“Oh, you’re awake Eunbi ssi,” Yuna comes out of the room in shorts and a sweater, “Good morning,” she smiles and gives Eunbi a small bow, her eyes still half-closed.

“Ah, good morning,” Eunbi smiles and dips her head in return. “I’m going to practise for a small community performance that will take place next month, so I’ll be leaving after I’m done with breakfast and changing,” she politely explains.

“Community performance! That sounds nice,” Yuna smiles. “You got some side dishes?” she asks while stopping at the hallway, her eyes landing upon the assemblage of food on the dining table.

“A section-mate’s mother dropped by during sectionals yesterday and handed me some, knowing that I live alone away from my family,” Eunbi delightedly explains, “Please have some too! I took out a lot, and there’s still some rice in the cooker.”

Yuna pauses, and mutters a bashful question, “Is that alright?”

“Go ahead!” Eunbi cheerfully replies.

“Thank you, Eunbi ssi,” Yuna smiles brightly when she replies which makes Eunbi feel like her heart has just made a leap over the clouds.

“Please just speak to me casually. We’re going to see each other every day anyway,” Eunbi adds.

Yuna blinks. Well, it has already been a week since moving in, she thinks. “Sure, Eunbi, you can drop the formality too,” she decides to agree.

Wait, what? Eunbi only realises her own request when Yuna’s statement registers in her mind. Why should they speak comfortably? Eunbi was living with the previous housemate for almost two whole years, yet they were courteous the whole time.

“Okay, unnie,” Eunbi decides to give it a try. It doesn’t feel too bad after all, she thinks, since they’re only a year apart (while with the previous housemate they had a seven-year ).

When Yuna returns Eunbi with the same radiant smile that sends butterflies to Eunbi’s stomach, she almost chokes on the rice in .

“Oh no! Are you alright?” Yuna rushes over, exclaiming in worry. She places a hand on Eunbi’s back to soothe her as she coughs.

The unexpected contact startles Eunbi, sending chills down her spine. “I’m alright,” she tries to say and takes a sip of water. Embarrassed, Eunbi hurriedly finishes her meal, washes her dishes and retreats to her room to prepare to leave for the day.

“Unnie,” Eunbi sheepishly calls out when Yuna is resting on the couch.

“Yes?” the older girl looks up from her mobile phone with a questioning look.

“I will need to be practising for a bit…” Eunbi’s voice trails off with her shy request, her back slightly crouching as her fingers grip onto her clarinet on one hand and music stand in another hand, whilst securing a black file with her arm close to her body.

Yuna eyes the amount of equipment the younger is holding and wonders if she should help. “Yeah, sure!” she casually agrees.

“It’s going to be noisy, I’ll be in my room,” Eunbi warns, her voice still heavily tinted with unease.

“It’s okay!” Yuna shakes her head immediately, “You can practise here if you need to. Or do you usually practise in your room?” Yuna is now seated upright, her focus on the situation.

Eunbi tilts her head and slowly answers, “I… I used to practise in my room until I got lazy and practised here the past two months since the previous housemate moved out.”

“Practise here, Eunbi yah,” Yuna suggests with a wide smile.

“What?” Eunbi blurts, immediately after Yuna has spoken. “I mean, really?” she asks again.

“If you don’t mind my presence when you practise?” it is then Yuna’s turn to be conscious.

Eunbi her lips in silence, contemplating an answer.

“Oh, you mind, I am so sorry, I will go in,” Yuna stands on her two feet and prepares to retreat into her own room.

Eunbi feels her heart sink as soon as Yuna’s words register in her. She doesn’t know why, but has no time to question it anyway. Immediately she exclaims, “No!”

Yuna halts in her motion, looking at Eunbi with bemused, widened eyes.

“I don’t mind at all,” Eunbi takes a deep breath, dipping her head as she regains composure. “You can watch if you like, unnie,” her lips crack into a small smile.

Yuna’s expression softens, and when her lips uncover her beautiful white teeth in her usual sweet smile, Eunbi feels her heart fluttering within her. Eunbi her lips when she realises that actually like it that Yuna will be there as she practises.

While setting up, Eunbi continues the conversation, “Have you tried practising on the piano? I hope my presence hasn’t been affecting you, and your practice with your cello too.”

“No! It’s fine, I’m at home a lot in the day because I still only have that one job at the ballet school, and I like practising in the morning so yes I’ve been practising,” Yuna smiles as she explains.

“That’s good,” Eunbi nods her head, muttering. She then adds a question when it appears in her mind, “Right! Have you considered if you would want to audition for SSO?”

“Well,” Yuna looks away, “I did consider,” she tries not to hurt Eunbi with her words, but her first choice in mind has always been a chamber ensemble.

Eunbi seems to know that. In fact, she has guessed that. “Do you like chamber music more than orchestral symphonies?”

Yuna wonders how she should answer. After a moment of pondering, she says, “I’m inclined to music like those by Elgar, Mendelssohn...” Yuna figures she should stop herself from listing.

With that, Eunbi understands. She silently nods.

Nonetheless, the hope of being in the same stage is carefully held in both their hearts. No one says anything, but they know about each other holding such a wish and they know that they know, and they are not questioning it. With that, Eunbi decides to be appreciative. It hasn’t been long since she’s met Yuna; the special feeling she knows she’s holding for the cellist warms her and assures her that she is going to be happy to live with Yuna. And they know, they both know, that they’re only going to get closer; a tingling urge in their heart excites them to get to know each other better.

"So, what will you be practising?"

“I’ve found a student!” Yuna announces when she arrives home, having noticed Eunbi’s shoes by the doorway.

Eunbi runs out from the kitchen and gasps. “Really!” she exclaims, her expression reading excitement. “That was fast!”

“Yeah, I thought I’d take at least a month,” Yuna, too, is elated. “But it’s only been two weeks since I’ve moved to Seoul!”

“Unnie,” Eunbi says, “I’m your lucky charm,” in a playful tone.

Yuna wrinkles her nose. “Sure,” she jokingly answers with a smug, before breaking into laughter. Eunbi chuckles along, and the sound of their melodious laughter in harmony warms Eunbi on the inside.

“Right, have you decided whether to join SSO?” Eunbi lets out the question that has been bugging her.

Yuna doesn't know what she should say, so she turns around and releases a sigh soft enough to prevent Eunbi from hearing it. Yuna admits that she is at the least enticed to audition for and hopefully be a member of the reputable orchestra. More than that, the thought of being on the same stage as Eunbi has been a huge reason for her shift of stance on her dilemma.

“Just come for the auditions anyway!” Eunbi knows her words will be rejected anyway, but decides to say them. She hides the sourness in her heart with a slight curve in her lips, but her unsteady brown orbs give her away.

Yuna looks down with a frown, not knowing her own intentions. She doesn’t know when it started that Eunbi has started becoming a significant presence in her life, and has still yet to comprehend the fluttering in her heart and the ecstasy she gets whenever the two are home together.

Yuna wants to give in. “I may try for the audition,” she makes a decision aloud that sounds more like a mere possibility. Something tells both of them that they know the conclusion. Yuna knows that Eunbi knows, and it fills her up with guilt.

Eunbi wants to smile at Yuna’s answer, knowing that in the least the older girl had given her words some thought. She knows she shouldn't be blaming Yuna anyway, because Yuna is to make her own choices for her own life.

Eunbi wonders, just a little, if there is space for herself in Yuna’s life. A passing thought, she waves it away as, when she cannot find the logic behind having such a thought.

a/n: i'm sorry for the slightly late update! been busy so i am just done with the last part of the chapter and personally i don't really like what i did with this chapter bc it seems a little inconsistent, a little rushed, shorter sentences, and too little attention on the details :( but i hope nonetheless you guys will continue liking this fic... i will def do more proofreading so yes minor edits like grammar or word choice or even extra details. in other news pls support eunha and ravi's legendary collab aka pepsi's legendary cf HAHAHA i love the song! well see you guys next time, thank you for the supportive comments always <333