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‘So,’ Jinsol said, handing over an iced Americano to Haewon, ‘you like Lily too, huh?’
‘Haewon took a sip of her coffee. The cool liquid slid down her throat. Ugh, it’s so good. I am revived. ‘Thanks. Who doesn’t?’
‘Right.’ Jinsol stared at her.
‘What?’ Haewon shifted on the sofa in the dance practice room.
‘I think you’re misunderstanding.’
‘Yeah?’
Jinsol folded her arms and looked down at her. ‘Yeah.’
‘You’re making my neck hurt. Can you sit down?’
Jinsol remained standing. ‘I like Lily.’
‘Yeah, we’ve just—’
‘In the way that I want to date her.’
Haewon paused mid sip. Her eyes widened. She glanced at the rest of the members, who were standing around, a few steps away, and the dancers who sat in the corner. It didn’t seem like they’d heard.
‘You’re the same, right?’ Jinsol asked.
‘No?’
Jinsol squinted.
It wasn’t a lie. Haewon didn’t like Lily in the way that she wanted to date her. She loved Lily in the way that she wanted to wife her. But she didn’t feel like explaining that right now. ‘Okay, sure?’ she said quietly.
‘Thought so.’ Jinsol nodded, then sighed, and mumbled, ‘So many competitors.’
‘Wait, what’d you just say?’
‘I said there’re so many competitors.’
Competitors was plural. More than one. ‘Who else—’
‘I won’t lose to any of you,’ Yoona said from Haewon’s left.
When did she arrive? Jinsol’s shocking revelation must have taken all of Haewon’s focus. ‘Are you serious?’
‘About Lily?’ Yoona smiled softly. ‘Always.’
‘Do you even know what we’re talking about?’ Haewon asked.
‘You want to marry her,’ Yoona said.
Wait, how does she know? I didn’t say it out loud earlier. And, well, yeah. But I also want to spend eternity with her, and if multiple lifetimes are a thing, I want to spend each and every one together. Even if I’m reborn a worm that gets trodden on and dies, I want to meet Lily. She can be the one who steps on me and kills me. I’d be okay with that. I just need to meet her. Even if it’s only for a second, I want her in my life, every life. Expressing herself was difficult, so Haewon settled on, ‘Sure.’
‘You know,’ Jinsol said. ‘If you don’t start getting serious, Haewon, Lily’s going to get snatched away.’
Haewon chuckled. ‘Right, by one of you? Nah. I don’t see it. Sorry.’
‘Maybe by us,’ Jiwoo said, popping into view from behind Jinsol and Yoona.
‘By me, you mean,’ Kyujin said, hand on Jiwoo’s shoulder.
‘Uh, no,’ Jiwoo said, pouting. ‘We promised we weren’t gonna do that? You said we could date her together.’
Kyujin laughed. ‘Oh, right. I forgot we formed an alliance.’
‘How dare you!’ Jiwoo scrunched her nose up. It was cute in an puppy-like-endearing way, not a heart-pounding-thank-God-for-today’s-blessings-of-Lily’s-cuteness kind of way.
‘Hold up.’ Haewon looked at all her members. ‘You’re telling me you’re all into Lily?’
‘Is that so strange?’ Jiwoo asked.
‘It makes sense, doesn’t it?’ Yoona said.
The other members nodded.
And Haewon felt like a rabbit cornered by a pack of wolves with how they were crowding around her, all stood up while she was sat down. But Yoona was often seen as a rabbit, so maybe saying Haewon felt like a deer about to be slaughtered by a bunch of hunters would be better. No, wait. Yoona’s also a deer. I’m a polar bear going extinct because the ice is melting around me, and it’s all these humans and their pollution’s fault? That worked. Kind of. Not very well, but it was okay. Whatever.
‘Everyone wants Lily,’ Jinsol said.
‘This has got to be a joke you’re all playing on me.’ Haewon sighed. ‘Whose idea was it?’
The members shared a look, then turned their gazes to Haewon. There was pity in their eyes.
‘I know it’s hard to accept,’ Jiwoo said. ‘But it’s just how it is.’
Kyujin patted Haewon’s shoulder. ‘The quicker you move past the denial phase, the better.’
‘And sorry to break it to you,’ Jinsol said, ‘but it’s not just us.’
Haewon froze. ‘There’s more? There are more people?’ She laughed, incredulous. ‘Slap me. I need to wake up from this nightmare.’
Silence.
‘Okay, fine.’ If her members wouldn’t help, she’d do it herself. Haewon raised her hand.
Yoona grabbed her wrist. ‘Don’t hurt yourself. Lily will be sad if she finds out.’
‘You’re not concerned for me?’ Haewon raised an eyebrow.
‘I am, but I think Lily will be more upset than any of us here,’ Yoona said. ‘You know how tender hearted she is.’
‘I’m not slapping myself, don’t worry,’ Haewon said. ‘I was going to pinch my cheek.’
Yoona didn’t let go.
‘Promise?’ Kyujin asked.
‘Yeah, I promise.’
Yoona withdrew her hand, and Haewon pinched herself.
‘So?’ Jiwoo said.
Haewon stared at the floor. ‘Well, shit. It hurt.’ Which meant that this wasn’t a nightmare she could wake up from. ‘Tell me who the others are.’
‘Everyone in this room right now,’ Jinsol said.
‘What, the dancers and the staff too?’
‘Yup.’ Jiwoo nodded.
‘Very funny,’ Haewon said flatly. ‘Next, you’re gonna tell me that the air is in love with her.’
‘What’re you all gathered up for?’ Lily peeked over Kyujin’s shoulder.
Everyone’s heads turned towards Lily at the same time.
‘Just talking about dance formation stuff,’ Yoona said, stepping closer to Lily.
‘Oh, cool.’ Lily smiled. ‘Anything important I need to know?’
‘I think you’re good,’ Jinsol said, batting her eyelashes. ‘Nothing you need to change.’
‘Nice!’ Lily fist pumped.
Adorable. It was difficult for Haewon to tear her gaze away from Lily, but she had to check on everyone else’s reactions. She peered past her members and saw that the dancers were staring at Lily. The staff were sneaking glances too. No, I’m imagining it. They look at us sometimes. It happens. There’s no way that EVERYONE wants Lily. But why was there no way? It was Lily. It wouldn’t make sense to not want her.
‘Haewon, you okay?’ Lily asked. ‘You’ve gone pale.’
‘I… haha… I’m doomed…’
‘What?’ Lily frowned, and the members kept silent. It seemed that there was some sort of unspoken rule about not letting Lily know what was going on.
‘How am I going to fight against all these people?’ Haewon muttered.
‘Fight?’ Lily’s frown deepened.
‘Haewon might have to film a new singing show,’ Yoona said. ‘It’s competitive.’
‘Yeah,’ Kyujin said. ‘I heard it’s really tough with tons of participants.’
Jiwoo nodded, and Jinsol hummed in agreement.
‘I see…’ Lily said. ‘Well, Haewon, remember how you got into this company? You won against thousands of people. I believe you can do it again. You sing so well, and I love your voice, and you’re so great in general. So just do your best and have some fun!’ She smiled, brighter than the sun and just as warm, then plopped down onto the sofa to sit beside Haewon.
The members sat down too. Smiles went around, and chatter filled their corner of the room. But Haewon could see the hearts in their eyes now, and how they all leaned towards the girl she was in love with. She noticed lingering touches and extra glances. All directed at Lily.
Well, fuck. Haewon was the leader of NMIXX. She didn’t get to where she was by quitting. One look at Lily and the girls around her had Haewon removing the lid on her coffee and downing the whole drink. I’m gonna need ten more of these at triple the strength.
‘Lily,’ Haewon said. ‘Can I speak to you in private?’
All eyes snapped towards Haewon.
‘Sure,’ Lily said. ‘What is it?’
Haewon licked her lips and reached for Lily’s hand. ‘I’ve got something important to ask you.’ I’ll be damned if I let anyone else make a move first. She pulled Lily up from the sofa and headed outside the room. Will you date me? No, no. That might freak her out. When are you free next? Want to hang out? Just you and me? Will that work? Or should I ask her what she thinks of me first? I don’t know. I could—
‘Hey,’ Lily said, giving Haewon’s hand a squeeze. ‘Is this about the singing show? Because if it is, I say go for it, Haewon. You won’t know if you’ll win if you don’t try. What was it… You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.’
‘I like wine more than shots.’ Haewon threw her cup into the bin.
‘No, that’s not…’
‘Okay.’ They were in the corridor. Alone. Haewon took a deep breath. ‘Bottoms up. I’ll take my shot.’
‘It’s not about drinking.’
‘Will you marry me?’ Haewon blurted while holding Lily’s hand in both of hers.
Lily blinked.
‘Sorry,’ Haewon said. ‘I mean, girlfriends—no, wait. Dating. Do you want to date? Me. Date me. Please.’ Her heart was about to break through her ribs with how hard it was beating.
‘Oh,’ Lily said, eyes wide. ‘Oh my God.’
‘Please give me a chance.’ Haewon’s mouth was dry. She’d never been so nervous in her life. This was like auditioning to be a trainee but worse. If she’d failed, she could have auditioned again for a different company. She had more than one chance, but not here, not with Lily.
The girl of her dreams only stared at her.
If Lily didn’t want Haewon, that would be the end of this because Haewon wasn’t someone who wouldn’t take no for an answer. She couldn’t be one of those disgusting people who forced herself onto someone, especially not someone she loved. ‘One chance?’ Her voice was smaller than she’d liked it to be. What happened to confident leader Oh Haewon of NMIXX?
‘I can’t believe…’ Lily’s words were quiet, like she was talking to herself, ‘that it worked…’
‘What?’
‘Um…’ Lily chuckled. ‘Crazy.’
‘Me?’
‘No, uh…’
‘So, will you go out with me?’
‘I—yes. Yes, I will. I’d love to. Oh my God.’ Lily laughed. ‘I’m going to go broke paying everyone in that room.’
Haewon frowned. ‘I’m not following.’
‘Sorry, there was a bet, and it was everyone against me…’
‘This better not be what I think is…’
‘Ahaha…’ Lily looked away. ‘I don’t know what you think it is? Everyone was just trying to help us out, that’s all.’
Haewon raised an eyebrow.
And Lily tightened her grip on Haewon’s hand and tugged her back inside the room. ‘Promise me you won’t get angry. I’ll explain everything, girlfriend.’
Haewon’s cheeks burned. That warm and fuzzy feeling filled her chest, bringing a smile to her lips. She wasn’t sure if it was possible to be angry when Lily was holding her hand and calling her girlfriend.