Rami was already awake before dawn. More accurately, she couldn't sleep. So many things had haunted her the night before, including the nights from her previous life. In the end, she chose to clean this poorly maintained house, neglected because its occupant was so busy. Rami also cooked a few simple dishes using the ingredients they had on hand.
"Mmm... that smells good." Aluna approached in her neatly put-together clothes.
What a surprise. That was what Aluna was thinking. She also saw several dishes on the table: juk (rice porridge), rolled eggs, and mini kimbap. She smiled, but she was also puzzled, because usually they didn't have time to cook anything for breakfast. More often than not, they ate ramyeon or cereal.
"This is delicious!" Aluna praised, her expression unable to lie.
Rami smiled as she watched Aluna eat enthusiastically.
"Rami, since when did you get so good at cooking?" Aluna asked.
"Oh, so you mean I haven't been able to cook this whole time?"
Aluna nodded enthusiastically, even as she continued eating the porridge her best friend had made.
"Fine, then you can cook from now on. I'll just handle the eating," Rami said.
Aluna quickly shook her head. Rami's cooking was better than hers. All this time, Rami had been hiding her talent because she didn't want to cook. So that's how it was.
Old memories came crashing back—voices ordering her to cook while forbidding her from sitting at the dining table. All she could do was wait until they finished, then scoop out the rice left clinging to the pot. If there were any side dishes at all, there was only a little, but she still ate it while holding back the tightness in her chest.
"Rami." Aluna called her several times.
"Yeah? What is it?" Rami tried to smile.
"Your application email was accepted. The interview is tomorrow," Aluna replied.
"Ah, okay. Thanks, Al."
Aluna held out her ATM card to Rami. "Just use it for now."
"This—"
"Don't forget to treat me when you get your first paycheck. Bye-bye!"
Aluna left immediately because she didn't want to hear Rami refuse, and it was already time for her to leave for work.
The next day. Rami stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her makeup was simple, but she looked beautiful. Let her praise herself a little. However, the bags under her eyes were still visible. As usual, she hadn't been able to sleep. She had spent the entire night wondering: what if one day she woke up in the future again?
Today was her job interview. Aluna had said she needed to look neat and attractive. That was why her best friend had deliberately lent her one of her finest work outfits. Aluna had even scolded her the night before for not using the money on her card to buy clothes and some makeup.
"Tsk! So you mean my taste in clothes is terrible?"
The top was fine. But the bottom was a skirt—a piece of clothing she often avoided.
"Rami!" Aluna burst into her room.
"Wow! You look gorgeous." Aluna folded her arms across her chest. Rami was actually prettier than she was.
They left together. All along the way, Rami couldn't stop regulating her breathing. To calm her thoughts a little, she put on her earphones and played one of Starlight's songs.
The twenty-minute journey passed without her noticing. However, Rami's heart began beating faster when she looked up at the tall building now standing before her. The Stellar Entertainment building. That was where Starlight was based. She swallowed, her eyes misting over before she even realized it. What if all of this was just a dream? What if she suddenly returned to the future?
"I'm going in first, okay? Your interview is in ten minutes. You got this, Rami!"
She watched her best friend leave, still gazing faithfully at the building. Okay. It was time to start her new life.
She took off her earphones and walked inside. But after she'd taken only a few steps, someone tapped her on the shoulder from behind. Rami turned around. She stared in confusion at the man standing before her.
"Your earphones fell," the man said.
"Ah, thanks!" She picked up her earphones.
The man was about to leave when Rami, busy searching through her bag, called out, "Wait a second."
A smile spread across her face when she found what she was looking for—a jelly candy. She handed it to the man in front of her. "A token of my appreciation." Rami gave a slight bow, then hurried away.
The man gave a crooked smile as he stared at the jelly candy in his hand. Did she think he was a little kid?
Inside the building, there were already plenty of applicants. They were busy reading books or practicing the way they spoke so they wouldn't get nervous during the interview later.
Suddenly, the place grew chaotic. The people who had been sitting quietly stood up all at once. Some of them even screamed hysterically. Rami wondered what had made them act that way. She stood up too.
Starlight. The main cause of the commotion that morning, edging toward noon.
The job applicants swarmed toward the members who had just entered the building. They asked for autographs or simply wanted to admire the handsome faces of all six Starlight members up close. Among all those people, only Rami didn't approach them. Her body seemed frozen by their presence. Her hands trembled faintly, and her heart felt as if it might leap out of her chest.
Juna, the comedian who could lighten any atmosphere. Jinren, the leader with patience as vast as the ocean. Wooan, whose aura was dazzlingly bright and who was a perfectionist. Binero, the strongest one who ate the most. Ricky, the stone-faced one who was the most caring. Sanhadi, the youngest member with mischief on a godlike level.
What filled her memories of them wasn't their laughter, but their tears. Her eyes burned as tears gathered in them. She wanted to hug them, especially Binero, who had disappeared for two years without ever coming back—in the future.
The attention of all six Starlight members was also drawn to Rami. It was difficult to ignore her when her gaze was so deep. Rami lifted her head, holding back the tears that were about to fall, her chest feeling painfully tight.
"What's wrong with her? Did one of us hurt her before?" Sanhadi asked as he watched his older members.
Of the six of them, Wooan recognized her. He would never forget a face with eyes that held so much pain. Their eyes met, and they both gave a slight bow in greeting.
"Hyung, you know her?" Sanhadi asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.
Wooan didn't answer. The others could only wait for him to speak. Sanhadi pushed out his lips in annoyance.
They took the elevator and stopped on the fourth floor, where their room was located.
Binero was lying on the floor. He was still sleepy, but he already had to work. "Hey, Wooan! Who was that girl earlier?"
"She's the person I ran into the other day," Wooan replied.
The other five immediately surrounded him. "What?"
"You're in big trouble, Hyung!"
Juna let out a booming laugh. "Looks like she's holding a grudge against you!"
Juna and Sanhadi high-fived, then laughed together.
"Are you sure you only ran into her? You didn't hurt her feelings, did you?" Wooan smacked Binero's arm.
"She was okay that time, right?" As the leader, he felt responsible for getting involved too.
"She..."