Love or Rainbows (Twenty-five Twenty-one Fanfic)

Loud Yellows and Mellow Reds

Baek Yijin had placed the limit on the drinks he bought by buying only two packs. At best, Na Heedo will finish three bottles and be done. But ignorant him had forgotten that Heedo's best friend was Yurim, that fish of a child who could out-drink a sailor. He watched as she finished a pack and was reaching for number 7 before stopping her. Luckily, they were drinking in his car close to her house so there was no difficulty in taking her home. The difficulty lay in what drunk Heedo will do...

"Baek Yijin, what do we do?" Na Heedo suddenly said, cutting through his train of thought. He looked her way, calmly waiting on her to complete her statement. "I'm here, drinking like a fish with the person whose title in my life if I'm being honest is ex-boyfriend and I'm a thirty-something year old divorced woman while he is... Well, a person without any serious relationships under his belt. But we are here, in each other's company, hopefully to start something again. So what do we do, Baek Yijin?"

Yijin sat with her comment for some time, thinking about it. He really wanted to keep his hands busy but he was afraid that she will think he was ignoring her... They were afraid, weren't they? The both of them are afraid of each other and what could happen.

"Na Heedo, I love you, and I know what I want for you and I am hoping that that good future will be shared with me." Yijin said, reaching for her hand and massaging it while he spoke. "But I am also aware that we are older now and more full of fear than ever. So I suggest this: let's tell each other our fears and let's make each other promises. After that, we can decide what to do. How's that?" Yijin concluded, looking at her.

Heedo looked at him, glass eyed from for drinking and emotions. She sniffed loudly and hugged him. "Let me sleep on it. I'm drunk and emotional-" Yijin chuckled at that, "-and will probably not say the right things so let me sleep on it."

Yijin smiled into her shoulder and rubbed her back. "You looked amazing today, by the way. I know I said it earlier but it bears repeating." He said, coming out of the hug. "I'll drop you off, you look sleepy."

"I am." Heedo said, leaning back in her chair. Heavens, I want this. I really want this forever.

**************

"So what's the plan? Are you guys together again or what?" Seung Wan said, looking down at her from the top of the ladder. They were at Yurim's house, adding some last details to the baby room. Yurim had invited them over since she was too heavy to go out often.

"Well, technically no. We spoke a lot and went on one date two days ago. That's not together now, is it?" Heedo replied, handing her a dreamcatcher to hang up. Yurim sighed from the side and shook her head while Seung Wan exploded, "Oh come on! Is Sunbae really that slow? Just jump him or something! What are you guys waiting on? The asteroid that's headed to destroy earth?! Be together already!!!"

Heedo was startled and asked, "Weren't you the one berating Jun Ho for moving on too quickly some days ago? At that time, Yijin and I had not met in years. Technically, that date was our second meeting in ten years. I don't see why we shouldn't think things through."

"Seriously? That's what you're hanging on to in this conversation? Look Heedo, let me be honest with you, for the first time in years, I can finally get a word in about your relationship. Do you know how difficult it has been watching and waiting for the day you will realize you were with the wrong person all along? Let me speak for Yurim, Ji Woong and I, we were all sure we were right that about Jun Ho but we were afraid to be right about him as well for the sake of your happiness."

Yurim picked up the conversation, closing the wardrobe. "I have attended your parties; birthdays, celebrating your winnings. Do you know you two never celebrated your wedding anniversaries? Apart from your first year anniversary, you two never celebrated it. I am part of the Fencing community, people talk. Everyone wondered if you two were unhappy or got too busy. But which couple so obviously married for love is too busy to celebrate their wedding anniversary? The signs were there! Even if we wanted to ignore them, we couldn't, not especially when they are right in our faces, Heedo ya."

Heedo sat on the chaise sofa, their words sinking in. This really was the most the girls had ever said about her relationships. "You guys really didn't like him, did you? I noticed years ago but I ignored it because of my stupid pride."

The girls sat down next to her and for the next hour talked about everything; Jun Ho, Yijin and all. Heedo burst into tears as she spoke of her regrets, her concerns and her conversation with Yijin after their date.

Yurim, handing her a tissue, said thoughtfully, "Heedo ya, I'm not saying this for Yijin Oppa's sake but you are finally on the right path. I have watched the two of you grow and change so much over the last few years. You're ready now."

"Yeah. Tell you what, you two need to go away for the weekend, get some air and talk things out. Yurim ah, call Ji Woong and tell him to have someone clean out the vacation house this weekend. It's a place you're both familiar with so it's more relaxing for your kind of visit than an unfamiliar place, ok? Call Yijin and talk to him. Leave the planning to me."

Heedo was grateful for her friends once again and wondered what luck she had in picking friends. Four years ago, the four of them; Seung Wan, Yurim, Ji Woong and her had put together money and purchased a vacation house close to the place they had gone for their trip with Yijin in 1999. Since then, they regularly had weekend trips there or matched their schedules to hang out together there. Now, it may just be the place that gave her courage and a sprinkle of luck here and there to finally be with Yijin.

Yurim and Seung Wan got to their self assigned task and she smiled at their backs. She wiped her eyes and called him. The phone rang twice before it connected. "Hello, Baek Yijin? Are you free this weekend?"

A/N: Part 2 of 2. I'm so sorry 😞 Life happened! Was so busy. Hope everyone is doing great?
This chapter had me thinking of Amy Winehouse's "Valerie" for some reason. Anyway, let me know what you think in the comments. There are about five chapters till the end of this fic ☺️
Till then, Live and Love 💕💕💕