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Dedicated to @Nana0619

Journey 28

The sunlight's morning beam awakened Jinri from her deep slumber. She rolled over her bed and yawned, blinking back the grogginess she was still feeling on that Wednesday morning.

It was the third day of their foundation week. So far, the sports and mind-testing competitions were the only activities that have yet been done. Today's program was singing competition wherein her friends Luna and Kyungsoo will be participating. For Jinri, this was when the fun will really start.

Moving on, Jinri left the comforts of her bed and stood up. She was yawning on her way to the bathroom when Chanyeol's voice rang near her.

"Forget them. Forget them all." he said.

Jinri stopped in her tracks. For a moment she was convinced that Chanyeol was talking to her, but when she took a sneak peek on the kitchen, she saw the latter talking to his teacup instead.

"Come with me and you'll never, never have to worry about grown things again." Chanyeol said, seriously gazing at the little cup.

Jinri chuckled and decided to leave Chanyeol alone to practice. When she was finally inside the bathroom and had dipped herself in the tub, Jinri wondered on random things such as the possible outcome of Luna and Kyungsoo's performance today; Jongin and Luhan's showdown tomorrow; their own performance on the day after tomorrow; and of course, the best ingredients to buy for her chocolate for Valentine's Day on Friday.

After lunch, Jinri and Chanyeol went to school together. They entered the school ground which was still packed with SMA students and visitors as well as section booths from different corners. They stopped to buy some snacks on one of the food booths, then went straight to the auditorium.

Amber, Jongin and Luhan already saved them seats on the front row. They waved at Jinri and Chanyeol when they entered the venue and pointed on their seats next to theirs which the two people gratefully accepted.

Meanwhile, Luna fiddled nervously from behind the curtains. She can clearly hear the chatter of students on their seats, the technical tests of sound systems and her thumping heartbeat. Everything she's hearing seems so loud for her that she thinks she'll go deaf at any minute. Somehow it was ironic, because Park Luna was never nervous in her competitions but this. If only she can rid of her anxiety before they perform...

Her answer came too soon. Kyungsoo joined her shortly and the first thing he did when he reached her was to gave a reassuring squeeze in her hands together with a small smile in his lips.

"Don't worry, I'm here." he said.

And when their names were called, Luna was more confident than earlier.

The duo placed themselves on high stools, trying to breathe as evenly as possible. Today they won't serenade the audience with a song too familiar for them. In fact, it will be the first time anyone will hear this song for it is from their own lyrical and song compositions.

[Now playing: Reminds Me of You by Byul ft. Shorry J]

Luna closed her eyes and strummed the first chords.

"Neo ppuninga bwa..Geureon geonga bwa.. Nan neo bakke saenggagi an na.. Joheun geol bomyeon..Joheun gose gamyeon..Tturururu..Tturururu; Ni eolgul tteoolla." 

Kyungsoo looked at Luna and started to rap - for the first time.

"Jeonhwagiman barabomyeo onda anonda; Mameuro neowa daehwareul na honjaman nanun bam; Ireon nal mot neukkyeodo igeotmaneun jebal arajwoyo; Jumeoni sok kkokkkok sumgyeodun nae sarangeul kkeonaelkka; Jinsimeuro nega nan joha nisarangi nan gopa; Geunde niapeman seomyeon neoran byeogeun neomu nopa; Nae mam alkka..Neoneun alkka.."

An applause followed as soon as Kyungsoo finished his first verse. Jinri was one of those people, her heart swelling with pride for her friends.

Luna opened her eyes, meeting Kyungsoo's chocolately dark ones on doing so. A shadow of a smile played on Kyungsoo's lips, captivating Luna while she sang her next lines. Shades of red crept Luna's cheeks instantly, her glow was too scarlet under the spotlight. 

As the two of them sang their song, Kyungsoo and Luna never break their locked gazes on each other.

For that reason, Jinri was more inspired to bake chocolates later that evening.

* * *

On Thursday, words spread like fire that Jongin and Luhan will have a showdown on the dance competition later. At 3 o'clock in the afternoon, the auditorium was twice as filled than yesterday. It was harder for Jinri and her friends to squeeze in the crowd, but luckily they managed to get themselves a space at the corner of the hall.

The stage was filled with glistening red strings formed in a large circle. Its floor was painted in fiery red, and smokes billowed from its both sides. Suddenly, every lights were turned off, making the girls squeal in alarm as they stared blindly in pure darkness.

The music started playing from somewhere they don't know. It was still dark inside the auditorium, and they can't see anyone on stage.

Then bright spotlight hit the center of the platform followed by the loud cheers of the students when two godly beauties appeared in the middle of the red-stringed circle. Jongin and Kai were both wearing glittering long sleeves - black for the black-haired Jongin and silver for the brown-haired Luhan - as well as glittering pants and white shoes.

When the first beat of their dance reached the student's ears, Jongin and Luhan started dancing in explosive harmony.

[Link: Jongin and Kai's Showdown]

And the winner? It was for the audience to decide.

* * *

The next day was SMA's final celebration of foundation week; the day of Jinri's musical play; and of course, the sweetest day for lovers and bitterest day for singles and broken-hearts - Valentine's Day.

Jinri's morning was welcomed with Joonmyeon's MMS message. It was a video record of him who was obviously just as newly-awakened like her. His hair was in a tidy mess but it only added the bright aura he was showing. Joonmyeon cleared his throat and beamed on the camcorder.

"Jagiya! Good morning! Good luck with your performance later... Here's a song for you to start your day; Neon geunyang geudaero isseo namaneul barabomyeonseo; Jeoldae neol bonaeji anha dugo bwa babe. Happy Valentine's Day!" and waved happily in front of the camera.

[Link: Joonmyeon's MMS message]

Jinri sent a selca of her along with a brief message before getting out of bed. She bumped into Chanyeol when she went outside her bedroom, her hands laying on his hard chest.

"Umm.." Jinri uttered.
"I just thought of knocking on your door to wake you up. I don't know you already are." Chanyeol smiled apologetically, his distance still close to Jinri.

Jinri took a step back and smiled.

"It's okay. Happy Valentine's Day anyways."

Chanyeol scratched his head and grinned sheepishly.

"Um, you too. Although I don't really know what it means." he said.

Jinri grinned and went to the fridge. Inside it were five different boxes of different sizes. Kyungsoo, Joonmyeon, Jongin, Luhan and Chanyeol have one of those chocolates each. 

Jinri reserved Chanyeol's at the furthest part of the fridge. She reached towards it but she noticed that Chanyeol's chocolate was unitentionally bigger than Joonmyeon's. Frowning with guilt, Jinri reached over Joonmyeon's chocolate and showed it to Chanyeol instead.

"Valentine's Day or Day of Hearts, is St. Valentine's feast day. In Korea, girls give boys chocolates and on March 14, or White Day, it will be the boy's turn to give chocolates to girls. Anyways, Valentine's Day was mostly celebrated by couples, but friends and families can also date too."

She gave Joonmyeon's chocolate to Chanyeol and smiled.

"So happy Valentine's Day Chanyeol!"
"Thanks." Chanyeol grinned. "Wait for one month and I'll give the biggest chocolate for you."

After breakfast, Chanyeol and Jinri went to school together for their last-minute rehearsal. Kyungsoo and Krystal were already present on the stage. As soon as Krystal saw Chanyeol, she walked towards him and gave him a chocolate.

"Happy Valentine's Day Chanyeol!" she greeted happily.
"Uhh... thank you Krystal." he said. Then he leaned closer to Jinri and whispered, "Do I have to give her a chocolate on March too?"
"If you want to." Jinri replied. Then she walked towards Kyungsoo and put an arm around his shoulders. "Happy Valentine's Day K,"

Kyungsoo accepted the chocolate and grinned.

"This is my 25th chocolate. Thanks J." he winked.
"Wow! Really?"
"Yes. I received a lot on my locker earlier."

Jinri laughed. There was no mistaking that despite of Kyungsoo's obvious weirdness, his talent and brain stood brighter for the students this year. For that, her friendly love for Kyungsoo swelled with pride again.

"We'll start our rehearsal in five minutes actors! Get ready!" Mrs. Barrie boomed.

Jinri sighed. In a matter of hours, she'll be playing the part of a jealous fairy who was in love with her best friend; will drink Captain Hook's poison instead of her; will die; will live again; and will watch Peter Pan and Wendy kiss each other. Life .

* * *

Joonmyeon's good luck messages popped in Jinri's phone every hour countdown. The play will start at 02:00 p.m., and they only have an hour before their real performance. Their dress rehearsal earlier went great. In fact it brought Mrs. Barrie to tears at the end of their practice. She told everyone that she was so proud of her actors and actresses because of their undeniable talent. She said she can't wish for a better play than Peter Pan.

Five minutes to start. Everyone settled themselves on their respective places. Jinri glanced at Chanyeol and found him looking at her. He gave her a thumbs up which she returned.

Four minutes. Jinri's heart was pounding like a stereo. Why was she getting nervous now?!

Three. Two. One.

Mrs. Darling, Wendy and her brothers John and Michael were formed in a close circle over Wendy's bed. Mrs. Darling was at the center of the kids, a story book laid on her lap.

"And so the prince defeated the witch, and he, together with Rapunzel, lived happily ever after." Mrs. Darling ended.

The scenes moved on. Jinri had her first appearance on Scene II, wherein Chanyeol chased his shadow with her following him. Then they went to Neverland with Krystal and her brothers. Krystal had her spotlight for a long time as the scenes proceeded with the Lost Boys, Tiger Lily and the Indians, and her first encounter with Captain Hook.

Meanwhile, Jinri who playing the part of Tinker Bell, watched Chanyeol and Krystal developed their character's relationship on the play. She will show the audience a face of jealous girl, playing pranks at Krystal, pulling her hair our of nowhere, and sticking her tongue out.

They were at Scene XIII now. It was when Chanyeol will find out that Krystal was kidnapped by Kyungsoo and out of his remorse, he will drink Kyungsoo's poison.

"No Peter don't!" Jinri shouted, knocking his hands away from the poison flask and drank it instead. Jinri grew dizzier, paler, and weaker, until her knees fell and Chanyeol went for her to catch her.
"Why'd you do it? Don't you know Tink? You're more important to me than anyone in this world." Chanyeol cried, his actor's tears falling on Jinri's cheeks.
"P-peter... I've loved you since before. I'm sorry that I brought Wendy to d-danger. F-forgive me. Goodb-"
"No you are not going to die! I do not permit you to die Tink! Help me!"

Chanyeol laid Jinri on the floor and faced the audience.

"I need your help to save Tinkerbell! We must say that we believe in fairies! Help me save my best friend. Say 'I believe in fairies!'"
"I believe in fairies!" someone shouted from the crowd.
"I believe in fairies!" Chanyeol followed.
"I belive in fairies! I believe in fairies!" the whole audience chorused out loud.

Smoke billowed from the stage. The spotlight was focused on Jinri. Light effects brought the illusion that her wings were glittering again. Jinri opened her eyes for a fraction. Chanyeol hurried over her.

"Tink?" he said.

Jinri smiled and flapped her wings. Then Chanyeol hugged her tightly and lifted her around in the air.

"You're alive! Thank you for believing in fairies!"

And here comes Jinri's most dreaded part: Scene XVII.

"Peter, I should like you to give a kiss."

Jinri closed her eyes. *Dear God.*

Chanyeol holds his hand out to Krystal.

"Don't you know what a kiss is?"

Jinri bit her lower lip. The theater hall was too quiet for her liking. She feared that her loud heartbeat might have been heard by the audience.  She was standing near Captain Smee, his hands gripped tightly around her arms. Everyone waited for Chanyeol to deliver his next line.

"I shall know when you give me one. Let's live in Neverland forever."
"Peter... I'm sorry but I must grow up."

Krystal walked towards Chanyeol. Kyungsoo gripped her arms.

"It's just a thimble."
"By all means by my beauty, give Peter Pan your precious thimble."

Jinri can swear that her heart had just stopped. Why was she feeling it this way anyways? She loves Joonmyeon, right? Then why? Why was she feeling....

Jealous?

Krystal wove her arms around Chanyeol's neck and gripped his hair. Chanyeol leaned in closer, his precious red lips almost near to Krystal's thin one.

"N-" Jinri started.

One second to spare before their lips will meet -

"St-STOP!" Jinri shouted of nowhere. All eyes were Jinri. She can feel Mrs. Barrie's shock glare piercing her. She'd like to back down and let Chanyeol and Krystal do their business, but it was too late to back down now. Jinri racked her brain for  the next words to say. Her heart was thumping loudly on her chest, her sweat cold with nervousness. Then her eyes landed on Kyungsoo, and the light bulb flicked on her.

"C-captain Hook is behind you Peter!"

Chanyeol turned around the momentarily shocked Kyungsoo. His round eyes grew bigger in surprise. Then trying hard to compose himself, Kyungsoo adopted Captain Hook's role again.

"Arr!" he shouted and swung his sword near Chanyeol. Chanyeol dodged out of reflex. He snapped his head towards Kyungsoo in astonishment and abandoned Krystal. He unsheathed his sword and pointed it towards Kyungsoo.
"You dog!" he said out of nowhere. "I'll defeat you Captain Hook!" Chanyeol doesn't even know where he got the line.
"No Peter, my kiss!" Krystal ran towards Chanyeol. Jinri instinctively blocked her. There was a loud "OOOOHHHH" from the audience. It was like they were looking for a challenge or better yet, a cat fight.
"Excuse me Tinkerbell, but I still have to give Peter his thimble."
"I'm sorry but you can't Wendy." Jinri said naturally. She was starting to enjoy this.
"Why not Jinri?" Krystal asked, obviously irritated.
"Because I don't want to Krystal." Jinri answered, both she and Krystal forgetting their roles.
"Kyungsoo stop!" Chanyeol said, his sword getting overpowered by Kyungsoo.
"It is my life's mission to defeat you boy!" Kyugsoo shouted, still on his role.
"This is chaos!" Mrs. Barrie moaned.

The other casts stared open-mouthed from the scene. Then one of the Lost Boys nodded to his side. Suddenly, all seven of them tackled the pirates.

"Defeat the pirates!"
"Kyungsoo!"
"My kiss!"
"No!"
"Stop! Stop! Stop! STOP!!"

The audience started laughing and jeering. Mrs. Barrie - out of desperation - let the curtains fall and ran away.

Their background was filled with the still chaotic casts and the jeers of the audience, begging for an encore.

Krystal galred at Jinri for a long time. Then she smirked.

"If only you were not Chanyeol's cousin I would think that I am competing with a friend. But you are really overprotective with your cousin. It irks me. Do you love him?"

Jinri's lips went dry. She gulped and averted her eyes from Krystal's glare.

"You don't care even if I do." she answered.

Krystal seethed and walked away, her long hair following her long and angry paces. When Jinri turned around, she saw Joonmyeon staring sadly at him. Jinri instantly remembered the larger chocolate she had unintentionally made for Chanyeol.

"Do you really?" Joonmyeon asked. Jinri doesn't need to know what was he talking about.
"I... I'm not sure." Jinri said.
"Then me? Do you love me?"

Jinri stayed silent. She bowed her head and refused to look at him.

"This ." Joonmyeon said after a while. "This really really ."

Still, Jinri did not answer. Joonmyeon turned his back on her and said,

"I guess there's no point on holding on when I no longer hold your heart." Joonmyeol said bitterly, finally walking away.

Was that it? Did Joonmyeon really break up with her again? This feeling, unlike on their first break up, was really weird.

Because Jinri's heart was not in pain anymore.