Byulyi have missed almost the entire day of Christmas. She was sleeping through the whole day and she wasn't even aware when she woke up and asked me about the time.

"It’s 3PM now." I said.

And she shot her eyes open, checking the clock and it proved that I'm not lying at all. She felt bad because she has plans on taking her little sisters out. Byulyi told me about how she promised her sisters that she will take them to the ice skate ring, it wasn't all fancy day out but it's a promise and the Byulyi I know takes promises seriously.

She said the day was about to end and the weather won't be good if Byulyi take Umji out. So, they made a deal to go out tomorrow. Umji made Byulyi do a pinky promise and suddenly I was taken back to the moment at the airport where I escorted Byulyi to the Departure gate. She made me promise that I will wait for her to come back, she made me do the pinky promise too. I got the idea that it must be their thing. It's the family's thing and I can't help but smile at the small gesture.

It was simple. It was innocent. Yet it holds such an important meaning. A promise. One that you should never even think of bailing from it.

And there's this pride knowing I get to be a part of it.

"So, unnie," Byulyi turns to me, a short look that only lasted for less than thirty seconds as she takes the empty space next to me. Without even asking for my permission, she already put a small pillow on my lap and laid her head on it. It's nothing new, we always did this to each other and it became a normal thing even when I still feel a little flustered.

I can feel my cheeks starting to feel hot. Not to mention, we're not exactly alone at my place.

Byulyi seemed to notice that I'm spacing out when she called my name softly. "Yongsun." I was a little taken aback. Did my ears trying to deceive me or did I just hear Byulyi call me with no honorifics?

Either way, it feels so good in my ears.

"Hm?" I drew my attention to her. Secretly hoping it wasn't a slip-tongue earlier.

She flashed me her hamster smile and says, "You were on the phone with the girls when I woke up. How are they? Did they plan a surprise to welcome me? Did you guys talk about me?"

I couldn't hold the urge to roll my eyes and flicked her forehead.

Sometimes Byulyi is so full of herself.

"They're doing great. I doubt they have some surprise for you, they're still pissed with the fact you didn't—we didn't tell them about your return." I heard a soft chuckle as she rests her arms to cover her eyes. "Also, we did talk about you."

Byulyi jolted a bit and her eyes were wide open.

"You did? What did you guys talk about me?"

I gave her a fake frown, raising my eyebrow with a smirk. "Why should I tell you?"

"'Cause you're my best friend."

Suddenly, my grips on the couch tightens, my jaws clenched so hard my teeth could break, something in my chest felt like it was forcefully pulled into a tight knot and it makes it hard for me to breathe. I tried hard to not scoff at her answer, but I failed.

"Yeah right," I even rolled my eyes. "We didn't really talk about you. Just mentioning you once or twice. The rest of it is…involving privacy so I can't spill."

"Privacy?" She frowns. "Yours or Wheein's?"

"…Mine."

"And you're not telling me?"

"Mmhm, yes."

Actually, no. It was just me wanting to piss her off a little for once because I know when Byulyi wants to know something, she can't just be left without a single clue. The truth is there's nothing even serious when I talked to Wheein on the phone earlier.

"Is there something you're hiding from me?"

Her frown deepened, her tone changed and it sounded serious that I failed to smile. I diverted my eyes and raised my shoulders because I know the mood is suddenly changing. "Maybe." I shortly said.

Since the first time I met her until now, there is only one thing I hide from her. The truth about my feelings for her. I don't know what came over me when I blurted out something like that to her. Letting her know that there's something I'm hiding and it involved my privacy, it was something I don't plan to let her know any time soon. I can't, not now, and probably not ever.

But maybe deep down it's getting too tiring for me to keep hiding it away.

Byulyi isn't even straight, she even knows I swing both ways. She's always nice to everyone but she became nicer when it involves me. But in the end, Byulyi always say "because we're best friends" and every time she said that, it breaks something in me. I hate it, it makes me think that even though she's all kind and sweet to me, she still only sees me as her best friend and while I'm here wishing she can see me as more than that.

"Was it…really personal?" She suddenly asks after a long pause.

"Not really." I pull up a smile at her, but the frown stays on her face. "If it was really personal… You know I would come and tell you instead."

"Then tell me."

With a chuckle, I say "Nope."

"Why not?"

"Mm, just because."

"No way. I don't buy that."

I shrug again, smiling because it seems like Byulyi's curiosity is starting to get to her. So cute. "Yah, unnie, tell me." Byulyi got up from my lap and is now clinging to my arm like a little girl asking for a lollipop. "How come you let Wheein know and leaving me in the dark? C'mon, you can't do this to me~" She cried.

Well, pretended to cry.

"Do you like someone?" The question caught me off guard that my heartbeat skipped a beat. Byulyi noticed. "Is it true? Do I know this someone?" Suddenly I have the urge to tell her that indeed I'm currently liking someone. That I want to drop a few hints that she can probably pick up here and there.

But when my eyes found Byulyi, I can't explain that look on her face. What is it? Worry? Confusion? The look was almost pleading, but pleading for what?

Byulyi lets go of my arm slowly before I can figure out her expression. "Was it because I know who this someone is that you don't wanna tell me? Is that it?"

I hate how dense she can be at times, but of course she wouldn’t know.

With a sweet smile, I tell her "You know who that someone is."

"Do I…?"

I didn't continue the conversation about the one I like at the moment with Byulyi. Byulyi herself have suddenly stopped throwing questions at me. It may be just me but suddenly she looks a little off, as if she’s deep in thought about something, maybe she's trying to guess who the person is. Stupid Byulyi.

"Yongsun-unnie!" I didn't get the chance to turn my head to the source of that voice calling my name, but next thing I know a huge photo album was right in front of me. My eyes went wide when the same voice says, "You see that?? That baby? That's Byulyi-unnie!"

I glanced at Byulyi who is now facepalming out of embarrassment. "I'm out of here." She muttered as she stands up from her seat but I'm fast enough to grab her arm and pull her down back on the couch.

She yelped a little and sighed in defeat when I cirlced an arm with hers, keeping her close. Yuju said I should check more of Byulyi's baby pics and I was more than happy to do it. Umji came and joined us, whining because she said everyone is having fun without her. Byulyi, being a lovely caring sister, offered Umji her lap to sit on, in which Umji immediately agrees.

There is that feeling again when I see how Byulyi treat her little sister, Umji, like she’s the only thing that matters. Don't get me wrong, she loves Yuju too but Yuju is too old for Byulyi to baby her. I mentally sighed, this is so stupid. I can't believe I'm jealous over Umji sitting on Byulyi's lap and how Byulyi's voice soften at her. I was glad when Yuju excitedly showed me another picture of Byulyi in her younger days, it helps distracting me from all the stupid jealousy.

Then I stopped at one particular photograph.

It was Moon Byulyi in her school uniform, she's standing on a stage while holding onto her mic, her eyes closed and it showed how she enjoyed her time standing there. She's not alone though, there's another girl on her left side. She's shorter than Byulyi, big round-eyes and she's looking at Byulyi's way softly. "You used to perform at school? When was this?" I asked, eyes still locked with the photo.

"Junior High." At the same time, I noticed the uniform, similar to the one Umji wore yesterday.

Before I can say anything else, we heard Mrs. Moon calls out to Yuju. "Yuju, come here for a bit!" Yuju groaned when her mother asks for her help. Byulyi mouthed a short 'hurry and help mom’ before she shouted a short 'yes’ to Mrs. Moon. Yuju then stood up, making her way to where her mother is.

“Oh! Forgot to tell you—” She stopped midway and turned her head back at us, shouting "Unnie used to sing in a school festival with Heeyeon-unnie!"

Oh, right, now I recognize her. I look back at the photograph. She's exactly the same girl in that picture, Byulyi's best friend and somehow deserves to be called her hero too. Despite me feeling another strange feeling whenever Ahn Heeyeon’s name is mentioned, I'm surprised Byulyi can sing. She never told me.

I eyed Byulyi with curious eyes. "So, you can sing."

"I can but not good enough."

"She's lying, unnie's voice is very good." Umji said. I smirked at her, raising an eyebrow as if telling her to admit it already.

"Umji-ah, stop exaggerating my skill. Heeyeon is the real singer."

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