Chapter 4 

 

“Rumour has it that you’re dating what’s her name—Yoona, was it?” Wooyoung flopped onto the couch next to Yuri, waving a magazine in his right hand.

 

“Nonsense,” Yuri averted her gaze to the wooden leg of the table, suddenly very interested in it.

 

“See!” Wooyoung flipped open the magazine to the first page and there it was, the header:

 

Top Idol Kwon Yuri spotted with younger college student? Sighting sparks netizen’s interest in the matter.

 

“Oh my! Yuri’s clothes were the same on the second and first day! She stayed the night at that girl’s house!”

 

“Who is the girl?”

 

“They look quite cute together, kyaa!”

 

“Is that her sister?”

 

“They’re dating? No way! They’re both girls!”

 

Yuri rolled her eyes and brushed the tabloid off the table.

 

“Rubbish, that’s rubbish, don’t bring it here.” Yuri said, running a hand through her hair.

 

Wooyoung shrugged, before tossing the pieces of paper into the bin by the side.

 

“By the way,” Wooyoung leant forward with one elbow on his denim-covered thigh, “You’re going to have a new manager.”

 

Yuri’s mouth fell open.

 

“What?”

 

Wooyoung shrugged apologetically as he crooked a finger, beckoning for someone to come into the office.

 

A tall woman with slightly cropped hair walked in, a crooked, loud grin on her face.

 

“You promised me buffet, Woo, where’s it?” She demanded jokingly, cocking an eyebrow.

 

Wooyoung laughed, “In good time, after I get back from Taiwan. I have…erm, parents, to visit and I’ll be gone for quite a while. Help them with farmwork and everything, so, Yuri, I need to take leave and Sooyoung’s going to be your manager in that time span.”

 

Wooyoung snapped his fingers, “Oh yes, also remember that the choreographer is my cousin, and she will be going to Taiwan for me with that break. I have found you a replacement, though,” he smiled at Yuri’s look of disbelief, “her name is Kim Hyoyeon. I’m sure you’ll enjoy working with Sooyoung and Hyoyeon, I’ve heard positive feedback about both of them. Hyoyeon, you’ll meet tomorrow. I’m flying tonight, so, best of luck, I need to be on my way soon.”

 

Sooyoung, although looking rather dissatisfied that she didn’t get her promised buffet, walked straight right up to Yuri and slung an arm around her neck.

 

“Ace idol, hmm? I’ll enjoy working with you,” she pulled away, not before ruffling Yuri’s hair.

 

Yuri winced slightly but she could tell that she would be close to Sooyoung soon.

 

She enjoyed people with Sooyoung’s style.

 

“Okay, I heard that your schedule resumes next week. True or false?” Sooyoung asked.

 

“Uh…true?”

 

“Next week, you have a packed schedule. Kim wants you to perform at some Korean concert in China, and then you have three interviews, a photoshoot, one commercial and not to mention, your weekly Music Bank, Music Core and Inkigayo stages.”

 

Yuri groaned mentally.

 

“If everything’s alright, can we go and get some dinner?” Sooyoung grinned, eyes lighting up.

 

“Dinner…?”

 

Yuri pondered.

 

She didn’t really have anything on so maybe—

 

Before she was done thinking, she was shoved into Sooyoung’s car and it peeled out of the car park lot faster than Yuri could say no.

 

 *

 

Everything had more or less returned to normal.

 

Sunny was back from her short stay at Paris, Yoona continued hanging with Sunny and Seohyun, and Yuri was back in her idol life.

 

Yoona knew better than to expect Yuri to come back to school and give her coffee every morning like she used to.

 

In fact, Yuri hardly did nowadays, but she did have the tendency to send Yoona encouraging messages in the morning that never failed to get her out of bed to start the day like:

 

I can’t go to Dongguk today again TT Hng, sorry! Hwaiting, though, learn something useful in school~ ^^ Have a great day ahead keke (:

 

Sunny would constantly catch Yoona staring at her phone screen every time Yuri’s message ringtone would sound, a large subconscious idiotical grin on her face.

 

Sunny, of course, was undoubtedly jealous of the special relationship Yoona had with Yuri, but truthfully, it was all due to Yoona that Sunny herself had gotten round to even seeing Yuri, which was the actual reason why Sunny wasn't that jealous.

 

Occasionally, Yoona would allow Sunny to chat with Yuri for a short while, but she never ever gave complied to give Sunny Yuri's number, because she knew that if she did, Yuri would be in deep trouble. 

 

Just as Yoona was caught smiling at her phone again, an announcement was made through the system.

 

“We have finally decided on the director for the end of year movie inconjunction to our school’s year 4 and 5s graduates.”

 

Curious whispers started but they all stopped once they realised what it was about.

 

“The director will be Im Yoona, who has won with a strikingly unique poetic piece. Yes, she has come up with an interesting storyline, and not only that, 

but like I had earlier said, her meaningful and purposeful poem. Very well done, Im Yoona.”

 

Yoona squealed, clutching onto Sunny’s arm.

 

“Okay, okay, down!” Sunny laughed, patting Yoona on the back.

 

“Good job, Yoona, I’ll be looking forward to this movie.” Sunny grinned, hugging Yoona.

 

“I’ll do so well!”

 

Yoona jumped up and down and ran all over the library with Sunny.

 

The two only stopped when Seohyun gave them glares, but Yoona was too excited to notice.

 

*

 

“Yoona?”

 

Yoona dumped her bag by the side of her door, still in high spirits upon knowing that she had gotten the role of director.

 

However, her heart sank when she saw the woman sitting on the couch in the living room, tipping a cup to her lips to drink the tea.

 

“Yoona, you’re home.” The woman smiled slowly.

 

Yoona cracked a smile for the sake of doing it.

 

“Yeah, I’m just going to—”

 

“Why don’t you sit down? It’s been long since I’ve been home and I want to know about your life. How’s school?” Yoona’s aunt offered a cup of tea to Yoona but Yoona shook her head.

 

“If it’s about the company again, I really don’t want to do it.”

 

Her aunt pursed her lips thoughtfully, “Your parents would be so proud.”

 

Speaking about Yoona’s parents always gave Yoona’s heart a squeeze and her aunt knew that, which was why she constantly used Yoona’s deceased dad and mother to get Yoona to do things that Yoona didn’t want to.

 

“I have a dream. I want to be a director, not a businesswoman.” Yoona said rationally.

 

“I know, honey, but after I go, we want to keep Im Company going, don’t we? And well, your mother did get me to help take care of you before she left.” Her aunt sighed dramatically as she lifted her golden spectacles up the bridge of her nose.

 

Yoona’s aunt had never been the caring type. She concentrated solely on work (Yoona couldn’t blame her, her aunt worked for the sake of ensuring bread on the table), but that wasn’t the bad thing. She went to clubs, drank until she was dead drunk and the next day was spent in bed trying to nurse her self-caused hangover. That wasn’t all. Her aunt was the overbearing type—if she asked you to do it, you jolly well did, unless you had a valid reason (given that she would actually listen). Most of the time, though, you never had a reason that was good enough for her and that was what Yoona disliked about her aunt the most.

 

“No, I really want to be a director, you don’t understand. Give me a chance to pursue my dreams, okay?”

 

Her aunt set the cup of tea on the table, the steam from it wafting up to greet Yoona’s glum face.

 

“Yoona honey, I really want to say this only once. You have to continue working in the company and running it! You are my sole recipient.”

 

“I don’t think that stands for anything."

 

“Oh yes, not when you’re in a scandal with Korea’s greatest idol, right?”

 

Yoona mentally cursed.

 

.

 

Yoona swallowed, waiting for her aunt to start chiding her or something. She’d forgotten that her aunt would catch sight of the circulating tabloids anyway.

 

“Dear, dear me. She stayed over at our house? I know, I’m busy and everything, and now I’ve taken the opportunity to visit you during one of my rare breaks, but you? Ah, I see, you were helping her, weren’t you?” her aunt responded unkindly to Yoona’s attempts to make herself look better a little. 

 

“You could’ve sent her back or something, you know,” her aunt's voice was dangerously soft.

 

“If word gets out,” her aunt stopped and let out a sarcastic chuckle, “oh wait, it already has, that you like girls and want to get married to one, our company would crumble to bits, you know that, right?”

 

Her aunt went on, “And you don’t want to let your parents' hard work crumble to nothing, right?”

 

Yoona suddenly felt like she had no oxygen in her lungs and she nodded tightly, keeping her eyes firmly on the cup of tea.

 

“I’ve arranged a blind date for you,” her aunt smiled, “he’s the head of Choi Company, and his name is Choi Siwon. You must build a strong relationship with him.”

 

“But…”

 

“No buts, honey, tonight’s the date. He’ll pick you up at seven.”

 

Yoona ignored the choking feeling as she got up shakily on two legs.

 

“And you don’t want to let your parents' hard work crumble to nothing, right?”

 

*

 

“Yeah, you pop like this. See, lock your muscles and—boom, boom, boom.” Hyoyeondemonstrated, dancing in front of the mirrors.

 

“What concept is this? It’s—tiring.” Yuri muttered, doing a wave before locking her muscles and ing her hip. Sweat trickled down the side of her flushed face as she continued dancing. 

 

“It’s called driving the boys crazy. I know, it’s tiring, which is why one must always go for girls instead.” Hyoyeon laughed.

 

But she quickly added, “Not me, though, I enjoy tough game.”

 

Yuri grinned.

 

She was enjoying her dancing lessons more than she thought she would.

 

Who was the lousy choreographer before that—was it Eunjung? She never really gave Yuri difficult dance pieces and stuck solely to fairy-princess prancing. Well, it was a refreshing change that allowed Yuri to realise her real dancing skills.

 

“Okay, good job, one more time from the top and break for you.” Hyoyeon clapped, before walking to the stereo to replay the dance number.

 

Yuri nodded, running her tongue across her lower lip.

 

“Let’s go, 1, 2 Step.”

 

 *

 

Yoona didn’t want to do it.

 

For one, she didn’t want to go on the blind date. Secondly, she didn’t want to, like her aunt had said, cause her parents' hard work to crumble to nothing at all by throwing away the company’s image.

 

She was stuck in a spot and had no idea what to do.

 

Maybe it’s best I just go on the blind date and try to forget Yuri.

 

She wasn’t exceptionally sure what she felt for Yuri—in that myriad of emotions was there love? Or hatred? Or care? Or concern? One thing for sure though, it was definitely something akin to the antonym of hatred. 

 

She ceased to know and it deeply infuriated her, but what could she do? It was her feelings: if she didn’t know how she felt, who would?

 

No, I need to forget Yuri, I need to. I need to marry someone like Siwon and have kids, maybe start a directing company in the future. But for now, I need 

to forget Yuri and…

 

The loud ring of the doorbell jerked Yoona back to reality and when the door opened, a handsome guy in a polished suit was there, mega-watt smile and dimples in place.

 

“I’m Siwon. Shall we go?”

 

No, no, no, we shall not.

 

“Okay.”

 

 *

 

[Kwon Yuri] What are you doing? ^^

 

Sent at 5.46 pm.

 

Yuri tilted her head and stared at the clock.

 

Her schedule was relatively free after ten at night and since she already visited the gym that morning, she decided to relax the night away.

 

The clock read 8.50pm.

 

Yuri’s eyebrows creased into a frown—Yoona never ever answered later than an hour after the message was sent.

 

[Kwon Yuri] Hing TT____TT are you not bored?

 

Sent at 8.51pm.

 

It was probably stupid or stupid—but Yuri realised that she missed her.

 

She missed that girl with the large smile, shining eyes and soft hair. She missed her so bad.

 

“I miss you,”

 

It was a scarce whisper not meant for anyone to hear.

 

It plainly served as another reminder to why Yuri wanted to see Yoona so much.

 

*

 

Yoona stared at the glass of sparkling liquid before her.

 

She picked the glass up, swirling the wine before bringing it to her lips and tilting her head back to taste.

 

Her face scrunched up at the strong taste before she placed the glass back on the table.

 

“Don’t like it?” Siwon laughed.

 

She didn’t respond and although his face fell a bit, he offered a napkin to her.

 

Yoona should’ve found him nice—no, not just nice—charming, handsome, rich, perfect, awesome, cool, gentlemanly, everything a typical girl would dream of.

 

But no.

 

She didn’t.

 

Rather than feeling pleased that he was clearly head over heels in love with her, she felt a little bit of repulsion—no, he wasn’t bad, not in the least.

 

She just, very simply, did not feel that they fit together.

 

She didn’t feel (cliché as it sounds) any tingle when he pulled her into a hug andwhispered something about meeting again soon.

 

The only thing she could think of and concentrate on when his expensive car sped down the highway was the fact that she had been ignoring every single one of that specialperson’s messages.

 

The one that gave her that tingle. The one that made her lust.

 

The one that might as well have been her everything.

 

*

 

“Yeah, Switzerland.” Yoona nodded as the proposal was stuffed into her fingers.

 

“Filming set is in Switzerland? And your cast?” Her teacher stared at the notebook before him, scribbling down the bits of information on it.

 

“My selected casts are Seohyun, Jiyoung, Eunji, Taeyang, Seunghyun, Hoya, and Namjoo.”

 

“Okay, you’ve also told me your rational expense. The school will take your proposal into consideration.”

 

Yoona nodded, thoroughly excited for the movie that she would be directing all the way in Switzerland.

 

It was like a dream come true.

 

“Tomorrow I’ll get it confirmed, and if everything’s fine, we fly next week.”

 

Yoona grinned.

 

*

 

Jessica had been reflecting, she really had been.

 

“I was really expecting rejection, so this is better than it.”

 

She’d felt guilt stab at her heart when she heard those words falling from Tiffany’s lips, drowning Jessica in the countless meanings it could hold.

 

The guilt somehow also co-related to Yuri, and Jessica wasn’t actually sure why.

 

Who did she truly want?

 

Jessica swallowed, drumming her fingers on the hardwood.

 

Tiffany had been avoiding her, avoiding Jessica, and Jessica didn’t really need to ask why.

 

Taeyeon, of course, had found it a little weird, but she assumed that it was the normal friend-fight, over little itty bitty things.

 

But no, it plainly wasn’t.

 

She knew that her ex had been in a really bad mood, but she didn’t associate it with herself.

 

After all, hadn’t Tiffany been happy when she mentioned the mutual friend agreement?

 

Taeyeon stared at the blonde sitting on the couch that had an anxious and uneasy expression on her face.

 

Jessica didn’t look too good, but if Taeyeon had learnt anything in the few years that she had spent being by Jessica’s side, it was to leave her alone in times like this.

 

Jessica buried her head in her hands and let the words continue roaming through her mind.

 

Who do I really want?

 

Do I want Yuri?

 

Or do I want Tiffany?

 

I need to choose.

 

I need to choose.

 

The sun was slowly setting outside Seoul horizon and Jessica curled into a ball on the sofa, mind still whirring, not stopping until she reached a conclusion.

 

*

 

Yuri’s mouth unconsciously pursed into a pout as she thought, yet again, about Yoona not answering her messages.

 

She was worried, yes, but if Yoona really didn’t want to talk to her, Yuri couldn't do anything. 

 

She didn’t have Yoona’s address and she heard from Sooyoung (a friend of Yoona), that Yoona had won the director thing.

 

She had sent a congratulation message, again, but Yoona failed to reply.

 

She stared at the scene before her—they were filming a variety show, and there was this man babbling about his album sales in Japan and how they rose after a scandal with a pretty Japanese woman.

 

Then there were a few rookies, it up and nodding and giving him full attention for the sake of it.

 

“Yuri, what do you think of it?” The MC asked, and Yuri quickly unfolded the script and stared at the bolded words: her part.

 

“His album should have sold lots anyway, it didn’t matter about the scandal.” Then she fluttered her eyelashes for the sake of it, and the scripted ‘ooh’s rose automatically.

 

Yes, everything was scripted.

 

No, not in all shows that she did, only the boring ones that were too mundane with the cast so they had to think of all the funny parts beforehand and execute it well during the filming.

 

“I had some feelings for her, though, at one point,” the handsome man laughed heartily, droning on and on about his scandal with the Japanese woman.

 

“Yuri, do you love Jessica that way, too?”

 

The MC gave her an encouraging grin.

 

Yuri stared down at the script and the bolded words were none other than:

 

Yes, I do, I love her a lot, and I’d do anything for her.

 

But the words that came out of were totally different.

 

“I should.”

 

*

 

“You’re ready and good to go. Principal gave the okay!”

 

Yoona’s eyes shone at the announcement.

 

“Really? So we’re going next week?” She asked disbelievingly.

 

“Yes, next Monday. Pack your things!” 

 

“I can’t believe it!”

 

The teacher offered her a grin before walking away while saying, “You earned it dear! That poem was really something!”

 

The first person that raced to her mind was Yuri, she had to tell Yuri.

 

She swallowed.

 

She couldn’t.

 

Her heart sank.

 

She had to stay away from Yuri, remember?

 

Okay, then Sunny. Sunny, yes, right, Sunny…

 

Adrenaline was still rushing through her and she walked back into the library, grinning when Sunny said in excited whispers, “I knew it! You got it, right? You got the role!”

 

Seohyun congratulated her, too, with a smile on her face, "Good job, unnie, I knew you'd get it!"

 

“Yeah! I got the role! I’m going next Monday!”

 

“Oh, wait.” Sunny stopped her, before going on calmly, “Then you won’t be able to come with me to Yuri’s concert. It’s next Tuesday.”

 

“Oh.”

 

Yoona did feel a little bad for that, but her apprehension was dismissed when Sunny ruffled her hair and said, “Never mind, forget it, just do well in Switzerland, okay?”

 

Yoona smiled.

 

“I promise.”

 

*

 

Jessica, the next morning, was still lying on the sofa, thinking away.

 

Taeyeon chewed on her lower lip.

 

She’d been thinking about helping Jessica (she had kind of found out), but was a little hesitant.

 

They had never been exceptionally close.

 

Taeyeon raised an eyebrow as she saw Jessica stir and her fingers clench around the pillow.

 

Then she moved forward and sat beside the blonde.

 

“Tiffany loves you a lot, do you know that?”

 

Jessica froze.

 

“Do you remember that time when you were sick with flu or something?”

 

Taeyeon was waiting for Jessica to sit up and face her, so that they could talk properly.

 

Jessica nodded. Yes, she remembered. She remembered complaining like the princess she was—that was when she had first fallen out with Taeyeon because Taeyeon couldn’t stand that rotten attitude. And it was when she had lamented about being scolded by their manager because he was, apparently, an unreasonable bastard.

 

Tiffany had kept quiet while attentively listening, but the next day, their manager didn’t say a single thing.

 

“Your schedules were attended to, they were completed.” He had told Jessica, leaving her a little puzzled.

 

It was then Taeyeon’s voice piped up, “Tiffany filled in for you. She did your schedules. She went to your shows. The organisers didn’t say much, since it was a member of 3Vo anyway. Even if there were time overlaps or difficulties, Tiffany rushed. She rushed so much that they had to get a second van since my schedules weren't that packed. And by the time she had gotten back, she was really tired. I could see it in her eyes, Sica, she was dead tired. But she was doing it for you, and when I asked her why, she told me it was because she loved you. At that time, we were together, and I assumed that ‘love’, she 

meant, as in a friend kind of way. I didn’t know better.”

 

Jessica’s hair was strewn all over her face and Taeyeon reached out a hand to brush it behind Jessica’s ear, and for once, Jessica didn’t shirk away.

 

Maybe their friendship could be found again.

 

Maybe it was time to bury the hatchet and start again.

 

Taeyeon continued.

 

“When your mom got into an accident,” Taeyeon said, “I wasn’t there for you. We were still not talking. And I need to apologise for that, I’m sorry. That’s not the key point, though, because Tiffany was there. Tiffany was always in your room, if she wasn’t cooking food for you, she was cleaning up your bed or assuring you that your mom would be fine. You weren’t getting any better, only until your mom was fully recovered. Only then could I see relief on Tiffany’s face, and really, that time at the hospital when she hugged you, I could see that she was crying. Other than thinking that it was relief for your mom, I think it was really relief that she’d finally have the old you back. The old Jessica. The laidback one with the warm personality. She was really happy about it, the next few days she offered to wash the dishes and clean up, remember? Also, she joked with you an unnaturally great deal.”

 

Jessica was letting all of that sink in, her eyes fixed on the floor.

 

Tiffany had always been there for her, but had she been as ignorant as to not see it? Not see the attempts that Tiffany had made?

 

Wetness trailed down the side of her face and Taeyeon gave her the tissue box.

 

“Use it…uh, when you need it,” she said uncomfortably, smiling slightly as Jessicamuttered a soft thank you.

 

It was tears of chagrin and regret that she had not realised how much Tiffany had done for her.

 

“You know how much Tiffany has been into being a barista, right?”

 

Jessica nodded. She didn’t find anything wrong with that.

 

“Do you remember that time when you said you liked caramel coffee?”

 

Realisation sank in yet again and Jessica thanked the lord that Tiffany was at her own schedule and that she didn’t see Jessica sobbing away because of all she had done for Jessica.

 

“And that time when you said you liked brunettes,” Taeyeon grinned a little, “she purposely asked our stylist to dye her hair reddish brown.”

 

“There are many more things Tiffany has done for you, Sica, I don’t want you to miss out on everything. It’s not that you’ve not been paying attention, it’s just that Tiffany doesn’t want to burden you so she doesn’t make it obvious.”

 

When Taeyeon received a suspicious look that said “Then why would you know?” from Jessica, she admitted, “I used to notice Tiffany a lot because I thought she was my crush.”

 

“She loves you,” Taeyeon stopped halfway, but continued again, “She loves you a lot. Please don’t waste all that she has done for you. I’ve broken up with her, but you two haven’t even started.”

 

Taeyeon her lips, “Give her a chance. You won’t regret it. She’s one of the sweetest I’ve ever known.”

 

Jessica pulled Taeyeon into a hug, whispering into Taeyeon’s ear, “Thank you, thank you so much.”

 

Taeyeon smiled.

 

“If you two have a beginning, can we again, too? Let’s try being friends.”

 

The nod that she received from Jessica made her hug Jessica again.

 

“I’ll help you this time, I swear.” Taeyeon added.

 

 *

 

“You’re director? Really? That’s my girl!” Sooyoung shouted, slinging an arm over Yoona’s neck.

 

Yoona laughed.

 

“I got it! I got the director role!” She felt like she could conquer the world—okay, maybe not that much, there was still one thing holding her back from feeling absolutely incredible

 

But two shots and three burgers with Sooyoung later, she had forgotten Yuri and the negligence of messages.

 

“So, yew want morr fewd?”

 

Sooyoung was slurring too, and Yoona had no idea how they were about to go home.

 

“No, you better stahp drinking…we haff to get hume.” Yoona blabbered, giving Sooyoung an unstable grin.

 

Sooyoung waved a hand dismissively, “I’m gunna get hurme and then I’m gunnaorganiseee this lurge parteh fer ya termarrow and ur gonna cerme again okuyy?”

 

“Ohh, erkay.” Yoona smiled.

 

“Oh yuss,” Sooyoung continued, “dun think sao mush about goin hurme, okey? Good thang that mai fren is the ownah erf thees restaurant, sooo shee cern sen us hurme aftah we get wasturd.”

 

Yoona wasn’t one for alcohol, but she could indulge from time to time, she guessed. And since Sooyoung’s friend would be responsible for sending them home, why not?

 

*

 

Sooyoung kept her word.

 

The next day, she and Yoona were sending mass messages to everyone about the large party celebrating Yoona getting chosen for director.

 

It was a big thing, because Yoona actually heard that this would help her if she was going to apply for any movie university or something.

 

“So, the party’s going to be tomorrow, ‘kay, since the day after you’re leaving.” Sooyoung said, tapping her finger against the digital blinking screen.

 

All the messages were coming back: ‘Yes’, ‘Oh’, ‘Really?! Yoona got the role?’ ‘Wow!’ ‘I’ll be there for sure’.

 

“Should I invite Yuri? D’you think she’ll get mobbed?” Sooyoung said contemplatively.

 

That struck a chord deep within Yoona.

 

She quickly said, “No, I…uh—she’ll get mobbed for sure, I mean she’s so popular…”

 

She had to forget Yuri.

 

Sooyoung thought about it. “Really? I don’t think it’ll be that bad. I mean, it’ll be so crowded that no one will—”

 

“No, don’t.”

 

Sooyoung noticed that Yoona was a little flushed and the younger girl’s eyes looked unnaturally bright.

 

“I’ll try. If she gets found out, I’ll send her home immediately.” Sooyoung promised, although she had no idea why Yoona seemed so uncomfortable with the idea of seeing Yuri. 

 

Yoona didn’t want to try to disagree—that would be plain rude.

 

It was Sooyoung's house, it was Sooyoung's say. 

 

She could avoid Kwon Yuri just fine.

 

Or so she thought.

 

*