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Jihoon huffed a quiet laugh. “Hello again, Becka.”

Ace exclaimed and looked at Becka with wide eyes, and I mentally hit myself on the head when it occurred to me that this was the first time they’d ever met in person. He turned to me and said something in fast Korean that made me frown as I picked apart the words. Becka frowned as well, presumably having heard her name in the mix. I replied in English for her benefit.

“Yes, this is ‘the’ Becka.”

“Wah,” he said loudly, and then in English, “so pretty!”

Becka blinked, visibly taken aback like she didn’t know if he was being sincere, or taking the piss. Her eyes darted to mine.

“He’s drunk, but he means it,” I said, patting her on the arm.

Ace said something to Jihoon that I didn’t catch. I looked up at him curiously as his lips curved.

“He says everyone is going outside. To the roof garden.”

“Yes.” Ace nodded. “Roof garden. All the members are there.”

My cheeks felt warm, and I studiously did not look at Jihoon.

“Come with us, noona,” Ace grinned. “And Becka. She should meet Woojin-hyung!”

Becka grabbed my arm, looking at me with an expression somewhere between panic and curiosity, and honestly, I got it. Meeting a celebrity you’d been abstractly crushing on was a deeply surreal experience. I’d fallen on my face in front of mine. Becka was about to be shoved in front of hers.

Potato, tomato.

I pulled Becka away slightly. “We don’t have to,” I said quietly, studying her face.

“I kinda want to,” she admitted, “it’s just weird, you know?”

“Oh, I get it,” I said wryly. “But it doesn’t need to be weird. I mean, you only spoke to him a couple of times, right? And it was all framed as kind of a joke, anyway.”

Becka waved me off. “Yeah.” And then more assertively, “Yeah. You’re right. No big deal, huh? He’s just a super hot famous guy. I used to see super hot, famous guys all the time at work.” Becka smoothed her hands down her dress and stood up straighter.

“Atta girl.” I winked at her, and we rejoined Ace and Jihoon. Ace had his arms folded and he was pouting while Jihoon dragged a hand through his hair.

“Everything okay?” I asked him tentatively.

“Yes,” he replied tersely. “It’s nothing. Do you still want to go outside?”

“Roof garden?” I said.

“Roof garden!” Ace crowed.

Jihoon rolled his eyes and moved to walk beside me, immediately ratcheting up my pulse, as we headed outside.

The roof garden, like much of Emporia, was just as I remembered with one exception. It was full of people. When Jihoon and I had snuck out here that night so long ago, there had only been one other couple. Now, people occupied the seating areas, or meandered around the balcony. This time, there were no pockets of privacy, or hidden spaces.

Ace led us over to the largest of the sofas where the rest of GVibes were seated. Including Woojin. Becka’s nails dug into my arm.

Introductions were made, and it went about how I would have expected. Minjae, I think, vaguely remembered who Becka was from that one, drunken night in Seoul. Lee definitely remembered, and seemed quietly mortified, judging by how he kept apologising.

Woojin watched us. I saw his eyes fly immediately to Becka. He remembered her, but it was impossible to gauge his reaction. His expression was outwardly cool, as it usually was, but his eyes moved rapidly as if he was taking inventory.

“Woojin,” I began, “this is–”

“I remember.” He stood up fluidly, eyes fixed on Becka, while my eyebrows shot up.

Becka’s hand fell from my arm as she held it out to him. He took it. And held it.