"Twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four, twenty-five... we're missing one person."

The dance teacher tapped his foot impatiently on the cool wooden floor of the RBW trainee practice room. 

Several of the girls present huffed, annoyed at the unexplained absence of their fellow trainee. They had woken up at 5AM for this - and their dreams couldn't wait for anyone.

"Can't we just start without her?" innocently asked the youngest of the group, a 13-year-old who looked mature but gave away her age by often speaking too carelessly for the high-stakes environment she found herself in.

"NO!" The dance teacher thundered. "Today's practice was going to be conducted in pairs! And you, Yu-bin, would have known if you had listened to me yesterday when I told you precisely that!"

"I'm really sorry," the young girl mumbled.

"Now, out of my practice room! OUT!" 

A choir of timid "buts" erupted from the rest of the group.

"NO BUTS! If your friend doesn't think my lesson is worth showing up to, we listen to her! OUT!"

The group gathered their things and shuffled out the door without objecting, sleepy and disappointed. The youngest trainee found herself walking in the corridor next to the oldest one in the group, a 20-year-old with a youthful smile and chubby cheeks. "Who's missing anyway?" asked the youngest, not hiding the irritation in her voice.

"My partner for dance practice," the older one rolled her eyes. "Moon Byulyi."

"I thought you hated her because she stole your heels."

"She didn't steal my - never mind. I don't like her, but she couldn't find a partner, and neither could I, and everyone else was already partnered up, and she's good at dancing, I guess."

"When she shows up." 

"... yeah," Yongsun sighed. "Damn."

.

The next day, instead of joining the others for lunch, Yongsun found herself marching briskily towards the RBW admin office. She couldn't believe it. As if skipping class once wasn't bad enough - Moon Byulyi didn't have the decency to show up today either! And this time, the short-tempered dance teacher had realized that indeed he couldn't keep postponing lessons because one trainee was missing.

But he was certainly not going to change his lesson plan to accommodate for the unexplained absence, and so Yongsun was left to choose between just leaving, or trying to perform the exercises partnerless, looking utterly ridiculous in the process. Of couse she had chosen the latter.

It was awkward and humiliating, and she hated their dance teacher for it, but giving up would have been even worse. This was her dream. She would not give up so easily on the daily practice that would make her dream possible. However, this didn't mean she wasn't angry about it. Where the hell was Moon Byulyi?

Sweaty and furious, Yongsun broke into the admin center and approached the secretary working there. 

"I need a trainee's home address. Moon Byulyi, can you look it up?"

"That will not be possible, miss," the secretary barely looked up from her magazine. "Privacy issues."

Yongsun was ready to scream, but she regained control of herself. She took a deep breath. "She's my friend, I just want to visit her."

"If she's your friend, you can ask her for her address yourself," the secretary remarked, her words a little slurred because of the gum she was loudly chewing. 

Deep breaths, Yongsun, deep breaths. Control yourself, try and think... what would convince this er to give you her -

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" A piercing scream could be heard from the corridor just outside the admin center. What the -

"AAAAH!" The screaming turned into wailing. The secretary, clearly annoyed at having been interrupted in her leisure by Yongsun first, and then by whatever this was, got up from behind her desk and opened the door to investigate. "What is going on here?!" she screamed.

Still standing in place, Yognsun could see Yu-bin sitting on the corridor floor, crying in pain as she massaged her ankle. "I slipped," she whined. "I think my ankle is sprained!"

"You have only been here two weeks and this is the millionth time I tell you not to run in the corridors!" thundered the secretary, her annoyance reaching a peak. "You want to be an idol? You should learn to look after yourself and not cause trouble to others first!" she admonished the crying 13-year-old as she begrudgingly helped Yu-bin up. "I need to take her to the company nurse. You," the secretary rudely addressed Yongsun, "close the door on your way out."

Yu-bin looked at Yongsun as she stood up, wincing in pain. "Tell Mr. Kim I'll be out of dance class for a while," she said tearfully. "At least now you can partner up with Jin-ju and not look like a fool doing the partnered practice alone anymore." 

Yongsun watched the young girl limp away, supported by the secretary. She was right. No need to be here anymore. Tomorrow, she could practice with Yu-bin's newly partnerless partner. The hell with Moon Byulyi.

But... why was Moon Byulyi not showing up to training? Yongsun's anger dissipated and left its place to earnest curiosity and a hint of worry. Moon Byulyi is disrespectful and awkward, but she doesn't seem unmotivated. On the contrary, say what you will about her social skills, but she strikes me as quite the goal-oriented girl. Where the hell is she?

Yongsun glanced stealthily at the unmanned computer, on the desk that was occupied by the secretary just a few minutes ago. 

I heard from one of the girls that she's alone in Seoul. Could she be in trouble? Gosh, I'll get in trouble for that brat if somebody catches me. But... what if she needs help?

Yongsun moved fast. In a few short seconds, she was behind the desk - then, a few quick clicks and she found was she was looking for. 

She closed the door on her way out, like she had been instructed. God forbid she gets a reputation within RBW for not complying with orders. 

. 

That evening, Yongsun was breathless after climbing up six flights of stairs in the old, run-down building where Moon Byulyi lived. The stairs smelled strongly of boiled cabbage and the walls looked like they hadn't seen a hand of paint in decades. Even the front door was shabby. Yongsun rang the doorbell, making a mental note not to touch her face with the finger that had been in contact with it. 

No answer. A minute went by; she rang the doorbell again. She was almost about to leave when the door sprung open. Behind it was a young girl with bright red hair, the heaviest makeup Yongsun had ever seen and a skirt so short that Yongsun could almost see her . The stare she reserved for Yongsun gave away the many drinks she had undoubtedly consumed. 

"... hi?" Yongsun volunteered.

"Who are you?" the girl slurred. 

"Does Moon Byulyi live here? I am a friend from her idol trainee program, I am looking for her."

The girl rewarded Yongsun's little speech with a laugh. "The pirate is training to be an idol?" Before Yongsun could ask for clarification, the girl moved past her. "I'm going out now," she said before disappearing down the stairs. "Make yourself at home!"

A little shook, Yongsun closed the door behind her and stepped into the kitchen. The room was messy, a pile of dirty dishes lying in the sink, stains of food everywhere on the floor, the table full of clutter. At least it didn't smell like boiled cabbage in here. Yongsun ventured a little further, daring to open a closed door that turned out to be a tiny bathroom. This sink was also dirty, a hairbrush full of bright red hair lying forgotten in it. Party clothes and dirty were scattered on the floor. No smell of cabbage in here, but it sure did smell of mold. Yongsun went back to the hall, disgusted. 

She went by another door - this one was open, and by peeking inside she could immediately tell that room belonged to the red-haired girl: empty bottles of various alcoholic drinks littered the already messy room.

There was just one door left in the hall. Yongsun knocked on it twice. Not getting a reply, she slowly lowered the handle and walked inside. 

This was a simple bedroom. You could tell that the occupant was a messy person, because things were spread all around. However, the sheer number of objects was so small that the room still looked neat. Most of all, it didn't smell like boiled cabbage, mold, or alcohol. Yongsun didn't know why in the short two weeks spent being a trainee alongside her, she had picked up on the distinct, but not unpleasant, smell of Moon Byulyi's sweaty skin after practice - it's not like she had an interest in this girl, anyway. But pick up on it she did. And that was what this room smelled like. 

It didn't take Yongsun long to spot the owner of the room and of the scent. Moon Byulyi, one eye patched with a white gauge, was right there - sleeping what looked like an agitated sleep in a skimpy double bed. Almost in a trance, without thinking about what she was doing, Yongsun walked toward her and delicately touched Moon Byulyi's cheek. Surprised at the hotness she felt, she moved her hand to her fellow trainee's forehead. She was burning up. 

The touch woke Moon Byulyi up. Her one exposed eye became wide seeing Yongsun towering over her. 

"What -" Moon Byulyi started, her voice cracking. "What are you doing here?" Once again, she had spoken informally to Yongsun. 

Yongsun removed her hand from the other girl's forehead at once, as the temperature had been enough to burn her. She scoffed and avoided the question. "What is wrong with you? You're sick."

"What is wrong with me?" Moon Byulyi said weakly, slowly prompting herself up on her elbows. "I'm not the one breaking into people's apartments."

Offended by both the informal language and the general attitude, Yongsun didn't miss a beat. "Fine. I'm leaving. See you at the company, if you ever decide to come back," she announced, moving towards the door.

"No... wait!" Moon Byulyi said feebly. "You're Yongsun, right?"

"Yongsun unnie, for you," the older girl remarked.

"You're not my unnie! What year were you born?"

"1991."

"." The contrast between Moon Byulyi's curse and her subsequent, finally formal words brought the most imperceptible of smiles to Yongsun's face. "I'm really sorry I wasn't respectful, Yongsun unnie."

"Apology accepted."

"It's because I was sure you were younger, you look so pretty and fresh."

The smile on Yongun's lips widened as she modestly averted her eyes from Moon Byulyi's. "Aish, you're greasy."

Moon Byulyi smiled back wearily. "I am greasy in more than one way. I must apologize to you, I don't smell very pleasant right now."

Yongsun scrunched her nose in response, pretending that the sweaty smell coming from the younger girl was indeed bothering her. "Will you tell me what's wrong with you?" She asked impatiently.

"Eye infection," Moon Byulyi replied simply, conserving energy. "My immune system is lately because of how long and hard I've been dieting. Gave me a fever. For the past two days I was really out of it. I actually feel much better today," and, contrary to her words, she fell back on the pillows, exhausted from the effort of speaking for so long. 

"Is nobody taking care of you?" Yongsun asked, her brow furrowed.

"... no?" Moon Byulyi replied in a small voice.

"Your family?"

"They're not in Seoul, and I haven't told them. My youngest sister is having trouble at school," she said, implying that she didn't want to be a bother.

"Your roommate? I met her coming in."

"If you met her, you know she's not taking care of anybody."

Yongsun sighed. "Alright. I'll get you sorted out. What would you -"

"Why are you here?" Moon Byulyi asked again, her voice starting to sound fatigued from the relatively long conversation. 

"I... uhm." Yongsun looked away. "You're my dance partner. You're making me lose days of practice. You know how Mr. Kim is."

"Sorry," Moon Byulyi sounded genuinely mortified. "I couldn't help it, I couldn't even -"

"I know," Yongsun said matter of factly, only the slightest note of reassurance in her voice. "I know now. Let's try and get you better, alright? So you can come back to practice and stop being a nuisance."

"Okay," Moon Byulyi said, too weak to protest.

"Let's see... are you taking any medicine for your eye?"

"Antibiotics, but they ran out yesterday," the younger girl sighed. "The prescription is on the nightstand," she gestured feebly.

Yongsun grabbed the piece of paper, put it in her pocket, and then continued. "Have you eaten today?" 

"No," Moon Byulyi lowered her eyes when her stomach decided to grumble at that exact moment, answering the question in its own way.

Yongsun chuckled. "Alright, I'm going to get your medicine and soup. When I get back, we'll eat, then you're going to take a shower because you stink." 

The younger girl's eyes seemed a little fearful hearing her unnie's words. "When are you gonna be back?"

Yongsun tapped her foot impatiently. "I'll be back when I'm back! Why, what's the matter?"

"Just... hurry up? It's good to have you here."

"Fine," Yongsun's gaze softened. "I'll try, stinky. You get some rest in the meantime. See you in a bit, Byulyi," she said, using the younger's girl name for the first time as she closed the door behind her.

.

Byulyi.

Yongsun unnie said my name so softly. 

She's so pretty and she smells nice.

She... Byulyi yawned, her head so heavy from the fever raging in her body. 

She... she fell asleep. 

.

The intense aroma of freshly cooked ramen assaulted Byulyi in her sleep and enticed her to open her eyes. 

.Her unfocused eyes scanned the room and finally found what she was looking for. "You're back," she addressed Yongsun.

"Yeah, why, did you think I was gonna leave you to starve in your own filth without your meds?" Yongsun did nothing to hide the amused contempt in her voice. "Get ready, stinky, it's time to eat."

Byulyi spent the whole time Yongsun was talking staring at her lips. An angel, that's what she was. A cranky angel, but an angel nonetheless.

"What are you staring at? Come on, you need to eat it hot," Yongsun walked impatiently towards Byulyi's bed.

Byulyi tried to move from her horizontal position but her body failed her. "I... uhm..." she wiggled helplessly, trying and failng to sit up.

"Stay," Yongsun commanded, and a stunned Byulyi felt Yongsun's cool hand right below her s, on the pit of her stomach. Byulyi was kept still while Yongsun pulled the pillows from under the younger girl's head and adjusted them against the frame of the bed. 

"Come on, now it should be easier to sit up," Yongsun encouraged her, her voice firm but gentle. "Good job," she continued, flashing Byulyi a kind smile when she finally managed to sit up. Something inside Byulyi warmed up, and the younger girl quietly took note of a dawning instinct to keep earning the older girl's praise. She'd make a good leader, she thought. 

"Eat," Yongsun went back to her old uncerimonious ways, placing a bowl of ramen and cutlery on Byulyi's lap. "I added some cheese, veggies and an egg so you get something nutritious into you at least. What are you waiting for? I'm not gonna feed you!"

Byulyi found the strenght to roll her eyes at Yongsun as she picked up her spoon and chopsticks. "I can manage, sorry to disappoint. I know you wanted to."

Yongsun rolled her eyes back. "You wish."

The two ate in silence, only their slurping and chewing sounds filling the room, until Byulyi put down her chopsticks in defeat halfway through her bowl. She closed her eyes, tired from the effort of eating, and rested her head on the frame of the bed.

"Hey, are you alright?" Yongsun asked, concern in her voice.

Byulyi nodded slowly. "Just tired," she sighed.

"Don't fall asleep," Yongsun admonished her. "We need to get you cleaned up."

Byulyi moaned in protest, sinking lower on her bed.

"You'll feel so much better after," Yongsun reasoned. "You're acting like a baby."

Byulyi covered her face with the sheet. She scrunched her nose at the smell coming from it, grateful that Yongsun couldn't see her.

"Those can't smell very fresh right now," Yongsun raised one eyebrow at no one in particular. "Come on, I'll change your sheets while you're showering." 

Byulyi moaned again in refusal. "I wanna go to sleep," she whined.

"Fine," Byulyi could hear the click of the door opening as Yongsun spoke. "I'm leaving then. Meds are on your nightstand. Enjoy your sleep."

"NO!" Byulyi's strenght momentarily came back to her as she pulled the sheet away from her face and sat up again, wincing as she did so. "I'm sorry. Please help me." She looked at Yongsun with an apology in her eyes. "Please don't leave yet," she added in a small voice.

Yongsun sighed. "Fine," she repeated. "Come on, get up." 

Byulyi slowly moved her feet to the floor and tried to lift her from the bed. She succeeded on the second try, but as soon as she was up, the little color she had on her cheeks vanished as her whole body swayed. She was prepared to fall back on the bed when she felt Yongsun right beside her, her arm supporting her back and a gentle hand cupping her cheek.

"Hey, hey. Steady," Yongsun murmured. 

"I don't feel well," Byulyi whimpered, allowing the older girl to support part of her weight.

"I know you don't, Byul-ah," Byulyi's heart warmed up hearing the older girl inject such familiarity into her name. "Why don't I help you out in the bathroom?" Yongsun asked as they walked together down the corridor towards the bathroom, earnest concern in her voice. 

Even in her pitiful state, Byulyi seized the opportunity to be cheeky. "I knew you were here just to take advantage of me."

"Alright, suit yourself then," Yongsun replied, but she had a smile on her lips and she didn't let go of Byulyi.

"If you don't stand guard while I'm in the shower I'm gonna fall down and die." 

"I'm glad you're aware." 

"No naughty hands though."

"If you don't shut up right now I'll stick your roommate's hairbrush up your ."

Yongsun and Byulyi slalomed through the dirty clothes cluttering the bathroom floor until they reached the moldy shower. 

"Everything stinks here," Yongsun assessed as she worked methodically to remove Byulyi's pjs. "Especially you."

Byulyi's hand on her arm stopped her as she was just about to unclasp her bra. "What?" 

"I'll take it off," Byulyi said coyly. " too. Don't look." 

Yongsun raised her eyebrow for the millionth time that day. "You don't have anything under there that I haven't already seen in the locker rooms at the company."

"I know," Byulyi admitted shyly. "But the company is the company and here is here. Turn around."

"How am I supposed to know if you need help in the shower if I turn around?!"

"You really want to feast your eyes on my body, don't you?" 

"Fine!" Yongsun turned around immediately before Byulyi had even finished teasing her. "As if I care."

"Yeah, yeah," Byulyi worked slowly to remove her underwear, occasionally steadying herself with a hand on Yongsun's shoulder. 

"I thought you were too weak to speak?" 

Byulyi chuckled as she entered the shower cabin. "My towel is the blue one."

The shower went without incident, and when Byulyi was ready to come out, Yongsun was waiting for her with the blue towel open in her arms and her eyes shut tightly. 

"You can open your eyes now," Byulyi said when her modesty was covered to her satisfaction. 

"Where's your clean underwear, pjs and sheets?" 

"Second and third drawer."

"Sit on the toilet," Yongsun pushed Byulyi down. "I'll be right back."

Byulyi sat shivering, with a bad feeling in her stomach. Now that Yongsun was almost done taking care of her basic necessities, she was going to leave and Byulyi would be left alone again. 

Yongsun came back into the bathroom and handed her a pair of clean pjs and underwear. "I'm gonna go change your sheets while you get dressed, okay?"

Byulyi nodded, as weak as she had been the entire day, but her mood visibly different. Yongsun gave her a questioning look, but, receiving no answer, she left and went back to Byulyi's bedroom. Byulyi dried off with her towel, her arms feeling like they weighed a ton each, and started to get dressed.

I couldn't possibly ask her to come back tomorrow. She already did way more than she had to. Maybe I'll feel good enough to show up for training tomorrow? Seems unlikely. But I can't ask her to come back. I want to ask her, though...

"Byulyi?" 

Byulyi's thoughts were interrupted as her eyes met Yongsun's.

"I put fresh sheets on your bed. You can go back to bed now. You need to take your meds."

"Thank you," Byulyi said, but didn't get up. "I, uhm. Unnie, you've been too kind already, but I wanted to ask you, uhm -"

"Listen, I saw that you have one more pair of clean pjs in your drawer. Can I borrow one and spend the night here? It's late, and it takes me an hour and a half subway ride to get to my house, and I'm worried about how you'll manage on your own. I need you to get healthy again so I don't have to look like a fool at dance practice doing the partnered exercises by myself again." 

Byulyi gawked. "I, uhm, yes. I have a double bed," was all she could reply, weak and awkward and not believing her luck.

"Duh," Yongsun . "I saw. I just changed the sheets on it."

Byulyi nodded, feeling more tired than ever, her body suddenly relaxing in the knowledge that Yongsun would spend the night there and would keep her safe and comfortable, in her own stern, brusque way. She got up on unsteady feet and walked towards the bedroom, this unnie that she barely knew and yet intutively trusted supporting her every step of the way. 

.

Ten years later.

"How are you feeling, Ddun?" Byulyi asked immediately as soon as her face appeared on the screen of Yongsun's phone. 

"Meh. Fever's kinda high but I'm feeling overall alright."

"How high?" Byulyi insisted, concerned. "I'm coming over."

"No you're not."

"Yong, I don't want you to be on your own -"

"Byul-ah, you're not getting Corona."

"I don't care about getting Corona!" 

"I care! Baby, we can't get Covid at the same time. It would mean basically outing ourselves. You know that. I'm doing okay, I promise."

 Byulyi sighed. "I know, I know. But I want to take care of you," she said softly. "You always took such good care of me when I needed you."

"Even when I barely knew you, remember?" Yongsun chuckled, causing herself a coughing fit.

Byulyi watched her go through it, her stomach twisting with helplessness. 

"I'm okay, I'm okay," Yongsun reassured her when she was done, taking a sip of water.

Byulyi's eyes softened. "I barely remember, to be honest," she picked up on the interrupted conversation. "I wasn't very lucid. But I do remember that you made me feel safe and comfortable, and you smelled nice."

"You didn't. You stank so bad."

"As if. I was sweaty and you love the way my sweat smells."

Yongsun rolled her eyes at the front camera of her phone, but her smile admitted defeat. "You know I lied to you that day?"

"You did?" Byulyi asked, surprised.

"I told you I needed to take care of you so you could come back to being my partner for dance practice. But one of the other trainees broke her arm or something the day I came to see you, so I knew I could actually train with her partner while you were out." 

Byulyi erupted in laughter. "And you told me that you only cared about me getting better because you needed a dance partner because you couldn't admit that you were just a big softie who cared about me since day one?" 

Yongsun let out a playful grunt. "Don't push it."

"A big softie who spoon fed me and stared at my while I was showering and tried my fever every twenty seconds."

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"I'm hanging up." 

"I love you, big softie."

"I love you too, ."

Author's note: Thank you for the prompt, moonbyulyissolar! Sorry this took so long to update. I wish I could spend my days writing Moonsun fanfics but alas, life gets in the way. I hope you like the story!