“Seulgi, I look like an old woman.” Byulyi whined, disappointed that her friend made her skip one of her optional (but fun) dance classes just to dye her hair. She leaned forward and tugged a lock of hair towards her eyes, shocked that her hair was actually now a silvery-grey. Even her roots were so well done it seemed as if she was born with this hair colour. Next to her, the girl who convinced her to undergo such a drastic change swivelled around in one of the salon’s chairs excitedly.

Looking up from her phone, she her lips appreciatively. “Oh my gods, unnie, do you even realise how hot you look right now? I can’t believe you actually managed to pull this off.” Seulgi took a picture of Byulyi, who was staring at her bemusedly, and ed the display screen into her face smugly. “Do you see this? I knew revamping your look was a genius move on my part. Yongsun-unnie will be blown away, I promise.”

Byulyi looked at the tips of her bangs which rest gently on her eyebrows and nudged them to one side. “I hope you’re right, because I don’t want to live the rest of my university life looking like a grandmother pining after a twenty-something lady with cheeks like mochi.” Placing one elbow on the armrest of her chair, she propped up her chin and cheek in her palm.

“What’s next?”

As soon as she finished the question, Seulgi jumped up, waving her phone. “Irene-unnie and Wendy are ready on their end! Let’s go!” Grabbing Byulyi’s hand, she ran out of the salon and down two blocks of shops, hair flapping excitedly while the older woman was gasping for air behind her.

“We’re here,” Seulgi announced, grinning up at the simple, glossy wooden sign overhead.

“Laurel… Tailors…?” Byulyi’s chest heaved in and out, her lungs grasping for air like how a hungry child would for ice-cream. There was no time for rest, however, as Seulgi shoved her through the doorway and into Wendy’s arms.

“Irene-unnie’s got it all sorted out, you’ve just got to go into the fitting room and change your clothes,” she sang, pushing a confused Byulyi towards the back of the shop. (To Byulyi, it felt very much like she was dropped into a musical.) Wendy grinned at the flowing silver hair in front of her, thinking it a very unique hairstyle, and a delightful change to Byulyi’s previous look.

Inside the changing room, Irene was smoothening out a black, single-ed suit with notch lapels, a white, ironed dress shirt hanging on the hook next to it. When Byulyi whirled into the room, Irene glanced at the woman and nodded slightly. “You look good. I’m surprised.”

“Honestly,” Byulyi admitted. “Me too. But, what’s going on?” She pinched the edge of the shirt with two fingers, then ran her hands over the silky cloth.

Irene instantly slapped her wandering hand, thin creases already beginning to form in the fabric. “Stop doing that, I just ironed it,” she complained. “It’s for you. To be quite honest, we actually bought the suit somewhere else, then brought it here to alter whichever lengths were required.”

“Why am I wearing a suit, though?” Byulyi asked. Irene shook her head, indicating it was a secret for now, and waved towards the suit before backing out of the changing room.

Pulling off her tee and putting on the simple, white shirt, Byulyi was amazed at how comfortable it was. Originally assuming that shirts like these were starchy and stiff, she was surprised to find out that she could pinwheel her arms freely and, just for fun, did a handstand, noting with pleasure that it fit her exactly.

Now she tried on the suit, tugging each shoulder into place and adjusting the lapels, threading her charcoal leather belt through the belt loops on the trousers and buckling it securely. Modelling in front of the full-length mirror, she twisted and turned to observe how she looked like at every angle. She considered a low ponytail, using one hand to test it out, then let her hair loose again. 

Poking her head around the curtain separating the rooms, she called out for Seulgi. “Hey, do you think I should tie my hair up?” Looking around, it became very obvious that she and Irene had suddenly vanished from the shop. Byulyi stepped out, hesitant, and called out Seulgi’s name again.

Suddenly, Krystal popped up in front of her, sending Byulyi stumbling back in shock, one hand over her racing heart. “K-Krystal? You nearly gave me a heart attack!”

“We’re here to pick up Am’s altered jacket,” The onyx-haired woman explained, then hummed approvingly upon noticing Byulyi’s attire. “Hey, I might ditch her for you, because you look really hot. I’m talking well-barbecued, slightly burnt, sizzling hot.” And flashed her two thumbs-up to emphasise her point further.

Byulyi blushed a soft pink at her compliment and looked down at her sneakers bashfully. “Well, I wouldn’t mind…” she mumbled to herself.

“Out of the question!” Amber’s head appeared from over Krystal’s shoulder, and Byulyi immediately bowed to her senior. “Wow, Byulyi, you look like you’re going to go out there and steal some girls’ hearts.” 

Krystal nodded in agreement, ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the embarrassed girl in an exaggerated fashion to . Seulgi bounced into the shop then, calling out for Byulyi. “Her class is almost done! It’s time!” Spotting Krystal and Amber, she hurriedly greeted them as she ushered the silver-haired woman out of the shop. “Sorry, sunbae, but she has an urgent meeting with someone!”

“Woah, hold on, where are we going?” Byulyi continuously turned her head to look at Seulgi who was pushing her from the back. They passed the blocks of shops, walked past the crêperie, and through the park. Byulyi instantly realised where they were headed: the Music faculty, where Yongsun’s classes were held.

“Oh no no no,” she muttered as she was deposited directly in front of the building. Her attempts to escape were foiled by Seulgi, who kept a firm grip on her wrist as the younger girl planted her feet where they stood. “Hey, what are you doing? This is going to be so awkward, Yongsun-unnie’s going to be waiting for Eric-sunbae…”

“Don’t worry, we know his schedule inside out. It hasn’t changed since he dated Wendy, so that means you get the opportunity to walk Yongsun-unnie home today.” Seulgi smirked deviously. “And if he even did try to escape classes to accompany her, Irene-unnie has stationed herself near his faculty building to distract him.”

Consulting her watch, she patted Byulyi on the back. “Good luck, unnie!” she exclaimed and dashed off, leaving Byulyi to stand alone in a warm suit in autumn. 

“Wait, Seulgi! Come back!” she called out desperately, her entire body tensing up from anxiousness. She was definitely not prepared for any sort of one-on-one meeting with Yongsun, and she felt very out of place in her formal attire while being surrounded by casually-dressed college students. As the first wave of Music students escaped the building, her nervousness got the better of her, and she started to run off.

“Oh? Byulyi?” A familiar light voice uttered her name then, making her freeze. She rotated on the spot slowly. In front of her, Yongsun raised her eyebrows and smiled her single-dimple smile. “What are you doing here?”

Byulyi could only crack a strained smile back. Oh, boy.

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y'all have you heard vromance's new album?? their title song is so SAD
but my fav's 삼년째 백수 like yes "Jobless for 3 Years" the lyrics are on point