[6:34AM]

Yuri got ready earlier than usual on this particular day. Was she excited to be back to school after a week break? Not really. She was never really eager to go to school. It would take a masochist to look forward to her school life.

Today was different though. Then again, every single day she spent after meeting Yena was different. She found herself walking around the house, back and forth, up the stairs and back down.. She couldn't sit still for a moment.

Here it was, the same nervousness she felt from yesterday. It's not like it's anything particularly special. Yena just offered that they walk to school together. To most people, it was something considered normal. But here she was, feeling like her heart was about to burst just waiting for Yena to come.

After who knows how many quick rounds she made around the house, she settled for standing by the entrance, taking small steps as she walked back and forth in front of the door. She usually used her phone to check the time but didn't have it so instead she looked at the watch she's probably wore only once before, on the day the received it. 6:48AM.

She hastily put her shoes on and picked up her bag which she had set before the door and walked out of the house. She made sure to lock the door before turning around and leaning on it.

"I.. I did say 6:50 yesterday, didn't I?" She suddenly started thinking of things like 'What if I got the time wrong' or 'What if it was too early after all'. While she was having all sorts of mental panic, her mind was immediately put to ease when a certain someone entered her line of sight.

Right on time, Yena arrives in front of Yuri's house on her bike. Her face immediately lit up at the sight of Yuri, a smile never failing to appear on her face, "Good morning."

"G-Good morning..." Yuri walked over to the small gate that separated them, opening it and stepping out, "Exactly 6:50.."

"I actually go to school much earlier but I adjusted a little bit for you," Yena winked, "So, you want to get on the bike or we'll just walk?"

"H-Huh?" Yuri should have expected the offer but it still caught her off guard. She would feel bad if Yena had to walk with her despite having a bike so she slowly replied to her, "U-Ummm.. I'll.. I'll be riding with you.. If that's fine.."

Conveniently, instead of a bag rack, Yena's bike had a passenger seat on it. Yena noticed how Yuri was looking at it and said, "This was my brother's bike. That passenger seat used to be my seat on this bike."

"A-Ahhh..." Yuri nodded in understanding and sat down on the passenger seat, "It won't be difficult to bike with me on, w-would it..?"

"I've tried biking with brother behind me! I'll be fine."Yena giggled a little. "But you should hold on to me. You might fall even if the bike is stable."

Yuri slowly placed an arm around Yena's waist, Yena clearing while waiting, "You comfortable back there?"

"Mmm.." Yuri hummed in reply, not noticing as she leaned on Yena's back. Even when she did notice, she didn't move away. It was warm.

She was very familiar with these streets; she walked the same way everyday since she started high school. She would never get lost in the area. But today, while the cool breeze blew on her hair, she felt like she was seeing everything for the first time. Because she was always looking down, spacing out as she walked to school, she never really appreciated how beautiful the simple things around her were.

How nice it was to see the trees dance to the winds, the pretty colors that surrounded the streets through various little flowers, or how the sun had always made everything it landed on shine... The fact that each house and each building was unique with the tiny cracks on the walls or the faded paint.. All these details that she didn't bother looking at..

She realized that she missed out on a lot. She missed out on the world. While she was busy thinking about herself, her entire life being centered around herself alone, she failed to look at the things around her - the people around her.

While Yuri was focused on watching the scenery, Yena looked back at Yuri briefly, seeing the fascination in her eyes as she looked around. She kept telling herself to calm down, hoping that Yuri was distracted enough not to hear her fast heartbeat while she leaned on her. The fact that it was Yuri, the Yuri who couldn't maintain eye contact for more than a second, that was initiating this closeness, made everything much more special. 

Yena expected Yuri to keep her distance the entire time, maybe even refuse to hold onto her, but recently, Yuri hadn't objected to any form of skinship which was a major improvement. She could feel that Yuri was beginning to trust her, even just a little bit.

Their bike ride didn't last for too long. They made it to school in less than 10 minutes. Once they entered the school gates, Yena stopped the bike in front of the school's bike parking area. Yuri got off the bike so Yena could park it.

After locking her bike in place, Yena smiled at Yuri who had waited for her, "Let's go~"

The two of them walked together up until the 2nd floor, where Yuri's classroom was, and they parted ways. Yena waited for Yuri to enter her classroom before she moved on to the 3rd floor, entering her own classroom.

"You're late," Yena was greeted by a voice in the nearly empty classroom.

"Kkura, I'm the second person to arrive," Yena grinned at the girl, Sakura, before going to her seat which was right behind the other girl's seat.

"Yeah, but you're usually first," Sakura grinned back, "You look.. kinda happy today. Did something happen? With that second year?"

"We went to school together today," Yena had this proud look on your face, "Actually, I could say the same to you. Don't think I didn't know.. You've been hanging out with a second year too, right?"

Sakura laughed, "I wonder~?"

"Aissh~ There's no point hiding it," Yena started poking the other girl.

"Maybe we hung out this weekend. A little bit."

"Ah, but are they okay now?" Yena's smile turned into a look of concern, "Chaeyeon and Eunbi, I mean."

"I'm not sure," Sakura let of a long sigh. "Chaeyeon told me that they've already talked.. Whether they're okay or not, I'm not sure."

"Okay, Okay." Yena opted to change the topic, "Sorry for suddenly making you gloomy. Anyways~ How was your date?"

"It wasn't a date," Sakura immediately smiled when Yena asked the question, "We just hung out like normal people."

"Hmmm~" Yena nodded but she obviously wasn't convinced. The two of them spent their time chatting about random things from tricking each other to teasing about certain second years in their lives.

One by one, their classmates arrived. Eventually, another one of their friends arrived. The two watched as she placed her bag on her seat before walking over to them, hugging Sakura, "Good morning.."

"Good morning, Hyewon," Sakura hugged back, snuggling against the other girl's stomach.

"Ew, stop flirting in front of me," Yena joked with a laugh.

"Ah," Hyewon let go of Sakura and went over to give Yena a hug.

"What is this? You're two-timing us?" Yena gasped before laughing, "What a flirt."

"W-What? This is slander," Hyewon laughed awkwardly, "I'm just giving you a hug.."

Sakura and Yena only laughed at the awkward girl before resuming their random chats, occasionally joking about Hyewon being a flirt whenever the girl clings to them. After a lot of pointless topics, class eventually started.

Yena wasn't really paying attention in class, not that she ever did. Don't get her wrong though, she gets pretty decent grades. It often irks Sakura when she gets high scores with the least effort but even if she doesn't outright say it, Yena knows that Sakura is actually very proud of her.

Yena kept looking out the window, spacing out. A lot of things have happened... She smiled. She was thinking about Yuri again. She couldn't seem to think about anything else recently. She would try to think of other things but her mind would always find a way to connect it to Yuri.

Sakura looked back at Yena to see her grinning to herself. Sakura sighed and looked over at the rest of their classmates, catching some of them staring at Yena. Curse her popularity, Sakura thought as she looked back at the board, trying to focus.

Classes went by really quickly for Yena, partly because she was too busy being distracted to notice time pass by. In a blink of an eye, maybe literally to Yena, it was already lunch.

.

.

[Class 2-1]

Once the bell rung, Yuri watched the teacher intently, waiting for her to dismiss them. The moment the teacher left the classroom, Yuri got up from her seat and was already preparing to go see Yena. Unlike before, where was weary of going, she was more than happy to go this time.

She had fluttering feelings since this morning and honestly, every time she thought about Yena. Of course, there's no way the world would suddenly cooperate with her.

Jiyoung still existed.

It wasn't like she wasn't expecting it. It just slipped Yuri's mind for a moment until Jiyoung stepped in front of her, blocking her way. Different from her usual self, Yuri wasn't looking down, but was instead looking at Jiyoung face to face.

Yuri would be lying if she said she wasn't intimidated. She doesn't remember the last time she actually looked at Jiyoung's face. But she couldn't act like a coward forever. She needed to put an effort to change herself.

"You look like you're doing better now," Jiyoung commented sarcastically, "Tch.. Look at you acting all high and mighty. Who said you could look at me?"

Yuri hesitated for a moment before speaking in a serious tone, saying, "Jiyoung.. I don't have time for this."

Jiyoung's eyes visibly shook, taken back by the way Yuri had talked to her. Never has she heard Yuri speak that way. Not to her.

"W-What did you say?" Jiyoung's voice was strained, confused, maybe annoyed when she asked. 

"Yena-unnie is waiting," Yuri didn't waste any words and was straight to the point. Yena stood up for her.. She had to stand up for herself too, "If you have nothing important to say, I'm going."

Jiyoung wasn't the only person who was shocked. The entire class had their attention on them. They were all caught off guard by Yuri's sudden burst of courage.. but none of them knew how Yuri was feeling inside.

Yuri was so close to shaking, her eyes just begging to look away from Jiyoung. If only she was as brave as everyone thought she was at that moment. She was scared. She didn't know what was going to happen... She didn't know if she was going to escape this just fine. She thought she steeled herself into changing but apparently she was wrong.

She was still scared and it was killing her just trying to hide it. She couldn't break their eye contact. She knew it was the end if she did.

"Yuri? What are you standing around there for?"

A voice, maybe an angelic voice, saved Yuri from this moment.

"Chaewon?" Yuri finally looked away from Jiyoung, finding herself comforted by the sight of Chaewon.

Chaewon walked into the classroom, grabbing Yuri by the arm, giving only a side-glance of annoyance to Jiyoung, "Come on."

Yuri got herself dragged out of the classroom but she couldn't help but give Jiyoung a look of worry. Again, like a waterfall, the negativity rushed into her mind as she thought of all the possibilities. Her breathing quickened, her heart racing, she was scared.

Chaewon could feel Yuri's shaking arm as they walked in the hallway, prompting her to stop and look at the shaken girl, "Go and call Yena-unnie upstairs."

"W-Wh..What about you...?"

"You go call Yena-unnie while I go downstairs to pick up the kids."

Yuri didn't waste a second, nodding and running over to the staircase. She needed to see her. She needed to see Yena as soon as possible. She almost bumped into some people but that didn't stop her. She ran until she reached the open door of Yena's classroom, halting.

"Woah, you're in a hurry," the boy who sat at the back, let's give him a name so we can stop calling him 'boy' - Jin Seoeon, greeted Yuri, "I haven't seen you in while. Yena! She's here!"

"It's refreshing to see her again after a week," Sakura commented as she looked at Yena, "She looks like she ran here though?"

Yena shrugged, standing up and walking up to Yuri who backed a way to give way to her. "What happened?"

Yuri didn't say anything, no answers to her question. Yena was starting to get worried due to the way Yuri looked. She could see how disoriented Yuri looked and it didn't appear to be from running, "Yuri?"

After a few more moments of silence... Yuri finally spoke, "Unnie.. I.. I looked at Jiyoung and.. I.. I stood up to her.. and I.. I said what I needed to say.. I.. I was so scared Unnie.. I'm.."

Yena placed a hand on Yuri's shoulder, "Yah, Yuri? Look at me."

Yuri did as she was told, looking Yena right in the eyes. In an instant, Yuri started to calm down, her breathing getting slower and slower until normal. Seeing Yena's face gave Yuri a sense of security, like everything was going to be okay.

Yena waited for Yuri to fully calm down, seeing if she was finally in a state to talk to. After Yuri regained her composure, Yena praised her softly, "You did well. It took a lot out of you to be able to do that, right? It was difficult for you but you really tried, right?"

Yuri vigorously nodded to what Yena said. It felt like she put everything she had at stake when she decided to face Jiyoung head on. She was starting to regret that...

"Good job," Yena gave her gentle smile, "You did your best."

...But hearing words like that from Yena, and receiving such a tender smile made Yuri feel different. She felt that her efforts were recognized... And that she had nothing to regret. All the weight she had was lifted from her. Yena's presence was starting to become somewhat of an anchor to her.

"A-Ah.. I.. Chaewon helped me earlier and.. I think she's waiting with Yujin and Wonyoung.." Yuri recalled.

"Then we should go," Yena moved her hand from Yuri's shoulder down to her hand, giving the younger girl's hand a tight squeeze. Without too much thought, Yuri held back, and they headed to the cafeteria.

.

But good things don't last long.

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~ + ~

[After dismissal, 4:47PM]

"So, is Yuri walking home with us too?" Chaewon asked as the group walked to the bike parking.

"Um.. I-I guess so," Yuri nodded slowly. She learned that Chaewon and Yena lived in the same apartment complex and much more, the same building. Her morning was already beyond what she's used to but now she's going to walk home with the group.

Apparently, the four would go to school on different timings; Yena goes to school before 6, Chaewon usually leaves around 7, while Yujin and Wonyoung tend to arrive at school just barely on time. After school, however, the four of them walk home together.

"Ah, but I can't go with you guys today," Wonyoung pouted.

"Oh, was Gyuri-unnie coming today?" Yujin remembered Wonyoung mentioning that she was going to hang out with her cousin one of these days.

"Oh?" Yena nodded in understanding, looking over at the gate, "Gyuri? Wait, is she coming here?"

Gyuri.

That was name Yuri hasn't heard in a while. Really, it was name she wished she didn't have to hear again. It was bad enough that it sounded a lot like her own name but Yuri found her eyes looking over at Wonyoung.

Jang Wonyoung.

Her cousin..

Jang.. Gyuri?

"I.. I think I'll go ahead," Yuri suddenly walked away, her steps heavy yet swift.

"Wait- Yuri???" Yena called out to her but Yuri didn't look.

Yuri, who was looking at the ground, failed to notice a figure walking in front of her, the two of them colliding and the impact being full force.

"Ack- Woah-" the person she bumped into was pushed back, speaking in a voice she found all too familiar. She could never forget her voice. "Are you okay- That was quite the impact- Wait.."

The figure bent down slightly, trying to get a good look at Yuri's face while she persistently looked down.

"Jo Yuri?"

Hearing her name, Yuri automatically looked up.. but wished she didn't. Greeting her was a face.. and a name she would never forget.

"....Jang.. Gyuri."

Wonyoung was the first to run over to them, "Gyuri-unnie! Yuri-unnie! Are you two okay?"

"I'm fine," Gyuri flashed her puppy smile to reassure her younger cousin. Her expression turned into a sadder, gloomier smile as she looked at Yuri, "What about you, Yuri? Are you alright..?"

"You know each other?" Wonyoung looked at them.

"Ah.. Yuri here is your.. friend?" Gyuri turned to Wonyoung.

Wonyoung nodded.

The rest of the group followed, Yena quickly checking on Yuri. Yuri just left the hospital so it might've strained her bruises again, "Yah, you should really stop looking down while walking. Are you hurt anywhere??" 

"I wasn't looking where I was going either," Gyuri decided to take some responsibility for the incident.

"Gyuri-yah," Yena playfully punched Gyuri's shoulder, "Did you come to our school to cause trouble?"

"It was an accident," Gyuri let out an awkward laugh, unable to act comfortably in the situation.

"Unnie?" Yujin tapped Yuri's shoulder, noticing how quiet she was being. Well, Yuri was always quiet but Yujin could feel that there was something more to her silence.

"I'm fine," Yuri replied. Her voice sounded dead... empty. Pushing past them, she hurriedly walked away while she could still control her feelings.

"Yuri!" Gyuri called out to her, only making her quicken her pace.

"Yah!" Yena swiftly unchained her bike, catching up to Yuri. She jumped off the bike once she caught up to Yuri, walking as she pushed her bike along, "Yah, Yuri. What's wrong?"

"Unnie, I want to be alone right now," Yuri's voice was unchanging, as if she was hiding her emotions. She tried to be a blank canvas, not showing any particular expression on her face.

"What's with you all of a sudden?" Yena would stop bothering the girl and do as she was asked but she couldn't stop herself from asking as the worry in her grew.

.

.

The two of them walked for a while in silence, Yena continuously trying to keep up with Yuri.

.

.

She was aware of how troublesome she was being but she couldn't let the girl go so easily. "Couldn't you at least explain a little?"

"Explain what?!" Yuri failed to hold her emotions in, taking it out on Yena. She knew better than to push everything onto Yena again. Yena did nothing wrong, she didn't deserve anything she was about to say but she couldn't hold her words. Everything came out of whether she liked it or not.

"Explain how much I despise Jang Gyuri?! How she made me miserable?! Ugh.. I can't believe this.. I didn't know how much I'd hate the idea of you knowing her until I've seen it myself."

Yena couldn't say anything. Yuri was glaring at her. Glaring. She's never seen this kind of expression on Yuri's face. Yena could feel the burning rage from Yuri, and she could see the anger all over the girl.

Yuri was shaking; she was full of resentment. felt dry, feeling cold. Her fists were clenched, she was trying so hard to control herself. She didn't do anything wrong. Yuri tried to put that thought in her mind.. But the thoughts of all the pain and suffering she had to endure was taking over her.

"You.. It's all because of you.." Yuri's tone was aggressive, hostile even. She was about to start spouting nonsense that she knew she couldn't take back.. but she still let them go. "If.. If I hadn't met you.. Jiyoung wouldn't have gotten out of hand... If I hadn't met you.. I wouldn't have met Chaewon.. and Yujin.. And Wonyoung.. If... If only I didn't know Wonyoung.. I wouldn't have met Gyuri again.. I wouldn't have felt everything rushing back to me again.. I.. I'm.."

"Y-Yuri I-" Yena tried to find words to say. Anything was fine.

"Forget it. Just.. Can you just... Leave me alone?" Yuri turned away, continuing to walk off... but this time, Yena couldn't follow her.

Shock. Dejection. Disappointment. Confusion. Guilt. Yena felt all of those emotions stabbing her all at once. She was frozen in place, left there to watch Yuri get further and further away.. Until she couldn't see the other girl anymore.

"Yena!" Yena turned around to see the rest of the group running over. 

"Where's Yuri-unnie?" Wonyoung asked frantically.

"She.. She went ahead."

Yena took a deep breath, processing everything happened.

"Gyuri-yah."

"....Yena?"

"You have some explaining to do."

.

.

.

"I know."

~ + ~

||a/n: First and foremost.. Gyuri, I'm sorry for dragging you into the drama. I had an internal debate on whether to use someone from Produce 48 or someone from Idol School. In the end, I decided to take someone who was part of both. Yena ended up being the target of Yuri's negativity again.. Our poor duckie was attacked ;~; Well, things like this happen.

Seoeon, the boy who was relevant enough to receive a name, will be playing some sort of role in the next chapter or maybe a few more. Ya'll here for our YulYen babies so I thought I needed to give you a heads up. Don't worry though, he's for the ship, not against it ;3

That aside, I hope you enjoyed the chapter even with the new drama. We're having some revelations next chapters.|