"And the award for the best album of the year goes to 'The Dark Side of the Moon' by Moonbyul!"

Moonbyul let out a soft sigh, a smile immediately taking over her sharp features. She looked to her right when she felt someone squeeze her hand. A blinding smile met her the second blonde hair came into view. Moonbyul allowed her eyes to rake over her face, taking in the dimples forming under her lower lip and the way her eyes had completely disappeared from stretching her skin so much. Even without speaking she felt the happiness and pride radiating off of Yongsun.

"Go on up there," the angelic voice urged her on, grin never leaving her features, the perfect pearly white teeth shining even in the dim light.

Moonbyul got up from her seat, squeezing Yongsun's hand one last time before letting go. She exchanged smiles with Wheein and Hwasa, the latter giving her two very enthusiastic thumbs up as Wheein laughed with her characteristic loud laugh. Her heart felt full seeing three of the most important people in her life sharing this moment with her. A faint cough coming from the stage caused her to swirl around and finally begin her walk towards the award waiting for her. The perfectly tailored suit hugged her like a second skin, empathizing her lean figure as she carefully placed one foot in front of the other. It wouldn't do well to trip over herself out of excitement, now of all times.

Her gaze flew over all the people applauding on their seats. Many of them she'd call her colleagues, some her friends. The past years had been a wild run and never would she have imagined being where she was now; on the way to accept the most meaningful award an artist could, for an album she alone had produced and written. Tears collected at her lower lashes when memories from prior years uncontrollably flooded her mind. She would never forget how crushing the news of her not being allowed to sing had been. Her entire dreams destroyed in the blink of a moment. A single person, as so often the case, having the power to decide over your life like it's nothing. Things changed. Thankfully. Nowadays she would agree it had been a good decision. Choosing her to rap in their songs had added a certain edge they would've otherwise lacked. Nevertheless, her confidence had suffered serious blows that night.

And now here she was. Collecting the fruit of her, and her family's year-long hard work. As she got on stage her eyes immediately found the dark, big ones she'd grown so used to search for comfort in. The slight nod Yongsun sent her was all Moonbyul needed. She took her time with the last few steps, allowing her confident side to take over. She knew she deserved the award.

"Thank you, Dahee," she whispered as the tall actress handed her the golden award, engulfing her in a tight hug Moonbyul almost disappeared in.

"You did well, Byul," she was sure she saw something twinkle when Dahee's eyes passed her hand, "The album is amazing. Everybody loves it."

Moonbyul smiled wider at her friend and gingerly held the award, fingers firmly wrapping themselves around the metal. Dahee patted her shoulder and Moonbyul turned to the microphone standing close to them. The award still secured in her hands she took a deep breath and began talking, determined to let go of all her past insecurities. She was no longer the young Moon Byulyi hoping for the world to recognize her. Right now she was Moonbyul, part of Mamamoo and successful solo artist of her own.

"Uhm, hello," Moonbyul inwardly cringed at the filler at the beginning of her sentence. 

So much for confidence. 

"To be honest I don't know what to say. As much as words flow out of me when I write lyrics for songs I'm not very good at articulating myself in these kinds of moments. First and foremost, I want to thank my friends, my fellow members of Mamamoo. Although this is a solo project, I could probably not have done it without their support. Too many times Wheein had to come and literally feed me my chicken so I wouldn't starve."

The audience chuckled, a few of the ones more familiar with songwriting shaking their heads in agreement. Moonbyul smiled in relief. Maybe this wasn't going as bad as she would've thought.

"Of course, I'm also extremely grateful to people who actually got me on this stage. I want to thank you for continuously standing beside and behind us, for being our friends, even from afar. Our dearest Moomoos who never fail to support and bring the best out in us."

She stopped for a moment to take in the deafening screams shaking the ceremony hall. As many times as she had stood on stage for concerts and awards, the screams, the fans' response would always be as shocking and exhilarating as the first time she got to experience it. Knowing so many people appreciated your craft and to an extent possibly your very soul was simply exhilarating. Moonbyul flashed one of her smirks, quietly relishing in the screams gaining in volume. It truly was an addicting feeling. 

"I hope I managed to convey most of my thoughts and feelings with this album. I also hope it will be a place you can go back to whenever you need a small boost of confidence. Of course, there are also the people behind the cameras, behind closed doors who helped with this. My thanks and well-wishes go out to my co-workers at RBW."

Moonbyul paused, collecting herself for what she was about to say next. Right now, she was at the possibly highest point of her career. The question was whether she'd fall from reaching too close to the sun or not. Would she repeat Icarus' mistake with her very own sun? Or would her wings prevail against the heat?

"And last but not least, I want to thank my fiancée."

For a short moment, everything grew quiet. Not a single breath disturbing the perfect silence. One by one, the shining, green Moobongs started bobbing up and down, a sea of green light showing their support. Soon enough the people she had grown to appreciate and look for in crowds began chanting her name, the wave of the radish field never stopping. Moonbyul couldn't stop the smile taking over her, the sea of green reflecting in eyes shining with hidden galaxies under the stage's blinding lights.

"They are the only reason my back is still alive after falling asleep at my desk working on the music so many nights in a row. They gave me a new perspective to life and I will forever cherish each and every moment we share. I won't make this too long because I know you're probably rolling your eyes at how corny I am," she paused and winked in Yongsun's general direction, "But in the end, the moon never shines as beautifully without its sun."

Moonbyul stepped back from the mic stand and bowed down deeply. She raised the trophy into the air triumphantly before walking off the stage, aware of thousands of eyes following her every step. The deafening screams followed her into the space backstage, never leaving her mind even as she sat back down next to the other three beagles. The rest of the day was a blur for Moonbyul. People kept congratulating her on both her success and engagement, most of them supportive and genuinely happy for her, some with a criticizing and questioning gaze. She didn't pay the latter any mind.

She knew what she had said.

She knew how it could be interpreted.

And it was exactly what she wanted.

"You are so corny," Yongsun's tender voice broke Moonbyul out of her thoughts. 

By now the two were comfortably snuggled into the too big seats of their company's car. They had changed out of their clothes, now clad in oversized sweats and hoodies as the dim light hid the exhaustion on their faces. The days leading up to the event had taken their toll on all four of them.

"I wanted to puke," Wheein deadpanned from the seat behind them. Moonbyul threw a side-eye at Wheein's fingers playing with Hyejin's dainty hands. "But you looked amazing on stage. You commanded everybody's attention to you. I think the entire world's eyes were drawn to you."

"How many people do you think will be angry tomorrow?" 

Byul threw the question into the room, already knowing the answer. She gently trailed her fingers over the car's window, tapping her short nails against the glass.

"All of them," Hyejin laughed and soon enough the other three joined in as well.

Moonbyul let her eyes rest on her sun. No matter what the following days, weeks or even years would bring, she knew she'd always have Yongsun by her side. And quite frankly? That was all she would ever need. She grabbed Yongsun's hand and intertwined their fingers, smiling brightly when the light reflected in the thin bands sitting snugly around their ring fingers.

"Thank you for coming with me."

She genuinely meant it. Both accepting this award and sharing the news of her engagement was special to her and sharing it with the people most important to her meant everything. Their conversation died down after this, everybody too tired to keep up the talk. The four simply enjoyed each other's presence in silence. As soon as the car arrived at Yongsun's apartment the two jumped out after bidding their farewells to the younger girls. It didn't take long for them to fall asleep in a mess of arms and legs, unclear where one began and the other ended. Darkness fell over Seoul, the moon relieving the sun from its job.

"I thought you turned off your alarm," Yongsun grumbled from somewhere close to Moonbyul's shoulder.

"I thought I did?" 

Moonbyul rolled around, gently lifting Yongsun's arm from where it lay over her stomach. The blonde barely reacted except for a few quiet, protesting grumbles. Had someone told Moonbyul that her heart expanded three times its size at that moment, she would have believed them without a single doubt. Ignoring her phone's annoying beeps and zaps she reached over and softly brushed blonde strands of hair out of Yongsun's face. The older gently pressed her cheek closer, still half asleep. No matter how much time they spent together, no matter how often they saw each other, Moonbyul could never grow tired of the other's presence. Of the way her body and soul fit perfectly against hers

"I love you," the murmur was barely audible over the phone's noise.

A single eye fluttered open halfway through and fixated her with a dangerous yet soft stare only Yongsun was capable of, "I love you too."

Moonbyul finally managed to rip herself from the safety of their bed and reached over to the wobbly nightstand, grabbing her phone in between nimble fingers. It took her a second to recognize Wheein's caller ID, vision still blurry from sleep.

"Wheepup?" 

Moonbyul's voice was still raspy from sleep and lower than usual. She instinctively reached up and lightly scratched at , feeling the need to drink water.

"You and Yongsun are all over the news."

Moonbyul hummed, already having expected that outcome. Although she had never explicitly named Yongsun as her fiancee, the reference to the sun as well as their matching rings had been a dead giveaway. If she was being honest, she thought people had known already. They never had paid much attention to hiding their affection.

"The opinions are pretty much split in half."

Now her interest was piqued. 

"What do you mean, Whee?"

"From what I have seen on Twitter and other social media Moomoos support you two fully. I have yet to come across someone saying anything negative. Most of them are surprised people are surprised about the news, to be honest," Moonbyul's cheeks hurt from the grin breaking out over her lips, of course, Moomoos would stand behind them as always, "The Korean public on the other hand."

Wheein trailed off and Moonbyul sighed. She had known it would be a delicate topic. Both her and Yongsun had prepared themselves for the worst, expecting everything from hate comments to death threats. Everything had been discussed with the company beforehand, making sure they would have safe plans for everything. Nevertheless, it didn't relieve the sadness pooling in her heart. She would never understand why people could be so hateful and close-minded about something as beautiful as love. Who did she hurt by loving Yongsun? Why were strangers she had never met so invested in her love-life?

"But I've seen a lot of our friends publicly speak out for you. They're all showing their support and calling out those who say hateful things," Wheein quipped from the other side of the line, "Some have even opened up about their very own feelings and relationships."

Moonbyul felt more than heard Yongsun's quiet gasp. They both looked at each other, shocked about the news. Yongsun snuggled closer to her, taking the phone and putting Wheein on speaker.

"What exactly do you mean, Wheein?" Her typical, somewhat firmer leader-voice took over.

"I'm saying there's a bunch of idols who just pretty much came out because of the news of your engagement. You two unknowingly started a small revolution. Well, a bit more than small with how many people are speaking up. You caused quite the ruckus. The CEO told me there's a high demand for interviews with you two."

Muffled, indistinctive noise interrupted Wheein. The engaged couple exchanged yet another glance, their brows rising in unison at the white noise coming through instead of Wheein's calming voice.

"Sorry, Hyejinnie thought now would be a good time to jump on me," Wheein trailed off and Moonbyul could hear Hyejin distantly agreeing. "Anyway take a few days off. You deserve it, both of you."

"We will, kid. Don't worry. Maybe not right now, but we will."

"Where's my allowance, mother?"

The line disconnected before Moonbyul could answer, not without a small shriek still reverberating through the room. Yongsund and Moonbyul immediately burst into laughter. Leave it to the shortest to brighten up their day no matter what. Moonbyul allowed herself to fall back into the soft mattress, letting out all the anticipation and stress she had felt for the past weeks leading up to the big announcement in a single deep sigh.

"Do you want to go to that small coffee shop around the corner?"

"Is it a good idea?" 

Moonbyul was worried about Paparazzi and people in general now more than ever. Going out always carried a certain possibility of danger. But with them supposedly being plastered all over the news? 

"We're engaged not on the run because of some crime."

Moonbyul chuckled and pressed a soft kiss on Yongsun's lips, not able to withstand their sweet temptation. She got lost in the feeling for a moment or two.

"For you, I'd commit any crime."

"Don't say weird stuff like this!"

Soon enough the couple had finished getting up and throwing on some clothes, both choosing comfort over style. Yongsun almost left the keys inside the apartment while Moonbyul realized she hadn't put any shoes on. They shook their heads at each other but ended it off with sugary sweet smiles. Linking their hands they left Yongsun's apartment, ready to deal with whatever the day would throw at them. As anxious as Moonbyul was to go out in the street she was also simply relieved to finally be able to hold Yongsun's hand without worrying to be caught. Happy to finally be able to simply kiss her when she felt like it. She took use of the fleeting thought and pressed yet another quick kiss on the blonde's lips, grinning at her slightly confused look. Moonbyul simply shrugged her shoulders, her smile never leaving her lips.

Seoul's streets were as busy as ever and thankfully the two managed to disappear in the masses of people until they reached their destination, which was, in fact, a lot further away than just around the corner. The small golden bell above the door rang when Moonbyul pushed it open, attracting the stares of some patrons. If they were recognized, nobody mentioned it. Yongsun motioned to Moonbyul to go find a table while she walked up to the counter to place their orders. Moonbyul found one in the back corner of the shop and swiftly sat down, shoulders immediately sagging as she stretched in the seat. A small yawn escaped her and she quickly covered , trying to hide her sleepiness. She threw a grateful smile at Yongsun when she appeared with two coffees in her hands, a timid barista trailing behind her with a versatile assortment of sandwiches clutched in his arms. 

"Enjoy your food!" 

The barista turned to leave but stopped after one step. He turned around, hand nervously scratching at his neck.

"Congratulations on your engagement," he grinned and pointed at a small rainbow-colored pin on his apron, "And thank you for everything you've done for the past years."

He quickly bowed, waved at both of them and returned to the counter to address the shop's next customers. The two smiled their thousandth smile that day and preoccupied themselves with the food, thoroughly enjoying the rather quiet atmosphere surrounding them. It wasn't often they could go outside and simply enjoy existing as themselves. Moonbyul would have expected things to be worse after the news she had casually dropped the past night. Perhaps luck was on their side for once. She watched the people outside the window pass by, the world never stopping it's ever-continuing spin even as she was rooted in place, safely next to Yongsun.

"Moonbyul?"

Her head whipped around when she heard the soft yet deep voice say her name. Two women stood before her, tightly holding onto each other's hands as they nervously looked down at her. The taller one ran her free hand through short, blue hair that reminded Moonbyul of Wheein.

"I hope we're not interrupting?" 

"Of course not," Yongsun's smile put the sun to shame.

"This is somewhat awkward," the blue-haired one chuckled. 

She seemed familiar.

"We saw you by accident and wanted to say that we stand behind you," the shorter one's voice got quieter towards the end, "Both as fans and fellow artists."

It was then Moonbyul recognized them. She had met both of them before, even taken a picture with their group in their earlier days. Her posture relaxed completely.

"You two are in Dreamcatcher, right? Lee Siyeon and Kim Bora," she stood up from her chair and gestured for the barista to bring two more.

"You recently released a solo song, didn't you? Paradise, was it?" Yongsun cut in, still holding the steaming coffee between her hands. "It is a beautiful song."

"I did not expect you to know about it," Siyeon blushed at the compliment.

"I saw a lot of people mention it, naturally had to listen to it," Yongsun took a sip from her coffee.

The barista arrived with two chairs in tow and excitedly waved at the two younger girls when he recognized them. After a quick exchange, they sat down at the table, Moonbyul plopping down into her previous seat as well and offered the sandwiches to the newcomers, who politely declined. She saw them fidged in their seats, still somewhat nervous.

"I guess we just wanted to say we gained the courage to be ourselves because of you," Siyeon nodded at Bora and her intertwined hands, "We're some of the lucky ones. Our company was very open-minded about our relationship but we, of course, weren't allowed to show it outside our dorms."

"But now that so many big names voiced their support," Bora snatched one of the sandwiches after all and Moonbyul winked at her, "We kind of said it."

Bora unwrapped the sandwich and happily bit into it, munching on the greenery and Siyeon lightly slapped her own forehead. After listening to Bora's happy sounds she caved in and reached for a sandwich as well, thanking the older couple. The group of four ended up talking for the better part of two hours, sharing various stories about their life, from how they trained to mishaps on stage and hidden shenanigans whenever they went out. They laughed, ate and drank to their heart's extent. The young barista, at this point, had gotten over his initial shock and just laughed with them whenever he came by to bring yet another drink or snack to the loud table. 

Only Moonbyul's phone ringing interrupted them.

"Yes, we'll come by in half an hour," she hung up and rolled her eyes with a peaceful expression and redirected her attention to the women in front of her, "Work calls. We should stay in contact. Maybe we can even work on something together? I like your style."