Practice makes perfect.

Despite how cliché and groan-inducing that line is, Jo Eunae swears to live and die by it.

Eunae was painfully shy as a kid that some people thought she was mute the first time they would meet her. When she would try to talk, the words that come out from wasn’t the words that she had pictured in her head. It was either turned out mixed up or missing some words, and she would end up being a mumbling mess.

She learned to live with just saying one or a couple of words rather than sound like a complete idiot.

She had heard it countless times growing up; She’s so beautiful, it’s too bad that she’s so quiet.

It was volleyball that had save her. She picked up Nahyun’s unnie’s volleyball when she was around seven years old and never looked back since. She came back home ragged, dirtied, blistered and scratched that night, but the smile on her face had never been so bright.

It was a sport that made her feel like she could fly. She once read an article from their local newspaper calling her an angel on the court, and it couldn’t have felt more right because the court always felt like heaven for her.

If she's happy she would play volleyball, if she's mad she would play volleyball, if she's sad, she would play volleyball. Volleyball was to her what words could have been.

But she learned that volleyball isn’t just about powerful spikes, and that’s when practicing came in handy. After games, when fans or writers would approach and asked her, why are you so good? The answer she would give them is simple.

Because I practice.

That was it. There were no ifs, and's or buts about it. It’s because she practiced. She was usually met with a disappointed oh like they expected her to say some clever, inspirational sports quote that would turn them into volleyball Gods.

But there was really no other answer. Eunae practiced from the time she wakes up and before she goes to bed. She practiced until every move sinks inside her veins and commit it to muscle memory. She practiced despite a sore shoulder, a sprained ankle, blistered fingers. She practiced, and that was it.

It’s a routine, it’s her life, and she was contented to live in it.

If only that cute teddy bear from the beach didn’t throw her out of the loop.

Eunae was a scrawny kid that grew curves in all the right places. She was effortlessly pretty too. While the rest of the girls in her high school takes an hour to put makeup on, all she needed was some BB cream and lip tint (maybe some brow liner if she’s feeling it) and she’s good to go.

Boys were starting to take notice too.

They would walk over to her, asking her about volleyball and if there is one thing that she could talk about on and on and on, it was volleyball. It didn’t hit her until later to learn that it wasn’t volleyball they were after, it was her. But what was worse is, most of them weren’t even looking for anything serious, just some thrill. And everyone assumed that she would be easy.

It wasn’t just the guys, and some girls do that too.

While she worked as a lifeguard, she would spend most of her days fending herself against greasy guys rather than saving a life. There was always instances of these guys fake drowning, demanding some CPR after. She would let the brawny paramedic handle that.

This was her third year doing it, but it seems to be getting worse and worse. These college guys who came looking for a quickie and a hookup, thinking that she’ll be up for it. Euijin, her teammate and the one who could write a book with all the hook ups she had, told her just to enjoy, that she doesn’t have to sleep with them, but she could at least give them a chance.

“There must be someone out there you think is cute, right?”

There is now.

Eunae couldn’t recall when she even had a crush. There was one time she liked a volleyball sunbae in high school. The crush was terrible, but the going out after was worse. She realized that she only liked the sunbae because she plays good volleyball, nothing else. Eunae felt like such a jerk.

But this one feels different.

Out of towners come in bunches during this time of the year. Most of them rowdy college students. That day wasn’t even supposed to be her shift, but she had to cover for Dohee because the girl had a bad case of the s.

She first noticed the five girls because of how beautiful they all are. They are obviously from Seoul, but Eunae wouldn’t even be surprised if they turned out to be trainees or idols or something. There was that cute couple who’s holding hands in one hand and carrying coolers with the other. Then, there’s that tall girl who could pass as a model just bringing a towel and her backpack, behind her was a cute perky girl who is playfully smacking everyone in her group with her shark floaty until one of the couple (the beautiful, scary one) glared at her. The violent kid moved on to her next target, the cutie, the one with a donut floaty and buckets in one hand.

And oh my God… she looks like a walking, breathing teddy bear.

A teddy bear with abs.

No, she was cuter than a teddy bear.

They set their umbrella a couple of distance away from her, and each one did their own thing (except for the couple who were doing each other). The teddy bear quickly got her supplies and started playing with the sand, and Eunae thought she had never seen anything so adorable.

Eunae had forgotten that she had a beach to patrol and just stared at her as her little blocks of sand were slowly forming into a castle. Cute teddy bear must have noticed her looking because she turned over her way, Thank God for Eunae’s quick reflex she turned away and from the corner of her eye she could see that the girl was looking at her.

The girl was alternating between her sand castle and her, and Eunae felt more nervous right now than playing volleyball in front of hundreds of people. But the jitters got worse when Eunae noticed her friends joining along, coaxing pretty teddy to go over. And Eunae wasn’t the type to know how to talk, what would she even say? What would she do?

It turned out that she didn’t know how to talk either. She was such a cutie up close though, a mumbling, awkward cutie with abs that look like you can break your hand if you punch it. Awkward wasn’t enough to describe her, as soon as the soccer ball hit the side of her face, Eunae felt like it’s up to her to protect her.

She thought she wouldn't see her after that embarrassing stint, but it seems to Eunae that teddy has a knack for getting herself into trouble. Next thing Eunae knows she was swimming so hard (Phelps would be shook) just to get to the girl who’s about to drift into the ocean. She was a crying, hysterical mess.

And when she saved her, she looked absolutely terrified. Would it be mean if Eunae thinks that she’s the cutest thing in the world when she’s scared?

Eunae didn’t even know how they both ended up on the shore, with how hard she was clinging to her but they did. She promised herself that she would swim through hordes of sharks and killer whales just to save her.

As Eunae watched her retreat to her friends, Eunae could finally say that there is something to look forward to this summer.

*

Eunae found out around high school about the beauty of writing. The words which she had always feared were becoming her salvation now. Writing had become her own version of a comfort food, an escape when talking failed her. With a pen and paper, or a computer or even on her phone she could say anything that she would like and know.

She could slow down when she writes like she doesn’t need to wait for someone to respond or to react to know what to say. She could erase back, fix, edit words unlike when you talk where you ended up like a fool when you back off from what you said.

Unlike volleyball where she was a natural, writing is a skill she had to learn to perfect. She went through countless workshops to make her writing impeccable. Eunae read tons of books from children’s books to biographies to mystery thrillers just to widen her vocabulary. But even if it took some time, her articles and essays filled with red marks and x's and o's, she still pushed herself to do it. She practiced writing. She reads, she writes, and she plays volleyball. Soon, the red marks were disappearing and were all turning into A’s. She went from being criticized to now being praised.

Eunae realized that she doesn’t have a knack for storytelling, but more of telling someone a story. That’s why she preferred writing articles rather than stories. She couldn’t come up with a story in her head, but she could write about what she saw.

That’s why when she got the athletic scholarship in college, she knew what she would want to do. She would love to write and at the same time be surrounded by volleyball. She took up literature, hoping that someday she could be a sports columnist and be around the two things that she loves.

But even she with her literature major couldn’t find the right word to describe how she’s feeling now.

When she and her friends went out to dinner that night, her mind was still filled with an adorable, teary eyed teddy bear. This was a tourist town, and she could go on a tour tomorrow, go scuba diving, or visit the local sites. There is an 80 percent chance that she might never see her again. It was a depressing fact, but it was reality. People come and go here.

Or maybe she'll stay.

Because there she is, looking every bit of the word gorgeous in her crop top and short shorts, her hair cascading behind her shoulders and gosh she looks so pretty.

After being shoved around by both their friends, they finally get to talk or some version of talking. She learned that her name is Seulgi, that she was a year older and that she watched Haikyuu.

Now she doesn’t know how she got here. She never knew that she had it in her to ask someone to watch her play. But she had to try, right? It’s not like it’s a date, nothing like that.

But now she is deeply regretting her decision. What would she even say or do if Seulgi comes over to watch?

So, that’s why she had to go back to her tried and tested method.

Practice makes perfect.

Eunae waited until everyone was asleep when she went to the restroom to do what she had to do.

She took a long deep breath, before staring at herself in front of the mirror.

“You can do this, Eunae.” She pumped herself up. “You have done this a hundred of times. You can do it for one more.”

She inhaled shakily, shook the heaviness out of her shoulders while once again, taking slow, deep breaths.

“I can do this,” She said while giving out a low exhale. She smiles at her reflection.

“Hi Seulgi,”

She lets out a screech of embarrassment before groaning at the ultimate fail that she is. Her smile looked like she just got a root canal.

But practice makes perfect, so here she goes.

“Hi, Seulgi…”

Too high pitch.

“Hi, Seulgi.”

Nope. She sounded like a man with how low her voice is.

“Hi, Seulgi.”

Sounds too eager and desperate.

“Hi Seulgi.”

Now she just sounds like she lost the will to live.

Eunae clutched tightly on the linoleum counter, trying to steady herself, whining in frustration at how difficult this is setting out to be.

“Why is this so hard? Wait… Should I say hello instead?”

“Hello, Seulgi?”

Why am I asking?”

“Hello, Seulgi!”

… I sound like I’m high.

“Hello, Seulgi.”

Did someone die?

What was she thinking asking Seulgi to watch her play? What if it’s one of her off days to play when nothing turns right, what would Seulgi think? She’ll probably think why she would invite me if she’s so terrible?

The loud banging on the door made her jumped out and scared the bejeezus out of her.

“Unnie?!” It was Dohee yelling from the other side. The girl is usually pretty calm, but her stomach flu is turning her into a monster.

“What?”

“Come out now! I need to !”

“Alright! Alright! Geez.”

Eunae covered her face, mumbling a silent player.

“Oh God, I’m not ready yet what if I don’t show up? But what if Seulgi shows up? Wait she’s older than me, should I call her unnie? But were not close.”

“Eunae! Any minute now!”

“Alright!”

Dohee gave her a mean stare before dashing inside the restroom. Eunae put her head down, planning to practice it in her sleep. She was knocked out before she could even say Hi.

*

She's not even here.

Eunae looked around the beach since she got there. Her disappointment is doubling each time she sees that there was no sign of her everywhere. The beach was starting to fill up with spectators, most of them she didn’t know was there to watch her play in a bikini.

“Unnie? Unnie?”

“W-what?”

Their youngest Yoonsun looked at her with sympathetic eyes. Sometimes it’s hard to admit that the girl is younger than all of them with how mature she acts. Eunae gave her a nod and a pat on the shoulder.

“Let’s do this.”

“Let’s do this, unnie!”

Eunae was known around the volleyball community as someone who plays with finesse and grace and her infamous remote control serves (like she knows exactly where to make the ball land). She could tell from her opponents that they were anticipating it, anxious where it’s going to land.

But today, she’ll play a little bit different. She got to let out some steam anyway.

The whole place was on their feet, as soon as she served, there was nothing graceful about it. Instead, she hit that ball like a beast.

She could feel her captain, Sumin’s stare burning behind her head. She’ll tell her captain sorry later, right now she had to let out some steam.

*

“I feel like I need to work out,” Joohyun grumbled as they walked through the crowd, and saw the rock hard abs and bodies of the volleyball players on the court.

“Oh babe, you’re already perfect in my eyes.”

From behind the couple, they could hear the two youngest girls puking their guts out from Wendy’s line.

“You have to be confident unnie.” Yeri patted Joohyun’s shoulder in assurance. “When God made me, he said, oh she’s already too beautiful if I give her a hot body, it’s gonna cause wars, so you know.”

“Your confidence is overwhelming.”

“Thank you.”

“I can’t believe were so late.” Seulgi rambled nervously.

“It’s a vacation, unnie. During vacation, time doesn’t exist.” Sooyoung pointed out as she sat next to her. She adjusted her straw hat before looking at the court. “Besides I think she’s doing great.”

Seulgi squinted her eyes from the sun, but even the harsh sunlight couldn’t blur out how badly Eunae’s team is crushing their opponents.

“Aren’t you going to show her your poster?”

Oh , She forgot about that.

“No,” Seulgi pulled the poster closer to her. It didn’t sink in until this morning when she finally had enough sleep, how crazy she was for making a poster for someone she just met a couple of hours ago. What would Eunae think? That she’s like a saesang fan, who does these ridiculous things to get her attention?

“Didn’t you take all night to make that?” Wendy asked.

“No… no… it’s okay.”

“Oh c'mon unnie, it's summer!” Sooyoung pried off the poster way too quickly from Seulgi’s grip and gave it to their little maniac. “Here Yeri, do your thing.”

Yeri’s lips curved in a devious snarl before shaking the poster with all her might.

“GO EUNAE GO! GO EUNAE GO! GO EUNAE GO!”

If Seulgi wants the ground to swallow her whole, now is a perfect time. But for now, she’ll just sink in her seat.

Yeri’s loud screeching didn’t just get Eunae’s attention it got everyone’s attention as well. When Eunae briefly looked over to them, Yeri the troll that she is pointed with both her hands at Seulgi.

“Unnie made you this poster, do you like it?!”

Eunae smiled softly and nodded.

“She likes it unnie!”

“Please… please stop.”

“No, I won’t! EUNAE FIGHTING! EUNAE FIGHTING! EUNAE FIGHTING!” Yeri continued chanting, this time adding some dance moves to it.

Seulgi peeked at Eunae, the girl is probably so embarrassed right now, but to her surprise, Eunae was smiling widely at her. She sees Eunae mouthing thank you; I like it. And Seulgi could feel the blush rising from her cheeks.

Seulgi had to clutch her heart the entire time, as she watched Eunae play.

“Unnie, unnie?”

“What?” Seulgi says absentmindedly, not wanting to tear her attention away from Eunae.

“I just have this brilliant idea.”

It probably wasn’t. Or if it did it would result in someone getting hurt or killed.

“So, maybe this time you drown for real.”

“Wait? what?”

“Wait…” Yeri raised her hands to silence her. “Hear me out, so, when you drown. She… Could give you a mouth to mouth.”

Seulgi clutches her heart again when she sees Eunae’s tongue darting out, her lips in the process. Seulgi froze, maybe drowning wouldn’t be such a bad idea.

“Whatever you’re thinking about, don’t.” Joohyun steps in.

“But look at those lips… what are the chances of you ever-“ Joohyun covers Yeri’s mouth before the girl could even continue.

Seulgi this time let out a groan, as she saw Eunae her lips once again. Before adjusting the hem of her bikini. Seulgi completely turns around, embarrassed with the blush on her cheeks.

*

Just when the opponents were about to make adjustments for Eunae’s beastly plays, they were surprised with how she completely changed. The grace and finesse are back, above all that remote control serve are back. They should have just quit when they can.

“Your girlfriend is watching, Eunae. You better do good!” Nahyun her savage of a bestfriend just yelled out, ruining her concentration, the ball hitting the net for once.

“Yah!” Sumin barked at the giggling Nahyun.

“Chill, they already won anyway.” Nahyun smiled proudly as her bestfriend smiling happily as she gives Yoonsun a hug and a high five. “And besides it’s nice to finally see Eunae liking something other than volleyball.”

“Awesome job, Eunae!” Minjae let out, giving her teammate a high five. “You should say hi to her.”

“What? No…” Eunae shook her head so fast; it looks like she’s about to have a seizure. She might as well do with the thought of talking to Seulgi.

“Why not? You invited her here, so you better say something.”

“I…I… I don’t know what to say…”

Euijin stepped in, knowing that her love expertise is needed.

“Start with a Hi, then thank you for coming and for the poster. Would you like to go to dinner with me?”

“I can’t do that!” Eunae’s voice reached a new high.

“She’s leaving! She’s leaving!”

Eunae felt her heart dropped when she sees Seulgi walking away with her friends, but not without a bow and a goodbye.

“Go, girl! God!” Nahyun shoved her towards her.

It’s now or never.

Time to put the practice to use.

*

“Ooooohhhh unnie she’s coming.”

Seulgi turned around, gulping nervously as Eunae was walking over to them in her bikini.

“W-w-w-w-w-we better go now.”

“Oh no, we don’t! Face your fears unnie!” Sooyoung holds Seulgi in her spot.

“God! Look at that hot body. I’m scared too.” Yeri said.

“Come let me see, Seul.” Wendy pulled her bestfriend to her and checked her face. “Let me see your face. You look good buddy.”

“We will be waiting in the car.”

“Wait what- no- don’t leave me… please.”

But Seulgi’s pleas for her friends fell on deaf ears as they already walked away, with Yeri waving madly at her.

“Hi.”

Seulgi jumped out in fright before she looked at Eunae… Oh my God Eunae… How could anyone look like this?

“Ummm hi?” Seulgi squeaks.

“Hi.”

“Hi.”

“Hi!”

“Hi!”

They’re never going to stop saying hi until someone says something.

“Ummm…”

“Ummmm….”

Oh my Lord Jesus, Seulgi groaned inside. Since when is talking so hard?

“Oh, you go first, Seulgi-shii.”

“I ummm… thank you. I meant Good luck! I meant congratulations!”

Kill her now, please… Let a tsunami take her, let a lightning strike her, anything…

“Thank you so much for coming. I like the poster.”

“Oh, this…” Seulgi blushed shyly. “It isn’t too much, right?”

“No. not at all.” Eunae’s ponytail swished left and right as she shook her head. “ I like it. It ummm… really cheered me up.”

“Oh, I’m glad! Do you want it?”

“What?”

Seulgi quickly retreated what she said, thinking that it just annoyed Eunae.

“N-nothing.”

“I would love to have it.”

“You would?” Seulgi blinked surprisingly.

“Yup.”

Seulgi handed her poster, and Eunae looked at it with such a lovely smile, that Seulgi swears she’ll make a million more if she gets to see Eunae smile like that.

“Ummm Eunae...”

“Yeah?”

“Meandmyfriendsareplanningtogodokaraoketonightifyouwanttocome.”

How Eunae figured out what she said, Seulgi would never know.

“Yeah, I would love to.”

“You would?”

“Yeah, so, you sing?”

“Kinda…”

“I would love to hear it then.”

“I’ll sing your favorite song then,” Seulgi said proudly, and it had Eunae melting in a puddle.

“Sure. I’ll see you later?”

“Yes. It’s the karaoke near our hotel.”

“Oh, that one. Yeah, I know what you’re talking about.”

“It’s tonight around 9. I could pick you up if you like?”

Eunae gazed at her toes, trying to hide her smile.

“No, it’s okay I’ll be there.”

Seulgi gives Eunae one of those knee-weakening smiles before bowing down.

“I’ll see you later!”

“You too…”

Seulgi bowed again.

“Goodbye!”

“Bye!”

“Bye!”

“Bye!”

“Bye bye!”

“Byeeee!”

Seulgi finally spun around and ran back to her friends, while Eunae clutched at her chest, trying to contain her squeal.

*

“Do you think this is enough food?”

Seulgi worriedly asked as she stared at the table with three plates of wings, calamari, spicy rice cakes, a steaming pot of army stew.

“Maybe I should order some more. What if she’s allergic to meat? What if she’s vegetarian?”

“Seulgi.” Joohyun motioned to the girl nervously biting her fingernails. “Look, we have enough food, I’m sure Eunae would be okay with this.”

“I know but…”

“There, there buddy.” Wendy pats her bestfriend in the shoulders, hoping to calm her down. “I know how you feel. I was so nervous too when me and Joohyun went out on our first date. I didn’t know what she wanted to eat.”

“She wanted to eat you.” Sooyoung pointed out with a deadpan expression. Joohyun would kill her she could.

“Oh hi, Eunae!”

“Eunae shii!” Seulgi jumped up from her seat, only to be met with loud snickering from Yeri.

“Just kidding.”

Seulgi slumped back down, a new worry coming out of the woodworks.

“What if she changed her mind and didn’t want to come?”

“Eunae shii!”

Seulgi snorted but then the sound of the velvety voice stunned her.

“Hi, sorry I’m a bit late.”

Seulgi turned around and there she was in an off shoulder mini dress, looking every bit like a dream.

“Come sit here!” Yeri motioned to the spot next to her. “I’m Yeri, I save unnie’s life.”

Eunae politely bows while looking at Seulgi who smiled shyly at her.

“Nice to meet you,”

“Hi, how are you doing?” Wendy extended her arm out for a handshake. “I’m Son Wendy, and this is my lovely Joohyun.”

“Babe stop.”

“I’m stopping now.”

“Hi,” Joohyun said softly. Eunae thought she had never seen someone this beautiful.

“I’m Sooyoung…” The tallest one said.

“Nice to meet you guys.”

“Here Seulgi unnie, come sit next to your Bae.” Yeri stood up, ready to take over the karaoke machine.

“Yeriiiiiiii…” Seulgi whined, but when she saw Eunae smiling, it instantly made her smile back.

*

MAJIMAK CHEOROM! MA-MA-MA MAJIMAK CHEOROM! MAJIMAK BAMIN GEOTCHEOROM LOVE!

“Wow… she’s so…” Eunae didn’t know how to describe the youngest one. So cute, but so nuts.

“Crazy? Yup.” Sooyoung said while nibbling on the chicken wing. “She acts high all the time.”

“What genre do you like, Eunae?”

Wendy, the fluffy less scary one asked.

“Oh, I like RnB, some San-E and a little bit of rap.”

“Oh, rap?” Sooyoung turned to Seulgi who looked more focus on the songbook than ever. “What are the odds?”

“You like San-E?!” Yeri said, while her lips curl in a devilish smirk. “So, you like body language?”

Eunae’s words are failing her now, unsure of how to get out of this conversation about kpop anthem songs.

“W-well…”

Sooyoung who thinks in the same wavelength as Yeri had already pressed for the song and there it is… in the big screen.

“Sit your underage self down!” Joohyun scolded the youngest one. “No one is going to sing Body language here!”

But Yeri is already on the roll. Her eyes on Joohyun as if taunting her to do something.

Girl, Do you want it wonhaneun ge mwoni
I’ll give it to you, girl boyeojulge nae seongui
ya body my body We’ll love it, We’ll love it
Oh , amu maldo malgo baro

“Oh God, this kid… I’m going to kill her one day.”

“It’s okay, baby, it’s okay…” Wendy said, massaging her lover’s shoulder.

“Seulgi unnie you should sing!”

“What is this song about?”

But as the lyrics of the song started showing…

Listen, don’t misunderstand, your skin is soft
Like a tiger, I’ll violate you tonight
Oops, I mean, I’ll decide the concept
I’m the teacher, you’re the student
I’ll quicken the pace (faster)

Seulgi quickly stiffened in her seat, even she wasn’t that oblivious.

“Do you want to sing, Eunae?”

“Oh no… I ummm… not much of a singer.”

“This is going to be your OST with Eunae.”

Seulgi buried her face in her palms, wondering why she still alive from all the stress that Yeri causes her. She slowly looked over to Eunae and the girl looked completely entertained by Yeri’s antics. Like maybe she’s just being paranoid, completely nervous over nothing.

She looked at her phone, and other than a miscall from Jennie, there’s a message from Wendy.

Wendy

She came here to be with you.

I know you’re nervous but you

have to try and talk to her.

Offer her food, start from there.

Seulgi looked up and Wendy, always the supportive best pal, is coaxing her to go for it. That was enough for Seulgi to try.

“Ummm… Eunae?”

Eunae looked away from Yeri and Sooyoung making a fool out of themselves and looked at Seulgi.

Would you like to eat?”

“Oh sure… thanks.”

“I can make you a plate.”

“Awwwww…” Sooyoung gushed or what felt like to Seulgi, teased. “Unnie is so sweet.”

“Can you make me a plate too?”

“Me too!”

“Oh okay…” Seulgi, the oblivious saint agreed.

“I’ll help.” Eunae stepped in, taking a plate before looking over at Yeri. “What would you like?”

“I like everything.”

“Okay,” Eunae said while placing two things of each on one plate.

“I like her already!”

“Eunae,” Seulgi whined. “You don’t have to do this.”

“No, it’s okay… really. So, do you sing?”

“Yes, I do.”

Eunae’s eyes disappeared in a crescent as she smiled sweetly at Seulgi.

“I would love to hear you sing.”

“Then, let’s show Eunae.” Wendy stood up, tugging Seulgi along with her.

The four friends went to the front and just went all out with Twinkle. Despite the girls having too much fun, they knocked the song well enough that they could be guaranteed music contracts if an executive ever had a chance to hear them.

Eunae was finding more and more reasons to look at Seulgi. There she is in the stage, having the time of her life and putting so much of her into the song.

Eunae turned to Joohyun, the calmest of them all. She looked like she was breathless as she watched her girlfriend sing. She wonders if someone would ever look at her that way.

She turned back to the girls and her gaze instantly locked with Seulgi. Maybe it was the lighting, or maybe she was imagining it, but she swears she had never seen anything so breathtaking.

*

“You know you don’t have to drop me off.” Eunae teased, even though she could feel her heart racing at having Seulgi next to her.

It was almost 1 am, but since they’re staying in a touristy town, nighttime is still more alive than ever. The streets are still bustling with music and drinks and loud laughter.

But Seulgi insisted in dropping her off to her pension house. It turned out she was staying half a block from Seulgi’s hotel.

“No, it’s already late.”

Eunae smiled at Seulgi’s insistence. She wasn’t undermining Seulgi’s efforts, but she wonders what Seulgi could even do if they’re about to get robbed. But still, Seulgi dropping her off is too sweet and too adorable.

“Let’s stop here.”

“Wait… what?” Seulgi looked up worriedly at her, probably assuming the worse.

“This store is halfway through my place and yours,” Eunae said, smiling reassuringly at Seulgi.

“But-“

“Nope. This is as far as we go.”

“Okay.” Seulgi nodded. “Did you… did you have fun today?”

“I couldn’t remember when I had that much fun. Your friends are awesome.”

And Eunae really mean it. She’s usually so quiet around strangers but Seulgi’s friends have a way of making you fit right in. It was funny how they were all so different, but yet they complement each other really well. And what else could she say about Seulgi? She’s sweet and endearing and gorgeous and just everything anyone could ever wanted.

“Yeah, they could be nuts sometimes, but they’re awesome.”

“Yeah… ummm… maybe next time you could meet my friends.”

“Oh yeah!” Seulgi smiled brightly. “That will be cool too.”

“So, good night?”

“Good night…”

They stood in that awkward place again, wondering to end with a hug, a bow or a hand shake. Seulgi was about to give her a hug, but Eunae thought she was going to give her a bow. So, Eunae opened her arms for a hug, but Seulgi was already bowing.

When is this awkwardness going to end?

“Good night, Seulgi-shii…”

“Good night, Eunae…”

“I better go.”

“Oh yeah me too… bye again.” Seulgi said as she walked back.

“Bye…”

“Bye...”

“Bye…”

“Bye…”

Eunae couldn’t count how many times they said bye to each other. The usual 5 minute walk to her pension house, took much longer with all their goodbyes and waves and bows and looking back at each other.

But she didn’t really mind, she and Seulgi would work on their his and goodbyes. They’ll get there one of these days, besides practice makes perfect.

TBC

Thank you! Thank you so much to the peeps that voted and subscribed and most especially commented on the fic. Diggy has been giving me so much life these days. it's not even funny. But yeah here we are, another update. I hope you guys enjoy. Thank you once again.

PS... Remote control serves is based on Rachel Anne Daquis move.