“What song is that?” Jae asked before you could take another step closer to the door “I’ve been hearing you humming that tune since last week”

“It’s nothing. Just a random melody stuck in my head” you deadpanned as you continue to head out.

Once again, his face flashed in your head when you hummed that tune. It made you think back of what happened three days ago.

He opened up about his family; how he feels alone every time; how his parents pressure him to excel in school.

“At least they let you play and even gave you instruments”

“That’s just because I promise I won’t neglect my studies”

You’re not good at expressing yourself. That’s a given. Trying to lift someone’s spirit up? That’s questionable. Nevertheless, you took a deep breath as you smile tightly “Uhm…” You took a gulp “I know it’s hard. But… but I know you can do it. I mean, uhm…” You looked up and saw the lopsided smile that has always made your heart lose its tempo.

“It’s okay”

You cleared your throat and mustered up some words to say again “I know studying ain’t really your thing and if you have troubles with it we can study together” He was taken aback but your sudden suggestion. Even you, yourself, were quite surprised with what you’ve just said “I mean… uhm…”

You were looking down but you felt him move. You were sure that he was rubbing the back of his neck even if you weren’t looking.

You squeezed your eyes close as you shook your head trying to dismiss the thought of what happened. Man, that was embarrassing!

“No, really.. It’s okay. But if you want to study together, I’m fine with that, too”

“Aaaah!” You screamed as you remember his response but regretted it right away when people walking glared at you.

For the third period, being one of the class representatives, you were called to gather the assignments and the class was turned into study hour.

“Need help?” Your seatmate offered when you were about to leave the room to bring the notebooks to the faculty room. You smiled and shook your head slightly as you continue to head out the room.

As you saunter in the hallway, a sleeping student from the other room caught your attention. It didn’t take two seconds for you to recognize who it was. He was called out by the teacher to answer the problem on the board.

You walked slower than before as your eyes followed the figure walking to the front. You frowned in worry but you were dumbfounded when he answered the problem correctly.

But he was asleep.

Your eyebrows furrowed even more.

“It’s okay”

“No, really… it’s okay.”

Your eyes were squeezed shut again. This is what he meant with ‘it’s okay’? He’s actually smart so he doesn’t really need to study? I just made a fool out of myself. Aah!! So embarrassing!

You continued to walk towards the faculty room and unconsciously dropped the notebooks hard on your teacher’s table. Your teacher was taken aback and was about to utter his thanks or ask if you were okay but you turned instantly and stomped back to your classroom.

You had a long face until the afternoon, even when you’re walking to Dowoon’s house after getting Jae’s text.

“Are you headed to my house?” A deep voice queried and you just landed an annoyed gaze before turning your eyes back in front “Are you okay?”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” His forehead creased in puzzlement “Why didn’t you tell me that you were actually smart.”

“I’m… I’m not?”

“Tsk”

It was your first time to walk to his house together but no one voiced the whole time.

You became guilty about it. It was so irrational of you to be mad about it so you decided to initiate the greeting the next day.

“Hi” you chirped as you walk beside him

“That’s my line”

You halted and thought about what he meant. His line? And then it hit you, before having a proper conversion before, all you said to each other was just a simple “Hi” and “Hello”. It was always him who’d initiate a ‘hi’ and you’d answer with ‘hello’.

It made your lips curve into a smile as you walk fast to walk beside him again and mirrored his steps.

“You’re humming that tune again?” your seatmate asked and you just gave her a small sweet smile.

“Hi, hello” you incorporated it with the tune that you’ve always been humming. You’re quite satisfied with it and as if your hand has its mind on its own, you took a pen and let the ink paint the words from your mind.

Hi, hello
Every time I say hi to you
It makes my heart flutter
Hi, hello
As we exchange those words
We’re starting our own story

You finished writing the lyrics that night. You even sang it while you played the guitar. But when you heard it being played by a full band three days after, it became a horror.

“Jae!” you announced as you open the studio’s door. You saw your notebook resting on a monoblock chair near him. You exhaled a sharp breath as you hastily took it and stormed out the room.

As you walk away from the house, your tears were busy running down your face, too. You feel horrible. You feel and exposed. Jae knows how much you hate it when people you know read your works, especially him. But he even took your notebook and brought it to his bandmates. How dreadful is that?

A familiar big palm enveloped your arm which made you halt. You mustered up some energy to take his grip away.

“What?!” You angrily hissed and he was so taken aback after seeing your tear-kissed face that he didn’t utter a word “You know how I hate it! I told you! I told you I hate it so freaking much! Why did you let him do that?!”

Dowoon, whose gaze casted down the ground, scratched his head for a bit and bit his lip slightly before he looks at you again. Failed to voice his thoughts, he grabbed your wrist and started walking. You didn’t even bother to resist. You already feel awful; you don’t want your energy to be sapped when you try to withstand someone whom you know is much stronger than you.

You arrived at a peaceful playground, overlooking a busy city, several minutes of being dragged along. Aside from four kids playing around the sandpit, only the two of you were at the area.

You’ve calmed down a bit and teardrops that streamed down your face have dried, too.

“Consider this as a step to finally flap your wings freely and have that liberty you’ve always wanted”

You rolled your eyes in irritation, “You don’t have a say on this.” You strongly announced. “It was my work! I decide whether people could see it or not. This is my life. I decide whether I continue to be a baby bird, a bird that’d grow up with broken wings and never fly or a bird that’d learn to flap its wings.”

“You know how baby birds learn how to fly? When mother birds feed their babies, they stand farther and farther away from the nest as time pass by. They’d eventually put the food on the other branch, driving the nestlings to come out of their homes and they would realize they need to fly to reach their food in order to survive.” You were furrowing your eyebrows as you think of what he really wants to convey. “But others say that sometimes, mother birds would even kick their babies out of the nest for them to learn how to fly. And don’t you think it’s the same for you, too? You just need a little push to fly and free yourself from your cage. And don’t tell me that you’d be a bird with broken wings because you know for yourself you’re sick of being inside that open cage that no one put you in but yourself.”

You swallowed the lump in your throat as you try to swallow your pride, too. You know he has a point.

“You don’t have broken wings. You just have broken courage.”

You calmly breathe in as you gather up some bravery to speak up.

“W-what if…” you gulped and slowly breathed in again “What if I let myself be out there but no one would even acknowledge me; no one would look at me fly?”

“I’m here.” You felt a strong thud in your chest “My eyes have been set on you even when you’re in the cage. I’m just waiting for you to finally have the courage to free yourself and soar that empty canvas that you’ve always wanted to paint with your talent”

Without a warning, tears started to travel down your cheeks.

“It’s not just me. You have us—the guys—and most especially, your brother.” With tears clouding up your vision, you looked up to him “He has always believed in you. He believes that you’ll not just become an ordinary bird but be a Griffon Vulture that’d fly the highest among everyone.”

As much as you try to hold back every tear, there’s no dice. You can’t just help yourself but cry. You were happy enough to know someone would be looking at you when you finally start flying but it’s so overwhelming to know that your brother has always believed in you.

“Just trust us and fly freely as much as you want to”

Written: 171110 I forgot to upload this? Lol. I don't know when I'd be able to write the last chapter tho bc thesis
And yes, just like Once/Twice series, I tried to associate real life happenings (related to DAY6) in this story, too.

If you've been reading this since the start, whether on twitter or AFF, sorry for the super late update
DIDN'T PROOFREAD--so excuse the mistakes