“I heard another rumor that you flirted with your underclassman.” Yena let out an exasperated sigh as Hyewon continued to play animal crossing on her switch. She is tired of hearing rumors about her best buddy. It’s almost a routine of Yena, go to class, hear rumors about Hyewon, glare at those who she heard, and continue on her day as if she never really heard such rumors. All she wants right now for her best friend is to settle with one person, like her with Yuri.

Hyewon didn’t mind Yena for she was busy fishing on her game but she heard her loud and clear. A rumor involving an underclassman, huh. She thinks. Maybe it was the most recent one who asked for some help regarding their syllabus. She admits that the freshman got the guts and also the looks, but sadly, she’s not her type. She only went by the flow, casually giving feedback and replies that were on par, if not, better, with the person while teaching, and then she left. She doesn’t want the younger to get attached with her because she knows that it’ll end badly on the freshman’s point of view. Hyewon is still an upperclassman who cares for her juniors, and she doesn’t want them to shift courses so soon because of her.

“…Minjoo.” Hyewon paused the game and looked up. She saw Minjoo beside Yuri, who is currently busy conversing with Yena. Minjoo wore a simple yellow statement shirt tucked inside her jeans, and white sneakers. Hyewon saw how the younger tucked the loose hair strands behind her ear as it was quite windy today. As she kept the gaze on, she also saw how Minjoo’s eyes redirect towards her and that’s when Hyewon averted her gaze towards her unfinished game.

Hyewon inwardly curses both Yena and whatever entity is trying to play with her right now.

Approximately three days ago, Yena decided that they’ll have some karaoke fun once weekend comes. There’s nothing to celebrate to be honest, Yena just wants to enjoy life. Hyewon accepted the offer because she knows that resisting Yena is futile. Hyewon knows that it also meant that Yuri will be joining them because the two are already joint by their waists, and she didn’t mind being their third wheel. But when Yena told Hyewon a day ago that Yuri will be bringing a friend, she didn’t expect that of all people, it’ll be Minjoo.

“Ya, Kang Hyewon.” Hyewon saved her game, turned the gadget off, and put it inside the safety of the sling bag that she brought for today. Hyewon stood up from the park bench where they both waited for the newly arrived duo and greeted them.

“As you know, this is Yuri.” Yena motioned to the blonde girl. Hyewon nodded in recognition and also nodded to the fact that maybe Yena is indeed an idiot, for Yena already made that introduction before but she’s doing it again right now. She kept her insult to herself. “And this is---“
 

“Hyewon-unnie.” Minjoo smiled.

“Kim Minjoo.”

Yena looked at them both in confusion and amusement. “You guys know each other?” Both girls turned their heads towards her and nodded but both had a different aura to their smiles. One seemed of longing and the other is hope. Yena’s head was full of questions but she doesn’t want to ruin the mood. “That makes things a lot easier.”

First stop, they ate tteokbokki and cheesedogs at the restaurant near their final location, which is the karaoke room. The whole time that they were inside the restaurant, Hyewon was barely participating in the conversations, only replying when there was a question directed to her or when her opinion was asked, but otherwise, she stayed lowkey. Their conversations were slightly muted as she could just focus on one. Observing while thinking, that’s what she tried to do.

There was a tornado inside Hyewon’s head. It wreaked havoc to her seemingly peaceful thoughts before an unfortunate event called life happened. She thought that it will all be fine once she gets into a university. She had the mindset that in uni, she can leave the past behind her and live anew. That she can basically do everything that she wants once in uni and she’ll be able to forget about her first love, Kim Minjoo.

But she must have left the windows and doors open inside her house, for the tornado caused mayhem for her inside and out. All of the flirting and advances on others was Hyewon’s effort to forget her. Every time she makes a move on someone, the more her house gets fixed. But it all went down the drain all because she saw Minjoo again. She saw the smile and eyes of the only person who made her heart skip a beat. As she stared at the remains of the destroyed house, she knows that she’s back to square one.
 

“…Hyewon. Yoo-hoo, earth to Hyewon.” Hyewon noticed that she spaced out again as they arrived at their last destination today. The room itself wasn’t spacious but it also doesn’t feel compressed. There’s just enough room to move around, dance, and basically, have fun while singing to their heart’s content. There are three couches and a table in the middle, which has the songbook, microphone, tambourines, and the remote control.

As they went inside, Hyewon took the seat next to Yena, who is beside Yuri. There is still a lot of space beside her and Yuri, and Minjoo is the last person to go inside the room for she went to get herself a drink from the vending machine first. Hyewon felt bothered as to where would the younger seat, and thankfully, she sat beside Yuri.

Hyewon, for the nth time today, just stole glances of the younger. As she was able to observe the younger at a safe distance, she realized that not much has changed with Minjoo. She still had the same magnetic look in her chocolate brown eyes, the same way that Hyewon remembers approximately 2 years ago. She still has the same laugh; the type where her eyes would twinkle and every time she would heartily cackle, Hyewon’s ears would perk up and involuntarily smile. She is still as clumsy as ever. She still wears her heart upon her sleeve, based from the stories Hyewon quite heard moments ago since Minjoo lets everyone know how she feels. That’s one of the reasons why she fell for the younger in the first place.
 

But most of all, it’s just simply because Minjoo is Minjoo.

Minjoo, back in their high school, already has the ability to turn people’s heads to her wherever she goes. Hyewon already expected that to happen to someone who has the beauty and brains, like her. She knows that there will be a lot of preying eyes on the younger, who she knew based from the conversations of her classmates who were either jealous or simply admiring their junior’s wit and attractiveness, for she also undergone such treatment when she was still a freshman.

She had thoughts of helping the younger cope up on a stressful environment. But she opted not to, because it seemed to her that the freshman could handle situations well herself. Hyewon also knows that Minjoo exudes an aura so light, warm, and kind, the type that can magnetize you to her charms.

Hyewon knows this for she experienced it firsthand.

She wanted to peacefully live through her last year in high school. But her dreams shattered when it was just the second month back to school and she already took in Minjoo under her wing. It all started when Hyewon once went to the library only to see it fully occupied. That’s when she turned to study under the old tree that can be found at the middle of the school’s complex. It has benches and tables that make it great for eating lunch or studying there.

As she arrived underneath the tree, she realized that those spots are also taken, but there’s still room for one person and it’s in front of the talk of the town. She had thought of just going back to their room and not minding the noise of her classmates, no matter how detrimental it may be for her ears and brain. She was about to turn her heel and go back but she met eyes with Kim Minjoo and saw how her lips slowly curved upwards.

Hyewon just felt the urge to take a seat out of nowhere and so she did. She asked first before sitting and true enough, it wasn’t occupied. She then just found herself stealing glances of the person in front of her whenever she takes a break from studying. By the time Hyewon was done reading the literature passage in the book, she looked up to see the younger having a hard time for her brows were furrowed.
 

Hyewon decided to help the brunette from a math problem that couldn’t solve itself. Hyewon’s class had a free cut due to an emergency of their teacher and it’s almost time for their next subject. But she didn’t mind getting detention this once for skipping classes just to help someone with math. Since then, for some reason, they are almost always together during breaks, lunch, and after class.

For all those times that they’ve been together, Hyewon knows that Minjoo is more than just a pretty face and intelligent brain. And when her heart skipped for the first time and it’s towards the younger, it didn’t go unnoticed.

“Hyewon, you know very well that we’re not going to leave this place until you sing a song, right?” Yena chirped in while handling the songbook to Hyewon. The trio has been singing and dancing around, making it look like Hyewon is their sole chaperone; tasked to take care of three young adults.

Hyewon heaved a heavy sigh. She really doesn’t want to sing right now but what else can she do? This is Yena who we’re talking about and she is extreme at being persuasive. Her eyes and hands worked together in great coordination as she searched for a possible intermission number. When she found it, she immediately made the necessary input and waited for her turn. She knows that it’s quite far from the fun songs they’re singing but it’s the only way she could let her present emotions go out of her system.

As the song title showed up on the screen, Hyewon knew that it’s already her turn. 
 

“It’s Hyewon’s time to shine!” Yena hyped her best buddy up. The title already gave it all away for Yena, she just doesn’t know if Hyewon’s message would pass through. The energetic trio took a seat first and let Hyewon take the mic and space in front while Yena stared at Hyewon’s back.

As her friend started to sing, Yena felt Yuri’s hand intertwine with her. Yuri leaned her head on Yena’s shoulder and softly sang along with Hyewon, as the older draped an arm over the younger’s shoulder.

Baby I’m falling head over heels

Looking for ways to let you know just how I feel

I wish I was holding you by my side

I wouldn’t change a thing ‘cause finally it’s real

Yena could only smile in melancholy as she looked at her best buddy singing her heart out. She took a glance to Minjoo, and saw a look that is similar with Yuri’s. She wants to know their story. And she won’t let Hyewon off the hook that easily.

“Are you tired?” Yena asked Yuri as she rested her head on top of her girlfriend. 

Yuri shook her head no. “Let’s just stay like this for the meantime while Hyewon-unnie’s still singing.” Yena just smiled with what the younger had said and squeezed her hand. “Hmm?” Yuri shifted her head to look at Yena.

Yena saw the puppy like appearance on Yuri again, which she thinks of as part of her charms. Yena shook her head and dismissed what she was about to say. All that she thinks at that moment is how she cherishes her girlfriend, and that Hyewon should start gathering courage now.

---

“You laugh at me as if I have a choice.” Hyewon rolled her eyes to Yena. She just finished ranting to her best bud how she’s been blackmailed by her parents this morning to join the masquerade ball. It is annually held before summer ends and its target are the young adults of elite families. 

Hyewon doesn’t even consider herself as part of the elite and wants no business with them. Everything is just a matter of power play and money, especially to the jerk ones.

She also starts to regret coming home last night when her mom called all because summer’s ending and she misses her daughter, only for Hyewon to wake up with blackmail. And the worst thing is the event will be held tonight. 

“You could just ditch it right in the middle, run on the streets, and feel like you came out of a renaissance themed movie or something.” Yena suggested while texting Yuri. Yena immediately went to Hyewon’s place the moment she got a text from Hyewon’s parent that she will attend the ball. Also, the couple will also be there. It doesn’t feel like it but their respective families are loaded. Like Hyewon, they don’t really want to be called as elite of the society. It’s just simply off for them.

Hyewon rolled her eyes for the nth time today. “That’s just plain weird.” Hyewon scoffed and looked at the ball gown that the mannequin is wearing. If only her parents didn’t use the ‘study-abroad and we’re going to pay off your student-loans’ card on her, she wouldn’t have agreed. Hyewon wanted to live life as normal as she can, without the unwanted attention on her parent’s richness. It’s the reason why she lives at the university’s dorm and works to pay her expenses without her parent’s help. And when someone asks who her parents are, most of the time she changes topic. Living like this is her decision, and she will stand by it no matter what. “I think I’ll get by tonight. You and your girlfriend are there anyway.”

Hyewon stood up to take a closer look at the white ball gown her parents had gotten her, and she’s also aware that it’s only a matter time before the make-up artist and the hair stylists will arrive; the reason why Yena is here.

It’s an off shoulder white ball gown, that has see-through sleeves that starts a few inches below the shoulder and ends half-way below the elbow. The top most part of the sleeves is embroidered with gold which make it seems like an extension of the upper part of the gown. The upper part of the gown, which is seems like a tube, is embroidered with gold from its waist part all the way up. The embroidery is full of details that make it look elegant and a person will just know that it took time to create. From the waist down, it’s obvious that it uses petticoat but it’s doesn’t look too balloon-y. There are intricate gold patterns embroidered on the gown from the hip down.

Her parents didn’t even ask for her exact measurements so she doubts that it will fit her perfectly. But otherwise, she actually likes its color and style. It makes her want to think that she’s a princess that lived in the past.

“Maybe we’ll ditch it in the middle.” Yena nonchalantly said. “We’ll probably go somewhere else if it’s just the usual .”

Hyewon was about to protest and ask them to let her join their plan too, but there was a soft knock on her room. “Come in.” Hyewon said and there goes their helper saying that the ones tasked to make her beautiful tonight have arrived.

“Let them in.” Four people entered the room and started to set up their things. Hyewon was aware that Yena and she will be having their preparations simultaneously, as told by her mother.

“Who’s Hyewon?” The lady who wore a striped collar asked. Hyewon simply raised her hand and sat in front of the large vanity table that she has, and Hyewon thinks that this moment is already the start of the long night that she will have.

---

The moment Hyewon stepped inside the capacious grand hall; she wanted to go home already. There are already a lot of them even though she and Yena arrived late. She’s also aware that the mini program has ended and all that’s left for them to witness is the ballroom dancing part. As expected, there were eyes fixated on them as they have just arrived, eyes that would either be of jealousy or admiration, and Hyewon simply dislikes having unwanted attention on her (at this case, them).

Yena nudged at Hyewon who seemed tensed. Yena wanted to lift her best bud’s mood because even though they have their masks on, she just knows that Hyewon’s uncomfortable.

Hyewon simply nodded as they continue to walk their way among the crowd. Ladies wearing ball gowns and gentlemen wearing tuxedos surrounded the pair. As they passed through the congested dance floor, they sat at their designated place while waiting for Yuri to arrive.

Hyewon’s eyes traveled across the venue. The organizers have done such magnificent and well-detailed decoration at this hall. There are vases, paintings, and flowers located inside that can take you back to the past, and also, there is a buffet at the right side of the hall and a bar at its opposite. They’ve already eaten before going here, and that’s why Hyewon doesn’t feel the need to eat but she does feel thirsty for alcohol. 

“I’ll get myself a drink,” Hyewon said to Yena, who’s almost unrecognizable with her mask that covers half of her face but her lips gave it away. “Wanna join?”

Yena shook her head. “Get me some too.” Hyewon mouthed a “no” and Yena pouted. “Fine, go on. I’ll wait for Yuri first.” That’s all Hyewon needed before she went on her way.
 

She honestly abhors the idea of wearing a mask where only her eyes and nose are covered. Her entire jawline and shoulder are exposed, since her hair is tied in a low ponytail with locks cascading on the sides of her face and topped with a silver accessory to complete her look. She doesn’t care that much anyway. No one would probably recognize her here, besides it’s been years since she last attended any social event that they hold.

As she got to the bar, no one was there. There are ten seats and she sat at the furthest left. Even the stools felt like it’s taken from the baroque period as it was comfy yet classy. Hyewon asked the bartender for a glass of martini. She told him to stir it and use lemon instead of olive. Moments after, her drink is served. First sip in and she immediately succumbed to its coldness and sweet taste.

In her mind, she once again saw the remnants of what used to be her house. It has been months since she last saw Minjoo but she just can’t pick up the pieces yet. Not yet, not when everything seems to be out of place. But also, she knows that she needs to pull herself together before it’s all too late.

That day, at the karaoke room, she saw Minjoo stare at her intently as she finished the song. Hyewon didn’t bother to look at her eyes nor steal glances, she kept avoiding them. She felt exposed. The song was her only medium to hide and e