Eunjung could barely contain her excitement during the ride home. She kept stealing glances at Jiyeon, who was smiling goofily at her every time she caught her eyes.

Yes, for the first time in years, Eunjung felt a surge of happiness she never thought she would be allowed to feel again.

When they finally arrived at her house, Eunjung wanted nothing more than to hear what Jiyeon had to say as soon as possible.

She caught her just before they entered the house.

“Could we maybe talk now? I don’t think I can wait until this evening...” She asked, trying and failing not to sound too desperate.

“I don’t want to be interrupted... and we both know these thugs over here are necessarily going to interrupt, unless they’re all snoring in their bedrooms.” Jiyeon made a gesture over their friends.

Eunjung sighed and dropped her shoulders in defeat.

“Yeah, I guess... but we ARE talking tonight, no excuse... Right?”

Jiyeon smiled and nodded without hesitation.

“No excuse... not anymore.”

“Jungie, come with me in the kitchen please, I want to make something for our last dinner together and I need your help!” Hyomin suddenly yelled from behind Eunjung, making the poor girl jump out of her skin.

“Are you insane? Why did you scream in my ear, I’m not deaf!”

“Ahah, sorry, really. You coming?” She took Eunjung by the shoulders and led her almost forcefully into the house, then inside the kitchen.

“What’s with the cooking frenzy anyway? Couldn’t you get Soyeon to help you?” Eunjung mumbled but opened the fridge anyway.

Hyomin planted herself next to her and slammed the fridge door shut.

“Wha...?”

“Stop it. What’s going on with Jiyeon?” The younger girl asked, clearly angry.

“Huh? What do you mean? And why are you angry at me?”

“Because I don’t have a clue of what’s going on between you two, and I thought you trusted me as a friend... but apparently I was wrong...”

“Minnie... I swear... I would have talked to you but... it’s complicated...” Eunjung pleaded, trying to appease her friend.

“Whatever it is, it practically ruined everyone’s stay here. Jiyeon was so moody it was hardly bearable, and every time I tried to confront her, she pretended everything was fine. So, are you going to pretend too, or are you going to talk to me?” Hyomin asked accusingly.

“I... don’t exactly know where to start...”

“I have time, the girls are probably playing in the pool or something...”

“Okay then... you should take a seat though...” Eunjung offered.

Fifteen minutes later, she had summed up the situation between her Jiyeon, starting from her confession two years ago, Jiyeon’s reaction afterwards and then her ambiguous behaviour over the past few days. She had watched Hyomin’s brow furrow increasingly as she was telling her the story.

“I don’t understand... it looks like she’s jealous from where I stand but it doesn’t make sense considering her situation...” Hyomin reflected out loud.

“What do you mean, ‘her situation’?”

“Well, you know... the wedding?” Hyomin said matter-of-factly.

“Wait, wait, wait... whose wedding?” Eunjung asked, feeling a sudden wave of nausea rising at the idea that...

Hyomin looked at her friend’s agitated face and slapped her hand over . Oh god...

“You... you didn’t know? I’m so sorry unnie... Myungsoo proposed to Jiyeon... I thought she’d told you, I really thought...”

“No... I mean... how can she be marrying him?” Eunjung almost yelled.

“Please, Jungie, don’t freak out...”

“Why didn’t she tell me? She didn’t say anything...”

“It’s pretty clear to me... she was scared of your reaction. She didn’t know how to tell you.” Hyomin ventured carefully.

“What do you mean? I thought she was returning my feelings... In the car earlier, I could feel it...”

“Jungie, don’t take it the wrong way, but you told me you confessed to her more than two years ago? Do really think she would have stayed silent for so long if she felt the same for you? Think about it for a minute, she’s so young... She looked up to you as her big sister; and she must have been so confused about your confession. That’s probably why she couldn’t talk to you about her engagement.”

“You mean she wants to marry him and simply doesn’t know how to act around me?” Eunjung asked, defeated.

“I don’t know how else to explain it... she seemed happy when she told us Myungsoo had proposed to her...”

“I need to talk to her. I really need to understand. Why would she send me those mixed signals?” Eunjung shot up suddenly from her chair.

“Jungie, please just... think about her for a minute... the life you live is good for you because you’re strong, you have your parents’ support and you never cared about other people’s opinion anyway... but think about Jiyeon. Imagine her in a relationship with you...” Hyomin trailed off.

“Yeah, so? If she stopped beating around the bush and finally told me how she felt, I could make her happy! We could live a good life together!”

“You don’t get it, do you? Jiyeon is not like you, Eunjung... and even if she were, there’s no way her parents would accept her. She would be miserable, rejected by her family, without any possibility of a career in Korea anymore... You have to think carefully before you confront her.”

“You’re saying I would be screwing her up?” Eunjung shot angrily.

“I’m saying... she might have feelings for you... but I think if you really love her, you’ll know what to do. She can be happy with Myungsoo. He’s a good guy.”

“I can’t believe you, I thought you were my friend...” Eunjung cut out.

“I am! I am your and Jiyeon’s friend and I want what’s best for you both!” Hyomin assured her.

“You are a cool girl, you're able to face anything people throw at you and keep going. You need to be yourself to be happy, but Jiyeon desperately needs to be seen as a good girl. She wants her parents to be proud of her, to have a nice wedding and have kids just because she feels she has made them worry too much. She wants our country to finally recognize her talent and see her as an artist, not a cruel bully... How is she supposed to have any of this if she runs away with you?”

“How do you even know it would happen like that?”

“I don’t... but can you guarantee it wouldn’t? Are you willing to take the risk?” Hyomin asked softly, but firmly, looking deep into Eunjung’s eyes.

The other girl shook her head, opening to speak, but no words came out.

“I don’t know what to do...”

“Be responsible. Be the big sister she needs. Do what you know is best for her...”

“I’ll... yeah... you’re right. I will,” Eunjung sighed miserably.

Hyomin approached her friend and pulled her into a hug.

“I’m sorry if what I’m saying makes you unhappy and frustrated... but deep inside you know I’m right.”

“I should... I should go talk to her now... I don’t think it’s worth waiting any longer.” Eunjung said, before breaking free from the hug and she started walking out of the kitchen.

“Good luck...” Hyomin called after her.

As expected, Eunjung found Jiyeon playing with the others in the pool. For the first time since her arrival, she looked genuinely relaxed, yelling like a kid and splashing water at Boram and Qri.

Eunjung stood paralyzed by the pool, not wanting to interrupt the moment, when Soyeon finally noticed her presence from her position on the deck chair.

“Ah Eunjung-ah, right on time for my massage,” she said, wiggling her feet in front of Eunjung’s face for emphasis.

This made Eunjung snap back to reality, and she smiled sadly, shaking her head at her friend.

“Not now, unnie.”

Suddenly, Jiyeon turned her head towards her and gave her a delighted smile as soon as she noticed her presence. She swam towards her cutely and called after her.

“Yah Jungie-ah! Are you coming in? We’re playing “let’s drown Rambo”!”

“No! We’re not!” Boram yelled back, clearly alarmed by this new game’s name.

“Huh... no... Jiyeonnie, could you... I need to show you something in... the kitchen.” Eunjung babbled.

“... Sure, I’m coming,” the maknae said and hopped out of the pool without hesitation, grabbing a towel in the process and covering herself.

She trotted behind Eunjung obediently, and once there, leant casually against the counter while drying her hair with the towel.

“What did you want to show me?”

Eunjung immediately turned to her, with fire in her eyes.

“When were you planning on telling me you were getting married?” she almost yelled.

Jiyeon’s jaw suddenly dropped, as well as the towel she had been holding.

“Wha... how...?”

“That’s right I know... it doesn’t matter how, I just do... and, that’s fine really... You have every right to get married. You don’t owe me anything...I just would have liked to know, alright?

Just so I could stop hoping for the impossible, and start really moving on with my life.”

“Hey, wait a minute here... isn’t Jamie proof enough that you’ve moved on? What else do you need to realize that? You don’t have the right to accuse me of anything!” Jiyeon suddenly felt her anger rise unexpectedly.

“It’s not the same, and you know it! I haven’t moved on, I can't!”

“No! That's the thing, I don't know anything! The last time I saw you, you were supposedly in love with me! We barely spoke in two years, and when I see you again, I find out you've been dating a girl, you've talked about your parents about your uality, and you’re not planning to move back to Korea anytime soon... See, that's moving on!”

Eunjung wanted to yell and defend herself, but then she remembered Hyomin’s advice. The fact that she was still in love with Jiyeon didn’t matter anymore. It was irrelevant now. She needed to let her go, for the younger girl’s sake.

“...You know what... you’re right. I’ve moved on... Sorry if I got mad. I was just surprised, but I’m happy for you.” The lie was like a knife into her own chest, but she had to pretend, just for a little while.

“What? Are you kidding me?” Jiyeon suddenly jumped in front of her face and punched her shoulder hard with her fist.

“So what, I’m not good enough for you anymore? Two years ago you loved me, and now you don’t?” She shouted, giving a punch on Eunjung’s shoulder at every word.

“Yah, stop hitting me!”

“Then stop lying! I know you love me, why are you saying that you don’t? Why shut me out now while I was about to realize my feelings for you?”

At these words, Eunjung’s heart skipped a beat. So Jiyeon really was sharing her feelings after all... She felt a surge of incredible happiness, soon to be slapped in the face by a feeling of dread and fatality. Hyomin’s words came back to her, and she had to close her eyes to keep tears from falling.

“Eunjung?” She heard Jiyeon call out worriedly, and felt two small hands on her cheeks.

She opened her eyes, just to be surrounded by infinite care and warmth in Jiyeon’s huge, sincere black orbs.

“Eunjung... I’m sorry for not telling you sooner. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Myungsoo’s proposal. I was ready to accept. It was all I’d ever wanted in my life. And then I saw you again... I spent a week around you, and it was the scariest, but also the most exhilarating week of my life. Because now I finally understand... I finally can be true to myself. I don’t love him, unnie. I’ve been lying to myself for so long and you’ve been so patient... so now it’s time I tell you...”

Eunjung felt an uncontrollable sob escape and she pressed her fingers to Jiyeon’s mouth, preventing her from speaking any further.

“No, please, don’t Jiyeonnie. Don’t say that.”

“Ok then... how about I just show you...”

Without any type of warning, she wrapped her arms around Eunjung’s neck and closed the distance between their lips. At first Eunjung didn’t react, but when she felt the maknae’s hands bury themselves in her hair, she knew she couldn’t ignore the passion that had been consuming her any longer. She held Jiyeon’s firmly by the waist and started deepening the kiss, opening as her tongue searched frantically for Jiyeon’s. She felt the younger girl shudder against her body and moan against , as she languidly accepted the more intimate kiss. Finally, finally... Eunjung couldn’t believe it. She was finally kissing her love. She couldn’t believe how complete she felt at this moment, how happy...

Happiness... What Jiyeon would probably never have if she went down on this tricky road with her... She couldn’t do this to her. She just couldn’t ruin her young and innocent life for her own selfish needs. She had to put an end to something that hadn’t even started and that she had wanted for so long. She knew she had to, even if it broke her heart. Reluctantly, she broke away from the kiss and pushed Jiyeon away gently.

“What is it?” Jiyeon said as soon as was left without Eunjung’s warmth.

The older girl took in the vision of Jiyeon before her, and couldn’t help the wave of arousal she felt at seeing her like this. Her eyes were dark with desire, her red lips were shiny and swollen from the kiss, and her chest, still sprinkled with small droplets from the pool, was moving heavily with each breath.

Eunjung couldn’t believe what she was about to do, but she knew it was for the best.

“Jiyeonnie... we can’t.” She said quietly.

“What are you saying? Of course, we can!” Jiyeon said fiercely and attempted to hug Eunjung again.

The older girl put her hands on her shoulders, effectively keeping her away, and shook her head sadly.

“We can’t because I don’t want to... You are about to get married and...”

“I didn’t give him my answer, I don’t want him. I want you!”

“But, I don’t,” Eunjung said, trying her hardest to sound convinced and resolute.

“... I don’t understand, I thought you loved me?”

“I do, Jiyeonnie. I love you as my dongsaeng, as our little baby dino. I want to protect you and for you to have the best life possible. So please, stop this and let’s go back to what we were before...”

“No! You’re in LOVE with me! It’s not sibling love, it’s romantic love. I can see it in your eyes.” Jiyeon cried out, not caring for a second about their friends’ in the next room.

“I don’t love you like this anymore Jiyeonnie. I thought I did, but I don’t. I’ve moved on, and you should do the same...” Eunjung whispered, not daring to look into Jiyeon’s eyes by fear of revealing her true feelings.

“Eunjung... I’m going to ask you one last time.” Jiyeon said gravely. “Are you in love with me, and do you want to be with me?”

The older girl hesitated for a long moment, then reluctantly, closed her eyes and murmured.

“... No, Jiyeonnie... I’m in love with Jamie. And I want you to be happy, with a man who will love you and treat you like you deserve...”

She finally met Jiyeon’s incredulous, hardened stare and before she knew it, she received a hard slap across the cheek. She lifted her hand to her bruise face, confused and hurt by the violent gesture.

“You’ve made your choice then. I hope you won’t regret it.” Jiyeon said coldly, before turning around and walking out of the room.

------------------------------------------------

So... first of all, sorry, sorry, sorry for leaving you guys hanging, but life got a little crazy and I didn't have time to work on the story at all these days! Hopefully, things will go back to normal by next month, and I'll be able to give you more regular updates. Second of all, I'm sure you must all hate me now, but yeah, at least we got a little moment, right!

I swear I'm not planning on torturing you, but I already have the outline of the story ready, and this was a necessary evil that was planned since the beginning. I promise you it's not over and you won't be disappointed at the end. But I want to make it last^^

Anyway, thanks again for sticking around and supporting the story, it's always so good to read your comments!