Following that day at Red Velvet's dorm, Jaehyun and Yeri restored their friendship and moved on as if nothing had happened. If anything, they were now even closer. It was almost as if they had made a silent agreement not to discuss what caused their falling out in the first place. Adding to their friends' decision to leave them alone, it was just easier to bury whatever confusion there was regarding any feelings they might’ve had for each other.

Yeri and Jaehyun were best friends. Nothing less, nothing more.

Unbeknownst to both of them, the validity of that statement was about to be tested very soon.

~~~~~~

January 2017

"Do you think people will notice?" Yeri asked, looking into the mirror of the practice room as she fixed her bangs.

Despite being fully recovered, the accident had left a small scar on her forehead. It was barely visible, but Yeri was self conscious about it all the same.

"I doubt it," Jaehyun brushed off “it really is a tiny little scar. You don't need the bangs."

Reaching out to her, Jaehyun pushed her hair to the side and gently touched the scar while smiling fondly at her.

"I guess you're right." She finally acquiesced but her eyes held a certain apprehension “I just don't want anything to go wrong with this comeback. It is our last chance."

"What is that supposed to mean?” He asked with a frown.

"Our comebacks last year were pretty lackluster. The songs were good but there was no public appeal." She told him sadly “So now they gave us a weird song that is also catchy as hell. It's such a risky move, but it's all or nothing at this point."

"Look, the song is... different." He said carefully, making her crack a smile “But it sure grows on you. With time."

"I hope everyone else feels that way." She said wistfully “If we don't succeed this year, we'll miss our timing. The unnies are very worried. And I don't like it when they're worried." Yeri did not really care about what would happen to her, but her unnies were feeling the pressure and that made her uneasy.

"Yerim, think about our sunbaes." Jaehyun started to explain “None of them were a hit right off the bat. But they worked hard and eventually got there through their efforts."

Thinking about it for a second, Yeri realized he was right (as always) and she just needed to focus on working hard herself and help out the unnies she loved as if they were her real sisters.

“Please let Red Velvet and NCT be like them." she said softly.

"We will, I know it." Jaehyun said confidently “At least you girls got a new stylist. I wish they could do the same for us."

Yeri burst out laughing “Come on, it's not that bad."

"Have you seen my hair in the MV?" Jaehyun reminded bitterly “And what about what they did to poor Mark?"

"Oh Mark. God bless his poor soul.” Yeri lamented “I don't know why you're complaining. Your hair looks so fluffy!" She commented and shuffled his blonde locks “When I turned blonde, my hair was basically a pile of hay."

"I think the noona at the saloon has a thing for me." Jaehyun said with a boyish grin “She really took her time."

Yeri guffawed and looked at him in pity “I’m sorry to burst your bubble, but if it’s the 'noona' I'm thinking about, I'm pretty sure she has the hots for Wendy unnie."

Jaehyun’s jaw dropped, making Yeri laugh heartily. He looked through the bag of snacks she had brought with her and took out an energy drink while offering her one as well.

"Huh," he said in bewilderment as he opened the bottle and took a sip “The more you know."

"Oppa have you ever had a girlfriend?" Yeri asked rather abrutly, making Jaehyun choke on his drink and cough repeatedly “Boyfriend then?" She said teasingly while patting his back.

"You little...” Jaehyun scolded lightheartedly anf flicked her forehead “if you must know, I did have a girlfriend when I was still a trainee."

"Was it one of the smrookies girls?" she asked curiously.

Jaehyun vehemently shook his head.

"Nah, she was my neighbor growing up." He explained “We dated for almost a year."

Yeri was fully invested in the story now “Why did it end?"

"I guess we always thought we would have time together while I was still training, but with all the rookie activities and tours, we barely saw each other." He recalled regretfully “She did try to be understanding, but in the end it just wasn't fair.”

Yeri pondered over this for a moment before asking her next question “Did you love her?"

"Why are you asking me all this?" Jaehyun inquired, amused at her sudden interest in his love life.

"Maybe it's because I started training very young, but I never got to experience that type of thing." She explained timidly “I never even went on a date. You'll think it's stupid, but that was sort of my wish for the new year."

"To go on a date?" He asked suspiciously. Where was this all coming from? “Is there someone you like?"

"Not really," She answered truthfully “but I will finally become an adult next year and it would be nice to have gone on a date by then. Experience normal stuff girls my age are supposed to do. I miss normal sometimes."

At that moment, Jaehyun understood. It’s not that Yeri did not like being an idol, but she would often talk to him about her fear of missing out on important milestones in detriment of the path she chose to follow.

While Yeri had been rolled up inside the SM building since 5th grade, Jaehyun was still able to experience a little normalcy before he joined.

"Yerim," he tried to say and reached out to her.

"No, don't." She waved off with a little laugh “I'm fine, it was just a stupid thought. I should be focusing on work anyway."

A few weeks later, Red Velvet made their comeback with ‘Rookie’ and, just as Jaehyun had predicted, their hard work finally paid off.

As happy as she was, Jaehyun knew Yeri was most likely still longing for the other thing she wanted the most. And as someone who put Yeri's happiness above everything else, Jaehyun would make sure she got her wish.

~~~~~~

August 2017

Unfortunately, due to their increasingly busy schedules, Jaehyun did not get to put his plan in motion until several months later. He had gotten a few days off before leaving to film for "Law of the Jungle" and, with a little help from Joy, Kim Yerim was finally going on a date.

"Joy unnie, I'm ready!" Yeri called out going into the living room of their dorm, only to find it empty “Joy unnie?"

Yeri was looking around in confusion when the doorbell rang. Did her members leave without her? Something was definitely off.

"Oppa, hi!" Yeri greeted in surprise when she opened the door and found Jaehyun grinning at her. Why was he holding those flowers? “I was about to go shopping with the unnies. Do you want to come with?"

"No," he said firmly “and you're not going either."

"Did something happen?" Yeri asked in concern.

"Yes." He replied in a serious tone before breaking out into a smile “We're going on a date."

Yeri just stood there trying to process what she just heard “I'm sorry, did you just say we're going on a date?" she asked suspiciously until realization dawned on her “Oppa, if this is about what I said before, you don't have..."

Jaehyun cut her off and handed her the flowers “One day you'll get to experience the real thing, so consider this only as a trial run."

Yeri smiled lightly and admired the flowers before turning to him again “Why are you doing this?"

"Because I know this will make you happy and when you're happy, I'm happy too." he told her sincerely.

Damn it, Jung Jaehyun. Yeri thought resentfully. Why was he always so goo