Darkness again. 

It’s almost scary on how familiar the sight is to Doyeon’s eyes. She can only see the dark but she can hear everything. She hears the stories Sohye tells her about SOPA, how Yoojung and the others were transferred after the incident. 

The incident. It’s all a blur to Doyeon but the girl had an instinct that she was mostly at fault for everything that has happened in the town. 

——

Sejeong patiently sat in Red Velvet’s ice cream shop. She felt a sharp breath when she saw Irene staring down at her from behind the cashier. It’s been a while since she has encountered the five ice cream workers ever since the incident. She had texted Sohye about what she discovered in the hospital about Doyeon and the latter has asked for her to meet in Doyeon’s favourite shop. 

“Need anything?” Wendy asked from out of nowhere, surprising Sejeong. She snaps her head towards the worker who shows a warm smile and Sejeong felt herself sigh, at least she wasn’t staring her down like Irene was. 

Sejeong shook her head as she played with her hands, getting impatient. “No, thank you.” She quickly says and Wendy bites her lip, getting the message that the girl wanted to be alone. Wendy walks back to the kitchen and right on cue, Sohye walks in the shop with a tight smile on her face. 

Sejeong raises her eyebrows and waved for the girl to sit in front of her. Sohye notices that the shop was empty as usual since the Red Velvet workers didn’t get as much customers and frowned at the realization that Doyeon was truly their only valuable customer. 

“Thank you so much, Sohye.” The girl says in a rushed voice and the latter raises her hand to stop her from talking. Seulgi, Yeri and Joy realized the tense atmosphere and decided that it was best to hide in the kitchen with Wendy and they all walked in group, dragging Irene who refused to let Sejeong out of her sight but eventually got the eldest to step foot in the kitchen. 

Sohye looked at her intently, already having a plan in her hand. “I read your texts. I’ll only help you if you get the gang back together.” She says without listening to what Sejeong had to say and Sejeong’s mouth gapes at her. 

“Are you serious!?” She asked in disbelief. There was no way after what had happened with JYP gang that they were going to end up being all friendly again. Somi would no longer look at Chaeyoung, Dahyun and Tzuyu, and the unnies had no clue but to choose between sides. “Doyeon’s life-support is going off in two months!” She snapped out, making Sohye freeze. 

“Don’t you know this!?” Sejeong looks at the frozen girl again, realizing she had by accident told Doyeon’s best friend the bad news. Her facial expressions softened as Sohye starts to tear up in the spot. 

“W-what?” Sohye stammered out and Sejeong repeatedly shakes her head at the girl. 

“No, no, no.” The older girl repeatedly mumbled, her hand covering in shock. “Sohye, I— “ She tried to apologize but the girl stops her again. 

Sohye glares at her with teary eyes. “Don’t say anything else.” She spoke in a cold voice and Sejeong immediately quiets at the command. “I’m not playing “detective” with you until you make things right. I know what happened in Yoojung’s house that day, unnie. Mina told me. You told her to get over Doyeon…” She paused, sniffling to herself. “I think now I understand why you did so…” Sohye whispered out and Sejeong frowned at the memory that she regrets having. 

“She may have two months left but Yoojung needs her, she needs you. They all need you. You’re the only one who can bring everyone together.” Sohye wisely says and then leaves Sejeong in the ice cream shop to think about the words that she said to her. 

——

“I can’t believe I’m doing this.” She muttered before hastily knocking on the door. 

The door abruptly opens and Jihyo glares at the girl, almost slamming the door in her face before the girl uses her foot to stop it. “They don’t want anything to do with you.” Jihyo referred to her kids and Sejeong takes a long sigh. 

“Does everyone in this town think I’m an now?” She asked with an honest tone and Jihyo nodded at her in response. Sejeong furrowed her eyebrows and looked at the girl. “I just want to talk it out with the three.” Jihyo gives her a knowing look, wondering if the latter was being serious about if they were going to talk or possibly argue. 

They both have a staring contest until a soft voice interrupts them. “She can come in…” Chaeyoung softy spoke and Sejeong looks at her in surprise. Jihyo looks back and forth at the two and then shot a glare at Sejeong, threatening that if she did anything wrong, she would not hesitate to kick her since she was in her apartment. Jihyo then walks in her bedroom, leaving the four alone to talk among themselves.

Sejeong looks around the place, it was slightly messy but it was still home to the girls. “Thank you.” She whispered out in gratitude and Chaeyoung slowly nods, not knowing how to react and gestured towards Dahyun and Tzuyu who plainly sitting on the couch, not doing anything. 

“Guys?” She called out in hope that they would answer her but none of them looked at her, keeping their eyes on the ground. Sejeong looks at Chaeyoung who quickly looked away, avoiding eye-contact with the older girl. Sejeong felt her heart clench at the sight and frowned as she started to loudly speak to herself. “I’m sorry, okay?” There was still no reaction from the three. 

“I’m sorry that I caused the bridge to fall in our friendship. I’m sorry that I hurt Yoojung whom I know you guys love and care so much. I’m sorry that I was wrong about Doyeon and disrespected her when she’s literally in a ing coma!” She shouted in frustration to herself, yet there was no reaction. 

Sejeong gritted her teeth. “I’m sorry about what happened between you and Somi.” She whispered out in a faint breath, earning quick looks from the three at the sensitive topic. Dahyun stares at the girl. 

“Don’t say that… It’s not your fault, it was ours from the beginning.” She says with guilt and Chaeyoung weakly nods in agreement, making Sejeong furrow her eyebrows in confusion. 

“We were too scared of losing Somi and now even when we didn’t do the right thing, we still lost her.” Tzuyu quietly says with no emotion. 

Sejeong looks at the three who looked broken and decided to take a seat on the same couch, telling for Chaeyoung who was also standing to take a seat. “Listen, you didn’t entirely lose her yet. There are other people out there that we should be more concerned about right now…” She referred to Doyeon and Chaeyoung’s frown begins to get deeper. 

“How is she? Have you visited her?” The girl asked the questions with full of worry evident on her face. Sejeong felt their eyes on her and gulped. 

“Can I tell you guys something…? Something you can’t tell anyone else, at least not for now.” Sejeong asked with hesitation and the girls nod at her, wondering what she was going to say. 

“Y’know how Doyeon is on life-support?” She asked for confirmation and they all nod again. “Well, I don’t know who but someone gave permission to cut it in two months.” They all gasp at the shocking news and Tzuyu began to get angry.

“What!? They can’t just do that, right?” She angrily asked in disbelief and Sejeong stared at the ground, not knowing how to calm Tzuyu. Dahyun places a hand on Tzuyu’s shoulder, telling her to calm herself. Sejeong then explains her whole meeting with Sohye and how the plan was if Sejeong got the group together, she would help figure out who gave the permission since Sohye was the only one they knew was close to Doyeon.

“Sohye’s smart. I’ll give her that.” Chaeyoung commented, amazed that she would think of that. 

Dahyun nods in agreement. “I think if you apologize to Yoojung, it will be fine but us and Somi… I don’t think it’s possible to be friends after what has happened.” She truthfully answered in doubt and Sejeong’s mouth gapes at her. 

“I thought you said you cared for Somi?” She asked the girl who seemed speechless by the question. 

“I-I do.” Dahyun stammered out and Sejeong frowned at her in disappointment. 

She stood up from her seat to face Dahyun who was sitting. “Then, how are you going to show it!? By sitting here, looking back on the good ol’ days where we were all happy? Or going to her house to explain whatever situation you have with her father?” Sejeong doesn’t know anything about the money situation but she sure hoped it wasn’t as bad as Somi made it seem to the public. 

Chaeyoung frowned in frustration, standing up to face Sejeong. “You don’t understand our situation! It’s not as simple as you think!” She shouted out, already tired that people think it’s a simple thing. 

Sejeong gritted her teeth, almost grinding it. “Then. Explain. It. To. Me.” She intensely stared at Chaeyoung who does the same and Tzuyu stands up from her seat to grab something from their room. She comes back a minute later with a picture frame in her hand and Sejeong breaks off the staring contest to look at the item in Tzuyu’s hand. 

Tzuyu hands it to Sejeong and the girl sees a picture of what