Bae Joohyunw wondered if she should even go. There was no way. It was a promise made before they knew better. A promise made when they didn't know any better. When their youth made them think anything was possible. When hope was stronger than reality. Nothing would change. They would still be best friends. 

Real life had begged to differ.

She knew her face well. She had seen it enough times at work. Those eyes were still the same. But the expression was different. She was used to the kindness in her smile. Not the smirk she usually carried now. Kang Seulgi. The leader of the The Dawn.

Joohyun was building a case against her right now but a promise was a promise. Besides, it wasn't like she was going to come anyways.

The overhead lights flickered as she sat down on the bench facing the rising sun. She remembered the day when they made the promise. They had sat on this very bench. Seulgi's eyes had been red. She had been crying. Not just for her dad, but also because she had to move away from her school, her home, her one... her best friend.

Joohyun had assured her that it would all be OK. They would write to each other. They would always be friends. Nothing would change. 

Joohyin thought back to when she had last written to her. It had been almost ten years. For the first few years, she had written but eventually they had drifted apart.

She looked at the tree across the park from where she sat. That was where Seulgi had fallen down and broken her arm. She remembered that Seulgi had cried. She had tried to tell Joohyun it was fine. She smiled. Seulgi had always been stronger than her.

"I still have the scar from where they put the pin in, you know."

Joohyun jumped to her feet. There she stood. In person. The smile was back. 

"Seulgi-ssi."

"Really, Jpohyum? We're here to propose marriage to each other and you're going to be so formal?"

"Seulgi... Seul, I..."

Sit down, Hyun. I know I'm going to die a spinster. But we do need to talk."

Joohyun sat down and kept looking at the tree, avoiding her gaze. She was also avoiding herself. Her emotions, her feelings. This felt right somehow. Sitting here, with Seulgi. She couldn't allow herself to feel right. She was preparing for her eventual arrest. 

"So how've you been, Joohyun? I sent you a fruit basket when you got promoted."

"Yeah, they told me. I didn't get it though. They suspected bugs. Or poison."

Seulgi laughed, the familiar hearty laugh. She had to use all her strength not to laugh alongside her. This was wrong.

"Surely, they knew about us. They did their background checks."

"They did. I told them I hadn't had any contact with you for a decade."

"And after you promised me you would write daily.