SEVEN

One day before the final showdown, the competitors did their last rehearsal with all the instructions they should follow within the competition. Joy deliberately came a bit faster to prepare a few things ahead of others.

She looked around and didn’t find a slightest sight of an orange-haired girl that she’d been looking for.

I guess I got here bit too fast

The blonde thought.

She started on taking out stuff from her bag and a piece of paper that had given by the staff yesterday. It’s about hers and other’s positions from the start till the end of the competition and the rules she should know.

But accidently Joy took out another paper, no, a letter from her bag along with a green rose,

Okay, this is getting a bit too creepy

Joy shivered at the thought that someone might be stalking her right now. Although she knew that she’s kind of popular in her department, but not to the point that someone could just put something into her bags without her even noticing.

She opened the letter and read what’s written on it,

b

I’m so happy I live

in a world where there’s

YOU

                                                     U

The blonde squint her eyes in a cute way. She somehow got the feel of what the person who sent this wanted to express but she just didn’t know why.

“Why does this person keep sending this to me?” The blonde was thinking out loud

Joy placed the letter and the flower back into her bag and put on her earphones then began dancing to the beat she’d been hearing for these last few months. Joy was enjoying it until someone smacked her back a bit hard.

“Ouch!” She turned away and found Amy –one of her friend, and part of the committee team- with her lips formed a thin shape, looking annoyed at Joy, “What?!”

“I’ve been shouting your name for half an hour already!” Amy blurted out her annoyance. “We’re going to start the dress-rehearsal soon, the others have been waiting for-”

Joy walked passed Amy leisurely, “Then let’s go there! What are you waiting for?”

“You’re so annoying, Joy! You’re the one they’ve been waiting for!” Amy smacked her back again.

Joy laughed and they went to gather with the rest.

They received instruction of how their properties should be placed tomorrow and their turns.

---

Joy was concentrating on the person who’s currently talking but her eyes caught a glimpse of an orange hair leaving the auditorium.

She’s arrived!

Unknowingly a smile appeared on her face.

As soon as they’re done with the instructions, Joy dashed toward the door and looked for Seulgi. She was looking at left and right with a smile still plastered on, didn’t even know why she felt so happy just by seeing a sight of her professor. Though she’s still feeling sorry for what happened in the amusement park, the urge of seeing Seulgi overtook that.

Suddenly Joy heard voices from behind a concrete wall, -Seulgi’s voice. Joy took light steps on her tiptoe, wanted to scare Seulgi from behind. But she stopped herself after hearing Seulgi’s intense tone.

“No, I won’t stop no matter what you say, do you get it?!” Seulgi yelled at the person on the phone, making Joy halted and hide behind that concrete wall.

“JUST DO WHAT I SAID, HYUN!”

Seulgi shouted hysterically, Joy gulped and shivered at her tone.

“I don’t care about her. After I met that person, I just know that I must do this no matter what, with or without your help!” Seulgi’s voice increased as she brought the phone in front of , “I’m done taking to you!”

Joy froze on her place. Sure she saw Seulgi got angry before, but she never saw Seulgi got this angry at someone, not even at her –the one who always received a deadly stare from the professor-. Not even once.

By the time Joy grasped the situation that Seulgi was coming at her direction, it was already too late for her to even take one step back to auditorium. Seulgi already saw her,

“Ack!” Joy groaned in pain as her back hitting the wall with a loud thud.

The professor placed one arm on Joy’s chest, pressing the blonde against that hard wall. And her other hand was on the wall as she positioned herself in front of Joy in steady form just a face away.

“What are you doing here? Are you stalking me?!” Seulgi was roaring at her

“N-no, I-I just got here.” Joy struggled to answer because she felt stuffy. Seulgi was pressing her too hard.

“I’m not buying that anymore, you guys are liars!” Seulgi tighten her arms on Joy’s chest making the blonde suffocated.

Who?

Joy furrowed her brows in pain and confusion.

“I- I don’t know what you’re talki-”

“Did you overhear me?!” Seulgi cut her off

“N-no, p-professor…” Joy put her hands on Seulgi’s arm which suffocating her, “…I didn’t overhear anything.” trying to pull Seulgi’s arm off of her but she has no strength to do so.

Slowly something filled Joy’s eyes. Partly because of the pain she felt but mainly it’s because she didn’t understand why Seulgi was being like this to her. She’s hurt emotionally more than physically.

She released her hands from Seulgi’s arm and gave up. She tried to talk but her voice came out hoarse as a result,

“It… hu..rts”

Joy closed her eyes super tightly in hope of reducing the pain on her chest. More than that she hoped it’ll reduce the pain inside her chest.

Slowly she felt something was being lifted from her and she wasn’t feeling that suffocated anymore. She opened her eyes a little and saw Seulgi already took off both of her hands. She touched the place Seulgi’s elbow was pressing hard just a second ago, checking it. It’s bruised.

“Are you okay?”

Another hand was placed on top of hers, wanting to also touch the bruise, the one that previously made the bruise itself. Seulgi’s hand.

Joy swallowed hard, “I’m okay, it’s not that painful.”

“So it is painful.” Seulgi said it so soft it was almost sweet if Joy didn’t remember what Seulgi did earlier.

“I’m sor-”

Joy saw Seulgi wanting to say something but she looked contemplated and bit her own lip instead. After that, Joy didn’t know what’s got into Seulgi -she didn’t know what’s on Seulgi’s mind- but suddenly the professor was blowing her bruise gently as if wanting to cease the pain away.

Why are you doing this to me?

The change of Seulgi’s mood was never felt this painful to Joy. One time Seulgi would look angry at her, and the other time Seulgi would just .

One time Seulgi would give her an undefined deadly stare, and the other time Seulgi would give her a sweet smile that successfully made her heart flutter.

One time Seulgi would press her forcefully against the wall, giving her bruise –physically and internally-, and the other time Seulgi would just touch it gently and blow the pain away.

“I will give you an ointment, come with me.”

Seulgi held Joy by the wrist and lead her somewhere.

Joy looked at Seulgi’s hand that was still holding her tenderly by the wrist, and softly dragged Joy to go with her.

Why are you doing this to me? Giving me wound then healing it, -repeatedly-.

***

It’s a one fine morning. An auditorium of a certain university was filled with people. It was all crowded because apparently they’re holding a competition there.

A certain blonde girl walked pass the main door, heading to her suppose waiting room along with other participants.

“JOOOY!”

Dejavu

The blonde girl turned her head and saw Wendy, shouting, gaining unnecessary attention - again.

“Wait up, Joy! Don’t play deaf on me!” Wendy sounded troubled as she kept on calling Joy and shouted her name.

 “Hey, I already told you my legs are short!”

Joy could hear the Canadian was stomping her feet on the floor. She closed her eyes and went straight to the waiting room.

“Park Sooyoung whose pants is yellow with a hole on it, I SAID WAIT UP!”

At a light of speed, Joy dashed toward Wendy with a hand covering her face -again.

This is the worse version of dejavus

Her simple task of going to the waiting room became difficult as she finally stood up in front of Wendy, covering her face with both her in reflex as she sent a hatred stare to her –ironically- beloved hamster friend.

“Please Wan, would you just stop shouting every single time we’re surrounded by people?”

“Cause you keep ignoring me, brat.”

“You’re too loud! It’s embarrassing, you know?”

Wendy gasped at Joy’s remark,

“Excuse me? I got to a lot of troubles just to catch up with you and give you this…” She took out a disk from her bag, “…and what? You call me em-embarra- hmph!” she rolled her eyes in disbelief

 The Canadian huffed. “Did you even check your belongings before heading here, the ‘I’m-so-embarrassed’ Park Sooyoung?!”

She shoved the disk onto Joy’s chest vigorously and then turned her back facing the blonde, heading toward the campus’ gate with rage that Joy could see on her face. Joy suddenly felt sorry and chased after her. When she caught up, she hugged her best friend from the back and started kissing the Canadian’s cheeks continuously.

“How can I live without you, Wan? Mwah mwah…”

The blonde was thankful and sorry at the same time as she kept giving Wendy smooches on the Canadian’s side face. She already knew since they were just toddlers, -who cried over one toy and the biggest thing they could only exchange as one was their pacifiers- that Wendy was the best of friend she could ever ask for. And that was what made her feel more apologetic.

She only stopped when Wendy elbowed her and turned back with disgu