“You don’t have to put all that makeup.”

A small pout formed on her lips as she kept her focus on the mirror. She was almost finished doing her makeup when Seung Hyun suddenly video called her. It was a Saturday night and he had just finished their second show in Fukuoka. He rarely used FaceTime with her and Lisa thought he must be terribly missing her for doing just that. It had been almost a week since they last saw each other since he was in Japan every weekend and she had been out of the country to film their group’s comeback music video. Once the girls arrived in Seoul that afternoon, she and Chae Young decided to go out as the other two already had prior commitments.

“I don’t have to… but I want to.” She briefly glanced at the screen and saw him still sitting on his hotel room’s couch—freshly showered and sipping a glass of white wine.

“You’re already pretty without trying to look like Cleopatra.” He chuckled and Lisa eyed him sharply.

“My eyeliner looks great!”

“Yes, you’re amazing at doing makeup.” He sipped on his wine as she proceeded to put on a dark red lipstick. “And why are you wearing such a bold lipstick like that?”

“It matches my eyeshadow.” She replied nonchalantly before showing him her fingers as well. “And it’s the same color as my nails.”

She could hear him sigh and that made her smile. Seung Hyun never said anything about how much she loved makeup and being very girly at times. Among the members, she was always the boyish one. Discovering the wonders of makeup made her feel like a completely different person. She liked playing around with the colors according to her mood. And tonight… she was feeling particularly bold. Seung Hyun could rant all he wanted but she wanted to look y and attractive.

“Help me choose my dress.” She stood up then and went to her closet—bringing the phone with her and putting it on the dresser.

She took two little black dresses from a rack and showed the first one. “I have this halter dress I got from Paris before.”

Seung Hyun hummed—seriously assessing the sleeveless dress with flared skirt. He had a good style that Lisa appreciated… sharp, classy, yet can be quirky by adding a splash of color or patterns at times. She showed him the other dress and his eyebrows rose once he saw it.

“Jennie gave this to me on my birthday. It looks very plain but I haven’t tried it on yet.”

“That looks like a stocking.” He deadpanned while eyeing the long-sleeved black dress. “Really… how can you fit in that… thing?”

“It’s called a bodycon dress.” She rolled her eyes before holding the two dresses in front of her. “So… which of these two?”

“Wear the second one. It’s cold.” Of course, he would choose the one which covered as much of her skin as possible.

With that, Lisa quickly put back the unchosen dress on the rack and pulled the robe’s tie around her waist—forgetting that Seung Hyun was just watching her through the phone. She stepped out of the frame and then heard him whine.

“Yah! Don’t you dare...”

She went back to see him frowning on the camera and she chuckled. “ert.”

“I helped you choose a dress.” He shifted and placed his glass on the coffee table. Once he straightened up and rested his head back, his eyes were dead serious.

“I want to see you put it on.”

Heart suddenly picking up, she hid her embarrassment by shrugging. “Alright, oppa. But there’s really nothing much to see.”

He didn’t say anything. Not really knowing what to do, she adjusted her phone and took a few steps back until the camera could only frame her shoulders down to her knees. If she was going to do this, she didn’t want him to see her face. She was already screaming inside and was about to do anything just to be there beside him.

She slowly took off the robe and revealed the black lacy underwear she wore. Her skin prickled at the sudden exposure and it was as if he was right there in front of her—making her slightly shiver. She stepped inside the dress and shimmied herself into it… the fabric hugged her like a second skin, the simple silhouette actually made her look striking. All the while, she trained her gaze on his serious face and wondered what he was thinking about.

“Are you going to wear heels?” He suddenly asked as she did little adjustments on the dress.

“Yeah.”

Bending down, she picked up the black leather ankle boots and showed the pair to him. “Make sure to have comfortable shoes with you.”

“Yes, oppa.” She chuckled before bending down again and wearing the shoes.

She was already zipping the other shoe when he spoke in a voice so soft it made her heart skip a beat.

“You look beautiful.”

She looked up at him and smiled shyly. No matter how much closer and intimate they had been, she still felt shy about certain things—especially when he complimented her. There was something about the way he spoke that made her feel so special even though it really wasn’t that much.

“Too bad you’re not here to appreciate my beautiful self in person.” She tried to joke around but his gentle face didn’t change.

“I can appreciate you here just fine.”

“You can’t touch me there so…” She smiled but then it suddenly faltered when she realized how wrong it sounded.

Seung Hyun chuckled. “Don’t worry, sweetcheeks. I’ll have you all by myself soon enough.”

“Again with the sweetcheeks!” She straightened up and sighed—desperately trying to dispel the embarrassment and the sudden heat that coiled in her stomach at his words.

“Face sideways.” He suddenly ordered and Lisa just did it without thinking. “Stand straight.”

“What is it now?” The exasperation in her voice became apparent and then he hummed.

“Nice. You’ve grown a little booty.”

“Oppa!” She half-shouted before cracking up. Her infectious laughter made him join her in a split second. “We both know your is rounder than mine. I should be the one calling you sweetcheeks.”

He was laughing so loud it made her chest feel warm.

“Don’t make your friend wait.” He finally said after calming down. “I’ll see you soon, Lalisa.”

Pursing her lips, the mood suddenly changed and she felt constrict.

“I’m always missing you. Come back here safely.”

He gave her that soft smile she loved. It was him who ended the call and the sudden silence in the room made her miss him even more.

Not a minute later, her phone buzzed and what she saw made her laugh again.

Send me selfies right now.

Two young women were inside a classic and cozy lounge bar. The wooden and golden interior with plush leather sofas and a crackling fireplace provided a quiet and intimate setting. They were casually enjoying the soft acoustic music playing in the background with a few other customers around. Lisa was feeling a bit lightheaded from the cocktail she had been drinking. She and Chae Young had been talking about their plans after the promotions for the new album ended and how their second world tour was already in the works. Chae Young had just checked her phone—a small pout on her pink lips.

“What’s wrong?” Lisa asked and Chae Young sighed deeply.

“I just miss him.”

Lisa knew Chae Young had fallen quite hard for the British music producer, Nicholas, since the guy went to Seoul that summer. They weren’t official yet since Chae Young had been touring and was at the peak of her career. And for all Lisa knew, her dear friend was a woman who had pride and knew her priorities no matter how in love she was with another person.

“When was the last time you talked?”

Chae Young sighed. “Two… three days ago. We got into a disagreement.”

“Have you tried contacting him first?” Lisa asked and the other frowned deeply.

“No.”

Sipping the cocktail, Lisa thought about what to say first. She and Chae Young were like sisters… the same in age and interests, but they were also the opposites of each other—leading to fights and petty arguments through the years. Yet they loved each other nonetheless despite the differences.

“There’s nothing wrong with breaking the silence first.” She started while gauging her friend’s reaction. “Maybe if Nick sees that you’ve reached out to him first, he’ll feel your sincerity… and that you really do miss him.”

The next exchange came out in flashes as if the two were about to claw each other’s eyes out.

“It should be him to call me first.”

“Just call him. You won’t lose anything.”

“No. I don’t want to seem desperate.”

“You won’t.”

“I definitely would!”

“Gosh you’re so hardheaded!”

There was a tense silence for a moment before Chae Young leaned her head back and sighed—closing her eyes as if she had lost the battle. Lisa just waited for her friend to let loose and with the way Chae Young twirled her hair consciously, Lisa knew she would open up with her then and there.

“Nick actually asked sajangnim if I could also sign under his label in the US…” That information made Lisa perk up. Chae Young’s voice had gotten softer, a little uncertain, when she spoke again. “He w