Solar was drunk. She almost always was, really, even on stage.

"Where are we headed?" She asked her driver, disoriented and unable to remember why she was in the car to begin with.

"We're going back to the hotel ma'am. It's just the traffic that's taking us so long." The driver explained, "Sorry, I don't know this area of LA too well so I couldn't avoid the rush."

"Right right. That's fine." Solar said, memory jogged slightly as she drank the last little bit of alcohol from her bottle. She was taking Bacardi straight, her favourite.

Her eyes wandered the bright neon lights as they passed by in a blur.

"Hey wait, is that a bar on the side?" Solar sat up a little, happy with her little discovery of a dimly lit sign up ahead that happened to catch her eye.

"Uh yeah I think so, but Hwasa instructed me to take you back directly-"

"We're not soundchecking early tomorrow so we don't have to be at the venue until evening, right? I'll be alright," Solar interrupted, vaguely remembering tomorrow's schedule, although still not completely sober, "Turn right here."

The driver did as instructed and pulled up to a parking spot in front of the bar on the sidestreet. Solar stumbled a little when she got out of the car but she regained her balance quickly. The driver shut off the engine and pulled out his headphones - he is going to be waiting out here a while.

"My goodness, are you who I think you are??" Sandeul gasped when Solar walked up to the entrance. Solar flashed a smile and offered a handshake, "Hi, I'm Solar, nice to meet you."

"Oh good heavens please come in!" Sandeul took Solar's hand and shook it almost too excitedly as he led her into the bar.

It was loud inside. There was a lady on stage singing an upbeat French song passionately, serving as the backdrop for the many conversations happening at once in different parts of the bar.

"My name is Sandeul and I'm literally such a big fan of yours. You just finished a concert in the area right? Unfortunately I couldn't go see it because... Well..." Sandeul gestured at his bouncer outfit as they were walking to the bar top.

Solar nodded, "That's right, I was down by the theatre earlier. Sorry you couldn't come but hey, here I am."

Sandeul was freaking out. "And I still can't believe you are! This is such an honour. What brings you here? Oh pardon me - hey Min, can you get our friend Solar here anything she wants?" He gestured to the bartender as they approached the bar top.

"Some straight Bacardi please," Solar politely asked before answering Sandeul, "and I kind of just saw the sign for this place out on the road and I thought it would be interesting to stop by."

"Well you made a great choice! Tonight is our mic night and my homegirl is closing the show!" Sandeul exclaimed excitedly as Solar took a seat.

"She actually sings right," Solar joked. "Not like some sing-a-long thing or whatever."

"Oh she can really sing, trust me on that. She writes her own lyrics too!" Sandeul insisted as the song in the background comes to an end and the applause starts. "Look, she's coming on now!"

Solar settled in her seat and turned to the stage, intrigued.

"And last but not least, we have our bar's very own talent... Everyone please welcome Byulyi!" The host shouted as the crowd applauded loudly.

The spotlight was shining brightly, but Solar thought this Byulyi girl that just walked on stage was shining even brighter.

"Hi everyone," Byulyi started, "I'm Byulyi and tonight I've prepared a classic with my own spin on it for everyone. Hope everyone continues enjoying the night."

As Byulyi started singing, Solar looked around and noticed that the side chattering has noticeably subsided and everyone's attention was on the stage - they were all attracted by this unique aura that poured out from Byulyi's confidence and beautiful voice. She was singing Zion T's Don't Forget, indeed a classic, and switched smoothly from singing the original lyrics to rapping her own. Solar had to admit: Byulyi was very talented. Her words and rhythm flowed beautifully and her voice was captivating in every form. Just as Solar was admiring the performance with a smile plastered on her face, Byulyi turned her head in Solar's direction. Their eyes met for a brief moment before Byulyi looked away at the rest of the crowd once more. There was something unexplainable about the glance, and Solar felt her heart skip a beat. 

"Solar...Solar!"

"Hmm?" Solar blinked and turned to see a still-excited Sandeul trying to get her attention as the performance finished up and the crowd started going wild.

"How was that? It was wonderful wasn't it? Wasn't I right?"

"Yes indeed," Solar agreed and nodded, "Thank you for that I really enjoyed it."

"Listen... You've got to meet her," Sandeul exclaimed.

"What?" The crowd was getting rowdy and it was hard to hear over all the noise.

"You've got to meet her!" Sandeul shouted.

"You serious? Are you sure about that?" Solar was taken aback, although she didn't exactly intend to reject the offer.

"Of course! Really you've got to. She'll love to as well. Come on!" Sandeul was already dragging Solar backstage before Solar can say anything else.

The back of the stage wasn't any different than what Solar was used to, just a little smaller. Everyone was busy rushing around doing their best to get changed and go home for the night. Some turned and gasped when they noticed Solar passing by, and Solar simply smiled and nodded her head politely at them. 

"Byul! Oh my gosh Byul you did amazing as always!" Sandeul ran up to Byulyi and pulled her into a big hug.

"Thanks Sandeul, always appreciate your support," Byulyi eagerly returned the hug with a smile.

"Look who's here!" Sandeul introduced Solar as he broke away from the hug, "It's Solar!"

Byulyi turned to face Solar, and she smiled even wider. "Why hello there, I thought it might've been you," she referred to their brief eye contact earlier.

"Pleasure to meet you, Byulyi," Solar held out her hand and leaned into Byulyi a little closer when Byulyi took her hand to shake it, "You have a beautiful voice and your lyrics-writing is amazing." 

Byulyi was honoured to be praised by a singer such as Solar herself, "Thank you, I really appreciate your acknowledgement."

"I gotta go help with clean up but you two take your time alright?" Sandeul said quickly, "Again, it's such an honour to meet you tonight Solar, come back again soon please... Oh one last thing, can I please please have your autograph?" 

Solar laughed as she took the uncapped marker that Sandeul seemed to have pulled out of nowhere, "Of course I can, where do you want it?"

"Right here," Sandeul pointed at his shirt and tugged on the bottom to flatten it out for Solar. Byulyi shook her head at her friend and smiled as she watched Solar expertly sign her name on the fabric, having done this a million times before.

"Thank you thank you oh my gosh I still can't believe this... Anyway you two have fun!" Sandeul bowed a few times and ran off, squealing in excitement.

"So how come you came back here?" Byulyi proceeded to removing her makeup after waving to Sandeul.

"Your friend there brought me here," Solar pointed at Sandeul absentmindely, focusing most of her attention on Byulyi.

"Ah, what a guy," Byulyi chuckled.

"You here often?" Solar asked. At this point, she is vaguely aware that her words are slightly slurred and that she is still, very much, drunk.

"Well... Yeah, quite often," Byulyi seemed to have noticed but didn't say anything as she continued removing her makeup. "It's pretty great here. I mean the girls are really nice to let me sing here and the crowd is amazing. It's really the only place I can do what I love doing." 

"You don't do this anywhere else?" Solar was a little surprised.

"Nope."

"You haven't gotten an album or...or like a mixtape or anything of that sort goin' on?"

"Nope."

"You're joking. With this talent of yours, nothing?" Solar was really surprised now.

Byulyi stops wiping away her drawn eyebrow, "Really, this is the only place I sing at."

"How come?" Solar couldn't believe it.

"Look... I've tried and it's just never worked out," Byulyi sighed and looked down, "They always tell me the same thing: "Your voice is great and you can write songs, but your looks just don't cut it.""

"No," Solar disagreed immediately. "No way. Wow, what they have to say, they don't know what they're talking about. You're gorgeous-"

"Why are you back here, Solar?" Byulyi interrurpted and looked Solar directly in the eye.

"What? I told you, your friend brought me here and I wanted to meet you after that kind of performance-"

"You're drunk." Byulyi pointed out calmly.

Solar paused, then laughed quietly.

"Maybe." She flashed a drunken smile, much to Byulyi's disapproval.

"Can I get you a drink?" Solar asked, and Byulyi was taken back.

"Uh... N-no. I have to get going now and get some sleep. I-I have work tomorrow afternoon," Byulyi stuttered and she doesn't know why.

"Please, something small," Solar persisted, "I won't take up too much of your time, I promise you'll get your sleep."

"I..." Byulyi hesitated, half of her drawn eyebrow still on top of her real one, "I'll still be a while before I get cleaned up."

"I'll wait for you outside, yeah?" Solar gestured towards the door, unwilling to give up. She's usually stubborn, and even more stubborn when she's drunk, which means she's stubborn all the time.

Byulyi pursed her lips, "Alright."

Solar clapped her hands together and stood up, a little wobbly but still able to keep her balance. "I'll be right outside," She started towards the door and turned back with another smile before she kept walking, "Don't leave without me." 

Byulyi watched as Solar made her way to the door slowly, nodding and smiling politely at those that were shocked to see her backstage. Byulyi turned back towards the mirror and finally managed to wiped off the other half of her eyebrow. Her mind was muddled, and she wondered what on earth she had just signed herself up for.