Yongsun looked down at her phone, her thumb hovering over the article, unsure of what to do.

What took your smile away Moonbyul?

Known for her charm and bright yet cool attitude on stage Moonbyul, from the girl group Mamamoo, has her fans worried.

The rapper has always been seen smiling on stage, even during her raps she always managed to sneak a smile. But that seems to have changed in the last few weeks. With stern a stern face she delivers her parts with a professional and flawless stance that clashes with the laid back vibe she used to give.

Even her interactions with the fans have gone down dramatically compared to the past and the rest of the members.

Many theories came out trying to explain this situation. From her trying to change her image to fit better in the world of rap, to plausible fights with the members. One of the most popular among fans is that she could be resenting that her leader and best friend in the group, Solar, has recently started filming We Got Married, giving the pair less time to spend together.

Moonbyul addressed this rumours on the official Mamamoo Facebook page.

“I don’t want you [the fans] to worry about me. I’m just tired. Even if I don’t have as many schedules as the other members I’ve been working hard on small projects I hope I can present to you soon.”

Not all hope is lost however.

Moonbyul’s friendship with the main vocal and dancer Wheein seems to have grown, and it’s not a rare sight to find the younger girl trying to make her unnie laugh. 

Even the fatale maknae, Hwasa, joins on the task from time, teasing the rapper both on and off stage.

We hope you get better soon and smile again Moonbyul!

She’s read that article over and over again, her eyes lingering on the different pictures of Byul performing. But what worried Yongsun was not the lack of a smile. No, she was used to that now. It was the dullness on the girls eyes. Eyes that used to tell many stories, that were an open door to the girl’s soul. Now any spark was long gone and even when Byul did smile it never reached her eyes.

“Solar-shi? We are going to start now…” the manager called for her with a small wave.

“One second, just need to finish up with my phone.”

Doing just that Yongsun checked for any new possible messages, her kakao silent as a tomb, frowning when she saw all three of her members online but none of them had texted her. Setting her phone down she stood up walking to the charming boy that was waiting for her, a smile reaching her face right away.

After a whole day of shooting Solar decided against the idea of going back to her lonely flat, walking to Wheein’s hoping the younger girl had some food. Using her spare key she let herself in hearing a voice coming from the living room. Not just any voice, her voice.

“…and that’s why there is no way transformers could exist. This whole franchise is based on the love boys have over trucks, explosions and barely clothed girls.”

“Unnie! You promised!”

“Ok ok…sorry Wheepup, I won’t make fun of the film when it’s your turn to choose.”

Yongsun frowned not quite sure if she should just get out or crash the film night they were having. She guessed that maybe Byul and Wheein wanted to have some bonding moment, missing hteir time as roomates, when she heard Heyjin’s voice.

“Byullie-unnie...how are you?”

The silence that followed had Yongsun stuck to her spot, not even breathing, afraid that if she moved she would miss the answer to that question. After so long not having a proper conversation with Byul she wanted to know if she spat the rehearsed “Fine” to everyone or just her.

“I’m good. Don’t look at me like that. I’m telling you I'm doing better.”

“It’s just that people are starting to notice unnie, there was a whole article about it…”

“I know. I guess my time just avoiding her is gonna have to stop.”

“Byulyi you need to stop putting up these walls around you.” Wendy?

“Girls I knew what I was getting into. From the first minute I knew this was going to be the result. Trust me I’ve been preparing myself. I AM happy for her. She’s having a blast on the show, we get more publicity…plus it’s not like the guy is an . I’ve met him and he is good to her, very gentlemanly.”

“God ing damnit Byulyi-unnie!!” Yongsun moved her hand up to in shock. Hearing Hyejin swear was normal, even Byul had let out a curse or two due to stress, but Wheein never swore. “We are your friends! Stop giving the answer you think people want to hear! We don’t care about what Moonbyul, rapper of Mamamoo, thinks. What we want to know is how our best friend Moon Byul Yi is doing. Is it really that hard?”

A bitter laugh filled the whole apartment.

“What do you want me to say Wheein? I agreed to it. They asked us all if we were ok with her doing it, and I said yes. I...I can’t be selfish and keep her from doing things like that forever... The show is good for her, but for me too. It was the bucket of cold water that I needed to wake up.”

“But…but doesn't it hurt?”

“Oh it does. I’m not saying that this is easy; I’m saying that I needed it. I prefer this over the relationship we had in the past. I finally know my place. Before…all the fan service was killing me, I could never tell if it was just fan service or not. If I too much she’d get mad, but if I didn’t enough and moved to either of the maknaes she’d find a way to show she wasn't happy with it. It was driving me crazy. I couldn't stop myself from getting hopes...from thinking she might be jealous, that she wanted me to pay attention to only her for some special reason.”

Yongsun let her back hit the wall as she heard the multiple voices. Everyone had been invited to…whatever that was, but her. Her jaw clenched when Byul spoke about their previous way of interacting.

“Look, it’s my fault-”

“Unnie!”

“Byul-ah don't say that!”

“Hey hey listen for a second. As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, it’s my fault. I knew that all that could come from those feelings was pain and heartbreak but I did it anyway. Was it worth it? Yes. No matter how much it hurts, falling in love with her was the best mistake I’ll ever make.”

o0oOo0o

The release of Moonbyul's cover of The Manual by Eddy Kim Byul seemed to change things back to a more natural and familiar situation. She still stood a bit too far, sat a bit too straight, laughed a bit too loud when Yongsun was around, but it was an improvement. She no longer avoided the leaders eyes when they crossed each other on the stage, but she would make sure that any playfulness they had on stage or in front of the cameras stayed there.

Byul liked skinship, when she was nervous or with those really close to her, it had always been that way. But Yongsun noticed how the rapper seemed to have to force her self to touch the leader lately. The hands she had grown used to having on her now stayed away.

Yongsun had tried to go back to how they were, to have any sense of normality around them, but it wasn’t working. Suddenly Byul was always busy whenever they didn’t have joint schedules to film for some CF or go to a radio show. But then pictures of Byul and Wheein or Heyjin would appear on social media making Yongsun’s stomach drop.

One day she couldn’t take it anymore.

“Byul-ah, can we talk for a bit?” She asked as they left a radio studio one morning after a promoting show. Yongsun knew that Byul had no schedules that afternoon, she had checked with their manager.

“Maybe tonight? I have to go back to the company to check on some things.” The blonde girl said giving her a small polite smile and turning to leave.

"Byul, I promise it won't be more than 10 minutes I think we need to talk about some things..." Yongsun continued glued to her spot as she saw the rapped slowly walk away.

"Not now Yongsun-unnie, I'm in a hurry" She said without even looking up from her phone.

“Jesus Moonbyul wait!” Yongsun said raising her voice.

“Is that an order…leader Solar?” The usually warm voice turned cold and a mask of indifference took over Moonbyul's face. 

“Will you stop being so difficult? I just want to talk to you about how you are and how we’ve been the past weeks.”

“I’m fine. We are fine."

"Byul-ah it's not just the Moomoo's anymore that notice there's something wrong. Didn't you read that article a week back?" Yongsun tried to hold Byul's hand but the taller girl stepped back, as if the mere thought of touching the leader killed her.

"I’m trying ok? You can tell CEO oppa and manager unnie that they don’t have to worry. I’ll make sure to be greasier in the next interviews to make up for the past week. We can just say that I had a fever or something.” 

“That’s not what I want to talk about. I miss having my best friend around…I want to know how you are. That's all I want Byul.”

“And I told you I don’t need your pity. I just need space.” Moonbyul spat moving to stand right in front of the brunette.

“I don’t pity you…”

“You knew what I felt for you. It’s impossible that you didn’t know. You knew and still kept playing with me. The fact that I’m trying and not giving you grief over the fact that you played me however you wanted doesn't mean I’m not resentful.” 

Yongsun looked at the retreating form of Byul as the taller girl disappeared into one of the many rooms of the studio they were at. Only after she heard the door close she snapped out of her daze rushing after the rapper. Yongsun was about to rush past a small studio when she saw two figures through the glass, halting her steps. Byul stood by the door with her head hung low as Wheen looked through her bag. Out of what looked like pure instinct Wheein looked up and her face fell. Although Yongsun couldn't hear anything she saw Wheein's lips move and her hand stretching in front of her as an invitation. A second later the short girl had run up to her unnie holding her as Byul's knees failed, making her fall on her knees. Wheein’s arms were around Byul’s neck protectively, her hand running over the blonde locks as Byul visibly shook. She could see Wheein whisper something into the rapper's hair, causing Byul to cry harder and hold onto Wheein's shirt for dear life.

Yongsun was about to walk into the room when a hand grabbed her arm.

“Don’t.”

“Heyjin let go of my arm. I need to talk to her.”

“I love you unnie, you know I do, but you’ve hurt her enough. Just let her be for a while. Stop being so ing selfish and think of others for once.”

“I just need to talk to her for a bit, clear the waters between us.”

“Oh my god Yongsun-unnie! How can you be so selfish?? You really can’t spare her for a bit? She’s given up on you, she even agreed to go to the panel because she thought you'd be more comfortable if she was the one there. She’s trying to go back to normal at her own pace so she doesn't hurt more than she already has, but you want to rush it because of what…because you miss your best friend? Because deep down, you know this is your fault? That you could've stopped this sooner? Well she’s had to endure years of you being hot and cold with her, now it's your turn to wait.”

“I never wanted to hurt her…” Yongsun said looking into the room where Wheein rocked Byul back and forth trying to calm her rapid breathing and sobs, her voice cracking with emotion.

“And she knows that. That’s why she’s staying away. Because she knows you wouldn’t do that to her on purpose. That’s also why she’s kept Wheein and myself from telling you things as they are.” Heyjin responded shaking her head before looking straight into the brown eyes in front of her. “The least you can do is let her heal.”

o0oOo0o

Yongsun was seating again on the same sofa waiting to start the filming of the date to start when she got a notification on her phone.

Idol dance cover of ‘Toy’ by BlockB takes the Internet by storm

Moonbyul of Mamamoo surprised all her fans this morning when she released a video of herself dancing and rapping along to the famous song from group BlockB.

The track’s rhythm fit perfectly Moonbyul’s flow and style of dancing, her choreography changing from the official one to freestyle with no awkward transitions.

“I’m obsessed with this song. Thank you BlockB for this amazing hit”

That message accompanied the tweet that the idol used to promote the video. A video that, thanks to the support form big names like HyunA (4Minute), Hani (Exid), Seulgi and Wendy (Red Velvet) or even BlockB’s ZICO, has become viral, surpassing the million views in under 3 hours.

We can’t help but wonder if this is one of those projects the rapper has been teasing for weeks now. If everything she releases on her own is this good we can expect great things from this girl.

She clicked on the replay button again the second the song ended. She could feel a sting on her heart every time she saw how Byul sang along to the chorus, her eyes fixed on the camera.

“Solar-shi, we are ready when you are.”

With a quick nod she went to put her phone away as per usual when a text came in.

Have fun filming. Tell him that if he doesn't treat you right I’ll kill him.

Yongsun smiled a little brighter that day.