*Moonbyul is the owner of a repair shop, fixing all sorts of things, from broken laptops to lonely hearts.

 

---

Day 1

 

Ring. Moonbyul raises her head up from her desk at the front door swings open. A sassy looking lady in sunglasses and a fur scarf struts in.

 

"Hello. I've heard about this place from a friend. You repair stuff?" Tossing her head back, the lady's short hair bounces up and down as she delicately takes out a laptop from her bag and places it in front of Moonbyul.

 

"Yep. You've come to the right place ma'am!" No . My store front says the same thing. However, Moonbyul keeps her cutting remarks to herself as she forces a business smile on her face.

 

The customer leans against Moonbyul's work desk, fiddling with her likely hundreds of dollars brand bag as she watches Moonbyul boot up her computer. Moonbyul peaks over her desk and her jaw drops in shock at the girl's 15cm stiletto heels. It seems I've got myself a crazy one here this time.

 

"I'm Hwasa."

 

"Of course ma'am!" Moonbyul's cheek is starting to twitch from the effort of maintaining her smile. Turning the screen towards Hwasa, she gestures towards the keyboard for Hwasa to enter her password.

 

"My parents own one of the largest business companies in Korea." After she types her password out, Hwasa whips off her sunglasses to give Moonbyul a piercing stare.

 

"Mmm." Moonbyul quickly turns her head down toward the laptop to hide her face as her smile completely slides off her face. Damn. Another rich brat. "So, Miss Hwasa, what is the problem with your laptop today? The hardware and all seem to be working fine."

 

"It's been slowing down a lot recently. And my files seem to be messed up."

 

"Why don't you get another one?" Moonbyul holds her hands up in surrender as Hwasa sends her another glare. "I mean, you seem like you have the means to obtain another one, of course, should you desire."

 

Hwasa coughs uncomfortably into her hand before turning away from Moonbyul. "I have important...data...that I need to recover."

 

Moonbyul does not miss the tinge of red that colors Hwasa's cheeks before the girl turns the other way.

 

Snickering, Moonbyul continues to tease. "Ah. Then what is the reason Miss Hwasa decided to visit my shop? I mean, you must have plenty of IT workers at your company to help you out with something as simple as this."

 

"This is...confidential. Since they work for my father, I don't trust them. They might talk." Hwasa whips her head back around, smacking Moonbyul's face with her fur scarf.

 

Gritting her teeth as she spits out a few pieces of fur, Moonbyul responds, "And me?"

 

"You're said to be discreet."

 

"Ok then."

 

Moonbyul gets to work, fiddling around with the computer as Hwasa roams the shop looking at the various things Moonbyul has on display.

 

"Oi! Don't touch that!" Looking up from the screen, Moonbyul's voice rises by a whole octave as Hwasa takes down a vintage guitar and attempts to strum a few chords.

 

"Why not? It's just a guitar. I've had lessons."

 

"This guitar, it's not just any. It's..." Frustrated, Moonbyul wants to smack her head. No, wait, she wants to smack Hwasa's head and knock her out until she finishes this job. For Hwasa, though she reluctantly hangs back up the guitar, takes another step forward and picks up a glass pipe. "NOOOO!!!"

 

Startled, Hwasa drops the pipe and it crashes to the floor, shattering into a million pieces.

 

. "Get the hell over here," growls Moonbyul as she hastily speeds up her working.

 

For the first time since she enters the shop, Hwasa comes over meekly, head down and obeys Moonbyul. "I-I'll pay you back---"

 

"Be quiet. I need to focus."

 

"But--"

 

"Another word and I'll make you wait outside."

 

Shutting up, Hwasa instead resorts to playing on her phone, leaving Moonbyul to sigh in relief as she concentrates.

 

Oho. What's this. Getting past the blue screen of death, Moonbyul finally rids the computer of whatever virus Hwasa has somehow let into her laptop. A strange file named "Puppy" pops out at her among the row of folders that had been recovered. 100 GB. Must be good. While Hwasa is still distracted, Moonbyul clicks open the file.

 

Rows and rows of thumbnails all of the same girl pops up. Nearly all are either pictures and videos. Moonbyul raises an eyebrow and opens one of the videos.

 

"Hello all! I'm Wheein, senior here at RBW college, and I'm running for school council--" Moonbyul bites her tongue in shock as she forgets the sound on the laptop is still on.

 

"Ouch!" She whimpers after Hwasa slams the laptop cover closed onto Moonbyul's fingers. Glaring at the flushed girl while blowing on her swelling joints, Moonbyul says, "I've fixed it."

 

"I know."

 

"I'm usually discreet."

 

"Please."

 

"I'll be asking for a bonus."

 

"Of course."

 

"Actually, two bonuses. You broke my pipe."

 

Hwasa widens her eyes, mouth opened as she is about to complain.

 

"Hello all! I'm Wheein--" Moonbyul says in a sing song voice.

 

"Ok! Ok!" Hwasa pulls out her wallet, paying the amount Moonbyul calculates on a sheet of paper before hurrying out of the store with a parting glare.

 

Moonbyul counts the bills in her hand and smirks. Rich kids.

 

---

 

Day 2:

 

"Hello!" A short, bubbly looking girl enters Moonbyul's store with a bright smile on her face.

 

Moonbyul looks up from the magazine she's currently reading to greet her. Somehow, this girl is vaguely familiar, but Moonbyul is sure she's never come to the shop before.

 

Moonbyul just stares as the girl approaches, trying to figure out where she has seen her before. With one hand under her chin, she leans toward the girl who has reached her table and engages in a one way staring contest.

 

"Um, is there something on my face?" The girl shrinks back from Moonbyul's intense and solemn expression. Did I come to the wrong place?

 

"Aha!" Moonbyul strikes her fist in her palm in realization as the girl's voice strikes a chord in her memory. "Puppy!"

 

"Puppy? Oh, no, I'm Wheein."

 

"Right. Right." Moonbyul smirks as she raises an eyebrow. "So what brings you here today to the Moonstar Repair Shop?"

 

Wheein delves into her backpack, the sound of papers rustling around quite ominously before she finally pulls out a pair of headphones. "This."

 

She places the piece onto Moonbyul's work desk, continuing to pull out the seemingly neverending cord from her seemingly bottomless backpack.

 

Moonbyul picks up the headphones, turning it over in her hands to examine it. "What's wrong with it?"

 

"The right side doesn't work."

 

"Hmm" Nodding, Moonbyul takes out her tools and begins to remove the plastic covering on the headphones.

 

"What are you doing? What's that? How does that work?" Wheein's endless barrage of questions bounces right off Moonbyul, who is fumbling around with the set of headphones.

 

It's kind of cute, Moonbyul admits. Not many people who come to her shop show nearly as much interest.

 

Plus, the girl's unending energy is refreshing to Moonbyul. She'd make a fun little sister. Chuckling, Moonbyul humors the girl by beckoning her to sit closer, going out of her way to explain her actions.

 

"So, Wheein, how's school for you?" Moonbyul initiates a lighter conversation when she sees Wheein's eyes swimming in confusion from the technical discussion.

 

"Oh. You could tell I'm still in school?" Wheein laughs as she brushes her hair back. "Well. it's going well I guess. Even though I failed to get elected."

 

"Student council?"

 

"Yep."

 

"Sorry to hear that." Moonbyul gives the girl a comforting pat on the head before resuming her work.

 

"It's all right, I'm already over it. To be honest, my friend was more upset about the loss than I was. It was kind of funny watching her get so riled up though." Wheein scratches her cheek awkwardly as she spins around on the chair.

 

"Friend? A best friend?"

 

"She's a good friend of mine. I don't get to talk to her all too often though. She's usually quite shy. Her name's Hwasa."

 

Moonbyul coughs a little and her hands fumble. "Uh, Hwasa you said?"

 

"Yep! Actually, I've been wanting to get closer with her since she seems like a nice person, but she usually keeps to herself."

 

"Oh, tell me more about her. She sounds interesting." Is this really the same Hwasa...?

 

"She's super nice! Like no joke, she always greets me kindly and makes sure I'm ok. She's always respectful towards everyone as well. She's also got this amazing body with curves that she tries so hard to hide with those baggy school clothes!" Wheein giggles, dimples etching themselves into her happy face.

 

Moonbyul nearly drops her screwdriver in shock, Kind. Respectful. She must have been thinking about the wrong person. There is absolutely no way for her to reconcile the memory of the snobby rich daughter and this quiet obedient student that Wheein is talking about.

 

However, just out of curiousity, Moonbyul asks, "Wheein. Can you show me a picture of this Hwasa you are talking about?"

 

"Sure!" Pulling out her phone, Wheein begins to scroll through her gallery of images. "You're kind of a curious person aren't you, uh--" she leans across to peer at Moonbyul's nametag, "Miss Moonbyul."

 

"Just Moonbyul is fine. And I suppose I couldn't help but get a little curious. I met a Hwasa by chance the other day, and since Hwasa isn't that common a name..."

 

"True. Ah, I found one! Here." Wheein slides her phone towards Moonbyul.

 

Moonbyul bends her head down to see the picture Wheein has chosen. Staring back at her is a selfie of the two, cheeks pressed against another. On one side is Wheein, smile as bright as the one on the face of the girl sitting across from her.

 

On the other side of the picture is a baby faced looking girl with short hair and a demure, shy smile. Her eyes are barely looking at the camera, instead, glancing slightly to the side at the girl beside her.

 

Moonbyul wordlessly slides the phone back to Wheein.

 

"So?" asks Wheein.

 

"I was wrong. It's the same haircut, but she looks completely different." Moonbyul's pretty sure she's wrong. There's no way the two are the same.

 

The girl that had visited her recently was a fierce, arrogant looking lady. She wore heavy eyeliner accentuating her eyes that startled Moonbyul whenever she looked her way. Her whole makeup, not to mention her bloody red lipstick, made her seem like she had literally stepped out of a Hollywood movie.

 

Nope. Definitely different.

 

"Ah is that so. It's a shame then. I thought we would have a mutual friend."

 

"I know, right? Well, anyways, I'm done fixing your headphones." Moonbyul holds up the set and invites Wheein to try them out. "Here, let me play some of my favorite music for the test." She pulls up her laptop, plugs in the cords, and picks out a song. Soon Wheein begins to hum and bop along to the chorus of "Um Oh Ah Yeh".

 

"It works perfectly! And how did you know I love this song?" Wheein is still waving her body to the beat as she and Moonbyul dance the chorus together perfectly in sync.

 

"I guess we have similar tastes in music then." Moonbyul's shop turns into a club as they frolic around, and the occasional passerby looks in through the window, only to recoil back in shock before hurrying past the storefront.

 

The song finishes, and the two girls are out of breath.

 

"Come again, Wheein! It's a lot more lively with someone like you around this empty shop." Moonbyul waves as Wheein prepares to leave.

 

"Oh that sounds good! I know! I'll bring my Hwasa next time and maybe you can introduce the Hwasa you met!" Wheein skips out, bubbly as ever while Moonbyul returns to her magazine.

 

---

 

Day 3:

 

It is a hot day at the Moonstar repair shop. Moonbyul groans as she sticks her face in front of her fan, tugging at the front of her muscle tee to stop it from clinging to her body.

 

With her body sprawled out unceremoniously on top of her work bench and her eyes closed relaxedly, Moonbyul's hands roam the surface, looking for that iced vanilla Javiva that has long since gone from crushed ice to liquid sugar.

 

"Uh..."

 

A soothing, angelic voice, makes Moonbyul's ears perk up. Snapping her eyes open, she finds, standing in front of her, a gorgeous lady in a thin, white laced dress, hesitant smile upon her face as she quirks her head to the side quizzically at Moonbyul.

 

What is she...oh. OH.

 

Moonbyul realizes what the girl is staring at. She's not exactly in the most professional looking image right now.

 

Her upper torso still drapes over her desk, and has been open for god knows how long, feeling the chilling wind of the fan as she unabashedly stares at the customer's figure. Furthermore, she's positive the other girl can also see the bra Moonbyul had removed and tossed on her chair earlier in an attempt to save herself from the heat.

 

So now, Moonbyul's cheek is twitching as the gears in her head are furiously turning, creaking, as she tries to find a proper way out of this mess. But somehow, her head isn't working, and she's unsure if it's due to the heat, the embarassment of the situation, or the drop dead beauty of the girl in front of her.

 

Thankfully, the girl says, "D-Do you need a little time? I-I'll stand outside for a couple minutes for you to get r-ready."

 

Jerking her head up and down furiously, Moonbyul feels her body turn into jelly as all the tension leaves her body.

 

After the girl has gone outside, Moonbyul quickly slides behind her desk, away from the view from the windows, tugging her bra off the chair. She impatiently clips it on and slips back into her tee.

 

Standing up, she brushes a few scraggly strands of hair back, running her fingers through it a few times to make her look just a bit more acceptable.

 

She lets a charming smile back onto her face as she takes a deep breath and steps outside her store.

 

"Miss?"

 

The brunette, eyes glued onto her phone, looks up.  

 

"Sorry for the wait! Usually, I'm not like this." Moonbyul chuckles, hand scratching the back of her head awkwardly.

 

"Ah, it's fine! It's a hot day."

 

Moonbyul peers around the girl, noticing the bike leaning against the wall. She points at it and raises an eyebrow playfully. "Is that what you would like to get fixed today ma'am?"

 

"Yes please!"

 

Nodding, Moonbyul walks over and hoists the bike up over her shoulder. She turns her head towards the girl and says, "Come on in! It'll be easier to bring the work into my shop."

 

With that, she walks back into her store which is still sweltering hot, but maybe a few degrees more tolerable than outside.

 

She doesn't notice, but when the girl follows her in, she cannot keep her eyes off Moonbyul's exposed and tone arms, flexing as she balances under the weight of the bike.

 

"It looks like I'll have to replace the chain and oil some of your gears. How long has it been since you last got your bike fixed up?" Moonbyul turns her head to look at the girl, wiping her hands on a towel.

 

"H-Huh?" The girl struggles to tear her eyes off Moonbyul's body and focus on her face. "Oh I'm Solar."

 

Moonbyul smirks as she notices the girl's wandering eyes. She leans forward, enjoying the flush on Solar's cheeks as she does so. "Miss Solar, is it? For such a pretty girl, you seem to be rather airheaded."

 

"P-Pretty?" Solar mumbles, completely missing the second part of Moonbyul sentence that insults her.

 

"Why are you so surprised? I would think that with a face like yours, you'd get told that everyday." Moonbyul squats down to open her toolbox.

 

She takes her time with her wrench, taking apart the bike components. Much more time than she would normally need. Not that Solar would know. But somehow she wants to spend a little more time with Solar.

 

"Weird" Solar barely lets the words escape her pouting lips, after a brief period of silence punctuated by the clanging of metal.

 

"Sorry?" Moonbyul pauses, wrench held midair, as she turns to look towards Solar.

 

"You're weird." Solar repeats, louder.

 

Gaping at the random statement that Solar has just uttered, Moonbyul cannot think of anything else to do other than wipe off the thin sheen of sweat that has gathered on her forehead.

 

Solar gulps.

 

"Well, Miss Solar, do you have a habit of insulting people you come to for help?" Moonbyul makes sure to keep a slight grin on her face to let Solar know she is just teasing.

 

"Well, you--"

 

"I'm Moonbyul."

 

"--Moonbyul, do you have habit of being greasy with all your customers?" shoots Solar back defiantly as she crosses her arms.

 

"Only the pretty ones." With a wink, Moonbyul begans to apply lube to the chain, leaving Solar sputtering wordlessly behind her.

 

 

After more minutes of silence, Moonbyul begins to wonder what her customer could possible be doing. Shifting her gaze subtly behind her, she sees Solar at her desk, riffling through her stacks of magazines.

 

"Hey!" Flustered, Moonbyul drops her tools and heads over to the girl.

 

"Yes?" Flashing her teeth in an innocent yet cunning smile, Solar looks at the taller girl. For the first time today, she believes she has the upper hand.

 

"You shouldn't go through my stuff."

 

"Oh. You mean these?" Solar waves the pages in front of Moonbyul, strategically opened onto a page sporting the figures of two minimally clothed women, each striking a sensual or y pose.

 

Moonbyul snatches the magazine from Solar's grip, biting her lips nervously.

 

Oh . That was hot. Solar feels the arrogant smirk on her face slide momentarily before she forces it back on. "What's wrong Moonbyul? They were just sitting there so I thought they might have been something for customers to read while they waited."

 

"Not...well..." Moonbyul's hands wave around wildly as she tries to find a proper comeback. But nothing comes to mind.

 

So she just decides to sulk and return to fixing the bike. She stops dawdling and hurries, every so often looking at Solar only to grimace as Solar's triumphant smile flashes back at her.

 

However, Solar feels a little unsettled when the conversation stops after that. Maybe I was a bit too harsh? Creasing her eyebrows in concern, she decides that she ought to apologize to Moonbyul before she leaves.

 

When Moonbyul rolls the bike out the door for her, Solar opens , apology ready and rehearsed in her mind.

 

However, Moonbyul surprises her, instead leaning forward herself and placing her lips perilously close to Solar's ear.

 

"Miss Solar. About those magazines. You shouldn't think too much about them. Because I know that with your beauty--" Moonbyul rests her thumb against Solar's chin and parted lips, "--you would slay any of those girls in a lingerie shoot. Hell, I'd buy anything with your photos in it."

 

Solar feels the already hot temperature rise another few degrees as Moonbyul slowly releases her.

 

She scurries off, hand rolling the bike beside her until she realizes, her bike's fixed. She may as well ride away from this embarassment.

 

As she turns around the corner, she sees Moonbyul still in front of her store, waving at her cheekily.

 

"Come again, Solar!"

 

Solar nearly crashes and wrecks her bike again.

 

---

 

Day 4:

 

"I'm back!"

 

The familiar squeal of the younger girl accompanied the creaking of the front door hinges, startling Moonbyul out of her daydream.

 

Ah I was so close. So close to kiss-- Moonbyul rubs her bleary eyes before smiling at the sight of Wheein bounding across her shop and skidding to a halt before her.

 

"Welcome back Wheein! You're quite lively today aren't you." She stretches her arms up and out behind her head for a stretch while yawning. "Wait. Who's that behind you?"

 

"Oh her?" Wheein spins around on one foot, playfully dragging next to her the figure that has been trying so hard to go by unnoticed. "Come on Hwasa, there's no need to be so shy! Moonbyul's really nice."

 

The head sporting short, black hair reluctantly comes out of hiding behind Wheein and stands before Moonbyul with an indecipherable expression. Moonbyul recognizes the girl as the one in the picture along with Wheein. The same baby cheeks and innocent eyes face her, albeit without the smile.

 

"Nice to meet you." Moonbyul lifts her hand in a brief greeting, eliciting a strange twitch in Hwasa's cheek. Uh did I say something wrong~?

 

Wheein nudges the reserved girl beside her when Hwasa does not reply. "Come on Hwasa. Say something. Don't make it awkward. Please? For me?"

 

Of course, since she can't resist Wheein's adorable pouting, puppy-like face, Hwasa mutters, "Nice to meet you too," though barely audibly.

 

Moonbyul pretends to have been able to hear those words, to make the atmosphere less uncomfortable for the clearly fidgeting girl. "So, what's the reason for your visit today Wheein?"

 

The girl digs into her backpack, coming back out with a polaroid camera. "Can you fix this? I was trying to take a picture with Hwasa but I dropped it and it stoped working after that."

 

"Who do you think I am?" Moonbyul winks before taking it off Wheein's hands to take a look.

 

Wheein grabs onto Moonbyul's hands, pleading with an eager face, "I'm putting all my faith in you then!"

 

Moonbyul swears she sees a faint scowl rise on Hwasa's face and a low guttaral snarl float out from those parted lips as she watches their entwined hands. Wow. What a defensive friend.

 

Shaking her head in amusement, Moonbyul tugs her hands out of Wheein's and almost immediately sees Hwasa's stiff facial muscles relax into pleasant satisfaction. Scratch that. That's not defensive, that's jealousy. She clicks her tongue at Wheein's bright, yet clueless face.

 

"By the way, can I use your restroom real quick? We stopped by the cafe earlier for a drink earlier, and now my bladder's about to burst." Wheein speeds off, clutching her abdomen, in the direction Moonbyul indicates.

 

 

The moment Wheein is gone from view, Moonbyul feels a heavy vibration through her desk as Hwasa slams her palms down on the surface. Jerking back from the shock, Moonbyul diverts her full attention to the only other girl currently in the room.

 

"You! You better not try anything funny with Wheein!" Hwasa points a shaking finger at Moonbyul whose confusion suddenly ceases at the angry pronouncement and the recognizable voice.

 

"Ah! Miss Hwasa!" Her jaw drops open as the girl in front of her slants her eyebrows, narrows her eyes, and tightens her lips in a familiar expression of irritation that had visited her just recently. "I actually almost couldn't recognize you! You look...uh...considerably different from your last time here?"

 

"Don't mock me." She smooths her crinkled white school blouse and pats down the ruffled long skirt. "I came right from school with Wheein. This is typical school attire."

 

"Uh huh. You're definitely missing your dead animal coat and killer heels."

 

"Whatever. Anyways, don't you dare tell Wheein--"

 

"Tell me what?" The girl in question comes up behind Hwasa, who jumps violently.

 

"Oh Hwasa here was just catching up with me," says Moonbyul sweetly. She smirks at the sight of Hwasa mouthing words at her behind Wheein's back, arms flailing in an attempt at communication. "Apparently I was wrong last time. I've met Hwasa here before."

 

"You have?" She turns around to look at Hwasa who rapidly reverts back to a frozen, timid statue, barely inclining her head in affirmation. "What a coincidence!"

 

"Coincidence indeed. But let me get to working on this." Moonbyul gestures to the polaroid camera and begins to take it apart into its component pieces.

 

As like last time, Wheein stands by the table, watching. And this time, Hwasa does too.

 

"I'm surprised, Hwasa. You don't look like someone who'd be interested in this sort of stuff."

 

The statement earns Moonbyul a subtle glare from the girl, but she only smugly smiles in response. Fun.

 

"I-I just thought it'd be good to try out something different."

 

"What sweet, adorable friends you guys are! Even sharing interests." This time, Hwasa full on glowers at Moonbyul, who is internally celebrating her unexpected dominance over the arrogant girl.

 

Wheein beams, reaching over to wrap an arm over Hwasa's shoulder. "I know right? Hwasa's so chill." She completely misses Hwasa's reddening cheeks and it takes Moonbyul all she can not to roll her eyes at the scene.

 

"How'd you two meet?"

 

"We share music interests! She loves Mamamoo songs. And she's my partner when it comes to hip hop. I swear, it's almost like she's a different person sometimes."

 

"I can imagine."

 

"You should see her, all dressed up with makeup, dancing and singing at karaoke."

 

"Somehow that image seems familiar."

 

"Like, she'll be so fierce, so sassy, and so y outside of school."

 

"I can accept fierce and sassy, but y--" Moonbyul rubs her chin with a raised eyebrow.

 

"Wheein. That's too much," pouts Hwasa as she tugs on Wheein's sleeve.

 

"But I mean it. You definitely work that y look so damn well. Sometimes when we go out I'll see random guys on the street eyeing you and whistling. I'm surprised none of them ever come up to try to hit on you though."

 

"A-Ah maybe they're looking at you? You're so pretty and cute too." Hwasa looks away, blushing at her own words.

 

"You guys never get asked out on the street?" Moonbyul butts in and narrows her eyes, suddenly remembering the strange tinted black car that had been waiting outside during Hwasa's first visit.

 

"Well, never when we're together," chirps Wheein.

 

"Wait do you mean you get asked out when I'm not with you?" Hwasa's eyes turn stormy as she turns toward her friend. "I thought you said--"

 

"I always turn them down. Relax, Hwasa, you're really overprotective sometimes." She pats the girl's arm consolingly, missing the sigh of relief that comes out beside her.

 

"Two pretty young girls like you...I'm honestly surprised. Maybe someone's stopping them from approaching you two?" Moonbyul sees Hwasa flash her a nervous glance and knows she's hit the mark. But her playful nature takes over and she's having too much fun teasing Hwasa to stop. "Wouldn't it be funny? If there really was someone stopping your admirers. Like a hidden group of guards..."

 

"Moonbyul you look done fixing the camera!" points out Hwasa through gritted teeth. "I guess we're done now. Wheein, we should go."

 

"Aww. So soon?" Whining cutely, Wheein takes the reassembled camera from Moonbyul, turning it over in her hands for inspection. "It looks good. Let's try taking a selfie to test out the film?"

 

The three gather round, Moonbyul interposing her head in between the two high schoolers's. Wheein takes the picture after a 1,2,3, cheese, and waves the ejected film in the air, waiting for it to develop and clear up.

 

While they wait, Moonbyul decides to strike one last time at Hwasa. After all, who knew when they'd come again?

 

"You know, I really admire your friendship. It's so cute, so fluffy. You're so close to each other. I can tell Hwasa definitely admires you too, Wheein. Wouldn't you say so, Hwasa?"

 

"I-I--"

 

"You guys could probably use more photos of each other you know? Last time Wheein showed me your picture, it took her forever to find one of you. How about you Hwasa?"

 

"W-What are you--"

 

"Well, it's just a suggestion. Feel free to come again if your laptop needs fixing though! Or come if you need an extra hard drive or something for all that entertaining media you keep on there."

 

"Media? Like movies?" Wheein turns towards Hwasa excitedly. "We should watch--"

 

"Look! The polaroid picture turned out well. Let's go Wheein." She takes, no, drags Wheein by the hand and rushes out the store.

 

Moonbyul fiddles with the picture of the three of them that Wheein has left for her, alternating her stare between it and out the window at the two girls rushing away. Chuckling at their antics, she stands and turns to pin the picture behind her on the wall, admiring the two smiles and one jealous grimace that now grace her wall.

 

---

 

Day 5:

 

"Do you want to fold?" Moonbyul looks across the table, eyebrows raised in an otherless expressionless face. In her hands she holds her two cards, waving them almost tauntingly. Five more cards lay face up in the center of the table in a row.

 

Two more cards are held in another pair of hands in front of her, turned from her view as the owner furrows her brow in concentration at her starting hand and at the center cards.

 

"Well. You better make up your mind soon."

 

"I'll call. Don't be so cocky, Moonbyul. There's no way you're getting such a good hand three times in a row."

 

"All right. We'll reveal our cards then. On a count of three? 3, 2, 1."

 

Moonbyul tosses her pair of queens onto the table face up. Her opponent lays down her own hand too.

 

"N-No way. I had a full house..."

 

Another pair of queens adorns the center of the table.

 

"A four of a kind. Better than your full house, Solar."

 

"Damn it. You must be cheating."

 

"I guess it's time for you to take off another piece."

 

"B-But I don't have much left on--"

 

"Just take it off."

 

"Be patient. I'm doing it, I'm doing it, alright?"

 

"I can always help you if you're having trouble~"

 

Moonbyul stretches her arms out forward playfully, tugging at the lacey~

 

Wait. She frowns. The texture seems oddly realistic.

 

 

Grudgingly, Moonbyul forces open her eyes. Her arms are still stretched out in front of her, still feeling the lacey garment between her fingertips. Slowly, her eyes meander upwards, following the line of the clothing, the curves of the body it hugs.

 

When her neck is nearly bent a full 90 degrees backwards, she finally sees the face of the one standing in front of her. Solar.

 

"It's good to see you again too Moonbyul. But I didn't expect to be greeted like this." Solar looks down at the girl who had once again been lying facedown on her desk.

 

Seeing the knocked out shop owner, Solar had snuck up rather quietly, eager to prank the girl who had made such fun of her last time. However, as she had approached the table, Moonbyul's sudden grab at her dress had startled her into a near scream.

 

"Solar. It's been a while."

 

"When are you going to let go?"

 

"Ah. Sorry about that." Moonbyul retracts her hands and sits up properly, hastily wiping the trickle of drool from the corner of . "So, Solar, why did you come here today? Maybe you missed me?"

 

"You wish." Solar rolls her eyes, but her cheeks turn a faint pink. "I have a guitar I need to fix."

 

"Give it here." She clears out space on her desk, brushing loose sheets of paper and random utensils to the side.

 

"I see you don't have those magazines from last time."

 

"Since you made such a fuss about them last time, I'm keeping them nice and safe in my drawer here." She pats her desk with a suggestive wink. "I'm willing to take them back out for you in case you get bored though."

 

"I-I'm fine."

 

"If you say so." Moonbyul shrugs, but the smirk remains on her face. When Solar lugs the guitar up and onto her desk, she whistles in surprise. "So...this guitar. Wow. It's a mess. What even...look at these bent tuning pegs. And the bridge is so off center..."

 

"I told you it needs fixing."

 

"With damage as extensive as this, you might have been better off going to a music shop. For a specialist."

 

"I-I thought you'd be able to fix it."

 

"Was I your first choice, Miss Solar?" A grin rises on her serious work expression.

 

"N-No. W-Well, yes. Your sign outside does say you fix a variety of things." Solar's hands start clamming up as she stutters through her excuse. Looking down around her, she spots a chair, quickly sitting down before her knees give out. "And...you can just call me Solar. I'm not that much older than you, and it's not like you exactly treat me that formally either."

 

"If you insist, Solar," emphasizes Moonbyul, letting the last 'r' roll off her tongue alluringly. "And I'll have you know I treat you much, much, more specially than many of my guests."

 

Solar does not ask why. Moonbyul's face is clear answer enough, and Solar can't help but gulp.

 

As Moonbyul begins to examine the tragic casualty of a guitar before her, disbelief etches itself deeper and deeper into her brow.

 

"Solar. How in the world did you wreck this? I've seen people smash their guitars in the ground and come up with something that looks more in one piece than this."

 

"Stop exaggerating."

 

"Well, this is pretty bad. These strings..." Moonbyul leans forward to observe the snapped ends. "It's just a bit strange. Typically, strings snap near the tuning pegs, maybe near the bridge. These are broken almost dead center. And in a relatively similar area..." Frowning some more, she picks up one end, bringing it right before her eyes. "It looks like a clean cut too. None of that tension or thinness from an overstretched string--"

 

"It's just broken. You can just replace the strings right? No need to overanalyze why it broke." Solar bites her lower lip, eyes darting around the shop.

 

"Of course I can at least do that. But it's better to find out why something broke so it doesn't happen again."

 

Moonbyul's hands soon become busy. Solar takes this time to walk around the shop looking at various things Moonbyul's put up. She stops in front of a vintage guitar.

 

"Last time I came, I also saw this guitar hanging on your wall. Do you play?"

 

Moonbyul follows Solar's gaze to the instrument on display. "That's more of an antique for display purposes. But I do know how to play a bit."

 

"Really?" Solar's eyes gleams in excitement. "I've always thought those guitar players you'd see out on the streets were so cool!"

 

"Maybe I can give you lessons."

 

"I thought you said you've only played a bit. Is someone like that good enough to teach?"

 

"I'm not one of your street performers, but I have more than enough experience."

 

"But..."

 

"Well it's just an offer. It would require you to come by more often. Unless, you would rather not visit. Am I not fun enough to be around?"

 

Solar's jaw drops open at the girl'ls blatant self praise. Never, ever in her life has she met anyone like Moonbyul.

 

The repair shop owner is skilled. Solar cannot deny that. And when she watches Moonbyul tease the broken pieces of her guitar back into place, she believes that those sure, deft movements and face tensed by concentration are quite awe-inspiring. At least to Solar.

 

However, that personality. That damned personality of hers. Solar doesn't even know how to process Moonbyul's multi-faceted character. One moment she's serious, discussing bike gears and string materials, and the next, she's messing with Solar, slipping in compliments Solar can't awkwardly laugh off, flirting shamelessly to no end.

 

Well, she has a good eye. Solar has to grudgingly admit that, cheeks lifting as she remembers how Moonbyul had called her pretty. And beautiful. And Moonbyul isn't too bad herself. That body of hers--Solar swallows down imaginary saliva--is nothing but scupted perfection.

 

Something, though, something about Moonbyul has attracted Solar. Otherwise, why would she, on a whim, buy a guitar she sees strolling past a music store, one that reminds her of the one hanging in Moonbyul's shop? And why would she, completely unversed in the arts of stringed instruments, purposely take that guitar home, carefully finding ways to mess it up bit by bit, unconsciouslly thinking, "Oh, maybe Moonbyul can fix this for me."

 

"Hello. Earth to Solar. You're spacing out." Moonbyul taps the dazed girl, holding out the now fixed guitar.

 

"A-Already done?" Solar looks toward Moonbyul, hands stubbornly stuck by her sides, somehow unwilling to take it back. But she reluctantly does grab it when Moonbyul gives her a questioning look. "T-Thank you."

 

As the girl nods and begins to clean up her tools, Solar blusters to her back, "A-About those guitar lessons. How much would you be charging?"

 

"Oh, now you're interested?" Moonbyul picks up her remaining equipment and puts it back into a box she slides under her desk. She then plops her elbows onto the table, propping her tilted head up as she watches Solar slowly shrink her under her gaze. A corner of her lips slowly rises at her clearly flustered customer. "As for prices, they do vary."

 

"O-Oh of course. What about for a beginner's lesson?"

 

"For you, hmm." Moonbyul taps on her desk, pretending to calculate prices. "Well, I tend to indulge my more beautiful customers."

 

"I-I.."

 

"I would have even done it for free. For you." Moonbyul sighs dramatically, shaking her head back and forth in pretend regret. "But you've been quite cheeky to me today. Maybe I'll have to ask for compensation." Her eyes roam Solar's body, suddenly remembering her daydream from earlier. "A payment, in say, a different fashion perhaps?"

 

"What do you mean?"

 

"Now you're just making me feel bad." Moonbyul clicks her tongue as she leans back, arms dangling at her sides. "Why do you have to be so cute and innocent."

 

Solar blushes naively at the compliment. "By the way, Moonbyul, I've been wondering for a while. Why are you dressed up so well today?"

 

"Would you believe it if I said I dressed up for you?"

 

"Yah, stop joking! That's obviously a lie."

 

"Fine, fine." With pouting lips, Moonbyul adjusts her black blazer, ing the top few buttons of the blouse that had nearly been suffocating her for the past hour.

 

Oh my god those collarbones. Solar's eyes snap to the suddenly exposed skin, tongue darting out to wet her suddenly parched lips.

 

"I have a party to go to later. And they asked for formal wear." Moonbyul flicked her wrist over, checking the time on her watch.

 

"A party?"

 

"Yep. My friend invited me because apparently, I stay 'stuffed up in my lonely shop all day'. They want me to go out and meet more people."

 

Suddenly, Solar isn't just thirsty anymore. There's a slow, broiling heat simmering in her stomach and her face twists briefly in annoyance.

 

"Don't you meet many people already when you work? You've met me." Solar rambles on as Moonbyul opens to speak. "A-And others. L-Like those girls in that photo!" She hastily points to the polaroid photo of Moonbyul beaming between two other girls.

 

"Ah, those two." Moonbyul turns to look at the photo fondly. "Wheein and Hwasa. I sure miss their company."

 

With much less enthusiasm, Solar mutters, "See. You do meet people."

 

"Yep, but it's not like I'll try anything with kids like that, would I? Wheein and Hwasa are high schoolers. And they're so cute together that I wouldn't dare break that up."

 

"O-Oh so they're together." Her expression brightens so rapidly that Moonbyul almost breaks down from laughing at the ease in which Solar's face betrays her emotions.

 

Leaning in close to Solar's face, she whispers, "Just so you know. I have a thing for older women."

 

"I-I didn't need to know that!"

 

"But I just wanted to share. I thought we were friends."

 

"I'm just going to go then! Since you just keep teasing me. Have fun at your party." Solar huffs and walks jerkily toward the front door.

 

"Do you want to come?"

 

The question stops her in her tracks. She turns, slowly, to see Moonbyul fiddling with her cuffs.

 

"To your party?"

 

"Well, I could use a plus one. I haven't had one for a quite a while."

 

"You want me to go, when I won't know a single person there? I'll be that one person hanging around the refreshments table eating all the food alone!"

 

"You'll have me."

 

"E-Even if---"

 

"Miss Solar." Moonbyul stands up and walks towards her, sleeved arms taking hold of the guitar in Solar's hand and puts it down against a wall. "Will you be my date tonight?"

 

It's a good thing Solar's no longer holding that guitar. For her hands, and the rest of her body, matter of fact, just melts into Moonbyul's body and outstretched arms.

 

 

 

They don't end up going to the party that night.

---