The rooftop of La Rouge Theatre was prohibited. Ever since a depressed ballerina jumped off, like, bazillion years ago, the management had put the place out of bounds and placed thick chains and dozens of padlocks on it for good measure. Nobody got to go there since then.

Except Joohyun.

When she was around seventeen, a young and budding ballerina a little too adventurous for her own good, she had discovered that the barriers placed on the door were just a pile of tangled mess. She worked her way around it and earned exclusive rooftop access.

Nobody else knew about it. She produced her own padlock and locked the door for real now so nobody can ever come in.

The rooftop has been her refuge. Whenever the demands of the world and the stress of her career suffocates her, she goes there, to the only place where there’re no eyes watching, and freely becomes herself.

Now, Joohyun lounges in the tiny fort she had put up long ago. She had gathered sheets and blankets from home and a few balls of twine for her roof and walls, smuggled beanbag chairs, foldable tables and chairs and put it on a patchwork of carpets she had stolen from her parents’ house. She also hung fairy lights as decoration and snuck in a huge mirror so she can also practice anytime.

Needless to say, her rooftop makeover is pretty sick.

She took a bottle of juice from the ice box and sat back. The weather is being agreeable today. She watched the couple of birds perched on the rail, sitting close and giving each other pecks.

The sounds of traffic from twenty floors down barely reached the rooftop and Joohyun sat there in a daze, staring at the spot where the birds had been. The little chirps had flown off but the thought has been planted and it’s bound to grow, wrapping its creepers around her heart.

Joohyun likes being alone. But after being alone for so long, it just starts to feel empty. She gets odd ideas. Like how nice it would be to share this fruit juice with someone or how the birds have better luck than she does.

When she was in her twenties, she had always had a fixed plan in mind. Nothing fancy, just a normal life: find someone, get married at 30, have kids, retire, watch the children grow, and die. And during those commas, maybe she can also find happiness if she’s lucky.

Now she’s thirty and looking back, she can only laugh at her childish dreams.

Her plan has drastically changed now. She would retire, and because she can’t adopt cats due to erse fear, she’d purchase a land in the country, and start a carrot plantation career instead.

Either way, retiring isn’t going out of the picture. After that, she plans to eat. Like, a lot. She will devour everything she’s not allowed; carbs, sugar, fat—everything. Just to spite the diet she’s been in almost her entire life. And then maybe she’ll get diabetes or or something. But at least she can die without regrets. She’ll have that damned carrot cake by hook or by crook.

She’s had her share of romantic fantasies. She can remember her younger self day-dreaming about the perfect love story. Now she has buried those ideas deep in the back of her mind but that doesn’t mean the butterflies aren’t going to fly back up again every once in a while.

She believes in love. A lot, actually.

Her phone buzzed. Joohyun put down her drink and picked up the device. It was a message from her physical therapist. She forgot she has an appointment with him today.

Sighing, she picked up her things and with one pull on the lever, the makeshift walls and roof folded and a huge plastic wrap draped over her little refuge to protect it from possible rain.

La Rogue’s Healthcare Suite was located on the fifth floor of the building. It has everything: gym, physiotherapy, massage therapy—basically the full supply of facilities for the dancers. As classical dancers who are prone to overusing their bodies, it’s a basic right for them who are always required to be on top form.

“Hi. No practices today?” Dr Eric Nam greeted her as she entered his office. He’s been working in La Rogue for five years now, and has been Joohyun’s physiotherapist for just as long.

 “We got a long lunch break.” Joohyun answered.

“I see. Shall we begin the examinations then?”

It’s a blessing that she’s comfortable around him. The guy is friendly. And he gives her sweets. He’s probably the only person in that building remotely close to being her friend.

After the tests, they sat on the couch, secretly munching on Snickers.

“Have you had lunch?” he asked and Joohyun knew better than to tell him the truth.

“Mm.” she hummed noncommittally.

He frowned disapprovingly anyway. “You mustn’t skip your meals.”

Joohyun nibbled on the chocolate. “I know.”

“The show is starting soon, right?”

“In about three days.”

“I shouldn’t have given you that chocolate.” he realized. “Have you been exercising well?”

Joohyun wanted to roll her eyes. “Yeah. 24/7.” she drawled sardonically. “What’s with the balloons?” she asked, just to change the topic.

Dr Nam looked at the balloons tied on his seat on the desk and laughed. “I met someone interesting this morning.”

Someone interesting. Joohyun recalled her own happenstance yesterday. It was so odd a way to meet somebody that the memory just stuck in her head.

When she received the flowers, she thought it was from a fan or something. When she read the card, she thought, what the heck?

She had spent an entire day thinking about it and somehow figured out that this Wendy person must’ve sent the flowers to the wrong address. She contemplated on ignoring it but her conscience won.

So she managed to make some time Saturday evening, went to that restaurant, asked if a Wendy Son had placed a reservation, and met the girl.

Wendy Son had been a blabbering mess. But a cute blabbering mess, which makes the painful awkwardness automatically cute too.

Joohyun smiles to herself and wonders, how is she doing right now?

 

***

Kang Seulgi, I am going to kill you.

Seulgi rereads Wendy’s text earlier that morning and tried to ward off the chill it brings. She sat in her living room, waiting her judgment to come.

Just what happened to the dinner date? Was it that terrible? Why does Wendy want to kill her?

She sent Sooyoung an S.O.S text and got no reply. Her phone was off too. It seems Seulgi is going to die alone.

Her front door beeped and she jumped on her seat. She protectively hugged a throw pillow, just in case Wendy barges in wielding a knife.

However, the girl just enters calmly and sits on the single couch on Seulgi’s right. She tries to read her expression but reveals nothing.

“Hey..?” Seulgi greets unsurely. “What’s wrong?”

“This.” Wendy wordlessly slips a familiar blue card on the table. “This is wrong.” she tapped the paper repeatedly, losing her calm façade. “You didn’t even tell me you sent her flowers!”

Ah. So this is what it’s all about. “It was Sooyoung’s idea!”

“Soooyung? She’s in on this too?” Wendy scoffed. “Good for you guys to spend quality time on embarrassing me.”

Seulgi blinked. “Embarrassing you? What do you mean?”

Wendy leaned forward on her knees and laced her fingers. “First of all, Miss Kang, have you read that poem you wrote?”

Okay, that poem was pretty dumb. But Seulgi has to admit it was pretty funny. “Still Sooyoung’s idea.”

“That’s your penmanship!”

“She told me to write it. It sounds like something you would say, she said.”

Wendy sighed and ran her hand through her hair. “Why would I even—Ugh, whatever! Second! Did you even read the address you wrote on the delivery papers?”

Seulgi tried to remember. She can’t. Hell, she can’t even remember where she last put her car keys. “I wrote Chungha’s address.”

“No.” Wendy pointed her finger at her. “You got her address wrong.”

Seulgi’s jaw dropped. “What? Then how did you get that card?”

“Somebody else got the flowers, read the foolish poem that doesn’t even deserve to be called a poem more than it deserves to be called a joke, and was kind enough to go to that expensive restaurant so I won’t have to wait all night for a date that would never come.”

Seulgi blinked. “Wait, what?” she blinked a few more. “So you still got a date?”

Wendy threw her hands in the air. “That’s not even the point!”

Seulgi grinned and propped her chin on her palms. “Were they cute? Is it a she? Or a he?”

Just when Seulgi thought Wendy would smack her over the head, the girl just rolled her eyes and told her what happened.

“That’s great, then!” Seulgi beamed after Wendy finished her story. “Lose a cute girl, get another one free!”

Wendy glared at her. “Yeah, tell that to yourself.”

“It’s obviously fate!” Seulgi insisted. “I mean, what are the odds?”

“That you’ll get the address wrong?” Wendy scowled. “Yeah, I wonder too.”

“Oh come on.” Seulgi patted her knee, “You got to eat dinner with a cute girl. That should be something.”

“I didn’t.”

“What?”

“I didn’t have dinner with her.”

“So she is cute!”

“No! I mean, yes, but—listen. Saying that she’s cute is, like, an understatement. She has that sense of…je ne sais quoi.” Wendy said. “I hope she’s interested in becoming an actress.”

Of course. Trust Wendy to think professional during times like this. Girl never gets her priorities straight. “Yeah. Okay. I bet you gave her your business card. But why didn’t you have dinner with her? I thought you asked? Who in their right mind would reject free food?”

Wendy shrugged, as though losing the opportunity to have dinner with a more-than-cute girl was nothing. “She said she’s busy. Something about having to go to her practices. Apparently, she just squeezed me in her tight schedule. Maybe she’s an idol trainee.” she added as an afterthought.

“That’s really nice of her.” Seulgi commented. “I mean, if it was me, I would’ve ignored the whole thing.”

“If only you didn’t pull off this kind of thing, then all this wouldn’t have happened.”

“Oh, look! Yerim texted the GC.” Seulgi chirped, though the message from the youngest wasn’t that much of a big deal. Anything to keep Wendy off her back, really. Besides, the whole bouquet plan wasn’t even her idea but the girl kept on roasting her about it. Seulgi thought Wendy’s just too much of a chicken to face Park Sooyoung herself.

It worked. Wendy checked her phone and her scowl melted only to be replaced with another frown but without the hostility and with a lot more affection—one that’s reserved for Kim Yerim and her shenanigans.

“She wants us to meet tonight.” Wendy looked at Seulgi. “Any idea why?”

Seulgi shrugged. “Not at all. But my guess is it’s nothing good.”

 

***

 

“Where did you get these again?” Wendy asked Yerim for the nth time, still giving her that suspicious look of narrowed eyes and furrowed brows.

They have gathered to a Korean BBQ joint that night, all four of them, as per Yerim’s request because obviously, the kid just holds that much power to be able to summon very busy people with just one text message.

Yerim rolls her eyes. “I told you, the prima ballerina gave it to me. How many times do I have to repeat that?”

“Oh, just, you know, we’re wondering if you mistook ‘stealing it’ from ‘receiving it’ is all we’re trying to clear up.” Wendy retorts.

Yerim threw her hands to the air in frustration. “I did not steal it, for heaven’s sake! Were you conned all your life?”

“By you, yes.” Seulgi quips.

Yerim groans and gives Sooyoung a look. “What? Are you going to join them on this too?” she demanded.

The actress munches and looks on uninterestedly. “You know, I’m going to be neutral on this. I’ve benefited from Yerim’s scams so far, but then I can’t be quite sure she’s telling the truth about this one.” she pointed at the tickets on the table, right beside Yerim’s bowl.

They have known Yerim just a little bit after they became friends with Sooyoung. The girl had been in middle school back then yet has successfully played tons of pranks on them, which, for some reason, pulled them close. Often, Sooyoung backed her up and Wendy and Seulgi couldn’t do anything about it because, well, she’s Sooyoung. She’d step on them before they could even rise to her height.

And because they knew Yerim’s tendency of mischief so well, they had the right to be suspicious. It’s not everyday somebody gives you five free tickets to a ballet show and it’s even unlikelier to have the prima ballerina herself give them to you as if she has no one else to give it to.

“Okay. Wait.” Wendy raises her hands. “How do you even know the prima ballerina?”

“We have to make a short film for school and I recently just watched Black Swan so I thought, ‘Hey, ballet seems romantic’—”

“How can she think that after watching a psychological horror film?” Seulgi muttered.

“—so my partner and I decided on that. But then we don’t know much about ballet. So I went to La Rogue—”

“Sneaked into La Rogue,” Wendy rephrased.

Yerim glares at her. “Can you people stop interrupting me? Anyway, I went there and bumped into the prima ballerina herself. Her name’s Irene. She’s helping me understand technical stuff.”

“And then she suddenly decides to give you free tickets?” Wendy inquires, still not buying her story.

“Yeah!” Yerim replies. “Each member of the corps was given free tickets to invite their friends and family and whatever.”

“And she gave it to you?” Seulgi asks, bewildered.

Yerim takes offense. “Hey, I’m pretty charming, you know. She told me to watch the show with my friends or throw it away ‘cause either way, she doesn’t care. It’s like she’s trying to get rid of them. Come on, we need to go.”

“Why are you so bent on going?” Sooyoung asked. “Last time I checked, you weren’t remotely interested in ballet.”

“Yeah, well, it’s kinda fun.” Yerim shrugs. “I knew Irene-unnie for, I don’t know, a week? But it’s clear to me that the girl doesn’t have friends. And her parents are out of the country, she said. So we have to go. I mean, she’s the star of the show but she doesn’t have people visiting her? Come on.”

Sooyoung looks even more sceptical than ever. “You’re doing this out of the goodness of your heart? Since when did you even have one?”

Beside her, Seulgi was already teary. “Let’s do it!”

Sooyoung snorts. “Why am I not surprised?”

Wendy takes one ticket and examines it. According to the writings, it’s a VIP ticket. A picture of a man and a woman tangled in a complicated yet romantic ballet position of some sort. Written in fancy golden script on the side was the title: Romeo and Juliet. She never liked Romeo and Juliet.

She makes a face. “I mean, I don’t have anything to do on Wednesday so…”

Seulgi beams. “Great! I’m basically jobless right now so I’m good.” she turns to Sooyoung expectantly.

The girl shakes her head. “I have a photo-shoot.”

Seulgi pulls off her infamous puppy eyes—the same one that forced Wendy to go on a date. She can see Sooyoung’s resolve break. It’s written all over her face. Yerim and Wendy exchanges knowing looks. Whipped? Whipped.

Wendy can never understand both why a good pair like Seulgi and Sooyoung had to break-up and how they can even bear to stay friends. But then again, her own parents got divorced so maybe it’s not her place to wonder. Love will always, always be a fickle thing.

Sooyoung scratches her cheek, frowning like she herself isn’t pleased with what she’s about to do. She mumbled, “But I think I can talk to my manager, reschedule the shoot or something.”

“Awesome!” Seulgi grins, teeth showing and eyes disappearing and Sooyoung smiles too, soft and subtle but affectionate.

Wendy watches them and shakes her head.

Fools.

 

***

 

When Sooyoung received the summons to the president’s office, she isn’t really surprised anymore.

She heads to the top floor of the building with the same feeling she gets during her trips to the principal’s office back in middle school and high school. That weary, bewildered feeling of what-the-hell-did-I-do-again.

Greeting the man’s secretary, she barges into his office without knocking and sees CEO Kim’s back facing her as he peered down the city, as he always does for his dramatics.

“I’m tired and I want nothing but to go to sleep so I swear to god, Kim Heechul, this better be worth it.” she says, sprawling on the leather couch.

The man whirls around in surprise. “Don’t you know how to knock?”

“Yeah, I get that a lot.”

He walks around his desk and sits on the other couch opposite to Sooyoung. “I’ll cut straight to the chase.” he slams a folder on the centre table. “I just got this report from Dispatch. Any explanations, Joy Park?”

Sooyoung doesn’t need x-ray vision to know the contents of the folder. The name ‘Dispatch’ is clue enough. “Who is it this time?”

“Woo Do Hwan.”

“Ah. Him.”

Heechul waits for more but Sooyoung keeps shut as well as her eyes. “That’s it? ‘Ah. Him.’? What do you want me to do? Confirm it? Deny it? Pay them to shut up?”

“Dunno. That’s your job.”

He wants to pull his hair out in frustration. Dealing with this actress always stresses him out. “What I’m trying to ask is, is it true?”

“It was.”

He blinked. “It was?”

“Yes, it was.” Sooyoung stands. “If that’s all, then I’m going now. I’m really, really tired, Mr President.”

She strolled out of his office, ignoring his demands for an explanation. If he’s smart enough, he’ll get it. She greets his secretary again before heading to the parking area.

Woo Do Hwan had been her recent fling. They lasted for about a month or a little more than that, she can’t remember. In just a year, she has burnt and put out lots of flames. She’s filled with ashes, heart dark with soot.

Dating had become more and more like window shopping; trying on new clothes, discarding ugly ones, but never really purchasing any at all. And she has become weary. She doesn’t even know what she’s doing anymore. She never knew what she’s doing. Since that fateful night one year ago, everything’s become unclear. She feels like she’s in the air, floating without destination.

Maybe Wendy’s philosophy is right all along. Love is a sham.

Sooyoung gets into her car and turns on the engine but she stays there, unmoving. The silence is deafening. She turns on the radio and music filled the vehicle. It’s IU’s song.

I can’t love
I try to think
I try to rub skin and hug
I try to lock lips but
It doesn’t work out that way
It’s so funny
I try to turn things back
We try to ignore it
But at this point
How can we love again?
 

She scoffs at the lyrics but makes no move to change the station. Reclining on her seat, she closes her eyes and wonders that maybe…just maybe… what if…

 

***

 

Wendy had never been to La Rogue’s performance hall until now.

The place reminds her of Seoul Arts Center with its rising tier of red velvet seats and red carpeted floor. 20 feet overhead, a grand crystal chandelier hung in the middle of the tray ceiling. An iconic red velvet curtain covered the stage.

From where she was sitting, smack in the middle of the Zone A, she could see the orchestra tuning their instruments and making final preparations.

Wendy squirmed in her seat. Dang, it’s cold. Can they turn the air-con low here?

Overenthusiastic Seulgi had dragged them all to the theatre 30 minutes early and she had been freezing in her seat since then. She can hardly feel her face anymore. Every once in a while she would touch her nose just to make sure it’s still intact. Thankfully, it still is, though she’s not quite sure how long it’ll stay that way.

For the nth time, she uncrumpled the pamphlet that was given to them at the entrance and reread the text, also for the nth time. She has read the thing for over a hundred times that she’s basically memorized the scenes in each act of Romeo and Juliet.

The pictures were fun though. Photos taken of the dancers in the middle of a pirouette and some other ballet moves Wendy had no idea about. She looks over them and promptly crumples the pamphlet again.

Beside her, an equally antsy Sooyoung whispers, “When is this starting again?”

“Apparently, not in a million years.” Wendy whispers back. She watches the people rush in, slowly filling up the seats. Seated on her other side, Seulgi grins at nothing excitedly. “Well at least somebody’s having fun.” she quietly told Sooyoung.

The girl rolls her eyes. “You should’ve seen her watch the grass grow during our first date. Didn’t know somebody could make that activity look so fun until then.”

Sooyoung said it offhandedly but Wendy noticed the slightest shift on her expression. “Can I ask why on earth you guys would watch grass grow on your first date?”

“It was her idea.” Seulgi quips. Apparently, the girl had overheard their conversation. “She bragged that she can take me to the most boring date ever and it would still be the best date I’d ever have in my entire life.”

“And was it?” Sooyoung challenges.

Seulgi looks at her straight in the eyes, traces of smile completely gone. “Do you really want to know?”

They stare at each other for a little too long. Sitting in between them, Wendy squirmed uncomfortably and fought down the urge to just push their heads together. Why am I even here?

“Gosh, it reeks of unfinished business in here.” Yerim arrives, stealing everyone’s attention. She had gone out to buy some snacks, though it wasn’t allowed. But the girl’s pockets were suspiciously bulging.

“Thank you.”  Wendy says, finally able to breathe.

“You’re welcome.” Yerim winks.

The youngest discreetly distributes candies and chocolates. Somebody announces that the show would be starting soon and for those who were still standing to please find their seats. Wendy shifts in hers, suddenly feeling the anticipation.

The entire hall hushes down as the lights dim. The conductor arrives and every one breaks into an applause. The orchestra starts playing, filling the space with that delicate melody. Wendy closes her eyes, feeling her affection for music once again rise from where she had buried it deep in the back of her mind.

“You’re not sleeping, are you?”

Wendy opens her eyes and shoots Sooyoung an irritated look. “Of course not.”

The curtains are finally drawn and Romeo enters—or at least Wendy thought he was Romeo. It was kind of painful to watch the guy glide around the stage in tights but she’s got to admire the way he moved so effortlessly graceful.

A bunch of other people dances around on stage. She thought they must be the townspeople or something. And—oh, great. More men in tights.

The Capulets and Montagues face off with swords for about 20 minutes. When the first act finished, everyone bursts into applause and the lights turns off and the curtains goes down once more.

Wendy exchanges looks with Sooyoung. “Not bad.”

The girl shrugs. “They kept me up for half an hour. That’s got to be something.”

The orchestra plays a different tune now—more innocent and charming, maybe even a little playful—and Wendy knows Juliet is coming.

Her maid dances around in a way that seems like she’s looking for something. Then another set of curtains opens and a girl pops out, surprising the maid. She runs around with those pirouettes and leaps and somehow manages to pull it off without tripping on her feet.

Her movements were light, graceful, yet also innocent and cheerful. The way she jumps felt so carefree. She has that big childish grin on her face and Wendy feels her own lips twitch as she watches the maid chasing Juliet around rather comically.

Light shines upon her face and Wendy catches her breath and her inner Shakespeare whispers, forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.

Throughout the whole performance, Wendy’s in awe. Romeo and Juliet was never her cup of tea. But watching this performance makes it seem more than just two fools dying. Somehow, without the dialogue and just with the elegant movements and emotions, Wendy feels the star-crossed lovers’ sincerity.

When they danced together like wind entwining water, faces in a ghost of a kiss, and when Juliet goes en pointe and their lips finally meet, it was so magical that it almost made her believe in love again.

Almost.

But it’s a nice try.

When the show finally ends, Wendy’s surprised to find her eyes misty but that’s nothing compared to Seulgi who’s basically bawling.

“If...” Seulgi sniffles. “If only they had cell phones…”

Wendy bites the inside of her cheek to keep herself from laughing. She turns to Yerim. “What now? Dinner?” her stomach grumbles in agreement. The show lasted for more than two hours and she’s famished.

But the girl shakes her head. “Not yet. Up next: we visit our beloved Juliet backstage.”

The backstage of the theatre isn’t nearly as grand as the front. Back here, everything’s dark and grey. It compensated the grandeur with scaffoldings. Staff lugged sets and props to and fro. Ballerinas in tights and tutus milled around.

“Hi.” A woman intercepts them. “May I help you?”

“We’re looking for Irene Bae.” Yerim replies, showing the backstage passes.

“Oh. Fans?”

Yerim makes a face. “No, more like friends.”

The woman’s brows rose to her hairline. “Really? Well, that’s a shocker. Her room is at the end of that hall, last door on the left.”

Wendy got to admit she’s a bit thrilled to meet the star of the show. She saw just one performance but she’s already sold. Irene Bae is, like, beauty in motion. She loved her performance. It’s safe to say that she’s become a fan.

The prima’s dressing room looked like a dressing room. There’s a vanity table with a mirror bordered with light bulbs and a clutter of makeup on the desk. On one corner was a changing room right beside a hanger rack full of dresses. Discarded pointe shoes loitered the floor. The fragrance of soothing vanilla and calming jasmine is heavy in the room but the ballerina isn’t in sight.

“Yo, unnie!” Yerim calls out to the empty space.

Rustling and shuffling of clothes. “Kim Yerim?” the voice came from behind the curtains of the changing room. “Hold on one second. I’m changing.”

“Mmkay.” Yerim plops herself on to the seat by the mirror and swivels around with frightening familiarity like Irene Bae and she were BFFs.

She started touching around the makeups and Wendy’s horrified. “Um, Yerim? Shouldn’t you keep your hands to yourself?”

The girl waves her away. “Oh, she doesn’t mind.”

“Yerim?” Irene Bae calls again, “Is someone there with you?”

“I brought friends along.”

“Oh.”

“Don’t worry they don’t bite.”

“I’d appreciate it if they don’t.” the curtains were suddenly pulled back and Irene Bae steps out.

Wendy’s jaw drops.

She wants the ground to open and swallow her whole but of course it doesn’t. She considers jumping behind the dresses. Can she camouflage as a tutu?

The ballerina’s friendly gaze sweeps through them before finally stopping on Wendy. A look of recognition settles on her eyes.

“Hi.”

Wendy panics. “Hi? Hi who—Hi me?”

Irene Bae—Bae Joohyun—whichever, is obviously trying hard not to smile. At least somebody’s having fun with her awkwardness. “Yes. Hi, you.” she pauses. “Sheeps go baah and cows go moo.” she suddenly says, like it’s some sort of a secret code or something and Wendy’s face feels hot.

“That wasn’t me!”

Joohyun blinks, confused. “But aren’t you Wendy Son?”

“Yes, I am but I’m not—I mean, I didn’t write that!” she wildly points to Seulgi who is watching the bizarre exchange with wide eyes. “She did!”

Joohyun turns to her. “You’re the best friend?”

Finally, Seulgi understands what’s going on and grins. “Yup. I’m the best friend.”

They exchange introductions and while it’s nice that they’re getting along well, the looks Sooyoung and Yerim are throwing her way makes her feel like she just discovered the worst recipe for trouble.

 

***

 

Joohyun can’t recall the last time she had dinner with friends. Actually, she can’t recall having any actual friends at all.

Finding friends in a competitive environment has proven to be difficult a challenge in itself. Looking at Yerim, Sooyoung, Seulgi, and Wendy, she can’t quite figure out what to do. It all happened so fast. Suddenly, they’ve had dinner and are now in a random karaoke place, partying it out.

Joohyun needs to rest. She’s dead tired and there’s still practices, rehearsals, and a performance tomorrow night. She can easily excuse herself and go home. But looking at the girls and how much fun they’re having, she can’t seem to find it in herself to go just yet.

She sat on the couch, away from all the ruckus with a bottle of fruit juice in her hand. Right beside her is their designated friend-who-must-stay-sober, Wendy, sipping on a glass of cola.

She brings the bottle to her lips to hide her smile. It’s just ridiculous that they’d meet again this way and she can tell that the other girl is embarrassed. Her beet-red face gave her away. But Joohyun is thankful. She always wanted to meet her again. She seemed nice. And this twisted serendipity just made things easier.

“Uh,” Wendy suddenly clears . She had been squirming in her seat for quite a while now but Joohyun didn’t notice. “They get along well, don’t they?”

Joohyun looks at the three friends, belting out Girls’ Generation’s Gee and doing ridiculous crab leg dances and smiles. “Yeah, they do.”

They lapse into another stretch of silence long enough to hear Yerim screech out the high-note. “I…uh, I didn’t recognize you.” Wendy says. Joohyun looks at her. She’s staring at the melting ice cubes in her glass. “Back there. On stage, I mean.”

“I’d take that as a compliment.”

Wendy lifts her head, meets her eyes. “You would?”

“Yeah. On stage, I’m not supposed to be Joohyun.” she gives her a small smile which the girl promptly returns rather shakily before going back to stare at her drink. The tip of her ear peeking from her hair is red. Cute.

“You were amazing. I really loved your performance. I mean, it was my first time to watch ballet but your performance made me fall in love with it. Really.” Wendy tells her, eyes still on her glass. “It’s really convincing. I was so moved.”

Joohyun’s chest bubbles and it pulls on her lips, the way it always does when somebody compliments her work. That gratifying feeling that somebody appreciates what you do. “Thank you. I also like your films, you know.”  

Wendy’s head snaps up again, short hair bobbing from the sudden movement. Wide, expressive eyes stare at her. “Wait. How did you know what I do?”

Joohyun shrugs. “I did my research before meeting you. Just to be safe. I mean, you might be a serial killer for all I know.” she pauses, thinking, and turns to her, suddenly excited. “Hey, that actually sounds like something you would produce. ‘Unknowing girl receives a mysterious bouquet from no one and meets her demise’.”

Wendy lets out a small laugh. “That actually sounds good!”

“Do I get hired now?”

“For the job of ‘My Inspiration’, yeah, sure.” Wendy laughs at her own quip, mindlessly tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “Sorry. That was lame.”

“No. It’s cute.” Joohyun honestly says, without really thinking about it. “I think you’re adorable. All of you.” she adds, turning to look at the chaos. “It’s great that I got to meet Yerim. She’s a wonderful child.”

“Yeah.” Wendy agrees. “Don’t let her know I said this though. Like, Ever.”

Joohyun chuckles and they go silent, listening to the girls who are now actually singing a ballad properly. They sound amazing. She let herself sway to the beat. Beside her, Wendy picks up a tambourine.

And with the lyrics of ‘The word ‘love’. That word that resembles you. The word ‘love’. That word that can’t be reached. Heart that has passed by. Can’t be caught...’ playing in the background, she leans a bit closer to Wendy to be heard over the loud speakers and says,

"Can I still take you up on that dinner?"