I really shouldn’t be here, Chaeyoung thinks as she drums her fingers against the wheel of the car nervously, wondering again if she should really go. She’s sitting outside the restaurant where the casts and staff of Mina’s drama are having their last farewell dinner together as a closure to the end of the drama, and she’s thinking it through whether she should appear. Frankly, she doesn’t know if she should even appear here, knowing full well that Mina has made it clear that their relationship is not as she thought it was.

But she had enough of moping around the house for days, and she wants to settle it once and for all, even if Mina wants to call off whatever they have. At least it will be a clean break, and she will not be left hanging, like now. She takes a deep breath and gets out of the car.

The moment Chaeyoung enters the restaurant, she gets jumped on by another manager of some other actor/actress. The long hours of filming and the idle time the managers have helped them become close quickly and she shoots back a smile as she pats the man on the back.

“Hey, I thought you got fired! You didn’t appear for the last few shootings!” The man said, his smoke-filled breath all up in Chaeyoung’s face. She smiles at him as he pulls away.

“Me? How will that be possible? I’m the best manager in this area.” She boasts, walking into the area the rest of the crew are at and shakes some other managers’ hands. She spots Mina almost instantly, the girl locking eyes with her and immediately averting her gaze. Chaeyoung doesn’t know what to make of it.

The rest of the night passes in a breeze by making light talk with the other managers, while Mina tries to talk with the other actors or actresses who actually have the decency to talk to her. But really, it’s mostly the guys and the lewd looks they have on as they look at Mina almost made Chaeyoung pounce on them and beat the out of them. But remembering their last incident where she did exactly that over the phone, she remained in her seat.

They all start to leave, Chaeyoung trailing behind Mina and another actor. The guy slides his hands down Mina’s back but she stumbles, and both the guy and Chaeyoung catches her at the same time. She pushes the guy back a little, putting Mina into her arms and looping her arms around the girl’s waist. “It’s okay, I can take it from here.”

Thankfully, drunk Mina still has the sense to snuggle against Chaeyoung, the guy having nothing else to say because she is her ‘manager’ after all. He leaves reluctantly, and Chaeyoung flags a cab, gently ushering Mina into the cab before she follows behind. She’s glad she didn’t drink too much so she’s still able to look after Mina, who’s drunk as a log against her. She hugs Mina tightly, whispering, “Hold onto me tight.”

Mina sighs and leans more into her embrace and Chaeyoung knows she understands the underlying meaning behind her words.

--

She really shouldn’t have drunk so much, she can barely walk straight and she’s not sure she can fend off this guy’s hand who is currently going lower and lower down her back. She tries to push him off but she stumbles, and there’s a familiar hand reaching out and holding onto her, pulling her into their embrace. There’s a familiar scent of white musk on the person, and even in her hazy state she knows it’s Chaeyoung. The girl was the reason why she even drank so much in the first place, her nervousness at the unexpected appearance of Chaeyoung making her down shots after shots. She relaxes into the other girl’s embrace, and Mina finally feels safe.

She barely registers being ushered into the cab, now hugging Chaeyoung like a human pillow as the cab brings her home. She feels Chaeyoung tightening her hold she has over her waist as she whispers, “Hold onto me tight.”

The innuendo of her words didn’t escape Mina, but can she? Is she allowed to hold onto her? She sighs as she leans into Chaeyoung’s embrace. She will let herself hold onto Chaeyoung for a while more, even if it’s going to hurt both of them, even if there will come a time she will have to let go. But in this moment, she just wants to ignore her situation back home, ignore the incessant calls of her clients and hold onto Chaeyoung tightly, as if the girl is her lifebuoy.

--

Mina feels herself being tucked in bed and immediately, she misses the warmth of Chaeyoung even though she’s under a blanket. She feels hands combing through her hair and she immediately grips onto it. Maybe it’s the alcohol talking, or maybe she just misses Chaeyoung too much but she let herself say out what she won’t normally. “Stay. Stay with me.”

“You should get some rest.” She hears Chaeyoung tell her, but she shakes her head, the mere action making her head throb even more. She opens her eyes and sees Chaeyoung looking at her with this look in her eyes, and she knows the girl has just fallen as quickly and as deeply as her.

“Don’t leave.” Mina begs and that’s the last thing she remembers before she succumbs to the alcohol.

The next morning, she wakes up to arms around her waist and she stiffens a moment before she remembers the happenings of last night. She sighs in relief that it is not some ugly old man’s arms around her, but Chaeyoung’s and turns around to face her. The girl is still sleeping and Mina just snuggles into her embrace, listening to the rhythmic beating of the other girl’s heart as it lulls her back to sleep. Thank you for staying.

--

“Hello Nabongs!” Jungyeon greets cheerfully as she plops down beside the girl who’s barely awake. She puts a plastic bag of food on the table in front of Nayeon and runs her fingers through Nayeon’s uncombed bed hair to give some semblance of order. The short haired girl has been delivering breakfast to her every morning, knowing that she has the habit of skipping breakfast because she always oversleeps. It’s nice to be taken care of, but Nayeon knows friends don’t go to that extent for you and she doesn’t like what Jungyeon’s actions actually mean. She just broke up with her best friend (they are almost close enough to be sisters), and it’s just weird dating your ex’s best friend.

Nayeon pulls away from Jungyeon’s touch. “You don’t have to deliver food to me every morning, you know.”

“But I want to.” Jungyeon says, pulling back her hands with a frown.

There’s always no easy way to reject someone. “Jungyeon… I just broke up with one of your best friend.”

“And that’s why you are single and I’m chasing you now.” Jungyeon raises an eyebrow defiantly. “You have been taking care of that brat for so long, let me take care of you now.”

Before Nayeon can protest, Jungyeon shushes her. “Don’t reject me first, okay? Let me at least try before you reject me.”

Nayeon can’t bring herself to reject Jungyeon when the latter’s looking at her so sincerely and she just pats Nayeon on the head gently. “Good luck on surviving today! See you during lunch.”

She watches as the short haired girl makes her way out of the lecture hall, turning around to wave at her before disappearing through the door. Nayeon sighs as she thinks about it. Jungyeon really isn’t a bad person, but isn’t it too soon to start a relationship, with your ex’s best friend no less? She doesn’t want to use Jungyeon as a rebound, the girl deserves someone better than that.

--

Bonus

Mina is back to this routine again, helping her client to button his clothes as he puffs on his cigar. He stares at her with a predatory look in his eyes, and Mina tries her best to ignore his stare. She steps back, indicating that her task is done and he picks up his coat, wearing it. He removes a white envelope from his jacket, holding it out to her.

“What is this?” Mina asks as she opens the envelope to see a black credit card. It’s those credit card without a spending limit, and her eye widens as she sees it.

“If I’m seeing you this often, I would rather you only see me. Quit your job and just serve me. I can offer you more than that card. Basically, I will pay for your everyday expenses.” He says as he puts out his cigar against the ashtray.

“Are you saying you want to make me your mistress?” Mina asks incredulously.

He shrugs. “Mistress, sugar daddy, whatever you want to label it as.”

This is a huge opportunity, she basically gets a free meal ticket and can possibly pay off her family’s debts in one payment, but the thought of being someone’s mistress who may be wrecking someone’s family (and not just some fling) is unnerving. And also, there’s Chaeyoung to think about. She barely made up with Chaeyoung, and taking this offer means letting Chaeyoung go for good and Mina finds that thought the most unbearable of them all.

“Can I… think about it first?” Mina asks hesitantly as she grips tightly onto the card.

He smoothens the creases on his coat as he nods while making his way to the door. “Don’t take too long, I don’t like to wait.”