Third Person's POV

They're two hours away from Minju's beach house.

After Nako and Hitomi's whispering session, everyone stayed quiet. They were too tired and eventually slept except for Sakura who was keeping track of the traffic and Chaeyeon who is now driving.

They stopped at a rest stop and ate dinner there. After eating dinner, they all went back to the road. Chaeyeon and Yena switched so Yena could get some rest.

It was almost 10:00 PM. The rest of the girls are already sleeping soundly. Chaeyeon can't help but look at them lovingly. She's really thankful she found friends like them.

Unknowingly, her eyes ended up wandering at Eunbi's sleeping figure. Chaeyeon's heart did a backflip with the mere sight of Eunbi sleeping peacefully. Beautiful. Eunbi has always been beautiful.

Chaeyeon had always admired Eunbi. Strong, kind, and beautiful— too beautiful Chaeyeon may argue. Everything about Eunbi was pretty, every strand and every fiber, even Eunbi's fist that touched Chaeyeon's face way too many times. Eunbi's whole existence is just too beautiful that no words can explain it.

It is strange... Feeling this way is very strange but for now, Chaeyeon focuses on the road. Shutting out all unwanted thoughts. She didn't want to think about how hot Eunbi looked whenever she was fighting inside the Arena. It looked a hundred times better because she always gets to see it face-to-face which also means Chaeyeon's about to get beaten up badly but Chaeyeon really didn't mind. To be punched by Eunbi is a dream come true.

Chaeyeon finally shrugs it off with a small grin that didn't pass Sakura's observant eyes.

"You're smiling, what's up Lee?" Sakura breaks the silence. Chaeyeon took a quick glance at Sakura.

"U–Uh... I just thought of something." Chaeyeon pauses, embarrassed, "But you can sleep, Unnie. I don't think there'll be traffic anymore. It's like almost midnight. You can get some rest if you'd like." Chaeyeon offers... and discreetly changes the topic. Sakura actually had no plans on sleeping while Chaeyeon drove for the girls. She'd accompany the younger girl. Plus, she's not really tired. She's a gamer for christ's sake, it's too early for her to sleep.

"Nah, I'm good. We're almost there anyway." Sakura says to Chaeyeon. Chaeyeon just shrugs.

Almost there? Chaeyeon asks herself. Chaeyeon found it ridiculous. They're two hours away from Minju's beach house and in Chaeyeon's dictionary, that is not "almost there" but regardless, Chaeyeon felt thankful that the Japanese were willing to sacrifice her sleep just to accompany her. Sweet.

"Unnie, if you don't mind, how long have you been friends with Eunbi, Chaewon, Yena, and Hyewon?" Chaeyeon asks. Chaeyeon knew about those five and all the gang shit going on— except for the fact that the five of them are members of the Vigilante Guardians. Aside from the Guardians themselves, no one knows that Eyes are actually members of the Vigilante Guardians.

Chaeyeon assumed that Eyes are just another independent group fighting in Arenas for the prize, there was nothing into it, really. Because she only sees them whenever there's a fight in the Arena, apart from that, they don't show up elsewhere.

There are a lot of independent groups that didn't care about the Crimsons and Guardian war. Chaeyeon assumes that Eyes are just like those. They were never involved in any of the Crimsons VS Guardian fights. And Chaeyeon thanks them for that, Chaeyeon didn't want to be involved in that.

"Hyewon, Yena, and I met at a PC bang and we got closer because of that. Then we got involved in a fight, the next thing I know, we were already on the brink of death but then Chaewon and Eunbi Unnie happened to find us. The two of them saved our asses from possibly dying. We bugged them a lot until we all got close and you probably know what happened next." Sakura answers honestly. She answers carefully so that only Chaeyeon could understand. The girls are still inside the same van as them, and half of them have no idea about all the of this gang shit going on.

It's hard to live a double life because they always have to be mindful of everyone's safety.

Chaeyeon completely understood what Sakura said. She nodded in response, "I often see you and Yujin whenever you know." Sakura says.

"Yeah, Yujin and I have been friends for the longest time. I'm a few years older than her but we went along pretty well. You know, at first, I didn't really like Yujin. She was too messy for me but I was forced to babysit her every time our parents would meet. My sister, Chaeryeong, hated her more than I did. I was always stuck with Yujin, I grew fond of her. She's not as bad as I had initially thought. Now here we are, with Wonyoung and all of you." Chaeyeon tells her story. Sakura finds it fascinating, how Chaeyeon admitted that she hated Yujin before. It's funny.

It's amusing... Sakura says to herself.

The two of them talked. After listening to Chaeyeon's stories. Sakura realized that Chaeyeon and her are not that different. They're both trying their hardest to live a double life. She also felt bad for Chaeyeon for being forced to do something she doesn't want.

That is their only difference. Sakura does this willingly, she wanted to use whatever talent she has for the greater good. She chose this. While Chaeyeon is being tormented every single day. Forced to do something she doesn't want. Sakura chose this, Chaeyeon had no choice.

While the two talked, there was another girl who was still awake listening to the two girls giggling. For some reason, her heart clenches. It hurts. Seeing the person she likes laughing with someone else hurt. So fucking much.

She's been feeling this way for years. All she does is stare at a distance. She wanted to be selfish and pray that it was her.

"Your eyes can't lie." She whispers to herself. She felt the person sitting beside her grunt and shift positions which caught the attention of Sakura and Chaeyeon. Both girls looked back.

Immediately, she closed her eyes and pretended she was asleep. Pretend. Act like it didn't hurt. Act like she doesn't feel anything. After all, this is what she's good at, pretending.

Maybe she'll just sleep it all away.

...

"Hey dorks, we're here!" Sakura shouts.

Following was nothing but the sound of the girls complaining. Amidst the grunts and complaints, Minju managed to ask, "What time is it?"

Everyone looked at Minju. Surprised at how deep her voice was but took a second look at how pretty Minju looked. Minju's sleepy voice sounded good but her face is too good.

"What?" Minju asks. The girls have been staring at her for a minute now, it's getting weird.

I just asked what time is it, why are they looking at me like that? Minju asked herself.

Chaewon cleared her throat, forcing herself to look away. She fished her phone out, "It's 11:25." Chaewon answers. Minju just looked at her and nodded.

The girls went out of the van only to find themselves in a parking lot.

"Uh... Minju, where's the house?" Nako asks nervously. She sees nothing but a parking lot and it's midnight.

"You're not gonna murder us, aren't you?" Yena shakes in fear. Minju looked at her deadpan.

"Stupid duck." Minju paused, leading the way, "Follow me."

Everyone followed Minju. Turns out, behind those huge ass trees was a path that leads to the house.

When they saw a huge house. They all sighed in relief, especially Yena who sighed a lot louder than the rest, "I really thought I was about to get murdered."

"Yena Unnie, trust me, you're not worth murdering," Chaewon says.

Everyone looked at the house.

It was a white and beige two-story beach house. It's almost a mansion.

All they can do is stare at it with awe. It's too grand just to be a beach house that Minju doesn't even go to often.

"For a beach house, this sure is big." Hyewon comments. They were still looking around the area, familiarizing themselves with the new place— except for Chaewon and Minju who've been in this house for god knows how many times. Chaewon swears she can walk her way through the house blindfolded.

"This is not a beach house, this is a freaking mansion. What the fuck, Kim Minju?" Nako shouts, Minju just looked at her.

"Watch your mouth, tiny being." Minju flicks Nako's forehead and proceeds to enter the house.

The rest of the girls followed her inside and they all dropped their bags on the floor. As grand as it looked at the outside, it looked better on the inside.

The white interior with the subtle color of beige and black as outlines. It's too pretty.

"Holy fuck, you have a chandelier?" Yujin curses. Everyone's head snapped in Yujin's direction. Yujin knew that it was the moment she fucked up.

"Sorry." Yujin raises her left hand showing a peace sign and smiling.

It was a second of silence and chaos followed.

"Oh my God, Kim Minju this place is so pretty!"
"Minju, just how rich are you?"
"Okay, screw this, I am going to live here."
"I really like the interior."
"Yeah, the white looks neat."
"Nice taste, Minju."

It was too overwhelming for Minju. All she could do was smile awkwardly whenever the girls praised her for the house.

She didn't do anything. It was all the engineers and the architects. She was a middle school student when this house got done.

The twelve girls scattered through the house, exploring it.

Minju remained in the living room, sitting and on her phone.

Yuri, Hitomi, Nako, and Hyewon went to the kitchen.

Yujin, Yena, and Chaewon (who was dragged by Yena) went upstairs.

Sakura, Eunbi, and Wonyoung went upstairs to check the rooms.

While Chaeyeon was on the balcony on the second floor.

It was almost twelve at midnight, and everyone is too noisy.

Minju doesn't complain. It's been a while since this place was filled with laughter. It feels good to be back with the people she loves.