Xi. Strings Of Fate

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xx. heart to heart

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CHAPTER TWENTY ─ heart to heart.

❛ i'm not easily distracted, but you're pulling me in like a magnet ❜

Narrator's Perspective

"Eunyoung!" her mother called out to her.

Both Eunyoung and Sunjae turned around on hearing the sound. They weren't doing anything wrong, but it felt as if they'd been caught. Eunyoung was about to walk with Sunjae to his house, wanting to be by his side for just a little longer.

Eunyoung's mother emerged from the nail salon, her eyes widening as she spotted Sunjae standing beside her daughter, "Who's this?"

"Oh! I haven't introduced you two," Eunyoung exclaimed, "Mom, this is Sunjae. He lives next door─ his dad owns that Galbi restaurant. Sunjae, this is my mom. She runs this nail salon."

"It's nice to meet you," Sunjae smiled, managing a shaky bow.

"Likewise," her mother flashed a polite smile that resembled Eunyoung's. She stole a quick glance at Eunyoung, raising her eyebrows and Eunyoung made a mental note to ask her about it later. She turned to her daughter, "I'm sorry to ask you this honey, but this girl inside just came in. I have another appointment in ten minutes. Do you mind covering for me?"

"Sure, mom, don't sweat it," Eunyoung agreed, "What do I need to do?"

"Just simple, white french tips," answered her mother, "Thank you, angel."

"There's no need to thank me," she beamed.

Sunjae's lips stretched into a grin. Eunyoung's smile was like a communicable disease. 

"I gotta go," she said, turning to Sunjae apologetically.

"It's fine," he assured her, "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Take care of your shoulder," she said, glancing nervously at his sling before waving goodbye. She was taken aback on seeing her mother's expression.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Eunyoung questioned, taking a step back.

"Are you that thick-headed?" she asked, taking a step closer to her, "He looked at you with hearts in his eyes! And on top of that, he's extremely good looking!"

"What are you babbling about?" Eunyoung stammered, feeling her face getting warmer despite the cool summer breeze, "Isn't a customer waiting for you inside?"

"Hmph," her mother scoffed, "This discussion isn't over!"

"As you say, mummy," she rolled her eyes as the two went inside.

Choi Eunyoung's Perspective

The girl waiting on one of the chairs, fidgeted nervously with her clothes, her eyes darting across the room. As the door chimed, she turned sharply to see who it was.

"Hello," I greeted her with a smile.

"Hi," said the girl, her voice barely a whisper.

Why does she seem scared? I remember the first time I got my nails done, I was so excited that I was shaking. But, then again, my mom did them for me so I didn't feel very nervous.

I led her to the nail station, where she placed both her hands on the table. She bit her lower lip, her posture erect and awkward.

"First time?" I asked, trying my best to make her feel comfortable.

"Yeah," she replied, her voice a little louder this time, "Can you tell?"

"It's alright," I assured her, "What's your name?"

"Jieun."

"You have such a pretty name." I beamed, "I'm Eunyoung. Do you want nail extensions?" I asked, observing her neatly cut, short nails.

"Yeah," I was glad to hear her becoming more relaxed.

As I began working on her nails, we sat in complete silence for the first few minutes. Then, I heard her remark, "You're really pretty. That boy outside... is he your boyfriend?"

I let out a rather weird sound like a muffled gasp. I chuckled at her sudden confidence as well as at my own reaction, "No, it's not like that," I replied, "We're just friends. He recently had shoulder surgery and was discharged today. So, I wanted to give him a gift to cheer him up."

I realized how I was rambling on. This is so unlike me. I thought to myself. I usually kept to myself, not sharing much personal information. But here I was, babbling on about Sunjae.

"You like him, don't you?" she asked, and I could hear the smile in her voice.

For the first time, I found myself unable to deny her implication. I opened my voice to answer, but the words disappeared on the tip of my tongue. My face felt hot and I focused on painting her nails, evading the question rather awkwardly.

"The two of you look cute together."

Choi Yumi's Perspective

"Yumi!" I heard Inhyuk call out to me one day while I was preparing to leave after piano practice. I turned to answer him, "Hmm?"

"Taesung and the others left early, so I wanted to talk to you about Taesung's birthday," he began, "Where do you think it should be?"

I was a little taken aback that he had taken my careless words so seriously, "I don't know... d'you have any ideas?"

"I thought we might do it in a restaurant," he started, "But it could turn out to be chaotic. I don't think any of us have the money for that either."

"How 'bout his house?" I suggested.

"That's actually a good idea!" he cried, "Gosh, I knew that if I asked you, I would be able to figure it out. But the thing is, no one knows his address."

"Hmm," I began thinking, "We might have to break into the school records."

"You're onto something!" he exclaimed, beaming. I only meant it as a joke, but he seemed to take it literally. The idea made me uneasy when I thought of executing it.

"I was just joking," I explained, but he was already convinced, and nothing could stop his enthusiasm.

"No, we can actually do that," he insisted, "After school closes is a good time."

"You do realize we'll be breaking and entering?" I could hear the panic in my voice, "And those records are confidential. If we get caught, god knows what the consequences will be. What if they drown us in the swimming pool or hang us on a streetlight?"

"Don't be so paranoid," he said, waving his hand in front of his face, as if to fan away my concerns, "We won't get caught."

"What if we do?"

"What if we don't?"

"But what if we do," I emphasised, stomping my foot on the ground. I chuckled to myself as he took a step back.

"Look," he said, getting over the initial shock, "We'll be careful. And if we do get caught, I'll take full responsibility."

"Fine," I gave in, "But I swear to god-"

"I'll tell the others!" he ran off.

I can't believe I was his fan. I laughed at myself. He's such a goofy fellow.

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nayoung's notes: yumi's doing it for the plot 💪

delphi's notes: the inhyuk and yumi dynamic is amazing lol. Something crazy is going to happen i swear.

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

iv. something worth saving

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CHAPTER FOUR ─ something worth saving.

❛ and sometimes you act like a dummy just to catch me by surprise ❜

Narrator's Perspective

The sun shone mercilessly upon Yumi and Eunyoung as they made their way through a narrow lane towards the bus stop. It had a stark contrast from the future which they travelled from, in which the biting breath of winter air cast its icicles all over the city. The prickly heat on their skin felt strangely comforting, melting away the coldness of the bitter truth which awaited them in the future.

"Why do you think we've been brought back here?" Yumi questioned, the details of their unforeseen time travel still unclear.

"We were destined to be here," Eunyoung affirmed, "We've been sent with a purpose. I'm going to prevent Sunjae's death while I'm here. Do you remember how he talked about how heartbroken he was when he had to quit swimming because of his shoulder injury? I'm not going to let it happen. I'll ensure he stays happy and healthy."

"You really think you can do it?" Yumi asked doubtfully, "Not to dampen your spirits, but it seems a little far-fetched, don't you think?"

"I'm going to do everything I can to save him," Eunyoung spoke, her voice laced with determination. Her footsteps landed with a quiet authority, and the tap of her shoes against the pavement resounded a steady beat that spoke of determination. This wasn't just a walk; it was a march towards a future she was now determined to claim.

What am I supposed to do then? Yumi pondered as she dragged her feet along the pavement behind Eunyoung, who walked as if she had springs on her feet.

"Slow down!" she called out, "Or you'll trip, fall and die before you can save Sunjae!"

💿

"Go ahead for your piano practice," Eunyoung told Yumi, "I'm interviewing the swimming team today."

"You came up with questions already? That was fast," observed Yumi with a smile, acknowledging Eunyoung's eagerness, "Good luck."

"Thanks," she returned Yumi's smile, "I'll see you at home!"

They parted ways and Eunyoung began her walk towards the swimming pool, feelings of giddy excitement swelling up her heart. She had exchanged a mere sum of about ten words with Sunjae. She couldn't fathom how she would hold an entire conversation with him while keeping it formal and maintaining her professionalism. The rest of the swim team would be there to disperse her attention, the thought of which calmed her racing heart.  

Eunyoung had harboured a burning ambition to delve into the world of journalism for as long as she could remember. It wasn't the glitz and glamour of the public spotlight that enthralled her; rather, she craved a deeper purpose. Eunyoung yearned to be someone who could bridge the gap between the public's curiosity and the inner workings of successful individuals. She envisioned herself utilising her authority as a reporter not to expose hidden truths, but to illuminate the motivations and thought processes that propelled people to the pinnacles of their fields. Her goal wasn't to tear down but to unravel the intricate tapestries woven from ambition, perseverance, and strategic brilliance residing within successful minds.

As she found herself arriving at her destination, she took a deep breath to calm her nerves before pushing open the massive glass doors of the swimming pool. She entered the building to find the swim team eagerly waiting for her, seated on rows of plastic chairs alongside their coach, who stood up to greet her.

"You've arrived right on time! Take a seat," he led her to another plastic chair in front of the swim team. Her gaze swept across the assembled team, dressed in the boys' uniform of Jagam High School, her eyes lingering on Sunjae for a few brief seconds. She tore away in attempt to restrain herself and smiled at them all, "Thank you for meeting me at such short notice. I'll try to make the most of the limited time we have, as I'm sure all of you are busy. Should I begin?"

She waited for their response, and on receiving a murmur of agreement from the boys she began the recording on her MP3 player.

"Okay, first question," Eunyoung started, "As athletes, what differences do you feel between your lifestyle and habits compared to your other classmates?"

💿

When Yumi pushed open the door to her usual piano practice room, her eyes widened in shock as she took a step back to take a good look at the place. It looked as though an elephant parade had been conducted here. Her piano had been pushed to a corner sloppily, and a drumset stood at the back of the room, the drumsticks lying carelessly on the floor. A mic stand had been placed in the centre and an electric guitar had been plugged into one of the sockets. The room looked like a very peculiar crime scene, straight out of an Agatha Christie novel, or like the room of an average teenage boy who was obsessed with boy bands. Yumi couldn't decide which one it resembles more.

She took a few hesitant steps into the room, while the door behind her shut with a soft thud. "What in the world?" she whispered to herself.

She began by moving the mic stand to the back of the room along with the drums, which she decided not to attempt to move. Then she reached for the guitar, trying to pull the plug out of the socket. The stubborn appliance resisted her efforts to unplug it, and Yumi realized it was stuck. As she continued to force the guitar plug, the door behind her opened, and someone's footsteps echoed in the room. She turned around to see who it may be and was startled to find a familiar face staring at her, perplexed.

"What do you think you're doing?" Taesung asked her, tilting his head to one side to look at what she was tampering with, "That guitar's mine."

His eyebrows were raised, expressing his suspicion with a playful glint in his eyes, betraying his interrogative tone.

Yumi, being taken aback took a moment to answer him, "Is it? Then what is it doing in this room? I use this space to practice piano."

"The rooms were occupied so we used it yesterday," he explained, "We're moving the stuff now."

"Hold on," Yumi said, "Who is this ❛we❜ you keep mentioning? Why are you talking in plural?"

"Taesung what's taking you so long?" Inhyuk's voice called out as his footsteps approached this room, "How long does it take to bring─ oh hi," he said, noticing Yumi, "I saw you sitting outside the other day."

"Yeah, I saw you too," Yumi replied.

"She's the piano girl," Taesung told Inhyuk, then turning back to Yumi, he asked, "So what were you up to?"

"I was trying to unplug the guitar but it's stuck," said Yumi in frustration.

Taesung reached for the plug and swiftly pulled it out of the socket. "You need to shake it a little."

"Oh," Yumi didn't know what to respond with, "Do you guys need any help moving your instruments?"

"I think we have it under control, but thanks," he thanked her, flashing a bright smile, "My name's Inhyuk. What's yours?"

"Yumi, Choi Yumi," she answered, smiling politely.

"I'm Kim Taesung, while we're at introductions," Taesung jumped in, "Our band is called Eclipse."

"Yeah I know, you guys become sensations in the future," just as she spoke, everything around her became completely still until she was silent again, wondering what had just happened. She tried to repeat the same sentence but was met with the same result.

Can't I talk about future events? she wondered, making a mental note to discuss this with Eunyoung.

"Cool," she replied to the two boys, feigning nonchalantness. 

"We'll see you around, then," Inhyuk concluded as he exited the room with Taesung, both carrying their instruments.

All Yumi could do was manage a stilted wave, watching them go about their business. An odd hollowness settled in her chest, a strange counterpart to the usual flurry of thoughts that normally occupied her mind. It was as if a record had been scratched, leaving behind an unsettling silence. The world continued its usual hum around her, but Yumi felt strangely detached, adrift in a sea of muted sensations.

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nayoung's notes: i must say, i thoroughly enjoy putting my characters in awkward situations. i can't wait to show you the next chapter >.< hope you liked this one!

delphi's notes: yumi's so silly honestly, she's just like me. i know she's my oc, but the similarities are a little crazy. she's advocating for all the introverts in love because this is how we act around our crushes lmfao.

@the-one-and-only-delphi

next chapter: friday! (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!

✟ ˚ ｡⋆ ๋࣭ and i swear . . . ( +📜 )

𓇼࣪࣪ ⁺ ๋࣭⭑ i'm only cyptic and machiavellian cause i care 𓂃 ࣪˖

; 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴 𝘮𝘦 . . .

; 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘰 :: 𝘯𝘢𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘴-𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵-𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘢 . . .

im making it look easy

vii. desperate measures for desperate times

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CHAPTER SEVEN ─ desperate measures for desperate times.

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

Narrator's Perspective

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

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

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

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

💿

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Why not?!"

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

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

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

"Shut up and eat your food!"

💿

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

"Bye!"

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

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

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

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

"Rough day?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

💿

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

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

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

It was Kim Taesung.

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

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

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

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

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

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

x. a taste of victory

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CHAPTER TEN ─ a taste of victory.

❛ where's the trophy? he just

comes running over to me. ❜

Narrator's Perspective

"By the way," Inhyuk said to Sunjae the morning of the swimming competition, "Where is your Eunyoung today?"

Your Eunyoung. The moment those words fell upon Sunjae's ears, he beamed, flashing the dimple on his right cheek. His face turned pink, recalling the events of the previous evening.

"Oh, dear," Inhyuk expressed, "You should look at yourself right now! You're completely in love with her!"

"She's coming to cheer for me," Sunjae told him proudly, "She was telling me to take it easy and not participate, but when she told me that she'd come today, she seemed to have faith in me. So, I'll make sure not to let her down."

"You can't seem to stop yapping when it comes to her," Inhyuk observed, a cheeky smile surfacing on his face, "Don't tell me she's the reason you're competing today!"

"It's not like that!" Sunjae exclaimed defensively, "It's just... another reason to do well. That's it."

Inhyuk shook his head in disappointment. Sunjae was the last person he expected to fall for someone and act like a total loser.

But, after all, we're all fools in love.

💿

Minutes ticked by, each one echoing like a hammer blow in the tense silence before the competition. Sunjae, clad in his racing suit, felt a familiar knot of anxiety tighten in his stomach. He scanned the crowd, searching for a familiar face amidst the sea of spectators. Doubt, a cold serpent, began to coil around his heart. Would she make it? Had something happened? His focus, so meticulously honed, threatened to shatter.

Then, just as despair threatened to consume him, a splash of pink cut through the cacophony of pre-race jitters. There, in the stands, was Eunyoung. His face broke into a radiant smile, a beacon that chased away the shadows of doubt. She wore a soft pink dress, the colour a burst of life against the sterile white walls of the pool complex. A white cardigan draped gracefully over her shoulders, adding a touch of elegance.

As she made her way down the rows, a revelation struck Sunjae. He'd never truly noticed how tall she was. Even in her simple white flats, she seemed to carry herself with a quiet confidence. Yesterday, on their walk together, her head must have brushed his ear. Suddenly, the way they walked side-by-side, a memory from only a day ago, took on a new meaning. His gaze lingered on her, a wave of warmth washing over him. The familiar knot of anxiety loosened its grip, replaced by a surge of determination. He wouldn't just swim this race, he would win it. For her.

Simultaneously, a smile surfaced on both their faces as their eyes met. She waved at him, mouthing "good luck," as she took a seat in front of the railing that separated the pool and seating area. Behind her was a group of Sunjae's supporters, wearing t-shirts with messages cheering him on and shouting messages of encouragement. Eunyoung's erect posture was just a disguise for her nervousness. Despite her earnest wish for Sunjae to complete this race without injuries, worry rose in her chest. Please prove me wrong, Sunjae.

The pool stretched before her, a shimmering lane of blue below her. In the water, a blur of movement─ that was Sunjae, his powerful strokes propelling him forward with a focused intensity.

This was the final stretch, the culmination of years of gruelling training. Every flick of his wrist, every powerful kick, echoed in Eunyoung's chest. A tendinous strain, a cramp, a single misstep – any of these could shatter Sunjae's dreams of gold. She squeezed her eyes shut, willing her anxieties away, willing him strength.

Then, the electronic board pinged, and the crowd erupted in a deafening roar. Eunyoung snapped her eyes open, heart leaping into her throat. Sunjae was surging towards the finish, his form flawless, his determination etched on his face. He touched the touchpad a fraction of a second before anyone else, and the stadium lights seemed to dim for a moment before exploding in a kaleidoscope of colours.

Sunjae emerged from under the water, shaking off the hair stuck to his forehead, running his hands down his face, attempting to clear his vision. As he turned to look at the scoreboard, his joy knew no bounds as he saw his name at the top of the list. Letting out a euphoric yelp of victory, he pumped his fists in the air with a triumphant grin on his face.

Eunyoung's eyes had begun to well up with tears of happiness that she couldn't hold back no matter how hard she tried. The shouts from Sunjae's friends and supporters around her muffled as if it was a faraway sound; the only thing she could hear was the excited beating of her heart. She placed a hand over her chest in disbelief at what she had just witnessed.

Sunjae's eyes scanned the stands impatiently, only wanting to look at one person. As their eyes met, his smile widened, the dimple on his right cheek making a reappearance. The tears in Eunyoung's eyes spilt, blurring her vision as she returned his smile, her throat choking with tears. At that moment, the rest of the world seemed to melt away, leaving them alone, their eyes giving a million soliloquies their mouths could never.

Eunyoung's legs propelled her forwards as she ran past the crowd, down the stairs, straight towards Sunjae. It was as if her body had began to move on its own, not wasting a single second on thinking. Her desperation to get rid of the distance between them reflected in her teary, glassy eyes as she stood in front of him, the smile never leaving her face. Their gaze was fixed on each other.

Without a second thought, she reached for him, wrapping her arms around his bare torso that dripped with little droplets of water. She felt her clothes becoming moist, but couldn't care less at that moment. Her embrace enveloped him in warmth as she smiled wider, the joy of his victory a physical force she needed to press against. She couldn't believe it. He had won the gold medal! His fate had taken a turn for the better.

Sunjae's eyes widened at the sudden contact of her soft hands that clung onto him. She hugged him with such force that the deep blue towel he wore fell backwards, exposing his toned shoulders in a moment of vulnerability. The feeling of her soft cardigan against his bare torso and the tiny point of contact of her palms against his back sparked an unexplainable warmth inside him. He coughed out a surprised laugh, the coolness of his moist skin a stark contrast to the fire that flared at her touch. Years of training had honed his muscles, and Eunyoung, clung to him with a possessiveness that sent a shiver down his spine. The shock he felt countered his exhaustion that threatened to pull him under.

He wrapped his arms around her just as fiercely; The weight of the race, the pressure of expectation─ it all melted away in the press of her body against his.  Under the deafening cacophony of cheers, there was only them, her skin tingling against his, a shared victory written in the frantic dance of their heartbeats. He buried his face in her hair, the scent of chlorine and victory mingling with the familiar sweetness of her shampoo, a perfect encapsulation of this overwhelming moment. In that tight embrace, their bodies spoke a language far more profound than any roar of the crowd, a language of love and pride that resonated in the echoing silence of his own racing heart.

☾⋆｡𖦹 °✩⋆｡° ✮

nayoung's notes: okay, taemi content in the next chapter, i promise. kinda got carried away with this lol. its already 1310 words and if i continue i may never stop. also, now that it think about it, the chapter title is implying something entirely different... ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

delphi's notes: sunjae's pov speaks volumes about his feelings. he's down bad guys. who's surprised? not me (but then again i helped decide this lolol)

next chapter: friday (out now!)

list of chapters here!

i had scheduled this april 19th but it got posted early?!!

﹒ʬʬ , all's fair in love & poetry

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

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