“There’s another guy I’ve been seeing lately,” I confess. “His name is Alex. And I’m not interested in dating anyone else.”

Eunji’s eyes widen. “What? Really?”

“Yep.” I swallow down a sip of my champagne and wait. For what, I’m not exactly sure. I half expect Mr. Noh to jump out from behind the bar and yell, “Gotcha!” It seems like acknowledging the existence of my love life to someone other than Leah should result in a lightning bolt from the blue or something.

But Eunji just breaks into a brilliant grin and says, “Rachel! I had no idea!”

I smile back weakly. “Well, you know how it is…”

And in that moment I realize that Eunji actually does know how it is. I’ve been so concerned about keeping things with Alex private, worried that bringing in too many outside forces could ruin this fragile thing we have, that I never considered how opening up to one of my groupmates might actually ease the weight I’ve been carrying.

“Oh my gosh,” Eunji says, looking more alive than I’ve seen her in weeks. “We should totally go on a double date!”

I nearly choke on my sip of champagne, sending bubbles up my nose. How on earth would we get away with that? But Eunji looks so happy, and I feel more connected to her now than I have in all my years of knowing her, and I don’t want to let this moment go.

“Okay, yeah. That would be fun. I’ve never gone on a double date before.”

We finish our drinks and head back to the party, but before we reach the rest of our group, Eunji puts a hand on my arm to stop me. She takes a deep breath, then says, “Rachel, I’m sorry about before. I just got really in my head about things, you know? Relationships are hard sometimes, especially when you’re famous.”

I nod. “I get it.” Oh, do I ever.

Hesitant at first, she holds out her arms for a hug. I grin and wrap my arms around her.

Now I just need to come up with a top secret plan for a double date featuring Korea’s biggest star of film and television, and two-ninths of the biggest K-pop girl group on the planet.

No problem.

DOUBLE-DATE ITINERARY

6:00—Rachel arrives at restaurant; heads to private room C.

6:03—Alex arrives at restaurant; pretends to take phone call. Hovers near hostess stand until Eunji arrives.

6:05—Eunji arrives at restaurant; immediately goes to ladies’ room. Rachel will text Eunji when coast is clear.

6:08—Geonwu arrives at restaurant; heads to private room F.

6:10—Alex meets Rachel in private room C.

6:13—Geonwu moves from private room F to private room C.

6:15—Rachel texts Eunji to meet at private room C.