5 Seasons
Five Seasons
SPRING
Nayoung bounced down the well-beaten track with an unusual spring in her step, something unusual for the Stone Buddha leader of I.O.I.
She still recalled fervently how they spent the past weekend together; lazing about the dorm as the rest of the I.O.I girls went home to visit their family.
-Begin flashback-
“Nayoung unnieeee paegupayoooo!” Jieqiong exclaimed with half-stuffed with chips.
“Tch aren’t you already eating? We still have to perform at Musicbank next week you’re gonna burst out of your costume at this rate…”
“Butbuttt… I’m on my period…” Jieqiong said with a pout, whilst giving Nayoung the classic puppy dog eyes look that she always melted in front of.
How could she say no to this adorable Chinese girl?
“There’s some Kimbap in the fridge if you want” Nayoung pointed nonchalantly.
“YAHHHH unnie you’re the best!” Jieqiong squealed and gave Nayoung a hug.
-End Flashback-
Nayoung chuckled whilst she remembered Jieqiong’s unforgettable antics. She never failed to make her day feel complete despite their ridiculous schedules. It wasn’t easy being who they were; but they didn’t have a choice. The only consolation was that they had each other to face it together.
“OUCH!” The crash into the transparent door of the YMC entertainment building sure did bring her crashing back to reality.
“Sigh, back to practice I guess.” Nayoung prepped herself for what would be another gruelling 7 hours of practice. But somehow, the intimidating glass doors the guarded the entrance to YMC entertainment seemed more welcoming and bright today.
SUMMER
“Alright girls well done that’s a wrap!” I.O.I had finally ended their 5 hour dance practice. Their schedule was picking up with a major performance slated at KCON paris in June, and the girls were eager to give their fans a performance they would never forget.
“Manager oppa said we could have the rest of the day off. You girls are free to do whatever you all want” Nayoung announced.
“YAY let’s go shopping!” “Chungha unnie take me to that clothes store you mentioned last night!” “YAH Jeon Somi you stink!” “ANIYO IT’S MINA UNNIE!” The girls buzzed as they exited the practice room, leaving Nayoung to clear up. It was her turn to clean according to the duty roster she did up when the group first formed. A good leader should always ensure the group has a conducive environment to have good practices in.
Beads of perspiration dripped down Nayoung’s forehead as she diligently scrubbed the wooden floors of the dance room. Seoul’s summer sure was unforgiving, and the fact that the air-conditioner wasn’t working didn’t serve to alleviate her suffering either. Seriously, a multi-million dollar company and they can’t even get the air-conditioning fixed?
Suddenly, Nayoung felt something graze her forehead.
“AISH an insect?!” Nayoung swatted instinctively.
“Unnie if I was an insect, I’d be your love bug~”
Nayoung spun around, surprised to see a smiling Jieqiong with a damp tissue in one hand, and a floor scrubber in the other. “I’ve come to help you unnie! Then we can go and get ice cream together!” Jieqiong beamed.
“Why aren’t you with the other girls? Didn’t they go shopping?”
“Heh, your company means more to me than a gucci handbag Nayoung-ie” With that, Jieqiong began to scrub the floor alongside her favourite stone buddha.
Drip…Drip…Drip.
Nayoung crouched on the floor, hugging her knees close to her as cold water poured onto her clothed body. It was another one of those days. One of those days the headstrong, infallible stone buddha allowed herself to be the scared, flawed girl she was on the inside. It wasn’t easy being the leader of a group like I.O.I. With there being many different personalities, there was bound to be clashes between the members, and somehow Nayoung found herself at the epicentre of these clashes all the time. From Somi, to Sejeong, to Mina and Sohye, Nayoung found herself always ending up on their bad side.
-Begin Flashback-
‘IM NAYOUNG YOU ARE NOT THE BOSS OF ME GET OFF YOUR MORAL HIGH HORSE FOR ONCE”
“Jeon Somi I’m asking this of you for your own good please underst…”
BAM.
The door slammed into Nayoung’s face, knocking her backwards.
-End Flashback
Was it too much of her to ask Somi to keep her behaviour in check during variety shows? Was it too much of her to ask Mina to watch her diet for the upcoming comeback? Thousands of thoughts assailed her mind as a lone tear began to trickle down her cheek.
“Unnie…”
Nayoung looked up to see a concerned Jieqiong kneeling in front of her.
Instead of saying anything else, Jieqiong wrapped her arms around Nayoung, “Unnie it’s okay to cry, I’m here for you okay? Even when the cherry blossoms fade…” That was the last straw and Nayoung began to full-out bawl, her wails reflecting all the pent-up frustration and sadness accumulated over the past few weeks. Jieqiong gently moved Nayoung’s head to the crook of her neck, patting the back of her head with one hand, and circling her waist with the other.
She still had her Jieqiong.
WINTER
Jieqiong and Nayoung trudged down the snow-filled pathway hand in hand, their breaths coming out as puffs of smoke in the cold winter breeze. Finally with winter at hand, they had a break; a time to relax, a time to be human, a time to love properly.
“Nayoung unnie, what’s your favourite season of the year?”
“Wae? Why the sudden question” Nayoung replied.
“Spring?” “Aniyo.”
“Uhm… Summer?” “Aniyo.”
“AH HAH it has got to be Autumn right?”
“Haha nope guess again Jieqiong”
“What else could it be other than winter?” “Nope, wrong again.”
Jieqiong stared blankly at Nayoung. “Huh?” she muttered in confusion.
Nayoung chuckled as she reached forward and clasped a surprised Pinky’s cheeks
“My favourite season is you Jieqiong-ah. Every season- Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter. Until you came along I frankly hated them. During produce 101 they simply served to remind me how much of my time I have devoted to my career. Yet, as you entered my life in all your child-like glory, you changed the seasons. You added a new unique one. Just as how seasons represent a change, you changed my life, for the better. And for that, gomawoyo. I know I’m not very good at expressing my emotions because I tend to hide them but… Saranghae…”
Jieqiong stood rooted to the ground, mouth agape. Im Nayoung, the stone buddha, the corpse bride of I.O.I, actually expressed her feelings properly for the first time? Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?
“Er… Did I say something wrong…” Nayoung added cautiously, she herself getting caught off-guard by her sudden emotional outburst. It really wasn’t like her to say such things, yet somehow with Jieqiong it seemed so right.
“Im Nayoung how can you be so right for me.”
With that, they shared a passionate kiss as powder snow fell around them, painting the trees and flowers around them a shade of pure white.
“As the cherry blossoms fade, I hope you’ll pick me. I’ll be in the same place, waiting to be your dream girl”.
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