“How was the dinner party last weekend?”

“Eoh?”

“The dinner party, how was it?”

“It was okay.”

“Just okay?”

“Yes.”

“Tell me.”

“Tell you what?”

“You egghead!” Seulgi, extremely frustrated by the older girl’s exaggerating act of ignorant used against her, raised her voice and harshly crashes both of her palms on top of the girl’s large wooden table placed in between the two women causing Moonbyul to jump slightly in surprise.

“Tell me about your meeting with her and don’t you dare just tell me it was ‘just okay’!” Seulgi air quoted with her fingers and pulling an angry face at the same time, scary enough for the woman sitting in front of her to feel like a super tiny mouse being caught in a big metal trap house. The only difference is, Seulgi is 10 times scarier than just a metal trap.

“Oh? Okay okay. I’m sorry.” Moonbyul quickly added and lightly fanning herself with her left hand. ‘It is hot in here? Why the hell I am so sweaty?’

“The meeting was awkward, of course.” Moonbyul gulped loudly. “The food, however, was exquisi-”

“Unnie, I’m not interested in food.”

“Oh? Since when? Are you sick?” Moonbyul immediately stood up; her right hand already went reaching out towards Seulgi’s forehead, wondering if the girl catches a fever without her knowing.

“Yah ahjumma, that’s not what I meant.” The younger girl swatted her arm away gently and rolled her eyes.

“Omo, who are you calling me ahjumma?”

“Unnie.”

Moonbyul hated the girl’s tone right now. She knows. The girl is curious and worried about her. But all she wants to for the day is not to be reminded how foolish she’s being right now, and whenever she’s in front of Seulgi, as if her one way mirror suddenly becomes two ways.

She can see the tall girl’s thoughts, every emotions, every memories, every secrets… but at the same time, the girl can also see hers; more often that she would admit.

Seulgi’s ability to read her does come in handy some other days when words become too complicated for her, when she can’t just explain her feelings away, when she just needed someone to be there for her without asking questions. Seulgi can just stare at her and she’ll know right away.

It’s scary sometimes, to be this much vulnerable to someone but somehow; if that someone is Seulgi, Moonbyul feels very glad to have the younger girl as her friend. Though Seulgi was born and raised as Young Lady Kang, but for sure Kang Seulgi is a different person in real life.

She’s so different.

-Flashback-

“Have you seen my latest mp3 player? It’s amazing! Daddy made it in pink colour just for me; he bought it when he was in London.” The girl said, flaunting around the tiny music box around in her right hand.

“Me too! But mine is red and mother gave it to me for my birthday’s present.” Another one exclaimed.

“How about you Moonbyul? Show us yours!” The boy next to her nudged her on her left shoulder. Tiny Moonbyul can’t help but to lower her gaze to her now more interesting study table in front of her; she can feel the other students' stare on her, making her feel rather uncomfortable and extremely trapped.

“I don’t have one.” Young Moonbyul answered, receiving the end of the laughter from the boys and girls in the class.

“Yah! How come? Everyone has one!”

“Because she can’t afford it! Moonbyul is so poor!” The girl next to her right laughed, encouraging the other classmates to tease along.

Moonbyul felt like she wants to cry. It’s not as if she doesn’t want one, she just doesn’t have money to buy one. She barely can eat dinner nowadays, not that it was her adopted mother’s fault. She can see how much work her mother has done. Balancing two jobs between the day and night ever since his husband died a few months ago.

She keeps quiet and she keeps on working to keep Moonbyul well fed, even though the girl knows how tiring it can be. Her mother asked her about her wish for her birthday, Moonbyul wanted so bad to have the mp3 player but she couldn’t say it. Mrs. Choi has been so nice to her.

Her previous adopted parents didn’t even give her any dinner. She got lucky when Mrs. Choi decided to adopt her a few years after.

The others were right; she was poor. But at least she has someone that she can call a ‘mother’; a person that Moonbyul has only ever heard in a book but never in real life, a person who would love her just the way she is.

“How childish! Not everyone should have those tiny annoying thing.” Suddenly a voice said coming from behind her, taking everybody’s unwanted attentions away from her.

“Kang Seulgi, go away! No juniors allowed.”

“No juniors my . My father is a lawyer, I’d do what I want whenever I want and if you have problems with that, my father can put you in jails then!” The others turned silent, everyone knows what a Kang family could do and no one messes with a Kang, ever.

“Unnie!” The younger girl directed at her.

“Y-yes?”

“You don’t need one to be cool, you know? But if you want, you can borrow mine. I go bored easily of this kind of things easily.” The girl smiled, walking towards the sitting girl as the other students started to dispersed away from the circle.

“Oh? Tha-thank you.” Moonbyul bowed, thanking the girl for saving her from an almost horrendous situation.

“No problem! The name is Kang Seulgi.” The girl smiled, extending her right hand for the older one to take.
“Hello Seulgi-shi, may name is Moonbyul.” She said as shook she the junior’s hand gently.

“Oh Byul? Like the stars?”

“Yes.”

“Ooooooh MoonStar! You have a cool name!”

And that was how their lifetime friendship began, over a simple mp3 player and Moonbyul prays every single day; lucky to have the younger girl as her best friend ever since.

-End of flashback-

“Meeting her was… also interesting.”

“How so? Did she recognizes you?”

“No.”

Seulgi nodded in response, satisfied with the new info she just gained.

“She’s so different Seulgi-ah. As if she’s changed from what we remember her as. She’s kinder, brighter and even friendlier.” Moonbyul smiled to herself, not knowing the younger girl’s twitchy eyes and annoyed expression that have been directed at her.

“Of course she’s different. It’s because you’re different.”

“What do you mean?” The older girl frowned.

“Unnie, have you forgotten? You’re a CEO.”

“So?”

“You’re rich unnie!” Seulgi shouted, out of breath even. Her anger towards the older woman is too much for her to handle, how can you be stupid?

“Remember what she has done to you?” Seulgi asked further and Moonbyul remained quiet, letting the tall girl to finish without interruptions. “Do you?”

“Of course I do.”

“So do I!”

“Seulgi please-”

The tall girl raised her right palm up, stopping Moonbyul’s pleading instantly.

“You made a promise with me, with yourself. I… made a promise to myself, to not ever see you like ever again.” Seulgi gritted, feeling sad upon her memory of seeing Moonbyul’s state the night it happened.

Moonbyul remained silent, once again.

“You’re rich now but trust me; if the old you showed up out of nowhere and meet her… she won’t even give you a second look, unnie. Because you were poor, you weren’t rich.” The younger girl paused, “She’s a Young Lady Jung, a future heir of the Jung household. She is kinder, brighter and friendlier to Moon Byul Yi, but never to Choi Moonbyul.”

“Are you done?” The older girl finally replied, finally got enough and tired of the taller one’s talk for the night.

“I just wanted you to think about that the next time you think she has changed for the good.” Seulgi stood up, preparing to leave the office as she felt like her presence in becomingly unwanted as the evening progresses between the two of them.

“Don’t be ridiculous, where are you going?”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Ah, Wheein-ah. You must be crazy.”

“You never listened to your mom, why starts now?”

“I can’t do it, this is rude right? She’s a busy woman; she can’t just drop everything and joins you.”

“What if she-”

Wheein mumbled to herself like a crazy lady, walking back and forth along the richly lit corridor and in front of the door that the young girl can seems to bring herself to knock upon; before she found herself being cut off by another voice coming from the foot of  the big wooden door. Oh my god.

“Wheein-shi?” Moonbyul, confused upon seeing the younger girl now standing in front of her.

“What do I owe this visit?” She asked politely.

“O-oh, I-I just… I wa-was just… around the co-corner.” Wheein stuttered, pointing her finger senselessly around the hallway, making a terrible mistake once again in coming up with a good excuse on god knows why she has been lingering outside the girl’s office for about more than 5 minutes ago.

“Oh, I see.” Though still confused, Moonbyul cannot help but to give a tiny smile in return. “Do come in Wheein-shi.”

“I don’t think I’m staying much longer, I’m so sorry for bothering you Byul-shi.” Wheein said quickly, refusing the invitation from the older girl and wanted to run away from the embarrassing situation as soon as she possibly could.

“No, no. I was about to finish things for the night.” Moonbyul reassured. “So, do you want to have to some tea? I have-”

“I got a favour to ask you!” Wheein basically shouted, not even giving a chance for Moonbyul to even properly finish her own sentence. The younger girl blushed heavily upon realizing her impatient and childish behaviour.

“A-ah, of course. What is it Wheein-shi?” Moonbyul astounded.

“You see, I’m a good friend of Solar unnie. Do you know her?” Wheein wondered.

“Yes, I’m more familiar with her real name. CEO Kim Yong Sun, yes?”

“Yes! Yes, our weird little unnie.” She laughed nervously, sweating profusely just thinking about what was she’s planning to say right now.

“She’s having her clothing lines debut in Paris next week.”

“Ah, congratulations.” Moonbyul cheered politely, probably wondering why CEO Kim is being at the centre of their conversation right now.

“I need to go to Paris next week.”

Moonbyul went quiet, staring intensely at the shorter girl’s eyes, pondering why the girl is talking about Paris. In Moonbyul’s mind, it still doesn’t really explain why she’s being showered by the beautiful girl’s presence in the early evening of her day.

“I see.” She finally said before adding, “You don’t need my permission to go Wheein-shi.”

“No! No! That wasn’t why I’m here for!” Wheein eagerly waved both of her hands in front of the woman’s face, denying whatever Miss Moon just said a few seconds ago.

“Oh, I apologize. What is it then?”

“I’m a 24 year old woman but my father has the power to prevent my private jet from flying. Plus, Solar unnie is like a wreck mess every time she’s doing any new shows in foreign country so I need to be there for her support.” Wheein lowered her gaze to her feet, her face now is in a serious deep red shade, her hands starting to get clammy. She can’t even raise her head now without feeling like a such fool, especially when she’s in the presence of the older woman standing a few steps away from her.

“I understand.”

“So, I’m just going to be very honest with you right now because god forbid, I’m a such horrible liar as proven many times by my best friend.” The shorter girl blustered. “I need you to go shopping with me alone. It's my mother’s request and I need to follow them if I want to fly to Paris, she's unfortunately very good at convincing people.” Wheein bit her lower lip, feeling oddly nervous.

“I see.” Moonbyul finally understands.

In order for her to fly, she needs to fulfil her mother’s request to shop alone with me. That made sense, and a brilliant tactic to force her own daughter to have a date with me.

“Okay Wheein-shi. I don’t mind going shopping with you.” Moonbyul let out a tiny laugh.

“We need to shop for a specific type of clothing though, I hope you don’t mind. Mother has been very particular with her request.”

“What type of clothing are you looking for, if I may ask?”

Wheein, uncertain to how to bring the topic up, opted to remain silent for a good few seconds. Her face though still deeply in red colour, however the girl suddenly has the courage to make a firm eye contact with the effortlessly stunning woman in front of her before giving out her tiny reply.

“My wedding dress.”

p/s: Oh! A little background between Moonbyul and Seulgi relationship and also a small preview of what next chapter is going to be :p I'm sorry if this chapter feels like it was a bit rushed (forgive me! >.<) Do comments what you guys think so far and thank you for your support! :D <3