SEULGI was wearing her smug face when Jimin found her upstairs. She was looking at the first floor of the cafe like a proud parent before cooly going back to the seat where Joohyun usually sits.

“Seulgi-unnie, you are just a substitute for today. Please stop acting like you own the place.”

Jimin suddenly commented which caught Seulgi off-guard. Seulgi blushed in embarrassment.

“He-he-he…” Seulgi gave an awkward laugh while scratching the back of her head. “Do I really look like I am enjoying this?”

Jimin just smiled at Seulgi before placing a free coffee on her table. “This is the first time that Joohyun-unnie actually had to entrust the cafe to someone. She must really trust you, Miss ‘Bae Joohyun’s Girlfriend’.”

“Ayy~” Seulgi slapped the air while giggling. “Anyway, thanks for the coffee, Karina.”

“You’re doing some work, this coffee is nothing.” Jimin pulled the chair in front of Seulgi and sat there.

“Hey, hey, Miss Karina. Don’t you think it’s not the time to sit like that?” Seulgi asked with narrowed eyes.

The younger girl just scoffed at her before crossing her arms. “You’re really into the role, huh? Well, Miss Manager, it’s currently my break time.”

“Oh~” Seulgi suddenly shrunk in her seat. “I see, haha.”

“We also have Jiwon downstairs. Minjeong won’t be having a hard time.”

Seulgi’s eyebrows rose. “Ah, the newcomer. I didn’t know that you guys were hiring.”

“Well,” Jimin sighed and took a sip of Seulgi’s coffee. Seulgi just froze, asking herself if it was really her coffee. “We weren’t really looking for a part timer but we need one now.”

“Hm?”

Jimin leaned forward, placing her elbows on the table. “I’ll be quitting soon, Unnie. I will work until the end of the month.”

“Y-You’re what—“

“Sshhhh! Don’t be so loud, Unnie!” Jimin calmed Seulgi down. “If Minjeong finds out that I am talking to you during work then she will surely report me to Joohyun-unnie.”

“I thought it’s your break…” Seulgi forced a smile but completely ignored it right away. “But why are you quitting? Why so sudden? Does it have something to do with Hyejoon-ssi?”

Jimin just nodded. She was actually the reason for Hyejoon’s visit last time and not Joohyun. It just happened that Joohyun needed him at that time as well. It was actually Jimin that he came for.

“I’m being called back to the agency.” Jimin sighed while looking by the window. “I guess I really can’t escape my fate. I’m really born to be a…” she flipped her hair before facing Seulgi. “…star~”

“….Uh…” Seulgi awkwardly looked to her left and right with only her eyes moving. “Does Sunbae experience this everyday?”

Jimin chuckled at Seulgi’s reaction. “What I am saying is that I need to go back to training even though I already gave it up. They seem to really like me there. The other trainees and staff even wrote me a letter to convince me to come back.”

“You must be really good at performing, Karina.” Seulgi nodded.

“Are you going to support me when I debut?” Jimin slyly asked.

“Of course, you are my—ehem—girlfriend’s right hand. I must cheer you on.” A flying receipt from the other customer actually slapped Seulgi on the face that time but she just ignored it as if she was already used to that kind of situation.

The younger girl chuckled at the cuteness of the older girl. “Thank you, Unnie~”

Jimin took another sip of the coffee which made Seulgi scratch her cheek.

“Anyway, you said you gave it up once. You must have a heavy reason why, why are you going back then?”

Seulgi’s question made Jimin pout. “Our family is very poor, you know? Being a trainee means I’m piling debts to my agency. So, when I thought that there’s no hope, I just quit. I decided to just study while still doing part time jobs. But then there’s that guy…”

“That guy? You mean Hyejoon-ssi?” Seulgi asked. She was about to reach for the cup of coffee but Jimin beat it to that.

“Yes, it’s Hyejoon-oppa.” Jimin answered after gulping. “He told me he would take care of everything as long as I get back. He said I should finish this semester so I can come back to studying anytime if all else fails but he also said that I should quit doing part time jobs so I can focus on the training. I’ve been out of the curriculum for a long time anyway. My skills need some re-polishing.”

Seulgi let out a sigh then pressed her lips together. “Hyejoon-ssi must’ve seen something really special in you.”

The older girl watched how Karina’s fists balled. “That’s why I am grabbing the opportunity. If it’s him then there must really be something special in me! I’m going to do my best so I can make it to the next selection. I don’t want to fail him.”

“I believe you will do well, Karina. You don’t have to worry, if it happens that you really have to go back to studying then this Unnie can always grant you scholarship~”

Jimin’s eyes started sparkling after what she heard. “Wow, Seulgi-unnie~ You flex so hard!”

The other girl just laughed. She wasn’t actually talking about her parents’ money. She could always sell stocks and buy them again whenever she gets her allowance back. In that case, it would be safe that it is her money that she’s using.

“Anyway,” Seulgi’s face suddenly turned serious. “What about Winter? Does she know about you quitting?”

“Minjeong?” Jimin asked as she leaned back to her chair. “What about Minjeong?”

“Hm?” Seulgi tilted her head to the side. “I thought you girls are really close. You also share the same dorm room, right? She’d be really sad if you leave.”

“Ah, that?” Jimin gave out a meaningful smile. “It’s okay. I don’t even think it would bother her if I leave.”

“W-What do you mean—”

“Alright~ That’s all for my short break~” Jimin stood up and took some stretches. “Thanks for your time, Seulgi-unnie~”

Seulgi wanted to know what’s going on but she felt like she wasn't in the right position to ask. But she’s sure that there’s something more between the two. Something that’s a bit more than friendship.

“Ah, before I forget for the nth time, can I ask you one thing, Unnie?” Jimin asked while blankly looking at the half-empty coffee mug.

“Sure, as long as it is not maths.” Seulgi answered with a wide sneer.

“I am just really curious, how come you have already given nicknames to all of us here, including Jiwon who just started this week, but I have never heard you call Joohyun-unnie with a nickname?”

“Ah…” Seulgi lowered her head to hide her uncontrollable smile. “I am just really shy to call her by a nickname. Calling her Joohyun-sunbae has already grown on me too.”

“But you do have a nickname for you, don’t you? You’re really good at giving nicknames though. I believe whatever it is, it would fit Joohyun-unnie perfectly!” Jimin asked while leaning a bit to her senior, trying to get a better view of Seulgi’s blushing face.

“Of course, I have a nickname for Sunbae. I’ve written diaries before and whenever she’s mentioned, I use my nickname for her.”

“Ohh~” Jimin gave her a few nods. “That’s really interesting and a bit creepy as well. I wonder what you wrote about Joohyun-unnie in your diary.”

“It’s a secret~ I’m not telling you.” Seulgi answered with a forced smile. “Also, it’s not creepy! It was a healthy obsession!”

Jimin straightened her back. “You say so~ I am just really worried about Joohyun-unnie, you know?”

“Worried? About what?”

Jimin just shrugged her shoulders and turned her back to Seulgi. “Who knows? She might also want to be called with a nickname from you, you know? She’s the only one you don’t call with one. She might think that she’s being left out.”

Jimin went downstairs right after that. She actually took the coffee with her and told Seulgi that she would send a new cup through Jiwon.

Seulgi fell deep into her thoughts after that conversation with Jimin.

‘Sunbae feeling left out because she’s the only one without a nickname? She’s my girlfriend though? Why would she feel left out when she’s the woman I am crazy about?’

Seulgi then minimised the file on her Sunbae’s laptop to get another view of Joohyun’s marvellous wallpaper—it’s a picture of the two of them. She started grinning at it like a fool once again.

‘I wonder if Sunbae actually likes to be called with a nickname. Should I ask her later?’

Her phone suddenly rang an alarm which she immediately turned off.

“Right, right~ Time for the meds~”

WITH heart beating loudly because of her nerves, Joohyun entered the room where the current Ahn Head is currently waiting. She entered together with her mother, Hyunmi.

This is the first time in a long, long while that she would be meeting her uncle. After she officially declined the nomination to be the next head of the prestigious clan, Joohyun also stopped attending family gatherings. She's nervous that her uncle might actually find her sudden interest in the position suspicious.

Well, she thought that it was inevitable. It's like she's going back to pick the trash that she has already thrown away.

Sitting in the middle of the long dining table is Ahn Jaejin, the current Ahn clan head and the president of one of the biggest automotive companies in Korea. Sitting in perfect posture on his right side of the table is none-other than his daughter, Ahn Yujin, who immediately stood up when Joohyun and her mother went inside.

“Good evening, Aunt Hyunmi, Joohyun-unnie.” Yujin politely greeted them with a bow.

“Good evening, Yujinie.” Hyunmi greeted with a wide smile on her face. “You really don’t fail with your manners. You even greeted us first.”

Hyunmi then turned to her brother while Joohyun followed her shortly after. The two bowed at the Clan Head who remained seated.

“Good evening, Jaejin-oppa.” Hyunmi greeted him.

“Good evening, Uncle Jaejin.” Joohyun greeted right after her mother.

“Same goes for the two of you.” Jaejin answered, just his voice is already overwhelming with authority. “Please take your seats. Joohyun-ah, sit opposite Yujin.”

“Yes, Uncle.”

The appetiser came in shortly after they were seated. When Jaejin lifted up his utensils, they all started eating.

"Already graduating from university, right?" the clan head asked, his eyes on his food.

Joohyun straightened her back first before answering her uncle. "Yes, I am already in my final semester."

"Plans after graduation?" Jaejin asked while trying to figure out what's wrong with the soup.

"I am planning to take a short break then take Masters most probably after a year." Joohyun articulately answered without any stammering at all.

"What's stopping you from taking Masters right away? You know that time is precious, Joohyun. Don't you think i