On Sunday morning Yuna wakes up excitedly with sunlight warmly falling on her face through the windows as she pulls the sheets away and stretches into a yawn. A cheerful melody plays in her mind as she prepares herself for the day, putting together a comfortable but presentable outfit, her long, dark hair nicely falling on her shoulders and her back.

When she takes a last good look at herself in the mirror her mother opens the door, startling her.

“You're dressed up,” her mother states, “where are you going?”

Yuna doesn’t want to lie. Slightly ashamed, she softly replies, “Seoul.”

“Ah, looking for accommodation?” her mother does not look at her but walks straight past her to the dresser.

“I’m sorry, umma,” Yuna apologises in response.

“Don’t be sorry!” her mother turns back to her after reaching for something within the drawers. “You’ve already sacrificed your youth to be obedient to his household. I wanted you to chase your dreams, and you did go to music school, but staying here you won’t achieve much. Get out there, Yuna yah, you’re turning twenty-nine already,” her mother continues.

“Umma,” Yuna calls out in the same guilty voice.

“I wanted to give this to you for a while now, for I didn’t know you’d ask me first to move out,” her mother says as she reaches for Yuna’s hand and places an envelope in her palm. “Get a good place,” her mother smiles, looking into her eyes.

Yuna widened eyes begin to water. “Umma,” she sobs.

“Yuna yah! You’re crying again?” her mother lightly reprimands her, while rubbing her back to comfort the girl.

Eunbi is jolted out of her dreams and opens her eyes to bright, strong rays of the morning sun. Rubbing her face with her palms, she then reaches for her mobile phone and to check for the time. Eunbi jumps out of bed when she sees the large numbers “9:48” on her lock screen.

She zooms straight for the bathroom to give herself a quick shower. Whilst brushing her teeth she puzzles over what to wear for the day. Slipping into her clothes after staring at her closet with its doors wide open for a good thirty seconds, she grabs her bag, runs out to the doorway while inserting a watch on her wrist and hastily puts on a pair of sneakers. She runs out of the house and to the elevators, out of the elevators and out of the apartment block.

She takes a break when she waits for the red man to turn green. Eunbi checks for the time again on her watch, panting heavily. “Did I sleep through my alarm?” she mutters under her breath and decides to check on her mobile phone. Eunbi deadpans and groans softly when she realises she’s accidentally set the alarm an hour late.

Eunbi finally reaches the train station and is by then sweating after the run, though the summer has yet to begin. She takes deep breaths while tidying her hair, checking again for the time on her wristwatch. Thankfully Eunbi is punctual, and the electronic signs show that the train doesn’t arrive until two minutes later (she assumes that is the train the cellist is taking).

Eunbi looks for their chat again in her mobile phone and takes a good look at the profile photo of her potential housemate. She narrows her eyes in an attempt to memorise the features from the solemn face of the girl seated on a chair with a bow in hand and a cello before her. This should be a photo from a performance, Eunbi thinks. After a lengthened moment of knitting her brow, Eunbi looks up and puts her phone away with a sigh.

Eunbi spots a tall figure in a flowy white blouse and a pair of skinny jeans emerging from the tapping machines at the station. Her long black locks accompanied with straight bangs concealing her forehead resemble what Eunbi has seen in the photo. When she draws nearer and Eunbi gets a better view of her face, it’s the cellist, Eunbi thinks.

Their eyes meet for a moment after. Eunbi freezes, while she sees her break into a courteous smile and walking towards her.

“Annyeonghaseyo,” she says with a small bow, “I’m Choi Yuna. You must be Hwang Eunbi ssi,” she speaks with a smile that somehow makes Eunbi feels like she hears the sweet sound of bells ringing at the back of her head.

She snaps out of her daze a good five-second interval later when the wind blows against her and her hair smacks right into her face. “Ah, annyeonghaseyo,” Eunbi sweeps her hair away to lock the loose strands behind her ear, reciprocating the greeting with a bow as well, “Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too,” Yuna remains smiling with her twinkling eyes and speaks with a voice somehow melodious to Eunbi’s ears. Has it anything got to do with the fact that she’s a musician? Eunbi wonders.

“Let’s go and you can have a look at the place,” Eunbi smiles and gestures for them to be on their way, before she catches herself being drawn in by the cellist again. Why am I feeling like this? She wonders, and dismisses it (hopefully) that she is just anxious about getting a new roommate and so far Yuna has seemed like a rather decent- far more than just decent, almost perfect- candidate.

“I’m sorry, but, your birthday...?” Eunbi doesn’t complete her question, in an attempt to remain polite, despite the urge to ask out of curiosity.

“October 4, 1989,” Yuna answers, slightly bemused.

Eunbi’s jaw is slightly agape. “You’re an unnie,” Eunbi says and nods her head.

“Do I not look like one?” Yuna cannot help but ask. She chuckles a little as she does so.

“No!” Eunbi shakes her head, “You do,” she says softly.

“I’m just kidding,” Yuna laughs. Eunbi doesn’t notice or question the feeling, but Yuna’s laughter produces butterflies inside of her. “When’s yours?” Yuna returns the question.

“June 3, 90,” Eunbi casually answers.

“That’s yesterday!” Yuna gasps. “Happy birthday, Hwang Eunbi ssi,” Yuna smiles and delightfully gives her wishes.

Eunbi swears she feels her heart skip a beat.

When they arrive at the apartment Eunbi invites Yuna in, before a silence engulfs them and Eunbi feels the cold, stale air in the apartment. Rubbing her arms, Eunbi walks over to the other end of the living room to open the windows and let in some fresh air.

When she turns back around she sees Yuna’s gaze on the piano near the entrance, covered with an elegant beige-coloured cloth with tassels.

“Ah the piano,” Eunbi nods as her eyes roll over to the piano, “is the landlady's.” Eunbi points to it as she explains, “It's really old so she left it here and we can use it, though we have to pay for tuning services on our own. There are lots of other old furniture and appliances that are from the landlady as well, like that speaker, the television, the washing machine and so on, while others are furnished by her. Actually, I chose this place for the piano, even though I haven’t used it much.”

Yuna turns to Eunbi with widened eyes. “Actually, me too,” she softly says, bringing a hand to her lips. “And because you're also a musician,” she adds.

“Right, you’re a cellist!” Eunbi replies rather enthusiastically, having been eager to find out more the whole time, “Where did you graduate from? I was in the Seoul National University, College of Music,” Eunbi chirps an introduction.

“Ah, I was from Dankook,” Yuna smiles, rather delighted to be meeting the ardent clarinettist as a future housemate. “I’m also probably looking for a chamber ensemble to join once I move into Seoul,” Yuna reveals.

“I’m in SSO! Seoul Symphony Orchestra! You could join us,” Eunbi speaks with her eyes wide, “there happens to be auditions next month.”

“Oh, that orchestra was affiliated to your conservatory, right?” Yuna nods in understanding.

“Ah, yes, that too,” Eunbi smiles. Something about Yuna just fascinates Eunbi.

“Do you only perform?” Yuna asks in curiosity.

Eunbi nods her head. “I don’t teach, but I’m in SSO and a few other small groups that I do community performances and gigs with,” she explains.

“I see,” Yuna mutters and nods in response. She walks through the hallway and takes a glance into the rooms when Eunbi shows her which will be hers.

“I’m sorry my room is a mess,” Eunbi sheepishly apologises.

Yuna lightly chuckles, “It’s alright.”

She dips her head, delighted, as she scans through the furniture and condition of the house and concludes that the photos have not been very different.

“Do you like it?” Eunbi asks in a hopeful voice. She doesn’t know if she’s just wanting to find a housemate quick or she wants to live with this nice-looking cellist with a beautiful smile despite just meeting her.

Yuna nods, her pink lips forming the smile that has been mesmerising Eunbi for the past hour. “I like it.”

a/n: changed their birth years bc it's supposed to be 2017 but the characters are supposed to be 28 and 29 in korea. i rly wanted to update this fic quick and let our girls meet so yes finally here they have met!!! ugh but honestly my purpose in the buddy fandom is to ADVOCATE SINJU so yes they gotta be some cute shinb being all mesmerised w yuju (like how she is irl coughs coughs) anw,, i wrote this chapter over a span of about six weeks so there might be inconsistencies omg lololol but i hope you like it!! i've just finished my last bit of it today in the evening OTL been busy w teaching recently which honestly drains my energy such that i don't even write when i have free time so i hope this chapter is fine omg bc i haven't read it myself enough haha but it's been a week since the previous update so i hope you guys are liking the story so far <3 hugs to all you people giving me such support and encouragement