Chapter 41

April 2022

“No matter how hard I try; it just doesn’t sound right. They’re …” Eunbi said with a sigh.

She was sitting on her cushy chair in her studio with a guitar in her arm. She turned her chair to look at her friend who was sitting on the brown couch behind her. Her same aged friend who is also an idol, Chu Sojung, or she’s better known as WJSN’s leader, Exy.

Exy blinked her eyes a few times, looking back at Eunbi. She sighed.

“None of your songs that you wrote are bad, Eunbi-ah. What the hell are you talking about?”

Eunbi bit her lip and then sighed again.

“Well, they’re not bad, BAD. But, you know what I mean? They’re not hits, HITS. I don’t know what I’m missing here. Everytime I submit my songs for my new album, the producers always picked only one, and it’s for the B-side.”

Exy nods, “Well, you’re right.”

“Right?”

“I mean, Mirror wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t that good either. And OFF is also… just an average song.”

Eunbi nods, “You know what I mean, right? Hmm, should I try writing rap like you? Maybe you can teach me!”

Exy laughed, “Rap? Really?”

“What’s wrong with me trying to rap? You think I can’t do it? I had rapped before!”

The cosmic group leader shook her head, “Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to hold you back from exploring new genres but-

“Look Eunbi, everyone has their own forte, their specialty. Like IU sunbaenim is a genius songwriter but you don’t see her suddenly try to change her genre to metal rock or techno.”

“I can’t imagine IU sunbaenim doing rock-

“That’s not my point! My point is, you should keep on doing what you do best, writing songs in your genre. Instead of trying to change who you are completely.”

“My genre?”

“Pop, ballads, mid-tempo songs. Like… Parallel Universe! That song is amazing!”

Eunbi smiled awkwardly.

“Well, that’s one bittersweet song. When I was writing that, I was just filled with mixed emotions. I cried while writing the lyrics too.”

Exy clapped her hands, “Yes, that’s exactly what you need!”

“What?”

“Emotions... Try writing songs while you’re connecting with your deepest feelings, and pour your emotions onto the paper, change them into musical notes. Try writing love songs for once! Not just songs about enjoying the day off.”

Eunbi chuckled, “What? Love songs? I’m as single as ever, how am I supposed to write that kind of song?”

Exy smirked.

“W-What?”

“Write about… Her.”

Eunbi’s expression changed. Her smiles faded. Suddenly the air in the room feels heavy.

“I know how much she means to you. You two were so in love. It was an absolute love dive. Write about it.”

Eunbi looked away and laughed awkwardly.

“She’s… about to debut from a huge company soon. I don’t want to cause any trouble.”

“I’m not asking you to write a song titled with her name, unless you want to be like Taylor Swift... sunbaenim.”

Eunbi shrugged, “But it was so long ago. I don’t... remember much anymore.”

“Pfft. It was only last year. And you’ve been avoiding her like a plague since your breakup. So I doubt you forgot about her.”

Eunbi looked away, “That’s enough. I don’t want to talk about it.”

Exy scoffed, “You’re avoiding her. You even avoid talking about her. You haven’t moved on, have you?”

Eunbi glared at her friend.

“Didn’t you say that you have to practice for Queendom 2?”

“Yes I do! And you’re the one dragging me here! Dayoung already called me twice!”

“Well, you can go now! I should’ve called Yein instead of you!”

“Alright then, I’m going!” Exy stood up and grabbed her bag.

Just when Exy about to leave the studio, Eunbi’s phone rang. It was a video call from Minju. She picked it up, expecting to see Minju’s pretty face, but she was shocked to see it was someone else.

“Yah, Kwon Eunbi!”

A tipsy looking, dark short hair Kim Chaewon appeared on the screen.

Exy peeked from behind her, “Isn’t that Chaewon from Woollim before? She’s getting cuter with the short hair. A little… feisty?”

“Oh, Chaewon-ah. What’s up?” asked Eunbi.

Chaewon scrunched her face, looking displeased.

“Why didn’t you come here tonight? We’re all gathering here at Chaeyeon’s house but you’re not here. AGAIN! You’ve bailed out on us, on IZ*ONE, your children!”

Eunbi gulped, “Well, I have a schedule... I’m in the middle of a comeback! I’m sorry Chaewonnie. Let’s hang out together next time!”

Chaewon blew a raspberry at Eunbi. She looks upset, but still cute.

“You think I have time after this? Me and Kkura unnie are debuting next month and this is the only time we have to hang out before we’ll be enslaved again but you didn’t come! We were together for years unnie, didn’t the time we were in Woollim mean anything to you??”

Eunbi sighed, “Chaewon-ah, how much did you drink…”

Suddenly Minju appeared from the back with her eyes widened in shock. Eunbi heard her saying that’s her phone that Chaweon was using. She then tried to take the phone from Chaewon. But the older girl tightened her grip, refusing to let go.

“Chaewon unnie, why are you using my phone? Who are you calling??”

“I’m calling that super busy woman, Kwon Eunbi! Is she the president or something? Why is she never available when we’re gathering??” Chaewon continued to lament.

After a few struggles with the drunken Chaewon, Minju finally managed to take her phone back. She looked at Eunbi who was flustered on the other side.

“I’m sorry unnie. She’s pretty drunk. It’s just that she’s really looking forward to meeting you tonight. She thought you’ll be here.”

Eunbi smiled weakly, “Oh really? Is everyone there?”

“Almost everyone. We’re missing you, Wonyoung, Yujin, Nako and Hiichan. But we had a video call with them earlier.”

“Oh, Kkura unnie is here too,” Minju added with her ‘aha’ look.

Eunbi shrugs awkwardly, “I-I didn’t ask.”

Minju smiled, “I just thought you wanted to know.”

The older girl quickly dodged the topic, and proceeded to talk about other things, like how much they missed their baking class and promised to set another date for that when they’re less busy. After saying goodbye to Minju and a quick glance at the members from the screen, Eunbi ended the call.

She let out a heavy sigh.

“You’re obviously avoiding your ex,” said a voice behind her.

The short haired girl was startled. She turned around immediately and her eyes met with her friend who had a mischievous smirk on her face.

“Chu Sojung, why are you still here??”

“Schedule? What schedule? You hung out with me the whole evening! You could’ve gone to the gathering, but you didn’t… and it’s because-

“Just go back to your practice. Don’t you have a competition coming up?”

Exy scoffed, ignoring Eunbi’s remarks, “You can’t keep on running from it, Kwon Eunbi. If you want a muse for your songwriting, you have it all along. You just have to face it, head on.”

“Hold your breath, and take a love dive-

“Stop promoting your hoobae’s song and just go!”

**

Miyawaki Sakura couldn’t stop sighing.

“Why did you drink so much, Chaewon-ah?”

A half-awake Chaewon was glued to her side, with her arm around her shoulder, and her face was a little too close to hers. She could smell the alcohol in her breath. The Japanese girl stopped right in front of the apartment’s door, and quickly rang the bell. Chaewon lives in a different unit than her. Since there are six people in their group, they’ve been divided into two apartment units. And Chaewon stays with their other two members, Yunjin and Eunchae.

“Wit.. was a partyyy, why not drink???” Chaewon replied with a huff.

Sakura rolled her eyes and pushed Chaewon’s cheek away. The younger girl almost fell. Suddenly the door was open, revealing a pretty teen with long hair.

“Oh, unnies, you’re back!”

Sakura nods with a straight face, “Yes, Eunchae. And our leader is drunk. Where is Yunjin?”

“Yunjin unnie is already sleeping...”

Chaewon looked at their youngest member and grinned.

“Our Eunchaeeee is so kyoote..”

The Le Sserafim youngest member creased her eyebrows, shocked seeing their leader coming home drunk. She even mouthed, ‘Oh Jesus’.

“Eunchae-ah, can you help me drag this log to her room please?” Sakura said with another sigh.

“Yeah, s-sure!”

After much struggle, Sakura and Eunchae managed to get Chaewon into her room. They basically throw her onto the bed, making the half-awake Chaewon grumble.

“Yahh! How could you do this to your leadeeer? I’m your leader!!!”

Sakura glanced at Eunchae. The younger girl was making a cross sign across her chest.

“Eunchae-ah, can you get a glass of water for Chaewon unnie? Also some damp cloth and hangover medicine from the kitchen?” asked Sakura.

“O-Okay… I’ll go get it!”

The maknae left the room and Sakura let out a relieved sigh. She walked closer to Chaewon and looked at the short haired girl.

“Yah Chaewon,