Sunset

Months after

It was a special day for everyone. Chaeyoung, Jeongyeon and Dahyun were sitting at the bleachers of the gymnasium, nervously waiting for the event to finish. It was finally graduation day for the seniors and on top of that, it was also Mina’s birthday.

Chaeyoung was tempted to order the biggest bouquet of flowers she could find, but she knows that would have been awkward to lug around in school while waiting. In the end, with the help of her friends, she decided to order flowers that meant something to Mina and had them delivered to their apartment instead. Thinking that would have been more intimate and knowing that Mina wasn't fond of grand gestures in public; at least Chaeyoung would know that if she plans on being on one knee in front of Mina, public proposals were out of the question. So at the moment, she decided to go to the event empty handed.

Jeongyeon and Dahyun brought their gifts too for Nayeon and Sana, Momo and Tzuyu decided to get something for Jihyo as well since they knew they were the only ones without a significant other to receive any gifts from.

“God, I hate waiting.” Dahyun said with an awkward smile, she was rubbing her sweaty palms on her jeans. Her eyes were fixated on the stage, watching a batch of students she didn’t recognize come up the stage to receive their diplomas.

Jeongyeon was leaning on the back of her seat, fiddling with her car keys. “Yeah, graduations are boring as fuck.”

Chaeyoung looks at her, raising an eyebrow. “But this is our girlfriend’s graduation.”

Jeongyeon shrugs. “I know, but I just want to see Nayeon on the stage already, grab the piece of paper and then we can head down and see them already.”

“And I thought I was being unreasonably impatient.” Dahyun couldn’t help but say while looking at Jeongyeon, a smile plastered on her face. “Bless Nayeon for being so understanding.”

Jeongyeon gives her a blank expression and then shoves her gently. “Yeah, yeah.” She turns to Chaeyoung. “Are Mina’s parents here?”

Chaeyoung nods as her eyes are also fixated on the stage, watching the students come and go. “Yeah, I don’t know where exactly but they’re having lunch right after, so I might have to tag along with one of you guys.”

“You’re not going with them?” Momo asked who was sitting next to Dahyun, sticking her head out to look at Chaeyoung. “Don’t they all know about your relationship? It has been months already.”

“Oh, they know.” Chaeyoung shrugs, looking back at her friends. “But I want her to have her time alone with family. She hasn’t been with them like that for a long time.”

Dahyun nods. “That’s considerate. Was she okay with it?”

“No.” She laughs, rubbing her hand on the back of her neck. “But I told her we’ll spend time in the evening anyway. I got something for her waiting at home.”

“But you’re right here?” Dahyun teased.

Chaeyoung shot her a look but smiled immediately after. “No, you dingus. I got her flowers. Tzuyu and Momo are also going to help me set up the apartment. I want it to be special for Mina.” Momo nods at the comment.

“Dude, we already know you guys do it like rabbits.” Jeongyeon says nonchalantly. “Rabbits who don't know how to lock the door.” She deadpans.

Chaeyoung was about to argue, her cheeks were of an obvious red and she couldn’t seem to spout out any intelligent words to argue with her friend. Jeongyeon seemed like she didn’t want to stop bringing up the time she accidentally walked in on the couple getting down and dirty in Chaeyoung’s dorm room.

It was embarrassing, especially for Mina, since she was the one in the compromising position. It took her a while to be okay with looking at Jeongyeon in the face without her face turning beet red.

“Hey, with the amount of women I had to walk into, completely naked and walking around in your room, I deserve to also make you go through the same thing.” Chaeyoung finally argued. Dahyun immediately looked at Jeongyeon, eyes wide and her mouth slightly agape.

“That was before I met Nayeon.” Jeongyeon argued back.

“How many women were there before Nayeon?” Dahyun couldn’t help but ask, making Momo and Chaeyoung laugh out loud. Jeongyeon threw a punch at Chaeyoung and resisted hitting Momo since Dahyun was in the way.

“A lot.” A soft voice appeared suddenly, the tall friend made her way to sit next to Chaeyoung and smiled at all of them. “I had to make pancakes once for one of them.”

“Wow.” Dahyun said her eyes were shooting from Tzuyu to Jeongyeon. “Like she asked for some?”

“Can we not talk about this?” Jeongyeon interrupted them. All the friends were now laughing at her. “I had different priorities back then. I’ve changed now.”

“Yeah, now she’s the one making pancakes for one girl.” Momo chimes in with an evil grin on her face. “From classic fuck boy to domestic house wife.”

Before the bickering could stop, Jeongyeon threw another punch at Chaeyoung's arm the moment she spotted Nayeon about to come up the stage.

Chaeyoung winced at the pain and was about to complain but when her eyes fixated on the familiar figure she couldn’t help but stay quiet. There was a look on Jeongyeon's face that Chaeyoung hadn't seen in a long time. Jeongyeon was happy, the content smile on her face or the way her eyes never left the woman whose name was called and was accepting her diploma.

No one asides from Chaeyoung has really seen Jeongyeon this genuine. Or in love. It was something their friends knew they had never witnessed in a while. But the three friends couldn’t help but feel proud of their friend for finding herself again and was finally honest with her feelings. They were used to Jeongyeon being aloof with her feelings, believing that love was nonexistent since her last relationship and telling them that she would settle with being single for the rest of her life. But it all changed because of Nayeon.

After a couple of more people were called, Chaeyoung’s heart leapt when she heard Mina’s named called out. They weren’t allowed to clap or cheer so everyone else whispered their hollers and muffled their clapping. Chaeyoung couldn’t help but look at Mina with pride. Knowing that Mina had been through a lot these past months, juggling from internship to her last remaining requirements in school and then her final exams.

Receiving a Latin title for her efforts was worth all of that.

Once the ceremony was over, the friends finally made their way to the exit grounds by the gymnasium and waited patiently for their friends to show up.

Without fail, they can already hear Nayeon’s loud and cheerful shouts by the doors of the gym, waving her diploma in the air and her other hand was holding onto Mina’s, who smiled shyly. It was a beautiful sight for Chaeyoung and Jeongyeon.

It felt like a movie, the way Mina was making her way towards Chaeyoung. The wind picking up, the spring leaves falling over them and the way her heart felt the moment she held her hands out to catch Mina, colliding in a warm embrace.

“You’re here.” Mina breathed in their hug, her arms wrapping Chaeyoung’s neck tighter.

Chaeyoung had her arms around her waist and held her close. “Of course I’m here.” She presses their bodies closer and her lips inches away from her ear. “Happy birthday, my love.”

Mina smiled and hugged Chaeyoung tighter than earlier, whispering a thank you back. As much as they wanted to stay longer in their embrace, she could hear Nayeon and Sana’s voice shouting their birthday greetings to Mina. The girls around them, except for Jeongyeon, started jumping and clapping for the birthday girl.

Chaeyoung couldn't help but smile widely at the sight of her friends hugging and jumping around her lover, who was to shy to share the same energy. She could only wish that Mina reminds herself that she is loved by a lot of people. That she didn’t have to carry her burdens alone. She had her, her friends and her family. Chaeyoung had no intentions of showing less love for her girlfriend, the only thing she could think of was how much more she could give for Mina. She was everything for her and Chaeyoung believed that Mina felt the same way with the way Mina’s eyes sparkled more when their eyes met. She loved her. That will never change.

Chaeyoung was waiting by the lobby of the apartment building. Mina already sent her a message saying that she was on the way back from the hotel where her parents were staying. It seemed that Mina undeniably enjoyed spending majority of her day with them. Her brother did attend her graduation, but he had to leave immediately after due to work related business.

When Mina sent her message, Chaeyoung immediately went downstairs to wait for her. As usual, Chaeyoung was on time—maybe a little too early. She felt herself panic again, knowing that she was an hour early from what Mina told her. But in the end, she didn’t mind. They started this relationship with Chaeyoung waiting for Mina to return her feelings for months, she knew that an hour was nothing to her.

Though, it did seem unusual for the receptionists and Mr. Hwan to see the short haired woman, waiting around in the lobby and just lounging there more almost more than an hour. But eventually they didn’t mind, they knew why she was there anxiously waiting.

Chaeyoung had something planned for them that evening. After spending the whole day preparing the apartment for Mina’s birthday surprise, with Momo and Tzuyu’s help, she was sure that her plan was going to go smoothly.

She felt herself sink into the sofa, trying her best to hold in her impatience. She flips through her phone, going through the senseless timeline on her social media page. She couldn’t wait to see Mina again.

The notification ribbon that popped up on her screen made her jump up from her seat. She didn’t need to read it to know what it was about. Chaeyoung walked excitedly towards the entrance, and Mina was there, heading towards the doors of the building. Mr. Hwan opened the door for her and whispered something to her, Mina’s eyes immediately meet Chaeyoung, and her gummy smile showed once again. It made her heart flutter at the sight.

“Why are you here?” Mina said, greeting her girlfriend with a soft kiss on the cheek. “You should have waited inside the apartment.”

Chaeyoung shrugs, her dimples showing as she smiled. “I couldn’t wait to see you.”

“Well, you wouldn’t have to miss me so much if you went with me today.” Mina said, wrapping her arm around Chaeyoung’s as they start walking towards the elevator.

“I know.” Chaeyoung responds. “I already told you that I wanted you to spend time with your family.”

“My dad kept asking where you were.” Mina said as they enter the lift, and she presses the button to their floor. “My mom was also looking for you.”