It's a sunny day in Seoul but Seulgi is stuck in an office room, her chin rests on her fist, eyes staring at a giant white board in front of her. There are photos displayed on it, put in place by magnetic buttons. On top of each photo are numbers, from 1 to 48. Seulgi taps her fingernails on the wooden table, one after the other, creating a sound almost similiar to a galloping horse.

"You know what, let's just separate those 4 photos." She finally makes a decision after contemplating it since last week when she was first asked about it.

Seulgi is about to release her very own photography book. In it are photos that she took with her film and digital cameras. The subjects vary from sceneries to people to inanimate objects to her cats. Some have sentimental values, some are just because they're aesthetically beautiful. She managed to snap one photo in which her two cats, Lulu and Lala, were on their feet fighting with their paws. She has also chosen four photos of her group members as well.

The problem now is the arrangement of the photos, mainly the four photos of Joohyun, Seungwan, Sooyoung and Yerim. She couldn't decide if the four should be grouped together in an order of their age, or to be separated according to the theme, vibe and colour of the photos. She finally made a choice to do the latter. The meeting is over when they have finalized the sequence after a lot of switches. 4 to 28, 29 to 30, 7 to 14 and so on and so forth.

She gets out of the meeting room and walks to the coffee machine, getting herself a cup of hot americano. As she waits for her coffee to be made, she hears the sound of people talking. She peeks her head over the wall and sees two women; one is an editor of the publishing company and the other is quite an attractive woman about her age. Brown hair, medium height, cute button nose, decent taste in fashion. She hides herself back behind the wall as to not look creepy.

As the coffee machine stops buzzing, she hears the lady saying, "I find Warhol extremely overrated, but people respond to his arts, or most probably the image of the Andy Warhol himself. You really can't dictate people what to like and not to like. You go to museums these days and there are blank canvases being called art. What are you gonna do about it?"

The editor makes a comment and asks her a question, to which she replies, "I don't see myself as one but I love provocateurs. They break norms, they have this confidence and attitude that spark conversation. They touch on sensitive subjects. Political subjects even, that could be dangerous for their own well-being. Oh that reminds me, I was so lucky to be in the audience for a talk with Ai Weiwei once."

There's an audible gasp. "Really? Where? When?"

"It was at the Royal Academy of Arts in the UK a few years back. I was there for an exhibition and my friend got me a seat. It was.. insane. He was insane. It was very powerful. I don't really follow world politics but I have the utmost respect for people like him. And journalists as well, who often put themselves in danger to find and speak the truth."

'So, she's an artist. And a bold one, it seems.' Seulgi assumes based on the conversation. She takes a sip of her still-pipping-hot Americano before revealing herself from behind the wall.

The editor sees her first and greets her. "Oh Seulgi-ssi, it was you! I was wondering who's drinking coffee at this hour."

Seulgi greets her and turns her sight to the artist, hoping to be introduced. The name is Lee Sooyeon, she learns. She can immediately feel the good vibe coming from the other person and it makes her heart skips a beat.

"Do you know her works, Seulgi-ssi? " The editor asks.

She looks at the lady unsurely. "Uh, I'm afraid I'm not very well-versed in contemporary art."

The editor keeps pushing, "The Smoking  rings a bell?"

It takes Seulgi a few seconds of looking back and forth between the editor and the artist. "That was you!?" She says, surprised.

"Guilty." Sooyeon smiles cheekily.

Impressed is an understatement. Seulgi remembers many years ago when the painting went viral. It was a big deal because paintings don't usually go viral, TikTok videos do. It was literally a painting of a , positioned sideway to look like a woman's lips, with a puffing cigarette at the corner of it. It was a message to destigmatize female smokers, or something along the line. Seulgi isn't sure, because of course people are more interested in the itself than the interpretation of the painting.

"It wasn't really that deep." Sooyeon explains when Seulgi asks her about it. "I used to be a smoker and was traveling all over Asia back then and I noticed people looking at me weirdly when I smoked. Not just in one country, but multiple. I didn't really care about it until an old grandma scolded me, telling me that proper ladies are not supposed to smoke." She makes a face indicating how ridiculous the statement sounded. Seulgi doesn't smoke but she agrees. "That was it, really. I was totally inspired, so.. thanks, old lady."

"Wow." Seulgi chuckles at the story. "I remember it being viral back then and your other works started getting shared online too. I think my favourite was.. what was it called again? Uhm.. the one with the middle fingers and the nails?"

"Clipping the Misogyny." Both the artist and the editor says at the same time. 

"Yes, that one!" Seulgi confirms, noticing that the artist herself seems happy that her work, other than the viral one, is brought up.

The three of them continue to chat and when the editor has to leave them alone to attend a meeting, Seulgi does something she has never done before; asking for a stranger's phone number. She doesn't even know if Sooyeon swings that way, but even if she's straight there's really no harm in befriending this impressive young lady, who is actually two years older than her after a quick google search. They exchange numbers and before they part, Seulgi feels the urge to ask her out for coffee. Yet another thing she has never done before to a stranger.

When the coffee date actually happens a few weeks later, the artist shyly asks Seulgi if she's interested in her romantically.

"Uhm.. I am." Seulgi feels the blush creeping up her cheeks. "Sorry if I was being too forward, I don't even know if you-"

"I am, actually." She interjects. "You have quite a good gaydar."

No, she doesn't. She was just trying her luck. Or maybe it was fate?

They continue hanging out after that; no , just strictly coffee or lunch or dinner, and of course dates at the museums and galleries. It goes incredibly well from then on, and just like that Seulgi gets herself a new girlfriend.

'You know you can just simply go out there, meet someone and be in a happy and uncomplicated relationship, right?' Seulgi smiles, stealing a glance at Sooyeon, as she remembers what Yerim told her.

Sooyeon is interesting. She lives in her own world and doesn't interfere much with Seulgi's life. It feels like such a breath of fresh air, considering her life as an idol where it can feel like everyone is always either fawning over her or breathing down her neck. She also realizes how much she enjoys this dynamic, especially after years of living with Joohyun; who, according to everybody else, adores her and treats her in a special way. Top that with the addition of Evie who is unapologetically forward. It makes sense now why although she liked Evie very much, there were times when she felt a little burdened by the attention. Not to say that Sooyeon isn't affectionate. She can be, at the right moments. In fact, Sooyeon was the one to say I love you first. She's honest, she's sure of her feelings, she doesn't overdo things. She's efficient that way and Seulgi finds out she likes that quality in someone she's in a relationship with.

-

Time really flies when one is happy. Without realizing, Seulgi is already in the last year of her 20s. She and Seungwan will soon join Joohyun in the 30s club. Sooyoung and Yerim will have a blast making fun of them.

The group is in the 9th year of their career and they're still going strong. They had a busy beginning of the year as usual, then Lunar New Year and her birthday happened, making her officially 29 years old. During dinner one day after work, Joohyun proposes to go to Jeju sometime this year, saying she needs an escape from the city's hustle-and-bustle. Seulgi doubles down and suggests for them to go now. Not literally now, she means let's start booking flights and hotels kind of now, since they're having a little time off before Joohyun's film starts shooting in early March.

Their friendship is better than ever. Seulgi would say that they're back to they way it used to be before everything happened but this time there's something more; the knowledge of how they actually feel towards one another. Although it created a tiny line that is not supposed to be crossed anymore, they've also become more understanding and more honest towards each other. They're on a solid ground and nothing is more important to her than that.

Joohyun got back together with Yeona. They're in a serious relationship this time with Yeona being introduced to them as her girlfriend, something she didn't do the first time and has never really done with other women she dated. The girls are all happy for her because Joohyun has become happier and more carefree since then, like she finally has someone to tell all her problems and worries to, someone to rant to and be vulnerable with; something she still refuses to do with her group members up to this day. They have all accepted this side of Joohyun, knowing it's not because she doesn't trust them but that's just how Bae Joohyun is built.

Seulgi, too, has let them meet her own girlfriend, regretting it a little because of how brutally they . They are all happy and excited for her as well, although some can't really seem to connect with Sooyeon, probably because of how eccentric her personality sometimes can be; she's an artist after all. They approve of her nevertheless, saying they can see how