“I’m home!” Eunbi yells, one hand on the shoe rack for balance and another hand removing her shoes.

“Welcome home!” her father is first to greet her with a huge, warm grin.

“Appa!” Eunbi calls and excitedly rushes forward to give her father a hug. 

“Aigoo, this big baby,” he chuckles. “My daughter is home!”

“Time for me to feel like I’m invisible over the next three days!” her brother walks out to welcome her, not without a sarcastic statement.

Jungwoo receives no reply, except for glares from Eunbi and their mother who emerges from the kitchen. “Well, as expected,” he mutters. Eunbi sticks her tongue out at him.

“Eunbi! You’re home!” their mother approaches Eunbi with open arms and gives her daughter a warm hug. “Go rest up, it’s late, then we'll get busy tomorrow,” she tells Eunbi whilst giving her a pat on her back.

Eunbi wrinkles her nose, but nods her head as an obedient response. The family dissipates soon after, and the siblings are left alone in the living room.

"Umma’s been saying she needs your help with the songpyeon," Jungwoo states, matter-of-factly when Eunbi plops herself down on the couch beside the older sibling.

"Umma doesn't need my help," Eunbi replies in the same tone, “Not now.”

“Go shower, smelly girl!” they hear their mother yell from the kitchen.

“I know! Soon!” Eunbi kicks into the air as she replies, her answer partly a whine and a cry. 

“Right, smelly girl, don’t pollute the couch,” Jungwoo nudges her shoulder lightly.

“As if you’re very nice smelling either,” Eunbi scoffs.

“Anyway, I spoke to her, she was talking to her parents and they just agreed to postpone the wedding till mid-April,” Jungwoo manages to casually mention the topic despite its weighty consequence.

“Oppa,” Eunbi finds a lump in preventing her from speaking. “I… Thank you,” she mumbles, with a small smile accompanying her warm, heartfelt tone.

“Also, I didn’t tell you this but last month, I got a promotion and a pay raise,” Jungwoo casually adds whilst his eyes are still glued onto his phone. Eunbi turns to face her brother with a furrowed brow. 

“Use this money to get a new phone," Jungwoo looks up now and waves his phone at Eunbi, the screen displaying a transaction he has just made from his bank account to Eunbi's.

Eunbi's eyes slowly widens as her jaw drops. 

"Just thank me," Jungwoo nonchalantly says before turning away once again.

"Heol," Eunbi mutters in disbelief. "Heol! Oppa!" Eunbi hollers. "You're seriously acting as my big brother now that you're going to get married!" she kneels on the couch and violently throws an arm around his neck.

"When have I never! Yahh, get your hands off me!" Jungwoo protests as Eunbi brutally attacks him.

"But alright, I appreciate it. Thank you," Eunbi finds it hard to express her gratitude without a tone of sarcasm.

"The sight of your cracked iPhone 6 disgusts me," Jungwoo wrinkles his nose.

"For the last time, it's a 6S, and it's the screen protector that's cracked!"

“Woah, it’s actually really late,” her brother mutters upon noticing so when he switches the television on. “Did you come home this late on purpose?”

“I reach home around this time every year! And I don’t have a choice because I still have practice,” Eunbi narrows her eyes at her brother. She checks for the time and wonders, how is Yuna unnie doing now?

“Speaking of which, I shall make a call with my iPhone 6S that has to be switched on speaker,” she emphasises on her words as a jeer.

“Whatever,” he doesn’t turn to her when he answers. Eunbi clicks her tongue and stands up, before walking into her bedroom and closing the door behind her. Swiftly she seats herself at her desk and begins dialling on her mobile phone.

While the phone is ringing, Eunbi looks around and delights in the nostalgia and comfort of being home. She traces her finger on her desk, observing its fading shine that shows its age under her table lamp.

When the call is picked up, Eunbi brings the phone up excitedly. 

“Eunbi,” Yuna breathes into her phone, rather lifelessly.

“Unnie,” Eunbi calls out, her voice heavily laced with caution and concern. “H-How’s things?” Eunbi puts the phone on the desk with a trembling hand.

“Just,” Yuna mutters, unable to give anything more than curt replies. Eunbi frowns when she hears a sniffle over the line.

“I’ll see you soon, unnie,” Eunbi says, vexed, “please be okay,” she pleads. “I wish I could be there with you.”

It takes a short pause before Yuna answers, “Thank you, Eunbi,” she pauses again, “for calling.”

Eunbi feels Yuna’s earnest gratitude despite the brief sentence. “It’s nothing, unnie, I am here for you,” Eunbi tries to send her support without asking on Yuna to appear weak or reliant. 

“Mm,” Yuna gives a short response and nods. Yuna does not reveal it, but Eunbi’s act of fulfilling her words from the previous day brings Yuna immense encouragement and comfort. Yuna feels a gush of warmth entering her heart, much like a barrel overflowing in abundance, and Yuna is assured once again of Eunbi’s presence in her life. It pains her that she does not know how to handle Eunbi's graciousness in the seemingly conflicting circumstance.

“Don’t stay up too late,” Eunbi says next, “please rest well.”

Yuna flashes a small smile that lasts only for an infinitesimal duration. “You too. Good night,” she answers. “You’re back in Cheongju, right?” she adds, slightly hastily after a minimal pause when she finally remembers.

“Mm,” Eunbi gives lively nods anyway despite Yuna not seeing her. “Good night, unnie,” she repeats after Yuna. 

“You only wanna be out to escape helping umma with the songpyeon,” Jungwoo has his hands in his pockets as he strolls alongside his sister. 

“Shut up, I actually need to make a run for the mart,” Eunbi replies without turning to face her brother.

“Then why are we in a mall instead?” he throws a question in reply.

“Because this mall has a mart and it’s near home, pabo,” Eunbi does not tone her impudence down. 

The siblings make their way past an accessories shop and a sparkly keychain on display catches Eunbi’s eye. “Wait,” she immediately calls out to her brother and enters the shop upon memory of the keychains hanging on Yuna’s daily bag.

Eunbi takes a closer look at the keychain with a crystal flower and a pair of quavers. She recalls the card she has written for a week now, hidden away in a drawer of her dresser back in Seoul, and her initial plan to surprise Yuna with a small cake when the two would be back after celebrating Chuseok. The cake and celebration wouldn't work anymore under the present circumstances, she thinks with a frown. This will do, she reaches for it and brings it to the counter.

“Would you like to add a phone strap to the keychain for only five thousand won? We could also engrave on the phone strap for free if you’d like,” the salesperson presents her with a set of matching phone straps. 

Eunbi’s eyes sparkles in excitement, “Yes. Please engrave it with the name, ‘Yuna’.”

Walking away from the shop full of satisfaction, a bright beam remains plastered on Eunbi’s face.

“Is that for your housemate?” Jungwoo asks, seeming to know more that Eunbi has revealed.

Eunbi doesn’t realise how her brother has seen through her. “Mm,” she gleams with a cheerful hum and nods delightedly.

Eunbi watches the clock intently as it ticks on her desk. Rattling her fingers on the surface of the desk, she waits as she rests her chin on a hand. When the second hand strikes six, Eunbi grabs her phone and dials. Yuna answers just before the minute hand strikes twelve.

“Eunbi?” Yuna does not seem to have expected the call.

“Happy birthday, unnie,” Eunbi breathes into her phone, somewhat anxiously, “I can’t be there to celebrate it with you, and the current situation doesn’t call for much celebration either but,” she takes a breath to gather her thoughts, “I wish you well.”

Yuna’s long pause causes Eunbi to fret; I thought I rehearsed this in my head already! And yet I could still forget what to say!

“Thank you, Eunbi yah,” Yuna blinks, her eyes turning watery. “I really appreciate it,” the breathiness in her voice reveals her earnest emotion. 

Eunbi is appeased by Yuna’s response. She sinks in her seat and lets her lips form a smile. She shakes her head that is rested on one hand, “It’s nothing, unnie.”

“I miss you,” the words dreamily slip from Eunbi’s lips. She shakes herself awake upon realisation, startled.

Nevertheless, Yuna receives the words with much warmth and appreciation. “Me too,” she admits, slightly sheepishly, as she breathes into her phone. 

Really? Eunbi finds herself intently wanting to find the clarity in Yuna’s response. She purses her lips together for a short moment of deliberation. “Really?” she timidly asks upon deciding to do so. 

Yuna finds herself on the verge of a chuckle for the first time since leaving Seoul. She cannot find it in her current state to release any laughter, but remains amused by Eunbi’s seeming disbelief. “I can’t miss you?”

Eunbi’s eyes widen. “No no! I mean-” Eunbi panics at Yuna’s unexpected question.

Yuna flushes at Eunbi’s fluster. She presses her lips into a small smile. Looking down, she says softly but sweetly, “Have a good time back in Cheongju.”

Eunbi blinks to regain her composure. She swallows to clear , before mumbling, “Thank you, unnie.”

Yuna takes a deep breath. “Thank you for calling, Eunbi.”

“I said I’d call,” Eunbi answers.

“Don’t stay up too late,” it is Yuna’s turn to nag, “knowing you.”

“Unnie, what do you mean!” she whines after a small gasp.

Yuna finally laughs, before she knows it. Eunbi freezes and blinks, pleasantly surprised. The laughter sends a taste both bitter and sweet to Eunbi; she realises how much she misses listening to that laughter. 

Yuna too, halts her actions and realises her behaviour.

“Good night,” Yuna says after awkwardly clearing .

Eunbi does not contain the smile on her lips. “Good night unnie,” she replies in a pleasant refrain.

a/n: another chapter that calls for gfriend's You Are Not Alone, though not as much as the scene in the previous chapter kekekkk. also the amusing imagery of eunbi chokeslamming her brother… i feel bad jungwoo for having such a sister. HAHAHA. i'm not sure if y'all know by now but i write in chunks whenever the ideas come so within my chapters some scenes may have been written for months (and i get to edit them for a long time before they are released) while some are extremely new, written just before i update the chapter. this chapter was really nice to write, especially the scene where eunbi buys a present for her beloved yuna unnie and the last phone call. so much sweetness this chapter ahh <33 i hope you guys enjoyed it too! i had this written up alr for quite a while but didn't have the time to update it because of my camp and work and all :( there's also jlpt on sunday which im gonna fail lmao my $70 ㅠㅇㅠ so im not sure when i can finish writing the next update :( but i hope you like how the story is going, drop me a few comments about how yall feel! and HOW DO YALL FIND THE COMEBACK! with gfriend in this awesome new color! and i'm so happy w the summer comeback bc i've been looking forward to summer for long. remember when i was writing about summer for like the past ten chapters or so hahaha esp while it was still spring HAHAHA but now the story has reached autumn oops