Yena got back to her group’s waiting room with a smile on her face. She opened the door and walked in, not bothering with the look her members gave her since she was busy thinking of what was going on earlier. She could still hear the laughter coming from Yuri.

“Oh… someone is in a good mood.” Yujin teasingly said, always so excited that sometimes made Yena wonder if Yujin couldn’t get tired ever.

“It’s nothing.” Yena brushed it off, already picking her clothes to change into a more comfortable one.

“It’s something. You clearly made Yuri laughed so loud that everyone could basically hear it.” Eunbi said and Yena saw everyone gave her a curious look, wanting her to spill everything out.

“Just me being silly okay?” Yena playfully rolled her eyes and decided to walk away to get changing. If they wanted to interrogate her more, they could do so after that.

The moment Yena got out of changing, she directly got hugged by Yujin. 

“So, want to tell me what silly thing you did?” 

Yena knew she wouldn’t be able to get away from interrogation anyway. She handed her costume to her manager who was just passing by and mouthed a thank you before looking at Yujin. 

“I don’t think I should tell you anything.”

Yena went to grab a jelly package from her backpack and started eating some. It’s her favourite. Well, not really hers but more like Yuri’s since Yuri was the one introducing her with it when they were kids. Since then, she only ate this particular brand of jelly candy. She then sat down on the couch next to Chaewon.

Yujin who saw Yena eating, silently asked Yena for some with her puppy eyes. Yena pretended to think to tease Yujin while Chaewon already took some from Yena. Yes, Yena made all of her members addicted to the jelly because she kept on eating it. 

Yena then laughed and offered the package to Yujin and somehow it ended up with everyone crowding that package of jelly. Sometimes Yena wondered if they were indeed as crazy as she was with the jelly or they’re just hungry. Whatever the reason was, she was thankful for the jellies because it provided distraction from the interrogation the whole group was going to do to her, exposing her silliness. There’s no way she was going to tell them.

Then the loudness died down for a short moment because their manager came in to told them that it’s time for them to go for their next schedule. They got up from their seat and followed their manager out. 

As they walked out of the door, Yena rummaged through her bag to look for more jellies. She tend to keep a few in her bag, knowing how her members like the treats as well. She managed to find one, the last one and she made a mental note to buy some more later on. She tore the package and started eating again. She followed her members heading towards the way out. 

Then Yena hear a few ‘Oh’ coming around. She raised her head to look around and she saw Yujin already went to talk with Wonyoung. The two just clicked, maybe because the two were the youngest in each of their group. While the Japanese members already mingled together. 

They then resumed walking, deciding to head together since they directed towards the same way, to the exit. To others it’s like looking at the most powerful girl group, although in this case groups. Yena directly found herself walking towards one particular person although the latter was busy with her own world while munching something and Yena could see that the younger was holding something in her hand.

Yena sneakily took the side, silently walking beside Yuri who seemed still busy with her own world, probably busy listening to the song through her headphones. Yuri seemingly still hadn’t noticed Yena, that’s what Yena thought until the younger silently offered her something that she had been holding for a while. Yena couldn’t figure what that was earlier until she saw what’s been offered. She looked inside the package and she was offered jellies. Yena couldn’t help but let out a silent chuckle as she offered Yuri hers. Yena took some from what Yuri offered and popped it into and she saw Yuri did the same. 

When Yena properly tasted the jellies, she directly stared at Yuri again.  How could you even have the same taste as her? Yena realised that it was the same brand of jellies that she had been eating, just different flavour. Yena right now even had turned into a jelly expert for this particular brand. She wouldn’t be mistaken and not to mention that the flavour of what Yuri had offered her was the same flavour that she had been seeing her childhood friend eating over and over again, strawberry.

“Yena unnie….” 

Yena was wandering around the hallway near her room when she heard her best friend calling her. She turned around and watched Yuri ran towards her. Small arms soon enough wrapped around her body, engulfing her in a really warm and comforting hug that she had been growing to wait for as each day passed by. 

“You’re early today.” Yena said, patting the younger girl’s head gently before hugging her back.

“Mom said I could go and play with you. Dad is still sleeping. I wonder when he will wake up so we could play again.” Yuri sadly said, nuzzling her face against Yena’s shoulder and when Yena took a peek on Yuri, she saw small pout on Yuri's face. 

Yuri’s dad had an accident and since then had been in coma. Yuri’s mom felt a bit relieved that her daughter could have someone around her age to keep her company while she went for work or simply keeping her husband company. Since then Yuri’s mom also had become friends with Yena’s parents.

Seeing sad Yuri, Yena felt the need to cheer her up. Yena stood still while still hugging the younger as she thought on how. 

“Let’s go.” Yena said as she broke the hug and took a hold of Yuri’s hand. 

Yuri was confused but still she let the older one pull her along. She didn’t know where Yena would bring her to, but she always trusts Yena. Yena brought her to the hospital vending machine where there were various kinds of treats hanging there. 

“Do you know that sweets could always make one feel better?” Yena proudly explained while presenting the choices of candies.

The moment Yena spoke, Yuri was already smiling. That’s why Yuri loved to be around Yena. The positive energy of Yena was so addictive. 

“Pick one. My treat.” Yena said, deciding to spend her allowance for Yuri, despite she didn’t have much. Yuri’s happiness is more important than anything to her right now.

Yuri looked at Yena then at the various sweets in front of her. She then pointed at strawberry jelly candies. Yena then looked at Yuri at the choice.

“That one again?” Yena asked, knowing that the younger always eats that flavour, from the moment the younger one introduce her to that candy. Yuri never changed brand or flavour. 

“You don’t want to try other flavour?” 

“Unnie, you ask me to pick. So… strawberry one..” Yuri said and Yena sighed. Yena even wondered on why she bothered to ask Yuri.

“Your wish is my command then.” 

Yena took the money out of her pocket and slightly tiptoeing to make a payment before taking the package. 

“There you go.” Yena said with a soft smile and Yuri took it. Yuri’s eyes were full of wonder as she held the pink package with strawberry printed on it. 

That moment was enough for Yena. She wouldn’t want to ask for anything else. She wanted to just to stay at that moment, looking into Yuri’s eyes. However, a package of candy that’s shoved in front of her face woke her up from her daydream. 

“Unnie, have some.” Yuri offered and Yena smiled, gladly taking some to eat. Yena held Yuri’s hand again as they walked back towards her room.

Yena was going to ask Yuri about it but they were already out of the building and went separate ways. Yena slightly scolded herself for daydreaming. For the first time, Yena felt intrigued by someone. It’s like going back to that night when she first saw her Yuri.

***

Yena was lying down on the floor of their practice room. She stared at the ceiling, spacing out. She didn’t realise that her members were staring at her. She only focused on the ceiling and how her heartbeat slowly calmed down after it raced from practicing. It felt calm and therapeutic in a way when she listened to her own heart beat.

The members gave sign with their eyes or tilt of head to urge one another. They were weirded out by the change of their friend’s behaviour. One moment Yena was completely smitten, the next second, Yena was gloomy as if there’s a dark cloud covering her head. 

For the first time in a while, Yena’s brain worked really hard. She was in deep thought. It’s regarding one person that she wanted to get close to. She was formulating plans onto how she could get to know more of this Yuri. She felt the need to know. The person left her curious when she learned about the younger’s similarity over the jelly that her Yuri used to eat. Could it be that she was her Yuri? Yena didn’t want to be hopeful but it was hard not to when that thought ran through her mind, even if it’s just for a fleeting second before she chased it away herself.

“Argh….” Yena groaned out loud, feeling stressed out and also her action brought everyone’s attention to her. Luckily, there’s no one else in the room other than her members. 

Once again the members gave signs to one another, asking to approach Yena. The biggest victim to that was of course Yujin while Yujin tried to toss it to Chaewon before the two tried to push it to the leader. 

Yena pushed herself up and sat down before looking around to find her members in silent debate. She stood up and went to approach them. Meanwhile, everyone looked at Yujin to ask the youngest in the group to talk with Yena. Yujin rolled her eyes before nodded. The members entrusted Yujin with this role because the younger could make it sound less serious despite the topic was a serious one. 

“Unnie, want to talk about it?

Everyone directly glared at Yujin for the bluntness. Yujin shrugged and mouthed ‘what’ to all of them. Yujin definitely didn’t want to go down alone if she caught Yena in terrible mood. The duck could be all playful and silly when she was in good mood but when she’s not, she could be really scary. Yujin knew that too well.

Yena took a water bottle and gulped the water down. She then looked at her members, knowing that they’re worrying about her again. Sometimes she felt really bad about it. She once again created trouble for them.

“Sorry that I made you guys worried. It’s just that I’m so confused right now.” Yena sighed, placing the bottle down, putting it back to its previous spot.

“We’re here for you, always. You know that right?” Eunbi told Yena and the rest of the members nodded their head.

Yena always felt grateful to have such kind and caring members. They could be nosy at times but the intention behind it was always good. Yena went to gave all of them a group hug to tell them how much she thanked them and appreciated them. Yena let go after a short while and decided to share her perspective. Maybe her members could help her or knock some sense into her. 

“She’s making me confuse. That’s all. I don’t want to be hopeful but I can’t help to be when she’s acting so similar like her.” 

“What do you mean?” Eunbi asked, now curious.

“Yuri. She makes me feel something, right here.” Yena pointed to her chest. “The feeling is like whenever I am with my Yuri.” A sigh came followed after the statement.

“Then when we walked out earlier, I saw her eating the same brand of jellies that I always eat.”

“It could mean nothing, unnie. Most probably just coincidence.” Minju tried to be logical about it. 

“Why the same taste and the same brand though? I wish I got the chance to ask her earlier.” 

“I think it would be really weird if you ask that question to someone.” Yujin said. No one would really ask someone why they picked that brand and flavour of a candy. “Like Minju unnie said, it most probably is just a coincidence.” 

I hope so too but my gut feeling told me otherwise. 

***

“You know that you start to turn into a creep right?” Chaewon told Yena when she went to peek on what her roommate was watching.

Yena basically ignored Chaewon’s statement and went back to focus on the laptop. She continued to watch whatever videos that she could find regarding Yuri. Variety shows, singing shows, reality shows, footage of dance practice, literally anything that could give her info regarding the younger. 

The more Yena watched those videos, the more she felt like that Yuri was her Yuri. Whatever facts could be made up but habit was something that would be almost impossible to change, if it did change there usually would still be a trace of their old habit. 

The look in Yuri’s eyes or the way she clasped her hands whenever she was nervous was still there. Yena could see that very clearly. Numerous times in the past when she caught that look on Yuri’s eyes, she would directly when to hold Yuri’s hand which was also how she knew the younger’s habit of clasping her hands together to bring comfort to herself. Not to mention, how Yuri moved her lips like a hamster made her even sure about it. That was also how she nicknamed her Yuri as a hamster because the younger always looked like one when she did that. 

If this Yuri wasn’t her Yuri, then the universe must be really playing joke on her. She didn’t dare to bring this topic up for discussion with her members yet though. They had been thinking of how creepy she was already. So, before she got better proof and argument about it, she wouldn’t say anything. She would take everything as coincidence. Coincidence that started to feel like it’s not at all.

Chaewon however, ended up with watching the show with Yena though because she’s just bored and she got to keep Yena company before her roommate turned crazy for real. So better keep watch on her fragile roommate, just in case the latter needed mental support or something.

Hours past with Yena didn’t stop watching the videos. Chaewon even had fallen asleep next to her and Yena tucked her roommate in the blanket before she turned off the lights. She continued watching the shows, not minding to sacrifice her sleep because she couldn’t believe if she couldn’t get any proofs with all the videos lying around. There bound to be something that could tell her that she wasn’t just daydreaming or making this all up. 

Yena stretched her hand out to pull a hamster stuff toy from her side and hugged it. It’s a precious hamster stuff toy that she had because it’s the only memento she had from her Yuri, something that the younger gave her before the parted ways. Yuri followed her mom back to her hometown while she was still in the hospital to get better.

Yena rested her chin on top of the hamster head and continued watching. No matter how tired she was, she would continue it. She was in a race, sort of. She had been letting her Yuri down lately. If she found nothing over her search regarding this Yuri, at least she got this Yuri to be scratched off the list of the Yuri she knew that wasn’t hers. It’s better that she did that than none, simply relying on the PI. She hated waiting. She liked it more if she did something if in the end she got no result from it, it’s better. At least she tried.

When Yena felt movement from her side, she went to look at her roommate. She thought that her movement earlier woke Chaewon up. Luckily she didn’t. She could see Chaewon only shifted to a much comfortable position and started cuddling the pillow. She chuckled at the view and decided to take a picture with her phone to show her roommate tomorrow and teased the latter. Satisfied with it, she then placed her phone back to the nightstand and went back to watch the videos.

As it went further into the night, Yena fell asleep with laptop on her lap, right hand on top of the keyboard while the left hugging the hamster plushie. Chaewon turned in her sleep before the latter slowly got up, deciding to go to the restroom and found Yena asleep. Chaewon took the laptop away and pausing whatever was played on the screen. She placed the laptop on the table before sleepily walked out and headed towards the restroom.

***

“Yena is still asleep?” Eunbi asked when she saw Chaewon walked out of her room. 

Chaewon rubbed her sleepy eyes before she nodded and went to look for some water to drink. She took a seat on the couch, head leaning slightly on the backrest as she was still in half awake state. 

“I don’t think Yena unnie would wake up any time soon. She slept extremely late last night.” Chaewon said while opening the cap to her water bottle before having a sip of it.

Chaewon took the remote and the TV, simply letting it play whatever show that’s playing at the channel she opened. 

“What did she do?” Eunbi asked, although she could already guessed what Yena could possibly be doing.

“Unnie..” Chaewon whined and gave Eunbi a playful glare. The younger was aware that the older one had a grasp on what’s going on with Yena. Yena was pretty easy to read for most of the time.

“Sometimes I feel like telling her to quit, but I’m scared of how Yena would be. Searching for her, somehow is her goal for a very long time, even before we know her. It’s like her drive.” Eunbi muttered while looking at the pan since she was cooking breakfast for her members. 

“I got you, unnie. I feel the same too. Sometimes, it’s kinda frustrating seeing how sad Yena unnie is when she thinks of her.” Chaewon got up from her seat and walked towards Eunbi, already getting a spoon, getting ready to taste the food.

“Yah.. it’s not ready yet. Wait for a while.” Eunbi scolded Chaewon, gently slapping the hand that’s trying to spoon up the food that she’s cooking.

“Okay unnie.” Chaewon pulled her hand back and went back to the couch, trying to ignore the delicious smell of the food that made her hungry.

Eunbi wanted to tell something to Chaewon regarding Yena but soon got distracted when the door slammed open and Yujin came out of her room, Minju followed behind the puppy. 

“Unnie… I’m hungry.” Yujin’s excited voice boomed in the room.

“Yujin-ah, tone down your voice.” Minju kindly advised the younger.

Nako came out of the room she shared with Eunbi when she heard about food. She joined up with Minju and Yujin by Eunbi’s side. Chaewon got back to crowding Eunbi seeing the possible threat on who got to taste the food first.

“Guys… sit down and wait. It’s not done yet.” Eunbi warned her hungry members to get away from her. “I’ll call you guys when it’s ready for tasting.” 

“Wait… where’s Yena-unnie?” Yujin went to look for her partner in crime.

“I’ll go wake her up.” Yujin excitedly skipped to Yena’s room, wanting to wake Yena but being caught by the wrist by Chaewon.

“Let unnie sleep a little longer. She slept pretty late last night.” 

“Alright.” Yujin agreed and made her way to the couch to lie down.

Nako came to the living room and flipped through the channels, hoping to find something to watch, either some good dramas or twice related show.

Minju and Chaewon soon joined in and Yujin directly went to Minju to cling on the older one, wanting to get some more sleep. Minju tried to push Yujin away but in the end giving up because she lost the battle of strength. Chaewon laughed at the view, Nako too when she saw what’s going on.

***

Yena woke up because she fell down from the bed. She groaned and sat down on the floor, eyes closed, still in an extremely sleepy condition. Then she remembered of what she did last night and it directly made her wake up.

She pushed herself up from her sitting position and she quickly looked around to find her laptop. When she found the piece of tech, she directly made a run for it and opened it up, ready to continue doing her research, not bothering that she just woke up and hadn’t cleaned herself.

The moment she her laptop, she was directly greeted by a paused screen where she could see Yuri standing there talking with her members. She smiled a bit before turning it to play. Just then, she could see Yuri raised her hand and she directly paused the screen. 

Is it what I think it is?

Despite she couldn’t see very clearly because Yuri was wearing a long sleeve shirt but it directly brought her hope up, what she saw peeking out of the right sleeve.