Xxiii. Whispers In The Dark

( 🥂. ) let the only flashing lights be the tower at midnight . . .

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CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE ─ expect the unexpected.

❛ and it feels like the start of a movie i've seen before, but you're not here ❜

Ryu Sunjae's Perspective

I practically ran down the stairs, my heartbeat drumming on inside my chest as I felt a new kind of giddy excitement to meet Eunyoung. I had always felt incredibly happy at the thought of her, but this was different. With all that had happened yesterday, it felt like all the puzzle pieces fit perfectly and we were together at last. Everything in my life seemed to lead me here, to Eunyoung.

To my disappointment, on descending the last stair, instead of seeing Eunyoung's smiling face greet me, I saw her sister, Yumi waiting impatiently. Before I could speak, she turned around suddenly, making me jump a little. She was glaring at me with a kind of resentment and disgust that made me feel sick. I took a step back, cowering before her.

"You know, I wanted to be happy about you and Eunyoung," she said menacingly, "But now I'm thinking that you're all kinds of trouble."

"What did I do?" I asked, furrowing my brows in confusion.

"Last night, you guys must have had your rom-com moment in the rain," she started, "But now Eunyoung is lying in bed with a 100 degree fever."

"What?!" I yelled way too loudly, my eyes widening and my heartbeat quickening, "Eunyoung is sick?!" It made me mad. Guilt seemed to be gnawing at my heart as I realized it was my fault. Before I could get a response from Yumi, whose rage had been replaced by surprise at my exaggerated reaction, I began running to Eunyoung's front door.

"I wouldn't go in if I were you," Yumi said. I stopped in my tracks. She continued, "Mom's been up all night taking care of her and her opinion of you is not exactly favorable."

Narrator's Perspective

By the time Sunjae and Yumi had reached school, there was a strange awkwardness between them since Eunyoung wasn't there to play the mutual friend. But when Yumi considered the situation in her mind and concluded that it would be a lot worse if Eunyoung had been with them, because then it would have been Yumi third wheeling with a couple who was so obnoxiously sweet she would have vomited. So, she sat there with Sunjae, feeling grateful for the awkward air that had settled between them.

"So, are you in the school play?" Sunjae asked her out of politeness. He had begun to get a little restless because of the silence. He had imagined his bus ride to college a lot differently. He thought it would be romantic with Eunyoung next to him. But instead he was forced to deal with Yumi; He knew by instinct that she was just tolerating him because of Eunyoung, and honestly he felt the same way.

"No, I'm not," she said without looking at him, "I don't even want to get into all this festival nonsense. I'm the last person to do a thing like a school play. And they chose a Shakespeare play? Forget it."

You ask a simple question... Sunjae sighed internally, "I just thought you would audition- you know, since your boyfriend is in the play."

I guess Eunyoung hasn't told him... This made Yumi feel a little at peace; The fact that Eunyoung was guarding her secret well was a comforting thought.

"Do I seem like the kind of person to humiliate myself on stage because my boyfriend i decided to do it?" she asked formidably.

"I guess not," Sunjae said, giving up on making pleasantries, "I gotta go anyways." He practically ran away from her.

💿

The auditorium was filled with playful banter and friendly conversations. The cast of the Shakespearean play As You Like It that had been casted so far were gathered there for the very first practice. The actors crowded the stage, discussing their roles and reading their scripts. The director and writers responsible for translating the play into Korean occupied a table with various sheets of paper stacked and a microphone to maintain some order.

"Excuse me ! Everybody! May I have your attention please?" asked the girl who was given the role of director. The chaos settled down, slowly but surely, "Thank you. Is everybody here? Or is someone missing?"

"Eunyoung isn't here," Sunjae answered promptly. His comment was followed with some girls eyeing him and whispering among themselves.

"Oh my gosh!"

"Do they like each other or what?"

"I swear there's something going on since the field trip!"

Sunjae wondered if he was being too obvious but chose to ignore the gossip.

"What's her character?" asked the director, looking down at her list of participants.

"Rosalind," he answered. He could hear more whispers.

"Rosalind?!" she repeated, taken aback, "Our Rosalind is absent? Why on earth would she miss the first rehearsal?"

"Uh, she's down with fever!" Sunjae told her, "Pretty bad, actually- hundred degrees. Her sister told me." He ignored the giggling that followed his rather enthusiastic answer.

"Oh, dear," said the director a little calmer than before, "Well, tell her to take care, then. And tell her that absenteeism will not be tolerated except for health related reasons. I'll let her off the hook this one time."

Sunjae heaved a sigh of relief. The writer sitting next to the director whispered something in her ear. Her eyes went wide, "She's one of the writers too? That is... unfortunate."

"Could you be any more obvious?" Taesung sneered.

"Shut up," he snapped, "At least she's in the play."

"Ouch," Taesung said defensively, "Damn, Sunjae didn't think you were stingy like that."

"By the way," began the director, addressing Sunjae, "What's your character?"

"Orlando," he answered plainly.

"Good," the director smiled. The students began hooting and screaming with excitement.

"Okay, settle down," said the writer. He took the microphone from the director, "We don't have an actress for the role of Celia. Does anyone have any suggestions? Anybody wishing to audition?"

A lightbulb suddenly lit up in Taesung's head, "I know someone who could play the role."

"Do they have a name?"

"Uh, yes," he answered, the palms of his hands feeling sweaty, "Choi Yumi from the Practical Music Department." Once again, people began ooh-ing and ahh-ing. 

"Bring her to rehearsal tomorrow to audition," said the writer in a matter-of-fact tone. Taesung smiled ever so slightly. Now he would get to spend some time with her...

"Okay, so since we don't have Rosalind or Celia, we can start with act one, scene one..."

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nana's notes: yumi is literally ready to fight sunjae

delphi's notes: don't mess with yumi

xxxiv. the rose that grew thorns

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CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR ─ the rose that grew thorns.

❛ my heart only wants you the moment you say no ❜

Narrator's Perspective

To Yumi, it seemed like all she did was stand and wait since she time travelled for the second time. But what other choice did she have? If she was completely honest with herself, she envied Sunjae and Eunyoung's instant connection. Things just seemed to fall into place for them. Not that they were completely carefree, though.

So, once again, she stood among the sea of students dispersing from school. The sun shone it's piercing rays over the campus, and the cheery chatter that filled the air along with the insane humidity was already giving Yumi a migraine. Her eyes searched the crowd for a messy-haired, cat-faced boy in a blinding biker jacket. 

The moment she spotted him, her eyes lit up, and her lethargic posture on the bench suddenly became erect as she practically sprinted across the street. "Taesung!"

He turned sharply to look at her, his expression as grim as ever.

"Look, I'm sorry for-"

"What the hell's the matter with you?!" he snapped at her, his face twisting with rage, "I don't know what sick prank you're playing with me. What exactly are you sorry for? That your mother comes and yells at me at seven in the morning?"

"Taesung, what?" Yumi tried to ask, her mind in utter confusion.

"She comes up to me before school, threatens me not to come near you or she would file a restraining order. And you come up to me not once, but twice, to apologize?" He said the last part like a question, as if it was just that shocking, "You're the one who asked me to piss off, so here I am, minding my own business and then you appear out of nowhere saying shit that barely makes sense. Look all I wanted to say is that it would be really great if you and your family stopped attacking me in the streets, thanks."

Heads were turning, and Yumi felt a lump in her throat and tears forming in her eyes. She lowered her head, and began walking away as her tears threatened to spill at any second.

Somewhere in the crowd, Eunyoung and Sunjae stood silently, watching the scene unfold before them. Eunyoung's heart twisted in pain. The story seemed to click in her mind as she came to a hurtful realization. Their mother must have overheard their conversation from the previous day.

"Sunjae I'm sorry, can we reschedule-" she began, but he cut her off.

"Go, go, I'll be fine, I swear," he urged. She said a quick thank you, running after Yumi.

 💿

Eunyoung unlocked the door to her house as fast as she could, rushing inside. When she stepped into the living room, her heart sank. Yumi was curled up on the couch, her knees drawn to her chest, sobbing uncontrollably. Without hesitation, Eunyoung hurried to her side, pulling her into a tight, comforting embrace. Yumi continued to weep into her shoulder, her tears soaking through Eunyoung's shirt.

Eunyoung had only seen her like this once before—when Yumi's mother had passed away. The sight of her closest friend in such deep pain tore at her heart. After what felt like forever, Yumi slowly pulled back, her voice trembling as she said, "It hurts, Eunyoung... it hurts so much. My chest feels like it's been stabbed, like there's a weight crushing it. I've... I've lost him, Eunyoung."

Tears filled Eunyoung's own eyes as she gently took Yumi's shaking hands in hers. "Oh, Yumi," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

"I've hurt him so much... He hates me now- hell, I hate myself!" Yumi cried, her words broken by sobs. Her face was drenched in tears, her eyes swollen and red, the tip of her nose glowing. The raw pain in her voice and the way she trembled made Eunyoung's heart ache even more as Yumi's sorrow spilled out through her shaking sobs.

"It's not your fault, Yumi," Eunyoung assured her. Her own voice shook, but even that couldn't hide her genuine belief in those words, "None of it is your fault, Yumi. You have believe that. For me. And for mom. You know how much she cares about you and never wants to see you hurt or grieving. She's trying her best to protect you, Yumi. The accident was a horrible tragedy and it was nobody's fault that it happened."

"I ruined his life," Yumi continued to weep, her throat beginning to ache, "I should have never been here in the first place!"

Eunyoung had never felt as helpless as she had in that moment, watching Yumi cry achingly. She tried as hard as she could to wipe her own tears that blurred her vision. 

"At the hospital," Eunyoung began, trying to gather herself, "He checked with me a million times if you were going to be okay. He made sure you would be alright before shifting rooms. He really cares about you, Yumi, I mean it. He does care. You need to remember that. You need to cling to that hope."

 Eunyoung could practically hear Taesung's earnest voice in her ears.

"Eunyoung, hear me out for a minute. I know you, your mom and everyone hates me and I'm like number one on your hitlist, but I just need to know one thing and I swear I'll get lost. Is Yumi going to be alright? Just tell me that much, cause I NEED to know. You just need to tell me that much and then I'm going to shift rooms. I promise I won't interfere with her life EVER again."

Yumi's sobbing reduced a little bit, and Eunyoung saw it as a small victory as she saw a little light returning to Yumi's swollen eyes.

"I really want to believe that," Yumi whispered.

"You should," Eunyoung affirmed, "Because it's true."

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nana's notes: sunjae being the considerate king that he is <3

delphi's notes: TAESUNG NOOOOOOO

next chapter: friday (out now!) list of chapters here!

xlvi. intoxicating

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CHAPTER FORTY-SIX ─ intoxicating.

❛ the taste of your lips is my idea of luxury ❜

Narrator's Perspective

Night had fallen on that obscure hillside hidden away in the middle of a forest. A chilling, cold stillness hung in the air, threatening to bite anyone who dared to step out. Even the never-ending buzz of the Yeonseo University students had died down, enveloping the place in complete silence. Everything went on within the tents- late night talks and hushed conversations. Outside, just the crickets chirped endlessly, singing their symphonies throughout the night. There were soft, warm, yellow fairy lights that gave a tender illumination to the campsite, just bright enough to make out vague shapes in the night.

Eunyoung sat on the makeshift stage, giggling to herself. Being really bad at drinking games, she had taken one too many shots and had gotten extremely drunk to the point where she didn't have any control over what she was doing or saying. Her mind fogged with confusion and uncertainty, yet she didn't move from her seat. Sunjae's jacket was now draped on her legs that shivered with the biting cold. She let out another soft giggle.

The sound of leaves crunching under someone's feet fell upon her ears and she became suddenly alert. The sound grew louder, as if someone was advancing towards her. Louder and louder, till a tall figure emerged through the darkness. It took a few moments for Eunyoung, in her drunken state, to figure out who it was. The dim glow of the fairy light helped her understand that she was looking at none other than Ryu Sunjae.

The sight of him seemed to sober her up momentarily. He was roaming about with no shirt or any clothing covering his upper body. She could only see him wearing black trousers in the barren cold of the night. Her gaze traced the contours of his upper body, lingering on every sharp definition and smooth curve carved by years of discipline. The play of light accentuated the ridges of his toned muscles, the strength in his broad shoulders, and the graceful taper of his torso. His arms were masterpieces that hung by the pockets of his trousers. Each line and shadow seemed sculpted, as if his body were a masterpiece crafted by the gods themselves. Her eyes followed the subtle shift of his muscles with every movement, captivated by him like never before.

Their eyes met, and there was a silent agreement between them. Sunjae's face flushed with warmth, feeling slightly embarrassed that she had seen him like that. Despite his embarrassment, he couldn't help but notice her shivering in the cold. Putting aside his own pain in the frosty air, he made his way to where she was sitting.

Eunyoung watched as he walked towards her, his figure becoming increasingly clear in the yellow light. She felt a kind of warmth creeping up her cheeks, which she wasn't in a state to decide whether it was because of all the soju in her system or because of the majestic man standing before her. She turned her head up to look into his beautiful, glass-like eyes. Her lips stretched into a smile, "Sunjae," she called out longingly.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked, frowning, his voice full of concern and worry, "It's freezing, why are you still here? Are you... drunk?" He cupped her face without thinking much of it and examined her flushed face and dazed eyes, "You are, oh god."

She pushed his hands away, confusing him even more. She pushed herself off the stage, standing to face him. He picked up the jacket that slipped onto the ground- his jacket. He noticed how she almost came up to his ears. She's so tall... He tied it around her waist as carefully as he could.

Eunyoung's unreadable expression perplexed him to no end. She gazed into his eyes for a long time, eventually smiling at his confusion. Her hand reached up to caress his face, feeling warmer than her hands that shivered in the cold. There was a new kind of bravery burning inside her. Her hand traced the definition on his shoulders, feeling his arms sculpted by endless hard work. Trailing down to his chest, and then his waist, her fingers lingering on his toned abs as she watched in wonder. Finally, in a delicate motion, her arms rested on the sides of his waist.

Every touch sent sparks flying across Sunjae's skin. His heart pounded in his ears. He'd never felt this way and he couldn't possibly put the feeling into words. Her chilly hands feeling up his body and fingers tracing every sharp edge and curve seemed to burst fireworks inside him. Their eyes locked in a split second, never looking away. This felt so right. His body fit perfectly in her hands- as if they were made only for each other.

"How could you be roaming around like that? What if someone else except me had seen you?" she asked, stepping closer to him. Her hands moved back up to his shoulders, one hand cupping his face. It took him a few seconds to realize that she was no longer looking into his eyes. Her gaze lingered on his pillowy lips.

"I can't believe you're so oblivious. You're beautiful. I like you, silly. More than anyone or anything else. You're all I want. Stay here with me, won't you?"

Those words were all he ever wished to hear from Eunyoung.

His eyes examined her features in the illumination of the dim fairy light. The slope of her nose that was unbelievably perfect, and her intoxicating gaze that stared right at his lips. And her glossy lips that seemed to shine even on that dark night and her radiant skin that seemed to have a soft glow through her flushed cheeks.

Before Sunjae had a chance to comprehend the situation, Eunyoung reached up and pressed her lips onto his. The kiss was like fireworks on new years day. He overcame the initial shock, giving in to her touch. His hands reached for her waist, pulling her closer. She pulled away for a few seconds to admire his face. The cold didn't seem to matter anymore while they held each other.

There was no need for words in that moment while he looked at her with a kind of hunger and longing in his eyes. Those two years of accidental touches and thoughtful actions dismissed as friendship had led up to this moment. She likes me. And I like her. Nothing else mattered to Sunjae. This was all he ever needed. All his self-doubt and negativity melted away into something insignificant.

He pulled her towards himself by her waist, kissing her lips harder than before. He could now feel the slight taste of her sweet lip gloss mixing with the intoxicating taste of alcohol as their lips moved against each others' without a care in the world. Eunyoung's hands roamed his back absent-mindedly, feeling the warmth of his body against her chilly hands that seemed to thaw at his touch. Feeling a tiny bit of his hand against an exposed part of her waist pulled her in deeper. The kiss seemed to make her sober for a moment, butterflies taking flight in her stomach just like the first time she laid her eyes on him.

☾⋆｡𖦹 °✩⋆｡° ✮

nana's notes: it took them forty six chapters but they finally did it

delphi's notes: who's gonna match eunyoung's freak?

previous chapter next chapter: friday (out now!) list of chapters here!

xxxii. your embrace

☾⋆｡𖦹 °✩⋆｡° ✮

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO ─ your embrace.

❛ now i need someone to hold be my fire in the cold ❜

Choi Yumi's Perspective

"The kitten's grown."

The moment those words left my mouth, I wanted to slap myself really hard. I had been waiting outside the Jagam High Music Club for what felt like an eternity. Each passing minute felt endless, but I endured through my impatience because I wanted to see Kim Taesung. I wanted to sincerely apologize for every thoughtless word I said to him. And when I finally spotted him feeding the kitten on the sidewalk, looking just as gorgeous as ever, all I could say was "The kitten's grown?" I had never acted more stupid in my life

He turned to look at me, and his eyebrows raised in curiosity seemed to fall and his expression changed. His eyes look blank and lifeless, reminding my of the future that I had recently witnessed. He focused his gaze on the ground, as if he was trying to distract himself.

"Oh, it's you."

His words seemed to break my heart in a split second. My mind recalled all the moments I had spent with him in the past. His witty remarks, his humor that was slightly rude, were all vivid in front of my eyes. But now, all that was gone, replaced by a grim, cold boy that I barely recognized. That side of him that only I seemed to know had disappeared, and it was all my fault.

He stood up, facing me now, and my stupid heart began hammering against my chest.

"I- I wanted to say... that I'm sorry," I mumbled out. Another internal slap. That sounded completely insincere. Like someone had forced me to apologize. What was wrong with me? Where had all my communication skills gone off to?

Choi Eunyoung's Perspective

I pushed the door as I entered the swimming pool area as quietly as I possibly could. Immediately, the smell of chlorine hit my nose and the still, cool air that hung over the entire room sent a shiver down my spine. I closed the door behind me, making barely a sound as my eyes scanned my surroundings. There was a wall on my right, and a door on my left leading to a locker room. All the windows had been closed and the only source of illumination was from some dim lights put up on the walls.

I had run into Inhyuk while I was about to meet Sunjae at his house, who told me that Sunjae had gone to the swimming pool because he apparently "left something there." The statement brought an inexplicable anxious feeling that tightened my chest and I came to the school swimming pool as quickly as I could.

A soft sobbing sound fell upon my ears that grew louder as I moved towards the source of the sound. Then I saw him. Sunjae. He was sitting right at the edge of the swimming pool. legs crossed and his head in his hands, crying softly. My raised eyebrows and curious eyes morphed into a face of unwelcome realization. My heart seemed to crack and shatter the longer I watched him. Swimming was everything to him. And all of a sudden, he had to quit. When I thought about the amount of pain he must have been in, it made me want to scream and curse at his fate. I felt that same tightening feeling in my chest as I approached him slowly, mindful of the wet floor.

Ryu Sunjae's Perspective

I felt a pair of arms gently wrap around my shoulders. The action was sudden, unexpected; Especially because no one was around when I checked; But strangely, instead of resisting, I found myself melting into the embrace. A part of me knew. That it was her. With hesitation, I lifted my head, my face wet with tears as I heaved another sob and looked at Eunyoung's face that seemed to reflect the pain I felt inside.

"Eunyoung," I breathed out, my sobbing stopping momentarily, "I was-"

"You don't have to explain," she assured me, her own voice sounding choked, as if she was holding back tears. She was kneeling on the wet floor behind me, her arms clinging onto me, as if she was afraid to let go. All my pain seemed to suddenly disappear in that moment as my face began feeling warmer and butterflies seemed to take flight in my stomach. Her touch sent chills down my spine every single time.

She closed her eyes tightly, as tears spilled out of her eyes. With each drop that cascaded down her cheeks, I felt my heart break. She pulled away and sat facing me while trying to blink away the tears in her eyes. "Sunjae, I," her voice faded away as she tried to compose herself before speaking again. As her hand reached up to caress my face, I felt my heart skip a beat. Choi Eunyoung what are you doing to me?

"I never want you to be in pain. It hurts to see you like this, Sunjae. You never have to feel like you need to bottle up your feelings. Because I'm here for you. And I always will be."

The moment she said those words, I couldn't help but pull her into another embrace and burst into tears. My arms wrapped tightly around her waist as I sobbed into the nape of her neck. I felt the surprise in her body, but instead of pushing me away, her hands rested lightly on my head, caressing my hair with a kind of care I had never felt before. I didn't know how much I needed to hear those words, because they seemed to reassure me in ways that I had never felt before.

Then, at the perfect time to ruin the moment, there was a crashing sound outside. Both of us jumped severely as we slipped because of the wet floor and plunged into the pool that was barely inches away from us. The second that the cold water hit my body, soaking all my clothes, I felt my hands reaching for Eunyoung, who was struggling. I held her shoulders tightly as she steadied herself. My eyes scanned her as I asked frantically, "Are you alright? You aren't hurt or anything are you?"

Her widened eyes seemed to stare at me for a few moments before answering, "No... I'm just a little shaken," her nose crinkled up, "And I think some water went up my nose."

I chuckled at her adorable expression. She's just too cute, I found myself thinking.

"Let's get out of here?"

"You don't have to ask me twice."

☾⋆｡𖦹 °✩⋆｡° ✮

nana's notes: i came up with this cute idea during a lecture btw my brain never take s a break <3 also someone needs to check on yumi, like is she okay??

delphi's notes: aw they fell in the pool. *ERROR* yumi's communications not found ⚠️

next chapter: friday (out now) list of chapters here!

xliv. truths unspoken

☾⋆｡𖦹 °✩⋆｡° ✮

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR ─ truths unspoken.

❛ cause i'm not gonna be the one to get hurt ❜

Choi Yumi's Perspective

"Your name's Yumi, right?"

I nearly jumped out of my skin upon hearing an unfamiliar voice call out to me. There was a sense of busyness in the air as all the students got off the train in as little chaos as possible (of course, that didn't mean no chaos). Concerned students who lost their luggage and belongings yelling for help, people taking pictures the moment they exited the train, and I also heard someone say they swallowed mouthwash. 

In this sea of havoc, I look around restlessly, searching for a tall tower surfing through the crowd that was Eunyoung. I didn't want to make any awkward conversation with people from university who I barely remembered. Unlike me, Eunyoung's college experience was quite pleasant from what I remember, so I thought she would be a great help in conversing with these insufferable people.

Even with all this going on, a scruffy-looking guy had managed to approach me with a rather unpleasant grin on his face, as if he was going to make pork chops out of me.

"How do you know me?" I asked, taking a step back, dragging my suitcase along in case he happened to be a theif.

"I know a lot of things," he said smugly, "The name's Minjun. I'm your sunbae."

"What do you want, sunbaenim?" I took another step back, praying for Eunyoung to appear soon.

(note- sunbae or sunbaenim means senior in korean!)

"What do I want?" he repeated slowly, the creepy smirk never leaving his face. I gave him my best scowl, which seemed to throw him off.

"Yes, that's what I asked you," I said, daring to take a menacing step towards him, "Did you understand it or do you want me to spell it out?"

"Let's go-"

"Sunbaenim!" snapped a comforting, familiar voice from behind. I heaved a sigh of relief on seeing Eunyoung's face. She shot him a sarcastic smile, "The rest of your cocky friends are over there, arranging the chairs. So, why don't you do something useful and help them out, hmm? And stay away from my sister before she files a restraining order."

Minjun frowned and turned to leave muttering something offensive under his breath. Eunyoung stood at Yumi's side, rolling her eyes at the boy. "He's got some nerve."

"Never been happier to see you," I said, clinging to her arm.

"That's nice of you."

"I didn't mean it like that."

"I know you didn't, I'm just messing with you."

"I'm just worked up," I groaned quietly, "How do you know the guy anyways?"

"Oh I remember him very well. He was the guy who got kicked out because of a drug scandal, remember?" the moment Eunyoung said that, all the movement around us ceased as time stopped for a brief second before springing into action again.

"I keep forgetting that happens," Eunyoung chuckled.

"Yeah," I returned a smile, feeling lighter than before, "Now that you say that, I do remember Minjun sunbae. He was trying to hit on me before we got onto the train too, but I basically ran away. He was always insufferable, huh? "

"Yup."

While my eyes wandered the landscape mindlessly, I spotted the Eclipse members approaching. For a split second, I found myself locking eyes with Taesung before jerkily looking away, turning to look at the tall pine trees, that had never looked more interesting.

"Hey!" Eunyoung greeted them enthusiastically. I watched as her and Sunjae's eyes locked ever so naturally, as if it was planned out beforehand; and then he shot her a smile, which she returned. Looking at them, it made me wonder whether something like that could ever happen between me and-

"Hi!" said Inhyuk, breaking my train of thoughts, "How was your journey?"

"It was pretty okay," I answered, trying my best to sound nonchalant, avoiding Taesung's gaze entirely.

"I was sleeping for most of it," Eunyoung chimed in.

"Me too," Sunjae beamed. Inhyuk smirked at him knowingly, as if to say "And you spent the rest of your time admiring Eunyoung from afar." Which was probably true.

I found myself giving in to temptation and stealing a glance at Taesung, only to find him already looking, which made my face erupt with heat. I watched his eyes move down my face, looking at my scar- the stubborn thing that refused to go away, then, he quickly shifted his gaze to my eyes. He stared at me silently for a moment before saying, "My journey was okay as well."

"Good to know," I said, stretching my lips into a straight line and nodding awkwardly. I probably looked like an idiot.

💿

After some chitchat with the group, we moved to the tents to unpack. I was glad that the girls majoring in Journalism and Practical Music were in the same tent because I remembered how painfully awkward and weird it was to sleep next to a stranger I barely knew last time.

When I decided to venture out to check out the scenery, I ran into Inhyuk.

"Yumi, hey," he said.

"Oh, hi," I replied, feeling pleasantly surprised, "Thank god, it's you."

"Who'd you think I was?" he asked with an amused chuckle.

"Minjun sunbae," I rolled my eyes, "The field trip hasn't even properly started, but he's already tried to hit on me twice. It's exhausting."

"Damn, that's terrible," he sympathized, "He's such a weirdo. Every time I look at him, the voices inside my head start screaming- FRAT BOY."

I let out a laugh at his attempt to cheer me up, "You're so right!"

"How's your injury?" he asked gently after a few moments.

"It doesn't hurt anymore," I told him, smiling through the pain of remembering the accident, "Just the scar is too prominent for my taste."

"I think it looks cool," he decided.

"You can have it," I chuckled, which he reciprocated.

"Jokes apart," he said, looking serious, "How have you been doing?"

"As okay as I can be," I sighed, looking at the forests surrounding the tents, "It's not exactly a pleasant memory, you know."

"It gets better with time."

We stayed quiet for quite some time. But it was a comfortable silence. One that represented mutual understanding and agreement.

"By the way," he said after a while, "Have you seen Sunjae anywhere?"

"No," I began, "But Eunyoung stepped out before me, so that should answer your question."

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nana's notes: yumi and taesung have no idea what's coming 👀

delphi's notes: stay tuned ;)

next chapter: friday list of chapters here!

he is gay AND european. and mood, liam, fr.

William: I don't need women, I have Shakespeare.

vii. desperate measures for desperate times

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CHAPTER SEVEN ─ desperate measures for desperate times.

❛ to live for the hope of it all, cancel plans just in case you'd call. ❜

Narrator's Perspective

"I can't believe you left without me this morning," Eunyoung grumbled to Yumi in the cafeteria. When she tried to ask her about it during class, the teacher quickly told her off and she kept her mouth shut for the remaining time.

"Mom told me not to wake you," Yumi explained herself, not batting an eyelid at Eunyoung's accusation, "She saw you asleep on your desk at three in the morning and told me to let you skip school today. You should have gone back to sleep."

"Oh," Eunyoung spoke, her voice became softer as her irritation faded away, "That's so sweet of you two... Thanks."

Yumi gave her a reassuring smile and shrugged, "Don't mention it."

💿

"Hey! Sunjae!" Inhyuk called out to Sunjae in the cafeteria, motioning him to come and sit beside him. Sunjae waved at him, making his way to where Inhyuk sat.

"I didn't see you this morning," Sunjae informed his friend as he took a seat beside him.

"Of course, you didn't," Inhyuk said with a sly smirk, "You were too busy chatting with that pretty girl."

"Don't be ridiculous," Sunjae warned, turning away to hide his flushed face.

"It's alright, I get it," Inhyuk assured him, placing a supportive hand on his shoulder, "What's her name? How do you know her? I've never actually seen you talk to a girl before."

"She interviewed the swim team yesterday," he told him, choosing to ignore his last comment, "I found out she lives above my dad's restaurant."

"Ooh~ so, you guys went home together too?" he cooed.

"There's no need to overreact, it was just a coincidence," Sunjae retorted, feeling heat rush up to his cheeks.

"She's totally my type," Inhyuk told him, "Could you introduce her to me?"

"What?!" his face twisted into a frown, "I can't do that!"

"Why not?!"

"We're not that close yet," he gave a sloppy excuse, "Besides, she's on the school paper, she must be busy. I don't have time to set you up with her, I have my tournament coming up."

"Fine," Inhyuk sulked, "I'll talk to her myself... unless you like her?" He smirked at Sunjae, but at seeing his pink cheeks, his teasing expression twisted into surprise.

"You do!" he exclaimed, his voice full of excitement, "You do like her!"

"Shut up and eat your food!"

💿

"See you at home, then," Eunyoung waved Yumi goodbye as they split up after the end of the school day.

"Bye!"

Eunyoung made her way to the bus stop, dragging her feet along, sighing as she took a seat on one of the benches. 

"Tired?" asked a voice next to her. Startled, she turned to look at the person, smiling on seeing a familiar face, "Oh, it's you."

"Why're you sighing like that?" he questioned her.

"I am kind of tired, now that you mention it," she realized. As if to affirm her suspicion, a yawn escaped her mouth.

"Rough day?"

"No, I didn't sleep much," she told him, "I started working on the interview article and kind of got carried away. That's why I was late this morning. My mom wanted me to sleep in, but a crashing sound woke me up."

Sunjae's lips stretched into a sheepish grin, recalling the incidents of that morning. A parcel had arrived for his dad, which he noticed and decided to bring inside. While attempting to carry them inside, he tripped over his shoelaces and dropped all the boxes, making an obnoxious sound as stainless steel utensils fell out onto the street.

"I'm afraid it was me," Sunjae confessed, "Sorry, I dropped some stuff."

"Oh, don't mind it. I hate skipping school, no matter what the reason is," Eunyoung shrugged it off, "I like the perfect attendance certificate. It's not like you did it on purpose, anyway."

"It was kind of stupid if you ask me," he muttered, "I just tripped and everything fell from my hands."

"Whatever you dropped must have been pretty heavy to make that sound," she observed, "Should you be putting that kind of strain on your shoulder? Does it hurt?"

"Not really," Sunjae's words only rang half true. He could feel a strain on his left shoulder now and then, however, he chose to ignore the fleeting pain, as it would soon subside.

"Maybe you should take it easy," Eunyoung advised gently.

"Maybe," Sunjae's stubbornness rang in Eunyoung's ears as she sulked at his determination to prove he was okay.

"When you're in pain, sometimes admitting that it hurts is harder than enduring the pain in silence," said Eunyoung, looking into his eyes sincerely, "But you feel better after accepting it like a weight's been lifted off your back."

"Why do you worry about me so much?" he asked, his voice laced with genuine curiosity.

"It's because this tournament will be your last!" she blurted out, time stopping around her. As things returned to normal when she went quiet, she looked into Sunjae's eyes, which were full of anticipation.

"I have a gut feeling," she said calmly.

Please hear me out, thought Eunyoung, praying that her words impacted Sunjae enough to change his fate.

💿

Yumi stood at the bus stop, waiting for the bus to arrive. Her eyes darted impatiently from one end of the street to another, wondering when her ride was going to show up. Each passing minute felt like an hour. Her foot tapped on the pavement reflecting her urgency as she glanced anxiously at her watch every few seconds. It was already half an hour past five, and the bus usually arrived at fifteen minutes past five. 

Suddenly, she realised what day it was. It was the day all bus drivers went on strike after four p.m. for god knows what reason. A groan of annoyance escaped her mouth, "How am I supposed to go home now?!"

As if as an answer to her prayers, a red motorcycle screeched to a halt right in front of her. The bike shone in the afternoon sun, and on it sat a boy in a red biker jacket that matched his motorcycle. Taking off his helmet, he revealed his face. 

It was Kim Taesung.

Seeing his messy hair and usual cat-like demeanour caught Yumi off guard as she stumbled a few steps back. Taesung shook his head, fixing a few strands of hair that had gotten stuck in his eyes. "What's wrong?" he asked, tilting his head to the side to look at her annoyed face, which had turned into one of surprise upon seeing him.

"Bus drivers are on strike from four today," Yumi complained, pulling herself together. She asked herself why she always became so shaken up when she saw him. Her mind couldn't answer her question.

Taesung went silent for a few moments, then said, "Get on."

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nayoung's notes: inhyuk being sunjae's wingman as always. taesung showed up at such a convenient time hehe. hope you liked this chapter!

delphi's notes: the last scene gave me a heart attack ngl. stay tuned ^_~

next chapter: saturday! (out now) list of chapters here!

xxxviii. undeniable

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CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT ─ undeniable.

❛ it's no surprise i turned you in cause us traitors never win ❜

Narrator's Perspective

Jagam High School, that was usually full of serious teenagers focusing on their studies as much as possible, was now filled with an excited buzz that spread throughout the campus. The energy radiating from each individual was contagious as even their parents were present, with proud smiles plastered on their faces. Time had passed by unbelievably quickly, and it was already time for Yumi and Eunyoung to graduate.

The morning had been just as chaotic as they remembered it. The two girls scrambling around the house looking for jewelry that they had handled carelessly and their mother lectured them about putting things away in a timely fashion. When they were nearly late, they stumbled out onto the road, hurrying to school for the very last time.

"Everyone's so excited," exclaimed their mom with a wide grin, "And so am I! I'm so proud of my girls!"

Both of them smiled warmly at her as they hugged each other tightly. All disagreements or bitterness between them was long forgotten as they honed their focus towards enjoying this moment. Then, to interrupt their wholesome moment, an announcement for all students to take their seats at the front sounded through the air, bringing all the playful chatter to a stop. The three pulled away and bid their goodbyes as they made their way to the front.

"I'm so nervous for the speech," Yumi confessed, her hand holding the written speech trembling.

"It's nothing to be scared about," Eunyoung assured her.

"Easy for you to say," Yumi retorted, scoffing, "You've done this more often than me."

"Look the trick is that even if you fumble, improvise and go with the flow. They're even letting us read off the paper. You'll do fine, trust me."

"And what about the people ogling? Do I picture them in their underwear like people say?"

"No one says that," Eunyoung let out a laugh, "Even if they do, it's terrible advice."

"Got it."

"Just enjoy the moment, Yumi, come on," Eunyoung said as they took their seats, "Not everyone gets to relive their high school graduation twice."

"Yeah well, I'd like to get it over with soon," Yumi dismissed her overly optimistic remark.

The Eclipse members- now including Sunjae, who joined their band as a vocalist, sat next to them and exchanged greetings. The tension between Yumi and Taesung was still very evident as he took the seat farthest from her. Eunyoung and Sunjae's eyes lingered on each other for exceptionally long before they pulled away. Inhyuk smirked, knowing all the feelings they never spoke about. 

"How obvious is the scar on my face?" Yumi whispered, "I tried to cover it up but it was too dark."

"Don't worry," Eunyoung whispered.

Soon, they were all called onto the podium to receive their diplomas and deliver a speech. Eunyoung's name was called, and she got up from her seat and made her way towards the headmaster handing over the diploma.

Sunjae's eyes scanned her movements, flowing with beauty and elegance as his lips stretched into a smile he couldn't bite back. She wore a long red dress underneath her robe, appearing as a pop of color among the astonishing number of people wearing blue such as himself. The breeze in her hair, each smile and glint in her eyes made him fall in love every time he looked at her.

"Headmaster, my teachers, faculty members and friends," she began speaking, "Who knew we'd finally make it to this podium? A lot of us have spent the year hearing taunts about how if we don't study we'd never be here. But look how things turned out. Here we are, all of us, standing tall in our graduation gowns. Jagam High has taught me a lot of things. Among learning algebra and the history of the Joseon Dynasty, it also taught me never to give up. One can never go wrong with hard work and perseverance. Your determination and willpower takes you to places in life you only dreamed about. They radiate as a silent confidence through you. As I step into a new phase of my life- college, I'm surely going to keep in mind all the values I learned from my high school that I'm going to cherish forever. Thank you for everything, Jagam High!"

The crowd erupted in cheers and applause as Eunyoung smiled and bowed before stepping down from the podium. They called Yumi's name and Eunyoung occupied Yumi's seat next to Sunjae. Sunjae smiled and whispered, "You were great." Eunyoung, blushing, replied with a quick 'thanks' before shifting her attention to Yumi.

Yumi took a deep breath before advancing towards the mic with the diploma clutched in one hand and her speech in the other. Taesung couldn't help but stare at her. Despite everything she had said to him, his heart seemed to beat only for her.

"Hello, all. Headmaster, my teachers and classmates," she started, her eyes darting from here to there, "Senior year. The words practically crashed on your head when you first heard them. We've all been through a lot this year- tests, quizzes, projects, assignments, you name it. One thing I feel we can all take away is that when faced with hurdles, it's best to sit down and attempt to resolve the problem instead of running away."

Just as she said that, her gaze landed on Taesung. The very sight of him took away her breath in an instant as she fell suddenly silent. His eyebrows shot up in confusion, but his eyes stayed locked with hers, as if to communicate feeling they themselves were oblivious to. The sea of people around them melted away as they continued staring without a care in the world. The crowd waited in anticipation, thinking it was a strategic pause. Eunyoung looked at her urgently, trying to figure out why she suddenly stopped speaking. It only took her a few seconds to spot Yumi's distraction. Promptly, she began clapping as Yumi and Taesung tore away. Soon, the rest of the crowd clapped, half snickering and half confused as a Yumi fled from the stage with a flushed face.

Taesung looked at Eunyoung, feigning confusion. But at the back of his mind, he knew exactly what that moment meant.

"Look, I didn't mean to interrupt your little movie moment, but as Yumi's sister I had to save her from complete humiliation," she said to him plainly.

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nana's notes: yumi and taesung need to figure shit OUT

delphi's notes: eunyoung saved the day again 🏅

next chapter: friday (out now!) list of chapters here!

xxx. the memory of you

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CHAPTER THIRTY ─ the memory of you.

❛ i miss the old ways, you didn't have to change, but i guess i don't have a say now that we don't talk ❜

Kim Taesung's Perspective

I felt my heart drop the moment the woman who was supposedly waiting for me turned around. I barely recognized her at first; But my memories of her must have been etched into my brain permanently, because a part of me knew. That it was her. Her long and flowing hair was no more, and the only part of it left hung over her shoulders. As I stood there in front of her, staring, I found myself entranced by her face, just like I had all those years ago. I had seen her for the very first time at the music club, and the incident replayed in front of my eyes as if it took place only yesterday. Our eyes met- ever so briefly, and it was as if fireworks had gone off. Her features still held the same harmony- soft, with a air of gentility, yet they had an inexplicable charisma that captivated me.

I could practically feel my heart pounding in my head. My hand had begun trembling. I continued gazing into her eyes, trying way too hard to avoid the scar on the right side of her face. I practically had to tear my eyes away because my heart and soul ached as if they were being pierced by a thousand needles. There was that same emptiness in her eyes that always perplexed me. It made me so curious. What could she have possibly gone through for her eyes to look so lifeless and miserable. I wanted to know so badly. I wanted to know her better, and I failed to do it every time.

Our eyes met again after some stupid formal dialogue, the sound of which was drowned out by the deafening sound of the frantic beating of my heart. I felt like I was back in my teenage body, staring at her from afar and overthinking the gift she gave me- that I bought over and over again for years. The flush on my face must have been so obvious and for a second I almost felt sorry for my colleague who stood and watched us in confusion. My gaze shifted to her scar again, and I had to look away from her entirely because of the pain I felt in my chest. It was as if someone had ripped my heart out of my body and broken it in a million parts like it was made of glass. 

The truth was that I blamed myself to this day. There was nothing that I regretted more than failing to protect her. In hindsight, I wondered how things would have turned out if I just followed basic safety protocol. What was I thinking? Riding a bike with no helmet? That too with someone I cared about. I would give up anything to go back in time and fix it. Would that have fixed everything?

On my way home, the only thought that occupied me was that despite everything that had happened- the time that had passed, and the very obvious scar on Yumi's face, she was still just as pretty as fifteen years ago. That's the thing that made me feel ridiculous; In front of Choi Yumi, I was just a nineteen year old boy with a stupid crush.

Choi Yumi's Perspective

I sat in my room, staring at the floor, lost in thought. It was insane. I had endless questions that could never be silenced. How had I run into Taesung in this timeline? Why and how did he end up become a police officer...

Then, something inside me clicked

A familiar face flashed in front of me- Gahyun, the crazy bitch obsessed with Taesung. Her screaming voice and her shaking hands pointing to me in accusation appeared in front of me.

"You!" she shrieked. Her hollering voice echoed and rippled through the previously quiet, still hospital halls. The other patients shrunk back, closed their curtains to avoid looking at the scene she was causing and others went to call for help.

"What do you want?" I sighed, "And for god's sake lower your volume."

"You're the reason my Taesung is injured!" she continued yelling, "If it weren't for you, he would be perfectly healthy at home! Now- all thanks to you, he's going to have that hideous scar on his shoulder! Ugh, it's all your fault! How could you be so selfish?!"

A fire began burning inside me that started as a spark then exploded in an instant as I cried out with tears of agony forming in my eyes, "Don't you dare pretend like you know shit! He CHOSE to drop me. In case you haven't noticed, this damn thing on my face is going to be permanent. God, just stay out of it! You don't deserve to come here and yell at ME and cause a scene! Get out!"

My breathing became erratic, and it was as if steam was coming out through my ears. I was furious. Not because she was crushing on the same stupid teenage boy as me. Because of how right she was. If it wasn't for me, Taesung would be okay.

"Yumi, is everything alright?" asked a concerned Eunyoung who had just returned home, looking even more miserable than me.

"I remember everything now," I said, feeling dazed and confused, but at the same time things seemed to make more sense, "Did we really yell in the hospital like that?"

"Oh, yeah," she tried to tell me gently, "Everyone heard."

"God."

I ran a hand down my face, sighing for what must have been the millionth time that day, "What's up with you?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

"Don't even ask," she responded, sighing, "Sunjae's death was suicide."

I suddenly sat up straight, my ears perking up. The word seemed to crash right on my head as my chest began feeling tight. I never spoke about it, but my mother's death haunted me to this day. She couldn't endure the abuse from my father and ended her own life. I was too young to understand it when it happened, but it dawned on me now. The thought that I was not very different, that I would turn out the same made me cower in fear every time I thought about it.

I pulled Eunyoung into an embrace, and I could feel her surprise to my impulsive action. "I'm sorry," I whispered. The room was then filled with the sound of our breathing and the soft banging of the snow against the window.

☾⋆｡𖦹 °✩⋆｡° ✮

nana's notes: wonyoung's face card in the header tho-

delphi's notes: taesung having a whole melancholic monologue is everything.

next chapter: friday (out now!) list of chapters here!