3 YEARS AGO

SEOUL ARTS INSTITUTE

AUGUST 19

Yuna kept her noise canceling headphones against her ears, the cushioned padding cupping and caressing her ears so they wouldn't slip. She'd been working on a song all night - about someone special - and she was happy with the progress. Having inspiration for a song made it so much easier to write, especially when it was something she was so into. Her lips pressed together into a thin line, humming and bobbing her head to the beat of her electric guitar. She was almost done, and she couldn't wait to officially record it in her private booth. 

A knock on her front door was heard, just in time as she slipped her headphones down to the back of her neck. She stood up, placed her guitar down carefully, and ran up the stairs to check who it was. 

“Yewon,” Yuna blinked in surprise. “Oh god. It’s freezing out here and- wait a minute! Did you walk? My apartment is like five miles from your dorm! Are you nuts?! You couldn’t call me so I could pick you up?”

The singer panicked as she pulled the younger into her home, locking the door behind them. Without hesitation, she draped her extra living room blanket over the birthday girl and lead her even further so she could sit. Yuna always worried about her friend, probably because Yewon had some sort of aura around her that made everyone want to protect her. 

“What are you doing here?” The taller sighed while sitting beside Yewon, handing her a mug of tea. “I was supposed to head to your party in an hour.”

Yewon rubbed her thumb along the patterns of the mug she was holding. She took in the warmth, enjoying it before the tea cooled off completely. It was silly of her to go out during the evening, only with a shirt and joggers on, running in slides five miles from her dorm. But she wanted to get away from Eunbi as far away as possible and so she did. 

“I..” Yewon sniffled. “I just wanted to tell you personally that I accepted their offer. I emailed them while I was heading here and I’m hoping to leave this school as soon as next week or maybe even tomorrow.”

The sadness in her eyes was too obvious to hide and Yuna saw it herself. The way they’d droop down to avert her piercing gaze finally stopped her head from making assumptions. 

“What’s the real reason why you came here..?” Yuna asked with a more gentle tone and that’s when she saw the younger visibly tense up. That’s how she also knew there was really something wrong. She took the other’s hand in her own, giving it an even tighter squeeze. “I promise you, I’m here to listen, Yewon. I always am.”

PRESENT DAY

“Wow.. That’s really..” Minzy rubbed the back of her neck. She didn’t know how to respond to the story Eunbi just told her and to be frank, she couldn’t understand how Yewon could still talk to her, even if it’s just for business. “I really don’t want to sound like I’m against you because I’m sure you’ve learned your lesson, but, you’re an .”

Eunbi straightened up from her seat and placed her palms against her face, rubbing her features slowly to try and sober herself up from how much she was drinking. She heaved out a sigh, her teeth still digging and biting into her lower lip. She couldn’t disagree with her senior. In fact, she knew she was right. Her actions in the past were terrible, but she was trying her best to show Yewon that she’s changed and she’s regretted everything she’s done to her best friend. 

“She hates me,” Eunbi clicked her tongue with a bitter smile. “She tries her best to n