Jeju, June 27th

“Cheers!!!”

A sound of glass clinked can be heard across the room. Nayoung smiled as she watched Mimi delivering her speech to her colleagues about the company’s win over their latest very big project. Finished her speech with bow and rounds of applause from the attendees, Mimi went down to the ballroom to mingle with her colleagues who didn’t stop congratulating her. This is a win for the company, yes, but everyone knows how big Mimi’s effort was for the project.

“Unnie, cheers!!” Nayoung lifted up her glass when Mimi arrived at her table.

“You did a good job, Naong-ah,” Mimi pat the younger girl’s back with a proud smile. She turned to see Seongwoo who stand not too far from Nayoung, looked handsome with the suit that fitted his athletic body. With one hand in his pocket, he lifted his glass to Mimi while smiling widely.

“I’m so happy for you, Noona.”

Mimi patted his cheeks and lifted up her glass, following Seongwoo’s act. “Thanks to you too, Ong. Without your guys' design, I wouldn’t win the tender.”

“No, problem, Noona. Thank you for believing in us. The project was on another level and thanks to you we could participate on it,” Seongwoo grinned and sipped his drink.

“I trust you, all of you. Always.”

“Thank you, Unnie~” Nayoung smiled widely.

Her smile changed into teasing grin when she saw Mimi was looking around the ballroom – more like looking for someone.

“Missing Hana Unnie already?” she asked playfully.

Mimi nodded a little, embarrassed that Nayoung caught her.

“This project totally took all my time and we barely could spend our time together. I’m so thankful that she’s so understanding and keep supporting me. You know that we have a different job with a different schedule, it’s our biggest obstacle. It’s been a week since the last time I met her. I really miss her,” Mimi said while puffing her cheeks.

Nayoung chuckled at the sight of the older girl. “I heard she is going to continue her study in Japan, is that true?”

Mimi nodded.

“Yeah, at the end of this year, I guess. She’s in the middle of preparing for her proposal and waiting for the approval from the professor. She still has work in the hospital and gotta wait for one of the residents to take her position.” Mimi sighed in frustration, making Nayoung laughed at her. “Nayoung-ah, what should I do if she really is going to Japan??”

“Get her married, Unnie,” Nayoung grinned. “But really, sometimes I don’t understand what Hana Unnie sees on you. Compared to you, she’s like a literal angel, and she’s in love with you for a long time. Can you believe that?”

“Yah, what are you saying?” Mimi lifted her fist, glaring at the younger girl who still grinning at her. “You’re not in a place to worrying about us. It’s yourself you should worrying about us.”

“What about me?” Nayoung blinked in confusion.

“Find someone for you,” Mimi said, her voice was serious but her gaze at Nayoung was soft. “Someone who really loves you, not someone who comes at you only to be an affair or for substitute.”

“Woah, there, Unnie.” The taller but younger girl frowned at her, disagreed with her. “I’m not that pathetic.”

“And stop with the one night stand thing,” Mimi said, obviously ignoring Nayoung. “Tell that to Heehyun too. I know you guys didn’t do it a lot but it still bothers me. That’s not my dongsaengs that I used to know,” Mimi sighed. “I’m really sorry I made you-”

“Don’t,” Nayoung interrupted her. “Unnie, don’t blame yourself about the decision I took. Don’t blame yourself for whatever craziness I did with Heehyun. We are an adult, you don’t have to worry about us.”

Mimi stared at her, worry was evident in her eyes.

Nayoung noticed it. She took a sip before continuing, “I’m not making excuse, but I think everyone experienced the same thing: fall in love with the wrong person, betrayed, and too afraid to fall in love again. Unlike you who got lucky, I’m one of those miserable people,” she chuckled, “But really, I’m happy seeing you with the person who truly love you and will always support you no matter what. Wish me and Heehyun will have the same luck like yours in the end.”

Mimi nodded. “Of course, I will. And I’m happy to see the Three Musketeers are back now, thanks to all your friends. You and Heehyun are the most stubbon. Even Sojung had to leave her event for you.”

“I’m used to Nayoung’s cold gestures and Namjoo’s nagging voice so I don’t care about it anymore... But who knows Sojung and Jiyeon can be the scariest one?” Nayoung grinned.

“I heard they found you at the bar and beat your there.”

Nayoung laughed at the memories.

“Yeah, I was busy with someone, and I don’t remember who it was, when they found me,” She laughed again at the disgusted expression from Mimi, “They dragged me out and brought me back to the apartment. I was too drunk to understand whatever they said. The only thing I remember was they took out all my stuff and put it in the baggage and threw the ticket for me to fly back.”

“You are so hopeless,” Mimi sighed again.

“I know,” Nayoung admitted. “And I think you forgot that you were part of it too. Thank you, Unnie, for taking me and Ong into your company project. It’s what you offered to me that brought me back here and started to build The Hourglass,” Nayoung hugged the older girl, her smile never leave her face.

“Also, Unnie...” Nayoung suddenly grinned, the playful grin she often used with Mimi. The dork Naong who completely different from the serious Kim Nayoung when she did her project. Mimi looked at her confusedly.

“What?”

“I’ll ask her tonight.”

“Really???”

“Sssst,” Nayoung hurriedly put her index finger on Mimi’s lips. “Some of the seniors has been putting interest in her. I don’t think asking her to be part of the team would be easy.”

“Are you serious?” Mimi whispered. “Do you think she would say yes to you?”

Nayoung nodded, a wide smile appeared in her face. “Ong and I gave her the most interesting offer. Jang Sojin won’t reject us.”

“What are you offered to her?” Mimi asked curiously, because Nayoung seemed so confident from the way she smiles so widely.

“We got Xiening to be her partner.”

Mimi burst in laughing at it. “God, I can’t believe you sometime. That’s cheating, you know.”

“I offered her with high position and great salary but she wasn’t interested… So, yeah, gotta use my last card,” Nayoung shrugged. “Jang Sojin won’t reject it, I’m sure.”

“Not only an architect, you can be a great businesswoman too with the way you think,” Mimi pat her back.

“Hey, I am a businesswoman and architect.”

“I know, but sometimes I forgot you’re still the heir.” Mimi gave her a look. “That’s why I’ll never stop to remind you to be careful, Kim.”

***

Seoul, July 2nd

Hana looked up from her laptop when her phone beeped, a notification of new incoming chat. She smiled when she saw the name that appeared on the screen. She was about to open the chat when her phone rang suddenly, surprising her. Hana frowned at the caller. She swiped her screen and answered the call.

“Hana Unnie, have you changed your mind? Come on! You still have 17 hours to join us!”

Hana chuckled at the excited voice. Seemed like the girl over the phone haven’t given up on asking her to join the summer vacation in Okinawa. Nayoung has been whining over a month to Hana so they could spend summer together.

“Nayoung-ah, how many times I told you that I have to attend the conference next week? Why are you so stubborn?”

“Unnie, your conference will be in Japan, and we are going there too! I told you that you can fly earlier with us before going to that boring conference.”

“Ish, who taught you to speak annoyingly like that?”

“Your annoying lover, Unnie.”

Hana laughed at the answer.

“Okay, but anyway, I told you like hundred times that I really can’t join you and the others, okay? My schedule is tight enough without playing with you guys. And you know that I still have my patients who need me here. I can’t leave the hospital.”

“But, Unnieeeee~ I need you too~ I need you~”

Hana sighed. Here comes baby Naong whining. Hana chuckled as she imagining the younger girl pouted over the phone.

“Silly, you don’t need me there. You have your crazy friends with you and I don’t want to interrupt you guys. It’s been busy months and I think you all deserve to have some fun together,” Hana smiled when she saw a photo of her with Mimi on the desk. That was from their vacation last year. “And do you think I don’t know what are you aiming for? I love you, Naong-ah, but I won’t tell you anything, not about this.”

“Okay then,” Hana can imagine Nayoung still pouting over there, she smiled at the thought. “Well, maybe I’ll ask Mimi Unnie to come with us and have some fun at the bar, you know, with some pretty girls.”

Hana rolled eyes at the teasing tone in Nayoung’s voice.

“Oh, please, she’s not even at Seoul right now. And Jung Mimi isn’t like you, playing and drunk all night and doesn’t remember anything on the next day,” Hana started her nagging because, even when she loves Nayoung dearly, sometimes the younger girl needs it, “Yah, Kim Nayoung, you’ll be 29 years old this year, okay? You need to stop using that childish accused whenever you want something. It’s a bad influence on your little sister. She always did