Haebyeol awoke the next morning to find her cellphone disconnected from the call. Smiling briefly, she also noticed that Ava was out of bed and getting dressed. "Ah, good thing I didn't have to wake you," Ava chuckled, eyeing Haebyeol brightly. "Get dressed, we're going to the practice studio today."
Haebyeol nodded shortly, pocketing her phone and stumbling out into the bathroom in a daze.

"I'm going to your goodbye stage, I know that for sure," Lu Han told her. Haebyeol could almost detect the smile in his voice; it was soft and subtle, but she was sure she could hear it. She imagined it, imagined him trying to hide it with the back of his hand -- a habit he picked up for whenever he was embarassed. "And what about you? When are you going to come to my concerts?"
"Mianhe, oppa, but you know I'm busy."
"As long as you're not meeting up with other guys, oppa won't be mad."
"Yah," Haebyeol whispered, hushing her voice. She blushed profusely. "Are you crazy? Saying things like that." Her voice trailed into an incoherent mumble as she rolled her eyes at his pertruding laughter.
"It's late," he announced, pushing the topic aside. "Go to bed."

"Araseo," Haebyeol muttered. "Good night."
"Night, Byeollie."

Her toothbrush hung from as she gazed at herself dreamily in the mirror. "Ah, Byeollie, snap out of it."
"Seems like unnie is lovesick or something," Hannie jeered.
"Yah, don't even start. At least I don't just storm out of the dormitories into the rain just because I'm upset," Haebyeol argued defensively, pouting as the ed the toothbrush in hand across her teeth.

Hannie stuck her tongue out, only to have it pushed back in by Haebyeol's finger.

"Yah!" Hannie cried, sputtering. "Your finger is salty!"
"Omo!" Haebyeol blinked incredulously at her dongsaeng before rinsing . She left Hannie alone in the bathroom, thumping her on the back of the head one last time before taking her leave to get herself dressed.

"Oh, wait, Byeol! Did you hang up yet?"
"Ani... waeyo?"
"I forgot to tell you that I missed you," Lu Han chuckled. "Let's meet up soon, okay?"
"Mm," Haebyeol hummed before thoughtfully considering it. "I'm going to be really busy though," she whispered. "Mian, oppa, but I don't think I'll have any free time anytime soon."
"Araseo.. I'm just saying, Byeollie-ah. Don't make oppa wait too long for you, okay?"
"...Mm, ne."

Haebyeol shrugged it off and threw on her practice clothes, sighing to herself. She let out another deep exhale before resting her slender hand across her chest. Under her touch, she could feel the quickening pace of her heart beating against her ribcage. "Aish, Baek Haebyeol," she murmured to herself. "What is the matter with you?"

Bodies scattered across the floor -- seven of them, to be precise. Seven bodies sprawled out their own individual limbs as they were in disarray across the cool mahagony-glazed grounds; the warm figures soaked up as much of the cool exterior of the floor as they could, and groaning in tire and fatigue. "I hate practice, aish jincha!" Vivien complained.
Haebyeol held her flaming head, and blinked up at the fluorescent lights hanging above her, silently heaving to herself. Beside her lay Hannie and Kisa, squirming around like children, whining incessantly over the heat.

Anna was the first to sit up, wiping the sweat off her brow. "I think this is enough for today; we've been at this for six hours already."
"Let's go get something to eat while we're at it!" Kyo Jin offered. "We haven't been out to eat together yet!"
Ava nodded, "I agree."
"Okay!"

However, their manager had other plans for them. "Yang Hyun Suk-nim actually wants to see you after you're done with practice," the frail man announced. "He has plans to discuss about your comeback, I think?"
"Comeback, already?!" Hannie exclaimed. "Yah, ahjusshi, is Abeoji crazy or something?! We just debuted!"
The manager chuckled, watching Anna nudge Hannie's head. "Be polite, he's older than you are," Anna chided softly.
"He just wants to discuss the concept," the manager informed the girls, "he has not yet come up with a particular sound or dance. He just wants to get a basic blueprint down first, so if you're finished, get yourselves washed up. We should be in his office as soon as we can, before it gets too late."

"Ne!"

"Woah," Hannie mused, picking up the posters. "It's y!"
"Kinda revealing, don't you think?" Ava blinked, poking at the outfit sketches.

Yang Hyun Suk shook his head. "It's not like you guys are too young. Hannie's 17, but her mental age doubles her actual age, so I find it okay to do this," he demurred, picking up a sketch. "It's going to be... y, but classy. Tasteful with an edge. Not only that, but after your comeback single releases, I'm planning to have you guys work on your solo stuff, as well."
"Abeoji, isn't this a bit much?" Anna inquired. "We just debuted."
"True," Yang Hyun Suk agreed, "but I just want to get a head start on this. I've never had one of my groups be so popular after their debut. You guys have been number one on the charts for two consecutive weeks now. If we don't start planning ahead and if we aren't careful, we could lose that spot. You girls are doing absolutely and exceptionally well. I just want to step it up a notch so we can be absolutely and exceptionally fantastic with your comeback."
The seven girls nodded understandingly, eyeing their father-like figure. "So.. have you thought of a song title? or maybe, a sound?" Haebyeol questioned sweetly.

"Are you sure the audience won't think we're trying to cosplay as a Dominatrix squad?" Kyo Jin catechized, arching a brow. Vivien stifled her laughter, turning her head away from Hyun Suk's flabberghasted expression.
"No, they won't," he chuckled, "I promise you."
"And so," he resumed, eyeing his blossoming 'daughters', "I have a title I want to use. It's been in the song title vault for a while now, and I think it will definitely suit you girls. You have the potential to fully carry it out."
"What is it?" Kisa demanded elatedly.

"Dr. Feel Good."

"Woah!" The chorus of girls echoed across the dark office room, as they blinked astoundedly at Hyun Suk. 
"ual," Hannie sniggered. "When will we be performing our goodbye stage?"
"Your goodbye stage should be somewhere close to mid-September, if not, then near the end of September. Then, for the next three months following your goodbye stage, you will be working on your comeback single. You'll be getting makeovers, you'll be in the practice studio for several hours a day, and we will be guiding you to the studio to prepare your comeback album as well. All this, in three month's time is a lot of work, so prepare yourselves," Hyun Suk explained. "We should come back around mid-December to around the beginning to January. It's not set, but that's the estimated time."
The girls nodded. "Dr. Feel Good?" Anna nodded slowly, absorbing the meeting's crucial information whilst jotting it down in her notebook. "And about the solo stuff...?"

"We'll take care of that after Dr. Feel Good," Hyun Suk grinned. "I'm entrusting you to this, so work hard and don't disappoint me, araseo?"
"Ne, Abeoji."

"He's crazy!" Ava declared, throwing herself numbly onto the couch. "Masquerade, good bye stage, then BOOM! We go right into practice for our comeback. When do we get a vacation!?"
"Never," Daesung chuckled, resting himself at the girls' dining table. Jiyong followed him, grabbing himself a bottle of water on the way. 
"Exactly," Jiyong agreed.  "So we just came to wish you the best of luck. We heard that Abeoji held a meeting with you, and we got worried."
"Thanks," Anna chuckled.
"Means alot," Vivien beamed, stealing a chip from Seungri's bowl.

"Yah!"
"Don't 'yah' me!" Vivien scolded. "My name is Vivien, not yah!"
"Well, I'd still rather call you Princess," Seungri mumbled, inhaling as many chips as he could.
"Because I am one," Vivien smiled. And with that, she trotted back into the living area, placing herself between Ava and Haebyeol. "I'm so tired!"

Haebyeol stretched herself out before sprawling herself across Vivien's lap. "I know, I am too."
"Well, if anything," TOP remarked. "I think the only thing we can tell you as sunbae's is that you should just keep up the good work. You're doing really well now, for rookies, and it's making Abeoji happy."
Taeyang nodded. "So whatever you're doing now, just keep doing it."

Kyo Jin rolled her eyes, just as Kisa did. "You guys make is sound a lot easier," Hannie mumbled, throwing herself onto the beanbags in the corner.
"Do you realize how popular you guys are?" Jiyong questioned innocently. "You guys are blowing up the radio stations, the music charts; I hear your songs all over in Gangnam and Myeongdong."
TOP nodded. "And really, it's getting annoying."

The girls laughed, shaking their heads.

"Welcome to the idol life," Daesung giggled.
"If anything," Taeyang smiled warmly, "just come to us and we'll help you as much as we can."

Anna smirked lightly, placing herself into the seat next to Daesung's chair, facing Taeyang as she seated herself across him. "We really appreciate it, so thanks."
"No problem," he muttered, clearing his throat, shying away his gaze.

Haebyeol knitted her eyebrows together, ignoring the movie entirely, for her eyes were glued to her phone. She ignored Hannie's constant jabs to her side, and simply brushed her off, not evening noticing the small pout on her maknae's lips. "Unnie!"
"Yah, watch the movie," Kisa mumbled, "you're being distracting to me."

Haebyeol nodded, clearing apologeticaly before walking over to the front door. She pulled her cardigan off of the coat rack and slipped it on, whilst pushing her small feet into her flats. "I said to watch the movie, not leave," Kisa called out, blinking puzzledly at her subordinate.
"I know," Haebyeol laughed quietly, brushing some of her hair back behind her ear. "It's just.. I have something to take care of."
"Are you going to the convenience store?" Hannie inquired boldly.
Haebyeol nodded. "I need to go pick up some tampons and stuff," she replied, lying cleanly through her teeth. "Do you guys need anything?"

Hannie walked down the corridors, going into the bedrooms, asking if anyone needed anything.

Kisa only shook her head. "No, thanks."
"Unnie!" Hannie beamed, holding out a list toward Haebyeol. 
"Ne?"
"This is from Anna-unnie; she wrote down all the necessities to buy."
"Ah, araseo," Haebyeol smiled. "I'll be back soon. If anything, just call me, okay?"

Kisa and Hannie nodded, waving her off before shutting the door after her.

And now, Haebyeol resumed her staring contest with her phone.

"Come outside, Byeollie! :)  -Lu Han"

She stared at the text and rolled her eyes, shuffling out of the dormitory building and to the car park. She bounced up and down on her heels looking around apprehensively. "Aish, that pabbo," she muttered to herself. Five minutes had passed, and not a familiar face had cross her, so she decided to just let it up and walk across the street to the convenience store.
"I said to come outside ten minutes ago, and I'm the pabbo? You're the one just came out now; who taught you to keep your elders waiting out in this heat?"

"Yah!"

Lu Han grinned boyishly, adorned in casual attire with his beanie and sunglasses to top it off. "What are you doing here?" Haebyeol barked worriedly. "Shouldn't you be at practice or in the studio? Yah, oppa."
"Don't worry so much," Lu Han chided her jokingly as he ruffled her her. He earned himself a scolding glare, which only caused him to laugh. "Seriously, don't worry. I wouldn't come out if it got me in trouble."
"Then why did you come out?" Haebyeol demanded, strolling to go purchase the needed items.

Lu Han simply followed, shrugging. "If I didn't initiate this meeting, you would've made me wait...for a long time, too."

They strolled quietly into the store, Haebyeol silent with Lu Han casually lugging himself behind her. "You would've, right?" he asked gently.

Haebyeol bit her lip, grasping for a basket from the rack and walking over to the shampoo and body wash section. She tried her best to engross herself in picking out a nice brand, but Lu Han's smiling face in the corner of her eye was immensely distracting. "Oppa --"
"Am I not right?" he inquired, cocking a brow.
Haebyeol sighed. "It's not that, it's just... you know how it is," she pouted, drawing a heart chuckle from her companion. She her lips, briefly stealing a glimpse of Lu Han. Awkwardly, she had managed to catch him eyeing her lips for just a millisecond before he locked his eyes with hers. He shot her an amiable smiling, shrugging.

He took the basket from her hands and snagged the paper away from her. "I'll help you do shopping, now that I'm here." His eyes glittered with mischief and she scoffed at him; his famous, boyish grin stretched out across his lips as he motioned for her to follow. "So what brand of tampons do you usually get?"
"Yah!"
"If you don't want me to know, then it'd be best if you just follow!" he called, teasing her with his childish laughter. As much as she wanted to deny it, Haebyeol just couldn't, so instead, she followed after her sienna-haired friend, giggling at his weird antics. Averting her gaze every now and then, she would nudge him whenever he said something embarassing. "Stop being so weird," she would scold him.

And as much as she hated it, she was definitely taking too much time in the store. Their meeting soon had to come at the end, and with that thought, Haebyeol sighed mentally to herself. Exiting the shop, she could only smile at Lu Han, who had made himself comfortably by draping his arm over her shoulder. "Have fun?" he catechized warmly.
Haebyeol nodded, quietly striding over to the dormitory building. "Sorry... for being so busy," she whispered finally as they came to a stop in front of the entrance. Lu Han only shook his head, slumping his shoulders with disappointment. "It can't be helped," he whispered back.
He tucked her hair behind her ear and patted her head humorously, a smile tracing his pink lips. "You know," he muttered, halting Haebyeol from opening the entrance door. "It's times like these that I..." his voice wavered slightly as his brows knitted together in scorn. "It's times like these that I wish I had Tao's power of time control," he remarked wistfully.

Despite the humour behind his word play and brief allusion to his band member's role and position, his expression was hard. Haebyeol couldn't help but bite her lip and ruffle her hair slightly as she stood under his scrutinizing gaze. "I'm sorry," she repeated. Was it her fault for not being able to spend time with her best friend? She had her own life, too, especially now. And he knew that, Haebyeol thought, so why was he being so difficult with spending time with her all of a sudden? It was always like this; sometimes they couldn't meet up in person, but they were always sure to at least call or text. But... what was wrong with that? They had their own lives; they've come to accept that a long time ago, so what's wrong now? She wanted to ask him, wanted to interrogate him, put him on the spot. She wanted answers, but she didn't have the willpower to even start.

"Go in," he mumbled softly, tearing off his beanie.

Haebyeol couldn't see his eyes behind his dark sunglasses, but she could already predict the tears b his eyes. He was usually sensitive, and she knew it; he was like this, too, when he was forced to go to China and was forced to separate from Sehun. "Oppa --"
"I'll call you tonight, so don't sleep until I do," he interjected. But this time, instead of saying it with a smile, it was brief, masked with solemnity and contained traces of bitterness. He lines were pursed into a tight line. "Later, Haebyeol."
Haebyeol gaped at him slightly, mouth hanging. Did I do something? He never called her by her first name. It was always either Byeol or Byeollie. She stood, astounded, and quite dumbfounded, staring after his retreating figure, watching him stalk off slowly. "Yah, oppa!"

But she was ignored, and he had already turned around the corner. 

"Yah, what the heck is wrong with you?" she whispered. From the happy, cheerful bubble of joy, he had turned into some sulking kid -- she didn't like it. Her mind scattered itself apart, trying to figure what she had done or said to get him to sulk that much. Aish, this guy.