"Unnie!" Seulgi called out. "Wait for me!"

Irene started walking away and Seulgi ran after her, but her legs felt like they were made of lead.

"Joohyun-unnie!" Seulgi called again. "Please!"

But she just kept on walking and Seulgi's tears fell as Irene's figure became smaller and smaller in the distance.

"Unnie!" Seulgi called again and again. "Joohyun-unnie!"

Then Seulgi woke up when she heard three soft knocks on her bedroom door.

"Seul-ah," Her mother called. "Time for breakfast."

Seulgi breathed out a sigh.

It's been a week since she started having these dreams and it had always been the same: Irene walking away and Seulgi trying to chase after her.

Seulgi failed every time and she’d wake up with tears in her eyes.

She kept thinking about what happened in the bathroom the day after Halloween and how it was supposed to give them closure.. but it felt quite the opposite. She kept wondering about what it meant. Seulgi let out a heavy exhale. When it comes to sorting out her feelings, the one person she’d like to talk to the most is ironically the very same person who’s giving her all these confusing thoughts.

“Why do I always think about her?” Seulgi softly groaned into her pillow. She really couldn’t function well whenever Irene was around.

But Irene had been nothing but professional. She was still the unnie, after all, so even though she and Seulgi didn’t talk about everything that transpired in the last couple of weeks, business went on as usual.

Aside from group activities, the girls also had their individual schedules so they rarely get together as five in the dorm. Even when the girls were extremely exhausted from working all day, Seulgi would lie awake when nighttime came, staring at the ceiling, wondering if Irene was as affected by this as she was.

But as expected of their great leader, even when she was hurting, Irene never showed it. At night, she’d silently cry herself to sleep and then she’d wake up the following morning, cook breakfast, and proceed to soldier on through the day.

Seulgi opted to go home to her parents’ house ever since she started having nightmares about Irene. No one really pressed on when she had announced it to the group several days ago, and Irene only nodded as a response.

Seulgi sighed again as she remembered the bitter memory. Polite replies and curt nods were the most she’s gotten out of the smaller girl and she missed Irene so bad, it physically hurt.

There was another knock on her bedroom door, only this time, it was louder.

Seulgi stood up. “I’m coming, umma. Although I’m not really hungry.”

She walked to the door and just when she was about to turn the knob, the door burst open.

“Unnie!”

Seulgi’s eyes widened. “Sujin-ah?”

An hour later, Seulgi’s stomach grumbled as they walked along Neungnae station.

“I told you, we should’ve brought food.” Sujin laughed as she adjusted her camera. “Now I gotta do my best to make you look like you’re not hungry.”

“So..” Seulgi kicked some leaves. “Why are you here?”

Sujin had an offended look on her face. “Can’t I visit my cousin? What, you’re too popular now?”

Seulgi just sneered. “Did my parents put you up to this?”

Sujin’s shoulders slumped. “Fine. They wanted me to check up on you. They said you’ve been mopey lately.”

Now it was Seulgi’s turn to feign offense. “What? Don’t they want me around the house?”

“They know you’re busy.” Sujin held up her camera and Seulgi posed. “That’s a good angle. Let’s do another.”

“And?” Seulgi pressed on as she picked up handful of leaves. “So what if I’m busy?”

“They’re just wondering why you’re staying at home, is all.” Sujin muttered behind the camera. “Now stay still.”

Seulgi breathed in the fresh air as they went on with their photo walk.

It was not what she expected, but her mind seemed to clear up as the day went on. She didn’t realize just how much she needed some quiet and she made a note to thank her family for knowing what would make her feel better even if they didn’t know what she was going through.

“Sujin-ah.” Seulgi said.

“Yes?”

“What would you do if..” Seulgi rubbed her hands together. “If you had a camera..”

“I already have one, though.” Sujin raised her eyebrows.

“No, if—if you had the best camera in the whole world.” Seulgi spread her arms. “You’ve always had it with you and it’s like the camera is almost a part of you. But, if you take just one more picture, it will.. like, break.. or something like that.”

“Huh?”

“This is the camera you never thought you’d want.” Seulgi’s eyes widened in wonder. “Like, you didn’t really think you would need it but then after you held it, it was like.. you’re destined to be together. You’ve been through it all—when you were just starting to like photography and up until today when you take such good pictures now. It’s been with you.. every step of the way. It helped you grow.. and improve.. and you can’t imagine life without it. You know what I’m saying?”

Sujin was back to tinkering with her camera. “I really don’t.”

“Just.. humor me for a second, all right?” Seulgi requested. “This camera.. this camera made you so happy that you’ve taken 999 photos with it. And it’s all been great photos because it’s a really good camera! But now, if you take another photo, it will break. So you just have to admire it from now on.”

“What good would that do, admiring it?” Sujin scoffed. “If it’s really that good, then I have to use it!”

“Exactly! And you can take the most beautiful photo ever with the thousandth click. The best you’ve ever taken—maybe the best you’ll ever take!” Seulgi clapped. “But then, if you do.. it will break.”

“Why exactly would it break?” Sujin laughed. “How good is this camera if it would break if I use it just once more?”

“Because life is just freaking unfair sometimes.” Seulgi muttered.

“Well..” Sujin looked deep in thought. “I don’t know.”

Seulgi looked up at the starry sky.

“I guess,” Sujin’s said slowly. “I would have to know which is more important.”

“I know that.” Seulgi answered, still staring into the night. “But how do I know?”

“Well, what do you value more?” Sujin asked. "The camera you hold dear or the opportunity to capture the most beautiful photo ever?”

“The camera.” Seulgi answered.

“Well there you go.” Sujin gestured. “But personally, I’d choose the photo.”

Seulgi broke out of her reverie and stared at her cousin. “Really? Why?”

“Because,” Sujin shrugged. “I think it would kill me. Never knowing how it would turn out, you know?”

Seulgi said nothing.

I know.

“Plus,” Sujin added. “I could always get a new camera.”

“I doubt you would,” Seulgi said under her breath. “If you knew how much of a great kisser that camera is.”

“What?”

“Nothing.” Seulgi got up. “Let’s go home. It's cold.”

When Seulgi finally returned back to the dorm, the first person she wanted to look for was Irene.

"What's up?" Seungwan greeted as soon as Seulgi walked into the living room.

“Hey, Wannie.” Seulgi dropped her bags. "Is—”

“She’s not here.” Seungwan went back to munching on her cereal. “Seems like nobody stays in this dorm anymore.”

“Aww, did you miss me?” Seulgi ruffled Seungwan’s hair. “Don’t worry. I’m back for good.. I think.”

“Are you finally gonna tell me what happened between you and Joohyun-unnie?” Seungwan looked around. “We’re the only people here, you know.”

“She didn’t tell you yet?” Seulgi sat down on the couch and opened . Seungwan fed her a spoonful of cereal.

“No.” Seungwan shook her head. “I didn’t ask.”

“So why are you asking me then?” Seulgi said as she chewed.

“Because you’re my best friend.” Seungwan smiled sweetly. “I wanted to hear it from you first.”

“Fine.” Seulgi rolled her eyes. “But you have to promise you won’t tell the kids.”

“I won’t.” Seungwan said. “But you have to tell them something. You owe it to them. It was their plan to get you two to talk, you know.”

“Yeah, I know.” Seulgi sighed. “But I don’t think they’re ready for this.”

“Give them a little credit, will you?” Seungwan nudged her friend. “Now, go on. Tell me everything. Don’t leave anything out.”

“Fine.” Seulgi scooted closer.

“So, it went like this..”