“Byul-ah, do you have good news or something? You’ve been grinning ear-to-ear since this morning.”

Yongsun immediately stopped monitoring their rehearsal stage to look at the person being asked.

She looks lively today

“To be honest unnie-”

She had a bad feeling when she saw Byulyi smiling shyly while scratching her head at the stylist’s question, her Byulyi.

It can’t be… She felt like she could not breathe when the younger girl lifted her left hand up with a bright smile. Yongsun wished she could un-see what she had just seen. There was a diamond ring, twinkling on Byulyi’s ring finger like the stars in her eyes.

“We’re engaged”

If only I heard it wrong…

Her Byulyi…. has no longer been her Byulyi since that day…

One year ago

“Unnie!!!”

Yongsun still remembered exactly that day.

It was a sunny day when Byulyi ran to her house, she looked like a happy hamster, her beloved hamster. The sun was shining brightly outside after a cold and gloomy winter. But for Yongsun, it was the beginning of her gloomy days.

“Unnie, he contacted me”, Byulyi said excitedly.

“He?” Yongsun tilted her head curiously.

A composer? Did Byulie mention about writing another new song before?

“Junghoon-ssi, Lee Junghoon-ssi. So his last name is Lee, ah~ why couldn’t I remember it before?” Byulyi pouted slightly while blaming herself.

Lee Junghoon? Who?

“He really did contact me after listening to the radio. It’s so embarrassing”, this time Byulyi covered her face with her two hands.

Is she blushing? Cute, Yongsun chuckled.

Wait… Radio? Junghoon…. Junghoon….

“You mean the guy who was your crush in elementary school?” Yongsun wished her memory was wrong.

“Yes”, Byulyi nodded her head. “He even asked me out unnie.”

“You didn’t agree, did you?” Yongsun didn’t know why she suddenly felt so nervous. Of course her Byulyi had rejected that guy, just like all the guys approaching her in the past.   

There’s no way…

“I said yes”, Byulyi mumbled shyly while avoiding her eyes.

“Huh?”

It was a ‘no’ right?

“I said yes unnie. I agreed to go out for a dinner with him tonight”, Byulyi’s face blushed red again, even her ears turned red.

If only I heard it wrong…

 “AHHHH I must be crazy!!! What should I do unnie??? What should I do~~~?” Byulyi suddenly hugged her and buried her face into the crook of her neck. It was one of Byulyi’s habits when the younger girl was shy, clinging on her body like a baby koala. Yongsun found it cute that she always wanted to tease Byulyi more so the younger girl would hug her tighter.

Today was different. Yongsun did not know why, but right now she felt annoyed with that habit of the younger girl. Yongsun unconsciously broke the hug, which startled not only Byulyi but also herself. When she met Byulyi’s confusing eyes, a wave of guilty hit her hard.

Why am I being like this?

“It’s okay Byul-ah. He’s your old friend. It’s nothing wrong to meet an old friend. Plus you two was quite close right?”

The stars in Byulyi’s eyes twinkled at her words. Months later Yongsun finally noticed that it became the younger girl’s habit whenever they mentioned about that guy. The stars in Byulyi’s eyes are not for her.

“You’re right unnie”, Byulyi’s face lighted up like a child. “Thank you unnie”, Byulyi threw herself at her again, in attempt to give her one big hug. Minutes passed, but the younger girl still did not break the hug. It looked like she was waiting for something, maybe for the older girl returning her hug.

The entire house became silent, so quiet that the only sound could be heard was the sound of the clock on the wall. Time passed, but Yongsun’s arms were still hanging in the air. She wanted to wrap her arms tightly around Byulyi, her Byulyi, but she could not move her arms for an unknown reason. Yongsun felt like there was a mysterious power controlling her body. Months later Yongsun finally realized it was not any kind of special power, it was just her jealousy.

“Thank you unnie. I need to go home to prepare. Manager-unnie will pick me up in three hours”, Yongsun suddenly felt something missing when Byulyi broke the hug. Byulyi’s warmth

“Have fun”, Yongsun forced herself to smile when she followed Byulyi to the main door. Even though she could not see her own face, Yongsun knew that she looked ridiculous.

“Ah right unnie”, Byulyi stopped walking and turned to look at her all of a sudden. “What should I wear tonight?”

“Huh?”

“Should I wear something formal or not too formal? Should I wear heels or not? What if he is not too tall? What if-”    

Yongsun stunned. It was the first time she had ever seen Byulyi concerning about her outfit. And it was just a dinner. She could not remember how many times the younger girl had gone out for a dinner with someone else.

Is he that important to you?  

 “The new trench coat you showed me last week. The Thom Browne one.”

What am I doing? Am I helping their date?

“You can wear a plain sweater and a midi skirt inside it.”

Stop Kim Yongsun, you don’t have to do it

“Low heel boots will be perfect. High heels are not good for your waist tho.”

You’re such a fool Kim Yongsun

 “Woah unnie. You’re really my savior”, Byulyi was amazed at her. “I will treat you a meal next time.”

“Hanwoo?”

 “Call”, Byulyi grinned happily, her nose muscles crinkled.

Yongsun unconsciously smiled. Maybe she was just over reacted. Byulyi was still the same, she was still her Byulyi.

He is just a friend like other friends of her

“Bye, have fun Byul-ah”, Yongsun said with a smile.

He is just a friend

“Bye unnie”, Byulyi waved her hands like a water seal before closing the door.  

Just a friend…

-----------

Yongsun sighed. She wondered what was in her mind at that time to agree with this silly idea. Standing on the street, hiding behind a trash can while wearing a mask and sunglasses at past 10. 

“I’m going home”, she announced and was about to walk back to her building.

“Come on unnie”, a hand immediately grabbed her arm. “Aren’t you curious about that guy?”

She sighed again. Of course she was curious, very curious. She felt like she could die from her curiousness.

“But we are not sure if he will drop her off here. And what if Byulie just goes home by taxi?” Yongsun tried to find an excuse to stop this silly idea. 

“Here is the safest spot around our buildings unnie. There’s no security camera and paparazzi cannot go in.” Hyejin said firmly.

“Oh Ahn Hyejin~~ Why do you know so well?” Wheein took off her sunglasses to send her friend a teasing look.

Hyejin just ignored it and continued. “And there’s no way Byulie-unnie would go home by taxi. She always calls manager-unnie, if it is too late she will call manager-oppa. She has texted them that they won’t have to pick her up so properly that guy will drive her home.”

That makes sense

“Ah~ I can’t wait to see the guy who could make our workaholic unnie skip her practice to go out for a date”, Wheein said while stretching her body next to the trash can. They had been waiting for half an hour already. 

“She had a practice today?” This information was new to her.

“Yes, for her solo concert. But s