Minjeong wonders how she ended up here. Not how she ended up staring at this vast expanse, but rather how she ended up in this state of mind, exhausted from the events that led up to today. Or tonight?

 

It barely registers that it’s late into the evening.

 

She’ll kill me if she finds out.

 

That is, if she finds out.

 

Minjeong sighs.

 

The emotional and mental turmoil this week had brought her.

 

Minjeong thinks she’s a bit of a masochist, because despite the exhaustion, her mind continues to work.

 

Anxious of what the night will or won’t bring, she leaves the present and watches the past week unfold. Probably not a good idea, but she’s got all the time in the world so…

 

Minjeong indeed, reminisces.

 

 

“Zero-yah. Come.”

 

And the pup eagerly runs to his owner, much to the endearment of those watching.

 

“Do you girls want to hold him?”

 

Minjeong’s and Jimin’s faces light up—Taeyeon not only asked if they could pet him, but to hold him?

 

‘Tis the season, after all.

 

The oldest of the three hands Zero over to Jimin, and Minjeong is now face to face with the little pooch.

 

“Zero-yahh,” Minjeong coos, and rubs the poodle’s chin.

 

“He likes it.”

 

And Minjeong can see the wide smile on Jimin’s face, despite her mask hindering it.

 

“It’s like watching two pups play with each other.”

 

Taeyeon snickers.

 

“Jimin-unnie!!”

 

“I’m sorry,” Jimin says between giggles, “I couldn’t help it!”

 

“It’s true though.” Taeyeon chimes in, and this time, Minjeong knows it’s her pout that can be seen through her mask.

 

But before the younger girl could retort, their choreographer calls for their attention.

 

“Sorry ladies, we need Karina-ssi for this part.”

 

“Right! Zero-yah, Jimin-unnie is going to practice now,” Jimin informs him. “You go with Minjeong first.”

 

So now the pup is in Minjeong’s arms, and looks up and tries to her face.

 

“He likes you too, but I’m not surprised.” Taeyeon says with a knowing smirk.

 

“Taeyeon-unnie I’m not a puppy!” She spares a glare for Jimin, but the older one’s already in the middle of the practice room, focused on the choreography.

 

So the glare turns into a bit of a stare, but Minjeong knows better when it comes to emotions that show. She instantly shifts her attention back to Zero, but not before settling her gaze on Jimin a bit too long, which she hopes Taeyeon hadn’t noticed.

 

“So Minjeong-ssi.”

 

Crap.

 

“Yes unnie?”

 

“What do you plan to do for your birthday?”

 

“Oh! Well…we’ll still be super busy by then…”

 

“But at least you’ll have some sort of celebration still, right?”

 

“I guess. We usually welcome the New Year and my birthday at the same time. You know, hitting two birds with one stone?”

 

“Hm. But I’m sure if you weren’t busy, your members would love to have a separate celebration, just for you.”

 

“That would be sweet.”

 

“That being said, I’m sure you’ll have an amazing time either way.”

 

Taeyeon notices Zero become a bit less energetic, so she calls for him, knowing what comes next. The poodle leaves Minjeong’s hold, settles on Taeyeon’s lap, and lets out a yawn.

 

“Aigoo.”

 

“So how do you welcome the New Year and your birthday at the same time?”

 

“It’s…actually more of a New Year’s celebration. People watch the fireworks, eat good food, say their Happy New Year’s, and then greet me a Happy Birthday.”

 

“That’s it?”

 

“Yea…”

 

“Hitting two birds with one stone?”

 

Minjeong laughs. “Told ‘ya, unnie.”

 

“And it’s been like that? Even with your family?”

 

“Well, of course it’s a different vibe when I’m with my family. They’re much cheesier.”

 

It’s Taeyeon’s turn to laugh.

 

“Okay. So, do you make a wish every year?”

 

Minjeong revels in the idea of being able to make a wish this year, perfect to seal and encapsulate all the achievements they had. But whenever she thinks about it, the frustration merely festers.

 

She feels like her mind is a crumpled piece of paper.

 

“Yea…right after I dance with Jimi-…ah.”

 

Minjeong wants to slap herself.

 

“What?”

 

“…uhm.”

 

“Is that a little birthday tradition I’m hearing?” Taeyeon smirks.

 

And Minjeong doesn’t want her to think it’s a big deal.

 

“We…when we were…it started when we were trainees.” Minjeong sighs, defeated.

 

“Oh?”

 

“It just happened randomly! We were at the dorm. We weren’t spending New Year’s with our family that time, and Jimin-unnie was crazy enough to rehearse. Then she came up with this wild idea to…to…”

 

“To?”

 

“To teach me some ballroom.”

 

And Taeyeon laughs her signature laugh, loud enough for a handful in the practice room to hear.

 

“Taeyeon-unnie!!”

 

“Yah! Win-sal! That must be a pretty good joke you’re telling Taeyeon ‘cos I’m one of the few who can make her lose it like that!”

 

It’s Hyoyeon who says this, and the rest of the GOT team erupt in laughter.

 

Jimin looks at Minjeong and Taeyeon curiously, so Minjeong turns to Taeyeon, wondering how to calm the older one down.

 

As soon as the others got back to their business, Taeyeon calms herself.

 

“Seriously? And you agreed?”

 

“How could I have refused?? She was so excited it was scary.”

 

“What did she teach you?”

 

“A bunch of steps I don’t remember.”

 

“But it’s a birthday thing, yea?”

 

“Mhm. After I ended up stepping on her foot too many times, she decided to switch it up to music we can actually party to.”

 

“Ah. So you just dance the night away every year?”

 

“Yup. And…”

 

“And?”

 

“I wasn’t really the type to do the wish thing, but she always insisted. So every year, she’d be the one to ask me to make one.”

 

“That’s sweet.”

 

And to anyone, it was just that—sweet. A pact between best friends. But to Minjeong, the tradition grew into an amalgam of emotions, specifically this year. There was a degree of anticipation, and a degree of apprehension. Because Minjeong would be lying if she said that this year was similar to that of the past.

 

“Minjeong? You’re spacing out.”

 

“Oh! Sorry unnie.”

 

“It’s okay.”

 

“So I guess it’s the same this year?” Taeyeon continues.

 

Minjeong was about to respond, only if she knew how to.

 

Taeyeon tilts her head to get a clearer view of Minjeong’s face. But before the younger girl could show a hint of whatever was in her mind, she responds.

 

“I don’t know. We’ll be coming back from an awards show that evening and we’ll be tired so…”

 

“Ahh.”

 

Minjeong hopes Taeyeon would let the conversation die down.

 

“Things have changed, haven’t they?”

 

Minjeong panics.

 

“You aren’t able to spend much time together like you used to?”

 

There’s a sigh of relief somewhere in Minjeong’s brain, but it’s mostly regret persisting, having let this conversation go as long as it has.

 

Because Taeyeon got half the truth already.

 

Over the past year, Minjeong and Jimin had grown closer and farther apart at the same time.

 

And Minjeong doesn’t know when it started. When gazes turned a bit too fervent, when jokes shifted into palpable tension, and touches into questionable intentions.

 

So Minjeong did what she did best.

 

To distance herself, in the most subtle way it wouldn’t hurt the both of them. So when Jimin lingers in her gaze, Minjeong averts hers. When Jimin calls her jagi, she shifts the conversation with humor. When they hold hands, she finds reason to let go.

 

“Yes.”

 

She doesn’t elaborate any further.

 

“Minjeong-ssi, you know that that’s normal, right?”

 

Minjeong looks at Taeyeon, waiting for her to continue. The older girl smiles.

 

“Change is bound to come. Even among the closest relationships.”

 

“Mm.” Minjeong merely nods.

 

They’re both watching the other girls practice, letting a moment of silence envelope them.

 

“Change isn’t always pretty, but when it starts, you’d be surprised how much power you have in shifting its course the way you want it to.”

 

Is it from Taeyeon’s own experience, Minjeong wonders?

 

Surely. The woman had gone through so much.

 

“But that’s the thing, unnie. If we hold that much power, isn’t it normal to be frightened?”

 

“Of course. And in the end, you can just let everything run its own course.”

 

That’s frightening too, Minjeong thinks.

 

“But that’s why you turn to each other.”

 

Minjeong looks at Taeyeon, who gives her a comforting smile.

 

“Look to why you’ve gone this far. Figure out what’s worth fighting for, together.”

 

Taeyeon laughs.

 

“But that’s a bit too much for two best friends just entering the height of their careers, right?”

 

And there’s something in Taeyeon’s eyes, something that tells Minjeong that everything the woman said was meant to be universal.

 

Two best friends.

 

“Anyway, just talk to her. I’m sure you young ones will figure this out.”

 

“Unnie, you’re not that old you know.”

 

“Her hips beg to differ.” Hyoyeon approaches, BoA and Karina in tow.

 

“Yah Kim Hyoyeon!”

 

“All of us are up now, ladies,” BoA says.

 

“Zero-yah, go to Manager Oppa first,” to which the pup, as usual, obeys.

 

Jimin reaches out for Minjeong.

 

“You okay?”

 

Minjeong accepts the hand that’s offered, Jimin pulls her up, with a gentleness Minjeong treasures. Maybe just for today, she’ll surrender herself to the feeling.

 

“Yup! Let’s do this, Jimin unnie.”

 

Hands still intertwined, Minjeong leads Jimin to the middle of the practice room.

 

 

Keeping her emotions at bay was certainly easier than it sounded.

 

They’re all dressed in various La Lune ensembles, accented by hints of hot pink.

 

New Year’s Eve is fast approaching, and Minjeong just wants to get things over with, so no one would catch her staring at Jimin every chance she could get.

 

Why would they dress her in leather pants? Whose idea was it to tie her hair up like that?

 

“How do I look?”

 

Jimin spins around joyfully in front of the mirror, obviously enjoying how she was styled this evening.

 

“Get ready for the video game references I guess.”

 

“I mean how do I look to you, Minjeong.” Jimin is now looking at Minjeong in the eyes, through the mirror’s reflection.

 

“Cool…”

 

“You guess?”

 

“What?”

 

“You were about to say, “I guess,” weren’t you?”

 

“I guess.”

 

“Minjeong.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“You’re doing it again.”

 

“What?”

 

“That. Shifting…things.”

 

“Shifting?”

 

“Can you stop answering me with questions?”

 

Jimin turns around to face her.

 

Minjeong, after years of knowing the older girl, should know when it’s time to concede. The look on Jimin’s face would have looked like sulking to other people. Because Jimin never lets herself show emotions that may seem distasteful, even if her anger was valid. But Minjeong has known Jimin for years, and she knows how to read the girl’s eyes.

 

And vice versa.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

“What’s going on? Tell me I’m not overreacting.”

 

“I…you have to be specific on that one.”

 

“About us! You’ve grown more distant recently.”

 

“Have things not been the same?”

 

“They have and they haven’t.”

 

“We’re fine…back at Step Back rehearsals we were fi-…“

 

“No, things are fine on the outside. But that’s the thing. It’s not the same. It feels like a routine. You’re doing things for routine’s sake.”

 

And Minjeong knows, she can play all the mental gymnastics she wants, and wish it worked like it can on other people, but not with Jimin.

 

“Minjeong, are things changing between us?”

 

“Jimin-unnie,”

 

Jimin lets out a small laugh.

 

“Are you growing sick of me?”

 

“Unnie!”

 

Minjeong rises from her seat and rushes towards Jimin, only to be halted.

 

“Don’t. If you hug me, I’ll cry, and I can’t ruin my makeup.”

 

If it were a different situation, Minjeong would’ve laughed and about this. But the air around them is much heavier than what it’s supposed to weigh.

 

“Just be honest with me.”

 

“I’m…yes. Things are changing.”

 

“…”

 

“I want…I want to rely less on others.”

 

“On me.”

 

“In general, but…since we…yes.”

 

Jimin searches Minjeong’s eyes, and the latter wishes they’re convincing enough.

 

“So, what you’re saying is, you don’t want me to baby you anymore?”

 

“Right.”

 

“And that’s why things have been different?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“And,” Minjeong adds, “Don’t think this is your fault. I’ve just thought about a lot of things, and I just want to be more independent, and less…”

 

“Like we’re attached on the hip?”

 

“I guess.”

 

“Mm.”

 

Minjeong hopes that’s it. The final on the canvas, a testament to her stage name. A cold conclusion, so she won’t have to deal with emotions that she’ll later regret.

 

Here’s a beautiful piece of art, it was nice when it lasted, she’ll savor its lingering presence, but now without her muse.

 

There’s a knock on the door.

 

Their manager opens it just enough for her head to peek through.

 

“Girls, 10 minutes.”

 

“Okay. We’ll be out in a sec.”

 

When the door’s shut, Jimin approaches Minjeong.

 

“Stay up a bit later.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“I want to give you your birthday present, but just the two of us.”

 

“Oh. Okay.”

 

Jimin smiles, and initiates a hug. Minjeong returns it.

 

She hears the older girl’s footsteps fade away down the hallway.

 

She’s left in the room to bask in the heaviness of the air. She berates herself, on how she’s letting herself usher in the New Year with a lie.

 

 

“You’ve got to be kidding.”

 

“Does it look like I am?”

 

“But Jimin-unnie!”

 

“It’s not as hard as it sounds, trust me!”

 

Jimin’s arms are outstretched, waiting for Minjeong to approach her.

 

“You’re going to regret this.”

 

“No, you’ll regret it if you don’t try. Now come.”

 

“I’m not a puppy.”

 

“You’ll try to convince me for many more years I’m sure, but it won’t work.”

 

Jimin moves to grab Minjeong’s hand. She places it on her waist.

 

“Aren’t you ticklish?”

 

“Does it look like I’m planning to let you tickle me? Relax. You’ll be fine.”

 

Minjeong’s other hand is hanging in the air, not knowing where to go exactly. She then feels Jimin’s hand on her shoulder and another meeting the one that was lost. Minjeong shifts her weight backwards so she doesn’t stand too close to the other girl. But Jimin is persistent, and positions herself much closer.

 

“You’re like a shy boy.”

 

“Oh? I’m sure a lot of shy boys were just dying to dance with you.”

 

“I wouldn’t know.”

 

“Right.”

 

“Okay, now follow my lead.”

 

And Jimin leads her through the steps, just like that. She’s counting, and trying to match Minjeong’s slow steps. 1 2 3 and 1 2 3 and…

 

A waltz.

 

That’s what it was called.

 

Of all the ballroom dances she could’ve chosen.

 

1 2 3 and 1 2 3 and…

 

“Ow!”

 

“Ah ! Sorry.”

 

“Minjeong, language!”

 

“Oh. eth. I am sorry!”

 

To which Jimin playfully slaps her on the shoulder. Minjeong gives her a wide-toothed grin. Jimin pretends to glare at her, but struggles to keep her laugh in. Then they both give in.

 

“Okay, okay. Now with music.”

 

“What?”

 

“You thought that was it? Nope.”

 

“Don’t tell me we’re doing this ‘til midnight! Do I look like Cinderella to you?”

 

“Hmm, do you want to be my Cinderella, Kim Minjeong?”

 

Jimin rests her chin on her hand, with a tilt to her head, all with an innocent smile on her face.

 

“You’re dreaming.”

 

“You’re right. I’m dreaming of something else.”

 

“Yup. You’re more likely to dream of Prince Charming.”

 

“No, that part has already been fulfilled.”

 

“What?”

 

“I’m dreaming she dance with me tonight, just until we welcome the New Year.”

 

Jimin reaches for Minjeong’s hand once again, and leads her to the middle of the room, and now, all that Minjeong sees is Jimin. The girl is sifting through her phone, probably looking for a song. Once it plays, Minjeong takes a moment to see how the steps she learned would match the beat of the music. Jimin tosses her phone on the couch.

 

“Wow Minjeong, you’re looking serious.”

 

And Minjeong slowly places her hand on Jimin’s waist, right where it was previously. She then grabs the other hand, gently.

 

“Like this, right?”

 

Jimin looks a bit dumbfounded.

 

“Jimin-unnie. It’s almost midnight.”

 

Jimin clears , then faces Minjeong.

 

“Right.”

 

“Just until we welcome the New Year?”

 

“Yes, Minjeong. Just until the New Year.”

 

“Then let’s dream.”

 

1 2 3 and 1 2 3 and 1 2 3 and…

 

 

“3…2…1…”

 

“HAPPY NEW YEAR!!”

 

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY KIM MINJEONG!!!”

 

It’s a mixture of voices now, and one of the managers somehow started a Happy Birthday song, and everyone’s trying to harmonize, but to no success.

 

“Yahhh my ears!” Yizhuo exclaims.

 

“And now, a gift from our sponsors,” their Manager Oppa says, in a jokingly formal way.

 

“Is that…” Jimin starts.

 

“Champagne?”

 

“Oh, there’s wine too!” Aeri delightfully says.

 

“Can Minjeong drink?”

 

“Hey of course I can!”

 

“Around one and a half glass. Or less.”

 

“But-!”

 

“We don’t know your tolerance yet. Besides, we have rehearsals in the afternoon tomorrow.”

 

“But that’s the afternoon!”

 

“Wow, are you actually planning to get drunk?” Aeri asks.

 

“Of course not!”

 

“Of course, she’s not.” Manager Unnie comes to the rescue. She pops the bottle of champagne and opens the wine.

 

“Let’s have a toast before the rest of the team leaves.”

 

And so they all do, much to the delight of everyone in the room. They even let Yizhuo take a sip. There’s