An Yujin blankly stared at the pebbled road in front of her.
She sat on a lone wooden bench in the middle of who knows what, she too didn’t know which end of the town she took herself. All she knew was that she would rather be anywhere else but home right now.
A gust of cold wind suddenly blew itself past the girl, almost blowing the skirt she wore upwards if it weren’t for her holding it down. The wind chimes of the small wooden store behind her blew, playing high pitched tones.
Everything felt heavy.
Her head felt heavy as she hung it low and so did her arms that were now laying limp on both of her sides. Her shoulders held the straps of her bag and it felt like she was carrying bricks. It was as if she could sink into the bench at any second.
“I figured that I’d find you here.”
She turned to her side where a boy slowly walked his way up to her. She tried to wave him off by giving the most uninterested look she could muster before turning her attention back to the rice paddy that was just at the other side of the road.
Despite that, she still could see him continue his steps towards her.
“How did you find me?” Yujin asked, her tone mirroring the annoyed look on her face.
“I just followed where you ran off too after school. Didn’t take long to see you just sitting here.” The boy replied, sitting down by the edge of the bench and making sure that there was a considerable distance between themselves.
“Well, you can leave me here. I’m not in the mood for any games. Not even in the mood to head home either.” The girl replied sharply, leaning herself back against the bench.
“It’s about the science test, isn’t it?” Asked the boy.
“Of course it is! I failed…gosh, why do I have to be so dumb?..” Yujin lashed out into the cold air. Her lips pursed in annoyance as she placed her hands over her eyes before groaning and then whining out in annoyance.
“Then you should’ve studied harder.” The boy snarkly answered, placing a leg over his knee.
“Darn it, (YN)! Do you want me to hit you?” Yujin asked out in sheer anger in her tone yet the boy next to her didn’t seem to be scared in any way.
“Yah An Yujin, look at me.” (YN) told her as he turned his body towards her.
“W-what? Why would you ask me to do that? I told you I’m not in the mood!” She replied, crossing her arms to refuse looking at the boy.
“C'mon, it’ll be quick. Trust me.” (YN) urged her.
“No.” She sharply replied.
“Pretty please?” The boy placed his hands together, pleading her.
“I said no.”
“Pretty please with a cherry on top?~” The boy asked teasingly as if he wanted to stir up the girl.
“Fine! If it makes you get away from here.” Yujin sharply turned her body to face him. She saw the smiley look on his face which was the complete contrast to her feelings of anger and annoyance.
“It’s a staring contest, okay? Just keep your eyes on me.” The boy pointed to her eyes then back to his wide opened ones.
The girl went on with his request for an impromptu staring contest. She kept her eyes focused on his with her brows still furrowed deep into her face. Silence soon engulfed the pair as if the two of them were eager to win the childish game.
*FLICK!*
Yujin suddenly felt a sharp pain over her forehead that made her recoil her head, resulting in her closing her eyes.
“Ha! Gotcha!” (YN) laughed out, leaning back as he continued to let out giggles aimed towards the girl that now held her forehead.
“Yah! What’s your problem?!” The short haired girl lunged at the boy with a wild swinging fist that would’ve connected to his chest if it weren’t for his hand catching her fist.
He continued to laugh as she tried to wrestle for the control of her wrist. She threw another punch with her free hand but he had caught that one too, making her hands imprisoned by his.
“Did you feel that HAHAHA!” (YN) asked through his laugh. He pushed down the girls hands before they powered themselves back up.
“I hope you feel my hands strangle you!” She tried to reach for his neck but he ultimately shut her down and push her hands down to the wooden bench on which they sat on.
“I said, did you feel that?”
“Of course I did! You flicked my head with no warning! I bet it’s even bleeding!” Yujin shouted out, pulling an arm out from his grasp.
“You’re overreacting, Yujin. I bet that you don’t even feel the pain anymore.”
The girl looked at him, confused. She reached a hand up to her forehead and rubbed the spot that was hit. Although there was a subtle sting to her skin, the pain was gone. She shoved him away lightly and pulled her other hand free.
“So what if it’s gone?”
“Think of it as some kind of metaphor.” (YN) replied and in turn the girl scoffed at him.
“You and your methapors.” Yujin mumbled, turning her head away.
“What I’m trying to say is that once you calm down, you’ll realize that the anger and resentment you feel will just fleet away just like the pain from a flick.” The boy explained but the girl didn’t seem to listen.
Silence soon ensued.
“Plus, I don’t think a frown suits you anyways.”
“W-what?” Yujin stuttered out, glancing at him.
“A smile fits you way more than anything else. Everyone calls you a happy pill for a reason. (YN) said with a shrug of his shoulders.
"So what? That doesn’t mean that I can be happy all the time.” Yujin argued back, the grumpy look on her face unwavered.
“If that’s the case then..”
She then saw him stand up from the side of her eye.
“In the moments where you’re sad, mad or just simply annoyed, I’ll be your very own happy pill.”
Yujin turned to see his eyes curve upwards to smile at her. She exhaled softly before turning away. A small smile soon formed on her lips before she chuckled once and then chuckled twice.
“You’re sound so corny, you know that right?” Yujin giggled out.
“How is it corny when I genuinely mean it?” (YN) argued back.
After hearing him talk to her so calmly and seeing him smiling down at her somehow made the weight over her chest and shoulders get lifted off into nowhere.
Maybe it was simply nice to hear someone cheer her up or maybe it was simply because it was (YN).
The boy then pulled his bag over his shoulder and unzipped it. The girl who was still sitting down on the bench watched him pull out something from his bag and offered it to her.
It was a colorful can of soda.
Looking at the marks all over the can, it looks like it was still cold.
“I’m not in the mood for drinks.” Yujin said, seemingly still angry.
“Oh just take it Yujin, you don’t have to drink it.” (YN) shook the can in front of her, enticing her to take it.
“Then what am I supposed to do with it?” Asked the girl.
“Press it against your cheek, just like what we do on hot days.” He instructed, revealing that he had another can in his free hand before he pressed it over the side of his face.
Yujin slowly reached out for the can before grabbing it. She felt how cold it was, it was as if he somehow kept it cool all the way from wherever he got it from.
(YN) looked at her, expecting her to do the same thing he was. She finally did so, pressing the can over the side of her cheek. She flinched slightly, feeling the coldness of the can touch her warm skin.
“Feels good, doesn’t it?”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” Yujin brushed it off. She couldn’t lie that the cold sensation was somewhat soothing.
The girl took in a deep breath as she leaned back on the bench and looked up at the blue and orange colors mixing in the sky above.
(YN) took the chance to sit back down, now much closer to her than before. Though without saying anything, he knew that he had done his job and rather than pestering her even more, he decided to stay silent looking off into the distant sunset.
Until he couldn’t.
His eyes shifted to the girl discreetly to see her pressing the can on the other side of her face. He saw her almost signature dimple manifest on her cheek.
It was nice seeing her smile finally after that grumpy mood of hers but what his mind wondered off to was about what she thinking of that made her smile like that?
He hoped that it was him.
“Thank you for your purchase!”
An Yujin went out through the glass doors of a convenience store. She was holding onto a white plastic bag and she opened it to see the things she bought, things that her groupmates could use like a pack of hand warmers and fever packs for their youngest.
Also in the plastic bag was a colorful can of soda she bought for herself. She picked it up from the bag but she didn’t intend to drink it, for now at least.
Pulling down the face mask she wore with her free hand, the other softly pressed the cold can against her cheek.
Ever since she finally moved from home, little actions like these reminded her of the times she spent in the small town, actions that reminded her of the times she was still carefree.
Yujin found the cold temperature of the can comforting. She always found herself clinging to a cold can whenever she was confused, agitated or simply mad as it was one if not the only way to effectively calm her down.
She never would have thought that she’d find herself raising and even fighting someone she considered her superior, yet here she was.
The tree in front of the store shook slightly as wind flew past its branches. The white flowers swiftly glided down from above while Yujin held onto her cap from it trying to fly off her head.
Placing the bag over her wrist, she stretched out her hand letting a small flower land upon her palm. She looked at it closely, studying its soft white petals.
*VRRRT! VRRRT! VRRRT!*
Her pocket suddenly started vibrating to the tune of a soft ringtone. Yujin let the flower get blown off her hand and placing the soda can back into the plastic bag before deciding to pull out her phone.
She swiped upon its screen before pressing it against her ear but before she could even greet the person, a voice rang out into her ear.
“Finally, you answered! I’ve been trying to call for an hour now.”
“Gaeul unnie? What’s happening? Hopefully it’s not anything bad.”
“Mhm! Where have you been? Don’t tell me you’re still at the company.”
“I already left earlier. I just strolled around a bit and stopped by a convenience store. Is everything alright back there?”
“Yeah, everone ate their breakfast and now they’re back in their rooms resting. How about? Did you manage to get a couple days off?”
“I…I guess you could say that, unnie. You should rest up too, I’ll be home in a bit.”
Yujin hesitated for a moment, making sure she doesn’t slip up and tell her what really happened earlier.
“I already am~ I was just wondering where you were since you haven’t gotten back yet. I was worried you were arguing with out manager for a week off.”
Yujin choked on the air that she breathed in before she painfully gulped it down.
“O-of course not, why would I do something like that? Anyways, I’ll head home now. I’ll see you guys in a short while. Bye, unnie~”
The girl nervously chuckled, hoping that the other girl on the line didn’t pick up any suspicions from her hanging up the phone call abruptly.
Despite not being exactly ready to face her members yet, thinking that they might ask her how her trip went and how she managed to grab a couple days off, Yujin braced herself and began walking on the sidewalk.
Now she was off to find her way back home.
“Thanks again, Hanni. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t let me use the school.”
(YN) thanked the girl that stood next to him as he placed his papers back inside the folder he had stored inside his bag.
“Oh it’s nothing~ Again, you’ve helped me out a bunch of times already and I just wanted to repay some of it back.” Hanni smiled, placing her arms behind her back and swaying slightly.
“I see-” (YN) turned around and immediately froze when he saw three sets of eyes peering inside the room from the door of the computer room.
“Were those…?” (YN) turned to Hanni, pointing a hand to the door.
“My co-teachers? Yeah.” The girl sighed, shaking her head in shame for the people she works with every day.
“Maybe they’re looking for you?” The man shrugged.
“More like looking at us.” Hanni replied before she walking quickly towards the door.
(YN) followed behind her and as Hanni twisted the doorknob open, she pulled the door back revealing three other women crouching behind the door.
They quickly scrambled their way up to their feet with Hanni watching them with embarrassment and (YN) with a sense of confusion.
“I’ve introduced them to you during our last parent teacher conference, haven’t I?” Hanni asked, using a hand to cover her eyes from looking at her colleagues.
“Yes, you have. Good afternoon!” (YN) bowed down politely to the three teachers in front of them. They bowed back in reply and mumbled their greetings.
“I hope you don’t mind me using one of the school’s rooms.” The man chuckled, scratching the back of his head.
“Of course not, (YN)-ssi! You’re Seowon’s guardian, correct?” The woman with the curly head of hair asked.
“That’s right, I’m her older brother. Would you mind if I asked how she’s doing in her subjects? Thing is, she rarely tells me about anything school related.”
“Oh Seowon is doing just fine, there’s really nothing to worry about.” Another woman replied, adjusting the glasses over her eyes.
“Right, Seowonnie is a very active kid especially in my PE classes.” The last and final woman of the three said. She wore a much different outfit from the two as instead of dressing casually, she opted for a track suit.
“Speaking of, her dismissal is about an hour from now. You could wait for her, if you’d like.” Hanni suggested, looking down at the small watch she wore around her wrist.
“I think I’ll go ahead and submit these first then I’ll just come back later.” (YN) raised up the folder in his hands.
“Really then? I’ll stay with her then, in case you show up late again.” Hanni pouted her lips out slightly, looking at (YN).
“I won’t be late, I promise and that only happened one time. Now, if you could excuse me.” He politely bowed at the group of teachers. They bowed back before they watched him start his steps towards the exit.
“See you later and take care!~” Hanni raised her hand and waved it high in the air.
“See you?”
“Take care?”
“Wuah, Hanni really is different when she’s with him.”
The small teacher heard her friends talk behind her before she spun around now with her hands over her hips.
“Different? I treat everyone the same!” Hanni shouted.
“You say that but we can also say that you treat him slightly higher than the rest. You can even ask Minji and Dani.” The woman nodded her head to the sides where the two other teachers nodded in agreement.
“Just goes to show the effects of having a crush on someone.” Danielle, the english teacher for the lower years, shrugged with her curly hair bouncing about.
“Sooner or later you might actually ask him out.” Minji, the PE teacher for the children, added.
“I heard she already asked him, yah is that any true?” Sakura asked, standing in the middle of her other teachers.
“Aish, don’t you guys have classes to go to?” Hanni looked away, dodging her question.
“I was on my way to one until these two called me over and I couldn’t help but join them watch whatever you and Mr.Lim were doing.” The eldest teacher said, pointing to the window on the door.
“Unnie, get to your class! Why’d you choose to stay here with them?” Hanni gestured her to start walking further down the hall.
“I will, I will, but is it any truth to the fact that you asked Mr.Lim out?” Sakura teasingly smiled at Hanni which made her shyly turn her head away.
“Technically, I did but it’s not a date!” Hanni replied all flustered but she was late to realize that she slipped up.
“Oooh~” The three women in front of her cooed out teasingly. The small woman’s cheeks heated up and her legs grew weak, as if she just wanted to disappear suddenly.
“Since when was Hanni this bold?~” Danielle teased.
“Don’t worry, you have our full support, Ms.Pham.” Sakura followed.
“Right, I bet he even has a crush on you too!” Minji placed the cherry on top of their teases.
Hanni was unsure what to feel, whether she should she feel shamed, embarrassed or even happy to know that her friends had her back.
The worst part of them knowing of her crush on the man was having to deal with their teases but if it included giving her hope, she wouldn’t mind.
“Aish, it’s too soon for that. For all I know, I’m just a friend to him and someone might just sweep him off his feet.” The girl whose cheeks were rosy red shook her hands to disagree.
“Pessimism will not get you anywhere, I bet he’ll be your’s in no time.” Sakura said with the two other teachers agreeing right beside her.
“And standing here will not get you anywhere close to your classes! Now go!” Hanni pointed to the hall behind them, as she urged them to get to where they were headed to.
The group of teachers eventually gave in and began walking to their respective classrooms bidding goodbye to woman that was still very much flustered.
*KRRRRRINGGGG!~*
Group after group of school children slowly went out of the doors of their respective classrooms. They flooded the once empty halls with life and vibrant after-school chatter. They slowly exited into the school yard, some with their friends and some went straight out of the gates.
For one of the students, she stood up top one of the steps before the doors of the school.
She raised a hand to cover the top of her eyes as she looked around the yard and then towards the gate to look for the person that was supposed to be fetching her from school.
“Seowonnie~”
The small girl turned to the voice behind her. She found to see her teacher approaching with a small wave and a smile as she held onto her bag on her other hand.
“Teacher Pham.” Seowon greeted back as the woman leaned down in front of her. She felt her teacher’s hand pat her shoulder softly.
“Your older brother stopped by earlier and said he’ll pick you up after he goes somewhere. Would you like it if we waited for him together?” Hanni asked carefully.
Seowon looked up at her teacher. “What was he doing here earlier?”
“He just needed to do something at the computer room before he headed out but he’ll be back soon, I promise.” Hanni assured the little girl but seeing the unsure look she had, she might not have done the best of jobs.
“Can we…wait out here?” Seowon asked, innocently holding her lunch box in her hands.
Hanni glanced at the sun that was still beaming down on the school yard. “Is that what you want? But it’s too hot out here.”
Seowon nodded her head before looking down at the floor.
The woman smiled before taking in a breath. “Sure then, let’s take a seat over here.” The teacher gestured the small girl to follow her to the side of the stairs before she sat down on the highest step.
Seowon sat beside her teacher before she continued to look onto the school’s yard silently.
Hanni pulled out a small umbrella from the bag that hung over her shoulder and opened it to shield themselves from the sun. They both sat in silence as people walked down and up from the straircase.
She noticed a group of kids from her class playing in the grass before she looked at the kid next to her. “Don’t you want to play with them? It’ll help pass the time.”
Seowon shook her head to say no.
“I don’t like playing when it’s hot, I hate the feeling of sweat.” The girl replied.
Hanni found her answer amusing. From what she noticed, she was the complete opposite of her older brother. Seowon wasn’t exactly timid or shy but she only chose to be quiet most of the time while her brother was outgoing and would talk up any stranger if he could.
She found that dynamic quite cute.
“It’s alright if you didn’t play, you could just talk to one of your classmates.” Hanni suggested.
“No thank you. I would much rather go home.” Seowon replied, looking at the school’s gate. Her bored and sleepy stare suddenly lit up as a familiar man turned the corner to enter the school’s gate.
“Looks like you’ll get to soon. C'mon, let’s go to your brother.” Hanni stood up from the concrete step she sat on before she offered her hand to the young girl.
Seowon softly held her hand as they slowly went down the stairs step by step. Hanni waved the umbrella at the man as they got down from the last step and started walking towards him.
“I told you I wouldn’t be late.” (YN) waved back at Hanni. He glanced down at the girl beside her before showing her the plastic bag in his hands that carried a pastry box.
Seowon’s eyes immediately lit up as she realized what could be inside what the box. She let go of Hanni’s hand and stepped closer to her brother and the plastic bag.
“I got strawberry just like you asked.” He handed the young girl the bag while he exchanged it for the lunch box in her hands.
Hanni took a step closer, laying the umbrella she had on her shoulder. “So how’d did your report go?” She asked.
“I’d say they’d edit it a few times then maybe it can get it’s way on the air.” (YN) showed her a hopeful smile.
“No need to worry, I’m sure it will. Are you heading home now?” Hanni asked, pulling up the straps of her bag.
“Yeah, would you like to go with us? Thanks for staying with Seowon by the way.”
“It’s no problem, I’m not the type to leave any of my students alone.” Hanni said before she took a step to the side of the man.
“And I’d love to go with you two.” Hanni continued.
“I’ll get that out of your hands then.” (YN) offered a free hand to the umbrella she was holding. The teacher smiled as handed it over to (YN) who held it high enough for the three of them to fit in.
They soon turned around to walk to the school’s gate with Hanni and his little sister on both of his sides.
As they walked, Seowon walked in front of the two making them able to see her reach a hand into the bag she held and tried to open the box inside.
“Yah, you can eat those at home, not while walking home.” (YN) suddenly said, alerting the young girl to quickly pull her arm out of the bag.
Hanni raised a hand to you lips as she let out a soft giggle. “What did you get her?”
“It’s nothing, just her favorite cream puffs. It’s been a while since she had those so why not buy some.” The man replied with a shrug.
“If those are her favorite then she must be itching to get a hand on those.”
“Maybe but I know she could wait until we get home.” (YN) replied.
“It’s only a suggestion but I don’t mind if we took a detour.” Hanni pointed to the crossroads up ahead. One side of the road led them deeper into the town and towards their homes but the other was a way towards the nearby beach the town was next to.
(YN) looked as the woman gently smiled back at him.
It was the type of smile that made her cheeks rise up slightly and one that made her eyes sparkle seemingly from just the sunlight hitting the side of her face.
From the way she looked at him to the way she stared deeply into his own irises, it was as if it was full of lo-
*THUD!*
(YN) was suddenly met with the painful and sturdy feeling of his shoulder hitting street lamp that made him take a step back.
“Are you okay?!” Hanni reached over to his shoulder as the man shook his head back to reality.
He gulped down a breath before inhaling another one. “Y-yeah…i’m fine.” He stuttered out, wondering what just happened to him.
“Aish, you should really watch where you are going!~” The woman scolded him with a worried look on her face.
“I’m fine, Hanni. I really am. Let’s just take a detour to the beach.” (YN) gave her a reassuring smile before he reached over her hand that that was holding onto his shoulder.
He held it softly before putting it down back to her side. Hanni’s eyes followed their once connected hands before she heaved in a heavy breath.
“Fine, but make sure to not bump into anything else.” Hanni sighed out.
“Are you okay, oppa?” The two then looked towards the small girl that stood before them.
“Yeah, don’t worry Seowonnie~ I spaced out a little that’s all.” (YN) gave her a pat over the top of her head to reassure her. After making her worries disappear, he stood back up straight.
“Should we head to the beach then?”
*WOOOOOSHHH!*
The waves crashed upon the sand, sending the waters high upon the shore before it turned to seemingly white foam. Wind blew onto the land mixing in with the fresh and salty air the beach provided.
The clouds in the distance drifted along the sky that had mixed the colors of blue and orange from the sun that had already set. The only lights that came from the distance were the boats and tankers that worked far from the shore.
“Don’t go too far out now!” Hanni yelled out.
She looked at the two siblings as she sat deeper into the shore. She hugged her legs as she pushed them upwards closer to her chest.
Hanni took in the sights, basking herself to the relaxing feeling the sea provided. She closed her eyes for a moment before opening them to see the pair walking along the shore.
Her mind slowly drifted off to why she was here when she could have easily went home to get much needed rest for a teacher instead of suggesting of going to the beach.
She never really thought of a clear answer. She could say that she was here to simply relax but she felt like there was something more to it, something that concerned the person she was with.
Hanni Pham wanted to spend time with him.
It is thought that denying is impossible to do when you’re denying the truth and say what she can to deny and remove the thought of her being infatuated and attracted to the man, she just couldn’t because she really felt that way.
Just like a rock being dropped in the middle of the ocean, she fell in too deep and was sinking faster than she realized.
“How about a penny for your thoughts?”
Hanni crashed back into the sands of reality when (YN) and Seowon sat beside her without her knowledge. She took in a breath, realizing that her face had gotten warmer than usual.
“You seem troubled, what’s up?” (YN) asked once more as he opened up the box of pastries they brought along with them.
“It’s nothing just blankly staring out into the sea that’s all. For living in a town next to a beach, I don’t even remember the last time I’ve taken the time to relax here.” Hanni pushed down her legs and leaned back, using her hands to support her.
“Then the next time you get to do this, just go here and you could even bring you friends along.” (YN) chuckled softly.
“Sure thing, anything to get them out of their homes.” Hanni shared along with a chuckle of her own.
“Teacher Pham, do you want one?” The woman looked down at the young girl next to her. She was offering her a big cream puff with both of her hands. The pink cream to it’s side showed what flavor it was.
“Awww~ Thank you, Seowonnie~” Hanni cooed out softly before taking the pastry off the girl’s hands.
Seowon handed one to her older brother that sat on her other side.
“You better eat these carefully, it’ll get messy if you eat recklessly.”(YN) told the young girl before he bit down on the soft pastry in his hands.
Hanni looked at the girl as she picked up a piece for herself. “I heard these were your favorite.”
“They are. These are oppa’s favorites too but he likes the chocolate ones better.” Seowon explained before biting down into her pastry.
“Ooh~ is that so?~” Hanni asked, glancing to the man next to the young girl that simply shrugged as he looked onto the sea.
Hanni eventually bit down on the cream puff she had and was immediately met with the sweet taste of its strawberry filling.
“Wow, these are really sweet.” She commented after swallowing the filling down.
“That’s why they’re my favorite!” Seowon shouted out in reply.
Hanni laughed lightly before she grabbed pieces of tissue from the box. “Looks like it really is quite messy too.” She leaned down slightly before dabbing the tissue over the girl’s cheeks.
From the corner of his eye, (YN) glanced over to the teacher and his little sister. It was quite cute, he got to admit but what was important was that Seowon had another person she could rely on whenever he was out doing whatever job he had for the day.
On the other side of the country, someone wasn’t having it as easy as they were.
An Yujin clutched the phone in her hands. She sat in the middle of her bed, her lights were closed with the phone being the only source of light in the dark room.
Her eyes were wide as she stared at the open news article on her phone. A sense of resentment and anger brewed within her as she scrolled down the article that detailed how she allegedly abused her manager.
“N-none of this real…” She mumbled.
*KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!*
The door of her room suddenly rang out with knocks coming from the outside.
Yujin snapped her head to the door before the knob slowly turned and it was pushed open. She internally cursed herself for not locking it beforehand.
Instead of finding any of her members standing before the door with an angry look on their face, she found all of them standing before the door. Even the sick Leeseo who was wrapped in a blanket.
All of them looked at them with a concerned look on all of them. Nobody in between all of them knew what to say first until the tallest girl there took the initiative.
“Yujin unnie…are you…okay?” Wonyoung carefully asked.
Their leader sniffled and wiped the tears that were already welling up in her eyes before she shook her head slightly. The alone was enough for her groupmates to flood into the room and turning her lights.
Yujin didn’t tell any of them what happened, only hiding it by saying it went well and they’re getting a few days off.
“Do you mind if you tell us what really happened?” Gaeul placed emphasis on her words.
“Right unnie, we won’t believe whatever the media says. They’re dumb someti-” Liz was interrupted when Rei pushed her elbow slightly to her side, encouraging her to read the room.
“It’s fine.” Yujin softly said out.
“What do you mean it’s fine? People are writing stuff about you that we know our leader wouldn’t do.” Gaeul insisted, her voice quivering as she spoke.
“But it’s true…all of it is true.”
As Yujin spoke, the girls all turned to look at her.
“I did everything that stupid article said but it didn’t say anything about why I did it. She said many things about you guys that I simply couldn’t stand…so I had to act.”
Soft gasps were heard from some of the girls but none was to suddenly turn against their leader.
“I couldn’t just sit there and listen to her tell me about how she thought all of you were spoiled brats. I’m your leader, I’m supposed to-” Yujin suddenly felt Wonyoung hold her hand as she sat beside her.
Their eldest member did the same with the other, showing her encouragement and support.
“See, told you guys Yujin unnie wouldn’t do that without a reason.” Leeseo suddenly spoke out. While Rei and Liz told her to settle down on the floor, Yujin chuckled through her sniffles.
“But why didn’t you tell any of us earlier? We could’ve helped.” Gaeul asked.
“I didn’t want anyone to worry and I didn’t think it would result in…this.” Yujin weakly replied.
“Don’t worry, unnie. All of us are on your side. Right?” Wonyoung turned to the rest of the girls that sat down on the floor before they all nodded their heads in unison.
“But what happens now? I bet the media is searching everywhere for an interview.” Rei asked her leader.
“Then…I’ll give them one. Tell them everything they need to know.” Yujin replied.
Gaeul wrapped an arm over her leader’s back before pulling her in for a tight hug. “But that could wait. You look like you could use a big hug, Yujinnie~”
Wonyoung joined in shortly after, hugging her leader’s other side.
“Group hug!” Liz stood up and joined in by hugging Yujin’s front with Rei following right after which left one girl staring blankly at the group from the floor.
“You too, Leeseo~” Gaeul gestured the young girl over but she shook her head.
“But I’ll get everyone sick.” She replied before coughing lightly for effect.
“Aish, you’re fine already last time I checked. Now, c'mere!”
Leeseo stood up from the floor with a smile to join in on the group hug to cheer their leader up.
Yujin let out a loud and deep sigh as her shoulders lightened up and her was once again able to breathe steadily and calmly.
It was nice to have a person, or even a group that genuinely had your back. But for now, everything was up to hope.
Hope that she will be able to resolve all of this in a short amount of time. She didn’t want her mind to think what would happen if the issue wasn’t resolved sooner nor if it wasn’t resolved at all.
What mattered was the present and she would like to stay in this moment a little while longer.
༝ ˚ ｡⋆ 𓇼 ⋆｡ ˚ ༝ ˚ ｡⋆ 𓇼 ⋆｡ ˚ ༝ ˚ ｡⋆ 𓇼 ⋆｡ ˚ ༝
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