"Really, Suyeon means well," Elly was saying as she and Lua came into the living room, "it's just sometimes she speaks before she thinks."

Lua nodded.  "I know.  It's just - that she could even consider the idea that those rumors about Jennie are true. . . she made me so mad."

Elly sat down on the couch and pulled Lua down next to her.  "That's perfectly understandable.  But keep in mind that some of our seniors have been in situations like that.  Hell, some of the girls in our generation are in situations like that right now.  I can't say who, but I'm sure you've heard the rumors."

Lua shook her head.  "But I've heard those same rumors about us, and I know they're not true."

"Just because some of the rumors aren't true, doesn't mean all of them aren't.  I-"

Just then the door opened and Doyeon and Suyeon walked in.

"I'm going to see if Sei and Lucy need any help," Elly said, quickly turning away from whatever she had been about to say.  She waved at Suyeon and Doyeon on her way to the kitchen.

"And I'm going to go see what Yoojung is up to," Doyeon said, heading off to the small room.

And just like that, Suyeon and Lua were left alone in the living room.  While Lua stared directly into Suyeon's face, Suyeon had difficulty meeting her eyes.  Suyeon sat down at the far end of the couch from Lua and turned toward her, her hands clasped in her lap.

"I'm sorry for what I said about Jennie," Suyeon said, her voice barely audible.  "I wasn't thinking about what I was saying and how insulting I was being.  I'm sorry."

Lua sat quiet for a moment, choosing her words carefully.  "I'm still angry at you, Suyeon, and I'm not going to pretend that I'm not.  If you can feel that way about the woman I love, then in a way, you're feeling that about me."  Lua sniffled as tears began to run down her face.  "Is that what you think of me, Suyeon?"

Suyeon slid across the couch and embraced Lua.  "No, no, no no no nononono.  That's not what I think at all.  I was just being stupid, you know?  I mean, I dated Moonbin while he cheated on me for six months, so obviously I'm not the best at relationships.  I'm so sorry I hurt you!"

Lua looked up at Suyeon.  "These last few months, listening to all the things people have been saying about Jennie when I couldn't speak up to defend her, have been the hardest thing ever.  Then to come into our apartment, one of the few places in the whole world I thought I would be safe from that, and to have you say those things, it was just. . ."  She broke down crying again, as Suyeon sat there and tried to comfort her.

"Dinner's ready!" Lucy called out as she came out of the kitchen.  She stopped short when she saw Suyeon and Lua on the couch.  "Or. . . you know. . . pan-friend tofu is good cold, too."  She started slowly backing out of the living room.

Lua shook her head.  "No it's not."  She sniffled.  "Thanks for trying to make me feel better, everyone.  Let's go eat."  She grabbed a handful of Kleenex and started wiping her face.  Suyeon gave her and hug and then stood up, extending her hand to help Lua up.

When they were all gathered around the table, Elly said.  "Everyone, let's thank Sei and Lucy for tonight's dinner.  Because they volunteered to cook, we've got this delicious food, and because they lost this afternoon's soccer game, they'll be taking care of the dishes as well.

Sei and Lucy blushed as everyone cheered for them.  Under the table, Lucy reached over and took Sei's hand.

Curfew had come and gone, hours ago.  Suyeon was pacing back and forth, fuming.  From her seat on the couch, Doyeon said "Why don't you go ahead and go to bed?  I can take care of Rina when she gets in."

Suyeon paused for a moment, unsure if she should take Doyeon up on this offer, or if she should stay up and deal with Rina herself, prove that she could be good leader despite the afternoon's fiasco with Lua.  Finally an unsuppressible yawn settled the question for her.  "Thanks, Doyeon," she said, patting Doyeon on the shoulder on her way to the small bedroom.  "I owe you one."

"Not as big as the one Rina owes me," Doyeon mumbled to herself as she crossed her arms and settled in for what could be a very long wait.

Forty-five minutes later, Rina still wasn't back.  Doyeon was starting to nod off when she heard a door open behind her.  She looked around and saw Lua coming out of the big bedroom.  She flopped down on the couch next to Doyeon and leaned against her.

"What's wrong?" Doyeon asked.

Lua sighed.  "I don't know.  I'm still upset about what Suyeon said this afternoon.  I know I've got to let it go, but I just can't.  I'm trying to sleep and I'm lying there tossing and turning, hearing her voice echoing in my head."

Doyeon shifted around and put her arm around Lua.  "It's understandable to be upset about something like that.  But, you know, Suyeon's just Suyeon.  Sometimes she says stupid things because she doesn't think before she talks.  I really don't think she meant to hurt you with anything she said.  Can you think of anything she could say or do that might make things better now?"

As the silence stretched out, Doyeon craned her head around and saw that Lua had fallen asleep.  Wriggling her arm free, she grabbed a th