It was unspoken between them but their dynamic had clearly changed. They had started messaging each other outside of work to say ‘good night’ and ‘good morning’ and if a day finished really late, Byul would sometimes stay over with or without Wheein (although they hadn’t slept in the same bed/sofa since that weekend). Once Solar was back to work, it was even obvious to everyone else that they got along even better than they had before; with Solar being much more physically affectionate towards Byul and Byul being much more relaxed around Solar - openly calling her “Yongsun-unnie” or even just “Yongsun” to . 

     Wheein was thrilled at the development and curious at what had happened to prompt the change, her curiosity only deepening when both older girls were very vague about the details, but a very small part of her got just a tiny bit jealous whenever the two ended up play-fighting and left her looking like a third wheel. Byul, being as perceptive as she was, usually could pick up on this and would immediately bundle her into a hug or shower her with attention when Solar disappeared onto set. 

Unbeknownst to the pair of them, Solar got just as jealous when she would glance over and find them having fun without her. 

She was just much more discreet.

     It had been just under two weeks since Solar was back and had been booked to perform as the opening act of an exhibition fashion show for an internationally renowned clothing line. In the days running up to the event, she had been off-the-wall excited as it was an honour to have been sought out personally by the designer Loco, Wheein and the team had been excited because it was a huge opportunity for her and even the normally calm Moonbyul had also been in high spirits, although seemingly just carried by everyone else’s exuberant energy. But at a briefing the day before the show, Byul shyly revealed why she was so nervous and Wheein’s excited reaction had Solar intrigued.

“Wheein-ah… my friend will be working at the fashion show too.”

“Your friend?” Wheein initially seemed confused then gasped when it clicked, “Your fatal friend?!”

When Byul nodded and Wheein squealed, practically tackling her in a hug, Solar turned to ask what this was about but was interrupted by the arrival of the CEO and completely forgot to ask as they went through her song list, her stage appearance and of course, the security detail.

She was abruptly reminded when they arrived early the next morning at the venue to join the fashion show team in running tech and dress rehearsals, when Wheein was practically bouncing on the spot asking Byul about this friend .

“So she’s working today right?”

“Right.”

“And you’ve messaged to say we’re here.”

“Yes.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

“...Where is she? I’m dying to meet her already!”

Byul chuckled at the younger girl’s excitement and Solar had to ask.

“Why are you more excited than Byul is to see her friend, Wheein-ah?”

“Because~” The resident-puppy whined. “She’s been friends with Byulyi-unnie since high school… I have so many questions!”

The three of them were now walking towards Solar’s assigned dressing room when suddenly, there was a startled shout and the sound of running feet behind them.

They turned and were stunned when a gorgeous model with long flowing wavy black hair and naturally sun-kissed skin leapt into Moonbyul’s arms.

Solar and Wheein’s jaws dropped simultaneously.

Because Moonbyul’s friend was none other than the world famous fashion model, Hwasa.

Instead of a member of staff within the fashion show team or otherwise (like the pair had foolishly assumed for some reason), the star of the runway herself was being picked up and spun around by a delighted bodyguard, who had a huge grin and nose wrinkle on full display.

As soon as Hwasa’s feet touched the ground, they hugged tight with Hwasa’s arms around Byul’s neck and Byul’s around Hwasa’s slim waist but then pulled back just far enough that they could look at each other’s faces.

And leant forwards at the same time.

Solar and Wheein’s jaws were now scraping the ground.

For one breathless moment, Moonbyul and Hwasa had looked like they were leaning in for a kiss but totally flummoxed all onlookers when they instead pressed their foreheads together.

And all of a sudden, the mood switched. 

Their smiles faded and a tinge of sadness crept into the charged atmosphere surrounding the pair.

“U-Unnie…” Hwasa whispered tenderly but looked like she was struggling with the next words.

“I know.” Byul quietly replied straight away, “I’m okay, Hyejin-ah.”

Their unspoken communication seemed to reassure Hwasa, as she closed her eyes briefly and let out a short sigh through her nose, before a beautiful smile started growing on her face again. She pulled back to a more respectable distance and looked Moonbyul up and down as if assessing her.

“Seriously unnie, have you been working out too much again?” She grumbled goodnaturedly as she suddenly slipped her hands under the suit jacket to run her hands shamelessly all over the bodyguard’s toned torso, “How are you skinnier but more muscly?”

Solar and Wheein had barely managed to pick up their jaws but had to let it drop again as they watched the notoriously greasy Moonbyul blushing as she was being felt up by Hwasa.

Hwasa merely smirked and flicking her glorious hair over one shoulder, she dragged Byul over to the idol and her manager and all but commanded her to introduce her to her friends.

“Th-This is Solar and her manager, Wheein.” The ex-soldier managed after clearing and regaining some semblance of composure.

Solar and Hwasa bowed to each other politely, of course having known of each other through the media. Solar used her professional veneer to hide her shock and slight admiration for the beauty before her and mentally congratulated herself when she was able to introduce herself like a normal human being and encouraged the younger girl to refer to her as ‘Yongsun-unnie’. 

“Ah then please, call me Hyejin.” The model turned her intense gaze towards the smallest in the group. “And Wheein-ssi… I’ve been dying to meet you since Byulyi-unnie told me about you.”

“I-I… um…” Wheein was well and truly star and awestruck. “Hi…?”

Hwasa chuckled fondly and used a lithe finger to close Wheein’s slack jaw.

Wheein immediately blushed.

“Cute.” Hwasa almost purred. “Like a kitten.”

Despite being a well known puppy, something about the new pet name had Wheein’s entire being light up. 

“Hwasa-ssi? Oh my god, there you are! We need you on set in 5, please.” 

Hwasa subtly rolled her eyes and waved away the frantic stage manager with promise that she would be there, before turning to Byul, “I’ve cleared my entire schedule after the show and tomorrow, just for you. So, I’m totally expecting to see you for dinner and drinks in my hotel room tonight, unnie.”

“But Hyejin-ah, you know I’m work-”

“I’ll happily release her from her duties as soon as we are done today.” Solar cut in before Byul could decline.

“Actually, I would like you two to come along too… I want to know all about the two main ladies in Byulyi-unnie’s life.” Hwasa replied with a wink.

The other three promptly blushed and the model giggled as she pressed a kiss to Byul’s cheek before stalking away with a wave.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Solar and Wheein simultaneously leapt at the bodyguard demanding answers.

“Why didn’t you tell me your best friend was Hwasa? The Hwasa?”

“Yeah, like hello? A warning would have been nice?”

Byul merely shrugged, much to their frustration, and chuckled fondly at the thought of her longtime friend and at the two practically tripping over themselves at the discovery.

“Well, either way, you were right about her on two counts, Byulyi-unnie.” A less red Wheein huffed, “She definitely grew into a lion and she definitely can only be described as ‘ fatal ’.”

She shoved Byul playfully, who continued to laugh at her, before letting out a groan and covered her face with both hands, “Oh god… I must have looked like a complete moron in front of a woman who looks like a total goddess ! Seriously, why didn’t you warn me?”

Solar and Moonbyul shared a knowing look and grin.

“Wheein-ah…” Solar said gently as she patted her manager on the back. “No amount of warning would have made you any less of a mess…”

“ Unnie !” Wheein yelped and swatted the grinning idol away.

Byul stepped between the two and slung an arm over both their shoulders but addressed the younger girl, “You did fine… I know Hyejin and she’s just as shy as you. She doesn’t normally tease or flirt with people she’s just met, you know.”

The resident-puppy/kitten’s ears perked up at this, “R-Really?”

The bodyguard nodded as she steered everyone towards the dressing room so that they could stay on schedule, “She was about as excited as you were when I said we would be coming today. She really meant it when she said she wanted to meet you.”

Wheein felt like she was flying.

     Unsurprisingly, the show was a phenomenal success, with Hwasa and Solar drawing the most attention from the live audience and from the media. There were little to no hitches from the technical and security side of things as well, much to everyone’s relief. After the designer Loco’s final speech, the crowd was dismissed and the model and the idol went around together, thanking as many of their colleagues and the staff as possible, whilst politely declining offers from several for aftershow dinners and the inevitable afterparty. Hwasa was first to dismiss her entourage and Solar was not remotely surprised when her manager, a lovely girl called Kei, heard Moonbyul’s name and was immediately happy that she was in safe hands. The pair then went to look for said bodyguard and Solar’s manager. 

They found Wheein waiting outside Solar’s dressing room, having dismissed their entourage already, and holding Solar’s bags. 

The girl already started blushing as they approached but was able to look to Solar to say, “Good job today,” as she always did and then turned to Hwasa and stuttered out, “Y-You were a-amazing…”

Solar pressed her lips together to squelch a grin as her friend blushed harder when Hwasa replied with a wink, “Thank you very much, kitten.”

Deciding to rescue the tomato that had replaced her manager, she asked, “Where’s Byulyi?”

“Oh, she went ahead to check the perimeter and get one of the company cars ready for us.” Said tomato replied. “But actually, she’s been gone a little while now…”

But before anyone could start worrying, they heard a minor commotion down the corridor and turned their heads simultaneously towards a very excited squeal.

“Omo, Byulyi-unnie!”

The three of them watched as Moonbyul (somehow looking ridiculously handsome now dressed down from her black 3 piece suit: without her tie and jacket, her black waistcoat ed and her white shirt sleeves rolled up) returned a hug from a beautiful petite model and a few others gathered around her, waiting their turn. 

Hwasa chuckled as she explained that Byul had been popular with her model friends and colleagues, even after only meeting them briefly through her whenever she visited. Solar meanwhile watched as Byul had the models blushing and giggling, likely after some greasy remark, before she left them with a wink to come over to her waiting friends.

If the girl wasn’t the type to get so whipped, she would have been one lethal playgirl.

Byul immediately grabbed the bags from Wheein when she arrived, “I’m sorry for making everyone wait. I was just helping with getting equipment loaded into our cars.”

She then handed over a phone to Hwasa, indicating that she had not only helped