It was a few minutes after their V-live ended, and now Yongsun and Byulyi are both relaxing on the couch with Yongsun sitting and Byulyi with her head on Yongsun’s lap, both on their own phone, but enjoying each other’s presence all the same. 

It has always been like this.  Yongsun and Byulyi.  Yong-Kong and Byul-Kong.  Sun and Moon. The Unnies line.  

Sure, they had a rough start but they quickly grew to rely on each other, and by the time they debut, everyone knew them to be the other couple of Mamamoo.  The first being the Maknaes of course.  You can’t compete with childhood friends. 

And no one questions it.  They are Sun and Moon.  If you see one of them, the other one is somewhere nearby.  That’s just how it is, as sure as the sun will rise everyday.

“Yong,” Byulyi gently called her unnie’s attention.  

Yongsun looks down to see worried eyes staring up at her,  “what’s wrong?” she asks as her hand moved to gently grasp Byul’s hand in support.

“We should talk to the kids about the contract.” 

“We should let them make their own decision, we might influence them,” Yongsun refute gently, still the worried expression on Byulyi’s face doesn’t get any better, in fact, it got worst.  

“Hey, relax, no matter what they decide, we’ll still be Mamamoo. And I’m still here.” 

Byul shook her head as she gently sat up.  Looking into Yongsun’s eyes, she whispers, “Unnie..”

Yongsun swears the room plummet into freezing temperature all of a sudden.  She had a hard time breathing.  SHe’s pretty sure her heart stopped.  No.  Byulyi is not going to say what she thinks.  That’s not possible.  They’re Sun and Moon. A singular phrase. 

“Unnie,” She snaps back to reality, seeing the worry and fear in Byulyi’s eyes, and she wants nothing more than to erase those fear, but then Byulyi continues, “I’m going to - “

“NO.” Yongsun yank her hand back and leapt from the couch, wanting to get away. Byulyi stay seated, not wanting to overcrowd her.

“Unnie, please”

“No - don't say it.  Don't you dare say it.” She’s shaking now, from fear, from pain, from anger? She doesn't know.

“Please Yong, let me - ”

“Get out.” 

Silence.  They get mad at each other plenty of time.  But never, not once, have they ever kicked the other person out.  Yes, they walked out before, but they have never kicked the other out.

Yongsun refuses to take back those words. This is her house. 

Byulyi bit her lips, dropping her head down as she tiredly stood up and walked out the door. 

The door clicks closed behind her.

Silence. 

***********************************************

 

“Woah - what happened to you unnie?” was the first thing out of Hyejin’s mouth as she came into the practice room, only to see Yongsun sitting dejectedly on the floor. 

Yongsun looks up, showing her puffy red eyes.  She tries to smile but it came out like a grimace instead. “Nothing Jin-ah, just finished a sad drama,”

Hyejin didn’t believe that for a second but before she could inquire more, the door opens and Byulyi walks in, looking just as miserable as their leader, followed by Wheein a few steps behind her. 

The maknae frown, thinking the unnie got into another fight.  She glance at Wheein only to receive a subtle head shake in return.  Hyejin’s frown deepened.  Wheein definitely know something, otherwise, she’ll be all over her and messing around, trying to lighten the mood. 

Practice was...difficult.  There’s tension all over the air.  Something happened between the unnies, and Wheein knows something but doesn't want to get involved.  Hyejin hates this - the not knowing, and being left out.  

When practice finally ended, Hyejin made a beeline towards Wheein, intending on dragging her out of there and making her spill everything, only to stop short when Byulyi got to her friend first.

The makae’s eyes narrow as she see Wheein’s gripping Byulyi’s arm, her hands turning white. Wheein glance over at her, and immediately look away. They said something.  Then another glace and quickly looking away again.  More words. Then Byulyi turned her head and looks at her.  She stare back, refusing to back down. 

Byulyi broke first, glazing away and back at Wheein. She said something else to her. Then Wheein all but JUMP into Byulyi’s arms, hugging her tight as Byulyi gently rub her back and the back of her head.

It makes Hyejin’s blood boil.  They’re talking about her and it’s making Wheein cry.  Something horrible happened between yesterday's practice and today. 

They separate from their hug with Byulyi gently kissing Wheein’s head.  The older girl grab her bag and left the room quickly, leaving just the two younger ones there.

The moment the door closed, Hyejin pounced.  

“Something happened and I want to know Whee-in.” 

Wheein sighed, “let’s go home first Jin-ah,” 

Hyejin bit her tongue, impatience but not wanting to lash out at her friend. 

“Fine. Let’s go.” 

The drive home was horrible. The moment the car started, Wheein didn’t look at her even once, opting to look out the window instead. 

“Tell me.” Hyejin demanded the second they got into the house. 

Wheein broke down, succumbing to the floor in tears.  Hyejin anger disappears, she frantically got down, hugging the shorter girl, gently whispering “Whatever is it, we’ll get through this  together. I’m not going anywhere Wheein.  I’m right here with you.” 

If anything, that just made Wheein cry harder. 

“Just let it out, i’m here, i’m not going anywhere,” 

Wheein body shook, and she gasps as she whispers out,  “But I am,”

Hyejin frooze, “what?”
 

“Hyejin - i love you i love you please understand please i can’t - i need you to understand”

“Wheein-ah, clam down, relax, breathe”

After a few minutes, Wheein calmed down a bit.  She lift her head and touch forehead with her best friend. Hyejin soothingly stoking the back of her head, 

“I’m sorry i’m sorry but please understand”

“What’s going on Wheein?”

“I love you and I need you to understand please please.”

“What do I need to understand?”

“I - I need your support for this.” 

“Wheein, i’ll always support you, you know that.  Please, what is happening?” 

“I’m - I -” Wheein pulls back, looking over Hyejin’s face, seeing nothing but love and worry there.

Inhale. 

On the exhale, as if letting go of everything, she whispers, “I’m not resigning.” 

***********************************************

“She’s devastated but she understands,” Wheein announced after downing another shot.  

Byulyi and Wheein are together now, sitting at the back table of their favorite restaurant with food grilling and a few empty cans and bottles of alcohol around.

Wheein didn’t want to leave Hyejin, she wanted to stay the night, but Hyejin is smart, always seeing much more than you'd expect.

*flashback* 

They’re both laying on the bed with Wheein relieved that Hyejin is not mad.  Sad sure, but not mad. 

“Hey, i’ll never hate you for choosing your own path.”

“Did i say that outloud?”

“Yes you dork,” Hyejin pinched Wheein’s side to emphasize her point.

“Yah!” Wheein retaliates by throwing a pillow before jumping on the other girl to rest her head on her chest. 

“Thank you Hyejin,” 

“Why?  I  will always support you. Did you think I would be mad?” 

Wheein stayed silent as Hyejin worked it out.

Her breath hitched, “That’s why?”

“You know them,” 

“Tsk, those two, they’re overly co-dependent on each other.”

“Hm,”

After a few minutes in silence, Hyejin broke it by suggesting Wheein go out with Byulyi.  

“She needs you, go.” 

*flashback ends* 

“You guys are lucky to have each other,” 

“You have each other too unnie, just...give her some time.” 

Byulyi bitterly laughs as she down another shot, “Hyejin didn’t need time.”

“Hey, don't do that.  Hyejin and I are different. You and Yongsun unnie, you two always fight first before agreeing with each other.”

“She told me to get out.” 

“She was just shocked,”

“Betrayed.  I betrayed her.”

“No Byulyi-unnie, you stay true to yourself. She’ll eventually see that, give her some time.”

Byul pour another shot as the tears she tried so desperately to held back finally pour out, “I don't want time, i just want her,” 

“Oh unnie..” Wheein move to sit next her and pulls her unnie into a hug.

“I didn’t - I didn’t even say anything.  She just -  she kicked me out and I didn’t say thing” Byul bawled into Wheein, finally able to let go after holding it together earlier to support Wheein. 

“It’ll be okay unnie, it’ll be okay,” Wheein soothingly whispers as her unnie broke down in her arms.

Eventually, Byul calmed down, “sorry…”

“Don't apologize for crying unnie,” 

“When did you get so smart,” Byul tease, wanting to move on from her crying episode.  Wheein decided to play along. 

“I’ve always been smart unnie, it just took you a while to figure it out.”

“Yah!”

Wheein shrug, “it’s true, but that’s okay, I love you just the way you are.” 

“Hmp!”
 

They continue to banter into the night, even on their taxi home, they kept joking around, easily falling back to being the crackheads, forgetting about their troubles for a few hours.

“I’ll walk you in,”

“Ever the gentlewoman huh unnie?”

“Can’t help it, all princess needs an ,”

“YAAAH that’s so greasy!!”  

Wheein ran away, pretending to run from the “grease” with Byulyi chasing after her. Upon arriving at her door, Byulyi launched herself at Wheein’s back, hugging her from behind and said, “I’ll follow you wherever princess,” 

“YAH!” Wheein turns around, lightly hitting her unnie.  Just then, the door opens.

“Yong..” 

Wheein stops, glance between the two of them, then shakes her head.  She grab the two and dragged them into her room, slamming the door on them.

“FIGURE IT OUT!” 

Hyejin chuckles from her position on the couch, leave it to Wheein to go for the drastic measure when drunk.

***********************************************

Silence. 

The two stare at each other, standing no more than 3 feet from each other, but both too afraid to say anything. 

Eventually, Yongsun sighed, and sat down on the floor with her back resting against the bed, her knees pull up to her chest with her arms wrap around them.  Byulyi copies her, sitting right next to her, close but not close enough that they’re touching.

Yongsun broke first, she scooch over a bit so that their body touched, “Wheein is leaving too?” 

“Hyejin told you?”

“She didn’t need to… you and Wheein, i don't understand it.”

“We were in a group together back then, we bonded,”

“I know… I’m.. I’m scared.”

“Unnie..” Byulyi turns to look at her.  Yongsun release her hold of her knees and lean in, Byul immediately wrapping her in a hug. 

“If you leave, where does that leave me?”
 

“Right next to me, always.  I’m leaving the company unnie, not you, never you.” 

“I - I’ll just be Hyejin and I”

“We’ll still be Mamamoo.  There are ways for us to continue working as Mamamoo, but not exclusively with RBW.” 

“You thought a lot about this huh?” 

“Wheein and I - we love Mamamoo, but we’ve never been fully happy here.”

Yongsun grips Byul’s arm, knowing what she’s referring to, “I know, god Byul, I know.”

“Everything will be okay Yong.”

They stayed like that for some more time. 

“UNNIES!! NO MURDER IN MY HOUSE! KILL EACH OTHER ELSEWHERE” Hyejin scream, banging on the door.

The two looks at each other and burst out laughing, of course Hyejin worry more about her sleeping comfort than their lives. 

“Let’s go before she kills us and blame us for it.”  Yongsun chuckle but stood up all the same. 

They walked out to the living room and the table scatter with snacks.  Wheein stood up and Yongsun pulls her into a hug.  

The four sat down, the tension rising in the room.

Yongsun looks at them, they’re all looking at her, waiting for her lead.

“The past day has been a rollercoaster of emotions but we’re together now.  That means everything.  No matter what, we all know that our bond is stronger than a contract. Whether or not we work together doesn't change that. We’re family above all else.” 

She grab a piece of chip on the table and held it up as a toast, “To us,”

The three smiles and did the same, “To us,” 

“1-2-3 OIY”

Here's what young me predicted back in early 2020:

• Moonbyul - She's the hardest one but I dont think she will renew. She doens't seem like she'll stay with RBW because she has been very open about her rapper/singer situation. I dont think she'll continue with RBW unless she'll get to sing more, but I dont see them giving her more singing. At the same time, she seems loyal to them so she will also not resign with a diffrent company. She'll be free agent, or represent herself, and like in HIP, she'll start her own company after a while.
   

• Solar - Most likely renew but a small chance she will not.  She seem happy with RBW and where she's heading with the company. But Solar knows what she wants and she's not afraid to dive, so if a different company offers her that, she might jump ship. But I think RBW and Solar have a good relationship so most likely staying.
   

• Wheein - Definitely will not renew.  Definitely hippie/indie artist.  She’ll do her own thing, release a song/new material here and there, disappear for a few weeks, repeat. She’s a singer and an artist, not an idol. 
   

• Hwasa - Most likely renew.  She does her own thing, have her own style, is not afraid to show it, and a lot of companies are scare of that individualism. RBW seems to let her do her own thing, and she seems content with them and how they're promoting her. It'll be hard for her to find another company that is as open to her, i think.