Solji was in a good mood. She felt it was almost a pity that in the few instances when she actually was feeling great, she had to go to work. Still, whatever gives her a roof above her head. 

She walked to the door of Hani's apartment, readying herself for another 4 or so hours of sitting still in one position. As she got closer, she could see a tiny crack, revealing the inside of the apartment. While whenever Solji had come over, the door was always unlocked so she could enter, change, and then move to the studio where Hani would already be sitting in, waiting, the door had always been at least locked. Solji wasn't too concerned, she probably forgot to close it which was something the girl had a bad habit of. 

She pushed the door open, her head peeking inside slightly just in case something was off. Hesitantly, she walked in, her eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary. She snapped her head when she felt a pair of keys jingle, finding Hani's sister in the kitchen. Solji loosened her clenched her fists, relieved it was someone familiar and not a burglar as Solji really didn't think that was something she could deal with at the moment. 

"Chill, it's just me," LE said, putting her hands up in mock surrender.

Solji smiled at the action, feeling more comfortable. 

"I was just about to leave, don't mind me."

Solji nodded as she held the door open for LE, waiting patiently as the girl made her way over. 

"We should catch up together again someday, I haven't had a chance to talk to you in a while," LE said before exiting, not waiting for Solji to answer. 

While there weren't that many occasions for Solji to remember, the few times she has spent with Hani's sister has always made her happy and a lot more carefree. Solji wasn't sure if the consequences and overthinking would be worth it, but she would indeed like to meet with Hyojin again. 

She shut the door behind her, waiting for the audible click unlike the previous person clearly had and made her way to the guest room once more. SOlji placed her bag on the floor against the wall before grabbing the shirt on the chair. She took off her jacket, shivering slightly as she placed it on the bed before pulling her own shirt off. With the weather getting colder and colder, Solji could only hope that Hani would finish this piece faster and hopefully put her in an outfit more suitable considering the weather next. She hurriedly put the shirt on, smoothening in out with her hands for a better fit considering it was oversized. Pulling down the sleeves, she then took her shoes and jeans off to complete the look for Hani's model. Before she forgot, she took out a pair of shorts from her bag, in case the long shirt wouldn't be long enough in some angles. 

Solji left the room, walking down the narrow corridor and pushed open the door of the studio door where Hani was already sitting in. The bright studio lights blinded her for a few seconds before her eyes adjusted to the sudden change. She walked to the stool and sat down, neither of the two acknowledging each other as Solji sat in the position that has practically become second nature for her at this point. 

Before Solji could get comfortable, however, Hani spoke up.

"You still have your watch on."

Solji looked down at her hand, realising that what Hani had said was indeed correct. 

"It's fine, I'll hold onto it for now."

Solji looked up, not hiding the surprise on her face. She watched as Hani walked over to her as if that was something she'd normally do. Carefully, Solji took off her watch and placed it gently in the middle of Hani's outstretched palm, her eyes not having left Hani's face. With the same confused expression plastered on her face, Solji starred as Hani made her way back to her seat. She shook her head lightly, realising it was rather rude of her to be acting like such. 

Even if it was weird, Solji can't say she hated it. 

The two returned to their regular silence, Solji recounting her week to keep herself busy. Things had been much better and smoother for Solji since leaving a job. Instead of being cranky and groggy for a few days of the week, Solji now finds herself much more energised. It was like things were finally looking better for her. 

She was a goddamn mess this time last year. She thinks back to the days when the wounds were fresh and the stakes were high. She could recall some things very well but feels like she's also just blanked out specific periods. ‘Selective amnesia,' she thought, knowing perfectly well how painful and tear-filled that year or so was. Even if she was financially a lot more stable, it wasn't like Solji could say she was in a good place, yet. 

She'd rather not look back on such hard times, not when she was literally in the view of Hani. Truth be told, she never fully blamed Hani for what has happened to her. Sure, the initial incident was mainly her fault but there were many other contributing factors like how the three of them were all drunk at the time and it wasn't even Hani's fault, she just couldn't save them. Everything that had happened afterwards was just the way she had her parents handled anything, which again Solji couldn't and had no intentions of blaming Hani for.  

But Solji had been cruel with Hani, she was too overwhelmed and stressed to have even considered how much guilt and fear the girl would be feeling, tossing in harsh comments and now there she is, too afraid to talk to Hani because of rejection. No matter how much she tries and begs herself to dislike Hani, to forget all the times they've shared and the nights they've spent, the same small actions that Hani does, from the meaningless ones to the care-filled, still haunt and tell her otherwise.

After 7, nearly 8 months of doing her best to repress her memories, of trying to pretend they were and never had been anything more than strangers, Solji felt the closest she's ever been to just talking to Hani. Not in the same, condescending, hate-coated lies, but as two old best friends, two almost more than best friends and just as two people. 

But Solji really isn't in the mood for getting out of her comfort zone, and besides, she really needed to think everything through before it was just a one-off thing and she becomes carried away.

Seems like Hani was, however.

__________________________

Hani took deep breaths in, trying to control her anxious thoughts buzzing through her head, hoping Solji hadn't noticed. She wouldn't put it pass Solji to though, Hani of all people know how damn observant and intuitive that girl is. She gripped tightly on the watch, holding it out of place at an angle so Solji couldn't tell. However, she became worried that she'd break it and placed it in her pockets instead. Hani drew one more breath in and kept her eyes on the collarbone she was refining on the canvas

"What came up last Friday?"

She refused to turn to face Solji, knowing that she'd have both shock and doubt scribbled all over her face. There was silence in a while and Hani could feel herself losing her mind with every second that passed. Giving up, she sat back and faced Solji, who had that blank confused expression on her face. 

"I asked you a question," Hani said, which seemed to have snapped Solji out of her daze as she responded almost immediately as if someone had just unpaused her. 

"Why do you care?"

The simplicity yet sharpness nearly made Hani wince but she had to keep her cool and pretend, as she has for the past almost year of her life. 

"You skipped a session, isn't it my job to make sure you running off isn't going to be a regular thing?" Hani lifted an eyebrow as she waited for the answer. 

For a split second, she saw a flash of almost disappointment from what she could tell across Solji's face but whatever it was, it had disappeared as quickly as it had come and Solji responded in the same neutral tone that Hani had heard so many times since hiring her. 

"I had a family thing."

One thing Hani had always cherished was how easy it was for her to distinguish the moments when Solji was telling the truth to when she was lying. With that poker face, Solji had pretty much mastered the theatre of lying even before Hani and met her but from the moment Solji had first lied to her, telling Hani that she was ‘fine', Hani had been able to easily identify those tell-tale signs she unconsciously displays. She was surprised to know that after all this time, she still had that skill wired into her because that was a lie if Hani's ever heard one. 

She put her palette and brush down. 

"Are you really lying to me right now, Heo Solji?" she aske