drawer.
Nothing.
...
“It's not there.”
Yunah closed the fridge.
“Then I don't know where it is.”
“You were the last person who had it.”
Yunah finally looked at her.
“Are you seriously blaming me for losing your charger?”
Minju stared.
“I asked where it was.”
“No, you told me I was the last person who had it.”
“Because you were.”
“Right.”
Minju's jaw tightened.
“Can you stop doing that?”
“Doing what?”
“That.”
“You'll have to be more specific.”
...
Minju laughed once.
“Never mind.”
“Of course.”
...
A voice came from the doorway.
“...Good morning?”
...
They both turned.
Iroha stood there.
Moka behind her.
...
Neither of them said anything.
Iroha looked at Yunah.
Then Minju.
Then slowly back at Moka.
...
Moka's eyebrows lifted.
Oh.
...
“Did we interrupt something?” Iroha asked.
“No,” Minju said.
“Yes,” Yunah said at exactly the same time.
...
Silence.
Iroha blinked.
Moka pressed her lips together.
“Okay.”
...
Minju turned back to the drawer.
“We weren't doing anything.”
Yunah laughed under her breath.
Minju's hand stopped.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“No, go on.”
Yunah looked at her.
“I said nothing.”
“You laughed.”
“Am I not allowed to laugh now?”
“That's not what I said.”
“Apparently what you say and what you mean are two completely different things.”
...
Moka's eyes widened slightly.
Iroha looked between them.
...
Minju turned around.
“Are we really doing this again?”
“You started it.”
“Over a charger?”
“You're the one who accused me of losing it.”
“I didn't accuse you of anything.”
“Right.”
Minju's jaw tightened.
“Stop saying that.”
“Why? You didn't have a problem with it yesterday.”
That did it.
Minju stared at her.
“Seriously?”
Yunah held her gaze.
“What?”
“You're bringing that up now?”
“You brought it up.”
“I asked where my charger was.”
“And somehow even that turned into you telling me I'm wrong.”
...
“Oh my God.”
Minju pushed the drawer shut harder than necessary.
“Forget the fucking charger.”
“Gladly.”
...
Minju grabbed her coffee.
“You're unbelievable.”
Yunah looked away.
“There it is.”
Minju stopped.
“There what is?”
“Nothing.”
“Yunah.”
...
“Guys?”
...
Both of them turned.
Iroha was still standing in the doorway.
Moka had one hand lightly on her shoulder.
...
Iroha looked genuinely uncertain now.
“Should we... come back?”
...
Silence.
Minju looked down at the coffee in her hand.
Yunah opened the fridge again.
...
“No,” Minju said.
“We're done.”
...
Yunah's eyes flicked towards her.
Minju didn't look back.
A beat.
Moka gave Iroha's shoulder a small push.
“Breakfast.”
Iroha finally moved.
Moka followed her into the kitchen.
Minju took her coffee to the table.
Yunah grabbed something from the fridge before sitting down opposite her.
Moka noticed.
She said nothing.
Iroha sat beside her.
Silence.
Moka cleared her throat.
“So.”
Nobody looked at her.
“Practice at eleven.”
“Mhm,” Minju said.
Yunah said nothing.
Iroha looked down at the table.
Moka tried again.
“I think we're learning the new choreography today.”
“We are,” Iroha said quickly.
Almost gratefully.
“They sent the video last night.”
“Did they?”
“Mhm.”
...
“It looks hard.”
“A little.”
...
Silence.
...
Moka reached for her drink.
“Great.”
...
Iroha looked at her.
Moka took a very long sip.
Footsteps sounded on the stairs.
Then—
“Morning!”
Wonhee appeared in the doorway.
Completely oblivious.
“Morning,” Moka said.
“Morning.”
Wonhee walked into the kitchen.
“What are we eating?”
“Whatever you make yourself.”
“That's mean.”
Wonhee laughed and started looking through the cupboards.
“Does anyone want cereal?”
“No.”
“No.”
“I'm okay.”
“Yes.”
Wonhee turned.
“Who said yes?”
Iroha slowly raised her hand.
“Me.”
“Okay.”
A few minutes later, all five of them were sitting around the table.
Wonhee was talking.
Mostly by herself.
“And then I couldn't find my other sock, so I thought maybe it was under the bed, but it wasn't, and then—”
Minju reached across the table.
“Can you pass that?”
Yunah looked at her.
“What?”
Minju gestured.
“The jam.”
Yunah looked down.
The jar was directly beside her hand.
She pushed it across the table.
“Thanks.”
“Mhm.”
Minju opened the jar.
Yunah glanced over.
“You don't usually have that one.”
Minju stopped.
“What?”
Yunah nodded towards the jar.
“The jam.”
“What about it?”
“Nothing.”
Yunah shrugged.
“You normally have strawberry.”
A beat.
“Oh, so I can't decide which jam I want now?”
Silence.
Wonhee stopped mid-sentence.
Her spoon hovered halfway to her mouth.
Yunah blinked.
“What?”
“Apparently I need to run my breakfast decisions past you too.”
“Minju, I literally just said you normally have strawberry.”
“I know what you said.”
“Clearly you don't.”
Minju stared at her.
“What's that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing.”
“No, go on.”
“There is nothing to go on.”
Yunah gestured towards the jar.
“I made an observation about jam.”
“Right.”
Yunah's expression changed.
“Seriously?”
“What?”
Moka slowly put her mug down.
Iroha froze.
Yunah stared at Minju.
“Not everything has to become an argument.”
Minju's expression hardened.
“I'm not the one making it one.”
“You just accused me of controlling what jam you eat.”
“Because apparently every decision I make is something we need to discuss.”
There it was.
Yunah went quiet.
Minju knew exactly what she'd done.
Neither of them backed down.
Wonhee looked from Minju.
To Yunah.
Then at Moka.
Nobody said anything.
Wonhee slowly lowered her spoon.
“...Did I miss something?”
Yunah barely looked at her.
“Probably. You usually do.”
Silence.
Wonhee's expression fell.
“Yunah,” Moka said immediately.
Yunah looked at her.
“What?”
“Don't.”
“I didn't—”
“She's got nothing to do with this.”
Yunah's jaw tightened.
“I know.”
“Then don't take it out on her.”
Wonhee looked down at her bowl.
Beside her, Iroha started picking at the skin around her thumb.
Moka noticed.
Without saying anything, she reached beneath the table and took Iroha's hand.
Iroha's fingers stilled.
She looked at Moka.
Moka gave her hand a small squeeze.
And for the first time all morning, Yunah seemed to have nothing to say.
Her eyes dropped to the table.
The anger was still there.
Just not at Wonhee.
Yunah pushed her chair back.
The sound made everyone look at her.
“I'm going to get ready.”
Nobody stopped her.
She stood and took her mug to the sink.
Minju kept her eyes on the table.
Yunah made it halfway towards the door.
Then stopped.
She looked back.
Wonhee was still staring down at her breakfast.
…
Yunah walked back around the table.
Wonhee finally lifted her head when Yunah stopped beside her.
Yunah leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.
“I'm sorry.”
Wonhee looked up at her.
“It's okay.”
“No.”
Yunah rested her hand briefly against the back of Wonhee's head.
“That was mean.”
A beat.
“You didn't do anything.”
Wonhee's expression softened.
“Okay.”
Yunah gave her hair a little ruffle before straightening.
“I'll be upstairs.”
She turned towards the door.
Her eyes found Minju's for half a second.
Minju looked away first.
Yunah left.
The kitchen went quiet.
Again.
Minju stayed at the table.
For a few seconds, nobody seemed quite sure what they were supposed to do.
Wonhee took another bite of her cereal.
Even she had stopped talking.
Minju exhaled.
“I'm going to shower.”
Moka glanced over.
“Okay.”
Minju stood.
“I'll be down in a bit.”
She made it a few steps before stopping.
“Wonhee?”
Wonhee looked up.
“Hm?”
Minju hesitated.
“She's just angry.”
A beat.
“Not at you.”
Wonhee nodded.
“I know.”
Minju gave her a small smile.
Then headed upstairs.
The second she disappeared—
Iroha’s grip on Moka’s hand loosened slightly.
Wonhee looked at the empty doorway.
“What was that?”
...
Moka let out a long breath.
“I have no idea.”
…
A pause.
“I’ve never seen them like that.”