Training got easier and Seohyun grew quicker and more agile. She found her strength and stability, and JungKook's punches were predictable, no matter how fast they were or how hard they were to block. "You're getting so much better, Seo," Yuri stated as she noticed the younger punching harder in the morning before JungKook showed up. It was a few days after he'd told her Step 2 to beating someone in boxing, a Tuesday, and for the first time in probably a month, Seohyun felt a smile creep up on her lips at the girl's remark.

"Thanks, Eonni," she responded. Yuri beamed at her.

"You're happy this morning."

"I know. First time in a long time that I've smiled in the morning," she stated. Yuri leaned against the supports of the punching bag.

"More like the first time in a long time you've smiled ever, Maknae. Something up?" Yuri asked, raising an eyebrow. Seohyun shrugged.

"Not really, I'm getting a lot better, like you said, and I'm just... I don't know, I'm proud of myself," the younger answered. Yuri nodded.

"You should smile more often. You look really nice," Yuri advised. It was true; Seohyun had a shimmering and sweet smile and it fit her so well, with a laugh that matched. It made her look a bit more vulnerable, which was perhaps the most important reason that she didn't smile, because she wanted to be known as powerful, intimidating, the crimson of blood compared to other girls coloured in a pale pink.

"I'll try for you, Yuri," she lied. Smiles didn't come as easily as they used to and even when they did show up, she was so accustomed to soaking them in bad memories and pushing them back behind her teeth. When smiles happened to find their way on their lips, the feeling was relieving, but they were private, where no one would see them.

Suddenly, the familiar voice of Jeon JungKook at the front of the building filled her ears and she pulled her smile loose, letting herself look focused when she was tired of the unhappiness shredding at her nerves. Sure, she'd be prettier if she smiled, but she couldn't let JungKook know that. He'd see weakness in her smile and he'd think she didn't hate him, which she didn't entirely. He couldn't know that, though.

JungKook greeted her on the way to the dressing room. "Hey! You dyed your hair back to brown!"

Seohyun nodded to him. "Yeah, I did."

"I like it. You look pretty," he stated before he entered the dressing room. He was starting to grow on her - not in any type of likable way, but she'd managed to tolerate him. And he was attractive, but that was obvious. He wasn't y, he wasn't cute or funny, but he was a guy to and not entirely regret when one woke up next to him. JungKook was good-looking, with abs and chiseled features and piercings (if he ever wore them) and deep, alluring brown eyes. She supposed that he could pick up a girl with all of those things if he felt like it.

"So, you ready to work?" He asked as he came out of the dressing room with a shirt on and a smile on his face. It was always there and she'd grown used to it.

"Always have been. Let's go," she answered.

Seohyun met his eyes and a giggle bubbled up from , so she had to hide her smile behind her gloves, leading JungKook's eyes to light up. Stop it, she warned herself. Stop it. , stop smiling, he's not cute. He's attractive, but , can you stop?

"Are you smiling?"

"No, off," she replied forcefully, throwing a punch at his stomach, which he unfortunately dodged. JungKook was laughing at her when she wanted him to cry.

Come to think of it, there was nothing stopping her from making him cry, pounding her fists into his bones and beating him up a second time, but then again, she was captivated by him at the moment. He was so... bouncy. And happy and kinda cute and no he's not.

"Stop laughing at me!" She hissed, landing a weak punch in the arm. JungKook had the cheeriest look in his eyes when he put his fists down and looked at her.

"You're adorable, you know that?"

"I swear to ing god, Jeon, I will break you. Fight me, kid, I