Japan was a whirlwind of activities. After their morning practice, f(x) went directly to the airport. Their event in Tokyo was only for two days but their schedule was jam-packed between rehearsals and last-minute practices.

Krystal still talked to Amber and sat beside her in the van and in the airplane but her arms were crossed all the time. Amber saw it as a sign and didn't bother asking for her hand the rest of the trip.

One good thing about it was the entire SM Town was there. 

Amber's phone never left her hands as she chatted with almost everyone. Even if they were only a few hotel floors apart. She hopped from one place to another, chatting, bickering, and laughing. She chased Key around the hallways one time, because he showed her a pre-debut photo he dug up online. Jonghyun came to her rescue and blackmailed Key with a pre-debut photo of his own. 

She then chatted with Henry, who asked her about the few tunes he was playing with his guitar. Donghae and Zhoumi joined them after a while and they were laughing again. Amber spent more time with others than her members, who, in turn, were making their rounds visiting everyone.

It was like a huge family reunion.

One bad thing about it was the entire SM Town was there. 

When Amber was about to go out with Key, she met half of SNSD in the lobby. 

Taeyeon, Tiffany, Sunny, Hyoyeon and Sooyoung were there but Sunny noticed her first. She gestured for her to come to their huddled group. "Yo, yo waddup Amber!" 

"Waddup, Soonkyu unnie? Waddup, sunbaenims?" Amber casually put an arm around the older girl's shoulders and beamed at the others. A sigh of relief left her lips when she realized the older Jung wasn't around.

One thing she was sure about SNSD was their casual-wear never really looked casual. Somewhere in their array of clothing, an item or two always stood out --- designer bags and/or luxury coats. They weren't hailed as the Nation's Girl Group for nothing. Everywhere they go was like a photoshoot.

"You're going out alone?" asked Taeyeon.

"Key's treating me lunch." Amber grinned.

Hyoyeon hit her lightly on the arm. "Ya, did you forget about that 'Yeah, unnie, I'll treat you sushi next time.'"

"I said that?" 

"I have a screenshot of it." Hyoyeon was already scrolling down her phone. 

Sunny messed Amber's hair. "Aigoo, our Josephine. Why are you only treating Hyoyeon? You should treat us too."

"Jinri said you've been treating everyone these days." Tiffany said.

"That's not true! But unnie, you're always in Japan. Ooh la la la~" Amber said. She bobbed her head, mimicking SNSD's Paparazzi signature move. "Where are you all going?"

"Some famous sushi palace." Sooyoung said.

"Haven't you had enough of sushi already?" Amber asked.

They shook their heads in a hard, defiant 'no'. 

"We're going to the place where you're going to treat me next time." Hyoyeon showed her a screenshot of their text conversation. 

"Us." Sunny chided.

Before Amber could come back with a witty alibi, the air suddenly changed. Heads turned to the reception area where the four remaining members of the esteemed girl group came, all in blinding glory and beauty.

"Finally," Sooyoung sighed. "I actually thought we're going to wait until dinner."

Yoona, whose arm was linked with Seohyun's, scrunched her face at Sooyoung. "You wish. Oh— Hello, Amber. Are you coming with us?"

Amber waved her hands dismissively. "No, no. I'm waiting for Key."

"We saw him in the hallways a while ago." Yuri said. 

"Well, what are we waiting for?" 

Chills ran up her spine. That distinct voice, higher than Krystal's but with the same unmistakable curl at the end of each sentence. 

Jessica was standing behind her.

Amber pulled her arm back from Sunny's shoulders immediately. SNSD started to disperse from their cluster. Seohyun was apologizing for taking too long in the shower as they walked away. Taeyeon flashed her a thumbs-up before muttering, "It's okay." Sooyoung's "What's new?" came out a chuckle and everyone laughed before chatting in their own little pairs.

Amber was sweating underneath her hoodie because Yuri still had not moved from her spot. She lingered in her peripheral vision and if that was not enough signal for her to make a run for it, she didn't know what else to do. So she turned, faced Jessica, and did a low bow. She could feel Jessica's condescending stare on the broad of her back the entire time.

"Are you taking care of Soojung well?" Jessica asked when Amber straightened her back.

Amber wished she had kept bowing until they left. She was inches taller than Jessica even in her heels but there was something about the way the older girl carried herself. She was grand and cold and imposing. Even during her trainee days, Amber had always been afraid of approaching Jessica, as if she was not worthy of existing in her regal presence.

While Krystal was the Princess, Jessica Jung was undoubtedly the Queen.

"Yes," Amber muttered through the sawdust in . "We are."

"I meant you, not your group. Are you taking care of Soojung well?" Jessica stared right through her and Amber wondered if she knew that she and Krystal were holding hands whenever opportunity presented itself. 

That they were sleeping together every night. 

That this morning Krystal had pinned her to the wall in a desperate attempt to hide from Luna.

Amber hoped not, because Jessica would kill her first thing if she knew. "Y-yes. Of course."

"You should." Jessica muttered before she turned and walked away. Yuri gave Amber a little apologetic smile before following Jessica outside the hotel.

Key appeared right after they left. He was laughing. "What happened to you? You look pale as a sheet."

Amber felt as if a huge thorn was pulled out of her chest. She made a disgusted face. "I grew sick waiting for you."

By the time Amber got back to their hotel, it was past dinnertime. She roomed with Krystal, while Victoria and Luna occupied the one beside theirs. On their other side was the stylists' room. As much as Amber wanted to rejoice over the fact that she had the perfect reason to be around Krystal all the time, they weren't exactly in comfortable terms.

Krystal was sitting on her bed when Amber entered their room, her back against the headboard, a notebook in her hands. With the way she repeated her words over and over with a different guttural sound each time, it seemed like she was memorizing something. "Mes souvenirs--- ne sont--- sont plus des souvenirs."

"French?" Amber asked as she took her shoes off. She placed the things she bought beside her luggage bag.

Krystal looked up from her notebook for a second. "Mm."

"Vic unnie said she took you and Luna out for dinner." Amber sat on her own twin-bed, bouncing on the soft mattress before lying down. Now that she thought of it, she hadn't lied on her bed ever since they arrived. 

Krystal gave her another, "Mm." 

"What did you eat?" 

Food always catches Krystal's attention.