Upon entering the dimly lit bar, Moonbyul swept the surroundings with one gaze before releasing a breath in relief. She preferred bars with a more relaxed atmosphere and a low music volume so she wouldn’t have to shout across the room to be heard. Judging from the elegant interior and smartly dressed barkeepers, this was a classy place right up to Moonbyul’s liking. If anyone asked, she would openly admit that she had gotten too old for the crowded and noisy bars crawling with college students.

A waitress carrying a tablet full of elaborately decorated cocktails strut past her, not without greeting her with a coy smile.

“Nice,” Moonbyul commented appreciatively, her eyes only focused on the colorful drinks that the waitress had been carrying. When it came to alcohol, aesthetics was at least as important to her as taste.

Thinking that the comment had been about the waitress, Solar suddenly had the urge to order a bottle of beer just so she could unload its content on top of Moonbyul’s head before hitting her with the bottle.

“Did you see that Mojito?” Moonbyul turned to Solar, nudging her arm and pointing to the waitress setting the drinks on the table of her guests. “I already know what I’m ordering. I just know it’s going to taste good, it has that fancy little umbrella on it and tons of mint leaves.”

“What?” Having been on an entire different track of thought, Solar’s mind couldn’t switch lanes fast enough. “You were saying ‘nice’ at the drinks?”

Moonbyul stared back in confusion. “What else could I be saying this about?”

Irene, who was walking behind them and had witnessed every little detail of the scene, snorted in amusement. Putting her hands on their backs, she pushed them towards the bar counter so they would keep walking and not block the way by dumbly staring at each other.

“Oh, good evening, Solar,” a bright voice greeted them upon nearing the bar counter. “And…h – hi, Ms Bae…”

 “You can call me Irene.” Shyly brushing her hair behind her ear, Irene gave the woman called Seulgi a warm and a tad apologetic smile. How could she have been so dumb and misinterpreted everything wrong when that younger woman was clearly so adorable it made her heart ache.

Overwhelmed by the unusual reaction, Seulgi almost dropped the cocktail shaker in her trembling hands. Irene was acknowledging her, not with a glare, but with a smile now. She was eighty percent sure that she could crush ice with her bare hands right now with the amount of adrenaline rushing through her veins.

“Seulgi,” Solar nodded to the barkeeper. “How have you been?”

“Ah, you know, the usual,” Seulgi nervously chuckled, eyes flitting between Irene and the counter top. “I see you’ve brought a friend?”

“Yes, this is Moonbyul,” Solar gestured to the woman next to her, who had been engrossed in studying the drinks menu on the wall behind Seulgi. Upon hearing her own name being introduced, she instantly shifted her attention back to the conversation and flashed a charming smile.

“Hi. I usually go by Moonbyul but you can also call me your regular if you can make my drinks as pretty as you are,” Moonbyul said with a wink, putting her elbow on the bar counter and leaning forward with her upper body.

“You can also call her an idiot if you want,” Solar added in a flat tone before pushing Moonbyul’s elbow off the counter.

Flustered by Moonbyul’s blunt delivery of her line, Seulgi shortly ducked her head before looking up with tinted cheeks and smiling back. “I’ll try my best.”

Irene suddenly understood Solar’s irritation and her reluctant attitude towards dating Moonbyul. That silver-haired woman was a bad case of a greasy flirt and it made her fingers itch. Mostly because she wanted to grab her by her ears and pull her out of here. 

“I’ll have my usual while this idiot gets her Mojito,” Solar told Seulgi while pointing to Moonbyul, who pouted at the name. “We’ll take our seats over there. Irene, you take your time deciding on a drink.” And Solar gave her friend a meaningful look.

“Okay, I’ll have your drinks brought over in a minute,” Seulgi smiled. Her eyes lit up when Irene hopped onto one of the bar stools in front of the counter, not looking like she was deciding to leave anytime soon.

“Come on,” Solar pulled at Moonbyul’s wrist so they could leave the other two alone.

“She’s cute,” Moonbyul remarked, looking over her shoulder to see Irene going on full flirt mode. Upper body leaning forwards with her cleavage angling towards Seulgi’s reddening face, hair brushed behind her ears and long eyelashes fluttering. “They’d look good together.”

“Thought so, too,” Solar hummed in satisfaction. “And to think they almost missed out on each other because of a stupid misunderstanding.”

“Yeah,” Moonbyul agreed. “Nothing worse than two people not getting together because of such a dumb reason. I mean, just talk to each other, damn.”

“Right?” Solar chuckled. “What’s so difficult about being honest to each other and talking their feelings out?”

Moonbyul turned to Solar.

“Exactly. Nothing you can’t solve with a good old-fashioned truth talk. I mean, isn’t it tiring to constantly hold back? To lie about your feelings?”

“Yeah…” Solar was starting to feel like this conversation was turning more and more in a direction she didn’t want to head to yet, sensing Moonbyul’s piercing gaze on her.

Just in time to save her, the waitress from earlier appeared with their drinks on a tablet. “One…orange juice,” she said with a slight arch in her eyebrows before placing the drink in front of Solar. “And one Mojito.” Her voice had instantly dropped a few tones into a husky range as she set down Moonbyul’s drink. “Enjoy,” she said with a wink.

“Thanks,” Moonbyul grinned back, satisfied with the aesthetically pleasing cocktail glass that had been carefully decorated by Seulgi with a mini umbrella, gummy snacks on a skewer and a candy bracelet.

Already sipping on her own drink, Solar fiddled with the straw. This had to be the sourest glass of orange juice she had ever had.

“Hm, it’s so good,” Moonbyul let out a content sigh after taking a sip. She offered her glass to Solar. “Wanna try it?”

“No, I’m fine, thanks.” Solar mumbled with her teeth grinding the straw, her words barely audible. “After all, it’s only for you to enjoy.”

“Hm?” Moonbyul tore one gummy frog off the skewer and popped it into . “You were saying?”

“Nothing.”

Moonbyul sat up straight in her seat when she noticed that something was off. “We can leave after finishing our drinks, I know you only came here to get rid of Irene.”

“Pff, what? Setting her up on a date was my priority,” Solar instantly denied.

Moonbyul’s mouth curled into a smile, eyes twinkling in amusement. “Alright. But now she’s in good hands, so your job as a matchmaker is done. Let me take you home so you can rest earlier.”

“Rest? It’s not even 9 pm.” Solar furrowed her brows.

“Not after I’m done with you,” Moonbyul lowly said, smirking into her drink. Which, seconds later, she choked on when Solar placed her hand high up on Moonbyul’s inner thigh, fingers brushing dangerously close to her crotch area.

“Feeling cocky tonight, are we? Good. Because if I fall asleep before midnight tonight, I’ll never let you live down the title of being a big-mouthed loser, so you better be very sure about what you’re promising me,” Solar hotly whispered into Moonbyul’s ear, lips grazing her earlobe.

The cocktail glass in Moonbyul’s hand almost cracked. And like never in her life before, she downed her drink in a second like a shot before almost stumbling over feet and crashing into tables as she rushed after Solar, who had sauntered off with a seductive swing to her hips.

Their exit had not gone unnoticed by Seulgi and Irene.

“…They didn’t pay the tab,” Seulgi muttered after a moment, frowning.

“It’s okay,” Irene soothingly said, “just put it on my tab. I owe them that much.”

“Really?”

“Yes, it’s nothing, they had like two drinks.”

Brightening up again, Seulgi beamed at the other woman. “That’s nice of you. You didn’t have to.”

“I kinda did,” Irene chuckled, thinking about how she had endlessly teased Solar about Moonbyul and then subsequently crashed their dinner date. “They’re friends after all.”

“Your friends are very lucky to have you,” Seulgi earnestly said. 

“You should tell that Solar next time,” Irene grinned.

“Of course,” Seulgi laughed, “I’ll tell her that she has an amazingly caring and beautiful friend.”

Blushing, Irene brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “Good, then there’s one more message I’d like you to deliver.”

“Hm?” Seulgi tilted her head in curiosity.

“Please thank her for setting me up on a date with that cute and clumsy barkeeper from La Rouge.”

It took ten long seconds before the meaning registered in Seulgi’s head, her facial expressions undergoing rapid changes. Two seconds of confusion, three seconds of realization dawning on her, two seconds of denial and another three seconds of shock before she finally understood the expectant look Irene was giving her.

“Me?” She pointed at herself with wide eyes. “You would want to date me?”

Irene suppressed a laugh and just nodded, adoration overflowing from her eyes as she looked at the cute and baffled face. 

“Oh my god,” Seulgi breathed out, suddenly turning around and grabbing a whiskey bottle from the shelf, pouring herself a generous glass before she downed it. Not a second later, she was coughing up a storm, back hunched over and eyes tearing up.  

“A-are you okay?” Irene slowly asked, now a bit concerned.

“I’m, I’m fine,” Seulgi wheezed, hitting herself on her chest, “had to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. Bah, that was disgusting.”

At last unable to hold back a laugh, Irene giggled behind her hand, finding the other woman too adorable. “There could have been other ways to make sure it’s not a dream.”

Still rubbing her burning throat, Seulgi answered in mild pain, “I know, the classic pinching yourself.”

“No, not that,” Irene shook her head. “I’ll show you.” She beckoned Seulgi to come closer with her pointer finger.

With an air of innocent curiosity, Seulgi leaned in closer towards Irene, expecting her to whisper the punchline of a joke when she suddenly felt a pair of soft lips on her own.

--

“You know what I realized when you destroyed my curtains for the third time?” Solar turned her head to Moonbyul, tiny beads of sweat still glistening on her forehead from their previous strenuous activity, “It’s always my furniture in my apartment that suffers from your lack of control during .”

“You’re blaming me now?” Moonbyul let out a disbelieving laugh, brushing her slick bangs back, “Do I need to refresh your memories that you’re the one who ripped off the curtains? All three times.”

“Because a certain impatient ert couldn’t just put me on the bed instead of the window sill. It’s literally only two steps away. Do you know how cold my gets?”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Moonbyul mockingly offered an apology, “sorry for not hearing you complaining with your thighs around my ears, I was busy trying not to suffocate.”

“And it’s not just the curtains,” Solar ignored Moonbyul’s response, “you broke my wardrobe mirror.”

“And who pushed me into it?” Moonbyul propped herself up on her elbows, furrowing her brows at Solar. “You know, you can be pretty violent yourself.”

“I’m just matching your pace,” Solar said with a shrug. “And I misjudged how weak you actually are because it’s pretty easy to knock you over.”

“I never said I was strong,” Moonbyul casually replied. “I’m not built like a brick as you can see.”

“I know.” Solar slowly sat up, pulling the blanket up along with her. “I’ve actually been wondering about something related to that…You said you and Hwasa used to be in a special force team. How did you – I mean, I know you have some abs, but you two aren’t exactly…”

“Ripped jocks?” Moonbyul finished for her.

Solar nodded.

“That stereotype may be true for the forces that fight on the front line,” Moonbyul explained with a serious expression. “Because they’re also symbolic figures. The media loves it and the public needs it. Nothing safer than an army of six-foot-tall muscle bricks protecting our country.”

Solar noticed Moonbyul’s nose crinkling in slight distaste. “But you were the ones who did the real work.”

“No one suspected us. We looked like normal people, acted like them.” Moonbyul’s eyes found Solar’s curious gaze. “Blending in was our strength, it was always stealth over brute force. And when we had to fight, we were never the ones to throw a punch first.”

Swallowing, Solar searched for any hint of distress in Moonbyul’s eyes. “How did you – how did you end up doing what you did? Were you born into it, were your parents assassins, too? Or are they…you know, dead? Is that why you chose that path?”

Moonbyul snorted in amusement. “My parents are alive and well, thanks for asking. And no, they’re not assassins, just some normal employees in a corporation. And no, I have no tragic backstory or trauma that would explain why I’ve chosen that job.”

“Oh,” Solar let out, embarrassed over her assumptions about Moonbyul’s parents.

“Believe it or not,” Moonbyul began with a grin, “but I used to be a police officer.”

“You’re kidding,” Solar instantly replied, eyes wide.

“Nope. Did it for a year, it was my first job and my dream since I was a kid.” She chuckled at the memory. “Hwasa was right, I did enjoy playing the hero during my school days. And I let it get to my head, thinking that I would get to play a hero everyday once I was a police officer.”

A faint, nostalgic smile appeared on Moonbyul’s lips.

“So I Joined the academy right after I graduated and I’ve been so eager to start catching criminals, I dreamed about it when I slept. I honestly believed that I was going to make a difference.”

Solar had been subconsciously mirroring Moonbyul’s small smile, so when it faded, hers slowly faded, too.

“Boy, was I naïve.” Moonbyul sighed. “Whatever progress I had hoped to achieve, it got either lost somewhere in bureaucracy or incompetence. We just didn’t have the resources to follow up every lead or investigate every case, so most of the time, I was just doing useless paper work and giving meaningless condolences to victims.”

Moonbyul gave Solar a wistful look. “Maybe if I’ve been patient enough to work towards a higher rank, I might have been able to make some real changes. But even then, this wouldn’t have been enough for me, I was used to immediate results. I missed getting an immediate reward for my actions. I’m just that kind of person.”

Solar could understand her way of thinking as she wasn’t the most patient person herself either. But she still had too many questions. “Then how did you get your next job? I don’t suppose there was a public ad for it.”

“They approached me.” Moonbyul crossed her arms behind her head. “Said they’ve been monitoring me since the academy days. They monitor everyone who shows potential and I stood out. Highest score in the shooting range, highest efficiency ratio of solved cases, and most importantly, the unhappiest person in the entire force.”

“So you mean like ambitious, yet unchallenged?” Solar concluded.

“Probably.” Moonbyul rubbed her temple. “I didn’t really listen after they’ve told me the sum of my first salary.”

Rolling her eyes in disbelief, Solar pinched Moonbyul’s arm. “Besides money and , there’s nothing else you care about, do you?”

“Well, I care about you,” Moonbyul said straightforwardly, openly gazing at Solar with a twinkle in her eyes. “So that makes it three, which is also the capacity limit I have for caring about things.”

The edges around Solar’s eyes softened, but her tongue remained sharp. “You might not be built like a brick, but you certainly have the sensitivity of one.”

“Ouch,” Moonbyul hissed, turning her body to wrap an arm around Solar’s waist and pull her in, “this brick still has feelings.”

“Then this brick will need to learn how to read signs,” Solar muttered, letting herself be pulled into a tight embrace with Moonbyul burying her head inside the crook of her neck.

“What kind of signs?”

Solar shivered when she felt hot breath tickling her exposed collarbone.

“When I was complaining about my stuff getting broken, I wasn’t complaining about the ,” Solar whispered, Moonbyul’s hair and feeling her chuckle against her.

“That much I figured.”

“I was trying to hint at the fact that we’ve only had in my apartment.”

Moonbyul instantly looked up, eyes crinkling in mischief. “I didn’t know you had an exhibitionist side to you.”

“I wasn’t done talking,” Solar pinched Moonbyul’s lips together to stop her from interrupting again. “We’re always staying at my place. But I’ve never been to your home.”

And when Solar released Moonbyul’s lips, all they let out was a breathy, “Oh.”

“What’s with that look,” Solar asked with a frown upon seeing the empty reaction. “Scared I’ll find some dirty secrets hidden there? Maybe a girlfriend waiting at home?”

“What? No!” Moonbyul disentangled herself from Solar so she could look at her properly, her own facial features twisted in slight hurt and despair. “Why would you still think that about me?”

Solar faced away, pulling her blanket further up to cover her chin. “I’m sorry. I know you’ve opened up a lot for me and told me all these things though you didn’t have to. And I don’t know why, but it just doesn’t feel like it’s enough. I want to know more about you. Maybe I’m being unreasonable, but I really want to know everything about you, starting from your house.”

“Hey,” Moonbyul softly breathed, cupping Solar’s chin and gently making the other woman face her again. “Why didn’t you just say so.” And she leaned in with a smile, pressing a light kiss to her lips. “I’ll show you my house tomorrow, okay? I was only hesitating because Hwasa also lives there and she would occasionally leave her underwear lying around the house, and with occasionally, I mean all the time and I didn’t want to subject you to what Hwasa calls ‘fashion’ and what I call is ‘one thread away from ’.”

Solar snorted in amusement and pressed herself against Moonbyul’s body. “As long as it’s only Hwasa’s lingerie, I will manage. But you better hope your story checks out because if she tells me otherwise, you are dead.”

Moonbyul gulped.

--

“Irene, you’re getting off work early again?” Solar asked in surprise when she found her colleague standing outside the entrance of the hospital, her gaze expectantly sweeping the driveway. “Don’t tell me you still haven’t given up on Moonbyul becoming your sugar-“

“Shh, Seulgi’s coming,” Irene instantly hushed her before putting on a beaming smile for the person walking up to them. “Hey.”

“Hi,” Seulgi shyly smiled at her and then waved at Solar. “Hello.”

Unable stop her self-satisfied grin from spreading, Solar just knowingly looked between Seulgi and Irene. “You two…”

“Bye, see you tomorrow,” Irene quickly said and grabbed Seulgi by the wrist before marching off. A bit overwhelmed but still well-mannered nonetheless, Seulgi waved goodbye at Solar over her shoulder while almost stumbling over her feet as Irene pulled her along.

“I knew it,” Solar smiled, genuinely happy for her friend.

“Knew what?” A voice whispered in her ear and she almost screamed in shock.

“You! Don’t ever do this again!” Solar exclaimed in anger and pounded on Moonbyul’s shoulder with her fists, who only laughed at the harmless punches.

“Sorry, sorry,” she lightly said, “old work habit. Never get detected until you’re right behind your target.”

“Oh, so I’m your target now?” Solar rolled her eyes, but still followed Moonbyul to her car. It was a black, high class sedan with tinted windows today.

“Oh, you’ve been my target since the first time I laid my eyes on you,” Moonbyul said jokingly as she got into the car.

“Greasy.” Solar said as soon as she settled in the passenger seat. “And creepy.”

“You mean flattered and happy,” Moonbyul retorted with a grin.

“If by ‘flattered and happy’, you mean ‘annoyed and about to smack you’, then sure.”

“So violent,” Moonbyul mumbled and started the car. “Anyway, Hwasa and I have been thinking about making dinner at home tonight. Wheein already agreed to come over after closing up her gallery. We’re not the best cooks, but we do know how to mix good stuff together to make it even better.” 

Solar turned to look at Moonbyul surprise. “You cook?”

“It’s like the most basic thing of survival and I don’t trust anyone who says they don’t know how to cook. No one said you’ve got to be a chef at it, but at least don’t starve on your own.”

Breathing out a laugh, Solar said, “You continue to surprise me, Miss Moon.”

“In a good way?” Moonbyul cautiously asked, stealing glances at the woman in her passenger seat.

“In the best way,” Solar replied with a smile. “Now if only you could cut down on the grease.”

“Tch,” Moonbyul snorted. “You know you love it.”

“Maybe.” Solar glanced at the driver. “Depends on whether I’m the only one on the receiving end.”

Moonbyul suppressed a sigh, shoulders heaving and sinking in a silent one. “What do I need to do to convince you?”

Solar tilted her head. “Surprise me.”

Moonbyul’s grasp on the steering wheel tightened. “Will you consider dating me then if I can convince you?”

Pensively chewing on her bottom lip, Solar stared at the road ahead before nodding once. “Yes. Yes, I’ll think about it.” More than she already did.

Satisfied with the answer, Moonbyul remained silent for the rest of the ride, thinking of ways she could make that relationship official.

--

“Ah, there you are,” Hwasa greeted them at the door, stepping aside to let them in. “Our favorite not-lovers have arrived. Don’t worry, Moonbyul, I’ve picked up all my clothes. If you still happen to find some laying around, then they’re not mine.”

“Hwasa,” Moonbyul groaned in frustration, quickly turning to Solar. “She’s just messing around. No one besides us ever sets foot in here because it’s our secret headquarters. Or, it used to be. Now it’s just a normal villa outside the city.”

“With a basement full of illegal weapons, but hey, details,” Hwasa dismissively waved with her hands.  “And I never said anything about the belonging to some one-night-stands, I think Wheein has been missing some of her Victoria’s Secret collection.”

“Oh god,” Solar scrunched up her face in disgust. “She’s like my little sister to me, could you not?”

“How long has Wheein been staying here, how did I never see her around?” Moonbyul asked in confusion. Even if their villa was large enough to house at least eight people, she would have at least noticed if there was a couple christening every room in the house.

“Since you basically started living with Chubby Cheeks,” Hwasa said with a shrug. “When was the last time you spent a night here?”

Disgruntled about being called that name, Solar decided to go explore the house on her own since Moonbyul wasn’t making any moves to show her around.

“What’s up with Chubbs?” Hwasa raised an eyebrow as she watched her leave.

“Just a hunch, but maybe stop calling her that.” Moonbyul drily said. “Anyway, let’s start preparing dinner, it’s going to take a while.”

“I don’t know much about being a good host, but shouldn’t you at least show Solar around before you leave her alone in our house?” Hwasa asked, following Moonbyul into the kitchen.

“She’s not a kid, she’ll find something to do or come help once she’s bored. And what’s there to show? It’s just a house with rooms like any other.” Moonbyul shortly paused. “And some crates of weapons and explosives. But they’re safely locked up.” She glanced at Hwasa. “They are safely locked up, right?”

Hwasa opened the fridge and took out some ingredients. “Relax, no one’s been to the basement ever since our final mission.”

“What about the guns on your nightstand? Did you put them away in your safe like I told you to?”

Hwasa paused in her movements. “Well…”

“Hwasa!” Moonbyul groaned and put down the kitchen knife. “Didn’t you learn anything from the last time Wheein accidentally shot a hole in your wall?”

“There was nothing accidental about it,” Hwasa muttered, turning on the sink to wash the vegetables.

“What? She shot the gun on purpose? What was she aiming at?” Moonbyul asked, having remembered the incident as an accident.

Hwasa chuckled lowly. “Me.”

Moonbyul’s eyes almost bulged out in disbelief. “What the hell did you do-“

“Why do you assume that I’m at fault when she was the one aiming the gun at – alright, okay, yeah it was my fault.” Hwasa gave in midway. “You know about that one girl from the mafia that I had an affair with?”

Moonbyul looked at her with a blank expression. “You’ve got to be more specific, you’ve had too many affairs with far too many people from a lot of questionable organizations.”

“You’re one to talk…” Hwasa mumbled before continuing to explain in a louder voice, “You know, that one tattooed girl from the Triads.”

Moonbyul blinked twice. “That didn’t narrow it down. At all.”

“Urgh, who cares,” Hwasa rolled her eyes. “Anyway, she somehow got hold of my private number and sent me a picture, right in the moment when Wheein looked over my shoulder.”

“I take it there was a lot of involved in the picture,” Moonbyul drily remarked. “And Wheein didn’t like that.”

“No, she just really hates piercings,” Hwasa sarcastically said. “Anyway, she reached for the gun on impulse, but I don’t think she really wanted to kill me. I think. Or maybe her aim is just really ty.”

Moonbyul dried her hands on a rag. “I’ve got to go check and make sure Solar doesn’t get any dumb ideas.”

“Don’t worry, you are the dumbest idea she ever had, can’t get much worse from here.”

Rolling her eyes, Moonbyul decided to let this one slide because she had more urgent matters to attend to that included making sure that Solar wouldn’t hurt herself or anyone around her.

“Solar?” Moonbyul called out tentatively from the corridor.

“Yeah?” From somewhere in the distance, Solar’s voice carried back to her.

“Where are you?”

“Not sure…This room has a lot of swords on the walls, a huge fridge filled with only coke and like six different gaming consoles. What is this, a paradise for nerds?”

Moonbyul quickened her pace, storming into her hobby room seconds later. “This is paradise for anyone who knows how to enjoy life.”

Solar snorted through her nose. “Sure. I’m just glad you don’t look like the stereotypical person usually occupying these kinds of rooms.”

“And what do they usually look like?” Moonbyul challengingly asked, closing in on Solar.

“Dead by forty most likely, what with all the energy drinks and junk food they’re consuming,” Solar said with a shrug.

“Perfect,” Moonbyul mumbled, reaching out to pull Solar in by her waist. “I don’t intend to live longer than forty.”

“What?” Solar furrowed her brows, circling her arms around Moonbyul’s neck. “Why would you say something like that?”

Moonbyul gave her a lopsided smile. “I believe a certain someone once said that they wanted to die before they become old and wrinkly, giving themselves ten more years to live. Though I still don’t think that this is going to happen, what else can I do other than adjust myself to them?” She deeply gazed into Solar’s eyes. “After all, I don’t want to grow old either if I don’t get to grow old with you.”

Furiously blushing, Solar hid her face in Moonbyul’s neck. “That was awfully cheesy.”

“Yeah, downright terrible to witness,” a gagging noise interrupted them. “Think I’m going to skip on dinner, I can feel my lunch coming back up.”

Both Moonbyul and Solar turned to the door at the same time, seeing Hwasa leaning against the door frame and pretending to gag.

“As if you would ever skip a meal,” Moonbyul said with an eye roll. “Are you done with the preparations?”

“No, one of my nails broke off,” Hwasa lifted her hand and wiggled her fingers, of which one was missing a long, sharp nail. “And since Wheein is coming over anyway, I decided to take them off entirely.” She then proceeded to march to her own room.

Solar stared at Moonbyul. “How sound-proof are your rooms?”

“Excellent,” Moonbyul replied proudly before releasing a deep sigh. “Except that it’s wasted on the fact that Hwasa won’t limit herself to her own room.”

“Oh no,” Solar groaned. “I don’t want to stay over if I’m going to witness sounds that I don’t ever want to hear from Wheein.”

“Well, I’m kind of curious – ouch, ouch, I’m sorry, I was just kidding! Just asking for science, ouch!”

Once Solar had stopped hitting Moonbyul, she paced around the room in thought. “What’s the room furthest away from Hwasa’s?”

“All of the rooms are Hwasa’s,” Moonbyul said with a shrug. “She likes the variety and I don’t care about decorating my own room, so I ended up with one bedroom and a hobby room while she took the rest of the guest rooms and made them all her bedrooms. She has like a different theme for every room, it’s amazing really, if it weren’t for the underwear all over the place.”

“God, so we’re nowhere safe from them having loud ?” Solar whiningly said, turning around to Moonbyul. “Know what I’m thinking?”

“That we should have even louder ?” Moonbyul mumbled in a hopeful tone.

“That we should go out tonight and – what?”

“Nothing,” Moonbyul smiled innocently. “Go out after dinner was totally what I was thinking, too. We could like go for a walk, watch a movie or do other wholesome things.”

Solar narrowed her eyes in suspicion. “What other wholesome things?”

“You know,” Moonbyul shrugged, “like praying to God. Or more specifically, you shouting his name while I – urgh.” Moonbyul’s sentence was cut off by a solid punch in the gut. 

“I think Hwasa is going to need help in the kitchen,” Solar coldly said, strutting past Moonbyul, who was holding her stomach with a pained grimace.

“Be right behind you,” the latter wheezed, leaning on the nearby wall for support before she doubled over and slid down to her knees. That woman was going to be the death of her.