“There she goes again,” Heejin tries to fight the urge to roll her eyes when she feels Hyunjin’s fingertips on the top of her head, doing a big heart instead of completing the hand heart she’s been offering her bandmate, the cat smiling brightly, unbothered by anything. Not about the hot air swirling inside the place, or the constant sounds of flashing cameras.

“why does she always do this?” The bunny always ends up asking herself this question. Hyunjin always seems to find enjoyment on making her think that she’d be doing the other half of whatever it is that Heejin offers but changes her mind in the last minute, then she brings that big proud smile that she always has, as if she is proud of making Heejin look like a fo---

“Heejin, we need a big smile and eyes on here!” She curses in her mind and directs her attention on the camera once again, momentarily forgetting that they’re currently in a photoshoot for their summer photo album. She inches closer towards Hyunjin who turned to look at her earlier after the director noticed that Heejin was a bit distracted, and the cat girl whispers something to her that she made sure was so quiet no one would hear it.

“What’s got your head preoccupied, Heekie?” The same butterflies that flew the first day Heejin had met Hyunjin flies again when she feels that same funny feeling in her stomach, the feeling she had grown accustomed to every time Hyunjin calls her Heekie.

“Just something.” She mumbles out, returning her eyes on the camera and smiling, tilting her head a bit and resting it on Hyunjin’s shoulder. After a few more shots and the staff telling Chuu and Yves that they’re next, Heejin steps out of the lights and heads towards the waiting room, seeing Choerry and Yeojin playing scrabbles with Vivi and Chaewon. Heejin contemplates on whether to join them or not but ultimately chooses the latter as she makes her way towards the comfy looking couch. After making sure that her clothes won’t be rumpled, Heejin, now lying on her back, settles her handkerchief on her face and tries to drift off to dreamland, pushing away her nagging thoughts to the dark side of her mind.

But someone seems to not get the message.

Hyunjin pokes Heejin on her side, sitting herself on the ground in front of the couch since there was no space left and she didn’t want to bother Heejin by making her move. Heejin moves her hand to lift the handkerchief but Hyunjin catches it mid move, bringing it back on Heejin’s face.

“I know that the lights are too bright.” Hyunjin says, starting to caress Heejin’s knuckles after grabbing Heejin’s hand. “Don’t take it off if the lights will bother you.”

Heejin doesn’t take off the handkerchief, and she doesn’t try to fall asleep too.

“What were you thinking earlier, Heekie?” Hyunjin whispers, inching her face closer towards Heejin so she doesn’t need to make her voice louder for the girl to hear.

“It’s nothing Hyun. Drop it.” That’s when Hyunjin knows that it was serious.

Normally, if it was something not really bad, Heejin would tell her. She only tells her to drop the topic when it’s something too sensitive or it means it’s her.

“It’s something about me, isn’t it?” Hyunjin asks quietly after some time.

Heejin removes the handkerchief with her other hand and turns her head, looking at Hyunjin quizzically.

“What are you talking about?” When the cat girl sees the look on Heejin’s face, she confirms that it was about her.

“I know you Heej.” Is the only thing Hyunjin says. The girl stands up, hand still holding Heejin’s, and she steps out of the waiting room with the girl. She finds them a quiet place where they can talk, and she finds that place in a room at the third floor. She closes the door and locks it, finally letting go of Heejin’s hand as she faces her. “Tell me, what’s bothering you?”

Heejin thinks it’s useless if she’s going to say it, beca