#blisoo

The backstage hall buzzed with activity, exactly as it should during a music video shoot. Staff hurried between dressing rooms carrying garment bags, makeup kits, coffees, cameras, and clipboards. Somewhere in the distance, music blasted through speakers before abruptly cutting off.

She followed Jisoo's manager through the maze of hallways, trying not to smile too much. Jisoo had absolutely no idea she was there, and if everything went according to plan, she wouldn't know until Minah was standing right in front of her.

Unfortunately, when Jisoo debuted with Flower, Minah had still been on hiatus. Back then, her days had been dictated by doctor's appointments, rehabilitation schedules, and company restrictions. She'd celebrated through phone calls and messages, watching from afar while wishing she could have been there in person.

Not this time. This time was different. A completely new chapter, and there was no chance Minah was going to miss the first page.

The manager stopped in front of the dressing room door.

"Ready?" he asked.

Minah grinned.

"Yeaaah!"

The man laughed before opening the door.

Inside, Jisoo sat in front of a vanity mirror while three stylists fussed around her. One adjusted her hair, another fixed the neckline of her outfit, and a third showed her something on a tablet.

Jisoo looked completely focused, professional, and calm, just as she always had. The sight alone made Minah feel her eyes sting. God, she was proud of her member.

She quietly stepped inside. The stylists noticed her first, and one of them immediately covered her mouth to stop herself from laughing. The cameraman recording the entire process quickly turned the camera toward Minah, who waved.

Jisoo frowned at the staff's reaction.

"What's happening?" she asked, but nobody answered.

She looked up at the mirror and froze, her eyes widened. Minah grinned and lifted both hands in a small wave.

"Hi, unnie."

"No way!" the disbelief in Jisoo's voice made the entire room burst into laughter. "What are you doing here?" she asked immediately, half-rising from her chair before remembering there were still people working on her hair.

Minah laughed and lightly slapped her shoulder.

"Yah! What kind of welcome is that, unnie?"

Jisoo looked genuinely shocked.

"No, seriously. What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean?" Minah whined. "I came to see you."

The answer was so simple that Jisoo just blinked. For some reason, that made Minah's chest tighten even more. Because it really was that simple.

This was Jisoo's first solo project outside YG. With her own new company. A fresh start. A chapter entirely hers. Of course Minah would be there.

"You're filming today," Minah continued, gesturing vaguely around the room. "I had a free afternoon. The math wasn't exactly difficult."

Jisoo laughed, finally standing despite her stylists' protests.

"Wait, wait, don't move!" one of them complained.

"I have to!" Jisoo argued.

The staff laughed as Jisoo carefully escaped their grasp and walked straight toward Minah.

The hug came naturally, just like hundreds before it. Neither dramatic nor overly emotional, just familiar. Still, Minah found herself squeezing Jisoo a little tighter than usual.

Jisoo immediately noticed and pulled back just enough to look at her.

"Oh." a smile slowly spread across her face. "Are you crying?"

"What?" Minah pulled back instantly. "No."

"Yes, you are!"

"No!"

Jisoo laughed while Minah groaned.

"Ugh, this sucks..." she muttered, quickly wiping at the corners of her eyes. "Whatever. I brought you flowers."

Minah pointed toward Jisoo's manager, who was holding a large bouquet of lilies with a handwritten letter clipped to the wrapping.

"Oh, Minah..." Jisoo's expression softened immediately as she pouted.

She carefully took the bouquet, bringing it closer to inhale the scent of her favorite flowers. Watching her, Minah finally took a proper look at her member and her chest felt so full she thought it might burst. 

Jisoo pulled her to a hug again, the bouquet between them. 

"Thank you, really." she mumbled against Minah's hair. She stepped back just enough to show Minah to the camera. "You guys, Minah made up for not visiting me during the ‘Flower’ set now being the first member to visit me on set this time." 

Minah chuckled beside her before protesting.

"Oh, come on! I still had the plaster on and I was walking around with the crutches." Minah defended herself. "But I'm here now, am I not?"

Jisoo laughed, remembering how funny it was to watch Minah get frustrated while she learned how to balance with the crutches. Eventually, they ended up decorating the aid with some stickers and strass they've found, just so Minah could be a bit more excited. 

"Minah-ssi," the cameraman called her. "do you have any words to say to Jisoo about this new era?"

Minah pouted before even answering, her chin quivering already. 

"Why are you crying again?!" Jisoo asked, playfully annoyed. "Today is a happy day!"

“Because I'm happy for you!“ Minah answered in the same tone.

Behind them, the makeup artist handed Minah a tissue, and she cleaned her tears as she mumbled a ‘thanks’.

“Hm… for Jisoo unnie,“ she recomposed herself, hugging Jisoo's waist even more. “I'm just really happy for you. I have no doubts you’re pouring your sweat, blood and tears into this. I can't even imagine that girl I met with the little beret at YG's hallways is now a whole CEO!“

The room immediately filled with amused reactions and Jisoo groaned.

"Yah! Don't bring the beret back!"

"But it's true!" Minah insisted.

"Stop crying first."

Minah ignored her.

"I mean it, though." her voice softened. "You've always worked hard, but people don't always get to see it. They only see the finished product."

Jisoo's smile faltered slightly while Minah squeezed her side as she kept her speech.

"I know how much thought you put into everything. How much you care about every little detail. How much pressure you've probably been carrying. So, seeing you here..." Minah looked around the room. "With your own company. Your own team. Your own vision."

Her eyes watered again and Jisoo covered her face, laughing.

"Oh my God, Lee Minah! Control yourself!” 

The staff burst into laughter and Minah pointed at the cameraman.

"Don't zoom in."

The camera immediately zoomed in, and the room laughed even harder.

"Anyway," Minah continued dramatically, pretending nothing had happened. "I'm proud of you."

For once, Jisoo didn't interrupt or joke. Instead, she reached over and grabbed Minah's hand.

"Thank you."

Those simple words somehow felt heavier than everything else. Minah smiled before ruining the moment. 

"But seriously, unnie. A CEO… That's a lot.”

Jisoo narrowed her eyes.

"What?"

"You have meetings now." Minah started listing. "You probably have spreadsheets."

Jisoo looked suprise.

"Oh, I do have spreadsheets."

Minah gasped dramatically.

"You're kidding.” 

"I do, I swear!" Jisoo replied, sitting back down in her chair to let the staff finish their work so she could get back to filming.

"No, unnie!"

"Every week!"

"This industry has taken everything from me!" Minah clutched her chest dramatically. "Should I give you my résumé?"

The room erupted into laughter while Jisoo didn't even hesitate, looking at the girl through the mirror.

"Do you know how to use Excel?"

Minah froze.

"...No?"

"Then no." Minah was about to argument when Jisoo interrupted her. "You literally just admitted you're unqualified."

"I have seventeen years of experience, unnie!" Minah complained.

"In singing." Jisoo shot back.

"I can learn how to make some spreadsheets."

Jisoo turned toward the camera. "Please cut this part."

"No! Sir, you're suppossed to be on my side! We're going to be coworkers!" Minah pointed at the cameraman, who immediately burst out laughing.