She barely lifts her eyes from her mug, blowing on the steam. “I’m always up at this time.”

“Night owl?”

“Insomnia.”

Oh. In all our years of living together, I never realized Mina had trouble sleeping. Now that I think about it, she is always the last one to go to bed. Maybe the lack of sleep is why she’s so grumpy all the time. Before I can ask more, she looks up at me, raising an eyebrow.

“What about you?” she says. “I thought Princess Rachel needed her beauty rest.”

I roll my eyes at the old nickname. “I have a lot on my mind.”

“You’re not still thinking about your notebook, are you?”

“So what if I am?” I say defensively.

“I thought those songs were just for fun or whatever.” She waves an absentminded hand in the air. “It’s not like you were actually going to do anything with them. You said so yourself. It’s just a creative outlet.”

I frown. “That was before I knew about the duo album with Leah. There was one song that I thought could work really well for us, but now it’s gone.” I sigh. “I just want to do a good job on this.”

Mina watches me carefully, taking in my slumped shoulders and the way I’m picking at the tassels on the pillow in my lap. “You’re nervous,” she says. She doesn’t ask it like a question, just a flat-out statement.

“Maybe.”

“Why?”

Why? I turn the reasons over in my head. “It’s just… so personal, you know? A reality show that follows your everyday movements. A duo album with my sister. Don’t get me wrong, I’m so excited for all of it and beyond grateful for the opportunities… but living my life on camera, for everyone to see? Recording songs without the eight of you? I really want to deliver my best and make DB proud, and I know my performance will reflect on Leah, too, so…”

My voice trails off. Did I just confide all that to Choo Mina? What was I thinking? “And… that’s it,” I finish quickly, bracing myself for her inevitable taunting.

But surprisingly, it doesn’t come. Instead, she just shrugs, taking a sip of hot cocoa. “I get it. Living up to expectations is hard.”

I blink. Is she… empathizing with me right now?

“You just have to work harder if you want to outrun the disappointment.”

“Are you speaking from experience?” I ask carefully. Everyone knows how hard Mina’s dad is on her. His word in her life is basically as good as the law.

Her face flickers with something that I can’t quite place. Defensiveness, maybe. Or plain and utter exhaustion. “I’m just smart. Take my advice or leave it.”