Kim Minji - Blog Posts

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˚ ⏤͟͟͞͞ Come and take a lookie

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THANK YOU ALL FOR VOTING! As promised, here are the results of what I’ll be posting for my Halloween Event based on this poll! Thank you for all the help!

CHOOSE WHAT YOU WANT TO READ!

HEY GUYS! I’m thinking of doing some kind of event for October since I really want to try my hand at writing horror stories, some of them might contain some smut but it probably won’t be the main focus of the stories.

My question is, which groups would you guys like to see me write for? I’ll let the poll go on for a week, and then I’ll post the results for what I’ll be writing for soon after!

Want to see more than just one group? Want to see a specific member? Have any good ideas you’d like to share? Let me know in the comments!

PLEASE REBLOG TO SPREAD THE WORD!

2O24 HALLOWEEN EVENT

Thank you to all 467 people who voted! As promised, here are the results of your votes — all of the groups that ended up having 10% or more votes will have bigger/longer pieces that will be posted throughout the month of October! The other groups that had lower votes will maybe have some shorter, more simple pieces posted (feel free to make some spooky requests for them!). Please give this lots of love!

STRAY KIDS ──── THE OTHER HIM

SUMMARY: After a mysterious fire destroys your husband Minho's dance studio, you bring him home from the hospital, hoping for a fresh start. However, you soon begin to notice small but unsettling changes in his behavior. Initially, you dismiss these as signs of his recovery from the traumatic event or perhaps just your mind playing tricks on you. Yet, with each passing day, the feeling grows stronger that the man you brought back from the hospital isn’t truly your husband—even though he wears his face.

RELEASE DATE: O1 OCTOBER

PAIRING: Lee Minho + Female Reader

CONTENT WARNINGS: Non-Idol AU, imposter horror, psychological horror, fire, mild burn injuries, gaslighting and manipulation, trauma, violence, injury, mild gore, more to be added.

TAGLIST: OPEN

TEASER COMING SOON

ATEEZ ──── THE NIGHT SHIFT

SUMMARY: During a night shift at an understaffed morgue, you encounter the eerie and inexplicable movements of a corpse bound by a failed ritual, unraveling a dark mystery of death and supernatural forces while alone with the unsettling remains of Kim Hongjoong.

RELEASE DATE: O8 OCTOBER

PAIRING: Choi Jongho + Female Reader

CONTENT WARNINGS: MDNI, Non-Idol AU, explicit sexual content, friends with benefits trope, mutual pining, semi-public sex, protected sex, piv, light spanking, mirror kink, mentions of having one drink, supernatural horror elements, death and corpse imagery, violence, dark themes, psychological horror, disturbing sounds and visuals, mild gore, more to be added.

TAGLIST: OPEN

TEASER COMING SOON

NEWJEANS ──── THE DEVIL’S BARGAIN

SUMMARY: At a Halloween party, you and your friends decided to use an old Ouija board for fun, not expecting anything serious. However, things took a terrifying turn when Hanni, one of your friends, began convulsing and speaking in a deep, guttural voice. Possessed, Hanni started revealing unsettling secrets about each of you, exposing your deepest fears and hidden betrayals. As the night unfolded, you realized you had accidentally summoned a demon that thrived on your guilt and despair, turning your playful game into a night of fear and revelation.

RELEASE DATE: 15 OCTOBER

PAIRING: Kim Minji + Female Reader

CONTENT WARNINGS: Non-Idol AU, supernatural possession, disturbing themes, descriptions of fear and anxiety, guilt and betrayal, violence, more to be added.

TAGLIST: OPEN

TEASER COMING SOON

ENHYPEN ──── THE GAME MASTER

SUMMARY: You and your group of friends receive an anonymous invitation to play an immersive escape room game in an abandoned mansion. The host, calling himself “The Game Master,” promises a grand reward for the winner. However, once inside, the challenges quickly turn sinister, exploiting each of your deepest fears and darkest secrets.

RELEASE DATE: 22 OCTOBER

PAIRING: Sim Jake + Female Reader

CONTENT WARNINGS: Non-Idol AU, psychological horror, mentions of past death, trauma, gore, violence, dark themes, more to be added.

TAGLIST: OPEN

TEASER COMING SOON

P1HARMONY ──── KNOCK KNOCK

SUMMARY: On Halloween night, while you’re hosting a party with your boyfriend and friends, a group of children in strange, vintage masks knock on the door of your home. They ask to come in, claiming they are “the original owners.” You dismiss it as a prank until the children return every hour, each time more insistent and increasingly disturbing.

RELEASE DATE: 29 OCTOBER

PAIRING: Hwang Intak + Female Reader

CONTENT WARNINGS: MDNI, Non-Idol AU, established relationship, explicit sexual content, protected sex, piv, light choking, dirty talk, disturbing imagery, paranormal elements, psychological horror, demonic horror, more to be added.

TAGLIST: OPEN

TEASER COMING SOON

【 WWW.MINHOSBITTERRIVER.COM/NEWJEANS 】

💭 GUIDELINES ‣ LIBRARY ‣ TAGLIST & ANONS ‣ REQUEST LIST ‣ PINNED ‣ TIP JAR

📨 REQUESTS ARE CLOSED 📨 WORK COUNT: OO2 📨

NO SMUT FOR: Any of the members SUGGESTIVE OKAY FOR: Minji & Hanni

뉴진스 ── OT5. ( newjeans )

nothing yet, come back later!

김민지 ── KIM MINJI. ( minji )

nothing yet, come back later!

PHẠM NGỌC HÂN ── HANNI PHAM. ( hanni )

📹─────BLUE LEMONADE | 5.5K — ONE-SHOT | a chance meeting over a blue lemonade at a coffee shop sparks an awkward crush, culminating in a rainy-day confession that transforms your timid connection into the start of something new as you walk to school together. (GENDER NEUTRAL READER) REQUESTED

모지혜 ── MO JIHYE. ( danielle )

nothing yet, come back later!

강해린 ── KANG HAERIN. ( haerin )

nothing yet, come back later!

이혜인 ── LEE HYEIN. ( hyein )

📹─────THROUGH MY EYES | 2.9K — ONE-SHOT | in a quiet moment beneath the shade of an oak tree, you and hyein discover the depth of your love for each other through a heartfelt drawing that captures the beauty you see in hyein’s soul, leading to your first tender confessions. (FEMALE READER) REQUESTED

🍉 FROM THE RIVER TO THE SEA, PALESTINE WILL BE FREE! DAILY CLICKS!

© MINHOSBITTERRIVER | do not plagiarize, repost or translate my works on this platform or any others.

NEWJEANS is now added to the list of K-Pop groups I want to write for! Please make requests for them to get me started!

( 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 ) ( 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 & 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐬 ) ( 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 ) ( 𝐥𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 )

   ノㅤ୨ৎ      "guarde um pedaço de mim..."     ꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ ᪲꒱ 𝅄 ᰔᩚ

૮ ´ ˘ ` ა    𓂂    ੭୧     mᥲstᥱrlist      ♡      𝆹     ￮

ᨳ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ᥥ⑅ᥥ "um cheiro do lado da cama..." ʿʿㅤ ㅤ๑

lvii. by the seashore

☾⋆｡𖦹 °✩⋆｡° ✮

CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN ─ by the seashore.

❛ we never played t by the numbers, baby but we were making it count ❜

Narrator's Perspective

"This is our ride?!" asked Eunyoung, pointing at Taesung's little teal colored car parked in front of them. While they were planning their weekend trip to Inhyuk's village to coerce him into going through with the Eclipse performance for the university festival, Taesung had mentioned that he could take the four of them in his car; The four of them being Sunjae, Yumi, Eunyoung and himself. However, he never told them that it was half the size of a normal car.

"Does it even work?" asked Yumi as a frown surfaced on her face and she squinted her eyes, as if trying to find the potential in the car.

"Do you guys want to go or not?" Taesung asked impatiently. He felt quite offended by their light-hearted comments because he had been saving up to buy the car for a long time, and he was proud of it; But he couldn't help but agree with them a little bit, because the performance of the car was questionable...

*many minutes later*

"Choosing to drive this car is like wearing vintage heels to a dance marathon," Eunyoung sighed, "And we all know how well that worked for Lorelai Gilmore."

"Only you could find a way to make this about fashion," Yumi rolled her eyes.

"Don't take it out on me, your boyfriend is to blame for this pleasant situation we're currently in," she countered, "Just when I was starting to think you were an alright person."

Turns out the best word to describe Taesung's car was slow. A bicycle and a bunch of children had zoomed past them in the last hour. It was quite humiliating for everybody in the car, except Taesung. His heart was still full of admiration for his precious car he had lovingly named "Sunny."  

Yumi sharply turned to eye Eunyoung after she used the word boyfriend, as if to say "Are we still keeping this up?" 

Sighing, Eunyoung turned to Sunjae who was sitting beside her, "Also, since you're here, I may as well tell you that Yumi and Taesung aren't actually dating."

"What?!" Sunjae said looking visibly shocked by this news, "But... why?"

"That's an excellent question to ask," Eunyoung said sarcastically, "They originally did it so this sorry excuse of a guy would leave Yumi alone, but why they're still at it is beyond me."

"This is so not the time," she said, gritting her teeth and glaring menacingly at Taesung. His eyes were still on the road, which she could see through his sunglasses.

"Can't it go any faster?" Sunjae asked in desperation.

"No. It can't" answered Taesung curtly. Everyone in the car groaned irritably.

"We would have reached in half the time if we just took a train," Sunjae whined, "Maybe less."

"I'm hungry," Eunyoung complained.

"I have an idea," Yumi said spitefully, "Let's cook Taesung using the fire we make by burning his car." He didn't reply, but anyone could tell he was scared for his life.

"Thanks for taking away my appetite," said Eunyoung with disgust.

Choi Eunyoung's Perspective

After god knows how many excruciating hours in Taesung's car, we had reached Inhyuk's village in Busan at long last. He was quite shocked to see us, and took us to his parents house. Inhyuk's parents gave the four of us a warm welcome, after which we visited the beach. Taesung and Sunjae talked to Inhyuk privately, and managed to convince him. Yumi and I felt as if a weight had been lifted off our backs as we realized that we hadn't made any fatal mistakes when it was our last chance to travel back in time.

Things were going well- almost suspiciously so. We were eating ice cream while sitting at the beach, gazing at the ocean. When Yumi and I time travelled from 2023, it was winter- a cold, biting winter that cut through my skin and sent aches through my body every time I thought of Sunjae's nearly inevitable fate. But here, in 2009 it was the peak of summer. And though sometimes the scorching heat made it feel like steam was coming out of my head, it was comforting. Flowers bloomed everywhere, and the world seemed as if somebody painted it with vibrant watercolors. Even now, the sea looked so majestic- deep blue, extending towards the horizon and water glittering like diamonds had been scattered everywhere. 

It all felt so serene, so calming. And for a brief moment, my worries about my dad seemed to fade into the background as my ears filled with the call of birds I'd never seen before and the sound of the waves crashing against the shore. I stole a quick glance at Sunjae, only to see that he was already looking at me with a fond expression on his face. I felt warmth creeping up my face as my lips stretched into a smile. He promptly smiled back, placing his hand on mine, his touch soft and gentle. Sunjae always had the most comforting feeling about him, and whenever he was around, all my fears seemed a little less scary, and I felt a little bit  braver.

But of course, something had to happen to interrupt this moment we were sharing. Suddenly, Yumi called out, "Look! It's Taesung's car!" All five of us turned to look at where she was pointing. To my horror, I watched in pure disbelief as Taesung's car slowly but surely drove itself into the sea. It's slow pace made the entire scene look rather ironic and comedic. I couldn't suppress my laugh that slipped out, which was reciprocated by Sunjae as we giggled uncontrollably.

"This isn't funny! How are we going to get home?" Yumi snapped, her tone sharp and worried. Her seriousness made the whole thing seem a lot funnier. Inhyuk just seemed amused by the situation and smiled to himself cockily.

Taesung, on the other hand looked absolutely devastated that his precious car was going to sacrifice itself for the mighty ocean. He fell to his knees and placed both his hands on his head and cried out dramatically, "Sunny!" His tone sounded so hurt and pained that for a moment I almost felt sorry for him. 

My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I had to press pause on my laughing fit to see who it was. I froze for a second when I saw that it was Detective Kim- Taesung's dad who was calling. "I gotta take this call, I'll be right back," I said to Sunjae, who was still laughing. He nodded and I quickly moved away from everybody before accepting the call.

"Hello," I said urgently, "Did something happen? Are there any developments?"

"Yes, actually. We've discovered your father's location," he said, and I could hear the hesitation in his voice, "He's currently hiding in Busan."

☾⋆｡𖦹 °✩⋆｡° ✮

nana's notes: and the plot thickens

delphi's notes: poor sunny :"(

lvi. on and off-stage drama

☾⋆｡𖦹 °✩⋆｡° ✮

CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX ─ on and off-stage drama.

❛ i swear i don't love the drama, it loves me ❜

Choi Eunyoung's Perspective

"What?!" I breathed out, "Inhyuk's going back to his village? Taesung and Jay are quitting Eclipse? What- what do you mean by that?"

"Exactly," Sunjae nodded remorsefully, "They're saying that they'll finish this festival performance one last time and then quit. But Inhyuk's already left. He's staying with his parents in his village."

It felt as if my entire world was falling apart. I couldn't let this happen. I was supposed to change the future for the better, not create a bigger mess. I had to fix this, by whatever means necessary. 

"Well, we gotta stop this," I said decisively, "Let's talk to Taesung after rehearsal."

"It's a plan," Sunjae said, smiling. His face twisted into an expression of shock when he looked at his watch, "Oh! We're ten minutes late!"

Narrator's Perspective

"What language is this, even?" Yumi exclaimed looking at the script, "Thou lovs't me not with the full weight that I love thee? This nutjob has written the entire play like this! How did I even pass the audition?"

The other students who were part of the cast sat and watched the 'couple' in adoration instead of revising their scripts. They whispered and giggled uncontrollably, much to Yumi's irritation. Taesung, however, was not-so-secretly enjoying it. He was basking in the attention, and the fact that people thought he and Yumi were a real couple made his heart swell with joy.

"You'll do fine," he placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. His touch still made sparks dance across her skin. He leaned towards her face and gave her a smile, "We've got plenty of time, hmm?"

"What's your role anyways?" Yumi asked, looking anywhere but at his face.

"Oliver," he answered, not shifting his gaze.

Yumi began furiously flipping through the pages of the script. All of a sudden, she gasped, "Seriously?"

"What?" Taesung asked, sitting next to her, peering into the script.

"Oliver and Celia get married at the end?" she scoffed, but her flushed face said otherwise, "On the basis of what? I swear Shakespeare was on crack each time he picked up his pen."

"How could you say such a thing about him?" Eunyoung said. She had just gotten there along with Sunjae, "Why hasn't rehearsal started yet?"

"Well, the director suddenly fell sick so the writers told us to revise on our own for today," Taesung explained.

"Oh, we ran here for no reason," Sunjae said, chuckling while shooting a knowing glance at Eunyoung. Eunyoung smiled back, "I know right?"

"Ooooh, damn are you two a thing now?" asked one of the girls sitting close to them, eavesdropping.

"How 'bout you mind your own business?" Yumi sneered with hostility.

"How am I supposed to ignore it when they're flirting right in front of me?"

"Maybe you need a lesson on personal space?" Yumi said, taking a step away from her. 

The girl rolled her eyes, then picked up her things and walked off, muttering under her breath.

"You seem to be in a mood today," Eunyoung observed.

"You can thank Shakespeare for that," Yumi replied.

"I don't know why you hate a man who died several centuries ago," Eunyoung uttered.

"I don't know why you like a man who died several centuries ago," Yumi countered.

"I don't like the man, I just thing his work had a timeless element to it."

"And so here we are."

"Okay, okay, stop the bickering," Taesung said waving his hand between them.

"We're not bickering," Yumi shrugged.

"That's just how we get along," Eunyoung agreed, giving Yumi a small smile.

"As long as there's no bloodshed, I'm good," Taesung said.

"How's the prep for the Eclipse performance going?" Yumi asked eagerly. Her question was followed by a long, awkward silence. Taesung stared at Sunjae, Sunjae glanced at Eunyoung, and Eunyoung looked at Yumi nervously.

"I guess you don't know," Sunjae said as gently as he could, "Inhyuk left for his village, because he wanted to help his parents out... He's also planning on dropping out."

"What?!" Yumi exclaimed. Heads turned to see what the commotion was about. She stood, completely stunned for few seconds, "What's going to happen to your band?" She shot a worried look at Eunyoung, as if to say What is happening? Is this our fault?

"Taesung, didn't you-" Eunyoung gestured him not to mention it, shaking her head as subtly as she could. She didn't want to give Taesung and Yumi a reason to argue again. Sunjae covered up his blunder, "Didn't you say you were going to call him?"

"Um... yeah I was," said Taesung, glad that they hadn't mentioned to Yumi that he was going to leave the band, "He didn't pick up."

"So, Sunjae and I were thinking," Eunyoung began, "That we go and visit his village and bring him back to his senses. What do you think?"

"I'm in," Taesung said, looking at Yumi, his eyes full of expectation.

"What if we can't convince him?"

"Oh, you pessimist," Eunyoung groaned, "If he doesn't agree voluntarily, then we'll kidnap him, okay? Are you in or not?"

"I'm in," she said, realizing she wasn't left with much of a choice.

"Good," said Sunjae, "We leave tomorrow?"

"Yeah," said everyone in unison.

There were a few minutes of silence as they all went back to reading their scripts. A moment later, Eunyoung looked up, "Hey, Taesung?"

"Hmm?"

"I had to ask you about that..." she trailed off.

Taesung frowned with confusion, but the realization hit him soon enough and she said, "Oh,  right. Of course," he said, getting up, "We'll be back."

Yumi and Sunjae watched them get up and go outside the auditorium.

"That was weird," Yumi said, furrowing her brows.

"Breathe if you're jealous."

💿

"Any updates?" she asked Taesung, "About my dad? Was the information I gave conclusive enough?"

"Yeah, they've started the investigation," he answered, "My dad said that considering his history, he'll most likely get a life sentence. He wanted me to ask if it's okay with you."

"Yes, absolutely," Eunyoung said decisively. 

Taesung blinked a few times, "Okay, if that's what you want."

"It is."

☾⋆｡𖦹 °✩⋆｡° ✮

nana's notes: bet u didn't see that one coming

delphi's notes: yumi and sunjae are such an awkward duo lmfao 

☾⋆｡𖦹 °✩⋆｡° ✮

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..."

☾⋆｡𖦹 °✩⋆｡° ✮

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

delphi's notes: don't mess with yumi

xlix. drifting away

☾⋆｡𖦹 °✩⋆｡° ✮

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE ─ drifting away.

❛ still want you all the time, still in a corner of my heart ❜

Choi Eunyoung's Perspective

A couple weeks after college lectures began, I felt as miserable as ever. It was as if I was living the same day over and over again. From the moment I opened my eyes, there was a throbbing pain in my head that weighed me down. As I went about my routine, I felt like a machine, soulless and mechanical. The feeling of regret had become increasingly oppressive, leaving my brain feeling foggy. I could feel a constant ache in my heart and my brain dwelled on my stupid, drunken actions.

Not only had I gone and confessed to Sunjae like an idiot, but I had also kissed him? I couldn't believe I had been so impulsive. Thinking about how uncomfortable he must have been made me want to bury my head in a hole in the ground. At the same time, I couldn't stop reminiscing on how magical the moment felt back then. His soft lips against mine, and the silent whisper of the crickets chirping on that chilly night; I could vividly remember the warmth of his body, and how it was like every inch of our bodies were meant to hold each other.

I had told myself a million times not to get worked up over a drunken kiss. I reminded myself several times that he hadn't said a word to me since I told him to forget about it. The logical part of me said that I did the right thing by apologizing, because in what universe would Ryu Sunjae like me? Yet, there was another voice in my head that said that he would have pushed me away of he didn't like me. There was something in the way he kissed me that I couldn't quite explain. Or maybe, I knew what it was, but admitting it meant that everything became real, and I don't think I was the least bit ready for it.

The truth was that in the fear of losing him, I had ended up pushing him further away from me. Maybe that was how it was meant to turn out all along. Maybe it was better this way. The further he stayed from me, the safer it was for him. My attention turned to the clock, and my movements became immediately hasty and panicked as I grabbed my bag and rushed out the door.

 Choi Yumi's Perspective

I dragged my feet along the pavement, my head hung and a yawn escaping my mouth. It wasn't even that early, yet I could already feel a strange sort of fatigue weighing me down. Ever since the field trip, I had spent several sleepless nights, contemplating everything that had happened. This third time travel had been the most eventful one by far, I realized. I would stare up that the ceiling in the middle of the night, millions of thoughts racing through my tangled head. 

I wondered what it all meant; Taesung offering to be my boyfriend to help me get rid of Minjun. Even after Minjun had given up on harassing me, Taesung and I were still "dating." Everyone knew about our "relationship" and the both of us agreed that it was best to put up a show for a while longer. But I couldn't help but wonder whether he had any ulterior motive in suggesting that?

Another thing that I couldn't stop thinking about was the way he had kissed me in front of the whole department. His touch, that felt demanding yet gentle at the same time, the sweet aftertaste of the kiss, and the distance between us that had finally disappeared for a few short, fleeting seconds, were all so vivid in front of my eyes. Every time the thought crossed my mind, I could practically feel his soft grip on my wrist, and the warmth in his touch that quieted all my fears. It was just for show, I told myself. But it all felt so real...

A high-pitched meow from somewhere in the  nearby bushes perked my attention as I followed the sound. I bent down when I saw a tiny, black kitten between the branches of a wild scrub that grew on the sidewalk. A smile surfaced on my face as I reached out a cautious hand to stroke it's little head. While I continued to pet it, I let out a chuckle as the kitten kept pushing it's head towards my hand every time I paused.

"Looks like you're having a good time."

I stood up abruptly on hearing Taesung's oh-so-familiar voice sound in my ears. For a good few seconds, I found myself staring at his face blankly. Somehow, I was always in awe of how good he looked, without trying at all. There hadn't been many moments him and I had spent alone since the field trip, and seeing him like this, outside school, with no one around made me feel oddly vulnerable and nervous.

"Where'd you come from?"

"That's not how you greet your boyfriend, now, is it?" he said cocking his head to a side, smirking. I scoffed at him.

"You're not really my boyfriend."

"For now I am," he argued.

"Only in front of others," I countered.

He went quiet for a couple moments, staring blankly at my face. I felt my cheeks heat up as the seconds passed by. I tried to distract myself by looking at the telephone pole behind him.

"How's your scar?" he asked suddenly, meeting my eyes, "Does it hurt anymore?"

I was definitely flustered, and muttered out some incoherent nonsense. He had never brought it up since we were in the hospital.

"What?"

"I said umm..." I said, trying to muster up some courage to answer him, "It doesn't hurt now, it's just there," I went quiet for a second and them asked, concerned, "How's your shoulder? Does it hurt anymore?"

"Nope," he said, putting on a fake brave face. But I could see the hurt behind his eyes, "It healed pretty quickly."

Seeing him trying to hide his pain made my heart ache like never before. Will things ever go back to the way they were?

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nana's notes: eunyoung you blind fool get yourself some glasses-

delphi's notes: taesung in the header TT

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

xlvii. unforgettable

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CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN ─ unforgettable.

❛ boy, you got me hooked on to something, who could say that they saw us coming? ❜

Narrator's Perspective

While Sunjae and Eunyoung's lips moved against each other's without a care in the world, a worried Yumi called out desperately to Eunyoung.

"Eunyoung! Choi Eunyoung!" she screamed into the darkness, "Where the hell are you?"

The moment her voice fell upon Sunjae's ears, he pulled away from Eunyoung's embrace hastily. The sound sent panic surging through him, while Eunyoung felt like she was floating on a cloud, with the sweet taste of Sunjae's lips lingering on her lips. Sunjae began thinking harder than ever. In a few seconds, he came to the conclusion that it would be better for him to face Eunyoung's sister and make up a story before she could find them and draw her own conclusions. Taking a deep breath and trying his hardest to ignore the aftertaste of soju and lipgloss on his lips, he gently took a hold of Eunyoung's wrist and came out from behind the stage to face Yumi.

Yumi's expression when she saw them was absolutely priceless. All sort of mortifying thoughts raced through her head. Her eyes widened in shock and her mouth fell agape in confusion. Sunjae, raising his eyebrows and speaking too fast, said, "Listen it's not-"

"Why are you naked?" she asked, turning to look at the pine trees.

"Look, I was looking for my shirt and-"

"And you found my sister instead?" Yumi asked skeptically.

"Yeah, that's what-"

Yumi scoffed, as if to say unbelievable.

"I'm telling the truth!" Technically he wasn't lying, because before he found Eunyoung, he was looking for his shirt, but he wasn't going to enlighten Yumi about what happened after that. A warmth crept up his cheeks on thinking of the kiss they had just shared and he fought with all his might to conceal his smile, "And I just saw her and she's really drunk. That's when I heard your voice... so now I'm here."

Yumi squinted at his face,focusing on only his face, as if trying to see through his bluff. She advanced towards them and shook Sunjae's hands- that still held Eunyoung's wrist, off and pulled Eunyoung  to her side. She took a good long look at Eunyoung. Her hair was messy, hanging around her eyes, her cheeks were flushed and her lipstick was slightly smudged. Her piercing gaze shifted to Sunjae, who look a step back, intimidated by her death glare. His face had "guilty conscious" written over his face, that was too obvious for Yumi to ignore. Thinking that Eunyoung would probably tell her everything eventually, she let him go and stopped glaring daggers at him.

"So you found her like this?"

"Yeah."

"While you were looking for your shirt?"

"That's right."

"Well," Yumi said, "Thanks for bringing her to me, I guess. And I hope you find your shirt."

Sunjae sighed in relief as Yumi and Eunyoung turned around and disappeared into the distance. But he still felt his heart racing and cheeks blushing from kissing Eunyoung. The warmth of her touch curled his lips into a cheery smile as he began journeying back to his own tent, while his missing shirt had been forgotten.

💿

Yumi struggled in getting Eunyoung into bed because for some reason she refused to cooperate. When she was finally tucked in, Yumi stared at her blank face, trying to figure out what had happened between Eunyoung and Sunjae. Actually, it was quite obvious, but admitting it was a whole other story. Eunyoung let out a small giggle, still lost in Sunjae's touch.

"What?" Yumi snapped. Eunyoung's laugh was basically confirming her fears. Something about it made Yumi feel weird on the inside.

"He's such a good kisser," Eunyoung whispered, staring at the ceiling with a stupid smile on her face. Yumi's eyes widened and her heart nearly stopped working from shock.

The word "kiss," reminded her of what had happened earlier that evening. Kim Taesung had stolen her first kiss. And that too in front of the whole Practical Music department. Within a few hours, the news had spread all over the campsite, and everyone knew about it. In just one night, she and her fake boyfriend had become the biggest news at the Yeonseo University field trip. It was a mess- girls crying, gossiping, guys speculating and the seniors wondering if they would get married. And Minjun? He must have died from the shock, which meant that he would leave her alone at last.

The truth was that it was all she wanted. Taesung's possessive yet gentle demeanor. His soft touch that sent sparks flying inside her. It was perfect- all she would ever wish for. But of course, it scared her. What would happen to their relationship? They had gone from barely speaking to each other to being a fake couple with a kiss. How would it affect the future. It was all too much.

To distract herself, she turned to look at her sister again, sighing at her smiling, giggling face. She couldn't help but giggle at her stupidity. 

"You're going to regret telling me that in the morning."

💿

Regaining consciousness in the morning was one of the most painful experiences of her life. Her head felt like a million needles were poking at her brain, tearing at it. Her entire body felt heavy, as if a cow was sitting on her chest. There was a hazy fog in her head and the sunlight streaming through the window felt blinding. At first, she could remember nothing from the previous night.

Then, it started coming back to her slowly, but surely. Playing drinking games and getting drunk with her friends. And then roaming around, lost afterwards. She then remembered Sunjae- shirtless, in all his glory, and her impulsive decisions that escalated-

"Considering that look on your face and the way you're blushing, I'm guessing you got your memories back, huh?" Yumi asked, smiling sarcastically.

"You know too?" Eunyoung buried her head in the blanket, groaning with embarrassment.

"Why're you so dramatic?" Yumi pulled the sheets off, "Isn't it a good thing?"

"No, are you kidding?" Eunyoung said, panicking, "You don't even know what exactly I did. And he didn't even say anything- OH MY GOD. It must've made him so uncomfortable, I'm going to die."

"Relax," Yumi assured her, "Since you confessed to your sins, let me tell you what happened last night. Kim Taesung kissed me."

"WHAT?!"

"Yeah," Yumi confessed, looking down with shame, " You know how Minjun was after my life? Yeah, well this was Taesung's way of getting me out of it. Now I have a fake boyfriend."

Eunyoung blinked a few times, trying to process this new information. In the end, all she could say was, "Wow. That's really... something."

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nana's notes: i apologize in advance because everyone's going to be acting like an idiot for the next few chapters

delphi's notes: i'm about to kick eunyoung's ass-

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

xlv. break free

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CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE ─ break free.

❛ have you ever had someone kiss you in a crowded room? ❜

Choi Eunyoung's Perspective

I leaned on the railing at the edge of the mountain, looking onto the scenery. Bright, blue skies with scanty clouds above, and a lush, green valley below. The air around me seemed to be cool and still, as if it was holding it's breath, waiting for something to happen. It tingled against my bare legs, stinging ever so slightly, making me reconsider my decision to wear a skirt. 

My feet remained rooted to the ground, but my mind wandered back to the future in 2023. It was a painful picture painted before my eyes, which I could see with a hurtful clarity in my mind. My warm hands holding Sunjae's hands, that had gone cold. How my heart ached to even think of it. And the doctor's formal sympathy while telling me he passed away...

"Eunyoung?" asked a soft, gentle voice behind me. I turned around, my face melting into a smile on seeing Sunjae looking at me with his earnest, beady eyes, "What're you doing out here? Everyone's sitting near that stage thing and chatting."

"I was just looking around," I told him. My silly heart begun beating faster as he came to stand beside me, looking at the scenery, admiring the miracle of nature. I turned to do the same, and strangely enough, it all looked much more beautiful with Sunjae by my side. My shivering had ceased, replaced with a comforting warmth. I felt the blood rushing into my cheeks when I realized he stood with his elbows resting on the fence, just like mine, just close enough to touch.

"It's so beautiful," I breathed out.

"It is," I heard him say. My heart nearly jumped out of my chest when I turned to see him looking right at me. I could hear the thumping of my heart in my head like a steady drum beat. Goosebumps erupted on my skin. 

Can I really let myself believe this? After all that has happened? It all felt like a dream.

"Aren't you cold?"

"I am, but it's o-"

Before I could finish talking, he began taking off the jacket draped around his shoulders. I went completely, silent, watching him in awe. Had he always been this thoughtful? Nothing felt real. He leaned towards me, ever so slowly, maintaining minimal distance while he gently tied his jacket around my waist. His face nearly touched mine, and I could feel his breath on my cheeks. That was the closest I had ever come to exploding on the spot.

"You're going to feel cold," I said, my voice barely a whisper.

"I'll be fine," he assured me with his dimpled smile.

How was I supposed to say no to that?

Narrator's Perspective

A few hours after arriving at the field trip destination, the entire area was buzzing with excitement. The sunset was as early as half past five; Once the place was enveloped in the darkness of the night, no one had felt so alive. There was a joyful chatter in every tent, students talking, getting to know each other, playing drinking games. Some had promptly gotten drunk already, making fools out of themselves while it entertained those around them.

Meanwhile, Yumi had finally had just about enough of Minjun's antics. He was definitely a stubborn fellow. "Doesn't he have anyone else to bother?!" she yelled out to no one in particular. To her surprise, her prayers were answered.

"What's the matter?" asked Taesung, who had overheard her desperate pleas.

Yumi stared at him blankly for a few moments. Unable to hold herself back in frustration, she blurted out, "Oh, you have no idea! Minjun sunbaenim won't leave me alone. Doesn't he have the brains to understand that I'm not interested?! Is he retarded or what? Can't he just leave me alone?! It's driving me insane!"

Taesung stared at her, blinking his eyes rapidly as if to process all that she had said at record speed. The truth was, that avoiding her all these weeks had been absolute torture for him. Yumi had been such a significant part of his life, and then suddenly, she wasn't. At this point, he was willing to do anything to be around her. And seeing her uncomfortable and distressed because of some guy made his insides burn with rage.

"I'll help you," he declared decisively.

"Help? Not even god can help me," she sighed, "How do you plan on doing it?"

"I'll be your boyfriend."

Those four words were immediately effective in snapping Yumi out of her frustrated and angry state to a state of awe. She stared at him agape, trying to figure out the meaning behind those words. Boyfriend; the word echoed over and over in her mind.

"What?!" she blurted out a bit too loudly. Some people turned to stare at them. Taesung held her wrist with a surprisingly soft and gentle touch and took her behind a tent where they could talk in peace.

"I didn't mean it like that," he said in a hopeless attempt to defend himself. He did, in fact mean exactly what he said. It was just that he chickened out and now was trying to cover up, "I meant I'll pretend to be your boyfriend till the crackpot leaves you alone."

The offer was too tempting. "Deal," Yumi breathed out.

💿

"Can't I take a shot as a punishment instead?" Yumi pleaded.

"Nope!" said the game organizer, "You have to!"

"I'll take two shots," Yumi made him a counteroffer, "Please!"

"Not at all," he said, refusing to settle, "Don't be a spoil sport!"

Yumi heaved a sigh of annoyance. Not only had she gotten dragged into a drinking game by one of the girls from her department, but the game also happened to be spin the bottle. Yumi wondered why, out of all the weird Korean drinking games, they decided on spin the bottle? And now she had to kiss Minjun. It felt so terribly unfair that she was about to lose her first kiss to him. 

As they both stood up, Yumi with hesitation and Minjun with eagerness that was uncomfortable, everyone began clapping and jeering with excitement. Why did they like watching people suffer?

Looking into Minjun's eyes with all the hatred in her body, she took a deep breath. "It doesn't even matter," she told herself, "Let's just get this over with."

Just as their lips were about to meet, sealing the moment forever, Yumi felt someone's grip on her wrist that made her stop immediately. Her wrist was caught mid-motion, the unexpected hold halting her in her tracks. The grip was firm, commanding her attention, yet impossibly gentle, as if afraid to harm her. She turned sharply, startled, and her breath caught as her gaze met Taesung's. His eyes held hers for a brief, electrifying moment—dark and intense, a silent storm brewing in their depths.

Before she could speak, before she could even fully process, she felt his lips crash onto hers, silencing every thought and scattering every word she might have said. The kiss was bold and unyielding, yet it carried an undercurrent of tenderness that left her breathless.

Her entire body ignited, a wave of warmth sweeping over her as if she were standing too close to the sun. It was a sensation unlike anything she had ever known—a perfect collision of chaos and calm. Instinctively, she leaned into him, surrendering to the moment, letting herself be swept away. His hand slid up to cradle the back of her neck, his fingers threading gently through her hair, grounding her amidst the whirlwind. His other hand rested lightly on her waist, the touch feather-soft yet searing, as if it left an imprint on her very soul.

Her heart pounded wildly, a frenzied rhythm that echoed in her ears, and she wondered if he could feel it, too. His lips were impossibly soft, softer than she had dared to imagine, their every movement deliberate, intoxicating, as though he were memorizing her with each kiss.

The world around them seemed to dissolve, its sounds and sights fading into oblivion until all that remained was the two of them, locked in this timeless moment. The press of his body against hers, the heat of his touch, the magnetic pull between them—it was everything, consuming her entirely.

Every fear, every doubt, every restraint she had ever held onto melted away. In his arms, she felt weightless, free, as though nothing else mattered but this—their shared breath, their entwined hands, and the unspoken emotions that passed between them like a secret only they could understand.

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nana's notes: bet you didn't see that coming

delphi's notes: FINALLYYYYYYYYY

next chapter: saturday list of chapters here!

xliv. truths unspoken

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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!

xliii. unfinished business

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CHAPTER FORTY-THREE ─ unfinished business.

❛ i've been looking at you since half past two wanna take this downtown? ❜

Choi Eunyoung's Perspective

The moment I opened my eyes, my ears filled with cheery chatter from all directions. Enthusiastic conversations and excited giggles went on all around me. I blinked my eyes rapidly a few times, looking around. Everyone was dressed in orange attire with the Yeonseo University logo. My mind couldn't process anything. Moments ago, I remember being at the hospital where Sunjae died... again. I felt a lump in my throat as I tried to blink back my tears that threatened to spill any second. I looked around frantically in desperate search for the only face I wanted to see at that moment.

Then I found him. My panic ceased for a glorious, fleeting moment while my teary eyes rested on his face. The corners of my lips curled up without me realizing as I saw his resting face. He leaned back on his seat with his eyes closed and features relaxed. He looked as perfect as ever, I thought to myself. The ache in my heart seemed to give way momentarily while my stomach did backflips at this sight. Fluffy hair that cascaded down his forehead just the right way, perfect, pillowy lips...

I snapped myself back to reality. Where was I? On looking around a second time, I finally realized. I was on my university field trip. This realization seemed to form even more questions in my mind. Where was Yumi? Was this my last chance to save Sunjae.

Memories from the future resurfaced as I began to see with a hurtful clarity. The detective had told me in his professional, emotionless tone that the man who was responsible for Sunjae's death, the driver of the truck was none other than Choi Minseok, my father. I knew I was on a train to some countryside location I couldn't quite put my finger on, which meant that I had to maintain composure. I couldn't break down weeping right there no matter how much I wanted to.

It was all so unfair. My dad took everything with him when he left my mom and me. All we had was a shanty apartment that not even he wanted. And now again, here he was, haunting my past, future and my present, taking away my everything.

"Eunyoung!" the girl beside me called out. Turning to look at her, I realized she was Yuri, the one friend I had throughout college who stuck by me through those times. I smiled, feeling nostalgic of my university days, "Did you hear what that guy said?"

"What?"

"God, you are so distracted today!" she observed, sounding slightly concerned, "He said that when two people kiss on the first field trip of Yeonseo University, they always get married later in life! Isn't that insane? Gosh, that's so romantic!"

"That sounds ridiculous!" I chuckled, waving my hand in front of my face, "They just make up stories to entertain us."

"Don't be such a mood-kill!" she said, elbowing me, smiling enthusiastically, "Let's have some fun, yeah?"

"Yeah, of course," I answered her, forcing a smile out of obligation, "We'll have fun for sure."

"Anyone you like from the orientation?" she asked, leaning towards me eagerly.

I went silent for a good couple of seconds, feeling heat rise up my face at the thought of Sunjae.

"Not really," I lied through my teeth, avoiding her gaze and staring out through the window, "Maybe I will once I get to know them better."

Choi Yumi's Perspective

I heaved a sigh. Out of all places, why did I have to end up at m university field trip? I clearly remember it being a disaster. I was a drunken mess and the hangover made me the sickest I had ever been in my life. And this trip was the beginning of four torture-filled years of law school that I loathed. My gaze fell on my neatly folded jacket in my lap. I traced the embroidery that read "Yeonseo University" mindlessly when I noticed the department written below it.

Practical Music

I had to bite back the gasp that nearly escaped my mouth when I realized what it said. How did it suddenly become Practical Music of all things? I had never been so perplexed in my life. Something in the time travel had altered my reality and now I was a Music major. For a moment, it felt like liberation. Like someone had given me the keys to freedom and to happiness. This was my escape. My path to fulfilment. I remembered my lifelong love for music. How I started listening to Eclipse because of it... and now I was here again. Time travelling for the last time, hoping to bring Taesung out of his misery.

I looked around as discretely as I could, scanning the sea of orange-clad freshman and seniors, only looking for a certain someone. The moment I saw his bright smile, my heart threatened to jump out of my chest. My happiness knew no bounds, seeing him laugh with the Eclipse members.

It was undoubtable, my love for Taesung and for music were always intertwined. It was fate all along. Perhaps I had a chance. How silly it was that his beautiful smile was enough to turn me into this foolish optimist? 

Everything reminded me of my mother. How she spent hours in the front yard with her cup of coffee and biscuits writing lyrics endlessly. The various times she would read out poetry to me were all so vivid in my mind. They played in front of my eyes like flashbacks of an old movie tape that was so worn out from watching over and over again. For a moment, I felt contended. That maybe she was watching over me from heaven, feeling proud that I was-perhaps, fulfilling her dream that she couldn't.  

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nana's notes: i'm SO excited for this part of the story. you guys aren't ready🤭

delphi's notes: yumi's confusion is so funny lmfao she's always so lost

next chapter: saturday list of chapters here!

xli. threads of fate and regret

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CHAPTER FORTY-ONE ─ threads of fate and regret.

❛ you stood there in front of me, just close enough to touch ❜

Ryu Sunjae's Perspective

Fireworks seemed to go off inside me when I walked into the interview room. A wave of deja vu hit me when the rapid thumping of my heart sounded in my ears just like the first time I found out that Eunyoung was going to interview me. Since the time I started preparing to release 'Sonaki,' all my past feelings slowly began resurfacing. I could envision myself, a lovestruck nineteen year old sitting in my bedroom and writing the song, thinking of Eunyoung and occasionally gazing at her window that was just in front of mine. I kept telling myself that it was just a memory in the past. I couldn't accept the fact that my feelings were exactly the same after fifteen long years.

It felt quite pathetic, to be honest. To think that I spent two years with her by my side, and still never had the guts to tell her how I felt filled me with insurmountable regret. I would have given anything to go back in time and hold on to her. 

Sitting across from her, responding to each question with careful, practiced formality, felt like the most challenging task of my entire career. With every carefully measured word, I felt my resolve slipping, as though the years we spent apart had only heightened this ache within me. It took every ounce of restraint not to close the distance between us, to forget the cameras and the professionalism and tell her just how much I'd missed her.

As I spoke about the song, Sonaki, describing it simply as a memory from my youth, my heart pounded with the urge to reveal the truth. There was a cruel irony in it all, sitting there explaining how the song was about my first love while she remained unaware that she was the muse behind every line, the inspiration behind every note. She was still, unknowingly, my everything.

In my mind, I could see myself breaking the silence, confessing it all—how she had stayed with me, haunting my every step and shaping every melody I'd written since. But in reality, I remained stoic, carefully choosing my words, my gaze avoiding her eyes for fear of giving it all away.

"I used to be a competitive swimmer back in high school. I remember despising it whenever it rained on my way home after a long day of training. But the day I met her was a rainy day. After that day, I mysteriously found myself unable to hate the rain any longer. It was magical, unlike anything I had experienced before," I said, pouring my heart out.

"That's such a beautiful way of expressing your feelings. I'm sure whoever she is would be touched to know it."

"Actually I never got a chance to express my feelings," I confessed with an embarrassed chuckle, "It was an unrequited love."

Choi Yumi's Perspective

I sat nervously shaking my leg in the police station. I had caved and agreed to meet Taesung to help him. The truth was that I wanted to understand him. I wanted to believe more than anything that he was innocent; And if I had the power to prove that he was, then I wanted to pour my heart into this case and win at any cost.

Taesung emerged from behind one of the doors, being dragged by one of the police officers who clutched his jacket with a death grip. The nostalgia was way too obvious for me to ignore. I found myself remembering the last time I saw him sitting across me. His hair was no longer wild and crazy like back then, but a sort of mischief shone in his eyes. A smirk that seemed to ridicule the man dragging him was plastered across his face.

The two sat down across from me, the man glaring at Taesung. For a good few moments I found myself staring at Taesung. Despite the dull, muted tones that replaced his bright biker jackets, he still looked as good as the first day I encountered him outside the music club. I found it quite unfair that I looked like a Tim Burtons character while he looked ready to start a photoshoot.

"So, you're going to help me or not?" he asked right away.

"Depends," I said skeptically, "How exactly did you get yourself into this mess?"

"I have no idea."

"You have to answer seriously or I can't help you."

"So if I answer seriously you'll help me?"

"Just answer the damn question," I sighed, realizing he was just as petty and childish as before, "I haven't got all day."

"My bad," he cleared his throat, "So you know my father is a detective in the Violent Crimes Division, right?"

"Yeah," I replied, feeling curious and anxious at the same time.

"One day he had to go to one of the places where Kim Youngsoo was allegedly hiding. But he suddenly fell sick that day. 102 degree fever; And look, I'm not the biggest fan of my dad, but I couldn't let him go there like that. That's why I went in his place. Then the guy who was supposed to be there with him never showed up."

"That's quite the story."

"I'm not done," he said, "I completed the investigation like he told me to, and I brought the report home. He gave it to the higher ups and everything was fine for a couple of days. Later, we found out that he messed up the dates and the other guy went the day after that. That's when they found my fingerprints all over the place. I tried to explain this to them but they refused to believe me and now I'm here. They don't believe my dad either."

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nana's notes: writing sunjae's pov made me sob he loves her so much T_T when will it be my turn...

delphi's notes: leave it up to taesung to get into that kind of mess 👏

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

xl. whispers from the past

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CHAPTER FORTY ─ whispers from the past.

❛ this is me praying that this was the very first page, not where the storyline ends ❜

Choi Yumi's Perspective

"I need a lawyer."

I stayed silent for a good minute, trying to register the words. It wasn't about the words, even. The voice sounded far too familiar, making my heart drop. Gentle, with a hint of mischief. It was undeniable. The person on the other line was Kim Taesung.

"Hello? Are you there?"

"Y-yes," I stuttered, feeling goosebumps crawl up my arm at his voice.

"Oh, sorry, how rude of me. It's Taesung. Do you remember me?" He spoke the last sentence slowly, and the doubt in his voice was evident.

"Yes," I said quietly, wondering if he had even heard me. It was all so unbelievable. For a third time, fate had brought me back to Kim Taesung, "What do you need a lawyer for? Are you in trouble?"

"Look at you, already assuming the worst of me. You haven't changed one bit, Choi Yumi. Even after fifteen years."

The way he said my name sent chills down my spine. I felt like I was slowly losing touch with reality the longer I spoke to him. Suddenly, I was a teenage girl again. "Just tell me what you need."

"You must of heard the name Kim Youngsoo."

"Yeah," I frowned, wondering what that serial kidnapper had anything to do with any of this.

"Well they've kept me in custody 'cause they think I'm his alibi."

The moment his words fell on my ears, I almost felt my heart stop. Confusion clouded my mind as my breath became suddenly erratic. I placed a hand on my chest, feeling the rapid thumping of my heart against my ribs, threatening to break out. Then, as if to disregard my shock, I heard someone yell "Time's out!" and a beep as the call disconnected, leaving me shaking in my seat, eyes wide.

Narrator's Perspective

"I really want to say 'I told you so,'" Eunyoung said after hearing about the mysterious and cryptic phone call Yumi got from Taesung, "But I'll hold back for your sake. I knew he was bad news, but I never thought he'd actually end up in jail."

"He's not in jail," Yumi corrected her quickly, "They've kept him in custody, so he's just a suspect-"

"Yeah, but imagine what he must have done to make him a suspect for a mass kidnapping case," Eunyoung pointed out.

"This is too much to process," Yumi sighed, running her hand through her hair, "Please tell me something to distract me before I lose my mind completely."

"Sunjae's alive," Eunyoung blurted out the first thought that popped up in her head. Yumi's eyes were full of shock as she suddenly sat up straight.

"Wow, that worked."

"I could barely believe it when I heard it," she continued, "I thought I was dreaming."

"I don't understand how you did it," Yumi asked, looking eagerly at Eunyoung, expecting an answer.

"It sounds really stupid if I say it out loud," Eunyoung warned, "But one day, I was just sitting and thinking about how miserable Sunjae must feel-"

"As one does," Yumi sneered.

"Shut up," Eunyoung said, her lips stretching into an involuntary smile, "I had quite a stupid idea, but I started writing encouraging messages for him and tossed them into his house."

Yumi blinked her eyes rapidly, frowning, "That sounds ridiculously simple."

"Exactly," said Eunyoung, "But he must have really needed to hear something like that."

"You always have been good with words," Yumi pointed out, "You really did it, Eunyoung, you saved him."

"I know," she whispered dreamily.

Eunyoung took a long look at Yumi's face. It was the very essence of the word 'misery.' She looked just about ready to fling herself off a building. She reached for Yumi's hand.

"It's going to be fine," she assured Yumi.

"I'm scared," Yumi said, fixing her gaze on the ground, "Scared that it might be true."

Choi Eunyoung's Perspective

Sitting in the interview room of my office, it felt as if I was glued to my chair. The temperature felt colder than ever before while I sat motionless, clutching the interview script tightly. An unfamiliar anxiety had settled in me when I realized it was my first time seeing Sunjae in 2023. Doubt clouded my mind and I began wondering whether I had it in me to keep things professional. All of a sudden, nostalgia seemed to engulf me as I reminisced on my very first interview with the Jagam High Swim team. My nervousness, self-doubt and jitters were exactly the same.

I watched the door open, through which Sunjae entered. I definitely stared at him for longer than I should have, but somehow, I couldn't bring myself to pull away. He looked completely different from the 19-year-old schoolboy I was used to seeing on the bus every day. Dressed in brown trousers and a black woolen turtleneck, he looked like the personification of perfection. This formal, mature attire was something that was hard for to adjust to, but a part of me was just glad that the liveliness had returned to his beady, hypnotizing eyes.

I stood up from my seat an bowed at him and his staff that followed close behind him. Our eyes met briefly, and in that fleeting moment his blank gaze made me wonder if he even remembered me. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't, but it would be a lie to say it wouldn't bother me. For a few moments, everyone scurried around, setting up their stuff and settling down before the filming began.

I took a deep breath before beginning, "Hello and welcome! It's an honor to have you here today."

"Likewise, I'm glad to be here," he replied, flashing a kind smile.

"Eclipse is soon going to release their fifth studio album, so how do you feel about that?"

"Well, not too long ago, we had our first concert in five years, which is when we announced that an album would be released. It was a really thrilling and exciting moment for me, and I think my members would agree. We also had doubts as to how it would be received by everyone, but what got us through it is our faith in the fans."

"Eclipse's connection with their fans is truly something to appreciate, and they're always grateful for your hard work. They're eagerly looking forward to listening to the songs listed, particularly 'Sonaki,' where you are the songwriter. Could you tell us something about the song?"

At this point, he was grinning from ear to ear and I had to really control my smile that would have surfaced otherwise. He began, "Sonaki is actually a song that I wrote a long time ago. I wasn't too sure as to whether it would ever be released, but what can I say? It's a song that's very personal to me as it brings back memories from my high school years. Even now, while 'm preparing to perform it for my fans, it's as if I'm 19 years old again, writing about my first love."

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nana's notes: it's so surreal that we've hit forty chapters omg. never thought this would be possible. so grateful for everyone who has been reading this fic <3

delphi's notes: YAYYY FORTY CHAPTERS! tysm everyone <3 yumi defending taesung is the funniest thing ever like girl you're DOWN BAD.

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

xxxix. looking back

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CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE ─ looking back.

❛ i vowed i would always be yours if we survived the great war ❜

Choi Yumi's Perspective

"Yumi!"

A jarring, familiar voice jerked me awake, pulling me back to reality. The moment I opened my eyes, the first thing I was met with was my reflection in the black computer screen. I found myself staring at it for a few seconds. The bags under my eyes had become severe again, my skin dull and distressed. The pile of papers and files on the desk in front of me finally made me realize that I was no longer at home, chatting with Eunyoung, but I was at work, at the law firm.

My tired eyes shifted to the person knocking at my door. It was Yunhee, my colleague who worked with me often. I gave her a slow nod as she pushed the glass door of my office open and letting herself in.

"God, Yumi, when was the last time you slept?" she said, sitting down on the chair on the other side of my desk.

I sighed as if to say "Don't even ask."

"Are you here to nag?" I asked simply, running a hand down my face, blinking rapidly in attempt to keep my eyes open, "Because if you are, you better turn around."

"Attorney Kwon is looking for you, and he looks pissed, so you better get on it," she informed matter-of-factly, "He'll be here any minute, actually." She glanced at her watch briefly, then said a quick goodbye and dashed out the door.

My eyes wandered around, scanning my office that had a sense of familiarity that made me feel nauseous. A couple of lights, wooden floors and a huge window behind me. My desk sat in the very middle of the room, looking like a toddler's craft table, with loose sheets flying everywhere. This particular time, coming back to the future felt even more horrible than before. Disappointment weighed me down as I realized how I had done nothing to change Taesung's fate. Reliving graduation was something I didn't know I needed, and I had momentarily felt my heart lighten up. But that moment during my speech...

The sound of Attorney Kwon shoving my office door and barging into my office cut off my thoughts before I could let them spiral. His flushed face, frowning brows and ears that seemed to have steam coming out from them, made me slightly frightened as I shifted uncomfortably in my chair.

"Yes, Attorney Kw-"

"What the hell's going on with the defamation case?!" he demanded, "For God's sake, everyone's talking about the scene Hajun caused in court yesterday! How could you be so careless? Despite being his senior!"

I felt the itch in me to fight back and argue, but knowing me, it would probably cost me my job, so all I said to him was, "Sorry, sir. I'll make sure it doesn't happen again."

"You better!" he snapped, before seeing himself out, muttering under his breath.

A sigh of absolute exhaustion left my mouth as I rested my head on my desk. Running my fingers through my hair, I pondered on how pathetic my life had been. Even after getting not one, but two chances to go back into the past, I had changed nearly nothing. My life had become even more miserable, with the added regret that I felt for not being able to do anything differently. For letting opportunities slip away while I sat around like an idiot. Looking back on everything that had happened, I realized that not only had I ruined my own life, but I had also dragged someone down with me. Someone I loved.

💿

Choi Eunyoung's Perspective

"Interview with Ryu Sunjae?" I repeated the words that sounded in my ears like an echo of my undeniable love for Sunjae. Just a moment ago, I had been dozing off at my desk, but hearing those words from the head of entertainment department, I felt suddenly awake and alert. I stole a quick look at the calendar on my desk; It read 2nd January, 2023. I had to bite back the gasp that almost left my mouth. He was alive. His fate had changed. The very thought of it made me want to break into tears of pure relief and happiness. It made me want to run through the streets, screaming from joy.

"Yeah, I recommended your name for it," Seoyoon said to me as I realized my celebrations would have to wait. "I just need your confirmation, so it becomes official. Though, if you're not up for it, there are plenty of people willing to do it. I just thought you would like something like this, you know-"

"I'll do it," I blurted out hastily, my voice practically trembling with excitement.

"Great! Just sign here," she handed me a paper. As I scribbled my signature on the piece of paper, my stomach filled with butterflies just like the very first time I met Sunjae. He had signed my CD, and our fingers brushed ever so slightly- and I thought I would explode right there like some sort of nuclear bomb. He was alive. The seemingly stupid paper airplane trick had done it's magic.

I handed the paper to Seoyoon, beaming. She seemed to notice my newfound enthusiasm, and smiled back. "You know, Miss Choi, some of us found that old article you wrote about the swim team of Jagam High School. I hope you don't mind me asking, but is it really you? Did you go to school with the Ryu Sunjae?"

"Yes, it's true," I answered with a chuckle, "It's amazing how you found that. It's been- what? Fifteen years? I was on the newspaper and I was assigned the interview, and that's when I realized how good I was at it- if I do say so myself."

"That's incredible, Miss!" she exclaimed, "No wonder everyone at the office looks up to you. I have to get going, but you're such an inspiration."

"Oh, you're too kind," I smiled, feeling warmth bloom in my heart.

Choi Yumi's Perspective

Leaving the courtroom, feeling as if the very life had been sucked out of me, I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. Puzzled, I took it out, wondering who would be calling me at that hour when I was just going home. Slightly annoyed, I sat down on one of the benches nearby, only to find it to be an unknown contact. My movement was full of hesitation as I accepted the call.

"Hello, Choi Yumi speaking."

"I need a lawyer."

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nana's notes: y'all have no idea what's coming 🫢

delphi's notes: yumi's dark circles making a comeback

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!

everybody's falling in love and i'm falling behind

like the moodboard? it's for @the-one-and-only-delphi's lovely runner oc: choi yumi! click here to read our lovely runner fanfic. make sure u follow me and stay tuned! thank you, bye!! <3

also i literally screamed when i saw minji's cover of 'falling behind' yumi is so laufey coded and it felt so surreal to see it on my fyp. i can't believe i made so many moodboards for my wips as teasers and decided to post an impulsively written fic with delphi ijbol.

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."

☾⋆｡𖦹 °✩⋆｡° ✮

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!

xxxi. second chances

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CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE ─ second chances.

❛ cause in this city's barren cold, i still remember the fist fall of snow ❜

Narrator's Perspective

There's nothing like a good meal after a long day of work. Eunyoung and Yumi realized the credibility of this statement as they sat at the dining table in their apartment, munching away to glory, not uttering a word until every crumb of food from their plates had disappeared.

"I don't think we need to wash the dishes now," Yumi piped.

"It's not like we have the energy to do that anyways," Eunyoung replied, leaning back in her chair, sighing.

"Don't you sit on your CEO chair and order people around all day?" Yumi teased.

"Are you kidding?" she exclaimed, slightly offended. Her fatigue seemed to have hindered her ability to detect playful sarcasm, "I've been answering a million calls for the past two days, and all the reporters are dying to know all the details of Sunjae..." she trailed off- the words were too painful to utter, "Anyways, it's as if the whole office is working on the same case. Have you ever seen my eyes this puffy. I'm single-handedly improving the income of all tissue paper manufactures."

"God, forget I ever asked," Yumi muttered, putting her hands up.

"Tell me, how's stuff at our office?" Eunyoung changed the topic swiftly, "Any turbulence?"

"I wouldn't say turbulence," answered Yumi thoughtfully, "But this case I'm on right now is straight out of an Agatha Christie novel. This woman's husband got hit by a bus and he died. It seems so simple, but the woman is insisting that he was murdered. I can't tell you more because of attorney-client confidentiality, but it's completely nuts. Like, they should have given this case to- I don't know, Hercule Poirot or Sherlock Holmes, not me. I swear the woman's on crack or something because I've never met someone so ecstatic in my life. Taesung and I barely sat through the interview-"

"Wait wait what did you just say?" Eunyoung asked, suddenly sitting up straight, trying to make sure she didn't mishear Yumi.

"Huh?" Yumi went quiet suddenly, realizing that this was the first time she mentioned Taesung being on the case with her, "Oh, that's right. Kim Taesung is a cop now. Violent crimes division. Who would've imagined? Not me." She let out an unnatural giggle which definitely didn't sound like something that would come out of a sober person's mouth. 

"Girl, you're blabbering slow down," Eunyoung said, leaning on the table between them, looking straight into Yumi's eyes that were staring intently at the floor, "You're saying that Kim Taesung- high school delinquent became a cop? And he's working with you?  What is this? A badly written rom-com?"

"You think I'm making it up?" Yumi ejaculated defensively.

"I- goodness," Eunyoung sighed, her eyes blinking rapidly as her brain tried to digest all this new information, "After fifteen years. And it hasn't even been fifteen years since..."

Her thoughts trailed away. Her eyes landed on the CD player she moved to the living room in the hope that her heart would ache a little less. But there it was, staring down at her. There were a million different thoughts racing through her mind. How much pain must Yumi be in? Things had happened so fast for her, and she had no time to process the shock fully.

A bone-chilling wind entered through the kitchen window, goosebumps erupting on both of their arms. The world seemed to hold it's breath for a moment and the stillness was almost uncomfortable. Then, it started. It had started snowing, and the snow would soon wrap the whole city in a white, icy blanket; And it was just like the night of the Eclipse concert, starting slowly, then transitioning into a full-fledged storm. It wasn't unlike the news of Sunjae's death, that creeped up on her slowly, hardly believable at first and then becoming increasingly every second that passed. 

Eunyoung's hand reached for Yumi's, holding it tightly, "Are you okay?" the question was barely a whisper, because she knew that neither of them were.

"No."

The clock struck twelve, and the display on the CD player flashed, then showed the numbers 2:00. Then the walls around them melted away as they were flung through space and time once again.

💿

"Excuse me, you two girls!" the teacher's voice hollered through the classroom, "Sleeping in class, both of you sisters! Aren't you the slightest bit ashamed?"

Eunyoung and Yumi jerked awake, looking at each other as if to ask, "Is he talking about us?" Eunyoung's eyes took a quick glance at the calendar in the corner of the room. June 2008. She had to stop the sigh of relief from escaping her mouth. Sunjae was alive, and she had another chance to set things right. 

"Stand up when I'm talking to you!" the teacher's voice boomed as they both stood up abruptly, "Go stand at the back of the class! Sleeping while I'm explaining such important concepts... kids these days," he muttered in annoyance as Yumi and Eunyoung moved to the back of the class as a couple of kids snickered at them; But they couldn't care less. They had more pressing matters on their mind. 

I have to set things right. Yumi thought to herself with determination. Heck, she was ready to accept that she liked the stupid boy. She had to save him; Save him from the misery he would face in the future. She wanted to preserve that spark in his eyes, and she was willing to go to any lengths to do it. Ten days had already passed in this timeline. The clock was ticking, and she understood that she had to work fast.

"Why do we always end up in school when we switch timelines?" Eunyoung hissed in frustration as the bell went off.

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nana's notes: here we go! round two.

delphi's notes: they're motivated again guys.

next chapter: saturday (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.

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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!

xxvi. all roads lead to rome

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CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX ─ between notes and secrets.

❛ there's many different ways you can kill someone you love the slowest way is not loving them enough ❜

Narrator's Perspective

The doors closed with a thud after one final passenger got on and the bus drove away into the darkness of the early summer morning. The sky was littered with little grey clouds, casting a shadow over the city. 

"It's going to rain today," Yumi observed.

"Yeah," Eunyoung gazed out the window with beady eyes, a smile tugging at her lips.

"Why do you react like that every time someone mentions rain? You're such a weirdo," Yumi scoffed.

"It rained the first time I met Sunjae," she said, still smiling.

"So what?" Yumi spat, "Big deal."

"It is to me."

"Shut up. Where is he anyways?"

"He usually sleeps in these days since he isn't on the swim team anymore," Eunyoung stated, "He takes the later bus."

"Oh god, where's the off button?" Yumi pretended to gag, "You're making me sick, stop it. I need a subject change, gosh. Why were you and Mom so solemn at dinner yesterday? I thought someone died."

Eunyoung's eyes darkened, bearing an eerie likeliness to the overcast sky.  Her smile fell and she looked away from Yumi because the answer to her question was probably written all over her face.

"Oh no, did someone actually-"

"No!"

"Thank god," Yumi sighed in relief, "You scared me for a second."

"It was nothing," Eunyoung said in answer to her previous question, "I was just tired, I don't know about Mom."

"If you say so."

"How 'bout you? Where are you mysteriously disappearing these days?"

Yumi swallowed. It was her turn to look away to hide her face that had "guilty conscious" written all over it, "Extra practice at the club," she answered curtly, "Didn't I tell you?"

"You did."

"Yeah, so that's it. Nothing mysterious. Just boring old piano practice."

"If you say so."

💿

Choi Eunyoung's Perspective

How did I end up here? I wondered, staring out of the bus window. It was nearly half past four, and I should have been home, studying—or at least doing something productive. Maybe it was the fact that I hadn't cracked open a textbook in nearly fifteen years, but I just couldn't muster the motivation to do so. Instead, I found myself deciding to visit Yumi.

The bus screeched to a halt, and I snapped my head around to see the doors swing open. I sprang from my seat and stepped off the bus, right in front of the Jagam High music club. Confusion furrowed my brow as I took a few hesitant steps toward the building, then stopped in my tracks. I rubbed my eyes, hoping I was mistaken, but the scene before me was unmistakable.

There, in plain view, was Yumi climbing onto Kim Taesung's motorcycle. The shock must have paralyzed me, because all I could do was stand there, agape, as they sped away, leaving a cloud of smoke in their wake. It took a moment for reality to sink in, but once it did, I snapped into action. 

I began to run.

💿

I must have really been out of my senses to run after a flipping motorcycle, because, by the time I reached what appeared to be Kim Taesung's front door, I stood at a turning where I was sure they couldn't see me, gasping for breath. Honestly, it was a miracle I didn't lose them. God knows how I was able to keep up; It must have been my determination to find out because there's no way I could have done it otherwise.

I leaned against a nearby wall, heaving and breathless. It took me a while to calm myself down, and in the meanwhile, I could hear his front door close and their muffled conversation. To be fair, there was no reason for me to be hiding like this as if I were committing some kind of crime. Yumi's the one who's been lying. To me. And to mom. Yet, she's going about deceiving me in broad daylight, with no shame whatsoever and I'm hiding behind a wall, trying not to get caught.

The tapping of my shoes against the pavement sounded in the empty street. I let out a long sigh. Behind my anger and frustration, I felt hurt. Hurt that Yumi felt the need to lie. No matter what happened, we had always shared everything with each other. Now, there was this secret between us.

"I would never hide anything from her," I muttered under my breath.

What could she possibly be doing with him that she couldn't even confide in me? My pace quickened as I moved towards Kim Taesung's house, anxiety rising in my chest. I practically zoomed past the outer safety door that was left ajar and stumbled onto the veranda and moved towards the front door. I rang the doorbell and waited impatiently, letting out another sigh.

After a few seconds, I racked my knuckles on the wooden door, the sense of urgency evident in my actions. I heard the doorknob rattle as Yumi opened the door. Her frown slowly morphed into a look of absolute shock and guilt. Her eyes instantly widened and she tried to stutter an excuse but it was no use, "Eun...uh.. I, the thing-"

"Save it," I snapped.

She turned to grab her bag from a nearby chair. I scoffed, mostly to myself as I turned to leave. I heard her call out, "I gotta go!" I heard some words of confusion mumbled by Taesung, but my mind was clouded by rage and betrayal. I couldn't comprehend what he said.

Yumi grabbed my wrist, stopping me as I turned around, frowning at her face.

"Eunyoung, please don't do-"

"Don't do what, exactly?!" I yelled, my voice laced with anger, "Yumi, I don't even know what to say to you right now. What is wrong with you?"

"Why are you mad?" she countered irritably.

"Why am I mad?" I repeated, letting out a strangled chuckle at the irony of her question, "I'll tell you why! You're running off to this guy's house I don't know how often a week, and lie to your family. This guy is the spitting image of a delinquent and he has trouble written all over his face. I hope that answers your question."

"I really don't get it, Eunyoung," she screamed, sighing after a few moments, "I don't get why you're interfering like this. It's my life, and let me screw it up! Why're you getting worked up over nothing?"

"Because I'm trying to protect you!"

"Look, everything I do is my choice. So, if I get hurt, it's on me! Just stay out of it, for God's sake, Eunyoung!" she screamed, "You're not even my real sister, so why does it matter?"

Her words pierced through my heart and all my anger melted away in a moment. The frown fell from my face and I felt a lump in my throat.  I took a step back watching Yumi realise the gravity of her words. They seemed to prick and burn my skin. My lip trembled as I stuttered out, "Fine."

I broke into a run onto the pavement as I faintly heard Yumi's voice call out to me in the distance, but I didn't look back. My vision blurred as tears streamed down my face.

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nana's notes: ouch, yumi, that stings.

delphi's notes: oh eunyoung, only if you understood.

list of chapters here! click here for next chapter.

inconvenience regretted 😞

xxix. blackout

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CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE ─ blackout.

❛ life is emotionally abusive and time can't stop me quite like you did ❜

Choi Yumi's Perspective

My eyes scanned my surroundings. White walls, busy chattering, phones ringing everywhere and a sense of urgency and busyness in the air. A police station. I looked down at myself. I was back in my formal attire- trousers, white shirt, blazer, that kind of stuff. Although I may have looked normal on the outside, I felt weird. I had never felt this way since my first day of work, and I could scarcely describe the feeling. Everything seemed new, and foreign, even though it was the same work I had done for most of my adult life. Maybe it was nostalgia because of the strange ache and longing in my heart.

Being a lawyer wasn't something I enjoyed. In fact, the last thing I enjoyed... I don't even want to think about it. I would feel a rush of adrenaline after winning a case, then the sense of emptiness would soon return to engulf me. It was an endless cycle that I was stuck in. 

There are certain cases that I receive that require me to go to the police station. This was one of them. I fiddled my thumbs anxiously- as if it was my first day on the job. I felt like an idiot; Which usually means something out of the ordinary was about to happen, so I braced myself accordingly. I had previously met the police when they came to my law firm, but today I had to meet a detective because it was a case of murder.

All of a sudden, an extremely familiar fragrance hit my nose. It came so unexpectedly that I nearly convinced myself that I was imagining it; but the reality was so evident. Slightly woody notes, like sun-warmed cedarwood and a sudden freshness, as if I was standing on a beach at dawn. The air around me was left fresh and alive and the scent was intoxicating and my mind wandered back to the first time I smelled it. It was almost as if I was back in high school, standing in the perfume shop, carefully picking out the perfect present.

I stood up, and taking a second to steady myself, I turned around rapidly to find myself face to face with a face even more familiar than the fragrance. I was met with those same beady cat eyes, but they seemed to have lost their spark. Kim Taesung. A voice in my head whispered his name, trying to grasp the reality in front of me. His disheveled hair had become tamer, and his bright and colorful apparel was replaced with hues of grey and black with a splash of olive green. He looked dull and dejected, and the glint of mischief had disappeared from his eyes. I had recognized him instantly, because his face had been imprinted in my mind. The rapid beating of my heart sounded in my ears, just like it had fifteen years ago. Yet, he looked like a completely different person. It was like someone had switched off the lights inside him.

"Choi Yumi?" he said it like a question mark, his eyebrows raised slightly.

"Do you two know each other?" the police officer behind him asked, confused. For a moment, his words his words faded away and I stood entranced before Kim Taesung, staring blankly. I felt the same I had the first time I saw him. But now, there was a rift between us that was too evident. He seemed so far away even though he was right in front of me. Something that was once new, fresh and full of hope had withered like flowers during the winter. 

"It's been a while," I said, snapping out of my trance, my lips curling upwards ever so slightly. My hand reached up subconsciously to rub the back of my neck.

He simply nodded, shifting his gaze at the ground and his effort to keep it professional was evident, and I would have laughed if I could, but I kept my lips zipped shut when the sound disappeared on the tip of my tongue.

The police officer who I had previously met (who's name I had already forgotten) looked at me curiously, probably hoping I could answer his earlier question.

"We went to the same high school," I told him curtly, plastering a fake smile and turning to look at Taesung, but never meeting his gaze. My eyes glazed over the badge on his jacket. Violent Crimes Division. It felt surreal that he had become a detective- just like his dad. 

Then, suddenly, our eyes met, and time seemed to freeze that exact moment. They're so dull. I thought to myself. I couldn't get over how depressed his eyes looked, like the spark had disappeared. They looked like they were crying out for help. It pained me to look at him that way, and a small part of me pointed an accusing finger at me. Was it my fault? Another voice in my head said that it was unfair. And that he didn't deserve to feel sad. I watched as his eyes shifted to the scar on my face, then shifted back to my eyes, as if he couldn't bear to look at my eyes. The look of pity on his face made me want to cry and scream.

I tore my eyes away, looking at the other police officer. I stole a quick glance at his badge, then said with my best professional smile, "Shall we begin?"

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nana's notes: not yumi forgetting the other police officer's name 😭✋

delphi's notes: and this kids is why adulthood fucking suuuucks.(this pair of adults are not the best example though)

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

xxviii. the aftermath

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CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT ─ the aftermath.

❛ once the flight had flown, with the wilt of the rose ❜

Choi Yumi's Perspective

The surroundings seemed familiar. My mind was clouded with confusion, I couldn't understand what had happened. Moments ago, I remember being on my way home on Taesung's motorcycle, and then we...

"Yumi?" called out Eunyoung's voice which seemed to reflect my puzzled state. That's when I realized where we were. It was our shared apartment in Seoul and we were back to the present. I turned to look at her with furrowed brows, "Check the date quickly!"

She reached for her phone, and the screen displayed 00:02, 1st January, 2023 as the time and date, "What's going on?" she whispered, sounding lost, "This... this means we really time travelled."

"Yeah," I breathed. We had really gone back to the past, to 2008, and now we were back. I stood up to look at the CD player. It displayed 2:00 now instead of 3:00, "What does this mean?" Before I could sit back down, I caught a glimpse of my face in Eunyoung's vanity above her desk. A huge scar on the right side of my face, stretching from my cheek down to my chin. I ran my fingers over it, but there was no odd texture, "W...What's this thing on my face?" I whispered in horror.

I don't quite remember what happened...

❪ flashback ❫

I couldn't make any sense of anything. Where was I? How did I end up there? I had no clue. I could hear loud chattering, someone screaming, the sound of cars passing by in the distance. Then a blaring siren and someone taking me away. What happened after that? I had blacked out completely.

When I opened my eyes all I could see was a white ceiling above me and then the scent of antiseptic hit my nose. Soon, I realized that I was lying down, and my eyes scanned my surroundings. I was wearing a white robe- or was it like a nightgown? I don't have any nightgowns. There were white curtains around the bed I was laying on and that's when the realization hit me like a ton of bricks. I was in a hospital.

The needle piercing through my hand sent a sharp, shooting pain up my arm as I noticed it was there, making me wince. There was a huge white bump I could see on the right side of my face- bandages.

The rest of my memories were in a blur. I could still hear people's voices in the back of my mind.

My mom's voice, screaming, "KIM TAESUNG YOU FUCKING BASTARD!"

Eunyoung's panicked voice and sobs, "Yumi, I'm so sorry..."

My own voice, yelling, "Look what you've done to me! This! This thing on my face is thanks to you! I'm going to have to live with this all my life. So, I'm sorry if the scar on your shoulder is an eyesore. Because that's too fucking bad."

❪ end of flashback ❫

"Don't you remember?" asked Eunyoung after a long pause, "Taesung was dropping you home... and... and then you..." her voice sounded choked and she closed her mouth, realizing it was too painful to remember.

"I think I remember," I said, spacing out. My hand reached to touch the scar again.

"You swore you hated him," added Eunyoung, "You guys had a huge fight. Screaming in the hospital and everything."

"It must have been quite the scene," I bit my lip, recalling the embarrassing memory.

"Yeah," she said. We both sat in the painful silence that hung in the air. The snow pattered against the window, as if it were knocking, asking to be let in.

"I'm sorry," I told her gently, "I'm sorry for all the horrible things I said to you."

"I'm sorry too," she said, reaching for my hand, "It wasn't my place."

"No, it was! It absolutely was!" I cried as the strength returned in my voice, "You're my family and you had the right to be worried. And you were right! He was trouble! And and... and he-"

"Shhh, it's fine," she said, noticing how my voice shook as I spoke, squeezing my hand, "It's over now. It's all forgiven."

Her eyes moved to her phone screen, showing the news article that Eclipse's Ryu Sunjae had passed away. Her eyes widened, then became moist, "It's... I couldn't do anything..."

I could do nothing but gaze painfully at her state, "Look at the display on the Cd player. I'm guessing it means we have two more chances. Two more chances to set things right."

Narrator's Perspective

Waking up and going to work the next morning seemed like too big of a task for me. From the moment the harsh sunlight streaming through the window entered my room, to the shower, it was as if the melody of sonaki rang in my head as tears streamed uncontrollably down my face. It was completely unlike me- I had never felt so pathetic and depressed in my 34 years of living, and I was feeling it now- all at once.

"Adulting is so hard," I grumbled under my breath as I left the house, wearing black because I was grieving. It had barely been a day since I had returned, but my heart ached with desperation and longing. I already missed my daily bus rides with Sunjae, our carefree, almost meaningless conversations. His smiling face and eyes that seemed to me dripping with honey occupied my mind the whole car ride.

"Teenage life was so easy," I muttered to myself as I parked my car and made my way up the elevator.

The moment I opened the door, I saw a sea of people- employees, all clad in black from head to toe. For a moment, I felt a sense of pride. I had made this happen; a team of people who actually gave a damn about journalistic integrity and not just nosy busybodies who wanted to pry into the lives of the rich and elite. A smile almost surfaced on my face when I thought about my slightly dramatic rise to power as I overthrew the previous CEO of The Seoul Daily.

"Ms. Choi," someone called out to me. A familiar face appeared before me as we bowed and exchanged greetings, "Kang Seoyoon, the head of the entertainment department released the article regarding Singer Ryu Sunjae's death because she lives near the hospital he was taken to. Would you like us to start research on the cause?"

The words felt like icicles against my skin- they were too official, so cold that it almost sent a shiver down my spine. I cleared my throat, trying to pull myself together; I then said to her, mustering up all the professionalism in my voice, "Yes, please get started. Tell Seoyoon that it was extremely prompt of her to write the article even though it was after work hours. Thanks."

With a brief nod and bow, she ran off. "You're all doing a really great job!" I cried out to all the hardworking people sitting withing earshot, plastering on my best fake smile, "Keep up the good work and report to me after the front page placements are done."

The news that I heard a while later felt as if someone ran a knife through my heart. Sunjae's cause of death- it was suicide.

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nana's notes: i guess listening to sad kdrama osts makes me work faster 🤧😭

delphi's notes: sunjae needs to get his death pass revoked frfr :(

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

xxvii. dead end

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CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN ─ dead end.

❛ remember when we hit the brakes too soon? twenty stiches in a hospital room ❜

Choi Yumi's Perspective

I dragged my feet across the pavement, walking unwillingly towards the school gate. My hands clutched my backpack tightly as I sighed for the fifth time since I got off the bus. My eyes fixated on the ground while my mind was filled with echoes of what I said to Eunyoung the previous day.

"You're not even my real sister, so why does it matter?!" I had yelled out stupidly. How could I have been so thoughtless? I clearly remember the instant wave of regret that washed over me the next second after those words left my mouth. It was true that Eunyoung had been getting on my nerves. But what I said was completely out of line. We'd been friends our whole lives, and I always considered Eunyoung my sister. My own family abandoned me; my abusive father refused to take care of me after my mom took her own life. Eunyoung's family treated me like their daughter, and this is what I say to her?

"Are you auditioning for the role of a haunted spirit in a horror movie?" piped a familiar voice. I whipped my head around and my tensed shoulders relaxed when I saw it was Taesung, "Because if you are, you're doing an amazing job."

"Hi," I sighed, still half occupied by my thoughts. For a while, we walked in silence, the only sound was that of our footsteps against the road.

"Did your sister totally fire you yesterday?" he asked me.

"She was asleep when I reached home yesterday," said my lifeless voice, "I left early today because I couldn't get myself to face her. I feel like shit."

"That's what you get," he sneered mockingly, "I would have slapped someone across the face if they said that to me."

"You're making me feel a lot better, thanks," Even though my eyebrows were frowning, I couldn't fight the smile tugging at my lips as my heart felt infinitely lighter.

Narrator's Perspective

This particular morning, a strange, still silence hung over the living room. Neither Eunyoung nor her mother spoke a word to each other, and the soft sound of utensils clanking against each other was as loud as ever. Eunyoung's mother pondered over what could possibly be the reason behind Eunyoung's sudden quietness, and Eunyoung's thoughts circled back to Yumi's words no matter how hard she tried to distract herself.

She felt completely pathetic and idiotic, her chest tightening with a wave of disappointment. How had she been so blind? She had always believed that their friendship was built on trust, mutual respect, and a deep sense of loyalty. But now, in the cold light of Yumi's indifference, it was clear she had misread everything. The way Yumi dismissed her concerns, her casual disregard for the years they had spent together, made her stomach churn with a bitter sense of betrayal. She never thought that their bond could hold such little value in Yumi's eyes. To think that something she cherished so deeply had meant so little to her friend was a blow she wasn't prepared for, and the unwelcome realization left her feeling utterly alone. 

"Can I stay home today?" Eunyoung's meek voice asked.

"Why?" countered her mom, the words full of concern, "Are you not feeling well?"

"Yeah, I'm not feeling too great."

Eunyoung's mom took the seat next to her, placing a hand on her shoulder, "Are you an Yumi in a fight?"

Eunyoung's jaw dropped as she exclaimed in shock, "How?!"

Eunyoung's mom smiled knowingly, then chuckling at the disbelief on her daughter's face. "Do all mothers have telepathic abilities or are you special?" she demanded.

"I think it's a Choi family thing," said her mother, "Your grandmother did this all the time, and it drove me nuts."

"Grandma is practically a witch," said Eunyoung, her voice cheerier than before.

"I'm gonna tell her you said that."

"Don't you dare!"

The previously empty living room was now filled with the lively sounds of their giggles. Once the silence returned, Eunyoung's mother held her daughter in a silent embrace, "You can stay home today- as long as you're sure you won't regret it tomorrow."

"We both screwed up," Eunyoung said in a whisper.

"Shhh... I know."

Moms really do have superpowers.

💿

"Oh god, look at the time!" Yumi cried out.

"Are you saying that because you're bored?" asked Taesung, slightly hurt, "It's only been an hour."

"No, I'm serious, look at the time," she said, pointing to the clock.

"Oh my god it's already 8?!" he exclaimed, a hint of disappointment showing through his tone. He turned to look at Yumi, and that's when he realized how close they were sitting. Soon, the living room was filled with the soft sound of their breath. Their eyes met, continuing to stare at each other for god knows how long. Yumi could feel her face getting warmer as her grip on the guitar tightened. Taesung's arm lightly brushed hers, and for a split second it was as if sparks went off and they both pulled away hastily. 

Taesung stood up abruptly, clearing his throat in a way that was so obviously fake that even a deaf person could see through his mediocre acting attempt. Yumi placed the guitar on its place on the wall and began gathering her stuff, desperately trying to ignore the thumping of her heart.

Choi Yumi's Perspective

The engine of Taesung's motorcycle hummed beneath me as we sped down the quiet streets. I tightened my grip around his waist, feeling the warmth of his body through his jacket. The wind rushed past, lifting my hair and tossing it wildly behind me, the cool breeze tickling my neck and cheeks. It felt exhilarating, the way the air seemed to carry all my thoughts away, but at the same time, my heart pounded louder than the engine.

I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks, partly from the wind but mostly from the way my chest was pressed against his back. The closeness was overwhelming, making me acutely aware of every little movement—how his muscles tensed as he steered, how his scent mixed with the fresh night air. I lowered my head, burying my face against his shoulder to hide my embarrassment, hoping he didn't notice how stiff I was with nerves.

I wasn't used to this—being so close to him, feeling every shift of his body under my hands. Every time the bike turned a corner, I clung a little tighter, my heart fluttering, both from the thrill of the ride and from the proximity I wasn't sure how to handle.

"Are you sure this is alright?" I asked him when I realized that we were both without helmets.

"Yeah, it's short distance," he said on a whim, but his carefree tone did nothing to ease my anxieties. I felt a pit in my stomach, like my gut was trying to tell me something. Or maybe I was just hungry.

Suddenly, there was a whirring noise and I lifted my head to see where it was coming from. My eyes landed on a white taxi, driving in the wrong direction, charging straight towards us. "Taesung, Taesung look-" I must have screamed in his ear. The bright, white headlights seemed to be blinding me as I squinted, then it was as if the world began spinning. There was barely any sensation in my body. The last thing I felt was my head hitting the pavement and a splash of red as the world around me disappeared.

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nana's notes: karma bit yumi's ass

delphi's notes: moral of the story; Always trust your gut!

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

xxv. between notes and secrets

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CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE ─ between notes and secrets.

❛ and i feel so high school

every time i look at you ❜

Choi Yumi's Perspective

The sunlight peered into my room through the translucent curtains hanging over my window. The light cast itself on every surface- my desk, the wooden floor littered with various teenage junk and my spinning chair. Even my bed, which was in an obscure corner of my room couldn't avoid the stingy hot rays of the sun. I lay on my bed like a dead starfish abandoned on the sea shore, staring blankly at the ceiling above, deep in thought.

It's been a couple of weeks since I started learning guitar from Taesung. No matter how hard I tried to be nonchalant about it- I couldn't help myself. He was on my mind, all right, consuming my thoughts day and night. Here I was, rotting in my bedroom on a perfectly pleasant summer Sunday afternoon, thinking about a boy who probably never had a comprehensible thought in his life. Scenes played in my mind like flashbacks in a movie. His gentle tone explained things to me; How our hands would brush ever so often and my stupid heart would start racing like a mad horse.

I wanted to believe so desperately that I was the only one in the world who knew this side of him. Sensitive, kind, gentle- vulnerable. His tough-guy act was all just a pretence. I could see a new part of him now that I had spent so much time with him. His eyes showed a glint as he spoke about music- passion. There was something else about him that he wasn't ready to tell me. The melancholy in his voice whenever the subject of family came up- neglect.

I felt pathetic thinking this to myself, but I wanted to know. Curiosity pierced through my heart, a desire to know him better. What kept him up at night? What makes him smile? Or cry? I wanted to know it all.

I lazily moved to my desk, slouching in my chair as I propelled myself towards the table with my legs. I gazed at the music sheet lying on the table. This music sheet wasn't an ordinary one. It was for the song Taesung was teaching me on the guitar. My fingers played with the corners of the paper, mindlessly folding it. My other hand reached for my pencil as I began to scribble on a different scrap of paper.

The long-hidden time, calls us back again.

💿

Choi Eunyoung's Perspective

"Have you ever felt like someone is keeping something from you?" I asked Sunjae as we walked back home from the bus stop through the warm Monday afternoon.

"The feeling of being lied to?" he asked.

"No," I replied, "Like they're withholding information on purpose."

"I don't know," he mumbled, scratching the back of his neck that glistened with sweat, "Is something on your mind?"

"It's probably nothing," I shrugged, looking up at him to smile reassuringly, "Yumi had been coming home late these days. She said there are extra lessons at the music club, but I have a feeling that isn't the whole story."

He smiled back at me, flashing his dimples. My face must have turned the colour of a fresh tomato because I could feel the heat rising. I tried to play it cool, but it was no use. 

I knew it was silly. But there was something about him that just drew me in. Maybe it was his kind eyes that sparkled in the sunlight, or his laugh that not once failed to bring a smile to my face, or it was just the way he made me feel. Whatever it was, I couldn't deny it. I had a stupid, hopeless crush on him.

"It feels amazing to take off my shoulder brace," he sighed as we turned a corner.

"Does it still hurt?"

He shook his head, "The doctor said that it won't get triggered unless I engage in strenuous physical exercise."

"I'm glad you're better now."

A comfortable silence filled the air, our smiles never leaving our faces as we journeyed home. I don't know when I'll be going back to my time, or how much time I had left. In that moment, none of it mattered. All that was important was the soft melody of "Sonaki" in my mind and Sunjae's company which was as warm as the summer breeze flowing through my hair.

💿

I stared blankly at my flip-phone screen displaying a message from an unknown sender.

Hello Eunyoung. 

It's your dad.

My heart raced, threatening to burst out of my chest. I felt my breath become shaky and my hand reached up to my heart in attempt to calm myself. There were a million thoughts and questions running through my mind since the moment I saw the message. What did he want? How did he find my number? But one question brought my spirits crashing down to rock bottom. Where had he been my whole life?

Everything seemed to come back to me. Memories of me as a baby, tiny and vulnerable, desperate to be loved. Now I remember everything I did to try and get my dad to look at me longer than a fraction of a second. I once even tore his favourite pair of shoes to catch his attention. That seemed to make things worse. I thought he hated me. I never once thought he was capable of love. The way he screamed at my mom...

I covered my ears in agony- I could hear the scene replay in my head.

Another message flashed on the screen.

Let me make things right. Can we meet up somewhere?

"Eunyoung?" My mother's voice fell upon my ears. In shock, I spinned in my chair to look at her beady eyes staring down at me.

"M-mom..." My voice stuttered and stammered as I felt a lump in my throat, "D-did you..."

I want to cry.

"Listen, Eunyoung," she began, her voice cold and stiff, "I know this isn't your fault, but under no circumstances will you agree to this. Do you understand? I hope I've made myself clear."

"Yes, mummy," I said, faking a smile, trying to blink away my tears. A warm smile appeared on her face as she pulled me in for a hug, "You're all the family I need." I said to her, biting my lip, trying desperately to hold back the urge to cry my eyes out.

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nana's notes: i'm so proud of that header 🥹 also eunyoung is so real for that last line.

delphi's notes: the way she calls her mom mummy ;(

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

xxiv. the start of something new

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CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR ─ the start of something new.

❛ you know i want you bad,  show me mercy ❜

Narrator's Perspective

"Where were you last night?" Eunyoung asked Yumi as they got on the bus. She couldn't shake off the feeling that she had been kept in the dark about something. Yumi choked out a mock cough to cover up her gasp. She was really hoping to avoid any confrontation- because she hadn't decided how she would deal with it.

Yumi remained silent till they took their usual seat at the back of the bus. Her eyes blinked rapidly, darting from one side to another, frantically trying to come up with an alibi.

"I had plans, so I ate out," she said vaguely; but she knew it wasn't a satisfactory answer.

"Plans with who?" Eunyoung chuckled mockingly, "Since when did you have friends?"

"How nice of you to say that," Yumi snapped sarcastically, "I do have friends now; times change."

"Sure they do," Eunyoung mumbled. It was just a playful comment, but Yumi's words stung more than they should have. After all, there had never been secrets between them. Curiosity grew in her mind as she pondered what could possibly be the secret that Yumi was so determined to keep from her.

💿

"Hey, Eunyoung!"a familiar voice called out to her as she was heading to the newspaper room. She stopped, then turned to find Kim Harin running towards her. It was like a reminder that she had travelled back in time, and hadn't seen these people in ages. It made her reminisce of all the people she once knew, but didn't keep in touch with; and she couldn't help but feel sorry that there was a point where they weren't a part of her life anymore.

Harin had been Eunyoung's closest friend, apart from Yumi, who worked at the newspaper just like her.

"God! I haven't seen you in ages!" she chirped, walking alongside Eunyoung towards the newspaper room, "But it made me realize that I have a popular friend."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't you know?" she asked inquisitively, "People gossip about you all the time. I heard about how you rejected Jihoon sunbae. Someone sitting behind me was going on about how she wondered where you got the audacity from. Honestly, I'm glad you did it. Someone had to put him in his place."

"I didn't know people made such a fuss," said Eunyoung, gazing blankly at the empty corridor before them, "But then, again, nothing ever happens around here."

"I know right?! They're just desperate for entertainment," she agreed enthusiastically, "Enough with the gossip, now. I read your article on the swim team and it was fabulous! I can't imagine anyone who could have done it better."

"Thanks," said Eunyoung with a wide grin, "I'm so glad you liked it. I'm also grateful that someone appreciates my writing. You know it means a lot, right?"

"Of course! But I was only stating the facts; There's no one better than you on our team," she beamed.

I couldn't hide my smile as I entered the newspaper room. God knows for how long I was grinning; But one thing I know for sure, is that my childhood was a magical time.

💿

Choi Yumi's Perspective

My feet felt rooted to the ground as I stood before Kim Taesung's front door. It was as if I was paralysed. A million questions swirled through my mind; Was this really a good idea? What would Eunyoung say if she knew what I was up to? Why was I here? Every cell in my body was screaming at me to run away- go home! But I just couldn't; I couldn't take a step forward either.

Suddenly, my hand reached up to slap my face lightly. I realized that what I needed to do was start acting sane. This wasn't a big deal. I was just learning something new, and a friend of mine was helping me out. I heaved a sigh at my odd behaviour and pressed the doorbell.

I cracked my knuckles nervously as I heard footsteps nearing the door. I nearly fell backwards when the door swung open to reveal Taesung's face that stretched into a dimpled grin on seeing me, "You're here, piano girl?"

"I sure am," I said, trying to hide the awkwardness in my voice. It was at moments like this that I realised that among Eunyoung and I, god gave all the social skills to her; even though we weren't related.

He stepped aside, "Come in. And unclench your fists while you're at it. It makes me feel unsafe."

💿

"Put your index finger here."

"Here?"

"Yup. And then your middle finger here- yeah."

"Now?"

"Your ring finger has to be here."

"Is this right?" I asked Taesung. I had lost track of time as minutes slipped through my fingers while I sat in his living room. The silence that was once deafening at the start of our guitar lesson had now turned comfortable. The room would go silent every time we stopped talking and the room would be filled with the soft sound of our breathing. 

Just as I was getting less jittery, I looked up at Taesung who was already looking at me with his beady eyes. We were sitting so close. His arm held the guitar in my hand, brushing against my back ever so slightly. In my determination and focus, I never batted an eye at our proximity and I suddenly became conscious of it.  I felt my breath hitch as a warmth crept up my face. Once again, an unnatural stillness settled in the room. The both of us seemed to be holding our breaths, waiting. 

I tore away first, fixing my gaze on the coffee table in front of the couch, letting go of the guitar. He lunged to prevent it from crashing to the floor, "It's only your first lesson. I think it's a bit early to break the guitar so soon, don't you?"

Any reply I may have come up with me disappeared on the tip of my tongue.

"It's six-thirty already, should we call it a day?" he asked, looking at the clock.

"Yeah..." I replied, wide-eyed, "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Unless you run away," he said, "And considering that look on your face, I would say it's very likely."

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nana's notes: eunyoung having her nostalgia moment and then yumi's having a quarter-life crisis.

delphi's notes: a cookie to the person who guesses where the lyrics are from.

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

xxiii. whispers in the dark

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CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE ─ whispers in the dark.

❛ and i should get a ciggarette for so much restraint ❜

Kim Taesung's Perspective

For a few moments after Yumi left, I found myself staring blankly at the door. I too was shocked at the fact that I offered to teach her guitar. Did I have that much restraint? And that too, at my house? I couldn't stop thinking of her and it drove me nuts. Tonight, she looked stunning. She had always been pretty, but today? She took my breath away. Her hair framed her face in a way that seemed so effortless, like a masterpiece painted with the dim light bulbs that lit up my living room.

I couldn't shake off the conversation that I had with Inhyuk in the kitchen. He said Yumi was the one who planned everything, and then slapped my shoulder playfully. Was it really the case? Or was he just teasing me? I had so many questioned swirling around my head, and I couldn't make sense of any of them.

I suddenly remembered that she got me a gift. It really wasn't a big deal, I tried to tell myself. Everyone got me gifts. But desire to see what she got me devoured me whole and I found myself inching towards the dark blue paper bag that sat on the table, which seemed to be calling out to me, waiting to be opened.

I sensed some hesitation as my hand reached inside it, pulling out a box—that seemed rather heavy for its size. My heart pounded in my ears as my fingers brushed against the smooth, velvety surface. A chill ran down my spine as my eyes landed on the label.

It was a perfume.

The delicate glass bottle shimmered in the dim light, its contents a mystery waiting to be unveiled. A wave of emotions crashed over me—surprise, confusion, and a strange sense of anticipation. How did she know? Had she been paying attention to my preferences, or was this a random act of kindness?

With a shaking hand, I lifted the box lid, revealing a delicate glass bottle. It was a simple rectangular bottle, yet its cold surface sent shivers down my spine. A clear blue liquid swirled within it. My hand reached for the bottle cap, unscrewing it with a newfound gentleness in my hands. I lifted the bottle up to my nose, inhaling the scent.

Unlike anything I'd expected, the fragrance was a captivating paradox. Woody notes, reminiscent of sun-warmed cedarwood, formed the base, grounding the scent with a sense of strength and earthiness. But then, a wave of unexpected freshness washed over it. A hint of salt air hit my nose, and I could practically feel the ocean breeze. It was the scent of a tropical beach after summer rain, where the heat had coaxed out the earthy aromas of the forest floor while leaving the air fresh and alive.

What does this mean?

Choi Eunyoung's Perspective

My mom had come into my room about half an hour ago, bidding me good night. I too, had tucked myself into my warm, comfy bed, when the realization that Yumi wasn't home hit me like a speeding truck on an expressway. An uneasy feeling washed over me, as all my drowsiness was drowned out by worry and concern. Ever since then, I've been sitting on the kitchen platform, staring out the little square window that looked down on the street.

I remember the day I first met Yumi. It was one of my most vivid memories as a child when my age was just a single digit. I don't remember a lot of things from when I was that little but that day was fresh in my mind as if it happened yesterday. I had heard a loud wailing sound from the sand pit in the park and found Yumi crying because all the other kids had sand toys except her. I remember chuckling and offering my toys, telling her to stop crying. I never knew that she would become such a significant part of my life.

When Yumi had been working at the law firm, I watched the spark slowly disappear from her eyes each evening she reached home. The vibrant young woman I knew was slowly fading away, slipping from my reach, replaced by a weary stranger burdened by unseen woes. My heart ached for her, but my attempts to reach out were met with a wall of silence. Whenever I brought up the subject of her job, a guarded look would cloud her features, and the conversation would hit a dead end. It was as if her feelings were locked in a vault, and she'd thrown away the key.

That's why, when I spotted her- practically skipping down the street, my lips stretched into a huge grin. I hadn't seen her smile like that in ages. It was as if someone had flipped a switch within her, igniting a forgotten light that had been buried beneath the weight of her burdens. The world, usually cast in a dull, dreary filter, seemed to come alive again. Even the streetlights, normally harsh and flickering, seemed to dim in reverence, their feeble glow overshadowed by the radiance emanating from Yumi.

Instead of letting myself ponder on the reasons for her newfound joy, I let myself appreciate the happiness radiating off her. Though we weren't related by blood, our bond was as strong as that of real sisters. I wanted her to keep smiling like that for the rest of time. 

As I heard her footsteps making their way to the front door, I leaped off the platform and bolted to my room, switching off the lights in a frenzy. I stumbled on my way, not being able to differentiate a lamp from a clothing rack thanks to the fact that I was sitting like a ghost in the darkness. Aside from the fact that I would have knocked the living daylight out of her, it would have been pretty difficult to explain why I was awake at that ungodly hour. I lay in my bed- that somehow felt warmer than before, and let myself fall into a slumber as the smile never left my lips.

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nana's notes: the header turned out so cute (*^_^*)

delphi's notes: taesung entering his loser era

next chapter: saturday list of chapters here!

xxii. you and me and awkward silence

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CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO ─ you and me and awkward silence.

❛ don't you notice how i get quiet when there's no one else around? ❜

Narrator's Perspective

"Why are you all standing like that?" Taesung asked his friends who stood on the other side of the safety door of his house.

Taesung's birthday had arrived at last, and his friends' plan of throwing him a surprise party had fallen into place. Yumi stood at the front- against her will, for Inhyuk had pushed her ahead while everyone fumbled. The Eclipse members and Sunjae held balloons in their hands, and Yumi held the box containing the cake and a small paper bag.

All she could do was stare at his face as he repeated his question impatiently. Realising Yumi wasn't responding, Inhyuk jumped in and exclaimed, "Happy birthday! Did you think we'd forget?!"

A slow smile appeared on Taesung's face as he chuckled in disbelief. His hand reached for the doorknob, which he pushed open. The party was not a large one- the members of Eclipse, Sunjae and Yumi, but it was a meaningful one. They entered his house one by one, as Taesung stepped aside to make way. While everyone else dispersed, putting up the balloons, Yumi stood frozen before him, staring blankly, "Happy birthday," she uttered quietly.

Taesung stood motionless for a brief moment, admiring the girl in front of him. Her voice sounded like music in his ears. His eyes remained fixed on her, unable to pull away. She was dressed in a baby blue dress that hovered above her knees. The dress was sleeveless, drawing attention to her graceful arms, and it boasted a sweetheart neckline that framed her collarbone beautifully.

"Thanks," he smiled, "I'm glad you're here, piano girl."

There it was again. That nickname. Yumi thought to herself, clearing her throat. It took all the willpower in her not to misinterpret his words. What did he really mean? Plus it was really hard to focus with him standing right in front of her. She couldn't bring herself to look away from him. He was dressed in a simple monochromatic outfit- black jeans and a plain white t-shirt, and it was evident that he wasn't expecting company. Yet, there she was, staring. She moved past him, placing the cake on the coffee table in front of the couch.

"Is that for me?" he snapped her out of her thoughts, gesturing to the bag dangling from her wrist. 

"Huh?" she blurted out, "Oh, right! I got you a little something."

"What is it?" he asked as he peeked into the bag after she handed it to him. 

"Look at it later!" she spoke more urgently than she intended to. Taesung's face twisted into a confused frown, setting the bag aside for time being. His suspicion was evident through his expression, and Yumi realized that she had pretty much shot herself in the foot. A blush surfaced on her face from embarassment as she moved to where everyone else was standing.

Why am I even here? She wondered. She barely knew these people. Yet a part of her wanted to be there for him. How heartbreaking was it that his parents couldn't be there for their only son's birthday? Yumi wondered if what she felt for him was pity or something more? Yumi pushed the thought away, refusing to explore it further. It was too terrifying, too soon. She prayed she'd never have to confront those feelings.

Choi Yumi's Perspective

It was as if  I had zoned out for the entire duration of the party. I think this was my fatal flaw. I spent to much time thinking. I never took action. I just sat and thought. And thought. And thought some more until even I was afraid of my thoughts. Before I knew it, everyone had left, leaving me alone with Taesung. The thought made me want to dig a hole in the ground and bury my head in it. I told myself that since I was the only one there, I should help clean up the mess. Yet, in the back of my mind, I knew that every moment spent with him was special.

"You don't have to stay," he remarked, breaking the awkward silence that previously filled the room, "It's getting late."

"Are you kicking me out?" I asked with a hint of hostility in my voice, "I want to help."

"Who am I to argue with you?" asked to no one in particular.

We worked in silence, neither of us knowing how to start another conversation. I realised what a horrifying thing it was to be alone with my thoughts- especially with him around. Why was I behaving like this? It's not like I'm a teenage girl- I mean, I am, but I'm not at the same time. Half of me wished I could go back to my time and everything would be normal. I would be working at a miserable law firm, just like I studied for; But there was another part of me that kept stealing glances at Taesung as we picked up the trash from the wooden floors. 

What the hell is wrong with me?!

After we finished picking up the confetti and remains of the balloons (that had been popped by our small yet lively party), we stood in the living room, which had now become devoid of any evidence that it was full of liveliness a while ago.  My gaze wandered around the room and I stood completely still as if my feet were rooted to the ground. My eyes finally fixed on the green guitar placed against the wall. It was as if I was hypnotized by it as I took an unconscious step towards it.

"Do you like it?" he asked, as I tore my eyes away.

"What?"

"Do you like the guitar?" he repeated himself, the corners of his lips tugging at a smile. 

"Ummm," I stuttered, "I... I guess so? It's a nice guitar."

"Do you play?"

"No."

"Do you want to?"

I suddenly found myself unable to answer his seemingly simple question. I froze there, my stubborn voice refusing to speak. The truth is, that I felt drawn to the guitar. It was something new and exciting. I took another look at it; It was as if it had been calling my name this whole time.

"I can teach you if you like," he offered, and I thought he might have observed the manner in which I was staring at his guitar.

"Right now?" I said with too much enthusiasm. I bit my lip- was it too much?

"I mean, if you really want to," he stammered out, taken aback by my sudden display of eagerness.

I glanced at the clock, "It's already 9 o' clock," I observed.

"You're right. I should let you go home," he realized, "We can meet after music club practice tomorrow. If that's okay with you?"

"But it closes at 5," I frowned, "Where will we go?"

He thought about it for a brief moment, "How 'bout you come here?" I felt heat rise up my cheeks, "Here?" I asked, trying to figure out if I misheard him.

"My dad is usually not at home, so we won't have any disturbance," he explained.

"Sure," I agreed, trying my best to sound nonchalant.

It was almost as if I was breathless. What do I call this feeling?

☾⋆｡𖦹 °✩⋆｡° ✮

nana's notes: the tension between yumi and the guitar-

delphi's notes: something is brewing...

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