“Let’s play the whole song once again before we end our practice,” Yuri announced while wiping her sweat with a towel.

“I can’t believe we’re actually performing onstage once again tomorrow.” Sooyoung took her seat while holding her drumsticks. “How long have we been practicing?”

“Two weeks? Three weeks? I honestly thought it will take us more than a month before going back performing live,” Yoona said, looking back at Sooyoung with a smile.

“Okay. Let’s start.”

Two weeks ago, Yuri called them after re-arranging their songs. It wasn’t anything unusual actually, for Yuri always does that even before. Yuri will always make some adjustments for Miyoung after they practice the newly composed song once or twice. Yoona was happy to know that Yuri did really value her opinion. The change was taken lightly by all of them and Sooyeon can only be thankful for Yuri’s understanding. A few days later, Grace said they got an offer to perform. Surprisingly, Yuri agreed saying they’ll be ready by the time of the performance. Although they don’t have a new song, Yoona believes that Fake Red is renewed having Sooyeon as their new voice.

“Hey, hey, hey!” Hyoyeon shouted while they are all taking their rest. “Miyoung’s group just released a teaser! Look!” Everyone gathered around Hyoyeon, even Sooyeon… even Yuri.

“Wow,” Hyoyeon exclaimed while watching. “Miyoung really looks different now. I bet I can’t even talk to her without stuttering.”

“She really looks a lot prettier now,” Yoona complimented with a sincere smile.

“Do you think she went under the knife?” Hyoyeon brought up jokingly.

“Of course, she didn’t. What kind of question is that Hyoyeon?” Yuri was serious, as she is always when it comes to Miyoung.

“Oh, I was just kidding, Yuri. Chill.” Hyoyeon winked. “Isn’t she going to invite us to their showcase or something? I mean we’ve been friends for years after all.”

“Oh,” Yuri bit her lower lip for forgetting. She was about to say that Miyoung did until she realized something—she left the tickets under her bed in her old apartment.

“Yes?” Hyoyeon looked at Yuri.

“Ah. No. Nothing. You can go home now.”

Yuri brought the mouth of the water bottle near her lips while thinking how she will get those tickets back. Oh well.

--

“Good afternoon, Mrs. Lee.” Yuri greeted as soon as her old landlady opened the door for her.

“Look who we have here,” Mrs. Lee said sarcastically. “Are you going to pay your debt now?”

“Ah,” Yuri said, ashamed. “No, not yet.”

“So what are you doing here? Don’t tell me you’re going to beg me again? Well, I’m sorry. The answer is no.”

“Mrs. Lee, I just want to ask if I could get my old things back. I left few ones.”

The old woman laughed sarcastically. “You still have things left? Are you joking with me? Well, I didn’t touch your room after you left anyway.”

Yuri smiled. At least she can now be sure that she could still find those tickets.

“But maybe the new occupant did. Go ask her for it.” Before Yuri could even ask her another question, she had shut the door close and Yuri knew better than trying her luck once again.

“.”

Yuri was never the type of person who gets along with other people easily but now she has to try being nice to someone just to get few pieces of paper back. How lucky, she whispered sarcastically to herself.

She walked towards her old place and knocked. There was no response. She knocked again. Another silence. She has now concluded that the tenant is out and she has to wait for that person to comeback. It’s only two o’clock in the afternoon and if the tenant is working or studying, the earliest time she’ll get home is two to three hours from now. This is testing her patience. She has to go back to Grace’s place to prepare for their live show later and yet she decided to wait. She sat down near the door with her back resting on the wall while hugging her legs close. Before she knew it, she has fallen asleep.

“Ahmmm…” a hesitant voice said softly while lightly shaking Yuri. “Miss. Ahmmm… wake up.”

“Argh.” Yuri groaned, although not angrily. She brushed off her hair that’s blocking her vision before she looked up. “Sooyeon?!” She exclaimed shocked and relieved at the same time.

“Yuri-ssi, what are you doing here?” Sooyeon asked equally shocked as Yuri. “How did you know I live here?” She took a step back.

“Ah,” Yuri shook her head as she stands up. “No, I was just… Wow. You’re the one living here?” Yuri said, amused.

“Ahmmm… yes?” Sooyeon looked for her key and looked back at Yuri. “Come in, Yuri-ssi.”

“Please bear with my place. It’s small, I know.” Sooyeon put her bag on her small sofa.

“No, no… it’s,” Yuri paused as she looks around her old place. It was a lot cleaner and it looks bigger than it was before. Honestly, it doesn’t look like her old place at all. “Wow,” she let the word leave her lips.

“For what?” Sooyeon looked around, trying to figure out something unusual. “Is there any?”

“Your place… it’s… so neat.”

“Ah, yes?” Sooyeon agreed hesitantly. “Take a seat first, Yuri-ssi. I’ll prepare you something.”

“No, it’s-”

“It’s fine.” Sooyeon smiled and that silenced Yuri. Yuri took a seat and continued to look around. She saw her room, which is not hers anymore now by the way, but the door is half-closed.

“Did you clean this up by yourself?” Yuri blurted unknowingly.

“Ah, yes. Mom said I should clean this up by myself if I want to live independently from now on. I had a hard time actually. This place was really dirty when I took charge of it,” Sooyeon narrates. “The previous occupant seems not to be interested in keeping this place clean. It was really dirty. Perhaps, he’s a guy.” Sooyeon paused after realizing how she’s comfortably talking to Yuri. “I’m sorry. I don’t usually talk a lot.” Sooyeon bit her lower lip and continued preparing snacks for Yuri.

“It’s okay.”

Sooyeon, upon finishing, walked towards Yuri and offered the snacks she prepared while taking the seat opposite to her unexpected visitor.

“Uhmmm…” Sooyeon was again back to her usual self when she’s talking to Yuri; shy and afraid. “If you don’t mind me asking, why are you here, Yuri-ssi?”

“Ah that.” Yuri paused from drinking the juice. “When you cleaned up, did you find anything valuable?”

Sooyeon just looked at Yuri questioningly. Yuri then realized that it was unusual for her to ask for that without any reason.

“You see, I was the previous occupant,” she explained.

“What?” Sooyeon said in shocked, immediately recalling what she just said a few minutes back.

“So, did you?”

“I’m sorry about what I said a while ago. I… didn’t know.”

“It’s okay. I know the state of this place before I left it. No need to be sorry for telling the truth,” Yuri assured.

“I’m really sorry.”

“Sooyeon,” Yuri said. “You’ve been saying sorry since the first day we’ve met, you know. I’m sorry, I’m sorry… it’s fine, okay. As long as you didn’t do anything wrong, you don’t have to say sorry every time.” Yuri said, sounding like she’s reprimanding Sooyeon.

“So-” Sooyeon stopped herself from saying the now seems like a forbidden word to Yuri. “I see.”

“As I was asking, did you find anything valuable? Under the bed, perhaps?” Yuri asked with a blank expression.

“Are you talking about what seems to be tickets, Yuri-ssi?” Sooyeon guessed. Yuri nodded. “I see. Wait a minute.”

Sooyeon excused herself and left Yuri to get the tickets in her room. Just like what she said, she’s back in a minute with tickets in her hand.

“You’re referring to these, right?” Sooyeon handed Yuri the tickets. “Here.”

“Thank you for keeping it,” Yuri said upon receiving the tickets back.

“I thought maybe the previous occupant will come back to claim it. Turns out I was right.”

Yuri looked up and saw Sooyeon eyeing the tickets.

“She’s a close friend, huh?” Sooyeon smiled. “Your original vocalist, she’s a close friend of yours, isn’t she?”

“Yes, a close friend. A very close friend.”

“Seems like it.”

“I think I shall go now.” Yuri stood up, keeping the tickets in her jackets’ inner pocket. Yuri bowed at Sooyeon before turning her back.

“I see, take care.” Sooyeon said.

Yuri had just opened the door when Sooyeon suddenly stopped her.

“Wait, Yuri-ssi.”

Yuri halted and looked back.

“I just want to ask, what would be the appropriate attire for tonight?” Sooyeon bit her lower lip, which seems to be her natural reaction every time she thinks she said something wrong.

And for the first time, Yuri chuckled and gave Sooyeon a wide smile. “I didn’t think you’d ask that.” Yuri looked at the clothes she’s wearing and looked back at Sooyeon. “Just wear clothes you are comfortable of,” she said. “Just don’t wear something too revealing since the place will be full of guys for sure.”

Sooyeon smiled unknowingly upon seeing Yuri’s unusual expression. Yuri had left her place but the smile on Sooyeon’s lips stayed.

[A/N:] Surprise! An update! It's been more than a month since I last updated this. Sorry. T___T And now that I did, it's so short. I have no excuse for not updating. >< I know I said I'd update this weekly. Sorry. T___T Forgive any errors. Thank you for waiting! Until my next update, please take care. ^^