Hello readers! Sorry for the delay~ Anyway, we're coming in close to the main drama- I mean focus of the story hehehe Hope you enjoy the slow burn. Though I can't help but put in jungze nuggets in for yall :D Let me know in the comments if the pace for these cuties is good! Enjoy this chapter~

The admissions office building looms over the women as they try to calm down their nerves. Once they go through those doors, it’s showtime. Leejung puts a hand on Noze’s shoulder and gives a reassuring squeeze. “We file an application, and once they tell us we’re accepted, we’re good to go”. The latter nods at her words and they push open the doors. There was a line already formed at the admissions window so they waited until it was their turn. The receptionist calls for the next client and Leejung walks up to the table.

“Good afternoon”

“Good afternoon to you too, how may I help you today”

“I’d like to apply for the espousal simulcast project”

“Ahh yes, there’s been quite a few women who have asked the same, let me get you the paper”. The office worker leaves to receive the document and comes back to hand it over to Leejung. “Do you have the papers for verification?” Leejung gives the document that Diane left with them. The employee looks through it and looks back at Leejung. When her eyes went back to the paper, the YGX leader started to sense there was something wrong. “Ma’am, I’d like to ask you a few questions”

. “Yes?”

“Is this your first time applying?”

“Yes ma’am”

“I see, I’m going to have to pull you aside for a moment”. The thoughts in Leejung’s head start to spiral from thinking what was the reason to be putting her application to a halt.

“If you can just wait at the side over there. Next”

Leejung moves off to the designated area and looks over to Noze who is giving confused looks. She felt bad for suddenly making her worry, and watches over Noze’s interaction. The same paper was given to the office worker, but after a quick scan, Noze receives the application paper.  The worker leaves her station and makes her way back to Leejung, “Miss Lee, I would like to ask you that you be honest with me”.

What the , what’s wrong. “Of course”

The uniformed woman lowers her tone, “is your sister Lee Naeun?”

“Huh? I-I don’t have a sister” Leejung stares in confusion and the woman next to her also takes a second to process her answer. 

“You don’t? I gosh I’m sorry! I thought you were someone else! You see, I heard that my daughter’s lover wanted to join this program and I thought you were her!” The woman laughs it off as if she didn’t just worry an innocent person. “I was about to have you arrested, but I shouldn’t tamper my work with my personal life anyway. Sorry dear, here's your application”. The poor woman takes the paper and feels her heart beating in her ears. “What the actual hell…”

“Leejung! What happened!” Noze comes speeding over with concern all over her face. Leejung feels a little better, seeing that a cute girl was making a fuss about her. 

“I’m okay, I got the application. But whoever that woman mistook me for is going straight to her grave…”

Noze tilts her head in confusion but nods it off, “let’s fill this out and get this over with”.

After taking some time to fill in the application, the two went back in line and submitted their papers. The receptionist apologizes once more to Leejung, who accepts humbly, and input their information into the system. “Alright, everything is clear. Since it’s your first time applying, you get priority admission. You have been accepted into the program, here is a list of things you must bring. Once you enter the show’s property, you have no access to the outside world until the show dismisses you.” The woman gives Noze and Leejung a copy of their paperwork and finishes the process. “Thank you very much and may you find your match”.

The leaders walked away and exited the building, finally relaxing their shoulders. Noze smiles as she waves the paper they received in the air, “we’re in! One step closer to going home!”

“I thought I was about to get caught!” Leejung sighs.

Noze gives a reassuring pat on the back and grins, “even if you got caught, I would get you out somehow”. This cheers up Leejung and the two of them go around the town square once more before they’re sentenced to their entertainment prison.  “By the way…”

“Hm?”

Noze hooks her arm with Leejung’s and keeps looking forward even though it’s very obvious her cheeks are tinted pink. Leejung stiffened slightly at the physical affection and looked at the other woman, “y-yes?”.

“I’m your baby right?” Leejung internally screams and she's sure that her composure was collapsing right in front of Noze’s eyes. She pulls Leejung closer and gently hugs her arm. Noze makes eye contact, “the barista from earlier is looking at us, doing something”. Leejung jerks her head and surveys their surroundings, confirming that they were near the cafe they visited. And there she was, the same employee, watching them from afar.  Noze side-eyes her and discreetly says, “You started it”.

Leejung laughs seeing how Noze tries to be secretive about her concern and plays along. “You wanna be my baby? I can make you my baby~”. Without thinking twice, Leejung aggressively nuzzles her face into Noze’s cheek, making her squeal in surprise.

“Yah! Leejung!”

“That’s not my name!”

“LEEJUNG!”

This encourages Leejung to nuzzle even more, encircling her arms around Noze’s waist and traps her in, “NOT MY NAME!”

Noze is caught in a fit of laughter and can barely catch a break. Only to squeal more as she waves her white flag, “Okay! Baby! You’re baby!” Leejung squeezes Noze in her arms and checks to see that there is no noisy barista eyeing them. The tired cat leans lifelessly, making it hard for Leejung to keep them stable. 

“Yah! You have legs!”

“No, I’m a baby, I can’t walk”, the younger woman scoops up Noze bridal style and grins as the pretty leader panics, wiggling around from embarrassment. “I’m kidding! Yah! Put me down Jung-ah!”

“What are you girls doing?”

Leejung twirls in place with Noze still cradled in her arms, coming face to face with Diane. She quickly sets Noze down and both try to fix their appearance. “Just showing some pregame affection~”

Noze blushes and combs her hand through her hair. Pregame affection? Is that why she’s being like this?

Diane laughs and comes between the two, ruffling their hair, “better now than being awkward on screen, smart”. The older woman motions to a bench with bags on it, “I got some stuff for your trip, Yena will help you out later with it. If you’re done let’s go”. 

With their agenda complete, the group leaves to go home. Leejung helps Diane out with the bags and loads them into the car. As she finishes the last bag, she feels something cold touch her neck and jolt to the side. Leejung sees Noze looking just as surprised as she was but with her hand stretched outward. The younger glances at it and sees a small pouch. 

“Well, are you just gonna look at it?”

“Huh?”

Noze puffs her cheeks and pushes the pouch into Leejung’s chest, having the other fumble to catch it. “It’s for you… just because” she ends her reason at that, letting Leejung open up the tiny pouch. Inside was a gold chain bracelet with a small gem decorating the clasp. 

“Just because?”

This made Noze shyer, making the ground more interesting to look at, “I saw a stand selling jewelry as you were helping Diane load the car, and I remember you had a hard time wearing your bracelet on one of the shows we were guests on. So I thought, maybe a smaller one that was cute but lightweight would be nice for you”.

If cuteness could kill, Leejung would be dead on the spot. She remembers the incident Noze was referring to, the solid bracelet she decided to wear that day was not a good idea. When she danced, it would slide across her arm and made it painful to do strong dance moves. Leejung undoes the clasp and puts on the bracelet right away. She moves it around and admires its dainty design, melting at the fact that it was personally picked out by the girl she crushes on. 

Noze bites her bottom lip nervously, she wasn’t sure if Leejung would be the type to wear simple jewelry. With her bold attitude and style, she wasn’t confident if the receiver would like it. The uncertainty was nagging at her so she couldn’t help but ask, “do you like it?”

Happiness was written all over the younger’s face and rushed in to envelop Noze in a giddy hug. One much more genuine and appreciative than the prior. Leejung pulls away, showing a smile that reached her eyes, shooting cupid's arrow right into Noze poor love sickened heart. “Of course! I love it~”

The two were so lost in their own world, it was so sweetly obvious to Diane how they felt for each other. She reminisced about her young love with her wife for a second as she watched the two unsaid love birds have their moment. 

“Come on girls, there’s no time to waste if you’re going to be ready for the partner project!”

The two quickly get into the car and they’re on their way back home. The older woman looks at her rearview mirror to check on the girls but subtly smirks seeing that the two are too infatuated with each other. She just hopes this makes them stronger, they’ll need it for what’s coming ahead.