"What is sauce to Soojung?"

"It doesn't matter if it's present or not."

"Really?"

"Just like unnie's presence."

"How disappointing…"

Krystal woke up with  a start. She rubbed the sleep off her eyes and grabbed her phone from nightstand beside her bed.

5:22 AM

Krystal groaned as she turned in bed and buried herself deeper into her sheets. It was too early to be up since their manager had told them they wouldn't begin filming until 10 AM. She closed her eyes and tried to fall back asleep but failed. For some reason, the dream she just had kept coming back to her.

She had only meant it as joke and even clarifying it not long after she had said it. However, the look of hurt and disappointment on her unnie's face remained implanted in her mind, even to the point that she was dreaming of it. Victoria tried to hide it with her usual bubbly act but Krystal could easily read through the façade.

Deciding that her conscience would not allow her to get back to sleep until the matter with Victoria was settled, Krystal carelessly tossed the blanket over her head and made her way towards the eldest's side of the room. She found the bed empty, the sheets neatly folded and placed on top of the pillow. It wasn't unusual for her unnie to be up this early since the elder like to wake up before the rest of them to prepare breakfast before their schedule.

Krystal made her way towards the living room then the kitchen, finding the whole place empty. An unusual feeling settled at the pit of her stomach as panic began to surface.

'Where is she?' Krystal thought to herself as she checked every corner of their rented apartment. She went outside and found no one there. Everyone seemed to have decided to sleep in due to their late night filming the previous night.

She went towards the room shared by the other three members and went directly towards Amber. She tried to shake the tomboy awake to ask of the leader's whereabouts.

"I don't know. Maybe she left because you kept on being so rude to her. Just give her a call if you want to find out where she is. Leave me alone." Amber told her harshly before pulling the covers back over her head before immediately falling back asleep.

The youngest felt her heart twitch at Amber's words. Was her words and actions really hurt Victoria that much? She knew that the tomboy was probably just spouting nonsense in her semi-asleep state but that her words may be true hit her conscience pretty hard.

Following Amber's advice, Krystal dialed Victoria's number and prayed that the eldest would answer. To her surprise, her call was sent directly into voicemail. This was unusual as their leader never, ever, turned her phone off especially whenever they were overseas. She reason that she wanted the members to always reach her first whenever they need something. That was just the type of leader she was. Her call being sent to voicemail had Krystal going in complete panic mode.

What if her phone and wallet had been stolen and she couldn't come back here because she doesn't have any money with her? What if she was kidnapped? What if she had an accident? What if… What if…

With those bad thoughts in mind, Krystal went directly back to the room she shared with the woman and grabbed a jacket from her luggage. She quickly pulled it on and was already making her way out to look for Victoria when the said woman entered the apartment, two big bags of grocery held on each hand.

"Unnie!" Krystal yelled as she ran towards the unsuspecting woman. She hugged the elder tightly, sobbing into the latter's neck.

"Hey… why are you crying? Is something wrong? What happened?" Victoria, who dropped the bags she was holding when Krystal ran up to her, was now caressing the younger's hair as she tried to console her.

Krystal shook her head but held the older woman tighter. "Unnie, I'm sorry…" she whispers as she buried her face deeper.

"Sorry? For what?" the confused leader asked. She pulled the younger girl at arms length.

"For what I said to you last night during filming." Krystal answered shamefully, tilting her head down.

Victoria placed a finger under Krystal's chin and tilted her head up so the younger was looking at her. She moved forward and brushed her lips against the younger's cheeks, the tip of her nose, before zeroing on her lips. "I forgive you. Don't cry anymore, okay?"

Krystal, who was blushing with Victoria's actions, nodded. The older woman let out a smile before she moved to retrieve the groceries she had bought. With her back turned towards her, Krystal moved forward and hugged Victoria from behind.

"I love you, unnie." she whispers.

Victoria turned slightly, still within Krystal's embrace. She kissed the younger's temple before responding.

"I love you too."

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR DEAR VICTORIA, QUEEN OF CHINA!