Amber was happy again. She finally found someone who can made her heart flustered again, someone who created butterfly around in her stomach everytime they met, someone who are cute enough and makes Amber wouldn’t stop starring whenever they bumped into each other. Amber met Ellin, one of girl group members, first time at a party then they met again several times at music shows. They sometimes hung out but just at a ‘friend’ level as Amber was still attached before. They become closer after Amber broke up with Krystal and somehow Amber started to look at Ellin, differently.

Amber checked her phone after F(x) finished their meeting at their company building. Her eyes sparkled and a wide smile formed on her lips. She giggled like a kid when she replied the text.

“We’re done, right”?, she asked confirmation from her members, she needed to get out as soon as possible because she promised that she will have dinner with Ellin.

“Yes we are. Wae?”, Victoria asked her back, analyzing Amber who seemed to be in hurry.

“Oooohh… Amber Unnie, you want to go somewhereee??”, Luna teased. Amber’s face got red as a response.

“Uuhh… yea.. I need to go. I mean, I have an appointment.”, she answered shyly.

“With who?”, suddenly a cold voice startled Amber. It was Krystal.

Amber looked at her, trying to use her poker face. “With a friend.”, she gave a short answer.

“Are you going on a date? Why are you blushing?”, Luna teased again and giggled. Victoria immediately gave a glare to Luna, signaling that Krystal was there so Luna will stop asking questions that can make the situation become awkward.

Yes, Amber and Krystal now are in a good term, they were able to maintain the relationship as friends and groupmate. Both of them were get along pretty well, they can talk and play normally. However, this was the first time that one of them actually have plan to move forward, have the intention to date again. And nobody knew what would happen if one of them actually do it, nobody can predict whether each of them was ready to accept when the other found someone new.

“Nope. It’s just a dinner with a friend. Nothing special.”, Amber answered again, tried to act as cool as possible. She took glance at Krystal, trying to read her expression. But as usual, her face looked flat. Amber can’t really guess what is on her mind.

“Okay. Have fun, Amber.”, Victoria said and wave her hand happily, seeing Amber gathered her stuff and get out from the meeting room in a rush.

Amber quickly changed her clothes and drove her car to picked Ellin at her dorm. She grinned when she saw Ellin came inside her car. It was really nice to have this feeling again.

“Hey.”, Ellin chirped happily.

“Hi!”, Amber replied in the same amount of happiness. “Sorry I was late. The meeting dragging a little bit longer than I thought.”, Amber tried to explain, she was around 30 minutes late to pick up Ellin.

Ellin shook her head. “It’s okay, Amber. Well, where do you want to eat?”

“I am kinda starving. Do you want to have a big Korean meal? I know a place, we can have a few drinks there too after we eat.”, Amber hoped that they can have the whole night for their little date.

“Korean meal is fine. I am okay with everything.”, Ellin replied and smiled. Amber felt butterfly again in her stomach when she saw her smile.

They chat about what food they are going to order at the restaurant. Amber was excitedly explained to Ellin on how good the food taste there. But suddenly, their happy conversation was interrupted when Amber’s phone rang. Amber took a glance at her phone and found Krystal’s name there, accompanied with her pretty picture, beeping non-stop. Amber let out a weak sigh and just ignored it, clicking the silent button so the ringtone cannot be heard anymore.

“Who is that?”, Ellin asked her curiously.

“No-one. Sorry about that.”, Amber answered quickly. She didn’t know why Krystal has to call her now, when she was with someone else, tried to have a date.

Before they can continue the chat, Amber’s phone rang again, and it was still Krystal calling. Amber looked at her phone with irritated face and rejected it this time. But apparently Krystal did not give up and kept calling her. Amber groaned and just ignore it once again.

“Seriously, Amber. Who is that? If this person kept calling you, then it must be not a no-one.”, Ellin tried to take a peek at Amber’s phone. She was sure that she saw a name written as ‘princess’ on Amber’s phone screen.

“Sorry. It’s Krystal.”, Amber replied awkwardly. She knew there was no point of lying to Ellin.

Ellin turned her face from Amber and looked straight to the front now. Nodded few times. “So… it’s true then…”, she mumbled.

“What true?”, Amber asked in confusion.

“That you were dating Krystal.”, Ellin turned her gaze back to Amber. Tried to find the truth from Amber, tried to find an explanation from her.

Amber frowned. “Who told you that?”

Ellin just chuckled bitterly. “Nobody. But everybody was talking about it. The gossip about you two were like a public secret, everybody knew about it.”

Amber just kept quiet. She had no idea that people really talked about it. Only few people, meaning their really close friends and F(x) members, who knew about their romantic relationship. But Amber and Krystal kept it discreet from the public, simply to protect themselves from this cruel industry.

“We’re just friends, groupmate.”, she finally responded. Before she can say anything further, Amber’s phone rang again and Krystal’s name popped out on her screen for the fourth time.

“I think you should pick up her call. Otherwise, she won’t stop bugging you. It’s fine.”, Ellin smiled. She pointed to Amber’s phone and assure her that she can pick up the phone.

Amber knew that she has to pick up Krystal’s call anyway. What Ellin said was true, Krystal will not stop calling until she answer. “Hello”, Amber finally answered, hesitantly.

“Where are you?? Why aren’t you picking up my call?”, Amber can sense Krystal was a little bit angry because she ignored her earlier.

“I am on the way to a restaurant. I was driving.”, Amber took a glance to Ellin, thinking that this was so awkward. Trapped in a situation where she has to answer a call from her ex-girlfriend when she was crushing on someone else.

“Who are you with?”, Krystal asked again with slightly higher tone.

“My friend.”, Amber replied quickly.

“But who?”, Krystal insisted, impatiently wanting to get answer.

“I am with Ellin. You know her, right.“, finally Amber chose to be honest and just tell Krystal.

There was a silent on the other line. After a small sighed was heard, finally Krystal replied. “Alright. Have fun, Am.”, she said weakly, and just ended the call.

“Bye.”, Amber pretended to say bye eventhough Krystal has ended the line. She didn’t want to sound so awkward in front of Ellin. “Sorry about that.”, she said to Ellin after she put down her phone.

“Really? Just friends?”, Ellin raised her eyebrows and asked Amber again. She knew that there is no way friends talked like what she just witnessed.

“Alright fine. We dated, okay. But please don’t tell anyone about this. And FYI, as I said, we’re just friends now.”, Amber finally gave up and let Ellin know the truth. Ellin just nodded and kept mum. Amber knew Ellin smelled something weird in her prior phone conversation and Amber needed to convince Ellin that there is nothing going on between her and Krystal now.

The awkward silence after Krystal’s call incident finally broke after they have their dinner at the restaurant. For Amber, it was weird having fun at dinner with Ellin now, she used to have the same feeling before whenever she was with Krystal. But oh well, everything changed. Amber needed to move on and she was eager to have another 1000 times dinner with the girl that sat next to her now. They ordered alcohol after they finished their meal to have more relax atmosphere between them. Amber can feel that alcohol made her a little bit braver to get closer to Ellin. She moved her chair closer and she actually has the guts to touch Ellin’s hand sometimes. She was getting confidence when Ellin did not reject her actions towards her.

But again, all the happy moment got interrupted when Krystal’s name was showing on her phone screen, now sending a text message. It was too late for Amber to hide it from Ellin as Amber let her phone screen open just like that on the table. Ellin just smiled and pointed to Amber’s phone with her chin as if saying that it was okay for Amber to reply the text. Amber quickly opened the text as she wanted to deal with it immediately so she can go back to have conversation with Ellin.

Krystal  : Where are you? Its late already.

Amber frowned and typed her reply.

Amber  : What? It is only 10.30pm. I am still at the restaurant.

Krystal  : Please be home soon. And call me when you get home, okay?

Amber was stunned. She was staring at her phone in disbelief. It was rather odd when Krystal said that she needs to let Krystal know when she is home. She chose not to reply again and put her phone back to the table.

“Krystal just worried.”, she instantly explained to Ellin, eventhough Ellin did not ask anything.

“Okaay..”, Ellin just gave her a short answer. But Amber could see a little bit of disappointment drawn on her face. Amber knew she has to do something that shows her interest. To prove that she likes her now and she wants her.

Amber took one big gulped on her alcohol. “Look… Ellin…”, she started, she scratched her head trying to find the rights words to begin her speech. “I am so..so sorry about that. But…, really, it was over between me and Krystal. And I really like you.. I really really like you and I hope that we can get close to each other, closer than just a friend..”, she stopped and staring at Ellin. Tried to read her expression in worry. She just blurted out her feelings as she was afraid she will lose her chance if she was not being honest.

“Amber.. I like you too. Honestly. But…”, Ellin sighed heavily. “I think.. your relationship with Krystal seems.. complicated in a way. I am worried, you guys are still working together as a group. “

Hearing Ellin’s response, Amber knew the problem. Ellin must be feeling insecure about her whole situation with Krystal. She needed to cater her words carefully this time to explain.  

“You don’t need to worry. Trust me. We’re over, she is not more than a groupmate. I promise you. I like you. And we do not need to rush this… this thing. Just take it slowly, getting to know each other better and closer.”, Amber grabbed Ellin’s hand and squeezed it, assure her that she meant every word she said. Ellin looked at Amber’s eyes, long for assurance. She finally nodded and smiled.

“Okay. I’d like that. Let’s get to know each other better. Slowly.”, she blushed when she said that.

Amber couldn’t hold her happiness when she heard Ellin’s reply. She felt that she was given a chance to make a new journey with someone new and Amber was so excited about it. They kept holding hands when Amber drove Ellin back to her dorm and promised that she will call her once she gets home as well. Amber’s face turned as red as tomato when Ellin gave her a quick peck on her cheek before she got out from Amber’s car.

“I am home.”, Amber said to Ellin on the phone, informing that she has reached her apartment.

She heard Ellin giggled on the other line. “Okay, Amber. Now I can sleep in peace knowing that you are home safely.”

Amber chuckled. “Ah, you’re so cheesy.”

“You’re my teacher for the cheesiness”, she replied in a cheerful tone.

“Okay. I will wash up and go to bed. You too, okay. I will text you tomorrow morning. Goodnight..”,

“Goodnight, Amber.”

Amber ended the call with a smile on her face. A warm feeling creeped in her heart remembering the whole date she had with Ellin earlier today. Then suddenly she remembered the other thing, and she opened the text message from Krystal which asked her to call when she reach home. She just stared at the text as her mind was torn whether she should call Krystal now. But without her realize, her finger automatically found a number that she used to call and she was greeted by a sleepy voice on the other line.

“You’re still awake? It’s almost 1 am now.”, Amber was surprise that Krystal still able to pick up her phone.

“I was waiting for you. Are you home?”, Krystal asked while yawning. Clearly she was that sleepy but tried to stay awake when Amber called her.

“Yes I am home. ”

“Glad you’re home safely, Am.”, Krystal said, almost the same like what Ellin said before. But somehow, it sounds different for Amber. Because it was Krystal who said it. There was a different warm feeling there, there was a familiarity in her tone, a piece of sentiment between them that Amber could never be able to erase.

“Thank you for waiting for me, Krys. You should go to sleep now.”, Amber didn’t know what to say. No matter how they become, Krystal will always be her Krystal.

“Goodnight, Amber”, Krystal finally said and ended the call.

Amber just sighed. “Krystal, what are you doing?”, she thought in her mind.

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A/N: thank you for those who subscribed, gave me an upvote and gave their comments. Moving forward, hope i can always give you good chapter to read :) :)