Choi’s Residence, Seoul

Tuesday, October 28th, 2025

“Is Yerim all right? She didn’t answer my messages nor my call. I know yesterday you went home with her,” Yena said to her phone before giving Yuri a quick kiss on the cheek and thanked her silently as the younger girl placed a plate of omelets in front of Yena.

Last night Yena and Chaewon didn’t come back. Minjoo spent the night in their apartment and planning their year-end collaboration project. Just this afternoon Chaewon came with Yena to pick up Minjoo. They looked tired. Even Yena immediately changed her pajamas and fell asleep in their shared bedroom.

“We live in the same apartment, Unnie, of course I’m with Yerim,” said Hyejoo over the phone.

“This morning you were not present at the office. I am worried. Has Yerim been taken to the hospital?” Yena asked with her hand that ladled the chunks of omelet into .

Yuri just shook her head at Yena’s behavior. The older girl appeared in the dining room still wearing her pajamas and disheveled hair. Even so, Yena’s hand was already on the phone and was busy with her work.

“Yerim has a light fever and flu. She’s asleep now after taking her medicine. Now Chaewon Unnie and I decided to continue our work in the apartment. Have you received the email we sent this afternoon?”

Yena was used to Hyejoo’s dull tone, but tonight the girl sounded tired.

“Yeah, we got it. I think even Miss Lee is still learning it.” Yena leaned her back on the chair with a gaze towards Yuri. She was preparing orange juice for them. “I know you must be busy finishing your revision of your project and taking care of Yerim, but please take care of yourself too, Hyejoo.”

“I’m okay, Unnie, just not getting enough sleep because of the preparation. It’s become routine, right? No one in this team will ever get enough sleep when it’s near the release time of our new game.”

Yena laughed in agreement with what Hyejoo said.

“I want to visit your apartment but today I’m too tired to spend my time in Blue World. Didn’t know that Kim Heechul were detailed and perfectionists. The way he handled this project was completely different from when Miss Lee offered to work together. Kim Heechul can quickly agree to help Sapphire but is very strict with anything related to their product.” Yena switched to talking about work and the meeting this afternoon.

“Did you meet the Blue Chips?”

Yena frowned at Hyejoo’s question.

“Are you talking about the blue chips as the stock market?” Yena asked confused.

“I’m talking about the half-siblings of Kim Heechul. They called them the Blue Chips because the children from the second marriage brought a lot of luck to Blue World.”

“Ahhhh I met one of them at the meeting. Kim Sohye. I heard she likes games.”

Hyejoo laughed at Yena’s words.

“She is a professional gamer, Unnie. I lost to her in a competition while in college. But she doesn’t seem to have made gaming a part of her profession. I forgot to tell you about it. Is she good?”

“Good was an understatement. She provided many assists for this project, and the older Kim seemed to consider her input seriously. Blue World is held by heirs who are very competent in their fields. I think I still have a lot to learn when dealing with them.” Yena grimaced at what happened all day earlier. Upon their return from Astreaia, Hyewon, Yena, and Chaewon immediately continued their work.

“Just do your work well like usual. Everything is good and under control, Unnie, you’re not alone. Aren’t the others also at the meeting with you?”

“Yeah, at least their presence made me feel a little calmer,” Yena admitted. “Hyejoo-ya, please tell Yerim to contact me. I’m worried.”

“I’ll tell her to call you after she wakes up, Unnie.”

“Okay, thank you, Hyejoo. For everything. I owe you a lot. See you.”

Yena took a deep breath as the conversation ended. She smiled when her eyes met Yuri’s. Normally, a week before the release date, the entire Sapphire Team will stay overnight in Sapphire. But in their last meeting, Sunny Lee ordered there is no overtime for them and asked them not to stay at the office.

“Is everything all right?” Yuri walked over to Yena and put a glass of orange juice in front of the older girl. Yena put her phone down and looked up at Yuri, letting the girl cup her palms on Yena’s face. “You look tired.” Yuri rubbed Yena’s cheek with her thumb.

“Well, I am,” Yena admitted without hesitation.

All night she couldn’t sleep thinking about what they would do after the Sapphire Tier promo ended. Wonyoung seemed very careful about conveying their mission. It made Yena, Hyewon, and Chaewon feel tormented even though they didn’t have any clue about what was going on.

“You’re worried too much, Unnie.” Yuri looked down and gave her kiss on Yena’s lips. “I’m sure the Sapphire Tier will beat the previous Sapphire series record.”

“We will.” Yena smiled but Yuri knew, the smile did not reach her eyes. “Thank you for always supporting me, Babe.”

“I’ll say the same thing to you. I will always do that for you, Unnie. I will always be by your side.”

“Can you hold me for a moment?”

Yuri smiled and pulled Yena in her arms. Leaving Yena’s head resting on her chest and hearing her heartbeat pounding every time Yena was in her arms.

“I will hug you any time. As long as you want, Unnie. Forever.”

***

Royal Goods, Seoul

Tuesday, October 28th, 2025

“Stop playing with the trolley, Babe. You’re not a kid anymore.” Minjoo shook her head to see Chaewon pushing the trolley with half body on the trolley and legs floating in the air.

Chaewon pursed her lips and returned to her feet on the ground, with one hand supports her head with a bored face waiting for Minjoo who chooses ingredients very carefully.

“This place is secluded and boring.” Chaewon sighed and looked around them.

Usually, Chaewon does weekly shopping alone or with Yena because Minjoo and Yuri are busy with their schedules. But whenever Minjoo has free time, she will do shopping with Chaewon. Minjoo knows Chaewon always feels bored if she takes too long to choose foods and other stuff and makes her have to wait and circle in the grocery store. In contrast to Chaewon who can always finish this duty in less than an hour.

“Miss Choi would be hurt if she heard you comment like that about this place.”

“Miss Choi?” One of Chaewon’s eyebrows rose.

Minjoo’s fingers pointed to the Royal Goods logo on the price tag.

“Royal Goods is a part of the business owned by Royal Land Group, just like your office, Sapphire Corp., that is a joint venture of Ellas Ent and Royal Ent. You remember where Miss Choi came from, right? I think you saw her too often in Sapphire you forgot the true identity of Choi Sooyoung.” Minjoo stared at the cooler and grabbed a bottle of yogurt and read the ingredients carefully. “Royal Goods is close to our apartment and provides everything we need. Besides that, this place is quite private and that’s the reason why we always shop here, because you don’t like crowded places that makes me need to wear a mask when I’m with you.”

“I don’t mind it. I just don’t want our little date will provoke the news reporter and risk your career.”

“If our love can become a scandal, I will ask my agency to confirm our relationship. There’s nothing wrong with falling in love. After all, I’m an adult and you are my lover. More than that, I have been bonded to you all my life. We’re practically married, you know. I won’t hide you as if you don’t mean anything to me. You are more important than all the scandals and also my career, Miss Kim.” Minjoo glanced at Chaewon and smiled when she saw the sulking look of the older girl.

“I’m flattered. The KIM MINJOO loves me. I’m so lucky to have her.” Chaewon jutted her lips with rolling eyes.

“Yah, what’s with that tone? I just said nice things to you and that’s your reply?” Minjoo shook her head. “You lucky I love you.”

“Love you too, babe,” Chaewon’s smug face looks annoying. Even so, of course, Minjoo would rather see Chaewon being playful like this than looking serious like a few moments ago when she had just finished the meeting at Blue World.

Chaewon pointed to a cooling box that provides various types of ice cream. “Minjoo, mint choco ice cream, please.”

Minjoo turned her head with a frown. Quickly she shook her head. “Unnie, the weather is getting cold. You will catch a cold if you eat ice cream every day.”

“I haven’t eaten ice cream for days because you gave all of my ice creams to Wonyoung. You should pay to stock up on ice cream for me!!” Chaewon made her childish protests.

“Oh my God, Kim Chaewon.” Minjoo laughed at Chaewon’s antics. “Just a small tub.”

Chaewon mouthed a ‘I love you’ with her lips and jogged to get mint choco ice cream. Minjoo looked at Chaewon with adoration. Since Wonyoung came back to their life, it’s like they’re also back to their old habit. A few weeks ago, Minjoo couldn’t hide her smile when she saw Hyewon and Wonyoung cuddling on the couch while watching a movie and ended up falling asleep on the couch. Yena is back being the troublemaker she is, doing some ‘experiment’ with her sandwich as she prepares breakfast in the kitchen. Chaewon also eating mint choco ice cream again since the first day she and Wonyoung met because the younger girl immediately begged to buy her favorite ice cream. Whereas Yujin- Ah! Thinking about that girl made Minjoo remember something.

Minjoo turned her head looking for something.

“What are you looking for?” Chaewon appeared from behind and put the ice cream tub in the trolley.

“I’m looking for ingredients to make scones.” Minjoo took out her phone and looked for the scone recipe. “Hm, I think we still have some of these ingredients in the apartment.” Minjoo bit her lower lip with a serious expression while checking the ingredients to make scones.

“You want to make scones?”

“No, but Wonie does.” Minjoo smiled broadly. “She said she wants to stay at our apartment and make scones over the weekend. I guess there’s nothing wrong with having a small party after you guys released Sapphire Tier.”

“Yeah, sounds fun. I will tell Hyewon Unnie and Yena Unnie to join us.” Chaewon reached out her hand to grab Minjoo’s phone. “What ingredients do we need to buy?”

Minjoo poked her head to stare at her phone. “The ingredients number 2, 4, and 9, Unnie.”

Chaewon nodded her head and returned Minjoo’s phone. “Is there anything else you are looking for?”

“Just salad and some meats.”

“Can I get my jellies and chips?” Chaewon’s eyes sparkled when she mentioned her favorite snacks.

“Didn’t you just buy it last week?” Minjoo frowned. A few days ago she still saw lots of stock jellies and chips in the cupboard.

Chaewon rubbed the nape with a sulking expression. “This morning Yena Unnie visited our apartment to change clothes and robbed all my snacks.”

Minjoo laughed and nodded her head. She can imagine it. Yena tried to put all the snack into her bag and Chaewon who was whining trying to prevent it from happening and ended up pouting because she failed in thwarting what Yena did. That sight had happened too often.

“I’m going to find the ingredients for the scone.” Chaewon kissed Minjoo on the cheek and walked towards the shelf where she would find the ingredients for making scones.

Chaewon quickly gathered the ingredients. Not to forget grabbed a large pack of chips with her favorite flavor before stepping into the jellies and chocolate shelf.

“You just had eaten a big pack jellies by yourself. This morning you had breakfast with waffles, syrup, and ice cream. Before we got here, you ordered crepes with lots of chocolate and whipped cream. Aren’t you afraid of diabetes? Ugh! I can’t even imagine what would happen to my stomach and teeth if I ate all of that on the same day.”

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