The calm before the storm was often depressing and melancholy.

Chorong took out the window. The weather today was cloudy, looks like is going to rain soon. In her study room, Eunji’s voice is getting louder and louder, probably arguing with her manager again. Sounds like a serious conversation, but Chorong decided not to pay attention on it, pulling all her focus on the dishes she is making.

Later, the voice came to an abrupt end, just like the last trace of air in her house was taken away. Only the sound of frying pan sizzling from the kitchen can be heard.

“Was I too loud?” said Eunji apologetically as she stepped out from the study room.

“No…” Chorong said softly, almost sounded like a whisper.

Eunji walked toward the kitchen; Her footsteps were so light that she always managed to surprise Chorong with a back hug. As always, her hands wrapped her waist, head on her shoulder, inhaling her favourite scent.

“Rong-ah, you won’t leave me no matter what happened right?”

Chorong turned off the ignition, wiped her hands on her apron, and she turned to face her. Her eyes were no longer the eye-smile that would light up her day, her smile was strained, a worried look was formed on Eunji’s face.

“Promise me that you won’t leave me alone.” Eunji spoke again as she was not getting response from the latter.

“Eunji, you’re so silly.” Chorong didn’t answer her questions.

“You are right, I always ask silly question.” Eunji tried to smile but she couldn’t, so she had her face buried back into Chorong’s neck.

-----

Eunji found Chorong sobbing at the corner of a long corridor.

2018, that summer is hotter compared to the previous year. Every summer, Plus S would organize tour, so their artists would come together and perform on a four to six hours long concert. Two years ago, they had the concert in Japan. A day after the concert in Japan ended, the company treated their artists and backstage employees to a deserving break, a one-day trip at Fuji-Q Highland.

BnN and JEJ went around with their team respectively. Almost of them go in pair or groups explored the amusement park, enjoyed all those extremes rides. Chorong, the only soloist in the company, had no choice, but to stick with her manager.

Chorong hates those rides, she would rather eat ice cream, helping her manager with her bags, or taking photos for her rather than riding them. Yet, there she was, standing in front the scariest haunted house in the world after much pleading from her manager. So, she was there.   

“Jungah-unnie, can’t we do literally anything else? Pleaseeee…” She begged.

“Yes. Chorong-ah, trust me. You will regret if you didn’t try this.” Her manager insisted and Chorong was poorly pulled into the lines, waiting for their turn.

As soon as their foots stepped in the haunted house, a sign to their left reads “Welcome to world’s scariest place.”, to the right another says “There’s only one escape. Good Luck.”

Chorong knew it was never a good idea agreeing.

Jieun laughes as she watches Eunji dragging their manager, following the red arrow, toward the haunted house walk.

As soon they approached the haunted house, they heard scream coming from the house and a familiar figure rushed out the exit. It was Chorong’s manager.

“Isn’t that Chorong unnie’s manager?” Jieun spoke as they walked toward her who still panting hard.

“Jungah-unnie, aren’t you supposed with Chorong-unnie? Where is her?” asked Eunji worriedly, as she noticed the manager was alone, not with the artist.

“I-Inside... We got scared then she ran off without me, thus we went parted way inside.”

After hearing the manager’s words, “I’ll go get her.” Eunji rushed towards the entrance, went in the haunted house alone, ignored all the shouts and protests by Jieun and her manager.

Inside the haunted house, the sound of a chainsaw coming out of nowhere really creeped Eunji out, but for Chorong, she bravely went through all the room, searching for the latter. The only one thing in her mind was to find Chorong.

Suddenly, the fake zombies were not scary for her, their makeup were ty, and fake blood which looks more like cranberry juice than anything dribbling out of the corner of their mouth. Her biggest fear was a high-pitched type of scream came from the floor above her. Eunji quickly ran up the stair and pushed the group of fake zombies that surrounded the crying girl in a corner.

Chorong was regretting ran off without her manager. She was all alone in the haunted house, looking for the exit. Chorong was so close to tearing up as she kept getting scared by the zombies in the house. When she turned into a corner, she screamed because she was welcomed by a bunch of zombies chasing at her, so she ran as fast as she could but ended up running into a dead-end. She crouched up, crying, covering her ears and closing her eyes.

A few seconds later, Chorong felt someone pulled her into a warm embrace. 

“Unnie, it’s me Eunji… you’re ok, everything is ok now.” Eunji cooing the trembling figure in her arms.

Chorong stayed in Eunji’s embrace for a moment, slowly taking in deep breath. Finally managed to calm herself down.

“Let’s get out of here.” Eunji stood up and helped Chorong up.

“I hate haunted houses,” Chorong finally spoke, “I know none of it is real but when people jump out at me I kind of want to run away, kind of want to punch them in the face.”

“You should punch the next one in the face,” Eunji joked and Chorong seems to relax slights after that, giving her a warm smile and they continuing forward.

The next section they stumble across wasn’t that scary, just a clearing filled with the children cries, which is sort of disturbing in its own way, but not scary. It’s when they heard a laugh come from behind them that Eunji feels hand slide into her and grip it, hard.

Eunji almost let out a surprised grunt, but when she realised it was actually Chorong who begins to cling to her arm as they walk through the slice and dice laboratory. Chorong’s hand was sweaty in hers, and she could feel her still a little shaken. By the time they reach the brightly lit waiting area, she was calmed down a bit, but Eunji could still see the terror in her eyes, so she squeezed her hand in reassurance. The comfort doesn’t last long as a clown appeared and chase them down the row.

Chorong gripped Eunji’s hand even tighter and dragged her along as they practically sprinted away. By the end of the row, they were out of breath, but Chorong still didn’t let go Eunji’s hand.

“Maybe if you were holding on Jungah-unnie this tight, you wouldn’t be here alone.”

“I’m sorry,” Chorong apologised and quickly let go her grip after realising her hand still holding on Eunji’s, “I’m sure you didn’t come just to have your arm pulled out of socket by me.”

“You are surprisingly strong,” Eunji admitted. Her fingers might actually be bruised by the end of it. Totally worth it, though. Eunji never opposed to having a beautiful girl hang all over her, especially when the girl is the person she has a crush on.

“I was too scared to be left alone again…”

“Keep holding my hand then, before you ran off alone again.”

Chorong look down at Eunji’s outstretched hand warily. “I think... If we just stay close to each other…”

“You were fine with clinging to me earlier,” Eunji huffed. “What changed?”

“Nothing,” Chorong grabbed her hand as she could feel her cheeks burning. “Just promise me that you won’t leave me alone...”

-----

Eunji was sitting on the sofa outside the CEO’s room, drummed her finger worriedly while waiting for the secretary to call her in. Her mind was already started calculating, came out with every possible answer to the questions she has to deal later.

Honestly, Eunji hates to hide the secret relationship of her and Chorong. The two of them are loving each other, yet they couldn’t reveal themselves just simply because who they are. Eunji was tired of hiding this secret, she wanted to reveal all of them, but positively not to the person she’s going to meet.

“Eunji-ssi, please come in.” The secretary called her.

Choi Jinho was still the same as the last time she was there, sitting in his chair and calmly invites her to take a seat. Eunji sat and for a long moment, no one spoke.

“Stop everything you’re doing right now with Park Chorong.”

Upon hearing to Chorong’s name, Eunji slightly panicked, but she managed to keep calm. “I didn’t understand what you meant.”

“Since I have decided to discuss this issue with you, don’t waste your time and words deny it.”

“Sorry sir, I can’t obey your commands.”

Choi Jinho let out a deep sighed and sank against the back of the leather chair for a few minutes before start speaking again. “Are you trying to gamble with your future and Park Chorong’s ca