A/N: Hey, everyone! Though I had planned on leaving the story as a oneshot, I decided to revisit it and realized that it could use a bit more which turned out to be a lot more when I started writing it. I hope this chapter gives the story a proper and satisfying conclusion. On another note, it’s Juneteenth where I live (which just so happens to also be my birthday ^^). Please continue to help, support, and advocate the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement in any way you can. Stay safe and happy readings :)

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Yerin entered her apartment, tossing her cap on the couch and placing her camera bag on the coffee table. It had only been two minutes since the van dropped her off and about forty minutes since she and SinB bid adieu by the hotel curbside. During the drive, Yerin kept replaying the evening in her head. From SinB’s teasing scowl when she had caught Yerin taking pictures of Sowon and Eunha to when she heard her name being called as the lucky raffle winner to the fancy hotel restaurant date with her one and only bias. Surreal, it was all too surreal that Yerin couldn’t help but pinch her wrist to make sure that the past couple of hours weren’t just a lucid dream.

 

If her incessant pinching wasn’t enough then all Yerin had to do was look down at the Blanc & Eclare shirt that was once on SinB’s body and now on her own. Yerin squealed, unleashing her fangirl tendencies that were suppressed throughout the night. She ran into her bedroom and cannonballed onto her bed, rolling around and kicking the air like a giddy child on Christmas morning. Once her outburst of energy subsided, Yerin laid flat on her back, chest heaving and limbs stretched out. She turned her head to the wall where a large poster of SinB was adorned alongside a group poster of GFriend. But Yerin’s gaze was fixated on the SinB poster alone. 

 

To be able to stare into those mahogany eyes without the use of a camera or a computer screen. To be able to be so close to her without a bodyguard blocking her view. To be able to laugh and joke together without any interruptions from a manager, motioning her to move along to the next chair. It was magical. 

 

While her infatuation with the idol stemmed from her talent and beauty, Yerin found more reasons to fall so deeply for SinB. The things that happened, the things they talked about. The two perhaps formed a deeper connection than any idol and fan interaction ever. 

 

With an unbreakable smile on her face, Yerin closed her eyes and replayed her “date” with SinB for the umpteenth time. 

 

 

*****

 

Yerin was fortunate enough to attend the next two fansigns the following days. When it was time to greet SinB, Yerin noticed that the idol looked at her differently. Her smile would broaden, and her eyes would twinkle as if she were sheltering stars. Not only that, but SinB was much more touchy than usual. There was that time when she stood up from her chair to help fix Yerin’s hat that had gone crooked. And there was the other moment where Yerin was semi-joking about getting carpal tunnel syndrome. SinB told her to lay her wrist on the table. And while signing her album with one hand, she was massaging Yerin’s wrist with the other. Fans praised SinB for her sympathetic gesture, but Yerin couldn’t shake off the feeling that there was something more to it. The feeling continued to linger all throughout the weekend and even up until Monday when she went back to work. 

 

It was her lunchtime now, and Yerin decided to spend it in the break room. She had packed herself a modest meal and was about to indulge in a large spoonful of kimchi fried rice when her best friend/coworker, Oh Hayoung, pulled up a seat next to her. 

 

“Hayoung-ah!” Yerin, eyes enlarged in surprise, acknowledged. “You’re already back from your vacation in Japan?” 

 

“Unfortunately, so,” Hayoung pouted. “One week is simply not enough time. Between the spa resorts in Kyoto and the party scene in Tokyo, the days just flew by. But hey, I got you those GFriend albums you wanted.”

 

Yerin smiled excitedly, patting her friend on the cheek. “Thank you, Hayoungie. You’re the best.”

 

Hayoung leaned down and procured the lump of rice still yet to be eaten. “I know,” she said amidst chewing. 

 

Yerin shook her head and scooped up some more rice for herself. But as she did so, she realized that Hayoung hadn’t turned away from her. Yerin tried to act indifferent as she ate her food, but her friend didn’t budge. After an extremely uncomfortable minute, Yerin glanced at Hayoung whose knitted eyebrows seemed to scrutinize her very existence. 

 

“Is my makeup smudged or something?” Yerin inquired, breaking the tortured silence.

 

“You look different,” Hayoung replied, still gaping at Yerin. “Like your face is glowing.” She then glanced around the not-too-crowded break room and whispered, “Are you finally getting some?”

 

“What?! No!” Yerin nearly jumped out of her chair. The handful of coworkers who were in their vicinity looked up at the commotion before shrugging and returning to their own group circle. 

 

Hayoung exaggerated a frown and shrugged. “That’s too bad. Oh well, at least, one of us managed to.”

 

“Thanks, Captain TMI,” Yerin huffed in mild disgust.

 

“Well then, what’s the reason for those heart-shaped pupils dilating in your eyes? Don’t tell me it’s because you saw a GIF of SinB winking or SinB doing a split or SinB peeling a tangerine or whatever.”

 

“Don’t get mad at me when I say that it is SinB related, but I promise it’ll be worth your time and aggravation,” Yerin prefaced. 

 

Hayoung crossed her arms and flicked her head upward, as if to say, “Go on.”  

 

Exhaling a deep breath, Yerin began to anxiously twirl her spoon as she spoke. “So last week at the fansign, they held a raffle and the winner got to go on a dinner date with a member of their choosing. My ticket was picked, and I of course chose SinB. Me, out of the dozens of attendees, got to fulfill every fangirl and fanboy’s fantasy!”

 

“Wow, congratulations, Yerin-ah!” Hayoung extolled, genuinely happy for her best friend. “Now come on, spill the details. Was it everything that your little SinB-worshiping heart dreamed of?”

 

“It was everything and more. We went to this classy restaurant at a five-star hotel. SinB was so chivalrous and charming. But I just had to mess up the night by being a total klutz and accidentally spilling spaghetti on my shirt. But get this. While I was in the restroom desperately trying to remove the stain, SinB checked up on me. She must’ve noticed that I was on the verge of a panic attack because the next thing I knew, she had this incredulous idea of switching shirts with each other. Hayoung-ah, GFriend’s SinB gave her very expensive Blanc & Eclare shirt she was wearing to me, a certified discount rack connoisseur.”

 

“Jessica Jung’s fashion line? One shirt costs about an entire day’s salary. Do you still have it?”

 

Yerin nodded. “I wanted to switch back so she wouldn’t have to retell my humiliating incident to her members at the dorms. But she refused. She said she wanted to keep my shirt to remember our… contest date.” Her voice quieted as she thought back to that night and everything else that had proceeded since then. 

 

“Judging by how you said contest date with some hesitancy,” Hayoung remarked, “I’m guessing something more happened that night.”

 

Yerin let her spoon fall to the tupperware container as she grew bashful by the second. Summoning an ounce of courage, she took in a breath and explained. “Our time together was coming to a close, so she asked me if I had any other questions for her. As a harmless joke, I probed about her ‘ideal type’. She didn’t mention physical qualities, mostly personality traits. But right at the end of her list, she looked me in the eye and said, verbatim might I add, ‘Someone who I’m willing to give the shirt off my back.’”

 

Hayoung’s mouth dropped into an “O” shape while her eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. “Are you sure the two of you didn’t sneak off and have a quickie in a bathroom stall? Because that’s what I would have done if someone as attractive as SinB said that to me.”

 

Repeatedly, Yerin shook her head in defense. “Nothing like that happened. Did I want to close the small space between us and kiss her lips off at that moment? Yes, but the most I did was an impromptu hand grab.”

 

“In some cultures, that’s considered second base,” Hayoung teased. 

 

“This might sound cheesy, but I felt compelled to do that because I saw a shooting star flying above her in the night sky. I took it as a sign that maybe this could be the start of something. That her kind gestures and sweet responses weren’t just a testimony of her being a good person, but also that there was a chance that she was actually interested in me romantically.” After realizing what she had admitted, Yerin buried her face in her hands. “Oh God, I sound absolutely delusional, don’t I?” 

 

Yerin felt like she was drowning in a deep sea of embarrassment. She couldn’t believe she shared that, nonetheless considered that to be a possibility. Hayoung was her most trustworthy friend, but she was also very honest and unafraid to express her opinion. There was no doubt that Hayoung will give Yerin an earful about how “it’s partially an idol’s job to be tenderhearted and attentive towards fans” and how “devoting so much time to an idol group has been messing with her perception of basic social cues.”

 

Hayoung rubbed the distressed girl’s back. “Yerin-ah, I’m saying this as a friend… You're attractive. You’re funny. You’re interesting. I’m sure that in some alternate universe where you and SinB had debuted in the same girl group, fans would be shipping you two like crazy.”

 

“As nice as it is to hear you shower me in compliments for once, what is your point exactly?”

 

Hayoung grabbed a hold of Yerin’s hand and looked at her directly in the eyes. “My point is that based on what you told me so far, I wouldn’t be surprised if SinB had fallen for you over the course of your brief contest date.” 

 

Yerin grumbled, still not entirely convinced that Hayoung supported her.  

 

Clicking her tongue, Hayoung's expression turned mischievous. “But the best way to really make sure that you’re not being delusional is to get a second opinion. When’s the next fansign event? I’ll join you and determine whether SinB’s behavior with you could actually be defined as flirting or if she’s just being friendly.”

 

“It’s this Thursday. But you do know that it’s lottery-based and you have to buy a whole bunch of albums for even the chance of getting in?”

 

“Trust me, I’m aware, Yerin-ah. Thankfully, I’m equipped with connections.” Hayoung whipped out her phone, scrolling through her lengthy list of contacts before tapping on a name. Holding the phone to her ear, she stood up and began walking out of the break room. “I’ll pick you up on Thursday. Wear something nice, not that jolly, green giant outfit you always put on.”

 

With a wink and a brisk wave, Hayoung left, leaving Yerin utterly perplexed.

 

*****

 

On the evening of the fansign event, Hayoung showed up to Yerin’s apartment dressed in a cool, sophisticated black blazer, a white crop-top, and form-fitting black pants. Yerin, though, went against her friend’s wishes and was already donned in her typical uniform when she went to open the door. It wasn’t long before Hayoung excavated her closet and forced her stubborn pal to wear the outfit she picked out. A quick makeup session later and they were on their way to their destination. 

 

During the drive, Yerin questioned Hayoung how on earth she was able to receive an entry ticket at such short notice. A sly smile slithered on Hayoung’s lips. “If I told you then I would have to kiss you, and we both know neither of us would want that.”

 

The two entered the building, walking through the halls that led to the auditorium. Many fans had already gathered, carrying bags filled with plushies and toys to keep the members entertained and holding tightly onto their albums and personally written letters. It was all very standard. Even with their wardrobe. Nothing too flashy. Just simple and trendy. So surely, everyone was surprised when Yerin entered the room, wearing a white, floral-printed dress that stopped slightly above her knees. Her long, dark hair was kept down, she traded her wild cherry lip gloss for rosy pink lipstick, and beside her was a suave-looking woman.

 

Yerin nervously smiled at their gawking faces as she made her way to their seats. “I can’t believe I let you talk me into wearing a dress to the fansign,” she grumbled, tugging down on the hem of the short dress. 

 

“Aww, I think you look adorable,” Hayoung cooed, pinching Yerin’s cheek. “Besides, the dress shows off your assets better than that oversized monstrosity.” 

 

“Sorry for valuing comfort over fashion.”

 

“Hey, at least, I allowed you to wear the hat.” 

 

Yerin adjusted her green cap, the last shred of her identity as a fansign master other than her camera. She really hoped that SinB would be able to recognize her. It seemed like most of her peers were caught off guard to see the beloved photographer so dolled up. Yerin felt uncomfortable with this sort of attention. She tried to keep a low-profile by busying herself with cleaning her camera. But even so, she could hear the conspiratorial whisperings of who the two pretty girls in the back row were and the evident shock in their voices when someone reveals its Yerin. Hayoung, on the other hand, was unbothered, passing the time by answering emails. 

 

At last, the event began and GFriend went on stage. A sigh of relief escaped the fansite master’s mouth. Yerin stood up and readied her camera, looking into the viewfinder and setting her sights on SinB. Her green hair had gone a shade lighter, but she looked breathtaking regardless. The apples of her cheeks ballooned as her smile grew; her hands waved back to the excitable crowd. 

 

For a moment, Yerin glanced over at Hayoung who was politely clapping along. Though it was nice to have her best friend accompany her for once, Yerin wondered what exactly she was planning on doing. Hayoung had mentioned that she wasn’t going to participate in the actual signing session. So what was there left for her to do? Whatever it was Hayoung had in mind, Yerin hoped that it didn't end with them getting arrested. She knew her friend could be awfully sneaky. Shaking off the anxious feeling, Yerin returned to her camera, focused in on SinB’s beautiful face, and got in her element. 

 

Click, click, click, click

 

*****

 

SinB was seated at the far end of the table which meant that Yerin had to endure compliment after compliment from the members of her favorite group. Sowon, Eunha, Umji, and Yuju were all quick to acknowledge and praise Yerin’s new look. By the time the fansite master reached SinB, her face was flushed by the overwhelming attention. The group’s main dancer, though, played it cool as she swiftly wrote her signature. 

 

“Where’s this album going?” asked SinB.

 

There were only so many signed albums Yerin kept for herself. She decided to do giveaways for her social media followers. From Indonesia to Spain, the distance didn’t matter. They were all part of the same fandom. They were Buddies, and it only felt right to share the experience. 

 

“The Philippines,” Yerin answered, wondering if the idol was daring enough to initiate skinship again.

 

SinB nodded her head and added a quick message. She returned the album back to Yerin.

 

“What’s mahal kita?” the fansite master asked.

 

SinB’s mouth broke out into a playful smile. “It’s how the Filipinos say ‘I love you.’” 

 

Sheepishly, Yerin tittered with laughter. Partly because she was embarrassed to not have known the translation. And also because SinB looked into her eyes when she had said those three little words. 

 

“I’m sure you’ve already heard this a hundred times today,” SinB spoke, the volume in her voice dropping a few decibels, “but you look really pretty. I do miss your usual ensemble, but I guess this just shows that you have many sides to your beauty.”

 

Yerin was struck dumb. So much so that she didn’t realize that one of the managers was telling her to exit the stage since another fan was waiting their turn. 

 

“T-thank you, SinB-ssi,” Yerin stuttered as she hastily stood up, almost tripping over the leg of the table. 

 

“Take good pictures of me,” SinB said with a discreet wink.

 

Yerin walked back to her seat with her head down, hoping to conceal her face fuming with flattery. After putting the album safely into her bag, Hayoung handed Yerin her camera.

 

“Was that enough to prove anything?” Yerin queried. 

 

Hayoung shook her head. “SinB’s a charmer, I’ll give her that. But you’re not the only fan she’s been using her smooth-talking skills with. I’m going to need more evidence before drawing a proper conclusion.” 

 

“And how are you going to do that?”

 

“What I’ve been doing. It’s called an observational study. Just continue to do what you normally do, and I’ll keep an eye on SinB to see if she does anything noteworthy.”

 

Yerin glared at her friend dubiously. “Okay?” 

 

With that, Yerin got back to business. Looking into the viewfinder, she aimed her camera at SinB. To her surprise, the idol seemed to be already staring in her direction. As if to confirm her suspicion, a warm smile blossomed on SinB’s face, softening her angular facial structure. Naturally, Yerin’s lips tugged upward. She pressed down on the shutter button, immortalizing the moment. But with each photo she took, Yerin began to notice a regression in SinB’s cheerful demeanor. Soon enough, the buoyant smile had been replaced with a neutral, tight-lipped line. Yerin furrowed her brow in confusion when suddenly she felt something drape around her shoulders. 

 

Impulsively, she lowered her camera and peered to her side where she saw Hayoung’s jacket now cloaked over her dress. Yerin’s eyes shot up, quirking a questioning eyebrow at her friend.  

 

“I didn’t want you to get cold,” Hayoung explained. “I think they turned the A/C up.”

 

“Thanks for your concern, Hayoungie, but you kind of messed up my shot right now.”

 

“Sorry,” she replied sheepishly. “I’ll try not to pester you too much.”

 

Yerin conveyed a stern look, causing Hayoung to jokingly tremble. The fansite master scoffed in amusement. Suddenly, there was a change in atmosphere as the audience became more vocal. Yerin immediately her heels back to the stage. A fan had just given SinB a large, plush headpiece in the shape of a cute alpaca. Laughing out loud, SinB excitedly put it on. The audience along with the rest of GFriend hooted and cheered at the main dancer’s undeniably adorable transformation. Equally in awe, Yerin sprung into action, snapping as many photos as she could. 

 

As the next batch of fans lined up to the table, SinB made use of her free time by posing for the crowd. Meanwhile, Yerin was on a mission. Nothing could pull her face away from the camera as she diligently captured every wink, heart sign, and cheek puff. SinB’s gestures may have been an exaggerated, yet humorous attempt at aegyo, but they surely delighted the crowd. 

 

During her years as a fansite master, Yerin had come to the realization that the goal of capturing each millisecond of a moment tended to cloud one’s ability to actually process what was going on in front of the camera. To avoid this, Yerin would often times pay extra attention to SinB’s eyes. Those brown orbs were always so expressive. They acted as a gentle reminder that at that moment in time, she and the K-pop star were part of the same reality. Not as a fan and an idol but as people. 

 

Yerin surveyed the look in SinB’s eyes and noticed a dim in them. Furthermore, the bright, playful disposition SinB once bore was replaced with a less enthusiastic smile. As she removed her finger off the shutter button, a sense of apprehension grew in the pit of Yerin’s stomach. She was so immersed with SinB’s sudden mood shift that it took her a while to process the pair of arms that were hugging her waist and the chin perched on her shoulder. 

 

“Hayoung-ah, what are you doing?” Yerin said, pulling her face away from the camera. 

 

“I’m cold,” Hayoung replied innocently like a child.

 

“Well, you can have your jacket back if you want,” Yerin retorted more aggressively than she wanted to. 

 

“It’s alright,” Hayoung went on unperturbed as she detached herself from her friend. “I feel better now.”

 

Yerin let out an annoyed huff. She dropped down to take a seat, fetching her bag to look for a spare battery for her camera. 

 

Hayoung also sat down. “Yenni, you looked just like a professional photographer,” she praised. “I was hugging you for like a minute and you didn’t even notice. I bet you’re getting a lot of good shots.”

 

“I suppose,” Yerin muttered. “But… is it just me or is SinB acting a bit strange. Like, she’s vivid and happy at one moment but out of nowhere her smile dies down. She tries to revive it, but it’s not as heartfelt or genuine as before.”

 

“Hmm… Maybe she’s really tired today. It can be difficult to keep the energy and momentum up, even for an idol.”

 

Yerin nodded in pseudo agreement, wondering what was going through SinB’s head. If there was something bothering her. If she was hiding her pain from a possible injury. If there was anything Yerin herself could do to help her number one star feel better. 

 

“Hey, I’m sure she’s fine,” Hayoung tried to cheer her up with an encouraging shoulder squeeze. Yerin didn’t say a word. “I think there’s a vending machine out in the hall. I’ll go get you a drink.” 

 

Yerin tried to resume her fansite master duties, but she couldn’t get SinB’s crestfallen expression out of her mind. To not be able to know what was troubling the usually vivacious K-pop star made a piece of Yerin’s heart crumble. She wondered if anyone else noticed or if everyone was too caught up in the excitement of seeing their favorite group up close and personal. SinB, who was still wearing the alpaca hat, looked cute in every shot, but that glittering constellation in her eyes was absent. 

 

When the girls had finished signing albums, they treated the fans to a 2x speed dance challenge for their latest song. Yerin had decided to let her camera dangle by the neck strap as she watched. Hayoung was holding her hand, raising it up every so often to cheer the group on. Once the song played, the audience stared in admiration as each member expertly executed every dance move without missing a beat. The audience also did their best to shout out the fanchant in tempo. Yerin glanced at Hayoung who surprisingly appeared to be enjoying herself. She fumbled with the fanchant the first time, but she made sure to get it right the second time. And when the moment approached, the two best friends’ voices were louder than the fanboys in the front row who had recently completed their military service.

 

Kim Sojung! Jung Eunbi! Choi Yuna! Kim Yewon! HWANG EUNBI! 

 

Hayoung raised their hands in the air, faces beaming as she and Yerin locked eyes and shared joyful smiles. But when Yerin looked back on stage, she noticed that SinB wasn’t following the choreography. In fact, she wasn’t moving at all.

 

“Yah, Hwang Eunbi!” chastised Sowon. 

 

Coming back to her senses, SinB tried to realign herself with her group mates. When the song reached her dance break, the K-pop idol got back into the groove. From her peripheral, she spotted a toy rubber ducky on the floor that could potentially get in the way of another member. With good intentions, she kicked it to the side of the stage. But friction was not in her favor. SinB ended up slipping and falling with her bottom hitting the ground. 

 

Fans gasped. The members of GFriend, though, laughed and cackled as they helped their unfortunate member to stand. SinB gave a thumbs up to the crowd, reassuring them that she was fine. Soon enough, she began to uncontrollably chuckle at herself over her blunder. The tension decreased as fans giggled while chanting, “It’s ok! It’s ok!” That was enough for the five-piece group to redo the challenge, hopefully mistake free. 

Hayoung leaned into Yerin’s ear and whispered, “I’ve come to a conclusion. Congrats, Yerin-ah, you’re not delusional. She definitely has it bad for you.”

*****

Yerin didn’t attend the fansign on the following day. She worked an extra shift mainly to help cover for a coworker, but also to distract herself from thinking too much about yesterday’s event. During her breaks, she would check Twitter and read up on any fan accounts. But other than the group showing up animal onesies, everything went on as expected. SinB looked much more jovial dressed in that fuzzy penguin costume. But who wouldn't be when the silly outfits basically gave them the right to act like a bunch of dorks? Cute dorks.

 

On the weekend, Yerin spent most of her time going through her camera’s memory card and selecting the best shots to edit and upload for her Twitter followers. It was always a difficult process, mostly because every picture of SinB belonged in an art gallery. But as Yerin went through the batch of photos she took on Thursday, she felt unsettled. To see the transition from SinB’s genuine happiness to complete dejection frame by frame, it made her utterly confused and worried. She didn’t know why, but she also felt guilty as if somehow she was the one to blame. 

 

When she wasn’t sulking by her computer, hypnotized by a SinB slideshow, Yerin thought about Hayoung’s verdict. She trusted her best friend, but how was she so sure that SinB “has it bad” for her? Were the signs really there? Or, was Hayoung just being a supportive friend and playing along with Yerin’s delusions?

 

Rubbing her weary eyes, Yerin shut her laptop and nosedived into her bed. Despite spending hours looking at nothing but SinB, she turned her head and faced the wall where the glorious poster of the idol remained. Could it really be, or am I only fooling myself?

 

The following Monday, Yerin returned to the exciting world of debits, credits, and financial statements galore. It had been a typical work day, nothing out of the ordinary. She clocked in. Did her daily tasks. She clocked out. A quick wave goodbye to Hayoung and an elevator ride to the parking garage later, Yerin traipsed to her car while fishing out her keys from her purse. 

 

Absent-mindedly, she unlocked the car. But upon doing so, she felt a tap on her shoulder. Yerin stiffened as if her whole body was turning into stone. With her fight or flight instincts in a frenzy, Yerin rejoiced when she remembered a video she had once seen about self-defense tactics. Discreetly, she slid the metal part of her car key between her middle and ring finger before making a fist. She heard the stranger clear their throat. Without a moment to spare, Yerin spun around. Eyes wide like a deer in headlights, she loosened her grip on the key. The mystery shoulder-tapper was none other than SinB aka Hwang Eunbi aka the girl she had been thinking of 24/7 for the past several days. 

 

“SinB-ssi?” Yerin breathed out. “What are you doing here? Wait, how do you know where I work?”

 

The idol in question was dressed with a casual yet fashionable flair: white baseball cap, red windbreaker, black t-shirt, black jeans, and white sneakers. SinB shyly giggled. “You mentioned the exact business name on our contest date. Along with where it was located.”

 

“Right,” Yerin exhaled, still in a daze. “What are you doing here?” 

 

SinB paused for a moment, eyes staring at the ground as if debating with herself. She looked up at Yerin with a gentle smile. “I was wondering if we could talk some more,” the words rushed out like it had taken her a colossal amount of courage to say it. “I brought samgyeopsal if you’re hungry,” she hurriedly mentioned, raising up the plastic takeout bag. 

 

As if on cue, the aroma of grilled pork belly entered Yerin’s nostrils, causing to salivate. She gulped back her hunger. 

 

“I’ve actually been craving for that,” Yerin admitted. She surveyed the garage with barely anybody in sight. “Are you by yourself?”

 

SinB nodded. “My manager dropped me off a little while ago. Group schedules were completed earlier today, so I decided to see if maybe you wanted to hang out. But it’s fine if you have other plans or if you were going to meet up with someone just now.”

 

“No, it’s ok. I’m free for the night.” A series of nervous chuckles fluttered out of Yerin’s mouth, embarrassed by how eager she sounded. “We can go to my apartment. I know that it might be too personal of a place to bring you, but it’s close by and you won’t have to worry about getting recognized or swarmed by fans.”

 

SinB’s hooded eyes coquettishly stared at Yerin. “There is one particular fan who I wouldn’t mind getting swarmed by.”

 

Yerin wasn’t sure what SinB had said, but it sounded awfully flirty and too good to be true. The next thing she knew, she was pulling out of the parking space with her ultimate bias sitting at the passenger side. 

 

The drive took about twenty minutes. It was quiet for the most part with the occasional attempts at small talk. How was your day? Aren’t Mondays the worst day of the week? What did you have for lunch? But the whole time, Yerin yearned to just say the question that has been bugging her since their “date.” Could it be possible that you have feelings for me?

 

When they arrived at the humble apartment building, the pair climbed the stairs to the third floor. Yerin got out her key and silently prayed that she had remembered to put her laundry away before she left for work this morning. She unlocked the door, went in first, and the light. The laundry basket was left askew on the couch, but it was empty. Quietly, she sighed in relief and kicked off her heels before welcoming SinB inside.

 

“It’s a nice place you have,” SinB spoke, eyes roaming around the area as she removed her sneakers. “Very clean and tidy.”

 

“Is it messy at the dorms?” Yerin playfully prodded. 

 

“It would be if Sowon wasn’t so strict and hadn’t given each of us a list of chores to do.”

 

They both shared a laugh. Yerin removed her purse and hung it on the coat rack. She looked at  the plastic to-go bag twisted around SinB’s fingers before glancing at her single-sized dining table casted off in the corner. 

 

“I’m afraid there won’t be enough room for us in the kitchen.” Yerin addressed with a flustered grin. “Maybe we should eat in the living room.”

 

“Whatever works for you,” SinB coolly replied. “I can get it ready if you want to freshen up or something.”

 

Slightly taken aback by the idol’s thoughtfulness, Yerin relayed a “thank you” and pointed a thumb to the end of the hallway. “I’ll just be in my room. It’ll only take a minute.”

 

SinB nodded as she ambled into the small living room equipped with a coffee table and a couch. After making sure that the K-pop star’s attention was no longer focused on her, Yerin proceeded to power walk to her bedroom. Gently, she closed the door and began to whisper-scream at the air and the unfathomable situation she was in now. What. Is. Life?!?!?!

 

Huffing and puffing, she removed her work blazer and threw it on the bed. Hands on her hips, she strutted up to the SinB poster and wagged a finger at it. I don’t know what you’re doing, SinB. I don’t know if this is real and if you’ll still be there when I open my door. Heck, I could have accidentally knocked my head into a pole when I was searching for my car keys and all of this is just a figment of my unconscious imagination. But I’ll tell you this, SinB. I’m gonna get to the bottom of my dilemma once and for all. 

 

Lowering her hand, Yerin slowly backed away from the poster. She stopped by her vanity mirror, straightening her blouse and smoothing the edges of her hair. Making her way to the door, the mere fansite master inhaled and exhaled an anxiety-ridden breath. She stepped out of her room and  gingerly tiptoed to the living room. 

 

First, it was the crumpling of the plastic bag. Then, it was the appetizing smell of her beloved samgyeopsal. Finally, it was the view of SinB, absent of her cap and windbreaker, sitting on the floor, patiently waiting for her. A smile rose on the idol’s lips once Yerin came into view. Likewise, Yerin smiled back when it became more than apparent that SinB’s presence was indeed real. Yerin walked up and situated herself by the other end of the table, opposite of SinB.

 

The idol encouraged Yerin to dig in. Yerin couldn’t contain herself as she grabbed a lettuce leaf and concocted a capsule of delectable flavors and textures. SinB grinned as she watched Yerin eat freely and comfortably. Realizing SinB’s attention on her, Yerin shyly covered as she chewed. SinB simply responded by quickly fixing herself a lettuce wrap and cramming it into until her cheeks resembled a chipmunk’s. Yerin, eyes smiling, tried to contain herself from laughing too hard. As amusing as the situation was, silence quickly befell them once they got their food down. 

 

“This is a bit awkward, isn’t it?” SinB addressed the elephant in the room

 

“Not awkward, just unexpected,” Yerin rationalized. “I never thought I could actually win that raffle and live out my dream the first time. And now that we’re having a meal together for a second time… what are the odds? If I went back in time two-weeks ago and told myself that all this happens, I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t believe me and say that I would have a greater chance of being struck by lightning.”

 

“Cheers to proving the past wrong,” SinB said, holding up a water bottle. 

 

Yerin held up her own. “Cheers,” she toasted from across the table. The two took a refreshing sip in solidarity. 

 

As Yerin resumed munching on the side-dishes, SinB nudged her with an inquiry. “I didn’t see you at the other fansign last week. Were you busy?”

 

“One of my coworkers called in sick, so I had to fill-in for him that day. But he came back to work this morning and seems fine now.”

 

“That’s good. Hopefully that means you’ll be able to attend our last music show performances later on this week.”

 

“We’ll see. I can’t believe promotions are already coming to an end.” 

 

“Me, too. It’s been another exhilarating, exhausting, but overall rewarding comeback. As sad as it is to go on hiatus again, my hair could definitely use a break. I visited my Umma yesterday and she was appalled by how damaged it had gotten from all the dye jobs.”

 

“It doesn’t look too bad. But if you want, I can give you the name of this conditioner that worked miracles when I tried to dye my hair blonde in high school.”

 

“I might take up on your offer,” SinB smirked. “Blonde, huh? I think you would suit that color quite nicely.”

 

“Maybe, if I had gone to the salon instead of pressing my luck on a diy kit from the drugstore. But part of the blame goes to my friend, Hayoung, for not following the directions and screwing up the bleaching process.” 

 

“Hayoung?” SinB repeated as if wanting to know more details.

 

“You might have seen her in the audience,” Yerin went on. “She was sitting next to me at the fansign last Thursday.”

 

SinB’s eyes enlarged and mouth gaped open as if struck by an epiphany. “Right… your friend Hayoung was the person who kept clinging on to you that day. You know, I kept wondering why she didn’t come up to get her album signed.”

 

“She was mainly there for... moral support.” Yerin realized how strange that sounded and quickly scratched out her words. “Actually, she was just bored with nothing to do, and so I invited her to the fansign since I had an extra ticket.”

 

“Something tells me she was the reason why you switched out your usual outfit and wore a dress instead,” SinB teased, grinning ear to ear.  

 

Rolling her eyes, Yerin bitterly nodded. 

 

“Tell her I said thank you.”

 

SinB bursted out in chuckles. Despite feeling a bit peeved, Yerin couldn’t help but admire the way SinB’s entire face seemed to illuminate like a field of fireflies. Her typically uneventful Monday night had turned out to be unlike any other. Still, Yerin was undeniably curious as to why SinB took the time and effort to see her in the first place.

 

“SinB-ssi,” Yerin spoke, causing the idol to pause mid-lettuce wrap assemblage, “as amazing as it is to have another meal with you, alone in my apartment, nonetheless, what exactly did you want to talk to me about?”

 

The K-pop star’s smile regressed. Not so much because of sadness, but somewhat in a rare display of nervousness. Looking down at the table, SinB took a moment to compose herself before meeting Yerin’s attentive orbs.

 

“Yerin-ssi,” SinB said, a gentle lilt in her voice, “have you ever wondered what it would be like if people only viewed you as an accountant? It may be your main occupation, but there’s more to you than that. You’re also a photographer, a fansite master. You go out of your way to provide people with these incredibly taken photos and you use your resources to give away signed albums for fans who live all over the world. It can get aggravating when others only see you as a singular attribute. I love being a part of GFriend. I love singing and dancing and entertaining. Being an idol is the ultimate dream come true for me. But being an idol also comes with this harrowing long list of things you can’t do and feelings you can’t feel. In my case, I’ve been wanting something that’s considered taboo for an idol to have.” 

 

SinB paused momentarily, finding the courage within herself to continue. Until suddenly, the words erupted like a volcano. 

 

“Jung Yerin-ssi, I really like you, and I want to be in relationship with you. I don’t know how to explain it but whenever I get the chance to see you I feel… happier. Like, my day has been made by your presence. When you and your friend were together at the fansign last week, I became super jealous because I thought she was your girlfriend. The way you two were so comfortable around each other, the way she was holding you, the way the both of you were staring at each other. I never felt so envious of another person in my entire life. Ever since I got to know you better on our contest date, I’ve been thinking that maybe you winning the raffle wasn’t just a of luck. Maybe it was our serendipity, a chance to see how compatible we are together. I may not know that much about dating or relationships, but I do know that if there’s anyone who I want to be in one with, it’s you, Yerin-ssi.

 

“I’ve talked to my members and my manager about it. As long as we keep it a secret and be careful, then we don’t have to worry too much about our relationship getting exposed. I know it’s not ideal and you deserve to be with someone who can physically be there with you whenever and wherever. But if you’re willing to try, then I promise that I will do my best to make it work and keep you safe.” 

 

So much was happening, so much was being said. SinB was right; there was more to her than GFriend’s ‘dancing machine.’ And she along with any celebrity had the right to date and fall in love like all human beings. But for several years now, Yerin has only thought of SinB as her ultimate bias, the one idol that triumphs every other K-pop star in the proverbial galaxy. And that was the problem. It was clear that SinB was able to see past Yerin’s fangirl exterior, but it was going to take some time until Yerin was comfortable with calling her “Hwang Eunbi” instead of a stage name. 

 

Yerin stood up and moved to the couch. She soon gestured for SinB to join her. Hesitant at first, the idol eventually abided. Calmly, Yerin spoke. 

 

“Ever since our contest date, each day has passed by like a dream. But I’ve also been driving myself crazy wondering if you actually had feelings for me or if I was just another delusional fan. That’s why I brought Hayoung to the fansign since she’s more experienced when it comes to these things. I’m really happy and excited and confused and overwhelmed that you, SinB, my bias from day one, likes me and has poured out your heart to me. But then I can’t help but also think about how there are so many people who would do anything just to be noticed by their bias. Don’t get me wrong. I really, really like you as well. I mean, I don’t cover my bedroom walls with just anyone’s face. But I’m not sure if I’m ready to take that huge leap and possibly compromise your career.” Yerin pressed her lips and glanced at SinB’s unreadable expression. “We can always start off as friends.”

 

Another round of quietude filled with contemplation and anxiety-fueled pitter patters. 

 

“To be friendzoned by a Buddy. How ironic,” mused SinB with a small smile. “I understand, Yerin-ssi. Friends is a good starting point. We wouldn’t want to rush things.” She nudged Yerin’s arm, causing the fansite master to relax a bit. “And no matter how long I have to wait, I’m ready to take that leap whenever you are.”

*****

A lot of things can happen in a span of six months. Each GFriend member now had their own individual Instagram accounts, the group had their own rhythm game with the launch of SuperStar GFRIEND, and now they were in the midst of their first week of promotions for their new summer album. As for Yerin, she no longer wore the green uniform during her fansign master escapades because she had decided to retire from being a fansite master altogether about four months ago. This didn’t change the fact that Yerin was still a devoted Buddy, though. She continues to do signed album giveaways along with group orders and attends music show recordings and fansigns at every chance given. And while the iconic green jacket and shorts were now stowed away in her closet, Yerin had decided to carry on with wearing the golf cap as a tribute to her past.

 

But arguably the most exciting thing that had happened in the course of six months was the daily text convos that Yerin and SinB exchanged. Not a day has gone by without either of them messaging each other. Whether it be a stream of words or a simple emoji, the two kept in touch as frequently as they could. Occasionally, they would meet up at a cafe or have a meal together at a local restaurant. It was all platonic, of course. At least, that was what they convinced themselves as they said their goodbyes and parted ways. But today, on this fansign event, Yerin was going to change that narrative. 

 

Not only was she clothed in a lovely white, satin dress decorated with cute, yellow cherries, she also sported platinum blonde locks. Her fellow Buddies lavished her with praises and joked about how she could be the sixth GFriend member.

 

Like many times before, SinB was situated at the last chair of the line. All the members of GFriend were aware of SinB and Yerin’s romance, er… friendship. But Yerin wanted to keep her makeover a secret. But while Sowon, Eunha, Yuju, and Umji verbally and physically expressed their admiration, SinB kept a cool composure.

 

“I was right. Blonde does suit you perfectly.”

 

Yerin expected this reaction. And though some would be disappointed by the idol’s blasé tone, Yerin merely smirked. Ha! If I remembered correctly, you said that blonde would suit me nicely. 

 

“Since this comeback is all about drastic transformations, I also wanted to evoke a drastic change with my hair,” Yerin said, sliding her album to SinB. 

 

“Try dying your hair bright red next time. That’s as drastic of a hair color you can get. I nearly gave my Umma a heart attack.” 

 

Yerin giggled. 

 

“Are you going somewhere after this?” SinB said casually, browsing through the pages. 

 

“I might be going on a date. That is, if things turn out well.”

 

SinB’s entire body seemed to tense up for a split second. But she soon recovered after finding a photo of herself and marking up the page with her signature.

 

“I think I put a post-it note on the other page,” Yerin pointed out. 

 

Eyes not daring to look up, SinB simply nodded and turned the page. At the bottom was a square, yellow post-it. But the message written on it nearly made SinB’s face the same shade as her hair. 

 

Will you be my girlfriend? 

 

Hastily, SinB snatched the album, bringing it close to her chest. She put her marker to work, scribbling a response before closing the album and sliding it back to Yerin. By that time, one of the managers was already gesturing to Yerin to leave the stage for the next fan. 

 

“May you have a nice evening, Yerin-ssi,” was SinB’s last sentiment as she smiled and waved with all the goodness of a well-mannered K-pop idol. 

 

Yerin stood up from the chair, giving SinB a polite bow. She walked down the stairs and back to her seat, heart racing with each step. Sitting down, she took a deep breath and flipped to the designated page where the future between her and SinB awaited. 

 

I knew it was only a matter of time until you couldn’t resist my charms any longer kekeke

Of course, I’ll be your girlfriend ❤️

 

Smiling like she was drunk on happiness, Yerin looked up at the stage and saw SinB shining brighter than any star in the universe. 

 

Another fun-filled fansign passed. Yerin, hugging her album, was walking to her car when her phone buzzed with a text message. She checked the sender, and her heart nearly leapt out of her chest.

 

SinB: I’ll be at your place after Manager-Oppa drops off the girls. Let me get us some takeout for our first date 😊. What are you in the mood for?

 

“Your lips…” Yerin typed. Much too embarrassed, she quickly pressed down on the backspace until the cringeworthy reply was erased. After a few seconds, a smile crept on the corners of as her thumbs went to work on a new message. Satisfied, she tapped the send button. 

 

Anything but spaghetti 😘

 

***** THE END *****

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A/N: Hope you enjoyed it, and let's support GFriend’s comeback this July!