Hyuna waited with bated breath. She was acutely aware of the heat radiating from her phone, the soft humming of her refrigerator, and the steady ticking of her clock. Not wanting to pressure Sera into forcing an answer, she sat in her bed, listening to the soft breathing from the other side. The clock continued to tick, seconds passing into minutes and yet, silence. Just when Hyuna opened to repeat the question, she received an answer.

“I don’t think so,” whispered Sera.

    Hyuna wet her lips, mind furiously trying to come up with reasons why Sera could, and should, return to the group. She wasn’t going to let this opportunity elude her so easily.

“Sera, just listen to me. Right now’s the perfect time. We have eight members, and we’re starting to pick up momentum again. The fans will come back, you’ll get to be on stage again, we might actually break into top tier sta-“

“No.”

Hyuna felt her stomach sink, an empty numbness slowly taking over her body. She fought the urge to cry, silently hoping that Sera would forgive her as she prepared her final card.

“Sera, for me? Please?” Hyuna asked, words barely audible. She knew it was a low blow, pulling a favor over Sera like that.

“Hyuna… I can’t,” came Sera’s pained response. 

    Tears dropped from Hyuna’s face, searing her skin as she tasted the salty bitterness. She could hear Sera struggling to maintain her composure, soft sniffles and eventually sobs coming from the call as her walls broke down. Together, and yet so far away, they cried. Cried in anger and bitterness and sadness at the way the world revolved. 

“It’s not that I don’t want to; I can’t come back. You know I can’t,” Sera choked out, tears making her words nearly unintelligible.

Hyuna knew. She knew all along, deep inside, that Sera would never return to the group. Not because she didn’t want to but because it wasn’t meant to be. Sera had tolerated too much: too much stress, too much abuse, too much pain. Hyuna knew that she was being incredibly selfish, asking Sera to return to that life. 

“I’m sorry, Sera,” Hyuna started to apologize, suddenly overwrought with guilt at her inability to protect her same-aged friend. Memories of Sera taking blame for the group, Sera hiding her tears as she tried to put up a strong front, Sera being struck by their CEO, Sera being stripped of her leadership flooded her mind.

“Hyuna, stop.” 

    Sera’s voice was still shaky from tears but possessed a strength that demanded attention. It brought Hyuna to her senses, tears still fresh on her face but her mind no longer wallowing in pity and guilt.

“It’s not your fault,” Sera assured, her voice firm but gentle. “I chose to leave. It was my decision. I don’t regret it.”

    Hyuna let the words wash over her, easing her pain. Sera wasn’t lying; she could tell. Her mind, once frantic with thoughts, calmed into blissful nothingness. Hyuna could still feel the emptiness, but it was no longer as painful. Acceptance was starting to fill in the cracks. 

“Sera, do you remember the first time we met?” Hyuna asked, a small smile gracing her lips as she recalled their first meeting.

“I thought you were going to be another pain in my , with you being the same age as me,” Sera remembered fondly. 

    Both were quiet as they recalled their history together. Breathing synced and minds in peaceful harmony as their tears dried, Hyuna and Sera stayed quiet. The once awkward silence was no longer; it was a comfortable lull in conversation, a fitting background to their thoughts. They were vaguely aware of the crickets chirping in the night and eventually, even the crickets faded away. But the two remained, quiet yet still awake. Hyuna didn’t know for how long they stayed like that, her phone pressed against her ear as she lay in bed, listening to Sera’s quiet breathing.

“Sera?” Hyuna asked tentatively, breaking the quiet.

“Yes, Hyuna?” Sera’s voice sounded faraway, her focus still lost in her memories.

“Are you sure? About your answer?”

“… yes.” Her answer was calm, deliberate. It rang with finality, and Hyuna found that she had somehow come to accept that outcome. With the stress finally removed from her shoulders, Hyuna felt the previous day’s exhaustion return, making her eyelids heavy and her body sink into the warmth of her bed. She could hear Sera in a similar state, the quiet breathing slowing and becoming deeper. Struggling to keep her eyes open, Hyuna posed a final question.

“Sera, will you… call… again?” she asked, voice childlike with sleep. Her breathing slowed and her eyelids fluttered shut, no longer able to resist the temptation of her bed as the sky slowly brightened. As slumber took her, Hyuna smiled as she heard the quiet sleepy laughs of Sera.

“Yes, always.”

Fin.

A/N: And with that, this two shot is complete. How did you guys like my first fanfic? Leave feedback/comments below. I appreciate it!