Yongsun had to take some pills to sleep since her mind didn't stop bringing back things she needed to forget.
The businesswoman woke up feeling as shitty as if she hadn't rested at all, though.
The lack of stamina made her keep sitting in bed for the next 40 minutes, and she didn't even hear her niece calling her name many times.
Worried, Wheein got closer and shook the brunette by the shoulder.
__ Huh? What is it, Wheein-ah?
__ Yong, what's going on? Are you high?__ The shorter girl asked with concern.
The older woman stood up slowly.
__ No... I'm just not used to taking sleeping pills. So I feel a bit off now.
__ Oh...you've been having trouble with your sleep...
Yongsun almost fell and the younger girl held her:
__ Yes. For months. But now...it's worse.
__ Maybe you should go back to bed...
The black-haired woman murmured:
__ God no... I need a shower to try to wake up. I'm more than late... even though I don't feel like going to the magazine.
Wheein walked with her aunt toward the bathroom:
__ I can help you with the shower. But why don't you stay home then?
__ Because doing nothing is worse. At least I will keep my mind busy.
The niece helped the woman get in the shower:
__ Aren't you really gonna try to change Byul-yi's mind?
Sighing deeply, the black-haired one responded:
__ If I don't respect her time and choices, I'll be as harmful as her father. She is trying to take the leashes of her own life and also protect me. That's amazing and adorable.
__ But you are suffering...
Yongsun took off her clothes and started showering:
__ So is she. And I know how close she was to her father. Byul is going through a hard time. What really kills me is that I can't do anything for her.
Wheein was having mixed feelings. On one hand, she was excited and anxious to share details of what had happened to her the previous night. On the other, the only person who could hear was the person she shouldn't say anything.
How would she talk to Moonbyul about her night with Hyejin now that the blonde had broken up with her sugar mommy and those two were so depressed?
Controlling her urge to open up, Wheein told her aunt that she was going to get ready for work, too.
Inside her own bathroom, the brown-haired girl thought about the older woman and how she tasted good.
She also thought that Hyejin might be freaking out as usual, ready to run away from the country just to avoid her.
But she didn't mind that the businesswoman kept rejecting her anymore because now she was absolutely convinced that Hyejin was totally into her.
Being the kind of person who gets aroused by memories, Wheein had to make a huge effort to forget about her night and finish the shower quickly.
Yongsun called her shortly after, asking if she was ready, and they drove together to the magazine.
Once they arrived, they greeted Bomi and parted ways.
Wheein was so distracted because of her night that she forgot she was supposed to go to the University in the morning. But since she was at work, she decided to dedicate her attention to 100% in her projects.
Yongsun, on the other hand, found Hyejin inside the office with a very distant look and a silly smile.
The black-haired one was not in the mood for her friend. So she just sat on her chair and pretended to read some emails.
The blonde suddenly realized that her business partner was there and she tried to talk:
__ Good morning, Yong.
The older one said coldly:
__ Sure.
__ Come on... You can't be mad at me for a long time. You know I had to be objective.
Lifting her eyes from the computer, the short-haired woman sighed and said:
__ You've been very objective since day one. I understood your judgemental views from the start. I just thought our friendship meant something. But yeah...now I know what comes first in your book.
Hyejin was speechless, and the guilt was eating her alive. So the blonde decided to give her best friend and business associate some personal time.
As they always had so many meetings and things to solve, the younger woman headed to the meeting room and did what she knew best: made money.
20 minutes before noon, Hyejin dropped by Wheein's office and sighed with relief when she confirmed Moonbyul wasn't there yet.
The blonde knocked on the door and entered without waiting for permission.
Wheein lifted her eyes and smiled but didn't say a word.
The voluptuous older woman was wearing a black dress, and she sat at the short girl's table.
__ I was wondering if you would like to have dinner with me.__ That feline voice echoed provocatively.
Giggling, Wheein spoke:
__ You liked what I did down there, didn't you?
Frowning, Hyejin complained:
__ You don't have to be that blunt.
The girl shrugged:
__ Sorry, this is who I am.
__ Alright. So... what do you say?__ Hyejin stared seductively.
The brown-haired girl slapped the woman's thigh softly and replied:
__ I'm sorry, Hyejin-ah. I already had plans.
__ Can't you cancel with your boyfriend? Or girlfriend?__ There was a hint of anger in her voice.
Wheein said lightly, but she hit every nail in Hyejin's insecure buttons:
__ I could. If it was just one of them. But I won't risk a threesome for someone who doesn't know what she wants. You're not that bad in lesbian sex, but I need someone who wants what I want. Maybe some other time. Okay?
The older woman stood up with her face red and left without a farewell.
Wheein smirked, and she was about to celebrate her little victory when Moonbyul arrived.
The tattooed girl seemed better than the previous day, but the younger girl didn't find the courage to talk about her adventure with the businesswoman.
That would bring painful memories to her best friend, and it wouldn't be fair.
The blonde sat behind her desk and said with energy:
__ Wheein-ah, I had a dream last night. I think I finally know what I want to do in the future. And I was wondering...do you have plans? Or you wanna keep working with your aunt forever?
Surprised by that kind of question, the younger girl responded with honesty:
__ I don't know, Byul. I actually haven't thought about that. You know I came here because my family forced me. So I have no idea. Why?
__ Hmmm, that's right. Your parents suck too... Anyway. Remember I told you I took many courses in the past, including one about animation? I can work pretty well with digital drawing too.
The younger one answered:
__ Oh, that's true. You told me a long time ago.
Moonbyul said with a sparkle in her eyes that her friend hadn't seen in a while.
__ Yeah. Well, I was thinking that in a couple of years, if we saved up some money, we could become partners and have either a magazine for teens or we could publish comics mixing our skills.
__ Wow! I don't know if I could handle it but... this idea is amazing! We should certainly think about it.__ Wheein clapped her hands.
Moonbyul looked around and murmured:
__ I don't want to be a burden to you, though. You are the Jung's heiress and I am sure your aunt considers putting you in her will too. Meanwhile, I just want to make some money and vanish.
__ Byul-ah... You love her. How can you do this to yourself?__ The brunette got closer and caressed her friend.
Sighing, Moonbyul responded:
__ Sometimes we gotta grow and make decisions based on a bigger picture, Wheein-ah. But let's not talk about that. Look, my hair is trash. I need to do something. Would you go to a hairdresser with me once we finish our day?
__ Sure! Are you thinking of something radical?__ The shorter girl was excited.
The blonde acted all grease, making her friend laugh:
__ No. I am not in the mood for that. I better keep a clean and sophisticated image. After all, I'm chic.
__ You, chic???? Come on! You're cute!
Pouting, the older girl frowned her forehead and answered:
__ You're a very bad friend. If I said I am chic, you should support me.
__ Well, I confess you get very fancy in those suits but....you are cute too.__ Wheein squeezed Moonbyul's cheeks.
The older one mumbled but ended up laughing:
__ Bitch...
They stopped joking and started focusing on their individual activities, and asked Bomi to order them something for lunch.
In the afternoon, Moonbyul had to check some computers in the extra offices the magazine kept on the other floor and spent 3 hours there.
When she finished, it was already 5 pm, and she got back downstairs to meet Wheein and leave.
The elevator door opened, and Yongsun was standing in front of it.
They both froze and their eyes met. And there was longing and care and sadness in their faces.
Bomi glanced at the duo with sympathy and felt sorry when they just bowed to each other and followed the opposite way.
Yongsun got inside the elevator and left the building as fast as she could.
On her way home, the brunette parked her car on a random street and cried.
Around the same time, Wheein was at a hairdresser waiting for Moonbyul, who decided to have a haircut and dye her hair black.
__ x __
A week had passed, and Wheein and Hyejin would make out every time they bumped into each other. Either in the elevator, the copy machine room, or in the parking lot. However, the younger girl kept the blonde craving for more every time.
As they felt bad for their best friends, they hadn't shared their secret yet.
Yongsun and Moonbyul hadn't seen each other since the day they bumped into each other in front of the elevator. So, they could focus a bit better at work.
There was a meeting through Skype with a group of investors from Japan scheduled for months, and both Hyejin and Yongsun had to be present, along with a large number of their business associates in Korea.
Because of the divergence of agendas, the meeting would start at 4 pm and the meeting room was crowded.
Around 5 minutes to 5 pm, the connection got unstable, and the computers started to fail.
Stressed, Hyejin sent someone to call Moonbyul immediately, and Yongsun's heart skipped a beat.
The I.T. technician didn't believe in the bad luck of being summoned when she was about to go home. Nonetheless, the girl headed to the meeting room ASAP.
Dozens of eyes turned to look at the young girl and the handsome employee blushed a bit but pretended not to feel intimidated.
Hyejin was a bit harsh to the 22-year-old girl and Moonbyul murmured near the boss' ear:
__ None of this is my fault. You better learn how to speak with an employee, especially in a moment of emergency.
The blonde's jaw dropped and the younger girl excused herself and started using Yongsun's laptop.
The short-haired woman forgot to breathe the view of Moonbyul and her middle-length black hair because of the refreshing scent of the girl's cologne.
Moonbyul also checked the cables of all the equipment, including the huge TV screen on the wall, and started speaking in Japanese with the group of investors that were connected.
Hyejin and Yongsun exchanged a confused look and walked towards the girl and the older one murmured:
__ What's going on? Why are you speaking to them instead of speaking to us? And why in a language most of us can't understand?
Moonbyul didn't feel very inclined to keep helping her bosses after so many displays of lack of trust. However, she was a professional and explained coldly:
__ Those guys are testing you. They got the system down and tried to hack us just to prove that they might be superior to you. But, they don't know that I already detected the problem, and I made them believe they might be getting attacked in their company too. I spoke their language to show Mamamoo is not as unprepared as they think and also to avoid panic among your associates in this room.
Hyejin's jaw dropped and Yongsun's eyes got sparkly.
__ Thank you, Byul-yi. I know this is not part of your job.
They made eye contact, and both felt their bodies drawn to one another.
Once again, the sexual tension was about to hit the roof, but the Japanese investors called.
Hyejin pulled Yongsun back to their seats, and they tried to restart the talk.
Moonbyul was walking towards the exit when the oldest Japanese said in his language that he wanted to hear the rest of the information through her.
Puzzled, Hyejin questioned:
__ What did he say?
__ That he wants me to take part in the meeting to explain what you are saying.__ Moonbyul responded with hesitation.
The entire room exploded in protests and Yongsun made them all shut up with a hand gesture.
__ It doesn't matter what you all think right now. I trust Ms. Moon with my life, and she is one of us. She shall stay. Someone give her a seat.
__ It's not necessary, Yongsun ssi. I'm comfortable on my feet. Shall we restart?
The older woman glanced at Hyejin and the other board members, and they nodded in agreement.
As soon as one of them said something, Moonbyul promptly translated it and the Japanese continued addressing the questions to the girl.
After 2 hours, the meeting was over and Hyejin dismissed their local business associates.
Once the 2 women and the I.T. technician were alone in the room, Yongsun spoke in English with the Japanese investors and told them she knew what they had tried to do.
When the older male insisted on speaking Japanese with Moonbyul, she informed him that her employer wouldn't fall for any of those tactics of manipulation and that she had collected data in a matter of minutes that could be used to protect Mamamoo company and also put him in a bad situation.
The man smiled with admiration and spoke English, telling Hyejin and Yongsun that his respect towards them reached the sky.
The trio made a deal and ended the Skype session.
Hyejin apologized to Moonbyul and excused herself because she still had to run to a business dinner.
The black-haired girl shook her head in a way that showed displeasure and then she proceeded to unplug the equipment.
Clearing her throat, Yongsun murmured:
__ You don't have to do this.
Moonbyul avoided eye contact.
__ It's okay. I don't mind.
__ Byul-yi...
The younger one murmured:
__ Hmmm?
Yongsun asked softly:
__ Are you angry with me?
__ Why would I be, Yongsun ssi?__ The girl tried to sound indifferent, but her anger popped with a little growl.
Yongsun pulled Moonbyul to force her to look at her and exclaimed:
__ What did I do? Tell me! I can't function properly, especially if you treat me like that!
__ What did you expect? You were as bitchy as Hyejin! Doubting my actions and intentions...
The older woman murmured with sadness.
__ I didn't .... Byul-yi, I was worried about the situation. It was about business. Not a personal thing...
__ Well, at the end of the day is personal to me. I could have gone, but I stayed to help and both of you were rude and kept questioning my skills and morals. That's fucking wrong, Yong! If you don't want me here, just say! Fire me and the problem is solved.__ The middle-length-haired girl exclaimed and her neck veins were visible.
Yongsun was trying really hard to respect the girl's decision to remain just as co-workers, but that display of anger and the new hair were extremely appealing.
The mature woman was also drunk with the girl's scent and she couldn't stop staring at the adorable triangle mouth.
__ But I do want you... here. I'm sorry, Byul-yi. You are right. None of us should treat anyone that way. Let alone an employee like you. Could you forgive me this time?
They were staring into each other's eyes and Moonbyul was totally aware of her boss' elevator eyes towards her mouth.
Unconsciously, the taller one wet her own lips and swallowed her saliva.
__ Alright. Let's forget about it.
Yongsun saw the neck veins moving once again, and she couldn't control her urge to caress it.
Moonbyul caressed the hand that was on her neck and they both breathed intensely.
__ I guess... we better go.__ The shorter woman mumbled without taking her eyes off the girl's lips.
__ Yes... maybe we should.__ Moonbyul walked towards her and Yongsun stepped back, feeling the meeting table on her butt.
They knew what was crossing each other's minds and they could feel what the other was feeling.
Gulping, Yongsun tried to break their proximity, but Moonbyul lifted her and sat her on the table.
Without even realizing it, the short-haired woman spread her legs and pulled the younger girl by her shirt.
They hadn't touched each other since the night Mr. Moon caught them. That had happened almost 4 months before.
Yongsun was trembling and her heart was beating so fast that she feared she might have heart failure.
The businesswoman was used to being aggressive in moments of intimacy. But things were different now.
She had too much respect for Moonbyul. And she had feelings, too.
The I.T. technician leaned closer, almost in slow motion, just like in a movie, and kissed the one she was in love with.