Heaven on earth

The stage lights dimm to a roar of applause, the crowd chanting their names like a battle cry. Minnie takes one last bow alongside her groupmates, before retreating backstage. The adrenaline coursing through her veins makes her legs feel shaky, but the energy of the fans carries her forward.

“That was... insane."

Miyeon pants, her arm slung over Minnie’s shoulder as they stumble towards the dressing room.

“Best crowd yet."

Minnie agrees, clutching her water bottle like a lifeline. Her voice is hoarse, her chest heaving from the effort of their two-hour performance.

Soyeon, ever the composed leader, walks beside them with effortless grace. Not a strand of her hair is out of place, her makeup still flawless despite the intensity of the concert.

“You two look like you’ve been hit by a truck."

She teases, flashing them a smirk.

“Feel like it too."

Miyeon groans, collapsing onto the couch as soon as they reach the dressing room. Minnie follows, slumping into the cushions beside her.

“How do you do it?”

Minnie asks Soyeon, who has already begun touching up her lipstick at the vanity.

“You’re like a robot or something.”

“Discipline."

Soyeon replies, capping her lipstick with a flourish.

“And knowing how to recover properly.”

“Recovery?”

Miyeon rolls her neck.

“If you’ve got some secret, now’s the time to share it. My entire body feels like it’s falling apart.”

Soyeon turns to them with a knowing smile.

“I might have just the thing.”

She reaches into her designer handbag and pulls out a small, elegant black-and-gold card. She tosses it onto the coffee table, where it lands with an air of finality.

“What’s this?”

Minnie asks, picking up the card. The text was embossed in gold, reading:

"Heaven on earth."

Beneath it is a residential address in one of Seoul’s wealthiest neighborhoods.

“A massage parlor?”

Miyeon asks, sitting up and squinting at the card.

“Not just any massage parlor."

Soyeon says, returning to her seat with a graceful ease. “It’s exclusive. Appointment-only. The kind of place you’d never find unless someone like me pointed you in the right direction.”

“And you’ve been?”

Minnie flips the card over. It is blank on the back.

“A few times."

Soyeon replies with a sly smile.

"Trust me, it’s worth it. They’ll have you feeling like new.”

“Sounds expensive."

Miyeon says, though the intrigue in her voice was clear.

“It is.”

Soyeon stands up and grabs her bag.

“But you get what you pay for. Oh, and if you decide to go, ask for Mr. Shin.”

“Who’s Mr. Shin?"

Minnie looks up at her.

“The best therapist there."

Soyeon says, her smile turning mysterious.

"You’ll see.”

The next afternoon, Minnie and Miyeon find themselves driving through a quiet street in Cheongdam-dong, a neighborhood known for its old-money charm. Unlike the flashy high-rises of central Seoul, this area has an understated elegance. The houses are large, each tucked behind manicured hedges or stone walls, their gates hinting at secrets rather than wealth.

“This can’t be right. It looks like someone's house."

Minnie murmurs as the car pulls up to an unassuming white stucco house. Miyeon checks the address on the card again.

"But it’s the right place.”