Juri had just landed at Haneda airport from Seoul as she hid her face with a black face mask and got into a private van She had flown back after Produce 48 ended. She was bummed. Anger was an understatement. She had worked so hard to prove herself to the national producers and the judges but she still failed to make it into the final cut. The van soon stopped in front of an apartment building. 

"I'll come pick you up at 7 am sharp tomorrow. I know how upset you are but you are still an idol no matter what. Be careful not to get caught" Juri's manager said. 

Juri nodded and thanked her manager as she headed into the lobby. She pressed the button as the elevator doors opened allowing her to enter. She pressed 18 as the doors closed and brought her to the 18th floor. The elevator pinged and opened as she walked out. She was anxious and nervous because she hadn't seen her for 3 months. Juri missed her so much that it made her heart ache. When it was revealed that she was one of those that would be joining Produce 48, she wasn't exactly happy. She had a lot to consider. The main reason being her girlfriend that she would be leaving behind. She couldn't bear the thought of not seeing her girlfriend for 3 months but what choice did she have? She was chosen for a reason. Before she left, she went to her girlfriend as they spend her last night together. Her girlfriend promised to cheer for her which motivated Juri. 

Juri arrived in front of  apartment 1807. She pressed the bell and waited patiently until the door opened with a click. Juri's heart skipped a beat as she saw her girlfriend dressed casually and her hair tied in a loose bun. 21 years old Saegusa Hana wasn't an idol like Juri. She was a dance teacher and a producer. She had worked with a few of Japan's top groups and even Korean groups making their Japanese debut. Juri had met Hana at a gathering. Akimoto PD had invited Hana over to talk about their collaboration to produce a song for AKB48. Juri was immediately smitten by Hana's smiles and kind like gestures. 

They were careful enough not to get caught when they went out on dates. Of course, nobody suspected them whenever they went out because they were both girls and best friends at that. Their SNS were filled with cryptic messages that only they could understand. Juri's managers knew of their relationship and accepted it but they were cautious so they warned Juri to be careful.

Hana's eyes widened when she saw Juri. 

"Juri-chan" Hana exclaimed.

The sound of Hana's voice was so comforting for Juri that Juri started to tear up. Her pent up anger and sadness all started to rise. Hana immediately pulled Juri into her arms and closed the door behind her. Hana brought Juri to the couch in the living room as she allowed Juri to bury her face in the crook of her neck and cry. Hana caressed the back of Juri's head gently. When Juri's cries reduced to sobs, Hana pulled away and wiped the remainder of her tears. 

"I saw what happened. It's alright, Juri. I know how hard you worked but some things are just not meant to be. You still have a career as an idol here in Japan. Just think of it as a learning experience and let it go" Hana said. 

"Yeah but I just can't get over the fact that I did so much to learn Korean and trained so much but none of it was shown in the show. It's so unfair" Juri said. 

"The world was never fair, Juri. But you have an extra language in your resume. The best thing is you get to come back to me" Hana said. 

Juri finally smiled and said "Yeah. That's the only good thing about losing the competition". 

Hana chuckled and wrapped her arms around Juri and hugged her tightly. Juri reciprocated the hug as she breathed in the familiar scent. The two fell asleep in that position with Hana's arms wrapped around Juri. Well, let's just say that Juri's manager was furious the next day.