Six months have passed since Hayoung was sentenced to prison for four years. Hayoung admitted to all charges and hence the case was closed. There were no reasons for the police to keep Byulyi a suspect, so she was off the case. 

The girls, except Namjoo, took turns to visit Hayoung and they'd made sure that at least one person visits the maknae everyday. That one person turned out to be none other than Byulyi. Byulyi visits Hayoung every single day without fail. It was the least she could do. Hayoung asked about Namjoo every single day without fail. But Byulyi’s answer was the same every time—I don’t know, because she honestly didn’t know what was up with Namjoo. 

Namjoo refused to talk to Byulyi but the older woman didn’t blame her. She knew how worried and guilty Hayoung was, so Byulyi made sure she knew that Namjoo was well taken care of, at least right now.

When Hayoung was sentenced to prison, Namjoo chopped off her hair and she’s now shoulder length. She almost mixed with the wrong crowd in school but fortunately Wheein was there to stop her and help her heartbroken friend. 

Hayoung assured Byulyi that she was adjusting well in prison. Everyone knew she was Byulyi’s friend and given how well respected Byulyi was in prison, Hayoung had the respect from all the inmates as well. They even look up to her for pulling a heist like this. 

Today, it was no difference. Byulyi was being pat down in the visitor’s waiting area before going to see Hayoung.

“Unnie!” Hayoung skipped across the room as soon as she spotted her Byulyi unnie. 

A three seconds hug was all they could get, but it was better than nothing.

“How is Namjoo unnie?” 

“I don’t know, Hayoungie... She won’t even let Wheein tell me how she’d been. I’ve been trying to talk to her and even get her to come here and I’ll keep trying. So you hang in there, okay?”

Hayoung nodded. It made her happy that at least Namjoo wasn’t going down the self destruct path. She had a bright future ahead of her and she deserved the best. 

Byulyi brought Hayoung back from her train of thoughts, “Hey, I have an exciting news for you.”

Byulyi placed a piece of paper on the table and slide it over to Hayoung. She eyed the paper, signalling for the younger woman to take a look at it. 

“Is this... Is this an agreement of purchase? Under my name?” Hayoung was taken aback by Byulyi’s generous offer. 

“Yes. I bought a shop under your name. It’ll be for your Internet cafe. I’m going to make your Internet cafe the best in the whole of South Korea. We split the money from the heist equally and I decided to use my share for this cafe. I kept your share for you and I’ll give it back to you when you are out of here.”

“Unnie, you don’t need to do this. You spent years on planning this heist.”

“It wasn’t the perfect heist and you are the one in here when I should be responsible for it. So I’m not taking a cent. After reconstructing the shop and stuff, there’ll still be money left. I’ll give it to Namjoo or something, I don’t know. I don’t know what else I can give her.”

“If you want to make it up to me, to us, then keep the remaining money for yourself.”

• • •

“I know you’re also the boss here, but could you keep your long face away from our customers?” Naeun was straightening the clothes on the rack.

Namjoo was playing with her food at the counter. She still had her appetite, but on bad days like today she didn’t feel like eating anything. Even when her favorite walnut cake was in front of her. 

“I’m sorry.” Namjoo knew Naeun was joking around, but she didn’t have the mood to joke. 

“Hey, I was kidding. Even with your long and sour face, you’re still pretty.” Naeun embraced Namjoo from the back, resting her chin on the younger woman’s shoulder. 

“I know you were kidding. I’m the prettiest in your eyes, aren’t I?”

“Of course.” Naeun stood in front of the counter and leaned on it, “Byulyi unnie visited Hayoung today.”

“Doesn’t she visit her everyday?”

“Yes... And she asked about you everyday.”

“So?”

“So can we tell Hayoung how you’re doing?”

“No.” 

“How about just the fact that we’re dating? Hayoung should know.”

“No.” No, because it will break her.

“Well—“

“No. I’m going out.” 

With that, Namjoo grabbed her purse and headed out of the boutique she and Naeun owned. 

Every single time Naeun brought up Hayoung and Byulyi, Namjoo would just leave. She doesn’t give any reasons or excuses, she just left every single time. 

Namjoo found herself standing in front of the building of Oakwood Premier Hotel. After the news of the heist broke out, Namjoo turned herself in to Irene. The manager had been so good and kind to Namjoo, even like a mother to her. Namjoo thought it was the right thing to do even if Irene would hate her. 

Fortunately, Irene forgave her. Though she doesn’t agree and was mad with Namjoo being a criminal, she knew how loyal Namjoo is. Irene couldn’t let Namjoo keep her job, but she remained friends with her. At times like this, Namjoo always found comfort in Irene.

Namjoo wasn’t banned or blacklisted from the hotel, but she didn’t have the courage to go back in there, so she texted Irene and waited for her outside. 

Irene brought Namjoo to a small diner in an alleyway not far from the hotel. Irene loved the place. It wasn’t crowded like the restaurants or fast food chains are, the food aren’t crazy expensive but of good standard.

“Is something bothering you? Is it about Hayoung?”

“Can’t I just want to eat with you?” 

“Namjoo... Don’t even try to fool me. You only come to me when something is bothering you and you need advice.”

“You make me sound like brat.”

“That’s because you are.”

“Unnie!” Namjoo threw a napkin at Irene, which hit the older woman square in the face. 

“Alright alright, I’ll stop teasing you.”

When they both became serious, Namjoo spoke up about what she’s really feeling. 

“Naeun unnie has been asking me if we could tell her that we’re dating.”

“I don’t see what’s the problem.” When Namjoo didn’t say anything, Irene put down her utensils. “You still have feelings for Hayoung, don’t you? I know you do.”

“My feelings for her died the moment she stepped out of the chopper.”

“Namjoo, you excel in many things, especially in acting, but getting over Hayoung is not one of them.”

Deep down, Namjoo knew Irene was right. She never got over Hayoung. 

“Do you love Naeun?”

“Unnie... You know I can only love love one person.”

“Then be fair to Naeun. Even if you want to keep running away from your feelings, you need to be fair to her.”

Namjoo have lots of thinking to do. Everything Irene said was spot on. Was she really being unfair to Naeun?

But at the very least Naeun didn’t leave her in the chopper. Naeun always put her over everything else. But maybe Namjoo should do the right thing this time. 

“I hate that you’re always right.” Namjoo pouted and picked up her spoon again. “Now tell me about what’s happening in Oakwood these days.”

• • •

Chorong let out a motherly smile when she saw Bomi fast asleep on the couch not long after she had her lunch. It has become a routine for Chorong to cook them food everyday and Bomi to wash the dishes. But the younger woman had been playing games until past midnight everyday that she could barely stay awake in the day. 

The older woman did the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen. Bomi was still looking up places to rent for her eatery, so she has lots of free time right now. Chorong had been going to meetings everyday with regards to her racing team. 

When Bomi woke up from her nap, she saw Chorong sitting by the coffee table, looking over emails. 

“Did I fall asleep right after I ate? Woah.” Bomi tidied her messy bed hair.

“Yes, because you’re a pig.” Chorong said without looking back, but she could already feel the younger woman pouting. 

“Unnie, are we really not going to have a housewarming party?” 

Chorong closed her laptop and turned to Bomi. 

“Of course we are. Just not now.”

“Who has a housewarming party four years after they moved into a new house?” 

“It’s a difficult time, Bomi-ah. I really doubt the girls are in the mood for a party. Are you?” 

“Well, of course I feel sad and regretful that Hayoung is in prison on behalf of all of us. How about just a simple meal? All of us together. We’ll cook and invite the girls. We hardly gathered in six months, I think it’ll be good for all of us.”

“That sounds good. Will you call them? I still need to reply to some emails.”

Bomi sprung to her feet, “of course, unnie! You work on your emails, I’ll work on getting them to agree to come here.”

Bomi ran to her room before Chorong could say anything. The older woman smiled to herself, getting back to her emails. 

It’s been a few months since they bought an apartment together. Living with Bomi had been a ride. It was fun, annoying, tiresome, and chill all at the same time. They definitely have their bad days and on those days, they’d agreed to leave each other alone until one of them felt better. But when they are having their good days, they have so much fun their neighbors complain about too much noise mostly from when they played their VR games. Games that were obviously too terrifying for scaredy cats like them. 

• • •

Instead of texting the girls and invite them to her and Chorong’s shared apartment, Bomi decided to do it the good old way by inviting them in person. She wanted to see them anyway. Besides, it’s hard to decline or reject cutie Bomi in person. Much harder. 

Bomi found herself standing in front of Hwasa’s door, ringing the doorbell several times before someone finally answered the door. 

“You again?! Are you living here or something?!” Bomi jokingly rolled her eyes at Wheein who was in her pajamas. From time to time, Bomi would visit Hwasa and almost every time she'd see Wheein there.

“Namjoo moved out of our dorm so I get lonely sometimes!” 

“And Hwasa let you sleep here?”

“She doesn’t let me, I let myself in.” Wheein grinned and let Bomi into the apartment. 

Hwasa was cooking a late lunch for the both of them so Bomi sat in the living room with Wheein while waiting. 

“So what’s going on, unnie?” Wheein tossed a packet of jellies to the older woman.

“Nothing much, I’m still searching for places to rent for the eatery. Chorong unnie and I are planning to host a dinner this coming Friday at our apartment. Will you guys come?” 

“Of course! It’s been so long since we gathered. Is everyone coming?” 

Deep down, Bomi knew that everyone refers to Namjoo and Byulyi. 

Hwasa placed three bowls of rice and a few side dishes on the table, and the two women joined her. 

“Hwasa, you comin’?” Bomi asked with a mouthful of rice.

“Of course.”

“Do you guys think you can get Byulyi unnie to come?” At this point, Bomi only hoped for a simple and peaceful meal with her friends. No quarrels, no fights, no attitudes. 

Wheein nodded, “Byulyi unnie will come. But Namjoo won’t if Byulyi unnie does. I don’t think she’ll come even if Byulyi unnie doesn’t come.”

“Do you think she hates us?” Hwasa finally spoke up after filling her stomach with the delicious meat that she cooked.

“Definitely not. But I think seeing us reminds her of the moments and time she shared with us and with Hayoung. I think her heart is still broken.” Wheein said.

Bomi ate the last of her rice before she got up, “Well, I better get going. I need to drop by Eunji’s gym. Thanks for the meal!” Bomi grabbed her bag and left the apartment, leaving her plates for her dongsaengs to wash.

• • •

Throughout her whole life, everyone always told Namjoo that she can’t be friends with her exes. Things just don’t work that way. There was no way she can be friends with someone who she had a romantic relationship with because it would be weird. 

But not for her and Eunji. 

They were once lovers, but now they’re friends. Best friends. 

Eunji genuinely cares about Namjoo and vice versa. 

What’s even weirder is that they go to each other at times for relationship advice. People don’t understand the kind of friendship that they have but that’s okay. Their friendship is not for anyone to understand. 

“Unnie, I’m letting Naeun unnie go.” Namjoo leaned against the counter while Eunji was doing some paperwork. 

“Go where?” Eunji joked.

“I’m breaking up with her.”

Eunji looked up, shocked at the younger woman’s words. “Why?”

“I can’t do this to her. Naeun unnie deserves someone who could love her the way she deserved. I know there’s someone who’s better for her.” 

The older woman looked down again, but she could still feel Namjoo’s stare boring into her soul. 

Truth is, Eunji fell in love with Naeun the moment she saw her. Even though there was a study that disproved love at first sight, Eunji believed in it. But Naeun only had her eyes on Namjoo. Eunji knew it. And Eunji knew that Naeun’s heart was slowly shattering into pieces when she heard Namjoo and Hayoung confessed their love for one another.

Naeun was happy for them. 

And when Naeun confessed her love for Namjoo, Eunji thought, maybe she could be happy for them too. 

But Namjoo always knew better. She’d known Eunji for so many years. Namjoo was blinded by the fact that when her heart broke, there was someone there to comfort her and shower her with love, but she also saw that Eunji was broken for the second time.

It was time for Namjoo to face her feelings and be fair to her unnies. She can’t keep being selfish just because she didn’t want to feel miserable and lonely. 

Before Namjoo could say anything, the door to the gym opened and a hoarse voice was being heard. 

“Oh, Namjoo-ya!” Bomi latched onto the younger woman as soon as she saw her. 

It’s been months since they’ve all met, and they honestly missed each other.

Namjoo hugged the older woman tightly, whispering a I miss you. 

Eunji cleared , feeling left out and hurt that she didn’t get a hug. “What does a girl like me have to do to get a hug around here?!”

Eunji opened her arms, inviting not just Bomi but also Namjoo in for a hug. 

“Okay, enough with all the hugs.” Namjoo pulled away, making a disgusted face at the two older women. 

Eunji closed the gym early so that they could talk with each other comfortably at the cafe down the street. Namjoo didn’t want to, but she knows that Eunji and Bomi won’t talk about anything she’s uncomfortable with. Mainly about Hayoung.

“Chorong unnie and I are inviting everyone to our apartment this Friday for a meal! Think of it as a simple meal, just us gathering to catch up with one another.” Bomi knew that Eunji would come, so she turned to Namjoo, “what do you say, Joo?”

“No.”

Bomi pouted and whined, “Why not?”

“Because I don’t want to see her.” Namjoo sighed, “Besides, I’ll dampen the mood and make everyone miserable. So I’m sure it’s best that I don’t go”

“Everyone will be excited to see you, Namjoo.” Eunji placed a comforting hand on top of Namjoo’s.

“Please? Chorong unnie and I want to cook all your favorite food for you. We know how hard you’ve been trying to pick yourself up again, so Chorong unnie and I really want to do something nice for you too. If you don’t want Byulyi unnie there, she won’t be there.”

Bomi felt a kick to her shin under the table and she barely stifled a yelp of pain. Sometimes it’s best to hoax Namjoo into doing something that she doesn’t want to rather than forcing her. 

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