In one cold day in November, Luna just woke up from her afternoon nap and she got out from her room to get drinks. F(x) did not have any schedule for this day so each of them can use their free time doing whatever they like. She found Amber sitting on the floor, busy writing something on a big paper. Luna took a peek and saw Krystal’s name there.

“Amber unnie, what’s that?”

Amber startled hearing Luna called her suddenly. “Geez, Luna! Don’t surprise me like that!”. Luna just giggled looking at Amber’s face.

“Uhm.. I am writing something for Krystal. I am going to make a surprise visit to her drama filming set.”, Amber grinned and let Luna saw her ‘art-work’. There was a sentence that read ‘You’ve worked hard, Princess Jung Soo Jung’ in Korean, written on the big paper.

Luna eyes widened in surprise. “You’re gonna visit her? Are you guys –“, Luna stopped before she can asked further.

Amber just chuckled. “No. We’re not back together. But… that doesn’t mean I can’t support her, right? At least we can be friends again now.”, she chirped happily. Luna smiled hearing Amber’s answer. She felt relieve as well that Amber and Krystal have found their peace to each other, they found their way back to each other. Not as lovers, but being friends again is more than enough. It surely will keep the balance in their group.  

“I am happy to hear that, Unnie. Send my regards when you see her, okay?”

“Sure.”, Amber gladly answered. “By the way, I guess I need to get ready. I don’t want to be too late when I visit her.”, she rushed giving her final touch on the paper, checked it one more time to make sure it perfectly drawn, and went to shower after that. 

Since Krystal’s collapsed incident, Amber’s relationship with Krystal was getting better. The awkwardness between them slowly decreased and they were starting to feel more comfortable around each other. Without confirmed anything to each other yet, they seemed to try to build their relationship again, as friends. Whether both of them wanted to be more than friends now, they also didn’t know the answer for that. From Amber’s side, she just wanted to feel close again to Krystal, no matter status they have, lovers, ex-lovers, or friends, she knew she doesn’t want to erase Krystal from her life. Krystal on the other hand, didn’t want to think about it too much. As long as Amber always be there for her, she was more than happy. In her mind, they still have each other, eventhough only as friends, because Krystal can’t imagine her life without Amber.

When Amber arrived at Krystal drama set, suddenly she could feel butterfly flung around in her stomach. She mentally scolded herself as she should not feeling this way again. But she couldn’t help it, and the worst part was, she enjoyed the feeling of it. She waved her hands when she found Krystal who were still shooting her scene. Krystal widened her eyes in shock when she saw Amber there. She didn’t know why, but she felt that she wanted to rush and finish the shooting so she can spend time with Amber immediately. Amber patiently waiting until Krystal finished her shoot for a particular scene and Krystal happily jumped on Amber and hug her when she finally got her break.

“What are you doing here??”, a wide smile formed on Krystal lips when she broke her hug from Amber.

Amber just grinned dorkily and proudly showed what she has prepared. Krystal looked at the sentence that was written on the paper Amber brought with her and let out a warm, happy laugh. “Stupid.”

Amber laughed too. “It’s lame, I know. But hey, at least I came to support you.”, she said. “Have you eaten? Can you have a dinner with me during your break?”, Amber further asked.

Krystal felt flustered. It was weird because hearing Amber asking that questions sounded like Amber was asking her to go out for a dinner date. But Krystal must hold herself and remind her that this was just a typical happy and friendly Amber, asking her to have a casual dinner between friends. She couldn’t expect more than that.

“Sure. Let’s eat. But I can’t eat too far from here because I have to continue shooting. I knew a good place around here, so let’s just eat there. ”,  Krystal almost hold Amber’s hand to drag her to the restaurant. But she remembered that kind of act was maybe too much for now, maybe Krystal was not ready for it. So she ended up pushing Amber’s shoulders awkwardly to guide her out from the filming set.

Regardless the fact that Krystal tried so hard to hide her happiness, her face can’t lie because she kept smiling when they arrived at the restaurant. She was just so happy that Amber made a surprise visit to her on her drama set.

“Why are you keep smiling like an idiot?”, Amber let out a small chuckle seeing how cheerful Krystal was tonight.

“What? No. I am just happy that I got my break so I can eat. I was starving.”, Krystal lied. Krystal was confused, she should not feel this happy just because Amber came to see her. This dinner was not a special dinner, it was merely… a dinner.  

“Ah okay. Well, let’s just ordered then.”, Amber tried to hide her disappointment. Deep in her heart, she was actually hoped that the reason why Krystal happy was because of her. But then again, what’s so special about Amber now? She was just Krystal’s friend and groupmate, period.

They both tried to speak and chat normally when they eat. Krystal updated Amber on what’s going on with the filming, but threaten Amber not to spoil anything to anyone about the plot of the drama. Amber kept reminding Krystal to take vitamin and take good care about herself, so she won’t be too tired and collapse again on the set.

“You sure ate a lot.”, Amber teased. “Be careful your pretty face might be bloated tomorrow.”

“YAH!”, Krystal glared and threw a chopstick to Amber, which earned an ‘ouch’ from Amber who sounded like she was injured. Krystal laughed and Amber just can’t help but to feel mesmerized by Krystal’s bright face in front of her now.  Amber missed this a lot, she missed talking to Krystal, she missed teasing Krystal, she missed everything about her.

“But princess will be always look pretty eventhough her face is bloated”, without thinking, Krystal showed her pouted face to Amber. It was too late for her to act ‘normal’ around Amber this time, she was so used to this and she didn’t know how to use her poker face right now. No matter how annoying Amber could be when she , Krystal still loves it in every way.

“Then you could be princess Fiona when she turned green.”, Amber teased again and laughed.

“Yah!! I will be princess Fiona in her princess form. You’re so annoying!”, Krystal threw another chopstick to Amber. Krystal looked too cute until Amber has to hold herself to pinch her cheek right now. 

“Hey, I paid for this dinner so I reserved the right to annoy you!”, Amber said jokingly.

“As a servant, you didn’t do a good job to serve me. All you can do is annoy me, so consider the dinner treat as your punishment.”, Krystal lifted her chin and acted like a princess way. They both then laughed in amusement of their own conversation.

After the teasing was over, they were fall in a silence. But it wasn’t awkward, it was warm and calming. Both of them didn’t mind the silence and just stared at each other’s eyes, enjoying each other’s presence. They really wanted to be much closer, but this is the closest that they can get.

“Thank you for coming today, Am. It really means a lot to me.”, Krystal gave a soft smile, her eyes was sparkling and Amber can see sincerity in her smile.

“I –“, Amber lips locked up after that one word, there was so many things that she wanted to say to Krystal, but Amber can’t choose which one. Did she want to say that she simply misses her? Did she want to ask Krystal if they should try again? Or did she want to make sure to Krystal that it is okay for her having Krystal as her friend, as long as Krystal will always by her side?  Krystal now seemed… so close yet so far away. Like she couldn’t reached her eventhough she was just a meter away from Amber. Amber’s mind was full of thoughts and all the words she wanted to say was all blurry right now.

“What, Am?”, Krystal raised her eyebrows, waiting patiently about what Amber was going to say. Inside, she felt that she was divided by two. One Krystal was waiting for Amber to say that she wanted her back but the other Krystal was in fear when she imagine her past relationship with Amber that was filled with loads amount of fight. Both Krystal struggled, but it came on the conclusion that she was unable to conclude anything right now. Maybe being friends is better for now and let’s just pray that Amber would never leave her completely. And maybe… just maybe, one day they will have their time to reunite as lovers again.

“I….I am glad that we have dinner tonight. I am glad that we can talk normally like this again.”, that was the words that ended up coming from Amber’s mouth. Maybe this is not the right time for them, Amber thought.

Krystal smiled again. “Me too. I am glad we can be friends.”, she dared herself to say the word ‘friends’ to Amber. Her heart was actually aching, knowing that she finally closed the opportunity to get back together with Amber. There was a bit of sadness when she realized that she chose this path for now and she could only hope that she will not regret it later.

“Yeah. Let’s be friends.”

When Amber replied, both of them has made their choice. To be friends.