[A/N]: Chapter Update 3/4; I highly advise to bookmark the last chapter you read since it might get confusing with the incoming multiple updates.

1420.1517.13.11

Sounds of beeps and exhausts broke into the walls of the apartment, waking up Eunji from the bombarding noise.

“A few more space here!” Naeun assisted the driver as he parked the delivery truck in front of the apartment.

“Too loud! What’s with the ruckus?!” Eunji shouted without warning, startling the younger woman who jumped in her place.

“Oh? You’re awake!”

“Well yeah? How can I sleep with all the noise?” The corners of Eunji’s mouth curled downwards.

Naeun smiled in return. “Sorry about that.”

“What’s this anywa-” Eunji dumbfoundedly followed the men carrying the delivered items into her house. “Hey!”

“Thank you.” Naeun gave the money to one of the men before they left with the truck.

“What is this?” Eunji asked, gesturing to the dismantled pieces of wood on the floor. “What are you thinking?”

“Just shut it and help me assemble these.”

After several minutes of piecing the parts together, the dining table and chairs were finished.

“Err… were you that bothered?” Eunji pulled a long face. “You should have told me. I could have bought it.”

Naeun just laughed at the older woman’s unknowing expression. “Doesn’t anything ring a bell?”

“What do you mean?” Eunji cocked her head.

“Throw me your lighter.” The older woman searched for the lighter in the cupboard and threw it at Naeun. The latter took out a chocolate cake in the fridge and lighted the candle atop of it. “It’s your birthday today, and the wine behind you is Namjoo’s gift.”

Eunji turned around and saw the bottle of wine, and then she opened her phone to check the date. “Oops.”

“Look around you,” Naeun said.

The walls were now decorated with the films they took over the weeks they were together. It was filled with their memories, full of their subtle impressions of each other.

“If Namjoo didn’t tell me, none of us would have known.” Naeun chuckled. “We would have spent this day like any other.” The older woman leaned closer to the cake. “Yah. Make a wish first.”

Eunji stared straight ahead at the younger woman with a cheeky smile.

“What’s with you?” Naeun raised an eyebrow. “Why are you beaming like that?”

“Nothing.” Eunji blew the candle and took the cake from the younger woman, placing it on the table. “Why did you give me a dining set anyway?”

Naeun sat on the chair and propped her head on the table with her arms, tapping her cheeks excitedly. “This.”

“What?” Eunji leaned her back on the counter.

“So you know… I can look at you while you’re cooking,” Naeun stated her intentions.

“Doesn’t seem like it’s a gift for me though.” Eunji bit her lip, muffling her chuckles. “You don’t like my bed?”

The younger woman grinned.

“Not without you there.”

-----

“It’s been forever, Chorong unnie.”

“Around four years ago was the last time we’ve seen each other if I got that right,” Chorong replied.

“What’s the special occasion? You insisted to meet up this time around? You even hacked into my company’s database just to register an appointment under a false name.” The woman leaned on the backrest, crossing her arms and legs. Seeing the redhead in plain sight irritated the hell out of her. “You sent a message about Naeun unnie the last time I’ve heard of you, and I’m not interested about that.”

“So you read the message I sent you two years ago, huh? I thought it didn’t make it.” Chorong poured soju on their glasses. “Never thought that a friend of yours would come to me for work, Hayoung-ah.”

“Cut it to the chase, Chorong unnie.” Hayoung scowled. “I don’t have the time to spare.”

Throughout her time in the university, Chorong took several breaks from her studies due to financial means. Having delayed her subjects, she ended up being left out as all of her previous friends were already taking higher courses. Hayoung, however, started university at an early age as a student with full scholarship. Being younger than everyone in her year, the people around her felt insecure at her great prowess that she ended up as an outcast. Fortunately, the two women were paired up together for a project and have known each other since then.

They used to be close friends, up until the moment Chorong stopped going to university four years ago. The redhead could not pay for her tuition anymore due to her sister’s medical bills, and it was also the time that she already had to take over the club as the new owner in place of her sister.

Two years ago, Hayoung graduated with honors and started her small company as the CEO. In just a few years, she’s now branded as one of the succesful young entrepreneurs in her field.

“It’s about Sojin unnie,” Chorong stated and drank her shot in one go. “Oooh. That hits the spot.”

The baffled woman paused and stared at the redhead. It was a name she hadn’t heard in years. “What about your sister?”

“She wants to see you.”

Hayoung drank the alcohol in one shot. “Me?” She laughed hysterically. The crazy look on her face made the redhead shift back on her seat. “After all these years, now she wants to see me,” she said in a sarcastic tone. Straight from the bottle, she drank the alcohol until there was no more.

“She really wants to see you,” Chorong repeated, emphasizing every word.

“If she wants to see me, then why isn’t she the one here to meet me face-to-face?!” Hayoung slammed her hands on the table, leaning onto the older woman. “She wants to see me?! Screw this!” She grabbed her bag in a hurry, but the redhead managed to grab her wrist. “Let me go!”

“Calm down, Hayoung-ah. I’m not here to fight you.” Chorong used her strength to pull the younger woman back into her seat.

For years, Hayoung succumbed to anger and anxiety, trying to find out what went wrong. Meeting Chorong was the catalyst that made her drown in the pain she was acquainted to all over again. The alcohol was no help either as tears came out uncontrollably at the height of her emotions.

“I told her it was okay. I studied my off so she could leave that putrid work of hers but she suddenly disappeared, and you stopped going to school and didn’t even try to meet up with me or answer my calls.”

Chorong knew very well what Hayoung was talking about so she didn’t even