Once their Japanese promotions for NoNoNo were over, Apink were going straight into their last hurrah planned for the year; a second Korean comeback with the title song "LUV".

It was something a bit more mature and sophisticated than they had done before. This time there were concepts of remembrance and nostalgia. The song was about reminiscing a love that had passed and turning back the time to relive those happy memories. 

Bomi knew what that felt like—flashbacking to the memories and the heartbreak. 

Although her heart had healed with time, it became guarded from her experience. She thought their love was forever, but things don't always work out the way we hope. Only later as she picked up the broken pieces did she see all the cracks that were there all along; waiting, just waiting to shatter.

As a result, the journey to recognising her feelings for Chorong involved some shock and denial.

How long had it been like this? How long had she looked at her in this way? It wasn't so simple to say that something had happened one day to make her fall in love. There was no clear turning point. 

Bomi had been in love and didn't know it. A pabo oblivious to her own heart.

By the time she became aware, it was more realising how deep those feelings had gotten. Bomi was absolutely head over heels for the leader. And for a while after knowing this, she really felt... scared... and vulnerable. 

To have her heart on the line for someone; to know that her heart was being held in someone's palm once again. 

She wasn't prepared. 

She wasn't ready. 

She didn't want this.

And yet... why?

Why was she so ready to give herself up for this person? Knowing that she could get hurt?

All of those fears washed away whenever she looked at Chorong. None of it mattered. The walls she built up would break down for her.

Like that, Bomi's heart seemed to have gotten stronger. 

It all just clicked. Chorong was a wonderful person. Of course she would fall for her! As long as it was Chorong unnie, then Bomi thought it might be worth catching feelings...

Wow, what am I saying right now?

In the moment, it didn't matter to Bomi that her feelings might not be reciprocated, or that such a relationship might be close to impossible. These weren't on her mind.

To just enjoy the feeling of having love in her heart for someone, was what she needed to accept, for now. 

Even if it meant loving that person from the side, what mattered was Bomi was able to love again. 

——

LUV was different to the smiling, cheerful, uplifting image they had since debut. With this heavy theme, the girls had to act more sad and aloof, both in the music video and on the stage. Keeping a straight face sometimes proved to be difficult, especially when Bomi broke out of character because her ring got stuck in her clothing. 

In promoting for LUV, Chorong and Bomi really looked like a couple; a set. They shared the same shimmery shade of muted golden-brown hair, while still giving their own style and flair to it. It was like their hair had a couple look. Whether they stood together or stood apart in their group of six, the eye would naturally be drawn to them and their unique twinning locks. 

But the attention wasn't only on the hair. 

It feels like we're lovers,
It seems like we're lovers but not

They weren't being careful around each other because they didn't know any better. They just felt good around each other. It was as simple as that. Their evergrowing closeness ended up transcending to the screen during promotions, meaning moments with just the two of them were everywhere.

Like Chorong sniffing Bomi's breath, wiping cream off Bomi's lips, and pulling the girl's arms to get her attention. 

Like Bomi's brilliant smile as they huddled under the same umbrella, cheekily butting Chorong from behind to get punished, and being there to hug a sobbing Chorong in one of their many wins for LUV. 

The older girl's actions came dangerously closer; the pad of her thumb pretending to rub against Bomi's lips sensually before the dancer then giggled softly and scooted away. 

Being in the other's presence was addicting. They would drink up the air like it was laughing gas and reach a sort of high they never felt with anyone else, and they would forget all their worries. The flirting and fooling around was starting to get obvious to the people around them, but they were in their own bubble; happy and free without a care in the world. The words of others did nothing to prevent their smiling faces. 

With pink cheeks hidden under makeup from shy smiles and teasing, they were glowing. 

The adrenaline and excitement was heightened by what would become an astounding achievement of 17 wins; the most music show wins ever for a girl group song. The group was riding on amazing success and the girls were overwhelmed, bringing them to tears. 

It was an incredible time.

——

Bomi stood concerned as Chorong was dragged into doing a lie detector test. The leader was refusing profusely, but her fear over the small device was also kind of funny.

When the MCs had settled her down, they began. "This year, there was a guy that I had something with."

A "some" relationship was what they were asking. Was Chorong seeing someone? Approached by someone? Thinking about dating?

Bomi put her hands behind her back at the reveal of the question. The uneasy smile on her face screamed "I should've known they would do this!" Nevertheless, she ignored the twitchy feeling and watched Chorong's dolphin-screaming ruckus with curiosity from the side.

"This year, there was a guy that I had something with," the MCs repeated, playing the game properly this time.

"Something?" Chorong asked. "There isn't."

Cue the ear-piercing dolphin-scream.

Unsure whether the lie detector had done anything or not in the confusion, Bomi laughed along with everyone over Chorong's dramatized actions. 

"I'M SO SCARED," the leader screeched.

Eunji guffawed, pulling at Bomi's arm knowingly. "There is, there is, there is someone!" she jeered with a certain couple in mind.

Bomi felt her chest twist when the dots connected and she realised that the lie detector probably went off.

Might it be true? There is a guy?

Bomi hid behind a light smile, feeling appreciative at the very least to Eunji for being beside her. The latter read the discomfort on Bomi's face and registered something was off. Perhaps they weren't thinking of the same thing. 

It was just a game, just a toy, but that didn't stop a wave of hurt and uncertainty from spreading across Bomi's being. There was always a chance for it to be real. 

The uncle MCs wouldn't do what they did if they knew it would hurt their own "family member" like this, but they didn't know. Bomi had to remember it wasn't their fault despite the bitterness she felt.

Eunji lay a comforting arm around Bomi by the time Chorong's hand was strapped to the lie detector machine again. Pushing those feelings aside, Bomi tried her best to relax for the show. She laid back to enjoy the leader's turmoil. 

How can she look so cute pretending to be calm and then ferociously screaming like that... 

Bomi was laughing as warm brown eyes met desperate ones. 

Chorong's poor hand was in shock.

To wrap it up, the MCs summarised what they gathered for the first part of the show.

"Also for Chorong! She has a guy that she had a little something with..."

At the mention of that, Chorong swung her arms in denial. "No.." she murmured, her words drowned out by the MCs. 

Meanwhile, Bomi closed her eyes and nodded quietly, pursing her lips. At least now they could move on from this topic. 

It feels like you're mine,
It seems like you're mine but not

Bomi wasn't aware there was any guy. 

It couldn't be that guy who tried to ask Chorong out the other week, right? 

I thought she rejected him...

Or could there be something going on with one of the dancers in their company? No, they had a strict rule not to date the dancers, and Chorong wouldn't go against rules... but doesn't love make you do crazy things? It could still happen. 

Somehow in her muddled thinking, she ended up asking the leader directly, completely dismissing how nosy she might sound. 

Bomi needed to know.

Chorong smiled almost mischievously, "Bbom-ah, there is no 'guy that I have something with'. I was just really nervous about the electric shock, and you know how lie detectors work. They detect how nervous someone is."

Chorong shivered at the memory, pouting. "They also put it at level 3! Ugh, it really hurt!"

And just like that, Bomi was cured. Her heart felt light again and so did her expression. Hearing the truth loosened her up and she instantly found herself giggling at the leader's cute whining, making Chorong's bottom lip jut out a bit more.

"Why do you ask, huh?" the leader mused. "Are you curious about who it could've been?"

An awkward smile appeared at the sound of the question and Bomi rubbed her neck uncomfortably. "Uhm yeah. I was worried you weren't telling me things when you shouldn't carry it all on yourself. You can tell me if you like someone, you know.." 

Chorong inwardly gasped, all of a sudden feeling warmed by those words. She was once again reminded of Bomi's caring nature and wanted to crawl into herself from shyness. She was never all that good at receiving compliments from the girl. 

"And I.. I need to make sure he's the right one for you, unnie!" Bomi continued sincerely. "It's not just me, I speak for all of us. You deserve someone wonderful... because... well... you're wonderful."

You're wonderful.

Bomi's chocolate eyes had shone as she said it and that was all it took for blood to rush to Chorong's ears.

"O-Oh. Thank you, Bbom-ah," she managed to breathe. "That's... um.. wow. I'm touched."

Bomi smiled and Chorong's brain seemed to stop working.

So uh... what were they talking about again?

——

"Chorong unnie really dislikes