Long slim fingers flew delicately across the monochrome, uniform black-and-white keys of the grand piano. The atmosphere morphed from one of anticipation into delight as the enrapturing fluidity of the melody melded together to create a perfect symphony.

The slow, gentle legato quickened into a short, masterly paced staccato. The audience seemed like they were puppets on a string, the almost drunken swaying of bodies caused by the alluring rhythm of the single piano.

Eyes closed, butts perched on the edge of the seats. Asking, receiving.

She never disappointed.

Infinitesimal, glistening sweat droplets fell from her face, the only sign that the rigourity of the performance was affecting her.

Her eyes were closed, her hands gliding across the keys. It was as if the world had stopped in that single moment, the melodious tune absorbing everything that surrounded it, a welcomed black hole.

Then the chords slowed to a stop, the aftertaste of the impressive performance gurgled its remnants in the minds of the audience.

They stood as if on command.

She left the stage with a slight, feminine bow, her exit accompanied by the boisterous cheering of the crowd. And maybe she imagined it, but she thought she heard a familiar, "I love you forever."

A shout that was quickly swallowed up by the raucous discussion of the performance, the audience expressing their awe of the otherworldly performance she had put on.

##

"What? You saw her there? Why didn't you tell me?" Chaeyoung demanded, her fingers finding themselves up to the bridge of her nose.

"You know I was looking for her," she whispered, the tall girl's hand shooting out to steady herself on the edge of the desk backstage.

She hung up, her hands still trembling at the effort to calm herself down.

She was here.

But she couldn't run away forever.

Chaeyoung would find her, she always did, just like how she would always know where Lisa was hiding, even before Lisa had reached her hiding spot, playing hide-and-seek as kids.

It was just the natural order of things, like how jigsaw pieces fit together unquestionably.

It was just a matter of time. She would find her, she knew she would.

##

Lisa couldn't shake off the feeling that she almost got caught today, the feeling leaving her exhausted.

She wasn't sure how long she could play this game of hide-and-seek. It had been two years.

Two years since she had been mercilessly rejected and cast to the side. Two years since Chaeyoung's music career took off. Since she confessed.

Lisa shook her head to disperse her thoughts. She hadn't been to Chaeyoung's concert for a nostalgic trip back to memory lane.

She'd come as a farewell, as a last goodbye to her childhood friend and first love.

It was frustrating, though, how Chaeyoung seemed to be doing well for herself. It almost seemed as if she wasn't needed, wasn't an everyday part of Chaeyoung's life anymore the way Chaeyoung was still a part of hers.

Lisa d at her jeans pocket for the cool metallic exterior of her phone. Jisoo would drink with her. Jisoo would know what to do to make Lisa feel better. It was one of the rare things that Lisa would admit to and chalk it up to Jisoo's good points, albeit begrudgingly.

After all, she wasn't her best friend for nothing.

She found her phone, her fingers masterly dialling Jisoo's number in a matter of seconds.

Jisoo picked up on the fourth ring. "What? What do you want you lazy oaf? You were supposed to take the trash out today, you better do it when you come back or you're going out with the trash-" a barrage of complaints assaulted Lisa through the phone.

Right. Kim Jisoo also did not take well to tardiness to complete household chores. What fun.

"Look," Lisa said, interrupting her best friend's endless rant about Lisa's failure to do the dishes, dust the cupboard and taking donkey to fairyland or whatever the hell she was going on and on about. "I just went to Chaeyoung's concert. Want to meet me for a drink?"

The other side of the line was silent before Jisoo let out an audible sigh, "Same place in ten?" Lisa agreed, before hanging up. Hopefully the liquor would bring her mind away from Chaeyoung instead of bringing her into yet another drunken stupor that usually included Jisoo having to smack Lisa over the head with her handbag to keep the younger girl from dialing Chaeyoung’s number on her phone.

 

Lisa might have deleted her number but she didn't seem to be able delete the number that had been subconsciously saved in Lisa’s mind.

Lisa trudged to the nearest taxi stand, her thoughts already filling up with memories she and Chaeyoung shared, although she was pretty sure their memories had become only hers now.
 

##

 

Jennie made her way up the rickety stairway of the old bar, her nose wrinkling at the acrid smell that seemed to emanate from around her in all directions. Why Chaeyoung enjoyed coming here, she had no idea. Although it might be precisely because the people here did not exactly seem to be people who would enjoy high-end classical music as opposed to...electronic music...Jennie sniffed. At least here no one would recognise Chaeyoung.

 

Jennie smiled at the thought of Chaeyoung. The latter, who was one year her junior, had showed extraordinary talent even at a young age. She was one who was worthy that be deemed a ‘genius’, a ‘prodigy’.

 

Granted, Chaeyoung never saw how her music changed people, inspired them, made them fall in love all over again. Just like how Jennie had.

 

Jennie had been walking aimlessly around the school one lazy summer day, her thoughts seemingly dispersed in the humid wind that arrived to torment the students every summer. Then she heard it. The gentle, yet riveting melody that seemed to snap Jennie to attention, her ears perking up to catch yet another whiff of this otherworldly tune that attracted Jennie like a rat marching to the tune of the pied piper.

 

She found herself outside the music room before she realised, her feet moving of their own will, drawn to melodious tune, the pianist’s complete mastery of the sharp snap from the graceful, slow adagio to the quick and lively allegro.

 

And then she was in the room before she realised, the creaking of the floorboards signalling to the mysterious pianist (who, by the way, already had a beautiful back view then) of her presence.

 

And when the stranger turned around, she felt her heart catch in , spellbound by the beauty of the pianist that far exceeded her imagination.

 

She only wished her first sentence to Chaeyoung had been anything but an awkward, “Hi, I’m gay.”

 

Jennie cringed at the embarrassing flashback, berating herself for the thousandth time for her lack of eloquence on their first meeting.

 

Of course, Jennie had attempted to rectify her mistake and convinced Chaeyoung that it was a matter of speech, but she didn’t think the younger girl was convinced. Still, the two made quick friends.

 

Jennie shook her head to rid her mind of other thoughts. Chaeyoung was not over Lisa, although Jennie’s understanding of what had happened between them was hazy, she knew that Chaeyoung needed her support. As she would provide.

 

The brunette pushed open the door of the bar, immediately spotting her best friend slumped in a corner surrounded by empty bottles, a stray hand raised and, with it half a can of beer. The beer slushed out jerkily, as Chaeyoung’s hand swayed unsteadily, a foolproof litmus test that indicated to Jennie that she was drunk.

 

Jennie walked up to Chaeyoung before she could spill the rest of her beverage onto the floor and possibly evoke the wrath of the exhausted-looking bartender behind the counter who was already shooting them death glares.

 

“Chaeng,” Jennie said, forcing the taller girl’s hand open to retrieve her can. Jennie peered inside. It was almost emptied. “Chaeng, you shouldn’t drink this much, you’ll get a wicked hangover tomorrow.”

 

Jennie attempted to heave Chaeyoung out of her seat. Note attempted. Jennie sighed. It really was hard trying to move someone who, although was really only 5cm taller than you were, seemed to be 1 metre taller.

 

“Whaaat are you drijng?” Chaeyoung slurred. (Jennie translated this to be ‘What are you doing?’ She was an expert at translating her best friend’s drunken speech by now.)

 

“Leeb mue alonr,” Chaeyoung continued. Leave me alone, Jennie translated mentally. Not a likely option.

 

“Come on, stop drinking, let’s get you-” Jennie started, before she was cut off yet again by a very drunk Chaeyoung, “I wrnt to go nap in the bethrum hehehe.” Then Chaeyoung ran into the bathroom in a wild, drunken manner that would put habitual drinkers to shame.

 

...She what?

 

Jennie sighed, turning to hunt down her best friend and forcibly shove her into a taxi. But she heard the jingle of the glass door of the bar, before a familiar silhouette entered the bar.

 

Jennie whipped around to witness Kim Jisoo enter the bar, the familiar swish of her raven hair making Jennie momentarily forget about her best friend who had claimed she was going to nap in the bathroom.

 

Kim Jisoo. Aka Jennie’s ex. They had parted after Jennie had found Chaeyoung, and her feelings for the older girl had faded. She didn’t know if Jisoo still liked her, but she had always felt a sense of guilt towards the dark-haired girl.

 

But Kim Jisoo was also a friend of Lisa’s. She had never seen them together, but she had seen instagram posts of the two together out before.

 

Jennie knew what she had to do. She would be apologetic towards Jisoo after, but Chaeyoung had been trying to find a lead on Lisa for the past two years. There was a lead, right in front of her, waiting for her to follow.

 

But then Jisoo looked over at Jennie, and her eyebrows crinkled together, in a cute fashion that made Jennie often reach up to smooth the creased skin when they were still together.

 

Then Jennie made her decision, and she approached Jisoo.

 

##

 

Jisoo watched as her ex walked towards her. Jisoo let her eyes wander down from Jennie’s face, down her s and across Jennie’s thighs. She looked as attractive as ever.

 

Jisoo hadn’t known what to say when Jennie had initiated the breakup then, and she still didn’t know what to say now that Jennie was standing in front of her.

 

But hell, she was still smoking hot.

 

“Hey, you,” Jennie started, the corner of her lips lifting to reveal that cute gummy smile of hers. Jisoo didn’t know if she still liked Jennie, but now she knew: she was still heads over heels. “I haven’t seen you in so long, what’s up?”

 

Jisoo stared at the younger girl, her voice catching in . What was she trying to do?

 

Jennie seemed to sense Jisoo’s confusion, and continued, “Are you waiting for someone?”

 

Jisoo nodded slowly before letting out a careful, “Yeah, I’m meeting Lisa, although I’m not sure where she is...” Jisoo looked up, and saw a glint in Jennie’s eyes. Then she understood.

 

“That’s not fair, Jennie,” Jisoo said, her voice almost inaudible. “You can’t just...use me like that.”

 

Jennie looked at the older girl, startled. But then again, they were together for four long years. It wasn’t easy just forgetting about someone’s tells like that.

 

Jennie herself still remembered the way Jisoo used to grasp her hand tightly when she was nervous, the way her eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Jennie still remembered the way Jisoo would link arms with her, remembered Jisoo’s soft, warm embrace.

 

She looked down at Jisoo, who was already packing up to leave. She was biting her top lip in hurt. Jennie didn’t know what had came over her to make her think that this was a good idea.

 

“I’m leaving,” Jisoo muttered angrily, standing up to make her exit, “Don’t ever talk to me again.”

 

Jennie stepped aside to let Jisoo past.

 

This was what she wanted wasn’t it? Jisoo didn’t know what to think. And yet it hurt all the more that Jennie didn’t stop her from leaving. It hurt that she was the only one who was played for a fool.

 

But then she felt a hand reach out to grab her, pulling her close, before soft lips collided to meet hers. She kissed back angrily, the kiss salty with tears that ran down her cheeks. They fought for dominance, before Jisoo felt herself succumb.

 

Then Jisoo pulled Jennie closer, her hands moving to the small of her back. Their kiss turned from fervent, passionate kisses before it slowed into small, gentle kisses. Then they broke apart.

 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t realise,” Jennie murmured, her hands reaching up to twine Jisoo’s hair around her fingers. “You have a melody, a soft almost inaudible tune and I can’t get you out of my head.”

 

Jisoo looked at Jennie questioningly, before she decided she much rather feel Jennie’s lips on hers than know the answer to the question she was about to ask.

 

They made out for a long time.

 

Then Jennie abruptly broke the kiss, before she looked at Jisoo, wide-eyed. “Oh my god... ” Jennie said, “I forgot about Chaeyoung.”

 

The couple rushed into the bathroom to find Chaeyoung gone.

 

##

 

Chaeyoung stumbled onto the open street, the cool breeze attacking her ruthlessly. She had left from the backdoor of the bar, not wanting to waste another minute in that dingy bathroom. Jennie hadn’t come after her and Chaeyoung didn’t mind.

 

This meant no one could interfere with her plan to find Lisa. Her alcohol-influenced mind had formulated a brilliant plan to find Lisa. She would walk around the street until she found her. Easy, right?

 

Chaeyoung walked unsteadily into the night.

 

##

 

Lisa yawned, her head throbbing with the effort to drag herself to the bar she had arranged to meet Jisoo at. She had spent the past fifty minutes or so trapped between the oil-greased window of the public bus and a talkative old lady, who could not seem to stop going on and on about her grandsons and how they all wanted to have wings or something. Really, she should do something about her lack of private transport.

 

As much as Lisa would have loved to engage in an interesting conversation with an absolute stranger who was old enough to be her grandma about the future prospects of her grandsons joining the aviation industry, all she could think about was the concert.

 

She had been as enraptured with Chaeyoung’s performance, as the rest of the audience had been, and her eyes were riveted on that single grand piano the entire concert. Or more accurately, the redhead behind that piano that seemed to have a cacophony of melodious notes fluttering from her fingertips.

 

And she had thought about the end of the performance, which had arrived faster than a snap of her fingers, and the boisterous response Chaeyoung had received. Especially that one avid fan of Chaeyoung’s who had shouted, ‘I love you forever!’ Lisa had admittedly felt a twinge of what felt like jealousy at the sight.

 

Lisa felt her phone buzzing in her back pocket. It was probably Jisoo rushing her. She wasn’t even that late. Okay, she was an hour late but who could blame her? The traffic had been atrocious. Not to mention that old lady who probably ended up telling Lisa her entire life story…

 

“Hello? I know, I know I’m coming-” Lisa started, but was cut of by Jisoo’s panicked voice,“Lisa? I’m with Jennie, Chaeyoung’s best friend and Chaeyoung’s gone missing.”

 

Lisa felt her bag slip out of her grasp, but she didn't pay it any heed. Lisa tried to swallow, but was dry and she could not summon any saliva.

 

“What do you mean missing?” she her parched lips and her voice suddenly sounded very, very small.

 

“She's really drunk and said she was going to the toilet but she didn't come back and she's no longer in there,” said another tinny voice from the other side.

 

Lisa hung up, without needing to hear another word.

 

She ran.

 

She ran as fast as her long piston legs would allow her, her hair fluttering out of the ponytail she had tied, the black band falling to the gravel beneath her feet.

 

Lisa felt her breaths shorten, and beads of perspiration began to form on the expanse of her forehead.

 

Where could Chaeyoung have gone? Lisa searched the perimeter of the bar, before slowing to a jog.

 

Then she saw her.

 

A mop of flaming red hair flashed across her peripheral vision, a stark contrast to the traffic light of the road of the cross section that sent forth the cars that had been idling about to accelerate, the harsh screech of rubber tires against concrete.

 

Lisa whipped her head around to witness a staggering drunk Chaeyoung cross the road, a black Hyundai Avante heading in the exact trajectory of her path, the headlights flashing as the driver attempted to swerve.

 

The world turned white.

 

##

 

Chaeyoung found herself in darkness for a long time.

 

All around her was darkness. Chaeyoung couldn't see anything, she was like a mouse in a lab experiment.

Lost and blind.

 

And amidst the darkness she thought she heard Lisa’s voice. Soft, gentle, pleading.

 

“Today I went back to the fort we made when we were kids,” Lisa started, “do you remember how we used to go there all the time, watching the hours pass as if we were the only two people in the world?”

 

Lisa’s voice was choked, and although Chaeyoung couldn’t see her, she was sure Lisa was crying. “I miss you,”

 

“So, so much.”

 

##

 

When Chaeyoung opened her eyes, she was in Lisa’s arms. Sweet, charming Lisa. Lalisa Manoban. Her childhood playmate, her best friend of almost two decades and the girl who had a crush on her.

 

“I found you,” Chaeyoung said drowsily, reaching up to boop Lisa on the nose, “I knew I would,” she said smiling, her eyelids fluttering at the attempt to stay awake.

 

“You did,” Lisa said, her anxious expression morphing into one of relief and something else Chaeyoung couldn’t quite catch.

 

“Where am I?” Chaeyoung mumbled, shielding her face from that bright, glaring light that seemed to obstruct her vision.

 

“Hospital,” Lisa answered, “you were… in an accident.”

 

“I was?”

 

“Yes you were,” Lisa continued, her hands reaching out to smoothen Chaeyoung’s hair, “for a long, long time, and I missed you very much.”

 

##

 

“It wasn't fair of you,” Chaeyoung whispered, “you can't just express your feelings without waiting for an answer...I would have told you I felt the same way.”

 

Lisa felt her heart palpitating in her chest swinging about like a jackhammer, her spirits soaring.

 

“I was afraid of what your answer would be,” Lisa giggled nervously, “you never seemed to reciprocate, so I ran away. Because I was afraid.”

 

Chaeyoung reached forward, the corners of her lips curling upwards in a weak smile, taking Lisa's hands in hers, intertwining their fingers together.

 

“This is my answer,” she said, before expressing her feelings in a way words could never have.

 

Their lips met, soft and hesitant, asking and finding. Then it was passion and fire, hot and cold, soft moans emanating from the couple's slightly pursed lips.

 

And when they finally parted, the redhead slumped against the other girl, exhausted.

 

“I'll be here when you wake,” the blonde murmured, “no more hide and seek.”

 

And Chaeyoung knew she could trust her this time.