“Happy birthday!” Yewon said as the video call connected.

“Thanks! I love the leather jacket,” Sojung said, flashing Yewon a wide smile. “But you know what I love even more? We’re in Korea!!!”

Yewon laughed at her enthusiasm. “Are you enjoying yourself?”

“It’s amazing!” Eunha said.

“Thank you, really, we’re having such a great time,” Sojung told Yewon. “I might just stay here and keep your jet.”

“It’s yours anytime you want it, Kim,” Yewon replied as she laughed. They were halfway through their holiday and Yewon hated to admit it, but she missed them. With Eunha and Sojung gone, she was all alone in the city, and after their stay with Jessica, Yewon found it even more lonely to have no one around.

“I take back any mean thing I said to you. I promise I’ll never say a bad word against you ever again,” Sojung said, smiling brightly at Yewon.

Yewon quietly laughed. “And I was just starting to enjoy our bickering.”

“Don’t take her seriously, she’s only saying that because she’s on holiday,” Eunha said as she laughed. “You’ll probably be at each other’s throats the moment we get back.”

“At least I’ll have someone to talk to that isn’t a dog,” Yewon sighed.

“How are you doing? Are you good?” Eunha asked, giving Yewon a small smile. “You know you can always go and stay with mom, I know she would love the company.”

“I’m fine, I’ve been getting a lot of work done without your bad influences distracting me,” Yewon laughed.

“Geez Kim, don’t you ever take a break? You should’ve come with us. You might’ve actually relaxed for once,” Sojung said, rolling her eyes.

“Yeah I’m sure crashing your romantic getaway and being the third wheel would have been so relaxing,” Yewon laughed, rolling her eyes in return. “Anyway, you two should get going or you’ll miss your reservations.”

“Reservations?” Eunha asked, frowning in confusion.

“Oh, did I forget to tell you?” Yewon smirked. “I made reservations for you at La Yeon (A/N: This is actually a real restaurant haha, I did my research) around six. It’s one out of the two restaurants in Seoul with three Michelin stars, so the food is amazing, as you can imagine. It’s on me, of course. A thank you gift for the two of you for everything you’ve done for me, you know, with Eunbi and everything else.”

“Oh , are you serious?!” Eunha exclaimed excitedly.

“Yes, now go and get ready or you’ll miss your reservation. Enjoy the rest of your birthday Sojung, and well...holiday for you Eunha, and I’ll speak to you guys when you get back,” Yewon told them both.

“Thank you, Yewon, really,” Sojung smiled widely.

“, you do mean it, you called me by my first name,” Yewon laughed, and Sojung rolled her eyes in the background as Eunha focused the camera on herself and thanked Yewon too. Hanging up, Yewon turned her attention back to her work for the time being. She was expecting a call from Eunbi soon.

“Solar brought in Yewon’s lunch for her, leaving it on her desk as Yewon mumbled her thanks. Yewon tore her gaze away from her computer as Solar hovered near the table, and arched one eyebrow at her assistant.

“What is it?” Yewon asked.

“Oh...um..sorry Miss Kim, it’s just that, your driver said he had to go home sick and I..uh...can’t find a replacement to take you home tonight,” Solar explained apologetically.

“It’s fine,” Yewon reassured her. “I’ll go home on my own.”

“Are you sure, ma’am? You have that late meeting tonight,” Solar reminded her.

“,” Yewon muttered. “Excuse me. Thank you for reminding me, I’m sure I’ll manage though. Now, if you’ll excuse me,” Her laptop had started ringing as a video call came through from Eunbi, and Yewon smiled as she accepted it.

“Hey!” Eunbi smiled at her widely. “How’s my girl?”

“Missing you, but otherwise, very well. How are you?” Yewon smiled at her, resting her head on her hand as she gazed at Eunbi.

“Tired,” Eunbi admitted, giving Yewon a weary smile.

“Mm, you look like you haven’t slept all night,” Yewon noted, frowning in concern.

Her smile faltered slightly and Eunbi’s eyes were shining slightly as she whispered, “I..uh..there was an ambush last night, on one of the missions. It’ll be all over the news soon. We lost some soldiers. I-It was bad.”

Yewon’s breathing hitched as panic set in. “Were you on this mission? Are you okay? W-What can I do?” She rambled, itching to do something. That was the worst part - she was stuck here, and she couldn’t do anything.

“I’m fine. I- my guys, I got them all out. We were lucky,” Eunbi said, smiling grimly, even though her eyes were full of the pain she was trying to hide.

“I hate this!” Yewon exclaimed, curling and uncurling her hands into fists as she felt her frustration rise up.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Eunbi murmured soothingly.

“No! It’s not okay, Eunbi1” Yewon said, her voice rising. “It’s not-” She broke off as her voice cracked and tears pricked her eyes.

“None of this is okay,” Yewon choked out. “I don’t want to hear about how you could’ve died last night.”

“What, do you want me to lie to you?” Eunbi asked, a flicker of hurt flashing across her face.

“No~” Yewon shouted. “I want you to come home!” she banged her hands down on her desk as she said those last words, accidentally hitting the edge of her bowl and sending the salad flying past her.

“W-Was that salad?” Eunbi asked after a slight pause, her lips curling up at the corners.

“Yeah..I...uh..accidentally knocked over my lunch,” Yewon tearfully said, blinking in surprise as Eunbi laughed. “What?”

“Sorry, it just- that looked like something out of a cartoon,” Eunbi laughed again, and Yewon sighed, cracking a smile as she ran her hands through her hair.

“I’m sorry,” Yewon said quietly, her shoulders sagging as she sighed in defeat. “I didn’t mean to take my frustration out on you. I just...worry about you, every moment of every day.”

“No, it’s fine,” Eunbi said, giving her a small smile.

“It’s not fine, Eunbi. I shouldn’t claim you for doing your job,” Yewon told her, “I promised you I wouldn’t let it come between us, and it won’t, but I just don’t like having to hear about you putting yourself in danger all the time. I feel like you might think I’m blaming you every time I complain about you being away, but I’m not, so I’m sorry if it feels that way.”

“If I say I accept your apology will you feel better?” Eunbi asked, grinning at Yewon. “I don’t blame you though. It’s okay for you to vent your frustration, that’s what I’m here for.”

“What, to listen to me complain about how I’m sitting safely in my multi-billion-dollar company missing my girlfriend when you have it so much worse?” Yewon asked, arching an eyebrow.

“It’s not a competition and danger doesn’t mean I miss you more than you miss me. I mean, I’m willing to say I do, but I feel like that debatable and you’re better at debating,” Eunbi laughed, and Yewon smiled smugly.

“Well, I’m glad my skills from the debate team still come in handy,” Yewon said.

“And your stubbornness,” Eunbi reminded her. “Sometimes I feel like I’m talking to a brick wall.”

“Would you believe that I used to be even more stubborn?”

“I mean, you’re already impossibly stubborn, but we all know you have a soft spot for me, so yeah I can imagine it,” Eunbi laughed.

“Soft spot for you? Who’s been gossiping about me?” Yewon gasped, smiling at Eunbi. “I guess they’re onto something there. I would do anything for you.”

“Oh really? So if I asked you to bring me the stars, would you?” Eunbi asked, narrowing her eyes slightly.

“No, that’s a ridiculous request and completely illogical, stars are way too big to bring you all of them,” Yewon scoffed. “Something more reasonable though; perhaps one star? Maybe you would prefer a small island or a city?”

“An island, huh? I could fulfill my childhood dream of being a princess,” Eunbi laughed.

“Of course that was your childhood dream,” Yewon sighed, rolling her eyes dramatically.

“Oh please, as if you never dreamt about that,” Eunbi said.

“Of course I didn’t...I wanted to be a queen,” Yewon admitted, laughing quietly.

~

~

It was almost ten when Yewon left the office, and she had half a mind to catch a taxi but decided to take advantage of the cool night air. She set off in the direction of her apartment, looking down at her phone as she read her emails. She had one from Eunbi, just telling Yewon that she loved her. As she approached a dark alley, a man stepped out and said something, holding something out towards her. Lost in her own world, Yewon didn’t register the words.

“No thank you,” she said, not looking up from her phone to acknowledge whatever cause he was trying to get her to donate or a flyer he was trying to hand to her. A tight grip on her arm pulled her out of her thoughts, and Yewon’s eyebrows shot up in surprise as she was roughly pulled into the mouth of the dimly lit alley.

“I said give me your ing bag,” the man said, momentarily letting go of her.

“ off,” Yewon swore at him, before catching sight of a knife clutched in his hand.

And before she knew it, she let out a small gasp of surprise at the sharp pain in her abdomen as the guy plunged his knife in and out. Yewon clutched her stomach with one hand, feeling the warmth of her blood as it covered her hand. SHe didn’t resist as the man wrested her bag off her shoulder, before darting off down the alley. Yewon sank to the floor of the alleyway, pressing her hand tightly to the wound as it throbbed, sending a wave of pain through her body. Shaking slightly, Yewon raised her phone, which was still clutched in her hand. Bringing up the keypad, Yewon dialed the police, her voice trembling as she spoke.

“Hello? Yewon, I-I’ve just been s-stabbed...I’m in an alleyway...I-I don’t know w-which one. It’s a f-few blocked east of Kim-Corp.”

Shivering in the cold air, Yewon pushed herself up and stumbled to the mouth of the alleyway, before slumping against the side of the building. Slowly, she sank down to the floor again, her breathing becoming shallow as her vision darkened slightly. She wasn’t sure if it was the shock, but Yewon started laughing, thinking about how she had been telling Eunbi she was safe here in National City just a few hours ago.

~

~

Yewon let out a small groan as her eyes fluttered open to a white ceiling, before ting them again. Her brain felt slow, and her limbs heavy as she laid back against the pillows. A flash of movement caught her eye and Yewon opened her eyes, catching a glimpse of blonde hair.

“Eunbi?” she mumbled, her forehead creasing as she frowned.

“No, sweetie, it’s Jessica.”

“Jessica? What are you doing here?” Yewon asked, trying to focus on the woman’s face.

“You were stabbed, honey,” Jessica told her and Yewon let out a weak laugh.

“I know. That son of a stole my bag,” Yewon sighed, smiling as Jessica’s face came into focus. The older woman looked tired like she hadn’t slept in a while, and Yewon frowned. “You look tired.”

Jessica let out a quiet laugh, Yewon’s hair as she sat down on the edge of the bed. “I’m fine, love. You just had me worried, is all,” Jessica murmured.

“Sorry,” Yewon mumbled. “I didn’t expect you to be here.”

“Well of course I would. I had to make sure they were looking after you properly,” Jessica smiled at her. “Your mom is on her way here too, she shouldn’t be that much longer.”

“My mom? How does she know?” Yewon frowned in confusion, her brain struggling to keep track of everything.

“They found you in the alley, they didn’t recognize you at first, so they checked your phone, but they couldn’t get past your passcode. You had your emergency contacts added in though, so they tried calling Eunbi for you, but she didn’t answer, so they tried Eunha next. She called me, and I hopped on the first flight here. I didn’t want you to wake up alone. Then I cracked your passcode and called your mom. I hope that’s okay,” Jessica explained.

“Mm, thank you,” Yewon whispered, giving Jessica a drowsy smile.

“No problem, sweetheart,” Jessica said, smiling back grimly. She got up from the bed and walked over to the door, poking her head outside and softly calling for a doctor. One followed her inside a moment later, giving Yewon a warm smile.

“Hi Ms. Kim, I’m Doctor Wheein,” the woman said, approaching the bed. “Do you mind if I take a look at you?”

Yewon mumbled her consent, and the doctor pulled her stethoscope from around her neck to check Yewon’s heart and lungs, even though the machine was beeping steadily next to the bed. Gently laying Yewon back against the pillows, the doctor pulled the blankets down and lifted the hospital gown up to reveal the dressing on the wound.

Jessica held Yewon’s hand as her stitches were inspected and the dressing changed, giving her a reassuring smile. “Are you experiencing any pain or discomfort?” Doctor Wheein asked Yewon as she filled out her chart.

“No, I can’t feel anything. I feel sleepy,” Yewon mumbled.

“That’s from the morphine,” she informed Yewon.

“No drugs,” Yewon murmured, frowning slightly. She had never liked drugs, she didn’t like the drowsiness that usually accompanied them, or the way they made her mind sluggish.

“Sweetie, they’ll help keep the pain away,” Jessica told her. “You need your rest, and you can’t do that if you’re in pain.”

“Mm, I need to go home,” Yewon replied, “I have work. I need to talk to Eunbi. Eunbi. Oh god, does she know?” Yewon weakly pushed herself up, struggling against her uncooperative limbs. She hisses as a sharp pain shot through her stomach, and Jessica gently, but firmly, guides her back down against the pillows.

“You’re not going anywhere, honey,” she laughed quietly, brushing the hair out of Yewon’s face and her cheek. “Eunbi doesn’t know yet, she’s at work right now so she won’t have her phone. I’ll let her know as soon as she gets off, okay?”

“Promise?” Yewon asked, her eyes fluttering closed.

“Yeah, I promise. You just rest,” Jessica whispered, kissing her on the forehead.

Yewon dozed lightly while Jessica talked with the doctor, who left not long after, leaving them alone. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed by the time she came around again, but she noticed that Jessica wasn’t in the room. Turning her head to the side, Yewon stared out the window that looked out onto the nurse’s station outside her room. As she stared, her mom came into view, talking to Jessica, and a moment later they turned towards the door to Yewon’s room.

“Yewon!” Sunmi quietly exclaimed, letting out a sigh of relief as she rushed over to her daughter’s side. “Oh god, you have had me worried sick!”

“Mom,” Yewon murmured as she smiled slightly.

“Sorry I took so long to get here, I missed Jessica’s call, but I can as fast as I could,” Sunmi explained, giving her a grim smile as her eyes shone with tears.

“I’m going to get some coffee, would you like some, Sunmi?” Jessica asked, hovering nearby.

“That would be lovely, thank you,” Sunmi asked, smiling at her.

“Can I have some too?” Yewon asked hopefully.

“I don’t think they’ll let you have some just yet, honey, but I’ll ask them if they can bring you something to eat,” Jessica said, giving her hand a squeeze before walking out of the room.

“She seems n