‘The new studio is finally ready, I’m inaugurating today! A huge thanks to my friends, without them, this wouldn’t have been possible. I’m so grateful to them T.T I hope you like it because I’m very happy about it! I’ve prepared some surprises, so be patient. As usual, feel free to request songs!

To me, music is the way I best express myself, so I hope I’ll sing for you for a long time.’

“I’m gonna destroy you, you won’t even understand !” Yoohyeon taunted, carefully stretching her hands then her neck.

“In your dreams, maybe,” retorted Yubin, who was getting ready in a similar fashion. The tension was tangible, and Minji had convinced Bora not to get involved in that matter, as nothing good would come out of it. “Don’t come crying afterwards.”

Yoohyeon furrowed her brows then looked at the other girl right in the eyes. “As if I’d let that happen.”

Yubin merely shrugged in response. “No one’s invincible.”

“Are you talking about yourself?”

“May the best woman win.”

“Looser owes the winner a bubble tea.”

The two girls fist bumped.

“Deal.”

The fight started and each started hammering the controls of the arcade game, unleashing the intricate but deadly combos of their characters. Next to them, Bora and Minji were unwinding on Dance Dance Revolution, taking it up a notch after a warm-up round and now needing to use the handle bar behind them.

Minji’s friends were as friendly as the blonde, Bora thought in-between two songs. Maybe it was because of her personality, people couldn’t help but appreciate her and she gathered around her people emitting a similar warmth. A few days after they reunited, as Minji had promised her, her friends had welcomed her right away, as if Bora had known them forever.

They had started lightly with crane games, getting to know them over their attempts of getting Ditto plushies, but then Yoohyeon insisted to get a rematch. On what? Well, it appeared that Yoohyeon and Yubin’s rivalry had been going on for a while. Something about ‘immemorial times’ and ‘destined paths’, Bora didn’t quite catch what they said after.

Yubin was hard to figure out at first, being visibly calmer than the other and preferring keeping to herself, but she seemed to be the kind of person you could always rely on. Like Minji, she was part of the university broadcasting club. She loved reading, loved stories and partook in writing short films and web series scenarii for school productions.

Yoohyeon, Minji’s 'other half' as she had been introduced, gave out a moving innocence you’d almost want to protect at all costs. The fact that she tended to be extremely clumsy, with a rather incredible predisposition to trip on nothing but air, partly explained it. She knew it because in the short time she had known her it had already happened a couple times. Yoohyeon was part of the broadcasting club as well and also a budding youtuber - that’s how Minji and her clicked right away, but she was specialized in gaming. That obviously didn’t prevent her from being regularly beaten hands down by Yubin.

“Noooooooooo!”

If you’d ask her, Yoohyeon would tell you it’s because she prefers discover games with her viewers rather than competing.

Yubin was already getting up from her seat imitating a mic drop while the youtuber was brooding.

“Brilliant performance from the pro-gamer! So, Yoohyeon-ah, bubble tea’s on you, right?” Bora threw while nudging Yoohyeon who now wore a scandalized expression.

“What? No! That’s not what we agreed on!”

“Not even for me?” Minji hugged Yoohyeon from behind and swayed the both of them gently to comfort her. Because Yoohyeon was taller, the result was slightly precarious but it didn’t seem to bother them as she snuggled closer to Minji’s neck, a candid smile on her face.

“For you, I could make an exception, I guess.”

“You two are awfully cute together,” Bora observed, faking being grossed out. She ignored the public display of affection, and headed towards the exit of the arcade to reach the bubble tea place that was right across the street. Yubin quickly followed on her heels.

“You’ll be immune soon.”

“I’m not entirely sure I’m looking forward to it, if that means I have to endure them until I don’t even notice anymore.” She grimaced with disgust. “I’m kidding, of course. Or not.”

“At least, you missed the time they were head over heel for each other but couldn’t bring themselves to confess, always chickening out last minute. I wanted to punch them so much.” Yubin clenched her fist remembering those rather… frustrating times. She coughed. “I still do, but for other reasons.”

“Knock some sense into them, right?” Bora chuckled at Yubin’s antics. “Ah, but I had that too! I was lucky to get a daily update from Minji. A real-life drama, yeah. Plot twists all the time, but a background story that doesn’t make any progress. Glad to know it was the same for you.”

How many times had she listened to Minji gush about the oversized puppy-looking girl who had joined the club and was oh so charming when she was away? That went on for months before the blonde could muster the courage to do something about it.

“Hey, we can hear you!” The couple shouted in unison behind them.