Hyuna drove the rover for one simple reason – Hyuna always drove.

Hyoyeon sat behind her, her arms wrapped loosely around Hyuna’s waist, her eyes unable to stay fixed to one spot for very long. But there wasn’t much to see.

The planet of Meonji was dusty, barren. It was mostly flat, stretching out like a long desert with bright red, clay soil that stuck to your boots and in the treads of your rover’s tires.

It wasn’t Hyoyeon’s favorite planet. It was like so many other small, outlier rocks, poorly-maintained and poorly-policed. The buildings were generally downtrodden, often boarded up and almost always covered with grungy graffiti, the markings of constant turf wars. These dark, forgotten planets attracted seedy characters and elicit behavior, all the thugs and wannabe gangsters of the ‘verse gathering in one place to beg, borrow and steal in the comfort of the shadows.

Hardly ever regulated by the Cosmos, outlier planets were notoriously dangerous. They weren’t always inherently violent but they weren’t somewhere you wanted to stop if you were looking for a night of wholesome fun and R&R.

Hyuna and Hyoyeon had met on a planet just like Meonji, though it had been in an entirely different solar system and a good three years prior. They’d been in the same bar, completely by chance, and Hyoyeon watched as a guy hassled Hyuna for nearly an hour, just not taking the hint that she wasn’t remotely interested.

He got handsy. Hyuna got nasty. The bartender got involved and so did some other patrons. A fight broke out. Hyoyeon had been sitting close enough to Hyuna to have watched it all transpire and because she felt an odd kinship with the girl (she had been eavesdropping on her conversation for the forty minutes), she came to her aide, pulling the shock-pen from where it resided in her boot and drilling the right in the meaty part of his thigh, effectively paralyzing his whole leg.

He went down with a scream but by that point, nobody seemed to care. Societies on outlier planets lived eternally perched on a precarious edge and it took very little to throw the whole community (if you could call it that) into chaos. In this case, a creepy guy in a bar who wouldn’t take no for an answer managed to inadvertently start a brawl that spread across the entire town and lasted for two whole days.

In the ensuing scuffle, nobody noticed Hyoyeon pull the weapon and shock his leg. They didn’t notice her slip it back into her boot, nor did they see the way she grabbed Hyuna’s hand. They definitely didn’t hear her when she looked the taller girl in the eye and said, “Follow me.”

With surprising grace (it took a certain sort of experienced athleticism to dodge so many drunken, sprawling bodies), Hyoyeon led Hyuna quickly and carefully through a smoky corridor that eventually led out the door of a service entrance.

The commotion not yet having reached the outside world, all was quiet.

It had been dark inside the bar, either because the lighting system was shot or the crusty owner thought shadows gave the place some weird ambiance, and under the parking lot’s spotlights, Hyoyeon got a better look at Hyuna. She was very pretty, naturally so, with long, dark hair and intense eyes. In reality, she was probably only a few inches taller than Hyoyeon but the heels she wore gave her a significant boost. She was dressed like any other tough guy but something about her seemed very different than everyone else Hyoyeon had seen on that planet so far.

“Thanks for that,” Hyuna said. She was walking towards a silver motorcycle with off-road tires and mounted blasters. A lot of outlier planets lacked bona fide roadways and if you wanted to get around, you needed to equip your vehicle for the terrain. Clearly this girl spent a lot of time off the beaten path. She opened her leather jacket to reveal a gun tucked into her pants, then looked up and caught Hyoyeon’s eye. “I could’ve handled him myself but I probably would’ve spent a couple days locked up.”

“And on this planet,” Hyoyeon countered, “your lawyer might have some problems getting you out.”

Hyuna smirked.

“I owe you one.” She paused a second, appearing to size Hyoyeon up, and when she seemed pleased, she offered the older girl her hand. “Anyway, I’m Hyuna.”

Hyoyeon remembered it vividly.

Now they were on their way to yet another bar on yet another outlier rock and Hyoyeon wondered idly if they’d find themselves in any trouble.

If history was any guide, they would.

Big time.

The roof of Rocky’s came into view first, appearing over the edge of a steep hill. Rather than go over it, Hyuna took the scenic route and went around, the rover’s engine humming contentedly as they got closer and closer to their destination. It was a new enough model, though it lacked some bells and whistles that Hyuna would’ve liked. But since it was just a rental they were using to make this one trip, she got over it.

Their ship, the Juggernaut, didn’t lack any bells or whistles, and Hyuna knew she’d been spoiled on technology. Now, the Juggernaut was parked at a refueling station – the only one on the planet – about fifteen miles back. Hyuna kept a detailed list of all her ship’s gadgets and if she returned to find even a single power strip had been moved, she’d start breaking fingers.

She’d always enjoyed technology, always been amazed by electronics and weapons and software and the way it could all better her life and her ship. She’d always been sure to leave some room in their budget for new toys but if ever they couldn’t afford something, they found it somewhere, waited for their moment and then swiped it.

If she had to guess, she’d say about 30% of the Juggernaut’s shiny gadgets had been lifted from someone who wasn’t paying close enough attention to who was lurking near their goods.

Around the side of the hill, Rocky’s reappeared and Hyoyeon frowned at the broken shingles and rotting wood. Humans could travel the depths of space, bouncing from planet to planet and even from galaxy to galaxy in a matter of days and hours, but they still at basic upkeep. How hard was it to slap on a new coat of paint every once in a while?

The parking area was fairly full and Hyuna circled the lot a few times before pulling into an empty spot beneath a lamp post with a flickering bulb.

“This place is a dump,” Hyoyeon said when Hyuna had killed the motor.

“The bar or the planet?” Hyuna countered.

“Both,” she said, ping her coat. Now that they weren’t moving, Hyoyeon was beginning to feel the heat. The planet she and Hyuna called home wasn’t as close to the sun as this outlier rock and beads of sweat were forming on Hyoyeon’s forehead. If it hadn’t been for all the rock and sand that shot up beneath the rover’s tires while they drove, she wouldn’t have worn a coat at all. “I hope this goes smoothly. I want to get out of here, get back to the ship and get back in the air. At least while we’re flying, we have air conditioning.”

Hyuna pocketed the keys to the rental rover and smirked, nodding her chin at Rocky’s dilapidated bar.

“It’ll be quick, unnie,” she said. “We have other errands to run.”

Rocky’s smelled like every other outlier bar they’d ever been to – smoke, sweat, grease and the faint, lingering aroma of rocket fuel. The girls moved as a unit, not wanting to risk getting separated and extending their trip. If things went well, they could be in and out in just a few minutes and the faster they worked, the faster they’d get paid.

“You sure he’s working today?” Hyoyeon asked over the crackling audio of a low-quality sound system. The music playing over the speakers was dated, at least fifteen years old, but the clientele here was older than on other rocks. These guys were old-school, though they donned the same ripped denim and cheap leather as every other wannabe in the ‘verse.

To Hyoyeon, every outlier rock was basically the same and none of them particularly impressed her.

“When am I ever wrong?” Hyuna said. They made it another few steps, dodging sketchy men and women doing shots and talking trash before Hyuna laid eyes on their target. He was behind the bar, wearing a black muscle tee and a studded belt, and his hair was pinker than Hyuna remembered, but that was definitely Kim Namjoon.

“Once again, you were right,” Hyoyeon said, blowing stray stands of blonde hair out of her face. Her stomach rumbled. They’d been so busy that she’d been forced to skip two meals and she was so hungry that even the stench of greasy, salty bar food was beginning to seem appealing. “I bow to your infinite wisdom.”

“That’s what I like to hear,” she teased.

The crowd around the bar was three-people deep on all sides but Hyuna wasn’t deterred. Even on such little sleep, she and Hyoyeon were attractive enough to push their way to the front without much fuss. From what she could see, they were easily the prettiest girls in the bar and it wasn’t wasted on her how many heads had turned when they’d walked in the front door. Hyoyeon liked to jokingly suggest that using their good looks was a cheap trick but Hyoyeon’s father had always taught her to utilize whatever tools she had at her disposal.

Good genetics and lots of squats had given her a great . Who was she not to use it to her advantage?

“He looks busy,” Hyoyeon noted. And he was. Namjoon was dealing with a handful of loud, aggressive patrons at the other end of the bar, pouring drinks and wiping the sweat from his brow. It was good to see Hyoyeon wasn’t the only one affected by the heat.

“Just your typical Thursday morning space-drunks,” Hyuna said. “He can take a break for us.” Hyuna her lips before pounding her fist on the bar, briefly causing Namjoon to look over his shoulder. “Hey, Joonbug! Did you miss us?”

His smile was wide and bright, perfect, twin dimples appearing on his cheeks.

“Hyuna and Hyoyeon,” he said warmly, sliding a glass to a man in a lime green tank top. “The fearless crew of the Juggernaut right here in my bar. How did I get so lucky?”

“It’s good to see you too, Joonie,” Hyoyeon cooed sweetly. Namjoon was an old friend, one they didn’t see often but appreciated and admired all the same, and Hyoyeon had always had a little crush on him. He looked older now, broader, like more of a man than the last time they’d seen him, but he still had the characteristic softness and depth that made him Namjoon. “But we’re here on business.”

“Business here is booming,” he said, gesturing to the crowd. “What do you need?”

“We’re looking for someone,” Hyuna said, shouting because there was cheering happening somewhere on the other side of the room. She hadn’t noticed any television screens on the walls but it seemed likely that there was a sporting event being broadcasted somewhere in the bar. “A man who goes by Taeyang. Young, blonde, tatted up.”

“We’re told he likes to hang out here in your rustic establishment,” Hyoyeon added.

Down on Namjoon’s end of the bar, someone threw a punch.

“Hey, knock it off!” he shouted. “Don’t make me bounce your out of here!”

Hyoyeon rolled her eyes, grunting at the inconvenience. Of course they’d had to show up when everyone was feeling rowdy.

“Namjoon!” she said, cupping her hands over . “Taeyang! Do you know him?” But Namjoon didn’t hear her. He was busy swatting some guy who’d reached over the bar to grab a beer. “Yah! Namjoon! Listen, you son of a –”

Hyoyeon clamped her hand down on Hyuna’s shoulder.

“It’s not quite working, princess,” she said.

Hyuna exhaled through her nose, frustrated and annoyed.

“Alright,” she said. “Give me a boost.”

Hyoyeon linked her fingers together, giving Hyuna a quick, makeshift platform upon which Hyuna could plant her foot and climb up onto the bar.

“Oh, come on,” Namjoon said dramatically, suddenly noticing that his friends weren’t in the mood to play. “Can you not?”

“Hey!” Hyuna yelled out over the crowd. Like Namjoon, they ignored her and, like before, it pissed her off. “Hey!” When her cries fell on deaf ears, she snapped, grabbing a tray of glasses from behind the bar. She held it over her head and caught a quick flash of panic on Namjoon’s face before she threw it to the floor, smashing everything with an ear-splitting crash.

Hyoyeon stifled a laugh, covering her face with both hands.

Classic Hyuna.

But her impulsive, half-baked plan had worked – everyone suddenly shut up.

Hyoyeon glanced back up in time to catch Hyuna’s smile.

“Hello, everyone. Happy Thursday,” she said. “My partner and I–” Hyuna gestured down at Hyoyeon and the older girl waved to the crowd, “–are looking for a gentleman named Taeyang. Does anyone know where we can find him?”

There was a beat, the rowdy revelers staring up at her with contempt and confusion, but eventually a redhead near the pool table yelled back, “Taeyang’s friends with the owner. He should be in one of the back rooms.”

Hyuna’s smile was sweeter now, utterly pleased with herself. That made Hyoyeon shake her head. Kim Hyuna was a lot of things but humble? That had never really been one of them.

“Thank you,” Hyuna said. “Truly.”

She held out her hand and Hyoyeon took it, helping her down off the bar. Hyuna gestured to a hallway, silently suggesting that they go check all the rooms until they found Taeyang and Hyoyeon nodded. They both stepped gingerly over the mess of broken glass Hyuna had left and behind them, Namjoon charged to the edge of the bar.

“Hey, you need to pay for that!” he shouted but when Hyoyeon looked back, there was a smirk on his lips. They could get on his nerves but he loved them anyway.

Hyuna didn’t look back, just held up her hand and waved goodbye as she headed towards the corridor.

“Put it on my tab,” she said.

The hallway opened up into six rooms – two bathrooms, an office and three rooms with “PRIVATE” painted on the door. The office was cluttered and grimy but otherwise empty and the bathrooms boasted nothing of any importance, leaving only the mysterious, private rooms.

“Why would this bar need private rooms?” Hyoyeon thought aloud and no sooner had the words left than they heard a thud, a giggle and a moan from the private room on the left. She sighed, rolled her eyes at her own naivety, and said, “Oh. Right.”

“I think we found Taeyang,” Hyuna said, smiling, her eyes twinkling with her desire to make trouble. She extended her arm to the door welcomingly. “Do you want to do the honors?”

Hyoyeon shook her head.

“Please,” she said. “After you.”

Hyuna’s smirk was dangerous. She cocked her leg back and kicked, the sole of her boot landing squarely in the middle of the door, sending it splintering from the frame with an ugly clatter. In the split second between the door splintering and the woman on Taeyang’s screaming bloody murder, Hyuna took a look around the small room.

It wasn’t much – peeling wallpaper, cheap lighting, a tattered, dark green couch, an armchair with ripped upholstery, a mini-fridge with glasses on top. It reminded Hyuna of the motels near refueling stations that could be rented by the hour. It was crude and minimal but it served its purpose.

“Good afternoon, Taeyang!” Hyuna greeted brightly. “How the heck are you?”

“Ah, what the is this?” Taeyang shouted, scrambling to cover himself with a cushion when the woman leapt off his lap. She was young, pretty in a busted up sort of way, and wore a light pink dress that was now bunched up around her waist.

“So sorry to crash the party,” Hyuna said, “but we need to talk.” She noticed a jacket by the chair, probably the girl’s, and tossed it to her, frowning. “The pink-haired man behind the bar will pay you for your time.”

The girl in the pink dress was gone in a matter of seconds and Taeyang looked up at Hyuna, scowling, a couch pillow now covering what the jeans around his feet didn’t.

“You don’t know she was a working girl,” he said lowly. “She could’ve been my date.”

Hyuna rolled her eyes.

“Was she your date, Taeyang?” she teased.

He pouted.

“That’s none of your business.” He looked to Hyoyeon and nodded his chin. “New partner?” he asked. “Last time I saw you, you were flying solo. Seungri said you didn’t play well with others.”

Seungri was the mutual friend through whom Hyuna knew Taeyang. She’d actually only met Taeyang a few times, their paths crossing at parties and other social events back when she lived on a troublesome planet called Jiga. They weren’t friends exactly, though Hyuna did find the muscular brute to be pretty good company. He was sarcastic and just a little dumb, two things that made him fun to be around the few times they’d smoked together.

More importantly, though, Taeyang was known to run with a man named Kwon Jiyong. It had been over three years since the last time Hyuna had seen Taeyang and as such, she didn’t know if he still hung around with Jiyong and his crew. But Hyuna could think of a hundred-million reasons why it was worth a shot to talk to him about it.

“This is Hyoyeon,” Hyuna said, reaching back to rest her hand on the blonde’s shoulder. “The one person I do play well with.”

Taeyang glared at her, his eyes narrowed.

“Nice to meet you,” he said dryly. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”

“Can’t a girl just visit an old acquaintance without him getting suspicious?” Hyuna teased, taking a seat in the ripped armchair and trying not to think about what kinds of things had gone on where she was sitting.

Taeyang was still staring right through her, his face void of any expression.

“You don’t just kick down a door and give a man blue balls for no good reason, Hyuna,” he said. “Now tell me what you want so you can get out of this hole and I can put my pants back on.”

Hyoyeon laughed. Hyuna was right – he was amusing.

“Okay, Taeyang,” Hyuna said, leaning forward so that she could rest her elbows on her knees. “We need to have a little chat, you and I.”

He blinked.

“A chat about...?”

“About your good friend Jiyong,” she said.

Taeyang’s face lit up, the sudden realization hitting him like a brick. He always had been a little slow to reach the point but now that he’d caught up, a taunting smile spread across his lips.

“Oh, Hyuna,” he said. He his lips, his dark eyes glowing. As Hyuna had expected, he was tickled by her intentions. “Don’t tell me you’re one of those. Don’t tell me you’re joining the great space race to find Jiyong. Don’t tell me you’ve fallen so far.” His eyes flickered from Hyuna to Hyoyeon and back again before he laughed out loud, the sound bouncing off the dingy walls of the tiny room. “Girl, you’re better than that.”

Hyoyeon looked to Hyuna, trying to gauge her reaction, but Hyuna didn’t have one. She just shrugged.

“No one is better than a hundred-million bucks, Taeyang.”

“It’s all about the money with you, isn’t it?” he asked.

Her resounding smile was very faint.

“What else is there?” she asked sweetly. Hyuna inched to the edge of her seat, leaning closer to Taeyang. “Listen, tough guy, we’re very sorry that we interrupted your date but I have questions and I think you have answers.”

“What makes you think I have answers?” he asked, running a hand through his light hair. His other hand stayed planted in the middle of the pillow. “Jiyong and I weren’t that close.”

“I know,” she said. “I remember. But you know who he was close to and that could come in handy.”

Taeyang rolled his eyes.

“And what do I get out of the deal?” he teased.

“Next time I’m here,” she said, “I’ll buy you dinner.”

“I’ll chip in for your next date, too,” Hyoyeon piped up, her snark bringing a smile to Taeyang’s lips.

Hyuna smiled, too. She’d always felt like Hyoyeon’s skills, her personality, her traits all picked up right where her own left off. It seemed like they were two halves of the same person and together, they were complete. Together, they were strong and whole, significantly better than they’d been apart.

“You’re really looking for Jiyong?” Taeyang asked. “You’re really gonna track him down, tie him up and turn him into the Cosmos authorities?”

Hyuna nodded.

“That’s the plan, my good sir.”

“Then before I tell you what I know,” he said, “I have a question for you.”

Hyuna held out her hands, welcoming an inquiry.

“By all means,” she said.

“You hate the Cosmos,” Taeyang said. Sure, they’d only met a handful of times but Hyuna’s reputation preceded her. She was well-liked in their mutual circle and Taeyang often found himself listening to in-depth conversations about Hyuna. He knew things about her, about her past, and her presence here in the back room of Rocky’s didn’t make any kinds of sense to him. “You hate the government.”

“That’s not a question,” Hyuna said after a beat.

“The Cosmos killed your father,” Taeyang said and Hyoyeon felt the color drain from her face. She looked to Hyuna again, a reflex, expecting to see pain or rage or something but Hyuna hadn’t moved a single muscle. She hadn’t frowned or flinched or grimaced or even blinked. Hyoyeon had to admit her friend had one hell of a poker face.

“You still haven’t asked me a question,” Hyuna said softly.

“Why do you want to help the people that ruined your life?” he asked, his tone almost cruel. “Why are you trying to help the Cosmos?”

Despite the sudden crushing sensation that was blooming in her chest and stomach, Hyuna kept her face very still. It was true that she hated the Cosmos, true that she hated the government with every single cell in her body. She’d always known that her father was a criminal – a freelance smuggler who was a bit of a legend in his field – but he’d never been violent. He’d never hurt anyone. He was just a pirate, a talented pilot who took crystals, weapons, and tech parts from galaxy to galaxy.

But back in those days, the Cosmos was cracking down on smugglers. Her father’s team was the best of the best and when they’d finally caught him, when the blitzed him and cornered him, he sacrificed himself so that the rest of the crew could get away.

He’d said it was a captain’s duty.

The Cosmos threw him in the super-max prison on Keun Gamog, the same facility from which Jiyong had escaped, and he was killed inside when Hyuna was eleven.

As much as she loved her father, Hyuna had been forced to change her name. She didn’t have much of a choice. She wanted to a be a pilot like her dad and she couldn’t do that if the Cosmos was always tracking her, always riding her , always giving her grief every time she left and reentered the solar system. When she was sixteen, she became Kim Hyuna and later befriended an incredible hacker named Luhan who completely erased the first twenty years of her life from the Cosmos-regulated super-net.

When she was fingerprinted, searched, scanned or background checked, she appeared as Kim Hyuna, the daughter of a scientist from Geum Haneul. Nobody outside her own family knew that she was the daughter of one of the ‘verse’s most famous pirates, though apparently Taeyang had gotten the information from someone in their inner circle.

Hyoyeon knew. It was something they never, ever talked about but she knew about Hyuna’s past, she knew who she was. And now, standing here between her best friend and the pantsless man who was digging up all Hyuna’s family secrets, Hyoyeon was wildly uncomfortable.

But Hyuna had ice water in her veins.

She leaned back in the dirty armchair, making herself comfortable and said, “What better way to get back at the Cosmos than to have them unknowingly grant a hundred-million dollars to the daughter of their most infamous smuggler?” Taeyang seemed pleased by that answer. Hyoyeon was, too. “They did ruin my life, Taeyang, but they don’t know who I am and they don’t know that I’m just as good as my dad. So I’d like to find Jiyong, bring him to the Cosmos, collect my money and then go back to my life of crime and pissing all over the government’s ridiculous laws. Okay?”

His thin lips twisted into a genuine smile and Hyuna thought for a second that maybe he found her just as entertaining as she found him.

“Now tell us something,” Hyoyeon said, wanting to break the sudden silence. “You got your answers. Give us ours.”

Taeyang stared up at her. If he wasn’t being such an , Hyoyeon might’ve found him attractive. She’d always had a thing for bad boys.

“I stopped talking to Jiyong about six months before he got arrested,” Taeyang admitted finally. “We had some common interests and we got along fine but he started getting… weird.”

“Weird how?” Hyuna prompted, an eyebrow cocked with intrigue.

“Too caught up in himself,” Taeyang explained. “Too preachy. He was working with some underground hacktivist group, some guys who were all about Berm preservation. His whole life became about the cause and it got annoying. He was a real douche-star about it. We’d be drinking and having a good time and Jiyong would show up, preaching about the Berm and driving everyone nuts.”

“Berm preservation?” Hyuna asked. “You sure?”

Taeyang nodded.

“It’s kind of hard to forget, Hyuna.”

Humans and Berm had been sharing a galaxy for nearly a thousand years but still, a lot of people just couldn’t figure out how to make it work. Human beings had always been exceptionally good at waging wars and starting unnecessary conflict, and although humanity had evolved so far scientifically that they could travel entire galaxies in the blink of an eye, they couldn’t fight their most primitive urges – to fear and to fight the things that were different.

A lot of people had no problem with the Berm. They were peaceful. They left each other alone. There was a sort of silent respect between them. They kept their distance and lived in harmony.

But, still, a lot of people thought that humans should be the only living creatures in this corner of the ‘verse. They wanted the land that belonged to the Berm. They stirred up that needn’t be stirred, starting violent battles between the two species and inciting widespread fear.

Hyuna was sure that the majority of space-dwellers had no problem with the Berm but, as it had always been, the hateful, ignorant voices were the loudest. They were fear-mongers and they used lies and propaganda to spread panic and hatred.

As a result, people were killing Berm at a more aggressive rate than ever.

There were dozens (if not hundreds) of “Save The Berm” foundations floating around the ‘verse but Hyuna had never considered the possibility that Jiyong had gotten tangled up with one.

He’d been arrested for treason of all things, something so rare and so vague that Hyuna had had no idea what the it actually meant in terms of Cosmos law.

“If you want real answers,” Taeyang said, “you need to see a man named Kang Daesung. I don’t know where he is now but he was always Jiyong’s best friend. I can’t say for sure but I think he was involved with the foundation, too. Whatever Daesung did, Jiyong did and vice versa. They were probably in this thing together. It would surprise me if they weren’t.”

“Kang Daesung?” Hyoyeon repeated for confirmation, pulling a small work tablet from her back pocket.

Taeyang nodded.

“He’s the same age as Jiyong. I think he’s from Chulsaeng originally. He’s not a pilot. He might be an engineer.” He looked Hyuna up and down and then did the same to Hyoyeon. “You’re probably going to have to trick him or seduce him if you want information. If he thinks you’re working for the Cosmos, he’s not gonna say . He’s not gonna give up his best friend.”

Hyuna considered that. If her reputation really did precede her and people did know how she felt about the government, she could use it to her advantage. And if that didn’t work, Hyoyeon had the and she had the to get him to speak up.

She could tell Taeyang had nothing more to offer them and so she stood up. She closed the gap between them, smiling down at Taeyang as she squeezed his chin with her right hand.

“You’ve been a great help, Yang,” she said. She reached inside her jacket, pulled out her wallet and retrieved a few hundred dollars which she placed on top of his cushion. “Let’s meet under less exciting circumstances next time, huh?” She gave his cheek a light pat and her heel. “Ready to go?” she asked Hyoyeon. The blonde simply nodded. “Goodbye, Taeyang,” she said over her shoulder. “Try to stay out of trouble.”

“Same to you,” he mumbled.

Hyuna would’ve closed the door behind them but it was still laying in a sad heap on the floor. They’d need Namjoon to put that on their tab, too.

They made it out of Rocky’s without causing any further commotion, slipping out the front door without catching the attention of Namjoon or anyone else. The wave of humidity that hit them as soon as they stepped into the parking lot made Hyoyeon uncomfortable but they’d be on the road and back in the air soon enough.

“We need to find out everything we can on Kang Daesung,” Hyuna said as they approached the rental rover. “We need to know everything from his birthday to his favorite show to if he had braces as a kid. If this guy takes a , I want to know about it. The more we know about him, the easier it’ll be to break into his head.”

“We’re not really gonna use our good looks and our masterful deception to trick this poor bastard into giving up his best friend,” Hyoyeon said, “are we?”

Hyuna smiled, stopping dead in her tracks so that she could get a good look at Hyoyeon.

“You mean use our wiles and our bodies to trick some sweet, unsuspecting boy into spilling his secrets?” Hyuna suggested with a gasp. She hooked her arm around Hyoyeon’s waist, pulling her closer as the blonde giggled. “Of course not, unnie. That would be wrong. That would be trouble.” She pushed the button on the rover’s keyring, starting the engine with a pleasing rumble. “And you and I never get into trouble.”