Eunbi was in the middle of putting on a shirt after having a shower when someone knocked on her door. She even thought she was imagining it. Eunbi wasn’t really expecting anyone, nor did she buzz anyone in through the intercom. She vaguely thought about ignoring it, but in the end, Eunbi throws on a pair of sweats and walks quickly to her front door. “Coming!” She exclaims.

She presses down on the handle and pulls the door open slowly. Nothing could have prepared Eunbi for who was to greet her on the other side of the door. She was taken by surprise to see Chaeyeon, still in the clothes she was dancing in earlier today. “What––Chaeyeon-ssi?” Eunbi manages to stammer out. “Why are you here?” then she realizes, “How are you here?”

No one was able to go up her floor without a swipe key, much less enter the building without one. And yet Chaeyeon was able to get on her floor. She shouldn’t be able to do that unless she lives on her floor.

Unless she lives on this floor… Eunbi repeats in her head. No… she can’t be...

Chaeyeon confirmed it before Eunbi could deny the facts that was so incredibly obvious. “I’m your neighbor.”

Eunbi glances to the wall that separated her and her neighbor’s apartment. “You’re my—Chaeyeon?”

“Yeah,” Chaeyeon breathes it out like she had just been holding her breath, “...and you’re my Eunbi.” 

++

A few awkward moments later, they decided it was best to talk inside. Eunbi had invited Chaeyeon to her apartment and they sat down on opposite sides of the small dining table. 

Neither woman knew how to start a conversation, though both knew they should. But who could blame them for not knowing what to say? Their situation wasn’t exactly common, nor was it ideal. 

In the end, Eunbi caved, blurting out, “We’re idiots.” She sees Chaeyeon nodding from her periphery. Without making eye contact, Eunbi says, “This is some interesting situation, huh?”

Eunbi didn’t know how, but she could sense that Chaeyeon wanted to laugh. “I would’ve gone for ‘weird’, but interesting works too, I guess.”

“You’re not wrong about that,” Eunbi mumbles under her breath, still looking at anything but the woman sitting across from her.

Evidently, Chaeyeon had heard it. “Neither are you. This is interesting. We’ve spent 3 months talking about everything and nothing without having ever seen each other. Only to find out we’ve already met in different circumstances.” Chaeyeon pauses, as if she had to process that very information she just said. Chaeyeon straightens. “You.. the two versions of you are so different.”

Eunbi finally dares herself to look up, regretting her decision instantly when she locks eyes with Chaeyeon, though she doesn’t break the contact. “So are you,” Eunbi returns, before continuing, “I admit, I can’t say that the thought didn’t cross my mind. That you, and... well, my neighbor are the same person. But I passed it off as needing to put a name to a face.” Eunbi decides to be brave and asks the woman who was on the other side of the partition just last night, “Why didn’t you tell me who you were?”

“You know why––I can’t.” Chaeyeon says, annoyed (at the situation, not Eunbi, never Eunbi). “It’s not a good excuse, but that’s all I have. I just couldn’t. What about you?”

For a while it was silent again between them. Chaeyeon waited while Eunbi searched her brain for an answer, or more, trying to convince herself to answer.

The idol, her neighbor, stood up. Eunbi thinks maybe she was silent for too long. Maybe Chaeyeon got tired of waiting. The older woman looked up with a questioning gaze. But instead of answering, Chaeyeon holds out her hand for Eunbi to take. Eunbi did––Of course she did––and lets Chaeyeon drag her off somewhere.

All she could think about was their hands, touching, holding, grasping sofly.

They ended up on the balcony. Now sitting next to each other, Eunbi mourns the loss of contact when Chaeyeon releases her hand. Eunbi proceeds to play with her own hands to keep herself occupied.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Chaeyeon asks again.