Author's note

Hahaha this took SO LONG IOKSAOKSAS anyways I used the girls' real names in this one.

EXY - Sojung

Seola - Hyunjung

Eunseo - Juyeon

Yeoreum - Jinsook

Bona - Jiyeon

Cheng Xiao, wee, little, five year old Cheng Xiao, sat down at the kids' table that was littered with colorful Lego building blocks, just begging to be made into something more. Her classmates ran around in the playground, playing tag and screaming to their hearts' content. Others played in the sand box with their toys, shovels and buckets while other toddlers waited for their turn on the swing. Cheng Xiao smiled at how happy the people around her were until she looked back down at the Legos formed into a sad face on the table in front of her.

No one ever comes near her or talks to her and Cheng Xiao didn't have the slightest clue why. Was it because she smells bad? She thinks she smells alright though. Was it because she had cooties and she didn't realize it? 'I feel fine though.' Cheng Xiao thought. Was it because she was ugly? Cheng Xiao frowned at the thought and almost started crying when she felt the warmth of someone sit beside her. She looked up and saw a girl smiling from ear to ear.

"Hi there!" The girl beamed, "I think there's something wrong with your Legos."

The little girl frowned at the building blocks in concentration and Cheng Xiao found herself imitating the girl out of confusion. The girl beside her started rearranging the Legos with complete focus. Cheng Xiao's eyes moved from the Legos to the girl, back and forth. After a little less than a minute, the girl smiled proudly down at her work and Cheng Xiao looked at what the girl had made.

In front of her, the Legos were formed into a big smiley face and a heart on the side. Cheng Xiao could almost feel her own heart smile.

"Look's better, right?" The girl craned her head, trying to look at Cheng Xiao's face.

The girl saw Cheng Xiao put her hand over her heart and smile, mirroring the Legos in front of her.

"Wow, you're so pretty! You're much prettier when you're smiling. Not that you weren't pretty when you aren't-"

The little kid continued to ramble on about stuff that just passed Cheng Xiao's ears because Cheng Xiao was too preoccupied with the light and happy feeling in her heart.

The girl noticed Cheng Xiao wasn't talking.

"What's your name? Why aren't you talking? Can you talk? Is there something wrong with your voice box?" she rambled on.

"Cheng Xiao."

"Huh?"

"That's my name; Cheng Xiao."

"Oh, nice to meet you! My name's Jiyeon." Jiyeon smiled widely, her eye smile revealing itself, "I don't know why you were sad but I hope you're okay now. My mommy told me being sad a lot isn't healthy. She told me, 'Always smile.' I told her my cheeks would hurt if I did that but I listened to her and now, every day, I'm happy."

Cheng Xiao laughed softly, "You talk so much."

"I get that from mommy, too." Jiyeon joined in the laughter, "Cheng Xiao, do you wanna play with me?"

Jiyeon stood up from her seat and held her hand out to Cheng Xiao. Cheng Xiao happily obliged and took hold of Jiyeon's small hand. Jiyeon held onto Cheng Xiao's hand and pulled her off of the bench. The two new friends ran into playground and into the next chapter of their lives together.

Years later, Cheng Xiao and Jiyeon lived near each other so they also went to the same middle school. Every day, they'd walk to school together and walk home together with Jiyeon still chatting up a storm and Cheng Xiao genuinely smiling and nodding the whole way. They'd eat recess and lunch with each other. Whenever you'd see Cheng Xiao, Jiyeon'd be beside her and vice versa. Whenever Cheng Xiao would get bullied, Jiyeon would be there to defend her. Jiyeon knew Cheng Xiao was still a fragile thing and she knew she had to protect her. Whenever Jiyeon was having struggles in school academically or having trouble with how she was being treated by people at school, Cheng Xiao would be there for her friend because she understood the hurt of being alone and in need of help. They pulled each other out of tough times. They were inseparable. Then, growing up happened.

Cheng Xiao had always been the intimidating kind of pretty ever since she was a child, thus the lack of friends other than Jiyeon, but she continued to grow more beautiful. As she grew more beautiful, people in the school grew ballsier. People started talking to Cheng Xiao, asking her out on dates, wondering if she could hang out with them. Cheng Xiao, of course, was taken back a bit but was happy others were finally noticing her existence in a positive way and not bullying her. She was even invited to join the cheerleading team and finally got to shine as the talented girl she was. Little did people know, Cheng Xiao studied Chinese dance for 10 years and had the flexibility and grace for even more than cheerleading. She started hanging out with other people than just Jiyeon.

Jiyeon wasn't that pretty, she was just pretty average. Nothing new for Jiyeon going through the early stages of puberty.Jiyeon was happy that Cheng Xiao was getting out there and making friends, she really was. Sure, it could get lonely sometimes. Even when she was with a bunch of other friends, she often felt lonely, missing all the time she and Cheng Xiao spent together talking nonsense. She missed talking with Cheng Xiao as much as they did and it hurt Jiyeon that Cheng Xiao seemed to be doing fine without her. Maybe it was also because Jiyeon was starting to find out she had feelings for the once shy girl. She was starting to think of Cheng Xiao as more of a friend. Jiyeon didn't even know she was into girls but recalled that one time she felt something in herself that sparked when she first met Cheng Xiao and when she first saw her smile.

Jiyeon tried talking to Cheng Xiao about it. All Jiyeon really wanted was to spend more time with her best friend in the whole wide world again and maybe spend time together as something more than friends. She just missed Cheng Xiao so much.

But Cheng Xiao took it the wrong way. Cheng Xiao said Jiyeon was just jealous. Jiyeon was the only one that understood how lonely Cheng Xiao felt before. Cheng Xiao thought Jiyeon would be happy for her. Words were said, words that couldn't be taken back anymore. Hearts were hurt. Hearts that would need so much time to heal. Jiyeon blames herself for actually thinking confessing to her best friend was a good idea. Slowly, the two grew apart and graduated middle school without acknowledging each other's existence. After middle school, they enrolled in separate high schools and didn't hear from each other for a few years.

"5 6 7 8!" Hyunjung called out, as her cheering team briskly went through their routine for the upcoming friendly cheer meet.

Cheng Xiao rushed around on the rubber mats, hitting those scorpions and torches, energetically raising and clapping her hands to the beat. And most importantly, putting her best smile.

A dear friend once told her to 'always smile'. Ironically, as soon as she thought about what her friend used to say, her smile faded away. Cheng Xiao spaced out and almost failed her duties as a base to catch the flyer, Jinsook. Fellow base, Dawon shouted, "Cheng Xiao!" and Cheng Xiao snapped out of it. Jinsook was caught just in the nick of time but rather sloppily and dangerously.

Everyone stopped the routine and put their eyes on Cheng Xiao. She instantly felt genuinely smaller despite being one off the tallest members on the team.

Hyunjung threw her head back in exasperation, "Everyone, break. Be back here in 10 minutes."

The cheerleaders dispersed, walking to the bleachers or the washroom. Cheng Xiao stayed in place because she knew Hyunjung wanted to talk to her. Hyunjung walked up to Cheng Xiao with a very concerned face.

"Cheng Xiao, what's going on?" Hyunjung said, placing her hand on the taller girl's shoulder, "This is the 5th time you've almost let a flyer drop and the 3rd time you've almost let Jinsook drop."

"4th, but t-thats okay!" Jinsook called from the bleachers, knees still slightly shaking from almost falling flat on the ground.

"Poor girl..." Hyunjung said, pitying one of the team's youngest, "Is something wrong, Cheng Xiao? Are you feeling alright? You're usually so focused but ever since last week you've been so out of your game."

Cheng Xiao couldn't meet the captain's eyes because last week she heard news she didn't realize she had been waiting for (or rather dreading for) 2 years. One of her closest friends (Juyeon, who had dozens of connections) heard that Jiyeon was coming back to the neighborhood. Cheng Xiao looked alright on the outside but on the inside, she was freaking out. Jiyeon, the friend Cheng Xiao unreasonably lashed out on and never talked to again.

It's been two years since their dispute and it’s been two years full of regret. Cheng Xiao's emotions got the best of her and she let her big head get in between her and her most treasured friend, the only person that talked to her in her childhood, the first person that made her know what it felt like to have a friend. She neglected her best friend and the remorse ate away at her from the inside, leaving a hollow space in her heart that could only be filled by Jiyeon.

To make matters worse, she realized she loved Jiyeon as something much more than just a best friend the day she found out Jiyeon was moving out and headed to another city. Cheng Xiao remembers looking from her living room's window, her eyes following Jiyeon's family car as it pulled out of the Kim family's garage. Cheng Xiao had to fight every fiber in her body that wanted to run after the car but she doubted that would’ve done anything other than delay their leave.

Cheng Xiao constantly thought about what could’ve happened if she didn’t say all those stuff to Jiyeon, thought about what could’ve happened if she ran after her car that day, thought about what could’ve been if she told Jiyeon she loved her too. She relentlessly thought that whatever she did, it wouldn’t repair anything she ruined with Jiyeon. Nothing would mend their broken friendship of more than 10 years. Nothing would heal the scars on Jiyeon’s heart for Cheng Xiao leaving her and treating her like . And now, nothing could fix what was left of the guilt-ridden, broken Cheng Xiao.

"I'm sorry, Hyunjung." Cheng Xiao said, rubbing her nape, "I've just been so distracted lately."

"By what Cheng Xiao? What could possibly distract you?" the team captain pressed.

"Jiyeon's coming back."

Hyunjung's eyes widened but other than that, she was silent.

"Same." Cheng Xiao huffed.

"That girl you were best friends with but completely shut out just because she misses you? Why’s she coming back?" Hyunjung asked, slowly coming closer to Cheng Xiao.

"Don't remind me." Cheng Xiao said weakly, looking like she was a deflating balloon, "And I don't even know why she's coming back. To visit old friends maybe? I'm probably not gonna be part of that anyway."

"Alright, okay, I can see why you're acting the way you are. Maybe you should sit down for a while, drink some water or go to the clinic." Hyunjung said, "You need a breather. Xuan Yi'll take your place for now. But I'm still gonna need you to focus and concentrate, okay? The cheer meet with that West side school's in a few hours."

"Thanks and I'll try." Cheng Xiao smiled and Hyunjung gave her back a reassuring rub.

As she dragged her feet to the bleachers, Cheng Xiao heard Hyunjung's voice echo throughout the gym, "Xuan Yi, step up!"

Xuan Yi went up to Cheng Xiao and gave her a big hug, "Hope you feel better soon, Cheng Xiao!"

"Thank you." Cheng Xiao smiled into the hug.

Cheng Xiao got to the bleachers and immediately lied down with heavy sigh. She closed her eyes, trying the get rid of all the thoughts inside her head. She just wants to be at peace and not be freaking out right now, but thoughts about Jiyeon kept trespassing into her mind. She wanted to scream so loud she'd break eardrums.

Above her head was her duffel bag and inside it was her now vibrating phone. She groaned, not wanting to talk to anyone right now but she still reached above her head in search of her phone. As she fished it out of her bag, she didn't bother to check the caller ID and just answered.

"What?" Cheng Xiao groaned into her phone.

"Hello to you too, sunshine." Juyeon giggled from the other end.

"What do you want, Juyeon?"

"Just giving you your daily Jiyeon update. She'll be here in a few hours."

"Ugh, can she not be here in a few hours? The cheer meet's soon. I don't need distractions. She isn't even here yet and I literally almost let Jinsook become a pancake for the 4th time this week."

Cheng Xiao could hear the quiet 'Awww, poor Jinsook.' coming from her phone.

"And I don't want her to see me doing the sport that sort of separated us in the first place."

Cheng Xiao's heart started to ache again.

"Hey, I'm giving you updates so that you have time to prepare as much as you can. I genuinely care for you. Besides, you don't know whether she hates you or not yet. You like her right? For all we know, she's still madly in love with you."

It made Cheng Xiao feel worse that sweet and kind hearted Jiyeon would still care about her even after how the cheerleader treated her.

"Thanks, Juyeon, but I'm not getting my hopes up. That'd just make it worse." Cheng Xiao mumbled.

"Alright, alright, but keep your head up alright? You got this. I'll be cheering for you later. Look for a loser with a big 'I <3 Cheng Xiao!!!' banner because that's probably gonna be me."

"You know it’s not even a real cheer meet, right? It’s literally just gonna be the two teams and then you.”

“Doesn’t mean I can’t cheer you on. You could just be eating cereal without milk and you’d still hear me shouting ‘YES CHENG XIAO GET IT GET IT THAT’S MY GIRL’.

“Thanks. See you later." Cheng smiled weakly and hung up.

Cheng Xiao clutched her phone to her chest and closed her eyes once more. From afar she may have looked so serene and at peace but on the inside, she could feel all the miniature Cheng Xiaos in her brain running around in complete panic and disarray.

It was about 5 in the afternoon and Juyeon was seated on a bench in front of the school with her friend Mei Qi. Juyeon leaned her head against Mei Qi's shoulder and huffed.

"When are your teammates coming, Mei Qi?"

"In a few minutes." Mei Qi pat her friend's head.

A few minutes came by pretty quick as Mei Qi saw a school bus come closer and eventually come to a stop in front of the school. The bus pulled over and 3 cheerleaders came out. Juyeon and Mei Qi both stood up to greet them.

"Mei Qi, I missed you!" Dayoung came out of the bus, immediately running into Mei Qi's arms.

"Awww, Dayoung, it’s not like we weren't just practicing earlier this morning." Mei Qi said, chuckling at how cute the youngest on their cheer team was.

"But I still missed you on the bus ride here. Why did you even come here earlier than us anyway?" Dayoung said, pouting.

"Because Mei Qi had to reserve us the equipment we needed beforehand. Also, it was an excuse to see Juyeon." Sojung said, adjusting the strap of her duffel bag onto her shoulder.

"Awww, don't tell me you didn't miss me at all since I moved here, Exy." Juyeon said, pouting as she moved closer to Sojung with open arms.

Before Juyeon could come all the way to Sojung, the older girl quickly wrapped her arms around Juyeon. Juyeon was sort ofsurprised but quickly molded into Sojung's warmth.

"I missed you, you dork." Sojung mumbled into Juyeon’s shoulder, “Also, you don’t get to call me that nickname.”

Juyeon giggled, "I missed you too, Sojung."

"Sojung! Do you know where my phone is? It isn’t in my bag." A sweet voice called from the bus.

Juyeon looked up and saw a beautiful girl with equally beautiful locks of blonde hair.

"It's with me, Bona. Chill." Sojung said, pulling out the girl's phone from her pocket.

"Oh alright. Woops. For a second there I thought I left it at school." the girl named Bona said, smiling and giggling at herself.

The girl had the most adorable gummy smile and eye smile. This was exactly how Cheng Xiao described Jiyeon minus the blonde hair. Cheng Xiao always described Jiyeon as a pretty girl but this girl wasn't just pretty. She was "holy crap wow I'm speechless" kind of pretty.

'Bona' stepped off of the bus and walked towards the others.

"Guys, this is Juyeon. She's gonna guide us to their gym. She used to go to our school." Mei Qi gladly introduced.

"Hey there." Juyeon happily said.

For the cheer meet, both schools were only competing in fives. So Mei Qi introduced each member; Sojung (Juyeon already knew that though), the one that hugged Mei Qi was Dayoung, the small one was Luda and the girl who thought she left her phone was Bona.

"My actual name’s Jiyeon by the way. Bona’s just a nickname they gave me." the girl smiled, revealing once again that gummy smile and those eye smiles.

Juyeon had to try and not look like she just choked on her own spit. This was the girl! The girl Cheng Xiao always sadly talked about. Juyeon's thoughts were in shambles thinking of ways to stall the girls and let Cheng Xiao know ASAP that Jiyeon was a cheerleader for the other school. They both knew Jiyeon was coming to the school but neither of them ever considered her being on the opposing team.

"Alrighty, do you guys wanna go straight to the gym or maybe you wanna go around the campus first? You guys still have time before the meet." Juyeon tried not to stammer.

"Uh, I don't know. Maybe we should get a head start like warm up or some-" Sojung started but the Dayoung and Luda interrupted.

"Tour! Tour! Tour!"

"Follow me!" Juyeon exclaimed as she looped her arm around Mei Qi's.

A little less than an hour later, Cheng Xiao and the girls were going through the routine one more time, hopefully with a little less Jinsook or Soobin almost falling onto the ground. Cheng Xiao counted in her head, '1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8'. More polished than earlier this morning, they completed the routine without a hitch.

"Great job, guys. The other team will be here in a few minutes. Take a break until then." Hyunjung said, wiping the sweat off of her forehead.

Cheng Xiao sat back down on her spot in the bleachers, next to her duffel bag. Her bag was open revealing the continuously vibrating phone with the contact name 'Juyeon' constantly appearing. Cheng Xiao swore to God, if this was another teasing session, she was throwing her phone at the wall. She grabbed her phone and swiped it open. Juyeon flooded her phone with messages and missed calls but Cheng Xiao didn't bother to read until she got the first message.

Juyeon (6 missed calls)

5:47 Juyeon: CHENG XIAO CHENG XIAO

5:47 Juyeon