this is a special chapter not so relevant to the actual plot.

shopping

"shuhua, what are we doing here?"

"i told you my is broken. we came here to get me a new baby."

"and now you're looking at a paddle because?"

shuhua and yuqi had been wandering around in a shop for about half an hour now. yuqi was nervous and timid, thinking an acquaintance could come at any moment.

"i'm just curious. and don't worry i'm not going to buy any of it. oh hey, look! there are many interesting toys here."

"honestly, i've never been to a shop before. it's my first time coming. i'm doing this just for you."

"and? what's there to be shy about? it's not like you're an innocent teen."

"i know but -... shuhua, can you tell me why you're holding a strap with a ball now?"

"it's called ball gag. and please chill. look what we got here ~" shuhua put the ball gag back and grabbed the hanging on the wall and held it across her front, "what do you think, huh? wanna try?"

"eww shuhua, stop!" yuqi was whining but also grinning.

"why?" laughed shuhua.

then she went to pick up the monster-sized that was on the counter. she started swinging it in front of yuqi's face, "maybe your girlfriend would like to try this?"

"oh no, help!" yuqi was also laughing and trying to get the giant away from her face, "also she is not my girlfriend, not yet."

shuhua paused, "coming soon"

yuqi smirked "even if she was, that is too much for her," then she took the bullet she had just seen there and showed it to shuhua, "but this little friend is just ideal."

then they started laughing out loud again. but shuhua suddenly stopped and tried to warn yuqi, "yuqi, yuqi stop!" she whispered.

but yuqi didn't notice and still kept joking and playing with the toy, "look how cute it is," she said, looking at the bullet , "just as cute and small like her."

"yuqi..."

while yuqi was immersed in examining the , someone behind her spoke up.

"interesting"

as soon as yuqi heard soyeon's voice she panicked. and by a reflex action, she tried to hide the and turned to soyeon. right after when she gagged badly she realized that the idea of ​​putting it in wasn't that good idea.

"seriously?" soyeon couldn't help but laugh at this.

yuqi blushed.

"that joke was corny by the way." soyeon added.

"sorry" yuqi was unable to make eye contact with soyeon.

"no problem. what are you doing here?"

"i was accompanying shuhua, she's buying herself a toy..."

soyeon looked around, "shuhua? where is she then?"

"she's h-" yuqi looked back but she saw that there was no shuhua behind her. then turned to soyeon again, "she was here!"

"uh huh, sure."

"i'm serious. i swear on my gags- i mean gals, gals! not gags! i'm definitely not thinking about ball gags."

"oh"

"i'll kill her."

"yuqi," soyeon was smiling brightly, "you need to calm down a little. your face turned to a tomato."

yuqi took a deep breath to calm down. she didn't realize she was still holding the bullet she had just put in . then a question fell into her mind.

"so why are you here?"

soyeon scratched her head, "oh well, i'm here for a friend."

"friend? you sure?"

now soyeon was avoiding eye contact, "yes, and that friend wants a ." she said, taking the in yuqi's hand, and quickly moved away.

yuqi's face and ears were almost burning. she stayed still.

"oh..." shuhua came out of hiding and slowly approached from behind, "my..." and came to yuqi, standing next to her. both was looking at the direction soyeon went, "god."

"shut up" said yuqi and silenced shuhua before she said anything more.

3 am in the past

soojin and miyeon were watching the ceiling lying side by side on the bed, when the clock was about to hit 3 in the morning.

"i'm glad you were able to come here at this very late hour"

"i can come over whenever you want."

"i'm sorry though, we've just met, but i'm already overwhelming you with my personal problems."

"no, it's really no problem. now tell me what exactly happened."

miyeon sat up and grabbed the bottle of water on the nightstand, "actually it's not a new thing." she said and took a few sips.

"you didn't sound fine on the phone."

"yes, i get emotional sometimes."

when soojin saw miyeon had a faraway look, she sat up and started patting her back.

"what's wrong?"

"i feel like my mom and dad are planning a marriage for me. they started to open that topic up so often. i wouldn't be surprised if they try to find someone soon. they have always been like this. it's so suffocating."

"i won a small dance contest when i was a kid." said soojin, making miyeon look at her, "after i won the first place, i ran to my mother and hugged her with great happiness. i wanted to share my happiness. but she did not hug back. then the first thing she told me was: you always laugh while i cry, i'm not surprised. if you've had your fun, let's go now."

"i'm really sorry."

"it's okay. she was always against me. she always blamed me, never showed her affection. she always tried to make me feel guilty. she used to say that it's all my fault, but i couldn't understand what she was talking about. and she used to say she was suffocating which is ironic because in reality, i was the one who was suffocating."

"when did she pass away?"

soojin leaned back, "i don't remember exactly, i was just a kid."

"i see"

"now i told you this because i wanted you to know that i know what it's like to be overwhelmed. i understand you very well. but this can't go on, you have to defy them. you don't need to do everything they say. you make your own money, then why listen to them?"

"yes, you're right. i don't need them, and i don't have to do whatever they say. this is my life."

"exactly"

miyeon smiled. and she leaned against the headboard too, resting her head on soojin's shoulder.

"soojin, there is still so much about you that i don't know, but i am glad you came into my life. i'm the only child, you know. but since we met, i don't feel the same way anymore. i feel like i have a sister now."

soojin couldn't breathe for a moment. she would lose it and cry for hours if she couldn't hold her tears back. but she did, and said "me too"

shopping 2

"soyeon, explain me why there is a ball gag in our bathroom." asked minnie as she came to the living room with wide opened eyes. soyeon was sitting on the sofa.

"i don't know. just bought it in case we need it."

"in case we need it?"

minnie's thoughts were loading, then she gasped suddenly. she crouched down in front of her, "soyeon i'm sorry... i don't see you that way. not that you're not beautiful and all. you're gorgeous."

"uh, thank you? but don't worry, you're not my type anyway."

minnie got up and folded her arms onto her chest, "how come i'm not your type?"

"you're upset?"

"humph!" minnie kept sulking.

"would you like some ice cream?"

minnie exclaimed, "where?"

"i'll get it for you. then we watching netflix later?"

"sure! sounds good."

"cool"

"i love you"

"i love you too"