Yongsun was fuming. Blowing her top was not part of her plan but she could not help it when she heard those lazy excuses roll off Byulyi’s tongue this time round.

In the past year that they have been together, Yongsun never really felt that Byulyi really belonged to her. They had their fair share of couple moments, but Byulyi would often have what Yongsun termed as “reclusive episodes”. They could be having a meal together, sitting across each other, getting lost in each other’s eyes, but Byulyi would always end it prematurely with a random comment on something in the environment they were in. They could be watching a movie together, side by side, occasionally caressing each other’s hands, an act which felt more intimate than it sounded, but once the movie ended, Byulyi would act as though none of those touches existed. Yongsun never understood Byulyi’s actions, and Byulyi never wanted to talk about it. Nonetheless, Yongsun held on, as she believed that Byulyi would come around some day.

Yongsun was almost falling asleep when her phone buzzed relentlessly beside her on her bed. Her mental capacity had been sapped during the competition, and her social battery was flat after the huge dinner celebration with members of the debate club. Being ignored by Byulyi did not help either, so all Yongsun wanted when she reached home that night was sleep. She groaned as she reached out for her phone. With half opened eyes, she pressed on the first image she received – a crowded restaurant. She swiped to the next image – a crowded street. By the third picture of crowds in front of a hotel, she was internally cussing Chorong for disturbing her sleep with stupid pictures of her night out. As she was about to just silence her phone, her screen lit up with an image of said friend.

“Yes Chorong, I saw it, enjoy yourself. Good…”

“Yah! They just entered the hotel! Should I stop them? Do you want me to wait for them to come out?! I can’t believe it!”

“Huh?”

“Yah Kim Yong Sun! Did you see the pictures I sent??? Byul…” Chorong’s voice faded away as Yongsun peeled the phone away from her ear and opened up the images again. Yongsun was definitely more awake now, having been screamed at by Chorong. With Chorong’s blabbering in the background, Yongsun looked at the images again.

Oh.

Moon Byulyi was part of the crowds.

And she was not alone.  

“…listening? … there? Kim Yong Sun!”