‘Where the hell are you?’

Sunny’s voice was sharp, clipped and distinctly crisp, and it pierced through Yuri’s ears so harshly that she couldn’t help but flinch at the sound of it.

“No where of any importance,” Yuri replied airily. She tugged at her baseball cap and at her facemask that was lowered enough for her to speak without her voice coming off as muffled.

She was currently being encased thickly in the strong aroma of food— delicious spicy rice cakes and ramyun— and surrounded by the indistinct murmurs and chatters of the various patrons of a particularly humble little family restaurant down a rather secluded district.

But of course, Sunny didn’t need to know that.

‘Yuri.’ Sunny started, and Yuri could just hear her seethe from the other line.

It made her smile subconsciously, in that sheepish way a child would do after being caught red-handed, having a cookie before dinner.

‘Cut the crap and just tell me where you are. You’ve been un-contactable ever since you finished your schedule three hours ago and everyone’s getting worried.’

Yuri made a soft musing hum.

“Would you come down to join me for some soju if I were to tell you then?” She asked playfully; voice filled with much tease and mirth.

She listened as an exasperated groan came resounding from Sunny’s side of the line.

‘You know I can’t, Yuri-yah, I’ve got filming tomorrow…’

A pause. A defeated sigh.

‘Look, can you please just tell me your exact location? So Manager-oppa can finally get off my back and Sica would stop calling me every few seconds and freaking out over your whereabouts?’

Yuri couldn’t help the immediate roll of her eyes. “Just tell Oppa that I’m busy at the gym and can’t reach my phone at the moment, and that I’ll call him back as soon as I’m done. As for Sica…” Trailing off, she pursed at her lips, eyes darkening ever so slightly.

“I’ll deal with her myself.” She said, softly, revealing a tad more emotion than she would have liked to show.

‘Alright then…’ Yuri thought she caught a hint of hesitation and apprehension in Sunny’s voice.

A short beat of silence.

‘Things still not working out great for you two?’

Yuri scoffed, snorting. “Did it ever?”

She sighed wearily.

For once, allowing happy façade that she was so prone to using all the time to crumble away.

“I just… I just need to get away from everything for a little while, okay? This whole thing… it’s really stifling me in.”

‘Hey, I get it,’ Sunny’s voice was surprisingly soft and soothingly gentle, filled with an understanding that Yuri was especially grateful of. ‘If you want to talk about it, I’m always here. Mostly. If I’m not bombarded with schedules.’

Yuri chuckled. “Right, thanks a bunch, Sunny.”

‘You’re welcome, and I’ll just hang up now. Wherever you are, you better be safe, you hear me?’

“Yeah, yeah. You sure you don’t want to join me for some soju?”

‘Nah, thanks, but no thanks. Manager-oppa will have my head if I turn up for my schedule tomorrow all hungover and stuff.’

“Aww, alright then. See ya’.”

‘Bye,’

As soon as the line zipped to the all-too familiar endless monotone, a deep, sinking feeling of dread came plummeting over Yuri. It weighed heavily on her, dragging her down as she stared blankly down at the multiple notifications that flooded her home-screen.

Thirty-two missed calls.

Forty-one text messages.

And they were all from none other than Jessica herself.

Frowning, Yuri released a deep sigh as she skimmed through the various messages.

(16:34) [Jessica: Where are you?]

(16:56) [Jessica: Damn it, Yuri. Pick up your phone!!]

(17:25) [Jessica: Manager-Oppa’s worried. I’m worried. The hell are u?]

(17:29) [Jessica: K, you’re not home. Pls just pick up your phone if you see this, kkay?]

(17:43) [Jessica: Kwon Yuriiiii.]

(17:45) [Jessica: Your phone. Pick it up.]

(18:02) [Jessica: You’re scaring me. Is everything alright?]

(18:05) [Jessica: Pls just let me know if you’re alive at least.]

And there were a lot more in between, with each one of them adding to the load on her paper-thin heart.

She supposed texting her would be a lot less painful than having to actually hear her voice…

Yuri gripped at her phone, fingers clenching and unclenching. She hesitated, but only for a second, then ghosted a thumb across Jessica’s contact picture, entering her text-messaging interface as she tried her best to ignore the dull throb of her chest.

Things hadn’t been exactly smooth sailing for them per se. The past couple of months had been exhausting— excruciating. It was almost like they were caught in an endless cycle of fighting and making up— fighting, then making up.

 And to make matters worse, they actually fought over the smallest of things.

Like a simple phone-call from a fellow co-star from her drama.

Hanging out with friends, not of the same label, after work.

(Or a text message from Lee Dongwook. But that only happened once when Yuri had been exceptionally cranky that day.)

(Once.)

The way Jessica was acting was as if she was some sort of a jealous possessive lover and it was confusing the heck out of Yuri.

It was already all over between them. Wasn’t it?

Then why would Yuri wake up on some days, feeling like she had been back into the time when they were still happily together?

Just what the hell did she want from her?

(18:21) [Yuri: I’m safe and alive at the gym. Will be home late. Don’t bother waiting up for me. And stop freaking out.]

That should do the trick.

As Yuri tore her eyes away from her phone and set it down onto the table, she briefly glanced up and caught sight of a distinctly familiar figure entering the family restaurant.

A grin unknowingly worked its way up onto her lips.

“Hello, Hayoung-ssi,” she breathed, speaking up only loud enough for the girl to pick up in passing as she happened to cross her table.

Said-girl immediately froze in mid-step. Yuri watched as her posture grew taut and absolutely rigid. She turned towards her direction stiffly. Almost mechanically.

“H-hello…” Hayoung greeted back tentatively with a hesitant smile and was just about to make a hasty escape when Yuri’s hand had shot out instinctively, holding the girl back by the vice grip on her wrist.

She couldn’t resist a chuckle at the brief look of panic and fear that flashed right through those familiar dark pools. Tearing her facemask away, she inclined her head and tipped the end of her baseball cap up a little at the younger girl.

“You really don’t recognize me?”

Their gazes finally clashed.

She shot her a playful grin, eyes twinkling brightly with mischief.

Hayoung let out a sharp gasp upon recognition, but the initial surprise left her quickly as the apprehension from before came settling onto her features once more.

Worrying her bottom lip under her teeth, her eyes darted furtively about the stall. It was only when she was sure that no one had noticed either of their presence that her body immediately folded into a deep ninety-degree bow.

“Y-Yuri-sunbae, hello!” She greeted, voice only slightly above a whisper.

“Come, come. Don’t be shy! Just take a seat. It’s nice finally having some company.” Yuri grinned widely, flashing pearly whites as she tugged at the girl’s wrist and guided her to the seat across her in the stall.

Flagging at the portly lady boss scurrying up ahead, Yuri called out, “Ahjumma! Can we have four servings of dukbokki and ramyun here please?”

“S-Sunbae, but there’s only two of us.”

“Aw, come on. When you’re an idol, food is just never enough. Don’t you agree, Hayoung-ssi?” The Black Pearl grinned wickedly and winked.

Hayoung blushed and dropped her gaze. She nodded sheepishly.

Yuri laughed and leaned back against her seat.

And just like the time in the salon, a blanket of silence soon fell upon them as they waited for their orders to arrive.

In that tiny short lapse of conversation, Yuri noticed that Hayoung seemed far more on edge than she had ever seen her before.

Lips pursed and eyes all shifty and wary, she looked as if she was half-expecting a lion to pop right up and eat her whole any second. It was a look that Yuri was all too very familiar with. A look that was becoming a point to those who were of the same industry as themselves because they can never be too careful.

Paranoia.

Was it already rubbing off her?

Looking like any other ordinary high school student, dressed in the trademark bright yellow blazer of a rather prominent private arts school with a pair of dark-rimmed glasses hanging off the edge of her razor straight nose bridge, Yuri honestly doubt she’d get recognized by the public.

Then again… it was not everyday you would come across such a beauty. Highschooler or not. Hm.

But still, she shouldn’t have any worries on getting recognized. Not when her group was still fairly new.

Then what?

“Sunbae, um, do you maybe want to swop seats with me? Your seat is kind of out in the open…” Hayoung mumbled, pink tongue peeking out to wet her rosy lips nervously. Her eyes were still shifting all about, seeking out for any signs of paparazzi, as they quickly— very briefly— flickered over to Yuri for a split of a second.

Then, she blushed.

Wait. She couldn’t be…

She was actually worried for her instead?

Yuri felt a strange prickle of… something… very akin to warmth spreading steadily through her chest as it tugged at her lips, curving it into a huge smile.

Her eyes glittered back at the girl with unbidden appreciation.

“Nah, it’s okay. I’m pretty sure my disguise wouldn’t fail me. After all, you didn’t recognize me at the first glance.”  She grinned crookedly— teasingly.

Hayoung flushed, dropping her eyes bashfully.

Yuri noted the way her shoulders had sagged and her pose had relaxed just by a minute bit, albeit she seemed still very much alert and on guard.

“So… “ Yuri started casually, looking the girl up and down, eying the particularly striking uniform she was adorned in. “You come here often after knocking off from school?

“Yes, kind of…” Hayoung said, nodding. Pursing her lips, she fidgeted and thumbed at the ends of her uniform cuffs shyly. “I really love the dukbokki here.” She admitted, with a tiny smile. “I think this place makes the best dukbokki in Korea.”

“I think so too! ” Yuri chirped, face splitting into a bright grin. “Don’t tell anyone, but I’d usually sneak by here after I’m done with most of my schedules.” She winked, pressing a finger to her lips.

Hayoung broke into a toothy grin of her own. “Me too,”

After which, their orders finally arrived and they settled into idle chit-chat, occasionally slurping at ramyun and snacking on the steaming spicy rice cakes.

“I’m just curious but are those glasses for accessory or are they prescribed?” Yuri had queried, upon noticing how Hayoung hadn’t even seemed to consider taking off her glasses despite them fogging up badly on her each time she lowered herself down to eat.

“They’re prescription glasses,” answered Hayoung, straightening up slightly in her seat as she pushed at the glasses that were slipping off the bridge of her nose, looking almost self-conscious. “To be honest, my eyesight is really bad. I’m about as good as blind without them actually.”

“Sica’s eyesight was really bad too.” Yuri blurted out before she could even stop herself.

.

It just came out so damned naturally.

She mentally face-palmed herself.

What was she doing, trying to bring Jessica into the picture? Much less comparing her to sweet little Hayoung.

“But yeah, like Sica, I’m sure your management will probably be urging you to get lasik as soon as you’re able too.”

Yuri smiled, albeit a little stiffly than before, trying her best to steer clear away from the topic of Jessica. Because that was seriously the one thing she didn’t want to talk about— much less think about— at the moment.

“But I still kinda’ think you look gorgeous in glasses nonetheless.”

She had to bite back a chuckle at the sight of Hayoung clamming up, nearly choking on her ramyun as her ears glowed a bright crimson.

“T-thank you,” stammered Hayoung, nodding politely at Yuri who merely beamed brighter than before.

She really was adorable.

And the more Yuri actually spoke to her, the more she came to realize that Hayoung was really just a first year in high school despite looking far more mature than she had led on.

The way her lips would tilt into that charming little grin and her eyes would sparkle with such child-like innocence whenever she spoke of her group— her Unnies— whom she clearly hold dear to.

She was just so very endearing to watch.

“We should exchange numbers,” suggested Yuri, the instant their chopsticks were set down, tummies full and hunger sated.

Hayoung blinked, eyes bulging in disbelief.

“S-sunbae, you want to exchange numbers with me?” she sputtered incredulously.

“Well, it’s been pretty fun hanging out with you today, and I thought it’d be nice if we could hang out some more in the future too. Unless, you don’t want to… Then, you can just, um, forget about what I said.” Yuri’s voice died off softly.

 She casted her eyes aside, the slightest hint of pink dotting her tanned complexion as she nibbled at her bottom lip, waiting for the younger girl’s reply.

Just where did that whole bravado from earlier gone to?

“No, it’s okay. I want to hang out with Sunbae in the future too.“ Hayoung smiled sweetly. And it was so infectious, that Yuri couldn’t help her lips from quirking into a large grin, her features lighting up brilliantly.

“Could you hand me your phone for a second?” She asked. Then, quickly added as an afterthought. “So that I could key in my number, of course. Not that I want to look through your messages and whatnot. My phone’s dead so… yeah.”

Which was lie.

Her phone was switched off in her purse and she had a good seventy-percent on her battery life.

She just didn’t really want to turn it on to be bombarded with the countless of messages from both Jessica and her manager and let it ruin her good mood entirely.

“And I think we should drop the formalities. Just talk comfortably with me like I’m one of your Unnies, okay?”

“I don’t think I…” Hayoung faltered, nibbling at her lip, looking conflicted.

“Aw come on, it’s fine. Just call me Unnie from now on. I swear I won’t bite.”

Tapping her number into her phone, she returned Hayoung her phone. Not before saving herself under the contact name of ‘Yuri-unnie<3’ and sending herself a quick text under Hayoung’s number.

“Alrighty, here you go. Now let me pay off the bill and since it’s getting late, I’ll give you a ride home.”

“Sunba—” Receiving a firm look from Yuri, Hayoung immediately cut herself off. “U-Unnie, it’s fine. I can pay for my own meal.”

“Nah, call it my treat. Just wait for me outside and I’ll be out soon, ‘kay?”

“But Unnie…”

Yuri gave a soft smile, eyes crinkling down at the younger girl who had her lips puckered into a tiny pout.

“Like I said, it’s fine.” She slid out of the stall, tossing a winning grin over her shoulder at Hayoung.

“If it really makes you feel that bad, you can always buy me coffee in the future.”

Hayoung acquiesced with a sigh, nodding, albeit still pouting slightly. “Okay then,”

With a chuckle, Yuri reached forth, lightly tousling the younger girl’s hair fondly before heading to the front counter, humming a delightful tune on her way.

And it was strange. For some reason, the promise of a meeting in the future seemed to light a small spark of excitement and anticipation within her.

But for now, she wasn’t going to think too deeply into it and just immerse herself in the contentment of making a new friend.

--

A/N: A slightly longer than usual chapter for you guys. I hope it managed to make up for the slight delay of this update. Thank you guys so much for reading/commenting/subscribing/upvoting. It really means alot and I appreciately greatly for all the feedback and support. :) And lookie here, we've managed to hit the 2.5k mark. So hurray for that too! School's been a little more hectic than usual for me, so I'm afraid that updates would be slightly more slower than before. But nonetheless, I'll try my best to deliver them as fast as I'm done writing them. So yeah. Thank you so much for reading! :)