Five years ago, 2016.7

“Really!? You got it?”

“Y-Yes…Even I cannot believe it…”

“Give it to me, I’ll check for you!”

Nayeon handed over the envelope with sweaty hands, Chaeyoung opened and gulped as she saw the words on it.

“It is written right here, QUALIFIED! You’re going to the best music graduate school!” She exclaimed and hugged her tightly. “Congratulations, Nayeon unnie!! I’m so happy for you!”

“Thank you…” Nayeon hugged her back and finally smiled. That was real, she didn’t fantasize it. After the long application and waiting, she got to go to her dream institute.

That noon, Nayeon and some of her college friends had a sumptuous BBQ lunch together, everyone gave her their sincere blessings. That night, after declined their further offer to the karaok, she arrived home and called her mother who was out of town again since she missed her calls earlier. Mrs. Im answered this time and was happy as expected, in lieu of her absence, she let her daughter’s two closet friends came to their house and of course, along with several packages of food and drinks.

“Cheers again! For our one and only Im Nayeon, aka bunny the weird aegyo,” Jeongyeon jumped aside to dodge the saying girl’s smack and continued: “Received her admission notification today! Bravo!”

“Cheers!”

The trio laughed, raising the glass bottles high in the air and slightly knocked them together. After that, two younger ones tippled without any hesitation, while the oldest grimaced and gave up on the irritating liquid right off. It was only her second bottle, but already the fourth or maybe the fifth for the others.

“C’mon, Nayeon, today’s your day!” Jihyo pointed at the bottle which was half-filled and swaying while speaking. “See ours? Jeongyeon and I drank it all! ”

Nayeon looked at their tomato red cheeks and rolled her eyes. “Give me a break! This is all I can handle, I don’t want to end up sleeping beside the toilet and vomit for whole night.”

“We are at your house, your mother said we can have as much fun as we want, right? Nothing to worry about! It’s party time!”

She was about to pounce over and Jeongyeon stopped her in time. “Ok, megaphone, that’s enough.” She then pulled her to the small couch in the corner and pressed her on the shoulders. “You’re drunk, shut up and get some sleep.”

“I am n-not drunk! I can recognize…ALL of you! Yoo Jeongyeon, Im Nayeon, Mark, Jinyoung, Minwoo……”

With her yelling slowly turned into murmurs, Jihyo finally quieted down and stopped her roll call of people who did not even there. “…Is she ok?” Nayeon asked with concern, bringing a blanket to the couch.

“She will be.” Jeongyeon chuckled and took the empty soju bottle from the drunk girl. “Oh, where’s my phone? I need to take pictures so I can blackmail her someday!”

She was excited about her sudden idea and ran to search her phone, but she ended up stumbling because her knees were shaking and it was obvious she couldn’t walk in straight line.

“Let me remind you, ostrich, you only drank half a bottle less than her.”

“Easy, bunny. I’m totally fine.”

Nayeon rolled her eyes again. Jeongyeon found her phone and photographed Jihyo who fell asleep in a ridiculous posture, mischievous but dazed smirk were all over her face.

“Excuse me, you do not look better than her.”

“Of course I look better!” Jeongyeon touched the screen and put it in front of Nayeon’s nose. “See how funny she’s like? I bet she’ll wish to bury me alive if…”

“Wait.” Nayeon discerned something and seized her wrist. “Isn’t this m…”

“Oh no,” Jeongyeon gulped before withdrew her hand. “You saw it wrong.”

“Oh damn yes, I saw it right.” Nayeon tried to snatch the phone but the younger kept evading. “Blame yourself for blindly click the album later, now show me! I’m hundred present sure it’s me so I have rights!”

“Well, how about this?” Jeongyeon quirked her brows. “You show me my pictures you have, I show you yours. Deal?”

“…Deal!”

Nayeon didn’t think much and quickly picked up her phone on the nightstand.

“Ready? One, two, three!”

Their phone screens were disclosed at the same time. As expected, one widened her eyes, the other burst out laughing.

“Yah, Yoo Jeongyeon!!”

“What? As I recall, you were the one who wanted to check it out.”

“I didn’t say…ugly pictures! See?” Nayeon phubbed the screen agitatedly. “I only have pretty pictures of you! It’s so unfair!” She pouted. “By the way, when did you take all these?”

Jeongyeon threw her a weird look. “Why should I tell you?”

“…You traitor!” Nayeon slapped her arm and turned away, ignoring the girl who was trying to make peace.

“Oh, c’mon, bunny.” Jeongyeon smiled as sweet as she could. “Of course I got your pretty photos too.”

Nayeon didn’t seem to be convinced but finally showed some interest. “Are they also in your phone?”

“No.”

“You kept somewhere else?”

“Hmm…Yes.”

She cares so much about this……

“Are they in your bag? Oh, maybe in your wallet?”

Jeongyeon withdrew her hands as quick as possible and her volume rose unconsciously: “I won’t say a word.”

“You don’t have to.” It was Nayeon’s turn to smile sweetly. “Must be in your phone too, am I right?”

“W-Wrong! Of course not!”

“Then why you’re hiding it behind your back?”

It is true they are not in the phone, but…

She swallowed before avoiding her eyes, Nayeon took the chance and launched to grab her hand.

“Don’t even think about it!”

Jeongyeon raised her phone high above her head, Nayeon could only jump in vain since the girl was taller than her.

“Don’t be stingy, just show me!”

“Give me the reason why!?”

“First, I’m older than you, you should listen to your unnie! Second…Ahh!”

Nayeon accidently landed on Jeongyeon’s right foot and lost balance, Jeongyeon also did not prepare for the sudden impact, the gravity soon took over and they fell backward together.

“Oh my…Do you have to be so violent all the time?”

“Do you have to be so ANNOYING all the time?”

Jeongyeon grabbed Nayeon’s hand that was punching her shoulder, the next thing they knew was their movements stopped with the bicker, instead their cheeks warmed up and so did the air around. They were on one side of the bed, Jeongyeon was lying on her back, on the mattress, while Nayeon lying on her stomach, on Jeongyeon.

“Wow.” Jeongyeon giggled like an idiot. “A top student is on top of me…”

“Shut up.” Nayeon blushed and wiggled. “Let go of me, Yoo Jeongyeon.”

“I don’t want to~” She tightened her arms around the upper girl’s waist, making their abdomen and chest fully contact.

“W-What are you doing?”

“I am doing nothing.”

“You…D-Don’t play dumb!”

“Hey please…stop moving, I’m gonna be sick.”

Nayeon stopped, not