three : three years later

Before Hyorin was able to secure herself a small one bedroom apartment located in downtown Seoul, she had gained the confidence to apply for a position in the Korean headquarters of the company she was currently employed under in Bangkok, Thailand. After a long day of just filling out paper work and transferring important documents, Hyorin was happy to arrive at the front door of her new home. As she extracted the key from the lock, she could only sigh in bliss as she turned the knob of her sanctuary but there was more thing then just the home itself. Planted on the yellow. faux leather couch rested Bora and Dasom who could only beam at the sight of their very worn out best friend.

"No key pad?"

"Not yet." Hyorin muttered as she tossed her key-ring into an old soap dish which she DIY'ed into something more...practical.

"At least it's roomy." 

"You've got that right."

So there they were, an hour later crowded around the tiniest coffee table ever, as Dasom claimed, using the couch's designer pillows as seats; the women focused on devouring the Chinese food Bora had ordered on the way over. It had been over a year, a year since Hyorin had last seen her girlfriends. With Dasom being in her last semester of college, she didn't have the funds to visit Thailand and then there was Bora who was working her way up the career ladder at her own company, Hyorin felt like she would only be interfering with her success.

As Dasom set down her chopsticks, she pivoted her head to face Hyorin, "eonni, Bora got another promotion."

"What? Are you serious?" too excited for words, she lightly punched her friend's arm, "way to go, you rascal!"

"Rascal? Ya! Respect your eonni, ne?" Bora scolded.

"I knew you would get it." Hyorin boasted as she stabbed at a steamed broccoli head.

"Of course I would g—what's that noise?"

Silence consumed the living room as the two clueless ones listened out. Off in the distance, inside a zipper pocket laid Hyorin's cellular device as it continuously buzzed. Realizing the noise, she stuffed one last bite of lo mein into before explaining the disruption, "it's my phone. I should probably take that call."

"Hurry back then!"

"Yeah, so we can finish eating!" called Bora as Dasom leaned forward to flick her forehead, "ya! What was that for?"

"For always being hungry, aigoo, you're ridiculous." The youngest tsked as she puffed her cheeks out.

"Mwoh? How dare you talk—"

Shutting the bedroom door behind to block out the soon to be explosive argument, she hesitated as her finger hovered on the 'talk' button. I don't even know the number, what if it's not even them? What if it's my bank reminding me of a payment or something? Not wanting to regret her decision of letting the call go to voicemail, the pad of her finger met the plastic of the key as the ringtone cut short, "yeoboseyo?"

"Ah yes, who am I speaking with?" a woman's voice projected through the line.

"Kim Hyojung."

"Ah, Miss Kim Hyojung. My name is Kang Jihyun from Starman Entertainment, the Korean branch of course. Sorry that I'm calling so late."

"Oh no, it's not a problem. Really! I'm not even asleep by this time." Peering over her shoulder at the alarm clock, ten-thirty flashed across the electronic's screen.

"Ah well, I'm glad that I was able to reach you instead of your voicemail. I personally wanted to congratulate you on your new job. Thank you for applying because I don't think any of the other candidates would fit this position as well as you will."

"Oh, thank you ma'am. Thank you, Miss Kang."

"You have to promise me something though, Miss Kim." Jihyun's tone of voice slightly deepened as she uttered the next words carefully, "please call me Soyu from now on. Monday is when you begin so rest up for the next few days, okay?"

"Arasseo, take care Soyu-ssi and please, do call me Hyorin. I prefer it so much more than Hyojung."

"Will do, Hyorin-ssi. Take care." Flopping down onto the bed, Hyorin was in a state of disbelief and awe when her girlfriends came piling in with wide eyes and grins. They looked at one another before bolting over to jump up and down in excitement.

"You got the job!" they shrieked in unison before wrapping their arms around the petite one's waist. After another round of shouting and laughter a few thumps followed from next door. The three took it as a sign to mellow down before any serious action would be taken place, "we're so proud of you, you do know that right eonni?"

"Thank you for dropping me off." Hyorin smiled as she leaned against the car door.

"It's not a problem. You don't have a registered car yet so I can do this for you until then."

"Are you sure you're willing to sacrifice for me like that?"

"You're my sister, why wouldn't I?"

"I love you so much, y'know? Thanks a lot, Bo."

"And this is why you love me," the woman cooed as she caught sight of the digital clock inserted right above the radio dials, "you've better get going. You're going to be late on your first day."

"Oh gosh, you're right I—"

"Fighting!" Bora shouted as she stuck her fist up.

"What are you doing? We're not little kids anymore. Who still does that?" not wanting to give into the argument, Bora's fist remained in the air until Hyorin finally surrendered without too much of an after-thought. She was only wishing her luck and what better way to do it then by going out with a 'childish' bang, "fine, fine. Fighting, fighting!"

And with that satisfied look, Bora pulled from the curve and left Hyorin to fend for herself. It was like her first day of pre-kindergarten all over again. Her nerves were jittery and her mind was scattered; she could feel her insides shutting down from too much thinking and anxiety. You can do this, you're Kim Hyorin. You can do this. Pushing the door open of the six-story building, she found herself facing a set of elevators where a woman with long, blonde hair awaited her arrival.

"Welcome to Starman, Miss Kim."

"Thank you." She bowed in gratitude before rising out of her ninety-degree angle.

"Kang Soyu, you remember me correct?"

"Of course, Miss Kang."'

"No Hyorin, like everyone else in this office, you do not call me that. It's Soyu and only Soyu."

"Soyu." Miss Kang nodded her head before gliding down the hallway with Hyorin behind. What one may have assumed would be a long walk through such a gigantic building was only a mere few seconds when Soyu pushed another large glass door open. Inside were three desks angled strategically in the corners of the room. Noticing a rather empty desk besides the bare essentials, the woman followed her gaze.

"It's your desk. Pretty, right?"

"If you say so." Hyorin replied without much though and as her eyes rounded, she'd realized the mistake she just made. How can you say something so stupid? You're really too much, Kim Hyorin, slapping her hand over in attempt to cut off any more word vomits, she groaned internally at what her new co-worker's response would be.

"You shouldn't do that." Soyu spoke as she pointed at the hand which was mending her lips together, "I was sarcastic anyhow. These desks are ugly and whoever calls them 'pretty' has questionable taste. Besides, when's the last time you've ever heard someone say, 'my, my, what a pretty little desk we've got here'?" At that, the two women couldn't help but chuckle at the oddly entertaining conversation which started with commentary on