INSPIRED BY: Law of the Jungle (Sojin, ep. 3)

Knock. Knock.

Minah opened the door and hurriedly ran back to her room.

She called out, “I'm sorry, unnie! Just one second!”

Hopping out to the living room with only one shoe on, she properly greeted Sojin.

“I'm a mess and we’ll be late to our dinner reservation. I'm so sorry,” the girl fretted.

“Don't worry about it, Minah-yah. I know a shortcut.”

Sojin smoothed the younger’s bangs.

“You do? That's great—”

“Trust me, I majored in mechanical engineering.”

“Oh, um, okay.”

~~~

“Sojin unnie, can you taste my soup? It's missing something but I can't pinpoint it.”

Hyeri held out the spoon to the older’s mouth.

Smacking her lips, Sojin searched the kitchen for the ingredient.

“Here, a pinch of salt should do the trick.”

Hyeri was skeptical.

“It's already so salty—”

“Trust me, I majored in mechanical engineering.”

“Fine…”

The maknae did as she was instructed.

“...but I don't see what your major has to do with this.”

“Is this enough?” Hyeri asked, turning around.

Sojin was gone.

She shrugged and sampled her food.

“Hey, this is good.”

~~~

Yura poked her head into Sojin’s room.

“I want to plan a pool day with the members. What date do you think is good?”

Sojin pointed at the 2016 Girl’s Day calendar on the wall and gestured at Yura to bring it to her.

A quick scan showed Sojin the answer.

“We can do this Sunday.”

“I thought we have a CF filming that day?”

“We’ll have a few hours at night. Plenty of time.”

“Ah, right. Thanks, Ssozi.”

“Trust me, I majored in—”

Yura quickly exited the room.

“—hey, get back here!”

~~~

A lone light bulb swung from the ceiling.

A hard fist slammed the table.

“She must be stopped.”

“Agreed.”

The youngest raised her hand.

“...but why did you have to hit the table? Also, why are the lights off? And why—”

“Hyeri!” Yura complained and jabbed at the girl’s chest. “Let me indulge in the dramatics!”

~~~

The mechanical engineer was chilling on the couch, playing Super Mario as usual.

Yura gave the signal.

Two figures jumped out of nowhere and wrapped Sojin tightly in a blanket.

With Hyeri and Minah sandwiching her on the couch, she was trapped.

“I feel like a burrito,” the hostage lamented. “You know, I might be gassy now.”

She glanced at her captors.

They avoided her gaze.

Yura crossed her arms.

“This is an intervention.”

“There's nothing to intervene,” the burrito countered.

“There is.”

“There isn't.”

“There is.

“There isn't. Trust me, I—”

“NO!” the trio yelled in unison.

“No more!” Minah begged, desperation lacing her voice. “No more.”

Hyeri placed her hand on the blanket of where she guessed to be Sojin’s hand.

“Unnie, we trust you, okay? It has nothing to do with the fact that you majored in mechanical engineering or not.”

They all nodded sincerely.

“Alright, I’ll stop,” Sojin conceded, “but only on the condition that we stay like this for a while. I’m really comfy.”

“Celebration cuddle party!” Yura shouted and attacked them all with hugs.

~~~

“Hyeri-ah, it goes one, two, three, four…”

Sojin held the maknae’s gaze in the mirror as they practiced the dance again.

“Are you sure?” Hyeri asked, confused.

It had been a few months since their last performance as four.

Minah fanned herself using her hand in the humid room.

“Yeah, unnie’s right. Your position was off earlier.”

Sojin took a swig of water and swallowed.

She smirked.

“Trust me...I'm the leader.”

Her members groaned.