"I'm not going to give up on both you and my career."

 

"You're too greedy."

 

 

 

 

Empty.

Lonely.

Depressed.

 

Is this the side-effects of being famous? 

 

Chaeyeon forgets when was the last time she had proper meal with all of her members   both DIA and IOI.

She spents almost all of her meals eating in the van while rushing to complete her next set of scheduels alone. 

It was extremely lonely. 

 

Eating 

Sleeping

 

She do all those almost everyday in the van instead of going back to the warm dorm where there are lively members to cheer her up.

 

Chaeyeon thinks she's having depression.

 

Even after being famous   as she wished, she wasn't as happy as she thought she would be. Instead, she felt even more pathetic, even more misarable. She lost all of her smiles and laugh   not counting those broadcast laughters. 

 

And for the every first time after a month of working her hectic scheduels alone, she finally felt a boost in her mood. 

 

IOI was going to film together for V-Live.

 

Very soon, she's going to meet her beloved members that she missed so much.

 

She's going to meeet her favourite dongsaengs, and her hilarious unnies.

 

She was going to meet Zhou Jieqiong.

 

Her Jieqiong.

 

Jieqiong who she had not seen for a month. 

 

Jieqiong who she missed so much.

 

Jieqiong whose name now sounded so foreign to her. 

 

Jieqiong who she regretted letting go of.

 

 

 

 

"Chaeyeon unnie." Somi beams widely at her, throwing her arms over the older's shoulder ad hugging her tightly. 

 

"We've missed you." Sejeong winks. 

 

The latter giggles, genuinely. How she missed her member's lovely voice and hyper behaviours. 

 

Chaeyeon smiled slightly when she saw Yoojung and Doyeon bickering over some black-coloured socks. 

 

And she immediately remembered Jieqiong   who loathes black-coloured socks.

 

Her eyes then went searching for the certain Chinese member, but the younger wasn't anywhere found in the waiting room.

 

"Jieqiong is in the restroom." Nayoung, who noticed Chaeyeon's seearching orbs, informed. 

 

"Ahhh, i see." Chaeyeon nodded and smiled disappointedly. 

 

Jieqiong was the first person she wanted to see. 

 

"THE GREAT ZHOU JIEQIONG IS BAC    ha..."

 

The oldest beagle of the group stammered at her outburst when she saw the familiar looking member and coughed awkwardly, eyes looking around frantically. 

 

Chaeyeon wanted to laugh at how adorable the younger was. 

 

But she stopped herself as she observed the younger. 

  Chaeyeon wasn't surprise to see how the younger had grown even more beautiful with the three extra strands of bangs let down. She just wonders how much even more will Jieqiong become more gorgeous when she grows older and more mature.     "Hey?" Jieqiong waved her hands awkwardly towards Chaeyeon and the older didn't know how to react to that.    Was she suppose to wave back with the same awkwardness as well?      Before she made a decision, her body made a move first.      Chaeyeon felt the younger jolting up at the sudden tight embrace.    "Hey." Chaeyeon smiled and snuggled her head against the younger's shoulder like how they used to do in the past.      She loved how Jieqiong just perfectly fits into her pair of arms.    She loved how Jieqiong had this strawberry smell.    She loved how warm Jieqiong was.   She love everything about the younger.      Although she wanted to stay at the same position for a longer time, she figured that Jieqiong might be uncomfortable. Considering the fact that, they are not a couple anymore.      "I've missed you."    Chaeyeon was about to pull away from the hug when she recieve no reply but was stunned when she felt Jieqiong's small hands wrapped around her waist as tight as she was hugging her.    "Me too." It came out as a soft whisper and Chaeyeon wouldn't like it anymore better.    Her heart burst into light happiness as she grinned widely, not letting go of Jieqiong.      "Are you guys perhaps back together?" Both of them pulled away when they heard Chungha questioning.    Chaeyeon stared at the rest and notice how their hands are together, eyes sparkled in anticipation. As if they are expecting them to say yes.      "We're not together." Jieqiong replied almost instantly.      Chaeyeon already knew they weren't.   But why does it hurt so much when it came out from Jieqiong's lips?             Chaeyeon can't help but grin widely when she saw Jieqiong in the cute disney costume.    "How do i look?" Jieqiong questioned the members as she came out walking of the dressing room.      Somi had her thumbs up while Mina went forth and pinched the older's cheeks, shierking, "YOU'RE SO CUTE!"      Jieqiong laughed and slapped the younger's pairs of hands away jokingly, "Really?"      Seeing how the younger still had doubts, Sejeong placed her hands ontop of Chaeyeon's shoulder and teased.     "Just look at how Chaeyeon's eyes are having the heart emoji right now, staring at you."      Chaeyeon looked away promptly, cheeks flushed red as she heard Sejeong laughing her heads off beside her. She really likes teasing her and Jieqiong.      "Y-Yeah, you look perfectly adorable in it."    Chaeyeon dared herself to look up at Jieqiong in the eyes and noticed the little sparks that flashed across at their eyecontact.   "T-Thanks."       Chaeyeon thought that she might have the chance to make up with Jieqiong with this V-Live opportunity.    But boy, she was wrong.      There was two minions inbetween them.   Mina and Sohye.   Those two ers.      And regrettably, the V-Live ended with Chaeyeon not even interacting as much as she wants with the younger.     Chaeyeon didn't want the day to end without at least being more comfortable with Jieqiong.   She wasn't wishing for Jieqiong to forgive her and come back to her. All she wanted was for Jieqiong not to act so rigid and awkward around her, as if they were strangers.   She just wanted Jieqiong to treat her like how she treat the other members.       Fortunely, she found her chance when she saw Jieqiong alone waiting for her turn to change out of the costume as the other members were fighting to change out first.     "Jieqiong? Can we talk?" Chaeyeon approached.     There was fear and doubtness shown on the younger's face and Chaeyeon couldn't help but felt disappointed with it.     Am i back to the scary sunbae?     "Just for a while, since we are waiting for them to be done fighting over the dressing rooms." Chaeyeon tried joking and thankfully, Jieqiong break into a small adorable smile and nodded in agreement.      Chaeyeon took a seat beside Jieqiong and stared at the ground, deliberating on how to start the conversation.      "I know the sudden change of our relationship will be difficult for you to adapt. But can you treat me like how you treat others?" Chaeyeon question and requested carefully.      Jieqiong quirked a brow and defended, "I am."     The older rolled her eyes, "Yeah right."      "You're so awkward around me. You act like as if i'm a stranger."      Jieqiong pouted and hang her head down guiltily.     "I'm sorry."     Chaeyeon sighed and grabbed the younger's pinkish soft hands, caressing it gently.      "I'm not asking you to comeback to me or anything." She continued, "I'm just asking you to be comfortable around me. Comfortable enough for me to hug you and call you anytime i want."     "Chae   "   "    Since you know i'm a selfish person already, i'll be selfish to the end."     Jieqiong frowned at that.      "I've no intention on giving up both you and my career."     Chaeyeon noticed how her frown was even deeper and she wondered why.     But she didn't ask.     Instead, she leaned in and placed a chaste kiss in the midde of the younger's brows, surprising Jieqiong.      "I love you."      To say Jieqiong was appalled was an understatement.    It was the very few times she heard the older said those three words to her although they had dated for almost a year.    Due to Chaeyeon's shy diposition, it was always Jieqiong who initiated skinship and chessy statements to her. Even when they got together, they didn't even said i love you to each other.   She could really feel the older's sincerity but yet, she knew she wasn't important enough yet in Chaeyeon's life.     "You're too greedy."   "You can't have everything you want, it's the reality."          To Chaeyeon, her career was the most important.         To Chaeyeon, Zhou Jieqiong comes in second after that.      On the other hand, Jieqiong was really willing to give up on career and choose the latter if she was forced to choose. But then again, she knew she couldn't blame the older for chosing her future before her.     But she was willing to wait.     To wait for the day Chaeyeon would finally place her first.                     Its finally the next day where Jieqiong would debut in her own company group, as temporary group.   Their debut stage.   She was extremely excited of course.    One, because she's going to finally debut with her closest friends, friends who trained with her from day one.   Second, because she's going to see Chaeyeon.    Jieqiong had not forget the time where Chaeyeon had promised her to visit Pledis Girlz debut stage and would celebrate with her later on. They had remained as friends and became comfortable with each other after Chaeyeon's request which was also the last time they met. Which was close to three months ago.    Jieqiong missed the older dearly.    She was so excited for this day that she couldn't fall asleep. So she decided to text