-

"So how was it?"

"How was what?"

"Oh, don't pretend to be innocent! I know you too well for that."

Chuckled at her friend's whine, Hyejin took a sip from her coffee, hummed at the bitter taste twining with the mildest sweetness. Wheein sat opposite to her, looked wayyyyyy too excited for, quoted, "a simple coffee date with my best friend". And the puppy-alike girl didn't even like coffee, for God's sake. 

"Even Ggomo is a better companion than you.", Wheein pouted, swinging her legs sulkily. "Or do you just want to talk to...", she grinned mischievously. "...you-know-who?"

"OK, stop.", Hyejin glared back at the giggling girl. "First, it is always Ggomo before anyone for you, so I'd gladly take that as a compliment. Second, she has a name and we are just friends."

And they were. 

Despite their quite... intense encounter in the recording room earlier this month, nothing had happened after that. Byulyi greeted her with a polite smile when they gathered for the Melting album discussion the following week. Then workloads became hectic, the two were swept away with the amount of preparation required. Actually, Moonbyul was dragged around by Yongsun for lyrics making and Solarsido contents, and Hwasa, well, for some reasons had to contain Wheein's subtle jealousy before she blew it on unnies' faces. Hyejin is a good friend like that. Also, Hyejin believed the older had made a point not to be left alone with her. The thought made her grimaced. 

"No friends look at each other like watching a prey, you know.", Wheein implied.

She flinched a bit at Wheein's choice of word, and the puppy erupted a laugh. Desperate to change the topic, Hyejin huffed. "As if you are any better than me. How's the thing with unnie?"

"Same old, same old. I'm her bubbly Angel, she's my dearest leader, that's all.", Wheein waved her hand dismissively, laughters had softened down. "Not everyone is as forward as you two."

"Sometimes provoking a push is not a bad idea."

She hummed, stirring her hot chocolate quietly. "Unnie is too stable for that, I can't do that to her. She will be traumatized if she is not... one of us."

Let out a sigh, the maknae slumped back on her fluffy bean bag, thinking. Somehow, getting under Yongsun's skin is even harder than the stubborn Byul's. She's too nice, too composed, too good for her own good. Even a simple thing like if she liked girls or not couldn't be decided between two young girls. 

Dug through her memory, Hyejin suggested. "I think I saw her checking the other idols out in Inkigayo backstage?"

"No no, don't give me hope.", Wheein shushed Hyejin, put a finger on her lips. "I can't live on hope, I can't trust hope to gear my life."

The gleam of sorrow glinted in Wheein's eyes softened her heart. Always had.

Hold her hand in her own, Hyejin kissed it affectionately, lovingly. "Of course."

A whisper promised quietly. "All your broken pieces are with me, so feel free to fall, Wheein-ah."

"And yours, with me."

-

Yongsun always treated her much gentler than anybody else, much softer, as if she would break if the leader handled her even with just the tiniest bit of roughness. 

Moonbyul saw her as one of her younger siblings, which meant she could be a sweetheart, and then playfully bullied her right after. Byul caressed her cheeks and dipped her finger in her dimple with love; poisoned her with her hella salty soufflé and shoved her into Yongsun's arms shamelessly. The rapper was energetic and sometimes forgot Wheein was still young, and inexperienced, and vulnerable. She might involuntarily hurt the younger one. But bickers would be erased quickly with pinky promises and cheek smooches, so there they were with their siblings-from-different-moms relationship. 

Then there's Hyejin. Her lover from another life, she believed. They always felt like they had known each other forever, that the 12 years passing by was just a tiny piece. Hence, they were too close to be lovers in this life. Even matrimony would be a step down from their current relationship. Wheein found peace in Hyejin's tight embrace, sleepy comforting at 4AM, she's her anchor. As intimate as they were seen, neither of them ever thought about something further.

And, the star of the show, of her whole universe, Yongsun. Famous for her stern personality, but always the first one to say sorry to Wheein, despite the puppy was the one at fault. Never been in Lazy Hell for her whole life, but was eager to lay down with her specific younger member on the practice room's floor, even for just 5 mins.

Wheein didn't get Yongsun.

-

She got a boyfriend instead. 

(to Hyelim's surprise, since she's the only one Wheein told it to)

Wheein had always been male idols' favourite. She's docile (looked docile), she's pretty (truly was), she seems sweet and obedient (yes to the first, no t