"So, the first session was yesterday? And you did it virtually? How was it?"

I put the steamy rice bowl and egg plate to Hyojin's front and showered him with questions about his first coaching session with Seulgi. Hyojin had just dropped by my house to bring some homemade side dishes - a gift from his mom to me, Hyojin's close friend and to Byulyi, who turned out to be the daughter of her close friend. Along with the fact that Hyojin worked with Yongsun at Pyeonghwa and I had 5 years volunteering with him, that made him a familiar person to us the Mamamoo girls. But unlike the other days, I was able to cook him something edible today instead of leaving the kitchen for him to serve himself.

"Thanks." - Hyojin received the simple meal with a bright smile as usual. He then reached up to undo the top button of his baby blue shirt and rolled up the sleeves next before picking up the chopsticks. - "Seulgi-ssi was too busy for a face to face session. But it wasn't too bad."

"Just that?"

I tucked my left leg under my right thigh and leaned forward. I was eager to know how it went between them, not only because I hoped the sessions with Hyojin would help Seulgi with her career but I also looked forward to their building up a relationship that would benefit them. Professionally and hopefully romantically.

"Then what else?" - Hyojin raised an eyebrow, which was at the same time cute and mischievous. - "Coaching is confidential and private. You know it."

"Okay, you're righttt."

I pouted in disappointment. I must be looking like a spoiled kid, whining for not getting what she wanted. But Hyojin wasn't a bit bothered by it. He just focused on the basic meal I cooked for him and smiled knowingly.

"But if there's something to tell. . . I think she's still cautious with me."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yup." - The corner of his lips curved down. I couldn't figure out what he implied with that action. - "There's something in her reason to leave that she might not want to share. Perhaps it was too personal."

"Exactly."

I blurted out, just to respond by covering my mouth as Hyojin smirked.

"So you knew it."

"Kind of." - I admitted with a shrug. - "But Seulgi wouldn't like it to be exposed. Especially when she hasn't yet fully trusted you."

That was simply a truth about Seulgi that anyone should know, which I forgot to warn Hyojin beforehand. It took long to gain trust in Seulgi but it should be the first thing to do if you wanted to get along with her. Yet considering she agreed to get coached by him quite quickly, any estimation of how long it would take him would be unreliable at this time.

"Got it." - Hyojin nodded in acknowledgement. - "I just hope it won't interfere with her professional decision, though."

"Me too."

"But since you're the one with experience, what should I pay attention to when interacting with her?"

Hyojin swallowed the rice and asked me playfully. I crossed my legs on the chair and tried to think of some ideas while randomly typing meaningless characters on the Microsoft Word window I had just opened on my laptop - Taehyung had just sent me some quirky stuff for the script and I had to get back to him with feedback by tomorrow morning.

"Honestly I don't know." - I pursed my lips. - "She was the one to start our friendship, not me. But perhaps you could try getting things offline?"

"Like?"

"Lunch? Or coffee? We usually do that." - I counted my suggestions with fingers and brightened up as an idea sparked on my mind. "Or inviting her over to Pyeonghwa? She's interested in NGO stuff, isn't she?"

***

Seulgi didn't like vagueness and ambiguity. So I bet Seulgi would hold a little grudge against me for not telling her in advance about our weekend visit to Pyeonghwa.

"You said it was a cooking class."

She frowned while putting on some lipstick before getting out of her car. Had I mention to her that we would visit Pyeonghwa and meet Hyojin there, she wouldn't have turned up at my house in basic pink stripe top, beige khakis, white sneakers and rosy MLBB lipstick like this. Well, it was her definition of being "sloppy". I, on the other hand, found her outfit cute.

"It's ACTUALLY a cooking class" - I stressed on each word. - "But with instruction in sign language. And that's going to be so much fun. I'm sure."

"Whatever. You really put me in a difficult situation, Wheein ah."

"Well, I just told Hyojin oppa to get me a station for two and he asked if you would come. So..."

"Oh please, you've said it a few times already." - She put the cap back to the lipstick and threw it into her bag. "Let's go. I just have to show up because you told him so."

"Anyway, don't you always go to crowding places for relaxation? Perhaps you could try going somewhere more peaceful, yeah?"

I grinned at her, acting all innocent as we got out of the car and started striding towards Pyeonghwa main hallway.

"Well Wheein ah, we have to talk about you getting a bit canny lately." - She sniffed at me but I bet all she could smell was my usual magnolia body mist and the fresh air in Pyeonghwa campus - "Is it part of hanging out too much with Taehyungie?"

"Who took him to my show, eh?" - I stuck out my tongue playfully and interlocked my arm with hers. - "Come on unnie, the class will start soon."

We entered the cooking studio just on time. Cooking class was the latest initiative that Pyeonghwa management team implemented to diversify the activities and hence, added more values to the life of the disabled living here. They had the old canteen transformed into a shining, well-equipped cooking studio for that and I was more than grateful to learn that the participants appreciated this, to the extent that it was quite difficult for Hyojin to reserve a station for us, even though it was just at the furthest back.

Despite any possible disappointment about me, Seulgi took the activity with seriousness. She had her eyes fixed on Hyojin and nodded along in acknowledgement to his opening speech in sign language - she had me to translate it for her, though. She carefully read the instruction leaflet and meticulously measured small quantity of ingredients for her batch of cupcakes. She stared at the fluffy cakes baked in the oven without blinking. However, no matter how it started out smoothly for her, Seulgi really struggled at decorating stage as she couldn't pipe a proper swirl of icing on her cakes. She had attempted three times and all of them looked, er...quite ugly. Of course, being a half-perfectionist - her definition of someone wanting things to be perfect but still allowing mistake at times, Seulgi just couldn't accept such failure. Reaching to her back and tightening the apron with determination, Seulgi bended down as close as possible to her fourth cupcake, holding the icing bag straight up and slowly squeezed it. As she was about to lift the decorating tip off the cake, I heard a voice speaking gently next to her.

"Don't release the pressure."

It turned out to be Hyojin, sneaking into our station from nowhere and startling both of us. Without a word to his close friend - a.k.a me - he bended down next to Seulgi, his face on the same level with her cake and calmly instructed her with his smooth and warm voice like melted butter.

"Move the pipe slightly to the side. Right, release there. It'll be the starting point."

"Thank you, Hyojin-ssi."

Seulgi turned to his side and was welcomed with a Hyojin's signature smile.

"Just go on, Seulgi-ssi. Now make a C to connect with the starting point."

He spoke casually but he was like radiating with joy. I wonder whether Seulgi has been lured into that bright, genuine smile yet but if I was her, I would have already. That used to be my feeling 5 years ago anyway.

"Uhm. . . Ok." - Seulgi's eyes fluttered and she once again drew her face closer to the cake, her hands moved in circular motion as she kept asking Hyojin. - "Like this?"

I silently watched them as I decorated my cupcakes with super simple icing - a big chunk of buttercream frosting and a lot of sprinkles. I wasn't sure if this had ever happened but Seulgi getting help from other people was such a rare scene to see. And perhaps since baking didn't have any impact on her professional development, she let Hyojin instruct her without any challenging. Or had she already acknowledged that piping swirl icing was something beyond her capability and she could have opted out for simple choice like I did? Whatever was on her mind right now, she was obediently following Hyojin's butter-like voice and finally succeeded with the best looking swirl icing up to now, which she was holding up to my front with satisfaction written clearly on her face.

"Look at this, Wheeinie."

"Cool" - I nodded at her, gesturing the word with sign language. - "You did it. Finally."

"Yeah." - She beamed, admiring every angle of her cupcake as she rotated the her wrist. - "It was challenging, definitely."

"Glad that you've got my brother" - I chinned up at Hyojin at her back and spoke with mocking voice, trying to sound bitter even though I didn't mean it. - "to jump into helping you without saying hi to me."

I could hear Hyojin laugh at me from Seulgi's back but he didn't say anything. He was switching to another decorating tip and quickly make a nice ribbon petal frosting on another cupcake Seulgi baked. Maybe he just did it out of a sudden urge, but that had Seulgi in awe once she turned around to thank him again for instructing her. She literally snatched the cupcake Hyojin had decorated from his hands and admired it with endless "wow" expression. The next thing I knew was that my little plan to take her here somehow successfully tore down the invisible defense she had between herself and Hyojin, as Seulgi picked up the unfinished decorating bag, asking him enthusiastically.

"Hyojin-ssi, are you staying til the end of the class?"

"Er . . ." - Hyojin scratched his chin as if he was trying to pull a witty response. -"It depends on how much you guys need me, I guess."

"Cool. Then I need you to teach me" - She glanced at the cake on her hand and then gave him the typical Seulgi eye smile - "to pipe that frosting. Call?"

I thought Hyojin's little on-the-job training for Seulgi would be just piping frosting until a night when I was riding the train home after work and got a message from Yongsun. She sent me a photo, but it took a bit to load and therefore, the text came first.

"Wheeinie, is this girl Hyojin's girlfriend? I've seen her at the cooking class with him a few times lately."

My eyes went wide at her text. Is Hyojin dating someone without telling me about that? Then my mouth went agape as the photo had finally loaded. It was a photo Yongsun quickly and secretly took from outside the cooking studio. In the photo, there was a girl looking like Kang Seulgi in a white apron, happily kneading dough. And next to her was the familiar face of Kim Hyojin, who was also overflowing with joy in every way.