The vacation was officially over the moment Nayeon set foot in the apartment she shared with Jeongyeon, feeling more exhausted and anxious than ever. She had been able to pretend everything was fine these days, but not having other people around ready to distract her best friend was making her insecure. It made her feel like a horrible person.

After what they had done on their first night in the mountains, they hardly spoke to each other, with the exception of going out to the club which made them particularly eager to communicate with each other and not just with their voices, plus they were both aware that returning to live together just the two of them would not have been so easy.

Jeongyeon, although she was not particularly enthusiastic about that sudden detachment and was suffering a lot, had chosen not to force things and to wait. Precisely for that reason she hadn't wasted time staying in the same room with her best friend and she had gone to her room at a brisk pace, closing the door behind her and busying herself with unpacking her suitcase.

She hated that feeling of helplessness and feeling like a nobody for the person she wanted to be around was certainly not helping to improve her rather fluctuating mood, but she knew she could count on her foolproof method to keep herself busy: cleaning everything.

She decided to listen to some music to isolate herself completely, finding herself smiling sadly because of the songs she used to listen to without suffering too much "I'm afraid I made a mistake as big as a castle, I was a fool to believe I could receive her love"

She wanted to cry and scream all the bad words that could come to her mind, but what could she get besides an incredible headache? Nothing, just other suffering.

Love hurts and Jeongyeon knew it perfectly well, but the pain she had managed to get used to with so much effort had tripled and she didn't want to deal with it. A noise from her living room had brought her back to reality, but her feet seemed glued to the floor and she hadn't been able to run to check as she used to.

Nayeon had started to curse, but judging by her voice she seemed to be fine and that awareness had been enough to reassure the blonde "sooner or later her screams will frighten me enough to lay me down forever, I feel it"

Another noise and her screams had managed to unblock her immobility and make her rush to the rescue of her roommate "what happened?"

"There is a huge insect, kill it!" Nayeon's frightened expression would have made anyone laugh "don't make that face and kill it with this" she had slapped a slipper on her hand "without mercy, please"

"What do I get from it?"

"Are you stupid? If you don't kill him, we'll have to share our little house with that lousy deal that won't even help us pay the bills and will only annoy us"

"You convinced me, to stay here with us you have to pay"

The older of the two had thrown herself on the couch to feel safe while Jeongyeon was intent on fighting against the insect that had dared to sneak into their apartment "don't forget to clean up after crushing it, I don't want its little corpse as a keepsake"

"Look, I know, now shut up because I have to concentrate. Using slippers requires great precision"

"Jeong, just crush it before I get hysterical"

"You do that all the time, now I know how to live with it"

Once the threat was eliminated, not after exchanging looks full of embarrassment, the two girls went back to ignoring each other waiting for the other to make the first move.

They were aware that this uncomfortable situation was going to last for at least a few days, but they felt exhausted, frustrated and even a little stupid from making that mess.

"Tzu, I swear I'll punch you if you keep smiling as if you're under the influence of some weird drug. It's not like you and you're making me very worried"

"I beg your pardon, but I just can't help it because Mina is fantastic" she covered her face with her hands, smiling like she had never done in her entire life.

Dahyun didn't know what to do to stop her from continuing to behave in that ridiculous way, even though she was a little amused by that situation "I've never seen you like this, your enthusiasm now can't be compared to that of that time in the past which you managed to take home two girls" she made the gesture of victory with her fingers, indicating both the number and, precisely, the conquest of her friend.

"I assure you that there is no comparison, I had also forgotten" she had a dreamy look and the dimple clearly visible on her cheek "I already miss her, I think I fell madly in love"

"And does she seem in love with you?"

Tzuyu had finally uncovered her face, placing her hands on the pillow she had on her legs "I can't speak for her, but I don't think she just likes me. I mean, I know what it's like when someone just wants you to pass the time quickly and she's not that kind of person. Maybe I'm not either, not anymore"

The brunette smiled almost imperceptibly, but she felt really happy "no more wild nights then?"

"Only if I can go wild with her, otherwise I can stay at home reading a book or watching a movie"

"I wonder how it is possible that in just over a month she has reduced you to being a sweet and romantic person, when with Chaeyoung she has not been able to do it in all these years"

Hearing that name was enough to make the joy disappear from Tzuyu's eyes "don't tell me about that r, I'd punch her in her face"

"Has something happened that I haven't been told about?"

"When she came back from her wild night she had the audacity to make a scene and claim that Mina belongs to her, as if she is a simple object she could use whenever she wants. She even wanted to give me the money for that stupid bet, sometimes I don't really understand how she doesn't make her brain work"

"She misbehaved as usual, I'm not surprised at all" Dahyun could always stretch like a cat and relax right after "the real problem is the question of the bet because, as much as you have made it clear, you accepted it anyway"

"I didn't want the money and as far as I'm concerned that bet never existed from the beginning. I really like Mina and I'm not doing all this to have the satisfaction of having won over someone who is already committed"

The brunette had leaned over to the glass table to take a bottle of water that was still closed "I know, but Mina doesn't know anything and if Chae decides to talk to her about this topic.. I don't even want to say it"

Tzuyu was staring down and tugging at the cuticles on her fingers "I trust that she doesn't want to hurt her further. If she loves her at least a minimum of what she says she won't tell her about the bet"

"I hope so with all my heart or I won't be the one to stop you from beating her"

Silence had fallen, one of those comfortable and useful for reflection. They both had many thoughts to deal with, but that quiet moment was interrupted by the ringing of Dahyun's cell phone, which she immediately snorted "they asked out tonight, what a pain in the "

The taller girl, on the other hand, seemed particularly enthusiastic "I can't wait, what do you think I should wear? I want to impress Mina"

"Tzu, you could put a lot of garbage in and still be beautiful to take anyone's breath away so avoid these stupid questions. Rather, do you have a cigarette?"

"You know very well that I don't smoke, stop asking"

"Our group has become really boring, I almost don't recognize you anymore"

"Look, you've changed too"

At that statement Dahyun's lips had shrunk to a thin line "that's absolutely not true"

"So tell me why you picked up the pearl from the bracelet that Sana broke while we were on vacation and are wearing it as a necklace"

"You noticed"

"Hyun, I've known you for a lifetime and I know how to recognize your every gesture. I also know that you took off the ring you wore around your neck to make room for that pearl"

Dahyun was smiling imperceptibly "I liked it and I got it, that's all"

The other girl didn't seem very convinced "when you feel ready to accept your feelings for Sana I'll be here to listen to you" she got up "will you be there tonight?"

"I have nothing better to do, so yes"

Having said that they had greeted each other with a simple nod and Dahyun, after hearing the front door close, had taken off her necklace to carefully observe the pearl "I want to see you as soon as possible"

The meeting time in front of the usual place had arrived and, very strangely, they had all been on time. Or, at least, those who showed up had been.

"Isn't Nayeon coming?" had been Momo's question.

"She was not feeling very well and she preferred to stay at home to rest" Jeongyeon seemed particularly annoyed "maybe I should have taken her example"

While those two were talking about the bad luck of life Dahyun's eyes had continued to move to look at the faces of all the girls and Tzuyu, knowing how much her friend was feeling in trouble, had come forward "I don't even see Sana, she's sick too?"

It was Jihyo who replied "she's fine, but she had an appointment with someone and couldn't put it off. I think she's with the son of a couple of his parents' friends, as far as I know he's a really classy person and it would have been rude to cancel everything at the last minute"

The general morale seemed to have collapsed to the ground in a million pieces and Chaeyoung, the one who could have called herself the life of the party on any occasion, had clapped her hands a couple of times to get attention "no long faces, here we are to have fun. Let's go!"

They all went in together and chose one of their usual tables not too close to the people dancing, sitting in an apparently casual way. Mina felt a little uncomfortable being around her girlfriend and the person she was infatuated with, but she was doing her best to keep at least an ounce of calm.

Momo and Jihyo seemed glued to each other even when it was time to sit and drink: if they really could not stick together it could be sure that one of the two would put her hand on the thigh of the other.

On the other side of the table were the only two people who didn't seem in the mood at all, who if they had been in a cartoon would have certainly had a black aura all around.

The pink-haired girl had taken the liberty of ordering for all of them, perfectly remembering the preferences of each "I offer the first round so I ask you to stop playing the game of silence"

"Do any of you have a cigarette?"

"Hyun, you know we don't have any" Jeongyeon looked worried.

"I'm going to ask someone then" the brunette immediately got up, grabbing her drink directly from the tray that a guy was about to place at their table, and walking away without looking back.

Mina felt sad every time she saw her go away like that "I don't want to be indiscreet, but why is she acting like this?"

The girls who had known her the longest had fallen silent, all waiting for Tzuyu "Dahyun's life was not easy due to her parents being too strict and other people who have helped to hurt her all the time. I have known her from middle school and I swear I've never seen her really happy; sometimes she still tends to ask me what it's like to be able to perceive the love of others and be happy about it, but I never know how to answer because it is not something that can be taught through words"

"Asking for a cigarette is part of her habits now, but she doesn't smoke because she feels the need, she does it to feel like other people" Momo was playing with one of Jihyo's rings "we made her promise not to buy cigarettes anymore because she started to abuse it too much, I still remember when I went to see her and there was not a single thing that wasn't soaked in the stench of smoke"

"She is very keen to keep her promises, but at the same time she is very good at cheating them and that's why we can't say anything if others give her cigarettes" Chaeyoung had already finished drinking her drink and was ready to order another one. 

"I bet if Sana had been there she would not have had the morale down" the tallest of the group had barely muttered, but she was sure that Mina had heard her and she had dared to look for her hand on the couch they were sitting on.

Having all the stars against was certainly part of their group and Tzuyu had to remain calm as possible so as not to spill the contents of her glass on Chaeyoung, who had well thought of clutching her girlfriend's thigh and saying indecent things in her ear. 

The reason for her annoyance was not mainly the jealousy she was feeling, but the defiant looks that the shorter kept giving to her. She didn't like that situation, it made her sick to know the truth about the actions of the one she considered her friend.

"I'm going to let loose a little, my body can no longer resist standing here" Momo had interrupted that uncomfortable exchange of glances, getting up quickly to go dancing to the notes of the song that had just begun to echo throughout the club.

Jihyo could never have left all the fun to her girlfriend and had followed her without hesitation, showing a side of herself that not even her friends knew but that Momo had had the pleasure of meeting a second time.

Seeing those two go wild together had made Chaeyoung stand up too, one hand ready to grab her girlfriend's "will you grant me the honor?"

"You know I'm as good at dancing as a tree trunk" she felt embarrassed and she didn't want to get away from the only person who could make her feel safe "go ahead and enjoy, I'll watch you from here"

"Okay princess, but when we get home I expect to have all your attention" she leaned over to kiss her on the corner of the mouth and then disappeared into the crowd of moving bodies.

"Are you feeling okay? You're pretty pale" Jeongyeon was still sipping her beer "if these places make you sick you shouldn't hold back for long"

The brunette let herself go with a long sigh, leaning on the girl sitting next to her to seek comfort "I can do it, I just have to recover from feelings of guilt"

"You have no reason to feel guilty, we've already talked about it"

"I know, but I still can't feel at peace with myself. It will pass, I'm not used to it and I guess it's normal to feel this way"

Seeing them so close had caused a faint smile to form on Jeongyeon's face "you are a joy for the eyes, a bit like those two who have forgotten to be surrounded by a lot of people" she had indicated Momo and Jihyo, who had stuck to each other in a passionate kiss "I feel more alone than ever in this moment"

"Honey, you could have just send me a message" a girl in her thirties with thick red hair took the liberty of sitting on her legs and touching her face "I love it when you dress in black, you're y"

"Cassandra, I don't seem to have given you permission to touch me" she had pushed her hands away abruptly, pushing her to sit on the leather couch "you always take too much liberty"

"You used to like having my attention"

The annoyed look that the blonde had given her hadn't helped to chase her away "you're confusing me with someone else, you know very well that I have no interest in you"

Cassandra had been silent for a few seconds and the other three people sitting there would have preferred not to hear the poisonous words spoken after that moment of hesitation "when you understand that Nayeon doesn't want you the donkeys will fly, but as far as I can see you are not ready to realize that you fell in love with a stupid "

The temperature seemed to drop below freezing despite the heat and to save the situation was Dahyun, who promptly spilled what she was drinking directly on the head of the redhead "it takes courage to insult someone you don't even know, but on the other hand I would not have expected something better from a social climber like you. Get lost or this time I won't stop beating you to death"

"Here's another one who lives only in her head and who got disinherited by her family"

Dahyun was smiling, but the way she was doing it conveyed concern "you have ten seconds to disappear from my sight, I won't repeat it"

Cassandra hadn't started to get up and the brunette had buried her hand in her hair "I told you to disappear, I'm already in a bad mood and I don't want to get bad"

It was Momo who grabbed her from behind, pulling her to herself with all the strength she had at her disposal "enough, stop giving weight to the things she says!" screaming was the only way she had to be heard.

"She has ruined my life and she continues to enjoy making others suffer, she deserves a good lesson once and for all. Leave me!"

Holding her still wasn't enough and it was for that reason that Tzuyu had reached her to look into her eyes "you have every right to hate her, I really mean it, but think about Sana" saying that name had managed to make the brunette stop "you really want to get close to her with all this rancor that consumes you? Is this the part of you that you want to give her?"

"I won't give her anything, love doesn't exist and you all are proving it to me too with your lousy relationships" she shook Momo's hands from her "I'm going home, don't ask me to go out anymore"

Watching her go was the only action the other girls had managed to do and even Chaeyoung, who arrived in the middle of the fight, seemed furious with Cassandra "when will you learn to stay away from us? You know very well that we hate you for what you did to Dahyun"

"A person like her only deserves to be used, even if she has become useless after losing her precious inheritance" she did not seem at all repentant "and the same goes for you, you are a disposable person"

A furious fight hadn't been enough to make that viper feel guilty, making that night one of the worst of their lives and none of the girls, once they got home, had been able to do anything but throw themselves dead weight on the bed. They were all worried about Dahyun and were heartbroken because of the things thet didn't want to go well.