Hyejin's bouncing happily as they got off the train while Wheein just crankily lets herself get dragged. The sun is high enough that she finds it too bright to see without sunglasses, but she's an idiot who left hers at home so all she can do is squint and try to glare at everything. Thankfully, Hyejin brings her hand up to shield Wheein's eyes without her asking, and they exit the station like that.

After two minutes of waiting, Wheein is about to complain when Hyejin starts tugging at her again. She opens her eyes a little to see the black Volvo stopped just a few meters from them.

“Dad~”

“Did you two wait long?”

Seeing Hyejin's dad after so long brings a small smile to her face. She's still annoyed and hungry, but it's been months since she last saw him so it was really nice of him to pick them up at the station like that.

After being pushed into the backseat and Hyejin sitting comfortably beside her father, they immediately set out towards home. But Wheein, with her stomach growling, instantly starts sniffing.

“Wait.” Wheein sniffs twice, and Hyejin turns to her with a 'what the are you doing now?' face. “I know this. Smell. Smell.” Sniff. Sniff. She closes in on the black plastic beside her. “Food! Food!”

Hyejin, with her excitement of hearing that there's food, almost turns her body all the way back just so she can look at the possible food.

Hyejin's dad lets out a laugh. “I bought those Chinese pancakes that you two really like. You should eat if you're hungry.”

He hasn't even finished speaking when Wheein grabs the bag and unwraps it, revealing the pancakes and making Wheein yelp in excitement.

Hyejin gasps loudly. “Give me some too!”

Wheein ignores her as she stuffs an entire piece in , as loudly as she can because of the taste. She can feel her crankiness evaporate with each chew, and she finally smiles fully for the first time since going off the train.

“Wheeinnie~” Hyejin reaches for her shoulder, and Wheein shakes it off, before taking another piece into . “That's not fair. I want some too!”

With bulging cheeks, Wheein replies haughtily, “No. This is mine.”

“Ya!”

“Oy, Hyejin. Sit properly.” Her father scolds.

Hyejin is on her knees on the seat, trying to reach for the bag as Wheein stretches herself in the most awkward positions just to prevent Hyejin from getting it. It's surprising that the seatbelt is still somehow intact around Hyejin with her current position. They continue to make a fuss, the two of them reaching decibels that really shouldn't be reached in an enclosed space. It's chaotic, and something that Hyejin's dad is completely used to.

They eventually settle down when Hyejin manages to steal a piece by grabbing the back of Wheein's collar to pull her closer. Wheein almost falls off the seat, but what's a tiny incident if it means getting food?

Wheein pouts for the rest of the ride after that.

–

Aside from Uncle Yeob's new car, what the press never got wind of is the fact that Hyejin bought her parents a house. It's not that big (her parents refused to let Hyejin spend more than necessary), but with all three Ahn sisters living on their own independently, Hyejin's parents didn't see a reason to get a bigger place. Hyejin managed to convince them to get one with three bedrooms at least, for when the family gets together, but in return, they had insisted to pay a part of the initial payment and the remaining instalments left.

(Hyejin didn't tell them she had already paid for most of the cost.)

Despite the complete change of address from when they were in middle school, Wheein can still feel the nostalgia of coming home to the Ahn household. Hyejin's sisters have come to greet them during their rare visits to Jeonju, both with their partners in tow, and Wheein could immediately smell the heavenly scent of Hyejin's mom's cooking.

Really, it's no wonder Hyejin loves to eat when she has a mother who cooks her such delicious food. It's how Wheein also came to love food, and the privilege to taste Auntie's dishes is one of the biggest advantages of having known Hyejin for more than ten years.

As if planned, Wheein and Hyejin barely offer the two older sisters and their partners a greeting before heading straight to the kitchen where Hyejin's mom is cooking.

“I smell gogiguk.” Hyejin says, stopping just a step behind her mom with Wheein beside her. “And are those japchae veggies?”

“Eels. How did you miss the eels, Hyejin.” Wheein adds.

Auntie just laughs. “It's nice to see the two of you haven't changed. Now give me a hug.” Hyejin wastes no time embracing her mom, and looking absolutely blissful in her arms. Wheein waits for her turn, but both mother and daughter just pulls her in when she didn't move, bringing her into a group hug.

“Now,” Auntie says, letting both of them go, “Hyejin, why don't you be a darling and set up the table so we can eat soon. Wheein can help me finish up here.”

“Oooor I can help you finish up while Wheeinie sets up the table.” Hyejin suggests.

“As much as I'd love your company, sweetie, I want to actually serve something on the table. You know how much I love it when you eat my food, but we have people to feed today.”

Hyejin pouts like the big baby she is and Wheein just laughs childishly at her best friend, making a show of giggling dramatically all the while pointing a finger at her. It makes Hyejin pout more, smacking Wheein on the shoulder before stomping towards where the rest of the family is.

As far as food preparations go, Auntie is pretty much finished. All Wheein has to do is put everything that's cooked into bowls and plates before setting them onto the table.

Wheein is scooping rice into separate bowls when Auntie asks her, “So how have you been, Wheein-ah?”

It's a question that Wheein has never known how to answer, but she puts a smile and says “I've been fine, Auntie. Just busy.”

“Have you been getting enough rest?” Auntie asks, worry obvious in her tone. “Are you eating enough? Hyejin mentioned last time that you were on a diet, even with your hectic schedule.”

“I'm not starving myself, Auntie, don't worry.” Wheein sets the bowls aside for a moment, fully focusing on the older woman to reassure her. “When I fast, it's signed off by my doctor, and I always make sure to have a full meal whenever we perform. I swear I'm dieting in a healthy way.”

Auntie smiles in understanding. “Alright, I believe you. Hyejin just seems very worried about you these days.” Wheein's face falls. “I'm sure she's just afraid that you might get sick again. She usually mentions you whenever she calls, but lately, she's been talking about you a lot.”

“I guess that's why she's more pushy about making me eat lately.” Wheein scratches her philtrum as she stares at the floor. “She usually just lets me be whenever I go on my regular fasts, but now she's being more insistent that I eat more. I should've realized how much it scared her to see me in that state.”

She vaguely remembers how one moment, she was walking with Byulyi-unnie's arm around her at the airport, and the next, she was lying on the airport benches with Hyejin hovering above her with teary eyes.

She was confined in the hospital for a few days after that while her members went to LA to perform. It , but the worst part had been Hyejin looking absolutely heartbroken while they video called each other. The unnies had offered to let her sleep with them in their room, but after the first night, Hyejin just decided to call Wheein at night while eating together (Hyejin having a late dinner while Wheein eats her lunch). It's not the first time they've been continents apart, but it's the first time it happened unplanned. They had their schedules planned out, which restaurants to visit and which shops to buy from, and it was difficult for Hyejin to just go without Wheein.

It took a lot of convincing from Wheein before Hyejin agreed to go, and even then, Wheein could feel that Hyejin was forcing quite a bit of her excitement, just so Wheein wouldn't feel guilty about getting sick.

They had quite a long talk about it once they got back to Korea, cuddled in Wheein's bed and softly murmuring to each other. Hyejin held her the entire night, and Wheein vowed to a sleeping Hyejin that she'd never let it happen again.

“I'm sorry for making you worry.” Wheein says, keeping her head down, “I promise it won't happen again.”

Auntie shakes her head. “Don't do it for us. Be healthy for yourself.” Still quite ashamed, Wheein nods without making eye contact with Hyejin's mother. That is until she lifted Wheein's chin with her finger. “Now how about you finish plating those rice and some of the side dishes? This broth should be almost done. You'll eat my food, right, Wheein-ah?”

Wheein smiles, grateful of her concerned words. “Of course. No way would I pass up The Great Mama Ahn's amazing cooking skills.”

Auntie pinches her nose adoringly. “You flatter me. Now go on so we can all eat.”

–

Lunch was a lively affair. With eight people seated around a table for six, there was definitely almost no room for lulls in conversations. Hyejin's parents are especially chatty, asking their daughters and respective partners about anything that comes up. But of course, true to Hyejin fashion, she just let Wheein answer everything, too busy devouring her mom's food to care about conversations.

Once lunch is over and after changing to a more appropriate set of clothes (couple sweatshirts for 2 Young Girls's joyful return to their hometown), they immediately head to the place they've been planning to visit since their tenth anniversary the year before.

“Woah,” Wheein can't help but look around as they walked into their old middle school's premises. “So much has changed since we graduated.”

“This isn't right.” Hyejin says, completely aghast. “They tore down an entire building!”

While Wheein completely agrees, she can't help but laugh at how offended Hyejin sounded. “At least our building is still here. C'mon! We haven't come back here since we graduated.”

They'd gotten permission from the school to film, but as far as the school staff is concerned, it's just a normal weekend. They passed by a few of their old teachers and promptly greeted them, but none seem keen to be shown on TV so they just head towards their destination.

“They added an extra row at the back,” Wheein notes as they enter the classroom where they first met. Hyejin replies with a short 'Ah really?' as they walk on opposite sides. “Remember how you'd always make me pair up with you even though we're sat really far apart.”

“That's because you've always been short, so you're always seated at the front of the class.”

“YA.”

Hyejin giggles at her own joke. “But really, you were my first friend. Elementary school wasn't great for me, and I'm not good at making friends. I was just so happy you willingly became mine.”

Wheein smiles a little. “There's so many people who wanted to be your friend because you were so funny and interesting, but instead you chose quiet old me. Then you're craziness made me a noisy student too.”

Hyejin shoots her an offended look from across the room. “That was all you! You keep making those funny jokes, how could I not laugh?”

“You know I've never been called a noisy kid before I met you? Even when I was with my friends, I'm the quiet one that mostly listens.”

“Ah, that's right,” Hyejin agrees, “You also never cut classes or got into any trouble before meeting me. The perfect student...” Wheein hears a tinge of sadness in Hyejin's voice, and she sees the girl force a smile. “I was kind of a bad influence, wasn't I? I'm surprised your grandma allowed us to be friends.”

“It's because you make me happy.” Wheein replies easily. She takes a couple of steps towards the center of the room, and Hyejin meets her halfway. “I've always been a goofy kid, and grandma knew this. But when my parents divorced and Mom had to leave me with her…” she takes Hyejin's hands, somehow finding strength to continue with her story just from the mere touch. “You know how mad I was at my mom that time. I wanted her to take me back so bad that I told myself I won't make close friends at school so I can leave easily. It took me a few years to realize that I'm stuck here, and when I did, I was the quiet pefect kid that most my classmates know.”

Hyejin squeezes her hands, and Wheein smiles at the gesture. “Being with you gave me the courage to be myself again. You were so weird that it made feel like I can be weird too. You even helped realize my dreams. Grandma saw that even before I did, and I'm glad she loved you like her own granddaughter too.”

“You know, you make my life better too?” Hyejin says, leaning down to touch their foreheads for a second before smiling widely. “And not just because you were my first friend, but because of a lot of things too? Remember kimchi guy?”

Wheein frowns. “You mean that boy that spilled kimchi on you?”

Hyejin nods as she makes a face. “He's been bullying me since before middle school, you know? But when we became classmates, he had the biggest crush on you, so when we became friends, he stopped bothering me.”

“Pretty sure hitting his face with a ruler made him stop.”

“Yeah, okay, that too.” They both giggle at the memory. “That was the first time you got into serious trouble. I remember crying not because my uniform smelled like kimchi the whole day, but because I thought my only friend in school would get expelled.”

Wheein lets out a laugh. “You were such a drama queen even then.”

“Please. You loved that I was super clingy to you after that.” Hyejin pokes her nose, and Wheein cutely grunts at it. “You love cuddles. You've been exposed, Jung Wheein.”

Wheein makes a show of rolling her eyes so hard, only the white part is visible.

Hyejin lets out that cute Hyejin laugh. “But seriously, I can't count how many times you've protected me from bullies. You literally made my life better, and I can never thank you enough for that.”

For a moment, Wheein thinks about kissing her, but there are people and cameras, and while she shortly forgot about them when they got a little sappy, Wheein isn't willing to show the world just how much they can love each other.

So instead, Wheein replies, “Just treat me to ice cream later and we're even.”

They stay just a little longer, sitting in their old seats and reenacting the moment they met. Of course, Hyejin just had to make it ier this time, and Wheein just laughs.

But a quiet part of her wishes she could still protect Hyejin from bullies the way she used to when they were kids.

–

They get ice cream from a fairly new local shop. Hyejin buys them a scoop each, Wheein picking the intriguing peach and mango flavour, while Hyejin picked the much more simple banana. They share like they always do, Hyejin eating more of both their ice creams, but Wheein doesn't mind. Wheein has always loved wat