Chapter Text
Solar let out a shy smile as a herd of reporters crowded around her. She was overwhelmed with how fast media people worked. She literally just got off the plane.
She just came back from her trip to New York, as she was one of the singers picked to go to the K-Pop Convention.
Hwasa, her duo member, was lucky enough to get an earlier flight to Seoul and was able to avoid the press.
Her company likes to accommodate the press so whenever she was crowded, she was obliged to stop and talk to them. She didn’t mind, the reporters were mostly nice, they were just a little pushy.
For example, there was a reporter shoving a mic at Solar’s face. Despite that she looked at them as if she wasn’t bothered at all.
“Solar-ssi, how was New York?” The report asked eagerly.
Before she could answer her bodyguard pushed everyone back but let them stay near to ask questions. Solar internally sighed in relief. Now she was actually smiling genuinely.
“It was amazing! And our fans in America are also very amazing. It was great to see them in person.” She smiled thinking of her fans.
“Where’s Hwasa-ssi? Why aren’t you together? Are you fighting?” Another reporter countered next.
Solar laughed at that. “Yeah, she took my favorite neck pillow and now we’re fighting.” She joked and the reporters laughed with her. “She took an earlier flight because she has a schedule later today and wanted to get some rest in.”
More questions were asked. Until they steered off topic.
“Solar-ssi, there’s a rumor going around that you were friends with actress Moon Byulyi, is that true?” A reporter said out of nowhere.
Solar was got caught off guard with the mention of her old friend but recovered fast. “I’m not sure where that rumor came from but…yes…we were good friends.”
Her answer threw the reporters into a frenzy.
“Were good friends? Are you not friends anymore?”
“Do you still talk?”
“How did you guys become friends?”
Solar gave a nervous laugh. “Um…Byulyi-ssi and I were actually friends in high school. And as any friendship can go, we drifted apart. Especially if you have different goals in your career…but she seems very happy and doing more than well in her career. And I’d like to think my career is doing well too…”
Reporters nodded and smiled at her last statement. “How are you and Eric-ssi?”
Once again, Solar internally sighed for the change of topic. She smiled as she proceeded to accommodate the reporters.
-
In a luxurious Condo:
A silver-haired woman was lying on the couch, on her side, lazily flipping through the channels on her flat-screen television.
She flipped through them until she saw a familiar face.
“—wanted to get some rest in.” The woman on screen answered.
The woman on the couch sat up and watched the Tv with an unreadable expression. The silver-haired woman knew it wouldn’t do her any good to keep watching so she decided to change the channel. She raised her remote until she heard her name mentioned in a question.
“Solar-ssi, there’s a rumor going around that you were friends with actress Moon Byulyi, is that true?” A reporter said out of nowhere.
The woman on the couch studied the woman on the screen as she noticed Solar freeze up at the name and recover quickly.
At the same time, her front door opened and revealed her favorite person, who called out her name in excitement. “Byuliieee~”
She let go of the remote and hugged the person over the couch, half her body still on the couch. “Unnie~”
Dahee laughed at her girlfriend’s greeting, but she didn’t miss the title on the screen.
MOON BYULYI & SOLAR, FRIENDS?
Solar’s voice sounded out the tv speaker “I’m not sure where that rumor came from but…yes… we were good friends.”
Byulyi grabbed the remote and turned off the tv. She turned to Dahee, who was behind the couch, so Byulyi was in a kneeling position on the couch facing the older woman.
“Hey~ I was watching.” Dahee pouted.
Byulyi laughed softly at her expression. “I’m more interested in you~” she gave Dahee a wink.
Dahee rolled her eyes and covered Byulyi’s face.
“You say the sweetest things in the greasiest voice.” The taller woman said showing her amusement.
Dahee loved everything Byulyi did, but she couldn’t let the rookie actress’s head grow bigger.
“You love it~” Byulyi said in a soft teasing tone, taking Dahee’s hands into her own.
The older of the two looked at their joined hands and smiled. She couldn’t help it when she felt how soft the hands holding her own were. “Maybe~” She gave Byulyi a peck on the cheek.
Byulyi grinned in response. Dahee easily fell into Byulyi’s spell as she stared at her. Her face wrinkled around her nose and her dimples revealed themselves on top of her cheeks. It was just so adorable.
Byulyi laughed and gently poked her staring girlfriend’s cheek. “Unnie?”
“Mhm?” Dahee replied distractedly. Byulyi had stopped grinning but she was still an amazing sight, especially up close.
“Not that I mind it but…why is your lovely presence here?” Byulyi asked as she tucked a hair behind the older woman’s ear. “I thought you had a schedule to go to?”
Dahee nodded. “I did... but my manager said that it was canceled because the main singer was caught in a scandal, so he decided to cancel the mini-concert I was supposed to host.”
Dahee suddenly remembered she was carrying a plastic bag. She lifted it for the silver-headed woman to see.
Byulyi curiously raised her eyebrows and slight tilted her head.
“Tteokboki~!” The taller woman smiled at her girlfriend.
Byulyi grinned and jumped off the couch to hug her favorite person. “You’re the best!!”
-
In another luxurious Condo:
“HYEJIN-AH~ I’m home~” Solar said as she took off her shoes.
A voice answered, “LIVING ROOM, UNNIE~!”
That’s where she found Hyejin lying still on the couch like a corpse.
Yongsun giggled and poked her cheek. “Are you ok?”
Hyejin sat up in response, “I was just contemplating if I should wait for you or order food for myself, but since you’re here~~~” she grinned at Yongsun. “Unnie~, can you order some food~?”
Yongsun raised an eyebrow at the younger woman who just grinned at her. She let out a small laugh and finally nodded. “Yeah, yeah.”
She had changed and she gave it a few hours until she decided to order food. She called their favorite place and asked for their regular order, jjajjangmyun, sweet and sour pork. Then she was just waiting for their doorbell to ring.
When it did, behind the door was their manager holding their order. Their manager had a frown on her face. “Really?” Their manager said incredulously.
Yongsun and their manager had parted ways at the airport because the manager wanted to change and take a shower before the day started. Before they parted though, she had advised Yongsun not to splurge on food again. Which she found out as soon as she got on the elevator that they didn’t listen again. She sent the delivery boy away as soon as she found out it was for the woman.
‘At least, it’s not as much as last time.’ Manager-unnie thought.
“I’ll let it go this time.” Manager unnie said in defeat.
Yongsun had squealed in delight. And if manager-unnie listened closely, she could hear a scream in a low tone. Which came closer as Hyejin came to the door. “Yeeeeeeaaaah!!”
Manager unnie just laughed and laid on their couch as the woman attacked the food. She was about to close her eyes.
“Yongsun-ah, I just remembered, you know how we were looking for a drama for your acting debut?”
She heard low ‘mhm?’
So she continued, “we found one that would suit you.”
Yongsun actually responded properly, interested in the topic. “What’s it about?”
Manager-unnie looked sheepish. “Well, I know you don’t want to come out yet, but we all thought this a was a good opportunity…if you do decide to come out later on.”
Yongsun was confused, “come out? As in…come out of the closet?”
Manager unnie nodded, but immediately said, “You don’t have to...just...if you got into the drama you could come out of the closet if you chose to.”
Yongsun just stared at her, not really understanding why getting into the drama would be an opening to come out to her fans.
“Its just because the love interests are...only women. The story is about two women who fall in love, break up and meet again in the future to work together...” Manager unnie sighed. “They thought if you chose to be in this drama and landed a role, it would pave way for you in the future when you do decide to reveal that part of yourself.”
Yongsun bit her lip and nodded, finally understanding. Also, hearing the storyline of the drama hit a chord and caused a tear in heart to reveal itself to her. She knew she wasn’t over the past, but she ignored it all the time.
Manager unnie finally laid back and closed her eyes. “Tell me when you guys are done so I can take Hyejin to her schedule today.”
“De~” Both woman responded in unison.
Hyejin took a chopstick full of noodle, and grabbed a piece of pork. She noticed her unnie was staring at the food. “Unnie?”
The older woman somewhat snapped out of her thoughts, “Yeah?”
“Are you ok?” The younger woman asked cautiously. She knew unnie’s past, she was there for it. She was a friend to both of them, but she was away for that incident. Next thing she knew when she came back from her trip, Byuli-unnie changed her number, and dropped out of school. Even though, a guy named Jongdae asked unnie out, Yongsun-unnie was a total mess.
Yongsun slowly nodded and gave her dongsaeng a small smile. “Yeah, I was just thinking...” She grabbed a piece of pork and ate it.
“About?” Hyejin continued with more caution.
“Byul.” Yongsun said
“Oh…” Hyejin trailed off, not knowing how to continue the conversation with her unnie.
Yongsun snapped out of her thoughts as she realized even her dongsaeng wasn’t eating. “Anyways~! Let’s eat, manager-unnie will be upset if you’re late to your schedule again.”
Hyejin just nodded and followed suit, she didn’t want to upset her unnie any further.
.
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When Hyejin left:
Solar was lazily lying on the couch, staring at the ceiling. She was pondering whether to do the drama.
On one side, she knew she would do well because she would know the feelings so well she would be able to express them. On the other side, feeling those feelings would bring all the pain and memories back.
She sighed, sat up and grabbed the remote. The first thing she sees is the person she’s dreading to think about.
Byul. Or as she was famously now known as the talented rookie actress, Moon Byulyi.
She was on Entertainment Weekly, Star Date.
Moon Byulyi has only been acting for a year, but she already had millions of fans following her on the streets. Her nose muscles showed as she grinned at the host. “It’s a secret~” She said teasingly, looking straight at the camera.
The woman on the couch sighed as she remembered the smile that used to be aimed at her. She missed it and thought about it a lot.
She knew it then and she’s being reminded right now how pretty Byulyi was and currently is.
“Oh come on, Byulyi-ssi, everyone is dying to know if you’re seeing anyone special!” The host prodded.
Byulyi just let out a a little chuckle and turned to the crowd, “WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW?” She politely screamed into the crowd.
The camera captured everyone nodding simultaneously, expecting an answer.
“ME TOO!!” Byulyi screamed cheekily to the crowd.
A lot of the crowd playfully boo’d, some frowned, some actually smiling and laughing along with the actress.
Though Yongsun was curious, she couldn’t help but smile at the woman on screen, remembering the silver-haired actress to be exactly the same in high school.
Yongsun suddenly shook her head. “Why does it hurt so much?”
She turned off the TV, and went back to her previous position. Once again staring at the ceiling.
‘Was that a sign?’ She asked herself. ‘Does that mean I should do the drama?’
She sat up once again, “I should.” She said out loud this time. “I will…For myself…Maybe this is the way I move on…”
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Inside MBC Building:
Opening the door, revealing a smiling Byulyi.
“Annyeonghasaeyo~” Byulyi said bowing respectfully.
The director smiled at the mere presence of Byulyi. “Hey, welcome! What can I do for you, my main star?”
Byulyi grinned at that. “I actually came to ask a favor…” she said hesitantly.
“If I can do it, why not?” The director smiled at Byulyi like he was his daughter.
“I actually have a potential actress as my co-star…” Byulyi said carefully.
The director just nodded and listened intently.
“Lee Dahee …” Byulyi finally said with caution.
The director’s eyes widened in surprise. “Isn’t she too famous for us?”
Byulyi nodded, “She definitely is, but she and I have talked about how the roles for this drama are special.”
“Special how?” The director smirked, already knowing the answer.
Byulyi blushed, “She and I...”
The director grinned at that, “Well, I can tell you we’ll add her to the audition, but I can’t promise you anything, Byul-ah”
Byulyi grinned and nodded. “No, of course! I wasn’t expecting any special treatment…I just wanted you to consider her.”
The director nodded in understanding, the actress never pushed or changed anything with how the producer worked. She just followed his lead. That’s why he liked the woman, she was humble, polite, most certainly easiest to direct.
“I do understand the appeal though, you guys will already have chemistry so it won’t be hard to create. That would be good.” The director said smiling. “Well then, we have more auditions tomorrow, tell her to come prepared!”
Byulyi nodded and bowed, “Thank you!”
She smiled, waved and bowed once more before she left the room.
The director sat down. He had been working with Byulyi since her debut, granted she had only been working as an actress for a year but the woman was overflowing with talent. That was exactly why she popped up in his head as the main actress of his new drama. He wasn’t sure she knew it herself though. Now thinking of Byulyi’s suggestion, Lee Dahee. She was a big star, and he understood the appeal, but he wasn’t sure Dahee’s image fit the character that was meant to be Byulyi’s endgame lover.
“Let’s see how it all works out~” He said kicking his feet up and leaning back.