Predebut 3 weeks (After the incident at the recording studio)...

"Unnie, aren't you tired after the practice?" Byul said as she stood at the company entrance, adjusting the length of her backpack straps.

"I am." I nodded. In fact, I am really really tired... So tired I can feel my muscles aching as I walk. "But tteokbokki is priority. It's my life. And it's my energy recharger!"

"I just want to go home and rest, unnie." She sighed, carrying the backpack in annoyance as she is still uncomfortable with the backpack's position. "Nothing is going well for me today. I'm really exhausted, unnie." With her head hanging, Byul started to walk towards the direction of our dormitory.

"You mean go back to the dorm and cry at the sight of the bedroom you share with Wheein?! You mean you're going to go back to the dorm and spend hours in bed thinking about what those two are going to be doing on their trip to the beach?" My words made her stop dead in her tracks. I walked towards Byul and interlinked my arm with hers, preventing her from walking any further towards the direction of the dormitory. "You recruited me to help you forget about her. So I'll do just that. I'll be your painkiller to stop the pain. I'll prevent you from doing things that will only hurt yourself. I'll help you get out of it unharmed."

And I need you to help me forget about her too... I need you to stop me from thinking about her every night... I need you to help me stop myself from crying over her... I need you to help me get out of this situation unharmed too...

Looking at her, I knew that my guesses were right. She is in as much pain as I was. Just by seeing the maknaes' close proximity in the studio hurt her this much. If I were to leave her alone to imagine what happens with those two out on a date, she would probably wither like flowers from the stinging pain.

"There's this tteokbokki place that I found online. Reviews says that it's pretty good, let's go!" With that, I dragged Byul up the bus and all the way to the restaurant.

Just 30 mins later...

"I didn't know you liked spicy food." Byul said, seemingly lost in her thoughts. Mumbling under her breath, Byul continued to immerse in her own thoughts. "Wheein could handle spicy food really well..."

"Well, I don't really like them actually... My insides can't really handle them well~" Even though I know that she did not expect a reply from me, I replied. Passing her the cutlery, I smiled sheepishly as she looked up at me. "I can't help myself from loving tteokbokki... I don't know why, but I just love it~"

Now that there is nothing left to do but wait for the food, I wished that Byul would continue talking. However, the table remained silent as we waited for the food to arrive.

I may have brought her here physically... But her heart is definitely not here...

Supporting my head with both of my hands, I could not help myself from analysing this girl sitting infront of me. The sleeveless shirt that she was wearing was oversized but when she don it, it seemed to fit her perfectly. She looks really attractive wearing it. Her long but straight black hair rested lightly on her shoulders. It further emphasised her pale and haggard face, as well as the dark rings under her eyes that indicated her lack of sleep for the past few weeks. Her dark brown eyes no longer beamed like how they used to previously. Instead, they were dulled by the feelings of despair filling up her heart. 

I may be hurting... But she's definitely hurting ten times more than I am... No... Maybe hundred... Or a thousand times more...

I will protect you Moon Byulyi... I will shelter you from all the pain coming your way... I will try my hardest to put you back in one piece...

"Quit staring at me, unnie." Having realised that my eyes have been fixed on her all these while, I felt my face burning from embarassment of getting caught by her. Byul, on the other hand, calmly placed the spicy rice cakes on my plate as though nothing has happened. "Didn't you say that you're hungry? Your tteokbokki is turning cold."

Instantly, I put a rice cake into my mouth, trying to avoid the awkward situation. The chewiness of the rice cake and the sweet but spicy sauce were mixed perfectly. I could feel my face brighten at its delicious taste. "Wow, this is really awesome!" Using the chopsticks, I picked up a piece and fed it to Byul. "Say 'Ahh'~ You have to try one!"

"You're really like..." Byul stopped herself from completing her sentence. "Nevermind... Thanks." At that, she received the piece of rice cake with .

"What is it that you wanted to say?" Curious, I asked.

"It's nothing..." Still chewing on the rice cake, she focused on stirring the tteokbokki that were boiling in the pot so that they would not burn.

Having no such words as 'give up' in my dictionary, I pressed on for answers. "Just say it!"

"Errmmm...." Byul hesitated, thinking through her words. "Maybe I just wanted to say that you look pretty."

"Ya~ Moon Byulyi that's so weird of you to say that." Even though it startled me to hear that from her, I could see myself smiling at her comment.

"Or should I say that you always looked gorgeous? Maybe today a little bit more than usual because of the efforts you are putting in to cheer me up~" Her thin lips arched upwards to give a genuine smile for the first time in today.

Kim Yongsun, it's a success~

It's so good that you're smiling again, Byul-ah~

"Does eating tteokbokki make a person this good-looking? If so I'll have to eat more then~" Gulping down cups of water to extinguish the burning sensation in , Byul continued to tease me knowing that I have always been shy around praises. 

I should be angry at her for teasing me... But I can't help but giggle at her showering me with compliments.

Thank you Byul.

Back to the present (On the Rooftop)...

Silence hung in the air as both of us stood with our hands placed on the parapet, staring up into the night sky decorated with sparkling stars. Both of us were exhausted from today's schedule. However, deep within us, we both know that we are not just worn out by the tight schedule that lasted from 8am in the morning till 12mn. We are both fatigued from managing the growing feelings in our heart as well.

"Do you remember how hard you cried here asking me to help you out?" Voicing out the thoughts in my head, I turned towards her. I know that I had to break the silence because she is too worried about what happened in the morning to speak first.

"Yeah..." Byul nod