MinHee’s eyes opened to a dark, still room. She lay on her stomach with one hand clenched shut and held against her chest, the other was beneath her pillow. She stayed like this for a moment, enveloped in warmth and content. She sighed and rolled onto her side, reaching for her alarm clock, which read 4:50. She didn’t have to be up for another two hours, and she didn’t have to be at rehearsal for another three. She wouldn’t be able to fall asleep again. With another sigh, she turned off her alarm and got up from her bed.

When she opened her bedroom door, Ginger shot in and swirled around her feet. MinHee leaned down and patted the cat, and noticed the Cora’s bedroom light was on from beneath the crack of the door. She stepped around the cat and made her way to the door. She knocked quietly and didn’t wait for a response before opening the door.

Cora sat cross legged on her bed, her sandy blonde hair a mane of curls and knots shooting around her, with her laptop on her lap and purple bruises beneath her eyes. “You haven’t slept?” MinHee signed, and Cora shook her head. “Why?”

“Ronald McDonald gave me that Advil PM.” For whatever reason, the sleeping agent in the medicine kept Cora awake for elongated periods. She would end up crashing during rehearsal if she wasn’t careful. “I’ve been up researching us though. Want to know what I found out?” MinHee nodded, and Cora cleared , reading in a very manly voice. “Two teen dancers have stolen the hearts of the seven idols from rising boyband ‘GOT7’.” Cora laughed. “We’re almost twenty and we’re still teens? I thought I kicked that at eighteen.”

MinHee walked into the room and sat on the corner of Cora’s bed. “Seven to two. Odd ratio.”

“Wait until you hear who we’ve been paired with.” Cora signed before switching back to reading. “The young Korean dancer, MinHee, who leads the Passion dance crew, has taken the hearts of both Bambam and Jr. under her control, and is taunting us with the romance.” MinHee made a face. “Bambam, of all people.” Cora shook her head and continued. “And her backup dancer,” She pretended to be hurt, putting a hand to her chest and pouting. “The American Cora, is rumored to be playing games with the band’s very youngest member, Yugyeom, and vocalist YoungJae.”

MinHee silently laughed, shaking her head. “I spotted one with my brother and I as a couple. It wasn’t too popular, thank goodness.”

Cora made a face. “That’s really gross. They’ve really done their research haven’t they? American? Please.” She closed the laptop and tossed it onto the armchair beside her dresser. “But hey, I can’t complain. I am not related to either of the boys I’ve been shipped with. And they’re both attractive. You should see the babies we’d have.” MinHee shot her a look of confusion. “Someone took the pictures of us and morphed them with pictures of the boys. All my kids are hot. Sorry I can’t say the same about yours.”

MinHee reached out and punched Cora’s shoulder, and Cora laughed, telling her that she was joking. “I’m going to run and check the mail, before a crowd can form outside.”

“Good idea. I’ll start some breakfast.” Cora said, sliding off the bed. She made a move to stand, but her ankle gave out from under her and she slammed down on her knees. “Jesus, I am just looking for another injury.”

MinHee moved to help her, but Cora shooed her away. “There’s nothing in the house. We need to go grocery shopping, and soon. I sense another GOT7 visit in the near future, and with how often they eat, we might be out of house and home.”

Cora successfully made it to her feet before MinHee left the room. She walked into the kitchen and wrote on a small sticky note to go food shopping. She walked to the front door and stuck the note on the back while she slipped on her shoes.

She was out of the apartment and into the elevator before she door could even close behind her. Even though the apartment was always silent, it was almost eerie now. It made MinHee a little uncomfortable. When the elevator door opened, she felt even more unnerved.

Outside of the apartment building was a mass ocean of photographers, fans and police officers. They had clearly made it inside of the building, as the doors were now shut with the deadbolt, allowing no one beyond the threshold. And as the flash of camera’s blinded MinHee, she became unnervingly aware that she wore short sleep shorts and a white shirt, pair with fluffy slippers, and she doubted she’d pulled a bra on before she’d left. She crossed her arms over her chest and moved to the mailboxes, quickly getting her mail and starting back towards the elevator.

“Uh, MinHee!” MinHee turned to the voice, acutely aware that it might be a raged fan. It was the landlord. He moved towards her and smiled. “I see you’ve created a crowd.” He waited for her to answer, but she just nodded. “Anyways, I just wanted to bring up that your lease ends next week on Wednesday. If you want to sign a new lease, stop by my apartment before then.”

MinHee nodded and got into the elevator, her stomach flipping. Wasn’t the lease supposed to end next month? What month was it? She’d been so busy with dance and her music, she forgot to check in on the rent and lease. The elevator doors opened and MinHee hurried into the apartment, dropping the mail and running to Cora’s side. “Our lease is up. We have to renew before Wednesday.”

Cora stood in the kitchen with a bowl in front of her and milk in her hand. She just so happened to be pouring when MinHee sprung this on her and gaped at her friend. “What?” She asked, clearly as confused as MinHee had been. Milk spilled over the edges of the bowl. Cora cursed and dropped the carton of milk on the counter, quickly clearing her mess. “I thought the lease ended next month!”

“Me too. But it’s this Wednesday.” MinHee signed and moved towards the kitchen. “So what now? Do we renew or just find a new apartment?”

Cora sighed and took a bite of her cereal. “I mean, if we move, where are we going to find a place this close to work and the University? And what if we stay and the publicity gets worse?” She signed, shaking her head.

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