Zico monitored Block B Bastarz’s performances on his phone. The members well doing well, their stage presence proved strong. Even B-Bomb had managed to come across more powerful than before.

Tae Jun sat beside him, taking his phone to monitor them himself. He watched the stage in silence for a few moments before pointing at the screen. “This. This is different when performed on music shows, isn’t it? You had to censor it.”

Taking back his phone, Zico nodded. “Some phrases here and there. The essence is the same.”

Tae Jun leaned in against Zico’s shoulder to continue watching the performance. The seriousness with which he monitored Bastarz made Zico feel the need for them to do well, as if somehow Tae Jun’s opinion of them actually mattered.

“This friend,” he pointed at P.O., “has a really strong stage presence. His voice is great, it has a lot of power behind it.”

A happy smile spread across Zico’s face. He opened his mouth to say something, but Tae Jun’s phone went off. The song was unfamiliar to Zico; he’d never heard it before, but the voice that ruptured the atmosphere around them made him breathless, tickling his memory pleasantly. He’d heard the voice before, he just couldn’t place it. Tae Jun cut the melody off before he could remember.

Tae Jun stood, pressing the phone against his ear. “What do you want now?”

He left the waiting room with a smile, teasing the person on the other end of the line. Zico stared after him, somewhat irked at the interruption. By the time that Tae Jun returned, Zico had already put his phone away.

“Girlfriend?” he teased.

Tae Jun barked a laugh. He punched him lightly on the shoulder. “Nah. It was just Eun Mi. She wanted to know what she had to buy for dinner. She said she sent a group message but that no one seemed to be home. Haven’t you been here for a few hours?”

Clearing his throat, Zico shifted in his seat. He had been “home” despite the strong urge to go to his studio and work. He had also seen her message asking if someone could send her the grocery list.

“I turned the notifications off to monitor Bastarz.”

“Is that right? Well, it doesn’t matter, she has it now.”

He said that, but Zico detected the undercurrents of his disapproval.

“Shouldn’t she have taken it with her this morning? It was her responsibility after all.”

Stretching his limbs, Tae Jun tossed his arm around Zico’s shoulder. “Zico-yah, Eun Mi is doing this for Chorong. An unexpected schedule came up and she asked Eun Mi to shop for her instead. She promised to send the list to her, but she got busy before she could. So, technically, she wasn’t responsible for tonight’s dinner.”

Feeling like he was digging his own grave in Tae Jun’s land, Zico changed subjects. “Isn’t L6 having a comeback soon?”

“Mm. I should actually be at the company, but they said they needed some footage for the show. It’ll only be the three of us for lunch.” He gave Zico a mysterious smile that made him squirm. “I’ll be counting on you. Let’s try our best not to be edited out, alright?”

“Uh, yeah.”

Zico should have known better than to agree to such a vague statement. He should have had the foresight to ask who would be joining them for lunch and what they would be doing. When he found himself in the kitchen standing beside Eun Mi, he really wished he could travel back in time and kick himself in the face.

Eun Mi sidestepped him, reaching for the large bottles of soy sauce that Chorong had asked her to get. She pressed them against her body, maneuvering her way around the large kitchen, pulling the small stepping stool with her foot, a complete natural. She managed to put the groceries away efficiently, guiding Zico with gentle instructions.

Tae Jun busied himself washing the dishes that had been left over from breakfast. Eun Mi bumped his hip with hers.

“You should’ve washed those earlier.”

“They’re being washed now.”

“What are we having for lunch?”

“No clue.”

Eun Mi frowned. She reached for the bag of rice that waited to be stored in its proper place. It took Zico a few seconds to realize that she fully intended to carry the thing. He nudged her aside, pressing his arm against her shoulder. Eun Mi hopped aside, looking up at him with a question in her eyes.

“Where do you want this?”

She stared at him for a few, stunned seconds. “Oh! Um, that goes over there.” She placed her hand on his arm absentmindedly, giving him a tiny, hesitant smile.

“Should we just order pizza?” Tae Jun draped a damp dishtowel over Eun Mi’s head.

“Hey!” She turned around, smacking him on the chest. Tae Jun flinched, doubling over as he laughed. “If we order pizza we’ll be edited out. Besides, you and I can’t eat that.”

Dusting off his hands, Zico rejoined them around the kitchen island. “Are you on a diet?”

Tae Jun pinched Eun Mi’s cheek, pulling on it slightly. “This one isn’t, at least not officially. Personally, I think she should gain some weight. Her cheeks are disappearing.”

“Ow, ow, ow!” Eun Mi took a swipe at him. Tae Jun dodged, releasing her. “You’re such a brute. I hope your voice cracks on your comeback stage.”

“Ouch, that’s mean.”

She stuck her tongue out at him. As she moved away from him, her elbow collided with the glass of water Tae Jun had set on the granite. Before Zico could even move to catch it, Eun Mi had twirled around, securing it in both her hands.

“Whew! That could’ve been bad.”

Zico stared at her, stunned. Tae Jun whistled. “That’s definitely not going to be edited out.”

Eun Mi winked at them, setting the glass on the counter. “Shall we make lunch now?”

It wasn’t long before Tae Jun and Eun Mi had complete possession of the kitchen. Zico, out of his element, stepped away. He almost made it out of the kitchen before Eun Mi’s hand took him by the elbow.

He looked down at her, eyes wide. Something dark flashed in them. Eun Mi released him quickly, carefully hiding her haste by pointing behind her. “Come, I’ll show you how to make this. It’s easy, quick to make, low in calories, and it doesn’t sacrifice the taste.”

Having agreed to Heo PD’s conditions, Zico could do nothing more than do as he was asked. The mood between them still wasn’t pleasant. The air surrounding them was suffocating. Eun Mi kept more than three feet between them at all times, approaching him only when necessary.

Tae Jun acted independently from them, gliding across the kitchen effortlessly, preparing everything with expert hands. Every now and then, he would stop by to check on Zico’s progress, offering some tiny tip or encouraging comment.

“Hyung, who taught you to cook?” Zico asked.

“This one.” Tae Jun bumped hips with Eun Mi. She took a step back, coming too close to Zico. Her eyes shot with an unknown, wild expression in his direction. She sidestepped him, avoiding him like the plague.

Somehow, that irritated him. He purposefully shifted his body so that she would have no option but to collide with him.

Their eye contact was loaded with dark, clouded thoughts and emotions.

It had been a little less than three weeks since they’d been forced into this uncomfortable environment. Zico knew that Eun Mi treaded carefully whenever he appeared. He tried to be out of Leader HQ as much as he could, but he’d gotten in trouble with Heo PD more than once for doing that.

In all honesty, he wanted to leave the show. He’d talked to Kyung about it once. To his great surprise, he had not sided with him. He’d called him childish, immature even. Only Kyung’s harsh criticisms ever seemed to make a difference to him.

He’d had no choice but to stay. If he left, he would only add fuel to the vicious rumors that had just recently died down. Even if he didn’t like Eun Mi, even if he really couldn’t bear to be with her for more than a few seconds at a time, the public had no need to know that.

However, what made him most uncomfortable of all, was how he had gradually started warming up to the girl. By attempting to avoid her, he had inadvertently started to pay attention to her. He’d caught himself smiling at her crazy antics, appreciating her voice whenever she broke into song. Once, he’d been shocked to find himself thinking that her voice would suit one of the songs he’d just completed. He’d been extra nasty to her after that.

Eun Mi, on the other hand, had quickly adapted to their surroundings. She stayed out of his way without being too obvious about it, always making plans with one leader or the other, joining Gyuri in a vocal lesson, going for a walk with Hyorin, or even playing the guitar alongside Jonghoon for hours at a time. Her disregard for him appeared to be so complete at times that he felt annoyed by it.

What annoyed Zico the most was how his opinion of her seemed to be changing. The thought that he might have indeed been wrong about her haunted him. So, rather immaturely, he converted that guilt into distaste.

He watched as Eun Mi tasted his dish. Her dark hair fell over her shoulder and she moved it out of her way with a swift toss of her head. She gave him a thumbs up, the spoon clean before heading over to wash the dishes that had been dirtied in the process.

Tae Jun messed with is phone. He caught Zico’s eyes and winked. Before he knew it, Bastarz’s Zero for Conduct played from the tiny wireless speaker that had been placed in the room. Tae Jun took over B-Bomb’s part, even following some of the choreography. Zico laughed, ready to jump in with an overdone imitation of P.O. Eun Mi beat him to it.

She turned around to face them, delivering the lines with attitude that rivaled P.O.’s, mimicking his mannerisms with eerie accuracy. Tae Jun cheered her on, laughing when she abandoned the song.

She cleared , coughing several times. “Argh! His voice is too deep! I can’t keep that up for too long.”

“You rap?” Zico asked.

“Not at all! I just imitate rappers. You know, for the ‘personal talent’ and all.”

“What do you say Zico?” Tae Jun threw his arm around his shoulders. “Is she good enough for Show Me The Money?”

“Hey! Don’t even joke like that! What a scary thought!”

It was, in fact, a rather scary thought for Zico as well.

The heat became unbearable. His skin felt uncomfortable under the magnified sunlight that penetrated the wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling window unhindered. Zico finally sat up, shielding his eyes from the red sunset.

The house ran with absolute stillness. He looked around him, somewhat disoriented. His music player continued to play on the coffee table. Rubbing his eyes, he silenced the music.

A flicker of movement caught his attention. He squinted against the brightness of the descending sun. His legs felt stiff, his muscles resisted the sudden command to move. As he approached the vast window, he spotted a girl sitting by the pool.

She had her legs in the water, submerged almost up to her knees. In her hand, she held a thick paperback, the spine showing signs of use, corners frayed. Her loose hair twirled in the breeze. She kept her hair out of her face with one hand, lowering the book onto her lap. The receding sunlight made her skin glow.

Captivated, Zico made his way outside, unaware that this spring-like fairy was none other than Eun Mi. His shadow fell over her, startling her out of her reading. Eun Mi found him standing much too close; the strange expression on his face made her stop swinging her legs, the ripples gradually disappearing across the water’s surface.

They stared at one another, quiet and still. Eun Mi’s large eyes widened, her shoulders tensed. Zico blinked slowly, his mind crawling. He suddenly realized that what radiated in Eun Mi’s eyes was fear.

He had a brief reprise of how he’d lost his temper during Hanoi. He could see her in her flowing, baby blue dress, ribbons tied around her arm and woven intricately into her hair. She had approached him cautiously and her eyes had held the same amount of fear in them then as now.

Something akin to guilt bubbled in his stomach. The thought of pushing her into the pool crossed his mind without rhyme or reason. It held more malice than mischief. Zico refrained, clearing his throat instead.

“Isn’t it still a little too cold for that?”

Eun Mi stood. Zico watched her pat her legs dry. “Maybe just a little.”

Gathering her things, she headed inside. “I have a personal schedule. Tae Jun oppa will probably stay at L6’s dorm tonight. Hyorin and Gyuri unnie should be back in a little bit. They went to buy ice cream.”

Without knowing why, Zico followed her, hanging onto her every word. “How long was I asleep?”

“A few hours. Four or five, maybe.”

Zico stopped walking. “What? Are you serious?”

Eun Mi nodded, going up the stairs without looking back. “Yes. You fell asleep right after lunch.”

“What time is it now?”

“About seven thirty.”

“You’re going out this late?” he took the stairs two at a time, catching up with her. “Who’s going with you? Tae Jun hyung? Chorong noona?”

She stopped at the top of the stairs, looking over her shoulder. Her eyebrows drew together. Zico cleared his throat, scratching the back of his neck with a finger. He thought she would scold him, tell him that he shouldn’t be nosey. She didn’t. Eun Mi only frowned slightly, turned, and made her way up to the third floor where the girls’ rooms were located.

“It’s a personal schedule. I’m going and coming on my own.”

He stopped at the foot of her door, watching her disappear inside her bedroom. Her absence brought him back to his senses. An unpleasant feeling tied itself around his stomach as he headed downstairs.

“Oh, Zico.” Gyuri spotted him as she stepped through the front door. “You’re finally awake.”

“Zico-yah!” Hyorin raised her hands over her head, the bags nearly bursting with how much ice cream they’d bought. He took them from her, shocked at how heavy they actually were.

“Noona, did you carry these all by yourself?”

“We took turns. That hill really is murder!”

Gyuri looked around. “Where’s Eun Mi?”

“She’s upstairs. She said she had a personal schedule she would be going to.”

They followed him into the kitchen. Gyuri started putting the ice cream in the freezer as Hyorin walked around enjoying a popsicle. An unexpected, loud bang made them jump.

“What was that?” Hyorin asked.

Zico peeked out into the living room, a heavy looking sports bag lay at the foot of the stairs. Hyorin stared from behind Zico, using him as a shield against the unknown.

Eun Mi flew down the steps, dressed in professional-looking workout clothes, holding a pair of running shoes in one hand. Her hair secured in a high ponytail that varied from bouncing and swaying as she moved.

“Oh, unnie, welcome home!”

“Hey, just what are you doing? Did you throw your bag from the top of the stairs? You scared us half to death!”

The smile Eun Mi flashed, so mischievous and happy, it took Zico by surprise. He had never seen her smile like that. Even her eyes, usually so clouded, sparkled with a life that was foreign to him.

“Sorry! I’m in a hurry and that thing is heavy!”

Gyuri joined them, munching on her own ice cream. She raised an eyebrow as Eun Mi scooped up the heavy looking bag onto her shoulder.

“Gyuri unnie! Hi!”

“At what time are you coming back? Is your manager driving you back?”

They followed a rushing Eun Mi all the way out to the front gate. Zico couldn’t understand how someone could move about so clumsily, slipping on her shoes as she went, and somehow still appear graceful.

“I’ll be back late. Don’t stay up waiting for me.”

Hyorin placed a hand on Eun Mi’s elbow. “Message us when you’re on your way back, okay? How are you getting back?”

“I’m taking a taxi to and from the main road.”

“Zico will go pick you up.” Gyuri said. “Message him when you’re on your way back, alright?”

Zico turned to look at Gyuri. She stared at him evenly, daring him to oppose her. He expected Eun Mi to wave her words aside, she usually did if it involved having to interact with him. This time, however, quite uncharacteristically of her, she agreed.

“Okay, sure, I’ll message him. Unnie, I’m really late! I’ll see you later!”

And just like that, Eun Mi was gone.

“Where…is she going?” Hyorin asked.

“Oh,” Gyuri said as she tossed her hair over her shoulder. “From the looks of it, she’s probably going to the dojo.”

“The dojo?”

Gyuri smiled, turned to Zico, scanning him up and down. She looked at him straight in the eyes, a small, almost undiscernible smile on her lips. “Yes, the dojo. Our cute maknae has a first Dan in taekwondo, didn’t you know?”

“W-what?”

“Mm!” Hyorin pulled the popsicle out of , her lips excitedly. “Isn’t she working towards her second Dan?”

“What?”

“She’s a walking weapon, our cute, little Eun Mi is.” Gyuri grinned.

They left him standing there, his mind swirling. Just who was Song Eun Mi really?

It hurt.

Taewoon tried to keep himself from grunting, but the pressure proved to be almost unbearable. He whimpered as Eun Mi pressed against his thigh.

“E-Eun Mi, s-stop.”

She smiled at him, her eyes glowing with mischief. “Just a little bit more.”

Taewoon winced as she placed her hand against his thigh. He shut his eyes. “Eun Mi.”

“You promised. You said you would do this with me.” She tapped his thigh, frowning slightly. “Don’t bend your knee. The stretch won’t work if you do.”

Taewoon straightened his leg. Eun Mi took a step forward, pushing his leg back. It burned miserably. He’d forgotten how painful hamstring stretches could be.

“For a former idol, you sure are quite stiff. How did you make it through all of SPEED’s performances?”

“Very, very painfully,” he said with a laugh. “Hey! Stop that, it hurts!”

Eun Mi eventually lowered his leg. Taewoon turned over onto his stomach, fake crying as he complained. “You’re too mean to me. It’s the first time we see each other in weeks and you have me doing these kinds of things.”

Rolling her eyes, she took his arm, attempting to force him onto his feet. “Get uuup!”

Taewoon rolled over. Taking her by surprise, he pulled her to him. Eun Mi squealed as he wrapped her in a protective hug. He nuzzled her cheek, kissing it once or twice before she managed to free herself. The scarlet blush on her face filled him with satisfaction.

Before he could , a strict, fit, middle-aged man entered the small training room. He looked at them, raising a single eyebrow. Eun Mi kicked Taewoon’s thigh, urging him to get up.

They stood at attention, though Taewoon’s posture wasn’t nearly as perfect as Eun Mi’s. The teacher walked over to them, regarding Taewoon gravely.

“Ma Ri-ah, who have you brought? A friend?”

The scarlet shade deepened. Taewoon tried not to smile at how cute she looked. “Um, kind of.”

Taewoon had never heard Eun Mi speak so softly before. She kept her tone respectful, her head slightly bowed. Whoever this man was, it was obvious that she cared very much what he thought.

Without knowing what else to do, Taewoon introduced himself tentatively. “Good evening. I’m Woo Taewoon, a friend of Eun Mi’s. I’m looking forward to tonight’s lesson.”

“I am Park In Su, co-owner of this dojo and Song Ma Ri’s master. I’ll be supervising this lesson. I’m looking forward to how well you can perform. Ma Ri, where is your belt?”

Gasping, Eun Mi touched her waist, her uniform crisp under her touch. She hurried to retrieve her belt from her bag, expertly tying it in a few seconds, her back to her master. Taewoon, a lot bewildered and confused, realized that it was a black belt.

Master Park gave Eun Mi a stern look. “Fifty.”

A pained expression flittered across her face. “Yes, sir!”

She lowered her body, getting into a pushup position. Taewoon blinked, startled. He glanced at Master Park then joined Eun Mi. Neither of them said anything.

Taewoon managed to keep up with the rigorous workout that Master Park assigned. He wondered, more than once, what was so different from going to a regular gym. Eventually, they were allowed to take a two minute break for water.

“Hey, Eun Mi,” he gasped. “What’s going on?”

Eun Mi wiped her lips, handing him her water bottle. “I wasn’t wearing my belt. That was discipline.”

“What? Just—I mean—what?”

Laughing, Eun Mi reassumed her position on the mat when Master Park called her. Taewoon was instructed to watch as Eun Mi went through the various forms. He didn’t know much of Taekwondo, but he did understand that this was something Eun Mi took very seriously. The deep concentration in her eyes, the determination of her movements, it all reminded him very much of himself during practice.

Outside the dojo, Eun Mi might be a bright, mischievous girl, but at the moment, she was an athlete immersed in her sport. If he didn’t know any better, Taewoon might have believed that this was her true vocation.

“She’s working towards her second Dan. Quite impressive, isn’t it?”

“Her second Dan?”

“Ma Ri is one of our best students. She learns quickly, retains the knowledge, and performs wonderfully. She has dedication, determination, discipline. If she had really wanted to, she could’ve been part of her country’s Olympic team.”

“W-what?”

“Of course, there’s no possibility of that now. The opportunity is long behind her. She stopped practicing for too long and eventually took a different path. She could’ve achieved great things in Taekwondo. Her father taught her well.”

Eun Mi shouted, her cry reverberating throughout the room, sending chills down his back. He watched her intently, forgetting that he would soon be forced onto the mat as well.

“Ow. Ow. Ow.”

“Oh, quit complaining, you big baby.”

“You just threw me across a room about fifty million times. I have the right to complain.”

“I didn’t throw you!”

Taewoon grinned, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. The scent of sweat lingered around them, clinging to their clothes and hair. The dojo was far behind them. The night breeze cooled their skin. They were sitting on a park bench, watching the stillness of the place. Every so often, a car would drive by, drowning the sound of the swaying swings and their metal chains.

“How long have you been learning Taekwondo?”

Eun Mi leaned in against him, lacing her fingers through his. “Since I was four years old. My dad owns a dojo. He’d been running it for about a year before he brought me in.”

“Really? Did he have a lot of students?”

“He did. When he was young, he was good enough to be part of the Olympic team. Unfortunately, my grandfather passed away suddenly. He left them in a lot of debt and my dad had to get a job to help pay them. He couldn’t practice for a year, and that took its toll on him. By the time he got back, he had to start again from the basics.”

“Did he resent your grandfather?”

“Hmm. I wonder about that. Sometimes, I think he did. But it’s because he didn’t make it into the team that he met my mom. He went to college instead and eventually owned a dojo of his own.”

“Did he use his mad ninja skills to impress your mom?”

Eun Mi laughed. “Goodness, no. They couldn’t stand each other when they first met. My mom thought of him as a big-headed jock. He thought of her as a looney, bound-to-live-in-the-streets or work-at-a-bar musician. It took a while before they realized that their dislike for one another was actually uncensored, raw attraction.”

“It sounds like they had a wild youth.”

“They did.”

Taewoon could hear the warmth in her words. She had a deep love and respect for her parents. He drew her closer to him.

“So, your dad was an athlete and your mom a musician. Did she end up working at a bar like your dad expected her to?”

She elbowed him, laughing. “Of course not! She was a music teacher. My music teacher. Even though my dad believed sports to be above the arts, he never once tried to stop me from learning music. He did want me to aim for the Olympics, though.”

“He had no opposition to you becoming a trainee? I heard you were street casted while on vacation.”

She didn’t say anything for a few seconds. Taewoon shifted in his seat, leaning forward, trying to catch a glimpse of her face. “Eun Mi?”

She inhaled deeply, sighing with a smile. “By the time I auditioned, I had stopped practicing Taekwondo for two, almost three years. He didn’t oppose, but I did resume the sport my second year here. I can’t practice as often as others, but I’m making progress.”

“That’s quite remarkable. I’ll have to see you perform live someday. If Taekwondo is your second passion, I can only imagine how cool you are onstage.”

He wrapped his arms around her waist, drawing her closer against his chest. She rested her head underneath his chin, smiling happily. They didn’t speak for a few minutes, simply enjoying each other’s company. Eventually, Eun Mi squirmed her way out of his embrace.

She reached into her bag, that ridiculously heavy sports bag that she’d been carrying around, and procured a prettily wrapped package. She placed it unceremoniously on Taewoon’s hand, smiling happily.

“What is this?” He stared at it then looked up to meet her eyes.

Eun Mi gave his shoulder a shy nudge. “I know you’ll be busy that day with the audition and everything, so I figured you could have this today.”

He continued to look at her blankly, a tiny furrow on his brow. Eun Mi momentarily panicked. Maybe the date his company had written on his profile had been wrong.

“I-isn’t your birthday on the eleventh?”

“Ah.” Taewoon’s jaw slackened, his lips parted, then he seemed to understand. “Aah!”

Eun Mi exhaled. Taewoon placed his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close, trapping her against him as he opened the little box.

“You didn’t have to.”

“I did.”

“Yeah, you kind of did.”

She elbowed him, helping him with the more stubborn pieces of the wrapping paper. She had taken a detour on her way to the dojo to pick this up from home, scared that someone would find it at either the dorm or HQ. Uncle Min Soo had given her a look as she’d dashed out the door.

The watch was large, black, sleek, and expensive. Taewoon had no need to know that last bit, but the store had wrapped it in its original box, revealing the brand as well as slipping in a little sheet with details on the warranty.

He stared at it, aghast. Eun Mi brushed it away, taking it from him and placing it around his wrist. On her, the watch looked monstrously huge. On him, it looked ridiculously y. Eun Mi smiled, pleased with herself.

“I have great taste! Happy early birthday!”

Taewoon grinned, hugging her tightly. He kissed the top of her head, lacing his fingers with hers. Suddenly, he remembered they were both celebrities sitting out in the open with nothing to disguise their identities.

He reached into his pocket for his mask and placed it around Eun Mi’s face. She blinked at him, tempted to remove it.

“I doubt anyone will recognize us.”

“How can you be sure? Let’s keep this on just in case. You’re a celebrity after all.”

“This was the neighborhood I used to live in when I first arrived. You see that building over there?” She pointed to a plain looking apartment complex. “We used to live on the sixth floor.”

Taewoon stared at it for a while. “Hey, that building looks kind of familiar…Actually, this entire neighborhood does now that I think about it.”

“It’s a quiet neighborhood. There was a time when it got a little hectic, but it reverted to its original state after Block B changed dorms.”

“Ah! That’s right! Their first dorm after debut was in that building!”

“Mm. Once we found out that they lived on the floor below us, we moved.”

“They were right below you?”

“Not right, right below us. They were in the east wing of the building, we were further to the west. Still, I had my own debut coming up and we couldn’t risk any sort of misunderstandings. It’s ridiculous how many stalkers they had even as rookies.”

“I remember. Jiho said one of them in particular kept coming back.” Taewoon thought for a moment, then scanned their surroundings wearily. “Eun Mi-ah, maybe you should head home.”

Eun Mi cuddled closer. “Why? You think there might be someone watching us?”

“It’s getting late. C’mon, I’ll catch a cab for you.” He kissed her forehead. “Thank you for the watch.”

She let him take her hand, leading her towards the main road with her bag slung across his shoulder. Eun Mi wanted to stay with him, help him gain strength for the audition that loomed ahead. She wanted to say something encouraging, something that would lift his spirits, ease his heart and worry. If only she knew what words could give him the strength he needed and desired, Eun Mi would utter them with no hesitation.

Those words, if they existed, eluded her. All she could do was pray for the best.

“Let me know when you get home,” Taewoon said as he guided her into the backseat of the cab.

Eun Mi caught his hand, gripping it tightly. “Taewoon-ah.”

He stopped moving, heat swirling inside his chest. “Yes?”

“Good luck.”

He smiled gratefully at her, sneaking in a final forehead kiss before closing the door. As she watched him fade away, Eun Mi found herself wishing that he had not chosen this path. If he had focused his life and efforts in a career that wasn’t so difficult, if his dream had consisted of something simpler, maybe his eyes would be cleared of that haunting shadow she often found in them.

Settling down on the seat, Eun Mi leaned her head against the window, a strange aftertaste in .

Zico waited for Eun Mi. Gyuri and Hyorin had gone to bed early after giving each other facials. He was left waiting alone for their roommate. He hadn’t expected her to message him, but she’d proven to be an obedient maknae and had contacted him as she’d promised. Now, with most of the crew gone for the night, Zico had ventured out into the chilled streets to wait for her.

It had taken him twenty minutes to reach the main road. Cabs could make it up the hill to HQ, but the production crew preferred that they didn’t. Fans could sometimes act a little crazy, keeping the cab traffic around them to a minimum allowed them to provide them with better security. At least, that’s what they claimed.

He thought about calling Eun Mi to ask where she was when a cab pulled up just ahead. Moments later, Eun Mi stood on the sidewalk, carefully closing the door. She waved after the driver.

“You’re late,” Zico said as a form of stiff greeting.

“I know,” Eun Mi replied.

They started the trek back home. Eun Mi walked on the inner side of the sidewalk, the one furthest away from the street, her bag between them. She noticed that no cameras were following them.

“Did the crew go home?”

“Yeah. Since we have a mission tomorrow, they decided to go home and rest. The cameras at home are still on, though. They’re scheduled to turn off around three in the morning.”

Eun Mi checked the time. “That’s still a ways off.”

Before he knew what she was doing, Eun Mi had made a bee line towards the convenience store. He rushed after her, greeting the startled employee as he burst through the door.

“Eun Mi?” he hissed. “Hey! Song Eun Mi!”

“Hey, corn head, over here!” Eun Mi waved him over to the refrigerated section of the store. “Do you want some triangular kimbap? I’m really hungry right now.”

She took two for herself and offered him the second pair. Without waiting for him to accept or decline, she pushed them against his chest and headed over to grab a cold drink. Instead of water, she took a large bottle of Pepsi.

“Sometimes, my American side comes out and I need this stuff. Do you want something else? No? Fine, don’t cry about it later.”

Caught up in her swirling hurricane behavior, Zico found himself walking out of the convenience store with kimbap. Eun Mi settled on the table furthest from the street, dropping her bag on the floor between them, sitting with her back to the building. Zico could do nothing more than sit down beside her.

He watched as she unwrapped her kimbap expertly, biting into it with immense delight. She munched on it for a while before grabbing her drink. Unable to untwist the cap, she handed it to Zico. He stared at it for a moment before finally opening it up for her.

“Thanks.” She took a large gulp from it, sighing as she leaned back in her chair. Eventually, he joined in on the late-night snacking. Neither of them said anything when he reached for her drink.

“Hey, Zico?”

“Hmm?”

“Woo Taewoon, your brother, he’ll be auditioning for the show, won’t he?”

“Yeah.”

“How do those auditions work? Is it difficult?”

“If I said the first round was the easiest, I’d be lying. No audition is easy. After the audition, the rounds just continuously get harder and harder. We all have very high expectations.”

Zico expected her to ask more about the program’s layout. Instead, she took him by surprise by asking, “You won’t favor him, right?”

“What?”

“You won’t favor Woo Taewoon, right? You’ll let him try this out all on his own?”

He scowled fiercely. “Do you think I would? Hyung decided to do this on his own. I’m a professional. I do not favor one party over the other. If he can hold his own, good. If he can’t, then that’s his problem. He left SPEED for this.”

Yes, Taewoon had left SPEED for his chance to pursue a career as a rapper. He had spent days agonizing over his future, only making up his mind after a long inner struggle. For Zico to grant him any sort of handicap would be insulting. That Eun Mi would even think that he would made her dislike her even more.

“Good.”

Zico faltered. “What?”

“I said ‘Good.’ Taewoon doesn’t need any handicaps and I’m grateful that you aren’t giving them to him. I’ll be counting on you to let me know how he performs.”

“Wait, what? Why should I tell you?”

Eun Mi smiled, tossing her ponytail over her shoulder. “Because I won’t be watching the show. Su Jongie warned me of their evil editing. I’m too scared to watch it.”

She took their trash, crumpled it, and disposed of it properly. Zico took one last swing of Pepsi before handing her the rest to finish. She tossed it into the recycle bin effortlessly. She stirred them in the direction of HQ.

“Wasn’t Su Jong active underground before?”

“Mm. He was doing that for about a year before he lost interest.”

“Lost interest?” The statement nearly offended him.

“Mm. Su Jongie is an apprentice of many trades and a master of none. From what the rap coaches at the company say, he’s near being a prodigy, but he lacks interest. He’s jumped around since I’ve known him. Just recently, it seems like he’s settling down with directing. Although he does sometimes come and composes with us. It seems that he likes producing more than composing.”

“You compose?”

“I try. Mostly, I help Kain out with lyrics. I guess we’re good enough since we’ve managed to sneak in a song or two in each of L6’s albums.”

“Oh? Do you guys have a name?”

“Siren Song.”

Zico paused at the English. He caught Eun Mi’s lip quirk. He knew what song was, but not the first word. He felt slightly stupid; his English skills weren’t even at a steady conversational level.

“Siren Song,” Eun Mi repeated. “Kain chose the name. He says he wants listeners to be enthralled by our music.” She laughed softly, a breathy sound. “Personally, I think he’s a little greedy.”

Zico couldn’t help but laugh. “I think he felt that stab just now.”

“I sure hope he did.”

Suddenly, without warning, it started to rain. The cold raindrops gave them pause. Zico shielded his eyes, looking up at the late night sky. Eun Mi untied her hoodie from around her waist, slipping into it as quickly as she could.

“Let’s head back to the convenience store. They have umbrellas.”

Eun Mi shook her head. “It’ll take longer. We’re almost home. We can just run.”

“What?” Without really paying attention, Zico took Eun Mi’s offered bag. He slung it across his body, wondering just what she kept in there that made it so heavy. “The convenience store is just two blocks from here. It’ll be easier to just—”

“Last one home buys chimek!”

He watched as she took off running. She hadn’t gone more than a few yards before she turned right around, took him by the wrist and pulled him along.

“Are you crazy?” he shouted over the downpour but kept running. He could’ve sworn that she laughed heartily, but if she did, the rain drowned it out.

Her ponytail bounced with her steps, Zico’s hair clung to his forehead, his neck. By the time they arrived at HQ, they were both soaked through and through. Eun Mi caught a glimpse of his startled face, his eyes wide with disbelief. Laughing, she gave his abdomen a playful pat.

“Chimek’s on you.”

Zico watched her disappear inside then followed in after her.

“Hey! Are you crazy! We just ate!”