There are three days left until the club puts on their annual show. Everything is running out of time, be it the front stage's actors or the back stage's crew. Yet, in this insane schedule, they do not have the entire week to prepare their annual production. All students have to attend lessons from morning till afternoon, while that means the club members could only have their rehearsals in the evening and even during night time.

Yerin is madly busy for the last week, and as well as the coming week. She does not have time to hang out with Eunbi at all, not even having lunch with her girlfriend. Well, we could not blame her, DSM does not only need to help with the sets and props, she also needs to communicate with the director and actors, while at the same time she has her own technical team to deal with. The director of their show this year is a perfectionist, he wants everything the be the grandest, after every day's rehearsal he would give a list to Yerin, the things to amend. The whole back stage crew is complaining every time as they need to stay behind and modify their sets again and again, and their jobs seem like never ending. For example, on the first day, DirectorNim wanted the bookshelves to be in white, but he wanted it in black the next day. And one week after, he said white suited the scene better so he wanted them in white again. Although Yerin understands that their director only wants the best for the show, their last show, it is really too much work for the crew members. Sojung and her tried their best to negotiated with the director, yet, nothing has really been improved.

“At the beginning of this scene, I want it to be a freaking grand opening! First of all we only focus on the female lead, then when she finishes her song, I want the whole stage to light up.” The director is discussing the changes with Yerin, Yuna and Sojung during their dinner break after the dress rehearsal. “Ahh! I know! I want a white cloth to be at the background, then the cloth drops down and at the same time the stage light up with the appearance of the male lead! Damn! It will be so grand!” He depicts his dream scene excitedly.

Sojung stares into space, not wanting to believe what she has just heard, Yerin looks at the stunned Sojung, she sighs to herself, knowing what her friend is thinking in mind.

“It’s only three days’ time till we put on the show, we still have the entire study room to re-paint and you want us to design you another mechanism? It is not possible!” Yuna scoffs.

“Beside of the time being, it is not really practically working. How could we hang the cloth in between the limited of time during stage changes? We are out of numbers doing the scene change already. Moreover, after it drops, the cloth will remain on stage, I don't really think it will be grand after all.” Sojung backs her ASM up.

“It’s your job to make it practical then, I provide ideas and you guys make it come true! Isn’t that what back stage team is here for? To assist the front stage!” The director claims.

“Gosh you got a thousand of ideas every day! How could we fulfill all of them? We are not some kind of genies!” Yuna retorts.

“Hey guys,” Yerin finally speaks after listening to her members for quite some time. “I think we could hang the cloth up to the light bars before the show starts. I knew we still have a space or two vacant now. Then we could make some gears at the bar’s hook, so we could drop the whole thing during that scene. I will attach some strings hidden on the cloth, and put some lights on to make them invisible, then perhaps Yuna? Or the other crew could pull the cloth away once it has dropped. How is this?”

The other three stop talking and turn to Yerin all at the same time. Yuna;s jaw drops, Sojung is shaking her head, they could not believe that their friend actually proposes to help that insane director. The director claps enthusiastically, “Yes! I think it is doable then. Great idea Yerin! I know I could always count on you! So I will leave that mechanism to you, I need to go and brief my actors before the technical rehearsal starts.”

Yerin gives him a small nod and turns to her two friends, she smiles apologetically, “Sorry, I dragged the whole crew into this mess. But don’t worry, I will be the one to take care of the gears, you guys just need to assist me while on show.”

Sojung gasps, “You mean you are going to make the gears yourself?”

“Yeah, I think I have the idea in my mind already, it will not be too difficult I suppose.” Yerin grins as to reassure her worried friend.

“And how are you going to put those lights? Including the opening light, white spot light, background lights, disco ones at the down house and now two sets more, not to count the sound effects. There will be more than fifteen cues happening at the same time Yerin ah!” Yuna shouts with disbelief while looking at Yerin’s cue list.

Yerin pats Yuna’s shoulder, “I know, I guess it will be a great chance for me to challenge myself a bit then. I love challenges, you know?”

“Technical run in five minutes!” The producers shout from the back.

“I better get going to the control room and brief my technicians before it starts, you know, they were in a total riot yesterday.” Yerin smiles at her two back stage friends, “See you after the run!”

“Hey!” Yuna yells as Yerin is walking away from them, “Your dinner!” She holds the untouched meal in her hands, waving it up in the air. However, Yerin does not bother to look back, she just waves her hands in the air as if gesturing she is okay, then she disappears from the back stage.

“Did she have lunch this afternoon?” Yuna askes her manager whom is standing beside her.

“No, she was having the meeting with the lighting team back then…” Sojung mumbles. “If she continues like this, I think we better call her girlfriend to urge her eating something.”

Yuna nods in agreement. “We really need to.”

The technical rehearsal goes slightly better than the previous one, but there are still so many mistakes. Yerin stays behind to debrief her team, after she has dismissed them, she switches on her phone and finds it is already ten thirty at night.

“Crab… you really messed this up Jung Yerin…” Yerin curses herself, she ponders for a moment, if she is going home now, she will probably arrive at twelve. And if she has to leave home for school tomorrow at six thirty, she would only have less than five hours of sleep including the time for finishing her homework. In a snap of finger’s time, Yerin makes the decision, she is going to sleep at the school hall tonight, giving her even more time to finish the newly added mechanism gears. Just when Yerin is going to put down her phone and start to work, her phone chimes.

[Bi<3: Have you arrived home yet? I’ve been calling your phone earlier but I guess you forgot to switch it on after your rehearsals. I am worried.]

Yerin could not help but to smile at herself, you may call her weird, but she is happy seeing her girl worrying for her. But this leads to another question, how could Yerin tell Eunbi she was still at school? And if she says she would be staying overnight at school, Yerin knows Eunbi too well. The girl would 100% come over and stay with her, she does not want to disturb her girl’s resting time or make her girlfriend worry her even more.

[Me: Ahh… yeah I just my phone now. Sorry for not contacting you earlier Bi ah, I’ve went home already:> the day was long and I am tired already… and I missed you:(. So much.]

[Bi<3: It is okay as long as you are home safely, I should just probably come and fetch you next time cuz I miss you too ;< At least I could be your pillow on your way back home.]

[Me: No!!! Although I wanted too, but we really live too far away from each other and it is really time consuming to travel form your home to mine! I prohibited you to do that in night times and you agreed, remember? .V.]

[Bi<3: Yes yes, just because you forced me to agree-_- Aren’t you tired? Go get some rest before you day starts again.]

[Me: Arraso, you too Bi. Good night <3.]

[Bi<3: Sweet dreams princess, hope to see you in my dreams :3.]

Yerin could not hide her smile even after she puts back her phone into her pocket, then she goes into the store room and takes out the toolbox. She sighs to herself, it is definitely going to be a long night for her.

Yerin wakes up in the morning when someone pokes her face, she opens her eyes and meets Sojung. “Hey morning.” Yerin stretches her body while trying to sober up. “What time is it now?”

“Half an hour until the lesson starts.” Sojung checks her watch, “Don’t tell me that you sleep here last night?”

“Or do you expect me coming back in the early morning?” Yerin laughs and walks towards her product after a long night’s struggle, “The gears are way more complicated than I thought though.”

“You have finished it in one night and on your own?!” Sojung is taken aback, she knows her friend is capable of doing such things, but she does not imagine that Yerin is going to such an extreme extend.

“So that the director could see whether he likes the effect during our rehearsals today, and touchwood if he does not, I still have two days to amend them.” Yerin shrugs while checking her cue list she makes earlier and falls asleep while doing so.

“Yerin you are risking your life on this production… How many hours you have slept in this whole week? I know it is our last one, but please take care of yourself too, okay?”  Sojung sighs to herself, she knows too clearly that her friend probably would not listen to her. “By the way, have you done the biology homework?”

“CRAB!” Yerin smacks her head hard, “Lend me Sojung! Now!”

Yerin falls asleep in class earlier again, and she gets the lunch detention from their chemistry teacher as she knows Yerin is a member of the drama club, she could not afford to waste her after school time in the detention hall. Eunbi is quite worried about her girlfriend, Yerin seldom sleeps in class, scratch that, the girl never ever sleeps in class. She may not be paying attention to what the teacher said, but she would not sleep during lessons. She has been scolding Eunbi many times in the past for sleeping in classes, she says it is not respectful to the teachers. However, Yerin sleeps through nearly all of the classes that day, it is really rare and weird for the girl. While Yerin is going out of the classroom with the teacher to have her detention, Sojung takes the chance to talk to Eunbi.

“Hey Eunbi, you better keep an eye on your girl.” Sojung says out of nowhere.

Eunbi frowns, what is Sojung imposing? “Why? Is there someone flirting with my girl during rehearsals?”

“No,” Sojung shakes her head after seeing Eunbi hold her fist tight. “Chill girl, even if someone wants to, Yerin does not have the time to entertain them, she is insanely busy. Moreover, I don't think she has the heart to do that as we are not allowed to use phones during rehearsals, the only thing I saw her doing during break times was looking at you two’s photos. Urg love birds.”

Eunbi smiles proudly. “That’s my girl, but why keeping an eye on her then?”

“I guess Yerin did not tell you right?” Sojung sighs, “I did not want to betray her, but this is getting worse, you really need to step in, just don't tell her that I am the one notifying you, okay?”

Eunbi is getting more and more confused, she nods her head.

“She is skipping meals these weeks, the only thing she eats is what you bought her for breakfast. She is not having proper lunches nor dinners, at most three spoons of rice then she went back to work. And she is not letting herself rest, she even worked overnight yesterday, I found her sleeping on her arm at the school hall’s back stage floor this morning.”

“Are you serious?” Eunbi feels fire inside her body, she is somehow mad. She is not only mad at Yerin lying to her, but to the fact that her girl is overloading herself.

“Yes, please do whatever you can Eunbi ah.” Sojung pats Eunbi’s shoulders and leaves the classroom to find the director.

Eunbi buys some food from the canteen before she walks to the detention room, it is Yerin’s favourite noodles, the Indomie. ‘She will like them. No, whether she is liking or not, she is definitely eating them.’

Eunbi opens the detention hall’s door, she finds a sleeping Yerin. With her one hand as the pillow, her other hand is holding onto a pen. Eunbi peeks at the paper underlying in her arms, it is the production’s cue list. Eunbi shakes her head slightly, she sits in front of Yerin and looks at the girl intently. There are black circles around Yerin’s eyes, her bangs are messy. Eunbi feels her heart is being pieced by thousands of swords, she does not like the image of her girl being stressed out. She caresses Yerin’s cheek gently and wakes the sleeping beauty up.

“Hey, I bought you lunch.” Eunbi smiles warmly at the girl.

Yerin is a bit confused at her where beings, after she blinkes for a few more times, she finally recognizes that she is in the detention hall. “Oh, thanks Bi. You came just in time. I was starving.”

Eunbi passes the bowl of noodles to Yerin and watches her girl eating happily, just like a three-year-old child, spilling foods everywhere on her face.

“Eat slowly, Rinnie, they are all yours. You are spilling them everywhere.” Eunbi takes the tissue and wipes Yerin’s mouth for her. “Did you have a good sleep yesterday?” She tries to bring up the topic casually, she isn’t wanting to test Yerin’s reaction, she does not want to show her disappointment, but that is the exact thing that she is intended to do.

Yerin stops eating at instant, she hangs her head low for some moments before she looks into Eunbi’s orbs and speaks. “I guess Sojung told you, right? I am sorry Bi, I did not plan to lie to you… I just don't want you to worry about me…Sorry.”

Eunbi returns the stare, “How could I not worry about you when I see you in such state? How could I not worry about my girlfriend when she is overworking herself? I know you’re doing out of good intentions, but please Yerin, I will not force you to leave, at least tell me next time so I could accompany you.”

“That is the thing I don’t want to… I don't want to disturb your rest because of me. It’s too selfish if I do so.”

Eunbi holds Yerin’s hands into hers, “It is not called selfish, it is called girlfriend’s responsibility. I don't mind staying as long as I am here with you. I may not be helpful at the sets or to provide you any meaningful technical support, but at least I could buy you snacks when you are hungry, I could pull a blanket over you when you fall asleep, I could be there for you when you are tired. Please Rinnie, never hide things like this to me anymore, promise?”

Yerin does not know why, but she feels her tears are rushing out from her orbs. She is tired after all these rehearsal days, sometimes she really wants to rest but she knows she could not, she has responsibilities to fulfill. Sometimes she really wants to find a person to talk her stress out but she knows she could not, she does not have time to and moreover, everyone has a life to deal with, no one is responsible to hear her out. But now, she knows she had found her perfect candidate to lean on, she knows when she could put her guards down, she knows where she could let herself rest. She pulls Eunbi over and throws herself into the latter’s arms, she cries out in Eunbi’s embrace, she cries hard. Eunbi does not say anything, she just holds her girl tight in her arms, patting her back slowly with rhyme.

If she feels safe here, then I will do whatever to protect her in my arms.