The chime of bells ringing symbolizing the end of the day. Students start to come out one by one from the entrance of the tall building they called the school, walking their way out to the front gate. The sounds of the whistle from the field sizzling the basking sunlight of the afternoon.

"Starts with the usual prep! Don't forget the shout for the high kick! Music starts!" Instruction from Instructor Park makes the girls from the cheers club tenses.

It already one hour since the girls warm up and start to rehearse for the upcoming competition for the basketball team. Instructor Park keeps pushing the girls without letting them rest. The game is on the next week, and somehow Instructor Park still not satisfied with the girl’s performance.

"Hayoung! Keep up with Yerin!"

"Yes, sir!" Answered Hayoung as she trying to synchronize her move with her friends.

"It's good Yerin and Joy! Keep up your pace! Everyone follows their pace and cue!"

"Yes, Sir!" said everyone shouting

Another hour passed before Instructor Park blowing his whistle aloud signed that everyone can take a rest. Everyone falls to the floor while stretching their legs and gasping for some air except the trio girl.

That what they call them, the trio of cheers consists of Hayoung, Joy, and Yerin. They were the pillars of the cheers club. If you ask who is the leader, cheers need more than one so they choose the three of them to lead the cheers. The trio still practicing even though the Instructor already told all of them to rest. "Your hand is a little lower at this part, try copying Joy," said Yerin as she helps Hayoung to keep up. "More up, that's it. Keep it at that height and everything is going to be okay."

"Why suddenly cheers turn into a dance club? It's hard you know to remember all that move," said Hayoung after taking water from the bench.

"Say that to Yerin's girlfriend," said Joy as she asked for a bottle from Hayoung that the girl doesn't want to give it to her.

"She's not my girlfriend," said Yerin while scratching the back of her neck.

"Not yet," retorted Hayoung back which makes three of them laughing. "How is she?"

"Yeah, I heard she hurt her shoulder at the practice before," said Joy while still don't give up for Hayoung bottle and tried to take it by force.

Yerin shook her head. "She can't dance for a week."

"What?! It means she can't enter the dance competition next week?" Hayoung startled makes her lower her guard and Joy uses that chance to take her water bottle. "Hey!"

"I just want a little--, so what are you doing here?" Asked Joy as she drinks everything inside the bottle that makes Hayoung hit her several times.

The scene makes Yerin laughed. "What do you mean by that?"

"Like what I said, you shouldn't be here. Why are you here?"

"I still didn't understand."

Hayoung scoffed. "How stupid are you? Joy means that you should be beside her right now. Let us cover your trails from Instructor Park. I mean not only me and Joy," Hayoung looks at the back and Yerin can see the other girls looking at them since the beginning. "Everyone will help you."

"Get your girl, Yerin," said one of the girls. "We already bored with the drama from both of you."

Everyone cheering and that makes Yerin blushed. "Thanks, guys."

Yerin stood up, took her bag from her locker room and running to the possible place where the girl of her heart stay. While running she found a familiar figure run faster pass through her.

"Yuna!" Yerin called the figure name but it doesn't stop her. Yerin looks at the direction that Yuna runs. "She coming to her princess it seems. That's why she doesn't hear--"

"Choi Yuna! Where the heck is she? Ah, Yerin, did you see that girl?" Mrs. Park the coach of the running club asked Yerin with heavy breathing.

"Good evening, Mrs. Park," she scanned at the direction where Yuna when and blocked the view with her body so Mrs. Park can't see the girl she searches for. "It seems she goes to that direction," said Yerin while pointed to the opposite direction where Yuna run. "I saw a figure that looks like her there."

"Oh, thank you, Yerin. Good luck with the basket competition and can I entrust you with my message to Instructor Park. I will back late tonight."

"Still spicy thing in a newly married couple," teased Yerin that got a soft pinched on her arms.

"You will experience it yourself later. Don't forget to tell him that, I need to search for that kid now," said Mrs. Park as she waved to Yerin while running to the direction where Yerin pointed her.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Park," said Yerin inside of her head and walked to the shower room before going to her girl.

 

---

 

Beat up music passing through the hall. The screeching sounds from the soles of the shoes interact with the floor keeps looping keeping up with the bass of the music. The clapped sounds helping the dancers to keep up with the beat of the music. Several dancers dancing in synchronizes with the help of one girl that instructs the dancers in front of them.

“Yooa, make sure you get your timing at that part!” shouted the woman with dark brown hair.

“Okay!”

“Seulgi, don’t forget that hand!”

“Yes, Miss!”

“Eunbi, no need to force yourself Just take a rest if it’s hurt!”

“Yes!” shouted the girl at the center.

The woman makes a clapped that sounds loud. “Enough for today.”

All the girls dropped to the floor after three hours of non-stop dancing, it took a toll on the girls. “Ms. Jessica is a demon!” said Yooa that lie on the floor with her heavy breathing.

“Stop calling her like that, if she heard it you’ll be dead,” said Seulgi, one of the girls that Jessica shouted at. “Eunbi! I need your help with one of the moves.”

“Which one?” asked Eunbi, the girl with a cool look while tying up her hair to a ponytail.

“That part after the beat dropped,” Seulgi talking about where the parts she difficult with and Eunbi helping her to get her move.

Momo took a seat beside Yooa while giving her a bottle of water. “Look at them, practicing like the end of the world.”

“Seulgi might be the only one who can substitute Eunbi at the competition,” said Yooa.

The others join at the back where Yooa and Momo resting. “Eunbi is at another level when we talked about dance. But I can’t stand seeing her winched every time she does the arm swing move. I hope she’s alright.”

“She needs some rest, but I don’t want her to miss the competition too. All of us already saw her hard work for that. It hurts seeing her didn’t join,” said Eunseo, Eunbi best buddy and her number one fans, that’s what she claimed. “I always see her practicing even after the end of the club.”

The girls chattering as looking at the two girls that practice like a robot in front of the mirror. Suddenly they stopped when hearing someone groaning. “Eunbi, you alright?”

“I’m fine, just do what I told you, I need to go to the nurse room,” said Eunbi while bursting out from the room while grabbing her shoulder.

“Bi--!” Seulgi letting out a sighed.

Eunseo walking to the girl that got abandoned. “She needs some space.”

“I know. Looking at her in this condition . I want the old Eunbi back,” said Seulgi while wiping her sweat.

“She still furious about how she can’t join the competition. She already practices hard for this moment, but it’s futile when she tried to help other people,” added Yooa.

“That’s right, I don’t even worthy to substitute her place,” Seulgi joined the girl that gathering at the back.

“Are you done?” asked the girl that has blonde hair.

“I’m done, Wendy-unnie,” answered Seulgi while resting head on Wendy’s laps. “Eunbi is strict about synchronizing moves and it annoyed me. I can’t hate her because everything she said is right, but thanks to her that my moves were improved.”

Wendy wiped the girl sweat as she keeps grumbling about Eunbi. “Where is she? I need her to check my move too.”

“It’s better you don’t ask her for now. Her shoulder suddenly hurts. That’s why we ended our practices. I hope she gets well soon and teaches me how to nail that head move,” said Seulgi pouted

Wendy flicked the girl’s head that makes the girls groaning. “Don’t talk like that."

Seulgi rubbed her forehead and pouted. “I’m not bad-mouthing her though. But I miss the old her. I still didn’t understand why she’s like that, you know, like irritated.”

The others asked the same thing, Eunbi injured stories is a mystery for some people. Momo and Yooa looking at each other, they looked like doesn't want to talk about it and ended their war of gaze to Eunseo.

Eunseo let out sighed as she catches the signaled. “Just give the girl some space for now.”

“But it’s still doesn’t feel right. Before she comes in the morning with an announcement that she might not be able to compete in the competition, she looks fine, even join us to play basketball,” said Seulgi retorted back.

If there is someone that knows about what happened to Eunbi, it should be Eunseo and that girl, one of the cheers captains, that what Seulgi thought. Eunseo can read what Seulgi way of thinking and let out a sigh of surrender, sooner or later everyone needs to know what happened. “I’ll tell it in one condition. Don’t tell Yerin about this.”

“Yerin? The cheers captain that always fetch Eunbi?” asked Wendy in curiosity. “Why?”

“Just promise that one thing. Eunbi might not want her to know about this,” said Eunseo and the others nodded, agree with the condition and gathered closely. ”It’s Onew.”

Everyone furrowed their eyebrow while hearing an unfamiliar name. “Why his name suddenly appeared?”

“According to what I heard and what I saw that day, Onew-sunbaenim tried to make a move with Yerin. The day after our basketball, Eunbi and I heard him bad-mouthing Yerin. I don’t even want to talk about it and the next scene I know is Eunbi already punch that guy severely.”

“Onew did that? That’s why he isn’t in the class the day after it,” said Wendy. “Teacher said that he calls in sick.”

Eunseo scoffed hearing Onew reason about what happened that day. “He got injured really bad, I mean his face. Eunbi makes sure his face needs to be treated for several months. Looking at him in that state is really funny if you heard what he said about Yerin,” said Eunseo while she remembered Onew face with a rash all over his face.

“Did you mean her shoulder is injured while fighting him?” asked Seulgi still not believed with what she heard.

Eunseo shook her head. “No, it’s because she saved him.”

Everyone looks astonished with what they heard, “I know what all of you think, ‘How on Earth?’”, Seulgi and Wendy nod followed by the others.

“Did you know that plant pot at the roof. Unluckily that thing falls and SHOULD be hit that prick, but Eunbi reflects push him and that thing hit her shoulder. Blood everywhere and I almost scream, that's why she didn’t join our routine that day,” explained Eunseo while looks sad. “Jessica already knew about this and Eunbi suggesting you, Seulgi, as her substituted.”

Seulgi still looks unbelievable with what she heard and still trying to digest the raw information. Wendy catches her girl looks confused and patted the later head. “It means that Eunbi trust you, so you must do the best for her.”

“Yeah, I accompanied her to talk to Jessica that day. At first, Jessica disagrees with Eunbi because it’s still two weeks until the competition and that was a large amount of time for her to recover. But she still pressing about her choice to let you take her spot for the competition,” said Eunseo. “Eunbi said that it isn't fair if she who rest for one week without practice compete in that competition. ‘Seulgi is a hard-working girl, and I make sure she meets your expectations. Let her take my place so I can rest easily’, that’s what she said to Jessica.”

Seulgi looks like a girl that her heart being touched by an angel, its make the girl want to cry. “I don't know if she looked at me like that.”

“Everyone here sees that in you and we agree with Eunbi’s decision. If it’s Yooa who take the spot, I would raise my voice there,” said Eunseo while raising one of her eyebrows, the others nodded without realizing.

“Why you attack me so suddenly?! Am I that bad?” asked Yooa while hitting Eunseo that makes the other in the room laughing looking at the cute reaction of the girl.

Without realizing it, there’s someone who hears all of the conversations on the other side of the door. The girl hiding in the corner of the corridor when she saw Eunbi suddenly running out of the room. When she wants to chase Eunbi, her foot got to hold as she eavesdropping the Eunbi’s club member conversation.

“Bi, why didn't you tell me?” said the girl with wet hair and a towel around her neck because she just took a shower to refresh herself. Before she can move, someone opened the door, the girl's eyes widened as the one who opened it.

“Yerin?” cold sweat suddenly appeared when Eunseo found out that Yerin might be hearing what they talking about inside. “Did you search for Eunbi?”

Yerin eyeing Eunseo that already looks nervous. “Is that true?” asked Yerin.

Eunseo gulped hard, she cursed in her mind, “This place needs a soundproof system.”

“Eunseo, talk to me,” pressed Yerin, Eunseo looks at her back, everyone looks tense like her. She makes a signal to her friends to help her, but it’s futile.

“Just tell her!” shouted Seulgi suddenly. “Maybe she can help Eunbi back to herself. Again.”

Wendy flicked Seulgi's forehead once again that makes the girl groaning in pain while rubbing her red forehead. “What?!”

“If you didn’t shut your mouth now, I’ll cancel our date tomorrow,” said Wendy while leaving Seulgi dumbfounded.

“Wait!” Seulgi runs following Wendy that just ignoring her.

Eunseo only can let out a loud sigh seeing both of her friends. She looks at Yerin that still staring at her. “Why it should have happened now? Follow me.” Eunseo leaving the room and walking in the silent corridor.

“Where are we going?” asked Yerin while following her, but Eunseo just walking in front of her. “Hey, Eunseo!”

Eunseo turns around and signaling Yerin to shut . “Starts from here, keep your voice shut and follow me.”

Yerin didn't understand what had happened but the corridor that got silence just now suddenly filled with a thin voice. It’s like people were an argument. Eunseo lay low and took a seat beside a door that leads to the infirmary. She signaled Yerin to go beside her.

“Didn’t I already told you to not overwork yourself,” said the voice inside that room. “If you want your shoulder healed faster. Stop your dance for one week! Did you hear me, Hwang Eunbi?”

“I can’t,” said Eunbi that makes Yerin widened her eyes when she knows who inside that room. “I don’t wanna miss my daily routine.”

“But your shoulder needs a rest. You already know that you wouldn't join that competition. Why you still stubborn?!”

“That’s enough Tiffany,” said another different voice. “She already learned her lesson enough.”

“Why you let her do what she wants?! It’s because of you Jessica, she hurt herself again,” said Tiffany furious.

Tiffany and Jessica keep arguing nonstop, no one giving a sign of giving up. “What is this?” asked Yerin.

“Just listen to them,” whispered Eunseo to Yerin. “You’ll understand.”

Suddenly there’s a loud sound of something hit a block of wood or maybe a table. “Enough. I just need a pack of ice.”

“You should know how bad it’s your wound is,” said Tiffany. “You can’t dance forever if you still get reckless like this.”

Yerin looks disbelieved after hearing that sentence. Eunbi got silent hearing that, “How about that guy? Did he fine?”

Jessica laughing that makes Tiffany pinched the girl. “It’s just funny hearing she still cared about other people. He’s fine and you got lucky because he doesn't sue you because you make his face like that.”

Eunbi let out a sigh. She looked at her knuckles that getting wrapped. “Did she know about that?”

Eunbi shook her head. “I can’t tell her.”

“Why high schooler these days is so complicated. Just tell her, you don’t want any of that man crawling to her, right?” said Jessica.

Yerin looks dumbfounded. “She’s always like this,” said Eunseo suddenly. “Did you remember sometimes she has some bandage wrapping on her.”

“Did you mean--,” Eunseo nodded. Yerin looks dumbfounded once again, “She always says that it’s because of her clumsiness.”

Eunseo chuckled. “It’s always because of these kinds of things or because her--,” Eunseo closed with both of her hands.

“Because of what--” suddenly the door opened and Yerin’s eyes widened while locking into the culprit.

“Yerin? What are you doing there with Eunseo?” asked Eunbi. “Did you hear all of it?”

Eunseo stood up and clapped both of her hands and bowing. “I’m sorry.”

Yerin pulls Eunbi’s hand. “Come with me.” She took her away from that place while Eunseo keeps shouting apologize.

“There will be a drama soon, “ said Jessica while peeking out of the room. “Good job Eunseo.”

Eunseo let out a sigh. “I never want to cooperate with you again. Eunbi will kill me now.”

“You planned this?” asked Tiffany.

Jessica raised her eyebrows. “She needs to face it sooner or later. I don’t want that kid to keep getting hurt at school.”

 

---

 

Yerin leads Eunbi to an empty classroom. On the way they passed by Yuna that looks frantic and stopped them. “Did you see Yewon?” asked Yuna.

“Nope,” Yuna nodded and run again.

Yerin opened the door and walked inside the room. Eunbi looks lost as she tried to catch her breath. “Why you don’t tell me anything?”

“Yerin--”

“Tell me all of it,” Yerin said while trying to hold her tears. “I will not let you out from this place until you tell me why you keep hurting yourself.”

Eunbi can see that Yerin is serious and she doesn’t have any choice except to tell her what happened. “They bad-mouthing you and my temper is uncontrolled.”

“‘They’? How many?” Yerin asked while high voice. “Tell me how many of ‘they’ you’ve been put your knuckle on their faces?”

Eunbi feeling scared, she knows that Yerin is angry with her. But she doesn't know why, which one is the reason? Is that because she doesn’t tell her or because it’s a wrong thing to do to punched other people. She gulped a hard lump, “Six, the last one were the sixth.” Eunbi can’t read Yerin’s face right now because the tingling feeling inside of her prevent her to do so. She can hear a soft sob in front of her and she only lowers her head didn’t dare to face the reality in front of her.

Hwang Eunbi, a foolish girl who only loves dancing with all of her and reserve type girl. Never passed her thought that she would do such a thing like arguing with other people, especially a guy to the point she can’t hold her anger and spoiled their faces. It seems like the stress is already piled up.

“Eunbi, look at me,” Yerin voices cut Eunbi train of thought. She anxious lifting her head, but she needs to do it. Slowly she saw the girl who always has a cheerful smile now has tears rolling on her face. But she looks at Eunbi differently. “Why did you do that?”

Eunbi diverted her gaze, as soon as she looks at Yerin. Guilty. “I-I don’t like them bad-mouthing you and somehow--”

“Stop doing that,” said Yerin coldly. It pierced Eunbi's ears and heart when she heard it and an uncontrollable rage suddenly rose. That was something that Yerin doesn’t know. “I--”

Eunbi tried so hard to keep her anger because she believes Yerin has a rational answer. “I don’t want you to be hurt. You already hurt enough before, so--”

That’s it, Eunbi snapped. “And you say that it’s okay if you were the one that gets hurt?”

Yerin look confused, why Eunbi so irritated suddenly? Yerin just worried that Eunbi got hurt like before. “It’s not what I meant, I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

Eunbi goes silent for a moment while lowering her head. She doesn’t know herself why she just snaps to her friend and suddenly a rush of anxiety wave spreading into her. “Eunbi? Are you okay?”

“I-I’m fine, I’m sorry I just snapped at you. I-I need to go--home. Sorry,” Eunbi suddenly burst out of the room leaving Yerin alone that just standing dumbfounded after what she saw, even for a brief second she knows it what just happened.

Yerin doesn’t even realize that Eunbi already leaving her behind until a certain someone calling her. “Yerin, where’s Eunbi?”

Yerin turns around, “Seulgi?”

“Seulgi! Let’s go--Yerin it nice to meet--what happened to you?” asked Wendy that just pop out behind Seulgi.

“It’s that Yerin there? Hey Yer--What happened?” Joy suddenly shows up and approaches Yerin that looks so dumbfounded and pale. “Where’s that girl?”

“Joy--I made her cry,” said Yerin while still looks zoned out.

 

 

---

 

Joy and Hayoung already let out a sigh for numerous times inside of a yellow room they were in. Even Joy already lay down and playing with her phone and Hayoung already half asleep while hearing their friend sobbing softly and keep mumbling something that not far from ‘I’m making her cried’ or ‘it's my fault’.

“Hayoung,” called Joy with a lazy tone. “How long is this going to be?”

“I don’t know, I almost lost my conscious if you don’t call me just now,” said Hayoung half asleep. “Yerin, it’s enough.”

“But--!”

“Yeah, it’s enough,” said Joy while trying to take a seat beside the girl. “You just worried about her. Maybe the timing isn’t right, or she just irritated with something lately. You know, like she irritated because she can’t join the competition or it’s her month.”

Yerin shook her head. “I hope it’s like that. But when she suddenly raised her voice. I know that moment she’s blaming herself. It’s like she lashing out something inside of her and that makes me worried.”

“Family problem maybe?” said Hayoung that makes Yerin’s eyes suddenly widen.

Yerin storms out searching her phone around the room. “What happened?”

“Quiet,” Yerin dialing a contact but only a ringing sounds filling the room.

Yerin dialing another number and someone answered at the end. “Hello, it’s Yerin. Ah-- I’m fine, thank you very much. I just want to ask is Eunbi--Oh? Okay. No, no, no, I just want to ask about her. Ah-no needs to call her, it’s okay. Thank you very much. It’s a pleasure.”

“Who are you calling?” asked Joy that already patiently wait until Yerin ended her phone call.

“Her co-workers, looks like she still does her part-time job,” said Yerin while buried herself on her bed.

“She still working with that injured shoulder? Shouldn’t she rest?” asked Hayoung.

Yerin just screaming while muffled by her pillow. “I don’t know!”

“And what are you doing here?” asked Joy pulling the pillow from Yerin that makes her groan.

“What are you talking about?”

Joy throws the pillow back to Yerin that hits Yerin’s face. “What are you doing here when she was there, stupid?”

“Hang out with you?”

Hayoung suddenly jumps to tackled Yerin that makes the latter make another groan. “You’re stupid Jung Yerin. Go to her now! I banished you from this place!”

“But this is my house!” said Yerin struggled to talk.

Even though her friends tortured her like that, Yerin needs another five minutes before she finally leaves the house. “How can that girl be so stupid?”

“I don’t know, but we get ourselves a voucher for that limited edition merchandise and it’s worth every penny if we just need to make Yerin get to Eunbi,” suddenly the room door opened.

“Where’s Yerin?” asked the old woman that brought a plate of oranges and peaches.

Joy and Hayoung greet the woman. “She needs to go somewhere.”

“That girl, she promises to help me for making the cake,” said the old woman.

Hayoung makes eye contact with Joy, “how about us? Let us help, Mrs. Jung!”

Mrs. Jung laughing and let the girls help her. “This way Yerin will have more time,” whispered Hayoung to Joy.

 

---

 

In the midst of people, the place was full of a pack of people that come and go without end. “One table of Cappuccino and Pasta!”

“Another water for table number three! Two steaks and one Love Milkshake for number four!” shouted one of the waitresses that passing by the counter.

“Table five ready!” said the man inside of the kitchen.

Eunbi swiftly took the tray and graciously walking to the two men that waiting for their food. “Another hectic day?” asked one of the men.

Eunbi just gave a small smile before her name being called from the back. “Just go, no need to prepare the sauce for us!”

Eunbi takes a bow to the two men and skipping to back. Several trays already lined up and Eunbi took the trays while delivered it swiftly to the customer. Because of the injured she has, she got slower than before. Luckily when her shoulder starts to hurt, her shift ended.

“Let me handle the rest. There’s a snack and a coffee in the back. I make it for you. Rain is pouring just take a rest until it subsides,” said a woman while took Eunbi napkin.

“Thanks,” said Eunbi.

“Don’t let that injury got worse. I don’t think I can handle all of this alone,” said the woman while waving back to Eunbi.

Eunbi just smiles and walks to the resting room. She saw a coffee that looks just being made and a couple of cookies and cake on the table. “Thank you Unnie.”

Eunbi took a seat on the sofa and inhaled the scent of the coffee. “It’s nice.”

This week is already hell for her, her shoulder that doesn’t look better and the boy that she hit before doesn’t even thank her. She should let him got hit with that pot that day. It takes a toll on her soul all this time, can’t be dancing is one of the main problems. All she knows is dancing for all she can remember. When her parents leave her for works, the only thing that can accompany her is dancing.

“I need to search for another hobby,” she said while munchies the cookies.

Her co-workers come in that shows it’s the cafe must be nearing closing. “You still not going home, Hwang?”

“It’s raining,” said Eunbi’s coworker that make her a coffee. “I want to go home.”

“Me too,” Eunbi said but inside of her tells a different thing. She doesn't want to go back to that place. He already makes the nest there, so the longer she not there, the better it will be for herself.

They chatting while waiting for the rain gone until one of them yawning. “I’m sleepy, is there any drink here?”

“Of course I have it,” said an old man, he was tall but there’s always a kind smile painted on his face. “Want to drink, my grandson can’t come because his kid got sick. I already brought some bottles, but it seems like it will be wasted.

The others were cheers, there were six people including Eunbi there. The moment the manager comes back with several bottles that has a foreign language printed on them, the others cheered was getting louder. “Help me closed the cafe first, and lets we drink!”

One, two, three. Three bottles emptied in a flash. Eunbi that still a minor only can look at her co-workers drunk in alcohol. It’s stupid and unhealthy, Eunbi knows about that but one thing that she can’t take out from her mind. Their looks. Their expressions. They seem free, laughing carefully, joking, even a small fight happened inside the crowds.

“Oy, Hwang. Try this one!” said one of her co-workers.

“I’m sorry but I still underage,” Eunbi tried to reject her co-worker that already half-sane.

“At least try it. The manager already bought it for us, there was excellent good. You need to explore the outer world, that including this liquid,” Eunbi’s co-worker still pressing Eunbi, but Eunbi tried so hard to reject it.

“Just a little it’s okay,” said her manager that looks at Eunbi in trouble. “You need to know what it tastes because when you got offered to drink something like this you already know what is this and you can reject it. We’re here, so don’t need to worry.”

Eunbi looks at her manager that looking at her with fond eyes. “You right.”

When Eunbi accept the offered everyone shouted at joy. Eunbi took one of the small glasses and gulped it a little. It’s bitter, bitter than the espresso that she always makes while working. She scrunched her face that makes the other laugh.

“You don’t like it huh?” Eunbi shook her head. “Try more and you know what the real taste.”

Eunbi is a fool that she would follow what her manager told her. She looks at her co-worker faces that so in heaven right now. She wants to be there too and she was okay if she stamped as a fool. Without hesitation, Eunbi gulped the small glass in one go that got cheers from her co-worker.

“Take it easy. Lee, can you get the warm water from the kitchen? It’s enough for your first time Eunbi. One-shot for a beginner, not bad,” the manager went to Eunbi after she took the drink in one go.

The bitterness makes it their way to and suddenly there’s a hot sensation spreading in her body. It’s fun, there’s light feeling growth inside of her, it’s good. Eunbi understands now why people drink this bitter drink and she carved for more. “More.”

“Not now,” said her manager. “I only told you to taste it, so that’s enough.”

Lee comes back with a warm towel and water. The moment Eunbi’s manager took his eyes from Eunbi, she snatches another glass with a transparent liquid and gulped it with one go.

“What are you doing?!” shouted her manager but Eunbi didn’t care. Her head already spinning and she can feel that she flying right now. It's like she’s on the beach, floating in the center of the ocean while being hit with the warm sunshine. The warmness of the sunburn and her abdomen. It isn't an unpleasant feeling and Eunbi like this. Maybe because her father blood that’s always like to drink non-stop.

“Hwang Eunbi! Can you hear me?” suddenly her manager snapped her out of her paradise, but it just for a second and Eunbi can’t control her laughs.

“It’s futile, she’s already high,” said another man in the room. “I will get her a plastic just in case she’s throwing up.”

“Two shots of vodka for the first-timer, not two, I should have said that was double shots because it’s too fast,” said the other woman that makes the coffee for Eunbi. “How do you tell her parents manager?”

“No need to tell them,” said Eunbi sounds digress. “They already dead!” Eunbi laughing like no one there.

The room sounds awkward while hearing Eunbi blurted, “Take it easy, there’s someone will fetch her soon.”

Eunbi keeps blurted about her life to her co-workers that somehow many of them already drunk too. The manager looks at the young while hearing about her lonely life, he already knows about Eunbi’s broken home situation and the alcohol only makes the glass spill out. In the crowd excited there’s a knock at the back door.

“Yes--Yerin!” the moment the manager opened the door he exclaimed in happiness. “Thank God you're here!”

“Is there any prob--”

Thud!

“Eunbi!” Yerin runs to where Eunbi suddenly falls. Before she suddenly falls from the sofa. Yeah, a sofa, she tried to stand up on the sofa but the balance failed her. The girl groaned in pain while caressing her shoulder that got hurt and suddenly laughing like a crazy person.

“Are you alright?” Yerin asked as she helped the younger stands up and sit back to her seat.

Eunbi keeps chuckled, “Fine!”

Yerin smells something strong from Eunbi and she looks at the room. There are several bottles on the table and shot glass for alcohol. “Manager, what happened?”

“I’m sorry Yerin,” said the old man while trying to clean some mess from his employer that one by one sleeping on the floor. “I let her took one sipped but she took two shots.”

“What?”

“Double shots!” exclaimed Eunbi looks drowsy.

Yerin let out a sigh. “Why did you do that? She’s still underage!”

“I just want to know how it tastes she can’t be fooled by some people about that kind of drink. But it seems like she’s in stress and the moment that drinks work out inside of her body, she’s become uncontrolled.”

Yerin looks at Eunbi that suddenly clingy on her. “I will take her home.”

“I will take you home in my car,” said the manager and go to readying his car.

 

---

 

The manager bid farewell after helping Yerin brought Eunbi entered her apartment. “She’s living alone.”

This is the first time Yerin entered Eunbi’s apartment. It’s dark the moment she enters it, Yerin’s heart got hurt seeing this scene. Imagining Eunbi came back home but no one there to greet her. She’s alone.

Yerin took Eunbi that she believed it’s her room because of the furniture. The apartment is too large for only one person to live in. She put Eunbi on the bed and search for changes clothes. She helps Eunbi change while pressing her inner curiosity of lust. Yerin saw the bandage on Eunbi’s shoulder. She touches it and Eunbi flinched a moment.

“S-Sorry—”

“Mama— Papa—,” mumbled Eunbi.

There a sound of bang ringing in Yerin. She never knows this side of Eunbi, Eunbi that she knows isn’t this weak. She knows that her parents leave her for works and the fact that Eunbi lives alone. Eunbi always hides her feeling under that rested masked that she always wears. Eunbi was known because of her coolness aura in school. No one dares to approach her, even though many guys yearning for her. They only look at her from afar.

Yerin collected herself and get out of the room after putting on the blanket on Eunbi. She looks around the kitchen. It’s almost empty, only water bottles that seem like she just restocked and fulled the refrigerator. There a package of oats in the cabinet, she looks for the other ingredients that can help her to make a simple porridge.

 

 

---

 

Eunbi found herself in a familiar place and smelled something. “Food?” That’s what appeared on her mind. “Someone home?”

She tried to get up, but nausea hit her hard, the world starts to spin inside her eyes. “You’ve gotta be kidding me,” this isn’t the first time she drinks, but this is the first time she gets drunk. “Only with double shots? Even though its’ taste good.”

She covered her eyes with her arms. “I want to die.”

“Why?” Eunbi flinched as she heard someone else voice. As she uncovered her eyes, the worlds still running around on her visions, but it’s getting better. The owner of the voices come near her. “Eunbi?”

Eunbi saw a figure next to her, at first she thought it’s her mother but she knows well that good never be true. Her gaze still unfocused, but she knows whose voice it’s. “Yerin?” A rush of memories coming through, she remembers that Yerin was the one who took her home after she's embarrassing herself. It only makes her head more hurts.

“I made porridge with anything that I could find in the kitchen. You should restock your fridge,” said Yerin as she puts the bowl of steamed porridge on the desk near the bed.

“I already did it,” said Eunbi trying to sit down, but her head still hurts like hell.

Yerin saw the girl struggled only to sit up so she’s helping Eunbi to position herself. “Easy, I’ll help you.”

Eunbi leans on her back to the wall behind her and Yerin helping Eunbi to eat the food she made. “Here, open your mouth wide.”

“I can do it myself,” said Eunbi trying to take the bowl from Yerin.

Yerin pulls the bowl from Eunbi, “Just open your mouth wide.”

If Yerin already persistent about something, she can’t be contained and Eunbi knows it’s pretty well for a friend. She let Yerin feeding her. The moment the spoon of the porridge entering , Eunbi found herself on the verge of crying. Eunbi tried so hard to contain her tears but her glossy eyes can’t cover the truths.

Yerin saw it and trying to wipe the tears that almost got out from Eunbi eyes. “Why are you crying? It tastes that bad?” Yerin serves herself a spoonful of her food but didn’t taste anything weird. She already tastes it before she gave them to Eunbi and sure everything is normal. With the minimum of ingredients and some experiments and everything taste normal. It isn’t that Yerin can’t cook, she can cook mastered it. Her level of cooking is three-level under her Mother.

Eunbi shooked her head. “I just remembered something,” Eunbi smiled weakly that makes Yerin’s heart got a jolt of electricity.

My heart isn’t going to survive if she keeps doing this, said Yerin in her mind. “What it is?”

“Not big, you forgot to feed me now,” said Eunbi.

Yerin continues feeding the girl in the awkward soundless, several times Eunbi sniffled as she eats the porridge, but every time Yerin asks Eunbi just dodge it. “How long you going to keep like this?” asked Yerin that already at her limit.

Her relationship with Eunbi is what you can say unknown. She closed enough with the ice princess to the point can make her laugh or hangout somewhere with just two of them. Friends? No. Close friends? Maybe. Best friends? Yerin always thought that but she can’t. Yerin has a crush on Eunbi since the girl entered her life. Joy and Hayoung, or maybe anyone around her already know about this but they keep their mouths shut. It's unrequited love, that's what Yerin thought because Eunbi never shows any sign of her like Yerin that way.

Yerin always gives a hint of that, but Eunbi keeps dodge it every time Yerin does something that shows affections of her love. Eunbi always transforms that to some ‘close friends skinship’. No one knows if Eunbi just fakes it or dense. One thing that for sure, Eunbi never rejects Yerin affections, never one bit. The moment sometimes Yerin likes to do something weird like bitting, only Eunbi that never rejects it.

“What do you mean?” asked Eunbi after she wiped .

“Keeping things from me, from everyone,” said Yerin sounds serious.

Eunbi could feel that Yerin not in her usual happy mode. “I-I don’t mean to keep anything from you. It just--,” Eunbi stumbled with her own words. She doesn’t know how to express herself with others. She knows it’s not the right time to run from this, but she felt that it isn’t right for her to tell it too.

“Are we okay?” asked Yerin that makes Eunbi tense. “I’m sorry if there’s something that I said before hurt you. I know that you just want to protect me from them, but I just selfishly saying those things to you without hearing your reasons.”

Eunbi doesn’t dare to look at Yerin and Yerin can see that Eunbi holding something. “I’m really angry when I know that you punch those boys.”

Eunbi got tensed once again. She wants to search for a hole where she can bury herself in it. She knows that what she does is wrong, but she can’t help it. Her body moves it’s own, the moment she knew that she knows how to fight, and somehow she can make them whining in pain. It’s a talent of Eunbi that she can copy any move that she just sees and memorize it well on her mind, she’s hope it applies to study but sadly it’s not. That’s why sometimes she called Genius Dancer because she’s the only one who can copy Jessica's move only after seeing it once.

“Not because you punching them, but because you were the one who did it. I’m angry with myself that I can’t take care of myself and dangering anyone around me, especially you. I’m angry because I’m the one who makes you can’t join the competition. I’m the one who makes you like this. I’m angry at myself.”

Eunbi looks at Yerin that lowering her head as she said those words. It isn’t Eunbi who wants to makes Yerin like this. Eunbi though it’s her fault, she makes Yerin crying that afternoon. She makes the one that important to her cried, moreover it's because of Eunbi herself. But now, Eunbi just makes Yerin cried once more, she hurt her and Eunbi got hurt more than she knows.

“I’m the one who hurt you and that’s why I already think this thoroughly,” Yerin took a deep breath as she said the next sentence. “It’s better if I’m not around you.”

Eunbi’s heart beating so fast that hurting her ribs that protecting it. It’s hard to breathe. Yerin slowly sobbing and sniffling that makes Eunbi do something that she doesn’t even realize it.

“What are you thinking?!”  said Eunbi sounds a little tensed.

Eunbi took Yerin's hand that she keeps herself on her lap and squeezed it tightly. Yerin looks at the Eunbi and saw her expression for the first time.

Eunbi looks like breaking down. Her face is on the verge of crying and mourning. This’s the first time Yerin saw this expression. Eunbi closing her eyes as she trying so hard to speaks. “It’s my fault.”

Eunbi keeps telling inside her head, if she doesn’t do anything now, she will lose her friends. An existence that always keeping her in warmness. A girl that never said asked anything in return after she let Eunbi her life. She gratefull that Yerin is there with her, she doesn’t know what is this feeling, but for sure Eunbi doesn’t want Yerin to go. She needs Yerin, more that she knows.

“I’m hurting you. My reputation at school is hurting you. Not everybody knows me as you and they around me do. If the one who should go, it’s me!” said Eunbi that makes Yerin spacing out. “I don’t know what happened to me these days! Since the day I lose my mind and kicking those boys, I keep thinking about you! The gossips already spreading around about anyone near you were unlucky or something bad might happen like those boys. The rumor of you was a playgirl like me, of course, it’s just a rumor and I never played with any guy, but that rumor got to you.”

Yerin looks unbelieved as she learns this. “I never--”

“Joy and Hayoung told me about that and asked me why I know about it. I told them to keep their mouth shuts about that and just stay beside you as frequently as they can and somehow it’s working because you don’t know until now.”

“Bi--,”

“I’m sorry for everything I have done. Your life was much better if I’m not in it right? Your usual days with all the people around you will back and I’ll back to my dance crew until I graduate,” Eunbi smiled, not a happy one, but a sad one. “You can go now.”

Yerin looks disbelieved at first but Eunbi looks like if someone touches her now, she might be breaking down. “Stupid, you were so stupid Hwang Eunbi!”

Eunbi got surprised by Yerin that suddenly raising her voice. “What are you doing?! It’s me who the one that makes you suffered, how can you said something like that?!”

“I don't know!”

“Are you stupid?!”

“I think I am! I can’t live without you, okay?! But in the end, both of us choose to leave each other!”

Eunbi exclaimed suddenly makes both of them got silent. Both of them look at each other and the one who burst in laugh first is Yerin. “What the heck?!” she said between her laugh that infected Eunbi not long after she realizes what she said.

Both of them fighting over about who gonna leave who is, in the end, they leave each other. Their feeling got crossed with each other once again. After both of them laughing hard, they trying to normalize their breaths. “How can you be there? When I'm drunk.”

Yerin looks at the girl. “I already on my way to your workplace, but someone contacts me, I mean your co-worker. She said that you were done for, and I make my way as fast as I could to you and that’s when I found you in a drunk state.’

Eunbi suddenly screams inside the pillow she has been holding, which makes Yerin panic. “W-What happened?!”

“I just want to die,” said Eunbi with a sound that got muffled by the pillow. “I never expect you will see me at that kind of state.”

Yerin smiled while looking at the cute creature in front of her. “I'm sorry.”

“Why are you the one who apologizes? that should be me. I never tell you those rumors and boys that I kicked their and--”

Yerin put her index finger to the younger mouth to hush the girl. “I’m the one who not asking so that not your fault. Let’s not talking about that and don’t say any words about leaving each other. Promise?”

Eunbi's faces were faint red, she tried to ease the mood with clearing . “Promise. So, we’re good?”

“What?”

“About me, snapping at you and keeping things from you?”

Yerin smiled. She smiled at her foolishness. Only with this, only with this one scene her doubt, sadness, and anger were gone. “Nope, we’re not done. Even though I’m the one who brought it up, but you were the same, you want to leave me.”

“I-I-I’m sorry okay! Did I take back those words okay? How can I get your forgiveness?”

Somehow she trapped. That’s what Yerin said in her mind. “Okay, then close your eyes.”

“What?”

“Close your eyes! You said you want my forgiveness,” said Yerin while pouting.

Cute. Wait, what?! Eunbi looks troubled by her thoughts. “F-Fine.”

Eunbi closed her eyes. She may be want to hit me, I’m so doomed!

Yerin looks at the creature in front of her. Shutting her eyes so tightly, afraid that maybe she might be hitting or slapping her. Yerin getting close to the girl and landed a soft kiss to the girl. Eunbi got taken aback for a moment and slowly opened her eyes where she met with Yerin's eyes that got closed like her before.

When Yerin ended the kiss she smiled with an eye smile, the smile that never fails to catch everyone's heart including Eunbi. She giggled, “Now I forgive you!”

Eunbi still dumbfounded while eyeing Yerin that waving her hand in front of the girl. “Yerin, that was--”

“A kiss.”

“You just--”

“I just?”

“Me?”

“Kissing you. Yes.”

“But why?”

“Because I love you,” said Yerin straightly, she already made up her mind when seeing the girl like that.

“I-I--”

“You don’t love me? Do you hate me? So you choose to leave me at the end.” Yerin toying with the girl but if Eunbi hates her because of this she already braces herself.

“No no no! I don’t hate you!”

“So do you love me?”

“I-I--I,” Yerin look at the troubled Eunbi that makes her heart clenched. She wasn’t ready it seems.

Yerin stood up suddenly, “It’s already late, I’ll go home now,” said Yerin not dare to face Eunbi.

When Yerin trying to walking out of the room, Eunbi holds her hand and pulled her back to the bed. Now the position is changed. Yerin was pinned on the bed by Eunbi. “B-Bi?”

Eunbi leaned closed to her and landed another kiss. A sweet long kiss that makes both of them gasping for some air. “W-What?” Eunbi looked annoyed and trying starts her second kiss, second from her.

“Wa-hmmm! Bi, wait!” Yerin tried to stop Eunbi with her hand but Eunbi keeps attacking her. “I said wait, Bi!”

“What?” asked Eunbi while grasping some air.

“H-How--”

Eunbi scoffed. “Did you just ask me how could this happening when you were the one who starts first?” Yerin nodded innocently. “Really?!”

“I-It’s just! It happens so fast!” said Yerin while looks serious. Eunbi laughed, from only a giggled turns out to be a hard one. “What?!”

“How could I’m in love with this ?” said Eunbi while resting her forehead on Yerin's shoulder.

“Did you just say?” Eunbi nodded. “Did you mean it? Or you just-- ”

“I love you. If not, why would I kick those stupid boys for? Even though I just realize it now,” said Eunbi.

“Hah?”

Eunbi tossed her body aside from Yerin and pull the blanket over her head. “When you kiss me, I know why I feel those weird feelings every time you touch me. Sorry, I didn’t realize it sooner and make you wait.”

“No no no, I'm fine. But you still owe me an explanation,” said Yerin while trying to invade Eunbi's blanket.

“Explanations?” said Eunbi under her blanket, her voice got muffled under it.

“How long that you felt those feelings?” asked Yerin teasingly.

“What are you talking about?!” said Eunbi poke out her face a little from the blanket. “I just told you--!”

Yerin kissed Eunbi once again. The blanket that Eunbi hold tight got washed out from her, Yerin pinned her down. Yerin looks down at the girl under her that gasping hard for air, but her eyes always lingerie at Yerin’s. “Bi, I--”

Eunbi warped her hand behinds Yerin's neck and pulled the girl face closer that only left a little gap between her. “Shut up and do it.”

 

---

 

The naughty light peeking between curtains hitting the lids of the girl that warped in a blanket. The girl slowly woke up from her dreamland, searching for something to block the light. As she lowered her face, she meets another hard thing blocked her way. She opened her lid and found another head that resting on her arms and chest.

The girl smiled and wrapped the owner of the head closer, make sure it doesn’t get cold. Her bear skins touched directly to the warm thing that snuggled into her. Yerin the girl's head softly, make sure it didn’t wake Eunbi up. Eunbi keeps sleeping soundly, with her steady breaths that hitting her , it’s a little ticklish, but she needs to withstand it if she wants to enjoy this scenery.

Seeing Eunbi bare jogged Yerin's memories about what have they done. Her face became red and buried it on Eunbi's head. Yerin inhaled Eunbi's scent in front of her. “What have I done?” she said under her breath.

Eunbi moved a little as Yerin does that, as Eunbi open her lids, her first view was . She needs more than five seconds to digest the view in front of her. “Bare ?” she mumbled and when she looked up, her eyes interlocked with Yerin's eyes.

“Morning, Bi?” said Yerin awkwardly, because she didn’t expect Eunbi suddenly awake.

Another five-second of awkward silence as Eunbi trying to kick her mind to work. “Ye--rin?” her half-sleep mind still reigns her head. Yerin took a chance to awake the girl with a peck on her.

“It’s morning, Bi,” said Yerin with eye-smiled that lighten Eunbi.

Eunbi face suddenly redded and hiding inside the blanket. Eunbi's reaction made Yerin laughs. “Bi, I’m cold,” Eunbi doesn’t answer her.

It’s really cold really, that makes Yerin body shivering and without her realizing she sneezing. Eunbi peeking from the blanket looking at Yerin that blanket herself with her arms. “Come here,” she said while signaling Yeri to enter her blanket.

Yerin looks like a pup that happy, and Eunbi swore she saw a tail that wagged happily. Yerin snuggled on Eunbi searching for warmness. Eunbi groaned as Yerin just suddenly hug her tightly with her cold body. But Eunbi just let her do it what she wants to. Eunbi let Yerin rested on her.

“How about your shoulder?” asked Yerin suddenly, she rested her head on Eunbi chest. She can hear the thumping of Eunbi’s heart that sounds slightly faster than normal. “Did I hurt you last night?”

Eunbi smacked Yerin's head that makes the older groaned. “Why?”

Eunbi face color changes to red as she remembered what they did last night. Not to mention both of them were as a baby right now. “You don't hurt me.”

Yerin smiled childishly while facing Eunbi that Eunbi found it’s cute, like a little kid. “What?” asked Eunbi.

Yerin closed the gap and steal a quick kiss, “Never thought that I see you like this.”

Eunbi pinched Yerin cheeks that makes the latter groaned in pain. “What are you doing?! It’s hurt.”

“That means this isn't dreaming, and I--,” Eunbi pecked Yerin's forehead and pull the older one into her arms. “I love you too.”