“Yuri-ah!”

Yuri turns her head when she heard her name. Her brows automatically creased upon seeing a woman walking toward her. Yuri feels her chest tighten and her hands balled into fists as the woman taking steps closer to her. Yuri desperately wants to run but it won’t be a good sight for the recruit. ‘Damn! Why now?’ Yuri cursed inside her mind. Yuri forced a smile as the woman stood in front of her and dropped a question.

“Yuri-ah, how are you?”

“I’m fine, Officer Choi,” Yuri managed to spoke calmly even though she’s actually freaking inside.

Yena’s lips turn into a thin line upon hearing Yuri addressing her formally. She wants to ask but sensing how the recruits watching them, Yena clearing and speaks, “It’s good to see you here. I thought you won’t come.”

“I promised her I’ll come,” Yuri answers in the matter of facts. She still pulling a smile while avoiding Yena’s eyes.

“Her?” Yena asks in a surprised tone but her curiosity is answered when she noticed Yuri smiles widely while her eyes on something, or someone. She turns her head at where’s Yuri’s eyes on and sees Nako walking towards them. Yena clenches her fists with the sudden fasten beating of her heart. She suddenly feels like gritting her teeth for nothing…maybe.

“Yuri-ah!” Nako quickly engulfs Yuri in a hug, “You came,” Nako has her wide smile while her eyes on Yuri’s.

“I promised, didn’t I?” Yuri says as she keeps her arm around Nako’s shoulder.

Yena feels her heartbeat stopped for a beat while watching Yuri and Nako’s interaction. For once, she hates how Yuri’s eyes looking softly at Nako. The eyes that used to look only at her before, or maybe that’s just how Yena thought. She and Yuri were used to clinging on each other a lot, all the time, and almost everywhere. ‘Where ever Yena is, there is Yuri, and vice versa’ – that’s how they described the two. ‘Yuri-ah… Why are we like this? I used to…’ Yena thought for a moment while her eyes solemnly looking at the two but she, herself keep questioning one thing. ‘When did we become like this?’ Yena wondered.

“Where’s everyone?” Yena butts in when she noticed the two ignoring her presence.

“We already are done with the ceremony so I’m not sure where they've gone to. Maybe back to the office,” Nako blurts her opinions as her eyes wander to look any sign of the others.

“I should go,” Yuri suddenly speaks, making Yena and Nako look at her with an unreadable expression. Yuri didn’t wait for the two to utter a word as she just walks away after giving a soft pat on Nako’s head.

Nako just flashes a smile at Yuri’s gesture as her peripheral sight taking glances at Yena. Yena feels a dry lump inside as Yuri’s figure disappear from her sight. She bit her lips as she tried to control the tears that almost falling down from her eyes.

“Stop trying to get closer to her again, Yena unnie,” Nako looks at Yena with a blank face.

“Nako, look… I just—” Yena tries to explain but Nako cut her off.

“Both of you cannot be the same when you choose Juri over her,” Nako has her brows furrowed as she bombed her with words. Nako takes a deep breath before continuing, “Anyway, we’re going out.”

Yena feels every nerve of her malfunctioning when she heard Nako. She forces a smile as she speaks, “Don’t worry. I won’t get into your line.”

“I’m holding to your words, Choi Yena.” Nako squints her eyes, purposely making it look like a glare with her eyelid disappear.

“You don’t have to speak my name like that, Yabuki Nako. Finger crossed,” Yena just smiles as she saw Nako trying to send glares at her. It’s funnier to see Nako’s expression than to be scared of it.

“Let’s get back to the office now or else Captain Kwon might throw tantrums on us,” Yena says as she locked Nako by her head and drags her to their office while Nako trying to release herself from Yena’s hold.

“Chaewon unnie, let’s go to the office!” Yujin says excitedly as they walked out from the hall. Yujin already holding Chaewon’s arm.

“I’m sorry, Yujin-ah… but we still need to go to the training field after this,” Hitomi appears behind the two while flashing an apologetic smile to the enthusiastic Yujin.

“You two still working as a trainer?” Yujin’s brows ceased with much confusion.

“Yeah, they already scheduled the training system so it’s not easy for us to just drop like that for the meantime,” Chaewon explains as she slowly retracts her arm from Yujin.

Yujin just nods with her lips pouted, “They just didn’t want to lose such best shooters huh,” Yujin commented.

Chaewon and Hitomi were appointed as trainers about two years ago after the management gave them rest from the mission, but everyone knew the exact reason for it. Yujin used to join Hitomi on shooting training but she rarely met nor hanging out with the two after they backed out from the team. If only… Yujin quickly shakes her head upon the thought of that ‘what if’ crawling into her mind.

“Are you okay?” Hitomi asks worriedly when she saw Yujin shook her head unexpectedly. Hitomi was guessing what inside Yujin’s mind but she didn’t want to further the topic because she’s scared that it might be that topic.

Yujin blinks when she heard Hitomi. “Yeah, I’m fine,” Yujin answers with a smile and the two did not comment anything anymore.

“Don’t you have to be at the lab now, Yujin?” Chaewon said as she looked at the time.

Yujin’s eyes widen as she looked at her watch, “Shot! Minju unnie might kill me! See you two later!” Yujin half-shouted as she sprints to where the lab building located.

Chaewon and Hitomi just laugh at Yujin’s attics but Hitomi couldn’t help but glanced at Chaewon as the name came out from Yujin’s mouth. Hitomi noticed the dry smile on Chaewon’s face and she cannot help but feels hurt.

Yujin is walking at a fast pace, knowing that she promised to meet Minju and she's already late. She knows Minju won’t mind but she didn’t want to add any bad impression at the older woman. Yujin about to turn at a corner before she heard familiar voices. She quickly hides around the hallway corner.

“My answer is still the same, unnie.” Yujin frowns when she heard Minju’s voice.

“Look… I know you and Chaewon still haven’t resolved your problems, but please… I know you are professional.” Yujin’s fingers curled into fists. Yujin was holding her breath as she waited for Minju’s response but only silence greeted her.

“You and Chaewon need to talk it out. I know you two still not talking to each other. She deserves an explanation, Minju. Stop running away.” Yujin clearly heard Eunbi’s voice.

“I tried, unnie… I’m tired of her pushing me away. If she didn’t want to listen, then I have no reason to tell anymore.” Minju’s voice sounded so desperate.

“I understand. But please, try talking to her again. I have to go now. Please take care of yourself. We will be waiting for you to come back.” Yujin swallows the dry slump inside when she heard the end of their conversation. Yujin knows Eunbi will find her eavesdropping. Yujin closes her eyes tightly as she’s waiting for Eunbi to catch her there.

“I’m sorry,” Yujin hears a whisper and feels a hand on her shoulder. She opens her eyes and meets Eunbi’s concerning eyes on her.