Giselle, Tara, Angie and Sydney walk out of the Arrival Hall at the airport with their luggage in hand, feeling exhausted and grumbling that Monday was approaching. They had spent two whole gleeful weeks overseas on a beach holiday. Tara had made sure everyone had packed all their beach essentials and that Sydney bring along all her sun-blocking treatment cosmetics for the trip. The beach vacay was much needed for all of them, as a break from the daily , called life.

On the trip, the girls spent most nights up late, drinking, talking but mostly playing board games and watching movies. They had spent the first week sightseeing and enjoying local food but what they needed most was to wind down and relax, which was why Tara had chosen the beach as a getaway vacay. But like all getaways, the girls agreed that it was not long enough.

“Two weeks gone and done with!” whined Angie. “Now I wish we had tried that Udon place, we passed by… I’m craving Udon now!” she groans as she lugged her Samsonite suitcase.

G could be seen muttering cuss in every possible language she knew because she was dreading the following day, having to open up shop and manage the juice café. “At least, you don’t need to wake up and make juices all day! I REALLY need to find me a real job ughhhh…” holding in more cuss than she could muster.

Angie switches her phone on and is now staring at a message she received. “Why does JB need your shoe size, G?”

G continues to walk on distractedly and shrugs. “No idea? Why don’t you ask him?”

“I’ll ask him back later. He’s picking me up. I wonder if he’s already outside….”

Sydney, who’s walking beside Tara with her Louis Vuitton matching luggage, whispers to Tara. “Did you see G buy those black diamond-shaped ear studs? Remember that jewelry shop near the bar we went to? I went in with her to enquire about adding on more piercing on this ear….” She pulls her left earlobe towards Tara. “They didn’t look like the kind G would wear though. Who do you think it’s for?”

“Maybe it’s for one of her sisters? A souvenir maybe?” Tara analyzes.

“They looked too masculine for a girl to wear though….”

“You’re thinking about it too much. Ohh… look who’s here to pick me up.” Tara motions towards the Arrival Hall exit. “Seong Wooooo…. !” Tara and Sydney walk towards Exit 5 and turns around to check where G and Angie had gone. “Oh it looks like they’ve gone to Exit 1. Angiiiieeeeeee…!!!” Tara waves frantically.

G hears Angie’s name being called and turns around. She waves back at Tara as she sees Tara pointing towards Exit 5. Angie had gone straight out towards a black car, while G waves her goodbyes to Tara and Sydney.

G stops walking as soon as she approaches Exit 1 and takes out her phone to pull up the Uber app. “How’re you going back G?” Angie comes up to her.

“Oh.. the usual way. Uber FTW!”

“Tish tosh! You’re coming with me….” She drags Giselle by the elbow towards the black car.

They approach the car and she sees JaeBeom leaning against the car. G scrunches her eyebrows and asks Angie. “Is he your Uber?”

Angie laughs and calls out to JaeBeom to help them with G’s luggage. They get into the car and drive off. Since Angie lived closer to the airport, they had decided to drop her off first and Giselle last.

JaeBeom asks the girls about their holiday and whether they had a good time. Angie responds. “You know what was annoying, I had to time G’s laps every morning she went for her swim.” She turns to G and made a face to which G returns an equally ugly face. “Be thankful I love you G, otherwise I’d rather be a blanket burrito if anyone else asks me to do it for them!” Angie declares.

“Why don’t you time your own laps, G?” JaeBeom asks curiously.

“I don’t own a waterproof watch. Besides I love kicking Angie out of bed at ungodly hours of the morning. She looks ssshooooo cuttteee!” G pinches Angie’s cheeks. “You loveeee meeeeee…. I know you doooo..” G sings her a made up song.

The rest of the journey back was spent in comfy silence, as the girls were exhausted from their flight back. JaeBeom looked over to Angie, who had been sitting in the front passenger seat, and then over to G in the back seat. He looked at his rear view mirror and noticed that G had developed a slight tan. He smiled to himself as he recalls their conversation before the Lahlings’ trip. Giselle had complained that she was feeling a little pale and was determined to get some sun. Looks like she was true to her word, he side-smiled.

After dropping Angie off at her apartment, they continued their journey to G’s apartment. JaeBeom breaks the silence. “So… how have you been?” he turns to look at G who has moved to the front passenger seat.

“Famished and drained. I’m dreading Monday….” She grumbles. “It’s the thought of Monday that’s making me feel tired, I think. The trip was very healing.” She leans back into her seat.

“I was thinking about calling you but then I didn’t wanna ruin your holiday.” He said matter-of-factly, trying his hardest to focus on the road.

With her back resting snugly, G looks out the window, seemingly distracted. Since she was so tired she wasn’t able to catch JaeBeom’s last words. “Sorry… what did you say?” when she suddenly realizes that he had said something.

“Nah… that’s ok. It’s nothing really. You rest, we’ll be there in a few.”

At the corner of his eye, he noticed that she was clad in her usual comfortable converse sneakers, jeans and an over-sized tank top. How did she end up looking so cute just wearing that? He wondered. No make-up, no pretentious branded handbag… his thoughts trailed off.

G suddenly sits up. “How did that song go? Remember the one you sent me?”

“You mean ‘Bad Habit”? He starts to sing.

It’s become like a bad habit

That now I can’t be like everyone else

Now it’s become something natural

Even though you are next to me

You are disappearing like smoke

“Is that what you ended up naming it?” G smiled.

“Yeah, it sounds so much better with a rap. Thanks for the suggestion. I knew something was missing but I didn’t know what exactly it was.” He reached out his hand to squeeze G’s shoulder, expressing his thanks.