Soyeon's tired.

She's been working in her office for the past twenty-plus hours without a break, coming up with new lyrics, new music - a whole new album, really, because she knows the rest are dying to make a comeback soon. Minnie in particular is very keen on seeing Hyejeong again after working together on Queendom, and Soyeon does hear her laments about how they aren't going to meet at music shows when AOA makes a comeback this winter. Even Soojin, in all her shyness, does occasionally voice her thoughts about Moonbyul, about her reliable unnie-like aura as leader of their temporary performance group, and how she'd like to catch up with the rest of Six Puzzles over dinner again someday. Soojin swears that she'll pay for their dinner one day instead of relying on Moonbyul to treat them.

Soyeon, as their leader, feels somewhat responsible for their concerns. She swears that if she works fast enough that they'd be able to make a comeback around the same time as AOA so Minnie can meet Hyejeong again. She swears that if she works hard enough, Soojin can fulfil her dream of buying meat for the group of seniors she had managed to bond with over a week.

She swears that if she powers through, her mind buzzing with a million thoughts that she fights to put on paper, she'll be able to buy Miyeon a new watch for Christmas and get some cute clothes for Haku and Mata from that website Shuhua's always browsing.

Staring at the laptop propped up beside her keyboard, Soyeon furiously types, her fingers flying everywhere. She's recorded so many melodies in a day that they start to mix together in her brain, a verse from one song overlapping the chorus of another until they meld and mush into weird amalgamations of discord and dissonance.

She swears that she can make a whole album over a weekend, a free weekend that rarely comes to them. She knows Yuqi and Minnie would probably sleep in or explore some part of Seoul that piques their interest, leaving her to her own whims - which, to her, usually just means work. She swears that she can complete this self-set challenge.

And somewhere between hour twenty-five and hour twenty-six, Soyeon falls asleep.

#

Yuqi can't sleep. Ever since the three of them - her, Soyeon, and Minnie - moved into a new apartment where they had their own individual rooms, Yuqi's been finding it really hard to rest. She's sensitive, she knows, but she can't help but miss the familiar sound of Minnie as she bustles about their once shared room, or the loud play-fights that Shuhua and Miyeon have every five minutes, or the long-suffering sigh Soojin emits whenever she finds herself stuck between the two.

It's those sounds that keep her sane, keep her grounded. It's those sounds and smells and sights that remind her that she's not alone, even in the dark confines of her bedroom. But now that Minnie has gone over to Miyeon's apartment to stay the night - Yuqi gets it, she doesn't blame the couple for wanting to spend their free nights together - she's all alone at home. So now it's past midnight, some time before the crack of dawn, before the sun can rise and Yuqi can convince herself that it makes sense for her to be awake, and she's lying in bed staring at the blank ceiling.

Sighing in defeat, she forces herself to clamber out of bed, knowing full well she's not going to get any sleep tonight. Perhaps Soyeon was having better luck.

Come to think of it, was Soyeon even home? Yuqi hadn't seen her at all yesterday, and though she suspects work, she had assumed that the older woman would at least have the sense to come home to rest for a while. 

Shuffling to Soyeon's room, Yuqi pokes her head through the gap in the doorway and glances around. Bed haphazardly made, clothes tossed in a questionable pile, drawing pads and music books and comics neatly tucked away in bookshelves. In other words, the room had been completely untouched since Friday. Yuqi frowns in concern; taking out her phone, she tries calling her leader to no avail.  Soyeon must be too absorbed in her work to hear her phone ring, which usually means that she'd have missed her meals again, and she's probably forgotten to rest, too.

Yuqi harrumphs. Lucky for Soyeon, their agency is close enough to the apartment that Yuqi can get there in ten minutes. She rushes to pull on a hoodie and a mask, and grabs some snacks on the way out. On the odd chance that Minnie suddenly comes home for who-knows-what reason, she sends a quick text to the older woman to say that she's gone out for a while, although she's about ninety-nine percent sure that Minnie is too cuddled up with her girlfriend to care.

(Stuck with going to work with two couples, Yuqi bemoans her single status every day of the week. She wonders why Soyeon isn't affected by them. But then again, Soyeon must be too busy with work to care.)

#

Yuqi finds her on the fourth floor of the company building, the only light shining in a darkened corridor. She speed-walks towards the little office cubicle Soyeon calls her own, peering in through the glass before keying in the lock code. Yuqi slips in and quietly closes the door behind her, careful not to disturb the other woman.

Glancing at Soyeon, Yuqi's eyes soften at the sight of the blonde sleeping at her desk, her head nestled on her folded arms, hair falling in her face. The room is awfully cold, but Soyeon's only wearing a thin sweater and a pair of shorts. Putting away the snacks she brought, Yuqi unearths a blanket from a closet and drapes it over Soyeon's shoulders. Soyeon doesn't stir an inch. Yuqi closes the laptop, its screen completely blank, and puts it away. She'd try to move Soyeon to the couch, but considering how well the older woman is sleeping, Yuqi doesn't think that waking her up is the best move right now. So, plucking a small pillow from the couch, Yuqi smooths down the bright golden-yellow hair and does her best to arrange the pillow under Soyeon's head, making slow, tiny movements until she's sure Soyeon is as comfortable as she can be.

Turning down the air-conditioning in the office and dimming the lights, Yuqi lies down on the couch, curling up into a ball to conserve heat. There's only one blanket in the office, and as she drifts off to sleep, basking in the reassuring presence of her friend and leader, she makes a note to herself to buy another for next time.

#

Soyeon wakes up with a jolt. Sometime over the night she has grown comfortably snug, and she realises it's because of the blanket that someone has thoughtfully covered her with. the woollen material, she lifts her head to find that her laptop has been placed aside, and that a pillow has somehow found its way into her arms. She shakes her head to get rid of her sleepiness and checks the time on her phone. Five in the morning. She's slept for about four hours, and as little as it is, she's never felt more refreshed.

Stretching, she spins around in her chair - and nearly falls back in surprise when she sees a figure on her couch. The warmth that spreads through her is quick and pleasant, though, once her vision clears and she recognises the mass of wavy hair and oversized hoodie that is Yuqi. Scooting over, she grins down at the girl, watching her chest rise and fall as she sleeps. 

Yuqi has always been beautiful, Soyeon thinks. Even now in her sleep her beauty shines through, charming innocence and adorable features that Soyeon can't help but stare at. She loves the freckles on Yuqi's face and lips which are almost always upturned in a friendly smile. Seeing Yuqi sleep like a baby here she can't help but feel bad. She should have known that Minnie would go over to Miyeon's place with the belief that Soyeon would return home for the night to accompany Yuqi. She knows all too well that Yuqi doesn't do well alone at home, and yet she's thoughtlessly left her by herself in their empty apartment.

If only she hadn't pushed herself and just gone home, Yuqi wouldn't be sleeping on this tiny, hard couch in the cold. Yuqi should be sleeping somewhere more comfortable, like her bed at home. Feeling apologetic, Soyeon reluctantly nudges Yuqi, prompting the sensitive girl to wake up.

"Soyeon...?"

"Hey," Soyeon brushes Yuqi's hair away from her face, her eyes soft, her touch gentle. "Let's go home."

"Mmkay." Yuqi slowly pulls herself away from the couch, her entire body moving in slow-motion as she gets to her feet. Still in the throes of sleep, she sways and stumbles slightly, but Soyeon is quick to steady her with an arm around her waist.

"Thanks," Yuqi mumbles, leaning against Soyeon, her lips brushing against Soyeon's hair. "I love you."

Soyeon freezes, her ears turning red, blush spreading across her cheeks like wildfire. It's not that Yuqi's never said that to her before - in fact, she probably says it too often, and to everyone. Soyeon should have gotten used to it, shouldn't be so affected by it. But in her sleepy state, Yuqi must really not know the full effect of her words on Soyeon, casually saying those words in that husky voice of hers. Soyeon is suddenly very aware of their proximity to each other, knowing that if she tilts her head upwards that she could probably kiss Yuqi. For once, she's glad to be shorter than Yuqi so the younger girl couldn't see her pink cheeks. Her fingers tingle where they cling at Yuqi's waist. Soyeon her lips nervously.

"I love you too."

Soyeon means it from the bottom of her heart.