“You feeling okay, baby?” Soonyoung asked Tessa as they were winding down for the night.
Soonyoung was on the bed while Tessa just came out from the bathroom after her night routine. She crawled into bed and snuggled under the covers beside Soonyoung.
She turned to look at him and smiled. “Of course, why wouldn’t I be?”
“That thing with Vernon?”
Tessa sighed. “I’d be lying if I said that it did not affect me or hurt me in any way, baby. I mean, the insinuation that anything was wrong or that something happened to you was a bit much whichever way you look at it. But then I got to thinking, all he said was that there was a fight and then he just kept dropping off. I was the one who concluded the worst.”
“You cannot be serious and take the blame?”
“Nah, I’m not blaming anyone. Stuff happens. The important thing is that nothing really happened. Everyone is safe, you’re safe. It’s all good.”
“You sure, baby?”
Tessa laughed. “Nothing a Cofica Taro Milk Tea can’t fix.”
Soonyoung tickled Tessa’s waist. “I’m glad you get Vernon’s humor, baby.”
“He meant well. The execution left a little bit to be desired but yeah, we’re moving past that.”
“I believe you, baby. You have little animosity in that body of yours.”
“I mean, if we can just look at things in a positive way, wouldn’t that make life easier?”
“Easier said than done.”
“What do you mean?”
“Gyu.” Soonyoung released a deep breath. “I have been trying to look at it in a positive way and that’s also why I’ve been as patient as I could be with him.”
“But that thing with the bouquet affected you, didn’t it?”
Soonyoung nodded.
“Have you gotten the chance to talk to him?”
“I keep telling myself that I would do it any day now. “
“But you just don’t want things to take an undesirable turn?”
“This conversation with Mingyu could go either way, to be honest.”
“You know him. Once he has his mind set on something, he’s unstoppable.”
“Which can be a good trait. Except when his goal is my girlfriend.”
Tessa winced visibly. “Your schedules start up again soon, right?”
“Tomorrow, actually. We have a few scheduled interviews with the whole team and then I have a photoshoot with S.Coups, Jeonghan, Dinosaur and Mingyu .”
“Think it might get a little awkward?”
“I don’t want it to be, baby. Walking around with a chip on my shoulder is not who I am.”
“True. You’re a happy person who exudes positivity, baby. That’s who you are.”
“You think so?”
“I know so.” Tessa lay there in silence for a few minutes. “In other news, today’s celebration was awesome baby. I love that you involved a lot of the important people in my life. Junnie-Ge messaged me earlier saying he had a schedule today and was sorry he couldn’t make it.”
“Jinjja? You didn’t think it was too crowded?” (Really?)
Tessa shook her head. “Of course not. They were important to me, baby.”
“Can I ask you a question?”
“Go ahead.”
“It’s not that I’m complaining but something is confusing me.”
Tessa looked at Soonyoung eye-to-eye and waited patiently.
“I mean, I get that Jun-hyung and you have a friendship. You two clearly bonded over Mandarin and Kuya Hwan’s wedding. Plus it’s evident with you switching to Mandarin for his honorifics. But I don’t get the connection with Wonwoo and Vernon. These guys are like the silent ones of the group.”
Tessa licked her lips. She debated for a second if it was a good idea to tell him. Honesty is always the best policy though, right? Here goes nothing. “Actually, it was my doing baby. Before you came back from Singapore, I asked Wonu-oppa and Nonie-oppa for advice regarding this whole thing. Wonu-oppa suggested that they hang around us for a while to keep Gyu-oppa at bay.”
Soonyoung looked like he was deep in thought. “I appreciate Wonwoo even more now. I know how much he treasures Mingyu. But for him to be looking out for us like this…”
“He’s a great friend, no doubt about that.”
“I think I’m going to be sleeping extra soundly tonight.” Soonyoung declared, as he kissed Tessa on her forehead.
“Good night, baby.”
"Good night."
