“What about Jisu-unnie? Is she around?” Ryujin asked, looking out the window.

It took a few seconds for the answer to come.

“No,” Yeji said. “She went to the store. She should be back in about ten minutes.”

“Too bad,” Ryujin said. “I haven't talked to her in days. She might as well call me, though. Is she avoiding me or what?”

The phone returned a chuckle.

“No, I don't think so. Or maybe she is? You're such a pain sometimes,” Yeji teased.

Ryujin laughed unfunnily.

“Fool,” she said.

“Fool? What a mild insult, coming from you.”

“I have a better one, but I don't want you to irritate my ear with your nagging.”

“Good girl. Did you mention you went out with Yuna a few days ago?”

Ryujin smiled.

“That's right. We visited a couple of places. We had a good time.”

“How nice. You could ask me out sometime. Or Jisu, or Chaeryeong. You're neglecting us,” Yeji sighed heavily.

“I reserve that kind of attention for Yuna,” Ryujin said, amused.

“You're bad, you're bad.”

“You said I was a good girl just now.”

“God! I can't stand you. Anyway, you know I don't like to get into your business, but I have to ask... Didn't you two overdo it? In public, I mean.”

Ryujin's mind wandered back to the parking lot of the Ansan Starlight. Yuna on her lap, kissing her fiercely, her hair, and then her, Ryujin, kissing her neck.

“No, not at all,” she replied.

“Actually, I held back” Ryujin thought as the Seoullo scene came to her mind. The hurt look on Yuna's face when she pulled her hand away roughly was not lost on Ryujin.

“Nice. As long as you two continue like this, there is nothing to worry about.”

Ryujin rolled her eyes, aware that Yeji couldn't see her.

The conversation took a more trivial turn, which Ryujin was silently grateful for. Thinking about Yuna and her sometimes gave her an uneasy feeling.

---

Christmas and New Year passed normally. As normally as was possible with a worldwide pandemic, at least. At Ryujin's house only she and her parents were there, missing her grandparents and aunts and uncles, as was the custom in previous years.

Having finished the morning meal (which consisted of rice, kimchi, boiled vegetables and soup, the latter perfect for the cold January days), Ryujin found herself wondering what to do.

She settled on watching some new series. She wouldn’t watch it in the living room, as she often did, but in her room.

Ryujin lay down on her bed, using her legs as a prop for the laptop. As it , she checked her cell phone. There were messages from the ITZY chat group.

Yeji: "Guurrlsss, can we meet today in the afternoon?”

Chaeryeong: “Huh? What for?”

Yeji: “I have news”

Yeji: “And I miss you guys too ☹”

Ryujin: “Mmm, okay”

Chaeryeong: “I can in the afternoon.”

Yuna: “Me too! I miss my unnies!”

Note that the only one who replied something nice to Yeji was Yuna.

Yeji: “Great. Jisu and I will go together. Around 4 o'clock.”

Ryujin: “I'll stop by picking up Yuna.”

Yuna: “<3”

Ryujin turned off the phone, wondering what Yeji would tell them.

---

“Ryujinie,” Yuna greeted as she got into the car.

“Yuna-yah.”

Yuna gave her a kiss on the cheek, making her smile.

“Where did Yeji-unnie say to meet?”

“She sent another message to the group recently. She said at that coffee shop we usually go to when we're at JYP.”

“Ah, okay. I wonder what she wants to tell us.”

“I don't know. Maybe something to do with the upcoming comeback.”

“Ooh, if so, I'm nervous,” Yuna sounded excited.

“I'm just guessing. We'd better get going.”

---

The coffee shop in question was a small place located on an uncrowded street in Seoul. The door was flanked by two dark windows that let in the sun's rays.

Yeji raised her hand as Ryujin and Yuna entered. She was seated at a table at the back of the establishment.

Ryujin and Yuna took a seat next to each other, with Yeji in front of them.

“Ryujin, Yuna! Good to see you,” Yeji's eyes narrowed, indicating that she was smiling.

Ryujin gave her a smile.

“Hi, unnie! And Jisu-unnie?” Yuna said.

“Right,” Ryujin remembered. “She was with you, wasn't she?”

“Yes, she went to the bathroom,” replied Yeji. She should be back any minute.

“Oh, okay,” Yuna said. “How was Christmas?”

The three chatted about their vacation until Jisu joined them, sitting next to Yeji.

“Have you heard from Chaer?” Jisu asked after greeting the Shin couple.

Ryujin shrugged and Yuna shook her head.

“It shouldn't be long now,” Yeji said, looking at the menu.

Sure enough, Chaeryeong arrived soon after. 

“So, Yeji-unnie,” Ryujin began after a while of small talk, “what's the news? You got me in suspense.”

The others nodded in agreement.

“Ah, yes,” the leader said. She smiled. “Our comeback will be in April!”

Ryujin and the rest let out cheers.

“Three months,” Chaeryeong said as the small moment of euphoria passed. “Three months!” she repeated with more excitement.

“What will it be this time? What will be our concept?” Yuna thought out loud. “I'm curious.”

“Yeah indeed,” Jisu said. “Tell us more, Yeji-unnie!”

“That,” Ryujin sighed. “Don't leave us with honey on our lips.”

Yeji leaned back in her seat.

“I just know that it will be very different from what we've done so far and little else. But,” she said, seeing the disappointed expressions of her members. “I have another piece of news.”

She fell silent, and Ryujin thought perhaps it would be for dramatic effect.

"Classic Yeji," she thought.

“We'll have a new dormitory. It'll be an apartment of sorts, with a kitchen and living room. How 'bout that?”

The cheers this time were louder.

“Great!” Ryujin said. “I'm going to get rid of you finally.”

Yeji's smirk wilted.

“You really…”

The others laughed.

“You guys should thank me,” Yeji continued, “it was only at my insistence that I was able to get it,” her smirk returned.

“Oh, thank you, Yeji-unnie,” Ryujin said melodramatically. “What would we do without you? Wait, let me kneel in front of you,” Ryujin gestured to get up.

“Now, now! No need,” Yeji rolled her eyes.

Another collective laugh. Yuna grabbed Ryujin's arm and pulled her close.

“If we're switching roommates,” she said, “I want to be with Ryujinie.”

Ryujin tensed, scanning the other tables. None of the people present were looking toward their table.

“And I with you,” Ryujin said slowly.

A feigned retch from Yeji snapped them out of their trance.

“Save that for when you're in private.”

“Please,” Chaeryeong interjected, looking around. “Remember that someone here can see us and…”

Yuna let out an exasperated sigh. She reluctantly turned away from Ryujin.

“Fine.”

“They're right, Yuna,” Ryujin said, looking at her glass.

“Thank you, Yeji, Chae,” Ryujin thought.

Jisu shook her head, and Ryujin missed the enigmatic look she gave her.

“We'll decide on roommates when the time comes. We'll move later. I advise you to move back to JYP. Not now, but soon. It's time to practice, warm up....  You know how it goes,” Yeji said.

The others buzzed in agreement.

“Are you guys hungry? Because I am,” Chaeryeong said sheepishly. What Ryujin assumed was her stomach rumbled so clearly that none of them could help but laugh.

---

“We'll do Dalla first, then ICY, then Wannabe and lastly Not Shy. In chain!” Yeji said as she stretched her legs.

“You’re gonna kill me,” Jisu groaned.

Chaeryeong patted her hands.

“I'm ready!” she said.

“Hey, Yeji,” Ryujin said. “Take it easy, okay? I haven't trained for over a month.”

“Me too,” complained Yuna.

Yeji looked at them through the mirror in the practice room. Her gaze was stern.

“Too bad. You have to train regularly, or at least warm up every day, because then what happens, happens. Do as I do: come here regularly during the vacations to stay in shape.”

“What laziness,” Ryujin snorted.

Yeji pointed a finger at her.

“A couple of months ago you came here almost every day, remember?”

“But…”

“Ah, right. Since I'm not Yuna-yah you don't come,” Yeji pouted.

Ryujin blushed.

“Almost every day” Yeji repeated. “Not even me, huh. Not even me. Love can do anything, really.”

“Well, now! All right!” Ryujin waved her arms in despair.

Chaeryeong laughed, and Jisu and Yuna joined her. A smirk graced Yeji's face.

Two hours later, Ryujin was sitting on the couch in the living room, drinking water. was grateful for the refreshing liquid. When she finished drinking, she snorted in satisfaction. Her muscles burned, over the area of her thighs.

“Hey,” she said to no one in particular, “on what days of this year does the Seollal fall?”

“You don't know?” Chaeryeong said, looking at the computer.

“No.”

“February 11, 12 and 13, as I recall.”

“That's right,” Yeji confirmed. “It's those three days.”

“Good,” Ryujin said, nodding to herself. Valentine's Day is free.”

“Are you planning to…?” Yeji said.

“Ask Yuna out? Sure.”

The maknae and the lead vocalist had gone to their bedroom together.

Yeji and Chaeryeong exchanged glances. They both looked back at Ryujin, who was looking at her hands, thinking of a possible place to take Yuna on February 14. She looked up and found four eyes on her.

“What?” she asked.

Chaeryeong bit her lower lip and looked at Yeji.

“I don't think that's a good idea,” said the leader.

Chaeryeong nodded.

“I