Walkin My Baby Back Home
((Oneshot, Fem!Minkey, ~1K))
“Gwi, weren’t we supposed to turn onto main street?” Minjung asks as they continue down the boulevard.
“If we wanted to take the quick way home. I thought since our dance got cut short we could take a little walk first.”
(Based on the Nat King Cole song x)
“Baby, the dance is over. Come on, I’ll walk you home.” Gwiboon says as the band strikes their final chord.
Minjung whines but doesn’t resist when Gwiboon starts pulling her towards the door. It’s only 9:30pm; the dance -- which was supposed to go until midnight at least -- had to be stopped early due to electrical malfunctions. After helping Minjung into her coat, Gwiboon links their arms as they head outside of club.
“Gwi, weren’t we supposed to turn onto main street?” Minjung asks as they continue down the boulevard.
“If we wanted to take the quick way home. I thought since our dance got cut short we could take a little walk first.”
Minjung smiles and holds onto Gwiboon’s arm a little tighter. They pass by store after store, street after street. Though Minjung keeps glancing at each crossroad they meet in some effort to predict Gwiboon’s path, Gwiboon simply continues on. They pass by a little restaurant where the jukebox can be heard from outside. Minjung starts to hum along and soon enough they’re both trying to sing the song despite not remembering the words. Eventually the stores and cross roads stop; for all intents and purposes, they’re walking straight out of town.
“Gwiboon, where are we going?” Minjung asks.
Minjung’s attempt at not sounding nervous is endearing to Gwiboon.
“Well, it’s Friday night, so the passion pit is going to be full to the brim. Lovers’ lane is probably fuller than the mall parking lot during a clearance sale. But, luckily for us, old man Jinki said that I can use that old shed on the edge of the farm as my own little hideout so I thought I’d take you ‘round to see what I’ve done with the place.”
“Oh, I see.”
Gwiboon laughs; it’s plain to see that Minjung’s not sold on the idea, but they continue walking on anyway. They continue trying to sing little bits of songs that the band played; it’s all in tune, but they get a laugh out of the mess of lyrics they come up with. After awhile, Minjung stops in her tracks with a gasp. Gwiboon worries that something’s wrong and puts her guard up.
“Look, Gwi! There’s an owl!” Minjung says excitedly, pointing off into the distance.
The streetlamp barely lights the tree where the owl sits. Gwiboon’s surprised that Minjung was able to spot it at all. Though she knows it’s not, Gwiboon could swear that it was giving her the eye. They continue on until the little red shed comes into view. Gwiboon unlocks the door, flips the door sign to “in”, and gestures for Minjung to go inside. It takes her a few seconds to find her lighter and a few minutes to get the lamps lit, but by the time she’s finished they’re both bathed in a warm glow. Half finished projects lay around on benches and the floor and Minjung goes around inspecting each one with interest. While her attention is occupied elsewhere, Gwiboon sets up a blanket in the corner, pulling out her little radio. Minjung gasps and a smile blossoms on her face when she sees it.
“Oh Gwi, it’s so romantic!”
“Just for you, baby.”
Minjung kisses her cheek. There’s an unmistakable glint in her eye and Gwiboon can’t help but be pleased with herself.
“I’m going to take my dress off so it doesn’t get all wrinkled when I sit, is that alright?” she asks, already undoing her buttons.
“Of course, baby, but only if I can get out of my suit as well.”
Minjung simply winks before pulling her dress over her head. Though Gwiboon always claims that she liked best when Minjung wears wiggle dresses to dances, she can’t deny the charm of her tiny waist exaggerated with all those petticoats when she wears swing dresses. Regardless of which she really preferred, at the end of the day, nothing pleased Gwiboon more than the sight of Minjung in her slip and stockings. She fumbles with the buttons on her vest as she watches Minjung slip out of her petticoats. Though she’s felt infinitely better since she started wearing suits rather than dresses, she can’t help but be jealous of the ease of which Minjung can undress.
“Need some help, my love?” Minjung teases.
With Minjung’s help, Gwiboon soon strips down to her shirt and drawers. They sit down and Gwiboon waits for Minjung to cuddle up to her chest before getting comfortable. They enjoy the radio for a while, but it’s soon clear by the lips on Gwiboon’s neck that it’s not enough for Minjung. Gwiboon reaches over to the lamp nearest them to turn down the lights a bit. By the time Minjung’s kisses and pets slow down with sleepiness, half her makeup is on Gwiboon’s cheeks.
“Guess I better actually walk you home now, shouldn’t I?” Gwiboon says, cupping Minjung’s cheek.
“But Gwi, I’m afraid of the dark!”
“Guess I’ll just have to hold you closer to me, won’t I?”
Minjung giggles a little and they both stand to get dressed. While Gwiboon wipes the powder off her nose, Minjung tries to use Gwiboon’s comb to make her hair half presentable again. Once Minjung straightens Gwiboon’s tie once more and they turn the lights and radio off, they set off in the direction of town. It doesn’t take long for them to circle around to Minjung’s house. The lights are all off inside, no car in the driveway. When they get to the door, Minjung searches her pockets for her keys.
“Give me a kiss for my walk home, baby?”
Minjung stops her search to pout at Gwiboon.
“Please don’t go home, Gwi! I don’t want to be here all by myself!”
“Baby, you know I shouldn’t. Come now, give me my kiss goodnight.”
“Don’t kiss me goodnight! I’ll cry if you do!”
From the light of the streetlamp, Gwiboon can see the tears welling in her eyes and knows she’s lost this battle already. She cups Minjung’s face in her hands and presses their foreheads together.
“I’ll stay, baby, I’ll stay. Please don’t cry.”
With a peck on the cheek, Minjung continues searching for her keys. As she unlocks the door, Gwiboon wonders if she should’ve taken up the Choi’s offer of their spare bedroom.
On Murder & Mistresses: Ch 1/? A Stable Meeting
((GwiJung // ~2K))
“I’m sorry I didn’t knock, Minho, I-”
“Minjung.”
“What?”
“Minjung. My real name is Minjung.”
(Warning: Rated S for smut)
Gwiboon sighs as she dismounts her horse. Her latest pursuit -- the old and rich Lord Woohyun -- was proving himself easier than she imagined. The least he could do was make it a challenge for her. She had faked feeling ill in order to leave the hunting party he had invited her upon, tired of his stuffy manners and boring countinance. Though the money would be worth it in the end, she was struggling to stay on task. The sound of an approaching rider makes her hide within the horse’s stall. The person comes into the stall next to her. To her surprise, it’s the youngest member of the riding party, a young man named Minho. Though Gwiboon very rarely -- if ever -- found men handsome, she found herself enchanted by Minho. Her horse neighs and Minho comes over, glancing around the stall.
“Miss Gwiboon, are you still in here?” he calls.
“Oh, yes. Is something the matter?” she says, coming out from the shadow she was hiding in.
“Lord Woohyun sent me to see to it that you’re able to get back to the house.”
“Oh, that’s very kind. You needn’t worry, I’ll be fine on my own.”
“I insist, miss. The lord would be very upset to find that I neglected his task.”
Gwiboon sighs to herself and exits the stall. He offers his arm and they make their way to the house.
“Forgive me for intruding, miss, but to what end are you intending to pursue Lord Woohyun?”
“To marriage, of course.”
“Such a handsome woman as yourself shouldn’t be wasted on such an old buffoon such as Lord Woohyun.”
Gwiboon stops in her tracks. “I think that is something that I should decide for myself, sir.”
Minho turns back and bows.
“My apologies, miss. I was only offering my perspective on the matter.”
“And what business brings you to this place? Sunggyu tells me that you are not an original friend of the lord’s.”
They resume walking.
“Sunggyu’s wife is what brings me here.”
“What for? Are you her brother or other relation?”
“No, miss.” Minho says with a laugh. “I intend to be her lover, at least on a short term agreement.”
“That’s preposterous.”
“Is it? I don’t believe it’s any more unorderly than your intended business.”
Silence falls between them for a few moments as the house comes into view.
“Did Lord Woohyun really send you or did you merely volunteer to come see me?”
Minho laughs again. “Both, miss. He asked for volunteers. They’ll be away a few more hours so you’ll have some private time.”
“Is your primary target still Mrs. Kim?”
“Perhaps.”
“Do you have a wife?”
“Oh no, miss. Should I have a wife, I’d be faithful to the letter.”
“So for now, you’re simply a roaming bachelor?”
“Of course.”
“What should happen if you find out Mrs. Kim is with your child?”
“That won’t happen.”
“Are you so sure?”
“Yes, in fact, I am.”
“And what makes you so confident?”
“I don’t take women in the normal way.”
Gwiboon doesn’t ask for further explanation, afraid of what it would be. They reach the house finally and Minho lets go of her arm.
“We part here, miss. I hope you feel better.”
He bows and kisses her hand, before walking off in the direction of the Kims’ room.
***
Two days later, Sunggyu and his wife depart for home. To Gwiboon’s mild surprise, Minho stays. She’s retired to her room for the night, reading in her nightgown, when there’s a knock at her door.
“Come in.” she calls, pulling a robe around herself.
The door opens to reveal Minho.
“Might I stop in for a while?”
“You may.”
He comes in, closing the door behind him. He’s still fully dressed, though his jacket has disappeared somewhere. His face is softened in the glow from the fireplace and Gwiboon finds herself once again entranced.
“I pray you’re feeling better?”
“Yes, thank you.”
The wine that Woohyun had provided at dinner was strong, even for Gwiboon’s taste. She can see the redness of Minho’s cheeks and wonders what his intentions are.
“Might I sit here?” he asks, pointing at the chair next to Gwiboon.
“Of course.”
He picks the chair up, adjusts it so that it’s facing her, then sits.
“Did you win with Mrs. Kim?”
“I suppose.”
“Oh?”
“I was successful in my wooing, if that’s what your asking, but I’m afraid the whole thing was a disappointment.”
“That’s unfortunate, for you.”
“I have a particular...disfigurement, so my methods are a bit different than most women are used to. Though we both wanted the same thing, she was unwilling to accept my alternative method.”
“That’s very unfortunate.”
Minho hums in response. The way his arm is resting his hand sits mere centimeters from her own. She turns to stare at the fire, which is making an odd noise, and in her peripheral vision she sees him glance down at her hand before reaching his finger out to brush against hers. She lets him, even responds a little. She’s curious as to how far he’ll go, as to his ‘alternative method.’ She’s been spending too much time with Woohyun and is anxious to have affection of any amount from a warmer body. Whether from loneliness, drunkenness, or some combination of the two, Gwiboon feels a streak of boldness.
“So what is this alternative method?”
Minho smirks and leans forward to whisper in her ear.
“I’m afraid I can’t explain it, I can only demonstrate.”
“Aren’t you worried that Woohyun will walk in?”
Minho laughs. “Woohyun? He fell asleep in his study before I even came in. I made sure that my visit wouldn’t be...interrupted.”
He pulls back enough for their eyes to meet, though he still keeps his face close. Gwiboon laughs, reaching forward to hold his hand.
“I’d very much like to kiss you, Minho. Perhaps even get a demonstration of your alternative method.”
“You may kiss me if you like, miss.”
When Gwiboon closes the distance between them, she’s surprised to feel a spark, to feel her heart flutter. When she pulls away, he quickly follows her, bringing up his free hand to hold her cheek. They kiss for a while, the fire starting to die in the background. After a while, Minho pulls away and stands. He goes and tends the fire, adding a new log.
“So, if I want a demonstration, what should I do?”
Minho turns to her, smirking once again.
“Just stay there, just like that.”
He goes to the door and locks it before returning to his seat.
“Are you comfortable?”
Gwiboon nods, excited for what’s to come. Minho leans forward and starts kissing her once more. She lets herself enjoy it, focusing less acutely as time goes on. After some time, she feels a hand on her thigh. She pauses in surprise.
“I do have to touch you for this, is that alright?”
Gwiboon nods, going to the liberty of pulling up her nightgown to give him access. She feels his smile against her lips as his hand creeps higher up her thigh. He pulls away and starts kissing her neck as he starts to finger her; he moves back to her lips when she starts to moan, swallowing each one to silence it. It’s clear by the way she quickly comes that he’s more than experienced, technique seemingly perfected.
“Thank you.” she whispers.
He laughs, pulling his hand up to his mouth. Gwiboon is silent as she watches him lick his fingers clean.
“It’s a pity Mrs. Kim turned you down on your generous offer, sir.”
“Isn’t it though? And that wasn’t even half of what I offered her.”
“There’s more?”
“But of course, miss. As I said, this was only a demonstration.”
He stands and Gwiboon fights the urge to whine, to make him sit again, to give her the rest of the offer. He reaches out his hand and she offers her own, allowing him to kiss her knuckles.
“Good night, miss.”
He walks to the door and unlocks it, but pauses before opening it.
“If the night gets too scary, my room is just to your right.”
***
It’s only a few more days before Woohyun takes a trip to visit a nephew of his, giving Gwiboon a chance to investigate the other half of Minho’s offer. They’ve been steadily flirting since Minho’s night visit; it’s not hard to do, with Woohyun’s bad eyesight and worse attention span. She waits until the non-mandatory servants are all taking their off afternoon to confront him to lessen the chance of them being caught. Minho’s supposedly taking a bath so she waits in her room until she hears him getting out through the thin walls. Though she knows she should, she doesn’t knock at all, simply letting herself in when she finds that the door is unlocked.
“Minho, are you in here?” she asks, remaining near the door.
Minho comes around the corner and it doesn’t take long for Gwiboon to realize that something is very different from before. The first thing Gwiboon notices are breasts. The second is that the rest of Minho’s body is equally feminine. Gwiboon is pleased with this development -- estatic, even -- though she’s surprised to say the least. Minho doesn’t seem to notice her at first.
“Mi-...Minho?”
Minho turns and their eyes meet. In shyness, Gwiboon covers her face, though she continues peeking through her fingers. Minho walks towards her, pulls her hands down.
“If you are going to stare, look at me properly. Not many people have this...luxury.”
Gwiboon allows herself to look, though she has trouble looking any lower than Minho’s chest. Her hand involuntarily moves to reach out and touch Minho, but she forces it back to her side.
“I...I...I came to...”
“To?”
“I’m sorry I didn’t knock, Minho, I-”
“Minjung.”
“What?”
“Minjung. My real name is Minjung. I’d...I’d like for you to use it. We both know I’m a woman, now, so it follows that you should call me by that name.”
Gwiboon feels even more shy, almost afraid to say it.
“Min...Minjung...I apologize for not knocking, I was just...I was hoping...”
“Yes?”
It’s clear that Minjung is amused, a smile playing at her lips, but Gwiboon feels like a fool for not being able to speak.
“I...I...I...”
“Was there something you wanted from me, Gwiboon?” Minjung asks, cupping Gwiboon’s cheek.
“The offer. That you offered Mrs. Kim. You said you only demonstrated half for me, the lesser half. I...I...I want the other half. I want you. To show me the other half. I...I want...If you’re a woman, why do you dress as a man?”
Minjung laughs softly at Gwiboon’s rushed, half formed sentences. There’s a fondness to it and it eases Gwiboon’s nerves. Minjung leans in closer.
“Do you still want the rest of my offer, knowing now that I’m a woman?”
Gwiboon squeaks a yes without a second’s hesitation. Minjung smiles properly now, placing a soft kiss on Gwiboon’s lips. Gwiboon finds herself unsteady and reaches out to grab hold of Minjung, unpurposefully cupping her breast. Minjung gasps a little, but brings Gwiboon’s hand back when she pulls it away.
“I’ll give you the rest of my offer now and then we’ll discuss my history and yours after. Is that agreeable to you?”
Gwiboon nods, reaching for more kisses as she allows Minjung to pull her in the direction of her bed.
“I have a game for you, baby. A challenge.”
Minjung doesn’t say anything, waiting for Gwiboon to explain.
((Warning, rated S for smut))
Gwiboon thinks this may be her best idea yet.
“Minjung, baby, I have a present.” she calls out.
Minjung pops her head out from the closet.
“A present? For me?”
“Yup. Well, for us.”
Intrigued, Minjung comes out of the closet. Though she’s been getting dressed for ten minutes now, she’s apparently only gotten as far as picking out a shirt. Gwiboon hands her the present and Minjung opens it slowly.
“A vibe?”
“Mm. I won it in a giveaway. Supposedly, it’s one of those ones you can control from your phone. Want to try it?”
Minjung nods and works on getting it out of the packaging. Gwiboon’s already taken the liberty of making sure it’s got a full battery and that the app works correctly; after all, she can’t let simple oversight ruin her plans. She opens the app, watching to see when Minjung’s got it comfortable. She taps a pattern in when she starts looking at the instructions again.
“So the instructions say tha-”
Whatever insight Minjung was going to offer is cut off by a moan. Her body tenses and she shuts her eyes and Gwiboon is pleased.
“I read the instructions yesterday, baby.”
“Gwi,” she whines. “You gotta give me warning. One of these days my knees are going to buckle too hard and I’m going to-”
Gwiboon cuts her off with a different pattern. She stands and walks over to where Minjung’s trying her best to remain standing. She puts as hand under her chin and waits until the pattern runs out, until she opens her eyes.
“You’re going to what, baby?”
Minjung doesn’t answer right away, obviously trying to catch her breath. Gwiboon watches her eyes flicker every so often to Gwiboon’s phone, wary of her next move.
“My knees will buckle and I’ll-”
As anticipated, Gwiboon cuts her off again. Minjung desperately tries to find a hold on the wall. Her moans get louder and Gwiboon wonders if she’s close to coming, so she turns it off prematurely. Minjung’s shaking now.
“You’ll what, baby? Come on now, you have to tell me.”
“Fall.” Minjung replies, saying the word as quickly as she can before Gwiboon can mess with her again.
“Oh you want to fall? You should’ve said that sooner, baby.” Gwiboon says with a devilish grin, putting the vibrator on the highest programmed intensity.
Minjung tries to say something like ‘that’s not what I meant’ but like everything else in this conversation is lost in a moan. She frantically tries to hold the wall again, coming before she gets a hold on the doorframe. Gwiboon catches her, putting a leg between her thighs and wrapping an arm around her waist. Minjung shakes and does her best to bury her head in Gwiboon’s neck, clinging to her. Gwiboon slowly brings down the intensity level by level, until she turns it off so that Minjung might have a chance to breathe. Feeling Minjung’s racing heartbeat against her own and her hot breath on her collarbones almost makes Gwiboon discard her plans for the day. Almost.
“Do you like the present, baby?”
Minjung hums, trying to regain control of her legs. Gwiboon walks her over and tips her back so that she can lay on their bed. Minjung goes to take it off, but Gwiboon stops her hand.
“I have a game for you, baby. A challenge.”
Minjung doesn’t say anything, waiting for Gwiboon to explain.
“If you can leave it on and let me play with you the whole time we’re out running errands, without asking to take it off, then I’ll reward you when we get home. It’s totally okay if you don’t want to, and if you decide it’s too much in the middle, there won’t be any punishment beyond not getting your reward.”
“What’s the reward?”
“You’ll have to be a good girl to find out.”
“Where...where all are we going today?”
“We’re going for lunch and then going to the store so I can find a dress for that picnic this weekend. Maybe one or two other places if you’re a good girl.”
“And we’re riding the bus?”
“Of course, we’re riding the bus, baby.”
Minjung nods, expression somewhere between terrified and exhilarated. She bites her lip, obviously torn.
“You can make three rules for me, baby, if you’re worried about it.”
Minjung’s eyes light up.
“Don’t...please don’t mess with it when I’m trying to talk to people. It’s okay here, with you, but it’s already scary enough to talk to people without having to worry about freaking them out.”
“I can accept that. Any more?”
“If...this is more of a request, but please don’t just edge me the whole time. I want to be good, I really really want to be good, but I don’t want it to end up like last time we tried something like this...”
Gwiboon thinks of the last time. They had spent the day at the mall and everytime they went into a bathroom or dressing room, Gwiboon would edge her. It had gone well at first, but it quickly got to be too much for Minjung and she ended up crying almost the whole way home.
“I’ll accept that, but there’s a rule on my side with it. I won’t edge you the whole time, but that means anytime we sit somewhere, you have to come at least once.”
“Even at the restaurant?”
“We’re going to that deli in the mall with the big booths and dark lighting. So yes.”
Minjung lays quietly, weighing her options. Gwiboon pulls Minjung’s hand up to her lips, kisses at her wrist.
“I’m going to go finish getting ready while you think about it, alright?”
Minjung nods, finally getting the strength to sit up. It doesn’t take long for Gwiboon to finish getting ready -- she was already dressed anyway -- but Minjung decides long before she’s finished. She’s halfway through her makeup when Minjung walks into the bathroom, resting her hands on Gwiboon’s hips.
“I want to do it.”
“There’s a good girl. I’m almost ready, why don’t you go finish?”
“What...what should I wear? On the bottom?”
“A skirt would probably be good, with a pair of shorts underneath. We don’t want any big wet spots to catch us, now do we?”
She twists around and gives Minjung a kiss. Minjung nods and goes to finish getting ready.
*
Minjung holds Gwiboon’s arm the whole walk to the bus stop. When they get there, the bus is still a few minutes away. She looks at the bench, at the open spot next to Gwiboon, but stops herself.
“You don’t want to sit, Jungie?” Gwiboon teases.
“I’m...I’m fine standing. Besides, what...what if a mom or an elderly person comes and needs that seat?”
“Suit yourself.”
Gwiboon raises the intensity by one level and Minjung lets out a squeak. There’s no one else at the stop yet and Gwiboon can’t help but laugh at the way that Minjung is trying to control her blush. She’s raised it two more levels by the time someone else comes along. They have headphones on and stand on the other side of the shelter. Minjung sighs in relief when Gwiboon turns it back down to the lowest level, but her happiness is short lived. Gwiboon starts sprinkling in moments of high intensity, making her squirm. She starts trying to cough to mask her moans. The woman on the other side of the shelter glances over at them.
“You’ll have to excuse her, she’s having bad allergies. It’s nothing contagious.” Gwiboon explains.
The woman nods and looks away.
“Gwi...”
Gwiboon looks at a Minjung with the most innocent face she can manage.
“Yes, Jungie?”
“I...the bus is coming.”
Gwiboon turns just as the bus parks at the stop. The woman gets on first. They can hear the noise from the occupants before they even get on and Gwiboon bites back a smile. She pays their fare and they sit down at the very back of the bus. There’s a number of teens yelling in the middle of the bus, perfect to mask any noise from Minjung. Minjung is reluctant to sit once again.
“Jungie, aren’t you going to sit down?” Gwiboon whispers.
“I...I thought I...I’d stand in case someone needs the seat.”
“What if I want you to sit down?”
Minjung looks at Gwiboon, who’s doing her best to look strict without being demanding.
“There’s a lot of stops before ours, Jungie, your legs will get tired."
Minjung swallows and moves to sit in the window seat. Gwiboon takes her hand, presses a kiss to the back of it. There’s six stops between them and the mall and Gwiboon intends to make good use out of five of them. She starts as before, simply raising and lowering the intensity at will. Minjung’s fidgeting badly by the second stop, biting her lip so hard Gwiboon’s worried that she might draw blood.
“You’re being so good, why don’t you rest your head on my shoulder, Jungie?” she whispers.
Minjung does as she’s told, doing her best to get comfortable. Gwiboon moves from just the normal levels to patterns by the third stop. She’s pleased when Minjung squeezes her hand in the same pattern in response. By the fourth stop, Minjung’s doing her best to muffle her moans in Gwiboon’s shoulder. No one’s sat near them, but there are far more open seats at the front of the bus that it makes sense. Gwiboon stops tapping patterns, letting Minjung sit on the lowest intensity. Though she had promised Minjung that she’d have to come, she couldn’t help herself but to edge her a little. When they get stuck at a long red light, Minjung starts fidgeting around again, trying to get some sort of friction.
“Are you going to be a good girl?” Gwiboon asks quietly.
“Yes, Gwi, please.”
When the bus starts moving again, Gwiboon puts it on the highest intensity, lets Minjung bite her shoulder as she squirms from her orgasm. She puts it back down on the lowest when she starts to whine ever so quietly. Gwiboon doesn’t do anything the rest of the ride, letting Minjung rest enough that she’ll be able to walk off the bus. When their stop comes, Gwiboon has to reach over to pull the signal. Minjung holds her hand, more tightly than before, and they quietly make their way to the mall. When they hit empty areas of the mall, Gwiboon randomly puts a few taps in, laughing at the way Minjung squeals and squeezes her hand.
“Gwi...” she whines.
“Yes, Jungie?”
“I’m trying to walk here...”
“You’re doing a good job, Jungie. You’re successfully putting one foot in front of the other, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, but...”
A few high pulses quiets her once again as she puts all her focus into walking. Soon enough they reach the restaurant and Minjung holds their table while Gwiboon orders for them at the counter. Though she wants to keep messing with her, the chances of a staff member walking up to her to see if she needs help is too high -- breaking Minjung’s trust is the last thing she wants to do -- so she just leaves it at the intensity that Minjung’s comfortable with. She comes back with their lunches and smiles at the little pile of torn up napkin that sits in front of Minjung.
“I have an alternative for you, Jungie.”
“Yeah?”
Gwiboon passes her phone over to Minjung for her to read.
While I’d love to watch you squirm as you try to eat, I don’t want you to choke and I don’t want staff interrupting. So either a) we can continue as agreed before or b) i’ll let you mostly off the hook for now, leaving it running low, but when we get to the dressing room you have to make up the orgasm
“B.” Minjung replies without a second thought. “Thank you, Gwi.”
“No problem, Jungie.”
*
Minjung’s fidgeting again by the time Gwiboon’s picked out her dresses and they head for the dressing room. It’s empty and there’s no attendant in sight so they quickly go the one furthest back. Gwiboon pulls Minjung close and gives her a kiss.
“I want you to sit on the bench for me. Take your shorts off and sit on them and pull your skirt up so I can see your pretty panties, okay? Can you be good and do that for me?”
Minjung nods as if entranced and does as she’s told. There’s music blaring throughout the store and it gives Gwiboon an idea. There’s a setting claiming that it’ll sync up with any talking or music playing so Gwiboon activates it and watches Minjung’s grip on her skirt tighten. She laughs at lets it go while she puts on the first dress. It’s a little too revealing for a work picnic, so she moves on to the second one. In the mirror, she can see Minjung trying to hide her face in her skirt.
“Show me your eyes, Jungie. Don’t hide.” she whispers, turning to grab the next dress.
While the vibrator obviously has her excited, it’s clear that it’s just too light to push her over the edge. Once the dress is on, Gwiboon turns to face Minjung.
“Do you like this one or the old one better?” she asks, turning it up to full intensity.
Minjung comes before she gets the chance to answer. If her underwear wasn’t already soaked before, it would be now. Unlike before, Gwiboon only turns it down one level.
“Jungie, I need your opinion, which dress do you like better?”
Minjung moves to hold onto the bench below her, toes curling and leg shaking so much that her shoes fall off. Gwiboon walks over, puts her hand to Minjung’s cheek. She kisses her forehead just before she comes again, moving to grip Gwiboon’s arms instead.
“Be good and tell me which you like better, mm?”
She turns the vibrator down another level and Minjung manages to point at the other dress.
“You like that one better?”
Minjung nods, biting her already swollen lip again. Gwiboon gives her a kiss and turns it back down to the lowest setting.
“You look so pretty, Jungie. Such a good girl.”
Gwiboon moves to change back into her clothes so that Minjung can rest. Her chest is heaving, still trying to get air back into her lungs, but her blush and shy smile tell Gwiboon that she’s still enjoying it. She leaves the level low as they check out and walk back to the bus stop. The battery doesn’t have much time left on it, so Gwiboon makes the most of the time she has left. Once again, she apologizes to the other people waiting for Minjung’s ‘allergies’. They get off two stops early, to Minjung’s surprise, and the battery dies the moment they get off the bus.
“Gwi, did you...is it...”
“You did so well today, you were such a good girl.” Gwiboon whispers to her.
Minjung smiles shyly, unable to blush anymore. She lets Gwiboon lead the way until they end up at a candy store.
“What are we getting here?” Minjung asks, eyeing the counter.
“Whatever you want. You did as I asked, so as part of your reward you can get whatever you want. I have $10, pick out whatever.”
Minjung’s face lights up and she walks to the counter as fast as her legs will go. She picks out her truffles and they get back on the bus to finish heading home.
*
Once inside, Gwiboon takes Minjung into her arms.
“You were such a good girl today.” she says, kissing her cheek.
“Thank you, Gwi.”
“Did you enjoy it?”
“I did, but I don’t think I’d like it often.”
“It wouldn’t be often, baby. Just a once in a while thing, if we want.”
Gwiboon keeps Minjung pressed up against the door with kisses a while longer, until she notices Minjung resting more and more on her.
“Why don’t you go shower and I’ll make us a snack?”
Minjung nods, walking off towards their room, putting a hand against the wall to steady herself the whole way. Gwiboon smiles at the sight, waiting to hear the door shut before she moves to the kitchen. It takes the whole time Minjung’s in the shower for her to make Minjung’s favorite snack -- super loaded nachos -- and she’s barely finished assembling it by time Minjung walks out. Her face lights up when she sees the bowl.
“Did you make those for me??”
“Of course, baby. They’re one of your treats, right?”
“Yeah! I just thought the chocolates were my reward.”
“They were part of it, but you were good enough that I decided you deserve a bigger reward than just that.”
Minjung looks like she might cry and Gwiboon walks forward to wrap her arms around her.
“What’s wrong, baby?”
“Nothing...nothing’s wrong. I just...just tried really hard and...and I’m glad I...I made you happy.”
Gwiboon smiles softly and kisses her nose.
“You always make me happy, Minjung. If you love me, then that’s enough to make me happy.”
“I do, I really love you, Gwi.”
“I love you too, baby. Now come on, let’s sit down before the nachos get cold.”
The rest of the afternoon is spent watching tv; Minjung sits in Gwiboon’s lap, happily eating her nachos while Gwiboon presses soft kisses to her forehead and cheek. When the nachos are gone, she gets her box of chocolates off the counter. She eats half a truffle, giving Gwiboon the other.
“I’m surprised you got just truffles.”
“They were on sale so I figured I could get more if I chose them.”
“I could help you run away.”
“How?”
“I could hide you away for a few days. You’re worried about this husband coming to look for you, yes? If your boat comes home empty, he won’t look for you anymore. Then you can go on to a new town as a new girl. No ties, no worries.”
It’s just before dawn when Gwiboon leaves. She dresses herself as quickly and quietly as she can before she grabs her basket out from its hiding place. She climbs over the fence, fearing the gate with creak too much if she tries to open it. Until she gets passed the last house on the lane she walks properly, dignified. No one should be awake at this hour but she doesn’t want to run the risk of making a scene. Once she’s reached the part of the road where the trees thicken, however, she picks up her skirts and run as fast as her legs will take her. Dawn has come by the time she reaches the edge of the lake. A dense fog covers it, and she almost loses her nerve, but she puts her basket in the first rowboat she can get loose and sets off. Growing up, she’d always been told how important it was to stay within sight of the shore, how important it is not to get trapped in the fog, how the people who ventured too far sent home empty boats. As she rows away from the shore, she goes as far as she can before she turns and travels perpendicular to the shore. The lake is huge, practically a sea, and she wants to get as far away from her town as she can before anyone else ventures out.
An hour later, she can no longer see the dock that she left from nor any similar looking outcroppings. It’s getting brighter out but the fog on the lake doesn’t dissipate at all. Birds flit around in the trees, but none venture over the water. Gwiboon stops rowing and takes an apple out of her basket. She doesn’t have much food with her and even less money, but she’s hopeful that wherever she lands that the people will be kind. After another hour of rowing, she hears a noise coming from the fog. It’s high pitch, almost like the sound of someone crying. Gwiboon keeps rowing and tries to ignore the sound. The fog has her on edge enough and nothing good has ever come from following strange noises. Yet, over time, Gwiboon finds herself peering into the fog, trying to find the source of the noise. The shore gets further and further away until finally Gwiboon turns her boat fully away from it. The fog doesn’t envelop her like she thinks it will; there’s a gap around her, almost as if she’s sitting in a bubble, extending more than an arm’s length beyond the sides of the boat. The noise is getting louder and Gwiboon realizes that it’s not crying, but singing. She gets excited as the song grows clearer. She rows as hard as she can until she seems to find a clearing. The song is loud and wonderful and nearby. She scans around, looking for another boat, looking for the singer. She notices someone swimming around and the song stops.
“Hello?” she calls out.
The swimmer -- a woman -- turns around. When their eyes meet, she swims to the side of Gwiboon’s boat.
“Hello.” the woman whispers, reaching a hand up onto the edge of the boat.
“Are you safe? Where’s your boat?” Gwiboon asks, concerned.
The woman laughs. “I don’t need a boat.”
“Was...was that you singing?”
“Maybe. Did you like it?”
“Oh yes. It was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard.”
The woman beams. “Yes, it was me.”
“What are you doing out here?”
“I’m doing what I please.”
“Oh.”
“What are you doing out here? It’s not often I see girls alone in boats, very rarely so pretty as you.”
Gwiboon hesitates. “I’m...leaving.”
“Where to, pretty girl?”
“I...I haven’t decided yet.”
“Running away, then?”
“Yeah...yeah. I’m running away from my husband.”
“What’s your name, pretty girl?”
“Gwi-Gwiboon.” she says, blushing deeply.
“That’s a pretty name. A pretty name for a pretty girl.” The woman reaches up a hand to Gwiboon’s cheek. “I could help you run away.”
“How?”
“I could hide you away for a few days. You’re worried about this husband coming to look for you, yes? If your boat comes home empty, he won’t look for you anymore. Then you can go on to a new town as a new girl. No ties, no worries.”
“Where would I hide at?”
“I have a house close.”
“How do I know you won’t hurt me?”
The woman laughs. “If I wanted to hurt you, Gwiboon, I would’ve done it already.”
Gwiboon becomes acutely aware of just how far out of the water the woman is, how naked she seems to be.
“Is there...what do you want in return?”
“For hiding you away? A kiss.”
Gwiboon swallows hard. The only person she’s ever kissed has been her husband, none of them ever pleasant.
“Are you...sure that’s what you want?”
The woman laughs. “Yes, I’m sure. Besides, what else have you to offer me? I’m not interested in first borns. I have no use for money. I’m not going to eat you. So instead, just a kiss and perhaps a thank you will suffice for my efforts.”
Gwiboon stays still, trying her best to look away from the woman.
“It’s a fair deal, isn’t it? Just close your pretty eyes for me, Gwiboon.”
Gwiboon looks back and nods. The woman reaches her other hand up, cupping Gwiboon’s face and she does her best to mentally prepare. Kisses from her husband have always been rough, unkind, taken from her. Gwiboon half expects the woman to pull her over the side of the boat in an attempt to drown her. When the woman puts her lips to Gwiboon’s, however, the feeling is completely new. It feels soft and warm and lovelier than anything Gwiboon’s ever felt before. When the woman pulls away, Gwiboon feels herself instinctively try to follow her for more. The woman laughs.
“See? Not so bad, is it?”
Gwiboon blushes deeply again and shakes her head shyly.
“Do you have the strength to keep rowing? My house is close by.”
Gwiboon nods and the woman starts swimming away.
“Just follow me, pretty girl. We’ll be there soon and then you can rest.”
Eventually, they reach what Gwiboon assumes must be the woman’s house. There’s a clearing, right in the middle of the fog, with a large island. On it sits a quaint little house, surrounded by bushes full of roses and strawberries. A forest extends behind it. It’s warm and lovely and looks more inviting than any home back in Gwiboon’s old town. The woman stops swimming a good distance out from the shore.
“I...I can go no further, but my home is yours for now. There’s not much, but you’re welcome to anything you need. When you reach the shore, take your dress off, just the outer layer, and put it back in the boat. Then push the boat back to me. I’ll be back in two days time.”
“Why so long?”
“I’ll explain when I get back.”
Gwiboon starts rowing towards shore, then stops again.
“What’s your name?”
“Minjung. Now hurry. I can’t stay long.”
Gwiboon does her best to reach the shore quickly, removing her overdress and sending the boat back out. It drifts to Minjung quickly and soon she’s waving goodbye and heading back into the fog. Gwiboon stands on the shore for a while, looking at where Minjung’s disappeared. When it’s clear she’s not coming back, she heads inside. True to Minjung’s word, there’s not much inside: a cot, a few baskets of food, flowers drying on a string, a basket of fabric. Gwiboon goes to the food and grabs a roll of bread before sitting down on the cot. She’s exhausted from rowing all morning, so she decides to sleep. After all, she has two days to wait for Minjung to come back.
Gwiboon wakes to Minjung’s song. Thinking she’s come home early, Gwiboon rushes outside. She’s still alone though, the sound simply drifting through the fog. Judging by the amount of light coming through, it’s early afternoon. She walks around the house, inspecting everything she can. She sits on the shore, as close to the water as she can, and closes her eyes, listening to Minjung’s song. When she opens her eyes again, it’s dark, She goes inside, eats something, and goes to bed.
Minjung returns around noon. Gwiboon’s sitting in the doorway, waiting, when she spots Minjung’s head peek up out of the water. She stands and walks to the water’s edge as she comes walking up onto shore. Minjung’s taller than she thought she would be; when Gwiboon realizes that Minjung is in fact naked, long hair clinging to her body but doing little to cover her, she tries to look away.
“I sent your boat back; they stopped looking for you at nightfall.” Minjung explains.
“Did he...was anyone upset?”
“If they were, I didn’t hear it. I heard whispers that they were surprised it took this long. They seem to be under the impression that he killed you.”
Gwiboon looks down at the ground, unsure of what to feel about the situation.
“Do you know where you want to go? From here?” Minjung asks, walking into the house.
“Not really, I’ve never...I haven’t....”
“You’ve never been outside before, have you?”
Gwiboon shakes her head. Minjung sighs and starts digging through a basket.
“Aha! Here’s a map. It’s a little old, so take it with a grain of salt. If there’s a place that tickles your fancy, I’ll take you tomorrow.”
“What if there isn’t?”
“There’s no rush, pretty girl.”
Minjung looks Gwiboon over and there’s something to her gaze that makes her shiver. Gwiboon is still trying not to look at Minjung, though it’s getting increasingly hard.
“Can you...would you mind putting something on?” she asks.
Minjung glances down at herself and then smiles.
“I can if it bothers you.”
“It’s not that it bothers me, I just...it just....you see...”
“Gwiboon, your body is no different than mine. Is it something to be ashamed of?”
Gwiboon feels her cheeks turning red. “How am I supposed to know?”
“Haven’t you seen yourself before?”
Gwiboon shakes her head and Minjung’s shocked face makes her feel even more embarrassed.
“Women aren’t allowed to look into mirrors, in my...in my old town. They say it makes us bad if we do.”
“That’s terrible! Come here, come stand by me.” Minjung instructs, pulling a curtain away from the wall.
Gwiboon does as she’s told but avoids looking at the now exposed mirror. Minjung puts a hand on either side of her waist, positioning her properly in front of the mirror.
“Don’t you want to know what you look like, pretty girl?”
She looks up and tries not to be afraid of her own reflection. She can’t look long at her own face, instead moving down to look at the parts of her underdress. Minjung takes notice and turns Gwiboon around.
“Let’s take these off, yeah? Your town is the only one that refuses to let them go. You might as well get used to it as soon as you can.”
Though she thinks to protest, Gwiboon finds herself allowing Minjung to unlace her corset, untie her petticoats. When she’s naked, Minjung turns her back around. She can’t bring herself to look, no matter how much Minjung tries to coax her to. Eventually she gives up and starts rummaging through the fabric basket again. She pulls out two dresses, much thinner and simpler than Gwiboon’s used to; she hands one to Gwiboon and puts the other on herself. Though she’s the one that asked for this, Gwiboon’s disappointed.
“Where were you yesterday?” Gwiboon asks after almost two hours of silence.
Minjung looks up from where she’s descaling fish. “I was in the lake.”
“But how?”
“Gwiboon, you know the answer.”
When she was little, Gwiboon had heard stories about things -- people -- who lived in the lake. That’s part of why it was forbidden to swim in it. But she never for a second had thought that maybe those stories were true.
“But you’re on land now? If you...how can....”
Minjung laughs. “It’s simple, really. For seven days, I stay in the water. I move around as a please, drown sailors who are foolish enough to try and net me. Then, I get to spend the eighth day on land. I get to smell my roses and eat my strawberries. Wear dresses if I please. Then it’s back to the water to start again.”
“Oh. So tomorrow...”
“Tomorrow noon, I go back for a week. Well, one fo your weeks. My weeks are eight days.”
“So if I don’t know where I want to go, you’ll let me stay until you come back again?”
“Of course. Where else are you going to go, pretty girl? We both know you can’t swim.”
Gwiboon spends the whole night watching Minjung from a distance. They eat dinner together, Gwiboon telling Minjung about the reasons she left. An angry mother, a cruel husband, a lack of anything to do. In turn, Minjung tells Gwiboon about the people she’s seen -- and drowned. When Gwiboon lays down to sleep, she remembers her kiss in payment on the boat. She sneaks glances at Minjung’s lips until she falls asleep, dreaming about their softness. Minjung’s gone when Gwiboon wakes. She feels a pang of loneliness, but tries to get along.
Most of her week is spent in front of Minjung’s mirror. Getting acquainted with every line on her face, every curve of her body. She figures that if she left home for freedom, she might as well exercise it to the full amount. The rest of her time is spent thinking about Minjung. The sound of her voice, the curve of her lips, the shape of her body. She tries to look at the map, tries to find a place to go -- after all, she doesn’t want to overstay her welcome -- but no where sounds appealing.
When Minjung comes home again, Gwiboon’s waiting at the water’s edge. After her week of self-discovery, she’s decided to forgo her dress. She can feel Minjung’s eyes locked on her the moment her head comes out of the water.
“Busy week alone?” Minjung asks as she walks out of the water.
Gwiboon blushes, but reaches out for Minjung’s hands.
“Kiss me. Please. Like you did when you found me. Please.”
Minjung’s hands move to Gwiboon’s face, lips on hers in a second. The warm feeling returns to Gwiboon, just as before, but it disappears when Minjung pulls away.
“Just one kiss, pretty girl?” She asks, keeping her face just out of reach.
“No, not one, as many as you can fit into a day.”
Minjung’s lips are back on Gwiboon’s almost before she finishes her sentence. Gwiboon wraps first her arms around Minjung’s neck, then her legs around her waist. Minjung lets go of Gwiboon’s face in order to support her, carrying her inside. Once on Minjung’s cot, they spend no more than a moment of out each other’s arms. Gwiboon’s unable to stop asking for more and Minjung’s equally unable to stop giving. By the time dawn comes, Gwiboon thinks she might die from so many sweet kisses, so many gentle touches. Even when the lake calls to Minjung, Gwiboon can’t let go. She holds tight onto her, Minjung doing her best to walk backwards into the lake.
“Gwiboon....Gwi you need...you have to go...go back” Minjung instructs between kisses.
Gwiboon ignores her, stealing more kisses as they get knee deep.
“You can’t....Gwi you can’t....can’t swim go back.”
“Don’t...don’t leave”
“We both...both know I...I have to...Gwiboon...go...go back.”
When the water is waist deep, Minjung starts trying to push Gwi away, sets her back on the ground. At chest level, the ground suddenly drops off. Gwiboon goes to wrap herself around Minjung, to stay close to her, but she’s pushed back. The water carries her to the shore.
“I’m sorry.” Minjung calls out just before she dips under the water.
For the next seven days, Gwiboon can only cry and watch the waters. She tries to explore the forest behind the house; no matter how far back she goes, however, she finds herself back on the waterfront. She knows it’s days before Minjung will return, but she can’t help but be on guard at all times. When Minjung does return, there’s something different. Her kisses are still soft, but her body is colder than before, weaker than before. She falls asleep twice and Gwiboon feels guilty waking her up in order for them to have their time. When the lake calls for her, Gwiboon half carries her to the water. The week is spent anxiously; Minjung’s song grows weaker and quieter with each passing day.
She washes up on the shore just after dawn. Gwiboon just happens to wake up in time, rushing out to bring her inside. She’s almost as cold as the lake water, struggling to stay awake.
“Minjung, can you hear me?” Gwiboon asks as she lays her on the cot.
Minjung turns her head, tries to put a hand to Gwiboon’s cheek.
“My pretty girl.” she whispers before coughing.
“What’s wrong, Minjung? What’s happening?”
“I’m a fool.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m dying.”
Tears start running down Gwiboon’s cheeks.
“What do you mean you’re dying?”
“I’m a fool in love and I’m dying.”
She starts coughing again and Gwiboon helps her sit up. When it subsides, Gwiboon does her best to hold her, pressing kisses to her neck and shoulder. She coughs again and pulls away enough to rest their foreheads against each other.
“Gwi...Gwi, my pretty girl, do you love me?” she whispers.
“I do. Since the first time you came back.”
Minjung smiles and starts crying as well. Gwiboon’s confused and frightened and when Minjung starts coughing again, she fears the worst. But like before it subsides, but it’s clear that Minjung’s coughed something up. She holds it in her hand, before offering it to Gwiboon. As Gwiboon looks at it, she realizes it’s a pearl.
“If...if you love me, take it.”
“What do I...do I just hold it?”
“You have to swallow it”
“Why?”
“It’ll bind us together. It’s...think of it as a marriage.”
“What happens if I don’t?”
“If you don’t swallow it, I’m going to die. If you swallow it, but you don’t love me, I’m going to die. This is me giving you my heart. Me saying that I can’t live without you.”
Without a second thought, Gwiboon swallows the pearl.
Gwiboon wakes up holding Minjung. She kisses the top of her head, delighted to feel that she’s warm once again. She reaches down and grabs one of Minjung’s hands, pressing kisses into her palm until she wakes up. She seems surprised, touching Gwiboon’s face as if to make sure they’re both still real.
“When did you know you loved me?” Gwiboon asks softly.
“When I found you in your boat. For us -- for my people --, when you meet the person you’re destined for, you find your song. I’d never sang before I met you. And then all of a sudden, I saw your form through the fog and my heart was filled with song and I knew it had to be you.”
“So if I hadn’t been your...soulmate, then you would’ve drowned me?”
Minjung hums, scooting up so that they’re laying face to face. “I was a fool for you from the moment I saw you. I shouldn’t have kissed you that day. There’s a sort of internal watch that starts ticking down time after the first kiss, only so much time to develop love. I risked so much because I wanted you so bad.”
“I guess it’s lucky for us that I loved you back,”
For the first time since their meeting, Minjung gets shy.
“When did you...when did you know? That you loved me?”
“The first night you came back. When I was trying to go to sleep but was having so much trouble falling asleep because I was trying to will you to kiss me.”
“I guess you don’t have to worry about that now.”
“That’s true.” Gwiboon says, reaching over for a kiss.
Over time, it gets easier to let Minjung return to the water. Out of desperation, Gwiboon learns to swim. Everyday that Minjung must spend in the lake, they meet in the water at the edge of the fog. Days when Minjung gets to come home, Gwiboon meets her out in the water. It makes Minjung laugh, the way Gwiboon pulls her ashore with such desperation, but she’s happy and plays along. One day, Minjung finds a boat. She brings it to Gwiboon and shows her the paths to the towns. Soon enough, Gwiboon’s spending her seven days on the real shore. She takes the little allowances Minjung steals from boats to buy candies and treats and trinkets to take home. There’s whispers about her -- the woman who kisses the water and never stays longer than a week -- but she doesn’t mind them at all. Even when she chances upon her former husband, who runs away at the sight of her, she remains carefree. No matter what happens, she knows that on the eighth day of the week, she gets to go home to their island and be loved.
