When Eunbi and Sian finished eating, they stayed at their seats and talked. “How’s your practice going? You haven’t overworked yourself since we last met, have you?” Sian asked and Eunbi put her head down. Sian recognized this gesture and sighed, “Take care of your self like how you take care of others,” Sian said and Eunbi looked up, “I am taking care of my self. I just can’t stop when I dance. I know you know what I feel,” Eunbi said and Sian leaned back on her chair, arms crossed, “Right, let’s talk about feelings,” Sian smirked, “Chaeyeon? Who is that?” Sian asked and Eunbi wanted to slap the younger girl with her phone, “Just someone I met who will also join the competition,” Eunbi said, trying to be more relaxed, “Oh, a rival,” Sian said while nodding her head up and down like a bubblehead. The word rival triggered something in Eunbi’s memory and she remembered the time Chaeyeon told her that she is not a failure.

For some reason, at the mention of Chaeyeon’s name, Eunbi’s heart started racing. While she was with Sian, her heart was already beating fast but when Chaeyeon called, it sped up and, up until now, has not come back to its normal speed.

“Hey,” Eunbi got pulled back to reality when Sian waved her hand in front of her face. “You okay? You seem to be drifting,” Sian said and her eyes were full of worry, “I’m okay. I just remembered something,” Eunbi said. “So,” Sian cleared , “About this Chaeyeon, do you like her?” Eunbi was caught off guard and almost spit out the water she was drinking. Her eyes were widened as she answered, “I like her as a friend. It’s not what you think,” Eunbi said as she waved her hand. Sian smirked again, “Then why are your cheeks burning again? Do you blush when you talk about me too?” Sian teased and Eunbi felt her cheeks getting warmer; then she realized something.

“No, of course not. And I don’t talk about you,” Eunbi said the last part in a softer voice, almost a whisper, but Sian still heard it, “Oh,” Sian said and the smile slowly faded. “Can I be honest?” Eunbi asked and Sian nodded her head, her eyes focused on the empty plates on the table, “For some reason, I haven’t really recalled any memory from the past. I mean, there are times that important events would resurface but they really don’t last that long. When you called, I remembered everything we did together. It was all so vivid that I doubted they were memories from a few years back,” Eunbi explained. “So you basically forgot me?” Sian said, finally looking into Eunbi’s eyes, “No. No, it’s not like that,” Eunbi shook her head, Sian sighed. “I really don’t know what’s wrong with me. It’s not just you, though. Sometimes I would also forget what I did with my fellow trainees and when they look back on them, I start being clueless like I wasn’t there with them,” Eunbi looked down and started playing with the hem of her shirt. Sian started tapping her finger on the table, Eunbi figured the younger girl is trying to think of something to say, “Let’s go somewhere private where we could talk, shall we?” Sian stood up and stopped beside Eunbi. The older girl looked up and she saw Sian flashing her a smile but it was different—it did not reach her eyes.

Eunbi stood up and they went outside. Sian led the way but Eunbi caught up to her and started walking beside her. Sian offered her hand to Eunbi, which the older girl accepted; they intertwined their fingers afterwards. They walked and walked, Eunbi does not know where they will go but something about this way is familiar. It was as if she has travelled on this road before. As Sian halted, Eunbi managed to answer her question. She was right; the travel was indeed familiar. In front of her was the treehouse where Sian made her feel special. The lot is different now compared to before. There is now a fence and a small house at the back. “Whose house?” Eunbi asked as she pointed at the monochrome house, “I stay in the treehouse most of the time so my mom decided to build a house here for me to get warm in,” Sian answered and she pulled Eunbi towards the bottom of the ladder leading to the treehouse. Eunbi climbed up, without waiting for Sian, “Be careful,” Sian said and she started climbing up too. “If I remember correctly, it was you who almost died because of nonstop screaming,” Eunbi smirked but Sian was not able to see it. When Eunbi reached the top, she proceeded to walk towards the door but when she tried to open it, it was locked. “Key is with me,” Sian said as she took the key from her pocket and showed it to the older girl. After the door was unlocked, Sian opened the door and memories came flooding back to Eunbi.

The walls were empty but she could see the pictures and notes that were once there on her first and last visit. The feelings came rushing in; a surge of emotions started filling Eunbi’s body until she felt her cheeks getting wet. Sian turned to Eunbi and was surprised to see her crying, “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?” Sian asked as she tried to find which part of Eunbi’s body is injured. “No,” Eunbi answered, “It just feels surreal,” she said and started to walk towards the wall where the pictures were. She let her fingers travel the cold oak wood and the memories just kept coming. “Hey,” Sian silently said, and worry is written all over her face. “I’m okay, Sian,” Eunbi said as she flashed a reassuring smile to the younger girl. Sian shook her head in disagreement, “The last time you said you were okay, you almost dried your self to death,” and the memory of that day came back. “I’m sorry for being selfish,” Eunbi said as she looked down and bit her lower lip. Sian walked closer and held Eunbi’s hand, “I told you it was okay, remember? Do you still hate your self because of that?” Sian asked but before Eunbi could answer she spoke again, “Oh right. You only remembered me recently,” there was a hint of sadness and disappointment in Sian’s voice and Eunbi felt guilty. “I’m really sorry, Sian. I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” Eunbi said and she started tearing up. Sian saw this and wiped Eunbi’s tears. She dragged the older girl to the middle of the room where the bean bags are—exactly where they were years ago. 

“I just want you to know there wasn’t a day where I didn’t think of you,” Sian said and Eunbi balled her fists to control her tears. “I didn’t forget about you. It’s just that my memories got sort of suppressed,” Eunbi tried to explain. Sian smiled bitterly, “What’s the difference?” Sian did not raise her voice but Eunbi flinched, “If I did forget about you, I wouldn’t agree to meet up. I missed you, Sian,” Eunbi calmly said, “How could you miss me if you haven’t thought of me?” Sian turned to Eunbi and the corner of her eyes glittered as the light hit her tears that are about to fall. “I just know,” Eunbi said. The older girl went closer to hug the younger girl and whispered, “I’m sorry. You don’t deserve this. I’m such a bad friend,” Eunbi said and she felt Sian shake her head on her shoulders, “I’m disappointed but you were never a bad friend. It might just be your mind messing with you. I’m sorry because I can’t help but feel hurt,” Sian said and her tears fell. Eunbi pulled away and wiped the younger girl’s tears, “You have the right to be angry at me. I’ll accept it,” Eunbi said and she started crying too. “How can I be mad at you when after all these years I have only loved you?” Sian said and she hugged Eunbi again.

•

Chaeyeon kept dancing until her legs felt like wanting to detach from her body. She took her phone and stared at its screen for minutes. She is disappointed that there is no sign of Eunbi trying to contact her. She unlocked her phone and was about to call Eunbi again when she remembered what the older girl said earlier. “Right. She’s with someone else,” Chaeyeon told herself. She lied down on the floor and stared at the ceiling. Who is this person that Eunbi is seeing that she might have forgotten to call again? Chaeyeon brushed off the thoughts about Eunbi because it bothered her to the point that her mind became filled with Eunbi’s face. She closed her eyes and was about to sleep when she heard the door open. She was about to open her eyes and sit up straight when she heard the voices of the people who came in, “Is she sleeping or did she pass out?” Chaeyeon heard Youngin’s voice followed by footsteps approaching her, “I think she slept. She looks exhausted but she wouldn’t pass out while holding her phone, right? She wouldn’t have time to reach it,” Seunghyeon said. If Chaeyeon was not pretending to be asleep she would have hit the two right away. “Shouldn’t we get water?” Youngin said, “Sure, I’m thirsty too,” and Chaeyeon lost it, “Dummies, what if I really passed out? Will the two of you really leave me to die?” she asked. The younger girls looked at each other and Seunghyeon said, “But you’re not passed out nor dead so we’re cool, unnie,” Chaeyeon sighed and just put her hand on her face.  

“Have you eaten, unnie?” Youngin asked and Chaeyeon felt soft again, “Nope,” she answered and the two clung unto her, “Then let’s go eat!” they said in unison. Chaeyeon had bad feeling and spoke, “I’m not treating you,” the younger girls just smiled and started dragging their unnie outside of the training room. Chaeyeon did not want to get dragged but the two were stronger.

Youngin and Seunghyeon brought Chaeyeon to their favorite tteokbokki place. They sat down and called their orders. Seunghyeon turned to Chaeyeon, “Don’t worry, unnie. You’ve been working hard. It’s our treat,” Seunghyeon smiled and her eyes turned to crescents. Chaeyeon’s heart fluttered, “This is getting weird, you two,” Chaeyeon joked because she was on the verge of crying. “It was Youngin’s idea. This is like our compensation for making your head hurt because of us,” Seunghyeon said and Youngin joined in the conversation, “We know you haven’t eaten all day so just help yourself but please don’t bankrupt us, unnie,” Chaeyeon chuckled at Youngin’s plead, “I’m not like the two of you,” she said and they all laughed.

When their orders came, the two younger girls forced Chaeyeon to accept the food they are giving her. They fed her a couple of times until Chaeyeon threatened them with her own chopsticks, “Are you two trying to choke me to death?” Chaeyeon asked after she drank a glass of water in one go. Youngin and Seunghyeon just laughed, not denying the accusation and Chaeyeon sighed, “Unbelievable.”

They were eating quietly when Seunghyeon decided to break the ice, “Unnie, do you think the person from yesterday is doing okay today?” Chaeyeon was about to eat another piece of tteokbokki when she stopped halfway from . Without warning, Eunbi was back on her mind. “How would I know?” Chaeyeon replied and she tasted the bitterness in her words. “Right. I thought you two got each other’s contact because when we came back, the two of you seemed comfortable with each other,” Seunghyeon said, “Neither of us got each other’s contact. We just talked,” Chaeyeon said and Eunbi’s face is still flashing on her mind. “The two of you are very similar, unnie,” Youngin said and Chaeyeon turned to look at her, “Hmm?” Chaeyeon hummed, “You radiate the same energy,” Youngin said and Seunghyeon choked on her food. Seunghyeon then hit Youngin which made the latter confused. “Wh