SinB doesn’t get a night off from her internship until three weeks after her first day.

Being an intern was exhausting work. SinB knew that going in, but the stress and lack of sleep was on an entirely different level from medical school. It was about showing that she actually paid attention in school, showing she was dedicated to this job. Being an intern was SinB lingering after shifts in case a surgery case came in and definitely exceeding the charming idea of a forty hour work week.

It didn’t matter right now though. SinB had been working her off for the past three weeks, making a name for herself as the intern to beat, so she knew she deserved this night off.

SinB was with her best friend and roommate Umji at a bar called Navillera. The bar was owned by Umji’s girlfriend of two years, Yuju, and the place was dimly-lit but more cozy than club-like. With brick walls and gorgeous woodwork, Navillera was a classy yet casual bar that SinB had grown to see as a second home since meeting Yuju. It was more than drinks in a nice place; it was a common ground for the three of them.

“Long time no see,” Yuju said as soon as SinB and Umji managed to find seats at the bar. She worked the counter every night except Thursdays, those were her date nights with Umji, so she naturally knew that it had been far too long since SinB had been able to come. “I was beginning to think the hospital was holding you hostage or something,” Yuju joked as she served SinB her usual beer and Umji a glass of wine.

“I was a willing prisoner,” SinB smirked. “It’s worth it in the long run, getting in the hours and learning.”

“There is such a thing as taking a break,” Umji said with smile, but SinB saw the worry in her eyes.

SinB leaned against her best friend for a moment before pulling away and saying, “I’m taking a break now. Don’t worry. I make sure to sleep and eat. I am not completely useless.”

“Maybe not completely,” Umji conceded, “but you are pretty useless.”

After that, SinB swiftly changed the subject to Umji’s work.

Umji was an English teacher at a nearby high school, so she always had plenty of stories about the fascinating teenagers she dealt with every day. As Umji rambled on about the latest shenanigan by a student, SinB realized it’d been so long since she’d talked to Umji like this. Too caught up with work, SinB had only really been back to their apartment to crash for a few hours before leaving again, usually with a breakfast bar in her hand. Smiling at the conclusion of Umji’s story, SinB made a mental note to carve out some time at least once a week to talk to Umji.

“However, none of my stories can compare to what’s going on in SinB’s life right now,” Umji said with a smirk that has SinB on high alert immediately. Despite her sweet looks and disposition, Umji could be a real pain in the when she wanted to be. Not to mention, she’d waited until Yuju was finished serving some customers before saying this. She wanted her to hear this. “I can’t imagine why she wouldn’t mention this, but SinB has a crush,” Umji said, smirk flourishing into a broad grin.

SinB immediately groaned before downing the rest of her beer. She smiled her thanks as Yuju immediately gave her another then turned to glare at Umji.

“Oh, come on,” Umji laughed, “it’s adorable.” She turned to Yuju and repeated conspiratorially, “It’s adorable.”

“Who’s the lucky girl?” Yuju asked curiously as she absent-mindedly wiped down the counter. Then Yuju tossed aside the towel completely to lean in closer, and that’s when SinB knew she was doomed. “You haven’t had a crush since undergrad.”

As pathetic as it sounded, SinB hadn’t dated since undergrad either. She’d had a serious girlfriend then, but when SinB left for medical school, the two of them broke up. Then, in medical school, SinB had been too focused on school and extracurriculars to boost her resume to even think about dating. There might’ve been the random date Umji had forced her on, but for the most part, the last four years of SinB’s love life had consisted of casual flings that rarely lasted longer than a week or two.

“It’s not a big deal,” SinB mumbled into the rim of her glass.

“It is a big deal,” Umji corrected simply. “So, spill. All I’ve gotten out of you is that you have a crush in the first place.”

Rolling her eyes, SinB drank half of her beer before staring into it pensively. She didn’t want to say much because it seemed pointless. There was no way it’d ever happen, so why get all giggly and excited about it? Then Umji placed her hand over SinB’s and smiled like she knew what SinB was thinking, and SinB just sighed.

“Her name is Yerin,” SinB said finally.

“Yerin,” Umji and Yuju cooed together.

SinB couldn’t help but laugh a little as she nodded, “Yeah, her name is Yerin. She’s a real cute girl, eye smile and dimples and squishy cheeks. She helped me pick up some papers I dropped on my first day. I’ve seen her around the hospital since, but like, from several hundred feet away with other people.”

“Why don’t you ask her out?” Yuju asked, and SinB smiled crookedly at that because that would seem like the obvious answer.

“She’s unavailable,” SinB said vaguely.

“What, like she’s seeing someone?” Umji tried to clarify, eyebrows furrowing as she tried to understand.

SinB smiled, just the slightest bit disappointed, as she replied, “Unavailable like she’s the daughter of the director of the hospital I’m interning at.”

Umji’s mouth formed a little ‘o’ out of surprise while Yuju rubbed SinB’s arm consolingly.

“It’s just a crush,” SinB shrugged.

“You could still try,” Umji said softly. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but you’re quite the catch.”

SinB grinned at the compliment and reassured her, “Like I said it’s not a big deal. I’ll focus on work for now, and if another, more attainable girl, happens to come along, I’ll give it a shot.”

“Have another beer on the house then,” Yuju said, placing another beer in front of her.

“I have work in the morning,” SinB tried to protest.

Umji, the traitor, pointed out, “You don’t have to go in to work until two in the afternoon. One more beer won’t affect you that much.” Knowing SinB’s weakness, Umji added with a sweet smile, “I worry about you working so hard. You deserve to relax.”

SinB was always wary of worrying Umji too much nowadays. Back in medical school, Umji had witnessed SinB put herself through hell and back to maintain her ridiculously high grades. One day, SinB had been up for almost two days after doing volunteer work on top of her studying and had gotten into a car accident. It had scared the out of Umji, and SinB would never forget the fear in Umji’s eyes when she’d seen SinB in the hospital. After that day, SinB vowed never to worry Umji like that again. It was something Umji clearly appreciated but also liked to use to her own advantage as well. Like now.

With a reluctant smile, SinB finished off her second beer and grabbed her third. She rolled her eyes when Umji and Yuju hollered in delight, but she also couldn’t help but smile. She loved her friends so much, especially when they were all she had.

Her dark thoughts were interrupted by the front door opening up, letting in the humid air from outside. Out of habit, SinB glanced toward the door, only to snap back to make sure her eyes weren’t deceiving her.

SinB blinked once. Twice. No, Jung Yerin was still there at the other end of the bar with Kim Sowon and Jung Eunha with her. It suddenly felt like SinB had been drinking way too much, but she knew her limits and two beers could never conjure such a sight.

Yerin looked just as pretty as the day SinB had talked to her. Her hair was straight this time, falling smoothly around her shoulder, as she looked around. She looked uncomfortable in the bar, even more so in the shirt she was wearing, given the way she kept fidgeting with it. There was nothing indecent about the shirt, but it was sleeveless and dipped a shallow v toward her chest, showing much more skin than the high-collared dress that SinB had seen her in. Then again, Yerin could’ve probably shown up in a paper bag and still wowed SinB.

“Are you okay?”

SinB jerked slightly when Umji touched her arm, blinking rapidly as she was pulled from her thoughts. She turned to find Umji staring at her curiously while Yuju had gone to serve some customers.

“Yerin just walked in,” SinB said blankly, still processing how Yerin was here. She’d gone to this bar for almost three years now, but not once had SinB seen Yerin. Sure, it wasn’t like SinB lived here or something, but there was no way they’d both gone here for years and never seen each other. SinB was positive she’d remember Yerin if she’d seen her.

“Wait,” Umji gaped. “Your crush is here?”

“Somehow,” SinB nodded helplessly. She looked back over to where Yerin was now sitting at a booth near the front. Shaking her head, SinB looked away before she got caught staring. At the hospital, it might’ve been forgivable since she couldn’t really avoid her there, but in a bar? Less okay.

“Well, which one is she?” Umji asked, covertly stealing glances at the booth.

SinB looked over her shoulder before saying, “The one with bangs and longer hair, in a pink shirt.”

Umji immediately grinned and said, “Aw, she’s cute. You’ve got good tastes at least.”

“A little too good,” SinB sighed, making Umji laugh and pat her arm.

The rest of the night turned out differently than SinB had thought it would. At the beginning of the night, she thought she would have a couple of drinks, maybe find a girl. Instead, she nursed her third beer for over an hour as she watched (pined, Umji corrected) from afar. After SinB finished her beer and her excuse to stay, she let Umji drive them home since she only had one glass. The two of them ended up leaving through the back, sparing SinB from a possible interaction with Yerin, and she still wasn’t sure if she was thankful for that.

When they got back to their apartment, Umji made sure SinB drank a glass of water for every beer she had before sitting them down on the couch and putting on the cheesiest movie they had on DVD. This is what SinB had been expecting, and it didn’t let down. It was great to laugh at the movie with Umji, staying up until two in the morning but not leaving the all too comfortable couch.

When SinB woke up, it was late morning, and Umji was still snoozing away. SinB wriggled her way out from under their mountain of blankets and went to get ready for the day. She let Umji sleep since it was the weekend, her only real time to sleep in. After showering and changing into her scrubs, SinB made herself a quick breakfast of eggs and toast, making sure to leave some for Umji. By the time SinB was leaving the apartment, Umji was still asleep, so SinB left her a note and kissed her forehead on her way out.

Another day of her internship. As SinB walked to the bus stop, she wondered if Yerin would be too hungover to come to the hospital. Then SinB shook her head and rolled her eyes at herself. Don’t think about the pretty daughter of your director, SinB told herself. However, SinB got on the bus and found her mind wandering anyways. She sighed. Easier said than done.