It was only when Joy kissed one of her co-stars for spin the bottle during their wrap-up party that she realized kissing a woman could be as pleasant as kissing a man. Her first kiss with Jaehyun had been extremely pleasant, but the experience that this woman had on high school Jaehyun was no joke. Joy found herself thinking about Taehyung’s advice.

            “Guys.”

Unbeknownst to the rookie actress, Sungjae and Wendy had been shopping together to get Joy a gift for finishing her filming (it had been pretty hectic trying to finish filming during the fall semester, but once she and Wendy graduated, it wasn’t as bad) when they picked up her call. Joy had originally called Wendy, thinking that Sungjae might be working God-knows-where, but only upon hearing their hushed bickering did she know that they were in the same space.

            “Can you go somewhere private and put me on speakerphone so I can talk to both of you?”

            She heard shuffling as the two argued about whether to go to the car or sneak Sungjae into the women’s restroom. There was a smacking sound, and a yelp from Sungjae as he muttered an apology to someone that didn’t seem to be Wendy. “Hey, don’t worry, we’re still on,” Wendy said. A car unlocking, then doors slamming. “Okay, I’ll put you on speakerphone.”

            “Can you both hear me?”

            “I don’t know, Wendy might have burst my eardrum.”

            “Don’t make me kick you out.”

            “Sorry.”

            Joy wanted to laugh, but she was weirdly nervous. Taking a deep breath, the tall girl glanced around the apartment she was still rooming with Hayoung at and started speaking rapidly as the car engine revved up. “I-might-be-bi.”

            “I buy bee pie?”

            “No, I think she said I might eat pie.”

            “Are you sure about that?”

            “I’m not the one who complained about a damaged eardrum,” Wendy shot back.

            Joy sighed. “Actually, I’ll just tell you guys later in-person. When are you both free?”

            “We’re free right now.” Joy heard crinkling sounds. “Dude, can you do that later?”

            “But if we’re gonna meet her now…”

            “Fine, I’ll pull over so we can, oh.” Joy heard a tap and complete silence. Wendy had muted the phone.

            “Guys?”

            The phone was unmuted again. “Sorry, we just had to do something real quick. Where do you wanna meet?”

            “Are you guys headed to either of your places?”

            “Sungjae’s.”

            “I’ll see you there in an hour.” She ended the call, biting her lip anxiously. The door opened and Hayoung walked in, dropping her bags unceremoniously to the floor. “Rough day?”

            “Oh, you don’t understand.” Hayoung plopped onto the couch beside Joy and looked at her with puppy eyes and a pout. “I don’t think I’ll ever get a job, Joy. You’re so lucky you got employed during college.”

            Joy gave her a tight smile. “I didn’t even get to attend graduation.”

            “Who needs graduation when you’ll be a millionaire soon.”

            “It’s the small things that count.” Joy checked the time on her phone. “Umm, Hayoung, I actually have to head out right now, but I’ll talk to you later, alright? There’s some fried rice that I made leftover in the fridge if you want it.”

            Hayoung hummed. “I won’t die, right?”

            “Hey!”

            Her roommate laughed and waved Joy away. “I’m joking. Your food is decent enough. I’ll see you then!”

            Joy gave her a thumbs up and left, opting to take the subway. It was rush hour, tired workers all speeding out of buildings and into public transit to get home as soon as possible, so Joy found herself standing in a tightly packed space as more and more people pressed through the sliding doors. She couldn’t really remember the last time she had been in a subway that was so crowded—the trio had often gone on trips all over in their hometown while their parents worked, but only on national holidays did they ever encounter the bustling that Joy was experiencing at the moment. It brought her a sense of nostalgia that wasn’t entirely unpleasant.

            She watched as people streamed in and out of the car she was in, until the voice over the intercom announced her stop’s exit on the right. Joy moved forward with the mass and used her long legs to quickly disperse from them, heading to a stall that sold delimanjoo to pick up some of the pastries for her friends. Thankfully her film hadn’t started promoting yet, so no one really took notice of the tall girl ordering the sweet corn-shaped bread, glancing around as the lady shoveled them into a paper bag.

            “That’ll be seven thousand won.”

            Joy paid for the order and thanked the woman before climbing the stairs to head above ground. Sungjae’s apartment was a three minute walk from her current location, so upon seeing that she still had about twenty minutes to spare, she ambled along the sidewalk, taking pictures of the sky with her phone. It had been a while since she got to appreciate the weather outside.

            “Excuse me, miss.”

Joy jumped slightly and turned to see a kind-looking girl smiling at her. She reminded Joy of Wendy, with her fluffy cheeks and wide eyes. This girl was the same height as Joy though.

            “Hi.” Joy smiled slightly, confused. “If you’re trying to ask for directions, I’m afraid that I can’t really help. I’m just visiting a friend.”

            “Oh,” the girl said, waving her hands in front of her. “I was actually gonna ask you something else.” She stuck her hand out. “I’m Roseanne.”

            “Uh, hi,” Joy said, shaking her hand. “Joy.”

            “That’s such a nice name!” Roseanne tilted her head. “Is it your stage name?”

            Joy was taken aback. “I...Do you know what I do?”

            The girl nodded. “My company has been keeping their eyes on you. You’re all the employees ever talk about these days.”

            “You’re an actress?”

            “Singer,” Roseanne corrected. “I go by Rosé on stage. I’ve only released one single so far, so you might not know me.”

            “I see.” Joy smiled awkwardly. “So, uh...what was it you wanted to ask me?”

            Roseanne clasped her hands behind her back and nodded twice. “Um, I know this is gonna sound really weird, since I just met you, but…” She looked around to see if anyone was listening as they passed by. “Is it okay if I can have your number?”

            “I…what?” Joy blinked dumbly, trying to process her words. “Are you...are you trying to scout me right now?”

            “What? Oh, no no no!” The singer shook her head before holding onto the back of her neck, cheek tinting pink. “It’s just...I saw you walking around, and I’ve seen you a couple of times when I followed my colleague to your set, and I just thought you were really pretty, so…” She trailed off. “I’m sorry if I creeped you out; I didn’t even ask if you swing this way.”

            Joy bit her lip, not knowing what really to say. “No, I...it’s completely fine. Um...I mean, I do. Swing both ways. But, uh…” Joy hugged her waist, drumming her fingers on her arms. “I just came to terms with that, so I’m a bit hesitant to jump straight into the dating scene right now.”

            Roseanne nodded rapidly. “Oh, I totally understand!” Her face was even redder than before. “I’m sorry that I asked at such a time—um…” She looked everywhere except for Joy’s eyes. “If it’s fine with you, though, can I still have your numbers? As friends, of course,” she added. “And I’m sure my company would love it if I got you to sign with us, haha.”

            “Sure, why not?” Joy smiled, hands stretched to receive the phone the singer handed her. She briefly glanced at the time as she punched in her number and handed the device back. “Well, it was great meeting you, Roseanne. I actually have somewhere to be right now, but text me and maybe we can meet up sometime. Sound cool?”

            The other girl nodded. “You’re a doll. I’ll let you be on your way then.”

            They waved, and Joy hurried to Sungjae’s building, waving at the security guard (who had already been told to clear Wendy and Joy) as she took the elevator to the fifteenth floor. Her friends were lounging on the couch when she punched in the passcode, 0603, and let herself in.

            “Oh, is that food I see?” Wendy sat up. “I didn’t know you were turning into Sungjae.”

            Sungjae put down his phone from his reclined position, feet on Wendy’s lap. “Finally, someone to save my poor wallet’s soul. He’s been getting awfully skinny these days.”

            “You make it seem like we’re your sugar babies,” Joy commented as she set the paper bag in front of them. Wendy opened it up and poured some into Sungjae’s waiting hands. “It’s not like we ask you to buy us luxury brands.”

            “I do get them though.”

            “Of your own volition,” Wendy pointed out. “And only on our birthdays. We get you nice stuff too.”

            Sungjae pleaded the fifth as he stuffed his cheeks with the sweet pastry.

            Joy poked at Sungjae to sit up (how he wasn’t choking while inhaling food in a horizontal position baffled her) and took a seat next to him on the sofa, watching her friends munch away. She waited until they were somewhat finished before she coughed.

            “Oh yes,” Wendy said. “You told us you wanted to say something.”

            Joy wasn’t sure how to start, so she brought up Roseanne. “I met someone on the way here.”

            “That’s good,” Sungjae commented. “You’re finally taking on our crazy sociability.”

            Joy slapped his arm. “Let me finish.”

            “Okay, okay.”

            The actress took a deep breath. “She, um, kinda asked for my number. With romantic interest, at first.”

            Wendy raised an eyebrow. “Wait, really?”

            Joy nodded. “Yeah.”

            “So what did you tell her?”

            “I told her that...that I wasn’t ready to jump into the dating scene yet.”

            Sungjae stopped reaching out for the last piece of the pastry. “Yet?”

            Oh boy. Time for the big reveal. “I told her I was bi but only recently came to terms with it.”

            The big clock on Sungjae’s wall ticked, the sound reverberating loudly into the silence that followed. Joy lifted her head from where she was looking down at her hands on her lap to see her best friends staring at her with the same shocked expression. They really did resemble each other a lot.

            “Uh...guys?”

            Wendy was the first to snap out of her trance, and she lightly shoved Sungjae’s shoulder. He blinked a few more times before getting up to go to the kitchen. Wendy and Joy looked at each other worriedly. The oldest of the trio returned a few moments later with three wine glasses and a bottle of champagne.

            “Oppa, what the hell is that for?” Wendy questioned, giving him a look to not to anything stupid. Sungjae merely gave her a cheeky grin and lifted the champagne higher for them to see.

            “Our bestest friend just told us that she’s bi. And she recently wrapped up filming. What better way to celebrate her self-discovery and accomplishments than to get a bit tipsy?” He shook the bottle vigorously. “It takes a lot of bravery to break away from heteronormativity and confess things like this. So celebration time!”

            “Wait, wait!” Joy exclaimed, holding her hands up. “Both of you are cool with this?”

            Wendy tilted her head. “What’s there not to be cool about? It’s not like you became a different person. You’re still Park Joy, just a little gay now.”

            Joy smiled, secretly ecstatic that her friends were so wholeheartedly accepting of her. She had kind of anticipated it, but it was nevertheless an anxiety-inducing confession on her part. God, she loved these two idiots.

            “Do you think,” Joy asked, clicking her tongue at Sungjae to stop shaking the bottle now, “that this might affect my career though?” She pressed her lips together. “I mean, I’m still a rookie, and people don’t generally come out in this country unless they’re super big advocates for the LGBTQ+ community. I don’t wanna risk anything, even if a lot of people are accepting.”

            “Hey,” Wendy said softly, smiling at Joy. “If you don’t wanna tell the whole world, that’s okay. If you do, that’s okay too. We’ll always be here to support you no matter what you choose, so don’t be afraid to do what makes you feel comfortable.”

            Sungjae placed the stuff in his hands down on the table and kneeled in front of Joy. “Wendy’s right. People can’t blame you for not being vocal just because you’re famous. In the end, this is a personal issue, and just like with us, you only tell the people you wanna tell at your own pace. Don’t let the public dictate that for you.”

            Joy nodded, feeling tears prick at the corners of her eyes. Her two friends noticed and pulled her into their embrace, Sungjae engulfing the both of them into a bear hug so that everyone was snuggled together. In that moment, Joy didn’t feel the romantic troubles that plagued her mind for so long—regardless of what she felt for them, these two were her friends, and she was happy enough that they were by her side right then. They were a power trio. They were unbreakable.

-------

            Her film was a commercial success, skyrocketing Joy to fame immediately upon her debut. The actress did end up signing onto Roseanne’s label, allowing the two to get close, although Joy made it clear that she preferred to keep the latter as a friend and a colleague. It worked well enough, because the singer was gradually getting busier with new albums, leaving little time for her to date.

            Cutie-y was what they called her, alluding to her duality on and off screen, and even the changing timbre of her voice when she was carrying out dialogue versus singing. The media went nuts over the monster rookie, with plenty of casting directors sending love calls her way after her film was released. Joy found herself filming multiple works in a year if not recording soundtracks with Wendy’s help, the latter taking on a job as a songwriter/producer. They spent a lot of time together, and much of their early to mid-twenties was spent in a continuous forward momentum, both girls pushing higher and higher up the hill to success, holding through with each other by their side.

            Sungjae had fallen out with them in some way. Joy remembered—he had been there by her side, cheering her along with Wendy even as she took on her second, third, fourth roles, but after her third year in the industry, he disappeared.

            His parents had died in a car accident.

            Joy had been in Thailand to film for a drama, and Wendy was at a conference in Europe when it happened. He hadn’t told either of them until Wendy returned a few days later. Joy found out through Wendy, who told her that Sungjae now had to take up a position in the company to help Joy’s parents and learn under them before they retired. He hadn’t wanted to distract her from filming.

            “You know he never wanted to take over the company.” Joy was agitated. She glanced at the smaller girl, who was sitting silently on the couch. “He said he would rather be disowned than take over the company.”

            Wendy looked up somberly. “It was in their wills.”

            “Still!” The actress threw her hands up. “It’s done no good for him! He’s been so buried in his work that he hasn’t even attempted to contact us. We’ve reached out to him so many times, but he never answers our calls, he never lets us meet him, he doesn’t—” Joy broke off, not wanting to get angry. “You lost them too,” she said softly, crouching down in front of her friend. “You lost your parent figures too, but you’re here with me. You never pushed me out.”

            Wendy nodded slowly. “But you know that’s not everything, Joy.” She held Joy’s hands and her thumb over the girl’s knuckles. “Those are his only parents. I still have my parents in Canada, even if we only recently started talking on a regular basis again. And with you acting and me producing music, he was bound to inherit the company. He has a lot to learn and is probably stressed and frustrated about it as much as we are. Let’s give him some time.”

            “Some time? Wendy, it’s been two years.” Joy was about to turn twenty-eight in a few days, and both her and Wendy were somewhat established figures in the entertainment industry. “The only form of communication that he’s ever had with us is some stupid birthday gifts, and they didn’t even have cards. Who knows?” Joy got up. “Maybe this will be the year he stops sending them.”

            “I got one this year though,” Wendy muttered softly.

            “Please!” Joy’s eyebrows furrowed as she tried not to explode. “Why are you defending him so much? Do you not want the three of us to spend time together again? Don’t you miss him?”

            Wendy blinked at Joy’s harsh whispers. “Don’t say that.”

            “Say what? That you don’t miss him?”

            Wendy narrowed her eyes. “You’re making it sound like I want to hog you for myself by deliberately leaving him out.”

            “Well, I can’t help but be suspicious if you just stop trying to reach out to him when I’m still calling him everyday!”

            Wendy stood up. “Listen, you’re upset and frustrated, and I understand that, but you’re saying stuff that you don’t mean to say. I’ll be outside; come talk to me once you’ve calmed down.”

            With that, the shorter girl left, leaving Joy in the middle of the room, heaving in and out with barely controlled rage. She closed her eyes to calm her racing thoughts and played Wendy’s words over and over again in her head, trying to tell herself that maybe she was being irrational. They both loved him—Wendy was every bit as much attached to Sungjae as Joy was, so Joy was being unfair. She was being extremely unfair. Wendy was probably hurting as much as she was.

            Joy sighed and walked to the door, peeking out of the studio so see where her best friend went. She saw Wendy looking out of the window in the hallway and made her way to the smaller girl, wrapping her arms around Wendy’s waist when she reached her.

            “I’m sorry, Wendy. I wasn’t thinking about your feelings.”

            Wendy sighed and turned in Joy’s arm. She gave the taller girl a sad smile. “I’m sorry too. I have no right to police your frustrations.”

            Joy placed her cheek on top of Wendy’s head. “Do you think he’s okay? I’m just really worried about him.”

            “I don’t know, Joy.” Wendy sighed again. “Have you had a chance to ask your parents how he was doing?”

            “They only tell me that he’s a bit stressed and needs to focus on learning the trade. I don’t know why they aren’t letting me talk to him through them.”

            “Your parents probably have their reasons for that. Let’s just trust the three of them, hmm?”

            “Okay.” Joy pulled back. “I do have a question for you though.”

            Wendy nodded. “What’s up?”

            “Ummm,” Joy hesitated, “It’s a little awkward.”

            “Aren’t we all.”

            “Wendy.”

            “Okay, sorry.”

            Joy coughed a bit. “Do you like-Do you think that Romeo and Juliet would have fallen in love if they were best friends?” she asked, changing her question at the last minute. She hoped Wendy didn’t notice.

            The smaller girl did look at Joy weirdly though. “Well, I’m not sure. Where’s this coming from?”

            “...a co-star of mine was wondering.”

            “Who?”

            “She’s a rookie. You wouldn’t know.”

            “Interesting.” Wendy didn’t question Joy further. “Are you asking if they weren’t enemies or if they were best friends despite being enemies?”

            Shoot, she hadn’t thought that far. “Um, I think it was if they were just best friends without their families being enemies.”

            “Hmmm, that’s a hard one. Give me a sec.”

            “Sure,” Joy nodded. “I’ll go get some drinks.”

            She headed to the vending machine on the first floor and got some sodas, making sure not to shake them as she got them out. Some people greeted her as she made her way back to the elevator, but she came to an abrupt stop when she saw the news channel displayed across the television in the lobby. It wasn’t anything flashy, it didn’t even have that great of a headline, but Joy almost dropped the cans when she saw the face on the screen.

            ‘MANAGING DIRECTOR OF WGM CORPORATIONS TO RESIGN AT THE AGE OF TWENTY-NINE.’

            Sungjae looked haggard, the weight loss evident in his pale demeanour and slumped shoulders. The cameras flashed rapidly across his face, making it look more sickly, and Joy saw mics being shoved in his direction by the reporters off-screen. The boy looked grim as he looked around at the people, addressing their questions.

            “Mr. Yook, is there a particular reason you decided to resign? Is it true that the board has prompted you to do so?”

            “Director Yook, what are you planning to do after this? Will you be retiring entirely or will you pursue another job?”

            “Did CEO Park have a say in this? How about CFO Park?”

            “Is it true that there are forces within the company who are trying to buy out more shares?”

            “Is there a relation between your resignation and the recent expansion in China?”

            “Do you think you have not been given enough recognition for your work in reforming the business strategy to place you in the top tier of competitors?”

            “Have you been unable to address the patent issue with CUBE corporation?”

            “Who will inherit the company now with the passing of CEO Yook and her husband?”

            Joy stood there, feeling helpless as she watched her friend endure the slaughter of verbiage with an expression face. She wanted to reach through the screen, all of her anger already dissipated at the view of his haunted appearance, but all she could do was clench her fists as he quietly gave the reporters the answers so they could slice them apart, stitch together, and sensationalize the repercussions of his grief for the whole country to see.

            “First of all, I would like to address the questions about conflicts within the company.” Sungjae gazed blankly in front of him with hooded eyes, not particularly focused on any one person. “Both CEO Park and CFO Park are good friends of my late parents and have been nothing but the most competent and supportive mentors to me ever since I joined the company. While there were some disagreements amongst shareholders and board members about the venture project in China, we have settled that affair now. I unfortunately cannot share the details of the agreement due to confidentiality issues.” He took a deep breath. “While I was able to achieve a lot under my mentors and learn many things that will be of use to me throughout life, my reasons for resigning are entirely personal and have nothing to do with the situation of the company in any way. I regret not being able to help resolve more of the company’s matters and act as a reliable leader to everyone who worked closely with me; I am very grateful to each and every one of our employees for allowing me to take risks and push the company forward at all times. However, I have come to the conclusion that this lifestyle is unfit for me.” He glanced at someone beside him. “I have already helped CEO Park and CFO Park appoint someone who will be taking my place; Mr. Lee Changsub will be an influential force to look forward to as the managing director.”

            “Mr. Yook, is there perhaps a reason outside of the company that you resigned? There have been rumours that you had not contacted any non-business affiliates after entering the company.”

            Sungjae pressed his lips together, making the flashes go off faster, and looked up, unintentionally making direct eye contact with the camera that the news channel in the lobby was showing. Joy blinked at the unexpected but indirect eye contact.

            “I have not been able to reach out to certain individuals due to my schedules, yes.” His face turned to one of resolve. “There are people that I must work things out with, and I intend to do that immediately.”

            “Is there a woman in your life?

            “I…” Sungjae faltered, the flashes going off again. His pupils contracted under the bright lights and he stumbled back a little as some of the reporters pressed forward at his hesitance. Joy found herself lunging forward as well, one of the cans dropping from her hands as she grasped at the air to catch someone who wasn’t even in front of her. “I have no comment on that. But...” He looked back to the camera in front of him, eyes reflecting a sad nostalgia that Joy had only experienced in the melodramatic scenes of her movies and dramas. “There is someone I must apologize to. There are people I must apologize to.”

            Joy closed her eyes, picking up the can to toss it out and get a new one. She was just about to walk away when she heard her name.

            “Sooyoung. Seungwan. Please wait just a bit more. I’ll be there this time, with a card. I promise.”

            Her phone rang as the segment ended.

-------

            “What took you so long?” Wendy rushed to Joy, who had forgotten to get another soda after Wendy asked where she was. “Why do you look like you just saw someone kill your teddy bear?”

            Joy gave her a small smile, wondering if she should tell Wendy about what she just saw. Wendy looked up at Joy expectantly, eyes shining endearingly with concern. Joy pulled Wendy into a hug, inhaling the scent of her friend’s citrus-scented shampoo to experience that familiar calm she’d known for years in Wendy’s arms.

            “Hey,” Wendy rubbed her hands up and down Joy’s back, “are you okay?”

            Joy just nodded her head, messing up Wendy’s hair with her cheek in the process. “They ran out of the soda I wanted.”

            “Aww, do you want me to go get you some right now?”

            “No.” Joy pulled away, composing her face. “I would rather hear your answer.”

            Wendy clapped, proud of herself for having crafted the perfect answer. “Oh yeah!” She took Joy’s hand and pulled her back into the studio, sitting the taller girl down and perching herself on the edge of the coffee table. “So, my answer is no.”

            Joy bit her lip and raised an eyebrow. “No? Why?”

            “Well,” Wendy said, dragging the word out. “I think that Romeo and Juliet were kinda after each other because of the thrill, you know? They had never had exposure to each other, so when they did meet, it was all fireworks and hurricanes, because ‘oh look! It’s someone who’s not me or anyone like me, so I will have fun getting to know them.’ In a sense, they were looking for something new—both had a good support system of family and friends, so they thought learning each other would be exciting.”

            “I don’t understand.”

            Wendy furrowed her eyebrows, trying to explain it better. “Like...you know you and me?” Joy nodded. “We’re really comfortable with each other. We know each other better than we know ourselves at times, so there’s nothing really to discover between the two of us. It’s hard for a presence who has been there your entire life in a set way to look different all of a sudden, you follow?”

            Joy nodded.

            “So, if Romeo and Juliet had been friends from the start, they would have grown up so platonically that it would take something drastic for them to suddenly see each other as lovers.”

            Joy frowned. “So you don’t think that comfort and stability are reasonable grounds for someone to love their best friend?”

            Wendy hummed. “Well, it’s not that, per se, but comfort and stability that comes from an unexpected place creates a bigger disruption, in a positive sense, in our lives that we are more likely to notice it than comfort and stability that’s been integrated into our everyday actions and thoughts.” She pointed at Joy’s phone. “Like, the financial stability parents provide to their children is such a given, but yet when we find a partner who can provide that exact same thing, we automatically assign them more value for bringing the same stability into our lives at a point that isn’t birth or childhood than we ever do to our parents.”

            “Hmm. But even with all of that, do you think that it’s possible for someone to notice that the comfort and stability given by a best friend is...different than what they expected and thus capable of creating a romantic bond?”

            Wendy huffed. “We’re getting way too philosophical here.” She got up and sat next to Joy, leaning her head on the taller girl’s shoulder. “Don’t tell me you’ve fallen in love with your best friend.” She took a moment to process her words, shooting up in her seat. “Wait…”

            Joy shook her head. “Wendy, it’s not what you think—”

            “Who?” Wendy “It’s not about your co-star, is it?” She pointed at Joy. “Is it Sungjae?”

            “No!”

            “Then...is it me?”

            Joy gulped. “No…”

            Wendy bit her lip before placing her head between her hands. “Joy…”

            “Wendy, I swear that it’s not what you think. I was just thinking some things through for a monologue.”

            The smaller girl didn’t answer.

            “Wendy?”

            Wendy looked up without looking at Joy. “Do you know what you’ve done?”

            Joy panicked. She thought that Wendy was probably upset that Joy had harboured romantic feelings for her when Wendy only thought of her as a friend or believed Sungjae’s withdrawal from them might have had to do with Joy’s feelings towards her. However, those concerns flew away when Wendy groaned.

            “Park Joy, you’re really pushing me.”

            Joy put her hands in the air incredulously. “What am I doing?”

            Wendy finally looked at her. “You’re confusing me too!”

            “Huh?” That wasn’t the answer Joy expected. “What do you mean?”

            Wendy slumped back into her seat. “I’ve been wondering for a while too if I’m biual.” She glanced at the taller girl. “I’m still trying to work things out in my head. And then you had to throw those weird ideas into the mix.”

            “They were legitimate questions, okay? Don’t feel pressured to come out or anything because I…” Joy almost choked, “might? Like you. Like, I’m not even sure about it.” She crossed her arms, mumbling her next words. “And it might not even be you I like.”

            “What was that?”

            “Uh, nothing.” Joy pressed her lips together as Wendy stared at her. “What?”

            “You know, you never told me why it took you ten minutes to get back. The lobby is only two floors below us.”

            Joy knew she was screwed. She had to tell Wendy now.

            “Did you run into someone?”

            “No,” Joy answered honestly. “I actually have to tell you something.”

            “Wait, if you’re going to full-on confess, please don’t, because I’m not ready yet. I still need to think about me and some other things first.”

            “No, no, it’s not that. I, uh…” Joy blinked, breathing deeply. “I saw Sungjae oppa.”

            “What?!” Joy flinched. “Where?”

            “On TV.”

            Wendy made a weird face at her. “He turned a mid-sized corporation into one of the biggest food distributors in the nation. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him come out on the news once or twice.”

            “He resigned from his position.”

            “WHAT?!”

            “Jesus, Wendy.” Joy rubbed her ear, wincing. “Did you eat a steam engine for breakfast?”

            Wendy blinked rapidly, trying to process Joy’s words. “He seriously resigned?”

            “Yeah.” Joy sighed. “I was watching them interrogate him. He doesn’t look too good.”

            Wendy looked like she wanted to cry. “Jesus, is he insane? Why would he resign?”

            Joy patted her back gently. “About that...I think he’s trying to talk to us.”

            “Us?” Wendy’s eyes went wide. “Why? Did he say something to the reporters?”

            Joy shook her head. “No, but he told us to wait at the end of the segment. He said he’d be here, with a card.”

            The two girls sat in silence, trying to figure out what Sungjae could be talking about. Neither of them had been particularly bright students.

            “Should we call him first?” Wendy asked, breaking the silence. “What if he’s waiting for our call?”

            “No.” Joy glanced at her phone, even as she said this. “He told us to wait, so we’ll wait. He might need time to figure some things out first.”

            “Okay.” They fell into silence again, the slight buzz of the audio devices around them permeating through the air. It was a quiet that had no charge, no emotion or promise or recollection. Just a suspension of the present and nothing more. “I missed him.”

            Joy nodded, wrapping an arm around Wendy. “I missed him too.”

-------

            The first thought that Joy had when the doorbell on her intercom system blared was that she really did not want to start off her Sunday, more importantly her birthday, by waking up at (she checked her phone) seven in the morning. She knew it wasn’t Wendy, because the smaller girl had clearance and knew the passcode to the place Joy had bought after moving out of her college residence. Plus, Wendy was probably passed out in Joy’s guest bedroom after the two girls spent the entire night partying with some of their mutuals in the entertainment industry.

            The bell rang again, making Joy groan and push herself off the bed. She dragged her feet across the floor and slapped the answer button, allowing the security guard’s voice to come through.

            “Hello, you have a delivery. It’s a huge bouquet of flowers.”

            Joy frowned, rubbing her eyes. Thinking it might be from one of her creepy sasaengs, she told him to send it away. “I thought I said I wouldn’t take deliveries from unverified sources.”

            “Sorry, ma’am.” The security gua