Bona sighs and ends the call. When she actually wants to compliment Xuan Yi and ask her how she was doing — ty mobile service and her ing job prevents her from it. She scans the somber list of notifications: missed calls, back and forth. Some actual conversations now and then, none longer than 15 minutes — the time stamps of uncomfortable silences and wasted efforts.
Maintaining the image of a supporting girlfriend, she considers messaging Xuan Yi — but no, even if girlfriends do nothing but quarrel and humiliating each other, they must do it face to face, via video call. A video call suggests having certain duties; it suggests the person calling has the right to be heard, seen, loved before anyone else. Messages are either for budding love affairs, or mistresses: their sweet nothings are meant to be saved for a later use — something to hold onto during long, lonely nights.
She sighs and pockets the useless thing. She should focus on the task at hand; other matters can be dealt with later. She stretches her face in a smile, and feels a familiar surge of confidence and bliss, when a sorry-looking camera man grants her with an awed look.

Bona feels extra pleased with how she handled the interview. Her confidence alone should rattle anyone’s conviction of her being a heartless — and she has shown sweetness, too. She looks around to find out if anyone has seen her nailing this er: Eunbi looks mildly appreciative, Jisoo is busy preparing for her turn, and Seolhyun looks completely out of it, her hand still gripping her phone. Instinctively, she looks for Exy and her mentee YooA and, with some difficulty, spots both of them in a sudden crowd.
The merry platoon has huddled around Mimi, cawing and clamouring like mad oversized birds. Siyeon looks elated, Seunghee scandalised, Nayeon is swearing she’s going to ‘cover this’, and even zombie-looking Sowon is snickering.
«It’s a bomb», Kei gushes excitedly. «I don’t remember anything that explosive since Sujeong’s ‘We Don’t Talk Anymore’ cover, when Jiho tried to blacklist her».
«What is it?» Bona asks, sneaking inside the circle. 
Mimi s her phone in Bona’s hands, «Our mother wrote another song!» — and presses play.
Hyojung is at her k